GEAPS Ahoy!: Exchange 2011

Exchange 2011, GEAPS' 82nd annual international technical conference and exposition, will bring GEAPS member from around the world to Portland, OR, February 26 - March 1, 2011. Held at the Oregon Convention Center, the event features a sold out 263-exhibitor trade show and a dynamic educational program.

For regulatory updates to equipment maintenance, GEAPS will be providing more than 30 hours of focused education programs, all geared for people in grain operations and related professions.Education session highlights include a morning-long program featuring several experts addressing the industry's bin entry, bin sweep dilemma. Another session will provide a first-person account of how his company responded to a grain-dryer fire. An expert in electrical safety will discuss the hazards of arc flash and an insurance professional will provide advice about premiums.

Looking for new innovative ways to handle operating issues? Idea Exchange will offer 16 six-minute presentations, all about equipment new to the industry. The Idea Exchange is split into two part: "What's New?" (see featured products on pg. XX) and "Why Don't They?... I did!" “What’s New?,” provides a forum for participants to discuss products that are new to the industry or ones with unique, new features.“Why Don’t They?... I Did!” presentations will focus on innovations made at grain facilities that others may find useful. This year it will featurebaltic birch plywood coffer dam from Star of the West Milling Co.;Power Core CPV, six silo bin vents presented by Zen-Noh Grain, Corp.; and an enclosed river belt by Cargill.

IThe Exchange Expo will feature the latest-and-greatest products as well as 12 expo-hall "pods" offering hand-on safety demonstrations.

For more information or to register online, visit www.geaps.com.

—Jackie Roembke