Standox, part of DuPont Performance Coatings, is promising dramatically reduced primer drying times after developing a new product for launch later this year.

The new primer is applied at the usual thickness and hardened using a special UV lamp. Standox claims it dries within 30 seconds.

The primer contains no hardeners or solvents to cure or flash off, which, says the company, means sanding can begin immediately after drying, followed by top coat application. Erik Karrenberg, Standox head of product marketing, believes the UV primer is ideal for bodyshops with high throughputs.

“We will reduce the primer surfacer drying time to well below the 30 second mark,” he said.

“The technology is of considerable advantage for the repair of minor paint damage, the so-called spot repair. The spray shop does not need to keep the vehicle overnight to dry the primer surfacer and will be able to process a high number of vehicles in a short time.

“Bodyshops save time on a sustainable and measurable basis. This means the repair time for the customer can be reduced by up to one day.”

The time savings will have beneficial knock-on effects as bodyshops will be able to reduce the amount of time courtesy cars are with the customer.

Standox will supply the primer complete with the UV equipment.