Midwestern December 2014 Issue by Autobody News

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Final 2014 CIC Meeting Includes GM Parts Pricing Announcement, Human Resources Quiz by John Yoswick

The biggest collision industry news during SEMA week in Las Vegas last month got all of five minutes at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC). Kris Mayer of General Motors took no questions at CIC after the automaker’s announcement that week that it would be discontinuing the publication of list prices for crash parts, in favor of MyPriceLink.com, a new, online and real-time pricing system that would always quote “competitive prices.” Coming just three weeks before the change was initially going to go into ef-

fect, the announcement stunned many dealers, shops and insurers. “We know it’s disruptive. We are taking that into account. We know what those disruptive points are,” Mayer said at CIC. “Every single workflow disruption that we’ve come across we have a possible

Kris Mayer of General Motors announces that the company will be discontinuing the publication of list prices for crash parts. Photo credit: John Yoswick

See Final 2014 CIC Meeting, Page 18

Alton, IL’s Andy’s Autobody Serves Thanksgiving Dinner to “People Who Don’t Have Anybody”

See Andy’s Autobody, Page 4

Change Service Requested

P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018

Andy’s Autobody in Alton, IL, held their 7th annual complimentary Thanksgiving Dinner for those in need on the afternoon of Nov. 22 at the Knights of Columbus in Alton. Meals began being served at 11 a.m. and were served until 2 p.m. for local less fortunate residents.

For the last two years Andy’s has partnered with the First Unitarian Church of Alton to make the event a success. Mark Anderson, owner of Andy’s Autobody, said the idea came to him from one of his employees and his wife. The lunch is not specifically organized for homeless residents or for those in the area who are in financial turmoil. According to Anderson, lunch is served for the less fortunate in the area. “It’s for people who don’t have anybody, sometimes they don’t have family in town or money for dinner, or they just want to hangout,” Anderson said.

VOL. 4 ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2014

GM Pauses MyPriceLink.com Implementation General Motors announced on Nov. 10 that it had paused its MyPriceLink.com program that was launched a week earlier. See other cover story this issue. According to GM, the decision was based on industry feedback to enhance and streamline the workflow for all collision industry partners. MyPriceLink.com is a free automated “real-time” pricing program that will provide Genuine GM collision parts to the market that are competitively priced “up-front” at the initial repair estimate. The company said the repair facilities will have access to Genuine GM Parts at the best available price and in timely manner. “For our GM dealers to be more competitive in the estimate writing process, we are going on the offensive with our collision parts pricing. Our objective is to quote the most competitive OEM list price the first time, reducing supplements and adjustments, while at the same time improving cycle time for repairers, insurers and ultimately the customer,” said Kris Mayer, General Director, Wholesale Dealer Channel. GM said it has re-

ceived overwhelming interest and support for its best price forward pricing strategy from all constituents throughout the collision repair industry. By providing the price up front in the estimating process, GM said it can continue to focus on helping the customer, allowing the vehicle to be returned to pre-accident condition, with original parts, ensuring safety and appearance. Since GM announced this new program, the company said the workflow pressures on outside parties has brought to light enhanced solutions and the increased desire for integration opportunities. In the interim, GM will resume the publishing of list price until MyPriceLink.com is implemented. GM expects to have a fully functioning dynamic pricing process through MyPriceLink.com by early 2015. GM said it appreciates the interest and support MyPriceLink.com has received and looks forward to collaborating with all constituents in the collision repair industry to implement the new way in which GM list prices will be obtained.

More Lawsuits Filed in Additional States Against Nation’s Top Insurers by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

Nearly 500 collision repair shops across the country have now joined the antitrust Multi-District Litigation originally filed by five states in April against the nation’s top insurers. Over the past month lawsuits have been filed against insurance companies in the additional states as part of “The Movement” by body shops to take back control of the industry. Recent reports have stated that body shops in at least 35 states turned in paperwork by the Oct. 31 deadline. When Autobody News contacted lead attorney John Eaves, Jr. to learn the results of the most recent court hearing scheduled on Nov. 14 in Orlando, he reported that the judge took the hearing under advisement. “This whole thing is not about us body shops. This is about the con-

sumer,” said Ron Perretta, owner of Professionals Autobody Body in Pennsylvania. As an active participant in “The Movement,” he said, “What this is doing is it’s not allowing the body shop to fix consumers’ cars properly. This isn’t about us.” Perretta and Tony Passwater, Executive Director of the Indiana Autobody Association and President of AEII Consulting Services, have traveled across the country talking to shops and helping them understand “The Movement.” “We believe that direct repair needs to stop. Direct repair is nothing more than something that was formed to be able to control our industry,” said Perretta. “The direct repair was not formed to make it easier, better, quicker for the consumer.” See MDL and Insurers, Page 8

Presorted Standard US Postage PAID San Bernardino, CA Permit #2244

2 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Contents Alton, IL’s Andy’s Autobody Serves

Thanksgiving Dinner to “People Who

Don’t Have Anybody”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Debuts at SEMA 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Auto Care Association Releases 2014

Digital Collision Repair Trends Report. . 39

Automotive Lift Institute Elects 2015 Board . 9

Date Set for CREF’s 2015 Summer Golf

BASF Glasurit and R-M Paint Earn

Four Charged with Classic Car Insurance

CarMax Returns to AutoTrader &

Mitchell Hosted Auto Body Shop

Car-O-Liner Launches CTR7™ Resistance

Service King Acquires Ohio’s International

CCC’s Parts Shopping through

Sherwin-Williams & Richard Childress

Copart Donates to CREF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Scam, Wire Fraud in KY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Bootcamp in IL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Collision Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Racing Debuted Off-Road Series Truck. . 4

Sisk - IABA Presents $500 Merit Awards

to Two Local Schools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Sisk - Iowa Automotive Recyclers

Association Recognized as ARA’s

2014 Affiliate Chapter of the Year . . . . . 26 COLUMNISTS

Attanasio - California Autobody

Association Gets a New Web Site

Awards at SEMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Cars.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Spot Welder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 CCC ONE® Touch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Creating Engaging Consumer Videos for

Marketing with Kristen Felder . . . . . . . . 35

Final 2014 CIC Meeting Includes GM Parts Pricing Announcement, Human

Resources Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Ford, Chrysler, and GM Approve DeBeer Refinish Waterbase 900+ Series by

Valspar Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Four Collision Schools Awarded GEICO

Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

with Better Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

GM Demonstrated Rail Saver Repair

Monthly Events at G&C Auto Body . . . . 22

GM Pauses MyPriceLink.com

at Annual SEMA Luncheon. . . . . . . . . . 32

I-CAR’s 2015 Ford F-150 Training

Source of Marketing Information . . . . . 33

Matrix Hosts “Artists 4 Education”

Consolidation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

More Lawsuits Filed in Additional States

Business on Internet, 2-Way

NAPA/Martin Senour Unveil Custom 1966

Attanasio - Car Giveaways Become Regular Attanasio - NABC Gives Away Four Cars

Franklin - Autobody Associations—A Great Luehr - Competing with MSO

Yoswick - Prevailing Practices, Doing

Estimating, Steering Suits . . . . . . . . . . 28

Yoswick - SCRS OEM Technology Event

Includes Plenty of Focus on Aluminum

Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 NATIONAL

System at SEMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

and Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Auction at SEMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Against Nation’s Top Insurers . . . . . . . . 1

Mustang at SEMA 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Patent Case: Allegations of Gaining

Information from Password-Protected

Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

PPG Launches New Clearcoat and Latest

Branded Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

3M Automotive Adhesives Used to

Pro Spot Gives Autobody News a

ABRA Helps Raise $18,000 for Children’s

Quest Hires Former Martin Senour

ACD Adds Collision Select to AutoLink™

SEMA 2014 Entertains, Informs and

Acura TLX Earns Top Safety Pick+ Award . 39

Service King Raises $112,000 for

Repair 2015 Ford F-150 . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Hospital Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Aleris Breaks Ground on $350 Million

Facility Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Product Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Wows the Crowd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Breast Cancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Aluminum Auto Body Sheet Plant in KY. . 6

Sherwin-Williams Donates $170,000

Winners a Big Hit at SEMA . . . . . . . . . . 34

Valspar Automotive & House of Kolor

Attanasio - New Product Showcase

Attanasio - WD-40/PowerNation Jeep

in Products to CREF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Make a Splash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

and mirror hangers in each vehicle repaired. Additionally, Service King honored its teammates who had personally been affected by breast cancer through its “Faces of Breast Cancer” series, hosted on its social media platforms and new blog, The Service Advisor. “Service King’s dedication and support of our mission to help women now has truly been inspiring,” says NBCF Co-Founder & CEO, Janelle Hail. “The funds raised by Service King will help us provide thousands of free early detection services for women in all 50 states.” Service King and the NBCF’s efforts focused primarily on raising early detection awareness. The funds raised will help the NBCF provide education and support services, as well as early detection services through the National Mammography Program, which offers free diagnostic screenings to under-served women across the country. To learn more about Service King and NBCF’s partnership during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, visit The Service Advisor.

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Assistant Editor: Stacey Phillips Online Editor: Victoria Antonelli Contributing Writers: Tom Franklin, John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, David Brown, Rich Evans, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Sales Assistant: Louise Tedesco Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia

Indexof Advertisers

Fundraiser in MI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Service King Collision Repair Centers and its teammates raised more than $112,000 in support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc.® (NBCF) during the month of October. Service King pledged to match teammate donations to NBCF during its National Breast Cancer Awareness Month initiative. In an overwhelming and inspiring response, teammates from across the country rallied to raise $56,000 to support the cause. “The response from our teammates was truly inspirational,” said Chris Abraham, Service King CEO. “Breast cancer touches countless lives in so many ways. We are honored to come together as a family and raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation and its mission to raise awareness and find a cure.” Throughout the month of October, Service King encouraged teammates at its locations nationwide to raise awareness by wearing Eliminate Breast Cancer t-shirts and pink wristbands. Service King also shared messages of hope with its customers by including pink warranty packages

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 31 Automotive International . . . . . . . . . 17 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 27 Bumper Smith Nitrogen Welding Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Car-Part.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 CarcoonAmerica Airflow Systems . 21 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA). . . . . . . . . . . 11 Charles Gabus Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 DJS Fabrications, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . 40 Erhard BMW of Bloomfield Hills . . . 12 Erhard BMW of Farmington Hills . . 12 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 30 Graham Auto Mall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Hall Volkswagen-Mazda . . . . . . . . . . 8 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . 34 Jake Sweeney Chevrolet . . . . . . . . 10 Kia Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . 36

Serving Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, 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. ©2014 Adamantine Media LLC.

Autobody News

Midwest

REGIONAL

Service King Raises $112,000 for Breast Cancer

Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018; (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com Email: news@autobodynews.com

Laurel Auto Group of Westmont . . . 15 Lexus Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 39 Loaner & Rental Insurance by Northland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Luther Hopkins Honda . . . . . . . . . . 20 Maplewood Toyota-Scion . . . . . . . . 23 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 35 Mercedes-Benz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 27 Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 29 Morrison’s Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . 14 SATA Spray Equipment . . . . . . . . . . 5 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 33 Toyota of Des Moines . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Toyota of Grand Rapids . . . . . . . . . 26 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 32 Valspar Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 West Bend Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS 3

Sherwin-Williams & Richard Childress Racing Debuted Off-Road Series Truck Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes, headquartered in Warrensville Heights, OH, held a press conference at SEMA on November 6 to announce another partnership with

The first of only 25 Off-Road Signature Series custom pick-up trucks, this vehicle features the Ducks Unlimited Richard Childress Racing-inspired trim package and a SWAF matte black finish

Richard Childress Racing. Racing legend Richard Childress presented and displayed the first of only 25 Off-Road Signature Series custom pick-up trucks. The vehicle was built in tandem with American Luxury Coach and features a one-of-a-kind Ducks Un-

limited® Richard Childress Racinginspired trim package. It also sports a special matte black finish by Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes. In addition to the special truck unveiling, the Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes booth featured a number of other activities for collision shop professionals, jobbers and automotive, including: ● The new Rod & Restoration custom color deck made from a series of automotive paints containing highly reflective additives. ● A custom 1970 Plymouth ‘Cuda. designed by Bair Customs of Ft. Wayne, IN, featuring a 426ci Hemi V8, producing over 600 hp. The Hemi is equipped with dual quads and a nostalgic Shaker hood, and it is painted with Sherwin-Williams “In Violet” OE Exact Color Match Classic color PCCL22 from the new Rod & Restoration deck. ● A 289 FIA Cobra designed by Factory Five Racing based off the original racing legend Cobra, painted with Sherwin-Williams “Vintage Race Blue” (color FACFIVE7) and “White Lightning” (color FACFIVE7) and detailed with a stripe in “Venom Yellow” (color FACFIVE12).

Date Set for CREF’s 2015 Summer Golf Fundraiser in MI

The Collision Repair Education Foundation’s (CREF) annual summer golf fundraiser will take place Wed., July 22, 2015 in Detroit, MI at the Arnold Palmer designed Northville Hills Golf Club. This fundraiser takes place in conjunction with the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) and NACE industry meetings being held that week in Detroit. Sponsorship opportunities are available and attendee registration is set to open after the new year. CREF Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode noted, “We are excited to be returning to Detroit Continued from Cover

Andy’s Autobody

The Knight of Columbus has always been the location for the event, which is put on annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. However, according to Anderson, it took a few years to finally develop a schedule for the event. “We tried it on the Saturday after Thanksgiving at first, but sometimes people have plans,” Anderson said.

for our 14th annual summer golf fundraiser which has raised over $300,000 for collision students and schools since 2009. As this year’s fundraiser will be held on Wednesday afternoon of industry week, we anticipate the event to be sold out by the spring and encourage industry participation through sponsorship, registration (when available), and donating items for our silent auction/raffle table.” Those interested in sponsoring the fundraiser should contact Eckenrode at: Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation .org/ 847-463-5244.

“The first couple of years it took a while for us to find our niche market.” The lunch usually sees close to 300 local residents who come in to get a Thanksgiving meal. Andy’s purchases 20 turkeys for the event, half of them are fried and half of them are baked. A cook from the Alton school system assists with the event. According to Anderson the cook has familiarity cooking for the masses and helps determine the amount of food to purchase. Thanks to thetelegraph.com.

4 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

ABRA Helps Raise $18,000 for Children’s Hospital Foundation

ABRA Auto Body & Glass helped raise $18,000 during the second annual Forest Park Charity Golf Tournament to benefit St. Louis Children’s Foundation. More than 100 golfers and guests gathered at Forest Park Golf Course in Saint Louis, MO, on September 24 to support the foundation. “We are incredibly grateful for the support of ABRA Auto Body & Glass,” said Janice Bailey, VP of the foundation. “This golf tournament is a perfect example of how an organization can turn a fun event into something that can make a real impact on the lives of our patients.” The golf event is part of the foundation's initiative to fund its expansion and enhancement of its services, upgrade and renovate facilities and develop new programs to support the health of children. “We are privileged to support St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation with their pediatric programs that are an integral part in improving children’s health,” said Peterson Santos, Regional VP of ABRA.

