David Savastano and Tim Wright, Ink World and Coatings World Editor06.15.09
At the close of the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology’s (FSCT) International Coatings Expo (ICE) 2007 and FutureCoat!, attendees and exhibitors expressed the belief that Toronto proved to be a good opportunity.
“Overall I’m extremely pleased,” said Joseph Pontoski, FSCT’s executive director. “The exhibitors I talked with were pleasantly surprised by the number of attendees and the business they received. There’s was a lot more traffic than people anticipated.”
The theme of this year’s ICE and FutureCoat! was “Clean – Lean – Green: Innovative Solutions for the Global Coatings Community,” and a record 100 presentations were given in important topics including Green Chemistry and REACH.
“FutureCoat! went wonderfully,” said FSCT president Dr. Yasmin Sayed-Sweet of Alberdingk Boley. “I have heard very good feedback on the quality of the presentations and the number of attendees in the sessions. The presenters showcased innovative ways to utilize their products.”
Dr. Sayed-Sweet moderated the REACH Workshop, which she said did quite well. “The REACH Workshop was fantastic,” she said.
“I thought ICE went very well,” said FSCT past president Dr. Rose Ryntz. “I spent extensive time with the student posters and they were phenomenal, and sat in technical sessions and was very pleased with the attendance beyond my wildest dreams. The quality of presenters was phenomenal.”
“FutureCoat! went very well. I am very happy with the presentations, speakers and quality, and we have received lots of good feedback,” added Jennifer Majchrzak, the FSCT’s education events coordinator.
“I think that expanding the FutureCoat! sessions to cover topics such as REACH was topical for smaller- and medium-sized companies, which is a real service for FSCT members,” added Bob Burk, marketing and communications manager for King Industries.
For the more than 170 exhibitors on hand for ICE, the show floor as well as new features such as the New Products Showcase and Exhibitors Showcase offered more opportunities to meet with customers.
“Some of the new ideas we implemented, such as exclusive show hours and the New Products Showcase, went over very well,” Mr. Pontoski said.
Exhibitors were pleased with these new changes.
“The new format with the New Products Showcase and Exhibitors Showcase was a good format, as it gave us the chance to tell our whole story,” said Brian McDaniels, national director of sales for KW Container. “We saw seeing manufacturing, technical, marketing and administrative people, and that was a key aspect for us. Overall, we were pleased with the people who attended and their interest level.”
“What was very interesting this year about the show was that some new concepts were tried for the first time, such as no conflicting sessions on the first day, which really drove traffic throughout the first afternoon,” Mr. Burk noted.
Overall, exhibitors said they were pleasantly surprised with ICE.
“I have a surprisingly positive reaction to the show. We were quite happy. We had a nice amount of booth traffic, and we launched some new products, including a new generation of pigment blacks, and the response was very nice,” said Michael Lev, director business development for Evonik Degussa Advanced Fillers & Pigments.
“ICE 2007 was a great show,” said Edward Abendschein, president of New Way Packaging Machinery. “I met my quota within the first two hours, and I saw a lot of people here I haven’t seen in a number of years.”
“It was a little scarce, but it was a lot better than we thought it would be. The quality of people was good, and there has been lots of interaction with attendees,” said Toni-Raye Gizzo, marketing manager for Micro Powders, Inc.
“ICE 2007 was good for OXEA, as it was a good show for us to brand our new name,” said Birgit Reichel, head of communications for OXEA.
“While there was an absence of attendees from the U.S., we met a lot of potential Canadian customers who we never met before,” said Cathy Strahan, marketing director, Myers Engineering.
“We’ve talked with a lot of customers from Canada, but there was a very interesting mix of countries represented,” Mr. Burk noted. “I think it worked out well, especially considering it was an off-year at a non-traditional venue.”
Exhibitors felt that attendees came to the show seeking specific information.
“ICE went fairly well,” said Dr. Gary Horacek, director, microbiology for Troy Corporation. “The people we saw discussed in detail their applications rather than just picking up literature. They brought in specific questions.”
“The people who attended wanted to talk business and not just window shopping,” said Donald Raff, manager, technical service for OXEA.
Overall, many exhibitors felt that ICE 2007 exceeded last year’s program in New Orleans.
“ICE was been better than I expected,” said Kevin Quinn, commercial platform manager, surface modifiers, Performance Coatings for Lubrizol. “We met with better quality contacts than I thought we would have on both days, and than I had in New Orleans all last year.”
“Traffic was good on the first day,” said Holly Seese, global marketing communication manager, PVOH & emulsions, for Celanese. “The quality of people that came by the booth was good, a little similar to last year, with not as many company representatives, although those who are here are good company representatives. We do a lot of business in Canada, so we supported our customers there.”
“The traffic has seemed fairly decent, probably a little better than New Orleans,” said Ray Fahmy, manager, North America, biocides, ISP. “For us, Canada is an attractive location because we have a local sales representative, and our presence at ICE 2007 helped to give us exposure in Canada.”
