90 YEARS OF PERFECTION AND SIMPLICITY

R-M celebrates 90 years at the forefront of the automotive refinish industry.

90 years ago, nobody in Detroit, the heart of the automotive industry, knew how important easy to use paint finishes that could be invisibly repaired would be in today’s fast-moving world. R-M set itself the challenge, together with its customers, in the world’s largest automotive manufacturing industry, to become the premium paint brand that continues to lead the industry with innovations such as ONYX HD, the first environmentally aware waterborne basecoats and its custom paint range CARIZZMA by R-M, brand of BASF Coatings.

Driven by innovation
R-M quickly earned an enviable reputation as a manufacturer of superior quality paints, which resulted in Cadillac, the world famous prestige car manufacturer and first choice of US presidents, ordering their first batch of material in 1926. To this day, R-M continues to work with leading vehicle manufacturers throughout the world. R-M developed the world’s first metallic colours for the automotive industry in the early 30’s and in 1948, R-M revolutionised colour mixing with the introduction of the R-M Tintometer, the world’s first tinting base system.

Based in Europe
In 1963, R-M Automotive Refinish established its research, development and manufacturing facility in Europe, near Paris, France. It was in Clermont in 1981 that the DIAMONT basecoat and clear system was launched and it quickly became recognised as the industry standard. Five years later, the BASF group discovered the values of R-M and the premium brand joined the world’s leading chemical company and R-M continues to innovate by introducing pioneering developments in the automotive refinish industry.

Environmentally aware and customer oriented
R-M’s environmentally friendly approach to the industry pre-empted the market with the introduction of the fully compliant ONYX HD waterborne basecoat system and UNO HD solid colour system. Being customer oriented and environmentally friendly is one of the core values of R-M. CARIZZMA by R-M was launched in the United States in 2003 and in Europe in 2008 as the first VOC compliant custom paint system that offers an almost limitless range of dazzling effects that have already resulted in a successful working partnership with the legendary Chip Foose Design in the US, as well as ProRider and Parotech in Europe.

Perfection made simple

1995 saw the launch of Colormaster, the world leading colour identification tool that revolutionised colour matching, R-M became the first refinish paint company to utilise the power of the internet and enable its customers to access any one of 100,000 colour formulations and technical information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
It was innovations like this, together with R-M’s unique and highly effective approach to industry training, plus the introduction of the Programmes for Success business support programme, that resulted in R-M being seen by bodyshops not simply as a supplier of paint, but as a true business partner, dedicated to ensuring that R-M bodyshops remain profitable.

Over the past 90 years, it is this pioneering spirit and innovation that has played a vital role in helping to maintain R-M’s position as a premium brand that is customer driven and promotes profitability through tailor-made solutions and environmental awareness - Perfection made simple.
Mr Philippe Perisse, Head of BASF Coatings France, sums up the brand very well: “The R-M team is driven by a passion to push the boundaries in paint technology and in its 90 year history; R-M has earned an unparalleled reputation, pioneering significant advances to the world of automotive paint”.