The coating industry in 2026

CCS Influencer Joe Sorrentino shares what coating innovations will impact 2026.

The coatings industry is expected to be significantly impacted by the following trends in innovation: 

• Sustainability: The industry is increasingly focusing on environmentally friendly and sustainable products, with a growing demand for lower VOC content and eco-friendly formulations.  
• “Smart” coatings: The integration of smart technologies in coatings, such as self-healing and anti-microbial coatings, is gaining traction, offering functionalities beyond traditional protective and decorative purposes. 
• Self-cleaning coatings: Using nano-materials, these coatings can clean themselves with rainwater, enhancing durability and maintenance.  
• Advanced protective coatings: These coatings offer extreme durability and reliability in sectors like aerospace and marine engineering.  
• Energy-saving coatings: Heat-reflective and insulating coatings are designed to reduce energy consumption in buildings, especially in hot climates. 
• Advanced formulations: Ongoing research and development are focused on creating coatings with improved performance characteristics, such as better adhesion and resistance to harsh environments.  
• Intelligent responsive coatings: These coatings can change color or properties in response to temperature, humidity or an electric field, indicating a long-term future of innovation. 
• Bio-based materials: The use of bio-based raw materials in paint and coating formulations is on the rise, contributing to the overall sustainability of the products. The industry is moving towards bio-based materials to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and lower carbon footprints. 
• Pursuit of extreme performance: The industry is pushing for continuous advancement in special resins, new additives and sophisticated formulation design. 

These trends are expected to have a significant impact on the coatings industry, driving innovation and changing the landscape of the industry. These trends reflect the industry's commitment to sustainability, innovation and performance, setting the stage for a transformative year in coatings.

There is no set definition of a “smart coating” but generally a coating that reacts to its environment in such a way as to increase its own durability or enhance protection of the substrate could be called a smart coating. Dr. Erik Sapper says that end users will “continue to seek out exotic coatings systems” which offer attributes beyond decoration and protection. There are countless ways coatings can be “smart” many of which we haven’t even conceived yet. Some examples include self-healing coatings which react to and repair damage, antimicrobial coatings which eliminate surface contamination and color and/or phase change coatings which react to alterations in light and temperature.

One trend that is just waiting for the right combination of factors coming together to have its’ moment is the widespread use of plant based raw materials. Regulations such as the European Green Deal might mandate the use of renewable ingredients in many products including paints, market forces will decide when critical mass is reached for this trend. While the term biobased is often used to describe renewable raw materials, focus group research has shown that consumers can better relate to the term plant based. These materials will really take off when the consumer demand drives market forces towards the adoption of these sustainability enabling ingredients.

Of course, there are no rules which limit any of these developing trends to a single purpose coating formulation. The possibilities are limitless, from a self-healing coating made from plant based raw materials to a biocide free architectural paint whose properties have been optimized through the use of  an AI driven product development process. Trends can be thought of as ideas that are starting to catch on, so anyone’s next great idea could become the next big trend. 

_{Reference: Trends in the Coatings Industry by Wally Kesler}