Multi-track Program Announced for FlexPackCon® 2023

From materials and equipment suppliers to processors, converters, packagers, and brand owners, FlexPackCon® 2023, taking place October 10-12 at Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel, spans the entire supply chain. Engineers, researchers, marketers, and other flexible packaging professionals come together to learn about new developments in materials, trends, challenges, and opportunities in this double-digit growth market.

Multi-track Program

FlexPackCon® features a multi-track program that covers a wide-range of cutting-edge flexible packaging technologies. On Tuesday (Oct. 10), there will be Tutorial Sessions, and Wednesday (Oct. 11) and Thursday (Oct. 12) will include the following concurrent sessions and speakers:

Bio-Based Plastics and Compostables – Wednesday, Oct. 11

• Pak Meng Cham, PepsiCo – Compostable Flexible Films for Snack Foods – Development and Commercialization
• Mike Levy, First Environment – Bioplastics from a U.S. Policy Perspective, and the Role of LCA in This Process
• David Chacon, Kuraray America – How a Performance-based Natural Polymer is Transforming Traditional Flexible Packaging Formats
• Mehdi Pakravan, Polykar Co. – Novel Compostable Plastic Films for Food and Healthcare Packaging Applications
• Mahin Shahlari, NTIC – A Compostable Volatile Corrosion Inhibiting Packaging for Protection of Metals
• Mitchell Fillbach, NTIC – A Compostable Volatile Corrosion Inhibiting Packaging for Protection of Metals
• Ito Daisuke, Kureha Corporation – Development of High Gas Barrier Shrinkable Film Using Polycycolic Acid for Mon-Material
• Troy Su, University of Toronto – Utilizing Spray Dried Lignocellulosic Nanofibers as a Nucleating Agent in PLA

Extrusion and Processing Innovations – Wednesday, Oct. 11

• Steve Post, Leistritz Extrusion – The Usage of Practicalities of Twin Screw Extruders as Part of Film Extrusion Systems
• Paul Waller, Plastics Touchpoint Group Inc. – Botox for Blown Film Manufacturers – How to Get Rid of Wrinkles
• Adolfo Edgar, KUHNE Anlagenbau GmbH – Boosting Sustainability with Triple Bubble Technology
• Im Rangwalla, Energy Sciences Inc. – Recyclable Mono Material Packaging Options with Electron Beam Technology
• Ryan McEneany, VOID Technologies – Cavitation as a Tool for Sustainable Packaging Design

Sustainable Package Designs and Approaches – Wednesday, Oct. 11

• Thomas Dunn, Flexpacknology LLC – The Future of Sustainable Flexible Packaging – Long-Term Strategic Forecasts to 2032
• Michelle Tsui, Dow – Closing the Loop While Closing Performance Gaps in Film Machinability
• Martin Antensteiner, ExxonMobil – PE Solutions Enabling Recyclable Barrier Coex Thermoformed Films
• Andrey Buryak, Borealis Polyolefine GmbH – Borstar Polethylene as the Enabler for Designing Recyclable PE Packaging
• Brant Wunderlich, Nova Chemicals – Putting the Consumer at the Center of Sustainable Packaging Innovation
• Rajen Patel, Dow – Next GEN Cling Technology – PIB Free Blown Stretch Cling Film
• Barry Morris, Dow – Flexible Packaging Past, Present, and Future: Reflections on a Century of Technology Advancement

Barrier and Coating Developments – Wednesday, Oct. 11

• Michaela Gibson, Clemson University – Use of Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles as a Barrier Coating for Food Grade Packaging
• Emre Vatansever, Polytechnique Montreal – High Gas Barrier PVA/LDH Coatings for Flexible Packaging
• Daniel Franke, USDA Forest Products Laboratory – Enhanced Oxygen Barrier Layers Based On Cellulose Nanomaterials
• Gurminder Minhas, Performance BioFilaments Inc. – Translucent Films From Nanofibrillated Cellulose for Packaging
• Guido Kollbach, Henkel – Accelerating Sustainable Packaging Through Partnerships

Recycling and Regulatory – Thursday, Oct. 12

• Anne-Marie Boulay, CIRAIG – In Single-Use Plastics, the Issue is Single-Use, Not Plastic
• Anne Maltais, ITEGA – Sustainable Flexible Packaging Guidelines for the Food Industry
• Peter Mirtchev, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada – Flexible Packaging Regulations – What’s on the Horizon
• Virginie Bussieres, Pyrowave – Tackling the Decontamination Challenge: Nanorecycling Plastic Waste
• Charles David Mathieu-Poulin, TC Transcontinental – PRFLEX: Improve the Recycling Rate of Flexible Plastic Packaging
• Terrence Cooper, ARGO Group International – Advances in End-of-Life Technologies and Sustainability of Flexible Packaging
• Brad Celmer, UBE America – Revolutionizing Packaging: Achieving Sustainability and Performance with PE/PA
• Eadoin Quinn, Mars, Inc. – Towards Recylable Flexible Packaging: Boosting Demand, Supply, and Everything In Between
• Michael Ferrari, Consortium for Waste Circularity – The Future of Packaging is Circular!
• Len Czuba, Czuba Enterprises Inc. – Development of the First FDA Cleared Aseptically Produced Medical Intravenous Solution Container

Additives for Sustainable Design – Thursday, Oct. 12

• Ebrahim Jalali Dil, PolyExpert – Recyclable Oxygen Barrier Packaging: A Sustainable Solution for Flexible Food Packaging
• Emilie Meddah, Clariant Corp. – Taking Up the Challenge to Combine High Quality of Recylability of Polyolefin Films
• MiaoMiao Xiao , Ingenia Polymers – Additive Solutions to Improve the Recyclability of Polyolefins
• Didier Houssier, Kuraray America – Synergistic Effect Between EVOH and Polyethylene with UltraGuard for Oxygen Protection in Flexible Packaging
• David Caro, Milliken – Synergistic Effect Between EVOH and Polyethylene with UltraGuard for Oxygen Protection in Flexible Packaging

Sustainable Package Designs and Approaches – Thursday, Oct. 12

• Dan Ward, Nova Chemicals – Accelerating the Package Development Process with Predictive Modeling
• Manjusri Misra, Ph.D., University of Guelph – Mechanical and Barrier Properties
• Anthony Keyes, Natur-Tec – Biaxally Oriented PLA Films with Hight Strength, Clarity, and Puncture Resistance
• Maryam Ameri, Polytechnique Montreal – Safe Food Sensitive Colorimetric Indicator for Detection of Volatile Gases During Fish Spoilage

PFAS – Thursday, Oct. 12

• Joshua Heidebrecht, NOVA Chemicals – Considerations in the Development of Non-Fluorinated Processing Aids
• Zach Carlton, Ingenia Polymers – Non-PFAS PPAs for Polyolefins
• Dan Moldovan, Shell – Overview of Evaluation of PFAS Free Additives
• Rodney Weaver, Techmer PM – Eliminating PFAS: The Great Packaging Race
• Joshua Heidebrecht, NOVA Chemicals – Non-Fluorinated PPAs
• Nhat Nguyen, Chemical Watch by enhesa – PFAS-Free Regulations in the U.S.

You can register for FlexPackCon 2023 at 4spe.org/FlexPackCon.