Repairer Driven News
« Back « PREV Article  |  NEXT Article »

Judge: Winning SEMA collision/refinishing products economical, innovative

By on
Announcements | Associations | Repair Operations | Technology
Share This:

The winning 2016 SEMA Collision Repair & Refinish product put a better design and value on an older concept, a judge said Wednesday.

The Scangrip Sunmatch Color Match LED, distributed exclusively in the U.S. by Innovative Tools & Technologies, took first in the body shop-related category of the Nov. 3 awards. The honors are given to “the most innovative and cutting-edge automotive aftermarket products” which will be available in 2016, according to SEMA.

“It was economical,” Roger Beasley Collision & Autoglass general manager Dusty Womble said of the hand-held paint-matching lamp. “… It looks a lot more rugged and durable than a lot of the other products that were on the market.”

Womble, one of three judges in the Collision Repair & Refinish Category, said some existing color matching lights can be restricted by a stand requirement or be “very expensive” and “very fragile.”

The Scangrip Sunmatch won the 2016 SEMA Collision Repair & Refinish new product awards. (Provided by SEMA)

“The Sunmatch color matching light reduces the chance of costly paint mistakes due to poor color matching, not enough coverage, metallic layout, pre-paint & post-paint imperfections,” a product description on the SEMA media site states. “Sunmatch also has the latest lithium-ion battery technology that gives you 1-3 hours of use. Shock, water & dust-resistance makes it the perfect color matching light.”

The Sunmatch’s MSRP is $149, and its part number is SG-SM. Details: www.innovativetools.com.

Runner-up: AsTech2

Womble said he’d researched one of the runners-up, the asTech2, somewhat before the SEMA judging.

The device, a new version of the asTech, links the user’s car remotely with Collision Diagnostic Services staff armed with an OEM scanner. That way, according to Womble, a shop can be sure they’re getting the most current diagnostic information.

“The software’s constantly changing from the OEMs, and it makes it very difficult for you to keep up to date,” Womble said. Other third-party scanners can’t always read software changes on newer vehicles, he said.

“It’s up-to-date technology using cloud-based information,” Womble said.

The asTech2 was one of the runners-up in the 2016 SEMA Collision Repair & Refinish new product awards. (Provided by SEMA)

There’s also a price break for users who conduct both a pre- and post-scan, a combination more and more necessary as vehicle technology advances.

The product, he said, gives “the best scan that you possibly can.”

We couldn’t find an MSRP. (It’s in the pre-order stage, according to its website.), but the part number is asTech2. Details: www.astech2.com.

Runner-up: Uni-Dolly

The Uni-Dolly runner-up was “a new take on an old approach,” according to Womble.

Similar technology has existed, but the Uni-Dolly was a “lighter, more economical model,” he said.

“Mobility was a big part of the design,” he said.

Uni-Dolly

Other existing stands were “very cumbersome,” according to Womble.

“They don’t roll real well, to be honest,” he said.

The Uni-Dolly sells for $419 and carries the part number UD4800 96335-00200. Details: www.uni-dolly.com.

Of all the products competing in the category, five were “real close,” but “those three kind of stood out,” Womble said.

More information:

“SEMA Announces 2016 New Product Award Winners”

SEMA, Nov. 3, 2015

Images:

The winning 2016 SEMA Collision Repair & Refinish new product, the Scangrip Sunmatch, is shown Nov. 6, 2015, at SEMA (John Huetter/Repairer Driven News)

The Scangrip Sunmatch won the 2016 SEMA Collision Repair & Refinish new product awards. (Provided by SEMA)

The asTech2 was one of the runners-up in the 2016 SEMA Collision Repair & Refinish new product awards. (Provided by SEMA)

The Uni-Dolly was one of the runners-up in the 2016 SEMA Collision Repair & Refinish new product awards. (Provided by SEMA)

Share This: