Kerry Pianoforte, Editor10.04.24
CW: How did the market for auto refinish coatings perform in 2024?
Johnson: The total number of miles driven is often used as a measure of the health of the automotive refinish business. With a large number of miles driven, there’s a higher possibility of incidents that will lead to a vehicle repair.
According to the Department of Energy, the number of miles driven in the U.S. in 2023 was 3.19 trillion, rebounding to pre-pandemic levels. Most areas are seeing a healthy auto refinish business as well.
J.D. Power says the seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for total new-vehicle sales is expected to be between 14.7 million and 15.4 million units, down between 0.7 million and 1.4 million units from June 2023. Any time new car sales are down, and people keep their vehicles longer, there’s more likelihood that they will repair small dents and scratches and keep going. That feeds a healthy refinish market.
CW: What challenges does the market face moving forward in the years to come?
Johnson: Many auto refinishers are experiencing a labor crunch. Auto body shops, like most other industries, are having trouble hiring and retaining talented workers. Late-career professionals are leaving the industry, while fewer new people are coming in.
At the same time, as the complexity of vehicles increases, so does the cost to repair. That puts pressure on auto body shops to remain current with repair procedures and perform with a high level of efficiency to stay profitable.
BASF is trying to increase the labor pipeline by sponsoring programs such as WorldSkills, Operative Talent, “Techs for Tomorrow,” and the “Talent for Tomorrow Award” to get more motivated, well-trained people to join the refinish industry.
CW: What are the key issues facing your auto refinish customers and how is your company addressing those needs?
Johnson: A key issue that always faces refinish companies is efficiency. More jobs done in a shorter time makes a more profitable business.
Smart business decisions should be based on data. Four years ago, BASF shook up the refinish paint world by introducing Glasurit 100 Line, a revolutionary waterborne basecoat system. Now that more than 1,000 body shops across 20 countries have adopted 100 Line, BASF has the data to back up its claims of being more productive, with the highest eco-effectiveness and the lowest VOC content ever.
Feedback from body shops using 100 Line every day have reported 40% less process time – increasing a shop’s throughput – and 30% less material usage with every application by transfer efficiency and hiding power.
CW: What are the newest products that your company’s refinish group has launched and what do they deliver to the marketplace?
Johnson: R-M, a premium refinish paint brand of BASF, has introduced the refinish industry’s first one-coat clear – RMC1000. Answering customer demand for speed and efficiency, RMC1000 reduces cycle time, provides superior sag resistance, and offers excellent appearance.
In response to market demand for increasing productivity, RMC1000 can be applied with one wet coat and 30 minutes of drying at 140 F°, saving customers at least ten minutes due to no flash-off time and no second coat when compared to 1.5 coat clears on the market.
The value of ten minutes for body shop owners is more than mere time savings. With no flash-off time nor second coat application, they can increase cycles per day, unlocking over half a million dollars in additional revenue per year.
For example, if a customer uses a competitive 1.5 coat clear with an average booth run time of 90 minutes for four cycles per day using an average RO of $3,750, their income would be $315,000 per month, per booth. If that same customer swapped their 1.5 coat clear with RMC1000, the time savings could allow them to run 4.6 cycles per day. An extra 0.6 cycles doesn’t seem like much, but could add $564,000 per year in additional revenue.
Four years ago, Glasurit, the premium refinish paint brand of BASF, introduced the groundbreaking waterborne basecoat system 100 Line. It revolutionized eco-effectiveness, process efficiency, and product quality, meeting the highest requirements of modern body shops.
In fact, Glasurit 100 Line was the first basecoat line on the market with a VOC value below 250 g/l, pioneering 40% below the industry standard. Now, BASF has taken sustainability to another level with the release of 100 Line Eco Balance mixing clears that can reduce CO2 by up to 50%*.
This incredible number is achieved because Eco Balance mixing clears are manufactured using up to 100% renewables as raw materials. In this revolutionary process, fossil resources are conserved and replaced mathematically. The more Eco Balance products body shops use, the higher the share of renewable components can be utilized. The entire process is supervised and independently guaranteed by the German Technical Supervisory Association, REDcert2.
