SPE Thermoforming Board Cancels 2009 Conference

The Society of Plastics Engineers’ Thermoforming Board of Directors has cancelled its Annual Thermoforming Conference scheduled for September 2009 and will instead focus its marketing energies on the Thermoforming Division’s multi-exhibitor Thermoforming World Pavilion at NPE2009. The Division has instituted a new program of incentives for current and prospective exhibitors in the Pavilion.

NPE2009 takes place June 22-26 at Chicago’s McCormick Place and will be the year’s largest plastics event by far. “While the conference cancellation is a response to the economic trouble affecting the plastics industry, it enables our Division to take greater advantage of the marketing potential afforded by a prominent presence at NPE2009, and to better prepare for the 2010 Thermoforming Conference, which is likely to take place during better economic times,“ said Donald Kruschke, Marketing Committee Chairman and Executive Vice President of Solon, Ohio-based Stopol, Inc.

“The goal of the Pavilion is to bolster awareness of the Thermoforming Division and serve as a platform to increase overall thermoforming interest and attendance at our 2010 annual Conference,” said Kruschke.

“As we were preparing the final stages of our Annual Thermoforming Conference, we realized there were significant headwinds preventing us from having a successful event,” according to Brian Ray, Division Chairman and President of Ontario, Calif.’s Ray Products, Inc. “Many companies have issued travel bans and we’ve noticed attendance decreases at other industry conferences. We are committed to delivering a top-notch event to our exhibitors and attendees, and we believe that we need to give the economy a chance to recover in order to accomplish that.”

Thermoforming companies that already have submitted deposits for the 2009 Conference can request the return of the deposit by sending a letter to Conference Coordinator Gwen Mathis, apply the deposit toward the 2010 Thermoforming Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin or apply the funds toward their sponsorship in the Pavilion at NPE2009.

For more information, contact Gwen Mathis, SPE Thermoforming Division, 706-235-9298, Fax: 706-295-4276, E-mail: gmathis224@aol.com.