© INDA.

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, reports its 14th annual World of Wipes (WOW) International Conference connected over 260 participants from 20 countries to advance their wipes business. The event was held from 25-27 August virtually, through conference presentations, live Q&A, tabletop display rooms, live chat, cocktail hours, afternoon tea, and coffee connections.

In its first all virtual format, WOW provided critical program content addressing the latest wipe innovations and presentations from 30 industry leaders on issues, market trends, and statistical data to plan business strategies as well as a virtual 3-day WIPES Academy training course.

“Virtual WOW allowed me to expand my network and tap into the newest trends without having to leave the house,” said Jonathan Layer, Business Development Manager Americas, Fibertex Nonwovens Inc.

Among the event highlights was the announcement of Food Fresh Liners from Berk International LLC as the winner of this year’s World of Wipes Innovation Award. Food Fresh Liners are the first nonwoven that can absorb accumulated moisture in sealed produce packaging to keep produce from wilting and spoiling, thus staying fresher for longer. The annual award recognizes the product that best expands the use of nonwovens and demonstrates creativity, novelty, uniqueness, and technical sophistication within the entire nonwovens wipes value chain.

“Virtual WOW was a good way to step outside the box and get insight from all aspects of the wipes market, and at the same time I made new contacts I would not have ordinarily met,” said Roger Shields, Sales, Nonwovens, Groz-Beckert USA, Inc.

Virtual WOW attracted 24 virtual tabletop displays to connect and create meaningful relationships throughout the entire wipes supply chain, INDA reports.

“We are reinventing our approach to conferences to meet the connection and content needs of our industry participants, as well as the social distancing and hygiene needs of the current COVID-19 situation we are in. At the World of Wipes, we were encouraged by our attendees’ ability to adapt to the new technology platform and variety of modes we put forward to creatively interact,” said Dave Rousse, INDA President.

Program sessions included Shifting Trade and Market Data, Government Updates/Industry Statistics, Emerging Consumer Wants, Panel Discussions, Industrial Wipes, and Challenges of Plastics in Wipes.

A sampling of featured speakers includes: Pete Mentor, Ph.D., Managing Director, Practice Leader, Crowe LLP, John Layman, Ph.D., Section Head – Corporate R&D, The Procter & Gamble Company, Geoff Collins, Director, Jacob Holm, Abby Prasad, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, International Paper, and Piyush Thakre, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Dow, Linda Homan, Clinical Affairs Manager, Ecolab and Patti Costello, Executive Director, Association for the Healthcare Environment, and Claude Wei, Contract Manager, and TÜV AUSTRIA BELGIUM.

To purchase the World of Wipes conference audio and visual presentation materials for limitless ‘on-demand’ replay, please visit: https://www.worldofwipes.org/conference.php,  or contact Tracie Leatham, [email protected] , (Tel: +1 919 459 3726).

Preceding the conference, INDA presented a virtual WIPES Academy led by instructor Chris Plotz, Director of Technical Affairs, INDA. The Academy is the first and only comprehensive wipes training for the entire wipes supply chain.

IN 2021, the World of Wipes International Conference will be held from 12-15 July, at the Atlanta Marquis, in Atlanta, GA. 

www.worldofwipes.org