Interstandoxt h e w o r l d o f v e h i c l e r e f i n i s h e s GB

New car concepts Materialsforthecarofthefuture

Global training expertise Standoxexpandsitsworldwidenetwork

Classic cars Immaculatefinishesfordazzlingautomotivegems

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2 c o n t e n t s

Interstandox 70

t i t l e s t o r yGlobal training expertise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4A closely meshed network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 .

w o r k s h o p m a n a g e m e n tRepair tips for Hot Magenta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Repair guides for matt clearcoat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Exclusive paintwork for special Smart model . . . . . . . . . . .7

j o u r n a l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

p r o d u c t sColor Box for Add-on Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Ready-mixed Alubeam for liquid metal effects . . . . . . . . .10

i n t e r n a t i o n a lA family matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10A car for Indiana Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11"And .the .winner .is . . . ." . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Standothek makes lessons livelier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Zeeman fleet resplendent in Standofleet . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

o n l i n eOnline marketing with Web 2.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Colour formulation updates for download . . . . . . . . . . . .14

g u e s t a r t i c l eMaterials for the car of the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

g a l l e r y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

i m p r i n tInterstandoxThe world of vehicle refinishesInterstandox is intended solely for internal use. We would be glad to grant approval to requests for reproduction. PublishedbytheInterstandox Editorial BoardStandox GmbH, 42285 Wuppertal, GermanyE-mail: Hans.Bach@deu.standox.comResponsibleforcontent:Hans W. Bach Concept/copyediting:K1 Gesellschaft für Kommunikation mbH, Ulf Kartte, CologneGraphicdesign,imageprocessing:230Volt, Axel Helmus, DüsseldorfImages:Title picture: BMW Group

Standox® is a registered trademark.

Standox provides a comprehensive range of training seminars worldwide. With its practical strategy of continual

education and a team of expert instructors, it ensures that the same high standards of quality are upheld

everywhere.� Page�4

Standox has developed a professional solution to enable

bodyshops to repair Mercedes’ sophisticated

Alubeam paintwork.Page�10

Higher standards of car safety coupled with ecological and economic demands are encouraging the development of new materials for automotive engineering. .Page�15

e d i t o r i a l 3

Zvonimir Simunovic,

Brand Manager Standox GmbH.

Taking an active approach to challengesRefinishers are faced with a wide range of challenges. New technologies,

growing competitive pressure and the increasing influence of insurance

companies are compelling businesses to be more resourceful. From now

on it’s a question of pushing one’s bodyshop to the limits of profitability

and making even more efficient use of existing business resources.

Standox helps you with its high-grade product systems that boost op-

erational efficiency – like our Standoflash UV system for MicroRepairs.

And our Standohyd waterborne paint system was launched in 1994 and

has met worldwide success ever since. In the past we always gave our

customers state-of-the-art products of superlative quality, and we aim

to do this in the future too. We are therefore constantly working on the

development of new, pioneering technologies that boost productivity

and always yield immaculate results regardless of working conditions,

climate and painting technique. In doing so, we are not concerned solely

with new paint systems, but also with the materials of cars of the future

– you can gain interesting insight into this subject in our guest article

on page 15.

On top of this, we also provide a whole series of strategies for boost-

ing efficiency. With hypermodern electronic Color Tools like the Genius

spectrophotometer, for instance, we help refinishers find the right colour

quickly and reliably – over 3,000 Genius units are currently in successful

operation at customer sites all over the world. And with a comprehensive

product range for the painting of classic vehicles and with special colours

and effect paints for exclusive finishes, we help bodyshops to explore

new lines of business.

So that you can also make the best possible use of what we have to

offer, we support you with training geared to your specific needs. Our

experienced instructors supply you with the knowledge and skills to ena-

ble you to always achieve perfect results with our highly advanced paint

systems. So why not attend a course at your nearest Information Center

and experience The Art of Refinishing at first hand?

