Industry Looks Forward to 2024 American Coatings Show and Conference

The international paint and coatings industry will be gathering in Indianapolis, IN from April 30-May 2 for the 2024 American Coatings Show and Conference, which is organized by the American Coatings Association (ACA) and Vincentz Network.

The 2024 American Coatings Conference will feature nearly 100 technical sessions from leading industry researchers, under the theme of “Innovations in Coatings Technology: Shaping Our Future.” Meanwhile, with more than 570 exhibitors, the trade show offers the newest products and services for paint and coatings formulators and manufacturers.

Danielle Chalom, managing vice president, communications for the American Coatings Association, noted that the American Coatings Show is growing “exponentially,” and a look at the exhibitor numbers shows that.

“We are expecting 570 exhibitors at the 2024 show, compared to the previous record of 360,” Chalom observed. “And we’re also breaking exhibition space records – we’ll have the most square footage at our show to date: 137,000 square feet. We know people want to have in-person interaction, and this is still a really important element for customer prospecting and connecting with peers.

“We are also expecting to shatter attendee records: response has been steady and growing as we get closer to the show,” Chalom said. “At this time, we are anticipating some 9,000 attendees. On the conference side, we received so many abstract submissions, and we know we have an excellent program, and the speaker engagement has been stellar.”

Chalom noted that on the show side, the Product Presentations and stages throughout the show floor allow companies to showcase their latest products, novel technologies and highlight other offerings.

“We’re also delighted to have a Powder Coatings Pavilion spread over two aisles, dedicated to this growing application segment,” added Chalom. “With a record-setting number of exhibitors, there are ample opportunities for in-booth demonstrations and connections to be made for new business and customer growth. And of course, we’re excited to have an ACS Career Booth present on the show floor to align with the online ACS Career Center, which aims to connect coatings industry employers with job seekers.”

Exhibitors Plan for 2024 ACS

With a record-setting show ahead, exhibitors are making plans for an active show floor. Siltech Corporation VP Robert Ruckle noted that the ACS is the largest coatings show in North America.

“It is a key place to meet existing customers and to develop new contacts,” Ruckle added. “The advantages are basically touching many clients and potential clients at one time.”

Nigel Atkinson, vice president – paints & coatings for Arxada, said that Arxada will share with visitors its innovative technologies that have been developed to deliver sustainable preservation at ACS 2024.

“It’s all about efficiency through Better Science to achieve optimum performance and cost, with less wasted material,” Atkinson added. “Sustainability is one of the main trends driving the industry today, and one that Arxada fully embraces. We are focused on delivering Better Science to Solve the World’s Toughest Preservation Challenges. We innovate to achieve industry-leading preservation performance while improving the environmental, health and safety profiles of our products. Innovation will of course be another key theme at ACS, with leading technologies that push the boundaries of functionality and performance.”

“We are looking forward to another successful American Coatings Show,” said John Kwasneski, director of sales, Coatings, Construction & Adhesives Americas Region for Munzing.

“It is always a much-anticipated event, considering that paints and coatings is such an important market for us, and an industry that has trusted us and supported our growth for decades,” said Sara Fulford, VP sales and marketing for Hockmeyer Equipment.

Melanie Waddell, director of customer marketing, Honeywell Advanced Materials, said that Honeywell is excited to be back exhibiting at American Coating Show.

“We love to network with our customers and industry peers and learn about the latest trends in this field,” Waddell said. “We are especially excited to showcase our innovative additives, which offer a wide range of performance attributes for architectural, wood, industrial, and functional coatings.”

“I am very much looking forward to the American Coatings Show, as it is an important event that showcases the latest trends and advancements in the coatings industry and is an essential gathering for professionals, offering countless opportunities for networking and learning,” Makarand (Mak) Gawade, EPS global marketing director, said.

“We always look forward to ACS, it’s great to get so many of the major players in the coatings industry all in the same place,” said Nicholas Sterne, North America marketing manager, Lubrizol Performance Coatings.

“Micro Powders has been attending ACS for many decades, as it is the premiere industry event to launch new products to our North American customers,” said Rich Czarnecki, vice president, Micro Powders.

Patrik Maeder, senior sales director, grinding and dispersing for Buhler Inc, said he is very much looking forward to the show with great anticipation. “I am excited to meet up with old industry friends, welcome new knowledge seekers and can’t wait to explore all that the show has to offer,” added Maeder.

“All of us at Shamrock are eagerly anticipating the 2024 American Coatings Show,” said Rue Richey, marketing leader at Shamrock Technologies. “A large show like ACS provides an exceptional opportunity to engage with coatings formulators seeking innovative solutions. With a focus on sustainability, new material technologies, and regulatory compliance, Shamrock is well-prepared to address the evolving needs of our customers. Our technical team is eager to provide custom solutions and assist attendees with any inquiries they may have. We look forward to fruitful conversations and productive exchanges at this year’s event.”

