In the automotive sector, unforeseen events can occur, not only hail damage, but also phenomena such as ‘industrial contamination’, which can have serious consequences on vehicles in production or stored in yards. A significant example is what happened last year in north-west Turkey, where thousands of cars were damaged by metal dust released by an industrial plant.

Industrial Contamination: 14,000 cars damaged by metal dust in Turkey

Following an abnormal emission from a factory in Turkey, thousands of cars parked in a lot near the plant, which were intended for sale, were severely damaged. The contamination was caused by very fine dust released into the air, which when in contact with the bodywork and the weather, formed a reddish patina on the vehicles. The incident affected over 14,000 vehicles and Lever Touch was hired to find a quick and effective solution.

Assessment and planning of the operational plan 

Lever Touch’s specialist technicians immediately carried out a detailed assessment to determine how to intervene. They analysed the nature of the contamination to understand how to remove the ferrous patina without altering the original colour of the paint. Thanks to their experience, our specialists were able to identify the most suitable solution for removing metal particles without damaging the bodywork. Once the intervention strategy had been defined, Lever Touch organised its teams of technicians, deploying them to the locations where the cars were to be used. More than 300 specialists were mobilised, spread across 24 operational sites in France, Spain and Italy, to complete the repair of the cars in less than two and a half months. Lever Touch was able to intervene promptly, thanks to its global organisation that allows it to respond effectively to complex and emergency situations, guaranteeing rapid intervention times and low costs to the maximum satisfaction of its major customers.

“Lever Touch has once again proven to be an irreplaceable partner for car repair and maintenance,” explains Valerio Gridelli, General Manager for Italy & France and Global Back Office Director of Lever Touch. “Whether it is hail damage or industrial contamination, the Group is always ready to intervene with innovative solutions and a network of highly qualified specialists, as evidenced by the more than 720,000 vehicles repaired in recent years. Our innovative technologies, combined with the expertise of our technicians, have enabled us to meet this challenge successfully. We are ready to intervene in any context, always offering the highest quality and reliability.”