The two global nonwoven trade associations, EDANA and INDA, closed the second edition of Outlook Plus Latin America conference in São Paulo, Brazil, thanking participants for their overwhelming support.

With a comprehensive conference programme and networking activities to encourage interaction, participants confirmed the event as an indispensable opportunity to bring the global industry together at the heart of Latin America, organisers report.

More than 270 participants joined the conference and more than 25 companies took the opportunity to promote their products and services through tabletop exhibits. “EDANA is pleased to cooperate with INDA in helping the industry to make the best of those opportunities and together to continue to cater to the networking needs of all industry participants across the supply chain,” said EDANA’s chair Martin Rapp, Senior Vice-President & Composite Fibers Business Unit President, Glatfelter.

Challenges and opportunities

Opening the conference, keynote presenter Welber Barral, PhD, outlined with clarity the challenges and opportunities for foreign direct investment in Brazil. Barrall outlined the hurdles, from customs tariffs to bureaucratic formalities, and advised patience and persistence with optimism for gradual improvement.

Presentations on market, product, and technology intelligence for hygiene and personal care were the focus of the first two days. Market leaders in the nonwoven and film markets for these products also shared their vision of the future. The regional demographic and consumer trends of relevance to the industry were highlighted throughout the conference. A session on the third and final day was dedicated to the use of nonwovens in healthcare and infection prevention applications and future opportunities.

“Many of the speakers confirmed the previous conference’s description of exciting market opportunities, acknowledging the impact of the economic downturn but also illustrating the resilience of the Latin American markets, and their variety, which is well understood by participants in the supply chain,” said Richard Company, Managing director, Clopay Brazil.

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