As you may know, the World Batch Forum has been struggling mightily over the last couple of years, which is too bad, because the group has always been a good source of engineering information. So I was glad to find this email from WBF Chairman Bill Wray in my mailbox first thing this morning.
2010 North American Conference
WBF is very excited to announce our plans for the 2010 WBF North American Conference on May 24 - 26 in Austin, TX. WBF has always had a reputation for hosting first rate conferences, and this year promises to be another good one.
The conference will be focused on ACHIEVING OPERATIONS STRENGTH and will provide opportunities for you to see and hear how your peers are implementing procedural control strategies that allow manufacturers to increase profit, quality, and efficiency.
The University of Texas, J.J. Pickle Research campus and the city of Austin will provide an extraordinary setting for the conference, as well as some unique night life after a long day of deep thinking.
Keynote speakers will include Dr. Thomas Edgar, chair of the Chemical Engineering Dept. at UT-Austin and expert on process monitoring, modeling, and optimization, as well as Dr. Patrick Kennedy, CEO of OSIsoft, a software company focused on connecting people with the right information, at the right time, to analyze, collaborate, and act.
As always, the centerpiece of the conference will be many presentations by engineers and technicians that discuss HOW procedural control standards S88 and S95 have recently been implemented at companies such as Pfizer, Lubrizol, Shire Pharmaceuticals, and Dow Chemical. Topics will include not only batch process control, but continuous and discrete - manufacturing areas that also benefit from the application of these standards.
Additional conference activities will include the Control Magazine Hall of Fame dinner, a vendor showcase and reception, and tutorials on Make2Pack and B2XML.
But maybe the most important aspect of the conference is networking with your peers and getting to spend time in a relaxed environment discussing ideas with some of the world's leading experts in procedural control and integrating enterprise systems with manufacturing systems. All this while wearing cowboy boots and listening to some of the best music around while sippin' on a cold long-neck. It just doesn't get any better.
A limited number of conference sponsorship opportunities and vendor exhibit spaces are now available. What a fantastic way for equipment and software suppliers, as well as system integrators, to share their message with a group of end users thirsting for knowledge.
Registration is now open! Please follow the below links to download forms for registration, sponsorship, and exhibit space.
Conference Attendee Registration Form
Sponsor Packet
Exhibitor Flier
Sponsor/Exhibitor Registration Form
Mark your calendars for this one. It will be worth the trip.
