FEATURE

The primary event for the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape industry is scheduled for May 8-11, 2023, at the Hilton Orlando.

Pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) tape professionals from around the industry will meet in Orlando this May for Tape Week 2023. Hosted by the Pressure Sensitive Tape Council (PSTC), the event takes place May 8-11, 2023, at the Hilton Orlando in Orlando, Florida. It will present the latest in polymer and adhesion science, as well as markets and applications in the industry. The event will also offer many networking opportunities where tape professionals can catch up with colleagues.

Tape Academy

Tape Academy offers courses on the fundamentals of PSA tape. This year, Tape Academy will feature two courses: “Adhesives & Advanced Technology of PSA Tapes” and “Manufacturing & Testing.” These courses will take place on Monday and Tuesday, May 8^th and 9^th. The “Adhesives & Advanced Technology of PSA Tapes” course will offer attendees a detailed understanding of polymer and adhesion science as it relates to the design and testing of PSA tape, adhesive chemistries, surface science, polymer properties, theories of adhesion, and problem solving. The “Manufacturing & Testing” course covers all the aspects of tape manufacturing. Attendees will see how tape manufacturing works with videos, demonstrations, and samples. The course also features a problem-solving module where course participants will work together in interactive break-out sessions.

Sustainability Summit:

A Sustainability Summit will be held on Tuesday, May 8 from 8:00 a.m. to noon. This inaugural summit will discuss the increasing demand for sustainable initiatives in the PSA industry. The summit will focus on awareness, helping attendees know what others in the industry are doing. It will include the following presentations:

• Pathways to Sustainability
• How the Electrical Grid and Global Sustainability Initiatives are Triggering a Shift to UV LED Curing
• The Afera Flagship Project Sustainability: Readying the European Tape Industry for a Circular Future for Tapes
• Market Demands for Sustainable Pressure Sensitive Tape Products
• Understanding the PSA Regulatory and Sustainability Environment in 2023
• Award Winning Energy Management Program

Keynote Address

The keynote speaker at this year’s general session will be Heather Hass, president of ADVISA. Her address, “Surviving the ‘Workquake' through Connection + Culture,” will offer practical strategies to help leaders future-proof their business by focusing on people and culture. With a core belief that everyone deserves an opportunity to thrive at work, Hass worked in education, as a classroom teacher and principal, before moving to the business world to coach and train leaders on a people-focused leadership approach.

Exhibitor Showcase

An exhibitor showcase and networking reception takes place on Wednesday, May 10 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. More than 40 exhibitors will present their latest technologies for the industry. Additionally, companies participating in the event’s Innovative Poster Session will have an opportunity to present specific initiatives and network with others in the industry. In addition to the networking reception Wednesday, May 10, the Exhibitor Showcase also includes a luncheon from 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM that same day. The Innovative Poster Session, which is an extension to the showcase experience that provides another opportunity to discuss products and new technology in more detail, takes place during the Welcome Reception Tuesday, May 9 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Technical and Markets & Applications Tracks

Tape Week offers several technical and markets and applications tracks that will present the latest in PSA technology. Among topics covered in the technical tracks are key raw materials in PSA tapes, technologies within the battery industry, automotive adhesive performance, building and construction, low-application-temperature adhesives, and antioxidant and hot-melt adhesive performance. The Markets & Applications track includes topics such as skills for building trust with customers, insight into the converter’s role, trends in paperboard and corrugated packaging, looking beyond the housing recession, and the global pressure-sensitive tape market.

Spring Member Meeting

The Spring Member Meeting (for PSTC members only) will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 9. It will include updates on industry trends and new PSTC initiatives and programs. The keynote speaker for the meeting will be Connor Lokar of ITR Economics, who will discuss the current state of the economy and his thoughts about the future. After the keynote address, there will be roundtable discussions featuring key industry-related topics, and a members-only focus group and workshop on the EV battery supply chain.