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ABAC Responds to Supreme Court Decision
“The Auto Body Association of Connecticut is deeply disappointed with the recent Supreme Court decision in Artie’s Auto Body et al v. The Hartford. The decision marks a step backward for consumer safety, quality of repairs, and for the rights of independently operated auto repair shops. The decision may also have the unintended consequence of affording greater insurer interference in the repair process, which has historically resulted in demands for faster and cheaper repairs, often at the expense of quality and safety. Insurance companies such as The Hartford, have for years, secretly sought to control independently licensed appraisers to reduce their own claim costs. The jury and trial court both found that this kind of misconduct is wrong and constituted an unfair trade practice. Indeed, the trial judge ordered The Hartford to pay $20 million in punitive damages, which at the time reflected the highest punitive damage award in the history of this state. We believe that by reversing this verdict, the Supreme Court substituted its judgment for that of the community’s.
The Court’s decision in this case, while disappointing, does not give insurers the right to set labor rates or dictate repair decisions. The decision stands for a relatively limited proposition: That The Hartford’s conduct in utilizing its appraisers to negotiate labor rates does not violate the unfair trade practices law. It remains unlawful for insurers to artificially suppress market rates or to impose undue conditions on repairers or consumers. The fight over consumer safety and fair market rates remains very much alive. The Auto Body Association of Connecticut has been in this fight for over 50 years. We have made great advances in compelling greater transparency and accountability. Our resolve to serve as a watchdog and advocate for the industry and for consumer rights, safety and fair market conditions remains as strong as ever. Finally, the Association wishes to extend its deepest gratitude to our legal team for their years of exceptional work, diligence and counsel. This was a long and well fought battle. On behalf of the ABAC and the entire repair industry, we humbly say thank you.”
NJ Used Car Dealership Agrees to Revise Business Practices, Pay $25K Fine The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs and AutoSource Group, LLC, a used car dealership located in Vineland, have settled a lawsuit filed by the Division in February 2015, with the dealership agreeing to pay $25,000 and to revise its business
practices. The State’s seven-count complaint, filed in State Superior Court in Cumberland County, alleged that AutoSource Group violated the Consumer Fraud Act, the Automotive See Used Car Dealership, Page 22
VOL. 6 ISSUE 5 AUGUST 2015
CT Supreme Court Overturns 2009 $35M Judgment Against The Hartford, Cites Unfair Trade Practices The CT state Supreme Court sided with The Hartford in a decision announced July 13 on a 2003 case in which auto body repair shops in Connecticut challenged the insurer’s practice of steering work to favored shops—overturning $35 million in previously-awarded damages, reported the Hartford Courant. The Hartford’s 2009 appeal of Artie’s Auto Body, Inc. et al v. The Hartford Fire Insurance Company successfully overturned the class-action suit initiated by a group of over 1,500 Connecticut collision shops. In the 18-page decision, the Supreme Court reversed the lower court’s ruling that Hartford Fire Insurance Co., part of The Hartford Financial Services Group, violated
state unfair trade practices law by steering customers who had been in a crash to certain preferred auto body shops, however the Court ultimately supported the insurer’s claim that the failure of its appraisers to remain “fair and impartial” violated a portion of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA) saying “[the body shops] are deemed to be capable of representing their own interests, and certainly are under no obligation to accept insurance related work that is not sufficiently remunerative.” Following a trial in 2009, the Superior Court jury found in favor of the plaintiffs and awarded $14,765,556 in compensatory damages. Later, the trial See CT Supreme Court, Page 14
NACE Moves From Detroit to Anaheim, August 2016
First Major Collision Trade Show in California in Well Over a Decade by Autobody News Staff
During the NACE-CARS expo in Detroit July 21–25, ASA executives confirmed that the next NACE expo will occur next August in Anaheim, CA. The announcement was greeted with relief by many in attendance. Despite a wellorganized expo, very well-attended MSO Symposium (700 attendees), a major connected car technology and telematics forum, and demonstrationrich expo floor complete with active spray booths and occasionally running vehicles, the show failed to attract many more than the approximately 6,200 show attendees of last year’s NACECARS. This despite the show adding
20% more floor space and exhibitors. The 2015 show required 54,500 See NACE Moves West, Page 12
Donny Seyfer (l), CARS Chair, and Dan Risley, ASA President, beside hockey goalie helmet painted by air-brush artist Ray Bishop. The helmet was auctioned to help to raise money for breast cancer fundraising and will be displayed at ASA headquarters
Additional NACE/CARS 2015 Coverage in this Issue...
NACE 2015 Entertains, Informs and Wows (photo montage) p. 62 ● MSO Symposium During NACE Include Claims Management Models, Future of DRPs and Financing Options p. 58 ● Jon Kosmoski from Valspar’s House of Kolor & TV Reality Star KC Mathieu Demo Kandy Painting p. 60 ● Behind-the-scenes Look at MI Factory Where Ford F-150 Is Manufactured p. 15 ● Chip Foose Demonstrates 3M’s New Accuspray Gun p. 44 ● More Coming in September
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2 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
COLUMNISTS Attanasio - Collision Repair Technicians United Goes Viral on Facebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Attanasio - Estimator During the Day, Rock Drummer at Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Attanasio - Lead with Caution Whenever Contracting ANY Marketing Firm . . . . . . . . . 48 Attanasio - What is Your Marketing Budget…Or Do You Have One? . . . . . . . . . . 34 Luehr - Make Your Month, Every Day! . . . . . . . 42 Sisk - CREF Urges the Collision Repair Industry to Donate to Improve the Industry’s Future. . 50 Yoswick - Surveys show ‘who pays for what’ in terms of ‘not-included’ procedures . . . . . . . 50
NATIONAL 84-year-old South Milwaukee, WI Shop Owner Loses Fight to Prevent Demolition . . . . . . . . 56 ABRA Auto Body Expands in WI, Now 310 Nationwide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 ABRA to Expand in Pacific Northwest . . . . . . . 66 Altercation Over Car Repair Leads to Fatal Shooting in SC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Aluminum Body Tools Required for Vacuum Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 AMI Announces “High Octane” Scholarship Recipient. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AMI Announces 2015-2016 Board of Trustees . . 67 ASA Announces Scholarship Award for Young Technicians Symposium . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ASA Publishes Updated ‘Not-Included Operations’ Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Assured Performance Announces Non-Profit Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 AudaExplore VP Balances Work and Family Life . 53 Autozone.com Opens its Doors to Auto Repair Marketplace Openbay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Behind-the-scenes Look at MI Factory Where Ford F-150 Is Manufactured . . . . . . . 15 Black Diamond Refinishing Launches Wipe on Clear Coat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Body Shop Owner Admits to Loaning Out Customer’s Truck and Crashing Another . . . 63 CA’s Rio Hondo College Halts Collision Repair Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Caliber Collision donates $35,000 to CREF . . . 67 Car-O-Liner and AudaExplore Hold Seminar on Trends in Fixed Operations . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Car-O-Liner Supports Industry Through Sponsorships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 CEI Named One of U.S.’s Most “Highly Engaged” Workforces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Chief Adds Free Repair Training Resources to Website. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Chip Foose Demonstrates 3M’s New Accuspray Gun at NACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 CIF Announces Greg Horn as New Trustee. . . . 67 Coastal States Automotive Group Purchases Volkswagen Dealership in Savannah, GA . . . 63 CollisionFix.com Website Educates Public About Industry Issues and Unites Shops . . . . . . . . 18 CREF and AkzoNobel Announce Winners of Sustainability Challenge Grant . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Dayton Body Shop Brings the Caped Crusader to the Community with a Batmobile . . . . . . . 16 Enterprise Recognizes Axalta Business Council Members With Best Length of Rental Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Family Helped by NABC, Family Promise, with Vehicle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 GM Schedules MyPriceLink Initiative; Aims to Hit Market Before Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Google Reports First Case of Self-Driving Injury Accident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Hyundai Launches Recognized Collision Repair Center Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 I-CAR Launches “Production Management” Role to Increase Shop Efficiencies . . . . . . . . 70 I-CAR® Updates its Courses to Keep Shops Informed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Insurers To Pay SD $750,000 After Probe Into Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Jon Kosmoski from Valspar’s House of Kolor & TV Reality Star KC Mathieu Demo Kandy Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Leisurely Thief Strolls Shop on Sunday, Steals Bobcat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 LKQ Corporation to Acquire The Coast Distribution System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Metromile Brings Pay-Per-Mile Insurance to VA . 49 Mike Anderson Reminds Industry That “We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know”. . . . 40 Mitchell Releases Toyota Recommended Repair Procedures within Mitchell Estimating . . . . . 66 Mobile Technology Enhancements from CCC . . . 4 MSO Symposium During NACE Include Claims Management Models, Future of DRPs and Financing Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 NACE Moves From Detroit to Anaheim in August 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 NACE 2015 Entertains, Informs and Wows (photo montage) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 ND is Worst State in Nation for Teen Driver Fatalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 New Nitrocell Nitrogen Plastic Welder by Urethane Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 New Source of Vehicles for NABC Recycled Rides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 NHTSA Announces All VIN Numbers Under Takata Air Bag Recall in Search System . . . . 64 NSF International is Latest to Launch Shop Certification Program, Four Certifications Offered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 OEConnection Announces Integration with PartsTrader or Bi-Directional Quotes and Orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Police Officer Shoots, Kills Man at TX Body Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 PPG Supports Speedway Children’s Charities With Track Walk Fundraiser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 School: “No Shortage of Jobs for FTCC’s Repair and Refinishing Technology Grads” . . . . . . . 32 Service King Has a Good Month With a String of Positive Announcements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Solera To Invest $5M in Chinese Insurance Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 South Dakota Finds No Auto Hail Damage Claims Errors in Insurance Examination . . . . 27 State Farm® Refines Repair Facility Survey. . . . 68 Tips for Avoiding Purchasing Flood-Damaged Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 U.S. House Subcommittee Hearing on Connected Cars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
the most complete and accurate information to make the best buying decisions for their businesses.” “OEC has long viewed integrating with collision shop procurement applications a key part of our strategy in delivering incremental value to our dealer network. The order fulfillment API is designed to consolidate disparate ordering systems into one, easy workflow for the dealer, streamlining the order fulfillment process for the parts counter person. By extending our API to PartsTrader, we remove the need for the dealer to have an additional system to manage and support,” commented Bill Lopez, OEC VP, Collision & OEM Programs. “Integration with OEC advances our strategy of being the most open parts procurement platform in the market. It enables our dealer customers who use OEC to quote more efficiently and accurately to repairers using the platform,” commented Dale Sailer, PartsTrader VP, Business Development. The CollisionLink/PartsTrader integration is expected to be available to participating dealers and shops in early 2016. Dealers will have the option to maintain their current systems as is.
