BASF recently sponsored the 53rd annual SkillsUSA Championships in Louisville, KY.
In addition, Glasurit, BASF’s premium paint brand, will be the official sponsor for the 44th WorldSkills global competition, which will be held Oct. 14-19 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
For SkillsUSA, BASF Refinish sponsored a new color-match trailer, used in the color-match competition for the first time. BASF also supported many BASF representatives who helped judge the painting competitions, the company said.
BASF Refinish supports SkillsUSA on a local level as well, supplying judges and supporting schools that attend and host competitions across the country and throughout the year.
“I started working with Guilford Technical Communication College my first week at BASF in May 1989,” said BASF account representative Ricky Hale. “It’s the best feeling to see how excited the students are when they arrive at the competition. This is a way to give back to the business I love.”
In April, BASF sponsored the North Carolina state competition held at Guilford Technical Communication College and Hale, along with other representatives from BASF and their single-line ColorSource distributor, Fairystone Imports, ran the Automotive Refinishing Technology contest.
As the sponsor for the Car Painting category at WorldSkills, the young painters in the competition will be spraying Glasurit refinish products. Their tasks will include restoring the surface of a damaged vehicle and finding the matching colors – including shades and effects – while considering safety and protection of the environment.
“BASF is invested in the development of the quality of automotive refinish training, encouraging young talent to join in the skilled trades and pushing our industry into the future with the highest-quality products, people, education and technology,” said Marvin Gillfillan, vice president, BASF Refinish Coatings NA.
It’s all about bringing more young talent into the industry, added Jeff Wildman, OEM and industry relations manager for BASF Refinish NA.
“Having representatives available for these students to ask questions and recruit is invaluable to us as an organization, to our customers and to our industry, along with the students looking for opportunities,” Wildman said.
Article courtesy BodyShop Business.