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Mitchell Hosted Auto Body Shop Bootcamp in IL

Mitchell, a leading provider of technology, connectivity and information solutions to the Property & Casualty claims and Collision Repair industries, hosted a local auto body shop bootcamp for repair shops in Naperville, IL on Nov. 18. The one-day training helped local repair shop owners understand the latest technologies and strategies that some of the leading shops are using in the industry. Shop owners and industry leaders came together to discuss the evolving landscape of the repair industry. Whether companies wondered how to market their businesses in today’s mobile world or how to improve cycle time without having to add more technicians, the one-day training offered tools to take a shop to the next level and build for the future. The bootcamp featured the following: ● How to get more cars and revenue in a consolidating marketplace ● How to improve cycle and touch time ● Future of IT in the collision industry ● Length of rental, how it affects your business and how to control it ● How to increase gross profit on paint and materials ● Changing vehicle technology and the impact on the collision industry

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Four Charged with Classic Car Insurance Scam, Wire Fraud in KY by Ralph B. Davis, The Floyd County Times

Four Floyd County, KY, residents face federal conspiracy and wire fraud charges, after being accused of a scheme to insure eight classic cars for more than they were worth, then cash in on the policies after destroying them over eight-months. Charles Ray Tackett, Michael Ray Tackett, Lou Teresa Tackett and Anna Grace McGuire were indicted on Nov. 6, each charged with a single count of wire fraud conspiracy. In addition, Charles, Michael and McGuire each face three counts of wire fraud. According to the indictment, the four were engaged in a conspiracy to collect payouts for cars that were worth far less than claimed on their insurance policies. “To carry out this scheme, members of the conspiracy obtained or attempted to obtain insurance on antique or classic vehicles, each under the fraudulent pretense that the vehicles had been fully restored by Harold Auto Body and were worth significantly more than their actual value,” the indictment alleges. “In reality, the vehicles had not been restored by Harold Auto Body. After the vehicles were destroyed in fires, members of the con-

spiracy sought to collect money for the loss of the vehicles from the insurance carriers.” Charles is alleged to have been the registered owner of a 1971 Cadillac Deville and a 1972 Oldsmobile which were destroyed in a Dec. 5, 2009 garage fire. Prior to their destruction, he insured the vehicles based on full restoration estimates from Harold Auto Body totalling $65,200. No work was performed on either vehicle. Lou is alleged to have been the registered owner of a 1987 Ford F150, which she insured based on a full restoration estimate of $33,800. Lou then sold the vehicle to McGuire, who also allegedly owned a 1978 Monte Carlo and 1979 Trans Am, which she insured based on estimates totalling $65,650. Despite the nearly $100,000 in estimates, the indictment alleges that the only work performed on any of the vehicles was a repair on the Trans Am’s fender, totalling $150. All three vehicles were destroyed in a house fire May 16, 2010. Michael is alleged to have been the registered owner of a 1972 Chevelle, a 1980 Triumph Spitfire and a 1980 Firebird. Those vehicles were insured based on estimates totalling $117,300, but no work was performed

Aleris Breaks Ground on $350 Million Aluminum Auto Body Sheet Plant in KY

Aleris broke ground on an expansion of its facility in Lewisport, KY, on Oct. 29. The company is investing $350 million to equip the facility with additional heat treatment and finishing capabilities to produce wide aluminum auto body sheet for the automotive industry. Aleris is currently a leading supplier to the European premium auto industry, which has led to the transition to aluminum driven by tighter emissions standards. “This groundbreaking marks the beginning of the next milestone in our global automotive strategy to expand our capabilities in North America as the automotive industry turns to broader aluminum use to produce vehicles that are more lightweight,” said Steve Demetriou, Aleris Chairman and CEO. “We have a strong and talented team in Lewisport that has been an important part of the community for 50 years, and we couldn’t have made this happen in Kentucky without the outstanding support of its local and state officials.” The company expects to begin construction on the project this fall, with a goal of shipping automotive body sheet material to customers by

early 2017. When fully operational, the new facility will allow for the production of 480 million pounds of aluminum auto body sheet annually. The company’s investment will include the addition of heat treatment and finishing capabilities, including a new wide cold mill, two continuous annealing lines and an automotive innovation center. Including Lewisport, the company has 11 rolled aluminum products facilities in North America, the majority of which serve building and construction, truck-trailer and metal distribution customers. Upon completion of the facility’s upgrade, Lewisport will be the company’s first site in North America that is equipped with aluminum auto body sheet finishing capabilities. Aleris is a privately held, global leader in aluminum rolled products and extrusions, aluminum recycling and specification alloy production. The company serves a number of diverse industries including aerospace, automotive, defense, building & construction, industrial, and commercial transportation. Headquartered in Cleveland, OH, Aleris operates more than 40 production facilities.

6 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

on any of the vehicles. Those three vehicles were destroyed in a July 28, 2010 fire. The conspiracy charge results from four allegedly planning and carrying out the scheme. The wire fraud charges against Charles, Michael and McGuire are the result of telephone calls the three allegedly made to the insurance companies. If convicted, each charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, as well as restitution, if applicable. The defendants were scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 14 to answer the charges.

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Car-O-Liner Launches CTR7™ Resistance Spot Welder

Car-O-Liner, based in Wixom, MI, announced a new addition to their product line, the CTR7, a mid-range resistance spot welder. Car-O-Liner debuted the CTR7 Resistance Spot Welder at SEMA. “The CTR7 is a great addition to our total solutions package. This semi-automatic welder with features like the optional Weldlogger™ for documentation of welding data is perfect for shops that need a machine for quick repairs” said Doug Bortz, National Sales Manager for Car-O-Liner. “The portable design is ideal for space savings and the ease of mobility will allow for repairs to be completed wherever needed in the shop.” The CTR7 is a liquid-cooled machine with welding currents up to 12,000 amps. The company said the unique product design makes it easy to maneuver and an aluminum, telescopic support arm adjusts horizontally and vertically for flexibility with welding operations. Also, transformer gun technology allows for a 20-foot working range and there is a seven-inch color display.

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Valspar Automotive & House of Kolor Make a Splash

The Valspar Automotive House of Kolor booth at SEMA featured celebrities, demonstrations and the latest in automotive coating technology from the Minneapolis, MNbased company.

Fast N Loud stars K.C. Mathieu and Richard Rawlings at the Valspar Automotive booth at SEMA

Celebrity appearances included Richard Rawlings, Aaron Kaufman and K.C. Mathieu from Gas Monkey Garage, Gear Boxxx from Skin Wars, Craig Fraser from Air Syndicate/Kal Koncepts, Mike

Lavallee from Killer Paint and demonstrations from other popular kustom painters. The House of Kolor wall was also displayed in the Valspar Automotive booth. The wall was filled with kolors and effects of the new Shimrin2 series. Experts were on hand to demonstrate the mixing and versatility of the product line. The Valspar Automotive satellite booth in the PBES section of Noth Hall highlighted the capabilities of the new DeBeer Air Dry Clear Coat along with the refinish systems of DeBeer and Valspar Refinish. “Valspar has a long legacy of charity work, which we are proud to continue at the SEMA show. Our display helmets at the Valspar Automotive booth were auctioned off during the show and all proceeds donated to The Gas Monkey Foundation. House of Kolor is also taking part by donating all art proceeds to Victory Junction,” said Gina Mahan, Valspar Automotive North America marketing manager. For additional information about Valspar Automotive, visit: www.valsparauto.com.

Continued from Cover

MDL and Insurers

After 35 years in the business, Perretta said he has never seen the industry in this state. “I grew up in this industry taking pride in what I do, doing safe, quality repairs. That’s what they’re trying to take away from us because it’s cheaper to do it that way,” said Perretta. “But they are putting the consumer at risk because of the way these repairs are being done.” Perretta acknowledges that many shop owners are fearful that the insurers will steer work away from them. “They’re scared for their families because if they don’t have work, then their families can’t eat.” However, he said shops have a choice. “They can either do it the right way or do it the wrong way. There’s no in between. But when they choose to do it the wrong way, they’ve made that choice.”

State Farm Responds to MDL “We anticipated the possibility of additional litigation similar to what had been previously filed, given the deadline for filing these complaints,” said Dick Luedke, spokesperson for State Farm Insurance. “State Farm is a de-

fendant along with dozens of other insurers in the litigation relating to issues that have been raised by some auto body repair facilities.” Luedke said State Farm has excellent working relationships with thousands of body shops across the country and they serve millions of customers who consistently indicate their satisfaction with their handling of claims. He said the just-released American Customer Satisfaction Index from the University of Michigan rates State Farm above all other national insurance companies. In addition, he said the company has consistently scored well above average in the JD Power auto claims satisfaction surveys. Among the 23 auto insurers included in the latest survey, State Farm was third, said Luedke. “As a leader in advancing vehicle safety, State Farm wants safe and reliable vehicles on the road,” said Luedke. “Customers are free to choose where to take their vehicle for repair. If they choose an independent auto body repair facility that takes part in our Select Service program they receive from that repair facility a national, limited lifetime repair warranty, something they don’t necessarily receive from a repair facility that is not part of See MDL and Insurers, Page 19

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Service King Acquires Ohio’s International Collision Center

Service King Collision Repair Centers announced on October 27 that it has acquired International Collision Repair Center, LLC in Columbus, Ohio. International Collision Center has been owned and operated by Solomon and Rachelle Parsley since 2003. The 13,000 square foot facility is located in the Darby Creek neighborhood in Columbus and employs 21 technicians and office staff. “We are extremely excited to expand our footprint in Columbus as we continue to build scale in the Midwest,” said Jerod Guerin, Service King Regional Vice President of Northeast Operations. “The Parsleys built a very talented and reputable team, and we are proud to bring these new teammates into the Service King family.” With this acquisition, Service King now operates two locations in the Columbus area, with a total of four locations in the state of Ohio. The International Collision Center acquisition officially closed on Oct. 24.

Copart Donates to CREF

For the third consecutive year, Copart Inc. has contributed $15,000 to the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF). This donation will support the CREF Campaign fund, which allows the foundation to provide its annual student scholarships, school grants, and Ultimate Collision Education Makeover $50,000 school grant to collision programs. School instructors are facing smaller and smaller program budgets and in need of the industry’s support now more than ever. Industry contributions through the Education Foundation directly address the instructors’ needs to provide the best technical education possible to their students, the industry’s future professionals. Clark Plucinski, CREF’s Executive Director, said, “On behalf of the organizations Board of Trustees, staff, and the collision school programs across the country that the Education Foundation supports, I would like to thank Copart for their continued support. It will only be through a collaborative effort of industry supporters will we be able to address the industry’s dire need of highly trained, productive, and skilled entry-level workers graduating from high school and post-secondary collision school programs.”

Automotive Lift Institute Elects 2015 Board

Jerome Lentz of Challenger Lifts, based in Louisville, KY, has been elected chairman of the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) Board of Directors for 2015. Voting took place at ALI’s annual membership meeting Nov. 3 in Las Vegas. Lentz’s 2015 term will be his third as chairman of the ALI board. “Under the direction of Jerome Lentz, ALI has achieved many milestones,” said R.W. “Bob” O’Gorman, ALI president. “The past two years have seen significant growth in the ALI Lift Inspector Certification Program, the successful launch of the online version of the Lifting It Right vehicle lift safety training course, and the formation of significant partnerships with other vehicle service industry organizations. I look forward to working with him

again in 2015.” In addition to Lentz, returning board members for 2015 include Jeff Kritzer of BendPak, Inc. in Santa Paula, CA; Peter Liebetreu Jerome Lentz of of Hunter EngiChallenger Lifts, neering Co. in based in Louisville, Bridgeton, MO; KY, has been elected Stet Schanze of chairman of the AuGray Manufactomotive Lift Instituring Co., Inc. in tute (ALI) Board of St. Joseph, MO; Directors for 2015 and O’Gorman. New members include Stan Poweska of PKS Equipment & Engineering, Inc. in Ancaster, Ontario; Matt Webster of Vehicle Service Group in Madison, IN; and Associate Class representative Gary Wainwright of Weco, Inc. in Bradford, AR. To learn more about ALI, visit www.autolift.org or call (607) 7567775. You can also connect with ALI on Facebook at www.facebook.com /LiftInstitute, on Twitter at www. twitter. com/LiftInstitute, and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/Lift Institute.

www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS 9

NAPA/Martin Senour Unveil Custom 1966 Mustang at SEMA 2014

The Martin Senour Company unveiled a custom-built and custom-painted 1966 Mustang during SEMA featuring the Martin Senour Pro//Base™ Automotive Refinish System and restored by Chris Carlson Hot Rods in Mulvane, Kansas. The unveiling/press conference of the Mustang custom coupe named “Good Karma,” displayed a paint job featuring a custom Martin Senour color “Velvet Red” (based off the new Rod & Restoration Color Deck, color code: PCRS36). “We were very excited to partner with Chris Carlson Hot Rods during the custom development of this truly magnificent Mustang,” said Brandon Devis, Martin Senour Director of Sales. “The attention to detail and Velvet Red color is beyond stunning. It is truly a testament to a vehicle that has become an American icon, particularly as it celebrates the 50th anniversary of its launch this year.” Chris Carlson Hot Rods practically did a complete custom makeover on the traditional ‘66 Mustang. “One of my biggest things is that I’m a true custom guy. Normally a Mustang renovation is not a ‘real custom’ project to us. So in this case, we wanted to do a full-body system without losing the nice Mustang look,” according to shop owner, Chris Carlson. “When it came to the exterior modifications we chopped two inches and

extended and raised quarters one inch; a pancake deck lid; a frenched-in ‘68 Camaro rear bumper; custom fabricated the rear roll pan; custom fabricated wheel openings and side scoops; extended two

Good Karma Mustang unveiled at SEMA

side body lines; shortened the cowl 3.5 inches; and molded the complete front clip together,” said Carlson. “We then added a hood scoop, frenched headlights, custom grille, front bumper cut and tucked, custom fabricated inner fender panels; a custom fabricated firewall; and finally, a flush-mount windshield and back glass.” For the paint, Carlson said, “Working with the NAPA and Martin Senour guys was a tremendous experience. Collectively we chose to finish the car in a

Matrix Hosts “Artists 4 Education” Auction at SEMA

Matrix Automotive Finishes, a Quest Automotive brand based in Commerce Twp, MI, hosted its second annual auction to help support the Collision Repair Education Foundation. All custom artwork from artists across the country were inside the

Top automotive artists from across the country created unique pieces of art that were sold at the Matrix booth at SEMA. Proceeds from the “Artists 4 Education” program went to support the CREF

Matrix booth at SEMA. Artists 4 Education was created to raise money through fundraising activities that involve the expert skills of the automotive industry’s top artists

across the country. Additionally, with the participation of various industry partners such as Nuplex Resins, M.F. Cachet Company, AalChem, Chromaflo Technologies, BASF, Pipeline Packaging, Dan-Am Company/SATA USA, Anest Iwata, Dedoes Industries, Dorn Color, and Miller Electric cash donations and unique items were donated to help support the cause. David Brunori, President of Quest Automotive Products, explained that, “Our first annual Artists 4 Education campaign was a huge success. We raised and donated nearly $25,000 to the Collision Repair Education Foundation. This year we have increased our expectations to $50,000. We feel it is our responsibility as industry participants to support CREF, whose sole purpose is to raise awareness to the growing shortage of certified technicians entering the collision repair industry. We want to continue to grow the Artists 4 Education campaign, which means continuing to involve the artist community, manufacturers, and industry partners.” For more information about Artists 4 Education, go to: www. artists4education.org or www.facebook.com/artists4education.

