The AWA Global Release Liner Conference & Exhibition 2015 will take place March 18-20 2015 in Denver, CO, USA. Organized annually for the last 15 years by AWA Conferences & Events, and alternating between Europe and USA, the event is the established industry forum for this broad-ranging sector.

This year’s program reflects the many markets, opportunities, and challenges the release liner industry faces, and is organized around the theme “Strategy – Innovation – Market Intelligence – Growth.” Corey Reardon, president and CEO of AWA Alexander Watson Associates, will open proceedings with up-to-date quick scans of growth, developments, and trends in a variety of markets, providing all involved in the release liner market – with a global overview. AWA Vice President and Senior Consultant Jackie Marolda will augment this data with the results of the annual AWA Industry Survey, highlighting industry players’ responses on such issues as sustainability, costs and profitability, M&A activity, and growth and expectations. Conference delegates will then participate in a “real-time” interactive industry survey, with the results presented instantaneously.

Conference keynote
The conference keynote, to be presented by David Silverstein, founder and CEO of operational strategy consultants BMGI, will discuss innovation, strategic thought, and building a strategy –  key topics for success in every business. Silverstein will then participate in an executive leadership panel discussion featuring, additionally, release liner industry participants Bernhard Klofat, CEO, Felix Schoeller; Anthony P McLaurin, CEO, FiberMark North America, and Tomas Rink, president, Ritrama. Corey Reardon will moderate the discussion.

Second day – market focused
On the second day, the conference program moves into release liner’s end-use markets, with presentations on release liners in self-adhesive graphics applications from expert graphics instructor and installer Paul Roba; the use of composites in the automotive industry, from Greg Rucks, Transportation & Industry, Rocky Mountain Institute; building a graphite composite snowboard from Steffen Hak, independent pre-preg specialist and snowboard designer;  the hygiene market, from Theo Wilting, CEO, Akronn Industries;  and the medical sector, from Mike O’Connell, Business Development Manager, AD Tape and Label.   

The competitive technologies currently threatening pressure-sensitive labeling’s market leadership will be examined by Dan Muenzer, VP marketing, for Constantia Flexibles, in an in-depth review of the prime label market.

The AWA Global Release Liner Industry Conference 2015, being held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Denver, also includes a complementary exhibition and extensive networking opportunities. Sponsors include Dow Corning, Infiana (formerly Huhtamaki), and UPM. Full details are available via the AWA Alexander Watson Associates website, www.awa-bv.com, where it is also possible to register for any event online.