How to keep your fleet looking good
With more than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, Axalta is takes CVW through its latest product additions to help bodyshops and workshop alike keep fleets looking as good as they can.
With a UK commercial vehicle market that is expected to reach over 495,000 vehicle units in 2025 and have a compound annual growth rate of 2.11 per cent, bodyshops specialising in commercial vehicles must ensure they have the best products and technology in order to maintain performance, consistency and enduring results.
Taking this into consideration, and always innovating with its customers in mind, Axalta has launched two additions to its commercial vehicle lines: a new topcoat and a fast cure low energy (FLCE) hardener for use with a specific FCLE clearcoat.
“When it comes to innovation, commercial vehicles are often viewed as less of a priority compared to passenger cars, but they should not get technology that is any less impressive. With these two new products, Axalta is bringing to the commercial vehicle paint repair market precision performance and unmatched innovation in a sweet spot where technology meets excellence,” says Bart De Groof, senior director, Global Refinish Marketing, Axalta.
Topcoat
Engineered for refinish professionals who need a quick, high-quality finish that’s easy to achieve, the new Spies Hecker Permafleet HS Race Topcoat 690 has been tailored specifically for the commercial vehicle and industrial sectors where large surfacers are key. It is a topcoat that combines advanced drying capabilities and brilliant gloss with outstanding durability that delivers both fast bake cycles and energy-efficient overnight curing.
De Groof adds, “Permafleet HS Race Topcoat 690 is the fast, friendly and flawless topcoat for every CV application. It is ideal for bodyshops who handle commercial vehicles or even buses, coaches, large vans and even truck cabs because it makes efficiency simple. It has been crafted with productivity and performance in mind, so it integrates seamlessly into existing workflows, helping refinishers achieve the right results, quickly.”
Permafleet HS Race Topcoat 690 has been engineered for an easy two coat application, configurable to streamline processes and reduce material usage. It aims to give reliable hiding power with user-friendly flow. It also provides refinishers flexibility and energy efficiency as well as productivity options with its drying alternatives, from rapid bake to overnight drying. In a shortened bake cycle, energy use is reduced, which saves money and helps to increase throughput, while still achieving consistent, glossy, durable results every time. De Groof adds, “From easy application to fast drying, Permafleet HS Race Topcoat 690 is built for professionals who value both results and efficiency.”
Hardener
Used exclusively with Standox VOC Xtreme Plus Clear K9720, part of the Standox fast cure low energy system, the new Standofleet Xtreme Hardener 4560 turns the clear into a specialuse product for large surfaces with outstanding vertical stability.
The clear also has all the added benefits of the Axalta patented FCLE technology, which is based on Axalta’s in-house chemistry that uses both temperature and ambient humidity to accelerate the drying process, now capable of meeting the demanding needs of the CV segment.
De Groof says, “By bringing fast cure low energy technology into commercial vehicle paint repair, we are giving bodyshops the opportunity to save time, to increase efficiency and to minimise energy consumption – all issues that are impacting bodyshops today. The even better news is that the formulation of the clear and the hardener combined delivers a durable appearance that is very resistance to scratching, chemicals and climate, making it ideal for CV and other industrial applications.
Standox VOC Xtreme Plus Clear K9720 and the new Standofleet Xtreme Hardener 4560 deliver flexible application in 1.5 to 2 coats. They can be used on plastic parts without the need for a plastic additive and have improved filling properties that cover dirt and dust inclusions, and in addition, there is no need to activate the basecoat. However, the combination of Standox VOC Xtreme Plus Clear K9720 and the new Standofleet Xtreme Hardener 4560 comes into its own at the drying stage. They offer incredibly fast air drying – just 35 to 60 mins at 20°C.
“Axalta offers unmatched innovation to commercial vehicle refinishers to ensure bodyshops optimise their productivity and profitability, and these giants of the roads are kept looking good for longer,” concludes De Groof.
About Axalta
Axalta Refinish – part of Axalta, a global leader in the coatings industry – is a reliable global vehicle body repair partner for customers who demand nothing short of total satisfaction. It aims to deliver innovative products, services, and technology that make the entire vehicle repair journey more efficient, sustainable, and profitable. With nearly 160 years of experience in the coatings industry, its dedication to innovation and our constantly developing technology means it offers its customers an unlimited colour choice for perfect colour matches. It has a large portfolio of brands for every bodyshop requirement and every segment of the industry.
