
Global Conference on Car Body Painting 2026
Electrification, sustainability and future paint technologies – discussed by leading experts from Europe, the USA and Asia.
Including exclusive technology deep-dive with hands-on focus.
Global Conference on Car Body Painting 2026 is Automotive Circle’s most international paint conference with strong participation from the USA and Asia. The conference focuses on future-shaping technology for automotive paint shops – beyond day-to-day operations. Learn how OEMs, suppliers and research institutes worldwide are addressing sustainability and electrification in the paint shop, digitalisation incl. AI, and future-ready paint processes.
Exclusive Technology Deep Dive
Only at this conference, selected topics are explored in workshop-style deep dives. These sessions allow for in-depth technical discussion, direct exchange with experts and hands-on strategic insight – far beyond standard conference presentations.
Why attend
- Global perspectives from Europe, USA and Asia
- Strategy-focused technology insights for paint shops
- One dedicated deep dive per topic with workshop character
- Direct exchange with key industry stakeholders and leading experts
- A high-level, international network you won’t find elsewhere
Join the global dialogue and shape the future of car body painting.
We are looking forward to meeting you in Berlin (Germany) in July 2026!
You can get an impression of the conference by checking out our review of the last conference.
Don’t miss any updates by following our LinkedIn Account and the Hashtag #ACstrategiesCBP
Conference Program
| 9.00 am |
Welcome and conference introduction |
Andrea Huber, Automotive Circle, DE |
| 9.15 am |
IMPULSHow Appearance Drives Success |
Jonathan C P Roos, Face Restoration Ltd., UK |
Automatisation, Artificial Intelligence & Future Paintshop |
||
| 9.45 am |
Vision „autonomous Paint Shop“ |
Eugen Grouchko, Volkswagen AG, DE |
| 10.15 am |
Enhancement of Renault Paintshop Performance with AI |
Mathieu Monin, Group Renault, FR |
| 10.45 am |
Coffee, Contacts & Exhibition |
|
| 11.15 am |
Automated Finesse |
Liliane Garcia, General Motors Company, US; Marcus Pelletier, 3M Company, US |
| 11.45 am |
Physical AI-Based Overspray Reduction and Robotic Program Generation via Laser Scan |
Dr. Martin Schifko, ESS Engineering Software Steyr, AT |
Perception & Design for a Striking Exterior |
||
| 12.15 pm |
Colour, Texture, Finish, Feel: a Multisensory Design Approach |
Scott King, Full Fathom, UK |
| 12.45 pm |
Lunch |
|
| 2.00 pm |
Dynamic Colour Changing: Car Bodies of the Future |
Stella Clarke, BMW Group, DE |
| 2.30 pm |
Digital Color Design: From Data to Decision |
N.N., Axalta Coating Systems GmbH, CH |
| 3.00 pm |
New Flexibility for Painting Process (working title) |
Vladimir Falat, JLR Group Ltd., UK; Sébastien Salze, Sames Kremlin, FR |
| 3.30 pm |
Coffee, Contacts & Exhibition |
|
| 4.00 pm |
Deep Dive – Interactive |
Workshop Style – different Topics, real Insights (led by OEM and Automotive Circle) |
| 6.00 pm |
Get Together |
|
| 6.45 pm |
Networking Night – Spree Cruise Edition |
|
| 9.00 am |
Time to be seen – shine and evolveYou’ll get exactly one minute: What would you like to share? What’s on your mind? A product? A question? An opinion? Whatever – let the audience know! |
|
| 9.15 am |
Where the Deep Dive Led Us: What Emerged |
|
| 9.45 am |
Impuls:End of globalization? How a mid-sized supplier responds to increasingly localized Requirements |
Dr. Karsten Lessmann, Pfinder KG, DE |
Sustainability & Efficient Paint Processes |
||
| 10.15 am |
Sustainable paint systems and the role of steel on paint appearance |
Pieter Baart, Tata Steel Europe, NL |
| 10.45 am |
Coffee & Contacts – “Meet the Board” |
|
| 11.15 am |
Transformation Topcoat spray booth (BC) with air recirculation in Mirafiori (Italy) |
Danuta Ulfig, Stellantis, DE |
| 11.45 am |
Life Cycle Assessment: A strategic lever to redefine the Sustainable Paintshop |
N.N., Geico Spa, IT |
| 12.15 pm |
Data-Driven Optimization of Automotive Paint Application: Material Savings and Improved Layer Uniformity |
Una Dangubic, Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH & Co. KG, AT; Petr Jahn, SprayVision s.r.o., CZ |
| 12.45 pm |
Lunch |
|
| 1.45 pm |
Toyota Motor Coporation / BASF Coatings GmbH (invited) |
|
| 2.15 pm |
Ford-Werke GmbH (invited) |
|
| 2.45 pm |
Farewell address and end of the conference |
|
as status of April 20, 2026
Participants
International OEM Advisory Board
Dr. Alexander Lemke
AUDI AG
Peter Kramer
BMW Group, DE
Matthias Wiedeking
Ford-Werke GmbH
Ryan Odegaard
General Motors
Dave Green
Jaguar Land Rover Group Ltd.
Anant Khond
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd
Dr. Julia Schuchardt
Mercedes-Benz Group AG
Martin Steimle
NIO GmbH
Shinji Matsuda
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
Martin Knoll
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG
Raphael Draber
Groupe Renault
Iris Menke-Hermani
Stellantis, DE
Rodolphe Anquetil
Stellantis
Silvio Licitra
Stellantis
Martin Söldner
Volkswagen AG
Zoltan Horvath
Toyota Motor Europe
Malin Dahlén
Volvo Car Corporation
Become A Sponsor or Exhibitor
Take advantage of the high coverage of the Automotive Circle and profit from the sponsoring options before and during the events. Show your competence and services, matching the conference subjects, to the numerous car body engineers of international OEM. Thus, you are strengthening your brand awareness in the automotive industry!
Come on board as an exhibitor or sponsor and benefit from this excellent platform to strongly promote your company’s capabilities as a reliable supplier!
Check out the various exhibition and sponsoring options!
If you have any question or want to request additional information on exhibition & sponsoring options, please contact Ms. Frauke Haentsch.
Register now
Self-Service of your Event Registration
Manage your registration after having registered for this event. Make changes such as participant changes, invoice address corrections, adding an order / reference number, or make cancellations.
Please use the email address of the person placing the order if it differs from that of the participant:
Review
Flashback Strategies in Car Body Painting 2024
Flashback Strategies in Car Body Painting 2022
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