Multi-franchise dealership endorses Permahyd Hi-TEC from Spies Hecker

Hughes of Beaconsfield is a large, multi-franchise dealership in Buckinghamshire, which has serviced Mercedes, Chrysler, Saab, Smart and Peugeot for the last 56 years. It has been using Spies Hecker paints exclusively for over a decade, and in 2012 successfully upgraded to the third generation waterborne basecoat technology, Permahyd Hi-TEC 480.

“Bodyshop managers throughout the industry had been raving about the new Spies Hecker basecoat,” says Rene Glenister, bodyshop manager at Hughes. “When we were invited to the Refinish Academy at Stevenage last year, we jumped at the opportunity to try it out for ourselves.”

The team attended a day’s introduction and were immediately convinced that Permahyd Hi-TEC could take their paint application and processes to the next level. “The team spent a full day learning about the new product, its advantages, its time saving aspects, its efficiency and most importantly of all, its performance, and as soon as we left the demonstration we were convinced this was the product for us,” he says.

The switch was carried out at Hughes in under a day, with the installation of new scales, new computer software, a new mixing machine and the introduction to the bodyshop of ColorDialog, the Spies Hecker spectrophotometer.

“We were very impressed with the way in which everything was handled for us,” continues Glenister. “The training in particular was first class. We have a very long-standing and close relationship with the team at Spies Hecker and as expected they delivered our personalised training precisely, expertly and efficiently. The installation was carried out on a Friday morning and by the end of that afternoon we had already painted our first cars using the new system, with no interruption to our other work. The following week we had two Spies Hecker technicians here continuing the on-site training and ensuring that everything was as it should be.”

Dave Ward, head painter at Hughes, confirms how impressed the team continues to be with Permahyd Hi-TEC. “The ease of application is unique and the performance is superb. It makes our work so much easier. Application times are down, and so are mixing times. And ColorDialog, the spectrophotometer, which was new to us in the bodyshop, is a great tool. It‘s the way forward in my opinion,” he says.

Glenister concludes, “without a doubt, our work efficiency has improved due to the performance of this new technology. It dries harder and bakes faster and we’re covering 99% of our colours in 1.5 coats, even silvers, which is something I’ve rarely seen. This is a truly superior product and I highly recommend it.”

Hughes of Beaconsfield is a perfect partner for Spies Hecker and a perfect candidate for Permahyd Hi-TEC; a successful, forward thinking business with good working practices, driven by vehicle manufacturers. The two are looking forward to a continued healthy relationship for years to come.

For more information about Spies Hecker and Permahyd Hi-TEC 480 contact your local distributor or visit www.spieshecker.co.uk.