Letter from the President

I am pleased to welcome you to the 100th edition of the IPLOCA Newsletter! As we celebrate this major milestone in our Association’s history, it is worth taking a moment to reflect on the past 25 years. The newsletter has played a key role in building and maintaining enduring relationships within our community, enabling members to stay informed about one another’s businesses, get to know new industry professionals, and keep up with existing contacts. I am personally always interested in learning about the ventures of fellow member companies in the Member News section.

What’s the news at the Secretariat in Geneva? What events took place and what were the key takeaways? What was discussed at the Board Meeting? These are just some of the subjects the newsletter aims to cover. Articles delve into topics such as new technologies, energy transition, and, of course, the highlight of the IPLOCA calendar, the Annual Convention. I would like to thank our readers, contributors, sponsors, the current editor, as well as the past editors for having kept the community vibrant and engaged over the years.

It’s September, and in the IPLOCA world September means Annual Convention. We are on the starting blocks of our biggest event taking place from 9 to 13 September in Sorrento, Italy. I am delighted that this year saw a record number of people registering for the event. In Sorrento, we will have the privilege to learn about the latest industry trends from our riveting speakers: Diana Anghel, Mark Bridgers, Michele Caramuta, Peter Cox, Darren Matkin, Maria Sferruzza and Duncan Stevens. At the end of the convention, I will hand over the Presidency to current 1st Vice President, Yasar Giregiz. I would like to thank the sponsors of the Sorrento Convention for their generosity.

Regarding our work in health and safety, I recommend you read the new 2023 HSE Statistics Report that has now been released by the HSE & CSR Committee. We hope to see you at the HSE & CSR Workshop on 22 October and the Novel Construction Fall Session on 23 and 24 October in Lisbon.

An excellent Board Meeting and Regional Meeting took place at the start of the summer in Cairo, Egypt. A big thank you to Board member Saji Khoury of CCC and Executive Secretary Georges Hage for organising an informative Regional Meeting with member and non-member companies, such as PETROJET, GASCO, and Enppi participating. Our next Regional Meeting will take place on 4 December in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

I am looking forward to seeing you in Sorrento.

Roberto Castelli, Bonatti S.p.A

IPLOCA President 2023-2024