Past Events: 2025 Maine Forest Biomaterials Week - The Process Development Center

2025 Maine Forest Biomaterials Week

Tours of the Process Development Center (including demonstrations) and the Advanced Structures and Composites Center, home to the largest 3D printer in the world and BioHome, a 3D printed house

Keynote Presentation: “Developing the Difference: Fiber Trays for Modern Food Retail” – Mike Roxas, Packaging Engineer Manager, Adhold Delhaize USA
Q&A Session:��Moderated by: Kelly Helein, VP Business Development, Genera
Machinery Panel:��Leading equipment manufacturers discuss challenges in getting capital costs down, reducing water and energy use, and equipment specs needed for comparing cycle times.
- Moderator: Scott Lilley, Rev1 Packaging
“Packaging that Performs: Designing for Real World Composting and Solid Waste Systems” – Susan Thoman, Founder and Managing Director, Composter Approved
“Aqueous Coating Considerations: Thermoformed Molded Fiber Product Applications” – Gordon Bugg, Principal Engineer – Coating, Kemira
“Coating Molded Fiber Articles”– Bob Versluys, Senior Technical Manager, Motus
Coating Panel:��Chemical suppliers discuss challenges in coating molded fiber articles, new application technologies, curing and drying issues, new geometries, and keeping costs down.
- Moderator:��Jim Fogg, Director of Sales and Business Development, Motus

Manufacturer’s Panel:��A dynamic discussion on the key limitations and challenges in the industry, focusing on factors such as equipment, fiber sources, chemistry, instrumentation, and the global economy.
- Moderator: Chelsea Cross, Business Development Manager, Barriers & Molded Fiber, Solenis
Rapid Fire Student Presentations – Part 1:��Graduate students give short presentations on their posters
“Microfibrillated Cellulose (MFC) in Molded Fiber Trays” – David Cowles, Valmet
“MFC produced using FiberLean Wet Stirred Media Mills: Applications in molded and formed fiber products” – Mark Paradis, Customer Technical Services Director – North America, FiberLean Technologies
Brand Perspective/Wrap-up – Wes Blanding, Senior Account Sales Executive, Daikin America, Inc. and Vineet Dua, Scientist, Daikin America, Inc.

“Forest-based Biorefinery to Renewable Packaging Initiative at Forest Products Laboratory” – Dr. Nicole Stark, Supervisory Research Chemical Engineer, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
“An Update on the Safety and Regulatory Status of MFC” – Jo Anne Shatkin, Vireo Advisors
Rapid Fire Student Presentations – Part 2 – Graduate students give short presentations on their posters
“Raising all ships:�� Sustainable Economic and Social Benefits of Food Preservation” – Sean Ireland, CEO and Co-Founder, CapaTec
“Growable Coatings: Combining CNFs and Mycelium for a New Approach to Plastic Replacements” – Dr. Caitlin Howell, Professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Maine

“Shrinkage Reduction and Internal Curing in Concrete using Cellulose Nanofibrils” – Dr. Eric Landis, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maine
“Aqueous modification of pulp and cellulose nanofibrils for functional materials”– Dr. Will Gramlich, Associate Professor, Chemistry, University of Maine
“CNF in Firefighting Foams” – James Anderson, University of Maine
“Cellulose Nanofibrils: Image Analysis Shenanigans” – Dr. Robert Moon, Materials Research Engineer, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
“Enhancing Water and Oil Resistance in Molded Fiber Products Using Metal Ions and Cellulose Nanofibers” – Dr. Xuefeng Zhang, Associate Professor of Sustainable Materials & Technology, Advanced Structures & Composites Center, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine