colorexpert UK 2010 by Spies Hecker

colorexpert Service • Trends • Training • Management

Colour Matching colours fast and easy.

Management How to reach specific target groups. Maintaining liquidity. Worldwide Paint art.

2010/2011 Spies Hecker – simply closer.

colorexpert

Editorial

Thomas Melzer, Brand Manager International.

Achieving goals. Dear Readers, Is your company really fit for the challenges of the future? Does anyone have the time to even ask this question in the commotion of everyday bodyshop activities?

In this issue of “colorexpert”, we are therefore focusing on the various processes throughout the business. We give you concrete tips and valuable information so that you can achieve more.

To optimise your business, it is particularly important to critically review your routine and question your processes. Even minor changes can take the strain out of everyday business and boost your success. However, work processes can only be improved if they are considered in a broader context, e.g. colour identification and other processes in the bodyshop. We want to be there for you with advice and practical help, and support you with solutions tailored to your needs.

This issue again contains many examples from the field – from international Spies Hecker customers – as a source of new inspiration for you.

Optimise your business.

Thomas Melzer Brand Manager, Spies Hecker GmbH

We wish you an enjoyable read and success with your business. And do take a look at your processes from time to time – in a broader context, of course.

This involves not only the manual tasks, but also such commercial activities as customer acquisition and the systematic management of accounts receivables. Only if you are aware of your figures and keep a watchful eye on them can you stay on course for business success.

colorexpert – tips and information for bodyshops • © SPIES HECKER GMBH / 50858 Köln, Germany • Horbeller Str. 17 • E-mail: Silke.Gursch@deu.spieshecker.com • Internet: www.spieshecker.com • Responsible under the German Press Act: Karsten Jürs • Editor: Silke Gursch, Christian Simmert • Layout: Adfactory GmbH, Düsseldorf • Text: Mediaservice GmbH, Neuss • Reader: Tyrone Kirk • Translation: Tim Chafer, ExperTeam, Düsseldorf • Reproduction, even in part, only by permission of the editors. The data and information on the suitability and usage of our products are not binding and do not release the user from his responsibility to carry out his own tests on their suitability for the intended purposes and processes. The product names mentioned in the articles are predominantly registered trademarks.

Technology

Prodigious putty. With the new Spies Hecker Raderal® Special Putty Set 2011 you can reliably apply putty to highly stressed body surfaces. When repairing accident damage, bodyshops are increasingly encountering a large variety of materials such as high-strength steels. During body work in particular, these call for a wide range of repair methods that also have an effect on the nature of the substrate. Spies Hecker’s Raderal® Special Putty Set 2011 is a high-grade polyester metal putty specially designed to cover welds, gaps and rivets on steel substrates. Displaying excellent filling power, the product ensures outstanding adhesion. The Set consists of Raderal® Special Putty Powder 2011 and Raderal® Special Putty Hardener 2012, which are mixed in a ratio of 2:1 by volume.

Approval from the automotive industry. “The Raderal® Special Putty Set 2011 meets all the requirements of leading automotive manufacturers for proficient repairs,” stresses Frank Barduna, Head of Technical Service at Spies Hecker GmbH. “This way bodyshops can be sure of carrying out repairs precisely in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.” For certain body and refinishing tasks, he expects various car makers to increasingly specify the use of special putty products.

Taking the heat out of costs. Modern infrared dryers cut costs and optimise the process. Bodyshops rank amongst the businesses with especially high energy consumption. The main cost factors are not only the ventilation of the spray booth, but also the drying process itself. Starting up the dryer to temper individual body parts is particularly costly. Experts reckon it’s up to € 8 per hour of operation. In view of spiralling energy prices, it’s therefore well worth taking a close look at the drying process.

How to reduce energy costs. “With a properly thought-out process and the controlled use of IR dryers, the bodyshop can cut its electricity costs,” says Spies Hecker specialist Wolfgang Feyrer. Because energy consumption is almost 70% lower compared to the convective drying of individual body parts. “For an

hour of operation of the IR dryer, we estimate about € 1.50 for energy. The cost of mechanical ventilation has to be added to this.” A considerable cost advantage for the bodyshop.

Material Putty Surfacer Primer Waterborne base coat Top coat Clear coat Surfacer on plastic Top coat on plastic Clear coat on plastic

Minutes 2-3 3-7 5-8 2-4 6-10 5-10 7-10 15-18 15-18

The listed times refer to the IRT Hyperion PcAuto series. Source: IRT

colorexpert

Products

Low-key is all the rage. Silver, black, white and grey – for the paintwork of their vehicles, car purchasers worldwide go for unassuming colours. among car owners the world over, with blue and red claiming places five and six globally.

More shades, greater variety.

World car colour: Silver 25% Black 23% White 16% Grey 13% Blue 9% Red 8% Brown / Beige 4% Green 1% Yellow / Gold 1% Others 1%

Silver, grey, white and black are the most popular car colours around the world – this is one of the results of the DuPont Global Color Popularity Report 2009. All the same, even if colour preferences are converging on the global scale, there are still regional differences. While white heads the pack in North America, the trend colour typical of the iPod and its ilk only ranks fifth in Europe. Here it is black that leads the field, closely followed by silver and grey. Colourful paintwork is also popular

Matt elegance. A gentle shimmer and a noble appearance – there’s a trend towards matt finishes. Reserved elegance rather than a high-gloss extravaganza – a car that catches the eye. A current example of a series matt finish is the special CLS Grand Edition model from Mercedes-Benz. What makes the colour “designo magno platin” different is its elegant matt finish. “Special series with equally special paintwork and new effects often call for a special refinishing process,” claims Frank Barduna, Head of Technical Service International at Spies Hecker. For Mercedes, new Permasolid® Matt Component MA 110 is mixed with Permasolid® HS Clear Coat 8030 in a ratio of 75:25% or 70:30%. “This way the refinisher achieves a uniform matting effect. The degree of gloss can be effectively adapted to the original paintwork by varying the mixing ratio accordingly.” Paint system information with detailed user instructions on partial and full resprays helps the refinisher to achieve the optimal matt effect.

