Real-time coating data for a lower-waste paint shop
On October 13-14, 2026, CARES Sustainable Forum Americas brings OEMs, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, and heads of sustainability, operations, and manufacturing to the Oakland Centre at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, for two days of industry-led discussion on decarbonizing automotive production. For quality, R&D, and operations experts working on paint shop efficiency, the forum’s focus on waste reduction and energy optimization puts coating thickness measurement squarely on the agenda – and it’s exactly where SpecMetrix, our specialist coating measurement brand, fits in.
What CARES 2026 covers
- Industrial decarbonization, from strategy through to execution
- Supply chain transformation across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions
- Energy optimization at production scale
- Circular manufacturing and materials recovery
Where coating thickness measurement fits the sustainability agenda
Automotive paint shops carry a heavy share of a plant’s material and energy footprint. Primer, basecoat, and clearcoat are routinely over-applied to guard against under-coverage, wasting paint, driving up solvent use, and adding unnecessary oven energy and cure time. SpecMetrix non-contact optical technology gives quality, R&D, and operations experts continuous, real-time coating thickness data across the line, so paint shops can hold to specification instead of over-applying for safety margin – cutting material waste and energy use without compromising finish quality or coverage.
Why SpecMetrix at CARES
SpecMetrix technology already supports coating thickness measurement across automotive, metal packaging, and flexible packaging production lines, giving plants a non-contact, non-destructive way to validate coating thickness without slowing the line. For an audience focused on scaling decarbonization projects, that combination of accuracy and speed is a proof point rather than a pitch – real, measurable reductions in paint and energy waste that plant and sustainability leaders can take back to their own operations.
Get in touch with the SpecMetrix team to talk through coating thickness measurement ahead of CARES Sustainable Forum Americas 2026.
