They look good yet withstand very harsh environments
Helmets are vital in Formula OneTM. The regulations require them to be designed to withstand high stresses and temperatures of up to 900°C (1652°F). But ensuring that they also look great is the job of the driver and their helmet designer. Jens Munser works with the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One driver Nico Rosberg to design his helmet and uses the Hi-TEC Performance System from Spies Hecker, one of the global refinish brands of Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global manufacturer of liquid and powder coatings.
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Jens Munser works with MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One driver Nico Rosberg to design his helmet using the Spies Hecker® Hi-TEC Performance System from Axalta Coating Systems. (Photo: Axalta)
Helmets offer protection, but also share the limelight with the Formula One race car drivers. Helmets are one of the most visible parts of drivers' gear when they are in the cockpit of their race cars, and the only real estate the drivers can personalize with their own designs. Munser has been in this business for 27 years, and today he and his team are among the most well-respected Formula One helmet designers.
"The paint process is very different from that of cars," Munser says when describing the challenging job of painting helmets. "We first produce graphic elements on the computer and transfer these to templates. Then, before the actual paint, we also apply a fire-proof primer."
Munser uses the Spies Hecker Permahyd Hi-TEC Base Coat 480, with special effects achieved thanks to gold leaf, glitter flakes or transfer printing. Munser then uses Spies Hecker fast-drying Permasolid Speed Clear Coat 8800 or the efficient Permasolid Clear Coat 8035. The multiple paint layers, which must not exceed 500 grams in total, are used to create the unique helmet design in a process that takes anywhere between eight and 20 hours of work.
Whether it is in Monte Carlo, Baku or Silverstone, Rosberg races around the tracks during the Formula One season at over 300km/h wearing his custom-designed helmet, sporting Munser's design and Spies Hecker paint.
For more information on Axalta, please visit www.axaltacoatingsystems.com. For further information on Spies Hecker official team supplier of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One team visit www.spieshecker.com/F1speed or www.facebook.com/spieshecker.
About Axalta Coating Systems Celebrating 150 Years in the Coatings Industry
Axalta is a leading global company focused solely on coatings and providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable solutions. From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, buildings and pipelines, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enable the materials we coat to last longer. With 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the 12,800 people of Axalta continue to find ways to better serve our more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axaltacoatingsystems.com and follow us @Axalta on Twitter and on LinkedIn.
About Spies Hecker
Spies Hecker, one of the global refinish coating brands from Axalta Coating Systems, develops optimum and practical paint system solutions that can make bodyshop work easier and more efficient. With more than 130 years of success behind it, Spies Hecker's high-quality product systems, customised service and targeted training demonstrate its partnership with the refinish industry. Based in Cologne, Germany, it is one of the world's leading vehicle refinish brands, and is available in over 76 countries worldwide.
Spies Hecker simply closer!
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Contacts:
Axalta Coating Systems
Chantal Bachelier-Moore
DA Public Relations Ltd
D +44 207 692 4964
chantal@dapr.com
