Touch Up Paint supply problems

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Touch Up Paint supply problems

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I finally had an interesting conversation with Fiat Customer services about touch up paint availability and this is the upshot.

The supply of touch up paints is currently unavailable due to EU controls preventing one of the vital ingredients being used / moved. It is not known if / when the situation will be resolved. It's not exactly clear what the technical reason is, but the explanation is totally plausible.

I have also been told by Halfords that they cannot mix up the 487 blue as one of the components is highly toxic. They can do many other colours but not this one!

Apparently most of the worlds paint pigments originate in Indonesia and the factory(s) where these were produced were wiped out by the tsunami and are only just coming back to full production.

Whatever if you want touch up paint Fiat are unable to supply and the advice given is use a specialist paint supplier. They were apologetic and at least now I know I need to make alternative arrangements. My thanks to Fiat customer services for their help and this information.

I have been in touch with www.Chipex.co.uk on the internet who have promised paint for both the 2017 Panda and my 2013 Bravo and guarantee a perfect match. I intent to give them a try and will report the results.
 
This is probably related to COSHH ( Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) regulations. The Blue may contain a Cobalt compound which are now restricted. REACH should not affect touch-ups because of the small quantities. I have however seen cases of guidance from consultants etc being overly cautious and causing unnessesary restrictions. As usual the companies who try to do the right thing suffer and the ignorant, don't care and plain dodgy ones carry on regardless.

Robert G8RPI.
 
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