Upcoming Events
3rd Anual Thermoformed Molded Fiber Symposium
University of Maine Orono – October 2026
Once again, the University of Maine’s Process Development Center will host the Thermoformed Molded Fiber Symposium, bringing together industry leaders to collaborate, innovate, and inspire continued advancement in the thermoformed molded fiber industry.
More information coming soon
Past Events
Thermoformed Molded Fiber Symposium
Monday, August 25, 2025
- Tours of the Process Development Center (including demonstrations) and the Advanced Structures and Composites Center, home to the largest 3D printer in the world and BioHome, a 3D printed house
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
- Keynote Presentation: “Developing the Difference: Fiber Trays for Modern Food Retail” – Mike Roxas, Packaging Engineer Manager, Adhold Delhaize USA
- Q&A Session: Moderated by: Kelly Helein, VP Business Development, Genera
- Machinery Panel: Leading equipment manufacturers discuss challenges in getting capital costs down, reducing water and energy use, and equipment specs needed for comparing cycle times.
- Moderator: Scott Lilley, Rev1 Packaging
- “Packaging that Performs: Designing for Real World Composting and Solid Waste Systems” – Susan Thoman, Founder and Managing Director, Composter Approved
- “Aqueous Coating Considerations: Thermoformed Molded Fiber Product Applications” – Gordon Bugg, Principal Engineer – Coating, Kemira
- “Coating Molded Fiber Articles”– Bob Versluys, Senior Technical Manager, Motus
- Coating Panel: Chemical suppliers discuss challenges in coating molded fiber articles, new application technologies, curing and drying issues, new geometries, and keeping costs down.
- Moderator: Jim Fogg, Director of Sales and Business Development, Motus
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
- Manufacturer’s Panel: A dynamic discussion on the key limitations and challenges in the industry, focusing on factors such as equipment, fiber sources, chemistry, instrumentation, and the global economy.
- Moderator: Chelsea Cross, Business Development Manager, Barriers & Molded Fiber, Solenis
- Rapid Fire Student Presentations – Part 1: Graduate students give short presentations on their posters
- “Microfibrillated Cellulose (MFC) in Molded Fiber Trays” – David Cowles, Valmet
- “MFC produced using FiberLean Wet Stirred Media Mills: Applications in molded and formed fiber products” – Mark Paradis, Customer Technical Services Director – North America, FiberLean Technologies
- Brand Perspective/Wrap-up – Wes Blanding, Senior Account Sales Executive, Daikin America, Inc. and Vineet Dua, Scientist, Daikin America, Inc.
December 10-11, 2024 – University of Maine, Orono, Maine
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
- Fiber Basics 201 – Nick Palumbo, North American Technical Sales Manager, Brueckner Group
- Beyond the Basics: Cutting-Edge Stock Preparation for Molded Fiber – Tina Lawton, Director, Sales & Technology, Stock Prep & Recycle, North America, Valmet
- Simplified Stock Prep for Molded Fiber – Matthew Job, President, Motus
- Increasing Wet End Turbulence in Molded Fiber Production – Karl Palmer, Fiber Process Engineer, Brueckner Group and Jim Fogg, NA Business Development Manager Barriers and Coatings, Solenis
- Quantifying Fiber Formation – Matt Griswold, Vice President of Innovation, Genera
- Additively Manufactured Tooling for Prototyping – Jonathan Roy, Research Engineer, Advanced Structures and Composites Center, University of Maine
- Dispersion Barrier Coating for 3D Molded Fiber – Overview of Surface Application Technology – Chuantao Zhu, Molded Fiber Application Expert, Barriers & Coatings, Solenis
- Barrier Coating Testing and Validation – Matthew Job, President, Motus US
- Foodservice Packaging Policy Landscape – Carol Patterson, Vice President of Government Relations, Foodservice Packaging Institute
- Compostability in Packaging – Testing, Certifications and Regulations – Emily Parsons, Product Launch Engineer in Barriers & Molded Fiber, Solenis
- Thermoformed Molded Fiber Capabilities and Research at the PDC – Colleen Walker, Director, Process Development Center, UMaine
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
- Manufacturers Panel- Challenges to NA manufactured MF growth in the Food and Food Service Packaging Market: Moderator: Chelsea Cross, Business Development Manager, Barriers & Molded Fiber, Solenis
- Considering USDA Checkoff Programs for A Stronger Market Position for Molded Pulp – Teal Edelen, Director, US Endowment for Forestry and Communities
PDC Cellulose Nanomaterials Forum
August 26-27, 2025 – University of Maine, Orono, Maine
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
- “Forest-based Biorefinery to Renewable Packaging Initiative at Forest Products Laboratory” – Dr. Nicole Stark, Supervisory Research Chemical Engineer, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
- “An Update on the Safety and Regulatory Status of MFC” – Jo Anne Shatkin, Vireo Advisors
- Rapid Fire Student Presentations – Part 2 – Graduate students give short presentations on their posters
- “Raising all ships: Sustainable Economic and Social Benefits of Food Preservation” – Sean Ireland, CEO and Co-Founder, CapaTec
- “Growable Coatings: Combining CNFs and Mycelium for a New Approach to Plastic Replacements” – Dr. Caitlin Howell, Professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Maine
Thursday, August 28, 2025
- “Shrinkage Reduction and Internal Curing in Concrete using Cellulose Nanofibrils” – Dr. Eric Landis, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maine
- “Aqueous modification of pulp and cellulose nanofibrils for functional materials”– Dr. Will Gramlich, Associate Professor, Chemistry, University of Maine
- “CNF in Firefighting Foams” – James Anderson, University of Maine
- “Cellulose Nanofibrils: Image Analysis Shenanigans” – Dr. Robert Moon, Materials Research Engineer, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
- “Enhancing Water and Oil Resistance in Molded Fiber Products Using Metal Ions and Cellulose Nanofibers” – Dr. Xuefeng Zhang, Associate Professor of Sustainable Materials & Technology, Advanced Structures & Composites Center, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine