Afera sets new future-proof strategy for 2018-2025

Through the use of a dream- and nightmare scenario creation process, the incoming 7-Member Steering Committee has set the course for the Association’s mission, vision, goals and strategy for the next 5-7 years, as was reported by Melanie Lack, business manager of tapes and labels at H.B. Fuller.

Following the General Assembly on Day 1 of the working programme, Ms. Lack, who has been a SC member for a year, walked Athens Conference participants through the SC’s decision taken at Afera’s 2018 Conference in Turin to move Afera strategically and steadfastly into the future with a renewed agenda.

Afera’s SC is now made up of 8 seats, including 5 tape manufacturers, 1 converter and 2 suppliers.“We thought that with this new group of people, before we went into operational mode, it was the optimal moment to refocus, figure out what we want to accomplish as an industry collective, and realign our targets,” shared Ms. Lack.

The SC’s priority is making Afera future-proof: Resilient to the effects of shocks and stresses of future events, unlikely to become obsolete. “We are all facing the external changes affecting our industry,” Ms. Lack continued. “All of our companies, and especially our association, have limited resources in terms of people and money, and it makes sense to align our initiatives to the most efficient means and results possible.” In the SC’s 2-tiered strategy setting process, best- and worst-case scenarios were drawn up and prioritised according to likelihood and severity of impact on the industry.

Our new mission
Afera unites stakeholders along the value chain of the European tape industry, to ensure and increase the relevance of the tape industry in the world of tomorrow.

Our new vision statement
Afera is widely known and valued as the go-to community of the European tape industry for both industry and non-industry stakeholders. Stakeholders connect within the Afera community to address current and future key topics, which individual stakeholders cannot or will not take care of.

Our new goals

• Make the tape industry as a whole future-proof
• Be the voice of the industry to end users, policy makers and educators
• Grow the market for the tape industry
• Enable member companies to be one step ahead
• Initiate member networking opportunities in a neutral environment
• Gain inclusion of adhesive tapes technology in curricula for engineers and designers
• Educate newcomers to the industry.

Our new strategy

People

• Raise awareness of demographic changes in the workforce
• Team up with associations in adjacent technologies
• Educate our future industry workforce (2020+)
• Educate new entrants to the industry (Afera Tape College).

Product/market development

• Embed adhesive tapes technology in the educational curricula of mechanical engineers and designers
• Promote end-user application possibilities (knowledge, awareness).

Environment/sustainability awareness

• Increase industry perception of necessity, sustainability as an opportunity
• Promote end-user awareness about environmental PST success stories (2019 Sustainability Award).

Industry definition & structure

• Increase modern/new networking opportunities within a safe/trusted environment
• Through knowledge and inspiration, challenge ourselves and raise our ambitions beyond average levels
• Establish globally recognised test methods.

Regulation/political positioning

• Team up with associations in adjacent technologies
• Increase relevant direct or indirect influence with regulatory bodies
• Raise knowledge and awareness among members.

Association

• Organise new member recruitment activities
• Ensure the long-term focus (policy and execution) for industry interest
• Plan current member engagement activities.

Download the complete slide presentation of Melanie Lack (access code Athens2018)
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