Winners announced at UTECH Europe event 16-18 November
To recognise and celebrate the achievements and innovations of the European polyurethane industry, the organisers of UTECH Europe have announced the launch of the UTECH Europe Awards 2021. There are nine categories of Innovation Awards, a Rising Star Award and inductees will also be made to the UTECH Hall of Fame. Nominations and entries in all award categories are free of charge.
The finalists for each award category will be revealed in a livestream event in September, with the winners revealed at the triennial UTECH Europe exhibition and conference taking place at the MECC in Maastricht, The Netherlands 16-18 November 2021.
“Now seems the right time to recognise the many and varied achievements of our polyurethane industry in Europe, even more so after the difficulties we have all shared over the last eighteen months,” said Debbie Hershfield, UTECH Europe Trade Show Director. “Our objective is to highlight the success of our leading individuals and rising stars as well as the teamwork of polyurethane innovators working in all the largest markets for this family of materials.”
At least six people will be inducted into the UTECH Hall of Fame, which recognises leaders who have made a significant contribution to the polyurethane industry and have spent at least 25 years in the polyurethane industry. Previous inductees include Patrick Thomas, Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Covestro and John Televantos, Senior Partner at Arsenal Capital Partners. Nominations are welcomed from all parts of the industry.
The Rising Star Award salutes an emerging leader who is making a difference in today’s marketplace. This award will go to an individual whom the judges believe has made the greatest contribution to their business and who has the greatest potential to make a real contribution to the polyurethane industry in years to come. This award will have a single winner.
Presentations to the Hall of Fame inductees and Rising Star Award winner will be made at a ceremony at 1.15pm on 16 November, the first day of UTECH Europe 2021.
The Innovation Awards will showcase the best polyurethane application and materials/processing developments in recent years in nine categories. Shortlisted finalists will be featured in a special gallery area on the UTECH Europe exhibition show floor and the winners will be revealed at 1.15pm on 17November. The categories are:
- Automotive Innovation Award
- Footwear/Clothing Innovation Award
- Cold Chain/Refrigeration Innovation Award
- Building/Construction Innovation Award
- CASE Innovation Award
- Flexible Foam Innovation Award
- Rigid Foam Innovation Award
- Environmental Award
- Process Improvement Award
The distinguished panel of judges for the inaugural UTECH Europe Awards comprises Michel Baumgartner, Secretary General, Europur; Jörg Palmersheim, Secretary General, Isopa & Alipa; Per Henning Vaagen, General Manager/CEO, Laader Berg; Tony Ryan, Technical Director – UK & Ireland, Kingspan Ltd; Mike Murray, CTO, Vita Group; Ulrich Liman, Senior Vice President, PU Business Unit, Covestro and Grayzyna Mitchener, Director, Polychemtech.
Deadline for nominations and entries in all award categories is 1 July 2021. For more information and free online entry visit: https://www.utecheurope.eu/awards
UTECH Europe is uniquely placed as the only truly international exhibition and conference for the polyurethanes industry and typically attracts visitors from over 80 countries around the world. Unique to Europe is the sheer breadth of the applications of polyurethanes technology from automotive interiors, medical devices, textiles, furniture and footwear through to insulation, adhesives and coatings.