pda's 9th annual conference! - Polyurea Development Association

PODIUM 

P O L Y U R E A D E V E L O P M E N T A S S O C I A T I O N 

V O L . 8 , N O . 4 | F O U RT H Q UA RT E R 2 0 0 7 

REGISTER NOW FOR 

PDA’S 9TH 

ANNUAL 

CONFERENCE! 

IN THIS ISSUE 

1 PDA Annual 

Conference 

5 Mid-Year Meeting 

Overview 

6 President’s Message 

9 Business Bits 

13 International Market 

Research Study 

Update 

14 PDA Europe 

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! 

Register online at www.pda-online.org 

Head down South to Atlanta… and join 

us for the PDA 2008 Annual Conference, 

February 12-15! We are very happy with the 

program and have set the theme as “Polyurea: 

Where Technology Shapes Solutions.” The staff 

at PDA Headquarters and the program committee 

members are thrilled to be offering another educational 

lineup packed with information for everyone. 

February 12-15, 2008 

Hyatt Regency Atlanta 

Atlanta, Georgia 

We are working to get you the education you 

need… Based on the requests of attendees, we are including concurrent, repeating track presentations so 

you can get what you specifically need from the program without wondering what you may have missed 

in other sessions. This change coupled with the Back-by-Popular demand return of Mr. Charles Vander 

Kooi as the keynote who will truly knock your socks off! 

Don’t miss it… Beyond the usual packed program, don’t miss the 3rd Annual PDA Awards Banquet. 

What a perfect opportunity to recognize the hard work of PDA volunteers while enjoying an exciting 

continued on page 3 

PODIUM | FOURTH QUARTER 2007 | 1

2008 PDA Annual Conference 

Schedule of Events 

Tuesday, February 12 

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. 

Registration/Information Desk Open 

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. 

PDA Board of Directors Meeting 

1 – 5 p.m. 

EDUCATIONAL COURSE - 

Introduction to Polyurea for the 

Applicator and Contractor* 

5 – 6 p.m. 


Wednesday, February 13 

7:30 a.m. – 2 p.m 


8 a.m. – noon 

EDUCATIONAL COURSE - 

Surface Preparation – Concrete* 

9 a.m. – 11:45 p.m. 

PDA EU and US Board Meeting 

2 – 5 p.m. 

Committee Meetings 

Program 

Education/Technical 

Membership/Industry Relations 

4 – 7 p.m. 


5:30 – 6 p.m. 

First-Time Attendee, New Member and 

International Attendee Cocktail Hour 

6 – 7:30 p.m. 

Opening Reception with Exhibitors 

Thursday, February 14 

7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. 


8 – 9 a.m. 

Continental Breakfast with Exhibitors 

9 – 9:30 a.m. 

Welcome to the 9th Annual PDA 

Conference 

9:30 – 10:30 a.m. 

Keynote Speaker – Four Principles to 

Negotiating Charles Vanderkooi, 

Vanderkooi & Associates 

10:30 – 11 a.m. 

Coffee Break with Exhibitors 

11 – 11:30 a.m. 

Heated Hose Troubleshooting, 

Tom Hults and John Courier, 

Equipment and Coatings Technologies 

11:30 a.m. – noon 

Polyurea Coatings in Concrete Potable 

Water Storage Tanks, Joe Haydu, 

VersaFlex Incorporated 

noon – 1 p.m. 

Lunch with Exhibitors 

1p.m. – 1:30 p.m. 

Aliphatic 2-Component Polyurea 

Sealants with Excellent UV Stability 

and Long Gel Times, Jay Johnston, 

Bayer MaterialScience 

Concurrent Track 

Sessions 

Raw Materials Track 

1:30 – 2 p.m. 

2:30 – 3 p.m. (repeat) 

Recent Advances in Polyurea 

Technology, Kevin Light, Lee Hanson & 

Ray Scott, The Hanson Group 

2 – 2:30 p.m. 

3 – 3:30 p.m. (repeat) 

Polyurea Preventing Power Outages Caused 

by Wildlife, Tony LaGrange, Quantum 

Technical Services Ltd. 

Contractor Track 

1:30 – 2 p.m. 

2 – 2:30 p.m. (repeat) 

The Challenges of Field Application 

of Polyurea: Interior and Geotextile 

Applications, Dudley Primeaux, 

Primeaux Associates 

2:30 – 3:30 p.m. 

CONTRACTOR FORUM 

(Contractor’s only) 

Specifier/Architectural Track 

1:30 – 2 p.m. 

2:30 – 3 p.m. (repeat) 

Chain-extenders for Multiple Uses 

in Polyurea Spray Coatings, William R. 

Brown and Paul L. Wiggins, 

Albemarle Corporation 

2 – 2:30 p.m. 

3 – 3:30 p.m. (repeat) 

Natural Oil Derivatives in Spray 

Elastomer Systems, Mark Anater, Dow 

Chemical 

2:30 – 5 p.m. 

Spouse/Child Tour to the 

Georgia Aquarium* 

3:30 – 4 p.m. 

Afternoon Refreshment Break 

4 – 5 p.m. 

Polyurea Chemistry for Contractors, Kelin 

Bower, Polyvers International 

5 – 6 p.m. 

BREAK 

6 – 7 p.m. 

Platinum Project & Student Poster Preview 

Reception 

7 – 9 p.m. 

3rd Annual PDA Awards Banquet 

Friday, February 15 

7:30 a.m. – noon 


8 – 9 a.m. 

Breakfast with Exhibitors 

9 – 9:40 a.m.. 

Polyureas Role in Submarines at a Southern 

California Amusement Park, Don Dancey, 

Innovative Painting & Waterproofing, Inc. 

9:40 – 10:15 a.m. 

