December 2020 Midwest Edition by Autobody News

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Ford Taps Kansas City to Assemble All-Electric Ford E-Transit Ford Motor Company announced Nov. 10 its Kansas City Assembly Plant will build the all-new E-Transit van, part of a more than $3.2 billion investment in Ford’s North American manufacturing facilities to produce a series of new electric vehicles for commercial and retail customers. The new E-Transit will join the all-electric F-150 announced in September and the all-electric Mustang Mach-E, which begins arriving in dealers’ showrooms next month. The new entries support Ford’s plan to electrify its iconic and most popular vehicles, including its com-

mercial vehicles. The all-electric F-150, which will be assembled at the new Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, MI, arrives in mid-2022. The E-Transit arrives in late 2021. Ford is building out its manufacturing footprint across North America, working with local and national governments, to lead the transition to electric vehicles and meet consumer demand in the coming years. Electric vehicles are a key part of Ford’s commitment meet the requirements of the Paris Accord and achieve carbon neutrality globally by 2050. Source: Ford

AUTOBODYNEWS.COM Vol. 10 / Issue 3 / December 2020

2020 Collision Repair Industry: A Year in Review by Chasidy Rae Sisk

It’s undeniable that 2020 has been a year for the history books—the amount of change over the past 12 months is unprecedented and has been disruptive in every imaginable way. As 2020 comes to its conclusion, the world reflects on the year’s events, and a handful of collision repair industry leaders share their thoughts on the most impactful memories for their associations in 2020. The strongest force this year has been the spread of COVID-19, and attempts to curb it. This has translated into many virtual events, and Zoom has become much more than

onomatopoeia, with nearly every association adopting the new normal. “The Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation (AWAF) was able to quickly pivot to virtual events after the start of the pandemic, which enabled us to continue to serve our members,” said Susan Rokosz, the association’s president. “From happy hours to professional development events, going virtual enabled us to remain connected to our members. ‘AWAF also committed to increasing the diversity of both the membership and the board, and we are working to increase diversity in the talent pipeline for the automotive See 2020 Collision, Page 4

Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine 94.5% Effective in Phase 3 Study, Doesn’t Require Extreme Cold

Internal Memo From Bill Ford Offers Reassurance, ‘No Matter Who is Running the Country’

by Bethany Blankley, The Center Square

by Phoebe Wall Howard, Detroit Free Press

Biotech company Moderna announced Nov. 16 that its new COVID-19 vaccine has proven to be 94.5% effective. The company said it intends to submit for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the coming weeks and expects the EUA to be based on the final analysis of 151 cases and a median follow-up of more than two months. Known as the COVE study, Moderna enrolled more than 30,000 participants in the U.S. to test the

Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Co., emailed the Ford team Nov. 6 “a message on the U.S. Election” as protesters gathered in Detroit and tensions nationally ran high over the presidential election. Ford, 63, is known to send periodic messages when he feels such communication is appropriate. The outcome of the 2020 election remained uncertain though polls closed Nov. 3. He urged calm and reassured employees globally that, separate and apart from the political outcome, the company his great-grandfather founded has a clear vision and focus on the future. He emphasized that the company has weathered political change all over the world. “As I have said many times, we always look to establish and follow our own North Star of values and objectives that allow us to thrive— and to be stable—regardless of the political environment,” Ford wrote. “This has been a difficult and un-

Credit: Ted S. Warren/AP

vaccine. The study was conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National See Vaccine 94.5%, Page 34

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certain year,” he wrote. “But no matter what results this election yields, the importance of our values—our work, our people, our families, doing the right thing and building a better tomorrow—will transcend, as they always have.”

Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford poses for a photo in Michigan Central Station in Detroit. Credit: Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press

The letter, which appears to have a 5:31 p.m. time stamp, was obtained by the Free Press shortly after it was sent. It reads in full: Dear Ford Team: See Bill Ford Page 20

11/17/2020 4:22:31 PM

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2 DECEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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CONTENTS Independent Shops as Well ��32

20 Under 40: Andrew Tylka Making a Big Dent in Auto Body Repair World in NW Indiana ��14

NATIONAL

A New Repair Shop in Town ��18

2020 Collision Repair Industry: A Year in Review �1

AASP-MN Releases New Membership Video ��20

Auto Club Announces More Financial Relief ��22

AASP-MO Holding Annual Toys for Tots Drive ��6

Be Prepared and Be Ready: Tips for Selling

DCR Systems Partners With Willoughby Accident Repair Center ��13 First National Realty Partners Acquires Tesla Sales and Service Center in Westmont, IL ��8 Ford Taps Kansas City to Assemble All-Electric Ford E-Transit ��1 Gerber Collision & Glass Acquires Three Locations in Michigan ��10 Gerber Collision & Glass Opens Second Location in Waterford, MI ��6 KY Family in Need Receives Free Vehicle from Oxmoor Auto Group, Progressive Insurance ��12 MI Gov. Signs Bipartisan Business Liability Bills Amid COVID-19 Crisis ��10 Missouri Auto Body Shop Owner Receives Hometown Hero Award ��22 More Joliet, IL, Success: Missouri Company Bringing 100-Plus Jobs ��6 VISION 2021 Going Virtual in March; New Event to be Held in July ��8

Serving Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and adjacent metro areas. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the autobody industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2020 Adamantine Media LLC.

American Icon Automotive Finishes �� 8

Killer Tools & Equipment Corp. �� 13

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 41

Laurel Auto Group of Westmont �� 27

Automotive Technology Inc. �� 6

Luther Bloomington Acura-Subaru �� 21

AutoNation Collision Parts �� 7

Luther Kia of Bloomington �� 36

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 45

McGrath City Hyundai �� 34

Internal Memo From Bill Ford Offers Reassurance,

Body Loc, Inc �� 48

Midwest Parts Group ��16-17

‘No Matter Who is Running the Country’ ��1

Car-Part.com �� 23

MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 44

Classic Chevrolet �� 33

Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 42

Classifieds �� 46

MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers ��28-29

Courtesy Subaru �� 32

Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 38

Eckler’s Automotive �� 12

Patrick BMW MINI �� 37

Equalizer Industries, Inc �� 14

Patrick Hyundai �� 36

FAST Shelter �� 22

Prima Welds Inc. �� 9

FI. TIM SRL �� 10

SATA Dan-Am Company �� 5

Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 42

Sears Imported Autos, Inc �� 30

Gandrud Parts Center �� 11

Shaheen Chevrolet Parts Warehouse �� 26

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 39

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes �� 2

Hawkinson Kia �� 18

Spanesi Americas �� 19

Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers ��24-25

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 40

Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 47

The Porsche Exchange �� 36

Innovative Tools & Technologies, Inc �� 15

The Sharpe Collection of Automobiles �� 35

Woman Who Sued Body Shop Over Aston Martin

Kelly BMW �� 20

VanDevere Chevrolet �� 31

Repair Bill Now Ordered to Pay $250,000 ��41

Kia Wholesale Parts Dealers �� 43

VanDevere Kia �� 31

Fully Electric Fleet ��45 Body Crafters: A COVID-19 Experience ��42 CARSTAR 92nd Among Franchise Systems ��8 CCC Introduces ADAS Insights ��45 Financial Incompetence is No Excuse! ��36 Ford Fund Pledges $200K to Keep Students Learning During Pandemic ��44 Grade Insurers’ Performances ��20 Guild 21 Meeting to Cover ADAS ��12 I-CAR Introduces ‘Get to Gold Class’ ��3

Manufacturers Continue to Offer Exclusive Discounts to SEMA360 Attendees ��47 Mike’s Auto Body Gives 2 Cars in Conjunction with Hemophilia Foundation ��26 Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine 94.5% Effective in Phase 3 Study, Doesn’t

New Vehicle Subscription Platform ��13

Anderson - Hands-On Testing Shows Limitations

Schedule ASE Tests Now ��46

Attanasio - Marketing in 2020: Will People Find You and What Will They See? ��30 Yoswick - Perspectives, Ideas Shared by Dealership Management Helpful for

Source: I-CAR

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli, Gary Ledoux Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Norman Morano, Griffin Reinhard (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Digital Marketing Manager: Bryan Malinski Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Vicki Sitarz Online and Web Content Editor: Abby Andrews Accounting Manager: Heather Priddy Permissions Editor: Randi Scholtes Office Assistant: Dianne Pray

Bentley to Go Carbon Neutral by 2030 with

COLUMNISTS

Scan Tools ��38

rollment process. Get to Gold Class is ideal for both shops in the process of achieving Gold Class, and for those that are not currently training but are ready to commit to receiving high standards of education, professionalism and quality. For complete details of I-CAR’s Get to Gold Class Package, visit www.i-car.com.

Your Business ��40

Require Extreme Cold ��1

of Relying Solely on DTCs or Aftermarket

I-CAR announced Nov. 11 the launch of Get to Gold Class, an all-inclusive package customized for shops working toward I-CAR Gold Class recognition. The new Get to Gold Class package features a customized training prescription based on shop size and existing knowledge base, turnover protection considerations, flexible payment options and discounts, and a simplified “one-stop” en-

Tesla About to Make Producing 1 Million EVs Per Year Unremarkable ��44 Volvo Airbag Death Causes S60 and S80 Recall ��46

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

REGIONAL

I-CAR Introduces ‘Get to Gold Class’

Autobody News P.O. Box 1516 Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com

autobodynews.com / DECEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS 3

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Continued from Cover

2020 Collision industry.” When ASA Northwest’s ATE 2020 had to be canceled a week and a half before the event due to COVID restrictions, the association’s leaders “went into scramble mode and canceled our live event with over 1000 attendees,” said ASA Northwest President and Executive Director Jeﬀ Lovell. “We knew we needed to keep our ASA Northwest members engaged and let them know that we are here for them, so we started having Zoom meetings, called ‘Lunch and Learn,’ with members every week to keep them updated on the latest information,” Lowell said. “ASA Northwest has adapted to the new technology and was the first automotive trade association to do a full-blown virtual training event with the help of Advance Professional, CTI-WTI and Worldpac. We hosted the first Virtual ATE in August with 32 classes and close to 200 attendees from all over the world, it was truly amazing to put that together.” COVID-19 also provided an opportunity for associations to find new ways to support their members, outside of virtual training. “This year, our biggest impact for members was partnering with Alerus Bank, a small local bank, to help shop owners apply for and receive their much-needed Paycheck Protection Program loans,” said Diana DeLeon, executive director of ASA-AZ. “Many members submitted applications to larger banks with no success, so we were very happy to have this relationship in place to help.” “The opportunity to offer our members-only an exclusive health insurance plan was most memorable for AASP/NJ; we partnered with World Insurance, a global leader in benefits, and more members participating will help lower our group rate, something individual shops can’t do,” said Jerry McNee, president of AASP/NJ. “With a potential average saving of 30% and annual premiums increasing yearly, offering an option for members to save thousands of dollars in premiums, this is a welcome benefit, considering all other yearly increases within our busi-

nesses—this is truly a game changer, helping our members. “COVID-19 has affected everyone, so having the ability to offer a health plan that benefits members in a positive way is outstanding.” “Since March 2020, as COVID-19 hit the United States and began to shut down the country, ARA went into high gear to stay ahead of the situation,” said Sandy Blalock, executive director of the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA.) “This multi-pronged, proactive response is the most important thing ARA accomplished this year and included many parts. “With the assistance of amazing industry partners, we created an automotive recyclers COVID Relief Fund, with over $46,000 distributed to auto recyclers in need,” Blalock said. “Through active regulatory work and connections with policymakers, ARA ensured that automotive recyclers were an ‘essential business’ to continue operating through the pandemic, and the association acted as a watch dog of all COVID legislation, for both the states and federal government, as well as providing members with information to help them navigate the crisis.” ARA also “partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s COVID Liability Coalition to educate Congress about the need for businesses to have liability protections related to COVID-19, and to urge Congress to pass legislation that would protect businesses from liability associated with COVID-19,” Blalock added. “In addition to creating a COVID-19 dashboard on our website with federal and state guidelines impacting the industry, ARA put together a guide detailing important information relating to the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program,” Blalock said. “This guide provides background information on the EIDL program and also describes its costs and benefits.” Adapting to change was a huge theme among industry associations this year, as it has been for shops. “Just as our members did, AASP-MN had to quickly shift gears in response to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic,” said Judell Anderson, executive director of AASP-MN. “Members turned to the

association like never before to get the information they needed to navigate this new environment and maintain their business operations. The alliance responded by providing ongoing member updates containing ‘need-to-know’ information about COVID-19 related legislation, regulations and other measures relevant to auto service and collision shops. “We also connected shops to share experiences, best practices and lessons learned for adapting business practices due to COVID-19, and we moved networking events and educational programming to virtual platforms,” Anderson said. “Another highlight would be the release of our membership video, which features authentic and sincere testimonials about what it means to be a member of the alliance. It reinforces the work that we do each day to be their champion and their ally.” The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) had to really “think outside the box when it came to fundraising and how we can continue to support collision school programs in 2020,” said Brandon Eckenrode, director of development for CREF. “Instead of holding physical career fair events, our team quickly coordinated online presentations with companies to help instructors with industry guest speakers for their students,” Eckenrode said. “We also helped communicate which companies opened up their online technical training to help instructors with industry resources. “With regards to fundraising, we had to be respectful and sensitive of what companies were going through when asking both annual and new partners for funding,” Eckenrode continued. “Our insurance partners and their 2020 support essentially saved CREF by being able to continue to support us. Also, we got creative by utilizing our industry member partnerships with their ‘celebrity’ brand ambassadors, connections and create unique auctions and fundraiser initiatives.” CREF wasn’t the only industry association focused on the next generation of technicians in 2020. “I am proud of WIN for stepping up and continuing to focus on our goals during this unusual year,” said the Women’s Industry Network (WIN) Chair Cheryl Boswell. “WIN

