Are you a top-class paint technician ready to show off your skills to the entire automotive aftermarket? Then don’t delay in getting your entry into the National Paint Championships being organised by the people behind Automechanika Birmingham 2025.
The championships are completely free to enter and the theme next year is “NATURE”. The deadline for registering your interest is 31 January 2025, but entries are coming in thick and fast and places will be limited.
Enter the National Paint Championships
After that, all competitors will be required to submit a one-page document outlining their theme concept and the products and techniques they plan to use. They should include a short intro about themselves and their job. This document must be emailed to [email protected] by 31 March.
A shortlist of entrants will then be selected based on their planning document and they will be sent a free Vauxhall Corsa bonnet (courtesy of Prasco UK) on which to complete their design and deliver it to Automechanika Birmingham 2025 at the NEC by 08:00am on 3 June 2025.
Four prizes are for grabs – 1st place (£1,000), 2nd (£500), 3rd (£250), and Audience Choice (£250). Full details and entry requirements can be downloaded here https://tinyurl.com/a6cy77hb.
An esteemed line-up of paint and bodyshop industry professionals are set to judge the National Paint Championships at the show on 3 June, with the winners announced in a live ceremony at Automechanika Birmingham 2025 later that day. All the finalists’ bonnet designs will be on display throughout the trade show (3-5 June).
On the panel are Lucy Dent, paint professional and owner at Dents HQ; Craig Bourke, paint professional and managing director at Walcom; Tom Evans, ATA paint professional; Michael Massey, paint professional and head of technical capabilities and innovation at FMG Repair Services; and Simon Wait, head of editorial at Bodyshop Magazine.
Massey said: “To have a judging panel made up of relatable and current experts from the industry, who are heavily involved in painting vehicles in numerous capacities, enhances the credibility of this prestigious competition. It means the skillset required and shown by the competitors will not only be appreciated, but the complexities demonstrated will be reflected in the results, too.”
Professional jury
Dent said: “I’m pleased to have been asked to be a judge because I find other people’s work very inspiring. I like to see how people come up with so many different ideas from the same them. I’m excited for more [paint technicians] to become aware of the things they can take part in and for it to open up more opportunities for people to showcase their work and skills.”
Bourke added: “Being asked to return as a judge for the 2025 National Paint Championships is very humbling. It’s such an amazing opportunity to be part of an inclusive competition that is free to enter and has cash prizes up for grabs. The competition is open to everyone, from apprentices to senior technicians, and even tutors from training centres and manufacturers’ technical staff. It really is a competition like no other, and I can’t wait to see the high standard of entries we get.”
In addition to the professional jury deciding on their favourite designs live at the event, the general public will be invited to vote for their pick of the panels as participants go head-to-head to battle it out for the audience prize.
Both the 1st prize and audience prize in the 2023 competition were won by Jack Smith (pictured) from Forged From Flake and Deepcar Autobodies near Sheffield. Smith said: “It meant a lot to be recognised for my work. You don’t see many lowrider-inspired paint jobs over here so it was nice to get that style out there, too.”
