Refinisher Vol65 Issue 3 2023

VOLUME 65 • ISSUE 3 AUGUST 2023

ALSO INSIDE: MOONVAN LEADS A TECHNOLOGY ROADSHOW

• MIRKA GALAXY TAKES THE MARKET BY STORM • A MODERN RENDITION OF A ’55 CHEV BELAIR • CREATING AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN

GMSV ignites the power and the passion

Mirka® Galaxy

Self-sharpening grain technology Where regular abrasives wear and fade during the sanding process, Galaxy has been engineered with unique, self-sharpening ceramic grains so they continue to cut long after others have given up. This new MIRKA developed technology means that every time the edge of an abrasive grain is broken off, the grains underneath simply form new cutting edges and the sanding process goes on. As well as a faster cut from edge-to-edge and excellent edge wear resistance, Galaxy abrasives continue to retain that sharp feel for longer which significantly extends the lifespan. As an added bonus, the scratch pattern of finer Galaxy grits is especially quick and easy to polish out.

Mirka® Galaxy – Non-sticking • Self-sharpening • Long-lasting.

AVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL MIRKA DISTRIBUTOR

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PPG Refinish Australia & New Zealand

CONTENTS 3 ISSUE

AUGUST 2023 VOLUME 65

MAGAZINE

Editor-In-Chief Andrew Blake

Editor John M Stanley Creative Director Dean Parrott Published for and on behalf of PPG Industries Pty Limited by

Kisschasey Creative Pty Ltd Telephone (03) 9421 3311

Australia Head Office Locked Bag 888, Clayton South, Victoria 3169.

McNaughton Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia, 3168 Telephone: 13 24 24 www.ppgrefinish.com.au New Zealand Head Office 5 Vestey Drive, Mt Wellington, Auckland, New Zealand.

Toll Free Telephone: 0800 320 320 Victoria 104-106 Woodlands Drive, Braeside, 3195 Telephone (03) 8586 0000 New South Wales 10 Peter Brock Drive, Eastern Creek, 2766 Telephone (02) 9854 6600 Queensland 18 Breene Place, Morningside, 4170 Telephone (07) 3823 8000 South Australia 97-105 Bedford Street, Gillman, 5013 Telephone (08) 8346 6870 Tasmania 136 Invermay Rd, Invermay, 7248 Telephone 1300 305 699 Western Australia Unit 2/6 Colin Jamieson Drive, Welshpool, 6106 Telephone (08) 9256 3920

PPG Logo, Delfleet, Deltron, Envirobase, Global Refinish System, Harlequin, PaintManager, Prizmatique, Radiance, RapidMatch, Startline and ‑ are registered trademarks and We protect and beautify the world, Crystallance and RapidMatch are trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. SATA and SATAjet are registered trademarks of SATA GmbH & Co. KG. Third-party trademarks referenced in this magazine are the property of their respective owners.

SC A N TO R E A D T HE REFINISHER ONLINE

features regulars

Editorial Co-ordinator Chelsea Hilsberg

4 News + Reviews hits the road 6 MOONWALK Mobile MoonVan comes to you ®

calm and carry on 10 Keep repairing An ongoing journey of constant refinement

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of the house 16 Specialty Whether it’s a Corvette Stingray or a Silverado full-size pickup truck, General Motors Specialty Vehicles is now giving Aussies and Kiwis the opportunity to ‘Live Big’. And as it does this, GMSV is leaning on a close partnership with PPG to help deliver a complete brand experience

with LINQ 20 Rethink Taking maximum advantage of

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PPG LINQ technologies

24 Leave no one behind

Developing an effective emergency evacuation plan

legends 32 Local Global Bus Ventures keeps it real

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at the local level

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REFINISHER

REFINISHER NEWS

PPG on the pace

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s well as returning to the streets of downtown Detroit after a hiatus of more than 30 years, the 2023 IndyCar Detroit Grand Prix also saw the return of the striking PPG Pace Car. Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, PPG worked with different manufacturers to construct, modified and

sometimes create one-off prototype pace cars, often coating them in specialty paint or new colours as a way to showcase innovative coatings, as well as promote the races. This year, a very cool Chevrolet Camaro Convertible was chosen as the canvas for the latest pace car and it

features PPG’s iconic rainbow paint scheme.

It was front and centre as an estimated 1.2 million people watched the 2023 R Detroit Grand Prix!

60th Anniversary of PPG e-coat technology A

rich, 60-year history of achievements in electrocoat (e-coat) technology has established PPG as the most trusted name in the industry. Indeed, almost all of the milestones in the history of e-coat have been PPG innovations, kicking off when

the company pioneered electrocoat mass production back in 1963.

Applied by dipping metal parts into a tank full of coating, e-coat is a nearly 100% efficient process with significantly lower VOCs compared to the application of traditional

paints. E-coat products by PPG are considered the industry's gold standard and that tradition continues with the recent launch of the advanced ENVIRO-PRIME® EPIC 200R coatings which cure at lower temperatures than competing technologies. PPG e-coat technology has had a long-lasting impact on industries all over the world and, today, PPG operates more than 2,000 e-coat tanks to support major global industrial and automotive R manufacturers.

REFINISHER NEWS

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DRIVE THROUGH I

n business, things rarely stand still so you need to constantly be on the lookout for opportunities that can help drive efficiency and profitability and the collision repair sector is no exception. It’s why PPG chooses to offer much more than just ‘a tin of paint’.

For example, the PPG LINQ suite of integrated technologies is delivering a radical industry step-change and in Talking Training (pg 20) we get an excellent insight into how it’s transforming paint shops locally and around the world.

And if you haven’t witnessed them in action, the new MoonVan, packed with a MOONWALK® automated dispensing machine and other PPG LINQ technologies, is now visiting locations across Australia (pg 6). When it comes to outstanding

WITH ANDREW BLAKE REFINISH MARKETING DIRECTOR ANZ

opportunities, MIRKA’s industry leading electric tools and efficient abrasives are second to none. That includes the new Galaxy range (pg 14) which features self-sharpening technology and excellent dust extraction so it effectively gets the job done faster and lasts longer. For painters, SATA’s spray equipment range offers a wealth of opportunities, in terms of breathing protection and creating precision spray guns that make it easier to produce quality work day-in, day-out. If you have ever wondered how SATA continues to consistently produce the best spray equipment in the world, check out our factory visit (pg 28).

The beauty is, these opportunities can be taken up individually or you can choose to embrace the whole lot. On top of that, you can further boost it with specialised opportunities from the PPG Training team, the MVP Business Solutions Team and so on. With PPG there is a whole world of opportunities! .

4th Anniversary for MOONWALK

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n June 2019, the capabilities of PPG’s groundbreaking MoonWalk automated dispensing technology stunned the audience at its international launch event in Madrid, Spain. Despite the subsequent challenges of the COVID pandemic, its popularity exploded and MoonWalk has since gone on to transform day-to-day operations in literally thousands of refinish paint shops around the globe. Aussie and Kiwi collision repairers have also been quick to embraced this technological revolution and why not? It’s simple to operate, yet will mix ENVIROBASE® High Performance tinters to an accuracy of 0.01grams every single time,

while minimising waste and the human errors that lead to reworks. As if that is not enough, this very cool piece of kit is also helping shops to attract and retain skilled paint shop staff. Along with other PPG LINQ technologies, including the

DIGIMATCH™ spectro and the VisualizID™ 3D colour visualisation software, it’s providing a unique template for the paint shop of the future – except, you can have it right now! R

PPG tech makes for better tyres

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t’s not just coatings where PPG is a market leader. New research has just been released which demonstrates the energy savings, along with manufacturing benefits for tyre makers by using PPG AGILON® performance silica technology. In fact, energy savings of nearly 50% are available, as well as the ability to cut manufacturing time by a third compared to conventional silica via the elimination of one mixing step. When used in tyre treads, PPG Agilon silica also delivers

significant sustainability benefits for end users, including improved fuel efficiency and traction, as well as extended treadwear, says Anurag Raj, PPG Customer Sustainability Business Partner, Specialty Coatings and Materials. “PPG Agilon silica products are engineered to extend the tyre industry’s ‘magic triangle’ including lowering rolling resistance for improved fuel efficiency, increasing traction for improved safety and handling, and durable construction that

extends the useful life of tyres.

