Published 12/24/2021

Powder Coating Week Returns to Orlando in 2022

PCI’s Powder Coating Week 2022 will take place March 7-9 at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando.

Powder Coating

Editor-In-Chief, Gardner Business Media

Powder Coating Week 2022 was a well-attended event signaling the spirit of the industry and a collective yearning to build some new momentum in the wake of the past couple of years plagued by a global pandemic, supply chain struggles, rising material costs and workforce shortages. The show may be over, but the conversations sparked by this year’s event will lead new opportunities in the coming year and beyond.

Products Finishing editor-in-chief Scott Francis offers a recap of this year’s Powder Coating Week event hosted by the Powder Coating Institute. Details about this years event appear in the article below (published prior to the event in the January issue of Products Finishing magazine).

Three days packed with all things powder coating! The Powder Coating Institute (PCI) has announced Powder Coating Week 2022 is set to return to the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, FL, from March 7 -9. The event comprises three separate programs that offer a combination of training, keynote presentations, technical sessions, tabletop exhibits, roundtable discussions, expert panels, and social activities.

The week kicks off with PCI’s Powder Coating 101 Workshop on Monday, March 7, and Tuesday, March 8. The Custom Coater Forum will take place on Monday, March 7 as a one-day program. The Powder Coating Technical Conference begins with breakfast and an advanced general session on Tuesday, March 8, and continues with keynote speakers and breakout sessions through Wednesday, March 9.

Tabletop exhibits at Powder Coating Week are open Monday evening, during Tuesday’s lunch and evening reception.

The Tabletop Exhibition will be open Monday evening and during Tuesday’s lunch and evening reception to allow attendees from all three events a chance to visit with exhibitors. Wednesday morning’s closing session will feature Adam Genei from Mobsteel, Detroit Steel Wheel Co. discussing his workforce development formula, which has created a positive, invested and competitive team for his worldwide brands. Genei’s enthusiasm for the American workforce is infectious and will have attendees walking away with ways to improve their own company culture and business.

“We are so excited to return to the Renaissance Orlando in March where we have had excellent Powder Coating Week events the past several years. We are even more excited about the growth and diversity this event is seeing,” says Kevin Coursin, PCI Executive Director. “We had so many first-timers last year and those who were just beginning in the powder coating industry. Plus, many of them were younger people who are the future of industrial finishing. We can’t wait to see everyone again in March in Orlando.”

General Information

Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, 6677 Sea Harbor Dr., Orlando, FL 32821

March 7-9, 2022

Visit conference.powdercoating.org for more info or to register.

Schedule of Events

Monday, March 7 Powder Coating 101 Workshop, Custom Coater Forum, Tabletop Exhibition

7:00 a.m. Registration Opens

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast for Workshop & Forum Attendees

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Powder Coating 101 Workshop

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. PCI Custom Coater Forum

Noon – 1:00 p.m. Lunch for Workshop & Forum Attendees

4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Powder Coating 2022 Tabletops & Reception

Tuesday, March 8 Powder Coating 101 Workshop, Powder Coating 2022 Technical Conference & Tabletop Exhibition

7:00 a.m. Registration Opens

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast for Workshop Attendees

8:30 – 11:30 a.m. Powder Coating 101 Workshop

8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Technical Conference Breakfast

9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Technical Conference Advanced General Session

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch in the Powder Coating 2022 Tabletop Exhibition

1:00 p.m. Technical Conference Opening Keynote

2:00 – 5:15 p.m. Technical Conference Breakout Sessions

5:15 – 7:00 p.m. Powder Coating 2022 Tabletops & Reception

Wednesday, March 9 Powder Coating 2022 Technical Conference

7:30 a.m. Registration Opens

8:00 – 9:30 a.m. Breakfast Roundtables

9:45 – 11:15 a.m. Technical Conference Breakout Sessions

11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Closing Lunch & Keynote

1:00 p.m. Technical Conference Concludes

Some of the best information exchange at the conference comes from roundtable discussions with peers. The roundtables will take place during breakfast on Wednesday, March 9, opening the final day of the Technical Conference.

Technical Conference

Tuesday, March 8

9:30 – 11:00 a.m. Technical Conference Advanced Panel Discussion

Rick Gehman, President, Keystone Koating
Allison Lee, General Manager & Partner, Coatings Plus
Jorge Martinez, Vice President, JR Custom Metal Products, Inc.
Jeff Rochester, President, Pacific Powder Coating
Colton Ocker, Manufacturing Engineer Sr., Greenheck Group

1:00 – 1:50 p.m. Technical Conference Opening Keynote

Sustainability in the Powder Coating Industry
- Chris Miller, Arkema

2:00 – 3:30 p.m. (Breakout Sessions)

Solving Labor Shortages I

Managing Shortages and Quality of Labor
- Loren Smeester, Nordson Corp.
Process Line and Labor Management: Batch Lines
- Ryan Allen, Gema USA Inc.
- Russ Green, Midwest Finishing Systems, Inc.

