Member Profile of Coatings Equipment Leader Elcometer

Joe Walker, vice president and general manager of Elcometer Inc., joins our “member profile” series to share some of his company’s keys to success. Topics include Elcometer's journey as an equipment supplier to the coatings industry; strategies on how to train clients to best use their products; career highlights and expansion strategies; and much more. 

Walker, who is an immediate past chair of AMPP, also shares his thoughts on the merger of NACE International and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings — led by what he sees as benefits and priorities for the combined association and industry moving forward.

Keys to Success for Black Bear Coatings & Concrete

Black Bear president and co-founder Justin Tousignant joins us to analyze a wide range of industry hot topics and trends. Discussion points include priorities for his company and the coatings industry; the importance of industry associations; the need for more internal training programs among contractors; career highlights and goals; and strategies to recruit, develop, and retain workforce talent.

For more information, contact: Black Bear Coatings & Concrete, (978) 405-0017, www.blackbearconcrete.com

‘The Perfect Wall’ Inventor Calls to Up the Game

Roy Schauffele, executive advisor to the ABAA Board and president and founder of Division 7 Solutions, Inc., has been in the air barrier industry for decades. His experiences and education have helped to improve the liquid-applied industry over the years, and he calls for people in the industry to work harder to up their game. To speak with Schauffele for more information about what was discussed in this episode, contact him at (210) 859-3749.

Key Takeaways from 2021 World of Concrete

Stephanie Chizik, Editor-in-Chief of CoatingsPro Magazine, and Bree McCullough, Multimedia Specialist, join the podcast from Las Vegas to recap the 2021 World of Concrete (WOC) trade show.

Topics include the return to in-person industry gatherings after COVID-19; standout exhibits and demonstrations; market trends and feedback; and much more. (Complete Transcript)

How AMPP Global Operations Is Handling the Merger

Kamal Taher, Director of Global Operations at AMPP, joins our podcast to explain how his department is helping members and customers around the world adjust to the combination of NACE International and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings.

Topics include common questions and feedback from members in different world regions; priorities in blending NIICAP and SSPC QP contractor accreditation programs; strategies to overcome concerns and objections; subject areas and markets for growth within corrosion control; and much more. (Complete Transcript)

For more information, contact: AMPP, www.ampp.org 

Bridge Coatings Expert Shares His Outlook

Tony Serdenes, National Coatings Director at Gannett Fleming, has been in the bridge coatings industry since the ‘80s. As a provider of consulting services to Gannett’s inspectors and clients in the bridge and water/wastewater industries, he brings words of wisdom that can help with communication from all project stakeholders—from inspectors to contractors, of which he used to be one. (Complete Transcript)

For more information, contact: Tony Serdenes, (410) 371-7056, aserdenes@gfnet.com

Lessons Learned from a California Roofing Icon

Gary Harvey is general manager of Wedge Roofing, a California-based company that has earned recognition at the CoatingsPro Contractor Awards for five straight years. In this episode, he discusses many of the keys to success for Wedge over his 25 years with the company, headlined by their most recent award-winning project (Mariners Landing). 

Other topics include environmental trends and becoming a Green Roofing Contractor; unique coating considerations in the Bay Area near San Francisco; the importance of safety and training procedures for crews and personnel; tips and tricks for industry newcomers and other contractors; and much more. (Complete Transcript)

For more information, contact: Wedge Roofing, (888) 763-7663, www.wedgeroofing.com

Roofing Expert Building School and Community

Henry Staggs, roofing consultant with Preferred Roof Consultants of Arizona and Founder of the School of Roofing, wants to help the roofing community through safer practices, skilled labor, and more. He shares his ideas and how he’s working to make it happen through the School of Roofing — something his grandfather would be proud of!

For more information, contact: Henry Staggs, theschoolofroofing@gmail.com

CORROSION 2021 Recap, Upcoming Coatings Industry Events

Lesley Martinez, Manager of Conferences at the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), joins our podcast to recap the recently completed CORROSION 2021 Virtual Conference & Expo. 

Martinez shares highlights from the show and lessons learned from the virtual experience, along with a preview of the upcoming transition to in-person events. She also offers an early look at the Coatings+ 2021 show and the first AMPP Annual Conference + Expo in March 2022.
(Complete Transcript)

For more information, contact: AMPP, (800) 797-6223, www.ampp.org

Inclusion and Diversity: How to Start and Why It Matters

Having a contracting company that continuously works on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging can make an internal impact for your company, as well as externally for your clients. Dr. Tiffany Reed, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) consultant for InclusionP365, shares examples of what this type of workplace can look like and how to get started on that hard work. (Complete Transcript)

For more information, contact Dr. Reed at: inclusionP365@icloud.com, LinkedIn

Reference 

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

Coating NYC's Tribeca Bridge and Beyond

Anthony Maracic, Vice President of Northeast Operations at Champion Painting Specialty Services Corp. (CPSSC), explains lessons learned from his company's recent project recoating the Tribeca Bridge in New York City (as featured in this new CoatingsPro Magazine case study).

Maracic also shares highlights from his 40 years in the protective coatings industry, as well as tips and tricks for the next generation of coatings contractors.
(Complete Transcript)

For more information, contact: CPSSC, www.championssc.com

Lifelong Partnership Takes Roofing Company to Next Level

Stella Amador joined German Duarte’s Florida Quality Roofing nearly 10 years ago. Over the past decade, the lifelong friends have created a partnership that has found success in south Florida by building relationships, giving back to their community, and doing what they say they’re going to do. Amador’s tips, tricks, and take on the roofing industry are worth a listen! You can also check out our most recent profile of their work in CoatingsPro Magazine.
(Complete Transcript)

Nano Non-Skid Coating Solution for Offshore Environments

Danos, Graco, and Tesla NanoCoatings recently worked together to develop a functional non-slip deck coating for offshore clients. Their work, which was profiled in Materials Performance (MP) magazine, explains how a coatings applicator was able to overcome many traditional challenges through the use of an innovative protective coatings pump design with a new single-coat carbon nanotube non-slip deck coat slurry.

In this podcast episode, Danos' Scott Soto, Graco's John Lihwa, and Tesla's Joe Davis explore lessons learned from their collaboration, as well as future opportunities when using the system.
(Complete Transcript)

From Journeywoman to Business Owner

Kimberley Robles, president and owner of Robles Concrete Design, joins the podcast to discuss her experiences in coming up through the trades as a journeywoman. Based on those experiences, she has some great insight on how the industry might be able to attract — and keep — quality people to help decrease the labor shortage. She also shares some challenges and opportunities she’s seen within the industry over the years. In the episode, Kimberley mentions a Citi Foundation ad that she was featured in last year, and you can check that out here.

You can also connect with her on LinkedIn, or via the company’s website.
(Complete Transcript) 

Digitalization Strategies for the Coatings Industry

Ross Boyd, founder and CEO of TruQC, joins our podcast to discuss the growing role of digitalization in the coatings industry. Topics include why it matters and how to start; tips to ensure a successful initiative; common questions and feedback from industry users; and much more. (Complete Transcript)

For more information, check out his recent CoatingsPro article titled "Digitalization for the Coatings Industry."