Australasian Paint & Panel Jul-Aug 2017

AUSTRALASIAN

www.paintandpanel.com.au

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JULY / AUGUST 2017

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IBIS AUSTRALIA REPORT

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38

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NEWS 06

AMBRA ANNOUNCES NEW IDR BUILDER

For fairer dealing with insurers

08 CAR-O-LINER COMPETITION WINNER

A lucky team member from Duracraft will fly to Thailand.

10

NEW CAPITAL SMART

The network continues to grow.

IN DEPTH 14

S&S INDUSTRIES TURNS 50

From backyard repairs to major industry independent.

34

PAINT & PANEL LIVE

Why there’s no way you should miss this year’s conference.

38

IBIS REPORT 2017

Editor’s summary of the recent Australian repair landscape.

44

BAYFORD GROUP 100 NOT OUT

REGULARS

A great Australian family business celebrates.

04 EDITORIAL 06 NEWS 16 BEST PRACTICE 18 PEOPLE MATTER 20 DIGITAL MARKETING 22 SUPPLEMENTARY 26 TECH TALK 32 COOLING IT 36 LONDON CALLING 76 WOMEN IN COLLISION 78 CRASH COURSE 82 FENDER BENDER

FEATURES 30

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAR CRAFT

The group turns 30 in style.

46

SPRAY BOOTHS

Spraybooths have come a long way since their invention. See the latest.

62

DRYING

A selection of quick cures.

64

SPRAY GUNS AND COMPRESSORS

More efficient and more technologically advanced each year

70

2017 INDUSTRY SURVEY

The Paint & Panel bodyshop survey results are in.

30

66

70

EDITORIAL

HALF FULL? WHY NOT FILL IT UP?

L

ET’S BE HONEST, we all like a good moan. If you have some British ancestry then you probably like a moan more than most, even when things really aren’t that bad – which according to our 2017 industry survey (p70) they aren’t.

An accident, as my advanced driving course instructor said many years ago, is two vehicles being in the same place at the same time. Don’t be in the same place as another vehicle at the same time and you won’t have an accident.

Sounds blindingly obvious and has certainly helped me to drive more “If you don’t plan some sort of carefully, but fortunately for the industry not many drivers have had that diversification, or build up a talk. Safer cars will eventually lead to less accidents but the increase in cars on the roads, with plenty of older models still trundling around, means more specialisation now, then you cars = more accidents and business appears to be brisk right now. might as well be saying that Not to go all British on you, but is it the calm before the storm? How long you plan to shut your doors in before we do see a significant drop in accident rates? When that happens, if you aren’t an approved repairer for an insurer or manufacturer badged and you the next 10 years.” rely soley on repairing cars for income you could be in big trouble.

It’s my humble opinion that now is the time to take stock and plan for a potentially radically different future (well, anytime in the last five years would have been better). With a stonking 60% of shop owners not having a succession plan in place, I know this goes against the grain for many of you.

If you don’t plan some sort of diversification, or build up some kind of specialisation now, then you might as well be saying that you plan to shut your doors in the next 10 years.

Diversification tactics are one of the big topics at our LIVE conference this year and we’ll be hearing from repairers who have taken their blinkers off and seized opportunities outside of the highly competitive ‘repairing cars for insurance companies’ arena. So join us in Sydney on 24 August for an afternoon of thinking outside the box, and an evening of networking to discuss those ideas and strategies to fill that half full cup up to the brim.

Sam Street Editor

AUSTRALASIAN

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4 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

ART DIRECTOR Ana Heraud STUDIO MANAGER Lauren Esdaile DESIGNER Stéphanie Blandin de Chalain YAFFA CUSTOM CONTENT DIRECTOR Matt Porter (02) 9213 8209 mattporter@yaffa.com.au

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PAINT & PANEL is published by Yaffa Media Pty Ltd ACN 002 699 354 17–21 Bellevue Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010.

ALL MAIL TO: GPO Box 606, Sydney NSW 2001 P: (02) 9281 2333 F: (02) 9281 2750

ISSN 0816-3596.

Member Circulations Audit Board

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NEWS CAR-OLINER WINNER

NEW CAPITAL S.M.A.R.T

PAGE 08

PAGE 10

BODYSHOP SCAMMER SNAPPED UP BY POLICE

NOTORIOUS SCAM-ARTIST DEAN Christopher Wright, or 'Deano', has finally been apprehended by police in Morwell, Victoria. Wright is set to plead guilty on all charges at Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on 8 August.

Wright was operating under the name of Daniel O'Connor at the time of arrest.

The Bass Coast Police Department, who have been appealing to the public for information, announced on Facebook that Wright had been remanded into custody.

"Police would like to thank the community who helped locate and arrest Dean Wright after a recent appeal on this Eyewatch page.

"The 42-year-old from Mirboo North was arrested last Sunday and charged with numerous deception offences. As a result of the post, police received extra information and more offences were detected.

A number of repairers across Australia previously came forward, warning businesses about a panel beater scamming

TWO NEW FIX AUTOS PAGE 12

his way from shop to shop and taking advantage of shop owners desperate for tradesmen.

Going under multiple aliases, repairers claim that the con-artist had been peddling the same story, cross-country before ripping off owners. Wright (who allegedly gave the surname White to one repairer in Goulburn, Victoria) spun a web to catch owners' sympathies and play on the shortage of panel beaters, telling them both his marriage and car have broken down and he's been left without a dollar looking for immediate employment.

Most recently a repairer in Victoria had recieved a phone call from his apparent partner of five years, revealing that she had just discovered his identity after going through his phone.

The repairer confirmed Wright's arrest after they were called in to give a further statement regarding numerous unapproved payments on their credit card, made by Wright.

If you have been scammed by Wright or O’Connor, contact Crimestoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000.

FAIRER DEALINGS WITH INSURERS AMBRA CHAIRMAN JEFF Williams has announced a new IDR builder which aims to make pursuing Code of Conduct breaches both faster and easier.

The new format allows for a national approach enabling fairer treatment of repairers in their dealings with insurers as per the Motor Vehicle Insurance and Repairers Code of Conduct, Williams said.

Each IDR form designed for member use is linked to the relevant clauses within the 1 May 2017 Code. Each legitimate IDR submission using the AMBRA IDR builder and following the guidelines are 6 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

presented to idrambra@vacc.com and then processed and registered with the CAC via idr.abrcode.com.au.

Repairers can also lodge IDRs direct using www.abrcode.com.au “The data collected using the AMBRA IDR builder is highlighting those issues of most concern which are then presented to the Code of Conduct Committe (CAC) for balanced consideration in effecting further efficient amendments for review,

ultimately helping drive the industry's interests for a more effective national code,” Willliams said.

“AMBRA would like to acknowledge past CAC representatives and the current representatives who are to be applauded with their commitment to raising the bar of the industry to becoming more transparent, ultimately driving consumer confidence in a healthy competitive body repair industry.

Download the full AMBRA IDR builder at www.ambra.org.au www.paintandpanel.com.au

Genuine Savings.

Genuine Reasons.

Edition 1

From 1 January 2017

Mercedes-Benz Genuine Parts Below are just some of the wide range of Mercedes-Benz Genuine Parts that have been reduced. For a full range of discounted parts, please contact your authorised Mercedes-Benz dealership, or go to www.mercedes-benz.com.au/carspartspromotions

Category

Lifecycle Cluster*

Average Price Reduction^

1

19%

2

37%

3

35%

Radiators

Detachable Parts Bumper Outside

Airbags

Inclusions

-

3

31%

• Ornamental Pieces • Engine Covers • Bumper Inserts • Licence Plate Mouldings • Vibration Dampers

1, 2 & 3

62%

-

* Lifecycle cluster model allocation.

LCC1 LCC2 LCC3

117

156

166

172

176

190

205

212

213

222

231

242

246

251

253

292

451

453

217

218

197

204

207

216

240

163

164

168

169

170

171

199

203

208

209

210

211

215

219

220

221

230

245

450

452

454

^ The average price reductions are based on the difference between the December 2016 and January 2017 relevant manufacturer’s maximum recommended retail prices for a range of genuine parts. The price reductions referred to herein are averages only and specific parts may have a lower or higher level of price reduction.

For information on specific parts, please contact your preferred authorised Mercedes-Benz dealership.

NEWS IN BRIEF NEW CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER AT THATCHAM Richard Billyeald is the new Chief Technical Officer at Thatcham Research.

Billyeald takes over the role from Andrew Miller.

Billyeald will lead Thatcham Research’s Repair Technology Centre as it continues to provide solutions for bodyshops and insurers around vehicle repair challenges of the future; as well as the vehicle testing functions. He will also focus on vehicle cyber-crime protection strategies, collaborating with the automotive industry, insurers and law enforcement agencies.

"I am delighted to be joining the team at Thatcham Research and trust my background in high-performance engineering design and development will stand me in good stead to meet the challenges presented by the rapidly developing automotive and insurance environment," Billyeald said.

DURACRAFT WINS CAR-O-LINER TRAINING TRIP CONGRATULATIONS TO DANIEL McEntee from Duracraft in WA who won the Car-O-Liner training trip to its facility in Thailand.

McEntee was delighted at the win. He and his team have been expanding their knowledge, undergoing I-CAR training as part of the Car Craft Group requirement

for AMBRA shop grading - and they are hungry for more. "It's been a real eye-opener," he said "we have all learned so much from it."

McEntee, clearly a fan of Car-O-Liner products, is thinking about rewarding one of his long serving tradesmen with the trip.

QBE CUSTOMER FOCUS QBE ANZ has announced the appointment of Bettina Pidcock to the role of chief customer officer.

The newly created role is part of an organisational restructure to cement the work undertaken to be more customer focused.

While Pidcock will continue to be responsible for the marketing, communication and digital area of the business, the new role will see her looking after the current customer experience team as well.

QBE CEO Pat Regan said: “Bettina has done a fantastic job in bringing a persistent focus on our customers and using data to drive decisions and better outcomes.

“The creation of this role will help us stay true to the changes we want to bring about to improve our focus on delivering exceptional customer experience.”

8 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

MORCOMS ACHIEVE GOLD RAY MORCOMS AUTO Body Repairs in Bathurst has been awarded I-CAR Gold Class Collision status.

“Andrew and Laura Morcom have in the past 18 months committed themselves to the Road2Gold program and have achieved this result through a combination of live, virtual and industry training alliance classes offered by I-CAR and PPG,” I-CAR CEO Mark Czvitkovits said.

“Ray Morcoms Auto Body Repairs was started in 1978 by the late Ray and Anthea Morcom. Ray’s two main principals were to fix the car the right way and to always do the right thing by their customers. We have grown substantially as a business since 1978 but our core values remain the same,” said Andrew Morcom.

Laura Morcom added: “We believe achieving I-CAR Gold Class has been a product of our great team and the

constant support of I-CAR along the way. We are very proud of our staff and what we can offer the customer as far as a repair experience. It’s great to have a partnership with such an innovative passionate team as I-CAR is, to see us into the future.” www.paintandpanel.com.au

DRIVE YOUR BUSINESS FURTHER When you partner with Right2Drive you get a service that makes your service even better.

We give your business the ability to offer your not at-fault customers an unrivalled range of replacement vehicles available across an Australia wide network. We’ll become an extension of your business by delivering cars directly to your depot and providing your customers with outstanding service that leaves you looking good.

As a partner of Right2Drive you’ll also receive access to Right2Drive referral rewards ensuring that your customers aren’t the only ones left with a smile on their faces.

No cost replacement vehicles for not at-fault drivers

Unrivalled range of vehicles

To find out how to start driving your business further visit r2dadvantage.com.au or call 1300 614 692 to book an appointment with a Right2Drive representative.

Australia wide network

NEWS IN BRIEF CAPITAL SMART OPENS ITS ELEVENTH NSW FACILITY

Capital S.M.A.R.T opened the doors at its newest site in New South Wales – Ingleburn - in May. 'The Ingleburn site becomes our eleventh site in New South Wales alone, as our presence across Australia and New Zealand extends beyond 40 sites,' the news story on Capital S.M.A.R.T's website states.

'Boasting state of the art equipment and process workflows, the site will quickly become a benchmark facility within the ever-growing S.M.A.R.T network.'

Group operations director, Jim Vais, stated he was excited about the customer benefits that the new site will bring to the overall NSW operations and wider S.M.A.R.T group, and looked forward to the output generated under newly appointed manager Alan Hickey.

AXALTA RENEW WORLD SKILLS PARTNERSHIP

Axalta has announced a two year alliance as a Gold Partner with WorldSkills Australia, celebrating its 10 year partnership with the organisation.

Axalta will continue to support both the regional and national competitions.

Both organisations offer support and resources such as product training, the latest work practices, sustainable techniques, teamwork development, and leadership skills.

Axalta national training manager Paul Polverino said: “This is very important to us, as there are fewer young people entering the refinish industry than ever before – and we are committed to supporting events and initiatives that promote the industry’s productivity and capabilities.”

10 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

FIRST LADY ON I-CAR BOARD I-CAR AUSTRALIA CEO Mark Czvitkovits announced the appointment of three new board members.

I-CAR welcomes Peter McMahon, general manager, Car Craft; Murray Howell, global services manager, Valspar and Andrea McCarthy, director, McCarthy Panelworks.

Terry Feehan, chairman of the I-CAR Board of Directors said, “I-CAR Australia is very proud to have a board of directors of industry leaders who cover all sectors of our industry from insurers to independent repairers, MSO’s as well as paint and equipment suppliers.

“I am very proud and pleased, on behalf of the board of directors and management of I-CAR Australia, to welcome the newly elected board members. Murray Howell of Valspar has been a real identity in our repair industry through both his passion and drive to provide service and advice to all. Andrea McCarthy is the proud owner of the award winning McCarthy Panel Works in Mackay, Queensland, which is not only an I-CAR Gold Class repairer but an

industry leader full of innovation and desire to do things right. Andrea is also our first lady voted to the board. Peter McMahon is a man with a strong and honest approach to our industry through firstly the MTA in South Australia, where he led and guided its many members successfully, and now as general manager of Car Craft,” said Feehan.

“The team at I-CAR was excited to receive nominations from quality individuals, representing all the segments that form part of this dynamic industry. It was a difficult task selecting the final appointees, but the selection was made in the best interest of I-CAR’s future direction,” said Czvitkovits.

CAR CRAFT WELCOMES FOUR NEW MEMBERS CAR CRAFT WELCOMES four new members to the group; Country Smash Repairs and Vasse Panel and Paint in Busselton, Western Australia and Warwick Panel and Paint and Eagle Smash Repairs both in Queensland.

Country Smash Repairs opened in mid-2016 and steadily grown its customer base. it is located two and half hours south of Perth. Elliot Vaughan and Neralie Poole who both have had previous experience working within the Car Craft Group said “the opportunity to network with other like-minded repairers will only benefit the business and in turn our customers.”

Chris and Lea-Anne Horridge, owners of Vasse Panel & Paint in Vasse were formally part of Car Craft when they owned

and operated Avon Valley Smash Repairs, Toodyay. A change in direction saw a move of the family to Busselton.

Scott Stahlhud owner of Eagle Smash Reapirs agrees that the networking benefits were a big incentive to join the group. “We all go through the same things but deal with them in different ways - there’s a lot we can learn from each other,” he said.

www.paintandpanel.com.au

Accelerate your innovation with PPG

Innovation in MVP and business solutions In an increasingly complex industry, PPG’s MVP program offers an innovative ‘turn-key solution’ to help you adapt to change, accurately control your business and turn opportunities into realities.

Recognised as the industry’s most comprehensive bodyshop development program, MVP boasts the region’s largest network of fully trained business specialists.

‘Best practice’ solutions (shopfloor and administration) are gathered from global resources and fine-tuned to the changing needs of the local industry. With options include informative seminars, financial planning, business analysis and one-on-one consultations, as well as advanced ‘lean management’ principles tailored to collision repair, it’s all about bringing innovation to the surface of your business.

Access to expert knowledge, support and solutions, makes MVP an unmatched tool to create your own strategy to drive long term profitability.

Contact your PPG representative or the customer service hotline 13 24 24 (Aust) or 0800 320 320 (NZ) for more information. www.ppgrefinish.com.au

NEWS TOP WEB STORIES

Here are the top three stories on the Paint and Panel website for the last two months. If you haven’t signed up for our weekly e-newsletter you can do so, free, on our homepage, www.paintandpanel.com.au.

MAY

1 2 3

AMBRA concerns over IAG parts trial Bodyshop scammer still at large and conning business owners QBE RFP closes 10th May

JUNE

1 2 3

Bodyshop scammer snapped up by police The rise and rise of 457 visa workers Scammer set to face court

The Paint and Panel Facebook page has separate content to our website, sharing best practice tips from industry magazines and business around the world and highlighting interesting posts from Australian smash repairers.

Instagram. We’re fairly new on Instagram but gaining quite a few followers. After all a picture is worth a thousand words.

12 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

TWO NEW FIX AUTO SITES

FIX AUTO CLAYTON was formerly AT EZE Autobody Repairs. The two owners Frank Marinelli and Damien Edgar were really impressed with the Fix Auto model and its global strength. Marinelli even travelled to Canada to meet the owner of Fix Auto World, Steve Leal, and his team to let them see how keen he was.

“We had quite a small shop mostly doing local work and some fleet repairs with our small crew,” Edgar said, "but we both wanted to grow the business and be a part of a global operation with a drive to grow and succeed in Australia. For us it was a no-brainer to join the Fix Auto Network”.

“AT EZE was a small shop that was established in 2014 which I first visited in late 2016 with our national operations manager, Steve Taylor,” said Fix Auto head of business Terry Feehan. “In fact, Steve advised me before we arrived at the site that it might be too small for us but he had a nice feeling about it.

"I met with the two owners and must admit was massively impressed with their passion for the industry.

