Red is a colour people feel a strong connection to. Historically, red symbolises power. In the West, it is often associated with love, while in the East, its links lie with good fortune. For car buyers, red is one of the most popular chromatic colours, with a total market share of 7.5% in the UK .
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Axalta, a leading global coatings company, today announced the installation of its 100th Axalta Irus Mix, a fast and efficient fully automated and completely hands-free mixing machine for the automotive refinish industry. The installation took place in France at Bodyshop Carenove, who has used Standox, one of Axalta’s premium automotive refinish brands, for more than 20 years.
Through this partnership, Axalta’s refinish customers will have access to CESVIMAP’s Move2Green sustainability program which offers an online, self-assessment questionnaire to evaluate the current environmental impact of bodyshops. Once an auditor analyzes the data, Axalta customers will receive a detailed roadmap with actionable steps to improve their sustainability initiatives as well as the Move2Green certification to promote their commitment to reducing their environmental footprint.
Spies Hecker unveils its newest primer surfacer: Permasolid UV-TEC Primer Surfacer 9003. This innovative and versatile 1K primer surfacer offers not only lightning-fast drying and through curing, but also superior adhesion and elevated corrosion protection.
Spies Hecker, a global refinish coating brand of Axalta, launches a new larger 3.5L tin for its Permasolid® Speed-TEC HS Wet-on-Wet Speed Surfacer 5550. Part of the Speed-TEC System, which uses patented Axalta technology, Permasolid Speed-TEC HS Wet-on-Wet Speed Surfacer 5550 draws on temperature and ambient humidity to accelerate the drying process.
Through this partnership, Axalta’s conventional and Fast Cure Low Energy (FCLE) refinish paint systems will be integrated into Solera’s Sustainable Estimatics platform, enabling Axalta customers to estimate their CO2 emissions per repair, while considering repair methods (repair versus replace), paint application process, and drying conditions.
Axalta Refinish have signed a five-year agreement with leading UK insurers, LV= General Insurance (LV= GI) and Allianz. Under the terms of the agreement, Axalta Refinish will become a preferred supplier to LV= and Allianz’s UK network, of cutting-edge refinish technology, through its premium refinish brands Cromax, Spies Hecker, Standox as well as Axalta’s brand U-POL.
Sustainability used to be a buzzword that appeared in annual reports and gave shareholders the feeling that the company in which they owned a stake was doing something positive. Sustainability didn’t always align with company strategy but rather sat somewhere on the side lines, looking in. Today, those vagaries are long gone. In their place is a robust, transformative business model that resides at the core of operations, aligns fully with strategy and ensures marketplace differentiation. If there was any doubt that shift had taken place, the tale of the tape clearly tells the story.
Axalta today announced its 2024 Global Automotive Color of the Year – Starry Night. The latest edition marks the 10th year Axalta has introduced its automotive color of the year and the first time it has featured a black shade. Starry Night is a strong, contemporary color with light blue and silver flakes that evokes the depths of our universe and space exploration.
Drivus, part of Axalta is simplifying the equipment leasing process for the automotive refinish market in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), with its Financial Services offering. Drivus Financial Services allows bodyshops to stay up-to-date with the most recent technology, which will deliver increased efficiency and provide a strong competitive advantage.
With the matt finish trend still very popular with car manufacturers and car owners alike, Spies Hecker has created a process for its best-in-class Permacron® Matt Clear System, based on Axalta technology, to repair these notoriously tricky finishes. Tony Mitchell, International Training Manager for Axalta's Refinish business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, says, “Matt finishes are not only growing in popularity, but also with an increasing range of gloss levels.
Painting plastic bumpers is a common occurrence in bodyshops across the region, and none more so than new bumpers. In fact, the global plastic bumper market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.5% from 2022 to 2030. Tony Mitchell, International Training Manager for Axalta's Refinish business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, says, "Having a reliable, fast and consistent process to carry out these new plastic part repairs is vital for bodyshop efficiency.
The Axalta Academy, a state-of-the-art global training platform for refinish professionals, is launching globally in 15 languages to empower refinishers to maintain and to improve their specialised competencies with top-class training. The platform adjusts to the way in which they work, and is backed by Axalta’s unrivalled, industry-leading expertise.
