Tire Industry Association

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	TIA Contact: Roy Littlefield
February 22, 2008	301-430-7280

TIA Commercial Tire, Retread & Recycling Conference Results

Bowie, MD – (February 22, 2008) The Tire Industry Association (TIA) today announced the results of the second Commercial Tire, Retread & Recycling Conference (CTRRC), February 5-7, 2008, in Orlando, Florida. This meeting was held again in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) of the American Trucking Associations (ATA).

“Attendees of the CTRRC also had the opportunity to participate in TMC’s exhibition at the Orlando Convention Center,” said TIA President Peggy Fisher. “On top of the valuable TIA education sessions, this gave attendees even greater networking opportunities between both events. Commercial tire dealers also networked on the show floor with many of their fleet customers which added greatly to the attractions and benefits the show provided.”

The CTRRC had 404 registered attendees, including 294 from the commercial/retread market and 110 recyclers who attended the three-day conference that included various seminars, a recycling tour and an equipment demonstration. “We were very pleased with the over 60% increase in attendance over last year’s CTRRC,” remarked TIA Executive Vice President Roy Littlefield. “It shows us the value attendees place in educational opportunities and keeping up-to-date with industry trends.”

TIA seminar topics ranged from chamber fires to wheel and rim reconditioning to improving envelope life. The Tire Manufacturers Forum was a huge hit with the panel answering questions seeded by Tire Business Editor Dave Zielasko and also from attendees for the full 90 minutes that was scheduled. In addition to viewing the TMC Exhibition, attendees were also entertained and educated during TMC’s Tire & Wheel Study Group meeting that investigated four myths associated with wheel torque through a take-off of the television show “MythBusters.”

More than 75 tire and rubber recyclers and industry professionals took part in the tire recycling facility tour that took place at the Ridge Generating Station in Auburndale, Florida. Recyclers had the opportunity to view full scale tire processing and energy production operations during the tour. The 45 megawatt plant processes up to 300,000 tons per year of waste wood and approximately 30,000 tons of tires per year into clean energy.

One of the highlights of the tire recycling program was the Thursday afternoon playground and sports surfaces product testing demonstration coordinated by Tire and Rubber Recycling Advisory Council (TRRAC) member Denise Kennedy. The program included testing of loose fill, pour-in-place and artificial sport turf surfacing. Attendees viewed a demonstration on how to use the TRIAX 2000 and “A” missile testing equipment in the field prior to sending the material to a testing lab for official certification. The TRIAX 2000 is used to test for impact attenuation of recycled rubber surfaces and the “A” missile is an artificial turf impact tester which can be used to test football, soccer, and baseball, and multi-purpose fields.

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TIA is an international association representing all segments of the tire industry, including those that manufacture, repair, recycle, sell, service or use new or retreaded tires, and also those suppliers or individuals who furnish equipment, material or services to the industry. The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has a history that spans more than 80 years and includes several name changes. Originally known as the National Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association (NTDRA), the organization gave birth over the years to the American Retreaders Association (ARA) and the Tire Association of North America (TANA). ARA changed its name to the International Tire & Rubber Association (ITRA) and merged with TANA in 2002 to form the current Tire Industry Association (TIA), which now represents every interest in the tire industry.

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