Looking ahead, black, white and silver are set to be permanent fixtures on the 2010 agenda. “Thanks to the use of new pigments, traditional OEM colours are being given new effects and a variety of intermediate shades,” explains Elke Dirks, Color Designer Europe at DuPont Performance Coatings. A trend that Spies Hecker is already responding to in the vehicle refinish sector. “Spies Hecker is offering new special mixing colours to ensure that the latest OEM colours can be repaired. To make this possible, the latest effect pigments such as ColorStream or Xirallic pigments are being used,” Frank Barduna of Spies Hecker stresses. “These are necessary for the perfect replication of effect colours from series production.”

Marketing

Catching the customer! No two customers are alike – how to reach specific target groups.

Attracting new customers calls for specialised strategies. If you want to appeal to private customers, leasing companies, fleets, insurance companies or dealerships, you have to speak their language.

First analyse … Investigate your bodyshop’s potential and your options. What services do you offer? What do you do best and match these with your customer base? Basically, it’s a question of finding out where your strengths are.

… and then off you go! So you know the target groups you want to appeal to? Fine. Now develop suitable advertising activities and messages. Whatever form they take – ads, flyers or mailings – the refinishing business should always stress the services that are important for individual customer groups. For example, vehicle preparation can be of special importance to company customers in terms of cutting costs when leased vehicles are returned.

Marketing for commercial customers. For companies, vehicle fleets and leasing companies, it is the bodyshop’s professional image that counts. A mailing with an attractive company brochure or an overview of services will stimulate interest. Gather information beforehand about potential customers and don’t forget to respond to their fleet size and distance from your bodyshop, and include a special offer in your letter or face-to-face communication.

Dealerships, fleets, etc. As a professional service provider you have to stress your strong service orientation, high flexibility, impeccable quality and warranties. The central requirement that your bodyshop has to meet is cost-effective repairs.

Winning over insurers. Expertise and efficiency are demanded. Swift, professional claim management, accurate costing and electronic claim handling are the focus of your message.

Private customers. For private customers as well, active and targeted customer acquisition is important. The 50+ generation, for instance, appreciates a high standard of service, transparency, reliability, and a fixed contact. Families appreciate child-friendly waiting areas and the pick-up and drop-off service. Keeping to estimates and precise information on the business’s services help to establish the private customer’s confidence in your bodyshop.

colorexpert

Practice

Noble and powerful. Purist, potent and personalised – Wiesmann sports cars are hand-crafted one-offs in a noble guise.

Flowing forms, impressive proportions and striking details – sports cars and micro-series are popular. And they have one thing in common: They are tailormade unique specimens and come from small but accomplished car manufacturers. Like Wiesmann. Whenever the roadsters and GTs from the Wiesmann factory turn up, they catch the eye. Each vehicle is a hand-crafted, one-off. 350 working hours, up to eight weeks for manufacture – and the dream of a personalised sports car comes true.

Exclusive bodywork. The bodies for roadsters and GTs are given their individualistic paint finish in the German paintshop of Ralf Buran, a long-standing Spies Hecker partner. His business has put a shine on over 300 sports cars since 2003. For the entire paint system, highly developed Spies Hecker products are employed. The car “manufactory” supplies the vehicle parts made of glass-reinforced plastic to the paintshop. There the components are tempered for nine to ten hours and sanded, and then putty is applied. Ralf Buran’s team reaches again and again for the orbital sander, applying putty and primer surfacer until the curves are perfect.

Personal choice of colours. Be they exclusive effects, unobtrusive shades or powerful colours, it is the Wiesmann customer himself who decides on the colour of his car. “For this we apply sample finishes to a panel that the buyer examines, selects and approves,” explains business owner Ralf Buran. “So that the car’s paintwork is always in line with current trends, we coordinate new colours with Martin and

Friedhelm Wiesmann personally.” He is supported in this by Spies Hecker. Technicians and employees of the Color Service are on hand in the background when it comes to putting extravagant customer requests into practice.

Painting with passion. Then painter Devid Ruppert and his team get down to work. Piece by piece, each pre-treated part is painted with Spies Hecker Permahyd® Base Coat Series 280/285. Be it a two- or threestage finish, and however individualistic the car and choice of colour, the unique finish is applied with loving attention to detail. After the top coat, the team sprays the film of clear coat with concentration and care to give each vehicle part a glossy finish. Overall, the 20 employees at Buran’s paintshop take over 120 working hours for the paintwork – excluding drying time. Finally, the parts of the body are returned to Wiesmann’s car factory, ready for assembly into a shiny new vehicle.

The Spies Hecker paint system for Wiesmann. • Raderal® Glass Fibre Putty 2507 • Raderal® Primer Surfacer 3508 new • Permasolid® HS Premium Surfacer 5310 • Permahyd® Base Coat Series 280/285 • Permasolid® HS Clear Coat 8035

Photos: Wiesmann

colorexpert

System solution

Permafleet®, a formidable paint system. Anyone using the Spies Hecker Permafleet® product system can be sure of a cost-effective solution, whatever the requirements. • A product system from the primer to the clear coat, balanced throughout, and reliable and easy to apply. • Adaptable to the varying requirements of commercial vehicle refinishing, high mechanical and chemical resistance, non-slip, elastic, and suitable for different substrates. • Three grades to choose from: High Class for extremely high-grade three- and four-stage finishes by using Permafleet® HS Bus Surfacer 5530; the Top System for cost-effective three- and four-stage commercial vehicle paintwork applied wet-on-wet; and Economy for efficient clear over base finishes. • Different degrees of gloss and textured surfaces are also possible. • Faster drying of individual paint films during multi-stage finishing. • Comprehensive service: customised consultations, paint system recommendations and training.

