Auto Craft Collision Repair started as one single shop in Waterman, Kansas. It didn’t take long for the business to expand, and now with six locations – Wabash, East Wichita, Ridge Road, West Kellogg, Downtown Wichita and Junction City – Auto Craft has become a Kansas staple. In serving the people in their market for over 40 years, Auto Craft is also known in the area for their USI spray booths – which they’ve had for almost 20 years – that help in improving both their efficiency and quality. “In 1999, we were building our then second location, and AutoBody Equipment Solutions suggested we take a look at the USI paint booths before we went with anything else,” shares JR Sartain, owner/vice president of Auto Craft Collision. It was the promise of better efficiency that first led us to choose a USI spray booth. We currently have six USI booths, and the oldest was installed around 1999/2000.” Since incorporating the USI spray booths into their facilities, Sartain has noted a number of vast improvements that benefit the shops – and their over 125 employees – on a daily basis.
“We first saw improvements from the booth with faster production times. We’ve also saved money on our utilities – some savings in our natural gas and electricity were substantial.” Across all of Auto Craft’s locations, Sartain mentioned that the spray booths are utilized daily – roughly 10 hours a day, five days a week, with 12 employees working on them for automotive refinish.
With any new equipment comes training, and Saratain’s team utilized training that was facilitated by the provider. Additionally, he says, “ongoing training from USI has been flawless.” “We use AutoBody Equipment Solutions. Danny Sommerhauser and his team have been very easy to work with. USI monitors the booths online, and they’re always there if we ever need anything boothrelated.” As a USI customer, Sartain has seen a number of benefits both in his shop, and in working with USI personnel. “We are definitely more efficient. And the staff really cares about you and your business.”
Additionally, in his longstanding relationship with USI, Sartain can personally attest to the durability, efficiency and longevity of his USI spray booths, and the ways they’ve helped to enhance his business. “We have a full maintenance team that changes filters on intervals based on how many hours they’ve been used. But we’ve had little to no major breakdowns at all.” Moving forward, Sartain is excited to see the countless ways his USI spray booths will continue to make his business more efficient, while also making sure they remain on top of the latest industry-wide technology. “My hope is that we continue to become even more efficient, and USI can help us adapt as we face new styles of coating moving into the future.”