CHICOPEE — The family members who owned and operated Don Roy’s Auto Body and Appearance Center Inc. on Granby Road in Chicopee for more than 30 years have announced the closing of their business.

“It is with a heavy heart that we are making this announcement,” said Don Roy, who founded the auto-body shop in 1992. “We made the decision to close because of several reasons beyond our control, the primary and most important factor being that we can no longer afford to pay our technicians and employees a proper wage. Insurance companies set the labor rate, and it is no longer adequate. We are no longer able to maintain quality repair technicians, and we are not able to keep up to date with all new repair concepts and tooling needed to repair today’s new dimension of vehicles. Auto-body shops are not credited by insurance companies for the investment they make in their shops, and, coupled with the insufficient funding, this has led to the unfortunate decision that our family had to make.”

Don Roy’s Auto Body was an active member of its community, participating in car shows and supporting many local nonprofit organizations. The shop was known for its customer service and received several awards from local business organizations over the years, including Business of the Year from the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce and the Torch Award from the Better Business Bureau.

Roy, along with his wife, Irene, and daughter, Karen, extend their appreciation to all of their employees, customers, and friends who have helped them create a successful business, adding, “their support and patronage will never be forgotten.”