Aluminum Extruders Council to discuss emerging markets and market defense at 2015 Annual Meeting

Members of the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC), will hear insights from prominent industry leaders and motivational speakers at the 2015 Annual Meeting and Leadership Conference, Thursday, March 5 through Saturday, March 7. The Leadership Conference in Palm Desert, California, will feature a variety of business, industry and motivational speakers, including Kevin Moore, former GM executive, Michael Walsh (invited), Director of ADCVD Policy and Programs Division at the Office of U.S. Customs, and Herm Edwards, former NFL football player and current ESPN announcer.

Program highlights include the Market Insights Panel featuring speakers from three extrusion customer markets who will address the utilization and advancement of aluminum extrusions in existing and emerging markets. These industry leaders will discuss their individual market applications, the challenges they face and what extruders can do to grow the use of aluminum extrusions in their market sectors. Specifically to be addressed are the opportunities and challenges that impact the building and construction, solar, and automotive markets. Leading experts will also present on the aluminum industry’s overall outlook, which addresses the North American aluminum deficit and its impact to the extrusion industry. Invited speakers participating in these programs include Michael Chambers, Senior Specification Writer, SmithGroupJJR; MJ Shiao, Director, Solar Research, GTM, and Juan Betancourt, Sr. Aluminum Analyst, Harbor Aluminum.

Additionally, AEC has invited Michael Walsh, Director, ADCVD Policy & Programs Division, U.S. Office of International Trade Affairs, to speak about their efforts to protect and defend U.S. shores and trade policy against those trying to circumvent the system. With several presentations, AEC members will have access to the latest information surrounding Fair Trade and how it continues to affect the U.S. aluminum extrusion industry. The Council’s lead attorney for the AEC Fair Trade case, Robert DeFrancesco of Wiley Rein LLC, will discuss the Chinese Aluminum Industry: Its Policies and Their Impacts on Downstream Markets”.

The Aluminum Extruders Council has led the industry in achieving level competition by winning tariff protection that offsets unfair trade practices of extruders/importers of aluminum profiles produced in China. Conservatively, AEC estimates 600 million pounds per year of extrusions are being produced in the U.S. that would have otherwise been lost to China.

The three-day event will draw industry professionals from the North American Aluminum Extrusion Industry for the exceptional industry-focused programming, plus opportunities to meet and network with AEC members at the Desert Palm Springs Resort. “Extruders have seen business ramp up in 2014. Presses are busy, business looks promising. We have a fair playing field for our products. Markets are recovering and new applications are growing,” said AEC Chairman Richard Merluzzi, CEO of Pennex Aluminum in Wellsville, PA. “By attending the AEC Annual Meeting members will better understand where the opportunities lie, what the economic conditions may be and how the industry can meet the demand of increased use of aluminum extrusion in myriad markets.”

The event also features a golf tournament on Friday, March 6, an exclusive Tesla Drive Event by Tesla Palm Springs on Thursday, March 5, as well as several other optional tours and activities. The Chairman’s Banquet on Saturday, March 7 caps off the meeting with the Volunteer Recognition Ceremony, acknowledging outstanding individuals for their dedicated service and contributions to the Council.