Octoral have a wealth of research and development behind their products. Under the spotlight are two clears that need little or no energy to cure, which will help with keep costs lower and throughput higher.

Auto Body Specialists (ABS) were awarded the BMW Body Shop of the Year Award for 2022. Inside their office is a “Wall of Excellence” featuring countless trophies awards from across the collision repair industry. There is no doubt that the team at ABS take quality workmanship and customer experience strive to be the best-of-the-best.

C3 Auto Body Repair are able to assist with accredited trade testing and training services for Automotive Spray Painting and Autobody Repairs. They are located in Bloemfontein and are able to help with arranging accommodation and transport during testing.

What can we expect in the collision repair industry this year? Take a look at what Steve Kessel, Operations Director at the Collision Repair Association (CRA) has to say about the great things achieved with CRA members and possibly headwinds heading our way.

City Paint and Abrasives relaunched their Brackenfell store in the Western Cape to offer a full retail experience for their customers. Qualified staff are present on the shop floor to assist with queries and you can wait for your mixed colours in comfort or shop a little in the meantime.

Celette SA have been converting spraybooths at a rapid pace in KZN this year. Overall costs drop by approximately 30% when you install the direct gas burner heat exchanger on a booth. Celette SA offer a range of jigs, tools, infra-red and welding equipment for all shops.

Neil Abrahams is Territory Sales Manager – South Africa Automotive Finishes Division for the Sherwin-Williams Company, recently sat with Automotive Refinisher to give us a more in-depth look into their products, training, back-up support and much more.

A passion for the collision repair is what Christine Boorman exudes as she answers some questions about her history in the industry and the Dr Smash package. 2023 will see more great changes for Dr Smash with new systems and structures that will be released to make business easier.

With value brands growing in the segment of repair across the country, Luxor, with their refinish systems of Carvello, Autogold and Xcéla were delighted with the top spot of a survey done at the end of last year. They have approximately 500 refinish and industrial distributors

Saint-Gobain, your one-stop-shop for body shops, also have a.b.e epoxy paints within their range. The epoxy range is robust as well as oil and petrol resistant which is ideal for the automotive industry.

PixelPaint was designed for millenial’s who desire a more customised look. This is a less labour-intensive option of ink that produces a two-colour decorative paint effect with less work, waste and cost that is often associated with custom paint work. You can paint complex patterns in high resolution.

This is the year for a bruising battle for one-ton bakkies in South Africa. The Ranger, Amarok, Hilux and Navara, are just a few players that are hitting the local and African export market hard with their great work horses. Roger Houghton gives more insight.

The new ETSC 125 cordless compact sanders ensure unparalleled mobility and ease of movement when working. The powerful 18 V battery pack with 3.0 Ah guarantees power similar to that of a mains-powered tool. With an extremely compact design, balanced weight distribution and perfect ergonomics only weighing 1.4 kg. A dust-free, healthy working environment:

SAGOLA presents its top technological expression in bodywork finishing spray guns. Smaller, lighter, with optimal weight distribution and more comfortable. The mini Xtreme is Sagola’s SMART repair spray gun.
With a new shiny and modern design carefully designed ergonomics, which offer enviable balance, usability and perfect mechanisation.

The ATF-20DT Electric Auto Gearbox Oil Exchange cleaning machine sets the same regulation to create an automatic flow of oil circulation. It switches after the oil has been changed and is fast and efficient. It replaces the new oil with the exact amount and clears the gearbox of oil sludge and impurities.

This impact driver combines the drill’s rotational force with bursts of impact similar to an impact wrench to drive and remove fasteners efficiently. The ¼” quick change chuck accepts all ¼” hex screwdriving attachments. With the powerful 20V battery it delivers up to 110Nm of torque, while the built-in LED worklight illuminates the work area. Fastening capacities: Machine screw 4-8mm Standard bolt 5-14mm High tensile bolt 5-12mm

The latest addition to Moxical’s range are locally made panel and bumper stands. They are made from high quality steel and can be wall mounted – whatever your shop needs. These racks allow for safe storage and drying in the body shop.
Call Thomas on 082 785 4006 or visit www.moxical.co.za to place your order or find out more. Distributors welcome.

Body shops are always looking for ways to create cost efficiencies within the repair process. To help customers achieve savings, Spralac products deliver results similar to premium brands at a more competitive price point.The High Opacity White is a 2K white topcoat that offers good coverage for passenger and commercial vehicles.

