Bethel, Conn. — Leaders of the Society of Plastics Engineers' Thermoforming Division have announced they are not going to reschedule the 2017 Thermoforming Conference in Orlando, Fla., that was canceled by Hurricane Irma.
The Thermoforming Division has outlined refund options for attendees and exhibitors.
"Thermoforming Division officers quickly realized the impossibility of securing a new 2017 date and venue at the last minute," said Bret Joslyn, division chairman. "We decided to announce the permanent cancellation of this year's conference as soon as possible so as not to prolong the uncertainty facing our registered attendees and exhibitors, who would be coming from locations across the Americas and overseas."
The SPE division made the announcement Sept. 11. The Thermoforming Conference had been scheduled for Sept. 11-13.
Registered attendees are asked not to contact SPE or the Thermoforming Division about refund options. Instead, they will be contacted by SPE. Attendees will have three options:
First, they can request a refund of the registration fee. People who joined SPE, or renewed their membership, as part of their conference registration will be enrolled in the society for one year at no charge. Refunds will be made to the original form of payment.
Attendees also can credit the 2017 registration fee to the 2018 SPE Thermoforming Conference, set for Sept. 24-26 in Fort Worth, Texas.
They can also donate the registration fee to relief efforts for Hurricane Irma. The Thermoforming Division will contribute the money to the American Red Cross.
Those options also apply to 2017 conference sponsors and exhibitors.
More information is available at thermoformingdivision.com.
Hurricane Irma also forced the cancellation of the CAMX show, which was to run Sept. 11-14 in Orlando. The trade show features composites and advanced materials.
In a statement issued Sept. 8, CAMX organizers said they expected to announce the rescheduled dates for CAMX 2017, pending conditions in Orlando and recovery rates. All pre-registered attendees will receive information on registration options once the new dates are confirmed.
CAMX information can be found at www.thecamx.org/camx-2017-hurricane-irma-update.
Another trade show, in Atlanta, is going on as scheduled. GlassBuild America officials said that the show, which covers the glass, window and door industry, is running Sept. 12-14.
GlassBuild America organizers said they are committed to safety and security of everyone at the trade show, and they are following all precautions. "However, unless and until the mayor of Atlanta and the governor of Georgia declare a state of emergency and require evacuations for the Atlanta area, the show will go on as planned. This is standard operating procedure for all trade shows and events, and we are following the protocols in place," they said in a statement issued Sept. 8, and updated Sept. 10.
