Conference to Examine Plastics Trends in Construction

Profiles 2007, the 7th international conference focusing on the use of plastics in construction, is coming to North America for the first time. Organized by Applied Market Information LLC, a UK-based market research firm serving the global plastics industry, the event takes place June 5-6 at the Hilton Charlotte Center City in Charlotte, NC.

The Profiles conference has previously been held in Europe, with a focus on the technology used there, notes Sally Humphreys, AMI’s business development manager. Attendees represent all elements of the supply chain, including suppliers of polymers and additives, extruders and manufacturers, she adds. AMI also organizes an annual wood-plastics composites conference with an overlapping audience, which has attracted U.S. delegates.

Topics include the latest developments in materials, manufacturing and applications of plastic building profiles. John Swanson, editor and associate publisher of Window & Door, will give the opening address at the conference, offering an overview on the North American window and door market. Window manufacturers scheduled to speak include Tyson Schwartz of Gorell Windows & Doors, who will examine the use of vinyl in impact-resistant windows and Jeffrey Miller of Comfort Line Inc., who will focus on new developments in pultruded lineals for fenestration applications.

Color and finish options will be reviewed by numerous speakers, including Roman Hawrylko of Polyone, Kaye Evans of Royal Mouldings and Kathryn Brannam of the Shepherd Color Co. Representatives of American Renolit, Delle Vedove and Jowat are giving a joint paper about the possibilities for thermoplastic film for PVC profiles and how to apply it to profiles in the manufacturing process. Color and weathering will also be the subject of presentations from Lyondell, Q-Lab, Tronox, Lanxess and DuPont Titanium Technologies.

Other speakers will discuss new manufacturing and processing technologies. Hans-Juergen Matthesius of Cincinnati Extrusion will speak on profile coextrusion. Peter Zut of Krauss-Maffei is talking about the latest equipment for extruding PVC profiles, while Robert Perrault of Pallmann Maschinenfabrik will discuss recycling equipment for PVC extruders.

Finally, the session will conclude with three presentations on wood plastic composites from Inhance/Fluoro-Seal, Dupont, and American Wood Fibers.

Early bird registration for the event is $800. Further information about the conference is available by contacting AMI at 610/478-0800 or visiting the conference Web site at www.amiplastics.com/ami/AMIConference.asp?EventID=108.

By John G. Swanson, editor/associate publisher of Window & Door magazine