May 2018 Midwest Edition by Autobody News

36 YEARS

MID W ES TEDI TIO N

AUTOBODY IL / IN / IA / KS / KY / MI / MN / MO / NE / ND / OH / SD / WI

AUTOBODYNEWS.COM

Vol. 7 / Issue 8 / May 2018

State Farm Responds to Claims of Influencing Non-OEM Auto Repair

MSO Drops Use of PartsTrader, Remains on State Farm’s ‘Select Service’ Program

by Katherine Coig, glassBYTEs.com

by John Yoswick

A jury recently found Texas-based John Eagle Collision Center liable for injuries sustained by Matthew and Marcia Seebachan following a 2013 crash because a repair was not done according to OEM specifications, according to the verdict. Now, State Farm is in the spotlight for its alleged role in influencing that repair. The couple is suing for negligence and breach of warranty. The lawsuit stems from a non-OEM roof repair, which used an adhesive instead of being welded as Honda’s

specifications outlined. According to John Eagle’s director Boyce Willis, State Farm wouldn’t pay the shop unless the repair was done according to its specifications as opposed to Honda’s. “No insurance company should ever dictate to a collision repair center or body shop how to repair a vehicle. To do so is extremely negligent, and shows a wanton disregard for human life and the safety of others,” said Todd Tracy, attorney for the plaintiffs. “John Eagle did not repair the subject 2010 Honda Fit to Honda’s body repair specSee State Farm Responds, Page 21

7 MI Police Officers Charged in Fraudulent Auto Inspection Cases, Worked with Statewide Dealers by Julie Mack, MLive.com

Seven current and former Michigan police officers—including three people from the same family—are facing criminal charges for failing to conduct proper inspections of rebuilt salvage vehicles, according to the Michigan attorney general’s office. They are accused of signing Secretary of State documents certifying inspections that, in reality, didn’t happen, based on an investigation by the FBI Detroit-Area Public Corruption Task Force. See Officers Charged, Page 28

State Farm is allowing Caliber Collision centers participating in the “Select Service” program to remain on the program without using PartsTrader for State Farm claims. Caliber’s corporate office declined to comment on the change, but sources have told CRASH Network that Caliber CEO Steve Grimshaw announced at a company gathering in February that Caliber was curtailing its use of PartsTrader. “We’re now using PartsTrader only for The Hartford,” a source at a Caliber location in North Carolina confirmed. “I’m not sure if it’s a pilot for [State Farm] dropping PartsTrader, or what.” It is unclear whether the change was initiated by State Farm or Caliber. One source within Caliber said

that he expects the company’s use of PartsTrader for The Hartford to end in the near future as well. An estimator at a Caliber location in Georgia said he was happy with the change. “You still have to do your due diligence in searching for alternative parts [for State Farm claims],” he said. “But this saves us a lot of time. I’m not a PartsTrader fan myself. They say there’s some of those out there—PartsTrader fans—but I don’t know any.” Caliber locations in at least three other states also confirmed they are no longer using PartsTrader for State Farm claims, yet remain on the Select Service program. A State Farm spokeswoman said the company considers its agreements with repair facilities to be “confidential and therefore we will not be providing any comment.”

Todd Tracy’s 10 Ways to Avoid a $42 Million Verdict by Gene Bilobram and Todd Tracy

(from top left) Robert Greene, John Greene, Tim Greene, Kevin Reif, Greg Bumgardner Credit: AG’s office

Attorney Todd Tracy’s recent lawsuit against a dealership body shop marks the start of a profound shift for collision repairers. Below is his list of 10 Ways to Avoid a $42 Million Verdict, co-authored by Gene Bilobram, who wrote “The Pre and Post Scan Revolution” featured in Autobody News last spring. 1) Always Follow OEM Repair Specifications Refer to vehicle-specific (year, make, model) and repair-specific OEM repair manual information on every repair. Follow up by seeking any OEM position statement, Technical Service Bulletin (TSB), recall or general procedure applicable to the OEM and its vehicles.

2) Always Follow I-CAR OEM repair procedures do not always exist in a particular vehicle repair situation. In those cases, published I-CAR best practices should be sought out and followed to assure an industry best practices repair. After OEM procedures, always follow I-CAR. 3) Remember Who Your Customer Is The vehicle owner and future owners will live with the consequences of the repairs you make. Keep the customer informed about the high standard of repairs the shop is striving to provide with any insurer resistance to same. It’s the shop’s duty to involve the customer rather than make unilateral decisions which can compromise repairs. The shop’s overriding duty is to provide the safest repair available. See 10 Ways to Avoid, Page 27

PERMIT #288 ANAHEIM, CA

PAID

Change Service Requested

P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

CONTENTS 7 MI Police Officers Charged in Fraudulent Auto Inspection Cases, Worked with Statewide Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Adams Auto Body and Service Center in McHenry, IL, Celebrates 60 Years . . . . . . . . 12 Big Wheels Customs Offers Both Collision and Mechanical in Lafayette, IN . . . . . . . . . 24 Career-Focused Programs Offer MN High School

Phillips - Mitchell’s Comprehensive Database Provides Precise Dimensions Required for Proper, Safe Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Phillips - WIN Event Highlights Talent Development, Career Management in Collision Industry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Sisk - Get to Know WIN’s 2018 MIW Honorees . 40 Yoswick - Problems With Non-OEM Radiators Led to CAPA Certification Program . . . . . . . 38

Students Several Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 CARSTAR Glenn’s Auto Body Selected for ‘Lincoln’s Choice Awards’ in NE. . . . . . . . . . 20 CARSTAR Opens New Location in Howard, WI . . 9 Fire Guts Detail Shop of Dave’s Autobody in Galesburg, IL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Former Auto Body Repairer to Take On Educator-Horticulture Role in NE . . . . . . . . . 16 KS Consumers Asked to Check for Recall of Defective Vehicle Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Man Seriously Burned in Car Fire at Springfield Twp., OH, Body Shop . . . . . . . . . 31 Middlebrook Auto and Collision Continues for Five Generations in Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Mike Anderson Visits ASA-OH to Discuss Disassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Minnesota Senators File Bill to Ban Self-Driving Cars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Missouri Anti-Vehicle Safety Inspection Ready for House Consideration . . . . . . . . . . 21 MO House to Repeal Auto Safety Inspections. . . 8 SCC Hosts Annual Statewide SkillsUSA Competition in MN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 St. Paul, MN, Collision Repair Shop Aims to Keep Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Techs of Tomorrow: Vet Enrolls in Auto Body Courses at Waubonsee in IL, Becomes Tech . 21 WI Collision Repair Center Owner Among 17 Women Recognized With Award . . . . . . . . 6

NATIONAL Access Insurance Company Ordered Into Liquidation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Affectiva Launches Emotion Tracking AI

Attanasio - Assured Performance Develops Technology to Provide Shop Accountability. . 34 Attanasio - Fill the Void—How to Find and Retain Good Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Attanasio - Shop Owner Invents Revolutionary Repair Estimating Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Attanasio - The Amazing Art of Chris Harsh . . . 44 Phillips - Following OEM Procedures Will Help Avoid Surprises, Injuries, Delays . . . . . 52

they have the right to choose where they have their vehicle serviced and repaired even while it’s on the manufacturers’ warranty,” commented Rodney Pierini, CAWA President & CEO. Contact Jennifer Zins, CAWA Director of Government Affairs, to be informed because it could mean more parts sold and services performed in the aftermarket when the vehicle is still under the manufacturers’ warranty. She can be reached at Jennifer@perrycom.com or 916871-0603.

Don’t Miss the www.autobodynews.com Weekly AUTOBODY Industry NEWS Your Shop Needs.

for Connected Car Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Arizona Suspends Uber’s Driverless Car Tests . . 60

www.autobodynews.com

ASA Endorsement of OEM Service Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 CAWA Asks AZ to Teach Public on Auto Warranty Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 FedEx Reserves 20 Tesla Semi Electric Trucks . 61 How Self-Driving Car Policy Will Determine Life, Death and Everything In Between . . . . . . . . . 4 James Roach Receives I-CAR Founder’s Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Mopar Masters Guild Annual Meeting Mixes Business With Fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 MSO Drops Use of PartsTrader, Remains on State Farm’s 'Select Service' Program . . . . . 1 New Auto Aftermarket Insurance Provider Won’t Ding You On Premiums . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 San Antonio Hosting Sherwin-Williams EcoLean Level 1 Workshop . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli, Gary Ledoux Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Digital Marketing Manager: Bill Pierce Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Michelle Lucas Online and Web Content Editor: Rochelle Beckel Accounting Manager: Heather Priddy Editorial/Sales Assistant: Randi Scholtes

Serving Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and adjacent metro areas. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the autobody industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2018 Adamantine Media LLC. Autobody News Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018; (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Kia Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Launch Tech USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Bettenhausen Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Laurel Auto Group of Westmont . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Blue Springs Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Luther Bloomington Acura-Subaru . . . . . . . . . 48

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Malco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Bob Hook Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Maplewood Toyota-Scion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Borton Volvo Cars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . 60

CarcoonAmerica Airflow Systems. . . . . . . . . . . 8

McGrath City Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Charles Gabus Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Mercedes-Benz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Classic Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . 60

Courtesy Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . 36-37

Shelly Bickett Receives MIW Award. . . . . . . . . 59

Dent Magic Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Morrison’s Auto Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

State Farm Responds to Claims of Influencing

Diamond Standard Parts, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . 57

ECS Automotive Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Original One PartsTM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

EMS Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Patrick BMW MINI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Equalizer Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Patrick Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Non-OEM Auto Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Tesla Says Autopilot Was Engaged During Model X Fatal Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Todd Tracy to Speak at May AASP-MO

COLUMNISTS

After CAWA Legislative Advocate Stuart Goodman met with the Attorney General’s Office to discuss the importance of alerting consumers of their rights under the Magnusson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA), the Office amended its website to include information on the MMWA. See this link to view the information: https://www.azag .gov/consumer/cars. “This action on the part of Arizona’s Attorney General is in the consuming public’s interests and sends the message that

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

REGIONAL

CAWA Asks AZ to Teach Public on Auto Warranty Rights

Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills . . . . . . . . . . . 26

PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,6

Erhard BMW of Farmington Hills . . . . . . . . . . 26

Richfield-Bloomington Honda. . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Robaina Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Griffin Automotive Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

SATA Dan-Am Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

GYS Welding USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Spanesi Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Verdict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

H.E.W. And Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . 55

Toyota Suspends Self-Driving Test Program . . 60

Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 32-33

Symach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . 49

The Sharpe Collection of Automobiles . . . . . . 34

Infiniti of Naperville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Toyota of Des Moines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Intrepid Direct Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Jack Phelan Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram

Valspar Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Todd Tracy’s 10 Ways to Avoid a $42 Million

Uber’s Former Self-Driving Chief Still Believes in Dream of Safer Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 WIN ‘Racing to Connect’ at the 2018 Educational Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 WIN Announces Speakers for 2018 Educational Conference in Indianapolis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

of Countryside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

VanDevere Kia-GM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Jake Sweeney Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 61

Kelly BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Kia of Des Moines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Zimmer Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram . . . . . . . . 64

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

How Self-Driving Car Policy Will Determine Life, Death and Everything In Between by Brett Frischmann and Evan Selinger, Motherboard

Self-driving cars are here. More are on their way. Major automakers and Silicon Valley giants are clamoring to develop and release fully autonomous cars to safely and efficiently chauffeur us. Some models won’t even include a steering wheel. Along with many challenges, technical and otherwise, there is one fundamental political question that is too easily brushed aside: Who decides on how transportation algorithms will make decisions about life, death and everything in between? The recent fatality involving a self-driving Uber vehicle won’t be the last incident where human life is lost. Indeed, no matter how many lives self-driving cars save, accidents still will happen. Imagine you’re in a self-driving car going down a road when, suddenly, the large propane tanks hauled by the truck in front of you fall out and fly in your direction. A split-second decision needs to be made, and you can’t think through the outcomes and tradeoffs for every possible response. Fortunately, the smart system driving your car can run through tons of scenarios at lightning fast speed. How, then, should it determine moral priority? Consider the following possibilities: 1. Your car should stay in its lane and absorbs the damage, thereby making it likely that you’ll die. 2. Your car should save your life by swerving into the left lane and hitting the car there, sending the passengers to their deaths—passengers known, according to their big data profiles, to have several small children. 3. Your car should save your life by swerving into the right lane and hit the car there, sending the lone passenger to her death—a passenger known, according to her big data profile, to be a scientist who is coming close to finding a cure for cancer. 4. Your car should save the lives worth the most, measured according to amount of money paid into a new form of life assurance insurance. Assume that each person in 4

a vehicle could purchase insurance against these types of rare but inevitable accidents, and then, smart cars would prioritize based on their ability and willingness to pay. 5. Your car should save your life and embrace a neutrality principle in deciding among the means for doing so, perhaps by flipping a simulated coin and swerving to the right if heads comes up and swerving to the left if it’s tails.

Credit: Shutterstock

6. Your car shouldn’t prioritize your life and should embrace a neutrality principle by randomly choosing among the three options. 7. Your car should execute whatever option most closely matches your personal value system and the moral choices you would have made if you were capable of doing so. Assume that when you first purchased your car, you took a self-driving car morality test consisting of a battery of scenarios like this one and that the results “programmed” your vehicle. There’s no value-free way to determine what the autonomous car should do. The choice presented by options 1–7 shouldn’t be seen as a computational problem that can be “solved” by big data, sophisticated algorithms, machine learning, or any form of artificial intelligence. These tools can help evaluate and execute options, but ultimately, someone— some human beings—must choose and have their values baked into the software. Who should get decision-making power? Should it be politicians? The market? Insurance companies? Automotive executives? Technologists? Should consumers be allowed to customize the moral dashboard of their cars so that their vehicles execute moral decisions that are in line with their own preferences? Don’t be fooled when people talk about AI as if it alleviates the

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

need for human beings to make these moral decisions, as if AI necessarily will take care of everything for us. Sure, AI can be designed to make emergent, non-transparent and even inexplicable decisions. But since the shift from human drivers to passive passengers in self-driving cars shifts decision-making from drivers to designers and programmers, governance remains essential. It’s only a question of which form of governance gets adopted. The scenario we’ve described is based on an old philosophical thought experiment called the trolley problem. In the original experiment, a person is faced with the decision about pulling a level to divert a trolley from one track to another and in doing so, save five lives but take another. MIT developed a modern interactive version called the Moral Machine. It’s not surprising that the trolley problem comes up in virtually every discussion of autonomous vehicles. To date, the debate has primarily focused on death-dealing accidents and raised important questions about who gets to decide who lives and dies. Some insist that the question of who decides must be resolved before autonomous cars are given free rein on the roads. Others argue that such decisions concern edge cases and should be deferred to the future so that innovation won’t be stalled. And some deny that the trolley problem scenarios are even relevant, once super smart braking systems are built into each car. The critical social policy questions need to be addressed proactively while systems are being designed, built, and tested. Otherwise, values become entrenched as they’re embedded in the technology. That may be the aim of denialists pining for perfectly safe systems (unless they’re truly deluded by technoutopian dreams). The edge case argument is more reasonable if you focus exclusively on the trolley problem dilemma. But the trolley problem captures one small, albeit important piece of the puzzle. To see why, we need to consider scenarios that don’t involve life-or-death decisions.

Let’s focus on accidents. Selfdriving cars will reduce the number of accidents, but again, do not be fooled by the siren’s call of perfection. There still will be accidents that cause:

• considerable bodily loss, such as the loss of limbs, but not death;

• considerable bodily damage that disables the injured person for 24 months;

• considerable mental damage that limits the injured person’s ability to ride in an automobile and forces the person to use less efficient modes of transportation;

• considerable damage to the person’s vehicle; or • damage and delays.

Assume that the smart system driving your car is presented with various options that allocate these costs according to the logics reflected in the death-dealing accident scenario. Again, there’s no value-free way to decide, and it’s not an ad hoc decision. Engineers will embed the ethics in decision-making algorithms and code. Again, society must determine how to proceed proactively. Keep in mind that this governance issue is not about assigning fault; it is only about how to determine moral priority and who should bear the social costs. (Of course, as we transition to smart transportation systems over the next few decades, determining fault may be quite important.) Now, put aside accidents, and still, there are many other costs and benefits that smart transportation systems will be asked to manage. Suppose weather causes a disruption and smart traffic management systems kick in. What should the systems optimize? Should the objective be to minimize congestion or the social costs of congestion? Perhaps letting some folks wait for a while on a fully congested road would allow other folks to get to their destination more quickly. Maybe people should be able to pay for higher priority, in which case their vehicles receive See Self-Driving, Page 15

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Minnesota Senators File Bill to Ban Self-Driving Cars by David A. Wood, CarComplaints.com

Four Minnesota senators have introduced a bill that would ban selfdriving cars from state highways and roads unless the automated driving systems were disabled and humans performed all the driving tasks. Senators Jim Abeler, John A. Hoffman, Rich Draheim and Carrie Ruud filed the bill after an Arizona woman was hit and killed by a self-driving Volvo SUV owned and tested by ride-hailing company Uber. Although video of the crash shows the woman walking into the lane of the SUV, autonomous technology on the Uber should have easily spotted the woman and at least slowed the SUV. But according to the video and police reports, the SUV never tried to avoid the pedestrian and the human driver sitting behind the wheel did absolutely nothing to avoid the crash. The Minnesota senators likely watched the ordeal involving Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who had welcomed Uber and other self-

driving companies with open arms and lax regulations in an effort to bring business to the state. However, the Phoenix crash caused Ducey to suspend Uber’s ability to test autonomous technology in the state, although the suspension doesn’t apply to other companies. It’s a good bet Senator Abeler and the others are trying to start a serious conversation about how to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in Minnesota. The Minnesota bill describes the terms and definitions that apply to self-driving technology, starting with prohibited “automated driving systems.” Those systems use hardware and software that are capable of all driving tasks without any intervention or supervision by a human. Those tasks are steering, braking, monitoring the road and vehicles, accelerating, responding to events and all aspects of driving except “strategic aspects of driving,” such as determining destinations. We thank CarComplaints.com for reprint permission.

WI Collision Repair Center Owner Among 17 Women Recognized With Award

Angela Goff Chmura, owner of Goff’s Collision Repair Centers (Waukesha, WI), is among 17 women selected for a 2018 Wisconsin Governor’s Trailblazer Award for Women in Business. Award recipients were announced by the Office of Governor Scott Walker on March 30, 2018. Chmura is one of two business owners recognized in the new Forward Award category, honoring majority woman-owned businesses with more than 100 employees. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, only 0.7%—less than 1 percent of woman-owned businesses nationwide—have 100 or more employees. Indeed, the vast majority of all female- and male-owned small businesses with employees (other than the owner) have fewer than five employees. Trailblazer Awards honor the rich legacy and economic impact of women’s business ownership in Wisconsin’s economy. The 17 businesses selected for 2018 awards represent 10 Wisconsin counties and a wide range of industries—in6

cluding non-traditional industries for women. Awards will be presented in a ceremony at the State Capitol in May. “The value of these winners is not just in the past accomplishments we celebrate today. It is also in the women their trailblazing example will inform and inspire in the future to follow their own entrepreneurial passions and dreams,” said Mary Jo Baas, Chair, Wisconsin Women’s Council. The Governor’s Trailblazer Awards for Women in Business are hosted by the Office of the Governor, Office of the Lieutenant Governor and Wisconsin Women’s Council, in partnership with BMO Harris Bank (lead corporate sponsor), The WIDGET Source, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC), Wisconsin Women’s Business Certification Program and Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC). For a complete list of award recipients and more information, visit www.womenscouncil.wi.gov/ trailblazer.

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

KS Consumers Asked to Check for Recall of Defective Vehicle Airbags

Takata, ended a multi-state investigation into the company’s failKansas Attorney General Derek ure to timely share known safety Schmidt recently asked Kansans to defects in airbag inflators that use check with their auto dealers or on- phase-stabilized ammonium niline to see if their vehicle airbags trate as a propellant. “These airbags, which are in many makes and models of vehicles, can be dangerous and sometimes deadly,” Schmidt said. “As part of the legal settlement, they can be replaced at no cost to the vehicle owner. I urge Consumer Alert: Kansas AG Derek Schmidt asks conKansans to take a few sumers to check for recall of defective vehicle airbags minutes to check whether are the subject of a recall following their vehicles are affected and, if so, the settlement of a lawsuit with the to arrange for a replacement.” airbag manufacturer. Schmidt encouraged all Schmidt said a settlement was Kansans to check the National reached surrounding the massive Highway Traffic Safety AdminisTakata airbag recall, which recalled tration’s website at https://www more than 8 million vehicles na- .nhtsa.gov/recall-spotlight/takatationwide. air-bags or with their local automoThe settlement between the bile dealers to see if their vehicles attorneys general of 44 states— are affected. including Kansas and Washington D.C.—and TK Holdings, Inc., We thank STL News for reprint perwhich is the U.S. subsidiary of mission. by Marty Smith, STL News

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

MO House to Repeal Auto Safety Inspections

The Missouri House Transportation Committee passed House Bill (HB) 1444. If enacted, HB 1444 would repeal Missouri’s vehicle safety inspection program. Despite testimonies in support of the Missouri safety inspection program from ASA-Midwest member Ben Steinman, the Missouri state highway patrol, AAA and other organizations at the Committee’s Feb. 7 hearing, the bill has continued to gather support in the Missouri House. ASA continues to oppose HB 1444 and encourages all interested parties in Missouri to visit TakingTheHill.com to contact their state representatives in opposition. The Automotive Service Association is the largest not-forprofit trade association of its kind dedicated to and governed by independent automotive service and collision repair professionals. ASA serves an international membership base that includes numerous state affiliate and chapter groups.

SCC Hosts Annual Statewide SkillsUSA Competition in MN by Tyler Seggerman, KEYC Mankato

Hands-on experience—that’s what thousands of scholars throughout Minnesota achieve at a technical school. On March 24, they put it to the test. For the last 50 years, SkillsUSA Minnesota has held state competitions to not only test the knowledge of students, but to create competition in an effort to bring out everyone’s best. While instructors and class material can prepare these young minds for their future career aspirations, the March 24 event allowed them to get a taste of what life will be like once they graduate. “[It] actually helps you realize that there are deadlines in the real world and you have to meet those deadlines whether you think you can or not,” South Central College second year student Trevor Bitterman said. “I mean, it makes it difficult with the time crunch, but there’s nothing you can do about it. You’ve just got to push through it and do your best.” Three of the 92 different competitions offered through SkillsUSA

took place inside South Central College: collision repair, auto service and mechatronics. Depending on the competition they participated in, students had a set amount of time to use the tools they were given to either create or repair a product.

In the auto collision category alone, there were six different competitions. In one station, students refinished a fender by applying a waterborne basecoat, to be judged later on based on appearance. Applying a coat of paint was only one aspect of the fender challenge—competitors only had 45 minutes to fix and clean the piece of metal. More than 35 students representing schools throughout the state

competed. Hard work and perseverance, as showcased that day, can help prepare them for the future. “[It] really looks good on their resume to have the confidence to come and compete against all the students from around the state,” said SCC instructor Jay Winters. “If you’re fortunate enough to win the contest, move on to the national contest and show you have the skills that it takes to succeed in a collision repair career.” SkillsUSA will announce all award recipients at a special ceremony on March 28 at the Doubletree in Bloomington from 8–10:15 p.m., with select students moving on to the national competition in Louisville, KY, which runs from June 25–30. More than 6,500 students from across the country will participate in Nationals. If you’d like to know more about SkillsUSA or these competitions, visit skillsusa.org.

