WBF announces plans for 2007 North American Meeting of the Minds conference

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC -- August 14, 2006 -- WBFannounced that its 2007 North American Conference will be held May 1 - 3, 2007 at Tremont Suites Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.

This annual event showcases the automation profession's leading experts addressing manufacturing system control, from batch to continuous, discrete, and hybrid processes, from production planning to equipment automation. Keynote speakers, panels, and discussion forums will provide focus on implementation of industry standards including ISA-88, ISA-95, B2MML, and Make2Pack. WBF's collaborative activities with ISA, OMAC, CSIA, and MESA also will be highlighted.

The event will feature practical tutorials and technical working group meetings addressing Make2Pack and B2MML on April 30 and May 3-4. Networking opportunities will be featured at a group event on the evening of May 1 and a special sponsor showcase on the evening of May 2.

Participants will have the opportunity to participate in discussions on such topics as lean manufacturing, implementation of ISA-95, tips for implementing change in process management, keeping plants competitive, and much more. Experts from around the world will be presenting on these and other hot topics in the industry today.

"The sessions we offer will give attendees practical information that they can take back to their plant and implement, enabling them to deliver value and meet defined business drivers," said conference chair Bill Stewart of The Dow Chemical Company.

"Each year, we present keynotes that give attendees a glimpse of the future of our industry, and we take great pride in that," said WBF Chairman Maurice Wilkins. He also added that time and again, people come to WBF conferences for the unique networking opportunities with industry peers.

For more information, or to register for the conference, visit www.wbf.org or call (919) 314-3970.