With three core association meetings, and four partnered events, 2016 is shaping up to be a big, and busy, year for the Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association (AEMA), Asphalt Recycling & Reclaiming Association (ARRA), and International Slurry Surfacing Association (ISSA).
The three associations kick off on January 18-21, 2016 when ISSA holds its annual Slurry Systems Workshop (SSWS) at the Texas Station Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The workshop is three days of intensive work in the classroom, lab, and parking lot, and includes a roster of presenters delivering an outstanding, high quality, educational curriculum. Each year close to 300 attendees, from all over the world, come to learn about topics ranging from Emulsions for Pavement Preservation, to Slurry Systems Best Practices and Craftsmanship, to Troubleshooting Slurry Systems in the Field. The SSWS format is continually upgraded to include many new topics and areas of focus within the industry. The outside demonstration is always a great example of the work being done on the roads today and the machines that do it.
Following the Slurry Systems Workshop, the AEMA-ARRA-ISSA Annual Meeting takes place February 23-26, 2016, at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs, Florida. This combined meeting is actually AEMA's 42nd Annual Meeting, ARRA's 39th Annual Meeting, and ISSA’s 53rd Annual Convention. The first combined meeting in 2004 began as an experiment when the three sponsoring organizations realized they were each facing the challenge of trying to conduct an annual meeting, offer quality and informative speakers, attract enough members to make it worthwhile, all at a reasonable and affordable cost. Now, eleven years later, the reasons that brought these three associations together still exist today with even more relevance than ever before.
This year’s focus is ‘Getting Value from your Industry Association’. AEMA, ARRA and ISSA are strongly invested in the maintenance and preservation of our highways in ways that are economically beneficial, soundly engineered, and friendly to the environment. Through our marketing program, the Pavement Preservation & Recycling Alliance, the associations use this meeting to meet the challenges ahead with a united front. Attendees have the opportunity to enjoy the general sessions, then choose the topics on which they want to focus on as the schedule allows everyone to keep abreast of new developments that may be valuable for future business expansion or simply pertinent for current customer satisfaction.
The fall brings AEMA’s International Symposium on Asphalt Emulsion Technology (ISAET) on November 1-4, 2015, at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia. This symposium, spawned by the “First World Congress on Emulsions” in Paris, France, in October 1993, as a series of symposia dedicated to the international asphalt emulsion industry. ISAET 2016 embraces research and practice with respect to manufacturing, use and performance of asphalt emulsions. The conference provides attendees a forum for discussion of leading research work, presentations of case studies demonstrating the implementation of research into practice, and fosters discussion on producing better performing and cost effective asphalt emulsions. The 3-day technical program offers attendees the unique opportunity to meet with experts and key players representing all facets of the asphalt emulsion industry – manufacturing, application, and performance.
Partnering events
In addition to these three tent pole meetings, the association members will be attending, presenting, or participating in committee meetings of four partner events.
The Transportation Research Board (TRB) 95th Annual Meeting held January 10–14, 2016, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, in Washington, D.C. is expected to attract more than 12,000 transportation professionals from around the world. The meeting will focus on all transportation modes, with more than 5,000 presentations in nearly 750 sessions and workshops addressing topics of interest to all attendees—policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions. Sessions and workshops will focus on the spotlight theme for the 2016 TRB Annual Meeting, Research Convergence for a Multi-Modal Future.
Next up is the World of Asphalt Show & Conference on March 22 – 24, 2016, in Nashville. TN. The World of Asphalt is where the industry's leading manufacturers and service providers in the aggregate, asphalt, pavement maintenance, and traffic safety industry sectors come together to showcase their latest products and technologies. World of Asphalt also includes the aggregate industry's leading exposition and educational resource attendees will have access to signature learning programs such as the AGG1 Academy, National Asphalt Pavement Association's Environment, Health & Safety Conference, as well as the People, Plants, & Paving Training Program.
Right on the heels of the World of Asphalt is NACE 2016, April 24-28, 2016, at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma, WA. NACE 2016 is put on by the National Association of County Engineers, presenting fresh, new approaches to how county road and infrastructure officials learn, engage, and connect with one another. The annual show allows attendees to compare competing technologies and services while providing the space so they can spend quality time with other solutions providers.
Rounding out the year for partner events, is the 2016 National Pavement Preservation Conference held on Oct 11 – 14, 2016, at the Renaissance Nashville in Nashville, TN. The conference offers pavement practitioners across the country an opportunity to hear from experts in the field of pavement preservation, and to observe demonstrations of the placement of several types of pavement preservation treatments. The conference also offers an inter-regional networking opportunity to share experiences and address major preservation issues affecting today's agencies and industry.
With so many opportunities to learn about pavement preservation, meet our members, and learn the latest technologies and research, 2016 looks to be a busy and productive year for our associations’ members, agencies, and allies.
To learn more about the events, see the full calendar, or learn more about AEMA, ARRA, or ISSA please visit ppralliance.org.
