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Have you ever wondered what the LB in LB Beattie Auto Body stands for?  We did.  So, we asked the long-time owner-operator, Terry Beattie. 

"Well, this goes back to when I was just a wee guy in the early 70s.  Both of my brothers were in the autobody industry down in Assiniboia.  The two of them were together at Beattie's Autobody.  I remember going down there with mom and dad to visit with them.  I'm kind of proud to be able to carry on the family tradition," Terry said. 

"Both brothers are retired now.  I took over the shop from the middle brother, Len.  I incorporated the Beattie and the LB together so, now we can call it "Little Brother" Beattie Autobody," Terry said with a chuckle. 

"So, back when it was Len's shop it was Len Beattie Autobody so it made perfect sense for me to keep that part and play on it a little bit and have it as "Little Brother" Beattie Autobody or LB Beattie Autobody.  It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue but, you know who we are!" 

And, the family tradition continues with Terry's son, Ryan, working as a repair technician. 

(L-R) Ryan and Terry Beattie

"Actually, Ryan had been hanging around the shop as a high school kid and went through the whole apprenticeship program.  And, actually, in the high school era he competed in skills competitions...which is an awesome opportunity for young people to get involved in the trades in provincial, national and even in world competitions...Ryan took part in that for a couple of years, then went on to the apprenticeship program and now he's a journeyperson and working here at the shop." 

Terry says one of the keys to success has been surrounding himself with young, skilled professionals who take pride in their work. 

"It's quite a craft, you know.  I'm a journeyperson painter but you know, I have nothing but respect for those repair guys.  Vehicles in today's world are so complex.   They take a lot of pride in it and there's a lot of skill involved to be able to take apart a complex vehicle and be able to put it all back together again and have all that integrity there like it's supposed to," Terry said. 

At LB Beattie Autobody, Terry has a journeyperson painter on staff with three apprentices hard at work as well. 

"It's such a comforting feeling with how technologically advanced vehicles are today to have these young guys involved.  They're so well versed...they get it.  The amount of research that goes into repairing today's vehicles - they gobble it up.  It's very refreshing," Terry boasted. 

In fact, the rules and regulations for auto body shops have changed and owner-operators have no choice but to keep up or get out of the way. 

"This industry has never seen an overhaul like we're going through right now.  Gone are the days when you just rolled the car in and you fixed it the way you always fixed it," Terry said. 

"You know, we still promote the fact we're SGI accredited but really, nowadays, that's just the beginning.  The OEMs, or the Original Equipment Manufacturers, that's your Ford and your Dodge...they're the ones writing the rules on how these vehicles are to be fixed.” 

“We put a lot of research into each car that comes into the shop and make sure that whatever repairs are needed are done as per the manufacturer's recommendations.  We then pass those along to our repair people in the back and make sure that they're done accordingly," Terry explained. 

"So, yes, the training that goes along with that and the tooling is what has become huge in the past couple of years.  March 1st, 2021, actually, is the deadline that SGI has set for us all to step up to the plate to have all of that training and equipment to go forward." 

LB Beattie Autobody is located just around the corner from SGI in Moose JawTerry says he and his family and staff have been fortunate - remaining busy during the COVID-19 pandemic but it has changed the way they do business. 

"There's lots of new practices that I'm pretty sure we're going to keep doing.  I think as far as all the cleanliness and the disinfecting of customer's vehicles.  When customers drop their vehicles off, we disinfect them before they come into the shop and then we disinfect again before we hand the vehicle back to the customer.  Even the keys are disinfected."

 "Also, we offer curbside pick-up.  We'll come to your place, pick your vehicle up, disinfect, take it to the shop and make sure it's disinfected again when we bring it back to you...I don't really see that changing a whole lot.  I think those are good practices," Terry said. 

Terry says if you ever get into a serious accident with injuries or major damage, you should call emergency services. However, if it's just a fender bender, exchange information with others involved, and use that cellular telephone in your pocket. 

"I totally recommend taking some pictures at the scene and talk to witnesses and then, give me a shout.  I can help you through how to make the claim, whether you want to do it online or over the telephone...you need to make that initial statement with SGI and in most cases, they'd be happy to let us do the estimate for them.  We can be a part of this for you right from the get-go." 

"We do this every day.  This is our profession so why not lean on me.  I can help guide you through it.  We're here for you." 

Terry says with his son and a young, talented staff at the shop, LB Beattie Autobody has a great future in our community. 

"You know, it's been a real honour to be here to serve the citizens of Moose Jaw for as many years as my family's been doing it.  I'm sure Ryan's going to take over the place if I ever retire so, yes, what a beautiful community to be a part of." 

LB Beattie Autobody has an online presence at lbautobody.ca   

And, it's there you'll see, "LB Beattie Autobody is located in Moose Jaw, SK, and is the premiere destination for collision repair.  We have been providing exceptional customer service and auto body repairs for over 40 years, giving you peace of mind while we work on your vehicle.  Our journeymen are highly trained and certified to complete a variety of auto body needs, from minor repairs all the way to major restorations.  LB Beattle Autobody is also well versed on insurance claims.  We can help make insurance claims and worth with your insurance provider to get you and your vehicle back on the road in no time!  If you've been in an accident, LB Beattie Autobody are the ones you should call." 

You can find LB Beattie Autobody at 340 River Street West and you can give them a phone call at 306 693 6648.