PCI's Custom Coater Forum is designed to provide custom coaters the opportunity to network, hear presentations on timely issues important to their business and participate in roundtable discussions that allow for sharing information. The event includes a reception on day 1 and lunch on day 2.
MONDAY April 1, 2019
1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Leadership, Mission and Culture: Driving Sustainable Long-term Growth
Steve Kawaja, Owner/CEO IFS Coatings
We all want to drive growth and profitability, but consolidation, cost pressures, and low unemployment are making it difficult to navigate the rapidly changing and tumultuous world of coatings. Leadership, mission and culture matter more than ever. But what is leadership and why does it really matter? How can you get your team to deliver on your mission? Is culture an empty term, or can you decode it with a values and behaviors based approach? And how do you tie these together to build organizational health and create sustainable success? We will explore specific strategies and tactics to implement these initiatives and create change.
Best Practices in Troubleshooting and Maintenance of Your Powder Coating System
Mike Wittenhagen, QC Manager TCI Powder Coatings
The fact is, the application of any chemical coating can be problematic. Coating operations simply have so many variables to control that chances are anyone who sprays powder will, sooner or later deal with some problems. This session will arm would-be troubleshooters with tools and guidelines and alert them to some of the day-to-day obstacles they are likely to face and provide a foundation for growth.
Cyber Security: What You Should Be Doing Now
James Moore, Digital Marketing Manager Goyer Management
High profile hacks are in the headlines almost weekly. How can you protect yourself and your company from being a victim of hacking and identity theft? Take these steps to help protect both your personal life and business.
Pioneering the Unknown
Dan Iosue, CFP® The Rawls Group
Our businesses are all vulnerable to forces outside of our control. Natural disasters, political policies, death/loss of a key leader, economics or issues with a strategic relationship. At the end of the day, the show must go on, so the business can continue to provide for those who depend upon it. Attend this session to learn about key strategic planning steps to ensure you protect your business from the potential, possible and probable issues impacting business success.
TUESDAY April 2, 2019
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Get Hooked: A Custom Coater’s Guide to Effective and Efficient Hanging Methodology
Scott Rempala, President/CEO Mighty Hook
We will explore several concepts for developing proper hanging methods for custom coaters. Inherent considerations such as density, grounding, proper part presentation, modeling, material selection and safety provide the foundation for fundamental hanging concepts. We will also discuss on how to maximize through-put and maintain high quality by overcoming the obstacles related to part geometry and system limitations.
Powder Finishing Options "Good" - "Better" - "Best"
Mike Cravens, President Powder Finishing Consultants & Ikon Powder Coating
"Finishing quality is in the eyes of the beholder", or so it is said. By offering the customer good, better, best finishing process and material options the contract finisher may be able to avoid potential noncompliance issues. Often minimal or poor communication is given regarding the required quality attributes of the finish as the customer searches for the best price. The details regarding finish quality need to be addressed by establishing the accept/reject criteria in writing based upon the end use requirements and expected service life of a given finish in terms of decorative and protective value for a particular environment.
Defining and Negotiating Decorative and Functional Finishing Quality Requirements
Mike Cravens, President Powder Finishing Consultants & Ikon Powder Coating
Quality is defined as a measurable degree of excellence. Finishing attributes are measurable by quantitative means and the degree of quality compliance and acceptance is negotiable. As professional finishing contractors, custom coaters must be proficient at communicating their scope of work in a manner that is consistent with the customers actual requirements.
The Perfect Marketing Mix: How to Use Instagram and Other Platforms to Attract More Business
Kim Scott, Owner Maui Powder Works
We'll cover proven formulas for success as well as how to create content-rich posts for Instagram and Facebook. You'll discover insights to help you grow and build authentic followers for engagement and business growth as well as the future of social media.
Panel Discussion: Solutions in Pretreatment
John Kapsner, Owner P.E.M., Inc.
Suresh Patel, Director - Sales/Tech Service/Marketing Chemetall Mexicana
Moderated by:
To Be Announced,
We all know the importance of having an effective pretreatment system but determining the best in surface preparations for steel, galvanize and aluminum continues to make coaters wonder, “what is really the best option for our needs?” Just when is one preferred over the other, mechanical or chemical pretreatment, or both? This session can help you consider or reconsider the type of pretreatment process that produces the best and most consistent results to meet your customer requirements.
PCI Programs for Continuous Improvement: Peer Groups & PCI 3000 Certification
Rick Gehman, President Keystone Koating LLC
Peer Groups and PCI 3000 Certification are PCI programs designed to help elevate custom coater businesses to the next level of performance. Keystone Koating is involved in a Peer Group and is also PCI 3000 Certified. Rick will highlight the benefits of both.
Round Tables: BUZZ Session
Employee Recruitment/Development/Engagement
Lead By: Stephen Kawaja, IFS Coatings
Marketing and Business Development
Lead By: Kim Scott, Maui Powder Works / Troy Newport, Powder Coated Tough Magazine
Business Process Improvements
Lead By: Scott Rempala, Mighty Hook
What new ideas have you implemented in the past year or so to improve processes that resulted in saved time, saved costs or improved quality?
