" " " "

Auglaize Auto Body

People in Wapakoneta, OH have always known them as Vintage Metal Works; Northwest Ohio’s only environmentally-friendly, green auto body workshop. But when they added a new Accudraft Paint Booth to their operations, they did more than upgrade their equipment – they changed their name too. Now known as Auglaize Auto Body, their top-of-the-line body shop is located in a larger facility aimed at providing even better service to their customers.

The Challenges

Auglaize started out as a refurbisher of vintage buses back in 2011. Over the years, they took on more repair work until they realized, they had all of the makings of a full-service collision repair facility – if they had the proper equipment.

Joe and Kim Patterson, owners of Auglaize, faced two big challenges. One, their business had picked up so much that they were growing out of their facility. The second was upgrading their equipment to accommodate more customers in a way that would also fit their budget.

Of course, any body shop owner knows that purchasing a paint booth is a big and costly investment, especially for the best paint booths on the market. Initially, the Pattersons thought they would buy second-hand in order to cut costs. Fortunately, they came across a grant offered by the State of Ohio for equipment upgrades that are environmentally-friendly.

The Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA) awarded a $70K grant to Auglaize because of the energy efficiencies and clean air qualities of Accudraft Paint Booths. The grant covered a good portion of the cost and as Joe Patterson puts it, “…it was a no-brainer.”

How Accudraft Helped

First, Joe looked at the Accudraft VentusPro before deciding to go up a notch and purchase the Accudraft SS. With standard ceiling clearance, the SS is a modified downdraft paint booth and comes complete with one of Accudraft’s proprietary Air Make Up Units. Some of the features that influenced Patterson’s decision include:

  • Space Saving Design
  • Direct Fire Heat with Full Heat Recycle
  • Spray, Flash, Cure and Cool Down Capabilities
  • 30% Decrease in Energy Use for Twice the Heat Generation
  • Smartpad Controls

Before moving to its new downtown location and adding the Accudraft SS, the number of vehicles Auglaize could service in a day was very limited. Now, the owners anticipate pushing through up to eight vehicles a day thanks to their new Accudraft Paint Booth.

The Pattersons also credit Brian and Sullivan’s for pointing them in the right direction. They were instrumental in getting Joe to go with the Accudraft SS over the VentusPro, working very closely with the team at Auglaize to get them into the correct piece of equipment.

Another important factor in choosing Accudraft is the after sale service. In addition to providing equipment installation, Sullivans Equipment offers training on the new equipment and services the paint booth for Auglaize. They were very much involved in helping to get the information necessary for securing the grant to the State of Ohio for their new paint booth.

 

Auglaize Auto Body
The Results 

“It speeds up production in an ungodly amount of time. We can do so much more work in such a short amount of time. That’s our baby, and that’s what will make or break us.”

Having everything computerized has simplified the process to the point where the team just hits a button that heats the booth up to 160 degrees, baking for 30 minutes before a quick seven minute cool down. It is by far the biggest advantage of adding the Accudraft SS – the ability to service more cars in less time.

Perhaps most importantly however, customers of Auglaize will notice an even higher quality finish than before. Accudraft Paint Booths not only increase productivity and energy efficiency; they provide a flawless finish for jobs of all sizes. As with countless other proud owners of Accudraft Paint Booths, Auglaize shop has jumped up to the next level with this purchase and all at a 30% discount thanks to the $70K grant from OAQDA.

For more information on getting a state grant for your booth – contact Accudraft

 

Connect
Auglaize Auto Body
Wapakoneta, Ohio 45895
(419) 738-8700
Connect with them on Facebook
Accudraft