"The shop was well below our criteria for turnover and future capacity but I was convinced it would grow with the combined efforts of two very driven businessmen in conjunction with Fix Auto’s operational expertise, contacts and goals in Australia. No brainer?

You bet your butt. I had no hesitation in advising our Canadian headquarters

that albeit this shop was not within some of our criteria it would be a stand out facility for Fix Auto. The two guys now have the complete site at Graham Road in Clayton South, rebranded the facility in Fix Auto colours and logo and went to lengths that Steve and I did not expect."

Bunbury City Smash Repairs has officially joined the Fix Auto Network as Fix Auto Bunbury. The business is owned

by Ryan Youngman. He chose to join the network as a means of developing a long-term partner to help him in his drive to keep building his business.

“Fix Auto stands in a class of its own, as there are no other brands in the franchise space in the Australian market.

"My business will benefit from Fix Auto’s proven global model, knowledge of the industry and operational best practices. I’m a firm believer in continuous growth and in the importance of investing,” said Youngman.

“I am very proud of what we have accomplished over the years. From starting our business in the middle of a financial crisis, we have continued to focus on delivering quality work and exceeding customer expectations."

Fix Auto Australia head of business Terry Feehan stated it was young businesses such as Youngman's that would continue to strengthen the overall business.

“We are proud to have Ryan and his skilled team join the Fix Auto network.”

Fix Auto now has 10 sites in Australia. www.paintandpanel.com.au

Your motor trades insurance specialist.

Deal with an insurance specialist who understands your business.

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Find out how Capricorn can help you.

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RISK SERVICES

Products sold through Capricorn Risk Services Pty Ltd are: (i) discretionary risk protection products issued by Capricorn Mutual Ltd; and (ii) general insurance products issued by a range of insurers and brokered through Capricorn Insurance Services Pty Ltd. Before deciding to acquire any product you should consider the Product Disclosure Statement available from Capricorn Risk Services Pty Ltd to see if the product is appropriate for you.

Capricorn Risk Services Pty Ltd (ABN 91 111 632 789) Authorised Representative (No. 460893) of Capricorn Mutual Ltd (AFSL 230038) and Capricorn Insurance Services Pty Ltd (AFSL 435197).

IN DEPTH S&S

GOLDEN DAYS AT S&S INDUSTRIES Josh McDonnell talked to S&S Industries director Tony Siroen to find out about 50 years of growth.

SIROEN POINTS TO quality staff and the service they provide as the secret to enjoying 50 years of business success. It can't be a bad place to work because they have a number of staff that have celebrated silver anniversaries (25 years) at the company. Almost half the staff have been there for over 20 years.

A large percentage of the body repair industry is made up of family-owned businesses and S&S is no exception. Siroen's father Willie and mother Greta founded the business in 1967 and Tony works with his two brothers Jeff and Ron. And that's where many businesses falter, with the third generation not wanting to get into the family fold, but not at S&S where the next generation, Brent, Daniel and Aaron have joined the business too.

While Siroen may have not been there the entire 50 years, he's certainly still seen many changes throughout his time, as the industry has grown, shifted and advanced.

Rattling off those key areas of change – education, technology, insurers, shop chains and the nature of repair – they all make his list.

For S&S the result of all of these changes is clear. Now more than ever, there is a greater need for enhanced service, as customer expectations and demands continue to mount.

“The big change now is the chains, the Geminis of the world, the Car Crafts.

“Insurance companies have always been an issue in the industry.

I've been here for 36 years and panel beaters and painters have always grizzled about them. Now it's reached a whole new level when it comes to insurance companies and their pricing structures.

“Another huge change would be technology. In the early days you could have a decent whack at the car and the car would be repaired, now you have a minor accident and it can get written off."

However, understanding change is only half the battle. It is being able to capitalise on it that sets a business aside from all the rest.

Luckily, Siroen has been around long enough to notice the shift within the industry and, with the help of his son, adapt accordingly.

“One thing that we have done successfully in the past with our business is to diversify – for instance into the industrial market.”

Siroen is grateful for the involvement of the younger generation to keep pushing change and growth in the business.

“I think it is also very important to add the younger generation to the mix, because technology has changed, everything is now very technical. So technical that most of the older generation struggle to grasp it.

“Back then a basic mechanical knowledge was what was needed to get through, that’s not the case anymore. Now you need more of electronics background and that’s where guys like me struggle.

“My son now takes care of our equipment sales, and when I see 14 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The current S&S Industries location, the original site and the founder Willie Siroen

and hear from clients what he can do with such items as the Autorobot EZ Calipre measuring system and GYS welders, it confirms the fact that technology has changed and in most cases is beyond the capabilities of someone with a mechanical mind.”

While it is safe to say S&S is a business that keeps its eyes forward and focused in on the future, 50 years is a long time to be in business and Siroen doesn't mind taking a moment to look back on the man that built it all. His father, Willie, didn't just launch the business overnight. With a background in mechanics, Willie would often repair cars on the side to keep his family afloat. And while he would go on to grow S&S into an independent powerhouse in the industry, Siroen says the foundations were built on hard work and sacrifice.

“He was a motor mechanic before he set up the company and he had a bit to do with dealerships so he started buying cars, doing them up and selling them. But then he got caught for backyard dealing.

“They slapped a fine on him and the only way he could afford to pay that fine was to buy another car, do it up and sell it.”

As for how S&S plans to celebrate half a century in the industry, Siroen says it's going to have to be a low key event simply as with 50 years in business comes 50 years worth of invites.

“Many of our older customers and suppliers and staff are coming in for the occasion. It should be a great way to celebrate this important milestone, one that myself and everyone at S&S is extremely proud of.” www.paintandpanel.com.au

The excellence of innovation

THE TIME TO ACT IS ... NOW! Upgrade your old spot welder to the latest Car-O-Liner CTR12000 Inverter Spot Welder or our CTR7 Spot Welder.

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Head Office: Unit 1, 25 Industrial Road, Unanderra, NSW 2526 Ph: (02) 4271 6287 I Fax: (02) 4271 7899 I Website: www.car-o-liner.com.au I Email: julie@car-o-liner.com.au ● NSW & Tas: Fritz Pfeffer Ph: 0412 559 208 ● NT & Vic: Lindsay Batten Ph: 0412 372 988 ● Qld & SA: Liam Hugo Ph 0403 455 914

BEST PRACTICE

NO MORE WASTED EFFORT Operational excellence is all about reducing wasted effort. Fix Auto World's Nick Spiers give you some strategies to achieve this.

ANY PROCESS THAT gets carried out more than once is considered waste supplementary estimates, reordering parts, and re-painting vehicles are good examples.

Many shops see the key to success is to gain the support of the work providers and insurance companies to ultimately become the approved repairer. Before you can get to a position that makes the facility a viable proposition to the work provider you must understand where you waste effort.

The key to an insurance company's heart is the ability to reduce bodyshop cycle times while maintaining a reputation for high quality repair work at the right price.

Ask yourself “why?" and "how can we do it better?" for each step of the crash repair quality, low cost producers. Remember, the body shop's cycle time process. For example, "why does it take 12 to 14 days to get a car report is also the insurance company's rental car report. repaired in the average bodyshop" and "how can we do it faster?"

If a bodyshop could cut the cycle time from 14 to 7 days, the insurance company would save money on rental cars for its REPLICATION OF PROCESSES IS ESSENTIAL customers and the process improvements would save overall Preparation is essential. The traditional bodyshop model allows for costs on the repairs for the bodyshop. pre-estimates, estimates, and re-estimates and implies that parts get Imagine if you could eliminate quotes on all ordered and re-ordered and work gets repairs? Recent research indicated that most started, stopped, re-started, and estimates submitted were only 30% to 40% re-done. That's inefficient and “The old method of accurate. This is a key indicator in why expensive. Planning so that only one stopping and re-starting bodyshop cycle times are so long. You waste estimate is done, or no estimates are jobs while parts are time and money submitting supplements, done (once you are a direct repair ordering the wrong parts, disrupting planned facility). The right parts are ordered and re-ordered is workflow and contacting customers. ordered only once, and work is unbelievably inefficient This area is a key point of focus when starting completed in a continuous flow. and expensive.” to think about reducing your cycle times. Analyse The old method of stopping and and fully understand your existing process from re-starting jobs while parts are FNOL to onsite and onsite to repair start. These are ordered and re-ordered is the two stages where getting it right will make a big difference and unbelievably inefficient and expensive. By engaging bodyshop ensure you are on the journey to becoming an approved repairer or staff and have them identify the key steps in the repair process, a direct repair facility. Then perhaps you won't have to waste time establish standards of quality, and inspect work at each stage of on estimates any more. completion all helps to achieve continuous work flow.

The ability to reduce downtime is what generates added Remember collecting data around the repairs is vital. What revenue. Maximising throughput is the key to profits. gets measured gets improved.

Another best practice is a concept known as visual management.

This is a concept of making process changes both simple and visible for all staff members, by illustrating how things are to be done. We Fix Auto’s core values: Entrepreneurial spirit, should be striving to build consistency into our operating processes. ethics, continuous improvement and customer So, how do we define what’s better? Better quality, fewer commitment. To find out more about reworks, higher NPS & CSI, and faster, less expensive repairs.

Fix Auto Australia contact Terry Feehan The insurance companies that pay for most bodyshop repairs are on 0455 345 055. sensitive to these factors and will send their business to the high 16 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

www.paintandpanel.com.au

“My reputation depends on performance and reliability.

So does yours.”

Harry Bates Toyota Motorsport Ambassador Youngest ever Australian Rally Championship round winner

Reputation can be won and lost on a single decision, and if you inadvertently use counterfeit parts in your repairs you’re exposing yourself to a world of risk. For example, if you fit counterfeit body panels, the vehicle may lose its structural integrity and impact absorbing technologies.

Contact your local Toyota dealer for more information.

toyota.com.au/parts

T2017-006792

In a crash that can be disastrous. Why expose your business to potential catastrophes when simply buying Toyota Genuine Parts from an authorised Toyota dealer eliminates that problem?

PEOPLE MATTER

OFF TO A GOOD START Automotive recruitment specialist, Michael Rosario, of GASS lists 10 easy ways to welcome a new starter in your shop and to show some love to your existing team.

SO, YOU HAVE a new starter in your shop.

It won’t cost you much to impress them.

Welcome them in and at the same time find ways to make your existing team glad they work for you.

1

Prepare a welcome pack. This might consist of a shop branded water bottle or stubby holder, a personal note from the owner welcoming them to the team and listing some achievable goals to aim for.

2 3

Supply lunch for your new starter on day one. Get it in from Subway or the local lunch bar.

Provide an induction activities list, maybe create a buddy system or ensure your manager conducts an induction and training that is co-signed each week for an agreed period.

4

Have a monthly BBQ, it generates good will and loyalty.

People who feel valued and respected will give more back to you in productivity, attendance and punctuality.

5

If you can use a credit card that has a reward program why not use vouchers as incentives for staff? Petrol vouchers mean they still have cash to use on themselves.

6

Celebrate their birthday. It's easy, create a calendar for the business, buy them a cake with their name on it, get a card and have everyone sign it.

18 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

7

Make sure the lunchroom has a supply of fresh fruit or biscuits.

In a predominately male industry not all your staff will eat well. It’s another simple way to say thank you to your employees.

8

Give time off. One way to say thank you to your employees is by giving them some time off work to, for example, attend their child’s assembly or sports day. You do not have to go to the extreme of a whole day off work. Allow employees to leave early or come in a little later.

9

Random gifts, who does not love surprises? Surprise your employees by giving them small gifts and tokens. You can leave token gifts like movie tickets, candy bars or gift cards on employees’ desks with a note that says, “Thanks for all your hard work. I noticed.”

10

Let’s finish with a big one. Don’t be a jerk. If you yell, disparage people, get defensive, shoot the messenger, or publicly berate staff members, it’s a safe bet that you’ve landed in jerk territory. And remember, good people have options and few of them will want to work for a jerk, so this behaviour risks losing your best employees. And anyway, if you embrace ideas one to nine then the 10th won’t happen.

Global Automotive Staffing Solutions (GASS) has been established to fill a huge gap in the field of recruitment for the collision industry in Western Australia.

www.paintandpanel.com.au

DIGITAL MARKETING

EMAILS ARE CHEAP AND THEY WORK Consumers are looking online more and more for a better understanding of what a business does, how it operates, and what separates it from the rest.

Josh McDonnell explains how a simple email strategy can bring results.

THIS IS WHY a constant stream of communication is vital.

In the digital age there are many ways to do this but one of the most simple, and cost effective, is email marketing.

Email marketing can take many forms but at its core it is an effective means of creating a continuous dialogue between yourself and the consumer you service.

GETTING STARTED The first step to developing an effective campaign is to develop a subscriber database.

You most likely have one already but if not there are many ways to generate and grow one.

The first step is by creating a ‘call to action’. This is usually a ‘subscribe’ link or button that prompts someone visiting your website to sign up to a mailing list. You could incentivise this in some way.

If you have someone who manages your site request that they integrate a subscriber service into the site. The call to action can be simple, “subscribe to receive offers and updates.”

The second option that can be included is a tick box at the end of the a ‘new customer’ form - “tick if you would like to join our mailing list.” For those that already have an existing database, half the work is already done, simply request that the existing database be merged into your new mailing list.

According to the Email Marketing Metrics Report by marketing agency Vision6, trades and services businesses, such as automotive repair, remain on par with the average email open rate for businesses across Australia.

For the month of April the average rate was 33.96 per cent for all industries, with trades and services sitting at 31.91 per cent.

What this indicates is a large sum of consumers are interested in knowing more about the industry. However, by the same token click through rates (CTR) are well below the average. A CTR is a percentage that reflects the amount of people using your email newsletter as a way of visiting your website.

What this means is that, even though people are interested to find out more, the content within the e-newsletter is not engaging enough to convert their interest into business.

Treat insights as a main body of a story, this is where the reader should be provided with information they can really sink their teeth into. It doesn’t have to be a promotional discount or reason to come in. What it can be is a new service you may provide and how it works or why it is important.

Keeping readers up to date on changes within the industry is also important, such as changes to rules and regulations, practices, technologies.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that all of these topics need to end with a benefit to the customer. So if it’s an update around a new repair technique ensure you imply how it can save on costs or is of a superior quality compared to competitors.

Don’t repeat content - repetitive/irrelevant content is one of the main drivers behind readers unsubscribing.

If you don’t feel that creating the email content or design is in your skillset then see if one of the younger members of the team can do it, or employ a digital specialist to help. The results can been measured and if it isn’t generating enough leads then you can consider other digital strategies.

WHAT WORKS?

TIMING IS EVERYTING

While opinions on what works vary based on industry, consumer base and level of engagement, the key features for any campaign are introductions, insights, updates, offers and new content.

An introduction is important as this is what gives your campaign a familiar and friendly voice. Reminding the reader what the newsletter is about, thanking them for continuing to read and then informing them of some general business information are important when developing a relationship.

Regardless of how often you wish to send out your e-newsletter, it is important to consider what day is going to see the highest open rates. Wednesday and Thursday are the two days that most businesses send out email marketing content.

When developing the format of your e-newsletter keep in mind not all structures are mobile friendly and may appear distorted.

Make sure to ask your relevant IT contact to ensure that the send out is smart phone friendly.

WHY DO IT?

20 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

www.paintandpanel.com.au

Manufacturers of:  Zodiac Spray Booths & Baking Ovens  Zodiac Paint Formulation Rooms  SprayMaster Open Face Booths  PrepMaster Preparation Bays

West Australian Agent for GYS and Autorobot

Australian Importer for BECCA Solvent Recyclers and Gunwash Machines

West Australia Distributor for:

S&S Industries 25 Rothschild Place, Midvale, WA 6056 Tel: 08 9274 6566 | Fax: 08 9274 2259 email: admin@ssindustries.com.au web: www.ssindustries.com.au

SUPPLEMENTARY

Collision repair finance guru Brad Mewes details the key reasons behind failed business buyouts and takeovers.

4 REASONS WHY MOST ACQUISITIONS FAIL Acquirers can add value in a number of ways. One of the more THINKING OF BUYING another shop? The stark common ways is when big buys small. In this case, the larger truth is that 70 to 90 per cent of acquisitions acquirer may be able to apply the resources of a larger fail to deliver the value the buyer anticipated. organisation to a smaller organisation.

Yet, the data shows it is nearly impossible to build a world class company on organic growth alone. Most of the largest companies in the FREQUENT VS ONE-OFF ACQUISITIONS world were built on at least one, if not multiple Studies show that more frequent acquirers have more success deals. Why do most acquisitions fail? nearly twice the success compared to companies that only Acquisitions fail when the company does not consider what it occasionally acquired other companies. But not only do successful will cost and focus only on what an acquisition will deliver. acquirers buy frequently, they buy constantly and remain Valuation is important to assess cost, but not the only metric. So systematic in their purchases. too are metrics that take into consideration both the absolute Within the automotive aftermarket, there are a number of projected return of the investment, as well as the risk adjusted examples of frequent acquirers. The Boyd Group, parent company return on investment. Simply determining the best metrics to of Gerber, has been a perennial acquirer of collision repair use to measure an appropriate return can be a daunting task facilities. LKQ, one of the largest distributors of used and (i.e. balance sheet metrics, P&L metrics, cost of capital metrics, aftermarket automotive parts in the world, has increased or all of the above). revenues by nearly 14 times over But a focus on give versus get goes further the past 10 years, primarily as a “Acquisitions fail when the than simple valuation. Companies that engage in result of acquisitions. company does not consider successful acquisitions focus on what the company will have to give up to reap the reward.

LACK OF A what it will cost and only Acquisitions fail because they are distracting.

DEFINED PROCESS focus on what it will deliver.”

