Finishing Camps - Chemical Coaters Association International (CCAI)

Finishing Camps

That flashy paint job on a sports car may look cool, but there’s a lot more that goes into a finish than looks. So, what else does finishing do besides look good? And how do manufacturers choose colors and come up with those crazy names like Jeep’s “Punk’n Metallic” or Ford’s “Mischievous Purple” Mustang?

Through hands-on experiments and projects, guest speakers, and a plant tour, campers will learn about the various types of industrial finishing including electrocoating, liquid coating, powder coating and how they make things we use every day not only look great, but last longer. At the end of the week, students will get to take home a small powder coated piece. Camp t-shirt is included with your registration.

2025 FINISHING CAMPS:

The CCAI FEF Industrial Finishing Camp Program celebrated another year of impressive growth this summer. A total of eight camps were held across the country, introducing 74 students to the world of industrial finishing. Since the program’s debut in 2023, 200 students have attended camp, each gaining hands-on experience and insight into potential finishing careers. Two new schools joined the program this summer: Ivy Tech Community College in Evansville, IN, and McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, IL. Both quickly became shining examples of the collaboration between education and industry that defines the finishing camp experience.

Ivy Tech’s camp received strong support from the finishing community, including a grant to CCAI FEF from Koch Finishing Systems earmarked for Ivy’s camp operations. Koch also hosted campers for a tour and led the pretreatment portion of the curriculum. Nix Industrial provided additional industry exposure, welcoming campers to explore their recent plant expansion and try their hand at powder coating. The company also generously provided transportation services.

McHenry County College’s inaugural camp was supported by the CCAI Northern Illinois Chapter, including assistance in coordinating a tour of Mitsubishi Logisnext. BASF/Chemetall’s Lindsey Boyle and Benjamin Payne led the pretreatment section of the program and Dan Anderson traveled from Wisconsin to provide an interactive experience using All-Color’s virtual reality powder coating system.

Camps across the country reported deeper partnerships and expanded programming. Several long-time industry partners returned for a third consecutive year, including ACME Finishing, Taylor Corporation, True Grit Powder Coating, and S&B Metal Products. S&B expanded its participation this year to a full-day event, where campers fabricated their own cell phone holders, then powder coated and took them home providing a complete fab to finish experience.

At DeWys Manufacturing, the camp experience grew to include tours of the Kent Career Tech Center, Western Michigan University, and the PPG powder plant in Grand Haven, broadening campers’ view of the finishing industry’s career pathways. After a successful session last year, Lindsey and Benjamin returned to lead campers through the pretreatment lesson.

The Madison Area Technical College (MATC) Fort Atkinson camp also took a leap forward, expanding its collaboration with All-Color Powder Coating to include a full day at the facility. Campers toured the plant, explored the VR system, and even powder coated their own sheet metal Jeep, a memorable highlight that capped off an incredible learning experience.

Virtual reality played an even greater role this year, helping campers build confidence before entering the shop. CCAI FEF funded three SprayVerse app licenses for the State College of Florida (SCF). The app runs on SCF’s Oculus VR goggles and allows campers to hone their finishing skills using the app’s integrated assessment tools. “At first, the kids were getting Fs,” the camp director shared. “With practice, they improved to Bs and Cs, and it showed when they got to powder coat their own cell phone holders at S&B Metal Products later in the week.”

The program’s color focused component also grew this year, with three companies—IFS Coatings, Avient Corporation, and the Pittsburgh Paints Company —supporting multiple camp locations. Their involvement introduced students to color trends and theory and how they influence selection of the color of the year.

With seven of eight camp hosts returning in 2026, the program continues to build momentum—offering more opportunities,

more technology, and more inspiration for the next generation of finishing professionals.