NICSTAR 2015

NICSTAR 2015 was held in Mumbai, India, in early March 2015. The conference was organised by the National Association for Application of Radioisotopes and Radiation in Industry (NAARRI) and the International Irradiation Association (iia). It attracted approximately 250 delegates including about 60 international delegates. 

The event was sponsored by iia members Microtrol, Jiangsu Dasheng Electron Accelerator, JSC Isotope, Symec Engineers, SQHL and Apar Industries.

There were five key sessions to the conference; Cobalt Supply and Irradiator Design; Cobalt Security and Disposal; the Growth of Eb and X-ray Technology; Applications of Irradiation and Regional and International Developments. The presence of all leading cobalt suppliers, radiation equipment suppliers, leading suppliers of electron beam and X-ray equipment and many support service companies as well as the IAEA, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) along with representation from a number of international institutes and universities ensured that the presentations, debates, posters and discussions were both relevant and topical.

The exhibitors were: Jiangsu Dasheng Electron Accelerator, CGN Hi WIts Technology Development Company, Wuxi El Pont Radiation Technology, JSC Isotope, Universal Medicap, Microtrol Sterilisation Services, Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology, Harwell Dosimeters, SQHL, Aerial, Gamma-Services Recycling, IBA, Symec Engineers, Pulsecho Systems, Electronics Corporation of India, Electronic and Engineering Company and Innotung.

The presentations, abstracts and posters have been uploaded to the International Irradiation Association website and are available in the Members Area under the heading Resource Centre. The conference handbook can be accessed via the iia website. This includes details of the abstracts, speakers and exhibitors.

2014 - U.S. Appropriations Bill

The draft US Appropriations Bill came to our attention in the Summer of 2014. Section 402 of the Bill made a number of proposals that would have significantly hindered the use of gamma irradiation in the United States and potentially internationally.  

 The initial response to the Bill came from the US Nuclear Energy Institute, the American Nuclear Society, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Organisation of Agreement States. The US Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) subsequently coordinated the involvement of many industry representatives including the International Irradiation Association, GIPA and ISSPA. Individual and joint letters of representation were submitted to the Committee responsible for drafting the legislation highlighting individual and industry concerns.

 In addition to working with, and through, NEI the International Irradiation Association supported AdvaMed in preparing and updating material which was used to explain the importance and benefits derived from the use of radiation processing and the unexpected consequences that the draft legislation would have if it were to be passed without amendment. Members of the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) produce nearly 90% of the health care technology products purchased annually in the US and 40% of the products purchased globally.

 As a result of widespread engagement section 402 was replaced and largely re-written before the Bill was enacted. In the sort term the difficulties that the original Bill would have created have been averted. Regulators will closely monitor the safety and security improvements which are already contained within title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations part 37 which became mandatory for NRC licensees in March 2014.

Through our association our industry will be in a better position to monitor developments over the coming few years. Recent events have created a valuable network of organisations who have a significant interest in the availability of a broad choice of irradiation technologies and who have now established a working relationship which will need to be maintained and developed.

Copies of various documents relating to this topic have been posted on the iia website so that members of the Association are able to fully understand the events that took place and the actions that were taken by the parties involved.

 USA - West Coast Port Labour Disruption 

There has been a long standing labour dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA). The labour negotiations began on 15 May 2014 but soon became acrimonious. The dispute resulted in work slowdowns and the risk of strike. The effect of this was delays in the movement of goods in and out of west coast ports in the United States, including the movement of cobalt shipping containers. As a consequence shipping companies reduced the number of vessels using the ports and, where possible, sought alternative routes. 

 The US National Retail Federation co-ordinated pressure on the various parties to resolve their differences. The International Irradiation Association (iia) has supported the initiatives and has been a signatory to letters that have been sent to the parties. As the dispute continued assistance was sought from external parties including the President of the United States who was asked to intervene and to appoint an arbitrator. 

 The dispute finally appears as if it might be resolved in the near future. On Friday 3 April 2015 ILWU delegates voted to recommend accepting the tentative agreement that was reached on 20 February 2015 between the union and employers represented by the Pacific Maritime Association. The tentative agreement will be put to a vote in May 2015. 

The Wall Street Journal reported that, by the end of February, more than 30 ships were typically at anchor waiting to get into the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where operations had nearly ground to a halt. The Wall Street Journal reported that last Friday 13 ships were at anchor. Logistics and port professionals say that it could take 3-6 months for supply chains to recover.

 18th IMRP to be held in Vancouver in Spring 2017 

In early 2015 we undertook a survey of iia members in order to seek their views on the location, timing and format of the next conference. The results of the survey are available on the iia website. There were many factors to consider including the timing of the next IRaP meeting, cost ,accessibility and content. After lengthy discussions and after taking all these factors into consideration it has been decided that the next IMRP conference will be held in Vancouver in Spring 2017. 

 Vancouver offers a number advantages; an international airport with easy and quick access to the City, a large number of hotels which could meet our needs at a reasonable cost and experienced support services companies. 

IMRP 18 is likely to have a strong academic program as well providing foundational training for those who are new to the industry. 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of the first IMRP conference. The next IMRP in 2017 will introduce a host of changes which will ensure that the event remains the leading conference for those interested in the safe and beneficial use of irradiation technology.

 Merges and Acquisitions  

The past twelve months have been an active period for mergers and acquisitions in the irradiation industry. 

 The acquisition of Nordion by Sterigenics in June 2014.

The Steris bid to acquire Synergy, which was announced in October 2014, has been delayed by requests from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The parties continue to work towards closing the combination in June 2015 and have agreed to extend the long stop date until 12 July 2015. 

In November 2014 the shareholders of An Phu (Vietnam) approved the planned merger with Thai Son (Vietnam). In December 2014 Agilitas, a pan-european mid-market private equity firm, announced that it had acquired Ionisos (France).

On the 23 March 2015 Sterigenics International announced that it had completed a recapitalisation with Warburg Pincus and GTCR. Sterigenics acquired Gammarad (Italy) in October 2014.