The driving force behind Williamson Honda's move to a new space in September 2005 was the opportunity to consolidate its operations into one attractive, 75,000 sq ft facility. For over 60 years, the Lincoln, NE car dealership had been based downtown, with growth forcing operations to spread out into a few different buildings. The new facility on the outskirts of town would allow this family-run business to function more like one close-knit family, and service all its customers from one location.

Upgrading the Service Dept

Expansion of the service department was a key part of the move, with the dealership more than doubling its service stalls, from 22 to 49. The new layout, however, accentuated the department's urgent need to upgrade to new workbenches.

Service personnel used a scattershot variety of old steel-top benches, some with one uncovered shelf beneath the worksurface. In a variety of mismatched colors, these workbenches were neither efficient nor visually pleasing, and certainly did not come close to complementing the dealership's quality image.

"We were starting fresh," said John Randall, co-service manager at Williamson Honda. "We were moving out of a building that had been originally designed for other uses. The service area was cluttered and poorly laid out. We now had a space that was actually designed to be a service department. We had more space for each technician to work, room between hoists to roll out equipment, in-ground hoists, and minimal equipment on the walls.

"We wanted the overall effect to be clean and uncluttered," he added. "To this end, the Pro-Line enclosed cabinet workbenches (ECB) with sliding doors were an ideal storage and workspace solution."

Williamson Honda first tried out some prototype Pro-Line ECB benches with butcher block worksurfaces. Randall and his team liked the sample bench but opted to go for the sleek good looks of stainless steel tops. For added support and to accommodate vise grips, Pro-Line custom configured the worksurfaces to feature a thick piece of particleboard under the stainless steel.

"The benches have steel girders that provide excellent support, but the benchtops themselves need to be able to handle some extremely heavy automotive parts, such as transmissions and rear differentials," Randall explained. "Plus our technicians would be pounding, hammering, and drilling. The extra support provided by the particleboard would keep equipment and parts from bouncing or shaking.

"Believe it or not, I've actually stood on the worksurface to access some items, and the bench provided solid support."

The department ordered 41 ECB benches from Pro-Line, one for every stall that has a hoist. All were ordered with caster wheel accessories for maximum mobility. Built on Pro-Line's Model HD frame, which has been in use since 1979, the ECB allows Williamson's service technicians to store and secure items on two shelves behind sliding, secure, lockable doors. What's more, the modular design of the ECB provides for future flexibility, allowing accessories such as lights and utility strips to be added in the future.

New Workbenches Improve Productivity, Aesthetics

"The flexibility of the benches with casters is a big plus for productivity in the department," said Randall. "Our technicians are now able to expand the range of their work area and move the jobs that they are working on right out next to the cars. And because the benches are all on wheels, they can be easily cleaned, an important attribute given our desire to have an aesthetically pleasing, clean environment."

Appearance was an essential aspect of the new service department. Clearly visible to customers, the space needed to instill confidence with a highly professional look and sleek design. The Pro-Line workbenches, with their blue paint and stainless steel and hidden, below-the-worksurface storage, contributed to the professional look of the workspace. With each workbench including two shelves behind sliding doors, items such as spare parts, nuts, bolts, tools, battery chargers, fans, and other frequently used equipment and parts, which might have filled open bins and spilled over into the workspace, were now safely stored below the surface.

Overall, Randall is pleased with his new service department layout, and the Pro-Line ECB workbenches in particular.

"With their mobility, nice work height and layout, and accessible storage, the Pro-Line workbenches have definitely played a role in improving our workflow," he concluded. "They are, in more ways than one, a solid addition to our new department."