Tire industry conference planned.

The 23rd Annual Tire Industry Conference for the domestic and international tire industry, including suppliers and allied industries, will be presented by Clemson University March 14-16 at The Westin Resort in Hilton Head, SC.

This conference will focus on the ever-changing facets of the tire industry and the resultant consequences to the tire and automotive manufacturers and consumers.

The conference will feature 22 presentations delivered by experts in their respective fields. Attendees will hear representatives from the primary tire manufacturing industry, academia, government, and tire and vehicle interests. Current topics that will have profound effects on business and technology will be explored.

Attendees will hear what industry leaders have to say about future trends, the global forecast and their implications, the test results on fuel consumption, aged tire and roadwheel din-ability, and radial medium truck tires. Participants will also learn what the industry is doing to address tire safety issues and increasing regulatory requirements.

Additionally, participants will examine tire monitoring technologies, servicing and maintenance, and the latest development in nitrogen tire inflation, scrap tires, retreading and run-flat tires will be discussed.

This is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary conference designed to address developments throughout the field of tire design, research and manufacturing in all allied industries.

Session 1 will include the following presentations: "An examination of the important issues facing the tire industry," Greg Smith, Modern Tire Dealer, "Update on results of a survey of rolling resistance of commercial tires," Pat Keating, Hankook Tire; "Outcome of ASTM's design of experiment on radial medium truck tires," Terrence Ruip, Goodyear Tire & Rubber; "Modern tire management--it's much more than supply and service," Tom Klinge, Klinge Group of Companies; "Current and future prospects for run-flat fires," Paul A. Ita, Notch Consulting Group; and "Improving test practices for fuel economy evaluations of heavy trucks," Sue M. Nelson, Truck Tire Innovation Team.

Session 2 will include the following presentations: "Vehicle safety at NHTSA," Ronald L. Medford, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; "Status of the ASTM F9.30 aged tire endurance task group work," June Satterfield, Michelin North America; "TPMS and the replacement tire market: Can independent dealers survive?" Kevin Rohlwing, Tire Industry Association; "Historical overview of commercial truck tire TPMS systems and where they are headed," Peggy Fisher, TireStamp; "Industry standards and government regulations--our industry's regulatory future," Mike Wichhusen, Michelin North America; and "An update on research and academic activities at Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research and the Carroll Campbell, Jr., Graduate Engineering Center," Thomas Kurfess, Clemson University.

Session 3 will include the following presentations: "Results of a trial of nitrogen tire inflation in a long haul trucking fleet," Konrad Mech, Drexan; "Automated tire inflation systems for commercial vehicles," Al Cohn, Pressure Systems International; "Forging ahead--new technologies in the tire industry's ever-changing environment," Hiroshi Mouri, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC; "The rebirth of passenger retreading," Jeff Barlow, Green Diamond Tire; and "A view of the future of tire retreading," Giuseppe Ferrari, Marangoni Retreading Systems.

Session 4 will include the following presentations: "Retreading in the 21st Century: Where we were, how we got there, where we are today," Harvey Brodsky, Tire Retread Information Bureau; "Scrap tire market update," Michael Blumenthal, Rubber Manufacturers Association; "Current trends in tire recycling," David Forrester, Tires; "The challenge of waste tire recovery in the newly emerging markets," Anne S. Evans, Tyres 2000; and "The importance of good ethics in engineering--how good and bad ethical decisions have affected tire companies and the lives of their customers," Dick Baumgardner, Tire Consultants.

Further information on the 23rd Annual Tire Industry Conference is available from Kay James [phone] or at www.clemson.edu/success.