PDC Thermoformed Molded Fiber Symposium

thermoformed molded fiber symposium

August 26-27, 2025

register here!

Advancing Molded Fiber: Collaboration Driving Innovation

Join us for the 2nd annual Thermoformed Molded Fiber Symposium hosted by the PDC. This year’s event will feature research from a variety of industry professionals including coating, manufacturing, and brand panels. The symposium aims to foster innovation, sustainability, and collaboration in molded fiber production while addressing industry challenges like cost reduction, recyclability, and performance improvements. 

Program Highlights

Keynote Speaker

“Developing the Difference: Fiber Trays for Modern Food Retail” – Mike Roxas, Packaging Engineer Manager, Ahold Delhaize USA

Mike has more than a decade of experience in the packaging industry working for Nestlé in the Philippines, Cereal Partners Worldwide and Ahold Delhaize USA. He specializes in packaging sustainability where he works closely with suppliers to develop sustainable packaging solutions that is based on Life Cycle Analysis and company objectives. He is a Certified Packaging Professional, CPP, endorsed by the Institute of Packaging Professionals.

Mike is currently the Packaging Engineering Manager for Private Brands of Ahold Delhaize USA, the parent company of retail brands like Hannaford, Stop and Shop, The Giant Company, Giant Food and Food Lion. He leads packaging development, innovation, and enhancement for the Private Brands portfolio of products of Ahold Delhaize USA in order to ensure full alignment with brand standards and becoming famous for Private Brands. He is responsible for owning all packaging innovations, packaging sustainability, monitoring packaging trends as well as driving cost efficiencies within the current supply chain related to packaging.

Packaging that Performs: Designing for Real World Composting and Solid Waste Systems

Susan Thoman, Founder and Managing Director, Composter Approved

Learn how compostable packaging succeeds—or fails—once it is collected in the solid waste system and processed in modern composting facilities. Drawing on field testing, research, historical data and operational experience, this session offers designers practical strategies for long-range design planning to ensure packaging disintegrates effectively, avoids contamination, and aligns with composting science, operational goals and modern processing infrastructure.

Tuesday afternoon will be devoted to all things coating. We kickoff with Gordon Bugg, a recognized expert, giving an updated overview. We plan to have additional speakers, and a panel.

Presentation Spotlight

“Aqueous Coating Considerations: Thermoformed Molded Fiber Product Applications”

Gordon Bugg, Principal Engineer, Coatings, Kemira

The application of a chemical, usually as an aqueous coating which is applied to a fibrous (paper) or synthetic substrate is used to provide desired properties (OGR barrier, MVTR or heat sealing among others). No matter the process, to accomplish the desired goals, the coating and substrate act as a system, with both having to perform to a desired level, otherwise the product may fail. This discussion will focus on the coating being applied to the substrate, and the characteristics that will enhance the performance in a given set of conditions. Up front, an in-depth discussion of this topic would take a few days so this talk is designed to spark questions as well as point out key properties for a successful coating application.

Coating Panel

A panel of coating experts will address topics on challenges and new application technologies.

Moderator: Jim Fogg, Director of Sales and Business Development, Motus

  • Kai Chi, Ph.D., Product Development Scientist, Henkel
  • Alex Beam, Business Development, Packaging and Hygiene Solutions, Global Molded Fiber, Kemira Chemicals Inc
  • Chuantao Zhu, Molded Fiber Application Expert, Barriers & Coatings, Solenis
  • Erik Heselmans, Molded Fiber Business Development Leader, BIM Kemi Sweden
  • David Zamarin, Founder & CEO, Impermea Materials

New this year, the Machinery Panel will feature a dynamic discussion on some of the industry’s most pressing challenges—including reducing capital costs, minimizing water usage, and cutting energy consumption. Moderated by Scott Lilley, Rev1 this year’s panelists include:

  • Rob Beesley, Director Of Mechanical Engineering, Motus
  • Christopher LaCasse, CEO, LaCasse & Weston
  • Naurice Joseph, FTT
  • Matt Sieverding, CEO, Kiefel
  • Shu Chen, Shurcon

A popular session last year, the Manufacturer’s Panel features 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. Moderated by Chelsea Cross, Business Development Manager, Barriers & Molded Fiber with Solenis, this year’s panelists include:

Schedule

Monday, August 25, 2025

3:00 – 5:00 PMTours 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
5:30 – 6:30 PMReception at Sal’s Pub, Wells Conference Center

