Repaint Reporter

A weALTh of PPG reSourceS heLP coLLiSion rePAir AnD refiniSh PrAcTiTionerS KeeP PAce wiTh The TiMeS trAiNiNG 16 Staying with the automotive refinish business continuously evolving, it's critical that industry professionals keep pace with changing technology, new production techniques and equipment updates, as well as efficient business practices and modern repair-process methodologies. fortunately, PPG is committed to the success of its refinish customers and believes the most effective way to achieve that success is through knowledge. That's why PPG invests heavily to provide the comprehensive training resources needed to keep paint technicians, shop owners and managers, and distributors well prepared to maximize their performance. That investment has made PPG the training leader—setting the "gold standard" in automotive collision repair. According to Bob Burgess, director of training, PPG's emphasis on training goes way back. it began formally in the mid-1970s with a class for distributors that was held at the company's manufacturing plant in Delaware, ohio. Training for painters started in 1980, using a vocational school classroom in winston-Salem, n.c. Soon, PPG territory managers were conducting training sessions in vocational schools across north America. "Selling the paint was not enough," recalls Burgess. "customer support was critical, and we wanted to make sure our customers had the understanding of and expertise with PPG products to consistently produce the finest finishes possible. our program grew in the '90s to give our customers the service they deserved and the tools they needed to succeed." That outlook served as a catalyst for the comprehensive training programs that have placed PPG at the pinnacle of education and support. technical classes abound Since opening its first spray booth- equipped training center in Atlanta in 1991, the number of PPG training facilities have grown to 16 Business Development centers across the u.S. and canada—twice as many as any other paint supplier. More than 60 courses are now offered, covering the entire spectrum of refinish subjects,

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