Interstandox UK

Interstandox 70 the world of vehicle refinishes

New car concepts

Materials for the car of the future

Global training expertise

Standox expands its worldwide network

Classic cars

Immaculate finishes for dazzling automotive gems

GB

2 contents

title story Global training expertise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A closely meshed network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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workshop management Repair tips for Hot Magenta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Repair guides for matt clearcoat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Exclusive paintwork for special Smart model . . . . . . . . .

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j o u r n a l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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products Color Box for Add-on Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Ready-mixed Alubeam for liquid metal effects . . . . . . . . 10 international A family matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A car for Indiana Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"And the winner is ..." . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Standothek makes lessons livelier . . . . .

Zeeman fleet resplendent in Standofleet .

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online Online marketing with Web 2.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Colour formulation updates for download . . . . . . . . . . . 14 guest article Materials for the car of the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 g a l l e r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Standox provides a comprehensive range of training seminars worldwide.

With its practical strategy of continual education and a team of expert instructors, it ensures that the same high standards of quality are upheld everywhere.

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imprint Interstandox The world of vehicle refinishes Interstandox is intended solely for internal use. We would be glad to grant approval to requests for reproduction.

Published by the Interstandox Editorial Board Standox GmbH, 42285 Wuppertal, Germany E-mail: Hans.Bach@deu.standox.com Responsible for content: Hans W. Bach Concept/copy editing: K1 Gesellschaft für Kommunikation mbH, Ulf Kartte, Cologne Graphic design, image processing: 230Volt, Axel Helmus, Düsseldorf Images: Title picture: BMW Group Standox® is a registered trademark.

Standox has developed a professional solution to enable bodyshops to repair Mercedes’ sophisticated Alubeam paintwork.

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Higher standards of car safety coupled with ecological and economic demands are encouraging the development of new materials for automotive engineering.

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Interstandox 70

editorial 3

Taking an active approach to challenges Refinishers are faced with a wide range of challenges. New technologies, growing competitive pressure and the increasing influence of insurance companies are compelling businesses to be more resourceful. From now on it’s a question of pushing one’s bodyshop to the limits of profitability and making even more efficient use of existing business resources.

Standox helps you with its high-grade product systems that boost op-

Zvonimir Simunovic, Brand Manager Standox GmbH.

erational efficiency – like our Standoflash UV system for MicroRepairs.

And our Standohyd waterborne paint system was launched in 1994 and has met worldwide success ever since. In the past we always gave our customers state-of-the-art products of superlative quality, and we aim to do this in the future too. We are therefore constantly working on the development of new, pioneering technologies that boost productivity and always yield immaculate results regardless of working conditions, climate and painting technique. In doing so, we are not concerned solely with new paint systems, but also with the materials of cars of the future – you can gain interesting insight into this subject in our guest article on page 15.

On top of this, we also provide a whole series of strategies for boosting efficiency. With hypermodern electronic Color Tools like the Genius spectrophotometer, for instance, we help refinishers find the right colour quickly and reliably – over 3,000 Genius units are currently in successful operation at customer sites all over the world. And with a comprehensive product range for the painting of classic vehicles and with special colours and effect paints for exclusive finishes, we help bodyshops to explore new lines of business.

So that you can also make the best possible use of what we have to offer, we support you with training geared to your specific needs. Our experienced instructors supply you with the knowledge and skills to enable you to always achieve perfect results with our highly advanced paint systems. So why not attend a course at your nearest Information Center and experience The Art of Refinishing at first hand?

Zvonimir Simunovic

4 title story

Global training expertise At its 45 Information Centers (ICs) in 35 countries, Standox organizes a wide-ranging programme of training seminars. Thanks to its practical strategy of continual education and a team of expert instructors, it ensures that the same high standards of quality are upheld in initial and further training worldwide.

A key role is played by the international instructor team

who covers the Middle East, and Evgeniy Khmelev, who

headed by Stephen Naylor, who is supported by his

serves the Russian Federation and neighbouring countries.

colleagues Jürgen Prange and Harald Klöckner. It is their

The same also applies to Africa, America, Asia and

job to ensure that the latest information on Standox

Australia. This pyramidal structure encourages the

products and applications reaches the instructors and

transfer of the latest information.

application technicians in the various regions without delay so that they can keep their customers up-to-date at all times. We talked to Harald Klöckner about his duties.

