When you’ve been painting airplanes for more than 30 years, you know what quality looks like. And if you’re not only a painter but also a business owner, you’re also looking for certainty of supply, and a partner whose levels of customer service are second to none.

It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that Tyson Grenzebach, President at LandLocked Aviation Services, chooses to work with AkzoNobel as his preferred coatings provider. And it’s no surprise that the relationship continues to go from strength to strength.

As an aviation refinishing specialist, and a principal supplier to United Airlines among others, Tyson recognises that failure is simply not an option: “Appearance is 90% perception and perception is everything,” he jokes. “We work with AkzoNobel because their products have exceptional quality, delivering a lustre and depth that makes their coatings shine.

“But equally important is their customer service. The experience of working with AkzoNobel, including the engagement of the senior management and the expertise of their Technical Services team, is where they really excel. It’s less like dealing with a major corporate and more like working with a family business. And I don’t say it lightly; if I like a company and I like its products, then there’s a good reason for it.”

LandLocked Aviation Services uses the full stack of AkzoNobel coatings, from primers to topcoats, and is impressed with its continued investment in research and development: “Their products continue to improve steadily over time,” he adds.

Tyson is also impressed with AkzoNobel’s commitment to sustainability: “We have a mission here to leave a good footprint on the planet and AkzoNobel sends the same message that we all need to play our part in doing what’s right. The products they are developing help us reduce our waste and make it easier to collect, store and dispose of our paints.

“Using products that are less harmful to the environment is important to us, as is the cost and risk of disposing of the filter deposits in our ventilating and extraction equipment. Working with AkzoNobel means we worry less and is helping us to be more sustainable.”

The company’s commitment to the planet is matched by its commitment closer to home. It supports the local SOWELA Technical Community College to deliver lifelong learning experiences, including those in aviation maintenance.

At a practical level, students can now train on a recently retired JStar Boeing 707 from the US Air Force, freshly painted by the LandLocked team at its facility in Lake Charles Louisiana using a basecoat/clearcoat system donated by AkzoNobel.

“The aircraft was actually one that we had already painted back in 2015, so it was great to see it again. The aircraft has been repainted to match SOWELA’s colors and Flying Tigers motif, while retaining notable elements from the original paint scheme, including the Air Force emblem and US flag.”

Burt Stimson, an account manager and MRO specialist within AkzoNobel, is proud to have been involved in the project which he says all happened very fast: “Tyson called me and having discussed it with our Regional Sales Director, Rob Mather, we immediately agreed. Tyson is an active supporter of AkzoNobel and we were only too pleased to help him in playing a small part in being involved in such a worthy cause.”

Tyson also remembers the conversation: “I reached out and Burt answered the call for help!” he laughs.

Looking ahead into 2025 and beyond, Tyson has a full order book and is excited about what the future holds. Most recently, and aside from his charitable support, LandLocked and AkzoNobel have been collaborating in delivering a new coating for the US Navy’s P-8 Poseidon program, a derivative of the civilian Boeing 737-800.

“I always tell people I am a painter by trade,” Tyson says, “and that means I am very well versed in the products and processes that are out there. And right now, AkzoNobel are nailing it.”