Committees and Secretariat
Afera’s mission is carried out by a steering committee headed by the President of the Association and supported by two 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 (LAM).
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.
President Evert Smit’s focus for 2019-2021
Members of the Steering Committee
| Tape Manufacturer | President Evert Smit | Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG (Germany) |
| Tape Manufacturer | TBC | 3M Europe (Germany) |
| Tape Manufacturer | MKC Chair Jacques Geijsen | American Biltrite Inc. (Belgium) |
| Tape Manufacturer | TC Chair Reinhard Storbeck | tesa SE (Germany) |
| 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 Jacques Geijsen | American Biltrite Inc. | Content Generation & Engagement, Leader |
| Giovanni Scognamiglio | 3M Italy | Sustainability |
| Alicia Tissot | Advance Tapes International Ltd. | Marketing Communications |
| Aris Venetis | Atlas Tapes SA | Content Generation & Engagement |
| Stevi Liakopoulou | Dow Europe GmbH | |
| Evert Smit, Afera President | Lohmann GmbH & Co KG | Future Workforce, Leader Content Generation & Engagement |
| Florian Heller | Mondi Inncoat GmbH | Future Workforce |
| Stefan Neuner | Neenah Performance Materials | Member Recruitment |
| Stefan Meirsman | Nitto Europe N.V. | Member Recruitment |
| Deniz Bölükbaşı | Organik Kimya San. Ve TIC. A.Ş. | Future Workforce Sustainability |
| Martha Sloboda | Scapa PLC | Future Workforce |
| Wolfgang Aufmuth | Sekisui Alveo AG | Future Workforce |
| Matthias von Schwerdtner | tesa SE | Content Generation & Engagement |
| Beverley Weaver | TSRC (Lux) Corporation S.a.r.l. | Member Recruitment |
Additional Member delegates of Marketing Committee working groups
| Delegate | Member company | Afera working group |
| Isabelle Uhl | Dow France S.A.S. | Education Awareness Initiative |
| Tom Garcia | Scapa PLC | Marketing Communications |
| Thorsten Petersson | tesa SE | Marketing Communications |
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 |
9th Afera Technical Seminar 2020, Leader, |
| Ruediger Frisch | 3M Europe | |
| Teoman Köksal | A&G Ambalaj San. Tic. Ltd. Sti. | Sustainability |
| Alan Gilding | Advance Tapes International Ltd. | Regulatory Affairs Content Generation & Engagement |
| Costas Yiannopoulos | Atlas Tapes SA | |
| Thomas Christ | BASF Aktiengesellschaft | Test Methods |
| Renate Roeterd / Nicolas Sajot | Bostik Smart Adhesives | Sustainability |
| Thorsten Meier | certoplast Technische Klebebänder GmbH | Test Methods Content Generation & Engagement, Leader |
| Lutz Jacob | Consultant to Afera TC on standardisation issues | Test Methods, Leader Convenor CEN TC 193 / WG 7 |
| Ralf Roenisch | Coroplast Fritz Müller GmbH & Co. KG |
9th Afera Technical Seminar 2020 |
| Vesna Daniloska | The Dow Chemical Company |
Sustainability |
| Gert-Jan van Ruler | DRT | 9th Afera Technical Seminar 2020 Sustainability |
| Jarno Weemers | Eastman Chemical B.V. | Sustainability |
| Jürgen Pomorin | Evonik Industries AG | Test Methods |
| Uwe Maurieschat | Fraunhofer Institute IFAM |
Test Methods |
| Jeff Burrington | H.B. Fuller UK |
Regulatory Affairs |
| David Vanraes | Henkel AG & Co. KGaA | Test Methods |
| Axel Hessland | IVK/FEICA | Regulatory Affairs Sustainability |
| Danny Beekman | Kraton Chemical B.V. |
9th Afera Technical Seminar 2020 |
| Evert Smit, Afera President | Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG | Future Workforce, Leader |
| Martijn Verhagen | Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG | 9th Afera Technical Seminar 2020 |
| Ian Grace, Afera SC Member | Loparex B.V. | 9th Afera Technical Seminar 2020 Sustainability |
| Annette Kelsch | Mondi Group | |
| Lucio Trincia | NAR SpA | |
| Michael Raidt | Neenah Gessner GmbH | |
| Michel Sabo | Nitto Europe N.V. | 9th Afera Technical Seminar 2020 Sustainability |
| Yasemin Seyren | Organik Kimya San. Ve TIC. A.Ş. | Sustainability |
Additional Member delegates of Technical Committee working groups
| Delegate | Member company | Afera working group |
| Miriam Verbruggen | Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG | Regulatory Affairs |
| Jürgen Kahl | tesa SE | Test Methods |
| 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 (LAM), 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
Mark Macaré, Public Affairs Manager
Stephanie Feith, Management Assistant
Selma Ugur, Financial Support
Afera External Support
Bathsheba Fulton, Independent Communications Specialist
Bert van Loon, Independent Strategist
Elisabetta Caminiti, Annual Conference Support
