Industry experts Douglas Bohn, Satish Bagul and Sachin Arte headline Day One ChemTalks sessions as coatings professionals from around the world gather in Dubai
Dubai, September 2026: The 31st edition of the Middle East Coatings Show officially opened today at Dubai Exhibition Centre North Halls in Expo City Dubai, bringing industry professionals, manufacturers, suppliers, and technical specialists from around the world to the show’s new home for the first time.
Providing a platform for industry professionals to source products, discover new solutions and innovations, exchange knowledge, and build business connections across the MENA coatings market, this week’s trade fair is expected to gather more than 5,000 visitors and 300 leading brands from across the coatings ecosystem, from raw materials to formulation ingredients to production equipment.
The biennial show was officially opened by His Excellency Eng. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, alongside Ben Greenish, Executive Vice-President, dmg events, and Paddy O’Neill, Associate Vice President – Coatings, dmg events. The delegation later toured the exhibition floor, meeting representatives from, among others, Tawazon, BYK-Chemie, Zen FZE, Evonik, Al Nahda, Safic Alcan, Rishichem Middle East, The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Reda, Aquachemie and Petrochem.
“The exhibition is looking fantastic, and we are delighted to welcome the coatings community back to Dubai for another edition of the Middle East Coatings Show,” said O’Neill. The event continues to provide an important platform for the industry to connect, share knowledge, and explore the latest developments shaping the coatings sector across the MENA region. We would also like to thank our Gold Sponsor, BYK-Chemie, and The Lab Sponsor, Petrochem Middle East, for their continued support in bringing this year’s show to life.”
Knowledge, innovation, and colour take centre stage:
Alongside the exhibition, visitors accessed a complementary programme of technical content, product presentations, and interactive experiences. ChemTalks, which opened today and features more than 20 sessions across the first two days of the event, brings together industry experts and leading exhibiting companies to discuss developments, technologies, and applications across the coatings sector.
Opening with a global paint coatings market overview by Douglas Bohn, Director – Orr & Boss, the keynote speech was followed by presentations from companies including Mitsui & Co Benelux, BYK – Paint Additives, Wacker Chemicals Middle East, FP Pigments, SI Group, and Evonik Gulf.
Douglas Bohn, Director, Orr & Boss, said: “It was a pleasure to open ChemTalks today and connect with the MENA coatings community. The region holds significant potential within the global paints and coatings market, and its strategic position as a hub for international trade presents exciting opportunities for growth, collaboration and investment. Total size of the MENA paint & coatings market is estimated to be $8.7 billion USD… With a population of greater than 500 million people, MENA offers great potential
for growth. The MENA per capita paint consumption is 4.25 liters per person per year versus the global average 6 liters per person per year so growing to the global average would result in a 50% increase in
paint consumption. Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE are the largest markets and combined are just under 50% of the MENA paint and coatings market but other markets other good opportunities as well.”
Tomorrow will continue with insights from Lanxess, Raj Speciality Additives, Covestro, DOW Materials Science, Avancechem and Westlake Epoxy, giving visitors the opportunity to hear directly from leading suppliers and service providers about their latest products and solutions.
Day One visitors also took part in a Colour Mixology competition, delivered in collaboration with Trycolors and running across the three days. Participants are challenged to recreate a specified target colour by selecting from a range of colours. The fastest competitor to successfully replicate the colour each day will be crowned Colour Mixology Champion and take home a prize.
Sponsored by Petrochem Middle East, the show also features The Lab, a dedicated networking area where attendees can connect with fellow industry professionals in an informal setting over food and refreshments throughout the event.
The Middle East Coatings Show runs at Dubai Exhibition Centre from 28-30 September 2026. Visitors keen to attend can register onsite or by visiting middleeastcoatingsshow.com/pr-register-now
About The Coatings Group:
The Coatings Group, part of dmg events, is a global leader in organizing premier coatings exhibitions and conferences. With a track record of delivering over 100 successful events worldwide, its portfolio includes: Asia Pacific Coatings Show, Egypt Coatings Show, Saudi Arabia Coatings Show, Middle East Coatings Show, Coatings for Africa and the West Africa Coatings Show. Bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and technical experts, The Coatings Group fosters collaboration, drives innovation, and supports the advancement of the global coatings sector.
About dmg events:
dmg events is a leading organizer of face-to-face events and publisher of information services. Our aim is to create dynamic marketplaces to connect businesses with the right communities to accelerate their growth in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.
With a presence in over 20 countries and organizing more than 90 events each year, dmg events is a global leader in industry. Attracting over 425,000 attendees and delegates annually, we organize events in the construction, hospitality, interiors & design, energy, coatings, entertainment, food & beverage and transportation sectors.
To better serve our customers, dmg events has offices in 10 countries, including Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, South Africa, the UK, Canada, Singapore and India. By being on the ground, we can better understand market needs and nurture relationships to create unforgettable experiences for our attendees.
Our flagship events including the Big 5 Global, ADIPEC, Gastech, EGYPES, The Hotel Show, INDEX and The Saudi Food Show.
