Brazil to host world fieldbus function

The Fieldbus Foundation (FF) is to hold its 2012 General Assembly from March 6-8 in São Paulo, Brazil. This key automation industry event attracts the world's leading suppliers and end users of FOUNDATION™ fieldbus.

Host hotel: Sheraton São Paulo

The 2012 General Assembly, themed, "In a World of Choices, FOUNDATION™ Brings it all Together," will include a comprehensive, end user-oriented agenda consisting of fieldbus project case studies and tabletop exhibitions from leading automation vendors across the globe, as well as a demonstration of the new FOUNDATION for Remote Operations Management technology.

The FF End User Advisory Council (EUAC) will meet Tuesday, March 6, to discuss and offer direction for FOUNDATION technology. Wednesday, March 7, will feature a keynote address by a prominent executive from the Brazilian industrial sector, FOUNDATION technology updates, and presentations by key process end users, followed by a networking reception. On Thursday, March 8, the Fieldbus Foundation will conduct its annual business meeting for members.

According to Fieldbus Foundation President and CEO Rich Timoney, São Paulo was selected as the site of this year's General Assembly due to its status as one of the world's fastest growing industrial regions, and the overwhelming demand for FOUNDATION technology within the area. He said, "Brazil has been experiencing rapid growth in automation projects utilizing FOUNDATION technology and is arguably the central hub of the process automation industry in all of Latin America. Petrobras, Brazil's largest oil producer, has been integrating FOUNDATION fieldbus into their plants for some time, and is in the midst of a large expansion project utilizing the technology."

Timoney added, "The 2012 General Assembly program will highlight the advantages of FOUNDATION fieldbus as a world-class solution for improving plant asset management, reliability and economic performance. FOUNDATION technology is advancing to meet the needs of the process industries, including developments such as FOUNDATION for Remote Operations Management, FOUNDATION for Safety Instrumented Functions (FF-SIF), control in the field, field diagnostics and wireless."