Axalta Coating Systems announces an exciting new partnership, appointing Coffs Harbour Toyota as its latest Australian refinish distributor of Spies Hecker on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales.
A next-generation 2-in-1 surfacer designed to accelerate repairs, reduce energy use and simplify bodyshop workflows.
Entries now open – nominate today at bodyshopawards.com.au
Upcoming Axalta Drivus course schedule for May-Jun 2026 on Repair Planning
The Autumn 2026 issue of TUF Magazine is here! Read about the people, technology and partnerships driving progress across the automotive and industrial refinish industries.
Axalta ANZ has now launched its 2026 first-half Spies Hecker product training schedule.
Solar Boost is a warm, inviting orange infused with shimmering champagne-coloured flakes, radiating energy from sunrise to sunset. It reflects warmth and optimism in North America; vibrancy and celebration in Latin America; and bold individuality across Asia Pacific, where saturated hues help vehicles stand out.
The report reflects the progress Axalta has made to advance the sustainability of the company’s operations and products, as well as its continued commitment to integrate sustainability into Axalta’s business strategy.
Industry’s longest running and most comprehensive colour account shows neutrals continuing to anchor the global palette
Akzo Nobel and Axalta Coating Systems Ltd have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock merger of equals, creating a premier global coatings company with an enterprise value of approximately $25 billion. Read More
Spies Hecker adds White and Grey to its Permasolid HS Vario Primer Surfacer 5340 range, replacing the existing Light Grey shade, while Black remains available.
Axalta ANZ enters a new chapter of growth and collaboration with the appointment of Craig Tonkes as Managing Director and Peter Kingsley-Rowe as National Sales Manager.
Axalta Irus Mix – automated paint mixing with Spies Hecker Permahyd Hi-TEC
One-minute UV curing delivers faster turnaround and outstanding results for small and smart repairs
Smart investment in Axalta's Fast Cure Low Energy Technology cuts energy costs in half while boosting repair quality
Celebrating 40 issues of innovation, restoration, and industry milestones.
New Axalta Drivus training helps bodyshop leaders reflect, adapt and grow
Achieve consistent, high-quality results with our new Standard Operating Procedures
We proudly supported Australia’s top young spray painters at the 2025 championships
Say goodbye to guesswork and hello to pinpoint accuracy! The Axalta Irus Scan spectrophotometer takes colour matching to the next level—measuring metallic flakes, hue-shifting pigments, and gloss with live surface imaging. Want to know how it can transform your workflow? Read on to discover the future of colour measurement!
Spies Hecker expands its 1K Primer Surfacer Aerosol range with new black and white options
Kick off 2025 with the latest edition of TUF Magazine!
Upcoming Axalta Drivus course schedule for Jan-Jun 2025 on Paint Shop Optimisation
Axalta ANZ has now launched its January to June 2025 product training schedule.
Axalta Introduces Evergreen Sprint as its 2025 Global Automotive Color of the Year. This newest shade pays homage to the legendary British racing green.
Axalta has been named as a recommended refinish supplier for BMW Group where BMW private paint label, ColorSystem, is not present. The new agreement, effective from January 2025, is valid for several years and includes BMW Group’s network of dealerships and collision repair shops in over 50 countries worldwide, including Australia and New Zealand.
We are excited to unveil our latest innovation: the 9072 Permasolid Race Additive Slow.
Discover the new Permasolid UV-TEC Primer Surfacer 9003 from Spies Hecker, designed for unmatched speed and efficiency in spot repairs.
As summer approaches with high temperatures and fluctuating humidity, refinishing professionals face unique challenges. Axalta provides practical tips to help achieve flawless results despite these conditions.
Celebrating Women’s Contributions to Australia’s Collision Repair Industry - Nominations open till 22nd November 2024
Join the 2024 Axalta Drivus Business Council this October and November for one-day events focused on elevating bodyshop success. From creating inspiring work environments to measuring performance, connect with industry peers, share insights, and redefine your business approach.
The latest Spring edition of TUF Magazine is here!
Meet the NEW Sagola 4600 DFT — precision and performance redefined
Spies Hecker is excited to introduce the Priomat 1K Universal Primer Surfacer 4095 aerosol.
We have recently expanded our range of Sontara wipes available through our distribution network, with the introduction of a new clean-up wipe.