‘Resourced the Industry’ by sponsoring uniforms for 100 vo-tech women students and by conducting a survey to understand the collision repair technician pipeline and how to attract and retain technicians. “WIN ‘Strengthened the Network’ by offering seven educational webinars, and by launching the first WIN-developed technical class,” Boswell said. “In the true spirit of WIN, it was an honor to celebrate 12 scholarship recipients and three Most Influential Women in 2020.” In a year ravaged by turmoil, many associations are celebrating their survival and their ability to keep members informed about the ongoing changes. “Through our leadership, we managed our operations and finances well, like many other companies, through an unknown virus and its impacts on our members, the aftermarket industry and the association itself,” said Rodney Pierini, president and CEO of CAWA. “Our first thought was how can we help the ASA Northwest members during this time,” Lovell recalled. “Within a week, we were able to turn our ASA Northwest website into a resource center for members to get information on COVID-19. Our regional allied member, Integrated Claims Management, worked with us to make sure ASA Northwest was the place to turn for information.” “One of the most important things we have been able to do is keep our membership informed of all the issues regarding running their business in the shadow of the COVID crisis,” said AASP/MA Executive Director Lucky Papageorg. “This is important because our members and their customers are our number one concern as they are the reason we exist as an association. We are here to protect their interests in the insurance claim and repair process.” “ASA Arizona made sure our members were updated almost daily with changing information as we all navigated through the unknown of COVID-19,” DeLeon added. “Offering members online meetings and networking was a success to keep everyone connected when we couldn’t be together. We took an extra step to reach out and offer all these connections and information to shop owners in our surrounding states.” See 2020 Collision, Page 23

4 DECEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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AASP-MO Holding Annual Toys for Tots Drive Though the ongoing pandemic is not allowing AASP-Missouri to hold its annual Christmas Social or collect toys the way it has in the past, its drive to support the U.S. Marines’ Toys for Tots is still on. Doug Slattery, president of Automotive Technology Inc. (ATI) and chairman of AASPMO’s Toys for Tots drive, said anyone who wants a toy collection box should call ATI at 636343-8101 and request one, which ATI will deliver. On Dec. 7, anyone with a collection box should call ATI to schedule a pick-up time, which must be done by 5 p.m. Dec. 9. The U.S. Marines will pick up all the collected toys from ATI’s warehouse Dec. 10. “It is unfortunate that we cannot have our annual AASP-Missouri Christmas Social, but hopefully we can all get some JOY collecting toys!” Slattery said in an email to AASP-MO members. Source: AASP-MO

More Joliet, IL, Success: Missouri Company Bringing 100-Plus Jobs by Peter Feralk, Patch

The coronavirus pandemic has created economic hardship and devastation for a lot of cities across the country, but Joliet, IL, officials insist they are not one of them. Joliet’s latest economic development success is SRC Logistics, a Springfield, MO, business that specializes in remanufacturing auto parts. SRC Logistics will move into the 1 million-square foot spec building along East Laraway Road near the giant IKEA warehouse. SRC Logistics will be hiring more than 100 people to work at its new Joliet facility. The company plans to start hiring this month with the goal of opening early next year. SRC Logistics will be at 1023 East Laraway Road. It’s across the street from the Route 66 Chicagoland Speedway which has an uncertain future. In Joliet, employees with SRC Logistics are expected to process 1.8 million pieces of core per year. City of Joliet Economic Development Specialist Derek Con-

ley said that SRC Logistics takes car parts from older vehicles and determines if they can be reused. If the parts can be reused, SRC sends them back on the market, Conley explained.

largest vacant spec building still available in Joliet. “We have no more comparable to that size that are vacant,” Conley told Joliet Patch last week. “This is the first use of the building.” According to a company news release, the Joliet employees can participate in SRC’s employee stock ownership plan. “Employee owners use what they have learned at SRC to build their communities and a strong future. That’s what we want for JoSRC Logistics will be filling this spec building in Joliet on liet,” remarked Eric East Laraway Road. Credit: Image via Google Maps Lindgren, general man It’s his understanding that ager for SRC Logistics Illinois Joliet employees will be respon- Inc., in a company news release. sible for evaluating transmissions Lindgren will oversee the Jothat will be delivered to the new liet facility. To learn more about Laraway Road location. If the auto job opportunities with the new parts are usable, the parts will then company coming to Joliet, visit its be sent off to another facility. website here. Conley is pleased to see the 1 million-square foot spec build- We thank Patch for reprint permising will be filled. It had been the sion.

Gerber Collision & Glass Opens Second Location in Waterford, MI The Boyd Group Inc. announced the opening of a collision repair center in Waterford, MI. This is Boyd Group’s second location in Waterford, approximately 40 miles northwest of Detroit and between Gerber repair centers in Orion Township and Commerce Township.

This new repair center is on the property of a new car dealer which chose to no longer operate a collision repair facility. “We are committed to growing our brand throughout North America. The opening of this

location will enhance our ability to provide high-quality repairs to customers in this area,” said Kevin Burnett, COO of Gerber Collision & Glass. “We look forward to serving these communities and our insurance partners by strengthening our presence in this region.” The Boyd Group is continuously looking to add new collision repair locations to its existing network in Canada and the U.S. Interested collision repair center owners are asked to contact Jason Hope, vice president of business development and strategic projects, at (530) 774-3887 or jason.hope@ boydgroup.com for more information.

Chief Automotive and Automotive Technology would like to introduce their Kansas representative, Linn Schroll. Linn will be handling your Chief equipment needs for Kansas, the Kansas City metro area as well as the St. Joseph, Missouri area. Linn is based out of Manhattan, Kansas to serve this area; he has over 40 years in the Collision Repair industry and has a wealth of knowledge that will help you with your shop’s equipment needs.

Give Linn a call or email today!

785-313-2361 Linn@automotivetechnology.com

Source: The Boyd Group

785-313-2361 Fax 636-343-5597 544 Mae Court • Fenton, Mo. 63026

www.autobodynews.com

UPDATED DAILY

6 DECEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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CARSTAR 92nd Among Franchise Systems CARSTAR, North Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier network of independently owned collision repair facilities, has risen in its rank among the top 100 in Franchise Times magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top 200, the most comprehensive ranking of the 500 largest U.S. franchise systems.

Recognized by entrepreneurs and franchisors as a top competitive tool of measurement, the Franchise Times Top 200 placed CARSTAR 92nd on the list, up from the 99th position. CARSTAR was the top collision repair company for the overall automotive category. It leads the industry with a North American customer service score average of 85%, record-breaking annual sales in 2019 and accelerated growth in total locations. Source: CARSTAR

VISION 2021 Going Virtual in March; New Event to be Held in July The VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo has announced its 2021 event will transition from an in-person event to a virtual event in March. Midwest Auto Care Association (MWACA) leaders initially held oďŹ&#x20AC; making a decision on the 2021 VISION event, hoping for the pandemic restrictions to improve. Unfortunately, the current restrictions from local government authorities do not allow for an adequate number of attendees. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are very disappointed to not be able to hold VISION in 2021,â&#x20AC;? said Tim Davison, president of MWACA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our show dates back to 1993 and is one of the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading training and expo events. We know what VISION means to the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where automotive service professionals from all over the region, the country and beyond come together to renew connections, gain new knowledge and discover new products and services.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have refocused our efforts towards a virtual platform, providing an opportunity for au-

tomotive service professionals to have access to world class training, valuable content, networking,

as new ideas, to bring a unique and engaging virtual experience to the industry.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had exciting plans for the 2021 show and will work to bring a first-class virtual experience to everyone involved,â&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Sheri Hamilton exhibitors and much more,â&#x20AC;? said Sheri Hamilton, executive director and conference manager for VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo. VISION is currently reaching out to exhibitors, sponsors and speakers to communicate the decision and outline next steps for the virtual event and 2022. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had exciting plans for the 2021 show and will work to bring a ďŹ rst-class virtual experience to everyone involved,â&#x20AC;? Hamilton said. Hamiltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team recently executed a virtual conference with great reviews from both attendees and exhibitors. They will use their experience and feedback, as well

MWACA also announced hosting a new in-person event at the end of July, with a focus on ADAS training. The newly-formed event, known as ADAS Academy, will help service professionals prepare their shop for servicing advanced driver assistance systems. The Academy will provide classroom and hands-on technical training opportunities, as well vendors featuring products and services related to ADAS. Additional details of the conference will be announced when available. The dates for the event will be July 29-Aug. 1, 2021, in Overland Park, KS. Source: MWACA

First National Realty Partners Acquires Tesla Sales and Service Center in Westmont, IL First National Realty Partners announced the acquisition of a 23,164-square foot Tesla Sales and Service Center, located at 50 West Ogden Ave. in Westmont, IL.

The property was acquired in a brokered transaction and adds another well-located asset to the ďŹ rmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing portfolio of premier real estate assets throughout the U.S. Tesla recently executed a new 10-year lease extension at the property, which beneďŹ ts from a strong demographic proďŹ le including more than 250,000

people with average incomes of more than $139,000 within 5 miles. This location is one of only ďŹ ve Tesla service centers in Illinois. The property is surrounded by other premier car dealerships including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Lamborghini. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are very excited about this unique opportunity and are pleased to have Tesla as a tenant in our growing portfolio,â&#x20AC;? said Matt Annibale, director of acquisitions at First National Realty Partners. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are conďŹ dent in Teslaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long-term performance here given how well-situated the property is in Westmontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Auto Mile.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Our team is excited to be a part of the Westmont community and we look forward to working with Tesla and other local stakeholders to ensure the continued success at this location.â&#x20AC;? Source: First National Realty Partners

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MI Gov. Signs Bipartisan Business Liability Bills Amid COVID-19 Crisis by Ken Coleman, Michigan Advance

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently signed bipartisan compromise legislation that shields many businesses from liability on COVID19—a big priority for business groups like the Michigan Chamber of Commerce—and also enshrines some worker protections into law. “No Michigander should have to worry about going into work when they’re sick, especially during a global pandemic,” said Whitmer, a Democrat. “These bipartisan bills ensure crucial protections for our workers and businesses who do their part to protect our families and frontline workers from the spread of COVID-19.” Whitmer added that she looks “forward to more collaboration with the Legislature where we can find common ground.” The legislation, which was approved during a marathon session, came after the Michigan Supreme Court ruled on Oct. 2 that the 1945 emergency powers law Whitmer used for her emergency COVID-19 orders was unconstitutional. The bills require

employers to allow workers who are exposed to COVID-19 or exhibit the symptoms of coronavirus to stay home, and prohibit retaliation against employees for staying home when sick or exposed to the virus. It also provides a minimum

Michigan Capitol. Credit: Susan J. Demas

damages award of $5,000 for violations. Awards may be higher than that in the event of more serious conduct or injuries. House Bill 6030, sponsored by state Rep. Tom Albert (R-Lowell), says that when

a business complies with all relevant COVID-19 related statutes, orders and rules issued by federal, state and local authorities, they cannot be held liable for a person becoming sick at the business. House Bill 6031, sponsored by Rep. Tommy Brann (R-Wyoming), and House Bill 6032, sponsored by Rep. Graham Filler (R-DeWitt), make clear that when an employer complies with all relevant COVID-19 related statutes, orders and rules issued by federal, state and local authorities, they cannot be held liable under the Michigan Occupational Health and Safety Act (MIOSHA) for a worker becoming sick at work. Whitmer also signed other bills into law. House Bills 4459 and 4460, sponsored by Rep. Frank Liberati (R-Allen Park), and House Bill 4991, sponsored by Rep. Roger Hauck (R-Beal City), limits the ability of an out-of-network provider to bill

a patient directly for certain emergency costs, rather the provider and the insurer will now settle the disputed charge. The legislation places Michigan among the states leading the charge for consumer protection when it comes to surprise medical billing. House Bill 6192, sponsored by Rep. Jack O’Malley (R-Lake Ann), provides extensions for the validity of certain permits, licenses and registrations issued by the Secretary of State. Many of these permits were extended once already to Sept. 30. This second extension makes many permits, licenses and registrations valid until Dec.11. Senate Bill 1094, sponsored by Sen. Peter Lucido (R-Shelby Twp.), requires the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to evaluate the operation, efficacy, clinical outcomes and performance of nursing homes throughout the state during the COVID-19 pandemic. We thank Michigan Advance for reprint permission.

