Traditionally known for its use in cleaning and preparing surfaces for painting and coating, blasting has expanded its reach into various other sectors such as automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding, and wind. Additionally, the industry has evolved in response to technological advancements, regulatory changes, and shifting market demands.

Kyle McDonald, project manager at Western Specialty Contractors in Delray Beach, Fla., recently joined the CoatingsPro Interview Series with insights on his job and beyond. Discussion topics include standout projects; unique coating factors for concrete substrates within his market; and industry trends in technologies, materials, equipment, and workforce development.

Under AMPP’s new program, Protective Coatings Specialist (PCS) certification holders will have demonstrated proficiency in technical aspects of coatings, failure analysis, project management, specification review, application, and inspection. The goal is to ensure optimal performance of each coating system throughout its projected service life.

An underground oil pipeline at a Spanish refinery was suffering from severe corrosion, and it would have incurred severe metal loss if left unchecked. Instead, a composite wrap solution allowed the customer to avoid a complete replacement.

Among the myriad of hazards that corrosion control and protective coatings workers face daily, preventing dropped objects must be a top priority. The stakes are too high to ignore: In 2022 alone, falling objects accounted for 238 deaths and 57,000 injuries in the United States.

A proper maintenance plan can be developed in just a few minutes. Those few minutes of proactive planning will ensure that your coating is living up to its responsibility as the first layer of protection for your client’s building, keeping the elements at bay so the bones of the building stay healthy.

U.S. Navy veteran Matt Flory is currently working as a global business director at Sherwin-Williams, where he leads the industrial group’s military coatings segment. With a team comprised largely of Veterans, Flory shares perspective on what they bring to the coatings industry and the role they can play in overcoming workforce development challenges.

In Sherwin-Williams’ 2024 Impact Awards, first place went to an ambitious $124-million renovation and expansion of a large-scale water reclamation facility in Fargo, North Dakota. According to the coating manufacturer, this project involved a continuous collaboration between applicators and engineers.

For nearly four decades, municipal budget limitations had prevented updates to the Weirs Beach fire station in Laconia, N.H. To address this, ICP Group’s California Paints brand stepped in and donated high-quality paints and supplies while also providing skilled labor. This allowed the renovation to move forward without imposing on local taxpayers.

In this “Never Again” article, Jon Cavallo explores whether the role of solvents and/or thinners is simply to control viscosity. As part of this review, an investigation of observed bridge coating failures near Panama City, Fla., was conducted on several fronts.