The CPCA Manitoba/Saskatchewan Chapter’s Spring Technical Day brought 38 members and guests to a Winnipeg hotel conference room on May 7th for a full-day focus on agricultural and grain storage polyurea applications — a segment that represents significant and growing business in both provinces. The day featured five speakers, a case study panel, and a working lunch that extended the formal program by forty minutes due to the depth of member discussion.
Opening: The Prairie Agricultural Opportunity
Chapter Chair Tom Bergmann opened by framing the agricultural market opportunity. The prairie provinces contain over 60% of Canada’s agricultural land and generate billions of dollars in annual grain handling infrastructure investment. Yet polyurea penetration in this sector remains well below what the technology’s performance warrants.
“We have members doing excellent work in ag applications — Kevin at Prairie Shield is a great example,” Tom noted (referencing our recent Prairie Shield Coatings member spotlight). “But most grain farmers, most co-ops, most agribusiness companies are still defaulting to traditional coating systems for grain storage, livestock facilities, and chemical containment. Our job is to change that.”
Session 1: Grain Storage Bin Interiors — Markets and Methods
The morning’s first technical session covered the grain storage market in depth. Speakers noted that steel bin interiors represent a massive recurring market — older bins with failing epoxy coatings from 20+ years ago are reaching the point where recoating decisions are being made across the prairies.
Technical content covered the specific challenges of bin interior work: confined space entry requirements, static electricity and explosion hazard management with grain dust residue, adhesion to steel that has experienced significant temperature cycling, and the coating performance requirements driven by the need for food safety compliance.
For context on how polyurea’s durability arguments land with agricultural clients, speakers referenced the research covered in our article on polyurea extending service life by 40+ years — an argument with obvious appeal to farmers facing capital-intensive infrastructure decisions.
Session 2: Livestock and Hog Barn Applications
The second session addressed livestock facility coatings — a challenging segment because of the chemical aggression of animal waste (ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, organic acids) and the need for seamless, cleanable, animal-safe surfaces.
Speaker and member applicator Diane Reyes from Brandon, Manitoba shared her experience with two years of polyurea installations in hog confinement facilities. Key learnings included the importance of pH neutralization of concrete before coating (animal waste creates highly acidic conditions that must be addressed or they’ll attack the coating from below), and the value of NSF certification documentation even in non-food-contact applications for client confidence.
Case Study Panel
Three CPCA members presented short case studies from recent agricultural projects, covering substrate challenges, material selection decisions, application process, and client outcomes. The format generated substantial discussion, and the chapter coordinator announced that future technical days would include at least one case study panel.
Next Events
The MB/SK Chapter’s next meeting is a fall harvest-season planning session for ag-focused applicators, scheduled for August. Details will be posted to the Events & Meetings Calendar.
The national CPCA 2026 National Conference in Calgary this October will feature ag sector content as part of the business development day — MB/SK members are strongly encouraged to attend.
Great recap of the day. My presentation on hog barn applications generated more follow-up questions than anything I’ve ever presented at a CPCA event — I think there’s a real knowledge gap in this application area. If anyone wants more detail on the pH neutralization protocols or the specific systems I’ve used, I’m happy to discuss offline.