Zvonimir Simunovic

Regional instructor Gerhard Höglinger (2nd from the left) on a training assignment in Central Europe

Jürgen Prange in conversation with Evgeniy Khmelev (left), the regional instructor for Eastern Europe

The international training team compri-sing Jürgen Prange, Stephen Naylor and Harald Klöckner (from left to right)

44 t i t l e s t o r y

Global training expertise

A key role is played by the international instructor team

headed by Stephen Naylor, who is supported by his

colleagues Jürgen Prange and Harald Klöckner. It is their

job to ensure that the latest information on Standox

products and applications reaches the instructors and

application technicians in the various regions without

delay so that they can keep their customers up-to-date

at all times. We talked to Harald Klöckner about his

duties.

Interstandox: What are the focuses of your work?

HaraldKlöckner: As international instructors, we mainly

train the instructors and application technicians in the

various national Standox organizations. Thanks to our

direct links with product management, we can always be

certain of being right up-to-date. We are supported in our

efforts by our regional instructor teams. You can say that

we bring knowledge to the regions. For this we keep in

close contact with regional instructors like Gerhard

Höglinger, responsible for Central Europe, Mike Rowse,

who covers the Middle East, and Evgeniy Khmelev, who

serves the Russian Federation and neighbouring countries.

The same also applies to Africa, America, Asia and

Australia. This pyramidal structure encourages the

transfer of the latest information.

Interstandox: How does your working day look?

HaraldKlöckner: There’s no such thing as a typical

working day in the life of Harald Klöckner. I may spend

several days in succession at my office in Wuppertal,

preparing new training material, answering email inquiries

from the various countries or testing new products at our

IC in Wuppertal. After this I’m off again for a week of

national training in South Africa. And of course we

international instructors also regularly visit bodyshops

abroad so that we can gauge the market at first hand.

The exciting thing about my job is its diversity.

Interstandox: How important is training for bodyshops?

HaraldKlöckner: It’s not without good reason that we’ve

chosen the slogan “Your key to quality” as the motto for

our training programme. The product systems are becoming

more and more complex and only those who

At its 45 Information Centers (ICs) in 35 countries, Standox organizes a wide-ranging programme of training seminars. Thanks to its practical strategy of continual education and a team of expert instructors, it ensures that the same high standards of quality are upheld in initial and further training worldwide.

Regional instructor Mike Rowse (right) with Harald Klöck-ner (centre) during training in the Middle East

Training in the Asia/Pacific region

5t i t l e s t o r y 5

Harald Klöckner trains the regional training

teams and instructors in the national organiza-

tions, teaching them all about the latest Standox

products and applications.

have been properly trained can fully exploit the potential

of our products. Regular further training is a cornerstone of

our customers’ success. What we offer gives them a solid

competitive edge. The seminars are also an opportunity for

our customers to try out new materials and working meth-

ods and even make mistakes. Back in everyday routine in

the bodyshop however, the principle in terms of results for

the customer must always be to get it right first time.

Interstandox: How does Standox ensure the uniform high

quality of its training worldwide?

HaraldKlöckner: Our goal is to offer all Standox cus-

tomers the best training on the vehicle refinish market.

This is why we have been working internationally for a

long time on the “train the trainer” principle. At regular

intervals, we train our instructors abroad in courses

specially designed for them. Twice a year, the Technical

Network – these are the regional instructors plus the

technicians and instructors from the various countries

– also get together for a week in Wuppertal. This is where

they report on their experience, try out the latest products

and fine-tune processes. The experience and feedback from

abroad are ploughed back into product development so that

we can always accurately meet the needs of our customers.

Interstandox: What the current themes and trends? Which

courses are in biggest demand?

HaraldKlöckner: Along with new product systems, there’s

demand for training on special colours like Ford Hot Magenta

and Alubeam from Mercedes. There’s also a trend towards

matt finishes. In general, there’s growing interest in colour

matching and the use of electronic colour tools. Colours are

becoming increasingly complex and no bodyshop today can

afford to waste time experimenting when searching for a

colour.

The North American team of instruc-tors on a visit to the IC in Wuppertal

You can find further information on Standox training, a video and the Information Center Locator here:

www.standox.com/training

Energy efficiency is a key feature of the design of the new centre in Turkey (see model above).

The newly opened Information Center in Warsaw (Poland) is designed for technical training, combining knowledge with experience.

