- February 18, 2026
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What do cars, washing machines and phone cases have in common?
They’ve all been finished with some type of chemical coating.
According to Grand View Research, the global industrial coatings market size was estimated at over $96 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach over $132 billion by 2033.
A Lakewood Ranch nonprofit is helping to promote the industry by creating a pipeline of workers through camps and scholarships.
The Chemical Coaters Association International Finishing Education Foundation awarded $17,500 to 11 high school seniors and undergraduates in 2025. The majors vary by student, but the majority of scholarship recipients are engineering students.
Engineering is a popular major for the industry because of the technology involved. Sheila LaMothe, executive director of the foundation, used the curing process as an example of a technology that has undergone major changes.
There are different types of finishes, but powder is a popular variety. The powder is applied to the product and melted to form a hardened finish.
Plastic, wood and carbon fiber are all heat sensitive materials. They can’t tolerate the same high-temperature oven as a piece of metal can. UV light has been incorporated into the technique to achieve the same result at lower temperatures that won't destroy the underlying material.
The student scholarships support them to attend colleges and don’t necessarily pay for technical education such as coating and finishing classes, but the selected students are on some type of path toward the industry.
Samuel Hanson, a 2024 scholarship winner, is majoring in Agricultural Business at South Dakota State University. He’s on a path toward chemical coating because his family owns a business that manufactures silos that undergo a powder coating process.
An undergrad majoring in finance, he received a scholarship after completing an internship at a finishing company.
“I don’t work on the shop floor; I’m a marketing and development person,” LaMothe said. “These companies have all sorts of opportunities.”
Local students can get a feel for the industry through the State College of Florida, which in conjunction with the foundation, offers a one-week Summer Industrial Finishing Camp that targets students ages 12 to 16 years old.
A plant tour at S&B Metal Products in Bradenton is included in the camp. The 5,000-square-foot plant fabricates stainless steel components for the food and beverage, pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.
When the program started three years ago, S&B only provided a plant tour. But the hour and a half tour turned into three hours because the kids had so many questions, so S&B wanted to know what else they could offer.
Last year, students made their own phone cases. They were able to follow the product through the entire fabrication process. Certain steps had to be performed by the operators for safety reasons, but each student was able to powder coat their phone case and bring it home.
“The connection with the local businesses is important because kids can see what manufacturing is really like,” LaMothe said, “And it's a pipeline for employees in the future.”
Other local nonprofits, such as The Manatee Community Foundation and The Lake Club Women’s Giving Circle, have awarded grants to the foundation to support the camps.
LaMothe is working on a grant application right now to buy three more sets of virtual reality goggles to enhance the campers' experience at SCF. With the goggles and an app, students can practice powder coating.
The app provides a score of how thoroughly and evenly the coating was applied. On the first day of camp, students were scoring Fs in the app, but by the end of the week, they were performing at a B and C level in real life when they toured S&B.
Outside of students, the foundation encourages women of all ages to enter and stay in the industry. LaMothe noted that women are underrepresented across the manufacturing industry, in general, not just finishing.
The Women in Finishing program offers resources for women to expand their professional networks, build leadership skills and advance their careers.
The foundation offers five or more scholarships each year for women to attend the Women in Finishing Forum, an annual conference designed for women in all stages of their careers, from the finishing line to executive management.
The scholarships cover registration fees and accommodations for two nights. This year’s conference will be held in Toledo, Ohio in May. LaMothe said the forum grows year over year.
Another woman who worked her way up in the finishing industry is Anne Goyer. She’s the executive director of Chemical Coaters Association International now, but in the 1980s, she was a conference director and editor for “Products Finishing Magazine.”
“I love the industry,” she said.