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
Acura of Westchester . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Amato Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Atlantic Hyundai. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 57 Axalta Coating Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Bald Hill Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Baystate Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . 54-55 Car-Part.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 CarcoonAmerica Airflow Systems . . . . 44 Central Avenue Chrysler-JeepDodge-Ram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Cherry Hill Audi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Cherry Hill Porsche . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Cherry Hill Volkswagen . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Clay Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Coleman Autobody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Dent Magic Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Ditschman/Flemington Auto Group . . . . 31 Dover Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep . . . . . . . . 19 Eco Repair Systems of North America, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Empire Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Equalizer Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Fairfield Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram . . . . 32 Fitzgerald’s Lakeforest HyundaiSubaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 46 Fred Beans Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Fuccillo Kia of Schenectady . . . . . . . . 23 Gary Rome Hyundai-Kia . . . . . . . . . . . 34 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . 53 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 59
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 ABAC Responds to Supreme Court Decision . . . 1 ASA-CT Golf Fundraiser Generates $5000 for Make A Wish Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Carubba Collision Holds Ribbon-Cutting Event at New Location in Syracuse, NY . . . . . . . . . . 9 CT Supreme Court Overturns 2009 $35M Judgment Against The Hartford, Cites Unfair Trade Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Massachusetts Auto Repair Shops, Insurers in Battle Over Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 New Haven, CT, Hit and Run; Police Looking for Leads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 New Study Shows Necessity of Pennsylvania Vehicle Safety Inspection Program . . . . . . . . 21 NJ Governor Announces New Insurance Commissioner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 NJ Man Sentenced to Prison for Insurance Fraud . . 6 NJ Used Car Dealership Agrees to Revise Business Practices, Pay $25K Fine . . . . . . . . 1 NY Collision Center And Owner Indicted for Theft of Over Half A Million Dollars in Sales Tax Revenue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Perth Amboy, NJ Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Rio Auto Body in NJ Awards Scholarship to Atlantic Cape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Sisk - Superare Marketing Hosts Short-Pay Seminar in Waltham, MA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Stoughton, MA Shop Owner Indicted on Drug Trafficking Charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Team PRP Automotive Recyclers Announces Expansion of Transportation Network. . . . . . 20 The Collision Centers of New York Adds Fourth Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Vehicle Falls on NJ Body Shop Employee . . . . . . 4 Wicked Weather at End of June Wreaks Havoc on Cars Across Maryland . . . . . . . . . 21
OEConnection® is the leading parts ecommerce technology provider for OEM distribution networks, serving over 60,000 dealership and repair customers. At the NACE-CARS event OEConnection announced an integration with PartsTrader, a web-based parts purchasing network, that will enable quote requests and orders originating from the PartsTrader application to be processed in the OEC dealer portal through the CollisionLink parts procurement solution. This bi-directional integration will allow dealer users of CollisionLink to process quote requests and orders originating in the PartsTrader platform, as well as other orders received from body shops using CollisionLink Shop or other third-party integrators. PartsTrader CEO, Rob Cooper said, “Integration with OEC complements PartsTrader’s mission to become the most comprehensive collision replacement parts sourcing and procurement platform for the industry by providing a seamless experience to users of both solutions. Thousands of collision repairers are now choosing to use PartsTrader as their parts sourcing solution. Without any phone calls or additional effort, repairers can receive
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Contents
OEConnection Announces Integration with PartsTrader for Bi-Directional Quotes and Orders
Infiniti of Norwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Koeppel VW-Mazda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Lexus Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . 66 Martech Service Company . . . . . . . . . . 6 Maxon Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Maxon Mazda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 67 Mercedes-Benz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Mercedes-Benz of Fort Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Mercedes-Benz of West Chester. . . . . 45 Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington . . . . . . . 8 Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . 52 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 39 Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 63 PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Providence Lacquer & Supply Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 SATA Spray Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Security Dodge-Chrysler-JeepRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 SEMA Trade Show. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . 69 Tasca Automotive Group . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Thompson Organization . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 62 Urethane Supply Company. . . . . . . . . 20 Valspar Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 VIP Honda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . 42 Wagner Auto Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Wheel Collision Center . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 3
Tips for Avoiding Purchasing Flood-Damaged Vehicles
Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane on lights for evidence of moisture, silt, rust to check for flood damage using vehiJuly 1 offered guidelines for avoiding the or corrosion. cle information numbers (VINs). purchase of a flood-damaged vehicle. ● Check engine for damage or moisture. ● AutoCheck provides a free “storm According to the Federal Trade Com- ● Examine all areas for signs of rust, damage scan” for consumers at www.aumission, recent flooding in the Midwest including the underside of the vehicle, tocheck.com. When you enter the VIN, and Southeast could spell trouble for car door hinges and seat springs. the service will tell you if the vehicle was buyers throughout the country. ● Look for dirt or dried mud under dash- reported as storm-damaged. AutoCheck A flood-damalso sells a more deaged vehicle is one tailed vehicle history. When a dishonest dealer or owner makes cosmetic repairs that has been com● The National Moand moves one of these vehicles out of the state where the pletely or partially tor Vehicle Title Insubmerged in water formation System damage occurred, the title gets “washed,” thereby omitting with damage to the (NMVTIS) allows all evidence of flood or vehicle reconstruction from the title. body, engine, transconsumers to check mission or other a vehicle’s history mechanical components. When a dis- board, floorboard carpet or in-air vents. at www.vehiclehistory.gov honest dealer or owner makes cosmetic ● Perform a diagnostic check of all Attorney General Kane advised repairs and moves one of these vehicles electrical systems and look for brittle consumers to understand the difference out of the state where the damage oc- wire casings, rust or corrosion. between a flood title and a salvage title. curred, the title gets “washed,” thereby Kane warned consumers to be A flood title means the vehicle omitting all evidence of flood or vehicle wary of someone trying to sell a vehi- was damaged from sitting in water deep reconstruction from the title. cle below its market value, and recom- enough to fill the engine compartment. The car is then shipped to other mended that potential buyers research A salvage title means the car was destates and sold to unsuspecting buyers. a vehicle’s history before making any clared a total loss by an insurance comWhat looks like a good deal to the buyer purchase. pany that paid a claim on it. The criteria may turn into a series of costly repairs There are several websites avail- for declaring a salvage title varies by state, and a safety threat down the road. able to assist consumers in securing in- and a small number of states give stolen Attorney General Kane encouraged formation regarding a vehicle’s history. vehicles a salvage title. consumers to do the following to avoid Consumers should check the folConsumers who suspect they have purchasing a flood-damaged vehicle: lowing resources and verify the vehicle purchased a flood-damaged vehicle or ● Have the vehicle inspected by a trusted history report has current information: have questions should contact the Ofmechanic before agreeing to a purchase. ● The National Insurance Crime Bu- fice of Attorney General’s Bureau of ● Look inside the trunk, spare tire com- reau (NICB) maintains a free database Consumer Protection at 800-441-2555 partment, glove compartment and dome at www.nicb.org that allows consumers FREE.