They often are not part of a company’s core Perhaps the most important success competence. Integration can be slow and factor in business acquisitions is a expensive. Identifying what your company will have to put in to defined process. Companies with the best M&A track record have a the deal, not just what it will pay to close the deal, can be the defined process designed to maximise outcomes and minimise difference between success and failure. risk. Generally speaking, companies that successfully employ M&A to grow start with small acquisitions, build a dedicated team for deal making, develop and maintain a pipeline of targets and, most WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE DEAL importantly, develop a clear set of guidelines for yes/no decisions.

Acquisitions fail when the focus is exclusively on the target.

Sam Rovit, former Partner at Bain and Company, talks about it Successful acquirers focus on themselves first and the target second. extensively in his book “Mastering the Merger”. Warren Buffett Specifically, successful acquirers focus on the internal capabilities talks about it. Academics have identified it as a key strategic they can leverage to transform the target company. They also focus advantage successful private equity firms have over strategic on the unique capabilities they can bring to the target company to buyers. It is logical that a defined process yields superior results. render it more effective than it was as a stand-alone company.

22 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

www.paintandpanel.com.au

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Or get boxed in – Creative strategies to improve your business today

THE PREMIER HALF-DAY CONFERENCE EVENT FOR AUSTRALIA’S SMASH REPAIR PROFESSIONAL. Thursday, 24 August 2017, SMC Conference & Function Centre, 66 Goulburn St, Sydney Tired of the same old same old?

So are we.

It’s time to think outside the box, about how we can revitalise the autobody repair industry to give it the status it deserves.

Paint & Panel L!VE 2017 takes that bold step.

Headline sponsor

PAINT & PANEL L!VE WILL EQUIP YOU WITH THE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHTS YOU NEED FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS, AND THE INSPIRATION NEEDED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

DAMIAN CAHILL Collision Business Manager, Holden

JOHNNY BARKER Partner and Creative Strategy Director, Barker Brand Partnerships

STEVE LOZENKOVSKI General Manager, Bears Auto Hospital Group

BEN FEWTRELL Managing Partner, MaxMyProfits

DAVID LINGHAM Head of Business, Fix Auto World (CANADA) ...plus more to be announced

TOPICS INCLUDE: INDUSTRY REBRAND We propose a rebrand of our industry. Why? The perception of the industry from both outside and in is outdated and doesn’t reflect the skill-set and professionalism of today’s repair industry. We have commissioned Barker Brand Partnerships to bring the repair community into the 21st century and beyond.

RECRUITING FOR YOUR FUTURE We’ll take an outside-the-box look at recruitment with David Lingham of Fix Auto. David will bring his global experience of how to recruit the right people and market your business to candidates.

...plus more to be announced

LET’S RAISE THE IMAGE OF THE REPAIR INDUSTRY WITH THE CONSUMER, THE INSURER, AND IMPORTANTLY MAKE IT AN INDUSTRY YOUNG PEOPLE ASPIRE TO.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW

Early-bird: $195 (incl GST) booked by 16 July Standard: $220 (incl GST)

Supporting sponsors

For tickets and more information,

VISIT: www.paintandpanel.com.au/live

TECH TALK

FOR GOOD MEASURE I-Car’s Mark Czvitkovits argues than measuring has never been more important for safe and efficient repairs.

TODAY'S VEHICLES ARE designed with safety, efficiency and technology built in to the complete overview of the vehicle.

The engineering and design development that goes into a modern vehicle with multiple materials can range from mild steels to ultra high strength steels. It may also incorporate aluminium, magnesium and even carbon fibre or other composites.

The challenge from an engineering perspective is that all of these different components have vastly differing crash energy properties. Quite simply the way they react in a collision can vary immensely, meaning some components may be severely damaged and absorb energy while others may transfer the energy to adjacent components and remain relatively undamaged.

This can result in indirect damage occurring away for the point of direct damage or impact. In many cases this may not be evident through a simple visual inspection and may be discovered during the repair process. This can lead to extended delays if further damage is discovered and supplements are required to be written.

A problem can occur if the indirect damage requires further disassembly or even new parts to be fitted to complete the repair. If additional parts are required and if by some form of bad luck are not available for four to six weeks, what do we do with the job while it sits on the bench waiting for parts? Even a delay of one week can cause significant disruptions to projected workflow and capacity and affect cycle times.

Whether it is a large job or a small job, measuring will provide the repairer with an overall picture of damage transfer within a vehicle structure. Measuring is the only way to determine if 26  PAINT&PANEL  July / August 2017

indirect damage has occurred in the vehicle, either in the structure or in the suspension or steering. A complete blueprint of the damage will assist in providing direction during the structural straightening process.

A significant change that has occurred in structural engineering designs of modern vehicles is that damage that in previous years was easy to identify is now not easily visually identifiable. The days of doors dropping through a frontal impact have disappeared as the energy absorbed by the front rails can now confine the larger damage in the crumple zone of a rail. The resulting forces that transfer through the vehicle may cause damage in the floor pan area, even though the visual inspection of opening and closing the door may suggest no damage here at all.

Measuring will provide a technician with the means to develop a repair plan to ensure all damage is removed and the repair time is shorter, rather than going at the repair haphazardly to straighten damage.

With the addition of advanced SRS systems and driver aid sensors the measuring of the vehicle is critical to ensure correct alignment and positioning of any sensors in a critical area. As these sensors will need calibration to complete the repair, if they are incorrectly aligned the calibration of the systems may not be within the design specifications and will need addressing.

I-CAR delivers a measuring course (MEA01) that provides technicians with an in-depth coverage of both two and three dimensional repairs, tolerances and the importance of measuring for damage.

More information at www.i-car.com.au. www.paintandpanel.com.au

TECH TALK Main: Gary Pearce: Below left: Special EyeSight alignment tool; Bottom: EyeSight Calibration chart, Below right: Radar recalibration.

RECALIBRATION – NO WORRIES RIGHT? Recalibration doesn’t seem to be something that the industry is buzzing about, yet if it’s not carried out correctly it could actually cause a collision. Sam Street went to the Subaru Training Acadamy in Sydney to see how the EyeSight and Subaru radars are calibrated.

GARY PEARCE, national training manager of Subaru, explains that recalibrating Subaru’s EyeSight is tricky and needs some special tools and processes, which is why it is carried out at Subaru dealerships.

EyeSight’s two cameras monitor traffic movement, optimise cruise control and warn drivers if they stray outside their lane.

The pre-collision braking feature can apply full braking force in emergency situations, helping to avoid or reduce frontal impacts.

If it’s not calibrated properly it doesn’t take a vivid imagination to see what could happen.

The EyeSight unit is mounted at the top inside of the windscreen. It has two cameras looking down the road at potential obstacles. The dealership has an EyeSight calibration

tool which is placed under the windscreen in the engine bay. The unit is pointing at the second piece of equipment, the EyeSight calibration chart, which is used to check the height of the cameras, and the pixels on the chart help the cameras to focus.

Technicians need to be very careful not to get fingerprints on the cameras’ lens when replacing the unit as these will cause the light to refract and the camera will be ‘blind’.

If you do have to remove an EyeSight camera, care must be taken to to stop fingerprints, dust or dirt getting on the camera and you must cover the unit. Subaru recommends using tape over the outside of the housing.

The second part of the process uses a diganostic tool to finalise calibration. A road test must take place to check that the calibration has been carried out correctly and the cameras can see what they were designed to – that they can discern lanes and vehicles in front. The technician is looking for a particular number to appear on the diagnostic tool to confirm that recalibration is spot on.

ON YOUR RADAR Pearce also explained that many Subaru models have a radar on each side of the vehicle located behind the rear bumper bar.

The radar detects vehicles in an area that is considered to be in its blindspot. If the unit is replaced or removed for repair then a recalibration process is required. The rear bumper bar cannot be repaired if it is damaged in the area the radar is located but must be replaced. Extra paint, filler or other materials will prevent the radar doing its job.

28 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

www.paintandpanel.com.au

CAR CRAFT 30TH

Car Craft Group had a spectacular 30th anniversary celebration (3-4 June) on the beautiful Queensland resort of Hamilton Island.

CAR CRAFT CELEBRATES IN STYLE

Above left: Car Craft founders cut the cake.

Below left: Compere Steve Haddon; Bottom left: Mike Wilkinson from Peter Wilkinson & Co. Below: An interesting take of Wayne Phipps Car Craft Chairman. Bottom: Friday night mixer from left: Peter McMahon, Mike Wilkinson, James Frape, Fawn Lewis, Mark Brady, Nikki Porter and Wayne Phipps.

CAR CRAFT MEMBERS and the group's suppliers congregated from across the country to network and relax at the Reef View Hotel. Celebrations kicked off in earnest on Friday night with a casual barbeque. The masquerade dinner on Saturday night was truly spectacular.

With no two masks the same, members glammed up and entered a stunningly lit and decorated room. There was entertainment from The Voice runner up Ellen Reed and a great band called Savvy.

The compere Steve Hadden was also excellent and did a great section sending up some of the Car Craft members.

The evening was about recognising the founding members of Car Craft, Allan McCarthy, Colin Bowra, brothers John and Steve McEntee and Lou Jack acknowledging the achievments of the group, especially over the last 30 years, and the people who were instrumental in those achievements. Lifetime achievement awards were presented to Steve McEntee and Basil Scagliotta.

Car Craft was also grateful to event sponsors and long-time supporters Toyota, as well as a host of other sponsors who contributed so such a great celebration.

30  PAINT&PANEL  July / August 2017

www.paintandpanel.com.au

CAR CRAFT 30TH

James Frape from with Fawn Lewis left and Nicky right from Compass Claims.

JAMES FRAPE FROM WITH FAWN LEWIS, LEFT, AND NIKKI PORTER, RIGHT, FROM COMPASS CLAIMS.

Spectacular decorations for a spectacular night. Top left: Left Gary Nettle general manager Autoparts WA, right Joe Zito dealer principle of Newtown Toyota; Above left: Daniel McEntee and Jessica De Oliveria . Above right: Ellen Reed.

www.paintandpanel.com.au

July / August 2017 PAINT&PANEL 31

COOLING IT

AVOID REFRIGERANT RUSSIAN ROULETTE VASA’s Haitham Razagui says go out right now and buy a refrigerent identifier or you could end up with a lot of unhappy customers.

a refrigerant identifier – had some form of contamination. It was IF YOU DO your own air conditioning work, the worst result since the survey began in 2013. get yourself a refrigerant identifier. Go out Overall, the major contaminants were air (4.0 per cent) and and buy one right now. If you use a hydrocarbons (5.6 per cent), with some parts of the country subcontractor for your AC work, make sure much, much worse than this. they have a refrigerant identifier and insist In Adelaide, just 34 vehicles out of 50 tested contained pure on a printout from this machine with every R134a, with seven systems being mostly R134a but contaminated car they send back verifying the refrigerant with air and a further eight containing a cocktail of in the machine is 100 per cent pure. hydrocarbons and R134a.

Regular readers may remember my VASA colleague Brett Meads Regional Victoria was considerably worse, with only half the explaining why refrigerant identifiers are now an essential piece of systems tested containing pure R134a, 10 per cent of vehicles kit for anyone working with auto-AC. Those reasons have not gone contaminated with air and a further 20 per cent either away and are compounded by the fact we are now heading into a containing a hydrocarbon-R134a cocktail or pure hydrocarbons. multi-refrigerant market with the arrival of two new air-conditioning Meads warns about air contamination, gases in the type of late-model imported cars which at best can lead to countless smash repairers tend to see before anyone diagnostic dead ends when trying to else outside the dealership network.

“You don’t want solve poor cooling performance and at Refrigerant purity is paramount. You contaminated refrigerant in worst, cause catastrophic compressor don’t want contaminated refrigerant in an AC system any more than failure with the associated big repair an AC system any more than you want bills Meanwhile hydrocarbon refrigerants contaminated paint reaching the nozzle you want contaminated highly flammable and must be of your spray gun. paint reaching the nozzle of are handled with extreme care, even when Modern auto-AC systems are built to such your spray gun.” diluted with non-flammable R134a. tight tolerances, with such small refrigerant Considering the level of contamination charges, that they are very sensitive to low out there, you’d want to know whether or gas levels, contaminated gas, or being filled not you should be taking the kind of precautions required when with a gas for which they have not been designed and calibrated. working with highly flammable substances, before you or the When hooking up your equipment to an AC system, the only ignition sources in your workshop come into contact with them. way of knowing what you’re getting into is by first using a So the message is clear. By not using a refrigerant identifier refrigerant identifier. If you assume the refrigerant in a system you are playing Russian roulette with not only your customers’ is pure, you might be in for a long day. One contaminated car air conditioning system performance and reliability, but the can infect your recovery cylinder, which then goes on to infect safety of everyone involved as well. every car you re-gas afterwards.

VASA is constantly campaigning for the importance of refrigerant identifiers to be officially recognised by regulators and legislators.

CONTAMINATION PANDEMIC Next summer, your customer takes their car elsewhere because the AC isn’t working and infects the recovery cylinder of that workshop, Smash repairers tend to be among the first to which then infects every subsequent car that goes there for AC encounter new technology on late model cars. service. That is unless someone, somewhere along the line, uses a Becoming a member of VASA, the industry refrigerant identifier and kills the contamination at source by association for those in the business of recovering the tainted gas to a separate cylinder and sending it automotive air conditioning, electrical and away to Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) for safe destruction. engine cooling, helps you to be ready for – and The most recent annual survey of automotive refrigerant to profit from – rapidly evolving changes to the way vehicles purity carried out by RRA in conjunction with VASA revealed work. Visit www.vasa.org.au/join. that more than 15 per cent of the 500 systems analysed – using 32 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

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LIVE 17

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AT LIVE 17 Our fourth LIVE seminar kicks off on 24 August in Sydney and we want you all to be there.

WE’VE HAD FANTASTIC feedback on our LIVE events over the last three years. There were two full day conferences and one half day and the consensus is that half day wins, so that’s what we are putting on this year from 1pm on 24 August.

We listen to feedback carefully and repairers are telling us that they are much more interested in the short to medium term than the long term and that hearing about what’s coming in the future is getting a bit old hat.

Taking all that onboard LIVE 17 is going to be an afternoon of thought provoking information, strategies and options for making changes now that can be implemented straight away or in the medium term.

IMAGE IS EVERYTHING One matter we believe needs addressing is the industry’s image with an increasingly image-obsessed consumer. Paint & Panel and MTAA has commissioned Barker Brand Partnerships to rebrand the industry for the 21st century and shake off the 20th century image that the public still holds. Agency owner Johnny Barker will be suggesting a different way of presenting the autobody repair sphere. Raising the image of the industry is also vital to attract the next generation of repairers into your businesses.

RECRUITMENT NIGHTMARES One of the biggest concerns we hear voiced in our industry is about the lack of ‘decent tradesmen’. Many people argue the opposite, that there are plenty of decent tradesmen but not so many great bosses.

If you want to build up a solid reliable team then you have to sell yourself and your business to prospective team members – ‘panel beater wanted’ just doesn’t cut it any more. Fix Auto World’s David Lingham has immense experience of the way that body repair businesses around the world do business. From the UK to the UAE, from Germany to China, Turkey to the US, there are very few markets that he hasn’t met the major movers and shakers and then hosted a conference for them. Lingham will challenge your notions about recruitment and give you strategies so that you can be in a position where people will seek you out as an employer rather than you wasting time interviewing the wrong people and making the wrong appointments.

DIVERSIFY OR DIE? Business diversification is the ultimate in thinking outside the box and, if carried out thoughtfully, can really future-proof your business. Many repairers who have diversified love the fact they can charge what they feel is appropriate and in some circumstances aren’t dictated to by insurance companies. We’ll 34 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

Left: Steve Lozenkovski from Bears Auto Hospital Group.

be hearing from repairers like Steve Lozenkovski of the Bears Group (pictured) and John Walker of Walker Crash Repairs about the success of their business strategies. Gary McDonald made a great move setting up Paint my Bike, a custom bicycle paint and repair shop. His latest venture Grip Moto is a high tech,small damage repair business. Dynamo Ben Fewtrell from business coaching agency Max my Profits will share some of his clients’ successful strategies and workshop some new ideas with the audience.

NETWORKING ‘It’s not who you know –it’s who knows you’. Who comes to LIVE? The most successful and innovative bodyshop owners always attend because they are not only hungry for knowledge and inspiration but they also know the value of networking.

While LIVE is aimed squarely at repairers who make up at least 80 per cent of delegates there are many others from the industry that attend LIVE. There are representatives from insurance companies, paint companies, TAFEs, equipment suppliers and many more. We’re also inviting 50 apprentices this year, at a special apprentice price.

After the conference there will be networking drinks and nibbles, plus we’ll arrange a venue for those who wish to continue networking after this.

Don’t ask yourself if you can afford the time out of your business to attend LIVE but rather if can you afford not to be seen there and to miss out on the inspiration and ideas that so many people have told us they have taken back and put into practice in there business following the event.

To book tickets go to the Paint & Panel website and click on the LIVE tab. www.paintandpanel.com.au

LONDON CALLING

WILL AI TAKE OVER EVERYTHING? The robots are coming and the machines are taking over. Well, not quite, but almost.

What is happening is definitely scary says Chris Oliver from Fix Auto Dagenham.

TECHNOLOGY IS GOING to change the landscape in our sector. If we ignore it, we might as well see ourselves as the equivalent of blacksmiths shoeing horses while Henry Ford was rolling motor cars off the production line.

Life insurance. One of the most Chris Oliver technically complex underwriting processes in the world is being revolutionised, as experienced underwriters and intricate actuarial models are being replaced by of all things – a selfie.

A simple selfie! A US start-up, Lapetus, believes a selfie can do the same job only better, quicker and more cost effectively. Customers email their finest selfie, the computers do the rest by analysing thousands of different regions of the face. They are looking not just for basic information such as gender, but clues for how quickly the person is ageing, their body mass index, whether or not they smoked.

