Afera, the European Adhesive Tape Association, recently held the 11th edition of its biennial ‘Tape College’, to teach the fundamentals and current technical essentials of adhesive tape technology to the entire tape value chain.
Held in Munich, Germany, the successful event saw the attendance of more than 120 tape related company delegates, including a significant number of professionals in R&D, customer and technical service, sales, marketing, engineering, production, processing and quality assurance, as well as general management.
Attendees represented 69 companies from 15 European countries plus the UAE. Afera members made up 71% of the participants – 44 from Afera member tape manufacturers and 38 from member suppliers of raw materials, machines and packaging.
“Not only did you all come here to benefit from a solid overview of the current technologies of the tape business, but you got to know many new faces – which is just as important,” said Evert Smit, Afera president and director of scouting for sustainability, technology and innovation at Lohmann GmbH & Co KG.
Lectures given by field experts focused on the selection, manufacture, conversion, application, testing, sustainability and EU regulation of tapes, included those entitled ‘Why tapes?’, ‘Tapes deconstructed’, ‘Tape production’, as well as ‘Tape use and testing’.
‘Why tapes?’ focused on a general introduction to adhesive tapes from Afera President Evert Smit. “We don’t need more solutions for tapes, we need better solutions for solving future needs. Tapes, because of their versatility, help enable the (sustainable) future more than any other bonding technology,” he emphasised.
Caroline Sperling, manager of tesa SE’s customer solution centre in Europe, introduced attendees to Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) technology, providing a survey of the most important relationships between physical performance and application properties. She aligned adhesive tape technology available with the demands of today and tomorrow’s industrial processes.
Participants feedback was overall positive. “Afera’s ‘Tape College’ was an important event for the Scapa and Mativ teams because it provided a platform on which to learn, work and discuss the future of adhesive tapes. The event is also proof that suppliers, customers and tape manufacturers can work together to innovate faster,” commented Alexandre Despesse, R&D project leader outsourcing, Scapa (France).
Afera’s next event, the 67th Afera Annual Conference will take place in Thessaloniki, Greece, at the Hyatt Regency from 25th – 27th September 2024.
Having spent a decade in the fastener industry experiencing every facet – from steel mills, fastener manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, as well as machinery builders and plating + coating companies, Claire has developed an in-depth knowledge of all things fasteners.
Alongside visiting numerous companies, exhibitions and conferences around the world, Claire has also interviewed high profile figures – focusing on key topics impacting the sector and making sure readers stay up to date with the latest developments within the industry.
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