The Commercial Coatings division of PPG has released its training class schedule for the second quarter of 2018 — April, May and June. Classes will be held across the U.S. and Canada at PPG Business Development Centers and various additional field locations. They are designed to ensure that paint technicians stay up to date with the continuous technological advances of PPG products.

PPG commercial training covers the Delfleet Essential^® and Delfleet^® Evolution brands along with other popular PPG commercial performance coatings (CPC) product lines. Classes are also offered for PPG’s AdjustRite^® commercial estimating system.

Expert PPG instructors and trainers lead the one- or two-day classes that include lectures, group discussions and Q&A sessions along with hands-on time in the paint booth.

A partial list of upcoming PPG commercial coatings courses includes:

• Delfleet Essential^® Certification and Recertification
• Delfleet^® Evolution Certification and Recertification
• Delfleet^® Evolution Spot Repair and Color Tinting
• Commercial Truck Estimating
• Commercial Performance Coatings Product Technologies
• Amercoat^® Product and Marketing

PPG training is the most extensive in the commercial coatings industry. Classes cover topics ranging from an overview of commercial coatings, product selection, color tools and equipment to surface preparation and paint application best practices. The unique requirements of commercial fleets are also reviewed. In addition, technicians receive instruction on the business side of the refinish process and the efficient use of commercial coatings to boost productivity, profitability and refinish quality while raising customer satisfaction.

As noted above, classes for certification in the use of Delfleet Essential^® and Delfleet^® Evolution products are also offered. PPG technicians must be certified every two years. When PPG technicians and their respective commercial collision centers are certified, the centers may qualify for participation in the PPG Commercial Vehicle Paint Performance Warranty program.

Classes are available in French or Spanish in some locations. Full course descriptions, dates, locations and registration instructions can be found here or by calling (800) 647-6050. Classes fill quickly and early registration is encouraged.

The Commercial Coatings division of PPG will soon launch EST900 DTM Chassis Black Topcoat, a key addition to the Delfleet Essential^® brand, giving customers a new choice for effective metal protection. EST900, based on advanced technological polyurethane development, is a direct-to-metal (DTM) 2.8 VOC chassis topcoat and does not require the use of a primer coat. It may be applied directly over sanded cold rolled or blasted hot rolled steel surfaces and is formulated to effectively withstand common corrosion factors while providing excellent adhesion characteristics.

“With EST900 DTM Chassis Black Topcoat, PPG customers can enjoy two immediate benefits — enhanced productivity and reduced costs,” said Scott Colvin, PPG product manager, commercial transport. “Eliminating the priming step reduces material and labor costs and speeds up the entire coating process. In addition, EST900 offers exceptional resistance to corrosion and wear and utilizes the existing Delfleet Essential^® hardener and activators. PPG customers will appreciate the positive throughput difference EST900 can make in a busy commercial shop.”

According to Colvin, EST900’s urethane-based resin technology provides outstanding protection against abrasive chemicals and corrosive solutions including road salt (magnesium chloride), grease and oil. As a 2.8 VOC chassis topcoat, it is compliant in all areas of the United States and Canada.

PPG offers a full range of coating technologies for the commercial transportation and light industrial markets including polyurethanes, alkyds, epoxies, polyurea, waterborne, pretreatment chemicals and powder coatings. PPG commercial coatings products are marketed under several brand names including Amercoat^®, Commercial Performance Coatings, Delfleet Essential^® and Delfleet^® Evolution.

There’s a special addition to this year’s upcoming Goodguys Meguiar’s Del Mar Nationals: PPG and the Goodguys Rod and Custom Association have teamed up to create the PPG Lowrider Palace, a special indoor display featuring some of the most dazzling lowriders California has to offer.
 

The brainchild of Ray Garcia, PPG territory manager, the PPG Lowrider Palace is a first for the Goodguys Del Mar event — the 18th edition of the annual show — set for April 6–8 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, just north of San Diego. Garcia is a member of Switch San Diego, a lowrider car club, and very passionate about the entire lowrider community. He’s also the owner of a 1971 Monte Carlo he’s turned into a showpiece.

