Northeastern April 2015 Issue by Autobody News

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Takata Responds to Pressure from NHTSA, Honda’s Consumer Education Campaign, Recyclers Respond by: Victoria Antonelli, Online Editor

The cascading number of vehicle recalls caused by defective Takata airbags has been making front page

Photo Credit: 5newsonline.com

news from 2008 to the present day. During that time, automakers have recalled about 17 million vehicles with airbags that can rupture when deployed, producing fragments that can kill or seriously injure motorists. In the latest action, Honda has launched a multi-million dollar print, digital and radio advertising campaign on March 16 to urge Honda and Acura owners to check for open recalls and complete airbag inflator repairs. “The goals of this campaign are to save lives and prevent injuries,” said John Mendel, Executive Vice PresiSee Takata Takes Steps, Page 18

Plaintiffs’ Attorneys at Eaves Law Firm Encourage Shops to Share Stories About Alleged Steering by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

Auto body shops in 36 states are now part of the antitrust Multi District Lawsuit (MDL) in Florida. John Eaves Jr., the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, is encouraging shop owners across the country to share their stories about alleged steering and other insurance practices, regardless whether or not they are part of the lawsuit. Eaves Law Firm in Mississippi plans to use these experiences to help prepare affidavits for an injunction the firm is about to file. “This injunction is going to be asking the court to stop the insurance company’s steering

practices and other retaliatory practices,” he said. In March, Autobody News reported that Judge Gregory Presnell in Florida had dismissed a large portion of the lawsuit. “Since that has happened, we actually found out more information,” said Eaves. The law firm has been preparing the documentation to refile the claims that were dismissed without prejudice. When Autobody News spoke to Eaves, he said that Judge Presnell indicated that he wants more specifics in regards to the lawsuit. In response, Eaves Law Firm has been rewriting

VOL. 6 ISSUE 1 APRIL 2015

25-yr-old Twins Take Over Grandfather’s Body Shop in Middletown, CT by Valerie Bannister — Special to the MiddletownPress.

Sabrina and Adriana Indomenico, 25-year old twins from Middletown, CT, learned the importance of connections at an early age. While they were growing up, they had a close relationship with their grandfather and hung around his auto body repair business. Now, they are running the shop. “Interdependence is better than independence,” was a phrase Stephen Covey used in his bestselling book, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, says Sabrina, and it is a saying that has stuck with her. His message was that if we all work together, the better off everyone would be. The fraternal twins own San-

Santostefano Auto Body is now run by the founder’s granddaughters, fraternal twins Sabrina, left, and Adriana Indomenico, who are working together, along with long-time employees (l-r) Joe Russo, Mark Reiman and newcomer Nick Pagani. Photo Credit: Valerie Bannister—Special to the Press

tostefano Auto Body at 105 Saybrook Road and take care of their grandfather, Sebastian, in his retirement— going to the grocery store and taking See Twins Take Over, Page 15

ABAC Teaches Senator Blumenthal about ‘Imitation’ Parts, Senator Asks DOJ to Investigate by Chasidy Rae Sisk

In February, CNN’s investigation into unsafe repairs performed with aftermarket parts at preferred shops, due to insurer pressure, generated a lot of at-

See Eaves Law Firm, Page 8

Senator Richard Blumenthal (at podium) meets with repairers at Tony Ferraiolo’s A & R Body Specialty

tention from the general public and government officials. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a former Connecticut Attorney General who has been a long-time observer of the issues, took particular notice. Blumenthal has

asked the Department of Justice to investigate repairs that may have been performed with imitation parts that could possibly result in unsafe vehicles being returned to the road. Seeking to understand the issue of imitation parts in greater depth, Senator Blumenthal turned to the Auto Body Association of Connecticut (ABAC). On Saturday, February 28, Senator Blumenthal visited ABAC President Tony Ferraiolo’s A & R Body Specialty for a lesson on imitation parts and to hold a press conference. Ferraiolo notes, “Senator Blumenthal has been a long-time supporter of ABAC ever since he was CT’s Attorney General. Like Attorneys General in LA and MS, he has always been consumer-oriented, and he has been a major proponent of our ‘your car, your choice’ slogan. He promotes this idea in ads he produces and in radio interviews and he is trySee Blumenthal, Page 53

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Contents

by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

5,000 Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

25-yr-old Twins Take Over Grandfather’s

CO Police Plan to Solve Hit-and-Runs

After 30 years on Stefko Blvd., Bethlehem, PA

Collision Avoidance Sensor Market Expected

Auto Body Employee Falls From Roof in

CREF to Highlight Collision Career

Engineer for NJ Dept. of Transportation Indicted

Google Compare Now Live in California . . . . . . . 3

Body Shop in Middletown, CT . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Auto Repairer Out On His Own . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Wayland, MA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

at Body Shops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 to Reach $10B by 2020. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

for Falsifying Timesheets to Steal Overtime Pay . 4

Gunder’s Auto Center Defeats Progressive’s

No One Injured . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

House of Kolor by Valspar Announces

Donate Car to Single Mom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Industry Groups Support Save American

Mirrors Add Up in Snow & Cold . . . . . . . . . . 14

Industry Sponsors Sought to Help Local Collision

Business Burn Because of Grudge. . . . . . . . 12

Martin Senour Announces Second Quarter

in Carjacking Ring That Trafficked High-End

Martin Senour Launches New Automotive

Exeter, Maine Body Shop Roof Collapses,

Lancaster Businesses in PA Bring Irish Luck,

MA Winter Conditions, Dead Batteries, Broken ME Repair Shop Owner Claims Fire Chief Let

NJ Man Sentenced to 12 Years After Involvement

Cars to West Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

NY Family Escapes Body Shop Roof Collapse. . 10 NYS SkillsUSA Championships Around the Corner,

Motion to Dismiss & Invoke Appraisal Clause . 56 Multiple Wins at CA Car Shows . . . . . . . . . . 58 Workers Act Passed in House . . . . . . . . . . . 28 School Instructors Attend Nace 2015 . . . . . 70 Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Refinish Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Matrix, USC Brands Renew Partnership

with “Counting Cars”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Qualifiers Head to Nationals in KY . . . . . . . . . 6

Mitchell Launches RepairCenter Hub, a Real Time

Low, Seat Belt Use at All-Time High . . . . . . . 16

Over 100 Dealerships Join Suit v TrueCar

Talent Monger Holds Collision Industry

Job Fair in PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Vineland, NJ City Council $25K to Repair

Police SUV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

COLUMNISTS

Attanasio - Four New Apps for Techs, Painters,

Communication and Collaboration Platform . 62 Buying Site Contending Deceptive

Business Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Plaintiffs’ Attorneys at Eaves Law Firm Encourage Shops to Share Stories

About Alleged Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

RARE PARTS’ Extreme Duty Pitman and

Idler Arms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Estimators and Service Advisors . . . . . . . . . 38

Record $13M Plus in Support to Collision

Name Out There... Again . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Record360 App Documents Damages in

Attanasio - Online Remarketing Gets Your

Chess - How Much Do You Know About 2015

Vehicle Technology and Trends? . . . . . . . . . 42

Luehr - Putting First Things First . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Yoswick - ASA-MI and DRPs, Carstation.com,

School Programs Through CREF . . . . . . . . . 64 One Step, Saving Industry Members

Time and Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

SEM Products Hosts Refinish Distributors

Alliance Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Right to Repair and Toby Chess’ Legal Threat . 48

ShopRepTV: A Personalized TV Channel

Parts Back in 1997 Still Being Waged Today. . 26

Spanesi Expands Operations in IL and Hires Tom

Yoswick - Legal Battle That Began with Non-OEM NATIONAL

$11M Award in Camry Unintended

Acceleration Suit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

ABAC Teaches Senator Blumenthal about ‘Imitation’ Parts, Senator Asks DOJ

for Body Shops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 McGee as Business Development Manager . . 40

Takata Responds to Pressure from NHTSA,

Honda’s Consumer Education Campaign,

Recyclers Respond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Three-C Body Shops File Lawsuit Against At-Fault

Driver Due to Insurer’s Underpayment . . . . . 58

to Investigate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Transportation Secy Calls on Congress to

Certified Shop Locator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Urethane Supply Company Releases I-CAR

in Portland, OR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Vehicle Safety Bill Introduced in House Would

Assured Performance Introduces Insurer-Facing Auto Damange Experts Grand Opening

Automechanika Comes to Chicago . . . . . . . . . 30

Close Safety Gap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Course® on Nitrogen Plastic Welding . . . . . . 24 Raise NHTSA Budget by $100M for 2017 . . 30

Berkshire Hathaway Completes Van Tuyl

Wedge Clamp Opens U.S. Office in

CAA Lobbyist Explains How Things Get Done

WIN Acknowledges 2015 Corporate Sponsors. . 60

Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Long Beach, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

at the California Capitol Building. . . . . . . . . . 50

WIN Member Sees Huge Opportunities

Hour Class Action Suit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

WIN’s 2015 Most Influential Women in

Caliber Auto Mechanics File CA Wage &

CCC ONE Repair Workflow Has Reached ®

to expand to other states throughout the year. The stand-alone website can be found at Google.com/compare and allows consumers to analyze auto insurance quotes. Osborne said the goal is to present the information to Google users in an intuitive, relevant and userfriendly way. According to the company’s website, a Google internal study found that, “...when it comes to buying car insurance, 80% of drivers think they’d find a better policy if they could compare more than two Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Assistant Editor: Stacey Phillips Online Editor: Victoria Antonelli Contributing Writers: Tom Franklin, David Brown, John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Sales Assistant: Louise Tedesco Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia

Indexof Advertisers

RI Attorney General: Driving Fatalities at All-Time

Google launched a new auto insurance shopping website on March 5 known as Google Compare. When Autobody News talked to Google Spokesperson Joe Osborne, he said the website has launched in California and the plan is

in Industry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Collision Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

providers.” There are currently 14 insurance partners that are part of Google Compare. These include Mercury Insurance, Metlife, The General Insurance, Infinity Auto Insurance, Titan Insurance, Stillwater, Dairyland Auto, CSE Insurance Group and six others. Google drew on its current advertising base to begin building a selection of companies to partner with. The billion dollar company launched a similar site for credit cards last year and Osborne said the company is continually improving the site to ensure it is as useful as possible. When searching for car insurance, the website has a questionnaire box that asks for information such as a consumer’s zip code, license number and make and model of vehicle. Once this information is inputted, the site shows the various price quotes from the insurance companies. “As Google Compare for car insurance rolls out to more states, we’ll also be introducing ratings and reviews, as well as local agent support for providers and agent networks,” according to Google’s official blog posted by Jerry Dischler, VP of Product Management, AdWords.

Acura of Westchester . . . . . . . . . . 20 Amato Agency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Atlantic Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . 61 Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . 2 Bald Hill Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Baystate Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 59 Car-Part.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 CarcoonAmerica Airflow Systems . 40 Central Avenue Chrysler-JeepDodge-Ram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) . . . . . . . . . . 51 Chicago Pneumatic Compressors . 4 Chief Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 29 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Clay Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Collision Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Colours, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Ditschman/Flemington Auto Group. 31 Dominion Sure Seal, Ltd . . . . . . . . 15 Dover Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep . . . . . . 5 Eco Repair Systems of North America, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . 6 Empire Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Equalizer Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . 28 Fairfield Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram . 27 Fitzgerald’s Lakeforest HyundaiSubaru. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . 44 Fred Beans Parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Fuccillo Kia of Schenectady . . . . . 19 Gary Rome Hyundai-Kia . . . . . . . . 20 Glanzmann Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 GlobalJig North America. . . . . . . . 11 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 62 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . 60 Imperial Ford-Chrysler . . . . . . . . . 16

Serving New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Northern Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts 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. ©2015 Adamantine Media LLC. Autobody News P.O. Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com Email: news@autobodynews.com

Northeast

REGIONAL

Google Compare Now Live in California

Infiniti of Norwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jaguar Wholesale Parts Dealers . . Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Koeppel VW-Mazda. . . . . . . . . . . . Lexus Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . Malco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Martech Services Company . . . . . Matrix System Automotive Finishes. Maxon Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maxon Mazda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mercedes-Benz of West Chester . MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . NACE/CARS Trade Show . . . . . . . Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . Pro-Spray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Providence Lacquer & Supply Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Replica Plastics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SATA Spray Equipment . . . . . . . . Security Dodge-Chrysler-JeepRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32, Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . Tasca Automotive Group. . . . . . . . Thompson Organization . . . . . . . . Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . U.S. Chemical & Plastics. . . . . . . . Urethane Supply Company . . . . . Valspar Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . VIP Honda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . Wagner Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . Wheel Collision Center . . . . . . . . .

49 68

69 53 64 23 12 17 35 48 66

26 26 58 41 45

54 56 13

16 12 39 .7

33 67 47 71 46 21 24 .9 43

65 50 55 22

www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 3

Engineer for NJ Dept. of Transportation Indicted for Falsifying Timesheets to Steal Overtime Pay Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced that a suspended engineer for the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) was indicted on February 27 by a state grand jury on official misconduct charges. Alkesh Desai, 62, of Bensalem, PA, allegedly falsified timesheets to steal $15,000 in overtime pay and using a state vehicle to make numerous personal trips to Philadelphia. He was charged in the indictment with conspiracy (2nd degree), two counts of official misconduct (2nd degree), theft by deception (3rd degree), tampering with public records or information (3rd degree), and falsifying records (4th degree). Desai is suspended from his job as a DOT engineer. He had been acting as the supervisor of the Drainage Bureau. The case was referred to the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau by the DOT Office of the Inspector General. A co-defendant, Harish Bhanderi, 53, of Newtown, PA, pleaded guilty on Jan. 9 to an accusation charging him with third-degree theft by deception, admitting that he and Desai fraudulently collected emergency overtime pay. As a result of his guilty plea, Bhanderi forfeited his job as manager of the DOT Roadway Maintenance,

Engineering and Operations Section. The state will recommend that he be sentenced to 364 days in the county jail as a condition of a term of probation. Bhanderi must pay restitution of $19,905 and is permanently barred from public employment in New Jersey.

Alkesh Desai and Harish Bhanderi have been charged with fraudulently collecting emergency overtime pay from the state of New Jersey. Photo Credit: NJ Department of Law & Public Safety

It is alleged that Desai and Bhanderi submitted timesheets indicating they were entitled to emergency overtime pay for responding after hours to emergency roadway incidents. In reality, they were not responding to emergencies after hours, but were simply driving their state vehicles past sites where emergencies had occurred days or even weeks earlier. It is al-

4 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

leged that the two typically drove to the sites together. The state’s investigation revealed that Desai allegedly submitted 71 false overtime claims totaling $15,076 between June 2013 and June 2014. In addition, during the same one-year period, Desai allegedly used a state vehicle to make 96 trips to Philadelphia, sometimes making round trips to the city twice a day to drive his daughter to and from college. Personal use of a state vehicle is prohibited. “State workers have a duty to be responsible stewards of government resources, but Desai allegedly racked up the miles on his state-assigned vehicle while running personal errands and fraudulently milked overtime pay to the tune of $15,000,” said Acting Attorney General Hoffman. “We’re cracking down on this type of selfserving abuse of resources and theft of taxpayer dollars.” “We’re working closely with the DOT and other state agencies to enforce a culture of honesty and integrity in government where crimes like these simply won’t be tolerated,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “We urge anyone with information about this type of abuse to contact us confidentially, so those re-

sponsible can be aggressively investigated and prosecuted.” “The Department of Transportation does not tolerate waste, fraud or abuse of public dollars,” NJDOT Inspector General Johanna Barba Jones said. “Through the prompt action of our internal investigative team and our effective partnership with the Division of Criminal Justice, we promptly removed this cancerous influence before it could diminish the Department’s culture of integrity.” Acting Attorney General Hoffman and Director Honig noted that the Division of Criminal Justice has established a toll-free tip line 1-866TIPS-4CJ for the public to report corruption, financial crime and other illegal activities confidentially. Additionally, the public can log on to the Division of Criminal Justice webpage at www.njdcj.org to report suspected wrongdoing confidentially.

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NYS SkillsUSA Championships Around the Corner, Qualifiers Head to Nationals in KY by Victoria Antonelli, Online Editor

Since its founding in 1965, SkillsUSA has provided high school and college students from across the country with the opportunity to put their array of talents to the test. According to the SkillsUSA homepage, “More than 300,000 students and advisors join SkillsUSA annually, or-

Automotive refinish students in NY pose with a panel and their instructor before they begin competing. Photo Credit: Ed Arnold

ganized into more than 17,000 sections and 52 state and territorial associations. Combining alumni and lifetime membership, the total number impacted this year is more than 335,000.” That’s 11.2 million people impacted in the last 50 years.

Students in automotive repair hone their skills into one of the two specializations: automotive collision repair and automotive refinish. Anywhere from 40-46 students total from New York’s five regions compete at the state level in these two categories. The collision repair students work on fenders donated by LKQ. The fenders are dented, and must be made as level as possible using a hammer and dolly method. The students also go through the process of repairing a demo piece of plastic from the 3M Automotive group, explained Ed Arnold, collision repair instructor at Ellicottville College (ECC). The judges for the plastic repair portion are 3M training reps. “With today’s automotive changes, repairing plastic is very cost-effective so it is important for students to learn,” said Arnold. The students also need to demonstrate competency in structural welding using heat management. Students are required to perform a vertical plug weld as well as a vertical butt weld with backing to I-CAR standards. This section is judged by a certified I-CAR welding instructor. The automotive refinish students are given a 14 x 16 panel with a scratch in the corner. They then sand, prep, prime,

flash off, prep again, sand, and repaint the panel a base clear before blending it into the panel. Then they finish with a final clear coating. These students are also required to mask off a given section of vehicle to simulate a blend and repair. Both the collision repair and the automotive refinishing students are responsible for writing an estimate. The paint refinish students are also inter-

Collision students in NY write estimates during the state-wide competition. Photo Credit: Ed Arnold

viewed and scored on their responses. “As the industry evolves we will continue to make changes to the contest to keep up with new developments in the industry,” said Arnold. He said that a peer instructor from the Buffalo region had a student in the past who had won the paint refinish

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contest at the New York state level and eventually went on to compete at the international contest in Germany. He is currently working in the industry. There are between 18-22 industry experts who come in and help judge the students’ performance. “The industry is very supportive of the two-day event to ensure everything runs smoothly,” said Arnold. State Farm employees from Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse sit on the judging panel, along with reps from PPG who judge the automotive refinish students on panel recoding. PPG also donates paint materials. “We try to keep our state competitions as close as we can to the national level, but they have a couple more days to do everything,” said Arnold. “We jam a lot into two days.” Lincoln Tech College tallies the final scores and the winners are chosen. The NYS SkillsUSA Leadership and Skills Championships will be held April 22-24 at the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY. “The industry is awesome and will always donate to the cause, as long as I get ahead of the game,” said Arnold. The SkillsUSA National Championships will be held from June 24-June 25 in Louisville.

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After 30 years on Stefko Blvd., Bethlehem, PA, Auto Repairer Out On His Own by Lynn Olanoff, The Express-Times

Bethlehem resident Mike DeCrosta has worked at auto repair shops on Stefko Boulevard for 30 years. So when he got the opportunity this year to open his own shop, there was only one location. On Stefko, of course. DeCrosta opened More Miles Automotive at 1458 Stefko Blvd. in February. Best known as the longtime service manager at the now-shuttered Strauss Discount Auto, DeCrosta also worked at Jack Williams Tire and the former Sparks Tune-up on the street. But he has even more connections to Stefko—he was in the last Northampton Community College class to graduate from the college’s automotive program when it was housed at Sherman Williams on the boulevard. His wife, Michelle, has owned Nails by Michelle on the street for 15 years. And his new shop is within view of his first home with Michelle in a Bethlehem Housing Authority apartment on Hilton Street, where he did his first car repairs in a little private garage. “When I walked onto this corner, I could see the back porch of where Continued from Cover

Eaves Law Firm

the lawsuits to include specific information from the auto body shops. Although Eaves said this was not their original intention, the Eaves team has been collecting information from the shops. “We’ve tried to give the judge enough detail and enough information so he can have the confidence to move forward,” he said. He also said that some of the lawsuits have been put on hold until the firm can best determine how the judge wants them filed. Then the other lawsuits can be filed in a similar manner. Each state’s lawsuit has a different deadline. Eaves and his team have also been focusing on answering the defendants’ move to dismiss the lawsuit. There is a standing court date once a month, with the latest one held on March 6. Eaves said the purpose of that hearing was to speed up the process. “Thanks to the leadership of Judge Smith, who is the magistrate on the case, we discussed several ways to expedite the process.” Meanwhile, auto body shops are

my wife and I lived for the first eight years of my marriage,” said DeCrosta, 48. “Just coming from public housing, and being able to take this corner and

Mike’s More Miles Automotive owner Mike DeCrosta, of Bethlehem, recently opened his shop on March 5, 2015, along Stefko Blvd. in Bethlehem, PA. Photo Credit: Stephen Flood/ The Express-Times

continuing to join the MDL, with 20 more being added the week prior to Autobody News going to press. Eaves said he wants the case to be the best it can be. “We’re working to ensure it is as comprehensive as possible and lays out all of the unfair trade practices and all of those things that have made it difficult for our shops to do their job,” he said. Auto body shops across the country that wish to share their stories should contact steve@eaveslaw.com

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8 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

develop it into something is just full circle.” DeCrosta says he has a lot of the people who have worked with him at his many Stefko Boulevard auto shops to thank for it. The former Strauss vice president, Rick Pennie, hatched the real estate deal to make the garage possible. Former Strauss co-workers Scott deLeon and Kyle Kunsman also are partners in the new shop. Strauss’s closure in 2012 wasn’t just hard for DeCrosta and his co-workers, it was hard on many customers, as well, he said. Many of them followed DeCrosta first to Jack Williams and now to his own shop. “We got the doors open, and just word of mouth has gotten around real quick, and we’ve been busy ever since,” he said. Bethlehem resident Jeff Ward is one of DeCrosta’s followers. He said he has received excellent customer service from him and is amazed by customers’ dedication to him. “People followed him from Strauss to Jack Williams and they will flock to his new place,” he said.

