On Wednesday at AMPP 2026, panelists from different branches and offices of the U.S. military came together to provide updates on their corrosion policies. The initial presentation was given by Paul Chang, Director of the Department of War’s Office of Corrosion Policy and Oversight.

The corrosion industry’s biggest challenge isn’t just technical — it’s people. With that in mind, improving awareness, hiring, development, and workplace systems often proves essential to attract talent, retain workers, and ensure long-term stability and performance.

Sponsored by BP, awards were given to the top three posters in four categories: the Fontana Category of Corrosion Engineering; the Pourbaix Category of Corrosion Science; the Herro-Appleman Category of Applied Materials Protection Technology; and the David Shifler Undergraduate Category.

Wednesday’s Honoree Night brought the AMPP community together to celebrate individuals whose leadership, research, and service have made lasting contributions to the corrosion control profession. The event was held at Houston’s Daikin Park, home of the Astros.

Held in its hometown of Houston, this year’s show was a clear success for the association. According to Greg Muha, Director of Conferences, Exhibits, and Sponsorships, AMPP’s flagship annual conference had a record 6,345 attendees, surpassing the 2024 New Orleans event.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making its way into coatings inspection practices, but industry experts say the change will be gradual. What is on the horizon, according to AMPP 2026 panelists, is a growing use of tools such as drones, machine learning, and digital twins.

To recognize paints and coatings manufacturers that are leading the industry in innovation, sustainability, education, and commitment, the Master Painters Institute (MPI) held a ceremony for the winners of its 2026 Champion Awards.

In a presentation titled “Toward Sustainable Corrosion Resistant Alloys,” Dr. Nick Birbilis delivered his 2026 Whitney Award lecture regarding the role of grain size, grain orientation, and crystallinity on the corrosion resistance of alloys

Although the presentations examined different degradation mechanisms — fracture behavior and corrosion chemistry — both highlighted how impurities present in anthropogenic CO₂ streams can significantly influence the long-term integrity of pipeline materials.

Sustainability in the corrosion industry should be understood through durability and long-term performance, not just carbon metrics. That was one clear point of emphasis during a sustainability task force forum held earlier this week.

The Scholarship Awards featured BP as its signature sponsor, while the Emerging Leaders Bash had Sherwin-Williams as its signature sponsor and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) and the AMPP Arizona Chapter as copper sponsors.

“Corrosion never sleeps,” said Cindy Hubert, who spoke at a forum on global workforce challenges. “And neither should the transfer of knowledge.” The session focused on practical frameworks to capture and transfer veteran expertise before it exits the field.

“This morning’s Women of AMPP Breakfast and Forum, our largest yet, reinforced something I believe deeply: growth comes from staying uncomfortable and being willing to change,” said Rebecca Griebe, Senior Director of User Experience at AMPP.

Thursday’s session will discuss protective coatings case studies and detailed technical information related to infrastructure such as bridges; storage tanks; structures in the electrical market; and other critical assets in corrosive atmospheres.

TalentForce, AMPP’s new company, held its inaugural workforce development panel on Tuesday afternoon. The discussion highlighted the need to design and update models and for programs to be more modern.

CoatingsPro Magazine, AMPP’s publication for contractors working on high-performance commercial and industrial coating projects in the field, celebrated the winners of its 2026 Contractor Awards Program during Tuesday’s presentation held on the Student Poster Stage.

“You have decided to marry your professional life with a way to serve this great nation so we can live the lives that we’ve grown accustomed to,” said Wesley Hunt, a Houston native who is now serving his second term in Congress.

The Exhibit Hall at the 2026 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo is now open! The ceremonial ribbon cutting by Alan Thomas, CEO of AMPP, took place on Monday afternoon inside Houston’s expansive George R. Brown Convention Center.

Before artificial intelligence (AI) can be effectively applied to CIPS interpretation, the industry must first address some foundational issues by standardizing how survey data is collected, structured, and interpreted, according to Dr. Hongbo Ding.

As a charitable workforce development organization, TalentForce was created to address a growing talent shortage across critical infrastructure sectors. Alan Thomas, CEO of AMPP, made the announcement at Monday’s AMPP 2026 keynote session.

Former U.S. Navy Blue Angels lead solo pilot John “Gucci” Foley shared lessons on trust, teamwork, and high-performance culture with AMPP members, drawing on his experience flying for one of the world’s most elite aviation teams.

The 2026 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo began with the Opening Reception, cosponsored by Proxxima and AMPP. With thousands of delegates expected over the coming days, Sunday’s event set the tone for a week of meaningful dialogue and conversations between industry leaders and key stakeholders.

All 2026 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo attendees and their guests are invited to join us on St. Patrick’s Day at House of Blues Houston as we raise funds to support the future of the materials protection industry. The event features both the Scholarship Awards Ceremony and the EMERGing Leaders Bash.

By bridging the gap between 20 years of proven CUI mitigation strategies and the economic breakthrough of laser-assisted cold spray, Tuesday’s forum aims to equip professionals with technical evidence to reduce operational downtime and slash costs.

AMPP’s 2026 Willis Whitney Technical Achievement Award recipient is Dr. Nick Birbilis. In his 25+ year career, he has worked in corrosion-related areas such as monitoring, remediation, life prediction, asset design, durability management planning, and the development of corrosion-resistant materials.

