Shop Finds Efficiency with Spanesi Equipment
In northeast Texas, Brandon Dodd and his wife, Mandy, pride themselves on operating their Gilmer collision repair shop, Lloyd’s Body Shop with trained technicians and state-of-the-art equipment to repair vehicles back to pre-accident condition.
When Dodd purchased his father’s shop in 2011, he had little knowledge of the collision repair business. He was in the military and then worked in the oilfield, so his only experience was detailing a few cars growing up and helping at his dad’s shop, established in 1975.
He began seeking out others in the industry who were successful, attending classes and tradeshows, and asking questions.
“I knew there wasn’t a question that I might have that somebody else hadn’t already had, and there was an answer for it,” said Dodd, a member of SCRS and a founder of ABAT. “The more I learned, the more I realized that we were so far behind.”
He began implementing repair processes to grow the shop.
“More than I love to win, I hate to fail,” he said. “I invested a lot of money. My wife and I went from making a really good living doing something I loved to jumping off with both feet and doing something I knew nothing about, at a great investment. I didn’t really have any choice but to succeed.”
In fall 2014, his paint vendor, Paint Works in Tyler, Texas, suggested watching a demonstration of the Spanesi Touch electronic measuring system.
“I brought one of my techs over who had been in the industry for a long time, and after watching the demo I immediately knew that we needed this equipment,” Dodd said. “It’s used in our shop all day, every day. We continue to find better and new ways to use it.”
Dodd then purchased a Spanesi downdraft Michelangelo paint booth and mixing room. In addition to being fully customizable, the spray booth has automatic pressure control using inverter technology, an electronic control panel with display, and enough flow capacity for even waterbornes without extra blowers or fans. Techs can paint vehicles and bake them, and 30 minutes later they are ready to be unmasked and go into reassembly. In addition, the equipment recycles 90 percent of the heat and energy.
“My energy bills have been cut drastically while I’ve been able to paint cars a lot faster and shorten cycle times,” Dodd said. “We can cut a day off of a job while conserving energy. That’s huge.”
Since then, Dodd has added a resistance spot welder, two multi benches, fixturing equipment and a three-torch inverter MIG/MAG welder that includes silicon bronze and aluminum programs.
Nearly every vehicle goes on a Spanesi Multi Bench, which allows techs to measure the underbody of the vehicle and damaged areas in 20 to 30 minutes, as opposed to an hour or two. It also enables them to work at waist and chest level. Not only does this save time, but Dodd said it also allows the shop to repair more vehicles quickly, making techs happier.
When Dodd began using Spanesi equipment, the company sat down with the team to help determine the shop’s current and long-term expectations. They discussed how many cars were currently brought into the shop each day and then figured out the cost to operate the spray booth. They also strategized how the body shop could grow and be successful in the future.
This ongoing support is what Spanesi refers to as the “360-Degree Concept.” In addition to providing high-quality, dependable equipment, Spanesi assists with overall training, connecting with new vendors, setting up processes and being aware of upcoming legislation and certifications.
During a weekly conference call, Spanesi checks in to ensure the shop is working toward achieving its long-term goals. Since implementing the Spanesi 360-Degree Concept, Dodd said the shop has grown 200+ percent.
“Just in my five and a half years of owning a shop, I’ve bought quite a bit of equipment that just collected dust. There was no support and it ended up being a significant waste of money,” said Dodd. “With Spanesi, they’ve been here to help us learn how to use the equipment and support us in a variety of ways to help us grow our business.”
