Our committees and working groups address members’ most important business challenges, while the Secretariat team manages Afera’s daily operations
Afera’s mission is carried out by a Steering Committee headed by the President of the Association and supported by 2 additional bodies, the Marketing and Technical Committees. Full-time logistical support is provided by Afera’s Secretariat which resides at Afera’s head office in The Hague, The Netherlands, under the management of Lejeune Association Management.
Complying with Competition Law
Afera and its members adhere to a policy of strict compliance with European Community Competition Law (Articles 81 and 82 of the EC Treaty) in all of its operations.
Download Afera Antitrust Guidelines
Steering Committee
Afera’s Steering Committee (SC) consists of delegates from ‘active’, ‘associated’ and ‘converter’ member companies, as well as the committee chairmen, who serve 3-year terms of office. The representatives of classes of membership and committee chairmen are nominated by members, approved by the current SC and subject to election by the General Assembly with an absolute majority. Chaired by a president and vice-president, the SC generally meets twice a year and is entrusted with decisions concerning the working programme of the Association. The SC may appoint necessary advisory committees in which all members are entitled to be represented. Currently there are 2 such committees, the Marketing Committee and the Technical Committee, and 8 committee working groups.
Press release: Afera installs new Steering Committee following General Assembly election
Members of the Steering Committee
| Tape Manufacturer | President Evert Smit | Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG (Germany) |
| Tape Manufacturer | MKC Chair Rupert Kichler |
Avery Dennison (The Netherlands) |
| Tape Manufacturer | TC Chair Reinhard Storbeck | tesa SE (Germany) |
| Tape Manufacturer | Jean-Loup Masson | Novacel SAS (France) |
| Tape Manufacturer | Dirk Pittoors | Nitto Europe N.V. (Belgium) |
| Converter | İbrahim Hatipoğlu | Egebant Zımpara ve Polisaj Malzemeleri San. ve Tic. A.Ş. (Turkey) |
| Supplier | Ian Grace | Loparex B.V. (The Netherlands) |
| Supplier | Melanie Ott | H.B. Fuller Deutschland GmbH |
Marketing Committee
Afera’s Marketing Committee (MKC) is composed of marketing and industry specialists with the mission to 'grow the pie' for all companies in the European adhesive tape value chain, including both commodity and specialty tape producers. The MKC meets at least two times a year and is assisted by the Secretary-General of the Association. Its topic-driven agenda is pursued through working groups (WGs) established on the following: Social Media Programme, Website Management, Education Awareness, Membership Recruitment, General Communications and Annual Conference. Each MKC Member is committed to one or more of the WGs, which meet and work between regular MKC meetings.
Marketing Committee Chairman Jacques Geijsen’s focus for 2019-2020
Members of the Marketing Committee
| Delegate | Member company | Afera working group |
| Chairman Rupert Kichler | Avery Dennison Performance Tapes | Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1 Content Generation & Engagement Industry Promotion |
| Vice-Chair Giovanni Scognamiglio | 3M Italy | Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS2 |
| Cheryl Marsh | Advance Tapes International Ltd. | |
| Joanna Oleskow | Advance Tapes International Ltd. | Member Recruitment |
| Aris Venetis | Atlas Tapes SA | |
| Izzat Midani | Dow Europe GmbH | |
| Gert-Jan van Ruler | DRT - Les Dérivés Résiniques et Terpéniques | |
| Evert Smit, Afera President | Lohmann GmbH & Co KG | Content Generation & Engagement |
| Florian Heller | Mondi Inncoat GmbH | Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS2 |
| Stefan Neuner | Neenah Performance Materials | Member Recruitment |
| Stefan Meirsman | Nitto Europe N.V. | Member Recruitment |
| Ingrid Wasbauer | Nitto Europe N.V. | |
| Yasmin Seyren | Organik Kimya San. Ve TIC. A.Ş. | |
| Wolfgang Aufmuth | Sekisui Alveo AG | |
| Karsten Krahwinkel | tesa SE | Industry Promotion |
Technical Committee
Afera's Technical Committee (TC) is a working group of technical experts assisted by the Secretary General of the Association that also meets at least two times a year. All technical subjects, such as test methods development, and publication and application of European and GTF standards, are matters for the TC’s agenda. The TC also handles all industry-related regulatory matters, including legislation originating from national or European bodies, as well as private and global initiatives.
