By Lisa Sciortino, Managing Editor of CoatingsPro Magazine

Gain insight about how industrial protective coatings are specified and applied to meet a project’s goal, and learn valuable information about instruments and other resources leading to successful outcomes.

These topics will be covered in the two-part “Coatings 101: Materials, Operations, and More” forum, which is being held in room 371 AB from 8:00 a.m. until noon on Tuesday and 1:00-2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The forum is part of the 2026 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo at Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center.

During the first session, Neil Pittman of Lake Superior Consulting will address proper surface preparation measurement with replica tape, as well as the use of manufacturer-supplied tables for converting measurements. Also scheduled is Luke Patterson of SilcoTek Corp., who will examine how chemical vapor-deposited coatings enhance anti-fouling and corrosion resistance of heat exchangers and process instrumentation.  

Miles Venzara of United Pipeline Systems will present a paper focused on the use of compression-fit high-density polyethylene liners as a solution to mitigate internal corrosion across challenging pipeline environments. Finally, Beth Fratcher of AkzoNobel NV will share findings from a recent report exploring how coatings manufacturers are protecting their products from corrosion. She will also discuss what additional actions are needed.    

During the second session, James North of EnerClear Services Inc. will discuss an innovative in-situ pipeline epoxy coating process that can be a cost-effective solution to prevent corrosion in new pipelines, or to rehabilitate worn, corroded, or scaled existing pipelines.  

Alvin Zhongqing Yang of OneGarnet Group will compare commonly used blasting abrasives across performance factors with the aim of shifting the view of surface preparation from a procedural requirement to an engineering decision. In closing, Hussain Boudrees of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will present a case study on corrosion erosion in a wet-air system.  

In total, the forum aims to provide an overview of industrial protective coatings including design considerations, material selection, and basic quality control techniques. Typical inspection instruments used on paint projects, and surface preparation guides are being presented and reviewed, and participants will learn to read a product data sheet and measure ambient conditions.