IBEX Show Preview

The 15th International Boatbuilders' Exposition and Conference (IBEX) sails into Miami, Fla. on Oct. 19-21, 2005. Billed as the world's only boating trade show that offers an exhibition of new products and technologies for the marine industry, from more than 800 exhibitors, and an educational program geared for boat designers, builders, surveyors, boatyard and marina owners, and repair personnel, IBEX will fill three halls in the Miami Convention Center. The "Composites Pavilion" in Hall C (see map) will offer show attendees convenient access to a large cadre of more than 125 marine-oriented composite material and molding process suppliers and service companies.

IBEX co-producers, Professional BoatBuilder magazine and the National Marine Manufacturers Assn. (NMMA), will host an Opening Night Reception on the exhibit floor, Wednesday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m, complete with wine and beer service. Additional networking opportunities include Rep Night (Thursday, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.) — a mixer for manufacturers' representatives, the suppliers they represent and their customers — and the IBEX Industry Breakfast, on Friday. At the latter, NMMA will present its Hall of Fame and Alan J. Freedman Memorial Leadership Award, and IBEX will present its annual Innovation Awards.

Industry distributor Composites One (Arlington Hts., Ill.) will conduct the largest live demonstration of closed mold technology at IBEX, building four complete 16-ft sailboats. On October 19-20, a team of Composites One technicians will use the light resin transfer molding (light RTM) process to demonstrate how to build the hulls and decks. The team will build two boats each day to demonstrate the use of light RTM for large parts. During the demonstration, industry experts will be on hand to answer questions, explain aspects of the process, discuss equipment and materials and display a finished sailboat built using the same process, which will later be given away to the winner of a drawing.

The IBEX Conference seminars this year comprise 54 presentations, with topics covering the gamut of boat design and fabrication. On each of the three days, four sessions will be devoted to "Composite Materials and Methods," while additional seminars scheduled throughout the program will deal with composite design and engineering and repair strategies. (IBEX seminar attendees are eligible for continuing education credits (CEUs). Each 1.5-hour paid seminar is worth 0.15 CEUs. A full, six-seminar program will earn the attendee 0.9 credits.) Composite boatbuilders who arrive early to the show can take advantage of 40 free pre-show workshops presented by IBEX exhibitors on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 18. Earybirds will get a preview of some of the latest technologies that will be on display during the show, without having to fight the crowds. Exhibitors will discuss the technical and practical aspects of their products and processes and answer questions. Pre-show workshops of interest to composite boatbuilders will include presentations by resin manufacturers Ashland Specialty Chemical, CCP, Interplastic Corp. and Reichhold; cutting/machining system providers CMS North America and Lectra; as well as Eurovac Inc., MAS Epoxies, Hawkeye Industries, SolidWorks and Structural Composites. (Although there is no fee for the IBEX Pre-Conference Workshops, registration is required and seating will be limited.)

If you are headed to Miami, don't forget to bring this issue of Composites Technology, complete with our exhibitor locator directory, beginning on p. 23. Exhibitors of interest to boatbuilders who use composites are identified in bold blue. While you're at the show, stop by booth #2051 and meet the CT staff. If you can't make the trip to Florida, check out CT's December issue, which will provide post-show coverage of the new and innovative products and processes introduced at IBEX 2005.

For more information about show events, dates and times, contact either Anne Dunbar, Tel.: (716) 662-4708; E-mail: anneibex@adelphia.net; or Tina Sanderson, Tel.: (802) 879-8324; E-mail: tinaibex@adelphia.net; Web site: www.ibexshow.com.