Press Release: Spanning Continents at Three Major Coatings Shows

Hexigone recently spanned continents to engage in a trifecta of major coating shows: the  Western Coatings Show in the USA, the  Paint and Coatings Show in Milan, and the  Abrafati Show  in Sao Paolo. At two of these shows, Dr Patrick Dodds, the CEO of Hexigone, delivered insightful technical talks. Now, Hexigone is ready to share the highlights and experiences gathered from these events, providing a glimpse into the forefront of developments shaping the coatings industry. 

Western Coatings Show – Las Vegas 

The Western Coatings Symposium and Show, held biennially, is a cornerstone for coating professionals in the Western USA and Canada. This year it was held in Las Vegas, Nevada from 15th to 18th October which Dr. Catherine Friar attended. 

As you’d expect from one of the largest coatings markets in the world, the event was exceptionally well-organised and delivered insightful technical talks. One particularly noteworthy talk was the “Leadership Panel – Leading Through Change: Insights from Industry Experts,” which delved into the challenges faced during lockdown and the strategies employed by industry leading experts like: Dr. Allen Bulick, Denise Hartmann, Gary LeRoux, Eva M. O'Keefe and Müge Tamkan did to overcome them. As an organisation that strives to be digitally focused, Hexigone’s marketing and sales strategies adapted to be more globally inclusive to be able to communicate with our customers. This is a tactic that Hexigone has developed into a successful monthly webinar series.  

The opening party provided a platform for Hexigone to connect with key industry contacts and expand their professional network. It was also a pleasure for Dr. Catherine Friar to meet the remainder of Barentz sales representatives in person following extensive customer visits with: Kelly Lozier, Josh Fink, Tom Papasso, Jeff Fields, Jay McHugh and Karna Nilsson Bertucci around nine U.S. states including; New England, Dallas and Las Vegas. 

Paint and Coatings – Milan  

Held from 17th to 18th October, the Paint and Coatings Show serves as a hub for fostering tech innovation in the coatings industry in Italy. As Hexigone’s technology is unique on the market – we were showcased at Azelis Europe’s exhibition space.  

Italy is one of the largest paint manufacturers in Europe, boasting 850 coatings manufacturers. With such a high number of regionally focused companies, it was a privilege for Dr. Patrick Dodds to deliver his technical talk; “Co-blending Corrosion Inhibitors for a Sustainable Future”, at the event to such an engaged audience. In the talk; Dr. Patrick Dodds pinpoints, on the supply chain, areas where decarbonisation can take place without compromising performance. He delves into the use of corrosion inhibitors in protective coatings and outlines a viable path to decarbonization by simply cross-blending lower volume additives. 

The Paint and Coatings Show provided an excellent opportunity for Hexigone to conduct numerous, in person, customer meetings. Thanks to CASE Regional Business Manager, Paolo Gerosa, these meetings included discussions with both new and existing local paint companies that Hexigone and Azelis have been working with in the Italian region.  

After the Paint and Coatings Show Hexigone followed-up the event with a webinar delivered by Paolo Gerosa in Italian to 26 coatings manufacturers – and Hexigone excited to see how these connections develop.  

Abrafati Show - São Paulo 

The Abrafati Show, Latin America's preeminent coatings exhibition, recently concluded in São Paulo, Brazil, running from November 21st to 23rd. Brazil stands as one of the world's five leading markets for coatings – a vibrant industry - where Hexigone’s anticorrosive additives were launched this Autumn.  

Thanks to Hexigone’s highly technical distributor in the region, their Intelli-ion® technology was showcased at MCassab’s exclusive "Paint Workshop". The event was run for coatings customers and began with a presentation by Marco Tullio Colacioppo, Head of Industrial Chemistry, followed by insights from, Business Development Manager, Ana Amélia Horta. The presentations delivered a comprehensive overview of the coatings industry trends for 2024 as well as new technology to the regional market.

Dr. Patrick Dodds also presented an insightful talk; ‘Smart reservoir corrosion inhibitors to replace chromates in coatings’ to a technical audience, which MCassab generously live translated. In his technical talk he showcased solventborne and waterborne alkyd results which have reached C5 corrosion protection. 

Another noteworthy talk was; "Reduced water absorption and improved strength of waterproofing coatings." delivered by Dr. Otto Soidinsalo, which revealed how Exilva Cellulose Fibrils' microfibrillated cellulose is shaking up waterproofing coatings. 

Dr. Patrick Dodds expressed, "It was a pleasure to meet our South American representatives, Adizol and MCassab, in person to extend our support and leverage their meticulously cultivated connections and relationships. Their technical knowledge was outstanding and it’s a pleasure to work with everyone." 

Conclusion  

As the curtains close on these major exhibitions, Hexigone is privileged to have connected with industry leaders, showcased their technology, and fostered meaningful relationships across continents. The remarkable journey across Las Vegas, Milan, and São Paulo demonstrates Hexigone’s commitment to revolutionizing the coatings industry through sustainable technology. Anticipating the year ahead, Hexigone looks forward to the prospect of participating in more prominent events, including EuroCoat with Azelis, Paint India with Ankush Enterprise and the American Coatings Show with Barentz, to name a few.