RubberChem 2002 planned. (Meetings).

RubberChem 2002--The Third International Rubber Chemicals, Compounding and Mixing Conference, sponsored by Rapra Technology Ltd., will take place June 11-12 at the Marriott Hotel in Munich, Germany.

RubberChem 2002 is said to provide an excellent forum for discussing the latest developments in compounding materials, chemicals and mixing techniques used in the rubber industry. Health and safety issues relating to handling of materials and rubber products will also be covered.

Topics covered during the two-day conference will include processing and mixing technology, compounding innovations, antidegradants, plasticizers, protective agents, fillers, processing additive systems, vulcanizing agents, enhancement and modification technology, health and safety, and environmental issues.

RubberChem 2002 is intended for anyone directly involved with the supply and use of rubber chemicals, the health and safety considerations and the mixing and processing of rubber compounds.

In a time of serious concern about the health and safety parameters of materials used by the rubber industry and their effects on manufacturing personnel and consumers, the conference will identify the current status of testing and procedures to alleviate problems, according to the sponsor.

Compounders and processing technologists will also find a good number of topics of particular interest, according to Rapra. New systems for improvement in bonding and vulcanization, along with new processing techniques and manufacturing equipment, will be discussed.

A table top exhibition is planned to run during the entire conference.

Session 1 on compound modifications will include the following presentations: "A new intelligent viscosity reduction concept--better processability without sacrifice in dynamic properties," Karl Meriting, Schill & Seilacher, Germany; "Low temperature curing with a cure system consisting of ZMBT or MBT, a dithiocarbamate, a cure activator and sulfur," Rabin Datta, Flexsys BV, Belgium; "Rubcon--technology of high filled composite materials," Oleg Figovsky, Israel Research Center Polymate; and "New optimized system for the lead-free crosslinking of epichlorohydrin (ECO) elastomer," Hans Martin Issel, RheinChemie GmbH, Germany.

Session 2 on environmental, health and safety issues will include the following presentations: "Hazardous emissions in the rubber industry--sampling and analysis," Ulrich Geise, German Institute of Rubber Technology; "Reduction for the emissions of harmful substances from rubber-based commodity articles," Rita H. Auerbach, Federal Institute of Materials Research, Germany; "Accurate ultra low fines conveying of carbon black," Bob Yarwood, BMH Chronos Richardson, U.K.; "Silica dusts," Yves Borrial, Rhodia, France; and "Implementation of the ATEX Environmental Directive--process dusts," speaker from Nederman, Europe.

Session 3 on elastomer modifications, processing and analysis will include the following presentations: "Pretreatments of elastomers to enhance adhesion," R.H. Dahm, Loughborough University, U.K.; "HNBR technology for use in bonded multilayer hoses," Nick Sandland, Zeon Chemicals Europe Ltd.; "Polar plasticizers in EPDM--an unorthodox approach with interesting results," T. Mergenhagen, Schill & Seilacher, Germany; "Multi-ingredient preweighs--a new concept of handling rubber chemicals," Thomas Krominga, RheinChemie GmbH, Germany; "Scission and recombination efficiency of hybrid crosslinks," A.S. Farid, University of North London, U.K.; and "Examination of extractables from food-contact rubber compounds using GC-MS and LC-MS techniques," John Sidwell, Rapra Technology Ltd., U.K.

Session 4 on manufacturing techniques and control will feature the following presentations: "DOE--a categorical screening design for compounding ingredients," R.J. Del Vecchio, Technical Consulting; "Best practices in product stewardship," Wolfram Keller, PRTM, Germany; "Clean rubber--straining applications with gear extruders," Winfried Trost, Uth GmbH, Germany; and "Developments in the field of batch-off lines," Peter Steinl, LWB Steinl GmbH, Germany.

Registration fees for RubberChem 2002 range from Euro 1,050 for companies sending three or more delegates to Euro 1,150 for companies sending one or two delegates. Registration information for the RubberChem 2002 conference is available from Sharon Garrington at Rapra Technology Ltd., tel.: [phone]; tax: [phone].