WBC Automotive moves into new high-tech premises
WBC Automotive, a Spies Hecker bodyshop, opens the doors to its brand new 20,000 sq ft energy-saving bodyshop in Bristol.
Built with energy-efficiency as a priority, the building boasts a significant number of features that will save time and money.
Heating is provided by a ground source heat pump that extracts heat from deep underground and uses it to keep the premises warm as well as to generate hot water. Importantly, 100%-recycled insulation material has been installed and ensures that the heat stays in the building.
Low-energy, motion-sensor-activated lighting is fitted throughout, meaning that when the first shift of paint technicians arrive at 5:30am to begin work, the lighting in their section of the workshop switches on, while the remaining areas remain in darkness. The paintshop uses Spies Hecker’s Permahyd 280 basecoat, which, like the new building, brings added value and enhanced customer experience. As a Spies Hecker customer for over 14 years, WBC Automotive director, David Turner, recognises the advantages of using the brand’s products.
He explains, “time and energy savings are a key factor in running a successful bodyshop. The design of the new building plays a big part in taking these elements to a very high level, but the refinish materials we use are also hugely important. Spies Hecker’s Permahyd 280 gives us outstanding coverage, flows really well, is easy to apply and to sand, and is environmentally-responsible. This means we can work quickly when carrying out repairs, reducing time-spend and cutting our customers’ waiting times, while saving money.”
Additional features of the new facility include vast water tanks buried beneath the car park that harvest the rainfall; a “touchless”, brush-free car wash that cleans vehicles in just a couple of minutes using water that is then cleaned and recycled for further car washes and other non-drinking applications; and cathedral-style windows on the side of the building that offer so much natural light that often the lights in the bodyshop don’t need to be switched on.
A final building feature, which is both innovative and very stylish, is a glass-fronted customer collection bay. When they collect their repaired vehicle, customers are met with a 360-degree view of their car on a rotating turntable, giving them a unique way of inspecting the work that has been carried out.
Anthony Cashel, Marketing Services Manager, Axalta Coating Systems UK and Ireland, says, “WBC Automotive’s impressive new building reflects the Spies Hecker ethos in many ways. It combines advanced technological solutions that produce consistent and cost-effective results with features that customers love. We are very proud of our long association with WBC Automotive and wish them the very best in the new premises.