“Mike ... has a huge following,” Ward said. “I was at Strauss once and the guy in front of me was told, ‘It’s Mike’s day off.’ The guy wasn’t happy. Then he got back in line and I heard him, ‘Are you sure he’s not coming in?’ “It’s almost humorous how much people like him,” Ward said. DeCrosta said he wanted to open his own shop especially to serve his longtime customers, including some who are now multiple generation. He said he’d also like to bring back the annual Christmas tree toss between the Bethlehem and Bethlehem Township police departments that he helped organize for 12 years. “I’ve been blessed throughout my career to work with the best people and to have the best customers,” DeCrosta said. “To be able to celebrate my 30th year by opening something like this is just amazing.” We would like to thank The ExpressTimes permission to reprint their article.

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Exeter, Maine Body Shop Roof Collapses, No One Injured by Jason Schreiber, Union Leader

The owner of a local Maine auto body shop and service center is picking up the pieces after the roof of his shop collapsed under the weight of snow, causing major damage to the building, his equipment and a wrecker. “It was a real rugged building. I just never would have expected it,” said Brad Bissell, owner of Brad’s Auto Body and Service Center. No one was inside when the roof gave way around 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22 while Bissell was home in Alton. The 69 Main St. shop is usually closed on weekends, but sometimes workers who operate tow trucks are in and out, depending on calls. Bissell, who worked inside the shop just a few days ago, said he’s thankful no one was injured. “Nobody would have got out of that,” he said Monday, as he continued to assess the damage to the building, which remained roped off with yellow caution tape. Bissell said he never expected the roof to cave in because it had a steep pitch and was on the newest part of the building. Bissell said roofers recently checked his building and didn’t think the snow would be a problem on the portion that

collapsed. The section he was most concerned about, he said, was the part with a flat roof. “I’ve never had any problem with that roof. It used to melt off, slide off, whatever. Who ever thought a whole truss system would let go?” he said.

A roof collapse at Brad’s Auto Body and Service Center caused major damage on February 22. Photo Credit: Jason Schreiber/ Union Leader Correspondent

Building Inspector Doug Eastman said the office portion of the building and another work area weren’t damaged. The property has been up for sale, but the business is still in operation. “They lost a big section of the building. From the front it doesn’t look that unusual, but when you get to the back of the building, the whole thing just fell in,” Fire Chief Brian Comeau said. The collapse is the latest incident reported in southern New Hampshire fol-

10 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

lowing weeks of snow that has accumulated on roofs, causing some to weaken. On Monday, firefighters were called to a commercial building at 195 Water St. downtown, just after 8:30 a.m. to investigate a report of a possible roof collapse. Dr. Joseph Pearce, who owns Pearce Chiropractic, said he arrived at his office and found water damage and ceiling tiles that had fallen onto the floor. He said snow was shoveled off the roof last week, but there was still some on the roof. Pearce was worried that the roof might have collapsed, but after evaluating the building, Eastman and firefighters determined that it was a water problem and there was no structural damage. “We didn’t want to take any chances,” Pearce said. Eastman said it’s fortunate that the snow has been light and there has been no rain and warm weather to make the snow heavier. Ice dams have become a problem on most buildings, but he said the ice builds up mostly on eaves, and while that could lead to some water issues for homes and businesses, he said it shouldn’t cause roof collapses. Thank you to Union Leader for permission to reprint their article.

NY Family Escapes Body Shop Roof Collapse

Coaching baseball might have saved the lives of the Nolan, NY, family, who own a body shop, from a roof collapse, according to reporting by Sam Barron at thedailyvoice.com. Bobby Nolan, Alejandra Nolan and nine-year-old Aiden had just left their business, AAA Nolan’s Auto Collision at 2 Havell Street, when the roof collapsed at 4 p.m. on March 7. The roof collapse, which damaged two cars, was blamed on heavy snow. “We heard a big bang,” Bobby Nolan said. “My wife and kid had just gotten out five minutes before. Then kabang, it was on the ground. The floors upstairs were shaking. Alejandra said Aiden said it was like an earthquake. “He was upset,” Alejandra Nolan said. “He had his toys in there.” Bobby Nolan said he never realized how heavy snow could be. “I’m real grateful no one got hurt,” Nolan said. “It’s a good thing I coach baseball or we would’ve been in there.” The Nolans have been in the collision business for 19 years.

www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 11

CO Police Devise Plan to Halt Hit-and-Runs with Body Shops

by Ryan Severance, The Pueblo Chieftain

The Pueblo Police Department in CO and local auto repair shops are teaming in an effort to help solve hitand-run crimes. The initiative—dubbed the Pueblo Auto Body Alert Program— resembles a program started by the Denver Police Department last year. It creates a partnership with automotive repair professionals to assist with identifying hit-and-run damaged vehicles, according to a release the police department sent out. Through the program, auto repair shops will receive email and/or fax transmissions from the police department traffic section/hit-and-run unit when they are investigating hitand-run accidents. Police will provide as much detailed information possible about the vehicle they are attempting to locate. Repair professionals can call the police department’s non-emergency number at 719-553-2502 or call the hitand-run unit directly at 719-553-2521 or 719-553-2536. They can also email puebloautobodyalert@pueblo.us. Thank you to The Pueblo Chieftain for permission to use this article.

ME Repair Shop Owner Claims Fire Chief Let Business Burn Because of Grudge by Stephen Betts, BDN Staff

his gear to look at the fire, and then when he left, he left the door open, which allowed the fire to spread faster. The chief also did not have the proper equipment to hook up hoses to

The owner of an auto repair shop has sued the town, its fire department and the chief, claiming that the chief let the business burn because of a grudge from a car accident nearly two decades earlier. Fire Chief Frank E. Ross said on February 10 that this was untrue. “I don’t know where that is coming from. I thought we were friends,” Ross said Tuesday. The lawsuit was filed on Feb. 10 in Knox County Superior Court by Cecil A. Fogg and his company Cecil A. Fogg Inc. against the town, the Firefighters from Owls Head and South Thomaston battle volunteer fire department a blaze that destroyed a landmark Owls Head business, and Ross. Fogg is seeking Frankie’s Garage, on Feb. 10, 2013. Photo Credit: Stephen Betts/BDN more than $400,000 in damages for losses and an unspeci- the nearest fire hydrant. He also refied amount for punitive damages. fused to use spray foam or set up a The fire occurred on the after- dunk tank to battle the blaze, accordnoon of Feb. 10, 2013, at Frankie’s ing to the lawsuit. Garage on Route 73 in Owls Head. Fogg claims in his lawsuit that The fire began in an oil waste furnace. the chief and he were involved in a Fogg claims that when Ross ar- car accident in 1996 and that unberived he was not in his turnout gear knownst to Fogg, Ross held a grudge and went inside the building without over that crash. In the lawsuit, Fogg

claims that Ross said to him as the fire destroyed the garage that this was “for the accident.” The garage has been rebuilt. Fogg said he lost equipment and classic cars and motorcycles. Fogg had filed a notice of intent to sue the town in August 2013 but did not include any allegations that the fire was not fought properly because of a grudge. That notice only claimed that the department had not responded to the fire properly. This is the second lawsuit filed in Maine during the past two months against a fire department for its handling of firefighting efforts. The owners of a Bass Harbor restaurant and attached home that was destroyed in a fire 14 months ago sued in U.S. District Court members of the Tremont and Southwest Harbor fire departments, alleging firefighters were negligent in fighting the blaze. Thank you to Bangor Daily News for permission to reprint their article.

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MA Winter Conditions, Dead Batteries, Broken Mirrors Add Up in Snow & Cold The latest victim of this month’s snow and cold: your car. Several local body shops and garages say they’re seeing an uptick in business thanks to the snow, as people’s vehicles crunch into impenetrable snowbanks or slip and slide into each other. “We got one here from Salem,” said Tino Lopes, owner of Salem Collision in Peabody. “It got hit on North Street by a plow. It actually got the whole side cut.” The Toyota Camry, which was parked when the plow hit it on February 21, had a straight slice along the driver’s side about the height of a plow blade. The plow that struck it was never located. “It was a pretty good hit, and the girlfriend’s car got hit at the same time,” Lopes said. He estimated some $6,000 worth of damage to the Camry. Lopes said business has picked up since the first blizzard struck the region at the end of January. On Friday, five cars were jammed into a workspace in the garage, all victims of the most recent weather. “We’ve seen a lot—people hitting snowbanks, spinouts. We actually got a guy that spun out on 128 that’s coming in with a Tacoma truck,” he said. The front end of the pickup smashed into the guardrail. “We are seeing a lot of bumpers,

people pulling into snowbanks trying to park their cars. They back up, they crack the bumpers. I’ve seen a lot of scrapes, side scrapes. People pulling out of their driveways, the sides are getting scraped up against the snowbanks because it’s so tight.” At Salem Auto Body in Salem, manager Scott Lupo is seeing the same things—bumpers damaged in collisions with snowbanks, cars skidding into each other especially during periods of poor visibility in the storms. “It’s all due to the weather, ice, snow,” Lupo said. Bill Dambrosio, the owner of Danvers Auto Body, said he hasn’t seen an uptick yet—“nothing out of the ordinary”—but expects he will once customers get done filing claims with their insurance companies.

Broken mirrors, dead batteries Chris Crowley, who has owned Meineke Car Care Center in Beverly for 25 years, said customers are having their cars towed in with dead batteries, or having to replace plastic shields torn off their vehicles. One phenomenon customers have complained about after digging their cars out is their cars start shaking violently when traveling down the high-

way. That happens when snow becomes packed in the wheels, which throws off the car’s balance. With the streets so crowded, and with so many customers coming to him all at once, Crowley said he finds he has no place to put all the vehicles coming in for service. Crowley, who gets to work every day by driving down Lafayette Street in Salem, has also noticed another consequence of the street being narrowed by massive snowbanks: “the many, many cars whose driver’s side mirrors are broken and falling off,” he said. He’s also seen a couple of tires damaged by potholes, something that Crowley says his service center will see more of as the winter wears on. Business usually slows when it’s actually snowing. “It’s the after-effect,” Lopes said, that causes the big problems. “With the roads getting tighter, people trying to park in spaces that, really, are not there anymore. They are parking in the middle of the road, you have got these big trucks going by—it’s where we get sideswipes and stuff like that.” Staff writer Ethan Forman can be reached at 978-338-2673, by email at eforman@salemnews.com or on Twitter at @DanverSalemNews.

Auto Body Employee Falls From Roof in Wayland, MA

A 52-year-old employee at State Road Auto Body on Rte. 20 in Wayland was transported to Mass. General Hospital after falling through the roof while cleaning off snow. Fire Chief David Houghton did not release the name of the man, who suffered serious injuries after falling off a ladder and through a fabric-covered temporary storage building, “landing on equipment.” Houghton said two of the Wayland Fire Department’s “most seasoned paramedics” were on scene within two minutes of the incident, around 1 p.m. “It was the best possible scenario to have,” Houghton said. “They saw the immediate need for a trauma center, and transferred him quickly to the Medflight.” Due to the snow, Houghton said the Medflight helicopter took off from the parking lot of the Wayland Country Club. “It was the best option for the north side of town,” Houghton said. “It was extremely tight, but it worked.” The cause of the fall is being investigated.

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Continued from Cover

Twins Take Over

him to doctor’s appointments—much as they had once relied on him in their younger years. When Sabrina told her grandfather she wanted to take on the business, he had tears in his eyes. The twins’ mother and an aunt had tried it for a time, but it didn’t last long. The grandfather was a great role model and someone on which the women could always rely, the women said. “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be the person I am today,” says Sabrina. “He’s taken care of us throughout our lives. And now, it’s our turn to help.” The twins’ ownership is also significant in other ways. Not only are they most likely the youngest people to run such a business in the state, but also the youngest twin girls to work in auto body repair. They manage marketing, insurance and customer service, while longtime employees continue to work in the shop. Joe Russo has been there since 1987 and Mark Reiman has been there since 1979. The newest member of the

team is Nick Pagani, who started in January, part-time. “We wouldn’t be able to do it without them,” says Sabrina. She and her sister are extremely grateful for all the staff has done and continue to do. At the start, the men in the shop had secretly bet the two women wouldn’t last six months, but after a time they eventually fessed up, seeing that the twins were committed to the business. All staff share a ritual coffee break in the morning. “We do anything from minor to major collision work,” said Adriana. In the future, the women also hope to be selling cars. Sebastian, “nannu” to the twins, started the business in the early 70s in the garage bays he built behind his home, after 10 years of working for others. He still lives in the same house and the twins and their mother live next door. The twins took over for their grandfather, a Sicilian immigrant, in September 2013. They both had other jobs after graduating from college that same year, but quit to run the business. Sabrina was at a bank and Adriana was selling radio advertising.

They graduated from Central Connecticut State University, Sabrina with a degree in public relations and communication, Adriana with a degree in marketing. A graduation picture of the girls and their grandfather sits in the office, along with pictures of the twins in their younger years scooting around in a gocart. The twins want people to know that the business offers the same quality service as it has in the past, with a few updates. They created a website and replaced handwritten paperwork with computer printouts. In the office, they replaced a metal desk with a wooden counter, painted walls, hung photographs and Brent Aresco, an art student at the University of Hartford, is painting a mural of a Ferrari in Tuscany. “We decided to give it a nice little facelift,” says Sabrina. They also repainted the sign along the road. They always knew they wanted to run their own business, but weren’t sure what it would be. They also knew they would make good partners. They obviously get along, talking and laughing easily. Perhaps their relationship

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works because they aren’t exactly the same. “She sees things differently than I do,” says Sabrina, who agrees that she focuses on the big picture and her sister the details. The women have had many adventures along the way, many humorous. Sabrina said she needed to cut the grass at her grandfather’s shoreline cottage. This meant driving an ’86 Chevy truck to carry the tractor mower. She cut the grass and headed out, but the truck broke down along the way and she had to call her sister. Adriana had to come down to get her with a tow truck. “I could barely get it out of the parking lot,” says Adriana, who drove the tow down with another girl. Anyone looking at them would have thought it unusual to see three Italian girls with sunglasses in a tow truck, but they kept their cool, they said. “It’s all good. We got this,” Adriana said they told themselves. Indeed, that is now how they feel about the business overall. The twins had to learn about auto body repair from start to finish, including bookkeeping and taxes. “This is honestly a great learning

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experience,” says Sabrina. Adriana jokes: “I’m still learning how to pay my own bills.” It was challenging in other ways. “Walking into this business was very hard. It’s a manly business,” says Sabrina. The sisters make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels comfortable coming into their shop, especially women who might not be used to dealing with car matters. “We want it to be an easy experience,” says Adriana. “We care about quality. We care about overall customer experience.” When told the owners were probably the youngest twins in the business, customer Eileen Thomas of Portland, said: “They’re wonderful, too, so nice. I was referred by my sister who was a very happy customer and my regular mechanic said he’s never heard a complaint.” Santostefano Auto Body is at 105 Saybrook Road, Middletown. Visit www.santostefanoautobody.com, email santostefanoautody@gmail.com or call 860-346-8886.

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RI Attorney General: Driving Fatalities at All-Time Low, Seat Belt Use at All-Time High

Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced on March 11 that the number of driving-related fatalities in Rhode Island dropped 20 percent this year. It is down from 65 in 2013 to 52 in 2014. The marked drop reflects a continued decline in fatalities from a high of 104 in 2003, representing a 100 percent decline, and is the lowest number of motor vehicle fatalities since 1994. There was a significant decline in fatalities of young drivers age 16 to 24. This age group has continued to drop over the past five years from 22 fatalities in 2009 to eight fatalities in 2014. Kilmartin also announced that seat belt use is up in Rhode Island. According to statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 87.4 percent of all Rhode Islanders reported using their seat belt every time they get into a motor vehicle in 2014, compared to just over 75 percent in 2004. In 2009, Rhode Island passed its first ban on texting and driving. In 2011, the General Assembly passed the primary seatbelt law, and in 2013 lifted the sunset provision originally attached to the statute, allowing Rhode Island to receive millions in federal funds dedicated to seat belt enforcement and education campaigns. “Our state leaders should be commended for enacting smart, tough driving laws,” said Attorney General Peter

Kilmartin, who when serving as a state representative sponsored the State's ban on texting and driving. “The statistics show that our driving laws are having positive results.” “The reductions in fatalities are a direct result of the cumulative efforts by all through increased targeted enforcement (mapping fatal accidents), frequent public messaging on DUI arrests, school education programs (It Can Wait) and coordinated enforcement efforts. We still have a long way to go in an effort to continue our efforts in saving lives,” said Colonel Steven G. O'Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety. According to the Rhode Island State Police, enforcement efforts and highway safety campaigns have increased in the past several years. In 2013, the State Police conducted 10 campaigns including Click It or Ticket, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and other speed and DUI enforcement efforts. That number increased to 12 campaigns in 2014. The number of driving citations has also increased in recent years. In 2013, the State Police issued 7,690 seat belt citations, as compared to 9,458 in 2014, representing a 23 percent increase. DUI arrests by the State Police were relatively the same both years,

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with 561 arrests in 2013 as compared to 534 in 2014. Texting while driving citations also saw a significant increase. In 2013, the Rhode Island State Police issued 144 citations for texting while driving, as compared to 317 citations in 2014, an increase of 120 percent. Statewide, police issued 911 citations for texting while driving in 2014, as compared to 384 citations issued in 2013, an increase of 137 percent. “The increase in violations is not an indicator that more individuals are breaking the law, but rather represents an increase in enforcement efforts. It is very likely that the increase in citations and arrests has a direct correlation to the decrease of fatalities by stopping individuals before they cause a motor vehicle accident,” added Kilmartin. “Having the opportunity to speak to thousands of young drivers each year about making the right choice when they get behind the wheel, I have witnessed the impact we are making firsthand. While you cannot prove that words have saved a life, I truly believe our efforts have started to change the driving habits of young people,” said Kilmartin. “Despite the decline in fatalities, the loss of even one life is one too many. We cannot ease up on enforcement or education just because we have made progress.”

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Continued from Cover

Takata Takes Steps

dent of the Automobile Division of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Honda hopes that this new consumer information campaign will bolster our existing and continuing efforts to reach our customers and maximize the vehicle repair completion rates associated with recalls to replace Takata airbag inflators. These ads are a strong call to action from our company designed to break through the clutter, grab the attention of customers driving affected vehicles, and urge that they get required repairs as soon as possible.” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced in a press release on February 25 that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has ordered Takata to preserve all air bag inflators removed through the recall process. The airbags will be used as evidence for both NHTSA’s investigation and private litigation cases. The order also ensures the regulators’ access to all data from the testing of those removed inflators. “This department is focused on

protecting the American public from these defective air bags and at getting to the bottom of how they came to be included in millions of vehicles on U.S. roads,” Foxx said. “This preservation order will help us get the answers we need to accomplish those goals.” Foxx also announced that NHTSA will upgrade the Takata investigation to

Photo Credit: blog.caranddriver.com

an engineering analysis, which will help determine the actual cause of the air bag failures, and what the next step will be. It will also establish whether Takata’s refusal to notify the agency of a safety defect violates federal safety laws or regulations. In 2014, five automakers— BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Honda and Mazda—launched national recalls for defective driver-side air bags after pressure from NHTSA.

