Afera's 11th Tape College Strengthens Technical Expertise in Munich

TAGS:  Sustainability / Natural Adhesives      Waterborne Adhesives      Solvent borne Adhesives    

The European Adhesive Tape Association, known as Afera, organized its eleventh Tape College event in Munich, Germany. The event had a packed program including 21 lectures on technical, sustainability, and legislative topics related to adhesive tapes.

It also featured important meetings of Afera committees and working groups. The 3-day program aimed to teach the basics and current technical aspects of adhesive tape technology to professionals new to the market. Experts in the adhesive tape field hosted and led the event. The Tape College also served as a valuable networking opportunity for both new and experienced members of the global tape business community.

More than 120 Tape-related Company Delegates

The event saw the attendance of more than 120 tape-related company delegates, including a number of professionals in R&D, customer and technical service, sales, marketing, engineering, production, processing and quality assurance—even general management. They represented 69 companies from 15 European countries plus U.A.E. Afera members made up about 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 Afera president Evert Smit, who is also director scouting for sustainability, technology and innovation at Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG., told the audience at the end of the last session. “I have seen many returning participants here this week, and I am pretty sure that many of you sitting here now in several years will be standing up here on stage instructing the next generation.”

Both Mr. Smit and Afera Technical Committee chairman Reinhard Storbeck, who is also director of R&D at tesa SE, emphasized in their concluding remarks that the most important themes for the future of the tape business now are cooperation and collaboration. Coming together for Afera’s technical events and conference was likened to a family reunion.

Lectures Given by Field Experts

Held this year in the city of Munich, the 11^th Afera Tape College event provided a back-to-school experience in which field experts lectured over four sessions entitled “Why tapes?”, “Tapes deconstructed”, “Tape production” and “Tape use & testing”. A panel discussion rounded off each session.

In a survey of participants conducted by the Tape College organisers and hosts who hail from tesa, Lohmann, Nitto, Organik Kimya, Coroplast Fritz Müller, DRT and artimelt, “the overall event” and its “meeting of attendee expectations” received the most positive feedback ratings of all the categories. Every speaker received high marks, but 4 presentations of the 21-lecture program stood out:

• "Why tapes?" Mr. Smit posed this question as he opened his discussion on adhesive tapes in the first session of "Made to Stick." He emphasized the importance of storytelling in making ideas memorable, stating, “We don’t need more solutions for tapes, we need better solutions for solving future needs,” he emphasized. “Tapes, because of their versatility, help enable the (sustainable) future more than any other bonding technology.”
• Caroline Sperling, manager of tesa SE’s customer solution center in Europe, introduced Tape College 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's and tomorrow´s industrial processes.
• Dr. Hans Peter Dette, senior product development engineer at 3M, taught about the viscoelasticity of high-performance PSAs, including structure, properties and external influences. All adhesive tapes have at least one viscoelastic component: wet-out versus peel.
• Michel Sabo, application development manager at Nitto EMEA, talked about “The Versatile World of Adhesive Tapes” during the last session of the Tape College. He said that a tape should be seen as a functional sheet enabling a job to be done, whether that is adhering, protecting, blocking or transferring, or a combination of these.

Afera Committee and Working Group Meetings

Directly preceding the 11^th Tape College, Afera held its twice-yearly Technical, Marketing and Steering Committee, as well as the Regulatory Affairs Working Group, meetings. Over 50 Afera member company delegates came together to discuss developing Afera’s product carbon footprint (PCF) calculation tool for adhesive tapes, creating a tape release liner recycling programme, launching the 2024 edition of the Afera Test Methods Manual, revising the ISO-certified Peel Adhesion Test Method, modifying the CEPI Lab TM on recyclability of fibre-based packaging, developing a time-to-failure TM, organizing the 67^th Afera Annual Conference working program, monitoring and acting on E.U. regulatory legislation such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and Deforestation Regulation, attending the 7^th Global Tape Forum and Global Test Methods Committee Meetings in Shanghai, engaging the packaging and commodity tapes member segments, and much more.

Futureproof Industry Coming Together

“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,” said Alexandre Despesse, R&D project leader outsourcing, Scapa (France).

