International Truck and Engine Corp. has improved its manufacturing ability at its Garland, Texas, assembly plant with the addition of a new, state-of-the-art paint process. The new automated system includes eight painting robots and four door opening robots for maximum efficiency. It speeds the painting process by more than 33 percent to ensure more trucks of a higher quality are delivered to customers quicker.

"The automated process provides a finer, more controlled spray for a smoother finish," says Leroy Brooks, corporate finishing manager, International Truck and Engine. "Controlled application of the various coats of paint film helps in the durability of the paint finish, providing our customers with a finish that keeps its appearance and protects the truck longer."

International will continue to use the same base coat and clear-coat materials, provided by Akzo Nobel Coatings. International offers just about any color a customer requests, but Brooks says that the most popular paint choices for International Severe Service trucks are, in order of popularity: white, red, orange, yellow and green.