More and more, vehicle manufacturers are including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) features and systems to gain awareness of the surrounding space, detect possible sources of danger, etc. It is crucial to adhere to the OEM repair standards when repairing a vehicle equipped with ADAS radar sensors for several reasons. BASF has introduced RADAR Fit and other radar ready premium paint solutions from Glasurit and R-M adhering to the stringent guidelines set by OEM manufacturers for the highest quality and safest repairs. The series of solutions include radar approved color formulas, radar and sensor eLearning and the RADAR Fit tool that identifies if a formula is radar friendly.
Glasurit, BASF’s premium paint brand, will introduce to US and Canada in 2025 the fully automatic mixing machine Alfa CR4/CR6, powered by Refinity which will offer a 100% digital color retrieval experience for bodyshops. With the Alfa CR4/CR6, painters can now complete up to six mixes in less than 15 minutes, which is a groundbreaking achievement in terms of speed and accuracy. From the ability to complete six mixes at once to reducing paint waste, the Alfa CR4/CR6 will transform the refinishing process into an even more sustainable one.
The Alfa CR4/CR6, powered by Refinity, dramatically accelerates the throughput with 100 Line. The fully integrated and connected mixing machine converts digital color retrievals into perfectly accurate mixes and allows bodyshops to benefit from a high-performance digital experience. Refinity, Glasurit’s cloud-based digital platform, offers body shops and painters an exclusive seamless digital experience for all their business solutions.
The Alfa CR4/CR6, Powered by Refinity, leads to direct benefits for customers and painters.
• Increased process efficiency: The machine comes with less manual effort, fewer mistakes and an outstanding speed performance, producing up to six mixes in less than 15 minutes. Compared to six manual mixes which can take an average time of six minutes each, body shops can save up to 60% of time with the new Alfa CR4/CR6 mixing machine. Additionally, and crucially, the machine optimizes the daily workload of painters and leads to a higher satisfaction at work.
• Streamlined consumption: The fully automatic mixing machine reduces paint waste, optimizes consumption and leads to less rework through improved color accuracy.
CW: Are there any new developments worth noting (expansion, consolidation, new facility, acquisition)?
Johnson: BASF’s Coatings division has officially inaugurated its new Application and Technical Center in Jiangmen, China. Located within the site of BASF Coatings (Guangdong) Co., Ltd. (BCG), the center marks another major milestone in the continuous expansion of BASF Coatings’ global refinish technology network.
Established in 2016, the BCG manufacturing facility offers a comprehensive portfolio of refinish coatings products, including premium, value-for-money, and commercial transportation solutions.
Driving innovation and sustainability for the automotive coatings industry in Asia Pacific, BCG has contributed tremendously to the launch of a comprehensive range of waterborne solutions, such as Norbin 66 waterborne basecoat, and waterborne clearcoats for Glasurit.
Axalta Irus Scan leverages a patented inverse angle to detect hue shifting effect pigments which results in a more precise reading for popular achromatic effect colors. Additionally, it is the first spectrophotometer with built-in gloss measurement capabilities to ensure accurate surface preparation and clearcoat product usage. The high definition, RGB camera measures colored sparkle and pairs with Axalta’s color formula retrieval system which leverages a proprietary algorithm to provide the single, best color match for the vehicle under repair from the newly refreshed database of over two million color formulas. This eliminates time in the color match process allowing for more vehicles to be processed faster and more efficiently.
Axalta Irus Scan has a user-friendly interface with a live view display of the RGB camera and does not require a skilled refinish technician to operate thus optimizing labor and improving paint booth productivity. Axalta Irus Scan provides accurate color, sparkle, and effect readings which reduces the need to do sprayouts to check color and decreases rework from color match errors, resulting in product waste reduction as well as sustainability improvements. These attributes all contribute to making Axalta Irus Scan an industry-leading innovation in spectrophotometers for the refinish market.
