The 14th International Workshop on Application of Electrochemical Techniques to Organic Coatings (AETOC 2026) has brought together surface treatment experts in recent days, consolidating its role as a reference forum for exploring the applications of electrochemical techniques in organic coatings. This edition was co-organized by two key partners of the European project RESINSURF: the University of Aveiro (UA) and the Portuguese Materials Society (SPM), and featured the participation of Smallmatek, who contributed their expertise to enrich a program filled with cutting-edge presentations on sustainable innovation and advanced analysis in the field.
The highlight for the RESINSURF consortium was the presentation by Rosalina Pérez, researcher at CIDETEC Surface Engineering, who showcased the project’s contribution before an audience of international experts. In her lecture, Dr. Pérez focused on anaphoretic lacquering as one of the two strategic solutions developed by RESINSURF to replace Cr(VI) in industrial surface coating processes. This highly toxic compound, classified as carcinogenic and mutagenic, is facing increasingly strict restrictions under the ECHA’s REACH regulation, aiming to protect workers’ health and reduce the industry’s environmental impact.
RESINSURF, co-funded by the Interreg Sudoe program, brings together technology centers, universities, associations, and companies from Spain, France, and Portugal in a transnational alliance to revolutionize industrial coatings. Its main goal is to replace Cr(VI)-based technologies with sustainable alternatives, thereby promoting decarbonization and competitiveness within the southwestern European industrial sector.
The Interreg Sudoe program supports innovative projects that enhance collaboration among southwestern European regions, channeling European resources toward solutions that combine technical excellence, sustainability, and shared economic growth.