automotive refinisher may-june 2015

T H E V O I C E O F T H E I N D U S T R YMay - June 2015

UTOMOTIVEAUTOMOTIVEAEdition 179

>>>>>> >>

R E F I N I S H E R

>>>>>> >>

R E F I N I S H E R

CRA CONFERENCEDID YOU HEAR?FUTURE TECHNEW PRODUCTS

IN THIS ISSUE

AUTOMECHANIKAJOHANNESBURG2015

AUTOMECHANIKAJOHANNESBURG2015

WORLDSKILLS 2015WORLDSKILLS 2015 KYALAMI REVAMP

CARBON CORETECHNOLOGY

BMW 7 SERIES

KYALAMI REVAMP

BMW 7 SERIES

CARBON CORETECHNOLOGY

We thank you for providing us with the opportunity to introduce ourdynamic service offerings and present to you a vision for simplicity,success and sustainability.

The CRA has evolved as an organisation with passion, understandingand the will to provide results to our esteemed members from the basisof being a voice to the auto body collision industry. We employconsultants and are associated with people suitably qualified in all aspectsof collision repair and related business management skills with highintegrity and willing to offer their support to ensuring the success of yourfacilities.

Our objectives are issues the proactive body shop owner does notreally have the time to concentrate on to ensure the optimisation of theirbusiness. The constant changes in the law, support in compliance withstatutory requirements, relationship mentoring with government andinsurers on selection criteria with regards to financial allowances onmark-up and labour rates as well as aiding consumer choice on serviceexpectation. Further hereto our aim is to provide technical support andtraining on advancements in collision repair techniques and newequipment investment advice.

To date the CRA has achieved significant change with benefits and areon the road to create market awareness which in the short term willemulate consumer appreciation not previously evident in our local market.Our mission will ensure via procedural compliance that our forum willenforce a code of conduct that covers consumer protection, work forcemotivation and job security and ultimately peace of mind to businessowners on secure, and beneficial return on investment. We have alsoconcluded annual inflationary labour rate increases with a major insurer

Enjoy the recognitionyou deserve.

T h e b e n c h m a r k o f q u a l i t yC a l l u s o n 0 8 6 1 7 2 6 2 7 2 o r V i s i t w w w . c r a s a . o r g . z a

including labour rate allowances above the rate which individualrepairers would normally be able to achieve independently and thusextended as a financial benefit to approved members. This will beprotracted via further meetings to almost all the other major insurersin the short term.

As with any Association annual membership fees are payable tocover administration costs and our membership is based on gradingstatus. Further hereto our membership is extended to equipment andservice related suppliers whom have a similar vision of business ethic.These include at present paint suppliers, a BEEE accreditation agency,an authorised health and safety compliance consultant, quoting andbusiness management software suppliers and high end workshopequipment suppliers. This will also result in better service, supportand preferential rates on association.

We provide an on-line E Procure business data profile of membersto support recognition for independent role players in every area ofactivity in the collision repair industry. The platform will provideassistance to work providers and consumers with accident damagedvehicles to make educated decisions in allowing the most professionalrepairer the opportunity of refurbishment within acceptable timeframes and in line with warranty reinstatement protocols.

In conclusion we trust you can see the benefit of belonging to ourAssociation and look forward to the synergy we can create by ourproviding valued service and more importantly ensuring yourenthusiasm and input is shared with other members at organisedevents of our approved panel.

JOIN THE CRA AND GET THE RECOGNITION YOU DESERVE!

MM a y - J u n e 2 0 1 5

10

Contents

50

30

3R E F I N I S H E RUTOMOTIVEAAUTOMOTIVE

10 30

6868 7878

Front Cover: VW Sport Coupé Concept GTEContents: Audi TT Clubsport Turbo Concept

CRA CONFERENCENew Technology Ahead 6Q BRANDSExpansion 20TRADE INTERVIEWRob Simpson 25VERMONTCustomer Day 30MAROUNS COLAD4 Booth System 38KAROCLEKoreanRefinish Line 50ALL NEW BMW 7 Series Body 52CURRENT AFFAIRSAndrew Hooker 60RING OF FIREAndrew Marsh 68DRIVENCitroen Cactus 75RIVTILE BUICKR-M CARIZZMA 78

AUTOMECHANIKA SAAll The Fun At The Show 10Q-BRANDSExpansion 20TRADE INTERVIEWRob Simpson 25VERMONT SALESCustomer Open Day 30MAROUNS COLADFilm 4 Booth System 38KAROCLEKorean Refinish Line 50ALL NEW BMW 7 Series Body 52CURRENT AFFAIRSAndrew Hooker 60RING OF FIREAndrew Marsh 68DRIVENCitroën Cactus 75RIVTILE BUICKR-M CARIZZMA 78

50

It’s quite astounding that our local government predictions of thenational growth rate and inflation rate still keep rumbling out dayafter day as we the general public see the Rand value in exchangerates fall on a daily basis.

In this myopic view where clearly no rocket scientists are visible,who can do higher mathematics when your currency loses close to30% in a few months in rolling depreciation should summon loudringing alarm bells as the current state of yawning gaps in what weimport and export balance of payments continously widens.

To live in this country, where we still also hold a world record onboth sustained unemployment figures with just one of out of everyfour people registered to pay income tax, the fundamental wrongsput us as full club members in what forex currency dealers call thefragile five along with Turkey, Indonesia, Brazil, and India where themost vulnerable international currencies are easily manipulatedeveryday.

That being the case it’s no small wonder that the Rand fellrecently by 11% in just one week. The global trends on forex tradingin a situation sees over 35 trillion Pounds Sterling leave London earlyin the morning each day to make the fix at 12h00 and the final fix at16h00 later the same day - that’s three years of total gross domesticproduct in our local financial terms.

Manipulators are out for one thing only, a profit, and driving themarket with over 100 derivative positions going up or down they canhave a chaotic effect on any nations’ monetary dealings. The fact thatfive major banks are paying huge fines for rigging forex marketexchange rates means this 350 trillion Dollar market per day is indistress. There are fines levied at 474,3 million Pounds Sterlingagainst Barclays, NBSC, Royal Bank of Scotland, UBS and JP Morgan,who are all part of a banksters scam on currency rigging; and whilethey are paying these record fines to regulators, we get the privilegeof enjoying record hyper inflation.

Perhaps the man left most turning in his grave from all thefinancial institutionalistic fraud would be the father of moneytrismand astute economist, Maynard Keynes, who re-wrote the book onhow to have a stable economy with stable prices and allocated thegold standard to be implemented at a rate of 35 Dollars to 1 oz ofgold. That was decided upon way back in 1944. This deal eliminatedspeculators entirely on currency cross trading. The followingstabilised period lasted until the 15th August 1971, some 44 years

ago when President Nixon abandoned the gold standard as atemporary measure. On that day the USA took over the role of theworld’s reserve currency and the manipulation game was on for alland sundry to participate in.

In a global situation of economic activity wherein materialproduction is kept low in many world countries the trend tocontinue to distance ourselves from the 5 000 years of using gold asa global currency back up continues unabated. Take a look at theAmerican scenario where each person has a collective debt of over56 000 Dollars and a total debt that equals 10 years of total domesticproduct and see a nation in free fall and going nowhere. Real workerwage levels peaked way back in 1973 are those people coming likesome white knight to save all? I don’t think so. So they are bankruptand printing the entire national turnover of South Africa every threemonths in new Dollar bills. This must be to even an amateureconomist unnerving, and the trend of quantitative easing where thefailed banks and their debts were purchased by unsuspecting nationalcitizens, also stinks to high heaven.

The chatroom where bankers in London talked daily to eachother about large or small purchasers coming in and leaving currencypositions put a handful of executives out of work when they werecaught, but no one to date is in jail.

The point of all this libor bank rate fiddling and forex rigging is thatthe world seems to be lacking in ethics in a big way. Banks pursueprofits at all costs, this is a general cause of our Rand’s rapid declinefor the market doesn’t seem to value actualities but relies on a thingcalled sentiment to drive it forward with inuendo. So all theseinspired guesses and foreseen trends give the speculator the right todevalue the Rand by over 30% in just a few short months. If it soundslike an unsustainable approach to global management of currencies,it is. A great deal of the global debt clock is reaching run-out time.While the nations suffering hyper-inflation are beset with their ownset of wage demands and civil unrest to contend with, the questionis: how long can it all go on for before the banker and shareholderbrigade see their corporate rear ends.

Well the jury is still out on that one, but one thing will be veryclear within six months in South Africa, and that is if you think thingsare expensive now, wait a few months and see what your lifestylewill cost you then.

FRONTLINE EDITORIAL - by Ian Groat

GLOBAL CURRENCY WARSHURT US ALL

4R E F I N I S H E R

UTOMOTIVEAAUTOMOTIVE

WHAT’S HOT?

Telephone : +27 (0)11 949 4091

Facs imi le : +27 (0)11 252 6844

Emai l : autoref@ia f r ica .com

Webs i te : www.autoref .co .za

Publ i sher : Ian Groat

Ed i tor : C la i re Macf ie

Accounts : Va l Groat

Des ign : Jay Groat

CT correspondent : Dave Fa l l

Techn ica l Ed i tor : Andrew Marsh

The views expressed inarticles in AutomotiveRefinisher are those of theauthors and shall not beconstrued to represent thoseof the Editor or the Publisher.Accordingly, AutomotiveRefinisher accepts noresponsibility for claims andstatements made byadvertisers and independentcolumnists. Further, theappearance of advertisementsherein does not necessarilyindicate the approval byAutomotive Refinisher for theproduct and/or serviceadvertised. Material may notbe reproduced in any formwithout the written consentof the Publisher. AutomotiveRefinisher is dedicated toservicing the businessinterests of the collision repairindustry.A U S T R A L I A

U N I T E D K I N G D O M

IN ASSOCIATION WITH:

R E F I N I S H E R

WE ARENOWDIGITALGreat news! All issues of AutomotiveRefinisher magazine are available for easydownload on all iPads and Android tablets. Check out past editions on our websitewww.autoref.co.za or go towww.autoref.co.za/past-editions

Get all your latest news on new products and equipment for your repair shop, as well as training info.

WE ARENOWDIGITAL

LOCAL NEWS

WHAT’S HOT?

The new parts programme, which is backed by the Kia Partsmarketing department and 76 Kia dealers countrywide,involves Kia SA meeting written quotation from the supplierof so-called “pirate”, “alternative” or “grey market” service

or replacement parts as well as used replacement parts, such as doorassemblies, for example. They then provide the customer with thegenuine article at the same price. The offer even applies to collisionrepairers that are not Kia-accredited.

The company encourages owners of Kia vehicles to make use ofthe dealer network for servicing or repairs as well as having anyrepairs undertaken by one of the 410 Kia-accredited panel shops insouthern Africa to maintain the original integrity of the vehicle.

“Even body panels that look the same as the genuine parts areoften dimensionally different and usually made of the wrong gaugeand type of steel. There is a widely held perception that ‘alternative’parts are less expensive than the genuine article, but believe it or not,sometimes these non-genuine parts are more expensive than thoseavailable at Kia dealers.

“We are looking at the long term in terms of customer retentionand ensuring the value of pre-owned Kia cars and commercials bydoing our best to ensure only genuine parts are fitted when they areserviced or repaired,” commented the Kia SA panel developmentmanager, Piet Oosthuizen.

The Kia SA dealer network is backed up by a central partsdistribution centre in Germiston which stocks more than 20 000 lineitems and has stock valued at more than R45 million. The partsoperation is operated by Kia staff and not outsourced as is thesituation with many other local manufacturers and distributors.

“The parts operation has a current first pick rate of approximately94% and there is an overnight delivery service to most dealers withthose in Gauteng able to have their parts collected more than once aday if required. This is backed by our desire at Kia SA to provide after-sales back-up that helps us retain our existing customers and to buildon our reputation for outstanding customer service which will helpattract new people into the Kia family,” said Oosthuizen.

Kia South Africa is moving to price match suppliers of non-standard parts and services with replacement parts at special rates forservice components and to help non-warranty vehicles stay on theroad for longer with their brands.

KIA PARTS PROGRAMME

R E F I N I S H E RUTOMOTIVEAAUTOMOTIVE 5

Kia genuine parts high rise warehouse holds its spares for models way backto the year 2000 models says Piet Oosthuizen.

Kia now offer a new parts price matching service for brand owners.

model that insurers want to develop sayingthat despite the Motor Book being one ofthe largest sectors of general insurancecover, it showed a 66% loss ratio and insome cases up to 90% was being racked upby some insurers. So profitability remainspoor for most insurers.

Supply chain management has become avital part of their forward thinking toleverage their buying power. This alsoenables them to move to try and control thecustomer experience at street levels as wellas to try and increase customer satisfactionand retention which for some insurerscurrently holds poor levels of clientretention within the insurance model right

The special conference hosted bythe CRA put together a full line-upof specialist speakers to entertain apacked set of attendees at

Automechanika SA this year. Theconference was sponsored by BASF Glasurit,RSB Autogroup, Wheel Collision andUnitrans Automotive. Attendance includeddelegates from Santam, Hollard and Mutualand Federal insurers as invited associatepartners.

Keynote speaker and repair futuristAndrew Marsh, from Auto IndustryConsulting in Europe, explained a nightmareof new developments going forward for theaverage body shop to contend with.

With the advent of integratedtechnologies that are currently moving toelectronic cloud based systems, as well astechnology moving ahead, every one and ahalf years, motor makers are forging aheadas repairers are being, in most cases, leftbehind in catch-up mode.

These new developments like telematictechnology cascading down in price as theymove to more affordable motor vehicles onsale. With everything happening in vehiclecontrol at around one tenth of a second,Bluetooth and lane departure and other datainformation in many cases belongs to thevehicle manufacturer and no currentlegislation is in place for others to see thisdata.

So, only motor manufacturer agents insome cases will be in the loop on availabilityof information. Autonomous braking andother radar systems are to be legislated

inside the EEC soon and real time driverlessvehicles are advancing with great haste.

Marsh also went into detail about variousplatform manufacturers in his second talk.He showed how many car makers aresharing information, ideas and platforms afterthe plethora of merges over the past fewyears. Good news is that various models andeven different body styles are being made onthe same platform, so if you have a goodknowledge of one platform model, youstand to know a great deal about manyother variants too - with a few tweaks ofcourse.

Peter Todd, President Insurance Instituteof SA, gave valuable insight into the business

THE FUTURE OF COLLISION REPAIRBROUGHT TO LIGHT AT CRA CONFERENCE

LOCAL UPDATE



CRA NEWS

Named as a Technology Conference, many future car manufacturingdevelopments were discussed that will impact on collision repair.

Peter Todd explained Motor Book insurancetrends.

Cees Klaasen, from the Netherlands, showed his co-operative at work.

now. In some cases pushing down labourand towing rates has become counterproductive, but the desire to remove frictionbetween the client, body shop and insurer inthe claims process has become a real focuspoint for progressive Motor Book insurancehandling companies.

Cees Klaasen from Triple Better Systemsin Holland, says that his specialist group arecurrently handling thousands of claims for 90body shops in a co-operative annually in theNetherlands. Their unique in-sharedplatform has seen accidents split between60% of drivable hits and 40% undrivable.Their shared profit approach, incentivisedand optimised the process of repair for all

parties involved and importantly supplied asolution that insurers and customers liked.Overall there were no individual winners.

Ian Groat, Publisher of the South Africantrade magazine Automotive Refinisher,discussed 1 500 types of metals used inmanufacturing vehicles with 500 of them nothaving been invented until five years ago.“There are five torsional strengths rangingfrom 200 - 1 500kPa while many moderncars have 1 400 metres of laser welding andcannot be repaired with conventionalwelding equipment.”

Another topic which was covered at theconference was the vital human resourcedevelopment programme of apprentice

training as a solution to the skills shortage inthe body repair industry. The speaker on thetopic of “The Apprenticeship Programmeand Partner Feedback” was Busi Maile, co-founder and programme director of NFApprentices. She gave positive feedback asto how the apprentices and the programmehave been doing since she spoke at aprevious CRA conference.

Steve Kessel, national director of theCRA South Africa, said: “The audience wasmade up of a good cross section of therepair industry who appreciated theobjective and factual, real world situation ofvehicle repair in the 21st century.”

Collision repair futurist, Andrew Marsh explainedmotor maker’s drive to own the repair data.

Steve Kessel welcomed all delegates to theconference.

Busi Maile from NF Apprentices is driving hereducation programme for skills forward.

competition. The innovative spraying system can fasttrack spraypainting technologies without using any paint as it collates the actualspraying action in a virtual format and then quickly shows a spraypainter where he went wrong with his test panel. “It’s a wonderfulfirst, and will become a great training tool for schools and majorplayers in the industry.” said Richard Gajic. They also featured newsmall area repair technology products as well as the Celette benchrepair system.

New refinishing systems came thick and fast with Kanye Vimbashowing the return of Sherwin Williams refinish along with their verysuccessful GenRock mixing system. Also new from them was thenovel Nitrotherm spray system. Another newcomer Maritone carpaint was on view with a full line-up of paint and systems. Glasuritlaunched their Van concept to showcase their brand at theWorldSkills competition. “The mobile facility has got it all,” says Vicus

This year’s Automechanika SA trade show played host toover 700 international delegates and a record of visitorsfrom the rest of Africa. With a vast array of leadingEuropean speakers like Hartmut Rohl speaking on the Right

to Repair, the technology theme came from 20 countries right fromBonzi’s Tavern to India, to show the latest product developments inaftermarket repair and training technologies.

Innovative products were at the forefront of the Expo, WynterMurdoch was upbeat about the number of new items on displaywhere six judges voted the new Car-O-Liner Vision 2 Software as astate-of-the-art collision repair process which reduced set up andcycle times and aided accurate efficient and safe alignment with workin the repair process.

Celette SA also won an award for their all-new training for spraypainting, the virtual based paint system out of 24 entries in the

R E F I N I S H E RUTOMOTIVEAAUTOMOTIVE10

AUTOMECHANIKA 2015AUTOMECHANIKA 2015

1

2 4

3

AUTOMECHANIKA JOHANNESBURG2015

Herbst, the regional sales manager.Aer-O-Cure were displaying their latest fully approved

waterborne spraybooths and Car-O-Liner products proved of biginterest at the expo. Hurricane Equipment hosted a stand packedwith novel repair systems and a superb new tool box.

Anest Iwata featured a number of new push and pull air brushspray guns along with their full range of top end sprayguns.

The new Leaderquip Hunter Road testing kit saw a car driven onto their equipment and checked for tyre pressure, wear and wheelalignment in under three minutes. It’s a remarkable piece of kit.

The Roberlo and 4CR team of Val and Geoff from Q-Brandsshowed many right-the-first-time process improvements to keepbuilding the brands that they import.

3M had a number of new product launches planned this year butthe Purple brand and the sun gun amongst other products were on

show at their stand. The show had the normal huge contingent of Chinese products

available but this year they had an even larger force to be reckonedwith. Exhibitors from Brazil, Turkey, Taiwan, to name a few were inattendance this year. Traders from north of the South African borderalso came to see developments that are currently in production andmoving to assist process times in body shop repairs.

Exports to Africa Under the SpotlightThe opportunities and challenges for South African automotive

companies wanting to export products into Africa came under thespotlight at a conference staged by the National Association ofAutomotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM).