10 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

customized version of Velvet Red, based off the new Martin Senour Rod & Restoration deck. We then gave it a double dose of reflective crystals; plus, a Dark Red flake racing stripe.” The new Rod & Restoration custom color program includes 200 colors made from a series of optically enhanced automotive paints containing special combinations of highly reflective additives. Depending on the project and what the end vision of the car is, the Rod & Restoration custom color program is available in three color categories, including: Exact Match OE Classic, BarrettJackson Modified Muscle Car and Rod & Custom. The Mustang coupe is named “Good Karma” in honor of Chris’s wife, Karma Carlson (it is, after all, really her car – as promised to her by her husband as far back as just their second date, in 1990). She recalls, “Chris said that someday he’d build me my Mustang. I rolled my eyes – it was our second date after all – fast forward 18 years and four kids later... Chris drove me to check out a car. It

was a forest green 1966 Mustang Coupe, that we bought in 2008. I loved it! The kids and I made lots of memories in that car and every time it broke down, Chris would have to come and fix it.” “It even broke down mid-parade and had to be pushed the rest of the way by our car club members. We finally decided to park it in the barn until we could do a complete custom overhaul on it,” continues Karma. “Life happened and six years passed. Chasing out the raccoon family and pulling that car out of the barn was a momentous day! I truly can’t believe this is the same Mustang that I taught my son to drive in, took my daughter prom dress shopping in and hauled home the world’s largest pinata for my younger boys. It took 24 years but Chris came through on that promise he made to me on our second date, and it’s gorgeous. I love the Velvet Red color; it’s such a beautiful, deep red.” For more information about Martin Senour paints visit www.martinsenourautopaint.com or call 1-800-526-6704. To learn more and share in the ‘Good Karma’ 1966 Mustang custom build, or to Like Us on Facebook, visit: https://www.facebook.com/Martin SenourAutomotive.

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Sherwin-Williams Donates $170,000 in Products to CREF

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes donated $170,000 in products to high school and post-secondary collision school programs through the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF). The products included mixing guns, orbital sanders, polishing pads, conditioning brushes, and much more. Instructors around the greater Chicago land area were invited to visit the Sherwin-Williams training facility in Burr Ridge, IL and select from 16 pallets of products, which will assist collision instructors in teaching proper collision repair with up-to-date materials. “Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes is proud to be working with the Collision Repair Education Foundation to make a difference in our industry by supporting secondary and post-secondary schools whose students are currently looking to enter into the collision industry and make it their career,” said Rod Habel, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes’s Director of Training Operations. “Thank you to Sherwin-Williams for allowing our school to receive so much of their paint supplies. I know that running a collision program can be a demanding job with all of the budget restrictions and red tape, just to get a few items at our school, but I

must say Sherwin-Williams has come through for us,” said Kenny McMillian, Collision Instructor at Kennedy King College in Chicago. “We had a paint class that had started and for some strange reason the paint supplies that we needed to teach the class never got ordered. I started panicking and didn’t know how I was going to teach the class with no supplies, which was maxed out in the enrollment. Sherwin-Williams stepped up to the plate and donated the supplies we needed to teach the class. I am so grateful to the Collision Repair Education Foundation and Sherwin-Williams for helping to support the collision technical schools.” CREF Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode noted, “SherwinWilliams comes through for collision schools and instructors each and every year through product donations and instructor training. These types of donations are vital for instructors who have the expectation of providing highly skilled entry-level students but face smaller and smaller program budgets.” Industry members interested in helping high school and/or college collision school programs through CREF, should contact Brandon Eckenrode at Brandon.Eckenrode@edfoundation.org or 847-463-5244.

BASF Glasurit and R-M Paint Earn Awards at SEMA

During SEMA, many vehicles earned industry accolades featuring Glasurit® and R-M® paint by BASF. The top honors given to show vehicles featuring BASF paint include: ● Chevrolet Design Award for the Best Chevy in Show; Mothers® Choice Award; and the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association Gold Award – The 1966 “Recoil” Chevelle from the Ringbrothers, painted in a custom Sand Storm color from the Glasurit® 90-Line, took home these honors. The “Recoil” was also named the “Car Everyone is Talking About” by Car and Driver magazine in its SEMA show round-up and received recognition from both Hot Rod magazine and the General Motors official news blog. ● Ford Motor Co. Best in Stand Design – Given to the 2015 Ford Mustang convertible. Styled by designer Chip Foose, Glasurit® ambassador, with light green metallic paint and orange accents from BASF Glasurit® 90-Line. ● Scion Tuner Challenge Award – The Speedhunters Scion FR-S from Keith Charvonia, painted in a Pure White from BASF’s R-M® line took home first place honors. ● Gran Turismo Award – The Garrett X GReddy R35 GT-R was named as the Gran Turismo Best Asian Import award winner and featured Solid Red

paint from Glasurit® 90-Line. The car will be featured as a downloadable option in an upcoming installment of the Gran Turismo video game series. ● Autobytel’s Best Paint Jobs at SEMA – Two vehicles on Autobytel’s list feature BASF paint: the Chip Foose 2006 Ford Mustang GT in the Magnaflow booth featuring Tungsten Grey paint from the Glasurit® 90Line; and the 1972 Buick Riveria “Rivtile” from Juergen Book that was painted “snake-style” to represent an “automotive reptile.” The colors scheme features a range of reptilian greens, custom painted with gold contrasts from BASF’s R-M® Carizzma line. ● SEMA Battle of the Builders: Top 10 Builders Finalists – Two finalists in the Top 10 Builders award were BASF Refinish customers: The Ringbrothers with the “Recoil” Chevelle; and Gordon Aram, who uses the BASF R-M® Line, was nominated for his 1978 Ford Mustang II, featuring Kona Blue paint. “We’re very proud of these accolades for our Glasurit® and R-M® paint systems, as well as the recognition of the artistic skills of these dedicated designers. Congratulations to all the winners,” said Paul Whittleston, VP, Automotive Refinish & Industrial Coatings Solutions North America.

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Patent Case: Allegations of Gaining Information from Password-Protected Site peated occasions, “one or more persons using computers with IP addresses registered to RB Distribution have logged into Total Automotive’s password-protected website using the login ID and password of Total Automotive customers.” These include Dempster Auto Corporation and Danken Auto Supply. In addition, Total Automotive said that RB Distribution’s access to their website is a violation of the company’s “click wrap” agreement, which is displayed on their login page. Click wrap agreements are agreements formed on the Internet where a website provider posts terms and conditions and the user clicks an “I Accept” button. The courts have generally held these agreements to be enforceable. The company also claimed that the unlawful access to the password-protected site was “done with the knowledge and consent, and with the express intention, of providing information to Dorman regarding Total Automotive’s product catalogs and non-public pricing.” Dorman denies the allegations and said it has not infringed on any claim of the ‘654 Patent. They stated in court documents it “does not require authorization or a license to make, use, sell, or offer to sell its accused products as they are not within the scope of the ‘654 Patent.” According to Total Automotive, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

issued the company the ‘654 Parent entitled “Door Hinge Repair Apparatus and Method,” on December 10, 2013. Derek Flom, the company’s Business Development Manager, said Total Automotive has patents on some of its products and a lot of its products are exclusive to the company. “The main advantage of our products and our hinge kits is they’re all made in the USA and designed with the end user so they actually work,” said Flom. “They install quickly and reliably, and they function really well.” Flom said the hinges are engineered so they can be installed on a vehicle without having to paint and the tedious labor of unbolting and aligning parts for the door. “It’s really developed with the end user in mind.” Company attorney Marc Al said the 22-year-old company has a variety of products, and is very well known for its high-quality door hinge kits. Total Automotive claims that Dorman does not have permission to use the subject matter claimed in the ‘654 Patent and has unfairly reaped a substantial advantage in research, development, and operational time and cost, all to Total Automotive’s detriment. As a direct result, Total Automotive said it has been caused significant financial damage.

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A district court case in Minnesota pertaining to patent infringement is at the center of a controversy between two parts supplier companies: Total Automotive and Dorman Products. This includes allegations that Dorman Products logged into Total Automotive’s password-protected website and then introduced competing products to the marketplace. On April 11, Total Automotive filed a complaint against Dorman Products for manufacturing, using, selling, and/or offering to sell hinge bracket kits that infringe on the ‘654 Patent owned by Total Automotive. Six months later on Oct. 31, the Minnesota-based company amended the complaint highlighting the specific allegations against Dorman. Total Automotive is an OEM automotive parts wholesale distributor that also manufactures door hinge repair kits for about 7,000 vehicle applications. Dorman Products, based in Colmar, Pennsylvania, supplies automotive replacement parts to the automotive aftermarket. It is related to RB Distribution, Inc., a U.S.-based supplier of replacement parts and fasteners to the automotive aftermarket. and resides at the same location in Colmar. According to court documents, Total Automotive claims that on re-

The lawsuit stated that Dorman withdrew its product from the market after it learned that it infringed on Total Automotive’s patent rights but then re-introduced its hinge bracket kits. As a result, Total Automotive is seeking damages to compensate the company for Dorman’s direct infringement of the patent. “The relief requested is that Dorman immediately stop selling the infringing bracket kits and for money damages,” said Al. Dorman countered that Total Automotive is misusing the ‘654 Patent “by bringing the present action against Dorman, alleging patent infringement to coerce Dorman into entering a license agreement when Total Automotive knew or should have known that the ‘654 Patent is not infringed; invalid; and unenforceable.” No court date has been set but Al said a scheduling conference will be held Jan. 6. Since this is a patent case, there will likely be a Markman hearing, which is a pretrial hearing in which a federal judge examines evidence on the relevant words used in a patent claim, and clarifies any disputes regarding the meaning of words in the patent. The case will ultimately be resolved through motion practice, trial, possible appeal or settlement. Calls to Dorman Products and the company’s attorneys at Volpe and Koenig were not returned.

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www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS 13

Pro Spot Gives Autobody News a Facility Tour by Stacey Phillips and Victoria Antonelli

Autobody News reported in our November issue that the Ford Motor Company Rotunda Program has recognized Pro Spot International for being their 2014 Supplier of the Year.

Ashley Olsson, the company’s Director of Communications, conducts a tour of the Pro Spot plant floor

Our editorial staff recently toured the 45,000 square foot facility in Carlsbad, CA, to learn more about the innovative products and equipment Pro Spot is developing, particularly in preparation for the new 2015 Ford F150 aluminum body truck now being produced. We were joined by Toby

Chess, who took the opportunity to give the two newest editorial team members a lesson in welding. Toby’s intent was not to create expert welders but to show that with the right equipment, training, and attention to detail, anyone can become competent at welding. See sidebars. Our Pro Spot tour began with a close look at the assembly process for the top of the line welding and repair products. As one of the manufacturer’s approved by Ford to supply aluminum repair equipment for the collision repair industry, Pro Spot is also well known for its resistance spot welding equipment. In particular, Pro Spot was approved by Ford to supply their Collision Repair Program with SP Pulse MIG welders, Aluminum Dent Repair Stations, Fume Extractors and the SPR Riveter. Ron Olsson, the company’s founder and president, an electrical engineer, grew up in Sweden before moving to California in the 1980s. With a passion for riding motorcycles, Olsson’s inventive engineering started by

Stacey Phillips’s First Welding Experience

Looking through my heavy mask, I was carrying the torch with shaky hands and holding my breath. Then I saw the first sparks light up the room. I realized at that moment that I was actually welding. With an abundance of patience and his trademark sense of humor, Toby Chess from I-CAR Training & Certification, recently spent a good part of his morning teaching Victoria and I how to weld. First, he gave an overview of the type of welding we would learn – MIG weld brazing. That’s metal inert gas, he explained. The advantage of MIG brazing is the lower heat input. The wires typically used for MIG brazing have a melting temperature of 1,000 degrees, which puts less heat on the vehicle’s panels. After installing the wire, Toby talked about gun angle. Whether welding steel or aluminum, he stressed the Toby Chess (left) and welding student Stacey importance of always holding the gun Phillips (right) work on her first weld using at 80 degrees. Pro Spot’s MIG welder. He gave a quick demonstration of the weld we were going to do using the state-of-the-art Pro Spot welder we were lucky enough to learn on, and I was ready. Mask on. Gloves up. Glasses down. After completing my first weld, Toby put it to the test: did it fall apart under stress? He said I passed with flying colors. Now I was hooked and wanted to learn more. However, I realized it takes more than just skill and training. If done improperly during a collision repair, a poor weld can compromise the vehicle’s structural integrity. I may have just welded sheet metal, but what I really learned are some of the challenges real technicians face. Realistically, how would a collision repair shop hire one? Shop infrastructure and equipment are both important components as well. I-CAR offers these help with their courses as well as an on-site assessment. Looking back at my first welding experience, it gave me a better appreciation for all of the technicians who weld on the vehicles we drive everyday. A proper weld can save lives. What’s next? I asked Toby. Learning how to weld aluminum... Stay tuned. 14 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

creating a frame straightening machine for motorcycles. He soon realized there were more cars on the road than motorcycles and opened Pro Spot in 1986 to focus on creating quality collision repair equipment for vehicles.

Ashley Olsson demonstrates how welder assemblage begins with aluminum billet stock

Ron’s daughter, Ashley, the company’s Director of Communications, explained about the different products Pro Spot designs and builds and gave us a brief history about the company. She recalled memories of the early days of the business and the change they’ve experienced over the years. Now settled after moving two years ago to its fourth location, Pro

Spot manufacturers more than 30 products. With nearly 100 employees at their facility, the company owns and manages its own machine shop, a research and development department, a fabrication facility and production lines for various welders. Ashley said the benefit of manufacturing the equipment on-site is the ability to maintain the quality of their products. “We’re really big on quality, we have control to make sure each product leaving our facility provides our customers with the best product available.” This past summer they visited Ford’s Deerborn Plant near the Detroit River, where Ford started building cars in the 1920s. Inspired by Henry Ford, Olsson modeled some of his own business practices on Ford’s ideas. “Ford did everything he could so that there would be no bottlenecks in his production process,” said Ashley. “He had his own trains, trucks, forests, etc.” Like Ford, Ashley said her father is a true inventor and visionary. “For example, we were at Ford walking See Pro Spot Shines, Page 17

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Industry Insight

John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon who has been writing about the collision 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.

SCRS OEM Technology Event Includes Plenty of Focus on Aluminum Repair with John Yoswick

Aluminum was front and center throughout much of the collision repair portion of the 2014 SEMA tradeshow, including at one of the new features of this year’s event: the “OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit,” hosted by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS). The day-long summit brought together shops, automakers and equipment manufacturers to discuss what SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg called a “topic that affects every segments of the industry.” “There is no bigger conversation right now than the changing landscape of automotive design and how that influences the repair of a vehicle,” Schulenburg said as the summit began. Sessions during the event covered OEM shop certification programs, changing vehicle designs impacting repairs, and the increasing use of steel alternatives, including aluminum. Doug Richman, vice president of engineering and technology for Kaiser Aluminum, said Ford’s introduction of the all-aluminum 2015 F-150 pickup is just part of a 4-decade-long expansion in the use of aluminum by automakers. Over that time, the average vehicle has come to have about 400 pounds of aluminum, including such parts as wheels and cylinder heads and blocks. That’s about 10 percent of the curb weight of the average vehicle. It’s gone up by about 7 pounds per year since the mid-1970s, but has risen by 14 pounds per year for the last three years. While Richman is quick to note that steel is not going away, the rate of growth in aluminum use is expected to be maintained over the next decade, according to a recent study commissioned by the aluminum manufacturers association. The study, Richman said, is conducted every three years and relies not on projections but on actually vehicle programs committed to by automakers. It forecasts that by 2025, seven out of 10 pick-ups will be all-aluminum, and 547 pounds (or 16 percent) of the average vehicle weight will consist of aluminum, including an increasing percentage of crash parts and body structures. “Our experience has been [the

study has] been conservative for 21 years,” he said. “For seven consecutive reports, [it has] been very close but conservative.” The most obvious reason for the shift is the weight savings aluminum offers as automakers work to meet increasing federal fuel efficiency requirements. The new F-150 is about 700 pounds lighter than its predecessor, and 400 pounds of that savings is accounted for by the switch to aluminum, Richman said.

