Honing your skills

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) Annual Convention & Exposition, ISRI2020, is scheduled for April 27-30 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. The event bills itself as “the world’s largest annual gathering of scrap recycling professionals,” with more than 5,000 attendees from around the world expected to be in attendance. ISRI adds that its convention “is the place to be to improve your skills, your business intelligence and your equipment assets.”

ISRI2020 features commodity spotlight sessions focused on domestic and international market trends, educational workshops addressing the industry’s most pressing topics and an exhibit hall that covers more than 8 acres and includes the latest equipment and technology for the recycling industry.

Robin Wiener, president of the Washington-based association, says, “Recycling professionals from around the world will have the opportunity to expand their skills and knowledge through extremely relevant educational sessions.”

She adds, “The expo floor will also provide opportunities for companies to innovate and find business solutions through the latest technology and services.”

Chuck Carr, vice president of convention and meetings at ISRI, says the ISRI2020 exhibit hall is one of the largest the event has featured. “It sold out earlier this year than it ever has,” he says, adding that the convention has become a must-attend event for suppliers to the industry and for processors, traders and consumers of recyclables.

Programming highlights

According to the association, ISRI2020 leverages some of the most popular attendee experiences from past conventions and adds new features such as educational tracks focused on workforce management, market development and innovation and technology; ISRI members-only events; an early morning fun run; and mainstage speakers Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia, and best-selling author Renée Mauborgne.

In his presentation “How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy World,” entrepreneur Vaynerchuk, shares his strategies for success and how they can be applied to the recycling industry.

Mauborgne plans to share her “blue ocean strategy,” a technique she uses to “create uncontested market space and make competition irrelevant,” ISRI says.

Friday, April 29, features ISRI Talks—Courageous Actions in Recycling. This 75-minute session is modeled after the popular TED Talks, Carr says, and features four speakers whose names have not been released as of press time, including ISRI members and an ISRI employee. They cover different topics and represent different sectors of the recycling industry.

Attendees will leave ISRI Talks and ISRI2020 overall “having been educated and entertained,” Carr says.

For more information

ISRI says it has negotiated some of the best hotel rates for convention and exposition attendees in years, providing options that are designed to meet budgets of all levels. Room blocks are available through the convention website for Mandalay Bay, Delano and Luxor. The association says its convention website is the only official source to access the ISRI room block and rates.

More details on hotels, schedules and convention registration are available at www.ISRI2020.org.

The author is editor of Recycling Today and can be contacted at dtoto@gie.net.