Seventeen speakers from nine countries will discuss key issues affecting Europe's expanding nonwovens industry at EDANA's 2000 International Nonwovens Symposium, to be held at the Hotel Diplomat, Prague, Czech Republic on 7 and 8 June 2000. In addition to West European speakers there will be speakers from the Czech Republic and Russia.
Attending this Nonwovens Symposium could be a timely and useful investment for producers, converters and retailers of nonwovens, suppliers to the industry, and managers who are fascinated by the possibilities and the opportunities of networking in this industry.
The emphasis at the 2000 Nonwovens Symposium will be on novelties in the four sessions devoted to nonwovens markets, nonwovens developments, hygiene and raw materials.
The Symposium languages are English and Czech.
West European nonwovens production is forecast to easily pass 900,000 tonnes in 1999. This means that the output of the West European nonwovens industry has doubled in less than 10 years. In value terms the West European nonwovens industry is worth around 3,600 million Euro, and employs more than 15,000 people.

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Introduction

Rolf Altdorf, chairman of EDANA, vice-president and managing director, PGI Nonwovens Europe (The Netherlands)

Nonwovens Markets

Moderator: Luc Maes, president, Libeltex NV (Belgium)

E-Business: successful strategies

- Status of E-Business
- How to start an E-Business project
- Some success stories in the industry

Jean-Claude Stessels, consultant, J.C.S. Associates S.A. (Belgium)

A survey of the nonwovens industry worldwide

- Industry in "late growth " stage
- Innovations still increasing market potential
- Technology trends

Nicolas Meeus, project manager, Arthur D. Little (Schweiz) AG (Switzerland)

From stabilization to growth. Post socialist-type economies in transition

- Review of transformation process from socialist to capitalist economies
- Hygiene industry. Companies and trends

Dipl.-Ing. Sabine Martini-Werner, S. MARTini Consulting (Germany)

An assessment of the conformity to regulations valid in the Czech Republic and the EU

- What regulations mean for free trade in nonwovens
- Current situation in negotiations with the EU

Dr. Pavel Malcik, director, The Textile Testing Institute, Brno (Czech Republic)

Hygiene

Moderator: Ingemar Bengtson, managing director, Trioplanex International AB (Sweden)

New hydrophilic spunmelt composite with tailor-made liquid flow and controlled pore size

- Capabilities and advantages
- Composition of new nonwoven constructions
- New opportunities for absorbent products
- Technical properties

Jørgen Bech Madsen, general manager R&D, Fibertex A/S (Denmark)

The baby diaper of Y2K. The challenge for the nonwovens industry continues

- What is the most advanced design?
- What are the new properties required?
- What are the constituting substrates?
- Extended life cycle

Frantisek Klaska, technical director, Pegas a.s. (Czech Republic)

Ultrafine microfibre spunlaid nonwoven for hygiene and medical applications

- First nonwoven based on continuous ultrafine microfilaments
- Characteristics
- Innovative applications

Dr. Dieter Groitzsch, product development manager, hygiene & medical, The Freudenberg Nonwovens Group (Germany)

Finally, a pragmatic way to approve batches of absorbent products through performance

- How to measure two elementary performances on the finished products that will show production deviations
- Best way to determine the frequency of the controls
- Fast and reliable system

Franck Courtray, president, Courtray Consulting - Labservice (France)

Nonwovens Developments

Moderator: Robert Dunn, managing director, Don & Low Ltd Nonwovens (Scotland)

Nonwovens sorbents for collection and removal of oil spillages from the environment

- Performance achieved by structural features
- Advantages of nonwovens over powders
- Re-usable after oil removal
- Application examples

Natalie Ecenkova, head researcher, Nonwovens Research Institute (Russia)

Innovative products from stitchbonded hydroentangled nonwoven composites for technical applications

- Compounds with stitchbonded nonwoven and a surface compressed by fibres
- New applications with new requirements
- Combination of functions

Dipl.-Ing. Elke Schmalz, research associate, Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. (Germany)

Nonwovens - the carrier of «added value»

- New finishing systems for new synergies
- Breathable membranes
- Development of special coatings
- Ozone layer damage limitation

Jan Marek, technical and sales director, inoTEX s.r.o. (Czech Republic)

Smart textiles: state-of-the art and future developments

- From professional to streetwise applications
- Additional functionality : health, hygiene, comfort and protection
- Positive effects and negative risks

Dr. Bruno Chevet, R&D manager, Institut Textile de France (France)

Raw Materials

Moderator: Jean-Michel Anspach, consultant, Anspach Nonwovens Development (Belgium)

New developments in biodegradable nonwovens

- Review of cellulosics in nonwovens
- Potential of spunlaid cellulose processes
- Biodegradable nonwovens based on agricultural feedstocks

Calvin Woodings, consultant, Calvin Woodings Consulting Ltd. (UK)

Surface modification of polyolefins. Repellent and hydrophilic polymer melt additives

- Use of fluorochemical melt additives for polymer surface modification
- Avoidance of post-processing
- Chemistry,structure and uses

Ing. Johan De Witte, senior technical service engineer, 3M Specialty Materials (Belgium)

Antibacterial protection of nonwovens

- Market research - how consumers view antibacterial properties
- New technology binds strongly to cellulose
- No leaching from the fibre

John Payne, technology application manager, Avecia Biocides (UK)

Stretching the imagination

- Rapid and novel changes in development of elastic materials
- Challenge to adhesive manufacturer
- Results of tests supporting latest market introductions

Isabelle Ford, technical service manager, Nonwovens Strategic Business Unit, National Starch & Chemical (UK)

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Thanks

EDANA would like to thank Mr. Aldo Ghira (Tenotex), Dr. Edgar Herrmann (Stockhausen) and Mr. Patrick Jeambar (Ahlstrom Lystil) for their help in setting up the programme of this Nonwovens Symposium.

Czech Nonwovens

Take time out to visit a display of the Czech nonwovens industry, located in the foyer of the Hotel Diplomat.