Well known economist Mike Schussler gave an interestingoverview of the automotive industry’s potential in Africa. He

R E F I N I S H E RUTOMOTIVEAAUTOMOTIVE 11

1. Automechanika SA show girls welcoming exhibitors to the opening party.2. The virtual spray painting system was a great hit at the Celette SA stand.3. Celette SA also featured a T-Hotbox for small area repair paintless dentremoval.4. Aer-O-Cure’s hard work and team effort saw them win an innovation award fortheir Car-O-Liner Vision 2 Software package and best stand at the show awards.5. Anest Iwata, with an international presence, showed their new line ofairbrushes and a comprehensive spray gun range. 6. Malcolm Schnaid, group procurement manager for Hollard is seen hereaccepting the runner-up trophy in the SAMBRA Insurer of the Year 2014 awards.7. KanyeVimba were on hand to show off their various products and systems onoffer of Sherwin-Williams, GenRock and Nitrotherm to name a few.8.The Automotive Refinisher magazine team enjoyed taking time to meet theirreaders and touch base with clients too. 9. The Hurricane Equipment stand boasted many new hand tools and repairsystems. 10. 3M showed off the latest Perfect-It line and other new products.5

7 8

9 10

6

cautioned that although the continent has a huge population themajority of people are under 18 years of age and therefore most ofthem were not yet economically active, so the true market size wasnot as big as some people estimate. However, he added thateducation levels in Africa were rising rapidly which bodes well forbusiness growth in the future.

Schussler said that SA’s economy was now ranked only third inAfrica behind Nigeria and Egypt and it could fall out of the global top40 if there is no significant GDP growth in the near future.

He went on to say that it was vital that the SA automotiveindustry was productive and cost efficient to ensure its prices werecompetitive in Africa. He added that it was important there was a

decrease in industrial action in SA as this impacted negatively onproductivity and hence global competitiveness.

Alec Erwin, a former SA Minister of Trade and Industry, wasinvited to make a presentation on the Nigerian motor industry andopportunities for SA exporters as he is a consultant to the Nigeriangovernment on its programme to rebuild its motor manufacturingindustry. However, inclement weather prevented him flying toJohannesburg from Togo in time for the conference so one of hiscolleagues, Caroline Richardson, made the presentation.

She explained that the Nigerian Automotive IndustryDevelopment Plan was part of that country’s overall industrialisationstrategy and enjoyed high level government support.



1

2

4

2

3

AUTOMECHANIKA 2015AUTOMECHANIKA 2015

Current vehicle production capacity at existing plants in Nigeriawas only 100 000 units a year but plans are underway to increasethis in the near future. Richardson said that the big challenge was thefact that currently about 400 000 used vehicles a year were importedinto Nigeria, but there was impending legislation to limit this numberand to support the sale of affordable new vehicles, with a potentialmarket of one million new vehicles a year.

The presentation went on to outline the collaboration that Erwinwas encouraging between the South African and Nigerianautomotive sectors, particularly in terms of component supply. Aformal proposal is to be tabled at the end of the month.

The presentation warned that other countries were also getting

involved with assistance programmes, led by Brazil and Turkey, soSouth African companies need to act fast.

Automechanika at LeisureOne thing that Automechanika are very good at with their

shows is the policy of welcoming both exhibitors, dignitaries andkey influencers to their opening party.

As the NASREC Expo Centre resounded to a marimba bandwhere the fun and games of enjoying it all began. Along with greatcompany and good food the revelling continued late into the nightalong with Dr Victor and the Rasta Rebels.



1. The welcome party for exhibitors, dignitaries and key influencers was aresounding success. Michael Johannes said that he was pleased with the progressof Automechanika SA in his opening address.2. Valerie and Jeff Rumney showed the Spanish auto car refinish package Roberlo,plus the Q-brand range3. Questok director James Yang, received an innovation award for the company’ssanding system. 4. Leaderquip featured the Hunter Quick Check System for super fast drive-on-drive-off diagnostics.5. South African director of Automechanika, Ute Schubart (left) and MichaelJohannes, Automechanika global brand manager, were very happy with the successof the show. 6. New to South Africa is the Maxytone car paint system. it comes with a completeline of colour formulas.7. Rupes Big Foot sanders are a great tool for the surface finishing polishingprocess.8. The diverse offerings of the Henkel brand were showed off to the many visitorsto the show.

7

6

5

8

14

The latest UK Car Body Repair Market report, byindependent research company Trend Tracker, warns thatinsurance company profits will be dented by a repaircapacity deficit.

The number of car body repair workshops (body shops) hasdeclined by 32% over the last decade and Trend Tracker predict afurther 9% decline, to just 3 020 by 2020.

This, combined with an expected 2% increase in the number ofrepairs, will create an 11% shortfall in repair capacity by 2020.

With insurance companies financing around 70% of all accidentrepairs, body shop owners have long bemoaned the lack of profit ininsurance-funded repairs. This, coupled with a fall in the number ofaccident repairs since the 2006 peak, has led to many body shopclosures.

Based on an average insurance accident repair cost of R24 840, alarge insurers-approved body shop, operating on modern factoryflow-line repair principles, will typically earn just R244 net profit on ajob taking 15.7 hours to complete (source: ABP Club). This equatesto a profit of just 86p per hour per repair.

Robert Macnab, lead analyst at Trend Tracker, commented, “Asrecently as 2004 there was a repair capacity excess of nearly 50%.Insurers were spoilt for choice in terms of who to give work to andcould dictate terms. The increasing repair capacity deficit will putquality body shops in a much stronger position to secure a betterdeal for insurers.

“We will see more repairers renegotiating or simply rejecting theleast profitable insurance contracts, particularly where there is anopen-ended obligation for them to provide courtesy cars at theirown expense. The hourly labour rate is also likely to rise, furtherdenting insurers’ profits.

“Passing on these extra costs to motorists might not be an optionfor insurers. The UK motor insurance market is highly competitiveand attempts by insurers to raise premiums have often comeunstuck, particularly due to the influence of price comparisonwebsites, which encourage low prices.”

Since peaking in 2006, the annual volume of car body repairs hasfallen by 28% and the number of car body repair workshops hasdeclined by 24%. The rise in oil and petrol pump prices during that

time discouraged consumers and businesses from using their cars,resulting in fewer accidents. This trend was compounded by theonset of recession in 2008.

Trend Tracker, which has been analysing the market since 1994,notes that the UK car accident repair market has historically beenvery unstable and resistant to macro-economic trends. The recentupheaval is unprecedented.

Now the market seems set for a period of sustained, albeitmodest growth, as lower fuel costs encourage greater car use,resulting in an increase in the number of accidents and the numberof car body repairs.

With the number of repairs forecast to rise from 4.2 million in2014 to 4.3 million in 2020 and the average repair cost to rise fromR20 700 to R20 860, the overall market size will increase by 5% toR89 billion by 2020 (based on 2014 prices excluding VAT).

If you ignore investment returns, motor insurers as a whole areexpected to have been loss-making in 2014, with a combined ratioof 109% squared. This is partly due to excessive competition andpersistently high personal injury claims, although accident damageclaims account for two-thirds of all motor insurance claims.

For motor insurance companies, including the listed firms AdmiralGroup plc, Direct Line Insurance Group plc and Esure Group plc,shrinking repair capacity combined with an increase in repair demandwill result in rising accident repair costs and constrained profitability.

However, for companies in the accident claims and accidentrepair market, including the listed firms Innovation Group plc, NAHLGroup plc, Quindell plc, Redde plc (formerly Helphire) andNationwide Accident Repair Services plc, growth in the number ofmotor accident and repair claims will provide a welcome boost totheir businesses.

Nationwide Accident Repair Services in particular, with its largechain of car body repair shops, would benefit from the expectedincrease in repair demand. Visit www.tendtracker.co.uk for moreinformation.

INDUSTRY NEWS

UK MOTORINSURERS FACESHORTFALL

TREND TRACKER

The hybrid batteries used in Toyota and Lexus models canlast longer than the vehicles themselves, so often they areonly recovered when the cars reach the end of their usefullife, or if they have been involved in an accident. Toyota

already has a battery collection rate of more than 90% but is nowwidening its strategy and targeting a 100% result.

In Europe, Toyota has years of experience operating an internalcollection system through its retail network. Toyota and Lexusdealers receive a new hybrid battery in exchange for an old one,leading to an average 91% collection rate.

Toyota Motor Europe has set itself the challenge to significantlyincrease this figure to 100% through its own network and,additionally, any authorised end-of-life vehicle treatment operators.To support this, the company has announced an extension of itscurrent battery recycling agreements until March 31, 2018.

Since July 2011 the France-based Sociëté Nouvelle d’Affinage deMélaux (SNAM) has been taking back and recycling nickel-metalhydride (NiMh) batteries as used in Prius, Auris-Hybrid, Yaris-hybridand all Lexus hybrid models.

Since August 2012, Umicore NV based in Belgium has handledlithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, which are used in Prius+ and Prius Plug-in models. Steve Hope, Toyota Motor Europe general managerenvironment affairs, said: “When our customers buy a hybrid, theyalready know that they are in for outstanding fuel efficiency, a stress-free driving experience and a reliable car. This is yet another reasonfor a hybrid purchase, as we can ensure their car excels in itsenvironmental performance throughout its life cycle.”

Used hybrid batteries are still mainly destined for recycling, butTIME has started to research options for the remanufacture of NiMhbatteries, potentially giving them a second life as a vehicle or astationary energy source. Stationary batteries can potentially storesurplus renewable energy, for example as an emergency back-up, orcheaper, or help manage fuel costs by storing cheaper, off-peakelectricity.

Since 2000, around 850 000 Toyota and Lexus full hybrid vehicleshave been sold in Europe. Protection of natural resources is acornerstone in Toyota’s environmental approach, making sustainablerecycling high voltage batteries a priority.

TOYOTA WANTS ITS BATTERIES BACK

WHAT’S HOT?

by Chris Oakham

R E F I N I S H E RUTOMOTIVEAAUTOMOTIVE

The AWX Performance Plus® Waterborne Refinish Systemuses a proprietary waterborne resin system designed todeliver speed and high performance. The AWX PerformancePlus® Waterborne Refinish System achieves VOC emissionscompliance in all 3.5 VOC regulated areas. With minimalcapital investment, the AWX Performance Plus® WaterborneRefinish System will out-perform your expectations withexcellent colour match, hiding and application properties. PPaint - it’s what you do. It’s all we do.

S O L E D I S T R I B U T O R

Cell: +27 82 552 8126; Tel: +27 11 396 [email protected] Business Park, Unit B1, Spier Road, Glen Marais, Kempton Park, 1619

Environmental responsibility is anatural part of Mirka’s process.They make sure that they take theenvironment into consideration in

all of their activities by following theenvironmental management system ISO14001.

Right in the beginning of Mirka’sproduct planning stage, the environmentalissues and the recycling policy are alreadytaken into careful consideration.

They even emphasise theenvironmental responsibility to theirsubcontractors in order for them to payclose attention to the impact of theenvironment in all stages of the planningand production process.

Another aspect of Mirka’senvironmental policy states that theequipment and the abrasivesmanufactured at Mirka must be long-lasting. Their aim in their productiondevelopment is to make their productseven more durable, which will furthermoremean a reduction in the amount of waste.

They also strive to make their productpackages easily recyclable. A future aim ofMirka’s is to develop new materials that

are even more environmentally friendlythan the current ones.

Mirka constantly try to improve theircustomers work environment as well asdevelop the ergonomic features of theirproducts.

The dust-free abrasive, Abranet®,developed and patented by Mirka, hasmade a large improvement towards worksafety and reduced environmental impact.Abranet® remarkably improves thetraditionally demanding working conditionsin factories and paint-shops by reducingthe amount of hazardous dust in the airwhen sanding.

Workers avoid being exposed to thedust, the requirements for air-conditioningare smaller and therefore the energy costscan be reduced.

For the employees at Mirka, it hasalways been clear not to waste financial ormaterial resources – of their own or thoseof their customers. They find it equallyclear to preserve the planet’s resources.Sustainability is a natural extension of thisapproach.

It means taking the economy, the earth,and the people into consideration when

they make business decisions – now andfor future generations.

Eco-efficiency and continuousdevelopment are Mirka’s principles whenchoosing both raw materials as well asplanning the structure of their products.

Mirka even recycle all wastage duringproduction that they use as fuel topreserve the environment.

In most cases, an environmentallyfriendly production process will also beeconomic, precise, effective and safe.These are the processes Mirka strive todevelop and work with at all times.

ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE

MIRKA’S RESPONSIBILITY TO PRESERVETHE ENVIRONMENT



WHAT’S HOT?



INDUSTRY NEWS

Q-BRANDS EXPAND THEROBERLO LINE FOR SA SHOPS

Q-Brands has been in the wholesale refinish businessfor close to five years and last year Valerie and GeoffRumney added the European brand of Roberlo totheir already successful product line up. Roberlo is a

family run company that specialises in the development andmanufacture of paint and repair solutions for both automotiverefinish and industrial business.

Both Geoff and Val have had an extensive industry educationin the business of dealing with body shops and distributioncompanies and are driving along the Q-Brand success asimporters and distributors. They have around 20-plus years ofworking with premier paints and abrasive companies. Geoff alsocompleted a long stint of looking after the technical side of theGerman SATA spray gun in the local market.

With Val and Geoff at the helm, Q-Brands is able toconcentrate on their top selling Roberlo and German 4CR brands.4CR has a comprehensive range of consumable products. Inaddition, Q-Brands has their own in-house range of Zandmeshabrasives, masking tape, masking plastic and double sided polishingmops.

Having had such a broad commercial career in the business hashelped both of them for they have a good understanding of whatthe market wants and the great possibilities that a value drivenprice, plus good quality, like the Roberlo range can deliver.

WHAT’S HOT?

Roberlo are fully endorsed across Europe by major insurancecompanies who offer a warranty package on the brand quality ofthe product.

“Right since we took on the new Spanish refinish line we havebeen flat out trying to keep pace with incoming orders,” saidGeoff. “We only concluded the deal last August and demandremains at very high levels, so having the right stock available at alltimes has been a high priority for us this year.”

Roberlo was founded in 1968 in Givona and started as animporter of key lines and marketing refinish products in Spain. By1971 the company started to manufacture its own paints andproducts after strengthening its sales networks. By 1986 Roberlohad developed its own in-house research and developmentdepartment. By using a philosophy of constant adaptation andacquiring the latest environmental trends and requirements, thishas led to Roberlo now operating in over 100 internationalmarkets. It is becoming a top European manufacturer of chemicalproducts like lightweight body fillers, primers, colour concepts andindustrial coatings.

For more information on the brands products visit Roberlo atwww.roberlo.com or contact the sole importer for SouthernAfrica, Q-Brands on +27 (0)11 440 2714 or visitwww.qbrandssa.com

Geoff and Valerie Rumney have a successful tradesales record on their Q-Brand line up. Now it’s a bigpush to establish the Roberlo top European brandthat’s steaming ahead.

Please call for your nearest distribution outlet.Tel: +27 (0)11 440 2714 Email: [email protected]: +27 (0)82 923 4373 Website: www.QbrandsSA.com

SOLE IMPOR TER

Roberlo is a family run company and one of the leading European manufacturers thatspecialise in the development and manufacture of paints, repair solutions and fixing

products for the automotive sector.

Operating in over 100 countries, the spectacular growth the company has experienced isonly possible due to the high quality and the trust customers have in its products.

Roberlo is also approved by various insurance companies in Europe.

You know the product works, and it’s here to stay.

A leading European Manufacturer of Automotive Repair products

COMPETITION ISHEALTHY

22 R E F I N I S H E RUTOMOTIVEAAUTOMOTIVE

During my 13 years as CEO of the RMI, I learned manylessons about the fundamentals and complexities ofrunning an employer organisation. Despite the intricacyand diversity of an employer organisation, it is basically

no different to any service orientated business. In the same way that a business must continually provide services

that meet and exceed their customer needs, an employerorganisation must remain closely aligned with the members everevolving needs and expectations.

The risk that faces a business, particularly where they have adominant market position, is the possibility of becoming complacentand taking customers/members for granted.

This risk is of course mitigated when the leaders of the structureare energetic, visionary and competent.

However, one dynamic that is sure to keep them on their toes,is the advent of hungry and determined competitors.

There was a time when I believed that a single strong nationalorganisation, was preferable to fragmentation and division inrepresenting and addressing the industries needs, however, withhindsight, I reflect on the formation of a Fuel Retailers associationoutside the RMI in 1999, which was in direct competition to theRMI's constituent fuel association.

As both fuel retail associations competed for the samemembership/market, the members benefited from anunprecedented vigorous activity within both structures, and adetermination to outperform the other.

Years later we saw the formation an independent collision repairbody association, it is apparent that this has also provided levels ofmember benefit that previously did not exist.

I foresee a likelihood of more of this type of trend, particularlyas possible conflict of interest progresses within the industry and

between sectors. For example as the right to repair debacle ragesbetween the Franchise dealers and the after market independentworkshops.

In addition, the marked disparities between sectors duringnegotiations with organised labour, continue to hamper andprolong the process, perhaps making sectoral representationpreferable. A one size, does not fit all.

There is clearly an intention to collapse the centralised motorindustry bargaining council MIBCO. Should this occur, then themost fundamental reason for a single employer organisation wouldno longer exist.

I don't believe that the emergence of multiple tradeassociations as independent employer organisations, should beviewed negatively or opposed. But should be seen as inevitableevolution, which mirrors the trend in many other countries, forexample NADA in the USA is independent and very effective andstrong.

LATEST NEWS

TRENDS

by Jeff Osborne

Rob Simpson has held some very high profile positions inthe years he’s been associated with the collision repairtrade. He boasts a long and successful career in refinishand for the last few years has been in the role of a global

representative. His career path has changed recently on his return to South

Africa as the GM for the Maroun’s Group. Automotive Refinishermagazine caught up on his exploits and had a chance to chatabout the future with him.

Q As the man now in to oversee Maroun’s, what’s yourcurrent view of the market?

A The SA market is extremely competitive and in my yearsaway from SA, more competitors in the supply chain have

entered this market. It is highly service orientated and you needto gear up accordingly. Body shops have a tremendous choice andprice is as important as quality. Co-operatives and large groups ofbody shops are forming and this is creating a very competitiveenvironment.

QGive us a brief overview of Maroun’s activities.

A Marouns are probably the only distribution company fullycapable of genuine turnkey operations and ensuring a

complete “one stop” shopping experience for the body shops.We are continuously sourcing new technologies to ensure ourcustomers remain abreast with the worlds best. We havebranches throughout South Africa, with fully skilled staff coveringevery aspect of our business.

Q You recently returned from an overseas post. How do yousee South Africa in terms of professionalism in body repair?

A Having recently returned from the US, as well as operatingin Australia and New Zealand, I can confidently say that with

the “OEM Approval” system currently in place in SA, this hasassisted in the upgrading of body shops to a “world class” levelnot commonly seen in the other countries who do not have tosubscribe to the approval system.

Q Marouns are sole importers for some key repairtechnologies on improving production flow increases. Are

you concentrating on these changing technologies?

A Yes, we have dedicated teams of experts who have receivedtraining overseas and are fully confident of passing on these

skills to the body shops.

Q As the largest national distributor of the Kansai Plasconrange of refinish like Standox and Spies Hecker, what does

this mean in the short and long term for Marouns?

AMarouns has invested in skilled technicians who have theability to train body shops in the latest techniques required by

both these world class paint brands. Both brands are part of theAxalta Group and remain at the forefront of technology in bothsolvent and water for the complex refinish industry. This bodeswell for Marouns as we equip ourselves to pass on this skill set tobody shops, plus we have the ability to work closely on mediumand long term developments in technology and how that fits intothe South African refinish Industry.

Q In your opinion, what makes Maroun’s different from othergroups in the market place?

A In a nutshell: “People”. We have the ability to offer a worldclass service and supply the complete needs of a modern day

body shop”.

QWhat do you see as the greatest opportunities for Maroun’sgoing forward?

A We are fortunate enough to be part of the Kansai Plascongroup and this enables us to operate across the full spectrum

of body shops. This is a huge opportunity, as most distributorsfocus on either top end- or low end body shops. We have theability to take our products and services to the whole market andthrough our supply agreements, offer some of the world’s bestproducts to all body shops at every level.

Q What’s the biggest challenge shaping up in the next 18months within the accident repair industry, in your opinion.

