Steve Binau, owner of Steve’s Collision Center in Reno, NV, has succeeded by doing all the right things and making smart moves. As a result, he now has six locations in Nevada and is repairing a grand total of 600 vehicles monthly.
Steve’s Collision Center
Location: Sparks, NV
(775) 856-1820
www.stevescollisioncenter.com
Company At A Glance...
Type: Collision Repair
Facility Employees: 70
In Business Since: 2002
Number of Locations: Six
Combined Production Space: 65,000 square feet
To stay ahead of the technology and be a major player in the Silver State, Binau uses USI ITALIA paint booths in four of his six shops. Things are going great for this 54-year-old entrepreneur, and much of his success can be credited to using the best equipment, tools and training available in the industry today.
This Northern California native learned about collision repair while attending Independence High School in San Jose, CA. One year after graduation, Binau began working for a restoration company, until 1993, when he decided to try his luck in Nevada.
Binau stayed at the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino in Reno when he hit the “Biggest Little City in the World.”
“Yes, believe it not, that was my address for my first two weeks in town,” he said. “They offered free local phone calls, so I pulled out the Yellow Pages and started calling around.”
He landed another restoration gig, but eventually made the move to collision repair. For a short time, he bounced around to different shops, but he always had his eyes on the jackpot.
“We took a 10,000-square foot shop and eventually added space and now it’s 16,500 square feet,” he said. “We decided that our mission was to outdistance the big chains by providing superior customer service. Most of the insurance agents and adjusters I work with have my cell phone number, and they know that they can always get a hold of me.”
To grow, Binau had to tweak his business model, and that’s when USI ITALIA entered the picture.
“We knew if we wanted longevity, we needed to be organized and structured,” he said. “I also decided that I wasn’t going to skimp on important things, such as equipment and training. I also wanted a paint booth that could provide us with excellent customer service, which is what we receive from USI ITALIA.”
After meeting with a local jobber recommending USI ITALIA, Binau took a long look at the booths and learned a lot about the technology and how it could make his a better shop.
“I could clearly see that the air flow in those booths is impeccable and they’re very efficient as well,” he said. “These USI booths have a crazy amount of technology, and you can pick the control panel that works best for you. They looked at our production process and helped us to set the booth and prep deck up that was ideal for the way we operate.
“We love the fact that these booths create a finished product flawlessly each and every time while doing it efficiently. They are also very durable, so you know they’re going to last a long, long time. I am a huge advocate for USI ITALIA because we are saving money and time and my nine painters all love using them every day.”
Over the years, Binau started acquiring body shops strategically, only when the opportunity was prime. In several of those instances, he opted for USI ITALIA Chronotech paint booths, a move he is happy he made.
“The last shop I bought, Fernley Auto Body in Fernley, NV, already had a USI booth, so that was a very pleasant surprise,” he said. “If they are using a Chronotech, they have to be a good shop, I thought, and so the booth was a big part of our decision process.”
One of the major benefits of spraying in USI booths is the simple fact Binau’s shops can paint more cars every day, he said.
“I can honestly say that we are painting one additional car every day at each of the four locations that have USI ITALIA booths. We are also saving a ton of time because we don’t have to polish and cut the vehicles. The best part of it all is that we never have imperfections or issues with orange peel, so by avoiding comebacks, we are saving even more money.”
Once the USA ITALIA booths are installed and ready to roll, an extensive training program begins, Binau said.
“These people are so knowledgable, it is pretty amazing. When you buy a piece of equipment like a paint booth, you want an expert team to help you and that’s exactly what we get with the people at USI. Knowing everything we can about our booths gives us an advantage, which is essential to our growth and success."
USI of North America
Company Contact: Stefano Moretto
(201) 405-7760
s.moretto@usius.com
www.usius.com
Facebook: @USI-of-North-America
Instagram: @usi_refinish
To read more auto body shop profiles in the October 2022 Shop and Product Showcase, click here.