Upcoming course schedule on Coaching for Performance with Axalta Drivus
Spies Hecker AU has now launched its July to December 2024 product training schedule.
Axalta Coating Systems has teamed up with Hermann Innovations GmbH to introduce the revolutionary IONSTAR® Anti-Static solution.
Recognise excellence in the automotive industry and nominate yourself or other worthy contestants now at: https://bodyshopawardscom.au/
Axalta has integrated RADAR-compliant colour formulations into its global online colour databases—ChromaWeb, Phoenix, and Standowin iQ—to anticipate future RADAR requirements for repairing cars equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
The latest TUF magazine edition is out now! Packed with captivating customer stories, cutting-edge products and bodyshop insights to elevate your body shop game, it's a must-read. Dive into articles of overcoming skill shortage challenges, witness the artistry of vehicle restoration, and explore the latest innovations from Axalta. Don't miss out—grab your copy now!
Spies Hecker has an updated comprehensive poster available to professional refinishers detailing each stage of every type of plastic repair. The Plastic Repair Poster aims to speed up the plastic repair process and to help refinishers work more efficiently.
In this issue of The Ultimate Finish Magazine, we feature a a cover story on a 'Golden Holden' Torana, a labor of love that consumed three years of toil for the owners at Axalta Distributor, Wallaby Crash Supplies.
Our renowned Axalta Services program is changing its name to Drivus. The portfolio offered by Drivus will give bodyshops expert business tools and services, tailored consultancy and training across a broad range of areas.
The Axalta Academy, a state-of-the-art global training platform for refinish professionals, is launching locally to empower refinishers to maintain and to improve their specialised competencies with top-class training. The platform adjusts to the way in which they work, and is backed by Axalta’s unrivalled, industry-leading expertise.
Axalta today launches Axalta Irus Mix, the fastest fully automated and completely hands-free mixing machine for the automotive refinish industry. Axalta Irus Mix delivers highly accurate colour and works with Axalta’s innovative packaging, maximising profitability and minimising environmental impact to help refinish customers meet or exceed key business goals.
We are excited for another full year of training courses. We have integrated solid management practices and industry-specific best practice to develop a series of valuable courses.
Spies Hecker is proud to introduce its new Matt Clear System comprising two Permacron® products.
With the release of its 70th annual Global Automotive Colour Popularity Report, Axalta revealed the top three automotive colours of 2022: white, black, and grey. First published in 1953, Axalta’s annual colour popularity report is the automotive industry’s longest running and most comprehensive colour account.
The energy crisis, called by some the most extreme that has ever occurred in Europe , is worsening. Businesses are facing the double hit of spiralling costs and increasing inflation on top of energy costs that are extraordinarily high - and rising. Controlling costs is now top of most businesses’ agendas, and bodyshops are no different, particularly as they utilise energy to carry out their daily work.
Axalta Refinish has unveiled three new websites for its premium refinish brands – Cromax, Spies Hecker and Standox – that cater specifically for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. The sites, which went live on 17 August 2022, offer visitors modern, clean homepages and page content with an enhanced and complete browsing experience.
Axalta Refinish is one of the Platinum Partners at the International Bodyshop Industry Symposium (IBIS) Global Summit 2022 in Monaco, taking place between 15 and 17 June 2022. Axalta Refinish is showcasing a number of its most recent ground-breaking firsts to a global audience of leaders and innovators in the automotive collision repair industry.
The cost of living is increasing but what is hitting homeowners and businesses alike is the soaring cost of energy. In January 2022, the Eurozone saw energy prices increase 28.6%. For bodyshop owners across the region these rising energy cost could not come at a worse time.
Spies Hecker’s new training video detailing practical advice on its new, easy-to-use, direct-to-plastic additive is now available. With an over-coating time of only five minutes, Speed-TEC Plastic Additive 9260 saves bodyshops time and, ultimately, improves throughput.
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, who made history with eight consecutive FIA Formula OneTM Constructors’ Championships at the end of the 2021 season, unveiled its 2022 race car on 18 February 2022 at Silverstone, England, ahead of the first race weekend of the season in Bahrain from 18 March 2022.
Axalta has launched an ongoing series of refinish training videos designed to help automotive repair bodyshops deal with troublesome, yet common paint defects. The first six videos are available now, to view free of charge.
