2023 ARC Annual Business Summit “A Resounding Success”
- Published: June 29, 2023
The 2023 Annual Business Summit, organized by the Association for Roll-to-Roll Converters (ARC) [formerly AIMCAL], was “a resounding success” for the scores of attendees from across the roll-to-roll (R2R) converting industry. Participants included upper-level managers from companies representing all facets of web converting — flexible packaging, labeling, pressure-sensitive tapes, specialty papers, batteries, printed and flexible electronics and more — and their machinery, raw-material and consumables suppliers.
“Summit attendees truly benefited from coming together to connect, educate and grow the R2R converting industry,” said ARC Executive Director Chris Kerscher. “The concentrated two-day program offered knowledge-sharing and insights on the latest trends, innovations and challenges facing our industry, and I think participants went home with plenty of actionable information to help improve their operations.”
The 2023 Summit agenda kicked off with Clemson University Professor Andrew Hurley speaking about the intricacies of package graphic design, the ideas behind “eye-tracking” technology and offered some preliminary results from an on-going survey of consumers in the retail environment.
Presentations included “Lessons Learned in Advanced Roll-to-Part Manufacturing of Consumer Electronics” by Don Davis of Kent Displays; “Leveraging Digital Twins for the Converting Industry” by Thomas Finkbeiner of SIEMENS; and “Attracting and Retaining Young Professional Employees” by Kamber Parker of YoProKnow.
The official ARC Annual Business Meeting included presentations on “Motivating the Modern Workforce” by Alison Farr of Think Up Consulting and ARC Director of Education Alex Nevels; and “Must-Have Mindsets and Strategy for Next-Level Managers” by Dr. Natasha Ganem. Platinum Sponsor for the 2023 ARC Annual Business Summit was INX International Ink Co.
During the business meeting, voters elected a new director, Rob Malay of VDI, reelected officers and directors and thanked three departing directors: Joe Heinemann of Rayven/Duraco, Kevin Sopczak of Leggett & Platt and Sarah Williams of Advanced Energy. As technical manager at VDI, Malay leads all research and development work, and is responsible for all process engineering projects and initiatives. Prior to this, he was a doctoral researcher at Binghamton University, working on integrating flexible glass into R2R systems, as well as fabricating and characterizing electronic devices made with R2R techniques. He chairs ARC’s Vacuum Web Coating Committee and is an active member of the Society of Vacuum Coaters. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, as well as Master of Science and doctorate degrees in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Binghamton University. “ARC is fortunate to gain the expertise Malay brings to the Board,” said Vice President Bob Pasquale of New Era Converting Machinery, who chaired the Selection Committee.
In addition to Pasquale, the 2023 board consists of President Andrew Jack of Emerson & Renwick, Treasurer Greg Williams of Transcontinental Advanced Coatings, Past President Dante Ferrari of Celplast Metallized Products and six directors-at-large: Malay, plus Todd Luman of Interprint Group, Joseph Perdue of ECKART America Corporation, Rodrigo (Rod) Sosa of Fres-co System USA, Inc., Martha Sloboda of Duraco Specialty Materials and Michael Sullivan of MTI Polyexe Inc., an Inteplast Group company.
Dates and venue for the 2024 ARC Annual Business Summit will be announced at the 2023 R2R USA Conference (October 2–5 at The Baird Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin). Registration is now open for the conference, ARC’s flagship technical program and exhibition at: https://www.rolltoroll.org/2023-r2r-usa-conference.