The new research shows that PPG Agilon silica can play an even more important role in the transition to sustainable mobility and contribution towards multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

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PPG LINQ

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Hits the road

Decked out with a MoonWalk and a full suite of PPG LINQ tech, the MoonVan offers repairers a roving insight into the ground-breaking advantages of the next-gen paint shop.

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n a global scale, the launch of PPG’s exclusive MoonWalk automated colour dispensing technology has been epic.

Despite an ongoing pandemic, the response from repairers in markets around the world has been incredible, with the number of MoonWalks installed quickly accelerating past the 1500-unit milestone and showing no signs of slowing down. That enthusiasm has been repeated in the Australian and New Zealand markets where collision centres of all sizes have taken up the technology.

MoonWalk’s ability to dramatically alter the way the paint shop operates has sparked an enormous amount of curiosity and this

has prompted a novel solution, according to John Hristias, PPG Sales Director Australia.

Taking the show on the road While the MoonWalk name is already well known, there have been some limitations in actually being able to see a live demonstration, mostly due to the size of the unit. As a result, we decided to take inspiration from our PPG colleagues in Europe. During the COVID pandemic, they were looking for a convenient way to showcase MoonWalk to more people and decided to make it mobile by installing

a unit into a van they dubbed ‘MoonVan’.

The concept exploded in popularity and PPG Europe quickly went from one MoonVan to a whole fleet! We have now created our own MoonVan and it opens up a whole host of possibilities.

A wider audience The MoonVan concept is all about reaching more people. For example, although there are already MoonWalk units available for demonstrations in most states (generally at PPG Training Centres or a distributor), this doesn’t always suit collision centres.

PPG LINQ

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This is where the mobility of MoonVan opens a whole new dimension.

• Distance – Particularly if your collision centre is in a regional or rural area, it can be a long way to travel to the nearest MoonWalk demonstration unit. MoonVan is aimed at taking the technology directly to individual repairers or groups of repairers, no matter where they are.

• Time – It’s not always easy for collision centre owners / managers to find the necessary time away from their business to view a MoonWalk demonstration so the MoonVan makes it quicker and simpler by bringing it to their location.

• Team approach – In some instances, the owner has already seen a demonstration but they want their paint technicians to be part of the process. By visiting their site, MoonVan gives the paint team an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the technology and see exactly what it can do for them on a day-to-day basis.

• Distributors – MoonVan offers a great opportunity for PPG distributors, too. Having the vehicle visit onsite is a convenient way for them to show MoonWalk off to their own customers and other collision centres in their area.

Anyone interested in experiencing MoonVan for themselves can simply contact their PPG distributor, their PPG territory manager or the PPG Customer Service Hotline on 13 24 24.

Plug and play Along with a MoonWalk, there is a full suite of PPG LINQ technologies inside MoonVan, including the next generation DigiMatch™ spectrophotometer, the VisualizID™ 3D colour visualisation software and the LINQ Color digital colour platform. Best of all, these advanced technologies are basically ‘plug and play’. As a result, I can see MoonVan being perfect for those collision repairers who are excited by the potential of these technologies but not quite sure how it fits with their own process. In this instance, MoonVan might make a visit to a repairer for, say, a couple of days and the paint team could actually use it on live jobs.

They can take a reading of a vehicle’s paintwork with the DigiMatch spectro

which gathers a massive amount of data (including crucial texture information about pigment particle size, etc) thanks to its inbuilt six angle digital camera and six angles of reflectance. Once this highly detailed information has been transferred to the VisualizID™ software, technicians can experience the move from physical spray-out cards to 3D digital spray-out cards. Just like a regular colour matching process, they can compare a digital spray-out of the target vehicle colour against the closest variants, including under different lighting sources and angles, as well as being able to check the face, flop and particle size. Visualising colour has never been easier or quicker and there is no need to use a drop of tinter! After choosing the best variant, simple send it to MoonWalk to dispense whatever volume you select.

And it will do it with extreme accuracy, day in, day out without ever getting stressed, tired or, crucially, making mistakes, even when a tiny amount of tinter is required.

Once your paint team has experienced these ground-breaking PPG technologies in action, don’t be surprised if they flat out refuse to go R back to the old-fashioned way!

REFINISHER

PPG VIBRANCE COLLECTION

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One for the road After years of being involved in other people’s custom builds, Stewart Parris finally got to focus on his own dream project where it’s as much about driving as it is the epic PPG finish.

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s a succession of custom cars rolled in and out of Stewart Parris’s Perth workshop over more than ten years, he had to endure the torture of seeing his own project languish in the corner, making little or no progress. It was the final straw.

“I was too busy working on other people’s cars while my car was just sitting there.

I decided I was not doing work on anyone else’s job until my car was done. As a result, the majority of work has been done in the past two years but it’s actually 13 years and one month between when I bought it and when it was finally licensed for the road.”

Stewart’s dream project began when he went looking for something more family-friendly than his small ’38 Chev Coupe. Having settled on his second favourite, a ’55 Chev Belair, he was resigned to the fact it would probably have to come from America. Amazingly, a genuine ’55 Chev Belair hardtop turned up in another suburb of Perth and Stewart managed to convince the owner to sell.

“From the moment I first bought the car I had a picture in my head of what I wanted to do. It had to look like a classic ’55 Chev but with all the mod-cons and modern suspension and handling, etc. I have been involved in various forms of motorsport

Photos courtesy of Street Machine Magazine.

Photographer: Jordan Leist

over the years so I thought it would be cool to have a car that was just as much at home on the drag strip or a track day as it was cruising on the highway. A mate told me about the Art Morrison chassis and I worked out it was actually cheaper to import the complete resto-mod Art Morrison chassis from the US than it was to buy all the parts to modify the original chassis.

It’s purpose built for a ’55 Belair and all the testing work has been done so it was a really easy decision. I just unbolted the old chassis, lifted the body, rolled out the old, rolled in the new and the body mounts lined up perfectly.”

PPG VIBRANCE COLLECTION

REFINISHER

9 While the new chassis was a radical update in terms of ride and handling, Stewart aimed for a subtle approach to the exterior.

“I wanted to refine the body to make it the way GM should have done it in the first place. The only panels left untouched are the roof and the boot skins but it’s still instantly recognisable as a ’55 Belair. It’s a similar story under the bonnet where I have fitted a modern LS1 V8 but dressed it to look like the original 409ci big block.”

In his mind’s eye Stewart also knew exactly what the paintjob would look like.

“Right from the start it was always going to be blue and white and, in terms of paint, I have been familiar with PPG since my apprenticeship so it was a no-brainer to use PPG from bare metal upwards. I started with a Commodore door skin that I painted up in

Street Machine

Voodoo Blue and Snow White Pearl. Voodoo had a few flips I didn’t like so I used a blue aluminium as a basis and created my own colour using PPG Vibrance Collection tinters.

I ended up doing about 30 test panels to get the colour right. It also has a nice flake in it which really dances in the sun.”

Given this car is meant to be a ‘driver’, Stewart admits that he might have gone a little over-the-top in terms of attention to detail and final finish. From the moment ‘The ‘55’ debuted at the WA Hot Rod &

Spectacular, in November 2022, people noticed.

“I didn’t build it as a purpose-built show car so I was just going to put it in one show and then start driving it. We were absolutely blown away by how well it did and, when we got the invite to MotorEx in Melbourne, we decided to do the 7000km round trip.

It’s nice to mingle with the crowds to hear their comments. Everyone I heard talking about The ’55 seemed to really appreciate the fact that it’s not overdone.”