“Your industry has a great deal of know-how in managing – at least technically what needs to be done – the aluminum side of the business,” he said. “But I’ve heard repeatedly in conversation on the [SEMA tradeshow] floor that the skillsets to do that work properly may not be on the shop floors yet. In the case of aluminum body structure repair in particular, the skillsets are really critical, because it’s not like welding and repairing steels body structures.”

Separate area, dust extraction crucial for aluminum repair safety, not just quality

Most European automakers call for a separate “clean room” – set off from the rest of the shop by brick-and-mortar – for repair of aluminum. Though its requirements for Ford F-150 certification are somewhat less stringent, Ford requires the repair area be curtained off. A separate dust extraction system for these repair areas is also required. Most shops recognize the need to prevent steel or aluminum dust from contaminating vehicle parts made of the other type of metal. But the dust extraction is also critical to prevent a potentially hazardous build-up of aluminum dust which can be explosive. Sixty-eight people were killed this past August in such an explosion in a factory in China that polishes aluminum wheel rims. During a session at the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ “OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit,” in Las Vegas in November, ”Mark Allen of Audi of America noted that aluminum oxide was a key ingredient in the “bunker buster bombs” that the U.S. military used in Afghanistan. “For a shop to say they can’t afford to designate a certain amount of square footage in a shop for aluminum is not a good statement to make,” agreed General Motors’ Leo Gruzas, who said his company has new aluminum-intensive vehicles in the pipeline. “Everybody needs to have an area where they can do that specialized work and to make sure the materials are separated and that everybody stays safe.” But the change also improves how the truck rides and maneuvers, he said. There are also safety advantages. “Every single vehicle that has been converted to aluminum has had higher safety ratings than the steel version it replaced,” Richman said. “A lot of that is design, but also the energy absorption capability of aluminum.” Richman focused much of his presentation on “repair considerations” related to aluminum.

16 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Richman offered several key pieces of advice for shops as they prepare to work on more aluminum vehicles. First, he said, automaker recommended procedures are going to be more crucial than ever. Car companies can choose from a wide variety of aluminum materials, each with its own tempers and characteristics, he said. Even knowing the “number” designating a type of aluminum isn’t enough.

“When you see a number like ‘6061,’ what you need to understand is every manufacturer of 6061 has a different formulation – or in fact multiple formulations – that are 6061 materials,” he said. “Just because it says ‘6061’ doesn't mean it acts like the ‘6061` on the next vehicle you see. They are very different. Be certain that you consult the OEM recommended repair practices for the specific model, because even within a manufacturer, they have varying practices depending on the specific design or model.” Dust management is another crucial element of aluminum repair, Richman said, even aside from the risk of galvanic corrosion if aluminum or steels ‘contaminate’ the other (see sidebar). “I want to make sure you understand that aluminum dust is potentially an explosion hazard,” he said. “I personally don’t ever want to hear about a shop having a fire or explosion with aluminum dust. I know this isn’t news to you, but I want to reinforce it. There’s lots of stories about businesses that burned to the ground because they didn’t manage this.” Using the automaker-specified joining process is also critical, Richman said, given the impact to aluminum’s strength in the heat-affected zones around welds. That’s why use of self-piercing rivets and bonding are often the process-of-choice in the manufacture and repair of aluminum vehicles. Again, following manufacturer guidelines for rivets and adhesives are critical, he said. Use of the incorrect adhesive, for example, may not ensure the necessary gap for the adhesive is maintained between the pieces being joined, he said. Schulenburg said the response SCRS received to its inaugural OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit convinced him it is an event that will continue. “This does not end here today. This is the beginning of a very long conversation,” Schulenburg said. “It will be ongoing. As technology continues to evolves so should the discussion. This is the first of many ‘OEM Collision Repair Technology Summits,’ and we’re excited to launch this program.”

Continued from Page 14

Pro Spot Shines

around, an idea came to him and immediately he’s drawing out designs for new equipment on the first sheet of paper he can find,” she said. Pro Spot has worked with Ford over the last five years in regards to the F-150. “Ford really considered the repairability in the design process,”

Toby Chess is flanked by editors Stacey (left) and Victoria (right), who showed Toby enough ability to get to the next class

said Ashley. “This is huge because we’re working with them on the possibilities of creating a collision repair program.” “With Ford announcing they are making America’s best-selling vehicle, their F-150, out of aluminum,”

said Ron. “Any body shop anywhere, wherever they are, is going to be fixing a few F-150s every month and some of them are going to be doing it everyday.” In order to meet this need, Ron said the company is focused on supplying the necessary equipment to collision repair shops. “We work with the technicians, using their feedback to make sure our equipment is user friendly,” said Ashley. They designed a special research and development area where engineers can build new things and test them out. During the tour, Ashley explained some of the challenges with aluminum during the repair process. “Aluminum doesn’t have a memory like steel and is also sensitive to heat. The repair process requires a different approach. It’s not impossible, it’s not harder, it’s just different,” she said. “These shops are just going to have to learn a new procedure for preparing the aluminum.” “You can’t weld on aluminum the same way you would on steel because on a spot weld pressure and heat creates a resistance,” said Ashley. “With aluminum, you can’t heat it up because it becomes brittle and will break.

Victoria Antonelli’s First Welding Experience

When I-CAR-certified instructor Toby Chess told Stacey and me he wanted to teach us how to weld steel, we looked at each other nervously, and proceeded to say how excited we were. I never thought I’d be taking a welding class as part of my job, but I also never expected to become an automotive journalist, so I guess it comes with the territory. The nervousness and excitement returned when we arrived at Pro Spot International. By the end of our tour of the facilities, I was looking forward to getting my hands on the state-of-the-art welding equipment. Before I knew it, I was putting my gear on. The mask and eye protection felt awkward, but I appreciated their purpose. Victoria Antonelli’s (right) first welding Toby explained the equipment furexperience as Toby Chess casts a critical eye. ther before we used it, cracking jokes and asking surprise questions at every turn—just to make sure we were paying attention. I watched Stacey complete her first MIG weld with flying colors, and then it was my turn. Toby guided my hand, and proceeded to tell me numerous times to slow down as I moved the wire from top to bottom, sparks flying the whole time. That was fun! I did the same one a few more times, and after only a couple of tries, I was able to successfully complete a MIG weld on my own. I couldn’t wait to take pictures of my completed weld, and a selfie with my mask on. “You two are better than a lot of the full-time guys that come in here,” Toby reassured us. Next was the Spot Weld. This one gave me a little bit of trouble, but then again, drawing circles always has. Toby patiently worked with me until I came close enough to completing a small circle with a filled-in spot. After more pictures and gear removal, we headed back to Autobody News, feeling accomplished and ready for our next challenge—welding aluminum! This time I’m going to do my homework first.

www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS 17

Continued from Cover

Final 2014 CIC Meeting

or alternative solution to minimize that workflow disruption.” GM subsequently delayed the launch until sometime in the first quarter of next year, but it initially announced it would happen on December 1. As described by GM, the system will allow a shop using one of six supported estimating systems to create an estimate itemizing the GM parts needed (the parts prices will show only as “$0.00”). That estimate would then automatically be transmitted to the MyPriceLink pricing engine, which then sends notice back (generally in less than a minute) to the estimating system that the parts prices have been changed. When the user reopens the estimate, the parts prices would be listed. Alternatively, users can log into MyPriceLink to manually get parts prices through the website. There’s no charge to shops for using the system. It operates through OEConnection, which gives dealers access to information about all parts listed on the estimate including non-OEM and recycled parts. In his 5-minute presentation at CIC, Mayer acknowledged, “there’s probably some disruption and some unintended consequences in this process,” but he said, “We’re trying to be open and work through those.” California shop owner Randy Stabler jokingly thanked GM for providing “a controversial topic” for discussion at CIC just as his term as chairman of the quarterly conference begins in January. Stabler succeeds State Farm’s George Avery, who concluded his 2-year term as chairman at CIC in Las Vegas. Stabler said GM’s unexpected decision “to hold their data proprietary” is a good example of California shop the need for a owner Randy Staforum like CIC. bler speaks at the “Making that de2014 CIC meeting cision in a silo has held at SEMA. Photo credit: John some consequences Yoswick that maybe are not going to be the best for everyone in the long run,” Stabler said of GM’s announcement. “It shows the validity of having a forum where the disparate

parts of the industry can get together and talk and come up with some potential solutions.” With CIC being held just two days after the November 4 election, California attorney Cory King addressed one of the human resource issues effected by the vote in several California attorney states and cities: Corey King minimum wage. addresses the King began his minimum wage issue. Photo credit: presentation at CIC John Yoswick by reminding shops that minimum wage impacts shops even if, for example, their technicians are paid flat-rate and earn significantly more than minimum wage. Though wagehour laws vary by state, most jurisdictions are covered by federal fair labor law which allows flat-rate or commission employees to be exempt from overtime provided two provisions are met. “One, they make more than half of their money from flat-rate or commissions,” King said. “And two, they must make at least 1.5 times the minimum wage for all hours worked. If you’re not running this number every pay period, if you ever get audited or sued, you’re not going to be able to prove that you’re not paying your people overtime because they are exempt.” To do that calculation, shops need to be aware of the minimum wage. In last month’s election, voters in at least four states passed minimum wage hikes, joining more than 20 others that have done so. Workers in San Francisco and Oakland, Calif., also will see voter-enacted minimum wage increases; San Francisco, for example, joined Seattle in enacting a minimum wage that rises to $15 over several years. The other data point shops need is the actual clock hours every employee works. That’s why all employees, including flat-rate or commission technicians, should be using a time clock, King said. King’s presentations at CIC are structured as quizzes, with attendees asked to gauge the possible legal ramifications for employers of various human resource issues King lays out. One such question he posed at CIC in Las Vegas: An employee with a statesanctioned medical marijuana card crashes a customer car into the shop’s paint booth.

18 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

“And he was higher than a kite when he did it,” King said. “Can I fire him?” About half of CIC attendees indicated they thought the shop could fire such an employee, and King said they are generally correct. Most (though not all) states with medical marijuana cards protect the holder only from criminal penalties. In those states, King said, you also do no have to hire a medical marijuana user “as long as you have a quality alcohol and drug policy that prohibits having measurable amounts of illegal drugs in their system.” (Marijuana is still illegal under federal law.) Even in the few states that offer civil protections to medical marijuana card holders, he said, the law “does not allow the employee to possess, use or be impaired [by marijuana] while they are on company premises or during working hours.” The employee who crashed the car, therefore, could be fired, King said. King’s next scenario: A shop wants to fire a newly-hired and underperforming receptionist. She recently refused to put up the Christmas deco-

rations in the shop office, citing religion reasons. Can she be fired for insubordination? No way, King said; that would be seen as religious discrimination. As with someone with a disability, King said, the shop should have talked with the employee and found a reasonable accommodation (in this case, found someone else to put up the decorations) and moved forward. But the shop also found the receptionist had left a window open on her computer screen that indicated she’d been looking for a job while at work. Can the shop fire her for that? It depends, King said, on what the shop’s employee handbook says about Internet usage. It might say shop computers cannot be used for personal use. But when was she using it? She could have been legally looking for a job while on her break. And does the shop enforce the Internet rule consistently with all employees? “It’s a little dicey to say you’re going to fire her because you don’t like what she was doing on the Internet even though you allow other people to do it,” King said. It comes down to the “smell factor,” King said.

“It smells like you’re coming up with violation of our computer policy as a pretext for what you’re really getting rid of her for, which is you don’t like her religious affiliation and the fact that she refused to do something based on religious grounds,” he said. Instead, he said, as with all employees, notify her of how she is under-performing in her job, explain why that is important, and give her the reasonable assistance she needs to be successful along with time to improve. If she does not, you will have a defendable basis for firing her.

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Continued from Page 8

MDL and Insurers

our Select Service program.”

The ‘Movement’ Perretta said the next step for the ‘Movement’ is to continue encouraging more shops to get involved. “If they feel the way I feel and a lot of others feel, the only way to stop that is to get on board with us,” said Perretta. Meanwhile, shops are gathering documentation on the allegations being made. “It’s not a matter of what we say. It’s a matter of what we give them and show them.” Another trip to Congress is also on their agenda. Autobody News reported on their September trip to Washington D.C. in the (last) November issue of the magazine. The goal is to educate the house and senate about the 1963 Consent Decree, in hopes of getting the law enforced by U.S. Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch. Autobody News will continue to follow this story and keep readers upto-date about developments with the lawsuit. More information about ‘The Movement’ can be found online: www.TakingBackOurIndustry.com

Ford, Chrysler, and GM Approve DeBeer Refinish Waterbase 900+ Series by Valspar Automotive

During the week of SEMA, Ford, Chrysler, and GM approved DeBeer Refinish WaterBase 900+ series. Ford’s approval is based on the WSS – M2P100-D specification and applies to all Ford vehicles. Any country that manufacturers, sells or repairs Ford vehicles can now utilize DeBeer Refinish WaterBase 900+ Series by Valspar Automotive. “Valspar Automotive is thrilled to announce the Ford approval. Dedication to excellence remains at the forefront of all we do at Valspar, and this approval is another symbol of our commitment to our customers” said Carl Wierks, Global VP of Valspar. Chrysler’s approval is based on the PF-10537 specification and applies to all Chrysler Group LLC brands. Every Chrysler collision repair center across the globe can now benefit from DeBeer Refinish WaterBase 900+ series coatings. “Chrysler Group LLC is an impressive force in the global automotive marketplace. After many rounds of extensive testing, Valspar Automotive is proud to announce this approval by Chrysler. Our continued dedication to color, technology and the trust of our

customers is prominently displayed in these ongoing Automotive OEM initiatives,”said Wierks. General Motors has given a global approval based on the GM Specification GMW15406M. Countries where GM vehicles are manufactured, sold or repaired can now utilize this series for warranty work. “General Motors performed meticulous and thorough testing of the 900+ product for global use and we are excited to report a successful approval. This approval shows Valspar Automotive’s continued dedication to our customers and our products. Valspar’s vision is to be the best coatings company in the world; this is another step in demonstrating our commitment to excellence in the coatings industry,” said Wierks. Valspar Automotive’s headquarters are in Minneapolis, MN.