Geotextile Reservoir Lining- 

Specifying 600,000 square feet of Polyurea 

Success, Murph Mahaffey, Glascraft, Inc. 

10:15 – 10:45 a.m. 

Morning Coffee Break 

10:45 – 11:45 a.m. 

PDA Annual Business Meeting: 

Treasurers Report, Annual Report from 

Committees, Platinum Poster Winner 

Presentations 

MEETING CONCLUDES 

noon – 2 p.m. 

PDA Board of Directors 

Meeting Wrap-up 

*Additional registration fees apply for these events. 

| FOURTH QUARTER 2007 | PODIUM

continued from page 1 

evening of great food and entertainment. Plan to bring your 

whole family! 

New in 2008! Take advantage of the fascinating venue! Bring 

your family for a wonderful spouse/child tour planned to the 

Atlanta Aquarium. It is a great opportunity for a quick trip 

that they won’t forget. 

You can’t afford to miss this conference! 

The stage has been set for success! 

Poly_rea… 

the only thing missing is U! 

Don’t delay; make plans now to attend. We look forward to 

seeing you in February! 

Sincerely, 

Juanita White, Trim Tape 

PDA Conference Chair 


Educational Opportunities 

PDA’s popular Introduction to Polyurea for the Applicator 

and Contactor, February 12, 2008; and the Surface 

Preparation Course (Concrete), February 13; will all be 

held in conjunction with the 2008 Annual Conference in 

Atlanta, Georgia! 

For more information, log onto the PDA Web site at 

www.pda-online.org or call PDA Headquarters at 

816-221-0777. 

Register online at www.pda-online.org 

PDA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Executive Team 

President 

Robert Loomis 

Willamette Valley Company 

585 McKinley St. 

Eugene, OR 97402 

Phone: 541.484.9621 

Fax: 541.343.4207 

Email: 07robl@wilvaco.com 

President-elect 

Lee Hanson anson 

The Hanson Group, LLC 

340 Hurstbourne Lane, Suite 210 

Duluth, GA 30097 

Phone: 770.495.9554 

Fax: 770.495.9449 

Email: lhanson@hansonco.net 

Secretary-Treasurer 

John Turnour 

Rebus, Inc 

205 W Bridgewater 

Aston, PA 19014 

Phone: 610.497.4710 

Fax: 610.497.2424 

Email: jturnour@rebusinc.net 

Immediate Past President 

Murph Mahaffey 

GlasCraft, Inc 

5845 W 82nd Street 

Indianapolis, IN 46278 

Phone: 317.875.5592 

Fax: 317.875.5456 

Email: mahaffeym@glascraft.com 

National Directors 

Sean Boeger 

Poly-Pro Industrial Coatings, LLC 

179 Belltown Road 

Stamford, CT 06905 

Phone: 203.961.9888 

Fax: 203.359.2558 

Email: boeger@polypro.net 

Dan Canavan III 

D.B. Becker Co., Inc. 

54 Old Highway 22 

Clinton, NJ 08809 

Phone: 908.730.6010 

Fax: 908.730.9118 

Email: dtcanavan3@dbbecker.com 

David Cerchie 

Versa Flex Inc. 

PO Box 32226 

Kansas City, MO 64171 

Phone: 816-561-6191 

Fax: 816-561-6164 

E-mail: cerchone@aol.com 

Don Dancey 

Innovative Painting & Waterproofing 

250 N. Orange Avenue 

Brea, CA 92821 

Phone: 714.257.0200 

Fax: 714.256.0800 

Email: don@waterproofingcontractor.com 

Tony Gargano 

Graco, Inc. 

88 11th Avenue NE 

Minneapolis, MN 55413 

Phone: 612.623.6087 

Fax: 612.623.6273 

Email: agargano@graco.com 

Christiane Hackl 

BASF Corporation 

100 Campus Drive 

Florham Park, NJ 07932 

Phone: 973.245.6535 

Fax: 973.245.6776 

Email: christiane.hackl@basf.com 

Jay Johnston 

Bayer MaterialScience 

100 Bayer Road 

Pittsburgh, PA 15205 

Phone: 412.777.2512 

Fax: 412.777.7682 

Email: jay.johnston@bayerbms.com 

Eric Marsh 

Mermaid Waterscapes/Durable 

Coating Systems 

303 Settlers Creek 

Cedar Park, TX 78630 

Phone: 512.225.4973 

Fax: 512.331.5968 

Email: eric@durablecoatingsystems.com 

Mark White 

Trim Tape 

916 Snapping Shoals Rd. 

McDonough, GA 30252 

Phone: 888.874.6827 

Fax: 770.898.2208 

Email: trimtape@aol.com 

International Directors 

Marc Broekaert 

Huntsman Corporation 

Everslaan 45 

Everberg, Flanders B-3078 Belgium 

Phone: 32 2 758 88 14 

Fax: 32 2 758 7814 

Email: marc_broekaert@huntsman.com 

Bernd Dietz 

REMA TIP TOP GmbH 

Gruberstrasse 63 

Poing, 85586 Germany 

Phone: 49 8121 707 255 

Fax: 49 8121 707 222 

Email: bernd.dietz@tiptop.de 

Tony LaGrange 

Quantum Technical Services, Ltd. 

14601 134th Avenue 

Edmonton, AB T5L 4S9 Canada 

Phone: 780.454.9166 

Fax: 780.488.6134 

Email: tony@quantumchemical.com 

Staff 

Ken Bowman 

Executive Director 

14 W Third Street, Suite 200 


Phone: 816.221.0777 

Fax: 816.472-7765 

Email: kenb@robstan.com 

Chalise Gooch 

Associate Director 



Phone: 816.221.0777 

Fax: 816.472.7765 

Email: chalise@robstan.com 

Erin Nied 

Membership Director 



Phone: 816.221.0777 

Fax: 816.472.7765 

Email: erin@robstan.com 

PODIUM | FOURTH QUARTER 2007 |

IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM PDA 

Your membership with the Polyurea Development Association 

is currently due to expire on: 

Hear what current members 

are saying! 

