BASF’s passion for education brings opportunity to Japanese tech students

Approximately 40 students from Toyota Technical College (TTCN) in Nagoya, Japan, attended Okanagan College in Kelowna for four weeks to work one-on-one with industry experts to advance their auto body and refinishing skills.

ABRN Wire Reports

Sept. 25, 2019

3 min read

BASF supported young automotive refinish students from Japan this summer as they perfected their refinish skills in a special immersion-style study program held in Kelowna, British Columbia. Approximately 40 students from Toyota Technical College (TTCN) in Nagoya, Japan, attended Okanagan College in Kelowna for four weeks to work one-on-one with industry experts to advance their auto body and refinishing skills. The opportunity also allowed them to stay with Canadian families where they could practice their English skills and experience Canadian culture.

BASF has been a long-time supporter of the program, providing R-M Onyx paint and materials for the students to use, along with instruction on advanced and custom paint techniques. Each student received their own fender to paint and take with them back to Japan.

TTCN students showing off their fenders painted during the summer study program at Okanagan College

BASF representatives Tim Brilz and Michael Kukura participate in the program every year, helping students master application methods that they might not have the chance to learn in their home country. It also allows them to mentor students and prepare them for the job market once they graduate from their program at TTCN. Five years ago, the painting portion of the four-week program became so popular among students that two days of custom painting were added to the end.

“BASF is honored to have been provided the opportunity by instructor John Euloth and Okanogan College to work with the Toyota students over past several years,” said Trista Anger, Regional Business Manager for BASF Refinish Canada. “This annual event presents an extremely unique opportunity for not only refinish training but also cultural exchange and interaction. We look forward to many years of continued support and success for the program.”

About BASF Automotive Refinish

BASF's Automotive Refinish business manufactures and markets coatings for the collision repair, commercial fleet and automotive specialty markets. Its paint products are supported by technical training programs, advanced color information systems, business management and planning tools. For more information visit http://www.basfrefinish.com

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 20,000 employees in North America and had sales of around $20 billion in 2018. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 122,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €63 billion in 2018. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.