18 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Those five, plus General Motors, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota, are recalling vehicles for defective passenger-side air bags in areas of consistently high absolute humidity, which is believed to be a factor in the ruptures. Most of the recalls are for various model years varying from 2000 to 2007, according to a Takata Corp. representative. Automakers have announced plans to form a testing association, and private plaintiffs have sought access to inflators in federal court to conduct their own tests. NHTSA has also hired an outside expert on the use of propellants. “There is a strong public safety interest in ensuring that testing moves forward, and that NHTSA has access to all test data,” NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said. “We have worked closely with attorneys for private plaintiffs to construct this order so that it protects plaintiffs’ legal rights while also supporting our efforts to protect public safety.” On Feb. 20, the NHTSA began enforcing $14,000 a day in civil penalties against Takata for failure to respond to requests for information about more

than 2.5 million pages of documents it has produced under NHTSA orders. On March 2, 2015, the Takata Corporation convened at a meeting in Michigan to discuss the Japanese airbag manufacturer’s next steps. Engineers from its automaker customers, including independent OEM association engineers, were updated on testing into the root cause of recent airbag inflator issues. The engineers were also provided with a presentation by an expert from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute, which is supplying independent research to determine the root cause of the airbag inflator failures. Shigehisa Takada, Chairman & CEO of Takata, stated, “While the testing by Takata and research by the Fraunhofer Institute continues, and definitive conclusions have not yet been reached, the work so far has supported our initial analysis that age and long-term exposure over a period of many years to a climate of persistent heat and high absolute humidity are significant factors in the small number of inflators that have malfunctioned. Variability in vehicle makes and models is an additional factor indicated by the testing results thus far,

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and Takata also continues to consider variability in the inflator manufacturing process as a potential contributing factor.” Takada added, “We are continuing testing and research and will continue to work openly and transparently with our OEM customers and to do everything we can to support the replacement of all the airbags covered by the automakers’ recalls and safety campaigns. The safety of the driving public is our number one priority and we are committed to do what it takes to achieve this.” Takata has dramatically increased the production of airbag replacement kits in support of automotive recalls and safety campaigns. The company has increased production capacity to 450,000 replacement kits per month, up from 350,000 in December, and expects to be producing approximately 900,000 kits per month by September 2015. The company remains confident that newer inflators and those not exposed to prolonged humidity and heat are safe. Takata also is working with other suppliers to further increase the availability of replacement kits for its automotive customers.

Recent Background on the Takata Corp. Airbag Recalls A 2012 NHTSA-sponsored survey study found that 21 to 25 percent of the problems covered by recall notices between 2006 and 2010 remain un-repaired. There are 36 million cars on

Hiroshi Shimizu, senior vice president of global quality assurance at Japanese air bag maker Takata. Photo Credit: www.ideastream.org

the road that have uncompleted recall work, according to Carfax. In October and November 2014, multiple lawsuits were filed across the country concerning Takata airbag recalls. The Law Offices of Jason Turchin in Ft. Lauderdale, FL announced in a press release on October 24, 2014 that a lawsuit had been filed on behalf of an accident victim allegedly injured by an

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exploding airbag. Nunez, a Miami Gardens, Florida resident, was driving her car when she was involved in an accident. As a result of the impact, her airbag deployed but a piece of metal allegedly shot through her airbag and struck her in her forehead, narrowly missing her eyes. The airbag that failed was allegedly designed and manufactured by Takata for use by Honda. The allegations against the airbag manufacturer include that Takata failed to properly design, test and manufacturer its airbag unit. It is also claimed that Honda breached several duties it owed to Nunez and the public in general. “The biggest concern we have is that a driver doesn’t know if his or her airbag is faulty until the moment of impact, and by then it is too late,” says Jason Turchin, lead attorney in the case. Turchin and his law firm are currently representing several other victims allegedly injured by defective airbags. On November 4, another class action complaint was filed in the Southern District of Florida that alleges Takata, Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. and others “knew or should have known that the Takata air bags installed in millions of vehicles were defective.” The

complaint seeks compensation for any consumer who purchased or leased a vehicle involved in the Takata airbag recall announced earlier that month. A third Takata airbag lawsuit was filed at the beginning of November in California by five individuals who either purchased or leased BMW, Honda and Toyota cars that plaintiffs claim are unsafe because of Takata airbags. The Takata airbag recall lawsuit alleges that Takata and other defendants “did not fully investigate or disclose the seriousness of the issue and in fact downplayed the widespread prevalence of the problem.” In November 2014, the Associated Press reported that at least four deaths in U.S. auto accidents have been tied to defective Takata airbags. Reuters reported earlier that month that Takata was targeted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The officials were trying to determine if the Japanese company misled U.S. regulators about the number of defective air bags it sold to automakers. On November 22, the Law Offices of Jason Turchin announced in a press release that a fourth lawsuit had been filed in Florida on behalf of an ac-

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cident victim injured by an exploding airbag. The lawsuit alleges that South Florida resident Claudia Jana was the driver of a 2001 Honda Civic who was injured when the passenger airbag exploded after an accident and a piece of shrapnel caught fire and landed on her. The lawsuit also alleged that the passenger airbag unit also detached from the dashboard and propelled into the rear passenger seat of the vehicle. The airbag that failed was allegedly designed and manufactured by Takata for use by Honda. The allegations against the airbag manufacturer include that Takata failed to properly design, test and manufacturer its airbag unit. It also claimed that Honda breached several duties it owed to Jana and the public in general. “This is the second Honda Civic lawsuit involving a 2001 model and third airbag shrapnel injury claim that our office filed recently,” said Jason Turchin, lead attorney in the airbag lawsuit. Turchin hopes the lawsuit will get answers as to what is causing the airbag defects, and to compel production of safer airbags. “These airbag lawsuits are not just about money. We want answers,” added Turchin.

December 1, 2014 was the deadline that the NHTSA set for Takata Corp. to respond to its request for documentation and other information, according to the Detroit Free Press.

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The NHTSA said in a press release that it was “demanding” the automakers to provide the information to “compel Takata and the affected industry to be frank with not only NHTSA, but the American public” about when they discovered that the airbags were subject to rupturing, and why it was not reported sooner. The agency also ordered Takata to provide information on what type of propellant it uses in its inflators because Takata publicly stated

it recently changed the chemical mix of its airbag inflator propellant in the newly designed inflators. By the deadline, Takata was also supposed to give the public a time frame for when safe inflators would be made, and when air bags would be replaced in the nationwide recall of 7.8 million vehicles. The airbag recall was initially limited to Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with above-average humidity. However, the recall went nationwide after cases were discovered in Arizona, California, Minnesota and North Carolina. Court documents indicate that plaintiffs in five class-action airbag lawsuits filed since October 2014 against Takata Corp. have asked a panel of federal judges to transfer the lawsuits to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida. The plaintiffs also requested that the actions be consolidated for pretrial proceedings. According to the plaintiffs’ motion to the U.S. Judicial Panel of Multidistrict Litigation (JPML), the first class action lawsuit proceedings are further along than the four other classaction lawsuits pending in California and Michigan.

On December 2, 2014, CNNMoney reported that Chrysler jumped on the recall train after the NHTSA ordered the manufacturer to start recalling its cars with the exploding Takata airbag inflators. The federal safety regulator was “extremely concerned” about the automaker’s “slow pace of the recall.” In its response to the NHTSA, Chrysler conducted a regional recall, and started contacting its customers on December 8, 2014. Chinese authorities stated on December 16, 2014 that Honda Motor Co. and its two joint ventures in China would recall 569,769 cars due to potentially defective air bags, Reuters reported. The recalls in China were also implemented due to the risk that “fragmented shards” could fly from the deployed Takata airbags, potentially injuring or even killing motorists. Vehicle regulators in the United States issued a warrant on January 29, 2015 for whistleblowers with knowledge “of possible defects or any wrongdoing” by Takata Corp. The NHTSA stated in a press release that it was urging potential informants to call its hotline at 1-888-327-4236, promising legal protection.

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“We encourage all individuals with information about the manufacture or testing of Takata air bag inflators, or who have knowledge of possible defects or any wrongdoing by the company, to make this information available to NHTSA,” agency spokesman Gordon Trowbridge said. Six former Takata employees interviewed by Reuters said they were asked to hide or alter data that showed certain parts and materials did not meet Takata’s specifications or indicated potential issues with key components such as inflators and cushions. Two of these employees said they witnessed others hiding, altering or ignoring unfavorable test results. Company officials testified in 2014 at two U.S. congressional hearings, and the Japanese safety equipment maker remains the subject of at least two federal investigations, and the target of dozens of lawsuits. After being asked to comment on the whistleblowers, a representative of the airbag manufacturer said in a statement, “Takata has a deep commitment to honesty and integrity. Since our founding in 1933, we have worked tirelessly to develop innovative and highquality products that exceed our

customers’ expectations, save lives and prevent injuries. Our number one priority is the safety of the traveling public.” Most former Takata employees who spoke with Reuters did not want to be named while discussing incidents and situations of a sensitive nature. But they related similar or shared experiences at Takata facilities in Washington, Georgia, Michigan and North Carolina. Two former Takata employees, Mark Lillie and Michael Britton, have spoken to the New York Times, and Lillie also spoke to congressional investigators about their concerns with the safety of propellant manufactured in a Takata facility in Moses Lake, Washington. The propellant was used to create the gas that inflates air bags in case of a crash. In interviews with Reuters, Lillie, a chemical engineer who is now retired and living in New Mexico said he left the company before it began manufacturing a new, more volatile type of chemical propellant, ammonium nitrate. Lillie said some Takata engineers thought the material was not thoroughly tested to make sure it was safe. He left the company in 1999. “I literally said if we go forward with this, someone will be killed,” Lil-

lie told Reuters. “I couldn’t in good faith pump this stuff out believing that it was unsafe to put in front of a passenger in a car.” Ammonium nitrate was the principal propellant chemical used in hundreds of millions of Takata inflators made since 2000, including those installed in more than 24 million cars recalled in the United States, Japan, China and other global markets. Britton described an incident in the late 1990s where a test batch of experimental propellant that had not been validated by Britton’s technical group was used without his knowledge in production. This occurred because the company was running out of approved material. Even though it had not been proven that the propellant would remain stable over the expected vehicle lifespan, it was still used in inflators that wound up in customers’ cars, Britton said. He added that he was not able to get the inflators recalled from the customer. Britton, in an email on January 29, 2015, said investigators from NHTSA and the Department of Justice have not contacted him. Lillie said on the same day that he has not been contacted by

federal officials, either. Takata did not address specific allegations made by Lillie, Britton or other former employees. On February 10, 2015, the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) announced the filing of a class action lawsuit against Takata Corp, relating to the massive recall of vehicles containing defective airbags manufactured by the Japanese company. The ARA brought the class action on behalf of those who operate professional automotive recycling facilities in the United States who have purchased for resale any of the vehicles containing un-deployed and allegedly defective airbags manufactured by Takata. The complaint alleges that Takata and the Auto Manufacturers misled Automotive Recyclers about the safety and reliability of the allegedly defective airbags. According to the complaint, Takata was aware of the airbag defect as far back as 2004 when it conducted ‘secret tests’ on several airbags. It also states that following the disclosure of the airbag defect, the Automotive Recyclers are not able to sell or trade these airbags because they are See Takata Takes Steps, Page 54

www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 23

Urethane Supply Company Releases I-CAR Course® on Nitrogen Plastic Welding

Nitrogen plastic welding, a technology first commercialized by Urethane Supply Company in 2006, has been growing in popularity over the years as shops look to keep more labor dollars in-house. Unfortunately, many shops that have purchased welders have not been able to take full advantage of their capabilities due to inadequate training or technician turnover. To address this need for training, Urethane Supply Company is announcing the availability of a new training course: PR-01 Introduction to Nitrogen Plastic Welding. This training is approved for ICAR credit hours and/or Knowledge Area recognition through the I-CAR Industry Training Alliance® program. The PR-01 Nitrogen Plastic Welding course is designed for delivery to up to three technicians in the customer’s shop. The training takes roughly three hours and focuses primarily on the hands-on skills necessary to repair bumpers. The learning objectives for the course are as follows: ● Identify different plastic types

● Explain the basic nitrogen welding process ● Properly operate the plastic welder ● Weld a tear to the edge of the bumper ● Repair a torn slot tab ● Repair a torn flange ● Repair a torn flexible hinge tab ● Repair a thermoset polyurethane (PUR) bumper

North American shops interested in scheduling this training must register online at www.urethanesupply .com/training. The cost of the course is $400 for up to three technicians. Once a reservation is made, Urethane Supply’s training manager will contact the shop’s representative and schedule an appointment. Questions? Contact Kurt Lammon at 800-633-3047

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Vineland, NJ City Council $25K to Repair Police SUV

Vineland police officer William C. Burris. Photo Credit: www.thedailyjournal.com

A Vineland police officer responding to a call in mid January “apparently ‘blacked out’”, which led to his 2014 Ford Explorer striking a tree, reported Joseph P. Smith of thedailyjournal .com. Police Chief Timothy Codispoti told Smith on February 25 that Officer William Burris was returned to full duty after being cleared medically effective on Jan. 26. Codispoti added that no further medical information will be released.

On the night of February 24, City Council unanimously approved a request for $25,221 to repair the vehicle. The money request was contained in a recent memo from the city repair garage head to the city safety insurance coordinator. The memo also identifies the officer as William C. Burris, reported Smith. Garage Services Supervisor Jacob Milich wrote in a letter on Feb. 17 that since the repairs will cost under $32,900, making it less than a 70 percent loss, it will be able to be salvaged. However, questions remain about whether the repair work will uncover even more damage that would make it impractical to repair the Explorer. Milich added that the technicians will not know for sure until the engine is exposed, because if it happens to be crushed, the vehicle will be declared unsalvageable, reported Smith.

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

Industry Insight

Legal Battle That Began with Non-OEM Parts Back in 1997 Still Being Waged Today with John Yoswick

Back in 1999, a court decision in a class action lawsuit resulted in a $1.2 billion judgment against State Farm – at the time one of the largest judgLloyd Karmeier ments ever levied against an insurer. The ruling changed the way many insurance companies dealt with non-OEM parts for years, and despite the fact that the judgment was later nullified, the “Avery vs State Farm” lawsuit even today is seen as the basis for State Farm’s limited use of such parts. But now, 18 years after that lawsuit began, the lawyers who represented the vehicle-owners in the Avery lawsuit are still fighting against the overturning of that judgment by the Illinois Supreme Court. The amount they are seeking from State Farm this time is considerably larger: triple the

damages of the Avery case plus more than a decade of interest, all adding up to more than $8 billion. Though a portion of that money would still go to the vehicle-owners who sued back in the late 1990s, the current lawsuit has nothing to do with parts and everything to do with political influence. The suit alleges that State Farm played a pivotal role in the successful 2004 election campaign of a judge to the Illinois Supreme Court – a judge that the next year became the fourth vote on that court to overturn the Avery decision and nullify the judgment against State Farm.

Some quick background The original Avery lawsuit on behalf of about 4.5 million drivers who had non-OEM parts installed on their vehicles as part of their State Farm claim alleged that the parts were inferior to OEM, and thus the insurer breached its contract to return those cars to

“pre-loss condition.” A jury in 1999 agreed, finding also that State Farm had defrauded consumers by concealing known problems with the parts. In 2001 in response to an appeal by State Farm, an appellate court affirmed the decision but lowered the damage award to $1.05 billion. State Farm then filed an appeal with the Illinois Supreme Court. In 2004, Judge Lloyd Karmeier was elected to his first 10-year term on the Illinois Supreme Court. At that time, lawyers for the plaintiffs in the Avery case sought to have Karmeier recuse himself from participating in the Avery decision because they claimed his election campaign had received significant campaign contributions from State Farm. But Karmeier did not recuse himself. The next year, four of the six Justices on the Court—including Karmeier—voted to overturn the Avery ruling. The court ruled that the

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case should not have been approved as a national class action because State Farm uses different policy language in different states and even within the same state. The Court found no breach of contract under any of the three different policy wordings related to the use of parts. It ruled that the plaintiffs in the case failed to demonstrate damages. And the court pointed out that plaintiffs did not contend that non-OEM parts are defective, only that they are all not as good as OEM parts. The decision emboldened insurers, some of which had curtailed calling for the use of non-OEM parts for some years after the 1999 Avery judgment, to return to pushing shops to use the parts.

New findings, new lawsuit But in 2011, lawyers for the plaintiffs in the Avery case filed a lawsuit claiming they had new evidence of State Farm’s involvement in the recruitment

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of Karmeier as a candidate and in financing the campaign that lead to his election to the Illinois Supreme Court. That campaign shattered state and national spending records for a judicial seat, with the two candidates spending more than $9 million combined. The current lawsuit argues that State Farm “delivered ‘tremendous’ financial support (at least $2.5 million and as much as $4 million) to Justice Karmeier’s campaign.” The plaintiffs’ attorneys argue, for example that State Farm attorney and lobbyist William Shepherd was on the executive committee of the Illinois Civil Justice League (ICJL), which recruited and endorsed Karmeier as a candidate for the seat on the court, and was involved with weekly conference calls with Karmeier’s campaign manager (the head of the ICJL). The money trail described in the court filings to date is a bit convoluted, indicating that the contributions largely came through intermediary organizations being influenced by State Farm. The ICJL, for example, through its political action committee made $1.1 million in direct and in-kind contributions to Karmeier’s campaign. Also at the time, the lawsuit ar-

gues, State Farm CEO Ed Rust was part of the U.S. Chamber’s leadership team that selected which judicial campaigns to target, and Illinois was identified as a “Tier 1” state to target. State Farm donated $1 million to the U.S. Chamber’s judicial election efforts, the U.S. Chamber donated over $2 million to the Illinois Republican Party, and that organization in turn bought $1.94 million in advertising for the Karmeier campaign. Attorneys say the new evidence should lead the court to reinstate the judgment against State Farm, or alternatively redecide the case without Karmeier’s involvement. State Farm has argued that overturning the Avery ruling would be “disruptive in the extreme” to the Illinois legal system because the ruling has been cited in more than 200 subsequent court opinions. The insurer argues the contributions to Karmeier’s campaign from State Farm employees and others connected with the insurer were “quite modest,” estimated to be about $350,000. And it says the notion of “State Farm-influenced contributions” relies on an unsubstantiated argument that the insurer controls such organizations as the U.S. Chamber and the ICJL.

Deposition of a Supreme Court Justice The most recent argument in the ongoing legal battle has been over whether Karmeier can be questioned under oath. A deposition of a sitting justice on a state supreme court is extraordinarily rate. A magistrate judge earlier this year ruled the attorneys suing State Farm could submit 20 questions to Karmeier in writing, but that Karmeier could not be subjected to a formal deposition. But in a dramatic turn-about in March, U.S. District Court Judge David Herndon overturned that ruling, saying that having Karmeier give testimony is the only way to give both sides a fair opportunity to “explore the facts, and for the public, in the face of such allegation, to learn the truth.” Judge Herndon said Karmeier can be questioned about all aspects of his election campaign but not about his deliberations in any case while on the Supreme Court. In addition, he ruled that the plaintiffs’ attorneys also may depose State Farm vice president Robert Shultz about his involvement in Karmeier’s election. Shultz served on the Illinois State Bar Association committee that evaluated Karmeier and his opponent prior to the 2004 election.

The attorneys argue that Shultz should have recused himself from that evaluation committee given the Supreme Court’s pending review of the “Avery” lawsuit. But Schultz did not recuse himself, and the committee rated Karmeier as “highly qualified,” while rating his opponent, Gordon Maag, as only “qualified.” Why might State Farm have preferred Karmeier’s election over Maag’s? One possible reason: Prior to unsuccessfully running against Karmeier in 2004, Maag was one of the five appellate judges who in 2001 had affirmed the judgment against State Farm in the Avery non-OEM parts lawsuit. Judge Herndon said the deposition of Schultz could explore “whether he made any attempt to persuade his fellow committee members in any way, and if so what his motives in doing so were, and whether he was encouraged to do so by anyone acting on behalf of State Farm.” No doubt many such interim legal skirmishes will be waged before next January when an actual trial in the case is tentatively scheduled to begin. The legal battle that began over non-OEM parts back in 1997 has still not seen its final chapter.

www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 27

Industry Groups Support Save American Workers Act Passed in House

The Automotive Service Association (ASA), Auto Care Association, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), and WMDA Service Station and Automotive Repair Association joined with other small business groups to support the Save American Workers Act of 2015, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives in February. The bill would repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) 30-hour workweek definition for full-time employment, and replace it with a 40-hour workweek definition. The companion bill is up for consideration in the Senate, and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) held its first hearing on the matter on Jan. 22. President Obama has promised to veto the bill if it passes. Beginning in 2015, the ACA requires companies with 100 or more fulltime equivalent (FTE) employees to offer affordable insurance to full-time employees, or face financial penalties. That expands to cover businesses with 50 or more FTEs in 2016. However, the ACA currently defines a full-time employee as one with an average of 30 hours of service per week. According to a letter in support of the House bill (H.R. 30) issued by

the Small Business Coalition for Affordable Healthcare, “Without H.R. 30, employers will face higher employer mandate penalty taxes, and employees will continue to see reduced hours and take home pay.” The House bill was introduced on Jan. 6 with 145 co-sponsors from both parties. “When the employer mandate became effective on January 1, up to 2.6 million Americans were at-risk for seeing lost hours and wages at work,” said Rep. Todd Young (R-Ind.), who co-sponsored the bill. “Ironically, this unintended consequence hurts most those Obamacare was claimed to help: low- and middle-income Americans working hourly jobs. Repealing this provision and restoring the traditional understanding of a forty-hour work is necessary to protect their paychecks.” According to the bill’s supporters, the 30-hour workweek definition will encourage employers to cut hours for employees so that they don’t meet the 100-FTE threshold. That will put wages and potentially jobs at risk. Many small business owners see the requirement as an unaffordable mandate. “During town hall meets we held at the NACE and CARS shows, our members told us they were very concerned about changing their business

Lancaster Businesses in PA Bring Irish Luck, Donate Car to Single Mom

Lucia Melgar may not be Irish but her luck changed on St. Patrick’s Day when RW Mallon Auto Paint & Equipment teamed up with Faulkner BMW of Lancaster and GEICO to present her with keys to a completely refurbished Recycled RidesTM vehicle.

lies in need. Locally, GEICO donated the vehicle, a 2011 Hyundai Sonata, RW Mallon donated paint, supplies and equipment, and Faulkner BMW team members volunteered personal time to repair and refurbish the vehicle.

