Providence Lacquer & Supply Centre

08/09/2026

THE LEGEND.

Some people work for a company. Others become part of its history.

Ralph Merola was Providence Lacquer.

Since 1968, Ralph touched generations of customers, employees, friends, and families. If you knew Ralph, chances are he made you laugh, taught you something, helped you when you needed it, or called you “Porkchop” at least once.

There will never be another Ralph.

His stories will be told in our stores for years. His sayings will still make us laugh. And his impact on Providence Lacquer and everyone lucky enough to know him will never disappear.

We say goodbye to a friend, a mentor, a member of our family, and an absolute legend.

In honor of Ralph, this Thursday we’ll be smoking one last cigar with him.

We invite Ralph’s friends, customers, coworkers, and everyone whose life he touched to join us at Providence Lacquer at 12:00 PM
as we light up one last cigar for Ralph, share some stories, have some laughs, and celebrate the man we were all lucky enough to know.

Rest easy, Ralph. The Legend lives on.

Ralph Merola
Providence Lacquer • 1968–2026
Forever part of the Providence Lacquer family.

THURSDAY • 12:00 PM
PROVIDENCE LACQUER
ONE LAST CIGAR WITH RALPH

Celebrate the life of Ralph Merola, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of Pontarelli-Marino Funeral Home.

08/04/2026

Today, we say goodbye to a Providence Lacquer legend.

If you've been in the collision industry in New England over the last 50+ years, chances are you knew Ralph Merola. Ralph was part of the Providence Lacquer family from 1968, and for generations of shop owners, technicians, painters, and managers, he wasn't just a salesman—he was a friend.

He probably walked into your shop with a smile, called you "Porkchop," and made you laugh before talking business. Ralph had a way of making everyone feel like family, and if you needed help, he was the first one there. He would do anything for anyone.

He spent decades visiting shops, building relationships, and representing what Providence Lacquer has always been about—people first.

Ralph wasn't just part of our history—he helped build it. His impact on our company, our customers, and our industry will never be forgotten.

Rest easy, Ralph. Thank you for your friendship, your loyalty, and the countless memories.

You will always be part of the Providence Lacquer family.

We'll miss you.

"Hey Stroker, back to caddying for Benny."

❤️

07/02/2026

☀️ It’s Hot Out There… But Taking Care of People Never Goes Out of Style.

Today’s forecast? Hot.

Our response? Ice-cold drinks.

At Providence Lacquer, our sales reps aren’t just stopping by with products—they’re stopping by with a cooler full of cold water and sports drinks because that’s what family-owned businesses do. We take care of the people who take care of us.

It’s not about making a sale.
It’s about building relationships.
It’s about showing up.
It’s about treating every customer like family.

When the temperatures rise, we believe service should rise with it.

That’s the difference between a distributor… and a Collision Performance Partner.

Stay safe. Stay hydrated. And if you see one of our reps today, we’ve got something cold waiting for you.

06/30/2026

Have you been coasting with the same jobber for years?

Maybe they sold the company... and you just stayed.

The name changed.
The ownership changed.
The people changed.
But you kept accepting the same old service.

✔️ They drop off paint.
✔️ They sell supplies.
✔️ They make deliveries.

But is that really helping your collision center perform better?

Today's collision industry demands more than a company that simply delivers products. It demands a partner who is invested in your success.

At Providence Lacquer, we've spent nearly 80 years helping shops improve performance—not just fill shelves.

As your Collision Performance Partner, we help you with:
• Inventory optimization
• Process improvement
• Painter productivity
• Gross profit improvement
• Training & education
• KPI tracking
• Technology that helps your business grow

Comfort is expensive when it's keeping you from becoming more profitable.

If you've never experienced what a true Performance Partner can do for your business, now is the time.

Don't settle because it's familiar. Upgrade because your shop deserves better.

📞 Call Providence Lacquer today and discover what you've been missing.

Providence Lacquer
Collision Performance Partner
Family Owned Since 1948

06/29/2026

The market has changed. So have the choices.

Today, collision centers have three options.

🔧 Your parts vendor is trying to sell you paint like it's just another part.
📈 Private equity-owned distributors are buying local jobbers, getting bigger, and treating paint and materials like another commodity.
💙 Then there's Providence Lacquer.

We don't believe paint is a commodity.

We believe it's one of the biggest drivers of your shop's profitability, productivity, and performance.

That's why we don't just deliver paint and materials.

We help you:
✅ Improve gross profit
✅ Reduce waste and material cost
✅ Optimize inventory
✅ Train your painters and team
✅ Improve process and cycle time
✅ Track KPIs that matter
✅ Build a stronger, more profitable business

We've been family-owned since 1948, and while the industry continues to consolidate, we're investing in something different...

Your performance.

We're not trying to be the biggest.

We're committed to being the best partner for independent collision centers.

Providence Lacquer isn't just your paint supplier.
We are your Collision Performance Partner.

06/12/2026

⚽🏆 THE WORLD IS WATCHING. ARE YOU READY? 🏆⚽

The biggest sporting event on the planet is here.

From June 12 through July 19, the world's best nations will battle for soccer's ultimate prize, and Providence Lacquer has put together a World Cup Viewing Guide to help our customers follow every moment.

🇺🇸 USA Group Stage Matches
📅 June 12 vs Paraguay
📅 June 19 vs Australia
📅 June 25 vs Türkiye

Who are you picking to win it all?

