Consumer Products
Made For Everyday
With demand for lighter, durable and more sustainable retail products at an all-time high, it’s never been more important for consumer brands to engage with the plastics industry. NPE2024 gives you the unique opportunity to connect with the entire plastics industry in a single location while exploring rapid prototyping, advanced manufacturing, moldmaking, recycling equipment and new supply chains.
Where Today Meets Tomorrow
Whether you produce smartphones, toys, shoes, furniture, automotive or countless other goods, you won’t want to miss a chance to meet the designers, engineers and manufacturers driving product efficiency and sustainability. At NPE you will get to explore:
- Emerging trends and technologies like resin and synthetic materials, additive manufacturing and others
- Revolutionary manufacturing techniques, including bioplastics and smart plastics, as part of the circular economy
- Cutting-edge injection molding techniques, thermoforming, rapid prototyping processes and more
consumer product Sessions
*Speakers and session times are subject to change
Identifying Appropriate Certified Materials for Electrical Product Applications Amid Economic Challenges
Monday, May 6 | 11:00 – 11:30 AM
Speaker: Ken Vessey Jr.
Plastic manufacturers and users continue to encounter challenges in fulfilling customer orders for essentials like electrical components and consumer products. Regardless of what these challenges stem from, the results are the same: higher costs, increased production times, longer paths to market, and — ultimately — frustration. In this session, you’ll learn how UL Solutions can help you find the material resources and substitutions needed to get production and delivery processes back on track quickly.
Tomorrow’s Tech: Forecasting the Latest Tech Trends and their Impact on the Plastics Industry
Tuesday, May 7 | 10:00 – 10:45 AM
Speaker: Brian Comiskey
From advancements in enterprise tech solutions to consumer tech innovation, this session will delve into how emerging technologies will influence the demand for plastics alongside the opportunities and challenges they bring.
Designing for Circularity from Cradle to Grave
Tuesday, May 7 | 11:00 – 11:45 AM
Speaker: Melissa Kurtz
Modern consumers want environmentally conscious products, and this trend is only expected to grow. Simultaneously, the call for enhanced producer responsibility is gaining momentum. This session will guide you through the journey of developing products that incorporate post-consumer recyclate while keeping a product’s end of life in mind.
Sustainable Footware Solutions – Hear What Timberland, Vans, Solomon, and U-Power Are Doing to Meet Consumer Demands
Tuesday, May 7 | 1:00 – 1:45 PM
Speaker: Greg Sanders
Popular footwear brands are listening to consumers about the importance of sustainability, and in this session, you’ll learn how they are working with BASF Material Solutions to enhance the circularity of shoes.
Consumer Brands – SmartLabel
Tuesday, May 7 | 1:00 – 1:30 PM
Speaker: Rishi Banerjee
In today’s digital world, consumers want real-time information about the products they use every day. Created by the CPG industry and operated by the Consumer Brands Association, SmartLabel is a trusted source for product and ingredient information, enabling brands to digitally share more information than could ever fit on a label — from allergens and sourcing to how to recycle packaging.
Sustainability: The Retailer Perspective
Tuesday, May 7 | 2:00 – 2:45 PM
Speaker: Scot Case
Retailers’ sustainability commitments reflect company goals, investor interests, regulatory pressure and, most importantly, consumer demand. And while various retailers define and prioritize sustainability differently, ultimately, sustainable retail comes down to sustainable products, suppliers, and supply chains. This session offers an overview of sustainability from the world’s largest trade association for retailers.
How to Maximize the Value Proposition of Sustainability as a Leader in the Consumer Products Market
Tuesday, May 7 | 3:00 – 3:45 PM
Speaker: Sarah Weishaar
The consumer products industry is taking bold, ambitious steps to lead the way in managing environmental, social and governance (ESG) impacts. Hear from a panel of industry leaders as they demystify the complex landscape of sustainability and ESG while discussing the pressures and realities companies face as they drive change.
Enabling Versatile Innovation with Polyolefin Elastomers
Wednesday, May 8 | 3:00 – 3:30 PM
Speaker: Sasha Schmitt
From replacing PVC in applications like resilient flooring and IV bags, to enhancing comfort and feel in absorbent products like diapers and feminine care items, ExxonMobil is using polyolefin plastometers and elastomers to give versatile and innovative solutions. In this session, you will see the various possibilities ExxonMobil’s polyolefin plastomers and elastomer materials offer in key segments like construction, medical, hygiene, and other emerging areas.
How Electrification Powers Healthcare, Consumer Goods, Automotive, and Aerospace with Specialty Polymers
Thursday, May 9 | 2:00 – 2:30 PM
Speaker: Victoria Lee & DeeDee Smith
Engineers spanning markets are using electrification to increase efficiency in their components and systems. Join this session to see how to design electrical components with specialty polymers, learn about the role of selecting the optimal material, and dig into several application case studies that can be considered across materials.
Digital Transformation Success Using OPC Standards
Friday, May 10 | 10:00 – 10:30 AM
Speaker: Michael Clark
The OPC Foundation is the gravity-center for secure industrial interoperability. During this engaging session you will hear real-world examples of how leading industrial facilities — from renewable energy and cosmetics to automakers — are employing secure, digital interoperability from the shopfloor to the top floor.