World of Wipes® International Conference Expected to Draw More than 400 Attendees July 12-15 in Atlanta
Nonwovens Industry Demonstrates Readiness to Return to Business In-Person
Cary, NC, June 21, 2021 – As business activity emerges with renewed enthusiasm post-pandemic, more than 400 attendees are expected to attend the World of Wipes® International Conference July 12-15 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis with over 50 tabletop exhibits at the two evening receptions.
In a sign of the industry’s strong desire to return to business in-person, INDA is anticipating a full show for a dynamic interactive experience with wipes industry professionals at WOW 2021. With less than a month to go, over 350 wipes professionals have already registered and registration remains open.
“We are pleased to open our doors for WOW 2021 and have our wipes professionals gather once again for face-to-face business, educational program content and social interactions,” said Dave Rousse, INDA President. “INDA is looking forward to welcoming industry friends to re-engage and bringing attendees together to forge new relationships.”
The three-day conference will deliver the latest insights and material science developments in key areas for business growth in this vital market with themes focused on sustainability issues, the impact of COVID-19 on consumer wipes, regulatory trends, flushability and more.
In addition to the strong conference content, at least 50 companies will exhibit their products and services during two evenings of one-and-a-half-hour tabletop exhibitions with networking receptions.
WOW 2021 Highlights
July 12 – The learning gets started with the separate one-and-a-half-day WIPES Academy led by Chris Plotz, INDA Director of Education and Technical Affairs, providing critical training on research, development and manufacturing of wipes. WOW 2021 will officially kick off with an evening welcome reception in the Marriott’s Imperial Foyer.
July 13 – WOW attendees are greeted by INDA’s President, Dave Rousse. The compelling conference program gets underway with the following sessions:
- Wipes and the Growing Plastics Debate – Moderated by Janet O’Regan, Director, Nonwovens Marketing, Cotton Incorporated, this timely topic will be covered in two sessions. First, Anna Gergely, Director, EHS Regulatory, Steptoe & Johnson LLC will speak on Recent Developments Under the European Union (EU) Green Deal and Plastics Strategy and provide an update on the impact of the pandemic. Gil Stevens, EDANA’s External Relations and Sustainability Director will speak on the European Single-Use Plastic Directive. Jean Francois De Gruttola, Business Development Director, Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Lenzing Fibers Inc., will look at the aftermath of the EU Single-Use Plastics (SUP) directive.
In the second part, an update on the Canadian plastic policy will be presented by Karyn Schmidt, Senior Director, Chemical Regulation, Regulatory and Technical Affairs, American Chemistry Council (ACC). The latest legislative developments in the U.S. will be discussed by Andrew Hackman, Principal Lobbyist, Serlin Haley.
- Government Affairs Update – Facilitated by O’Regan, Jessica Franken, INDA’s Director of Government Affairs, will present Policy Update: 2020 Was a Mess. What’s Next in 2021?
- The Confusing World of Regulations Impacting the Disinfecting and Sanitizing Wipes – Both sessions will be moderated by Jeff Slosman, President, National Wiper Alliance Inc. Tony Herber, Principal Regulatory Consultant/Assistant Federal Team Manager, Scientific & Regulatory Consultants, Inc. will bring his expertise on the FDA and EPA regulations and confusion with Canadian rules. Andrea Mojica, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, Antimicrobial Products and Cleaning Products Association (HCPA), will discuss Emerging Pathogens, Disinfection Versus Soap and Water, and Manufacturers’ Concerns. Matthew Schiering, Chief Marketing Officer, Contec, Inc. will talk about food contact wipes.
Part two will feature John Hebert, Branch Chief, Environmental Protection Agency, on COVID-19’s Impact on the EPA’s Labeling and Claims Rules; and David Steinberg, President, Steinberg & Associates, on Antiseptics – The Past, the Present and the Future.
Next on the compelling WOW agenda will be presentations by the three finalists for the World of Wipes Innovation Award® – Kimberly-Clark Scott Sanitizing Wipes, Lenzing™ Lyocell Skin fibers and Shark VACMOP™ as well as the presentation of the INDA Lifetime Achievement Award. The day will conclude with tabletop displays from 50 companies and a reception.
July 14 – Industry-leading experts will present on thought-provoking topics related to wipes trends, innovations, sustainable packaging and the impact of COVID-19 during this packed second day. Among the not-to-be-missed sessions are:
- Trends in the Wipes Market and Among Consumers – Jonathan Layer, Business Development Manager Americas, Birla Cellulose/Multifibres and Yarns (USA) Inc. will moderate. Speakers include Brad Kalil, INDA Director of Market Intelligence and Economic Insights, on Understanding the State of the Nonwovens Wipes Industry and a Market Gone Mad; and Laura Mahecha, Industry Manager, I&I Cleaning Products, Kline & Company will discuss I&K Cleaning Wipes: Market Statistics and End User Insights. Also, Svetlana Uduslivaia, Head of Research, Euromonitor International, will explore Consumer Wipes: Look at the Post-COVID World and Jay Roth, Director of Sales, Elsner Engineering Works, Inc., will speak on Growth and Demand of Canister Wipes Converting Lines in the U.S. and Around the Globe.
