The Ceramic Manufacturers Association (CerMA), in conjunction with the American Ceramic Society's (ACerS) Southeast Section and Whitewares Division, will hold its fall meeting October 3-5 in Clemson, S.C. The meeting will be held concurrently with the 51st International Forum for Brick Plant Operators to give attendees an opportunity to attend both events and maximize their networking efforts. On Monday, October 3, CerMA will host a golf outing at Verdae Green Golf Course in Greenville, S.C. Papers will be presented on Tuesday, October 4, with the theme, "Cost Factors Affecting Ceramic Production." The morning session will focus on technologies and manufacturing practices, while the afternoon session will cover "smart business strategies" such as optimizing profitability, minimizing energy use, creating and commercializing innovative new products, and remaining competitive in a global market. On Tuesday evening, the Southeast Section will host its annual Hewlitt Award Banquet, and event organizers hope to arrange a tour of a nearby plant for Wednesday morning.

For tee times and directions to the October 3 CerMA golf outing, contact Greg Andrews at (770) 331-3473 or gandrews@rtvanderbilt.com. For more information about the fall meeting, contact CerMA at (740) 452-4541, e-mail CerMA.info@offinger.com or visit http://www.CerMA.org; or contact Cullen Hackler at (770) 281-8980, e-mail penamel@aol.com. More information about the International Forum for Brick Plant Operators can be found at http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/NBRC/.