The LaFontaine Automotive Group, headquartered in Highland, Mich., has announced that it has converted from a solvent-based system to PPG Envirobase High Performance waterborne basecoat for vehicle paint repairs. The transition is part of an overall LaFontaine initiative to sell, service and repair vehicles in an environmentally-friendly way. The company is one of the first in Michigan to move to a waterborne system.
“This decision was the right thing to do,” said Todd McCallum, fixed operations director for LaFontaine. “We’re very conscious of the need to safeguard our environment. We’re going for gold-level LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification and doing all we can to be genuinely ‘green.’ We’re very pleased to be working with PPG to make this change.”
Automotive collision centers in California and Canada are making the transition to waterborne basecoats in anticipation of new air quality regulations requiring the use of waterborne basecoat to further reduce VOC (volatile organic compound) atmospheric emissions and improve air quality. To date, Michigan has no plans for more stringent VOC regulations, so LaFontaine is making the change completely on its own initiative.
LaFontaine operates two collision centers, one in Dexter, Mich., and a brand-new $15 million flagship facility in Highland, Mich. This new facility features General Motors vehicles and opened June 2. The switch to waterborne coatings at both locations will coincide with the grand opening of the new Highland center.
“Aside from all the environmental benefits of waterborne paint, the production aspects were critical,” says McCallum. “We wouldn’t compromise on quality, and the Envirobase High Performance system proved outstanding for ease of application and color-matching.”
For more information on Envirobase High Performance basecoat, call 440/572-2800 or visit www.ppgrefinish.com.