The continual expansion of the Institute has led to the juxtaposition of a wide range of different sectors and groups, many of which have interests in the general area of Construction Materials. As with many large organisations, there is a tendency for each constituent part to continue carrying out its own programme of activities, rather than adopting a more lateral thinking approach to take advantage of the new possibilities which present themselves from this bringing together of related disciplines. 

The Ceramics Society board has for many years comprised sectors with interests in Building materials, cement & concrete and glass, and the recent amalgamation with the Institute for Clay technology, has brought in the full range of UK brick manufacturers.  Other divisions which have interests in Construction Materials include Iron & Steel, Polymers, Composites, and even the packaging group.  Up to now, there has been no concerted attempt to bring these groups together under a single umbrella, and the current exercise aims to do this.

Other factors that make this exercise topical include the increasing range of new design projects (eg Olympic games 2012), which involve not only a wide range of material usage, but also increased activity at the design level, resulting in new challenges.  It is hoped that this new group can interact effectively with these new initiatives, by providing appropriate forums where relevant discussions can take place.

Aim

The main aim of the Construction Materials Group will be to promote a "joined-up thinking" approach to the subject area of Construction Materials as it impinges on the professional and industrial interests of the Institute and its members.

Objectives

The objectives of the Construction Materials Group are:

• To increase the awareness of the benefits of interdivision collaboration between all relevant groups within IOM3 in the field of Construction Materials
• When groups within the Institute put on meetings which lie broadly within the subject area of Construction Materials, to extend the attendance to a much wider range of groups for which this topic may have an interest
• To identify, develop and support new opportunities for cross-fertilisation of expertise between members of different sectors of IOM3
• To develop effective links with other professional bodies both at the national and european levels
• To link in with and encourage training activities through CPD programmes
• To provide a body of expertise to respond to enquiries to the Institute in the general area of Construction Materials