Norton|Saint-Gobain Donates Supplies to HVCC’s Autobody Repair Program

October 25, 2024

Norton|Saint-Gobain, a global leader in the abrasives industry, recently donated more than $20,000 worth of supplies to Hudson Valley Community College’s Automotive Technical Services-Autobody Repair.

Norton offers a variety of grinding, cutting, blending, finishing and polishing solutions for the automotive repair industry. As a way to invest in the education sector, Norton donates a variety of supplies to the Hudson Valley Autobody program. The company has been a long-time partner of the program, but this donation was the largest one Hudson Valley has received to date. The gift included a large supply of the new Norton Premium Automotive Masking Tape, among many other tools.

The Automotive Technical Services-Autobody Repair A.O.S. degree program, offered by the Applied Technologies Department, provides students with the latest automotive and autobody repair techniques through lectures and laboratory work with extensive hands-on training. The Autobody Repair associate in occupational science (A.O.S..) degree is certified by the ASE Education Foundation and is primarily designed for those who wish to enter the workforce immediately following graduation.

About 15,700 openings for automotive body and glass repairers are projected each year, on average, over the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Norton has been a strong supporter of HVCC’s automotive collision repair program for years,” said Applied Technologies Department Chair Dr. Chris McNally. “They frequently donate materials and supplies to ensure our students have access to the same products they will use in the field. People who haven’t worked in a professional collision repair shop may not realize how important it is to use top-quality materials and supplies.

In addition to donating their industry-leading products, Norton provides state-of-the-art training for our instructors and in-class presentations to our students to ensure they know which product to use and how to use it properly.”

“The value of our partnership with Hudson Valley Community College’s Autobody Repair program is immeasurable and it is our pleasure to continue to invest in the future of the collision repair industry,” said Vice President of Saint-Gobain Abrasives North America Patrick Dwyer. “The dedication and passion the educators demonstrate is truly admirable and we are thrilled to support the next generation of automotive industry. We are also grateful for Hudson Valley allowing Norton|Saint-Gobain to access their facility for training, product testing, and marketing.”