“We are excited and eagerly looking forward to the 2024 American Coatings Show,” said Juan Marcano, director of sales, Nature Coatings. “This is our first trade show that we attend and exhibit in the coatings industry and consider it a key event in our efforts to showcase our unique sustainable black pigments.”

“We are very excited about this year’s ACS show,” Christoph Snyder, general manager, Custom Milling and Consulting LLC, said. “It’s a chance for existing and new customers to see what CMC has to offer the marketplace in machinery, subcontracting, and support services.”

Jorge D. Saldaña, head of sales and market development at WYN Polymers, said that WYN Polymers is looking forward to this year’s show, getting to meet with North American customers and creating brand awareness.

“We are looking forward to the opportunity to exhibit and meet with our customers, suppliers and prospective customers,” David Carroll, vice president, R.E. Carroll, Inc., said.

Askın Altug of Kaltun Mining noted that the ACS will be its first show in Americas and will allow Kaltun Mining to highlight its presence in US and to be known to the coating sector in the Americas.

American Coatings Conference

The American Coatings Conference will be held concurrently with the show floor, and will feature the latest in research and technology.

“For the first time in 2022, we made the show and conference run concurrently,” said Chalom. “We’re doing that again to create more synergistic opportunities and overlap, and a new feature is a joint conference/show luncheon planned to get these groups together.”
As always, the keynote address is a major highlight, and this year’s will be no exception, as Dr. Robert Roop, senior vice president and chief technology officer, Axalta Coating Systems, will be giving this year’s keynote address.

Dr. Roop’s topic will be “Coatings Innovation in the Future: Sustainability and Performance,” a hot topic in the industry.

“On the conference side, we’re ecstatic that Dr. Robert Roop, SVP and CTO at Axalta Coating Systems, is officially opening the American Coatings Conference with a keynote address aligned with the 2024 conference theme, ‘Innovations in Coatings Technology: Shaping Our Future,” Chalom said. “His lecture will explore the shift in coatings innovation as driven by sustainability.”
Chalom noted that there are nearly 100 technical sessions across 16 topical tracks that offer attendees the ability to create a varied and customized learning experience focused on the most novel and technologically innovative coatings industry advancements and research.

“These presentations were selected from hundreds of submissions, and the American Coatings Award will be presented during the conference for the best presentation,” she observed.

“Notably, prior to the official ACC kickoff, we are offering nine pre-conference tutorials that offer newcomers and experts alike intros and highlights on focused coatings subjects in small group settings,” added Chalom. “Excitingly, the opening day of the ACC ends with a Poster Session, which will feature 30+ posters— many by students — on display with researchers on hand to discuss their work and findings. This is also a great networking opportunity and will be set in a relaxed social atmosphere.”

On April 30, the afternoon session include these tracks:
• Session 1: Measuring and Testing
• Session 2: Epoxy Coatings
• Session 3: Industrial Coatings 1
• Session 4: Wood Coatings

May 1 features a full day of sessions, beginning with these
four tracks in the morning:
• Session 5: Functional Coatings 1
• Session 6: Architectural Coatings 1
• Session 7: Industrial Coatings 2
• Session 8: Waterborne Coatings 1

May 1’s afternoon session features the following:
• Session 9: Functional Coatings 2
• Session 10: Architectural Coatings 2
• Session 11: Protective Coatings 1
• Session 12: Waterborne Coatings 2

May 2’s morning session closes the conference with these
topics:
• Session 13: Bio-based Materials
• Session 14: Service Life Prediction and Durability
• Session 15: Protective Coatings 2
• Session 16: Digitalization and Big Data

“Based on the program lineup and the response we’ve gotten from industry and academia, we believe this is going to be the most exciting knowledge sharing forum we’ve had to date,” Chalom added.

On Wednesday, May 1, before the show and conference open, the ACA is hosting another Fun Run, proceeds of which fund student participation at future American Coatings Conferences.

“This is a consistently popular activity and aptly named – we find attendees really eager to join this offering and the energy is really up tempo for the rest of the day,” Chalom said. For more information, see: https://american-coatings-show.com/fun-run-2024/.

Chalom has high hopes for the 2024 ACS Show and Conference, which looks to shatter records in terms of exhibitors and attendees.

“I think it is probable that some of our projections may even be exceeded,” added Chalom. “In any case, a lot of hard work and thought has been put into making this the most successful event for exhibitors, presenters, and attendees alike to make it a valuable experience.”

For more information on the 2024 American Coatings Show or to register, please see https://american-coatings-show.com/.