Operational Efficiencies & Process Improvements

Ground - #1 Process Improvement Opportunity
- John Cole, Parker Ionics
Improving Efficiencies OFF the Line
- Isaiah Haley, Magic Rack - Production Plus Corp.
Improve Process Efficiencies with Silane & Zirconium-based Pretreatment!
- Suresh Patel, BASF-Chemetall

System Design

What You Need to Know to Design a Powder Coating System
- John Sudges, Midwest Finishing Systems, Inc.
- Greg Dawson, Nordson Corporation
- Mike Withers, Axalta Coating Systems

Raw Materials

Impact of Processing Conditions on the Appearance and Properties of High-Performance Topcoat Powder Systems
- Connie Przeslawski, AGC Chemicals Americas
High Performing and Sustainable Thermoplastic Powder Coatings
- David Schilpp, Arkema
Ultra-Low-Temperature Cure for MDF and Heat-Sensitive Substrates
- Cal EzeAgu, Allnex

3:45 – 5:15 p.m. (Breakout Sessions)

Solving Labor Shortages II

Labor Training Tools for Understanding Voltage, Micro Ampere, and Spray Patterns
- Jamie Argyelan, Gema USA Inc.
Process Line & Labor Management: Automated Lines
- Ryan Allen, Gema USA Inc.
- Russ Green, Midwest Finishing Systems, Inc.

Case Studies

Case Study - Sun Windows and Doors
- David Schneider, Nordson Corp.
- Chris Anderson and Frank Anderson, Sun Windows and Doors
Case Study Review of ACME Lawnmowers - A Liquid to Powder Conversion
- Joseph Wildenberg, Therma-Tron-X, Inc.
- Jeffrey Hale, Gema USA Inc.

System Design

What to Expect When Installing a Manual Batch Powder System
- Frank Mohar, Nordson Corporation
- Nick Dawson, Pneu-Mech Systems Mfg.
- Kelly McCabe, PEM Inc.

Maximizing Your Powder Coating Line Cradle to Grave

Pretreatment, Fixture Design, to Hook Cleaning - How to Choose Your Best Options
- Daniel Nesper, Max George and Dave Garczynski, DuBois Chemicals

Wednesday, March 9

8:00 – 9:30 a.m. Breakfast and Roundtable Discussions

9:45 – 11:15 a.m. (Breakout Sessions)

Solving Labor Shortages III

A Practical 7-Step Guide to Reshoring
- Bob Hebner, Blackstone Products
Bridging the Gap
- David Dunn, NWMF Powder Coating

New Technologies

Next Generation Acid Pickle Technology Gardacid P 4354
- Suresh Patel, BASF-Chemetall
Finishing Flat MDF Panels with UV-Cured Powder Coating
- Michael Knoblauch, Keyland Polymer UV Powder
Inoprofile: Smart Automatic Powder Coating
- Josh Gilmore, SAMES KREMLIN
Coraflon Platinum: The Next Generation of FEVE Powder Coatings
- Bob Kelly, PPG
Real Time Powder Flow Sensor for Robot Based Powder Guns
- John Cole, Parker Ionics
Next Generation Dynamic Contouring
- Chris Merritt, Gema USA

Powder Potpourri I

What Are Thermoplastic Powder Coatings
- Mike Withers, Axalta Coating Systems
Preventative Maintenance – Tips, Tricks and Procedures
- Aaron Hughes, General Automatic Transfer Co. (GAT)
Tips for Manual and Automatic Gun Settings
- Mark Folcik, Nordson Corporation

Powder Potpourri II

Performance Improvements for Batch Oven Doors
- Zach Morrow, RollSeal, Inc.
Chemical Stripping – Cut Costs, Improve Quality, Boost Capacity
- Larry Ensley, Hubbard-Hall
The Case for Porcelain Enamel - When is it the Best Material?
- Cullen Hackler, Porcelain Enamel Institute, Inc. (PEI)

11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Closing Lunch and Keynote

Creating the Greatest Machines Ever Made: Cultivating the American Workforce for the Future of American Manufacturing
- Adam Genei, Mobsteel, Detroit Steel Wheel Co.