AkzoNobel has embarked on a multi-million-euro global programme to expand and upgrade its network of Automotive Training Centres (ATCs) to further upskill painters, bodyshop managers and OEM engineers on a new generation of coatings and technologies to support the industry in delivering a more sustainable future.
For the initial phase, the business is investing £2.5m to create new or upgrade existing sites across Europe, and Asia, Australia and Thailand. The programme is underway and will continue to be rolled out throughout 2025.
As well as supporting bodyshops and the wider automotive industry in rethinking their approach to sustainability, AkzoNobel is also addressing a worldwide shortage of future talent. As many as 300 or more trainees will be accommodated at each site in a typical year.
Each of the sites will be equipped with the latest spraybooth technologies and AkzoNobel’s full suite of digital tools created for bodyshops to manage and monitor the high-tech process of vehicle repairs. These could include Carbeat, a production workflow tool, PaintPerformAir (PPA), which helps bring even greater consistency and efficiency in the painting process.
The Automotive Training Centres are being created, upgraded and equipped to accommodate local business, environmental and regulatory needs.
AkzoNobel’s ATC in Belgium is the first to have undergone major upgrade by moving to a new state-of-the-art facility, while its existing training centre in France will be expanded and developed to include a fully electric-powered spraybooth and an upgrade to an existing site in Spain includes two spraybooths which consume significantly less energy in operation compared to current models.
It will also feature a dedicated preparation area as part of AkzoNobel’s new ‘Rapid Repair Station’ concept, accelerating the end-to-end production process.
Further, virtual Reality (VR) technology is to be incorporated to support spray paint training with a simulator that mimics a fully customised paint application environment. Each of the centres will also provide environments for testing and developing new products including waterborne basecoats, topcoats and associated paint systems.
Patrick Bourguignon, Managing Director of AkzoNobel’s Automotive and Specialty Coatings business, said, “The automotive industry of the future requires painters of the future who are fully conversant with the latest technologies and techniques. It also needs management and technicians who understand what’s possible, and how different paints, application processes and digital technologies are transforming the vehicle repair industry of the future.
“We know how important collaboration is to success and by investing in our global Automotive Training Centre network, we are supporting bodyshops and the wider industry on their journey to become even more sustainable and ensuring we have the future talent to overcome a worldwide skills shortage.”
