In the 5th episode of AkzoNobel's Automotive Insights: Refinish podcast,  Graham is joined by North American industry icon Michael Giarrizzo, President and CEO of DCR Systems to talk about the state of the industry and that greater innovation and closer partnerships between manufacturers, vehicle refinishers and the supply chain are critical, but so too are people.

 “People sometimes fear change, and fear doing things differently,” Michael says, “and, they become almost paralyzed. The vast majority of vehicle body repair shops operate in a very similar way, and it may have served the decades of the past well, but it's not going to serve today or the future well, at all.” 

With demand for advanced driver-assisted and electric vehicles (EVs) increasing, and repairs becoming increasingly complex, collision body repair shops are having to re-tool with capital-intensive equipment to compete.

A similar challenge is talent, and the need to rapidly upskill the existing workforce while coping with labor shortages fuelled by the recent pandemic and the imminent retirement from the industry of more than 100,000 baby boomers. People will be key to future success.