Willem Maarten van Haaften
Senior Research Engineer Materials & Corrosion, Shell, The Netherlands
I wish you a very warm welcome to the 2023 edition of Stainless Steel World! The event will take place from September 26th to 28th in the MECC in Maastricht, the Netherlands. I can hear you thinking: ‘Again?’ Yes! After catching up in Maastricht last year and seeing you all with such vivid enthusiasm, we have decided to organize the SSW event again this year, so we are back on our original (pre-pandemic) bi-annual rhythm. I believe there is plenty to talk about and I am looking forward to a fruitful exchange of ideas and many personal interactions.
It is an honor to be your chairman this year and together with the Steering Committee, we have a fantastic event in the making. Each day starts with plenary lectures addressing global, broader aspects of the Stainless Steels industry. These lectures will provide food for thought as to how crucial end-user markets and the stainless steel industry will develop in the near future. Workshops and technical sessions are to follow, focusing on more hands-on topics.
There will be plenty of opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow-delegates or the presenters. After all, the Stainless Steel World Conference is an excellent networking event, designed to meet up with old acquaintances or come into contact with new members of the global Stainless Steel community.
I am looking forward to meeting you at Stainless Steel World Conference & Expo!
Kind regards,
Willem Maarten van Haaften
Willem Maarten van Haaften holds a PhD in material science from TU Delft, after which he started his career at Tata Steel in IJmuiden, The Netherlands. After ten years of product development and process improvement, he joined Shell in 2012. First in Upstream Technology, later in Materials and Corrosion Technology; two areas where Stainless Steels play a key role. All in all, more than 20 years of experience in application of materials technology. Outside work, he enjoys outdoor activities, preferably with his wife and two children.