Now that it has finished its short show car career, this modern rendition of a ’55 Belair has slipped neatly into the purpose it was built for.

Lucky Western Australians might even see it on their local roads. “The hardest part of the build, in a technical sense, was getting it fully engineered, road legal and registered, even with the massive tyres on the back. It’s not going to be a daily driver but it is definitely going to be well used. The Art Morrison chassis is absolutely sensational and it makes it a very, very easy car to drive, even though it’s a manual V8. Sitting on the highway at R 110kph it just purrs along!”

REFINISHER

SHOP PROFILE

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Using a calm, positive outlook, second generation owner, Gene Finn, is on a journey of constant refinement which is keeping his Tassie collision centre at the top of its game.

“Like dad, I am a positive person.

He understood that you can’t micromanage people and he never tried to micromanage me. He has always been there to offer advice but he let me do my own thing. It’s the same when a staff member comes up with an idea to improve things – it’s really important to let them run with it, if you can.

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hen Gene Finn began managing Finn’s Bodyworks, in the northern Tasmanian city of Launceston, in around the year 2000, not a lot changed.

His father, Brian, had established the successful business in 1978 and when he decided to step away, Gene stepped in to run it with a near identical management style.

Dad is fully retired now but he is still around for advice if I need it. Both of my parents taught me one of the secrets of life – treat other people the way you expect to get treated, no matter if they are a customer, an employee, etc.”

Despite growing up around the business, Gene says it was no forgone conclusion he would join. After finishing Year 11, he was toying with the idea of earning money fixing motorbikes for friends when his father suggested he should get a trade qualification behind him. That saw him take on a panel beating apprenticeship at Finn’s Bodyworks. Later, Gene also taught himself to paint and that gave him an advantage when it came to effectively running the business.

SHOP PROFILE

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“I am not saying that I am an expert painter but I understand the products and processes involved.

When you understand these things it’s much easier to get a handle on new technologies that might come out. It lets you see through what is gimmicky and get to the practical parts that really give a return on investment. For example, when I first saw PPG’s MoonWalk automated dispensing system I wondered if it really was that good.

When I looked more closely, I could see the potential and having one installed has not disappointed. There is not a painter alive who can consistently get anywhere near a tenth of a gram when pouring and MoonWalk takes that stress away from them. The painters love it and it’s already getting great results.”

As Finn’s Bodyworks tackled its regular diet of small to medium hit insurance work, with a few bigger

jobs thrown in, Gene was conscious that the size of the facility was holding back his team. After conducting a business case for the investment required to make the necessary improvements, he found it made financial sense. As a happy coincidence, a nearby shutdown panel shop was available to rent and this allowed workflow to continue while renovations were taking place. “The booth was nearing 20 years old and I have heard of them going to 30 years but I wanted our equipment to be

REFINISHER

SHOP PROFILE

Keep calm and carry on repairing

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as up-to-date as possible. To install the new Lowbake Alpha Elite Spray Booth we had to cut the concrete to make a bigger hole and move the booth to the left by a couple of metres. The new paint room is to the right of it. We went for a longer and taller booth so it will fit modern vans and, especially, the full-size utes we are seeing more and more.

It’s not that I am trying to attract that work but it’s coming whether we like it or not.”

Along with ENVIROBASE® High Performance waterborne basecoat system, SATA spray equipment and a MoonWalk automated dispensing machine, the new paint shop also takes advantage of PPG’s ground-breaking DigiMatch™ spectrophotometer and VisualizID™ 3D colour visualisation software. “As soon as I saw DigiMatch and VisualizID, I ordered it straight away – it’s a no brainer. To do a spray-out you are mixing $40 worth of material and then whatever the labour is, whereas VisualizID gives you a 3D digital spray-out on screen that you can move around and compare from lots of different angles. I don’t like the manual spray-out process because it’s not cost effective and the painters don’t like it because it’s mundane and not enjoyable so this is a win / win.”

Later in 2023, a second extension is in the pipeline to provide a new panel shop.

The area it vacates will then be fitted out with paint prep bays. It will provide a much-needed boost to the shop’s footprint.

“The current workshop is quite small but the amount of work we drive through for the

S H O P FA C T S Finn’s Bodyworks Owners: Gene Finn Staff: 12 PPG Product: Envirobase High Performance Territory Manager: Rowan Kenny

size is really up there. Our biggest challenge is that the work volume is too high – we are currently booked out at least three months in advance. With our renovated facility making it easier and more efficient, hopefully we can pull that timeframe back.”

Gene says he is very appreciative of his 12 staff – most of whom are long term – but, as time goes on, he sees his business facing real challenges in getting enough skilled employees. As a result, he has been investing in apprentices.

“We currently have three apprentices – two painters and a panel beater. I have tried to always have apprentices because I thinks

it’s an obligation to try to attract young people to the industry. Hopefully, cool new technologies, like MoonWalk, DigiMatch and VisualizID, will help do that. We have also had great success employing female apprentices. It’s actually changed the dynamic of the workplace and brought a balance back, rather than having just a group of guys. I think it also surprised the guys when they saw how good the female tradespeople were. A few years ago, one of our female apprentices actually won the PPG National Colour Matching Competition!”

Although his business is humming along nicely, Gene still sees it as an ongoing refinement process. Being part of a PPG MVP Round Table Group for over a decade has given him a constant source of inspiration to improve, says Mindy Roberts, MVP Manager Vic / Tas. “Gene might run one of the smaller shops in the group but what makes him successful is that he really applies what he learns in the Round Table Group. He also has really good staff and he takes the time to ensure they fully understand what the business is trying to achieve.”

For his part, Gene says the Round Table Group meetings are an investment in his business. “For starters, I love the networking and the ability to work with the other guys in the group – they are awesome! Sometimes things might not be going quite so well in one part of the business so you can ask the group how they do it and they will give you solutions. Being in the group of likeminded people who are happy to share ideas has helped me make incremental, one percent changes which have made a big difference over time.”

As he approaches his 53rd birthday, Gene reckons he still gets fired up and enthusiastic about being in business.

“The shop is running quite well and I have the right people in the right place so I can have more time off if I want to. Having said that, I still enjoy the interactions with our suppliers, our customers and the staff R and I still love coming to work!”.

PPG TECHNOLOGIES

REFINISHER

Paint films solutions

on the way I

n line with its quest to ‘protect and beautify the world’, PPG is gearing up to utilise a different set of technologies following the recent global announcement of a new joint venture which has been formed with entrotech, Inc., a provider of technology-driven film solutions. In 2021, PPG established its own paint films capabilities when it acquired Wörwag, a German-based coatings supplier that provides film products for a variety of automotive parts and panels. This newly announced joint venture will consist of the PPG Wörwag film assets and the automotive films business of entrotech, with PPG retaining the majority stake. The immediate outcome of the joint venture is the creation of PPG Advanced Surface Technologies which is planning to deliver paint and clear film solutions suitable for a wide range of applications in the automotive and industrial sectors.

Not to be confused with conventional film / wrapping technologies, paint films are defined as being made up of multilayer applications in which at least one layer is made from paint.

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Thanks to a joint venture with entrotech, Inc., PPG Advanced Surface Technologies is getting set to deliver paint and clear film solutions for automotive and industrial customers.

As well as offering exciting new aesthetic options, paint films also provide a range of environmental benefits, including lower energy consumption.

The technology is currently being used for automotive applications and has potential applications across a range of industrial end-uses. It’s one more way in which PPG can use technology to support customers, according to Tim Knavish, PPG President and Chief Executive Officer.

“This joint venture will position our portfolio of paint films products for accelerated commercialisation, offering customers innovative products with high

performance and significant sustainability benefits. This venture will be positioned for rapid global expansion aligned to PPG’s portfolio.”

