TLMI introduces Converter Exchange webinar series

TLMI has launched a new Converter Exchange program, a webinar series to encourage peer-to-peer conversations among converter companies.  

The first session, held on August 11, featured Amtech, which acquired Label Traxx last year. 

‘TLMI has been known historically as a networking association more than maybe any other thing,’ says Dale Coates, TLMI’s chief operating officer. ‘We’ve brought companies and people that run those companies together for decades now. Some of them become best friends through those networking relationships. We’re looking at how we foster those relationships when we aren’t in person.' 

The idea for this series emerged out of two previous TLMI events. In March, TLMI held a ‘speed networking’ event at its Converter Meeting in San Antonio. The program was positively received, and at the association’s board meeting in May, board members discussed how they could keep the momentum and conversations from that speed networking event going. TLMI launched this new webinar series to fulfill that purpose. 

About 25 people attended the first Converter Exchange session. It began with a presentation by Amtech staff, who shared information about their technology and initiatives. This was then followed by breakout sessions, where converters could discuss the presentation, share how they use the supplier’s technology or discuss other topics. Although it didn’t happen in this first session, TLMI is also able to add a supplier expert to a breakout group session if the participants in that group request it. After the breakout sessions, the group came together again, with attendees sharing takeaways from the presentation and sessions. 

‘It's a way to highlight the supplier — that’s important to our group — but also give the peers that opportunity to really talk about anything that relates to that presentation they’ve just heard,’ Coates says. 

TLMI chose Amtech for this first session because several board members already had relationships with the company, and because they wanted to learn more about Amtech's acquisition of Label Traxx.  

This webinar series also gives TLMI a new avenue to engage with converter companies that might not participate in in-person events, Coates notes. 

Following this initial webinar session, Coates says that future iterations will probably feature bigger breakout groups, for longer periods of time. The sessions will probably continue with other software providers to highlight other companies in that segment of the industry. 

The next Converter Exchange session will likely take place after Labelexpo Europe 2025. 

‘We hope that people will give it a try and let us know what they think,’ Coates says.