EckBond Performance Coatings

Can you give me a bit of your company history?

Danny Raymondo has a long history in the automotive industry from his grandfather, who started Granitize products in 1953, to his Dad Tony Raymondo Jr. who founded Xzilon in 2004. Danny took his experience that he had from his grandfather and father and went on a mission to develop a product that not only is eco-friendly but also out performs traditional high VOC products. Danny had the vision to recognize that eco products were the wave of the future in the appearance protection industry.

What are your top reasons behind offering Eco Products?

The reason to offer eco products is simple - if you're not eco friendly in the very near future you won't be in business. Anyone who follows the EPA and compliance knows this topic is not only relevant, but becoming the standard for all products in every industry. From ink to light bulbs and electric cars, the footprint for manufacturing is Earth friendly. Many folks are unaware that automotive manufacturers in compliance with federal law switched to water-borne paint systems to be eco-friendly; there are no more solvent based paints.

What are the top three differences between a product marketed as an Eco Product and a more traditional offering?

Our goal was to be the first performance-driven product to contain zero VOCs, that would out-perform traditional products high in VOC content. There is no want or need for us to offer anything that is not eco-friendly. Currently we are the only eco-friendly product to actually post the testing results of our products on our Web site; all of the testing was done by a third party, independent lab to support our product performance standards so our dealers, agents and end consumers could be confident in the results. As previously stated - ECO is the footprint: No hazardous waste removal; it is safe for the applicators, being VOC-free, requiring no mask, respirator or gloves; and there is a simplicity of application – it saves time and money with no extreme labor. Eco is the only offering, why follow a dinosaur?

Are Eco Products for everyone, or is pricing such that the customer must be prepared to pay a premium for it?

Eco-friendly products - at least ours - are very competitively priced and really no more expensive than other traditional offerings. The fact is, Earth friendly is just another benefit.

How do you advise the F&I Manager to identify likely Eco customers, and how should they present the Eco product?

The F&I professionals present our products as value added and performance driven first - the fact it is eco friendly, again, is just another benefit. Customers are offered so many products, it is up to the individual to decide which ones they find the most value in. Obviously we feel appearance protection is a very important segment.

What is your primary sales channel?

Our primary distribution is through the general agent force across the 50 states. NADA, direct marketing, and trade shows and seminars are very important to spread the word and tell our story. Our point of purchase material and various dealer-marketing items are second to none in the industry. Once again our Web site actually posts the testing data for anyone to see.

Do the regulations differ at all for Eco Products versus other traditional offerings?

Regulatory acts favor eco, Earth friendly products. Traditional products that contain VOCs, to be in legal compliance with the United States Clean Air Act, should technically be treated as other products classified as hazardous waste. i.e. used motor oil , anti-freeze, transmission fluid, brake fluid etc., and require evacuation and removal from a dealership. Eckbond utilizes state of the art technology and developed a way to manufacture a performance driven product that contains zero VOCs, zero hazardous materials, and is 100% eco friendly.

In your opinion, where is the greatest growth potential for the Eco Product category?

The industry, specifically in the appearance protection category, will continue to change and evolve. Unfortunately several agents and consumers refer to products as mop and glow or snake oil. I challenge our industry to comply and sell products that actually perform and do what they say. The question is why do so few actually have testing to support the claim(s). Is it possible they don't want to know or reveal the answers?