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Anticipating another round of record-setting exhibitor and visitor statistics this year, the 38th annual JEC Composites Show, co-located with the 24th SAMPE Europe Conference (April 1-3) is "Heading for New Horizons," and in keeping with that theme, JEC is expanding its presence in the premier Paris show venue.

Despite precarious times in the world economy and the composites market in particular, JEC's assent as an event of international proportions continues. Show participation by companies and visitors from outside France rose to 59 percent in 2002 (up from 50 percent in 2001), accompanied by an big upswing in other key statistics, including 839 exhibitors and approximately 20,700 attendees last year (up from 760 and 18,860, respectively, in 2001).

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JEC's 2002 move to the Paris Expo, Port de Versailles, in Paris, France - the city's largest exhibition site - was necessary to accommodate the exposition's significant growth. Last year's show occupied 25,000m2/269,098 ft2 in the Paris Expo hall, but JEC has reserved 29,500 m2/317,535 ft2 this year, in anticipation of increased demand for exhibit space from companies in 85 countries across all five continents.

JEC PROGRAM MIRRORS MARKET EVOLUTION

JEC will continue its emphasis on composite product commercialization with its "markets" focus, inaugurated last year in six thematic "villages," including the Aeronautics Village, co-administered by SAMPE; the Automotive Village, spotlighting new concept cars and innovative composite auto parts; and the Construction Village, with emphasis on composite building materials. The Process Village will focus on emerging molding, curing and material/part handling innovations, while the Marine Village will feature composite solutions for harbor facilities, shipbuilding, offshore platforms and underwater exploration. And for those exploring the use of engineering design and process simulation software, the NICT (National Information and Communications Technology)/Software/Prototyping Village will fill the bill. The exposition will also feature national pavilions, representing Brazil, Canada, China, India, Italy, Germany, Mexico, South Africa, The Netherlands, the U.K. and the U.S.A.

An international jury of composites professionals will again confer honors on products, applications and processes that best exemplify innovative uses of composites, at the JEC Awards 2003 presentation on opening night. In its sixth year, the program will commend winning composites fabricators and partnering companies, with trophies awarded in six categories - Air, Land & Sea Transport, Building & Construction, Consumer Goods, Sports & Leisure, Civil Engineering, Industrial Applications, and Energy. For more information about the JEC Awards, contact Catherine Laurent at laurent@globalcomposites.com or visit www.globalcomposites.com.

The 23rd SAMPE Europe International Conference 2002, entitled "Advanced Composites: The Balance Between Performance and Cost," will focus on the best materials and processes for leading-edge performance and cost-effectiveness in select fields, highlighting aerospace. Of special interest to CT's automotive audience, SAMPE's technical session entitled "The BRITE/EURAM Project TECABS (Technologies for Carbon Fibre Reinforced Modular Body Structures)" will give an overview of project goals and concepts, the use of modeling and other facets of carbon-fiber use in automotive part design. A session on "Infrastructure" will examine CFRP rebar, the use of carbon fiber and alternate processing techniques in the manufacturing of wind turbine blades, and emerging thermoplastics applications in the oil and gas industry.

Approximately 500 participants are expected to attend more than 90 technical presentations, tutorials and general sessions. For further information or to register for the SAMPE event:
E-mail: sampe@stesalit.com; Web site: www.sampe-europe.org. For additional information about the JEC Composites Show, or to register, call JEC, Tel.: +33 158 3615 01; Fax: +33 158 3615 15; or register at the JEC Web site: www.globalcomposites.com. JEC show coordinators can be reached via e-mail at infojec@globalcomposites.com.