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Media and Publicity for Shops

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

California Autobody Association Gets a New Web Site with Better Navigation with Ed Attanasio

Sprucing up your web site is like remodeling your house. You want it to look nice and you want your visitors to feel comfortable. You want people to come and stay for awhile and find your address easily and quickly. The California Autobody Association (CAA) recently launched a new web site for its members and consumers and now www.calautobody.com is the organization’s new residence online. CAA Executive Director, David McClune is pleased with the result and many of his organization’s 1,000plus members seem to agree. “Our developer, Optima Automotive, did an outstanding job on our new site,” McClune said. “It’s easy to use and it doesn’t look cluttered. The site provides a way for businesses to join online, an interactive calendar of events, a consumer advocacy section, chapter information, hot links, direct access to regional managers, and a ‘Find a CAA Shop’ feature for consumers. Our

members have given the site some great reviews and once they work with it more, I’m confident that they’ll learn more about it and how they can use it to be effective within CAA.” Mark Claypool, President and CEO Mark Claypool CEO of Optima and his company Automotive, spearOptima Automotive designed the headed the develCalifornia Autobody opment of the new Association’s new CAA site. His comweb site that has pany has produced more features that more than 300 auboth members and consumers can use tomotive-related web sites since opening its doors six years ago. “An association web site should be built with the member in mind, first and foremost,” Claypool said. “CAA members do the same things any member of any trade organ-

izations does - paying dues and participating in association and chapter meetings. But, maybe most importantly, they run their businesses in this challenging industry. There’s only so much time in the day and that’s why there is nothing more frustrating than a poorly-designed association web site that members struggle to navigate through. Therefore, making a web site simple, easy to navigate, intuitive and proactive is what they deserve, and is beneficial for member retention and attraction and that was our main objective in building a new web site for CAA.” Optima also built the new CAA web site in responsive design. “Responsive design is taking the web by storm,” Claypool said. “A large percentage of CAA members are likely to be accessing the CAA web site from mobile devices - smart phones, iPhones and tablets, for example. A responsive design web site allows the

site to be applied at different browser widths. This means that the site will automatically be altered based on the size screen the visitor is using, making their experience as visually and navigationally satisfying as possible.” The site will have a simple-to-use calendar the CAA staff and board members may use to schedule events, chapter meetings, etc. “This way, officers can easily add events to the calendar and keep all of their chapter members in the loop,” McClune said. “By constantly keeping connected to the membership, everyone can be effective and now we have the ability to continually update the information on the site, which is huge.” The new CAA site has a consumer section where people can search for member shops via zip codes. “We made this as easy as we could, so that people looking for member body shops can locate them quickly and easSee CAA Gets a New Web Site, Page 30

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Shop Showcase

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

Car Giveaways Become Regular Monthly Events at G&C Auto Body with Ed Attanasio

G&C Auto Body, with 10 locations in the Bay Area has always done everything over the top, especially when it comes to its philanthropy and specifically when they give re-furbished vehicles to needy families, individuals and organizations. Touched by countless letters and requests submitted to

and setting records, but that’s not why they do it, according to G&C Auto Body’s Owner Gene Crozat. “There are so many people out there struggling right now for whatever reason and these letters touch my soul every time I read them,” he said. “Things are not going well for them for whatever reason, but they don’t give up and they never lose hope. If we can help them by giving them a reliable vehicle so that their lives will be a little easier, I feel like it’s our obligation to do it.” Saying yes to some and no to others is obviously difficult G&C Auto Body helped Nicole Ruys and her family with a and that’s why Gene tries to much-needed vehicle. That’s Govinda Crozat, G&C’s outreach program director on the far right say yes to as many as he can. G&C through a car giveaway promo- It’s a tough job to sift through these retion, the company gives away cars not quests, and that’s why Govinda annually or even quarterly anymore Crozat, the company’s outreach pro—but monthly. The Crozat family is gram director plays an important role fast tracking their charitable efforts in reading all of the letters and work-

PPG Launches New Clearcoat and Latest Branded Image by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

PPG Industries’ whimsical “Toy Store” booth at SEMA showcased brightly-colored cars, bikes and even a boat, reflecting the latest trends in paint designs and finishes. During the show, PPG introduced customers to its new EC530 En-V™ Performance Clearcoat as well as the company’s latest packaging design for its Envirobase® High Performance waterborne product. PPG launched a new look for this product line in October. A modern, molecular-shaped design replaced the water drop image they have used since 2007. “With the brand’s broad market acceptance around the world, we thought it was time to give Envirobase® High Performance a fresh look that would reinforce its foremost position in the industry,” said John Outcalt, Vice President of global automotive refinish. He said the structured graphic represents innovation, color and technology. Although the packaging has been updated, there were no changes made to the technology of the products. Since launching its two brands, Envirobase® and Aquabase®, in the United States in 2007, PPG has continued to develop waterborne products for the collision repair industry.

The company recently reached a milestone, with more than 10,000 of their customers using waterborne basecoat throughout the U.S and Canada. Waterborne was introduced in the United States and Canada to meet the low VOC compliance of 3.5 basecoat. Currently, the compliant areas include California, Delaware,

PPG employees at their “Toy Store” booth during the SEMA show (from left): Stacie Toothman, Product Manager Collision; Jeff Matauch, Tech. Sales Instruction Supervisor; Paul Stoll, Tech. Sales Instruction Supervisor; and Tim Jones, Waterborne Product Manager at their booth during the SEMA show

Maryland, five counties in Utah and all of Canada. Texas, Arizona and13 states in the Northeast, referred to as the Ozone Transportation Commission, are working toward implementing low VOC requirements as well. “We now have more customers in the

22 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

ing with the other members of the Crozat family as they pick their recipients. It’s a huge undertaking helping those in need and making a difference in the communities in which they do business. “We have given away 21 cars so far this year and we will be

away the cars, we also help people by giving them Safeway, Shell and Target gift cards, as well as occasional help with rent, funeral expenses, utilities and other needs.” By partnering with insurance companies, the Crozat Family Foundation is now giving away more and more cars. “We have had three insurance partners (State Farm, Geico and Allstate) all donate cars which were fixed by our Santa Rosa, Windsor and Petaluma techs on their own time with parts that were also donated by local vendors. It’s amazing and really satisfying to The Purugganan family received a mini-van from the see more people and compaCrozat Family Foundation nies getting involved. ther giving away four more pretty quickly, companies have stepped up to help hoping to hit 24-30 by the end of the G&C in their charitable efforts, year,” Govinda said. “We created the Govinda Crozat explained. “We also Crozat Family Foundation to help have all of the cars processed through people in need. In addition to giving the DMV by a company called B&C

areas that don’t require low VOC using waterborne than we do in all of the compliant areas combined because it improves their productivity,” said Tim Jones, PPG’s Waterborne Segment Manager. He attributes this to the consistent color it offers customers, allowing technicians to complete vehicles more quickly. “We’ve worked very hard to make sure our colors match our chips,” said Jones. He said when a technicians pulls out the color deck and it matches, it gives them the confidence that when it’s mixed together it will be the correct color. PPG debuted its waterborne technology to the automotive OEM market in 1986. The company then acquired ICI’s refinish business, based in the UK, in 1997. “Following that integration, we worked to get the best attributes of both of those two systems and that’s what we now call third-generation Envirobase® High Performance,” said Jones. Over the years the company has been adding clears and primers that are engineered to work with the waterborne basecoat. Jones said as a leader in waterborne technology, they are working toward having the first waterborne fully integrated system over the next few years. “Having a full waterborne system will continue to lower emissions to improve air quality,” said Jones. “We want to be able to offer the collision repair in-

dustry all of the products they need to be successful.” One of these products includes their EC530 En-V™ Performance Clearcoat introduced in late October. “EC530 is a significant expansion of the Envirobase High Performance system,” said Jones. “This is an excellent, compliant clearcoat for our waterborne basecoat.” He said it is easy to use will help shops improve their productivity and throughput. “It also consistently provides the beautiful finish, gloss and appearance expected of PPG products,” said Jones. “We believe these are features collision centers and their customers will find very attractive.” EC530 uses a traditional two-coat application process. Offering four reducers, it works in a variety of temperature and humidity conditions. It has a short bake cycle of 25 minutes or can be aired dried in less than four hours. Jones also said it doesn’t require polishing and dirt nibs can be buffed after cool down. Jones said the industry has always been geared for solvent borne products. “Now that waterborne is gaining a higher percentage of the market, suppliers are also getting onboard with supplying better pigments, better additives and better resins for the waterborne market and that’s going to be better for everyone as well,” he said.

Registration Services. They’re doing it all free of charge which is exceptional. They know all of the ins and outs with the DMV, which is so helpful. When dealing with salvage titles, total losses and cars purchased at auction, we need a company like B&C to help us to navigate through the DMV. It can be tricky and there is a lot of paperwork involved and Brenda Smith at B&C has helped us tremendously.” Instead of buying cars randomly, now G&C is acquiring vehicles specifically earmarked for particular families in need. “We have gone from buying cars haphazardly at the local car mart to buying ‘in bulk’ at the surplus government vehicles auction every three months in Davis, CA,” Govinda said. “I purchased six cars at the last auction

and will be attending for the third time the Ukiah area,” Govinda said. The air in two weeks. We spend an average of time is donated by the Sonoma Media $5,000 per car after purchase, repairs Group and KWNE. A TV spot is curand DMV registration fees and the recipients get safe, reliable transportation that can last them for many years to come.” “I also purchase cars to fit specific needs,” she continued “I have searched for vans for families with several kids, wheelchair van for a woman and her handicapped Bobbi O’Sullivan (third from right) and her family were son, nd a construction truck borrowing cars from their friends, but now they have their own, thanks of Gene Crozat (far right) and his family for a woman who took over her husband’s construction job after rently running on KOFY TV and we he fell through a second story roof and have received letters from their viewbroke his neck. She was going to lose ers. We also receive some of the letters the job if she didn’t have a truck by directly, as people hear about us from Friday… literally! They also had a friends or sources other than the radio one-year-old so I made sure stations.” that the truck had a rear door Fixing cars is easy, but repairing for easy access in and out of lives is a little tougher, but that doesthe car seat.” n’t mean he will ever stop trying, By constantly touting their Gene said. “If we can change one life car giveaway program on for the better, we’ve done our job. local radio stations, G&C is Sure, we’re in the business of fixing getting the word out in a big cars and doing a quality job on every way. “We receive the request car we repair, but if we can give a litletters through Froggy 92.9 tle back, why not? It’s not all about and Hot 101.7 here in Sonoma money in the end, because you can’t The Perry family now has a car that can make their lives County, as well as KWNE in take it with you.” easier, thanks to G & C Auto Body

CarMax Returns to AutoTrader & Cars.com

After a 16-month hiatus, CarMax Inc. started posting inventory on Cars.com and AutoTrader.com in October 2014, according to reports by David Barkholz at Automotive News. Although third-party shopping sites reach a wider audience than some of the most well-known auto groups according to senior automotive analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, Kevin Tynan, the fees can be a deterrent. Dealers vouched it can cost $3,000 to $25,000 a month to get a prominent online position on Autotrader.com or Cars.com. Pricing depends on the advertising package and the number of vehicles listed. A dealership group executive said tht a store paid $16,000 a month to list 150 vehicles on AutoTrader.com. Barkholz reported that Carmax’s net profit and revenue jumped more than 10 percent in its fiscal quarter ending Aug. 31 vs. the yearearlier quarter, total vehicle sales at the company’s stores open at least a year stalled at 0.2 percent year-over-year growth. Tynan said CarMax stopped using these sites during the recession, which reduced supply of available used vehicles. More late-models will be coming off leases shortly so these websites are profitable again.

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www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS 23

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Midwest Associations with Chasidy Rae Sisk

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.

Iowa Automotive Recyclers Association Recognized as ARA’s 2014 Affiliate Chapter of the Year During the Automotive Recyclers Association’s (ARA) 71st Annual Convention and Exposition in Nashville, TN on October 22 through 25, the Iowa Automotive Recyclers Association (IAR) was named ARA’s “2014 Affiliate Chapter of the Year,” an award meant to honor an affiliated chapter of ARA that, through their service and work on behalf of their members and the association as a whole, has demonstrated exceptional dedication to the professional automo-

Trophy IAR won when recognized as ARA affiliate chapter of the year 2014

tive recycling industry. Sue Schauls, Executive Director of IAR, says, “we were thrilled to be recognized at the awards banquet for ARA. Being honored for doing our best for our association in Iowa adds to the satisfaction that not only are our members being served, but our peers see that too.” Ed MacDonald, immediate Past President of ARA, credit Schauls and IAR President Andy Wilken for being at the forefront of the industry. “The achievements of the IAR have served as a model to others in the automotive recycling community, and IAR leaders have been a valuable resource to ARA and other state affiliate chapters as they have been more than willing to share their experience and help others fighting to promote and protect the professional automotive recycling industry… With their ICARE Environmental Certification Program, the Iowa Automotive Recyclers truly set a standard of excellence for automotive recyclers in Iowa and throughout the auto recycling community.” In 2010, IAR implemented their Iowa Certified Auto Recyclers Envi-

ronmental (I-CARE) Program which often provide articles for trade publiwas established as a way to set a stancations about our I-CARE program dard of excellence for automotive recystandards, such as environmental clers in Iowa in order to maintain full waste handling or safety tips. We have environmental and safety compliance. a nice newsletter with contemporary Sponsored by the IAR, the ICARE Program has established standards in the following categories: general business practices, environmental compliance and stewardship, safety practices, and licensing and regulatory requirements. I-CARE certified recyclers undergo an intensive on-site audit and documenta- Wilken and Board of Directors at 2014 Summer Outing tion of their salvage yard’s practices information published six times per which is conducted by an independent year, and we make those articles availauditor approved by the IAR Board of able for republishing by any other Directors. All members of IAR are cerchapter or trade news. We also host a tified through I-CARE as a method of trade show and conference, called distinguishing them as professional reIAR’s Summer Outing, that attracts cyclers who adhere to the industry’s about 250 people each year which is highest standards of excellence. pretty big for a state show, especially Additionally, IAR’s I-CARE Pro- in a lower-populated state such as gram has been reconciled with ARA’s Certified Automotive Recycler (CAR) Program so that all of the CAR program standards are included in the ICARE Program or incorporated into more stringent and specific Iowa standards. This allows IAR members who are I-CARE certified to easily acquire CAR certification through ARA without any additional auditing or report-

ours… I think this mindset of cooperation and sharing makes us very likeable by our peers. As the Executive Director of IAR, I also participate in many ARA committees to give and receive information, work on cuttingedge technology projects, and define consensus across states for enforcement actions and sustainable practices.” While Schauls is very proud of IAR for their association’s individual efforts, she also recognizes the value of their affiliation with ARA: “ARA advocates at the national level just like IAR does at the state level. I often chuckle when recyclers call to ask ‘What does the association do for me?’ When that questions arises, it means we associations are doing our job; otherwise, the phone would be ringing off the wall, asking ‘How did you let that unfair law get passed?!’ Most importantly, being affiliated with ARA gives us the national per-

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ing efforts. When questioned about IAR’s efforts that led to their being awarded ARA’s “2014 Affiliate Chapter of the Year,” Schauls states, “IAR tries to set a good example as well as to share any information we have with other state chapters and members at-large. We

26 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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spective, a chance to compare notes with other members and other state/international chapters, and to support the work they do at the federal level. We also get a chance to see what is going on in Canada, England and the world through ARA, which is something we would not have access to otherwise. Also, the resources ARA offers the membership are just fabulous, not just vendors’ discount programs either but also the education through ARA University, their scholarship program, a huge conference each year, publications, and of course, the government affairs staff keeping an eye on Washington! The global economy is very prevalent in the used auto parts industry so having ARA there to bring it all together is an insurance program for us.” In addition to setting industry standards through their I-CARE Program, IAR undertakes various state legislative initiatives through a lobbyist who monitors state legislature for actions that impact IAR members. Association members also support the Charitable Chariots program, run by Steven Youngs at North Western Community College, by donating used auto parts and cash to the college’s student

program which rebuilds the vehicle and donates it to an eligible recipient through a local charity organization. IAR’s efforts to support the future generation of automotive recycling professionals also extends to their scholarship program which was

eter, Jeramie Mitchell and Adrian Mitchell. Founded in 1957 by John Vander Haag, IAR has established itself as “a non-profit organization of persons, firms and corporations involved in the recovery and sale of used parts

Andy Wilken and staff at annual Hill Day in Des Moines

designed in 2007 to assist the children of association members with offsetting the costs of a college education. Funds for IAR’s scholarships are raised at their Outing Auction, and the funds generated in 2014 allowed IAR to award scholarships to four students: Aaron Van Beek, Clinton Kannegi-

of motor vehicles, or those who support or are engaged in the selling of parts, equipment, supplies or services to the dismantling industry.” Since IAR’s inception, the association has maintained a stable membership, currently boasting 61 members throughout their state. An important function

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of IAR is to provide an opportunity for members to fellowship and network with their industry peers because they recognize that there is strength in numbers, and collectively, they can do more than any individual can do on their own. IAR works doggedly to improve both the current state of the automotive recycling industry and the image the industry presents to the public consumers. Schauls notes, “we advocate the use of recycled auto parts as both good environmental stewardship and good for the local economy with local sales conducted and the creation of technical jobs in the community by a group of family-owned businesses that are generally made up of folks who are active in their communities.”