We thank KEYC Mankato for reprint permission.

Th The Carcoon A W Features: The T Th he C Carcoon Ca C arcoon America arco Amer Am A America eriiica ca Workstation Workstation W orkk ork ks ati kst a iiio on nF Fe F ea e eat atures: a tu tures: tur t es:

• A massive 179 square feet of filtration area. • Two huge input filters (over 36sf ) clean the air going through the Workstation.

• Four Paint Arrest Filters (140+ square feet) and two Activated • Charcoal Filters ensure the air going back into the environment is clean and EPA compliant.

Different Diff fferent ffe ren nt Sizes Sizes Sizes Available—Including: S Availab A Availabl ble le—IIncludin ncllud diing: g:

• 13’x11’—Parts, pieces and motorcycles. • 30’x14’—Any full size vehicle. • 35’x16’x12’5” tall—As above but also Sprinter vans, small boats, and smaller RVs.

• 60’x16’x12’5” tall—Full size RVs, boats, large trucks, etc. Lighting: LLighting: Ligh ghtiing g:

• Four large clear windows provide ample lighting. • Additional stand lights can be placed outside the booth.

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

A Smart Solution. The The Carcoon Car arco co oon on America Am A meerica ric Workstation Wo orksta atio on works work wo orks ks the the he same sam sa me and an and just ju ust as effectively eff ffecctivvely as as a cross-flow cros rosss--fl flow flo fl w paint paiint booth. ootth The Th T he Carcoon Carrco Ca C oon America oo Am me erricca Workstation Work Wo Work kstation kst atiion n is is EPA E A Certified. Cer fi C fie ed Ideal Ideall for fo or the the busy b sy body b dy bod dy shop-mobile sh p-m mob bile technician/smaller tech ttechn hn nician/smaller nici ian n/smaller shop sh hop ho p with w th limited llim mited facilities. fa facil cilliti ities. es

866.910.0899 www.carcoonworkstation.com

New Auto Aftermarket Insurance Provider Won’t Ding You On Premiums

Intrepid Direct Insurance welds industry experience with factory-direct pricing Intrepid Direct Insurance (Intrepid) is the option you wish existed when you shopped insurance last year. Better coverage, better service and better pricing all combined is their commitment. Headed by a

leader in automotive aftermarket and insurance industries, Intrepid is driven to provide quality insurance solutions for quality automotive business owners. A leader in auto aftermarket insurance for more than 25 years, David Willett heads up Intrepid’s new auto repair garage insurance operations. Willett helped form every customer touchpoint of the business, drawing from his knowledge of the complex landscape facing auto repair garage owners today. He designed Intrepid’s auto aftermarket division

to be a clear, efficient insurance op- they can make fast decisions and tion to add value to customers’ busi- have a single point of contact for all nesses. claims, no matter what line “Intrepid Direct Inof business. surance is auto aftermarket business insurance the • Better price: No midway it ought to be,” said dleman to pay means a David Willett, general lower price for customers manager, Auto Aftermardue in one monthly payket for Intrepid Direct Inment with no fees or fisurance. “We developed nance charges. David Willett an intuitive technology solution to create a better collision re- About Intrepid Direct pair business owner experience.” Insurance Better coverage, better service Intrepid Direct Insurance is a techand a better price at IntrepidDi- advanced, comprehensive direct rect.com/auto-repair all make In- insurance provider that saves custrepid a clear choice: tomers 15 percent on insurance, on average. Intrepid Direct Insurance • Better coverage: Customers maximizes ease by eliminating the personalize one bundle, choosing traditional buying process, providfrom garage liability, property, ing quotes in less than 48 hours, cyber risk, garage keepers, work- making purchasing, payments and ers’ compensation, owned auto- claims quick and easy. Owners can mobile, auto inventory, pollution start a free quote at IntrepidDirect liability, general liability, um- .com. brella and EPL, including discrimination/harassment. Contact: David Willett • Better service: Customers work Intrepid Direct Insurance directly with Intrepid. They are the dwillett@intrepiddirect.com agent and the insurance carrier so 913-217-4268

CARSTAR Opens New Location in Howard, WI

CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts announced the opening of CARSTAR Wilson Lineville, located at 1651 Brookfield Ave., Unit F6, in Howard, WI. This is a satellite location for convenient customer drop-off and pick-up, and supports CARSTAR Wilson Green Bay West, located at 750 Hansen Rd., Green Bay, WI. Kevin Wilson also owns CARSTAR Wilson Niagra at 785 Coolidge Ave., Niagara, WI 54154. He joined the CARSTAR family in 2014. CARSTAR Wilson Lineville offers free collision repair estimates, state-of-the-art unibody and frame repair equipment, bumper repair, expert color matching, towing assistance, vehicle pick-up and delivery, a nationwide warranty for most repairs and rental cars through Enterprise. The certified technicians at CARSTAR Wilson Lineville are trained to work on all makes and models and participate in ongoing education programs on the latest vehicle technologies and materials. Business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

St. Paul, MN, Collision Repair Shop Aims to Keep Air Cleaner by Marjorie Otto, Lillie News

As a way to reduce pollution and keep the air cleaner in its neighborhood, O’Keeffe’s Collision has been awarded grants to help install a new painting system. The 7-year-old neighborhood collision repair shop, located at 860 Payne Ave. in St. Paul, MN, has been awarded grants from the Environmental Protection Agency and Minneapolis-based nonprofit Environment Initiative to help cover about $29,000 of an $80,000 total cost to replace its current paint system with one that will use waterborne paint, which is better for the environment. Many collision repair shops in Minnesota still use solvent-based paints, which contain volatile organic compounds. These compounds, when released into the air while painting, mix with other pollutants and create ground-level ozone, more commonly known as smog. According to Environmental Initiative, the switch from solvent to waterborne car-painting systems reduces volatile organic compound emissions by 45 to 65 percent. Dan Solis, an estimator at O’Keeffe’s, said not only does the water-

borne system reduce volatile organic compound emissions, but it also makes it easier to match paint colors when working on a customer’s vehicle. He said it makes it cheaper too, because the process uses less paint overall.

O’Keeffe’s Collision was recently awarded $29,000 in grants to help cover the $80,000 cost of installing a new water-based paint system that will help improve local air quality. Credit: Marjorie Otto, Review

He said most car manufacturers switched to using water-based paints years ago, and Minnesota has been making plans to eventually outlaw the use of solvent-based paints in about four or five years. By making the switch now, Solis said the shop stays ahead of the curve. According to the Life and Breath report from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota

Mike Anderson Visits ASA-OH to Discuss Disassembly

by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On March 9 and 10, ASA-OH hosted Mike Anderson of Collision Advice for a presentation on “100% Disassembly and Parts Procurement Best Practices.”

According to ASA-OH Executive Director Matt Dougher, “Mike explained the importance of the 100 percent disassembly process during the repair to ensure a safe, proper and complete repair of your customer’s vehicle. He provided tips on how to implement the process and instill the culture with team members. “Mike is always well-received by attendees in Ohio. Attendees always walk away with information on how to better manage their business and become more profitable. 10

This event exceeded all expectations with a record number of attendees, and the feedback from [them] was excellent. “One of ASA Ohio’s most important missions is to provide shop owners and their team members with educational opportunities. This workshop was designed to demonstrate the importance of 100 percent disassembly and why the process is essential to the safe, proper and complete repair of your customer’s automobile. Association-sponsored events are important because today’s automobiles are very complex and difficult to repair. Shop owners will need to continue to educate themselves on business processes and be successful in the collision repair business. ASA-Ohio is the leading organization in Ohio that provides the most up-to-date training for the collision industry.” For more information on ASA-OH, visit www.asaohio.org.

www.autobodynews.com

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Department of Health, the negative effects of air pollution often fall disproportionately on lower-income residents, people of color and the elderly. The Metropolitan Council has identified the East Side as an area where about 40 percent of household incomes fall far below the federal poverty threshold. About 50 percent of the neighborhood population is people of color. The MPCA has also identified that about two-thirds of the air pollution in the state comes from smaller sources—like small auto shops—because they aren’t as heavily regulated as large industrial facilities. “Minnesota is fortunate to have generally good air quality, but we still face troubling disparities across economic and socio-demographic populations. Simply put, we don’t all breathe the same air and we need to improve that,” said Bill Droessler, senior director of strategic project planning for Environmental Initiative. Angie O’Keeffe, who owns the shop with her husband, David, said keeping the neighborhood clean has “meant a lot to us from the start.” She grew up on the East Side, graduated from Johnson High School

and her first job was on Payne Avenue. When she and her husband took over the shop seven years ago, O’Keeffe said it was in rough shape and many in the community complained it was an eyesore. Now that it’s cleaned up, she said many other local businesses compliment them. “We just like to help and contribute,” O’Keeffe said, adding that the neighborhood is important to her and her husband. Solis added that switching to waterborne paint will cut back on the paint odors coming from the shop, which he hopes will benefit the shop’s restaurant neighbors during the summer patio season. O’Keeffe’s will install the new painting system in a few months, Solis said. He added that it was just ordered and it will take about six to eight weeks for the system to be constructed and shipped from Italy. He said once the system is installed, the shop plans to host an open house for the neighborhood to come check it out. We thank Lillie News for reprint permission.

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Middlebrook Auto and Collision Continues for Five Generations in Iowa by Melody Keilig, CorydonTimes.com

Mike Middlebrook has been working in the auto mechanic industry for 25 years, but his experience started at age 14 when he started helping his father, Dennis Middlebrook, in the shop with various engines and auto parts. Just like his father, Mike has been officially working under his auto mechanic certification since he graduated from Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, IA. “It’s always what I wanted to do,” Mike said. His son, Jeffrey Middlebrook, 21, also started helping out in the shop when he was around 14 years old, and is now employed full-time by the family business. Jeffrey also graduated from Indian Hills, but his specialty is auto body painting. He said that he was always more interested in making the vehicles look nice, but he also does some auto mechanic work. The paint room in the shop is known as his area, where he can mix any kind of paint. “I was more into the painting side of things,” Jeffrey said. “I was

more into the looks of the vehicles and making them look nice—not so much the mechanic side.” Middlebrook Auto started with Floyd Middlebrook, Mike’s greatgrandfather, when the standard station was built in 1939. Mert, Mike’s grand-

Jeffrey and Mike Middlebrook stand in their new body shop. Credit: Melody Keilig

father, built the building that now houses the body shop in the 1950s. The building was recently redone with a new work and office space. Although the auto shop has been in the family for five generations, other members of the Middlebrook family have found other job fields. Mendy Middlebrook, Mike’s wife, works at the courthouse in town. Their younger son, Jared, 17, attends

Adams Auto Body and Service Center in McHenry, IL, Celebrates 60 Years by Brittany Keeperman, Northwest Herald

A McHenry, IL, auto body business is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Adams Auto Body and Service Center owner Jay Adams bought the business from his father in 1990. The company is celebrating 60 years in business

Adams Auto Body and Service Center, 1811 W. Route 120, is a second-generation, family-owned collision repair business. The company started with a handful of customers who brought their cars to original owner Jim Adams’ garage. The business now processes between 40 and 50 cars a day. “We’ve been fortunate,” said Jay Adams, who bought his dad’s business in 1990. “Customer service is the key, and it’s the reason folks 12

are happy to refer us to their family and friends.” The business employs 23 body tech, paint, mechanical, estimating and other employees. Many have been with the company for more than a decade. The company prides itself on keeping up with the best modern practices in the industry, which includes investing in equipment and training. General manager Rick Corso said the shop has bought about $14,000 worth of equipment in recent months to enable crews to repair new all-aluminum vehicles, such as Ford’s F-150, F-250 and F350 trucks. “We have a self-piercing riveting gun and a high-pressure aluminum welder,” Corso said. “We’re on our second full structural repair. Our guys are in the certification process. We’re ready.” The McHenry facility serves customers from Lake, McHenry, Kane and Cook counties. We thank Northwest Herald for reprint permission.

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Wayne Community High School and plans to get into the real estate business. Kay Middlebrook, Dennis’ wife, is retired from her position as the Wayne County Assessor, but still serves as the shop’s bookkeeper. The new addition to the Middlebrook Auto and Collision building was a community effort. Mike said that without the help of his family and friends, remodeling wouldn’t have been possible. The electrical work was done by Charles Hodkins, the concrete by Craig Onstont, his son, Dusty, and son-in-law, Dustin, and the plumbing by John Buttz of Southern Iowa Plumbing and Clayton Plumbing and Heating. “Everyone that worked for me did excellent work,” Mike said. As for future plans for the business, Mike said they will be tearing down the building out front that was once known as the Dairy Sweet to

build a parking lot for the shop. Since its end in 1983, the building has remained standing. The family bought the building back in the 1990s. A lot has changed over the years, especially the types of vehicles Mike worked on as a teenager. “Technology has changed the vehicle dramatically,” he said. “I grew up on the old carburetors and points, distributors. You don’t even have a distributor today. Things are distributor-less.” As time passes, the auto industry and new vehicles are bound to continue changing, as well as the future of Middlebrook Auto and Collision itself. Jeffrey said he can see himself continuing the family business, and Mike said he is proud to have him working in the auto shop. We thank CorydonTimes.com for reprint permission.

Call orwww.autobodynews.com Email Now for Rates: AUTOBODY

800-699-8251

ltedesco@autobodynews.com

Faster & Easier Steel & Aluminum Repair SMART RESISTANCE SPOT WELDER

NEOPULSE 300-T2

AUTO MODE makes this machine extremely simple to use

Double pulse MIG/MAG 270A welding machine for unrivalled welding quality

GYSPOT PTI SMART WELDER AUTO MODE for easy operation on High Strength steel (UHSS/Baron), High Pressure clamping force with up to 14,500 amps of power

DENTSTATION COMBI STEEL & ALUMINUM DENT REPAIR

Jeep-

Repair instead of replace for less downtime and more profit

GYS Welding USA

636-405-2800

info@gysweldingusa.com www.gysweldingusa.com Join our distributor network

GYSPRESS 8T Universal car body self-piercing riveting system. Operates on a pneumatic closed hydraulic system. Adjustable speed and pressure up to 8 tons

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

WIN Announces Speakers for 2018 Educational Conference in Indianapolis

The Women’s Industry Network (WIN®) is proud to announce the speakers who have been selected to present at the 2018 Educational Conference being held May 7–9, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis. “Racing to Connect” was revealed earlier this year as the theme of the event. The connections between individuals, within teams and

• Dr. Eric Goldstein, The Paul Hertz Group, “PRINT Program”

• Greg Horn, The Hartford, “Collision Repair Industry Update” • Ben Komenkul, “Traveling the World with your Family for Free: The Secret Primer to Award Travel”

• Bogi Lateiner, “Bogis’ Garage – Connecting the Next Generation”

• Brad Mewes, Supplement, “Mastermind Groups, Budgeting and Goal Setting” within connected cars are a focus of many of the conference presentations. In addition to Dr. Lois Frankel, who was announced in March as the conference keynote, the following speakers have been secured for the event:

• Denise Caspersen, asTech, “Calibrating, Pre- and Post-Scan”

• Brittany and Courtney Force, John Force Racing Group, “Racing for Success”

• Jim Webber, author Evil Skippy at Work, “Toxic People: How To Work With Them Without Becoming One of Them”

Kristen Felder of Collision Hub will also moderate the panel discussion “Connected Cars.” Panelists include Danielle Babino, I-CAR; Debbie Day, Mitchell; and Jake Rodenroth, asTech. “We are excited to bring a strong line-up of speakers that will present both relevant industry content and leadership and management topics. These presentations

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

will provide advice and motivate participants to drive success in their everyday lives,” stated conference co-chair Denise Kingstrom Fernandez. Attendees will also have an opportunity to participate in the annual WIN Scholarship Walk, which benefits the WIN Scholarship Fund and the Most Influential Women (MIW) and Scholarship Awards Gala. Both of these events will be held on Tuesday, May 8. Registration for conference is now open. The cost of attendance is $475 per person. Attendance as a guest for the Most Influential Women and Scholarship Awards Gala only is $80 per person. A block of rooms has been secured at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis to accommodate those attending the conference. Rooms are still available within the block, but filling very quickly.

To register for the conference, please visit https://www.regonline .com/2018WINconference.

To learn more about WIN, please visit the WIN website at www .womensindustrynetwork.com.

Todd Tracy to Speak at May AASP-MO Meeting

On Thursday, May 10, AASP-MO will host a meeting at Syberg’s Dorsett in Maryland Heights, MO, featuring Todd Tracy and his presentation “Anatomy of a Law-

suit,” focused on his landmark John Eagle lawsuit. The evening will begin at 6 P.M. with a Meet and Greet, including hors d’oeuvres, sponsored by Axalta, and the presentation will commence at 7 p.m.

For more information, visit aasp -mo.org. To register, contact AASP-MO Executive Director Ron Reiling at aaspmo@aol.com.

www.autobodynews.com

UPDATED DAILY

Continued from Page 4

Self-Driving Car

special treatment? Today, police cars, ambulances and buses sometimes get special treatment. But these narrow exceptions aside, our roads are managed without prioritization. First-come, first-served is the default. In the future, however, we will be able to make finer discriminations about the identities, destinations and activities of individual passengers. Armed with this information, would you place some folks in the fast lane and stick others in slower ones? Perhaps a woman on her way to a business meeting should get priority over a woman who is attending her son’s music recital. Or should it be the other way around? The decisions don’t end there. Suppose only one of the drivers is going to make her event on time and the other will arrive too late even if she speeds. Should the smart traffic management system determine who gets to go and inform the other person to stay home? Over time, these sorts of decisions can be

expected to occur frequently. Traffic management is a form of social planning. Decisions that get made in any single instance of solving the trolley problem, or any of the other scenarios we’ve noted, reflect broader governing principles and ethical logics embedded in technology. These decisions aggregate and over time become social patterns. So, don’t be fooled when engineers hide behind technical efficiency and proclaim to be free from moral decisions. “I’m just an engineer” isn’t an acceptable response to ethical questions. When engineered systems allocate life, death and everything in between, the stakes are inevitably moral. Brett M. Frischmann is a Charles Widger Endowed University professor in Law, Business and Economics at Villanova University, and Evan Selinger is a professor of philosophy at Rochester Institute of Technology. They are co-authors of Re-Engineering Humanity, Cambridge University Press: forthcoming in April 2018.

We thank Motherboard for reprint permission.

WIN ‘Racing to Connect’ at the 2018 Educational Conference

The Women’s Industry Network (WIN®) is pleased to announce that registration for the 2018 Educational Conference is now open.

Members registering before March 25 will receive a discounted rate of $425. For member registration after March 25, the rate is $475. Non-members may attend at a rate of $650. Attendance as a guest for the Most Influential Women and Scholarship Winners Gala only is $80 per person. This year’s conference theme, “Racing to Connect,” is reflected throughout the Conference agenda, with Conference content focused on connections between individuals, among teams and even within connected cars. This year’s speaker lineup will again draw from ex-

perts both within and outside of the collision repair industry. WIN is ecstatic to announce that Dr. Lois Frankel will deliver this year’s keynote address, “Leadership is a Women’s Art.” “This is an exciting opportunity for WIN to hold our 2018 Conference in the city of racing champions, Indianapolis,” stated Wendy Rogers, one of the 2018 Conference cochairs. “More of the exciting agenda will be released soon through WIN notes and on WIN’s social media sites. Stay tuned!” To register for the Conference, please visit https://www.regonline .com/2018WINconference. To view the Conference agenda, visit the WIN website at https://the womensindustrynetwork.site-ym .com/.

INSTAGRAM :

@autobodynews

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Former Auto Body Repairer to Take On Educator-Horticulture Role in NE by Tammy Real-McKeighan, Fremont Tribune

What does auto body repair have to do with horticulture? Ask Kathleen Cue, the new extension educator-horticulture in Dodge County, NE. On March 1, Cue began her job at the extension office in Fremont. Her duties include a range of responsibilities, from helping area residents find ways to manage tree insects and diseases to protecting private water sources. She’ll work with folks in the Master Gardener program and teach people how to have a pollinator garden. One of eight children, Cue’s gardening experience began years ago. Back then, Cue’s parents had her pull weeds in the family’s garden. “Vegetable gardening was a matter of necessity—coming from a family of 10 people,” she said. “Producing vegetables was important.” Pulling weeds wasn’t her favorite task and not something she wanted to do as a teenager. But Cue grew to appreciate gardening. “It wasn’t until I got married and had a family of my own that I figured out I actually enjoyed being in the garden,” she said. She became an avid gardener. So what does that have to do with auto body repair? Her parents had an auto body repair shop, where all their children worked. “I was an auto body repair person,” said Cue, who is from Iowa. Cue did auto body repair for about 10 years, while working on a degree in agriculture with an emphasis on horticulture. “One thing I really liked about gardening is that when you were talking to fellow gardeners, they always had a smile on their face. There was always a sense of fellowship in talking to a like-minded person. It seemed like a natural transition for me to focus on horticulture,” she said. While auto body repair and horticulture might seem like polar opposites, Cue sees a connection. Both involve getting to the root 16

of a problem. “There’s a similarity in that it’s about problem-solving,” she said. “Whether you have a wrinkle in your fender or you have a plant with a disease issue, it’s about taking those steps and asking those questions to figure out what needs to be done to correct the problem.”

she said. “It’s finding out what can be effective at the low end of the IPM (Integrated Pest Management) spectrum and then working your way up to something more aggressive if the lower ones don’t work—ultimately contributing to plant success. “If you have a plant that fails, that plant ends up in the landfill or the compost pile, so it’s really about contributing to plant success.” Cue can help residents find local answers to insect and weed identification; tree and shrub insects and diseases; turf grass management and questions about growing vegetables and small fruit. She works to protect priKathleen Cue, the new extension educator-horticulture in vate water sources. Dodge County, NE, stands in a lab in the Fremont office. “For instance, if you have Credit: Tammy Real-McKeighan, Fremont Tribune somebody who over-apCue earned her bachelor’s de- plies a pesticide of some kind and gree in agriculture from the Univer- that washes off the plant and goes sity of Nebraska-Lincoln and a into the ground water and contamimaster’s of agriculture degree with a nates the well, then that’s something focus on horticulture and adult learn- you’re drinking from and that’s a ing from Iowa State University in Ames. She and her husband, Ken, have two adult children, Katie and Kaleb. For the past 21 years, she’s worked as a horticulture assistant at Nebraska Extension in DouglasSarpy County. Now, she’s an extension educator. She likes the job. “The best thing about horticulture is that every day is different,” she said. “You don’t know if the client is going to come in and ask about their vegetable garden, or their tree or a wild flower they found in their garden. You get to see something different of what’s going on out there that people are growing.” Her job as an extension educator is multi-faceted. She can guide gardeners in taking steps to manage insects, disease and weeds in a way that doesn’t cause problems for the environment or people. For instance, a gardener may want to pick two bugs off of a plant instead of treating it. “Sometimes, you have 1,000 insects and you may need to go to the next step, which is insecticidal soap,”

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

problem,” she said. She stressed the importance of being aware of how much and when to apply a chemical. Prevention is key—following the label on the chemical to avoid over-applying it. “One thing that’s clear from pesticides, in general, is that the label’s the law and so you need to follow the label,” she said. “Occasionally, you run across somebody who—if the label says to use a tablespoon of something per gallon— thinks two tablespoons will be better, and that’s not the case. The dosage recommendations are based on trials that the manufacturer has conducted, and that’s why the label is the law.” If someone does over-apply a chemical, she’ll troubleshoot with a person to see what can be done. She also can talk about the benefits of having a garden, which can help growers save money and have access to food they didn’t have before. Cue will work with the Master See Horticulture Role, Page 20

