Press Release:
News for Immediate Release

ACMA Announces Successful COMPOSITES+POLYCON 2009

January 29, 2009 (Arlington, Va.) – Despite the current downturn in the economy, participants left COMPOSITES+POLYCON 2009 feeling positive about opportunities in the composites industry, announced the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA), which held its annual show January 15-17, 2009, in Tampa, Fla.

COMPOSITES+POLYCON packed education sessions and networking events and offered more than 180 satisfied exhibitors and 2,500 delegates a chance to gain a better understanding of new opportunities in the industry and its current direction. Innovative new products were also displayed onsite, including ACMA's prestigious ACE and Pinnacle Awards.

"This was a quality show from every perspective," says ACMA President John Tickle, Strongwell Corporation, Bristol, Va. "Although attendance was down—as we had expected—from last year's show, the people who came were seriously interested in doing business. They came with a mission: to get good leads, participate in education sessions and technical presentations, and to learn more about the codes, standards and issues in which ACMA is actively involved on behalf of the entire industry."

The largest composites industry event in North America, COMPOSITES+POLYCON 2009 drew people from nearly every state and 35 countries. Several hundred attendees gathered for the General Session to hear what leading economist Dr. Roger Tutterow, Mercer University, Atlanta, Ga., had to say about the current economic crisis and what it means for the composites industry. Industry leaders crowded the annual awards luncheon to honor industry leaders and to recognize product innovations.

During exhibit hall hours, entries for ACMA’s Awards for Composites Excellence (ACE), sponsored by AOC, Composites One and Ashland, were on display on the trade show floor. These awards are to recognize technology advancements in the composites industry. The entries for the Pinnacle Awards Competition, sponsored by Reichhold, also were on display to salute creativity and innovation in the cast polymer industry. Both ACE and Pinnacle awards were presented during the show’s award luncheon.

There were 49 education sessions and 36 technical paper presentations that were heavily attended, in addition to dozens of ACMA committee meetings and business sessions. Conference attendees participated in Certified Composites Technician certification tutorials and 10 composites professionals took certification exams on site during COMPOSITES+POLYCON 2009.

This year, 31 Tampa area Boy Scouts had a chance to visit the exhibition floor, talk to industry professionals and participate in a hands-on skate board lamination activity - all earning credit toward the Boy Scouts' Composites Materials Merit Badge. The ACMA developed the badge in 2006 as part of its "Think Composites" program to encourage young people to learn about composites.

COMPOSITES+POLYCON 2010 will be held February 9-11, 2010, at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. For more information about COMPOSITES+POLYCON, visit www.acmashow.org.

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With more than 850 member companies, The American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA) is the world’s largest trade group representing the composites industry. ACMA publishes a monthly magazine, Composites Manufacturing, offers a universal, comprehensive training program for fabricators - Certified Composites Technician - and provides strong, proactive leadership in technical, government and regulatory affairs. In addition, ACMA hosts the largest tradeshow in North America with supplier and fabricator representatives from all market segments. For membership information, call 703-525-0511 or email:Info@acmanet.org. Visit ACMA's website at www.acmanet.org.