Mobile Technology Enhancements from CCC
CCC Information Services Inc. (“CCC”) announced enhancements to its suite of consumer solutions, helping repair facilities provide a more streamlined experience to customers throughout the repair process. CCC ONE® UpdatePlus will now offer proactive text messaging that includes pertinent shop and estimate information. CCC ONE® Repair Workflow will now include digital signature capabilities, allowing customers to authorize repair work right at the vehicle using the CCC ONE® Touch application on a mobile device. “Consumers expect hassle free interactions with the companies they do business with,” said Mark Fincher, VP, Market Solutions, CCC Information Services Inc. “We’ve looked at our solutions to see how we could change them in order to create high-impact, lowtouch interactions that don’t require a phone call or sitting in a lobby waiting for paperwork. More information is available online: www.cccis.com or by calling 877-208-6155.
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Chief Adds Free Repair Training Resources to Website
Chief Automotive Technologies has added best practices guides, how-to videos and other educational materials to its website, chiefautomotive.com, to help collision repair professionals keep up with the evolving industry. “In the rapidly changing collision repair field, you have to continually educate yourself to stay ahead of the curve,” said Bob Holland, director of collision sales in North and South America for Chief parent company Vehicle Service Group (VSG). “Discovering new techniques or learning how to get the most out of your equipment can help make your shop more efficient. The educational materials we’ve added to chiefautomotive.com are available at any time for free, making it easier than ever to stay on top of the latest industry advancements.” Much of the new content focuses on aluminum repair. Other educational material was created to provide customers with a broader understanding of current vehicle design and the tools and techniques needed. More information is available on the “Collisionology” blog at: blog .chiefautomotive.com, and videos are available on: vimeo.com/groups/Chief.
4 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Vehicle Falls on NJ Body Shop Employee
According to Gloucester Township Police, a Lumberton, NJ man is in critical condition after a recreation vehicle fell on him while he was performing repair work on it the morning of July 14. Police were dispatched to the Rocco’s Collision/Auto Body Repair Shop for an employee trapped under a recreational vehicle, reported Patch.com Twenty-nine year old Noah McDonough had already been pulled out from under the vehicle by employees when police arrived on the scene. Gloucester Township Basic Life Support, Virtua Medics along with the Chews Landing Fire Department arrived on location and were able to stabilize McDonough for transport to Cooper Trauma in the City of Camden where he had emergency surgery for his injuries, reported Patch.com As of the night of July 14, he was in critical condition but stable. The incident is being investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Gloucester Township Police Department.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 5
ASA-CT Golf Fundraiser Generates $5000 for Make A Wish Foundation
by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On Wednesday, June 17, the Automotive Service Association of Connecticut (ASA-CT) held their 5th Annual Golf Tournament at the Lyman Orchards Golf Club in Middlefield, CT. Almost
NJ Man Sentenced to Prison for Insurance Fraud
couldn’t pull this off without their support and the help of our volunteers, and we are thrilled to present the Make A Wish Foundation of CT with a $5000 donation.” Golfers included representatives from collision and mechanical shops
An Essex County, NJ man was sentenced to three years in state prison in June for seeking compensation of more than $15,000 from his insurer for damage done to his car prior to his policy’s effective date and for personal items he claimed were taken when he fraudulently claimed the car had been stolen. Derrick Smith was sentenced by Essex County Superior Court Judge Alfonse J. Cifelli. Smith pleaded guilty in May to second-degree insurance fraud. Smith was charged by the state grand jury in a September 2014 indictment that accused him of seeking $13,629 from National Liability and Fire for damage to his 2002 BMW M3 that he claimed had been done in December 2013 when the car had been stolen. In addition, he said there was a $1,700 watch and earrings valued at $1,000 inside his vehicle. Smith later contacted the police and stated he found his car, but it had extensive damage, and his jewelry was gone. He filed a claim with National, seeking compensation. Smith was found to have caused the damage before he reported his car stolen and admitted it to an insurance investigator. The next day, Smith applied for and was granted insurance from National, effective December 6, 2013, 12:01 a.m.
ASA-CT Executive Director Lisa Siembab and co-chair, Dave Esposito, pose near the golf course
Members and sponors make donations to the Make-A-Wish foundation
100 attendees enjoyed 18 rounds of golf, as well as lunch and dinner, with $5000 of the proceeds benefitting the CT Make A Wish Foundation. Lisa Siembab, Executive Director of ASA-CT, says, “We had a great turnout this year and are so thankful for all of our generous supporters. We
statewide in addition to a multitude of industry vendors. Participants competed in a longest drive competition for a $100 gift card, and hundreds of prizes were raffled off during the event. ASA-CT 860-778-6967 www.asashopct.org
ASA Announces Scholarship Award for Young Technicians Symposium
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced the recipient of a scholarship worth almost $1,300 to help a young service repair professional enhance his technical skills by attending the Young Technicians Symposium at this year’s NACE | CARS Expo & Conference. ASA’s board of directors created the scholarship and financed it out of their pockets to cover plane fare, expenses and a night out for the recipient at the Expo. The recipient also will receive SuperPass credentials, training materials and a special hotel room rate. According to Donny Seyfer, ASA chairman, the winner of this year’s scholarship was 23-year-old Artur Bercan, who works at Larson’s Quality Automotive Service in Peabody, MA. Bercan recently earned his National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master certification after successfully completing 10 ASE courses. He’s also an active member of the EssexTech Automotive Technology Advisory Council and attended Automechanika 2015 in Chicago and VisionKC in 2014 and 2015. “Artur works at a great shop,” Seyfer said, explaining the selection
committee’s decision. “He’s an impressive young guy. I’ve had the pleasure of having him in classes I’ve taught in Massachusetts. He asks great questions and is engaged in his own learning. He became an ASE Master tech at a very young age. All of these things made us feel that he was a great choice.”Brecan’s supervisor at the shop, owner Diane Larson, agreed. “He’s so very deserving of this scholarship,” she said. “Since he joined Larson’s at the age of 20, we’ve found him to excel in every aspect of his work, becoming a top drivability and problem-solving technician.” Bercan, though a native of Brazil, has lived most of his life in the United States. He says this was his first trip to Detroit and that he looks forward to attending NACE | CARS to meet other young techs and industry professionals. “I feel honored to be selected,” he said. “It will help further improve my abilities and my career opportunities. Eventually, I plan to have my own shop. My family has always supported my career path, ever since I dedicated myself to it in high school. Meeting new people who share the same interests and goals is always great.”
6 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
ASA President Dan Risley and Larry Siembab of CARSTAR Corporate, share a High-5 after a round of golf
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 7
NY Collision Center And Owner Indicted for Theft of Over Half A Million Dollars in Sales Tax Revenue
On June 25, Ronald Ustica, Jr., 46, and his collision center, R&U Associates Inc. were indicted on seven felony charges stemming from the alleged collection and theft of sales taxes for vehicle repairs. Ustica, a resident of Suffolk New York County, NY, is Attorney General the owner of Eric Schneiderman R&U Associates Inc., also known as R&U Auto Body Inc. According to the prosecution, Ustica and R&U collected but failed to remit to New York State over $570,000 in sales taxes between June 1, 2007 and March 21, 2011. They also allegedly filed false quarterly sales tax returns which grossly underreported the millions of dollars in taxable sales at R&U, and the sales tax they had collected during the time period. “When a business pockets sales tax revenue paid by its customers, it unfairly shifts the burden onto other hard-working New Yorkers,” said Attorney General Eric Schneider-
man. “Those who are already paying their fair share of taxes shouldn’t have to pick up the tab for those who skip out on their bill.” The defendants were charged with the following crimes: Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, in violation of New York State Penal Law § 155.40 (one count); Criminal Tax Fraud in the Second Degree, a class C felony, in violation of Tax Law § 1805 (two counts); Criminal Tax Fraud in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony, in violation of Tax Law § 1803; and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony, in violation of New York State Penal Law § 175.35 (3 counts). In addition to the criminal charges filed against the defendants, the Attorney General’s office also filed a civil forfeiture action in Albany County Supreme Court that seeks to restrain and attach and ultimately forfeit $570,963.73 in assets of Ustica and R&U Associates, Inc. as proceeds of their crimes Bail for the defendants was set at $25,000 cash and $50,000 bond and Ustica was remanded into custody.
