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Agenda

Discover what’s shaping the future of the specialty papers industry.

The just-released agenda for Specialty Papers US 2025 is packed with can’t-miss presentations on fiber innovation, regulatory shifts, sustainable alternatives, end-use breakthroughs and more!

See who’s taking the stage in Chicago this October and explore the expertly-led sessions below. 

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Please click on the dates below to see each day's program!


Registration Opens
Set the Stage- Sponsored by Sekisui
Opening Remarks
Session I: Market Overview and Trends – Where is the paper industry going for the next 5-10 years?
Market Overview
Sustainability & Other Market Trends From Brands
The Future of Specialty Papers to 2028
Presented by Smithers
Networking Break- Sponsored by Solenis
Sponsored by Solenis

 
Session II: Sustainable Solutions for Packaging
Presentation details to come
Presentation title to come
Session III: Barriers and Coatings Updates
Press-applied Coating Study
One of the primary challenges to the growth of specialty paper lies in identifying market opportunities large enough to justify the allocation of paper machine time. This is particularly true for emerging barrier coating applications, which often start at small scales and may require capital investment before significant market demand is established.

Converters play a crucial role in developing these markets, as they are well-positioned to grow demand to volumes that justify mill-scale production. To enable this, barrier coatings must be applicable using conventional press equipment.

In collaboration with Heidelberg, Solenis is conducting an in-depth study to better understand press-applied coating performance. Multiple trials have been conducted using Heidelberg’s flexographic equipment to evaluate a range of barrier properties, including MVTR, OTR, OGR, Cobb, and heat sealability. Variables such as anilox cell volume and design, drying configurations, and paper substrates have been systematically examined.

This work is leading to the development of a comprehensive matrix that correlates coating types with rheological properties, coating pickup (gsm), anilox specifications, and substrate requirements. This presentation will share key findings from this ongoing collaboration and outline practical considerations for implementing press-applied barrier coatings at scale.

Presented by Solenis
Networking Lunch- Sponsored by Kuraray
Sponsored by Kuraray

Return by 1:30 for the next presentation
Next-Generation Sustainable Paper Packaging: Functional Coatings, Performance, and End-of-Life Solutions
Next-generation sustainable paper packaging is increasingly recognized as an effective alternative to traditional packaging, providing essential protection against water vapor, oxygen, and grease. Achieving these functional properties while maintaining recyclability or compostability presents a critical global challenge.This presentation outlines how paper functional coatings work and demonstrates the development of a versatile platform capable of meeting diverse packaging needs. It emphasizes both product development pathways and end-of-life considerations, including recycling and composting, supported by biodegradable material properties.Practical experiences from Europe, such as insights from CEPI’s laboratory recycling protocols and the introduction of eco-modulated Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), will be showcased. These strategies, balancing innovation with efficient recycling or composting processes, are relevant and adaptable globally.Practical examples will highlight the collaboration between material developers and recycling experts, illustrating effective pathways toward next-generation, sustainable, and functional paper-based packaging solutions.
 
Johannes Zipfel | Managing Director, Delsci
Plantic™ Extrusion Coatings for Recyclable, High-Barrier Paper Packaging
Kuraray’s Plantic™ Technology offers a breakthrough in sustainable packaging by combining high oxygen and grease barrier performance with recyclability, compostability, and repulpability. Derived from renewable high-amylose corn starch, Plantic™ enables brand owners to meet environmental goals without compromising product protection. This presentation focuses on the use of Plantic™ in extrusion coating of paper and paperboard, creating fiber-based packaging structures suitable for food and sensitive goods. Plantic™ coatings deliver outstanding barrier properties while maintaining compatibility with existing converting equipment and recycling infrastructure. Independent recyclability and repulpability testing conducted by Western Michigan University confirms that Plantic™-coated paperboard and multilayer flexible paper structures, meet industry standards for fiber recovery and is suitable for curbside recycling. These results validate Plantic™ as a viable alternative to conventional multilayer packaging that often hinders recyclability or is recovered at very low rates. Additionally, life cycle assessment (LCA) data demonstrates significant reductions in carbon footprint and environmental impact compared to petroleum-based barrier materials. Plantic™ supports circular economy principles by enabling compostable and recyclable packaging formats that align with consumer and regulatory demands. Attendees will gain insights into the technical performance, environmental credentials, and applications of Plantic™ coatings, empowering them to adopt scalable, high-performance solutions for sustainable packaging.
 
David Chacon | PLANTIC Technical Service & Market Development Engineer, Kuraray
Building Multifunctional Barrier Paper with Waterborne Coatings
Flexible paper packaging as an alternative to traditional plastic packaging continues to gain traction. However, to maintain momentum, robust coatings are needed to improve the inherently poor barrier properties of paper, especially against water, oil/grease, moisture vapor, and oxygen. While there has been reasonable progress toward barriers to individual coating performances, significant challenges remain in implementation of those barrier coatings into multilayer structures enabling multifunctional performance. We will discuss several challenges in constructing multilayer coatings on paper with representative examples. Fundamental insights into strategies for building better multilayer structures on paper will be shared. We will conclude with multilayer examples leveraging those insights which demonstrate simultaneous barrier against moisture vapor, oxygen, water, oil/grease which is desirable for flexible paper packages.
 