6 t i t l e s t o r y

Interstandox 70

With its targeted training, Standox aims to build on the

knowledge and practical skills of its customers so that they

can sustainably boost the productivity and efficiency of

their businesses. To this end, the company operates its

own Information Centers around the globe. All the centres

are equipped with the latest technology – which applies as

much to the paint systems from Standox as to the associat-

ed equipment for spray booths, preparation areas and safe-

ty equipment. The range of seminars is multi-faceted and

extends from the processing of advanced, eco-compatible

VOC-compliant products through to Coloristics and futuris-

tic UV technology.

By opening new Information Centers in Italy, Poland

and Turkey, Standox is impressively demonstrating its

commitment to extending its global training activities.

The recently opened centre in Cavenago di Brianza in

northern Italy has been installed in an existing building.

Replete with the latest technology, it offers outstanding

opportunities for practical technical training as well as

for courses on economic and management subjects.

Standox has built the new training centre in Poland with

the aim of making quality training an essential element of

its offering for customers. The centre situated in Warsaw

is designed for the latest teaching methods and includes

audiovisual aids and highly advanced equipment for the

A closely meshed network

testing of new products and systems. Special importance

is attached to close linkage between theory and practice.

Along with training, there is also a pronounced focus on

the exchange of experience both between instructors and

customers as well as between customers themselves.

The inauguration of a new Information Center in Turkey is

scheduled for spring 2011. During planning, energy effici-

ency is being given high priority. The region’s first directly

fired spray booth will be a highlight of the new centre.

Occupying a total of 2,200 m2, the centre is packed with

ultra-modern equipment. Separated by a glass partition,

the training room offers a direct view of the adjacent spray

booth and puts a strong emphasis on practical demonstra-

tion. The new centre only 30 minutes from the city of Istan-

bul is excellent served by traffic links and is also available

to refinishers from neighbouring countries that do not yet

have their own training centre.

Along with the centres mentioned above, a new training cen-

tre is also planned for 2011 in the Czech Republic. Further

centres are in the pipeline for the United Arab Emirates

and Israel. The Information Center Locator on the Internet

at www.standox.com/training presents an overview of all

Standox Information Centers worldwide and the associated

training facilities.

The new training centre in Italy provides space and equipment for state-of-the-art technical seminars and training on business economics.

New Information Centers

w o r k s h o p m a n a g e m e n t

The special Smart fortwo “greystyle”

model catches the eye with its

exclusive matt finish in dark grey com-

bined with a Tridion safety cell in

glossy black. As a longstanding paint

supplier, Standox formulates custom

Exclusive paintwork for special Smart model

This extravagant colour for the Fiesta is in big demand,

particularly among younger customers. Changing from pur-

ple through to blue, Hot Magenta was especially developed

for the popular Ford model. Characteristic of this colour is

its freshness and luminosity, and its brilliant colour effect

can be attributed to the use of tinted clearcoat.

Repair tips for

"Hot Magenta"

7

To achieve the best possible colour accuracy when

refinishing, basecoat application is followed by clearcoat

supplemented with Standox’s Ford Hot Magenta clearcoat

additive. Standox provides precise instructions for the

refinish which can be downloaded from www.standox.com/

magenta.

Repair guides for matt clearcoat

There’s a trend towards matt finishes. However, when it comes

to paintwork repairs, they’re quite a challenge as they can

be neither sanded nor polished. Standox’s 2K Special Matt,

a clearcoat matting additive, is the appropriate solution. A

workshop poster and repair video describe the precise

procedure step by step.

The vehicle used for both repair guides is a Mercedes SLS

AMG sporting a shimmering “designo magno allanite grey”

matt finish. Damaged paintwork on the passenger door

posed an opportunity to repair the spectacular two-seater at the

Training Centre in Wuppertal and capture the process in

images. The workshop poster and video can be downloaded

from the Standox homepage at www.standox.com/matt.

refinish colours and solutions for

brands of the Daimler corporation.

Formulations are even available for

repairs to brand-new models. The

special dark grey colour can already

be retrieved from the Standox online

colour database. Access is obtained

via “Colour Search” at the national

Standox website or at www.standox.

com. Customers using Standowin will

automatically receive the formulation

with their next update.