A One of the industry’s biggest challenges is getting all the roleplayers to understand and accept the dynamics of their roles

within the repair cycle. Repairs are complex and costly. Profits inthe body shop are on the decline and environmentalawareness/compliance places an even greater strain onprofitability. I believe if we all understand these complexities, theindustry can only prosper.

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW



26

It’s interesting how “Patching” is emerging as a growing trendwithin car body structural engineering. It’s nothing new, but itoffers useful solutions for engineering in relation to bettercrash performance without the weight increases and

complication of additional reinforcements of high grade materials,whilst adding challenges for the joining process.

Patching is the process of reinforcing a panel with anothermaterial in specific areas. By reinforcing just a specific area, ratherthan a complete panel, only the main panel needs joining. Takethe B-post for example, typically this is made up of the B-postouter, the reinforcement, and the inner. Joining these three intothe roof and, into the sill, can be complicated enough. And, withthe likes of Honda choosing new processes to join a stack of fourpanels including ultra-high strength steel, incorporating anotherpanel to support the B-post structure would add morecomplication. So, adding a “patch” behind a specific section of theinner, or the reinforcement, can make a stronger panel withpredictable deformation in an impact.

AppliedHow, and where, these patches are applied varies between

models. The current Mercedes-Benz C Class (W205) has a smallpatch in the footwell, linking and reinforcing the bulkhead, A-postand floor, to better enable the car to achieve the requiredperformance in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)small overlap crash test. This crash test is a huge challenge formany vehicle manufacturers, although Mercedes has mastered itwith a strategy of deflection, and this simple addition.

Subaru applies a patch into the upper A-post of the newWRX. This involves the new process of spot welding the patch tothe reinforcement panel, before they are pressed into shape.Volvo too has implemented patches in the new XC90, creating‘soft zones’ behind the rigid boron steels to enable controlleddeformation of the structure in an impact.

TrendIn many ways this is the trend driver. With the requirements to

lose vehicle weight to meet emissions targets, the percentage ofadvanced materials is increasing, with the Audi TT having just 5.5%mild steel content, and the C Class just 12%. With higher contentof stronger, less ductile materials, ‘engineering in’ controlleddeformation to absorb impact forces is getting harder, so these

softer materials can enable these relatively brittle materials todeform, rather than fracture.

With this, repairers need to start looking for non-expandingpads within the sill and B-posts. These are not foam that hasn’texpanded, but specific materials to prevent the panel fracturingand failing. In no circumstances should they be replaced withfoams.

We know that the development of composite patches isongoing. Rather than seeing a carbon fibre panel, we may soonsee a steel or aluminium panel reinforced by a composite section,bonded in key areas. This could be carbon fibre reinforced, glassfibre reinforced, or even supported by a woven fibre hollow core.However, all of these will present a new set of challenges for usin repair.

IssueThe issue for the repair industry is the patching process, be that

composite or with conventional materials, which may well lead toreductions in the scope for sectioning a panel. In many cases onlya complete panel replacement may be possible and, if intrusiverequiring adjoining panels to be removed to access the joint, itcould result in more total losses. Another challenge forrepairability, and one of many we face.

The repair technology centre at Thatcham is constantly lookingfor solutions to these emerging and established trends, so thatinsurers, and repairers, can repair cars.

INDUSTRY NEWS

PATCHING - A GROWING TREND

THATCHAM NEWS

Festool from Germany is a recent company product line that Roland Hunt (left) and his team have added to their comprehensive range. He is seen here with Marceldemonstrating the dust free sander.

In a two-day customer expo, VermontSales attracted over 600 of their keyclients and distributors to thecompany headquarters in Midrand,

Gauteng. The open day is put on to showthe various additional new lines thatVermont Sales have recently introducedacross the board with their 60 specialistimported brand lines.

The company has a very largecustomer base dealing with large retailbusinesses right down to the woodworking hobbyists and motor body repairdistribution.

Roland Hunt, who founded theVermont Sales organisation with just fivepopular lines, says that the companygrowth continues to show soliddevelopment especially on the customerconsumer side like air tools, couplers,polishes, stapler guns and Olfa cuttingknives.

“These are just a few of our top qualityimported lines and we’re finding that overtime our customers keep coming back toquality products that hold up in the workplace and deliver a good end result.

With its own brand of Tork Craft onthe abrasive side and, Aircraft for sprayguns, we have a spread of value pricedand top quality international brands tomeet our customers needs.”

What really separates the VermontSales way of doing business is that most oftheir staff have come up through the ranksand developed knowledge on theirproducts the hard way.

This extended family type of outlookhas also been transferred to both theirclients and customer base as well as anenthusiastic supplier base who were out infull force for both days of the expo.

Vermont Sales also pulled out all theentertainment stops with lavish food on

offer in a money-being-no-object festiveoccasion. Ryan Hunt says, “Theautomotive supply side of the group hasthis year been bolstered with the additionof the German Festo brand which carriesfull approval from the BMW, Volkswagenand Mercedes-Benz brands.

“It’s our intention to power theSandero automatic production suppliesand tool range. This, along with otherbrands sold into the automotive marketinclude Festool, GAV, Olfa and MagicStapler.”

So the successful family concern showsno lack of business across the board. Theyapply a principle of solid backup and goodstock availability on the brands that theyrepresent in South Africa.

The successful mix of business andpleasure was enjoyed by all who attendedthis year’s Vermont Sales open day.

LOCAL NEWS

VERMONT SALES CUSTOMER DAY - A BIG SUCCESS



BRAND PROFILE



Aircraft sprayguns offer a full range of quality air brush products in the line-up.“With almost 60 different product lines on offer, good stock availability alongwith excellent back-up is the key to Vermont Sale’s success,” said Mindi Hunt.

Jason from Vermont Sales shows the amazing NES repair system that is ideal fortruck and heavy duty nut and bolt repairs.

Frank from ACCUD in Europe says it’s amazing how many customers come backfor quality tools as it’s not about price but durability.

Held over two full days, the garden party at Vermont Sales was enjoyable for allof their clients as they had their best support ever.

“The new German Felo line of quality hand tools carry a 15-year warranty,”explained Ryan Hunt (left).

The new Nissan Qashqai has sold anaverage of 300 units per month inSouth Africa since its launch in July2014 and is now available in an

expanded range comprising seven derivatives.Joining the original five versions, a new 1.2-

litre turbocharged petrol model is availablewith Nissan’s advanced Xtronic gearbox.Based on the principle of a constantly variabletransmission, the Xtronic gearbox has beenengineered to deliver a smoother, morenatural driving experience. The Qashqai rangeis topped by the new 1.6-litre turbochargedpetrol derivative.

Qashqai 1.2T Acenta Xtronic:The Nissan Qashqai 1.2T Acenta Xtronic

features the familiar 85kW, 165 Nmturbocharged 1.2-litre petrol engine found inother models, but now offers a truly luxuriousdrive, thanks to Nissan’s Xtronic transmission.

Its addition means the Qashqai range nowoffers two derivatives with an automaticgearbox.

The powerful engine continues to offer apleasant drive with exceptional fuel efficiency– 6.2-litres per 100km on the combined cycle– with the added bonus of a super-smoothtransmission. An Eco Mode is available foreven better fuel economy.

QASHQAI 1.6T Acenta:Topping the range is the new Qashqai 1.6T

Acenta, which features a 120kW/240Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to asix-speed manual gearbox.

With generous torque, which is availablefrom as low as 2 000rpm, the new turbopetrol derivative is easy and effortless to drive– with fuel economy of 6.2-litres per 100kmto boot. The engine combines sharpperformance and low emissions (144g/km),and has been specifically-tuned for Qashqaiusing advanced turbo technology. Idlestop/start also features to save on fuel evenfurther.

At Acenta trim level, both of thesederivatives boast a raft of standard equipment,including alloy wheels (17-inch on the 1.2Tand 19-inch on the 1.6T), LED daytimerunning lights, privacy glass, automatic wipersand an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. The1.6T Acenta also benefits from LED headlightswith auto levelling, silver roof rails, chrome-accented front fog lights and an intelligent keywith keyless entry and push-button start.

Available as an option on both derivatives,the techno pack includes Nissan’s AroundView Monitor, heated door mirrors,NissanConnect for smartphone integrationand Nissan’s navigation system with a 7-inch

touch screen display. Heated leather seats arealso available as an option on the 1.6T.

After starting the crossover revolution,Nissan’s C-segment crossover story is goingfrom strength to strength, with over twomillion Qashqai models produced since theoriginal debuted in 2007.

In South Africa, the new Qashqai 1.6 dCiAcenta Xtronic was named as a 2015WesBank/SAGMJ Car of the Year finalist – animmensely coveted accolade.

The new-generation Qashqai was alsonamed as a 2015 World Car of the Yearfinalist, underlining its standing and reputationon the international stage.

In the United Kingdom, Qashqai wasnamed Car of the Year by What Car?Magazine, and scooped up Best Crossoverand overall Car of the Year titles in the dieselcategories. In Australia, Qashqai also won theSmall SUV category, while online tech reviewsite Recombu.com named Qashqai as the BestFamily Car.

As with the rest of the Qashqai range, thetwo new Nissan models come with Nissan’snew class-leading six-year/150 000kmwarranty and a five-year/90 000km serviceplan which includes roadside assistance asstandard.

DRIVEN NISSAN QASHQAI



Glasurit, BASF Coatings Services’,premium paint brand, wasshowcased in a unique way atthis year’s Automechanika

Johannesburg Trade Fair held at theJohannesburg Expo centre.

Glasurit used the platform of the expoto launch its mobile Glasurit Van which isequipped with the latest paint technologyand is designed to resemble a mixing roomof a state of the art panel shop.

Glasurit VanThe idea behind the van; which was a

major draw card with the visitors, wasborne from the need to illustrate variousproduct offerings from Glasurit to theautomotive refinish industry, allowing fordemonstrations to be conducted at apotential customer’s panel shop. Efficienciessuch as the way the product mixes incomparison to other products can now beproven at the customer’s premises cost-effectively.

Glasurit regional sles manager, VicusHerbst, explains: “This is an extremelyexciting and innovative development forthe Glasurit team. Previously we havefound it challenging to demonstrate howefficient our product actually is, and nowwe can prove its full value through thismobile facility. We can now park the vanat the panel shop and use one of thecustomer’s spray booths in order todemonstrate the product’s capabilities. Atechnician will mix all the paint jobs fromour van as well as paint all the cars assigned

for the trial run by the customer.” Herbstalso notes that this is a more convenientway of setting up the mixing banks for trialsas it is less time consuming in contrast tosetting up a mixing bank inside the panelshop.

“The concept would then allow us todemonstrate to the customer how we canincrease productivity by comparing pasthistory data on the number of cars thatwould have been painted over the sameperiod of time that the Glasurit van wouldhave been set up for the trial period, as wellas provide comparisons on consumption ofpaint and labour costs,” elaborates Herbst.

The van is equipped with paintmanagement tools such as computersoftware that models how to manage apaint shop, including a stock managementsystem. It has equipment such asspectrometers – a hi-tech paint gadgetwhich has the ability to do colour retrievalfrom the panel of a car and, onceconnected to the computer, calculates theformula to mix the exact paint colour.

The primary benefit of this mobile van isthe convenience to the customer, whileGlasurit also saves costs in having a mobileunit as opposed to setting up a mixing bankin the shop. The customer also benefits bybeing exposed to the Glasurit productranges, while being assured of noproduction loss by having the van parked atthe panel shop.

“For us running a trial with the Glasuritvan at the panel shop gives us anopportunity to give a preview to the

customer with the aim of installing apermanent mixing bank at the end of thetrial period,” comments Herbst.

Geraldine Mupudzi, marketing andcommunications specialist also noted thatfor many years, the industry had knownBASF Coatings Services by the parentcompany’s name, BASF, the world’s leadingchemical company. “With this new Glasuritvan, branded only with its trademarkcolours, it certainly gives the brand a lotmore exposure,” states Mupudzi.

Automechanika SAGlasurit partnered with RMI and

WorldSkills, amongst other sponsors, bysupplying paints and coatings to the finalistsof the vehicle spray painting category in the2015 WorldSkills South AfricaCompetition. Rabelani Malema from SouthAfrican Airways Technical in Gauteng wascrowned the winner and will go on torepresent South Africa in Sao Paulo, Brazillater this year.

Technical students who attended theshow and the industry at large were able toidentify Glasurit as one of the major roleplayers in the market. They were also ableto look inside the van with the Glasurittechnicians giving them a quick descriptionon what happens inside a mixing room.

Mupudzi concludes: “For those that donot know what our system is about, this isa great channel for us to create brandawareness and provide product testing atfairs and expos such as Automechanika, sopotential customers can get first-handexperience with our products. It’s about

taking the product to the customer,wherever they are.”

LOCAL UPDATE

GLASURIT LAUNCH NEW VAN ATAUTOMECHANIKA SA



WHAT’S HOT?



The van includes all the bells and whistles and can perform live demonstrationsat panel shops, training centres and exhibitions too.

The Glasurit van is equipped with the latest paint technology and is designedto look and feel like one of the latest mixing rooms in a repair shop.

Glasurit was the refinish coating sponsor for the WorldSkills competition finalsthat were held at Automechanika SA.

It’s always a group effort on the journey to participate at WorldSkills andhaving Glasurit as part of the journey was a smart choice.

The RMI and WorldSkills partnered with Glasurit who supplied paints andcoatings to this year’s finalists.

Regional sales manager, Vicus Herbst is very excited to introduce such aninnovative tool to his Glasurit team.



When the hammer fell at the auction of Kyalami GrandPrix Circuit on the 24th July 2014 motorsport fans,both locally and internationally breathed a sigh ofrelief. The reason for their optimism for the future

was simply, that a man with a passion for motorsport had rescuedthe historic venue from the brink of imminent demise. Toby Ventera well-known and respected motor business entrepreneur, visionaryand successful race driver was the man behind the successful final bid.

The current circuit has, over time, grown to be respected as atrack with interesting changes of elevation and some challengingcorners. What was clearly lacking in the current layout was a longerstraight ending in a tight corner. It was clear that the tar surface ofKyalami that had been in place since the early 1990s, needed to bereplaced. Expert teams set about working on plans for the bestsolutions to this challenge drawing on international expertise achievethe best possible solutions. Safety also had to be considered and tothis end FIA Safety Delegate Charlie Whiting paid a visit to Kyalamirecently. After a thorough track inspection and valuable advice thecircuit and safety changes were given the blessing of the FIA. The finalplans began to take shape.

The final plans include the following:1. A complete resurface of the circuit to international

specifications2. The lengthening of the existing main straight with the current

turn 1 reduced in angle allowing the circuit to run into the Easterncorner of the property ensuring a straight of close to 900 metres.

3. A new turn 2, a tight left hander with a tight apex, leading toa series of bends joining back into the current circuit at the existingturn 4.

4. Changes to the circuit at the current turn 12 (the Bowl).5. The upgrade of circuit safety with the objective of once again

obtaining a FIA Grade 2 licence.

The Return of Iconic Original Circuit Corner NamesThe revised circuit will once again revive these great turn names.

After the start line the circuit drops into a new turn 1, once again afull speed corner. Appropriately Turn 1 will be named The Kink. Thecircuit will then continue to drop and then climb (over the newcircuit subway and past the high speed tower) into the new turn 2.Turn 2 will be named Crowthorne with its new spectator area (fromwhich nearly half the circuit will be visible) providing a great view ofthe new section of the circuit. After leaving Crowthorne the circuitwill drop down with a series of 2 right and left handed curves namedJukskei Sweep.

The circuit then joins the current layout with new turn 5 nownamed Barbeque. In very close proximity to its original namesake.The back straight, running past the refurbished secondary pitcomplex, forms part of the original circuit layout. As a result turnnames will return with Sunset followed by Clubhouse, the Esses andLeeukop. The circuit then drops steeply downhill into a fast left handsweep. This very fast section will be called Mineshaft (a name that itunofficially gained in the past due to its steep nature). The new turn13 will follow after an extended straight rising up onto a platform, itswide entry providing a great overtaking opportunity.

This new corner (which should prove popular for race fans) willbe called The Crocodiles. The corner rejoins the circuit with a slightleft hand sweep into the second to last corner which will retain itscurrent configuration. This very fast corner, which requires greatbravery to negotiate at speed, will be called Cheetah. Turn 15 will beretained in its current form but will now be called Ingwe (the Zuluword for Leopard) another African cat with cunning and stealth. Thelap finishes with an uphill section to the start-finish line.

New Circuit UnderpassThe property redevelopment highlighted the importance of easy

access into the central area (the heart) of the property. Plans weredrawn up to create an underpass which, when finished, will allowaccess to the centre of the circuit directly from the existing mainentry point. This double lane underpass will allow transporter-heightentry into the circuit centre with a new service road accessing themain pit building. The underpass will also include a pedestrian walk-way. The underpass will be built under the new extended straightbetween The Kink and the new Clubhouse corner.

Off Circuit Changes – Old Pit Complex and Parking AreasThe old pit complex (main pits of version 2 of the circuit) will be

restored to its original condition and serve as a secondary pitcomplex. The pit entry will also be brought in line with FIAspecifications. This facility will act as a support pit area toaccommodate local categories racing at international events. Day today circuit operations such as driving schools and race vehicle testingcould also run from this facility.

This will free up the main pit and conferencing facility allowingother non track related events to take place without interruption.The parking area above the main pit complex and the parking areaalongside the karting facility will also be resurfaced. These parkingareas are vital for not only race days but also to provide parkingfacilities for the conferencing and expo facilities in the main building.Many of the small buildings behind the old pit complex will beremoved. This will also allow even more parking spaces.

Spectator Areas and Service Road Upgrades and ChangesIt has been the stated intention of Toby Venter to refurbish

existing spectator areas. Further, and more importantly, to allow racefans the opportunity to spectate from previously prohibited as wellas and new exciting areas on the circuit. The area at Crowthorne willoffer one of the most exciting views available in motorsport. Themain straight will be clearly visible as race cars drop down from thestart line, through The Kink, over the underpass and then steeply intothe new corner. Jukskei Sweep and Barbeque will also be visible aswell as the top section of the circuit toward Leeukop and down TheMineshaft.

New spectator areas will be created on the outside of JukskeiSweep and Barbeque as well as the area between Sunset andClubhouse. With the removal of 2 of the Bomas in center circuit,views of the upper section of the track will now also be possible fromthis area. Many of the Bomas on the outside of the circuit betweenClubhouse and The Esses will be demolished opening up thesepreviously “private” areas to race fans. The few remaining Bomas inthis area will be refurbished into public ablution areas. The publicareas at Leeukop corner will also be upgraded. The new Crocodilescorner will offer great spectator appeal. A new PA system is alsoplanned for all of the general public spectator areas.

Construction TimelinesThe handover of the site to tender winning contractors, took

place on the 24th April 2015. Off track earthworks have commencedwith the circuit officially closing at 13h00 on the 12th May. It isexpected that the circuit will be re-opened between end August andend September 2015. The Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit will once againtake up its place as the premier motoring and motorsport facility inAfrica as well as a leading venue, and new player, in the conferencingand eventing arena. The great visionaries of the original circuit willcertainly be proud.

SOUTH AFRICAN NEWS

KYALAMI GRAND PRIXCIRCUIT GETS A NEW LIFE

LOCAL UPDATE

After inflation, the UK car body repair market’s value isestimated to be 34% lower than in 2004. The number ofcar body repairs was 24% down last year from 10 yearsearlier. The factors driving continued shrinkage of the body

repair sector are detailed in Trend Tracker’s latest report of car bodyrepairs, The Future of the Car Body Repair Market in the UK, 2015-2020.

After inflation, as measured by the Retail Prices Index, the UK carbody repair market is estimated by the specialist automotive researchfirm Trend Tracker to have fallen in value by 34% between 2004 and2014. In its latest report on the sector, The Future of the Car BodyRepair Market in the UK, 2015-2020, Trend Tracker notes thatvolume demand for repairs peaked at 5.81 million in 2006, but hassince fallen steadily to an estimated 4.20 million repairs in 2014, adecline of 28%. Overall repair volume was 24% lower in 2014 thanin 2004.