PPG Supports Speedway Children’s Charities With Track Walk Fundraiser
PPG Automotive Refinish teamed up with the New Hampshire chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC) to present the 2015 Track Walk on July 18, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) in Loudon. The walk took place during the NASCAR weekend at the 1.058-mile racetrack, known as the Magic Mile, and was led by NASCAR driver and Daytona 500 champion Joey Logano. The event was set for the night before the New Hampshire 301. Logano drove the No. 22 Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Team Penske and finished in fourth place. “Usually I drive around these tracks,” said Logano. “But this is one walk I’m happy to take. I hope a lot of fans come out and join me.” PPG has been a major supporter of SCC since 2009. “We take great pride in presenting this year’s Track Walk,” said Mike Patenaude, PPG regional sales manager. “The people at Speedway Children’s Charities are
enthusiastic, motivated and work very hard. They really care about the kids.” According to Cheryl LaPrade, executive director of the New Hampshire chapter of the SCC, more than 200 people took part in the 2014 Track Walk that raised nearly $13,000 for the charity. All proceeds benefited the SCC New Hampshire chapter. SCC is based in Charlotte, NC, and provides funding for hundreds of nonprofit organizations across the United States. The organization was founded in 1982 by Bruton Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports, Inc., (SMI) and Sonic Automotive, as a tribute to Smith’s son, Bruton Cameron Smith, who died at a young age. The elder Smith was passionate about wanting to help children in need and established SCC to support local charities in communities around his SMI racetracks. For information about PPG, call (800) 647-6050 or visit www.ppgrefinish.com. For information about Speedway Children’s Charities, visit www.speedwaycharities.org.
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Autozone.com Opens its Doors to Auto Repair Marketplace Openbay
Openbay, an online marketplace for auto repair, and AutoZone Inc. will team up in a service that enables Boston-area consumers to comparison shop and book automotive repair and maintenance services with a network of local professionals directly from AutoZone.com. The Openbay.com database, which launched in October 2013, lets consumers enter specific automotive service needs or describe problems with their vehicle. Local automotive professionals respond with binding offers for service. Consumers select from multiple competitive offers that include pricing, location, customer ratings and reviews. AutoZone, a national auto parts and accessories retailer, said the relationship with Openbay will save customers the time, money and hassle of finding a trustworthy mechanic when their vehicles require service. Starting in June, consumers in the Boston region were able to use the service by visiting Autozone.com. Openbay receives a 10% fee per transaction when a consumer books service with an affiliated repair shop, said Rob Infantino, founder and CEO of Openbay. The consumer provides the number of a credit card that will be
used to pay for the services then Openbay validates the card to ensure it’s legitimate and to manage the payment process. The consumer then receives a code to pass along to the repair shop. When the repair service is complete, the consumer pays the bill, which the repair shop sends through Openbay.com. The marketplace takes its 10% fee and then remits the difference to the shop. “Openbay is a twosided marketplace: on one side is consumers, on the other side is businesses that repair cars,” Infantino said. “Our goal is to match consumers with the providers of the needed services.” Openbay has more than 22,000 service providers on its platform, Infantino said. “AutoZone chose to partner with Openbay because it’s at the forefront of innovation in the automotive repair business,” said Al Saltiel, AutoZone’s senior vice president of marketing, customer satisfaction. AutoZone’s list of “preferred” Boston-area commercial automotive repair businesses will be added to Openbay’s network of service providers that can respond to users’ requests for vehicle repair. The preferred designation is based on the volume of parts purchased by the shops, according to Autozone.com.
Carubba Collision Holds Ribbon-Cutting Event at New Location in Syracuse, NY
Joseph Carubba, President and CEO of Carubba Collision Corp. along with Cicero Town Supervisor Jessica Zambrano recently held the official grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Carubba Collision, Syracuse, New York location, 7313 Northern Blvd. in East Syracuse.
“Syracuse and Onondaga County are great communities and we are very excited for the opportunity to have our company become an integral part of a growing area,” said Carubba. “It is our desire to bring that same high level of quality auto body service to the Central New York area that our customers have enjoyed for so many years in Western New York.” The Carubba Collision’s new Syracuse location will eventually employee over 30 people. The new facility also includes an Enterprise Rent –A –Car operation on site. Also included on site are multiple insur(l to r) Yves Pierre, Shop Manager; Supervisor Jessica ance companies to hanZambrano; Carubba Collision Corp. President Joe Carubba; dle all customer claims. and Carubba Collision public and community relations The new Carubba Collimanager, Lou Fasolino, cut the ribbon at the official grand sion Syracuse location opening of Carubba Collision’s new Syracuse, NY, shop phone number is 315“We want to welcome Carubba 741-5955. Collision to the Syracuse area and we “The initial investment in our look forward to a long working rela- new Syracuse location is over $2 miltionship with this outstanding com- lion,” explained Carubba. pany who brings with them a track Future plans call for Carubba record of award-winning, cutting- Collision to invest in other sites and edge technology in the auto body in- expand operations even further in dustry,” stated Zambrano. the Central New York area.
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AMI Announces “High Octane” Scholarship Recipient
The Automotive Management Institute (AMI)—in conjunction with Arrowhead Automotive Aftermarket, a division of Arrowhead General Insurance—announced the recipient of the Arrowhead Automotive Aftermarket “High Octane” scholarship. The recipient is Taylor Hill, service consultant, Larson’s Service Inc., Peabody, MA. The scholarship recognizes a management-oriented member of the Automotive Service Association’s (ASA) Mechanical Division. The recipient receives $1,000 to be applied toward expenses to attend educational sessions and view the latest repair technologies and equipment during the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS), held during NACE in July. Hill has worked in the automotive service industry for five years. She is an ASE C1 Service Consultant, Ask Patty Certified and recently completed the necessary requirements to earn the Institute’s Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation. When not working in the shop, she contributes her time to various industry organizations. “I am extremely honored to be the recipient of this scholarship from AMI and Arrowhead Automotive
Specialty Market,” said Hill. “I’m excited this opportunity will allow me to take part in the abundance of quality training and networking opportunities available at CARS.” AMI was established in 1989 to answer the demand for continuing education tailored specifically for the busiTaylor Hill from ness needs of the Massachusetts automotive servreceived the Arrow- ice industry. The head Automotive Institute offers Aftermarket “High the Accredited Octane” scholarship Automotive Manager (AAM) designation, the first business management accreditation exclusively for the automotive service professional. To date, AMI programs have attracted more than 239,000 enrollments throughout North America. AMI is a nonprofit 501c(3) educational foundation, to which tax-deductible contributions can be made. For more information about the Institute, its curriculum, or EXCEL, please contact AMI at (817) 514-2900, ext. 129, or visit the AMI website at www.AMIonline.org.
New Haven, CT, Hit and Run; Police Looking for Leads
Police in New Haven, CT are looking for the driver of a vehicle that fled the scene of a hit and run on July 18. Firefighter-EMT and Police responded at around 10 p.m. to Whalley Ave. near Ella T. Grasso Boulevard on a report of a pedestrian struck. Investigation reveals that the pedestrian was hit by an older-model white Mitsubishi Eclipse with dark tinted windows and a rear spoiler. Police said the car likely has a cracked front windshield. No description of the operator was given. Police said the vehicle fled west from the scene and turned on Blake St. where witnesses lost sight of it. The operator is wanted for felony evading and possibly additional charges. The pedestrian is a 17-year-old male from Bridgeport, CT. He was rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries. Witnesses claim they saw the pedestrian attempting to cross Whalley Avenue outside the marked crosswalk. Evidence found at the scene support the witness’ accounts. The vehicle and operator have not been located as of press time. Anyone with information is urged to call New Haven Police 203-946-6316 or your local law enforcement.
NJ Governor Announces New Insurance Commissioner
New Jersey’s Governor Chris Christie announced in June the departure of Insurance Commissioner Ken Kobylowski. He is expected to leave over the next several weeks. “I want to thank Governor Christie for giving me the opportunity to serve as Commissioner,” said Kobylowski. “It has been an honor and a privilege to lead the Department and work for New Jersey residents and businesses. I am proud of all that we have accomplished and confident that the Department’s work will continue seamlessly under my successor.” Governor Christie will nominate Richard J. Badolato to replace Kobylowski as Commissioner of Banking and Insurance. Badolato is a partner at the law firm of Connell Foley. He has expertise in civil trial litigation including medical, legal and dental malpractice; products liability; automobile litigation; insurance coverage and policy interpretation and subrogation recovery. Badolato is expected to begin his service on August 1, 2015.
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Rio Auto Body in NJ Awards Scholarship to Atlantic Cape
The Atlantic Cape Community College Foundation received a $2,500 donation from Lou Altobelli, owner of Rio Auto Body of Rio Grande, NJ, recently. This was the third installment of a $12,500 pledge to Create Opportunity—The Capital & Scholarship Campaign for Atlantic Cape. The Rio Auto Body
Lous Altobelli, owner of Rio Auto Body of Rio Grande, New Jersey, presented a $2,500 donation to the Atlantic Cape Community College Foundation for scholarships
Scholarship is presented annually to a second-year Cape May County resident with a minimum GPA of 3.0 who is a full-time business major with financial need. Altobelli and his company have supported the Atlantic Cape Foundation Golf Tournament and the Restaurant Gala. He serves as a trustee on the Atlantic Cape Community College Foundation and is the co-chair of the college’s 2015 Scramble “Fore” Scholarships Golf Tournament Committee. Contact Maria Kellett (609) 463-3670.
