LOUISVILLE, Ky.-Arte Maren, recognized as an authority on business organization, promotion, motivation and sales, will deliver the keynote address at the 39th American Retreaders Association World Tire Conference and Exhibition, April 17-20 in Louisville. His topic, ``Establishing quality as a culture in our industry,'' will include suggestions for improving production standards as a way of improving profitability, according to an ARA news release.
Also scheduled to address the conference General Session on April 19 is Michael Rouse, president and CEO of Rouse Rubber Industries Inc., a Vicksburg, Miss.-based producer of ground elastomer materials for industry use and highway construction.
Mr. Rouse is expected to trace the history of tire recycling, including such topics as the marketability of tire-derived products and the technological factors influencing scrap tire accumulations, disposal and recycling.
During his presentation, according to the ARA announcement, Mr. Rouse will explain why scrap tires are ``fast becoming a national resource.''
The four-day conference, held at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center, opens Wednesday, April 17, with two Industry Forums running concurrently from 4 to 6 p.m.:
``Tire and rubber recycling,'' with attendees having the chance to meet members of the ARA's new Tire & Rubber Recycling Advisory Council (TRRAC) and featuring presentations on national and state issues affecting tire recycling; and,
``The Tire industry,'' offering attendees an update on tire- and retread-related issues such as computerized tire tracking and industry standards for tire retreading and repairing.
Conference workshops will take place daily from 8 to 11:45 a.m., beginning on Thursday, April 18.
Those workshops running concurrently from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Thursday will include:
1) Financial strategies for survival in the changing economic environment;
2) Current marketing trends in mold-cure retreading (to be repeated Saturday);
3) Successful marketing of new and retreaded tires and service;
4) Crumb Rubber, Part I-Strategies for producing high-quality crumb rubber; and
5) Cryogenics: Processing and applications.
A second set of concurrent sessions running from 10 to 11:45 a.m. on Thursday will cover:
6) How to hire and retain good employees;
7) Opportunities in passenger and light truck tire retreading;
8) How to analyze tire failures (to be repeated Saturday);
9) Crumb Rubber, Part II-Processing strategies and market hierarchy;
10) Processing strategies for producing and marketing high-quality TDF; and
11) Scrap tire/recycling safety equipment (demonstration).
The International Tire Retreading and Repairing Hall of Fame Awards Dinner, honoring the ARA's first conference director, George R. Edwards, and the late G.F. ``Sam'' Bauer, founder of Durand, Wis.-based Bauer Built Inc., is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday.
Friday's activities begin with the previously mentioned General Session, which runs from 8 to 10 a.m. Following the conclusion of the General Session, workshops will run concurrently from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. and will cover:
12) Current and future retreading technology (in Spanish);
13) Managing and controlling a profitable tire service operation;
14) Retreads vs. low-cost new tires for the intermodal transportation industry;
15) Emerging technologies for crumb rubber enhancement; and
16) Turning scrap tires into value-added products.
Saturday's workshops, running concurrently beginning at 8 a.m. will cover:
17) Understanding and complying with OSHA regulations;
18) How to analyze tire failures;
19) Financing strategies for tire recyclers;
20) Putting recycling technology in action; and
21) Truck tire service equipment (demonstration).
Workshops running from 10 to 11:30 a.m. include:
22) Current marketing trends in mold-cure retreading;
23) Correctly performing tire repairs in the field and determining retreadability;
24) How quality can reduce your cost;
25) Recycling market realities;
26) Sorting and grading tires for recyclability and profitability; and
27) OTR tire service equipment (demonstration).
The conference trade show will run from noon to 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 20.
ARA is sponsoring a Backyard Barbecue from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, following the trade show's conclusion.
For more information, telephone the ARA at (800) 426-8835 or (502) 968-8900 or via telefax at (502) 964-7859.
For hotel reservations or information on conference housing, telephone (800) 743-3100.
The association also can be contacted at its new Internet address: http://www.aratread.com.