Armed with this and other information, Lapetus says its “Would we be stupid and systems can accurately project life expectancy better and more myopic in the extreme quickly that traditional to accept that every methods currently provide. Data industry has an iTunes cars happening now across the world. Car makers, analysis is nothing new in the insurers, software providers will all want access to this insurance world. But it is built moment and vinyl won’t data and who “owns” it will be a big debate in future on the use of statistics, not last for ever? ” years, but we know the data is there. Once it is selfies. No wonder the insurance accessed, the organisation will be able to assess the risk industry is worried. and how much or how little insurance will be needed. This could be The key point is the ability to understand vast amounts of data down to day, date and time. The blanket annual policy could be in seconds and then adapt. In artificial intelligence (AI) terms consigned to the dustbin of history very soon. that means “learn”. A spokesman for insurance company Aviva recently reflected, “without question, machine learning will replace statistical models”. In vehicle terms, the data is immense.

MACHINES CAN'T FIX CARS Driverless cars currently generate around four terrabytes of data Ah, I hear you say, all very interesting, but machines can't fix a day and, remember, we are only at the beginning. cars, can they? And you would of course be correct. At a recent Last year in the UK, Admiral, a top five car insurer, investor meeting, Autonomous, a stockbroker was brave enough experimented with using the language in Facebook posts to to predict that UK insurance premiums could drop in the coming make predictions about driving behaviour. Excessive use of decades by 63%. What does that say about the overall accident exclamations marks, for example, could suggest over rate and to volume and profit in your shops? Take a closer look confidence!! I don’t believe it!!! For one second!!!! Facebook got at how traditional estimating is evolving as we speak. Within cold feet at the last minute and the project was pulled. But the next five years, there could be widespread use of systems Admiral will not be the last insurer to look for predictive that take an image, similar to the selfie above, analyse it and patterns in unconventional areas. Armed with this huge array within minutes produce an accurate repair specification. Robotic of data, experts predict computers will be able to assess risk arms are in development now that can be programmed to paint and cost policies in much closer detail. panels in a paint booth. Yes, we can argue, that currently Underwriters are a resilient bunch, much like car repairers. machines cannot beat panels and rub down filler. But would we They argue that humans will be needed to set parameters, be stupid and myopic in the extreme to accept that every filters, algorithms, etc. but with systems being able to adapt industry has an iTunes moment and vinyl won’t last for ever? and learn, once they are set up, the human input could diminish The world is changing. Do we stand still or do we evolve? massively to one-off set up status.

Thanks for your calls and all your emails last month. Keep This is not science fiction. We have pilot studies for driverless them coming. It is good to share.

36 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

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IBIS GLOBAL FOCUS

THE BIG ISSUES Paint & Panel is the media partner for IBIS Worldwide and each year produces a report on the Australian market for the IBIS Global Focus - read all around the world. By Sam Street.

CONSOLIDATION OF REPAIR networks by insurers and consolidation by the AMA Group are two of the dominant forces at work over the last year. The issue of genuine versus non-genuine and parallel parts in the parts arena has also been a big issue.

Insurers are favouring larger, high volume repairers who can leverage economies of scale and consequently are reducing the size of their repairer networks. This means that the traditional family-run workshops are being squeezed out which has led to many shop closures over the last two years.

There is also a chronic skills shortage looming with a dwindling apprentice pool. Many operators have been using the recently abolished 457 visa system to bring in tradespeople from South East Asia, the UK and other countries to bridge the gap.

According to the Paint & Panel 2016 Bodyshop survey, the two biggest perceived threats from bodyshop owners were unsustainable profit margins and skilled labour shortages. Having said that, there is a school of thought that those who complain of not being able to find tradespeople are the ones who aren’t attractive employers.

Opportunities exist for repairers to carve out their niche in the current market. Be it specialising in prestige cars, or diversifying (eg leisure vehicles) or becoming multi-site operators as many of the aging shop owners are looking to sell 38 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

up and retire. Currently there is only one major consolidator in Australia, so there is opportunity for more.

WHAT TRENDS ARE EVIDENT WITHIN THE MARKET? While we only have one major consolidator, AMA Group, they have been very busy. Starting off with a handful of shops, they merged with national Gemini Group and another large state-based chain, as well as buying a number of prestige repair shops and a couple of smaller groups. AMA is also building new insurer-exclusive shops in green and brownfield sites and is confident that it can continue on its current growth trajectory. At the time of writing there were 78 operational bodyshops in the group.

Meanwhile the Suncorp insurance company-owned Capital SMART network, the next largest repair group in Australia, has also been growing. The first SMART facility was opened in New Zealand last year. The group has over 40 centres across Australia, all in metropolitan areas. These facilities mainly focus on drivable repairs.

There is an increasing trend for business owners to have more than one shop and while there is no other group near to the size of AMA there are a few operators with around six sites and plenty with two or three.

With the repair landscape so uncertain for many there has www.paintandpanel.com.au

IBIS GLOBAL FOCUS

scratch and generally involve five-year contracts and guaranteed work volumes. There has been a massive growth in shops specialising in this business model. Many entrepreneurs outside of the AMA group have built or repurposed workshops to work exclusively for one insurer specialising in drivable repairs.

There’s a lively battle over the issue of parts. IAG is trialing an OE parts system where repairers are directed to certain dealers who have been selected for the scheme. There is concern that insurers involving themselves so directly in the parts supply chain will significantly erode repairer’s parts margins – seen by many as the last bastion of profitability.

Meanwhile Suncorp has taken a different direction, opening up its own parts operation ACM Parts (which began as a joint venture with LKQ) which brings in ‘grey’ imports and recycles parts, picking the cars it needs from Suncorp’s write-offs and at auction.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has been running a high-profile campaign called Genuine is Best aimed at educating the public on the dangers of non-genuine parts.

Insurers continue to dominate the market dictating standards, processes and increasingly parts usage. Other insurers have followed the big two (IAG and Suncorp) in issuing request for proposals, essentially asking repairers to pitch for business on a cost and efficiencies basis. Fixed price repairs are becoming increasingly common with “Trends are for larger shops able the idea that individual to achieve the economies of variances will balance out.

scale which insurers are increasingly demanding.”

been a growth in interest for being part of a network. The Car Craft Group is a buying and networking group that has over 100 members in four states. The franchise Fix Auto has been recently launched in Australia and has 10 shops in the group and is in talks with many more. CrashZone, a free quoting software, has a large networking group of over 150 repairers and runs events to help its members with business and networking.

Recently there has been some Government interest in the relationship between repairers and the insurers. However, there is little understanding of the retail automotive market by most politicians. Constant reshuffles and elections means a high turnover of MPs which makes a consistent government approach towards areas such as apprenticeship recruitment and consumer protection highly unlikely.

The national Code of Conduct for the industry has recently been revised and updated. The Code committee is made up of 50 per cent insurers and 50 per cent repair industry representatives. The Code is mandatory in New South Wales but voluntary throughout the rest of the country. It specifies conduct for both sides of the industry and now has a strengthened dispute resolution process, which is reported to have already been beneficial to both insurers and repairers.

BODYSHOP TRENDS Trends are for larger shops able to achieve the economies of scale and efficiencies which insurers are increasingly demanding. There is also a trend towards ‘bespoke’ repair shops which only repair vehicles for one insurer’s customer base. These can be built from www.paintandpanel.com.au

MANUFACTURER INFLUENCES

Australia has the largest number of car brands on sale of any country in the world. Many of the major brands have approved repairer networks, especially luxury brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley and Porsche. Holden (GM) is considering its own repairer network, Toyota’s was put in place in 2016. Other manufacturer approved networks include Volvo, Jaguar/Land Rover, Subaru and Lexus.

As cars become more complex, the manufacturers are likely to promote their own networks heavily in order to protect their brand, their customers and their sales of genuine parts.

WHAT ‘STANDARDS’ ARE CURRENTLY IN OPERATION WITHIN THE SECTOR? Suncorp has its own repair standards in terms of equipment levels.

IAG has been working heavily with I-CAR, a training organisation devoted entirely to upskilling bodyshop tradespeople and has recently mandated that all of their network must attain I-CAR Gold, given to shops whose staff have completed a set number of courses.

The Australian Motor Body Repairers Association (AMBRA) launched its own standards in 2014 but has been slow to enrol shops in this scheme which has a large upskilling component.

Panel beaters have to be licensed in New South Wales but not the rest of the country. There is currently no national standard.

WHAT IMPACT IS NEW VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY HAVING ON THE SECTOR? Only New South Wales demands panel beaters to be licenced but there is no requirement to train after this. Bodyshop training organisation I-CAR reckons that 75 per cent of industry technicians do no training at all and question why they need to.

This is despite the need to update techniques given the arrival July / August 2017 PAINT&PANEL 39

IBIS GLOBAL FOCUS

AUSTRALIA KEY FACTS POPULATION: 24,473,448 GDP: $1.62 trillion AUD TOTAL VEHICLE PARC: 18.4 million (ABS) (passenger vehicles 75.1% of this) AVERAGE VEHICLE AGE: 10.1 TOTAL NEW ROAD VEHICLE SALES: 2014: 1,113,224 2015: 1,115,408 2016: 1.178million NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLES REGISTERED: 2014: 3049 hybrid 132 electric 2015: 2697 hybrid 210 electric 2016: 2588 hybrid 65 electric NUMBER OF REPORTED ROAD COLLISIONS PER ANNUM: Approx 1.5 million NUMBER OF COLLISION REPAIRS PER ANNUM: 1.38 million NUMBER OF VEHICLE WRITE-OFFS PER ANNUM: 120,000

INSURANCE

NUMBER OF MOTOR INSURERS: TOP THREE MOTOR INSURERS BY NUMBER OF VEHICLES INSURED: 1. IAG (36%) 2. Suncorp (32%) 3. QBE 3. Alliance AVERAGE MOTOR INSURANCE PREMIUM AND EXCESS/DEDUCTIBLE: Varies state to state and by age and gender average would be around $850 under 25 male average $2305 in Victoria.

TOTAL NUMBER OF COLLISION REPAIR OPERATORS: Around 3000 LARGEST OPERATORS BY NUMBER OF SITES: 1. AMA Group 78 2. Capital SMART 40 3. Sheen Panel Service 25 Car Craft Group has over 100 locations is a buying and networking group.

AVERAGE COST OF REPAIR: Approx $2300 (Will vary from state to state $1900-2800) AVERAGE CYCLE TIME OF REPAIR (KEY-TO-KEY): 7 days AVERAGE LABOUR RATE: Around $35 but business need to recoup between $82-$120 NUMBER OF MOBILE SMART REPAIR OPERATORS: Estimated 250 TOTAL ACCIDENT REPAIR MARKET VALUE: $3.5 billion is the figure bandied about

40 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

”Electronic technology and the need for bodyshops to understand it will be an important development which could lead to another thinning of those businesses that don’t grasp it..” of new body materials and joining methods. Repair data access is not something that the bodyshop industry complains about with most people able to obtain methods from a variety of sources, the two most common being OEM parts suppliers and directly from the vehicle manufacturer.

WHAT INFLUENCE IS REPAIR TECHNOLOGY HAVING WITHIN YOUR MARKET? There has been a proliferation of workshop management systems to help with cycle times as well as with internal and external communication. There has also been a rise in purchases of fast curing systems to speed up cycle times in the paint shop.

WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE NEXT GENERATION? There are some bright and positive young repair shop owners and mangers in Australia but not nearly enough of them. Plummeting applications for apprenticeships and the high drop out rates has reached such a crisis point that there are many initiatives in place to try to turn this around, although currently nothing on a national level.

WHAT ARE THE LIKELY TRENDS THAT WILL IMPACT THE SECTOR OVER THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS? Electronic technology and the need for bodyshops to understand it will be an important development which could lead to another ‘thinning’ of those businesses that don’t grasp it.

Accident rates will fall thanks to collision avoidance technology and, if the laws to stop repairing write offs that exist in NSW become national, write offs will rise and less repairs will be available. This could result in a temporary lull in the need for skilled tradespeople. Although if the apprenticeship drought is not addressed, there is likely to be a severe shortage of repairers in the future.

The general consensus is that there will always be a place for independent repairers in Australia. However, it is increasingly challenging for businesses outside the insurers’ preferred networks who don’t specialise in some fashion. As the larger businesses and groups have better buying power and benefit from numerous economies of scale and smoother, faster interactions with insurers, the smaller independents are looking much more expensive and slower to deal with. www.paintandpanel.com.au

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2017

WOMEN IN COLLISION REPAIR

Leading Women In Collision awards RECOGNISING THE DETERMINED AND SUCCESSFUL WOMEN THAT MAKE THE AUSTRALIAN COLLISION REPAIR INDUSTRY SUCCESSFUL.

The Women in Collision Repair Awards, sponsored by IAG Insurance, are looking to recognise, reward and develop the careers of female trailblazers in the collision repair industry.

Proudly sponsored by

We are looking to encourage and recognise women in different areas of the collision repair sector by category: If you are a leading women at your collision repair business or if you know a leading women that is working in the industry nominations can be made in the following categories:

FEMALE TRADES PEOPLE/ESTIMATORS ADMIN/RECEPTION/CUSTOMER SERVICE OWNER/MANAGER We want to know who you are, what you’re doing and the difference you’re making.

IAG will recognise up to 3 finalists in each category and a winner in each category. From the finalists a national winner will be chosen in each category. All finalists will be flown interstate, as required, to attend the Leading Women in Collision repair awards/conference.

ENTER NOW

Visit: www.paintandpanel.com.au/women-in-collision

IN DEPTH

100 NOT OUT FOR BAYFORD GROUP The Bayford Group celebrates its centenary this year with a positive growth strategy for the next 100 years.

The awesome new Ford dealership in Epping Melbourne and the first showroom in the early days of Bayford.

THIS FAMILY BUSINESS has grown from humble beginnings to a significant automotive force with nearly 500 employees and a product offering from cars to parts and service as well as paint, tools and equipment. For any business to be going strongly after 100 years is testament not only to the founder’s principles but also to the management and staff commitment throughout the journey over the century.

Dick Bayford, who founded the business in 1917, was a mechanical engineer for Tarrant Motors – the company that assembled Fords imported from the US. Dick was invited to Ford in the US and, when he returned home, he opened a car showroom in Fitzroy, Melbourne.

A two further generations of the Bayford family have steered the automotive group into one of Australia’s oldest family-owned car dealerships. Current Chairman is Hugh Bayford - Dick's great nephew. He reflects on the satisfying growth of the company in his tenure. “When I started there were 60 people here and I knew everyone by name. Dick's philosophy from the start was to find good people with the right values. We have many long standing employees – dealer principles who started off as cadets, spare parts managers who have been with us over 20 years. They stay because the culture and systems have been consistent throughout the company's history.”

The Bayford Group has added BMW, Volkswagen and Peugeot dealerships alongside the Ford dealerships. From a single-car

44 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

showroom in 1917 it now has 15 sites, four franchises and 500 employees.

The focus on fostering lifelong relationships with customers has never changed. Looking forwards not backwards is one of the reasons Bayfords has grown and flourished. The company recently opened the most advanced Ford showroom and facilities in Australia and is only the second Ford dealership in the world to portray the new fresh faced Ford image and was opened by Elena Ford, Henry Ford's great granddaugher.

Parts and service have always been an important aspect of the business. “The climate for selling cars experiences ups and downs, parts have always been a reliable source of revenue,” says Bayford. While he acknowledges the growth of grey imports and aftermarket parts which should have had an effect on volume, the advantage of being a healthy 'last man standing' means that as competitors have fallen by the wayside, Bayford has picked up and retained their customers.

Selling paint and equipment was a logical addition to the Bayford business offering.

What does the near future hold for Bayford? “In this consolidating market we need to continue to grow – both organically and through acquisition,” Hugh says. Here's to another 100 years of Bayford. www.paintandpanel.com.au

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SPRAY BOOTHS

FROM OPENING THE WINDOW TO COMPUTER-AIDED DRYING David Moraghan from Pan Spraybooths wanted to share this history of the spraybooth with Paint & Panel readers – its by Mark Clark for US magazine Bodyshop.

BACK IN THE early days of auto refinishing, a spraybooth was any room with an open window - a refinish technician was anyone who owned a paint brush.

But evolution was imminent. The next step was to move the paint area next to the loading dock door, which allowed more air exchange. It wasn’t until Dr. DeVilbiss invented the atomizer (which later became the first suction-feed spray gun) in 1907 that overspray became a problem. This made painting more complex and created the need for spraybooths.

The earliest ‘real’ booths were updraft booths, from the 1920s used mainly for food preparation. The exhaust hoods that pulled the greasy fumes away were then taken – enlarged – and mounted above the paint area to remove paint fumes. This was certainly a more positive ventilation method but it proved to be inadequate once spray guns were invented. When painters began atomizing paint resin, the overspray particulate was too heavy to be sucked up into the exhaust hood.

The earliest solutions to remove overspray were as simple as installing a fan in the open window. The blades of the fan pulled the paint cloud out of the room. However, the blades of the fan were quickly covered in sticky overspray, which threw the fan out of balance and burned up the motor. By mounting vertical wooden slats in front of the fan, some overspray would collect

46 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

on the boards before it could stick to the fan blade. And so, arrestors were born.

These early arrestors worked better when mounted in two rows and offset to each other. This way, the exhausted air had to turn corners to reach the fan; each time the air turned around the wooden slat, more paint would adhere. These zigzag slats were still only about 50 percent efficient. Plenty of overspray still went onto the fan blades and into the exhaust duct, where it became a major fire hazard. Painters also began greasing the slats to make the removal of paint buildup easier.