“I thought lowriders deserved to be recognized and have their own category at Del Mar. Goodguys agreed and together we created the PPG Lowrider Palace,” said Garcia. “Lowriders are an important part of the California car culture. The guys take great pride in their cars and put a lot of time and money into them to make them unique. As a PPG rep, I especially love the cars’ awesome colors and finishes — a lot of Vibrance Collection^® effects — they’re unbelievable.”

Garcia spread the word about the event throughout the area’s lowrider network. Sixteen car clubs responded and are sending cars to the show. The PPG Lowrider Palace will exhibit 112 prequalified lowriders. These cars are elite enough that each entry will command an Award of Excellence. The cars will also compete for other significant awards.

“We’re very excited about the PPG Lowrider Palace,” said Ed Capen, Goodguys Rod & Custom Association, vice president, sales and sponsorship. “The lowrider phenomenon is big; it’s moving across the country. Lowrider owners are very serious about their cars. The build quality is excellent, the details they attend to are amazing, and they look fantastic. Lowriders are in the same league as the customs and street rods you see at our shows.”

Capen noted that Goodguys has displayed lowriders at shows in Pleasanton, California, for several years and is exploring similar exhibits for other locations; however, the PPG Lowrider Palace is a first for Del Mar and the largest Goodguys lowrider display to date.

“The PPG Lowrider Palace will be a first-class display,” Capen said. “We’re very pleased to partner with PPG to make it happen at Del Mar. We want everybody who loves lowriders to come out and see these cars.”

With more than 70,000 active members, the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association is one of the world’s largest rod and custom associations. The organization produces automotive events across the country. PPG is the official paint supplier to the organization and exhibits at all national and many regional Goodguys events. There, PPG displays the latest automotive refinish products, hottest colors and custom tones, unique pigments and special-effect finishes available from the Envirobase^® High Performance, Vibrance Collection^® and Deltron^® lines as well as other PPG brands.

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio – March 22, 2018
PPG MVP Business Solutions has announced the schedule for its “Elevating the Customer Experience” class. The course’s objective is to provide collision center owners, managers, sales staff and estimators with the skills necessary to deliver exceptional customer service. A key part of the MVP Business Development Series, the two-day class is offered at various locations including PPG Business Development Centers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

“We developed this course at the request of PPG customers who want to increase loyalty across today’s multigenerational customer base by providing a more positive and memorable experience,” said Jim Berkey, PPG director, business solutions, Automotive Refinish. “We use a simple, proven methodology to understand current customer touchpoints and then develop appropriate changes in the service approach to create those memorable experiences.”

Course participants will study the Kano Model of customer satisfaction to gain a perspective on what it takes to go from merely satisfying a customer to delighting the customer. The participants will learn about the impact of social styles and generational differences on customer communications and how, by understanding those differences in their customers and themselves, they can be more effective in their customer interactions.

Class topics include

• What extraordinary customer service in collision centers really looks like;
• Creating memorable experiences that foster customer loyalty and generate referrals;
• Understanding how social styles affect success in communicating and establishing relationships with customers;
• Generation gaps, demographic shifts and customer service;
• Building positive, lifetime relationships;
• Social media technology and the voice of the customer.

Customer response to past courses has been positive. Brothers Andy and Eric Zamora, owners of three Zamora’s Auto Body shops in Maryland, attended a recent MVP “Elevating the Customer Experience” class at the PPG Business Development Center in Glen Burnie, Maryland.

“This was one of the best classes I’ve ever taken,” said Andy. “It was valuable because it relates to today’s competitive environment, which has evolved from focusing only on the back of the shop where we repair the vehicle — although that’s still critical — to exceeding the expectations of multiple generations of customers. As a group we were guided through a process of identifying specific things that we could do to create a better experience for the customer, and when I got back to the shop, I implemented them immediately with great results.”

Eric echoed Andy’s remarks. “This was a great class, one that will stick in my mind for being direct and informative,” he said. “We got lots of ideas, many of our own making because of the group processes the course employs. We learned how different generations of customers have different expectations and how to communicate with each of them. Both Andy and I took key employees with us, and we will be sending more in the future. This class is a must for shops that want to succeed.”

