Petr Linhart has been an integral part of the management of Automotive Painting Partners (APP) for almost ten years. He is responsible for key business and technical decisions. In this interview, he explains how APP has been able to maintain a leading position in cathodic electrocoating over the long term and why the “one-stop-shop” model represents a competitive advantage for customers. You will also learn how the full interchangeability of the two production plants helps meet demanding customer requirements, including those of OEMs.
Who is Petr Linhart and what is your role at APP?
I joined Automotive Painting Partners as the third member of the management team, alongside the co-owners Petr and Vojtěch Šimák. Next year it will be ten years already. My responsibilities cover a wide range of activities – from day-to-day management through technical and production matters to the company’s long-term strategic development.
The Šimák co-owners spoke positively about the people in the team in one interview. They stated, I quote, that “without our partner Petr Linhart, we would be somewhere else today.” What do you see as your main contribution?
I would say it lies primarily in my many years of experience within OEM corporations. There, you learn to look at suppliers through the eyes of a demanding customer. And very often, you are not even aware of everything that has to happen within the supply chain for your requirements to be met. I now apply this experience “on the other side of the fence”, in the role of a supplier. The basic patterns of cooperation do not really change, so this allows us to anticipate customer needs and be well prepared.
The European surface treatment market is very diverse. At the same time, APP is among the largest providers of cathodic electrocoating in Central Europe. How do you manage to maintain this position in the long term?
It is true that the surface treatment market is very broad today, but we have deliberately focused on a single segment – cathodic electrocoating (KTL) – and have been developing it consistently over the long term. Historically, KTL was used mainly as an anti-corrosion protection, but for economic reasons, it is increasingly being used as a final visible coating. And that is a completely different discipline. Suddenly, you have to deliver not only perfect protection, but also a consistent appearance. And this is exactly where it becomes clear who is – and who is not – a professional supplier.
Technological readiness is fundamental to us. We rely on a strong technical background, a highly skilled team, and a well-functioning supplier base. Thanks to this, we are able to manage the transition from a purely functional coating to one that must also meet high aesthetic requirements. Our advantage lies in the fact that we operate some of the largest KTL lines in the Czech Republic. But it is not just about size – we are also responsive, flexible, and capable of meeting very specific customer needs. And it is this combination that allows us to maintain our position over the long term.
APP’s strategic goal is the complete manufacturing of metal parts. Why should, for example, a German customer choose you?
E-coat (KTL) is a clear cost item for customers that must be reflected in the final product. Our major advantage is that we provide a comprehensive process – from part sourcing, development, manufacturing, and welding through the E-coat process itself and assembly to final logistics. This allows us to significantly reduce inefficient inter-operational costs. Everything takes place in one location, giving the customer an ideal base for the entire project.
What benefits does this “one-stop-shop” model bring to your customers across Europe?
It represents a strong competitive advantage. Customers receive a high-quality product while associated costs – particularly logistics costs – are significantly reduced. From engineering through to the finished part, everything takes place under one roof, which substantially lowers overall costs and risks.
APP works with partners across Europe. How do their approaches differ? Are their expectations of suppliers from the Czech Republic changing?
Today, it essentially no longer matters whether a product comes from the Czech Republic, Germany, or Poland. What matters are price, quality, and reliability. Our clear competitive advantage is the full interchangeability of our two plants – in Police nad Metují and Nymburk. We always offer and test new projects at both facilities so that a potential outage at one of them does not jeopardise deliveries. Thanks to this, our partners can truly rely on us.
The automotive industry is undergoing rapid transformation – electrification, new materials, and pressure to decarbonise. How are these changes reflected in the requirements of OEM partners?
Fortunately, cathodic electrocoating is a process whose key parameters are governed by physics and chemistry – and these do not change even in turbulent times. Nevertheless, we see two areas where change is clearly evident. The first is in input chemical products, which are continuously evolving towards more environmentally friendly solutions. The second area is customer requirements, as OEMs increasingly introduce new structural materials.
The share of aluminium components is increasing significantly, and these present a major challenge for surface treatment, particularly in the area of battery components. At the same time, the use of high-strength, hot-stamped steels with a high content of alloying elements is also growing. These materials require very specific parameters if the surface treatment is to be truly high quality. What really matters is how well we are able to prepare the surface for the electrochemical process – and this is where success or failure is ultimately decided.
Energy prices are rising and pressure on efficiency is increasing. Is there still room for technological innovation in such an environment?
Without innovation, you simply cannot survive today. Our innovations are driven primarily by legislation – for example, if regulations change and stipulate that coatings must not contain heavy metals, we have to adjust the parameters of the entire system so that the final result complies with the new standard. For us, the quality of our process systems and their ability to provide meaningful, reliable data is crucial. Equally important is full traceability of every single part – even for a component produced three years ago, we must be able to demonstrate when it was manufactured and under what conditions and parameters.
KTL technology is now a standard in the automotive industry. Do you see its potential in other sectors as well?
Yes, although automotive remains our primary segment. Cathodic electrocoating is increasingly being used, for example, in construction machinery, commercial vehicles, railway rolling stock, and the defence industry. We are actively expanding into these sectors.
The Czech industry is facing a shortage of qualified technicians. How do you transfer know-how between generations?
That is a difficult question – and an even more difficult answer. Our field is very specific, and most people are trained directly in operation, where they gain real hands-on experience. If you want to succeed, you have to develop the next generation yourself. This is even more true in job coating operations, where it is essential to understand the process in a broad, holistic way. We primarily train employees internally – first, they must understand the entire system, and only then gradually gain experience so they are able to parameterise processes as accurately as possible.
What do you consider to be key to APP’s success over the next five years?
Above all, technological innovation, quality, responsiveness, a stable team, and strong cooperation with partners. And then… quite simply: work, work, and work.
Thank you for the interview.
