Outstanding Keynotes And Interactive Workshops Provide Inspiration And Learning

The Hague, The Netherlands - FINAT is staging its second European Label Forum at the Moevenpick Hotel in Amsterdam from 16-18 June. The program is designed to address current and potential challenges and opportunities in the label industry with expert speakers and highly interactive sessions as well as plenty of networking opportunities.

“The European Label Forum offers a unique source of knowledge, experience and networking key to the strategic success of label businesses in an international environment,” explains Jules Lejeune, Managing Director of FINAT. “We have excellent speakers on tap and expect that every attendee will leave the Forum with many new ideas to immediately implement as the look to the future of their businesses. We are especially pleased to be kicking off the session with a talk by Swedish Futurologist Magnus Lindkvist who will talk about the disruptive trends that will change the label and package printing market over the next ten years. It will be a great way to get our creative juices going and frame the work we will be doing during the remainder of the event.”

Business Buzz

The first morning session of ELF 2016 will be made especially interactive through the use of Buzzmaster, allowing attendees to interact with the program in real time using their smartphones. Rens de Jong, Business News Radio talk show host and moderator of the year in The Netherlands, will conduct interview stakeholders from different corners of the European label business about pending business questions.

Learning about value creation and collaborative innovation

The ELF programme will build on the key learnings of the 2015 Forum and will zoom in on two essential conditions of success for a profitable business: value creation and innovation. “Both topics are two sides of the same coin,” explains Jules Lejeune. “On the one hand, label printers are servicing mature, competitive markets and are facing the challenge to differentiate their existing product and solutions and avoid commoditization. On the other, the European Label Forum 2015 learned us that end-users are more and more open to work with their strategic labels and packaging suppliers on the joint development of new solutions.” 

To accommodate both aspects of healthy business development, the ELF 2016 programme is offering interactive parallel workshops on the respective topics, hosted by experts Phil Allen (CVM€, CH) and Gordon Crichton (Institut MAI, F), that will enable participants to gain new insights, tools, tips and skills that will help them and their business to enhance profitability

Key source of relevant knowledge

ELF 2016 will again offer a key source of relevant knowledge. As always, the FINAT RADAR and labelstock market reports will be presented by FINAT’s MD Jules Lejeune (NL). VskE’s correspondent Herbert Knott (D) will present a management summary of noteworthy developments observed at drupa 2016, which will have just concluded. As a reminder of the importance of knowledge transfer and education of the next generation, business leaders attending will be challenged to test their own competence and knowledge in an interactive session powered by Mike Fairley and his partners at the Label Academy consortium (UK) that will put business leaders to the test on their knowledge about labelling technology.

Keeping the label industry in pole position

To conclude this year’s event, former Formula One racing executive Mark Gallagher (UK) will present an ‘outside in’ perspective of a winning and innovative future for the label industry. Mark worked directly with the world's top drivers and team owners including, Senna, Mansell, Schumacher and Coulthard, giving him a privileged understanding of what it takes to be a world class competitor. 

Platform for progress

The European Label Forum provides a platform for owners, CEOs, sales and marketing managers, future leaders, vendor partners, knowledge providers and media editors to learn about and discuss the business challenges of today and tomorrow, be inspired by success stories, learn from experts in different areas of expertise, share views and opinions and enter into dialogues that will shape the future, gain experience through exercise and engagement, and network with international colleagues.

Business-to-business and member-to-member networking will be a highlight of breaks and side events. As in previous years, networking events will feature a supplier tabletop exhibition and FINAT’s revamped awards ceremony on the opening night. Attendees will be able to enjoy the Ocean Diva river cruise dinner party on Friday night – where delegates will enjoy a special surprise act.

FINAT is encouraging its members and members of affiliated national associations to take advantage of the secondary benefits of convenient timing, accessible location and very affordable cost to stay current on the latest developments and be inspired with new ideas for a profitable future.

For more information see www.EuropeanLabelForum.com.