Always a solution. High-power service for heavy goods vehicles. Brixner opts for Permafleet®. The commercial vehicles at the Brixner family business in Germany are painted with the Spies Hecker Permafleet® paint system. The firm has been specialising in the repair and surface coating of heavy goods vehicles such as horse boxes, semi-trailers, grain transporter vehicles, and special-purpose and local-authority service vehicles since 1963. “The system is designed for simple and swift handling. We’re impressed by its flexibility,”

the entrepreneur reports. Profitability is top priority. “We’ve been able to effectively optimize our labour and material costs as we can apply the paint in different grades.” Brixner uses special Permafleet® paint system components for differing requirements and standards of finished paintwork. For the painting of commercial vehicles, the refinishing experts also rely on support from Spies Hecker: “The customised

consultations, flexible product system and helpful documentation ensure a high standard of process security and quality.” Even though the HGVs have to be back on the road at the double.

Manufacturer: Assmann GmbH, Germany. Paintwork: Karosserie + Lack Brixner GmbH, Germany.

Services for commercial vehicles. • Repairs • Sandblasting • Box and refrigerator bodies • Frame alignment for large vehicles • Painting (commercial vehicle painting unit for vehicles up to 16 m long)

Impressively versatile. The Cranen Fleetservice B.V. bodyshop in Heeswijk-Dinther (The Netherlands) has been repairing trucks, buses, chassis and commercial vehicles since 1967. For these jobs, business owner Bob Cranen has consciously chosen the Permafleet® commercial vehicle paint system. “The painting of large surfaces calls for an extremely versatile product system. The paint system’s broad range simply offers plenty of options. By accurately mixing the materials, we can adapt quickly and precisely to different coating requests and realise different surface qualities to perfection. It’s really impressive!”

Perfectly equipped. The right colour tools and working aids equip you perfectly for the painting of commercial vehicles. ColorDialog spectro. The Spies Hecker spectrophotometer for digital identification of house colours and OEM commercial vehicle paintwork – ideally used together with the CRplus colour software.

Permafleet® Color Index.

Permafleet® System Poster.

3,000 colours on 28 extra-large colour chips document all widely encountered truck, standard and house colours, with colour codes on the reverse for rapidly finding the colour mixing formula.

Top coat, substrate and mixing ratios – all the fields of application at a glance on a poster. This gives you greater assurance when processing and applying Permafleet® materials.

Color Mix Master.

Permafleet® Mixing Ratio Disc.

CRplus. The right colour formula is yielded by the Spies Hecker colour software CRplus, with comprehensive data on over 3,000 colours for commercial vehicle finishes. Extra functions include materials management, an overview of stocks and orders, and user management.

Making colour tinting easier – with this overview, refinishers can quickly select the right mixing colours when refinishing commercial vehicles.

A single twist, and you’ve got the precise mixing ratio for hardener and reducer. It couldn’t be simpler.

ColorDialog spectro: from colour me 10 golden rules. 1. Calibrate the device. The user is prompted to regularly calibrate the ColorDialog spectro with the black box and white tile.

2. The surface must be clean. Clean the surface with Permaloid® Silicone Remover 7010 and polish the area that’s going to be measured.

Preparations.

The step-by-step procedure.

Damaged car.

Transfer the reading to the PC.

Create a shortlist of hits by entering the manufacturer, code and paint type.

Double-check with a sample panel.

• Stick a small panel onto a large

Identify the colour in the immediate proximity of the damage.

piece of paper.

• Make generous use of the paper surface during painting.

• Use the same painting process as on the vehicle. Produce a sample panel with the selected mixing formulation.

• The sample panel must be vertical during painting.

3. The surface must be level. The measured surface must be level. RIGHT

6. Light conditions during colour measurement. The ambient light is irrelevant during colour measurement.

WRONG

7. Colour search. By entering the manufacturer, colour code and paint type, you can create a shortlist of hits. 8. Sample panel for colour comparison. A sample panel should always be produced. 4. Temperature conditions for calibration and measurement. The temperature and humidity should be identical during device calibration and use. 5. Measure the colour. Each colour reading requires three measurements.

9. Care and protection of the device. When not in use, the optical measuring head must always be protected with its cover on. 10. Operating the device. Press the Operate button to switch the device on. The colorimeter switches itself off automatically after a certain time on standby.

In the list of hits, the formulation with the closest match is listed first.

Obtain details of the mixing formulation.

Use the computer scales to mix the selected formulation.

Compare the sample panel to the vehicle.

Apply the mixed paint.

Satisfied customer.

Spies Hecker â&#x20AC;&#x201C; simply closer.

ems-p.eu

asurement to the mixing formulation.

colorexpert

Efficiency

Lean thinking benefits everyone. Concept focuses on the most effective ways of giving value to your customers.

Gary Steele, Muradi’s Lean expert.

With support from Programme Partner, Muradi, bodyshops in the UK are embracing Lean thinking and incorporating the principles to make their businesses more efficient and profitable. The basic idea of lean is simple. It is that the organisation should be focused on the most effective way of producing value for their customers. An organisation using lean will approach this challenge by: applying five basic lean principles; concentrating on understanding waste and value in its operation and training staff who do and manage the work to act as improvement teams to bring about change.

