Sustainable Vehicle Production 2026

    DEVELOPMENTS SHAPING INTERIOR, EXTERIOR, AND POWERTRAIN APPLICATIONS, MATERIALS, AND MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

    Preliminary Program Now Complete - Register to Attend

    Date: February 25 and 26, 2026

    Venue: Sheraton Detroit Novi Hotel. 21111 Haggerty Rd., Novi, Michigan, 48375 USA

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    Conference Sponsors:

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    ITB's annual sustainability conference focuses on innovative technologies and strategies aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the automotive industry, with an emphasis on the complete supply and use chain from raw materials to component production, vehicle assembly and use, recycling, and dismantling. In addition, solutions for life cycle analysis, circularity, and recycling are targeted. 

     

    ✦ Why Attend?

    Sustainability only creates real business value when it’s translated into practical, scalable solutions across the entire automotive value chain. ITB’s conference brings together global OEM leaders, materials innovators, and component suppliers for the conversations that matter most. Dive into focused, actionable discussions, form new partnerships, and uncover technologies that can directly shape your next-generation programs. If you’re looking to accelerate strategy, expand your network, and stay ahead of where the industry is moving—this is where you need to be. Sign up now to secure your seat!

     

    ✦ Want to Take a Leading Role and Gain Maximum Exposure?

    Leverage our industry leading platform to define your role and position your company as THE go-to solution provider. Conference Sponsorships and Technology Showcases (exhibits) provide you with prime exposure, conference tickets, pre-show attendee lists, and much more. Click HERE to learn more!

    Ready to get involved? Let's connect to hear your ideas and plans! Contact Bryan Eldredge, Program Director at beldredge@itbgroup.com

     

    CONFERENCE AGENDA - Day 1: February 25, 2026

     

    7:30 a.m.
    Registration, Networking, and Continental Breakfast

    8:30 a.m.
    Welcome and Opening Remarks
    Mitra O'Malley, Managing Director and Co-founder - The ITB Group

    8:40 a.m.
    Sustainability: Why Me, Why Now?
    Kristen Siemen, Former VP & Chief Sustainability Officer - General Motors

    9:00 a.m.
    Sustainability: THE Motivation for an NBA Champion to Get into the Plastics Business
    Isiah Thomas, Chairman and CEO - Isiah Enterprises
    TBD - Dow Automotive

    9:30 a.m.
    Coffee and Conversations Break

    10:15 a.m.
    KEYNOTE ADDRESS
    Dismantling and Recycling ELV’s – A European Perspective
    Jelle Saint-Germain, Sales Engineer - AD REM
    Delivering Profitable Sustainable Materials

    Session Chair: Dr. Joel Kopinsky, Managing Director and Co-Founder - The ITB Group

    11:00 a.m.
    Incorporating Greener Materials with AI
    William Crane, CEO - OrbAid

    11:45 a.m.
    Advanced Recycling Solutions for the Automotive Value Chain
    Clint Thompson, Chief Commercial Officer - Nexus Circular 

    12:10 p.m.
    Certification in Biomass Balance (BMB): Demonstrating Verified Connectivity from Renewable Feedstock to Product
    Chris Bradlee, Sustainability Manager, Performance Materials - BASF

    12:30 p.m.
    Lunch - Sponsored by American Chemistry Council
    LCA: The Road to Net Zero - Are We on Track

    Session Chair: Nicholas Hammond, Product Sustainability and Compliance Manager - Shawmut

    1:45 p.m.
    SAE's Vehicle Carbon Footprint Disclosure Addendum: Rationale and Draft Progress 
    Nicholas Hammond, Product Sustainability and Compliance Manager - Shawmut

    2:00 p.m.
    XYCLE: Unlocking Real-Time, Auditable LCA for Complex Supply Chains
    Robert Pell, CEO - Minviro

    2:15 p.m.
    Enhancing Efficiency in Life Cycle Assessment and Product Carbon Footprint Reporting
    Dr. Michael Faltenbacher, Director Transport & Mobility- Sphera

    2:30 p.m.
    TBD

    2:45 p.m.
    Panel Session

    3:05 p.m.
    Coffee and Conversations Break
    Circular Economy in Motion

    Session Chair: Gina Oliver, Senior Director, Durable Markets Advocacy - American Chemistry Council

    3:30  p.m.
    Marco Meloni, Chief Operating Officer - Plastic Recycling Inc.

    3:45 p.m.
    Rich James, Global Marketing Director MobilityScience - Dow Chemical

    4:00 p.m.
    Mike Siwajek, Vice President of Research and Development - CSP

    4:15 p.m.
    Dr. Ellen Lee, Technical Leader Advanced Polymer Technologies - Ford Motor Company

    4:30 p.m.
    Panel Session
    From Concept to Production: A Tier One Approach to Sustainability

    Session Chair: Dr. Joel Kopinsky, Managing Director and Co-Founder - The ITB Group

    4:50 p.m.
    30 Years of Defying the Myths of Recycled Material in High Performance Applications
    Jordan Ginsbach, Quoting and Sales Engineer - AGS Technology
    Zack Cohen, Customer Liaison for Automotive Applications - AGS Technology

    5:10 p.m.
    Sustainability Triangle for Packaging
    Bridget Grewal, Director Packaging Continuous Improvement - Magna

    5:30 p.m.
    Concluding Remarks
    Mitra O'Malley, Managing Director and Co-founder - The ITB Group

     

     

