Day One sets the strategic direction for the industry, opening with a plenary focused on policy, skills and technology, before transitioning into concurrent streams: the Appita Smart Packaging Forum and the Appita New Speaker Competition & Technical Forum.
Detailed Program
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Opening Plenary — FutureProofing Our Industry: The Path Forward (8:30 am – 10:30 am)
Welcome
Lauren Wood, President, Appita
FutureProofing Fibre-Based Manufacturing
Conference Emcee: David Platt, Co-Founder & CEO, Resilient Futures
Setting the strategic context for Future Proof 2026 — exploring the mindset, capabilities and industry shifts required to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of fibre-based manufacturing.
Sponsor Address: Turning the page for a sustainable future
Tech Keynote: AI and the Future of Manufacturing
Scott Thompson, CEO, Kiraa.ai
A technology leader’s view on how AI and automation are reshaping operations across the sector, and what this means for future capability, productivity and workforce development.
Panel: Building Skills for a Future-Ready Industry
Moderator: David Platt, Co-Founder & CEO, Resilient Futures
Future-proofing our industry: how roles, capability and systems must evolve together.
Panellists:
Denise Campbell-Burns, President, Timber, Furnishing and Textiles Union
Tim Cleary, Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Forestry & Pulp and Paper, Forest Works
Beth Hall, Director, CultureEdge
Neil Louwrens, Operations Manager, Visy Smithfield
Morning Tea
Stream A — Appita Smart Packaging Forum (11:00 am – 5:00 pm)
Welcome & Forum Objectives
David Platt, Co-Founder & CEO, Resilient Futures
Welcome and overview of the Smart Packaging Forum objectives and structure for the day.
Keynote Address — Leading the Shift to Fibre-Based Packaging
David Martin, CEO, Spicers
A strategic view of market expectations, customer drivers, and the opportunities and barriers shaping the transition to sustainable, fibre-based packaging across ANZ.
Practical design trade-offs between sustainability, performance, and manufacturing
Michael Grima, Founder, Chief Cat Herder, qDesign Enterprises
Balancing sustainability, performance, and manufacturability in fibre-based packaging.
Traceable. Legal. Deforestation-Free: Certified from Source to Shelf
Matt De Jongh, Sustainability Manager, Responsible Wood & Director, Forestry Australia
The EU Deforestation Regulation introduces significant new compliance obligations across fibre supply chains. This session outlines what EUDR means for ANZ producers and converters, including chain-of-custody, traceability and due diligence, and the evolving roles of FSC and PEFC in verifying fibre legality and sustainability.
Lunch & Networking proudly sponsored by SNF
Global Packaging Transitions: EPR, PPWR & Market Shifts Driving Fibre Demand
Renata Daudt, Director, Awen Packaging Consulting
An in-depth exploration of major regulatory drivers reshaping the global packaging landscape, including extended producer responsibility systems, PPWR reforms, plastic-free directives, and market signals pushing accelerated "paperisation".
Innovation Spotlight — Spicers & Papkot
Biomineral Fibre Packaging: Lessons from Global Industrial Trials
Manuel Milliery, CEO & Founder, Papkot
Key learnings from global industrial trials demonstrating recyclability, barrier properties and production readiness of biomineral fibre packaging.
Panel Discussion - The Future of Fibre Packaging: Innovation, Evidence & Market Adoption
Moderator: Steven Woollacott, General Manager - Technical Services, Visy Technology & Innovation Centre
A forward-looking discussion on scaling fibre packaging solutions through innovation, harmonised standards, and data-driven market access.
Renata Daudt, Director & Packaging Engineer, Awen Packaging Consulting
Sandra Dal Maso, Head of Packaging Transformation, Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation Ltd. (APCO)
David Martin, CEO, Spicers
David Pointer, General Manager - Corporate Business, Opal
Afternoon Tea & Networking
Fibre Packaging - Opportunities, Innovation and the ecosystem needed to get there
Jano Crema, Sustainability and Public Relations Manager, Huhtamaki
Examining the case for fibre substitution, current innovation in fibre-based packaging, and the system changes required to address recyclability and end-market challenges.
