CS @ Healthcare Design: A Showcase in the Big Easy
by Mike Delin – Business Development Manager
We’re back from another lively year at the Healthcare Design Conference + Expo, and we asked CS Business Development Manager Mike Delin to recap his experience. If you haven’t met Mike yet, read our People Spotlight piece on him here before diving into HCD 2026.
HCD 2026 in New Orleans was another successful, engaging show—as HCD always is—and I was glad to represent CS again.
This year, we showcased samples from our entire portfolio of interior and exterior solutions to demonstrate how CS helps create comprehensive healthcare environments.
Our booth was an exciting balance between aesthetic presentation and functional demonstration, featuring a beautiful Acrovyn by Design® custom-printed graphic of NOLA’s Garden District, a wall-to-ceiling installation of lighted STYX®, and sunshades with controllable LED lighting. To give attendees space to “play” in the booth, we offered operable demos of our patented Quick Lock install system, the CS HUSH Curtain®, and an Acrovyn® Doors impact tester.
Among the specific challenges driving discussion at this year’s conference was the shortage of skilled construction labor to meet the needs of current and future healthcare construction. We were glad to highlight CS solutions known for being easy for installers. Two of our product specialists, Gwynneth Montis and Trish Hershey, provided demonstrations each day of the show in HCD’s Solutions Theater.
On day one, Gwynneth and Trish demonstrated how to apply Acrovyn wall protection with trowel-on adhesive. On day two, they repeated the demo—this time with CS’ new roll-on adhesive, which installs 40% faster, provides 3x the coverage, and requires less labor.
Day three saw them presenting Quick Lock, CS’ proprietary snap-on mounting system that quickly attaches and aligns components on handrails and crash rails, reducing installation time and labor. This system is also a key component of our STYX architectural elements.
After being launched at last year’s HCD, STYX came full circle and was a huge hit again, showing newcomers the sleek aesthetic solution to invisible infrastructure, transition points, and focal areas. The attendees loved not only the Quick Lock mounting system—which STYX also uses— but also the designability of STYX’s profile, color, and lighting options.
It is impossible not to feel a sense of pride when exhibiting at HCD. Personally, I always enjoy and gain helpful perspective by talking with the architects, designers, and end users who rely on Construction Specialties to provide solutions that move the needle for patients. I am already looking forward to next year’s show in Savannah!