What are the best benefits you receive 

from PDA Membership 

“As a member in PDA the single best 

benefit I get from my membership is early 

awareness of market trends and developments. 

I also get great benefits from 

networking/meeting the right people; I 

support an emerging technology, continue 

my education, learn about successes and 

failures, and contribute to the growth of 

the industry. I continue my membership 

in PDA year after year because I support 

the growth of polyurea technology and to 

help PDA being the ONE source for any 

question pertaining to polyurea.” 

– Christiane Hackl, BASF 

Corporation 

What do you get out of being a 

member in PDA 

“I joined PDA partly because of project 

leads and product inquiries from the PDA 

website. By networking at our conferences 

or by contacting other PDA members 

I have shared and learned from other 

member’s experiences as we work together 

towards a common goal – polyurea development. 

I also support the growth of the 

polyurea industry through PDA’s training 

programs. Personally, I enjoy being a part 

of an association dedicated to improving 

the quality of our industry. Where else 

can you have a direct impact on improving 

an industry and being recognized for 

your contribution The Polyurea Development 

Association.” 

– Rob Loomis, PDA President, Williamette 

Valley Company. 

December 31, 2007 

PDA has so much going on this year, 

you can’t afford to miss out! 

E Expand your understanding and knowledge of Polyurea Coatings! 

E Networking with key industry professionals! 

E Being involved in the only association dedicated to polyurea! 

E Project leads and product inquiries from the PDA website! 

E Be the first to get the inside scoop of what the market needs! 

E Four scheduled Applicator Spray Courses! 

E Committees are gearing up this year to provide the best resources 

for PDA! 

E 9th Annual Conference – Feb. 12-15, 2008 Atlanta, Georgia! 

E Early awareness of market trends and developments! 

E New issues of the Podium! 

PDA is GROWING and we are ready to JUMP to the next LEVEL! 

Renewing your dues will insure you are there to reach that level with us! 

The Polyurea Development is truly ‘member driven!’ 

PDA’s membership is full of loyal, hard working members who are willing to 

give their time and effort to be a resource for PDA. Without you we would not 

be the valuable resource we are today. Thank you for your continued support! 

Renew your dues online at www.pda-online.org or send in your dues with 

the mailed invoice. 

Any concerns or questions 

Contact us at 816.221.0777 or at 

info@pda-online.org. 


PDA MID-YEAR MEETING OVERVIEW 

Committee Chairs, Dan Canavan, Industry Relations 

Committee, and Christiane Hackl, Membership 

Committee meet to discuss upcoming projects 

John Tournour and Al Perez catch up with each 

other at Tuesday’s Reception. 

Lee Hanson, Chalise Gooch, Sean Boeger, Christiane Hackl 

and Juanita White enjoy cocktails at Tuesday’s reception. 

The 2007 Mid-Year Meeting was an educational opportunity 

for the attendees to seek more knowledge in-between 

the Annual Conference. This meeting concentrated on 

how polyurea technology can benefit green building in numerous 

ways. Attendees were educated on this topic in order to 

market their products or services to the green industry. 

The meeting opened with a general presentation on the reality 

of green construction focusing on what its goals are and what 

the future holds. It was followed by a presentation linking polyurea and green building. A 

panel discussion took place where attendees asked questions and further explored this important 

topic. 

On the second day the research firm, Ducker Worldwide, gave attendees an update on the 

PDA International Market Study (please see page 13 to get the full update). Following, attendees 

chose from a line-up of breakout sessions including Silane Terminated Prepolymers, 

Primary Containment with Geotextile Fabric on Concrete Tanks and Pipelining Project. 

All in all, PDA’s 2007 Mid-Year Meeting was a huge success and very well attended. The 

committee minutes were e-mailed to the membership and we hope that everyone will get involved 

in PDA! In addition, the conference proceeding link was e-mailed to the membership 

(log-in to the member’s only section for the link). PDA would also like to thank the Program 

Committee and Attendees for making this Conference such a huge success! 

The Polyurea Development 

Association appreciates the 

support of our members. 

Their generous support 

enables the Association to 

keep meeting registration 

fees at a reasonable rate at 

the same time allowing us 

to present a quality program. 

Thank you to the 

following companies for 

their support. 


CoatingsPro Magazine 

Chau Nyugen, Dan Canavan and David Zabinski joke 

around while networking at Tuesday’s reception. 

Dan Canavan and Murph Mahaffey discuss PDA programs 

for the upcoming 2008 year! 

Murph Mahaffey, PDA President, Marc Broekaert, PDA 

Europe President and Rob Loomis PDA President 

congregate at the reception on Tuesday night. 


PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 

Our 2008 Annual Conference is just around the 

corner, and what I don’t understand is how can next 

year be here so quickly As we kick off next year 

with a conference focused on “POLYUREA: WHERE 

TECHNOLOGY SHAPES SOLUTIONS”, we can look back to 

this year and realize how true this title is to each of 

our companies. We don’t just sell, formulate, or apply 

polyurea products—we provide SOLUTIONS. Solutions 

imply a need or a problem, and polyurea technology has often met these 

needs with solutions not offered by other technologies. 

A solution-oriented approach to business is one of the keys to growth 

and staying ahead of competing technologies. Often times it is not coming 

up with the solution that is difficult, but rather defining the problem. How 

many times have you been asked if your product will work in a specific 

chemical containment environment Sounds like a simple question, but one 

with experience will follow this question with another one, “What coatings 

have been tried in that environment” If you just answer, “yes” or “no” to 

the original question you are missing the opportunity to provide a SOLUTION. 

