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Experts in the field who convert and process flexible, web-based materials will discuss solutions to modern problems. According to Bob Chiricosta, ICE USA show director, several exhibitors have reserved larger booth space – some even doubling in size from the 2013 show – for the purpose of being able to demonstrate running machinery. Several of these companies have doubled their booth size from the 2013 show. Maxcess, for example, has increased its exhibition to 1,200 square feet.
“Many of the companies are increasing their presence at ICE USA 2015 so they can bring running equipment to the show,” says Chiricosta. “Other companies are increasing their booth space because they know that ICE USA is the premier converting event in North America that attracts the decision-makers they want to reach.”
Other companies at least doubling the footprint of their exhibition space include Azco Corp., Innovative Machine Corporation, International Machinery Company, Laem Systems SRL, Overbridge Technology, Radiant Energy Systems, Beijing Zodnogoc Automatic Technology and Teknikor.
SpecMetrix by Sensory Analytics tripled its 2013 booth space from 100 to 300 square feet, and several other exhibitors have increased the size of their booths by 50% or more.
“We think for a show like this it’s important to have a lot of machinery on the floor so that customers can see what we do and how our machines run,” says Bob Pasquale, president of New Era Converting Machinery.
ICE USA 2013 attracted more than 350 exhibitors and several thousand converting professionals from 44 countries.
Ask the Experts
Converters attending ICE USA have the opportunity to solve specific problems and overcome technical challenges thanks to an expanded Ask the Experts program.
This program offers one-on-one complimentary appointments with some of the industry’s leading consultants and has been expanded to include two new experts and more opportunities to meet with the existing five experts.
German Laverde and Kenneth McCarthy, the newest industry experts to participate in the program, will address business in Latin America and clean room coating solutions, respectively.
Laverde will present a keynote address entitled “Expanding Your Business Opportunities in Latin America: Realities & Challenges” to lead off the February 11 conference program. With more than 30 years of business experience in the Latin American marketplace, Laverde has held senior management positions at Exiplast and Plastilene in his native country of Colombia. In the USA, he has served in a variety of management positions with Battenfeld Gloucester Engineering and has headed up Latin American sales for PTI and Cloeren Incorporated.
“Although my presentation will focus on the Latin American marketplace, I will also address specific strategies and offer valuable insights that can be beneficial to converters doing business in North America and around the world,” says Laverde. “I will provide information and examples of how cultural challenges, market trends, common misconceptions and language barriers can affect business opportunities.”
Laverde has also chaired the flexible packaging division of the Society of Plastics Engineers and is a member of SPI’s NPE operations committee. In addition, he has published papers and presented at TAPPI, ANTEC, AMI and numerous other conferences across the globe.
“Ask the Experts is definitely one of the most popular and valuable features of ICE USA,” adds Chiricosta.“I had converters tell me that their sessions with our experts at the 2013 show helped them solve some very difficult technical challenges and saved their companies significant resources.”
The two newcomers will join Edward Cohen (web coating), Vincent DiTrolio (flexo printing), Dave Roisum (web handling and converting), Kelly Robinson (static control) and Dave Rumson (slitting and rewinding).
Cohen currently is technical consultant for AIMCAL and president of the International Society of Coating Science and Technology. He has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University and a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Delaware.
DiTrolio has more than 20 years of experience in the flexographic industry. He is the founder and CEO of DiTrolio Flexographic Institute and is responsible for the training of hundreds of press operators.
Roisum has authored seven books, including Winding, Rollers and Web Handling, and is a well-known authority in the area of web handling and converting. He is also a principal of Finishing Technologies Inc., providing consulting services to more than 300 clients who convert or manufacture: paper, film, foil, nonwovens, textiles and many other materials.
Robinson is the founder of Electrostatic Answers, an engineering consulting company dedicated to eliminating injury and waste from static electricity. Kelly is also a contributing editor for Paper, Film & Foil Converter and writes “Static Beat,” a monthly column on static control.
Rumson has 17 years slitting and winding experience with Dienes Corporation and Parkinson Technologies. He has presented for CEMA, AIMCAL and TAPPI for over 20 years and has conducted numerous nationwide public and corporate shear, crush and razor slitting seminars.
Attendees can schedule complimentary 15-minute appointments with any of the experts during all three days of the show. They are available February 10 and 11 from 1 PM – 4 PM and February 12 from 1 PM – 3 PM, with the exception of German Laverde.
AIMCAL educational sessions
AIMCAL, the Association of Industrial Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators, will present an array of technical sessions featuring key insights from the industry’s leading experts. The educational program has more than three-dozen technical sessions planned.
The educational sessions are designed to provide converting professionals with knowledge they can use to enhance their companies’ performance in regards to a variety of coating, web handling, surface treatment and winding and slitting topics.
The Technical Conference is divided into three parallel session tracks of 30 minutes each so attendees may mix and match sessions during all three days of the conference.
“Any converting professional who coats, slits, winds or is involved with web handling won’t want to miss this ICE USA educational conference,” says Craig Shepard, AIMCAL’s executive director. “What makes this experience so valuable is that they can learn about innovative technologies and techniques in the seminars and then see them in action from more than 300 of the leading suppliers on the show floor.”
Each day of the educational program will begin with a keynote presentation, which is free to all registered attendees and will be followed by 12 technical sessions – four in each of the three tracks. The sessions are scheduled from 10 AM to noon to allow attendees ample time to visit the show floor.
Pre-show
Prior to the opening of the 2015 ICE USA, CEMA (Converting Equipment Manufacturers Association) will present two concurrent sessions on February 9 – the Coating & Laminating Technical Seminar and the Slitting & Rewinding Seminar.
Both seminars are condensed versions of CEMA two-day seminars and were created exclusively for ICE USA.
Attendees will learn the web coating and slitting and rewinding operations from unwind to rewind and everything in between. Instructors will provide real world tips for improving productivity, reducing downtime and waste and increasing yield and throughput.
“There will be a variety of new equipment and technologies displayed for the very first time at ICE USA, which means the converting professionals that attend will gain a huge competitive advantage,” Chiricosta says.