The Finish Line

Shop Profile: Stephen Walters, Progressive Coating

Tim Season 2026 Episode 10

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0:00 | 21:37

Stephen Walters is CEO of Progressive Coating, a Chicago-area job shop that has evolved from a thermoplastic coating specialist into a multi-process supplier supporting automotive, electrical infrastructure, and electric vehicle markets across North America.

That performance-first mindset has guided Progressive Coatings through more than four decades of operation—and through one of the most ambitious expansion efforts in the company’s history.

Founded in the early 1980s, Progressive Coatings established its reputation with fluidized-bed thermoplastic coatings, particularly nylon, PVC, and plastisol systems, used on wire forms, springs, and industrial components. Walters purchased the company in 2006 and immediately began reinvesting in infrastructure, quality systems, and technology.

“Once I took over, we rebuilt pretty much everything here,” he says. 

Visit https://progressivecoating.com.