“On Wednesday we had more leads than on any first day of any ICE show that I’ve been to since I started in 1995,” said Stewart Rissley, national sales manager, Premier Mill. “We met with decision makers from many countries.”
In 2008, ICE will return to its permanent home and every-other-year schedule in Chicago, IL. To be offered on Oct. 15-17, ICE 2008 will take place at the Lakeside Center, McCormick Place, in Chicago, IL.
Participants from over 67 countries are expected to meet at ICE 2008 to learn about “Globally Responsible Coatings – Getting There from Here.” This theme represents the need to go far beyond solutions to global regulatory challenges. It represents the need to create solutions for the future—products that are sustainable, cost-effective and highly marketable.
“We’ve gotten quite a few companies that have already booked exhibit space in 2008, well ahead of previous years, and the vast majority of our attendees and exhibitors said they have every intention of participating in Chicago in 2008,” said Mr. Pontoski. “They believe Chicago is the city that has the best draw, and they want to be there.
“I certainly understand that people now have several choices to make in 2008,” Mr. Pontoski added. “I hope people recognize that ICE is put on by the industry for the industry.”
“There will be radical changes in 2008, but as long as we build on our core capabilities, we’ll be fine,” said Dr. Ryntz.
The FSCT anticipates that FutureCoat! will continue to grow.
“I’m very excited about 2008,” said Ms. Majchrzak. “The response we received for FutureCoat! and the student posters is very encouraging, and we should have very good support from industry and academia in Chicago.”
Exhibitors are excited about ICE’s return to Chicago and its every-other-year schedule.
“ICE returning to Chicago in 2008 is an outstanding idea,” said Carlos Gonzalez, marketing manager, Aerosil, Degussa Corporation. “ICE 2008 will serve again as an important point of intersection for the coatings industry to meet and develop.”
“Chicago is a wonderful city for ICE 2008 because it is in the backyard of many of our largest clients. Hopefully, attendance and participation in ICE 2008 will spiral toward earlier levels,” said Mr. McDaniels. “The value of ICE is hard to define but we believe that it will continue to draw the best the industry has to offer in terms of representation, participation and support from the many truly fine companies that make a difference in the industry.”
“There is always a unique energy and excitement when ICE is in Chicago and I expect 2008 to be no different,” said Dan Latas, marketing manager, resins and polymers, Lubrizol.
“Chicago has traditionally been the home for the ICE show because of its proximity to a number of large paint companies and central location which makes it easier for more people to attend,” said David Faherty, vice president, marketing, Troy Corporation. “ICE provides a central forum for suppliers and manufacturers to gather to discuss the latest industry trends, new product developments and share common technology to help the industry meet the challenges of providing greener products to our customers.”
“I am optimistic about 2008, but I also understand the challenges that are ahead,” Dr. Sayed-Sweet concluded. “Hopefully there will also be opportunities, as we have a nice legacy to uphold.”
The show floor at ICE 2007 was busy as attendees gathered information. |
The theme of this year’s ICE and FutureCoat! was “Clean – Lean – Green: Innovative Solutions for the Global Coatings Community,” and a record 100 presentations were given in important topics including Green Chemistry and REACH.
“FutureCoat! went wonderfully,” said FSCT president Dr. Yasmin Sayed-Sweet of Alberdingk Boley. “I have heard very good feedback on the quality of the presentations and the number of attendees in the sessions. The presenters showcased innovative ways to utilize their products.”
Dr. Sayed-Sweet moderated the REACH Workshop, which she said did quite well. “The REACH Workshop was fantastic,” she said.
“I thought ICE went very well,” said FSCT past president Dr. Rose Ryntz. “I spent extensive time with the student posters and they were phenomenal, and sat in technical sessions and was very pleased with the attendance beyond my wildest dreams. The quality of presenters was phenomenal.”
On hand for the ICE 2007 ribbon cutting ceremony were, from left, FSCT executive director Joseph Pontoski, FSCT past president Dr. Rose Ryntz, FSCT president Dr. Yasmin Sayed-Sweet, FSCT vice president Joe Brown and his wife Carole. |
“I think that expanding the FutureCoat! sessions to cover topics such as REACH was topical for smaller- and medium-sized companies, which is a real service for FSCT members,” added Bob Burk, marketing and communications manager for King Industries.
Exhibitor Reactions
For the more than 170 exhibitors on hand for ICE, the show floor as well as new features such as the New Products Showcase and Exhibitors Showcase offered more opportunities to meet with customers.
“Some of the new ideas we implemented, such as exclusive show hours and the New Products Showcase, went over very well,” Mr. Pontoski said.
Exhibitors were pleased with these new changes.
“The new format with the New Products Showcase and Exhibitors Showcase was a good format, as it gave us the chance to tell our whole story,” said Brian McDaniels, national director of sales for KW Container. “We saw seeing manufacturing, technical, marketing and administrative people, and that was a key aspect for us. Overall, we were pleased with the people who attended and their interest level.”