Interstandox: How does your working day look?

Harald Klöckner: There’s no such thing as a typical

Interstandox: What are the focuses of your work?

Harald Klöckner: As international instructors, we mainly train the instructors and application technicians in the various national Standox organizations. Thanks to our direct links with product management, we can always be certain of being right up-to-date. We are supported in our efforts by our regional instructor teams. You can say that we bring knowledge to the regions. For this we keep in close contact with regional instructors like Gerhard Höglinger, responsible for Central Europe, Mike Rowse,

working day in the life of Harald Klöckner. I may spend several days in succession at my office in Wuppertal, preparing new training material, answering email inquiries from the various countries or testing new products at our IC in Wuppertal. After this I’m off again for a week of national training in South Africa. And of course we international instructors also regularly visit bodyshops abroad so that we can gauge the market at first hand.

The exciting thing about my job is its diversity.

Interstandox: How important is training for bodyshops?

Harald Klöckner: It’s not without good reason that we’ve chosen the slogan “Your key to quality” as the motto for our training programme. The product systems are becoming more and more complex and only those who

The international training team comprising Jürgen Prange, Stephen Naylor and Harald Klöckner (from left to right)

Jürgen Prange in conversation with Evgeniy Khmelev (left), the regional instructor for Eastern Europe

Regional instructor Gerhard Höglinger (2nd from the left) on a training assignment in Central Europe

title story 5

Harald Klöckner trains the regional training teams and instructors in the national organizations, teaching them all about the latest Standox products and applications.

have been properly trained can fully exploit the potential

– also get together for a week in Wuppertal. This is where

of our products. Regular further training is a cornerstone of

they report on their experience, try out the latest products

our customers’ success. What we offer gives them a solid

and fine-tune processes. The experience and feedback from

competitive edge. The seminars are also an opportunity for

abroad are ploughed back into product development so that

our customers to try out new materials and working meth-

we can always accurately meet the needs of our customers.

ods and even make mistakes. Back in everyday routine in the bodyshop however, the principle in terms of results for

Interstandox: What the current themes and trends? Which

the customer must always be to get it right first time.

courses are in biggest demand?

Interstandox: How does Standox ensure the uniform high

Harald Klöckner: Along with new product systems, there’s

quality of its training worldwide?

demand for training on special colours like Ford Hot Magenta and Alubeam from Mercedes. There’s also a trend towards

Harald Klöckner: Our goal is to offer all Standox cus-

matt finishes. In general, there’s growing interest in colour

tomers the best training on the vehicle refinish market.

matching and the use of electronic colour tools. Colours are

This is why we have been working internationally for a

becoming increasingly complex and no bodyshop today can

long time on the “train the trainer” principle. At regular

afford to waste time experimenting when searching for a

intervals, we train our instructors abroad in courses

colour.

specially designed for them. Twice a year, the Technical Network – these are the regional instructors plus the technicians and instructors from the various countries You can find further information on Standox training here: www.standox.co.uk/training

Regional instructor Mike Rowse (right) with Harald Klöckner (centre) during training in the Middle East

Training in the Asia/Pacific region

The North American team of instructors on a visit to the IC in Wuppertal

6 title story

New Information Centers

A closely meshed network With its targeted training, Standox aims to build on the knowledge and practical skills of its customers so that they can sustainably boost the productivity and efficiency of their businesses. To this end, the company operates its own Information Centers around the globe. All the centres are equipped with the latest technology – which applies as testing of new products and systems. Special importance much to the paint systems from Standox as to the associat- is attached to close linkage between theory and practice. ed equipment for spray booths, preparation areas and safe- Along with training, there is also a pronounced focus on ty equipment. The range of seminars is multi-faceted and the exchange of experience both between instructors and extends from the processing of advanced, eco-compatible customers as well as between customers themselves.