Car recipient, Lucia Melgar, thanks Recycled Rides, RW Mallon Auto Paint & Equipment, Faulkner BMW of Lancaster, and GEICO for her new ride, which will aid her in commuting to her three jobs and caring for her eight year old son. Photo Credit: Kim Kimbriel

April Lausch, body shop manager at Faulkner Body Shop of Lancaster, opens the door for Lucia Melgar as she steps into her refurbished 2011 Hyundai Sonata. Photo Credit: Kim Kimbriel

The presentation was held on March 17 at Lancaster BMW, 1530 Mannheim Pike in Lancaster, PA. Recycled Rides is a national collision industry-wide program in which members of the National Auto Body Council collaborate to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and fami-

Melgar, a single mother, relied on public transportation to get back and forth from three jobs to provide for herself and her eight-year-old son. She was nominated for a Recycled Rides vehicle by Family Promise of Berks County, which provides services to help homeless families transition into See Irish Luck, Page 70

28 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

models to adjust to this new law,” says Bob Redding, the ASA’s Washington, D.C., representative. “That came up at every event we held, that our members would like to see this corrected.” However, the Congressional Budget Office issued a report that says the legislation would prompt 1 million people to be dropped from employer coverage, pushing between 500,000 to 1 million people onto government insurance and increasing the number of people with no insurance by several hundred thousand. That would increase federal spending by $53.2 billion over the next decade. At the Senate hearing, Democrats argued that raising the threshold to 40 hours would encourage even more employers to cut hours than under the current law. But very few employees that work 30 hours a week currently have health insurance, compared to those that work 40 or more hours a week, which could potentially provide more incentive for employers to cut hours. “Businesses in our industry struggled from 2008 to 2012, and we don’t need further regulatory restriction to our recovery,” Redding said. “This is just an additional burden that our members don’t need right now.” More Senate hearings are sched-

uled in the coming weeks to discuss the bill and other aspects of the ACA. While a few Senate Democrats support the 40-hour bill, it’s not clear at this point whether Republicans can muster enough votes to override a veto. “It’s going to be very close,” Redding says of the Senate vote. “When the Republicans took control of the Senate, we actually lost several Democrats that would have voted for the bill. In the House we had 12 Democrats vote for this, and that sends a strong message.”

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Vehicle Safety Bill Introduced in House Would Raise NHTSA Budget by $100M for 2017 U.S. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) has introduced H.R. 1181, the Public Access to Motor Vehicle Safety Information bill. This legislation was introduced partly in response to recent automaker safety issues and airbag defects. Schakowsky said, “Over the past year and a half, we have seen a record number of recalls and far too many serious injuries and deaths. It’s time for stronger driver, passenger, and pedestrian safeguards, and the Vehicle Safety Improvement Act delivers on that need.” The bill would dramatically hike the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s auto safety budget by at least $100 million by 2017 by imposing a $3 fee on all new car sales that would rise to $9 by 2018. The bill is backed by Rep. Frank Pallone, DNJ, and at least four other Democrats, Schakowsky’s office said. H.R. 1181 aims to maximize public awareness by increasing the amount of vehicle safety information auto manufacturers must provide to their customers and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Specifically this bill would: ● impose harsher penalties on compa-

nies that fail to comply with federal safety standards, removing the current statutory maximum penalties; ● require new standards to reduce pedestrian and rear passenger injuries; ● ensure that used vehicles are repaired before they are resold; ● expedite auto recalls that pose an “imminent hazard” of injuries or deaths. ● bar automakers from conducting regional recalls limited to high humidity areas or places where road salt is used, for example. The bill requires that a remedy for a defective vehicle be provided without charge, regardless of when the motor vehicle or replacement equipment was purchased. Under the current law, remedies are not required without charge for vehicles or equipment purchased more than 10 years before a recall. The bill provides additional funding to NHTSA to enforce its directives through the creation of the Vehicle Safety Fund, which will require automakers to pay $3 for each motor vehicle certified during the first year in which such fees are assessed, $6 during the second year, and $9 during the third year. This bill is currently before

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the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Many auto industry officials think it is unlikely major reforms will be approved. In 2010, after severe criticism of NHTSA after Toyota recalled millions of vehicles, Congress considered but never voted on major auto safety legislation. The bill would require auto dealers to repair recalled used cars before selling them and require disclosure of recalls and the status to prospective buyers. It would also give NHTSA sweeping new authority to get unsafe vehicles off the road immediately for “any condition that substantially increases the likelihood of serious injury or death if not remedied immediately.” The bill would require NHTSA to create new regulations, including new standards for passenger motor vehicles to reduce the number of pedestrian and cyclist injuries and fatalities. NHTSA would also have to research the development of safety standards to improve the crash worthiness and survivability for back-seat passengers. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers a trade group representing major automakers, hasn’t yet commented.

SEM Products Hosts Refinish Distributors Alliance Meeting

The Refinish Distributors Alliance (RDA) held their February Board meeting at the SEM Products headquarters in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Those in attendance included CEO Steve Fussy and Vice President of Sales George Krul, along with the entire SEM team. Robert McKenzie Jr., Executive Director of RDA said, “It is opportunities like this that enhance partnerships and grow member participation with our supporting manufacturers. On behalf of the RDA board we would like to thank SEM for their hospitality.” RDA/IMPACT is the largest national group of refinish jobbers. RDA has 17 members, representing 185 locations. Members service more than 3,600 collision centers throughout the United States. RDA represents a crosssection of all major refinish brands and does over $455 million in sales as a group, comprising around 17% of the refinish business nationwide. To join RDA/IMPACT, contact Robert McKenzie, Jr. 731-217-9081 /robertemckenzie@me.com. For more info, visit impactcollisionsolutions.com or contact Melisa Jolls 908-251-5713/meljolls@earthlink .net.

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PrincetonAuto.com www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 31

ShopRepTV: A Personalized TV Channel for Body Shops Developed by CA Company by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

During the summer of 2014, Frank Terlep recalls walking into a body shop lobby and noticing all of the paper, plaques and reviews strewn across the counter and taped on the walls and windows. Terlep, owner of Summit eMarketing Sherpas, wondered if it would make sense to digitize all of this information. (see more on Frank Terlep p. 46 this issue.) This led him to create ShopRepTV, an in-house sales, marketing and advertising platform specifically designed for auto body and repair shops. Terlep said the product allows a business to use HDTVs, PC monitors, laptops and/or tablets to present their online reviews, certifications, affiliations and partnerships, as well as share videos, labor rates special offers and much more. “It is basically like a shop’s own personalized TV channel for their business,” said Terlep. Whether it is used in a shop’s lobby or estimating bays, he said that it will help shops better communicate with customers, reduce perceived wait times, improve customer service, reinforce the shop’s brand and increase exposure to a shop’s special promotions and additional services. After creating a test version, Terlep introduced ShopRepTV at the SEMA show in Las Vegas, NV in November 2014. He had no idea what the reaction would be and said he was pleased to hear the positive feedback. Although there are dozens of digital signage companies, Terlep said this product is different. ShopRepTV is preformatted with content so shops can pick and choose what they want to present to their customers. It can also be customized for each body shop. “We have this product we think is valuable to the business,” said Terlep, who has worked with body shops for the last 30 years. “We think it’s something that most collision centers are

going to use in the future.” Terlep said his company, based in Poway, CA, specializes in helping shops retain more customers, revenue and profit through digital sales, marketing and advertising.

Star ratings, promotions and customer reviews are just some of the choices that can be included on ShopRepTV

Over the last few months, Terlep asked some of his previous customers to test ShopRepTV in their shops. The goal was to find out if they are gaining value from presenting information to their customers in this way. Barry Reddick, owner of Collision PRO in Helena, Montana, has tested ShopRepTV over the last few months. The monitor is set up on his lobby counter and Reddick said he has found that a lot of people are watching it, especially the videos and commercials. The body shop has showcased their certifications and star rating, as well as information about their relationships with insurance companies and DRPs. “I think it gives them a little more insight into the business,” said Reddick. “In one spot you can really showcase the inside of your business with photos or slides.” Terlep said ShopRepTV is relatively easy to set up. First, the company

Berkshire Hathaway Completes Van Tuyl Acquisition

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway completed its purchase of the Van Tuyl Group, the largest dealership acquisition in industry history. All aspects of the sale were finalized March 9. The new Berkshire Hathaway Automotive is the fifthlargest dealership group in the US with over $9 billion in revenue and 81 independently operated dealer-

will install Google Chromcast, which allows any computer to connect wirelessly to a TV. This will allow ShopRepTV to run on the monitor. The company is currently in the process of partnering with Best Buy to set up a

ships with over 100 franchises in 10 states, including Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas.

32 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

complete turnkey solution for shops. After spending time studying other industries with similar products, Terlep said, “We think it will be a very

affordable solution for the shops.” Whether a business has two stores or 300, it has the ability to control the content at each location from a single computer. “We will continue to enhance the content, which will give the shops more capabilities and more options to present to the consumer,” said Terlep. The plan is to offer ShopRepTV in North America as a monthly subscription for $59. An annual subscription will also be available for a discount. Customers who are considering signing up receive a 30-day trial to see how it will work at their business. Terlep said he would also like to introduce an interactive kiosk and mobile app version of the technology this summer for customers. “Ultimately we think that the shops that really care about the appearance of their lobby are going to love it,” said Terlep. “Over the past 30 years shops have moved their estimating, frame measurements, shop management, accounting and production management into the digital age, ShopRepTV can now help shop shops move their lobby into the digital age.”

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Automechanika Comes to Chicago by Chasidy Rae Sisk

The first Automechanika show in the U.S. will take place on April 24-26 at McCormick Place West in Chicago. The trade show, designed specifically for shop owners and technicians, focuses on three pillars: education, innovation and inspiration. Show Director Bridget Ferris says, “this is a unique opportunity for shop owners and technicians to get advanced training, discover new technologies and innovations, and see the latest products and services from more than 400 exhibiting companies on the show floor. In addition to training, many exhibitors have confirmed that they

will be introducing new products to satisfy the innovation expectations of our attendees. We expect each attendee to leave the show inspired after visiting the many diverse exhibits and interactive feature areas showcasing everything from welding to painting techniques.” Automechanika Frankfurt has grown to become the world’s largest trade event for the automotive aftermarket industry, featuring over 4600 exhibitors and 140,000 international buyers. Ferris states, “today, with a network of 15 events in 14 countries, the brand Automechanika offers exhibitors access to new markets around the world and has more than 16,000

loyal customers worldwide.” Messe Frankfurt’s decision to branch out into the U.S. was based on substantial research and communication with their customers who indicated a need for a trade show designed specifically for shop owners and technicians with an emphasis on a high-level educational program. According to Ferris, “the demand from our customer base, together with the opportunity to partner with the leading automotive aftermarket publication, UBM Advanstar, paved the way for this event to be launched.” Ferris continues, “we performed extensive research before deciding on a location to enter the U.S. market,

and there were many compelling reasons that we believe Chicago is the ideal location. Of the 160,000 individual shops in the United States, 25% of them are within a 500 mile radius of Chicago, giving many shops the ability to drive to the show. Chicago is an international destination that is easily accessible from anywhere in the world, and the city of Chicago has made some major changes to make it more exhibitor and attendee friendly as a convention and trade show destination.” As a global trade show organizer who provides a platform for the automotive aftermarket industry to conduct business in different markets around the world, Messe Frankfurt is confident that Automechanika Chicago will benefit the collision repair industry by bringing key collision manufacturers and associations together with shop owners and technicians and allowing the industry to stay abreast of the latest technological innovations through product discovery, training, certification, and on-the-floor demonstrations. In addition to getting the chance to meet with more than 400 exhibitors to see the latest products and technologies to meet customers’ needs, Automechanika Chicago attendees will be able to view and even experience some of the equipment displayed on the expo floor. Axalta Coating Systems and Global Finishing Solutions will each present hands-on automotive painting experiences, while other vendors will demonstrate their most innovative products. Ferris notes “Automechanika Chicago will offer independent shops the opportunity to evaluate the product offering of the U.S. market and build relationships with distributors, wholesalers and importers to become more competitive in the industry.” Automechanika Chicago will also host a career fair, The Career Connection, where technicians and future industry professionals in search of a job or information can stop by and discuss opportunities. Shop owners with available positions will collaborate with ASA-IL to list jobs and schedule interviews with potential candidates. The Career Connection will also host short sessions where shop owners will focus on the skills they are looking for and why. See Automechanika, Page 38

www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 33

Caliber Auto Mechanics File CA Wage & Hour Class Action Suit

A California labor law class action lawsuit has been filed against Caliber Collision by mechanics who allege they were not paid for all the hours they worked. Filed by lead plaintiff Samuel Castillo, the lawsuit alleges Caliber Bodyworks of Texas Inc., which operates the chain Caliber Collision, pays its mechanics on a piece-rate system for each task they perform, and that the workers are assigned piece-rate hours per tasks, regardless of the time it actually takes them to perform. Castillo claims he recorded the hours he worked, but Caliber only paid him under the piece-rate system. “As a result, defendants did not pay plaintiff for all hours worked at the minimum wage, as defendants failed to pay plaintiff for nonproductive hours, i.e., hours that he was not performing piece-rate work,” the complaint states. Further, the lawsuit contends that Castillo worked for Caliber from 2007 through to the end of January 2014, classed as a nonexempt technician under the piece-rate system. According to the suit, under Caliber’s pay system, if a task were assigned a value of 0.8 hours, the mechanic would be paid for 0.8 hours of work, regardless of whether the

task took 10 or 90 minutes to perform. According to the suit, the method Caliber uses of meeting their minimum wage obligations, dividing daily piecerate earnings by daily hours worked, violates California labor law. The suit also alleges Caliber paid Castillo nondiscretionary bonuses and other forms of compensation that aren’t excludable from the regular rate of pay. “Despite defendants’ payment of incentive pay to plaintiff, defendants failed to include all forms of incentive pay when calculating plaintiff’s regular rate of pay, thereby further causing plaintiff to be underpaid all of his required overtime wages,” the complaint states. Castillo alleges that he regularly worked in excess of eight hours per work day and over 40 hours each week, without receiving overtime compensation. Further, because the company only pays its workers in the piece-rate system, it also fails to maintain any compensation system for compensating rest periods. “As a result of defendants’ failure to pay all overtime and minimum wages, defendants maintained inaccurate payroll records and issued inaccurate wage statements to plaintiff,” the suit states.

34 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Finally, the lawsuit contends that Caliber requires its mechanics to buy their own tools that are necessary to perform their job duties, without reimbursing the workers for the cost of the tools. California Labor Code section 2802 requires employers to indemnify employees against all “necessary” expenses, including the costs of tools needed to perform job duties. If the employer is already supplying the “necessary” equipment, there is no duty to reimburse for buying superior or superfluous equipment. The employment class action is seeking certification on behalf of classes of workers denied minimum wage, overtime hours, expense reimbursements and more. The plaintiff is represented by Paul K. Haines and Fletcher W. Schmidt of Boren Osher & Luftman LLP. The suit is Castillo et al. v. Caliber Bodyworks of Texas Inc. et al., case number BC572767, in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.

Talent Monger Holds Collision Industry Job Fair in PA

Talent Monger LLC will be holding a Collision Industry Job Fair for shops and technicians in the Western PA area on May 7. Talent Monger is a collision industry service launched in late 2014 to connect qualified employees with the collision shops looking to hire them. Co-founder Greg McVicker said he created Talent Monger after a decade of frustration trying to find and hire employees for his dealership collision center. Talent Monger is committed to connecting the industry through partnerships with trade schools, industry groups and job fairs. The job fair will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn at Southpointe, PA from 10 am to 2 pm on May 7. It will be free for students and technicians to attend, and free for shops to have a booth. Space is limited so McVicker recommends registering early. To register for the job fair, visit www.talentmonger.com or email info @thetalentmonger.com.

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H OND A C ONN ECT I CUT

Lia Honda of Enfield E nf ield

800-221-3131 860-741-3401 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 jdoucette@liacars.com

Schaller Honda New Britain

800-382-4525 860-826-2080 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5; Sat 8-1 jkiniry@schallerauto.com M ARY L AND

Criswell Honda Ger m an t ow n

866-738-2886 Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7-9; Fri 7-7:30; Sat 8-6 hondaparts@criswellauto.com

O’Donnell Honda E llicot t City

410-461-5000 410-461-9654 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 bshortt@odonnellhonda.com

Ourisman Honda of Laurel Lau rel

800-288-6985 301-498-6050 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-7; Sat 7-4 ron.malitz@ourismanautomotive.com M ASSA CHU SETT S

AutoFair Honda Ply mou th

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Tischer Acura Lau rel

800-288-6983 301-498-3322 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 wholesaleparts@tischerauto.com M ASSA CHU SETT S

Acura of Boston Brig ht on

800-254-1169 617-254-5400 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-5 bruce.fisher@acuraofboston.com

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LIA Honda Northampton

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U ni on

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800-369-7889 413-586-6043

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908-735-0900 Dept. Hours: M,Tue, F 7-6; W, Thu 7-7; Sat 7-4 chrish@clintonhonda.com

Honda of Princeton P r in c e to n

800-682-5941 609-683-5941 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-4:30 kphillips2@princetoncars.com

Honda of Turnersville Tu r n er sv ill e

800-883-0002 856-649-1584

Rossi Honda V i ne l a nd

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Lamacchia Honda S yra c use

315-471-7278

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973-705-9100 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7:30; Sat 8-5 rt22hondaparts@route22honda.com

VIP Honda N o rt h P l a i n fi e ld

908-753-1680 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-3 kevinh@viphonda.com NE W YO RK

A lba n y

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5 shadysidehondaparts@hotmail.com

Dept. Hours: M, T, W, F 7:30-5:30; Thur 7:30-8; Sat 8-5 apersaud@liacars.com

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Lia Honda of Williamsville W il l ia msv il le / Buffa l o

877-659-2672 716-632-3800

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Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-8; Sat 7:30-5:30 ekuznicki@raylaks.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 rendrick@sussmanauto.com

We s t Se ne c a

B re w s t e r

845-278-4177 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 kbennett@liacars.com

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Apple Honda Yo r k

800-960-9041 717-848-2600

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Ros ly n

800-682-2914 215-657-3301

Dept. Hours: M-Thu 7:30-8; Fri 7:30-5; Sat 8-5:30 liaparts@liacars.com

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Pit ts b urgh

800-272-6741 518-482-2598

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7:30-3:30 babylonparts@aol.com

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Dept. Hours: M-Thur 8-6; Fri 8-5; Sat 8-4 joseph.sciacca@jlfreed.com

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631-669-5800

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215-855-3587

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Hudson Honda Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7:30-5; Sun 8-3 anthony.perrone@hudsonhonda.com

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Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 9-1 parts@lamacchiahonda.com

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866-483-6917 201-868-9500

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 johnryan@baierl.com

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Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-4; Sun 10-4 applehondaparts@appleauto1.com

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Acura of Turnersville

Curry Acura

Apple Acura

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888-883-2884 856-649-1884

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Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 egreger@penskeautomotive.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 parts@curryacura.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5:30; Sat 7-3 parts@appleacura.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-5; Sat 8-5 mustafa@vinart.com

Elite Acura

Paragon Acura

Baierl Acura

Sussman Acura

Ma p le Sh ad e

Woo d s i d e

Wexfo rd

Jen kint own

856-722-9600

718-507-3990

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4 bmartinsen@group1auto.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5; Sun 9-4 johnp@paragonacura.com

800-246-7457 724-935-0800

800-826-4078 215-884-6285

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 johnsabella@baierl.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-1 rendrick@sussmanauto.com

