AkzoNobel is looking to raise the bar in the refinishing industry this year with the introduction of several new products that can boost efficiency and improve finish quality. These include, the launch of Autowave MM 2.0 as well as recent innovative product introductions, such as Autosurfacer UV and Autoclear LV Superior.

Central to the growth plans for the company is Jon Amor, AkzoNobel’s VR Premium Sales Manager for Ireland and the UK. He says “Advances in paint technology and process improvements will become ever more important to the industry and we are using our global strength to deliver new Sikkens and Lesonal products, helping  bodyshops deliver quality back to their customers easier and faster than before. The industry is going through a tough time and its essential we do all we can to help bodyshops adapt and drive their businesses forward.”

To this end, April sees the launch of Autowave MM 2.0, a new range of Sikkens waterborne metallic toners and advanced binders. Jon says, “Autowave MM 2.0 is more than just an upgrade to Sikken’s current Autowave toners, it is a major breakthrough in binder and pigment technology delivering a step change in process performance.” Jon explains that the new product has been developed in response to customer’s need to deliver consistently better results, more quickly with lower overall repair costs. He says
Autowave MM 2.0 delivers significant improvements in performance because of new binders and metallic components. Jon also points out that Autowave MM 2.0 has excellent colour performance and a range of advanced colour tools to produce a perfect colour match every time.

Another major plus point of Autowave MM 2.0 is its speed of application. Jon says, “In our literature  we refer to ‘the race being on’ because Autowave MM 2.0 is such a game changing product in the vehicle refinishing world we thought we would add a little on-track adrenaline to its rollout. So, we have joined with McLaren and its co-sponsors, Mobil 1, to offer a virtual online racing experience called ‘Play&Spray’.”

‘Play&Spray’ is a version of a popular online racing game already played by 11 million fans worldwide. Players are invited to paint racing cars in their favourite Autowave MM 2.0 colour and compete in the race online. The overall winner will be given the opportunity to visit the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking and showcase their skills with Sikkens products.

While ‘Play&Spray’ may be the fun aspect of the product, Autowave MM 2.0 also has a serious message when it comes to profitability according to Jon. He says “Compared to the existing Autowave basecoat, tests have indicated that the new technology’s shortened flash-off time reduces process times by up to 17% in a typical day, which is on average a 12 minute reduction per booth cycle per vehicle. Plus, energy cost savings of nearly 20% can be achieved.”

You can find out more about Sikkens products and details of how to play ‘Play&Spray’ at www.sikkensvr.com