Held in Finland recently, the Selfadhesive Industry Forum 2006 took the theme 'How can your suppliers improve your business?. Sponsoring companies were UPM, Dow Corning, Kroenert, AWA Alexander Watson Associates, and Wacker Silicones.
Corey M Reardon, president and ceo, AWA, opened the proceedings on an optimistic note. “The selfadhesive label industry is experiencing a positive period in growth opportunities,” he said. It is finding, and satisfying, many new value added market niches, including beverage labeling and RFID.
Other speakers provided targeted updates on developments and trends in specific sectors of the selfadhesive label business.
UPM Label Papers' director of technology Kaj Koskinen and Mikko Rissanen, production manager for the company's PM5 paper making machine, addressed developments in label papers, looking at overall industry trends as well as UPM's product range and response to the drive for greater efficiency in the industry. Dr Hans Lautenschlager, of Wacker Silicones, discussed paper siliconizing and the challenges of high speed coating. Luc Dusart, Dow Corning’s global marketing manager, presented an overview of the silicone release coating market, its trends and challenges, and new developments in the Dow Corning Syl-Off-brand range. Kroenert sales director Michael Schmalz gave a detailed update on developments in coating and process machinery and equipment, utilizing a value added process involving pigments and functional coatings.
Petri Hakanen, business unit director of UPM's Jämsänkoski paper mill, outlined current and planned UPM investment in one-side coated speciality papers, for selfadhesive facestock and release liner usage as well as flexible packaging. Jari Tamminen, business unit director of the Tervasaari mill, presented a complementary review of UPM's significant investment for the future of glassines -- prefacing delegates' opportunity to visit the mill and see the massive 6.4m wide PM8 paper making machine in action.
Summing up at the end of the seminar, Corey Reardon emphasized the importance of partnerships through the supply chain, and increased interaction between companies at different levels of that chain, to enable the industry to take advantage of the strong growth opportunities for selfadhesive labelling.
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