PU automotive refinish coatings

Refinish (automotive repainting) is the aftermarket segment of vehicle painting — post-accident repairs, restorations, customizations, touch-ups. Unlike OEM (factory painting in high-temperature ovens and fully automated lines), refinish is applied in body shops around the world — typically at ambient temperature or in cabins heated to 60-80°C — under control conditions far inferior to factory. This requires PU systems with specific characteristics: fast cure at moderate temperature, high hiding power in manual application, polishability to achieve factory finish, and compatibility with different original paints (refinish needs to "match" existing paint). The market is dominated globally by few players (PPG, Axalta, BASF Refinish, AkzoNobel Sikkens), with fragmented distribution across thousands of body shops. In Brazil, it is a relevant segment with national brands (Maxi Rubber, Lazzuril, Sinaliza) competing with multinationals.