Celette SA offer spot weld drill bits with a very high-grade cobalt alloy that are extremely durable TiCN coating. This gives the workpiece its extreme toughness and a very good hot hardness strength. The precise edge geometry and concentricity accuracy boost the drill bit’s breakage resistance and service life.

GUNIWHEELTM is a universal vehicle mounting system with a tyre and wheellike design. With GUNIWHEELTM you are able to safely move a vehicle off of lifts and out of repair bays within your body shop while eliminating damage caused by unstable jack stands as the car stands with no wheels.

The Festool TPC 18/4 works with screws and drills with larger diameters. It works rapidly for clean work progress when working with small diameters. The TPC is extremely durable thanks to its brushless EC-TEC motor, which has extreme resilience and endurance.
The flexible cordless system for applications with high power needs.

This triple stage filter unit from Italco has a fine filter and activated charcoal cartridge to deliver the perfect solution for dry and clean compressed air. If you are experiencing lack of adhesion, dust, fish eyes and other problems on your coated surfaces, this could be a problem due to your compressed air supply.

From mergers to new companies focussing on electric and internal combustion engines, it’s a labyrinth of chaos as motor manufacturers wheel and deal. Digital partners have been added too and regular suppliers have become integral suppliers. Quite possibly the tail is wagging the dog, but everyone remains silent.

Are electric vehicles the best and only way? Is there not a need for one of the world’s largest employers not to make profit? Why should vehicles and transport be devoid of any pleasure, especially the great sound of an engine to get the juices flowing?

What happens if an electric vehicle’s battery is damaged during an accident? What if the battery damage is enough to initiate thermal runaway? If batteries do catch fire they will burn for days inside your work shop and are highly toxic in enclosed spaces – very dangerous!

One of the markers of the Covid-19 pandemic was the scale of misleading information and indeed downright lies that were punted around by major individuals, companies and even governments. It has become very hard indeed to cut through the fog of ‘stories’ and click bait to understand objectively what is

South Africa is in a better place, given most of the world is not following the European ‘BEV or else’ path to oblivion. Parts supply situation remains relatively strong due to domestic manufacturing. Literally the European losses will be gains for South Africa.

The BMW X1 third generation model has just launched in a petrol and diesel engine. It’s a well put together vehicle for the cross over segment, that has a quality look and feel. Restructured equipment packages enable targeted individualisation of the car.

Every seventh BMW sold is a 3 Series, making this iconic model a much sought-after car. It has a 45-year old legacy and the new 3 Series has just launched locally. Take a more indepth look here.

The seventh generation BMW 7 series is opulence personified. From the outside in, it’s a touch of elegance and full to the brim with the latest digital technology for infotainment as well as safety features. The 7 Series now offers its first all-electric BMW i7 xDrive60.

The GR bit in the new sporty Hilux’s nameplate refers to Gazoo Racing, the competition arm of Toyota internationally. It won’t hurt the demand for the new GR Sport one bit that by mid-January 2023 a Toyota Hilux had won the famous Dakar for the second year on the trot!

The Ford Ranger Raptor SE is a monster of a truck with imposing looks and a wild appeal. It’s a great ride around town and on the highway, but it comes into its own off-roading. With all the mod-cons and technology part of the package, what’s not to like?

The updated Hyundai Venue looks to maintain its popularity on the local market with its refreshed looks. The addition of an N-Line sporty version of this model will definitely get the taste buds drooling, however, safety is still paramount in the fit and feel of this funky vehicle

The Ford Everest Sport is certainly a beefed-up seven-seater family SUV with attitude. It has excellent ground clearance and is a great drive off-road or in normal day-to-day needs. The interior and exterior match in comfort and sharp design, with tons of safety and infotainment options included.

South African motorists (mainly farmers) were exposed to the Jeep Gladiator nameplate way back in the 1960s, when it was basically a no-nonsense, single cab bakkie with impressive off-road capability. This new Jeep, based on an extended Wrangler platform, is nothing like that.
The 2022 Jeep Gladiator, launched in mid-June,

Suzuki is aiming for monthly sales in the region of 500 units with its new Baleno, and the way Suzuki is climbing up the South African sales charts, there seems to be little reason why this won’t be achievable. In June Suzuki cemented its third place in the overall sales