FEATURE

Karen Parker, Editor-In-Chief, ASI

The Adhesive and Sealant Council's annual Conference and Expo will offer sessions to help the industry build a better future through innovation.

This year, the adhesives and sealants industry is meeting in Jacksonville, Florida, for the Adhesive and Sealant Council’s annual Conference and Expo. The three-day event will take place Monday, April 14, to Wednesday, April 16, and will offer sessions covering topics such as regulatory issues, business development and market trends, and new technologies and applications in the adhesives and sealants sector. Attendees can expect engaging speakers, chances to network with colleagues, and an opportunity to give back.

To kick off the conference, Cassi Chandler, expert in motivational leadership and the FBI’s first African American female special agent assistant director, will speak on "Succeeding in Difficult Environments." With experience leading teams to success in high-stakes environments, Chandler is a recognized expert in motivational leadership and diversity. Having directed critical intelligence operations at both Bank of America and the FBI, Chandler provides insights into thriving in challenging workplace settings. Drawing on real-life examples from her career, she encourages leaders and employees alike to understand the varying ways people perceive and respond to stimuli in the workplace. By emphasizing the importance of personal perspectives, Chandler challenges individuals to acknowledge how differing viewpoints shape reactions and interactions in professional environments.

The State of the Association Address & Innovation Awards Luncheon on Tuesday will feature a key update on the North American adhesive and sealant industry. ASC President Bill Allmond will present the latest industry insights, highlighting recent achievements and developments within the association. Following this, ASC Chair Tom Stewart, business director at Bostik, will announce the recipients of the 2025 ASC Innovation Award. The prestigious award recognizes companies that have made significant market impacts through innovative advancements.

On Wednesday morning, Chris Kuehl, managing director, Armada Corporate Intelligence, will present his keynote address, "Trends and Forecasts for the Global Economy in the Adhesive and Sealant Industry." Kuehl will provide an in-depth analysis of the global economy's shifting landscape and its implications for the adhesive and sealant industry. As patterns in the economy undergo dramatic changes, Kuehl will explore key questions, including the impact of lower interest rates on growth and employment, and which sectors are showing resilience. With supply chain issues dominating discussions last year, he will assess the current state of logistics and whether the election year has influenced economic policy. Known for his expertise as an economic analyst for manufacturing and construction organizations, Kuehl will offer a comprehensive outlook on the economy’s present condition and its future trajectory.

Timothy Long, a professor at Arizona State University, will provide the keynote address on Wednesday afternoon, titled "Emerging Challenges for Adhesion Interfaces: Nurturing a Molecules-to-Manufacturing Approach to Innovation." His address will discuss emerging challenges in adhesion and interfaces, with a focus on sustainability. Long's lecture will delve into the discovery of novel polymeric products and processes, highlighting how adhesion and interfacial interactions are crucial to the performance of final products. He will also explore the rapidly evolving landscape of additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, where these phenomena play a pivotal role in the performance of printed objects. Long will cover cutting-edge developments, including photopolymerization processes that enable the printing of high-performance adhesives, such as polyurethanes with programmable end-of-life properties, high-temperature polyimide structural adhesives for transportation and aerospace, and diene-based elastomers for sealants and gaskets. The lecture will offer an innovative perspective on how molecular-level advancements are driving progress in manufacturing.

In the Wednesday closing keynote, Stephanie Grant, senior scientist at Kraton Corp., will explore two innovative strategies for reducing the carbon footprint in adhesive products in her address, "Utilizing Sustainable Materials to Reduce Carbon Footprint in Adhesives." Grant’s talk will highlight the mass-balance approach, which enhances the formulator toolkit by enabling sustainable product innovation and accelerating the transition to a circular economy. She will emphasize the environmental benefits of ISCC PLUS feedstock, which significantly lowers carbon footprints compared to fossil-based alternatives and allows for the seamless incorporation of renewable content. Additionally, Grant will discuss how bio-based ingredients can improve the carbon footprint of adhesive formulations without compromising performance. Particularly in hot-melt adhesives, incorporating renewable content offers substantial environmental advantages. Grant’s insights will provide formulators with valuable options to meet sustainability targets while maintaining product efficacy.