Imag

e: F

ord

Imag

e: D

aim

ler

Detailed repair instructions can be found here: www.standox.com/magenta

Download the workshop poster and video directly here: www.standox.com/matt

Interstandox 70

Silver 25%

Black 22%

White 16%

Grey 13%

Blue 9%

Red 8%

Brown/Beige 4%

Green 1%

Yellow/Gold 1%

Others 1%

8 j o u r n a l

New approvals for StandoxNo other paint brand can boast as

many approvals from the automotive

industry as Standox. The Wuppertal

paint manufacturer recently received

the Europe-wide approval for its

products for all repair work on vehicles

of the Opel and Vauxhall brand. Under

this agreement, Standox will now

support the dealer and workshop net-

work in Europe in all technical matters.

Silver is the No. 1 choice among mo-

torists worldwide, followed by black

with a market share of 22 per cent and

white at 16 per cent. Grey ranks fourth

among the most popular car colours

with 13 per cent. Over 75 per cent of all

cars around the globe are “achromatic”,

states the Standox report on Global Car

Colour Trends for 2010. The only chro-

matic colour in the top 5 is blue (9 per

Colour fantasies in Arabesque Silver and Zanzibar GoldPotential buyers are wooed not only by stunning technology and high com-

fort, but also by inspirational colours. Illustrious-sounding colour names under-

line the design and image of many models. Standox specialists have therefore

researched the origins of colour names and, neatly structured and illustrated in

the Color News Special, listed possible inspirations for about 250 colour names.

All the colours presented are available as mixing formulations from Standowin

and can be accurately recreated. The Color News Special can be downloaded at

www.standox.com/color-news.

cent). Despite regional variations, there

is astonishingly little difference between

motorists’ preferences for the top five

placings worldwide.

One car in four is silver

Mazda Motor Europe (MME) has includ-

ed Standox as a source of refinishes

and services in its European workshop

programme. The agreement covers not

only the supply of products, but also

training and technical consultations by

experts of the paint maker. Aston Martin

Lagonda Ltd has included Standox as a

preferred purveyor of refinishes and ser-

vices in its worldwide workshop pro-

gramme. The official green light was

preceded by comprehensive tests in

which all the listed Standox products

satisfied the car manufacturer’s strict

criteria.

Imag

e: G

M C

orp.

You can find the Color News Special for download here:

www.standox.com/color-news

9j o u r n a l

Perfect matt finishes

Award in PolandAt a celebration commemorating the 10th anniversary of the General Motors

Partners Association in Poland, Standox received a special commendation. The

organization brings together the dealers from General Motors (GM) and Chevrolet

Poland. Standox was honoured as a longstanding paint partner and national mar-

ket leader. The award underlines the close relations between the GM and Standox

brands in Poland. An agreement was also reached with the Iberia Motor Company

(IMC) for the SEAT brand.Robert Wysocki, Country Business Manager Standox Poland, expressing his thanks for the award

Colors of ElementsStandox has been bringing out a calendar every year for over 30 years. It gives

internationally renowned photographers a chance to present visual compositions

of extraordinary vehicles in aesthetic settings. The calendar is itself as exclusive as

many of the illustrated vehicles.

For the 2011 calendar, photographer Anatol Kotte has given us a preview of one of

his ideas. In Colors of Elements he juxtaposes Nature’s abundance of hues with the

similar colour diversity of Standox paints. In twelve exciting visual compositions,

the paint colour of a premium vehicle is perfectly set against the colour nuances of

the elements and seasons.

Matt finishes are in big demand from lovers of exclusive

vehicles. Standox now has a new matt additive for clearcoats

which can give an extra matt finish. An impressive example

of a successful matt finish with Standox 2K Special Matt is

a Jeep refinished for Rüttchen, the biggest Dutch Mercedes

dealer. Application of Standoblue Basecoat was followed by

a spray pass of VOC Premium Clearcoat. After 45 minutes of

drying at 60°C and light sanding, the matted clearcoat was

applied in two passes. The result is immaculate. The silk matt

surface reinforces the impact of the chunky but elegant SUV.