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

8:00 – 8:30 AMRegistration, Breakfast
8:30 – 8:35 AMWelcome
8:35 – 9:15 AMKeynote Presentation “Developing the Difference: Fiber Trays for Modern Food Retail” Mike Roxas, Packaging Engineer Manager, Ahold Delhaize USA
9:15 – 9:30 AMQ&A Session Moderated by: Kelly Helein, VP Business Development, Genera
9:30 – 10:30 AMMachinery 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
Panelists:
– Rob Beesley, Director of Mechanical Engineering, Motus
– Christopher LaCasse, CEO, LaCasse & Weston
– Naurice Joseph, FTT
– Matt Sieverding, CEO, Kiefel
– Shu Chen, Shurcon
10:30 – 11:00 AMNetworking Break
11:00 – 12:00 PM“Packaging that Performs: Designing for Real World Composting and Solid Waste Systems” – Susan Thoman, Founder and Managing Director, Composter Approved Learn how compostable packaging succeeds—or fails—once it is collected in the solid waste system and processed in modern composting facilities. Drawing on field testing, research, historical data and operational experience, this session offers designers practical strategies for long-range design planning to ensure packaging disintegrates effectively, avoids contamination, and aligns with composting science, operational goals and modern processing infrastructure.
12:00 – 1:30 PMLunch
1:30 – 2:30 PM“Aqueous Coating Considerations: Thermoformed Molded Fiber Product Applications” – Gordon Bugg, Principal Engineer – Coating, Kemira
2:30 – 3:00 PM“Coating Molded Fiber Articles”– Bob Versluys, Senior Technical Manager, Motus
3:00 – 3:30 PMBreak
3:30 – 5:00 PMCoating 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
– Dr. Kai Chi, Product Development Scientist, Henkel
– Alex Beam, Business Development, Packaging and Hygiene Solutions, Global Molded Fiber, Kemira Chemicals Inc
– Chuantao Zhu, Molded Fiber Application Expert, Barriers & Coatings, Solenis
– Erik Heselmans, Molded Fiber Business Development Leader, BIM Kemi Sweden
– David Zamarin, Founder & CEO, Impermea Materials
5:00 – 6:30 PMReception and Student Poster Session

Wednesday, August 26, 2025

8:00 – 8:30 AMBreakfast
8:30 – 10:00 AMManufacturer’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
Panelists:
– Scott Lilley, Rev1
– Miles Leach, CEO, Kanbol
– John Phlipot, Senior Vice President, Dart Container Corp.
– Melissa LaCasse, CEO, Tanbark Molded Fiber Products
– Matt Griswold, Vice President of Innovation, Genera
10:00 – 10:30 AMBreak
10:30 – 11:00 AMRapid Fire Student Presentations – Part 1
Graduate students give short presentations on their posters
11:00 – 11:30 AM“Microfibrillated Cellulose (MFC) in Molded Fiber Trays” – David Cowles, Valmet
11:30 – 12:00 PM“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
12:00 – 12:30 PMBrand Perspective/Wrapup
“How Close Do We Need to Come to FC?”
Wes Blanding, Senior Account Sales Executive, Daikin America, Inc.
Vineet Dua, Scientist, Daikin America, Inc.
12:30 – 1:15 PMLunch

PDC Cellulose Nanomaterials Forum

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

1:15 – 1:20 PMWelcome
1:20 – 2:00 PM“Forest-based Biorefinery to Renewable Packaging Initiative at Forest Products Laboratory” – Dr. Nicole Stark, Supervisory Research Chemical Engineer, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
2:00 – 2:30 PM“An Update on the Safety and Regulatory Status of MFC” – Jo Anne Shatkin, Vireo Advisors
2:30 – 3:00 PMRapid Fire Student Presentations – Part 2 Graduate students give short presentations on their posters
3:00 – 3:30 PMBreak
3:30 – 4:00 PM“Raising all ships:  Sustainable Economic and Social Benefits of Food Preservation” – Sean Ireland, CEO and Co-Founder, CapaTec
4:00 – 4:30 PM“Growable Coatings: Combining CNFs and Mycelium for a New Approach to Plastic Replacements” – Dr. Caitlin Howell, Professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Maine
4:30 – 6:30 PMReception and Student Poster Session and Competition

Thursday, August 27, 2025

8:00 – 8:30 AMBreakfast
8:30 – 9:00 AMShrinkage Reduction and Internal Curing in Concrete using Cellulose Nanofibrils
Dr. Eric Landis, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maine
9:00 – 9:30 AMAqueous modification of pulp and cellulose nanofibrils for functional materials
Dr. Will Gramlich, Associate Professor, Chemistry, University of Maine
9:30 – 10:00 AMCNF in Firefighting Foams
Rich Fredericks, University of Maine
10:00 – 10:30 AMBreak
10:30 – 11:30 AMCellulose Nanofibrils: Image Analysis Shenanigans
Dr. Robert Moon, Materials Research Engineer, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
11:30 – 12:00 PMEnhancing 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
12:00 – 1:00 PMLunch
1:00 – 2:00 PMPDC Tours and Demonstrations

2024 speakers & presentations