Like most people, I begin each new year with a sense of excitement and trepidation. I wonder what major news stories will make the headlines, both in the coatings industry and in the world at large.

In October I had the opportunity to travel with the Chicago Society for Coatings Technology (CSCT) to Purdue University's Calumet campus in Hammond, IN, to learn about its new Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation (CIVS).

This is one of my favorite issues of PCI – our Emerging Technologies issue.

I have just returned home from our annual Coatings Trends & Technologies (CTT) conference, which was held September 11-12 in Oak Brook, IL.

One advantage of living in the Detroit metro area is the proximity to so many automotive coatings suppliers.

For PCI’s Distributor issue, PCI editor Kristin Johansson spoke with Sandeep Goel, PICA (Paints, Inks, Coatings and Adhesives) Business Leader at Nexeo Solutions, to discuss how the distribution model has evolved over the years, what trends distributors are seeing and the challenges that they face today.

This month’s Industry News department features a new report by market research firm RNCOS on the global nanotechnology market.

The American Coatings Show and Conference was held May 7-10 at the Indianapolis Convention Center. With 427 exhibitors and more than 7,500 overall participants from 69 countries, this year’s ACS broke all of its previous records for visitors, exhibitors and footprint.

Evonik TEGO is highlighting two products at Booth #2000, and is giving two Product Presentations at the ACS this year.

It is hard to believe that it has been two years since the last American Coatings Show (ACS).