RR_v65-3.indd - PPG Industries

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8 S H O P C O S T S R I S I N G : Time to Ask Your Tape, “What Have You Done for Me Lately?” In almost every industry, people continually look for ways to increase performance levels while lowering costs. In the paint and body shop business, the solution may be as easy as upgrading a tool you use everyday to something that lasts longer and/or gets better results more consistently. Take, for instance, masking tape. In today’s changing market, new paint chemistries and higher temperature bake cycles place great physical demands on masking tapes. In the automotive refinish industry, applying masking tape accounts for six percent of labor revenue generated on repair orders, or $56 on a typical repair order of $2,000. Since productivity equals profitability, consider how much time is spent performing compensating behaviors caused by the performance limitations of low priced masking tapes. Megan Scherb, masking solutions business manager for 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division, explains that most painters, without realizing it, have changed their behavior to compensate for the limitations of lower priced tape. She notes, for example, that before spraying, painters typically inspect the vehicle to ensure the masking tape has not lifted since application. If it has, they must spend time pressing the tape down in order to prevent paint blow-by. Compensating behaviors such as these require extra time that could be used more productively on revenue generating activity. It seems that to save money in one area (labor) you must spend more money in another (supplies), but sometimes the costs for better materials are minimal compared to productivity gained, so it’s important to do your research and compare costs. To illustrate the productivity advantage that Scotch ® Performance Masking Tape 233+ brings to a paint job, 3M has designed an interactive value analysis tool. The tool helps the shop owner or manager understand the value of the time gained by utilizing the shop’s specific operating costs. “Masking tape can have a big impact on labor revenue while contributing a relatively small amount to material costs. Because of its excellent performance, using Scotch ® Performance Masking Tape 233+ may improve masking productivity up to 10 percent per repair order by eliminating extra steps,” says Scherb. Scotch ® Performance Masking Tape 233+ is ideal for all body shop paint masking applications. According to Scherb, its balanced construction provides excellent adhesion with clean removal—even from difficult surfaces like EPDM rubber moldings, after contact with moisture and chemicals or prolonged outdoor exposure—all qualities that can contribute to increased productivity. For more information about Scotch ® Performance Masking Tape 233+, visit 3M’s Web site at www.3M. com/automotive or call 1- 877-MMM-CARS (1-877- 666-2277). ■ 3M and Scotch are trademarks of 3M Company. P o w e r P r e c i s i o n The of No matter what method is used for preparing panels for clearcoat and color blends—traditional DA sanding discs, wet sanding sheets or scuff pads—all present obstacles to achieving a premium finish that results in an undetectable blend. For example, scuff pads conform very well to the panel surface but do not remove all gloss which can result in clearcoat adhesion failures. Scuff pads also have a tendency to leave deep scratches which may show through on metallic and pearl colors. Abrasives such as DA Discs and wet sanding sheets sand aggressively and remove more gloss, but do not offer the conformability of a scuff pad. This lack of conformability often leaves shiny spots that remain in the lower areas of the texture or “orange peel”. To remove this remaining gloss, the technician will not only spend additional sanding time but also increase the risk of sanding or “burning” through on an edge, contour or body line. The result is additional time spent reworking this previously undamaged area. 3M, the industry leader in abrasive technology has recently introduced the company’s most advanced product for clearcoat and color blending. The 3M TM Trizact TM Hookit TM II Blending Disc is a foam-backed abrasive disc designed to conform to the sanding surface with minimal risk of burn through on edges, contours or body lines. The foam backing allows the disc to conform and sand deep into orange peel with minimal texture removal while producing a consistent matte finish with no “shiny spots,” something that is difficult to achieve with traditional DA discs or wet sanding abrasives. The finish left by the Trizact TM Hookit TM II Blending Disc makes deep scratch and adhesion concerns a thing of the past. The key to Trizact’s excellent performance is the combination of its foam backing and unique mineral construction, which is made up of micro-replicated, pyramid-shaped structures. This construction ensures that fresh mineral is exposed at a uniform rate, extending the life of the product while maintaining a consistent level of cut. Most importantly, the uniform scratch pattern left by the Trizact TM Hookit TM II Blending Disc allows metallic and pearl colors to lay down uniformly resulting in blends that are virtually transparent which will certainly appeal to your customer and increase your shop’s CSI. For more information about Trizact TM Hookit TM II Blending Discs from 3M, visit 3M’s Web site at www.3M.com/automotive or call 1-800-3M-HELPS (1-800- 364-3577). ■ 3M, Trizact, and Hookit are trademarks of 3M Company. The Process of Precision STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 SANDING LARGE AREAS 1a. CLEAN the repair area with soap and water, followed by 3M TM General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner. 1b. Using a spray bottle, apply enough water to dampen the 3M TM Trizact TM Hookit TM II Blending Disc before sanding the panel. DAMP SAND the entire blend area, including bodylines and edges, with a DA sander. When necessary, re-dampen disc with water from spray bottle while sanding. SANDING HARD-TO-REACH AREAS Remove Blending Disc from backup pad to sand hard-to-reach areas and edges. CLEANING Wipe off blend area immediately. 9