Gerber Collision & Glass Acquires Three Locations in Michigan The Boyd Group Inc. announced the acquisition of three collision repair centers in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The repair centers, located in Escanaba, Kingsford and Marquette, previously operated as Classic Auto Collision Centers, originating in 1984 in Escanaba. A new repair center was built in 1990 and a second location opened in Marquette. The Escanaba location relocated to a newly built facility in 1992 and the Kingsford location was added in 1996. The Upper Peninsula (UP) is a forested region bordering Northern Wisconsin and is connected to the Lower Peninsula of Michigan by the 5-mile Mackinac Bridge. Commonly shortened to “Esky,” Escanaba is the third largest city in the UP, the county seat of Delta County. Located within the Iron Mountain statistical area, Kingsford is approximately 70 miles east of Escanaba and near Pine Mountain Ski Resort, which houses one of the largest ski jumps in the world and hosts national ski jump competitions. Located on the shore of Lake

Superior, Marquettte is the largest city in the UP, the county seat of Marquette County and home to Northern Michigan University. “We are excited to expand our footprint to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and look forward to delivering high-quality repairs to this region,” said Kevin Burnett, COO of Gerber Collision & Glass. “The teams at these repair centers are dedicated to providing outstanding customer service and we welcome the opportunity to continue that while serving these communities and our insurance partners. This acquisition is another example of our commitment to growing our brand.” The Boyd Group is continuously looking to add new collision repair locations to its existing network in Canada and the U.S. Interested collision repair center owners are asked to contact Jason Hope, vice president of business development and strategic projects, at (530) 774-3887 or jason.hope@ boydgroup.com. Source: Gerber Collision & Glass

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KY Family in Need Receives Free Vehicle from Oxmoor Auto Group, Progressive Insurance by Dustin Vogt, WAVE 3 News

One deserving family in need received a life-changing donation to help regain independence as the Oxmoor Auto Group in Louisville, KY, provided them with a free car. Dana Stephenson received a refurbished 2017 Toyota Camry on Oct. 23, provided by the Oxmoor Collision Center and car donor Progressive Insurance through the National Auto Body Council Recycled Rides program. The Cabbage Patch Settlement House, a local nonproﬁt Christian organization helping provide children and their families educational and developmental opportunities, selected Stephenson as the recipient of the donation after hearing of issues with her own vehicle. Stephenson is a client of the Cabbage Patch Settlement House organization, and was laid oﬀ due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shortly after, her car started breaking down and she wasn’t

with a refurbished car to donate, and the program connected them to Stephenson. On Oct. 23, the team met with Stephenson and her daughter to provide them with the refurbished vehicle and a tour of the facility. “To get dependable transportation to get back and forth to work, you know, transporting my daughter, groceries, The Cabbage Patch Settlement House, a local nonprofit everything,” StephenChristian organization helping provide children and their son said at the event. “It families educational and developmental opportunities, means everything to us.” selected Dana Stephenson as the recipient of the The NABC Recycled donation after hearing of issues with her own vehicle. Rides program works Credit: Oxmoor Auto Group with businesses in the Her daughter began attend- collision repair industry to repair ing Cabbage Patch’s NTI support and donate vehicles to individuals program, and with the need for and families in need of transporreliable transportation on the rise, tation. The program has donated Stephenson tried to keep up with more than 2,500 vehicles, valued at more than $36 million, since its costly repairs of the vehicle. Luckily enough, the Family inception in 2007. Development Department at The Cabbage Patch received a call We thank WAVE 3 News for refrom the Oxmoor Auto Group print permission. sure how she would replace the vehicle.

Guild 21 Meeting to Cover ADAS Guild 21 will hold its next meeting at 2 p.m. ET Dec. 10, “The Journey of ADAS from Factory to Repair,” featuring David DeBoer, CEO of Burke Porter Group. Are you prepared to repair vehicles with ADAS and other advanced technology as we look at automobiles in 2021 and beyond? Join the December Guild 21 meeting to learn more about the future of ADAS and the requirements to ensure proper vehicle calibration. For decades, Burke Porter Group (BPG) has been a leading supplier of factory end of line (EOL) testing systems. Today, with products at nearly every vehicle OEM, BPG understands the future of ADAS and the requirements to ensure proper vehicle calibration. To register, go to https:// us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkfuqupjIrE9ycbSIqnTExr_GKGMcuiTLw Source: VeriFacts Automotive

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DCR Systems Partners With Willoughby Accident Repair Center DCR Systems announced Oct. 22 the company has partnered with the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge Ram (CJDR) of Willoughby dealership in Ohio and converted an existing, outdated body shop to a DCR-operated and dealer-branded accident repair center. “This is a great example of the type of work DCR specializes in—helping dealerships outsource their body shops to a world-class operator on their behalf,” said Michael Giarrizzo, CEO of DCR Systems’ dealer-based collision centers. “In this case, we took a very small, traditional dealer store and turned it into Willoughby Accident Repair Center—a modern, state-of-the-art facility using the DCR Process.” The DCR Process uses lean manufacturing principles at all of its facilities to streamline production and ensure there is a segmented and sequential visual workﬂow. “We couldn’t go wrong partnering with DCR Systems. They are the best in the business,” said Stephen Shane, dealer principal of CDJR of Willoughby. “We

were able to enhance our customer offering tremendously at Willoughby Accident Repair Center with little risk.” Shane recently took over the well-established dealership and was considering getting out of the collision repair business due to the current challenges in the industry, including staffing, vehicle complexity, equipment reinvestment and, most currently, the pandemic. “Many dealerships are now faced with making a choice,” said Giarrizzo. “They must decide if they want to reinvest in their collision repair facility in light of the changes taking place or if their body shop is struggling with performance in its current state and they are better off without it.” With CJDR of Willoughby in a similar position, the dealership decided to partner with DCR Systems to refurbish the collision repair facility and create a customer offering they could be proud of. “The body shop had struggled in the past but we’re working to rebuild the brand,” said Jason Vargo, location leader at

Willoughby Accident Repair Center. “Our mission is to provide an OEM-guided repair and service customers in the best way possible.” The dealer group is aggressively acquiring more franchises and Giarrizzo said DCR is excited to work with them to rebuild their collision repair presence and ensure customer retention. “Since DCR Systems was established in 2004, our goal has been to develop cutting-edge, on-site accident repair facilities for auto dealerships nationwide, while preserving their financial and customer benefits,” said Giarrizzo. “Vehicle complexity is driving vehicle owners to certified and dealer-based repairs. Our company provides that expertise and commitment to all there is to know about today’s advanced vehicle systems.”

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Automotive retail innovator Scott Painter on Oct. 29 announced a new venture, NextCar Holding Company (NXCR.) NXCR was launched in response to COVID-19 and the heightened relevance and expected demand for a Car-as-aService (CaaS) mobility model for consumers. Vehicle subscription allows consumers to pay a monthly usage fee for a ﬂexible term, eliminating the long-term commitment of a traditional loan or lease. Subscription services bundle insurance, maintenance and other vehicle operating costs into a single, aﬀordable monthly payment. According to a recent Mckinsey study, “The New Realities of Premium Mobility,” 20% of the automotive retail market is forecast to be used for car sharing driven primarily by subscriptions and autonomous taxis by 2025.

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20 Under 40: Andrew Tylka Making a Big Dent in Auto Body Repair World in NW Indiana by Phil Wieland, NWI Times

His business, Tom and Ed’s Autobody, was chosen best in the Northwest Indiana region in a 2020 NWI Times poll, and now Andrew Tylka has been named one of the 20 Under 40 young professionals to watch. The Times’ 20 Under 40 recognizes young professionals from Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties in Indiana who stand out in their professions and their communities. The honorees are chosen by a committee that reviews nominations from the public. Tylka, 37, was born and raised in Northwest Indiana, the son of Tom and Debbie Tylka. He graduated in 2001 from Lake Central High School, where he said he was “engulfed” in tennis, playing on the school team and spending four hours a day, six days a week playing and practicing. “I knew I would not be a pro, and then I got injured before my senior year. I had to have wrist surgery that I never fully recovered from,” he said. After graduation, he enrolled at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, majoring in marketing and management. He was able to play and practice tennis with the university team, and he joined the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity. “I didn’t have any career in sight, but I always enjoyed leadership and responsibility,” he said. “I became vice president of the fraternity and started working at Jillian’s.” Jillian’s was a sports bar and restaurant with other activities like billiards and bowling on the second and third floor. He worked his way up to manager during a six-year stint, learning how to be a successful businessman from his bosses. “They taught me transparency, which I still use with my employees,” Tylka said. “Everyone knew the standards and what goals we were trying to reach. I learned how to have fun together. When you spend the majority of your time working, you might as well have fun.”

He then joined with a New York investor who specialized in acquiring troubled malls and repurposing them. With Tylka, he turned a 100,000-square-foot mall into an indoor theme park that Tylka ran. His partner was looking to expand the operation to California when Tylka’s father called and said he was thinking of selling the auto body business to a national chain.

Andrew Tylka. Credit: Tony V. Martin

The family business Tylka told his dad, instead of selling the business, how about letting the younger Tylka sell his home in Indianapolis and move back north to run it. Andrew said his dad started the business in 1983 with a friend, the Ed of the title. The elder Tylka had been working as an engineer and doing auto body work as a hobby. When the engineering company downsized, it was time to turn the hobby into his job. Tom bought out Ed a couple of years later and eventually expanded to three locations in Lake County. Andrew said his dad was spending less and less time at the shop and was looking to retire when he called his son, who became the second generation operator of Tom and Ed’s. “I got the opportunity to learn the operation from the staff,” Tylka said. “I learned the business for one-and-a-half years. Then we moved out of the old body shop and built a new one behind it.” While building the new shop, Tylka got calls from two other body shops asking if he would be interested in merging, giving Tom and

Ed’s five locations. The business has continued to grow, recently closing a deal on the acquisition of the Riley and Sons in Indianapolis, adding four more locations to the Tom and Ed’s chain. What had been a $2.5 million business when he took over in 2009 is now a $22 million business. It includes a towing operation, working with area police departments to turn what at one point had fallen by the wayside into a good income source. His mom used to handle the bookkeeping for the business, but three years ago Andrew bought their share of the business and they have finally retired. ‘The right place at the right time’ The COVID-19 pandemic forced Tylka to furlough some employees and consolidate operations for a while, but he said it’s

back to full speed with business now exceeding last year’s. Tylka is involved as a leader with several national and state auto body organizations, and worked with the Hammond Career Center to develop an auto body repair curriculum to try to cure the shortage of people in the trade. He’s also working with labor to develop an apprenticeship program for the trade. “All this is worth it. It’s a passion. I’m a big person on being where the opportunities are and putting myself in the right place at the right time,” Tylka said. “Being a part of these organizations and the industry at the national level helps that. That’s why this award means a lot.” Andrew and his wife Juanita, who is vice president of the auditing department at People’s Bank, have been married for seven years and have two sons, Thomas, 5, and Max, 10. We thank NWI Times for reprint permission.

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A New Repair Shop in Town by Kevin Mertens, Faribault County Register

Drivers entering Blue Earth, MN, from the east end of town on County Road 16 have probably noticed a new business as they come up the hill by the Blue Earth Stockyards. Circle K Auto Repair is open and operating where Paul Knudtson used to conduct business at Paul’s Exhaust and Auto Service. John Koestler, the owner of Circle K Auto Repair, opened his new business in the middle of August. “Owning my own shop is something I always wanted to do,” Koestler said. “I just did not know when it would happen.” The Blue Earth native followed quite an interesting path to reach his current destination. “I graduated from Blue Earth Area High School in 2004,” he said. “And I was able to take some interesting classes while I was in school.” One of those classes was the Super High Mileage class. “We took our entry up to the Brainerd International Speedway,” Koestler recalled. “And our vehicle achieved 523 miles per gallon.” He was also on a team which competed in the Ford AAA Auto Skills Competition. “I enjoyed that and had the highest score on our team,” Koestler noted. He took the summer off after high school before enlisting in the U.S. Army, where he became a light-wheel vehicle mechanic. “I then became an all-wheel mechanic,” Koestler explained. “But I decided to become a forklift operator so I could deploy.” He had deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait. “I eventually served as the shop foreman at Bagram Air Base in Parvan Province, Afghanistan,” Koestler said. “I was honorably discharged in 2015. I loved being a soldier but I can make more money and a better living outside of the service.” He said his time in the service gave him some valuable experience.

“Being in Iraq was very interesting because we did not have many tools so working on vehicles was challenging,” Koestler said. “Then I went to Kuwait and I had all kinds of tools available to use.”