THE 1930S: IS THERE A FIREMAN IN THE HOUSE? The earliest prefabricated spraybooths appeared in the ‘30s and were three-wall enclosures with a fan on the back wall. They often had a ‘box’ of some kind directly in front of the fan, with filter material mounted on the front side of the box. Early arrestor media included cotton wool, burlap or other fabrics – none of which was fire retardant. The woven fabric did a much better job than the wooden slats capturing overspray. But, since tightly woven cloth plugged up quickly, painters had to change exhaust filters several times a day. This fabric also did a better job catching on fire: these frequent fires in early painting operations are what gradually led to safer spraybooths.

THE 1940S: BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY Various fire and explosion catastrophies pointed out the need for safer painting facilities. So, by the 1940s, the spray enclosure itself was often metal or cement. These slightly safer booths also had light fixtures in houses rather than directly in the path of paint overspray. Spraybooths now became totally enclosed with

www.paintandpanel.com.au

SPRAY BOOTHS

drive-in doors on the forward side of the open booth. Keeping the doors closed contained the overspray much more effectively.

Now booths such as the Pan Classic are smarter than we are.

THE 1950S: HITLER INSPIRES DOWNDRAFTS Apparently, Adolf Hitler was trying to hide both manufacturing capacity and troops underground and away from Allied eyes. To evacuate fumes, German engineers invented downdraft technology.

After the war downdraft technology was the logical and healthier choice. In the US the safety issue was more about fire prevention than painter health.

The invention of electrostatic painting required a big improvement in spark and fume control. Painters still pulled overspray across the car from one end of the enclosed box to the other, but sprinklers, grounding technology and spark containment made the environment less likely to explode or burn. Since lacquer was the refinish material of choice, many body shops had no real booth; a "paint room" with a fan on one wall sufficed. Because lacquer dried so quickly many painters concluded that painting cars had to take place in an overspray cloud – and that it was simply time to pause between coats when they couldn’t see the car anymore. Also, since painters had to polish lacquer to a shine, the dirt that did collect in the finish wasn’t critical.

THE 1960S: PROTECTING PAINTER HEALTH By the 1960s, many municipalities around the country had adopted rules and regulations about spray painting. As new body shops opened, they were forced to install an appropriate fire-proof spraybooth. In Europe, governments tracked how many visits to the doctor a particular painter made and it became clear how hazardous auto paint could be to an unprotected painter.

THE 1970S: "REAL" BOOTHS GAIN ACCEPTANCE The 1970s saw improvements in filter efficiency; both intake and exhaust filters became better. More American body shops were interested in a real paint booth, not just to comply with local codes, but to keep paint work cleaner.

THE 1980S: DOWNDRAFTS GET THEIR BIG BREAK As vehicle manufacturers began the switch to base/clear finishes, top shops looked for better ways to refinish cars. Top shops were quick to realize that a 75 percent reduction in buffing time was a barrel full of labor dollars at the end of the day so the spray booth investment could be recouped.

Clearcoats vaulted dirt to the head of the painter’s problem list. For one thing, more coats were needed – and every trip around the car stirred up more dirt. and the clear magnified the dirt. To deal with these problems, painters realised the 48 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

advantage of moving a lot of air in a tight curtain around the car: The paint dries much faster.

The late ’80s saw the widespread introduction of prep stations to American body shops.

THE 1990S: A DECADE OF ADVANCEMENT The early part of the decade saw an increase in the firms offering "shop design" services. The newer booths also offer either a director indirect-fired air-replacement furnace. The race began to see who can heat the most air for the least cost and force dry the most cars.

21ST CENTURY KNOW-HOW It’s been a long road to get where we are today says Pan's David Moraghan, we’ve gone from the days of painting outside to a $90,000 spraybooth that’s smarter than we are. Pan Smartbooths offer: • reduced energy consumption • faster cure times • increased number of cycles achieved • improved lighting levels • reduced time • offer consistent laminar air – flow • quieter operating levels • Cleaner, harder paint results Cars have changed, paint has changed and consumer expectations have changed. If your shop hasn’t changed, maybe now is the time.

ABOUT THIS SPRAY BOOTH FEATURE All of the editorial in the spray booth feature has been provided by the spray booth suppliers. Ensure that any equipment you buy is compliant with Australian standards. www.paintandpanel.com.au

SPRAY BOOTHS

LEADING THE WAY IN WORKSHOP INNOVATION Looking for new ways to improve your bottom line?

The PaintTROTTER can do just that say Berlex Industrial.

THERE’S NO QUESTION that technology is the driving influence in the productivity and profitability of modern day collision repair.

Berlex Industrial is answering this need with innovative workshop solutions that help you create efficiencies in your workshop, making your business more profitable.

One of these innovative solutions is the patented PaintTROTTER, mobile rapid repair spray booth. The PaintTROTTER is designed to make small to medium repair jobs more Innovative PaintTROTTER can boost your bottom line. efficient by enabling repairs to be completed anywhere in the workshop.

Berlex Industrial Sales Manager, John Reoch, says :“The be present across all surface treatment industries, resulting in a PaintTROTTER saves automotive repair businesses time and ‘big-picture’ vision which ultimately benefits your business. money by increasing workshop productivity, reducing repair times, and reducing energy costs”.

Low Carbon Footprint Darren Holmes owner of Holmes Smash Repairs in Toowoomba Low environmental impact on the life cycle of Lagos products is an advocate for this innovative mini-booth. including the patented PaintTROTTER (ISO 14022).

“The PaintTROTTER for us is a great tool for increasing our throughput in the paint shop and works very well for all small Safety Standards paint jobs which hold up the main booths," he said.

The PaintTROTTER is compliant with Australian Standards including airflow 0.25ms, electrical wiring & switching, safety switching, clearance time, and VOC’s.

WHY CHOOSE THE PAINTTROTTER? Increase Efficiency The PaintTROTTER enables you to complete repairs anywhere in THE EXPERTISE BEHIND THE PAINTTROTTER your workshop, which means less vehicle movements and more time The PaintTROTTER is designed and manufactured in Spain by for your spray booth to complete larger, more profitable jobs. As a global surface treatment innovators, Equipos Lagos. With over 30 result, you can push through large and small jobs more efficiently. years of experience, Lagos specialises in the design of equipment and products for surface treatment processes such as sanding, metallic coating, shot-blasting, painting and drying. Lagos Save Time supplies to more than 20 countries and has been integral to With the PaintTROTTER's simple use and mobility, repair technological development across the aeronautical, automobile, times are condensed, increasing workshop productivity. renewables, wood, and manufacturing sectors.

Reduce Energy Costs The PaintTROTTER has a lower energy consumption than INNOVATIVE WORKSHOP SOLUTIONS conventional fixed spray booths. When you take the total energy The PaintTROTTER can also be complemented with a shortwave costs into account and the large proportion of small to medium repair infrared drying machine, reducing drying times by up to a third jobs, this inefficient use of energy eats directly into your profits. (see page 62). These mobile, compact dryers have quick start up and shut down, precise temperature control, plus lower capital and install costs. They deliver intense heat without any moving Leading Technology air and facilitate an inside-out drying process, which generates The PaintTROTTER is designed and manufactured by global better paint grip and promotes better finishing. surface treatment innovators Equipos Lagos, whose products have More information from Berlex Industrial: 1800 680 603 or been tested and adopted by global leaders such as Audi, Mercedesvisit berlexindustrial.com.au.

Benz, Porsche and Airbus. They are one of the only companies to

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1 2 3 4

50 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

www.paintandpanel.com.au

SPRAY BOOTHS

SIMPLE BEAUTY FROM SEETAL One of the most fundamental rules of engineering is that ‘simple is better’ says Seetal.

THE BEST WAY to do something is the one with the fewest moving parts, the fewest chances to fail and the fewest questions to answer before you can get started.

Spray booths might be complicated machines but, thankfully, Seetal Spray Booth is making them feel simple. At its core, a spray booth has three jobs that are critical to giving you the result that you want.

• Air movement • Temperature control • Lighting Seetal Spray Booths has been improving each of these three aspects of their products ever since they introduced the modern spray booth to the Australian painting industry back in 1972.

In 2017, 45 years later, Seetal boasts the very best air movement, temperature control and lighting in the industry.

Let’s talk about how they’ve achieved that and why it matters.

AIR MOVEMENT If you had to name the single most important function of a spray booth, it would be it's ability to move clean air through the spraying area, removing overspray and harmful paint fumes while you work, and helping the paint to cure more quickly.

Seetal has been building its unique air handling equipment using lightweight components in the highest quality machine designs in the industry. They’ve managed to create a system that pushes filtered air through their booths faster than any other brand on the market while saving energy and money using motors which consume up to 49% less power than competing products.

Of course, a huge part of good air movement comes from the reliability of the air handling unit. Once again, Seetal leads the industry in the field of reliability with its Australian made machinery. It is not uncommon to see a Seetal booth operating perfectly even after 30-40 years of daily use, when properly maintained.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL Being able to regulate the heat going into a spray booth is an enormous factor when it comes to getting consistently great results from your equipment and getting those results quickly.

Seetal has been pioneering the direct-fired gas burner in the spray booth industry for the last 30 years and the experience that they have in this area really shows in the performance of their booths.

Seetal has designed a burner system that uses the same amount of gas as comparable products while heating the booth up to 300% faster, getting the job finished in less time and saving money. To make sure the booth doesn’t get too hot, Seetal’s laser-calibrated temperature control systems slow down at high heat to give you maximum precision during the bake cycle for a perfect finish.

LIGHTING Good lighting is one of the unsung heroes of the spray booth 52 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

Top: Seetal’s full lighting system eliminates all shadows.

Above: Insulated fan ensuring superior airflow.

industry. The importance of a well-lit working area can’t be overstated when you’re preparing to paint and Seetal has found the key to providing even light throughout the booth - reducing shadows.

Most people seem to think that the more light you pump into a booth, the better the lighting must be but Seetal has figured out that the amount of light you’re getting is far less important than the direction you’re getting it from. Even a light source as powerful as the sun is no help if it’s coming from behind you.

This is why Seetal focuses on delivering light from as many angles as possible in their booths. A row of lights is included along every edge of the ceiling, front, back, left and right. This ensures that the part you’re working on is always illuminated from at least two different directions, but Seetal knows that this isn’t enough. All of this light coming from above is great but what makes all the difference is the vertical lights that Seetal puts in each corner of their booths. These corner lights provide illumination across the vertical surfaces that you’re working on, essentially removing all shadows in the booth.

With this lighting system, each surface of your paint job is illuminated from four different directions. This consideration puts Seetal booths a cut above the competition when it comes to working visibility.

Simplicity is at the centre of all Seetal products. Each fundamental function that a spray booth serves is handled elegantly and easily because Seetal gets the simple things right, just as they do with usability and serviceability.

Seetal only uses the best design and materials which makes choosing your next spray booth, prep bay, paint mix room, drying room or spray-out box… simple. www.paintandpanel.com.au

SEETAL

SPRAY BOOTHS

BAKE OVENS

PREPARATION AREAS

PAINT MIX ROOMS

SPRAY BOOTH (VIC) PTY LTD Low gas and electricity usage.

Low CO & CO2 footprint thanks to Seetal’s patented direct fired burner system.

Air flow by specialized high efficiency ventilation system requiring less power and saving you money.

Seetal have designed our own unique purged lighting system allowing light tubes to be easily changed from inside the booth. This also means booths may be installed hard against workshop walls saving valuable floor space..

TWIN EUROCABIN BOOTHS

TWIN EUROCABIN BOOTHS AND DOUBLE PREP BAY

Nationwide sales and support.

SPRAY OUT BOX

SPRAY OUT BOX WITH IR CURING RAIL

40 years design technology experience assuring you the best performance and value 56 Jersey Road, Bayswater Vic 3153 T (03) 9729 8733 F (03) 9720 5684 E admin@seetal.com.au

QLD 14 Grice Street, Clontarf, QLD 4019 T (07) 3283 2847 F (07) 3283 3659

SPRAY BOOTHS

WHY YOU CAN’T AFFORD NOT TO PARTNER WITH LOWBAKE In today’s tough market, Lowbake says that you simply cannot afford to not partner with them to keep you ahead of your competitors.

FOR OVER 30 years, Lowbake Australia has become the chosen paint shop equipment supplier for more than 3500 businesses, stretching to every corner of Australia and beyond.

WHY?

• Technology - Lowbake offers superior technology and engineering that is second to none.

• Experience - A proven ability to deliver quality time after time with the experience of 3 decades.

• Training – The only spray booth manufacturer with an in-house training centre to fully test and develop their own products.

Lowbake trains and retrains customers on getting the best out of equipment including full downdraught spray booths, UV technology, electric infrared, IR Gas, rapid air drying systems (RADS) and sanding.

The training centre is a state-of-the-art facility enabling the Lowbake team to work with customers to better train and develop their skills on industry-leading equipment.

BESPOKE DESIGNS Dedicated designers are on hand to custom design equipment to suit your facility. Site visits allow accurate manufacturing and

54 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

measured building plans to ensure ease of installation.

Lowbake has the answers you need to keep your business productive in today’s tough market.

Lowbake urges you to forget imported equipment and forget start-up companies. You need a partner who is a professional, solid, reliable and proven player to get the results you need, guaranteed now and into the future.

Lowbake equipment is currently operating in the training centres of BASF, Sikkens, Axalta, PPG, 3M, TAFES and many other institutions across Australia and Asia because they recognise the quality and performance of the product.

Learn from their experience - go with Lowbake and you will succeed. Benefit from LED lighting technology, variable speed drives, direct fired recirculation heating systems, RADS waterborne curing, properly organised paint mixing rooms and preparation stations that function efficiently.

Lowbake also offers manual and automatic electric IR systems, manual and automatic gas IR systems, hand held and portable UV. Lowbake is the only true national company with factories in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide with filter sales, servicing, maintenance, installation, relocation, training and work-shop procedure advice.

Lowbake offers Australian-made spray booths to suit any budget - from single booth bodyshops, to large scale training centres. There is no project too small or too large for the team to undertake. Lowbake says it will not be beaten on quality or on features, performance or value.

For more information visit: www.lowbake.com, facebook.com/ LowbakeAustralia or call: (03) 9794 8533.

www.paintandpanel.com.au

AUSTRALIAN DESIGNED & MANUFACTURED

LOWBAKE ALPHA BOOTH

LATEST, WORLD LEADING SPRAY BOOTH TECHNOLOGY EASY OPERATION, TOUCH SCREEN DISPLAY LOWEST OPERATING COSTS RAPID AIR DRYING SYSTEM FOR FASTER PAINT CURING OF WATERBORNE PAINTS & TOP COAT SYSTEMS LED HIGH LUX LIGHTING VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES BACK-TO-BASE MONITORING

LOWBAKE MOTORISED ELECTRIC IR

FULL AUTOMATIC MOVEMENT HIGHEST QUALITY HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY INCREASE IN PROFITS, DECREASE IN WAIT TIMES USER FRIENDLY WIFI CAPABILITIES MULTIPLE SUBSTRATE AND MATERIAL SELECTION POWER AND COST REPORTING

LOWBAKE… YOUR KEY TO SUCCESS !

Lowbake Australia Pty Ltd | 20 Luisa Ave Dandenong 3175 Victoria | AUSTRALIA | 1800 337 340

www.lowbake.com

SPRAY BOOTHS

Most industries in Australia have been affected by soaring increases in energy costs. The accident and collision repair industry is no exception. Junair explains how using its spray booths can help.

THE BURNING ISSUE FOR BODYSHOPS – ENERGY COSTS BODYSHOPS CONSUME A great deal of energy relative to the size of the business. Profits have been hit hard thank in part to ever increasing energy bills. With traditionally tight margins, the pain of spiralling energy prices is being felt even by the larger operators. Australia can already lay claim to having some of the highest energy costs in the world. So, what steps can be taken to reduce your rising energy bills?

The spray booth is the biggest consumer of energy in body shops. The paint finishing operation can account for as much as 90% of a typical shop's overall fuel consumption. This is a huge proportion of energy used – but also presents an opportunity to improve energy efficiency and increase profit.

Analysts in the accident repair industry recently calculated that the average net profit per car repaired is only around the $80 mark. A modest saving in the energy consumed will result in a big percentage on the bottom line.

The fuel and electricity required to run a spray booth oven can cost between $4 and $40 per top-coat job. That increases when high build primer is required. By investing in more energy-efficient equipment, you will be able to make more money per job thanks to the energy savings you can receive.

By utilising the best spray booth technology in the marketplace you can easily save over $7,000 per year. This is 56 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

based on comparing a conventional direct gas fired spray booth (25,000m³ airflow & 7.5 kW motors) with a booth with the same specifications, but fitted with an auxiliary air movement system and variable airflow technology (VAT). Over the first 10 years of your booth’s life you could save over $70,000.

There are a number of ways you can reduce your energy consumption and save money. These include fitting your booth with an auxiliary airflow system and installing VAT Both of these will reduce bake times and save energy.

These types of energy saving features have been developed for the technologically advanced spray booths available in the marketplace today. Whilst investing in a new spray booth equipped with some, or all, of this technology will mean a higher capital cost, the energy savings received in the long term will be worth the investment.

If you would like a complimentary Energy Assessment on your current spray booth, contact sales@junair.com.au or call: 1300 881 411. Junair Spraybooths will be happy to provide you with an obligation-free assessment of your current or proposed spray booth and demonstrate what kind of savings can be made by fitting energy efficient technology. www.paintandpanel.com.au

JUNAIR supplies market leading spray booths that will help you reach your business goals, both now and into the future.

With a solution tailored to your body shop, JUNAIR delivers results through engineering excellence, unrivalled support and after-sales service.

