Melanie Freywald, born in Berlin, Germany, moved to the UK in 1998. After starting an office job in London, she quickly realised it wasn’t for her and needed something more hands-on. In 2002, Mel became a Painter and Decorator and now runs a successful business called Colour and Paper. “When I was trying to figure out what to do next, I painted my flat, then family and friends’ homes, and they said how good I was. Now I can’t see myself doing anything else; I’ve been doing this for 23 years,” says Mel. She learned her skills early as a teenager from her parents, spending most summers helping them paint and decorate their family home.
Festool with you everyday | ExoActive Moment
Melanie has been in the painting and decorating industry for over 20 years. Becoming an ExoActive tester and now satisfied owner, she shares her experiences.
Short biography
Sanding system
Mel first discovered the Festool sanding system on social media. Impressed with how effortlessly other tradespeople worked with it, she purchased the RTS 400 orbital sander and CT Midi extractor. “I’ve had these two products for 7 years now, using them almost every day,” recalls Mel. Since then, she’s bought a PLANEX long-reach sander with an LED light ring and extraction set and a cordless sanding system.
Painting and decorating can be physically demanding. “Since having the Festool sanding system, it helps get the work done quicker and to a better quality. The vibrations are not as harsh on my hands. It also benefits the clients, as the dustless system means less cleaning afterward. My clients are usually very impressed with the setup because it stacks away so neatly in the Systainers,” says Mel.
ExoActive
In 2023, Melanie applied and became an ExoActive product tester for Festool, where she tried and tested the active exoskeleton for six months on different jobs. The previous year, she suffered many injuries that caused her to lose a lot of jobs, so she was looking for a solution to help her get back on her feet.
Her first ‘Exo Moment’ was at the Festool UK training centre. “You have certain expectations, but I didn’t think it would work that well; it was mind-blowing.” Taking it back home and putting it through its paces, that’s when the real test started. “Using it on very large ceilings and overhead work, it was such a game changer."
Benefits of ExoActive
Following this, she has purchased the ExoActive and now uses it often on large sites. “I’ve noticed the difference in my shoulders and my lower back. When you’re working overhead and your neck goes back, you have the support cushion. It allows you to work for longer, in larger areas, and without coming home in pain or with any injuries,” Mel explains.
“Everything about it is quite impressive.” She’s used the ExoActive on all kinds of projects, with another coming up where she needs to spray paint very large ceilings to ensure they have a flawless finish. The exoskeleton will come in handy to do it in one go. Mel couldn’t imagine her work without the ExoActive and would recommend it to anyone who works on large areas overhead.
Mel’s Festool Products
1. Exoskeleton ExoActive EXO 18: “Despite all the technology, my favourite feature is the neck cushion.”
2. Long-reach sander and extractor set PLANEX LHS 2 225/CTM 36-Set: “Perfect for preparing walls and ceilings.”
3. Orbital sander RUTSCHER RTS 400: “This is so universal and makes woodwork preparation a breeze.”
4. Cordless orbital sander RTSC 400: “Cordless version of my favourite sander, for when you need to be mobile and flexible.”
5. Cordless mobile dust extractor CLEANTEC CTLC SYS: “Before the portable extractor, the cleaning process used to take hours, and now there’s barely any dust.”
Melanie's business
Building a good business and reputation takes time, but for Colour and Paper, word of mouth is still one of the most powerful types of communication. Another form of communication that Mel uses is social media, not only for promoting her work but also to gain knowledge and research. “I enjoy researching new products, finding out things I didn’t know. A lot of it comes from social media. Seeing other tradespeople using new products, and then trying them out or seeing if you can go to a nearest retailer to have a look at them, makes a huge difference,” she says.
Melanie has built a business that helps to empower and encourage women to join the trade. With all-female colleagues, one being an apprentice, she is helping to bring more female professionals through the door. “The tradesmen say they like having females on-site; it switches up the energy, and it’s always a good atmosphere and work ethic.”
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The best part of the job for Mel is seeing her clients’ faces light up at the end of the project. This is how she knows; she’s making the right decisions and investments to make work efficient and high quality.
To find out more about Melanie and her experience check out Festool UK YouTube channel.
