4 minute read

Axalta Coating Systems

from October 2021 Shop & Product Showcase

from October 2021 Shop & Product Showcase, page 50

WD-40

by Autobody News Staff

When you’ve practically grown up in the family business, like Brian Gilreath of Hjelms Body and Paint Shop of Helena, MT, it’s second nature to treat your customers like family.

“I’ve been coming here since I was a young kid, like 14, cleaning toilets to earn some spending money,” said Gilreath, 36. “I’m the fourth generation of my family to own it. I went and did my own thing for a little bit and came back.”

Hjelms was founded by Gilreath’s great uncle in 1952, he said.

“Then my grandpa bought it, and then my dad, and then I bought it,” the single father of an 11-yearold son said.

It is not yet certain if the business will pass to the next generation, Gilreath said.

“He says he either wants to take over the business or be a firefighter,” he said. “We’ll see. I’ve told him he has to get good grades for either.”

Meanwhile, Gilreath has a well-established, busy business to run.

“Committed to excellence since 1952,” Hjelms’ website says company officials realize “for most people, auto maintenance and repair is not fun or convenient. So, we want make the process as easy and enjoyable as possible for you.”

This effort has resulted in many repeat clients, Gilreath said.

“Most of our customers are repeat, and we know most of them by first name. We try to treat them all like family,” he said.

The shop employs highly skilled and experienced technicians who “love cars and care about yours,” the site says.

“Our customers love us,” it says. “Get to know our experienced technicians. They’ve got the tools, skills and a desire to help.”

In the interest of furthering that cause, Hjelms adopted the latest technological innovations from Axalta—Cromax XP—said Gilreath and his 27-year veteran head paint tech, Shane Hall.

“As the owner, when I took it over from my dad, that’s what they were using and I just carried it over,” Gilreath said. “It’s been good so far. No big complaints.”

With more than 150 years of industry experience, Axalta is “a global coatings company focused on providing customers with innovative, colorful and sustainable solutions,” according to its website.

Hall and Gilreath say that experience shows.

“We have better color matches with this new stuff, and it doesn’t take as much paint to cover, like with lighter colors like yellows, especially,” Gilreath said.

“You get more coverage quicker,” Hall agreed. “You’d need four or five coats, sometimes, and with Axalta, you consistently need only 2½ coats. It’s been a huge time saver for us.”

Axalta made sure everyone was brought up to speed on the new products, the men said.

“They came in and had a couple of training representatives [Gene Fenske and Joe Holzer] with them, and they spent two or three days with us showing us how to use the system, getting us perfected on how to spray the new product,” Hall said.

Hjelms has been using the new Axalta system for about a year, the men said.

“We were in on it on the testing level, and spent some time spraying it before it was actually launched,” Hall said. “We’ve been spraying Axalta products for about 23 years. "It was DuPont before it was Axalta. Their reps are really good about letting us know when there are new products out there, and Gene Fenske came to us with this new one and it sounded like it could benefit the shop and we were really impressed so when it did launch, we stayed with it and it’s been a superior product.”

One of the main benefits Hall said he’s finding with the new Axalta system is the reduced time it takes to spray something.

“Also, the color match is huge,” he said. “With all the different colors that are out there now—metallics and pearls—most of the really flashy colors have that. They’re getting fancier, and color matching is a huge deal.”

The Axalta system also produces a “cleaner, crisper color,” along with the “way quicker” turnaround time, Hall said.

“With our old system, about 50% of the paint is pigment and the rest is binder or balancer,” Hall said. “The new system is more concentrated, making it easier and quicker, so it saves a lot of time.”

Hall said he also appreciates Axalta’s feedback system, which benefits both parties if any issues arise.

“With every color I spray, I can give them feedback. It’s been a huge help to me and to them.

“I’ve been in the business for 27 years and this is the first time I’ve had an outlet for complaints or a feedback system,” Hall said. “They get both the critiques and the positive feedback, as well. So, it works for them, too.”

The bottom line, the men said, is going with Axalta was a good business decision.

“At the end of the day, your color match is superior, you save time and get the car back to the customer quicker, and cars go out the door looking great,” Hall said.

Hjelms Body and Paint Shop, in business for 27 years, switched to Axalta's Cromax XP one year ago and is delighted with the move.