Does that make sense If you just give them a coating without asking what 

else has failed, then you could be missing a huge opportunity to charge a 

premium to provide them with a SOLUTION. 

This is what separates successful businesses from others: The ability to 

see opportunities as SOLUTIONS. Small businesses are better at responding 

quickly to these opportunities than larger business, since they rely more 

on a few key individuals or products, but there is greater risk. The risk is 

related to moving too quickly without all the information necessary to avoid 

problems, or spending several hours and hundreds of dollars on creating 

samples (“solutions”) for a customer, only to “loose” it to a competitor who 

provided a “better” solution. What keeps small businesses in the game 

when faced with these risks Certainly not the one-time sale. Instead, it is 

the reward of creating a “profit partner”, not just a customer, who will in the 

future turn to you for SOLUTIONS. 

This leads me to my final point and that is we need to keep our focus on 

seeing the future more clearly. What SOLUTIONS do we need for tomorrow 

How will POLYUREA TECHNOLOGY provide solutions for our industry and us 

next year Five years from now How well we answer these questions 

will distinguish us from competing technologies, and impact the amount of 

growth our companies will experience in today’s competitive marketplace. 

I want to wish you all a safe and enjoyable holiday season and I look 

forward to seeing you all at our meeting next year. 

Best regards, 

Rob Loomis, PDA President 2007-2008 

CONTRACTOR / APPLICATOR 

Advantage Chemical 

Coatings 

Julie Kauffman 

Scottsdale, AZ USA 

480.280.8536 

AEPSA 

Rodolfo Cervantes 

Mexico City, Distrito Federal 

Mexico 

525555165959 

Baggenstos And Associates 

Inc. 

Bruce Baggenstos 

Santa Rosa, CA USA 

707.576.7774 

Naret Group of Companies 

Co Ltd 

Jackson Ang 

Beijing, China 

01060502222 

PJI Contract PTE LTD 

Philip Loh 

656.766.0900 

SCE-SINGFA SDN BHD 

Yee HinMing 

KAJANG, SELANGOR D.E. 

MALAYSIA 

60387391333 

Southwest Neuroscience and 

SPI 

Wayne Paullus 

Amarillo, TX USA 

806.374.5959 

VIOSA 

Juan Perez Ibarra 

Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico 

523336708744 

EQUIPMENT DISTRIBUTOR 

Paint It. 

Carlo Van Gulik 

Ede, Gelderland Netherlands 

+31-318643260 

EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER 

FANUC Robotics America 

Keith Torp 

Holland, OH USA 

419.867.6050 

Gama Machinery USA, Inc. 

Frank Sica 

Bloomfield, NJ USA 

973.429.5605 

FORMULATOR / SYSTEM 

SUPPLIER 

Akron Paint & Varnish 

Engineered Coatings 

Tracy Bradley 

Akron, OH USA 

330.773.8911 

Burtin Polymer Laboratories, 

Inc. 

Mark Brandt 

Cartersville, GA USA 

770.607.0755 

Unicom Dri Ticaret ve Kimya 

San.as 

Ersen Eron 

Istanbul, Kadikoy Turkey 

00902163279860 

Voelkel Industrie Produkte 

GmbH 

Alexander Voelkel 

Graefelfing, Bavaria Germany 

00498989558090 

ARCHITECT / ENGINEER / 

SPECIFIER 

Canlink Industrial 

Technology Exchange 

Laurent Despault 

Ile Perrot, Quebec Canada 

514.646.0545 

Surface Coverings 

Shyamang Desai 

Ahmedabad, Gujarat India 

+91-9825354154 


PDA NOVEMBER 

SPRAY COURSE 

By: Erin Nied, Membership Director 

PDA’s November Spray Course in Houston, Texas was a huge 

success! The course was taught by two of the most respected 

leaders in the polyurea industry, Dudley Primeaux II and 

Doug Commette. This course helps to identify the many elements 

involved in the successful operation and set-up of polyurea 

spray equipment. Although designed for the applicators, the course 

provides an in-depth analysis of commercially available equipment 

designs and necessary hardware components to assure successful operation 

and spray application of polyureas. 

Applicator Spray Course Attendees got the chance 

to individually learn to spray polyurea 

A BIG Thank you to Polyvers! 

On behalf of the Polyurea Development Association and the Polyurea 

Training Group instructors, we would like to extend our gratitude 

for your assistance in making our November Applicator Spray 

Course in Houston, Texas a success. Your commitment and support 

for our Spray Course was above and beyond and we thank you! 

Applicator Spray Course Attendees learned the 

fundamentals of polyurea such as the polyurea 

properties and testing procedures, safety, jobsite 

planning and preparation, equipment start-up, 

surface preparation and much much more! 

Applicator Spray Course Attendees 


Polyurea: Where Technology Shapes Solutions 

February 12-15, 2008 • Hyatt Regency Atlanta • Atlanta, GA 

Look for more details coming soon on our website 

at www.pda-online.org 


ADVERTISE IN THE PODIUM!! 

In past issues of the Podium many companies 

have taken advantage of advertising. 

Our Podium new design is attracting 

more and more people to read our 

publication daily! Here are our new 

ad rates: 

1 page, 4 color ad = $600 

½ page, 4 color ad = $350 

¼ page, 4 color ad = $250 

If you would like to advertise in the 

1st Quarter issue of 2008 please 

contact us ASAP! If you have any 

questions, please contact Erin Nied at 

PDA headquarters: 816.221.0777 or erin@robstan.com. 

HELP US HELP YOU! 

Take advantage of your PDA membership and send us your case studies! This is free 

PR and advertising for your company and your products. We would love to publish your 

case study in the next and future issues of the Podium. If you would like to submit a 

case study (or press release or anything pertaining to our industry) for our 1st quarter 

issue of 2008, please send it to Erin Nied at erin@robstan.com. 

