Specialty Silicone Products recently attended G/C Expo 2024, an industry-leading event for gasket fabricators, material converters, and the companies who supply them. Kevin Wickert, Sales and Marketing Manager, and Gary Falchi, Business Development Specialist, participated in this well-attended and informative event, which was hosted by the Gasket Fabricators Association (GFA).
“There is no better, inter-industry networking event for companies in the gasket, converting, and material supplier market,” Falchi said. This was his first year as SSP’s primary contact to G/C Expo, which was co-located with the annual mid-year meeting of the International Association of Die Cutting and Die Making (IADD). Over 400 industry professionals participated.
Gasketing/Converting Expo 2024 ran from March 18 to 20, 2024 at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida. Attendees from cold-weather climates enjoyed the Florida weather, but the hottest action was inside during informational and networking sessions. Participants learned about market trends and opportunities for growth. They also talked about potential restrictions on PFAS.
Chemicals Spark Concerns and Conversations
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly called PFAS, are a category of widely used chemicals with components that break down very slowly over time. They are often called “forever chemicals” because once they are in the environment, they tend to stay there. PFAS are used in some industrial materials, but they’re also found in a wide range of consumer products.
At G/C Expo, potential restrictions on PFAS were among the most talked about topics. To its credit, the GFA is producing informative content about these chemicals, identifying potential restrictions, and describing possible implications for fabricators, converters, and suppliers. To date, three U.S. states have passed legislation that may ultimately ban PFAS in all products in the next 10 years.
Many G/C Expo attendees were unfamiliar with PFAS. Naturally, they’re concerned that their products could be affected by potential restrictions. For its part, SSP has been preparing for PFAS restrictions. We sent this notice to our Advanced Materials customers last year and made this same information publicly available on our website.
The Way Forward
SSP will continue to share its PFAS knowledge by developing content that the GFA can distribute at its Fall Meeting from September 17 to 19, 2024 at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, Louisiana. We’re also communicating with our suppliers to understand how they’re preparing for possible regulations and talking to organizations (like the GFA) that can help shape the new rules.
As our recent communications with customers explain, SSP does not use any of the short-chain PFAS associated with health risks, and we ensure that short-chain PFAS are not present in the inputs we buy. As we shared with G/C Expo attendees, SSP is preparing for regulatory scenarios ranging from an outright ban on all PFAS to a ban only those PFAS with associated health risks.
If you’d like more information about SSP’s efforts or are interesting in learning more about our gasket materials, we invite you to contact us.