PANEL: PFAS-Free Packaging — Testing, Thresholds & Transition Pathways
Moderator: Michael Grima, Founder, Chief Cat Herder, qDesign Enterprises
Current approaches to PFAS and total fluorine testing, thresholds emerging in Europe and North America, and practical transition strategies for converters and brands.
Jonathan Dolan, Policy Officer, Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation Ltd. (APCO)
Dr Julia Jaeger, Technical Specialist, Eurofins Environment Testing Australia Pty Ltd
Dr Madhura Manohar, Accelerator Scientist, Centre for Accelerator Science, ANSTO
Mark Rohrlach, Regional Sales Manager Industrial - Australasia, Detpak
Interactive Session — Industry Priorities for 2026–2030
Facilitator: David Platt, CEO & Co-Founder, Resilient Futures
Delegates identify the top challenges, innovations and regulatory priorities shaping the next five years of fibre packaging transformation.
After-session Networking — Drinks & Canapés
Stream B — Appita New Speaker Competition & Technical Forum & Workshop (10:30–5:00)
New Speaker Competition Final & Xchange: Leading with Purpose, followed by a technical session on process innovation and a troubleshooting workshop.
Come and support our industry's emerging voices in the New Speaker Competition Final, then join an interactive Xchange exploring purpose led leadership to build sustainable performance and resilient teams.
Welcome
Moderator: Liam Methven, Chair, Appita Young Professionals Network (YPN)
Water Sustainability in the Pulp, Paper & Packaging Industry
Tara O’Brien, Environment & Sustainability Specialist, Opal (Australia)
Functionally Graded Cellulose Foam Packaging
Brayden Whitton, PhD Student, University of Waikato (New Zealand)
Xchange Session: Leading with Purpose: Building Sustainable Performance and People Resilience in the Pulp, Paper & Packaging Industry
Facilitator: David Vercoe, General Manager-Technical, Opal
Guest Speakers:
Ardi Sastrohartoyo, Manufacturing & EHSQ Manager, Kemira (Australia & New Zealand)
Steven O'Donoghue, Manager, Sales and Applications, Packaging & Hygiene Solutions/Sales, APAC, Kemira (Australia & New Zealand)
This interactive Xchange Roundtable explores how leadership and soft skills drive sustainable performance, quality improvement, and workforce engagement in the pulp, paper and packaging industry. Using the 3Cs framework — Commitment, Capability and Culture the session highlights how visible leadership, strong problem-solving capability, and a culture of ownership embed sustainability into everyday work. Practical manufacturing examples demonstrate how purpose-led leadership connects operational excellence, environmental outcomes, and people resilience.
Delegates will participate in small-group discussions to explore real workplace challenges and identify the leadership capabilities needed to build high-performing, resilient teams.
- Insights on purpose-led leadership and sustainable performance
- Key leadership capabilities for emerging industry leaders
- Practical actions participants can apply in their workplaces
Lunch & Networking proudly sponsored by SNF
Sponsor
Unlocking Process Innovation with QCS Extended Solutions
Characterisation for Efficiency (How modern-day instruments contribute to mill efficiencies)
Yan Lou, Sales Manager, APAC, Techpap SAS/CTP
Navigating Energy Volatility: A Smarter Path to Reliable, Renewable Process Heat
Will Furness, Head of Business Development, MGA Thermal, Australia
Reducing Shear in High-Performance Pulp Thermoforming
Liam Methven, Researcher, Varden Process, Australia
Hemp for Paper
Kym Merrett, Director, Fibertech Pty Ltd
Afternoon Tea & Networking
Technical Knowledge in Action Workshop - Troubleshooting in Practice
Facilitator: Paul Robilliard, Technical Director, Wood Beca
Case Studies contributors:
Gidgeon Schutte, M4 Production Superintendent, OPAL Maryvale
Harry Wallis, Energy Improvement Engineer, Visy
This session shows how technical knowledge is applied in real mill environments when problems don’t have obvious causes. Through three real case studies presented by mill practitioners, the discussion focuses on how issues were approached, what information mattered, which assumptions helped or hindered progress, and how root causes were identified under real operational constraints. The session draws out practical patterns and decision-making approaches that experienced engineers and operators can apply immediately back at site.
After-session Networking — Drinks & Canapés proudly sponsored by Solenis
