Dear Colleague,
As in past meetings, ITEC 2006 continues to build upon past experiences, both good and bad. With a background of more than 12 years as "a work in progress," this meeting continues to refine itself. We want to improve our ability to generate and transmit practical information that meets your needs.
Akron is usually not considered a vacation destination. It is, however, a major centralized information/knowledge resource for the worldwide rubber industry. The reasons for your being here are clear: You and your companies are looking for ways to improve the product and improve the business. The technology and manufacturing presentations will hopefully validate many of your technical and manufacturing practices and decisions. And most important, you'll gain new insights that may indicate a better approach or a less costly solution.
Of the 70+ scheduled presentations, there will be some that you feel are absolutely relevant to issues with which you are now dealing. Other presentations may have less application to your business. With such an intentionally eclectic assortment, you need a systematic strategy these three days to optimize the meeting's value to you. This year's program of two concurrent sessions should be more helpful for your scheduling than the previous meetings' three sessions.
The program does not package subject areas in tight groupings. This is to encourage a more dynamic movement between the two meeting rooms and make it easier to attend sessions that will broaden your view of the industry.
Delegates will have an opportunity to express their expertise and opinions as they participate in a newly instituted peer review session dealing with a proposal that addresses the effect of low tread depth on wet traction. The current issue of RPN features this paper as a Technical Notebook Article. What was the data base for the original "2/32 standard"? What does current data tell us? Is it time for an upgrade? What are the other advantages that could result from this proposal? What are the off-sets?
Oxidation of tires in service is another hot-button topic. A broad range of presentations dealing with this complex subject can be a basis for a major paradigm shift in the near future.
Can you get a few percent points more productivity improvement or higher quality out of your mill room? The tools are in the presentations. How about laser imprinting of tire sidewalls? The technology is here…are you ready? An interesting run-flat technology (from outside the industry) that was presented at ITEC 2004 will be updated. Each presentation presents an opportunity.
Please plan your strategy to exploit the meeting for its full range of nuggets. This is your meeting, and we are all here to help you achieve your specific goals.
As you know, preparing a paper is a major effort and commitment by the presenter and his/her company. We are fortunate to have a very respected group of industry people and companies that have contributed to this program. My sincere thanks to the presenters, all the delegates and all the companies that have made ITEC both a global success and model for others to follow.
Sincerely yours,
Harold Herzlich
Technical Editor, Rubber and Plastics News
ITEC Conference Chairman
Past Chairman, Rubber Division 1982
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