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ASC Convention and Expo Schedule

By Lisa Anderson, Founder and President, LMA Consulting Group

The Adhesive and Sealant Council’s 2026 ASC Convention and Expo takes place from Monday, April 20, to Wednesday, April 22.

Monday, April 20

7:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Caulks & Sealants Short Course (registrants only)

7:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. Pressure Sensitive Adhesives Short Course (registrants only)

9:00 – 11:30 a.m. ASC Board of Directors Meeting

Noon – 5:00 p.m. ASC Gives Back Program (offsite-tentative)

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. ASC First Time Attendee & New Member Reception

6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Honky Tonk Welcome to Nashville Opening Reception

Tuesday, April 21

7:15 – 8:00 a.m. Networking Breakfast

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. GENERAL SESSION KEYNOTE & BREAKFAST: Positive Disruption: How to Lead Growth Through Joyful Innovation & The Innovation Compass: Charting Your Course to Success

7:30 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. Caulks & Sealants Short Course (registrants only)

7:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Pressure Sensitive Adhesives Short Course (registrants only)

Tuesday Morning Education Sessions

Education Track 1: Supply Chain, Feedstock & Market Outlook

9:15 – 9:40 a.m. Adhesives and Sealants Outlook Remains Resilient Amidst a Structural Shift

9:45 – 10:10 a.m. Polyhedral Graphene Enhances Conductivity of Adhesive

10:15 – 10:40 a.m. Alternative Feedstocks as Part of Industry’s Journey Towards a More Sustainable Future

10:40 – 10:55 a.m. BREAK

10:55 – 11:20 a.m. Global Update on Hydrocarbon-Based Tackifiers – 2025

11:25 – 11:50 a.m. The North American Adhesives and Sealants Market to 2030

Education Track 2: Trends and Developments in EV Market

9:15 – 9:40 a.m. Emerging Needs for Adhesives and Sealants in EV Batteries

9:45 – 10:10 a.m. Decoupling Processability from Performance: A Scalable PS2S Tape Platform for EV Cell-to-Pack Assembly

10:15 – 10:40 a.m. Improving Rheology of Highly Filled Thermally Conductive Adhesives and Sealants

10:40 – 10:55 a.m. BREAK

10:55 – 11:20 a.m. Addressing Thermal and Reliability Challenges in High-Heat End-Use Applications Through Advanced Adhesive Formulation Strategies

11:25 – 11:50 a.m. Innovative Dispensing Solutions for EV Battery Module Assembly: Overcoming Precision and Process Challenges

Education Track 3: Regulatory Trends & Global Outlook

9:15 – 9:40 a.m. State and Federal Chemical Regulation Impacting Adhesives and Sealants

9:45 – 10:10 a.m. European Regulatory Developments

10:15 – 10:40 a.m. International Trade Issues Impacting Adhesives and Sealants

10:40 – 10:55 a.m. BREAK

10:55 – 11:20 a.m. Public Policy Implications for the U.S. Adhesive and Sealant Industry

11:25 – 11:50 a.m. TBD

Education Track 4: Additives for High-Performing A&S

9:15 – 9:40 a.m. Lightweight Fillers for Sustainable, Durable Architectural Joints

9:45 – 10:10 a.m. Next-Generation of Polyamide Rheology Modifiers with Easier Activation for Broader Formulation Flexibility

10:15 – 10:40 a.m. Study of Co-Crystallization Compatibility and High-Temperature Stability of Wax–Polymer Systems in Hot-Melt Adhesives

10:40 – 10:55 a.m. BREAK

10:55 – 11:20 a.m. Improving Rheology and Sustainability in MS Polymers: The Role of Functional Minerals

11:25 – 11:50 a.m. Hydrophobically Modified PVOH as a Stabilizer for High Water Resistance, Formaldehyde-free PVAc Wood Adhesives

Noon – 1:15 p.m. GENERAL SESSION KEYNOTE & LUNCH: State of the Association Address & Innovation Awards Presentations

1:30 – 5:30 p.m. ASC EXPO AND RECEPTION

Wednesday, April 22

7:15 – 8:00 a.m. Networking Breakfast

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. GENERAL SESSION KEYNOTE & BREAKFAST: Economic Outlook

Wednesday Morning Education Sessions

Education Track 1: Developments in Pressure Sensitive Adhesives

9:15 – 9:40 a.m. Transforming Blushing Assessment in Acrylic Clear Label Adhesives: From Qualitative to Quantitative

9:45 – 10:10 a.m. Styrene-Butadiene Copolymers in Photocurable Hot-Melt Adhesives for Industrial Tapes

10:15 – 10:40 a.m. Improved Performance of Emulsion Polymers Used in Adhesives

10:40 – 10:55 a.m. BREAK

10:55 – 11:20 a.m. Innovative Hydrocarbon Resin Solutions for PSA Adhesives: Specialized Resins and a Novel Liquid Hydrogenated Tackifier

11:25 – 11:50 a.m. Lessons Learned from Application-driven Development of Multi-surface LSE Adhesives

Education Track 2: Emerging Standards in Sustainability

9:15 – 9:40 a.m. Beyond Chemistry: The Business Case for Sustainable Construction Adhesives & Sealants

