In January, show organizers announced that more than 100 new exhibitors would be joining the more than 200 returning exhibitors at this year’s show. Many of the new exhibitors reserved larger exhibit space to display the running machinery they will be bringing to the show.
New exhibitors include: Nordmeccanica, Totani America, Flint Group Flexographic Products, TGW International, H.B. Fuller, Flexo Wash and EyeC- America. They will be joining ICE USA Alumni, including: Comexi, Maxcess, Daetwyler, New Era, Montalvo, Mitsubishi, Siemens, Nordson, Double E, ISRA VISION, Sonoco, Uteco, Catbridge, Advanced Photonix and many other global converting equipment suppliers at North America’s largest converting industry expo and conference.
Bob Chiricosta, ICE USA show director, says of this year’s event: “We’ve already experienced a large increase in the size of the show from ICE USA 2011, and we expect to continue to grow as we get closer to the event. We are especially excited that so many exhibitors are bringing and running equipment.”
Ask the experts
The show’s popular “Ask the Experts” seminar includes input from five leading industry experts who will be available for private consulting sessions during the show.
“The Ask the Experts sessions were one of the most popular features of the 2011 show,” Chiricosta says. “We had several attendees tell us that they discovered very valuable solutions to their challenges during these sessions.” Chiricosta adds that many of the solutions to their challenges can also be found on the show floor.
This year’s Ask the Experts panel is comprised of Edwin Cohen (web coating), Kelly Robinson (static), Dave Roisum (web handling and converting), Dave Rumson (slitting and rewinding), and Vincent DiTrolio (flexographic printing).
Cohen is a renowned technical consultant in all aspects of the web coating process. He is technical consultant for AIMCAL and president of the International Society of Coating Science and Technology. He has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University and a PhD. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Delaware.
Robinson founded Electrostatic Answers, an engineering consulting company dedicated to eliminating injury and waste from static electricity. With more than 25 years of industrial problem solving experience, Kelly has a PhD in electrical engineering from Colorado State University, and holds several patents.
Roisum is a well-known web handling and converting authority. He has authored seven books, including Winding, Rollers and Web Handling and has co-authored or edited several others. He is a principal of Finishing Technologies Inc., providing consulting services to more than 300 clients who convert or manufacture paper, film, foil, nonwovens, textiles, and many other materials.
Rumson, a slitting educator and consultant, has 17 years slitting and winding experience with Dienes Corporation and Parkinson Technologies. He has presented for CEMA, AIMCAL and TAPPI for over 20 years and has conducted numerous nationwide public and corporate shear, crush and razor-slitting seminars.
DiTrolio, founder and CEO of DiTrolio Flexographic Institute, is a highly regarded flexo industry expert and pioneer in formal press operator training. He has worked in the flexographic printing industry for over 20 years and his organization has trained hundreds of press operators.
In addition to the Ask the Experts session, this year’s show will feature the 2013 DecTec Seminar, presented by Alexander Watson Associates (AWA). The seminar takes place on April 8, the day prior to the exhibition opening. According to organizers, it will provide a foundation for informed decision-making across the value chain and enable companies to evaluate their strategies, market position, competitive environment, business and technology platforms, as well as the decorating technology available to ensure future growth.
“The cooperation between ICE USA and AWA Alexander Watson is an obvious one. AWA Alexander Watson Associates serves the paper, film, foil, converting and packaging industry with research and dedicated events,” says Corey Reardon, president and CEO of AWA. “The AWA DecTec Seminar provides ICE USA attendees with a quality program to review product decoration and labeling in its broader context, as a prime component in packaging. The seminar will provide attendees with valuable information for informed decision making across the value chain, and the perspective for companies to evaluate their strategies, market position, competitive environment and technologies prior to meeting partners, suppliers and customers at ICE.”
The AWA seminar will showcase presentations from key labeling and product decoration industry leaders who will provide attendees with the latest information about markets and new technologies. Presentation topics will include:
• A global overview of the label and product decoration market
• A summary of the North American label market
• An in-depth look at the sleeve label market
• An update on the developments in the linerless market
• An assessment of brand protection and product authentication solutions for labels and packaging
• A review of technological developments for the different label formats
• A reality check in regards to recycling and sustainability for labels
Pre-show sessions
Also scheduled for this year’s show are three sessions, sponsored by TAPPI. The three-session event is the first ever collaboration between two of the association’s premier technical divisions – PLACE (Polymers, Laminations, Coatings and Extrusions) and the Nanotechnology Division, and is designed to provide unique perspectives on the most recent innovations in the use of nanotechnology in packaging.
The first session highlights Innovations in Preparing Polymer-Based Nanomaterials for improving the mechanical and barrier properties of flexible packaging materials. The second session features Innovations in Traditional Barrier Enhancements for packaging films. And the third session presents the tactical topics of Brand Launch Strategies, Shelf Appeal Enhancement, and Brand Authentication for the innovatively packaged consumer products.
“Converters from around the world will find these seminars extremely valuable,” says Chiricosta. “There is no other forum in the world where they can access such a diverse and broad range of industry knowledge.”
CEMA will present two seminars as part of the ICE USA Pre-Show Program. The CEMA Coating & Drying Fundamentals for Converters seminar is a condensed version of the CEMA two-day seminar created exclusively for ICE USA. The CEMA Web Slitting and Rewinding for Converters is also a condensed version of the CEMA two-day seminar created exclusively for ICE USA.
RADTECH will present its Enabling Innovation in Packaging with UV & EB Curable Inks, Coatings & Adhesives seminar. Leading suppliers and users of UV and EB (electron beam) curable inks, coatings and adhesives will discuss some of the current and future trends and applications in press technology, special effect inks and coatings, and other sustainable and innovation initiatives.
Rounding out the Pre-Show Program is the Pressure Sensitive Tape Council’s (PSTC) presentation “Understanding and Selecting PSA Tapes.” The presentation will define the basic properties of pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) and discuss how polymer and material properties combine to give the performance attributes of tapes.