He is also a dealer for Mathe- vehicles. son Gas and has argon, oxygen and “Have your batteries tested,” he acetylene gases available for sale. reminded people. “When it gets cold Of course, like many self-em- outside a weak battery will not have ployed business owners, Koestler the power to start your vehicle.” It is not the only thing which sometimes works past closing time. “There are jobs I want to com- needs checking, according to Koesplete and not leave until tler. the next day so there are “Tire pressure is affected by times when I will stick the change in temperatures so make around the shop to com- sure your tires are properly inplete a task,” he said. flated,” he said. “It is also a good He works on cars and time to have your brakes looked at pickups, and will also and to check your antifreeze.” do light diesel work. Koestler said he enjoys help“I will do the simple ing keep people on the road. things like changing oil “Change the oil, keep up on and rotating tires,” Koes- maintenance and today’s vehicles tler explained. “I can also will run a long time,” he said. change engines, trans- And when you need someone missions, ball joints and to work on your vehicle, Koestler U-joints. One of my strong said Circle K Auto Repair is ready John Koestler stands outside of his shop, which used to be the home of Paul’s Exhaust and Auto Service. Koestler is a points is in electrical diag- to help. veteran who has returned to the Blue Earth area to do a job nostics.” We thank the Faribault County he loves. His shop is open Monday through Friday. With the Blue Earth Register for reprint permission. area getting its first taste When he returned to the Blue of winter this past week, Koestler Earth area, he worked for various said it is a good time to do some www.autobodynews.com automobile repair shops, including preventative maintenance on your Flaherty Auto when they were in Fairmont and Jay’s Shop in Blue Earth. “Jay Johnson owned Jay’s at Hawkinson Kia the time and he saw potential in me,” Koestler said. “So he added another stall to his business and I had a job.” The name Circle K has some family history. His father once owned Circle K Auto Body and his brother, who lives in Mora, owns Circle K Septic and Excavating. Trust Only Genuine Kia Parts for Your Repair Koestler said he will do just about any kind of work but, ironi• Midwest’s Largest Kia Wholesale Supplier • OPS, CollisionLink, RepairLink, cally, one item he does not care to • 16 Trucks on the Road Daily CCC1, PartsTrader do is custom exhaust work, which • Largest Inventory in the Midwest • Covering Two Full States is something the shop formally lo• Dedicated Wholesale Staff • We Price Match Aftermarket Parts cated at his site, Paul’s Exhaust and Auto Service, would do. “A good exhaust man who will do custom jobs has some real talent,” he said. “It is almost an art.” M-Th 7am-6pm Koestler has two stalls at his Fri 7am-5pm shop and both have hoists to raise Sat 8am-4pm vehicles up in the air when needed. 708.720.0657 Fax “Right now I am working 5501 Miller Circle Drive on building my business,” he Matteson, IL 60443 said. “My normal hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through www.hawkinsonnissan.com/ez-parts Friday. I also will do some jobs by appointment on Saturdays.”

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Grade Insurers’ Performances Collision repair professionals once again have a unique opportunity to grade the performance of the insurance companies in their state, with the launch of CRASH Network’s “Insurer Report Card.” The “Insurer Report Card” asks collision repairers to grade each insurer based on how well each carrier’s claims practices ensure quality repairs and customer service. By assigning insurers a grade from A+ to F, shops can let consumers know which insurers have their eye on quality repairs and customer service—and which may have some room for improvement—when consumers have a claim. The “Insurer Report Card” can be completed in less than three minutes. Participating shops that provide an e-mail address will be sent the results, at no charge, once they are compiled. Go to http://www.CrashNetwork.com/gradebook to grade the insurers. Source: CRASH Network

Continued from Cover

Bill Ford As I write this, the results of the United States election are not fully known and still may not be for some days. No matter where you might be on the political spectrum, I think you will agree that this has been quite a year. Today, I want to share with you my perspective as someone who has been through plenty of turmoil and turbulence, and who has helped lead a company that has always risen to meet challenging times. In the 117 years Ford has been in business, we have worked with 20 presidents, with the time split almost evenly between both parties, and 25 governors in the state of Michigan. When you add political churn within the 200 countries in which we operate worldwide, shifts in the political and regulatory environment have been constant. Change is not the exception, it is the rule. Our relationships with every U.S. president since Theodore

Roosevelt have been built squarely on the credibility and independence of our company. Ford is one of the largest manufacturers and largest employers in America, and our company has always charted its own path. As I have said many times, we always look to establish and follow our own North Star of values and objectives that allow us to thrive—and to be stable—regardless of the political environment. We have also been through all manner of external challenges— economic meltdowns, World Wars, oil shocks, natural disasters and global pandemics. And in the face of every one of those threats, we battled, survived and became a rallying point for Americans and for the world. Ford steps up in times of need, and we are still very much in a time of need. Regardless of which party will control the diﬀerent levers of government, a strong manufacturing base will be essential, and Ford will have an important role to play. No matter who is running the country, our responsibility and commit-

ment to Ford’s role as an engine of progress for America and the world will not change. This has been a diﬃcult and uncertain year. But no matter what results this election yields, the importance of our values—our work, our people, our families, doing the right thing and building a better tomorrow—will transcend, as they always have. Bill When asked for a response to the internal message, Mark Truby, chief communications oﬃcer, said, “It speaks for itself.” Bill Ford is a former CEO of the Dearborn automaker and widely viewed as a comforting presence to employees and the public during times of uncertainty. We thank the Detroit Free Press for reprint permission. www.autobodynews.com

UPDATED DAILY

AASP-MN Releases New Membership Video AASP-MN is pleased to announce the release of its new membership video.

In the words of association members, the video highlights the multitude of beneﬁts the Alliance provides. Education, access to information, group buying programs, representation at the State Capitol, industry and career promotion and, most importantly, the ability to network and learn from like-minded in-

dependent shop owners were all touted as being a valuable part of the membership experience. The video can be viewed on the association’s website, www. aaspmn.org (scroll down home page). “I am grateful for and impressed by the heartfelt testimonials that these members shared about what it means to be a member of the Alliance,” said Executive Director Judell Anderson. “It reinforces the work that we do each day to be their champion and their ally.” The video will be used for marketing purposes. Plans are also under way to supplement the feature video with additional, shorter videos that can be deployed to promote the Alliance on social media. Source: AASP-MN

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Auto Club Announces More Financial Relief AAA members who insure their vehicles through the Interinsurance Exchange of the Automobile Club will receive a third round of premium refunds totaling approximately $46 million. This latest COVID-19 financial relief is in addition to almost $92 million in refunds provided in May and $58 million in July, bringing the total amount returned to Auto Club auto insurance policyholders to approximately $196 million. Every policyholder with auto insurance in effect from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30 will receive a 10% policy refund for this period. Refunds will be applied as a credit to the member’s policy. Checks will only be issued for policies that were canceled or that were paid in full. Members do not need to take any action to receive their refund. Source: Auto Club

Missouri Auto Body Shop Owner Receives Hometown Hero Award by Kendall Hyde, KHQA News

Volunteering, sponsoring, donating or just helping others out during a time of need. Those are the words used to describe a tri-state business owner who community members say goes above and beyond to help. Jason Krigbaum has owned Heartland Autobody and Towing in Hannibal, MO, for more than 20 years. Community members said it’s no surprise that the word “heart” appears in his business’s name. On behalf of its sponsors, Hilbing Autobody and Peters Heating and Air, KHQA News presents its latest Hometown Hero. “Jason’s one of those kinds of unsung heroes in the community,” Hannibal Mayor James Hark said. It’s a common saying that people tend to say nice things to you face to face, but it’s the things they say when you’re not around that speak volumes. “He will tell you often that I’m blessed,” Hark said. “That’s kind of his thing he lives by. Whenever

someone is down, whenever someone needs something, he’s one of the first ones to say ‘What can I do to help?’” Many feel you can write a book on Krigbaum, but it’s his kind heart that garners the attention of those closest to him.

Jason Krigbaum received the latest Hometown Hero award. Credit: Kendall Hyde, KHQA

“Through the Christmas holidays, he does the Adopt a Family, he does numerous donations throughout the year to the Northeast Missouri Humane Society, the food banks, he donates every three months,” Hark said. However, one deed that he performed left many around him speechless. “There was a young man whose

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bicycle was stolen,” Hark said. “He went out that night and got a bicycle delivered.” “It’s just an honor to be thought about, for people to be able to say that for you,” Krigbaum said. Krigbaum said he’s just doing his civic duties when he helps out the community. He doesn’t feel like he deserves any recognition. “Actually, I don’t even think about it, as far as what I’m going to get out of it,” Krigbaum said. He said he never wanted recognition for the things he does, but even a humble man gets blown away when he received public support. “I’m very thankful for being thought of or respected or even nominated for something like this,” Krigbaum said. “Like I said, it’s not about the person getting something in the world; it’s more about what you can do without being asked.” KHQA News would like to thank its sponsors, Hilbing Autobody and Peters Heating and Air, for making this series possible. We thank KHQA News for reprint permission.

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Continued from Page 4

2020 Collision “2020 has definitely been a challenging year for everyone,” said Cathi Webb, executive director of the Northwest Automotive Trades Association (NATA). “Between COVID, the riots in Portland and the election year, we have encountered a lot turmoil here in the great Northwest. “The most memorable event for our members is the fact that the automotive industries were deemed essential businesses,” Webb said. “Our association members stayed strong and some members had their best months during this COVID shutdown. NATA members were blessed that we could all stay in business. My heart goes out to all the small businesses that had to close because of COVID and then could not reopen.” Despite everything, some associations managed to grow in 2020. The Carolinas Collision Association (CCA) was formed from the merger of the NCACAR and the SCACAR. In addition to combining the two associations, “we added 20%

new members and retained 98% of our current membership,” said CCA Executive Director Josh Kent. “We established a Code of Ethics, and we put together a consumer, legal and trade school committee.” Kent recently assumed the executive director’s role for the Tennessee Collision Repairers Association (TCRA). “We rejuvenated TCRA and added 25 more people to our membership,” Kent said. “We started a new website, added training videos and hosted our first quarterly meeting this year.” “The NABA had a great year,” according to James Rodis, vice chair of the Nebraska Auto Body Association (NABA.) “We more than doubled our association size, plus added some amazing shops that are now part of our committees. Our vender committee has blown our expectations out of the water, offering us a completely different perspective. “We interviewed lobbyists this year and are proud to say we have hired Plucker/Kelley to represent the association and push some legislation for our members and guests,” Rodis said. “Due to COVID, we were not

able to have our Annual Education Day, so we opted for a great series of seven virtual events, in collaboration with KABA, that will feature great names like Kristen Felder, Mark Olsen, Tim Ronak, GM, Ford and even Rivian at the start of next year.” Legislation is always an important effort associations make on behalf of their members, and although 2020 presented even more challenges in this respect than normal, leaders’ devotion to doing the right thing for consumers fortified them in their battles. The Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT) developed customer complaint forms to be sent to state legislators and the Texas Department of Insurance (DOI.) “Legislators need to know that their constituents aren’t being indemnified properly for safe and proper repairs, and it helps educate the customer on the issue,” said ABAT President Burl Richards. CCA was also “able to pass legislation on towing and storage, preventing changes to the wording,” Kent said. “We also created a consumer page with videos and simple education regarding a customer’s rights and the difference between

OEM and non-OEM parts.” For Bob Amendola, president of the Auto Body Association of Connecticut (ABAC), the year’s most exciting success was when “our association’s legal counsel, attorney John Parese, helped national efforts to successfully preserve the 1963 Consent Decree.” The collision repair industry changed and developed in a variety of ways in 2020, and the experiences gained have positioned the industry’s associations to continue enhancing their membership benefits, training opportunities, efforts on behalf of the next generation and legislative initiatives as 2021 rolls around. Autobody News looks forward to continuing to provide all the latest association news in 2020. Happy holidays from our family to yours!

