THE VOICE OF THE AFRICAN COLLISION REPAIR INDUSTRY

Unlike traditional welding which uses electrons to heat the material, laser welding involves photos. You focus a laser beam into an extremely small tight area. Laser welding can pretty much weld everything: stainless steel, steel, aluminium, etc, and even different types of plastic. It may yet find its way into collision repair shops.

Axalta launched the Irus Scan spectrophotometer, enhancing paint colour matching with advanced RGB camera technology and gloss measurement. This tool integrates into the Axalta Irus digital colour management process for precise, efficient colour matching and reduced waste. It improves productivity and sustainability, benefiting body shops with faster, accurate results.

Automotive Refinisher celebrates 40 years of industry coverage, blending passion and curiosity to connect with readers and advertisers. This edition highlights global tech from Automechanika Frankfurt, local events like the Festival of Motoring, industry updates, and success stories, alongside new product reviews and repair techniques.

Owners of Hyundai models suffering from allegedly defective paint jobs are calling on the car maker to fix the known problem. A number of Hyundai models painted white – believed to have been made between 2010 and 2018 – have suffered from peeling paint, leading owners to pressure the South Korean company to act.

There are have been significant technological advances in vehicles since before 1903, and the continuing evolution of the automobile as well as technological advancements such as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), will continue to be developed and become even more advanced. This is due to manufacturer’s desires to offer new products and features.

In 2024, global motor executives face challenges with slow EV adoption, falling BEV values, and costly autonomous vehicle projects. Shifts in marketing focus to digital and influencer strategies are noted. The Paris Motor Show sees renewed interest from major brands, while South Africa’s Festival of Motoring highlights evolving industry engagement.

Christo de Jager was recently convicted by the Gqeberha specialised crimes court for a seven-year fraud scheme. He submitted fake invoices through approved repair centre Autotrust, resulting in over R12 million in losses before VW uncovered the discrepancies during an internal audit and arrested him in March.

If you’re unhappy with car repairs, follow these steps: gather documentation, contact the panel beater, stay professional, escalate to the manufacturer if needed, and file a complaint with the Motor Industry Ombudsman if unresolved. Use the Panel Beater Directory and Lightstone EchoMBR for reliable repair services and customer reviews.

Many highly toxic substances have been carefully regulated or in some instance outlawed or banned completely. Many day-to-day refinishing supplies continue to pose significant potential health hazards which must be recognised and managed responsibly. Equally, you might be surprised that some banned substances are still lurking as a potential silent killer for the unaware.

Electric vehicles have swiftly gone from a rare bright spot in the fight against climate change to a cause for concern. A slowdown in EV adoption has potentially huge implications for the energy transition. It also has ramifications for the many financial institutions that have pledged to decarbonise the loans and investments they make.

At Ford’s Silverton Manufacturing Plant there are two cobots (collaborative robots) working with workers and they are responsible for the installation of weatherproof shields into Ranger doors, a process that requires pin-point accuracy, strength, and dexterity. These cobots are not replacing employees, but they allow operators to use their time more efficiently.

Mercedes-Benz is testing humanoid robots on its production lines to help perform physically demanding tasks. The company joins BMW and Tesla in the automotive sector, which already have pilot programmes of the technology. Humanoid robots allow carmakers to automate production processes without having to reconfigure existing factories.

Nissan is developing a revolutionary exterior paint that uses electromagnetic waves to keep cars cooler, reducing temperatures by up to 12°C outside and 5°C inside. In collaboration with Radi-Cool, this thick, spray-applied paint could enhance energy efficiency in electric vehicles. Availability remains uncertain, with potential for special-order applications.

For consumers, maintaining their cars is necessary to ensure their longevity and reliability. However, with the auto parts shortage that has hit the nation, it has become increasingly difficult to find the necessary components to keep their cars running smoothly, from individual car owners to dealerships, independent shops, and technicians.

UV products were first introduced around a decade ago. UV curing products are designed only to cure or harden when exposed to UV light. However, once exposed, the products cure rapidly, within one to two minutes. The benefits of UV curing are glaringly as opposed to ten years ago.

Steve Kessel often questions our progress in sustainability and profitability within the industry. Despite South Africa’s strides in business success, challenges persist with evolving transformation expectations and skills shortages, exacerbated by insurance and OEM constraints hindering collaboration and fair business practices.