Call us now to find out how we can: • Increase your paint job quality therefore reducing rework • Reduce your booth cycle time by 35% • Reduce your energy consumption by up to 70%

….utilising JUNAIR’s: • Variable Air Technology (VAT) • Fuel Saver Mode (FS) • Control Panel iSystem2 (automatic control) • EVAC/LEVAC floor and extraction system • QADsTM - The auxiliary air movement system • Free shop design service

Junair Spraybooths ANZ Pty Ltd 1-15 Beal Street, Meadowbrook, QLD, 4131 Web: www.junair.com.au | Call: 1300 881 411 | Email: info@junair.com.au

SPRAY BOOTHS

No matter how much fast curing methods such as IR technology are progressing in our industry, convection heating is likely to remain the most prominent and cost effective method for the foreseeable future.

Fast cycle times and energy efficiency with all the latest technology from Panda. Left: Happy painters from a recent Panda fitout at Cosgrove Smash, NSW

CONSISTENT PERFORMANCE FROM PANDA THE LATEST PANDA convection spray booth and comparable booths can achieve a hard dry level in just 20 minutes for a purchase price of between $70,000- $100,000. The IR system will achieve the same result in approximately five to 13 minutes. However, it costs about three times more to buy and is a complex system. Many IR systems can only cure small areas. But are small and medium sized bodyshop owners going to spend an extra $150,000 to fight for an extra few minutes?

The latest in spray booth technology is Panda’s unique Digital Direct Fired Modulating System (DDFMS) which optimally controls the direct fired burner through the variable speed intake fan by a computer. The computer automatically controls both the gas burner and air flow speed to suit the jobs being cured. When it needs a higher air flow and heat, both channels will open to increase air flow. For instance when the booth is heating up, the computer will specify maximum heat with an optimised air flow rate so that it reaches the desired temperature quickly. When the booth reaches the preset temperature, the control system adjusts the gas/air flow ratio to accurately maintain that temperature and avoid fluctuations which can affect the finish. While the system is running, the combustion control computer will also constantly monitor the minimum airflow rate.

58 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

20 MINUTE CYCLE TIME A practical example comes from one of Panda's Queensland customers who was having problems with an overheating booth which was too hot for the spray painter to remain inside, seriously hampering production. After a new Panda booth with DDFMS was fitted the shop achieved a consistent 20 minute booth cycle time.

Panda’s DDFMS technology had been exclusively developed by Panda Finishing Solutions through years of on-site experiment in cooperation with local paint suppliers such as PPG, Akzonobel and others. All Panda products are made in the company's factories in Australia and New Zealand.

KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS • Up to 33 per cent more efficient gas consumption, • Heats up quickly, • Maintains temperature accurately – no temperature fluctuations, • Reduces CO emissions for a better health and safety standards, • Provides effective heating and drying for up to 35 per cent less cycle time, • No condensation problems, • Electrical consumption reduced by up to 40 per cent.

For more info please call Panda on 1300 883 926. www.paintandpanel.com.au

MAKE A CHANGE. CALL PANDA

1300-883-926

“

I’ve never seen any booth like this in my 22 year career.

Superb airflow in all corners of the cabin and the size is great. I had one ute plus two bumpers all in one go and was still left with plenty of space...

- Mark Quilliam, Senior Spray Painter.

Allan Doyle Crash Repairs, SA

”

T L I U B M O T US C T N E M P I QU E E T G N D E I E C I G F N F I E D Y A LE RG E N E Y G O L O N H C E T N E PRO V

Call Free p 1300 883 926 Tel 02 9533 3778 Mob 0417 195 761, 0430 433 085 m govindahu@pandaspraybooth.com.au, davidweatherall@pandaspraybooth.com.au Address 110 Roberts Avenue, Mortdale 2223, NSW, Australia Panda Finishing Solutions Pty Ltd. Trading as Panda Spray Booth Bake Oven.

SPRAY BOOTHS

MASTERBOOTH MASTERMINDS PAINT SHOP IMPROVEMENTS Improving efficiency is a team effort by many players, some of whom are not employed by the body shop owner at all says Steven Kaye of Masterbooth.

IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTS CAN be made by not overbooking, ensuring the paint shop is kept clean, work is not started on a vehicle without all parts being available. Plus: • Drivable vehicles should not be in your shop longer than 2 days.

• Non drivers should be out within 7 days.

• Use waterborne paints. Waterborne wins for speed, costs, efficiency and atmospheric fallout reduction.

• Employ mobile work benches to cater for each job.

• Ensure all tools are placed in a predetermined position on a portable trolley, easily found.

• Filters, servicing and upgrading add to your bottom line.

• Seriously study your work flows and prep areas take action to improve over a period of time.

• Follow the paint manufacturers’ instructions to the letter.

• Utilise curing methods which speed up through flow and free up the booth for larger jobs.

• Use HVLP guns for all paint applications • Stop wasting paint. Use spraygun systems available right now which will save up to 40 per cent of paint overspray.

LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS • Are your prep areas are suitable for electric or gas IR curing?

• Invite capital equipment technical sales persons to visit and give you some solutions to your concerns/requirements.

• Do not entertain Asian manufactured goods. They have been proven poor imitations, with hardly any back-up.

• Consult your team on how minimise vehicle movement.

• Investigate the best method of loading car into booth. Your capital equipment rep is your best help in this case.

• Never allow short-cuts in prepping and masking

• The smaller the 'slops drum' in the paint mixing room, the less the waste of perfectly good paint.

• You don’t get paid for denibbing. Think of the other areas that swallow up your profits with equal greed.

NOTHING NEW? “Nothing new, just common sense” I hear you say . So why are such simple basics overlooked by the majority of the shops I visit?

Why is a spray booth, perhaps the single most expensive piece of equipment in your shop as dark as the inside of a cow, with dark grey intake filters, concrete exhaust filters and 10mm thick overspray on the walls with door seals that are shot and leaking?

You already know what needs to happen, you have always known. You have not put your ideas into practice because you have been breaking your backside trying to keep the doors open while the self-created vortex of failure is slowly but surely destroying your business and your health.

When it’s time to expand, don’t ask how much a booth costs, ask the supplier to propose a system, turn key, to cater for your requirements for the next 5-8 years, for example. The costs are not significant if the right results are achieved.

Masterbench/Masterbooth is an iconic fully Australian owned and operated company, with the most modern manufacturing facilities and a service department second to none. The company boasts immense experience in all facets of bodyshop and paint shop supplies and capital equipment.

Masterbooth continues to be a leader in unique, workable solutions in the automotive body repair industry, as well as allied industries such as marine, furniture and aerospace.

Contact us: bill@masterbooth.com.au, 0418 175594 Evan 0418 134 641 steven@masterbooth.com.au Steven 0418 314042.

www.paintandpanel.com.au

.com.au www.

Head office: 51 Metrolink Circuit, Campbellfield, Vic 3061 (03) 9308 7200 Bill 0418 175 594 Evan 0418 134 641 (QLD, NSW, NT) Steven 0418 314 042 bill@masterbooth.com.au info@masterbooth.com.au steven@masterbooth.com.au

DRYING

BERLEX HAS THE CURE

NO MORE MERCURY FALLING

The industry’s holy grail - save time and money while keeping customers happy.

DESIGNED AND BUILT in Europe by leading global surface treatment innovators Equipos Lagos, Berlex Industrial’s range of UV LED curing lamps not only offer an efficient workshop solution, but improve the quality and consistency of finished spray jobs.

When combined with UV reactive paints, ultraviolet light is the most effective way to dry primers and clear coats on most surfaces.

Berlex Industrial sales manager, John Reoch, says “Our UV LED curing lamps offer the fastest curing method with drying time reduced to only three minutes per coat, increasing workshop productivity. The UV LED lamps are more energy efficient and offer less-frequent lamp replacements with a lifespan of up to 10,000 hours compared to the 800-hour lifespan of traditional UV lamps. The lamps dramatically improve inks, coatings, and adhesives with improved gloss, better scratch and abrasion resistance, and better chemical resistance.

“Research shows the UV LED output remains stable over the lamp’s lifetime, in comparison to traditional UV bulbs which degrade considerably over time, ensuring a consistent finished product.”

“The ability to set the lamps up in different arrays offers better flexibility for all types of surface treatment applications.”

Mercury lamp-based curing systems are the most popular in paintshops around the country.

WHILE THEY DO a great job, the mercury bulbs are easily broken, hazardous to dispose of, don't last long, are expensive to run and take time to warm up and cool down.

The newest alternative to hit the market is the Spectratek UV-LED curing system which uses less than 25 per cent of the energy used to run a conventional ultraviolet (UV) light. The LEDs are sturdy and long lasting, heat up immediately and cure paint in under three minutes, to help speed up cycle times.

UV curing is one of the fastest and most efficient methods in the paint and coating industry today and combined with LED delivery offers the following benefits.

POWER CURE Make bottlenecks a thing of the past with SAPE’s state-of-art IRT curing system.

HEDSON/IRT FROM SWEDEN has recognised the need for faster cycle times and developed the IRT PowerCure Arch which shortens the curing times for all paint materials. The arch is designed to save time, space and energy while turbo charging production.

KEY FEATURES INCLUDE: • Easy to cure loose parts • Automatic turning side wings • Integrated ventilation system – protects electronics and lamps • Energy saving – the lamps are controlled individually • Integrated laser sensors for exact positioning • Touchscreen with user-friendly graphics 62 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

• Large, uniform curing area • High intensity curing with optimised process control • Up to 70 per cent lower energy usage with no warm-up times • Very long lifetime with no replacement costs • Easy set-up and use with a compact design to store easily. Also, the unit does not get hot so workplace safety is improved • Low energy usage means a lower carbon footprint, no disposal of used lamps containing mercury leaves no hazardous material in the workshop.

Call Finixa on (02) 8036 8210 to organise a Spectratek UV-LED curing system demonstration.

• Programs for all types of paint material – water, solvent, clear, base etc • High profitability in a car refinishing paint shop is obtained by processing repair jobs in the most efficient way.

There are many bodyshops in Australia who have already installed the IRT PowerCure Arch and enjoy a huge increase in throughput of cars.

Some have even installed a second arch to further speed up cycle times.

Call Beau Knowles on: 0412 637 193 for more information. www.paintandpanel.com.au

SPRAY GUNS AND COMPRESSORS

SAFETY FIRST PLEASE Don't underestimate the health risks you are exposing yourself to in the paintshop if you don't follow safety guidelines, says Axalta Coatings, and that includes prep bays.

THANKS TO THE European VOC directive, many potentially harmful substances have either been completely eliminated from modern paint products or have dramatically diminished.

Nonetheless, personal protective equipment (PPE) is mandatory for all paintwork. In fact, wearing it should be a matter of importance in the interest of health. It offers protection against harmful substances entering the body via the airways, skin or eyes.

inhaling microscopic dust particles that are created during the process. Respiratory protection is also recommended when mixing paint.

PROTECTIVE FACE MASKS OFFER THE BEST PROTECTION For work in the spray booth, face masks that cover the entire face and are force-ventilated are recommended. That means the face masks the refinishers wear are supplied with clean air via an airline inside the booth. This type of face mask has the advantage of being light and offering wearers no resistance when breathing, so they can be worn without any time limit.

Face masks not only protect the airways, but also eyes, facial skin and hair.

ALWAYS BE AWARE OF THE CHEMICALS

MAKE SURE EQUIPMENT IS IN PERFECT CONDITION

Even experienced professional refinishers frequently underestimate the health risks associated with the use of paint products.

Many may even still remember the days when wearing protective equipment in the spray booth was not strictly enforced. But refinishers should be aware that they are handling chemical substances that shouldn’t come into contact with the body. Don’t take the health risks lightly.

Refinishers should always ensure protective equipment is in perfect condition. As soon as any damage, such as holes or defective fastenings are noticed, repair or fully replace damaged or worn parts. Activated carbon filters must be changed regularly. It is also important to be careful when storing personal protective equipment. Masks in particular should be stored in air-tight containers that are free of dust and protected from solvent fumes. Do not leave them lying around exposed near waste water basins or in the mixing room, otherwise the activated carbon filters will become saturated with pollutants contained in the ambient air and will only offer limited protection.

ALWAYS WEAR THE RECOMMENDED PPE Personal protection equipment includes overalls, gloves, safety glasses, safety boots and respiratory protection.

The equipment is designed to offer protection against particles, organic gases and fumes during the preparation, painting and finishing phases. Ear protection should also be worn when using pneumatically or electrically operated machines. Always follow the user information and safety advice for every product. Wear all the required protective gear at all times, even if under time pressure.

PROTECTION STARTS OUTSIDE THE SPRAY BOOTH Many refinishers associate health hazards with work in the spray booth, which is understandable, but wrong. Refinishers should protect themselves even during the preparation phase. And it is especially important to wear appropriate respiratory protection when sanding, to stop 64 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

SET AN EXAMPLE FOR SAFETY AT WORK AND RAISE AWARENESS Nothing leads to dangerous negligence more quickly than a colleague who does not adhere to the rules. That is why it should be common practice in every bodyshop to discuss safety at work at regular intervals and to systematically prevent violations of the safety rules. Technical Data Sheets also contain safety and health tips. Axalta offers partner bodyshops targeted advice on the environment, health and safety as part of its Refinish Performance Management offer. Please contact your local Technical Consultant for further information. www.paintandpanel.com.au

SPRAY GUNS AND COMPRESSORS

START 'EM YOUNG WITH SATA Exceptional, apprentice-friendly pricing is giving young tradespeople access to a long list of premium SATA spray equipment and all the benefits that come with it.

IT IS NOT just qualified paint technicians who reap the rewards by using a high performance spray gun, says SATA distributors PPG. It is arguably even more important for apprentices. At a crucial time when they are developing their skills and building a solid career foundation, a top-flight spray gun can make learning so much easier and more enjoyable, as well as helping to get the apprentice up to speed and doing productive work in the paint shop.

With these factors in mind, SATA and PPG got together to create a unique initiative which offers apprentices a whole suite of SATA spray equipment at heavily subsidised pricing.

For nearly a decade, it has given hundreds of apprentices a career kickstart by filling their toolboxes with high quality, yet affordable equipment, says product specialist, Kurt Way. “Instead of buying cheap equipment, which isn’t durable and doesn’t help them to produce great results, apprentices can get their hands on a modern SATA gun straight off-thebat. In this instance, we are talking about the SATAjet 4600

SPRAY WITHOUT THE CUP GETTING IN THE WAY

66 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

– basically an updated SATAjet 4000 B which is packed with excellent technology. Remember, just one generation ago (before the latest SATAjet 5000 B was launched), it was SATA’s premier spray gun.

Apprentices can choose from three different nozzle sizes, as well as RP or HVLP technology and waterborne and solventborne configurations. Apprentices can even try before they buy as TAFE colleges tend to buy these SATA guns for their training areas. Interestingly, apprentices tend to follow the purchasing trend of qualified tradespeople where a high percentage choose the digital model in order to get the convenience of a digital air pressure gauge built into the gun handle.

“Not only that, the initiative offers these young tradespeople all of the most important pieces of equipment they need, including the outstanding protection of the SATA Vision 2000 Air Hood, as well as a primer gun, a SATA MINIjet and the SATA adam 2 digital air micrometre. Over the years, it has proven to be a very popular option with apprentices, and why not? Because it is heavily subsidised by both SATA and PPG you will find the pricing on all items is very special. They can pretty much fully equip themselves and it will keep them going for years!”

According to Way, the collision centre where the apprentice works also tends to reap the rewards.

“It is important that apprentices use a decent spray gun as early as possible in their career. It can certainly help accelerate their path to producing consistent, good quality

THE NORTON PAINT System (NPS) offers the ideal solution for access into tight areas such as engine bays and under guards because you can remove the hard cup after assembly. Removing the hard cup allows easier spray gun manoeuvrability and reduces fatigue when spraying larger areas, while still retaining a leak-free system.

Norton’s NPS makes assembly faster, easier and more convenient, thanks to a unique development inside the lid of the disposable kit.

Through the addition of a new membrane system, the paint cup can be shaken to mix the paint as well as turned upside down and attached to the gun without the risk of paint spilling or leaking, reducing preparation time.

The Norton NPS adaptors have an actuator inside which pierces the membrane, allowing the paint to easily flow through when attached to the spray gun. A wide range of adaptors are available to suit all guns in the market.

Providing a faster and cleaner solution, the Norton NPS saves on preparation and cleaning time, solvent usage, allows paint to be stored and reused. The operator is able to paint in all positions, even upside down, without any risk of the paint leaking.

With a consistent spray pattern, multiple convenient ways to store paint and easy and clean disposal of the entire unit, the Norton NPS is a more convenient system for the operator to use, making their job quicker. Norton also offers a complete range of accessories to be used in conjunction with its NPS. The accessories range, which includes storage holders, mixing bars, a gun and adaptor wash attachment, paint strainers, washable paint overalls and dispensers, provides a complete painting solution.

More information from Saint-Gobain on: 1300 007 650. www.paintandpanel.com.au

FEATURE

BREATHE EASY WITH MP300

work and that means they can often start taking on more live jobs in the paint shop sooner.”

Any vehicle painting apprentice at a training organisation around the country can take advantage of this offer. Get the necessary form from your TAFE instructor, a PPG or Protec territory manager or by calling the PPG customer service hotline (13 24 24).

www.paintandpanel.com.au

Spraying inside a booth should always be carried out using a full face air fed respirator. However protection is still a priority when working outside the spray booth.

Simple daily tasks in gun cleaning rooms, colour matching areas and preparation bays still expose workers to paint and solvent fumes. This is why the Sagola MP300 Mask and A1 filter set should be an important item in any painter’s tool kit. This set has been designed on two fronts – to provide maximum protection against inhalation of organic products with a boiling point over 65ºC and to deliver absolute user comfort.

The MP300 has double charcoal filters that are easily removed and replaced. The main body of the mask is made from high quality thermoplastic rubber, allowing for a perfect airtight fit that’s comfortable all day long.

