THE INTERNATIONAL Rubber Conference 2013 held 20 to 22 March at the Palais des Congres, Porte Maillot in Paris, France had seen a surge of visitors this year compared to last year’s edition.
Last year’s event, held in South Korea only had 20 visitors. This year in France, some 1225 visitors from France, Europe, US and Asia came to the event comprise whilst 330 people attended the Congress.
Organised by AFICEP under the auspices of IRCO, attendees from the global rubber industry came, representing various sectors: automotive, chemical, aeronautics, industrial equipment, the medical industry, pharmaceutical industry, BTP, arms, naval construction, leisure activities, sport and others. One third of these visitors were decision makers.
Seventy six companies including the most specialised of rubber and polymer companies were present at the IRC 2013. Them represented a large range of skills and know-how: suppliers and distributors of raw materials, processing equipment, laboratory equipment… all alongside rubber and polymer processers and companies with various other business activities within the sector.
Bodycote, an exhibitor, was particularly happy with its participation in the event. Its Business Development Manager M. Sylvain Badbedat commented, “We made a large number of important contacts in various activity sectors and representing important movements for our company. We have already got site visits and tests in place!”
Sacred , another exhibitor, also found the experience a positive one. Its CEO Didier Fegly said that the event was “well organised and offered useful contacts both in the world of rubber and business and technical contacts. The whole rubber ‘family’ was represented and our stand at the event enabled us to meet various other companies we weren’t familiar with”.
About 120 conferences and posters took part in the three-day event, supplying first-rate technical information.
The topics covered a whole range of areas that will enable the entire industry to evolve on an international level, responding to market demands.
According to the organisers, that IRC 2013 has been an absolute success, in terms of technical support and in terms of business relationships.