The automotive films portfolio of entrotech includes automotive clear protective films and the Aero Sustainable Material Technology line of paint films. Interestingly, it was the demanding requirements of motorsports and other applications that were the key drivers behind the patented and patent-pending technologies that were originally developed in 2007. In 2019, Aero films were first used on commercial automotive vehicle exteriors.

The company has since further developed the technology for potential use in commercial transportation, marine, construction and other areas in which PPG operates.

“We are excited to join the global PPG family through this joint venture,” said Jim McGuire, entrotech founder and CEO. “This agreement builds on a long collaboration, as we use PPG paint products to create our paint films.

We look forward to expanding our reach globally with the PPG paint films team through this R partnership.”

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MIRKA

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A Galaxy of possibilities Featuring incredible, long-lasting performance at an exceptional price, MIRKA’s all new, self-sharpening Galaxy abrasive range is altering market perceptions.

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ecause it carries the MIRKA brand, people expected the new Galaxy abrasive range would cut well and have excellent dust extraction.

What is a little harder to get your head around is the remarkable self-sharpening technology which dramatically increases the lifespan, says Matt Sbizzirri, PPG Technical Demonstrator and Trainer.

“You can explain to people the process a Galaxy abrasive goes through to self-sharpen – when a ceramic grain is broken off while sanding, the grain underneath creates a new cutting edge – but it’s a pretty radical concept to take in.

Which is why nothing beats actually seeing it in action or, better still, comparing it for yourself. When using Galaxy, it feels like the abrasive is going dull but it will then sharpen up again, continue to cut and extend the life. It just takes a slightly different mindset to take advantage of it. Already, we are getting user reports back from the market where they are getting

amazing lifespans out of Galaxy.

For example, in many cases, one Galaxy disc is lasting as long as three or four conventional discs. For that sort of return on investment, you might expect to pay a premium but not with Galaxy. For all that built-in MIRKA technology in a durable film-backed abrasive, Galaxy is actually priced amazingly well.”

“The Galaxy 150mm discs are the most popular but there is also the 77mm discs which are great for keeping a repair area nice and compact. Another advantage users have found is that Galaxy block paper (70mm and 115mm) comes in rolls, rather than individual strips. Instead of having three boxes of different sizes on the sanding trolley, you just have one where you can tear off what is needed. When it was first released, word spread so quickly that we actually sold out of some Galaxy grits and had to quickly bring in fresh stock to meet demand.”

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MIRKA

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Commercial Transport ready

Scientific proof In Western Australia, Ray Bondarenko (PPG Training Manager WA) has found that the most effective way to demonstrate Galaxy’s features is with a side-by-side comparison.

“Generally, we compare Galaxy with whatever the customer is currently using.

To do that, we take an old panel out of the bin, check that the film build is okay and there is no body filler, before measuring and marking out equally sized areas. Then we sand as much as we can in a two-minute timeframe. After cleaning the panel down, the results become obvious. Galaxy not only sands a larger area in the two minutes, it also leaves a better finish. When a disc starts to lose performance, the blunt abrasive leaves a polished metal surface which is easy to see. However, when you look at the Galaxy side, you can see it has

been cutting the whole time.

What is really amazing is that I can repeat that two-minute test with the same Galaxy disc and I will still get the same result. Instead of going blunt and ploughing, Galaxy is staying sharp and cutting and that means it has not been beaten yet, even against the perceived market leader!

After a demonstration, I will leave a sample pack of Galaxy abrasives and my business card and nine times out of ten they are quickly on the phone wanting to know where they can get more.”

“When you think about it, because Galaxy is lasting longer and cutting quicker, it’s speeding up the process. You don’t have to stop to replace a spent disc with a fresh one and the quality of the sanding is better because Galaxy is a film-backed abrasive which resists pig-tailing really well. The fact that it also has excellent dust extraction makes it a win / win.”

After successful demonstrations at the various branches, Galaxy has quickly been rolled out at the Royans Truck & Trailer Repair network across the region, says Chris Rovere, PPG Key Accounts Manager Commercial Coatings ANZ. “Galaxy is the overall package of price, sanding performance and lifespan and Royans are taking advantage of it across pretty much everything they do.

For example, the coarse grades are great for sanding steel, 240 grit or 320 grit is perfect on bare aluminium and, for say prepping a fibreglass bonnet, 80 grit to 120 grit is ideal.

The Royans team really like Galaxy and they are getting their heads around its ‘feel’.

When they think it’s stopped cutting like a traditional abrasive, it’s actually still going so all they have to do is get used to checking the sanding surface which will tell them if it’s still cutting. It’s pretty amazing how long Galaxy will last. One guy told me he rubbed an entire fibreglass bonnet with one sheet of Galaxy 320 grit. When you do the sums, that makes it the most cost effective option R on the market.”

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FEATURE STORY

Specialty of the house GMSV is offering the ANZ market some of the most desirable and exciting models in the General Motors’ portfolio and it’s backing it with a customer experience to match.

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ay back when General Motors (GM) was incorporated, on September 16th 1908, many people were still convinced that the automobile would never overtake the horse and cart. Over the following 115 years, GM has led the way in providing affordable vehicles, at the same time growing to become a household name and enjoying a 77-year stint as the world’s largest automaker. Today, GM’s four key brands – Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC – produce a fascinating array of models, many of which carry iconic nameplates.

This is the unique automotive candy store the General Motors Specialty Vehicle (GMSV) team went shopping in when it officially set up shop in the Australian and New Zealand markets on November 10th 2020. What they chose to lead the charge was two legends of GM’s Chevrolet brand – the Corvette Stingray coupe and convertible and the Silverado full-size pick-up truck.

Handpicked icons It’s fair to say the 8th generation C8 Corvette set tongues wagging at least as much as any other model since the celebrated nameplate was launched back in 1953. Despite still being made in GM’s Bowling Green, Kentucky, assembly plant, the C8 is a vastly different beast than those that came before. Its all-new aluminium architecture houses a mid-engine V8 layout to deliver supercar good looks, along with epic levels of performance,

FEATURE STORY

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driver enjoyment and road presence. The fact that it was also the first generation of Corvette to be designed and built from factory in right-hand-drive (RHD) made it an absolute no brainer.

Although Silverado doesn’t have quite the longevity of its famous, sport car cousin, it’s an illustrious badge that speaks to many people across the region who need to tow a decent sized caravan, boat, etc or want a vehicle that can comfortably getaway and travel to remote destinations, according to GMSV Director, Greg Rowe.

“Silverado is very much a vehicle to tow and tour in. If you think about it, it’s a real shift in the light commercial market with the ability to now tow up to 4.5 Tonne without sacrificing comfort or features otherwise seen in SUVs and passenger vehicles.

For us, there is a real safety message that goes along with the practical and fun side of driving this vehicle.

If you want a vehicle that makes towing a dream as you go touring around the country, these are premium products that have exceptional levels of tech.

For example, Silverado comes with up to 14 unique camera views that can make it easier to get hitched up, provide confidence while on the road, and help when manoeuvring into tight spots.”

Despite having General Motors in its name, GMSV faced the same challenges as any other new business, says Greg. “General Motors Specialty Vehicles is a General Motors brand which has 63 dealers around Australia and New Zealand in a balanced mix of metro and regional locations to support sales and service, and we have the additional benefit of an OEM warranty.” By the time GMSV celebrated its first anniversary, 1869 new Silverados had already been snapped up by eager Australian and New Zealand buyers. What’s more, by the company’s second birthday, the 5000th Silverado had rolled out of the local remanufacturing process!

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Specialty of the house

Remanufacture vs conversion

The depth of engineering and effort that goes into taking a left hand drive (LHD) Silverado and putting it on the road in RHD, should not be underestimated, according to Dave Crook, Collision Product Manager, GM ANZ. “The traditional language used in this scenario is ‘conversion’ but it’s really important to understand that this is not a conversion – it’s a complete remanufacture of the vehicle. There is less than a handful of parts which are modified and reused. The remainder of the different parts used are new components, designed and manufactured to GM specifications and sourced from OE suppliers and, where possible, there is actually a fair amount of local content.”

