SHOP: Hanley Bros. Rapid Body Works LOCATION: Houston OWNER: James Brown
1) Brown says the center aisle serves two purposes. First, it makes it easier to move through the shop. Technicians can walk through unobstructed, without veering through a maze of parts, toolboxes and electrical cords. There is also an opening at each technician’s stall, allowing easy access in and out.
Second, the aisle allows customers to safely tour the shop floor. The reinforced steel cinder block keeps them away from possible dangers while technicians are at work.
2) Brown wanted to avoid bottlenecks as much as possible, so he installed several 22-foot-wide garage doors on both sides of the shop floor. Technicians have their own access in and out of their stalls, so they never have to move other cars around to get a job into the next department.
3) The facility has a galvanized aluminum composite roof. It has six-inch insulation, which repels heat in the summertime. Brown says the shop stays roughly 15 degrees cooler inside than outside.
4) Brown installed special T-1 light fixtures. They’re cool-burning bulbs that don’t produce any heat, and Brown says they provide the perfect lighting.
5) The floors and walls of the shop are painted with AQUAPON, an epoxy coating manufactured by PPG. The paint reduces light reflections and allows technicians to see well.
6) The shop has Rotary Lift in-ground vehicle lifts in each technician’s work bay. That keeps technicians from having to wait in line and take turns using a lift. It also makes the technicians’ jobs less physically tolling. If they’re doing any work on the lower part of a car, they can raise it up rather than strain their backs sitting on the floor.
