FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

“ What an amazing chance this would be to discover things in Europe! And if not now, when?”
— Gerd Schweiger, ESU President

1. Why would the IADD schedule a meeting outside of the US? What new knowledge can I gain from attending the Annual Meeting in Switzerland versus attending an IADD meeting in the United States?

One of the greatest benefits of the IADD is that its worldwide membership brings together the widest variety of knowledge and expertise to be shared by all members. Going outside the US borders enables us to tap into new resources and bring fresh perspectives to our programming.

Europeans have traditionally been faced with higher labor rates and higher benefit packages than most American companies. Those who attend can learn firsthand what productivity improvements they have made and how they have responded to the loss of manufacturing to lower wage countries. Ultimately, all members will share in this knowledge as what we learn is funneled to the rest of the membership through articles, chapter meetings, website postings, etc.

2. What can I expect to see at the scheduled plant tours? Who will be conducting the tours? Will there be an opportunity to ask questions? Will the tours include organized transportation?

It is our plan to offer guided tours of some of the most modern diemaking facilities and converting plants in Europe. We will be visiting both folding carton and corrugated facilities and will end the tour with a guided tour of the Bobst factory in Lausanne. Since many of the host companies may not speak English, we will be using bilingual translators to facilitate questions and answers throughout the tour. We will organize transportation for the tours. Follow the links on the home program page to obtain more detailed tour information.

3. Will there be planned activities for my spouse or travel guests?

It is our plan to offer optional activities for spouses and guests while the plant tours are taking place. We will allow some free time each morning for guests to become acclimated, and activities will conclude by early evening so that couples and families can be reunited. We will also allow ample free time for shopping or other sightseeing on these days. Follow the links on the home program page to obtain more detailed spouse activity information.

4. How can my company build relationships with European businesses despite the distance, potential language barriers and customs? Will there be networking opportunities at the meeting to foster such relationships?

By being involved, one of the greatest advantages we have as members of IADD is staying abreast with new and innovative ideas that are not just here in the US, but abroad as well. We have nearly 45 international members who share a common goal to see this industry thrive. The opportunity to go to Europe is not necessarily to do business with the European market, but to be able to network with people who are willing to share information in a non-competitive environment that can help us all learn to become better at what we do.

5. What type of programming will be offered to diecutters, diemakers and suppliers? Who from my company should attend?

It our intent to have several panel presentations made up of experts from both American and European companies to provide our attendees with insight of the differences between manufacturing practices, industry challenges and cultural differences. Not only will business owners benefit from the presentations, you may want to bring some of your key personnel or technical supervisors so they will have the ability to analyze the differences and bring home solutions you can implement.

If you take a key employee, tell them they must find at least one solution or one change that they will implement that will provide your company with their cost of the trip and if they do, you will be glad to take them on future learning experiences. We can guarantee they will find a solution they can implement.

6. What is the expected attendance from European companies and beyond? What is the percentage of breakdown of these attendees: % diecutters, % diemakers, and % suppliers?

We are very excited with the interest and support the leadership of the ESU (European Diemakers Association) has shown in having our annual meeting in Europe this year. The ESU is made up of only diemakers and suppliers. We have a strong commitment from the same group of members who attended Odyssey in 2005 and are confident that others will be joining as well. We are also fortunate to have The Bobst Group inviting several converters from the Lausanne area to attend the meeting. Because of all of this, we anticipate approximately 40% diemakers, 40% suppliers and 20% converters.

7. Are there techniques that are used in Europe that companies in the US and Canada can benefit from?

Absolutely. For example, typically the recycle content of the paper is much higher in Europe. It is fascinating to see the differences between the tooling that aids in reducing fracturing when converting highly recycled paper. Understanding the European processes leads to new ideas at home and will help you to stay ahead of the curve.

8. Where can I get answers to my travel-related questions, such as when should I arrive in Europe, which airport do I fly into, do I need to and how do I exchange money, etc?

Return to the home program page for more links and answers. The website will continue to be updated as more information becomes available. If you have any questions or need further assistance, contact the IADD staff at staff@iadd.org or call 1-815-455-7519.