R-M Best Painter Contest 2020 nordic final - winner
R-M®announces the winner of the National Final Best Painter Contest in the Nordics
On January 22nd 2020, the jury of the R-M Best Painter Contest announced the winner of the R-M Best Painter Contest at the Refinish Competence Center in Gothenburg, Sweden. Klaus Andersen from the Danish bodyshop Autolak-Experten was the winner and will represent the Nordics in the International Final in September in Clermont, France. This year’s central theme throughout national finals as well as the international final is “Driving digital competency and eco-efficient solutions” which combines the aspects of quick processes and digital solutions with the notion of sustainability.
The need for young, well-trained talent is growing worldwide. When it comes to automotive refinishing, future spray painters are being prepared for increasingly specialized application processes, more efficient product innovations and more digital solutions. The 13th edition of the International R-M Best Painter Contest is held as a competition for young up-and-coming spray painters to promote the profession as an attractive career and honor the most talented spray painters. The competition now takes place in 16 different countries worldwide with all the best talent under 35 years. From September 22 to 24, 2020, the finalists will represent their respective countries or regions at the International Final in France.
“Participation in a competition held worldwide, like the R-M Best Painter Contest, benefits young spray painters both personally and professionally,” said Roar Solberg, Vice President Sales for Automotive Refinish Coatings Solutions EMEA. “They have the chance to network with international peers while demonstrating how spray painters can work sustainably to impact long-lasting success in the industry. The R-M brand wants to actively support young talents giving them inside knowledge on the latest know-how while increasing visibility for their spray painter profession.”
The competition worldwide is sponsored by our business partners 3M, ANEST IWATA, EMM, RODIM, SATA, Horn & Bauer, IRT by Hedson, METTLER-TOLEDO and Sia Abrasives, and the event in Gothenburg was no exception. With the active support of our partners seven tasks were made ready for the contestants: 1) Preparation and priming of a car hood/bonnet, 2) Color search and weighing, 3) Applying of base and clearcoat on the hood/bonnet, 4) Identification of products and consumables PRP, 5) Color wheel, 6) Reading spectral curves and 7) Color matching. The participants completed thus different tasks from color identification to efficient paint application with the premium waterborne paint line ONYX HD, which would make a good base for the international competition.
“It's been really exciting, and I looked forward to going. There aren’t that many competitions within auto-refinish, so I really wanted to be part of it. Even though I’m pretty confident in what I do, I still got nervous during the competition. Everyone that participated was a skilled painter, so I must admit, even until the very end, I had no idea what the results would be.” said Klaus Andersen, Winner of the Nordic Best Painter Contest. “When the winner was being announced, my heart was racing, and I had no idea who’d win. But it went as I’d hoped - I won and I’m going to France later this year. So, I just need to go home and practice, so I can come first place there too.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VecWM25x5k8