NE W Y O R K

Acura of Westchester We st ch est er

914-834-8887 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-8; Sat 8-4; Sun 9-4 acura.parts@yahoo.com

Smithtown Acura St. James

888-832-8220 631-366-4114 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@smithtownacura.com

Lehigh Valley Acura

Davis Acura L a ngho r ne

866-50-ACURA 215-943-7000 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-4 markh@davisacura.com www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 37

Shop and Product Showcase

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

Four New Apps for Techs, Painters, Estimators and Service Advisors with Ed Attanasio

Several years ago, Jim Young, 55 of Memphis, TN began a startup called My Business is a Wreck, a company he has described as a small team of passionate industry professionals delivering robust, reliable applications to the automotive industry. 35-year collision veteran Jim Young started My Business is a Wreck, a company that has created four applications that help body technicians, painters, estimators and service advisors to be more effective and productive. The company has developed four applications for different sectors of the automotive repair industry; iTechnician, iPainter, iEstimator and iAdvisorâ, to act as electronic assistants with the goal of helping them to do a better job and ultimately providing improved customer service. All four are currently available and free at the App Store for iPhones, iPads and Google android devices, according to Young. It’s fitting that every app he’s created starts with the letter ‘i’ because Young has put much of his heart and soul into each one. Employed for more than three decades as a body technician, service writer, shop manager, instructor, coach and consultant for BMW and Toyota in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Young also owned his own shop, Young’s Collision in Memphis for several years. He has also been an I-CAR instructor for the past 15 years and is a business coach and mentor for automotive-related busi-

nesses throughout North America. Young’s father, 88, is a former body tech and managed a Pontiac dealership for 17 years and that’s part of why his son developed these apps to help other collision professionals with daily tasks, he said. My dad told me to always think about the people who helped you along the way, because he said sales numbers are important, but in the end the ones who helped you will be the people you’ll remember. These apps can make peoples’ lives easier and that’s the main reason why I invented them. It’s truly a labor of love for Young and his new company. “I’ve invested approximately $10,000 into these apps without a dime in return, he explained. Eventually, I should be able to get some revenue from advertising, but in the meantime I’m more focused on getting these apps into the hands of the people who need them to make them more effective and productive.” Unveiled last November, Young first developed iTechnician, followed by iPainter, iEstimator and finally iAdvisor, an app that can be used in both mechanical and collision industries. “We’re covering pretty much every role that exists in a shop,” Young said. “We’ve heard back from users all over the world and currently we have people using them in 12 different countries, including Ireland, Saudi Arabia and Spain, to name a few.” Convenience is obviously one of the key features of these apps, Young said. “Everything is in your pocket, so

Continued from Page 33

The cost of attending Automechanika Chicago Training is priced at $400. Visit their website and register to take advantage of everything the show has to offer. Show organizers will be sending updates with information about some surprises that await attendees at Automechanika Chicago. www.automechanikachicago.com

Automechanika

Ferris notes, “We have identified and invited the best-of-the-best trainers in the country to help us design a world-class educational event that will focus on real-world situations that collision repair and service repair shops will definitely embrace. In addition to the more than 100 seminars offered, Automechanika Chicago is providing attendees with the opportunity to receive ASE certification through our on-site testing facility.”

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38 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

you don’t have to walk over to your laptop or iPad and stop what you’re doing. Before we released these apps into the market, we gave them to service directors, estimators, techs and painters all over the country, in order to get their feedback during the modeling stage. We started tweaking them almost instantly, to make them better and stronger. By telling us how they were using them, we were able to make them better. It was a valuable process, because they saw things we might not have discovered on our own.” Here’s a brief description of what each app can do:

iTechnician: Enables users to log their assigned ROI numbers; record rates for flat rate technicians; track weekly or bi-weekly pay cycles; track paid and unpaid hours; calculate expected pay and record a weekly or biweekly work history report.

iPainter: Enables users to establish and maintain a spray-out inventory; record favorite formulas and custom lists; create a verified paint variances list and do all of the same things offered on the iAdvisor and iEstimator apps to track jobs, calculate hours and calculate expected pay.

iEstimator: Enables users to log customer information and ROI numbers; create a personal daily customer arrival and departure calendar and record important information, including a customer inventory form documenting all of the belongings left in vehicle; existing AM and FM radio pre-set stations; a vehicle old damage check-in form; a maintenance upselling opportunities form and a tires depth gauge form.

iAdvisor: Enables users to perform all of the functions also featured on the iEstimator app.

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Spanesi Expands Operations in IL and Hires Tom McGee as Business Development Manager

After opening operations in Illinois two years ago, Spanesi Americas recently announced that they have doubled both their warehouse and training space. The expansion project also includes an addition to their existing office building as well as the dock and loading area.

Spanesi Americas recently doubled their warehouse and training space in Illinois

Tim Morgan, Managing Director for Spanesi Americas, said the expansion is a result of an overwhelming response to the company’s products. Morgan began consulting for the company in 2012 and set up their North and South American operations in October of that year. “When I started this project I knew the products Spanesi had to offer were what the US and Canadian collision repair markets were looking for and the response has been extraordinary,” said Morgan. “This has allowed us to be able to expand our facility in

such a short time to meet the needs of our customers.” The family-owned equipment company is based in the small town Padova, Italy near Venice. Spanesi’s product lines are manufactured in Italy and include: Straightening Benches, Multibenches, Touch Electronic Systems, Vacuum Systems, Welding Machines, Infrared Lamps, Lifts, Painting Tools, Spray Booth Equipment, and Manual, Pneumatic, Electric and Hydraulic Tools. The Illinois facility will now have a dedicated warehouse space to store parts for spray booths and measuring systems as well as a single area for product training. Another recent development at Spanesi is the hiring of Tom McGee as Business Development Manager. “Tom’s experience in the collision repair industry will be extremely valuable to our group as we continue to grow and provide exceptional products and service to our customers,” said Morgan. McGee has more than 30 years of experience in the collision repair industry. This includes Collision Director for Automotive Training Institute, Collision Industry Relations Manager for ALLDATA, and nearly 18 years at I-CAR where he held a variety of posi-

tions including President & CEO and Technical Director. McGee graduated from Ferris State College in Big Rapids, MI, and is an ASE Certified Master Auto Body & Paint Technician and Collision Repair Estimator. McGee, a recognized industry speaker, was also elected into the Collision Industry Hall of Eagles in 2001. “I am very excited to join the Spanesi team,” said McGee. “I have been very impressed with how the Spanesi product line is designed to repair the latest vehicle technology. It is exciting to join an organiTom McGee was zation that has hired as Business such a strong focus Development on the technician Manager at and deploys its reSpanesi search and development to make their jobs easier.” Morgan said Spanesi Americas’ mission is to bring new products and technologies to body shops in the Americas to enable technicians to perform repairs to a high standard of excellence. “The unique feature of Spanesi over

the competitors is that we have our own body shop,” said Morgan. “We offer a full solution for the complete body shop.” Owner Orazio Spanesi started in the collision repair industry when he was 14 years old and in 1969 he opened his own body shop. In 1989, he decided he wanted to try and make better equipment so he traveled the world to find out what was available. “Everything that we design, we design it with the technicians in mind,” said Morgan. “It’s tested by technicians long before it ends up in the hands of end users.” Over the years even as the vehicles have evolved, the majority of what we’ve had in place for years is still the same way, especially with our universal fixturing system, that has been around since 1991. Morgan said with the company’s focus on products that are growing fastest in the market, Spanesi expects to increase overall shipment capacity by nearly 20%, while adding approximately 35 jobs in North America. The company has also increased inventory to enhance their delivery system. For more details, contact Timothy Morgan, 1.224.SPANESI (772.6374) tmorgan@spanesi-americas.com, www.SPANESI.com.

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Toby Chess is an I-CAR program instructor, Training specialist, and former salvage yard operator. Toby is universally known in the collision industry for his work with first responders and advocacy for body shops and consumers. He can be reached at tcspeedster@yahoo.com

Hey Toby!

How Much Do You Know About 2015 Vehicle Technology and Trends? with Toby Chess

Hey Everyone, I am back and I hope you all are enjoying a great start to the new year. I recently gave the following test to the CIC audience in Palm Spring this past January and to an association group meeting. What was

amazing after giving the test, how many repairers and insurers did not know the correct answers. Out of 40 repairers, only one knew what R1234

yf was and this new refrigerant is found in over a dozen vehicles with more converting to this Freon. Not good at all. Take the test and see how well you and staff do with it. All these questions were taken from I-CAR’s

New 15 class* (Vehicle Technology and Trends 2015). There are no trick questions.

1. Estimator A states that a 2015 BMW with Head-up displays needs a special windshield. Estimator B states that a 2015 Mini Cooper with HUD needs a special windshield. Who is correct? A. Estimator A only B. Estimator B only C. Both Estimator A & B D. Neither Estimator 2. More 2015 vehicles are switching to the new R-1234-yf refrigerant. Estimator A states that there now retro fit kits for earlier vehicles equipped with R134 Estimator B states that Toyota is moving in the direction of R-1234-yf. Who is correct? A. Estimator A only B. Estimator B only C. Both Estimator A & B D. Neither Estimator

3. A 2015 Jeep Renegade front floor

panel is made of A. High Strength Low Alloy Steel B. Quiet Steel (Laminated) C. Advanced High Strength Steel D. Ultra-high Strength Steel

4. An estimate is being written on a 2015 Chrysler 200 to section the right front rail. All of the following statements are true except one. Which question is the exception? A. The left and right rail use different sectioning locations B. An open butt joint is used to section the rail C. Chrysler does not recommend weld thru primer D. Same sectioning procedure as the 2014 Jeep Cherokee

5. A Left front door on a 2015 Ford F150 is damaged. Estimator A states that the intrusion beam is made from Series 7 alu-

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minum to prevent galvanic corrosion. Estimator B states that there is no outer door panel available at this time and new door is needed if the old panel is not repairable. Who is correct? A. Estimator A only B. Estimator B only C. Both Estimator A & B D. Neither Estimator

6. A 2015 Heavy duty GM truck is involved in a front end collision and the front portion of the frame is not repairable. Estimator A states the GM is now offering a front repair section that is similar to the one offered on the half ton pickup. Estimator B states the drive train still will need to be removed to replace the front repair section. Who is correct? A. Estimator A only B. Estimator B only C. Both Estimator A & B D. Neither Estimator

7. A 2015 Honda Accord is involved in a side impact collision and the outer rocker and rocker reinforcement need to be replaced. What pieces of equipment and or fastners are approved by

Honda? A. Any single or 3 phase spot welder & MIG brazing B. STRSW and MIG welding C. STRSW and Glue D. None of the above

8. A 2015 Honda Fit is involved in a front end collision. The left front rail is not repairable. A. Estimator A states that Honda now recommends weld thru primer between the mating surfaces. B. Estimator B states that Honda has a front rail section procedure. Who is correct? A. Estimator A only B. Estimator B only C. Both Estimator A & B D. Neither Estimator

9. A 2015 Honda Accord has a left front fender that needs to be replaced. The front door needs to be blended. The vehicle is equipped with Lane Watch. Estimator A states that camera will need to be reaimed and this procedure can only be done authorized Honda Dealer. Estimator B states that the mirror can be aimed with a laser attached to

the mirror and following the procedures outline in OEM service manual. Who is correct? A. Estimator A only B. Estimator B only C. Both Estimator A & B D. Neither Estimator

10. A 2015 Nissan Rogue is made from plastics and if it is damaged, it needs to be replaced. A. True B. False

11. A 2015 Ford F150 is being repaired from a side impact. A. Technician A states that the roof does not need to be replaced to install the B pillar reinforcement. B. Technician B states that the maximum temperature that can be applied is 425 degrees F, but the duration of heat is limited as per Fordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s repair manual. Who is correct? A. Estimator A only B. Estimator B only C. Both Estimator A & B D. Neither Estimator Answers: 1. A 2. B

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Lean Operations

Putting First Things First with David Luehr

If you are anything like me you are probably wondering, “WOW, where has this year gone already!?”It’s amazing how quickly time can slip by and then you realize you haven’t really made the progress on the goals you have set for yourself or worse yet haven’t set aside the time to create goals in the first place. You no doubt have been very busy working in your shops, it is the “nature of the business.” That is what I want to talk to you about today. This supposed “nature of the business” might as well be called “doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”… insanity right? It is indeed, but that is exactly what most of us do EVERY DAY. It upsets me to watch it, because I was guilty of inadequate time management for a large part of my body shop career. I constantly found myself attending to

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

thousands or millions of others that have read it. There are two habits that are especially meaningful to me. Begin with the End in Mind and First Things First. Begin with the End in Mind is just as it sounds. You visualize your funeral. What will people say about you at your funeral? So by being clear on what you want to accomplish in life and what you stand for and want people to remember you for is pretty much what you need to get working on now. Before it’s too late! First Things First explains the time-management methods used to keep you on track towards the goals, values, and vision you have for your life. Only by truly knowing what it is you want in life (Begin with the End) and then setting goals and plans for achievement will you break the cycle of madness that many of us continue to struggle with.

■ Dealing with missing/wrong parts ■ Rework ■ Some phone calls ■ Some meetings ■ Stoppages in production

Quadrant 2 (Not Urgent, Important) ■ Calling customers ■ Documenting activities ■ Improvement projects ■ Relationship building ■ Some meetings ■ Problem prevention ■ Safety prevention ■ Planning ■ Damage analysis ■ Mirror matching ■ Updating system information ■ Inventory management

Quadrant 3 (Urgent, Not Important) ■ Interruptions ■ Some phone calls ■ Some emails ■ Some meetings

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■ Some reports

Quadrant 4 (Not Urgent, Not Important) ■ Trivia & Busywork ■ Irrelevant emails ■ Some phone calls ■ Time wasters ■ Smoking ■ Playing on the internet

I implore you to read Stephen Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People or even better is First Things First that really expands on this idea of prioritizing your life. Life is too damn short to be chasing your tail. It’s time to get to work on things that really matter. Read these books, or call me if you would like help organizing and helping you and your organization create the values, vision, and, goals necessary to live the fulfilling life that is truly possible. It is possible even in the collision repair industry!

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whatever situation screamed the loudest and while doing so, perpetuated even more problems to attend to. I was young and didn’t mind at the time, in fact I kind of prided myself on my ability to fight fires all day long and “make things happen.” The problem was I wasn’t making things happen at all. I was simply creating a vicious cycle of unnecessary activity that later on contributed to the loss of my business! In the early 1990s I was introduced to a book called The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. This book changed my life as it has the

I have created a four quadrant time management matrix that is based on Covey’s work. Which quadrant do you find yourself spending the most time? The idea is that if you spend a lot more of your time pursuing activities in quadrant 2, you will be working on the right things and thereby reduce the activities that occur in quadrants 1 and 3. Avoid quadrant 4 altogether.

Quadrant 1 (Urgent and Important) ■ Pressing Problems ■ Expediting due to missed deadlines ■ Dealing with angry customers/ins. Co.

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Media and Publicity for Shops Online Remarketing Gets Your Name Out There... Again with Ed Attanasio

“Tell them once and then tell them again,” an old ad executive told me years ago, long before the Internet, web sites or applications existed. And it still pertains today, because although marketing and advertising change almost daily, the main concept behind branding is still the same. When it comes to branding, it’s still all about impressions and getting your message to the right audience. The goal is to brand your name into the customers’ psyche, so that when someone says “body shop” or “car accident” they think of you, immediately and even sub-consciously. When I think of burgers I think of In ‘N Out and when I think of nice cars, my mental Rolodex goes now to Tesla (used to be Mercedes). I don’t consciously do it, my brain does all the work—and that’s called effective branding. To make your name the go-to brand for collision repair in your area means you have to hammer away at your branding efforts all the time. Many body shops have gravitated away from things such as e-mail marketing, broadcast advertising and direct mail to put their money into online remarketing. So, what exactly is remarketing and how does it work? The world of online advertising is a whole new game, as marketing people get more sophisticated about the delivery of their branding messages. Remarketing allows you to show ads to consumers who have previously visited your website or used your mobile app. When people leave your website, remarketing helps you reconnect with them by showing relevant ads as they browse the web, use mobile apps, or do searches on Google, Bing, etc. The websites on which your ads will appear can be found by browsing through over 2 million websites and mobile apps that are part of the Google Display Network, for example. Automotive sites, insurance sites and sites belonging to popular companies in your region are ideal. Any company doing online marketing can assist you in designating websites that are affordable for your needs and are most likely to attract people who have previously visited your site. Pricing for remarketing ads revolves around automated bid strate-

gies like target CPA and ROAS. Realtime bidding calculates the optimal bid for the person viewing your ad, thereby helping you to win the ad auction with the best possible price. There’s no extra cost to use Google’s auction, because it’s totally based on what the market will bear. Web sites with heavy traffic may not be ideal for you, because they will cost you too much per impression. But, by using a strategy and sticking to it, such as choosing sites that are more targeted for your shop, you can get your price of each impression down to a very affordable level. Luke Middendorf, a Marketing Consultant at WSI Connect in Concord, CA, believes that dynamic remarketing offers a lot of options for any business that wants to push their brand online. “Remarketing is an ideal vehicle for the collision repair industry, because it keeps your name on the users’ computers or smart devices,” he explained. “We know from research that 96% of the time people visit a website and then don’t complete an action. With remarketing, we can track them once they’ve visited your site and then follow them as they go to other sites. We can more specifically targeted them and hopefully re-connect with them several times, if possible. We know they showed some level of interest in your company because they looked at your site, so remarketing keeps them in the loop and leverages your brand over and over again. It’s all about targeting and re-engaging your audience, because frequency is crucial.” David Moore, the owner of Collision Websites in Tulsa, OK sees definite value in remarketing for automotive repair companies, because branding is king in any service-related industry. “Obviously, getting your car fixed is not an impulse buy, like purchasing products such as clothing, electronics or food online,” Moore explained. “Remarketing is an ideal way to leverage your brand over and over again and it allows for fairly precise targeting. If you’re looking for women between the ages of 20-30, you can easily devise a plan to reach them. With remarketing, you already know that they have some

46 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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

interest in your shop, because they’ve visited your site once or more in the past. You’re reemphasizing your message, so it’s more powerful than as if you’re trying to reach people for the first time. They know your name already, so in a way you’ve done half the work in advance.” There are several ways to remarket your shop online using remarketing techniques: ● Standard remarketing: Show ads to your past visitors as they browse through select websites you select.

● Dynamic remarketing: Show dynamic ads to past visitors with products and services they viewed on your website as they browse through sites you’ve selected.

● Remarketing for mobile apps: Show ads to people who have used your mobile app or mobile website as

they use other mobile apps or browse other mobile websites.

● Remarketing lists for search ads: Show ads to your past visitors as they do follow-up searches for what they need on Google, after leaving your website.

● Video remarketing: Show ads to people who have interacted with your videos or YouTube channel as they use YouTube and browse through videos, websites and apps you’ve designated. For companies that aren’t running sales or promotions and are simply trying to get their name out there on a regular basis, remarketing online is one of the best and newest ways to do it. Start with a small budget to test the waters and gauge the response, but if you’re doing any online marketing or advertising online, remarketing may be the ideal way to tell them once and then tell them again.

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Historical Snapshot

ASA-MI and DRPs, Carstation.com, Right to Repair and Toby Chess’ Legal Threat with John Yoswick

20 years ago in the collision repair industry (April 1995) Tucked into a referendum on the ballot in Michigan last November was a provision that would have allowed an insurer to establish a direct repair program only if all repair facilities meeting the insurer’s criteria are allowed to participate in the program. But the provision was part of a larger referendum on renewal of the state’s no-fault insurance regulations, and opponents of no-fault insurance successfully defeated the measure. The Automotive Service Association of Michigan now hopes to attach the DRP provision from the unsuccessful ballot measure to one of several other bills making their way through the state’s legislature in 1995. – As reported in Spray Dust Magazine. The legislation was never passed in Michigan, but a similar bill was passed in Montana in 2009. Some believe that law was among the rea-

sons Travelers discontinued its direct repair program in Montana last fall, as part of the insurer’s effort to “ensure regulatory requirements and customer service expectations are met.”

15 years ago in the collision repair industry (April 2000) Nine months after its first panel discussion on “e-commerce,” a second Collision Industry Conference (CIC) panel convened on the same issue. “At that time, parts and e-commerce in our industry was just an idea,” Russ Thrall, chairman of the CIC Electronic Commerce Committee said of last July’s panel. “There were a lot of people working on it, but it really wasn’t happening to a large extent. Today, the situation is drastically different.” The panel at CIC in Kansas City, MO, in April included representatives of three organizations currently or soon using the internet to allow shops, in-

surers and vendors to conduct business. Frank Terlep of CarStation.com, said his company has determined that the cost for a shop to order one part using current methods is between $2.50 and

In April of 2000, Frank Terlep was a vice president at CarStation.com, an early electronic parts ordering hub that, like many “dotcom” start-up companies of that era, did not survive much more than two years. He is now CEO of Summit eMarketing Sherpas

$10; automatic parts ordering via the internet can not only reduce errors but also cut these administrative costs by at least half.

