NEWTOWN, CONN.—The Society of Plastics Engineers' Antec Dubai 2014 technical conference drew 170 attendees to hear more than 60 presentations and workshops on injection molding and thermoforming, Jan. 21-22.
The event, held at the JW Marriott Hotel in Dubai, UAE, was the first SPE Antec held in the region, said Raed Al-Zu'bi, chairman of the conference and president of SPE's Middle East Section.
"Holding this inaugural conference in Dubai underscores not only the importance of the Gulf States region for our industry but also SPE's commitment to bring qualified knowledge and networking opportunities to the plastics industry around the globe," Al-Zu'bi said.
In another global move, on Dec. 11-12, SPE held its first conference in China, Medical Devices & Packaging, in Shanghai.
Newtown-based SPE plans to take the full Antec conference China, as well as Latin America, in future years.
And in December 2014, SPE will hold its second Antec Mumbai in India, expected to attract more that 500 attendees, said SPE's CEO, Willem De Vos. The first Antec in India was held in 2012.
SPE activists also are gearing up for the U.S. Antec conference, April 28-30 in Las Vegas. That event, with 600 confirmed speakers, should draw about 2,000 people, society officials said.