Denver—Competition breeds efficiency. Bill Weiss knows this well. Weiss, the owner and CEO of Metro Paint Supplies (MPS), has honed his PBE jobber operating skills while competing against more than 50 DuPont jobbers in the Chicagoland area for the past 22 years.
The end result is better service and shop-supplier relationships, said Weiss, who is now implementing these business practices in Colorado, after MPS merged with Denver Car Color and Auto Body Supply in Colorado Springs on April 1.
Weiss and his crew bring a proven business model to Colorado with complete PBE products, including supplies and equipment. This formula, combined with a consultive sales approach and training, will help collision repair shop owners weather these tough times, he said.
“We’re in unprecedented economic times,” he said. “We’re able to help shops implement survival strategies in the toxic environment we’re experiencing.”
Unlike some larger consolidators, Weiss said he’s been an active participant after the merger, which ultimately benefits the collision repair facility owners. He said that he and his crew are focusing on lean operating procedures, financial best practices, and technical and management training.
“We understand that this is a people business,” he said, adding that if the former owners had not agreed to stay on board he would not have completed the merger.
“We want to work with shops that understand the dynamics of the business and are open to change,” Weiss said.
“The business has changed so much that there was a lot that we didn’t have,” said Frank Faliano, the former co-owner of Denver Car Color, who now serves as MPS’ Colorado operations manager.
John Suttner, Faliano’s former business partner who ran Auto Body Supply, now serves as MPS’ customer service representative, Weiss said.
The merger allows Weiss to share business assets and employees from his McHenry, Ill.-based DuPont Champions Distributorship and Illinois stores in Grayslake, Elgin, and Crestwood with the Colorado stores, he said.
“We’ve begun to add human capital with the background and fortitude to execute our business model,” he said. “In the last 80 days we’ve been positioning a team that has the ability to implement our value proposition.”
Bob Roewer, VP of sales and marketing, who has several years of experience working with BASF’s OE division and holds an MBA, is actively working in Colorado and serves as a consultant to shop owners, Weiss said.
Ben Jacobson, business development manager, who formerly worked for DuPont and Sata, is a key hire, Weiss said. “He has a real strong background in financial benchmarking and strategic planning.
John Brosius, a native of Colorado Springs and former employee of 3M’s OE division, came on board in July, serving in a business development role in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and the surrounding areas, Weiss said. “John is very exited to be returning to his home town of Colorado Springs,” he added.
Dennis Gustason, a Denver native, is the new technical coordinator for MPS, and will be dedicated full-time to technical support in Colorado, Weiss said, adding that Gustason will also conduct training in its new training facility that is currently under construction at the Denver location.
“Dennis’ efforts will be bolstered by four additional tech reps that work for Metro out of Chicago,” he said.
“The training facility and strong technical support will be a big plus for the market,” Weiss said. “It’ll be available for all brands that fall under the DuPont umbrella,” he said. “Dennis will be working alongside DuPont trainers using state-of-the-art equipment, such as a new Global downdraft spray booth designed for waterborne coatings.
“Since DuPont currently sends technicians out of state to be trained, we see this as a big benefit for Colorado collision shop owners,” Weiss said, adding that both technical and management training will be conducted in the facility.
Another way that MPS adds value to its customers is its electronic reporting capabilities, Weiss said, which include online hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) reporting and access to online invoices and statements.
HAPs reports are required by the state of Colorado, Weiss said, adding that those reports can be accessed on demand from the company’s Web site, www.metropaint.com.
Developed under the guidance of Roewer, the purchasing history reporting is an invaluable tool to shop owners, Weiss said. “It helps them to monitor consumption in any given month, leaving an accounts payable data trail.” That eliminates phone calls about missing invoices, he added.
