MSA certification for John's Auto Care

John's Auto Care, the specialised automotive service and repair subsidiary of John's Group, has had its garage certification from the Malta Standards Authority renewed. This enables it to be an approved repair centre recognised by the Malta Insurance Association.

Presenting the certificate to George Farrugia, chief executive officer of John's Group, congratulated the company following an investment in the latest spray booth technology at its Qormi premises. Parliamentary Secretary Chris Said, who is responsible for the MSA, was also present.

"Standards exist so that consumers are protected," Dr Said said. "Through these standards, consumers know what level of service to expect."

Mr Farrugia said the investment in the Todd Engineering spray booths is part of a process initiated by John's Group to improve the services offered by John's Auto Care. He stressed the health and safety benefits and environmental credentials of the two new booths.

Dr Said was shown around the facility by Mr Farrugia and Lee Todd, sales director of Todd Engineering Ltd of Staffordshire, UK, which has installed the spray booths at John's Auto Care.

The two spray booths run on energy-saving gas (LPG) fuel and comply with stringent EU health and safety regulations, ensuring no emissions from the spraying, including harmful isocyanate-based paints, can leak out of the booths. This is thanks to a twin-fan system that ensures that any spray fumes stay inside the booth.

Electricity costs have halved since the two spray booths were commissioned, compared to the single booth they had before, which ran on diesel fuel. The flash-off procedure is also much more efficient, lasting up to five minutes compared to 15 minutes under the old system.

The MSA standard adopted is MSA1400:2006, which was issued in 2007. Francis P. Farrugia, head of standardisation at the MSA, explained that this standard requires that garages have a management system in place, including employing competent people, having the proper equipment for panel beating and spraying, as is required by the trade, and keeping records - an area the MSA found hardest to introduce, requiring a change of mentality.

John's Group intend to market the Todd Engineering spray booths not only in Malta but around the Mediterranean, including North Africa. The two companies have set up a joint venture, Todd Engineering (Malta) Ltd, which is to have fully qualified electrical and design engineers based in Malta.

The new company is to embark on an education campaign to encourage other garages in Malta and Gozo to adopt the latest technology, installing the latest equipment, filters and energy-saving lighting and fuel.

Todd Engineering estimate that the spray booth investment can be recouped within a year thanks to the energy savings, apart from the health and safety benefit and reduction in the carbon footprint of the garage.

The spray booths conform with European standard prEN12215/ 2004 and are serviced every 1,000 hours of use to ensure they work at their optimum. For more information, call 2144 9111, 2148 5781 or 2144 8701 or e-mail info@johnsautocareltd.com.