Exhibitor Expectations

Exhibitors are looking forward to a focused exhibition

By Tim Wright • Editor

While ICE 2007 will not draw as big an audience as previous shows, this clearly is not a concern to the exhibitors the ICE Show Daily spoke with. The prevailing opinion is that ICE 2007 gives exhibitors the opportunity to meet and talk with existing customers as well as potential customers in the paint and coatings industry and make inroads in the Canadian market in a more focused environment. It’s a chance to let them know how they’re moving forward in terms of new products and technologies and strategic business initiatives.

“While a great number of people view Toronto and the ‘off-year’ as a ‘weaker venue’ than next year in Chicago, like all shows, success is more a factor of what individual company efforts do in attracting their target audience and fulfilling their needs,” said Bob Burk, marketing and communications manager, King Industries. “In that sense there is no ‘inferior venue’ as long as a show attracts a significant number of your targeted audience, something which ICE and the FSCT have always done. I believe the FSCT has not only put together a very strong educational program in terms of the short courses and FutureCoat! at ICE 2007, but also has responded to current affairs and needs by adding the REACH Program.”

ICE offers exhibitors an opportunity for face-to-face direct contact with the lifeblood of the coatings industry—the research formulating chemist, according to Mr. Burk. “Some are current customers, some may be working on a specific future project with us while still others may be new to the industry and us,” he said. “It is this personal interaction with this cross-section of the industry that drives our trade show programs and is the thing that our staff looks forward to the most. Whether introducing a new product, helping to solve a particular formulating problem or assisting in achieving even higher levels of performance, our technical service and sales staffs thrive on the diversity and depth of contacts at ICE.”

King Industries will be introducing three new catalysts designed for coil coatings, two new polyols offering excellent film flexibility in waterborne systems, a co-solvent-free rheology modifier, two wetting and leveling agents, a non-tin catalyst for 2K urethane and blocked isocyanate coatings as well as two new dispersants for waterborne systems.

Brian McDaniel, national director of sales, KW Container, is expecting another good ICE Show and the opportunity to visit with at least 200-300 attendees in the booth. “Hopefully, many of them will be decision makers from Canada’s industry who have only a limited knowledge of our company and the products we provide,” he said. “We look forward mostly to the interaction with clients and the industry at large. Obviously, we don’t travel to Canada everyday, so we are particularly excited to get one-on-one with Canadian manufacturers who are prospects for the best performing container in the industry, in addition to the recycling expertise we are able to bring to the table.”

The opportunity to generate new contacts as well as potential new projects is what Carlos Gonzalez, marketing manager, aerosil, Degussa Corporation, is anticipating most. “I am particularly looking forward to viewing the exhibits and networking,” he said. “In addition, having the opportunity to showcase our new technologies and products provides a platform to help reach customers.”

Degussa Corporation will promote special oxides in thin layer powder coatings. It will also feature AEROSIL and AERODISP in water-based coatings and a new solvent-based scratch resistant coatings dispersion, VPDISP CO 1030.

Dan Latas, marketing manager, resins and polymers, Lubrizol, has very high expectations for the show given both its theme and the location. “We’re excited about being in Toronto, in particular, with easy access to both our Eastern Canadian and Northeast U.S. customers,” he said. “The multicultural and international aura that surrounds the Toronto venue will bring a refreshing feel to the show.”

International Specialty Products’ (ISP) Ray Fahmy, manager, North America marketing, biocides, also expressed excitement about the show’s location. “Having the show in Toronto gives us a better opportunity to speak with current and potential Canadian customers,” he said. “As always, exhibiting at ICE also provides the opportunity to see what our competitors are doing.”

At ICE 2007, ISP is looking forward to bringing existing and potential customers in the paint and coatings and related industries up to date on a number of positive developments pertaining to its expanding biocides business. “We are looking forward to discussing the continuing evolution and expansion of our CleanGuard initiative, which includes providing more perspective on the partnership of ISP, through our CleanGuard program, with United Gilsonite Laboratories (UGL), manufacturer of the well known DRYLOK family of waterproofing paints,” said Mr. Fahmy. “Additionally, we look forward to discussing the further expansion of our global biocides business as evidenced by another key acquisition—the biocides business of Bode Chemie, based in Hamburg, Germany.”

ISP will be exhibiting new additions to the “green” Nuosept line, notably new multi-active, broad spectrum industrial biocides including Nuosept BMc-422, a BIT/MIT-based in-can preservative for emulsion paints, adhesives, plasters, latex and wax emulsions, and technical aqueous solutions; Nuosept W, a Bronopol/ CMIT/MIT blend-based preservative for use in water-based paints and coatings, polymer emulsions, joint compounds, and inks, among other applications; and Nuosept 415, a Bronopol/BIT blend-based in-can preservative for use in water-based paints and coatings, polymer emulsions, joint compound, inks, stucco, exterior insulation finishing systems (EIFSs) and grouts. ISP will also be discussing new additions to the Fungitrol 900 series, including Fungitrol 930, a water-based dispersion of 30% IPBC, and Fungitrol 940, a water-based dispersion of 40% IPBC.

“We are looking forward to meeting and sharing information with current and potential customers,” said Oliver Kretschik, market manager, Lanxess Corporation. “ICE 2007 is a great opportunity to share our new product information with the industry.”

Lanxess now offers several formulations based on the active ingredient benzisothiazolinone (BIT). These formulations include ten percent and 20% BIT glycolic solutions, and a 20% BIT aqueous dispersion such as BIOCHEK BIT 10, BIOCHEK BIT 20 and BIOCHEK BIT 20D.

While Toronto doesn’t really open many doors for Myers Engineering in the paint and coatings industry, according to Cathy Strahan, marketing director, it is hoping to at least meet a few new faces. “Canada has not been a large market for us but we’re pleased to have the opportunity to make inroads,” she said.

Myers has been focusing on Turnkey Projects bringing materials to the mixer, moving them out of the mixer and handling any solvent recovery, cooling, heating or recycling of process waste. The company will show a layout of one of its most recent projects.

“Although ICE 2007 may not be as well attended as the last Chicago show, we believe that Troy Corporation will experience high quality customer interactions,” said Joe Galimi, director U.S. sales, Troy Corporation. “We are extremely excited to launch our new “GOLD Standard for Performance” at ICE. This venue offers Troy a very visible environment to introduce our new brand image. We will be highlighting new technology products at ICE 2007 and intend to focus on the most environmentally friendly multiple active biocides that will take the industry by storm.”

With Toronto as the host city, David Faherty, vice president, marketing, Troy Corporation, expects to see a larger number of Canadian paint and coatings companies attending the exhibition and a good turnout from the rest of the Americas. “Selection of Canada for the meeting should promote a good mix of discussion regarding the common technical and market challenges facing companies and identifying solutions,” he said. “For example, though VOC regulations differ from country to country, the trend is clearly for a reduction. How we achieve compliance while ensuring quality is the challenge. At ICE, Troy will be promoting our zero VOC dry-film and in-can preservatives and additives accompanied with our formulating experience to help companies across the Americas make safer and higher performing products. In addition, we will be exhibiting our commercial VOC product line which will be new for Canada and other regions but not the U.S.”

Celanese will discuss how it can support North American manufacturers in their efforts to meet low VOC targets for premium quality architectural coatings. The company offers Celvolit 1774 in North America, a vinyl acetate/ethylene (VAE) emulsion technology that addresses both environmental standards and consumer performance standards.

During ICE, Celanese also plans to survey paint manufacturers on the major issues facing the paint industry. Attendees are encouraged to stop by booth 822 at any time during exhibition hours and provide input on the future of coatings technologies.