Polymers for Lightweight Applications

MARCH 23-25, 2027 | BOSTON, MA
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Polymers for Lightweight Applications unites regulators, brand owners, converters, OEMs, and sustainability leaders to examine the full landscape of modern lightweighting. Participants will explore the regulatory forces reshaping material choices, assess new recyclable and biodegradable options, discover proven processing and design innovations from converters and OEMs, and see how lightweighting delivers measurable sustainability and circular-economy benefits across industries.

Session Topics

1. Regulatory Pressures & Market Shifts
Why materials such as EPS, PU, XPS, PVC foams, phenolics, and others are under growing scrutiny—and what industries need as replacements.

2. Next-Generation Foam & Lightweight Materials
Exploring recyclable foams and other emerging lightweight technologies as scalable, sustainable alternatives.

3. Recyclable vs. Biodegradable: Choosing the Right Path
Understanding the practical trade-offs between durable, recyclable polymers and biodegradable options in different applications.

4. Industrialized Lightweighting: OEM & Converter Solutions in Action
Converters and OEMs present proven, market-ready processing and design innovations that reduce weight without sacrificing performance. This session highlights disruptive technologies that are already commercialized—advanced foam molding, thin-wall injection, hybrid polymer structures, and other production-scale methods—showing real business results in automotive, construction, and reusable packaging.

5. Lightweighting as a Sustainability Enabler
How lighter polymers reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and create circular value across industries, with case studies and cross-industry perspectives.

Submit Early Bird Abstract for 15% Registration Discount - Due October 16

Please first review the information for authors — abstract submission guidelines.

Topics & Application Areas

Regulatory Pressures & Market Shifts
Next-Generation Foam & Lightweight Materials
Recyclable vs. Biodegradable: Choosing the Right Path
Industrialized Lightweighting: OEM & Converter Solutions in Action
Lightweighting as a Sustainability Enabler
Other

Symposium Co-Chairs

Maksim Shivokhin

Polymer Innovation & Lightweighting strategist

ExxonMobil

Pat Brant

Chief Polymer Science Advisor (retired)

ExxonMobil

Key Speakers

Joamin Gonzalez-Guttierez

Head of Group

Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology

Srikanth Pilla

Professor and Associate Dean for Research

University of Delaware

Jochen Pflug

CEO

ThermHex Waben GmbH, Germany

Back to Top ↑ 2026 Symposium Sessions
	Wednesday March 11
9:00	Next-gen polymers: Lightweight and Advanced Engineering

2026 Symposium Program
	Wednesday March 11

9:00	Next-gen polymers: Lightweight and Advanced Engineering	Marriott University B
	Session chair: Maksim Shivokhin, ExxonMobile, & Steve Sopher, JSP
	From Premium to Progress: How Lightweight Polymers and Cross-Value Chain collaboration are critical to Chemical Industry Sustainability Goals B. McGinley, Deloitte Consulting LLP, US
	EPLA – evolution of a plantbased bead foam J.-C. Albrecht, C. Mack, Fraunhofer ICT, DE
	Low Melting Propylene-Based Polymer for Low Pressure Foam Molding C. Cuddington, ExxonMobil, US
	Design Optimization and Dimensional Tolerance Improvement of Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) for Enhanced Automotive System Integration S. Sopher, J. Parker, JSP, US
	Process Control in Foam Extrusion D. Molloy, J. Dixon, Promix-Solutions, US
	Advanced Polypropylene Foam Extrusion Technology and Its Potential Applications G.R. Wilkes, D. You, J. Kim, A. Kim, C. Park, Amylum Systems, US
	Glassy gel - next generation lightweight materials B.H. Chen, M.X. Wang, M.D. Dickey, North Carolina State University, US