The Honeymoon's Over...

At the time of this writing, I have just returned from The Powder Coating Institute's 28th Annual Meeting, and it occurred to me that it was just over a year ago that we launched our 5-year plan for PCI.  It has been a fast and furious ride ever since!  It has also been very rewarding as we have completed many new and exciting things together in our fist year.  I continue to be amazed at the energy and committment that PCI's members have for our mission to promote powder coatings, and I have seen a huge burst of energy in every committee - each of which is a driving force for our association.

As the proverbial "they" say, though, the honeymoon is over and now it's time to show results.  In one short year, we have accomplished the following:

• We launched the Regional Show strategy and completed a very successful Coating West event in Las Vegas.
• We moved PCI's headquarters to Houston, Texas, and have found the cost and labor pool to be much more conducive to what we need as an organization.
• We have completely remodeled and launched PCI's website, and it looks great!  If you have not seen it yet, please take a tour at www.powdercoating.org.  The site is user friendly and designed to provide members and consumers much more value.
• PCI's laboratory and technical center are open and fully equipped.  PCI can provide support to the entire market in terms of defect analysis and product testing.
• We have just completed our first new Advanced Powder Coating 2-Day Workshop, and it was a great success.  Our introductory session has been fully revamped and will have its debut in August.
• We have replaced the Powder Coated Tough Mark with the Powder Coated Tough Stamp in an effort to not only focus on the toughness of powder coating but the green aspect of this technology as well. 
• PCI is offering PCI 3000 for custom coaters and PCI 4000 for OEMs.
• PCI hired a technical director.  Rodger Talbert is bring a much needed technical expertise to our association, building and strengthening our technical infrastructure.
• PCI has a newly formed Marketing Intelligence sub-committee whose members will look at the market and gather market intelligence.

Despite have accomplished so much in such a short time, we are just getting started!  Here is a list of what's to come in PCI's near future:

• Our second Regional Show, Coating East, is planned for Sept 30 - Oct 1 in Nashville.  Check out our covery story about the event on page 16 of Powder Coated Tough magazine.
• We are taking on Project Footprint - a research project to evaluate the total carbon footprint of powder coatings compared to alternative technologies.
• We will have a Powder Coated Tough Spanish edition this year.
• We are working on an electronic powder coating specification tool.
• We have the North American Industrial Coating Show planned for fall 2010.
• We are conducting a market research project, which will focus on areas to further powder penetration.
• We're working on a project focused on LEED points for powder coatings.
• Training webinars for all aspects of powder coatings will be offered.
• Global Powder Coating Partners or Chapters are in the works.

Thank you all for such a great first year!  Without the hard work and dedication of the committee chairs and their members; the PCI staff; the board of directors; and the entire Powder Coating Institute membership, we could have not completed so much in such a short amount of time.  So, while the honeymoon may be over, the work is just getting started.  On behalf of allPCI, we are eager to continue this great momentum.

Sincerely,

Steve Houston
Executive Director, PCI