Autobody News: 3M Collision Repair Products Deliver Quality, Efficiency for Lexus Dealership Shops
CARLSBAD, Calif., June 5, 2018 (Newswire.com) - NOTE: This June SPS profile was originally published in print in June 2018 and online in May 2018.
Quality and efficiency are the most important things a busy shop can demand from the products and materials utilized in collision repair.
We never have product failure with our 3M materials. They are high quality and allow us to be extremely efficient in all of our repairs. I've used 3M my entire career because of how effective their products are and because of the great support they provide—our local support team does a great job providing whatever product training we need. Our team members love 3M's products and prefer them over everything else on the market!
Brian Martin, Director of Auto Collision, Lexus of North Miami
This is especially true at Lexus of Pembroke Pines in Florida and Lexus of North Miami, where Brian Martin has served as Director of Auto Collision for more than a decade. Both high-volume shops use a wide variety of 3M collision repair products and solutions because “they allow us to get the job done right the first time,” Martin explained.
The 35,000-square-foot repair facility at the Lexus of Pembroke Pines dealership is owned by the Craig Zinn Automotive Group and repairs an average of 350 vehicles each month. Martin also serves as Collision Director of Craig Zinn Automotive Group’s North Miami Lexus body shop, a 45,000-square-foot facility that repairs around 275 vehicles each month. Combined, the shops generate $1.8 million monthly. The two shops employ nearly 200 collision professionals, and all of Martin’s technicians operate at over 150 percent efficiency. Martin largely attributes this productivity to the use of 3M collision repair products throughout the shops.
In addition to abrasives, seam sealers and safety equipment, Lexus of Pembroke Pines and Lexus of North Miami use 3M™ Cubitron™ II abrasives and top-of-the-line 3M™ Platinum™ Select body filler. Their detail department uses Meguiar’s products, eliminating many labor hours and increasing profitability because the metering system saves time and prevents mixing errors. Recently, the shop converted to the 3M™ PPS™ Series 2.0 Spray Cup System, which features a new lid-locking system that makes for easier cup assembly and has a new hard cup included in every lid and liner kit.
“Our distributor always recommends 3M collision repair products, and I wouldn’t use any other brand,” Martin said. “In addition to offering the best-functioning products, 3M provides training and support for all of their products, processes, and procedures to ensure we’re maximizing their potential as well as our team’s productivity and profitability.
“3M often calls on us to pilot new products, and we always appreciate the opportunity because 3M stays on the cutting edge and continually improves the products on the market to offer the best quality and efficiency imaginable. Implementing their new products is very simple because of the support that 3M provides when they roll out something new.”
This relationship is important because customer service is an area in which both of these Lexus dealership shops pride themselves.
Martin shared, “We believe we’re in the hospitality industry, not just the automotive industry. We’re here to make sure our customers are well cared for. A collision is the lowest point of vehicle ownership, so we need to take care of the customer as much as we take care of their car and focus on treating them better than they’ve ever been treated in the past."
Lexus of Pembroke Pines and Lexus of North Miami extend their focus on customer service to include an emphasis on community involvement. The shops sponsor a number of local sports teams and “adopted” 10 children for Christmas through His House, a Catholic ministry. Shop employees also run in the annual ANF Tour de Broward, which benefits the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.
The shops also watch out for the environment, exceeding all EPA requirements and “constantly seeking improvements as we expand,” Martin explained.
Lexus of Pembroke Pines and Lexus of North Miami also put a lot of emphasis on proper repairs based on OEM specifications, rather than insurer recommendations. The shops consistently appear in the upper ranking of Lexus-certified collision centers, and they are also I-CAR Gold-certified. The shops have also received OEM certifications through Honda/Acura, Nissan, Infiniti and several other manufacturers. Their technicians also receive extensive training and are all certified through ASE, Lexus, Toyota, and I-CAR.
Lexus of Pembroke Pines participates in one direct repair program, while Lexus of North Miami participates in two programs. The shops spray with Axalta Standox paints due to the high humidity in their state.
Martin understands that repairing vehicles to the manufacturers’ standards is imperative because “the future holds more OEM involvement as the cars being produced is increasingly complex. This has led to the collision repair industry receiving more support from the OEMs as they encourage safe repairs to [bring the car back to its] pre-loss condition. I’m hopeful that insurance companies will follow their example in the near future.”
In the meantime, 3M helps support shops wanting to do the right thing for the consumer through its CRiMP program. The program allows Lexus of Pembroke Pines and Lexus of North Miami to document the products used to make proper repairs so that they can be reimbursed by insurance companies. The program provides information about why certain procedures are necessary, showing the company’s support for safe and proper repairs.
Martin shared, “We never have product failure with our 3M materials. They are high quality and allow us to be extremely efficient in all of our repairs. I’ve used 3M my entire career because of how effective their products are and because of the great support they provide—our local support team does a great job providing whatever product training we need. Our team members love 3M’s products and prefer them over everything else on the market!”
Lexus of Pembroke Pines
Location: Pembroke Pines, FL
(954) 379-8712
www.lexusofpembrokepines.com
Lexus of North Miami
Location: North Miami, FL
(305) 372-1400
www.lexusofnorthmiami.com
Company At A Glance...
Type: Collision Repair
Facility Employees: 200
In Business Since: 1998
Number of Locations: Two
DRP Programs: One
Combined Production Space: 80,000 square feet
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Source: Autobody News
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