Axalta Coating Systems marked the sale of its 30,000th spectrophotometer in the last decade, demonstrating the company’s global commitment to provide innovative, color-matching technology to its customers. The sale, which was to a customer in Europe, was marked in a ceremony with manufacturer BYK-Gardner at the Axalta European headquarters in Cologne, Germany.

Introduced in October 2004, the hand-held digital color-measuring device provides the opportunity for refinishers to achieve the perfect color match quickly, reliably and efficiently. Many of Axalta’s digital color-measuring patents are incorporated into these devices. And because the technology behind the device can produce such accurate color measurement, the risk to refinishers of costly re-work due to a poor color match can be greatly reduced.

During the ceremony, Sascha Bodtke, Color Marketing Manager for Axalta’s Europe, Middle East and Africa region, said, “putting our customers first enabled us to understand the role this technology could play to make their jobs easier. That insight enabled Axalta to become a global color leader. We were the first company in the industry to offer this type of color-matching capability so widely. The fact that Axalta has sold 30,000 digital spectrophotometers highlights the importance refinishers attach to accurate and fast color matching.”

The spectrophotometer is sold by each of Axalta’s three premier global refinish brands – CromaxTM, Spies HeckerTM and StandoxTM – each of which make these high-tech, cutting-edge spectrophotometers available to their bodyshop customers as part of their extensive color tool choices. The devices are branded as ChromaVisionTM and ChromaVision Pro from Cromax, GeniusTM II and Genius iQ from Standox, and ColorDialogTM spectro and ColorDialog Delta-Scan from Spies Hecker. The devices are also sold in the US, Latin America and Asia Pacific under the names Acquire RXTM and Acquire Plus EFXTM.

Linked to each brand’s advanced color software and databases, these digital tools have become a valuable part of modern refinish work. They can speed up the repair process and thus help bodyshops be smart and efficient in their work.

The spectrophotometer is placed on the vehicle near the damaged area, where it takes color readings from three patented angles. The second-generation devices also measure paint effects as well as the color. Once the device is connected to a computer, color software uses these readings to find the best matching color formula. If the color to be matched is different to the standard formula, the color matching software automatically adjusts the formula to provide refinishers the closest possible match.

Dr. Georg Schroeder, President of BYK-Gardner GmbH, said, “we are proud to be able to support the three global refinish brands of Axalta Coating Systems with spectrophotometers that represent state-of-the-art refinish color-matching. In addition to other features, a camera has been integrated into the instruments, which allows the analysis of effect pigments, resulting in a significantly improved matching of color and appearance. These really are cutting-edge instruments designed for easy use.”