With 510 delegates from across the nonwovens and related industries in attendance, Outlook, the primary conference for the nonwovens hygiene and personal care industry, was again confirmed as a key industry event for the sector.

The conference examined new product developments, market trends, performance and safety testing and sustainability initiatives during the first two days, with the final day featuring an interactive workshop on building stakeholder trust.

Record attendance

Feedback from participants throughout the event emphasised delegate satisfaction with the mix and quality of expert content and the many opportunities to meet with industry peers, according to EDANA. With the conference attracting participants from across the whole supply chain and around the globe, Outlook again confirmed its position as a unique must-attend event for nonwoven professionals.

Mark Siebert, of Berry Global, said he found the event to be “one of the most successful Outlook conferences I have experienced”. He added: “The record attendance and senior leader participation provided invaluable input on industry dynamics that will shape our participation for the next five years. Our company will be incorporating the learnings, particularly around sustainability, to enhance our offering with modified solutions based on the input from the week.”

Conference topics

The conference, the 17th edition of Outlook, opened with a keynote speech on EU circular economy and plastics strategies from Werner Bosmans, DG Environment, European Commission. This was followed with a session dedicated to circular economy and sustainability topics.

Day two of the conference was opened by a presentation from Professor Samuele Furfari, of the Free University of Brussels, on the geopolitical challenges of the changing energy landscape. Delegates also heard from industry experts on market trends, technical innovations and multiple efforts to introduce further sustainable business practices in the nonwovens industry.

Facilitating constructive dialogue

“This edition of Outlook has again featured, as deliberately planned these last few years, a very topical programme, directly addressing the current challenges in our industry,” said Pierre Wiertz, General Manager of EDANA.

“Discussions on the circular economy strategy, transparency and trust in the supply chain were both thought-provoking and rewarding. It is very encouraging to witness the industry’s increasing readiness to engage in these topics and for EDANA to facilitate constructive dialogue on both strategic and practical solutions. I was also very enthused by the insight of significant industry players on key trends and some very exciting technical innovations in our sector.”

The next edition of Outlook is scheduled to be held in Athens from the 9-11 of October 2019.

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