Vendor Affinity Program Spotlight: AkzoNobel
by Alana Quartuccio
AkzoNobel has been a trusted paint brand for hundreds of years.
The company got its start in 1792. More than two hundred years later, it remains a leading provider of paints and coatings to the automotive world, in addition to the aviation industry, with a global footprint spanning 150 countries.
They aim to provide the best products possible, and their innovations and technologies have made them the most recognized line of OEM-approved powder coatings. AkzoNobel works with every major paint distributor on the market, and Sikkens, its flagship brand, is known and trusted all around the world. Sikkens has earned 60-plus OEM approvals by holding to the highest standards of color and durability, ensuring that a vehicle’s paint will be restored to its pre-accident condition.
One of the many things that sets AkzoNobel apart from the rest is its mission to always look to the future. As Aaron Rock, New England market account representative, puts it, “Our focus is sustainability and enhancing the fabric of everybody’s every day.”
AkzoNobel does this by offering much more than a colorful palette. The long-standing pioneering paint company sees “every surface as an opportunity.” That belief holds true, not only via their products, but in the many ways they help their customers succeed.
They offer a business development program called Acoat Selected for Sikkens brand customers which provides consulting services, management training, financial benchmarking, coaching and networking.
“We partner with our body shops to help them maximize their revenue, production and quality. We offer various online and in-person training opportunities from services all the way to technical. Service consultants will go directly to our customers to service them in person.”
Sikkens customers also benefit from CARBEAT, AkzoNobel’s digital production board and visual management systems which is noted to improve cycle time up to 10 percent.
Providing body shops with business solutions is surely not the only way in which this company partners in their clients’ success. They also go out of their way to participate and support them on the local level to help “send our customers forward,” according to Rock. AkzoNobel has grown a strong footprint in the New England market over the past few decades. They are longtime supporters of AASP/MA and currently are a Platinum-level sponsor of its Vendor Affinity Program. They also support area associations in Rhode Island and Connecticut.
“The biggest thing for us is partnering with organizations like AASP/MA to advocate for the body shops,” explains Rock of their commitment to the association. “In our mind, that’s what this industry needs to do: advocate for the body shops. Because it’s not getting any easier to fix these cars nowadays.”
Interacting with their customers is also key, which is why they take part in the major industry trade show events, including the NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show, which Rock says is a great opportunity to interact with body shops from the New England region who make the trip down to New Jersey for the show.
“It’s the Northeast version of SEMA, which is huge. We get to have meet-and-greets with our customers or potential customers. We are there every year, and we bring in some of our biggest ambassadors like Dave Kindig, star of MotorTrend TV’s Bitchin’ Rides, who comes along to sign autographs.”
Ultimately, everything AkzoNobel does supports their mission. “We’re dedicated to providing sustainable solutions and preserving the best of what we have today.”
Want more? Check out the December 2024 issue of New England Automotive Report!