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Historical Snapshot

—John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has a body shop in the family and 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.

Prevailing Practices, Doing Business on Internet, 2-Way Estimating, Steering Suits with John Yoswick

20 years ago in the collision repair industry (December 1994) The cause and effect of “prevailing practices” was just one issue addressed by an inter-industry panel at the National Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) Forum in Las Vegas in December (1994.) Moderator Meryl Comer opened the discussion by asking panelists who they believed is responsible for setting “prevailing practices.” “I think if you ask some of our insurer friends, they’d probably say prevailing practices are set by the shops in the area,” California shop owner Jack Caldwell said. “Whatever most shops do, that sets the pace. And I guess to be totally honest, I’d have to agree, that’s where it starts. However, prevailing practices can be and are modified by the guy with the checkbook.” Insurers on the panel agreed that prevailing practices are their attempt to “mirror” the majority of collision repairers in a given area when preparing or auditing estimates, but shop owners criticized the “one-size-fitsall” approach insurers sometimes use. “It’s important to note that cars are changing,” Texas shop owner Joe Sanders said. “We perform operations today that weren’t necessary a few years ago. Resetting electrical components, for example. That may have only been done in our shop once or twice a month two years ago. But we do that routinely now every day. That process is prevailing in our operation, and I shouldn’t be held back because the shop down the street works on older cars and doesn’t have to do that.” Most of the questions from the audience during the forum were addressed to the insurers on the panel. Gerry Westerfield of State Farm was asked how shops can respond when adjusters “quote unwritten and undocumented company policy for not paying standard P-page procedures.” “If a State Farm representative comes to your shop and says, ‘We don’t pay for that, it’s company policy,’ take it from me, we don’t have that policy,” Westerfield said. “So tell them, ‘I know your policy and that’s not it. Who’s your supervisor?’”

During a panel discussion at NACE in 1994, Gerry Westerfield of State Farm urged shops to question any State Farm adjuster claiming to quote company policy “for not paying standard P-page procedures.”

– As reported in Spray Dust magazine.

15 years ago in the collision repair industry (December 1999) Soon there will be no choice. If you aren’t already using the Internet, you’ll have to in order to stay in business. By 2001, GM will require all of its suppliers to do business over the Internet. Ford has similar Internet plans. Allstate announced last month that it would soon sell insurance over the Internet. In today’s business world, it’s get online or go home. To remain competitive, collision repair faculties will need to use the Internet to their advantage. How will collision repairers be using the Internet? Parts ordering, for one. You can already tap into lustineparts.com and CarStation.com to order parts. And there may come a time very soon when ordering parts over the Internet is handled regularly through brokers. Just as a person looking for an inexpensive airfare can go through Priceline.com, a collision repairer looking for the best quality part at the cheapest price will be able to go through a middleman. The bad news is twofold. For starters, the Internet gives the insurance industry a whole new arena to control. With its financial emphasis on price (sometimes at the expense of quality), the insurance industry will be looking to use the Internet to find the cheapest parts it can. In cyberspace, look for price to reign over quality. A second disadvantage to the In-

28 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

ternet is that it will be more difficult for collision repairers to keep information about their businesses private. In addition to brokering deals, Internet middlemen will be compiling information about the buying habits of collision repair shops. They in turn will sell this information to others interested in making a profit on the industry. – From an editorial in Hammer & Dolly by Sheila Loftus.

10 years ago in the collision repair industry (December 2004) The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) is circulating a petition in support of two-way communication between like estimating systems. This is the ability to electronically transmit and receive the vehicle owner’s assignment information, estimate, supplement or attachments between insurers and repairers that are using the same estimating system regardless of whether a DRP relationship exists between the companies. “Two-way communication, as SCRS defines it, would eliminate many of the inefficiencies inherent in the current claims handling process, most specifically the rekeying of the estimate,” said Lou DiLisio, chairman of SCRS. – As reported in Autobody News. It took nearly a decade, but two of the Big Three estimating providers now offer systems that enable shops and participating insurers to exchange data electronically outside of a DRP relationship.

5 years ago in the collision repair industry (December 2009) In fining Allstate Insurance $5,000 for “interfering with (a) consumer’s free choice of repair facility,” the Insurance Division of Rhode Island’s Department of Business Regulation also clarified what constitutes such interference by an insurer. In reviewing a complaint brought by Providence Auto Body, the Department said that “without a legitimate business reason, an insurer may not

take actions that make it more difficult to have the repair done at a (shop) with which the insurer does not have a contractual relationship.” In this case, the Department found that a combination of actions by Allstate constituted interference with claimant Dennis D’Ambra’s shop choice. These actions included: – delaying arrangements for repair of the vehicle (after the shop contacted Allstate saying D’Ambra had hired it to do the repairs) until Allstate could locate and contact D’Ambra seven days later; – telling D’Ambra that Providence Auto Body was not “approved”; – suggesting that D’Ambra take the vehicle to a drive-in claims center after he had already said he wanted Providence Auto Body to repair the vehicle; and, –taking 15 days after contacting D’Ambra to conduct an appraisal of the vehicle at the shop. The ruling states that discussion by an insurer about its DRP or drivein claims center is not in and of itself an indication of steering. “However, when the customer indicates that he does not need or want that information, as D’Ambra did here, the conversation must stop,” the ruling states. “The customer has the right to simply choose a shop and have the shop ‘handle’ the repair.” – As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), November 14, 2009. Almost five years later Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt last month issued a warning in his state about the practice of “steering” by insurers, in which “insurers strongly push consumers to autobody repair shops,” sometimes “crossing the line, making dishonest statements.”

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www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS 29

Midwest Associations

IABA Presents $500 Merit Awards to Two Local Schools with Chasidy Rae Sisk

The Fort Wayne chapter of the Indiana Auto Body Association (IABA) presented Merit Awards in the amount of $500 each to two local schools at their quarterly meeting on Wednesday, October 15. The money used to fund the

Jaron Grayless, Instructor Auto Body Center and Oliver Barie, Ivy Tech Community CollegeNortheast

awards was raised by the Fort Wayne chapter’s annual golf outing, and chapter members chose to donate the funds to local schools that offer collision repair training: Ivy Tech Community College – Northeast and the Anthis Career Center. During the meeting, each Merit Award was presented to representatives from the winning educational facilities. Oliver M. Barie, Interim Director of Resource Development, and Jaron Grayless, Assistant InstrucContinued from Page 21

CAA Gets a New Web Site

ily,” Claypool said. “Everything is go, go, go today and if a consumer can’t find the information they need fast, they’ll move on, so we made this feature as intuitive and easy to access as we possibly could.” In addition, CAA’s new site has a link to LinkedIn groups, private to the CAA and also private to each chapter. “These LinkedIn groups make for a simple, affordable way to push communications to select members about events, milestones, legislation, etc.,” Claypool explained. “A step-by-step how to sign up on LinkedIn is provided on the site for members to get set up. Key events and actions can be pushed through the suggested LinkedIn group designated for legislative purposes.

tor of the Auto Body Center, accepted the Merit Award on behalf of Ivy Tech Community College – Northeast. The Anthis Career Center was represented by Robert Roebuck and Brad Van Pelt. In regards to receiving the Merit Award, Barie says, “we are truly honored to have received the IABA’s Merit Award. The IABA has and continues to be a strong ally of Ivy Tech Northeast. This award is a testament to their commitment to students seeking a career in the auto body industry, and we could not be more pleased.” The Anthis Career Center is also honored to be a recipient of IABA’s Merit Award, and Roebuck states, “a critical component of the success of a Career and Technical Education (CTE) class is to a have strong, supportive business and industry partnership. The IABA’s Merit Award of $500 exemplified this belief. We’re proud to be growing students both personally and professionally. This Merit Award solidifies the fact that everyone is in favor of investing in a better tomorrow.” Both schools will use the funds to provide a scholarship to a student in their collision repair training programs. Grayless explains, “we plan to use the awarded funds in the future through a

This means that communications will link members on the world’s-leading professional networking site and also makes it possible to save CAA money. Rather than spending a significant amount of money to program this capability into the CAA site, why not take advantage of the technology that already exists and take advantage of all of its other residual benefits?” The new CAA web site went live in October, so that members can offer feedback as they tweak it. “The site will continue to evolve over time with member input and as times and technology change,” McClune said. “We want to have the best site we possibly can, and by developing it using Word Press, we can make changes seamlessly.” Visit CAA’s new home online and look around. You’ll be impressed by its easy navigation, clean look and numerous features.

30 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

scholarship. The student selection criteria will be based on Student performance, likelihood of a career in the collision industry, GPA, and must be recognized or supported by an instructor, program chair and or our advisory

Robert Roebuck, Anthis Career Center and Brad VanPelt, Collision Instructor at Anthis Career Center

committee. The scholarship can be used to fund tuition, books, or equipment that may be needed by the student.” Anthis Career Center will select the student who receives IABA’s

scholarship based on specific criteria which includes enrollment in their Automotive Collision class, a grade average of B or better, good attendance, participation in Skills USA, a recommendation from Van Pelt, and serious pursuit of a career in the collision repair industry. Roebuck notes, “All students know this Merit Award is a possible opportunity, [and] students will be motivated and encouraged to do their very best because of this opportunity to have $500 put towards furthering their education in the automotive collision industry. If a student begins working right out of high school and is working in the field of automotive collision, they can also elect to use the Merit Award for the purchase of tools in the trade.” IABA www.iaba.info 260-837-2802

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Lean Operations

Competing with MSO Consolidation with David Luehr

“The 3 Vital Behaviors of the Best of the Best Shops” There are shops that are located in heavily MSO consolidated markets that instead of becoming a victim, became a beneficiary! I call these shops “positive deviants.” When many shops in these parts of the country are struggling or selling out, the positive deviants are actually doing quite well and in many cases outperforming the consolidators! One of these best of the best shop owners told me they have all four big MSOs (Caliber, Gerber, ABRA, Service King) within a five mile radius of his shop! So I am prompted to starting asking the question, what are these guys doing differently than the independents that are struggling in the same markets? After speaking to many positive deviant shops, and asking them what they do to get great results, I got many of the usual answers that you would expect from a successful organization. Good leadership, high quality work,

David Luehr is the owner of Elite Body Shop Solutions, LLC, a collision business consulting firm based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is a 30 year veteran of the collision repair industry. David is an expert in Body Shop Operations and specializes in Lean, and Theory of Constraints methods. Email him at dluehr@msn.com

good customer service, great employees, bla, bla, bla. But these things anymore are kind of a “given.” Even to be a mediocre business you need to have some level of these qualities. So I searched deeper to distill the findings into what I call the Vital 3 Behaviors. 1. Culture of Learning 2. Participation in a peer group or network 3. Measure the Right KPIs All the positive deviant shops strongly display these 3 Vital behaviors, struggling shops don’t!

Vital Behavior 1 - Culture of Learning These businesses crave knowledge! If you don’t believe me, look at the indepth I-CAR study on the subject. (Check it out at www.i-car.com ) ICAR contends that A Learning Culture is at the very foundation of all the super successful shops they studied. The very understanding of things such as proper business management, leadership skills

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and process development skills stem from the leaders desire to learn. They seek their knowledge from sources such as I-CAR, Webinars, and Clinics. They typically read books regularly, and are continuously looking for new sources of education.

Vital Behavior 2 - Participation in a peer group or network Some of the positive deviants are very involved with their associations such as ASA, others join franchise organizations, and many get involved in round table groups that their paint manufacturers host. Shops that feel like they are alone on an island, can’t and probably won’t succeed. There is power in numbers far beyond the sum of its individual members. Some of the benefits that participation in a group includes… ♦ Mastermind principal – a group of like-minded individuals with the same challenges working together to achieve

great things ♦ Friendly competitive spirit between members ♦ Accountability to one another ♦ Massive knowledge resource. When you are on the island you only have your own knowledge, in a group, you can have everyone’s! ♦ Leadership skills – by participating in a group of people trying to better themselves and their shops, skills such as leadership are enhanced, you learn to present, become a more professional and rounded person. ♦ You learn to “See beyond you own walls” so to speak.

Vital Behavior 3 - Measure the right key performance indicators The third vital behavior was Measure KPIs, but I was reminded by one of the positive deviant shops that it is important to measure the “right ones.” He was right, there are some shops that See MSO Consolidation, Page 38

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National Associations

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

NABC Gives Away Four Cars at Annual SEMA Luncheon with Ed Attanasio

Giving cars to the needy is a perfect and proven way for the collision industry to give back. Most of the time, body shops and insurance companies work together to fix cars and return them back to their owners.