Axalta Refinish has introduced another first to the EMEA market - a new electric vehicle (EV) repair package, which supports refinishers and bodyshops with the repairs of EV vehicles. Sales of electric cars are accelerating – one in 10 new cars in 2021 has been powered by a battery[i] - and refinishers and bodyshops need to be prepared to handle an increasing volume of EVs safely and efficiently.
Axalta announced its Global Automotive Color of the Year 2022 – Royal Magenta. The selection for the eighth edition of the exclusive Global Automotive Color of the Year, Royal Magenta, is a deep cherry color that brings a luxurious finish to the market.
Axalta released its 69th annual Global Automotive Color Popularity Report revealing most cars on today’s roads are white (35%), black (19%) and grey (19%). Grey increased by four percentage points worldwide. The results of Axalta’s Global Automotive Color Popularity Report are tabulated on Axalta’s analysis of 2021 automotive build data in major markets and are an indicator of current market trends.
Bodyshop Optimizer is the latest offering from Drivus, a brand delivering business services for the automotive refinish market in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), from Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings. The new personalised consultancy service focuses on a bodyshop’s finances with the aim to boost the bottom line.
Bodyshop refinishers can achieve even faster results with the new pre-filled bottles of Permahyd Hi-TEC Basecoat 480, Spies Hecker’s easy-to-use, waterborne basecoat. There are 95 bottles in total - 68 tints in 500ml bottles and in 27 tints in 1 litre bottles - and they are specifically designed to work in the new Daisy Wheel 3.0 from Fillon Technology.
Advanced Inventory Management (AIM) is the new service from Drivus, a brand delivering business services for the automotive refinish market in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), from Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings.
Colour assessment and matching are two important process steps for every bodyshop; it’s easy to get wrong if the colour match is done by eye due to the subjective nature of colour. And factoring in that globally 8% of men are colour-blind[1], the risks of poor matches for bodyshops increases even further.
Spies Hecker, one of the premium refinish paint brands of Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, has been the Official Team Supplier to Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team for eight years.
Support from technical specialist helps refinishers avoid pinholes and other small surface defects. Spies Hecker, one of the premium refinish paint brands of Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, knows that even a seasoned refinisher can sometimes run into issues with tiny defects such as pinholes appearing in the clear coat
Axalta (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings, today launched a new business partnership concept for the European automotive refinish market under a new brand: Drivus. Designed to focus on the particular challenges faced by bodyshops, Drivus targets productivity, performance and profits to ensure bodyshops build better businesses.
Swiss electric car manufacturer KYBURZ Switzerland AG continues its ongoing co-operation with Spies Hecker by painting two new vehicles in Axalta’s 2021 Global Automotive Colour of the Year, ElectroLight.
Axalta today announced it will make available pre-filled bottles of basecoat from its industry leading premium refinish brands for Fillon Technologies’ new Daisy Wheel 3.0, enabling fully automated colour mixing for the first time. Combined with Axalta’s cloud-based Digital Colour Management, bodyshops across EMEA will have access to the fastest and most productive paint process available.
Over 700 collision shops aligned with Fix Network World in 12 countries set to benefit from five-year partnership agreement. Axalta has signed an five-year global partnership agreement with Fix Network World, one of the biggest collision repair franchise networks globally.
Highly chromatic blues and deep, lively and very intense reds are currently very much on trend for new cars. Spies Hecker, a global refinish paint brand from Axalta, has developed a process to achieve an invisible repair of these sophisticated colours using tinted clear coats. In the latest Video-TEC video, International Training Leader for Axalta’s Refinish business, Tony Mitchell, gives practical and easy-to-implement tips.
For his first large outdoor artwork, established American contemporary artist Ricardo Paniagua used Spies Hecker to achieve a visually striking, high-quality and durable finish. Solar Radiance is the first large-scale outdoor artwork by contemporary artist Ricardo Paniagua, who is based in Dallas, Texas, USA.
Blue is the most popular chromatic colour on new cars. Spies Hecker launches a new mixing tint to reproduce certain shades of blue perfectly. Colours are never just colours - each one stands for something and triggers associations in those who look at it. Blue, for example, is the colour of sky and sea, of distance and vastness; it also stands for values such as harmony, clarity and calm. Perhaps due to these positive associations, blue is a favourite among chromatic shades with new car buyers.
