HIGHLAND, Mich. - The LaFontaine Automotive Group, headquartered in Highland, Mich., announced that they have converted from a solvent-based system to PPG Envirobase High Performance waterborne basecoat. The transition is part of an overall LaFontaine initiative to sell, service and repair vehicles in an environmentally-friendly way. The company is one of the first in Michigan to move to a waterborne system.
“This decision was the right thing to do,” said Todd McCallum, fixed operations director for LaFontaine. “We’re very conscious of the need to safeguard our environment. We’re going for gold-level LEED certification and doing all we can to be genuinely ‘green.’ We’re very pleased to be working with PPG to make this change.”
Automotive collision centers in California and Canada are making the transition to waterborne basecoats in anticipation of new air quality regulations requiring the use of waterborne basecoat to further reduce VOC atmospheric emissions and improve air quality. To date, Michigan has no plans for more stringent VOC regulations, so LaFontaine is making the change completely on its own initiative.
The company operates two collision centers, one in Dexter, MI, and a new, $15 million flagship facility in Highland, Mich. This new facility will open June 2. The switch to waterborne coatings at both locations will coincide with the grand opening of the new Highland center.
“Aside from all the environmental benefits of waterborne paint, the production aspects were critical,” continued McCallum.