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Career-Focused Programs Offer MN High School Students Several Options for a two-year degree first and then transferring to a four-year college to Sparks flew in Russ Tesmer’s auto complete the degree, or going body repair class as a group of stu- straight into an intensive industry dents practiced welding on an old car training program that will immedithat had been donated to Burnsville ately lead to a five- or six-figure job. High School in Minnesota. In Burnsville, the redesign effort signals a pretty radical departure from the common high school experience— one that valorizes four-year college pursuits and leaves most career exploration to off-site internships. “Students are being guided and counseled based on their own passions and interests. They learn about a wide variety of careers Students remove a bumper in Russ Tesmer’s welding and based on those passion and auto body repair class at Burnsville High School. Credit: interests,” said Kathy FunErin Hinrichs, MinnPost ston, director of strategic Nearby, on another vehicle, a partnerships and pathways for the group of students sent a few small Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School parts flying as they wrestled with a District. “We try to be very real with bumper they were trying to remove. them: Here is the pay scale. Here are As they master each skill set, the opportunities.” they update the photo-filled portfolio A similar high school expansion Tesmer has them keep so they’ll and redesign effort is nearing comhave something to show to prospec- pletion at Shakopee High School, tive employers. And for those who where students will begin enrolling enroll in the more advanced automo- in academies in the fall. tive course, where students repair staff members’ cars, he sends them The Career-Track Design off with a starter tool kit. In the Burnsville High School course Inside the main high school catalog, the pathway offerings are dibuilding, students in Anne Werner- vided into four main career fields: Dempsey’s nursing class practiced arts, global communications and inputting on gowns and gloves and formation systems; design, engineerthen taking them off, perfecting a ing and manufacturing technologies; technique that’ll ensure they don’t business, management and entrepreget contaminated when working with neurship; and health sciences and patients. human services. Within each career By the time they complete the field, there are multiple career pathclass, they’ll be fully prepared to ways that lay out a recommended setake the Certified Nursing Assistant ries of classes. exam. If they choose to take it and But if students have a change of pass, they’ll qualify for an in-de- heart, they’re able to test out another mand job before they even graduate career pathway—free of the finan—one that could serve as a stepping cial consequences they’d have to stone while they pursue a nursing de- deal with if they decided to drastigree. cally alter course once they’d already The pathways program at enrolled in a postsecondary program. Burnsville High School officially “What we’re hoping to see is launched in the fall of 2016. Funded that the work they are doing in high by a referendum, it was part of a high school—and the choices we’re helpschool expansion and redesign effort ing them make in high school—is aimed at ensuring that all graduates leading to better choices for postsecleave with a concrete plan—whether ondary education [and] less debt in that means enrolling in a four-year postsecondary education,” Funston college after graduating, or planning said. by Erin Hinrichs, MinnPost

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Shakopee’s academy model follows a similar design. Students entering their sophomore year are expected to enroll in one of six academies. Within each academy, there are a handful of “programs of study,” which

A student practices welding in an auto body class at Burnsville High School. Credit: Erin Hinrichs, MinnPost

are three-course sequences that take a student deeper into the technical skills of each particular career track. While there are no graduation requirements tied to how Burnsville students move through—or across — the various pathways, Shakopee graduates will be expected to complete at least one three-course sequence. “That’s where we’re a bit different—we tied a graduation require-

ment into the program,” explained Jeff Pawlicki, principal of Shakopee High School, noting the goal is to have students “see that progression, that line, so that when you get to the line of study there are more tangible skills you have, or something you can put on a résumé.” Ideally, that includes completing a sequence with some college credits as well, he said. And students should have enough room in their high school schedules to complete multiple programs of study, he said. For instance, students who first complete the health care course sequence could then enroll in the business and entrepreneurship academy to complement their passion for health care with a talent they have for business or sales. In both the Burnsville and the Shakopee models, students take an exploratory-type class their freshman year so they can begin to narrow in on their career interests. They also benefit from having school counselors and teachers help walk See Career-Focused, Page 30

Rates Starting at 5%

EQUIPMENT FINANCING When Your Bank Says No, We Say Yes! PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: • Approvals for credit scores as low as 500 • Financing available for any equipment starting from $5,000 • We work with startups & A - D credit levels rates starting at 5% • 90 Day deferred payment option potentially available

H.E.W. AND ASSOCIATES

CONTACT

301 Main St., Ste. 2200, Baton Rouge, LA 70805 www.hewandassociates.com

Randal Duhon Phone: 225-480-1150 rduhon@hewandassociates.com

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

CARSTAR Glenn’s Auto Body Selected for ‘Lincoln’s Choice Awards’ in NE

CARSTAR Glenn’s Auto Body was voted one of the top three winners in the 2018 Lincoln’s Choice Awards, held annually in Lincoln, NE. The Lincoln Journal Star unveiled the top three local businesses

in each category in the March 25 edition. Glenn’s CARSTAR received second place in the very competitive category that combined auto repair and body shops. “We are grateful that our customers and friends voted CARSTAR Glenn’s as one of Lincoln’s top choices,” said Allan Hillhouse, owner. “CARSTAR Glenn’s has been offering Lincoln residents quality repairs and great customer service for more than 50 years.”

AUTOBODY

Nominations were made online in January, where the top five automotive businesses were finalized. Voters chose their favorites during a two-week period in February. Results were published March 25 in a special section. The competition recognizes favorite businesses in more than 87 categories including transportation, dining, health and nightlife. Online ballots were cast by voters in the Lincoln area. Voters could choose restaurants, bars, salons, banks and other businesses. This is the seventh year the Lincoln Journal Star has offered this contest. CARSTAR Glenn’s is located at 2051 K Street in Lincoln, NE. There are four independently owned CARSTAR locations in Omaha and Lincoln.

www.autobodynews.com

UPDATED DAILY

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Continued from Page 16

Horticulture Role

Gardener program. Master Gardeners are volunteers, educated by Nebraska Extension, and then give back their time in the form of community service. She’ll work with the Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Certification Program. Bees and butterflies are examples of pollinators, which are important. “One-third of our food supply exists because an insect pollenated a plant,” she said. “If pollinators are threatened, and they are—the pollinator numbers are dropping—what can we do to ensure their success?” Cue can teach people how to have a garden that encourages pollinator activity that supports a food supply and habitat for them. “Thirty percent of all the pollinators overwinter in the hollow stems of plants,” she said. “If you’re a neatness guru and clean up your entire garden in the fall of the year, then you’ve just killed a lot of over-

wintering native pollinators. “If you leave it instead, and clean it up in the spring, those pollinators have a chance to emerge as adults, and you’re helping them survive.” Cue also talked about the importance of providing areas of soil, not covered by mulch, where native bees can winter and putting a stone or two in a bird bath that pollinators can land on to get a drink of water. She suggested planting a few more carrots, along with extra dill and parsley, and leaving them for butterflies to eat. Cue looks forward to getting to know the Master Gardeners and working with them to create a go-to place for people with gardening questions. As far as her own gardening is concerned, Cue now likes to pull weeds and even considers it therapeutic. “You can work out your frustrations,” she said, smiling. “You take it out on the weeds.” We thank Fremont Tribune for reprint permission.

Continued from Cover

Techs of Tomorrow: Vet Enrolls in Auto Body Courses at Waubonsee in IL, Becomes Tech

repair dynasty.” tor, Andy Macdonald, and the team “I knew then that Waubonsee at Spanesi Americas in Naperville,” he After serving in both the Marines would be the best place to go for what explained. “If all goes well, I hope to and the Coast Guard, Richard Gray I wanted to study,” Gray be full-time once I gradusaid he decided to pursue a career in said. ate in August 2018.” auto body because of the need for So far, Gray said he’s “Richard is a very polite technicians and his enjoyment of the enjoyed the plastic bumper and well-mannered indiwork. repair and the frame machine vidual. He is also someone The Waterman, IL, native started repair classes the most. who is not afraid to think taking courses at Waubonsee Com“The most challenging for himself and try things munity College after reading an arti- aspect I’ve dealt with so far on his own,” said Macdoncle in the Chicago Tribune about how is the anxiety around being ald. “These qualities assure Richard Gray the school is building an “auto body a little bit older than the avme that Richard will be a erage college freshman,” success in whatever endeavors he he explained. “However, chooses to pursue.” after the first day I learned that age demographics do For more information on Waubonnot matter, and that anyone see Community College, visit www who applies themselves .waubonsee.edu. and listens to what is being taught can do well.” In mid-April, Gray will begin interning at Spanesi SUBSCRIBE TO OUR Americas in the data collections and measurements department. “Thankfully while being CHANNEL: a student at Waubonsee, I Richard Gray began interning for Spanesi Americas in was able to network with its data collections and measurements department in mid-April my collision repair instrucby Victoria Antonelli

YOUTUBE

Autobody News

State Farm Responds

ifications due to State Farm’s instructions, threats and/or coercion.” State Farm attorneys have responded to the allegations, denying the insurer had any influence over the repair. “To the extent alleged, Defendant denies that it coerced or enticed any body shop to not follow vehicle manufacturer’s procedures, cut corners, take safety shortcuts, or do anything that jeopardizes members of the motoring public,” the response reads. “Defendant denies that it forced John Eagle to use deadly, dangerous, unproven, and untested adhesive rather than welds. Defendant also denies that it forced John Eagle to do anything in violation of OEM requirements.” State Farm is motioned to have the lawsuits dismissed, claiming the defense of unconstitutionality. A scheduling order for the case has yet to be filed. We thank glassBYTEs.com for reprint permission.

BLUE SPRINGS FORD Call our Wholesale Parts Hotline Today!

800-248-7760 816-229-3750 816-229-0605 Fax

We’re Open: Mon. - Fri. 7:30am - 6pm // Sat. 8pm - 4pm

• Dedicated Knowledgeable Wholesale Staff • Certified Parts Wholesaling Dealer • Powertrain Distributing Dealer • Over $1 Million in OEM Parts • Competitive Pricing • Online Ordering • Dependable Delivery 3200 South Outer Rd. // Blue Springs, MO 64015 autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Mitchell’s Comprehensive Database Provides Precise Dimensions Required for Proper, Safe Repair by Stacey Phillips

Autobody News recently visited Mitchell’s Technical Research Center (TRC) in San Diego, CA, to learn more about how the company collects automotive frame and unibody measurements for the collision repair industry. “This facility and the data we capture are really unique to our industry,” explained John Bachman, manager, Auto Physical Damage at Mitchell International. “By building our own database, Mitchell is better suited to respond to customer needs and provide industry-leading solutions. The data we collect are criti-

This includes scheduling vehicles to come in for measurement. Timothy Simoneau, Dan Kovar and Ed Donohue are content specialists. They measure vehicles and then add the information to the database. Timothy is a database administrator, and Dan specializes in CAD and 3D modeling. Matthew Mayercin is a graphics specialist who works out of Mitchell’s main headquarters about a mile and a half away from the TRC.

Q: A:

Barbara Davies, co-owner and general manager of Autobody News, received a demonstration of Mitchell Diagnostics from GeengYee Chong, product manager for Mitchell Auto Physical Damage

cal to collision repairers and others, so that vehicles can be properly repaired.” Mitchell started measuring vehicles in 1986 for its Vehicle Dimension Manuals. The TRC with 3D scanning equipment originally opened in 2012 and relocated to a larger space about a mile and a half away about a year ago. Bachman and Gil Silva, senior director, vendor relations at Mitchell, gave an overview of the facility, and then discussed the process and 3D scanning technology used to measure approximately 100 new vehicles every year.

Q: A:

John and Gil, how many are part of the team at TRC?

We have a team of five that works on this process of building the vehicle dimension database. Tom Beres is our supervisor and runs the day-to-day operations. 22

Q: A:

What do the measurements include?

Not only are we collecting vehicle dimension xyz-coordinate data, but we also take digital photos as part of our products. We create a composite image of the underbody and then produce a technical drawing. I liken it to a blueprint of the vehicle’s underbody. Our 3D coordinate measuring machine (CMM) allows us to probe and scan points on the vehicles. After we probe, we are able to do a high-definition scan to generate a 3D virtual image of the vehicle. Can you tell us about the 3D measuring equipment used?

The equipment we use is definitely unique. It’s very expensive and sophisticated, and typically, you wouldn’t see anything like this in a body shop.

There are three different pieces of equipment involved in the process. We use a CMM Arm, HD laser scanner and a spherical scanner. It’s basically a very precise 3D digitizer, and its primary purpose is to collect xyz coordinates and QA inspection.

What are some of the main benefits of providing this level of detail?

Having that 3D data is a lot more robust, detailed and accurate. Probably the most important thing is the accuracy of the equipment. We use very precise equipment

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

that measures in microns, which are thousandths of a millimeter. It provides repair technicians the level of accuracy necessary for a proper and safe structural repair. The level of detail we are able to gather provides highly accurate information for our collision repair partners, who use the data to realign the vehicles and restore them to their original specifications.

Q: A:

What makes Mitchell’s process unique?

I believe we are the only company in the collision repair industry that collects this level of measurement data. We have measured vehicles for 30 years in different forms. We started out printing books with dimension diagrams. Then we began offering the information on CDs. At one time, the information filled 17 CDs! When DVDs were introduced, we transferred everything to those. Eventually, we began offering the information online in our TechAdvisor product.

Mitchell standardizes the information for the industry and looks at the process from a collision repair aspect. We provide the same level of detail and information for all vehicles. Our goal is to be accurate, complete and easy to use.

Q: A:

Do you incorporate data from the OEMs?

We have access to OEM data as well. Some of the car manufacturers share information, but not in a database format. Often, the information is provided as a diagram and varies depending on the OEM. Others provide very little, if any, data. However, we do consider any OE data we receive. Occasionally, they will send us engineering data we can include. We collaborate with the OEM and share the same goal: to provide the information required to complete a proper and safe repair for all makes and models—the goal of everything we do related to vehicle repairs at Mitchell. See Mitchell’s, Page 55

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Big Wheels Customs Offers Both Collision and Mechanical in Lafayette, IN by Kathleen Merrill, The Lafayette Leader

A bonus about spending time with Big Wheels Customs owner Orlando Lopez is getting good ideas about how to run a successful business and have a happy life. The 34-year-old former Southern Californian, who has also lived in Detroit, co-owns the business with his 36-year-old brother, Jose. And although the two of them are all about family, this auto repair and customization business off Sagamore Parkway is about the customer first and foremost. “We’re here because of the people, so we want to make sure we do the best job we can,” Lopez said. “I feel like we’re in a perfect town.” The business does collision repair work such as auto body work, parts replacement and original and custom paint; auto repair such as brake service, tune-ups, radiator flushes and air conditioning repair; exhaust including headers; auto customization such as hydraulics, body kits, HID lighting and billet grills; suspension work such as ball joints, alignments and lift kits; tire and rim repair; and recently added window tinting. The business also sells new and used tires and new and used wheels, which was how they started in 2002. “Wheels and tires were our main business. We’ve been doing tires since we were 7 or 8 years old. Our family has tires shops in Detroit,” Lopez said. “As we started growing, we had a passion for cars. We started painting cars, lowering cars, lifting cars. I’m saying cars, but I mean everything.” They were first on South Street in a strip mall where they didn’t quite fit, Lopez said. Now they’re in a building that their former landlord built for them—one that they now own, he said proudly. “Running a business is very frustrating, but at the end of the day you have to remember the good parts,” he said. That includes when any of his four children come to the shop and pick up tools or get excited about the place. “We started on our own cars,” he said of the business’ growth. “As 24

Hiring people and letting them that he’s happy enough to come back do something they love is also imagain.” The job is never boring, Lopez portant. “When we hire people, their said. “We’re here more than we’re at own personalities tell you what they our home, more than we’re with our like and what they don’t like,” he wives or our children, so we need to said. “There’s no point in telling make sure we have a happy environ- someone to do what they don’t like.” Whether the business succeeds ment,” he said. “We’re very proud that we have 12 em- is very important, Lopez said. The ployees and we have [al- sacrifice his parents made to help ways] been able to provide them get started is not lost on him. “We’re a small mom-and-pop for them. Their families and their children depend on organization. We started this with our parents’ money,” he said. “We altheir checks.” Each day is different but ways joke that this is our parents’ somewhat the same, he 401K. They basically took what little said. Daily checklists are they had saved and said, ‘Do somemade for each employee thing. We’re gonna have faith that Big Wheels Customs co-owner Orlando Lopez talks about the types of repairs his shop does. They includes custom and those things have to get you will do something good.’” work, such as vehicle restoration. Credit: Kathleen Merrill He knows that small businesses done, which is one of the to him with an idea and he gets to things he oversees. Treating every- often don’t make it. “You either grow and improve bring it to life. Along the way, Or- one equally is important to him. lando said he and his brother have “Without this team, we cannot or you die out,” he said. “So the learned the best way to run their make this happen,” Lopez said. “No question becomes, what do I offer business is through trial and error. one is better than another person, that a customer can’t just click their ` “Because you don’t just know from the guy throwing the trash phone and get to a shop or their how to run a business when you start away to the guy making a $20,000 home? The answer to that is cusout,” he said. “We owe it all to our sale. We need both of those guys.” See Big Wheels Customs, Page 42 customers—all of it. Without them, you can’t make it happen. They trust us.” He compares today’s auto customizers to earlier pioneers. “In the 1800s, when all there was were horses, people wanted to differentiate themselves from the next guy. They would do different decorations on their saddles, put bows in their horses’ hair,” he said. “With cars, if every single car is the same, it’s boring. Somebody got bored of seeing the same thing and started making changes. And then every man has an ego.” Growing up in Southern CaliMention this ad fornia, he recalls every type of car: Local: 608.884.4436 and receive “The racers, the imports, the low ridFax: 608.884.8215 ers, the truck scene. We love them morrisons@morrisonsauto.com m all.” your next His favorite thing about the purchase! business is also the worst, Lopez said. www.morrisonsauto.com om “We could fail tomorrow, de6307 W. State Rd. 59 • Edgerton, WI 53534 pending on the economy and depending on the customers. We have Morrison’s Auto Parts is serious about delivering no backup,” he said. “We don’t have a rich uncle who could save us if we can’t make it next month. We have to treat the customer like he’s the last and our 11 Salespeople to help you get it! customer through the door and hope our customer base grew, they started asking us for things that we had on our cars. They said, ‘Make my car look like yours.’” Jose does auto mechanic work; Orlando does exhaust, fabrication and metal work. The self-described artist loves when a customer comes

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

d Family owne d and operate since 1958

10% Off

7 800.866.2277 77

Quality Auto Parts and Quality Service

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Fire Guts Detail Shop of Dave’s Autobody in Galesburg, IL by Robert Connelly, The Register-Mail

Dave’s Autobody’s detail shop, 2171 Grand Ave. in Galesburg, IL, was ravaged by fire early the morning of April 7, but the flames did not spread to the paint shop or the main structure.

Galesburg firefighters spray water as they attempt to extinguish hot spots following an early morning fire at Dave’s Autobody, 2171 Grand Ave. Galesburg, IL, on April 7. Credit: Steve Davis, The Register-Mail

Galesburg fire crews were dispatched to Dave’s about 5:20 a.m. April 7. While responding, a person called 911 and said they heard an explosion, which was believed to be caused by chemicals stored in the detail shop, said Galesburg fire Battalion Chief Todd Peterson. According

to Fire Chief Tom Simkins, Engine 52 from Brooks Street Station arrived within two minutes of the call and found heavy black smoke pouring from the detail shop. Simkins said overhead doors were forced and cut open to gain access to the fire in the middle of the building. Using three hoselines, crews were able to get inside and bring the fire under control in about 30 minutes. The fire burned through the roof and there is extensive structural, heat and smoke damage to the building. Grand Avenue was closed for a few blocks as crews continued to clear the ceiling area of the detail shop to make sure the blaze was out. The fire was under control by about 6:30 a.m. Peterson said city street crews would likely be called to lay down rock salt before the street reopened because of ice forming from water used to put the fire out. The temperature was about 19 degrees as crews fought the blaze, but the “feels like” temperature was closer to 10 degrees. A few firefighters slipped on ice, but they were OK and no injuries were reported. Peterson said the fire was believed to have started in the office

area of the detail shop, but the cause of the fire was under investigation. He further said there wasn’t much concern with the blaze spreading to other buildings at Dave’s. About seven cars were inside the detail shop at the time of the fire; some received only smoke damage while others were damaged by the intense heat. Galesburg fire officials

Galesburg firefighters battle a fire in the detail shop of Dave’s Autobody on April 7. Credit: Steve Davis, The Register-Mail

did not have an estimate of the loss early April 7. Dave Dunn, owner of the auto body repair shop, said the detail shop had been standing for about 20 years at its current location. He woke up to a call from an employee about 5:37 a.m who had received a call from their alarm company. The cars damaged in the detail

shop fire “were mostly our rental fleet. Not too many customer cars. It’s the detail shop. It’s not the body shop. It’s not the paint shop,” Dunn said. When asked if he had concerns of the fire spreading to those other structures, he said, “They’re separate buildings for a reason.” Dunn said the overall plan would be to rebuild on the same spot in the future. As far as what customers can expect in the days ahead, he said they will be able to continue with detail jobs. “We have other areas that we could detail cars besides this building. It will put a cramp on our style, but we would be able to pretty quickly, I think, rent space somewhere else and continue detail operations,” he said. “The detail shop is an integral part of what we do with ‘detail for life.’ You know we have nine employees that work out of the detail shop. We have 35 employees, and nine work out of there.” Fire investigators were expected to respond to Dave’s April 7 to further investigate what caused the morning blaze. We thank The Register-Mail for reprint permission.

ORIGINAL BMW PARTS

Original BMW Parts and Accessories Fast, Friendly Service and Delivery We Know BMWs

Erhard BMW of Bloomfield

Erhard BMW of Farmington Hills

1845 S. Telegraph, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 www.erhardbmw.com

38700 Grand River Ave., Farmington Hills, MI 48335 www.erhardbmwoffarmingtonhills.com

Phone: Fax:

(248) 642-6565 (248) 642-0443

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

(248) 306-6800 (248) 699-3003

Continued from Cover

digital technology. So, ditch the shoe box of receipts and learn to digitize to back up your hard copies.

accepting imitation parts or skipping proper repair methods.

4) Up to Date Research Each repair plan should be researched with all available resources in existence, at the time, to achieve the best repair. Because the shop worked on the same or a similar vehicle before doesn’t make the prior repair information necessarily reliable. What was true 6 months ago may be superseded. What works on a 2015 model may not work on the 2016, even if the body style appears identical.

6) Reporting A key issue, early on in the John Eagle Collision case, was the omission of the repair on a CARFAX report. You may think, “What does it have to do with me” if an unsuspecting consumer buys a vehicle we repaired which was not picked up by CARFAX or other service? Perhaps these words from Eldridge Cleaver will change your mind, “There is no more neutrality in the world. You either have to be part of the solution, or you’re going to be part of the problem.” Ask yourself, would you rather be the problem shop or the solution shop?

8) Never Overpromise What You Can Deliver The repairer should never overpromise with outlandish statements like our repairs make a vehicle “better than new,” “good as new,” or “perfect,” as examples. The following appeared on the John Eagle Collision website, “....our goal is to achieve ‘better than new.’” Those words came back to bite them. When you overpromise, even a tiny speck of dirt in the paint can be a lawsuit in the making.

