On April 9-12, NAPCO’s own Steve Zamborsky visited the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana for the 2018 American Coatings Conference and Show. Many of the industry’s top experts were in attendance this year, some of whom part took in a special technical presentation lineup. Additionally, there were technical classes intended to delve into new ideas in the coating tech world.

As well as the seminars, the conference held an award competition, and the winners displayed their work at the symposium. “Having the opportunity to be able to learn from my peers and expand my network is a major bonus of attending these conferences,” commented Steve. “The American Coatings Association makes it easy for attendees to learn from one another and surround yourself with hundreds of collaborative minds. It is always a joy to attend events such as this!” he added.

One of the more unique aspects of this annual event is the morning 5K Fun Run. Those attending the conference can sign up to participate in an early morning run (or walk!) as an opportunity to kick-start their day and facilitate numerous networking conversations.

In order to stay current and get the latest information on coating advancements, Steve enjoys attending conferences such as the ACC&S to provide NAPCO customers with innovative products that benefit the refinishing industry. While in Indianapolis, Steve was a part of the short course “Functional Films”. This session was taught by Dr. James W. Rawlins, an Associate Professor at the School of Polymers and High Performance Materials at The University of Southern Mississippi. While attending this course, Steve was educated about new research and development opportunities, as well as recent breakthroughs in the coating tech industry. The course addressed new technologies like entrapped microbial analysis, as well as self-healing coatings.

For the Plenary Session of the conference, there was a Keynote Presentation by Dr. Barry Snyder, Senior Vice President and CTO of Axalta Coating Systems. The topic was “Innovation in the Tech Era: Fulfilling the Color Needs of End-Users in a World of Fast Fashion and Revolving Apps”. NAPCO hopes to apply Steve’s newfound knowledge during the R&D stage of new products.

2018 American Coatings Conference and Show

Steve Zamborsky at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana for the 2018 American Coatings Conference and Show

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