Axalta announced its 2021 Global Automotive Color of the Year – ElectroLight. ElectroLight is an expressively refreshing green-yellow hue with inspired bold, contemporary flavours that echo style, energy and flair. The unique personality of ElectroLight evokes a blend of sporty design elements with functional performance and offers great versatility when combined with two-tone charcoal colour accents or matte finishes on a variety of mobility solutions.
Axalta released its 68th annual Global Automotive Color Popularity Report revealing the most common automotive colours on the road today are white (38%), black (19%) and grey (15%). Grey increased by two percentage points worldwide and is at a 10-year high.
Axalta sets pulses of motorsport fans racing with the unveiling of its 2021 wall calendar - Brilliantly Fast - created by the Refinish business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). It celebrates student racing and is a fitting tribute to those professional motorsports teams that have achieved unparalleled success in 2020.
Axalta, a leading global provider of liquid and powder coatings, is participating in IBISConnect Africa, a live online simulcast held by the International Bodyshop Industry Symposium (IBIS), on Thursday 23 July 2020 between 10am and 1.30pm SAST.
The popular Mazda colour Machine Grey is applied using a cutting-edge robotic painting technology called Takuminuri, which makes the repair of this three-stage colour particularly demanding. Evgeny Khmelev, Head of Training for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Spies Hecker, gives practical tips for repairing it with the Spies Hecker Permahyd Hi-TEC 480 Base Coat system
With the 2020 Formula OneTM season on hold, Spies Hecker takes the opportunity to look in-depth at the Team’s livery, and the work that goes in to applying it. Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team is the reigning FIA Formula OneTM Constructors’ Champion, having cinched a world record sixth consecutive title at the end of the 2019 season.
The successful cooperation between the Swiss electric car manufacturer Kyburz Switzerland AG and Spies Hecker will continue in 2020. Kyburz's exhibition vehicle received its design livery for the Geneva International Motor Show in Geneva at the Spies Hecker paint center Campus 105 in Pratteln and should have been presented on March 3.
Mercedes-Benz AG has renewed its approval of Spies Hecker, one of the global refinish brands of Axalta (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global manufacturer of liquid and powder coatings. Effective 1 April 2020, Spies Hecker is once again approved for use across the Mercedes-Benz network in 4 European countries, until 31 March 2023.
Spies Hecker is committed to supporting bodyshops in their efforts to think green and to reduce their energy consumption. Spies Hecker Brand Manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Joachim Hinz, addresses the importance of sustainability and offers guidance on what bodyshops can do to improve their environmental sustainability.
Permasolid® Speed-TEC Clear Coat 8810 from Spies Hecker dries particularly quickly at low room temperatures and offers bodyshops a tactical solution for a higher throughput as well as the ability to reduce operating costs and to generate additional business.
The Spies Hecker colour software Phoenix is now available as an app for smartphones and tablets. In addition to access to Phoenix Cloud - the global colour and product database - the app offers practical additional features such as an integrated barcode scanner.
Spies Hecker has refreshed its product label design, and they are clear and user-friendly. "A good product label shows exactly what is in the tin and displays clearly all the information the refinisher needs – nothing more or less complicated than that," says Joachim Hinz, Brand Manager for Spies Hecker in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Spies Hecker - one of the premium refinish paint brands of Axalta, a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings – was named Paint Brand of the Year in the Repairer’s Choice awards at the ABP Club Night of Knights awards ceremony.
Axalta today released its 67th annual Global Automotive Color Popularity Report, which reveals the top three automotive colours as: white (38%), black (19%), and grey (13%). White has been the top automotive colour worldwide since 2011.
Working together for fantastic finishes: Team Work makes the Dream Work is the new Spies Hecker calendar for 2020.
The new Permasolid Clear Coat Color Additive 9051 from Spies Hecker enables bodyshops to repair the latest orange trend, today. Orange is a colour that up til now was rarely seen on vehicles, but with today’s new deep luminosity, it is seeing a revival.
The Paint Shop at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport in Brackley, England, looks after painting the cars, but they are also responsible for ensuring that everything from the headset ear caps to the Engineers’ Centre Station looks amazing - and they rely on Spies Hecker’s customised solutions for all of it.