Terlep said online parts ordering would require the shop to do little more than prepare a computerized estimate. “Instead of printing out that document and faxing it [to parts suppliers], once you upload that estimate to an e-business hub, we communicate it automatically to the vendors you’ve chosen,” Terlep said. “You’re not going through the printing; you’re not faxing it to multiple vendors. We want to integrate the procedure into the existing workflow.” Shop owners on the panel and in the CIC audience raised some concerns about online parts ordering, questioning whether it may be another step toward direct purchase of parts by insurers and raising privacy issues. “I certainly have a problem with giving every dealership all that [customer] information [from the estimate], because I don’t want that dealership selling my customer a new car just because he got in a wreck,” California

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shop owner Kevin Caldwell said. “Information is valuable. Who owns the information is a bigger question.” – As reported in Autobody News. Carstation.com, like many of the “dotcom” start-up companies of that era, did not survive; by early 2001 it had laid off staff, closed offices and sold rights to its technology to another company. Terlep is now the CEO of Summit eMarketing Sherpas, a body shop marketing firm focusing on use of social media and technology. Caldwell is now a senior claim service consultant with Allstate Insurance.

10 years ago in the collision repair industry (April 2005) U.S. Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) predicted passage in 2005 of federal “Right to Repair” legislation (the “Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act”) during remarks to more than 250 people at the Aftermarket Legislative Summit. Wearing a “Support the Right to Repair Act” button, Barton urged summit attendees to follow-up on their experience in Washington, D.C. by meeting with their elected officials in their home district, reinforcing the value of grass-roots advocacy. Barton’s remarks preceded the attendees’

200 appointments with legislators and key staff from 37 states. “Everyone at the summit was energized by the encouraging words from Rep. Barton, the bill’s sponsor and chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee,” said Kathleen Schmitz, president and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), a key backer of the “Right to Repair” bill. “There is truly a sense that momentum and support for our legislation is growing. – As reported in Parts & People. The federal “Right to Repair” legislation, designed to ensure independent shops have access to the same OEM repair information as dealership shops, was never passed, although the AAIA (now the “Auto Care Association”) pushed for it for nearly a decade after Rep. Barton predicted its imminent approval by Congress. A state version of “Right to Repair” was enacted in Massachusetts in 2012. Although long critical of any volunteer agreement with automakers, the AAIA in 2014 signed just such a voluntary agreement with the automakers to suspend efforts to pass the legislation in exchange for the automakers agreeing to extend the

terms of the Massachusetts law nationwide.

5 years ago in the collision repair industry (April 2010) Just hours before industry trainer Toby Chess was to make another presentation about non-OEM bumper and structural parts at last week’s Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Atlanta, Chess said he was threatened with a lawsuit if he did so. He declined to reveal who threatened the legal action, but said because he had not had a chance to consult with an attorney, he chose to forego making his presentation at the meeting. In presentations at the last two CIC meetings, Chess showed potential problems with a number of non-OEM bumper parts, including apparent significant differences in the material and structure of the parts. In one presentation last November, Chess used a firefighter’s extrication saw to show how much easier it was to cut through the metal used to make a non-OEM bumper bar being sold as a replacement for an OEM part made from ultra-highstrength steel. That has led at least four insurers to pull back from the use of such parts;

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it has also led parts suppliers to develop tracking and recall programs for the parts, and to the launch of several testing and certification programs for such parts. Chess was clearly frustrated by the threat of legal action against him, saying he never portrayed the demonstrations as scientific research but merely as a way to “bring light” to a potential problem. “I was asked last month why I did this,” Chess said. “I said that I don’t work for insurance companies, I don’t work for parts companies, I don’t work for body shops. I work for the consumer. I’m a trainer. I teach. So I have no vested stake in this. I thought it was necessary to say these things.” – As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), April 19, 2010. Although Chess chose a different topic for his presentation at the next CIC in 2010, the non-OEM structural parts issues he had raised still got plenty of attention. Ford reported on testing the automaker did comparing nonOEM bumper beams, bumper brackets, and radiator core supports to the corresponding Ford parts, finding differences in spot welds and the types, thicknesses and weights of the materials used.

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CAA Lobbyist Explains How Things Get Done at the California Capitol Building by Ed Attanasio

With the California Autobody Association’s (CAA) upcoming annual Legislative Day happening on April 14 in Sacramento, CA, body shop owners will once again converge at the State Capitol to meet with their legislators and discuss issues that affect the collision industry. As an attorney/lobbyist practicing for over two decades at the California State Capitol, Jack Molodanof is frequently asked: “Can one person really make a difference?” And his response is always an emphatic “Yes!” “Not only can one person make a difference, but one person can also make others change their perception of an issue,” Molodanof explained. “You have the power in that you have first-hand experience as it relates to issues that are most important to you. Let the lawmakers know how you feel about these issues. You must be heard to make a change.” To open every CAA Legislative Day, Molodanof briefs the members in attendance about the best ways to get results from their local legislators and here are some of these:

Do Your Homework First First off, do you know the names of your local legislators? If not, it’s very easy to find out by going to www.legalifno.ca.gov. Learn about their backgrounds and maybe more importantly, learn how to pronounce their names. If you live in Santa Cruz and your assemblyman’s name is Mark Stone that’s no problem, but what about if you’re from San Luis Obispo and your assemblyman’s name is Katcho Achadjian? If and when you’re able to meet your legislator, mispronouncing their name is definitely not a great way to start any conversation. In addition, try to learn some other interesting things about your local legislators—including their political affiliations and the names of their key assistants, for example. It’s also very easy to sign up for their enewsletters and get on their mailing lists to keep updated about what they’re doing. By doing your research and due diligence, you’ll be ready to make a favorable impression when you meet your local legislator, whether it’s at an organization-sponsored Legislative

Day, a meet and greet event or a local fundraiser.

Open the Dialogue & Keep it Open After your initial interaction with your legislator, don’t back off or disappear into the mist. Write a thank you letter for that first meeting and keep the lines of communication open. Check in but don’t call weekly. If you don’t get a timely response, don’t be dissuaded, because these are busy people and just because they did not respond doesn’t mean they aren’t hearing your voice. By becoming a resource for your legislator on topics you’re familiar with, you can help your legislator on issues that impact the automotive repair industry and the collision repair industry specifically.

Stay Classy When talking to your legislators, obviously threatening them or suggesting a bribe is strictly taboo. Just as importantly, never mislead a legislator and don’t be pushy, even if you’re passionate about the issue. And don’t waste their valuable time—get in there, make your point and get out. Your legislator will respect your professional behavior and more likely remember you the next time. Also, it’s important to know each member of your legislator’s staff, because in many cases those are the people you’ll be meeting with, at least initially. They gather information and brief their legislator about issues and rely on their judgment, which means they can influence a decision with new information. Know the staff members’ titles (Chief of Staff, Committee Staff, Legislative Aide, etc.) and ask them questions, such as what they’re hearing from the opposition; do they have enough information to advise their legislator on the issue and/or does the legislator need to listen to more of their constituents before making a decision? And never talk down to a staff member or underestimate his/her power. If you get an aide or your side about an issue, you can get a lot done without walking the hallways of the Capitol or sending countless letters.

Focus, Focus, Focus When interacting with any legislator or its staff, stay on point and talk only

50 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

about things that are directly related to the issues at hand. He or she doesn’t need to know your life story, so get to the facts quickly and make your case without dallying. If you can get past the first initial meeting, maybe you can get chummy with your legislator down the road. But never lose sight of the fact that your #1 deliverable is getting your voice heard, clearly and succinctly on the issues that concern you.

Do It the ‘Write’ Way It’s great to contact your legislators via phone or in person, but writing to them is just as effective. When you write a personal letter or email to your legislator, they’re first off obligated to respond in a timely fashion. Secondly, it creates a record and documents your actions, so that later you can use them possibly as leverage. Make copies of your letters and send them to other body shops. By cc’ing them to your legislators, your message will have more impact and get more attention.

Get the Word Out Once you have your legislator’s ear,

tell other body shops what you’re doing and what you’ve achieved. There are always a handful of shop owners out there who want to be heard and if your efforts will spark their desire to join in, it can only help. If you can get other legislators to listen to shop owners throughout the state, now you’ve taken it past your backyard and right to the steps of the Capitol. This is when real change can take place, when business owners work as a team for a better industry. Jack Molodanof is a California attorney and lobbyist who has distinguished himself in areas of automotive legislative and regulatory law over the past 30 years. He’s the go-to lawyer/lobbyist in California for the automotive repair industry and represents several statewide automotive associations, including the California Autobody Association (CAA) and Automotive Service Councils of California (ASCCA). Molodanof also serves on the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) Advisory Group, which provides input on BAR programs. For questions, contact Jack Molodanof at jack@mgrco.org.

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NJ Man Sentenced to 12 Years After Involvement in Carjacking Ring That Trafficked High-End Cars to West Africa

Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced on March 16 that a Newark man was sentenced to state prison for his role in a major international carjacking ring that stole highend cars in New Jersey and New York and shipped them to West Africa. Deandre Stevenson, 43, of Newark, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, including four years of parole ineligibility. Stevenson pleaded guilty to first-degree money laundering and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon on Sept. 16, 2014. Stevenson served as a fence and car thief for the stolen car trafficking ring. Investigators recovered roughly 160 stolen cars worth more than $8 million, primarily at ports in New Jersey and New York. The Division of Criminal Justice indicted 26 defendants on Dec. 18, 2014, on charges including first-degree racketeering. Those defendants included three alleged ringleaders, two alleged shippers for the ring, and 21 associates who fenced cars, committed carjackings and thefts, and acted as wheel men who moved and hid the luxury vehicles. Four defendants, including Stevenson, pleaded guilty before the indictment. The ring targeted high-end vehicles, particu-

larly luxury SUVs made by Land Rover, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Honda, Porsche, Jaguar and Aston Martin. Twenty-seven of the recovered vehicles had been taken in carjackings, a majority of which involved a gun or other weapon, while the others were stolen from various locations where the thieves were able to steal them with one or more of their electronic keys or key fobs, which are critical to the resale value of the cars. In West Africa, the luxury vehicles trafficked by the ring commanded prices in excess of new market value in the U.S. “Through Operation Jacked, we addressed a very dangerous form of street-level crime by locking up ring members who were terrorizing our communities with armed carjackings,” said Acting Attorney General Hoffman. “Carjackings have declined dramatically across the region, thanks to the work of the Essex County Carjacking Task Force, and thanks also to the fact that we dismantled this major criminal enterprise, which was offering the kind of profits that motivated offenders to commit these crimes.” “Stevenson is one of the first members of this carjacking ring to be sentenced, and he rightfully has received a lengthy prison term,” said Di-

52 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

rector Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “Many more will follow, because we’ve charged over two dozen defendants with first-degree racketeering. We’re making sure these criminals will not be joining together again to endanger our communities.” “Stevenson will have 12 years to think about how his actions, and the actions of his co-defendants, have hurt and traumatized victims,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “We look forward to the upcoming prosecution of the additional defendants charged as a result of Operation Jacked.” Individuals filled various roles in the ring, including carjacker, car thief, wheel man, fence, shipper and buyer. Carjackers and thieves, who worked in “theft crews,” would typically be paid $4,000 to $8,000 for a stolen car by street-level fences, who sold cars up the chain to higher-level fences. Shippers would load the cars into shipping containers, which were taken to ports for transport by ship to West Africa. Of the roughly 160 vehicles recovered, 140 were recovered at ports, including Port Newark, Port Elizabeth and Howland Hook Seaport in Staten Island, N.Y. The ring oper-

ated in multiple counties in New Jersey, including Essex, Union, Morris, Monmouth, Middlesex, Bergen and Somerset Counties. Theft crews used various methods to steal cars, including carjackings. They always had a goal of obtaining keys or key fobs. Carjackers would often target victims by bumping their vehicles from behind on the highway. When victims stopped to address the situation, the carjackers would take their key by force or threat, or simply jump into the vehicle and drive off if the key was left inside. Guns or other weapons were used in a number of carjackings. Thefts also occurred at carwashes and at airports, where drivers would leave cars running at terminals to unload luggage. In other cases, members of the ring would obtain cars through fraud, using bad checks to buy cars from new and used car dealerships.

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Blumenthal

ing to alert the public that using imitation parts is not in the consumers’ best interest.” Ferraiolo clarifies that their battle is not against all aftermarket parts, as some may be viable and safe to use, but their issues are specifically with imitation parts made for crash repairs.

He claims, “No imitation parts I’ve seen in my twenty-five years of business matches up to the original manufacturer part.” In order to demonstrate the differences to Senator Blumenthal, Ferraiolo set up several imitation parts and OEM

parts to perform a comparison. When examining two hoods and the necessary replacement parts, Ferraiolo noted that the welds were smaller on the imitation parts and the latch connection was weaker. “Our biggest demonstration was a reinforcement beam for a Ford Mustang,” Ferraiolo says. “We were able to bend the imitation part with pliers, but we couldn’t budge the OEM part. Senator Blumenthal held the part to find it was noticeably lighter which creates obvious potential to negatively impact the safety of the repair.” When investigating the headlights, Senator Blumenthal could see an apparent difference in the shape, color and intensity of the beam. Ferraiolo also informed the senator about the lack of effectiveness in the aftermarket parts recall process. Because no single entity monitors aftermarket parts recalls, the consumer has no idea that a part on their vehicle may be defective unless the shop doing the repairs informs them. In comparison, OEM part recalls are linked to the car’s VIN, allowing vehicle owners to

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grams so we can use OEM parts at the reimbursement rate of some imitation parts.” Senator Blumenthal is pressing the Department of Justice to investigate this issue, and he has also expressed concern with the 1963 Consent Decree. He has been reiterating his message in articles and radio interviews to emphasize the danger of shops using substandard parts. Ferraiolo is “proud to have Senator Blumenthal as our senator. He’s taking a pretty radical stand against the

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be properly informed of a possible safety issue. Ferraiolo believes that the same recall process needs to be instituted for aftermarket and imitation parts also.* Blumenthal said he s working on policy for safety recalls now. Ferraiolo emphasizes, “even though the parts may look identical, the recall information indicates that the part subject to recall could cause an accident or even death, so this is a serious concern that greatly endangers consumers.” Ferraiolo explains that no test crash data is gathered to guarantee that these parts perform the same as OEM parts. This issue is compounded farther by modern technology, such as new safety systems. Ferraiolo said that “until data substantiates that imitation parts work the same, there is no reason to use them unless the consumer wants them. I don’t see these parts as comparable quality. Shops should not use imitation parts until testing is completed on them. We don’t use them in my shop; instead, we inform the consumer that the insurer is requesting them and ex-

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www.koeppelmazda.com www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 53

Collision Avoidance Sensor Market Expected to Reach $10B by 2020 According to market research launched by Grand View Research, the Global Collision Avoidance Sensors Market Size was $3.22 billion in 2013 and will grow to $10.01 billion by 2020. The development of self-driving cars will support market growth during the forecast period. Updated ratings of safety agencies and incorporation of anti-collision sensors in mass-market models is expected to propel market growth over the next six years. Increasing awareness among consumers and extensive R&D by market players has fueled market growth. Collision avoidance sensors enable vehicles to carry out semi-autonomous and autonomous decision making. Rising need for security from consumers and governments is also expected to drive collision avoidance sensors market growth. Recent developments in sensor technology

Continued from Page 53

Blumenthal

insurance industry for someone in government.” Although one local television station was present at the press conference on February 28, the story was

Continued from 23

Takata Takes Steps

valueless. The ARA alleges that it and the Automotive Recyclers had an expectation that Takata and the Auto Manufacturers would disclose known defects in a timely manner to abide federal, state and common law. The failure to properly disclose the defect caused the Automotive Recyclers to purchase vehicles containing the Takata airbags for amounts greater than their worth. “Right now, 49 states allow for the sale of recycled, non-deployed OEM airbags,” ARA CEO Michael E. Wil-

are oriented towards making devices more sophisticated and augmenting them with various parts of an automobile. Anticollision sensors enable automotive OEMs to integrate more intelligence in order to achieve the goal of an autonomous car. Strict legal and regulatory standards have mandated inclusion of sensors in motor vehicles; this is further estimated to drive the collision avoidance sensors market. However, high cost of long-range radar and LiDAR-based sensors may restrain market growth as lowprice carmakers may abstain from adding onto the cost of vehicles. Further key findings from the study suggest: Radar-based sensors accounted for over 35% of the global market in 2013; the segment is further expected to gain market share over the forecast period.

Falling prices of radar have led to increased adoption of the technology by various automotive OEMs. Camerabased collision avoidance sensors are expected witness high growth, owing to government regulations mandating their incorporation into vehicles. Adaptive cruise control accounted for majority of the market share in 2013. Such systems rely on long-range radar sensors as well as medium and short range radar to automatically adjust the vehicle’s speed. Technological innovation may make their incorporation a standard in vehicles to counter the threat of accidents due to human error, which is the cause of 90% of all accidents according to a 2014 UN Road Safety Collaboration study. Europe is expected to continue being the market leader over the fore-

deemed “not newsworthy” and never ran. Ferraiolo does not know the reason the report didn’t run, but he finds it “interesting. I can’t understand how something that affects consumer safety isn’t newsworthy.” *[Karen Fierst has pointed out in commentary posted at autobodynews.com that OEMs have no mechanism to identify the channel of distribution of their parts are sold into the aftermarket. In fact, they are not always sure which new vehicles were built with the faulty part. She says the collision repair aftermarket has a mechanism for addressing recalls. Every certified aftermarket part, whether certified by Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) or

NSF, is clearly designated so that it can be tracked by the manufacturer to the distributor. NSF-certified distributors can track the parts to the exact collision repair shop. I believe that some distributors can also track to the vehicle if the shop has provided the R.O. or claim number, but I don’t know how common that ability is. In any event,

son told Autobody News. “New York is currently the only state in the country where professional automotive recyclers are unable to sell recycled, non-deployed OEM airbags.” Wilson added, “The Automotive Recyclers Association supports only the reutilization of the recycled nondeployed OEM airbag module. ARA has a protocol for the use of original equipment non-deployed airbags, ARAPro, which provides guidelines for the practice of removing an OEM non-deployed airbag, including rigorous inspection, documentation, storage, audit procedures.” As of March 2015, evidence shows that at least six motorists have been killed by defective Takata airbags.

54 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

cast period; it accounted for over 30% of the market in 2013. Asia Pacific is expected to be a fast growing regional market over the forecast period due to low manufacturing costs and rising auto sales in the region. Key industry participants include Bosch, Continental, Delphi, Denso, Autoliv, TRW, etc. Major vendors differ on the basis of their pricing and system integration. Market players invest heavily in R&D to offer cost-effective and differentiated collision avoidance sensors to automotive OEMs and aftermarket. Get more information on Global Collision Avoidance Sensors Market or request for sample of this report: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/ industry-analysis/collision-sensorsmarket.

the distributor can definitely track the part to the shop, if not to the exact job. Ironically, while shops often erroneously allege that aftermarket parts cannot be recalled, as is reported to have happened at the forum, the fact is the breakdown in the certified aftermarket part recall process is between the shop and the vehicle owner.

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Gunder’s Auto Center Defeats Progressive’s Motion to Dismiss & Invoke Appraisal Clause On February 23rd, 2015, the Honorable Judge Susan B. Flood of the County Court of the Tenth Judicial Circuit in and for Polk County denied Progressive Casualty Insurance Company’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Ray Gunder of Gunder’s Auto Center, acting on behalf of his customer and strike claim for attorney’s fees. Furthermore, the court denied the insurer’s efforts to invoke the Appraisal Clause as provided for in their policy contract. This is not the first time that Gunder, who is part of a large lawsuit involving 45 other repair shops in Central Florida, has spoken out against State Farm and other major insurance companies. In an article published by the Orlando Sentinel in August 2014, he stated, “This is a real safety issue. So many shops are forced to do shortcuts with the money that’s being paid, and insurance companies end up free of liability. We’re just looking for enough money to fix the cars right, in a safe and efficient way.”

Gunder added that he has seen many cars that were repaired improperly at other shops under insurer-imposed expense limits. One of those instances, discussed in the orlando Sentinel article, occurred after a 2007 Toyota Camry hybrid, owned by Joan Dick of Lake Wales, FL, got into a collision. Dick said, she had the car repaired first at a shop that is part of State Farm’s repair program. She said the car still shook violently on the road, so she took it to Gunder. His inspections indicated a cracked block and bent steering column, among other problems, Dick said in an interview. The car eventually had to be totaled. The lawsuit filed by Gunder at the end of February was on behalf of another customer who executed a Durable Limited Power of Attorney, allowing Gunder to stand in his shoes for this litigation. The suit was necessitated by Progressive’s failure to pay for the reasonable and necessary costs to perform repairs to Gunder’s customer’s damaged vehicle.