The AMPP TC04 Marine Technical Community of Interest (TCI) is bringing together commercial shipowners, classification societies, government, and workforce innovators in a session to explore the technologies, workforce initiatives, and policy drivers shaping the future of marine fleet readiness.

Be among the first to explore the dynamic show floor, all while connecting with leading companies across the industry and discovering the latest products, technologies, and solutions shaping the future of corrosion and coatings. The ribbon-cutting ceremony is slated for 5:00 p.m. local time.

The competition begins Monday afternoon and continues through Wednesday, with participants going head-to-head in a series of inspection challenges designed to highlight expertise, precision, and real-world problem-solving.

This year, a trio of impactful events at the 2026 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo will highlight the evolving role of women in the corrosion and materials protection industry, all while aiming to provide them with the necessary tools to excel in their careers.

For the 2026 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo, Sunday’s Opening Night Reception will take place at the Houston Ballroom inside the Marriott Marquis hotel complex. The event, which starts at 5:30 p.m. local time, is cosponsored by Proxxima and AMPP.

Each spring at AMPP’s annual conference, the Darrel D. Byerley Memorial Golf Tournament serves as one of the flagship fundraising events of the EMERG Student Outreach Program. This year, it takes place at the Lakes Course at Wildcat Golf Club in Houston.

The High Rollin' For a Harley contest is back in 2026! To play, AMPP attendees can visit the booths of each sponsor, where they will collect a playing card. Once all cards have been collected, head to the Harley parked outside the Exhibit Hall and complete an entry card.

As we gather in one of the world’s most important hubs for energy and infrastructure, let’s focus on the vital role our industry plays in protecting the assets that power, connect, and defend our communities. This year’s technical program delivers focused insights across the sectors shaping our global future.

Extending asset life, reducing maintenance interventions, minimizing waste, and ensuring safe, resilient infrastructure can deliver environmental, economic, and social benefits in ways that carbon accounting alone cannot capture.

AMPP’s annual Student Poster Session, sponsored by BP, kicks off on Monday, March 16, with the opening of the Exhibit Hall. This session features student projects of both undergraduate and graduate levels, which will be evaluated by an industry judging panel.

Monday’s workshop aims to educate facility owners, contractors, coatings inspectors, safety personnel, and others in the construction industry about the rules and requirements for working in confined and permit-required confined spaces.

Although corrosion persists as a costly challenge within the marine coatings industry, this forum will explore practical realities and solutions for extending service life and reducing lifecycle costs within some of the harshest environments on Earth.

Maintaining safety on jobsites is critical to ensuring operational success. Learn strategies aimed at enhancing safety, ensuring compliance, and improving practices during the “Jobsite Challenges, Strategies, and Safety Programs” forum on Tuesday afternoon.

AMPP’s annual awards program recognizes individuals and teams that advance the corrosion and protective coatings industry through innovation, leadership, and meaningful contributions. This year, the program will be held at Daikin Park, home of the Astros.

With four unique presentations as part of the AMPP 2026 conference, this session takes place as the industry is seeing a continued shift to robots and drones for surface preparation, coating applications, and visual inspections.

Corrosion remains one of the largest cost drivers in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), estimated at billions annually. Yet, innovations are often siloed within individual programs or services.

Join the celebrations as CoatingsPro Magazine and the Master Painters Institute (MPI) present the 2026 winners of their respective awards programs! The announcements will be made on Tuesday, March 17, inside the Exhibit Hall at the Student Poster Session stage.

In a series of events on Tuesday and Wednesday, the “Coatings 101” forum provides an overview of industrial protective coatings including design considerations; material selection; and basic quality control techniques.

Led by Valerie Sherbondy and Julie Glover of KTA-Tator, Inc., Thursday’s session will highlight the importance of good specifications, proper paint selection, and solid communication in creating successful coating application outcomes.

The AMPP Bookstore at the 2026 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo will again offer daily discounts and multiple ways to purchase books. From Sunday through Wednesday, the Bookstore is open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., and on Thursday it opens from 8:00 a.m. until noon.

Gain practical insight into how workforce design impacts operational performance, along with frameworks for supporting reinvention and re-entry without compromising safety or quality. These topics will be discussed at AMPP’s workforce development forum titled “Reinvention, Reentry, and Retention.”

As corrosion programs become increasingly data-rich, the industry is being forced to grapple with how to manage, interpret, and apply complex datasets in ways that support sound engineering decisions. Those issues will be addressed during “Data Challenges in Corrosion,” a Sunday morning technical session during the 2026 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo.

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While inside the AMPP 2026 Exhibit Hall, attendees can feel like they’ve taken a trip to the Scottish highlands! Visit the Dairyland Lounge for an exciting game of mini golf with colleagues and industry peers.

The “Economics of Corrosion: Associated Direct and Indirect Costs” symposium will explore how corrosion continues to affect asset performance, operating budgets, and long-term planning across critical industries.

Education team members at the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) are ready to guide demonstrations and answer questions regarding AMPP’s new and existing offerings.

Whether you’re a naval aviator or a materials protection professional, small decisions can have big consequences. That’s the message former Blue Angels pilot John “Gucci” Foley plans to share as the keynote speaker at AMPP’s 2026 Annual Conference + Expo.