The Cologne Training Centre of refinish paint brand Spies Hecker is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The purpose built Centre, next to the brand HQ, was opened in 2007 and every year up to 4,000 visitors from around the world attend events and practical refinish seminars at the facility.

Spies Hecker has been based in Cologne, Germany, for more than 135 years and started its first international Training Centre in 1981. When planning the current facility, Spies Hecker’s aim was to reinforce its close partnerships with bodyshops and to continue to improve the technical refinish knowledge of its customers. To achieve this, the 1,600m2 technical area was fitted out with cutting edge bodyshop equipment that has been continuously updated and improved to stay ahead of industry demands.

A similar amount of space was devoted to classrooms and offices. All common bodyshop scenarios can be replicated in the training area devoted to practical skills. Specially developed training courses cover the entire range of refinish skills needed for paint repairs to passenger cars and to commercial vehicles, as well as industrial paint jobs. Training, seminars and international conferences with customers and sales partners take place in the Cologne Training Centre on over 200 days a year.

Joachim Hinz, Spies Hecker Brand Manager says, “We design our training courses so they are solutions-oriented. We also ensure they take into account the specific needs of the participants, so that they can really benefit from it in their everyday work. We welcome refinishers and bodyshop owners from all over the world and convey not only practical know-how but also a bit of the Cologne lifestyle in a relaxed atmosphere.”

Evgeny Khmelev, Spies Hecker Training Leader adds, “Digital colour matching is of increasing importance in our training and we show how to use ColorDialog and ColorDialog Delta-Scan spectrophotometers and our web-based colour software Phoenix to identify and to match colours quickly and accurately.”

With its pioneering training concept, the Cologne Training Centre provides the blueprint for the brand’s refinish seminars in other countries. Around the world, Spies Hecker customers can use a total of 50 training centres to develop their skills. In order to offer customers the same high standard at all training centres, Spies Hecker works with a Train the Trainer principle. International trainers are regularly schooled in Cologne so they can share their newly acquired know-how about products, paint application and colours with customers in other countries.

For Ireland and the UK, the Axalta Training Academy is based in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. It offers refinishers a comprehensive range of one- and two-day courses including Hi-TEC Performance, ColorDialog, Three-Stage Finishes and Speed Repair. It also offers IMI assessments. To find out more or to book a training course, please visit www.spieshecker.co.uk/training.