
Prof Yuko Ikeda is expected to give a critical review, including new insights, of the mechanism of sulphur crosslinking.
``Prospective insights into vulcanization and reinforcement of rubber: Looking forward to the next century``
The chemistry of sulfur cross-linking and the reinforcement by filler are the two most important issues governing the vulcanizate properties of rubber. Even though various and lots of studies have been carried out to gain better understanding of the two, the findings are yet to enlighten rubber industry practitioners as well as rubber researchers. This keynote address will provide them with a modern insight on the two, which is effective in this century.

Prof Ahmad Fauzi Ismail will speak on purification of waste water using membrane purification technology . The rubber industry , upstream as well as downstream (latex products), are heavy users of water. Prof. Fauzi has developed a working model to recover waste water for re-use.
Sustainable Water Management for the Rubber Industry - A.F. Ismail, D. Veerasamy and J. Jaafar
Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre, University Technology of Malaysia, Skudai Johore, Malaysia & Suraaj Mahir Consultancy, Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia
Escalation of operating cost in processing and products manufacturing in the NR industry contributed by increased water tariff and the frequently interrupted supply of processing water, are resolved via treated wastewater recycling. In this Keynote Address the successful formula is the utilization of membrane separation process as the tertiary polishing process, which enables recycling of the treated wastewater. Attaining sustainability in water management in the rubber industry is discussed. The highlight is the reduction of 30% in the operating cost shown in a recent case-study done in a latex products manufacturing factory utilizing this technology.

Malaysia is the world leading producer and exporter of natural rubber (latex) and synthetic rubber gloves. Mr. Low is expected to talk about the challenges facing the glove industry and opportunities for continued growth, not just of the glove industry but also of the broader Malaysian rubber products manufacturing sector.

He was recruited in 1983 by the Malaysian Rubber Producers’ Research Association (now TARRC) to work with Prof Alan Thomas on abrasion of rubber and its relationship to crack-growth characteristics, but involving also stress-strain behaviour, ageing, friction and lubrication, and the effects of rate and temperature on all of these.
Later he worked on the design principles of rubber engineering components, especially load-deflection behaviour and failure.
He became Leader of the Engineering Research & Design Unit at TARRC in 1999. Laminated rubber isolators, marine fenders, automotive mounts and bushings and structural energy dissipation systems have all featured in his research and publications on applications of rubber in engineering.
He co-founded the biennial European Conferences on Constitutive Models for Rubber.
He received the Melvin Mooney Distinguished Technology Award of the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society in 2015 - the most prestigious award available to a rubber professional.
He has published papers on a wide range of rubber engineering and applications topics
Dr. Alan Muhr will speak on “Rubber-to-metal bonded components: attributes and challenges” - The failure of rubber products in service and methods to prolong the service life of same.

``Gloves as Weapons of War in the Fight against Untreatable Infections``
When your daughter has a sore throat and high fever, you take her to the doctor or clinic where antibiotics would be prescribed. You are told she will be rapidly on the road to recovery. When your son trips and falls onto a stone during a neighborhood soccer match, you clean the wound add, antiseptic, and cover it with a bandage. If it starts to show signs of infection, you take him to the doctor or clinic for an antibiotic. When Grandfather acquires pneumonia, his physicians are quick to provide antibiotics in efforts to save his life.
Over the last 8 decades, we have grown to accept antibiotics as “magic bullets” against infection as fundamental components of medical treatment. Unfortunately, that is not going to continue to be the case.
This lecture will focus the current state of antibiotic resistance, our vulnerable aging population, their impact on infection rates and severity, how this affects near-future glove demands and the urgent need for infection prevention solutions.