CoatingsPro Interview Series

IUPAT Leads the Way in Safety, Training, Workforce Development

The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) represents 140,000 workers across the United States and Canada. In this summer 2025 interview with CoatingsPro Magazine, IUPAT’s Andrew Croll and Ken Seal share insights and the latest trends pertaining to safety, training, workforce development, industry influence and advocacy, and more.

Now Privately Owned, Pittsburgh Paints Company Sees Bright Future

Brian Carson, CEO of Pittsburgh Paints Co. since February 2025, shares insights regarding his new role and the future of the industry. Topics include opportunities for the company under private ownership; how Carson’s flooring experience helps him understand the paints and coatings market; common challenges and pain points for contractor customers; and more.

The Changing Landscape of Blast and Reclaim Technology, with ADI

Atlantic Design, Inc. (ADI) is a family owned and operated business in Baltimore, Maryland. The company brings more than 30 years of experience in the blasting and coatings industry while aiming to provide innovative and efficient solutions for the needs of its customers. 

Russell Roden, president of ADI, joins this sponsored episode with perspective gained over his three-plus decades in the business. Topics include key technologies that ADI has contributed to the market; modern industry trends, such as using a pneumatic transfer system in grit recycling; recent upgrades and innovations within blast controls; and expectations for the future.

Sherwin-Williams Director Shares Insight on Coatings for Transportation

Kirk Lipes, Global Transportation Segment Director at paints and coatings manufacturer Sherwin-Williams, shares his insight on unique needs and opportunities within the market. Topics include challenges and historical limitations; newer technologies and processes to improve performance; feedback from customers and applicators; collaboration opportunities; and more.

IUPAT Raises the Bar to Support Coatings Professionals

The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) represents 140,000 workers in the finishing trades across the United States and Canada. In this episode, IUPAT’s Andrew Croll and Ken Seal share insights on the organization’s mission to support and train professionals in the coatings industry; its strategies pertaining to recruiting and retaining workers; emerging technologies and jobsite trends in the industry; and much more.

Employee Ownership: A Growth Tool for Coatings Companies?

Gary Gray, a longtime coatings contractor and an executive with Tenor ESOP Partners and ESOP Consulting Group, LLC, says he is seeing considerable momentum toward broad-based employee ownership as a growth tool.

With the strategy (learn more) also representing a tax advantaged exit alternative, Gray explains why he believes the momentum is especially strong in the construction sector. 

2025 World of Concrete: Industry Leaders Speak Out

While at the 2025 World of Concrete show in Las Vegas, CoatingsPro Magazine caught up with leaders from several industry companies for brief interviews on the Exhibit Hall floor. Companies profiled in this series, in alphabetical order, include BrandSafway; Crown Polymers; Graco; Key Resin Company; Polymer Nation; PPG; and Quikspray Inc.

Using AI for Product Development in Coatings and Beyond

Greg Mulholland, founder and CEO of Citrine Informatics, shares his perspective on how artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly affecting the coatings industry and others linked to materials protection and performance. Discussion topics include development processes influenced by AI; feedback from industrial users; strategies for using AI to adapt to industry trends and new regulations; what the future evolution of AI may look like; and available resources to learn more.

Abrasives Inc. Works to Stay Ahead of Surface Prep Trends

Russell Raad, president of “one-stop shop” Abrasives Inc., joins a sponsored episode of the CoatingsPro Interview Series with insight on his company’s unique specialties and market position.

Discussion topics include marketplace trends, changes, and regulatory impacts; unique challenges to the surface preparation of industrial coatings jobs; strategies to incorporate feedback from contractors and end users; an outlook for the future; and available resources from Abrasives Inc. to assist in these processes.

How Crown Polymers Is Lifting the Floor Coatings Market

Kaveh Meghdadpour, Director of National Accounts and Business Development and the East Region Manager at Crown Polymers, joins this sponsored episode.

Discussion topics include industry trends and pain points within floor coatings; successful case studies using Crown solutions; the importance of manufacturers and contractors working together; and strategies to address potential industry concerns in the years ahead, such as workforce development.