Akzo Nobel Car Refinishes has signed a cooperation agreement with Ford that will improve service for drivers in more than 30 countries. The agreement covers Ford’s European Direct Markets (EDM) region and will allow them to use Akzo Nobel’s Sikkens brand to help standardize and develop bodyshop processes across the region.

Akzo Nobel Car Refinishes has signed a cooperation agreement with Ford that will improve service for drivers in more than 30 countries. The agreement covers Ford’s European Direct Markets (EDM) region and will allow Ford to use Akzo Nobel’s Sikkens brand to help standardize and develop bodyshop processes across the region.

The agreement is part of plans by Ford to expand its bodyshop network in the EDM region that comprises more than 30 states in Central Europe and Africa. Ford currently has around 50 bodyshops across the region, with plans to open an additional 50 over the next three to five years.

Under the agreement Ford has granted “preferred supplier” status to Akzo Nobel. Countries covered by the agreement are Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Gibraltar, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan in Europe; and Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia in Africa.

For more information, visitwww.carrefinishes.comorwww.sikkenscr.com.