11 & 12 June 2025 DETROIT, MICHIGAN - Usa 1st International Conference on Automotive Body Finishing in North America

2023 Congress Program

Day 1Wednesday June 21

Registration reception

In partnership with

  • FANUC

SURCAR Presidents Welcome Speech

  • Kenny WHITE - SURCAR

    North American President

  • Tim HAYES - SURCAR

    International President

Guest of Honor Keynote Presentation – The EV Transition has Begun

  • Alan AMICI - CENTER FOR AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH

    President & CEO

Smaller Plant Footprint

Session Chairs Welcome Note

  • Chris HALL - HONDA

    Strategy and Standards, Paint Group Leader

  • Yuko GIDCUMB - TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA

    Engineering Material Development Leader

EcoSealJet Pro – a new process for PVC Sealing

  • Holger KONIG - VOLKSWAGEN AG

    Paint shop planning engineer

  • Pavel SVEJDA - DÜRR SYSTEMS

    Key Account Manager

Application Process Optimization through Ambient Flash Technology

  • Sarah HODAPP - GENERAL MOTORS

    Paint Materials, Strategy, and Planning Manager

  • Stephen HALL - AXALTA

    Product Manager - Light Vehicle

Networking and refreshment break

UV technology as enabler for low carbon footprint automotive coatings

  • Tunja JUNG - BASF

    Head of Global Marketing, Resins for Wood Coatings

  • Qingling ZHANG - BASF

    Manager, Automotive OEM Coatings R&D

Panel discussion

  • Jim PAKKALA - GALLAGHER-KAISER

    Director of sales and estimating

  • Marc BRILL - GIFFIN

    Director of Sales

  • Sarah HODAPP - GENERAL MOTORS

    Paint Materials, Strategy, and Planning Manager

  • Stephen HALL - AXALTA

    Product Manager - Light Vehicle

  • Pavel SVEJDA - DÜRR SYSTEMS

    Key Account Manager

  • Qingling ZHANG - BASF

    Manager, Automotive OEM Coatings R&D

Elevator pitch

  • Tim HAYES - SURCAR

    International President

Networking and lunch break

In partnership with

  • GALLAGHER-KAISER

Latest Automation and Processes for EVs

Session Chairs Welcome Note

  • Ryan ODEGAARD - GENERAL MOTORS

    Director, Global Paint Vehicle Systems Engineering

  • Vernon COMEAUX - STELLANTIS

    Vehicle Process Engineering - Paint Process Senior Manager

High TE version of ABB RB1000i atomizer

  • Mike NELSON - ABB

    Paint Process Manager

Optimal Vehicle Surface Cleaning Through Automated Robot Technology

  • Justin ELSLEY - WANDRES CORPORATION

    Vice President

  • Matthew SIKOWSKI - FANUC

    Director of Engineering

  • Amanda NEER - GENERAL MOTORS

    Paint Process Specialist

Kais-AIR Technical Presentation

  • Jim HUFF - KAIS-AIR

    Vice President

Networking and refreshment break

Tutone EcoPaintJet Pro Painting Development and Measurement Techniques

  • Rick OSTIN - DÜRR SYSTEMS

    Senior Consultant – Application Technology

  • Marcy ZIMMER - FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Topcoat Technical Specialist

Panel discussion

  • Justin ELSLEY - WANDRES CORPORATION

    Vice President

  • Matthew SIKOWSKI - FANUC

    Director of Engineering

  • Mike NELSON - ABB

    Paint Process Manager

  • Amanda NEER - GENERAL MOTORS

    Paint Process Specialist

  • Rick OSTIN - DÜRR SYSTEMS

    Senior Consultant – Application Technology

  • Marcy ZIMMER - FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Topcoat Technical Specialist

First Day conference Wrap up

  • Kenny WHITE - SURCAR

    North American President

Gala Dinner

In partnership with

  • NALCO WATER

Day 2Thursday June 22

Registration reception

In partnership with

  • FANUC

SURCAR Presidents Welcome Speech

  • Kenny WHITE - SURCAR

    North American President

  • Tim HAYES - SURCAR

    International President

Tu-Tone & Custom Colors

Session Chairs Welcome Note

  • Nadia BENHAMIDA - HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA

    Senior Polymers and Coatings Engineer

Nitra Plant Contrast Painting line

  • Frederic BRON - SAMES

    World Account Manager

  • Jan LILKO - JAGUAR LAND ROVER

    Manufacturing Programme & Project Manager

Future Data Automation in the Paint Shop

  • Gary FARQUHAR - FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Paint Facilities Engineering Supervisor

  • Ed PAGAC - PPG

    General Manager, Americas Optima Solutions

3D printed parts for automotive exterior and associated painting process

  • Jeremy VOS - BASF

    3D Printing Materials Business Development Manager

  • Diane LANGER - BASF

    Director Automotive OEM Coatings Technology Americas

Networking and refreshment break

Follow-up session of 2021 presentations “3M™ Robotic Paint Repair Systems”

  • Gary FARQUHAR - FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Paint Facilities Engineering Supervisor

  • Scott BARNETT - 3M

    Director – Application Engineering, Robotics and Automation

SMARTInspect for primer and SMARTFinish on a moving production line

  • Nadia BENHAMIDA - HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA

    Senior Polymers and Coatings Engineer

  • Curtis TOWNE - THE FARMER GROUP

    Senior Advisor

Panel discussion

  • Frederic BRON - SAMES

    World Account Manager

  • Gary FARQUHAR - FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Paint Facilities Engineering Supervisor

  • Diane LANGER - BASF

    Director Automotive OEM Coatings Technology Americas

  • Nadia BENHAMIDA - HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA

    Senior Polymers and Coatings Engineer

  • Ed PAGAC - PPG

    General Manager, Americas Optima Solutions

  • Scott BARNETT - 3M

    Director – Application Engineering, Robotics and Automation

Networking and lunch break

In partnership with

  • GALLAGHER-KAISER

Corrosion Substrate & New Materials

Session Chairs

  • Patrick MCKERNAN - FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Chief Engineer VOME - Global Paint Engineering

  • Travis SMITH - NISSAN MOTOR CORPORATION

    Senior Manager Paint and Plastics Engineering

Comparison of Zinc Phosphate and Thin Film Pretreatments Using Life Cycle Analysis

  • Bryan ARNOLD - TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA

    Principal Engineer

  • April TANG - HENKEL

    Surface Treatment Technical Manager

Expanded Process Window for Ecoat

  • Thor LINGENFELTER - PPG

    Research chemist

  • Tim WEINGARTZ - FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Group Manager, Materials Paint Engineering

Film Coating: New Generation Coating Method in Automotive Manufacturing

  • Joel CAMPBELL - TKS INDUSTRIAL COMPANY

    Account Manager

  • Ayako IWAKOSHI - NIPPON PAINT AUTOMOTIVE COATINGS

    Deputy Division Director

Networking and refreshment break

Panel discussion

  • Bryan ARNOLD - TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA

    Principal Engineer

  • Joel CAMPBELL - TKS INDUSTRIAL COMPANY

    Account Manager

  • Ayako IWAKOSHI - NIPPON PAINT AUTOMOTIVE COATINGS

    Deputy Division Director

  • Thor LINGENFELTER - PPG

    Research chemist

  • April TANG - HENKEL

    Surface Treatment Technical Manager

  • Tim WEINGARTZ - FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Group Manager, Materials Paint Engineering

Awards Ceremony

In partnership with

  • BASF