There’s No Business Like ‘Show Business’

Before you know it, most of us will be heading off to shows and conferences hosted by the various trade associations that service the finishing industry.

 

Things actually kick off April 10–12 when the Electrocoat Association gathers in Orlando, Fla., for ECOAT 2012 (electrocoat.org), produced in partnership with Products Finishing. PF columnist Matt Kirchner, president of American Finishing Resources, will be the keynote speaker along with Al Stimac from the Manufacturers Association of Florida.

 

Kirchner’s talk is called “What Underperforming Finishers Don’t Know (That the Good Ones Do),” and should be very enlightening for anyone with a shop.

 

The National Association for Surface Finishing follows April 24–26 with its annual Washington Forum (nasf.org) in—where else?—Washington, D.C. Plating shop executives and suppliers from around the nation will meet to hear the latest information on regulatory requirements and to plot strategy on how to deal with the next big thing coming “down the tracks” at the industry.

 

Last year, the featured speaker was Charlie Cook from the Cook Political Report and a political analyst for NBC News and National Journal, and he was dead-on about how the presidential primaries would turn out. He’s back again this year, and his take on how the presidential and congressional races will turn out this year should be very interesting.

 

The Washington Forum also gives finishers a chance to walk the halls of Capital Hill and visit their legislative representatives to discuss issues important to the industry. (Quick note: the security guards at the Capital building so love the gold-plated dimes that Sam Bell makes for everyone and that are in everyone’s pockets when they pass through the metal detectors, that they actually remember you. “The plating guys, right?!” a guard said to me a couple of years back.)

 

The Powder Coating Institute holds its annual members meeting May 20–23 at the La Playa Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, Fla. (powdercoating.org). Attendees will hear about PCI’s new five-year plan, which identifies initiatives to grow the association and support the industry.

 

The next major show is an NASF event, as the Sur/Fin conference takes place June 11–13 at the South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa in Las Vegas, Nev. Last year’s show in Chicago was very well attended, and the journey to the desert should be fun for everyone. Dr. Mary Lee

 

Gambone, who leads Rolls-Royce materials engineering in Indianapolis, will be a keynote speaker, along with television personality Rick Dale, owner of Rick’s Restorations in Las Vegas and star of the popular show “American Restoration” on the History Channel.

 

The Chemical Coaters Association International (CCAI) follows with its annual meeting June 23–26 at the B Ocean Resort in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (ccaiweb.com).

 

The CCAI annual meeting is a forerunner to the Fabtech show, also in Las Vegas this year, Nov. 12–14. The event is sponsored in partnership with several other metalworking associations and includes a Finishing Pavilion alongside North America’s largest metal forming, fabricating and welding event.

 

Before Fabtech, though, the PCI will hold its Coating 2012 show Oct. 9–11 in St. Louis, Mo. It’s an industrial coating event dedicated entirely to paint and powder coatings. The event will have a New Technology Lounge, a New Product Showcase, and a Virtual Painter’s Competition for attendees to participate in.

 

The following week the Aluminum Anodizing Council (AAC) will hold its annual International Anodizing Conference and Exposition during Aluminum Week 2012 in Chicago, Oct. 15–18 (anodizing.org). This three-day event offers a variety of opportunities for education, technical exchange and networking geared toward the anodizing community.

 

In between all of these shows are the regional conferences and shows put on by affiliates of NASF, CCAI, PCI and AAC. Please check PFonline.com for a list of events that are close to your city. If you are part of a chapter or affiliate and would like us to help promote the event, please email me at Tim.Pennington@PFonline.com and we’ll be glad to get the information out to our readers. And when you're out and about this show season, please do say hello. We look forward to meeting you.