An informative video about MVP’s “ Elevating the Customer Experience” class along with customer reviews of other classes can be found on the PPG refinish video channel under MVP Business Solutions.

To learn more about PPG MVP training, consulting and resources, including details of all courses, seminars and workshops, visit the “Explore Our Programs” page at ppgmvp.com or call (866) 237-8178. Early registration is encouraged, as class sizes are limited to ensure effective involvement by all participants.

A heavily customized 1957 Chevrolet dubbed “Imagine” and sporting a gleaming silver PPG finish claimed the prestigious Don Ridler Memorial Award at the recent 66th Detroit Autorama. The annual event, a gathering of eye-popping, exceptional custom-built cars and trucks, drew an extremely competitive field of entrants vying for the coveted honor. It was the sixth time in eleven years that an entry painted with automotive products from PPG took the prize.

Established in 1963, the Ridler Award, named after the man who made the Detroit Autorama the nation’s premier custom car show, is regarded as the ultimate accolade in custom design brilliance. It is presented to the most outstanding custom car or truck making its first public appearance at the show. Along with the Ridler Award trophy, the owner of the winning car receives a cash prize and a special embroidered jacket to commemorate the win. This year Greg Hrehovcsik and John Martin, Imagine’s owners, shared the honors.
 

2018 Ridler Award Winner:"Imagine"

Imagine started life as an ordinary Chevy hardtop, but co-owner and custom builder John Martin and the talented team at Johnny’s Auto Trim & Rod Shop in Alamosa, Colorado, gave it a new identity. Martin’s crew handled the build that features heavy body modifications, a complete custom chassis and full leather interior. Tom Stark, owner of Precision Design Fabrications of Denver, helped out with the project. Wayne Saunders at Alternative Automotive Design in Colorado Springs and Johnny’s did hundreds of hours of bodywork and line sculpting. Once it was built, Saunders — originally from England and known as “The English Painter” — finished the Chevy with “Imagine Silver,” a custom color Martin created. Saunders applied a variety of PPG products including Deltron^® NCP271 Corrosion Resistant Primer, Vibrance Collection^® VP2100 Polyester Primer, Deltron^® DBC Basecoat and DCU2021 Concept^® Urethane Clear along with DSC5250 Ditzler^® Satin Clear to give the car its lustrous finish.

To win a Ridler Award, a car must impress the judges sufficiently to qualify for the final round of competition, known as the Great Eight. Martin made it to the finals in 2011 with a crowd-pleasing Corvette. This time he made it all the way to the top.

Just getting into the Great Eight is a momentous triumph and PPG-painted vehicles were well represented.

Detroit Speed's 1969 Camaro

“Tux,” a 1969 Camaro owned by Stuart Adams and built by the team at Detroit Speed, Inc., Mooresville, North Carolina, made the cut. This Great Eight finalist was given a lustrous black finish — hence the name Tux, as in tuxedo — by painters Michael Neighbors and Austin Moore. They used several PPG Deltron^® products including Concept^® DCC9300 Acrylic Urethane Black Single Stage and DCU2021 Urethane Clear on the body with DBC9700 Basecoat Black and Global Refinish System^® D8115 Matte Clearcoat on the car’s tail. All in all, an intense and winning look.

Eddie Denkenberger’s 1967 Camaro

Eddie Denkenberger at Superior Auto Works in Frederica, Delaware, steered his entry, a 1967 Camaro named “Nickleback,” into the Great Eight. Nickleback, owned by Chris and Greg Allen, father and son, sports a gleaming finish of custom colors: “Sandstone Gold” and “Lava Rock” with “Harvest Gold” pinstripes. Denkenberger did his own work spraying PPG’s Envirobase^® High Performance basecoat and Vibrance Collection^® VC5700 Ditzler^® Custom Clear. The tri-color combination caught the judges’ attention.

Jason Graham’s 1934 Ford

A 1934 Ford pickup owned by Danielle Lutz also claimed a spot in the Great Eight. The truck was built in just eleven months by the well-established customizer Jason Graham and his capable crew at Graham’s Hot Rods in Portland, Tennessee. Graham created an original color he calls “Washington Blue” for the show-stopping pickup. He painted the truck himself using PPG’s Deltron^® DP90LF Non Sanding Epoxy Primer and Concept^® DCC Acrylic Urethane Single Stage to get the exact hue and shine that would set the truck apart from the pack.

