View highlights of coating related events at CORROSION 2020.

Helena Seelinger, Executive Director, NACE International Institute (NII), Kamal Taher, Global Director & Operations Head NACE International and Anna Roberts, Sr. Manager, NII Operations were recently in India to reach out to Paint industry leaders and appraise them about the NIICAP program which will be a great initiative to raise quality standards and reduce the efforts towards combating the impending problem of corrosion. PAINTINDIA took this opportunity to seek their views on this program and its benefits to the industry.

Best practices can help contractors stay safe, working, and profitable. The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), the world’s oldest professional safety organization, called on employers earlier this year to take well-known steps to protect America’s workers from fatal injuries.

The NACE International Institute (NII) has entered into a licensing agreement with the Nirvaan Foundation of Skill Development (NFSD), a not-for-profit organization that provides skills development, education, and training programs in rural and urban areas of India.

The NACE International Institute (NII) formally launched the NII Contractor Accreditation Program (NIICAP) in India on April 19, 2022 with a full-day workshop hosted by India’s largest company, Indian Oil Corp. Ltd., in the western city if Ahmedabad. The function was attended by over 50 people from Indian Oil and several of its coatings contractors.

Texas, Florida, and Mississippi have amended their Department of Transportation (DOT) specification documents to include language specifying NACE International Institute Contractor Accreditation Program (NIICAP) accredited contractors for coatings work on upcoming infrastructure projects.

By earning the NIICAP seal, Al-Hamaad Sons has verified that they are fully qualified to perform reliably and consistently using the latest in coatings preparation, application and inspection techniques and practices.

Leaders from the NACE International Institute and representatives of the IUPAT District Council 88 convened in Houston to initiate the Audit Standard-3 (AS-3) accreditation process for IUPAT’s facilities across the U.S. Upon completion of this thorough process, IUPAT will become the first to achieve the NACE International Institute Contractor Accreditation Program (NIICAP) AS-3 accreditation, which is the most rigorous accreditation for training facilities focused on the coating applicator workforce.

NIICAP is designed and guided by industry experts to serve as a vital tool for coating contractors and asset owners to improve operations, reduce costs, increase visibility and opportunity, and prequalify prospective contractors.

The NACE International Institute is proud to announce that Turner Industries has earned its Contractor Accreditation Program’s coveted NIICAP 5 STAR rating. The NACE International Institute’s Contractor Accreditation Program (NIICAP) is designed to validate a coating contractor's quality assurance program, support practices, and production processes.

Experts from the NACE International Institute’s Contractor Accreditation Program (NIICAP) will be on-site to share information and answer questions from contractors looking to grow their business. For those looking to grow their skills in the field of protective coatings, there will be several technical information and networking opportunities at the interactive Protective Coatings Workshop.

Coatings are too often thought of as something that must be done, but it’s not necessary to spend much time on surface preparation or application. After all, “paint is paint and anybody can apply paint.” While this statement may be somewhat true, it takes a certain skill level and knowledge of coatings to apply them properly. Coatings are only as good as their application and cannot be expected to perform properly if they are not properly applied.

The use of epoxy coating systems continues to expand in popularity, with epoxies valued for strong adhesive properties, chemical and heat resistance, and toughness. But coatings applicators need to understand the potential risks of using epoxy products and know how to safely handle and apply these systems.

The first company in the world to achieve NACE International Institute Contractor Accreditation Program (NIICAP) accreditation is now the first company to earn the Institute’s coveted 5 Star rating.

We sat down with Denny Billec of A1 Industrial Painting Inc, to discuss their experience with the NIICAP Audit and the benefits of working toward and getting the accreditation.

Safety is the new bottom line. In the coatings industry, workers are routinely exposed to risks such as working with hazardous chemicals, using dangerous machinery, or working at height. To create a robust safety culture with buy-in at all levels, management and the workforce must come together to make a commitment to communication, continued professional development, and employee well-being.

Launched in 2015, NIICAP is an industry-driven and industry-managed accreditation program that verifies a contractor's quality-assurance program, support practices, production processes, and personnel management and training program.

In January 2018, Kabbani Construction Group (KCG) became the fifth company in the world– and the first in the Middle East– to achieve NIICAP accreditation. Bilal Bissar, Quality Control Manager at Kabbani, recently participated in an “Instagram Takeover” with NACE International. This social media project highlights a variety of careers found within the corrosion industry by featuring a “day in the life” of NACE members around the world.

Today, one of the fastest-growing trends in the coatings industry is nanotechnology.

"Never paint a dirty surface” is something of a mantra in industrial painting circles. Without proper surface preparation, a coating will not adhere properly to the substrate and the system will fail. Existing standards — published and continuously revised by independent industry oversight agencies — do a good job of standardizing surface prep outcomes, but naming conventions between agencies can make the standards confusing.

A workplace culture of continuing professional development can positively impact employees, the employer, and the profession as a whole.

Care should be taken when applying coatings of any kind (e.g., paints, sealants, and cleaning agents) to building exteriors so that the solutions or emulsions used do not cause damage to other building components. This is especially true for architectural aluminum components, such as window and door frames, store fronts and entrances, curtain walls, mullions, columns, and hardware.

When it’s time to hire a coating contractor, asset owners want to get the job right the first time. We sat down with asset owners from the transportation and petroleum industries to find out the most important qualities they look for in coating contractors. Low-bid, low-quality contractors are out there, so owners should look for these five indicators to ensure a contractor will deliver high-quality results. Here’s what makes a coating contractor stand out in the crowd.

From a simple coat of paint to highly specialized smart compounds, coatings serve as the front line of protection against the harmful and expensive effects of corrosion. Whether it’s the Golden Gate Bridge, a multi-million dollar container ship or a family car, corrodible assets depend on coatings for life extension, protection and defense from external hazards such as fire, extreme temperatures, or physical wear and tear.

When coatings industry leaders approached NACE seeking a new accreditation program for contractors, the NACE International Institute set to work on a program now known as the NACE International Institute Contractor Accreditation Program (NIICAP). Launched in 2015, NIICAP is an industry-driven and industry-managed accreditation program that verifies a contractor's quality assurance program, support practices, production processes, and personnel management and training program. NIICAP's purpose is to elevate the quality and reputation of the entire industry through the execution of a thorough audit program based on ISO standards.

In response to industry demand for a better accreditation program among coatings contractor, the NACE International Institute Contractor Accreditation Program (NIICAP) was created by contractors and asset owners, for contractors and asset owners. NIICAP is the premier industry-driven and industry-managed accreditation program that validates a contractor’s quality assurance program, support practices and production processes. The accreditation protects asset owners from hiring contractors who don’t meet the highest in quality standards, providing an audit and certification program for contractors to set them apart from the competition. In order to create an accreditation program that held the industry to the highest standard, the Institute turned to its board of directors for insight and guidance – a board that solely consists of owners and contractors.

After a rigorous audit, which included an administrative review and on-site audit, Turner Industries has earned accreditation from the NACE International Institute Contractor Accreditation Program (NIICAP).

After a rigorous audit, which included an administrative review and field audit, Blastco today became the first contractor to earn accreditation from the NACE International Institute Contractor Accreditation Program (NIICAP).

Dr. Chris M. Fowler, president, NACE International Institute, introduces a contractor accreditation programme based on ISO standards, which lift the quality and reputation of the entire oil and gas industry.