Surface news

At SurfaceTechnology Germany 2026, Dörken will present PFAS-free corrosion protection systems with OEM approvals, along with a room-temperature-curing zinc flake basecoat system.

The Association for the Surface Finishing of Aluminum (VOA) will hold its 2026 annual meeting in Augsburg from June 17 to 19, 2026. In addition to association matters, the event will focus on technical developments and expert presentations.

For the first time, Volvo has included a complete PFAS-free coating system from Dörken in one of its specifications, including a black topcoat.

Venjakob Maschinenbau will be demonstrating its system expertise in automatic coating systems at PaintExpo 2026 – from heavy-duty projects in wind energy to precision robotics solutions for glass packaging.

BASF is gradually increasing the production of 1,4-butanediol (BDO) at its Ludwigshafen site, thereby securing supplies for European customers along the entire acetylene value chain. BDO is a key raw material for numerous industrial and anti-corrosion coatings.

Oellers is working with the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences on bio-based functional substances for anti-corrosion coatings. One of the raw materials used is processed pig manure.

While thyssenkrupp nucera recorded a decline in sales in the first quarter of 2025/26, a major order in the Middle East strengthened the chlor-alkali business. At the same time, a new plant for integrated chlorine and MDI production went into operation in South Korea last year.

At PaintExpo 2026, the QUBUS and IFO group of companies will present a combined offering of planning, consulting, testing, and analysis for companies in the surface technology sector.

The next Girls' Day will take place on April 23, 2026. The German Surface Technology Association (ZVO) and its women's network Female SurFaces are encouraging companies from the electroplating and surface technology sectors to participate.

On January 1, 2026, the newly elected board of the Central Association for Surface Technology (ZVO) officially began its three-year term of office. The personnel decisions had already been made in the fall of 2025.

In January 2026, the DFO will hold three practice-oriented workshops in small groups. The training courses are aimed at specialists in coating and surface technology and combine theoretical basics with practical exercises.

Around 200 experts from industry and research came together at the Dörken Days 2025. The focus was on regulatory developments on PFAS, technical approaches in corrosion protection and international exchange along the value chain.

Henkel is introducing a colored version of its organic thin-film technology for the first time. The new TOC version combines corrosion protection and process stability with a visually striking finish.

The German Surface Technology Association (ZVO) has significantly expanded its European policy activities in recent weeks. The background to this is the increasing importance of EU environmental and chemicals legislation for surface technology and electroplating.

Fraunhofer IPA announces the Stuttgart Surface Technology Award "The Surface" for 2026. Applications can be submitted until February 20, 2026. The prize is awarded for technological developments from all areas of surface technology.

The Interessengemeinschaft Brandschutz-Beschichtungen e. V. (IGSB) has published a study investigating the influence of sooting on the emissivity of hot-dip galvanized and non-galvanized steel components.

Since July 2025, a new winding tower has stood in front of the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen as a symbol of the club and the region. ZINQ hot-dip galvanized the steel structure and then powder-coated it - a duplex structure with a long service life and low maintenance requirements.

This year's General Assembly of the CETS (European Committee for Surface Treatment) in Solingen highlighted the extent to which European regulatory processes are now shaping electroplating and surface technology.

The prize was awarded to the Planet Zinq sustainability program, which shows how energy- and resource-intensive companies can make their production more circular.

At the ESTAL Congress in Thessaloniki from October 1 to 3, 2025, the importance of industry exchange for the European surface finishing industry was once again demonstrated.