The World Adhesive Conference Opening Ceremony took place at 3:30 p.m. with an introduction by Adhesive and Sealant Council, Inc. (ASC) President Lawrence D. Sloan.

Sloan announced that 10 regions were represented at WAC, with 920 delegates. That number is expected to rise – possibly to 1,000 – by Wednesday. He commented on how this is a difficult economic time and that “this attendance is that much more remarkable.”

Sloan went on to introduce members of the co-organizing associations, including:

• Sue Love, ASI magazine
• Arturo Navarrete, ANIQ
• Sean Gogerty, ASMAC
• Paul Chen, ARAC
• Jean-Marc Barkl, FEICA

Jean-Marc Barkl addressed the audience with the news that the WAC 2012 conference will take place in Europe – Paris, to be exact.

Alan Bate, former CEO of National Adhesives, served as the special guest speaker for the event, commenting on tightened raw material supply, which has actually helped to create more value for products. He discussed environmental impact and the carbon footprint, as well as the Henkel/National Adhesives merger. He says that the adhesives industry’s “holy grail” are debondable adhesives; this technology is the reason that the market for mechanical fasteners is so strong.

Dave Burger and Larry Sloan then cut the ribbon to officially welcome the world adhesive and sealant industry to Miami and WAC, and kick off the conference.