Brian Einsla | Senior Research Scientist, The Dow Chemical Company
Session IV: Paper Testing Methods and Research
Networking Break
Presentation details to come
Presentation details to come
Presentation details to come
Evening Networking Reception
Registration Opens
Set the Stage- Sponsored by Sekisui
Sponsored by Sekisui
Opening Remarks
Session V: Innovation & Technology in the Paper Industry
Cultivating innovations in starch: Improving performance for environmentally responsible packaging 
Since development and use of synthetic, petroleum-based polymers in the 1950s, an estimated 6,300 million metric tons (MT) of plastic waste has been generated1 . Single-use plastic packaging represents the largest use market for plastics, making up 40% of total plastic production2 . The vast majority of that plastic waste has accumulated in the landfills or has contaminated our oceans, freshwater systems, and land. If the current trends continue, an anticipated 12,000 MT of plastic waste will enter the landfills or ecosystems by 20501 . Synthetic polymers are preferred for their cost effectiveness and high performance. However, plastics do not readily biodegrade so once they are introduced into the environment, they are persistent and some can take up to 1,000 years to decompose3 . Accordingly, there is an urgent need for a solution to environmental pollution and increased development of microplastics caused by nonbiodegradable plastics. There are a variety of greener solutions existing in the market that come with benefits and challenges. Starch is a plant-based biopolymer obtained from renewable sources that has a long history within the packaging industry. It has been leveraged for its environmental benefits and as a cost-efficient, widely available ingredient that provides increased strength, process efficiency, and surface property development of fiber-based packaging. In combination with novel modifications, starch can provide enhanced barrier properties (oil and grease resistance, oxygen transmission rate, water vapor transmission rate) that enable fiber-based packaging to replace traditional single use plastic packaging in markets such as fresh and shelf-stable food4,5 . Maintaining mechanical properties, such as processing stability, strength, and flexibility is crucial to delivering functionality. We highlight the potential opportunities to enhance the inherent properties of starch for environmentally responsible packaging that meets requirements of compostability and recyclability.
 
Jake Finkelstein | Sr. Marketing Analyst, Industrial Ingredients, Ingredion
Golden Run Analytics: Leveraging AI to Improve Paper Machine
This session explores the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in optimizing paper machine operations through the identification and enhancement of Golden Runs. These periods of peak operational efficiency are characterized by optimal machine performance, product quality, and resource utilization. It examines how AI systems leverage machine learning and advanced analytics to transform raw production data into actionable insights, enabling operators to replicate and sustain ideal conditions. The article investigates the defining characteristics of Golden Runs, the systematic approach of AI in identifying these optimal periods, and the various sophisticated algorithms employed for detection and analysis. Through comprehensive case studies and implementation examples, it demonstrates how AI-driven process control systems integrate multiple data sources and machine learning approaches to achieve significant improvements in production efficiency, quality consistency, and resource optimization. The article highlights the crucial role of real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and autonomous control systems in maintaining optimal operating conditions while reducing waste and energy consumption.
 
Varma Raju Sagi Venkatatapathi | Technology Specialist, Honeywell International
Session VI: Regulatory Updates
Networking Break
Presentation details to come
Re/Thinking Paper
In today's push for responsible production and consumption, paper is no longer just a fibre-based material — it's a powerful driver for innovation and sustainability. This presentation will explore paper's evolution from commodity to solution, focusing on the consumer and regulatory forces reshaping our industry and accelerating the paperisation movement, including EUDR and PPWR. Drawing on our European experience with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks now emerging at state-level in the US, we will examine infrastructure readiness across packaging materials and how paper's established collection systems support more favourable EPR implementation.

We will showcase how Mondi is reimagining the possibilities of paper packaging, unlocking next-generation solutions guided by our bold belief that every industry and application is within our reach. Our commitment to this vision is demonstrated through our latest product launch: Ad/Vantage Smooth White WS, developed specifically for the US market. This calendered white kraft paper combines bleached short and long fibre sulphate pulp to deliver high strength and wet strength performance for retail and food service applications such as food-grade interleaving paper.
 
Marco Macoratti | Head of Sustainable Packaging Solutions & Circularity for Retail brands, Mondi
Session VII: Bio-Based Barriers
Transforming Paper: Affordable Functionalization for Green Barriers and New Market Opportunities
Cellulotech’s patented process revolutionizes paper by functionalizing it at low cost while keeping it fully recyclable and compostable in standard waste streams. This breakthrough transforms paper products into high-performance materials with barriers and functional properties that can replace plastics, waxes, silicones, and more. Beyond being a cost-effective and sustainable alternative, it unlocks entirely new high-value applications for the paper industry, creating opportunities in sectors such as hygiene, construction, and beyond.
 
Romain Metivet | Founder & CEO, Cellulotech
Technical and commercial insights on scaling functional, bio-based coatings derived from lignin
Lignin is one of the most bio-abundant materials on the planet and constitutes 30% of non-fossil organic carbon.  Lignin is a key derivative of paper making, with over 220 million tons generated each year.  AgWaste is also a primary source of lignin to include root vegetables, and husks of grains such as oats, wheat, and rye.  Today, much of that lignin is burned after harvest or used as a low-grade binder for applications such as filler in roads.  Earthodic has developed functional, bio-based barrier coatings using lignin.  This talk will explore the functional barrier characteristics of these coatings on paper, along with technical and commercial learnings as Earthodic scales production.
 
Natasha Melton | Head of Product Development, Earthodic
Networking Lunch
Return by 1:30 for the next presentation
 
Session VIII: The MRF Perspective
PANEL: Industrial Handling of "End of Life"
Session IX: Supply Chain Logistics
PANEL: Supply Chain Logistics
Presentation details to come
Closing Remarks