By David Savastano
Contributing Editor

The 2026 American Coatings Show and Conference, set for Indianapolis, IN from May 5-7, brings together the international paint and coatings industry to learn about the newest technologies.

The 2026 American Coatings Conference will feature nearly 100 technical sessions. Organized by the American Coatings Association (ACA) and Vincentz Network, the conference will be held concurrently with the exhibition. The concurrent American Coatings Conference features sessions including key topics like AI, smart coatings, bio-based coatings and much more.

Danielle Chalom, managing vice president, communications for the American Coatings Association, said this year’s conference features an excellent lineup.

“Based on the excellent Conference program lineup and the response we’ve gotten from industry and academia, we believe this is going to be the most varied and engaging technical knowledge sharing forum we’ve had to date,” Chalom said.

Chalom said that the conference begins with the keynote talk by Dr. Bedri Erdem, CTO at Rust-Oleum Corporation and RPM Consumer Group.

“We’re ecstatic that Dr. Bedri Erdem, chief technology officer at Rust-Oleum Corporation and RPM Consumer Group, will officially open the conference with a keynote address titled, ‘Reimagining Chemistry as the Catalyst: Driving Innovation, Sustainability, Performance to Fuel Growth in the Coatings Industry’,” Chalom said.

“His keynote will touch on themes that are recurring during the three-day conference program, which will feature nearly 100 technical sessions across 16 topical tracks. These include particular coatings applications, but also digitalization and AI, sustainability and bio-based materials, weathering and durability, and numerous other trends and drivers of coatings industry R&D.”

The conference begins the morning of May 5, with nine pre-conference tutorials:

• Coatings 101: An Introduction to Coatings Technology (extended class)

• Fundamentals of High-Performance Waterborne Coatings

• Al & Digital Tools: What They Mean for Coatings

• Weathering & Durability: A Primer for Newcomers

• The Essential Guide to Smart Coatings & Surfaces

• Polyurethanes: The Building Blocks Explained

• Sustainable & Circular Coatings: Materials, Design, & Reality

• The Science of Durable Protective Coatings

• Radiation-Cured Coatings: Chemistry, Formulations, Technology, & Applications

On May 5, the afternoon session includes these sessions:

• Session 1: Functional Coatings

• Session 2: PFAS Alternatives

• Session 3: Architectural Coatings I

• Session 4: Protective Coatings

May 6 features a full day of sessions, beginning with these four tracks in the morning:

• Session 5: Architectural Coatings II

• Session 6: Grinding and Dispersing

• Session 7: Water-Based Coatings

• Session 8: Testing and Measurement I

May 6’s afternoon session features the following:

• Session 9: Digitalization

• Session 10: Testing and Measurement II

• Session 11: Polyurethanes

• Session 12: Industrial Coatings

May 7’s morning session closes the conference with these topics:

• Session 13: Automotive and Wood Coatings

• Session 14: Bio-Based Coatings

• Session 15: Epoxy Coatings

• Session 16: Coatings Production

Chalom notes that these technical sessions were selected from hundreds of submissions.

“The coveted American Coatings Award will be presented during the conference for the best presentation,” she adds. “We’re also excited to host a Poster Session and Networking Reception, which will feature 30+ posters— many by students — on display with researchers on hand to discuss their work and findings in a relaxed social atmosphere.”