ACPA brands 2016 Pipe School and inaugural Pipe Show as ‘America’s Pipe’

Sources: American Concrete Pipe Association, Irving, Texas; CP staff

American Concrete Pipe Association members will open 2016 with the Pipe School and companion trade exhibit and networking activities centered at the University of Texas at Arlington, site of major research advancing concrete drainage products.

The four-day ACPA Pipe School will commence January 4 with Quality, Basic and Advanced Production, Technical Marketing, and Sales and Engineering classes. For a second year it will feature an accreditation program affording students certification in Reinforcing for Precast Boxes and Precast Box Production, Production Mechanicals, Safety, Effective Plant Operations, plus Performance Management and Leadership.

A panel discussion with department of transportation and municipal representatives will focus on specifying pipe materials that best suit project site conditions and taxpayer needs based on federal or state highway funding legislation terms. A two-hour, January 6 Technical Poster Session will spotlight innovation, sustainability and resiliency measures making concrete pipe and box culverts “America’s Pipe” of choice.

Alongside Pipe School activities will be tours of Forterra Building Products’ Grand Prairie and Thompson Pipe’s Alvarado plants; Chairman’s Safety Awards; plus, trade show floor receptions and dining. ACPA has planned the Pipe Show as a turnkey event with traffic-ready booths—exhibitors needing only to bring or ship literature and companion materials. Pipe Show hours will be spread throughout the four-day School schedule.

As an added, optional benefit available to booth sponsors only, ACPA is scheduling a “Business-To-Business” (B2B) event on Friday, January 8, during which exhibitors will meet privately with senior executives of ACPA producer members. Held in reserved meeting rooms at the Arlington Hilton, it provides an opportunity for one-on-one interaction between vendors and prospective buyers. Each B2B participant will be guaranteed five 30-minute meetings with concrete pipe business owners.

Pipe School registration can be obtained here. Additional information on the Pipe School and Pipe Show can be obtained, respectively, from ACPA, 972/506-7216, www.concretepipe.org; and Adam Hochfelder, 214/293-4191, [email protected].