“Adhesive tape business futures: Resilience and competitiveness in European and global economies”

 

European Tape Week returns for its second edition in Porto, bringing the European adhesive tapes community together in an excellent-value setting for a programme spanning technical learning, business insight and high-value networking.

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Early-bird registration will open soon, with flexible options to join the 12th Tape College, attend Afera’s 69th Annual Conference, register for the entire week programme at an attractive price, or purchase a Booth Pass for access to the Tabletop Exhibition. Check back regularly for programme updates.
 

Monday, 21 September 2026

09.00 – 19.00                
Check-in at Afera registration desk
Hotel Lobby

 

12th Tape College

 

12.00 – 13.30

Business Luncheon for Tape College Participants
Restaurante Aromas
 

Conference Room – Douro II

 

Session 1: Why tapes?

Session Chairman: Reinhard Storbeck, Dir. of R&D at tesa SE (Germany) / Afera Technical Committee Chairman

13.30 – 13.40                
Opening remarks by the Tape College and Session 1 Chairman

Reinhard Storbeck

 

13.40 – 14.20
Made to stick: A general introduction to tapes

Evert Smit, Consultant, QBond / Afera President 

14.20 – 14.50
Introduction to pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tape technology

Caroline Sperling, Mgr. Customer Solution Centre Europe, tesa SE
 

14.50 – 15.20
Networking coffee break
Foyer
 

Session 2: Tapes deconstructed

Session Chairman: Matthias Renka, Regional Technical Sales Manager, Organik Kimya San. Ve Tic. A.S. (Turkey) / Afera Technical Committee Member

 

Part I – Adhesive technologies

 

15.20 – 16.00
The world of acrylic PSA: Solvent-based and UV hotmelt

Philipp Ernst, New Product Development Mgr. UV Acrylic HM, Henkel (Germany)

 

16.00 – 16.25
Emulsion polymers: From milky white liquid to PSA tapes

Dr. Christoph Scholten, Principal Scientist - Application Development, Adhesives at Synthomer Deutschland GmbH (Germany) / Afera Technical Committee Member

 

16.25 – 17.10
Panel discussion with speakers and audience Q&A

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19.00 – 21.00                

12th Tape College opening dinner
An informal networking dinner at Douro I (at the Hotel), exclusively for Tape College attendees.

 

Tuesday, 22 September 2026

 

09.00 – 19.00                 Check-in at Afera registration desk – Hotel Lobby

Conference Room – Douro II

Session 2: Tapes deconstructed

Session Chairman: Matthias Renka, Regional Technical Sales Mgr., Organik Kimya San. Ve Tic. A.S. (Turkey) / Afera Technical Committee Member

 

Part II – Polymers, backings & sustainability

 

09.00 – 09.20
SIS block copolymers for hot melt PSAs

Geert Vermunicht, Global Adhesives Market Mgr., TSRC Corporation (Luxembourg)

 

09.20 – 09.50
Chemistry of hotmelt PSA formulations

Danny Beekman, Technical Service Mgr., DRT - Les Dérivés Résiniques et Terpéniques (France)

 

09.50 – 10.15
Silicones as adhesives and release agents

Gwénaël Lusseau, Technical Service Mgr. Release Coating & PSA, Elkem Silicones (France)
 

10.15 – 10.40
Viscoelastic properties of high-performance tapes

Hans Peter Dette, Senior Product Development Engineer, 3M (Germany)

 

10.40 – 11.10
Networking coffee break
Foyer

 

11.10 – 11.35
Polyethylene foams as backing materials for technical tapes

Lukas Berger, Application Development Mgr. Adhesive Coating, Sekisui Alveo (Switzerland)

 

11.35 – 11.55
Designed for recycling: A call for value chain collaboration

Mikko Rissanen, Dir. of Technology at UPM Specialty Papers (Finland)

 

Part III – Release systems

 

11.55 – 12.15
Chemistry of release coatings

Jürgen Pomorin, Senior Technical Manager EMEA RC Silicones, Evonik Operations GmbH (Germany)

 

12.15 – 12.40
Release coatings applied

Michael Ortner, Technical Expert, Mondi (Functional Paper & Films Release Liner Segment) (Germany)

