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The Coatings Summit 2019: The Meeting Point for Global Industry Leaders to Discuss the Main Sector Trends, Challenges, and Solutions he whole spectrum of
Sustainability was a much-discussed
coatings manufacturers
topic: sustainable raw materials,
and raw material suppliers
the switch from solvent-based to
met in Paris from January 30 to
water-based coatings, and the
February 1st, on the occasion of
awareness not only of producers
The Coatings Summit, organized by
but also of consumers are among
IPPIC (International Paint & Printing
the key elements that are driving
Ink Council™) and Vincentz Network.
the pursuit of this practice. The last
ipcm took part in this important
speech to close the summit was
th
®
forum to get to know, analyse, and discuss the latest global trends, challenges, and innovative solutions
of a Dynamic Industry”. Possible strategies for global growth were
manufacturer Industrias Titan, who asked the audience an interesting question: is the coating industry a conservative industry? Data show
© Vincentz Network
held in the elegant setting of The the slogan “Shaping the Future
CEO of Barcelona-based coating
Figure 1: The Coatings Summit 2019 was held in Paris from January 30th to February 1st.
for the sector. The event was Westin Paris-Vendôme hotel with
delivered by Daniel Llinás Sala, the
1
that only 50% of firms in the sector are digitised and that digitisation is creating a significant economic gap:
discussed, as well as the significant
the companies that did not adapt
role that the Asian markets are
to the Industry 4.0 paradigm in time
starting to play, especially the
are now struggling to compete with
Chinese one, where industrial
top leaders. Nevertheless, there is
paints are the core business and
still room for improvement through
the industrial fabric is fragmented
the combination of functional
and composed of small-medium
management practices promoting,
enterprises.
for instance, staff training, with productivity and innovation.
There were also several examples of companies that have been able to grow and succeed despite the obstacles encountered along the way. These included Vitex-Yannidis,
2 1
In addition to debates and speeches of sector leaders, there
Figure 2: AkzoNobel CEO Thierry Vanlacker analysed the significant role of the Chinese coating market.
were convivial moments and networking opportunities for all participants, such as a dinner at
a Greek coating manufacturer that faced three significant challenges: the Greek financial crisis, its
La Maison des Polytechniciens, an eighteenth-century villa in the historic
own economic debt, and tensions within the owner family.
centre of Paris.
Vitex has managed to prevail, thus establishing itself among the main Greek industrial businesses and recording a 47% increase
For further information:
in sales volume in six years.
www.coatings-summit.com
international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2019 - N. 56
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