Speakers
Celeste Iglesias
Celeste joined AFRY in 2022 and is based in Birmingham, AL. Celeste is a Consultant, and she has 8+ years of research and technical experience in the field of sustainable biomaterials and wood products. Celeste is an experienced consultant and specialized in decorative wood-based panels, with a strong focus in decorative surfaces. She has worked on numerous projects along thedecorative composite panel value chain in North and South America, especially the US, Canada and Mexico.
Celeste holds a PhD and M.Sc. in Forestry, Sustainable Biomaterials and Wood Products (Auburn University), a Supply Chain Management Graduate Diploma (Auburn University), and a BS in Material Engineering (National University of Litoral, Argentina).
Frank De Jonge
My career is dedicated to human and environmental well-being. Circular economy, CO2-reduction, renewable energy, energy efficiency are as important as resource-optimization and selecting the least harmful processes and material for health, life and well-being. Inkjet printing in industrial scale is my passion. Driving new applications in co-operation between end-user, substrate-manufacturer and printer integrator is the future of the printing market. Guiding and supporting the innovators in the printing industry is my speciality. My career started at Olympia, where I started as junior product manager for one of the first laser Printer launched to the European market. I had the opportunity to sell inks and toner from global leaders like Mitsubishi Chemicals, Toshiba, Hitachi and Sensient to a broad number of challenging and exiting digital printing applications from desktop to industrial scale. I managed development and production of inks for industrial printing applications ie. high speed single pass with water-based inks. The highly efficient dryers from adphos ensure reliable evaporation of water and solvents from any printing and coating application.
Florian von Kuczkowski
After graduating in the USA, Florian von Kuczkowski started his career at Süddekor GmbH. After 10 years in sales, he was entrusted with the product management of innovative products.
After taking over Surteco in 2013, he worked there in product management for four more years. In 2018 he founded Upco together with the Coveme Group. Since then, he has been responsible for corporate development as COO at Upco.
Moritz Menier
After his Bachelor and Master in addition to his DBA studies Moritz Menier, is working since over 10 years in the woodworking industry. As a start of his career he was working as a VP of Sales and later CEO of the BMK Group, the largest independent paper impregnation company worldwide. The responsibilities included global sales and purchasing as well as lead responsibility of North America plant.
Mr. Menier served under his previous employment globally. Involved in nearly all laminate and furniture production facilities with melamine papers, especially focused on North and South American market.
As of January 1st he joined the Classen Group, one of the leading manufacturers of laminate flooring, Ceramin (Non-PVC Floor) and doors with over 2.000 employees worldwide and manufacturing sites in Germany and Poland. He is now CEO of Classen Americas, Inc.
Jeffrey Pitcher
Jeff graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Political Science in 1988. After spending a few years in the publishing industry he joined his father in Ohio in a sales role with Custom-Pak Adhesives a supplier of a wide range of wood adhesives. As the company grew, he moved to New Jersey to run the manufacturing operation there. After over a decade as VP of Operations at the New Jersey location he moved back to Ohio to take the roll of President. In 2017 he formed a new company called Wrap-Tak, LLC in cooperation with an Italian manufacturer of wrapping equipment and adhesives. He is currently the president of both companies.
Drew Tonnesen
Drew is an accomplished professional with a career spanning over 17 years, including 12 years dedicated to the print industry. His problem-solving abilities are widely recognized, underpinned by his deep industry knowledge and solid scientific background. Drew has consistently developed innovative solutions that align perfectly with company requirements and customer needs throughout his career. His early career focused on analytical testing and expanding his chemical expertise, and he has since cultivated a strong foundation in formulating energy-curable coatings and adhesives for commercial printers. Drew’s comprehensive understanding of various print techniques makes him an invaluable asset in representing Plasmatreat at the Decorative Surfaces Conference. Upon joining Plasmatreat in April 2024, Drew embraced the opportunity to collaborate on expanding the US market by providing technical resources and establishing a cutting-edge laboratory and showroom near Chicago. Plasmatreat, a family-owned company founded in 1995, has grown into a globally renowned entity with over 300 employees. With an unwavering commitment to innovation, including the pioneering Openair-Plasma® technology, Plasmatreat has firmly established itself as a leading manufacturer and supplier of plasma systems and a prominent global service provider in surface technology.
Holly Steedman
A highly innovative and results-driven Business and Technology Development professional, Holly possesses a wealth of expertise in creating successful business strategies and forging strategic partnerships. With a degree in Integration Engineering and a distinguished career in the World of Print and Coatings, Holly draws upon her extensive knowledge and unwavering passion for these technologies to deliver scalable solutions tailored to specific applications.
As the Business and Technology Development Director at IST INTECH, Holly holds a pivotal role in driving the company’s strategic direction into new markets and conducting in-depth industry analysis to ensure IST INTECH remains at the forefront of the LED Curing industry. Prior to her current position, Holly has held key leadership roles in Product Management and Technology Development at Marabu GmbH and Industrial Inkjet Ltd, respectively. She began her career in the Research and Development department at Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems, where she honed her skills and gained invaluable experience in the field.
Holly’s track record of success and her ability to navigate complex business landscapes make her a respected figure in the industry. Her strategic acumen, combined with her deep understanding of business and technology, position her as a force in driving innovation and achieving business objectives.
Nadia Oukid
Nadia is an accomplished business developer, truly multicultural, with international experience in design & strategic product development. With a background in textile engineering, her career expands over several industries including market leaders in fashion brands, decor design, texture development and digital printing. Since 2014, Nadia Oukid is global design manager at the Casting and Release paper division of Sappi.