CAMX Connection – Exhibitor Previews

CAMX 2017: Exhibit Previews

CAMX 2017 is just a couple weeks away. In preparation for the show, CAMX Connection has gather technology and product previews from several exhibitors to help you understand what you can expect to find at the event. Click here to see all exhibit previews.

Social Media in the Composites Industry: An Interview with Composites One’s Marcy Offner

An emerging trend that has had a disruptive impact on the composites industry, as well as the global economy, is the increasing use of social media in all aspects of business. As attendees will learn during a special panel session, “It’s a Digital World” during the CAMX luncheon during the final day of the event, social media has value to engineers, researchers and general managers as well. We caught up with Marcy Offner, Director of Marketing Communication at Composites One and the organizer of this panel, to get a preview of what to expect as well as some of her own insights.

CAMX: Can you tell us how this social media panel came to fruition?

Offner: This year, we decided that we wanted to do a panel, focusing on social and digital media because the composites and advanced materials industry is comprised of a lot of different kinds of people. We have people who have been in our industry many years and are used to traditional forms of marketing. We also have a younger generation moving in that’s accustomed to new media. We thought it would be a good idea to put a panel together to talk about how these new digital tools are changing the marketing mix.

CAMX: What types of people will be on the panel?

Offner: The panel is comprised of all sides the media continuum. We also have someone from the engineering side in the military who is very adept at using social media. We’ll have someone from the print side of the industry who has been quick to adopt digital media and use it to augment their efforts. We’re also working towards trying to get some students of composites on the panel.

CAMX: What can people expect in terms of specific discussion topics?

Offner: We’re going to talk about how individuals in our industry use social media and video to brand themselves. We’re also going to cover how our industry uses social media to communicate about products we manufacture, distribute and sell, as well as how to talk about composites and advanced materials in general and their benefits. We’d like to dispel the myth that social media is just about the party you went to last night. It can also be about the boat you built yesterday. We want social media to feel more accessible to our audience.

CAMX: While there seems to be a growing number of professionals in the industry using social media, many still are not active. Why do you think that is?

Offner: It’s not that our industry doesn’t know how to use social media. It’s more that people might not be aware of the impact social media can have on business in terms of the overall big picture. We’re certainly not going to suggest that newer technologies replace traditional media, but that they are additional tools that help you communicate your message.

CAMX: So what do you think it’s going to take to get more industry professionals excited about using social media? Is it a matter of simply presenting practical case studies of how social media can work, or maybe more ideological conversations?

Offner: I think it’s a little bit of both. I think what we’re hoping to get out of the panel is people sharing their experiences of how they’ve used social media to build their brand and generate business. And by listening to the panel, maybe someone will think,  “Hey, if they can do it, why can’t I?” It’s not difficult.

CAMX: What do you want people to take away from the panel?

Offner: We want people to leave knowing that social and digital media are additional tools that can help with your marketing efforts and your branding efforts. Additionally, we want to see people adopt these tools as they build the overall brand for composites and advanced materials. Social media is a great platform to discuss the competitive advantages of using these materials, instead of traditional materials like steel, aluminum and wood.

CAMX Awards and ACE Preview

Take a sneak peek at the award entries and finalists’ products that will be on display at CAMX 2017. The CAMX Awards (sponsored by Ashland) and Awards for Composites Excellence (ACE) (Sponsored by Composites One) Pavilions at CAMX provide attendees a first-hand, up-close look at innovations that are shaping markets, inspiring solutions, and shifting composites industry expectations.

Save Time Onsite – Register Online

Save yourself time onsite by registering for CAMX now!  Then go to “Express Registration” onsite. CAMX has registration categories to fit every budget and schedule – including discounts for ACMA and SAMPE members and students. All registrants receive access to the Exhibit Hall with the new Innovation Park, the General Session with CAMX Live!, and the Welcome Reception. Don’t wait – CAMX is nearly two weeks away, but hotels are still available and flight costs are still reasonable!

