As some of the stay-at-home restrictions are cautiously being lifted across Australia, body shops are starting to get back to business. With many people avoiding public transport, the use of private vehicles is on the rise for the foreseeable future, which may mean more business for body shops, but during a time of social distancing, this poses a number of challenges. Cromax has productivity at its heart, so its body shops are well placed to meet these challenges.
“The combination of cars being repaired, and social distancing measures mean body shops need to work smarter, especially when they may not have a full cohort of staff. But thanks to our focus on productivity and innovation, over the last two years we have introduced several time, material and energy-saving tools and systems aimed at supporting our body shops. These are perfectly suited for some of the challenges the body shops are facing now as they start to get back to some sense of normality,” said Thomas Cool, Cromax Training and Technical Service Leader for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Digital colour management
Now more than ever, refinishers require ultimate freedom and flexibility to do their job to the highest levels of productivity. In 2019, Cromax introduced ChromaConnect, the cloud-based digital colour management system to deliver just that and to increase body shop productivity through digital technology.
“Complete mobility means that everything from colour matching to colour mixing can be done without being tied to a PC, which is an essential benefit now when social distancing may restrict one refinisher to an area at any one time,” said Cool.
Refinishers can access features such as spectrophotometer readings, job sheets and colour formulas instantly, from any internet enabled device, including a smartphone or a tablet, from anywhere within the body shop, or across multiple body shops in the same network.
Energy savings
Energy consumption is a substantial cost for body shops and at a time when cost savings are a key focus, Cromax products, such as those within the Ultra Performance Energy System can make a significant impact. The new Ultra Performance Non-Sanding Surfacers NS2081, NS2084 and NS2087, and the CC6700 Ultra Performance Energy System Clear are the latest in a line of innovative products that help refinishers increase throughput while keeping energy costs low.
Keep training
While refinishers may not be able to have face to face training, they can rely on Cromax to continue to support them. The Cromax “Let’s get to work” series of videos, available on it’s YouTube channel since 2018, showcase everyday repair methods and address the most relevant challenges refinishers face. They are carried out by a technical expert and show the correct use of Cromax paint products and application processes.
“When time and space is of the essence, we must ensure refinishers can maximise their use of our products and services. By taking every step of the refinish process into account and by offering value added solutions, we give our bodys hops what they need to face today’s unusual industry challenges head-on,” concluded Cool.
Access the “Let’s get to work” training videos at www.youtube.com/AxaltaANZ and for more information about Cromax visit: www.cromax.com.au.