“Progressive tried hard to keep our legal action from going forward by invoking their bogus “appraisal clause” and motion for dismissal, stated Gunder after learning of the judge’s ruling. “I sat in that courtroom and watched our brilliant Attorney, Brent Geohagan, destroy Progressive’s legal counsel’s arguments and offer the Judge reasoning as to why our position was correct. The Judge agreed and rendered her decision in favor of our customer.” Gunder went on to say, “This ruling is huge as it allows us to proceed with the multiple lawsuits we currently have in process on behalf of other customers who have been shortchanged by this insurer as well as other insurers who have underpaid their policyholders.” The lawsuits seek full payment of the underpayments, plus costs, expenses, attorney fees, prejudgment and post judgment interest.

CREF to Highlight Collision Career Opportunities

To help provide school counselors from around the country with collision industry and career opportunity information for their students, the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) will be exhibiting and presenting at the 2015 American School Counselor Association Annual Conference. The event will be held June 28July 1 in Phoenix, AZ. The Education Foundation will have a booth during the conference’s trade show and present during the “Career Tracks” section of the event. CREF Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode noted, “The Education Foundation has increased our efforts to communicate to school administration and counselors about the need to support their high school and college collision school programs and participating in this event is key to ensure that the collision industry is visible to this group.” For information about the American School Counselor Association, visit www.SchoolCounselor .org. Those interested in making a donation should contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at 847.463.5244 or Brandon.Eckenrode @ed-foundation.org.

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www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 57

Three-C Body Shops File Lawsuit Against At-Fault Driver Due to Insurer’s Underpayment

On behalf of their customer, Three C Body Shops filed suit against the atfault party due to their insurance company’s denials and underpayments. The complaint was filed in the Municipal Court of Franklin County in Ohio against Caleb Brickey due to Brickey’s insurer’s (Allstate Insurance Company) failure and refusal to provide a Three C Body Shop’s customer full payment for numerous reasonable and necessary charges for processes and materials. The issues stemmed from an auto accident in which the at-fault party, Brickey, was negligent and admitted liability for damages to Three C Body Shop’s customer’s 2005 Jeep Liberty. Three C’s submitted their estimate to the at-fault party’s insurer and after four supplemental attempts to attain the full and proper compensation, at the direction of their customer, Three C Body Shops proceeded with the recommended and proper repair. The final cost of the authorized repair was $5,687.83 and the at-fault party’s insurer, Allstate, tendered the underpayment of $3,585.43 towards the repair leaving a difference and deficit of $2,102.40 of which Three C Body Shop has incurred and is now seeking recovery on their own behalf.

The lawsuit seeks full payment to Three C’s of the difference plus costs, expenses, attorney fees, prejudgment and post judgment interest. Bob Juniper, second generation President and owner of Three C stated, “Up to now many repairers have found that to properly meet their customer’s needs and expectations it is necessary to make a proper and thorough repair and take an Assignment of Proceeds and through ensuing litigation, seek recovery against their customer’s own insurers by an assignment contract clause and a Power of Attorney signed by the customer. This matter involves a third-party claimant seeking recompense for the insurer’s denials and underpayments directly from the at-fault party. This process exposes the insurer’s poor behavior to their policyholder and places the at-fault party in a position of vulnerability and exposes them to liabilities. Liabilities they expected their own insurer to shield them from. Their failure to shield their policyholder may place the insurer in a position of potential breach of contract and other potential legal liabilities. Our hope is this exposure will cause for a positive change in insurer behaviors; regardless if a first or third party claim.”

Wedge Clamp Opens U.S. Office in Long Beach, CA

Canada-based Wedge Clamp Systems Inc. has a new US office and head of operations. Peter Allan became chief operating officer for the United States, with responsibility for sales and customer service of all Wedge Clamp products. These products include innovaPeter Allan, Wedge tive anchoring, a Clamp Chief Operat- pulling and measing Officer for the uring system, its United States NitroHeat nitrogen-based spraypaint system, and its new static-fighting Stat-Gun, which launches this spring in North America. Allan moved from his home in Sydney, Australia to assume duties at the company’s new office in Long Beach, CA. His background is in financial management and commercial property management. “My immediate goal is be to build brand awareness in California,” he said. “I also want to build a distribution network, initially in California and then into surrounding states, particularly Arizona and Nevada. There will be a lot of knocking on doors.”

Allan added, “I have always had a passion for cars. I once took a 1971 Mini engine apart and put it back together. I’m excited to have this opportunity to work in the automotive industry. I also spent most of this morning working as a body tech.” He laughed about a recent training session at one of the 37 Craftsman Collision shops in Western Canada, also owned by new Wedge Clamp owner Bill Hatswell. “Apparently I’m a natural.” Allan said sales have been steadily rising in China since the company opened its office and training facility in Suzhou, near Shanghai in 2012. “The typical shop’s limited square footage combined with the system’s moderate price point makes it the go-to system there,” he said. “Chinese bodyshops are saving both space and money.” He said Wedge Clamp has sold particularly well in its home territory of British Columbia. “We’re aiming for similar success in other parts of Canada and the United States,” says Allan. For information about Wedge Clamp and its products, phone 1-800615-9949, visit www.wedgeclamp .com or email info@wedgeclamp.com.

58 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

House of Kolor by Valspar Announces Multiple Wins at CA Car Shows House of Kolor by Valspar announced that Greg Meyer received numerous wins at the Grand National Roadster Show and Sacramento Autorama. Meyer displayed a 1933 Chevy Custom Roadster “Admeyer” at both shows in January and February of

tured five awards, among them Outstanding Paint and Outstanding Street Rod. “I did not want to sacrifice anything with the Admeyer build. Our goal was an elegant, quality roadster with flowing lines and glowing paint. With that in mind, we had to have the best paint available, House of Kolor. Ben’s Custom Paint delivered an exceptional paint finish only available from House of Kolor,” said Meyer. Other winners featuring House of Kolor include John D’Agostino’s 1968 Buick Riviera, which took home the H.A. Bagdasar1933 Chevy Custom Roadster “Admeyer”displayed by ian– World’s Most BeauGreg Meyer tiful Custom and Bob 2015. This build was 13 years in the Bruhn’s 1965 American Motors Marmaking and featured House of Kolor lin with the Steve’s Auto Restoration Kandy Tangerine, painted by Ben Award. House of Kolor and Valspar AuConley of Ben’s Custom Paint, Oretomotive are on Facebook and Instagon City, OR. “Admeyer” was honored with gram. For information about House of Outstanding Paint in the America’s Kolor, visit www.houseofkolor .com. For additional information about Most Beautiful Roadster category at The Grand National Roadster Show. Valspar Automotive, visit: At Sacramento Autorama, Meyer cap- www.valsparauto.com.

YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT THE FIRST REPAIR. Choose Original MINI Parts. Because you can’t repair your reputation.

These Dealers Below Are Original MINI Parts Distributors:

New Jersey

MINI of Mount Laurel

Prestige MINI

(856) 813-4622 Fax M-F 7-5; Sat 8-12

(201) 760-5072 Fax M-F 8-5; Sat 8-4

Mt. Laurel

855-465-6267 Ext. 6 parts@MINIofMtLaurel.com

Maryland

Ramsey

201-760-5080

parts@prestigemini.com PRESTIGEMINI.COM

MINI of Baltimore Owings Mills

866-416-3552

(410) 363-7158 Fax

parts@minibaltimore.com MINIBALTIMORE.COM

Original BMW Parts

bmwusa.com

Original Thought #78

YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT THE FIRST REPAIR.

When you repair a BMW, use the parts that are identical to those used in Series production – and just as reliable. Choose Original BMW Parts and Accessories. Because you can’t repair your reputation.

CONNECTICUT

BMW of Bridgeport

Bridgeport 855-953-3111 203-394-6209 Fax M-F 7am-5pm www.bmwofbridgeport.com

BMW of Darien

Darien 203-328-1325 203-978-0043 Fax M-F 7:30am-4:30pm matt.myslinski@bmwdarien.com

BMW of Ridgefield

Ridgefield 203-438-0413 203-894-8956 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm rwhalen@bmwofridgefield.com www.bmwofridgefield.com

MARYLAND

BMW of Bel Air

Bel Air 877-663-3046 443-640-1234 Fax parts@bmwbelair.com

BMW of Catonsville

Catonsville 800-638-8401 410-818-2600 Fax M-F 8am-5pm www.bmwofcatonsville.com

BMW of Rockville

Rockville 888-455-9403 301-984-1710 Fax parts@bmwrockville.com

BMW of Silver Spring

Silver Spring 855-314-6468 301-890-3748 Fax wholesaless@mileone.com

BMW of Towson

Towson 888-478-1901 410-296-4852 Fax parts@bmwtowson.com

MASSACHUSETTS Wagner BMW of Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury 866-438-3997 508-581-5940 508-845-6718 Fax M-Th 7am-5:30pm F 7am-5pm djoyce@wagnermotors.com

www.wagnerbmwofshrewsbury.com

BMW of Sudbury Sudbury 800-338-3198 508-881-7578 Fax M-Fri 7am-5pm

wholesaleparts@herbchambers.com

www.bmwofsudbury.com

NEW JERSEY

BMW of Mt. Laurel Mt. Laurel 856-840-1486 856-222-0506 Fax

BMW of Newton

Newton 973-579-6020 973-579-6702 Fax M-F 8am-5:30pm bmwofnewtonparts@gmail.com www.bmwnewton.com

Flemington BMW

Flemington 800-782-4269 908-824-9913 Fax www.flemingtonbmw.com

Paul Miller BMW

Wayne 800-322-9172 973-696-8274 Fax M-Sat 8am-6pm jjanots@paulmiller.com www.paulmillerbmw.com

BMW of Morristown

Morristown 866-9-BMW PARTS 973-796-3146 Fax M-Fri 8am-6pm

wholesaleparts.bmw@openroad.com

www.bmwofmorristown.com

PENNSYLVANIA Apple BMW

York 717-849-6597 717-843-2948 Fax M-F 7am-5pm Sat 8am-4pm

applebmwparts@appleauto1.com

www.applebmwofyork.com

Thompson BMW

Doylestown 215-340-9823 215-340-9361 Fax

RHODE ISLAND BMW of Newport

Middletown 401-847-9600 401-841-0680 Fax M-F 7:30am-5:30pm www.bmwofnewport.com

www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 59

WIN’s 2015 Most Influential Women in Collision Repair

The Women’s Industry Network (WIN) announced this year’s honorees for the Most Influential Women (MIW) of the collision industry. ● Cheryl Boswell, CFO, DCR Systems LLC, Duluth, Georgia ● Lauren Fix, President, Automotive Aspects Inc., Lancaster, New York ● Lisa Siembab, Owner, CARSTAR Berlin, Berlin, Connecticut ● Ruth Weniger, CEO, Airbag Solutions LLC, Ivins, Utah “The nominees this year showcased a breadth of responsibilities,” stated Russell Long, President of Change Innovations, the company contracted to conduct the interviews and select the honorees. “Each year, women from different facets of the collision repair industry are selected for their passion and commitment to progressive and positive evolution of the industry,” stated Denise Caspersen, WIN chair. Established in 1999 by AkzoNobel, WIN acquired stewardship of the Most Influential Women program in 2013. When the WIN Educational Conference convenes in Baltimore, MD on May 4-6 the honorees will be celebrated during an awards dinner. For information, go to: www.womensindustrynetwork.com.

WIN Acknowledges 2015 Corporate Sponsors

The Women’s Industry Network (WIN®) recently announced their 2015 corporate sponsorships: Gold Sponsors ($10,000): AkzoNobel Coatings Inc. Axalta Coating Systems PPG Industries Inc. Silver Sponsors ($5,000): National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) The 3M Company Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. Service King Collision Repair Centers State Farm Insurance Valspar Corporation Bronze Sponsors ($2,500): Allstate Insurance Company AudaExplore, a Solera Company Caliber Collision The Certified Automotive Parts Assoc. CARSTAR CCC Information Services Inc. FinishMaster Inc. Fix Auto USA GEICO Gerber Collision & Glass The Hertz Corporation MetLife Auto & Home Mitchell International Nationwide Safelite Solutions Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes

WIN Member Sees Huge Opportunities in Industry

As a college intern, Rosalie Tamburro supported sponsorship activities as well as learning and development for a major paint company. She found that the industry was filled with friendly, supportive professionals, and that the automotive industry peeked her interest. Upon graduation, Tamburro sought to continue her involvement by joining PPG Automotive Refinish as a Marketing Communications Specialist, based in their Strongsville, OH headquarters. Tamburro explained, “I was attracted to the automotive industry for two different reasons. One reason is credited to PPG, I knew after joining the team that this is where I was meant to be. In addition to the industry aligning Rosalie Tamburro with my interests, joined PPG Autothe culture and motive Refinish customers are exas Marketing ceptional. RefinCommunications ish is so diverse – Specialist from cutting-edge technology to the custom painter who can amaze with their creative talent, there’s always something to look for-

ward to.” After two years, Tamburro shifted in 2014 to a new role acting as a liaison to the Canadian market. Like many, Tamburro sees a huge opportunity for social media and other interactive marketing initiatives to be leveraged in the auto industry. “These platforms allow businesses to really engage with their customers in a whole new way. The technology and resources that are available to promote any business is something that offers endless opportunities.” Tamburro’s manager, Cristina Fronzaglia, encouraged her to get connected with those across the industry by joining and participating in the Women’s Industry Network (WIN). Tamburro has taken that advice, joining the Communications Committee and agreeing to take on the role of Scholarship Liaison within the first month of becoming a WIN member. “I am a member of WIN because I wanted to be part of a group that makes an impact in the industry.” Recently, she learned that one of her colleagues, Jessica Crowley, is actually a WIN Scholarship recipient from 2012. Thank you to WIN for providing this article to Autobody News magazine.

See these Hyundai dealers below for all your collision parts needs! MARYLAND

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW YORK

Fitzgerald Lakeforest Hyundai

Route 2 Hyundai

Atlantic Hyundai

L EOMI NS TER

WE ST ISLI P

GAI THER SBU RG

888-240-3495

631-587-1628

301-670-4881

978-534-9933 Fax

631-893-8491 Fax

301-670-1595 Fax

Mon-Thu 7:30am - 7:30pm Fri-Sat 7:30am - 6pm

Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm Sat 8am - 4pm

parts@rte2hyundai.com www.rte2hyundai.com

www.AtlanticHyundai.com

www.fitzmall.com

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW JERSEY

ROC HESTER

Gary Rome Hyundai

Maxon Hyundai

800-295-7977

HOLYOKE

U NI ON

585-292-9724 Fax

800-559-7583

800-964-7281

Mon-Fri 8am - 8pm Sat 8am - 4pm

Mon-Fri 7:30am - 6pm Sat 8am - 4pm

QUALITY IS ALL WE THINK ABOUT. THAT AND QUALITY.

Vision Hyundai

413-536-6349 Fax

908-851-5631 Fax

Mon-Thu 7:30am - 8pm Fri: 7:30am - 6pm; Sat 8am - 4pm

Mon-Fri 8am - 6pm Sat 8am - 5pm

www.GaryRomeHyundai.com

www.hyundaioempartssuperstore.com

Herb Chambers Hyundai AU BU RN

800-767-1898 508-832-6026 Fax Mon-Fri 7am - 6pm Sat 8am - 3pm pobrien@herbchambers.com www.herbchambers.com 60 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

www.visionhyundai.com

Audi Genuine Parts

Become an Audi Genuine Parts Fan

Helping you do business is our business. Order Audi Genuine Parts from these select dealers â&#x20AC;˘ Audi parts departments provide professional customer service that gets you the right part, the first time â&#x20AC;˘ Audi dealerships have access to over 200,000 Audi Genuine Parts

Massachusetts

New Jersey

New York

Audi Shrewsbury

Audi Bridgewater

Cherry Hill Audi

Shrewsbury 866-438-3997 508-581-5940 508-845-6718 Fax M-T 7am-5:30pm; Fri 7am-5pm

Bridgewater 908-800-9000 908-595-0237 Fax M-F 7am-7pm

Cherry Hill 856-665-5660 856-665-4645 Fax M-F 7:30am - 5pm

parts@bernardsvilleaudi.com www.audibridgewater.com

parts@cherryhillimports.com www.cherryhillimports.com

Audi Meadowlands

Flemington Audi

North Bergen 888-416-2834 201-223-7842 Fax M-F 8am-6pm

Flemington 877-NJPARTS 908-782-1795 Fax

Audi Warrington

jpooler@bbmcc.com

Paul Miller Audi

www.1800THOMPSON.com

www.audimeadowlandsatsecaucus.com www.audionlineparts.com

Parsippany 800-356-4553 973-575-7793 973-575-5911 Fax M-F 8am-6pm; Sat 8am-5pm

djoyce@wagnermotors.com www.wagnermotors.com

Maryland Audi Silver Spring Silver Spring 301-890-3015 301-890-3748 Fax M-F 7:30am-6pm ssaudiws@mileone.com www.audisilverspringparts.com

Audi Brooklyn of Bram Wholesale Parts Network 866-770-5999 718-392-6570 Fax 7:30am-5:30pm parts@lexusofqueens.com

Pennsylvania Warrington 215-343-4810 215-343-5352 Fax

www.paulmilleraudi.com Audiparts@paulmiller.com www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 61

Over 100 Dealerships Join Suit v TrueCar Buying Site Contending Deceptive Business Practices Bellavia Blatt & Crossett, PC, an automobile dealer law firm, has filed a mass action lawsuit in Federal Court for the Southern District of New York against TrueCar. The suit charges that the online car buying site engaged in deceptive business practices. The firm is urging additional non-TrueCar affiliated dealerships who have been injured financially by TrueCar’s actions to join in the suit. So far, 117 dealerships are part of the mass action. A second lawsuit, on behalf of TrueCar-affiliated dealers, will be filed in the coming weeks. The suit alleges that the dealers have been injured as the result of TrueCar’s misleading claims and have lost approximately 35 to 85 sales per year, meaning $432,000 to over $1,000,000 in

lost revenue, depending upon dealer sales volume. In addition, TrueCar’s actions have led to the reputations of TrueCar-affiliated dealerships being damaged by the public’s perception of the TrueCar business model and its alleged deceptive business practices. The firm is charging the online car buying site for false advertising in violation of the Lanham Act and unfair competition and deceptive trade practices under state statutes. “TrueCar advertises that their service provides a ‘no haggle experience’ with statements like ‘no negotiation’ and ‘no surprises,’ “ said Leonard Bellavia, Senior Partner. “Yet the buying experience is anything but that as it sets consumers up for disappointment. Our clients have invested

hundreds of millions of dollars to enhance the customer experience, which TrueCar has managed to undermine.” The firm is also representing 1,048 clients in a separate $350 million mass action lawsuit against CARFAX, seeking recovery of alleged substantial overcharges over six years—multiplied by three—in accordance with antitrust laws. The suit claims that CARFAX has illegally aligned itself with major players in the auto industry and abused its monopoly power, resulting in inferior vehicle history reports, exorbitant pricing and a marketing campaign designed to damage the reputation of auto dealers. Mr. Bellavia has represented numerous automobile franchise dealers nationwide against the major players in the U.S. au-

tomotive industry, including auto manufacturers—such as Chrysler, GM and Saab—as well as the U.S. government, arising out of the Chrysler bankruptcy wherein dealers were unjustly terminated without compensation. In response to TrueCar’s alleged violations, Bellavia Blatt is seeking $250,000,000 in damages, as well as injunctive relief compelling TrueCar to change its business model. “We urge other dealers who have been injured by TrueCar’s actions to join in this lawsuit,” Bellavia said. “We will prove that TrueCar’s business model is a bad one—not just for the consumers and dealers, but for the industry in general.” Call 516) 873-3000 or www.TrueJustice.DealerLaw.com.

Mitchell International has announced the release of RepairCenter Hub, the Property & Casualty industry’s first real-time communication and collaboration platform. With built-in privacy controls, RepairCenter Hub leverages powerful social communication methods to enable collaboration within one and among several repair facilities. “We are extremely excited about the release of RepairCenter Hub. We believe that effective communication is key to effi-

ciently processing repairs, reducing service costs and increasing customer satisfaction,” said Jim O’Leary, VP of Product Management. “With RepairCenter Hub, collision repairers can communicate and collaborate with staff all from one central location. Streamlined communications will lead to improved efficiency, reduction in errors and ultimately higher profits.” In addition to information sharing, RepairCenter Hub provides alerts and updates

that notify users when actions need to be taken. Users can subscribe to jobs and receive real-time notifications for visibility into the repair process. Through these alerts, shops no longer have to seek out information during the repair process, streamlining communication and enabling proactive business decisions. “RepairCenter Hub has been readily used by our repair facilities for the past few months,” said Robert Waline, CEO

of Herb’s Paint and Body. “Hub has helped streamline communication and collaboration among our staff. The ability to consolidate real-time communications and events into a single repair order thread saves us time and headache.” Hub will be rolled out to all shops in North America over the next couple of months as part of the RepairCenter platform for the collision repair industry. To learn more about RepairCenter, visit www.repaircenter.mitchell.com.