10 p r o d u c t s / i n t e r n a t i o n a l

Color Box for Add-on PartsThe number of OEM colours is

growing from year to year. And

the same is true of the colours re-

quired in bodyshops for add-on

parts. When it comes to refinishes on

instrument panels, bumpers and

plastic parts in the interior or boot,

a colour match is no less impor-

tant. However, because the colour

often isn’t marked and can’t be

identified via the vehicle model,

Standox has introduced its Color

Box for Add-on Parts. It can be

used for all series and grades of

Standox paint and comprises 1,485 colour chips (each

35 x 90 mm) that take much of the effort out of colour

identification. While the roughly 600 chips for bumpers

are sorted and updated according to manufacturer,

the swatches for engine, interior and boot colours are

chromatically arranged and serve as a guide to the

original paintwork. The Color Box, for which 1200

orders were received from Europe within the first month

of its publication, is supplied in the tried-and-trusted

key-ring format where swatches can be conveniently

hung up by their rings for storage.

Interstandox 70

Ready-mixed Alubeam for liquid metal effectsLiquid metal finishes, that envelope the car body like

a coat of molten metal, make vehicles particularly al-

luring. Having initially presented its exclusive Alubeam

colour on just forty CL 65 AMG performance coupés,

Mercedes is now making this extra-metallic silver

available on its SLS AMG and, on customer request, on

other models as well.

To enable bodyshops to refinish this sophisticated

colour, Standox has developed a professional solution

in the shape of its Standohyd MB 047 Alubeam repair

package, ready-mixed in 0.5 litre cans. The product

package comprises ready-mixed Standohyd Basecoat, to

which 50 per cent Standohyd Special Effect Additive is

added immediately before application. New Standohyd

Special Effect Color Blend is necessary for blending-in.

The refinish is rounded off with Standocryl VOC Plati-

num Clearcoat. In view of the colour’s high cost and the

complexity of the refinishing process, Standox provides

detailed information for refinishing with Alubeam.

Vehicles have been successfully repaired at family-run Keswick Crash Re-pairs in South Australia for over 30 years. The classic and prestigious cars they mainly handle are restored to their original state with the very latest refinishing methods.

The company founded by their father back in the late Seventies is run by Frank

and John Zullian. The wives of the two brothers are also involved, taking care of

the business’s paperwork. And John’s daughter is currently designing a professional

website for the firm.

A family matteri n t e r n a t i o n a l

i n t e r n a t i o n a l 11

The Zullians’ multi-award-winning business is proud of always

being technologically right up-to-date. This explains why they

have already accomplished the switch from solvent-based

paints to Standohyd. Before the change, they previously used

products from other manufacturers. However, the reductions

in working time and material were powerful arguments in fa-

vour of Standohyd, the proven waterborne paint system from

Standox. After a few months of experience with Standohyd,

the Zullian brothers are very happy with their choice: “The

results are impressive, and colour searches and accuracy are

very good,” explains Frank Zullian.

Without doubt one of the most challenging painting jobs ever

handled by the Zullians is a Mercedes-Benz 220 SL Roadster.

Probably dating back to 1956, it was one of only 13 prototypes

built for Le Mans. Today, it is the only surviving model, and

it has been restored and repainted at Keswick Crash Repairs.

The outcome is certainly worth looking at. “Its aura is phe-

nomenal. The car is absolutely exclusive and of course appro-

priately expensive,” John Zullian explains, adding: “The only

thing wrong with it is that it’s not mine.”

For many years he was the most successful Skoda salesman

in former Czechoslovakia before setting up his own business

known as Samohyl Motor Zlin. Today, the now 81-year-old Alois

Samohyl and his two sons run a company empire employing

an over 800-strong workforce. However, his chief passion re-

mains classic cars.

1953 was the magic year in which he discovered his love for

classic vehicles. This was when a six-day motorcycle race was

held in connection with the World Motorcycling Champion-

ships in Zlin in Czechoslovakia. During an evening of celebra-

tion to mark the event, the British comedy film “Genevieve”

about a car in the London-to-Brighton Veteran Car Run was

premiered. The young Alois Samohyl was captivated and de-

cided to one day take part in this run. In 1964 his dream came

true when he drove a red two-cylinder Laurin & Klement built

in 1905 in this famous run.

