BREAKTHROUGHS AT BUDDS’ NEW FACILITIES, AUTOMATIC PAINT MIXERS, CALIBRATION ADD-ONS AND WHAT ELSE IS NEW

BY ALLISON ROGERS

It’s one small step for Budds’ Collision Services, but one giant leap for productivity.

We’re talking about the recent installation of PPG’s Moonwalk automatic mixing system—Budds’ Collision Centre in Oakville, Ontario, was the first Canadian facility to have the new tech installed.

But that’s not all of what’s new at Budds’— we’ll get to the Moonwalk later.

This constantly growing business has been up to lots since we last checked in. Whether it’s the opening of their second insurance-partnered facility, or the installation of brand-new, stateof-the-art equipment, collision manager J.R. Martino always has something up his sleeve.

“We just opened our third bodyshop here in Oakville,” Martino told us during a visit in August. “It’s an Intact Service Centre—a dedicated facility for all Intact claims in our market.”

This is Budds’ second insurance-partnered facility; their first, a TD Insurance location, opened in January 2020.

“The companies we’ve teamed up with, we’ve had long lasting relationships and there’s a lot of trust between us. I know that they will not only put us in a position to succeed, but there’s also a familiarity with how they each operate.”

Budds’ is also creating an in-house training centre for its team, so young techs can learn right from the comfort of their workplace.

“We are currently in the process of developing a training center for apprentices. For many years, we have always been believers in developing our own technicians and estimators at the beginning stages of their careers. This new training center will help us take this process to the next level,” said Martino.

“At Budds’ Collision, we understand the need for development. Talking to local trade schools, all these up-and-coming, potential technicians have a huge desire for continuous development and opportunities to advance their skills. There’s a need, in today’s industry, to have specialized skills in different makes and models through OEM certification.

“This training centre will help keep our pipeline for new technicians open while simultaneously bringing more awareness to this fantastic industry.”

There’s been lots of moonwalking on the production floor lately, with the installation of PPG’s newest refinishing innovation.

“We like to be at the forefront of things,” said Martino.

The Moonwalk automatic paint mixing system was installed in early June at Budds’ Collision, making the facility the first in Canada to house the new technology. When we visited, it had been two months since installation, and lead painter Gabriel Merino said it’s saved him tons of time.

“The best part about it is that I can set it up, walk away and go do something else while it’s mixing. The accuracy has been spot on, and it’s freed up a bunch of time.”

It takes about a minute and a half to set up the colour, said Merino.

“I’ll usually put the car in the booth [while Moonwalk mixes], clean everything and make sure it’s all good to go. By the time I’ve done that, everything is ready.”

Merino stressed that, while it’s cool to watch the paint cup whiz across the machine, you can only make the most of Moonwalk if you’re making use of your new free time.

“Yes, you can mix something by hand faster, but the point is that you’re able to do other things, move on to other tasks.”

And, like Martino said, capacity holds a lot of power in today’s market. As such, demand for the time-saving Moonwalk technology has matched his claim. The technology has already been installed in collision centres across the country.

“There have been installations in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario—and more on the go,” said Scott Spike, PPG sales executive.

All in all, Martino said Budds’ is set to continue full speed ahead, acting on its “always growing” mentality. You can expect plenty more from the business in the years to come.

For the time being, you can just wait for your invite to this year’s iconic Pig Roast.