The mask is supplied with filters for painting as well as fitting instructions. The “Type A Class 1” gas chemical filters have been specially designed for use in atmospheres with an oxygen concentration above 17 per cent that are contaminated with organic gases and vapours having a boiling point above 65ºC, providing effective, long-lasting protection.

The Sagola MP300 Mask is certified to exacting European standards. Replacement filters are available.

Visit www.axalta.com.au/sagola for more information.

July / August 2017 PAINT&PANEL 67

SPRAY GUNS AND COMPRESSORS

SAGOLA'S GREAT ALL-ROUNDER Sagola, a family-owned company based in Northern Spain, has been producing high end quality products for over 60 years. It is their passion for designing spray guns that are innovative, yet robust that led Axalta to signing a long-term partnership arrangement early last year.

SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT of this partnership in Australia, the profile and customer feedback on Sagola has gone from strength to strength.

Axalta has selected a range of high-performance Sagola guns that are designed to work well in the Australian market. One of these is the Sagola 4100 GTO. Often described as the great all-rounder, the 4100 GTO gun is perfect for a range of applications including waterborne and solvent basecoat, 2K Solids, MS & HS clear coats and wet-on-wet primers.

The 4100 GTO is based on the premium single shaft system found in the premium Sagola Xtreme model series, but with a more simplified design. Its sleek body is made from highly resistant anodised aluminium, making it superlight yet robust. Ergonomically designed, the 4100 GTO provides an enviable balance and ease of use, regardless of whether you’re right-handed or lefthanded. As with all Sagola products, the design stage is an important step in the process to ensure the product is innovative, yet fully functional.

Equipped with 1.4 nozzle and high-transfer GTO tech air cap, the 4100 GTO gives perfect high speed spraying with greater than 65 per cent transfer efficiency, which can improve overall

paint consumption. 1.3 and 1.4 nozzle with GTO HVLP aircap are available as add-ons.

Sagola is currently the only spray gun manufacturer for the refinish market that manufactures without any kind of gasket, interior or exterior, at the closures between the air and paint.

Not only does this render the 4100 GTO maintenance-free, it minimises the number of spare parts required and reduces any distractions the painter may encounter.

One of the key benefits of the 4100 GTO is the value factor. Not only does the gun offer one of the best price to quality ratios in bodywork finishing spray guns, but spare parts provide good value too. Often with competitor products, if a needle, nozzle or an air cap gets damaged, then you’ll need to replace all three items. With all latest model Sagola guns, you can either purchase a replacement needle and nozzle as a set, or purchase the individual air cap. The cost savings are significant.

All Sagola products are tested with paint material (not just water or solvent) to check spray pattern and fan before leaving the factory in Spain. It comes with a three-year warranty. Technical support is provided in Australia through Axalta Coating Systems.

For more information, visit www.axalta.com. au/sagola.

ATLAS COPCO INTRODUCES CAST IRON PISTONS It has been more than a 100 years since Atlas Copco developed its first piston compressor. Over the years the company has grown to become one of the world’s leading developers of air compressors of all types.

The Australian market

The Automan AT series of cast iron piston compressors are developed and manufactured in Italy.

68 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

has been missing a range of cast iron piston air compressors. The Automan AT series fills this gap.

The Atlas Copco Automan AT series of cast iron piston compressors are developed and manufactured in Italy. This heavy duty piston compressor has an impressive 60 per cent duty cycle and is design to be relied upon time and time again. The Automan AT series is available in 5.5hp, 7.5hp and 10hp, delivering 160 psi/11 bar with a Free Air Delivery of 14-28 CFM and mounted on a 270L tank.

The Automan AT range is robust in its design and competitively priced, delivering not only the air you need but also the value for money. The Automan AT Series is a good complement to Atlas Copco’s Automan aluminium series. So regardless of what your requirements may be, there will be an Atlas Copco compressor to suit.

Options for dry clean air are available too for the Automan AT series. All Automan compressors can be easily connected to Atlas Copco’s plug-and-play F Series Dryers and DD filters for dry clean compressed air for your applications.

Call 1800 023 469 to find your nearest Atlas Copco distributor. www.paintandpanel.com.au

BECOME ONE WITH THE GUN The jewel in the the crown of Anest Iwata’s comprehensive, high technology spray gun range is the 400 SuperNova HVLP. THE PRE-ATOMISATION TECHNOLOGY allows the painter to lower the spray pressure. This means that the atomisation process starts much earlier than in previous models delivering a newly refined spray pattern for finer atomisation. The Pinninfarina design ensures that it extremely easy on the eye as well as kind to the hand with all the ergonomics perfectly balanced.

Peter Angove owner and spray painter at Prestige Automotive in Canberra is a huge fan of the Supernova.

"You can really tell the difference using the Supernova and another gun.

“The paint lays down so beautifully and the finish is so much better than with other guns - it's superb. I just become one with the gun, it makes painting so easy." he said.

The SuperNova creates a long, flat pattern, with the paint delivered in a precise, even manner which allows for even overlap. This is essential for a mottle-free basecoat application and a flat, even lay down of clear coats.

The Supernova's consistent droplet size during the atomisation process reduces the posibility of common issues such as solvent boil and pin holing on HS clear coats because of centre heavy fan patterns.

The shorter, tapered and increased angle of the paint cup ensures the weight is further back for a perfect balance and less painter fatigue.

Maintenance is quick and easy too with deeper thicker threads on the air cap, a new air cap ring, a fast on-off paint cup lid and there are no removable baffles at the front of the gun saving on spare parts too. Both the SuperNova WS400 and LS400 feature the Inest Iwata patented pre-atomisation split nozzles and the lower pressure also means less compressor power is used saving on fuel bills. The paint droplet size is larger than previous models and this system is perfectly suited to humid and dry heat Australian weather conditions.

More information call: 02 9853 2000 or visit: www.anest-iwata.com.au

TWO GUNS ARE ALL YOU NEED Finixa’s SPG range allows you to carry out a range of painting tasks with just two guns and at an extremely competitive price against the rest of the market.

The SPG100 is Finixa’s spot repair/touch up gun. The setup includes the anodised aluminium body in a black chrome finish, gravity cup, 0.8mm nozzle, needle and aircap set. Perfect for all your smaller jobs such as touch ups on bumpers and spot repairs where you want to minimise overspray by having great control over the spray pattern while retaining maximum transfer efficiency. If need be, 1mm, 1.1mm and 1.2mm spray gun kits are available for this spraygun which comes with a nozzle, needle and aircap in the chosen size.

SPG500 is the second of the Finixa SPG range and is comparable to most typical spray guns. This gun comes as a “skeleton”, meaning just the body is included with the gravity cup. This is a great all-rounder gun as it has many optional setups. Five different setup kits are available including 1.3mm, 1.5mm, 1.8mm, 2mm and 2.5mm which all come with the respective sized needle, nozzle and aircap. Adaptors are available for most paint cup systems adding even more versatility and convenience to its design.

Simplify your spray gun collection and save money. Call Finixa on (02) 8036 8210.

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July / August 2017 PAINT&PANEL 69 07535 APP Boge ad.indd 1

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THE GLASS IS HALF FULL Paint & Panel has once again taken the pulse of the body repair industry and finds it is a pretty strong one. Sam Street pulls out the main findings. The full survey report can be downloaded on the Paint & Panel website.

70 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

A HUGE THANK you to everyone who took the time to take part in our annual survey. We had over 300 responses which we calculate is at least 10 per cent of the industry.

A big thank you to the Crashzone community who made up 42 per cent of respondents. Some of their shops are on the smaller side which may have slightly skewed a portion of results. Only three MSOs of six or more shops took part and those with two to five shops made up one per cent less than last year at nine per cent. If you feel differently about the industry than the results shown here, then make sure you take the survey next year.

So what has changed from last year? Not a huge amount.

Worries over skilled labour shortages have pipped concerns over unsustainable profit margins to the post in the biggest threats list. In the ‘it’s a real worry and very concerned’ category, labour shortages garnered 38 per cent, with unsustainable profit margins in hot pursuit at 37 per cent and www.paintandpanel.com.au

BODYSHOP SURVEY 2017

younger owners and managers responding with 17 per cent under 35 years old and the biggest percentage, 46 per cent, between 36 and 45 years old.

According to I-CAR, a great deal of repairers think they know all about new vehicle technology – until they attend an I-CAR course. So the training team might be relieved to hear that 25 per cent of respondents disagree with the statement ‘I keep up with technology and training for my staff’. I-CAR might be pleased but we don’t think we’ll share that statistic with any consumers. At the same time not many considered keeping with vehicle technology an issue, with only five per cent very concerned and 39 per cent a little concerned.

Less respondents this year are employing apprentices which doesn’t bode well. If you worry about finding qualified tradespeople in the near future you might want to think about getting onto your local TAFE and doing something about it.

Confidence in the future is rising with 63 per cent of respondents confident their business will remain profitable for the next five years compared with just 52 per cent last year. And while the same 63 per cent would take a ‘good offer’ for their business, 13 per cent of those would reinvest in another repair business and 17 per cent would work for someone else within the industry. A quarter of respondents would retire while 45 per cent say they would leave the industry for another profession.

INSURER INTERACTION While insurer relations seem to be less of an issue than they were last year. This could be because most of the RFPs are done and dusted and business owners know if they have a contract or not.

Youi’s claims system gets the big thumbs down with 32 per cent finding it difficult and time-consuming and 26 per cent describing it as a bit of a fiddle. Suncorp and IAG came in second and third – although plenty of people find the two major insurers a breeze with 18 per cent reporting that working with IAG’s systems “Confidence in the future is super simple and 12 per cent saying is rising with 63 percent Suncorp’s Audanet system is child’s play. of respondents confident RAC V scored very highly for ease of use but Allianz was favourite and scored the that their business will lowest in the complicated and timeremain profitable for the consuming box at just five per cent and insurer relationship issues right behind next five years” won the ‘super simple’ vote with 35 per with 35 per cent. cent of respondents with no complaints .

Social media use is on the up for We asked each respondent to name a Facebook with more repairers having major issue they have dealing with insurers. The overwhelming pages and more posting regularly. Instagram has not really matter of contention is rates – with a great deal of resentment taken hold, with only seven per cent posting regularly and 87 for having estimates slashed or chipped away at. Steering percent without an account. It obviously hasn’t been too quiet out customers into preferred repairer networks is also a huge there as respondents are marginally less woried about volume. concern for our repsondents. Time allowed for undertaking the Insurance relationship issues also don’t seem to be as work is also a hotly contested issue with many repsondents dominant as in previous surveys. calling insurers’ times as unrealistic. Parts and being directed to use second hand parts is becoming more of a cocnern than it was THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE last year. And lastly, well no prizes for guessing – yes issues Succession plans – well, it is better than last year – when 67 per with assessors either not knowing their stuff or constantly cent of respondents were without any succession plan but a cutting down estimates. On a positive note though at least five whopping majority of 60 per cent of this year’s respondents have respondents said they had absolutely no issues at all. no plan for exiting the industry. There was a pleasing amount of www.paintandpanel.com.au

July / August 2017 PAINT&PANEL 71

BODYSHOP SURVEY 2017

WHERE IS YOUR SHOP?

INSIDE YOUR SHOPS WHAT SORT OF WORK DO YOU DO? 27% Mainly driveable (2016: 22%) 4% Mainly non-drive (2016: 8%) 69% Whatever comes through the door (2016: 70%)

0.5% NT 21% QLD

14% WA 10% SA 35% RURAL 65% METRO

YOUR SHOP IS...

9% 90% Single site

Multi-site 2-5 shops

STAFF CHANGES IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS

33% 20% NSW VIC

2.5% TAS

2.5% 51-80

78% Stayed the same

Tradespeople/workshop staff 22% Increased 18% Decreased

60% Stayed the same

WORK VOLUME IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS 41% Increased

27% Decreased

1%

Multi-site 6+ shops

32% Stayed the same

27% Size of repair 42% Other

e.g. motorbikes, restorations, custom, fleet

2.5% Recreational vehicles

2.5% >101

3.5% 35-50

10% Decreased

DOES YOUR BUSINESS SPECIALISE?

AVERAGE NUMBER OF CARS REPAIRED PER WEEK 0.5% 81-100

Admin staff 12% Increased

51% >10

9% Prestige

12% Commercial vehicles

7% Manufacturer badged

SOCIAL MEDIA DO YOU HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE? 39% Yes we post regularly 28% Yes but we hardly ever post 33% No

16% 21-35

24% 11-20

FLYING SOLO? MTA MEMBER 47% Yes (2016: 58%)

53% No (2016: 42%)

ARE YOU CONSIDERING JOINING A GROUP/ FRANCHISE IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS? 14% Already joined 16% Yes, I’m considering it 70% No, not interested in joining 72 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

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BODYSHOP SURVEY 2017

BIGGEST THREATS TO YOUR BUSINESS IN NEXT 12 MONTHS REDUCED WORK VOLUME 27% Not an issue 36% A little concerned 15% Quite concerned 9% It’s a real worry 13% Very concerned

SKILLED LABOUR SHORTAGE 17% Not an issue 23% A little concerned 22% Quite concerned 14% It’s a real worry 24% Very concerned

KEEPING UP WITH VEHICLE TECH 31% Not an issue 39% A little concerned 18% Quite concerned 7% It’s a real worry 5% Very concerned

UNSUSTAINABLE PROFIT MARGIN 12% Not an issue 33% A little concerned 18% Quite concerned 15% It’s a real worry 21% Very concerned

INSURER RELATIONSHIP ISSUES 16% Not an issue 24% A little concerned 24% Quite concerned 14% It’s a real worry 21% Very concerned

Arrows indicate percentages compared with 2016 results.

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July / August 2017 PAINT&PANEL 73

BODYSHOP SURVEY 2017

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? DO YOU HAVE AN EXIT PLAN IN PLACE FOR YOUR BUSINESS? 40% Yes

60% No

IF YOU GOT A GOOD OFFER TO SELL YOUR BUSINESS IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS WOULD YOU TAKE IT? 63% Yes

37% No

IF YOU DID SELL WOULD YOU...?

13% Reinvest in another 17% Go and work for someone else in industry 45% Leave the industry for another profession 25% Retire

61%

S OURCE REPAIR METHODS FROM OEM PARTS SUPPLIERS

HOW TO THRIVE IN THE FUTURE SPECIALISING IN VEHICLE GROUPS WILL BE THE WAY TO THRIVE 41% Agree

I LOVE THIS INDUSTRY AND AM EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE 38% Agree

72% Disagree

I KEEP UP WITH TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINING FOR MY STAFF 75% Agree

53% Agree

47% Disagree

DIVERSIFYING WILL BE THE WAY TO THRIVE 61% Agree

39% Disagree

19% Disagree

I CAN’T WAIT TO GET OUT OF THE INDUSTRY 28% Agree

SPECIALISING IN TYPES OF REPAIR – HEAVY ETC WILL BE THE WAY TO THRIVE

62% Disagree

I USED TO LOVE THE INDUSTRY BUT IT IS GETTING TOO HARD TO MAKE A PROFIT 81% Agree

59% Disagree

25% Disagree

BEING A ONE STOP SHOP WILL BE THE WAY TO THRIVE 64% Agree

36% Disagree

THE INDUSTRY AS WE CURRENTLY KNOW IT WILL NOT EXIST IN 10 YEARS TIME 33% Agree

67% Disagree

I WOULD RECOMMEND A CAREER IN THE BODY REPAIR INDUSTRY TO MY CHILDREN AND THE YOUNGER GENERATION 34% Agree

66% Disagree

74 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

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BODYSHOP SURVEY 2017

PAINT POINTERS DOES YOUR SHOP USE SOLVENT OR WATERBORNE?

30%

52%

Waterborne

18%

Solvent

Mixture of both

PAINT USED BY RESPONDENTS

19.67% Axalta

32.46%

2.3%

23.61%

2.62%

2.3%

0.98%

PPG

9.18% AkzoNobel

Dulux

Valspar/Debeer

18.03% Glasurit

Mipa

Concept Paints

Other

FOCUS ON PERFECTION

BRINGING ON NEXT GEN DOES YOUR SHOP EMPLOY APPRENTICES? 61% Yes

39% No

REASONS NOT TO EMPLOY APPRENTICES? 16% Can’t find any 26% Bad experiences 20% Too busy to train them 18% Too expensive 20% Other

MOST COMMON ‘OTHER’ COMMENTS Not enough work Difficult to recruit the right person Don’t need one

SHOW ME THE MONEY PRE-TAX PROFITS OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS YEAR Increased 29%

Decreased 32%

Stayed the same 39%

CONFIDENT BUSINESS WILL BE PROFITABLE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? Yes 63% www.paintandpanel.com.au

No 37%

WHEN IT HAS TO BE PERFECT IT HAS TO BE THE NEXT GENERATION OF U-POL BODYFILLERS •QUICK DRYING WITH EXCELLENT ADHESION •USE STRAIGHT FROM THE TUBE •NO HARDENER REQUIRED •BOX CONTAINS 200G TUBE

U-POL.COM July / August 2017 PAINT&PANEL 75

WOMEN IN COLLISION

LEADING WOMEN IN COLLISION AWARDS AND SEMINAR We’ve had a great response to this year’s Leading Women in Collision (WIC) awards with plenty of nominations and our first WIC seminar.