SPORT PDA 

APPAREL 

Show your support for PDA by 

wearing PDA apparel! Enjoy the 

holidays and take advantage of 

these low prices for a limited time. 

Please contact PDA Headquarters at 

816.221.0777 to order. 

Wear our stylish 

100% cotton 

golf shirt. 

Was $39.99 

Now $24.99! 

Wear our 

100% cotton twill 

baseball cap. 

Was $24.99 

Now $16.99! 


BUSINESS BITS 

SMILE... 

It May Be The Boss Calling 

By Nancy Friedman, Telephone Doctor 

As with many columns around the country in newspapers and other 

newsletters, some favorites are repeated during June, July and August. 

This article, in particular, is a most often requested one to reprint, so 

while it is a repeat from a few years ago, it is worthy of repeating. Enjoy! 

There’s rarely a program I present that 

someone doesn’t ask me if smiling is 

really that important - either on the 

phone or in person. People actually ask 

me: “Nancy, can you really hear a smile” 

Yes, Virginia, you can really hear a smile. 

And your caller can hear the lack of a 

smile as well. 

So this is a column about SMILING and 

the reasons for it. Now, if you happen to 

already be a smiler, you might want to 

pass this article on to someone who isn’t, 

or doesn’t know that you CAN HEAR 

a smile. 

First, let’s take the word SMILE from 

Webster’s dictionary: 

To smile, be astonished; 

SMILE: to have or take on a facial 

expression, showing pleasure, amusement, 

affection, friendliness, irony, etc; and 

characterized by an upward curving of the corners 

of the mouth and a sparking of the eyes 

See!! It’s something most everyone can 

easily do. 

And if it’s that easy; don’t you wonder 

why more people don’t do it Haven’t you 

ever been in a store, or just been walking 

around, and see that people aren’t smiling. 

Even when you start talking with them 

A recent New York Times review by 

Roxana Popescu of the book A Brief 

History of the Smile written by Angus 

Trumble asks a very good question - “Why 

do English speaking people say CHEESE 

to make you smile, but Chinese speakers 

say Eggplant” And Trumble continues, 

“The spontaneous smile of the little child 

is essentially truthful.” 

“Certainly we all know, not saying ‘please’ 

and ‘thank you’ is usually considered 

rude,” says Friedman, “but the list of 

rude behavior is much longer than those 

offenses. I’m not sure why we constantly 

need to be reminded to smile,” she 

continues, “but we do. You’d think it was 

common sense to 

smile when you’re 

with a customer.” Ah, 

but common sense 

is not that common 

now, is it Will a 

smile help “Well,” 

says Friedman, “as 

my mother used 

to say, “it couldn’t 

hurt.” Friedman 

also suggests keeping a mirror by your 

desk. “That” she says “is yet another good 

reminder to keep a smile on your face 

when you’re talking with customers.” 

My husband and I are in airports a lot. 

We’ve made a conscience decision to keep 

a slight smile on our face when we walk 

through them. Why Because when we 

look at the faces coming towards us... 

mouths turned downwards, looking worse 

than sad - almost mad...we decided we 

didn’t want to look like that. Sure, it may 

feel a little funny keeping that little smile 

on our face, but we both know we look 

better for it. 

This reminds me of a story a skycap told 

me a few years ago. You’ll enjoy it. 

JOE, our friendly skycap at the St. Louis 

airport told me this story. He was walking 

through the airport a while back and came 

upon a woman sitting hunched over on 

her luggage - mouth turned down as far 

SPECIAL DVD OFFER! 


SMILE...IT MAY BE THE 

BOSS CALLING 

By Nancy Friedman 

Telephone Doctor 

6 Steps to Service Recovery 

NEW DVD COURSE! 

The Six Steps To Service 

Recovery DVD-based service 

training program is now 

available. 23 minute DVD is 

accompanied by comprehensive 

leader’s guide, workbooks and 

desktop reminder cards. Please 

contact us for a no-charge 

preview of this course. 


MEMBERS IN THE NEWS 

UNITED COATINGS’ Project on Schedule for 2008 Beijing Olympics 

SPOKANE, WA – UNITED COATINGS, a leading 

manufacturer of protective coatings for the construction 

industry, is on schedule to complete a project that will establish 

the first high-speed rail system in China. The new rail system 

is scheduled to be completed and operational before the 2008 

Beijing Olympics. 

The project involves the production of approximately onehalf 

million gallons of UNITED COATINGS’ Elastuff 320 

polyurea elastomer that will be used to coat and protect a 

newly constructed 71-mile stretch of rail between Beijing and 

the coastal city of Tianjin, two of China’s five largest cities. 

The Elastuff 320 coating will protect the rail system’s elevated 

precast concrete deck sections on which the two-way sections 

of track will be installed. 

“The Chinese Government plans to have several of these highspeed 

rail lines installed prior to the 2008 Olympics, which will 

facilitate the large crowds going to and from Beijing,” said Bill 

Mann, UNITED COATINGS’ vice president of international 

sales. “We are proud to be part of such a prestigious project and are 

working hard with our joint venture partner in Beijing to ensure 

that everything runs smoothly and according to schedule.” 

In order to supply the coating as efficiently and economically 

as possible, UNITED COATINGS formed a joint venture 

partnership with a Chinese manufacturer to produce Elastuff 

320 in China. UNITED COATINGS is offering all the 

necessary technology and training for the project, while their 

Beijing-based partner, one of China’s largest producers of 

protective coatings, is providing the manufacturing facility 

and quality control. 

“This project marks the first time UNITED COATINGS has 

partnered with another coatings manufacturer in China,” said 

Mann. “We have put a lot of faith in our partner to produce 

a product that lives up to UNITED COATINGS’ standards, 

and we have not been disappointed.” 