VOC-compliant products through to Coloristics and futurisThe inauguration of a new Information Center in Turkey is

tic UV technology.

scheduled for spring 2011. During planning, energy efficiBy opening new Information Centers in Italy, Poland ency is being given high priority. The region’s first directly and Turkey, Standox is impressively demonstrating its fired spray booth will be a highlight of the new centre. commitment to extending its global training activities. Occupying a total of 2,200 m2, the centre is packed with The recently opened centre in Cavenago di Brianza in ultra-modern equipment. Separated by a glass partition, northern Italy has been installed in an existing building. the training room offers a direct view of the adjacent spray Replete with the latest technology, it offers outstanding booth and puts a strong emphasis on practical demonstraopportunities for practical technical training as well as tion. The new centre only 30 minutes from the city of Istanfor courses on economic and management subjects.

bul is excellent served by traffic links and is also available to refinishers from neighbouring countries that do not yet

Standox has built the new training centre in Poland with have their own training centre. the aim of making quality training an essential element of its offering for customers. The centre situated in Warsaw Along with the centres mentioned above, a new training cenis designed for the latest teaching methods and includes tre is also planned for 2011 in the Czech Republic. Further audiovisual aids and highly advanced equipment for the centres are in the pipeline for the United Arab Emirates and Israel. The Information Center Locator on the Internet at www.standox.com/training presents an overview of all Standox Information Centers worldwide and the associated training facilities.

The new training centre in Italy provides space and equipment for state-of-theart technical seminars and training on business economics.

The newly opened Information Center in Warsaw (Poland) is designed for technical training, combining knowledge with experience.

Energy efficiency is a key feature of the design of the new centre in Turkey (see model above).

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workshop management 7

Repair tips for

"Hot Magenta" Image: Ford

This extravagant colour for the Fiesta is in big demand, particularly among younger customers. Changing from purple through to blue, Hot Magenta was especially developed for the popular Ford model. Characteristic of this colour is

its freshness and luminosity, and its brilliant colour effect To achieve the best possible colour accuracy when refinishing, basecoat application is followed by clearcoat

can be attributed to the use of tinted clearcoat.

supplemented with Standox’s Ford Hot Magenta clearcoat additive. Standox provides precise instructions for the refinish which can be downloaded from www.standox.com/ magenta.

Detailed repair instructions can be found here: www.standox.co.uk/magenta

Repair guides for matt clearcoat The vehicle used for both repair guides is a Mercedes SLS AMG sporting a shimmering “designo magno allanite grey” matt finish. Damaged paintwork on the passenger door There’s a trend towards matt finishes. However, when it comes posed an opportunity to repair the spectacular two-seater at the to paintwork repairs, they’re quite a challenge as they can Training Centre in Wuppertal and capture the process in be neither sanded nor polished. Standox’s 2K Special Matt, images. The workshop poster and video can be downloaded a clearcoat matting additive, is the appropriate solution. A from the Standox homepage at www.standox.com/matt. workshop poster and repair video describe the precise Download the workshop poster and video directly here: www.standox.co.uk/matt

Image: Daimler

procedure step by step.

Exclusive paintwork for special Smart model The special Smart fortwo “greystyle” refinish model

catches

the

eye

with

colours

and

solutions

for

its brands of the Daimler corporation.

exclusive matt finish in dark grey com- Formulations are even available for bined with a Tridion safety cell in repairs to brand-new models. The glossy black. As a longstanding paint special dark grey colour can already supplier, Standox formulates custom be retrieved from the Standox online com. Customers using Standowin will colour database. Access is obtained automatically receive the formulation via “Colour Search” at the national with their next update.

Standox website or at www.standox.

8 journal

Silver 25% Black 22% White 16% Grey 13%

One car in four is silver

Blue 9% Red 8% Brown/Beige 4% Green 1%

Silver is the No. 1 choice among mo- cent). Despite regional variations, there

Yellow/Gold 1%

torists worldwide, followed by black is astonishingly little difference between

Others 1%

with a market share of 22 per cent and motorists’ preferences for the top five white at 16 per cent. Grey ranks fourth placings worldwide. among the most popular car colours with 13 per cent. Over 75 per cent of all cars around the globe are “achromatic”, states the Standox report on Global Car Colour Trends for 2010. The only chromatic colour in the top 5 is blue (9 per

Colour fantasies in Arabesque Silver and Zanzibar Gold Potential buyers are wooed not only by stunning technology and high comfort, but also by inspirational colours. Illustrious-sounding colour names underline the design and image of many models. Standox specialists have therefore researched the origins of colour names and, neatly structured and illustrated in the Color News Special, listed possible inspirations for about 250 colour names.

All the colours presented are available as mixing formulations from Standowin and can be accurately recreated. The Color News Special can be downloaded at www.standox.com/color-news.

