INDA has announced the full line-up of presentations from top researchers and developers in new materials, science, and solutions. The programme will feature numerous valuable panels and speakers around the several themes, including industry opportunities and challenges, machinery advancements, energy economics and olefin trends, innovative hygiene technologies and advanced materials.

“RISE 2016 with provide business and product development professionals, innovation teams, product managers, research engineers, and other technical scouts with an inside look at game-changing innovation in our field of engineered fabrics,” said INDA President Dave Rousse. “Attendees will be presented with several new and evolving developments in materials science that will help their own innovation efforts.”

Industry opportunities and challenges

Nicholas Mallos, Director-Trash Free Seas, Ocean Conservancy, will speak about the consequences of microfibres as an emerging pollutant. Ronald Pangrazi, Director, Engineered Fabrics Technology, Wacker Chemical Corporation, will share an assessment on flushable wipes in a presentation on A 'Fatberg' Ate My Baby.

Machinery advancements

Highlights include presentations on forming hook fasteners using ultrasonics by Jerry Rocha, President, Creative Machine Designs; and SMART Machine Automation Technology for Nonwovens by Bob Carney, Director Of SMART Technology, Xerium Technologies.

Energy economics and olefin trends

Leading thinkers will provide insights into the future, organisers report. Peter Ricchiuti, Assistant Dean of Freeman School of Business School and Professor of Practice, Tulane University, will share his insights during this session on Oils Well That End Well. Chuck Carr, Senior Director Global Olefins, IHS Chemical, will look at raw material for nonwovens.

Innovative hygiene technologies

Topics in these sessions include fluff pulp by Judson Fidler, Technical Customer Service Manager, Suzano Pulp and Paper; odour elimination by Neda Keshavarzi, Postdoctoral Researcher, Max-Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces; and airflow systems by Rick Klaus, Technical Sales, Osprey Corporation.

Advanced materials

Visitors will also learn about coming advances, such as self-healing biopolymers, from Melik Demirel, Professor of Engineering, Pennsylvania State University; recycled carbon fibre, by Andrew Maxey, Founder & President, Vartega Carbon Fiber Recycling LLC; meltblown fibres, James Henry, Senior Research Engineer, Arkema Inc.; and milkweed fibre, Debbie Dekleva, Wild Idea Cultivator, Monarch Flyway.

The event also will include the presentation of the 2016 RISE Durable Product Award on 28 January. Finalists competing for the coveted award are Groz-Beckert’s Gebecon Needle, Suominen’s Fibrella Lite, and ITW Dynatec’s Ultra SCS. 

www.inda.org/events/rise16