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VOL. 8 ISSUE 2 MAY 2017
AASP/NJ Debuts Path to Certification Series and More at 40th NORTHEAST™ Conference & Tradeshow by Chasidy Rae Sisk
AASP/NJ’s 40th Annual NORTHEAST™ Conference and Tradeshow, held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center on March 17–19, was bigger and better than ever with a handful of first-of-a-kinds. AASP/NJ hosted a four-part Path to Certification panel series and presented the first James Moy Memorial Award for Dedication to the Automotive Repair Industry. Additionally, this was the first agenda to include presentations from Superare Marketing, and Mike Anderson of Collision Advice presented a brand new seminar
on the importance of disassembly. According to AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant, “The 2017 NORTHEAST Automotive Tradeshow was once again a great success. These
are not just my words; this is what I constantly heard from people at the show and from people that attended the show who have called to comment after the show. There was something
Panel on Shop Perspectives: (l to r) Gary Wano (GW & Son Auto Body Shop), Tom Elder (Compact Kars Inc.), James Carvino (Rojo Collision), Rick Starbard (Rick’s Auto Collision & Repair) & Barry Dorn (Dorn’s Body & Paint)
Collision Shop Owners Share the (Mostly) Pros and (Few) Cons of Getting OEM Certified
Are automaker shop certifications a “I basically have no issue [with potential substitute for collision repair them], and I think they are happy to shops seeking less dependence on inhave someone who, even though my surer direct repair programs? estimates may be 400 lines, they can That was among the questions adsee the car and know I’m doing the dressed by a panel of shop work,” Carvino said. “I had to owners at the recent NORTHget rid of pretty much everyEAST Automotive Services one else because of us getting Show held in Secaucus, N.J. certified, but it’s really only been to my benefit. An insurer James Carvino of RoJo Colcan take any [agreement] I lision in Brooklyn, NY, whose shop holds certifications from have [with them] away, but about 10 automakers, said they can’t take my certificaJames Carvino he’s eliminated most of the tion. The DRPs helped us get shop’s DRP relationships other than to the point where we had the money to two with insurance companies “that are spend on OEM certification. But you very understanding.” See OEM Certification, Page 22
for everyone at the NORTHEAST Tradeshow, from the most informative seminars to the most modern tools and equipment available in the industry. Every year, the Northeast Tradeshow seems to get better and better, making it a must-attend event for the members of the industry. Congratulations to all that played a part in making the Northeast Tradeshow available to the many members of the automotive industry.” On Friday afternoon, AASP/NJ and SCRS co-hosted the annual East Coast Resolution Forum and Leadership Meeting. This closed session offered industry leaders an opportunity See NORTHEAST, Page 12
Northeast Lawmakers Consider Proposed Collision Repair Legislation A number of bills impacting collision repairers have been introduced in state legislatures throughout the Northeast this year. A Maryland bill (SB 1007), for example, would have required insurers in that state to use either OEM parts or non-OEM crash parts certified by an organization meeting specific requirements; those requirements appeared to allow the use of parts certified by the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) but not NSF-certified nonOEM parts. A March hearing scheduled on the bill, however, was canceled after the bill received an unfavorable report from a Senate committee and was withdrawn. A half-dozen industry-related bills have been introduced in New York. One (AB 1678) would limit the sale of automotive refinish materials labeled “for professional use only” to only those with a valid state tax and federal EPA identification number, and who meet all local ordinances for the application of such materials. Two of the New York bills are parts-related bills. The first (AB 6617) would require that vehicle owners pro-
vide a written signature consenting to the parts that will be used in the repair of their vehicle; that disclosure form would be required to define each of the types of parts used. The bill also would require the use of only new OEM parts on vehicles two years old or newer, or for the duration of the manufacturer’s sheet metal warranty on the vehicle, whichever is longer. The bill also would make clear that the insurer is responsible for additional costs for labor or materials if non-OEM parts stipulated for use are found to be “ill-fitting.” The other New York parts-related bill (AB 6861) would prohibit an insurer from requiring a repair facility to “use a specific vendor or process for the procurement of parts or other materials.” Another New York bill (AB 414) would prohibit an insurer from limiting payment based on pricing caps for labor, parts, paint or materials; it also would require that if an insurer-recommended repair facility fails to return a vehicle to pre-accident condition, the insurer will, at no additional cost to the See Northeast Legislation, Page 10
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