posted on 10.17.14

October 6-8, 2014 marked Furnaces North America’s eleventh trade show and conference since 1995.   FNA 2014 was a high powered event produced by the Metal Treating Institute (MTI).   The show was supported by the show’s official media partner, Industrial Heating Magazine as well as over 20 major heat treat suppliers.

FNA 2014 brought together over 1,600 attendees that included commercial heat treaters, captive heat treaters and suppliers from 15 countries to see the latest trends, technology and equipment in heat treating.

CLICK HERE to view a photo gallery.

Numerous Fortune 500 companies were in attendance at the show including Delta, Chrysler, Caterpillar, Honda and Ford as well as the many of the top commercial heat treaters across the world.

The technical conference featured kick off sessions by some industry icons including Bill Jones from Solar Atmospheres on the future of heat treating, Ford Motor Company on CQI-9 standards, the Center for Heat Treating Excellence and the well-known Heat Treat Doctor, Dan Herring.

Over the two days, attendees took part in 40 technical sessions that covered educational tracks in Surface Treatments, Pipe and Tube, Vacuum Heat Treating, Emerging Technologies, Induction, Fixtures and Alloys, Controls and Induction, Aerospace, Automotive, and General Business Management.
On day one, once the technical sessions let out at 11:00 am, the anticipation mounted for
the opening of the trade show at 11:15.  Many exhibitors characterized the opening as a huge wave of people that converged on the trade show floor.  Numerous exhibitors stated late in the day, they had to come to the exhibitor lounge to catch their breath.  They literally had more people in their booth than sales people and they had been talking for two solid hours.  Good problems to have as an exhiitor for sure.

As an attendee moved through the trade show they were able to see the latest ideas and equipment to help make their plants more technology sound, productive, safer and profitable while maximizing quality.  Everything from furnace equipment, controls, sensors, alloys and baskets was there.

Attendees commented that FNA was a great use of their time because it provided a great opportunity for
them to come to one location and see everything imaginable in heat treating as well as network with the best minds in the industry.

Speaking of networking, it was everywhere.  No matter where you looked in the convention center, you had people talking to one another.  They were in the classrooms, on the show room floor, the hotel lobby, and in the registration area.  Attendees engaged in various events including the opening night reception, trade show floor reception, the FNA Ultimate Comedy Theater event and the closing night dinner for MTI members.  If you had an issue or challenge you were dealing with, you were guaranteed to find someone onsite who could help you with a solution.

Post show surveys are already coming in and both attendees and exhibitors alike loved FNA 2014.  MTI has received numerous suggestions and comments from surveys to make FNA 2016 an even bigger success.

We hope you put it on your calendar now and be there.

FNA 2016 is already on the books and is scheduled back in Nashville, Tennessee, October 4-5, 2016.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact the FNA office at fna@heattreat.net or 904-249-0448 or visit our show site at www.FurnacesNorthAmerica.com.