By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
Bell’s Body and Paint Shop, located on Highland Avenue in Caribou has gone green. The shop owners Fred and Lynn Bell and their son Alex recently announced that their business has made the transition into using environmentally friendly paint products.
Aroostook Republican photo/Barb Scott
Bell’s Body and Paint Shop has taken steps to go green, using environmentally friendly paint products, eliminating other paint products that in the past emitted unhealthy gases into the air. The shop, which was opened in 1968 by Fred Bell Sr., is now owned and operated by Fred Jr., and his wife Lynn. From left are: Fred Bell, Stacey Turner, Lynn Bell, Darrell Espling and Alex Bell, the third generation to be involved with the Caribou business.
The shop has been using PPG’s waterborne paint, Envirobase, since June, completing an estimated 150 jobs so far with the new system. According to the Bells, these products are not only considered the latest and most advanced technology available, they also offer several benefits that many other competitive products previously used in this field do not. In addition to providing more reliable color matches, Envirobase is better for the environment in that it produces less hazardous waste and reduces emissions up to 80 percent.
Bell’s Body and Paint Shop may have been the first in the area to make this change, but a proposed state regulation may call for paint operations to convert to low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint products by 2012. VOCs are harmful solvents in paint which evaporate and cause the production of greenhouse gas. PPG’s waterborne paint product has been under development since 1986 and is a high performance product which has been improved upon over time.
A certified collision repair center, specializing in auto refinishing, Bell’s Body and Paint Shop was started by Fred Bell Sr. in 1968. Following the death of Fred Sr. in 1985, his wife Marjorie continued to operate the business until 1994 when Fred Jr. and his wife Lynn bought the established business. Today Alex (who came onboard in 2005), working with his Dad, Fred Jr., are the second and third generation that continues to provide accident-related repairs to light duty trucks and cars. The father and son team also paint other items, “If it fits in the door, we can paint it,” said Bell.
All of the business’s employees including both Bells and Stacey Turner and Darrell Espling are certified painters, with many years of experience between them. Over the years they have gained a reputation in the area for honest repairs and high quality painting. With a proven track record, insurance companies approve and recommend their work and all paint work is guaranteed by the shop for the length of ownership.
The Bells stated, “We extend our thanks to all of our customers for their continued business and our crew for their many years of hard work and service. Also, our thanks go to Auto Paint Supply of Bangor for making this transition so easy for us here at the shop.”
Bell’s Body and Paint Shop is open Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telephone 492-6721.
