OSU Institute of Technology’s Automotive Collision Repair program recently received a donation of automotive paint and supplies valued at more than $100,000.

The donation of primers, sealers and mixing tints is from National Coating Supply in Tulsa. The manager of the Tulsa branch, Greg Oxford, sits on the collision repair program’s advisory board.

National Coating Supply is a nationwide automotive refinish and repair store that specializes in paints, body fillers, sand papers and other items needed to repair a vehicle after it has been involved in an accident.

The first half of the donation was delivered in July, and the second half of the shipment will make its way to campus by the end of August, said School of Automotive Technologies Dean Leo Van Delft.

The sizable donation helps in restocking the program’s supplies for future classes.

“The collision program’s consumable materials are expensive and have a limited shelf life. This donation will assist with extending the program’s budget,” Van Delft said.

Gifts of supplies and equipment like the one from NCS benefit not only students and the program but also the companies that make the donations.

“National Coating Supply supports the collision repair program with donations like this in order to assist with the development of future technicians that their customers need. The collision repair industry has a growing need to fill positions,” he said. “The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 9 percent increase in technicians that will be needed over the next five years to meet the demand. That’s over 15,200 new hires, or an average of more than 3,000 per year.”