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Mike’s Auto Body Gives 2 Cars in Conjunction with Hemophilia Foundation by Ed Attanasio

Mike’s Auto Body is celebrating its 20th anniversary of giving cars to deserving individuals, families and nonprofit organizations, with a grand total of 92 vehicles donated since 2000. On Oct. 21, the company collaborated with the Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California, Farmers Insurance and NABC Recycled Rides to present two refurbished cars to two Bay Area families. Javier Caro Valdez received a 2015 Hyundai Elantra, and Nicholas DeFalco was presented with a 2016 Honda Fit, with trunks full of gifts, gas cards and car safety kits. All local guidelines regarding public gatherings were followed at the event, including social distancing, and the wearing of masks. The presentation also included the grand opening of Mike’s Auto Body’s newest location in Pleasanton, CA. The Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California (HFNC) serves the needs of people impacted by

bleeding disorders through enhancing quality of life by providing support, education, outreach, advocacy and research. This marks the fourth time Mike’s has found worthy recipients from HFNC through its benevolence program. Mike’s Sal Contreras has emceed its car presentations for many years, but he never gets tired of working with local nonprofit organizations to help people in need. “We are excited to work with the Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California, NABC Recycled Rides and Farmers Insurance as we celebrate our 20th anniversary,” he said. “It’s always so satisfying to see how the lives of these individuals and organizations change dramatically through the gift of transportation.” Owner Mike Rose described the program and its value to the community. “We feel very fortunate to be involved with such a wonderful program and are very excited to be able to give back to that communi-

ties that have supported us along the way,” he said. “After receiving hundreds of applications over the years and reading the heartbreaking stories, we only wish that we could do more. But hopefully with increased publicity of our program, other shops will adopt similar programs of their own.” Director of Marketing Dane Dearlove talked about all of the people needed in order to give away 92 cars over the last two decades. “One Team, One Mission says it all,” he said. “Without our business and insurance partners, as well as our managers and employees, we wouldn’t have been able to do this for 20 years at this level. It’s an honor to work with this company and these people.” After Contreras opened the presentation with an invocation, speakers included Dearlove, Vice Mayor of Pleasanton Kathy Narum, Pete Barbounis from the Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California, Farmers Insurance district managers Daniel Brown and Rachel Craw-

ford and Farmers Insurance agent Ruben Herrera. Local companies that donated products and services included National Auto Parts, PPG Automotive Refinish, Geronimo’s Detail WC, Big O Tires, All-Star Hyundai, Lexus of Concord, Four Corners Union 76, Dan’s Glass, Winter Honda, Glasstek, MAB Towing, Adolph’s Autohaus, West Coast Wheels, Pacific Rim, Vinyl Touch, O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, SRS Extreme Airbag and AutoNation Hyundai. Photos in “Mike’s Auto Body” folder in Dec 20 Production: 1: Mike’s Auto Body gave away two vehicles in conjunction with the Hemophilia Foundation of Northern California. 2: Javier Caro Valdez received a completely refurbished 2015 Hyundai Elantra with a trunk full of gifts, gas cards and car safety kits. 3: Recipient Nicholas DeFalco was presented with a 2016 Honda Fit.

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SEMA Show Goes On with Ed Attanasio

Media and Publicity for Shops with Ed Attanasio

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

Marketing in 2020: Will People Find You and What Will They See? The marketing game is more import- to marketing online has to do with ant in 2020 than ever before. Are images, and Grieve went through a people finding your business online, series of examples to illustrate their with Phillips importance. and if they are what areStacey they seeing? He showed slides of shops with Are you getting leads online or di- photos of unflattering of things, sappearing altogether? These were some of the ques- such as cluttered waiting rooms, tions that were answered dirty shop floors and beatduring a presentation at up cars in parking lots. He with Stacey Phillips SEMA360, part of the SCRS warned shops should never 2020 Repairer Driven Educapost about unrelated things tion series, co-hosted by PR online—like politics, for Media Coach Eric Reamer example—and that if you and Owner Robert Grieve have photos of vehicles, you at Nylund’s Collision Center, PR Media Coach Eric must not show cars’ license a 30-year-old shop in Englehelps body numbers, a mistake many with StaceyReamer Phillips shops and small wood, CO. make. Reamer and Grieve businesses with their “Photos are more importonline presence addressed two critically ant than ever, especially in important aspects of markethe COVID place where we ting your shop—how to force Goo- are right now,” Grieve said. “More gle to attract more of the right cus- and more people are now shopping tomers to your business, and howPhillips to online and doing their research onwith Stacey win their business before they ever line. It was a preference for many step foot on the property. years, but now it’s more like a ne In this class, Reamer and Grie- cessity. ve described exactly how to jump “We believe that images are a the line in Google search results by critical piece because images such as answering the same questions your photography and multimedia have prospects are asking day. And an immense impact on the consuwithevery Victoria Antonelli once they find you—how to mer’s purchasing behavior seal the deal by appealing to because they provide a way what matters most to them. for them to make a visual Grieve specifically shaconnection with a product red valuable information abbefore they buy it,” he conout how shops can accelerate tinued. “The goal is to convisibility online and close nect to a consumer without with Ed Attanasio more sales with people al- Owner Robert Grieve them being in your shop ready leaning in to their offe- at Nylund’s Collision physically. Good images Center has been rings. will foster confidence in the doing his shop’s “‘If you didn’t know customer’s eyes and it haponline marketing pens in milliseconds.” where you’re going, it really since day one Reamer strengthened the doesn’t matter what you do to get there’ is an old saying that ap- case about images by citing the fact with Gary Ledoux plies in many ways to the way shops that 90% of all visual messages, with photos, will stick in someone’s mind, market themselves,” Reamer said. To point collision repairers in while only 20% will read your webthe right direction, Reamer initially site’s content. Sixty-three percent cited some stats to support his claims. reported images are more important One number that stood out was the to them than a product description, fact 92% of all people use Google to for example. In addition, people who with Stacey Phillips perform their searches. shop on their phones say images are “Almost every computer out the most important feature. there comes with Bing installed, but Body shop people need to think no one uses it,” Reamer said. like their customers if they want to One of the main components win on Google.

Shop Strategies

Body Shops Giving Back

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“Stop looking through our lenses and eyes and look through our existing and potential customers’ lenses,” Reamer said. One of the best ways to connect with new and old customers is by creating relevant content that meets Google’s standards. “Making Google happy is key,” Reamer said. “Coming up with original articles, for a blog or social media, and optimizing them is important. To do this right, you have to do Google-speak and play by their rules. We’re in their sand box, so they call the shots. “Google is a god online, but with a lower ‘g’. If you do everything correctly, Google will funnel people onto your site, Yelp or social media, and connect to the 4% of all customers who are out there already thinking about you.” The mission for any piece of

new content is to get customers to share it with their friends and colleagues online. “It’s so much more powerful when your customers tell you story for you,” Reamer said. “Your website is one of the only places online where you can control everything, so determining what people are looking for is key. Maybe they want to see your facility, talk about specific vehicles, compare prices, online reviews, etc.—you want to be able to address all of their questions through your content.” Reamer explained shops don’t need to attract the masses, only the 1% to 4% of those people who are already within your potential market. It’s not rocket science, he said, but in the end, you have to learn about things such as meta tags, search engine optimization (SEO) and what See Marketing in 2020, Page 38

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with Erica Schroeder

Industry Insight with John Yoswick

—John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon who 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.

Perspectives, Ideas Shared by Dealership Management Helpful for Independent Shops as Well

Shop Showcase

In a series of webinars in October, fected every service advisor’s office of her focuses, asking service advidealership fixed operations and ser- and all the technicians’ work stations, sors at each morning meeting to share vice department managers shared even though the dealer had a compa- something positive that happened the with Ed Attanasio their experiences and lessons learned ny already doing that overnight. day before. They’ve bought lunches during the pandemic, including per- “I sprayed everything,” Kroeger or brought desserts out to employees. spectives and ideas that could be said. “I just did it myself “This is going to sound helpful for independent collision re- because then I knew it was really silly, but I went out pairs as well. done. I felt safe. My biggest and bought a huge num During one of the online group focus day in and day out is ber of smiley face helium discussions, three of the four panelkeeping my parts and serballoons and placed one at with Ed Attanasio ists said they’d had personnel test vice people safe so that we every advisor’s office, one positive for COVID-19. at the parts counter and on can stay open.” the tables in the café in the “It got pretty scary for a little bit, She said early on, the Scott Doering of when we had a couple people who dealership owner chose to Volvo Cars USA said dealership,” Kroeger said. tested positive,” said Becca Kro- offer free maintenance labor customers want an “I bought helium replace“Uber-like experieger, service manager at Universal for all first responders. ment, and for the month and ence” from shops Nissan in Orlando. “We got right on “It was amazing how offering pick-up and a half when things were really with Ed Attanasio it. As soon as we found out someone much business it brought delivery of vehicles rough, we kept those smiley had symptoms, they had to self-quar- in during those times,” she faces going. You’d be amazed antine for two weeks. They would said, noting that service advisors of- how much people appreciated it. It just have to be tested and get a negative ten found other needed work on those reminded everybody to smile, even beresult to come back.” vehicles. “We were able to upsell. So hind the masks.” Each time, with she said, she went Her advice as the pandemic conEd Attanasio we absolutely came out ahead.” into the dealership herself and disin- Keeping up morale has been one tinues?

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“The thing I learned from day one is to be flexible,” she said. “You never know what another [employee] has going on personally, or what they’re thinking. If they’ve needed to go home, I absolutely let them. It did not matter what the situation was. I didn’t question them.” Francisco Mora, service manager for Esserman International Volkswagen in Doral, FL, said management at the dealership considered closing for a time after a parts counter employee, who delivers parts to technicians, tested positive. Instead, they sent half the staff out to be tested and quarantined for two weeks, then sent the other half out for two weeks when the quarantined employees returned. “So I was half-staffed for a month,” Mora said. “We’ve done that process probably four or five times when other people have had [COVID-19]. So a lot of employees have had to wear other

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hats. I was a cashier for about a week. My parts manager was a parts counterperson for about a week. We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do. The point was to stay open.” Mora said the dealership kept employees incentivized even for the two slowest months in the spring by paying time and a half for flat rate workers, and by ensuring everyone would make what they averaged the prior year. “A lot of our employees said, ‘You know what, the owner has our back, so we’ll have his back,’” Mora said. “They came to work when we asked them to work. They worked hard.” The management team went through the difficult process of building a furlough list of employees just in case, he said, but it fortunately wasn’t needed. The hourly techs in the dealership’s express department were high on the list, given their expense and the lack of business in that department last spring, but they were kept on to instead handle all the pick-up and delivery of customer vehicles to keep the rest of the shop busy, Mora said. By June, the shop’s repair order count was close to normal, and more

recently it was a “September to remember,” he said, “the best month for parts and service we’ve had since March of 2017.” His lesson heading into the end of the year: “Consistency. We have to remain consistent,” he said. “What happens is if people get too comfortable, they’ll forget to put the mask on, they won’t wash their hands, they won’t keep social distancing,” Mora said. “For the coming months, we have to make sure we remain consistent in enforcing PPE. Because we want to remain open, and I want to continue to grow. But we have to continue to work through this together.” With body shops more frequently offering pick-up and delivery of customer vehicles during the pandemic, they may be interested in what some automakers and dealers are learning about using that service to draw more work into dealership service departments. Scott Doering, vice president of customer service for Volvo Cars USA, said his company was about a year into a pilot of Volvo Valet with about 20 dealers when the pandemic hit, so

Continued from Cover

en us the first clinical validation that our vaccine can prevent COVID-19 disease, including severe disease.” The NIH announced an independent data and safety monitoring board oversaw the Phase 3 trial of the COVID-19 vaccine mRNA-1273 and found “the vaccine is safe and effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in adults.” In its interim analysis of 95 cases of symptomatic COVID-19 volunteers, it found that after they received the vaccine, they tolerated it well. NIH reported “a vaccine efficacy rate of 94.5%,” which it says is “statistically significant, meaning they are likely not due to chance.” Moderna says it expects to ship roughly 20 million doses of the vaccine to the U.S. by the end of the year. Next year, it expects to distribute roughly 500 million to 1 billion doses worldwide. We thank The Center Square for reprint permission.

Vaccine 94.5% Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Moderna details the criteria used for the analysis of cases evaluated in its statement, including which number of volunteers received the vaccine or a placebo and how many days apart. The vaccine combines Moderna’s messenger RNA delivery platform with the stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike immunogen developed by NIAID scientists at NIH. “This is a pivotal moment in the development of our COVID-19 vaccine candidate,” said Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna. “Since early January, we have chased this virus with the intent to protect as many people around the world as possible. This positive interim analysis from our Phase 3 study has giv-

AUTOBODY

they could ramp it up quickly. It has had 21,000 bookings since March. “With COVID-19 hitting, consumers were looking for different solutions. They wanted convenience,” Doering said. “It’s a user-friendly platform for our retailers, and provides consumers with an Uber-like experience, a fully-transparent experience.” Consumers can use an app or call to schedule pick-up, and the app allows the customer to see where the driver coming to get their vehicle is, and when the driver will arrive. That driver generally is dropping off a loaner at the same time, taking images of the condition of both vehicles at the handoff. Customers receive notification when their vehicle arrives at the dealer’s shop, and a similar process is used when the vehicle is ready to be returned. Dawn Matthews, service and parts director for the David Auto Group in Glen Mills, PA, said they are working with a third-party vendor to provide a similar service for their Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler customers, and agrees that transparency is the key. “That Uber-like experience,

where a customer can track the driver on their phone, I think customers really yearn for that,” she said. “The customer is looking for all the tools they have when they use DoorDash.” Doering said though it’s too early for Volvo to know if its valet service will positively affect customer retention as hoped, service ROs for customers using the valet service have been 21% higher compared to non-valet service ROs. “I think it comes down to trust and taking care of the customer’s problem,” he said. “If we can administer service in a way where we can be very transparent and provide convenience, consumers are willing to pay.” He said Volvo this year is providing a per-leg reimbursement to dealers to cover their labor costs for valet drivers, but is working toward implementing a convenience-fee model next year. “In every other industry, consumers pay for convenience,” he said. “People pay to have groceries or food delivered because the convenience is a value to them. Why shouldn’t that be the case with something like pickup and delivery?”