 

12.40 – 13.00
Panel discussion part 1 with speakers and audience Q&A

 

13.00 – 14.15
Business Luncheon
Restaurante Aromas

 

Conference Room – Douro II 

14.15 – 14.40
Panel discussion part 2 with speakers and audience Q&A

 

Session 3: Tape production

Session Chairman: Evert Smit, Consultant, QBond (The Netherlands) / Afera President

 

14.40 – 15.05
Co-extrusion manufacturing of adhesives

Wilko Willuhn, Managing Dir. & Chief Inspiration Officer, INDAG Maschinenbau GmbH (Germany)

 

15.05 – 15.40
Coating and drying technologies in roll-to-roll production, incl. UV crosslinking

Konstantin Martynov, Regional Sales Manager, KROENERT GmbH & Co KG (Germany)

 

15.40 – 16.10
Networking coffee break

Foyer

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16.10 – 16.35
Tape conversion technology

Yvonne van Zadelhoff, Operations Mgr., TACON - Tape Converters Holland BV (The Netherlands)

 

16.35 – 17.20
Panel discussion with speakers and audience Q&A
 

18.00 – 19.30
Cocktail reception with hors-d'œuvres – Terraço Douro I + II

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19.30
Free evening
Selection of restaurants available

 

Wednesday, 23 September 2026

 

09.00 – 19.00

Check-in at Afera registration desk

Hotel Lobby

 

09.00 – 12.45

Buildup and opening of Tabletop Exhibition

Douro I

 

09.00 – 12.30

Afera Technical Committee Meeting
Douro III

 

Afera Marketing Committee Meeting
Douro IV

 

Conference Room – Douro II 

 

Session 4: Tape use & testing

Session Chairman: Ian Grace, Technical Sales Mgr., artimelt AG (Switzerland) / Afera Technical Committee Member

 

09.00 – 09.45

Modern surface treatment methods

Andreas Groß, Head of Workforce Qualification and Technology Transfer, Fraunhofer IFAM (Germany)

 

09.45 – 10.15

Reliable tape testing methods

Karsten Seitz, Afera Standardisation Consultant and Chairmen of Afera Next-Level Test Methods Working Group (Germany)

 

10.15 – 10.45

Networking coffee break
Foyer

 

10.45 – 11.10
Afera Flagship Sustainability Project

Karla Pastor, Sustainability Project Manager at Afera (The Netherlands)

Sreeparna Das, Sustainability Communications Consultant at Afera (India)

 

11.10 – 11.35

Adhesive tapes regulation in Europe: Afera Regulatory Working Group report on Afera’s latest actions and upcoming topics

Pablo Englebienne, Regulatory Affairs and Sustainability Manager at Afera (The Netherlands)

 

11.35 – 12.00
The versatile PSA world

Michel Sabo, R&D Application Development Mgr., Nitto Belgium NV

 

12.00 – 12.45
Panel discussion with speakers and audience Q&A

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12th Tape College & 69th Annual Conference & Tabletop Exhibition

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12.45 – 14.15
Business luncheon for Tape College participants, Committee Members, Annual Conference participants and booth delegates: Opening luncheon of 69th Afera Annual Conference

Douro I and Foyer

 

12.45 – 17.00
Tabletop Exhibition for both Tape College and Annual Conference participants
Douro I

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Confirmed to date:

• H.B. Fuller

• Valco Melton

• Loparex

• Elite Cameron

• Synthomer

• Ichemco

• Henkel

• Hueck Folien

• BASF

 

14.00 – 17.30

Afera Steering Committee Meeting

Douro IV

 

19.00 – 23.00

69th Annual Conference welcome cocktails & dinner

Cocktails at Terraço do Jardim, Dinner at Restaurante Palácio do Freixo (Dress code: smart casual)

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Thursday, 24 September 2026

 

09.00 – 17.00
Tabletop Exhibition for Annual Conference participants
Douro I

Conference Room – Douro II 

69th Annual Conference

 

Risk management & the global economy

 

09.00 – 09.05
President’s welcome / Opening of 69th Annual Conference

Evert Smit, Consultant, QBond (The Netherlands) / Afera President

 

09.05 – 09.10
Setting the stage by Conference hosts

 

09.10 – 09.55
The global economic outlook: How will Europe do?

