Inaugural GRIPS conference commences 16 March

The first ever Global Research and Innovation in Plastics Sustainability (GRIPS) conference, taking place 16-18 March 2021, will feature 150 experts from industry and academia.

The online conference, organised by KTN and hosted by UK Circular Plastics Network, will boast keynote talks from Professor Richard Thompson, Professor John McGheehan, Professor Duncan Wingham, Helen Bird of WRAP and Dr Alicia Greated, who will share the latest thinking, research and technologies in plastics sustainability. 

Professor Ed Kosior of Nextek will be dialling in from Australia and Marc A. Hillmyer McKnight, Presidential Endowed Chair Director of the Center for Sustainable Polymers, Department of Chemistry University of Minnesota, will be speaking from the US. There is also an international reception hosted by the UK's Department of International Trade with speakers joining from Nigeria and India.

The three-day event, which is expected to bring together over 1,000 delegates from across all industries, will also feature 50 innovation and research-driven exhibitors on a virtual show floor.

Dr Sally Beken, Polymer Knowledge Transfer Manager at KTN, said: “GRIPS 2021 will be the first of a new global event that will take place every two years to celebrate all the great work in plastics sustainability and to drive it forwards … We’ll be showcasing lots of exciting technology at this first show, and we already have hundreds of delegates signed up from the plastic packaging, FMCG, construction, agriculture, textiles, and healthcare industries, to name but a few.”

The event is being supported by Innovate UK, EPSRC and UKRI. Nick Cliffe, Deputy Challenge Director, Innovate UK, says, “This event promises to showcase the breadth of exceptional UK research and innovation we’ve funded over the past few years, as well as bringing together experts in sustainable plastic from around the World.”