Volatile –  I am not referring to VOCs.   The start of 2016 can be portrayed as globally volatile in every way:   stock markets are on a roller coaster ride as world economies are seeing dramatic ups and downs, terrorist attacks are rampant, the weather cycles are unusually volatile and it is an understatement to use the word volatile to describe the current political arena.

But don’t let any of the above deter you from attending the upcoming 2016 American Coatings Show in Indy. The show and conference previews are exciting.  This event is just what we need to set a positive outlook and generate excitement in the industry. Each ACS event has broken records and it looks like 2016 will again break prior records.  The 2014 event had over 8,700 participants and 480 exhibitors.

Picking conference papers is a tough job…..been there, done that.  With a limited time frame and over 200 paper submissions, it is not easy to pare it down to around 100 presentations. The keynote address will focus on cross-disciplinary collaboration which is absolutely necessary for scientific research today. The broad range of papers covers raw materials, industrial and architectural coatings, testing and bio-based materials.  And the industry’s prestigious Mattiello and Roon Awards will be presented during the conference.

The show of course is “the show.”  I may be reflecting my age but I can remember when “the paint show” occupied a ballroom in one of the larger city hotels. But, over the years with great leadership and support from raw material and equipment companies, the show grew and evolved to what it is today – a world premier event.  It always generates a great deal of excitement as new materials are presented.  Networking opportunities abound at these events and the socialization cannot be beat.   It is comparable in many ways to a family reunion – we look forward to meeting new people and the camaraderie of old friends.

Get excited about this upcoming event and be sure to try to attend as many of the events as you can –  you will come away with sore feet but a stimulated mind!!