Originally scheduled for 2020 and postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 World Adhesive and Sealant Conference is taking place this week (April 25-27) at the Hilton Chicago in Chicago, Ill. Highlights of today’s activities include two keynotes from industry leaders, numerous technical sessions on a range of topics, and the EXPO and reception.

Today’s networking breakfast will be held from 7:30-8:30 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom. At 9 a.m., Vincent Legros, chairman and CEO of Bostik, will give a keynote focusing on “Adhesives and Sealants Facing the Rising Trend of Sustainability: Risks and Opportunities.”

Morning education sessions will last from 10 a.m. to noon. Presentations will be given in concurrent tracks including Global Drives and Trends-Feedstocks to Markets; Regulatory; Henkel Sustainability Across the Value Chain; and Silane Terminated Hybrid Polymers.

Today’s general session lunch and keynote are scheduled for noon-1 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom. Jayshree Seth, Ph.D., corporate scientist and chief science advocate at 3M, will share her thoughts on “Sticking with Science! The Need for STEM Advocacy.”

Planned for 1:15-3 p.m., the concurrent tracks in this afternoon’s education sessions will focus on Applications in Building Construction; An Industry Panel: Supply and Demand During Volatile Times; Bio-Based and Bio-Inspired Materials; and Hot Melt Technology for Packaging and Hygiene.

Be sure to visit the EXPO & Reception from 3-7 p.m. today in Salon A, lower lobby, to discover all of the latest products and technologies for the adhesives and sealants industry. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday

Kick off the final day of WAC2022 with a networking breakfast from 7:15-8:15 a.m. tomorrow in the Grand Ballroom. You’ll want to stick around after breakfast, because the ASC Innovation Awards winners will be announced from 8:30-9 a.m.

Following the awards presentations, Nicolas Krauss, divisional head of Industrials and Electronics and regional head of Americas for Henkel Adhesive Technologies, will discuss “Shaping the Future of Adhesive Technologies.” His keynote will be held from 9-9:45 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom.

Tomorrow’s morning education sessions are planned for 10 a.m.-12:25 p.m. Topics of these concurrent tracks include The Art of Successful Global M&A-Value Creation, Risks, Enabling Insights; Innovation Awards & Innovative Solutions; Circular Economy and Sustainable Strategies; and High-Performing Structural Adhesives.

Lunch tomorrow will be from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom. Harry Moser, founder and president of the Reshoring Initiative^®, will give a keynote discussing “Supply Chain Lessons from COVID-19 for Adhesive and Sealants^®.”

The afternoon education sessions will be held from 1:45-4:15 p.m. tomorrow. Concurrent tracks will cover topics on Adhesives as Enablers in E-Mobility; Reactive Polyurethane Materials; Sustainable Materials and Processes; and Dispersions and Emulsion Technology.

WAC2022 will come to an end tomorrow evening from 6-10 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom during the closing ceremony and Great Gatsby-themed gala dinner. Wear your Great Gatsby costume attire and listen to live entertainment while celebrating a successful WAC2022 with colleagues—plus, hear the latest plans for WAC2026! 
 

Note: Be sure to reference the Final Program for complete details, keeping in mind that times, locations, presentation titles, and speakers are subject to change.

Note: Opening image courtesy of Floortje via iStock/Getty Images.