- Innovation in Wet Wipe Preservatives – Moderated by Robert Johnson, Principal, Smith, Johnson & Associates, this session will feature presentations on Wipes Don’t Go Moldy… Do They? by Heidi Beatty, Chief Executive Officer, Crown Abbey, LLC and Unveiling Wet Wipes Preservation: New Findings on Microbial Risks and Novel Preservative Solution Created by Rational Design presented by Paul Salama, Ph.D., CTO and Head of Innovation, Sharon Laboratories.
- COVID-19 Impact on Wipes Consumption and Cleaning Habits – Roth of Elsner Engineering Works will lead the discussion. Experts presenting are Christopher Dresselhuys, Business Director, North American Retail Wipes, Rockline Industries, on Consumer Wipes Usage During the COVID-19 Pandemic and What the ‘Next Normal’ May Look Like; and Brian Sansoni, Senior Vice President, Communications, Outreach and Membership, The American Cleaning Institute, on Wipes, Cleaning and COVID: What Have We Learned Through the Pandemic? Also, Jason White, Research Fellow, The Clorox Company, will share the company’s challenges and tough decisions in its pandemic response.
- Sustainable Packaging and Dispensing for Wipes –John Poccia, President, Poccia Consulting, LLC, is the moderator. Topics are Creating Value Through Dispensing by Douglas Kretchmer, Chief Executive Officer, The Green Edge Inc.; and Sustainability Impacts Across the Value Chain of Wipes Packaging by John Wilson, Director Marketing and Sustainability, Amcor Flexibles North America. Speaking on Sustainable Packaging Options for Wet Wipes will be James Harvey, Director of Market and Product Development, ColorMasters LLC, and Carl Cucuzza, President/Managing Partner, Teknoweb NA LLC.
The full day of insightful and relevant programming will wrap up with tabletop displays and a reception.
July 15 – Sustainability will be a headliner for this third day as well as the presentation of INDA’s prestigious award for innovation.
- Nonwoven Substrates for More Sustainable Wipes – This in-depth session will be led by Kyra Dorsey, Ph.D., Product Development Manager, Suominen. Discussing Sustainable Solutions for Wipes will be Vishal Bansal, Ph.D., Vice President, Innovation, Glatfelter, and Silke Brand-Kirsch, Vice President, Marketing and Business Development, Glatfelter. Plastic Free Wipes – A Natural Concept will be tackled by Richard Knowlson, Principal, RPK Consulting, and Cotton Incorporated’s O’Regan. Among the other compelling issues that will be covered are Hemp Fibers in Nonwovens – Ready for The Big Time? by Paul Latten, Director of Research and Development and New Business, Southeast Nonwovens, Inc.; Sustainable Hygiene Products and Single-use Items – Are there Eco-friendly Alternatives? by Lothar Kaierle, Vice President Sales Nonwovens, American Truetzschler, Inc. Also, Sustainable Wipes Based on Synthetic Substrates by Piyush Thakre, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Dow, Inc.
- Flushable Wipes: Loved by Consumers, Wrongly Accused by Utilities – INDA’s Rousse will lead this session and speak on Flushable Wipes: Some Rays of Light Emerging. Also featured will be Franken of the association talking about State Flushability Developments. Lara Wyss, President, Responsible Flushing Alliance, will tackle the question of to flush or not to flush and present on FlushSmart Responsible Flushing Alliance’s public education campaign.
WOW 2021 will conclude with the exciting announcement of the World of Wipes Innovation Award® by Dave Rousse.
In addition to the live component, a conference recording will be available on demand two weeks after the event. INDA maintains its commitment to adhering to all CDC protocols and guidelines for a safe event. For the full event details, visit the WOW website.
About INDA
INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, serves hundreds of member companies in the nonwovens/engineered fabrics industry doing business globally. Since 1968, INDA events have helped members connect, learn, innovate, and develop their businesses. INDA educational courses, market data, test methods, consultancy, and issue advocacy help members succeed by providing them the information they need to better plan and execute their business strategies. INDA Media is the business-to-business publishing arm of INDA and publisher of International Fiber Journal and International Filtration News, which reach a vast network of professionals who employ fibers, filaments, and filtration systems to optimize their application environments. For more information, visit www.inda.org, or download the INDA mobile app for immediate updates.
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