EPCA takes Annual Meeting online

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE

EPCA’S 54TH ANNUAL MEETING IS GOING ONLINE BUT PROMISES PLENTY OF INTERACTION

For the past 53 years the European Petrochemical Association (EPCA) has attracted massive crowds to its Annual Meeting, with registrants numbering in the thousands as they flocked to the hotel venues to meet colleagues and clients and to hear the latest information from industry leaders.

But for its 54th Annual Meeting this month, EPCA has – like many other organisers – had to face the reality of travel restrictions and social distancing measures imposed as a defence against the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The EPCA Annual Meeting is still going ahead, but in virtual form. That is bad news for the hotels and restaurants of Budapest, where the event was planned to take place, but regulars will still get their EPCA fix through online sessions and a newly developed EPCA Community app.

This has been a difficult year for many in the European petrochemical industry and its logistics service provider (LSP) partners, as they have not only had to navigate the uncharted waters of the pandemic and its uncertain impacts on trade flows and end-user demand, but also extreme volatility in oil and gas prices, with consequent effects on the petrochemicals sector, and growing geopolitical tensions that have also impacted trade patterns.

The EPCA Annual Meeting therefore comes at an opportune time for industry as it begins to try to map out a plan for the post-pandemic industrial and economic environment. Company owners and managers have a lot of questions they need answers to: How long will it be before things get back to ‘normal’ – if ever? Will the pandemic period have changed how business is done and what their customers expect of them?

The EPCA virtual Annual Meeting is designed to provide some answers to those questions, under the theme of ‘Beyond the New Normal’, with an experienced and high-level line-up of speakers. But it will also look at some of the themes that have emerged over the past few years, particularly in the areas of digitisation, sustainability and the need to move to a circular and low-carbon economy.

Again, there are questions. Will the trends in those areas that have been developing in recent years just continue when things calm down or will there be a different attitude? Can the petrochemical industry move towards a more sustainable business model while still remaining competitive and generating the profits that its shareholders demand? How will EU and national government decisions affect the transformation journey on which industry is embarking?

EPCA members have been well prepared for these conversations through presentations and discussions at the last few Annual Meetings. They should not rely, though, purely on the input from speakers at this year’s event. The Association is challenging everyone to apply their sharpest critical and blue sky thinking to find answers to these questions, as it looks to strengthen its growing role as an ideas marketplace for the European petrochemical community, as well as a hub for synergies to help shape the industry as a driver towards a more sustainable world.

EPCA has also responded to the growing importance of digitisation in the petrochemical sector with new people to help drive its online presence as well as a new Digital Advisory Body under the Supply Chain Programme Committee, which will open up discussions with thought leaders from outside the petrochemical and logistics industries. Again, members are being challenged to contribute to this discussion.

So, while we will not be able to meet up in the bars of Budapest this year, the EPCA community will still be gathering in spirit and in mind online. As the following pages make clear, there is a lot to talk about, a lot of issues to address and some challenging decisions to be made. Being part of that discussion is the best way to make sure your business is as well prepared as it can be to face the New Normal, whatever it turns out to be.