• The Silverado remanufacturing process takes place in a dedicated, highly organised production facility in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong.

• There is a skilled team of over 150 people who are dedicated to working on Silverado.

• At the beginning of the remanufacturing process, the cabin is disconnected and then lifted off the chassis. Separate production lines for cabin and chassis run side-by-side through various workstations before they are remarried together at the end.

• A subassembly area on site performs the necessary tasks on various assemblies which are removed, remanufactured and refitted.

• Each LHD instrument panel is totally disassembled and all those components are reassembled into the new RHD instrument panel.

• Around 375 new parts, along with several remanufactured parts, go into each vehicle.

• A crucial aspect of the remanufacturing process is a testing regime that submits key components and assemblies to a series of trials designed to push them to the limits. Not only has it allowed potential stress points to be identified and engineering solutions implemented, it has also enabled the design of specialised components, such as the factory fitted towbar.

A complete brand experience GMSV is not just aiming to get people excited about purchasing and driving one of these unique machines, the team is also focused on the long-term ownership experience and it’s here that it has taken advantage of a close and enduring relationship with PPG. Across GM’s global manufacturing network, PPG is a trusted partner, supplying a range of coatings technologies and services and this included the now defunct Holden assembly plant in South Australia. When it came to supporting GMSV, it was PPG that had the knowledge and can-do attitude, says Dave Crook. “Vehicle Pre-Delivery (PD) is critically important when it comes to the whole ownership experience and a key part of that is for the PD staff to have the capacity to identify any blemishes or imperfections and rectify them before the vehicle gets to the customer. The support has always been there from PPG so it made sense to continue that relationship and engage PPG to help us by delivering some specific subject based training on how to finesse or correct any minor imperfections, without an intrusive repair.”

The partnership has seen PPG support GMSV in a number of different areas, explains Fabian Gaida, PPG Market Development Manager. “First up, we support GMSV with colour. These are vehicles we have not seen in the market so our Refinish Colour Lab, at Clayton, was able to do audits and ensure all the colour formulations were on the PPG PAINTMANAGER® XI system. After that, we developed a national syllabus for a best practice PD paint process that is specific to the needs of GMSV. It’s delivered through PPG’s region-wide training centres and, typically, we have groups of six to eight people from the PD department at GMSV dealerships.

It takes them through the OEM paint process, how to identify and rectify any paintwork issues, as well as the step-by-step process for efficiently polishing a new vehicle. After the training, each person goes back to their dealership with posters of the step-by-step instructions, along with a large bucket containing an orbital sander

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and the MIRKA polishing compounds and buff pads they had learnt to use in the training program. The other request from GMSV was to act as their paint expert. Wherever it is around ANZ, if a customer approaches GMSV about a paintwork issue, PPG can inspect the vehicle and prepare an independent report to help resolve any potential issues.”

Z for excitement Greg Rowe admits that the GMSV team sometimes have to pinch themselves when they look at the calibre of vehicle they are able to offer the ANZ market. And, in the second half of 2023, it ramped up to an all-new level.

“When it comes to brand recognition, people are recognising that for Chevy and Corvette, GM Specialty Vehicles is the place to go.

We are continually looking at opportunities for the local market and that has allowed us to introduce two new models. Firstly, with the update to the 1500 Silverado range we have just introduced a new model called the ZR2. With its Multimatic DSSV damper system, it’s essentially a very, very capable and comfortable offroad truck that doesn’t really lose anything on-road.

It can tow up to 4.2 Tonne and its torque output is 624Nm. It’s phenomenal! On top of that, in the 70th Anniversary year since the very first Corvette appeared, we welcome the C8 Corvette Z06. It’s at the highest level of supercar performance.

One of the most impressive features is that its LT6 5.5 litre DOHC V8 – complete with an all-new flat-plane crankshaft design which allows it to rev to 8,600rpm – makes it the most powerful naturally aspirated engine ever fitted to a production car.”

The total package While the whole GMSV experience starts with delivering a high-quality product, the brand will really achieve critical mass when customers are raving about the experience well after the initial shine

has worn off, says Greg. “The reality is that these vehicles come with a lot of excitement but also a lot of expectation. We need to make sure that our dealer network is equipped with everything they need to ensure our customer’s expectations are exceeded.

Cars with these capabilities sell themselves but it’s the ownership experience that sells the next one and the one after.” R

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TALKING TRAINING

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LINQ

Rethinl< with As the integrated digital technologies of PPG LINQ™ deliver the paint shop of the future, it’s time to think outside the square with process changes that take maximum advantage.

B

efore the PPG LINQ digital ecosystem arrived on the market, it was probably only in a painter’s wildest dreams that they could imagine the technological advances it would bring to the paint shop. However, all these features – including a simple, yet highly accurate colour matching process that virtually eliminates manual spray-outs, along with precise mixing of colours at the push of a button and the ability to remove the human error element – are actually available to local collision repairers right now. What’s more, this radical technology also provides a convenient

point in time to rethink the whole paint shop process and consider new and more efficient ways of doing things, according to John Hristias, PPG Sales Director Australia.

Part of the estimating process In most paint shops, the painters are responsible for taking the spectro reading.

However, there is a strong argument that it should be done by the estimator, as part of the estimating process and there are a variety of reasons why.

• It takes the task away from the painters who can use that time to do productive paint shop tasks.

• It’s an opportunity to make an early identification of more unusual OEM colours or finishes – such as three-layer coatings.

As a result, allowances can be made in terms of having the correct materials, skills and time in place in order to efficiently process the job with minimum cycle-time.

• With the appropriate training (if necessary), the spectro reading process adds minimal time to the estimator’s task. For maximum

efficiency, the estimator should be supplied with a work trolley which they can roll right to the vehicle and ensure that the polisher and compounds, etc, are close at hand.

• A modern OEM paint code is not always easy to find but the estimator is in a good position to identify it early. It can then be punched into the touchscreen on the DigiMatch™ spectrophotometer, along with the job number, so that when the reading is downloaded to the VisualizID™ 3D colour visualisation software, within LINQ Color or PAINTMANAGER® XI, all the crucial information is linked and ready for the painters to proceed with the colour matching process.

Colour visualised With the spectro reading done and the results sitting against the job number, the painter can choose a convenient, time-efficient moment to perform the actual colour match. And by utilising the ground-breaking VisualizID 3D colour visualisation software, the process is both faster and more accurate. In fact, this new-age colour matching process is so straightforward, it can be done by the vehicle owner!

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Picture this scenario. Instead of hiding these very cool pieces of PPG LINQ technology away in the paint room, they can be setup as a technological showpiece in your reception area. It doesn’t just look spectacular, it’s also a way of including the customer in the actual colour matching process.

• When the customer drops off their vehicle for repairs, they are invited into the designated area.

• One of your staff members guides the customer through the VisualizID process where they compare a 3-D digital spray-out rendering of their vehicle’s colour (created from DigiMatch spectro data) against the closest variants on screen. Just like a manual spray out, the comparison can be done using different light sources and at different angles to check the face, flop and flip, etc.

VisualizID also give the option to zoom right in to help pick up potentially subtle differences in the colour and texture of the pigment particles. Because they are being supervised the whole time, there should be no chance of going off track.

• Once the choice is made, the customer clicks the button to set the MOONWALK® automated dispensing system in motion to mix the ENVIROBASE® High Performance colour.

• One of the many advantages of MoonWalk is that it eliminates the

human error element that can result from even a slight miss-pour when adding tinters. Unfortunately, these incorrect colour mixes can easily lead to a rework. Instead, you simply tell MoonWalk what volume you require (it’s happy to mix small volumes and formulations with tiny tinter amounts) and click the ‘go’ button.

It doesn’t get tired, hungover or have a bad day – it simply mixes with absolute precision every single time.

