Page 20 - FINAT Yearbook 2011

Isidore Leiser
‘thinking about the future of FINAT, how it can be improved, how we can learn more from our members, determine industry trends, and provide practical input for the Marketing Committee’, says Chairman Isidore Leiser (Stratus Packaging). Drawing its members from all levels of the label industry value chain, the team had, prior to its formalisation, helped the FINAT Board define a clear strategy, according to Isidore (who sees himself purely in the role of a facilitator in this context), ‘by defining the questions that need to be asked, asking the questions, and then recording the answers.’
The Strategy Sub-committee recently held inaugural meetings and workshops, says Isidore, ‘to try to define the big threats and trends in the industry, and to focus on ways in which we can get more input from less-active FINAT members and non-members as well. As a committee, we are always happy to hear from anyone - FINAT member or not -- as to how they view the future of our industry. This is an industry that is evolving very fast, and we need to keep redefining the ways in which FINAT can support it.’
‘what do the members want?’
The issues that FINAT’s future strategy initially needs to address, says Isidore, are: ‘What do the members want? Could we grow the membership by better meeting their needs? Should we remain a purely self-adhesive label association? Can we open up more to the local associations and enhance our dialogue and joint activities? Why are we not working more actively alongside such international print industry associations such as Intergraf?’
Isidore concludes: ‘We have already defined the key stratagem for a success- ful future for FINAT member companies: don’t sell on price, sell on value, and focus on innovation.’
launched: the new finat website
FINAT’s new, interactive website is in the capable hands of the Website Sub- committee, chaired by Christian Menegon (HP Indigo), working closely with Jules Lejeune and the FINAT Secretariat. Well on the way to completion, the new website spearheads FINAT’s ambition to be an online information and educational resource for members - providing fast, up-to-the- minute access to documentation on such matters as legislation, sustain-ability, market trends, and technical advances.
the technical committee - providing ‘a full educational platform for finat members’ Following the untimely death of Håkan Saxén, the Technical Committee is without a Chairman, and Sean Duffy (Bluestar Silicones) is currently representing the TC to the Board.
The four well-established Sub- committees dealing with specialist issues are actively pursuing the continuing updating of FINAT test methods; regulatory affairs; sustainabi- lity and recycling; and the organisation of technical seminars and other FINAT
Christian Menegon
communications initiatives within the technical sector.
ftm : the acknowledged industry standards
Jacques Lechat (ExxonMobil) conti- nues to mentor the platform of FINAT test methods that make up the content of the Technical Handbook and provide
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Jacques Lechat
finAt YeArbooK 2011 |