Axalta participated in the International Bodyshop Industry Symposium (IBIS) summit which took place in Munich, Germany from June 11-13. Axalta’s delegation at the event consisted of 32 participants representing the company’s senior management team, teams of Axalta’s three premium global refinish brands – Cromax, Spies Hecker, and Standox – as well as a number of its partners and customers. Axalta supported the summit as an official partner.

“IBIS Global Summit is a must-attend event for any major players in the refinish industry,” said Joe McDougall, Axalta’s EVP and president of Global Refinish and EMEA, who hosted the company’s delegation at the event. “Having prominent industry experts, major market influencers and many of our key customers in one place is a fantastic opportunity to discuss and to debate major challenges and strategic opportunities for the future with them.”

Jim Muse, Axalta’s North America sales director and Global Refinish accounts director, was one of the key speakers at the IBIS panel debate dedicated to current trends in skills and talent development in the refinish industry.

“Employee engagement, training and talent development are a vital part of Axalta’s human resource policy,” Muse said. “But we also understand that the global refinish industry should attract fresh talent who can lead it into the future. Bearing this in mind, Axalta works closely with colleges and universities across the world, not only helping students to develop their professional skills, but also to spark their interest and to encourage them to continue their careers in the refinish sector.”

In the Netherlands, Standox works with Edudelta College to organize dedicated refinish days for its students, installing a refinish workshop in the college, and encouraging local body shops to accept students as interns. Throughout North America, Axalta works with Vocational Technical Schools providing products as well as instructional support to high school students who want to start a career in the refinish industry.
 
“These activities help to bridge the existing skills gap in the coatings and refinish industries, but they also provide students with the necessary knowledge they need to succeed in today’s highly competitive job market,” Muse said.

Axalta also exhibited at IBIS Global Summit. Its stand showcased a variety of relevant initiatives for the industry, including RepScore.net, a new, innovative digital network management system. RepScore.net has been specifically developed to help improve the cooperation between body shops and network owners.