Chris Ryan’s 1956 Continental Mark II

The Great Eight also welcomed Chris Ryan’s own “Scarlet Lady,” a 1956 Continental Mark II with a dazzling red glass-flake finish that could not be ignored. Chris, owner of Ryan’s Rod & Kustom in Ninety Six, South Carolina, did his own painting using several PPG Deltron^® and Vibrance Collection^® products — including Cyrstallance^® Glass Flake Collection Obsession 936717 Tri-coat, Radiance® II candy colors DMX212 Red (Yellow Shade), along with DMX214 Red Violet and Crystallance^® VM4501 Silver — to give the Scarlet Lady’s finish its intense sparkle and the distinctive finish Chris wanted.

PPG’s automotive refinish business has honored Painters Supply & Equipment Company (PSE) of Taylor, Michigan, as its 2017 Platinum Distributor of the Year. John Parran, PPG director, Platinum Distributor program, U.S. and Canada, presented the award at the annual PPG Platinum Distributor Conference held February 22–25 at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort in Orlando, Florida. The annual conference brings together PPG Platinum Distributors from across the United States and Canada. Patrick Mayette, PSE president, and the company’s senior leadership and regional managers accepted the award on behalf of the PSE organization.
 

 

“We are proud of the accomplishments of all our Platinum Distributors,” said Parran. “This year we’re honored to recognize Painters Supply and Equipment. In its long-standing relationship with PPG, PSE has consistently demonstrated the qualities that epitomize the spirit of our Platinum Distributor program — product knowledge, enduring loyalty, continuous training, exceptional performance and an unswerving commitment to customer service and support. The people at PSE have worked hard for this award, and it is my privilege to present the Platinum Distributor of the Year award to an outstanding and deserving company.”

Along with Parran, PPG was represented by Michael McGarry, chairman and CEO; Greg Benckart, vice president, Americas; and Tom Maziarz, general manager, collision, U.S. and Canada. PSE’s Mayette shared the honor with his colleagues.

“It’s very exciting to accept this award for the entire PSE team,” said Mayette. “It’s gratifying for all of us to be recognized for our work. We are fortunate to have an experienced, knowledgeable and innovative team dedicated to continuous improvement and customer service. Our staff understands the industry and has the insights that help us help our customers. Thank you, PPG, for naming PSE the Platinum Distributor of the Year.”

PSE was established in 1952 in Lincoln Park, Michigan, and immediately became a single-line PPG distributor. It was also one of the charter members of the PPG Platinum Distributor program when it started in 1995. The company now has 25 retail stores throughout Michigan, Ohio and Indiana and employs a staff of 235 people including trained technical service representatives, regional sales managers, and business development and territory managers focused on providing customers with an exceptional service experience.

The company is also committed to training. A 3,000 square foot, state-of-the-art learning center at the company’s headquarters provides PSE associates and customers with opportunities for product improvement, process improvement and business training. The PSE staff regularly participates in PPG MVP training. The company also hosts I-CAR collision industry educational events. In 2016 PSE received the Auto Care Association’s (ACA) Auto Care Career and Education (ACE) Award for its dedication to training and the career development of its employees.

The PPG Platinum Distributor program began as a loyalty and support initiative for PPG single-line distributors with the ultimate goal of providing exceptional service and benefits for PPG automotive refinish customers. The program delivers competitive advantages to participants by aligning the technology, training and customer support of PPG with the entrepreneurship, customer awareness, local market knowledge and service capability of the independent distributor.

The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) has honored Ron Yarnell, PPG OEM sales manager, with its esteemed Associate Member of the Year award. The award was presented to Yarnell by Patrick Jennissen, NATM president, and Pam O’Toole Trusdale, NATM former executive director, at the organization’s 30th annual convention and trade show held Feb. 21–23 at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The award is given to an individual from an associate member company who has made outstanding contributions to the NATM.

