The American Polyurea Midwest Chapter held its June 2026 monthly meeting on Thursday, June 12th, drawing 34 members from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin — the chapter’s highest in-person attendance since the 2024 annual symposium.
Chapter Co-Chair Dennis Kowalski opened the meeting by welcoming three new members: Marcus Webb (Webb Protective Coatings, Columbus, OH), Sandra Okonkwo (Great Lakes Industrial Coatings, Milwaukee, WI), and Jason Tillman (Tillman Spray Systems, Indianapolis, IN).
Main Presentation: Spray Equipment Troubleshooting
The evening’s main presentation was delivered by 16-year veteran Eric Baumgartner, owner of Baumgartner Coatings (Rockford, IL). He walked through a systematic troubleshooting framework covering pressure imbalance, off-ratio mixing issues, gun patterning problems, temperature fluctuations in heated hose systems, and filter maintenance protocols.
The most valuable portion was the discussion of proportioning pump calibration — specifically how even small deviations from the 1:1 mix ratio can dramatically affect cured film physical properties. Baumgartner demonstrated the “A side purge test” and recommended performing it at the start of every spray day.
Member Discussion: Bidding Commercial Waterproofing Projects
Veteran member Patricia Hendricks (Hendricks Coatings, Chicago, IL) shared her approach to commercial bid preparation, emphasizing pre-bid site visits and substrate condition documentation. “The biggest mistake I see new commercial applicators make is bidding based on square footage alone,” she said.
The discussion covered specification compliance documentation, insurance requirements, and strategies for navigating the general contractor relationship on large projects.
Upcoming Events for Midwest Chapter Members
- July 10, 2026 — Virtual Webinar: “Polyurea for Cold Storage Facilities” — Register through the Events & Webinars page
- August 14, 2026 — In-Person Meeting, Detroit area — Focus: Automotive and manufacturing facility applications
- September 11-12, 2026 — Midwest Chapter Fall Workshop, Chicago — Certification preparation intensive
Midwest Chapter membership stands at 187 active members as of June 2026 — the second-largest chapter in the American Polyurea network with 22% growth over the past 12 months. Not yet a member? Visit Join American Polyurea to connect with your regional chapter. View all chapter locations on our State Chapters & Regional Network page.
2 thoughts on “Midwest Chapter June 2026 Meeting Recap: Spray Equipment Troubleshooting Deep-Dive”
Was at this meeting. The equipment troubleshooting presentation from Eric was honestly the best technical presentation I’ve seen at a chapter event in two years. The A-side purge test is something I now do every single morning without exception.
Eric Baumgartner is a gem. Every time he presents the room gets quiet and everyone just absorbs it. The ratio calibration content alone was worth the drive from Milwaukee.