This year’s FEICA European Adhesive and Sealant Conference & EXPO will take place in Dubrovnik, Croatia, from September 11-13. This annual event regularly attracts more than 600 industry leaders from all over the world to discuss market drivers and trends, innovation, sustainability, and technological advances. Adhesive and sealant professionals rely on the FEICA Conference and EXPO to provide essential insights into these key issues affecting the industry, as well as great networking opportunities for formulators, customers, and suppliers.

Innovative Supply Chain Management

The Business Forum on the first day of the event will feature respected keynote speakers sharing their knowledge on hot topics for the industry. This year’s theme is “Driving growth in volatile times through sustainable supply chain management,” which will examine one of the great dilemmas in today’s unsettled business environment. On the one hand, adhesives and sealants companies face multiple challenges such as feedstock costs and availability, and the impact of byproducts. At the same time, they still have an unrelenting commitment to deliver continuous improvement in sustainability performance, as well as in financial performance.

Speakers and the subsequent panel discussion will examine how innovative supply chain management can offer a way for businesses to extract value in both of these benchmark indicators. Several high-impact speakers are already confirmed for the forum.

Safia Minney MBE, FRSA, is founder and director of People Tree, a pioneering fair trade and sustainable fashion and lifestyle brand. Minney developed what is reportedly the first organic and fair trade clothing supply chain and is recognized by the World Economic Forum as an Outstanding Social Entrepreneur. She will examine concepts such as the need for urgent climate action and trends in Europe for ethical and sustainable living, including: employee engagement, C-suite and senior management leadership for sustainability, one-use plastics, and the call for transparency in supply chains. She hopes to inspire attendees to map supply chains, build clarity around their baseline, and take action by drawing on practical examples.

Vitaly Rogachevsky, vice president at Argus Media, is a C5 and hydrocarbon resins expert. He will explore the prospects for chemical raw materials supply by providing “Feedstock 101.” Rogachevsky plans to share his expertise on current trends related to where “stuff” is coming from and why, disruptions, and where the supply chain may be headed in the future.

Keynote speakers will also include two representatives of downstream users of adhesives: Electrolux and Nestlé. They will provide a perspective on their sustainable supply chain ambitions and what this means for their companies, as well as their expectations of suppliers.

Breakout Sessions

In addition to the Business Forum, the conference’s Breakout Sessions will give experts an opportunity to share their knowledge on a range of topics, including sustainability, regulatory affairs, innovation, new opportunities, research and development, new product and market applications, new equipment technology, and the circular economy. These sessions allow delegates to enjoy the maximum benefit of the conference by attending presentations that are pertinent to their specific business needs.

New Developments and Networking

The Table Top Exhibition will provide producers, distributors, suppliers, and service providers linked to the adhesive and sealant industry with an opportunity to promote their latest developments. Finally, the FEICA European Adhesive and Sealant Conference & EXPO will also offer delegates the chance to participate in a variety of social events and provides ample opportunity for networking in a relaxed environment.