VersionEX Autobody Hooked on GenRock by Lusid Technologies
Printed in Autobody News Shop & Product Showcase
Devin Hansen, owner of VersionEX Autobody in Eugene, OR, was raised in Okinawa, Japan and immigrated to the U.S. when he was 15 years old. “I always had a passion for cars because that was a big part of my culture,” he shared. “When I moved to America, I bought a 1996 Nissan in honor of my heritage. I started working on the car in my parents’ driveway, but the cold, rainy weather in Oregon wasn’t ideal, so a friend and I invested in a small, 300 square foot shop space where we could work on cars.”
After tinting his own windows, Hansen began offering the service to friends who recommended him to their networks. “I was super busy, and the profit margins were great,” Hansen recalled. “In addition to detailing and other types of customizations, people started asking for custom paint jobs, but I didn’t have a paint booth. When my current facility was offered for sale, including its eight bays and the paint booth I needed, I didn’t know anything about collision repair.”
Still, Hansen made a “huge jump” and purchased the auto body shop. Fortunately, the shop was staffed with collision repair professionals who help the new owner get up to speed. “I was very lucky that my guys trained me, but there was also a lot of trial and error in the beginning. I lost a lot of money in 2016 because I didn’t know what I was doing, but I just kept learning – that’s the biggest thing; if you’re willing to keep at it, you’ll improve each year. You have to pay for experience one way or another; if not through college, you’ll learn the hard way.”
In 2018, a new customer drove into VersionEX Autobody seeking window tint for his 1993 Nissan, a vehicle similar to Hansen’s ongoing project. “As I was looking at the car, I noticed that it looked like it had been freshly painted. It looked amazing, and I was particularly interested in the clearcoat because it looked super flat,” Hansen stated. “I asked what was on his car, and he told me that it was cleared with the GT211 2.1 VOC Automotive Clear manufactured by Lusid Technologies.
The new customer, Bill Gillespie, worked as a sales representative for Lusid Technologies and offered to provide a sample of the GT211. Once VersionEX tried the product, “we were hooked. The clearcoat is awesome, and my guys love it,” Hansen said. “After we started using the GT211, we evolved and converted to the entire GenRock paint line. Converting was really easy since their system was similar to our previous system. It was really just a matter of switching cans.”
“I really admired the fact that Bill didn’t try to sell Lusid’s products at all – he didn’t have to because the clearcoat sold itself,” Hansen continued. “I asked him about it, and he just offered to let us try it without a big sales pitch. Bill has been a great support for VersionEX, and he’s an awesome rep for Lusid. The customer service we receive from Lusid’s headquarters is also excellent. Whenever we have any questions or concerns, Lusid is very attentive and quick to address it. We have no complaints whatsoever.”
VersionEX Autobody also uses many liquid products from Lusid, including lacquer, adhesion promoters, wax and greases, as well as the full GenRock paint line. Additionally, Hansen praised Lusid’s four angle spectrophotometer. “Their digital camera system is really good, and their color matches are excellent,” he noted. “GenRock also covers really well, and Lusid offers a lifetime warranty on their products. The increase in profitability has been huge since GenRock costs 30% less than our previous paint brand. There are just positives all around. Lusid is a really great paint brand.”
Thanks to Lusid’s support and his own initiative, Hansen has learned a lot in the past few years. He shared, “I’ve learned what to do, what not to do, how to handle insurers, and how to treat customers. It’s crazy how many factors are involved in running a business and doing what I do. I’ve progressed as a person and as a shop owner. We’re not just a body shop; we do a little of everything, so customers can drop off their car and have everything done under one roof. If you provide excellent customer service and put out quality work that speaks for itself, the business grows from there.”
Hansen also largely credits his team at VersionEX for the shop’s growth and success. He believes, “The biggest part of running any business is the people working for you. I’ve been fortunate and have a team of seven people who genuinely care about what they do. It’s not just a 9-to-5 for them – it’s their reputation on the line, and they’re proud of what they do. Most of your adult life is spent working, so why do something you hate doing? It’s not all about the money. You need to enjoy what you do.”
VersionEX Autobody
Location: Eugene, OR
(541) 393-6549
www.VersionEX.com
Company at a Glance…
Type: Collision Repair
Facility Employees: 8
In Business Since: 2016
Number of Locations: One
DRP Programs: Zero
Combined Production Space: 13,000 square feet
Lusid Technologies
(801) 966-5300
