SWAFC Announces Charlotte Ecolean Training Workshop

June 2009

SHERWIN-WILLIAMS AUTOMOTIVE FINISHES

TO HOLD THIRD ECOLEAN™ TRAINING PROGRAM IN CHARLOTTE

Latest Workshop to be Held onsite at Joe Gibbs Racing and Roush Fenway Racing Facilities

Warrensville Heights, Ohio – Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes Corporation (SWAFC) announced it will hold its third A-Plus™ University EcoLean™ workshop this year in Charlotte at Joe Gibbs Racing and Roush Fenway Racing, August 11 - 12, 2009. VIP tours of both facilities will be included as part of the extensive program.

The popular EcoLean workshop was developed for collision shop owners and managers who are interested in leveraging the power of lean production as well as business solutions that reduce environmental waste. The first two EcoLean workshops, recently held in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, respectively, both sold out and received rave reviews from attendees.

The decision to have the facilities at Joe Gibbs Racing and Roush Fenway Racing host the latest workshop came about particularly because of their high level of process discipline, according to Rodes Brown, SWAFC Manager–Marketing Strategic Programs.

“It’s a perfect scenario for our attendees to see real lean principles in action – these race teams are incredibly process-driven in everything they do.”

EcoLean is an industry first, combining two of the most powerful forces in today’s collision repair market: lean production and green business solutions. The program allows collision repair shops to take advantage of these two important disciplines through a sustainable program to drive profitability through the reduction of waste.

EcoLean was built around an idea that SWAFC calls P3 TM, designed to help body shops improve their Productivity and Profitability, while reducing the environmental impact on our Planet.

“We are excited with the response to our EcoLean program,” continued Brown. “We see the market moving rapidly toward leaner and more environmentally responsible business models, and we have built a compelling set of tools and services to help our customers drive efficiency and reduce waste, both financial and environmental.”

To register for the EcoLean A-Plus University online, go to www.sherwin-automotive.com/en/Events.aspx. For more information on EcoLean, call (804) 433-9690.

The Sherwin-Williams Company, founded in 1866, is one of the world's leading companies in the manufacture, distribution and sale of coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers. Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Sherwin-Williams Company, manufactures and distributes a complete line of advanced technology paint and coating systems for automotive and fleet refinishing industries. For more information visit www.sherwin-automotive.com.