• State-of-the-art spraypaint training facility established for the automotive aftermarket
• New facility offers customers hands-on training
• Tailor-made modular training to suit customers’ needs

Company Announcement - BASF Coatings Services, BASF Group’s company specialized in the paints and coatings industry, today inaugurated its state-of-the-art training facility for automotive refinishing in Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.  The new Refinish Competence Center is the first facility of its kind to be established in the country by the company. The new RCC, which expands BASF’s global network of Refinish Competence Centers, will offer customers an opportunity to learn, practice and fully master the use of BASF’s automotive refinish products. The training offerings will include courses on application techniques, the optimal use of paints as well as color matching. Training sessions and workshops have been developed and structured in order to enhance the productivity of bodyshops and to increase their efficiency and competitiveness.

A significant number of trainees and business partners can be trained in the new facility which comprises two spray booths, two preparation-bays, two polish areas, as well as one meeting and two seminar rooms. Other added benefits of the establishment of this facility include the centralization of all products and services: the RCC, the warehouse, the color lab and the administrative department. Training offerings are flexible in order to meet the specific training needs of the customers and programs can be tailor-made in modular format. Training seminars will take the spray painters’ level of knowledge into account and the training program is geared to the individual spray painter’s need. At the opening function Harald Pflanzl, Senior Vice President Automotive Refinish Coatings Solutions EMEA, and Joan-Maria Garcia-Girona, Vice President and Head of BASF Business Center in South Africa & Sub-Sahara, welcomed and addressed around 100 guests, customers and industry stakeholders, representatives of the Southern African German Chamber of Commerce and Industry and BASF employees.  According to Pflanzl: “The RCC Johannesburg enhances the Group's global network of training centres and confirms our commitment to invest in areas where we operate.” Head of the Economic Division of the German Embassy in Pretoria, Dr. Falk Bömeke, recognized BASF for the launch of the new Refinish Competence Center.

During his opening address, Managing Director of BASF Coatings Services, Paul Mandersloot, said: “The establishment of the new Refinish Competence Center in Johannesburg is an important corner-stone of our strategy to train and uplift the refinish paint profession to a higher level and underpin our existing training initiatives. Our customers will now have the opportunity to learn, practice and fully master the use of BASF’s automotive refinish products in state-of-the-art facilities.” Says Joan-Maria Garcia-Girona: “One of BASF’s strategic pillars is: We innovate to make our customers more successful. Today’s inauguration highlights that BASF meets this commitment of collaboration to ensure our customers’ future success, and also help industry standards to be raised. This training facility will also ensure that the highest standards in training are met while providing innovative solutions and increasing the efficiency level and profitability of our customers’ business.”

BASF has established Refinish Competence Centers across the globe, spanning from Australia, China and the United States to France and Germany. The training network comprises more than 50 training centers, where painters practice and perfect the use of automotive paints.