CRU Events will be following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Texas Department of State Health Services, and the Hotel’s guidelines to promote a healthy environment to be safe as possible for all involved at the conference. 

Please be advised that risk of exposure to COVID 19 exists in any event or public space including the RefComm Conference 2022. By attending the conference, you acknowledge the inherent risks and as a condition of entering the conference you agree to abide by applicable health guidelines. At the time of writing (January 7, 2022) our guidelines are as follows: 


Before you travel:

  • Review any advisories or restrictions that may be in place for travel to the USA or to Texas
  • We recommend you are fully vaccinated and/or follow CDC guidelines on taking a COVID test before attending the event
  • All attendees (including those who are fully vaccinated) should follow the advice of the CDC at the time of the event with regard to wearing a mask
  • We will communicate the CDC advice to you via email the week before the live event date
  • By attending the RefComm Conference 2022 you confirm that: you are not currently experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19, as identified by the CDC; you have not knowingly been in contact with someone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 symptoms without completing the required quarantine or isolation period; and that you are not under any self-quarantine order

    • At the conference:
  • All attendees (including those who are fully vaccinated*) should follow the advice of the CDC with regards to wearing a mask
  • Masks must fit properly, fully covering your nose and mouth
  • CRU staff at the registration desk will hand out badges and will be wearing masks. Hand sanitizer will be available here also
  • Additional hand sanitizer and spare masks will be available at the registration desk and at the entrance to the conference auditorium
  • We encourage the use of outside spaces for networking and meetings where possible, weather permitting

    • If you become ill, or test positive during the event:
  • If you test positive for Covid-19, or meet any of the CDC or presiding local public health authority guidelines for: testing, quarantine or self-isolation, prior to or during the event; we strongly recommend you observe these measures and under no circumstances attempt to attend any part of the event
  • Please email conferences@crugroup.com for details of local testing centers or, if you test positive for COVID-19 during the event
  • In the event of a positive test, re-entry to the conference will not be permitted
  • If you test positive for Covid-19 following the event, please email: conferences@crugroup.com and follow the presiding local health authority and/or CDC guidelines for treatment, tracing, quarantine and self-isolation
  • For Texas State guidance on what to do in the event of a positive test, please visit the following web page

    • Please note: The guidelines posted here are based on information currently available regarding the behavior and characteristics of the COVID-19 virus, public health information and local or state guidelines with respect to large gatherings in any particular community. As more clarity with respect to these variables emerges, it is expected that these guidelines may need to be adjusted accordingly

* In general, people are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. If you don’t meet these requirements, regardless of your age, you are NOT fully vaccinated

For those of you who are not aware, CRU Events also runs the SMU Steel Summit.

This conference ran live towards the end of August 2021, with 853 attendees gathering in Atlanta, Georgia. In the post-conference survey, 93% of respondents said they felt comfortable or very comfortable with the SMU / CRU protocols put in place for their safety. Here's what we did:

To indicate personal preferences for levels of face-to-face interaction, we provided colored wrist bands for all attendees to wear. The wearing of facemasks when inside the venue was encouraged, as per the recommendations of the CDC, the State of Atlanta and the venue.
 Hand sanitizer stations were available throughout the venue space for the use of all attendees.


 Seats in the auditorium were spaced out, and numbers limited to ensure distancing.


 Lunches were served by staff, and screens placed to keep the food as hygienic as possible.

 "SMU and CRU team did a great job to organize a great event amidst of very challenging times with a health pandemic still ongoing - as in previous events the content is very relevant to the times and great speakers"
Malena Villarreal, Supply Chain Manager, Gibraltar Industries - Pacific Award Metals