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“ Duplex is BEAUTIFUL!” Notes on a highly successful Duplex World 2026!
On 6 & 7 May, Duplex World Conference & Expo once again united the global duplex stainless steel community for two days of networking, information exchange, and discussion based on the latest innovations, developments and research.
By Joanne McIntyre, Stainless Steel World
There’ s no denying it: the duplex stainless steel community is passionate about material science! The quote above, robustly declared by Steering Committee member Dr Dirk Engelberg whilst giving the Duplex Masterclass on day two, typified the enthusiasm and energy of the event. Packed conference rooms, vigorous discussion and debate, and a generous sharing of knowledge and experience typified what proved to be a bumper conference and expo, which kept audiences engaged until the very last minute. Held in parallel with the Heat Exchanger World Europe Conference & Expo, the events work together well, and the aligned programs facilitated the flow of visitors between the two.
What a conference! Duplex World is renowned for its high-quality technical presentations and audience engagement. This year, the Steering Committee, capably led by Chairman Dr Talal Al Nabhani from Petroleum Development Oman, really outdid themselves, hosting an outstanding two-day program which met – and exceeded- every expectation. With keynotes, in-depth technical sessions, panel discussions and a Masterclass that provided a solid basis for further work, the conference was a resounding success. The emphasis was once again on audience engagement, and the detailed discussions and uniquely open sharing of experience and knowledge proved that this is the event where duplex experts come to share and learn with like-minded peers.
Keynotes: standards, digitalisation, applications On both days, riveting keynote addresses from industry experts set the tone. We started with Nancy Baddoo, from The Steel Construction Institute, who spoke on‘ Structural duplex stainless steel – a solution for modern infrastructure challenges’. She highlighted some of the intensive work that has led to the development of robust structural design standards for duplex stainless steels, providing examples of ideal applications such as bridges in harsh environments, dams and lock gates, and offshore platforms. Standards such as AISC 370- 21 Specification for Structural Stainless Steel Buildings and AISC Design Guide 27, 2nd Ed, Structural Stainless Steel are in place. However, while stainless steels have good ductility, toughness and weldability, which are important for resisting seismic loading, Nancy highlighted that no economic design rules exist( yet) for this application. Marin Andersson from Fieldnode spoke on‘ Building resilient maintenance supply chains with digital inventory & on-demand manufacturing’. He highlighted some industry collaborations advancing this topic, using additive manufacturing to solve problems faster and more effectively. Real examples showed how this technology is making an impact and could provide highly efficient solutions in the future. Nicole Kinsman from IMOA spoke on‘ Strength and durability: the expanding landscape of duplex stainless steels’. Her presentation showed many successful examples of the use of duplexes in environments ranging
Barinder Ghai: Duplex World 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award
During the networking dinner on 6 May, the recipient of the Duplex World Lifetime Achievement Award was revealed: Barinder J S Ghai, Director of Technical Marketing and New Business Development EMEA at Alleima. The Award is given in recognition of individuals who make an outstanding contribution to the duplex stainless steel community by sharing their knowledge and experience, particularly in promoting the next generation of materials specialists. Barinder is a long-standing Steering Committee member for the Duplex World, Stainless Steel World, and Heat Exchanger World Europe conferences. He is respected in our community not only for his wealth of knowledge, but also for his thoughtful approach and quiet wisdom. Congratulations Barinder!
With thanks to our sponsors …
www. stainless-steel-world. net Stainless Steel World June 2026 49