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Auto Body: Background and Overview
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Auto Body Shops Topic Hub - Background and Overview
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) describes this industry
under NAICS 81112 - Automotive Body, Paint, Interior and Glass Repair. Auto
body establishments are primarily engaged in providing one or more of these
services:
- Repairing and customizing passenger cars, trucks, vans, trailer bodies
and interiors
- Painting auto and trailer bodies
- Replacing, repairing, and/or tinting glass
- Customizing vehicles for the physically disabled or other customers
with special requirements.
Auto Body Industry Profile
The auto body repair industry represents about 10% of the total automobile
service industry. In 1999, there were approximately 35,000 body, paint,
and interior repair and maintenance shops in the U.S. Ninety-five percent
of these were small shops employing less than twenty people. According
to the 1999 County Business Patterns Economic Profile, these shops employed
over 209,000 people and had an annual payroll of over $5,910,200,000.
(Source: 1999 County Business Patterns for the U.S. -
U.S. Census Bureau http://www.census.gov/pub/epcd/cbp/view/us99.txt.)
The following overview of the auto body industry is courtesy of Babcox
Research (http://www.babcox.com),
a leading automotive aftermarket business-to-business magazine publisher:
| Owners: |
Body shop owners are generally 35-49 years of age and most (68%)
have some education beyond a high school diploma. The average body
shop owner has been in the industry 23.9 years and most body shops
(77%) are family owned.
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| Shops: |
The average shop has been in business 19.1 years. Word of mouth/car
dealer referral is the most popular source of business for these
shops. The average shop employs 6.9 employees. Nearly 30%
of shops have sales volumes of more than $750,000. The average for
all shops is $543,424 (56% is attributed to labor and 44% is attributed
to parts).
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| Material
Use: |
According to one study, approximately 60% of shops surveyed used
just one brand of paint, and median monthly paint purchases exceeded
$1,000. Trade magazines and jobbers are the most common sources
of information on new products and quality is the most important
factor influencing overall buying decisions (affecting decisions
much more than price). On average, 35% of shops buying dollars are
spent on crash parts, with paint (18%) second.
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| Operations:
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Nearly 70% of shops have at least one employee who attended a training
session in 1999. Almost 60% of the shops have at least one ASE-certified
technician. A typical shop spends most of its time, about 42%, on
body work. It spends about 34% of its labor hours on painting; 11%
on mechanical repairs; and 13% on pulling, straightening, and measuring
(bench time).
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Environmental and Health
Issues
Paints used in the industry emit pollutants when sprayed. The production and
use of low volatile organic compound (VOC) content paint is on the rise due
to EPA mandates and manufacturers' response to the needs of auto refinishers.
Common operation wastes including paint booth filters, paint dust, and
floor sweepings may be hazardous depending on the type of paint used.
Waste paint is toxic and ignitable (may also contain heavy metals, petroleum
compounds and organic acids). Most thinners and solvents are toxic and
some (like naphtha and kerosene) are flammable.
Hub Last Updated:
08/27/2003
The P2Rx Topic Hub Project was developed by:
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The Auto Body Topic Hub was developed by:
Peaks to Prairies
Contact Laura Estes (Peaks)
406-994-3451 or laurae@montana.edu
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With assistance from:
Western Regional Pollution Prevention Network
Contact Isao Kobashi (WRPPN)
408-566-4560 or isao.kobashi@pln.CO.Santa-Clara.CA.US
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