The European Coatings Show Conference program brought international experts together to discuss the future of coatings. In 24 sessions, companies and research establishments presented the latest research findings and examined new opportunities for paint, printing inks, adhesives and sealants. This year's conference focused on trends such as sustainable and functional coating solutions. Lectures by experts in their respective fields explored a variety of topics such as how bio-based products and recycling support the rescue-conserving and environmentally compatible manufacture of coatings and how self-repairing polymer-based coatings provide better surface protection.

The winner of the European Coatings Show Award for best paper for the 2017 European Coatings Show Conference was Bas Tuijtelaars and his team at DSM Coating Resins in The Netherlands. The title of the award-winning paper is "Health risk-free resins for a better future, based on fatty acid modified polyurethane dispersions.”