Cromax, one of the three global refinish brands of Axalta Coating Systems, has started a new initiative in the Netherlands: the Cromax Bike Team. The team’s aim is to offer Cromax customers in the Netherlands an accessible, easy and fun way to give back to the community. It offers busy bodyshop owners the opportunity to help fulfill their corporate social responsibility.

The newly formed Cromax Bike Team will take part in regional cycling tours every year. Then, once a year, a larger event for the cyclists will be organized: the Cromax Ultimate Challenge. This will see participants setting their own individual performance goals, racing to improve personal bests. But the real winner of all the events will be Make-A-Wish Netherlands, for which the team will raise money through its corporate sponsorship, participants’ sponsorship and other fundraising activities. Make-A-Wish is a non-profit organization that fulfills the wishes of children aged between 3 and 18 years old who suffer from life-threatening illnesses.

Tonio Amaddeo, Sales Manager for Cromax in the Netherlands, says, “The original idea for the Cromax Bike Team was born out of two pieces of information. First, we know from our experience with our customers that we can create positivity if we join our efforts. And secondly, many of our customers are avid cyclists. So the aim is to get all these enthusiastic people together and organize activities to achieve meaningful goals, personally and for our community. From the start, our ambition was to donate any money we raised to a good cause.”

Christel Bockting, Netherlands Regional Action Coordinator, Make-A-Wish, says, “We are very grateful for every company’s work. It is so important to us. The fact that businesses choose Make-a-Wish is fantastic. The Cromax Bike Team initiative really has the potential to grow into something beautiful. It looks like, thanks to the team’s efforts, we can make many children happy. And we have witnessed so much enthusiasm from Cromax already, there is a clear feeling that we are working together to help the children.”

The first Cromax Ultimate Challenge was held in Veluwe, a central location in the Netherlands, on Wednesday, October 29. At the event, Amaddeo presented a check for 10,560 Euros for the charity, on behalf of Cromax, to former leukemia sufferer and ambassador for Make-A-Wish Netherlands, Juliette.

The following companies have supported the initiative and are sponsors of the Cromax Bike Team: A.A.S., Gebr. Ferwerda, Geeraets Autolak, Heuvelland Autoschade, Inducar Protection Coating, Luijten-VVZ, N3Wstrategy, Roks Autoschade en Vanesch Verf.