Paint chips are small samples of color, each different, some with subtle variations that are often unnoticed until held side-by-side. To the untrained eye, it is hard to believe that a vehicle painted in silver, red or even the most basic black or white can have so many variations. Fan decks, a traditional color tool comprised of a series of related paint chips, highlight these slight differences by creating an array of color in one tool.

Knowing the importance of this long-established resource, Axalta Coating Systems, a leading manufacturer of liquid and powder coatings, worked to produce one of the most sophisticated fan deck systems available on the market today, states a press release from the company. With the launch of new fan deck systems for its Spies Hecker® Permacron® 293/295 Series and Standox® Standocryl® Basecoat paint systems, Axalta raised the bar for the industry’s quality standard. Paint chip size, organization, housing and the cover of each fan deck system were redesigned to make it easier than ever to choose the best starting point for color matching.

“Using the new Spies Hecker variant deck for the last month has given me the most accurate color matches to date,” stated Service King’s Gary Rajter , a 34-year veteran of the auto body industry. “Axalta’s drive for continuous improvement is why I remain a loyal customer.”

“Axalta knows that when choosing a color, it is the visual appeal that compels a painter to use a fan deck,” explained Scott Speakman , Axalta’s Color Fan Deck Manager. “Holding and seeing each paint chip enables ease of use, precision and efficiency. The new fan deck systems’ color accuracy and real-life representation help painters like Rajter to be confident in their matches.”