The Beijing to Tianjin line is just one of 13 rail lines that are 

planned for construction over the next 15 to 20 years, which 

will eventually link all of China’s major metropolitan areas. 

Elastuff 320 is a high-build, polyurea elastomer that provides 

superior waterproofing, corrosion and abrasion protection in 

a variety of environments. Featuring high tensile strength 

and elongation characteristics, Elastuff 320 is a durable 

membrane that offers protection under a wide variety of 

service conditions. 

In addition to its Elastuff Industrial systems, UNITED 

COATINGS offers a full line of premium-quality, protective 

coatings for architectural, industrial, roofing and do-it-yourself 

applications. All UNITED COATINGS’ products come 


10 | FOURTH QUARTER 2007 | PODIUM


standard with the industry’s best warranties, due to UNITED COATINGS’ 

rich, 80-plus-year history in the coatings market. 

Headquartered in Spokane, WA, UNITED COATINGS has manufacturing 

facilities in Spokane and Tempe, Arizona. For more information on Elastuff 

or other UNITED COATINGS’ products, call 1-800-541-4383 or visit 

www.unitedcoatings.com. UNITED COATINGS…Longevity by Design. 

Bayer Acquires UCSC Ltd. Company 

Leading supplier of polyurethane systems for the construction industry will 

become part of BaySystems global network 

Pittsburgh/Leverkusen, November 5, 2007 – Bayer MaterialScience LLC, 

through its subsidiary BaySystems North America LLC, has acquired 

UCSC, Ltd. company of Phoenix, Arizona, a leading supplier of rigid 

polyurethane spray foam roofing and spray foam perimeter wall insulation 

to the commercial and residential construction industry in the United 

States. Bayer MaterialScience will operate UCSC through its wholly owned 

subsidiary BaySystems North America LLC which is part of Bayer’s global 

BaySystems network of polyurethane systems houses. The BaySystems 

network is designed to bring the latest PU innovations and applications 

into local markets very quickly. 

“Acquiring UCSC reflects our global strategy to extend our products into 

new markets to meet growing customer requirements,” said Peter Vanacker, 

head of the Global Polyurethanes Business Unit and member of the 

Executive Committee of Bayer MaterialScience. 

Tom Ritch, UCSC´s CEO, said, “Bayer MaterialScience´s takeover of 

UCSC is a major addition to the portfolio of services we can provide to 

our customers. This combines Bayer’s excellent reputation and resources 

with UCSC’s technology and outstanding marketing and customer support 

capabilities.” 

The value of the acquisition was not disclosed. Bayer MaterialScience 

LLC will retain the UCSC facilities and its approximately 50 employees. 

The acquisition includes UCSC’s energy-efficient insulation and roofing 

systems as well as other associated products. 

“The UCSC acquisition will further improve our position in the commercial 

roofing business and will also boost Bayer’s presence in the fast growing 

perimeter wall insulation market,” said Jerry MacCleary, who heads the 

Polyurethanes Business Unit’s North American regional marketing and 

business development operations for Bayer MaterialScience LLC. 

Polyurethane spray foam is being used increasingly to insulate the perimeter 

walls of homes and other structures because it dramatically improves energy 

efficiency by forming an air- tight seal in the perimeter walls, sealing cracks 

and joints more effectively than conventional materials and methods. In 2005, 

Bayer MaterialScience expanded into the spray foam insulation and roofing 

business when it purchased Polythane Systems located in Spring, Texas. 

Polythane Systems now operates as BaySystems North America, LLC. 

Diamond Liners, Inc. 

Announces New 

Website Launch 

Revamped Site Features 

Comprehensive Technical 

Support & Equipment Sales 

Santa Fe Springs, CA November 

8, 2007– Diamond Liners, Inc., a leader 

in the spray on bed lining industry and 

chemical test spray experts, launched 

their new website, www.diamondliners. 

com earlier this year. 

The website features updated information 

on various industry events that Diamond 

Liners will be attending in the upcoming 

year. One of the company’s owners, 

John Bender, will be attending The 9th 

Annual Conference of the Polyurea 

Development Association (PDA), set 

for February 12-15, 2008, in Atlanta, 

Georgia. 

The newly renovated site features a 

technical library, Graco part numbers, 

schematics and manuals, e-commerce, 

application photos and information 

about the 17 year old company for 

new and existing customers including 

contractors and OEMs. The site’s e- 

commerce aspect allows customers more 

flexibility and options when it comes to 

purchasing manufacturing equipment, 

foam insulation, parts, safety and testing 

equipment and more. 

The objective of the website overhaul, 

according to company owners John and 

Danette Bender, is to cement Diamond 

Liner’s reputation as technical experts 

– in person, via telephone and now on 

the web. 

Diamond Liner’s new manufacturing 

oriented website is an online 

representation of what the company is 

best known for: technical knowledge and 

expertise, tech. support for protective 

coating applicators, customer service, 

and a complete offering of parts and 

equipment for sale. 



MEMBERS IN THE NEWS 

(Continued) 

Diamond Liners, Inc. 

Announces New Website 

Launch 

ATTENDING AN 

INDUSTRY 

TRADESHOW 


“Our goal is to be on the cutting edge of 

internet technology in our industry and 

our new website is an innovative method 

of continuing to offer the same hands-on 

expertise, sales and support that we pride 

ourselves on offering to our customers,” 

said John Bender. 

503.7-07: Specification 

for Crack Repair by 

Epoxy Injection 

This Specification gives requirements for 

repairing cracks in concrete by injection of 

two-component epoxy-resin adhesive. Available 

in hard copy or PDF format 

To learn more or to order this document, go 

to www.concrete.org. $29.50 (ACI members 

$18.00); Order Code 503707.EM. 