Family Matter Bill Flannery Automotive presently serves more than 100 major accounts and employs 27 people, including technician Wayne Knight, shown here mixing paint. Meet the Flannerys—Billy, Gen, Bill and Tracy— Winners of the PPG 2005 Platinum Distributor of the Year Award No doubt that is what was on Bill Flannery’s mind as he stepped onto the stage at the PPG Platinum Awards Banquet in Orlando earlier this year. Bill, owner of Bill Flannery Automotive in Bensalem, PA, was coming up to receive the final, and highest, accolade—the glass trophy recognizing him as Platinum Distributor of the Year. It was the culmination of a relationship with PPG that stretches back nearly four It’s a pretty big deal to be recognized by your peers, particularly when your peers are the best in the business. decades. And it says a lot about Bill’s business philosophy that, when he received that trophy, the first thing he did was turn to his wife, his daughter, and his son, and mouth the words, “This belongs to you.” Running his business as a family affair is almost second-nature to Bill. He worked in an automotive partsand-finish store as a teenager. He liked the finish business well enough that he opened a parts and paint store with two partners. Later, in 1975, he went to work on his own, working out of a truck and a trailer. As his business grew, PPG suggested that he open his own store. It was just the push he needed. In 1984, he opened a small store in a strip mall, and by 1987 he had outgrown that and moved to a 3,000-squarefoot facility. By 2001, even that was too small, so Bill Flannery Automotive built the 11,000-square-foot location in which it is currently headquartered, a facility that sells shop supplies and tools, as well as paint. That was joined in 2003 by a 1,000-square-foot satellite location in nearby Telford, PA, opened for strategic expansion. Bill Flannery Automotive presently serves more than 100 major accounts and employs THE PPG PLATINUM DISTRIBUTOR PROGRAM AT A GLANCE • Launched in 1994 • A partnership between the best entrepreneurs in the business and PPG • Combines the talents of more than 650 single-line PPG distributors • The size and scope of a 32,000-person, Fortune 500 company 27 people, three of which are his wife Gen (who handles payroll, accounts payable and human resources), son Billy (operations director) and daughter Tracy (who handles “purchasing, sales and anything else that is needed”). Tracy became an employee of Bill Flannery Automotive nearly 20 years ago, when she was in her teens, but worked at the shop unofficially long before that. She remembers coming in during Christmas vacation at age nine to help take year-end inventory— a memory that’s a mixture of joy and family pride. “My mom, my brother and I are here because we want to be here,” Tracy says. “We have three brothers who have lives outside the paint business. But Billy and I love this, because our father showed us that, at its heart, this is a people business, and your customers can be like family. Dad’s a great businessman—he was a member of the original PPG jobber council, the fifth Platinum contract to be signed with PPG, and he’s been Platinum Plus every year since 1999. But his real talent is that he is a peopleperson; he’s always interested in helping someone else be the best that they can be.” That interest in elevating others led Bill to work with a local highschool teacher and Skills USA mentor to help students learn the ins and outs of the collision-repair business, sponsoring a scholarship every year. Two of those former students are now employees, and several are now valued customers of Bill Flannery Automotive. To be ready with answers when customers ask questions, Bill and his staff take full advantage of PPG training classes, have been to the Jobber Management Program, and participate enthusiastically in the East Two Forum (“An absolute wealth of knowledge and a truly invaluable resource,” says Bill). They also offer their customers the full range of PPG training. When asked for the secret of his success, Bill is quick to direct the spotlight elsewhere. Gesturing at his modern showroom, he says, “None of this would be possible without the talented people who make this place run, and the loyal people who have traded with us now for a quarter of a century. They’re the ones who make this happen.” But daughter Tracy is quick to amend that, “Whenever we’ve had to make a tough decision, Dad has always—always—stressed that if at the end of the day you have your integrityyou have it all. Our customers, our employees, and even our competitors know that, above all else, we are going to be honest and fair.” After all, when you think of your customers and your business as family— how else would you treat them? ■ PPG PLATINUM DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR Awarded annually to the PPG Platinum Distributor who best… • Demonstrates a consistent increase in annual sales • Has received exemplary customer-satisfaction scores • Has met a variety of other criteria of excellence over the last year Employees Jason Shuck and Bob Sherlock stocking shelves at Bill Flannery Automotive. 10 11
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