Organizers at EDANA – Europe’s voice of the nonwoven sector – expect 600 international industry professionals to converge at OUTLOOK™2024 in Rome this fall. Delegates will gather at the Cavalieri, Waldorf Astoria Hotel from September 24-26 to discuss the ever-changing marketplace of nonwovens personal care and hygiene and wipes products.
Discussions around market growth and opportunities, sustainability, innovations, technological developments and regulatory activities for the diapers, wet wipes, menstrual health, and incontinence product categories will take place over two-and-a-half days of. The event also comprises networking opportunities – including two evening events – and new for 2024, for the first time OUTLOOK will feature 20 tabletop displays in the exposition hall. This event attracts middle-to senior management in the hygiene products supply chain.
“The marketplace is really challenging at the moment, says Johan Berlin, Managing Director, Investkonsult Sweden, who is a key sponsor of the event. “I think that the OUTLOOK conference in general provides great opportunity for the attendees, whether they are leaders in their segment, multinationals, private label, or national companies, to get valuable insight and learn about the trends and innovations in the market, which is crucial at this point. There’s always something new to learn, be it new materials that can be used in a converted product, or even new materials to be used in the nonwoven product that comes before the converted product. New production techniques that use less energy or gives a higher output, or what is being done in terms of sustainability in certain areas, and what is being done in terms of legislation in certain other areas.”
Each day of the conference will start with a keynote presentation, and then the agenda is split across five sessions. Like in 2023, the agenda structure and timings have been slightly adapted to allow more time for networking, without missing out on the presentations.
Day one opens with a presentation from Joachim De Vos (prof, MSc. ing. MBA),co-founder at Living Tomorrow since 1995, the leading international innovation platform connecting with 5M+ visitors about what the future could look like. He founded TomorrowLab in 2007 as an innovation consulting company working with over 600 companies on innovation, future strategy, technology and innovation. He is also a professor at the University of Ghent, and author of the book, Why Innovation Fails, bringing the real story of Kodak together with the inventor of the digital camera, Steven Sasson. The “Why Innovation Fails & 7 Keys to Success” keynote explores organizational innovation to stay relevant in challenging times.
His keynote is followed by session one which looks at the driving forces, trends, and market data for both absorbent hygiene products and wet wipes. Moderated by Jacques Prigneaux, Market Analysis and Economic Affairs Director at EDANA, with two confirmed speakers so far including Professor Sarah Harper CBE, Director and Clore Professor of Gerontology, University of Oxford and Per Brandberg, Consultant, Euromonitor International (UK).
Session Two addresses “Innovation & Ecodesign in Absorbent Hygiene Products.” Stakeholders will present their experience with new materials use in absorbent hygiene products to improve the sustainability profile of the end products.
Presenters will be selected from across the entire value chain (from raw material producer to converter) to provide a holistic overview of the topic, after which speakers will debate the merits of using new materials in an interactive panel discussion. The first confirmed participant is Dr. Asta Partanen, Senior Expert – Nova Institute, who will address sustainable options, green claims directive, and balancing demands for sustainable hygiene products with other industry demands.
“We live in a changing world where innovation is no longer limited to market concerns and having the best possible product, but also needs to factor in consumer demand for sustainability and increasing pressure from regulators,” explained Murat Dogru. “At EDANA we work hard to stay ahead of the curve and to ensure that our events address these evolutions.”
That is why this year the policy and regulations session on the second day at OUTLOOK will focus on navigating the EU’s legal framework, sharing strategic approaches to help the hygiene industry understand the latest expectations and how these changes will affect products and operators across the supply chain. Dogru further elaborated that this session is essential for companies looking to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment, while enhancing their strategic approach to compliance and sustainability. Day two will also feature a session on the future of the AHPs category.
Day three will conclude the conference with a spotlight on wet wipes and how to reconcile consumer needs with sustainability and legislative pressures? This product segment has grown rapidly over the last 20 years as many consumers can’t live without them, yet environmental and sustainability concerns are resulting in stricter regulations. Experts will discuss how to reconcile wipes’ popularity among consumers, public services, and businesses with increasingly critical views from environmentally conscious consumers, NGOs, and some water companies.
“We support the event because almost everyone in the industry is there,” continues Berlin. “It saves us a lot of time and travelling being able to meet so many high-level decision makers in one venue. Yet, its size also manages productive, especially during the networking, to be able to connect with industry peers.”
Visit www.edana.org/events/outlook/outlook-2024 to register.
