Operational standards in the Australian motor repair and refinishing industries will be brought in line with international standards, after the combination of two leading Australian technical standards. The Australian Paint Manufacturers’ Federation (APMF) and insurer Suncorp Group on 19 November announced they had incorporated the APMF’s new automotive paint industry Code of Practice into Suncorp Group's Vehicle Repairer Standard. Suncorp Group’s National Industry Relations Manager Rob Bartlett said the integration of the two Standards will help repairers benchmark their business against global best practice and give repairers and their customers the confidence they are properly equipped to repair the cars of today, and tomorrow. “This development is a win for the industry and workplace safety, a win for the environment, and importantly, a win for consumers,” Bartlett said. "This is an impressive and highly practical Code of Practice. It is an important addition to the existing quality measures in the repair industry, and we are pleased to reference it as a core measure in the Vehicle Repairer Standard,” Bartlett said. Executive Director of the APMF, Richard Phillips, said the new Code of Practice was the result of extensive industry consultation, and will bring the industry in line with global standards. "Setting the use of low-VOC paints and primers as the standard aligns Australia with the modern marketplace. It will also give the repair industry better information about the environmental performance of their paint systems and will create safer and healthier workplaces. “The Code gives repairers confidence that their suppliers are seeking to give them the best available support, information and technical information,” Phillips said. The updated Vehicle Repairer Standard will be mandatory for Certified Repair Facilities from April 2017, and will signify official APMF Code compliance.
