By any measure, 2020 has been a difficult year. Indeed, for some, it’s been truly catastrophic. Despite all of the challenges and losses, though, good things have still managed to occur. Babies born. Promotions won. Milestones reached and acknowledged, if not celebrated as fully as we would have liked. As those of us in the U.S. work to plan and safely hold our annual Thanksgiving festivities, we will try to focus on the positive moments and find gratitude in these small victories.

As an industry, we will gather together virtually for the Adhesive and Sealant Council’s (ASC) Virtual Convention and EXPO, which will be held November 4-6. I recently spoke with Bill Allmond, president of the ASC, and he shared some details regarding what attendees can expect to experience in this new virtual platform. 

“One of the best things that attendees are going to see during the convention is the industry coming back together,” he says. “After eight or nine months of being apart from one another due to the pandemic, I think it’s going to be great to have manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and end users finally coming back together in one place over the course of three or four days. That’s going to be exciting for all of us to reconnect.”

The event will feature a co-located short course, over 40 educational sessions, an exhibition, and many networking opportunities. The virtual platform offers capabilities such as real-time chat, discussion forums, and even 1:1 video meetings. For a preview, turn to “Bringing the Industry Together.” To watch my full interview with Bill, as well as other videos focused on this event, visit www.adhesivesmag.com/videos. 

I’m grateful for all of the hard work put in by Bill and everyone at the ASC to develop this dynamic event. On behalf of everyone at ASI, we look forward to seeing you all there!