EXTON, PA, June 20, 2005 /- Principia Partners will be hosting its second annual conference, WOOD-PLASTIC AND NATURAL FIBER COMPOSITES 2005, on October 24 to 26, 2005 at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor in Baltimore, MD.

This event draws on some of the most knowledgeable commercial and technical experts to share their perspectives and developments on a variety of business issues facing this industry.

Jim Morton, Senior Partner, says "We are very pleased with the depth and breadth of this year's speaker lineup. We have strived to create a program that matches up to our initial conference on this topic last year. This conference series offers the industry an opportunity to collaborate, build and enhance its knowledge base, and form strategic relationships for existing and new companies looking to capitalize on this fast growing business."

Harold Stanton, Executive Vice President of Specialty Products and Sales for Louisiana-Pacific Corp., will kick off the first two days focused wood-plastic composites. Mr. Stanton will deliver a high-level view of the challenges of new product development, manufacturing complexity, and capital and market investment needed to meet the growth opportunities in composite building products. Other industry experts representing such companies as Trex, Andersen Windows, Universal Forest Products, BASF, Equistar, and Crompton will be speaking. Presentations will range from material and processing advances, to new products and markets that will advance and grow the industry.

The popular Voice of the Customer sessions will return this year, and consist of formal presentations and dynamic panel group discussions from the viewpoints of distribution channels and installers. These sessions consist of leading builders and decking contractors as well as master distributors and one-step wholesalers in the United States. These critical parts of the value chain will speak about how composites are incorporated into their businesses, and what they believe is still needed for future adoption and growth.

The third day is dedicated to natural fiber composites (NFCs), and will focus on the burgeoning market for these materials in North America. The domestic market seeks to replicate and expand upon the growth of these composite products exhibited in Europe. Natural fiber composites -- made from agrifibers including flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, and sisal, among others -- are growing at high double digit growth rates, and projected to become a major category across many transportation, building products, and industrial/consumer markets.

A highly regarded group of technical and executive level experts will present about product performance, supply chains, current and new market uses, and market drivers and trends. Speakers range from industry leaders like FlexForm Technologies to consortiums like Auto 21 formed to advance NFCs and other environmental-friendly materials in automotive.

In addition, the 3-day event will have over three dozen companies including raw materials, equipment, and processing leaders exhibiting their latest product and service offerings aimed at the wood-plastic and natural fiber composites industry. The exhibition gives attendees an opportunity to discuss first-hand their specific needs and interests with these various suppliers.

Principia Partners is recognized as a leading consultancy focused on the raw materials and manufactured goods industry and the world’s preeminent source of wood-plastic and natural fiber composites business information. The Firm serves the plastics, building products, packaging, metals, minerals, and specialty chemicals industries. For more information about the conference, visit the website at www.PrincipiaConferences.com. For more information about Principia, visit the company's web site at www.PrincipiaConsulting.com.

Media contact:

Principia Partners
James Morton
484/459-2239
JMorton@PrincipiaConsulting.com