Prospects for profile industry in North America in 2010

AMI is pleased to announce the program for the 9th AMI international conference on construction Profiles 2010, to be held June 2-3, 2010 Philadelphia. The conference brings fresh reports on the state of the markets in North America, with John Swanson of Window & Door Magazine covering the re-emergence of the vinyl profiles industry and Peter Mooney outlining the details of his market study on the US profile manufacturing industry. There are upgrades coming to materials, particularly in PVC formulation where stabilization has seen pressure to remove heavy metals and substitution requires other changes to recipes to maintain durability. Premier Polymers and Processing Consulting has expertise in compounding of rigid PVC, while Shintech, a leading PVC supplier, has looked at the role of the polymer in profile production. Chemson has looked at the phase-out of tin and lead stabilizers in Europe and the potential for the new technology in the US, and Arkema has examined organotin stabilizer systems. Nabaltec and Sachtleben also supply additives into this industry. Bemis Manufacturing has studied extruder technology for large profile extrusion. Dow Chemical has additives to widen the process window for vinyl. One of the latest global innovations comes from a research project in Germany into the use of polyurethane as an alternative material for profile production, with good insulation properties. BBG GmbH has mastered this technology and will be outlining the process at Profiles 2010. Test houses have worked on accelerated weathering to predict long-term performance in extremes of climate. Q-Lab is working on testing protocols so that laboratory accelerated weathering gives a true picture of the effects of outdoor exposure. Decorative effects increase customer appeal and can improve market share, from foils to colorants and capstocks. MGM Industries has developed waterborne painting technology for profiles. Evonik and Arkema supply PMMA capstock and weatherable film into this market. Stiles Machinery supplies decorative profile wrapping technology, with Bytewise Measurement Systems providing equipment to monitor embossing depth. The environmental issues facing society have lead to an increase in the use of construction products with high energy conservation ratings and efforts by the manufacturing industry to improve its carbon footprint and sustainability credentials. Veka will be outlining the recycling of end-of-life vinyl windows and doors. In this time of economic uncertainty, Profiles 2010 brings together market experts, manufacturers and the supply chain to examine new product developments and debate the way forward for the industry.