Committees and Secretariat

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  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   Melanie Ott  artimelt AG (Switzerland)
 Supplier   MKC Chair Sonja Haug  Loparex Germany GmbH & Co. KG

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 
 Chairperson Sonja Haug  Loparex Germany GmbH & Co. KG  PR
 Content Generation & Engagement
 Mathias Goossens  ABI Tape   Content Generation & Engagement
 Cheryl Marsh  Advance Tapes International Ltd.  Member Recruitment
 Aris Venetis   Atlas Tapes SA   Content Generation & Engagement
 Benoit Pollacchi  Bostik Smart Adhesives  Content Generation & Engagement
 Izzat Midani  Dow Europe GmbH  
 Gert-Jan van Ruler  DRT - Les Dérivés Résiniques et Terpéniques   
 Jeff Burrington  H.B. Fuller UK  
 Anita Barni  ICAP-SIRA Chemicals and Polymers SpA  PR
 Regulatory Affairs
 Content Generation & Engagement
 Willem Reitsma  Ichemco  
 Brenden Drijgers  Kraton Chemical B.V.  Content Generation & Engagement
 Evert Smit, Afera President   Lohmann GmbH & Co KG  Content Generation & Engagement 
 Cesare Muraro  NAR SpA  
 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 
 Benjamine Proisy  Novacel SAS  
 Shobhita Sharma  Scapa Industrial  
 Yasmin Seyren  Organik Kimya San. Ve TIC. A.Ş.   Content Generation & Engagement 
 Wolfgang Aufmuth  Sekisui Alveo AG   
 Kristin Schöne  Synthomer Deutschland GmbH  

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 the content of all industry-related sustainability and 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
 Ian Grace  Artimelt AG  Technical Events
 PR
 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
 Dennis Milan                      Bostik Smart Adhesives                                         
 Thorsten Meier   certoplast Technische Klebebänder GmbH   Content Generation & Engagement, Leader
 Next-Level Test Methods
 Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1,2,3
 Ralf Roenisch   Coroplast Fritz Müller GmbH & Co. KG   Technical Events
 Next-Level Test Methods 
 Vesna Daniloska  The Dow Chemical Company   Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1
 Danny Beekman  DRT  Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1
 Technical Events
 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 WS1,3
 Evert Smit, Afera President   Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG   Content Generation & Engagement
 Martijn Verhagen     Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG    Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1
 Technical Events           
 Tobias Nienke  Mondi Group   
 Marco Galiazzo   NAR SpA   Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1 
 Regulatory Affairs
 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
 Content Generation & Engagement
 Matthias Renka  Organik Kimya San. Ve TIC. A.Ş.  
 Jarno Weemers  Synthomer  
 Satish Palika  Sekisui Alveo AG  Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS1,3
 Mikko Rissanen  UPM Specialty Papers Oy  Afera Flagship Sustainability Project WS2

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
Stephanie Feith, Management Assistant
Cora van der Lek, Financial Support
Pablo Englebienne, Afera Regulatory Affairs Manager

Afera External Support

Sreeparna Das, Independent Sustainability Communications Consultant
Elisabetta Caminiti, Annual Conference Support
Bathsheba Fulton, Independent Communications Specialist
Bert van Loon, Independent Strategist
Karsten Seitz, Independent Standardisation Consultant

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