How to order: 

Phone: 248-848-3800, and mention order 

code 503707.EM 

If you are an ACI member, be sure to log in 

to obtain the member discount. Prices do not 

include postage and, if applicable, tax. Expedited 

delivery (overnight or two-day) is available. 

Contact ACI for appropriate tax and 

postage fees. For additional information, visit 

ACI’s online bookstore at www.concrete.org, 

e-mail bkstore@concrete.org, or call 248- 

848-3800. 

American Concrete Institute 

Phone: 248-848-3800 

E-mail: bkstore@concrete.org 

Online: www.concrete.org 

Let us know! PDA would love for you to take tradeshow materials 

to promote polyurea and PDA. Visit: https://www.pda-online.org/ 

pda_news/events.asp or e-mail Erin at erin@robstan.com to let us 

know you are attending! 

BUSINESS BITS (Continued) 

SMILE...It May Be The Boss Calling 


as it could be turned down. She looked - in his words - terrible. He decided to go 

over and ask her if she was OK. “Excuse me, M’am,” he said, “are you OK” The 

woman looked up - mouth continuing to be turned down, and grumbled a mean 

“YES.” “Well,” he said, “NOTIFY YOUR FACE.” 

So remember, if someone comes up to you and asks, “are you OK” it probably 

means you don’t look very happy. 

Now say “Cheese.” 

About the Author 

Nancy Friedman is President of Telephone Doctor, a customer service training company 

in St. Louis, MO. She is a featured speaker at association, chamber and corporate meetings. 

To receive our free monthly email article on customer service and a free subscription 

to the Telephone Doctor newsletter, The Friendly Voice, go here www.telephonedoctor.com 

or call 314.291.1012 


RESEARCH STUDY 

Study of the Global 

Polyurea Industry Completed! 

by Murph Mahaffey, GlasCraft, Inc., PDA Past President 2006-2007 

Just how big is the polyurea market Where are the growth opportunities for 

polyurea technology in the coming years What is the market segmentation of 

pure polyurea vs. hybrid systems Where can I find reliable information to answer 

these questions You can find out the answers to these questions and more in 

the PDA’s Study of the Global Polyurea Industry, set for first printing and shipping 

before the end of 2007. This study is global, and has individual data compiled for 

North America, Europe, Asia and the rest of the world. This is the f irst comprehensive 

independent study of markets for pure polyurea and hybrid systems available in the world- 

if you are in the polyurea industry, you have a valuable tool available to you now. 

As the global authority and resource for 

polyurea technology, the PDA Board 

discussed in early strategic planning 

that a comprehensive market study on 

polyurea technology would be a future 

goal for the association. The PDA 

has achieved this milestone for the 

global industry and our association. By 

commissioning a study conducted via one 

of the most authoritative companies in 

the business, Ducker Worldwide, PDA 

now has the data to speak as a stronger 

and more knowledgeable industry voice 

for polyurea technology. As PDA nears 

our 10th year as an association, we are 

continuing and expanding our mission to 

provide deliverables to our membership. 

This comprehensive study is the result of 

over 2 years of effort of PDA members 

working to find companies capable of 

the task, determining parameters, and 

gathering support from PDA members 

and industry associations to sponsor and 

fund the study. 

This market study establishes a baseline 

of data on polyurea technology in the 

industry that can be referenced and used 

to chart industry direction and trends in 

coming years. This furthers the position 

of PDA as the main industry resource 

for polyurea technology information. 

This study was funded completely by 

sponsors and member pre-orders. This 

study was sponsored by forward-thinking 

PDA members and important corrosion 

related industry associations including 

SSPC, NACE and Coatings Pro. 

This generous sponsorship allows our 

association to complete the important 

task of global data gathering without 

PDA needing to allocate limited funds 

that can be spent on other aspects of our 

mission “to promote market awareness, 

understanding and acceptance of polyurea 

technology through the development of 

education programs, product standards, 

safety and environmental and use 

recommendations”. This study will be 

marketed globally and will generate 

funds for PDA to use in pursuit of our 

upcoming goals. 

Shotcrete shell 

PDA Exclusive! after installation The study is available 

only to PDA members until after the 

Annual Conference in February 2008, 

when it will be offered to general 

industry at a TBD non-member price. 

Order by December 31, 2007 and receive 

$300.00 off when you take advantage of 

a special member price offer and you gee 

the study for only $3,200.00! This offer 

is available only to PDA Members. 

Knowledge is power- and this is power 

at a good price. E-mail Erin and erin@ 

robstan.com to take advantage of this 

offer and order today! 

Thank you to the 

Sponsors of the Global 

Polyurea Industry Study. 

PLATINUM SPONSORSHIP: 


Bayer Corporation 

GOLD SPONSORSHIP: 

The Dow Chemical Company 

SILVER SPONSORSHIP: 

NACE/CoatingsPro Magazine 

SSPC 

Market Study Member 

Pre-order list: 

Air Products 

Albemarle Corp. 

BASF AG 

GlasCraft, Inc. 

Huntsman Corp. 

Lonza, Inc. 

Quantum Technical Services 

The Hanson Group 

The Sherwin Williams Company 

Tremco, Inc. 

UCSC Ltd. 

