In 2010, the Tortilla Industry Association will hold its annual two-day technical conference in conjunction with the International Baking Industry Exposition.

TIA’s conference is now scheduled for September 25-26, 2010, and will be integrated into IBIE’s educational program alongside offerings from the American Institute of Baking and the Retail Bakers of America.

IBIE 2010 runs from September 26-29 in Las Vegas.

With a focus on operational skills, safety regulations, quality control, preventive maintenance, plant efficiency and other important practices, the TIA Technical Conference will offer information and networking opportunities that allow participants to capitalize on one of the fastest growing segments of the baking industry, according to IBIE and TIA officials.

“Demand in our industry keeps growing and tortilla manufacturers must innovate, increase production and efficiency and quickly adapt to changing consumer tastes to stay competitive,” says Jim Kabbani, TIA’s executive director. “This may include installing automated solutions to their production line, reformulating products to include new flavors and healthful ingredients, and updating their packaging to keep products versatile and consumer-friendly. By co-locating with IBIE, our members will have easy access to a broad range of resources they need to accomplish these objectives. Additionally, we will be offering a new special track for IBIE attendees interested in exploring their possible entry into the tortilla market.”