Trend Tracker says the decline in the market for car body repairscannot all be laid at the door of the 2008/2009 recession and itsaftermath. The insurance claims rate fell from 2000 to 2011, althoughit is estimated to have turned upwards recently. The fall in the claimsrate is partly explained by motorists driving less, average mileagehaving fallen by 15% since 2000. Another contributory factor is thefitment of ABS brakes to all new cars sold since 2007.

The recession also took its toll. Plummeting new car sales agedthe car parc, and accelerated the decline in the number of cars underfours years old, which are the most likely to be repaired after anaccident. Used car sales fell by 13% in the period 2004-2012, andthat drove down demand for refurbishment.

Meanwhile, average repair costs in current prices rose from R9.3billion in 2004 to R100 billion in 2014 (excluding VAT), but in realterms, after inflation as measured by the Retail Prices Index, they areestimated to have fallen by 13% in the past decade. Trend Tracker

attributes the fall in real-terms average repair costs to a decline in thenumber of relatively large and expensive insurance-funded repairs toprivate cars, and repairs to fleet and company cars. It expects averagerepair costs to increase gradually, so that with a 2% increase in repairvolumes, 2014/2020, the value of the UK car body repair market willrise 5% from 2014 to 2020 in real terms.

Recent re-growth in the new car market is already rebuilding thecar parc up to four years old. A more buoyant used car market willalso boost dealer demand for refurbishment of used cars, althoughSMART repairers are making substantial inroads into therefurbishment market at the expense of traditional body shops.

The number of primary body shops operating in the UK car bodyrepair market is forecast to decline by 9% between 2014 and 2020.That will be a much slower rate of decline than the 19% seenbetween 2007 and 2013. With improving prospects for car bodyrepairs but a continuing decline in body shop numbers, TrendTracker expects an 11% overall deficit in car body repair capacity by2020. In contract with the near 50% excess capacity in the sector 16years earlier in 2004. However, any shortfalls will be seasonal andlocal, and insufficient to encourage regrowth in the number ofrepairers.

Trend Tracker director and lead body repair sector analyst ChrisOakham says: “The outlook for body shops is highly dependent on acontinuing recovery of the UK economy, reviving demand for newand used cars, and giving motorists back more spare cash for electiverepairs.

“But,” he adds, “the increase in safety features such as LaneDeparture Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control and Emergency BrakeAssist in new cars is likely to reduce the frequency of accidents innormal conditions as ABS has done in the past, while the congestionnow endemic in urban traffic will reduce the severity of the averagecollision, along with the average value of collision repairs.”

INDUSTRY NEWS

UK BODY REPAIRSBIG FALL IN VALUE

HONDA SAFETY RECALL



TREND TRACKER

RECALLS

Further to the Takata airbag recall earlier in 2014, Honda willas a precautionary measure, recall a small number ofpotentially affected 2004 Jazz and 2012-2014 Brio vehicles, inorder to replace the driver’s SRS airbag module.

In certain vehicles, the driver’s SRS airbag may deploy withexcessive pressure during an accident that could result in the ruptureof the airbag inflator canister. Should this happen, the possibilityexists that small fragments might enter the passenger compartmentpotentially causing injury. Honda Motor Southern Africa has had noreported injuries or incidents related to this recall.

A small number of Hondas in South Africa are potentially affectedwith 481 Jazz 2004 model year and 536 Brio 2012 to 2014 modelyear. As a precautionary measure, owners of affected vehicles will becontacted by Honda Motor Southern Africa requesting them tomake an appointment with their Honda dealer for replacement ofthe airbag module. Recall repairs began within the second week ofDecember 2014.

Customers can also access the Honda website atwww.honda.co.za or email [email protected] or contact+27 (0)31 000 0473 to verify if their vehicle is affected.



If you are looking for an answer to keeping your spraybooth inpristine condition at all times, you can now take an option onhygiene with Colad’s latest Film 4 Booth wall protection systemthat lasts 12 months. It’s easy to apply as it comes with a special application kit foil

dispenser for an expert installation every time and is combined witha special edge tape that is also transparent. This enables excellentadhesion in hard to reach areas of the booth.

Regular spraybooth maintenance can be kept in check foraround a year with the Film 4 Booth layer clear plastic. The self-adhesive material is designed to last for around three months perlayer or 250 spraybooth cycles on average. It is then a simple

matter of peeling off a layer of plastic to reveal the next protectivelayer of foil. The foil also adheres to both window and lighting areasof a spraybooth. The edge tape has a highly adhesive backing thatcan also assist on clear surfaces to see no reduction in lighting in aspraybooth.

The Maroun’s Group is the sole importers of the Film 4 Boothsystem and have the components to make the system a viablealternative to a wet spraybooth coating package. It’s easy to applyand has been researched and developed by Colad products in theNetherlands.

For more information call the Maroun’s Group on+27 (0)11 216 0600 or visit www.marounsgroup.co.za

INDUSTRY NEWS

COLAD FILM 4 BOOTH SYSTEM

WHAT’S HOT?

The applicator from Colad holds the full width of theFilm 4 Booth material for ease of application.

Combined with transparent edge tape, the selfadhesive plastic bonds extremely well to wall areas.

The Film 4 Booth application keeps the clear plasticin place during installation in the spraybooth.

The Colad Film 4 Booth plastic coating is both transparent and easy toinstall. It is designed to last for up to 12 months as it has four peel offlayers of material that are self adhesive in design.

Marouns Johannesburg: (011) 216 0600 Marouns Bloemfontein: (051) 430 0960Marouns Midrand: (011) 312 2767 Cape Paint & Panel: (021) 510 8250Marouns Benoni: (011) 420 2700 Intercity Springs: (011) 815 4433Marouns Vereeniging: (016) 455 4423 Intercity Pretoria: (012) 327 6133Marouns Durban: (031) 208 3221

w w w . m a r o u n s g r o u p . c o . z a

396 1161

Telephone: +27(0)11 452-0875 / +27(0)79 206-7881 / Fax: +27(0)11 452-8372Tyrone: +27(0)82 856-1200 Aki: +27(0)84 889-7014 / Email: [email protected]

Website: www.phoenixchange.co.za

The Commercial Vehicles Division of Hyundai AutomotiveSouth Africa has begun production of the popular H100Bakkie from its assembly plant in Benoni on the East Rand– little more than six months after the factory was opened

in September 2014 for the initial production of the HD truck range.H100 Bakkies assembled from components imported from South

Korea are now produced daily for the commercial market in SouthAfrica – creating value for Hyundai Automotive SA’s customers andincreasing jobs for local factory workers.

“The establishment of the H100 production line forms part of acapital investment of about R110 million in the Commercial VehiclesDivision of Hyundai in South Africa. There are financial rewards forus, but one of the important benefits of this extension of our SKDproduction is job creation and the testimony that it bears ofHyundai’s commitment to the local automotive market,” says WadeGriffin, director for commercial vehicles at Hyundai Automotive SA.

One of the reasons why the 1.3 ton H100 – or the ‘Bakkie’, as itis known in South Africa – was considered for local assembly isbecause it is one of the most successful vehicles in the local modelrange of Hyundai Automotive South Africa. The H100 has operated

worldwide under some of the toughest working conditions, and haselevated the Hyundai workhorse to a position amongst the toughestlight commercial vehicles available today – and rightfully so.

“Close to 60 000 of the H100 Bakkies have been sold sinceHyundai Automotive SA started operating in the year 2000, and ithas become a workhorse for many smaller as well as large,established businesses and organisations in South Africa. It is also theperfect all-round vehicle for a small family business, with a proventrack record of reliability.”

Griffin says no one should have any qualms about the quality anddurability of locally produced Bakkies: A full-time quality controlengineer does duty at the assembly plant, and Hyundai MotorCompany has sent a team of five engineers to South Africa inFebruary to oversee quality control procedures and to train andupskill the local workforce at the factory.

Assembly of the second batch of 60 H100 units has alreadystarted on the production line in the Apex, Benoni, factory with theaim of rolling out 360 Bakkies per month when full production isreached about September this year.

Components of the H100, such as the engine, cabin, seats, tyresand different suspension elements of the ladder-frame chassis of theBakkie, arrive in South Africa in containers – packed economicallyand reducing the freight costs associated with the importation of afully built-up unit.

“This second phase of SKD assembly at the Apex plant hasincreased the number of employees on the site to a total of 51, withfurther potential growth of the factory’s workforce. If one considersthe indirect effect at an average ratio of 7 to 1 that the employmentof a single worker has on those that he or she supports, then theestablishment of the assembly has already touched the lives of about370 people,” says Griffin.

As is the case with the HD trucks being produced in the assemblyplant since last year, several applications and permutations arepossible due to customised fitment of different load boxes andcanopies on the H100’s sturdy frame.

One of the popular solutions is the Hyundai H100 canopies,manufactured by Beekman, an Imperial subsidiary, that are designedto keep cargo protected from the elements as they are weather, fadeand water resistant. The high-quality canopy also features a lockablerear door that keeps your cargo safe from theft and intruders. Thecanopy comes in three separate styles – the half door, full door ornose cone/space saver – there is one for your business, no matterwhat the requirements.

BUSINESS REPORT

HYUNDAI’S NEW CKD PRODUCTIONFACILITY IN BENONI



UPDATE

Stanley Anderson (left)and Wade Griffin looking

at the localised H100bakkie at the Benoni

Plant.


Experts in the motor industry or close to it all predict that 2015is going to be pretty much the same as 2014. The market willbe flat with possibly a small increase of passenger car sales upto 450 000. This is all dependent of course on Eskom strikes,

increase in fuel prices and anything else the Government can do tomilk the motor industry and run the economy into the ground.

The motor industry is certainly keeping its side of the bargain byputting a lot of money into marketing, sales, service and trainingpeople to keep the country rolling along.

Imperial Holdings believes that the surest way to ensure saferroads during peak seasons is through visible policing. As a resultthrough their Europcar Car Company they have provided the N3and N1/N4 with support vehicles to help with monitoring. Basically,says Niki Cronje, Group Marketing at Imperial when a driver sees apatrol vehicle, he or she automatically adjusts their driving behaviourto slow down or obey the rules. Where they have done this in thepast, fatalities have dropped by more than 50% on those particularroutes.

The all-new Opel Mokka, Opel’s first ever sub-compact SUV forSouth Africa debuted in March. It has already sold 250 000 units inEurope and is the third of the “new Germans” from Opel to belaunched here in three months. First came the Adam that has been ahit, then the new Corsa, which is another German model withperformance, quality and great economy. Now the new Mokka withits 1.4 litre turbo-charged Ecotec petrol engine does duty on all fourmodels. The motor offers 104kW of power and 200Nm of torquethat makes for a fairly brisk unit, when needed. Pricing starts atR288 500 up to R335 000 for the range-topping Cosmo Automatic.

Close on their tail comes Ford with their new Ford Focus with anew sleek design and the new bold face of Ford plus a redesignedinterior. Two engine options are offered. A one litre Ecoboost and a1.5 litre Ecoboost, both award-winning engines for the last couple ofyears. The one litre engine pushes out 92kW can you believe, andthe 1.5 – 132kW. Both have loads of torque for pulling up just aboutany hill in top gear. Ford Focus has sold just short of 13 million unitssince introduction in 2009, making it the biggest selling nameplate, asfar as motor vehicles go in the world.

Launches have come fast and furious this year. More mightymachines from BMW arrived in the shape of the 2-series Coupe anda new X5 and X6 SUV. With an “M” attached to the model number,they all come with performance, serious performance. The big X5and X6 do 0–100km/h in just four seconds with the two litre andthree litre 220, 228 and 235 equally brisk in their class. They sporteither eight-speed auto or six-speed manual transmissions.

The “M” division of BMW locally has done well selling 45 000units last year in foreign markets, with the majority going to the US,Middle East, Germany and China. South Africa sold 590 to show weappreciate performance and everything that goes with it. The bigSUV Sport has a 4.4 litre V8 engine. As I say, they are mightymachines on road or track if you prefer.

The X5 and X6 sells for R1.643m to R1.676m. The 2 Series fromR486 500 to R663 000 for the automatic 235M.

Renault has also been doing great things in the marketplace. Theirthree volume sellers, the Sandero, the Clio and the Duster took theircollective market share in 2014 up 45%. They have also just releaseda new Renault Megane RS that is dynamite. Boasting outstandingroadholding, acceleration, brakes, handling and aerodynamics, andwith a big street cred, make it anong the best pocket rockets foundin the marketplace right now.

Car of the Year in Europe in 2014, the Peugeot 318 has hit ourshores. It is as good as they say with great looks, great finish, punchyengines, and lots of economy and ease of driving. This Frenchcompany has made a huge come-back in Europe and China and isnow clawing its way back here with a great offering of models, whileservicing and parts have now improved 100% to back up their claims.Worth a look.

Mazda 3 was crowned the Best Hatchback of the Year by theWheels Car of the Year Awards 2015 in Dubai. It is an importantmarket for Mazda as Wheels Car of the Year is Australia’s mostprized Car of the Year. Mazda 3 has now got 130 Internationalawards to its credit, making it one of the most popular vehicles on

the road today. The Mazda 2 is following in its footsteps with anotherwinner launched on the Garden Route.

On a technical note, some Mazda 6 vehicles have been recalledto check on the passenger side airbag. There have been no recordedinstances of an airbag deploying on its own but the airbag on someother makes of cars fitted with the same airbags have had threereported instances of a defect. So all Mazda owners in South Africabe sure to get to your nearest dealer to check it out. No panic.

Bridgestone offers you tyre pressure monitoring tips. If youchange over from a normal tyre to a run-flat for the obviousadvantages that it provides, you must fit a tyre pressure monitoringsystem. If your run-flat tyre does get a puncture, you won’t be awareof it as very often run-flat tyres don’t indicate any change in handling.You have been warned.

LiquiMoly has appointed the current GM for the brand in SouthAfrica, Melisha Labuschagne as the new Director of South Africanoperations. She has been with them now for eight years and hasmade LiquiMoly a very recognisable brand in the country.

Celebrating motoring excellence with a hat-trick of wins, Porschescooped the title of the 2015 WesBank South African Guild ofMotoring Journalists Car of the Year when the Macan S Diesel tooktop spot. There were 11 strong finalists in the line-up who couldhave all won this title, the points were that close.

Besides the 2015 WesBank title, Macan has also collected severalInternational awards including SUV Winner at the Canadian Car ofthe Year, Auto Express Best Compact SUV and Car and DriversEditor’s Choice in Compact Luxury and Compact Performance SUVcategories. Hailed by motoring journalists across the globe as one ofthe best SUV’s ever built. The Macan S Diesel is a compact muscularcar that received the highest average score from the 28 SA Guild ofMotoring Journalists jury members who were tasked with selectingthis year’s winner. The local COTY competition is sponsored byWesBank, Hollard Insurance and Motul Oil Supply who all addedtheir support.

Vehicle sales for 2014 were announced with the Toyota Hiluxselling 37 562. Not many countries can boast a bakkie as its top sellerbut this is bakkie country. Ford Ranger was second with 28 734 withthe Polo Hatch Vivo 26 695 and the Polo Hatch 25 737. Then camethe Toyota Etios (18 661), Nissan NP200 (17 412), Chev Utility(15 933), Isuzu KB Bakkie (15 494) and Toyota Quantum (14 369).10th was the Mercedes C-Class (13 998) – newly launched onto themarket.

The Formula 1 Grand Prix scene came alive at the second roundof the 2015 championship. After the boring, disastrous, AustralianGrand Prix that opened the season, which had 15 starters and only11 finishers it was at least racing at last in Malaysia.

Vettel giving Ferrari its debut win in the new car with the hi-techturbo engine going down well with the crowd. Let’s hope this is thestart of a big comeback by Ferrari under its new manager. KimiRaikkonen finishing fourth from the back of the field revealed, asRosberg said, “The game is definitely on.” The result, if you didn’t

DID YOU HEAR? by Roger McCleery

46

Boltstop Racing is all about developing our future superbike racers in SA. Byinvesting in our youth at an early age through Boltstop Racing. They groom themto become international riders, but strive to transfer knowledge, positive valuesand life skills to their riders in order for them to become well balanced adults asthey mature. The team is sponsored by Henkel-Teroson products.

43

The compact Korek HD floor frame features adouble layer ground frame for robustperformance and easy set-up. The flexibletower assemblies are highly mobile. It offersextended cab tower pulls with traction pulls of20 tons per basic tower.

The towers are simple to fix as they operateon rollers and are fixed to the HD Korekframe by four wedges with three main standson offer. This is coupled to 30 ton compositionhydraulic sets. The options for a perfectchassis cab and frame straightening job areendless as well as painless.

As far as speed of output and profitability areconcerned, the HD Korek offers majorprofitability at a reasonable entry level cost. Itis ideal for both CV repairers and large fleetoperators as an investment in Truck repair.

know it, was Vettel (Ferrari), Hamilton (Mercedes), Rosberg(Mercedes), Raikkonen (Ferrari).

Round 1 of the Donaldson Cross Country championship run inHarrismith on a very tough, muddy course was won by LeeroyPoulter and Rob Howie of Dakar fame, 11 minutes ahead of theFord Ranger of Lance Woolridge and Ward Huxtable. ReigningSouth African Champions, Anthony Taylor and Denis Murphy, alsoin a Castrol Toyota Hilux like the winners, qualified first. Leading onthe first lap they found locked gates, had no driver-to-co-drivercommunication and then got stuck in a mud-hole and finally brokea driveshaft. Two Northwest youngsters, Jason Venter and Vincevan Allemann in a 4x4 Megaworld Toyota Hilux came home infourth spot after moving ahead of former South African champions,Chris Visser and Jaco Badenhorst in the second of the worksRangers, who of all things had a malfunctioning windscreen washer.Venter and Van Allemann got a free Dakar entry for 2016 for theirefforts.

The special vehicle class was won by another former SouthAfrican champion Evan Hutchinson and Danie Stassen of rally fame,who hails from Mpumalanga. They were in a Motorite Bat.

New plans for the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit were revealed byToby Venter recently when Steve Koterba hosted the iconiclegends of South African motorsport from 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and90’s at his Chequered Flag Museum in Benoni. This collectionboasts cars and motorcycles, posters and models and photographsthat I am sure will never be equalled. Among the guests were Basilvan Rooyen who came from, Australia, Michael Briggs, Sarel vander Merwe, Jam Hettema, Arnold Chatz, Basil Green andmotorcyclist Keith Zeeman and Fast Freddie van Niekerk, plus fromMoto-X fraternity the Larney brothers and Wayne Smith. About200 people attended a most enjoyable function that went on untilthe early hours of the next day.

The racing Academy is all about developing our futuresuperbike racers of S.A. By investing in our youth at an early agethrough Boltstop Racing. They not only groom them to becomeinternational riders, but strive to transfer knowledge, positive valuesand life skills to our riders in order for them to become wellbalanced adults as they mature.

There is international coach Joey Litjens to host a training campfor the children, once a year. This is organised via Neil Harran fromSAMRA. Neil coaches the little ones in the NSF 100, where theythen progress to the 150's and 250's.

Short Circuit trains the kids to think quick as there is not a lotof room for overtaking on circuit, and the short circuit providesgreat training ground for them. There are currently about 20 or soriders on short circuit, ranging from the NSF 100's with Neil Harranalong to the 150's and 250's.

Boltstop Racing, consists of four children racing in Northernregions and Moto SA Short Circuit. We have a few sponsors whichaid in our racing: Boltstop, FEW, King Tony, Hi-Tech Tooling &Engineering Supplies, various sponsors from Bantam, includingLoctite and WD40 along with Elf Oil.