10 Ways to Avoid

5) Proper Documentation and Record Keeping There is a memorable quote from Alonzo Harris, the detective played by Denzel Washington in the movie Training Day. “It’s not what you know, it’s what you can prove!” It’s crucial to document proper repairs with multiple photos and/or video plus any supporting documentation. If no specific repair information exists, it is prudent to document the attempt. Keep good records! There are no excuses with today’s vast array of

7) Never Put Profits Over Safety Besides the obvious ethical reasons, cutting corners to increase profits is not a sound long-term business strategy. The shop should not agree to repair a part based solely upon the insurer’s repair versus replace cost analysis. As a result, the customer can suffer compromised safety and vehicle devaluation. Same goes for

9) Never Allow the Insurance Company to Dictate the Repair “The Devil made me do it” is an excuse as old as time. It didn’t work for Eve in the Garden of Eden, it didn’t work for John Eagle Collision and it won’t work for you. We all know the misguided influence exerted on repairers by Insurance Company Bullies. However, you are ultimately enticed by your own desires. Make it your desire to service the “true” customer (#3 above) and you can’t go wrong.

10) Be a HERO and Stand Up to the Insurance Companies Inform the insurance company and the customer in writing that the insurer’s approved repairs violate OEM repair specifications and can cause serious injury or death should the vehicle have another accident. Tell them you will not repair the vehicle in that manner knowing you are placing someone’s life at risk. If the insurance company still refuses to make equitable allowances to repair the vehicle to OEM specifications, tell them that YOU WILL perform the work required by the OEM, take what the insurance company pays and then SUE THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR THE DIFFERENCE! This list is available in PDF file format at: www.oemprocedures.com.

www.autobodynews.com

WHY SETTLE FOR AFTERMARKET, SALVAGE OR SURPLUS WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE TO!

GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS THE QUALITY THEY DESERVE, USE GENUINE GM PARTS! With GM’s Bump program along with the Bob Hook Chevrolet Exclusive Price Match web portal, we make it easy to use Genuine GM Parts.

Bob Hook Chevrolet is Smashing Aftermarket Collision Parts, Call today to learn more!

Our Price match Program is second to None!

800-274-4665

www.bobhookgmparts.com

502-499-8060 M-F 8am - 5:30pm

· 15 Truck Fleet · Over 300 years of GM experience · Same Day and Next Day delivery · Exclusive Price match Portal · Truckload Fascia Program* *Unbeatable beatable prices on In-stock -stock Fascias

We make it easy to place your orders.

Call, Click or Fax.

4144 Bardstown Rd. / Louisville, KY 40218 autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Continued from Cover

Officers Charged

Each of the seven are facing between six to 25 charges of uttering and publishing for falsifying documents, a felony that carries up to a 14-year prison sentence. In total, the investigation found 101 vehicles with improper inspections. “These public officials cut corners and fraudulently submitted paperwork, taking advantage of the trust and responsibility they are given as police officers,” Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said in a press release. Those charged include Robert Greene, 64, a former Van Buren Township officer, and his two sons: John Greene, 43, a Detroit school public safety officer, and Tim Greene, 42, a Northfield Township police lieutenant.

Also charged: • Elaine Danishevskaya, 39, former Bangor police chief; • Tammy Barnes, 59, a Detroit police officer; • Kevin Waif, 43, a Redford police detective; • Greg Baumgardner, 44, a former Riverview police officer. At issue is the process for issuing new titles and license plates for vehicles that have been salvaged, such as when a car is totaled by an insurance company. When salvaged cars are rebuilt and put back on the road, the state requires an inspection by a specially certified officer who needs to check the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) to ensure the vehicle was not rebuilt using stolen parts or that the vehicle itself was not stolen. Such an inspection costs $100, and only some police departments will do it. There are 261 police officers in the state certified to do the inspections, said Megan Hawthorne, a spokeswoman for the attorney general’s office. Some police departments conAUTOBODY

tract with outside officers who have the certification. For instance, Barnes—who works in Detroit—was doing the inspections for the Bangor Police Department in Van Buren County. Danishevskaya, who was Bangor police chief from December 2014 to July 2015, “knows Barnes and authorized her to conduct inspections,” Hawthorne said. Meanwhile, the Greenes were doing inspections for the Hamburg Township Police Department in Livingston County, and “their cases appear to be connected,” Hawthorne said. Moreover, the inspectors were working with individuals and car dealerships from around the state. For instance, the inspections that resulted in charges for Barnes and Danishevskaya all involved dealerships and individuals in metro Detroit, even though the inspections were being done through the Bangor Police Department on the other side of the state. The Greenes also were doing inspections for metro Detroit dealerships, even though they were working out of Hamburg Township. Each of the defendants “conducted hundreds, in some instances thousands, of salvage vehicle inspections,” according to the press release from the attorney general’s office. The fraud was identified when authorities conducted spot checks to ensure LEIN checks had occurred, and it was discovered the officers had not conducted the searches required by law. “Each of these officers were trained... how to conduct inspections and understood the importance of running LEIN,” Hawthorne said. She said it was the first time spot checks were conducted on these individuals, to her knowledge. The investigation also found the defendants did not check the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s database of stolen vehicles. Below is a list of a charges against each defendant: • Barnes, a Brownstown resident, 18 counts of uttering and publishing that allegedly occurred between May

www.autobodynews.com

UPDATED DAILY

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

and August 2015. She was conducting inspections for the Bangor Police Department and her case is in 7th West District Court in South Haven. • Danishevskaya, a Davisburg resident, 25 felony counts of uttering and publishing that allegedly occurred between March and April 2015. She was conducting inspections for the Bangor Police Department and her case is in 7th West District Court in South Haven. • Reif, a Canton resident, 13 counts of uttering and publishing that allegedly occurred between February and May 2016. He was conducting inspections for Redford Police Department and his case is in the 17th District Court in Redford. • Tim Greene, of Romulus, six counts of uttering and publishing that allegedly occurred in January 2015. He was conducting inspections for the Hamburg Township Police Department and his case is in 53rd District Court in Howell. • Robert Greene, of Canton, 11 counts of uttering and publishing that allegedly occurred in January 2015. He was conducting inspections for the Hamburg Township Police De-

partment and his case is in 53rd District Court in Howell. • John Greene, of Wyandotte, seven counts of uttering and publishing that allegedly occurred in July 2015. He was conducting inspections for the Hamburg Township Police Department and his case is in 53rd District Court in Howell. • Bumgardner, of Southgate, 21 counts of uttering and publishing that allegedly occurred in January and February 2014. He was conducting inspections for Riverview and his case in is the 27th District Court in Riverview. Michigan State Police and Secretary of State’s office will “work together to ensure all vehicles involved in this case have a proper salvage vehicle inspection. This may involve directly contacting the registered owners of vehicles improperly inspected to arrange for a new inspection. The process of identifying affected vehicles is ongoing,” said the press release from the attorney general’s office.

We thank MLive.com for reprint permission.

From OEM to aftermarket, see all the Collision Parts we have to offer! • Large Inventory • Exceptional Service

513.782.2829 513.782.2846 FAX

• Genuine Chevy Parts • Ready To Serve You Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7:30am - 6pm Sat. 8am - 12pm 33 West Kemper Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45246

www.jakesweeneychevy.com

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Continued from Page 18

Career-Focused

them through their course planning. Pawlicki said he’d like to see all students graduate not only having found something they enjoyed studying, but also “to have more than one foot in the door to get that certification, that degree, so they can transition into the workplace.” To help ensure that the coursework students are taking actually mirrors the skill sets employers are looking for, both districts tapped into their local business community and postsecondary institutions. Teachers used the feedback they gathered to customize their curriculum, and administrators incorporated some of this initial feedback into the design of the classrooms themselves. For instance, the newly redesigned Shakopee High School now has a spacious culinary lab that’s equipped with stainless steel commercial-grade equipment, including TV monitors, steamers, boilers and a commercial dishwashing machine. “I’ve never seen anything like

that in a high school setting before,” Pawlicki said. “As we were going through that process in meeting with businesses and they described what those experiences look like on the industry side, we asked: How can we emulate that in the high school?’” Works in Progress In doing their design research, Pawlicki and Funston both identified Alexandria Area High School’s academy model as their primary local source of inspiration. Shakopee also sent people to Nashville to tour a similar high school design. This redesign trend seems to be gaining traction—albeit on a smaller scale—in a number of suburban area districts. According to Nancy Thul, director of teaching and learning for the Shakopee district, elements of the academy model have taken root in Jordan, Chaska, Hutchinson, Northfield, Minnetonka, St. Louis Park, Mendota Heights and elsewhere. The Shakopee and Burnsville examples stand out, in part, because they coincided with some pretty major construction projects that were spurred by the need to accommodate expanding

that students are being equipped with real-world job skills, Pawlicki explained. The same level of partnership and intentionality exists within the Burnsville model. For instance, Funston said they have been working with the local fire department to develop an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) pipeline. Beginning in the fall, they’ll launch an EMT class that’s already got a full student roster. It’ll be co-caught by a teacher and a fire captain. At least one significant distinction exists between the Shakopee and Burnsville models. Pawlicki described the Shakopee model as an effort to create a number of smaller high schools within the newly expanded high school, so that students don’t feel lost in the crowd. “In the academy model, [we] can create smaller learning communities—students with similar interests, with a higher likelihood of getting teachers who you’re going to know,” Pawlicki said. Burnsville educators are taking a different approach. Rather than putting students in specialized co-

student populations. Shakopee High School has nearly doubled in size through this expansion and redesign effort. Pawlicki said this allowed his predecessors to incorporate some eye-catching design elements into the construction project—like a law

Shakopee High School has nearly doubled in size through this expansion and redesign effort. Credit: Erin Hinrichs, MinnPost

and legal lab and a hometown bank branch—that would be difficult to fit into existing spaces. He also noted that Shakopee is ideally located near some major employers, such as Shutterfly, Amazon, St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Mystic Lake, Canterbury Park and Valleyfair. This proximity has allowed them to create “pipelines to connect teachers and businesses” so

Infiniti of Naperville • Large Inventory • Wide Delivery Area • Free Local Delivery

• Experienced Staff Ready To Serve You • Competitive Prices

• Dedicated Parts Professionals

• Over $1,000,000 in

with 80 Years Combined Experience

Wholesale Parts Inventory

The Collision Parts You Can Trust Call Us Today for Genuine Hyundai Parts!

847-605-4055 Parts Direct 847-619-4511 Parts Fax

Direct Line:

www.patrickhyundai.com Parts Hours: Mon - Fri: 7:30-5:00

866-874-6346 Tom Ryan Wholesale Parts Manager

tryan@auto-plaza.com

1020 E Golf Road Schaumburg, IL 60173

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Fax: 331-457-4661 Parts Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7am - 7pm; Sat. 8am - 4pm

1550 W. Ogden Ave. // Naperville, IL 60540 www.buyinfinitiparts.com

horts based on career interests, they are trying to keep the focus on building a single school-wide sense of community as students purse their various career interests. Funston said they want to avoid isolating students in any particular career pathway, especially those that are traditionally dominated by a particular gender or race. With this in mind, they have ensured that all course options are housed within the high school campus and that students are being exposed to options they may not have otherwise considered. For instance, the school’s fabrication lab—which is equipped with 3D printers and the like—is situated next the student commons area, separated by an entire wall of glass. “What we’re really trying to do is make sure our students—our females and our students of color—can look through that glass, see what they’re doing and say, ‘That’s cool. I want to do that too,’ “ Funston said. “It’s a way to, inadvertently, get some of the interest and really change some of the paradigms.” We thank MinnPost for reprint permission.

Man Seriously Burned in Car Fire at Springfield Twp., OH, Body Shop by Staff, FOX19 NOW

A man was seriously burned when a car caught fire at a Springfield Township, OH, body shop on the morning of April 4. The incident happened at KK & Son Auto Repair in the 2200 block of Wilson Avenue. Fire officials said the man was found by his wife and pulled from the burning car.

building. They were worried someone else was in the building, but his wife said they were the only two there,” witness Vincent Jones said.

Auto body shop fire on Wilson Ave. Source: Captain Steve Conn

A car caught fire at a Springfield Township auto body shop. Credit: FOX19 NOW

“His clothes were burned, his hair was burned… it was pretty rough,” witness Kristi Distler said. Firefighters said it started as a car fire and then spread to the business. “When I came up the building was on fire pretty good. There were a lot of explosions going on inside the

Distler said she felt the explosions from down the street. “It was a loud explosion. I was at my house down the street, but it shook. They said they were afraid something was going to come out of the door over to the daycare over here,” she said. No one at the daycare was injured. The victim was taken to UC Medical Center with serious burn injuries. “The firemen—they did a hell of a job. They got there and it was a

very dangerous situation for them just to walk up to the building. They attacked the fire, they stayed on it and they knocked it down,” Jones said. Firefighters said that damage to the business is estimated at $100,000. There is no word on the victim’s condition. “I’m praying for their family. I’m praying for the guy and his wife that he be OK. I think he sustained a lot of serious burns,” Jones said. The cause of the car fire is not known at this time. No other injuries were reported. We thank FOX19 NOW for reprint permission.

LIKE US US ON

FACEBOOK : Autobody News

SMALL PARTS. BIG HEARTS. Our parts department is always ready to help. We offer shipping to Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois*.

Patrick BMW

The Foundation of Our Success is Your Loyalty.

Highly Trained and Experienced Team of BMW Parts Advisors Extensive Inventory Updated Daily to Meet Your Demands All Original BMW Parts Carry a 2-year Limited Warranty

847.605.4055

700 E Golf Rd. Schaumburg, IL 60173 www.patrickbmw.com

Patrick MINI 700 E. Golf Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173 Parts: M-F 7:30am - 5pm 847.605.4055 847.619.4511 Fax www.patrickMINI.com

Parts: M-F 7:30am - 5pm

847.619.4511 Fax

* Free local delivery in Illinois; low-cost, next day delivery to Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

jconnelly@patrickcars.com

*Free local delivery in Illinois; low-cost, next day delivery to Michigan, Indiana and Ohio

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

H ONDA I LLIN O IS

Honda Superstore of Lisle Ch i ca go /Su b u rb s

866-874-6632 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5 hondaparts@auto-plaza.com

Schaumburg Honda Automobiles Sch a u m b urg

847-884-8898 847-884-6632 Dept. Hours: M-F 6:30am-Midnight; Sat 8am-5pm k.kelley@rohrman.com I ND I A NA

Basney Honda M i sh a wak a

800-877-7477 574-255-2179 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-2

Bob Rohrman Honda La fa ye tte

800-488-3537 765-448-1000 Dept. Hours: M 7:30-8; Tue-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-3 Brho.partsmgr@rohrman.com

Bosak Honda H ig h l a nd

800-542-6725 219-922-3102 Dept. Hours: M 8-5; Tue 8-8 W, Thu, F 8-5; Sat 8-4 davepropeck@bosakmail.com

A CURA OH I O

Columbia Acura Ci n ci nn a ti

800-654-3553 513-530-0698 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-12 columbiaparts@mail.com IL L IN O IS

Acura of Libertyville Li b e rtyv i ll e

847-680-7333 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 7:30-4 kmilz@acuralibertyville.com

Arlington Acura in Palatine Pa l a ti ne

800-991-8438 847-991-9005 Dept. Hours: M-W 7:30-7:30; Thu-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-3 aaip.partsmgr@rohrman.com

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. IND I ANA

M INNE SO TA

Honda of Fishers F ish er s

800-806-6404 317-299-3723 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6 honda-west@att.com M IC HIG A N

Victory Honda Pl ymo uth

800-824-4646 734-453-3600

Richfield-Bloomington Honda

M IS SOU RI

O H IO

Honda of Tiffany Springs

Ak ro n

R ichf ie ld

816-452-3221

800-328-2703 612-866-8197

Dept. Hours: M-Fri 7-6; Sat 7-4 parts@hondaoftiffanysprings.com

330-633-8197 330-633-6060

Dept. Hours: M-Thu 6:30-9; F 6:30-6; Sat 6:30-5 parts@rbhonda.com

Roper Honda Jo p li n

877-244-6632 417-625-0846

M ISS OUR I

Bommarito Honda Ha ze lwoo d

Dept. Hours: M, W, Th, F 7:30-6; Tu 7:30-7; Sat 9-1 dvice@roperauto.com

Dept. Hours: M 7:30-8; Tue-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-4 Karl_messer@victoryplymouth.com

800-731-8270 314-731-8270

Zeigler Honda

Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7-6 Lrowe@bommarito.net

Superior Honda of Omaha

Ed Napleton Honda

O m ah a

Ka la ma zoo

888-342-1678 269-585-5812 Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-8; F 7-6; Sat 8-4 bobsmith@zagteam.com M IN NES OTA

Brookdale Honda B ro o k lyn Ce n ter

800-899-8900 763-331-6880 Dept. Hours: M-Th 7-9; F 7-6; Sat 8-6 parts@lutherbrookdalehonda.com

St. Pa u l

800-592-9514 651-484-0975 Dept. Hours: M-Thu 8-9; F 8-6; Sat 8-4:30 hondaparts@buerkle.com

IL L INO IS

N EBR ASKA

Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7-6 gethondaparts@napleton.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 8-6 ianw@hondaofomaha.com

Honda of Lincoln Li n co ln

Frank Fletcher Honda

800-742-7811 402-437-1201

C ol um bia

573-818-3650 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 gropp@fletcherauto.com

S t . L oui s

888-680-6025 636-336-5003 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-5 hondaparts@frankleta.com

M INNE SO TA

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 7-12 hondaparts@hondaoflincoln.com

M i lwa u ke e

888-318-1671 414-586-5401 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-4; Sun 8-4 hondaparts@russdarrow.com

Wilde Honda Wa u ke sh a

800-526-3209 262-542-9300 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-9; Sat 8-4 wildehondaparts@gmail.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-4 jayhondaparts@gmail.com

MIC HIGAN

Tr oy

708-460-6369 708-403-7770

800-717-3109 763-488-1122

800-935-0923 248-643-0900

Dept. Hours: M-W 8-5:30; Thu 8-7 F 8-4:30 Sat 8-2 acuraparts@rizzacars.com

Dept. Hours: M, F 7-5:30; Tue-Thu 7-7; Sat 7:30-4 acuraparts@buerkle.com

Dept. Hours: M 7:30-8; T-F 7:30-6; Sat 10-3 parts286@acuraoftroy.com parts287@acuraoftroy.com

McGrath Acura of Morton Grove

Luther Bloomington Acura

M or to n Grove

800-451-5078 952-887-0600

Acura of Brookfield

Dept. Hours: M 6:30-6; Tue-F 6:30-9; Sat 8-4 parts@bloomingtonacura.com

800-383-3936 262-439-6029

H o ffman E sta tes

Russ Darrow Honda

B e df o rd

Mi nneap oli s

Mullerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Woodfield Acura

Dept. Hours: M 7:30-8; Tu-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4

800-509-9057 440-786-3363

Buerkle Acura

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-9; Sat 8-6 acparts@mcgrathag.com

M a si l lo n

800-225-0281 330-478-4435

Jay Honda

Orl an do Pa rk

847-470-2309

Waikem Honda

OHIO

Joe Rizza Acura

B loo m ingt o n

Dept. Hours: Tue, W, F 8-6; M, Thu 8-8; Sat 8-4 grobinette@glakeshonda.com

W IS CONSI N

888-408-0911 402-408-1100

S t . P et er s

800-875-4190 636-928-4400

Frank Leta Honda Buerkle Honda

Great Lakes Honda

K a ns a s C it y

Acura of Troy

W IS CON SIN

B r o ok f i el d

Dept. Hours: M-Th 7:30-6; F 7:30-5; Sat 8-4:30 patrick.murphy@zimbrick.com

866-475-9280 Dept. Hours: M 7-5; Tue-F 7-6 Sat 8-3 mcavallini@woodfieldacura.com

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

National News

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

with Ed Attanasio

Assured Performance Develops Technology to Provide Shop Accountability Scott Biggs, CEO of the Assured Performance Network, recently responded to our article from last month (OE Certifications, John Eagle Case Raise Questions of Accountability) to share what his company is doing for its member shops to help ensure they don’t end up like John Eagle Collision. Assured Performance is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that was created specifically to assist consumers identify certified collision repair providers that meet OEM requirements to properly and safely repair the next generation of vehicles using advanced materials and technology.

Q: A:

What did you think about the article?

Your article was a good callto-action, but it really didn’t

offer a viable solution. Well, we have made huge strides in that regard and that’s why I wanted to respond to the piece. We’ve made a significant investment in technology to try and give our shops the ability to control and deliver a better quality output. Tell us about the technology you’ve developed to add accountability and transparency for your network members.

Five years ago, we approached several IP companies and other tech companies to build something, and they all said no. So, years later, we decided to build it ourselves, actually hoping that some other companies would predictably try to build something better once they saw it. This year, we are finally seeing some other companies coming up with pieces of the puzzle in an attempt to emulate or

OUR PARTS. YOUR PEACE OF MIND.

DEDICATED MINI PARTS STAFF

Sharpe BMW can help you restore their Ultimate Driving Machine to Pre-Loss Condition. Knowledgeable and Experienced BMW Parts Professionals Same Day Delivery on All In-Stock Parts E-mail or Fax Your Order in for Faster Service and Delivery

Experienced and Dedicated MINI Parts staff Large Inventory of Original MINI Parts Prompt Daily Delivery Competitive Wholesale Discounts

Sharpe BMW

1010 28th Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49508

Original BMW Parts & Accesories

1010 28th Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49508 Parts Direct:

888.708.1359

616.452.1101 24-Hour Fax

Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am - 6pm Sat: 8am - 1pm 34

improve what we’re doing, and that’s fine because it just feeds the need. There are three main reasons and benefits for having this app, which we call our Quality Assurance and Control System (OE-OC). For one, if you think about the John Eagle case, how does a shop mitigate their liability exposure and avoid it from happening to them? There are shops out there right now that are scared by this landmark case and are looking around for a solution. By law, you want to make sure as a shop owner that certain things take place. First, that all your technicians are following OE repair procedures and second, that everything is documented so that you have some sort of proof if you ever end up in court. Third, shops obviously don’t want re-dos, because that can cost them a fortune. If you have shoddy work going out the back of the shop, you’ll have a lot of un-

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

MINI of Grand Rapids 888.708.1359 Parts Direct 616.452.1101 Fax Hours: M-F 7-6 / S 8-1

happy customers and DRPs as a result, so shops are already motivated to do quality work for obvious reasons. The response from shops about the OE-QC system has been very positive, but now the challenge is to get their technicians to use it. It’s an integration process that will probably take a year or even more to get shops to use it on an everyday basis. As other companies come out with their own versions of this system, we have no issues with that. If someone has a better product in this space, we’re happy for them. We did it because it was desperately needed at the time, but we know it’s not going to be the only solution. We now require our member shops to adopt this tool or another tool that is functionally equivalent to cover them with documentation and prove that their technicians are following and using OE repair procedures. As a shop owner, you want to

The Best Parts to Get Them Back to the Jungle Free Reliable Delivery Experienced Professional Wholesale Parts Team Shipping Always Available

Land Rover/Jaguar Grand Rapids

1010 28th Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49508 Parts Direct:

888.708.1359 8

616.452.1101 Fax 61

Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am - 6pm Sat: 8am - 1pm

www.thesharpcollection.com www thesh

cover your act. [You want to] have accountability from your technicians and produce a better quality product—it is really that simple. So we built this tool and tried to keep it as simple as we could, because we know that if it’s too complex, no one will use it. [We decided to build] something that could allow the shop to quickly and easily identify what their technicians are doing through a limited number of clicks and by taking a few photos of the repair process. We also decided to create a quality checklist for all jobs based on the vehicle and the OE procedures that were used in the repair. We made it easy for technicians to be assigned to a repair then document it all right in their hands. It’s very seamless and feeds to the smart app easily, plus it’s all electronic and based on the shop’s data available to them through their management or estimating system. We built it, and then we streamlined it and finally realized that we needed to develop a system where specific technicians can be assigned to specific jobs based on their skill sets. So we created that part of the app and released it two days after the John

Eagle case was announced during our annual conference in Scottsdale, AZ. It was just serendipity, but the timing is indeed significant. If we wanted to charge shops for this app, it would cost them thousands of dollars every year. But because we internalized the cost of it and made it part of our certification, we’re able to give it to our certified shops at no cost. So now the shops will have the tools they need as OEs and insurers begin to jump onboard. As an example, General Motors recently announced that output quality documentation is fundamental to its future certification program. Our shops now have access to at least one tool to help them.

