Refinishing specialists warn against focusing solely on equipment costs
In many body shops, productivity is often measured by how quickly vehicles move through the workshop. However, refinishing specialists involved in the development of Surventis' new Regional Competence Centre (RCC) believe the conversation needs to go much deeper.
According to Mace Moodley, CEO of Your Equipment Supplier (YES), quality and efficiency depend on creating the right refinishing environment from the outset.
The RCC incorporates a range of integrated safety measures, including ATEX-compliant motors and lighting, ATEX-rated plug points, fire dampers and a compressed-air safety interlock that automatically cuts spray-gun air supply when booth doors are opened.
Dedicated extraction systems serve the paint-mixing and gun-cleaning areas, while a Stucchi ST4 central vacuum system captures sanding dust at source.
These features reflect a key principle behind the facility's design: safety must form part of the process rather than being added later.
The same philosophy applies to productivity.
A poorly controlled spray environment can result in contamination, extended flash-off times, polishing requirements, rectification work and costly rework. By contrast, stable operating conditions can help technicians achieve consistent results while improving workshop efficiency.
Moodley believes body-shop owners should look beyond the initial purchase price when evaluating spray-booth investments.
"Consider airflow, filtration, heating, lighting, extraction, safety systems, controls and support, but above all understand what the paint system requires," he says.
He also encourages business owners and managers to experience the RCC alongside their technicians to better understand how workplace conditions influence the refinishing process.
"A spray booth is not simply another piece of workshop equipment. It is part of the refinishing process itself."
For Surventis, the Regional Competence Centre provides an opportunity to demonstrate how people, technology and process combine to influence refinishing outcomes.
As vehicle repair technologies continue to evolve, understanding the relationship between these elements is likely to become increasingly important for workshops seeking to improve quality, efficiency and long-term capability.
Read the previous articles here: https://bodyshopnews.africa/surventis-opens-regional-competence-centre-to-strengthen-refinishing-industry-skills and https://bodyshopnews.africa/inside-surventis-new-training-centre-technology-behind-modern-refinishing
