BASF’s Coatings division has signed a new three year global industry partnership with WorldSkills International. The agreement continues BASF’s long-standing commitment to developing new talent in the automotive refinish industry and solidifies the company’s support of the next global WorldSkills Competition, to be held in Shanghai, in October 2022.

“BASF realises the need for young, well-trained talent is growing worldwide, and is proud to partner with WorldSkills,” said Fabien Boschetti, Director Global Marketing, Automotive Refinish Coatings Solutions. “The event brings together young people, industry, government, education and institutions to promote the benefits of our industry. It helps them turn their passion into a profession as a skilled car painter.

“Vocational skills are more important than ever. Young people will lead us on the road to global economic recovery and help us confront future challenges. BASF is proud to partner with WorldSkills International for the next three years through this agreement, with the first right to continue beyond that,” Boschetti said.

Participants from more than 60 countries are expected to attend the Shanghai event, with car painting one of the 63 different skill competitions to be held. Car painting competitors will use products from BASF’s premium refinish brand, Glasurit, as they have in the past.

In addition to its global partnership with WorldSkills, BASF China recently signed a letter of intent with the WorldSkills Shanghai 2022 Executive Bureau as the exclusive car painting sponsor of WorldSkills Shanghai.

Patrick Zhao, Senior Vice President BASF Coatings Solutions Asia Pacific, said the programme will help build economic and social prosperity in the profession. “As the world and BASF prepares for the grand finals of WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai this year, we’re very excited to use our extensive knowledge, people and training excellence supported by Refinity digital tools in China on a global platform to help prepare a next generation of spray painters in a refinish world now driven by sustainability and digitalisation benchmarks,” Zhao said.

Coinciding with the competition, WorldSkills will open the WorldSkills Museum, situated on the banks of the Huangpu River in Yangpu District. Exhibits, including one from Glasurit, will show how skills have changed the lives of people and societies around the world.