NEW ORLEANS - The Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology, citing the results of a survey of coatings manufacturers and suppliers, announced that the International Coatings Expo (ICE) will be held every other year beginning in 2004.

The survey, conducted earlier this year, indicated that a majority of suppliers felt that an annual exhibition was too frequent - and costly - considering the current state of the industry, the Federation said. The change in show frequency was approved by the FSCT's board of directors just before the start of the 2002 ICE on Oct. 30.

The Federation also announced that Chicago will become the exclusive site for the ICE, beginning with the 2004 show. FSCT Executive Vice President Robert F. Ziegler said the National Paint & Coatings Association also has agreed to hold its Annual Meeting in conjunction with the ICE in Chicago in even-numbered years. With the new ICE schedule, the event will alternate with the European Coatings Show, which is held in odd-number years in Nuremberg, Germany.

Registration for the 2002 ICE in New Orleans totaled 6,419 visitors, the Federation reported, and the show included 305 exhibits. The highest attendance and exhibitor totals for the show were reached in 2000 in Chicago, with 8,772 visitors and 378 exhibits.

In another announcement, the Federation said the schedule for the 2003 ICE in Philadelphia has been revised from an original Thursday-Saturday program to the "more familiar" Wednesday-Friday arrangement.

Under the revised ICE schedule, the show will be held in Chicago on Oct. 27-29 in 2004, Sept. 27-29 in 2006, Oct. 29-31 in 2008, and Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2110.

While announcing the change in ICE frequency, the Federation said it plans to launch a new event for years when the show is not scheduled, and announced the creation of an "Events Steering Committee" to direct the implementation of the revised ICE and an alternating-year event or series of events. The steering committee is headed by chairman F. Louis Floyd, executive director of PRA Laboratories Inc., and includes representatives of manufacturer and supplier companies.

At the FSCT Annual Meeting, held in conjunction with the ICE, coatings consultant David Jack of Toronto assumed the presidency of the organization for 2002-2003. Richard M. Hille, vice president, Operations, The Flood Co., was named president-elect. Frederick H. "Fritz" Walker, a research associate with Air Products and Chemicals Inc., was elected secretary-treasurer.