Podcasts

Kim Ray, Director of Pre-Professional and Young Professional Programs at AMPP, explains how the association’s EMERG program aims to bring more people into the materials protection industry.

Topics include the EMERG mission and its available programs and resources; ways in which AMPP members can be of assistance; how EMERG relates to current industry dynamics, such as the projected craftworker shortage; and upcoming events and opportunities.

Source: AMPP, www.ampp.org.

Jim Kunkle, Manager of Engineering Specifications for North America at AkzoNobel’s International Protective Coatings, joins our “member profile” series.

Topics include how the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of our industry; what changes may be temporary, and which appear to be more permanent; key technology trends to watch for over the next decade; and how industry companies and associations like AMPP can work together to meet the various challenges.

For more information, contact: James (Jim) Kunkle, james.kunkle@AkzoNobel.com, YouTube, LinkedIn

In collaboration with industry stakeholders, the external corrosion prevention team at Enbridge is developing a unification of corrosion monitoring and mitigation strategies, with a goal of minimizing and effectively managing external corrosion risks. Known as IECM, more information is available in the April, June, and August print issues of Materials Performance (MP) Magazine.

For a deeper look about what this could mean for the corrosion industry, this panel discussion features Keith Parker, external corrosion specialist at Enbridge; Trey Johnston, principal engineer at Corrpro; and Christophe Baete, manager of corrosion engineering at Elsyca.

Sources: Enbridge, Corrpro, and Elsyca.

U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (CA-3) recently introduced H.R. 8033, the Bridge Corrosion Prevention and Repair Act, to the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation requires corrosion planning and the use of qualified and trained professionals on all bridge construction, repair, and maintenance projects throughout the country.

As part of our exclusive conversation, Garamendi explains the origins of the bill and the motivations for it; what the path forward could look like; and how AMPP members can get involved to help.

For more information and additional resources, visit Congressman Garamendi’s web site at garamendi.house.gov and AMPP’s at www.ampp.org.

Bob Baughman, CEO of HUVRdata, shares how industrial market trends led to the founding of a new company with a purpose-built inspection data management platform. Created in the cloud, the mobile-connected HUVR platform is designed to enable the aggregation, analysis, and automation of visual and quantitative inspection data from any device, sensor, robot, or field technician.

Topics discussed include feedback from the company’s users and partners in the field; inspection tools the system can be integrated with; where it fits within a corrosion management plan; and what the next steps are over the coming months and years.

Source: HUVRdata, www.huvrdata.com. 

Sam Navarro, vice president of business development and marketing at industrial solutions provider IPC Industries (Santa Fe, Texas, USA), joins our “member profile” series. 

Topics include industry trends and feedback; strategies for the future; what associations like AMPP, NACE International, and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings have meant to Navarro’s career; and how he’s personally working with students in his local community to try and address a growing craftworker shortage in skilled trades.

Source: IPC, www.ipcindustrieslp.com.

Tom Higginbotham, manager at PPG Industrial Coatings and chair of the AMPP Education Committee, explains the latest Coating Inspector Program (CIP) updates from the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP).

Topics include new features of the updated courses; feedback from members and others in the industry; how AMPP is addressing concerns related to the legacy NACE International and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings programs; and how people can learn more information about the CIP updates and/or get more involved.

Source: AMPP, www.ampp.org.

Based in Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Intech Contracting, LLC performs inspection support and rehabilitation work for highway bridges, as well as structural steel fabrication and erection work, for commercial and industrial clients. For over a decade, a key player in their growth has been Brad Wilder, bridge painting division manager.

In this episode, Wilder shares advice and perspective on his road to success while outlining the role of organizations like the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)—where Wilder currently chairs multiple committees—in helping him achieve it.

Source: AMPP, www.ampp.org.

Stephanie Decker, longtime member of the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), sits down with CEO Bob Chalker for an in-depth conversation about AMPP’s social media presence and its approach to negative comments. Other topics include the role of AMPP customer service, as well as answering member questions regarding the AMPP Ethics course and professional development hours (PDHs).

Source: AMPP, www.ampp.org. 

Lesley Martinez, manager of conferences at the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), joins our podcast to share her takeaways from the first AMPP Annual Conference + Expo. 

Topics discussed on this episode include feedback, data, and lessons learned from the 2022 in-person event in San Antonio, Texas, USA; information on the newly released virtual component; and key dates and highlights for the 2023 AMPP show in Denver, Colorado, USA.

Source: AMPP Annual Conference + Expo, ace.ampp.org.

In celebration of National Robotics Week, Robert Dahlstrom—founder and CEO of Apellix (Jacksonville, Florida, USA)—joins us to discuss new trends in the aerial robotics market.

Topics on the podcast include recent developments in the industry and at Apellix; feedback from users in the field; workforce implications; and what the future looks like for using robotics across various phases of corrosion control and protective coatings projects.

Source: Apellix, www.apellix.com. 

The annual IAAPA Expo is the largest trade show for the attractions industry. Janna Schulze, social media specialist at AMPP, recently attended the show and interviewed corrosion experts including Chris Ball (Vector Corrosion Technologies) and Ryan Tinnea (Tinnea & Associates, LLC) about industry trends and what to watch for.

Sources: AMPP, www.ampp.org; IAAPA, www.iaapa.org. 

This “member profile” episode features Bill Corbett, chief operations officer at coatings and corrosion engineering and inspection firm KTA-Tator, Inc., and Pete Ault, incoming president.

As part of this new podcast, Corbett and Ault share insights on their time with the company and industry trends; perspectives on the merger of SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings and NACE International; and hopes for the future with the newly merged organization known as the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP).

Source: KTA-Tator, Inc., www.kta.com.

In the latest episode of the AMPP Roundtable Series, association member Stephanie Decker asks CEO Bob Chalker for updates on AMPP chapters and sections; headquarters information for legacy NACE/SSPC and the new organization; and how staffers from both legacy groups are transitioning to AMPP. The episode concludes with a frequently asked question (FAQ) regarding the merger.

Source: AMPP, www.ampp.org. 

District Council 57 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT DC 57) is an organization of more than 2,500 members in Western Pennsylvania. Formed in 1997 as a council made of several local unions, its goal is to represent tradespeople in the region while helping them achieve careers with good wages, benefits, safety, and dignity in the workplace.

Andrew Croll, director of organizing at IUPAT DC 57, has found his affiliations with SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings and now AMPP quite helpful to both his career and the objectives of the union. In this podcast, Croll elaborates on the relationship and what the associations have meant to him and IUPAT over the years, and he also offers some thoughts on what the future may look like.

Source: IUPAT DC 57, www.iupatdc57.org.