Two industry thought leaders in composites manufacturing push for the advancement of composites worldwide through strategic partnership, global standards, and innovative technology at its first-ever Global Composites Conference in Las Vegas.
July 30, 2018 (Arlington, Va.) – On June 27 – 28, 2018, composites manufacturing business leaders and experts from North America and Europe assembled in Las Vegas, NV for the inaugural Global Composites Conference. The new international composites industry event, hosted by American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) and NetComposites, was designed for corporate leaders in the industry with a focus on global business, trends, and insights for the global composites market.
“In light of the realities of global competition facing the composites manufacturing industry, ACMA and NetComposites believed it was important for industry business leaders to come together to expand our understanding of the opportunities and challenges from a global perspective. In order to thrive in a global marketplace, business leaders must expand their perspective and build strategic partnerships that promote growth and efficiency on a global scale,” said Tom Dobbins, ACMA President.
With over 10 conference sessions, the Global Composites conference program delivered fresh insights into the global business environment. Conference highlights included the opening keynote, “The Evolution of the Global Supply Chain” which was presented by speakers Hamid Kia from General Motor and Probir Guha from Coats North America. These dynamic presenters guided attendees on an in-depth look at the material selection process, and explained what GM looks for from its supply chain partners, including standardization, manufacturing capabilities, and sustainability.
Day two featured a comprehensive session headlined by GE Global Research Wind Blade Technology Leader, Shridhar Nath. The session was followed by a panel discussion featuring JP Schroeder of Scott Bader, Terrance Barken of The Graphene Council, and Matt Alva of e-Xstream Engineering. The panelists shared their unique insights on the hottest global technology trends to watch, including autonomous vehicles, smart materials and the global nanocomposite and graphene market.
The conference concluded with a closing keynote titled “Thinking in Composites.” Session presenters, Bill Kreysler of Kreysler & Associates and Robert E. Steffen of Western Carolina University, inspired the attendees with examples of how thinking creatively in the engineering and design phase leads to unexpected and stunning uses of composites materials in building and architecture.
In addition to the conference program, attendees networked and shared with companies from around the world, expanding their professional network and learning from experts and leaders that are thriving in a competitive global marketplace.
“A major value for conference attendees was the diversity of attendees. Attendees came from all levels—some were novice or in the planning phases for global business and others were already global leaders. The event facilitated in-depth discussion and learning for attendees at all levels, helping our industry leaders to see beyond their domestic markets and leverage all of their resources, including partners, knowledge and data to establish a competitive advantage,” said Joe Carruthers, NetComposites’ Managing Director.
Questions regarding the conference program can be submitted to info@globalcompositesconference.com. Visit www.globalcompositesconference.com for additional information, including conference agenda, the detailed conference schedule, and a listing of exhibitors. A second Global Composites Conference is being planned for 2020.