• BASF: RM, a premium refinish paint brand of BASF, is introducing the refinish industry’s first one-coat clear – RMC1000. Answering customer demand for speed and efficiency, RMC1000 reduces cycle time, provides superior sag resistance, and offers excellent appearance.
In response to market demand for increasing productivity, RMC1000 can be applied with one wet coat and 30 minutes of drying at 140 F°, saving customers at least ten minutes due to no flash-off time and no second coat when compared to 1.5 coat clears on the market.
In addition to unlocking the opportunity for additional revenue, RMC1000 also increases efficiency without adding repair orders. Swapping out a competitive 1.5 coat clear with RMC1000, can save customers $2,000 per year in energy saving with less booth run time and 7000 lbs. per year in CO2 emissions, which is the same as a car driving 6,433 miles, or Michigan to Alaska and back. Furthermore, shops can achieve immediate savings on RO cost per hour with RMC1000.
• PPG: PPG announced a partnership with software firm Flashback Forward, Inc. to offer FinalQC, a mobile quality control application designed to enhance efficiency for the collision repair industry.
“This collaboration aims to transform the way collision shops operate, enhancing quality, efficiency and customer satisfaction,” said Tom Maziarz, PPG vice president, Americas, Automotive Refinish. “FinalQC standardizes quality verification, empowering collision shops to deliver consistent, high-quality repairs while minimizing errors and rework.”
Benefits to body shops from the system include:
• Full value capture: FinalQC helps collision and original equipment (OE)-certified collision shops capture the full value of their repairs by identifying repair quality issues in real time.
• Improved customer satisfaction: By ensuring accurate repairs and consistent quality, FinalQC enhances customer experiences.
• Enhanced productivity: FinalQC’s intuitive mobile interface simplifies product verification and quality control. With real-time insights, shops can identify and address issues promptly, reducing cycle times and improving overall efficiency.
Johnson: The total number of miles driven is often used as a measure of the health of the automotive refinish business. With a large number of miles driven, there’s a higher possibility of incidents that will lead to a vehicle repair.
According to the Department of Energy, the number of miles driven in the U.S. in 2023 was 3.19 trillion, rebounding to pre-pandemic levels. Most areas are seeing a healthy auto refinish business as well.
J.D. Power says the seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for total new-vehicle sales is expected to be between 14.7 million and 15.4 million units, down between 0.7 million and 1.4 million units from June 2023. Any time new car sales are down, and people keep their vehicles longer, there’s more likelihood that they will repair small dents and scratches and keep going. That feeds a healthy refinish market.
CW: What challenges does the market face moving forward in the years to come?
Johnson: Many auto refinishers are experiencing a labor crunch. Auto body shops, like most other industries, are having trouble hiring and retaining talented workers. Late-career professionals are leaving the industry, while fewer new people are coming in.
At the same time, as the complexity of vehicles increases, so does the cost to repair. That puts pressure on auto body shops to remain current with repair procedures and perform with a high level of efficiency to stay profitable.
BASF is trying to increase the labor pipeline by sponsoring programs such as WorldSkills, Operative Talent, “Techs for Tomorrow,” and the “Talent for Tomorrow Award” to get more motivated, well-trained people to join the refinish industry.
CW: What are the key issues facing your auto refinish customers and how is your company addressing those needs?
Johnson: A key issue that always faces refinish companies is efficiency. More jobs done in a shorter time makes a more profitable business.
Smart business decisions should be based on data. Four years ago, BASF shook up the refinish paint world by introducing Glasurit 100 Line, a revolutionary waterborne basecoat system. Now that more than 1,000 body shops across 20 countries have adopted 100 Line, BASF has the data to back up its claims of being more productive, with the highest eco-effectiveness and the lowest VOC content ever.
Feedback from body shops using 100 Line every day have reported 40% less process time – increasing a shop’s throughput – and 30% less material usage with every application by transfer efficiency and hiding power.
CW: What are the newest products that your company’s refinish group has launched and what do they deliver to the marketplace?