Their children range from 10 years old to 17 years of age.Savannah Woodward, Deegan Claassens and C.J. Hackart all rideHonda 150's, and Riccardo Pultrone a Kawasaki 250.


Listen to Roger McC leery everyTuesday on Radio Today (1485

A M) at17h30 for everythingabout SA motoring.

47



T oyota and Nissan both announced that they would recalla total of 6.5 million vehicles around the world in thelatest chapter of an exploding airbag crisis that’s linked toseveral deaths.

Toyota said its recall of five million vehicles affected 35 modelsglobally, produced between 2003 and 2007, while Nissan said itwas calling back 1.56 million vehicles also due to faulty airbagsmade by embattled supplier Takata.

Toyota and Nissan said there were no reports of deaths orinjuries linked to this latest recall, while a Nissan spokesman saidthat the explosion risk was among a range of problems seen in thedefective airbags.

Toyota said it had been conducting various ongoinginvestigations into Takata-produced airbag inflators and certaintypes were found to have a potential for moisture intrusion overtime, possibly leading to abnormal deployment in a crash.

Takata has said the defect surfaces mainly in humid, hotterregions and has resisted US authorities’ call for a national recall ofcars with its airbags.

SA Cars AffectedAs for the local implications of this latest recall, Toyota South

Africa said it would replace the airbag inflators in Corolla RunXand Yaris models produced between 2002 and 2007 and in Rav4,Hilux and Fortuners made between July 2003 and December2005.

Toyota says that 224 006 South African vehicles are affectedand that the recall will get underway as soon as all the required

components are available at local dealerships. At this point,affected owners would be notified, according to the TSA’s officialstatement. The procedure is expected to take between one andtwo hours and, of course, owners won’t pay a cent.

If you think your car might be affected, write down the VINnumber and log onto Toyota’s website or contact the call centreon 0800 139 111.

Nissan South Africa has confirmed that certain previousgeneration Almeras could be affected and that it is currentlyworking with its dealers to promptly address the issue. Nissan alsostated that owners would be notified in June and that the campaignwould come at no cost to owners.

Ongoing SagaThis latest recall comes after some 20 million vehicles from

various carmakers, including GM and Honda, were recalled overthe risk that their Takata airbags could improperly inflate andrupture, potentially firing deadly shrapnel at occupants.

At least five deaths have been linked to the defect, with one inthe US initially investigated as a murder due to the woman’s grizzlyinjuries.

INDUSTRY NEWS

SA TOYOTAS AND NISSANS IN HUGE RECALLOVER TAKATA AIRBAGS

CNN HIGHLIGHT POOR INSURANCE BEHAVIOUR IN THE US

LOCAL NEWS

USA NEWS

The Anderson Cooper Show on CNN revealed what reallyhappens to consumers when they have an accident, file aclaim and then get steered to their insurance companies’preferred repair facilities. The episode aired as part of the

coverage that included the litigation currently going on in federalcourt in Orlando, Fla., where collision repair facilities from multiplestates are suing insurers for antitrust violations, steering, price fixingand more.

According to John Mosley, owner of Clinton Body Shop inClinton, Mississippi and one of the litigants in the federal suit, CNNfilmed for three days yet the report may not last 10 minutes. “I knowCNN has been under pressure from some of the largest insurers tonot run this story,” said Mosley. “I hope they don’t water it down andlet the facts be reported. I know their producer, Scott Bronstein, isseeking a fair and accurate report. We will see soon enough.”

Mosley says CNN’s crew examined two poorly repaired vehiclesand interviewed several people including Louisiana and Mississippi’sattorneys-general and lead attorney John Eaves Jr.

“They got the background on what has brought about thelitigation, including the Louisiana AG’s suit,” said Mosley. “Theyinterviewed the owner of the vehicle at our shop and myself as well.

They saw and got a good understanding of what’s happening as aresult of the direct repair programmes and the effect theseprogrammes are having on consumer safety. This problem is anindustry-wide problem, and shops are as much to blame as theinsurance industry. This would all stop if shops refused to participatein any programme or repair that doesn’t benefit the consumer.

“What I hope happens is consumers are made aware that theyneed to ask questions, get references and educate themselves beforehanding over their keys to a repair shop. I also hope the insuranceindustry realises the system is broken and there has to be aconcerted effort to re-evaluate the way claims are handled andrepairs are made. The focus has to be on training for all involved inboth industries. The old system of using cheap parts and controllingcosts by shortcutting labour procedures needs to be put aside. Thelitigation could stop, and the consumer would be well served throughbetter training and fair dealing by all.”

“CNN looks very closely at the number of hits and comments ontheir website after they air a story like this, and this one is going tobe looked at very closely with all the pressure the insurance industryhas tried just to squelch it from airing,” said Tony Passwater,president of the Indiana Auto Body Association.

Over 200 000 Toyotas are affected in South Africa, including the RunX andCorolla from the last decade along with four other models.

For more information call +27 (0)11 953 2576or visit www.ppgrefinish.com

Auto Korea is a dealer forSamhwa Paints and sistercompany of Korean MotorSpares which is the biggest

supplier of Korean vehicle parts inSouthern Africa.

Auto Korea are introducing Samhwaautomotive refinish paint “Karocle”, whichis a top class vehicle coating product inKorea.

Samhwa Paints has been producingworld class paints and refinishing productssince 1946.

The company has about 900employees that produce high-techfunctional paints and continuously strivesto achieve excellent products by operatingstate-of-the-art manufacturing plantsequipped with the latest laboratory andmanufacturing facilities in the Si-hwa andTan-cheon Industrial Complex in Korea. Itsproduction capacity of paint is93 483KL, resin is 27 812 tons per year.

With those many years of experience,accumulated technology and addedfacilities Samhwa has developed a widerange of eco-friendly products from DIYpaints to architectural paints, heavy-dutycoatings, marine paints and specialIndustrial coatings, plastic coatings, powdercoatings and first-class automotive paints.

With the establishment of a factory inChina since 2000, global networks havebeen growing, and they now haveadditional factories in Vietnam andMalaysia. With such infrastructure; theyarchived 500 million U.S. Dollar sales in2014.

Karocle is the brand name of theautomotive refinishing paint produced bySamhwa Paints and distributed throughoutSouthern Africa by Auto Korea, located inEdenvale, Gauteng, South Africa.

Karocle has been successfully exportedto various overseas countries in Asia,Africa and America, providing world-classservices and competitive pricing to all its

customers for the past 15 years. AutoKorea officially launched the Karocleproducts in December 2014.

Karocle has been trial tested and foundto be of excellent quality when comparedwith some of the major approved paintsuppliers worldwide.

Samhwa Paints, along with Auto Korea,is opening up new borders in the sub-Saharan African countries. The mainobjective is to obtain an increased marketshare and to build trust through productquality brand of products.

Offering first class customer service willset Auto Korea on the right path to asuccessful future.

LOCAL UPDATE

KAROCLE REFINISHFROM KOREAAVAILABLE IN SA



WHAT’S HOT?

The Tan-cheon factory in Korea is just one of the SamhwaPaints producing facilities producing Karocle automotiverefinish paints for global distribution.

BMW’S REVOLUTIONARY7 SERIES AHEAD WITH EFFICIENT LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN



Weight-minimising measures courtesy of the BMWEfficientLightweight strategy enable the new BMW 7Series models to tip the scales up to 130 kilogramslighter than their previous-generation counterparts,

despite significant additions to the roster of comfort and safetyequipment on board. Acentral element here is the Carbon Corebody structure of the luxury sedan.

The use of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) for structuralelements of the passenger cell based on hybrid construction withultra-high-strength steels – such as the B-pillars – increases both theoverall strength and the torsional and bending stiffness of thepassenger cell. To this end, the configuration of sheet metal elementscan be adjusted as required, allowing for a significant reduction in the

weight of the body.The foundations for the Carbon Core body were laid by the

transfer of technology from the development of the BMW i models.The next generation of the BMW 7 Series therefore benefits fromthe BMW Group’s experience and expertise – unequalled by anyother carmaker – when it comes to the appropriate use of CFRP inmass-produced vehicles. At the same time it leads the way inexploring new applications for the high-tech material. The new BMW7 Series is the first car to use industrially manufactured CFRP in itsbody construction not as a visible material in the outer skin, but incombination with steel, aluminium and plastic. It is also the first car inwhich the CFRP has been fully integrated into the productionprocess, largely based on a globally unique paint application process.Its Carbon Core is thus also an indicator of how significantly theCFRP technology developed for BMW i models can contribute tothe minimisation of a car’s weight as well as its material strength andstiffness.

Furthermore, the intelligent material mix encapsulated by theBMW EfficientLightweight strategy includes the carefully calculateduse of aluminium and ultra-high-strength steels in the body andchassis. This is complemented by the introduction of innovative,weight-minimising bonding technologies and at-source heat- andsoundproofing for the engine, which allow reductions in the overallquantity and therefore the weight of the insulation materialsrequired.

As well as the development of ultra-lightweight concepts and anintelligent material mix, the BMW EfficientLightweight approach alsodrives a systematic process of detail optimisation for all componentswith the aim of achieving the best possible result for each class of car.

NEXT GENERATION

SCOOP

BMW’SREVOLUTIONARY7 SERIES AHEAD WITH EFFICIENTLIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN

CFRP strengthening panelsriveted to structural areas for

a stronger pillar.

Reinforced Carbon Core.CFRP technology mixed with ultra

high strength steel and aluminiumsystems will possibly build new

generation BMWs.



Structure illustrating where CFRP (CarbonFibre Re-inforced Plastic) and carbon core

technology is being used to lighten the newBMW 7 series. Carbon roof struts reduce

unsprung mass by almost 15%.

For the new BMW 7 Series this has meant combining the model’simpressive driving dynamics with outstanding comfort. To this end, theengineers have explored innovative new directions in areas such as weightdistribution, unsprung masses and acoustic concepts.

Unsprung masses have been reduced by as much as 15 per cent overthe predecessor models through a focus on lightweight design for thesuspension, brakes and wheels. The implementation of an at-sourceinsulation concept and the use of superabsorbers have led to excellentinterior acoustics coupled with a reduction in weight.

The resulting integrated lightweight design concept also enables thecar’s centre of gravity to be lowered still further and weight to bedistributed between the two axles at a near-perfect 50:50 ratio. In this way,BMW EfficientLightweight technology does even more to ensure that thenext generation of the BMW 7 Series can build on its lead in the area ofdriving dynamics while also offering outstanding ride and acoustic comfort.



It’s a big ask to pioneer a global refinishsystem – especially one that emanatesfrom KwaZulu Natal but Chemspec haveachieved just that. Exports are now

achieving high levels of the dependable highquality system across the globe. “The flagshiprange,”says Jannes Kloppers, head of refinishsales in South Africa, is designed orformulated to perform perfectly every timein the body shop environment.

For more than 20 years Chemspec andMetalux have been making body shopsmore efficient and more profitable, and paintshops more trouble-free than any other carrefinish brand. Our recipe has been simple, acomplete repair solution, leading colouristics,field support and training, great rewardsprogrammes and a factory-backed, writtenlifetime warranty programme makesupgrading to Metalux one of the bestbusiness decisions one can make.

Metalux has the complete repair solutionfor the body shop. Whether for spot repairsor major repairs, working on plastics orOEM panels, the most efficient, cost-and-

time saving process for each shop is workedout from our extensive, flexible range ofprimers, clear coats, hardeners and solvents.Truly the perfect and invisible repair forevery job, every time.

“Our leading colour offering includes notonly the acclaimed Professional ColourSelector with more than 12 000 actualpainted colour shops, but also the worldclass Easimix Professional colour retrievaland paint shop management software withover 140 000 colour formulae, not tomention the management functionalityaimed at giving the fastest turnaround timeand best efficiency through the paint shop.

“A team of trade-tested, qualified fieldsupport technicians call on all our bodyshops regularly to ensure they get maximumvalue out of the Metalux system, and thatpeople and processes are delivering the bestefficiency and profitability possible. On-sitetraining and report-back on people andprocesses give our customers the supportthey need to make sure their shops arerunning on all cylinders.

“The innovative Total Mix Rewards(TMR) programme enables our customersto improve profitability even more, and putscash right back into their pockets on amonthly basis.

“Added to all of this is our 4 LifetimeWarranty programme for complete peaceof mind and our extensive trainingprogramme covering modules from start tofinish, tinting, spot repairs and blending andplastic repairs.”

For more information on how toupgrade to Metalux, contact our nationalsales manager Mark Johnson on082 788 0526.

INDUSTRY NEWS

METALUX INDEMAND

WHAT’S HOT?



Bakkies or pick-up trucks, provided basic transport for movinggoods in my younger days, but how the situation haschanged down the years. I started my career in the SAmotor industry in 1968 at the then-new Chrysler SA factory

in Silverton, Pretoria (now the home of Ford SA) and one of thestaples on the production line – besides the top-selling Valiant sedan– was the Dodge D-Series pick-up, with most of them going togovernment departments or farmers.

However, a mini-revolution was underway in Rosslyn and Durban,with two relatively new arrivals – Datsun and Toyota – launchingone-ton bakkies that were far smaller in all respects than the ¾-tonUS-sourced Dodges, Fords, Chevrolets and GMCs. Soon theAmerican juggernauts were dinosaurs and disappeared from the localscene, although there were still the large, sedan-based FordRanchero, Valiant Rustler and Chev El Camino for those who wantedto brag that “mine is bigger than yours” to the owners of theincreasingly popular bakkies from Japan.

Over the years these bigger bakkies have been phased out andnow the bakkie brigade has a plethora of Japanese, German andChinese models from which to choose. Over the years the size andequipment levels of these bakkies have grown and improved and topmodels are like luxury cars in terms of quality levels.

But until now none of the premium brands have deigned to puttheir name on a pick-up truck in the local market. However, this isdue to change in the next few years with the announcement thatMercedes-Benz plans to launch its first one-ton pick-up by 2020,targeting sales in SA, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America andEurope.

Now that they have made this radical announcement can bakkiesbearing the Audi and BMW nameplates be far behind as these threefight for supremacy in the premium market? (Audi has the advantagethat it can easily develop an up-market version of the VW Amarokand stick the four-ring badge on it. The Audi development team isprobably busying itself with this project as I write!)

Now the international rumour mill has it that the Mercedes-Benz(MB) bakkie will not be a “true” MB product, but a reworked NissanNavara. The reason is that Daimler has a partnership with theRenault-Nissan alliance which includes cooperation on engines, jointdevelopment of the Smart For-Two and Renault Twingo minicarsand for Nissan to supply Daimler’s Japanese Fuso Truck and Bus unitwith its NV350 panelvan and people-mover.

This could possibly mean that the MB bakkie, which still has to begiven a model designation, could be built in Rosslyn alongside thenew Nissan Navara, which is slated for local production in the second

half of 2017 with a significant percentage of the production aimingat export markets.

Now that SUVs are so popular the addition of a premium-badged pick-up truck will open a new front in the battle forsupremacy between the three German premium brands, where MBis currently lying third. Audi is challenging BMW for leadership butMB has ambitions of gaining top spot itself so we can expect afurther proliferation of model offerings as they continue trying to fillniche markets that are becoming increasingly difficult to identify.

I am most certainly not a bakkie-lover, but there are bakkies forpersonal transport to be found within my family – and so dothousands of other South Africans, while in the US the popularity ofthose huge bakkies makes them the best-selling vehicle modelranges in the world!

Sticking the three-pointed star on the nose of a bakkie willincrease its status, particularly in SA, but I am happy to drive aroundin my SUV and certainly will not be tempted to drive around with ausually empty loadbox behind my passenger compartment.

Now to another topic.This is the Wesbank/SA Guild of Motoring Journalists’ Car of the

Year competition where I was a judge for the first time and whichonce again proved somewhat controversial with Porsche taking thelaurels for the third year in a row.

Although this was the first year that I had been a judge in thecompetition, I have been involved in some way or another invirtually all the vehicle evaluation events since the first COTY in1986, and I also selected the Macan as the deserving winner in termsof overall motoring excellence.

It is by far the most relevant Porsche to have won this covetedaward. I believe the Boxster and Cayman S are outstanding cars, butniche models with little relevance to the man-in-the-street motorist,while the Macan is outselling its direct opposition and had thelowest percentage in terms of the price of a basket of replacementparts and the price of the car at 16%.

The Porsche Macan S Diesel faced stiff competition in the 11-strong finalist line-up that represented the best-of-the-best from across-section of segments and price points, making it one of themost hotly contested events in the competition’s 30-year historywhere each model is compared with rivals in its segment and notwith the other finalists.

For the record I selected the Toyota Corolla, which offersexceptional value-for-money, as runner-up with the C-Class in thirdplace; each of the top three was only separated by one point.

NEWS FROM THE ZOO - by Roger Houghton

BAKKIESGOINGUPMARKET

For the first time in South Africa,Leaderquip Auto Services displayedthe complete 6 Point Quick CheckSystem of Hunter Engineering

Company, U.S.A.The Quick Check System can identify

repair opportunities in 2:58 minutes. The 6Point check focuses on:

Stopping Checkl Wheels are tested individuallyl Tests brake force at each wheel and

overall vehicle decelerationHunter’s brake performance tester

provides a real-life evaluation of a vehicle’sstopping capability in seconds! No need tolift the vehicle or remove the wheels. Thebrake tester measures the timing, force andbalance of the brake system in 0:08 seconds.This is much faster than a visual inspectionand it accurately measures the vehicle as itwould perform in a real-life situation on theroad. It will also contribute extensively toroad safety, as approximately 12% ofvehicles tested will show braking failure atone or more wheels.

Emissions Checkl Retrieves emission codesl Wirelessly transfers important vehicle

information to consoleHunter’s CodeLink for Quick Check

connects directly to a vehicle OBD-II port toretrieve important information concerningemission control components and vehicleidentification number (VIN) inapproximately 10 seconds. It automaticallyretrieves the VIN, detects check engine lightstatus, retrieves diagnostic trouble codes,checks emission monitor status and allowsfor entry of mileage and tyre pressure specsinto the system. It is compatible with mostOBD-II vehicles (1996 or newer), withwireless communication with the console. Ageneral diagnostic system review is providedfor customers. It is interesting to note thatapproximately 10% of all vehicles drivearound with a check engine light on.

Battery healthl Tests batteries to OEM specsl Sends results to console wirelessly in

10 secondsOver 10% of vehicles have a battery-

related issue. Hunter’s battery health testmeasures a battery’s ability to carry electriccurrent in about 20 seconds! A low-currenttest signal is used to prevent possibledamage to sensitive electronic components.

Tyre Pressurel Automatically adjusts air pressure to

user-entered OEM specl Records before and after pressuresHunter’s Integrated Tyre Inflation system

will automatically inflate all four tyressimultaneously. Time is saved by eliminatingrepeated manual pressure checks.Corrected tyre pressures are recorded onthe customer’s printout.

Tyre Healthl Quick and easy tyre wear checkl Conditions transmitted to console

automaticallyIn about 30 seconds, Hunter’s patented

tread depth gauge provides a quick and easyassessment of tyre conditions. Tread depthresults are automatically sent to the consoleand graphically shown on the customerprintout. The tread depth printout showspass / fail results for the percentage of thetread depth remaining and the generalcondition of the tyres. Over 20% of vehicleshave one or more tyres in need of

INDUSTRY TRENDS

HUNTER QUICKCHECK SYSTEM

WHAT’S HOT?

Supercure Spraybooth Rail System

Procure Mobile Infra-Red

Hotbox Colour MatchingDryer With Timer

Tel: 011 425 4062Franz: 082 463 6284Email: [email protected] Madeley Street, Rynfield, Benoni



replacement.

Wheel Alignmentl Fast verification of alignment needsl Boost traffic to most profitable

undercar serviceHunter’s patented alignment check

system is the quickest way to measurealignment angles that affect tyre life. The testtakes less than a minute to produce total toeand camber measurements for both axles.With this facility, every vehicle that entersthe shop can be checked, without tying upthe wheel alignment bay. Alignment saleswill increase dramatically, as approximately60% of all vehicles on the road are out ofalignment.

