The Refinish Training Centre is hosting a wide range of training courses for Cromax, Spies Hecker and Standox

7 February 2022 – Axalta Refinish announces the 2022 training schedule for its premium refinish brands, Cromax®, Spies Hecker and Standox. The course are held at its state-of-the-art Refinish Training Centre in Midrand, which is equipped with the latest technology and energy saving features. The courses cover a wide range of skills and practices, enabling refinishers to brush up not only on the basics, but also to learn the specialist techniques required to help them excel at the paint repair process.

Adrian Harvey, Technical Manager for Axalta in South Africa, says, “Specialised training greatly contributes to the efficiency of a bodyshop. When refinishers have the right skills set and knowledge, they will work more competently, use less materials, and ultimately increase bodyshop profitability. And our Refinish Training Centre in Midrand, which opened in 2019, is the perfect environment for this training.”

The courses available at the Refinish Training Centre cover the following:

• Waterborne second-generation basecoats (Spies Hecker Permahyd® 280 / Standox Standohyd Plus) - This practical, hands-on course covers all aspects of using second-generation waterborne basecoats, from colour mixing and application, to blending and sanding techniques. During the course, participants learn how to identify and to prepare both plastic and metal substrates, including how to the select the correct primer.
• Waterborne third-generation basecoats (Cromax® Pro Basecoat / Spies Hecker Permahyd Hi-TEC 480 / Standox Standoblue) – As well as learning how to apply the third-generation basecoats correctly, attendees learn surfacer application and the best sanding techniques. They are also shown how to use Axalta’s latest generation spectrophotometer for quick, efficient colour matching.
  
• Special Painting - This course is designed to provide technicians with a comprehensive knowledge of how to identify and to apply special finishes. It includes application and blending techniques for tinted clear finishes and the application of a matt clearcoat.
  
• Solvent - A practical training course covering all aspects related to Axalta’s solventborne technology. Attendees work with both plastic and metal substrates and are taken through preparation, colouristics, basecoat and clear coat, including 2K, application.
  
• Jaguar and Land Rover - This OEM course is structured around JLR’s repair specifications. Theoretical and practical use of the correct products and procedures are covered, enabling attendees to carry out these OEM repairs successfully.
  
• Volkswagen VTB - This OEM course is structured around VW’s repair specifications. Theoretical and practical use of the correct products and procedures are covered, enabling attendees to carry out these OEM repairs successfully.
  

Harvey concludes, “While attending courses at our Refinish Training Centre is a great way to learn new skills and improve techniques, we know from listening to the delegates who attend that it’s not always practical for them to travel to us. So, we also offer bespoke on-site training sessions by arrangement.”

The three premium Axalta Refinish brands each also offer value added support through a series of detailed, step-by-step training videos – Cromax Let’s Get To Work, Spies Hecker Video-TEC and Standox Standovision - which can be viewed on the brand’s respective YouTube channels.

More information about the training courses is available on the brands’ websites, www.cromax.co.za, www.spieshecker.co.za and www.standox.co.za, where the training calendars for 2022 can be accessed and downloaded. The brands’ training videos can be found at YouTube.com/cromaxemea; YouTube.com/spieshecker and YouTube.com/standox-online.

About Standox

Standox, one of the global refinish coating brands from Axalta, supports its customers with premium product quality and in-depth consultancy to help obtain the best results. As a leading European automotive refinish brand from Wuppertal, Germany, it delivers innovative product systems and superior colour-match accuracy and paint technology. Approvals from major car manufacturers reflect the brand’s position as a leading partner to the automotive industry. Standox helps professional refinishers achieve right-first-time results.