Allstate Insurance, GEICO, Enterprise Rent-a-Car and Hertz. The local repairers included Caliber Collision, Service King and Gerber Collision and a fourth vehicle was repaired by South County Collision in California. The recipients selected by Family Promise were: La Cara and Marice Washington and their three children received a Hyundai Sonata donated by GEICO and repaired by Caliber Collision. They both recently graduated from the Family Promise shelter program and are currently employed and have their own housing. La Cara and Marice Washington and their children with their Hyundai Sonata donated by Gerber Collision and Cassandra Waller, a single Enterprise Rent-A-Car mother with two children reFour formerly homeless Las Vegas ceived a Dodge Durango donated by families visited the SEMA Show last Allstate Insurance and repaired by week and left as proud owners of pracService King. Physical disabilities tically brand new cars presented by limit her mobility so a Recycled Rides members of the National Auto Body vehicle will greatly help her to imCouncil (NABC) at its annual Recycled prove her quality of life. Rides Luncheon on Nov. 5. Magan and Wayne Sykes and These four families were selected their two children received a Nissan by Family Promise of Las Vegas, an Maxima donated by Hertz and reorganization that has been partnering paired by the Van Tuyl Group. This with the NABC for the past seven years to provide at-risk families with reliable transportation, so they can begin to rebuild and regain their financial stability. NABC’s Recycled Rides program is a unique collaboration of the collision industry. Since the program’s inception in 2007, repairers, insurers, rental car companies and suppliers have teamed up to restore and donate over 1,000 vehicles to individuals and Janiecia Fernandez and her daughter admire their Hyundai Sonata Hybrid donated by Caliber Collision and GEICO non-profit organizations nationwide. couple is successfully enrolled in FamCollision repair professionals ily Promise’s Community Partnership from facilities in Las Vegas volun- for Opening Doors Housing Program. teered their time and expertise to reJaniecia Fernandez, received a store damaged vehicles donated by Hyundai Sonata Hybrid donated by

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Gerber Collision and Enterprise RentA-Car. Fernandez is a single mother of two young children and a participant of the Promises to Keep Housing Program. This vehicle will allow her to devote her time to being a good

ing through our Family Promise programs,” said Terry Lindemann, Executive Director of Family Promise of Las Vegas. “Reliable transportation is the critical link that enables these families to continue on the road to recovery and we are grateful for the support and impact that the National Auto Body Council has made in our local community.” NABC Executive Director Chuck Sulkala is proud of the NABC’s Recycled Rides program and the success it’s achieved especially this year. “We’re going to give away almost 300 vehicles to people in need in 2014,” he said. Magan and Wayne Sykes, with their two young children received a Nissan Maxima donated by Hertz and repaired “With all of these great insurby the Van Tuyl Group ance companies, collision remother and working with her chilpairers, paint suppliers, parts vendors dren’s education. and other companies onboard, this is “Each of these recipient families a joint effort every year and it’s amazhave successfully transitioned from ing to see so many people who go out homelessness into independent housof their way to make this happen.”

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On Creative Marketing

Tom Franklin has been a sales and marketing consultant for fifty years. He has written numerous books and provides marketing solutions and services for many businesses. He can be reached at (323) 871-6862 or at tbfranklin@aol.com. See Tom’s columns at www.autobodynews.com under Columnists > Franklin

Autobody Associations—A Great Source of Marketing Information with Thomas Franklin

Recently I had the pleasure of being the only reporter at a local autobody association chapter meeting. This was an especially interesting meeting focusing on the new Ford F150 truck and its aluminum body. There was a great panel of industry experts whose comments could significantly impact the success of a shop trying to perform more competitively and profitably. So I was troubled when one member of the panel asked how many shop owners were present and only about six or seven raised their hands. This was a room containing an audience of more than one hundred people. One would think that at least a quarter of the attendees would be major shop decision-makers. But I shouldn’t have been surprised. I’ve heard the same question at numerous meetings with the same low decisionmaker count. The last few meetings I’ve attended focused on elements that will

determine the survival and success of most collision repair shops. The focus on new vehicle designs, materials, reparability and management processes prepares shop owners and managers for a business future that may be extremely challenging. That same focus tells these owners and managers what messages they need to get out to current and prospective customers to keep vehicles coming into their shops. This particular meeting provided ammunition for a marketing attack based on the hazards of dealing with aluminum and potential dangers for vehicle owners if they choose an ill-informed and illequipped shop to do their repairs. That message is appropriate for nearly every potential customer, whether an individual vehicle owner, fleet manager, dealership principal, or insurance DRP. The message I’ve heard in many association meetings this and last year is that technology will now be driving the emphasis in shop marketing. That

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same message says that collision repair professionals can now command a new, higher level of respect. The days of thinking of a body shop as a place where low-paid workers pound dents out of fenders and massage damaged metal back into place has come to an end. Vehicle manufacturers have raised the bar and a typical shop today must have certified technicians and costly equipment to work on computerized vehicles, dangerous electrical and hybrid systems and exotic metal and carbon fiber bodies. Websites and other media that emphasize the old systems and equipment are missing the marketing boat. The time has come to seize this higher level of respect for the complicated new practice of restoring these complex vehicles to pre-accident condition. A much earlier meeting about this time of year was addressed by a V.P. from SEMA. This was when NACE abandoned Las Vegas to host the NACE show in a different city. The executive talked about the new benefits that can come from a collision shop attendance at and participation in a SEMA show in Las Vegas. The SEMA people were doing all possible to make the show informative and of value to collision repair attendees. Although the V.P. focused on amenities and conveniences for shop owners and managers, there were numerous references to new products and processes collision shop marketers could add to their repertoire of products and services. I attended SEMA that year and saw first hand what he meant. One lady from a local shop was at the show and she noted that her shop could immediately profit from providing customers with alarm

systems, child restraints, pet restraints, backing-up lights and cameras, specialty wheels and more. She saw a way to attract new customers and enjoy greater profits. While these were autobody association meetings that could aid marketing efforts, I think the best meetings focused on providing what is most needed for effective marketing: MONEY! Business analysts generally say about seven percent of gross should be put into sales and marketing. I’ve seen only a few shops that begin to approach that figure. Serious efforts to generate new customers can cost serious money. Two recent autobody association meetings I attended focused mainly on how to negotiate effectively and how to get paid for the many repairs and operations some insurance adjusters like to weasel out of. The information at just one of these meetings could have paid for some very high quality on-line marketing and also a live gal or guy in the field bringing in business! The complaint I’ve heard most frequently about association meetings was that there were uninformative programs and a tendency to be no more than a place to come to eat, drink and complain. What I’ve observed at these highly productive meetings is that there is a core group of members who want to use this irreplaceable forum to bring in speakers and panels with truly valuable information. Association members who complain about a declining volume of business and lower profits have failed to seize the opportunity to get these highly desirable presenters in front of their chapter. All it takes is someone willing to make the calls and arrange the time and place.

Four Collision Schools Awarded GEICO Grants The Collision Repair Education Foundation announced the winners of GEICO’s collision school grants for 2014: Hillsborough Community College (Tampa, FL); Norwalk High School (Norwalk, CA); Texas State Technical College (Waco, TX); Wilson Tech (Dix Hills, NY.) Each of the winning schools applied for a grant from the Ultimate Collision Education Makeover program, and each will receive

$6,750 to purchase items off their collision tool, equipment and supply wish list from their application. The winners were named Nov. 4 at the Education Foundation’s industry reception held at SEMA 2014. “GEICO recognizes that the collision repair industry needs highly-qualified, well-trained and knowledgeable technicians to repair today’s car” said Bill DeGrocco, Assistant VP at GEICO.

www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS 33

SEMA Show Goes On

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

New Product Showcase Winners a Big Hit at SEMA with Ed Attanasio

It’s the Academy Awards, the Emmys and the Tonys all rolled into one if you’re a manufacturer of any automotive product on the planet. Being a winner in the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s (SEMA) New

Evolution 3D Measuring System’s software and LumaIII Inc. is also a runner-up in this category for the Aurora. Malco Products Inc. captured the top spot with their Quarter Panel Hemming Air TurboXTool. This tool uses existing air supply to bend and close up to ¾ inch (19.05mm) deep wheel arc flanges of replacement quarter panels on late model cars. It can replicate a hammer and dolly motion at high speed and is 80 percent faster, based on field trials. The cushioned anvil protects the panel finish while the hammer rolls and flattens the flange from the back. Mike Janey, creative servThe Collision Repair & Refinish Product winner was ices specialist for Malco, Malco Products Inc. for the Quarter Panel Hemming knows the value of this award Air TurboXTool and that’s why he’s already Products Showcase can be a game working hard to leverage it. “Just changer and the beginning of some- being associated with a respected thing truly big. And that’s why when name like SEMA gives us immediate four collision-related companies heard help with things like distribution and their names at the 2014 SEMA Show’s name recognition,” Janey explained. opening breakfast on Nov. 4 they were “Malco was founded in 1950, but obviously thrilled and even a little products for auto body work is a new shocked in some cases. market for our company, so winning These awards are given to the this award means a lot to us. Our goal most innovative and cutting-edge new is to introduce innovative products automotive aftermarket products in that make the lives of body technithe industry today, judged by some of cians easier and alleviate repetitive inthe biggest names in the automotive juries on the user’s shoulders and world. Nearly 2,000 products were entered into 16 different showcase categories to be considered for SEMA New Product Awards this year. Winners were selected based on a variety of factors that included quality, marketability, innovation, technology, consumer appeal and more. The Collision Repair & Refinish Product winner is The LumaIII team was thrilled about their two runners up Malco Products, Inc. for their awards. From left: Owner/CMO Richard Routon, Owner/ Quarter Panel Hemming Air CEO Kirk Lucas, Owner/CFO Jimmy Zluticky and Director TurboXTool. The two run- of Sales Chris Williams ners up in this category are 6 Hands, arms, so that they can work without for their 6-Hands Universal Body interruption and get the results they’re Panel Holder and LumaIII, Inc. for looking for. Technicians want superior their Aurora LED attachment. In the quality performance that saves time Tools & Equipment Product category, and labor while also being reliable, Celette is a runner up for their Naja safe and easy-to-use and with our

34 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

award for his Universal Body Panel Quarter Panel Hemming Air TurboXTool, we’ve answered all of those Holder. “As a first-time exhibitor and a needs!” One of the runners up in the Col- young business, this award is a shot in lision Repair & Refinish Product cat- the arm,” Sapak said. “We invented egory is 6 Hands with their Universal this device for ourselves to use in our Body Panel Holder. Adjustable to fit any panel, this device consists of three pairs of different length “hands.” After the panel is attached to the 6 hands, it can be rotated using the 6 hands on an X and Y axis. This gives the tool the unique ability to allow the panel to effortlessly be placed in ergonomic positions while performing metal work, sand- 6 Hands captured a runner-up award in the Collision Repair ing, body work and painting & Refinish Product category for their Universal Body Panel Holder more efficiently. Ben Sapak, the owner of 6 restoration business doing custom Hands in Holland, MI has only been metal work, because nothing else did in business for approximately six the job we wanted it to. Now a tech months now, so he’s obviously de- can hold onto a panel without damaglighted about capturing a runner-up See SEMA New Products, Page 37

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Creating Engaging Consumer Videos for Marketing with Kristen Felder by Victoria Antonelli, Online Editor

Kristen Felder of CollisionHub started her SCRS Repairer Driven Education seminar at SEMA with a jolting statistic—“80 percent of visitors on your website will watch your videos, but only 20 percent will read your text.” Felder said she always asks body shop owners, “Do you have video on your website? If the answer is ‘no,’ does your competitor have video on their website? If the answer is ‘yes,’

Kristen Felder of CollisionHub gives advice on creating engaging videos for marketing during one of her SCRS seminars at SEMA

then 80 percent of that company’s visitors are learning about their business, not yours.” What does this mean for body shops who have only recently come to terms with Facebook, for example? It’s time to break out the camera and open up iMovie, or hire someone who can. Lee Emmons, video expert and vice president of AP Media, Inc., K. Michael Bradshaw, vice president of operations at K&M Collision, Meredith Bradshaw, owner of K&M Collision, joined Felder on the panel. Emmons has helped Michael and Meredith create cutting-edge videos for their body shop’s website. K. Michael and Meredith Bradshaw have recently been covered in Autobody News. “We wanted a high-quality product, but we also had a budget,” said K. Michael. “The more I looked at it all the video, the editing, the type of video, where to put it to get the most exposure, etc., the more I realized I couldn’t do it all on my own,” said K. Michael. “I hired Lee, which was a really good decision. He’s very professional.” Felder addressed the fears many non-tech savvy shop owners have

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about creating video with a reflection on the first one she made during NACE back in 2009.

Kristen Felder of CollisionHub; Lee Emmons, Vice President of AP Media; Michael Bradshaw, VP of Operations at K&M Collision; and Meredith Bradshaw, co-owner of K&M Collision, discuss the importance of video in the auto industry

“You could hardly see it, the white balance was off, and I had horrible audio, but it still worked,” said Felder. “CollisionHub grew with no print media, no advertising, nothing, it just grew solely on using the internet, using video. But it was the only video in the industry for anyone to watch, so if you wanted to watch something on collision repair, or products, we were your only option. So the quality didn’t matter, what mattered was the content. That’s why I always tell shops, ‘don’t worry, just get started.’ ” Another major concern is budget. Here are a few aspects to consider when creating your video, according to panel responses by Felder, Emmons, K. Michael, and Meredith Bradshaw. ■ What is your time mark? If you’re making the video yourself—filming, writing, and editing—how much time will you allot to this process? Time is money. ■ Is there another company in your town that you collaborate with frequently, i.e. a tire company? If so, is there a chance you could share expenses to create a video that benefits both parties? ■ Half and half: When Felder first started creating videos, she would shoot the footage herself, and then hire someone to edit it. “Editing is the magic,” explained Felder. ■ Do you want to hire talent? If you don’t want to be in your video—it’s best to hire actors/actresses or an outside spokesperson. Employees, managers and technicians come and go, so including them in a video may not be the best choice. The best places to find talent are craigslist or a local talent agency. ■ Do you want to hire a film

crew? “Local film schools are the best place to look. Many students are eager to find work and gain experience,” said Emmons. If you do hire a crew, provide lunch on filming days: “Don’t let people leave, because you’re going to lose your schedule for the rest of the day,” warned Felder. “Even if you tell everyone, ‘be back at 1pm,’ it’s not [always] going to happen.” Finding the right topic, knowing your audience, and effectively getting your point across will all help to make your video a success, according to Felder and the other panelists. Some considerations: ● Whatever method you choose, make sure you have good audio. “An audience can handle bad picture with good sound, but not vice versa,” added Felder. ● Storyboarding: What do you want to say and what do you want to be showing in the background while you’re saying it? ● How to pick a topic based on your audience: According to Emmons, car enthusiast forums, customer testimonials, auto blogs, discussion boards and other videos are great places to look. ● Scripted vs. Freestyle: The nature of the topic has a lot to do with this decision. “A customer testimonial shouldn’t be scripted, because you want it to sound real,” said Emmons. “If I’m using legal terms or other specific, factual information, then I definitely want to use a script,” said Felder. All panelists agreed that outlines are necessary, and if you’re using a script, you should memorize the information and not read off a piece of paper. ● Time: “You want to stay in that two minute sweet spot,” said Felder. The average retention rate on YouTube is 1:58. ● Location: It may not always be your body shop, and if it is, make sure it is clean and compliant. It may be necessary to shut your shop down during production days in order to minimize background noise. ● NEVER EVER cancel a preproduction meeting “The average life expectancy for a video is four years, compared to 72 hours for a Facebook post and 12 minutes for a Tweet,” Felder said. “We have become a visual and auditory receptive society. We want to see it and hear it, we don’t want to read it.”

www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS 35

3M Automotive Adhesives Used to Repair 2015 Ford F-150 by Victoria Antonelli, Online Editor

3M Automotive engineers may not have realized how ahead of the game they were when creating panel bonding adhesives 20 years ago. The international company’s panel bonding adhesive was recently approved by Ford to repair the 2015 aluminum F-150. 3M has also introduced a completely new class of adhesive, an Impact Resistant Structural Adhesive for structural applications. “When it comes to the 2015 F150 everywhere the technicians use rivets, they will use our panel bonding adhesive,” said Shawn M. Collins, 3M Automotive senior technical service engineer. “Since the majority of the 2015 Ford F-150 is assembled that way at the factory, when repaired, we are going to use a lot of these adhesives.” 3M’s Impact Resistant Structural Adhesive will be launched in the first quarter of 2015. This new adhesive was specifically formulated to meet GM’s specifications and will be recommended for structural applications as well as non-structural applications. “This epoxy-based adhesive changes colors as it cures, said Collins. “Once technicians apply it and start to

I-CAR’s 2015 Ford F-150 Training and Education

I-CAR held presentations, discussions and training focused on the 2015 Ford F-150 throughout SEMA 2014. The company also brought members of Ford’s Service Engineering team to the SEMA Collision Repair & Refinish stage to present, “2015 F-150 Collision Repair Program.” I-CAR held its 2015 Ford F-150 Structural Repair (FOR06) course at SEMA. FOR06 is a six (6) credit hour, instructor lead, course that satisfies training for I-CAR collision repair and insurance roles including Aluminum Structural Technician. Students learn material-specific training that highlights the processes associated with aluminum repair of the Ford F-150. Since the launch of FOR06 in May, I-CAR has seen an overwhelming demand for both FOR06 and Aluminum Welding Training & Certification™. Over 5,500 repair technicians and 3,300 insurance APDAs completed FOR06 and over 2,200 more professionals have earned their Aluminum Welding Certification. “This really tells us that the industry is hungry for relevant, timely, and vehicle specific training,” said John Van Alstyne, CEO & President, I-CAR. “

set rivets, it runs purple, so you know it’s curing. Other adhesives don’t give any any indication whether the curing has started. You could rivet bond the

Shawn M. Collins, 3M Automotive senior technical service engineer

whole thing together and come in the next day and discover that it has not cured, so with this product, we have that assurance.” This high-tech solution also al-

lows for more flexibility and energy absorption during a collision. Instead of getting brittle or cracking, this structural adhesive will actually “stop a crack from propagating further,” added Collins. “We have to try and duplicate the OEM adhesive as best we can,” said Collins. “They have an advantage because they can bake their adhesives at 400 degrees or more. When using replacement parts, it’s tough to achieve the same specifications for strength and energy absorption with a two-part chemical cure at room temperature, but this comes very, very close.” When asked how welding compares to using adhesives, Collins responded, “You can’t weld two dissimilar metals together, but you can bond aluminum and steel together with this adhesive. Welding is also very labor intensive; adhesives with self piercing rivets don’t even require you to drill a hole; it just punches the rivet right through. Also, the lack of heat is beneficial because it prevents the metal from losing valuable physical properties or strength.” Collins expects more OEMs to come forward and approve their structural adhesive in 2015.

