Lincoln Educational Services Corporation, a national leader in specialized technical training for more than 75 years, has entered into an agreement with AkzoNobel Coatings, Inc. whereby Lincoln Tech’s Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology programs across the country will utilize AkzoNobel’s paints and refinish coatings on an exclusive basis. The partnership comes on the heels of the opening of the Kindig Academy at Lincoln Tech in Denver, Colo.
AkzoNobel also partners with Dave Kindig of Kindig-It Design to produce the custom Modern Classikk paint line. Kindig’s Modern Classikk line is derived from AkzoNobel’s Sikkens refinish brand, which will be used at the Kindig Academy. Lincoln Tech campuses offering collision repair career training will have the opportunity to receive products from either Sikkens or Lesonal, another premium AkzoNobel brand.
“AkzoNobel’s Sikkens and Lesonal product lines are known as two of the finest brands in the paint and refinish market,” said Scott Shaw, president and CEO of Lincoln Tech. “For our students to have access to hands-on experience using these products will be an incredible benefit to them as they train for careers in today’s collision repair industry. We are excited and grateful to be able to take our relationship with AkzoNobel to this exciting next level.”
Added John Griffin, regional commercial director of AkzoNobel Automotive & Specialty Coatings, Americas, and president of AkzoNobel, “We are thrilled to enter this extended partnership with Lincoln Tech. Training and supporting new technicians is of critical importance in the collision repair industry, and Lincoln Tech is one of the best at doing just that.”
The Sikkens and Lesonal brands have been preferred choices of hands-on metalworkers and collision repair specialists for more than 225 years and 160 years, respectively. In addition to supplying paint products and application equipment, AkzoNobel’s proprietary color-matching software MIXIT will also be available to Lincoln Tech students. These software programs, including the Sikkens CARBEAT visual management system, improve production and cycle times by up to 12% — an invaluable asset to modern-day collision repair and refinishing facilities.
As part of Lincoln Tech’s collision repair and refinishing career training, students gain hands-on experience repainting panels and other auto body components and also applying airbrush artwork to unique project cars that allow them to showcase their creative flair. Training combines the technical aspects of assessing collision damage, using computerized equipment to realign frames, and using body hammers and paintless dent repair techniques to repair panels with the artistic side of customizing paint work to produce eye-catching restorations.
Lincoln Tech offers collision repair career training at its campuses in Denver, Colo.; East Windsor, Conn.; Grand Prairie, Texas; Indianapolis, Ind.; Melrose Park, Ill.; and Nashville, Tenn. With more than 150,000 openings projected for skilled, trained collision repair and refinishing professionals across the country by 2030, graduates of Lincoln Tech’s program will bring in-demand skills into the workforce. By partnering with AkzoNobel, Lincoln is enhancing the value and visibility of its diplomas and degrees, positioning graduates for better opportunities with potential employers.
