NET - a special home for nonwovens professionals

28 Apr '09

4 min read

Recognizing the need for a professional association dedicated to the increasingly dynamic nonwovens industry, Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) has created NET – the Nonwovens Engineers and Technologists Division. Formerly known as TAPPI's Nonwovens Division, NET reflects an expanding emphasis on connecting a broad community of individuals who are focused on advancing nonwovens science through peer-reviewed papers, conferences, workshops and other collaborative activities.

“Nonwovens is a high-growth market with exciting potential, and NET will expand and foster supporting technology by bringing together leading nonwovens experts from industry, academia and government,” said Larry Montague, President of TAPPI. “With NET, individuals benefit from opportunities to share knowledge with peers throughout the world in all segments of the nonwovens industry – from hygiene and fabrics to filtration, insulation and more.”

Membership is open to a wide range of nonwovens professionals including professors, research and development managers, sales and marketing professionals, and corporate division heads in the nonwovens world. In addition, NET provides an association home throughout its members' careers, regardless of employer. NET harnesses the power of nonwovens professionals to create a dynamic knowledge base and peer network that collectively advance nonwovens science and technology.

Committee membership is the foundation of NET's networking and information-building power. By evolving to reflect market and technology shifts, NET Committees provide individuals a specialized place to grow professionally and technically.

Current committees are Binders and Additives, Building and Industrial Materials, Material Characterization and Modeling, Filtration Media, Fibers and Process, and Insulation.

The committees create communities of interest that let NET members tailor their association experience while staying in touch with issues facing the broader nonwovens arena.

“My work with various nonwovens committees in TAPPI has allowed me to help develop industry standard test methods, keep track of new regulations and trends like sustainability, and discover fresh ideas that I can take to my more employer for becoming more efficient and aware of new markets,” said Pete Wallace, a 35-year veteran of the nonwovens industry and 2009 TAPPI Fellow. “The diverse professional contacts I've made have lasted a lifetime, and I believe participation in NET is a career essential for anyone in the nonwovens industry."

NET provides members with subscriptions to peer-reviewed publications like the newly accredited Journal of Engineered Fiber and Fabrics (JEFF), published in conjunction with INDA, the Fiber Society and the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. Members also have an opportunity to participate in the peer-review process through the NET Technical Journal Review Board. They also receive discounts on registration for events such as the International Nonwovens Technical Conference (a joint event between the INDA and NET), as well as discounted TAPPI PRESS publications that address nonwovens technologies and standards.

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