At the end of the 6 Point Quick Check, acomprehensive easy-to-understand printoutwith colour-coded graphics is generated touse when discussing the diagnosis with thecustomer. A separate print-out with moretechnical details is generated for thetechnician’s use.

The Quick Check System with its 6 PointCheck facility generates multipleopportunities for an enterprising businessentrepreneur to dramatically increase salesof service and wheel alignments, as well astyres, batteries and brake components.

The Quick Check System also offersdozens of installation possibilities, withconfigurations for every individual shop.

For more information contactLeaderquip on 086 000 2010 Toll Free orvisit www.leaderquip.co.za



INDUSTRY NEWS

WAREHOUSING

APC Storage Solutions recently completed a turnkeystorage solution installation for a new 7500m2 nationalparts distribution centre to be used by a large Japanesemotor vehicle manufacturer in Midrand, Gauteng. The

tailored solution had to replicate the company’s strict globallogistics standards and procedures for the storing and distributionof its automobile replacement parts, and be completed within just26 days.

“While the new warehouse had to comply with stringent designand safety parameters in terms of how each product type isstowed, we were still able to suggest and implement certaincustomised stowage procedures to tailor the solution to theunique requirements of the South African operation,” explains FredAlbrecht, managing director, APC Storage Solutions SA.

The inventory, which consists of the complete range ofautomobile parts and accessories for distribution to all localdealerships and service centres, is shipped regularly from Japan inspecial containers that are then divided into large parts and airbags,each being catered for with item-specific storage solution.

The 4200m2 large parts area was fitted with 11 rows ofcustomised conventional pallet racking all barring one of which isback-to-back, with wooden decking on each level designed to carrymaximum loads of 600kg. The racks have a maximum length of 39metres and consist of five levels giving a total height of nine metres.Specialised dividers were manufactured and installed to support

the various part dimensions and a unique in-rack sprinkler systemin line with ASOP safety standards was installed to protect thestock in the unlikely event of a fire.

The small parts area of 750 m2 is a two-tier mezzanine systemfor maximum utility of available floor space. Connected via agangway system, this section was fitted with Simplos shelving andalso houses the high value stock in a dedicated area that is fencedoff and access controlled.

25 000 specialised, variously-sized cardboard storage boxes andbarcodes were designed, manufactured and installed for both thelarge and small parts areas for a more effective inventorymanagement, with the entire warehouse run by a state-of-the-artwarehouse management system that identifies the correct logisticsfor each product item.

APC Storage Solutions SA also custom-designed a separateconventional pallet racking and shelving system to store the highlypressure-sensitive airbags, which in the event of accidentaldetonation, can shoot up to 160 metres to pose a significant safetyhazard.

“When we received the purchase order at the end of February2014 with an instruction to be complete by May 1, the warehousewasn’t even erected yet,” Albrecht explains. “Once constructioncommenced, our ability to act quickly and flexibly, as a single-source solutions provider, set us apart from our competitors.”

APC STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Rolling out a new development forCollision Repair Co-Operative(CRC) members recently was theannouncement of a preferred

supplier for the car refinish Sikkens. They areexpanding their position in supply chainmanagement at the CRC with a newstrategic partnership.

Sikkens, who have been present in thelocal market for some two decades recentlyopened up with a new local distributioncompany called Allied Paint Solutions.Company director Fabio Vitale is upbeatabout the new venture saying that globallySikkens have a number of very successfulnetwork arrangements. The new operationwith specialised logistic infrastructure isalready in place and will drive the newnetwork with the CRC going forwards.

Joseph Guiro, regional sales manager andHeinz Piskey, the regional vehicle refinishdirector were on hand at the announcementmade at the CRC head office in Sandton-Fourways. The Sikkens operation will bebased in Linbro Park and you can call AlliedPaint Solutions on 082 336 6577 or+27 (0)12 940 0381 for further informationon the Sikkens Akzo-Nobel initiative.

CRC ANNOUNCES PREFERRED SUPPLIER NETWORKED WITHAKZO NOBEL-SIKKENS AND ALLIED PAINT SOLUTIONS

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP



Hybrid powertrains and battery electric vehicles arebecoming a more common sight on the roads. Batteryelectric vehicle sales vary from country to country, theTesla Model S has been the highest selling car in Norway,

but whilst 120 000 electric car sales make headlines in the US, thatfigure is hardly industry-changing in a market where more than 16million cars are sold annually.

However, repairers cannot afford to ignore the electrification ofpowertrains as they could be faced with a battery electric vehicle atany time, and hybrid powertrains are also quietly on the increase.Engineering a vehicle for a hybrid powertrain, and developing thebattery and electric motor themselves, used to be a significantchallenge, but as the demands for reduced emissions in so many partsof the world have forced vehicle manufacturers to improve vehicleefficiency, long-term strategies have emerged.

Manufacturers have been able to re-map the ignition on a largenumber of conventional engines, with emissions reducing and fuelefficiency improving as a result. But for many, this isn’t enough toimprove efficiency to the required levels.

Many vehicle manufacturer strategies are including hybridpowertrain options from the outset. The VW and Audi MQBplatform set and the BMW platform set that underpins the 1 seriesto the 4 series have been developed for easier integration ofelectrified powertrains. In the case of the MQB we have already seenpetrol models, hybrid models, battery electric models, diesel models,compressed natural gas models, whilst hydrogen fuel models arecurrently being tested. Both of these platform sets have floor sectionsengineered to accommodate a battery pack safely, and chassis railsengineered with consistent mounts and dimensions to accept a widerange of engines or electric motors. Nor are they alone, as each newplatform set emerging from different vehicle manufacturers seems toinclude a preplanning for greater flexibility.

The Toyota Prius, perhaps the best-known hybrid, features a60kW electric motor powered by a NiMH battery pack to supportthe 1.8 litre petrol engine. The Honda CR-Z is similar, as are variousother vehicles. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (Plug in HybridElectric Vehicle) is a bit different. This features a 2.0 MIVEC enginedriving the front wheels, supported by a 60kW electric motorpowered by a 12kW lithium-ion battery that, as the name implies, canbe additionally charged by plugging in when not in use. But it alsofeatures another 60kW electric motor driving the rear axle, sobecomes effectively an electric 4WD. This latter configuration issimilar to the Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid that features a 2.4 turbo-diesel driving the front wheels, and a 70hp electric motor driving therear wheels as required.

This combined drive, with both axles being driven by the ICE, orby an electric motor, or by both, gives many advantages. This type ofvehicle can ‘save’ electrical energy and drive a conventional petrol ordiesel until entering a low-emission zone in a city centre, for example.Conversely, should the user only drive short journeys locally, they candrive on electric power only, re-charging between journeys to avoidthe need to use any petrol/diesel. And, of course, the two cancombine for 4WD with both axles being driven. This last drive optioncan be more efficient and effective as the vehicle traction control andstability programmes can continuously adjust the output of theelectric motors to provide the power as required, withoutcompromising stability.

The repairer needs to be very aware that more and more modelranges are being engineered with hybrid powertrains and we mustassume with a smashed vehicle that there may be higher voltagecomponents that may well require ‘making safe’ prior to a repair, andmay require reinstatement after the repair. The battery packtemperature is critical (keep this in mind in the paint booth), and thepack requires isolation prior to welding, failure to do so or using a‘bridging device’ can go horribly wrong and get very expensive veryquickly. Removal and refitting of a gearbox with an electric motor canalso present a risk of the vehicle moving as the motor (which isobviously magnetic) aligns itself when a current is connected.

What does the future hold? It is likely that we shall see many morefront-wheel drive models receiving electric motors to drive the rear

axle, or vice versa. This makes packaging all the components muchsimpler, and the 4WD capabilities will be popular with themarketing department as it’s likely to be popular with customers andtherefore a benefit that can sell cars. Engines will continue to reducein size, though gain in output proportionately, and battery energy-density (how much energy is stored by their size) will improvesignificantly over the next 10 years.

Electrified powertrains are here to stay, in one form or another.If your workshop and mechanics cannot yet handle high-energypowertrains, it may be very worthwhile you considering whattraining is available, and equipping yourself with appropriate toolsand equipment. Incorrect handling could be expensive but, moreimportantly it could kill.

FUTURE TECH CURRENT AFFAIRS - by Andrew Hooker, Thatcham

Professional paint application requires 100% technically clean compressed air. Toensure this, many paint shops today applying waterborne paints and supplying thebreathing protection equipment of their painters with clean air are alreadyemploying the SATA filter 484 system. In addition to a cyclone separator with

sintered filter and a fine filter stage, this three-stage filter regulator unit is also equippedwith an activated charcoal filter to efficiently remove ultra-fine particles and oil vapours.

In order to maintain the efficiency of the filter regulator however, the unit must beregularly maintained, thus avoiding coating flaws and other quality issues – and eventuallyexpensive rework. The regular replacement of saturated filter cartridges is of courseequally essential when working with air-supplied breathing protection, in order topreserve the health of the painters. To remind users to exchange exhausted filterelements regularly, from now on all SATA filter regulator units will be supplied with a setof SATA filter timers.

Using the SATA filter timer is extremely easy: When a new filter regulator unit isinstalled, each filter timer must be activated by pressing the button to “start” the servicinginterval of the respective filter stage. Over time, the display window will gradually turn tored, indicating the passing of time and servicing as a guide to the measure of filtersaturation. Whenever a window has completely changed to red, the concerned filtercartridge needs to be replaced. In line with the two different recommended replacementintervals of approximately three or six months respectively, there will be two filter timerversions available.

Additionally, the exchange filter cartridges will be also supplied with SATA filter timersthat have to be inserted in the self-adhesive holders on the filter canisters and activatedonce maintenance is completed. This ensures that recommended changes will beindicated ahead of time prior to the filter cartridges having reached saturation levels. Themaintenance and service instructions of SATA filter regulator units must be observed.

EQUIPMENT UPDATE

SATA FILTER TIMER - SAFETY AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON

62

CLEAN AIR



The Motor Company has reviewed the current state of itswork on autonomous vehicles and driver assist systems. Thecompany also detailed a “Smart Mobility” plan andannounced 25 mobility experiments around the world

designed to test new ideas and address growing or increasingtransportation challenges.

According to the company, insights gained will shape Ford’s futureinvestments. Among the experiments is one on data-driveninsurance that will take place in London.

“Ford highlighted the current driver assist systems it has availablein its vehicles to provide “semi-autonomous” vehicles that usesoftware and sensors to steer into both parallel and perpendicularparking spaces, adjust speed based on traffic flow or apply the brakesin an emergency,” said Raj Nair, Ford chief technical officer and groupvice president, global product development.

“There will be a Ford autonomous vehicle in the future, and wetake putting one on the road very seriously.

“Ford’s semi-autonomous vehicle features available today includelane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, Pre-collision Assist withPedestrian Detection and active park assist, with Traffic Jam Assistcoming.

According to the company, a fully autonomous Ford FusionHybrid research vehicle is undergoing road testing. The vehicle usesthe same semi-autonomous Ford vehicles today, while adding fourLDAR sensors to generate a real-time 3D map of the surroundingenvironment.

The vehicle can sense objects around it using the LDAR sensors,and uses advanced algorithms to help it learn to predict wherevehicles and pedestrians might move.

“Our priority is not in making marketing claims or being in a racefor the first autonomous car on the road,” said Ford President andCEO Mark Fields. “Our priority is in making the first Fordautonomous vehicle accessible to the masses and truly enhancingcustomers’ lives.”

“Henry Ford taught us long ago that a good business makesexcellent products and earns a healthy return,” Fields added. “A greatbusiness does all that while creating a better world. That is whatcontinues to drive us each day.”

The first steps for Ford Smart Mobility are 25 experiments, eight

in North America, nine in Europe and Africa, seven in Asia and oneis South America. Each experiment is designed to anticipate whatcustomers will want and need in tomorrow’s transportationeconosystem.

“We see a world where vehicles talk to one another, drivers andvehicles communicate with the city infrastructure to relievecongestion, and people routinely share vehicles or multiple forms oftransportation for their daily commute,” Fields said. “Theexperiments we’re undertaking today will lead to an all-new modelof transportation and mobility within the next 10 years and beyond.”The 25 experiments address four global megatrends, explosivepopulation growth, an expanding middle class, air quality and publichealth concerns, and changing customer attitudes and priorities,challenging today’s transportation model and limiting personalmobility, especially in urban areas.

14 of the 25 experiments are Ford-led research projects and 11are part of the company’s innovate Mobility Challenge Series. Theexperiments include:

Bid Data Drive: Dearborn MichiganFleet insights: United StatesData Driven Insurance: LondonRemote Repositioning: AtlantaCity Driving On-Demand: LondonDynamic Social Shuttle: New York, LondonCar Swap : Dearborn: MichiganFord Carsharing: GermanyShare-Car: Bangalore, IndiaRapid Recharge & Share: Dearborn, MichiganData-Driven Healthcare: The Gambia, West AfricaParking Spotter: AtlantaInfo Cycle: Palo Alto, CaliforniaPainless Parking: LondonThe Data-Driven insurance experiment will study a driver’s

behaviour over time in order to build a more personalised mobilityprofile. The goal is to create a driving behaviour passport that can beused to calculate more exact insurance rates and allow drivers totake the information with them, from car to car or from insurancecarrier to insurance carrier.

INDUSTRY NEWS

FORD DISCUSSESAUTONOMOUSVEHICLE PLANS

VOLVO CONNECTS CYCLEHELMET WITH DRIVERS

During the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) heldin Las Vegas, Volvo Cars, protective gravity sports gearmanufacturer POC and Ericsson, presented innovativesafety technology connecting drivers and cyclists for the

first time ever.The technology consists of a connected car and helmet prototype

that will establish two-way communication offering proximity alertsto Volvo drivers and cyclists and thereby help to avoid accidents.

Using a smartphone app, the cyclist’s position can be sharedthrough the Volvo Cloud to the car, and vice versa. If an imminent

WHAT’S HOT?

EURO NEWS

collision is calculated both road users will be warned. The Volvodriver will be alerted to the cyclist nearby through a heads-up displayalert, whilst the cyclist will be warned via a helmet-mounted alertlight.

Jaguar Land Rover has also announced it is developing its BikeSense technology which uses colours, sounds and touch inside thecar to alert drivers to potential hazards and prevent accidentsinvolving bicycles and motorcycles. Rather than using a genericwarning icon or sound, Bike Sense uses lights and sounds that thedriver will instinctively associate with the potential danger.

Contact: +27 (0)11 463 2169Block B, Ground Floor, St. Andrews Office ComplexMeadowbrook Lane, EpsomDowns, Johannesburg

THE AIR GUN SA RANGE OFFERSTOP PERFORMANCE AT A VALUEPRICE WITH PROFESSIONALMATERIAL TRANSFER EFFICIENCY.DISTRIBUTOR ENQUIRIES AREINVITED FOR THE HIGHPERFORMANCE RANGE.

We received this letter fromWestern Australia on howtheir trade is suffering frompoor profitability. Many of

their problems are those of our ownmaking and it’s no surprise to see Australia’sgovernment investigating the area ofinsurance dominance against repairers.

Dear SirBusiness in Western Australia (WA) can

only be described as difficult. Once againwe thought that there would be smashrepair businesses that would not re-openafter the Christmas break, however as inpast years most appear to be hanging on,perhaps in the hope that things will change.

Unfortunately the only thing that haschanged is that the insurance companiesare applying more and more pressure toreduce their cost of claims. This includesadjusting estimates to an unsustainable leveland directing the use of parallel, non-genuine and secondhand parts.

Many in the WA industry are very quietfor all the usual reasons, including safervehicles resulting in fewer accidents withminor damage and a reduced number ofclaims. Added to that is the impact of workbeing re-directed to businesses that havearrangements with insurance companiesand you have an industry in crisis.

Viability is at rock bottom, evenbusinesses that have plenty of work reportthat they are struggling to make a profit,particularly those businesses that areworking to an agreed average cost ofrepairs. They fear that they cannot invest intheir businesses, including training, updatingequipment and building upgrades becauseof the lack of return.

The Suncorp companies are nowbecoming major players in the WA industryand their pursuit of even lower repair costs

is forcing down costs, and the otherinsurance companies responded by simplypushing their repair prices even lower.

Of course the obvious response to thispressure is that repairers may be temptedto take short cuts. This should be a majorconcern to all industry participants andconsumers are the big losers, but may notbe aware of it, at least in the short term.

The consolidators also play a major rolein driving prices down with their veryaggressive quoting techniques. Because theytake a large percentage of the availablework the rest of the market is squabblingover the remnants that in turn lowersprices.

Although originally seen as a positivemove, the insurance companies’ insistenceon using the manufacturer’s methods ofrepair is costing more to repair vehicleswhich means more vehicles are beingwritten off. In some cases the industry viewis the extent of repair is not necessary.

The future is uncertain for many and in

recent times we have seen long establishedrepairers closing their businesses and sellingtheir properties that are worth far morethan the business. They could make a wisedecision and thus invest the windfall fortheir retirement.

Small repairers can downsize by cuttingtheir workforce but with a very low volumeeven those businesses will be unsustainable.Big operators need a huge amount ofenergy to cover their operating costs and itmay be these that are worst affected by thecurrent climate. For the moment they aretaking a positive approach and many areworking on becoming more efficient inorder to add to their bottom line.

Unfortunately this report is all gloomand doom, but the wheel will eventuallyturn. Hopefully the day will come when wesee a more equitable relationship betweenbody repairers and insurance companies.

Noelle SimmonsGeneral managerCar Craft Accident Repairs

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

AUSTRALIA AN INDUSTRY STRUGGLING

R E F I N I S H E RUTOMOTIVEAA

WHAT’S HOT?

The trusted name in body shop products just got better

HIGH DEFINITION

WAXJHB: 011 908 5446CT Tonie: 083 458 0699KZN Andre: 082 850 [email protected]

The trusted name in body shop products just got betterUTOMOTIVE 65

The body shop industry suffers from an anonymity complex,that is, unless, you have a direct connection with it, yourknowledge of what a body shop is or does probably rangesfrom the ‘the soap shop’ to non-existent.

The general marketing activities of the body shop sector have,historically, been minimal. Attracting work providers in order tosecure volume has typically been the aim. However, that has and ischanging.

Independent businesses, single site, multi-site and groupoperations, and networks all have good reason to make themselvesknown, for the right reasons, both to the trade and consumer sectoralike. And it is the consumer market that seemingly offers thegreatest opportunity, yet is arguably the toughest nut to crack.

So what’s out there for the body shop that wants to increase salesthrough marketing?

Retail work is a potentially lucrative, though still evolving market.Cost for the consumer is a huge obstacle in what can sometimes beseen as a vanity purchase. There are times in the customer car’slifecycle, when real work may be more viable, such as presale, but themajority of the time the value of having minor damage repairedneeds to outweigh the actual cost.

The customer base for retail is your local community and as such,the best form of marketing activity is becoming part of thatcommunity. This can be achieved through your staff, local events,local media and, increasingly, online, all offer the opportunity to gainvaluable exposure.

There are three things that any marketing campaign shouldconsider and get right for the best possible return on investment(ROI).

The most important part of your campaign is the message. If youwant ‘paid repair’ to be your big retail seller, that’s the message, setprices and make them clear through all of your activities. Thisincludes your website, email signatures, adverts, stands, leaflets,absolutely everywhere.

The next step, and almost as important, is professional design.

Apart from word of mouth and radio advertising, all forms ofmarketing will require some visual design work. Having a poorlydesigned advert on Microsoft Paint or Word is worse than having noadvert at all.

Good design is recognised as an important asset. Images anddesigns can be more important than the word on your marketingmaterials, so it’s well worth investing in eye-catching creative workwhich could be the difference between a customer noticing yourbusiness or not. Equally poor or inconsistent design can have theeffect of turning a customer away from your business.”

