Bodyshop News (June 01, 2005)

PPG Raising Launches Fundraising Effort

PPG Automotive Refinish has launched a year-long fundraising effort for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The effort was launched March 5 with an auction that took place during PPG’s Platinum Distributor Conference, held at the Wyndham Palace Resort and Spa in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. PPG Platinum Distributors bid on racing paraphernalia, posters, body shop equipment and supplies and more to raise more than $32,000 U.S. for the cause.

Unveiled at the auction was the “Charity Chopper,” the brainchild of PPG Automotive Refinish, Ray Evernham of Evernham Motorsports along with his foundation Racing for a Reason, and Dave Perewitz of Perewitz Cycle Fabrications. Featuring a spectacular Liquid Crystal paint finish from the PPG Vibrance Collection, the chopper’s design was headed by Dave Perewitz. Perewitz Cycle Fabrications custom-built the one-of-a-kind V-twin bike, featuring a classic flame design by Perewitz himself.

The Charity Chopper will tour with the PPG Show Truck at custom car and bike shows and select NASCAR events throughout the year. In October 2005 the Charity Chopper will be auctioned on eBay, with 100% of all proceeds benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Beginning in April until the Charity Chopper auction in October, PPG, Perewitz and Evernham will sponsor a monthly eBay auction. These auctions will feature high-profile collectible items which will help support the Society’s life-saving cancer research.

For more information on the Charity Chopper and the monthly auctions, visit www.ppgrefinish.com.

Collision Shop Owner Donates Land to Skateboarders

Angered by the bureaucratic hurdles faced by a local skateboarding group, Mike Defazio has donated 0.75 acres of land near his collision repair shop so that the group can build a skateboarding park.

Defazio is the owner of Defazio Autobody Ltd., located in Saint John, N.B. He read of the ongoing efforts of the skateboarding group, called Gravity Kids of Glen Falls Association, in the local paper, and decided to take action when the group was turned down in their bid for space in the local schoolyard.

“I’m going to give the land to them. They’ll own it completely, free and clear,” he says. “And I’m determined that park will be put there, even if I have to finance it myself.

“I didn’t do this with the intent to gain publicity,” he adds. He simply wants to help the kids, who have worked hard to raise funds and find a location to build.

Since the announcement of his donation, Defazio says he’s had a mix of negative and positive reactions from friends and neighbours.

BASF Raises Coatings Prices

BASF Coatings has announced a price increase of 4.9% for all products in its Automotive Refinish Coatings Solutions business. The increase took effect June 1.

“The rising costs of raw materials, combined with other inflationary factors such as rising costs of energy, packaging containers and freight, have made it necessary for BASF to raise prices,” says Rainer Blair, group vice-president for BASF’s coatings businesses in North America.

The company’s Industrial Coatings and Automotive OEM Coatings business segments will also implement price increases.

BASF Announces Third Quarter Training Schedule

BASF’s Automotive Refinish business will offer courses for its refinish systems and repair products at 10 North American locations, including BASF training centres in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal (French-language courses).

The courses cover the latest and most advanced techniques for proper application and colour adjustment of Glasurit and R-M paint systems. Several of the sites also offer training in the use of the Glasurit Small-Damage Repair System, as well as the R-M Cycle Time Reduction Repair System. Environmental consideration and safety instruction are integral parts of all the classes.

For registration information, customers may contact the training centres directly (Vancouver 604-820-1632, Edmonton 780-486-7410, Toronto 416- 674-2242, Montreal 514-340-3934), or BASF Customer Service Centre at 800-825-3000.