The BASF Coatings division has launched 100 Line, its new waterborne basecoat line and “most advanced refinish product line”. The company said that by increasing the efficiency and significantly lowering the environmental impact, the products meet the highest expectations of modern body shops.
During the development of 100 Line, the company said it focused on sustainable aspects.
“The formulation optimises the processing properties for fast and efficient application and enables spray painters to produce highly efficient and, at the same time, environmentally friendly refinishing results,” the company said in a media release. “Besides reducing CO2 emissions due to shorter process times in the body shop, the value of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is consistently below 250 grams per litre and thus the lowest on the market, making the new product line the eco-friendliest automotive refinish coatings available.”
“Innovation is a key pillar of BASF’s growth,” said Dirk Bremm, President of BASF’s Coatings division. “The Coatings division has always been committed to exciting the market with the best surface solutions. With the development of our new refinish product line, we have anticipated the challenges of the changing refinish market and support our customers when it comes to cutting emissions and becoming more efficient and sustainable.”
Dirk Bremm.
BASF says 100 Line is the result of intense research and development in cross-functional teams of experts, and part of the success formula has been customer focus and constant feedback.
“The customers are in the centre of everything we do, and we rely on their feedback to provide the best solutions possible,” said Fabien Boschetti, Director, Global Marketing, BASF Automotive Refinish Coatings Solutions. “Together, we tested the products under real life conditions and got the confirmation that the paint system is capable of reproducing millions of colours on the market under all climate conditions. When comparing with existing basecoat lines in the market, on average customers can expect savings of up to 35 per cent in overall process times through faster application and shorter flash-off cycles. Another 20 per cent [in] savings can be made as material consumption is reduced.”
According to BASF, 100 Line is not only about paints, but also includes a complete set of solutions for future-minded body shops. It says customers can benefit from new ergonomic and state-of-the-art mixing stations that can be tailored to their individual needs, while an additional web-based KPI reporting tool helps body shop managers to always have a clear overview of how their business is operating by providing information on economic efficiency or environmental benefits.
BASF has also established a TUV-certified auditing programme so that body shops can help customers, insurance companies, fleets, car manufacturers and other stakeholders become aware of their quality and sustainability standards.
More information on the 100 Line product range is available here.
BASF 100 Line, including all additional services, will be rolled out under the company’s premium Glasurit refinish brand. The company says the rollout will start in the third quarter of 2020 in “selected countries”.