The five principles are: Value: Value is what the customer wants and it requires a precise understanding of the needs of the customer. It is said that up to 95% of process activities are supportive or non-value adding. Value Stream: These activities, when done correctly and in the right order, produce the product or service the customer values. A lean organisation traces and manages all activities in the organisation that deliver value. Flow: In a lean organisation, work should flow steadily and without interruption from one value adding or supporting activity to the next. Where appropriate, flow significantly speeds the process and every effort should be made to eliminate obstacles and bottlenecks that prevent flow. Pull: The system should react to customer demand. In non-lean organisations, work is pushed through the system at the convenience of the operators and so produce outputs that are not required. Perfection: As the first four principles are implemented, organisations should understand the system ever better and from this understanding should be able to generate ideas for more improvement. A lean system becomes yet leaner and faster and waste is ever easier to identify. A perfect process delivers just the right

amount of value to the customer. In a perfect process every step is value adding, delivering a good result every time. Drawing on the expertise of Muradi, CUI in the UK has established a Lean Academy and the first group of bodyshop Lean Champions are now halfway through the programme. The Lean Champions programme is designed as an entry level to the Lean Coach programme which focuses on the individuals who are tasked with improving the quality, cost and delivery performance within a bodyshop environment. The approach during these workshops is very interactive and focused on effective learning and therefore uses a wide variety of exercises, case studies, puzzles, group discussions and varied media, personal and group work as well as presentations. In some cases the Champion’s own businesses will host a module of the programme so that delegates can make use of the workplace. Charles Williams of C & P Panelcraft says that Lean thinking is a slow burning process which benefits the whole organisation and carries a real potential to significantly increase profits. He describes it as “very thought provoking and fascinating stuff. There’s waste in every facet of the organisation and in odd places you might not think of.” His feeling that there’s an even greater need to run a company lean in times of recession is echoed by James Gore of Adamsons. “Because you’re running a successful business you think you are doing it all correctly, but then you realise you’re not. Lean shows you what you don’t know and opens your eyes. It teaches you to manage your processes effectively.” Finally, Steve Walker agrees that Lean can transform a business. “Even if you use just half of what you learn, you will benefit.”

Examples of how Lean can bring improvements. Waste & definition.

Administrative example.

Production example.

Transport Moving items and cars unnecessarily.

• Parts department remote from the workshop, requiring additional logistics.

• Moving a car back into the parking lot because a spare part has not arrived as expected.

• Mobile Estimates. Inventory An excess of stock and work in progress.

• In-trays piled high with work to do. • Stationary over spend.

• The number of courtesy cars in your fleet. The amount of vehicles on site that you do not have the capacity to start working on. • Consummables over spend.

Motion Unnecessary movement of people

• The fax machine position at the other end of the office to the clerk booking in jobs.

• Cluttered layout of work bay that means the tool box you access all day is located on the back wall.

Waiting Any delay in the process that stops value adding steps happening

• Making multiple attempts to contact a customer to book their car in.

• Delays in the supply of spare parts from your supplier.

• Estimate delayed for authorisation.

• Vehicles sat with nothing happening to them.

Over Production Pushing more work to the downstream activities than they can accept.

• In-trays piled high with ‘work to do’.

• Too many cars stripped, waiting for the panel department to repair.

Over Processing or inappropriate systems Doing more work than is needed or double handling information.

• An admin clerk completing a policy holders details in the management system, only for the same details to be entered into the estimating system by a different clerk.

• Polishing the whole vehicle, when you only need do the panels that have been painted.

Defects Scrap / rejects, reworks, inspection.

• Supplements and re-working on estimate.

• Painting a job more than once.

Untapped Human Potential Not utilising staff to their full potential.

• Concentrating on number of estimates, not quality of output.

• Bodyshop manager continually ‘fighting fires’ and not developing the technicians capabilities.

• Cars to book in that production can not receive.

• Uncovering an issue at final QC, not as vehicle is moved between disciplines.

colorexpert

Bodyshops

Quality is a way of life. Staff at Porsche-approved SL Restoration take pride in their work. SL Restoration, based near Gatwick Airport in Sussex, is in the business of repairing prestige vehicles. The company is a Porsche Centre Approved Body Repairer as well as having a long term appointment as a Mercedes-Benz Certified Collision Repair Facility and Audi and VW Group approval. Committed CUI members, the business was established in the late 1970s by Colin and Pamela White and is now owned by their four sons Tom, Ben, Nick and Oliver.

SL has invested heavily in equipment and training and the spacious premises have recently undergone a major refurbishment with a reception area that epitomises the company’s quality image. Evidence of the company’s complete confidence in the quality of its work comes in the form of a CCTV system linked to a large TV screen in the reception. This means that owners can sit in comfort and watch their cars being repaired. Tom White, Managing Director, explains how this complements the company’s attention to detail and customer service. “Our customers love their cars. They are real enthusiasts who love to get involved. So many of our customers do come in and watch what’s happening.” Not many bodyshops would show this level of confidence in their staff and processes. “Quality isn’t just a buzzword here, it’s a way of life,” says Tom, “Working on prestigious vehicles isn’t a race. Nobody earns a bonus for speed here. We are a true specialist and pride ourselves on our work.” He adds, “Because we specialise in prestige cars, we can have confidence in our knowledge of the cars we’re repairing and the needs of the customers who own them.”

At the cutting edge. RMB use everything at their disposal to ensure the very highest standards.

North-east based RMB Automotive Limited was established around seven years ago, when owner and managing director, Robert Bennett, acquired two Toyota centres, a Lexus centre and a Mercedes bodyshop. The 11,000 square metre bodyshop, in Yarm near Darlington has recently undergone a major investment in a refurbishment programme to transform it into a high quality, well-equipped centre, complete with aluminium bay. The bodyshop, RMB Prestige Accident Repair Centre, repairs an average of 200+ vehicles a month, has retained the Mercedes approval (which dates back twenty years) and has added Toyota and Lexus. The company is also at an advanced stage with other prestige vehicle marques. Robert comments, “We do work for insurance companies but we are opting to go the route of manufacturer approvals. I think the vehicle manufacturers genuinely have the interest of their customers at heart and set standards which our clients expect and deserve”.

