World’s largest Mercedes-Benz facility in Abu Dhabi chooses Glasurit		01/19/2010

Partnership between Glasurit and Emirates Motor Company (EMC)

Abu Dhabi. BASF Coatings’ Glasurit paint brand is the supplier for the world’s largest Mercedes Benz facility, Emirates Motor Company (EMC), flagship company of Al Fahim Group, in Abu Dhabi. EMC’s headquarters, located in the Musaffah District of Abu Dhabi, covers an impressive 93,000-square-meter area. The service center alone has an area of 21,000 square meters with 250 workbays, 80 of them for body work and refinishing. The showroom, with an area of around 4,400 square meters, houses a very special car, the visible result of EMC and Glasurit’s good cooperation: A Mercedes SLR clad in a coat of Glasurit’s exclusive “Arabian Nights” finish attracts the showroom visitors. “Arabian Nights” was developed to commemorate Glasurit’s 111^th anniversary. It is based on a black basecoat that features glitter effects and eye-catching color travel.

Western Motors, Jeep and Fiat general distributors in Abu Dhabi & Al Ain and another automotive member of Al Fahim Group, has also refinished the Fiat Abarth with “Arabian Nights” and is even part of a design competition for Al Fahim Group employees.The staff has been challenged to decorate the car with details such as decals and other design elements.

“We are very proud to be a supplier for Western Motors and EMC, which sets global standards for competence, professionalism, size and quality. We want to use our Glasurit paints to help EMC expand its outstanding reputation even further,” said Arie Verboon, BASF’s Country Manager for the United Arab Emirates and Business Development Manager for the Middle East. 

For EMC’s management, in addition to product quality, key factors for choosing Glasurit included improved efficiency in the refinishing workflow and broad support by Glasurit as a partner for paint and services. “Our vision is to offer our customers the best service and quality, and to do this, we need the best partners at our side,” explained Dennis Holland, General After-Sales Manager for EMC.

At Glasurit, this partnership begins with reliable delivery of products and ranges from certified training organization to bodyshop support, for example, with Profit Manager Pro, the computer program for optimal color and material management.

Glasurit’s comprehensive software offer was also a crucial factor for EMC choosing Glasurit. “Profit Manager Pro fits perfectly into our software environment,” said Andreas Hurst, Team Leader of EMC’s body and paint shop. “Applications such as software-controlled inventory management with automatic ordering processing and the interfaces to the bodyshop management system make our work easier. Now, at a glance, we can track product use and even manage all non-paint products at the same time.”

For bodyshop manager Ibrahim Khalil, all steps of the changeover to Glasurit went without a hitch. “We had prepared ourselves for a turbulent changeover period, but it was astounding how quickly our staff learned how to work with Glasurit's 90 Line waterborne paint system.”Especially considering that there were no long product training courses on practice objects at EMC. The “training” took place during normal daily business, with real refinishing jobs and the usual technical equipment. With expert guidance by Glasurit technicians and trainers at the facility, EMC's spraypainters quickly learned how to apply the Glasurit products confidently.

Glasurit's logistics and infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates were also important for EMC. Glasurit has operated for 35 years in the region, which consists of the seven emirates Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, Fujairah, Sharjah, Umm al-Qaiwain and Ras al-Khaimah. Every month, several pallets of paints and paint materials arrive from Glasurit's Münster-Hiltrup site. They are then delivered to the customers – by the Kanoo’s distribution and support organization. “Our recipes for success include ongoing presence in the market, working with the customer directly and being available on site, and that is exactly what EMC appreciates,” said Verboon.

The quality of the products must be right, too. In a country where the daytime temperature fluctuates from 38 to 48°C (100 to 188F) and from 26 to 30°C (79 to 86F) at night with high humidity, the paint is subjected to harsh stresses. It must also withstand sudden sandstorms without extensive damage. “With Glasurit, we have products that meet exactly these requirements and offer an attractive appearance for years,” Verboon said.

Special activities, such as the refinishing of the Mercedes SLR and the Fiat Abarth in the special color “Arabian Nights,” are the icing on the cake in Glasurit’s everyday cooperation with EMC and Western Motors. The special color also illuminates even the tiniest shape of the car and features its curves in a spectacular manner. This kind of extra is just the right thing for the United Arab Emirates, where many drivers are looking for something special and want to stand out from the crowd. Only eleven cars will be refinished with "Arabian Nights" and the formula is secret. For months, the experts at Glasurit experimented with effect pigments and synthetic resin mixtures to achieve this most beautiful color. The base for “Arabian Nights” is a waterborne Glasurit 90 Line mat black basecoat. Afterward, a layer containing special pigments is applied followed by a brilliant finish with Glasurit 923-335 HS Multi Clear.