The Global Rubber Conference (GRC, 2020) will be held in Bangkok on November 12-13 through a hybrid format, with both in-person attendees and remote viewers. The meeting aims to address the impact of global disruptive forces in the natural rubber (NR) industry.

According to sources, the two-day conference is set to be hosted by the Rubber Authority of Thailand and organised by Confexhu Group, Thailand, the world’s largest producer of natural rubber.

It is expected that over 300 trade delegates representing industry practitioners, government officials, and regulators in the rubber industry from countries including the United States, Europe, Asia, South Africa, and ASEAN will converge remotely at this annual event. International players will participate through an online platform connected to over 25 countries worldwide.

Discuss new tech

Themed ‘Unlocking Opportunities in a World of Disruption’, participants will discuss pertinent issues on the current global NR situation, introduce new disruptive technologies in the rubber and rubber product industries, and also update on some advanced new applications of rubber.

Some of the topics to be discussed include Global Rubber Outlook: Demand, Supply and Price Forecasts for 2021, Navigating Socioeconomic Disruptions, Disruptive Technologies in Rubber Cultivation, Mitigating Environmental Disruption in the Rubber Industry, Disruptive Technology in Manufacturing, and Top 50 Disruptive Applications to Drive NR Consumption.

In a statement, GRC, 2020’s organising Chairman Datuk Abdul Aziz SA Kadir said that there will be three keynote addresses, 24 paper presentations by top experts in the rubber industry covering topics under six special-focused areas, and a forum discussing the impact of megatrends on the rubber sector.

“It is essential for industry players to be at this conference to gather the most current strategic information and insights into future developments and market directions of the rubber industry. The in-depth knowledge and understanding of key areas in the industry gained at this conference could provide a competitive advantage for them” he added.