New Format for IDEA07 Conference Program

New Format for IDEA07 Conference Program to Focus on Emerging Markets, Energy and Innovation

Three-day conference to feature a specific focus each day.

CARY, N.C. — January 10, 2007 – A world-class program focusing on emerging technical textile market in India as well as many of the key marketing and technical issues facing the global engineered fabrics industry in the 21st Century will take place during the three days of the IDEA07 International Engineered Fabrics Conference and Expo, April 24-26, 2007 in Miami Beach, Fla.

“The IDEA07 Conference will be the premier educational event of 2007 for nonwovens professionals from around the world,” according to Cos Camelio, Technical Director for INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, the organizer of the triennial event.

The new Conference format focuses on three current key areas of interest for nonwovens professionals:

India … Presentations by two of the leading authorities on the Indian nonwovens and textiles market will provide insight into the current situation in India and the extreme potential in this emerging market for nonwovens and technical textiles. Saumitra Chaudhuri, Chief Economist for ICRA, India, will speak on “India as an Economic Power – Prospects for Growth,” and Dr. J.N. Singh, Textile Commissioner for the Indian Textile Ministry, will offer a presentation on “Developments in India’s Technical Textile Industry.”

Energy … Uncertain energy costs worldwide have an incredible impact on the production of nonwoven fibers and fabrics, and Dennis J. Stanley, Chemicals Energy Planning Advisor for ExxonMobil Chemical Company, will provide insight into “Analyzing Energy Costs for Savings.” A second paper on “Cost of Fuels: Impact of Market Forces, Trends, Strategies,” will be presented by Bob Bazemore, Vice President, Regulated Fuels Department of Progress Energy.

Innovation … “The Case for Innovation Management – Return to Profitable Growth,” will be the subject of a presentation by Paul Mugge, Director of the Center of Innovation Management Studies at North Carolina State University, to kick off the Innovation session. He will be joined by Stuart L. Hart, Ph.D., S.C. Johnson Chair of Sustainable Global Enterprise and Professor of Management at Cornell University, who will speak on “Driving Innovation from the Base of the Pyramid.”

A special feature of the IDEA07 Conference program will be the presentation of the IDEA07 Achievement Awards, sponsored by INDA and Nonwovens Industry. The Achievement Awards recognize innovation within the engineered fabrics industry and are presented to the leading companies, individuals and new products (introduced since IDEA04) in the global engineered fabrics industry. The finalists for the IDEA07 Achievement Awards will be announced February 1.

INDA has made attending the Conference even simpler and more affordable for IDEA07 attendees. Registration for the entire Conference session is available at a lower price than in the past, and making the IDEA07 conference available to all IDEA07 participants.

Being held April 24-26, 2007 in the Miami Beach Convention Center in the cosmopolitan city of Miami Beach, Fla., IDEA07 will bring together hundreds of companies and thousands of attendees from anywhere in the world where nonwovens and engineered fabrics are produced and used in finished products.