Celebrating ICPA’s Success in 2005-2006

For a closer look at what the industry has achieved towards ICPA's strategic goals, take a look at the following.

To be recognized as the source for education and information in the cast polymer industry, ICPA has…

• Trained, educated and certified hundreds of cast polymer professionals through ICPA’s Certified Composites Technician – Cast Polymer program. Reached the 250th CCT-CP milestone
• Launched a new certification, CCT Solid Surface, a comprehensive certification program which focuses on the skills required to successfully manufacture solid surface products, and began modifications to the original CCT program to ensure updated information and content
• Launched www.compositesresearch.org, providing user-friendly, online library of over 460 composites industry technical papers dating back to 1989
• Educated over 2,000 cast polymer professionals through six issues of Cast Polymer Connection magazine
• Kept over 2,000 cast polymer professionals informed of the latest ICPA and industry news through monthly issues of ICPA's e-newsletter, ICPA Express
• Re-vamped Cast Polymer Connection magazine by moving to a quarterly publication, increasing issue size, including new columns and enhancing the technical content and design
• Enhanced the already popular on line job bank to assist members and industry professionals in finding jobs and qualified employees
• Continued partnership with the International Solid Surface Association (ISSFA) to promote ISSFA’s “Job Management and Installation seminar” to ICPA members and offer the seminar to all members at a discounted rate
• Added additional technical resources to the ICPA staff to ensure timely responses to issues and questions from association members
• Revamped the association report on industry statistics, making it more complete and comprehensive. The redesign of this report included the addition of statistics on global composites, comparable market statistics, such as steel and aluminum, composites industry economic impact information, as well as additional findings on market growth for composites end-user industries.
• Provided resources and information to 300,000 visitors per month on ICPA’s web site (www.icpa-hq.org.)

To increase market share for cast polymer products, ICPA has…

• Published A Slippery Slope: Bathroom Fixture Design for the Elderly and Disabled for Kitchen and Bath Design News, a publication that promotes cast polymer solutions to end-users and has a circulation of 51,000
• Reached nearly 450,000 readers in daily and weekly consumer newspapers promoting composites and their use in daily life
• Published and distributed a report from the Composites Growth Initiative called “CGI-106, Reconstruction Opportunities for Composites in the Gulf Coast” that outlined potential products for development to grow the composites industry
• Organized multi-industry workshop with key stakeholders to identify specific composites solutions for natural disaster construction
• Partnered with the Boy Scouts of America to develop and launch the new Composite Materials Merit Badge, which will introduce the composites industry to a new generation of composites industry professionals
• Launched a new and improved on line search engine for end-users to find cast polymer manufacturers through ICPA’s web site (“Find a Source”)
• Continued to enhance and promote the ICPA Photo and Article libraries –components of ICPA’s valuable “Marketing Tool kit” for members only

To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas to enable the success of members, ICPA has…

• Launched the ICPA Directory online enabling members to research other member information via the web.
• Supported and helped to promote over 20 ICPA regional meetings held throughout the year

To influence and facilitate compliance with regulations and codes, ICPA has…

• Through over 200 meetings and other contacts with Members of Congress, officials at EPA, Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Small Business Administration, pressed for reasonable and responsible classification of the potential of styrene to cause cancer or neurotoxic effects
• Granted $75,000 to the Styrene Information and Research Center to support state-of-the-art research to determine how styrene affects the human nervous system
• Organized Lobby Days in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento, California to increase the appreciation of the industry's contribution to employment and quality of daily life all across America. Over 80 industry members participated in these lobbying efforts
• Hosted dozens of legislative and agency officials at a reception in conjunction with the D.C. Lobby Day where awards for Congresspersons of the Year were presented to two Members of Congress
• In conjunction with California Lobby Day, hosted members of the California legislature at a product/technology showcase, during which composites projects including a boat, RV, Corvette, and wind energy blade were showcased
• Worked with EPA to revise the MACT rule to clarify the averaging provisions for pultrusion, and correct the emission limits and factors for filled resin application
• Advocated for OSHA to update its infeasible regulation for fire safety of open molding operations through sponsorship and support of legislation in Congress (HR 3255)
• Held workshops, seminars, and posted valuable resources on the ACMA web site to help members understand and comply with MACT
• Joined with the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a legal action to force OSHA to stop relying on a closed and non-scientific process for updating the chemical hazard information on MSD sheets

To facilitate continual improvements for product and process quality assurance, ICPA has..

• Through our technical hotline, assisted dozens of members per week by providing answers to technical questions, troubleshooting assistance, and production tips.

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