“In addition to the engaging presentations, I really liked the welcoming atmosphere of the event, allowing for networking with interesting, experienced attendees and speakers from our industry. Especially the conference dinner enabled contact with people in a more informal setting. As a process engineer in the R&D department of tesa, I found the presentations about converting, coating and extrusion particularly stimulating. I also took away many learnings from the lectures about the chemistry behind adhesive tapes, because ultimately this influences the processing of the different materials involved. Especially to people who are relatively new to the tape industry, I would recommend this event for extending your personal knowledge and network,” said Carsten Ott, process engineer, pilot centre & new processing, tesa (Germany).

“What was key for me at the Tape College was the opportunity to network: learning from experienced people in the tapes sector, growing your contact base and making your own mark step-by-step in the Industry. I also thought the presentations covering the basics of tape construction offered an excellent introduction to the functionalities of tapes and their importance in the world nowadays, helping me to understand the bigger picture,” said Brent Borremans, sales manager automotive, American Biltrite Inc. – Tape Division EMEA (Belgium).

“The experience the Tape College offers is unique: Meeting people from the same industry but different cultures and mindsets was not only a pleasure but a lesson in itself. I felt part of a big family. Every single topic, explained simply, offered something new and additional, presented by experts who impressed me with their incredibly deep knowledge. Old and new technologies were covered, showing that the tapes sector is evolving. It gave me the opportunity to think out-of-the-box.” said Chara Moka, chemical engineer, purchasing dept., Atlas Tapes (Greece).

“My favourite aspect of the Tape College was meeting raw materials, equipment and other tapes suppliers and associated partners face-to-face to discuss topics such as actual market status, challenges and demands. I gained a better understanding of various common challenges, especially those related to regulatory and European market developments. I feel as a polyolefin PSA and film supplier that I can use what I’ve learned about market dynamics and technical challenges to work on the development of the next generation of raw materials,” said Sergio Solari, technical service & development, packaging and specialty plastics, EMEA, Dow Chemical Iberica (Spain).

Brushing Up on the Basics in A Unique Way

“I have been working in the field of pressure-sensitive materials for over 25 years, and the Tape College allowed me to brush up on my knowledge of the business and to network with other tech players along the entire supply chain. I expect to send one or two younger colleagues from my team to the next event,” said Christian Hermann, global director innovation, engineered films, Loparex (Germany).

“After a year off, attending the Tape College was a good way to refresh my knowledge of adhesive formulation and rheology. It especially offered a great opportunity to meet and network with people outside the conference room. Additionally, the presenters were open to discussion and eager to share their experience and knowledge. Questions were submitted on paper, so even the shy participants could ask questions,” said Anna Piatek, R&D developer, Coroplast Group.

“Although I have been working in tapes for 25 years, attending Afera’s Tape College was valuable to me. It was a comprehensive refresher training course on all aspects of PSA tape technology, rounding off my knowledge especially in areas not part of my own work and helping me to consolidate my role as expert at Synthomer. The individual presentations were of a particularly high standard, and these were further enhanced by the panel discussions which allowed a limitless number of questions,” said Nicolai Böhm, product synthesis manager, adhesive solutions, Synthomer (Germany).

Learning as a Newcomer to Tape Technology

“As a newcomer to the tapes industry, I was a little hesitant in facing the many renowned companies and experts present at Afera’s Tape College. The program and lectures were structured, however, in a way that as a beginner I was able to follow easily and engage with the material and speakers during both the sessions and breaks. At the end of the three days, I can safely say I felt very comfortable and part of a group of people who had been strangers to me just a few days before. The event proved not only to be productive for finding new business leads, but for developing myself technically and professionally,” said Katharina Burak, sales representative, Nichiban Europe (Germany).

“Excited to be representing Nitto Bento for the first time at this meeting of leading tapes manufacturers, I received information from notable experts on many different topics ranging from PSA technology to market information, various chemicals for formulations to product performance. I also built some important links in our network. I am sure that my experience at the Tape College will benefit our R&D activities,” said Dilber Uludağ, R&D director, Nitto Bento (Turkey).

“This is my first time participating in an Afera event, and my impression of the organisation is very positive. Both the presentations covering the technical aspects of the tapes industry and the commercial side of the business were quite satisfactory and instructive,” said Kadir Dağlioğlu, export manager, AVX Tapes (Turkey).

