History

The IIBCC can look back at more than 30 years of history. Find here the list of conferences held in the past and find out about how the IIBCC, from its inception in 1988 matured into an event that today, is considered one of the most significant global events focused on inorganic-bonded composites.

2022: Hamburg, Germany

The 17th edition of the IIBCC was held in Hamburg, Germany at the historic Saalhaus. 

2021: IIBCC Connect: Innovating for Tomorrow. Virtual

IIBCC Connect is a virtual gathering of the IIBCC community and a live forum to gain expert insights, discuss recent developments and provide updates on what’s coming up next. It was streamed live so people could attend from all over world, which we’re told was great success!

2018: Cape Town, South Africa

The 16th edition of the IIBCC was held in Cape Town, South Africa at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). It has attracted a substantial presence from not only academia but also the inorganic-bonded composites industry.

2016: Fuzhou, China

The 15th International Inorganic Bonded Cement Composites Conference was held at the Fuzhou Empark Grand Hotel, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China from 7th – 11th November 2016. It was the biggest conference of the IIBCC series to date, both in numbers of delegates as well as sponsors and exhibitors.

2014: Da Nang, Vietnam

The 14th International Inorganic Bonded Cement Composites Conference was held at the Furama Resort, Da Nang, Vietnam from September 15^th – 19^th 2014. The conference comprised four components: a fibre cement course, Suppliers’ Day, the conference, and site visit.

2012: Canberra, Australia

The 13th International Inorganic Bonded Cement Composites Conference was held at the Australian National University, Canberra from September 10^th – 14^th 2012. The conference comprised three components: a two-day course on fibre cement, the official conference and site visits.

2010: Aalborg, Denmark

21-24 September 2010, the IIBCC visited Scandinavia. The host city of the 12th IIBCC conference was the city of Aalborg, situated in the region of Northern Jutland in Denmark.

2008: Madrid, Spain

After twenty years of excellent we move to Europe, Madrid was the first European host city for the 11th edition of IIBCC series.

2006: São Paulo, Brazil

November 15-18, 2006, the IIBCC was held in São Paulo, Brazil under the management of the University of São Paulo in cooperation with the University of Idaho. This was the first time the conference moved outside North America.

2004: Vancouver, Canada

In 2004, the conference moved beyond the borders of the US and went international for the first time with regards to its location. After some research, the choice fell upon the city of Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. Vancouver is world-famous for its natural beauty, its wonderful cosmopolitan ambience as well as the outstanding waterfront convention facilities. Thus, Vancouver proved to be a great choice.

An array of excellent speakers and exhibits/posters added much to the quality of the conference. A night boat tour for the banquet was very well received and added much fun as well. The heavy industrial and global participation continued.

1998, 2000 and 2002: Sun Valley, United States

After three consecutive conferences in Spokane, Washington a new venue was to be found. After mapping the possibilities, it was decided to locate the conference in the beautiful, well-known resort of Sun Valley, Idaho. The resort is situated in picturesque landscapes with excellent conference facilities and recreation opportunities for the families who sometimes accompany the participants.

In 1998, attendance continued to increase with many repeat participants from the previous conferences and many new arrivals. The conference presented an excellent range of speakers and exhibitors. The setting was very refreshing and indeed a pleasure for our participants. There was excellent industry participation as well as a good mix of academic and governmental organisations represented at the conference.

In 2000, a large number of North American and international participants attended.

The 2002 conference was again held in Sun Valley, Idaho – the conference facilities and the fact that the IIBCC was supported by strong participation encouraged the conference to stay with this venue. Further improvements were introduced based upon experiences from previous conferences. The conference featured excellent speakers and plenty of opportunities for audience interaction.

1992, 1994 and 1996: Spokane, United States

As a consequence of the need for additional space, the 1992 conference was moved to a hotel in the city of Spokane, Washington which featured conference facilities and better airport access. This decision proved to be rather successful in attracting the anticipated participants as well as larger and more exhibits. The participants were pleased with the facilities, which offered more space and better facilities.

The 1994 conference was also held in Spokane, Washington as a result of the positive responses from the participants towards the conference two years earlier. The second Spokane-located conference was supported by a large number of participants and a number of exhibitors and poster sessions from a number of university researchers. The industry was also very well represented. The conference had become a meeting place for conducting business and learning about the latest global developments in technology and markets.

In 1996, more than 90% of the participants represented industrial organisations and the remaining 10% represented academic and governmental institutions. Again the IIBCC was surrounded by an excellent atmosphere for conducting business and gaining knowledge about the latest developments within technology and markets. Responses from the participants were very positive. Global participation fostered contacts which would otherwise be difficult to establish.

The beginning – 1988 and 1990: Moscow, United States

After carrying out research and development for ten years prior to 1988, a number of colleagues discussed the possibility of getting together for a meeting to discuss the information and knowledge they had generated. These colleagues originated from a number of countries and were all working in the field of inorganic-bonded composites. Prof. Al Moslemi volunteered to organise such a meeting in a conference format.

The conference was held in Moscow, Idaho where the University of Idaho campus is located and was expected to attract only the colleagues and perhaps a small number of other interested parties. Surprisingly, some 160 participants from around the world showed up! With this, the series of IIBCCs began and it was decided to be held once every two years.

The 1990 conference was also held in Moscow, Idaho because the facilities available appeared to be adequate and it was convenient for the organisers. The conference attracted not only the anticipated audience but generated a request for space for exhibits and posters.