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Financial Incompetence is No Excuse! by Dave Luehr

Struggling businesspeople can often be heard reciting all the reasons they aren’t making enough money. When pressed, however, they rarely know how to make money. In fact, they usually can’t even tell me what their revenue is so far this month or how much they need to make to be profitable! Look, I agree. It’s tough out there. But I really believe the ones doing most of the complaining are often the ones who need to do most of the learning! In most countries, we have been given the legal right to open and conduct a business; however, we do not have the right to operate a business successfully, unless we learn business skills! More precisely, financial skills. Let me take you back to 1991. There I was on another typical gray, rainy, Oregon afternoon. I was traveling at a speed which felt dangerously high for my Mazda pickup. I knew the I-5 corridor very well from

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the many trips between my shop in Salem and Portland, where all the large dealership parts warehouses were. I knew where most of the cops would hide. On that particular day in 1991, though, I was looking extra hard for them because I had my name painted down the entire side of the truck, “Luehr’s Auto Body” in bright colors. Plus, I really couldn’t afford to get caught. Here’s why. You see, 30 minutes prior, I was notified by my receptionist that I didn’t have enough money in the bank to meet payroll today unless the blue 1986 Buick got picked up and fully paid for! The only problem was we didn’t have the parts we needed to finish the Buick! Thank God Ron Tonkin Chevrolet had these parts in stock. Now, if I could just get to Portland and back in just under two hours, we may be able to deliver the car, get the check and race my employees to the bank so their checks would clear! The ridiculous thing? This was not the first time this race had taken

place. No, far from it. If I was going to survive in business, this madness had to stop! The Decision This was when I decided to take personal responsibility for my financial incompetence and learn how to take back control of my business by knowing, proactively and in advance, what my financial situation was going to be each and every day so that I could make adjustments and take action in the moment to “make my month” every day. If you can relate to my story, or if you often say things like, “I can’t make any money,” I want to ask you something: how do you know? The truth is a huge percentage of the shops I talk to in North America are simply not equipped with the financial knowhow required to be highly successful in today’s challenging marketplace. They think they are not making money because the checkbook is out of checks! It is a shame shops continue to struggle with this, because it is a rel-

atively easy fix if they are willing to put forth some effort into learning. If you are anything like I was way back in my early business days, you can—and you must—seek to acquire a basic understanding of how to operate a business by the numbers. If a guy like me, who barely made it out of high school, can run a successful business by the numbers, so can you! Here are some suggestions to get you started. The Basics While I recommend shop owners learn as much as they can about the financial side of their business, I believe they should at least learn the basics. The more advanced stuff can be outsourced in many cases to trusted partners such as bookkeeping services or CPAs. If you need help getting started or need an ongoing financial expert, we at Elite Body Shop Solutions also have advisors who can help. Or maybe you are like me? Once I learned the basics, I became

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addi stuff math

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addicted to mastering the financial stuff! After all, once you master the math, you can master the money! So, what are the basics? To begin with, a shop leader needs to understand these four things: 1. Profit and loss Profit and loss is the simple equation that shows revenue coming in the various departments like parts, labor, materials and sublet, then subtracts the expenses involved, thereby leaving a profit or a loss in revenue. The bottom of a P&L statement shows your net profit. Profit and loss statements are usually produced each month, after the month is over. This is a great way to analyze past performance; however, it is a history report. Smart operators also use the same basic P&L structure to analyze each job during the month. This is an opportunity to check profit centers such as parts, labor and materials on each job so shops can optimize profitability on each job before it’s too late. This practice, commonly called job costing, is a proactive approach and is a critical component of running a business by the numbers.

The profit and loss statement, P&L or Income Statement is a document most shops produce monthly to show operating performance. This document will indicate if the business is operating profitably or not; the only problem is that, as important as this information is, it doesn’t tell the whole story. 2. The difference between profit and cash It is important to know the difference between profit and cash. I know many businesses that are actually profitable, while running negative cashflow. That is something I learned the hard way back in 1991. I grew my business so fast I had too much work in process and ended up draining all my cash. In other words, I was buying parts and materials for cars I wasn’t going to begin repairs on for several more weeks. Another area that chews up cash in an otherwise profitable business is accounts receivable. I learned early on I needed to keep my paperwork and supplements in real time with the vehicle repairs so I could keep A/R to a bare minimum.

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MTD Deposits vs. Goal WIP vs. Goal Scheduled WIP vs. Goal Wrapping It Up I don’t want to come off too harsh here, but it is critical for shop leaders to understand this. We work in a time and in an industry that is becoming dominated by “businesspeople” who understand how to run businesses by the numbers. Financial incompetence is no longer an acceptable excuse for poor business performance primarily because the education is so widely available. Whether a shop owner chooses to obtain some basics and then outsources the complicated stuff or wants to master it him or herself, it is time to start creating a prosperous financial future! Like I said, if I can learn this stuff so can you!

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3. Breakeven What is breakeven? My friend Bruce King describes breakeven as the day of the month where you make exactly zero money! As funny as that sounds, he is exactly right. Breakeven is usually described as a moment in time, typically a day in the month, when the shop has earned enough gross profit from revenue to meet the shop’s indirect costs. Simply understanding a shop’s breakeven number allows proactive action from management to reach the number as early in the month as possible and to start accumulating profit during the remaining days. And, unless a shop owner knows his or her numbers every day along the way, compared to a goal, the shop is flying blind! Finally, there are several numbers that shop owners should keep track of every single day!

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with Stacey Phillips

From the Desk of Mike Anderson with Mike Anderson

Mike Anderson is the president and owner of Collision Advice, a consulting company for the auto body/collision repair industry. For nearly 25 years, he was the owner of Wagonwork Collision Center, an OEM-certified, full-service auto body repair facility in Alexandria, VA.

Hands-On Testing Shows Limitations of Relying Solely on DTCs or Aftermarket Scan Tools I’ve had the good fortune recently to spend some time working with Nissan/Infiniti as they prepare some new hands-on training they are developing, and it gave me a chance to spend some time scanning and learning about calibrations on their newest vehicles. That led to a couple of key takeaways that I wanted to share with you here. The first item I discovered made its way into a six-minute video that can be found on Jake Rodenroth’s LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin. com/feed/update/urn:li:activity: 6712096365968666624/). Jake and asTech were also at the Nissan/Infiniti training pilot, and his video demonstrates that shops can’t rely solely on the absence of diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) as an indication that all advanced driver assistance systems on a vehicle are calibrated and ready to function properly. It also shows why even minor damage to a vehicle is enough to warrant a scan. “I have a 2020 Nissan Titan, my personal vehicle, with some minor freight damage on the front,” Jake said. “There are no DTCs present for the radar. But because of the damage, the radar is actually off-center. The horizontal alignment is measured in degrees, and the spec is plus or minus 3 degrees. My truck is pointing at negative 3.38. It’s out of spec according to Nissan’s manual. But it hasn’t triggered a DTC.” That’s why shops need to do

Continued from Page 30

Marketing in 2020 exactly constitutes of original content. “I would search your topic— ‘how to find the best body shop,’ for example—online and create a better article that is better than 10 others you can find. Look at what your competition is doing and do it better. You

a thorough review of a pre-repair scan—not just checking for DTCs— to identify the need for something like that to be adjusted. Don’t rely just on the presence or absence of a DTC to determine an ADAS requirement. Aside from checking for DTCs, check the “values” of the ADAS components—the horizontal and vertical specifications, for example. Just like a four-wheel alignment, you can’t verify if something is properly aligned unless you verify what it is and what it should be, given any acceptable tolerance. You simply cannot determine if specific ADAS components are within specs on a Nissan or Infiniti vehcile without using a scan tool. The second thing I confirmed while I was working with Nissan is something I don’t always win friends by saying, and that’s this: What you find when scanning a vehicle absolutely varies depending on whether you are using a factory scan tool or an aftermarket scan tool. We did side-by-side comparisons on four brand new Nissans and a new Infiniti, and every single aftermarket tool we tried failed to connect with at least one or more of each vehicle’s control modules. On a Sentra, for example, the aftermarket tool we used picked up three control modules. The Nissan scan tool picked up 22. You read that right: 22. The aftermarket tool didn’t get past the gateway to be able to pick up anything more than data from the emissions-related controllers.

don’t have to outrun the bear, just the guy in front of you,” Reamer said. By taking some of these ideas and using them after SEMA360, shops will hopefully be able to win when it comes to Google, because what we’ve learned is that it is truly the only game in town.

There’s also another key distinction. Scanning tools aren’t just about reading a module to determine if there are DTCs. It’s about bidirectional control. Can that tool not just read the data, but can it “talk back” to the vehicle? Can it send that vehicle a command that it reacts to? “When you do ADAS calibrations, that’s all you’re doing,” Jake said of bidirectional control. “You’re telling the camera, ‘Hey, I’m going to calibrate you, and so I want you to look for a particular pattern.’” It’s a similar process If you’re doing a radar calibration. You’re using the scan tool to send the module a command to activate the radar. Because otherwise that radar doesn’t even activate until the wheels are turning. Makers of aftermarket scan tools talk about having “coverage” for a wide swath of vehicles. But does that

mean full coverage? Can that tool not just read codes but clear codes? Can it reach all the modules on board? So while some people don’t like that I point out key differences between factory scan tools and aftermarket, I will challenge them to prove me wrong. I’ll meet you wherever you like with a brand new Nissan and the factory scan tool. You bring whatever aftermarket scan tool you like, and together we’ll do a side-by-side comparison. That’s not to say there isn’t a place for aftermarket scan tools. It’s just important to recognize the key limitations, and as with any tool, not to presume it can do things that it cannot. And when it comes to scanning and ADAS calibrations, any such limitations can have serious consequences for the driver and passengers in that vehicle post-repairs.

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Be Prepared and Be Ready: Tips for Selling Your Business by Chasidy Rae Sisk

If you own a collision repair business, you will eventually have to ask: “Is it time to sell?” Rick Schwartz of Schwartz Advisors discussed this important decision Oct. 21 during “Tips on Selling Your Business,” part of ASA’s Webinar Wednesday series. Tony Molla, ASA vice president of industry relations, introduced Schwartz and the presentation: “While it’s not uncommon to have a succession plan in place, changing circumstances can and often do require a different strategy. It’s an individual decision that can only be made by a business owner.” Beginning by looking at mergers and acquisitions (M&A) over the last decade, Schwartz pointed out the strength of M&A in the automotive aftermarket industry. Though COVID-19 had a significant impact earlier this year, this industry is recovering faster than many others, with private equity firms investing and selling companies. “Be prepared and be ready,” Schwartz advised. “If you haven’t already, you will have to address mergers and acquisitions eventually—whether it’s your business, your competitors or others in your market. There’s a lot of opportunity to take advantage of M&A.” Although current M&A interest creates a lot of opportunities, buying or selling a business is a personal decision made by the business owner. “This might be the most important business decision you’ll ever make, so you have to be clear about what your objectives are,” Schwartz said. “If you’re ready to consider selling your business, be prepared! Business owners that do their homework before starting the sale process get better results.” According to Schwartz, automotive repair business valuations are high right now because large corporations want to grow and many are backed by private equity investors, causing a rush to consolidate local and regional chains; however, “valuations ebb and flow with the economy, and they will not always be this unbelievably high,” he cautioned. Those considering selling must

determine what they need to net, if they want to continue working, what the value of the business is and who potential buyers might be. “Buyers who see the strategic value in your business will always be inclined to pay a little more for your company,” Schwartz stressed. After making the decision to sell, you must decide if you will work for the new owner or if you will leave after a transition period. You should also be clear about which employees will continue to work for the new owner. “Your business is probably one of the most important assets that you own,” Schwartz said. “Figuring out what it’s really worth and who the likely buyers are is not easy, but it is possible to get a handle on things. This is your decision, so think through what your needs are and be prepared before you decide to start a sale process.” Before beginning the process, there are three topics that Schwartz suggests being well-versed on: your numbers, what makes your business valuable and your legal business structure. The sales process begins with the numbers, but many business owners are concerned this first step is too complicated. In addition to providing three years of financial statements, the seller must show a schedule of adjustments, identifying one-time expenses the new owner won’t have to pay for. “This is really critical in getting the optimal valuable for your company,” Schwartz explained. Reasonable projections for the next three to five years must also be included. Determine what makes the business valuable may not be as clearcut as you’d think—besides your customer list, key suppliers, physical assets and intellectual property, your employees and your own skills and reputation may be part of what makes the purchase so attractive. “A lot of times, YOU are what makes the business valuable, so how will it thrive if you’re leaving? You need to be able to show that the business will be able to survive without you, and then you need to be able to communicate this to a potential

buyer,” Schwartz said. “Knowing what makes your business exciting and valuable will help you negotiate with a buyer.” The legal structure of the business also has a significant impact on valuations and can help determine the best form of a transaction. Taxation laws also vary depending on whether the shop is registered as a corporation, partnership, LLC, etc. Selling your business is very emotional and disruptive, but Schwartz assured, “It does end. If you’re prepared and can avoid any hiccoughs, you have a shot at getting a better deal… even while you’re in the middle of the sales process, you have to continue running your business to take advantage of opportunities in the marketplace. Selling a business feels like a full-time job, but you can’t neglect your current job.” The bottom line, according to Schwartz, is that figuring out what your business is worth and sizing up your options for the future is doable. “It’s not rocket science, but it does take some thought and effort.