An important part of Robert’s plans for the future has been to achieve PAS 125 which completed in April. “Training is an expensive element of the process and that’s why being part of CUI has been important to us. The company has made full use of assistance from Programme Partner, John Chapman to identify and implement staff training, his experience has been invaluable.” The bodyshop manager, Terry Walker, joined RMB at the beginning of the year and in that short time has doubled the turnover. He explains, “My goals are straightforward. To keep the quality of our work high so that cars go out repaired to the exacting standards of the manufacturers we represent. It’s also important to make sure that our greatest asset, our staff, are motivated and focused.” As part of the upgrade, the decision was taken to switch to Spies Hecker refinish systems. Terry says the Paint Technicians like working with Spies Hecker as it’s a quality product and easy to work with.

Robert concludes, “I think that standards are going to continue to be driven up by the vehicle manufacturers and our customers, which is why we must use everything at our disposal to ensure we are at the cutting edge of our industry”.

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Relationships

Back in the brand.

Tyrone Kirk, Spies Hecker UK brand manager.

Big push and plenty of ideas from Tyrone Kirk. 2010 looks set to be an exciting year for the Spies Hecker brand and the CUI network, consolidating many existing projects designed to support and assist member businesses as well as the development of new programmes and initiatives aimed at achieving sustained profitability. Leading the resurgence of the Spies Hecker brand and the CUI network is Tyrone Kirk. Until recently Tyrone has been involved within other projects within the DuPont organisation, however, he is delighted to now be able to focus his efforts exclusively on the Spies Hecker brand and CUI and its members. “I intend to roll back the years with our ‘simply closer’ approach” he told Color Expert. “The people at the heart of our business are the refinishers who use Spies Hecker paint and the bodyshop owners who have chosen to retain a special relationship with us over the years.”

He continued, “One of the great things about being free to concentrate on Spies Hecker and CUI is that I will be able to visit bodyshop premises. This will help develop even closer relationships with important Spies Hecker customers and will enable me to discuss members’ future requirements with them.” Tyrone explains that the Spies Hecker Training Centre at Stevenage is a valuable asset. “We are planning a comprehensive training programme for 2010. We’ve just completed a two-day apprentice training which was free of charge to CUI member bodyshops.” A new course designed to help technicians achieve the ATA accreditation has just been launched to aiding bodyshops wishing to achieve PAS 125. Tyrone is constantly seeking new Programme Partners for the CUI network, companies able to offer a further dimen-

Satisfied VW customers. Customer service feedback sees CUI bodyshops in Top Ten. The expertise and professionalism of the CUI bodyshop network has been recognised by the Volkswagen Group UK Ltd Paint and Body League Table. No less than three CUI bodyshops feature in this prestigious league table thanks to providing exceptional levels of customer service. The scores are based on the feed back from customers of the VW Paint & Body Centres. The three CUI members to make it into the list are Steve Walkers Bodyshop, K J Rule & Son and Gillibrand Accident Repair Centre. Spies Hecker UK brand manager, Tyrone Kirk, commented, “This is an outstanding achievement by these three CUI members. It illustrates the determination of the network to improve the quality and professionalism of their businesses.” He adds, “The CUI package of business support partners, with expertise in areas such as lean thinking, HR and marketing is proven to assist bodyshops to enhance their levels of customer satisfaction.”

sion to the range of business support available to help bodyshops improve their professionalism and profitability. “The quality of the CUI network in the UK is beyond question. The fact that the Volkswagen Group has included three of our members in the league of the UK’s top ten bodyshops based on customer feedback, is a good example of this.” The most recently included Programme Partner is a company called Specialist Waste Recycling that can help companies to recycle 75 % of the waste they produce, meaning bodyshops can prove their green credentials to work providers, local authorities and customers. “We have plenty of plans in the pipeline that will hopefully continue to enhance our special relationship with customers including the fantastic Colors in Cologne event which everyone in the UK is looking forward to.”

UK News

Keeping in contact. The virtual art of communication. At a recent Inspiration and Education Day held at Stevenage, those delegates unable to physically attend could participate in the meeting from their desks in front of a computer screen. To take part all bodyshops had to do was log-in via a straightforward process and then they could watch live transmission of the event and, during the question and answer session, type any question they wished to ask into a display window which was sent to the meeting co-ordinator. These questions were then directed at the speakers who could offer an immediate response. One customer unable to attend on the day was Steve Walker, from Steve Walkers Bodyshop in West Lothian Scotland. Steve commented, “Joining in the live webcam from Scotland and being able to participate in the Q & A session was extremely worthwhile and enjoyable. An excellent business tool.” Noel Clough, area sales manager, agreed that the web cam proved a great success. He said, “I can see this concept growing, allowing us to reach out to members who are unable to take part in person at our meetings and events.”

Aston Martin plans for the future. Luxury car maker recommends Spies Hecker throughout the world. Famous British luxury car marque, Aston Martin, has extended its relationship with Spies Hecker as a preferred paint supplier to all of its approved bodyshops. For a prestige car manufacturer such as Aston Martin, paint quality is of prime importance both in the original production line finish and in refinishing. Over the years, Spies Hecker products have consistently achieved the high quality standards demanded by Aston Martin. Aston Martin will recommend Spies Hecker products to its dealers and approved bodyshop repair centres throughout the world.