Early on, Alois Samohyl started collecting historic vehicles. His

collection in Zlin and elsewhere today comprises some 150

vehicles. These include such treasures as a Mercedes Benz

Parsival from 1902, of which only two now exist, a Laurin

& Klement from 1907, an armoured Horch limousine, a blue

Bugatti 35A and a legendary Ford Model T, the first car to

come off an assembly-line.

Some of Alois Samohyl’s exhibits have even made it to the

movie screen. They can be seen in the Indiana Jones films as

well as in the film version of Erich Maria Remarque’s classic

“All Quiet on the Western Front”. Obviously, the automotive

treasures in his possession call for special care. He has also

had many of them restored. When it comes to refinishing,

Samohyl has been working with the Wuppertal paint manu-

facturer for several years. “Standox offers the best paint qual-

ity,” he says with conviction, “and on classic cars this truly

excellent quality is still visible after many years.”

A car for Indiana Jones

Alois Samohyl proudly displays his 1907 Laurin & Klement. In the foreground is one of the highlights of the Samohyl collection, the Mercedes Benz Parsifal dating back to 1902.

Information on Standox products and services for classic vehicles and atmospheric pictures of restored

classics can be found here: www.standox.com/classic

12 i n t e r n a t i o n a l

Interstandox 70

"And the winner is ..."The Ferrari 375 America Coupé Vignale is a real gem. One of the only twelve “375” models built has now been fully restored in Switzerland and went straight on to win the much-coveted Enzo Ferrari Award at the classic car event at Pebble Beach.

The Ferrari 375 America Coupé Vignale was unveiled to the

public at the Turin Motor Show in 1954. No two of the twelve

built were exactly the same. Model No. 9 spent most of its life

in the USA. There it was repainted green and the 300 hp V12

Ferrari engine replaced with a Chevrolet V8. In 2007 it was

purchased by a Swiss collector with the intention of restoring

the unique vehicle as far as possible to its original state.

The paintwork, which took almost three months, was entrust-

ed to the Sahli bodyshop in Aesch near Zurich. The stated aim

was to achieve a finish resembling the original paintwork as

closely as possible. The yellow colour for the body and the

beige for the roof were identified on the basis of tiny remnants

of paint in the grooves under the green paint and with the

aid of old photographs and documents, and recreated with

Standohyd.

The experts at Sahli had to pull out all the stops to produce

paintwork of virtually the same character as the original finish.

For instance, for the interior paintwork, a little matting agent

was added to the paint in order to render the gentle silk gloss

of an original nitrocellulose finish without polishing. On the

exterior, the entire clearcoat was flatted and sprayed to a high

gloss. The engine compartment was painted grey in order to

make the brush strokes visible like on the original. After final

assembly, the clean stabilizer at the front with its new black

finish and the chassis pipes on the side were misted gently

with yellow paint. The pictures of 1954 clearly showed that

these parts had not been masked during spraying, and the

refinishers wanted to reproduce this detail as well.

The effort has paid off. At the Concurs d’élégance in Pebble

Beach (USA), the world’s most prestigious event for classic

vehicles, the Ferrari scored 99 out of 100 points and won the

hotly contested Enzo Ferrari Award for the most beautiful Fer-

rari car. It also came first in the Class M2 (Ferrari Competition

& Granturismo) at Pebble Beach and won the Best of Show

Award for the most beautiful Ferrari among almost 300 classic

vehicle entrants at the international meeting of the Ferrari

Club of America.

i n t e r n a t i o n a l 13

Standothek makes lessons livelier“The approved instruction books are

often simply too theoretical.” Norbert

Meyer, technical instructor at the only

full-time vocational school in Luxem-

burg, knows what he’s talking about.

