Next Round of Conferences Spring Up

Snow drops, Hepatica and Anemone aren’t the only things cropping up. This year the spring equinox fell on March 20, marking the astronomical first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. It also heralds the next round of trade shows and conferences where the advantages of FRP composites in infrastructure applications will be on full display. First up is the Design Build Conference in Cincinnati from April 8 to 11.  This conference is split into two parts.  The event’s first two days focus on transportation while the second two days cover water/wastewater applications.  As part of the newly expanded Creative Composites Group, the show allows us to exhibit product offerings for each of these areas.  In the transportation infrastructure arena Composite Advantage (CA), ET Techtonics and Creative Pultrusions (CP) will feature rail platforms, bridges and fender protection. On the waterfront, CP and Kenway Composites will display flooring, sludge flights, structural shapes, chemical storage tanks, piping, ducts and covers.  If you plan to attend the conference, stop by and see us at Booth #342.

The design-bid-build approach for infrastructure affords FRP composites the opportunity to make a larger, faster impact because designers, contractors and suppliers are included in the design phase of a project. Sharing information and practicing transparency early on sets the stage for analysis of where FRP offers the most value. For example, the labor and time savings generated by installing lightweight, prefabricated FRP structures can be quantified in dollars, a universal language everyone understands.  Solid cost savings for the team makes a better case for new technology than general assertions that FRP will save money down the line.  I also like that product delivery happens much sooner after initial discussions than the traditional path of a sequential supply chain that moves from owner to designer, contractor and supplier; with multiple iterations between each.

Upcoming conferences for the Creative Composites Group in the next few months are:

We welcome the opportunity to tout the benefits of FRP composites, so make plans to visit with us at one of these trade shows or reach out by email or phone.   We are ready to answer your questions (and for spring.)