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 meeting was hosted at the Marriott Chicago Midway Conference Center and marked 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). “We’re proud to have this caliber of professionals joining the Midwest network,” Kowalski said. “Each of them brings expertise that strengthens our regional knowledge base.”
Main Presentation: Spray Equipment Troubleshooting — A Practitioner’s Framework
The evening’s main presentation was delivered by longtime member and field trainer Eric Baumgartner, owner of Baumgartner Coatings (Rockford, IL), who has been applying polyurea commercially for 16 years. Baumgartner walked through a systematic troubleshooting framework for the most common spray equipment issues encountered in the field.
“Equipment problems on a job site cost you money in two ways,” Baumgartner explained. “The obvious cost is downtime. The hidden cost is when you apply compromised material without realizing it, and it fails in the field six months later.” His presentation covered pressure imbalance between the A and B sides, off-ratio mixing issues, gun patterning problems, temperature fluctuations in heated hose systems, and filter and screen maintenance protocols.
Key Takeaways from the Equipment Presentation
Several members noted that the most valuable portion was the discussion of proportioning pump calibration — specifically how even a small deviation from the specified mix ratio (typically 1:1 by volume) can dramatically affect the cured film’s physical properties. Baumgartner demonstrated how to verify ratio with the “A side purge test” and emphasized that this check should be performed at the start of every spray day, not just when problems are suspected.
The group also discussed heated hose maintenance, with particular attention to the electrical resistance testing protocol that can predict heat wire failures before they cause material temperature drops in the field. Several members shared their maintenance schedules and the consensus recommendation was to perform full hose resistance testing every 250 hours of operation.
Member Discussion: Bidding Commercial Waterproofing Projects
The second half of the meeting featured an open member discussion on bidding and winning commercial waterproofing projects. This topic was requested by three newer members who have been transitioning from residential to commercial work.
Veteran member Patricia Hendricks (Hendricks Coatings, Chicago, IL) shared her approach to commercial bid preparation, emphasizing the importance of pre-bid site visits, substrate condition assessment documentation, and building in contingency for surface preparation discoveries. “The biggest mistake I see new commercial applicators make is bidding based on square footage alone without accounting for substrate condition,” she said. “Old hospitals, parking structures, and industrial buildings can have surprises that turn a profitable job into a money-loser.”
The discussion touched on specification compliance documentation, insurance requirements for commercial work, and strategies for navigating the general contractor relationship on large projects. Members from Ohio noted that several municipalities in their region are requiring OSHA 30-hour certification for all personnel on government-funded projects, regardless of trade.
Upcoming Events for Midwest Chapter Members
The chapter announced the following upcoming activities:
- July 10, 2026 — Virtual Webinar: “Polyurea for Cold Storage Facilities” — Register through the Events & Webinars page
- August 14, 2026 — In-Person Meeting, Detroit area (venue TBD) — Focus: Automotive and manufacturing facility applications
- September 11-12, 2026 — Midwest Chapter Fall Workshop, Chicago — Two-day intensive on certification preparation
Members interested in presenting at a future chapter meeting should contact Chapter Administrator Lisa Nguyen at the Contact Us page. The chapter is particularly seeking presentations on specialized applications, estimating tools, and case studies from completed projects.
Chapter Membership Update
Midwest Chapter membership stands at 187 active members as of June 2026, making it the second-largest chapter in the American Polyurea network. The chapter has seen 22% growth over the past 12 months, driven largely by new applicators entering the market from adjacent trades such as epoxy flooring, waterproofing, and spray foam insulation.
Not a member of the Midwest Chapter yet? Visit Join American Polyurea to learn about membership benefits and get connected with your regional chapter. You can also view all chapter locations and contacts on our State Chapters & Regional Network page.
