Welcome Back!

PowderMet2021, AMPM2021, and Tungsten2021 provided a much needed gathering place for professionals and students from every sector of the powder metallurgy community. The excitement of finally getting together again showed on all the smiling faces. Nearly 400 “in-person” delegates and over 100 “virtual” delegates took part in the hybrid event, held June 20-23 in Orlando. Delegates filtered into the ballroom to John Sebastian’s “Welcome Back” as they prepared for the Opening General Session’s jam-packed agenda. Executive Director/CEO James Adams welcomed the industry back together again in his opening remarks.

               
Executive Director/CEO James Adams welcomed the industry back together again during his opening remarks.

Major industry awards were recognized, including APMI's newest Fellows, Thomas Pelletiers (2020) and Cynthia Freeby (2021); the 2021 PM Distinguished Service to Powder Metallurgy Award recipients, and MPIF's fourth Kempton H. Roll Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Dr. Randall M. German, FAPMI, as well as winners in the 2021 PM Design Excellence Awards competition were announced (Watch the videos).

APMI's newest Fellows, Thomas Pelletiers (2020) and Cynthia Freeby (2021).

2021 Distinguished Service to Powder Metallurgy recipients.

Kempton H. Roll Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Dr. Randall M. German, FAPMI

MPIF President Dean Howard, President of North American Höganäs Co. presented the State of the North American PM Industry noting how the resilient PM community weathered the pandemic and is rebounding. Undeniably, thanks to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the North American PM industry endured one of the worst periods of declining production and sales in its history.  Manufacturing was disrupted, assembly lines were shut-down due to the mandates, and many industries came to a standstill.  Metal powder shipments started off decently in 2020 before falling drastically in April and May due to the pandemic.  Despite these challenges, by June 2020, recovery had started and continues today.  The PM industry is still alive and well, landing back on its feet, and well on its way to recovery. 

         
MPIF President Dean Howard, President of North American Höganäs Co. presented the State of the North American PM Industry

Edwin Pope, Principal Analyst, IHS Markit, the keynote speaker, gave an automotive industry powder metal outlook, from market-level volume impacts to powertrain and electrification trends, and the potential cascading effects are numerous to the powder metal supply chain. Outlooks & trends discussed included: Global automotive market, propulsion system design, transmission design, electrification, and metal 3D printing within the automotive sector.

          
Keynote speaker, Edwin Pope, Principal Analyst, IHS Markit.