50 years of industrial painting in New Jersey: lessons from the Scaturro family

In 1975, Sam Scaturro founded Alpine Painting & Sandblasting Contractors in Paterson, New Jersey with a simple premise: that commercial and industrial painting work, done properly, by properly trained people operating under documented quality and safety systems, produces results that hold up — for clients, for structures, and for the workers performing the work. Fifty years later, that premise has not changed. What has changed is the scale, the certifications, the geographic reach, and the depth of expertise that Alpine brings to every project.

The early years: building a reputation in northern New Jersey

Alpine's early work was concentrated in the northern New Jersey industrial corridor — the densely industrial communities along the Passaic River and Route 1/9 that formed the backbone of New Jersey's manufacturing economy in the 1970s and 1980s. Paterson itself, Alpine's hometown, was a center of manufacturing heritage, and the surrounding communities of Newark, Elizabeth, Linden, and Woodbridge were among the most industrially active in the entire northeastern United States.

In that environment, building a reputation required delivering on the fundamentals consistently — showing up on schedule, doing the surface preparation correctly, applying the right coating to specification, and standing behind the work. The industrial painting market in northern New Jersey was competitive and unforgiving of contractors who cut corners, and Alpine's commitment to doing the work right was the foundation of the client relationships that have sustained the company for five decades.

The next generation: Ben Jr. and Dave Scaturro

As Alpine grew through the 1980s and 1990s, Ben Scaturro Jr. and Dave Scaturro joined the family business, bringing the same commitment to quality and safety that had defined their father's approach to the work. The company expanded its service lines beyond painting into sandblasting and surface preparation, shop coating, welding and fabrication, and specialty flooring — building a genuinely integrated industrial and commercial coatings operation rather than a single-trade painting contractor.

This service breadth was a deliberate strategic decision. The Scaturros recognized that industrial and commercial facility managers were increasingly seeking contractors who could handle multiple aspects of a project under one contract, eliminating the coordination complexity and quality gaps that arise when separate contractors handle welding, surface preparation, and coating independently. Alpine's integrated capability became one of its strongest competitive differentiators.

Building the certification and safety foundation

Alongside the service expansion came a sustained investment in certifications, safety programs, and inspection capability that has become one of Alpine's most important differentiators. Alpine pursued and achieved SSPC QP1, QP2, and QP9 certification — the industrial coating industry's most rigorous contractor qualification standards. The company built a safety program that has earned recognition from the NJ Governor's Office, the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC STEP Platinum Award in 2025), and multiple industry safety organizations.

The investment in certified coating inspection staff — culminating in AMPP Senior Certified Coating Inspectors on qualifying projects — reflects a conviction that quality assurance cannot be outsourced or assumed. When Alpine applies a coating system, a certified inspector verifies surface preparation, ambient conditions, and application quality at every stage. That discipline is what produces the consistent results that have earned Alpine the PCA Best Industrial Project Award in 2025 and a wall of industry recognition across five decades.

The four-state market and what comes next

Today Alpine serves commercial and industrial clients across New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania — a four-state territory that encompasses some of the most industrially and commercially active markets in the United States. The company's 115+ geo-targeted service pages reflect an intentional strategy to be findable and credible in every market it serves, from Newark's port industrial corridor to the Lehigh Valley's booming logistics market to Connecticut's Fairfield County corporate headquarters district.

The same values that Sam Scaturro brought to the first project in 1975 — quality, safety, reliability, and accountability — are the values that David Quiroga and Besi Janova bring to every estimate conversation today. For Alpine, fifty years is not a conclusion. It is a foundation.

Ready to discuss your project?

Alpine Painting & Sandblasting Contractors has served commercial and industrial clients throughout New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania for over 50 years. Our SSPC QP1 and QP2-certified teams, AMPP Senior Certified Coating Inspectors, and award-winning safety program are ready to work for your facility.

Contact Besi Janova or David Quiroga, our Commercial Project Estimators, to request a no-obligation estimate. Call (866) 596-0349 or visit alpinepainting.com.