News Release
September 17, 2002

For More Information
Missy Henriksen
(703) 525-0511

Arlington, VA – The Composites Fabricators Association (CFA) has announced that it is changing its name to the American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA). To protect the identity and brand of the organization, the change will occur gradually over the next year, with the two names often appearing together.

Jonathan Spaulding, CCT, CFA’s President, indicated that the change was unanimously supported by CFA’s Board of Directors “to better reflect the composition of our membership and to most appropriately position the industry to our external audiences including legislators, regulators, end-users, and others.”

Supporting that explanation, Spaulding elaborated that CFA has experienced a need to represent itself with an identity that is more easily recognizable than “fabricator.” He revealed, “Often in working with individuals outside the industry, valuable communication time is lost explaining the word “fabricator,” diluting the emphasis of the message we had initially hoped to convey.” He indicated the second key factor for the change “was because the term fabricator is no longer representative of our full manufacturer membership base. Many involved in certain closed molding applications refer to themselves as molders or processors, but never fabricators. Additionally, for our newest 300 members to join us from the International Cast Polymer Association, the word fabricator is employed for someone who installs product, not produces it.”

Delegates to the organization’s August strategic planning summit initially recommended the name change. Missy Henriksen, CAE, CFA’s Executive Director, noted that the word “manufacturer” in the new name was selected to reflect the organization’s continued commitment to those for whom the association was founded ¾ those fabricators or molders or manufacturers who make finished composites products. While we will continue to represent the needs of the composites industry as a whole¾including the interests of suppliers, distributors, academics, consultants, and others, our programming and our core values center around the needs of composites manufacturers, from our beginning 23 years ago to today.”

In a letter sent last week to CFA members, Spaulding noted “we elected to position ourselves with ‘American’ introducing our new name. We are the largest composites trade association in the world and we value our relationships with composites companies and organizations across the globe, but without question, the predominant focus of the Association has been and will continue to be activities in North America, and specifically, the United States. As we continue to be a driving force in shaping regulations and affecting legislation that affects the industry, it is important that decision makers in Washington understand our focus.”

The Association will operate its upcoming show, COMPOSITES 2002, under the CFA banner. Over the next year, it will transition its literature, programs, and services to the ACMA name.

ICPA represents the leading manufacturers, suppliers, fabricators, and installers of cultured marble, cultured granite, cultured onyx, and solid surface kitchen and bath products. ICPA is dedicated to promoting recognition and demand for cast polymer products, representing the industry on legislative and regulatory issues, and maintaining high standards of quality in cast polymer products.

CFA is the largest composites trade association in the world, with more than 900 corporate members representing open and closed molders, their customers and suppliers. The CFA provides a forum for composites professionals to develop and enhance shared opportunities and address common challenges in issues important to their business including technical management, regulatory compliance, training and education.