In a trade often defined by tradition, Sam Brummund has always taken a different route.
Now 37, Brummund has owned Spectrum Auto Body in Minnesota for more than a decade. He started the business after years working in shops with, as he puts it, “crabby old guys” and set out to build something better — for customers, employees and himself.
“I just kind of built all those bad experiences I had, and I was going to make something else better,” he said.
Spectrum Auto Body
Belle Plaine, MN
952-873-2888
www.sabmn.com
Facebook: @SpectrumAutoBody
Company At A Glance...
Type: Collision Repair
Facility Employees: 4.5
In Business Since: 2012
Number of Locations: One
Production Space: 7,500 square feet
That meant a clean, comfortable space for customers. It meant no drama, mutual respect and long-term retention among his team — none of whom have quit or been fired since 2019. And it meant constantly evaluating every product in the shop to make sure it earns its place.
One product line that’s never had to compete for Brummund’s attention is SATA spray equipment. “I’ve always been with them,” he said. “I’ve never even used anything else. I didn’t even think I could paint with something else.”
Brummund first encountered SATA spray guns during his time at WyoTech in the mid-2000s, when students could purchase professional tools at steep discounts. He’s been loyal ever since — through every generation of SATA spray gun.
“I go all the way back to the SATA 3000s, then there were 4000s, 4400s, 5500s, and now the Jet Xs,” he said. “If SATA comes out with a new product, I’m buying it.”
Spectrum Auto Body’s team is dedicated to precision repairs and customer satisfaction.
Brummund’s shop now runs with a close-knit crew that spans generations — including a 52-year old A-tech, a 21-year-old painter fresh out of school, and an 85-year old prep tech. With more of his time freed up from the paint booth these days, Brummund stays active in the community and industry, regularly attending AASP-MN events and Sikkens trainings, and visiting vendors.
“I guess even though it’s been 20 years, I’m still open to learning,” he said. “Because even if it’s just as simple as auto body — I guess I find it to be simple — you still can learn technique and figure out what other people are doing.”
That curiosity is what led Brummund to drive hours south to visit SATA’s Spring Valley, MN, facility and test the newest jet X before it hit the market.
“I got to play with it before it even came out,” he said. “And I went as far as driving two hours south to go to the training facility to check it out.”
When his SATA rep, Jason Yancey — who, by coincidence, also went to Brummund’s high school — brings something new to the shop, the process is simple: “You just get it and bring it to me,” Brummund said with a laugh.
It’s more than brand loyalty — it’s a matter of trust.
“There’s just no substitute,” he said.
Brummund is especially excited about the latest generation jet X 5500. Unlike the subtle refinements of previous models, he said, this one marks a real shift.
“They pretty much have built something new from the ground up,” he said. “It is completely different in every way, revamped.”
Spectrum Auto Body’s painter, Walker, uses one of Spectrum Auto Body’s SATA spray guns in the paint booth to achieve a clean, even finish. Shop owner Sam Brummund noted this isn’t the new jet X, which only he uses.
The newest gun features composite materials for a lightweight feel, which helps reduce fatigue for painters on long days. It also includes a digital regulator that precisely tracks psi and trigger time, allowing painters to dial in consistent pressure and fine-tune their approach.
“You can literally pinpoint it by 0.5 of a psi and change it in a more finite amount,” Brummund said. “It’s really accurate.”
While he doesn’t rely on the digital features himself, he appreciates the modernization, and the fact that the gun still performs like the tools he’s trusted his entire career.
Brummund also appreciates how SATA treats its customers. When he’s had rare issues, such as with components on a fresh air breathing hood, he’s gotten replacements quickly and without hassle.
“I’ve just given it to Jason, and he comes back with a new whatever at no charge,” he said.
He’s such a believer in the brand that when a fellow enthusiast came across a special-edition “100 Years of SATA” book, normally only available in Germany, they passed it along to Brummund without hesitation. “They just knew I was kind of a SATA person,” he said. “If I ever went to Germany, I’d probably have to go and see the plant.”
That kind of passion is clear throughout Spectrum Auto Body, a shop where the tools are purposefully chosen, the atmosphere is upbeat, and the customer is always the focus.
“In the end, when someone gets in a car accident, it’s not a fun time,” Brummund said. “So you’re just helping somebody. And if you end up helping that person, you’re going to bump into them again — and they’re going to remember.”
For Brummund, knowing that SATA tools are in his painters’ hands every day is one less thing to worry about.
SATA Spray Equipment
800-533-8016
www.satausa.com
Facebook: @SATAUSA
Instagram: @satausainc
YouTube:@SATAUSAInc
To read more auto body shop profiles from the October 2025 Shop and Product Showcase, click here.
