Sydney Automotive Paints and Equipment was formed in New South Wales, Australia in 1976 principally as a distributor of automotive refinishing products to the collision repair industry.
By 1980 SAPE was the dominant automotive paint and panel supplies distributor in metropolitan Sydney. The strong market position achieved by the company resulted in the move to a new Marrickville facility in 1984 which boasted a large research and development centre.
In 1994 SAPE opened an agency in Victoria, concentrating on the Capital Equipment market, a market that is continually growing.
In 1996 SAPE acquired Prestige Paints & Equipment Supplies in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. These two branches also distribute Glasurit Paints and a vast line of consumable products and capital equipment.
In 2009 SAPE acquired Kenney’s Automotive Paints and after merging with its sister company Automotive Colour & Equipment; moved the Head Office to the current location at Condell Park, NSW and is now known as the SAPE Group. The state-of-the-art purpose-built premise comprises a warehouse, retail shops, offices, and a training centre with the latest in technological advancement.
In 2018 announced the expansion of its paint portfolio through the acquisition of the Paint Depot based on the Gold Coast. In 2019, SAPE opened its revolutionary purpose-built training facility for the collision repair industry, which created a virtual workplace for participants to confront the challenges of a real body shop in a risk-free environment.
In 2021, the SAPE Group announced that it had acquired Peninsula Paint Supplies, the Central Coast's leading automotive refinishing supplier, which was rebranded under the trading name SAPE Gosford
The SAPE Group works closely with an extensive line of Distributors and Resellers and also having agents in QLD, WA, and VIC; we virtually cover all of Australia and New Zealand.
Over the years the SAPE Group has developed strong relationships with the leading manufacturers in the U.S., U.K., Europe and Asia. These manufacturers include Autorobot, Celette, GYS, Hedson Technologies, Innovative Tools, 3M, BASF Coatings, Axalta Coatings, ITW, Wieländer+Schill, Vosschemie, Scangrip, Wipe New and more.
At SAPE we are constantly searching the globe for the most innovative products to ensure the Australian Collision Repair Industry remains abreast with the rest of the world.