Delegates from a wide cross-section of organisations related to the bitumen and asphalt industries - mostly from across Europe, but also from further afield - heard a diverse mix of speakers share their expert insights on six key themes: tomorrow’s world, tomorrow’s roads, tomorrow’s asphalt; financing solutions; sustainability; health and safety best practice and future trends; new technologies; and communication.

Created to provide a unique, highly-interactive platform for asphalt industry stakeholders to share thoughts and discuss ideas about how we can prepare our industry to meet future challenges, the event was anchored superbly by professional moderator Katrina Sichel.

Through their smart devices, each participant had access to an easy-to-use audience interaction device, Sli.do. This made it easy for delegates to have their own say, either with their name visible or anonymously, encouraged lively debate, enabled real-time audience polling and Questions & Answers with the experts.

The high level of interaction between attendees contributed to a very positive atmosphere, which extended to the successful networking evening and dinner at a special Berlin venue, Wasserwerk.

The inaugural E&E Event attracted a high level of interest and support from key sponsors: including Gold sponsors Nynas and TOTAL; Silver sponsors Rosneft Deutschland and Shell Bitumen; and Bronze sponsors ExxonMobil, Kraton, ORLEN Asfalt, Puma Energy, Sasobit and Vialit Asphalt. E&E Event 2018 also attracted 63 exhibitors and nine media partners.

In his closing remarks, Eurobitume President Christophe Jacquet said: “Our objective was to deliver a platform for you to discuss and debate key challenges that our industry will face in the coming years. To create an environment for sharing best practices, learning from others and exchanging ideas to help form common ambitions on what we as an industry can do better to be prepared for the future.

“I believe that with your involvement we have produced a list of key session takeaways which go a long way towards getting ourselves prepared for the future. A big thank you for your participation and making this happen!”

The success of this inaugural Eurobitume and EAPA joint Event has paved the way for planning the next one in four years’ time, in 2022. The aim is to promote the date and venue during the next E&E Congress in Madrid, on 12-14 May, 2020.