BROOMFIELD, Colo., Aug. 1 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- TITANIUM 2008 is the 24th annual conference and exhibition hosted and organized by Colorado based International Titanium Association (ITA). The conference will be held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, September 21-24th.
The mission for TITANIUM 2008 will be to provide global insights on the state of the titanium industry from a world perspective. "At the end of the day, we believe conference attendees will leave with a more comprehensive understanding of current conditions in key market segments throughout the world," according to Michael Metz, current ITA conference chair. "The point of the conference will be to examine current trends in titanium in all the consuming industry sectors and the ability of the industry to meet the demands of those markets."
For Metz, the president of VSMPO-Tirus U.S., who also serves on the ITA's board of directors, a major catalyst for the titanium industry are the significant demographic changes that are now unfolding in the Middle East, India and China. He described titanium as the "performance enabler" that will be required for desalinization plants in Saudi Arabia, power generators and chemical processing facilities in India and China, and expanded commercial aerospace demand from growing middle-class populations throughout Asia. The key insight is to cultivate an eye for how global markets are linked; or how "missing links" can be identified and filled in by nimble, forward-thinking entrepreneurs.
By way of comparison, industrial growth spurring titanium demand in North America and Europe is not as dynamic, but the demand in commercial aerospace and military applications, including aircraft and ground vehicles makes these geographical regions significant consumers as well, Metz said.
Distinguished luncheon speaker Stuart G. Hoffman, the chief economist for PNC Financial Services Group, will set the tone for the TITANIUM 2008 conference and offer his view of global business trends. During the last two years he has been recognized by USA Today and Business Week as one of the top economic and interest-rate forecasters in North America. "As our keynote speaker, Stuart Hoffman can give us a flavor for world economic trends in major infrastructure projects," Metz said. "These are the key trends that will affect titanium demand. It's more than just how many planes Boeing and Airbus plan to build over the next 10 years. We want attendees to think globally when it comes to doing business."
An undercurrent to Hoffman's remarks will be for conference delegates to gain market intelligence on titanium supplychain issues. Metz -- taking off his conference chair hat and donning the cap of an experienced industry participant and observer -- said the major challenge for the international titanium industry during the next four years will be to better manage the habitual "cat and mouse" game of titanium supply and demand.
"Sponge supply is growing, as is scrap availability. The availability of alloying elements such as vanadium and molybdenum is extremely dynamic," according to Metz. "How these combine to meet the growing demand for titanium metal will be explored by industry experts." The critical question, as Metz sees it, will be for primary metal production to keep pace with surging global demand. Supply-chain issues will be explored with general session speaker panels examining titanium world industry demand and supply forecasts. The conference will also present a focus on industry innovation, highlighting new titanium alloys and manufacturing techniques. Other panel topics will include powder metallurgy, along with consumer, medical, and automotive applications. Special lectures will feature author Kathleen Housley presenting "The Turbulent Founding of the Titanium Industry", while Elena Kostadinova of the European Commission will explore "How REACH Impacts Your Organization."
Jennifer Simpson is the executive director of the ITA. Contact the organization at (303) 404-2221 for details or visit http://www.titanium.org for registration, topics and schedule.