CEI Named One of U.S.’s Most “Highly Engaged” Workforces
Employees at the CEI Group, Inc., a fleet driver management company, are among the most highly engaged in their jobs in United States, a Gallup Inc. survey has found. Based on a survey of nearly all of the company’s workforce last summer, Gallup computed CEI’s “Engagement Index Ratio” to be 7.83, more than four times the score of 1.80 for all U.S. workers last year. The index compares the number of engaged employees to those who are “actively disengaged.” Gallup defines engaged employees “as those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace.” The consulting firm also says that engaged employees: ● Begin the day with a sense of purpose and finish it with a sense of achievement. ● Consistently bring high levels of determination, tenacity and resilience to everything they do. ● Are dedicated to their jobs, and its shows in their enthusiasm, inspiration and pride in their work. ● Become easily engrossed in their roles, and time flows quickly for them when at work. Over the past 10 years, CEI has twice been named on the best places to work in Pennsylvania.
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NACE Moves West
square feet of exhibit space and hosted 6,496 attendees. In 2014 the show had roughly 46,500 square feet for exhibits and 6,253 attendees. Given the 40 percent growth in 2014 over 2013, more was expected. Attendance was a shadow on what was otherwise a remarkable show. ASA President Dan Risley said ASA had hoped for some 8,000 attendees, and Brian Nessen of Stone Fort Group, said that their metrics showed lower than expected repeat attendance from 2014 to 2015, meaning that the show expo had essentially a different audience, albeit less foot traffic on the show floor. There was also acknowledgement of the difficulty in scheduling events co-located with the show, such as the popular MSO symposium, so that they didn’t affect the foot traffic for the exhibits. Said Risley, “It’s modest growth. We expected growth, but we expected a little more. From a forecasting perspective, I would tell you that we missed the mark for what we hoped for... I’m not overly enamored with 20
Perth Amboy, NJ Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison
A Perth Amboy, NJ man, Vinny Curbelo, was sentenced in June to eight years in state prison for swindling insurers, a credit union and his employer out of more than $600,000 in two fraud plots. Autobody News previously reported Curbelo pleaded guilty in May to seven charges: second-degree insurance fraud, health care claims fraud and theft by deception, three counts of third-degree theft by deception and third-degree money laundering. In November, Curbelo was indicted for faking an accident at his job to get his insurance to cover the halfmillion dollar cost of medical treatment for injuries he had suffered prior to his employment. In addition, he accepted approximately $55,803 in temporary disability payments for two years following the faked accident, though he was working “under-the-table” at a Dawn’s Auto Body in Keyport. While employed there, he stole approximately $16,700 from their bank accounts. Curbelo was then indicted stealing about $23,000 from a credit union and to defraud a car insurance company of more than $32,000 by forging documents related to a stolen SUV. Curbelo will be required to pay full restitution to the disability insurer.
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percent growth and I’m not overly enamored with [just] a couple hundred new people on the show floor.” The reasons for subpar attendance are varied and many, with some attributing the turnout to ‘been there,
Under Secretary for [VA] Benefits, General Allison Hickey said that hiring more veterans could be the solution to a lack of qualified workers in the industry, noting roughly 250,000 technically adept service members are leaving the military each year
done that’ for NACE in Detroit. Others blamed the proximity to Chicago’s Automechanika event in April and reluctance of midwest shops to attend both. Anaheim 2016 will provide an opportunity for the 37,000 plus shops in the show organizer’s database to see a state of the art, OEM-heavy
tradeshow in the heart of So. California. Risley said that additional international buyers from Pacific Rim countries were more realistic for the West Coast location. Nessen said that not only will next year’s show include new OEM presence, but also that current OEM exhibitors have also verbally committed to return. “The OEs are part of the backbone,” he said. By the time the opening session began on Thursday, July 23, the event had already seen a host of co-located organizations holding meetings including 1 Collision Network, ASE, CCIF, CIC, CIECA, CIIA, CREF, ICAR, MERA, NABC, OERoundtable, SCRS, State Farm Advisory Council, and WIN. The General Session featured introductions of the keynote speakers by ASA President Dan Risley, broken into 3 sessions, which included a keynote given by General Allison Hickey, Under Secretary for Benefits, Veterans Benefits Administration, made a passionate argument for hiring more vets in collision repair. Other remarks were made by Donny Seyfer, ASA Chairman and a Executive of the Year presentation by Scott Shriber of Babcox Media.
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CT Supreme Court
court awarded plaintiffs $20,000,000 in punitive damages and rendered judgment for plaintiffs in the total amount of $34,765,556. The Supreme Court’s July 13 decision overturns the lower court ruling as well as the monetary damages. An attorney for The Auto Body of Association of Connecticut, which comprises more than 1,100 auto body shops, said his clients were both surprised and disappointed by the Supreme Court’s decision (see comments in adjacent cover story.) “We fought hard for more than 1,000 small businesses,” David Slossberg, an attorney for the association, said. “We had a strong belief in this case on behalf of these small businesses. A jury agreed with us and trial judge, then we receive this decision.” Slossberg declined to comment on the possibility of any additional action. At the heart of the civil lawsuit was the association’s contention that The Hartford’s damage appraisals included artificially low labor rates because the insurer eliminated the use of
independent appraisers. Instead, the insurer relied exclusively on its in-house appraisers so the company could control all aspects, including the cost of labor and which auto body shops were favored. According to court documents, the appraisers, when negotiating with auto body repair shops on behalf of the Hartford Fire, used the hourly labor rate that the insurer paid to shops that were part of the insurer’s direct repair program (DRP). Under this program, auto body repair shops contractually agreed to perform repairs at an hourly labor rate set by the Hartford Fire in return for “a steady stream of customer referrals.” In 2000, the DRP labor rate was about $41 per hour. In 2009, during the time of the trial, the rate rose to around $46 per hour. The DRP rate was significantly lower than the $65-to-$78 hourly labor rates that were posted in the plaintiff auto body shops during the time of trial. However, the DRP hourly labor rates were equal to the rates that other insurance companies in Connecticut paid for auto body repair services, the court papers showed. In its ruling, the Supreme Court wrote: “…it would be patently unrea-
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sonable, and result in an inherently contradictory regulatory scheme, for us to conclude both the defendant is lawfully permitted to determine the hourly rate that it is willing to pay for auto body repairs and that the defendant’s appraisers are ethically required to disregard the determination when negotiating on the defendant’s behalf.” The auto body association alleged that The Hartford provided incentives to its appraisers to establish artificially low hourly rates for auto body work. The association was a plaintiff along with three shops, Artie’s Auto Body, A&R Body Specialty and Skrip’s Auto Body. However, the Supreme Court stated in its July 13 ruling that regarding the auto body repair services purchased in Connecticut, almost all of those services are purchased by insurance companies. And since most of plaintiff auto body shops’ businesses are insurance-related, it is “exceedingly rare” for these shops to be paid their posted hourly labor rates. The Supreme Court said the trial court incorrectly concluded that the Hartford Fire violated the state’s unfair trade practices law (CUPTA.) The Supreme Court said: “Indeed,
we are unable to discern why appraisers, when negotiating for the cost of auto repairs on behalf of their employers, would ever owe a duty of impartiality to the auto body repair shops with whom they are negotiating. Under our regulatory provisions, those businesses are deemed to be capable of representing their own interests, and certainly are under no obligation to accept insurance related work that is not sufficiently remunerative. We therefore agree with the defendant that the trial court incorrectly concluded that the trial court incorrectly concluded that § 38a-790-8 supports the plaintiffs’ CUTPA claim alleging unfair labor rate practices… In light of that conclusion, the plaintiffs’ CUTPA claim cannot stand, and the defendant is therefore entitled to judgment as a matter of law. The judgment is reversed and the case is remanded with direction to render judgment for the defendant.” Over a dozen years of litigation, The Hartford defended its practices dealing with auto body repairs. “We’re delighted the Connecticut Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in The Hartford’s favor,” Michelle Loxton, a spokeswoman for the Hartford, said.
Behind-The-Scenes Look at the Michigan Factory Where Ford’s F-150 Is Manufactured
by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
Every 42 seconds a new 2015 Ford F150 truck is being ordered somewhere across the country. The Ford Rouge Factory, where the all-aluminum vehicle is built, is trying to keep up with this demand by producing 1,200 trucks a day.
