Jacques Andres, owner of Oakland, Calif.-based Clean Green Collision, became interested in making the collision repair industry
more eco-friendly as a result of a personal experience.
"I purchased a car that had a complete paint job and shortly after driving it, I was getting sick," Andres recalls. "Through
the process of completing the paint job, paint dust and sanding dust was trapped in the headliner, the rugs, the heating and
air conditioning systems and the air ducts."
Just a year earlier, Andres had opened Bay Bridge Motors, a collision and mechanical repair facility. As a result of his new
focus, he changed the name of the collision business to Clean Green Collision.
SNAPSHOP
|
Andres attributes much of his success – including steady year-to-year growth – to the shop's eco-friendly approach. "The customer
response has been great," he says, adding that some customers have left their previous body shop to go to a "green" shop.
Before opening Bay Bridge Motors, Andres had a career in professional racecar fabrication and construction. "I wanted to provide
service to a greater amount of people," Andres says of his career change.
Photos courtesy of Clean Green Collision
|
Fortunately, his fabrication experience helped in minimizing the costs of converting to a green collision shop. "Over the
last year and a half, I was able to remodel and implement tooling, processes and policies that would make this a greener body
shop. With a limited budget and our own ability to craft tooling we were able to put additional filters on the prep station
and to create an air re-circulation plenum for the paint booth."
Clean Green's unique approach is evident from the moment a car arrives at the shop. "As soon as the car comes in, we close
off the heating and air systems with tape and paper," explains Andres. "And any time a door or window is open or off, we pay
great attention to put plastic on and tape the holes closed."
WEB SAVVY
|
The company also uses 100-percent waterborne paint, which some local governments have made mandatory in an effort to reduce
emissions from collision repair shops. Although waterborne paint is not required in Oakland, Andres says, "We pushed our paint
supplier to put us on the front of the list on new waterborne paint technology."
Clean Green's processes do not add significantly to the cost of repairing a vehicle, and Clean Green customers pay competitive
rates for repairs, Andres says. "There is some added cost in paper, plastic and tape but not to a margin that really affects
each job," he says. "In some cases, it's cheaper because of the way waterborne paints dry."
Some extra cost is involved in disposing of paint booth filters and waste, Andres says. But he adds, "I can't imagine it hurting
the bottom line to the point where we wouldn't want to do it."
Andres hopes the next step in his quest to make collision repair more green will be to persuade insurance company direct repair
programs to buy into the concept. "Insurance companies have the power to make the change," he says.
Posted 2008-10-29 18:37:33.0
