International. With more than 30,000 trade visitors from more than 100 countries and 1,135 exhibitors from 40 countries, the organizers of the European Coatings Show 2017 assured that this version has been the largest and the most international.
In an expanded space at the Exhibition Center in Nuremberg, Germany, the exhibiting companies presented innovative and new products and services for all aspects of the production of paints, coatings and sealants. The European Coatings Show Conference also had massive participation: more than 840 participants from around 50 countries set another record for this discussion center among coating researchers and developers. The next European Coatings Show will be held at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre from 19 to 21 March 2019.
The 2017 European Coatings Show filled seven halls and boasted an international presence more extensive than ever. In addition to a Chinese pavilion, the pavilions of the Czech Republic and the Republic of Korea provided an overview of their particular nations. Young innovative companies from Germany appeared in a joint pavilion funded by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). Product presentations in three rooms offered short talks by exhibitors with additional expertise on uses, effects and technical data.
On the other hand, the Conference of the European Coatings Show was even more crowded than in previous years. More than 140 specialized presentations from internationally renowned speakers explored the production of paints, sealants, chemical building materials and adhesives. It focused on current needs such as functionality and environmental protection.
The opening speech of the Plenary Session was made by Renaud Nicolaÿ, a researcher at the École Supérieure des Physics and Industrial Chemistry of the City of Paris, who studies covalent bonds and their potential applications. In his talk, "When Everyday Plastics Become High-Performance Reusable Materials," he demonstrated how to produce high-strength vitrimers with new properties, including ease of deformation, self-healing ability and recyclability, while maintaining the original characteristics. This year, the European Coatings Show award for best presentation went to Bas Tuijtelaars, from DSM Coating Resins. The jury recognized his environmentally friendly approach to the manufacture of amine-free resins.