Designers create a visual concept for your brand and businessthat you can then use for a variety of mediums such as websites, printadverts or signage. Knowing how to resize an image for anappropriate location is a much simpler learning curve than masteringa complex design tool and doesn’t require the same raw creativetalent.

The final part of a good campaign is managing the responses,whether that is feedback, data or an influx of customers. Pre-planningshould determine what actions will be taken on the different types ofresponse you could receive – and by whom.

For example, if you’ve sent an email with a click-through buttonand collected data on who clicks, what will you do with that data?Who will process it? Who will contact them? When? The bestcampaigns in the world can fail at this final hurdle if nothing is donewith the information you were aiming to receive.

That’s the basics of a campaign. Obviously the content varieswidely person-to-person, company-to-company, but as a concept itwill rarely vary beyond those three requirements.

INDUSTRY NEWS

AN UPHILL STRUGGLE

MARKETING

With improved 50mm steel wall thickness and state-of-the-art colour matching fluorescent lighting andnew safety features in the stainless steel burner andheat exchangers. The SA Star Spraybooth alsoincorporates both front and side doors for easyentry at a very competitive price. The sprayboothmeets and exceeds health and safety standards.

CAL L HENRY BAS S ON ON 082 857 5772

New Control PanelTwin Door Access

Improved LightingBurner withautomatic flap

control

SLASH COSTS WITH THE SA STAR SPRAYBOOTH

SALES - SERVICE - FILTRATION

ZENITH EQUIPMENT INTRODUCES THE SA STAR SPRAYBOOTH

ZENITH EQUIPMENT INTRODUCES THE SA STAR SPRAYBOOTH

VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.zenithequipment.co.za



THE RING OF FIRE



Aluminium alloy has been used in various vehicles for many,many decades. Most of the sheet aluminium was sourcedfrom grades manufactured primarily for the aerospaceindustry, and typically were the less demanding/easier to

work grades developed during the 1920s. However, for those notfamiliar with panels pressed from sheet aluminium alloy the collisionrepair business reaction is the same the world over… Run!

There have been some excellent tales built up around thishumble material, some propagated by insurer financed researchcentres, who really have overstated the risks. Let’s delve into this abit more…

British IndustryThere are famous stories of the machine shop in Longbridge

where aluminium alloy gearbox cases were machined bursting intoflames – not rarely, but routinely. In the British way, the machineswere not upgraded significantly nor were the machines moved fromthe centre of the plant to aid access if a fire did break out. Almostlike a time warp, anyone seeing this in the early 1960s could re-visitin the 1980s and see exactly the same problem.

Westland Agusta in deepest Somerset machine very high-gradealuminium and magnesium alloy gearbox casings on site. Thefrequency of the swarf bin going up in smoke was less regular, butthe machines were placed close to the wall of the building and if thefire occurred, arms and flaps allowed the burning bin to be ejectedout of the building very quickly. How British is that?

So, aluminium alloy can catch fire – but as these examplesillustrate there is a huge gulf between the type of debris a collisionrepair shop will generate and the ribbons of waste material coveredin cutting fluid typically found in a machine shop.

Mind the ExplosionThere is a condition where fine particles of dust can build up in

pipe work – or even around the building – which if suddenlydisturbed and ignited produce a very rapid burn. Materials that can‘explode’ this way include flour, rubber granules, plastic dust…. andaluminium alloy dust. The US military conducted research into howsuch spontaneous combustions could occur, the size of the particlesand how they could be ignited.

The key findings for aluminium alloy boil down to this. If the dustparticle size is greater than 500μm, then the dust accumulation willnot be prone to spontaneous combustion. However, once the dustparticle size is below 420μm then the mechanism for spontaneouscombustion is:

lThe accumulated particles must become suddenly airborne (ie,the ducting is knocked or the building shakes).

lThe airborne dust must be concentrated into a kernel (ie, sothe airflow in the system is moving quite slowly).

lAn external source of energy (heat or static electricitydischarge).

lEnough oxygen to sustain combustion and….. bang!Aluminium dust particles bigger than 500μm will combust if

mixed with smaller particles. Indeed this combustion process willtake place even if the aluminium dust is mixed with steel particles.

The minimum requirements to prevent this mechanism are:lThe residual dust on the inside of the ducting should not

exceed 0.0405 g/litre.lThe extraction duct air speed should be at least 22.9 m/s.lThe ducting should be earthed to eliminate build-up of static

electricity charge. Some ducting hoses have a conductor built intothe side wall, so that the extraction system can measure the potentialbuild-up of static charge.

lThe entire duct length should be as short as possible, with theminimum number of bends – each bend slows down the extractionair speed and the resulting airflow turbulence can lead to dust pocketbuild-up.

lThe extraction system should only be used for aluminium panelwork – not mixed.

lSimilarly, an extraction system for steel grinds should not beused for aluminium panel work.

lThe collection bin for the dust should be located on the outsideof the building.

lThe extraction system air exhaust should be outside thebuilding.

lIf a fire should occur, then it should be treated with a drypowder extinguisher. In addition dry fine sand with particles smallerthan 200μm should be used to smother the fire, if possible.

Really? So far we have looked into the very real risk posed by bulkhandling of aluminium panels…. I worked at a company called AstonMartin Lagonda where we built cars with steel body structuresskinned in sheet aluminium alloy panels. The factory building the steelstructure and the aluminium skin panel area were side by side. Thebuilding was hyper ventilated (holes in the roof – we had buckets forwhen it rained. How British is that?) And there were dedicated dustextraction systems for the aluminium skin panel manufacturing. Thisarea built 200 complete cars per year – I know, tiny. Did AstonMartin Lagonda have a spontaneous combustion? Not in more thanthe six years I was there.

We need to look into the type of vehicles coming through thecollision repair shop. A very small number will be made almostexclusively from aluminium alloys, but most will have mostly steelstructures with bonnets/door skins/tailgate/boot lids occasionallymade from aluminium alloy. If we now think about those specificbolt-on assemblies, how much repair work will occur compared tofitting a new bolt-on assembly?

Then we need to consider housekeeping. Tools used to form orflat aluminium panels should be 100% dedicated to this task. Mixingthe materials the tools are exposed to will cause issues around paintquality. Similarly good efficient clearance of debris is important, as isseparating the ferrous and non-ferrous debris. One extreme is tocreate a room in which only aluminium panel repair is completed butas we shall see this approach has been rapidly overtaken by reality….quite simply most aluminium alloys do not have the ultimate strengthof higher strength steel alloys which means there are fewer andfewer exclusively aluminium alloy body structures in production.

Change, Change, ChangeModern mass production vehicle bodies used to be mostly made

from pressed steel alloys, with the number of different grades risingfrom around two to at least six over the past 15 years. Now we seea different trend, in which not only are bolt on assemblies made fromaluminium alloy but also structural areas too. We have seenmigration of this ‘hybrid’ construction spread rapidly down from theluxury segment into the upper end of the mass market segments….just take a look at the Mercedes-Benz C-class W205:

This hybrid construction alone saved 70kg weight from the barebody shell compared to the W204, and yet the W205 is larger! Inaddition, this architecture was introduced on the W222 S class, andis going to spread much further. In addition, mass market cars whichhave body shells presently made from steel alloys, are prepared

FUTURE TECH - by Andrew Marsh

Thanks to inte l l igent and innovat ive l ightweight construct ion, thea lumin ium hybr id body is around 70 kg l ighter than the convent ionalproduct that uses stee l components on ly .

ready for the switch over to selective aluminiumalloy panel fitment – typically in floor and roofpanels. Volkswagen Group gave this heads up in2012 at the time of the Golf VII introduction. Inthe mist of the MQB assembly modular kit, theunified internal combustion engine architecture,the prep for all combinations of powertrain –was the little diagram showing the steel alloyfloor panels substituted with aluminium alloyspanels. This has not seen the light of day, yet.…

Modern Aluminium Alloy SheetThere was a conundrum. Aerospace can

afford to access super strong aluminium alloybillets and machine skin panels from those billets,often over a period of several weeks percomponent. This is expensive and slow – andone error or defect will finish the part. That iswhy the aerospace industry is migrating partspreviously made from 6000 series or higheraluminium alloys to fibre-reinforced plastics.

The automotive industry needs to formpanels in multiple press tool strikes, with eachstrike taking no longer than around 90 seconds.The types of sheet aluminium alloys that willtolerate that can work harden during the process, but essentiallyremain softer than steel alloys of a similar thickness (so are muchstronger). The art of engineering in aluminium alloy is to takeadvantage of the lower density, and use slightly thicker sections toachieve the desired strength whilst still delivering a nett weight saving.

The dream was to use stronger grades of aluminium (5000 and6000 series) with two outer skins of softer aluminium alloy. Originallythis was achieved by laying ingots one on top of the other and thenrolling to achieve the desired overall material thickness along with thedesired sandwich construction. The process was highly skilled andprone to duff results – until Novelis developed a co-cast ingotprocess (dubbed ‘fusion’) that then lead to better results. How is thealuminium alloy core strength increased? By adding magnesium,which ordinarily sits in empty spaces within the aluminium alloymaterial structure. The key to the Novelis process was to be able toincrease the magnesium content with better integration.

This material is now widely used by many vehicle manufacturersfor many external aluminium alloy panels, where better dentresistance along with the desired weight saving has been achieved.One by-product is explained by JLR. It recommends that pressedreplacement aluminium alloy panels have no refinishing at all, so thatthe e-coat and the aluminium material is not compromised.

What? The magnesium alloy does not integrate with thealuminium alloy because of the way the materials oxidise at differentrates. During the refinishing process, if the e-coat is removed and theouter sandwich veneer is worn through, the core structure is thenexposed to the atmosphere. Magnesium held in the core structurewill then oxidise more readily than the surrounding aluminium, andthat may then lead to longer term paint issues. Nice.

JLR is the only vehicle manufacturer to admit this issue with thelatest generation of sandwich aluminium alloy panels, which isremarkable since this material has been deployed since 2010. JLR isnot the only vehicle manufacturer to use this material.

Some After-Market SuppliersWe have looked at the conditions required to cause a

spontaneous combustion of aluminium alloy dust. Some dustextraction specialists have attempted to come up with a device thatcan tolerate occasional accidental grinding of steel alloy. Oneexample is made by ProWoTech GmbH, as recommended by alarge motor maker.

This device is approved by TuV, has several medals, magnificentplumbing and can make the tea/coffee. The first 5m long section ofthe hose is an ‘Ohm’ rubber hose which has an earth line buried init to detect the onset of resistance change (hence the ‘Ohm’ name)

and hence the possible build-up of static electricity. The secondelement is a spark trap, to prevent the heavier steel alloy grinds fromgoing into the storage container and then a 5m long ‘settling section’of duct.

Hold on…. this is a mobile device. So if all of these wonderfulTuV approved features don’t work, one has a rather spontaneoussituation right next to the area of work! Oh dear.

The same motor maker has decided to upgrade the requiredaluminium dust extraction system on both machines that canaccommodate not only low levels of steel grinds but also CFRP too.But wait. CFRP is bonded into place, the damaged panel remains caneasily be removed by sweeping/vacuum cleaner, and the finishedpanel does not need any refinishing prep. So, where’s the peskysuper critical dust? Oh dear, No 2.

The End GameWe can see a migration from steel intensive or aluminium

intensive body shells to an increasingly optimised combination ofmaterials. The right material for the right job with manufacturingprocesses capable of assembling any combination of materials, and inany order. Still there is no single solution for any given engineeringchallenge, nor is there even a common approach to solutions fromany single vehicle manufacturer.

We can see sense is prevailing as collision repair refinishing supplycompanies try to simplify what could become a hopelessly overcomplex combination of products and systems, which has finally leadto the end of the ‘aluminium bay’. It is more important to understandthe following than to go out and buy lots of super kit:

lKeeping aluminium tools segregated from the rest of theworkshop equipment.

lTaking care to extract aluminium alloy dust during therefinishing process.

lMaking sure that prep of steel and aluminium parts is completedwhere ever possible with separate air extraction systems.

lOne does not need an ‘aluminium bay’.Alternatively one could go and buy lots of kit and wait patiently

for the return on investment. Which may not happen.

Auto Industry Consulting is an independent provider oftechnical information to the global co llision repair industry. Productsinclude EziMethods, our online co llision repair methods system andAuto Industry Insider, our co llision repair industry technicalinformation website. For more information please visit the websites:www.ezimethods.com and www.auto industryinsider.com or contactben.cardy@auto industryconsulting.com



www.autoindustryinsider.com

The wi ld card. F ibre re in forced p last ics ( inc luding carbon f ibre) w i l l appear in se lectedload carry ing pos i t ions on body shel ls in the near future. The second generat ion AudiR8 has an a lumin ium a l loy intens ive body structure, and yet i t has a CFRP rear bu lkhead.

One of the most common questions the technicians at Presta are asked by automotivepainters is how to get rid of swirl marks. The following are my recommendations forsuccessfully eliminating swirl marks, even on dark coloured paint.

If you follow these steps you will get the best possible finish from your fresh clear coat. YES,even on dark colours! The five most important things in preventing swirl marks when buffing are:

l Tip 1: Always buff clean. Clean your pad often. Use a spur if you are using a wool pad ora brush if you are using a foam pad.

• Keep the pad surface as clean as possible. Avoid any foreign contaminants.• When you’re done sanding make sure to clean off the sanding dust that has been left behind.

A good way to do this is with a microfibre towel and Presta’s Spray ‘N Shine. This prevents paintdefects caused by dirt scratching the painted surface as you buff.

l Tip 2: Always buff flat. Buffing on the edge will usually create a swirl mark. At times, youmay find a troublesome spot that you need to buff on the edge. Try not to come up on too muchof an angle and then run over that area again with the pad flat.

l Tip 3: Always buff wet.. If your pad runs dry you are more than likely creating swirl markswith the friction of the pad. Presta products are water based so just a quick mist of water orPresta’s Spray ‘N Shine will lubricate the pad and extend the use of the Presta buffing product.

l Tip 4: Always buff in a cross cut pattern. Make vertical passes covering each pass 50% andthen do the same for horizontal passes making each pass cover 50% of the last and this will helpeliminate swirl marks as it ensures the product has a chance to work on the entire surface area.

l Tip 5: Always follow manufacturer’s recommendations. Follow manufacturer’srecommendations on RPMs as well as moving the buffer across the area at the right speed (nottoo fast, not too slow) so that the product can work.

One Final Tip: If you have a troublesome finish and still see some slight swirl imperfection inyour paint- Presta suggests applying polish again but this time with a wax applicator pad in straightlines from front to back and then remove it with a microfibre towel.

Presta’s Spray ‘N Shine removes fingerprints and dirt and leaves an attractive shine on any non-porous, painted surface with this easy-to-use appearance enhancer. It also works great as alubricant with overspray clay or during buffing when the compound, polish or pad gets too dry.

Available from Bulldog Abrasives – contact them on +27 (0)11 786 5991 [email protected].

TECHNICAL TIPS

BEST FINISH ON FRESH CLEAR COAT ANDDARK COLOURS; REMOVING SWIRL MARKSWITH PRESTA



POLISH FOCUS

Tip 2: Buff flat Tip 3: Buff wet

Tip 4: Buff in a cross cut pattern Tip 5: Always follow manufacturer’s recommendations

Tip 1: Buff clean

Valspar Automotive, manufacturer of brands includingDeBeer Refinish, Octoral and Valspar Industrial Mix, hasopened a new research & development (R&D) laboratoryin Lelystad, The Netherlands. Alongside a doubling of

capacity, three extra test rooms have been created. The laboratorywas opened by Dr Cynthia Arnold, chief technical officer (CTO) ofValspar. The new R&D lab fits seamlessly within ValsparAutomotive’s global growth ambitions.

The new R&D lab consists of a large chemical laboratory andvarious test rooms. All rooms are equipped with the latest climatecontrol systems so that all tests can take place under standardisedconditions. In order to be able to assure colour accuracy, the R&Dlaboratory has been fitted with daylight systems.

InnovationsIn the laboratory, R&D specialists develop new solutions, which

are then intensively tested in the test rooms. Special test equipmentmeasures the levels of weather-proofing, adhesion, gloss retentionand mechanical load of coatings. Valspar is planning numerousinnovations for the coming years. Thanks to the expansion andprofessionalisation of the R&D laboratory, these can be developedat an accelerated rate.

About Valspar AutomotiveValspar Automotive in Lelystad (NL) is a subsidiary of the stock

market-listed Valspar Corporation (USA), one of the world’s largestmanufacturers of coatings. Alongside the DeBeer Refinish andOctoral mixing colour systems, Valspar Automotive also producesand distributes a paste binder system for light industrial applications:Valspar Industrial Mix. Valspar products guarantee quality, colourtechnology and a high delivery reliability.

The colour of the De Beer Refinish 8-145 HS Surfacer Greywill be adjusted to Mid Grey (GS907). This will allow thepainter to use this product instead of an undercoat in mostcases, immediately, without first having to mix towards grey.

This will save time and effort. All other product properties and the article number will remain

the same.Benefits of DeBeer Refinish 8-145 HS Surfacer Grey: l Suitable for sanding and non-sandingl Better basecoat or topcoat coveragel In most cases no need for an undercoatl Perfectly geared to the De Beer Refinish mixing colour systems.

Benefits of Grey ShadesGS907 Mid Grey is the most commonly used grey shade. After this

surfacer, the painter can immediately apply the basecoat or topcoat,saving one step in the application process.

The use of grey shades will improve the coverage of the basecoator topcoat. The painter will need to apply fewer colour coats toobtain the perfect colour match, boosting speed, productivity andprofitability.

For more information about De Beer Refinish products email themon [email protected] or call them on +27 (0)78 782 9618.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATE

NEW R&D LAB FOR DEBEERREFINISH EQUATES TOEVEN MORE INNOVATION

DEBEER REFINISH GREY HS SURFACER FOR MORE PRODUCTIVITY



RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

WHAT’S HOT?

From left to right: Dr Cynthia Arnold, chief technical officer (CTO); Simon Flink, R&Dmanager EMEA; and Peter Maassen van den Brink, technical director, global, wereall seen at the festive opening in Lelystad, the Netherlands.

Tel: (011) 952 1552 email: [email protected] COWLEY AUTOMOTIVE & INDUSTRIAL COATINGS (PTY) LTD

Rodcraft is launching the new Rodcraft DMS series, a brandnew range of torque wrenches for general mechanics, tyrechanging and maintenance applications With a 54 teeth fixedpear ratchet head, the Rodcraft DMS series is designed for

high and long-lasting accuracy, at 4% according to the EN ISO6789:2003 standard and up to 25 000 cycles.

Available from a quarter inch to 1 inch, the Rodcraft DMS torquewrenches series is ideal for general mechanics and MRO applications.Users will appreciate the ergonomic of torque adjustment withmanual locking in front of the handle and the fine scale graduation(1 Nm or 1 ft. lbs) of the Rodcraft torque wrenches range.

Many additional user-friendly features are included such as:l Lightweight yet robust aluminium handle resistant to common

chemicals in workshops.l Sensitive and sound signals when reaching the torque.l Reliability of the mechanism up to 25 000 cycles l A protective blow moulded case in which it’s suppliedl All wrenches are numberedFor easy tool tracking and better safety, each Rodcraft torque

wrench is numbered and provided with its ISO 6789 calibrationcertificate.

Contact them on +27 (0)11 786 5991 or [email protected] for more information.

LOCAL UPDATE

RODCRAFT’S NEW DMS SERIESOF TORQUE WRENCHES



WHAT’S HOT?

DMS030 DMS060

DMS400 DMS1000

The Citroën C4 Cactus was firstseen as a concept in 2007 inFrankfurt, launched officially lastyear in Geneva and is now available

in South Africa. Citroën as a brand arelooking to be unique and different in drivingand owning one of their vehicles. They aretrying to harness the feel good factor andthe Citroën C4 Cactus certainly ticks theseboxes.