You can find the Color News Special for download here: www.standox.com/color-news

New approvals for Standox No other paint brand can boast as Mazda Motor Europe (MME) has includ- preceded by comprehensive tests in many approvals from the automotive ed Standox as a source of refinishes which all the listed Standox products industry as Standox. The Wuppertal and services in its European workshop satisfied the car manufacturer’s strict paint manufacturer recently received programme. The agreement covers not criteria. the Europe-wide approval for its only the supply of products, but also products for all repair work on vehicles training and technical consultations by of the Opel and Vauxhall brand. Under experts of the paint maker. Aston Martin this agreement, Standox will now Lagonda Ltd has included Standox as a support the dealer and workshop net- preferred purveyor of refinishes and serwork in Europe in all technical matters. vices in its worldwide workshop pro-

Image: GM Corp.

gramme. The official green light was

Interstandox 70

journal 9

Perfect matt finishes Matt finishes are in big demand from lovers of exclusive a Jeep refinished for Rüttchen, the biggest Dutch Mercedes vehicles. Standox now has a new matt additive for clearcoats dealer. Application of Standoblue Basecoat was followed by which can give an extra matt finish. An impressive example a spray pass of VOC Premium Clearcoat. After 45 minutes of of a successful matt finish with Standox 2K Special Matt is drying at 60°C and light sanding, the matted clearcoat was applied in two passes. The result is immaculate. The silk matt surface reinforces the impact of the chunky but elegant SUV.

Colors of Elements Standox has been bringing out a calendar every year for over 30 years. It gives internationally renowned photographers a chance to present visual compositions of extraordinary vehicles in aesthetic settings. The calendar is itself as exclusive as many of the illustrated vehicles.

For the 2011 calendar, photographer Anatol Kotte has given us a preview of one of his ideas. In Colors of Elements he juxtaposes Nature’s abundance of hues with the similar colour diversity of Standox paints. In twelve exciting visual compositions, the paint colour of a premium vehicle is perfectly set against the colour nuances of the elements and seasons.

www.standox.co.uk/calendar

Award in Poland At a celebration commemorating the 10th anniversary of the General Motors Partners Association in Poland, Standox received a special commendation. The organization brings together the dealers from General Motors (GM) and Chevrolet Poland. Standox was honoured as a longstanding paint partner and national market leader. The award underlines the close relations between the GM and Standox brands in Poland. An agreement was also reached with the Iberia Motor Company Robert Wysocki, Country Business Manager Standox Poland, expressing his thanks for the award

(IMC) for the SEAT brand.

10 p r o d u c t s / i n t e r n a t i o n a l

Color Box for Add-on Parts The number of OEM colours is growing from year to year. And the same is true of the colours required in bodyshops for add-on parts. When it comes to refinishes on instrument panels, bumpers and plastic parts in the interior or boot, a colour match is no less important. However, because the colour often isn’t marked and can’t be

Ready-mixed Alubeam for liquid metal effects

identified via the vehicle model,

Liquid metal finishes, that envelope the car body like

Standox has introduced its Color

a coat of molten metal, make vehicles particularly al-

Box for Add-on Parts. It can be

luring. Having initially presented its exclusive Alubeam

used for all series and grades of

colour on just forty CL 65 AMG performance coupés,

Standox paint and comprises 1,485 colour chips (each

Mercedes is now making this extra-metallic silver

35 x 90 mm) that take much of the effort out of colour

available on its SLS AMG and, on customer request, on

identification. While the roughly 600 chips for bumpers

other models as well.

are sorted and updated according to manufacturer, the swatches for engine, interior and boot colours are

To enable bodyshops to refinish this sophisticated

chromatically arranged and serve as a guide to the

colour, Standox has developed a professional solution

original paintwork. The Color Box, for which 1200

in the shape of its Standohyd MB 047 Alubeam repair

orders were received from Europe within the first month

package, ready-mixed in 0.5 litre cans. The product

of its publication, is supplied in the tried-and-trusted

package comprises ready-mixed Standohyd Basecoat, to

key-ring format where swatches can be conveniently

which 50 per cent Standohyd Special Effect Additive is

hung up by their rings for storage.

added immediately before application. New Standohyd Special Effect Color Blend is necessary for blending-in.

