NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE FUTURE OF THE TRADE. FOCUS WHY THE FUTURE OF PAINTING STARTS TODAY 04 TOOLS SEE THE LIGHT WHEN WORKING WITH THE PLANEX LHS 2 225 LONG-REACH SANDER 20 PROJECTS & WORK WHEN IT COMES TO MOULD, CHEATS NEVER PROSPER 26 DEDICATION SWISS PAINTER GUIDO FONTANA TRUSTS IN HIGHEST QUALITY 38 LOOK INSIDE THE NEW ASSEMBLY PLANT IN WEILHEIM IS SUSTAINABLE AND FORWARD-LOOKING 48

EDITORIAL Dear readers, The world of work is constantly changing. Innovative technologies and new ways of cooperating and doing business are taking us into the future. What drives us to help shape the future of work in the painting trade? We see ourselves as enablers and give our all to help you give yours. With outstanding tools and clever system solutions to make your everyday work easier. Achieve excellent sanding results effortlessly and without fatigue with the PLANEX LHS 2 225 long-reach sander, for example. We also shine a spotlight on three cordless drills in this issue to see what they...

04 Focus THE FUTURE OF WORK There is more than just one way to reach your destination – and that applies to the future of the painting trade too. 34 Favourites FESTOOL SPOTLIGHTS We asked three professionals in the painting trade about their favourite Festool products. 12 TOOLS FIRST CHOICE Three cordless drills, each with their own strengths, take the stage. 38 DEDICATION TIP TOP Fontana und Söhne will not disappoint those looking for Swiss quality. 18 TOOLS TOOL CHUCK Why having the right accessories is essential for screwdriving and drilling applications. 44 Tools ALWAYS BY YOUR SIDE Why the...

Focus The future of work Giffers/Rhens/Białystok Switzerland/Germany/Poland

The future is knocking loudly at the door; there’s no mistaking it. It wants to be more digital and more sustainable – and so it should. Innovative tools and new technologies, new business models and ways of working are leading the way. What does this mean for the painting trade? Has the future already arrived here? Let’s take a closer look. Text: Ralf Christofori | Photography: Sven Cichowicz, KOLORAT, Tomasz Bakunowicz, Manolito R

Focus The future of work AND SKILLS HAS ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT TO ME. I CONTINUE TO DO SO TO THIS DAY.’ Guido Fontana, Fontana und Söhne → When it comes to knowledge and skills, the Fontana family also benefits from the excellent advantages that tools bring. ↓ You never stop learning: Guido Fontana has internalised this mindset and passes it on to his apprentices as

‘USING EXCELLENT MACHINES HAS ADVANCED OUR TRADE TREMENDOUSLY. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO REAPING MANY Swiss precision. Future is born from skill. hat are the important points to bear in mind when it comes to the future of the painting trade? The answer given by the owner of painting business Fontana und Söhne in Giffers is very precise: ‘Securing young talent.’ The Swiss national knows what he’s talking about as he spent years teaching at a vocational school: ‘Passing on knowledge and skills has always been important to me. I continue to do so to this day,’ says Guido Fontana. He’s done especially...

Focus The future of work A paired future. Colour consultations meet trade. hen two people join forces, it’s not uncommon for them to have the best ideas for the future. Like Monja Weber and Sebastian Alt, for example. As a product manager, she spent a lot of her time looking into colours and interior design. He leads a seventh(!) generation painting business. Together they founded KOLORAT in Rhens near Koblenz. Their business idea: Developing their own colour palette as well as carrying out customer colour consultations and demanding paintwork. High-quality KOLORAT wall paints and clear coats...

Why the future starts today. ‘THE ADVANTAGE OF OUR BUSINESS MODEL IS THAT WE APPEAL TO A WIDE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS. IT’S A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR ALL.’ Monja Weber, KOLORAT Christoph Krause has been advising businesses in the skilled crafts and trades on the adoption of digital technologies for 12 years now. We asked him what will be important in the future. FM: The future world of work will undoubtedly be more digital. In your opinion, how well prepared is the painting trade for this future? CK: There is no such thing as a non-digital trade any more. Quite the opposite. We...

↑ When Tomasz brings his tool collection to a construction site, customers not only notice this, but appreciate it too. → Completing his work quickly, efficiently and cleanly is of utmost importance for Tomasz Bakunowicz. ‘I WANT MY BUSINESS TO BE SYNONYMOUS WITH RELIABILITY AND QUALITY, AS WELL AS BEING ASSOCIATED WITH MODERN TOOLS.’ Tomasz Bakun

Focus The future of work Big plans. With innovative and digital tools. omasz Bakunowicz lives and works in Białystok, which is approximately two and a half hours drive from Warsaw (in a north-easterly direction). He is a qualified painter and a graduate construction engineer. What he does, he does well. One of his core principles is: ‘The better I as a specialist want to be, the better and more innovative the tools need to be to help me to fulfil my talent and potential.’ Tomasz can’t hide the fact he’s impressed by Festool tools and the whole Festool system. Why? ‘Because without expanding the...

Tools First choice Wendlingen Germany FIRST CHOICE

Tools First choice When you’re spoilt for choice, you consider your options very carefully. We have three excellent cordless drills – with and without percussion, or even with a hammer – fighting for that top spot. But they are all first choice, as each has its own strengths. Text: Melissa Berger | Photography: Thomas Baumann, Torben J

Tools First choice Pure power. With four gears for every application. he three cordless drills showcased here are all fantastic. They can do a lot, have grit and intelligence and make great work companions. Which one you decide on depends, above all, on what you need, how you’ll use it, and what you expect from the drill that you ultimately choose. If you follow this approach, you can’t go wrong. The youngest of the three The QUADRIVE TPC 18/4 cordless percussion drill is extremely robust and resilient, whether you are working with tiles, brickwork or wood. If the TPC 18/4 had muscles, it would...