By Sammy Miles, Managing Editor-in-Chief of CORROSION journal
The Exhibit Hall at the 2026 AMPP Annual Conference + Expo is now open! The ceremonial ribbon cutting by Alan Thomas, CEO of the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), took place on Monday, March 16 inside Houston’s expansive George R. Brown Convention Center.
The ribbon cutting followed a series of opening remarks from the current Chair of the AMPP Board of Directors, Kimberly-Joy Harris, and Kristin Leonard, a past Chair of the AMPP Global Center (2023-2024).
Attendees explored booths throughout the packed hall. From putt-putt golf in Dairyland’s booth to student posters, there were plenty of things to do and see.
TalentForce, AMPP’s new workforce development company, made its debut on Monday with a presence inside AMPP’s main booth. Also found in the AMPP booth is a new media studio, where attendees can watch interviews and discussions taking place throughout the week.
Make sure to take a few minutes to check out this year’s Exhibit Hall! Standard daily hours will continue until 5:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
Marine Coating Performance Under Pressure: Challenges and Innovations 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.
Read more
AMPP Bookstore Comes Home to HoustonThe 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.
Read more
‘Coatings 101’ Offers Back-to-Basics Approach 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.
Read more