IFAI’s Expo Asia receives award and funding boost

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke presented IFAI President and CEO Stephen Warner with an award Dec. 1 for receiving a Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) Grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The $250,000 grant is directed toward promotional development of the first IFAI Expo Asia trade show March 22-25, 2011, in Singapore, according to an IFAI press release.

The Expo Asia event prominently features a two-part geosynthetics track: Part 1—“Geosynthetic applications for infrastructure” and Part 2—“Geosynthetic materials for environmental applications.” Both sessions will be taught by Sam Allen of TRI/Environmental, said Kristy Meade, IFAI’s director of education and events/Asia. Click here to see a complete schedule.

The MDCP award was presented to IFAI by the International Trade Administration (ITA) arm of the Commerce Department, and includes financial and technical assistance from ITA to support well-defined business plans aimed at increasing exports and U.S. competitiveness within certain industries. The MDCP grant establishes a partnership between ITA and nonprofit industry groups to help strengthen global competitiveness and create jobs through exports, the press release stated.

IFAI’s grant is specifically intended to encourage U.S.-based specialty fabric suppliers to export into the Asia Pacific region. It is also directed toward lowering costs for U.S. companies exhibiting at Expo Asia and to bring qualified targeted buyers to the event to meet with these U.S. companies.

IFAI Expo Asia 2011 has also received Trade Fair Certification from the U.S. Commercial Service of the Department of Commerce. This certification has never been given to a first-time trade fair, according to the press release. The certification program is a cooperative arrangement between private sector trade show organizers and the U.S. government to increase U.S. exports and expand U.S. participation in overseas trade shows.

According to Warner, “The boom is on in the Asia Pacific region for specialty fabrics. In the last two years the region’s governments committed more than $300 billion for green industrial projects, energy and water conservation, renewable energy, air and water quality, and coastal regeneration. All these applications can involve products made from specialty fabrics,” he said.

IFAI Expo Asia 2011 visitor and exhibiting information is available at: www.ifaiexpoasia.com.