SSPC Announces GreenCOAT 2011

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings is excited to announce the formation of GreenCOAT(SM), a new trade show and technical conference for key stakeholders in protective coatings projects, including painting contractors, facility owners, coating manufacturers, equipment suppliers, inspectors and engineers. The event, set for January 31-February 3, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, will also serve as the 2011 Annual Meeting for SSPC and its members.

Like other industries, as the coatings industry moves further into the 21st century, the importance of developing eco-friendly solutions becomes more pressing as specifyers and facility owners demand sustainable products and services. Many companies in the industry have already developed and deployed green technology such as new coating formulations that reduce or eliminate VOC's, materials that are recyclable, and processes that comply with strict regulations that govern how, where and when coating projects can be completed. Many of these products have been showcased at PACE since 2005.

"SSPC has a good history of being a leader on environmental issues," stated Steve Roetter, P.E., President of SSPC. "In the 1990s SSPC worked closely with the EPA and other local, state and federal agencies to address the issue of lead-based paints and environmental contamination. In recent years, we've worked with those same agencies to reduce the volatile organic compound content of high-performance coatings, which can affect pollution levels and air quality."

According to Bill Shoup, Executive Director of SSPC, "When SSPC members go into a coating project, they recognize that it is their responsibility to have a minimal impact on the surrounding location. We're proud of that and so are they. SSPC's GreenCOAT(SM) will be their opportunity to show off a little bit while helping their customers benefit from what they already know."

Along with the green features, SSPC will incorporate the best parts of past shows into GreenCOAT(SM), providing members with the popular and important programming, committee meetings and networking opportunities that they have come to expect.

About SSPC

SSPC is internationally recognized as the leading society in the field of protective coatings. Its surface preparation and coatings standards have guided the use of coatings worldwide since 1950 when it was founded as the Steel Structures Painting Council.  Since the 1990s, over 35,000 coatings professionals have turned to SSPC for a wide array of training and certification programs. In addition to certification, standards and training, SSPC offers a variety of technical publications, advocacy, the Journal of Protective Coatings & Linings, and a library of information resources. Membership in SSPC includes over 8,000 coatings professionals and over 750 industry-related companies. For more information, visit www.SSPC.org.

SOURCE Society for Protective Coatings