Paintwork guarantee re-launch. Repair warranty offers a great deal to customers and bodyshops. The Colorgarant lifetime paintwork repair warranty has just been re-launched in the UK. Bodyshops are now able to purchase copies of the warranty folder, which is given to the customer following a repair. The folder includes a two-part Repair Certificate that is completed with customer details, repair description and other information. As part of the terms and conditions of Colorgarant, vehicle owners need to return to the bodyshop for an annual check up, so there’s a positive opportunity to offer additional related services. The UK has teamed up with a company called Interactive Marketing that offers a cost effective service that contacts customers by telephone to remind them to book their cars in for the yearly inspection.

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Training

Getting into training. The Stevenage Training Centre hosts courses for all levels of ability.

The Spies Hecker Training Centre at Stevenage is a busy place, with a wide range of activities offered to Spies Hecker users, from courses for apprentices through to the advanced technician training. The apprentice training is aimed at body and paint technicians or junior staff requiring an introduction to paint technology and paint shop working practices. Its aim is to enable delegates to gain an understanding of paint processes and the requirements of the modern bodyshops via a mixture of theory and practical exercises. At a recent course, Kevin Welling, the Spies Hecker training centre manager guided delegates through the range of products, product development and their application and preparation whilst Tyrone Kirk talked about marketing techniques, colour development and colour perception. They were supported by two representatives from SATA who demonstrated spray gun operation as well as air breathing equipment. Delegates from Doseley Motors, John Aldridge and Castle Coachworks attended the course and all felt they had learned a great deal and enjoyed the variety of the individual trainers teaching styles. Ian Joynson from Doseley Motors said, “I am very impressed with the technology at the Spies Hecker training centre, the state-of-the-art facilities and clean working environment. I was unaware of how many products DuPont as a company are involved in and the technology behind them. It’s good to know that this similar technology is behind the Spies Hecker paint brand.” As well as assistance for those entering the body repair industry, the Training Centre also provides training for those technicians at various stages of their skill levels as well as the ultimate, the ATA accreditation.

Technicians need to gain the ATA accreditation if their bodyshop is to achieve PAS 125 and the British Standard’s Kitemark. There is a general shortage of places available for technicians wishing to prepare for this tough qualification which makes the assessment course offered for Spies Hecker users so valuable. Two levels are available, that of Paint Technician and Senior Paint Technician. The assessment covers both the necessary practical assessments as well as the underpinning knowledge test. It’s not just end users who have put themselves through the accreditation process. All 24 DPC sales and technical staff attended specially arranged sessions. The result is that all the staff are now fully qualified as Senior Paint Technicians and able to offer valuable extra services to refinishers across the country. Kevin Welling explained, “Field staff were enthusiastic about gaining ATA qualifications. It is very important for them to pass through the Academy, undergo the ATA process as their customers would and be able to use that experience to help bodyshop staff get their own award.”

The Stevenage centre is able to conduct this work as it has been accredited as an ATA centre for refinishing. The staff, premises and processes have been rigorously tested by assessors from the Institute of the Motor Industry and now, for the first time, refinishers using any paint brand can obtain their Paint Technician or Senior Paint Technician at the centre. The Centre has appointed dedicated ATA coordinators, invigilators and sufficient assessors to have one available for every three candidates taking their ATA.

Kevin Welling, training centre manager.

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Management

Dealing with debtors. How bodyshops can stay solvent even in challenging times. Accounts receivable are steadily growing and customers are taking longer to pay. All of a sudden, the business has cash-flow problems. Before the bodyshop gets into serious difficulties, business management skills are called for. With systematic accounts-receivables management and forward-looking liquidity planning.

Direct payment from private customers. The key is to keep the periods for payment short. Private customers in particular should be asked to pay on the spot. Whether in cash or by credit card, where small sums are concerned, immediate payment is essential. If after extensive repairs the customer insists on transferring the sum later, a downpayment or instalments can be agreed.

Maintaining liquidity. • • • • • •

On-the-spot payment of small sums. Agree on automatic debit transfer rather than remittance. Regularly check accounts receivable and liabilities. Keep an eye on the monthly upper limit for accounts receivables. Enforce a reminder system for debtors. Reach agreement with defaulting customers on debt repayment plans or part payments.

As a general rule, automatic debit transfer should be preferred to remittance. This way you have more control over account entries. In the case of new customers, a check of their credit standing by the bank reduces the risk of default. Cash discounts and extra benefits in the event of cash payment create further incentives for direct payment by private customers.

A watchful eye. If you do work for dealerships, insurance companies and leasing companies, payment can be speeded up with management of accounts receivable. An ongoing check of outstanding payments and liabilities helps to keep track of the business’s financial situation. The level of accounts receivable becomes critical when it exceeds the average monthly credit sales of the previous year – a warning signal before insolvency threatens. One rule of thumb for calculation is to add the accounts receivable from January to December and divide by twelve. This yields the business’s average monthly accounts receivable. For the average monthly credit sales, divide the total annual sales of credit customers by twelve. Now compare the two sums. The average monthly accounts receivable must not exceed the average monthly credit sales. If this monthly upper limit for accounts receivable is exceeded, action has to be taken. Letters of reminder, arranging meetings with defaulting customers to agree on debt repayment or part payments, and cash discounts on supplier invoices help to improve liquidity. Obviously, you will only stay solvent if you are prepared to consistently chase up debtors.

Products

Complete confidence. Product solutions, service and training – car manufacturers worldwide rely on Spies Hecker paint systems. Vehicle refinishing calls for specialised knowledge and product solutions. And it is not only bodyshops, service centres and dealership networks that rely on Spies Hecker, but the automotive industry as well. Spies Hecker is improving efficiency in the workshop network of General Motors Europe (GME). An important element of this partnership is a European framework agreement. This covers the use of advanced paint systems and the optimisation of work processes plus practical training and consultations for workshops by Spies Hecker experts on site. Car maker Ford has also extended its successful longstanding cooperation with Spies Hecker. Along with the cost-effective product systems from the Cologne-based paint manufacturer, Ford Central & Eastern Europe is also opting for practical and highly professional Spies Hecker training. In concrete terms, this means that body and paint centres in over 30 countries of the Eastern European, North African, and Near and Middle Eastern regions will now be using Spies Hecker product systems for the repair of damaged Ford vehicles.

