Nick Welton Email Address

Technical Manager and Innovation Specialist and New Business Development

Valspar is a global leader in the coatings industry providing customers with innovative, high-quality products and value-added services. Our 11,000 employees worldwide deliver advanced coatings solutions with best-in-class appearance, performance, protection and sustainability to customers in more than 100 countries. Valspar offers a broad range of superior coatings products for the consumer market, and highly-engineered solutions for the construction, industrial, packaging and transportation markets. Founded in 1806, Valspar is headquartered in Minneapolis. Valspar's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: VAL).

I am a PhD polymer scientist with 24 years industrial experience in the field of polymers and coatings. Working in strategic research, research and development, technical service and product management roles has given me the core skills required to lead a European technical team to deliver low cost solutions to satisfy customer requirements. I'm often called into teams as a technology translator as I have the ability to break down complex problems into easily implementable solutions and have a keen eye to spot opportunities for value creation. An accomplished team builder and coach whose excellent leadership and communication skills afford me the ability to link functions and draw the best out of individuals to deliver effective execution of goals. Experienced in IP management, global technology transfer and technology scouting and excited to be part of the Powderbond team, an FP7 EU funded project to develop a novel way to join dissimilar materials. I enjoy innovating and am an inventor on a number of patents. Specialities: Expert in powder coatings, processing polymers, material characterisation, polymer chemistry, product approvals, specification testing, corrosion, weathering, trouble shooting and failure analysis Broad experience of general industrial markets with specialist knowledge in FBE for oil, gas and water, architectural aluminium, ACE/heavy machinery, resilient flooring, automotive, PVC profiles, white goods and magnesium castings