9:45 – 10:10 a.m. Driving Sustainability Through Transparency

10:15 – 10:40 a.m. The CLIMA Approach: How to Future Proof Your Product Portfolio to Include Low Carbon Products

10:40 – 10:55 a.m. BREAK

10:55 – 11:20 a.m. Product Category Rules for Adhesives and Sealants Updated and Expanded Version

11:25 – 11:50 a.m. Environmental Product Declaration and Generator Tool for Adhesives and Sealants

Education Track 3: Adhesive Formulation Development & Application

9:15 – 9:40 a.m. Role of Organofunctional Silanes in Improving Water Resistance and Wet Adhesion of Silylated Polyurethanes

9:45 – 10:10 a.m. Differences in Solid Benzoate Esters for PUR Hot-Melt Adhesive Cleanout

10:15 – 10:40 a.m. Faster Application and Longer Performance from a New Class of Dynamic Aminopolyolefins for Cleaner Industrial Applications

10:40 – 10:55 a.m. BREAK

10:55 – 11:20 a.m. Next Generation Non-CMR Structural Adhesives

11:25 – 11:50 a.m. Innovative Polycaprolactone Polymers and Their Use in the Advancement of Polyurethane Reactive Hot Melt Adhesives

Education Track 4: New Product Introductions

9:15 – 9:40 a.m. New Sustainable Defoamer BYK-1745

9:45 – 10:10 a.m. Kerilon^® 30000T, A Workhorse Grade Silane Modified Polymer for Sealants and Adhesives

10:15 – 10:40 a.m. High Functionality Polyether Polyol – Unique Product and Performance Characteristics in High Performance One-component PU Applications

10:40 – 10:55 a.m. BREAK

10:55 – 11:20 a.m. Elastomers for Modifying SIS-based Adhesives and For Cross Linkable Adhesives

11:25 – 11:50 a.m. Novel C5 Hydrocarbon Technology: Improving PSA Performance using US Produced C5 Tackifiers

Noon – 1:00 p.m. WEDNESDAY GENERAL SESSION KEYNOTE & LUNCH: Manufacturing and Supply Chain Digitization: From Intuition to Data Driven Decision Making

Wednesday Afternoon Education Sessions

Education Track 1: Digital Tools for A&S Development - Digitalization, AI/ML

1:15 – 1:40 p.m. AI/ML in Advanced Materials and 3D Printing of Adhesives

1:45 – 2:10 p.m. Embrace AI (Artificial Intelligence) Today to be More Productive and Make Better Business Decisions Tomorrow

2:15 – 2:40 p.m. What an AI Agent Really Is (Explained by a Software Engineer)

2:40 – 2:55 p.m. BREAK

2:55 – 3:20 p.m. Advancing Adhesive Product Development Through a Multi-Scale, Interface-Centered Diagnostic Method

3:25 – 3:50 p.m. AI Is Here: How to Deploy AI Successfully at the Bench

Education Track 2: Circularity, Recyclability and Performance

1:15 – 1:40 p.m. Grounds for Innovation: Brewing Better Adhesives

1:45 – 2:10 p.m. Advancing Sustainable Packaging Through Integrated Barrier Coating and Adhesive Technologies

2:15 – 2:40 p.m. Sustainability in Flexible Food Packaging

2:40 – 2:55 p.m. BREAK

2:55 – 3:20 p.m. Compostable Adhesives: Testing, Standards, and Certification

3:25 – 3:50 p.m. Uncovering the Growing Sustainability Gap Between One-Ways and Reusable Packaging

Education Track 3: Smart Tools – Trends in Sealant Technology

1:15 – 1:40 p.m. Advancing Sealant Technology: Leveraging Dow’s Expertise in Silicone and Novel SMP Polymers

1:45 – 2:10 p.m. Acrylic Polymer Development for True Clear Sealant Application

2:15 – 2:40 p.m. A Silane-Terminated Polyurethane Resin for Clear Sealant Applications

2:40 – 2:55 p.m. BREAK

2:55 – 3:20 p.m. Development and Rheological Evaluation of a High-Performance UFPCC for Liquid Sealants

3:25 – 3:50 p.m. Color Without the Chaos: Why Dispersions Beat Pigment Powders Every Time

Education Track 4: End-Use Applications

1:15 – 1:40 p.m. Hidden Bonds, Loud Music: Adhesive Insights from Instrument Makers

1:45 – 2:10 p.m. Polyolefin Polymers for High-Performance Hot Melt Adhesives in Woodworking and Furniture Applications

2:15 – 2:40 p.m. Polymer and Rheology Modification to Extend the Reach of Silane Modified Adhesives

2:40 – 2:55 p.m. BREAK

2:55 – 3:20 p.m. 2K Ambient-curable, Crash-toughened Structural Adhesive

3:25 – 3:50 p.m. Innovative Thermally Conductive Polyurethane Adhesive for Battery Cell Bonding

4:00 – 4:45 p.m. CLOSING KEYNOTE: Invisible But Indispensable: How Adhesives Drive Product Sustainability Across Industries

4:45 – 6:00 p.m. CLOSING RECEPTION