2017 NOMINEES RECEIVED SO FAR Brittany Howchin Receptionist/Admin Thompson & Robinson Smash Repairs Lana Pagiamtzis Director Fix Auto Mulgrave Molly Administrator McCarthy Panel Works Mona Sibai Office Manager Glynde Garage Garine Kokian Admin/reception/ PrioritySmash Repair

customer service Sonia Holley Owner Panmech Services 2006 Corinne Verdille Reception / Wayne Phipps smash Repairs

Parts manager Elisabeth Adamthwaite Secretary/manager K&ES.Adamthwaite Crash Repairs Leah Adamthwaite Panel beater K & E.S.Adamthwaite Crash Repairs Lana Pagiamtzis Director Fix Auto Mulgrave Karen Dyer Director A&L Smash Repairs Jemma Hoffman Receptionist A&L Smash Repairs Anne Morton CFO Wilson & Rigby Smash Repairs Lucy Warner Business Owner NorthSide Panel & Paint Senior painter L&M Smash Lara Anastasia Katrina Jelly Office manager Premier Panels Tania Stephenson Office Manager Toowong Milton Body Repairs Louise Belshaw Reception Toowong Milton Body Repairs Perlita Puruto Apprentice Workhorse Collision Repairs

Panel Beater Kate Zovi Manager Wallaby Crash Supplies Jenny D’Cruze Office Manager Sheen Panel Service South Melbourne Camey Pillay Admin/Customer Sheen Group

Service Officer Krystal Rowan Office manager Accident Repair Specalist Wangaratta Sandra Noach Director Extreme Dents and Xpress Repair Pod Leigh-Ann Ayton Administration, Sheen Panel Service Bulleen

Reception, Bookkeeper Catherine Garrett Vehicle refinish Gary Presnell Bodyworks technician Catherine Garrett Spray Painter Gary Presnell Bodyworks Lynn Presnell Director Gary Presnell Bodyworks Madison Woodberry Trainee Receptionist Gary Presnell Bodyworks Kate Presnell Manager Gary Presnell Bodyworks Dianne Coleman Owner/Director Reno Smash Repairs Christine Galea Owner/Administrator Geelong Auto Refinishing Group

Lara Panels Courtney Moon Supplier Relationships RAC Coordinator Debbie Kepple Administrator AAA Accident Repair Centre Naomi Sheehan Manager Leven Smash Repairs Jessica Weis Administration Leven Smash Repairs Dubbo Assistant Sheryl Bredin Receptionist / Recar Australia Administrator Raksha Roopnah Accounts Manger Monza Smash Repairs Susan Coelho Receptionist Smashtec 76 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

WE’RE DEVELOPING THE Women in Collision programme this year to include new categories and a seminar and awards presentation which will take place in Sydney on Friday 17 November.

Awards sponsors IAG will be hosting the seminar at the NRMA Research Centre in Sydney.

We’re starting off with a cosy 50 people at this first seminar and hope to grow the event over time. The seminar will kick off at noon with a key note speaker on the topic of women in the industry. The afternoon will include a tour of the IAG research workshop and we’ll be getting delegates to put their heads together to come up with strategies to increase participation, engagement and recognition for women in the body repair arena.

AWARDS RECOGNITION The idea of the seminar was to bring industry women together and to present the Leading Women in Collision awards to the winners surrounded by their peers. If you haven’t nominated that woman from your shop that makes it all happen, then you have until Friday 1 September – go to the Women in Collision section on the Paint & Panel website. We’ve listed the 2017 nominees here and there are some from suppliers. While we may consider braodening the criteria next year for 2017 only women who work at a collision repair business are eligable.

CATEGORIES • Female tradesperson/estimator • Admin/reception/customer service/parts managers • Owner/manager www.paintandpanel.com.au

Dianne Ruggeri from Europanels (left) overall winner 2016; Helen Davies Paint & Panel, Donna Robson, River Group; Kristie Pate, Kingswood Smash Repairs; Ruth Barnard, Smithfield Collision; Sam Street 2015; Lauren Neill 2016 finalist; From left: Sam Street, Brenda Iversen, Helen Davies, Dianne Ruggeri, Michelle Chaperon, Stephen Palmer, Max Yaffa, Ros Anderson, Petrina White,Lauren Neil 2016 finalists.

Each of the nominees will be asked to tell the judging panel more about themselves and their role through a Survey Monkey form. The judging panel is made up of last year’s winners: • Petrina White from Cramp Bros in Tasmania, • Brenda Iversen formerly Mark McHugh’s Bodyworks in Queensland, • Dianne Ruggeri from Europanels in Queensland • Lauren Neal from David Hand Smash Repairs in ACT • Angela McCarthy from McCarthy’s Panelworks in Mackay • Kate Millar, Sheen Panel Service Croydon.

We’ll round the seminar afternoon off with some drinks and nibbles allowing attendees further opportunity to network.

The Paint & Panel team will also arrange an evening venue for those that want to kick on – it’s a Friday night after all.

The seminar will initially be by invitation and everyone who is nominated will be invited. We’ll keep you up to date on the Paint & Panel website, on our Facebook page and via our weekly e-newsletter.

Available exclusively to

www.car-craft.com.au www.paintandpanel.com.au

July / August 2017 PAINT&PANEL 77

CRASH COURSE

PUTTING ON A GOOD FRONT Have you ever wondered what passers-by notice about your business and how this may affect their perception of it? Is it your logo, the name or the eye-catching design and colours of the building? Or is it as simple as what is parked out front?

SCOTT RIGNEY.

an industry where time is money, such distractions with no TAKE FOR EXAMPLE the experience a new local coffee shop payback are costly. proprietor had gone through just after opening in an inner city Another repairer I recently crossed paths with in the inner west suburban shopping strip. After several months of waiting of Sydney had a late fifties Ford Ranchero hardtop convertible patiently for a suitable site to become available, coupled with sprawled across the front car park of his workshop. With a boot lid painstaking research and plenty of investment dollars, he felt he akin to the deck of an aircraft carrier, this behemoth of a car could had done all he could to tap into the area’s hip image and coffee hardly be missed by passers-by in the week it was parked there as a culture. Early signs were very positive both from a takings and favour to its owner. By coincidence a ’67 Ford Mustang awaiting a customer feedback perspective. minor repair was also left in the carpark at the same time.

Within a couple of months though, clientele had changed to a This repairer described the week those two Fords were parked much older demographic and takings had tapered off dramatically. out front as one from hell. He went on to explain that it seemed This change appeared to have coincided with the start of a regular like every bogan owner of an old car in the area had suddenly 8am weekday gathering for half a dozen or so eastern European discovered his workshop retirees. An absolutely and how with every delightful and friendly passing hour, one or two crew who would drop their would drop in and pester grandchildren off at the him for a quotation. What local school then 'park' drove him up the wall themselves at the outdoor though, was the kind of tables adjacent the front work he was being asked doors of the coffee shop. to quote on. It was either One coffee each and their for a full restoration which obligatory deck of cards the majority had no had them entertained for a intention of doing but couple of hours. All very were asking out of laid back, as in a European curiosity. Or else it was for village-style café but not some bodgie rust repair, the image and direction patch up or quick respray. that coffee shop proprietor None of it could be taken wanted for his business. seriously and nor would he This experience could have his workshop just as well be applied to undertake anyway. With any business in the Dave... Did you park the bloody Citroën out the front again? his valuable time wasted, automotive repair industry. he swore that in future he’d keep certain old cars and hence One repairer based in western Sydney is almost obsessive with their bogan admirers well away from the front of his workshop. what is parked in the carpark in front of his business. In Years ago a well known inner city prestige brand repairer and particular he’ll no longer cop any French brand vehicle being left renowned tyrant made certain he had his front car park issues there. No matter whether it’s driven in or towed, the driver will well and truly sorted. He was so pedantic about his workshop’s be directed to an area out of street view behind the workshop. image and customer service that he basically had the whole He’s found that from past experience, just one Citroen, Renault front carpark dedicated and reserved for customers who drove or Peugeot left in the front carpark was enough to have him that brand. Each space was clearly labelled as such and branded as some sort of specialist for such cars. And the mere emblazoned with the brand’s badge. There were also plenty of thought of that makes him nauseous. It’s not that he won’t work signs warning of dire consequences should a foreign badged car on them, even though the earlier ones are a pain. It’s been the be left in one of the spots. Apparently one day an insurance number of owners and their character that have flooded into his assessor parked his company car in one of the dedicated spots workshop and irritated the bejeezus out of him and his staff only to find at the conclusion of his work there, that his car had that he’s had to stop. disappeared. A heavy duty forklift had been used to remove it No sooner are the French cars spotted, word has gotten out and place it out on the road’s clearway lane. Workshop image to some parallel universe where these cars abound and the intact and most likely revenge issues resolved then eh?

Francophiles, as he calls them, turn up to his workshop in So, perhaps in some cases what turns up at a business as droves. Bespectacled, mung bean chewing and wearing socks potential clients has less to do with the bucket-loads of cash and sandals, they come in for advice, a quotation and a lengthy spent on presentation and promotional material but simply more chat about leftist politics and the rust in their other car, to do with what’s parked out front. Passers-by really do notice. usually a Lada Niva. They then leave, never to be seen again. In 78 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

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PRODUCTS

UNICEVO IS THE BEST Unic is a name that ensures you have the latest in recycling and spray gun cleaning technology, from low VOC non-flammable cleaning fluid to the latest inline filtration for gun wash extension, GPI says.

Unic has created spray gun cleaning technology that is water-based and suitable for cleaning both solvent and water-based paints from spray guns.

This makes the machine much safer for use and a lot safer for the environment.

The ergonomic designed Evo LV unit, fitted with the latest inline filtration, cleans both waterborne or solvent material from spray guns in the same tank using only one fluid. One 20 litre drum of EvoWash LV used in conjunction with the UnicEvo LV spray gun cleaner is efficient for up to 600 washes.

A powerful air operated, diaphragm pump delivers up to 17 ltrs/min with an air input pressure of 75-100 psi and consumes approx 4/7 cfm. This ensures a high volume of fluid is delivered through the spray jet nozzles and optimises the cleaning performance.

The jets have been carefully positioned to give maximum cleaning efficiency in both automatic and manual wash mode.

Key benefits: • One machine, one fluid for both solvent and water-based cleaning • Approximately only 30 per cent emissions of normal cleaning solvents • Used with water-based cleaning fluid which is non-flammable • Safer to use, no harmful vapours and no air extraction required • No fluid evaporation • Automatic and manual wash facility • Fully pneumatic For more information, contact local GPI distributor or call 1800 334 898.

80 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

NO GHOSTS IN MACHINE GREY Have you faced your first repair involving a vehicle painted in Mazda’s new 46G machine grey? Did you have all the tools and support you needed to efficiently refinish it? Thanks to its OEM partnership with Mazda, the local PPG team has had a straightforward and effective solution in place virtually since the first vehicle featuring this exotic colour hit local roads.

The launch of an all new tinter, Envirobase T4705 Liquid Metal 2, has also given PPG customers an enhanced ability to get the best possible match for 46G machine grey. What’s more, Envirobase T4705 Liquid Metal 2 is also ideal for matching several other exotic colours from brands including Nissan, Mercedes Benz and Porsche. Given that Mazda’s 46G machine grey has already debuted on the popular CX-9 SUV and Mazda3, and is likely to appear on other models

in the future, ensuring your paint shop has the knowledge, tools and skills in place should be an absolute priority, according to John Hristias, PPG business support manager Asia Pacific.

“46G Machine Grey is not a typical three-layer pearl-type finish so you can’t use a conventional process. The local PPG team has developed and thoroughly tested solutions in both waterborne and solventborne. It is a comprehensive package which includes appropriate tinters, such as Envirobase T4705 Liquid Metal 2, the correct spray gun settings and a recommended process from start to finish.

Not only that, there is a complete PPG training program which customers across the region can take advantage of to get their technicians fully up to speed before the first job rolls through the door.”

More information from PPG’s customer service hotline on 13 24 24.

DRESTER CLEAN The Boxer series features automatic and manual washing compartments and is suitable to clean solvent or waterborne paints.

One of the great features of the Boxer series is the autobox washing compartment which has integrated fluid channels for less clutter and the power of a pump results in more efficient cleaning, meaning less clean solvent is needed per gun.

The Drester Boxer units have a host of other features including: • Automatic and manual cleaning simultaneously • Access to fresh solvent for clean rinse of guns • Flow-through brush with re-circulating solvent. www.paintandpanel.com.au

PRODUCTS

SQUEAKY CLEAN WITH FINIXA The AGC40 automatic gun cleaner is equipped with a brush for pre-cleaning and has a stainless steel body designed for easy assembly, maintenance as well as operation by anyone in the workshop. The design also allows for volumes and pressure to be easily set and adjusted on the front panel. It has a small footprint in the workshop with its compact dimensions of 1400mm high, 560mm wide and 410mm deep.

Finixa’s quick gun cleaner, the AGC50, is built specificallyfor guns using waterborne paint and can fully clean in just 30 seconds from start to finish. This machine can be set up in the spray booth, saving painters’ precious time. Using Finixa’s water-based gun shampoo, the AGC50 is also kind to the enviornment using just five litres of water to clean around 100 spray guns.

The machine is compatible with all disposable cup systems and carries an Atex approval for added peace of mind. This versatile system can also be wall mounted to save floor space.

Measuring in at 910mm high, 350mm wide and 290 mm deep, it is a great addition for any shops looking for a gun cleaning machine to fit in. More details from Finixa on (02) 8036 8210.

CHEMSPEC COLOUR SELECTOR The Professional Colour Selector system consists of over 5,600 colour chips for solid and metallic colour refinishing, designed specifically to support the Metalux Basecoat System.

Included within the system are 265 colour updates for 2017, as well as over 580 formulas for the ANZ market.

The swatches are arranged in colour chromatic sequence, making it easy to compare the colour swatch to the colour directly on the vehicle’s surface.

This ease of comparison allows for the painter to pick the correct colour choice quickly and accurately for improved efficiency.

Each swatch is manufactured with original paint and applied with a spray gun to get an accurate match. The chips feature a newly laminated coating for improved durability and prevention of solvent ingress.

The formulas have been added into the company’s latest release Easimix Professional Software and Web Formula Tool.

When partnered with the Easimix Professional software, refinishers will www.paintandpanel.com.au

find it much easier to cross-reference and match colour with a higher level of accuracy.

The colour selector is contained within a compact metal cabinet that comes with assembly brackets, enabling it to be firmly mounted on the wall – ideal for when floor space is limited.

The panel doors provide open access to the entire colour box, allowing for easier handling and placement of additional colour updates.

“Our Professional Colour Selector System has over 5,600 colour chips including over 500 specific Australian and New Zealand colours,” said William Chant, director of sales.

“We have chosen to stay chromatic with the PCS because we felt that it was the easiest way to identify all the variants in the market segment.”

SYROX DIGITAL TOOL TO SPEED UP PAINTING Syrox, the latest refinish waterborne system launched in early 2017 by Axalta Coating System now offers a digital tool to help refinishers easily retrieve product information, safety and technical data sheets and colour formulas.

Refinish professionals who have a QR code reader on their smartphones can simply scan the QR code on the side of a Syrox bottle to be directed to a mobilefriendly Syrox website. The site also contains a comprehensive library of short videos which present Syrox products and processes, plus every step of a repair.

“At its heart, Syrox is all about simplicity for our customers.” says Paul Polverino, Axalta’s National Training Manager for Australia. “The Syrox digital tool expands on this, allowing refinishers to access critical product information and videos with their phone. We are confident this tool will help refinishers learn something new or brush up on their skills.”

More info at: www.syrox.com.au or contact Axalta on: 1800 292 582.

July / August 2017 PAINT&PANEL 81

FENDER BENDER

IMAGINE TAKING THIS FOR A MACCAS RUN LOOKS LIKE SLOVAKIAN car maker Brutal is attempting to make The Fast and the Furious a reality. The company has just launched the S1, a road legal 300hp two-litre turbocharged super sports car.

The vehicle is said to be a radical cross between a go-kart and a Formula One car and weighs less that 900kg which helps to propel it to 100km/h in under four seconds.

The design is the work of Jakub Štarman, a student at the time of design, and features a flat, wedge-shaped body with sharply defined edges, gull-wing doors and a distinctive rear. Many of the parts come from motor racing, such as the brakes and sections of the suspension.

The colour choice was deliberate, with Brutal opting for a solid white rather than a metallic or pearlescent white because the company didn't want any special effect pigments. This made it easier for them to make later adjustments to the prototype.

IS UBER’S RATING GOING DOWN? THE CITY OF Pittsburgh in the US has fallen out of love with ride-sharing giant, Uber. The city was chosen as the initial test city, similar to Adelaide here at home.

However, the relationship has begun to sour after numerous reports of accidents and faulty driving patterns began to surface during the first month of the operation.

The city was also promised benefits from the deal including free rides in driverless cars, backing the city’s federal transportation grant and jobs for the area surrounding Uber’s testing track – none of which have come to pass. Uber responded to this stating that it has created 675 jobs and has contributed to local organisations.

The company is not short of other woes either. It continues to fight a lawsuit regarding alleged stolen technology, its drivers are unhappy with the new fee structure and they’ve had to pump the breaks on the autonomous program in Tempe, Arizona following a recent crash. Hate to see what all this had done to its rating.

BMW CHANNELS TRON FOR LATEST DESIGN BMW HAS TAKEN a big step forward in future technology at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2017 in Italy.

Besides unveiling the 8 series concept, the manufacturer also showcased the Motorrad Concept Link, a zero-emissions electric bike.

An advanced motion-control jacket allows for certain bike functions such as opening the door of the underseat storage compartment to respond to a rider’s arm movements. BMW is also looking to develop technology that assesses what music it believes best suits the trip you are taking. It’s designed to be low and tight with the length of the bench made adjustable to accommodate a second rider. Colour panels can also be swapped for a custom look.

BMW Motorrad head of vehicle design Alexander Buckan said, "The technical realities of electric drive – such as the flat energy packs in the underfloor and the compact drive on the rear wheel – allowed us to create a highly distinctive design which shapes a new segment."

82 PAINT&PANEL July / August 2017

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