The Ford Rouge Factory near Dearborn, MI
Autobody News toured the factory near Dearborn, Michigan, while attending the NACE show in July. During the tour, participants learned the history of Ford Motor Company, got a close-up look at vintage Ford vehicles made there over the years and viewed the assembly line where the Ford F150 is constructed. A rooftop observa-
tion deck offers a panoramic view of the entire mile and a half site, which also includes a paint house and living laboratory. Inside the half-a-million square foot assembly plant, 2,000 workers build the Ford F-150 during two 10hour shifts. The factory was originally constructed in 1917 for $12 million and has been modernized over the years. Referred to by Ford as “the best selling vehicle in America,” the Ford F-150 is the only vehicle built at the Rouge plant. An elevated walkway above the assembly line allows viewers to watch the steps involved in constructing the trucks. It takes six hours to build an F150 and employees on the assembly line are allotted about 54 seconds to put on the new parts. Each truck is special ordered and pre-paid before even being built. There are over 500,000 different possibilities that can be ordered, including 14 colors, different engines, tires, suspensions and consoles. “There is a backlog because so many orders are coming in,” said one of the tour guides. “While they can build 600 of these in a 10-hour shift, there are 700 being ordered at the time they are
building the 600. It’s a good problem to have. There’s a lot of job security here.” Every single one is inspected and goes for a test run on the test track. After being been cleared, 60 percent are shipped by road and 40 percent by rail.
Ford participates in several environmental initiatives including using solar panels at the factory
It all started when Henry Ford began tinkering in a small shed behind number 58 Bagley Avenue in Michigan. Ford was the chief engineer at the local power plant and was determined to make a reliable car that everybody could afford. In 1903, he founded Ford Motor Company in a small factory. Five years later he introduced the Model T. Known as the “Tin Lizzy,” the au-
tomobile could handle the rough roads of the day and didn’t break down unlike other companies back then. It took a crew around 12 hours to assemble each one. Ford realized that he needed to find a way to manufacture more while maintaining quality. In Cincinnati, meat packers worked standing in line, each of them in charge of a specific job. Other factories, like textile plants, used simple conveyor systems. Studying these businesses, Ford experimented with the idea of using an assembly line at his own factory. “Instead of moving the man to the work, he brought the work to the man,” according to a video shown at the plant. “With his moving assembly line, Henry revolutionized the manufacturing process.” By 1915, the model T could be assembled in 93 minutes at Ford’s Highland Park plant. His workforce grew from 450 to 14,000. Today, Ford Motor Company manufacturers or distributes automobiles across six continents with about 187,000 employees and 62 plants worldwide. The company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. More information about the Ford tour is available online: http://www .thehenryford.org/rouge/index.aspx
www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 15
Dayton Body Shop Brings the Caped Crusader to the Community with a Batmobile by Zachary Berry, The News Wheel at thenewswheel.com
Carl’s Body Shop The sound of an engine echoes through the streets. Like thunder, the engine’s roar serves as a forerunner to the sight that soon appears. Whipping around the corner like a bat out of hell is the powerful and fearsome Batmobile. However, these aren’t the streets of Gotham City, and Batman is not behind the wheel. Instead, this Batmobile traverses through the streets of Dayton, Ohio, and its owner is Matt Miller, president of Carl’s Body Shop.
Batmobile Interior
Carl’s Body Shop is a full service mechanical and body shop located in downtown Dayton on 1120 Wayne Avenue. Founded in 1934, the shop is over 80 years old. Its longevity is accredited by its staff to its commitment to service. In the 1930s, brothers Carl and Al Hounshell moved to Dayton from Kentucky. They established an auto body shop of their own. Al went on to open his own business, called Al’s Auto Parts, while the eponymous Carl maintained the body shop. Carl Hounshell lived by a code of customer commitment. He made sure that every customer was satisfied with their product. “Carl was a hands-on guy,” Miller says. “He was actually one of the body techs.” Carl led the business for over 50 years. Unfortunately, in the late 1980s, he was diagnosed with cancer. Carl Hounshell passed away in 1988. Hounshell’s family began searching for someone to lead the business. They soon found the body shop’s new owner in the form of a body technician and painter, Matt Miller. “One of my best friends I went to high school with was his [Carl Hounshell’s] grandson,” Miller says. “We got
together and we talked about possibly, instead of working here, maybe I should purchase the business.” Miller decided to indeed purchase the body shop and has been the owner since 1989. As the president and owner of Carl’s Body Shop, Miller inspects every single vehicle that enters the shop. Over the years, several services have been added to the facility to make it a full body shop. Towing and mechanical services expanded the operations. Meanwhile, seeking a way to create a complete service for commercial vehicles that came in for repairs, Miller established a vinyl graphic service around 8 years ago. “Today, with digital printing, it’s just unbelievable,” Miller says. “You can take a picture of anything, and we can put it right on their vehicles.” In addition to an expansion on operations, Carl’s Body Shop has purchased several properties in the surrounding area to expand the shop itself. The body shop has ended up with more than 40 properties. Due to the trust that has developed between the body shop and its customers, Carl’s often sees exotic vehicles brought in for repairs. According to Miller, everything from classic show cars to Lamborghinis have been worked on by the staff. With the shop having been in Dayton for so long, Miller sought out another way to give back to the community. “I just felt like we should give back to the area,” Miller says. “The area’s been real good to us. We’ve been blessed as a business financially.” He found the answer in his childhood memories of his personal hero: Batman. “I was five years old when they came out with the 1966 series,” Miller says. “I couldn’t wait to get home from school and watch the show.” Miller decided a unique way to help the local Dayton area would be by creating his own Batmobile to promote different community events. In order to recreate Batman’s iconic car, Miller sought the help of a friend who created custom fiberglass exteriors. Once the fiberglass body for the 1966 Batmobile was created, the exterior was placed over a 1976 Lincoln town car. After that, the different little Batman details had to be created. Overall, the project took about 24 months to
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complete. Miller and his staff transport the Batmobile to different charity events, community gatherings, and church festivals throughout the year. People also
Carl’s Body Shop president and owner Matt Miller with Batmobile
come down to the shop itself during field trips to see the car, which is housed in Miller’s own personal Batcave, a garage lined with Batman memorabilia.
Batcave “Batman had the cool car, and I’m a car guy,” Miller says. “Batman’s just always been an icon. I think he’s stronger than ever.” Since then, the shop has crafted even more custom Batman vehicles.
In addition to the Adam West Batmobile, Miller has a Batcycle from the 1966 series and a custom “Jokermobile.” Miller is currently working on a replica of the Batmobile from Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman movie. While the Batman cars are interesting, Miller says it is the shop’s continued commitment to service that keeps people from all over the Miami Valley visiting Carl’s Body Shop to have their cars repaired. “The fact that Carl’s has kept that reputation is the reason why we’re always really busy and we never have to worry about running out of work,” Miller says. With its commitment to excellence and its involvement in the community, Carl’s Body Shop has become regarded by Dayton locals as the body shop that they deserve and the one they need.
Autobody News thanks The News Wheel for permission to reprint their article. See thenewswheel.com.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 17
CollisionFix.com Website Educates Public About Industry Issues and Unites Shops When Ray Gunder from Lakeland, FL’s Gunder’s Auto Center discontinued his DRP relationships, he said that he wasn’t sure if his shop would survive. The DRP programs accounted for approximately 30 percent of his Florida-based business and he knew that he needed to do something. Then he met Jeff Roberts from Eagleville Marketing Group and together they developed a commercial for the local cable networks. Gunder said he received an instantaneous response and his second month of advertising on air was his best month in 45 years. “It has been incredible since day one. Every bay in our shop is full,” said Gunder. “Our body and repair shop is completely circled with work. We have more insurance work on premise than at any time when we had DRP relationships.” Gunder’s business is one of 20 collision repair shops listed on a new website, called CollisionFix.com, launched by the Eagleville Marketing Group in June. Roberts, owner of the Florida- and Tennessee-based advertising agency, said the mission of the site is to give a voice to the collision repair industry.
Ray Gunder (left) pictured with bodytech Lance Smith who has worked for Gunder’s Auto Center for approximately 35 years
Geared toward consumers, www .CollisionFix.com was created to educate the public about issues surrounding the industry, such as the difference between original quality, OEM and low-quality aftermarket parts and the use of junkyard parts. It also addresses consumers’ rights to choose a body shop, regardless where an insurance company suggests they go. Roberts said the site is for shops that want to take a stand against insurance companies “steering” their customers to other shops.
