Powder Coater Podcast

The future of powder coating won’t be determined by better technology alone. It will depend on how well we transfer knowledge, develop people, create opportunity, and give the people closest to the work a greater role in shaping what comes next.

In Episode 81 of The Powder Coater Podcast, Kim Scott sits down with longtime industry voice Jim Kunkle to kick off a new series examining six major gaps that could shape the future of powder coating.

The conversation looks beyond equipment and chemistry to the business and workforce challenges happening underneath the industry: succession, the loss of experienced knowledge, workforce development, generational learning differences, clearer career pathways, better ways to define and benchmark custom coaters, and the need for more innovation to come directly from the applicators doing the work every day.

At the center of the discussion is a bigger question:

As one generation of owners and industry experts begins to step away, what are we doing to make sure the next generation is ready to take their place?

This episode sets the stage for a deeper conversation about where the powder coating industry is strong, where important gaps remain, and what coaters, suppliers, educators, associations, and industry leaders can do together to build a stronger future.