Janet Preston joined English China Clays Int. (now IMERYS Minerals) in 1985 and has worked in the areas of coatings research, in the area of paints, inks paper coating and in printing science.
Whilst working at Imerys Janet graduated from University of Plymouth with an honours degree in Applied Chemistry. She then gained a PhD in Chemistry with the Interface Analysis Centre, University of Bristol, where she studied ink and coated paper interactions. Janet has around 90 publications in this area. She is currently a senior scientist in the company’s Carbonate Group.
In 2007 Janet was appointed as an Adjunct Professor (Docent) at Abo Akademi University in Finland, in the Laboratory of paper coating and converting.
Memberships: Chartered Chemist & Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Tappi (Former chairperson of the Tappi Fundamentals CIG), Member of the FRC Committee (The Pulp and Paper Fundamental Research Soc.).
Janet is married to David and has a daughter Laura.
Jenni currently holds a position as Paper Packaging Specialist at Nestlé Institution of Packaging Science where she is responsible for developing new sustainable fiber-based packaging materials and concepts. Her work combines her roots and passion for paper as well as for the circular economy.
Prior to joining Nestlé Jenni worked for over 10 years in the paper, printing and converting industry. She has a M.Sc in Forest Products Technology (Chemistry and Technology of Pulp and Paper Making) from Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
Alexey Vishtal is working at Mayr-Melnhof Group and is responsible for new barrier fibre-based packaging materials development. Before joining MM Alexey was for 7 year with Nestlé in Switzerland leading development of recyclable fibre-based packaging, and before that he held various positions in paper and related industries. Alexey has a paper engineering background and also has doctoral degree in paper physics and converting.
Martti Toivakka is currently a full professor and head of the Laboratory of Paper Coating and Converting at Åbo Akademi University, Finland (www.abo.fi/lpcc). He received his doctoral degree in chemical engineering in the area of paper chemistry in 1998. His research group is a member of the Academy of Finland appointed Center of Excellence for Functional Materials, which develops functional materials and demonstrates devices for printed intelligence. His research interests include novel coating and surface treatment methods for natural fiber-based products, printing as a fabrication method and use of paper as a substrate for printed electronics. He has (co-)authored over 140 peer-reviewed scientific publications and is currently the guest editor of Chemical Engineering and Processing – special issue of Coating and Drying of Thin Films. He has organized and been the chairman of 2006 TAPPI Advanced Coating Fundamentals Symposium and the 2011 European Coating Symposium, both held in Turku, Finland. Furthermore, he has arranged numerous international short courses for industrial professionals and doctoral level students, the recent ones being Coating and Drying of Thin Films – Fundamentals & Applications with a Special Topic on Printed and Organic Electronics in 2011, Pigment Coating Technology in 2012, and Advanced Printing Technology in 2014.
Passionate about sustainability and the impact of packaging on the global network, Kelly Helein champions change as a Board Member for the University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation, Smithers Pira Sustainability in Packaging (EU/US) and Specialty Papers (EU/US), and development committee for the Trout Museum of Art in Appleton, WI. Kelly returned to her hometown of Appleton, WI in the capacity of Vice President, Business Development for ProCon’s new Vireo Coatings division. ProCon is the largest independent paper converter in the US, with multiple locations throughout the nation. Vireo brings to market a plastic free barrier coating technology to meeting consumer packaging sustainability initiatives.
More than 30 years experience in pulp and paper industry, both in end-user, production and supplier environment, I have a passion for papermaking and process control, as well as understanding the drivers along the value chain of paper products.
Currently holding a European marketing position for Board & Packaging at Nalco Water, closely mixed with technical development, brings me close to paper mills addressing needs in paper products as well as operational challenges and restrictions.
Living in Sweden
