RELEASE LINER IN THE SPOTLIGHT: AWA’s annual global conference maps the market

The 2012 Global Release Conference, organized annually by AWA Conferences & Events and complemented by a concurrent exhibition, will be held this year in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 22-23 February.    The event will as usual provide an expert evaluation of the current market environment, growth prospects, infrastructure developments, and technology trends across the many segments in which release liner plays a part.

Following the downturn experienced in the release liner industry during the economic crisis, market growth in 2011 averaged 6-8%, but every region, and every application segment, was different – as the conference program demonstrates.   Following – in the opening session --  a review of financial and business issues and of the overall state of the industry, the  agenda moves on to cover developments in packaging and labelling law;  end-use markets;  silicone and release coating technologies, issues, and challenges (including high raw material costs); and, finally, innovation and disruptive technologies such as linerless labels and direct-to-product print.

Extensive networking opportunities
The event features extensive networking opportunities, both at the exhibition and in conference breaks and during the evening cocktail receptions.   Sponsored by market-leading companies throughout the release liner supply chain, the Global Release Liner Conference 2012 takes place at the Novotel City Hotel, Amsterdam, 22-23 February.   The full conference agenda is available on the AWA Alexander Watson Associates website, www.awa-bv.com, where it is also possible to register online.