Membership Memo—Improvement Comes from Involvement
Posted on Thursday, February 22, 2024
On the heels of another successful Powder Coating Week, I am reminded of the value PCI brings to our industry and the many benefits of membership. Two years ago, I was asked to serve as chair of program planning for PCI’s Powder Coating Technical Conference, a major component of Powder Coating Week. I was hesitant and filled with more questions than answers about the role and its responsibilities. Armed with a passion for powder coating, an understanding of the value the conference brings to the industry, and the anticipation of support from other PCI members, I decided to put my uncertainties aside and give it a try.
My primary role is to lead the review of abstracts submitted in response to PCI’s call for papers—more than 40 were submitted for the 2024 Technical Conference covering just about every aspect of the industry. The programming committee strives to ensure relevant, high-quality content that addresses all things powder coating. It is also essential that the program offers fresh and leading-edge information every year. If you’ve attended a Powder Coating Technical Conference, then you know the general sessions address areas of interest to all attendees, breakout sessions offer the opportunity to focus on specific areas, and the roundtable discussions are the perfect platform for sharing information on hot topics. The sessions are interactive, informative, and frankly, a lot of fun.
With a couple of years as chair of program planning under my belt, I can say that answers now far outweigh my initial questions and uncertainty. I enjoy working with
industry peers to develop a program that benefits everyone in the powder coating industry, from newbies to industry veterans. I like to say the program development is a team approach to continuous improvement—a team comprised of experts, often from competing companies, all working together and in many cases co-presenting, in a unified effort to advance powder coating technology and the industry.
Reflecting on my 20 years in the powder coating industry, I can say that being involved with PCI has been one of the best experiences. The learning comes easy, and one can quickly see that the members are collectively pushing the industry forward.
Ryan Allen is territory manager for Gema USA.