• When it’s dispensed, the colour is sealed in a SATA RPS Cup, a label is printed and stuck on and it stays with the vehicle so it’s ready to be applied when it gets to the paint shop.

• This supercharged customer experience means they walk away telling all their friends how they used some very cool technology to help repair their car and that it was your collision centre where they had R it done.

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PPG COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT

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Go with the After choosing an aerodynamic theme for its latest show truck, Volvo Group Australia put it in the hands of Bel Air Truck Spray Painting to create an attention-grabbing masterpiece.

V

ehicle aerodynamics is something that can easily go unnoticed but it actually plays a key role, particularly when it comes to truck design. Out on the highway, the effort required to push through air resistance is one of the factors that has a significant impact on fuel consumption.

Given that fuel accounts for a sizable percentage of a transport fleet’s costs, aerodynamic performance is an area where Volvo Group has devoted considerable attention. This includes extensive wind tunnel testing which has enabled Volvo Group engineers to make subtle alterations to the bodywork and other components in order to achieve smoother airflow and lower drag. Over the years, this has put the global truck manufacturing giant on a consistent trajectory towards improved fuel efficiency, as well as lower carbon emissions.

As it geared up for the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show, Volvo Group Australia decided to showcase the company’s commitment to sustainability by using an aerodynamic theme on its latest show truck, based on a FH16 XXL 16L 550HP model with Euro6 emission compliance. An intricate paint scheme was chosen which mimics the computer

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generated, aerodynamic airflow report you would see after a wind tunnel test, except this was on a full-size truck.

As well as being an eye-catching exhibit on the Volvo Group stand, the aim was to generate conversations around ways to be sustainable with current ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles.

Over to you Bel Air As it has done many times in the past, Volvo Group Australia trusted the job of achieving the ambitious and complex design to Bel Air Truck Spray Painting, in the Brisbane suburb of Darra. So, no pressure, then! When it comes to this type of work, the team at Bel Air definitely has the runs on the board but it doesn’t mean they take this important work for granted. Rob, from Bel Air, says that today the experienced team take on pretty much any truck painting task you can think of, from full repaints and livery changes, to applying branding to new trucks. While painting the annual show trucks for Volvo Group Australia adds a little extra challenge, Rob reckons Bel Air has an ace up its sleeve in the form of PPG products and technical support.

“This year, Volvo Group Australia came to us with a definite theme and end result in mind. They wanted to recreate the look of a truck in a wind tunnel, with computer generated colour images of how the air flows across the different surfaces of the truck. When we get a larger, more technical job in, I generally run it past Mark Haywood (PPG Training Manager QLD) – he is always great for that. I was able to discuss the best way of achieving the result Volvo Group were looking for and Mark did a test spray-out on a door so that we could show the Volvo Group team and get their okay.”

Bringing the concept to life “A white truck arrived from Volvo Group’s manufacturing facility in Wacol and that gave us a great basis to start from. Rather than try and mark it out, we just went to it freehand but doing a lot of referring back to the images. Instead of using PPG’s DELFLEET Evolution CT paint system that is used for our everyday work, Mark recommended using PPG’s ENVIROBASE® High Performance waterborne basecoat system – it has lower film-build and is far easier to manipulate in situations like this where you are blending so many different colours. We used five key Envirobase tinters and a bunch of SATA MINIjet spray guns as we started from the turret and worked our way down. Overall, it took eight days to complete, including blending through to the interior, cleacoating and flowcoating. We also added a sparkly pearl into the clearcoat which helped to soften all colour transitions and tie everything together.

While we really enjoyed being given the opportunity to bring Volvo Group’s concept to life, it certainly had its challenges from a business point of view. A standard paint job might take one to two days, whereas this locked up the booth for six days for the artwork alone!”

“Over the years, we have helped the Volvo Group with numerous show trucks and each of them has had its challenges. Having PPG products and support just makes it that much easier. I started using PPG when I was an apprentice, PPG was already at Bel Air when I started and I have always found that the products fit seamlessly into our processes so why wouldn’t we use PPG. If you ask me why I choose to use PPG, I say just look at this latest job – it looks fantastic and the customer is extremely happy. What more could you ask for?” R

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MVP BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

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Leave no one behind In the event of a crisis, an emergency evacuation plan provides a detailed blueprint for everyone to exit your business safely and smoothly to ensure no one is left behind.

P

icture this scenario. It’s a regular work day in your collision centre when, all of a sudden, thick acrid smoke rapidly fills the workshop, making it difficult to see, let alone breathe.

Obviously, it’s time to get out so you head for the front door and mill about outside waiting for emergency services.

When they arrive, a firefighter rushes up to ask if anyone is still inside. Some of your team are with you but where are the rest?

Are they on the other side of the building or somewhere else you can’t see? And what about other people who might have been inside, such as customers, a visiting rep or someone doing an onsite sublet, equipment maintenance, etc? It’s here that an

emergency evacuation plan can literally make the difference between life and death, says Greg Tunks, MVP Business Solutions Manager ANZ.

Plan to succeed When you think about it, having an emergency evacuation plan in place is not only a no brainer, it’s law! Given they are often working with flammable materials, you definitely have to wonder why many collision repairers don’t have one.

Fortunately, that seems to be changing because requests for an emergency evacuation plan have become one of the most popular services delivered by the MVP Business Solutions team.

For a collision centre owner / manager, it makes the process smooth and straightforward, and the service comes at no cost to PPG customer because it’s part of our support package.

To get the ball rolling, your MVP Business Solutions manager will visit to measure up the shop and use a special electronic drawing program to map out exit pathways, extinguisher locations, etc.

From there, they are able to create the documentation required.

Exit strategy Naturally, the key aim of an emergency evacuation plan is to give people (staff and visitors) clear directions for exiting the building as quickly and as safely as possible when required.

Ideally, there are multiple exit pathway options for people to take, in case the emergency situation prevents access to one or more of the exits. Each exit needs clear signage that people can quickly recognise and, even more importantly, they should not be locked or blocked by clutter, such as equipment, old / new parts, etc. Once people have exited, they should be directed to wait in a suitable assembly location which is a safe distance from the building.

Who’s in and who’s not In the middle of an emergency situation, it’s crucial to know if everyone has escaped the building or if someone is missing.

When the emergency services arrive and ask if everyone has made it out, it’s absolutely critical to be able to give them a clear-cut answer. For example, the fire crew don’t want to be risking their lives going inside to look for someone that isn’t there.

At the same time, if you are able to give them the number of people unaccounted for and where they might be, it can let the fire crew target their efforts on saving lives.

This is a good reason why each collision centre should operate a sign-in book or process. During an evacuation, someone should be assigned to collect it and bring it to the assembly point.

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MVP BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

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Everyone onboard

Fire extinguishers

FIR E

CA LL 00

0

CAL L 000

Should a fire start, having the appropriate firefighting equipment at hand – fire extinguishers or a firehose reel – can make the difference between a minor event turning into a major catastrophe. However, this is dependant on the right types of fire extinguishers being in easy to access locations and for staff to be trained on how and when to use them.

Naturally, fire extinguishers come in different types which are designed to fight different types of fires but they also need to be regularly serviced (typically, every six months) to ensure they are ready to go in an emergency. It’s best to contract a specialist company to automatically perform the services when required so that your extinguishers are always ready for action.

Your emergency evacuation plan can only truly be effective if everyone understands it.

Therefore, it should form part of the induction process for new staff or for external contractors who might be working on site. The document prepared by your MVP Business Solutions manager will include an emergency evacuation schematic plan which is designed to be printed out in A3 size and mounted in prominent places around the collision centre. In addition, something like a morning ‘toolbox talk’ can be the perfect time for a short refresher session on the details of the emergency evacuation plan or on how to use each extinguisher. When an emergency situation happens, it can easily create panic but it’s also the time when good preparations pay off! R

Legend

FI RE

Fire Ext

inguisher

First Aid Spill Kit Fire Ho se

For further information or to access the wide variety of support services on offer, contact the MVP Business Solutions team at mvp.anz@ppg.com.

