LOUDON, Tenn.—Ongoing COVID-19 travel restrictions have prompted the Polyurethane Foam Association to relocate its November conference from Toronto to Charlotte, N.C.
"Since there is still uncertainty about travel between the U.S. and Canada this fall, members preferred a U.S. location for this meeting," Russ Batson, executive director of PFA, said in a statement. "We're grateful to Omni Hotels and Resorts for helping us relocate to their Charlotte property so our meeting can go forward at a first-class facility with robust attendance."
PFA's twice-a-year meetings include flexible polyurethane foam manufacturers, chemical suppliers, equipment makers, and other companies supporting the industry. Sessions and discussions focus on a variety of topics including environmental, health and safety best practices; legal and regulatory activity; developments in end-user markets; and technical innovations.
Additionally, CertiPUR-US will hold its sessions live in conjunction with PFA's November conference.
PFA will release a call for papers for the fall meeting shortly.
Batson is hopeful that the fall meeting will look more like the meetings hosted pre-pandemic. The association's first post-pandemic, in-person meeting was held in May at the Vinoy Renaissance in St. Petersburg, Fla., and about 40 people attended the event remotely due to travel restrictions.
The remote attendance option will be available during the fall session, but Batson hopes more people will be comfortable attending in person.
"We'll maintain the online option for attending, but we're eager to welcome most of our colleagues back for food, drink and networking," he said.
Founded in 1980, the Polyurethane Foam Association aims to educate foam users, allied industries and stakeholders by providing facts on EHS issues and technical information.