ITSC2008 in the Netherlands attracts 600 thermal spray professionals.

Leaders within the world's thermal spray community gathered June 2-4 in Maastricht, The Netherlands, y-ms the International Thermal Spray Conference and Exposition (ITSC) attracted more than 600 attendees, with more than 400 expo-only attendees from 36 countries. The 40-plus exhibit exposition opened on Monday afternoon, and during the evening attendees were welcomed by the ITSC exhibitors at the Exhibitor Reception. TSS President Peter Hanneforth presented the Thermal Spray Hall of Fame award to Albert Kay, FASM, President of ASB Industries and TSS Past President. Also inducted in to the Thermal Spray Hall of Fame (posthumously) was Robert M. Gage, who was R&D Manager, Union Carbide Corp., Linde Division (now Praxair).

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Over the past years, ITSC has become the most valuable worldwide exchange market for trends in thermal spray. This year's event featured the latest developments in thermal spray applications, technology and science. More than 40 sessions comprised 220 oral and 140 poster presentations. Topics included automotive, solid oxide fuel cells, gas turbines, biomedical coatings, and printing and paper applications.

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Tuesday saw the event banquet and the presentation of the Journal of Thermal Spray Technology (JTST) Best Paper Award for 'In-Situ Simultaneous Measurement of Thickness, Elastic Moduli and Density of Thermal Sprayed WC-Co Coatings by Laser-Ultrasonics" by C. Bescond, S. E. Kruger, D. Levesque, R. S. Lima and B. R. Marple. The banquet was held in La Caverne de Geulham, a cave just outside of Maastricht. How appropriate that the location should be some 30 m "beneath the surface" of the southern Dutch hills. TSS Past President Rick Knight summed up ITSC this way: "Good bread, white asparagus, cted more than 600 attendees, with more than 400 expobeer, herrings, and a great thermal spray conference--what more could anyone ask for?"