Thought-leaders from Brazil’s collision repair industry have put the spotlight on how the region can take advantage of global trends at the latest regional IBIS – The International Bodyshop Industry Symposium – which was hosted with global partners AkzoNobel and Fix Auto World, in São Paulo, October 28.

IBIS, which was established in 2001 with the aim of uniting and educating top-level automotive executives in the global collision repair industry, has grown in popularity as the industry has recognized the advantages of sharing experience within regions and across the globe. “This forum gave stakeholders interested in the Brazilian collision repair market the chance to share their knowledge and ideas in order to develop this industry and help it stay competitive on a global scale,” confirmed Shelley Cheshire, CEO, IBIS.

AkzoNobel Global Key Account Manager for Latin America OEMs, Rafael Broilo, and Sergio Munhoz, AkzoNobel Business Manager for South America, who led the regional AkzoNobel Vehicle Refinishes (VR) team were delighted that the event had such a dynamic atmosphere. Over 50 delegates representing OEMs, dealerships, insurance companies, distributors and industry partners enjoyed the opportunity to network and gain a deeper understanding of how exploiting market trends can benefit business development in the region.

IBIS and AkzoNobel specialists led a number of business and technical discussion forums throughout the day, exploring the relevance of global automotive trends to the market in Brazil, characteristics of a maturing market, and the increasing trend towards consolidating bodyshops into multi-shop organizations. There were also talks about the impact of technology for repair professionals, and consideration given to the concepts, products and processes which enable bodyshops to take advantage of rapid repair techniques. The day concluded with an interactive panel session, summarizing the key themes and a well-received question and answer session.

Keith Malik, AkzoNobel’s VR Director Global Accounts explained, “Each market has its own unique dynamics and Brazil is no exception to this. It was great to see such readiness to learn and embrace change to build a better future for the body and paint industry in Brazil.  “We look forward to supporting the Brazilian market further at the next IBIS event in the summer of 2016, which will further cement the fantastic work being done by our local team.”