• Preview of Eurocoat 2007
• Review of ECS 2007
• Come to Lyon for EUROCOAT 2008

By Bill Nanson

The well-tailored, relaxed and expressive demeanor of the attendees already points to our southern European location – Genoa is bracketed by steep hills and the sea and, like a perfect host, it offers us a November welcome of sunshine and 20 °C. This ”southern-European” show, Eurocoat, seems to have found its niche; alternating between French, Spanish and Italian hosts, it seems that everyone is already well acquainted and finds the venue a perfect platform to meet and greet a significant proportion of their customers during the mere three days of the show. As a visitor, in conjunction with your meetings you probably need about one and a half days to take in everything.

Set in two conjoined halls, the booths are about 80% those of distributors, the rest are of the “principals”. It is interesting to contrast their approaches: the distributors vie for the eye with facades that are a welter of international company logos – advertising themselves as one stop shops – whereas those of the principals, the international companies, have the luxury of concentrating more on the polishing of their own brands. Booth design seems polarized between open-and-inviting and the more monolithic – which are often psychologically harder to enter …

While we discuss the evolution of booth design, I see some extension of themes first seen six months ago at the European Coatings Show: a widening trend to display effects resulting from the combination of disparate additives as unique, singular effects rather than focusing on the discrete ingredients. Clearly this is easier for companies with a wide portfolio, particularly those that bring color or luster to an object. Just look at some of the beautiful motorcycles on display, powerful monsters wrapped in discreet and appealing white pearl effect coatings – where else but Italy! But if you only sell (for instance) resins – no problem! – innovate your approach, talk about art and the end use of your products, show passion in place of data – everything is possible.

Color is everywhere in Genoa – particularly, it seems, with a trendy pearlescent edge – whether for wood, mobile phones, bicycles or motorcycles! The possibilities seem endless.

Particularly engaging at this show was the link to our past: the Scuola Edile Genovese provided a display of artisanal architectural coating in extremis. Around 20 young apprentices showcased live the talent and rigor required in the restoration of both interior and exterior facade painting – totally absorbing … bravo!