Extra flexibility. New binders for industrial coatings: How you can flexibly paint different surface textures with the Permaflex product system.

With the Permaflex industrial coating system, different paint textures and degrees of gloss can be realised on numerous different substrates. Whether the coating has to be highly elastic or hard-wearing, “with the Permaflex system, the bodyshop can satisfy any customer request,” explains Arno Steyns, Spies Hecker expert. Three new binders inject extra flexibility into the system.

Iron mica.

Acrylic Plus.

Permaflex Iron Mica Binder 510 delivers extremely long-term protection from corrosion and has high scratch resistance. “It also creates a rough matt finish and a tough surface,” Arno Steyns explains. It is designed specifically for the painting of objects such as shopfitting elements, railings and benches.

Permaflex Acrylic Plus Binder 575 is extra light-fast. Arno Steyns: “This binder is intended particularly for the painting of elements exposed to strong UV radiation, e.g. window frames and plastic covers.”

Stone Impact Protection Paint 515. Permaflex Stone Impact Protection Paint 515 is highly elastic and resistant to mechanical stressing, and gives surfaces extra protection from stone impact damage. Its speciality is the coating of large surfaces, e.g. large appliances and chassis.

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Process optimisation

IDENTICA Hans Hoffmann, Germany.

Many tasks, one workplace. All-in-one. Multifunctional workplaces help to simplify painting processes and save energy. Every refinisher knows that the spray booth is the bottleneck in the bodyshop during everyday operations. This is where a backlog can build up and where things can get tight when add-on part finishes, minor paint repairs and full resprays are all waiting to be done. So maybe it’s worthwhile taking a closer look at work processes in the bodyshop. Does every part really have to go into the spray booth? “If you can organise your work process according to the type of job, you can distribute repair jobs efficiently in the workshop,” says a confident Wolfgang Feyrer. What the Spies Hecker expert means is better organisation of bodyshop processes. Spot repairs and partial resprays can be handled at a multifunctional workplace. “The spray booth is then available solely for large-area and full resprays.” This way the business can manage its workload more efficiently.

The right equipment. But what does “multifunctional” mean? The principle is simple: At the workplace, not only the preparatory work such as

putty and surfacer application is carried out, but also base coat and clear coat application. Drying and hardening as well as cleaning up can also be performed at one and the same place. “Powerful ventilation, a vehicle lift and modern IR technology are essential items of equipment of the enclosed workplace,” Wolfgang Feyrer explains. “Minor repairs and the partial respray of vertical surfaces such as doors, sidewalls and mudguards can then be efficiently carried out.” The bodyshop reserves its large-area coating work for the spray booth.

Simply working faster. “This form of repair organisation shortens the overall process by 25%,” Spies Hecker estimates. It’s drying that makes the biggest contribution. “Thanks to infrared technology, the base coat and clear coat dry and harden much faster. Time spent on set-up in the spray booth and shunting vehicles back and forth are eliminated as well.” The bodyshop speeds up its processes and can increase its throughput, curtail the time vehicles are off the road and organise its jobs better.

Cutting energy consumption. At the multifunctional workplace, energy use is more efficient. Because drying with IR heaters reduces consumption. “When infrared drying is used on minor repairs and partial resprays, costs are cut as a result of the shorter process times,” Wolfgang Feyrer explains. “Compared to the drying of individual body parts in the booth, energy input is minimal.”

“A rethink is worthwhile.” Wolfgang Feyrer on the benefits of multifunctional workplaces in the workshop. Who can benefit from this approach? Setting up a multifunctional workplace is always a decision taken locally with the specific aim of optimising processes in the business. Refinishers who want to boost their throughput or work more efficiently should take a look at this approach. However, implementation mustn’t be at the expense of existing capacity in the preparation area. Such a strategy may therefore only be planned in connection with an extension of the workshop area. Another important point to bear in mind beforehand is compliance with regulations in the various countries of Europe. Does this mean a change in working methods? Obviously the processes are different and demand greater care. This calls for a rethink in the workshop. First of all you have to decide whether or not the damage can be repaired outside the spray booth. At the multifunctional workplace, a single refinisher should be responsible for handling the entire repair job – from the preparatory work through to clean-up. Process times are shortened. Right, by roughly a quarter. This is mainly because of infrared drying. The technology isn’t new, but it’s undergoing constant refinement and really comes into its own at the multifunctional workplace. In concrete terms this means that drying time for base coat application is reduced by 60% and for clear coat by as much as 70%. These are impressive figures. A rethink is worthwhile. Thank you for the interview.

Wolfgang Feyrer, Spies Hecker expert.

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Practice

Phoenix from the ashes. While calling for passion and enthusiasm, the restoration of old vehicles can also be painstaking, time-consuming and nerve-racking. An absolute must is special skills when it comes to applying the paint system.

Be it a Jaguar E-Type V12 sports car of 1971, an Opel Admiral of 1938 or a Rolls-Royce 20/25 of 1933 – the expert repair of such old gems demands the full complement of specialist knowledge and practical skills from bodyshop professionals. Because the right treatment of the substrate and a precise paint system are particularly important for the restoration of such automotive classics.

