How an Automotive Paint Brand Made Lego Structures Come to Life
Capitalizing on the appeal of the famous toy brand, Lego experiences such as those found at Legoland Parks or Legoland Discovery Centers have been cropping up around the world—from Auburn Hills, MI to Dubai. But what makes these destinations so unique is the dizzying array of vibrant colors adorning each meticulously crafted life-size Lego figure.
So when Tom Goldsworthy of Attraction and Entertainment Solutions (A&ES) needed a paint solution that could withstand the demands of Lego locations across various climates, he turned to an unlikely source—the automotive industry.
“It used to take us a long time to do one life-size Lego figure with our previous paint product, sometimes up to a week,” said Goldsworthy. “Now, thanks to the quick drying effect of BASF’s LIMCO refinish paint, we’re able to do several colors a day instead of just one coat, cutting our costs dramatically.”
Goldsworthy shared that he uses BASF’s LIMCO automotive paint line because it’s durable and has contributed to significant cost and time savings in his shop.
And while the work is fun, there is a certain level of precision involved since the installations need to be exact replicas of Lego originals. As a result, the LIMCO paint must be sprayed in the bright, distinctive colors synonymous with the company’s blocks. The team at A&ES works closely with its distributor – Albert Kemperle of Florida LLC – to mix its LIMCO paints to expertly match the Lego colors.
“In many cases, I’ve had to formulate the colors out of thin air,” said James Simmonds, account manager with Kemperle. “I’ve matched more than 50 colors for them and each time, I create a formula so it can easily be replicated every time.”
The synergies between BASF, Albert Kemperle and A&ES have evolved into a true partnership for success said Simmonds.
LIMCO Automotive Applications – Combining Simplicity with Economy
When it’s not being used on impressive life-size Lego applications, LIMCO is more commonly known as an automotive refinish paint that balances performance and pricing.
This full solution paint line includes primers, sealers, base coat colors and clear coats. There are 55 different bases that a shop can use to make thousands of different color formulations. And by using BASF’s best-in-class color tools, the damaged vehicle color can be matched and mixed exactly before being sprayed.
Other advantages of LIMCO include:
- Flexibility of the line – You only have to have one set of bases, which can be converted into low VOC basecoats, national rule basecoats and several single stage paint options depending on the mix.
- A tighter portfolio – Because of the line’s flexibility, fewer products need to be kept on shelves, allowing you to accomplish more with less.
- Easy-to-use – LIMCO uses simple ratios that are easy to use and apply.
- This product line is designed to help shop owners streamline their paint processes and keep costs down.