April 28 – 30, 2025
  Omni William Penn
  Pittsburgh, PA

 

Coatings and Technologies for a Resilient Future

Through a series of specialized lectures from notable industry experts and focused technical sessions, ACA’s 2025 CoatingsTech Conference will offer an unprecedented opportunity for all levels of coatings professionals to participate and learn from each other. Embracing the theme, “Coatings and Technologies for a Resilient Future,” reflects current challenges and trends, and the key role coatings play in providing protection to our most valued objects and our critical infrastructure. The 2025 conference will feature the industry’s latest science and technology developments, including advance notice on technology-forcing factors to help the industry set a sustainable trajectory for meeting future market challenges.

Concurrent Pre-Conference Short Courses

MONDAY, APRIL 28 | 8:00 am – 10:30 am

This series of four specially designed short courses will focus on the fundamentals and emerging developments in coatings technology, and will be held concurrently. NOTE: These short courses will be held prior to the conference opening, and are not included in the conference registration fee.

8:00 am – 10:30 am | Coatings “101”: An Introduction

Ray Fernando
Arthur C. Edward Chair in Coatings Technology and Ecology
California Polytechnic State University

Designed for new coatings technology professionals to provide an introduction to a broad range of practical coatings science for all product categories. Led by notable scientists from industry and academia, the short course will advance application of knowledge on research, development and innovation challenges.

8:00 am – 10:30 am | Smart & Multi-Functional Coatings

Jamil Baghdachi
Professor of Polymers and Coatings
Eastern Michigan University Coatings Research Institute

This short course will provide insight on bringing research to market, highlighting the tools and technology used to identify functional needs and apply coatings science to address them. From self-cleaning and dirt-resistant technology, to superhydrophobic and ice-phobic films, this course will explore the basic research and high throughput assessment tools that assist in breakthroughs.

8:00 am – 10:30 am | Scientific Approach to Formulating with Waterborne Additives

Ingrid Meier
Head of Applied Research & Technology, Decorative Coatings Americas Coating Additives
Evonik Corp.

John Rabasco
Principal Research Scientist
Dow Coating Materials

This short course will provide a broad overview of scientific principles and structure-property relationships that allow for effective formulating with additives for waterborne coatings. During the course, the following specific topics will be discussed:
Wetting Agents and Defoamers; Additives for Particle Stabilization; and Rheology Modifiers.

8:00 am – 10:30 am | Bio-based Materials & Sustainability

Hongying Zhou
Scientist, Polymer Synthesis
PPG

This short course will provide insight into how PPG establishes its sustainability goals and implements science-based, measurable targets to align with enterprise-wide priorities of growth and innovation. The short course will review the current market of recycled, renewable, and biobased raw materials and the impact to upstream emissions, as well as provide a few case studies on the development of both bio-based and recycled materials in coatings and adhesives applications.

Preliminary Program Schedule
(Subject to Change)

 

MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2025
8:00 am – 10:30 am
Pre-Conference Technology Short Courses
 
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Welcome Address & Keynote Address
 

12:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Attendee Luncheon

12:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Student Tour of PPG Coatings Innovation Center

 
2:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Conference Technical Sessions
 
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Networking Reception & Poster Session
 
TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2025
8:30 am – 9:30 am
Breakfast & Morning Address
 
9:30 am – 10:30 am
Mattiello Award Lecture
 
10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Conference Technical Sessions
 
12:30 pm – 1:45 pm
Luncheon & Technical Focus Lecture
 
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Conference Technical Sessions
 
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Networking Reception & Poster Session
 

 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2025
8:00 am – 9:00 am
Continental Breakfast Poster Session
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Service Life Prediction Session
11:45 am – 1:00 pm
Luncheon and Awards Presentation
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Service Life Prediction Session

Keynote Address

Andrea Wagner Watts, building science education manager at GAF, will deliver the keynote address, “Future-proofing Buildings: Pushing the Envelope Toward a More Resilient Future,” on Monday, April 28.

Watts engages with industry professionals to provide guidance, technical support and education for roof and wall assemblies. With more than 15 years of industry experience, she works to improve the overall performance of the building enclosures through application innovation, product development and building science research.

Watts holds multiple patents and has published on building science, assembly interfaces, durability and resilience. She serves as the Air Barrier Association of America’s (ABAA) first vice chair; co-chairs ABBA’s Technical Committee; and chairs the ASTM International’s E06 Task Group on air barrier systems and the ASTM D08 Task Group on Roof Air Barriers.

Watts earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Cornell University.

Sponsorship

ACA’s 2025 CoatingsTech Conference offers myriad sponsorship opportunities for your company to maximize its exposure before industry’s leaders. If you are interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact ACA’s Elizabeth Scuderi

Sponsorship Categories

Click to view three (3) categories

$2,500| BRONZE SPONSORSHIP includes:

  • Company logo on main CoatingsTech Conference page
  • Listing in onsite program materials
  • Signage at event

$4,500 | SILVER SPONSORSHIP includes the above +

  • one (1) complimentary registration to attend one (1) short course

$6,500 | GOLD SPONSORSHIP includes the above +

  • Linked company logo on CoatingsTech Conference registration page and in mobile app
  • one (1) complimentary registration to attend full conference

Sponsorship Opportunities

Click to view varied opportunities

$3,500 | Meeting Room WiFi

$6,500 | Conference App

MONDAY, APRIL 28
$3,500 | Short Course Continental Breakfast
$2,000 | Short Course Refreshment Break
$6,500 | Welcome Address/Opening Session Luncheon
$6,500 | Networking Reception & Student Poster Session

TUESDAY, APRIL 29
$6,500 | Continental Breakfast & Mattiello Award Lecture
$2,000 | AM Refreshment Break
$6,500 | Conference Luncheon
$2,000 | PM Refreshment Break
$3,500 | Networking Reception

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20: Service Life Prediction Symposium
$3,500 | Continental Breakfast
$2,000 | AM Refreshment Break
$6,500 | Symposium Luncheon
$2,000 | PM Refreshment Break

2023 Conference Photo Gallery

Conference Program

Suzanne Chang
Counsel, Government Affairs
schang@paint.org
202-719-3689

Sponsorship

Elizabeth Scuderi
Director, Events & Conference Programs
escuderi@paint.org
202-719-3701