Mitchell Launches RepairCenter Hub, a Real Time Communication and Collaboration Platform

ORIGINAL GM PARTS S FOR A

PROFESSIONAL FINISH

Call Any y of These Wholesale Parts Dealers.

Maryland

Criswell Chevrolet

Massachusets

Long Cadillac

Cadillac of Mahwah

301-670-0936 Fax 301-590-1457 Local

508-879-1212 Fax 800-982-2258

201-579-6506 Fax

212-708-3127 Fax

M-F 7:30 am - 5 pm mbuksch@cadillacofmahwah.com

M-F 8:00 am - 4:30 pm jmorena@potamkincadillac.com

866-922-1636 GAITHERSBURG

M-F 7am - 7:30pm; Sat 7am - 6pm partssales@criswellauto.com

508-820-9322 SOUTHBOROUGH

M-F 7:30 am - 5 pm tschube@longauto.com

New Jersey

201-579-6497 MAHWAH

BALTIMORE

Flemington Buick Chevrolet GMC

410-661-4677 Fax 410-661-9130 Local

908-782-1795 Fax

Jerry’s Chevrolet 800-638-1419

M-F 7am - 7pm; Sat 7:30am - 5pm parts@jerryschevrolet.com www.jerryschevrolet.com 62 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

877-NJPARTS FLEMINGTON

New York

Potamkin GM

212-708-3080 NEW YORK CITY

Record360 App Documents Damages in One Step, Saving Industry Members Time and Money by Victoria Antonelli, Online Editor

Two former Enterprise Rent-A-Car executives first came up with the idea for an app that captures the condition of a vehicle at the time of exchange back in 2013. “Throughout our combined 35 years in the auto industry, Damon Haber and I frequently came in contact with issues during property exchange,” said co-founder Shane Skinner of Seattle, WA. “I noticed that the same prob-

lems occurred not only with loaner vehicles, but with cars coming in and out of body shops that needed work done.” These “issues” usually spark from a “he said, she said” debate over when and where a particular dent, scratch, or scuff occurred. Did that crack in the back left window happen during the accident or in the body shop? Was that scratch on the hood there before the customer rented the car? Who should pay for it?

Record360 aims to avoid those dilemmas by using a video foundation, versus still-life pictures or paper diagram vehicle condition reports. This feature records the state of the vehicle upon arrival to the shop, carrental company, or dealership. “The app eliminates the use of paperwork and improves workflow, while ultimately saving the shop [or business] money and improving customer service,” said Skinner. Instead of having to take photos, upload them to a computer, and then label which photos belong to which car, the app does it all in one step. Skinner explained that the information is organized by the VIN number, which is scanned at the beginning of the process. When the customer returns to pick up his or her car, the VIN number is scanned again to pull up all of the vehicle’s information. “When using the video feature while walking around the vehicle, you’re able to take still images and note them with data points,” said Skinner. “You’re able to say, ‘Okay there’s a dent there,’ then touch the screen, take

the still, and lock it into the record file for that document, all while still taking the video.” Skinner added that there is a patent pending on this feature. Todd Primo, service manager for Penske Automotive Group in Cerritos, CA, stated on the Record360 website, “We have been using Record360 to document our customers’ vehicles and been very satisfied with the results. We have virtually eliminated the problem of customers claiming damage while their vehicles are in for repair, seeing real savings in damage claims. Record360 has become an integral part of our process that is appreciated by our staff and our customers.” When Autobody News followed up with Primo, he said the dealership’s service advisors, who primarily use the app, gave it a 10 on a 1-10 scale; 10 being the easiest to use. He recommended that body shops download Record360, adding that he’s experienced nothing but success since Penske, Jaguar, Land Rover started using the app in July 2014. Another testimonial on the website, this one from Jennifer Carlson, general manager of Jucy Rentals North America, stated, “Record360 is enterprise ready; already used by leading rental asset management businesses.

’

Lakeforest » Prompt & Dependable Delivery » Experienced & Professional Parts Team

Since implementing Record360 at all our North American locations, disputes over damage are a thing of the past, and we’re saving thousands on undocumented damage. Our employees and customers feel great about our documentation process.” The app hit the iOS market in June 2014 after nine months of development. On April 1, Android users will also be able download Record360, making it accessible on 95 percent of devices. It can be downloaded from the app website as well as the iTunes store for a licensing fee starting at $50 a month. “All the customers love it,” said Skinner. “The feedback so far has been great.” Those interested can check out the demo on the Record360 website.

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Parts Hours: Mon-Fri: 7:30-6:00; Sat: 8-4 email: Ifsparts@fitzmall.com 905 North Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, MD 20879

Parts Hours: Mon-Fri: 7:30-6:00; Sat: 8-4 email: Ifsparts@fitzmall.com 905 North Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, MD 20879 www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 63

RARE PARTS’ Extreme Duty Pitman and Idler Arms

RARE PARTS INC has announced the EXTREME duty pitman and idler arms for 2001–2010 Chevrolet/GMC 2500 and 3500 trucks. “When your customer’s truck has our heavy duty tie rod assemblies installed, the next weak link becomes the pitman and idler arm. The new Extreme arms have been developed to fix that,” said Danny Burgess, President of Rare Parts, located in Stockton, CA. In 2013, the company redesigned its heavy-duty tie rod assemblies, originally designed for AM General. “After seeing the final result, we wanted to apply our design to address another problem with the 2500/3500 trucks and SUVs,” said Burgess. “Namely the weak idler and pitman arm, which are known to allow center link roll and fail prematurely.” Made in the United States, the oversized forged pitman arms are designed with a full ball stud that swivels to eliminate binding between the pitman arm and idler arm when mounted in the center link. It is also heat treated. The Pitman arm and idler arm are never perfectly parallel to each other when mounted. The idler frame bracket can be slightly tilted and the gear box can also be tilted in relationship to the idler frame bracket. For more information, call at 800-621-2005.

CCC ONE® Repair Workflow Has Reached 5,000 Users

CCC Information Services announced on March 12 that CCC ONE® Repair Workflow, a shop management solution available as a single application with repair estimating, has reached 5,000 users. “Our customers have been instrumental in the evolution of our shop management solution,” said Mark Fincher, Vice President, Market Solutions, CCC Information Services. “By taking advantage of the integrated feedback feature in CCC ONE Repair Workflow, users have been able to quickly and easily share input and suggestions about how to make the tool better. We want to thank our customers for their support in helping us create a workflow solution that broke the mold of traditional shop management systems. With the broad scale of industry adoption, we are well positioned to continue making ongoing investments in this platform.” CCC ONE Repair Workflow is a mobile-enabled solution that allows for intuitive and proactive shop management. The solution is differentiated by driving work to each role in the shop. Key features include resident estimating, production management and role-based dashboards and tasks to quickly identify exceptions. CCC ONE Repair Workflow is available for all popular mobile devices.

Matrix, USC Brands Renew Partnership with “Counting Cars”

Quest Automotive Products, the manufacturer of Matrix and USC brand automotive repair products, paints and finishes, has renewed its partnership and support of the popular reality television series “Counting Cars.” The Matrix and USC brands have supported the show since its inaugural season in 2012. The show chronicles the repair projects undertaken by Danny “The Count” Koker, owner of Count’s Kustoms, a Las Vegas, NV, body and design shop that specializes in restoring and customizing classic cars and motorcycles. “Our support for Counting Cars has been a win-win for our brands and for Count’s Kustoms,” said Laura Yerkey, director of communications and marketing strategy for Quest. “The show connects with body shop owners and professional painters who are our customers, and it strikingly demonstrates the artistry that can be created with our Matrix paints and finishes.” Ryan Evans, the paint specialist on the show, said he is excited to be able to use USC and Matrix products again this season. “Our ability to make repairs, create custom colors and spray flawless

Danny Koker, AKA The Count, examines the finish on a new paintjob

finishes with USC and Matrix products is incomparable. We have very high standards, and the quality of their products doesn’t just meet those standards, it enhances them as well as the quality of our restorations.” Counting Cars airs every Tuesday on HISTORY at 9 p.m. EST/8 p.m. CST.

www.autobodynews.com

Record $13M Plus in Support to Collision School Programs Through CREF

In 2014, the collision industry provided over $13 million in donations to high school and college collision school programs through the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF). Over $30 million has been provided since 2008 when the Education Foundation began its philanthropic focus of assisting collision school programs and the organization has seen a 4,300% increase in donations since the $300,000 was raised in 2008. In continuing its efforts to be a lean and responsible charitable organization, the Education Foundation was able to return over 90 cents of every dollar donated towards supporting the school programs, instructors and students in 2014. “The industry showed its true generosity again in 2014 as we are able to announce another record breaking year in support to the collision school programs,” said Clark Plucinski, CREF Executive Director. “To provide over $13 million in donations through a group of roughly 250 total donors this past year was truly awe-inspiring and the gratitude that these instructors and students displayed touches you deeply. We have heard from the industry that they are in desperate need of

properly trained entry-level graduates and we will continue to work towards that goal on behalf of the industry.” Terry Fortner, CREF Board of Trustees Chairman and LKQ Corp VP of Industry Relations and Market Development, noted, “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, staff and the collision school programs that we support nationwide, I would like to thank our 2014 donors in joining efforts to support the future professionals of the industry. Only through the industry coming together to help these collision school programs can we have a significant impact on ensuring that the students receive the best technical education possible with the end goal being their employment within the industry. I would also invite companies that aren’t currently supporting the CREF through monetary and/or inkind product donations to reach out to us and join our efforts in 2015.” For information about the CREF, visit CollisionEducationFoundation .org. Inter-industry organizations and individuals interested in supporting CREF should contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at Brandon.Eckenrode@edfoundation .org / 847.463.5244.

64 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 65

Martin Senour Announces Second Quarter Training The Martin Senour Company announced its 2015 second quarter training schedule, with courses running from April 1– June 30. Training courses emphasize painter certification and maximizing shop profits, and will be held at Martin Senour training facilities nationwide. Martin Senour Automotive Finishes Director of Sales Jeff Hartl noted that the brand’s training sessions are designed to help shop owners, managers and technicians better execute environmentally-responsible practices, as well as improve their repair techniques and knowledge of today’s new innovative painting systems. In particular, Martin Senour professionals will teach the following course topics during the second quarter of 2015: ● VORTEX® Waterborne Painter Certification ● Estimating Solutions for Profit ● Color Adjustment and Blending ● Improving Workshop Efficiency ● Achieving Service Excellence ● Fleet FPG ● Jobber Level 1

A complete listing of the 2015 second quarter Martin Senour training schedule, course descriptions and training center locations is as follows:

Training Center Date Training Course Description Atlanta 4/27/2015 Jobber Level 1 (3 days) Atlanta 4/27/2015 Color Adjustment and Blending (3 days) Atlanta 5/4/2015 Fleet FPG (3 days) Atlanta 5/19/2015 Painter Certification (3 days) Atlanta 6/10/2015 Estimating Solutions for Profit (1 day) Atlanta 6/11/2015 Achieving Service Excellence (1/2 day) Atlanta 6/11/2015 Improving Workshop Efficiency (1 day) Burr Ridge 4/23/2015 Estimating Solutions for Profit (1 day) Burr Ridge 5/27/2015 Vortex® Waterborne Painter (3 days) Dallas 4/22/2015 Jobber Level 1 (3 days) Dallas 6/23/2015 Painter Certification (3 days) Philadelphia 4/20/2015 FLEET FGP (3 days) Philadelphia 4/23/2015 Estimating Solutions for Profit (1 day) Philadelphia 5/12/2015 Painter Certification (3 days) Philadelphia 5/18/2015 Vortex® Application and Color Simplicity (2 days)

Philadelphia 5/20/2015 Estimating Solutions for Profit (1 day) Philadelphia 6/8/2015 Painter Certification (3 days) Philadelphia 6/11/2015 Pro//BASE™ Refinish System Painter (2 days) Philadelphia 6/15/2015 FLEET FGP (3 days) Reno 4/7/2015 Painter Certification (3 days) Reno 4/13/2015 Color Adjustment and Blending (3 days) Reno 5/18/2015 Jobber Level 1 (4 days) Reno 6/1/2015 Fleet FGP (3 days) Reno 6/15/2015 Jobber Level 1 (4 days) Reno 6/16/2015 Estimating Solutions For Profit (1 day) Reno 6/17/2015 Achieving Service Excellence (1/2 day) Reno 6/17/2015 Improving Workshop Efficiency (1/2 day) Reno 6/23/2015 Vortex® Waterborne Painter Certification (3 days) For information regarding the Martin Senour training or its paint products, visit the training section at martinsenourautopaint.com or call 1-800-526-6704.

Transportation Secy Calls on Congress to Close Safety Gap

Consumer Reports is saying that if a new car is recalled for a safety problem, it’s illegal for a dealer to sell you that car until the issue has been fixed. However, no similar protection exists for a person who buys a recalled used car or rents a recalled car. Under current federal law, rental-car companies and used-car dealers are not required to fix a defect—or even tell you about a problem—before you drive the vehicle off the lot. This gap in safety law puts millions of Americans at risk, and it has had tragic consequences. In 2004 sisters Raechel and Jacqueline Houck of Santa Cruz, CA, were killed when the 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser they had rented from Enterprise caught fire and crashed into an oncoming tractor-trailer. The car had been recalled the previous month because of the risk of fire from a leak in the power steering hose. But it was not repaired, and Enterprise kept renting it out. The defect led to the fatal crash. To address this serious problem Trans. Secy Foxx is calling on Congress to pass legislation that would prohibit rental-car companies and used-car dealers from renting or selling vehicles subject to a recall without first making the necessary fix.

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www.autobodynews.com | APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 67

Assured Performance Introduces Insurer-Facing Certified Shop Locator

Assured Performance announced on February 27 the creation and launch of an insurer-facing Advanced Repair Capability (ARC) Certified Shop locator at: www.certifiedbodyshop.info. The site, developed and managed by Assured Performance, lists body shops that are Certified by Assured Performance and officially Certified-Recognized by the various participating auto manufacturers including Ford Motor Company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), Nissan North America, and several other auto manufacturers. Insurers will have a secure portal specifically designed to identify Certified-Recognized body shops that have the proper tools, equipment, training and facilities to repair their policyholder’s vehicles to manufacturer specifications for fit, finish, durability and safety. The launch concides with the introduction of aluminum alloy into mainstream vehicles such as the Ford F-150. The key aspect of this site is for insurers to accurately and efficiently identify various auto manufacturers’ Certified-Recognized shops capable of advanced repairs in each market area. The shop locator was specially designed for insurers and uses a search

$11M Award in Camry Unintended Acceleration Suit

An $11 million verdict has been awarded to the plaintiffs in a Toyota sudden acceleration personal injury lawsuit resulting from a defect in a 1996 Camry. The jury ruled that the defect contributed to an accident which left three people dead and two seriously injured. While the jury found that the Camry’s driver, Koua Fong Lee, was 40% responsible for the crash, they cited Toyota as being 60 percent responsible. In the 2006 crash Lee rear-ended an Oldsmobile after exiting a highway. The driver of the Oldsmobile, Javis Trice-Adams Sr., and his son were instantly killed. His niece, also in the Oldsmobile, became a quadriplegic as a result of the crash and died 18 months later. TriceAdams' father and daughter were also injured. The jury awarded both families a combined $11.4 million, though due to Lee's partial responsibility, his $1.25 million award will be reduced to $750,000, according to his lawyers. In 2008, Lee was convicted of negligent homicide and sentenced to eight years in prison. His conviction was overturned after Toyota's recalls of later-model cars for acceleration defects, tied to floor mats and pedals, brought new attention to the case.

capability driven by the following: ● year, make and model of the consumer’s vehicle; ● the shop's advanced material repair capability status; ● and/or the shop’s official OE Certification status. This is critical as new vehicles are introduced, not every shop will have the capabilities to repair each new model even though they may be qualified. This site helps insurers identify which shops are capable for which repairs. This new insurer-facing site is a complement to the consumer-facing websites Assured Performance manages and hosts including: www.autobodylocator.com and www.bodyshop locator.com. In addition, the participating automakers Certified-Recognized shop locators are integrated into their consumer-facing vehicle sales and service sites. All of the sites leverage the combined list of Certified-Recognized body shops. “With the mass introduction of aluminum alloy, and other advanced materials in the designs of the new vehicle models, it is critical to assist insurers with identifying the shops that have the technical ability,” explained Aaron Clark, VP of Technical Com-

Auto Damage Experts Grand Opening in Portland, OR

Auto Damage Experts (ADE) Northwest office recently celebrated the grand opening of its re-modeled vehicle inspection facility. Invitees included collision repairers, legal professionals, insurers and others from the area. “We’re excited to share our recently remodeled facilities with others and allow them to gain a better understanding of the services we offer they and their clients, both locally and across the country” stated David Smith, VP of Operations. ADE’s Founder and President, Barrett Smith stated: “I’m excited and proud of David’s accomplishments in helping to develop ADE to the well known and nationally respected company it has become. This facility will provide ADE clients and guests with amenities specifically designed for vehicle inspections in a highly professional environment.” The facility is located at 3905 SE 141st Ave Suite 1, Beaverton, OR 97005. To learn more, visit www.Auto DamageExperts.com and www.DiminishedValueExperts.com or call (503) 642-4259.

68 APRIL 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

pliance. “We’ve already seen evidence of what can happen when an untrained and ill-equipped shop is selected.” “The goal of our insurer-facing Advanced Repair Capability Shop Locator is to create an accurate and efficient way for insurers to identify the shops that have proven they meet the requirements and passed an annual onsite inspection audit. Now, insurers can easily see who they are,” added CEO Scott Biggs, CEO. The ARC Certified shop locator is available to any insurer. Certification is open to shops that can meet the requirements. The Assured Performance criteria for “Certification-Recognition” are an accumulation of collision industry business standards and multiple OEM criteria focused on properly repairing the vehicle. Shops are able to become Certified by Assured Performance and simultaneously CertifiedRecognized by several of the largest auto manufacturers, through one technology-driven process, backed by onsite inspection audits at least annually. This approach saves shops fees and redundant equipment requirements. Once certified, shops receive signs, marketing tools, and listing on multiple shop locators and smart apps.

Martin Senour Launches New Automotive Refinish Website

The Martin Senour Company launched a new website to assist automotive jobber distributors, collision repair facilities, dealerships, fleet owners and refinishers, production shops, auto body builders and original equipment manufacturers. It can be accessed by visiting www.martinsenour-autopaint .com. The new website provides more connectivity for visitors in the following markets: collision repair, restoration & custom, fleet & commercial, industrial & manufacturing, and farm & agricultural. The new site features detail pages for each service and program offered through Martin Senour. The new website also allows immediate access to the brand’s informational press releases, events and training class schedules, special NAPA ‘Body Shop Buys’ PB&E promotions and profiles of successful Martin Senour end users. In addition, the new website provides more robust technical and handson application data, all of which is also available for mobile devices. For information regarding Martin Senour or its paint products, visit the new website at www.martinsenour-auto paint.com or call 1-800-526-6704.

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Industry Sponsors Sought to Help Local Collision School Instructors Attend Nace 2015

The Collision Repair Education Foundation is seeking industry members to sponsor local high school and/or college collision instructors to attend the upcoming International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) 2015 show taking place in Detroit this July. The requested $1500 (per instructor) sponsorship will include: travel to/from Detroit, hotel stay, meals, event registration, and an exclusive instructor-focused program that will provide the networking opportunities, product demonstrations, technical presentations, and more. Information gained from the instructor’s attendance will help keep them current on collision industry topics, which can then be shared with their students this fall.

This program will also serve as an opportunity for the Education Foundation to introduce the instructors to the organization’s donors and allow the instructors to express their gratitude for the continued support and share how these donations are making an impact on their collision student’s technical education. “Through this program, industry members have an opportunity to sponsor a local high school or college collision school instructor to attend the NACE show, who would otherwise not have the ability to attend,” said Brandon Eckenrode, Collision Repair Education Foundation Director of Development. “As the demand for properly trained, graduating entry-level collision students grows, the sponsors

can invest in the educators by assisting in their abilities to stay current with industry trends and information. Whether industry members have existing relationships with their local school instructors who they would like to sponsor or would like to be introduced to an instructor through the Education Foundation, we encourage the industry to consider participating.” Companies or individuals interested in sponsoring a local high school and/or college collision school instructor should contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at 847.463.5244.

www.autobodynews.com CHECK IT OUT!

Continued from Page 28

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