Andrea Boltho, Since 2007 Emeritus Fellow / Director of Economics at University of Oxford (U.K.)

 

09.55 – 10.20

Competitiveness beyond GDP: What resilience looks like for European manufacturing in a constrained economy

Speaker TBA

10.20 – 10.45

Supply chain, trade and global competition report for the European adhesive tapes industry

Speaker TBA

 

10.45 – 11.15
Networking coffee break
Foyer

 

Business resilience & competitiveness

 

11.15 – 11.40

Strategic management intersecting with Asian competition and uncertainty: Resilience and transformation

Speaker TBA

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11.40 – 12.05

SME commodity tapes manufacturers facing the European market: Opportunities and challenges

Speaker TBA

 

12.05 – 12.30

Packaging tape sustainability: Circular design, lower carbon and credible claims

Speaker TBA      

Or

Adhesive tapes in aviation, white goods, electronics, construction or medical applications: Performance requirements and customer expectations

Speaker TBA

 

12.30 – 13.00

Panel discussion with speakers and audience Q&A

 

13.00 – 14.15

Business Luncheon and Exhibit

Douro I and Foyer

 

Conference Room – Douro II 

 

Market data & trends

 

14.15 – 14.40

Raw materials outlook for adhesive tapes: Game changers and pinch points

Speaker TBA

 

14.40 – 15.05

Analysis of Annual Afera Member Company Market Trends/Radar Survey

Brenden Drijgers, Marketing Manager at Kraton Corporation (The Netherlands) / Afera Marketing Committee Member

 

15.05 – 15.30

Global and European market data report update: AWA’s Global specialty pressure sensitive tapes market 2026 plus trends and other insights

Corey Reardon, President & CEO, AWA Alexander Watson Associates (The Netherlands)

 

15.30 – 16.00

Networking coffee break

Foyer

 

16.00 – 16.25

Analysis of Global Tape Forum Regional Market Trends/Radar Survey

Evert Smit, Consultant, QBond (The Netherlands) / Afera President

 

16.25 – 16.55

Panel discussion with speakers and audience Q&A

 

19.00 – 23.00

Meet in the hotel lobby at 19.00 for group departure by bus
Welcome drinks at Angel’s Share (WOW’s Wine Bar), Dinner at 1828 Steakhouse (also at WOW, elevated views of the Douro River and Porto)

 

 

Friday, 25 September 2026

 

09.00 – 14.30

Tabletop Exhibition for Annual Conference participants

Douro I

Conference Room – Douro II
 

Regulatory compliance, sustainability & circularity

 

09.05 – 09.30

U.S. regulatory update: What European adhesive tape companies should watch

Bill Allmond, President of The Adhesive & Sealant Council (ASC) (U.S.A.)

                                           

09.30 – 10.00

Adhesive tapes regulation in Europe: Afera Regulatory Working Group report on the Association’s latest actions and upcoming topics

Pablo Englebienne, Regulatory Affairs and Sustainability Manager at Afera (The Netherlands)

 

10.00 – 10.25

Circular-by-design in pressure-sensitive tapes: Turning regulation and customer demand into competitive advantage

Speaker TBA

 

10.25 – 10.55

Networking coffee break

Foyer

 

10.55 – 11.20

Afera Flagship Sustainability Project (AFSP): Member benefits

Karla Pastor, Sustainability Project Manager at Afera (The Netherlands)

 

11.20 – 11.55

AI in the adhesive tapes industry: tape-industry-relevant case studies
Speaker TBA

                                           

11.55 – 12.20

Labour market outlook: Implications for the European adhesive tapes industry

Speaker TBA

 

12.20 – 12.50

Panel discussion with speakers and audience Q&A

 

12.50 – 13.00

Putting the 2026 Annual Conference and European adhesive tape business into perspective

Evert Smit, Afera President

 

13.00 – 13.10

Wrap-up by Hosts: Key themes and learnings

 

13.10 – 14.40

Closing business luncheon

Restaurante Aromas