(Left to right)Patrick Jennissen, NATM President; Ron Yarnell, PPG OEM sales manager,
Pam O'Toole Tursdale, NATM former executive director

“Ron’s passion for our mission and his commitment to our growth and success are evident in his years of dedication to and involvement with the NATM,” said Jennissen. “Ron has been instrumental in guiding the organization: He has served on numerous committees, he’s at all our conventions, he has spread awareness and recruited new members at trade shows, and he’s on his third term as a board member. Ron’s unwavering support, industry knowledge and thoughtful approach to the issues facing NATM have been an important piece of our success. I believe that because of Ron’s contributions to the NATM, the NATM is a better organization.”

Yarnell began his career with PPG in 1984. In 1999, PPG became a NATM member, and the following year Yarnell attended his first NATM convention. Since then, he has been a significant presence at the conventions and other key organization events. In 2010, he founded the NATM Green Award reflecting his strong position on environmental accountability. That same year he was elected to his first term on the NATM board of directors. He has also been the associate representative on the Executive Committee and the Nominations, Membership, and Convention Committees, serving as chairman of the latter. He has also influenced the many educational programs the NATM offers.

“It was an honor to be selected for this year’s award,” said Yarnell. “This award is for all the associates who have supported me with their votes. Their votes allowed me to be elected to the board of directors of NATM and to be their voice. Working together, we have made great strides in identifying and promoting the programs that are most important to our stakeholders and then raising the quality of those programs.”

The NATM was established to help improve trailer safety and performance and to serve as the representative for trailer manufacturers and their suppliers when issues of trailer safety and pertinent regulations arise. PPG has worked diligently with the organization and its members to address the continuously evolving manufacturing environment with a variety of coating products that provide superior durability, efficiency and versatility. PPG began its convention sponsorship in 2003. PPG and NATM also sponsor the annual Green Manufacturing Award honoring the NATM member that has developed the best ecologically sensitive manufacturing innovation or solution.

PPG offers a full range of coating technologies for the commercial transportation and light industrial markets including polyurethanes, alkyds, epoxies, polyurea, waterborne, pretreatment chemicals and powder coatings. PPG commercial coatings products are marketed under several brand names including Dellfeet^® Evolution, Delfleet Essential^®, Commercial Performance Coatings and Amercoat^®.

PPG has taken on an expanded sponsorship role with Tasca Racing, furthering its relationship with the popular drag racing team. The announcement was made by Bill Shaw, PPG director, refinish marketing, Automotive Refinish, and Bob Tasca III, Tasca Racing, president and team driver.
 

PPG will support Bob III and his 11,000-horsepower PPG Ford Shelby Nitro Mustang throughout the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Tasca will run a full NHRA schedule, and PPG will serve as the team’s primary sponsor for two major events: the Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Georgia, May 4–6, and the New England Nationals in Epping, New Hampshire, July 6–8. PPG will be an associate sponsor for Tasca’s remaining NHRA races during the year.

“PPG has supported our race team since day one, and we have been a PPG customer for over 20 years,” said Tasca. “I’m thrilled to have them as a primary sponsor for two races this year. It’s exciting to run PPG’s colors. My grandfather coined the phrase ‘Win on Sunday, sell on Monday,’ and we are laser focused on doing both. Our PPG Mustang is ready to go, and I’m looking forward to meeting many PPG customers and racing fans at the track.”

Tasca and PPG have a well-established partnership that began when Bob Tasca Sr., Bob III’s grandfather, began using PPG products at his Ford dealership’s collision shop in Cranston, Rhode Island. Today, along with his responsibilities as head of Tasca Racing, Bob Tasca III is president of the Tasca Automotive Group with eight locations — including new car dealerships, collision centers and service centers — throughout New England. PPG’s ENVIROBASE^® High Performance is the brand of choice in the company’s four collision centers.

“We’re very excited about supporting the Tasca Racing team,” said PPG’s Shaw. “Our business relationship with Tasca gets stronger each year. We’re happy to be part of the racing culture and work with such a motivated group of guys, a monster car and Bob Tasca in the driver’s seat. That’s a great combination — a winning combination for PPG and Tasca.”

Tasca’s Shelby Mustang consistently hits speeds in the 325 mph zone in just over 3.8 seconds when racing in the NHRA Funny Car category. He has won six national NHRA events.