Innovation Park at CAMX – New Ways to Engage

Engage in a new way in the Innovation Park at CAMX. Meet with attendees sharing similar interests during facilitated networking meet-ups. Weigh-in on industry trends and hot-topics during short, facilitated discussions called “campfire sessions.” Hear presentations in the theater on technical papers and posters, and from exhibitors.

Share your opinions and get answers during networking brain-teasers and ice-breakers. Come to the Innovation Park and effortlessly find a new conference pal, a fun group to have dinner with, or a team to take over the world. Learn more here.

The Best Tool You’re Not Using – MyCAMX Planner

MyCAMX Planner combines planning and logistics into one easy-to-use tool. Use the MyCAMX Planner on www.theCAMX.org or the CAMX App to:

  • Find and select exhibitors to visit
  • Create a customized Conference Program plan
  • View facility maps to navigate the exhibit hall and conference program
  • Schedule meetings with exhibitors…and more!

Start planning your CAMX experience today. Visit the MyCAMX Planner here.  In September, download the CAMX App from the Apple and Google Play stores to have the MyCAMX Planner on your mobile device.

CAMX Career Connections Start Now

The CAMX Virtual Career Fair is now open. Connecting CAMX job seekers with CAMX attendee companies looking to hire within the composites and advanced materials industry, the Virtual Career Fair, provided by CompositeIndustryJobs.com, is free of charge for all job seekers and CAMX attendee companies. The online postings will be available now through September 30, 2017, and you can see the listings at CAMX.

Need a New Headshot?  Visit the CAMX Head Shot Lounge!

Keep the networking going after CAMX on your social online accounts.  And if you need a new headshot, stop by the Head Shot Lounge on Wednesday, September 13, during exhibit hall hours for a FREE headshot.  The Lounge is located in the right rear of the hall, near the Exhibitor Lounge.

Get Ready for CAMX!

As you prepare for CAMX, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  • Onsite attire is business casual.
  • The average high temperature in Orlando during September is 89ºF (32 ºC). Session rooms in the Convention Center can be cool, so a light sweater or jacket is recommended.
  • Visit the Travel Logistics page for discounts on car rentals and other transportation.
  • A bag and coat check will be available near registration on Thursday for a small fee.
  • Browse Restaurants and make plans before you arrive. An information desk will be available to assist with reservations and event tickets on Level 1 of the Orange County Convention Center, in front of the West A/B Lobby.

ACMA Membership Awards At CAMX

Come celebrate the exceptional people who have done their part in making the field of composites a great industry during the ACMA Recognition Ceremony and Reception at CAMX on Monday, September 11 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. This year’s winners are for Lifetime Achievement: Bob Long – Marine Concepts; Hall of Fame; Rob Haberlein – Engineering Environmental; and the ACMA Outstanding Volunteer: Robert Steffen – Western Carolina University.  Get your ticket to the Ceremony and Reception when you register for CAMX at thecamx.org/registration. For more information on this year’s winners, click here.

SAMPE Awards Ceremony and Dinner

Join SAMPE as we honor the SAMPE 2017 Class of Fellows, the winner of the George Lubin Award, and the North America Distinguished Service Award on Monday, September 11 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Meet with leaders and innovators that are positively impacting and influencing our industry. Attendees who used their SAMPE membership number to register will automatically receive a free ticket to the SAMPE Awards Ceremony and Dinner. Tickets are available for purchase during the CAMX Online Registration.

Stay Connected – and Share Your Experience while at CAMX

Join the CAMX social media communities to receive updates on speakers, exhibiting companies, session topics, product displays and demonstrations, as well as technology and innovation. Plus, watch videos, crowdsource your questions, and network with fellow attendees.

Plus, start sharing your conference experience now! Share the excitement early, tell others about what innovations you’re most interested in seeing at CAMX…it’s your CAMX experience! Share it! Use the hashtag #CAMX17 on your posts.