From October 17-19, experts from across the adhesives and sealants industry will come together at the Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) Fall Convention and Expo in Indianapolis. The event offers speakers, short courses, a lively exhibition floor, and multiple chances to network with industry experts, clients, end users, and researchers.

Exhibition and Networking

The exhibition will be open from 3:30-7 p.m.
on Tuesday, October 18, hosting over 50 companies from across the industry supply chain (see full list of exhibitors on p. 34). The event will also feature three networking events and a community service project. From 1-4 p.m. on Monday, October 17, join ASC staff and Arizona Chemical as they partner with United Way for a community service project. Also on Monday, the welcome reception will be hosted at the NCAA Hall of Champions, approximately 11 minutes from the hotel, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Participants must have their badges, which can be picked up with directions to the hall from the ASC registration desk.

Tuesday will feature the speed networking lunch at noon. Space is limited for this event. A panel discussion closing reception will be held from 3:30-5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 19, where attendees can network with convention presenters, panelists, and moderators.

Education Sessions and Short Course

The convention offers three tracks: business development and market trends, new technology and application, and technical and government regulations. Education sessions will cover topics such as feedstocks, automotive market trends, structural bonding, and changes to regulation laws (see the full schedule of sessions on p. 34).

This year’s short course (Monday and Tuesday) will discuss topics related to pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs). The course, which is meant for professionals who formulate PSAs for specific applications, aims to acquaint members with current methods and the optimization of processes and properties.

Keynote Speakers

Four keynote presentations will be given during the course of the event. Tuesday’s opening general session and breakfast keynote will be given by Robert Fry, chief economist of Robert Fry Economics LLC. Fry’s talk will lay out the global economy outlook for 2016 and 2017, with an emphasis on U.S. manufacturing and chemical and polymer markets.

On Wednesday morning, ASC leadership will update members on key strategies for membership company growth. Alan Issacson, CEO of ABI, will also give the breakfast keynote entitled “Avoiding Commodity Traps: Reformulating Your Marketing to Bond with High Level Specifiers.” Issacson will discuss how to align sales and market strategies with “high level specifiers” determined by value as opposed to price.

On Wednesday afternoon, Nat Brooks, principal of Strategy Shapers LLC, will give the general session lunch keynote, “Welcome to the Age of Zero-Sum.” Brooks will discuss innovative strategies for navigating uncertain marketplaces and moving forward toward growth in the future.   ASI

For more information, visit www.ascouncil.org/events.