About Afera

Afera, the European Adhesive Tape Association, 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.

As a non-profit organisation, Afera provides a platform for tape trade expertise in order to enhance the product, the business and the future of the adhesive tape market in Europe. 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 tackle themselves.

Currently Afera consists of over 100 members from 20 European countries. Based in The Hague since 1999, the association is open for membership to those involved in the European adhesive tape industry such as tape manufacturers, suppliers (raw materials, machine and packaging), converters, distributors, European national tape organisations, institutions and universities.

Why should you join Afera?

Network

Leaders and innovators in a neutral environment
Annual Conference, committees, and working groups
Work with associations in adjacent technologies
Challenge yourself in an industry collective dedicated to raising the bar for ambition, quality, and excellence

Knowledge

Globally recognised industry test methods and guidelines
Discounted entry to Afera’s Technical Seminar and Tape College
Monitor innovation, market sectors, workforce demographics, end user behavior, globalisation, sustainability, and other trends
Access articles, studies, surveys, and publications

Exposure

Representation and advice in regulatory and standardisation issues
Share company news and industry expertise on Afera media channels
Content marketing initiative to grow tape market through designers, architects, and engineers
Afera's developing sustainability programme
Connect with all tape industry business media outlets
Unique and economical sponsorship opportunities

An industry looking to the world of tomorrow

Companies along the European tape value chain face varied economic conditions and the new realities of a digitised global economy. Perspectives on the industry through 2025 remain positive however. There is a strong demand for new, more specialised tape applications and technologies to meet the challenges of the transitioning industry. Companies are spending a significant amount of time and training on their sales forces to search out new opportunities, and on their R&D capabilities to create and utilise lightweight materials and to down-gauge product specifications.

Helping You Meet the Challenge

The European tape industry, renowned for its standards of innovation, quality and service, remains an attractive business sector. Careful consideration of the types of activity and investment which will be most appropriate going forward, given rapidly changing global dynamics, is required. Afera meets this challenge by strategically selecting, organising and/or supporting special projects, initiatives, events and other resources for our members to plan and grow their businesses successfully.

Our core values

Members first

The success of our mission depends upon our members. Afera’s primary commitment is to meet our members’ needs, including reliability, consistency and quality in events, initiatives, publications, information and tools; and to provide equal industry representation to all of our stakeholders.

Investment in the industry

Afera believes that an interactive, organised adhesive tape industry will expand and flourish if offered a pan-European platform on which to collaborate. We believe that an industry which is mobilised, unified and well-voiced will benefit from pan-European and international co-operation and representation in public affairs issues and initiatives.

Efficiency and accountability

We exist to serve our greatest asset, our members, in the best manner possible by promoting efficiency, providing full financial accountability and, where possible, sharing resources and accessing expertise among our membership and associates.

History

Established in 1958 in Paris, Afera began as a technical association with the purpose of creating industry-wide test methods. With 35 tape manufacturers from 6 European countries as its original members, we made one of our first objectives to harmonise the standards and norms of each European country’s tape industry.

Afera's 50th-anniversary publication: An excursion through the world of adhesive tapes