SPE® Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition (ACCE) Announces Call for Nominations

The organizing committee for the Detroit, Michigan-based SPE (Society of Plastics Engineers) Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition (ACCE) has issued a call for nominations for its annual innovative parts competition at the group’s 2021 conference, Sept. 8-10 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan. Any registered conference participant (speaker, sponsor/exhibitor or attendee) may nominate original equipment or aftermarket composite parts on passenger vehicles, light trucks and heavy trucks from any geography. Prototype parts are also eligible.

Companies, organizations and universities are all encouraged to participate and get recognized for their innovative production parts or prototypes. The vehicle producer must give permission and the part must be brought to the SPE ACCE for a formal review by judges. A total of five prizes will be awarded including four for the most innovative Production Part and Prototype Part in Materials Innovation and Process Innovation categories (selected by judges who are industry experts and members of the SPE ACCE planning committee) and one People’s Choice award (selected by conference attendees) – with winning teams receiving recognition and a trophy after lunch on the last day of the show.

Nomination abstracts are due June 30, 2021. Final nominations are due July 30, 2021, and should be emailed to [email protected]. More information and Nomination instructions may be found at www.speautomotive.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SPE-ACCE-2021-Parts-Competition-Info.pdf.

For more information on ACCE, visit www.speautomotive.com/acce-conference.

The ACCE draws more than 800 speakers, exhibitors, sponsors and attendees and provides an environment dedicated solely to discussion, education and networking about advances in transportation composites. Its global appeal is evident in the diversity of exhibitors, speakers and attendees who come to the conference from Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia/Pacific as well as North America. About 20% of the attendees work for automotive and light truck, agriculture, truck & bus or aviation OEMs. Approximately 25% of the attendees work for tiers including molders and material suppliers. The balance of attendees work for composite materials processing equipment, additives or reinforcement suppliers; trade associations, consultancies, university and government labs; media; and investors. The show has been jointly produced by the SPE Automotive and Composites Divisions since 2001.

SPE’s Automotive Division is active in educating, promoting, recognizing and communicating technical accomplishments in all phases of plastics and plastic-based composite developments in the global transportation industry. SPE’s Composites Division does the same with a focus on plastic-based composites in multiple industries. Topic areas include applications, materials, processing, equipment, tooling, design and development. The mission of SPE is to promote scientific and engineering knowledge relating to plastics worldwide and to educate industry, academia and the public about these advances. For more information on the Automotive Division, visit www.speautomotive.com and www.specomposites.org.

For more information on the Society of Plastics Engineers, visit www.4spe.org.