Since 1987, Buff and Shine Manufacturing takes a comprehensive approach to the world of buffing pad production and has an impeccable reputation for producing consistently high-quality products that are durable and highly functional across multiple surface perfection situations. The company prides itself on its responsiveness to the industry by constantly improving products based on user feedback and designing new products to keep up with industry trends.
Back in the 1980s, Richard Umbrell heard his father, owner of a prominent car wash chemical manufacturing company, complain about the quality of buffing pads. The pads simply fell apart too quickly. Richard's entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and he began a quest to improve pad design. He started with the pads that were available at the time and committed early on to building a better pad. Buff and Shine Manufacturing was thus born in 1987.
One-by-one, pads were built and tested in the local region. Richard took the time to work with customers and end users to determine how to improve pads. A natural-born tinkerer, Richard built his own pad manufacturing equipment and improved and continues to improve that machinery to ensure that each machine yields only high-quality products.
With an early commitment to quality production and responsiveness to customer feedback, Buff and Shine quickly gained a reputation for high quality pads and soon the company boasted a nationwide and eventually its current worldwide audience of customers and end users. Because Buff and Shine has a team of highly-qualified designers and manufacturing technicians, the company is able to adjust to new design requests, the introduction of new pad materials, and the latest in buffing technology.
Quality. The impetus to establish Buff and Shine 30 years ago resulted from the realization that there was a lack of quality in the buffing pads available at the time. Since then the company has strived to find and develop the highest quality materials and manufacturing procedures. Once a system is proven to work well, it is "locked in"--no attempts are made to find cheaper ways to make the same products. Thus the end user can always expect consistent results. You will find, time and time again, that Buff and Shine products offer the following quality characteristics: consistency, durability, and functionality.
Responsive. Buff and Shine has always encouraged and listened to the feedback of its end users and distributors to determine what is and isn't working, as well as to determine emerging needs of the end users. Additionally, the company responds to changes in the industries it supports; changes in chemicals, changes in the surfaces that are being polished, and changes to the polishing equipment itself. Because the company is responsive and relatively flexible, it can cater to the needs of a broad range of individual end-users and can customize systems for larger orders.
Technology Improvement. When a problem is identified, either within the general buffing industry or with a specific product, the Buff and Shine development team goes to work finding a solution. The company is not afraid to invest in design and fabrication capabilities to solve large and small buffing issues that are reported by a large number of end users.
Buff and Shine also takes great pride in its fine-tuned manufacturing process that ensures prompt shipping and competitive pricing.
There are a few choices for pad suppliers. Nonetheless, what makes Buff and Shine Manufacturing unique is its comprehensive approach to the buffing pad industry. The company’s full line of patented products are manufactured in the USA of the highest quality materials available. Pads are designed, engineered, and manufactured in-house with custom-built production machinery available nowhere else. These facts, along with the company's commitment to quality and responsiveness allows Buff and Shine Manufacturing to:
Across the different product lines that Buff and Shine Manufacturing offers, users will find a consistency in the construction and durability of the pads, regardless of the size, shape, material, or intended use of the pad.
Buff and Shine Manufacturing "over-builds" its pads to counter the impact of even the most intensive usage. The pads are made stronger than they need to be to provide long-lasting use.
Through years of testing, improvement, and re-testing, the company has developed and invested in high quality adhesives and custom-built adhesive applying apparatus to ensure that backing materials stay attached to the pads, regardless of exposure to heat, chemicals, and washing. In fact, most users find that the backing material stays attached through the entire life of the pad.
Buff and Shine carefully selects the pad material and uses only the highest quality available so that the manufactured pads hold up to heat, chemicals, and washing. Then the pad shape is designed to maximize buffing efficiency and minimize common issues during use. Pads are tested in-house and in the field.
Buffing and polishing your car with foam pads has been around for many years. Foam pads work allot differently than wool pads as far as cut, feel and performance. There are many new technological advances in the foam pad industry and I am writing this to help give you more information so you are able to choose the correct foam for your next job.
There are many ways to identify foam pads in the industry. PPI is a generic way of distinguishing foam, but not the 100% correct way. Since there are so many ways to measure foam, we are going to start here with the basic.
The first and basic thing to understand about foam is whether it is open or closed cell. Many open cell foams start out as closed cell and are “reticulated” to produce open cell. “Reticulation” is a process used in processing foam where they take the bun of foam, put in in a concrete and controlled room, fill the room with hydrogen so the foam can absorb it, and then they ignite the foam. This process causes the membrane or window of the foam to wrap around the branches. The window/membrane on foam is the transparent thin layer in between the branches. The branch is what you feel by hand in the foam when you touch it. If you look at foam under a microscope, you will see the branches and windows. Foam that has been reticulated is open cell and foam no reticulated is closed cell.
Once you reticulate a foam it may become stronger in its tearing characteristics. Reticulated or “open cell” foam run much cooler on the surface as compared to closed cell foams. The reason for this is that with the cells being open, they are allowed to let air pass thru them to dissipate heat. With this happening, there may be a chance the chemical you are working with may dry faster and possibly dust since the lubricant in it is getting dried with the air passing thru the foam.
There are Pros and Cons to each of the foams, and each type works differently with all chemicals:
Keep in mind that not all foams work the same way with all chemicals. In many instances, it can be trial and error.
There are many other ways foams are measured, this is just a starting point so you are able to pick the best foam for your project.
APPLICATION CHARTS ARE COARSES TO FINE
US FOAMS | ||
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WHITE 45 PPI | HEAVY CUT |
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YELLOW 50 PPI | MEDIUM CUT |
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GREEN 60 PPI | POLISHING |
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BLUE 70 PPI | SOFT POLISHING |
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BLACK 80 PPI | FINISHING |
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SOFT WHITE 90 PPI | ULTRA FINISHING |
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BABY BLUE 100 PPI | FINAL FINISHING |
EURO FOAMS | ||
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YELLOW | HEAVY CUT |
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ORANGE | MEDIUM CUT |
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WHITE | POLISHING |
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BABY BLUE | SOFT POLISHING |
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RED | ULTIMATE FINISHING |
EXTREME RETICULATED FOAMS | ||
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COARSE GREEN | EXTREME CUT |
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COARSE ORANGE | MEDIUM CUT |
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MAROON | POLISHING |
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RED | FINISHING |
URO-TEC “OPEN CELL” | ||
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COARSE BLUE | HEAVY CUT |
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MAROON | MEDIUM CUT |
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YELLOW | POLISHING |
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WHITE | FINISHING |
URO-CELL “CLOSED CELL” | ||
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LIGHT BLUE | CUTTING |
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ORANGE | POLISHING |
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RED | FINISHING |
STANDARD WOOL PADS | ||
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100% WOOL 4 PLY NATURAL | CUTTING |
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WOOL BLEND SINGLE PLY NATURAL | MEDIUM CUT |
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WOOL BLEND 4 PLY TWIST YELLOW | MEDIUM CUT/POLISHING |
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WOOL BLEND SINGE PLY WHITE | POLISHING |
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WOOL BLEND SINGLE PLY YELLOW | POLISHING/FINISHING |
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KNITTED WOOL BLEND | LIGTH POLISH/FINISHING |
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KNITTED 100% WOOL NATURAL | FINAL FINISHING |
INDUSTRIAL WOOL PADS | |||
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ALTERNATE STITCH DUAL STRAND WOOL BLEND | ![]() |
AGGRESSIVE CUTTING & LONG LASTING |