SAMPE Journal - January/February 2016 - 38

CAMX 2015-THE BIG EVENT
CAMX 2015 - the show organized and co-produced by ACMA and SAMPE - was held October 26-29 in Dallas, TX

and proved to be the biggest and best attended North America composites event covering the advanced composites
and FRP composites industries under one exhibit hall roof. With 549 exhibitors and 7,470 attendees, this year's
show and programs surpassed all goals. The
larger 111,000 net square feet of sold exhibit
booths contained exhibitors covering R&D,
engineering, manufacturing, service providers
and end-users and numerous applications:
automotive, aerospace, marine, wind energy,
software, construction and infrastructure,
medical, academics and sports and recreation.
Exhibitors represented 20 countries from
five continents with pavilions representing
Composites Europe, China, South Africa and
a booth from England providing business opportunities this year.
Keynote speaker Dr. J. Gary Smyth, Executive Director of Global Research and Development at General Motors,
presented an overview of global automotive energy trends and addressed the energy challenges facing the automotive
industry. Some of the solutions include advanced carbon fiber and green composites. His presentation addressed the
various transformational changes in the automotive industry and included what GM has learned over the years about
composites since the evolution of the composite Corvette. His talk was challenging to the CAMX attendees as they
started off a busy week with numerous technical program and exhibits demonstrating new composites technologies
for solving current and future problems..
Thirteen 3-hour technical tutorials were made available to CAMX attendees on the opening day, drawing typically large
attendance for each tutorial offered. Topics ranged from "basic" composites technologies to advanced technologies
such as Computational Modeling, Design/Analysis and Optimization of Experiments, Thermoplastic Composites
Technology, and Composite Structures Joint Design. Also offered for the first time within the Tutorial Program were
three Certified Composites Technician courses.
The technical program consisted of 309 sessions on topics covering every subject of the industry, with 360 expert
speakers on a range of topics within the 13 composites technology tracks. Over 250 technical papers were presented
and published in the combined Proceedings CD. There were Featured Sessions that included over 11 high level
focus presenters or panelists on key topic areas of interest to composites attendees. Their 45-minute presentations
covered a wealth of information regarding technology, the markets, manufacturing challenges, materials advances
and innovations and a wide range of other important topics. Presentations given by those presenters were made
available after the show on the CAMX web site.
Numerous panels and invited lectures were offered during the four days. CAMX education session presented case
studies, "how to do it" and other topics included over 40 presentations from industry experts and companies. ACMA
and SAMPE committee meetings held throughout the week allowed CAMX attendees provided discussion platforms
on various technology, business and regulation aspects within the composites market arena. Overall, a full week
of technology and networking was provided to attendees at the newest, largest, and most complete of the North
American composites events ever offered.
"The industry's response to CAMX not only demonstrates CAMX's value but also the opportunities our exhibitors see
at CAMX to grow their businesses. And, what is even more encouraging, the increasing new market segments who
participate in CAMX solidifies the very exciting growth potential of the composites and advance materials market",
said SAMPE CEO Gregg Balko. "CAMX is the leading event in North America as no other event fully encompasses
the entire spectrum of the composites marketplace - from high-volume/low cost materials to high-performance/high
cost materials."

SAMPE Journal, Volume 52, No. 1, January/February 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SAMPE Journal - January/February 2016