2013 SPFA Convention & Expo Underway in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, FL–February 14, 2013–The spray polyurethane foam industry's largest annual gathering is currently underway in Jacksonville, Florida. The 2013 SPFA Convention & Expo began on Tuesday, February 12, with pre-convention certification exam preparatory courses and seminars. The exam prep courses continued into Wednesday, along with the annual golf tournament.

The convention went into full swing on Thursday morning as Bob Duke delivered the President's Welcome. Duke addressed the industry's rapid growth and promising future, stressing that the industry must continue to, "get inspired and stay inspired." Also highlighted was the 13-month development of the SPFA Certification, for which Bonnie Strickler received an SPFA Lifetime Achievement Award.

The keynote address was delivered by B.K. Simerson, who discussed the importance of adopting different strategies for achieving success. Entitled, "What Got Us to First Will Not Bring Us Home," Simerson's keynote detailed the need to constantly evolve strategies as businesses and industries mature.

SPFA Technical Director Rick Duncan went over the organization's SPF Lifecycle Assessment (LCA). Duncan emphasized how the LCA gives the SPF industry tangible evidence of the energy-saving benefits of spray foam.

Afterward, the first two series of breakout sessions took place, highlighting subjects like spray foam roof inspections, safe workplace practices, and improving operational efficiency.

Then, the Contractor Industry Excellence Awards Luncheon featured the top spray foam projects submitted to the SPFA during 2012. Among the winners was Biofoam Inc., which took home the award for the Commercial Roof, Less Than 40,000 Sq. Ft., category. Biofoam's entry, a roof rehabilitation project at Fermilab, was featured in the September/October 2012 issue of Spray Foam Insulation & Roofing Magazine.

Just after the Awards Luncheon, the exhibition hall, with a record 86 exhibitors, opened to one of the largest crowds in the convention's history. Then, attendees mixed and mingled at the opening reception.

Friday will again feature two series of breakout sessions in the morning, followed by the reopening of the exhibit hall.

About the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance: Originally founded in 1987 as the Polyurethane Foam Contractors Division, the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) is the voice, along with the educational and technical resource, for the spray polyurethane foam industry. The SPFA's experienced staff and member-comprised committees provide a wide variety of services to the industry. The SPFA develops tools designed to educate and influence the construction industry with the positive benefits of spray polyurethane foam roofing, insulation, and climate control systems. Although the SPFA is a completely independent trade association, it has a strong relationship with the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the Center for Polyurethanes Industry (CPI). These groups have assisted the SPFA to better serve the spray polyurethane foam industry's business needs on local and statewide issues.