PROGRAMME OUTLINE
Programme
DAY 1
Wednesday, 1 October 2025
Welcome Dinner
Congress welcome walking dinner
DAY 2
Thursday, 2 October 2025
Opening
Opening
by Ivo Vermeeren, ESTAL President
Welcome address
by Stelios Aggeloudis, Mayor of Thessaloniki
European competitiveness, part 1
Moderator: Ivo Vermeeren
The Aluminium value chain in a Changing Europe
Paul Voss, European Aluminium
Impact of new EU building legislation on aluminium surface treatment and market trends
Guido Sabatini, European Aluminium
Coffee break
Innovations in Resource Efficiency and Industrial Emissions
Moderators: Marc-Steffen Hinderer and Joan Serret Puigpelat
Update on the Review of the Best Available Techniques Reference Document of the Surface Treatment of Metals and Plastics (STM BREF)
Elke Schropp, European Commission Joint Research Centre, Sevilla
Modern refrigeration technology for surface treatment and EU subsidies
Jan-Tobias Dürrmann , Madro Kältetechnik GmbH
Sustainability in Aluminum Surface Treatment: Future-Ready Solutions
Mathieu Van de Cappelle, Henkel
Engineering the Future of Aluminium Finishing: High-Performance Anodizing and Conversion Technologies
Ilya Ostrovsky* and Andrea Monti*, Chemetall* and VUB
Lunch
Updates from the Universal PFAS restriction
Stefanos Geros, European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC)
Transformation towards lower carbon emission powder coatings value chain
Sencan Kizilkaya , Helene Pernot, Niels Moeller, AkzoNobel/Arkema/BASF
Technical innovations for a more sustainable aluminium industry
Alberto Abad Fuentes, Alvarez-Schaer, S.L.U. Paterna, Spain
Coffee break
Innovative products and finishing processes, part 1
Moderator: Alexa Becker
Nanoparticle-Enhanced Anodic Oxide Coatings: Exploring Single- and Multi-Layer Architectures for Functional Surfaces
Dr. Christof Langer, fem Research Institute
Surface conversion treatments of (3D printed) additive manufactured aluminium
Iris De Graeve, VUB
Gala Dinner
DAY 3
Friday, 3 October 2025
European competitiveness, part 2
Moderator: Ivo Vermeeren
The Aluminium Sector at a Crossroads: Challenges and Opportunities in the Green and Strategic Transition.
Keynote speaker: Prof. Yannis Maniatis,Vice President of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats (S&D), Member of the European Parliament, f. Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change
Innovative products and finishing processes, part 2
Moderator: Ellie Ganakou
Color Innovation & Inspiration for the Future of Architectural Coatings Application
Kiki Redhead, Sherwin-Williams
Profile Recognition for Automated Coating Process in Vertical Painting Lines
Alessandro Corra, SAT
Surface treatment of recycled aluminium
Moderator: Philip Hilven
Corrosion Resistance of Powder-Coated Aluminium Profiles: Insights from existing studies
Francesca Cavezza, ESTAL and European Aluminium
Coffee Break
How to anodize recycled aluminium: The impact of alloy chemistry and surface treatment processes
Malgorzata Chojak Halseid, Hydro
Will recycling aluminium affect surface characteristics prior to pre-treatment and powder coatings?
Salil Sainis, Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE)
Innovations in Aluminium for Automotive and Construction
Can Akyil, MacDermid Enthone
Closure of in-house congress part
Closing
Ivo Vermeeren
Lunch
Technical Visit
Influence of Fe, Cu, and Zn additions on the corrosion resistance and anodize finish of 6060 aluminum alloy
Visit of Alumil Recycling facilities, including the above presentation by Evangelos Giarmas.
Farewell Dinner
Thessalonikian Dinner
DAY 4
Saturday, 4 October 2025
Touristic visit
10:00 remove 14:00
keyboard_arrow_downFrom Ancient Walls to a Modern Pulse
Today’s tour connects the historical highlights of Thessaloniki with its modern face, concluding with a traditional Greek meal in the city's lively core.
