Repaint Reporter

5 " iMPRovinG cycle tiMe RequiRes the oRGanization to becoMe betteR at solvinG PRobleMs and iMPRovinG PRocesses." JiM beRKey carbon fiber. we need technicians who can correctly repair the vehicles to pre-accident condition and safety standards. huGhes: obviously, from a technology perspective, solvent compliance is a key area. Voc legislation is expanding across north America—canada, california, some of the oTc states, and we see that spreading across more states. Solvent emissions is clearly an area that's going to drive the industry and technology. wheRe aRe oPPoRtunities FoR GRowth in collision RePaiR? outcalt: we view our water-based coatings as a pro-growth technology. our waterborne is already in nearly 30,000 shops worldwide, and 10,000 in north America, but many shops still aren't taking advantage of the technology. for most operations, it's more efficient, more productive and more profitable. PatteRson: My partner and i have a combined 75 years experience, but because we are a young company, we need to show the insurance companies that we can repair the cars correctly. we do DrPs for a couple of insurance companies. Any shop that wants to grow needs to be a DrP shop. claRK: The new business model looks like insurance companies will assign work based on past shop performance. You may not know what your past performance is, but you can be certain the insurance company does. owners and managers need to commit to monitoring the numbers, and then improve the numbers. our industry has plenty of technicians, but not enough mathematicians. huGGins: for us, it's about organic growth. it's about delivering a world-class customer experience. it's about our processes, how we serve our customers and how we find ways to do it better. for example, we created our own Van Tuyl Advanced Production Systems (VTAPS) playbook to ensure continuous growth and customer satisfaction. it's proven to be our key differentiator. what technoloGies do you see as GaMe chanGeRs? huGhes: oeMs are starting to look for weight reduction with changes in substrate. we're in the early days, but we're starting to see carbon fiber use and hear discussion about using aluminum. PPG has very extensive oeM approvals for aftermarket. we will be designing systems to meet substrate changes, including primer systems and toner systems that meet oeM warranty performances. outcalt: we also see a challenge as oeMs introduce more and more exotic dyes, special effects pigments and unique tricoat finishes. That's why we work so closely with designers and make significant investment in our color development program. huGhes: Long range, PPG is looking into fast chemistry that allows jobs to dry faster and at lower temperatures, but also building in long usage time. how can sMalleR, indePendent collision centeRs coMPete eFFectively in today's coMPetitive MaRKetPlace? Ravaioli: for independent shops, quality control needs to supervise and approve everything. At our shop, we review everything the guys do and double-check everything. it has to be perfect the first time.

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