2016 meetings

Afera joined the biennial Global Tape Forum (GTF) and Global Test Methods Committee (GTMC) Meetings at The Great Wall Sheraton Hotel in Beijing on 17 and 18 May 2016, respectively. The Meetings were hosted by CATIA, The China Adhesives and Tape Industry Association (www.cnaia.org) during its technical conference themed “Innovation and co-operation for a green tape industry”.

Mr. Wong Feng, CATIA Chairman and President of Yongle Tape Co. Ltd., remarked at the GTF Meeting,

I am grateful that we have brought together so many different countries and organisations representing the adhesive tape industry at one global event. It has enriched our understanding of the various markets and technologies and has given everyone the opportunity to exchange ideas in order to benefit their own business and the tape industry as a whole.

Of particular note was the GTF members’ continued agreement to supply each other with respective annual national/regional production data using the same tape categories. They adopted CATIA’s proposal for global classification of adhesive tape products according to function, substrate, product feature and functional use, as well as release and antistatic materials.

The Forum also agreed to collect additional data containing all environmental legislative items affecting the operations of adhesive tape producers in countries/regions represented in the GTF. A topic of next Meeting’s agenda is expanding Afera’s Why Tape? initiative from a European- to a global-based programme.

The GTMC agreed to accept Pressure Sensitive Tape Council (PSTC) 133/Afera 5006 Thickness as a globally harmonised test method. PSTC 171/Afera Width & Length was accepted as a globally harmonised guideline. The test methods Dynamic Shear/Lap Shear and Peel Strength Dependent Upon Surface Roughness are on the agenda for development and harmonisation going forward.

Afera, a leading founder of the global organisation in 2009, will host the next GTF and GTMC Meetings during its 8th Tape College in April or May 2018. CATIA has taken over leadership of the GTF, while Afera will continue to act as its secretariat. Lutz Jacob, Afera TC Member and test methods expert, will chair the 2018 GTMC Meeting and then seek a successor for the October 2020 Meeting, which will be hosted by JATMA, The Japanese Adhesive Tapes Manufacturers Association (www.jatma.jp) in Osaka, Japan, during the Olympics. For more information, visit www.globaltapeforum.com or contact Astrid Lejeune, GTF Secretariat.