Volume 10 | Issue 3
Brazil, with its expansive territory, has natural resources that are beneficial to foundry activity. These important raw materials, supplies and energetic sources place the Brazilian foundry industry among the biggest worldwide casting parts producers.
To represent this important sector the Brazilian Foundry Association (ABIFA)
was founded April 25th 1969, by a small group of entrepreneurs inside the Tupy Foundry in Sao Paulo. The first administration was elected Jan. 30, 1970; its president was Milton Ayres, of Progresso Metalfrit Foundry.
The commitment that in the beginning was only related to the foundry companies’ technological development soon grew to a national presence, emphasizing political and economic issues aimed at the protection and commercial development of the sector.
At the present time ABIFA has associates across the entire country and has an active and effective role in all the issues that affect member companies in this sector. In addition, ABIFA has a very convenient location, in the most important economic center of the country, Paulista Avenue, where it has a complete office framework to attend its associates and visitors. Meeting and reception rooms and an auditorium with a 70-person capacity is where we hold courses, workshops and plenary meetings. In accordance with our decentralization politics we have been opening regional offices in Joinville (Santa Catarina state), Itauna (Minas Gerais state) and in Piracicaba (Sao Paulo state). By doing this, we offer better and closer service to our associates in these regions.
ABIFA PRINCIPLES
ABIFA’s mission has the following directives:
• Represent the interests of our associates and to promote technical and political development, acting as voice and mediator of the foundry sector.
• To develop techniques and improvements that stimulate the growth of the foundry industries, making them stronger and competitive internally and worldwide.
• To promote and spread knowledge to establish a strong and updated structure.
ABIFA’s vision has the following points:
Facilitate the continuous improvement of the foundry industry through the effective communication among companies and associates, using information, new resources and technologies, integrating domestic territory with regional office’s support.
ABIFA offers several activities and products to its members:
ABIFA Magazine: The main means of communication in the sector. The magazine is opened to contributions and news items from anyone in the sector;
Commissions: ABIFA has organized task groups with professionals connected with companies to deal with technical and commercial subjects. To be part of the commissions it is necessary to be an associate;
Courses and Workshops: These help to provide foundry professionals with industry updates as well as to educate on relevant issues, and promote courses and seminars. In addition, we also maintain partnership with technical schools;
Publications: We support the publication of technical materials;
Web site: Our Web site offers fast and updated services and information for the entire sector;
CONAF/FENAF: The South America Foundry Fair occurs every two years. Organized and promoted by ABIFA, FENAF is focused in the whole foundry productive chain. As one of the few Latin America Fairs with international representatives, FENAF is mentioned in the international calendar of Business Fairs and Expositions. Simultaneously to FENAF we have the CONAF – Foundry Congress, a forum of discussions that address the technical development of the sector, through the exchange of information and lectures of Brazilian and foreigner experts.
International Events: ABIFA participates also in all international meetings, such as GIFA in Germany, the AFS Fair in the USA and the Brescia Fair in Italy. ABIFA actively participates in these fairs and also organizes the Brazilian visitors groups.
Devanir Brichesi is president of ABIFA. To follow the growth of the association and the creation of new offices please access our Web site www.abifa.org.br. To become an ABIFA associate, fill in the application form.
Patti Jo Rosenthal chats about her role as Manager of K-12 STEM Education Programs at ASME where she drives nationally scaled STEM education initiatives, building pathways that foster equitable access to engineering education assets and fosters curiosity vital to “thinking like an engineer.”