INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, recently elected seven new members to the INDA board of directors. The new appointments were confirmed at INDA’s Annual Meeting and Leadership Conference held February 25-27, 2013 at the Umstead Hotel, Cary, NC.

The new board of directors members are Thomas Marth, vice president sales, Nonwoven Solutions, LLC; Renita Anderson, director of marketing, IMERYS Performance Minerals; Don Brown, area sales manager, Bonar, Inc.; Christophe Guillaumot, general sales manager, Glatfelter Gatineau Ltd.; Jenny Dobmeier, filtration business manager, Johns Manville Corporation; John Rank, director sales and marketing NA, Spuntech Industries, Inc.; and Chris Peart, vice president, sales and development, HDK Industries, Inc. Board of director members serve a three-year term.

“INDA is pleased to add this level of talent, industry and business expertise to its board of directors,” says Dave Rousse, president of INDA. “I, as well as the rest of the INDA team, look forward to their counsel and guidance. We always welcome having such a diverse group of individuals on our board of directors and appreciate their unique perspectives. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the outgoing board of director members. They were invaluable to the success of INDA during their tenure.”

The outgoing board members are Bill Casey, senior vice president advanced nonwovens, Ahlstrom Nonwovens LLC; Mark Ruday, vice president fibers, DAK Americas; Mike Budai, coating and lamination manager, ITW Dynatec; and Bob Dale, vice president global segment manager, wipes and filtration, PGI.

The Leadership Conference segment of the meeting featured two speakers addressing topics recently highlighted by INDA as potential “game-changers” to the nonwovens industry. Chuck Carr from IHS presented in detail the looming boom in North American refineries of natural gas and the potential impacts on pricing in North America of polypropylene and polyethylene resins. Michael Colopy, an expert on the Far East, discussed possible scenarios resulting from the recent leadership changes in China, soon to be the largest manufacturer and consumer of nonwoven products.

The INDA 2014 Annual Meeting and Leadership Conference will be held March 10-12, 2014 at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.