One way to boost your company’s environmental initiative is to work with as many “green” suppliers as possible. In the collision repair industry, that usually means purchasing energy efficient equipment that can help reduce emissions. But many equipment vendors have instituted their own programs to reduce their carbon footprint.
By showing an interest in environmental practices, you can encourage your vendors to step up their own programs, and gain some additional talking points to add to your shop’s eco-friendly marketing message.
And the vendors are listening. Since many of the paint and spray booth companies tout the environmental benefits of their products to customers, they’ve gone the extra step of cleaning up their own manufacturing processes.
“There are definitely more customers asking about this than in the past,” says Cheryl Grisar, director of marketing and national accounts at Garmat USA. The spray booth manufacturer not only touts environmental options available for its equipment, but has also altered its manufacturing processes to be more eco-friendly.
The company constructs its booth cabins using at least 17 percent recycled materials, uses formaldehyde-free insulation, has switched to energy efficient T8 light fixtures, resurfaced its manufacturing facilities’ roof with a special white coating that reduces heat absorption (to save on cooling costs during the summer), recycles its copper wire and scrap metal, and uses electronics that are compliant with the European Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive, which restricts the use of certain hazardous materials in electronic and electrical goods. (Elements of RoHS are enforced in California, but have not yet been adopted in the rest of the United States.)
Spray-Tech, which also manufactures the Junair spray booth systems in the United States, has installed a 440,000-watt solar panel system on its Rialto, Calif., factory.
“I’ve always been interested in solar since I was a kid,” says CEO Tyler Rand. “I’ve been looking for an opportunity to do it that would provide a payback in a reasonable amount of time.” Rand estimates the system will offset somewhere between 30 percent to 35 percent of the company’s electric usage.
It took a month to install the 252 panels on a 10,000-square-foot section of the factory roof. In addition to the utility savings, Rand says the company will benefit from tax credits available through state and federal programs.
“Our entire focus in our business is environmental, because we have the premiere solution for drying waterborne paint,” Rand says. “We’re an industry that’s driven by environmental concerns. To me, this goes hand in hand with the move that everyone is making to water-based paints.”
Spray-Tech said it also recycles all of its scrap metal, cardboard, wood and plastic, along with batteries and old computers.
Other factors will influence a shop’s vendor decisions, of course. “Green” products sometimes (but not always) come at a price premium. For other shops, finding products or equipment that are made in the United States may take priority.
It’s also important to check out a vendor’s environmental claims. Eco-friendly products, for instance, might be manufactured using less than eco-friendly production processes.
So how do you evaluate how “green” your suppliers are?
First, ask them what they’re doing. Individual body shops don’t have the purchasing clout to dictate other companies’ environmental practices (as Wal-Mart has done, for instance), but there’s no harm in asking vendors if they have an environmental program in place.
Many vendors, particularly the paint companies, have dedicated portions of their Web sites to their sustainability efforts, and publish regular reports on their progress. Garmat USA, for instance, provides brochures that outline the company’s sustainability activities.
Then, check their certifications. If a supplier has adopted more environmentally friendly practices, they may be certified as a “green business” by their state or local government – information that you can usually check online or with a phone call. Some companies also comply with standards such as RoHS or the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system.
Think beyond your paint and equipment vendors, too. While body shops are somewhat limited in their ability to switch paint or equipment vendors based on their sustainability efforts, there are plenty of opportunities to purchase products from sustainable manufacturers in other areas of the shop. Everything from paper towels made of recycled material to sustainable office furniture is available. If you’re remodeling your offices or customer waiting areas, there are a number of paint, tile and carpet suppliers that bill themselves as green manufacturers as well.
