"Attending a trade show and conference is serious business for attendees today. They expect to learn about leading-edge technology and ways to improve their finishing operations in conference sessions, and then they look to exhibitors on the show floor to place orders for needed equipment, materials and services," comments show and conference manager, Anne Goyer. "Our attendees have told us they want to be able to attend all the conference sessions, but they also need more time with exhibitors. Our exhibitors have been asking for more time when the exhibits and the conference didn't overlap. We're listening because we want Coating 2005 to give exhibitors and attendees everything they want from the event."

To allow for the same amount of conference programming as in the past, the technical conference will now begin on Monday afternoon instead of Tuesday morning. Tuesday will bring a half-day of conference sessions in the morning, followed by an afternoon when the show floor will be open with no overlapping educational sessions from noon to 6 p.m. "This allows us to offer the same amount of education programming over the course of the week and yet provide the unopposed hours needed on the show floor," Goyer says.

The conference program is currently under development and will be posted to the show web site as soon as it is finalized by the end of March. Exhibit space continues to sell quickly with more than 72 percent of the show floor already reserved. Anyone interested in exhibiting should contact Goyer Management at 513-624-9988 or review the exhibitor prospectus page on the show website at www.thecoatingshow.com. To register to attend, go to www.thecoatingshow.com.