Axalta Refinish has added RADAR compliant colour formulas to its global online colour databases - ChromaWeb, Phoenix Cloud and Standowin iQ Cloud - to be prepared for future RADAR requirements for the repair of cars equipped with Advanced Driver Assistant Systems (ADAS).
Spies Hecker has launched a new Priomat 1K Universal Primer Surfacer Aerosol 4095 in grey. Designed to maximise customers’ efficiency and sustainability, the innovative Priomat 1K Universal Primer Surfacer Aerosol 4095, shortens the repair process considerably and reduces the number of products needed per repair.
Axalta today launches Axalta Irus Mix, the fastest fully automated and completely hands-free mixing machine for the automotive refinish industry. Axalta Irus Mix delivers highly accurate colour and works with Axalta’s innovative packaging, maximising profitability and minimising environmental impact to help refinish customers meet or exceed key business goals.
Axalta Refinish presented its portfolio for helping bodyshops to increase performance at the Vizion Kinetic event at the Telford International Centre, UK, 22 and 23 March 2023. Axalta Refinish was one of the event’s Diamond Partners and visitors to its stand, DS1, learnt more about how the brand is driving innovation in the collision repair industry as well as discovering how bodyshops can boost their productivity and profitability at the same time as reducing their environmental impact.
Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, today announced the appointment of Jason Hopkins in the newly created role of UK and Ireland Country Manager for Axalta and U-POL, who Axalta acquired in 2021, effective 1 March 2023.
Axalta today announced its 2023 Global Automotive Color of the Year – Techno Blue. This is the 9th year the company has featured a trending color.
Axalta has released its 70th annual Global Automotive Color Popularity Report, which revealed the top three automotive colors of 2022: white, black, and gray. First published in 1953, Axalta’s annual color popularity report is the automotive industry’s longest running and most comprehensive color account.
Spies Hecker introduces its new Permacron® Matt Clear System, comprising two products: Permacron Matt System Clear Coat 8185 and Permacron Semi-Gloss System Clear Coat 8170. Formulated specifically for use as part of the Permahyd® 280/285 Base Coat and Permahyd Hi-TEC Base Coat 480 Systems, as well as Permacron Base Coat 293/295 or original paintwork, these mix together to deliver high-quality OEM matt finishes, of all gloss levels, more quickly and easily than ever before.
With the energy crisis showing no sign of slowing down, it’s important for every bodyshop to reduce operating costs and to increase throughput. The Speed-TEC system from Spies Hecker, a global refinish coating brand from Axalta, is a solution that many bodyshops across the UK are turning to as it allows them to work exceptionally quickly and with superb energy efficiency.
Axalta Refinish has unveiled three new websites for its premium refinish brands – Cromax, Spies Hecker and Standox – that cater specifically for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. The sites, which went live on 17 August 2022, offer visitors modern, clean homepages and page content with an enhanced and complete browsing experience.
The energy crisis, called by some the most extreme that has ever occurred in Europe , is worsening. Businesses are facing the double hit of spiralling costs and increasing inflation on top of energy costs that are extraordinarily high - and rising. Controlling costs is now top of most businesses’ agendas, and bodyshops are no different, particularly as they utilise energy to carry out their daily work.
Axalta Refinish is one of the Platinum Partners at the International Bodyshop Industry Symposium (IBIS) Global Summit 2022 in Monaco, taking place between 15 and 17 June 2022. Axalta Refinish is showcasing a number of its most recent ground-breaking firsts to a global audience of leaders and innovators in the automotive collision repair industry.
Spies Hecker’s new training video detailing practical advice on its new, easy-to-use, direct-to-plastic additive is now available. With an over-coating time of only five minutes, Speed-TEC Plastic Additive 9260 saves bodyshops time and, ultimately, improves throughput.
Motofix Accident Repair Centres, has switched all nine of its sites across the Home Counties and Southwest England, to Spies Hecker in order to reap energy-savings benefits. Motofix has included its prestige paint and body centre in Cirencester, due to open in September, in the move to the easy-to-use Spies Hecker paint systems.
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, who made history with eight consecutive FIA Formula OneTM Constructors’ Championships at the end of the 2021 season, unveiled its 2022 race car on 18 February 2022 at Silverstone, England, ahead of the first race weekend of the season in Bahrain from 18 March 2022.
