At the end of November last year a new name was established in the Irish vehicle refinish market. Synergy Vehicle Refinishing Solutions Ireland Ltd (Synergy VRSI) became the new independently owned distribution partner for AkzoNobel products in Ireland and just a few months into its existence the company is now mapping out an exciting future as the distributor of the Sikkens, Lesonal, Dynacoat, Sikkens Autocoat BT and Masons brands.

Spearheading the new company is former AkzoNobel Ireland MD Peter Daly who explains the reasoning behind the move. He comments, "The refinish market in Ireland is now more dynamic than ever and having an independent company that can react to market changes is vital. We feel that with Synergy VRSI we will have the best of both worlds by retaining the full backing and support of AkzoNodel’s global resources, but also have the flexibility to introduce initiatives and innovations that are tailored to Irish market needs.”

Peter says that key to the success of Synergy VRSI will be the experience and expertise of the staff team, many of whom have come from the Akzo Nobel Irish operation. This includes Karl Wash who has taken up the position of National Sales Manager for the new company and Paul Dunne who has taken on the vital role as Technical Manager. Peter comments, the vast knowledge and experience of Karl, Paul and the rest of the team has been a vital element in establishing AkzoNobel as a premium refinish supplier and we will continue to build on this skill and experience in order to provide the very best service to our customers.

Customer reaction to the new operation has, Peter says, been overwhelmingly positive and there was a seamless transition in terms of customer service. He comments, "The support we have received from both very long standing and more recent customers, both at factor and bodyshop levels has been tremendous and we plan to repay their continued loyalty by providing even better product and service solutions that will allow our business to grow with theirs.” As Peter explains supplying the latest refinish paint is about much more than what goes into the can commenting, "We can offer our product users the most sophisticated support services in terms of colour expertise, marketing, training and consultancy and we plan to further enhance this package with new ideas to suit the Irish market.”

Key to this will be the establishment of a new Head Office and Training Centre in the next two months. Peter comments, "We have big plans for the future and felt a brand new training facility was vital to fulfil these. It will allow us to continue to be one of the leading and most relevant training providers to the Irish vehicle repair industry and mean our apprentice programme can nurture even more new talent.” Last year the former company trained some 100 new apprentices, building both technical skills and personal confidence as well as providing training to customers in the latest products and techniques.

There has been an increase in onsite training on customer premises in the lead up to the opening of the new training centre and this is just one of many services that Synergy VRSI provides for its customers in their own bodyshops. Karl Walsh says, "We also provide our customers with assistance in areas such as preparation for CSS audits, AIC inspections and in preparation and application for vehicle manufacturer approval. Our experience in these areas, with our diverse customer base, means we have built easy to follow checklists and step by step procedures. It makes the administration of these programmes far easier for the bodyshop and means they can spend more time on the business of repairing cars.”

On the product front, Peter says that Sikkens innovative UV Clearcoat is proving a huge success as bodyshops discover its speed, efficiency and cost saving potential. He also points out that the company will be expanding its range beyond purely paint products in the coming months. He comments, "The flexibility of the new company will allow us to grasp new opportunities, while still retaining the same level of expertise in core areas of our business such as colour.” He adds, "These are genuinely exciting times for our young company and we can certainly see a bright and colourful future ahead.”