Q: A:

Tell us more about your repair compliance app?

This app transforms the shop’s estimate repair line information into an interactive checklist on the technician’s smart phone, tablet or desktop. Then in just seconds, the technician can use simple touch commands to take photos and provide other documentation as they follow

VANDEVERE KIA

Parts Dept. Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:30pm Sat 7:30am-1:00pm

Q: A:

What is ShopOps?

ShopOps is like a business toolbox. Inside of the program, shops will find many critical tools they need to help run their business. The Quality Assurance Program is one, but there are others too. For example, every shop should have a skills inventory based on the staff they have employed, but how many

shops actually know which of their technicians have what skills and are trained to repair what types of vehicles? That’s a pretty tall order for your average shop to do, so we’re working with I-CAR to give another tool to our shops as part of ShopOps. Inside this application there is a human resources feature functionality that enables the user to assemble and maintain a skills inventory for every employee they have. This way, they can keep track of each technician’s skills based on training or assessments they have, including I-CAR classes, OEM courses, ASE testing, and paint and equipment training classes. It becomes part of that particular shop’s skills inventory, which allows them to have the right mix of skills to accomplish the types of repairs they perform. That way, they can assign only the right technician to the job they’re trained to do and in the future, they can hire techs who can bolster their skills inventory while getting training for those who need more or specific knowledge and skills. This part of our efforts is focused on the foundation of this industry—employees and quality!

VANDEVERE CHEVROLET

Parts Dept. Hours:

Akron’s Largest KIA Parts Outlet Reliable, Professional Customer Service Express Parts Delivery in our 8 Trucks Your Source for OEM KIA Parts

VanDevere Kia 328 W. Market Street, Akron, OH 44303

OEM repair procedures in the proper and safe repair of any vehicle. It allows management to review and approve the technician documentation and see alerts when no documentation is provided. This provides the shops with an efficient and cost effective ability to conduct robust quality assurance programs and build quality into the repair process based upon following OEM repair procedures where they exist. [The program’s simple touch-screen functionality only takes seconds for the technicians to properly document so as to not put quality control at risk or leave it to an unlikely third-party and after-the-fact spot check.]

800.362.9650 • Akron’s Largest GM Parts Outlet • Express Parts Deliveryy • Knowledgeable Staff with over 175 Years Parts Experience! rience!

Mon - Fri: 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat: 7:30am-1:00pm Phone:

330.836.4064 24 hour fax:

330.836.4074

800.362.9650 Phone : 330.836.4064 24 hour fax: 330.836.4074

1490 Vernon Odom Blvd.// Akron, Ohio 44320 autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Historical Snapshot with John Yoswick

—John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988. He is the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (for a free 4-week trial subscription, visit www.CrashNetwork.com). Contact him by email at jyoswick@SpiritOne.com.

Problems With Non-OEM Radiators Led to CAPA Certification Program 20 Years Ago in the Collision Repair Industry (May 1998) The Collision Industry Conference (CIC) task force considering alternatives to the current method of calculating shop compensation for paint materials has drawn up a list of proposed guidelines for any new paint materials calculations system. The task force, which includes collision repairs, insurers, auto and paint manufacturers and estimating system providers, has called for a system that: • is based on surface area of the part being refinished, as provided by the manufacturer of that part; • includes no caps; • uses a multiplier for repaired (versus new) panels; • includes as “refinish materials” only those items listed as such in the Mitchell guide; • includes all refinish surfaces or areas with no deduction for overlap of adjacent panels; • includes a blend allowance that averages 50 percent of materials calculated for full painting of a panel; and • offers different allowances based on the use of different VOC-content products.

Representatives of CIC and the task force said some members of the industry have voiced concerns about changing the current system. But Phil Cunningham of Motor Information Systems pointed out that the changes are inevitable. His company’s customers, he said, have asked Motor to create a refinish materials estimate system, just as Mitchell International has. “So we are going to develop one,” Cunningham said. “We [have] also been told that the current method that takes a rate multiplied by an hourly refinish allowance is not preferred. The method that is preferred is a rate times the surface area. They’re going to be competing refinish materials estimating products out there. The question to the industry is: Does the industry want to be involved in developing the methodology on 38

which material estimating is predicated, or do they prefer the three information providers go off and each develop their own methodology?” – As reported in The Golden Eagle. A wide variety of alternative methods of calculating refinish materials have been proposed over the years, but no single one has gained widespread usage; only about 1-in-4 shops, for example, report using an alternative materials calculator / invoicing system.

15 Years Ago in the Collision Repair Industry (May 2003) The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) last month gathered industry leaders from around the country to discuss what they see as key issues facing the industry, and to draft “position statements” based on those discussions. About 80 people, including shop owners and representatives of SCRS state and regional affiliate associations, attended the National Industry Issues Forum and voiced support for five “resolutions” created during the meeting. Perceived problems associated with third-party claims auditing, sometimes referred to as “desk audits” or “remote audits,” were among the issues generating the most discussion during the meeting. The group agreed that a starting point in addressing the problem would be for the CIC to develop some definitions of such terms as “desk audit” and “third-party administrator,” which are often used interchangeably. Shop owners pointed out that “remote auditing” may actually violate some state laws, which can require physical inspection of the vehicle or licensing of claims adjusters, appraisers or estimates. Among the practices of some third-party claims auditors that the group listed to be addressed were: taking of arbitrary discounts without explanations; sending payment without explanation of what was charged on the estimate; not using one estimating system, but “cherry-picking” labor times or procedures from multiple systems; and seeking shop

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

agreement prior to providing paperwork to the shop. Shops at the event said they are again more frequently being told certain items are part of their “shop overhead” and thus not billable; again, the group felt CIC could assist by revisiting its definition or explanation of “overhead.” – As reported in Autobody News. 10 Years Ago in the Collision Repair Industry (May 2008) Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty last week signed into law legislation backed by the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Minnesota (AASP-MN) that prohibits an insurer from “unilaterally and arbitrarily disregard(ing) a repair operation or cost identified by an estimating system (that) an insurer and collision repair facility have agreed to utilize in determining the cost of repair.”

The language was not as strong as that originally proposed which, without using the term “arbitrarily,”

In 2008, Judell Anderson of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Minnesota helped enact a state law prohibiting an insurer from “unilaterally and arbitrarily disregard(ing) a repair operation or cost identified by an estimating system.”

prohibited failure to use an estimating system in its entirety or refusing to compensate a shop for documented paint and materials charges identified through industry-recognized systems. Still, AASP-MN Executive Di-

KELLY BMW

See Non-OEM Radiators, Page 42

Original BMW Parts & Accessories Large Inventory Competitive Pricing Experienced Staff Phone: 614.471.2277

Parts Direct: 614.337.3090 Parts Fax: 614.476.2488

www.kellybmw.com Hours: M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 9am-2pm 4050 Morse Rd • Columbus, OH 43230

1940 E. Main St. Waukesha, WI 53186

Parts Dept. Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00am-5:00pm

800-242-2240 Ph: 262-542-8058 Fax: 800-547-3649

Offering our Customers the

Highest Quality, Factory-Certified GM Parts

THE BEST REPAIRS WITH GENUINE PARTS FR0M GM

1940 E. Main St. Waukesha, WI 53186

Parts Dept. Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00am-5:00pm

800-242-2240 Ph: 262-542-8058 Fax: 800-547-3649

Offering our Customers the

Highest Quality, Factory-Certified Ford Parts

THE PARTS YOU NEED FROM THE PEOPLE YOU TRUST! autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

National Associations with Chasidy Rae Sisk

Get to Know WIN’s 2018 MIW Honorees The Women’s Industry Network (WIN) recently announced that four women will be honored as Most Influential Women (MIW) in 2018. They will be celebrated at the MIW Gala and Awards Ceremony, held during WIN’s Educational Conference in Indianapolis May 7–9. Originally established by AkzoNobel in 1999 and taken on by WIN in 2013, the MIW program aims to recognize women whose leadership, vision and commitment to excellence have enriched the collision repair industry. The 2018 MIW honorees are Shelly Bickett, Director and CoFounder of Fix Auto USA; Mary Mahoney, Vice President of the Insurance Replacement Division for Enterprise Holdings; Marie Peevy, Owner of Automotive Training Coordinators LLC; and Collisionista Petra Schroeder. While all of these women are involved with WIN, the association does not select the MIW honorees. Established criteria focused on industry influence, professional accomplishments, mentorship and community service are considered by an independent third-party company that reviews the nominations and selects each year’s winners. This year’s honorees all graciously agreed to discuss with Autobody News their careers, involvement with WIN and how they feel about receiving this recognition. After years in the corrugated box industry, Peevy began her collision repair industry career by chance when she relocated and needed a new job. She recalled, “I liked it from day one, but I began to love it after my first year when I attended an industry conference. I developed a tremendous respect for collision repairers, owners, managers, technicians—all of them. I found the industry interesting and challenging, [and] always providing an opportunity to learn. I have been in the industry since 2005, and I find it hard to believe those 13 years have gone by so quickly.

“It’s difficult for me to discuss my career without first stating I have five boys ranging in age from 5 to 32! I think this is important because, as most women know, your priorities revolve around your kids first. However, it is important you do something for yourself, so that you leave an example of what is possible for your children. Honestly, my real career accomplishments began when I took a chance on an idea. I saw collision repairers struggling to meet and maintain training requirements and all of the details associated with it. My passion for their struggles drove me to develop and continue to refine an approach that simplifies the process. Every day, I am excited because I know my company, Automotive Training Coordinators LLC, is helping collision repairers and making their lives just a little easier. I am grateful to the people who coached me and even for those that said I couldn’t be successful. Today, my company makes a difference every day.” Mahoney began her career with Enterprise as a management trainee in 1985, learning all aspects of the business and taking on increasing levels of responsibility until she moved to its worldwide headquarters in St. Louis in 1994. There, she spearheaded the company’s first insurance replacement department and was tasked with improving the communication process between branches, insurance companies and collision centers. The same year, she was involved with developing and implementing the Automated Rental Management System (ARMS®). She recalled, “After being part of such a significant milestone, I knew from then on that this was the segment of our business in which I belonged.” In 2004, Mahoney was promoted to overseeing the management of Enterprise’s insurance replacement and collision business throughout North America. “Each promotion at Enterprise has been a personal accomplishment

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Chasidy Rae Sisk is a freelance technical writer from Wilmington, Delaware, who writes on a variety of fields and subjects, and grew up in a family of NASCAR fans. She can be contacted at crsisk@chasidyraesisk.com.

for me,” she said. “What has been important within each promotion is that I’ve been fortunate to be part of the growth of the Insurance Replacement division and team as well. Being a leader and mentor to this team, many of them women, has been very rewarding, and I’m so proud of the work and advancements being made in the industry. I’ve also been fortunate to be part of important efforts such as NABC’s Recycled Rides and Progressive’s Keys to Progress. These initiatives play key roles in getting vehicles to individuals, [including] veterans, who wouldn’t have otherwise had one.” Mahoney also sits on the board of the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF). Bickett became involved in the industry in 1984 when she opened her first collision repair facility in Southern California, a business that

has since grown to include nine locations with more than 250 employees and more than $30 million in annual revenue. The shops are part of Fix Auto USA, which Bickett cofounded. She shared, “I saw the opportunity for success in an industry that was ready for improvement, both in processes, measurements and financial enhancement. My business knowledge, accounting expertise and process improvement training made this a good business venture.” Over the past three decades, Bickett has been on the cutting-edge of industry changes, participating in a variety of industry initiatives and serving roles in several associations. She was a founding member of Caliber Collision in 1991 and co-founded Fix Auto USA in 1997, a franchise that now includes 126 locations. She See MIW Honorees, Page 46

Comprehensive inventory of high quality OEM

VOLVO GENUINE PARTS Dedicated Wholesale Staff

Competitive Wholesale Prices

Exceptional Customer Service

Borton Volvo CARS 905 Hampshire Ave. S. // Golden Valley, MN 55426

Parts Hours Mon-Thu: 7 AM - 6 PM Fri: 7 AM - 5:30 PM; Sat: 7 AM - 3:30 PM

Prompt & Dependable Delivery

parts@borton.com

800.328.7114

Fax 612.827.3496

Phone: Go Further 60 Years a Ford Dealer with over 314 Years Parts Experience!

515.270.9095 800.362.1679 Fax Your Order:

515.270.5008 üDedicated Wholesale Staﬀ üPrompt & Dependable Delivery PARTS HOURS Mon - Fri 7:30am-6:00pm s Sat 8:00am-4:30pm

4545 Merle Hay Road Des Moines, IA 50310

OF DES MOINES • Over $1 Million in OEM Parts • Knowledgeable and Courteous Parts Team • Come see us at our NEW location

1650 SE 37th Street Grimes, IA 50111

The Right Part at The Right Price, Right Now! Hours: Mon- Fri 7:30am-6pm Sat 7:30am-4:30pm

PARTS: 515.276.4913 • 800.342.7045 FAX 515.276.0277

Electronic Parts Cataloging for Faster & More Accurate Service! • Genuine Kia OEM Parts • Eﬃcient Service on All Orders • Fast & Free Delivery • Parts Specialists On Call

515.727.1815 s 866.412.0152

Fax: 515.309.1412

Hours: Mon-Fri Mon Fri 7:00am-6:00pm 7:00am 6:00pm / Sat 7:30am-4:30pm 7:30am 4:30pm

4475 Merle Hay Road · Des Moines IA 50310 autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Continued from Page 38

Non-OEM Radiators

rector Judell Anderson views the legislation as a win for the industry. “Under this bill, insurers will no longer be able to selectively use these estimating systems,” she said. – As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), May 12, 2008. CRASH Network in 2009 interviewed Minnesota shops about the impact of the law six months after it went into effect. “It’s still all over the board who is paying what, but we’re seeing changes,” one shop owner said. “It’s improved the awareness and understanding of the P-pages.” More insurers, he said, are paying for feather, prime and block operations, and for de-nib and polish. Another shop owner said, “Where it’s helped us is with wheel alignments and mechanical labor. Some insurance companies like to pay a flat price for wheel alignments or say that procedures designated in the (estimating system) as mechanical labor are body labor. Now I hold up the book and say we use the whole book and nothing

but the book.” He pointed out the law allows for deviations from an estimating system if agreed to by the insurer and shop, so thought it probably hadn’t helped shops on DRP programs. “But it has helped shops that are not on the programs do a lot better in quite a few areas,” he said. “It allows me to say, ‘We’ve got a law, and we only deal with law-abiding companies.’” Montana lawmakers passed similar legislation in 2011. 5 Years Ago in the Collision Repair Industry (May 2013) Speaking at the Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) convention this month, Jack Gillis of the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) said his organization is working on certification requirements for air conditioning condensers and radiators. “We did some preliminary testing on very popular radiators, and we found there are some problems,” Gillis said. “There are great radiators out there and there are not-so-great radiators out there. One of the issues is that radiator failures generally occur six to 18 months down the road when the consumer has forgotten they even

had the radiator put into their vehicle.” Gillis said CAPA compared nine non-OEM radiators to their OEM counterparts for the 2004–07 Chevrolet Silverado, the 2005–07 Honda Accord and the 2000–07 Ford Taurus.

In 2013, Jack Gillis of the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) said his organization found problems with non-certified non-OEM radiators

Seven of the nine, Gillis said, failed to match the OEM part. Problems found, he said, included radiator caps that failed pressure testing, premature corrosion issues, leaks dues to poor welding and tube fractures. – As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), May 27, 2013. Two years later, CAPA began certifying non-OEM radiators. Gillis retired from CAPA this year after nearly three decades leading the organization.

Continued from Page 24

Big Wheels Customs

tomer service [and] quality control. It’s really difficult to compete with online.” People will often message him saying they can get wheels and tires online for a certain price and ask him to match it. He then asks them what it will cost them to get them installed, who will repair something if it’s not right and who will stand behind the products. “A lot of the times, they will go with me instead of online,” he said. “The difference between us and online is I will fix it if something’s wrong.” Big Wheels Customs is at 609 Sagamore Parkway N. The business, which is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, takes walk-ins and appointments. Call 765-447-6094 or go to www.bwcauto.com.

We thank The Lafayette Leader for reprint permission.

MAPLEWOOD TOYOTA

MAPLEWOOD SCION

• Large Inventory of Genuine OEM Parts • Exceptional Customer Service

• Call Us First For All Your Parts Needs • Competitive Wholesale Prices

Parts Dept. Hours: Mon - Thur: 7am - Midnight Fri: 7am - 5:30pm, Sat: 8am - 4pm

651-288-2525

Phone: Fax: 651-490-2652

Serving all of MN and Western WI 2873 N Hwy 61, Maplewood, MN 55109 42

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

Parts Dept. Hours: Mon - Thur: 7am - Midnight Fri: 7am - 5:30pm, Sat: 8am - 4pm

Phone:

651-288-2525

Fax: 651-490-2652 Serving all of MN and Western WI 2873 N Hwy 61, Maplewood, MN 55109

WIN Event Highlights Talent Development, Career Management in Collision Industry by Stacey Phillips

The Women’s Industry Network (WIN) held an industry networking event in March at Pacific Elite Collision in Downey, California. During the event, attendees had the opportunity to learn more about WIN, listen to an interactive panel

the WIN mission,” said Denise Kingstrom, the North American refinish distribution director for BASF Corporation. Industry panelists represented a cross-section of experience and included Nicole Wagner, Group Talent Acquisition manager at Enterprise Holdings of Southern California; Liz

try. Panelists also provided advice for those looking to work in collision repair. “I think as women, building credibility is much more difficult and it can be constantly exhausting to have to prove yourself,” said Rittinger. “I think if you are persistent, consistent and can add value, you can get anywhere.”

5 how-to’s for women in the collision repair industry based on the panel discussion:

During the WIN event, attendees had the opportunity to learn more about WIN and listen to an interactive panel discussion

discussion about talent development and career management in collision repair, as well as network with others in the industry. “This was a great opportunity to not only network with local females in the collision repair segment, but also to learn more about WIN and

Stein, VP of Business Development & Marketing at Assured Performance Network; and Andie Rittinger, sales representative for BASF Corporation. During the panel discussion, the representatives talked about some of the challenges they have faced and why they decided to join the indus-

How to communicate effectively with male counterparts: Panelists discussed female communication styles in the workplace and offered tips on how to better communicate. These included communicating logically and in a linear fashion as well as avoiding emotion and understanding that everyone has a prejudice of some sort. “We are there to do a job and to stay laser-focused on what the goals of our position are,” said Wagner, who has 23 years of experience in the

auto rental industry and represented the HR/talent acquisition perspective.

How to be viewed as an expert: Attendees talked about the issue of women who feel they need to “prove themselves” in the industry, both externally with customers and internally with male co-workers and supervisors. After sharing stories of their own, the panelists stressed the importance of demanding to show expertise by demonstrating knowledge with customers and coworkers and ignoring overt biases at times.

How networking can make a difference: “Being part of professional associations and networking with organizations like WIN can help both professionally and personally. It is a great way to learn more about the industry and get outside your comfort zone,” said Kingstrom. Wagner shared information about two professional organizations she belongs to outside of her company and See WIN Event, Page 56

COURTESY

SUBARU It's Justt O Our Name, It'ss H How Business It s Not It' Not Jus ur Nam Name e, It' It ow We Do Bus Busine iness ss

CONTACT OUR PARTS DEPARTMENT:

800-658-3054 P D F : PARTS DEPARTMENT FAX:

605-342-1178 Large Inventory Larg La rgee In Inve vent ntor oryy Local Free LLoc Free ocal al Delivery Del D eliv iver eryy 50+ Years Combined Parts Experience 50+ Ye Year arss Co Comb mbin ined ed P Par arts ts EExp xper erie ienc ncee Call for Details Regarding Reggardingg Longg Distance Deliveryy

PARTS EPARTMENT ARTS DEPA EPARTM RTMENT ENT HOURS OURS:

M-F 7:30am - 5:30 pm p Sat 8 am - Noon Email: parts@courtesysubaru.com 601 East Omaha St. Rapid City, SD 57701 autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Day Job/Night Job

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

with Ed Attanasio

The Amazing Art of Chris Harsh When he isn’t working as a technical instructor at the AkzoNobel training facility in Orange, CA, Chris Harsh is pursuing his passions—skateboarding, surfing and art. Thanks to his unique style and integration of different aspects of his background into his paintings, Harsh is getting rave reviews for his seascapes, tree images and even some abstract work that he’s been experimenting with recently.

was willing to teach me how to paint. He told me that he would teach me everything he knows and pay me while I was learning, so it was a perfect situation. Over the years, we’ve worked together a few times at different shops, so we’ve been friends for a long time now.” Looking back on his career as a painter, there were a few obstacles along the way, but Harsh always stayed positive and focused on doing a good job wherever he worked. “I was painting camper shells for a while, and that’s definitely a completely different way of working,” Harsh said. “They prepped the shells and loaded them in the booth and I was spraying like a robot. It wasn’t challenging at all, but I could work fast and log eight hours after working only 4–5 hours.” Always looking for a silver A technical instructor at the AkzoNobel training facility in lining in every cloud, Harsh Orange, CA, Chris Harsh is also a highly talented artist used the camper shell job to Harsh, 41, who is married with learn another valuable skill that three children, started painting cars would later help him in his current in high school back in the 1990s, but position as a teacher. can still vividly remember his very “Most of the preppers there first body/paint job. were Hispanic, so I took the oppor“My grandfather left me an old tunity to learn Spanish,” he said. 1970 Chevelle,” he said. “He was the “Talking to them every day really original owner, so it needed some helped, and now I am completely work. But I got it running, so once I got proficient in Spanish. I am officially my license, I was ready to drive. I a bilingual instructor, and recently I worked on the car one summer in my friend’s garage and he showed me how to mix up some body filler. I started sanding the car, fixing dents and applying the primer, and eventually I painted it yellow. People to this day still remember that big yellow car.” Once he realized that he liked painting cars, Harsh Harsh’s creations are hanging on walls all over the world landed a job working for a collision center in Huntington Beach, was in Mexico City training the AkCA, where he met his first mentor. zoNobel technical crew there. I have “I started working there the day met Spanish-speaking painters from I turned 18, so yes—I was ready to all over the country, and connecting work and learn,” Harsh said. “I was with them through language is very lucky to meet Bryan Hilleary, who satisfying.”