The cost of living is increasing but what is hitting homeowners and businesses alike is the soaring cost of energy. In January 2022, the Eurozone saw energy prices increase 28.6%. For bodyshop owners across the region these rising energy cost could not come at a worse time.
Axalta has launched an ongoing series of refinish training videos designed to help automotive repair bodyshops deal with troublesome, yet common paint defects. The first six videos are available now, to view free of charge.
Axalta Refinish has introduced another first to the EMEA market - a new electric vehicle (EV) repair package, which supports refinishers and bodyshops with the repairs of EV vehicles. Sales of electric cars are accelerating – one in 10 new cars in 2021 has been powered by a battery[i] - and refinishers and bodyshops need to be prepared to handle an increasing volume of EVs safely and efficiently.
Axalta announced its Global Automotive Color of the Year 2022 – Royal Magenta. The selection for the eighth edition of the exclusive Global Automotive Color of the Year, Royal Magenta, is a deep cherry color that brings a luxurious finish to the market.
Axalta released its 69th annual Global Automotive Color Popularity Report revealing most cars on today’s roads are white (35%), black (19%) and grey (19%). Grey increased by four percentage points worldwide. The results of Axalta’s Global Automotive Color Popularity Report are tabulated on Axalta’s analysis of 2021 automotive build data in major markets and are an indicator of current market trends.
When Jaguar Land Rover and car dealership company Sytner Group opened a flagship Guy Salmon facility in Sunbury on Thames, Surrey in October 2020, they chose Spies Hecker – one of the premium refinish brands of Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings – to supply paint products and services exclusively at the facility.
Spies Hecker is helping bodyshops to speed up the plastic repair process with the addition of Permasolid® Speed-TEC Plastic Additive 9260 to its Speed-TEC portfolio. The new direct-to-plastic additive has been developed to be mixed with Permasolid Speed-TEC HS Speed Surfacer 5500 and Permasolid Speed-TEC HS Wet-on-Wet Speed Surfacer 5550.
Spies Hecker has launched a new VOC-compliant primer surfacer for commercial vehicle repairs. Permafleet® VHS DTM Primer Surfacer 4060 is a universal high-solid primer surfacer with a wide range of applications from small, localised repairs to a full repaint of larger vehicles. It can be applied directly to a variety of metal substrates, enabling bodyshops to save time and to increase throughput.
Axalta Refinish congratulates the winners at the British Bodyshop Awards which took place at The InterContinental London - The O2, on Thursday 11 October. Fourteen of Axalta Refinish’s customers were among the winners, with 18 award wins between them.
Spies Hecker, one of the premium refinish paint brands of Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, has been the Official Team Supplier to Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team for eight years.
The Bodycentre in Norwich, an award-winning, family-run business, first opened its doors in 1995, when social media was hardly on the map. In the past 26 years, the world has changed – and so has The Bodycentre; it has embraced social media, using it as a platform to attract international attention and to grow its business.
Support from technical specialist helps refinishers avoid pinholes and other small surface defects. Spies Hecker, one of the premium refinish paint brands of Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, knows that even a seasoned refinisher can sometimes run into issues with tiny defects such as pinholes appearing in the clear coat
Swiss electric car manufacturer KYBURZ Switzerland AG continues its ongoing co-operation with Spies Hecker by painting two new vehicles in Axalta’s 2021 Global Automotive Colour of the Year, ElectroLight.
Axalta today announced it will make available pre-filled bottles of basecoat from its industry leading premium refinish brands for Fillon Technologies’ new Daisy Wheel 3.0, enabling fully automated colour mixing for the first time. Combined with Axalta’s cloud-based Digital Colour Management, bodyshops across EMEA will have access to the fastest and most productive paint process available.
Over 700 collision shops aligned with Fix Network World in 12 countries set to benefit from five-year partnership agreement. Axalta has signed an five-year global partnership agreement with Fix Network World, one of the biggest collision repair franchise networks globally.
Highly chromatic blues and deep, lively and very intense reds are currently very much on trend for new cars. Spies Hecker, a global refinish paint brand from Axalta, has developed a process to achieve an invisible repair of these sophisticated colours using tinted clear coats. In the latest Video-TEC video, International Training Leader for Axalta’s Refinish business, Tony Mitchell, gives practical and easy-to-implement tips.