Emergenc y Exit Evacua

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PPG PEOPLE

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Eddie Kerr

P P G S TA F F P R O F I L E

Business Manager QLD & NT

O

ver a 30-year career at PPG and almost 50 years in the industry, Eddie Kerr reckons he has learnt where his greatest strength is – moulding people into an effective and productive team and building a healthy culture. However, this realisation didn’t happen overnight. After leaving school at 16-years-old, Eddie joined the family collision repair business as an apprentice spray painter. At 19-years-old, he emigrated from his native Scotland to Queensland with

his entire family and decided to branch out to work at several collision centres before joining PPG on 1st April 1993 as a Demonstrator.

Stints as a Territory Manager, an MVP Business Solutions Manager and with PPG South Korea, eventually led to his current role as Business Manager Queensland & Northern Territory.

“My biggest challenge is also the part of my role I enjoy the most. ‘People’ is my strength and, for me, it’s about looking at people’s talents and having the right people in the right roles in order to build a strong culture.

I am the first to admit that I have shortcomings and

so does everyone else in life, but what I do is take whatever people are good at and support them to become the best they can, while also helping them to work on areas they are not so good at and get it to a decent level.

The real satisfaction comes from working with my team to achieve and exceed our goals. Another thing I really enjoy is the national comradery amongst the PPG Australia wide sales team. People will generally do whatever they can to help support each other and being part of the national leadership team is brilliant.”

MORE ABOUT EDDIE • Favourite hobbies/pastimes?

Motorcycle riding and taking care of my small motorcycle collection • Favourite food? A good steak or chicken carbonara • Favourite drink? Jack Daniels single barrel • Favourite music / band? Foo Fighters • Favourite car / motorcycle?

Select European cars and motorcycles from the 70s and 80s • Favourite holiday destination?

Banff, Canada.

Eclectic mix of bikes includes a Suzuki GSX-R 750 Slab Side, a Vespa PX200, a BMW GS 1150 and a Honda CT.

PAINT SCORE ENJOY!

SATA Loyalty Program coins & more Scan the QR Codes in all our RPS boxes with the SATA Loyalty App, collect coins and convert them into attractive rewards.

Each RPS cup corresponds to one coin!

Further information: www.sata.com/loyalty-int

DOWNLOAD APP NOW!

PPG Australia McNaughton Road Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia 13 24 24

PPG New Zealand 5 Vestey Drive Mount Wellington, 1060 Auckland, New Zealand 0800 320 320

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SATA

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Why SATA

is worth it PPG Technical Demonstrator and Trainer

Matt Sbizzirri

Whether you are a SATA user or not, a visit to the company’s state-of-the-art production facility should be on your bucket list.

It’s where SATA’s passion for precision is clear to see.

P

ainters might disagree about the pros and cons of one spray gun brand over another but, when it comes to acknowledging which is the best, there tends to be no arguments. Across the industry, SATA is recognised as the premier brand for spray equipment and, in particular, spray guns. Not surprisingly, the advanced technology and precision engineering you get in a SATA product doesn’t come cheap.

However, a look inside SATA’s high-tech facility at Kornwesthiem, just north of Stuttgart, Germany, goes a long way to understanding why SATA spray equipment is worth every cent and more. It's an eyeopening experience, even for someone who

has used SATA throughout their career, says Matt Sbizzirri, PPG Technical Demonstrator and Trainer, who recently spent four days visiting the home of SATA.

Passion for precision What struck me first was the absolute precision that goes into everything they do at SATA. The whole facility, including the production floor, is super clean and tidy and it’s obvious that every employee takes great pride in what they are doing. No matter how big or small a part they play, they understand that, by working together, they continue to produce the best result. All the SATA people I met were absolutely wonderful and easy to work with but they were also very driven because they know the company has a long-term reputation for being the industry leader and no one wants to risk that.

As well as quality checks at every stage of production, there is actually an incredibly tight tolerance of just 0.008mm for the manufacture of all their equipment. If a part doesn’t meet that tolerance and it can’t be adjusted, it gets scrapped. The facility actually has a special room dedicated to measuring for imperfections. SATA calls it the ‘measuring room’ and it’s sealed off, temperature controlled and taken very seriously. While I was touring the production facility, I actually saw a brand-new SATA MINIjet get tossed in the scrap because it didn’t meet tolerance!

Continuous improvement strategy If you have ever been amazed at SATA’s incredible ability to make continuous improvements that have shifted the benchmark for spray equipment performance over the decades, the reasons are all laid out within SATA’s home. For example, the onsite repair department is right next door to the Research & Development (R&D) department so that information flows quickly and easily between them. Each day, the repair department actually prepares a report on the warranty work and other repairs it’s doing.

As well as being sent to the head of R&D, it also gets sent to the head of quality control and the SATA CEO. Together, they spend time every day discussing the issues in order to look for trends and areas of concern.

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Every issue is taken extremely seriously as they leave no stone unturned to find a solution and make the necessary improvements. This happens for each product category, including air-fed hoods, filter units and spray guns. A super important part of that is feedback from customers around the globe who are actually using the products. For example, I know that SATA see Australia and New Zealand as a significant part of their global strategy and they really do hold us in high esteem and welcome our feedback.

Made in Germany It’s important to understand that all SATA products are made in Germany. In fact, virtually everything is fabricated and manufactured within the Kornwesthiem facility. One of the key reasons the company has not been tempted to move any of its production to another country, where it might be cheaper, is because it’s obsessive about

maintaining the SATA level of quality. Every SATA product is assembled onsite by a human and then double checked for quality and spraying performance by a human because it will ultimately be a human who uses it.

When you see a spray gun start life as a piece of raw aluminium and then be precisely machined, assembled and tested you realise that the reason a SATA product carries a premium price tag is because it’s a premium piece of equipment that is worth it. In other words, when you choose to purchase a SATA product you are getting what you pay for – an obsession with precision!

Make a date with SATA SATA really enjoys the relationship with its customers and it’s very open to receiving visitors. Whether you are a SATA user, a SATA enthusiast or just from the industry, I would highly recommend a visit if you happen to be in Germany.

However, the SATA team will need some notice so please reach out to your local SATA distributor or direct with SATA Germany. While you are in Stuttgart, also think about visiting the Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Porsche Museum. R

Chemistry

in our own backyard

Science drives paint performance which makes the paint chemists at PPG’s Clayton Refinish Lab the local heroes ensuring ANZ customers get exactly what they need.

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ou could be forgiven for thinking that the chemistry that goes into developing a refinish product on the global stage would automatically mean that it works in any market around the world. However, you would be wrong.

For example, it has long been recognised that the high UV readings in this region can have a devastating effect on any coatings that are not specifically formulated to cope.

What is perhaps less well known is that the Australian and New Zealand refinish market is quite fussy, particularly when it comes to appearance. Often, this means that a ‘global’ product will need to be chemically tuned to suit local conditions

any of PPG’s global product technologies.

One of our key roles is to test PPG global technologies / products to ensure they are suitable for ANZ conditions. It’s not so much an issue with waterborne and solvent-borne basecoats but it’s extremely important for clearcoats and DG topcoats. The main attribute we are looking at is durability but we also test other properties, including adhesion, corrosion and humidity resistance and pencil hardness. It’s all about ensuring each PPG product that is available to local customers not only works but also works with all the other primers, basecoats and clearcoats within the system.

and this is where the Refinish Research and Development Laboratory within PPG’s Clayton, Melbourne headquarters plays a pivotal role, according to Scott Mandragona, Technical and Product Manager.

Global reach, local expertise Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) might not be huge markets when compared with some of the really big players, such as Europe and the US, but we are still an important part of PPG’s technical network.

