Axalta Coating Systems held a Business Council Symposium last week led by esteemed industry expert Mike Anderson of Collision Advice.

Axalta’s Commercial Transportation Business Council Members as well as potential members, and a group of commercial transportation shop owners from Australia attended the informative two-day meeting in Anaheim, California. Participants had an opportunity to enhance their network of industry relationships and share best business and leadership practices.

Chris Papa, Axalta Marketing Manager, delivered a comprehensive overview of Axalta’s business values and principles, commercial product offering, and extensive customer support services. Marcelino Fernandez, Axalta National Account Manager, presented the findings from a detailed shop product analysis conducted on council member shops. The analysis examined products council members use and suggested alternative Axalta products that could help increase shop productivity.

The 3M Company proudly sponsored the business council meeting. John Spoto, Global Heavy Duty Truck Account Manager at 3M Company, addressed attendees’ questions about products in their broad array of paint accessory materials to assist with color match, sanding, and process improvements. He also expressed 3M’s commitment to continue to support commercial transportation body shops.

Representatives from Static Solutions, based in the United Kingdom, performed a demonstration of their new Pro-Stat spray gun designed to dissipate static charge on substrates prior to application of all coatings, in order to save time, money and reduce contamination, and which is VOC-free unlike the alternative fluid/wipes. Attendees also engaged in an informative discussion surrounding the de-static process as well the potential uses for and possible savings that commercial shops may gain by using the gun. The Pro-Stat spray gun is suitable for use on cars, marine vessels, aircraft and commercial vehicles.

Ryan Ketcham of LeanTec, a solution-based company that develops inventory management tools to empower businesses to improve their inventory controls, explained the process used to develop LeanTec’s industry-specific software and smart hardware. He also presented features and benefits of their electronic inventory stationary cabinets.