In attendance were six AkzoNobel-equipped workshops all participating in the company’s sought-after Acoat Selected business improvement programme. Acoat Selected was developed by AkzoNobel as a member-based customer training programme designed specifically to help its customers operate more efficient and profitable businesses.  

Chairing the session was Robin Taylor, National Services Manager, AkzoNobel Automotive & Aerospace Coatings, who is widely regarded as one of Acoat’s driving forces and a key player behind many of the business benefits the programme is famed for delivering to crash repairers.

“The overall target of Acoat Selected is to help our member customers make their businesses more profitable,” Taylor said.

“Our regular Regional Performance Group sessions are critical in achieving this.”
Regional Performance Group sessions involve Acoat programme members meeting on a regular basis to share best practices, network, and benchmark both processes and results. It also includes customised training from Taylor and his team.

“For our Acoat Selected members these sessions are a core part of the programme and a real opportunity to advance their businesses,” Taylor said.

The participants agree. Among them was Steve Eaton, owner of Cairns Accident Repair Centre and Vice-President of the Motor Traders’ Association of Queensland.
“This is not a spray painting course,” he said.

“Acoat Selected shows you how to get the most from your business, which you quickly learn is much more than just fixing cars; it’s about people and processes and how to continually improve them.

“Introducing principles such as lean management has made a big difference to my operation,” Eaton said.

Paul Nisbett from PJ’s Panel Repairs from Malanda in Queensland holds a similar view.
“Joining Acoat Selected got me looking beyond the daily habits of running a panel shop and addressing critical issues such as efficiency and production,” he said.
“The programme makes you think about having the right systems in place to optimise cycle times and that, for me, has been valuable.”

This latest Regional Performance Group meeting also gave AkzoNobel a chance to showcase its new state-of-the-art training facility in Hillcrest. The company used the opportunity to conduct an impressive demonstration of their waterborne paint technology.

For more information about AkzoNobel’s Acoat Selected visit www.acoat.com.au