Euro PM2019 draws to a close
October 16, 2019
The European Powder Metallurgy Association (EPMA) has reported on the success of its Euro PM2019 Congress & Exhibition in Maastricht, the Netherlands, as the event draws to a close. The four-day event began with a celebration of the EPMA’s 30th anniversary, allowing attendees to recollect past colleagues, companies and milestones in the Powder Metallurgy industry over the last three decades.
Euro PM2019 has reportedly seen strong attendance, with visitors in excess of 1100 participants from over forty countries. Over the course of the congress programme, a significant number of abstracts from the PM community has made for an active three days of presentations, discussions and networking opportunities.
The topics discussed during Euro PM represented all areas of Powder Metallurgy, including conventional press & sinter, Additive Manufacturing, functional materials, hard materials and diamond tools, Hot Isostatic Pressing, Metal Injection Moulding, new materials processes and applications.
Ralf Carlström, the EPMA’s new President, opened the Plenary Presentations on October 14 with an ‘Overview of the Status and Trends in the European PM Industry’. The opening presentation was then given on ‘Graphite ‘The Wondrous Mineral in PM’’, presented by Stephen A Riddle, CEO, Asbury Graphite & Carbons, followed by a presentation on ‘Powder based Laser Processes in the Context of Digital Photonic Production and Industry 4.0’, by Prof Johannes Schleifenbaum, Chair of Digital Additive Production, RWTH Aachen, Germany.
Following the opening session, a special panel was held on ‘EPMA and PM Technologies – Past, Present & Future’, facilitated by Lionel Aboussouan, EPMA’s Chief Executive Officer, as part of EPMA’s 30th Anniversary celebrations. A new feature for the 2019 event was a selection of ‘Campfire Meetings’. These relaxed, thirty minute meetings were designed to provide the opportunity to discuss a pertinent topic with a meeting facilitator, for additional networking and cross sector collaborations.
With the event drawing to a close, a special 30th Anniversary Closing Drinks Reception will take place tonight at the Maastricht Exhibition Congress Centre (MECC) prior to the annual Congress Dinner at Château St Gerlach.
Lionel Aboussouan, EPMA Executive Director, commented on the event, “Maastricht has proved a popular and well-connected location, which has made for a memorable event in the celebration of EPMA’s 30th Anniversary. The diverse technical programme and sold-out exhibition has helped to attract attendees from several key sectors, who want to learn more about what PM can do for their applications and industries. We would like to thank all the EPMA supporters and stakeholders who have assisted in making this event a success!”
The EPMA stated that planning is now underway for next year’s Euro PM2020 Congress & Exhibition, which will be held in Lisbon, Portugal, from October 4–7 2020.
