SPESA Hosts Successful 2024 Executive Conference in Montréal, Marking Its First Ever Event in Canada

Press Release

Attendees of the 2024 SPESA Executive Conference heard from leading industry experts from across Canada and the U.S., and also experienced Quebec, firsthand, with both a food tour of Old Montréal and a full-day manufacturing tour of INNOTEX, Cirque du Soleil, and Groupe CTT.

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA) hosted its 2024 Executive Conference Tuesday, October 8 through Thursday, October 10 in Montréal, Quebec, bringing together leaders in sewn products, textiles, and technology for productive and insightful discussions on the future of the industry. The event, which was hosted at Le Mount Stephen hotel, featured attendees and speakers from 3 Canadian Provinces, 12 U.S. States, and 8 countries. 

“Montréal was the perfect host city for our 2024 SPESA Executive Conference,” said Michael McDonald, SPESA President. “One of the highlights of this event being held in different markets each year is that we get the opportunity to meet new people, learn about new companies, and garner a better understanding of both local and regional efforts to support the industry. We took it one step further in Montréal by expanding our outreach to include not only sewn products equipment suppliers and manufacturers, but also experts in the spaces of textiles, energy, and mathematics. The more we learn about different industry segments — and the challenges and opportunities they face — the better we can work together as a cohesive ecosystem.”  

The SPESA Executive Conference is one of the cornerstone events hosted by SPESA annually. As the global sewn products industry continues to evolve, so too does the Executive Conference and its agenda. The 2024 SPESA event was no exception, as it featured a wide array of topics, including a conversation on how to leverage nuclear energy as a new sustainable power source for manufacturing, a case study on crowdsourcing consumers to combat overproduction, and insightful exchanges with Canada-based business leaders and entrepreneurs from around the world.

“The subjects covered during the 2024 SPESA Executive Conference revealed just how complex and intricate our industry is,” said Mark Hatton, SPESA Chairman and Managing Director of Threads America at American & Efird. “It showcased a tangible passion to make our diverse but connected industries more efficient, more sustainable, and better equipped to tackle both current and future challenges. Seeing speaker presentations turn into engaging and productive audience dialogue was very exciting and exemplifies the need for events like this that prioritize forward-thinking learning.” 

The first full day of the 2024 SPESA Executive Conference (October 9) launched with a keynote from seasoned industry advisor Krista Schreiber, an accomplished leader with 25+ years of expertise in apparel and textile development, product operations, supplier strategy, and quality production for world-renowned brands such as Nike, Lululemon, Cotton Incorporated, and Arc’teryx. It was followed by a first-of-its-kind conversation with Rickey Ruff, Founder of Global Nuclear Concepts, who shared his vision for nuclear-powered manufacturing; a fireside chat with Holli Markwald, Prairie Wear CEO, who discussed her brand story and drive to create a more versatile and sustainable bra; and, a panel of young entrepreneurs — featuring Michael Mayr, Founder of silana; Jessica Ramey, Founder of Mercantilia Consulting; and Lila Rousselet, CEO of Montloup — who shared their efforts and visions for the future of the industry.

Afternoon sessions on October 9 kicked off with a panel of local textile industry experts — including Navi Cohen, Vice President of Advanced Materials at SRTX; Carlos Agudelo, Ph.D., Co-founder at Tengiva; and Valerio Izquierdo, Vice President of Business Development and Partnerships at Groupe CTT — who offered insight into their respective industry segments, including software and digital solutions, textile engineering, and materials development. That panel was followed by a conversation on manufacturing in Canada with Bob Kirke of the Canadian Apparel Federation (CAF), and Gabe Elberg and Leslie Schachter of Montréal-based Cansew, Inc., which just celebrated its centennial milestone. SPESA members Leonard Marano, President of the Americas at Lectra, and John Robinson, Senior Strategic Account Manager of Apparel at Aptean, took to the stage next where they discussed how new technology is driving change on the factory floor and the tools needed to build competitive production capabilities.

The day wrapped with entrepreneur Diarra Bousso, the founder of fashion brand DIARRABLU, who presented on how she used her background as a creative mathematician and multidisciplinary artist to create a unique design and manufacturing process that thoughtfully merges the worlds of craftsmanship and algorithms with the goal to reduce waste in fashion. 

In addition to a packed day of panels, keynotes, and conversations with industry experts, SPESA also arranged a full second day of industry tours in Montréal and the surrounding region, including stops at INNOTEX, an innovative manufacturer of turnout gear, Tech Rescue gear, Energy gear, Airflow 3D Technology, and more; the Cirque du Soleil costume workshop at its International Headquarters; and, Groupe CTT, a nonprofit organization specializing in applied research, development, and analysis in the field of technical textiles, geosynthetics, and advanced textile-based materials. 

SPESA will soon announce dates for its 2025 SPESA Advancements in Manufacturing Technologies (Austin, TX) and 2025 Executive Conference (Chicago, IL). SPESA will co-host the Texprocess Americas trade show May 6-8, 2025, in Atlanta, GA.  

To learn more about SPESA and its events, visit www.SPESA.org. To learn more about Texprocess Americas, visit https://texprocess-americas.us.messefrankfurt.com/atlanta/en.html. 

About SPESA

Formed in 1990, SPESA (Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas) is the largest trade association in the Americas solely devoted to the advancement of suppliers of machinery, technology, ancillary equipment, parts, services, and other solutions for the development, manufacture, and distribution of sewn products. SPESA members serve the apparel, upholstered furniture, home textiles, transportation interiors, leather goods, footwear, military, technical/industrial textiles, and other sewn products segments. SPESA promotes and coordinates business and social interaction and provides opportunities for the sharing of industry-specific and general business information for its members and their customers. Learn more at www.spesa.org.

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