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

After 23 years on the body shop side, Harsh was ready to enter a new chapter. Teaching people how to use

make them better painters and teach them something they didn’t know in one of our three-day classes or by coming to their shop, [that is] even more gratifying.” Back in 2002, Harsh was working at a Buick, Pontiac and Mazda dealership, where he became interested in pinstriping. “On the Buicks at that time, they featured handpainted pinstripes, so I started watching their pinstripper in action,” he said. “He gave me Some of his creations use AkzoNobel paint, which is applied some tips and some of his to paint can lids oldest brushes. I got a kit and AkzoNobel products was immedi- practiced, and after a while I got pretty good at it. That kind of fueled my art ately attractive to him. “I really enjoy what I’m doing career.” Seven years later, Harsh began because I am able to share my knowledge and experience with so many working with ink markers and pendifferent people, whether they’re a cils to create images, but quickly See Chris Harsh, Page 55 rookie or a veteran,” he said. “If I can

Richfield - Bloomington Honda At Richfield - Bloomington Honda we maintain a comprehensive inventory of high quality, Honda Genuine parts. Our Honda Parts professionals are here to answer your questions. Overnight parts ordering available.

Parts Dept. Hours Mon.-Thu. 6:30am - 9pm Fri. 6:30am - 6pm Sat. 6:30am - 5pm Phone:

612.866.8197

Fax: 612.866.9915

Start something special! 501 West 77th St. • Richfield, MN 55423

Laurel Auto Group of Westmont Accidents Happen

Laurel BMW of Westmont

Insist on Original BMW Parts and Accessories www.laurelbmw.com

(630) 654-5400

Laurel BMW of Westmont 430 E Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559

www.laurelbmw.com

• Two Deliveries Daily • 17 Delivery Trucks

Truth in Engineering

Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-3

Phone: (888) 545.6900 Fax: (630) 655.5999

Audi Genuine Parts

Large Inventory of OEM Parts Quick, Courteous Service Knowledgeable Staﬀ Audi Westmont 276 E. Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559 Parts Direct: (630) 230.2222 / Fax: (630) 655.5750 Hours: M-F 7-6 / Sat 8-4 www.audiwestmont.com

Mercedes-Benz of Westmont • Large Inventory • Exceptional Service 200 E. Ogden Ave Westmont, IL 60559 www.mercedesbenzofwestmont.com

Phone: Fax:

(630) 654.1039 (630) 654.8167

GENUINE PARTS

Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Continued from Page 40

MIW Honorees

helped found CIECA, Cyncast and the Collision Career Institute and has spoken at several conferences. The breadth and extent of Bickett’s knowledge and experience are astonishing and surpassed by few industry professionals. After Schroeder finished high school, her father fell sick, so her parents recommended an apprenticeship that she began in 1969 at Herberts/Standox, a chemical company in Germany, with the intention of resuming her studies. However, she discovered an interest in the industry, sticking with the company to become the first female senior employee in 1992 and the first female assigned to an ex-patriot position in 1995 when she was sent to the United States. Her involvement with the company continued after it was sold to DuPont and then later to Axalta. She was recognized on many occasions, receiving a Clear Coat Technology Research and Marketing Award, a Double Duty Award and an award for Excellence in Customer Experience and Loyalty. In addition to acting as a judge for the Skills USA competition over the past four years, Schroeder has volunteered with SCRS, NABC and WIN where she is now serving her second year as the association’s Chair. Additionally, she volunteers for Emmanuel House, Girl Scouts and other community service projects. “There were a lot of opportunities to just apply myself, and I have a great passion for this industry and the people in it, especially students and other females,” Schroeder said. Schroeder attended her first WIN conference in 2007 and became interested very quickly, volunteering on the association’s committees and joining its board in 2013. She has served as WIN’s Chair since 2016. “Networking with so many women provides steady and mutual learning,” she said. “There is not a conversation that I have without learning from someone else. WIN’s mission to encourage more females to join the collision repair industry fits perfectly with my interests and passions, and receiving the honor of 46

being named a 2018 MIW makes me want to continue volunteering even more.” “I feel very honored, humbled and excited to be recognized as an MIW. As WIN’s Chair, I’ve worked with former MIWs, and it’s great to be part of this impressive list of names. I think all of us who have been honored find that we like this work and we do these things because we have a passion for it; that it’s recognized is just icing on the cake.” Having been involved with the association since it began, Bickett is also passionate about WIN’s mission, which aligns with her involvement in the National Charity League. “Working with younger women in my business, I have watched them grow organically, but there wasn’t anything industry-specific that encouraged and developed women before WIN,” she said. “The women in this industry were mostly surrounded by men, but WIN gives us the opportunity to work together, promote each other and develop our careers and leadership skills.” “Like many women, I just want to get things done: work, improve businesses and take care of employees, business associates, family and friends. It’s nice to validate all of my contributions by being recognized in this way.” Mahoney is inspired by WIN members and their efforts to work together to address the industry’s many challenges. “While there aren’t as many women in the industry as there could be, we are seeing women’s roles grow and advance,” she said. “We’re moving forward very quickly in all aspects of the automotive industry, especially the collision repair industry, and I am so excited to be a part of it.” “I am passionate about what I do every day, and I am passionate about helping others achieve personal and professional success. Being recognized by WIN as an influential woman is a great honor, and I am humbled. It tells me maybe I can make a difference in the industry and in the lives of women I meet on a regular basis. That is so important to me and to Enterprise. It is important that we continue to bring awareness to the collision industry and the criticalness of training and advance-

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

ment that needs to continue [in] this area, and especially for women.” Peevy said she was nervous when she attended her first WIN conference in 2012 because she only knew one person. “[However,] it didn’t take long before many people were introducing me to others and taking time to help me feel like I belonged,” she said. “I found being involved with WIN and attending the WIN conferences provided a great opportunity to grow and learn. There’s an important lesson in this: get involved, take a few chances and engage others. Networking will help anyone take it to the next level.” “It’s humbling to be recognized as a MIW, especially when I think of all the past winners and even those wonderful women who also are being recognized with me this year. It is an honor to think you are being recognized for being a positive influence. It’s been difficult to believe because this industry is made up of some of the most amazing, kind and generous people you could ever know.” All of this year’s MIW honorees agree that including women in collision repair is important because the industry truly needs a feminine perspective and a healthy balance, and they have all witnessed an increase in females in a variety of roles within the industry over the years. Each woman shared her views as well as advice for young women interested in pursuing a career in the automotive industry. “Women have a growing influence within our industry and we need to recognize those contributions, which are required for the industry to have the healthy balance it needs to succeed,” Peevy said. “Young women should know they will be respected if they show an interest in learning the industry, earning a place in it and respecting it. There’s tremendous opportunity for women in our industry, and by that, I mean there are literally hundreds of roles women can play. In fact, there’s really no role women can’t hold successfully.” Acknowledging that there are not as many women in the industry as there could be, Mahoney stated that there have been definitive growth and advancements in women’s roles. She

praised Enterprise for its promotefrom-within philosophy that rewards employees based on performance and has led to women being well represented in senior leadership positions throughout the company. “It can be a tough process, but it’s also fair and is opening doors for women in every one of our lines of business,” she said. “I think this industry offers a fantastic opportunity for anyone, but especially women, to have a career in so many areas, and I encourage women not to shy away from segments that haven’t historically been considered as a career opportunity for them.” “As I progressed throughout my career and considered each next big promotion, I often questioned whether I was qualified, but support and mentoring taught me that I’d never know what I could achieve unless I got outside of my comfort zone and took a chance. The opportunities are endless!” Bickett said, “The collision industry needs the diversity that women bring. We are different, and this is a benefit to businesses because women bring different experiences and skill sets that complement men’s and can bring synergy to this industry. There are many opportunities for women in the automotive industry, and this can become a career with many avenues. Young women interested in working in this industry should engage with other women, but men also. Network and find a mentor. Have a clear career vision, and empower yourself.” Schroeder also mentioned that women and men offer different skill sets and different perspectives that complement one another, but she believes it’s important “to remain firstclass ladies instead of trying to be second-class men. It’s important to be aware of how you present yourself and women in general. Behavior, wardrobe and language are all important. You cannot demand respect, but once you show that you do what you say and you apply your knowledge and experience, respect will come.”

Congratulations on being named 2018 MIWs to these four spectacular women!

www.autobodynews.com

Your #1 Source

for Collision Wholesale Parts in Ohio

CLASSIC CHEVROLET

ยง Comprehensive Inventory of High Quality Genuine OEM Parts in our 70,000 sq/ft warehouse ยง Fleet of 23 Wholesale Delivery Trucks ยง Competitive Discounts on all GM Parts including: Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC Truck, Hummer & Pontiac

800 -951-7282 800-951-7282 24-Hour Toll Free Fax

PARTS DEPT HOURS: M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-1pm

800-352-7275

6877 Center Street // Mentor, OH 44060 autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Media and Publicity for Shops with Ed Attanasio

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

Fill the Void—How to Find and Retain Good Employees You’re short a technician and an estimator, and your last painter took a job to paint government vehicles for the city because they’re going to pay his medical insurance and offered him a pension. How can a small independent shop (or even an MSO, for that matter) compete with that? What happens when your business is booming and the cars are lining up to be repaired, and suddenly you don’t have the people in place to do the work? For how long can your existing employees work overtime and weekends to catch up before they suffer from major burnout? Comebacks caused by shoddy work are often performed by overloaded and exhausted techs, and after a while it becomes a vicious cycle. Your DRPs are unhappy and after a while, they will start looking elsewhere.

Don’t feel alone. It’s getting increasingly more difficult to find the best people who can fit into your company culture and contribute to your organization. And once you have them on staff, what do you do to keep them onboard?

cruiting efforts in a big way. So, here are some suggestions on how to find good employees and keep them in the fold, because in the end, you’re only as good as the people who work for you. Loni Amato, the owner of In-

I interview body shop owners all over the country all the time, and their #1 concern is how to find good techs, painters, estimators, front office people and customer service representatives. The shortage of talented and well-trained collision professionals is a problem that isn’t going to get any better, so proactive shops are now investing in marketing and re-

genious Solutions, worked in Silicon Valley for many years and helped a wide range of different companies with their staffing and recruitment. By using several of the techniques listed here, Amato was able to find top talent and keep them onboard. “In any service-oriented, consumer-facing company, the strategies

“In the end, it comes down to identifying your needs and continually working to fill them with the best people you can find” — Loni Amato

Luther Bloomington Acura Our parts. Your peace of mind.

are basically the same,” Amato said. “In the end, it comes down to identifying your needs and continually working to fill them with the best people you can find. Many shops find the right people and say, ‘Okay, our work is done.’ But that’s a mistake, because you never know when someone will move, find a better job or retire, for that matter. MSOs have a definite advantage over independent shops when it comes to recruiting and retaining talented people. One of the main reasons is that many chains maintain fully staffed human resources departments that mom-andpop shops can’t compete with.” Assemble your own inventory of candidates Shops that hire new employees based on the candidates who walk in their door or answer an ad in the paper or online are often missing out on the

Luther Bloomington Subaru R TER NTE YOUR SUBARU CAR PARTS CEN

800.451.5078 Toll Free 952.887.0600 Parts Direct 952.881.1787 24 Hour FAX parts@bloomingtonacura.com www.bloomingtonacura.com

• Free Local Delivery and Shipping • Experienced Parts Professionals • Extensive OEM Parts Inventory at Competitive Prices

PARTS DEPT. HOURS Mon. 6:30am - 6pm Tue.-Fri. 6:30am - 9pm Sat. 8am - 4pm 7801 Lyndale Ave. South Bloomington, MN 55420

Large Inventory of Genuine Subaru Parts Quality Tested Dedicated Wholesale Staff Committed to Service Servic Order Parts On-line 24/7 www.bloomingtonsubaru.com parts@bloomingtonsubaru.com

Luther Bloomington Subaru Hours: Mon: 6:30 - 6; Tue-Fri: 6:30 - 9; Sat: 8 - 4 7801 Lyndale Ave. South // Bloomington, MN 55420 Toll Free: Parts Direct: 24 Hr. FAX: 48

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

800-451-5078 952-887-0600 952-881-1787

best candidates. “Some of the best people in the collision industry are likely working for someone else and they may not even be considering a new position elsewhere,” Amato said. “So, here are several simple steps that can help you put more qualified names in your pool of job candidates. By assembling your own inventory of possible candidates, you won’t have to restart the hiring process from scratch every time. The key is to assemble your candidate pool before you need it.” • Invest time in developing relationships with tech school placement offices, recruiters and other organizations that help people find viable careers.

• Enable your current employees to actively participate in industry professional associations and conferences where they are likely to meet candidates you may successfully woo. • Check job boards for potential candidates who may have resumes

online, even if they’re not currently looking.

• Use professional association websites and magazines to advertise for professional staff.

• Look for potential employees on LinkedIn and other social media outlets. Bring in your best prospects to meet them before you need them. “I do not encourage poaching employees from the shop down the street for obvious reasons,” Amato said. “Instead, the goal is for you to be in the right place at the right time when someone starts looking around to make a move.” Stay connected to your local schools Engage with the tech schools in your area and play a role as a mentor. If you can get young people to work at your shop, they will likely attract some of their classmates and/or graduates. “Some shop owners work with local schools through mentoring programs,” Amato said. “If you want to hire fairly inexperienced people and then train them to do the job your

way, this is an ideal strategy.” Establish an employee referral program Human Resources departments at large corporations have strong employee referral systems that have become their bread and butter for attracting and hiring top people. One shop owner told me that one of his technicians had brought him three top estimators and one highly experienced painter through his company’s employee referral program, earning more than $5,000 in bonuses as a result. Some of these programs offer generous bonuses, including things like all-expense paid vacations, tickets to concerts and sporting events, etc. for employees who refer their friends and associates. Instead of conducting “cattle calls” and interviewing semi-qualified people, why not find top candidates through the connections your existing employees already have established? You will quickly find out that good body techs hang out with other good body techs, as do painters, estimators, etc. Build from within and reward

Illinois

MCGRATH CITY HYUNDAI

DON FRANKLIN HYUNDAI

773-889-3070

888-823-7335 859-263-5020

Chicago 6750 W. Grand Ave.

Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm www.mcgrathhyundai.com

PATRICK HYUNDAI Schaumburg 1020 E. Golf Road

847-605-4055 847-619-4511 Fax

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5pm www.patrickhyundai.com

Indiana

The RIGHT

COLLISION PARTS

For Your Collision Job.

Kentucky

INDY HYUNDAI

Indianapolis 7101 E Washington St.

800-592-5170 317-536-1552 Fax

Lexington 3340 Richmond Rd.

859-263-8527 Fax

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat 8am - 4pm rogerwalker@donfranklinauto.com

Ohio

top work Providing promotional and lateral opportunities for current employees positively boosts morale and makes your current staff members feel their talents, capabilities and accomplishments are appreciated. Always post positions internally first. “I always tell shop owners to give potential candidates an interview, even if they are not currently looking for new people,” Amato said. “It’s a chance for you to know them better. They learn more about the goals and needs of the organization.” Be known as a great employer Amato makes a strong case for not just being a great employer, but also letting people know that you are a great employer. “This is how you build your reputation and your company brand,” Amato said. “You’ll want the best prospects seeking you out because they respect and want to work for your brand. Google, which frequently tops Fortune’s Best Companies list, for example, receives around 3,000,000 applications a year.”

WAIKEM HYUNDAI Massillon 3748 Lincoln Way East

800-225-0281x1446 330-478-2800x1446 330-478-9957 Fax

Mon 7:30am - 8pm Tue-Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat 8am - 4pm webbmcnutt@waikem.com www.waikemhyundai.com

CLASSIC HYUNDAI Mentor 8460 Tyler Blvd.

440-266-6750 440-266-6763 Fax

Mon-Thu 7am - 7pm; Fri 7am - 6pm; Sat 7am - 3pm gregj@driveclassic.com www.driveclassichyundai.com

Mon 8am - 8pm; Tue-Fri 8am - 6pm Sat 8am - 1pm inss.partsmgr@rohrman.com www.indyhyundai.com

Visit these Genuine Hyundai Parts Dealers: autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Product Innovation

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

with Ed Attanasio

Shop Owner Invents Revolutionary Repair Estimating Tool Justin Forkuo, the owner of 290 Auto Body, Inc. in Worcester, MA, is now the proud father of a baby girl named Mia, 7 lb., 14 ounces. Another creation he is proud of is a tool called Crash Point Systems. Crash Point Systems makes taking photographs for estimates and appraisals on a vehicle faster and less problematic than ever before by taking language barriers out of the process, according to Forkuo.

no need to write or attach anything to the vehicle’s surface, thereby reducing prep work. The tool also aids those who have difficulty taking good pictures, regardless of their level of experience. “Most of my technicians speak some type of Spanish and their English is very limited, so that’s when I started using the color-coded wands,” Forkuo said. “Right away, I could see that we were saving time, because we weren’t going back and forth with the insurance companies over the phone. Instead of sitting on hold, which is highly unproductive, my guys were able to keep moving and getting more down.” The color-coded wands are simple and direct, the way Forkuo likes it. Repair is designated with the color yellow. Replace is red; Remove and Install (R&I) is green; Point of Interest Justin Forkuo is the owner of 290 Auto Body, Inc. in (POI) and Paint are repreWorcester, MA, and the creator of Crash Point Systems sented by the color blue. By “This tool provides a clear solu- using the system for 18 months, the tion for the problem of taking colli- crew at 290 Auto Body is communision photos that previously were cating more effectively than ever. difficult to interpret,” Forkuo said. “I Forkuo’s invention is stripping out first tried it here at my shop to see if language and documenting every asmy crew would embrace it, and I was pect of the repair more precisely by surprised by how well it worked. I using the wands. was looking for a better method to Forkuo wasn’t destined to be a perform vehicle appraisals by creat- collision repair lifer. He began working a standard process for taking ing for a restoration shop and later for photographs and taking all of the a body shop after graduating from guesswork out of the equation.” college, and liked the industry right Three years ago, Forkuo began away. looking for an uncomplicated device “It was a great education bedesigned with maximum efficiency cause at the restoration shop I learned in mind. Based on a series of wands how to use body filler and do metal that are becoming better known as fabrication,” he said. “Then when I crash pointers, he devised a one- started working at a collision repair handed ambidextrous design that al- shop, it was more like changing parts, lows for greater mobility. The but it was also a valuable experience. lightweight, durable plastic polymer Instead of fixing an entire car at the reduces fatigue and resists wear dur- restoration shop, I was fixing panels. ing heavy usage. The five wands are It was a completely different busicolor-coded and use known industry ness.” terms to relay accurate information One day, Forkuo decided he to everyone involved in the repair wanted to do everything he could to process. open his own shop. His inspiration As a touch-less system, there’s was monetary, he said.

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

“I was replacing a hood on a Honda Accord and when I saw the final bill, I thought, ‘Wow, there is a lot of profit here,’” he said. “I did the math and told myself that one day I was going to have my own shop. I still had a lot to learn about the industry, but I was confident that I could do it, so I changed my whole mindset that day and started thinking about going out on my own.” A few years later, Forkuo rented a small shop where he did it all by himself, and surprised many when he achieved $1 million in sales. In 2010, he opened 290 Auto Body, Inc. in Worcester, a city well-known for its bad drivers. “The roads here are not as congested as in surrounding areas. I think that leads to excessive speeds and a lot more accidents,” he said. “Cities like Baltimore and Boston are higher on the list, but we get a lot of accidents in a town of approximately 200,000 people. So I knew the work was there and the market would handle another shop in the area.” Crash Point Systems is now selling its wands in three sizes to accommodate several applications. “For estimators out on the road, we have a set of 7-inch wands that are pocket-size,” Forkuo said. “We also offer them in 18-inch and 25inch sizes, depending on how they’re being used. For example, many people like the 18-inch wands because they allow you to get close enough to touch the area you’re pinpointing, but far enough way to get a clear shot.” The Crash Point System wands also help estimators learn how to take effective photos of damaged areas that adjusters, techs and even painters will be able to decipher easily. “It’s also a teaching tool, because once you use the system a few times, you can pick it up [and] people get better at taking good photos quickly,” he said. “It saves us time and money and assists us with every aspect of each repair. The other ways that were available to us before we developed this tool weren’t working. Highlighting the damage with markers, stickers and

magnets was problematic at times. We also needed a clean and dry surface, requiring prep time. In addition, we are often outside doing estimates in inclement weather, which was also a problem when we were using those other methods.” Now, developing software to accompany his wand system, Forkuo is excited about the future of his company and the viability of his secondnewest baby. “It’s all about education through communication and making processes easier as a result,” he said. “A lot of shops need this product, but they don’t know it yet. Once they use the wands in action, they’re sold.”

