"We installed a new 30’ Ultra Plus One (from GFS manufacturing). The 30’ unit, which is also wider than the standard 27’ version, has 6 drying stations whereas the 27’ footer has 4. This helps a lot because the extra air towers can blow towards the center of the car instead of the end. The extra length allows two small cars in the booth bumper to bumper. If we need to put in bumpers, other pieces in the booth with the car, we can.," continued Fabrizio.

"The downdraft system recycles the air, the heat, so it’s definitely green friendly. There’s a pressurized cabin, no residue, filtered in about four places, so the only thing that goes out is air.

"It was necessary to install a new Champion screw compressor with a 240 gal tank, including a Champion built water/oil separator and a dryer hooked up to it. We have one waterborne gun right now, but will be getting more.

“Right now we’re spraying a bit more volume with the waterborne, because we’re still experimenting, but eventually it should reduce. Overall it’s been a great success.”

When asked about perceived reluctance to embrace waterborne, Fabrizio is emphatic. “Many shops are afraid of change. Back when you had synthetic enamels or acrylic, you put the reducer in the hardener and went, and then to the “new” basecoat/clearcoat, no one wanted to change back then either. Waterborne is no more work than what they’re already doing. It’s not a hard process. You mix the color the same way. It’s just a different way of drying. But you’ve got to go to the class.”

Cormier sent Jose Esqueda, their painter, to a full day of the PPG classes and their supplier, Baker Paints, helped support that. The painter had already taken some classes from Akzo Nobel and adapted quickly.

Fabrizio sprays PPG Envirobase wherever possible and is very satisfied. He credits Rudy Hernandez, of Baker Paints, for making his supply chain a smooth process. Although he’s well aware of the 2009 deadline, paint matches older than 10 years still need to be solvent-delivered. Fabrizio is confident that by then the manufactures will have added another 5 years to the color match history, effectively making waterborne the only paint needed.