You have the ability to choose a path that works best for yourself, your family and your employees. Know what you want in the deal! If you only sell your business once in your life, make sure you plan for a successful deal.” ASA’s Oct. 21st Webinar Wednesday presentation was sponsored by DELL Technologies. ASA’s next three webinars include: “Tax Tips for Closing 2020: Are You Ready?” presented Oct. 28 by Eric Joern of James Hamling & Companies CPAs and Advisors; “Using Technology to Create a Competitive Advantage,” presented Nov. 18 by Chris Cloutier and Craig O’Neill of autotext.me; and “ASE Entry-Level Certification Helps Shop Owners Find New Talent,” presented Dec. 9 by John Saia from ASE Education Foundation Management. For more information or to register for ASA’s webinars, visit asashop. org/webinars. www.autobodynews.com

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40 DECEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Woman Who Sued Body Shop Over Aston Martin Repair Bill Now Ordered to Pay $250,000 by Michael Karkafiris, Car Scoops

A judge rejected claims by the owner of a crashed Aston Martin DB9 that a body shop tried to scam her, and was ordered to pay more than CA$330,000 or about US$250,000 in current exchange rates. The three-year legal battle between Jessica Liu, the owner of a crashed Aston Martin DB9, MCL Motor Cars, a dealership based in Vancouver, and Burrard Autostrasse, the body shop in question, came to an end as the owner now has to pay almost twice the value of her car. Jessica Liu crashed her 2014 Aston Martin DB9—worth around CA$200,000 at the time— in December 2015 into a rock and had the car towed to Burrard Autostrasse. Liu, who only had basic insurance, received a formal initial estimate of between CA$85,000 and CA$132,000 Canadian (US$65,000 to US$100,000) as the car had suffered structural damage. Liu paid a deposit of CA$50,000 (US$38,000) but refused to pay the remaining sum, filing instead a lawsuit against

the auto shop and the dealership. In her lawsuit, Liu claimed that she had been taken advantage of due to her lack of English skills and perception of wealth, and accused the dealership and the auto shop

day.

In her lawsuit, Liu was seeking CA$300,000 Canadian (US$226,000) as compensation as she claimed she suffered a long list of personal injuries that included depression and anxiety, sleeping disorders and low self-esteem among others. She went through four different law firms before eventually representing herself in court. In her ruling of the case, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Nitya Iyer found there was no evidence and no legal basis for any of Liu’s claims. The judge ordered Liu to settle not only the unpaid cost of the repairs and indoor storage fees, 2012 Aston Martin D89. Credit: Stock photo courtesy of which amount to about Aston Martin US$330,000 Canadian of breach of contract and collusion (US$250,000), but to pay some of between the two defendants, Rich- Burrard’s legal costs as well. “Ms. Liu’s claim is meritless mond News reports. Since the owner didn’t pick up and she has made resolution of the the car, Burrard Autostrasse stored the issue virtually impossible,” Iyer Aston Martin DB9 indoors for pro- wrote, as reported by TheBreaker. tection and charged her CA$200 per “Objectively assessed, her allega-

tions of fraud, conspiracy, fraudulent misrepresentation, or breach of fiduciary duty are without legal foundation and she should not have advanced them. It is clear that Ms. Liu’s conduct of the litigation has been frustrating and extremely unpleasant for Burrard. “Notably, over $97,000 of this amount represented the cost of the parts Burrard purchased from Aston Martin to perform the repair. Burrard’s labour cost was about $12,000, or just under 9% of the total invoice,” the judge continued. “She claims damages for various personal injuries and for travel to and from China, along with the value of a new vehicle, $300,000 and increased costs,” said Iyer’s verdict. “The stated legal basis for her claims is coercion, breach of fiduciary duty and extortion of her as a ‘financially well off’ person whose first language is not English. None of the evidence before me supports these allegations.” We thank Car Scoops for reprint permission.

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Body Crafters: A COVID-19 Experience by Gary Ledoux

It’s tough enough, even in the best of times, to buy a second shop that needs updating. But when you buy that shop and a pandemic hits that keeps people at home and off the roads, that’s a real challenge. Jon Wise started his collision repair career right out of high school, at Body Crafters Auto Body in Broadhead, WI. After a few years, Wise decided to strike out on his own and open Midwest Fox Rods, a small shop in Rock City, IL, where he combined his love of building custom cars and trucks with some collision work to help pay the bills. He partnered with a technician who was supposed to specialize in mechanical work. But soon his potential partner bailed, out leaving Wise on his own. Undaunted, Wise carried on and his reputation in both collision work and custom work grew. People were coming to him for miles around for everything from quality collision repair to customizing modern Mustangs to classic Chevelles. Then Wise hit a patch of bad luck, and through a series of bad turns, he found himself homeless. With nothing else to do, and a need to survive, Wise worked in his shop 16 to 18 hours a day and slept on a couch in his office when he got tired. Eventually things turned around, his reputation grew, business improved and he hired two other techs to help him. As both the collision repair and customizing businesses improved, Wise knew he needed a bigger shop. One evening, while having a casual dinner with the people who still owned Body Crafter Auto Body, the first shop where Wise worked, a discussion ensued about how the present owners wanted to retire and get out of the business. They had been at it for 30 years and wanted to move onto the next chapter of their life, but didn’t want to sell it to just anyone. They knew Wise turned out quality work, and he let them know he needed a way to expand. One thing led to another and on Sept. 1, 2019, Wise pur-

chased Body Crafters Auto Body. “The shop was doing alright when I took it over; it was making money, but I knew we could take an already great shop and make it better,” said Wise. “The shop badly needed some updating, and new and better procedures to put cycle times where they should be.”

Wise continued, “We first retrained the young crew, basically restructuring how they worked and what their duties were so there was as little worker overlap as possible. Changing paint lines with better color match technology and clears with less bake time saved us on materials, faster color matches and cut our utility costs in half. “New LED lighting in the shop was also done, not only to brighten the shop up but cut our light bill down. Savings on clear coat alone saved enough money to pay for part of my technicians’ medical and dental insurance each month, which they didn’t have before.” Another problem was the equipment. “Some of the equipment was 20 years old,” said Wise. “The paint booth had seen little maintenance. The poor physical condition of the shop slowed everything down. We consolidated equipment and added some new pieces like a couple electric sanding stations to keep a cleaner shop and less reliance on air-powered tools.” But the biggest problem, said Wise, was “the techs were not working together and did not understand their roles.” It seems the painter was never happy with the finish sanding job the body techs gave him, so the painter would spend even more time sanding the same spot, again, slowing production to a crawl.

Eventually, Wise had to consolidate things. He laid off one tech at each shop and combined all his personnel from both shops at the Body Crafter location. The techs from the two shops learned how to work together, cut waste and be more efficient. Things were looking up. Cycle time had been cut in half, waste was minimized and the shop was making more money. And then COVID-19 hit. Just when his new business was starting to gain traction, March 2020 saw a dramatic drop in cars coming through the door. But Wise kept advertising and promoting the shop. “It was scary for a while,” said Wise. “But then things picked right up again. We are in a rural area just south of Madison, one of only three shops in this area. We have been able to pull some business from Madison and because we are close to my old shop, my existing customers followed me. It worked out.” When asked if they did anything special to generate business during the height of the pandemic, Wise replied,

“We do a lot of radio ads. In one of our ads we offered to write the estimate at the vehicle owner’s home. If they agreed to have us do the work, we would pick up the car, complete the repair and return a repaired and disinfected car to the customer. They would never have to leave their home. “Despite all the talk about staying home and staying safe, no one ever took us up on our offer. Work kept rolling in the door.” Now, a year after taking over Body Crafters, and despite the COVID-19 slowdown, Wise is setting sales and profit records for the shop. “We have only one DRP arrangement, and that’s with State Farm,” said Wise. “We have a good working relationship with them. We have plenty of collision work, and few insurance company issues.” And as for the custom work, Wise replied, “Custom work is fun and interesting, but sometimes it’s tough getting paid, so I pick and choose what I work on. Right now, I have a two-year backlog on custom work. It’s nice to be in demand!”

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42 DECEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Contact These Dealers For Your Kia Genuine Parts Needs ILLINOIS

MICHIGAN

Matteson (708) 720-8972 (708) 720-0657 Fax M, W, F 6am-5pm Tu, Th 6am-7pm; Sat 8am-2pm jmihas@hawkinsonnissankia.com www.hawkinsonnissan.com/ez-parts

Lansing (517) 393-5700 (517) 393-6767 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm mattr@lansingisyoung.com www.kiaoflansing.com

St. Peters (888) 816-9729 (636) 926-0683 Fax M-F 7am-6pm; Sat 7am-3pm bprinster@napleton.com pschnare@napleton.com www.midriverskia.com

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Wichita (316) 652-2960 (316) 652-2992 Fax M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-2pm wsturm@midwestkia.com

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MISSOURI Lou Fusz Kia

St. Louis (877) 221-4151 (314) 595-4942 Fax M, W, F 7am-8pm; Tu, Th 7am-6pm Sat 7:30am-4pm fuszkiaparts@fusz.com www.kia.fusz.com

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Akron (330) 836-4064 (330) 836-4074 Fax M-F 7:30am-5:30pm chevyparts@vandevere.com www.vandevere.com

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Massillon (800) 225-0281 x1447 (330) 478-0900 (330) 478-9957 Fax M 7:30am-8pm; Tu-F 7:30am-5:30pm Sat 8am-4pm mmiller@waikem.com www.waikem.com

autobodynews.com / DECEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS 43

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Tesla About to Make Producing 1 Million EVs Per Year Unremarkable by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati

It’s a bit amazing that just over two years ago, Tesla was struggling to hit a production rate of 5,000 Model 3 per week at the Fremont Factory in California. The target, which proved elusive enough to warrant extreme attention from TSLA short-sellers, was achieved at the end of Q2 2018, six months behind the company’s initial schedule. Over the course of 2018, Tesla delivered a whopping 245,240 cars, a new record for the company. Since then, Tesla has steadily ramped its vehicle production capabilities, and Nov. 11, the company is aiming to deliver around half a million electric cars by the end of the year. That’s despite a pandemic that has shaken the world, which has resulted in shutdowns in Tesla’s two production facilities, the Fremont Factory and Gigafactory Shanghai. Giga Shanghai is only in its first year of operations too and is not yet fully ramped. But Tesla, if any, is a beast of optimism and possibility. It’s the one carmaker that is still growing during a pandemic, and its vehicles, particular-

ly the Model 3 sedan and the Model Y crossover, are seeing strong demand from consumers.

Credit: The Kilowatts/Twitter

With this in mind, Tesla has noted that it intends to ramp its vehicle production capabilities to the millions within the next years. It would not be surprising at all if the company announces that it would be producing and delivering 1 million cars by next year. Such an idea might sound implausible now, but so was the idea of pursuing a delivery goal of 500,000 vehicles in a year that’s weighed down by a pandemic. What is rather noteworthy is that over the years, Tesla has steadily established itself as a capable automaker that has what it takes to deliver on its goals. The company may not always be on time and it may hit snags with the build quality of its first-pro-

duction vehicles, but it does stay true to its word. The same is true for Elon Musk. FSD may have been delayed for some time, for example, but the limited beta that’s testing today is very real, and its potentials are vast. With these milestones comes a normalcy of sorts for Tesla. While the company made headlines when it first broke the 5,000 Model 3 per week barrier, for example, such things are simply unremarkable today. And that’s really where Tesla’s magic lies. The company simply has the capability to make something remarkable seem normal. This was true with regards to the public’s perception of the power and capabilities of electric cars against their gas-powered rivals. This will likely be true when it comes to vehicle production capabilities as well. This is already starting for the electric car maker. Just recently, data from the Chinese Passenger Car Association (CPCA) revealed Tesla China was able to produce 22,292 Model 3 in Gigafactory Shanghai in the month of October. This translates to a run-rate of 275,148 vehicles per year. Interestingly enough, leaks from

industry insiders have suggested that Tesla China is aiming to produce 550,000 cars in 2021, with 300,000 of those being the Model 3. Considering Tesla China’s October production figures, it would appear the company is already well within striking distance of its 2021 Model 3 production goal. It wouldn’t be surprising if Tesla hits a run-rate of 300,000 China-made Model 3s by the end of the year, and it would be quite silly to assume the company would stop optimizing Gigafactory Shanghai at that level. If Gigafactory Shanghai can build 550,000 cars in 2021, Tesla would have a pretty solid chance of producing 1 million vehicles in one year. This would no doubt be a milestone for the company. But if Tesla’s previous years are any indication, it would only take a few years before vehicle production rates in the level of millions will be considered expected, or even better, unremarkable. Once that happens, then one could probably declare the electric car age is truly beginning. We thank Teslarati for reprint permission.

