Ignition

Some people are lucky enough to grow up doing what they loved as kids. Archie Chiang is one such person. He recalls that Hot Wheels and Matchbox scale models were the spark that first ignited his passion for automobiles. “I grew to love cars even more when I started playing Need For Speed Underground (NFS:U) on the computer.”

Fast forward to now and he doesn’t just have sports cars, but is behind the wheel of the Philippines’ pioneer for all-in-one premium flair and protective solutions— Second Skin Industries (SSI).

Of Supercars and Supersuits

Nano-Ceramic Window Tint, Colored car wraps, Windshield Protection Films— these are just some of the products offered by SSI to car owners who demand a Batman/Bruce Wayne level of protection for their treasured engines. “The most sought after product we currently have is the Magnus Pro Paint Protection Film(PPF),” reveals Archie, and one is reminded of Q from the James Bond series. “This is mostly because owners these days give more care to their cars and want to preserve its condition all the way down to its paint.” He further explains that the concept is the same as applying a screen protector to a new phone. Scratches, stains, and chips are as unwelcome on a mobile as on a (bat)mobile— so why risk it.

Take it from the owner, who’s been doing it ever since. “I like customizing and personalizing everything I have,” says Archie, switching back to a boy-next-door vibe, “from my cellphone, laptop, etc- I want them to be unique from everything else.” He recalls the standard silver Macbook Pro he had in college. Wanting to change its appearance without adding a thick, bulky case, he came across carbon fiber vinyl wraps. “This instantly got my attention as at the time (2010), carbon fiber was only used on supercars and jet planes so it was something people couldn’t get their hands on.” One call to a local supplier later and the results stunned his class. “They all wanted to get their laptops and gadgets wrapped as well!”

With the support of his astute and helpful sister, Isabelle, and after wrapping his first car ever in matte black, Second Skin Industries was born.

Heroes of a Thousand Phases

While the product is fundamentally the same, Archie says that SSI customers are all very different from each other. “They have different things that they like to do to their automobiles,” he says, “the one thing that they all have in common is their love for their cars.”

He recounts the story of a client who brought in his very first sportscar. “It was the first generation Mercedes-Benz SLK and he wanted to renew the look of the car because it was a gift for his nephew.” Since the car was almost twenty years old, the faint was less than immaculate. But the owner was adamant, and insisted that Archie and crew resurrect it from stylistic doomsday, bringing it back to its former glory. “It was super exciting for us at the shop!”

The end result was the car in a fresh new color which made it look brand new. “When the nephew saw the car, he almost teared up and said the most grateful ‘thank you’ I’ve ever heard.”

The Future of Auto MobilesThe luxury aftermarket segment booming despite the pandemic in 2020 says something about the resilience of the industry. Whether this is due to people having more time to customize, or because of dealers’ promos— Archie isn’t one to speculate too much. His focus remains to give car owners the best custom experience in the world. “The inspirations I have now is Vik from RDBLA (USA) and Yianni from Yiannimize (UK). They are both custom car shop owners like me who just wants to make the (automotive) world a better place.”

In three years, Archie sees SSI as Vik and Yianni’s counterpart in the Philippines. He’s also finding ways to expand geographically to the rest of the country. “We aim to be the country’s top automotive protective solutions company,” he says plainly on dominating the automobile protective industry— less super villain, more Tony Stark wanting “a suit of armor around the world.”

Judging by Archie’s drive, it seems every Philippine supercar will be sporting Second Skins soon. It’s only a matter of time— which is what fast cars are known to be driven for.

Connect and catch Archie’s drift at Second Skin Industries.

—alike.com.ph

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