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BROOKLIN, ME, September 3, 2015 - Thousands of marine professionals will convene September 15-17 for the 25th International BoatBuilders' Exhibition & Conference (IBEX) being held at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, KY. IBEX will offer 550+ exhibiting companies, including 110 first-time exhibitors who will be showcasing thousands of new products, advanced processes, and impressive innovation. This three day trade show and conference owned and produced by Professional BoatBuilder magazine and The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) will feature educational seminars, aisles filled with new products and technology, free workshops, and several unique networking opportunities.

"This year's gathering of thousands of industry professionals is sure to be the must attend event of the year to source the most advanced products and trends in the boatbuilding industry," said Anne Dunbar, IBEX Show Director. "We are excited to host this leading industry event in Louisville and offer several new and innovative special features, networking events, interactive show floor displays, and pre-show Super Sessions. We will also be offering over 55 technical seminars, free Exhibitor Workshops, and the Innovation Awards. Registration is still open and the deadline to book hotel rooms in September 8th." Highlights for IBEX include:

Dynamic Education Program

• Super Sessions - IBEX will start off on Monday, September 14 with seven Super Sessions, produced and presented by exhibitors including ABBRA, Composites One, Gemeco, NMEA, SNAME, SureShade and West Systems, Inc. The three to eight hour workshops will review in-depth, hands-on technical topics prominent in the marine industry. For a complete list of sessions, click here.
• The Seminar Series - IBEX is offering 55 seminars to choose from in eight tracks: Composite Methods & Materials, Design & Engineering, Survey & Repair, Marine Electrical Systems, Manufacturing Management & Policy, Onboard Systems, ProBoat Editors' Picks, and Boatyard & Marina Operations. Industry experts will present the most advanced technical training in the world for the marine industry.   For the complete list of seminars, click here.
• Industry Breakfast & Innovation Awards will feature Hall of Fame Baseball Catcher Johnny Bench who will present the keynote speech. Thom Dammrich, NMMA President will deliver the State of the Industry address followed by an awards presentation including, The IBEX Innovation Awards, the NMMA Hall of Fame Award, the Boat US Life Jack Design competition winner, Boating Industry Mover and Shaker of the Year, the Mel Barr Award, the NMMA CSI Awards and a special presentation to the Silver Exhibitors who have exhibited in all 25 IBEX Shows. For tickets to the industry breakfast call IBEX Registration 484-751-5135. 

Exciting Networking Events

• Composite Challenge & Cocktail Competition attendees will award the best cocktail in the Composites Pavilion on Tuesday, September 15th at 5 pm. This event is sponsored by Composites One and Magnum Venus Products.
• Opening Night Party on Fourth St. Live. Enjoy entertainment, live music, and great food with marine industry professionals in downtown Louisville's premier entertainment district. The party will be taking place Tuesday, September 15th, after the exhibit hall closes at 6 pm.
• Bourbon & Brew Happy Hour On Wednesday, September 16^th from 5 - 6 pm in the Exhibit Hall this networking event will feature some of Kentucky's best local distilleries including Four Roses, Maker's Mark, Angel's Envy, and Alltech, and breweries including ATG, Goodwood, Blue Stallion, and Gordon Beirsch.
• Rock the Yacht Pre-Party and Concert - The IBEX 25th show celebration continues with a pre-party and live concert on Wednesday, September 16th at 6 pm. Enjoy an evening of live music from bands including Little River Band, Ambrosia, and more, great food and drinks, and lots of fun. Pre-Party begins at 6 pm at the Kentucky Exposition Center with the concert to follow. Click here to purchase tickets.

Interactive Exhibit Hall:

• New Products on the Exhibit Floor (Innovation Way) - Thousands of new products, advanced processes, and impressive innovations will be offered by 550 exhibiting companies. Innovation Way, in aisle 700, will feature all 90 of the 2015 Innovation Award participant's products, showcasing the latest in marine industry product development and technology. To view a complete list of exhibitors and learn more about their new products, click here.
• The Connected Boat Interactive Display - This interactive display will offer demonstrations on how systems like analog sensors, CAN bus, RS232, NMEA 0183, NMEA 2000, Ethernet, Bluetooth, Wireless 802.1 b/g/n/, WiFi, cellular, satellite, and global Internet work together providing operators access on board and from shore.
• Future Materials Display is a new hands-on exhibit curated by editors from Professional BoatBuilder and CompositesWorld magazines where attendees will find a collection of new materials, processes, and technologies from marine, aerospace, and automotive industries, plus some applied academic research and development.
• The IBEX 3D Digital Workshop- Cincinnati Incorporated, will showcase samples of large 3D parts including a kayak, and offer information on the many new manufacturing processes now applicable to the marine industry. And Stratasys^® will being doing live demos - they offer 3D printers, materials, and digital part services that enable designers, manufacturers, educators, and entrepreneurs to produce concept models, prototypes and finished parts. 
• Makermobile Trailer - Velocity Indiana and San Francisco-based TechShop will showcase a variety of maker tools including 3D printers, laser cutters, a vinyl cutter, a CNC machine, laptop workstations and electronics kits on a 32 foot trailer in the outdoor demo area directly in front of the main entrance at Hall B.
• Exhibitor Workshop Theater - In addition to the hundreds of exhibitors showcasing their latest products, there will be 19 free exhibitor workshops live on the show floor. IBEX exhibitors will present new products and processes, offering the latest information on cost-saving techniques, new technologies, and tools to improve boating industry business. For the complete listing of workshops, click here.

IBEX Mobile App - IBEX offers a smartphone app that will make it easier to navigate around IBEX's exhibit halls, and offers complete show information including access to the list of exhibitors, booth numbers, a searchable exhibit floor, live links to all social media, a list of events, and complete information on seminars, workshops and locations, and more. To download the app, click here. 

About IBEX: Owned and produced by Professional BoatBuilder magazine and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), IBEX is the marine industry's largest technical trade event. For boatbuilders, marine industry dealers, aftermarket suppliers and buyers, designers, repairers, surveyors, and boatyard/marine operators, IBEX is where better boats begin. For the latest information, visit www.ibexshow.com.

About Professional BoatBuilder magazine: Professional BoatBuilder, a boatbuilding-industry trade magazine, was first published in 1989 in response to a growing need for a dedicated forum for boatbuilding-related professionals. The magazine's worldwide readership exceeds 24,000. Professional BoatBuilder is online at www.proboat.com.

About NMMA: The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading association for the North American recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters in North America. The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy advocacy, market statistics and research, product quality assurance and promotion of the boating lifestyle. Learn more at www.nmma.org.