The design of the Cactus is simplybrilliant inside and out. It’s the furthest thingfrom dull in appearance as well as in driverexperience. What makes it so different?From the outside the first thing you willnotice are the Airbumps. These are made ofthermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and holdsmall air-filled pockets that absorb smallimpacts. Goodbye shopping trolley dings.

They are fitted in black as standard, butcan be optionally ordered in differentcolours, including grey, dune (a dusky pink)and chocolate, so you can truly personaliseyour car to your taste and make it a muchmore personal experience.

Another first are the magic wash wiperblades. These dispense water through thewindscreen wipers onto the windscreen

making sure for a spotless finish and nowater wastage either. This new sleek SUVcrossover has all the right curves with somechunky add-ons that make for greatconversation starters.

Inside the vehicle the interesting designhasn’t been spared and neither have drivercomfort and ergonomics. At the entry level,the 1,2-litre PureTech unit has a maximumpower output rating of 60kW, and a 118Nmtorque peak, while achieving a combinedcycle fuel consumption figure of just 4,6litres/100km. The CO2 exhaust emissionscome to just 107g/km. This engine is onlyavailable on the entry-level C4 Cactus Feelmodel.

The more powerful 1,2-litre PureTechTurbo e-THP engine features turbochargingto boost output to 81kW and 205Nm oftorque. The result is swifter performance,but not at the cost of fuel efficiency:consumption remains impressive at just 4,7litres/100km for the combined cycle, linkedto an identical CO2 emissions rating of107g/km.

The 1.2 PureTech Turbo e-THP unit canbe specified in conjunction with both theFeel and the Shine equipment levels, while a

five-speed manual gearbox driving the frontwheels is standard across the range.

The whole car has seen a 200kg drop inweight, partially due to this new lighterengine, as well as modifications in the bodymake up of various high strength steels. It ismade on the same platform as the DS3,some more money saving for the PSA group.

Another innovation is the airbag in theroof of the passenger side, which has beenmoved to give more legroom and storagespace in the cubby hole. The door handlesinside are a statement too as well as thecentral 7-inch touch screen control panelthat allows easy access to all of the car’sfunctions. It takes a little getting used to, butthe good news is, is that we figured it outwithout the help of a teenager or getting adegree in technology!

Love it or hate it, the new Citroën C4Cactus – which will replace the C4 in SouthAfrica – is certainly innovative and loads offun to look at and drive. If you give themnotification on their website, they willarrange a test drive for you – and they willbring the car to you. All part of the “Wecome to you” campaign – another “out thebox” initiative from PSA.

DRIVEN CITROËN C4 CACTUS



by ClaireMacfie



The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team –winner of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Constructors’Championship – has renewed its agreement with SpiesHecker for another two years. The global refinish brand will

continue to provide the team with its highly innovative paintsolutions and paint mixing equipment as well as full product trainingand on-site technical support.

The team launched the 2015 race car, the Mercedes-Benz F1W06 Hybrid, on February 1, 2015. The unveiling of the car revealedthe new livery, which uses the brilliant aluminium-effect silver createdespecially for the team by Spies Hecker at the start of theirrelationship.

“This year will mark the third anniversary of supplying the award-winning MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team withour products,” says Anthony Cashel, marketing manager for AxaltaCoating Systems in the UK and Ireland. “This relationshipunderscores how much it appreciates Spies Hecker’s innovative painttechnology, including products like Permahyd Hi-TEC, whichcontinues to meet the demanding needs of the racing arena.”

Andrew Moody, head of paint and graphics at MERCEDES AMGPETRONAS Formula One Team, says, “Spies Hecker has deliveredeverything we need, from experienced technicians to first-classcolour matching, with the Permahyd Hi-TEC system, so it madecomplete sense to continue our partnership. Speed and efficiency areof the utmost importance in Formula One, and to Spies Hecker, andthanks to fast re-sprays, the cars are back on track as quickly aspossible.”

Cashel concludes, “we wish The MERCEDES AMG PETRONASFormula One Team every luck for the 2015 season and look forwardto supporting them every step of the way.”

In addition to the race cars, the entire fleet of Mercedes-BenzActros trucks, used to transport the team to the Grand Prix venues,the team’s garage equipment and hospitality systems, have all beencoated with Spies Hecker paint.

Permahyd Hi-TEC, recently launched in the South Africanrefinishing market, simplifies vehicle refinishing and boosts workshopefficiency. The outstanding properties of the new system boasts easyapplication, excellent colour reproducibility and simple blending-inabilities.

At the heart of the Hi-TEC waterborne paint system is aninnovative hybrid technology that combines the positivecharacteristics of different resin technologies. Thanks to the highpigmentation of our mixing colours, a very high opacity is achieved.The base coat system is distinguished by its simple mixing andapplication. When used with Permahyd Hardener 3080, the systemis also perfect for interior and multi-stage paintwork. This means thesystem is perfectly geared to cater for the growing diversity ofcolours and effects on the automotive production line, and is whatHi-TEC stands for.

Not only is it very easy to mix colours “ready for use” from thesystem but our tests also prove that Hi-TEC offers incrediblecoverage and drying times when compared to other oppositionproducts. Another benefit is the ability to sand and repair thebasecoat minutes after application. Any refinisher using thePermahyd Hi-TEC 480 system will without a doubt improveworkshop processes and refinishing paint applications.

About Spies HeckerSpies Hecker develops optimum and practical paint system

solutions that can make bodyshop work easier and more efficient.With more than 130 years of success behind it, Spies Hecker’s high-quality product systems, customised service and targeted trainingdemonstrate its partnership with the refinish industry.

Based in Cologne, Germany, it is one of the world’s leadingvehicle refinish brands, and is available in over 76 countriesworldwide.

Spies Hecker – simply closer!

INDUSTRY NEWS

THE MERCEDES AMGPETRONAS FORMULA ONETEAM RENEWS SPIES HECKERAGREEMENT

WHAT’S HOT?

THE ‘RIVTILE’A 1972 BUICK RIVIERAPROJECT



R-M CARIZZMA

Jürgen Book has a major position at the BASF Group and currently spends much of his timedeveloping new projects. One of these was to oversee the development of his own BuickRiviera car. It underwent the full treatment of custom painting with the R-M water basedCarizzma system and sports an amazing snake skin universal green exotic paint job. The car has a mix of both transparent candy shades of green and gold in styling elements to

the overall theme of the vehicle mixed into the excellent paint work. Green Carizzma effectpowder with copper gold fleck and ice crystals all covered in waterborne candy green give anoverall depth to replicate a unique 3D effect of real life snake skin.

The entire car, with its pinstriping and real gold inlays, delivers the largest bling effect possible.The seats, steering wheel, rubber bumper stripes and the boot all appear to have Boa Constrictorskin covering them. A no expense approach to the final custom look also included the use of some5 000 Swarovski crystals in the front grille and chopped off front bumper, lowered suspension andsnakehead door knobs. Over seven specialists were used for the interior, engine parts assembly,bodywork and the front grille. These companies assisted Book in achieving the most unbelievablelooking Buick Riviera ever.

It is a showstopper wherever it goes. The project took a full seven years to finish and has nowbeen seen from Essen in Germany to the Sema Show in Las Vegas and took King of the StreetAward at Essen. The end result for both Book and the Carizzma R-M custom team, is an absolutelyunique premium show car on the global stage.

Jurgen Book with personal friend Chip Foose

THE ‘RIVTILE’A 1972 BUICK RIVIERAPROJECT

Tel: 011 872 1217 RSB AutoGroup, Joshua Doore Building, 4 Andries Street South, Wynberg, JHB



Kovax, the undisputed number one abrasive brand in Asia andfastest growing in Europe, has expanded their premium, yet supercost effective abrasives range with a new addition called TRI-PRO.Taking Europe by storm, the range includes 152 mm discs with 15holes and is specifically targeting the more cost conscious marketsand body shops, while still ensuring premium quality andperformance. Thus the acronym TRI-PRO, which stands for“PROfessional and PROfit in perfect PROportion”. TRI-PRO issuitable for the entire sanding process up to the application of basecoat.

Kovax is distributed by Keizin Automotive (Pty) Ltd. Seeing isbelieving - call them today for a no obligation demonstration onhow Kovax can save your refinish business time whilesimultaneously giving you the edge on abrasive costs. See more atwww.keizin.co.za or call on 0861 CARGUY [227489].

The Anest Iwata airbrush range has been chosen by some of thetop and renowned artists in the world as it is in line with the qualitythey are expecting from this brand.

Anest Iwata products are designed and manufactured to the higheststandards without compromise and each air brush series has a distinctadvantage for different types of applications.

Call them on +27 (0)11 463 2169 to find out more about their airbrush ranges.

KOVAXTRI-PRO

ANEST IWATAAIRBRUSH RANGE COMING SOON

Chief’s F.A.S.T. Anchoring System isolates the vehicle frame from its suspension, making repair diagnosis simple. It helps you cope with bigtasks such as trucks, SUVs and full-frame cars quickly and easily, reducing the time it takes to pull and measure your jobs. The system is technician-friendly - easy to set up and simple to understand. Once a vehicle is anchored with F.A.S.T., technicians only have to level it to go to work. Thefast set up time results in increased productivity. Chief’s F.A.S.T. Anchoring System mounts to Chief’s patented Universal Anchoring Stands orto Universal Measuring System Pinchweld Stands.

Chief’s F.A.S.T. Anchoring system is available from Y.E.S. – Your Equipment Supplier! Contact Tommy du Plessis on 073 163 0882, Darrelvan der Kolff on 083 926 7101 or Alex van Haute on 079 536 4574 for more information on this product as well as the rest of the productsthat they have on offer.

CHIEF’S F.A.S.T. ANCHORING SYSTEMGET THE JOB DONE WITH LIGHTNING SPEED

NEW PRODUCTS



The new strong flexible black NitrileGloves have a textured finish for bettergrip and come in M, L, or XL sizes. Theyare especially suitable for working withsolvents and paints lined with powdersilicone and have longer sleeves to helpprevent skin irritation for extra safetyprotection.

Easy 2 Check is the quickest andeasiest check during sanding and paintpreparation. The new and uniqueproduct is used to check the sandingprocess on any flaws and to comparewhether the colour of your spray samplefor final top coats is okay.

For more information on theseproducts, and so much more, visitwww.marounsgroup.co.za to find yourlocal distributor.

THE MAROUN’S GROUPNITRILE GLOVES & EASY 2 CHECK

Introducing an excellent surface cleaning product from your leader in quality automotiveproducts. The pro-quality, clay style, polymer surface cleaner helps remove contaminantswithout the use of chemicals and lasts far longer than traditional clay bars. Afterdecontamination, use the soft absorbent microfibre on the reverse side of the glove for easyrinsing.

l Dimensions: 220 x 150mml Material: Clay Polymer with Blue Microfibre reversel Bulldog Part number: CMFINFor more information contact the Bulldog sales team on +27 (0) 11 786-5991 or

alternatively email them on [email protected].

BULLDOG’S NEW CLAY GLOVEFOR EXCELLENT SURFACE CLEANING

Karocle is the brand name of the automotiverefinishing paint produced by Samhwa Paints anddistributed throughout Southern Africa by Auto Korea,located in Edenvale, Gauteng, South Africa.

They have a full range of basics like this high qualityclearcoat and fast hardener. They also come with a fulllifetime warranty.

Contact Mike at Auto Korea on +27 (0)11 452 3785.

KAROCLENEW AUTO PAINT IN SA



Lint-free surface cleaning wipes - ideal for final prepbefore painting. Made from the latest high-technologyfibres, the Cumi KleenTM surface cleaning wipes are agreat way to ensure a clean paint/primer surface prior toovercoating. Ideal for all pre-paining solvent wipeoperation, Cumi KleenTM wipes are pre-cut to avoidwastage.

Call Mix and Match on +27 (0)31 465 4511/1078 orvisit www.mixandmatch.co.za for more on this newproduct.

Roberlo is a family run company that specialises in thedevelopment and manufacture of paint and repair solutionsfor both automotive refinish and industrial business.

They operate in over 100 international markets and arebecoming a top European manufacturer of chemicalproducts such as lightweight body fillers, primers, colourconcepts and industrial coatings.

For more information on the brands products visitRoberlo at www.roberlo.com or contact the sole importerfor Southern Africa, Q-Brands on +27 (0)11 440 2714 orvisit www.qbrandssa.com

MIX AND MATCHCUMI KLEENTM WIPES

Q-BRANDSINTRODUCE ROBERLO

Aykom oil injected air screw compressors are equipped with a screw unit insteadof pistons. Air is compressed by two rotating rotors between two lobes towards theoutlet. Oil injected screw units which consist of a rotor with asymmetric helicalprofile, bearings and housing are manufactured by state of the art technology toprovide maximum performance.

Y.E.S. – Your Equipment Supplier is the sole distributor of Aydin Compressors inSub-Saharan Africa. Contact Tommy du Plessis on 073 163 0882, Darrel van derKolff on 083 926 7101 or Alex van Haute on 079 536 4574 for more informationon this product as well as the rest of the products that they have on offer.

AYKOM AIR SCREW COMPRESSORSMAXIMUM PERFORMANCE FROM Y.E.S.

NEW PRODUCTS

Kapci Coatings; Tel: +27 (0)11 834 1252

WORLDSKILLSCOMPETITION2015

Supporters of this year’s SA round of WorldSkills were, RMI andthe Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC), which wereboth platinum sponsors, BASF and Gondolier, which were goldsponsors and Aer-O-Cure and Sabona, which were silver sponsorsand Imperial, 3M, Leaderquip, Nissan and Volvo, which were bronzesponsors.

Held over three full days the spraypainting competition sawexperts overseeing panel preparation, body spraying and designwhere the contestants had to produce a replica of the full Brazilianflag with base coat clear plus polish for their final finished work thisyear.

It was the turn of SAA technical candidate Rabelani Malema tobecome the overall winner, who was ecstatic about the trip to theWorldSkills competition to represent South Africa.

Body shop contestant Bongani Nkosi, an apprentice at Auto BodySpecialists, and Thabiso Mohale, an apprentice at Dent DoctorRandburg, also had to weld and straighten a full car body. They areboth part of the NF Apprentices programme.

Nissan had generously donated panels for the competition andCar-O-Liner and Celette were sponsors for the car benches that theprospective winners worked on. Aerocure further assisted withupdated training on Mig Brazing and other new joining techniques.

The final result went to Thabiso Mohale who was awarded theoverall winner’s certificate. ABS Auto Body were the expert judgeson this hard fought category in the competition.

The finalists in this years WorldSkills competition 2015 cameunder the full spotlight at this year’s Automechanika SA inJohannesburg. It was the final shootout for the globalcompetition which will be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil later this

year. First there were regional events and then semi-finals which took

place over three days at the 2014 SA Automotive Week when twofinalists were selected for each discipline. These finalists thencompeted against each other for three days at Automechanika,Johannesburg before the various category winners were announced.

“This format ensures that the winners will have proved they areable to handle pressure over several days, which is very important ifone wants to do well in Sao Paulo,” explained the person ultimatelyresponsible for SA’s participation in the three automotive disciplinesat WorldSkills, Marwaan Davids, the RMI’s national taining directorwho is also responsible for Organisational Development andTransformation.

The finalists from each trade did battle at AutomechanikaJohannesburg. They were; car painting: Ntebaleng Seema andRabelani Malema, auto body repair: Bongani Nkosi and ThabisoMohale and automotive technology (motor mechanics): Willie Neland Jason dos Santo Maraou.

Committee and mentors were involved with each of thecategories to ensure the finalists were not only well-prepared for thefinal, but also for the WorldSkills Competition itself.

R E F I N I S H E RUTOMOTIVEAAUTOMOTIVE84

The finalists in all categories were put throughtheir paces to make sure that they could allperform well under pressure, just as it isexpected to do at the WorldSkills competition.

Stuart Parmenter (left), key expert in the spray painting competition is seenwith Ntabaleng Seema, a finalist in the spray painting division and AlexLenaerts, from Aer-O-Cure, who were key sponsors with their equipment.

Andries Bekker (centre) was on hand to give instruction on the markingprocedure and other areas too.

WORLDSKILLSCOMPETITION2015

WHAT’S HOT? JOBS, EQUIPMENT, SERVICES AND MUCH MORE

85

DENT PRO-PORTABLE DENT PULLER

Call us on 076 142 7263082 452 6631

www.panelprotech.co.za

QUICK START

tel: +27 (0)860 772 652 l email: [email protected] l www.spanjaard.biz

Special Lubricants and Allied Chemical Products

Gives instant starting security in cold and dampweather to petrol, diesel and paraffin engines -

NEVER BE WITHOUT IT.

After years of just muddling along,the Boss had been struggling tocontain his energy to become oneof the town’s very best body

repair centres. The truth was that thecurrent workshop was basically just a dumpto visit for any reluctant crashee. He haddevised a big spending programme toovercome the lacklustre appearance of thehideous dark blue walls and formica desks ina process of transformation into a muchmore user-friendly functional operation.

The almost young and trendy new lookwas awaiting one final touch - the painting ofthe workshop floor. This was a job given tohis faithful buck-toothed shop foreman,Amos and his mate Chicks. After a period offastidious cleaning and the selection of thepale biscuit beige epoxy paint, they alllooked set to get the work done oneSaturday morning.

The Boss, who by now had become fairlyanal retentive about the shop’s new look,personally mixed the paint properly and sentthem to both corners of the shop forpainting to begin. His view from the eagle’snest was all encompassing so he could keepan eye out for progress as the morning drewon. His view on staff was a bit on the harshside. He spent most of the week normallyshouting at all and sundry in the work force.This was the way things were done at

Bumperstop Panelbeaters. It wasn’t long before his head was stuck

into the fishing magazine that had landed onhis desk - Carp Weekly. This was anotherhobby gone mad, with the office walls linedfull of some luckless marlin and tuna fishcaught with his pristine wahoo fishing boatoff the north coast of Kwazulu Natal.

While the pair of workers twisted likeTrojans with the doors all closed, Neels wasa million miles away looking at a fish facewith a hook in it.

The toxicity of the floor paint plusthinners gives off a very strong aromaticsmell and for a while the rollers and trays ofthe application team was at a high rate ofproduction. It was only the last leg of trestlesand overhead painting that seemed to grindto a slower pace. So slow in fact that theBoss saw that the pair had barely moved onthe final strip of paint work on the floor forover 20 minutes. His curiosity got the betterof him and he went downstairs to investigatehis two trusted souls.

They were to be seen going through themotions suspended on an old ladder andtwo tins on a trestle working away, but notdipping their rollers in the tray. Theircommon sense had reached vanishing point.The paint fumes had made them totallygoofed up in some sort of distant trance.The core problem of the non-productivity

was that they were now incapable of doingthe workshop floor any further in such asmiley state.

Quick as a flash Neels broke open thefront doors and dragged them both limp andlooking like wet dishcloths onto the frontlawn after their strange hallucinogenicdeparture on reality. It took a couple ofhours and loads of hot drinks plus a goodserving of slap chips to restore them back tonormality, during which they yapped onabout the most insane stuff.

The Boss eventually barked that the paintwould go hard unless they carried onworking and that the job would be finishedin no time if they managed to dip the paintroller in the tray and finish the job. Then theycould knock off and watch the local soccerderby of the day. With that the final blast offto finish the job was underway.

Apart from his spotted dog leaving a fewpaw prints at the open door, the job was agood one and the reluctant labourcontingent got paid out in cash for a job halfremembered and well done. As for Neels,he learnt to supply a facemask after thatburst of bringing back sanity to the trustedteam with cups of tea on the front lawn.

It’s also best to leave the front door openwhen painting with a two-pack floor coatingto avoid unintentional worker trips to theedge of insanity.



AFRICAN PANORAMA - SNIFTERS by Ian Groat

automotive refinisher may-june 2015

Documents