QUALICOAT Impresses at Zak London
The Zak conference, London.
As someone who has watched the Zak World of Façades series evolve over the years, I have seen the London edition grow into one of its most influential platforms, something that became especially clear at the 200th conference. Its success in the UK stems largely from the industry’s increasing need for a forum that brings clarity to rapidly changing façade regulations, sustainability targets and design expectations. Each year, the event manages to stay one step ahead of these shifts, offering insights that I can immediately relate to and the challenges facing UK architects, engineers, and developers.
I’ve also noticed how the 200th London edition stood out for its depth of expertise. The calibre of speakers and exhibitors has risen year after year, and the UK audience responds to that. When leaders in façade engineering, architecture, and materials innovation come together in one place, it becomes a rare opportunity not just to listen, but to engage, question, and share. The conference feels less like a series of presentations and more like a gathering of people genuinely interested in pushing the building envelope industry forward.
Coby Armar, Secretary General of QUALICOAT, presents at Zak London.
What strikes me most though, is the networking energy that Zak events generate in London. The UK’s façade supply chain is incredibly diverse, and the conference manages to bring all of it under one roof, specifiers, contractors, manufacturers, consultants, and clients. By the time the 200th edition arrived, the event had become a must-attend date in the UK construction calendar. Its ongoing success is, in my view, a reflection of how effectively it connects people, ideas, and innovations at a time when the façade sector is evolving faster than ever.
Attending the 200th Zak conference in London was genuinely valuable for QUALICOAT and for me as the Chair of QUALICOAT UK & Ireland. The event brought together exactly the audience we aim to reach, architects, façade engineers, developers and system manufacturers who are increasingly focused on durability, compliance, and responsible material selection. Being present allowed me to speak directly with professionals who are specifying coated aluminium every day, giving QUALICOAT an ideal platform to reinforce the benefits of certified coating systems and the risks of relying on unverified finishes.
What stood out for me was the level of engagement. Many attendees were already familiar with QUALICOAT by name, but they appreciated the opportunity to ask deeper questions about pre-treatment control, powder approval processes, and system audits. These conversations helped clarify that QUALICOAT is not just a badge, it is a fully integrated quality system that supports long-term façade performance. This kind of clarity is hard to deliver through brochures or digital campaigns, but at Zak, it happened naturally in discussions throughout the day.
I want to personally thank Coby Armar, our Secretary General from Head Office in Zurich, for delivering a QUALICOAT presentation at Zak London; his willingness to share his expertise and represent the specification at such a high-profile event means a great deal. His deep understanding of coating performance, pre-treatment control, and system compliance brings real clarity to an audience that values accuracy and substance and I am genuinely grateful for his commitment to helping strengthen QUALICOAT’s presence within the UK and Ireland façade community.
Hosting the stand at Zak, left to right Chris Mansfield, QUALICOAT UK & Ireland Chair, Yasmin Panam, QUALICOAT UK & Ireland Vice Chair and Jan Lukaszewski, General Secretary, QUALICOAT UK & Ireland.
Finally, the conference allowed QUALICOAT to strengthen relationships across the supply chain. Manufacturers, coaters, and specification leaders were all under one roof and I was able to meet both long-standing partners and new contacts interested in adopting the Specification. The visibility QUALICOAT gained at such a milestone event reinforced our position in the UK market and helped demonstrate why certified architectural coatings are becoming a fundamental part of responsible façade design.
The up-to-date QUALICOAT Specification, which includes QUALICOAT 3.0, is available on request through UK & Ireland Association website, qualicoatuki.org the website also offers an up-to-date list of licensed UK and Ireland Powder Suppliers, Pre-treatment Suppliers and Applicators including the applicators who carry the Seaside class accreditation. Telephone support is available from QUALICOAT UK & Ireland Head Office in the Midlands on 0330 240 9735, the Association can also be followed on Twitter @Qualicoatuki or on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/qualicoat-uk-&-ireland.