Sam Street caught up with Paul McMartin of SAPE to find out what caught people's eye at the recent Collision Repair Expo and emerging industry trends.
What did you glean from speaking to people at the show?
We could see the engagement levels were very high, those that attended the Collision Repair Expo were actively interested in engaging with new products and new technology this year. Attendance numbers were lower than normal (which we expected) but the quality of those visitors was at an all-time high – body shop owners came knowing they could 'touch and feel' the product and talk to someone who knows the product. For me on a personal note, the Collision Repair Expo really did highlight the resilience and strength of our industry.
Was there a really hot product from the show?
There was a lot of interest across the entire range of products we were exhibiting at the Collision Repair Expo and the Wieländer+Schill Arena was a showstopper. That’s essentially a mixed material bay that’s separated from the surrounding area by a specially coated welding protection curtain.
There was also a lot of interest in the Michelangelo Italian built Spray Booth from Spanesi, which features an impressive stainless-steel fasciaand all-new front portal with glassed windows – truly a work of art.
Our Juice Polishes’ range was also a fan-favourite, and this year there was a lot of interest in both the new Endurance Sealant and N-Cut Compound.We're happy with the response to these products – SAPE brought new and innovative products to the show, and I think we got a lot of engagement across the range.
The Wielander & Schill Mixed Materials Room is awesome, it looks like an operating theatre, but it is a significant investment - were the people who were expressing interest in that mainly your prestige repairers?
There are so many words that can be used to describe Wieländer+Schill Arena Workbay; cutting-edge, state-of-the art, forward-thinking are just a few, but it really is a truly innovative product. Initial interest has come from prestige repairers, but I believe there’s scope for discussion with the wider collision repair community. This product was initially designed in partnership with the Volkswagen group and a study was done on efficiency. So, it’s not only designed to make the space safer for dealing with mixed materials but also more efficient, so you can get the cars repaired easier and quicker. There are so many features, air is on hand everywhere around the room, access to power around the room (all different phases and types), a trolley that moves around the room, so your work procedures are nearby, and most importantly, really bright lighting.
That’s what I mean, it’s like an operating theatre
Exactly right, it shares the same impressive features. There’s the safety aspect, the specially coated welding protection curtains really are a game-changer and offer a level of safety that’s unsurpassed, and so important in the today’s body shop. As well as being modular, it’s very adaptable so if we had a difficult space to work with, we do have the option to hang corners off the roof if there’s a beam in the way. While the initial interest has come from the top-end of town, we are starting to receive enquiries from the wider collision market – the benefits really are huge across the board.
Obviously Wielander & Schill are German and then you’ve got your Italian Spanesi equipment and you’ve got your French Celette benches. How have you been going with actually getting the equipment in?
Nearly every industry is experiencing supply chain issues, and ours is no exception. The cost of importing anything now is astronomical, we’ve experienced a steep increase in freight costs and lead-times have lengthened considerably. In response, we are taking steps to mitigate order delays from our global brands.We have increased stock holdings on our shelves, our purchasing teams are working in close consultation with suppliers, our supply chain and freight forwarding channels. We are doing our best to stay ahead in a disruptive world.
Our supply chain is a big part of our business model, and over time, has become one of our competitive advantages. We hold stock on-site for 95% of the items we bring to market, so if you want a Spanesi bench, we’ve got one here ready to be delivered. If you want a Wielander & Schill dust or fume extractor, we carry those in stock.
There are obvious exceptions to the rule, things like a spray booth obviously must be specially ordered in because they’re custom built to fit the area, but most things we have in stock. If a customer wants it and they need it, we have it. And that’s the business model we carry through to today, even with the current impacts on our supply chain.
Throughout the pandemic, have you found that people have been investing in upgrading their workshops?
We found that the industry continues to grow through Covid. There were certain periods of the pandemic which were scarier than others, it was certainly quiet with all the lockdowns, but we have seen right through the pandemic that people continue to invest in new equipment and look at ways they can use the downtime to improve their body shop.It's amazing how resilient our industry has been during the pandemic.
So are there any other trends that you’re seeing in the market place? Obviously, there’s a rise in MSOs. You probably get to know who’s opening a new shop before anyone else in the country.
We always try to see where new opportunities lie and how best to respond to an evolving market. There’s a lot of new business going on across the collision repair landscape. Yes MSO’s are growing, but there also people opening up new mum and dad workshops, as well as younger people just starting out with small businesses, whether in collision or custom. So there’s still definitely growth in the industry, and that's a real positive!
I think there’s a lot of generational change coming through the industry. I mean there’s a lot of people who still work in the industry that are reaching retirement age. We’re now seeing more and more younger faces popping up, moving, and shaking and doing a lot more.
Whatever the case may be, SAPE will always be on hand to help when new shops are opening, not only with paint, consumables and equipment, but with general advice as well, we are a people business after all!
With so many fast curing paint products have you seen a big uptake in UV curing products?
UV curing is growing by leaps and bounds as the industry has learned more about its advantages. We are continuing to see a lot of uptakes with UV in the primer space and people are doing larger and larger repairs. I think UV primer is especially going to be a growth area in the industry, simply because of the speed and the build you can create with a UV primer.
There are still some initial teething issues. I don’t think it’s quite there yet - but when they manage to find the balance between UV stabilisation and UV curing, that will be a game changer for the industry.
What do you think will be the main factor in the market going forward?
I think the key word for 2022/23 is adaptability. Since nothing in today's world ever stays the same for very long, we’re working very hard to ensure we can continue to supply our products; stock levels are good; and our distribution network can maintain delivery services.
Body shops will also need to adapt to a world experiencing supply chain issues. A perfect example is the shortage of body filler, there may be times were stock runs low, so businesses will need to adapt and perhaps use another brand until the shortages have been overcome. You just need to be adaptable and make sure you can come up with slightly different processes to ensure that you’re able to continue repairing cars - those that adapt easily will be successful this year. We have managed to keep our customers supplied from other fillers we have sourced. Who knows what the next product challenge will be?