09.07.2026 Engaging Presentations, Active Networking, and a Reason to Celebrate

As it is well known, the soccer elite is currently gathering in the U.S. for the World Cup. But it wasn’t just the experts in dribbling, passing, and scoring goals who came together there—a large number of industry insiders from the coatings industry and related markets also came together for DÖRKEN Days USA.

The industry gathering took place on June 24 in Clarkston, Michigan, with a total of 56 participants from all relevant sectors – the first event since 2022. This year's event also marked a very special occasion: DÖRKEN Coatings North America is celebrating its 25th anniversary. “It’s truly remarkable what has grown here since the founding in 2001,” says Christos Tselebidis, CEO of Industrial Coatings. “I am confident that we will continue on this great path for many years to come, working closely together across the entire organization.”

The day began with an update from Christos Tselebidis on the most important developments not only at DÖRKEN but also in global markets. Rick Babik, Chief Sales Officer, and Calvin Bassil, Business Development Manager, then provided specific insights with a focus on the U.S. market.

After that, Eduard Rybka spoke about room-temperature-curing zinc flake coatings. With this innovation, high-temperature oven curing is not necessary, which is particularly advantageous for heavy or bulky components. This was followed by an engaging guest presentation by Olav Schulz from SLCR Lasertechnik GmbH. In a joint project with DÖRKEN and the coating specialist Benseler, a process was developed to clean bolts, nuts, and clips in bulk using a laser. To conclude the presentations, Sabrina Hilbt brought attendees up to date on the planned PFAS ban by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

After lunch, the day moved on to its sporting activities. In a golf tournament played in teams of four, the event participants were able to compete against one another and strike up conversations. The evening concluded with a dinner, where awards were presented and the day's discussions gave way to informal exchange, shared experiences, and a fitting close to a successful event.

After the long break of the Dörken Days, it was finally time again to come together with our customers and partners as part of the DÖRKEN Days,” says Albert Gelles, President of DÖRKEN Coatings North America. “We were very pleased to not only discuss the topics at hand but also to foster personal connections with our customers and partners.”