It's no secret that the mission of Rubber & Plastics News has evolved in recent years, as the world of publishing changes. So instead of just publishing a print edition every two weeks for you to wait and get in your mail to catch up on the news of the industry, our offerings are now much more diverse.
They include a variety of digital products that deliver news in a more timely and focused manner to a range of conferences and exhibits, focusing on different niches within the rubber industry. The reason I'm bringing this up now is the team at RPN over the next few weeks will be busy on all those fronts, with two conferences coming up and a brand new digital offering: our first ever Live-Stream webcast.
Now we're excited—but also a bit nervous—about the Live-Stream event, which will happen on Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. and can be accessed from our website www.rubbernews.com. During the Live-Stream, RPN reporter Kyle Brown and I will discuss the major issues facing the silicone rubber market, which has been particularly active the past couple of years. We will focus on such issues within the sector as market conditions (including pricing), capacity issues, the Asian market, trade issues and future prospects.
The Live-Stream is free but you do have register at www.rubbernews.com/live/silicone.
In August and September, our events and sales teams also are busy putting the final touches on two of our niche conferences. Our International Latex Conference is set for Aug. 6-7 at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn in Fairlawn, Ohio, while our ITEC in Focus session on Green Tires will be held Sept. 25-26 at the Sheraton Suites Hotel in Cuyahoga Falls, just walking distance from RPN's new office.
The International Latex Conference was the first niche conference staged by our publication, and it dates back to the mid-1990s, following the success of our International Tire Exhibition & Conference, a full-fledged exhibition and conference.
Jim Finn, president of Akron Dispersions, has served as conference chairman since the beginning, and he always succeeds in putting together a first-rate program, and this year's agenda is no different. It includes a mix of market-driven papers with a wide range of technical offerings, with a number of familiar names on the program along with some new faces as well.
And Finn always likes to add a bit of fun to the event, complete with a Latex Jeopardy Game and Akron Dispersions' Casino Night, long a popular part of the networking.
To register, visit www.rubbernews.com/LatexEvent.
For the ITEC in Focus Conference, Walter Waddell and Larry Evans once again are handling the conference co-chair duties. The two-day event will include four plenary talks, covering alternative and sustainable natural rubbers and alternatives, new design of tire materials, new approaches of NR/silica compatibility and the effect of tire inflation pressure on electric vehicle performance.
To register, visit www.rubbernews.com/InFocus.