More than 40 speakers, including eight keynoters, will address issues and technologies concerning the structural and non-structural wood products industries at the fifth Panel & Engineered Lumber International Conference & Expo to be held at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, April 7-8.
In addition, 77 exhibitors will pack the Grand Ballroom North of the Omni Hotel adjacent the speaking rooms. Organizers announced that an exhibitor waiting list continues to grow.
“We don’t want to turn exhibitors away, but obviously we are bound by the confines of the Grand Ballroom North at the Omni Hotel,” comments Rich Donnell, conference co-chairman and editor-in-chief of Panel World magazine. “Whether this means that the event in the future will look toward larger venues will be a point of discussion at some point.”
But right now Donnell says the focus is on the 2016 PELICE and he proudly points to an outstanding speakers lineup and agenda. “Once again PELICE distinguishes itself by bringing together producers and suppliers from both the structural and non-structural sides of the panel business,” Donnell says. “I am very thankful that so many talented industry people are volunteering their time to deliver talks at PELICE. They see, as I do, the importance of this conference, the exchange of information, and the birthing of great ideas.”
Many of the keynote talks will focus on ongoing mill construction and startup projects. Three keynote speakers will address the entire attendance each morning and two more keynoters will speak following lunch on the first day. In between, three meeting rooms will host technical session speakers addressing a range of topics.
Keynoters and Subjects:
Jonathan Martin, Chairman and CEO, Martin Companies, LLC: “In Pursuit of Perfection: Building a New OSB Plant”
Steve Swanson, President and CEO, Swanson Group: “Why Build a Plywood Mill in 2016?”
Kurt Liebich, CEO, RedBuilt and New Wood Resources: “Building from Disaster: Winston Veneer and Plywood”
Brian Carlson, President, Huber Engineered Woods LLC: “Innovation as a Winning Strategy”
Rodney Schwartz, Vice President of Sales, B&W MEGTEC: “Air Emission Control Technology Trends in the Wood Panelboard and Engineered Lumber Industry: A Supplier’s Perspective”
Jackson Morrill, President, Composite Panel Association: “Reason for Optimism in North American Composite Wood Industry”
Dr. George Gorovias, Senior Principal, Pöyry Management Consulting: “Global Wood-Based Panels Markets—Trends and Outlook”
Luis Tejado, President, Blue Drop: “Why Proteak? How an Entrepreneur Became Involved in Mexico’s Newest MDF Operation”
While the conference continues to add a sprinkling of speakers, here’s the current list of speakers and technical sessions:
Veneer Production & Technologies
Alan Knokey, Vice President, USNR: “Capitalizing on New Veneer Lathe and Dryer Technologies”
Anna McCann, President, Merritt Machinery, Meinan Representative: “Log Lathe Systems: New Developments in Automatic Veneer Peeling LInes”
John Robinson, Principal; Roger Douglas, Director of Engineering, Drying Technology, Inc.: “Advances in Veneer Dryer Control”
Resins & Technologies
Jim Griswold, New Business Development Manager, Hexion: “Traversing the Maze of Adhesive Standards and Regulations”
Brian Valley, Director of Industrial Solutions, Spraying Systems Co.: “Optimizing Resin, Wax and Release Agent Effectiveness with PanelSpray Technology”
Linda Caudill, Managing Director, Wood-Based Composites Center: “Keeping It Together: Technological Advancements in Wood Adhesives and Adhesion”
Sudip Chowdhury, Group Leader, Fillers & Extenders; Randy Zenke, Sales Manager, Fillers & Extenders, Willamette Valley Company: “Engineered Fillers/Extenders for Wood Composites: Technologies to Extend and Enhance Phenolic and pMDI Adhesives”
Xiaobo Gong, Group Leader, Ashland Specialty Ingredients: “Engineered Wood Adhesives Improve Production Efficiency”
Chris Whelan, Business Development Manager, Henkel Corporation: “Adhesive Technology Drives Mass Wood Innovation”
Mojgan Nejad, Assistant Professor, Mississippi State University: “Lignin: Moving Toward Renewable Bio-Based Adhesives”
Heat Energy & Emissions Issues & Technologies
Wes Younger, Managing Consultant, Trinity Consultants: “Air Quality Hot Topics Affecting Panel & Engineered Lumber Facilities”
Tyler Player, Principal, Player Design, Inc.: “Impact of Wood Species, Moisture Variation and Drying Technology on Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Rotary Dryers”
Dirk Koltze, Executive Vice President, Büttner/Siempelkamp: “Latest Energy Systems and Dryer Systems Concepts”
China Transitions to a New Paradigm
Dr. Fred Kurpiel, President, Georgia Research Institute: “China Is a Global Opportunity”
Dr. Hui Wan, Associate Professor, Forest Composite Products, Mississippi State University: “Long Road to Quality”
Dr. W. Ernest Hsu, Hsu Consulting: “China Market Demands: New OSB Products and Applications”
Environmental Issues & Technologies
Brad James, Manager of Consulting Services, Trinity Consultants: “Air Compliance Auditing Tips for Panel & Engineered Lumber Facilities”
Rodney Pennington, VP of Key Accounts, NESTEC, Inc.: “Reducing RTO Annual Fuel Costs with Fine-Tuning Features”
Jim Cash, Senior Product Engineer, B&W MEGTEC: “Optimizing Your Wet Electrostatic Precipitator”
Magnus Rundqwist, V.P. Business Development, Wechsler Engineering and Consulting, Inc.: “Wet Scrubbers: Upgrading and Results”
Robert Miller, Product Manager, Bio-Oxidation Division, Process Combustion Corp.: “Dual-Biophase Bio-Oxidation—A Green, Energy-Efficient Approach to VOC and HAP Emission Destruction”
Dr. Rakesh Govind, President, PRD Tech, Inc.: “Water Recycle and Reuse in the Wood Products Industries”
Safety Issues & Technologies
Tom Wechsler, President, Wechsler Engineering and Consulting: “Thermal Oil Hazards: Risk Identification and Prevention”
Jordan Newton, Vice President of Engineering, SonicAire/IES: “How to Reduce Risks of Combustible Dust: New Standards, New Technologies”
Mikael Jidenius, Area Sales Manager, North America, Firefly AB: “Prevention of Fires and Dust Explosions within the Panel Industry”
Jeff Nichols, Managing Partner, Industrial Fire Prevention, LLC: “Proven Fire Protection Systems for the Engineered Panel and Lumber Industries”
Mike Clark, PE, Regional Sales Manager, Fisher-Klosterman Emtrol: “Meeting EPA Emission Standards with Cyclones”
Operations & Technologies
Scott Stamey, Senior Project Manager, Mid-South Engineering: “Value Creation Through Engineering”
Bijan Shams, President, Cogent Industrial Technologies: “Emerging Trends in Technology Solutions for Improving Operational Performance”
International Developments
Heikki Vidgren, Principal, Pöyry Management Consulting: “Engineered Wood Trends in Europe”
Dr.-Ing. Bohumil Kasal, Director, Fraunhofer Wilhelm-Klaudit-Institut, WKI: “New Trends in the Development of Wood and Natural Fiber Based Products”
Dr. Richard Baldwin, Managing Partner, Oak Creek Investments: “North American Plywood and Veneer Based Industry: The Reinvention Continues”