The 2026 conference will focus on the following topics but is not limited to:

Macro-economics

• Supply chain issues 
• Offshoring, re-shoring, near-shoring 
• Growth 
• Inflation 
• Trade tensions impact 
• Economic implications of automation and artificial intelligence 
• Geopolitical and political risks 
• Investor confidence 
• Impact of high interest rates

End-uses

• Construction & Building: trends, challenges, rapid technological advancements 
• Paper & Packaging 
• Automotive: trends, challenges, time to handling, non-destructive testing, surface preparation, renewable resources, the challenge of dismantling bonds, sound-proof ride, electric mobility, thermal management, thermal conductivity 
• Aerospace: trends and challenges, composite adhesives, requirements, desirable qualities, consequences posed by a rise in the demand for air travel, lowering weight, replacing heavy materials 
• Food & Packaging 
• Furniture and woodworking 
• Footwear, Textiles and Leather 
• Electronics

Raw materials

• Material innovation 
• Bio-based raw materials 
• Availability 
• Price volatility 
• Alternatives to petroleum resources 
• New market demands

Sustainability Initiatives

• Sustainability continues to be a dominant focus in the adhesives industry 
• Companies are developing eco-friendly formulations with lower environmental impact 
• Reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a priority

Recyclable and Reversible Bonding (topics around)

• Growing demand for adhesives that enable product recyclability at end-of-life 
• Development of reversible bonds that can be undone through specific triggers: 
  • Heat activation 
  • UV light exposure 
  • Chemical treatments 
• This technology supports circular economy principles

Performance Enhancement (topics around)

• Push for adhesives with extreme performance capabilities: 
  • Ultra-high temperature resistance 
  • Enhanced pressure resistance 
  • Increased strength properties 
• Manufacturers are challenging traditional adhesive limitations

E-Commerce Packaging Solutions (topics around)

• The booming e-commerce market (expected to reach $1,330 billion by 2025 in the US alone) is driving specialized adhesive development 
• Focus on adhesives that maintain package integrity during varied shipping conditions 
• Water-borne and hot-melt adhesives gaining popularity for packaging applications

Transition from Solvent-Based Systems (topics around)

• Industry shift from solvent-borne adhesives to alternatives with lower VOC content 
• Hot-melt technologies seeing increased adoption due to environmental benefits

Automotive Industry Applications

• Adhesives supporting lightweight vehicle construction for fuel efficiency 
• Specialized solutions for battery electric vehicles 
• Bonding technologies replacing traditional mechanical fasteners

Other Emerging Areas

• Electronics and electrical markets driving adhesive innovation 
• Renewable energy projects requiring specialized bonding solutions 
• Healthcare and medical device applications expanding

Talent

• Data insights into the US job market 
• Challenges faced when trying to hire a workforce 
• Attracting and retaining talent 
• Addressing skills gap 
• Making the industry more appealing to younger generations through innovation and sustainability goals 
• Developing advanced technical skills 
• Connecting students and early-graduates with the industry 
• Diversity and inclusion

Regulations and Certifications

• Challenges posed by fast-moving regulatory changes 
• The importance of certifications in enabling the use in certain applications

Lightweighting

• Material interaction with human skin: heat exchange, moisture wicking, odor control 
• Non-welding automotive assemblies 
• Thermal management

Adhesives and bonding manufacturing and processes

• Additive manufacturing 
• Adhesive process problem/solutions 
• Exploring different dispensing equipment options for end-users 
• Improved curing process efficiency 
• Lamination and cutting-edge advances 
• Material disassembly and de-bonding 
• Material simulation 
• Processing equipment and troubleshooting
  
  

Deadlines & selection criteria:

• Speaking slots are allocated on merit and relevance to the topics on the agenda 
• Commercial/Sales presentations – such as product or company reviews – will not be accepted 
• There are no registration fees to take up this opportunity 
• Speaking slot timings and formats will be finalized as the program is completed, depending on the subject matter to be addressed. 
• The deadline for submissions is Friday August 7, 2026
• We will endeavour to review all submissions within 6-8 weeks after the deadline. If you do not hear from us, it is likely your submission has not been accepted, however, we will ensure we review your submission again the following year, or be in contact with you to discuss other session ideas.

Submissions will be evaluated in terms of:

• Importance of topic to conference attendees 
• Inclusion of an end user as either lead or co-presenter 
• Objective, educational, non-commercial content 
• Clearly defined benefits for attendees 
• Knowledge and experience of the speaker 
• The ability to help to put together a panel session around the topic with customers and partners (please enhance on this in your submission and who you will invite to join you for the session) 
• The ability to have discussion around the topic

Conference Inquiries

Dale Hudson – Conference Producer
Dale.Hudson-Johansson@informa.com
Europe: +44 1273 916 313 
USA Toll free: +1 855 436 8683