By Jeff Sanford
Detroit, Michigan — July 30, 2015 — European supplier EMM made its first appearance at NACE this year. The European outfit operates around the globe in countries like Australia, France and Poland. But now the firm hopes to beef up its business in the north-eastern US, Quebec, Ontario and the Atlantic provinces by offering its innovative new products.
Speaking of innovation, when was the last time anyone improved on the basic design of the paint suit? EMM is shipping into Canada a high-end, redesigned modern paint suit, the Colad Bodyguard.
“No one has updated or innovated this in twenty years,” said Thomas van der Kooij, Managing Director of EMM. “We think this is a product that is revolutionary.”
Technicians will likely agree. On the floor of the NACE show van der Kooij pointed out the features on a model. The back of the Colad Bodyguard incorporates advanced mesh and ventilated fabrics, the kind found in modern mountain climbing equipment. The mesh allows the suit to breathe, and so the painter stays cool.
The suit also eliminates the cord that tightens the head around the face. A simple zipper mechanism makes it easier to get in and out of. The fit of the suit has been re-designed to allow greater freedom of movement.Soft cuffs provide extra comfort.
“Testing this, people immediately felt more comfortable,” says van der Kooij. “You spend eight hours a day in this. Why not be comfortable?”
Another product the company is distributing: Colad Color coding rings. A patented colour system for pump style spray containers, Colad Color makes it easy to identify the colour inside the container.
The company is also providing a new plastic paint stirrer made from recycled materials, the TurboMix. Since the new agitating sticks are made from plastic, it automatically avoids the potential for wood chip contamination. Pictures have not been released, but the company says the new sticks have a unique shape to ensure paint mixes completely and quickly.
“Our focus is on innovation. And that’s what gives value,” says van der Kooij. “Not to say we are expensive, but spend a few more bucks, and overcome the common problems.” By way of example, the company offers a tack rag that can polish or abrade the transition edge of primer sealer.
Ten years into its corporate run the company is doing well. Van der Kooij took over the top spot following a management buyout in 2011. EMM does a solid $30 million in sales annually. Being diversified globally has allowed the company to negotiate recent economic volatility.
“We’ve done well. We’re a geologically diversified company, and that’s been important. After the crisis in Europe we could have been in trouble from the fall off in business if we were just in Holland and Germany. But when Europe went bad, business in other areas of the world picked up,” says van der Kooij, who comes to the collision repair sector by way of the petro-chemical industry. EMM’s brands include Colad, Hamach, Ronin Tools and Tander. It also supplies products under private label.
Ray Odette is the Managing Director of Automotive Spraying Equipment Technologies (ASET) USA and EMM Specialties. This company is the exclusive master distributor for EMM’s products for North America. ASET is also the distributor well-known brand Anest Iwata. Odette says the company’s extensive distribution network will make the products easily available to any market.
“EMM is known as the leader in non-paint items that technicians need and use,” says Odette. “They also provide a great added value to Anest Iwata products.”
For more information, please visit asetusa.com or emm.com.
