Spotlight stage full of valuable insights

The Spotlight Stage at Loupe Americas 2026 will run free 20-minute presentations across all three days of the show, 15 to 17 September, at Hall A, booth 1435, open to all attendees without an Education Pass. The program covers RFID market growth, AI in production, EPR and sustainability legislation, flexible packaging diversification, connected operations and packaging circularity.

Day one: September 15

At 10:30 am, Dan Vick of the RAIN Alliance presents From Label to Intelligence, exploring the market forces driving RAIN RFID adoption across retail, supply chain, healthcare and smart packaging and how global standards ensure interoperability for converters scaling RFID label production.

At 11:00 am, Dan Galovic, market leader for pressure sensitive labels at Innovia Films, presents Where the US Label Market is Headed for 2027 and Beyond, covering the shift toward lower-carbon materials, recycled content, EPR mandates and design-for-recycling standards shaping competitive advantage.

At 11:30 am, Andrew LaChapell, research scientist at H.B. Fuller, presents on next-generation Gel-Tac microsphere adhesive technology enabling repositionable adhesives on low surface energy and recycled paper substrates.

At noon, Ramon Lee, CEO and founder of Brotech Digital Graphics, demonstrates how AI-driven flexo technology enables faster changeovers, reduced material waste and more consistent output across operators and production sites.

At 1:00 pm, John Kilbo, innovation technical manager at Siegwerk, addresses inks and coatings for recycle-ready labeling under US state EPR legislation, covering California SB 343 and the APR Design Guide criteria for labels.

At 1:30 pm, Tim Bohlke, executive director of strategic partnerships at Flexcon, presents on landfill avoidance through beneficial reuse of label matrix and converting byproducts.

At 2:00 pm, Matt Burton, global sales director at ABG International, presents Flexible Packaging is Closer Than You Think, addressing the entry point into flexible packaging for label converters.

At 2:30 pm, Fran Boey, product manager at CERM, presents a live demonstration of CERM Lexis, an AI-powered order processing tool that reads incoming customer emails, extracts order data and creates ready-to-confirm sales orders with minimal manual intervention.

At 3:00 pm, Alex Bowell of Infigo, Andrew M. Boyd of Blue Label Packaging and Dan Niblo of The Packaging Lab discuss how web-to-print has shaped two converter businesses built with different approaches to online ordering.

The day closes at 4:00 pm with the L&L Global Awards ceremony, followed by a networking reception.

Day two: September 16

At 11:00 am, Dawson Spooner of GlobalVision presents From Production to Shelf: Zero-Error Packaging, covering AI-powered proofreading, automated quality control and Esko integrations to reduce risk and rework from artwork to production.

At 11:30 am, Dave Currin, product owner at ePS, presents on the hidden cost of disconnected packaging operations and how CommandCore connects estimating, planning, materials, production, quality and reporting into a single operational view.

At noon, Chris Borgert and Bob Majure of Flex-Metrics present on voice-user-interface technology combining machine data, job requirements and frontline operator knowledge at the point of work to build operational memory for AI and analytics.

At 1:00 pm, Bernard Niemöller, business development manager at BW Papersystems, addresses From Labels to RFID Converting, exploring what increasing RFID volumes mean for converting operations and how to scale RFID capabilities efficiently.

At 1:30 pm, Ashley Burkle, director of sales and business development at Identiv, presents on scaling BLE smart labels across global supply chains, showing how Bluetooth Low Energy technology transforms reusable packaging into connected assets with real-time visibility.

At 2:00 pm, Jan Denies, global digital printing account manager at Michelman, presents Unleashing the Full Potential of Digital Print, covering how water-based chemistry, substrates and equipment can be combined to design flexible packaging structures supporting recyclability and compostability.

At 2:30 pm, Theresa M. Vanna, past chair of the SGP board of directors, presents on how SGP certification delivers competitive advantage across customer relationships, operational performance and sustainable business growth.

At 3:00 pm, Dr. David Biro, technical director at Sun Chemical, presents on next-generation UV-LED low-migration inks, coatings and adhesives for food, pharmaceutical, medical and personal care packaging, covering formulation, press conditions, cure validation and migration risk assessment.

At 3:30 pm, Makayle Botts, senior community and membership coordinator at TLMI, presents on TLMI's market studies, regulatory updates, sustainability initiatives and engagement opportunities for the label and package printing industry.

At 4:00 pm, the IRL Future Leaders Meetup, powered by TLMI's Label Leaders of Tomorrow and FTA's LIFT program, takes place at the Spotlight Stage with complimentary snacks, beverages and an interactive networking activity for emerging industry professionals.

Day three: September 17

At 10:00 am, a student program introduces future industry professionals to label and package printing through an industry overview and guided show floor tour covering materials, prepress, press technology, finishing, inspection, RFID and digital printing.

At 11:30 am, JC McKay, president of Flexo Label Advantage Group and founder of LabelConverter.ai, presents The 90 Percent Problem, covering the unrealized potential of AI in label and packaging businesses and the practical steps to move beyond basic AI use.

At 12:30 pm, Mike Ferrari, president of the Consortium for Waste Circularity, presents on Regenerative Robust Gasification technologies that recover value from all unsorted packaging materials, including those historically difficult to recycle, supporting a circular business model alongside existing recycling systems.