This means our eight-person team of local paint chemists, here in Clayton, have easy access to the chemical formulations for

Training network While the Refinish R&D Lab takes the lead, we also have the advantage of being able to call on PPG’s region-wide network of refinish training managers. The conditions in which a product is used can change dramatically between, say, a refinish customer at the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island and another one in the heat of northern WA or the humidity of tropical Far North Queensland, so coordinating new product trials with our training managers is a crucial factor. In advance of a product being released to the market, we can get excellent feedback about how it performs in a wide range of conditions. As a bonus, it lets our training managers become fully familiar with the characteristics of the product before they even start demonstrating it to customers.

Factory finish Amongst the many tools at its disposal, the Refinish R&D Lab has specialised high speed dispersion equipment which essentially lets the team mimic the batch production process you might see in the adjacent PPG Clayton manufacturing facility, including milling pigments to a very fine particle size. Using raw materials, it lets us make small batches of our own products from scratch and then do testing on it.

Via the PPG system, we have the ability to look up the chemical formulation for pretty much any PPG product in the world – even product technologies that might be under development. They may not be exactly right for us but, if it’s close, we can pick the chemical formulation apart and make tweaks to certain aspects in order to get the local performance that we want. It might be about making a solvent change to adjust the way it

sprays or it could be including a higher ratio of UV absorbers to better handle the greater UV exposure. In the past, we have modified PPG technologies and it has actually turned it into a bestselling local products.

Continuous improvement Once a product has been developed, tested, adjusted if necessary and ultimately released on the ANZ market, the Refinish R&D Lab continues to play a part. We monitor a steady stream of feedback from customers, our technical demonstrators and the PPG training managers because they are at the ‘coalface’ of using these products. We see it as a continual improvement process where we are able to learn from global data and introduce new approaches or new raw materials to make a product better. It works the other way, too.

Our local team is involved in regular global meetings with

teams in the US, Asia Pacific and Europe as part of various PPG global development projects. The needs of the ANZ market are not always the same as other markets so having a local voice at the global level raises issues that are specific to this region.

The right chemistry Working behind the scenes, with its local technical knowledge and expertise, as well as a link into PPG global product development, the Clayton Refinish R&D Lab delivers an unrivalled service to local customers. Which makes it worth asking the question – does your paint brand have a R similar level of local support?

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COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT

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After almost 40 years in operation, Global Bus Ventures continues to prioritise local innovation, local manufacturing and local jobs to benefit the local community.

Local O

ver time, a good manufacturing workforce becomes self-replicating. Younger, inexperienced staff join the business where they are able to absorb the knowledge from the existing, experienced members of the team.

If it’s done correctly, whenever someone retires or moves on, there is always a person ready to step into their role, take up the baton and keep the processes humming.

It’s a key factor that has kept Global Bus Ventures (GBV) at the forefront of bus and coach design and manufacture for nearly

four decades, according to CEO, Tim Duncan.

“Most of our senior management team are tradespeople who have worked their way from the production floor. For example, I started off as an electrician and our General Manager of Operations, Phil Webb, has a long background in automotive and bus / coach painting. We have a large number of apprentices on staff and we encourage all of our people to train up in different areas.

Ultimately, it allows that in-house knowhow to carry on to future generations of tradespeople. It’s something we are very proud of.”

Innovate and diversify Founded by the late John Turton and his friend, Lester Hobbs, back in 1985, the company was initially called DesignLine and based in Ashburton, around an hour southwest of Christchurch. In the 2000s, it got a name change to Global Bus Ventures and made the move to a spacious, purpose-built 9000m² production facility at Rolleston, on the outskirts of Christchurch.

According to Tim Duncan, John Turton was an entrepreneur and innovator and his philosophies and drive continue to guide the company.

“This company has always been about innovation. After starting out as a coach maker, GBV saw an opportunity in low-floor urban buses. We actually configured the very first wheelchair accessible, super-lowfloor buses for the market which was a really good success story at the time.

That innovative mindset also pushed us into the early stages of hybrid electric and full electric vehicle development. We ended up building the very first commercially operated electric bus which is still running in Adelaide (South Australia) today. We went on to build the first hydrogen fuel cell powered bus, which has been operating in Auckland for a few years, and a small fleet of electric buses that were put into Christchurch. Then, right

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when electric vehicle manufacturing was really taking shape, cheap Chinese products infiltrated the market in the blink of an eye.

Unfortunately, the New Zealand government just looks at the cheapest option and doesn’t seem interested in encouraging local manufacturing and employment.

As a result, we have had to transition back into more coach building and specialised school buses, as well as focusing on fuel cell powered trucks. Another big part of our market and potential ongoing sales is building urban buses for Australian operators. GBV delivers a good quality product and Australia is a market that is accepting of quality over price and that has helped secure a few sales there. It’s quite a different dynamic from where the business started.”

Production flexibility While GBV’s manufacturing facility is best suited to large scale batch production – it builds between 100 and 150 urban buses per year – the diversification strategy has forced the production line to adapt to building a number

of different models and types, all at the same time, explains Phil Webb, General Manager of Operations.

“All of our vehicles are hand built and the production process is basically the same for them all – it’s just the length of time that differs. We can have up to 20 different models going through the factory at any one time, each of which requires different specifications, different materials and different processes so it’s definitely quite challenging. It’s just something we have to do when market forces are dictating what we build.”

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“We use the LOCLINE frame system for constructing our coaches, urban buses and school buses and it’s incredibly important. It’s a unique aluminium body construction system that uses different extrusions which are clipped or bolted together with aircraft grade gussets.

It provides consistency in manufacturing and speed – it allows the body of a bus to be assembled in just a couple of days. On top of that, it’s more durable and our buses are lighter so they are more fuel efficient to run and do less damage to road surfaces.

It’s a system that gives us a competitive edge. Underneath, the chassis are constructed from Australian and New Zealand DuraGal RHS, angle and channel steel which offers the corrosion resistance of stainless steel but with the malleability of mild steel.”

First impressions count According to Tim Duncan, partnerships with suppliers make a crucial contribution to business performance. This includes PPG and local PPG distributor, Automotive Colours, in Christchurch, who GBV has relied on for over 20 years to ensure its products roll out the door with a finish that really grabs attention.

“It’s a challenge to paint something as big as a bus but our paint shop team has the knowhow, two paint booths and all the equipment needed to do an amazing job. We love using PPG’s Delfleet Evolution paint system. We find that by using the recommended process, the jobs are easier to paint, we use less material and there is less waste. As well as the products, the technical support we have had from PPG over the years is what allows us to deliver an incredible product. We are incredibly proud of what we manufacture and a paint finish with a fantastic appearance is a critical part of that because it’s the first thing the end user sees.”

Local employment legends Like other manufacturing companies in New Zealand, GBV is finding it difficult to get enough skilled staff to meet its needs, says Phil Webb. “It’s beneficial if we can recruit new staff with coachbuilding experience for some of our positions, however a good engineer, with sound welding and metal working skills, can quickly learn how we build our products. And the same goes for good automotive refinish technicians – they quickly pick up what is needed to paint large commercial vehicles, like buses. As well as

that, we have also committed to training our own workforce for the future by partnering with MITO, a division of Te Pukenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology.

Currently, GBV has 20 ‘learners’ on MITO programs, including in paint refinishing, coachbuilding and automotive electrical engineering.”

Despite the negative impact from New Zealand government policies, Tim Duncan is adamant that GBV will continue to promote the benefits of local innovation and manufacturing and its positive effects on the country’s economy. “GBV is the last complete vehicle manufacturer in New Zealand. We promote ourselves as a large, sustainable part of the bus ecosystem with regards to skilled jobs, local employment, ethical supply and minimised emissions involved in sustainable manufacturing, not to mention our capabilities in designing and building electric and hydrogen buses.

It’s all made possible by the incredible team of people we have here at GBV and the supporting businesses. Currently, we employ 105 people but our supplier chain partners employ around another 300.

This business has so many different suppliers and subcontractors and those relationships are what go into making an R incredible product.”

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