What does it take to clean fabric, surfaces, facilities and yes, even people in the 21st Century? It’s certainly more than soap, surfactant and water. It requires an examination of demographics, raw materials, global trade and digitization, to name just a few issues that impact the at-once humble and humbling cleaning process. A tapestry of experts will examine these issues and many more at the World Conference on Fabric and Home Care. (To register, visit singapore.aocs.org.)

The event, sponsored by the American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS), will take place at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, Oct. 4-7, 2016. The Conference aims to answer key questions such as what is the new normal? Are you in touch and relevant with consumers in flux? And, how do you prosper in the new normal of a sustainable world?

“I believe, sincerely, that is the best program ever,” said Conference chairman Keith Grime. “A range of issues is changing the way people look at this business. We want to explore what and who is driving that change.”

Grime certainly has the perspective to judge what makes for a superior program. He has attended, moderated or chaired the AOCS World Conference on Fabric and Home Care in Montreux, Switzerland since the 1980s and he served as chairman of the first Singapore event, which was held in 2012.

A Who’s Who of Presenters
The Conference will include presentations by the leaders of several multibillion-dollar companies; leaders such as Paul Polman of Unilever; Katsuhiko Yoshida of Kao and Masazumi Kikukawa of Lion. In addition to some of the big names in the industry, the World Conference on Fabric and Home Care will look at some big issues impacting the business.

For example, Asit Biswas, founder of the Third World Centre for Water Management, will present “The Future of Water—Challenges or Opportunities for the Fabric and Home Care Industry and the Consumers We Serve” and Mathieu Trépanier, managing director, Tsquared Consulting Partners will present, “Chocolate Cake or Headache/How Big Data is the New Knowledge Engine for Tomorrow.”

Of course, the conference will address issues that directly impact the cleaning process, too. Tobias Kimmel at the University of Applied Sciences, Germany, will present “Zero Water, Zero Energy and Zero Dirt—Disruptive Technologies and Their Pathway into Household Appliances” and James Carnahan, global sustainability marketing manager, Archroma Singapore, will deliver “Are You Ready for the New Textile Revolution? Look for Innovation Designed to Minimize Eco-impact.”

Keynote speakers and their topics include:

• Shailesh Jejurikar, president global fabric care and brand building organization, Procter & Gamble, “The New Standards of Innovation and Challenges in Modern Everyday Life;”
• Tom Szaky, founder and CEO TerraCycle, “Engaging Consumers and Retailers in Targeted Recycling: Marketing Opportunities Which Emulate and Iterate the Circular Economy;” and
• Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever, “Leading in a World of Exponential Change.”

Issues for Today and Tomorrow
“We’re looking at the issues from many different viewpoints,” noted Grime. “But we’re not only examining the issues of today, we’re looking forward to see what issues will impact our industry for the next 10 years.”

With a roster of dynamic speakers, intriguing topics and an eye toward the future, the World Conference on Fabric and Home Care is sure to deliver on all of its promises.