Johnson: R-M, a premium refinish paint brand of BASF, has introduced the refinish industry’s first one-coat clear – RMC1000. Answering customer demand for speed and efficiency, RMC1000 reduces cycle time, provides superior sag resistance, and offers excellent appearance.
In response to market demand for increasing productivity, RMC1000 can be applied with one wet coat and 30 minutes of drying at 140 F°, saving customers at least ten minutes due to no flash-off time and no second coat when compared to 1.5 coat clears on the market.
The value of ten minutes for body shop owners is more than mere time savings. With no flash-off time nor second coat application, they can increase cycles per day, unlocking over half a million dollars in additional revenue per year.
For example, if a customer uses a competitive 1.5 coat clear with an average booth run time of 90 minutes for four cycles per day using an average RO of $3,750, their income would be $315,000 per month, per booth. If that same customer swapped their 1.5 coat clear with RMC1000, the time savings could allow them to run 4.6 cycles per day. An extra 0.6 cycles doesn’t seem like much, but could add $564,000 per year in additional revenue.
Four years ago, Glasurit, the premium refinish paint brand of BASF, introduced the groundbreaking waterborne basecoat system 100 Line. It revolutionized eco-effectiveness, process efficiency, and product quality, meeting the highest requirements of modern body shops.
In fact, Glasurit 100 Line was the first basecoat line on the market with a VOC value below 250 g/l, pioneering 40% below the industry standard. Now, BASF has taken sustainability to another level with the release of 100 Line Eco Balance mixing clears that can reduce CO2 by up to 50%*.
This incredible number is achieved because Eco Balance mixing clears are manufactured using up to 100% renewables as raw materials. In this revolutionary process, fossil resources are conserved and replaced mathematically. The more Eco Balance products body shops use, the higher the share of renewable components can be utilized. The entire process is supervised and independently guaranteed by the German Technical Supervisory Association, REDcert2.
More and more, vehicle manufacturers are including advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) features and systems to gain awareness of the surrounding space, detect possible sources of danger, etc. It is crucial to adhere to the OEM repair standards when repairing a vehicle equipped with ADAS radar sensors for several reasons. BASF has introduced RADAR Fit and other radar ready premium paint solutions from Glasurit and R-M adhering to the stringent guidelines set by OEM manufacturers for the highest quality and safest repairs. The series of solutions include radar approved color formulas, radar and sensor eLearning and the RADAR Fit tool that identifies if a formula is radar friendly.
Glasurit, BASF’s premium paint brand, will introduce to US and Canada in 2025 the fully automatic mixing machine Alfa CR4/CR6, powered by Refinity which will offer a 100% digital color retrieval experience for bodyshops. With the Alfa CR4/CR6, painters can now complete up to six mixes in less than 15 minutes, which is a groundbreaking achievement in terms of speed and accuracy. From the ability to complete six mixes at once to reducing paint waste, the Alfa CR4/CR6 will transform the refinishing process into an even more sustainable one.
The Alfa CR4/CR6, powered by Refinity, dramatically accelerates the throughput with 100 Line. The fully integrated and connected mixing machine converts digital color retrievals into perfectly accurate mixes and allows bodyshops to benefit from a high-performance digital experience. Refinity, Glasurit’s cloud-based digital platform, offers body shops and painters an exclusive seamless digital experience for all their business solutions.
The Alfa CR4/CR6, Powered by Refinity, leads to direct benefits for customers and painters.
• Increased process efficiency: The machine comes with less manual effort, fewer mistakes and an outstanding speed performance, producing up to six mixes in less than 15 minutes. Compared to six manual mixes which can take an average time of six minutes each, body shops can save up to 60% of time with the new Alfa CR4/CR6 mixing machine. Additionally, and crucially, the machine optimizes the daily workload of painters and leads to a higher satisfaction at work.
• Streamlined consumption: The fully automatic mixing machine reduces paint waste, optimizes consumption and leads to less rework through improved color accuracy.
CW: Are there any new developments worth noting (expansion, consolidation, new facility, acquisition)?