Ford Fund Pledges $200K to Keep Students Learning During Pandemic by Kyle Johnson, The News Wheel

Ford Motor Company Chief Customer Experience Officer Elena Ford and Ford Fund made a $200,000 investment in October to support education services for students affected by the pandemic. The funds help students in the Dallas, Houston and Phoenix areas by covering 30,000 books and putting must-have supplies in the hands of 1,500 educators. This investment is the latest step in a partnership between Ford Fund and First Book. Since 2015, the partnership has provided 130,000 books to students across the U.S. Ford Fund’s contributions over the life of the initiative total $600,000. Elena Ford kicked off this latest round of contributions with a virtual reading for 10,000 students. She and author Andrea Beaty read the latter’s “Rosie Revere, Engineer,” which lines up with Ford’s push to encourage girls to get involved in the

STEAM fields. After the reading, educators received gift cards to cover books, classroom supplies and cleaning goods like sanitizer. The $200,000 donation helps students from underserved communities hit hardest by COVID-19. “We’re showing the kids that no matter where you learn— school or home—books can inspire dreams and spark interest in subjects that could be the beginning of an exciting career,” said Elena Ford. “We want kids to understand that reading is fun and rewarding and will allow them to take advantage of educational opportunities that can help them achieve personal success.” Ford Fund invests over $13 million each year in education programs and initiatives. In 2020, Ford Fund has committed almost $3 million to help communities deal with the ongoing pandemic. We thank The News Wheel for reprint permission.

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44 DECEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Bentley to Go Carbon Neutral by 2030 with Fully Electric Fleet by Loukia Papadopoulos, Interesting Engineering

Bentley Motors has announced it plans to become a global leader in sustainable luxury mobility with what it calls its Beyond100 strategy. The firm is promising to deliver truly sustainable luxury vehicles by reinventing its business to become an end-to-end carbon neutral organization.

Credit: Bentley

The plan includes a switch to offering exclusively plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles by 2026 and fully electric vehicles only by 2030.

Bentley will achieve its lofty goals through a structured, business-wide sustainability program that includes the development of

throughout all of its present and future cars. Bentley has already achieved an important milestone in its quest to

“Within a decade, Bentley will transform from a 100-year-old luxury car company to a new, sustainable, wholly ethical role model for luxury.” — Adrian Hallmark electrified models and upgrades on its operational environmental impact. In addition, by 2023, every model line will be offered with the option of a hybrid variant and Bentley’s first fully electric model will be introduced in 2025. By 2026, Bentley’s offerings will focus exclusively on plug-in hybrid and electric models, and by 2030, this will change to solely producing battery electric vehicles. Furthermore, the firm will use only sustainably sourced materials

be carbon neutral. Its production facility in Crewe became the first luxury automotive factory in Britain to be certified carbon neutral by the Carbon Trust in the last year. Looks like the carmaker is well underway to a zero-carbon future. Adrian Hallmark, chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors, said in a statement, “Driving this change includes, and also goes beyond our products, delivering a paradigm shift throughout our business, with credibility, authenticity and integrity. Within a decade, Bentley will transform from a 100-year-old luxury car company to a new, sustainable, wholly ethical role model for luxury.” We thank Interesting Engineering for reprint permission.

CCC Introduces ADAS Insights CCC Information Services Inc. (CCC) announced Nov. 9 the availability of CCC® VIN Connect-ADAS, the latest in a series of innovations that support underwriting precision at the point-of-quote. CCC VIN Connect-ADAS provides a vehicle-level view of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), providing underwriters with an easy way to understand available safety features to assess risk more accurately. CCC VIN Connect-ADAS is part of a broader offering that helps underwriters gain a 360-view of a driver and their vehicle. The VIN Connect portfolio connects underwriters to ADAS and driving behavior data via a single API. CCC Quick View is a mobile app that can be presented within an insurer’s own policyholder app experience. Source: CCC

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Schedule ASE Tests Now

Volvo Airbag Death Causes S60 and S80 Recall by David A. Wood, Car Complaints

A Volvo airbag death has led to a recall of more than 54,000 model year 2001-2003 S60 and S80 vehicles that were sold or registered in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Volvo airbag death involved a driver-side frontal airbag inflator manufactured by ZF Group that exploded and sent metal fragments into the driver. The automaker didn’t release information about the death, but Volvo, ZF and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) believe it’s the only reported Volvo airbag rupture fatality worldwide. Volvo, ZF and NHTSA investigated the inflator rupture and believe moisture affected the propellant used to deploy the airbag. Although it’s similar to stories

involving exploding airbags supplied by Takata, the Volvo airbag death involves a different propellant. Takata airbag inflator ruptures were caused by the propellant ammonium nitrate which became unstable when affected by heat, humidity and moisture. But according to Volvo, the airbags in the S60 and S80 vehicles “are from the introduction of propellant 5 AT 148 N.” It may be a different propellant which caused the Volvo airbag death, but the surrounding circumstances do involve heat, humidity and moisture as in the Takata inflator explosions. Volvo says if the propellant tablets are exposed to elevated moisture levels and frequent high airbag inflator temperatures, the tablets can start to decay and form dust particles. Dust increases the burn surface area and burn rate, resulting in higher combustion chamber pressure and increasing the risk of a ruptured inflator. According to documents filed

with NHTSA, Volvo first learned about the airbag death in June 2019 when contacted by an attorney concerning the fatality.

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) encourages service professionals to visit the new myASE.com web portal and register now to renew certifications expiring Dec. 31. “Because we extended ASE certifications expiring June 30 to the end of December due to the pandemic, more service technicians than usual will be scheduling tests before their certifications expire at the end of the year,” said Tim Zilke, ASE president and CEO. Each order for ASE tests automatically includes the new, lower registration fee of $34. Test fees remain the same. ASE tests are conducted days, nights and weekends at nearly 500 secured, proctored test centers. Before registering, check test center availability.

Volvo Airbag Replacements May Take Months Model year 2001-2003 S60 and S80 owners will likely have concerns after hearing about the Volvo airbag death, but the automaker says replacement airbags aren’t ready to go. Volvo will send interim recall notices to owners beginning Jan. 4, 2021, then second recall notices will be sent when replacement airbags are available. According to the automaker, the parts should be available sometime during the first quarter of 2021. A dealership will install a new “driver airbag with a modern state-of-the-art propellant/inflator.” Concerned S60 and S80 owners may call 866-870-2046 and ask about recall number R10058. We thank Car Complaints for reprint permission.

Source: ASE

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46 DECEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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Manufacturers Continue to Offer Exclusive Discounts to SEMA360 Attendees by Della Domingo, SEMA

Following up on previous SEMA eNews items, below are additional specials, discounts and previews from SEMA360 manufacturers. 1-800EveryRim OEM Wheels will offer qualifying companies a onetime, 10% discount valid through 2020 on any non-special order whee(s). During SEMA360, the company will be featuring its RimText system (951-RimText/951-746-8398) and online portal www.EveryRim. com. ALLDATA will offer 25% off its ALLDATA product bundles, as well as host live product demos and oneon-one interaction with account reps providing details on its OEM repair information software, diagnostics and shop management solutions. Fluidampr will have tech support staff ready to share information about their products, along with downloadable catalogs and educational materials. They will also have best-of content and influencer contributions, including videos from industry-leading engine builders Gale Banks and Mike Kojima, and two “Learn @

Lunch with Fluidampr” presentations, at noon PST Nov. 3 and Nov. 5. SCANGRIP A/S is offering almost half off the regular price of its Nova-UV S, MiniMatch, and Multimatch R. They will also feature the UV-Gun, Scangrip’s newest UV curing lamp that helps speed up the curing process in the collision repair industry, and a new and improved design for its popular wheel stand. Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. LLC will hold live training and demonstrations of aluminum welding theory and techniques. They will also cover basic and advanced machine settings using the Multimatic 220 AC/ DC and answer welding-related questions, each at 11 a.m. PST Nov. 3, 4 and 6. TWN Industries will offer free training ($2,000 value) and $1,500 off to SEMA360 attendees for its we manufacture films and paints used to turn boring plastic dashboards and interior trim into carbon fiber or realistic wood grain finishes. Bolt On Technology will be waiving set up fees for purchases made during SEMA360. The company offers Digital Vehicle Inspection

reports to new and used car dealer service centers, auto body shops, parts vendors, import car, truck, RV, motorcycle and marine repair specialists, fleet managers and other sectors of the automotive aftermarket. The reports give drivers the ability to see photos of their repairs and read technician recommendations on a mobile device. Bishop Innovations—HOZEEZ will have a discount code available for download from its Showcase, which can be used on their website after SEMA360. The company offers HOZEEZ, which allows consumers to wash cars without the hose getting stuck under tires, and Merchandising Display to display HOZEEZ. On their Showcase, attendees will also see product videos, including one featuring a 5,000-lb. SUV driving over the HOZEEZ. Clean Supply Pro—Sanitizer and Multi-Surface will offer 35% off all products at www.TheCleanSupply.com/SEMA. The company offers hand sanitizer, sprays and multisurface cleansers formulated with 80% ethyl alcohol and health care-grade ingredients to meet all WHO recommendations.

Illinois

MCGRATH CITY HYUNDAI

Chicago 6750 W. Grand Ave.

773-889-3070

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

PATRICK HYUNDAI

FOR YOUR COLLISION JOB. Visit these Genuine Hyundai Parts Dealers Visit these Genuine

859-263-5020 859-263-8527 Fax

nicholas.b@ganleywestside.com

888-823-7335 Mon-Fri 7:30am - 5:30pm Sat 8am - 4pm

CLASSIC HYUNDAI

INDY HYUNDAI

Indianapolis 7101 E Washington St.

800-592-5170

North Olmsted 25600 Lorain Rd.

440-734-9375

847-619-4511 Fax

Indiana

GANLEY WESTSIDE HYUNDAI

Lexington 3340 Richmond Rd.

rogerwalker@donfranklinauto.com

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

COLLISION PARTS

DON FRANKLIN HYUNDAI

Schaumburg 1020 E. Golf Rd.

847-605-4055

The RIGHT

Kentucky

Intercomp Racing will be highlighting new products that make it possible to use a mobile device as a second wireless indicator via Bluetooth on all of its wireless scale systems. Other new products include a wireless load stick and billet scale pad levelers. Additionally, the company is featuring its line of valve spring testers, shock dynos and digital camber/ caster gauges. Illinios Lock Company (ILC) will showcase its Blue Origin, Electronic Rotary Latch Series and Position Control Hinges, with product specialists available throughout the week. Blue Origin is ILC’s latest product that allows access to the truck or cab of a vehicle via Bluetooth. Manufacturer Showcases are only available on SEMA360. Login for SEMA360 will be provided to all those who register and are approved to participate. Early registration is recommended to receive login details as early as possible. Additional details about SEMA360 taking place entirely online on Nov. 2-6 are available at www.sema360.com. We thank SEMA for reprint permission.

Ohio

Mentor 8460 Tyler Blvd.

440-266-6750 440-266-6763 Fax

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

440-686-3426 Fax Mon-Fri 8am - 6pm

WAIKEM HYUNDAI Massillon 3748 Lincoln Way East

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

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

317-536-1552 Fax

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

Hyundai Parts Dealers: autobodynews.com / DECEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS 47

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OWNERS AND MANAGERS:

ARE YOU READY FOR THE NEXT ERA OF COLLISION REPAIR? Are you Changing with the Times? Yes, today’s cars are changing as we speak with new technology and new processes. Without the proper tools and equipment, shops will be left behind as the collision repair industry moves at a rapid rate.

BL-76RAS BL76RAS Rapid Anchoring System, BL29C Diamond Pull Post, BL-12 4-Ton Come Along Post, GoJack 3620 Airbag Jack, and A-1 Cartronics Ladder Clamps

BL-76RAS Rapid Anchoring System (Stand only)

Vehicles loaded with sensors are going to require a repair process that will revolve around 6 steps. Body Loc’s 4 minute portable anchoring process will be vital in your shops profitability & success.

1 minute and 20 seconds to quickly elevate using GoJack GA3620, Airbag Technology

• Scanning (ADS Systems, Sensors, Cameras, and Collision Related Codes) • Elevate • Premeasure or Blueprinting (Includes Access Pulls During Estimation) • Corrective Repair (Which Requires Holding and Pulling) • Post Measuring or Re-Measuring • Calibration The busiest and most profitable body shops of 2021 will not only be able to perform this six-step process on every single vehicle, but also in every single stall, by every single technician. Being able to perform these steps in every stall will eliminate costly delays especially during the estimation process.

Works with the Virtually All Measuring Equipment

PLEASE SEE OUR VIDEO FROM OUR WEBSITE, FOLLOW THE VIDEO LINK ICON-TO THE RAPID ANCHORING SYSTEM VIDEO LINK.

www.bodyloc.com

ARE YOU READY FOR THE ERA OF COLLISION REPAIR?

800-510-8564 48 DECEMBER 2020 AUTOBODY NEWS / autobodynews.com

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