The International Tire Exhibition and Conference is back, and in force. Sponsored by Rubber & Plastics News, ITEC was born two years ago in Akron. The event was a big success, with the trade show and technical sessions drawing more than 2,000 people.
ITEC '96, which runs Sept. 10-12 at the John S. Knight Center in Akron, should be even more extensive. The conference will have more than 97 papers, and the long sold-out exhibition will feature 100 suppliers of materials, equipment and services to tire manufacturers. Preregistration already is at 1,715.
A special draw this time around will be the Automotive Challenge Roundtable. Speakers from six original equipment customers will discuss what the automotive industry needs from tire companies.
The rapid change taking place in business is an impetus for any of the world's tire manufacturers to attend the event. Indeed, representatives of tire makers from more than 30 countries have preregistered for ITEC.
See you there.
The Rubber Manufacturers Association lost a loyal, competent employee Aug. 25 when Dominic Olivieri died at age 53.
Olivieri was the statistics guru of the RMA. For more than 20 years, he had the responsibility of collecting and analyzing data from the association's membership. The member companies in turn used this important information to devise their own strategic plans.
Olivieri served the association and its members well during his tenure. He will be missed.
Maybe higher prices can have a positive effect.
After a long period of raw material price hikes, the price bubble seems to have burst for suppliers. Prices for synthetic rubber, in particular, no longer are increased virtually every month.
On one hand, that's good news for rubber processors who had to pay the increases or try to pass them on to customers. At the same time, the long-running excuse for raising rubber product prices now lacks validity.