4 minute read

Blowtherm USA

from October 2021 Shop & Product Showcase

from October 2021 Shop & Product Showcase, page 50

WD-40

by Autobody News Staff

Samuels Collision Repair is a neighborhood family owned and run body shop in Louisville, KY. Jeff Embry runs the family business with his team of 8 including son, Dustin, as his head painter and son, Josh, in the front office. The Embry family relies on their Blowtherm USA paint booth to produce “spectacular” paint jobs on every vehicle that comes into the shop.

Embry admits he did thorough due diligence research before going with Blowtherm. “It was a big decision because getting a new paint booth includes a major investment, so I did not want to get one and then regret it a year later.” Jeff explains his main concern was a booth that could produce higher quality finishes, faster drying time for increased production and cleaner air quality for the environment.

“I met with five different companies and to be honest, I did lose a little sleep over it. I started leaning toward Blowtherm USA when their local distributor, Ron Baylor Tri-State Spray Booths, met with me and within a few days he showed me everything I needed to do, the height of my ducts; the exact location of the booth, and that sold me. I figured, if this is the type of customer service I’m going to get—I’m in! In the end, it was really a no-brainer, but Ron sealed the deal,” confirming Blowtherm USA as his final choice. Although the booth was scheduled for shipment and installation during the height of the pandemic, Blowtherm USA still delivered as promised.

Embry wanted to make sure he was giving his shop a high-quality booth. “When we got the Blowtherm booth, I told Dustin that ‘I am giving you the best booth in the world, so there should be no excuses’”, said with a chuckle. “Dustin is my painter and he does spot painting and full paint jobs in our Blowtherm USA booth. We paint an average of 80-90 vehicles every month, so Dustin is busy, but because the Blowtherm is such an excellent booth, we are consistently producing an incredible finished product and that’s why we get awesome reviews.”

When asked about specific features that stand out and performance of the booth, Embry elaborates, “The air speed is perfect and we never need to bring in other fans or require additional air flow.” Blowtherm USA checked all of Jeff’s boxes with its climate controlled booth, superior lighting, increased cycle times, clean air filtration system and energy efficiency.

Embry claims, “We never have to adapt to the weather. With our former booth, we had to wait and heat it up during the winter to control the climate in there before we could spray. We also encounter a fair amount of humidity here in Kentucky, but it’s never an issue with our Blowtherm booth. We control the weather in the booth, so we don’t care about what the weather is outside. Another great thing about Blowtherm is the lighting, it’s the best out there and it makes life so much easier for the painter.”

“The Blowtherm booth allows Dustin to work efficiently and it definitely has helped our cycle time since we acquired this booth”, Embry said. “We don’t ever have to do any sanding or buffing after applying the base and clear coat and curing the car which is a huge time saver. When you get a spray booth, you expect it to perform and you shouldn’t have to even think about it and that’s why we love this booth! We haven’t had any issues with this booth. Having a local knowledgeable Blowtherm USA rep/technician stand behind their equipment with excellent customer service helps my crew perform superior work.”

Jeff completed auto body vocational training at Pleasure Ridge Park high school with a 1-year coop program at Samuels Collision, not realizing this was the beginning of his life-long career. At age 19, he began full-time work with original owner, Ted Samuels. “So, I went to work over there, and it was a whole different world. Ted was a great mentor—he ran a clean shop and was like a teacher himself—always up on the latest equipment and processes”, he explained. In 2000, he purchased the facility and now, decades later, he knows what it takes to run a successful business in a small community.

Is expansion on the horizon? “I’m not opposed to expanding at some point, but my sons Dustin and Josh would play a big part in that decision. We have worked really hard to build a great reputation here. The community respects and trusts us and I am proud to have my family working here.”

How does Blowtherm fit into future plans? “If we ever need another paint booth, I won’t hesitate to get another Blowtherm. We haven’t had any issues with this booth and the cars coming out are really spectacular, so the decision of getting a Blowtherm was a very good one.”

Father Jeff Embry and his two sons, Josh (left) and Dustin (right), get awesome customer reviews thanks to their Blowtherm paint booth.