🏆 Brazil
🏆 Argentina
🏆 England
🏆 France
🏆 Spain
🏆 Germany
🏆 Portugal
🏆 USA 🇺🇸

While the world competes on the field, we're focused on helping collision centers compete in business.

At Providence Lacquer, we believe success comes from:
✅ Better systems
✅ Better processes
✅ Better training
✅ Better inventory control
✅ Better performance

Because we're more than a paint and materials supplier.

We are your Collision Performance Partner.

Since 1948, family-owned and committed to helping shops perform at a higher level.

👇 Drop your World Cup Champion prediction in the comments.

06/10/2026

MORE THAN PAINT. MORE THAN MATERIALS.

The collision industry is changing.

For years, many distributors have focused on delivering paint, supplies, and equipment. At Providence Lacquer, we believe collision centers deserve more.

That’s why we’re building something different.

As your Collision Performance Partner™, we’re focused on helping shops improve:
✅ Gross Profit
✅ Cycle Time
✅ Technician Productivity
✅ Paint & Material Performance
✅ Leadership Development
✅ Shop KPIs
✅ Process Improvement

This September, Providence Lacquer and AkzoNobel are bringing collision center owners and managers together at the beautiful Wild Dunes Resort in South Carolina to learn what top-performing shops are doing differently.

Because the future belongs to collision centers that focus on performance—not just products.

📅 September 16-18, 2026
📍 Wild Dunes Resort | Isle of Palms, SC

Signup for more information
https://providence-lacquer.com/performance-group-conference

If you’re a Providence Lacquer customer, you’re gaining access to more than paint.

You’re gaining access to:
• Performance Groups
• Benchmarking
• Training
• Leadership Development
• Industry Best Practices
• A Network of Top Shops

Providence Lacquer
Family Owned Since 1948
Serving New England • Pennsylvania • Virginia

06/10/2026

SINCE 1948, PROVIDENCE LACQUER HAS NEVER BEEN JUST ANOTHER JOBBER.

For nearly 80 years, we've proudly served collision centers as a family-owned company built on relationships, service, and helping shops succeed.

But the collision industry is changing.

Today's shop owners face challenges that didn't exist 10 years ago:

• Technician shortages
• Rising operating costs
• Insurance pressure
• KPI accountability
• Margin compression
• Increased competition

And yet many distributors still operate the same way they always have.

Drop off paint.
Drop off supplies.
Pick up the next order.

At Providence Lacquer, we believe collision centers deserve more.

That's why we're making a commitment to become something different.

Not a paint jobber.
Not a supplier.
Not a vendor.

YOUR COLLISION PERFORMANCE PARTNER™.

We will focus on helping collision centers improve performance through:

✓ KPI Tracking
✓ Process Improvement
✓ Gross Profit Growth
✓ Paint & Material Management
✓ Inventory Management
✓ Leadership Development
✓ Training & Education
✓ Shop Benchmarking
✓ Technology & Innovation

Because our mission isn't to sell more paint.

Our mission is to help collision centers perform better.

The future belongs to the shops that measure, improve, adapt, and lead.

Providence Lacquer is committed to helping you get there.

Family Owned Since 1948.
More Than Paint. We Help Shops Perform.

06/09/2026

YOUR JOBBER SELLS PAINT.

YOUR COLLISION PERFORMANCE PARTNER HELPS YOU PERFORM.

At Providence Lacquer, we're not interested in being just another company that drops off paint, sandpaper, and supplies.

The collision industry is changing.

🚗 Fewer repairable vehicles
📉 More total losses
📈 Higher operating costs
⚡ More complex repairs
🏢 More MSO competition

Today's successful collision centers need more than products.

They need a partner focused on performance.

That's why Providence Lacquer provides:

✅ KPI Tracking & Business Intelligence
✅ Paint & Material Performance Monitoring
✅ Inventory Management Systems
✅ Spray Booth Monitoring & Maintenance
✅ Training & Process Improvement
✅ SOP Development
✅ Ordering & Workflow Systems
✅ Customer Communication Tools
✅ Performance Reviews & Growth Planning

Because the goal isn't to buy paint.

The goal is to build a stronger, more profitable collision center.

More Than Paint. More Than Supplies.

Providence Lacquer – Your Collision Performance Partner.

06/05/2026

From Our Family to Yours — Have a Great Weekend.

As you spend time with your family this weekend, take a moment to think about the way business used to be.

Remember when you knew the people you bought from?

When the owner answered the phone.
When decisions were made locally.
When your money stayed in the community.
When relationships mattered more than shareholder reports.

The family jobber wasn't just a supplier.

They were part of the community.

Today, many businesses have been absorbed into large corporations. The logo on the truck may still look familiar, but where is your money really going? Who is making the decisions? Who is reinvesting back into your community?

At Providence Lacquer, we're still here.

This weekend you'll find us at local ballfields, community events, restaurants, beaches, and neighborhood gatherings. Our families live here. Our employees live here. Our customers live here.

We're not a call center.

We're not a corporate office hundreds of miles away.

We're your neighbors.

You can call us.
You can see us.
You can count on us.

Since 1948, Providence Lacquer has been proud to remain family-owned and committed to supporting the collision industry, the local economy, and the communities we serve.

Thank you for supporting a family business that supports your family.

Have a safe and relaxing weekend.

— The Providence Lacquer Family

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