So many body shops spend a considerable amount of their business effort trying to supress their paint input costs. Achieving a quality paint finish is important and understanding poor quality control is vital to a good finish.

Choosing affordability should not mean compromising on quality, especially in the demanding field of automotive refinishing. With baslac, that compromise simply does not exist. Baslac stands out by offering a streamlined range of top-tier refinishing products that cater to all repair tasks at a competitive price point and it’s supported by BASF.

McCarthy’s Auto Trimmers are chasing a new path to customer experience in convenience for their clients. The launch of their new Paarden Eiland branch is about creating convenience for the clients, with two lines, the express spot repair lane, and the overnight lane. There is also a super lounge for customers to wait in.

There will be a broad range of topics at Automechanika Frankfurt in September. Due to the rapid pace of change in the automotive industry, the need for further training and the desire to discuss new developments and technologies has continued to grow in recent years.

The usual format is to have a show over a number of days, where the main business is completed in the first morning and by the last day the exhibitors out-number visitors. The UK Garage and Bodyshop Event 2024 was different. It was held over two days and attracted 5 125 industry specific visitors.

Director, Sashen Singh, has a solid foundation in auto paints. The Singh family have been specialist paint makers for over 40 years in KZN. The company have four dedicated outlets in KZN an enjoy excellent aftersales service from Luxor Paints.

The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) has launched a R50m blended finance scheme in Gqeberha, for up-and-coming micro, small and medium-sized automotive component suppliers, and aftermarket service providers in the Eastern Cape. The focus on this segment of the market is a bid to bridge current funding gaps facing small and medium operators.

With a scan being done before repairs begin and after repairs are complete, the time and energy you’ll need to spend on diagnostics will multiply, and with the ever-increasing amount of electronics being added to vehicles, the importance of pre-repair scans and post-repair scans cannot be stressed highly enough.

Mercedes-Benz SA’s shift reduction at its East London plant, resulting in 700 job losses, reflects a significant setback for local vehicle manufacturing. This decision was driven by decreased global demand for C-Class sedans amid a shift towards SUVs and crossovers. The company also cited port challenges contributing to reduced production levels.

Time is money, and in today’s economy, this has never been more accurate. That’s why in any busy body shop, energy savings, material consumption, efficient workflow and intelligent division of labour are vital to optimise work processes. The spray booth is just as important; refinishers should optimise their time there too.

Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) will invest R4-billion in its manufacturing plant in Kariega, in the Eastern Cape. The investment will be used to prepare the plant for the addition of a third model to the company’s production line-up from early 2027. The third model, which will be a compact sports-utility vehicle (SUV).

Wayne Deintjie has been tackling motorcycle custom respray work and specialising on restoring customers repairs back to their original finish in his business, “Paint by Wayne”. He has an amazing database of motorcycle original colour formula’s that cover hundreds of thousands of the popular bike colours, shades and derivatives.

Adhesives are vital across industries, especially in automotive repair, where their strength and application are key. Knowing how temperature and humidity affect them is crucial for maintaining effectiveness. Studying adhesive performance in high heat offers a complete guide to ensuring strong bonds endure.

One million Ranger bakkies have now rolled off the line from Ford South Africa’s manufacturing plant in Silverton. Production of the Ranger bakkie at the factory began in 2000, making it almost a quarter-century since manufacturing of the brand’s popular bakkie started. And it is fitting that we celebrate this milestone.

Isn’t it time there was a unified approach to high voltage system isolation? The past decade and a half has been pretty miserable for collision repairers when it comes to where things are located on a vehicle. Just consider the straightforward task of making a vehicle with any system carrying more than 60V safe to process.

After considerable research Sagola have now introduced their all-new dynamic flow technology 4600 range globally, with the promise of a more even layout and uniform paint distribution from top to bottom. The system has introduced a colour coded air cap to minimise problems associated with difficult base coat colours.

Allianz has seen a 300% surge in fraudulent use of apps to manipulate images, videos, and documents, calling it a major scam affecting insurance. They noted a 29% increase in fraud prevention across motor, home, and application claims in 2023. The rise includes tactics like ghost brokers and deep fake technology.

The multi-million-dollar industry which helps to protect just about every surface you can think of, descended once again at the Sandton Convention Centre. Coatings for Africa brought varied business conferences with many interesting products and surfaces that enhance and decorate the industry in every sector.

