Kicking off COATING 2003 will be a keynote presentation by Kevin Butt, assistant general manager of Body Engineering for all of Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America’s plants.

More than 225 exhibiting companies will be showcasing the latest developments in technological advances on the show floor. Attendees should come to the show prepared to talk with exhibitors about how they can better utilize their current systems, upgrade their systems and make comparisons of products and services. Additionally, the conference program offers a wide array of timely and important educational sessions that will inform attendees on manufacturing better products, running more efficient systems and surviving tough times. The conference program holds something for everyone in the industry. The conference and exhibition schedule has been carefully planned to allow attendees to participate in both segments of COATING 2003.

There will also be a “bonus” session on Monday afternoon, created specifically for custom coaters and job-shop employees. This roundtable session will include interactive discussions on topics such as the Economic Outlook: Past, Present & Future; Globalization: How is it Affecting Your Business; Major Issues Your Shop Has Faced in the Past Year and Solutions That Worked; and Diversifying Your Business and Customer Base. An optional dine-around will follow this session, allowing attendees to continue their discussions. This session is open only to those working for a custom coater or job shop, and attendees must preregister.

A series of plant tours on Thursday afternoon, October 30, following the close of the show completes the conference program. Conference attendees can choose between tours that offer a look at an electrocoat line, a powder coating system, a powder and liquid coating system and a plating operation.

On-line registration for the conference, exhibition and hotel reservations is now available on our secure Web site, www.thecoatingshow.com. Discounts are provided for two or more attendees from the same company registering for the full conference. Registration fees are $460 (member rate) to $510 (nonmember rate) for a full conference registration and $20 for an exhibit-only registration. The Custom Coater/Job Shop bonus session is a separate fee. All registration fees and what is included with the fees can be found on the Web site as well.

You may contact Goyer Management, COATING 2003 Conference & Show Management, with additional questions, at 513-624-9988.