With great success, from August 21st to 23rd in the city of San Luis Potosí, our event ALUMÉXICO SUMMIT & EXPO 2019 was held. This event was launched this year to revive the tradition of the International Congress that IMEDAL organized for eight consecutive editions. The quality of the event and the number of attendees exceeded all expectations, with over 200 attendees representing more than 80 companies.
With the incorporation of innovative elements and a new format that offers more content, attendees expressed their pleasure and satisfaction in participating in this event.
Below is the event review:
ALUMÉXICO 2019 Review
Wednesday, August 21st
The program began with attendee registration followed by visits to significant industries in the area such as BMW Plant, RONAL, and PROMINOX, which were enjoyed by all participants. In the afternoon, a welcome cocktail was held in the gardens of the Hilton Hotel, where delegates enjoyed a warm and friendly atmosphere while sharing moments together. They indulged in delicious snacks, select beverages, and live jazz music.
"Thursday, August 22nd"
On Thursday, the program began with a compelling welcome video that captivated the audience. With a large turnout filling the forum at the San Luis Potosí Convention Center, Engineer Fernando Garcia, President of IMEDAL, welcomed attendees and special guests on behalf of the Institute’s Board of Directors.
The program continued with distinguished guests such as Lic. Pedro Tello, an economic analyst in various media outlets, Lic. Eduardo Solís, President of the Mexican Automotive Industry Association (AMIA), Ing. Oscar Albin, President of the National Auto Parts Industry (INA), and Dr. Manuel Montoya, Director of the Automotive Cluster of Nuevo León. The keynote conference sessions commenced immediately, covering a variety of topics including the economic outlook for 2019-2020, challenges and opportunities for the automotive and auto parts industries, and trends in aluminum usage in automobiles.
On behalf of the IMEDAL Board of Directors, President Fernando García, accompanied by Vice Presidents Eugenio Clariond, Víctor Ramírez, and Mónica Treviño, welcomed and expressed gratitude to Lic. Gustavo Puente, Secretary of Economic Development of the Government of San Luis Potosí, and Lic. Gabriela Rivera, Director of ProSanLuis, for their support in organizing Aluméxico 2019. Lic. Puente delivered a brief message to the attendees and then proceeded to formally inaugurate the proceedings of ALUMEXICO SUMMIT & EXPO 2019.
Immediately after, Lic. Puente, accompanied by Engineer Garcia and the Vice Presidents of the Board of Directors, cut the ribbon to inaugurate the exhibition. They toured the area with the 36 stands set up, engaging in conversations with attendees. Thanks to the dedication of the exhibitors and the excellent work of the event production team, the expo was a resounding success, impressing and inspiring admiration among visitors with its splendid and aesthetically pleasing setup.
After the buffet meal at the same convention center, which, by the way, turned out to be varied and delicious, the program of 26 specialized technical conferences began. Three of these conferences were held simultaneously in the same venue, which was divided into three sections using silent conference technology. Each attendee could access the specific audio of their interest through wireless receivers, thus allowing multiple activities to take place in parallel.
Great topics were addressed, such as innovations in aluminum manufacturing processes and associated equipment, as well as Industry 4.0 technologies like the Internet of Things, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Collaborative Robotics, Additive Manufacturing, Augmented Reality, etc.
In parallel to these conferences, two short courses called Aluworkshop were held in separate rooms. One was specifically designed for the automotive industry, and the other focused on optimizing the extrusion process, with the participation of Italian experts Giacomo Mariscotti and Massimo Bartoletti.
On the evening of Thursday, August 22, a Gala Dinner was offered to attendees at the Conrad Hotel, the event venue. We were honored by the visit of Francisco Cervantes, National President of CONCAMIN, who delivered a brief message to the audience. The dinner, featuring high-quality dishes and beverages, was enlivened by two showcases of Potosina culture: “The Rebozo Parade,” where beautiful hostesses demonstrated to attendees all the possible uses of this colorful and fine garment. Additionally, after the parade, a “traditional musical group from the Huasteca Potosina” performed, dedicating some verses to our event as well as to President Fernando García.
Friday, August 23
On Friday, August 23, the conference program resumed with the participation of Eng. Norberto Vidaña, Technical Sales Advisor and Director of Metalgazette; Martin Hartlieb, aluminum industry market analyst; Lic. Xavier Hurtado, Director of Supply Chain of the Mexican Federation of the Aerospace Industry (FEMIA); Eng. José Luis Villalón, President of Target Robotics; and Dr. Horacio Canales Siller from CIDESI Querétaro, focused on applied Artificial Intelligence. They respectively presented to the audience their insights on the market and metal prices, the effects of the new USMCA trade agreement on Mexico, the need to find suppliers for the aerospace industry and the process to achieve it, and finally the vast potential and necessity of applying next-generation robotics, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality in the aluminum industry.
On the same Friday, August 23, for the first time at this event, the B2B session began in the same venue, which, through an organized process, brought together buyers and suppliers from the industry. This model will undoubtedly be of great relevance to both sides of the chain, as suppliers will have the opportunity to present their products and services to all the buyers present, as well as the guarantee of specific face-to-face meetings with the key buyers they previously selected, all under a specific agenda controlled by the organizers.
The conference program continued in the afternoon with important topics on Circular Economy and Sustainable Development presented by Lic. Cristina Cortinas, Eng. Lourdes Aduna, and Lic. Luis Miguel Galindo. Their presentations moved and shook the attendees’ consciousness due to their immense relevance for the care of our planet and our natural resources.
All of the above was wrapped in a mobile application called Whova, through which attendees had access to all event details, such as a list of companies and attendees, a list and map of exhibitors, the ability to make one-on-one contacts with attendees and schedule appointments, upload photos and messages to social media, form discussion groups, rate the event, access general announcements from the organizers, and more.
In this way, IMEDAL renews and strengthens this event, which once again offers a space designed especially for business, training, and knowledge dissemination, as well as for enjoying time with our partners and friends.
The undeniable success of this great event has been possible thanks to the support of our sponsors Arzyz, Riisa, Fracsa, Aluminicaste, Altek, Marcometales, and Oilgear, but also and fundamentally due to the enthusiasm and support of all the companies and delegates attending Alumexico 2019. Our thanks to all, and we hope to do even better next time.
We also extend our recognition to Eng. Artemisa Alba, Executive Director of IMEDAL, as well as to all the members of the IMEDAL staff, whose talent, effort, and dedication made this event possible. Likewise, our thanks to Engineers Osvaldo Chávez, Germán Soto, and Salvador Tovar for their sustained support in promoting and coordinating the conference program. Our appreciation and recognition also go to Ligia Martínez for her invaluable support in the organization and production of Alumexico 2019.