FEATURE

By Karen Parker, Editor-in-Chief, ASI

The Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) Annual Convention and EXPO takes place April 15-17, 2024, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Slated to be the largest gathering of professionals in the adhesive and sealant industry, the Adhesive and Sealant Council’s 2024 Annual Convention and EXPO is taking place April 15-17, 2024, at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. The three-day event offers concurrent conference sessions covering a variety of topics within the adhesives and sealants sector, from regulatory issues to sustainability, and market-disrupting and manufacturing technologies to application-specific innovation. Attendees can expect engaging and informative speakers during the conference and the chance to see the latest industry innovations at the EXPO. Also available are many ways to network with friends and peers while keeping up to date on the latest the industry has to offer.

Monday afternoon features the yearly ASC Gives Back Program. This year, attendees have a chance to provide service to the local community as the council partners with SOS Health and Hope, a nonprofit that focuses on getting health and security services to those in need. Attendees will learn more about the nonprofit while going on a warehouse tour and then have a chance to do volunteer work. It is recommended that participants dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes.

Monday evening officially kicks off the three-day event with the Night at the Derby Welcome Reception, held at the Omni Hotel. Attendees will have a chance to network with friends and peers and bet on the races by participating in mock horse racing. Be sure to bring your Derby hat for the Teckrez-sponsored photo booth.

The conference begins on Tuesday morning and offers concurrent tracks covering a broad array of topics important to the industry. Bill Allmond, president of the ASC, outlined some highlights. “We are going to talk about advances in biobased materials and advances in adhesives for EV battery assembly. We are going to have a fantastic panel on sustainability, bringing together different parts of the value chain to talk about the latest issues and challenges around sustainability. We have a really good panel on leadership. A very impressive panel is going to talk about cultivating leadership excellence within your company. Market disruptors will once again be covered. We are going to look at what technologies are at the forefront. And we are going to look at sustainable practices as well as developments in polyurethane technology. We are also going to have a whole session on AI, not just a keynote. We are going to focus deeply on AI in adhesive and sealant innovation. And then our regulatory session will focus on some of the state and federal regulations that our members are facing. There is a lot that we are covering.”

The conference will feature five keynote presentations. Allmond explained the thinking behind this year’s lineup of keynote speakers, “Our theme this year is ‘Meeting the Challenge,’ and you can see by all of our keynotes, we are going to be talking about the future. That is by design. We want to make sure that we leave everyone with tools that they can take back and implement into their facilities. There should be something for everyone in Louisville this year.”

Chad Foster, business leader and motivational speaker, will give the opening keynote address on Tuesday morning with his presentation, “No More Comfort Zones: Growth Through Adversity.” At the General Session Lunch on Tuesday, Allmond will present the “ASC Industry Update & Awards Presentation.” On Wednesday morning, Gary Silberg, partner and global automotive sector leader at KPMG LLP, will give a presentation titled “Future of Transportation — Super Computers on Wheels & Economic Reality.” At Wednesday afternoon’s General Session Keynote and Lunch, Noelle Russell, leading AI innovator and practitioner, will present, “The Future of AI in Your Industry.” The final keynote speaker of the convention is Dr. Bradley Berron, research director at The University of Kentucky’s James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits, who will speak on “Innovations Shaping the Future of Kentucky Bourbon.”

The ASC EXPO and Reception will take place on Tuesday from 3:00 to 6:30 p.m. It provides an opportunity for attendees to see the latest industry innovations as they network with colleagues. Allmond gave a preview of this year’s EXPO, “We have nearly 100 exhibitors that will be on hand. I am excited because there are some new exhibitors as well. Some new members have joined recently. Many of them have signed up for the ASC EXPO. It will be really nice for our attendees to get to know them and vice versa. We will have a reception at the EXPO, like we do every year, toward the end. It is another great opportunity to network with one another and see the latest technologies and products and services that our industry is providing and offering.”

Networking opportunities for members to meet and mingle with their peers abound at the Annual Convention and EXPO. These include breakfasts on Tuesday and Wednesday, and coffee and networking lounges in the morning and afternoon on Tuesday and Wednesday. Monday evening features an invitation-only First Time Attendee & New Member Welcome Reception that gives new members and first-time attendees a chance to chat, meet the ASC Board of Directors and staff, and ask questions about ASC and its programs.