April 18th, 2022
After a two-year hiatus, the American Coatings Show returned to Indianapolis from April 5 through 7, with a satisfying turnout from industry and a dynamic demonstration of the industry’s latest product offerings. The show had 365 exhibitors using over 100,000 square feet of exhibit space, and over 7,000 visitors.
The show featured numerous company product presentations, as well as a new Powder Coatings Pavilion. Additionally, for the first time, the show ran concurrently with the American Coatings Conference, providing a comprehensive platform for industry to exhibit and share its innovative products, and the scientific and technological advancements behind them.
On April 5, the American Coatings Conference began with the Plenary Session. Attendees heard a Keynote address by Chris Killian, Ph.D., senior vice president and CTO at Eastman. The presentation, titled “The Role of Innovation in the Coatings Industry When Every Color Must be Green,” discussed how the resilience of technology innovation and creativity are leading the coatings industry to carry customers to a more sustainable future, from coatings that save energy and reduce material use; coatings that reduce waste through improving the durability and lifetime of assets; coatings that improve the safety and wellness of the consumers they touch; and coatings that will drive the circular economy.
Following the keynote address, the American Coatings Award was presented to Steve Block, vice-president of business development at NXTLEVVEL Biochem for his paper titled, “The Use of Levulinates as Coalescing Agents in Water-Based Coatings.”