Johnson: BASF’s Coatings division has officially inaugurated its new Application and Technical Center in Jiangmen, China. Located within the site of BASF Coatings (Guangdong) Co., Ltd. (BCG), the center marks another major milestone in the continuous expansion of BASF Coatings’ global refinish technology network.
Established in 2016, the BCG manufacturing facility offers a comprehensive portfolio of refinish coatings products, including premium, value-for-money, and commercial transportation solutions.
Driving innovation and sustainability for the automotive coatings industry in Asia Pacific, BCG has contributed tremendously to the launch of a comprehensive range of waterborne solutions, such as Norbin 66 waterborne basecoat, and waterborne clearcoats for Glasurit.
Latest Products for Auto Refinish
• Axalta: Axalta announced the launch of Axalta Irus Scan, its latest spectrophotometer for refinish customers. This new technology scientifically measures paint color on a vehicle to provide accurate color matches in waterborne and solventborne basecoat technologies. Axalta Irus Scan now joins the simple, three-step Axalta Irus digital color management process as the first step of: Scan – Match – Mix.Axalta Irus Scan leverages a patented inverse angle to detect hue shifting effect pigments which results in a more precise reading for popular achromatic effect colors. Additionally, it is the first spectrophotometer with built-in gloss measurement capabilities to ensure accurate surface preparation and clearcoat product usage. The high definition, RGB camera measures colored sparkle and pairs with Axalta’s color formula retrieval system which leverages a proprietary algorithm to provide the single, best color match for the vehicle under repair from the newly refreshed database of over two million color formulas. This eliminates time in the color match process allowing for more vehicles to be processed faster and more efficiently.
Axalta Irus Scan has a user-friendly interface with a live view display of the RGB camera and does not require a skilled refinish technician to operate thus optimizing labor and improving paint booth productivity. Axalta Irus Scan provides accurate color, sparkle, and effect readings which reduces the need to do sprayouts to check color and decreases rework from color match errors, resulting in product waste reduction as well as sustainability improvements. These attributes all contribute to making Axalta Irus Scan an industry-leading innovation in spectrophotometers for the refinish market.
• BASF: RM, a premium refinish paint brand of BASF, is introducing the refinish industry’s first one-coat clear – RMC1000. Answering customer demand for speed and efficiency, RMC1000 reduces cycle time, provides superior sag resistance, and offers excellent appearance.
In response to market demand for increasing productivity, RMC1000 can be applied with one wet coat and 30 minutes of drying at 140 F°, saving customers at least ten minutes due to no flash-off time and no second coat when compared to 1.5 coat clears on the market.
In addition to unlocking the opportunity for additional revenue, RMC1000 also increases efficiency without adding repair orders. Swapping out a competitive 1.5 coat clear with RMC1000, can save customers $2,000 per year in energy saving with less booth run time and 7000 lbs. per year in CO2 emissions, which is the same as a car driving 6,433 miles, or Michigan to Alaska and back. Furthermore, shops can achieve immediate savings on RO cost per hour with RMC1000.
• PPG: PPG announced a partnership with software firm Flashback Forward, Inc. to offer FinalQC, a mobile quality control application designed to enhance efficiency for the collision repair industry.
“This collaboration aims to transform the way collision shops operate, enhancing quality, efficiency and customer satisfaction,” said Tom Maziarz, PPG vice president, Americas, Automotive Refinish. “FinalQC standardizes quality verification, empowering collision shops to deliver consistent, high-quality repairs while minimizing errors and rework.”
Benefits to body shops from the system include:
• Full value capture: FinalQC helps collision and original equipment (OE)-certified collision shops capture the full value of their repairs by identifying repair quality issues in real time.
• Improved customer satisfaction: By ensuring accurate repairs and consistent quality, FinalQC enhances customer experiences.
• Enhanced productivity: FinalQC’s intuitive mobile interface simplifies product verification and quality control. With real-time insights, shops can identify and address issues promptly, reducing cycle times and improving overall efficiency.