Willamette Valley Company 


BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

President . . . . . . . . . Marc Broekaert 

Huntsman 

marc_broekaert@huntsman.com 

Treasurer . . . . . . . . . Patrick Merlin 

ALBEMARLE Corporation 

patrick.merlin@albemarle.com 

President-elect . . . . . Bernd Dietz 

Tip Top 

Bernd.Dietz@tiptop.de 

Board members 

Anaëlle Pernet 

Aceto France 

apernet@fr.aceto.com 

Werner Bertleff 

BASF 

werner.bertleff@basf.com 

Karl H. Wührer 

Bayer MaterialScience AG 

karl-heinrich.wuehrer@ 

bayermaterialscience.com 

Dominique Smits 

De Neef Conchem 

d.smits@deneef.eu 

Internatnional Board members 

Murph Mahaffey 

GlasCraft, Inc. 

mahaffeym@glascraft.com 

PDA Europe Secretariat 

Rachel Barlow 

Dana Popp 

Françoise Maon 

Romuald Bartczak 

Flexguard 

romuald@flexguard.be 

Alain Descampe 

Imexfa sa 

a.descampe@imexfa.be 

Avenue Marcel Thiry 204, Brussels, Belgium 

Tel: +32 2 774 9611 

Fax: +32 2 774 9690 

E-mail: pda-europe@keleneurope.com 

Michael Byrne 

Liquid Plastics 

mnb@liquidplastics.co.uk 

Alain van Oorsouw 

Polymer Chemical 

Company bv 

alain.vanoorsouw@pcc-bv.nl 

Lee Bower 

Polyvers International 

lee@pcsicoatings.com 

PDA Europe Member Companies 

(December 2007) 

Aceto Europe 

Adcos NV 

Advanced Plastics Benelux 

BV 

Albemarle Europe SPRL 

Alpina Sicherheitssysteme 

GmbH 

Aplicamus-Sinalizacao E 

Revestimentos LDA 

Azelis Benelux NV 

BASF Aktiegesellschaft 

BASF Construction Chemicals 

Europe AG 

Baule UK limited 

Bayer Materialscience AG 

BCA NV 

Brayan International FZE 

Carboline Norge 

Chemique Adhesives & Sealants 

Ltd. 

Collano Ltd. 

Collinda 

De Neef Conchem 

Dominator Aps 

Dow Hyperlast LTD 

ECC NV 

Elastogran 

Elastomonotoki LTD 

Elmico 

Erik Kalland 

PDA Europe’s 2007 Annual Conference, 

Flexguard BVBA 

FluidSystems GmbH&Co. KG 

Foam Spray LTD 

“Developing the European 

Polyurea Market Together” 

was a success! 

The first annual conference had 143 attendees, great 

presentations and numerous opportunities for networking. 

Look for an overview in the first quarter issue of 

the Podium in 2008!” 

Fosroc International 

Garraf Maquinaria 

GlasCraft 

Graco NV 

Harzlack Ltd 

Hercules GMBH 

Huntsman Europe 

Imexfa SA 

Improrep Canarisas S.L. 

Investigation y desarrollo de 

polyurea (IDP) 

JB-Services BVBA 

Julio Crespo SA 

Kobato BV 

Lindberg & Lund AS 

Liquid Plastics Limited 

Lonza LTD 

Pearl Insulation Materials 

Industries LLC 

Polinvent LTD 

Polycraft GmbH 

Polyvers International 

Prokol Polymers & Compunds 

BV 

Pultex Kunststofftechnikhandel 

GMBH 

Rema Tip Top GMBH 

Seal Systems Ireland Limited 

Sigor Hesselberg 

Sinitalia SRL 

Tambour Polyurea 

Too Kazkor 



PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT 

Podium is published by the 

Polyurea Development Association (PDA), 

14 W. Third St., Suite 200 

Kansas City, Missouri 64105 

816.221.0777 

Editor, Erin Nied 

Executive Director, Ken Bowman 

E-mail: kenb@robstan.com 

Copyright © 2007 

Polyurea Development Association 

All Rights Reserved 

EDITORIAL POLICY 

Podium is the official publication of the 

Polyurea Development Association. 

The magazine provides a medium 

for expressing views and opinions 

without approving, disapproving or 

guaranteeing the validity or accuracy 

of any data, claim or opinion 

appearing under a byline, or obtained 

or quoted from an acknowledged 

source. The opinions expressed by 

authors do not necessarily reflect the 

official views of PDA. 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

DECEMBER 2007 

30-1 The Waterborne Symposium 16-20 NACE 2008 Conference & 

2-7 Tri-Services 

Hyatt Regency Denver 

Denver, CO 

www.nace.org 

Marriott Convention Center 

New Orleans, LA 

http://www.psrc.usm.edu/ 

waterborne 

Exhibition Ernest N. Morial 

Convention Center 


www.nace.org 

4-7 World Steel Bridge 

Sheraton New Orleans Hotel 


www.steelbridges.org 

JANUARY 2008 

22-25 World Of Concrete 

Las Vegas Convention Center 

Las Vegas, NV 

www.worldofconcrete.com 

27-30 PACE 2008 

LA Convention Center 

Los Angeles, CA 

www.pace2008.com 

30-1 Surfaces Expo 2008 

Sands Convention Center 

Las Vegas, NV 

www.surfacesexpo.com 

FEBRUARY 2008 

12-15 PDA 2008 Annual Conference 

Hyatt Regency Atlanta 

Atlanta, GA 

www.pda-online.org 

21-23 International Roofing 

Exposition 

Orange County Convention 

Center, Orlando, FL 

www.buildersshow.com 

28-4 RCI 

Phoenix Convention Center 

Phoenix, AZ 

www.rci-online.org 

MARCH 2008 

14-17 sprayFoam 2008 

Hilton Torrey Pines 

San Diego, CA 

www.sprayfoam.org 

JUNE 2008 

2-5 American Coatings Show 

Charlotte Convention Center 

Charlotte, NC 

www.american-coatings-show. 

com 

3-6 CONSTRUCT2008 

Las Vegas Convention Center 

Las Vegas, NV 

www.csinet.org 

August 2008 

18-21 MegaRust 

Galt House Hotel & Suites 

Louisville, KY 

www.nstcenter.com 

14 w. third st. 

suite 200 

kansas city, mo 64105

pda's 9th annual conference! - Polyurea Development Association

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