“Most importantly, the Tape College was a great place for newcomers like me to network with experts about various companies, their products and their expertise in the field. I now know who to contact if there is a certain requirement at tesa. With a lot of interesting chemistry, I also learned about how the idea of a tape begins and how it is formulated, processed and then converted into the final product. As a process engineer in hotmelt technology, I have a good idea of all things involved in processing, but I learned a lot about the previous and post stages, like polymerization, water- and solvent-based adhesives, converting and testing—basically the entire process,” said Hema Nikhitha Uddaraju, process engineer, extrusion, pilot centre & new processing, tesa (Germany).

“My experience with tapes had been limited. At the Tape College, I was able to learn about all the types of adhesives, as well as various scientific topics about tapes reminding me of some of my courses at engineering school. At Dylco, all this information will increase our understanding of the concept of the tape backing,” said Mihanta Andriantsoa, product quality engineer, Dylco Technical Textiles (France).

“This was a great, well-organised event at which to learn more about tapes and the Industry, especially if you are new to the business or looking to network within the tapes family. As a strategic buyer at Coroplast without deep knowledge of tapes, the Tape College provided the educational input I needed on chemistries, backing materials, test methods, production and regulatory issues,” said Mona Kembügler, purchasing direct material, Coroplast Group (Germany).

Helping Businesses Move Forward

“The event was a great success, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mr. Smit’s presentation, with its intriguing market data, was a highlight. Such information is crucial in understanding industry trends and will surely aid AVX’s future position,” said Atakan Özel, chief operating officer, AVX Tapes (Turkey).

“As I work for a release liner and backing supplier, I found it helpful to view the complete supply chain of products involved in making up a tape. It was clearly shown over several lectures that tapes are made up of complicated materials, and it was interesting to see both the end uses and challenges tapes must overcome. I will recommend Afera’s next Tape College to my colleagues,” said Jürgen Panhans, senior field technical service manager, Loparex (Germany).

“As I work with release liners at Mondi, it was important to learn in more detail about PSA tapes, specifically the chemistry of adhesives, the properties of tapes and how and where they can be used. I have improved my understanding of the requirements of tapes and will be able to help better my customers determine the most suitable release liners for their applications. In addition to this, I really enjoyed connecting with many new people working in the tapes industry!,” said Minna Reisinger, product development specialist, Mondi Release Liner (Austria).

“Participating in Afera’s Tape College was a very interesting experience, providing insight into the tapes business segment as a whole with a wide range of attendees and lecturers from tape manufacturers to raw materials producers. It was a great chance not only for newcomers to learn about the Industry, but for those more experienced in the field to update themselves on the latest innovations and network,” said Laura Campos, application engineer, Mondi Release Liner (Austria).

“Afera’s Tape College was really enjoyable, enabling me to learn more about what is important about tape manufacturing and usage. As a release liner supplier, we liked learning about other aspects of the technology, such as types of PSAs, machinery used, test methods and end applications. I especially valued getting in touch with others from the Industry and even meeting some of my customers face-to-face, as well as seeing what tapes can be used for and their advantages over other technologies available on the market,” said Alois Kunschert, application engineer for release liners, Mondi Inncoat (Germany).

“I thought it was an interesting technical event about reviewing the principles of coating adhesive tapes. The speaker’s presentations were clear, precise and on-topic,” said Barbara Restelli, research & development supervisor, BiesSse Tape Solutions (Italy).

Afera to Hold 67^th Annual Conference 25-27 September in Thessaloniki

Afera announces that it will launch registration for the adhesive tape industry collective’s next event, the 67^th Afera Annual Conference, in a few weeks’ time. The premier event for the European tape business will take place in less than 6 months in Thessaloniki, Greece, at the Hyatt Regency from 25 to 27 September 2024. More details will be available shortly at Afera website.

Afera, the European Adhesive Tape Association unites stakeholders along the value chain of the European tape industry, to ensure and increase the relevance of the tape business in the world of tomorrow. The go-to community of the European tape industry is comprised of 100+ member companies from 20+ European countries that include adhesive tape manufacturers, suppliers (raw materials, machine and packaging), converters, national tape organizations, research institutions and universities. With the goal of making the tape industry future-proof, Afera actively studies and involves itself in relevant market, standardization, sustainability and regulatory issues, provides platforms and programs for discussion and learning, and facilitates contact among its members and all other pertinent bodies at national and international levels. Founded in Paris in 1958, Afera has operated with its head office in The Hague, the Netherlands, since 1999 under the management of Lejeune Association Management.

Source: Afera