Some of our projects are in the 200 K range and are built to compete at the highest level in N. America and I take that all in stride. My biggest concern in being a business owner is staffing. In Alberta we have a very uneven playing field regarding our work force. As I am sure you know this industry struggles with a $60-$70.00 door rate which makes it very difficult to compete with the oil patch when recruiting or retaining staff. A very good painter may want and get
$30.00 per hour to do very demanding paint work yet a guy with basic paint application skills can easily get a job spraying industrial equipment for the oil patch and get $32-$34.00
Per hour. If you have a good $26-$28.00 welder fabricator in the shop he can most likely make up to $40.00 per hour also working at a shop in one of the industrial parks here.
I have 8 good core people but I need 12. The hardest people to find is the Prepers, ones who have stuck in this industry for a few years that know how the sand, block a body straight or even something as basic as disassemble a new 2008 vehicle and properly then sand and prep it for custom paint work. Next would be a painter who has the passion to become more than a paint applicator . A guy who is motivated to be an artist and grow into more then a guy that puts paint on a car where I have to tell him to.
I am given the opportunity every year to fill a 7500 sq. ft. display at the Edmonton Auto Dealers new car – car show. I am invited to add a little something different to what is supposed to be Canada’s second largest car show. I spent almost 12 hours a day for 4 days talking to people. It was discouraging every time I talked to a body shop owner or even representatives from our trade school , NAIT who had a booth across from me . It seams that a lot of shop owners see little future in this industry and all are planning to sell if they can and do some thing else.
As for me even after 30 years of being in this business I still love what I do. I still work 10 – 11 hours a day because I want to , Unfortunately I have to admit that I have a big concern
If I will be feasible over the next few years for me to continue doing this. If I was to loose 2-3 more people I would have to pursue another way to make a living.
I need people with some experience and a little passion for the restoration and custom work what we do here. To see exactly what it is we are doing all a person has to do is go to
www.joeysplace.com and Click on the “News Letter” as that shows everything that is currant. I will offer top wages for this industry, a clean work environment, challenging work and a health plan.
Anyone interested could start by emailing their resume to
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Forums 
Favoured: 1
