EDANA, the International Association serving the nonwovens and related industries, has announced the results of the election of its Annual General Meeting, which confirmed the renewed Board of Governors for 2016”2017, welcoming Martin Rapp as Chairperson for 2016”2017. The newly elected Board will start their service on 1st July, 2016.

In addition to his previous 5”year service to EDANA on the Board of Governors, Martin is the Chair of the Communications Steering Group, and has ensured his company’s support to a considerable number of EDANA projects and activities over that period.

“It is an honour and pleasure to serve the broad EDANA membership as Chair, and build on the evolution that we have delivered over the past 4 years to our focus and member company services. My focus will be to ensure that the Association’s activities meet our strategic interests of global outreach, sector expansion and anticipating those challenges to our industries, and to ensure the financial performance and health of the association,” Martin Rapp said.

The Annual General Meeting again confirmed Mikael S. Axelsen and Pieter Meijer as Vice Chairs to the Board for 2016”2017, supported by Paul Eevers as Treasurer. Additionally, the following Governors currently serving on the Board were elected for an additional 3”year term:

• Mr. Mikael Staal Axelsen (Fibertex Personal Care, Denmark)
• Mr. Paul Eevers (Unilever, Belgium)
• Mr. Frank Heislitz (Freudenberg Performance Materials, Germany)
• Mr. Enno Henze (Johns Manville, U.S.A.)
• Mr. Krzysztof Malowaniec (Paul Hartmann, Germany)
• Mr. Christian B. Marx (DuPont de Nemours International, Switzerland)

Outgoing Chairperson Patricia Featherstone said: “The past four years have seen considerable changes occur within EDANA, designed to better meet the needs of member companies, and ensure that EDANA is ‘fit for the future’. As an association, we have challenged our member companies, and as a result, have opened wide”ranging discussions about the way in which we prepare and respond to the challenges and opportunities for our industries. In particular, I would like to thank the entire EDANA staff, and celebrate their embrace of this evolution, in their adaptation of the way they support member companies, taking on additional training and achieving a number of milestones in the delivery of services to the entire membership.”

From the 1st July, 2016, the 29 representatives of the EDANA Board of Governors will be:

• Mr. Jerry Baker (Kimberly”Clark, U.S.A.)
• Mr. Ludwig Busam (Procter & Gamble, Germany)
• Mr. Richard Company (Clopay Brazil, Brazil)
• Mr. Eric De Kesel (Mölnlycke Health Care, Belgium)
• Mr. José Durany (Rubi Industrial, Spain)
• Mr. Paul Eevers (Unilever, Belgium)
• Mr. Jean”Marc Galvez (Berry Plastics Company, Spain)
• Mr. Robert Green (NatureWorks, U.S.A.)
• Mrs. Patricia Featherstone (RKW SE, Belgium)
• Mr. Thorsten Habeck (BASF, Germany)
• Mr. Joachim Harms (Johnson & Johnson, Germany)
• Mr. Frank Heislitz (Freudenberg Performance Materials, Germany)
• Mr. Enno Henze (Johns Manville, U.S.A.)
• Mr. Omar Hoek (Ahlstrom, France)
• Mrs. AÌŠsa Johansson (SCA Hygiene Products, Sweden)
• Mr. Mahdy Katbe (Unicharm Gulf Hygienic Industries, Saudi Arabia)
• Mr. Frantisek Klaska (Pegas Nonwovens, Czech Republic)
• Mrs. Nina Kopola (Suominen Corporation, Finland)
• Mr. David Lamb (BFF Technical Fabrics, U.K.)
• Mr. Krzysztof Malowaniec (Paul Hartmann, Germany)
• Mr. Giorgio Mantovani (Corman, Italy)
• Mr. Christian B. Marx (DuPont de Nemours International, Switzerland)
• Mr. Dogan Mazicioglu (General Nonwovens, Turkey)
• Mr. Pieter Meijer (McAirlaid’s Vliesstoffe, Germany)
• Mr. Wolfgang Plasser (Lenzing, Austria)
• Mr. Martin Rapp (Glatfelter, Germany)
• Mr. Christian Heinrich Sandler (Sandler, Germany)
• Mr. Ali Sisman (Hassan Group, Turkey)
• Mr. Mikael Staal Axelsen (Fibertex Personal Care, Denmark)

Mr Paul Stenson (Ahlstrom Corporation) had previously informed EDANA that he was unable to continue his role through to 2018, and therefore resigned from the Board of Governors. Mr. Omar Hoek, also from Ahlstrom, was proposed by a committee of industry representatives, and elected in his place.

EDANA helps its members to design their future, serving more than 240 companies in the nonwovens and related industries, across 32 countries. Its mission is to create the foundation for sustainable growth of the nonwovens and related industries through active promotion, education and dialogue.

www.edana.org