INDASA’s involvement in SpainSkills enhances the competition with industry expertise. They believe sponsoring and participating in judging will provide crucial knowledge. This collaboration exemplifies effective industry-education partnerships, vital for developing new teaching methods and preparing students for careers.

You could be lulled into complacency with all the constant game changing, new rules and demands that never stops coming in the area of South African collision repair. For a clear picture of what needs to be changed going forward, perhaps we should take a deep look at how others are solving them.

Living in Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route for nearly four years, Roger Houghton finds it a haven for petrolheads. Active in motor clubs for over six decades, he enjoys local events like the Simola Hill Climb and George Old Car Show, and participates in various car enthusiasts’ groups.

The 2024 IBIS Global Summit concluded successfully at the Sheraton Rhodes Resort in Greece, emphasizing enhanced collaboration under IBIS Worldwide’s theme “Transforming Tomorrow Together.” Following extensive networking and seminars, attendees departed with valuable insights and strategies to address sector challenges and opportunities.

There are a number of open questions that need public intervention when it comes to the sale of private vehicle accident data compiled from data of major insurance companies. Details of any previous accidents that a vehicle may have been involved in its life on the road appear to be sold without the vehicle owners’ knowledge.

Nico Higgs, the founding father of the most impressive and inspiring repair centre, Modern Collision Repair Centre (MCR), in the heart of Mpumalanga, he will always wax lyrical about becoming the first body shop to adopt the latest Standoblue hydro technology when it was launched back in 2010 by Axalta.

The team from Hyundai SA Parts Distribution Centre recently held a national roadshow engaging with their repair partners. These body shops are part of the Hyundai Automotive Repair Programme (HARP) and the roadshow was to re-establish active contact and communication with HARP members.

The growing crisis in vehicle valuation and the effect of pared back damage evaluation is leading to more customers being short changed, and a building problem of sub-standard repaired vehicles which have by-passed collision repairers. The amount of money involved is astounding, but the system is not working well.

In the ever-evolving world of automotive refinishing, staying ahead of the curve is not just a goal; it’s a necessity. Enter Glasurit 100 Line, the game-changing paint solution that is reshaping the industry landscape with its unparalleled innovation and commitment to excellence. Glasurit 100 Line boasts unrivalled colour precision.

Hot on the heels of the successful launch of the BMW Group’s new ColorSystem, with Axalta technology on the inside, their latest ColorSystem Spectrophotometer has been introduced.
Training has stepped up a gear at Axalta for the BMW Approved Repair Centres (ARC). The ColorSystem Spectro assists in keeping pace with updated vehicle colour formulas.

Balco Auto Coatings Nelspruit have needed to expand due to the success of being one of the largest PPG distributors. The company was established back in the 1920s and has adapted along the way to celebrate their clients, their company and the PPG team.

In the fast-paced world of car refinishing, two things are crucial: increased efficiency and cost effectiveness. The new innovative DeBeer Refinish 8-347 Fast Surfacer offers an easy solution for increased efficiency and cost effectiveness.

In a specialised survey conducted by Real Research, the demand from refinishers and body shops for a high-performance value cost refinish system this year, showed an increase for the popular Carvello Luxor branded premium refinish brand. It showed an astonishing 20% increase in demand and popularity over last year’s survey.

The team at Sagola have had their work cut out for them in the first quarter of 2024. Sagola products are now available globally. The team from Elcometer UK, have a vision and activity plan to enable their end-users to see the latest technology in refinish application that they have to offer.

A CEO breakfast for Automechanika South Africa was held recently at Kyalami. It put the local logistics and road freight future in focus, as industry big hitters attended the function. They looked to evaluate the prospective growth of local logistics and newly contemplated connected vehicle technology going forward.

Since 2017, Suzuki has leapfrogged its way up the sales charts. This company continues to astound local industry commentators and its competitors in the South African vehicle market as it has outsold Volkswagen/Audi in terms of retail sales through its dealers for each of the first three months of 2024.

Raptor Coatings has succeeded in the 4×4, caravan and RV industry due to its resilient durability off-road. It doesn’t need any expensive equipment and Raptor is the only comprehensive range where all products are available in aerosols as well for the DIY enthusiast. Raptor comes in black, white, and tintable.

Now with numerous Chinese brands flooding Europe and moving into the UK, Dean Lander, Head of Repair Sector Services, discusses the challenges surrounding the repairs of these new models. Having anticipated China’s emergence as a mass car producer, Thatcham Research began working with its vehicles manufacturers several years ago.