The Industrial fabrics Association International (IFAI) has officially kicked off the observance of its 100th Anniversary year in 2012 as the largest, longest-running trade association for the specialty fabrics industry. And when its trade show doors open at IFAI Expo Americas 2012 at the Boston Convention Center, Nov. 7-9, 2012, the entire specialty fabrics industry is invited to take part in a momentous three-day centenary celebration.

"We're hosting a party for around 7,000 of our closest friends," says Todd Lindemann, IFAI vice president of conference management, "and a lot of detail and planning is going into the festivities!" Lindemann says this will include a Welcome Reception and 100th Anniversary Party, an IFAI Historical Museum on the show floor with archival materials and photos, music, prizes and lots of fun. Special events will commemorate industry achievements throughout the three-day trade show.

IFAI Expo Americas is literally the specialty fabric industry's one-stop-shop for connecting buyers with sellers, featuring exhibitors from the industry's top companies in fabrics, fiber, films and chemicals, end products, components, equipment and technology services. As one specialty fabrics end product manufacturer recently said, "If you can't find it at IFAI Expo Americas, it probably doesn't exist."

IFAI Expo Americas' strong educational tradition continues with sessions that include CEU credits. Many companies bring their staff to take advantage of this unique face-to-face training by top industry experts, which they could find nowhere else.

In addition to the training tracks IFAI Expo Americas also includes two events which explore highly engineered specialty fabrics solutions:

* The Advanced Textiles Americas 2012 conference, a forum on new research which demonstrates how to use innovative technology to benefit your company's next generation of products.

* The 8th International Conference on Safety and Protective fabrics--a biennial conference which will include a full day of materials research and applications (topics to be announced. Programs are carefully selected by an advisory committee of industry leaders and proposals are being accepted through Feb.1, 2012. A submission form is located at http://www.ifaiexpo.com/aT_education_proposal.cfm 

The IFAI Expo Americas exhibit floor will host one of the largest shows to date, showcasing a diverse and comprehensive representation of industry markets. Bob Varner, account manager from Ascend Performance Materials added: "We've been attending IFAI Expo Americas since the early '90s. This show draws our customers and customers of our customers. The networking is unbelievable."

And for the first time ever, IFAI will co-locate with the JEC Americas 2012 Composites Show and Conferences in its American debut. Combined, there will be more than 600 exhibitors blending fabric, hardware, equipment, tools, software, accessories and services with the composites value chain of polymers, plastics, fibers, glass, carbon fibers, ceramic fibers, resins, adhesives, industrial subcontracting and composites.

Stay tuned for updates on www.ifaiexpo.com

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