WorldSkills Lyon 2024: BASF Coatings sponsors vehicle painters
More than 1,400 competitors from around 70 countries and regions took part in this year's 47th WorldSkills competition in Lyon, France. BASF Coatings is the exclusive global industry partner for automotive coatings and supported the young talents and experts from all over the world with the premium coating system Glasurit Series 100.
All finalists and WorldSkills experts were trained in a hybrid format by Glasurit experts in exclusive digital webinars, online courses and selected training sessions in the first-class Refinish Competence Centers. Support was provided by Glasurit know-how and Refinity, the most comprehensive learning and information platforms in the automotive refinish industry. 23 talented refinishers competed against each other, and after an exciting four-day competition, the world champions in vehicle refinishing were crowned. The gold medal went to Yuto Hoshino from Japan. Silver went to the best vehicle painters from Europe: Lara Kaufmann from Switzerland, Jason Scherer from Germany and Ronan Le Tutour from France. During the event, all finalists in the Automotive Painting category were also judged on their eco-efficiency in painting to encourage excellence in sustainable practices. By using Glasurit Series 100, Refinity and accessories from Sata and 3M, painters are enabled to use just the right amount of paint materials to achieve high quality results, improving eco-effectiveness for both the environment and the paint store.
The Sustainability Practice Award recognizes the competitors who use materials and products most efficiently. At WorldSkills Lyon 2024, Glasurit Series 100 and Refinity were used for the first time. "We know that skills development is an important factor in sustainability, especially when it is at the heart of government, industry and education strategies. Together with our partners, we have made additional efforts to develop concrete targets for the responsible management of the event and its impact, particularly on the environment. Congratulations to Glasurit. The brand has pioneered sustainability with Series 100 and continues to lead the way in painting vehicles with the most innovative processes and solutions," says David Hoey, CEO of WorldSkills International. Out of the 23 competitors, Glasurit and Sata awarded first place for the most eco-efficient process preparation to Yuto Hushino from Japan. Second place went to Vikash from India and third place to Hui-Shan Chen from Taiwan. The 48th edition of WorldSkills will take place in Shanghai in 2026.