Page 18 - Australaasian Paint & Panel Jan-Feb 2022

NEWS
18
PAINT&PANEL
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022
WWW.PAINTANDPANEL.COM.AU
FINN’S GOLD FIRST
I-CAR AUSTRALIA HAS ANNOUNCED THAT
Finn’s Bodyworks, Launceston, is the first Tasmanian repairer to achieve I- CAR Gold Class Collision status.
Finn’s Bodyworks manager, Rob At- kinson, said the repairer entered the Road to Gold Program to stay up to date with the most current information and to provide their technicians with ongo- ing training throughout their careers.
“We did a combination of all the training delivery methods with each one having its own benefits but overall, we found the online virtual classroom method was the easiest to work within a busy workshop,” he said.
“Two of our staff also completed a Greenbelt course with PPG through the Industry Training Alliance. It has been very beneficial as they have been able to pass on the knowledge and new skills to the rest of the workshop.”
SAPE TRAINING
BRIEFS
OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS THE TEAM
at SAPE have been upgrading its pur- pose-built training facility with the lat- est collision repair equipment sourced from all corners of the globe.
The first of the major upgrades has been the installation of the Wieländer+Schill Arena Plus workbay, which features an aluminium truss sys- tem, energy-saving LED lighting and a special welding protection curtain that ensures uninvolved people are optimally
protected from the dangers of welding. Other notable upgrades have included the installation of the Spanesi Michelan- gelo Spray Booth. In addition, SAPE has expanded its training facility with the addition of further welding bays, which will enable simultaneous training on a
wide range of materials and processes. There has also been a comprehensive upgrade across a broad spectrum of prod- ucts, to the latest, state-of-the-art colli- sion repair equipment available from
leading brands. The training facility is used for OEM proce- dure compliance education, meet- ings, training
sessions, workshops.
and
Call SAPE for more information: (02) 9772 9097.
PPG’S RECORD FOURTH QUARTER
PPG has reported a record fourth quarter net sales of around $4.2billion - 12% higher than last year. Continuing supply disruptions and increased manufacturing interruptions negatively impacted sales and operating costs as well as raw material cost inflation of up to 30%.
Michael McGarry, PPG chairman and chief executive officer said: "We experienced significantly higher operating costs due to unpredictable manufacturing interruptions at both our facilities and our customers’ operations stemming from a rapid and substantial impact from labor availability due to COVID-19. Also impacting sales and earnings were ongoing raw material and transportation availability challenges resulting in continued difficulty fulfilling strong order books in several end-use markets, as we ended the quarter with order backlog of over $150 million."
ROYAL MAGENTA FOR AXALTA
Axalta’s global automotive colour of the year, Royal Magenta, is a deep cherry colour that brings a luxurious finish to the market. The robust design has a majestic dark finish engrained with merlot and garnet hues. The colour appears berry red in sunlight yet reveals a dark, mysterious look in the midnight hours.
“Royal Magenta delivers a new luxury look that is optimised for future mobility,” said Hadi Awada, Senior Vice President, Global Mobility Coatings. “With innovative mobility-sensing and environmentally- optimised waterborne technologies, we’re helping the mobility industry transition toward increasingly sustainable solutions, electric vehicles and autonomous driving.”
Royal Magenta is derived from Axalta’s track record of providing luxury finishes and ties into global colour trends that convey elegance with an indulgent, festive colour offering. Burgundy, violet and cherry-like hues are becoming more fashionable. The
premium colour creates an opulent finish appearing lush with faceted jewel accents.