Randox secure IFDAT conference for Belfast
Event will bring over 200 international industry delegates to NI in September
The world’s leading experts in drug & alcohol testing will gather in Belfast later this year as the International Forum for Drug & Alcohol Testing (IFDAT) officially launched their landmark event @IFDATBelfast 2014.
The event will be held over two days, 11-12 September 2014, and will see over 200 delegates meet to discuss issues, regulations and developments within the drug and alcohol testing sector. Attendees are drawn from senior personnel within aviation, energy, oil & gas, logistics and engineering sectors as well service and technology providers to these safety critical industries.
The conference was secured as a result of intense lobbying by Co. Antrim-headquartered firm Randox Testing Services who as well as Platinum sponsorship are providing logistical, PR and event management support. Part of the wider Randox Group, the company provide forensic toxicology services to Police Forces within the UK as well as workplace testing for a wide range of customers in safety critical industries including Transport, Aviation, Construction and Facilities Management.
Randox Testing Services Global Business Manager Gary McCutcheon said “IFDAT is the premier event within drug and alcohol testing, so we are proud to have convinced the organisers to choose Northern Ireland. With our central role it is a valuable opportunity to showcase Randox Testing Services as an industry leader, as well as providing an economic boost for the local hospitality sector.”
The international event itinerary promises to be packed with cultural experiences with highlights including a welcome reception at an authentic Irish Traditional Music pub session in the heart of the bustling Cathedral Quarter; a gala banquet in the Victorian splendour of City Hall, and the opportunity to unwind with either a round of golf at one of Northern Ireland’s premier parkland courses, or some retail therapy in the award-winning Victoria Square.
Previous events have been held in international cities such as Sao Paolo, Barcelona, Houston, and Rome, and the chair of IFDAT Per Bjorklov explained why Belfast was next on the list,
“I was fortunate to visit Belfast during one of the many international events it has hosted in recent years – the World Police & Fire Games 2013. The warmth of the welcome for international visitors is truly overwhelming, and the IFDAT committee was keen for delegates to enjoy a special visitor experience. Whether they want to enjoy a bit of craic with the locals over a pint of Guinness, or learn about the region’s complex history with a black-taxi tour of the city’s famous murals, @IFDATBelfast 2014 will be unique indeed.”
Per Bjorklov said he was particularly pleased that the £100m tourist attraction Titanic Belfast was at the centre of the event as the conference venue. “A key element for IFDAT was securing the Titanic Belfast venue. Having experienced it as a guest at the World Police & Fire Games it is a conference space of international renown. Weaving together narratives of engineering marvels with maritime disasters and human tragedy, its seven interactive visitor galleries are only surpassed by the handcrafted Grand Staircase, an exact replica of that which adorned the Ballroom of the fated liner.”
To book a place or for more information on the conference visit www.ifdat.com or email: conference@ifdat.com.