FREE

4x Monthly E-Newsletter.

www.autobodynews.com

volvo Genuine parts

Right Part. Right Price. Right Now. Minnesota

Borton Volvo Cars GOLDEN VALLEY 800-328-7114 612-827-3496 Fax parts@borton.com

Trust your order to the collision parts specialists above

ILLINOIS

MICHIGAN

(708) 720-8972

(517) 393-5700

Hawkinson Kia Matteson

(708) 720-0657 Fax

M, W, F 6am-5pm Tu, Th 6am-7pm; Sat 8am-2pm jmihas@hawkinsonnissankia.com www.hawkinsonnissan.com/ez-parts

Raymond Kia Antioch

(847) 395-3600 (847) 838-7997 Fax

Kia of Lansing Lansing

(517) 393-6767 Fax

M-F 7:30am-6pm mattr@lansingisyoung.com www.kiaoflansing.com

Seelye Kia of Holland Holland

(616) 582-1008 (616) 582-1009 Fax

M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 7am-2pm kweber@raymondchevrolet.com

M-F 8am-6pm rbundy@betterseeseelye.com www.seelyekiaholland.com

Kia of Des Moines

Lou Fusz Kia

IOWA Des Moines

(515) 727-1815 (515) 309-1412 Fax

M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 7:30am-4:30pm parts@kiadm.com www.kiadm.com

KANSAS Midwest Kia Wichita

(316) 652-2960 (316) 652-2992 Fax

M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-2pm wsturm@midwestkia.com

MISSOURI St. Louis

(877) 221-4151 (314) 595-4942 Fax

M, W, F 7am-8pm; Tu, Th 7am-6pm Sat 7:30am-4pm fuszkiaparts@fusz.com www.kia.fusz.com

Napletonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mid Rivers Kia St. Peters

(888) 816-9729 (636) 926-0683 Fax

Suntrup Kia St. Louis

Waikem Kia Massillon

(800) 727-8496

(800) 225-0281 x1447

NO. DAKOTA

M 7:30am-8pm Tu-F 7:30am-5:30pm; Sat 8am-4pm mmiller@waikem.com www.waikem.com

(314) 815-3060 Fax

M-F 7am-5pm www.suntrupkiasouth.com

Kia of Fargo Fargo

(800) 728-7601 (701) 282-5924 Fax

M-F 7am-5:30pm; Sat 8am-5pm

OHIO

Montrose Kia Sheffield

(440) 934-6699 (440) 934-5247 Fax

M-F 7:30am-6pm bgordon@gomontrose.com www.montrosekia.com

VanDevere Kia Akron

(330) 836-4064 (330) 836-4074 Fax

M-F 7:30am-5:30pm chevyparts@vandevere.com www.vandevere.com

(330) 478-0900 (330) 478-9957 Fax

WISCONSIN Bergstrom Kia of Appleton Appleton

(920) 993-3000 (920) 749-1588 Fax

M, Tu, Th, F 7am-6pm; W 7am-8pm; Sat 8am-5pm anoldner@bergstromauto.com www.bergstromkiaappleton.com

Russ Darrow Kia of Waukesha Waukesha

(262) 896-1151 (262) 896-1188 Fax

Jeff.krueger@russdarrow.com www.kiaofwaukesha.com

M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 7am-3pm bprinster@napleton.com pschnare@napleton.com www.midriverskia.com

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Following OEM Procedures Will Help Avoid Surprises, Injuries, Delays by Stacey Phillips

Now more than ever, it is crucial to follow OEM procedures and focus on the operations of every vehicle during the repair process so there are no surprises, according to Jake Rodenroth, director of industry relations for asTech. “If certain procedures aren’t followed, you could either injure the person working on the vehicle or cause additional damage, which can lead to bill payer friction and delays,” Rodenroth said during a Guild 21 podcast in March, sponsored by Verifacts Automotive. During the podcast, Rodenroth, along with Doug Kelly, CEO of Repairify, and Bram Paris, director of calibration at asTech, shared information about some of the new vehicles and technology being introduced to the market. Kelly and Rodenroth spoke about pre- and post-scanning and recalibration during a prior Guild 21 podcast in January. “There are things that I think as repairers, we’re missing the boat on—fundamental skills that we’ve overlooked throughout the years,” said Rodenroth. “This is not going to get any easier. It’s going to get more complex.” He mentioned common repair procedures such as battery disconnects, changing a headlight and taking off a mirror. “These are all steps that we do every day, but what we fail to realize is that in the last couple of years, those steps have changed,” he explained. “Scanning is the precursor to something much bigger and more complex on the calibration front,” said Kelly. “Cars produced today need this activity done and many people don’t understand it.” Paris highlighted Mazda’s Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system to demonstrate the importance of doing the necessary research to ensure a proper repair. “Even though the system is described the same way and, from a vehicle owner’s perspective, behaves the same way, actually Mazda has three different variations of the same BSM system,” he said. “However, it wouldn’t be obvious to anyone look52

ing at the vehicle.” All three versions are part of Mazda’s I-Activsense package and use the same icons and indicators; however, the vehicle detection pattern is different between version one and versions two and three. Although the three systems don’t outwardly look any different to consumers, Paris said they work dif-

very similar to Version 2 in the way it functions. It has the same detection area and technical benefits and uses Doppler radar. The difference is the way in which it calibrates. Version 3 uses the same reflector as Version 1. Paris said that with all three versions, there are detailed procedures required to set the reflector or Doppler simulator in a very specific

ferently, react to the environment differently and are calibrated differently. BSM Version 1, mainly on Mazda’s models prior to 2016, uses radar-based detection. The sensing area on these early builds is small, approximately 23 feet, which Paris said isn’t a lot of space to pick out a car in a blind spot. “Because BSM is subjective to a person’s blind spot, 23 feet may or may not detect a vehicle in that person’s blind spot,” he said. A vehicle with Version 1 cannot detect a car coming into the blind spot or leaving, and only senses a vehicle in its detection area. It is unable to detect speed or distance. One of the most important differences between this version and Version 2 is that a reflector is required to calibrate the system. BSM Version 2 is only applicable to 2016–2018 Mazda XC-3 and MX-5 vehicles and uses Doppler radar. Another difference between Versions 1 and 2 is that the detection area is significantly larger—about 164 feet. “The system is much more intelligent,” he said. “It can actually detect a vehicle entering and exiting that zone.” This version can monitor the speed of the Mazda and detect the speed and distance of a vehicle entering the blind spot. Rather than using a reflector, Version 2 requires a Doppler simulator for a radar test to determine if the sensors are mounted correctly and working as designed. This device is specific to these types of vehicles. BSM Version 3, used on 2016 CX-9 Mazdas and future models, is

place to test the vehicle and know it is within OEM specifications and calibrated correctly. “It’s very important that the OEM procedures get followed and OEM equipment is used to do that,” he added. Rodenroth then shared examples of three new vehicles with complex technology: the 2018 Cadillac CT6, the 2018 Audi 8 and the 2018 Buick Regal.

“Scanning is the precursor to something much bigger and more complex on the calibration front. Cars produced today need this activity done and many people don’t understand it.” — Doug Kelly

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

2018 Cadillac CT6 With multiple substrates on this vehicle, Rodenroth said joining methods need to be followed correctly, or else a repairer will fail to have electrical continuity throughout the car. A fully loaded CT6 is equipped with a Bose Panaray sound system, which includes 34 speakers in the vehicle. “I think about collision repairers and the amount of interior trim that we take out for protection and welding operations,” said Rodenroth. “Did we plug them all in? These are things that can easily be missed that will cause heartburn when we deliver that vehicle.” The CT6 also includes a Super Cruise capability, which allows for hands-free driving on “approved” highways. “It’s a very intelligent system and uses a concert of sensors in the car to make sure the system is working properly,” he added. 2018 Audi 8

See OEM Procedures, Page 59

HYUNDAI

C Collision

PARTS

Collision Parts

• Experienced Parts Team • Wide Delivery Area • Large Inventory • Genuine Hyundai Parts • We are in the Hyundai Go Genuine™ Collision Conquest Program

Parts Number:

773.889.3070

24-Hour Fax:

Parts Hours: 8am - 5pm Mon - Fri

773.413.3008 mcgrathcityhyundai.com

hyundaiparts@mcgrathcity.com

6750 W. Grand Ave. / Chicago, IL 60707

INSIST ON GENUINE GM PARTS ONLY ORIGINAL PARTS PROTECT THE VEHICLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S VALUE.

Call Call Any Any of of These These Wholesale Wholesale Parts Parts Dealers Dealers Below Below Kentucky

Michigan

Missouri

Ohio

Don Franklin Buick GMC

Alma Chevrolet Buick GMC

Bob McCosh GM

VanDevere Chevy

800-880-5020

888-229-2336

800-800-8071

573-449-4103 573-441-5632 Fax

800-362-9650

LEXINGTON

859-263-5022 859-263-8527 Fax M-F 7:30 am - 5:30 pm Sat 8 am - 5 pm

aworkman@wgautogroup.com

Bob Hook Chevrolet LOUISVILLE

800-274-4665

502-499-0917 Fax

M-F 8 am - 5:30 pm bmaberry@bobhook.net

ALMA

989-463-0456 Fax

M-F 7:30 am - 6 pm parts@almabuickgmc.com

LaFontaine Buick GMC Cadillac HIGHLAND

877-552-2580

734-793-6000 734-793-1101 Fax 734-793-1102 Fax Minnesota

Indiana

Schepel Buick GMC MERRILLVILLE

800-588-7757

219-769-7757 219-755-0339 Fax M-F 7:30 am - 5 pm parts@schepel.com

Iowa

Shottenkirk Automotive FORT MADISON

877-310-0513

888-945-3729 Fax

M-F 7:30 am - 5 pm gmparts@shottenkirk.com

COLUMBIA

M-F 7 am - 6 pm Sat 7 am - 3 pm gmparts@bmcmail.com

Classic Chevrolet MENTOR

800-951-7282

800-352-7275 24-HR Fax M-F 8 am - 6 pm Sat 8 am - 1 pm

Jake Sweeney Chevrolet

866-235-6700 Fax

513-782-2829

800-247-1158 M-F 8am - 5:30pm

651-639-2120 651-639-2192 Fax

Sweeney Chevy Buick GMC

M-Th 7 am - 8 pm F 7am - 6pm Sat 8 am - 4:30 pm parts@rosedalechev.com

Ivan Gandrud Chevrolet GREEN BAY

800-242-2844

920-468-3658 920-468-3673 Fax M-F 7 am - 7 pm Sat 7 am - 2 pm parts@gandrud.com

513-782-2846 Fax

ROSEVILLE

800-247-0585

M-F 7:30 am - 5:30 pm chevyparts@vandevere.com

CINCINNATI

M-F 7:30 am - 6 pm Sat 8 am - Noon jakesweeneychevy.com

Rosedale Chevrolet

330-836-4064 330-836-4074 Fax

Wisconsin

Ohio

WILLMAR

Mills Parts Center

AKRON

YOUNGSTOWN

800-476-0760

330-726-2297 330-726-0709 Fax

M-F 7 am - 5 pm mattf@sweeneycars.com

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Mopar Masters Guild Annual Meeting Mixes Business With Fun With the ultimate goal of becoming better managers in order to During this year’s NADA Show in deliver the best service to its cusLas Vegas, held March 22–25, 35 tomers, MMG is always promoting members of the Mopar Masters Guild open communication. This year, they (MMG) converged to network, attend focused even more intently on the meetings, elect its officers for 2018 topic. and enjoy a little fun along the way. Some of the highlights during the annual meeting included presentations from FCA/Mopar executives and supporting vendors. “Our vendors play an important role and we are always anxious to meet with them and find out how they can help us as members and as an organization,” McDaniel said. “With six tier-one and seven tier(l to r) MMG Secretary Mike Opperman, President Susan two vendors on our roster, McDaniel, Barbara Davies from Autobody News, Vice they make us stronger and President Joe McBeth and Treasurer Don Cushing at more effective through their MMG’s annual meeting in Las Vegas, March 22–25 efforts and that’s why we MMG President Susan Mc- greatly value their participation.” Daniel was re-elected for another Subjects that MMG members two years, along with several other discussed at the meeting included a officers who represent top dealership wide range of marketing and effiparts departments nationwide. ciency strategies and systems to do a McDaniel is encouraged by what better job. MMG was able to achieve during the annual four-day meeting. “When we get together, we’re able to share ideas about best practices. That’s invaluable because we can take what we’ve discussed and use it to improve our departments,” said McDaniel, who is the parts director at Bill Luke Dealerships in Phoenix, The formula for every MMG annual meeting is to work hard AZ. “Networking is a huge and share ideas, but also have a little fun too! The week ended with a party at Drai’s After Hours, located in the part of every year’s annual Cromwell Hotel in Las Vegas meeting and this year was surely no exception.” “We talked about a new tire Mopar is the parts, service and marketing program that’s designed customer care organization that sup- to sell more tires; customer strategies ports Fiat Chrysler Automobiles for recalls; the wiADVISOR™ and (FCA). Established in 1992, MMG’s how to use it to process customers motto is “The exchange of informa- quickly and accurately and how to tion by like-size dealers in a non- get more customers to fill out surcompetitive environment.” veys and get better feedback from by Ed Attanasio

Call orwww.autobodynews.com Email Now for Rates:

AUTOBODY

800-699-8251

ltedesco@autobodynews.com

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

them,” McDaniel said. “In addition, we discovered phone techniques that can be used to more effectively get back to customers more promptly, especially when departments are

the year. “Currently, Don Cushing is working on our database and soon we will be making a big push to build membership,” McDaniel said. “We will reach out to eligible candidates through our members to let them know that joining MMG will benefit them on many levels. It all starts with our members reaching out to their colleagues and associates and getting the word out to the right people.” During the meeting, the following individuals started their two-year terms:

(l to r) Marvin Windham (longtime member of MMG and Executive Committee), President Susan McDaniel and Laura Windham network at MMG’s annual meeting

busy and backed up. These types of presentations foster better communication, and that is one of the main advantages of being a member of the MMG.” Another goal that the organization discussed at its annual meeting was a member drive to add 30 active members to the group by the end of

President: Susan McDaniel, Bill Luke CJDR

Vice President: Joe McBeth, Dallas Dodge

Treasurer: Don Cushing, Bald Hill DCJR

Secretary: Mike Opperman, Baxter Auto Group

Audi dealers strive to make you an Audi Genuine Parts fan.

Illinois

South Dakota

Audi Exchange

Audi Sioux Falls

Highland Park 847.432.5880 847.432.5708 Fax

Sioux Falls 888.540.6399 605.221.0550 Fax

gorejel@audiexchange.com

parts@grahamauto.com

Missouri

Ohio

Kansas City Audi

Audi Middleburg Heights

Kansas City 866.949.9500 Toll Free 816.941.4969 Direct 816.942.3156 Fax M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-5pm

Middleburg Heights 888.278.2400 216.898.5630 440.243.2795 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm

cfowles@molleaudi.com

wholesaleparts@sunnysideauto.com

Continued from Page 44

Chris Harsh

gravitated to paint. “I reached the point where I thought buying a set of oil paints or acrylics and a bunch of canvases might be my next move,” he said. “But then I thought, ‘Why don’t I just use the same paint I use at my job every day?’ So I started working with Sikkens Autowave, one of our waterborne products, and I loved how it worked. Then I discovered that I needed something to paint on, and for whatever reason, I started doing it on paint lids. I was around all of these paint cans, so why not put these lids to use? That’s how it began, and since then I’ve painted more than 400 images using automotive paint on paint lids.” After a while, Harsh’s art gained some local recognition, which fueled him to do even more of it, he said. “I have been a skateboarder my entire life, so one day I was at a local skate park and I ran into Steve Caballero, a pro skater,” he said. “We started talking and I showed him

some of my work, and he liked it. He then referred me to some of his friends and they liked it too, so they invited me to display my artwork at the Ventura Nationals, an annual car show. They gave me a booth and I sold a lot of art that day, including some art I created right on the spot. It was great to see that people wanted to purchase my stuff, and that inspired me to keep going.” Since then, Harsh’s art has appeared in art shows and other events. Many people have his images on their walls, but he still wants it to be a passion as opposed to a profession, he said. “I do it for the love of it, so I don’t ever want it to be like painting those camper shells,” he said. “I want to work on it at my pace and keep it a hobby, so that I won’t lose that great feeling every time I create a new piece.”

INSTAGRAM : @autobodynews

Continued from Page 22

Mitchell’s

Q: A:

How is the information shared with the industry?

We are working with approximately a half a dozen equipment companies that license our database. They reference our data for an accurate structural realignment of the vehicle. The Mitchell dimension information is universal and can be used with any equipment found in collision ‘frame’ shops. This ranges from tram bars, mechanical systems and jig fixtures to modern 3D electronic measuring systems. These measuring systems are used in conjunction with a frame rack to pull or realign the vehicle structure to the correct dimension. The frame or unibody is the foundation of the vehicle, and it must be straight before the rest of the repair process can be completed properly and safely. Computerized measuring systems can reference the Mitchell database and document the dimensions and produce a damage report. Measuring before and after a repair is MINNESOTA

important for assessing damage, helps technicians repair the vehicle accurately and provides confidence in the quality of the repair. We also provide the information through Mitchell’s TechAdvisor product for our customers. Over time, Mitchell’s RepairCenter TechAdvisor product has evolved. It’s much more comprehensive and detailed than what we were able to provide in book form. Over the last 20 years, we have been building an interactive database that consists of 3D data and photos. TechAdvisor is cloud-based and provides collision repairers integrated access to critical repair data and OEM procedures. This offers technicians the ability to locate the information they need to return vehicles to their original specifications in the safest, most efficient way possible. We offer a “Gold Standard” database that collision repairers can use when comparing a damaged vehicle to its original specifications, so they can see where the deviation is and how badly the vehicle is damaged. The only way you can really assess and repair hidden damage is by measSee Mitchell’s, Page 57

SOUTH DAKOTA

Luther Bloomington Subaru

Courtesy Subaru

Direct (952) 887-0600

Mon-Fri 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-Noon parts@courtesysubaru.com

Bloomington

(800) 451-5078

(952) 881-1787 Fax Mon 6:30-6; Tue-Fri 6:30-9; Sat 8-4 parts@bloomingtonsubaru.com www.bloomingtonsubaru.com OHIO

Brunswick Subaru Brunswick

Toll Free (888) 460-7080 Direct (330) 460-7080

(330) 460-7082 Fax Mon-Fri 8-6; Sat 8-4 www.brunswickautomart.com

Rapid City

(800) 658-3054

(605) 342-1178 Fax WISCONSIN

Wilde Subaru Waukesha

(800) 903-2434

(262) 544-1913 Fax Mon-Thu 7-7; Fri 7-5; Sat 8-4 parts@gowilde.com www.wildesubaru.com

Waikem Subaru Massillon

The following dealerships are eager to serve your needs. Call your local Subaru collision parts specialist today!

Toll Free (800) 225-0281 x2189 Direct (330) 478-2800 x2189

(330) 639-0140 Fax Mon 7:30-8; Tue-Fri 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 dandager@waikem.com www.waikem.com

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Uber’s Former Self-Driving Chief Still Believes in Dream of Safer Roads by Aaron Aupperlee, TribLive.com

The former head of Uber’s self-driving car operations urged the entire industry to keep working through what he called a “tough moment” to achieve safer streets and roads for all. John Bares, who left Uber in August and returned to Carnegie Robotics, said he has not lost faith in Uber or the promise of autonomous vehicles. “The company and the dream of the employees is a mode of transportation that is safer and more efficient for everyone, and clearly events like this are a huge step back, but the dream is still there,” Bares said. “And we’re going to get there.” Elaine Herzberg was killed March 18 when a self-driving Uber crashed into her as she walked her bike across a street in Tempe, AZ. Herzberg, 49, is believed to be the first pedestrian killed by a self-driving car. Uber suspended its testing of self-driving cars in Tempe, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto following the crash. The fleets remained grounded March 26, more than a week later, as the investigation into the crash continued. Tempe police and officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. Uber has said it is cooperating with the investigation. The crash threw the self-driving car industry into a tailspin with critics asking whether development of autonomous vehicles is worth the Continued from Page 43

WIN Event

how that participation is valuable. “It has helped me navigate situations and network with people in my field,” she said. “Have a no-fear attitude about approaching women you respect in the field and never underestimate the value of a mentor.”

How to deal with work-life balance: Each of the panelists talked about 56

producing autonomous vehicles, according to Reuters. Aptiv, which bought nuTonomy last year and has a large engineering center in Pittsburgh where it is developing self-driving technology, did not stop tests in Las Vegas and elsewhere, a company spokesman said. Argo AI, which is testing cars in Pittsburgh for Ford, has also continued testing, a Ford spokesman said. Waymo CEO John Krafcik, talking about the Tempe crash at the National Automobile Dealers Association in Las Vegas, said its self-driving car could have “handled that situation,” according to Forbes. Waymo, Google’s self-driving car company, is planning to begin an autonomous car service with no driver behind the wheel John Bares, director of the new Uber Advanced Technologies in the Phoenix area this year. Raj Rajkumar, a longCenter in Lawrenceville, speaks during a panel discussion of the closing plenary June 3, 2015, at the ITS (Intelligent time autonomous vehicles Transportation Systems) America’s 25th Annual Meeting researcher at Carnegie Meland Expo at the David Lawrence Convention Center. lon University, told USA Credit: James Knox, Trib Total Media Today that the Uber’s lidar “It’s going to be tough on peo- and sensors should have picked up ple emotionally,” Bares said. “As an the woman long before the car hit industry, we have to pull through. her. “Clearly there’s a problem,” RaFor the longer good of humanity, we jkumar said. “Maybe it’s the sensors have to pull through.” Toyota announced the week of not working correctly or the hardware March 18 that it was halting its self- that processes it, or the software.” In an email to Bloomberg, Marta driving operations in the wake of the crash. Boston’s mayor last year asked Thoma Hall, the president of VelonuTonomy and Optimus Ride, two dyne, which makes the lidar sensors self-driving car companies testing in used by Uber, wrote the crash “bafthe city, to pause testing. Hyundai, fled” the company. “Certainly, our lidar is capable which partnered with Aurora Innovation this year to develop self-driving of clearly imaging Elaine and her bicars, said it is cautious about mass cycle in this situation. However, our

lidar doesn’t make the decision to put on the brakes or get out of her way,” Hall said. The New York Times reported that Uber’s tests in Arizona were struggling and the team was scrambling to prepare for an upcoming visit from new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, who at first wanted to shutter the self-driving car project. The safety driver inside an Uber had to take control more often than the company would like. Bares said he was not concerned about Uber’s self-driving program when he left. Uber lured Bares away from Carnegie Robotics, a company he helped found, to start its Advanced Technologies Group. Improving safety and saving lives has been at the core of Bares’ nearly 40 years of work in robotics. In the early 1980s, Bares worked on robots that went into Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station after its partial meltdown. Carnegie Robotics designed robots to detect land mines and improvised explosive devices. At Uber, Bares wanted to prevent traffic deaths and injuries. “Can we make our roads safer?” Bares asked in a 2016 interview. “That’s the thing that tugs me, and I think we can do that over time.” Bares left Uber in August and returned to Carnegie Robotics. He said he was thrilled with his time at Uber. He said Uber’s operation grew to the point where he wanted to return to the small company he helped start.

work-life balance and what it meant to them personally, then reminded attendees to define their own balance as well. “Working mothers tend to shoulder a lot of guilt and feel like we are never good enough at home or on the job because time is so limited,” said Wagner. “We have to release the guilt and focus on the example we are setting for our children by being mothers and providing for our families.”

among the women who are shaping the industry. To join WIN or renew membership, visit https://thewomensindustrynetwork.site-ym.com/default.asp and click on “Join WIN” at the top of the page.

risk it poses to pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists as these cars are tested on city streets. Bares said the crash caused pain and difficult conversations not just at Uber, but across the many companies working in the field. More than 40,000 people died in traffic crashes in 2017. It’s a statistic that nearly anyone involved in selfdriving cars knows by heart and is working to lower.

How to manage others: Rittinger said that as a millennial, it’s

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

important for her to have a purpose. “That doesn’t mean someone has to give me one. I want my manager to explain the ‘why’ to me, which allows me to find my purpose,” she said. She said rather than receiving “marching orders,” it is more motivating to understand why a decision was made. WIN is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to encouraging, developing and cultivating opportunities to attract women to collision repair while recognizing excellence, promoting leadership and fostering a network

We thank TribLive.com for reprint permission.

LIKE US ON

FACEBOOK :

Autobody News

Robot Cars: Safety and Liability

fallback in case the automated system fails. Others are being designed never The robots are coming—robotic cars, to allow human intervention by physthat is. Are they safe? Will they be an ically removing the steering wheel and pedals. However, all of these veeconomic boon or bust? According to the National High- hicles will share one defining characway Traffic Safety Administration, in teristic—when the automated driving system is engaged, any 2015, the last year for which human being in the vehicle it had final statistics, car acis no longer in control. cidents were the leading Removing humans from cause of death in the U.S. for the wheel does not necessar16- to 23-year-olds. That ily guarantee safety. Today, year, 2.44 million people we already see stories about were injured in car crashes. the trouble automated vehiIn nearly one-third of all Adam Blank cles have with bridges, turnmotor vehicle fatal accidents, alcohol played a role. Automated driving left, bicycles or animals in the ing vehicles are being pitched to the road. Their vision systems can be public, legislators and regulators by easily tricked or hacked. Virtually every automaker has industry groups on the premise, but not yet on the promise, that if we take embarked on some sort of auaway the drunk, drowsy and distracted tonomous driving program, scramhuman element and shift to automated bling to resolve technological issues to get to market. To date, little has driving, crashes will be eliminated. Vehicles equipped with auto- been done on the regulatory side to mated driving systems will come in ensure that these vehicles will not many varieties. Some will need a crash when, say, a sensor fails or a human driver, either to get to where dense fog rolls in. Some players in the the automation can take over or as a car industry have lobbied intensely to by Adam Blank, Westfair Online

Genuine Nissan Parts

Genuine INFINITI Parts Call any of these following dealers.

Genuine Nissan and INFINITI OEM Wholesale Parts are Superbly Crafted to Strict Quality Standards.

