The 2009 Pan American Laminates Conference has been relocated from the Cayman Islands to Toronto, Canada.

At the time the preparations started it looked like a great idea: to host a conference in the tropical paradise of the Cayman Islands. Now, 18 months and one world economic crisis later, the exotic location has turned out to be a burden rather than an attraction.

“That’s when we decided to react,” explained Kurt Fischer, Founder and Managing Director of Technical Conference Management (TCM). “We canceled our arrangements at Cayman and moved the conference to mainland North America.”

The idea behind the Cayman conference was to enhance the social character of the meeting and facilitate the exchange of ideas by providing a pleasant environment, but the new economic situation calls for a more practical approach and more budget-oriented conference facilities.

The new venue will be Toronto, Canada. Toronto can easily be reached from all industry locations in the US as well as in Canada. Also, European delegates have far easier access to Toronto than they would have had to Georgetown. Lower airfares and hotel rates will enable more delegates to attend. And at the end of the day it is not the location that accounts for the success of a conference, but the number of attendees.

Key presentations at the conference will be given by Renee Hytry-Derrington of Formica Corporation and Jaime Velez of the renowned architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLC.

Fischer extends an invitation to speak at the conference: “We are still accepting proposals for presentations at the conference. Of course, sponsors of the conference are also still welcome.”

HISTORY OF THE LAMINATES CONFERENCES

The first TCM Laminates Conference was held in Vienna, Austria in 2002, attracting 250 delegates. Since then the Laminates Conference and its spin-off conferences (Wood-based Panels Conference, Decor Surfaces Conference and Decor Foils Conference) have traveled around the world, making stops in Shanghai, Berlin, Montreal, Prague, Amsterdam, Vienna, Salzburg, and Barcelona. Many of the attendees are regular visitors who use the conference to stay in touch with the global industry. Future events are scheduled in Stockholm, Sweden, and Innsbruck, Austria.

TCM AMERICAS

In 2008, Technical Conference Management began talks with Bedford Falls Communications to form a joint venture for organizing events in America. Plans were finalized in early 2009 by forming TCM Americas. This joint venture will have offices in the USA and in Europe, and will be the platform for all further activities in North and South America.

EXECUTIVE ADVISORY BOARD

Another important step was taken in spring of 2009: The members the of Decorative and Industrial Laminates Committee, which had organized the DIL Symposia in Atlanta until 2008, decided to dissolve the DIL committee and join forces with TCM on the organization of conferences in North and South America. The 16 members of the now called “Executive Advisory Board” will consult TCM Americas on future events.

EXECUTIVE ADVISORY BOARD
George Andrea, Hexion Specialty Chemicals
John Beck, Sauder Woodworking
John Benson, KapStone Paper
Jean Briere, Shaw Industries
Stephen Canary, Panolam Industries
Dave Field, Interprint
Michel Fortin, CDM Decor Papers
David Healy, Healy & Associates
Terry Jenkins, KapStone Paper
Scott Laprade, Interprint
Lee Miller, DSM Melamine Americas
Holbrook Platts, Platts Laminate Technologies
James Scott, MWV Specialty Papers
Linn Yeager, DSM Melamine Americas

ORGANIZER
Technical Conference Management KEG Fasangasse 1
A-2103 Langenzersdorf, Austria
Phone:
Telefax: +43 (0)2244 33870-20
Email: office@tcman.at
Website: www.tcman.at

CONFERENCE WEBSITE
www.laminates-conference.com