Once every 2 years, the trade show takes place in Indianapolis, IN.
This year, it is from May 5th to 7th.2026

Stephanie Lorini (stephanie.lorini@dynovel.com) will attend the fair and would be pleased to meet you there.

The 2026 American Coatings Show (ACS) and Conference is the premier event for professionals across the paints and coatings value chain. As the largest coatings industry gathering in North America, ACS brings together thousands of attendees and hundreds of exhibitors for three high-impact days focused on innovation, sourcing, and technical excellence.

The ACS offers a complete view of the marketplace in one location: raw materials, additives, production and testing equipment, automation tools, digital technologies, and the latest advancements in sustainability.

Expected trends to be seen are the following:

1. Sustainability & BioBased Materials

Sustainability remains the dominant theme across exhibitors and conference sessions. Expect strong emphasis on:

  • Biobased binders and additives
  • LowVOC and lowcarbon formulations
  • Recyclable and circular economyaligned materials
  • PFASfree alternatives (a major technical session topic)

2. Digitalization, AI, and DataDriven Formulation

AI, advanced analytics, and digital polymer design focus are topics signaling a major shift toward computational tools in coatings R&D.

3. NextGeneration Waterborne Systems

Waterborne coatings continue to gain traction due to regulatory pressure and sustainability goals. Sessions will cover:

  • Advanced waterborne binders
  • Improved durability and corrosion resistance
  • New dispersing and grinding technologies

4. Protective, Functional & Smart Coatings

Functional coatings—those that do more than protect—are a major trend:

  • Antimicrobial coatings
  • Selfhealing or selfcleaning surfaces
  • Thermalmanagement and energysaving coatings
  • Corrosionresistant and protective systems

At Dynovel, we can help you be one step ahead of the market needs by:

  • Voicing the key players along your value chain
  • Understanding their pain points and unmet needs
  • Identifying the drivers behind these new and evolving trends
  • Sizing what is your market share today and what it could be tomorrow
  • Analyzing potential partners to source new sustainable raw materials or even codevelop new technologies
  • Selecting the best digitalization strategy to be more visible to the industry but also to trace and provide sustainability profile
  • Collecting and analyzing market intel on the competitive landscape
  • Helping for Business Plan, M&A and Business Strategy

About Dynovel

Dynovel-Daydream has performed 120+ projects in the Paints and Coatings market.

More generally, Dynovel-Daydream is active globally and regionally in the Chemicals & Polymers, Advanced Materials, Biotechnologies, Nutrition & Health and Energy markets and focus on helping clients address their pain points and meet their growth objectives.

Feel free to visit the following website for additional information: https://www.daydream.eu/