    CONFERENCE AGENDA - Day 2: February 26, 2026

     

    7:30 a.m.
    Registration, Networking, and Continental Breakfast

    8:30 a.m.
    Welcome and Opening Remarks
    Dr. Joel Kopinsky, Managing Director and Co-founder - The ITB Group

    8:40 a.m.
    Collectively Driving Automotive Plastics Circularity
    Amanda Martin, Automotive Marketing & Sustainability Manager / Communications Lead - Global Impact Coalition
     Karen Guzman, Automotive Marketing & Sustainability Manager - Covestro
    Sustainable Materials Lab - Bio-based, Recycled, Low-Impact Materials in Automotive

    Session Chair: Dr. Matthew Korey, Associate R&D Staff - Oak Ridge National Laboratory

    9:00 a.m.
    Dr. Amber Hubbard, R&D Staff Member - Oak Ridge National Laboratory

    9:15 a.m.
    Dr. William Gramlich, Associate Professor - University of Maine

    9:30 a.m.
    High-Throughput Identification of Sustainable Plastics Using Microdevice-Enhanced Infrared Sensing and AI
    Dr. Yaoli Zhao, Electrical and Computer Science Engineering - Tufts University

    9:45 a.m.
    Panel Session

    10.15 a.m.
    Coffee and Conversations Break

    10:45 a.m.
    KEYNOTE ADDRESS
    Integrating Sustainability into Automotive Design
    Charlotte Harper, Product Sustainability Engineer - Rivian
    Engineering Tomorrow - Innovations in Sustainable Auto Technologies

    Session Chair: Mitra O'Malley, Managing Director and Co-Founder - The ITB Group

    11:15 a.m.
    Circular and Low Carbon Glass Fiber Use in the Automotive Industry
    Paul Salach, Product Leader Type 30 and SUSTAINA - Owens Corning

    11:35 a.m.
    New Advancements Aim to Unlock Post-Consumer Recycling of Nylon 6,6 
    Dr. William Tenn, Senior Research Associate - INVISTA 

    11:55 a.m.
    Sustainable Automotive Product Realization for Advanced Applications - A Case Study
    Prashant Bhokardole, Staff Engineer - PHINIA
    Jason Park, Senior Application Technology Engineer - Ascend Performance Materials

    12:15 p.m.
    Bio-Sourced Hydrin® (ECO) Elastomers for Heat, Oil, and Fuel-Resistant Application
    Andrew Mittermiller, Business Manager ECO - Zeon Chemicals

    12:30 p.m.
    Lunch
    Ethical, Scalable, Sustainable Battery Supply Chain

    Session Chair: Dr. Joel Kopinsky, Managing Director and Co-Founder - The ITB Group

    1:30 p.m.
    Debonding-on-Demand Adhesives for Sustainable Battery Packs 
    Matt Boback, Senior Manager, Battery Applications - Henkel

    1:45 p.m.
    Designing Shred-Free, Recyclable Batteries via Molecular Self-Assembly
    Dr. Yukio Cho, Stanford Energy Postdoctoral Fellow - Stanford University

    2:15 p.m.
    NextState™ BMS – From Battery Diagnostics to Intelligent, Sustainable Management
    Clemens van Zeyl, Managing Director - Heimdalytics

    2:30 p.m.
    Transforming Resources to Power a More Connected, Sustainable World
    Erich Esser, Managing Director GER/A - Ecobat

    2:45 p.m.
    EV and EV Battery Supply Chain Trade and Production  
    David Coffin, Senior International Economist - U.S. International Trade Commission

    3:15 p.m.
    Concluding Remarks 
    Mitra O'Malley, Managing Director and Co-founder - The ITB Group

     

    svp 25 general event pics (1)

    Note: ITB will photograph the conference for promotional purposes. By participating in the conference you grant ITB permission to use your likeness in any/all conference related promotions.

     

     

     

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    Conference Chairpersons

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    Mitra O'Malley
    Managing Director and Co-Founder - The ITB Group
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    1_Mitra_bio_2 B&W

    Mitra O'Malley

    Managing Director and Co-Founder - The ITB Group

    Ms. O’Malley is one of the founding partners of The ITB Group in 1992. As Managing Director, she focuses on technology feasibility and business development activities in automotive acoustics, interior and exterior. Her specific areas of specialty include cabin technologies (materials, processing and function integration). Ms. O’Malley has 40 years of
    experience in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Lowell
    with a Master’s degree in Plastics Engineering.

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    Dr. Joel Kopinsky
    Managing Director and Co-Founder - The ITB Group
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    Dr. Joel Kopinsky

    Managing Director and Co-Founder - The ITB Group

    Dr. Kopinsky (Ph.D. Chemical Engineering and MBA) is responsible for The ITB Group’s consulting assignments in energy storage, vehicle emissions, and hydrogen-based systems for mobility. In addition, Dr. Kopinsky leads ITB’s work related to start-up mentoring and M&A transactions. Over the past 30+ years he has completed a variety of strategic and technical feasibility consulting projects for leading suppliers, OEMs and investment banks in North America, Europe and Asia. Over the last few years, Dr. Kopinsky has been involved with mentoring several start-up organizations and is a board member at Mazlite (Toronto, Canada). In the 1980’s, Dr. Kopinsky worked at the General Motors Research Labs followed by the completion of his MBA at Columbia University. On the side, Dr. Kopinsky is an avid clarinetist and long-haul hiker.

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