The refinish is rounded off with Standocryl VOC Platinum Clearcoat. In view of the colour’s high cost and the complexity of the refinishing process, Standox provides detailed information for refinishing with Alubeam.

international

A family matter Vehicles have been successfully repaired at family-run Keswick Crash Repairs in South Australia for over 30 years. The classic and prestigious cars they mainly handle are restored to their original state with the very latest refinishing methods.

The company founded by their father back in the late Seventies is run by Frank and John Zullian. The wives of the two brothers are also involved, taking care of the business’s paperwork. And John’s daughter is currently designing a professional website for the firm.

Interstandox 70

international

Alois Samohyl proudly displays his 1907 Laurin & Klement. In the foreground is one of the highlights of the Samohyl collection, the Mercedes Benz Parsifal dating back to 1902.

A car for Indiana Jones For many years he was the most successful Skoda salesman Parsival from 1902, of which only two now exist, a Laurin in former Czechoslovakia before setting up his own business & Klement from 1907, an armoured Horch limousine, a blue known as Samohyl Motor Zlin. Today, the now 81-year-old Alois Bugatti 35A and a legendary Ford Model T, the first car to Samohyl and his two sons run a company empire employing come off an assembly-line. an over 800-strong workforce. However, his chief passion remains classic cars.

Some of Alois Samohyl’s exhibits have even made it to the movie screen. They can be seen in the Indiana Jones films as

1953 was the magic year in which he discovered his love for well as in the film version of Erich Maria Remarque’s classic classic vehicles. This was when a six-day motorcycle race was “All Quiet on the Western Front”. Obviously, the automotive held in connection with the World Motorcycling Champion- treasures in his possession call for special care. He has also ships in Zlin in Czechoslovakia. During an evening of celebra- had many of them restored. When it comes to refinishing, tion to mark the event, the British comedy film “Genevieve” Samohyl has been working with the Wuppertal paint manuabout a car in the London-to-Brighton Veteran Car Run was facturer for several years. “Standox offers the best paint qualpremiered. The young Alois Samohyl was captivated and de- ity,” he says with conviction, “and on classic cars this truly cided to one day take part in this run. In 1964 his dream came excellent quality is still visible after many years.” true when he drove a red two-cylinder Laurin & Klement built in 1905 in this famous run.

Early on, Alois Samohyl started collecting historic vehicles. His

Information on Standox products and services for classic vehicles can be found here: www.standox.co.uk/classic

collection in Zlin and elsewhere today comprises some 150 vehicles. These include such treasures as a Mercedes Benz

The Zullians’ multi-award-winning business is proud of always being technologically right up-to-date. This explains why they have already accomplished the switch from solvent-based paints to Standohyd. Before the change, they previously used products from other manufacturers. However, the reductions in working time and material were powerful arguments in favour of Standohyd, the proven waterborne paint system from Standox. After a few months of experience with Standohyd,

Probably dating back to 1956, it was one of only 13 prototypes

the Zullian brothers are very happy with their choice: “The

built for Le Mans. Today, it is the only surviving model, and

results are impressive, and colour searches and accuracy are

it has been restored and repainted at Keswick Crash Repairs.

very good,” explains Frank Zullian.

The outcome is certainly worth looking at. “Its aura is phenomenal. The car is absolutely exclusive and of course appro-

Without doubt one of the most challenging painting jobs ever

priately expensive,” John Zullian explains, adding: “The only

handled by the Zullians is a Mercedes-Benz 220 SL Roadster.

thing wrong with it is that it’s not mine.”

11

12 i n t e r n a t i o n a l

"And the winner is ..."

The Ferrari 375 America Coupé Vignale is a real gem. One of the only twelve “375” models built has now been fully restored in Switzerland and went straight on to win the much-coveted Enzo Ferrari Award at the classic car event at Pebble Beach.

The Ferrari 375 America Coupé Vignale was unveiled to the finish and the chassis pipes on the side were misted gently public at the Turin Motor Show in 1954. No two of the twelve with yellow paint. The pictures of 1954 clearly showed that built were exactly the same. Model No. 9 spent most of its life these parts had not been masked during spraying, and the in the USA. There it was repainted green and the 300 hp V12 refinishers wanted to reproduce this detail as well.

Ferrari engine replaced with a Chevrolet V8. In 2007 it was purchased by a Swiss collector with the intention of restoring The effort has paid off. At the Concurs d’élégance in Pebble the unique vehicle as far as possible to its original state.

