Knowledge in action: What to expect from the INDEX™26 seminars in Geneva

Brussels, Belgium, 9 April 2026 – As the global nonwovens industry prepares to gather at Palexpo in Geneva from 19 to 22 May 2026, EDANA is pleased to provide the final briefing on the INDEX™26 seminar programme. While the exhibition serves as the world’s largest stage for material innovation, the seminars represent the industry’s "brain trust," designed to transform market challenges into actionable business strategies.

With over 600 exhibitors and 12,000 attendees expected, INDEX™26 arrives at a critical juncture. The industry is currently balancing significant production overcapacity with a relentless drive toward sustainability and new regulatory compliance. The EDANA seminar schedule is curated specifically to address these pressures, offering attendees a roadmap for high-value diversification.

The strategic agenda: A day-by-day guide

The seminars are structured to move from high-level market intelligence to specific technical applications, ensuring every segment of the value chain finds relevant insights.


Tuesday, 19 May 2026

• 14:00 – 15:00 – Market Trends in Nonwovens across Regions: Drawing on EDANA’s comprehensive data and industry intelligence, Jacques Prigneaux, Market Analysis and Economic Affairs Director at EDANA, will provide a clear, data-driven overview of market trends, covering key applications from hygiene and wipes to filtration, construction, and mobility.
  
  

Wednesday, 20 May 2026 

• 10:30 – 11:30 – Global Gateways and How to Tap into Public Funding in the EU and the US: As global competition intensifies, strategic access to public funding can make the difference between innovation and stagnation. This seminar, moderated by Alexander Heusch – Regulatory Affairs Manager at EDANA, will explore how nonwovens companies can benefit from current funding schemes and incentive programs. Attendees will gain insights into how these mechanisms can support R&D, sustainability transitions, and market growth, and how to align business strategy to make the most of them. The confirmed speakers are Floortje de Vink, Senior Consultant at Schuman Associates, and Al Gordon, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman at National Strategies.

• 12:00 – 13:00 – EDANA Professional Development Courses: Marines Lagemaat, Scientific and Technical Affairs Director at EDANA, and Rawaa Ammar, Sustainability Director, will present EDANA’s course offering and will demonstrate the efficacy and variety of our expert courses. This curated session will distill the core value of EDANA’s Professional Development portfolio into four high-impact segments, offering a direct preview of our most essential modules.
• 13:30 – 14:30 – Driving Quality and Transparency in Nonwoven Supply Chains: This seminar will address the increasing demand for supply chain integrity and standardized auditing. You will discover the new QAP audit report, which sets a new benchmark for clarity, consistency, and comparability. Moderated by Marines Lagemaat, this seminar will feature three confirmed speakers on stage: Ralf Veltman, Head of Sales Internal & Supplier Audit BSI; Martin Langley, Global Commercial Director at Bostik; and Norbert Stelzer, Senior Director Pampers Global Cost Innovation at Procter & Gamble.
• 15:00 – 16:00 – Sustainability in Nonwovens – Key Developments and Perspectives: Moving beyond the buzzwords, this session will explore the latest regulatory developments affecting plastics and single-use applications and what these policies mean in practice for the nonwovens sector. Confirmed speakers for this session include Alex Braley, Sustainability Advocate; Dr Matthew Tipper, Chief Executive Officer at NIRI; and Kemal Say, Managing Director at Fibertex Nonwovens. The seminar will be moderated by Rawaa Ammar and Brieuc Lits, Public Affairs Director.
  
  

 Thursday, 21 May 2026

• 09:30 – 10:30 – From Air to Industry – Nonwovens Powering Innovation across Global Filtration Markets: This seminar will explore the key trends shaping the global filtration market, highlighting how nonwovens enable high efficiency, durability, and innovation in applications ranging from HVAC and industrial filtration to automotive, medical, and environmental protection. Moderated by Marines Lagemaat, the seminar will have two speakers on stage: Martin Klein, SVP Engineering Filtration Materials at MANN+HUMMEL, and Sandra Schäfer, Senior Scientist at Hollingsworth & Vose.
  

• 11:00 – 12:00 – Re-engineering Infrastructure – How Geosynthetics are Revitalising Modern Construction: In this seminar, the focus will be on the current state of play and present innovative applications that support society and revitalize the Geosynthetics industry across our regions. Samuel Allen, President at the TRI Environmental, Inc, and Dr Oliver Detert, Head of Engineering at HUESKER Synthetic, will be the two speakers. The session will be moderated by Marines Lagemaat.

• 13:30 – 14:30 – Lightweight, Quiet, Sustainable – Nonwovens at the Heart of Next-Generation Mobility: In this seminar, we will explore the many ways nonwoven materials are enabling innovation – lightweight designs, enhancing noise reduction, improving air filtration, and creating more comfortable interiors. We will look at how these versatile materials contribute to the development of autonomous vehicles and meet the growing demand for sustainable transportation solutions. The seminar will be moderated by Felipe Cossio Cuartero, Communication Expert at EDANA, and will feature three speakers: Laura Gottardo, Advanced Sustainability Manager at Autoneum Management, and a joint presentation between Laurent Mougnard, Management Innovation at Howa-Tramico and Joric Marduel, CTO at Fibroline.  
  
  

  Registration and participation

  To access the document with the full details, please visit the following page.

  Attendance at the seminars is included for INDEX™26 participants. If you have not registered yet for the INDEX™26 event, you can do it here!