The Time is Right

According to both consumers and businesses, the U.S. economic picture is getting brighter, which is good news for the manufacturing and finishing industries. Despite dreaded phrases like "jobless recovery" and "China," there has been some good news from recent economic surveys.

The Consumer Confidence Survey, based on a representative sample of 5,000 U.S. households, indicated in August that consumers are increasingly optimistic about the future.

And news from business executives reinforces recent consumer optimism. TEC International, the world's largest organization of CEOs with more than 8,000 members worldwide, indicated in a recent survey that their expectations are positive for the next 12 months. Half of them expect to increase their staffs, three-quarters of them expect their revenue to increase, and two-thirds of them expect their firm's profitability to increase.

What to do with all this optimism? Many business leaders are applying it to their own companies, making cautious but positive steps to invest in computer systems, equipment and staff that will allow them to expand when the need arises. I saw on the nightly news a New York City florist whose business has suffered the past two years, but who has recently moved to a larger location and hired more staff, because he felt "the time is right."

For industrial finishers throughout North America, the time is right to learn the latest in all coating technologies and see the newest in coating materials, equipment and related products and services. So you don't want to miss out on Coating 2003, to be held October 28-30, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

Coating 2003 is a true coalition of 10 leading industry trade associations, at the only conference and exhibition devoted to users of all finishing technologies. This is where the finishing industry will gather to view new products and technologies, improve their finishing processes through educational conference sessions conducted by industry experts, and network and exchange ideas.

Users of industrial coatings will find the latest information and technology concerning powder coating, liquid finishing, plating, vacuum coating, electrocoating, porcelain enameling, air and waste management, and ultraviolet/EB curing.

More than 235 exhibiting companies will showcase the latest developments in technological advances relating to coating materials, application equipment and related products and services. Attendees will see live demonstrations and hands-on learning, and can talk with exhibitors about how they can better utilize their systems, upgrade their systems and compare products and services.

Kevin Butt gives the keynote presentation to kick off the conference sessions. Mr. Butt is the assistant general manager of body engineering for all of Toyota's North American plants. He will discuss trends in automotive coating and how Toyota's manufacturing efficiency has led to improvements in the company's finishing processes.

The conference includes 66 sessions over three days, covering a wide range of topics and issues of interest to coaters of every finishing discipline. In addition, a series of plant tours visiting local coating operations is scheduled for the close of the show on Thursday.

After previous shows in Dallas and Orlando, the Coating show is making its debut in the heartland, and in a city that has proven successful for PCI's powder coating shows since 1996. Indianapolis is close to the majority of the country's finishing industry and easily accessible by highway and many airlines. An ideal venue for the coatings industry, downtown Indianapolis offers a variety of hotels, restaurants, shops, nightlife and a newly expanded convention facility that are all within walking distance of each other.

Complete, up-to-date information can be found on the official Coating show Web site, www.thecoatingshow.com, including an online registration procedure. Or you can call Goyer Management at 513-624-9988.

The time is right to attend the biggest coating industry event of the year.

Greg Bocchi is executive director of The Powder Coating Institute. It can be reached at 703-684-1770, or through its Web site, www.powdercoating.org.