Beach (USA), the world’s most prestigious event for classic vehicles, the Ferrari scored 99 out of 100 points and won the

The paintwork, which took almost three months, was entrust- hotly contested Enzo Ferrari Award for the most beautiful Fered to the Sahli bodyshop in Aesch near Zurich. The stated aim rari car. It also came first in the Class M2 (Ferrari Competition was to achieve a finish resembling the original paintwork as & Granturismo) at Pebble Beach and won the Best of Show closely as possible. The yellow colour for the body and the Award for the most beautiful Ferrari among almost 300 classic beige for the roof were identified on the basis of tiny remnants vehicle entrants at the international meeting of the Ferrari of paint in the grooves under the green paint and with the Club of America. aid of old photographs and documents, and recreated with Standohyd.

The experts at Sahli had to pull out all the stops to produce paintwork of virtually the same character as the original finish.

For instance, for the interior paintwork, a little matting agent was added to the paint in order to render the gentle silk gloss of an original nitrocellulose finish without polishing. On the exterior, the entire clearcoat was flatted and sprayed to a high gloss. The engine compartment was painted grey in order to make the brush strokes visible like on the original. After final assembly, the clean stabilizer at the front with its new black

Interstandox 70

i n t e r n a t i o n a l 13

Standothek makes lessons livelier “The approved instruction books are attention to the Standothek series. He often simply too theoretical.” Norbert was impressed. “The many pictures and Meyer, technical instructor at the only practical examples are just right for lessfull-time vocational school in Luxem- ons.” burg, knows what he’s talking about.

“Of course, the official work contains The books are clearly structured and aball the key information, but the some- undantly illustrated. The range of subject what stuffy presentation doesn’t really matter is broad and covers many imporinspire students.” During his search for tant fields of training. “The Standothek supplementary material to the official books have now become indispensainstruction book for the training of ble for our lessons,” Meyer remarks. He vehicle

refinishers,

the

Luxemburg also sees an advantage in the fact that

Standox distributor Robin drew his they’re available in several languages.

“Owing to our particular situation in

Guy Henckes (Lycée Technique), Frank Weiland, Marcel Glody (both from Robin) and Norbert Meyer (Lycée Technique) presenting the Standothek books (from left to right)

Luxemburg, I use both the German and French versions.” Marcel Glody, Director The Standothek guides are available at Robin, makes sure that the school is from your Standox adviser or can be always well stocked with books. “We’re downloaded at www.standox.com and delighted that Standothek goes down so many national websites. well with pupils. This confirms the high practical benefit of the series.”

The Standothek series is an indispensable guide for professional bodyshops: www.standox.co.uk/standothek

Zeeman fleet resplendent in Standofleet Since its launch in 2003, Standofleet, units and 70 trailers with RAL 1023 and Voortman Autoschade, who has been the commercial vehicle paint system the “Zeeman” logo. Not only the removal working with Standofleet for six years from Standox, has been very successful of the old advertising vinyls prove to be now, was suitably delighted. “Not only – and is now in use in over 20 European a challenge, but also applying the yel- was the customer impressed by the colcountries. The Jan Voortman Autoschade low finish, as yellow doesn’t by nature our accuracy and high opacity, but the bodyshop in the Netherlands has now cover well. The paint system developed quantities of material required are very been awarded the prestigious order to jointly with Standox satisfied all of the low compared to other paint systems, paint the vehicle fleet of Dutch discount customer’s expectations to perfection which in turn has a positive impact on textiles chain Zeeman with Standofleet. and the Zeeman vehicles are now re- costs.”

The company has over 1,100 outlets in splendent in their bright yellow. Edwin the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, van Egmont, Managing Director of Jan France and Luxemburg.

Because Zeeman had changed its house colour, all of the company’s blue vehicles had to be repainted yellow. Ten employees at Jan Voortman Autoschade were busy for a full eight months with the repainting of 40 articulated tractor

14 o n l i n e

Online marketing with Web 2.0 The Internet has become a firmly established medium in body-

If you do opt for online activities with Web 2.0, you should

shops. Everyday operations are scarcely conceivable without

give the matter sufficient consideration. Nothing is worse than

communication by email, Web-supported colour formulation

registering with Facebook, for example, and then failing to

searches and electronically calculated estimates. Interactive

publish any more news due to overwork. Online marketing

Web 2.0 offers many ways of using the Internet to improve

should sensibly supplement rather than replace other mar-

marketing. Studies show that more and more people are com-

keting activities such as mailings and press articles. In its

municating, finding out about new products and also taking

Standothek series, Standox has brought out its own guide

purchase decisions via the Web. When buying cars, it has

to attracting and retaining customers which contains much

already become common practice to find the desired vehicle

useful advice for the planning of marketing activities. It can be

via dealer platforms on the Internet. The targeted vehicle can

obtained from your Standox adviser or downloaded at www.

be seen not only in still images but also in videos.

standox.com and many national websites.

