Color Express™ Powder Program Helps Coaters Improve Operations through Mobile Matching Technology

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota, April 23, 2018 – Sherwin-Williams announced a new program designed to reduce the time it takes for powder finishers to match, receive and apply powder. The Color Express program utilizes an affordable hand-held reader to match color against in-stock powder products stocked at distribution centers and available at more than seventy Sherwin-Williams locations across North America. The combination of digital technology and locally stocked products can reduce the matching process from weeks down to a few days.

“Our customers often tell us the first shop to match a color wins the job,” said Tabitha McLeish, global product line director for Sherwin-Williams. “Pairing digital color matching technology along with Sherwin-Williams localized support and inventory can add speed to job coaters operations that can immediately have a positive impact on their business.”

Technology to measure and match color has been available for some time. Devices, such as a spectrophotometer, can effectively measure and match color right on site. However, investing the space and the capital for purchasing and maintaining the equipment just isn’t possible. With advances in technology, portable, accurate and affordable color matching devices are now an option for any operation. The Sherwin-Williams ColorReaderPRO, powered by Datacolor, allows coaters to incorporate digital color match technology into their operation. The device is simple, self-contained and calibrated on site. Job coaters benefit from improved match times, reduced inventory and improved customer response time. By implementing this technology paired with local in-stock inventory, coaters can reduce match and order times and begin a customer ’s job request in days instead of weeks.

Sherwin-Williams ColorReaderPRO powered by Datacolor
The ColorReaderPRO is a handheld color matching and measurement tool that allows professionals to match or measure color in their operations onsite. The portable device works stand-alone or through the Datacolor ColorReaderPRO smartphone application to provide enhanced features, such as additional color information, fan deck visualization, or quality control, on a mobile device. The ColorReaderPRO is calibrated onsite and comes loaded with Sherwin-Williams in-stock powder product matches.

In-stock power programs from Sherwin-Williams
With more than seventy facilities across North America, Sherwin-Williams has stocked powder products to support job coater operations. Distribution centers house commonly ordered products to reduce customer lead times and improve coater service levels. ColorReaderPRO currently supports the following in-stock programs:

• Powdura Color Card Program – 121 in-stock products
• RAL Powder Program – 150 in-stock products

Additional in-stock products will be added to the Color Express powder program over time.