When you think about traditional and dynamic names in the collision repair industry, SEM Products is one of those right at the top of the list. Even if you have not heard of SEM Products before, you soon will. PPG’s acquisition of the industry leader in late 2018 has proven to be the catalyst for a significant expanding of SEM Products’ global reach and one of the first regions to benefit will be Australia and New Zealand, says Kurt Way, PPG Category Manager, Associated Products.
Market proven
Check out the background of SEM Products and you can see that it’s a very well established and respected brand in the North American market. While the company did sell in other world markets, it has been heavily focused on its home market but why should they have all the good technology? In the past, you would often see a limited range of SEM Products being used by many local repairers but the acquisition by PPG gives our region immediate access to a large, high quality, already market proven collision centre consumables range. Local SEM Products’ launches will happen in stages but we are basically talking about a specialised range adhesives, fillers and sealers designed to help you achieve an OEM style finish on automotive repair and refinish jobs. What it does is offer Australian and New Zealand repairers an industry leading PPG solution across a wide range of the modern repair process.
Perfect fit
Look closely and PPG’s acquisition of SEM Products is a logical one because the two companies share many philosophies. For example, over the years, SEM Products has cemented its position in the marketplace by consistently developing innovative solutions specifically to meet the needs of end users. It may be relatively small but it’s a very dynamic company that punches well above its weight. It has done this by staying very close to its customer base. This allows the Research & Development team at SEM Products to react very quickly to any changes or needs in the market – whether that is developing a totally new technology or making an improvement or refinement to an existing product. When a new trend emerges in repair types or techniques, they have typically use thinking ‘outside the box’ to come up with some very creative and effective solution for customers. To highlight this, the SEM Products team even introduced the Built Better
™ motto which is about always striving to develop high quality products that boost repair speed and the quality of the end finish, while minimising labour time spent on each job. Across all levels of the company, people really care about what they deliver to customers. It’s a very family focused company where they really do operate like one big family and it’s a strategy that has really worked over the long term.
Easy access training
Whether you are a regular user or totally new to the range, the strong focus SEM Products has on training solutions makes it easy to understand exactly what you need to do in order to get the best from each product. Importantly, the company’s training component is very easy to access. The SEM Products YouTube channel is prime example. It’s packed with instructional videos on how to use a wide selection of the products. They feature easy to follow visuals and clear step-by-step instructions, along with helpful tips and techniques to simplify each task. It’s super convenient to watch on your phone or other mobile device. For example, a panel beater who is about to use a SEM Products seam sealer or adhesive, can take a moment to watch the video on their phone to brush up before they tackle the live job. This is especially handy when deciding on which nozzle to use or to get any tips to help with the task.
First launch – Seam sealers
Leading the first wave of SEM Products to the ANZ market, is the company’s market leading range of seam sealer materials, in both 1K and 2K technologies. Together, they offer an ideal solution for quickly and effectively achieving the correct OEM style appearance and necessary corrosion protection after a repair.
SEM Products 1K seam sealers
Comprising a regular version and a sprayable option, these versatile single component sealers provide excellent adhesion direct to metal and give the applicator an ideal amount of ‘working time’. To assist with processing speed, they are paintable immediately. There is a choice of colours (White, Grey, Beige and Black) to help match the original OEM sealer and they will remain flexible, without shrinking or cracking.
SEM Products Dual-Mix
™ seam sealers
Featuring the very latest in two component technology not seen before in the Australian and New Zealand markets, this SEM Products range offers industry leading performance aimed at reducing repair process time and allow you to process more jobs per day, week, etc. Whether it’s sealing an interior or exterior seam, a joint or a void, this advanced performance range has an option to suit any scenario.
Dual-Mix
™ Seam Sealer (grey or beige)
- Fast cure reduces process time
- Direct to metal
- Sprayable for added versatility
- Non sag formulation duplicates OEM sealers
- Paintable immediately
- Will not shrink, harden or crack
Dual-Mix
™ Heavy Bodies Seam Sealer (black or white)
- Excellent adhesion direct to metal and multiple surfaces
- Holds tooling marks throughout the working time
- Non sag
- Paintable immediately
- Remains flexible without shrinking or cracking
Dual-Mix
™ Self Levelling Seam Sealer
- Ideal for use on drip rails, roof and boot seams
- Direct to metal on non-flexing roof skins
- Excellent self-levelling properties
- Flows nicely into crevices
- Paintable in just 15 minutes
- Remains permanently flexible and will not shrink, harden or crack
Dual-Mix
™ High-Build Self Levelling Seam Sealer
- A controlled flow epoxy which is perfect for roof seams, drip rails and boot seams
- Direct to metal on non-flexing roof skins
- Paintable in just 15 minutes
- Remains permanently flexible and will not shrink, harden or crack
Dual-Mix
™ Panel Vibration Control Material
- An epoxy / urethane blend designed for sound dampening, in order to provide an OEM level of noise and vibration reduction on roof skins, quarter panels, intrusion beams and other cavities
- Superior flexibility
- Excellent sag resistance
- Up to 60 minutes of working time
- Protects against corrosion
Applicators, tips and accessories
No matter which SEM Product you are applying or which OEM style finish you are trying to mimic, there is a handy solution to suit. As well as manual and pneumatic applicator dispensing guns, there are options to apply sprayable materials in a replica of the original factory finish. In addition, there is a whole range of tips and accessories designed to help you quickly produce a professional appearance. What they all have in common is superior SEM Products design which delivers increased process speed and efficiency, as well as a SEM-sational end result!
[Breakout]
Over 70 years in the making
The rich history of SEM Products makes for interesting reading. When George Sneckner and William ‘Bill’ Elliott gave their names to the company – Sneckner Elliott Manufacturing (SEM) – and opened the doors the door in California in 1948, they actually made architectural paints. In 1972, the company was purchased by Don and Marilyn Scranton who began the transition to the automotive sector. In the mid ‘80s they also put their vision into action by selling a portion of the company to its employees. They believed that if the company took care of its people, the people would take care of the company. This act transformed the culture at SEM Products. A modern catchcry is to ‘run it like you own it’ which was easy for SEM Products’ people because they did! As more and more innovative solutions were added to the range, SEM Products thrived to the point where, in 1992, the need for extra space led to a relocation across the country to Charlotte, North Carolina. All but one family made the move all with the company and several of those families are still part of the SEM Products team today. A second plant was opened in Rockingham, North Carolina, in 1998, before the entire company was relocated to its current location in nearby Rock Hill, South Carolina, in 2009, in order to bring everything under one roof. In late 2018, SEM Products was acquired by PPG. Today, SEM Products is staffed by around 80 employees who handle everything from product development, to manufacturing and shipping from this site.