Your Source for Up-To-Date News and Research on the Collision Repair Industry 

 

click here to subscribe to the FREE INSIGHT Editor's Desk News Alert Email

SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY
Today's News
INSIGHT This Month
INSIGHT Archives
Survey Center
Letter to the Editor

Business Tools
Subscription Information
CSI Reporting
Financial Analysis
IRS Audit Guide

Management/
Technical Info
Market Watch Rates
INSIGHT Inside this month's issue...

Feedback
Letter to the Editor

LaFontaine Automotive Group Goes Green with PPG Waterborne Refinish 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 LEED1 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 reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) atmospheric emissions and improve air quality. To date, Michigan has no plans for more stringent VOC regulations. LaFontaine is making the change on its own initiative.

The company operates a new, $15 million flagship facility in Highland, and another collision center in Dexter, Michigan. The switch to waterborne coatings at both locations coincided with the grand opening of the new Highland center, which features General Motors vehicles and opened in June.

Once deciding to convert to a waterborne system, settling on PPG as the refinish partner was not difficult according to McCallum. “They made it easy for us,” he said. “We did our due diligence and brought in all the paint companies, but the overall commitment from PPG, as well as their distributor, Painters Supply & Equipment Company, and the excellence of the product sealed the deal.”

“Aside from all the environmental benefits of waterborne paint, the production aspects were critical,” McCallum said. “We wouldn’t compromise on quality, and the Envirobase High Performance system proved outstanding for ease of application and color matching. PPG also gave our paint technicians complete training and support. And PPG will be there with us when we open our new center. General Motors is so impressed, they’re benchmarking this store.”

Elson Dolliver, PPG business development manager, said, “The green commitment LaFontaine is making is impressive. They’ve got our support and products to help them succeed. Their vision puts them on the cutting edge.”

“We’re very pleased to be partnering with PPG and the LaFontaine Automotive Group,” said Patrick Mayette, director of sales and marketing for Painters Supply & Equipment Company. “Delivering environmentally-friendly green technology to support LaFontaine’s LEED certification efforts is rewarding and exciting.”

The LaFontaine Automotive Group consists of five auto dealerships covering 14 domestic and foreign franchises and two collision centers. The company was established in 1980 by the LaFontaine family and remains family-owned and operated. Over the years, the company has earned a number of prestigious awards including the Cadillac Master Dealer Award and the General Motors Mark of Excellence awards for Pontiac, Cadillac and GMC.

Painters Supply & Equipment Company (PSE), headquartered in Taylor, Michigan, is the largest single-line PPG distributor in the U.S., operating 23 stores in Michigan and Ohio. Since 1952, PSE has been supplying the automotive, industrial, fleet, and architectural industries with paint products and services.

©2008 Collision Repair Industry INSIGHT
All Rights Reserved

FEATURED
LINKS:

INSIGHT Supports the NABC!
Do You?