The Detroit Society for Coatings Technology announced the technical program for FOCUS 2026, a technical forum focused on automotive and industrial coatings innovation.

The event will take place April 30, 2026, in Livonia, Michigan and will bring together OEMs, Tier suppliers, coatings manufacturers, raw material producers and technology providers.

The program will examine topics including paint shop sustainability and efficiency, advanced materials and formulation science, color science and visual performance, and future challenges facing OEM coatings programs.

Sessions will explore low-temperature cure technologies, high-transfer-efficiency application methods and strategies to reduce e-coat consumption. Additional presentations will examine emerging functional and sensor coatings, additives, surfactants and rheological modifiers.

The agenda also includes discussions on structural color pigments, photonic crystal technologies and industry-based color measurement standards.

A panel discussion celebrating the 50th anniversary of FOCUS will bring together industry representatives to discuss future innovation needs across automotive OEMs including Ford and General Motors.

FOCUS 2026 will also feature parallel technical sessions, tutorials, student poster presentations and a coatings products showcase, along with networking opportunities throughout the day and at an evening reception.

Learn more: https://whova.com/portal/registration/I6bbksmbEVBKcLKjsy0n/