As part of our new partnership and getting to know Norton Abrasives in more detail, they invited TIDAL distributor partners out to their training centre in Corsico, Italy.
I went out on the first trip in the middle of March, representing Car Paint Company (CPC).
Going into it, I thought I knew what to expect.
Another factory visit. Same old, same old. A walk around, a few products on display, bit of background. Useful, but nothing that really changes anything.
I was wrong.
What the trip actually highlighted is something bigger. Not just what Norton are doing as a manufacturer, but what happens when distributors get closer to that level of thinking, testing and development.
Because that’s where the real value is. Not in the visit itself, but in what comes back from it, and how that translates into better outcomes in the bodyshop.
What Norton have built in Corsico isn’t just a facility, it’s an environment designed to show how their products actually perform and why they’re built the way they are.
The whole visit was structured around that. It wasn’t just a case of showing a product range, it was about understanding the thinking behind it and how that applies in real working conditions.
A big part of that came from the people. The level of knowledge across the Norton team was seriously strong, and everything was well organised. You could ask questions, get proper answers, and understand how things translate into real-world use.
That connection between product, process and performance is what stood out. It gave a much clearer picture of how their products are intended to be used, and why they’re designed the way they are.
There’s a lot in this industry that feels like variations of the same thing. Different label, similar result.
What Norton are doing feels different to that.
As a manufacturer, they are clearly investing in innovation. We got to see some of the new electric tools they’re developing, which look very strong, along with systems like Cyclonic that immediately stand out. Not just because they’re new, but because they’re designed with performance and efficiency in mind.
We also spent time hands-on with the OneBond range and other products, and the same theme kept coming through. These aren’t products designed to simply sit on a shelf, they’re built to do a job properly and consistently.
That’s an important difference, especially when you’re thinking about how products perform in a busy bodyshop environment.
For me, this is where the real value of strong supplier partnerships comes in.
Getting closer to a manufacturer like Norton gives you a different level of understanding. You’re not just seeing what the product is, you’re seeing how it’s developed, how it’s tested, and where it actually fits within the repair process.
That changes how you operate as a distributor.
It means when we’re speaking to customers, we’re not just offering options, we’re offering informed advice based on real experience. That confidence comes from being closer to the product and the people behind it.
And that feeds directly into the bodyshop.
Strong supplier partnerships with manufacturers like Norton don’t just benefit distributors, they have a direct impact on how bodyshops operate day to day.
Right now, most bodyshops are under pressure to move quicker, maintain quality and protect their margins, and a lot of the time the instinct is to save money by buying cheaper products. In reality, what we’re seeing is that the biggest gains come from efficiency.
If a product can save time, improve the process or reduce rework, that’s where the real value is. And understanding which products genuinely do that comes from being closer to the manufacturer, not further away.
That’s something this visit really reinforced.
We’ve already placed orders for new product lines off the back of it, which probably says enough on its own. And if I’m being honest, the only thing this partnership needs to improve on is inviting us to Italy, taking us out for food, and not once having a pizza on the menu. But if that’s the only complaint, we’re in a pretty good spot.
This is really what it all comes back to.
Stronger supplier partnerships with manufacturers lead to better understanding, and that understanding leads to better decisions. When you know how products are developed, where they perform best, and how they fit into the repair process, you’re in a much better position to support the people actually using them.
For bodyshops, that translates into real, practical benefits. Faster processes, less rework, more consistency, and ultimately better profitability.
That’s where distributors need to be adding value now, and it’s why getting closer to manufacturers like Norton isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a key part of how we continue to support customers properly moving forward.
This is just one example of what happens when suppliers and distributors work closely together. If you want to see who’s involved, take a look at the TIDAL network and the partners behind it.
Daniel Belcher