“Of course, the official work contains

all the key information, but the some-

what stuffy presentation doesn’t really

inspire students.” During his search for

supplementary material to the official

instruction book for the training of

vehicle refinishers, the Luxemburg

Standox distributor Robin drew his

Guy Henckes (Lycée Technique), Frank Weiland, Marcel Glody (both from Robin) and Norbert Meyer (Lycée Technique) presenting the Standothek books (from left to right)

Zeeman fleet resplendent in Standofleet

attention to the Standothek series. He

was impressed. “The many pictures and

practical examples are just right for less-

ons.”

The books are clearly structured and ab-

undantly illustrated. The range of subject

matter is broad and covers many impor-

tant fields of training. “The Standothek

books have now become indispensa-

ble for our lessons,” Meyer remarks. He

also sees an advantage in the fact that

they’re available in several languages.

“Owing to our particular situation in

Luxemburg, I use both the German and

French versions.” Marcel Glody, Director

at Robin, makes sure that the school is

always well stocked with books. “We’re

delighted that Standothek goes down so

well with pupils. This confirms the high

practical benefit of the series.”

The Standothek guides are available

from your Standox adviser or can be

downloaded at www.standox.com and

many national websites.

Since its launch in 2003, Standofleet,

the commercial vehicle paint system

from Standox, has been very successful

– and is now in use in over 20 European

countries. The Jan Voortman Autoschade

bodyshop in the Netherlands has now

been awarded the prestigious order to

paint the vehicle fleet of Dutch discount

textiles chain Zeeman with Standofleet.

The company has over 1,100 outlets in

the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium,

France and Luxemburg.

Because Zeeman had changed its house

colour, all of the company’s blue ve-

hicles had to be repainted yellow. Ten

employees at Jan Voortman Autoschade

were busy for a full eight months with

the repainting of 40 articulated tractor

units and 70 trailers with RAL 1023 and

the “Zeeman” logo. Not only the removal

of the old advertising vinyls prove to be

a challenge, but also applying the yel-

low finish, as yellow doesn’t by nature

cover well. The paint system developed

jointly with Standox satisfied all of the

customer’s expectations to perfection

and the Zeeman vehicles are now re-

splendent in their bright yellow. Edwin

van Egmont, Managing Director of Jan

Voortman Autoschade, who has been

working with Standofleet for six years

now, was suitably delighted. “Not only

was the customer impressed by the col-

our accuracy and high opacity, but the

quantities of material required are very

low compared to other paint systems,

which in turn has a positive impact on

costs.”

The Standothek series is an indispensable guide for professional bodyshops:

www.standox.com/standothek

14 o n l i n e

Interstandox 70

The Internet has become a firmly established medium in body-

shops. Everyday operations are scarcely conceivable without

communication by email, Web-supported colour formulation

searches and electronically calculated estimates. Interactive

Web 2.0 offers many ways of using the Internet to improve

marketing. Studies show that more and more people are com-

municating, finding out about new products and also taking

purchase decisions via the Web. When buying cars, it has

already become common practice to find the desired vehicle

via dealer platforms on the Internet. The targeted vehicle can

be seen not only in still images but also in videos.

Bodyshops can also make use of these new media to publi-

cize their own services and news and thus attract new cus-

tomers and promote customer loyalty. Useful in this context is

a brief video graphically outlining the bodyshop’s services. An

example of a vehicle refinish or a spectacularly painted sports

car is also ideal for showcasing in a short film. So that users

will actually find the video, it should be available not only on

your own website, but also on Internet platforms like You-

Tube, Vimeo, Sevenload or Metacafe. A Facebook or Twitter

account makes it possible to address existing and potential

customers with news from your business and thus build up

personal ties.

If you do opt for online activities with Web 2.0, you should

give the matter sufficient consideration. Nothing is worse than

registering with Facebook, for example, and then failing to

publish any more news due to overwork. Online marketing

should sensibly supplement rather than replace other mar-

keting activities such as mailings and press articles. In its

Standothek series, Standox has brought out its own guide

to attracting and retaining customers which contains much

useful advice for the planning of marketing activities. It can be

obtained from your Standox adviser or downloaded at www.

standox.com and many national websites.

Online marketing with Web 2.0

1. . .In Google Places, businesses can post their address

details, business hours and even pictures. This makes

it easier for potential customers to find them

(www.google.com/places).

