MetoKote Corporation Earns Volkswagen's Service Parts E-Coat Business for U.S. Built Passat

FYI: Volkswagon Buyer's Guide

LIMA, OH--Sept. 19, 2011: MetoKote Corporation announced today it has been selected by Volkswagen Group of America to provide 100 percent of the German auto manufacturer's service part e-coat needs for its Passat passenger car being produced at its first U.S. based vehicle assembly facility in Chattanooga, Tenn.

MetoKote's regional coating service center located in Lebanon, Tenn., will receive orders via VW's advance shipping notice (ASN) system, and will in turn, e-coat replacement body panels - hoods, fenders, doors, trunk lids - as well as various other service parts including welded assemblies and brackets. MetoKote Lebanon will also provide hem sealing around replacement doors, barcode labeling, packaging and direct shipping to a distribution center for eventual delivery to VW dealerships across the nation.

"Having been selected as VW's service parts coater of choice is not only a significant honor; but we believe, a testimony to MetoKote's ability to grasp the challenges of automotive production and its related support services," said DeWayne Pinkstaff, MetoKote president and CEO. "MetoKote understands and appreciates these needs and the expectations of a global vehicle manufacturer like VW. As such, we view ourselves as a partner and worked hand-in-hand with VW team members to design and develop a process that delivers on their service support needs with remarkable success," continued Pinkstaff.

MetoKote will begin supplying regular coating services for the Passat replacement parts in September. In support of the new business MetoKote added another shift of e-coat and sealing production and has added seven additional employees per shift.

"The MetoKote Lebanon team is extremely pleased Volkswagen chose MetoKote to service the coating needs for the new Passat," said Dan Noe, general manager. "Volkswagen is obviously a valued customer and we're well positioned to support their service part coating requirements. We've been on the ground with VW since the very early stages of the assembly plant development and are committed to supporting them as Chattanooga ramps up to full production."