Industrializing Your Shop
My article in the November 1999 issue of BodyShop Business discussed the factors involved in the industrialization of our industry. It focused primarily on the evolution of the repair process, the human factors and the breakdown of repair tasks. Going a step further, this article focuses on the "plant" or shop requirements. Keep in mind that plant requirements include products and equipment, since they go hand-in-hand with maximum efficiency.
The Necessary Equipment
If your shop were simply painting used cars,
you could do an adequate job with a bare minimum of equipment.
A paint gun, a random orbit sander and a masking machine would
get most of the work done. If you intend to do productive collision
repair, however, much more equipment is necessary.
Reducing Hazardous Waste
Managing waste should be done with the same care and attention to detail as any other integral part of your business because, after all, it affects your bottom line.
The Cost of Going Global
Since each country’s refinish market is at a different stage of maturity, product needs vary – making formulation costly for manufacturers and standardization of VOC rules nearly impossible.