2026 FutureProof Program
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
MC: David Platt, Co-Founder & CEO, Resilient Futures
Opening Address
Lauren Wood, President, Appita
Sponsor Address
Keynote: FutureProofing Fibre-Based Manufacturing (TBC)
A perspective on the future of Australia’s fibre, paper, packaging and bioproducts industries, including skills, innovation and manufacturing capability.
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
A practical discussion on how roles are evolving in an increasingly automated and AI-enabled industry, what skills are becoming critical, and how organisations can support capability development.
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
MC: 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, aDesign Enterprises
Balancing sustainability, performance, and manufacturability in fibre-based packaging.
Global Supply Chain Requirements: EUDR, FSC, PEFC & Traceability
Matt De Jongh, Director & Packaging Engineer, 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
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 Millery, 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: Performance, Barriers & Market Readiness
Exploring the rapid emergence of fibre alternatives - including insulation performance, moisture management, barrier technologies, and recyclability challenges.
PANEL: PFAS-Free Packaging — Testing, Thresholds & Transition Pathways
Moderator: Michael Grima, Founder, Chief Cat Herder, aDesign 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, Co-Founder & 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
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
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
Day Two features the Future Ready Manufacturing plenary, followed by the Energy & Renewables Forum (proudly sponsored by Antora Energy & Flow Power) and a detailed Renewable Heat Workshop supporting Appita’s Renewable Process Heat Study.
Detailed Program
Click to expand each section.
Plenary — Future Ready Manufacturing (9:00 am – 11:00 pm)
Registration & Arrival Coffee
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Lauren Wood, Appita President
Recognising Excellence
New Speaker Competition announcement and Appita Recognition Award
Opening Keynote: Tim Woods, Managing Director, IndustryEdge
Panel: Creating Value: The Road Ahead for Pulp, Paper & Packaging
Industry experts discuss market trends, opportunities, and challenges.
Moderator: TBC
Paul Robillard, Technical Director, WoodBeca
Tim Woods, Managing Director, IndustryEdge
Minja Podvorac, Sustainability Relationship Manager, Opal
Morning Tea
Energy & Renewables Forum (11:00 am – 12:30 pm) — Sponsored by Antora Energy & Flow Power
Opening Remarks
Moderator: David Platt, Resilient Futures
Sponsor Address
Annie Otfinoski, Business Development Manager, Antora Energy
Guest Keynote: Future drivers of energy cost and decarbonisation for the pulp and paper industry
Jarrod Leak, CEO, A2EP
Panel: Powering the Mill of the Future — Technology, Economics & Strategy
Moderator: TBC
Angela Clarke, Principal Consultant, Energy & Carbon, Northmore Gordon
Patrick Dooley, Director & General Manager, Boyer Corporation Ltd
Annie Otfinoski, Business Development Manager, Antora Energy
Emmett Williams, Head of Commercial Solutions, Flow Power
Lunch & Networking (12:30 pm – 1:30 pm)
Lunch & Networking
Renewable Heat Workshop (1:30 pm – 5:00 pm )
Welcome, Context & Introduction
Overview of the Renewable Process Heat Study, why industry input matters, and how the workshop will shape case studies and investment pathways.
Mapping Heat Use Across the Industry
Collaborative exercise to identify major heat sources/sinks and construct a representative “typical site” heat profile.
Understanding Heat Levels and Demand
Discussion of temperature levels, steam/air flows, pressure characteristics and where heat is concentrated or dissipated.
Visualising the Heat Landscape
Presentation of an aggregated heat map and process schematic to guide opportunity identification.
Opportunities for Heat Recovery
An interactive session exploring where direct or enhanced heat recovery could be applied or improved.
Afternoon Tea
Technologies That Enable Heat Recovery
Overview of options including heat exchangers, MVR, condensate recovery and integration approaches.
Pathways for Partial Electrification
Industry-led discussion on where electrification is viable today and which technologies (heat pumps, electric boilers, hybrid systems) could be applied in the near term, based on site constraints and grid considerations
Completing the Renewable Heat Journey
Exploration of technologies that could support fully renewable heat supply, including low-carbon steam production, bioenergy options and emerging electrification solutions for high-temperature processes.
Prioritising Opportunities & Selecting Case Study Themes
Participants rank each opportunity by indicative scale, cost and implementation difficulty, then work toward consensus on the three priority themes to be developed into detailed case studies for the Renewable Process Heat Study.
Wrap-Up & Next Steps
Summary of key insights and confirmation of next steps for the Appita–Northmore Gordon study, including follow-up engagement and data collection.