A visit from members of the Japanese Burner Research Association and intensive preparation for three technical meetings were amongst the highlights of activities at Livorno during the last month.  There was a record turnout at the Joint Meeting of the French and Italian sections of IFRF and The Combustion Institute in Pisa last week and planning is underway for TOTeMs 41 and 42 in June.

In March we had the pleasure of welcoming six members of the Japanese Burner Research Association to Livorno.  IFRF staff spent a pleasant and informative day with Isamu Ikeda of Chugai ro CO, Seiichi Okamatsu of Nippon Lobby Sales CO, Masahiko Kato of Kato Burner CO, Masayosi Hashimoto of Kawasaki Thermal Engineering CO, Kazuaki Kamitani of Osaka Gas CO and Tateji Koizumi of Tokyo Gas CO.  Our thanks go to JBRA Vice Chairman and former IFRF Joint Committee member Susumu Mochida for coordinating the meeting.

The French and Italian Joint Meeting was a resounding success and attracted upwards of 115 delegates to the Hotel San Ranieri in Pisa.  Attendees were mostly from France and Italy, but the UK, Romania, Belgium and the Czech Republic were also represented.  I would like to congratulate the meeting Chairman Sébastien Caillat and his committee on their superb organization of an outstanding event!  (More detail in a separate article).

TOTeM 41 Optimisation of OXY/COAL/RFG systems will take place in Warsaw on 10th and 11th June at Radission Blu Centrum Hotel.  The event is linked to the RELCOM project and will be preceded by administrative meetings of the Steering Committee and the partner body.  A call for poster abstracts is active and registration is open.  All details appear on the IFRF Events Calendar.

The final programme is published today for TOTeM 42 Industrial heating: Furnaces, Process Heaters and Kilns.  The event is covered in a separate article in this issue.  The timing of TOTeM 42 coincides with the meetings of the IFRF Executive – 26th June, and the IFRF Joint Committee -27th June, also in IJmuiden. 

The Executive Committee will also meet on 29 and 30 May in Pisa.  Full descriptions of all upcoming technical and administrative meetings appear in the IFRF Events Calendar.