Global Fabric and Home Care Leaders Met to Create Solutions

“Creating Value in the New Reality,” was the focus of the AOCS-hosted Montreux 2014 — World Conference on Fabric and Home Care, October 6-9, 2014, in Montreux, Switzerland. “The conference delivered a premier program for global senior management of the fabric and home care industry to meet and discuss the challenges and potential solutions we face in this ever changing environment,” said General Chair, Manfred Trautmann.

The program gathered international executives and decision-makers that influence the future of the fabric and home care industry.

• More than 670 attended, with 47 countries and 229 companies represented
• The Exhibition highlighted 29 companies from across the globe and 10 Industry Innovations Incubator  presenters
• The conference featured 24 oral presentations and 37 Technology Showcase video presentations

 Keynote presentations from industry CEOs included:

• Kasper Rorsted, Henkel
• Michitaka Sawada, Kao
• Itsuo Hama, Lion
• Peder Holk Nielsen, Novozymes
• Kurt Bock, BASF
• H. Fisk Johnson, SC Johnson

 The conference provided perspectives on the technology, products, and business trends of the global fabric and home care industry, and beyond, with companies including BASF, Henkel, Kao, Lion, Novozymes, SC Johnson, Coca Cola, DuPont, Oxiteno, Facebook, P&G, Unilever, Walmart, and more. “The leading international players shared their viewpoints and proved to be mindful of the challenges facing the industry. All associated challenges can also be viewed as opportunities,” said Trautmann. “While we heard from the leaders of the fabric and home care industries, we also listened to the insights of representatives from UNICEF, Facebook, Coca Cola, and global NGO's. These new perspectives provided a fresh vantage point of the difficulties facing our industry, but also of the solutions and opportunities our industry has, and the need to overcome those challenges as part of the solution rather than the problem.”

AOCS hosts this global conference on fabric and home care every two years with the location alternating between Montreux and Singapore.

Plans are already in place for the conference in Singapore, October 5-7, 2016, and program topics will be announced in 2015.

For more information on the conference series, contact Mindy Cain, Meetings Specialist, by phone (+1 217-693-4827) or email (mindyc@aocs.org).

About AOCS (American Oil Chemists’ Society)

AOCS is a global society for the oil chemistry community. Our mission is to advance the science and technology of oils, fats, surfactants and related materials, enriching the lives of people everywhere. We develop methods; provide current information through meetings, publications, and networking opportunities; and collaborate with other organizations to promote the advancement of science. www.aocs.org