Bodyshops can also make use of these new media to publicize their own services and news and thus attract new customers and promote customer loyalty. Useful in this context is a brief video graphically outlining the bodyshop’s services. An example of a vehicle refinish or a spectacularly painted sports

The Standox online colour search is now available on Web-compatible mobiles and Smartphones: www.standox.co.uk/mobile

car is also ideal for showcasing in a short film. So that users will actually find the video, it should be available not only on your own website, but also on Internet platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, Sevenload or Metacafe. A Facebook or Twitter account makes it possible to address existing and potential customers with news from your business and thus build up

Colour formulation updates for download

personal ties.

With Standox, refinishers are always right up to date. As soon as a new model with the latest colour leaves the production line, Standox formulates this colour for repairs and adds it to the online colour database. So that customers working with the Standowin colour search program have access to

Tips for presenting your business on the Internet

the latest formulations even between updates, the program has been extended. Since update 1/2010, formulations can be downloaded from the colour

1. . .In Google Places, businesses can post their address

search page at www.standox.com or the national

details, business hours and even pictures. This makes

Standox website into the “Standox Import-Export”

it easier for potential customers to find them

folder or imported by pressing the “External Formu-

(www.google.com/places).

la” button in Standowin. .

2. . Bodyshops . should always photograph successful and unusual paint jobs and publish them on the Flickr platform. This way they can build up photo galleries that can be integrated in the bodyshop’s own website (www.flickr.com).

3. . .Company portraits and brochures can be posted in PDF format on platforms like Slideshare (www.slideshare. com). .

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Edgar Westermair, Head of Fatigue Analysis and Materials at the BMW Group in Munich

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Materials for the car of the future Tougher requirements concerning the car safety as well as environmental and economic factors are encouraging the development of new materials for vehicle engineering. We talked to Edgar Westermair, Head of Fatigue Analysis and Materials at the BMW Group in Munich.

interstandox: What materials will the car of the future be

methods. In this connection, the development and selection

made of?

of suitable materials systems will have a big effect on the weight of future vehicle generations.

Edgar Westermair: The multitude of requirements that cars have to meet for technical, economic and environmental

interstandox: What are the challenges facing bodyshops and

reasons call for customized materials systems for the specific

paintshops when repairing cars of the future?

application. Classic metal and plastics strategies will therefore be found alongside novel and yet-to-be-developed ceramic,

Edgar Westermair: In connection with the introduction

composite and hybrid materials in structures and components

of new lightweight construction strategies in the BMW

for automotive engineering.

Group, new materials systems and joining technologies for repair and maintenance are being tested and optimized

interstandox: What requirements do new innovative materials

in vehicle operation. An example of this is the weight-

in vehicle engineering have to meet?

reduced aluminium front end of the BMW 5 Series. This is repaired with a combination of bonding and riveting. The

Edgar Westermair: Along with the satisfaction of established

close cooperation between our own materials development

requirements such as safety, weight reduction and acoustics,

department with the trading organizations, and the early

the focus will be increasingly on such sustainability issues as

clarification of the repair and painting strategy will ensure

customers’ growing environmental awareness, urbanization

the use of novel structural and surface materials.

and social responsibility in addition to tougher legal targets concerning active and passive pedestrian protection and emission guidelines. interstandox: What effect will new drive technologies such as electric drives have on the choice of materials?

Edgar Westermair: New drive technologies will have a major impact on the existing architecture of vehicles in terms of the body and drive train. The integration of alternative energy sources such as lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen tanks is associated with extra weight because of the energy density.

Image: BMW Group

This has to be offset with innovative lightweight construction

Design sketch for the Megacity Vehicle that BMW plans to launch in 2013 as the first mass-produced vehicle worldwide to have a passenger cell made of carbon fibre

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Interstandox 70