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BASF'S A.R.T. Jobber Chain Introduces Bilingual 'bodyshopmall.com' e-commerce Site in Quebec

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. -- Automotive Refinish Technologies, Inc. (A.R.T.), the wholly-owned North American jobber subsidiary of BASF, has announced the introduction of bodyshopmall.com, its Internet-based customer service program, in Quebec. Through this program, customers in Quebec and other select North American markets can opt to do business with A.R.T. Based at the company's 'bodyshopmall.com' Website, the service will encompass bilingual PBE product ordering, news/information sharing, technical data retrieval, supplier agreement options, and other customer transactions for both French- and English-speaking customers.

bodyshopmall.com allows A.R.T.'s collision repair facility customers to order BASF auto paint and associated products over the Internet for direct delivery to the shop from an A.R.T. warehouse. The program features a streamlined 'Product Portfolio' system of paints and associated products, designed for maximum shop productivity and inventory cost efficiency. Numerous other customer services and discount options will also be available through the site.

"The objective of our eCommerce strategy is to improve the supply process for our customers," said Rick Valin, A.R.T. Regional Director. "Our typical A.R.T. customers are well aware of collision industry trends. They are forward-looking, growth-oriented and very interested in improving their productivity and cost-efficiency," Valin explained. "To meet their needs, A.R.T. must continue to evolve as a leading-edge, innovative company, and bodyshopmall.com has proved to be an outstanding example of this evolution."

Reinhart Thorsen, A.R.T. Director of Market Development, said that the Website allows body shop customers to save time and money in the ordering and inventory management process, as well as to increase shop productivity and through-put. "bodyshopmall.com enables the shop to order precisely the products it needs to do the job properly, and in the right amounts,with regular, predictable delivery dates tailored to the shop's needs," Thorsen noted. "In addition," he continued, "the site gives our customers around-the-clock access to a broad range of technical, product, and industry information, as well as to information on the unique array of services and programs A.R.T provides."

The launch events in Montreal and Quebec City, on April 24 and 26 respectively, completeed A.R.T.'s initial rollout of bodyshopmall.com. With the Quebec launch, the industry's first fully transactional system of its type is now available in all of A.R.T.'s North American markets.

According to Valin, bodyshopmall.com has truly revolutionized the supply process in the automotive refinishing industry. "ECommerce allows us to leverage leading-edge technology to advance our performance improvement strategy,," Valin said. " BASF and A.R.T. have successfully positioned themselves as leaders in the eCommerce environment while managing costs and streamlining customer service. The bodyshopmall.com site gives our customers a faster and more efficient way to obtain the products, services, and information they need, and helps to strengthen our long-term relationships with the industry's collision repair leaders," Valin concluded.

Established in 1993, Automotive Refinish Technologies, Inc. (A.R.T.) is a full-service PBE jobber organization with stores throughout the United States and Canada.

As a wholly-owned subsidiary of BASF, A.R.T. t a single-line distributor of Glasurit®, R-M®, and Limco® refinish system brands, as well as a full line of associated products.

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