The right preparation. To give bodyshops optimal support during the efficient preparation of Admirals, Rolls-Royces and the like, Spies Hecker has put together special VOC-compliant paint recommendations for the restoration of old vehicles – from grinding and putty application through to surfacer and paint application – in a neat and compact presentation. “The Technical Data Sheets explain each step in the process in detail and give precise technical instructions on correct product use,” explains Frank Barduna from Technical Service. “These resources give the user a greater assurance of immaculate results when repairing sand-blasted or bare vehicle bodies.”

Off with the old paint. Restoring the vehicle to its former glory starts with the preliminary work. The old paintwork first has to be removed down to the bare substrate and rusted areas have to be ground right down. Frank Barduna: “Then the body has to be orbital-sanded with grit P150 to P180, all the dust removed and the surface cleaned with a suitable Permaloid® cleaner and silicone remover.”

Well protected. Now it’s the turn of the surfacer and putty. After priming with Priomat® Wash Primer 4075 in two coats followed by 30 minutes for flash-off, Permasolid® HS Vario Surfacer 8590 is applied to the full surface. Once the surfacer has dried, surface irregularities can be sanded off, using the orbital sander with P180 to P240. “After this, the whole body is cleaned with a suitable silicone remover.” Now the putty is applied. The expert recommends Raderal® IR Premium Putty 2035 for this. After drying, the refinisher has to sand the full surface with an orbital sander, flat-bed sander or sanding block with grit P80 to P150, using P120 to P240 for meticulous end-sanding. Care must be taken when sanding the putty, as any spots that have been sanded through have to be treated again with primer and surfacer, and re-sanded.

A gleam come true. When the surface has been cleaned again with a suitable silicone remover, the surfaces and irregularities have to be smoothed. To this end, apply Raderal® Spray Polyester 3508, followed by drysanding (orbital sander with P150 to P180, with corners and edges treated by hand) and careful end-sanding (with P240). Then blow the surface again and clean thoroughly. Again, treat any sandedthrough spots with primer and surfacer, and sand them. “When the surfacer has dried, the Permasolid® HS Vario Surfacer 8590 is

sanded with the orbital sander using P400 or P500,” explains Frank Barduna. “After blowing several times and thorough cleaning with silicone remover, the top coat can be applied. For this you can use Spies Hecker Permahyd® Series 280/285, for instance.” The times for flash-off between coats and at the end must always be observed. The Spies Hecker professional: “In doing so, it is essential that the refinisher takes account of the surface and ambient air conditions in the bodyshop.” As the last step, the clear coat is applied, e.g. Permasolid® 2K HS Clear Coat.

Frank Barduna, Technical Service.

To wind things up, clean up the vehicle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the beautiful old vehicle is as shiny as new!

1933 Rolls-Royce 20/ 25, Autolakk A/ S, Norway.

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Worldwide

Ines Braun in the Butterfly Garden.

Paint on the wing. The Butterfly Garden of the Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn in Bendorf near Koblenz, Germany, is an environment with high humidity, high temperatures, birds on the wing, colourful butterflies and dense jungle vegetation – a genuine tropical hothouse. Putting on an exhibition here is obviously a real challenge. Yet Ines Braun, participant in the “Invertebrates” art project, has done just this with ingenuity and bravura. Her “Megaptera” (literally “Big Wings”) fit perfectly into the jungle setting of the tropical house – and delight all viewers with their individuality. Creating her Big Wings was by no means easy, since the objects had to withstand the extreme conditions. “They had to be non-weathering and big enough to stand out in their jungle environment.” She had her flash of inspiration at Spies Hecker. During a refinishers’ training session at the Cologne Training Center, Ines Braun noticed two freshly painted mudguards standing next to each other outside the spray booth. A single glance, and the idea was born. The materials for her work are mudguards from the scrapyard, painted in the same colours with bright Spies Hecker paint products. Each Megaptera is a one-off. The Big Wings are now part of Ines Braun’s “Insecta Urbanica” project. Two exhibitions are planned for 2010, and her painted artwork is again centre stage.

Cycles aglow. In his time, he’s realised a life-size plastic donkey for an office competition. In garish colours. And painted a Golf in shiny gold, including the tyres, windows and mirrors. Both of these are objects that Jürgen Grass, senior vehicle refinisher and owner of Grass GmbH in Einbeck, Germany, describes with a smile as “refinishing curiosities”. A number have come the way of the four-generation business over the years, some of them even making it into the museum. Take the 30 bikes, for instance, now on show in a bicycle museum. Art objects from a bodyshop? Dead right! “We cleaned the cycles and treated them with a caustic solution. Then we applied white surfacer wet-on-wet and coated them with a special yellow fluorescent paint and two kilos of clear coat as a fixative,” explains Jürgen Grass. The trick here is that the reflected pigments now light up in bright yellow under the museum’s UV light. Visitors are wowed by this futuristic “cycle armada”. www.grass-einbeck.de.

A passion for painting.

The best Masterpieces 2010 come from South Africa, Denmark and Germany.

Classic cars, helicopters, race cars, trucks – no less varied than vehicles in their myriad forms are the fascinating finishes on the international Spies Hecker Masterpieces Calendar 2010. As in years past, over 200 bodyshops from all over the world competed for the much-coveted twelve calendar places and sent in their best work. Given so many outstanding projects, it was difficult

to make a choice – but a choice had to be made. The best of the best on the Masterpieces 2010 victory podium come from South Africa, Denmark and Germany. Incidentally, we even received inquiries about taking part in the competition from Indonesia – when it comes to bodywork and painting, creativity and passion evidently know no bounds.

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Refinishers rely on us â&#x20AC;&#x201C; worldwide.

We give our best, make use of our entire experience and follow the global trends in the refinish paint market. We thus develop product solutions and services that move you forward. This is something you can count on.

Spies Hecker â&#x20AC;&#x201C; simply closer.

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