Upcoming Events
Maine Forest BioMaterials Week 2026
University of Maine Orono – October 5-9, 2026
3rd Annual Thermoformed Molded Fiber Symposium
Once again, the University of Maine鈥檚 Process Development Center will host the Thermoformed Molded Fiber Symposium, bringing together industry leaders to collaborate, innovate, and inspire continued advancement in the thermoformed molded fiber industry.
PDC Cellulose Nanomaterials Forum
91福利鈥檚 Process Development Center is excited to welcome everyone back to Orono for the 8th Annual Cellulose Nanomaterials Forum.
Also featuring sessions from Maine’s Forest Bioproducts Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub on Thursday and Friday!
Past Events
Thermoformed Molded Fiber Symposium
Monday, August 25, 2025
- 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
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
- Keynote Presentation: 鈥淒eveloping the Difference: Fiber Trays for Modern Food Retail鈥 – 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
- 鈥淧ackaging that Performs: Designing for Real World Composting and Solid Waste Systems鈥 – Susan Thoman, Founder and Managing Director, Composter Approved
- 鈥淎queous Coating Considerations: Thermoformed Molded Fiber Product Applications鈥 鈥 Gordon Bugg, Principal Engineer 鈥 Coating, Kemira
- 鈥淐oating Molded Fiber Articles鈥– 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
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
- Manufacturer鈥檚 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 鈥 Part 1: Graduate students give short presentations on their posters
- 鈥淢icrofibrillated Cellulose (MFC) in Molded Fiber Trays鈥 鈥 David Cowles, Valmet
- 鈥淢FC produced using FiberLean Wet Stirred Media Mills: Applications in molded and formed fiber products鈥 鈥 Mark Paradis, Customer Technical Services Director 鈥 North America, FiberLean Technologies
- Brand Perspective/Wrap-up – Wes Blanding, Senior Account Sales Executive, Daikin America, Inc. and Vineet Dua, Scientist, Daikin America, Inc.
December 10-11, 2024 鈥 University of Maine, 91福利
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
- Fiber Basics 201 鈥 Nick Palumbo, North American Technical Sales Manager, Brueckner Group
- Beyond the Basics: Cutting-Edge Stock Preparation for Molded Fiber 鈥 Tina Lawton, Director, Sales & Technology, Stock Prep & Recycle, North America, Valmet
- Simplified Stock Prep for Molded Fiber 鈥 Matthew Job, President, Motus
- Increasing Wet End Turbulence in Molded Fiber Production 鈥 Karl Palmer, Fiber Process Engineer, Brueckner Group and Jim Fogg, NA Business Development Manager Barriers and Coatings, Solenis
- Quantifying Fiber Formation 鈥 Matt Griswold, Vice President of Innovation, Genera
- Additively Manufactured Tooling for Prototyping 鈥 Jonathan Roy, Research Engineer, Advanced Structures and Composites Center, University of Maine
- Dispersion Barrier Coating for 3D Molded Fiber 鈥 Overview of Surface Application Technology 鈥 Chuantao Zhu, Molded Fiber Application Expert, Barriers & Coatings, Solenis
- Barrier Coating Testing and Validation 鈥 Matthew Job, President, Motus US
- Foodservice Packaging Policy Landscape 鈥 Carol Patterson, Vice President of Government Relations, Foodservice Packaging Institute
- Compostability in Packaging 鈥 Testing, Certifications and Regulations 鈥 Emily Parsons, Product Launch Engineer in Barriers & Molded Fiber, Solenis
- Thermoformed Molded Fiber Capabilities and Research at the PDC 鈥 Colleen Walker, Director, Process Development Center, 91福利
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
- Manufacturers Panel- Challenges to NA manufactured MF growth in the Food and Food Service Packaging Market: Moderator: Chelsea Cross, Business Development Manager, Barriers & Molded Fiber, Solenis
- Considering USDA Checkoff Programs for A Stronger Market Position for Molded Pulp 鈥 Teal Edelen, Director, US Endowment for Forestry and Communities
PDC Cellulose Nanomaterials Forum
August 26-27, 2025 鈥 University of Maine, 91福利
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
- 鈥淔orest-based Biorefinery to Renewable Packaging Initiative at Forest Products Laboratory鈥 鈥 Dr. Nicole Stark, Supervisory Research Chemical Engineer, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
- 鈥淎n Update on the Safety and Regulatory Status of MFC鈥 鈥 Jo Anne Shatkin, Vireo Advisors
- Rapid Fire Student Presentations 鈥 Part 2 – Graduate students give short presentations on their posters
- 鈥淩aising all ships: Sustainable Economic and Social Benefits of Food Preservation鈥 鈥 Sean Ireland, CEO and Co-Founder, CapaTec
- 鈥淕rowable Coatings: Combining CNFs and Mycelium for a New Approach to Plastic Replacements鈥 鈥 Dr. Caitlin Howell, Professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Maine
Thursday, August 28, 2025
- 鈥淪hrinkage Reduction and Internal Curing in Concrete using Cellulose Nanofibrils鈥 鈥 Dr. Eric Landis, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maine
- 鈥淎queous modification of pulp and cellulose nanofibrils for functional materials鈥– Dr. Will Gramlich, Associate Professor, Chemistry, University of Maine
- 鈥淐NF in Firefighting Foams鈥 鈥 James Anderson, University of Maine
- 鈥淐ellulose Nanofibrils: Image Analysis Shenanigans鈥 鈥 Dr. Robert Moon, Materials Research Engineer, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
- 鈥淓nhancing Water and Oil Resistance in Molded Fiber Products Using Metal Ions and Cellulose Nanofibers鈥 – Dr. Xuefeng Zhang, Associate Professor of Sustainable Materials & Technology, Advanced Structures & Composites Center, School of Forest Resources, University of Maine