Automotive Painting Partners (APP) ranks among the leading European job coater in the field of cathodic dip coating (KTL) and has been a reliable partner for the automotive industry in the Czech Republic and abroad for more than 20 years. We spoke with Vojtěch Šimák, co-owner of Automotive Painting Partners and the family-run Colegium Holding, about their integrated approach to manufacturing and how the company has succeeded in building long-term partnerships with OEM and Tier 1 customers.
Automotive Painting Partner sis a purely Czech company with a long tradition in engineering and metal surface treatment. What areas do you cover?
At Automotive Painting Partners, we provide comprehensive services in the field of engineering production – from welding to final surface finishing. Our speciality is cathodic dip coating (KTL), which ensures top-level corrosion protection for components. We manufacture welded parts and subassemblies, carry out seam sealing and primer applications for body panels, and provide robotic welding along with a wide range of specialised applications. Our services also include logistics operations, including direct OEM deliveries and cross-dock solutions.
How do you manage to integrate such a diverse range of processes into one efficient system?
Our processes are logically interconnected, so combining them was a natural development. This allows us to provide truly comprehensive services – from project design through stamping, welding, and surface finishing to final delivery to the end customer. For companies, this translates into significant savings in both time and costs. Thanks to this approach, we collaborate with leading global OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers across Europe.
And what additional benefits does this bring to your customer?
We operate as a true “one stop shop” – clients can get everything under one roof. This minimise logistics costs and eliminates what is often called Teiletourismus (“parts tourism“) – the unnecessary transport of components between multiple suppliers. This model enables us to build long-term partnerships with major automotive manufactures who value both our comprehensive approach and reliability.
APP is a partner for many leading companies in the automotive industry in the Czech Republic and abroad, ensuring direct deliveries to OEMs. Which countries do you cooperate with?
Our customer base is very broad. We operate primarily in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. However, our parts can be found in virtually all brands manufactures across Europe.
A large part of your production goes to Germany. What makes you an attractive partner for German companies?
We have been working with German partners for many years and we know their precision requirements very well. We hold ourselves to the same standards – whether in production, management, or logistics. We offer several key advantages: a convenient geographical location for logistics, comprehensive services under one roof, and guaranteed quality in line with the strict standards of both German and global automakers. And all this at lower costs compared to German coating facilities.
You operate three sites – two production plants in Nymburk and Police nad Metují, and a logistics centre in Zvěřínek. What are their focuses and how do they complement each other?
The Nymburk plant specialises in KTL coating, sealing, and filler application. It is dedicated to more complex assemblies and OEM customers. The Police nad Metují site uses the same coating and sealing technologies and serves as a full-fledged backup. Both plants balance each other’s capacities, ensuring 100% internal backup and thus reliable deliveries. The logistics centre in Zvěřínek functions as a central hub – customers have their parts prepared for dispatch in one place, which represents a significant saving of both time and costs.
APP is a market leader in cathodic dip coating (KTL/e-coat). How do you stand up to the competition?
In cathodic dip coating (KTL), I dare say we are the largest player in Central Europe. Even on a European scale, we rank among the leading providers of this technology. Our coating lines can handle up to ten million square meters of surface area annually, and we are capable of processing different types of materials simultaneously.
You specialise in dip KTL coating, considered one of the most reliable anti-corrosion protections. What makes it superior to other methods?
Dip KTL technology ensures a uniform coating layer even in hard-to-reach areas and inner labyrinths of components – an issue that other methods often struggle with. It features high penetration ability, meaning a consistent KTL layer across the entire surface of the coated part. With nearly 100% surface coverage, the resulting corrosion protection is reliable even for complex components. Although it is a more costly technology, it is at the same time very robust, versatile, and efficient.
The automotive industry is undergoing a revolutionary shift toward electromobility. Does this affect your work?
Electromobility brings new materials and specific requirements for component protection and recycling. However, this does not fundamentally change our activities – car bodies and chassis parts are the same for both types of powertrains. We are fully capable of coating components for both electric and conventional vehicles.
For companies like APP, OEM standards are essential. How do you shape your processes, and what do they bring to customers?
We comply with all essential standards required of suppliers in the automotive industry, including IATF 16949 and TISAX. In addition, we also meet specific standards set by leading global brands, which are far more stringent. Some automakers list us as an “A supplier” – a designation that confirms APP’s high level of quality and reliability.
Your production processes run in closed systems, and you emphasise ecology. How exactly do you reduce environmental impact?
Ecology is an integral part of all our processes. We meet OEM environmental standards as well as ISO 14001 certification, and we maintain a consistently high process standard. We are subject to strict inspections by state authorities and regularly report environmental parameters. To be specific, in practice we use a circular water system, which significantly reduces consumption. We also apply state-of-the-art methods for eliminating harmful substances from exhaust air, among other measures. Thanks to this consistent and transparent management system, we are a stable and trustworthy partner for the automotive industry also from a sustainability perspective.
Your company is part of the family-owned Colegium Holding, which also includes AUREL, EAP, and LENAM. What benefits does cooperation among these companies bring?
The main advantage of Colegium Holding is the ability to offer truly comprehensive solutions. Thanks to the synergies between the companies, we can cover a wide range of activities – from engineering, 3D measurement and simulations, through mechanical and special testing at the proving ground or in laboratories, surface treatment, assembly, robotic welding, and automation, all the way to logistics.
Can you give a concrete example?
The areas of the individual companies complement each other. For example, if a customer is dealing with corrosion issues, we can first analyse the problem, design a technical solution, and then implement it. EAP, for instance, will design and build a customised welding automation system, while APP will provide welding and cathodic dip coating. In the same way, we cooperate with other companies within the group. As a result, the customer receives a comprehensive service package tailored to their specific needs.
Today, Automotive Painting Partners is recognised as a strong and stable partner in the European automotive industry. What is the key to maintaining this position in the future?
For more than 20 years, we have been offering our clients – from smaller suppliers to leading global carmakers – comprehensive solutions with an emphasis on top quality. Precision, reliability, and a partnership-based approach are the values we build on. At the same time, we are among the largest job coaters in cathodic dip coating (KTL) in Europe. Thanks to the combination of experience, technological advancement, and openness to innovation, we have become a trusted partner for automakers across Europe – and it is on these pillars that we plan to build our future.