2. . .Bodyshops should always photograph successful and

unusual paint jobs and publish them on the Flickr

platform. This way they can build up photo galleries

that can be integrated in the bodyshop’s own website

(www.flickr.com).

3. . .Company portraits and brochures can be posted in PDF

format on platforms like Slideshare (www.slideshare.

com). .

Tips for presenting your business on the Internet

Colour formulation updates for download

With Standox, refinishers are always right up to

date. As soon as a new model with the latest col-

our leaves the production line, Standox formulates

this colour for repairs and adds it to the online col-

our database. So that customers working with the

Standowin colour search program have access to

the latest formulations even between updates, the

program has been extended. Since update 1/2010,

formulations can be downloaded from the colour

search page at www.standox.com or the national

Standox website into the “Standox Import-Export”

folder or imported by pressing the “External Formu-

la” button in Standowin. .

The Standox online colour search is now available on Web-compatible mobiles and Smartphones:

www.standox.com/mobile

g u e s t a r t i c l e 15

interstandox: What materials will the car of the future be

made of?

EdgarWestermair:The multitude of requirements that cars

have to meet for technical, economic and environmental

reasons call for customized materials systems for the specific

application. Classic metal and plastics strategies will therefore

be found alongside novel and yet-to-be-developed ceramic,

composite and hybrid materials in structures and components

for automotive engineering.

interstandox:What requirements do new innovative materials

in vehicle engineering have to meet?

EdgarWestermair:Along with the satisfaction of established

requirements such as safety, weight reduction and acoustics,

the focus will be increasingly on such sustainability issues as

customers’ growing environmental awareness, urbanization

and social responsibility in addition to tougher legal targets

concerning active and passive pedestrian protection and

emission guidelines.

interstandox: What effect will new drive technologies such as

electric drives have on the choice of materials?

EdgarWestermair: New drive technologies will have a major

impact on the existing architecture of vehicles in terms of the

body and drive train. The integration of alternative energy

sources such as lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen tanks is

associated with extra weight because of the energy density.

This has to be offset with innovative lightweight construction

methods. In this connection, the development and selection

of suitable materials systems will have a big effect on the

weight of future vehicle generations.

interstandox: What are the challenges facing bodyshops and

paintshops when repairing cars of the future?

EdgarWestermair: In connection with the introduction

of new lightweight construction strategies in the BMW

Group, new materials systems and joining technologies

for repair and maintenance are being tested and optimized

in vehicle operation. An example of this is the weight-

reduced aluminium front end of the BMW 5 Series. This is

repaired with a combination of bonding and riveting. The

close cooperation between our own materials development

department with the trading organizations, and the early

clarification of the repair and painting strategy will ensure

the use of novel structural and surface materials.

Materials for the car of the future

Edgar Westermair, Head

of Fatigue Analysis and

Materials at the BMW

Group in Munich

Tougher requirements concerning the car safety as well as environmental and economic factors are encouraging the development of new materials for vehicle engineering. We talked to Edgar Westermair, Head of Fatigue Analysis and Materials at the BMW Group in Munich.

Design sketch for the Megacity Vehicle that BMW

plans to launch in 2013 as the first mass-produced

vehicle worldwide to have a passenger cell made of

carbon fibre

Imag

e: B

MW

Gro

up

Interstandox 70

g a l l e r y16

A passion for perfectionClassic automobiles are much more than simply the cars of yesteryear. As the

living expression of our past, they are part of our cultural heritage. And they

testify to the inventive spirit and innovative powers of an era in which ma-

chines were not yet conceived on the computer screen. Above all, however,

they fascinate us with their aesthetics, design and styling that, even today,

are still a source of awe and wonder.

All the same, without the dazzling gloss of an outstanding paint finish, even

the most enthralling vehicle would look dull and ordinary. Thanks to its dec-

ades of experience and unsurpassed mastery, Standox is capable of equipping

refinishers with a complete package of products and services for the visual

refurbishment of classic vehicles, covering everything from identification of

the original colour through to the matching paint system for a durable classic

car repair. Standox – The Art of Refinishing. .