Technical Committee Chairman Reinhard Storbeck’s focus for 2019-2021
Members of the Technical Committee
| Delegate | Member company | Afera working group |
| Chairman Reinhard Storbeck | tesa SE | Technical Events, Leader Regulatory Affairs Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1,2,3 |
| Anne-Marie Klink | 3M Europe | Content Generation & Engagement Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1 |
| Karsten Seitz | Afera Standardisation Consultant | Next-Level Test Methods, Leader |
| Teoman Köksal | A&G Ambalaj San. Tic. Ltd. Sti. | Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1,2,3 |
| Alan Gilding | Advance Tapes International Ltd. | Regulatory Affairs Content Generation & Engagement |
| Costas Yiannopoulos | Atlas Tapes SA | |
| Paul Schwitter | ATP adhesive systems AG | Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1 |
| Klaus Menzel | BASF Aktiengesellschaft | Next-Level Test Methods Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1 |
| Eric Parois | Bostik Smart Adhesives | |
| Thorsten Meier | certoplast Technische Klebebänder GmbH | Content Generation & Engagement, Leader Next-Level Test Methods |
| Ralf Roenisch | Coroplast Fritz Müller GmbH & Co. KG | Technical Events Next-Level Test Methods |
| Danny Beekman | DRT | Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1 |
| Gert-Jan van Ruler | DRT | Technical Events |
| Jarno Weemers | Eastman Chemical B.V. | |
| Jürgen Pomorin | Evonik Industries AG | Next-Level Test Methods |
| Uwe Maurieschat | Fraunhofer Institute IFAM | Next-Level Test Methods |
| Jeff Burrington | H.B. Fuller UK | Regulatory Affairs Content Generation & Engagement Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS3 |
| David Vanraes | Henkel AG & Co. KGaA | Next-Level Test Methods |
| Axel Hessland | IVK/FEICA | Regulatory Affairs Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS3 |
| Evert Smit, Afera President | Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG | |
| Martijn Verhagen | Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG | Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1 Technical Events |
| Ian Grace, Afera SC Member | Loparex B.V. | Technical Events |
| Annette Kelsch | Mondi Group | |
| Lucio Trincia | NAR SpA | |
| Michael Raidt | Neenah Gessner GmbH | Content Generation & Engagement |
| Michel Sabo | Nitto Europe N.V. | Technical Events Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS2 |
| Jean-Loup Masson | Novacel SAS | Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS3 |
| Matthias Renka | Organik Kimya San. Ve TIC. A.Ş. | |
| Satish Palika | Sekisui Alveo AG | Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1 |
| Mikko Rissanen | UPM Specialty Papers Oy | Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS2 |
Additional Member delegates of Technical Committee working groups
| Delegate | Member company | Afera working group |
| Ilias Kalofotias | Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG | Regulatory Affairs |
| Ingrid Wasbauer | Nitto Europe N.V. |
Regulatory Affairs |
| Dirk Lamm | tesa SE | Regulatory Affairs |
Secretariat
Afera’s Secretariat is responsible for the daily management of the Association and operates on behalf of Afera’s SC and the other committees. The Secretariat serves as the co-ordinator and contact point for most of Afera’s events, activities, and publications.
Based in The Hague, the Netherlands, Afera’s Secretariat is operated by Lejeune Association Management, which provides full management and office resources to associations which lack the scope, manpower, and/or financial means to run the administrative and functional structures of their organisations independently. LAM's mission is to provide management services and expertise to industry and professional associations in the broadest sense.
Afera Secretariat staff members
Astrid Lejeune, Secretary General
Elke Verbaarschot, Marketing Communications Manager
Stephanie Feith, Management Assistant
Cora van der Lek, Financial Support
Pablo Englebienne, Afera Regulatory Affairs Manager
Charlotte van der Voordt, Afera Regulatory Affairs Assistant
Afera External Support
Bathsheba Fulton, Independent Communications Specialist
Bert van Loon, Independent Strategist
Elisabetta Caminiti, Annual Conference Support
Karsten Seitz, Independent Standardisation Consultant