Independent family-run Croydon bodyshop, C&P Panelcraft, was named VW’s Bodyshop of the Year at the British Bodyshop Awards in January 2021. C&P Panelcraft has worked exclusively with Spies Hecker, a global refinish brand of Axalta, a leading supplier of liquid and powder coatings, for 32 years, making it the refinish brand’s longest-standing customer in the UK – a remarkable partnership that continues to go from strength to strength.
Blue is the most popular chromatic colour on new cars. Spies Hecker launches a new mixing tint to reproduce certain shades of blue perfectly. Colours are never just colours - each one stands for something and triggers associations in those who look at it. Blue, for example, is the colour of sky and sea, of distance and vastness; it also stands for values such as harmony, clarity and calm. Perhaps due to these positive associations, blue is a favourite among chromatic shades with new car buyers.
For his first large outdoor artwork, established American contemporary artist Ricardo Paniagua used Spies Hecker to achieve a visually striking, high-quality and durable finish. Solar Radiance is the first large-scale outdoor artwork by contemporary artist Ricardo Paniagua, who is based in Dallas, Texas, USA.
Axalta announced its 2021 Global Automotive Color of the Year – ElectroLight. ElectroLight is an expressively refreshing green-yellow hue with inspired bold, contemporary flavours that echo style, energy and flair. The unique personality of ElectroLight evokes a blend of sporty design elements with functional performance and offers great versatility when combined with two-tone charcoal colour accents or matte finishes on a variety of mobility solutions.
Axalta released its 68th annual Global Automotive Color Popularity Report revealing the most common automotive colours on the road today are white (38%), black (19%) and grey (15%). Grey increased by two percentage points worldwide and is at a 10-year high.
Axalta sets pulses of motorsport fans racing with the unveiling of its 2021 wall calendar - Brilliantly Fast - created by the Refinish business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). It celebrates student racing and is a fitting tribute to those professional motorsports teams that have achieved unparalleled success in 2020.
Spies Hecker makes digital colour identification portable and even easier with the Phoenix Cloud. Thanks to a web-based database and a WIFI connection between the different devices in the bodyshop, the entire process - from colour reading and colour search, to selecting the colour formula - can be controlled from anywhere in the bodyshop, even the office.
Permasolid® Speed-TEC Clear Coat 8810 from Spies Hecker dries particularly quickly at low room temperatures and offers bodyshops a tactical solution for a higher throughput as well as the ability to reduce operating costs and to generate additional business.
Axalta, a leading global provider of liquid and powder coatings, is participating in IBISConnect Africa, a live online simulcast held by the International Bodyshop Industry Symposium (IBIS), on Thursday 23 July 2020 between 10am and 1.30pm SAST.
The popular Mazda colour Machine Grey is applied using a cutting-edge robotic painting technology called Takuminuri, which makes the repair of this three-stage colour particularly demanding. Evgeny Khmelev, Head of Training for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Spies Hecker, gives practical tips for repairing it with the Spies Hecker Permahyd Hi-TEC 480 Base Coat system
With the 2020 Formula OneTM season on hold, Spies Hecker takes the opportunity to look in-depth at the Team’s livery, and the work that goes in to applying it. Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team is the reigning FIA Formula OneTM Constructors’ Champion, having cinched a world record sixth consecutive title at the end of the 2019 season.
The successful cooperation between the Swiss electric car manufacturer Kyburz Switzerland AG and Spies Hecker will continue in 2020. Kyburz's exhibition vehicle received its design livery for the Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva at the Spies Hecker paint center Campus 105 in Pratteln and should have been presented on March 3.
Spies Hecker is committed to supporting bodyshops in their efforts to think green and to reduce their energy consumption. Spies Hecker Brand Manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Joachim Hinz, addresses the importance of sustainability and offers guidance on what bodyshops can do to improve their environmental sustainability.
Spies Hecker has refreshed its product label design, and they are clear and user-friendly. "A good product label shows exactly what is in the tin and displays clearly all the information the refinisher needs – nothing more or less complicated than that," says Joachim Hinz, Brand Manager for Spies Hecker in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Axalta today released its 67th annual Global Automotive Color Popularity Report, which reveals the top three automotive colours as: white (38%), black (19%), and grey (13%). White has been the top automotive colour worldwide since 2011.