GM Demonstrated Rail Saver Repair System at SEMA

General Motor’s Dealer Equipment Solutions has developed the The Rail Saver Repair System tool for collision repair technicians. The company said it was designed by an auto body technician to help fellow technicians efficiently repair frame rails and side members from the inside out. TG Products’ Tim Gerhards held a demonstration of the rail saver at SEMA. “The Rail Saver Repair System was tested and approved by General Motors for use on both full-frame and unitized vehicles,” said the GM Collision Repair Technology Center Manager at GM. “This product works on steel, high-strength steel, and aluminum body components. This tool will help pin-point the damage location to ensure accurate repairs from the inside of a frame rail working outward,” For more information visit www.GMDEsolutions.com or call 1-800-GM-TOOLS.

www.autobodynews.com CHECK IT OUT!

36 DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Quest Hires Former Martin Senour Product Manager

Quest Automotive Products has hired a new Director of Product & Color Management − Hermon Ferrell. Ferrell brings over 26 years of industry experience to Quest Automotive Products. His previous roles included Senior Product Marketing Manager at Sherwin-Williams. This role, among other senior leadership positions, has given Ferrell an opportunity at QAP to oversee color management, color development, all aspects of product management and new strategic business developments. In turn, Ferrell will focus on developing more forward-thinking tools and initiatives, leading to customer-centric product solutions and faster-to-market processes for QAP. “Mr. Ferrell’s passion for this industry and decades of experience is a huge advantage for QAP and our customers,” said Mark Flint, VP of Sales & Marketing, Paints & Coatings. “To grasp this industry and these products with such clarity and understanding is a rare thing. He fits our culture and shares in our goals.”

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SEMA Show Goes On

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

WD-40/PowerNation Jeep Debuts at SEMA 2014 with Ed Attanasio

“Xtreme Off-Road” in January 2015, Media and Publicity for Shops with a sweepstakes to give away the

WD-40 Company and PowerNation YJ, dubbed the WD-40® Specialist® pooled their skills and resources toXtreme Machine, has an aluminum gether to createwith a custom, off-road body and tube chassis and is equipped Ed Attanasio Jeep that debuted at the SEMA Show with an LS engine, 42-inch tires and that wowed people all over the world coilovers throughout. Located as a for four days. This amazing vehicle featured vehicle in the hallway outside will go to one very lucky winner in of the North Hall, this Jeep was getJune 2015 via a sweepstakes sponting a huge response during the entire sored by WD-40 and promoted on SEMA show, which is pretty impresPowerNation’s TV shows. sive when you consider that all of the The custom 1990 Jeep Wrangler world’s best custom vehicles are always there. PowerNation, a two-hour block of four automotive shows that air on NBC Sports Network, SpikeTV, the CBS Sports Network, PowerNationTV.com and the PowerNationTV app, includes “Xtreme Off-Road,” “Engine Power,” “Truck Tech” and “Detroit Muscle.” The WD40 Specialist Xtreme MaBefore it was the WD-40 Specialist Xtreme Machine that chine vehicle build will be appeared at this year’s SEMA, it was simply a 1990 Jeep featured on two episodes of Wrangler YJ

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vehicle running Jan. 2 – May 31, 2015. “TV viewers will get to see the

Ian Johnson from PowerNation partnered with WD-40 on this year’s SEMA vehicle

trying to make the next one the best one,” she explained. “The WD-40 Specialist Xtreme Machine that we built with PowerNation is an amazing Jeep. We wanted an off-road vehicle this year, so we pitched the people at PowerNation and they said yes. Ian wanted to take a stab at it and it was obviously a smart decision. Of the seven, five have been for charity; it has been a great program. We’ve raised more than $750,000 for charities raised by auctioning those five vehicles.” This year’s vehicle can be won through a sweepstakes, so that anyone who signs up can walk away with it, Edwards said. “We did it this way, so that any pros or Joes out there can take this thing home, if they’re lucky. You don’t have to know anyone and you don’t have to be rich to own the WD40 Specialist Xtreme Machine and that’s why we decided to give it away via a sweepstakes.” Once again this year, young body technicians in training worked on the vehicle to make it as spectacular as it is today. “The students at UTI San Diego stepped up and did a lot of the work on this vehicle,” Edwards said. “We’re happy that they were able to contribute, because we want to start

hard work and attention to detail that went into building the WD-40 Specialist Xtreme Machine before putting their hat into the ring to win it via the sweepstakes,” said Tim Lesmeister, vice president of marketing for WD40 Company. “The PowerNation team did a phenomenal job building something that’s both head-turning and unique, and the guys used a lot of our top-of-the-line WD40 Specialist products in the process.” Ian Johnson, host of PowerNation’s “Xtreme OffRoad,” was on hand to sign autographs at the SEMA Show inside WD-40 Company’s booth and discuss the vehicle he helped to create in conjunction with WD-40. “We’re proud and pleased to be working with a major name like WD-40,” Johnson said. “The Xtreme Machine is truly extreme in many ways Under the direction of PowerNation’s Ian Johnson and with some help from the students at UTI San Diego, this and we went all-in with this is the amazing finished product vehicle.” WD-40 Brand Manager Shannon these young people in the right direcEdwards gave a little perspective on tion in their careers in the collision inthe history of WD-40’s custom vehidustry. These projects allow us to cles, all of which have appeared at educate and mentor these students as SEMA over the years. “This is now they get some real-life experience our seventh vehicle and we’re always along the way.”

www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS 37

from Wichita, KS that didn’t even know if they could make it to SEMA initially. “We’ve had to pool our money together and even some of us sold vehicles to get to SEMA, because we are so confident that this product is needed in this industry,” Owner/CMO Richard Routon said. “People are really embracing the Aurora, because body shop owners can

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become immersed in the minutia of meaningless metrics. It’s important to identify which numbers will truly guide your business to success and then you have to look at them daily, not at the end of the month when it’s too late, but every day or as often is required to make course corrections. Positive deviant shops know that you cannot improve what you do not measure. These shops try to get a little better each day, each week, and each month and they know their numbers! In order for independent shops to continue to be successful in today’s challenging marketplace it is critical that we learn by carefully studying the habits that make best of the best positive deviant shops successful. It is also advisable to study the administrative processes that give the MSO consolidators the ability to grow at such a rapid pace while still performing repair jobs with amazing timeliness and consistency. Independents can in fact remain very relevant with both customers and insurers, but you may have to do things a little different and perhaps a little better.

ing it. We’re so happy that the judges saw a need for this tool and by recognizing it they’ve given us a whole new level of value in the collision and restoration industries. It’s obviously huge.” Another runner-up award went to LumaIII, Inc. for their Aurora, an LED attachment that fits snugly directly behind the nozzle of any spray gun. Lightweight and durable, this battery-operated device allows painters to get an immediate visual confirmation of the center of their spray, saving considerable time and money on primer, paint, sandpaper, The Collision Repair & Refinish Product winner was buffing compound and other Malco Products Inc. for the Quarter Panel Hemming costly alternative illumina- Air TurboXTool tion solutions. By reducing technician clearly see the benefits of it. It’s errors, the Aurora has quickly become quickly changing the industry, bepopular with several industries, in- cause it saves time and labor and cluding collision repair, according to makes painters more efficient and acthe company’s web site. curate. SEMA was great for us and The award will provide a major this award is a big part of it, because it boost for LumaIII, a young company shows that the industry is recognizing

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our product and its role in the collision repair industry.” Celette captured a runner-up award in the Tools & Equipment Product category for their newly released NAJA Evolution 3D software. Taking measurements directly from OEM-provided 3D CAD drawings provides technicians with unique views of the control points in relation to length, width and height, allowing an efficient damage analysis on a database of more than 14,000 vehicles. Bastien Dias Da Costa, operations manager for Celette was delighted by the award. “We’re honored to have received such a prestigious award for our newest product at a highly recognized event like SEMA,” he said. “Our software for the Naja Evolution 3D Measuring System has gained some significant recognition for its accuracy and superior graphics. The software is easy to update with direct access to our web site and offers users individual space in the Celette cloud. It’s also compatible with computers, desktop computers and laptops and by adding approximately 9,000 vehicles to the database, it’s the most complete in the industry.”

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Acura TLX Earns Top Safety Pick+ Award

The 2015 Acura TLX, a new midsize luxury sedan, earnd the Top Safety Pick+ award for acceptable performance in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) small overlap front test, good ratings in four other crashworthiness evaluations and a superior rating for front crash prevention. In the small overlap test, the driver space was maintained reasonably well, with maximum intrusion of about seven inches at the lower hinge pillar. The dummy’s movement was well controlled. Its head hit the front airbag and stayed there until rebound. The side curtain airbag also deployed and provided sufficient coverage to protect the head from intruding side structure and outside objects. Measures from the dummy sensors indicated that injuries to the left lower leg would be possible, but the risk of other injuries in a crash of this severity was low. Introduced by IIHS in 2012, the small overlap test is more challenging than either the head-on crashes conducted by the government or the Institute’s moderate overlap test. In the test, 25 percent of a vehicle’s front end on the driver side strikes a rigid barrier at 40 mph. The crash replicates what happens when the front corner of a ve-

hicle collides with another vehicle or an object such as a tree or a utility pole. The TLX replaces the TL and the TSX in Acura’s lineup. The new car does better in the small overlap test than the TSX, which earned a marginal rating, but not as well as the TL, which earned the top rating of good. Neither predecessor vehicle had available front crash prevention. The TLX has two front crash prevention options, a warning-only system that qualifies for a basic rating and another that includes both the warning feature and automatic braking. In track tests of the autobrake feature, the car avoided the target in four out of five runs at 12 mph and in all five runs at 25 mph, earning a superior rating. The TLX earns good ratings in the institute’s long-standing moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. Good ratings in these tests, a good or acceptable rating in the small overlap test, and a front crash prevention rating of basic or higher are the requirements for the institute’s highest award for 2014, Top Safety Pick+. The TLX is the seventh vehicle from Honda/Acura to earn the award. Another three, including the TL, earned Top Safety Pick, which doesn’t require front crash prevention.

Auto Care Association Releases 2014 Digital Collision Repair Trends Report

The Auto Care Association has released the 2014 Digital Collision Repair Trends report, an online 70-page analysis of data compiled from primary Auto Care Association research, federal government and independent research data sources. The report highlights the size and scope of the U.S. collision industry, including the paint, body and equipment (PBE) segment, with a brief analysis of the Canadian collision industry. It also includes analyses of factors influencing the collision industry, automotive collision insurance coverage and the Direct Repair Program (DRP). According to this year’s report, collision repair-related sales by industry repair shops dropped slightly (0.2 percent) in 2013 to $40.1 billion from $40.2 billion in 2012. Despite the drop in sales, the industry, since 2009, has managed a sustained growth at an annual rate of 2.2 percent, with most of the growth coming from the high-priced post-collision repair parts.Powered by Nxtbook Media LLC™, this digital publication re-

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ACD, a national company that focuses in claims management, advisory, audit and technology solutions to the property and casualty industry, announced the release of Collision Select to its auto claims workflow management platform, AutoLink™. Collision Select is an enhanced feature within AutoLink™, which allows insurers to dispatch an assignment to any collision repair facility a vehicle owner chooses. Through ACD’s integrated response technology, the company said a repairer can quickly respond with required information eliminating the need to login to any system. Collision Select accepts any estimating software and can log digital imagery, video and all file types. “I’m very excited that we have added Collision Select to our AutoLink™ workflow technology. Our mission is provide every avenue of inspection for our clients whether it be Self(ie) Service™, a traditional appraisal or documentation from a repair facility,” said Ernie Bray, CEO of ACD. “Our goal is to provide a seamless solution that meets the needs of our clients and increases customer satisfaction.”

tains both the traditional design and high-quality content of Auto Care Association reports. This online production provides added value with many new functional enhancements.

Users can: ● Download Excel-based files, charts, tables and graphs that can be copied and pasted for presentations. ● Turn pages with the click of a mouse. ● View pages in a variety of sizes and formats. ● Quickly locate what you are looking for through a “word search” feature. ● Save material for future reference through the “bookmarks” feature. ● Print the entire publication.

Copies of the new 2014 Digital Collision Repair Trends report are now available at $125 for Auto Care Association members and $250 for non-members. The report can be ordered by calling member services at 301-654-6664 or email info@autocare.org. About the Auto Care Association.

CCC’s Parts Shopping through CCC ONE® Touch

Auto repairers often must go to multiple websites, place phone calls or send faxes to track down and purchase the parts needed to complete quality repairs. CCC Information Services recently introduced Parts Shopping, a new CCC ONE® Touch feature that offers repairers the ability to buy parts during the estimating process. “The introduction of the CCC TRUETM Parts Network in 2013 and the parts quoting and procurement functionality are key milestones in our strategy,’ said Joseph Allen, GM of CCC’s Automotive Services Group. “The announcement extends our efforts, making it possible for repairers to access live pricing and to buy parts during the estimating process, where critical buying decisions are made.” The Parts Shopping feature is available to users of CCC ONE Touch at no additional charge. Users can search for parts, view live pricing, add items to their shopping cart and purchase selected items. It is also configurable by the user, so unique terms and parts pricing that may be pre-negotiated with suppliers are automatically reflected for each item.

www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2014 AUTOBODY NEWS 39

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