“Not all insurance companies are bad, just the ones that interfere in the consumers’ right to choose, and promote the use of substandard parts,” said
Roberts. “Those that join CollisionFix.com are shops that believe in the consumer first and profit second because profit comes when you take care of the consumer. We feel that when shops strive for perfection and are good members of their community, the profit will come, and of course growth is inevitable.” Roberts said that many shops struggle to stay in business and don’t advertise at all. CollisionFix.com helps unite shops in a certain area, enabling them to combine their advertising dollars and be able to afford to advertise on air. “If you invest a part of your annual sales into marketing your message and do it in a way that’s professional and not hokey looking, you will grow,” said Roberts. “The bottom line is marketing with the correct message, on the right networks, at the right frequency. You do that consistently and there is no level you cannot advance to.” His goal is to spread the word about CollisionFix.com so when an accident does occur, consumers can check online for a shop nearby. Roberts said 90 percent of consumers choose a body shop that is fairly close to them. Gunder has been advertising on air for about a year. After starting out on his own, he teamed up with a couple of other shops that had heard about his success. “We were able to give a lot more exposure for the same amount of money,” he said. Now when customers enter Gunder’s Auto, he finds they mention the commercial and what they learned about the industry. “They know enough that they don’t want to use junk on their car,” said Gunder. “They want a quality repair and the ad educates them very well on that. When they get here then we educate them further.” Bobby Price of Price’s Collision
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Centers in Nashville, TN, said he has had a similar response. The business owner started Price’s Collision Centers in 2000 in Brentwood, TN. Price currently operates nine shops and number 10 is scheduled to open in the fall of this year. It will be a dedicated aluminum-repair facility located next door to his flagship store in Brentwood.
Price started working with Roberts when he first opened his business. “We began to advertise Price’s as a repair center that focused on value retention and passenger safety as our number one goals,” said Price. “We built the brand around this philosophy and have set ourselves apart from the competition in delivering this message via radio, tv and print.”
Price’s Collision Center in Brentwood, TN is one of Bobby’s Price’s nine locations
Price employs 155 collision repair professionals and earned just over $20 million in revenue in 2014. The company also operates an apprenticeship program out of their training center in the company’s Mt. Juliet location.
With an advertising budget exceeding $100,000, they are also corporate sponsors for the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators teams. “We work with the community and See CollisionFix.com, Page 20
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CollisionFix.com
support charities that we feel benefit us locally,” said Price. “Co-branding with such notable partners has brought credibility and an immeasurable awareness to Price’s message.” He said that in respect to the advertising they have done, “It’s important to build your brand while separating your business from the competition. Your message will differentiate you from the rest.” His advice to other shops is to “be creative in your marketing and the message you deliver.” Roberts said much of Price’s success has grown through the years through the use of their message to consumers. “They have the reputation of never taking a short cut to repair your car, or using a low quality aftermarket, and junkyard parts,” he said. Price has also invested in training, earning several high-end manufacture certifications. This has helped them stand apart from others. “Bobby Price has been a mentor to me and deserves a lot of credit to our agency’s success in helping other shops,” said Roberts. “His marketing message of anti-steer-
ing, using quality parts, and quality repairs has helped us understand the collision industry in a way no other agency can. Prices Collision has been a client of ours for over 14 years and that experience for us is immeasurable.” With a background in the automotive industry, Roberts worked as the general manager of a Ford store in Pennsylvania for nine years before coming to Nashville to work at another advertising agency. He opened his own agency, Eagleville Marketing, two years later, in 1998. Although EaglevilleMarketing .com has many clients in other industries, Roberts said he has gravitated to the collision repair industry as more and more shops have asked for assistance. “If you’re just waiting for things to change you will lose the battle,” said Roberts. “By continuing fist quality work for your customers plus marketing and educating the public to these facts you will stand a cut above the others.” Visit www.CollisionFix .com for details.
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20 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Team PRP Automotive Recyclers Announces Expansion of Transportation Network Team PRP announced it has successfully implemented its new network logistics tracking system, in tandem with a new and expanded transportation network. A strategically developed linking of Team PRP Mid-Atlantic and Midwest partners with Northeast partners—created by opening up new trade routes—initiated significantly increased trading of parts. Additionally, the company said the expansion has created improved equalization of trading opportunities within the network. Parts that may be in short supply in one part of the country can now be fulfilled with parts available from other areas in a very timely manner. Utilization of a dedicated truck line, with all new trailers, now plays a large part in establishing a dependable system of transporting parts, and expedites delivery times. The resulting increased availability of parts will serve collision and mechanical repair customers of Team PRP. “We now have much more inventory at our disposal, giving us the chance to say yes to our customers, more often,” commented Brian Dean, General Manager of JC
Auto & Truck Parts in Missouri and Team PRP board president. Simultaneously launching a new logistics tracking program—utilizing a system with the very latest technologies provided by one of the largest logistics companies in the world and highly customized for use by Team PRP—further solidified the expansion’s success. “Our new logistics tracking program is a quantum leap from what we had been using in the past,” stated Mark Gamble, Team PRP’s Executive Director. “It offers a level of accuracy, timeliness, and flexibility that we have never had before and represents a solid foundation for us to build even more functionality. This, along with the trucking expansion, has proven to be another significant step forward in the continued growth and success of Team PRP, further underscoring our commitment to excellence for our customers.”
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New Study Shows Necessity of Pennsylvania Vehicle Safety Inspection Program
An ongoing debate between Pennsylvania legislators, especially over the past year, has been whether or not the annual vehicle safety inspection program is worth requiring of all light-duty (personal) vehicles. The study showed that the program is helping to keep vehicles maintained and in safe driving condition, according to a recent study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, PA. Unlike the federally-mandated safety inspections for large trucks, rail, and air transport, personal vehicles have state-mandated programs, even though personal automobiles are the leading source of transit. Only 11 states require annual safety inspections for personal vehicles, five states require a modified inspection program every few years, and the remaining states have no required vehicle safety inspection schedule. There are misconceptions about the low, often-cited 2% inspection failure rate, making it seem like the time and effort that go into vehicle safety inspections aren’t justified—making inspections an unnecessary burden on taxpayers, state governments and vehicle owners. According to Dana Peck, dual Ph.D. student in CMU’s Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering and Public
Wicked Weather at End of June Wreaks Havoc on Cars Across Maryland
Policy and first author, “[the study] looks into the detail of the vehicle safety inspection program in Pennsylvania from a maintenance point of view, rather than a final pass/fail point of view.” By combining data from anonymized vehicle registration data and safety inspection data, it is calculated that about 12%-18% of light duty vehicles in PA (12 million vehicles) initially fail the safety inspection in a given year—these vehicles require maintenance. While many factors can contribute to a vehicle requiring maintenance, such as vehicle miles traveled, even brand new vehicles have a non-zero failure rate. Failure rates were further analyzed by taking into account the urban/rural county classification, age and the odometer reading. AASP-PA Executive Director Jeff Walter said, “This report proves that annual safety inspection programs, such as Pennsylvania’s, are good for the driving public and make our roads safer. Legislators hopefully will look at the statistics in this report and see the benefit of safety inspection programs. In order to keep driving conditions safe, safety inspections must continue to be the necessary standard for all vehicles.” The full paper is located at: http://authors.elsevier.com/a/1RBBb_ LzWOsXtj
Hicks, Baltimore Body Shop, told baltimore.cbslocal.com. Thomas Kelly, owner of Kelly's Body Shop, tried to keep up with the parade of drivers coming in for repairs. “I haven’t sat down or eaten anything today. I’m still delirious. I came to work, and it’s just been estimate after estimate,” he told baltimore.cbslocal.com the day after the storm on June 24. A couple’s brand new car they purchased three Hail cracked car windows during an exceptional summer months prior got 250 storm in Baltimore at the end of June. Photo Credit: dents during the storm. It baltimore.cbslocal.com will take five days to reA nonstop barrage of heavy pair and cost $4,000 in damages. rain, strong winds and thunder made Some auto shops hired tempofor a rough ride, while chunks of hail rary workers to keep up with demand, left craters in car panels. reported baltimore.cbslocal.com. The storm left car panels riddled Auto shop owners told baltiwith craters, and windshields com- more.cbslocal.com this type of dampletely shattered. age is rare, but because weather is The wicked weather—bad was bad unpredictable, they recommend drivfor car owners, but good for auto shops, ers find out about their insurance covreported baltimore.cbslocal.com. erage options. “We had a couple people call mostly about falling limbs,” Rachel
The large hail and strong winds that swept through Baltimore, Maryland on June 23 caused major headaches for some car owners.
