Industrial Finishes & Systems Inc. is pleased to announce the hiring of Pat Mormile. Mormile brings an extensive 38-year background in chemistry to the Industrial Finishes & Systems team, most notably in polymers, coatings and new chemical technology.
A LONG RELATIONSHIP
Mormile has a long relationship with Industrial Finishes & Systems dating back to the early 1990s. At the time, Mormile worked for BASF’s Automotive Refinish Research and Development group supporting the collision repair industry.
According to Mormile, “When I first met Stuart Barr, my initial thought was ‘This guy loves innovation.’ Even back then, you could tell that Industrial Finishes was very forward-thinking organization. They were breaking new ground, pioneering paint techniques for the recreation vehicle industry.”
Following his time with BASF, Mormile accepted a position as R&D Director with Nippon Paint’s New Technology group in Thailand. Part of a Singapore-based conglomerate, Nippon is Asia’s largest paint manufacturer. His responsibilities at Nippon encompassed innovative coatings product research and development; including new products for Automotive OEM, Automotive Refinish, and General Industrial applications. His role covered a broad range of technologies and applications; 1K and 2K chemistries both solventborne and waterborne, and different “coating layers” including basecoat/clearcoat, monocoat, and undercoat.
DECADES OF EXPERIENCE
Mormile has decades of experience with both polymer synthesis and coatings development and applications. This includes having synthesized polyesters, acrylics, alkyds, and epoxies. In addition to polymer synthesis experience, Mormile has formulated coatings systems for industrial, automotive refinish and automotive OEM applications/ markets.
Mormile’s time working with automotive refinishing has provided invaluable experience. He’s been involved in development and technical service of automotive refinish coatings systems for both general refinish and fleet (commercial vehicle) applications. This includes all “layers” of auto refinish coatings; primers, primer-surfacers, sealers, basecoats, and topcoats (single-stage and clearcoat). Mormile also has extensive hands-on experience with acrylic and polyester synthesis, with an in-depth understanding of structure property relationships. Additionally, he’s gained first-hand experience with spray and application equipment used with auto refinish coatings systems. This includes conventional, HVLP, and electrostatic spray equipment.
Initially, Mormile will explore new coatings technology for Industrial Finishes & Systems’ customers. He considers himself the company’s Coatings Herald. “My job is to find new technology and solutions that fit into our portfolio,” commented Mormile. “I’ll also serve as a champion for new technology and follow-through, helping the company assess business practicalities for our customers. Emerging chemical science is going to impact many industry segments.”
“I love lab work, but I don’t consider myself a lab rat solely,” added Mormile. “Determining how new technology impacts business really frosts my cookies.”
COMMITMENT TO NEW TECHNOLOGY
According to Industrial Finishes & Systems President, Glenn Duckworth, “Bringing Pat on board demonstrates our unyielding commitment to new, innovative solutions in the coatings industry. As a solutions provider, we have to understand the impact that new technology has at a chemical and molecular level, and Pat is an expert in his field. He’s worked for leading-edge chemical companies and holds several patents. I don’t know of another distributor with this depth of expertise on staff, and our customers will benefit greatly.”
Industrial Finishes & Systems Founder, Stuart Barr, added, “There’s an element of safety for our customers that comes with a deeper understanding of chemistry as it relates to product selection. Knowledge of the science involved helps us make more informed recommendations and decisions. Bringing Pat on board lets us and our customers see what’s behind the chemistry. In other words, Pat can help us gain greater understanding with regard to the ‘why’ behind the things we see in the field.”
Barr continued, “Pat’s addition to our team further ensures our focus on quality. We pre-screen and test products before we put them on the shelf, and we do this with brand blindness. Pat’s expertise will contribute heavily to this process.”
Mormile will be based in the Midwest and work with customers in each of Industrial Finishes & Systems’ markets, including automotive, recreation vehicle, aerospace and industrial. He is an avid runner and stays young by spending time with his 3 children and 2 grandchildren.
