Refinish paint company, Spies Hecker, has issued some useful advice to bodyshops on how its specialist products can help them to reap the benefits of plastic repair over parts replacement.

The company says a minor accident today doesn’t automatically mean that damaged plastic parts have to be replaced. With the right refinishing products, applied correctly, successful coated plastic repairs are possible. Spies Hecker has a number of products, including primers, additives and clear coats, that can help refinishers achieve effective and successful plastic paint repairs. The brand has also come up with some fundamental rules that can help make the process easy and straightforward.

Kevin Welling, Training Academy Manager for Axalta Coatings Systems in Ireland and the UK, explains, “Painting plastics need not be something refinishers worry about, provided certain basic criteria are observed. An accurate initial assessment is one of the most important aspects of attaining a great final result.”

At the outset of a plastic repair, a detailed inspection is required to ascertain whether the part is old or new, or if it has been painted, primed, or is untreated. Refinishers should also determine if the plastic part has been damaged or repaired previously or if it is resistant to solvents. Kevin says, “Lack of knowledge of plastic parts poses the biggest threat to achieving a good result, so care must be taken to avoid mistakes when refinishing them.”

Spies Hecker recommends thorough cleaning after inspection using an anti-static degreaser such as Permaloid 7010 Silicone Remover. This step can eradicate non-water soluble contaminants as well as remove small amounts of grease and oil. Permaloid 7010 Silicone Remover can be used on most automotive exterior plastic parts and it helps to prevent the plastic from attracting dust particles that can impair the final finish.

Once clean the part can be refinished using the Spies Hecker products. However, Kevin says refinishers need to aware of potential for complications. He points out, “When trim parts are coated in a different colour, which is often the case with older cars or with customised parts, product selection can be quite a challenge. Spies Hecker offers refinishers a full range of colour tools for precise colour matching , ColorDialog and ColorDialog Delta-Scan spectrophotometers, CRplus software, and the Color Index swatch system, as well as an online formula search. We believe that with the plastic repair products we offer, refinishers can undertake plastic repairs, regardless of the condition, age, colour or type of plastic to be painted, confident in the knowledge that we’ve got them covered.”