NISSAN

MINNESOTA

Eden Prairie Nissan Eden Prairie

952-567-2150

(952) 567-2197 Fax M-F 6:30-7 parts@edenprairienissan.com www.edenprairienissan.com

INFINITI ILLINOIS

INFINITI of Naperville Naperville

866-874-6346

(331) 457-4661 Fax M-F 7-7, Sat. 8-4 www.buyinfinitiparts.com tryan@auto-plaza.com

avoid responsibility for their vehicles on the road, seemingly hiding defects in their system by failing to comply with reporting requirements and fighting efforts that would allow consumers to hold them accountable for collisions they cause. Legislation must be crafted to allow these manufacturers to bring automated cars to the masses while ensuring that manufacturers are responsible when their vehicles fail. Safety depends on accountability. If manufacturers are allowed to evade accountability, they have incentive to create a potentially dangerous vehicle. This is a fraught time for the auto industry—fortunes will be made and lost in automated driving, and without proper rules the public may be the greatest victim. But, if we can get the rules right, this technology has the potential to save millions of lives. Even if robotic cars can be made safe, the question of their economic impact still looms. Business and government must consider the impact these cars will likely have on them, their employees and their constituents. If, as anticipated, this technology can avoid all car crashes, it likely will alter insurance—potentially changing the profit structure of insurance companies and putting a dent into the business of auto body shops, insurance adjusters, medical professionals and attorneys. Theoretically, these vehicles will not violate traffic safety laws, so the $3 billion to $6 billion of revenue that governments receive annually from traffic tickets will evaporate and the police officers who write tickets will no longer be necessary. Continued from Page 55

GENUINE SERVICE & PARTS

Mitchell’s

uring the vehicle. If you can validate the integrity of the vehicle before you start the repair process, you can better understand what’s going to be involved in the repair. This aids in the collision repair blueprinting process.

How long does it usually take from the time the vehicle is measured until the information is uploaded into Mitchell’s product?

About 300,000 taxi drivers and upwards of 2 million truck drivers could be made jobless. Driverless cars coupled with ride-sharing systems, such as Uber and Lyft, may mean fewer privately owned vehicles and more fleets, hurting local car dealers and lessening demand for urban parking—a substantial revenue stream for municipalities and private businesses who have invested in costly parking structures. Automated driving vehicles also should have many positive economic benefits. Traffic congestion should lessen substantially; this, coupled with a decline in travel costs, should make it easier for employers to hire employees from a wider geographic area. Shipping costs should decrease with the elimination of human drivers and the ability of robotic trucks to communicate with one another and travel in a “train” formation. An entirely new market will emerge for technology, entertainment and data companies as they compete to improve the car-riding experience by harvesting data on occupants and advertising to them, providing an “office” or “living room” on the road. The robots are coming. Whether they are safe or not, and how we maximize their economic potential, remains to be seen. Adam Blank serves on the State of Connecticut Task Force to Study Fully Autonomous Vehicles and is an attorney at Wofsey, Rosen, Kweskin & Kuriansky, where he practices in the areas of land use and personal injury law.

We thank Westfair Online for reprint permission. It usually takes one to two days to collect all of the measurements, photos and 3D scan data. Then we process the data over the next few days at our headquarters before adding it to TechAdvisor. All of the information is then available to customers online. Currently, we are processing the data monthly. Eventually, we expect it will be available in “real- time,” as soon as the data processing is complete.

For more information, visit: Mitchell TechAdvisor.

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Tesla Says Autopilot Was Engaged During Model X Fatal Crash by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati

Tesla recently released an update confirming that Autopilot was activated on the ill-fated Model X when the SUV crashed into a concrete barrier in March near Mountain View, CA. According to the company’s update, the Model X’s Autopilot was engaged with the car’s adaptive cruise control set to minimum in the moments leading up to the crash. Tesla also noted that the Model X’s driver received several visual and one audible hands-on warning earlier

The aftermath of a fatal Tesla Model X accident. Credit: ABC News Radio/Twitter

on in the drive. The driver’s hands were not detected on the steering wheel for six seconds before the accident occurred as well. Ultimately, Tesla stated that the driver of the ill-fated Model X had about five seconds and 150 meters of unobstructed view of the concrete divider before the accident took place. Logs from the electric SUV, however, revealed that no action from the driver was taken. Tesla also highlighted that the absence of a crash attenuator—a highway safety device designed to absorb the impact of a collision— was a key reason why the fatal Model X crash was so severe. Tesla noted that it has “never seen this

level of damage to a Model X in any other crash.” As Teslarati noted in a previous report, the crash attenuator, better known as a crash cushion, was destroyed in a vehicular accident 11 days before the fatal Model X crash. This is in line with an image that Tesla provided on its first blog post about the incident, when the company showed a picture of the damaged crash cushion a day before the Model X’s collision. Local news agency ABC7 News was able to get in touch with the driver of the vehicle that collided with the crash cushion 11 days before the Tesla accident. According to the news agency, the previous crash involved James Barboza, who was driving a 2010 Toyota Prius at 70 mph. Barboza walked away from the crash with lacerations on his face and complaints of pain all over his body. The Toyota Prius driver was eventually arrested for driving under the influence. In a statement to ABC7, Steven Lawrence, a lawyer who specializes in highway safety, stated that the crash cushion, which could have saved the Model X driver’s life, should have been repaired long before the accident. According to Lawrence, 11 days is far too long to fix a crash cushion, especially in areas where the Model X accident took place. “Some states have as short as a three-day repair time for high traffic locations. And if you look at the material in California, this thing should have been repaired within a week. Again, there are a lot of questions about what happened and what went

James Roach Receives I-CAR Founder’s Award

James Roach, Immediate Past Chairman of the I-CAR® International Board of Directors, was awarded the Founder’s Award for his dedication and service to I-CAR at the 2018 ICAR Volunteer & Instructor Conference held recently in San Antonio, TX. Roach was on the I-CAR International Board of Directors from 2011 to 2018. During that time, he served in various roles, including the I-CAR Executive Committee. Roach’s term 58

as Chairman ran from 2016 to 2018. “This is a wonderful surprise,” Roach stated, “I am personally humbled to have invested my time in ICAR, working with so many industry people committed to helping I-CAR meet its vision that every person in the collision repair industry has the information, knowledge and skills required to perform complete, safe and quality repairs for the ultimate benefit of the consumer.”

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

wrong, but it should have been repaired in under 11 days,” Lawrence said. On March 29, CalTrans issued a statement to the local news agency addressing the delay in its repair of

The aftermath of a fatal Tesla Model X accident. Credit: ABC News Radio/Twitter

the road safety device. While CalTrans admitted that the crash cushion should have been repaired within seven days after the 2010 Prius collided with the crash attenuator, the agency noted that storms in the area delayed the repair. “Once our maintenance team has been notified, the department’s goal is to repair or replace damaged guardrail or crash attenuators within

seven days or five business days, depending on weather. These are guidelines that our maintenance staff follows. “However, as in this case, storms can delay the fix. In this incident, as soon as maintenance was aware of the damaged attenuator, efforts were made to place cones or safety barricades at the site, and the replacement work was scheduled.” As noted in a previous report, the Tesla Model X has a 5-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) because of its safety features, such as its 12-airbag system and its huge crumple zone. Roughly 85,000 successful autopilot trips have been done by Tesla owners in the same stretch of road as the ill-fated Model X since the driver-assist feature was introduced in 2015, with around 200 trips being conducted every day. We thank Teslarati for reprint permission.

Choose Original MINI Parts. ILLINOIS THESE DEALERS are GENUINE WHOLESALE PARTS SPECIALISTS.

Michigan

Sunshine Toyota

Patrick MINI Schaumburg 847-605-4055 (847) 619-4511 Fax Hours: M-Sat 8am-5pm

269-965-1000 BATTLE CREEK

269-441-1262 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm jody@sunshinetoyota.com www.sunshinetoyota.com

Continued from Page 52

OEM Procedures

Considered a mild-hybrid vehicle, the 2018 Audi 8 has a 48-volt electrical system onboard. Historically, it has been an aluminum vehicle since 1992, but a hybrid construction is expected in 2019, which Rodenroth said will change how the vehicle is repaired. The Audi A8 uses a nine-and-a-half horsepower electrical supercharger, which he said is the first engine of its kind in a production vehicle. “This is where those fundamental skills that we have to research play such a big role,” he said. “Things like battery disconnect and making sure our employees aren’t electrocuted when they are servicing a vehicle like this.” 2018 Buick Regal The Buick Regal uses a “rope” impact sensor, which is embedded inside of the absorber ahead of the rebar behind the bumper cover. “When you look at it, you need to treat these systems very much like a live airbag system,” said Rodenroth. The vehicle requires a very spe-

cific enable-and-disable procedure similar to airbags. The front bumper cover on the Buick Regal is not repairable. If damage is found, the bumper fascia or sensor system will need to be replaced. In addition, the hood, hinges and two actuators will need to be replaced if there is a deployment. “Think about a technician who happens to be leaning on a bumper cover and the system is not disabled,” said Rodenroth. “There could be a deployment and cause damage to the car.” Although very few people will have the opportunity to work on some of the more complex vehicles being introduced, Rodenroth said it gives repairers some insight about what they can most likely expect to be included in the mainstream cars of the future. “All of this technology is coming out like a fire hose and affects us in the repair center when we are trying to repair-plan around all of this,” he said. “This will change the entire repair cycle, claims process and even the customers shops interface with on a daily basis,” he said.

ASA Endorsement of OEM Service Procedures

In January 2018, Indiana Sen. Mark Messmer, R-48, introduced Senate Bill (SB) 164 which unanimously passed the Senate Jan. 30 and moved quickly through the House Committee on Insurance. It returned to the Senate with amendments by a vote of 83–13 Feb. 28. The Senate balked and filed a motion to dissent in early March .An amendment, adopted by the House Insurance Committee, would allow a work-around for insurers by recommending adherence to “industry standards” as an alternative to the vehicle manufacturer’s repair procedures. The CDOC of the Automotive Service Association has reaffirmed ASA’s position endorsing the use of required OEM service procedures when such procedures are available. COC members recently discussed several legislative initiatives being monitored. Language in one such initiative in Indiana would have endorsed the use of vaguely defined “industry standards” over the recommended OEM service procedures in the course of collision repair.

Original Thought #78

YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT THE FIRST REPAIR. ILLINOIS

Laurel BMW of Westmont

Westmont 630-230-2890 Direct Wholesale M-F 7am-6pm Sat 8am-3pm www.laurelbmw.com

Patrick BMW

Schaumburg 847-605-4055 847-619-4511 Fax M-Sat 8am-5pm

INDIANA

Basney BMW

South Bend 800-274-8504 574-273-5075 M-F 7:30am-6pm parts@basneyimports.com www.basneybmw.com

KENTUCKY

BMW of Louisville

Louisville 502-499-4552 502-499-4476 Fax M-Sat 8am-5pm bmwparts@louisvillebmw.com

Shelly Bickett Receives MIW Award

MICHIGAN

Fix Auto USA is excited that cofounder and franchise partner Shelly Bickett has been recognized as one of the Women’s Industry Network’s (WIN) Most Influential Women of 2018. She will formally accept her award during the 2018 WIN Educational Conference gala in Indianapolis in May. In addition to being actively involved in the development and growth of Fix Auto USA, Shelly’s decorated career includes the management of an eight-location body shop organization in Southern California, the birth of Collision Career Institute, participation in various corporate boards, leadership roles within industry associations, numerous speaking engagements at industry events and active involvement with the National Charity League. “It’s an absolute honor to be recognized as one of the most influential women in our industry, alongside my colleagues Mary, Marie and Petra,” Bickett stated.

• Original BMW Parts & Accessories

Erhard BMW of Bloomfield

Bloomfield Hills 800-626-9787 248-642-0443 www.erhardbmw.com

BMW of Okemos

Okemos 517-853-2600 517-853-2661 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm mbedard@lovewhatyoudrive.com www.okemosautocollection.com

Erhard BMW of Farmington Hills

Farmington Hills 888-834-8635 248-699-3003

www.erhardbmwoffarmingtonhills.com

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

Arizona Suspends Uber’s Driverless Car Tests by Mark Huffman, Consumer Affairs

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has ordered an indefinite suspension of Uber’s public road testing of driverless cars. The decision comes in the wake of a fatal accident involving one of the cars. Uber voluntarily suspended its tests a day after the accident, but the ride-sharing company will not be able to resume its tests until Ducey lifts his suspension. A 49-year-old female pedestrian was struck and killed as she pushed her bicycle across a four-lane highway at night in Tempe, AZ. Tempe Police Chief Sylvia Moir said her initial investigation, based on the Uber car’s video, showed the woman abruptly step in front of the autonomous vehicle. A different view Apparently, Ducey had a decidedly different impression after viewing the video. In a letter to Uber, released to the media, the governor called the accident “an unquestionable failure” on the part of the technology. “In the best interests of the people of my state, I have directed the

Arizona Department of Transportation to suspend Uber’s ability to test and operate autonomous vehicles on Arizona’s public roadways,” Ducey wrote.

Credit: JasonDoiy, Getty Images

Arizona initially welcomed Uber with open arms in 2016 when the company ended road tests in California because of a disagreement over regulations. Uber issued a statement March 26 saying it hoped to work with the governor’s office to clear up any issues. Consumers aren’t asking for selfdriving cars The automotive and technology industries have collaborated to push development of self-driving cars, despite public opinion surveys that consis-

San Antonio Hosting Sherwin-Williams EcoLean Level 1 Workshop

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes announces the next EcoLean™ Level 1 workshop will be held May 22-23, 2018 at the Omni La Mansion Del Rio in San Antonio, Texas. The San Antonio workshop will also include a group tour of the Toyota Tundra assembly plant, one of the industry’s most efficient manufacturing facilities. Sherwin-Williams exclusive EcoLean Level 1 workshops are offered to collision repair center owners and managers, as well as dealer fixed operations managers from across the United States and Canada. They are designed to educate attendees about how to maximize profitability by improving production and eliminating waste throughout their facilities. “The EcoLean curriculum was developed specifically with collision shop operators in mind,” says Lee Rush, Manager of Business Consulting Services, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes. “We give our workshop attendees an extensive and comprehensive look at how they can build a lean culture in their shop from 60

the ground up.” TheEcoLean Level 1 workshop curriculum includes:

● An overview of lean production and its practical application in collision repair ● Approaches to making a collision facility more efficient and effective ● How to build a lean culture from the ground up

“There’s a reason we continue to sell out our EcoLean workshops; as owners and managers are feeling more and more industry pressure every day, their necessity to perform in both the front office and on the production floor continues to be a challenge,” says Rush. “Those who take our training and deliberately implement the teachings have proven to be incredibly successful within their markets.” To register online for the upcoming San Antonio EcoLean Level 1 workshop, go to sherwin-automotive.com. For more information on EcoLean workshops, call (800) 798-8572.

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

tently show consumers aren’t asking for them. In fact, many surveys suggest consumers have qualms about their safety. In February, a survey conducted by Solace found nearly 60 percent of consumers who drive “connected cars” featuring smart technology said they wouldn’t buy a self-driving car, even if money weren’t an object (these cars cost around $250,000). Consumer and highway safety groups charge autonomous vehicles are being rushed onto America’s roads without adequate testing. In June 2017, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety issued a statement urging lawmakers to slow down. “As the proverbial way is paved for AV (autonomous vehicles), it is critical to ensure public safety and that industry not be given free rein on our roads and highways without a system of basic safeguards and oversight in place,” the group said in a statement. “Also, states should not be preempted from taking action to protect their motorists in the absence of federal oversight and regulation.” We thank Consumer Affairs for reprint permission.

OEM Parts You Need and Trust. Genuine Mitsubishi Replacement Crash Parts are close at hand from the following quality dealerships:

Toyota Suspends SelfDriving Test Program by Brandy Betz, Seeking Alpha

Toyota Motor Corp. has halted its Chauffeur self-driving system test program after the fatal pedestrian accident involving an Uber autonomous vehicle. Toyota’s statement to Bloomberg: “Because we feel the incident may have an emotional effect on our test drivers, we have decided to temporarily pause our Chauffeur mode testing on public roads.” Toyota was doing on-road testing in Michigan and California and, before the accident, was discussing plans to team with Uber on autonomous driving. Toyota shares are up 1 percent to $129.12.

We thank Seeking Alpha for reprint permission.

AUTOBODY

www.autobodynews.com

The Right Parts. A Perfect Fit.

Order Genuine Mazda Parts from these Parts Specialists in your area

OHIO

Waikem Mitsubishi

800-225-0281x1144 MASSILLON

(330) 478-0900 x1144 (330) 478-9957 Fax M 7:30am - 8pm Tu-F 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat 8am - 4pm mmiller@waikem.com www.waikem.com

OHIO

Brunswick Mazda Brunswick Toll Free

888-460-7080

Direct 330-460-7080 Fax 330-460-7082 M-F 8-6; Sat 8-4 www.brunswickautomart.com

FedEx Orders 20 Tesla Semi Electric Trucks

FedEx Corp. recently announced it has placed a reservation for 20 Tesla Semi trucks. The fully electric trucks, which are scheduled to begin production in 2019, will be operated by FedEx Freight, its less-than-truckload unit. “FedEx has a long history of innovation and incorporating sustainability efforts throughout its global network,” said FedEx Freight President and CEO Mike Ducker. “Our investment in these trucks is part of our commitment to improving road safety while also reducing our environmental impact.” Tesla said its new big rig will deliver a far better experience for truck drivers while increasing safety and significantly reducing the cost of cargo transport. Its advanced technologies, such as surround cameras and onboard sensors, help aid object detection while also enabling Enhanced Autopilot for automatic emergency braking, automatic lane keeping and lane departure warning. The company also touts electric energy cost savings that are half that of diesel.

Affectiva Launches Emotion Tracking AI for Connected Car Drivers by Sooraj Shah, Internet of Business

Affectiva, an MIT Media Lab startup, has launched the Automotive AI service. The service enables the manufacturers of connected vehicles and in-car systems to track drivers’ and passengers’ emotional responses. The system is designed to boost road safety. Affectiva said that its AI model offers a deep understanding of driver and occupant emotions, cognitive states and reactions to the driving experience, including joy, surprise, fear and anger. More significantly for road safety, it can also identify drowsiness, yawning and other signs of fatigue. It does this by measuring facial expressions and voice tones in real time. The system tracks heads, faces, emotions and eye movements to understand the states of mind of both drivers and passengers. Affectiva said it is working with the likes of Porsche, Daimler, BMW, robotaxi startup Renovo and vehicle safety system providers such as Autoliv, as well as hardware providers NVIDIA and Intel. This suggests that new connected cars will come

equipped with the AI in the near future. Affectiva’s aim is to combine its software with other onboard systems to make for a more connected drive. For example, the AI could trigger au-

Credit: JasonDoiy - Getty Images

diovisual alerts or seat belt vibrations to ensure that the driver remains engaged, or intervene in dangerous driving situations that may stem from fatigue or distractions. By sensing fatigue, anger or frustration, the AI can determine if an autonomous car should take control from its driver—and when it is safe to pass back that control. The software could also call upon a virtual assistant to guide drivers through alternative “road ragefree” routes if they seem angry, or play a soothing playlist to calm them down.

The system isn’t just focused on drivers: passengers are equally important, said Affectiva. Passenger reactions could be used to personalize music or video playlists, or adjust heating and lighting, while the autonomous driving style could be altered if passengers seem anxious or uncomfortable. Affectiva used a database of 6 million faces from 87 countries to build its AI model. The startup has also developed a voice analysis tool for the makers of AI assistants and social robots. Internet of Business says: This innovative mix of AI, incar systems, connected cars and autonomy holds great promise for the future of safer motoring for all—if these systems are designed and deployed sensitively. Too intrusive or insistent a presence in cars may trigger some of the problems that AI is designed to solve. At heart, both driving and personal transport are about people; too machine-like an experience, and many car owners or users may begin to feel that the humanity is being taken out of the picture. We thank Internet of Business for reprint permission

Access Insurance Company Ordered Into Liquidation by Katherine Coig, glassBYTEs.com

OHIO

SOUTH DAKOTA

Brunswick Volkswagen Brunswick

Graham Automotive Sioux Falls

Toll Free: 330-460-7080

888-540-6399

Direct: 330-460-7080 Fax: 330-460-7082 M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-4pm

Fax: 605-221-0550

www.brunswickautomart.com

parts@grahamauto.com

A Texas district court judge has issued an order of liquidation of Access Insurance Company, an auto insurer incorporated in Texas but headquartered in Atlanta, after the Texas Insurance Department found the insurer unable to pay off its debts. The company, which was founded in 1994, has license to do business in 22 states, including California, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. According to the California Insurance Department, the insurer’s unaudited 2017 preliminary statutory income statement reflected a negative $27.6 million policyholder surplus as of Dec. 31, 2017, and its unaudited 2018 preliminary statutory income statement reported that its policyholder

surplus was a negative $29 million as of Jan. 31, 2018. Additionally, the insurer neglected to file its required yearly statutory statement. Only two states out of the 22 have reported on how many policyholders in their respective states will be affected. Pennsylvania Insurance Department released a statement citing the insurer has 42,785 policies in the states. South Carolina Department of Insurance director Ray Farmer said the insurer has approximately 15,500 private passenger auto insurance policies, in a statement from the state’s insurance department. Access policyholders had until April 12 to find new coverage.

We thank glassBYTEs.com for reprint permission.

Don’t Miss the www.autobodynews.com Weekly AUTOBODY Industry NEWS Your Shop Needs.

www.autobodynews.com

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

AUTOBODY MARKETPLACE

Stop wasting valuable time looking for cardboard or cleaning mixing boards!

Clean Sheets® Mixing Boards are used by thousands of repair shops to mix epoxies, body filler, fiberglass, plastics, gel, putty and touch-up paint. • Prevents costly reworks • Bonded on 3 sides • Non-absorbing, heavy-duty paper with grip for mixing • Pays for itself the first week you use them!

Clean Sheets® “The Original Patented Mixing Pad

Since 1988”

Call your local Jobber or: 800-365-1308 www.cleansheetsmfg.com

R E K C A R C Y L O P

The Secrets of America’s Is noblwe for availa Greatest Body Shops purchase!

Waterborne Wax and Grease Remover SINCE 1985

Available from YOUR local Jobber or CALL: 973.335.2828 FAX: 973.402.7222 polycracker@netscape.com

by: Dave Luehr and Stacey Phillips

The Book That Will Challenge Everything You Know About the Collision Repair Business. Order your copy today and join the Body Shop Secrets community!

www.autobodynews.com

www.bodyshopsecrets.com

Looking for Good Collision Personnel? •1,262 Collision Techs resumes online •1,295 Painters resumes online •1,177 Estimators & Mgs resumes online •11,256 Mechanical Tech resumes online

ACTautostaffing.com or 727-733-5600

For more information, contact the authors at info@bodyshopsecrets.com

When all you need to do is move a vehicle, use:

Advertise in our CLASSIFIED SECTION for $50 per column inch! Place an ad in our

> EASY TO USE <

SAVES YOU TIME AND MONEY

Go to www.forkliftwrecker.com and watch our video.

877.593.6959

AUTOBODY MARKETPLACE section of Autobody News. 800-699-8251

ltedesco@autobodynews.com

Call or e-mail now for rates: 800-699-8251 or ltedesco@autobodynews.com 62

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

FREE

4x Monthly E-Newsletter.

www.autobodynews.com

autobodynews.com / MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS

MAY 2018 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com