A number of tire industry executives are slated to present on new technologies affecting the tire industry at the Tire & Rubber Summit 2019, hosted June 11 and 12 by the Tire & Rubber Association of Canada.
Below are a list of speakers and topics that will be covered.
June 11:
- Paul Barter, management consultant, business professor, entrepreneur and venture investor, will discuss the intersection of technology, business, employment and society in our rapidly changing world. Besides his consulting and investing activities, he supports the next generation of entrepreneurs as an Entrepreneur in Residence at the RIC Centre, a Venture Advisor at MaRS Discovery District and an MBA professor and entrepreneurship advisor at the Schulich School of Business.
June 12:Rubber Material Feedstocks – Supply and Demand Outlook: Experts will present the challenges and trends affecting the supply and demand for tire industry’s core raw material feedstocks such as NR, SBR, CB, processing oils and others. Panelists will also offer insights into latest feedstocks procurement strategies relevant in today’s market environment. Panelists include:
- Dennis Corson; Senior Vice President, Sales and Operations, Alan L. Grant Polymer
- Robert Rist; Regional Director, Product Management, Reinforcement Materials, Cabot Corporation
- Karthika Kizhakke Vellate; Senior Procurement Analyst, Beroe Inc.
Regulatory Initiatives and Outlook: Panelists will focus on several key regulatory initiatives relevant to rubber and tire manufacturers in Canada, and will include directives concerning Canada’s Chemical Management Plan and Canada’s Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. Trade also remains under scrutiny and customs compliance and programs continue to evolve to match the challenging global trade environment.
- Sarah Amick; Vice President, U.S. Tire Manufacturers AssociationMichael Sherbo;
- Director of Appeals, Dominion Customs Consultants Inc.
- Pierrette LeBlanc; Senior Engineer, Office of Energy Efficiency, Natural Resources Canada
Canadian Economic Outlook
Despite global trade tensions, the global economy is not expected to stall in 2019, and the U.S. economic growth has been the main cause in propelling global growth over the past year. The Canadian economy is expected to remain solid and will also likely continue to expand. This segment will provide an overview of the key culprits that will shape the Canadian economy in the coming year.
Josh Nye; Senior Economist, Royal Bank of Canada
Driving to the Future – Part I: New technologies have one thing in common: the surprising ways they can alter how companies reach their business goals. How will connected vehicles, advanced networks and other technologies impact the tire industry? This segment will present several technologies that are affecting the industry. Panelists:
- Khaled Boqaileh; Co-Founder & CEO, LabsCubed
- Don Heelis, P.Eng.; Sales Manager, Cimcorp Automation Ltd.
- Ross McKenzie; Managing Director, Waterloo Centre for Automotive Research
Driving to the Future – Part II:Technology is changing industries in unprecedented ways, dramatically altering the way they understand and advance product development, manufacturing processes, and other business aspects. This segment will be a discussion of several new technologies and ideas that are informing automotive and tire industries today.
- Mike Nehls; General Manager, Tire & Wheel Testing, Smithers RAPRA
- Jay Spears; Director of Standards and Regulations, Continental Tire, The Americas
- Anthony Reyes; Chief Digital Director of Partnerships and Innovation, The Michelin Group
The summit is scheduled to take place at the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel, 901 Dixon Rd, Etobicoke, ON M9W 1J5. For more information and to register, click here.