“What was very interesting this year about the show was that some new concepts were tried for the first time, such as no conflicting sessions on the first day, which really drove traffic throughout the first afternoon,” Mr. Burk noted.
Overall, exhibitors said they were pleasantly surprised with ICE.
“I have a surprisingly positive reaction to the show. We were quite happy. We had a nice amount of booth traffic, and we launched some new products, including a new generation of pigment blacks, and the response was very nice,” said Michael Lev, director business development for Evonik Degussa Advanced Fillers & Pigments.
Attendees checked on the latest developments at the Micro Powders booth. |
“It was a little scarce, but it was a lot better than we thought it would be. The quality of people was good, and there has been lots of interaction with attendees,” said Toni-Raye Gizzo, marketing manager for Micro Powders, Inc.
“ICE 2007 was good for OXEA, as it was a good show for us to brand our new name,” said Birgit Reichel, head of communications for OXEA.
“While there was an absence of attendees from the U.S., we met a lot of potential Canadian customers who we never met before,” said Cathy Strahan, marketing director, Myers Engineering.
“We’ve talked with a lot of customers from Canada, but there was a very interesting mix of countries represented,” Mr. Burk noted. “I think it worked out well, especially considering it was an off-year at a non-traditional venue.”
Exhibitors felt that attendees came to the show seeking specific information.
“ICE went fairly well,” said Dr. Gary Horacek, director, microbiology for Troy Corporation. “The people we saw discussed in detail their applications rather than just picking up literature. They brought in specific questions.”
“The people who attended wanted to talk business and not just window shopping,” said Donald Raff, manager, technical service for OXEA.
Overall, many exhibitors felt that ICE 2007 exceeded last year’s program in New Orleans.
“ICE was been better than I expected,” said Kevin Quinn, commercial platform manager, surface modifiers, Performance Coatings for Lubrizol. “We met with better quality contacts than I thought we would have on both days, and than I had in New Orleans all last year.”
Troy Corporation showcased new developments at ICE 2007. |
“The traffic has seemed fairly decent, probably a little better than New Orleans,” said Ray Fahmy, manager, North America, biocides, ISP. “For us, Canada is an attractive location because we have a local sales representative, and our presence at ICE 2007 helped to give us exposure in Canada.”
“On Wednesday we had more leads than on any first day of any ICE show that I’ve been to since I started in 1995,” said Stewart Rissley, national sales manager, Premier Mill. “We met with decision makers from many countries.”
Looking Forward to 2008
In 2008, ICE will return to its permanent home and every-other-year schedule in Chicago, IL. To be offered on Oct. 15-17, ICE 2008 will take place at the Lakeside Center, McCormick Place, in Chicago, IL.
Participants from over 67 countries are expected to meet at ICE 2008 to learn about “Globally Responsible Coatings – Getting There from Here.” This theme represents the need to go far beyond solutions to global regulatory challenges. It represents the need to create solutions for the future—products that are sustainable, cost-effective and highly marketable.
“We’ve gotten quite a few companies that have already booked exhibit space in 2008, well ahead of previous years, and the vast majority of our attendees and exhibitors said they have every intention of participating in Chicago in 2008,” said Mr. Pontoski. “They believe Chicago is the city that has the best draw, and they want to be there.
The FutureCoat! sessions were well attended. |
“There will be radical changes in 2008, but as long as we build on our core capabilities, we’ll be fine,” said Dr. Ryntz.
The FSCT anticipates that FutureCoat! will continue to grow.
“I’m very excited about 2008,” said Ms. Majchrzak. “The response we received for FutureCoat! and the student posters is very encouraging, and we should have very good support from industry and academia in Chicago.”
Exhibitors are excited about ICE’s return to Chicago and its every-other-year schedule.
“ICE returning to Chicago in 2008 is an outstanding idea,” said Carlos Gonzalez, marketing manager, Aerosil, Degussa Corporation. “ICE 2008 will serve again as an important point of intersection for the coatings industry to meet and develop.”
“Chicago is a wonderful city for ICE 2008 because it is in the backyard of many of our largest clients. Hopefully, attendance and participation in ICE 2008 will spiral toward earlier levels,” said Mr. McDaniels. “The value of ICE is hard to define but we believe that it will continue to draw the best the industry has to offer in terms of representation, participation and support from the many truly fine companies that make a difference in the industry.”
“There is always a unique energy and excitement when ICE is in Chicago and I expect 2008 to be no different,” said Dan Latas, marketing manager, resins and polymers, Lubrizol.
“Chicago has traditionally been the home for the ICE show because of its proximity to a number of large paint companies and central location which makes it easier for more people to attend,” said David Faherty, vice president, marketing, Troy Corporation. “ICE provides a central forum for suppliers and manufacturers to gather to discuss the latest industry trends, new product developments and share common technology to help the industry meet the challenges of providing greener products to our customers.”
“I am optimistic about 2008, but I also understand the challenges that are ahead,” Dr. Sayed-Sweet concluded. “Hopefully there will also be opportunities, as we have a nice legacy to uphold.”