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Stoughton, MA Shop Owner Indicted on Drug Trafficking Charges David Coke, 36, of Stoughton, MA sat before selectmen two years ago wearing a ‘U MAD BRO?’ T-shirt, asking for a license to sell used cars, reported Cody Shepard of stoughton.wickledlocal.com. He told the board that he would be considerate of neighbors and wouldn’t store many cars on his Washington Street lot because he didn’t have money to buy them, reported Shepard. During the last week of June, Coke was one of 48 people indicted by the U.S. attorney’s office for allegedly belonging to the gang Columbia Point Dawgs. The report referred to this group as one of the most feared gangs in Boston for decades. Coke is seen in a video from August 20, 2013 asking selectmen for a license to deal used cars at his Lifeline Autobody Collision shop on Washington Street. Since then, Coke has relocated his shop to 428 Willow St., which houses more than a half-dozen automotive businesses, including Coke’s A-1 Autobody Collision, which he owns with 40-year-old brother, Michael Coke, reported Shepard. Armed with a search warrant, Stoughton police detectives along with state and federal authorities raided A-
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Used Car Dealership
Sales Regulations, the Motor Vehicle Advertising Regulations and the Used Car Lemon Law and related regulations. Under the terms of the Final Consent Judgment that resolves the lawsuit, AutoSource Group will revise its business practices to comply with state laws and regulations. “When looking to buy a used car, consumers can look under the hood and can kick the tires, but often rely on the dealership to tell them information about the car’s history and past use,” Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said. “This settlement ensures that this dealership will change its current practices so that consumers will receive all vehicle history information that state law requires.” Specifically, the complaint alleged that, among other things, AutoSource Group failed to disclose the prior condition and prior use of used motor vehicles, failed to disclose existing mechanical defects in used motor vehicles, failed to provide required written warranties, and failed to respond to consumer complaints.
1 on June 18. Police have not said if they seized anything or made any arrests that morning, but the FBI said the brothers were using the business for selling drugs, reported Shepard.
David Coke, who is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin and oxycodone, sits before Stoughton selectmen at a meeting on Aug. 20, 2013. Photo Credit: Stoughton Media Access Corporation
One of the other business owners in the Willow Street lot said on June 19 he noticed suspicious people at A-1, but never thought they were doing what authorities say they were at the Stoughton shop, reported Shepard.
“We expect AutoSource Group to conduct business in compliance with our consumer protection laws and regulations,” said Steve Lee, Acting Director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. “Used car buyers must be informed of all relevant facts, including the prior use of vehicles in fleets and whether the vehicle sustained any damage.” The $25,000 payment includes $14,362 in civil penalties, with the balance going toward reimbursement of the State’s legal and investigative costs in this matter. The consent judgment can be found online: http://nj.gov/oag/newsreleases15/AutoSource_Filed-CJRedacted.pdf Consumers who believe they have been cheated or scammed by a business, or suspect any other form of marketplace abuse, can file a complaint with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 FREE (toll free within New Jersey) or 973-504-6200.
22 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
The court affidavit says that, during the two-year investigation into gang operations, David Coke was seen driving a Maserati, wearing expensive jewelry and designer clothing, and spending freely in the clubs. According to documents, Coke also supplied people with heroin and oxycodone. Roshaun Hawkins, 29, Emmet Street, Brockton, and Roberto Andrade, 30, West Chestnut Street, Brockton were amongst locals indicted in Operation Rising Tide, which took down almost 50 alleged drug traffickers. Three of the indicted members were arrested in mid-May after Canton police said they shot at and struck a car five times while driving. Arthur Williams, 38, of Randolph; Yancey Williams, 28, of Norwood; and Louis Whitehead, 35, of Fall River, were arrested in Mansfield and charged with armed assault with the intent to murder and multiple firearm charges, reported Shepard. The raid by local, state and federal authorities netted $1.5 million in cash, 31 guns, heroin and cocaine, officials told Shepard.
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The Collision Centers of New York Adds Fourth Location
The Collision Centers of New York announced on June 26 the opening of an 11,000-square-foot shop in Huntington, NY. This will mark the shop's fourth location on Long Island. “We want to continue to grow on Long Island, and this shop opens some new markets for us,” company founder and CEO Joe Amodei said. “We have worked to build a great infrastructure of people and processes within the business that will allow us to continue to grow in the future.” Amodei credits the company’s growth to a culture focused on three things: quality repairs, earning customer trust through outstanding service, and industry-leading cycle time. “Our team system at all our locations is laser-focused on making sure we consistently deliver all three,” Amodei said. “We’re excited to bring that winning combination to Huntington and the surrounding communities.” The company is planning a grand opening event in August that will include the presentation of three “Recycled Rides” to veterans. The Collision Centers, a familyowned and operated business, founded in 1989, also has shops in Babylon, Patchogue and Riverhead, NY.
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Massachusetts Auto Repair Shops, Insurers in Battle Over Rates by Matt Murphy, State House News Service
Auto body repair shop owners pleaded with lawmakers on July 14 to intervene and force insurance companies to pay higher hourly rates, a move the insurance industry ridiculed as a “step backward” from the state’s deregulation of the auto insurance industry. With auto body repairers paid roughly $11 an hour less than the national average in Massachusetts, shop owners said their livelihoods are being threatened by insurance carriers who get to dictate the rates regardless of the cost of training employees and keeping up with new technology. The disparity, according to shop owners and vocational educators, is making it harder to keep young workers in Massachusetts at a time when many auto technicians are nearing retirement age. Insurers said auto body repairers are free to try to negotiate higher rates or turn down work if it’s not cost effective, suggesting supply and demand is dictating the wage reimbursement levels. Molly Brodeur, president of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts, told the Committee on Financial Services that auto repair shops in Massachusetts are compensated on average at the lowest rate of any state in the country at $37 an hour, below the $48 an hour national average. Trade groups and repair shop owners are pushing legislation (S 561/H 805) that would require insurers to compensate auto body repair shops at
the average rate of bordering New England states, or $45.44. The rates would be adjusted every two years with approval from the Division of Insurance. “We will never have the highest rate in New England. That’s never been our intention. We just want a level playing field,” Brodeur said. Several people testifying told lawmakers that low rates are making it difficult to recruit young technicians into the field who are leaving to work in other states like Connecticut. Given the high cost of continuing training for automotive technicians on new, more technologically advanced vehicles, some owners said current rates are threatening the survival of many repair shops, raising concerns about consumer choice. “We can no longer afford to subsidize the auto insurance industry,” said Rick Starbard, owner of Rick’s Auto Collision and Service in Revere. Starbard pegged the cost to each shop to retrain employees to fix Ford’s new F-150 pickup trucks, the best-selling vehicle in America, at $50,000. Sen. Vinny DeMacedo, a Plymouth Republican, said his brother left the auto body repair business more than two decades ago because it was “cost prohibitive.” DeMacedo said he worries low rates will increase the financial pressures on shop owners to “cut corners” in other areas, including the disposal of harmful chemicals and solvents that could harm the environment. “I really believe this is something that needs to be addressed. To ignore it pushes more and more individuals out of an industry we all need. This is
Family Helped by NABC, Family Promise, with Vehicle
A former homeless family of five received a newly refurbished vehicle from 1Collision County Line and MetLife Auto & Home through the National Auto Body Recycled Rides program. The keys to the 2006 Honda CRV were presented to the family on June 5th at 1Collision County Line’s facility at N96W14555 County Line Rd in Menomonee Falls, WI. The event was attended by about 30 people including leaders in the community, local newspapers as well as Milwaukee ABC affiliate WISN12 News. LeeAnn Petri, her fiancée Michael Roth and their three children were a hard-working middle-class family but became homeless living in
campgrounds. In October of 2014, the family received help from Family Promise of Washington County, providing shelter and support to the family for ten weeks until they were able to move into their own home in Hartford, WI. The family however, was still in need of a reliable car. Family Promise of Washington County teamed up with Recycled Rides and 1Collision County Line to help provide this vehicle to the family.
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24 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
an important part of our economy,” DeMacedo said. More than seven years after Massachusetts officials deregulated the automotive insurance market to invite more competition, the insurance industry prefers the status quo. John Murphy, the executive director of the Massachusetts Insurance Federation, said the problem is one of supply and demand, arguing that as the need for car repairs has decreased over the past decade the number of shops has remained steady. “This is a market question. Ultimately there are no cars going unrepaired in Massachusetts because of this issue. If there were, you’d be hearing about this. But apparently there are enough shops out there,” Murphy said. Murphy said mandating higher rates would lead to increased insurance costs for all car owners. He suggested instead that rates will come up naturally if consumers begin having trouble finding someone to repair their cars. “The economics will find that balance,” he said. Rep. Chris Walsh, a Framingham Democrat, said he found the argu-
ments made by the repair shop owners “valid,” but questioned why rates are higher in other states that operate under a similar system without government intervention. No other states dictate auto repair rates to insurers, multiple people testified. “I would expect in the free market concept, in a state that has a high cost of living, this would not be true. So there is a dynamic going on keeping rates down,” Walsh said. Gary Cloutier, owner of Cloots Auto Body and Repair in Westfield, said the insurance industry was living in “fantasy land” if it thinks the free market will resolve the compensation problems, stating that bike, lawnmower and snow blower repair shops charge a higher hourly rate than auto body shops collect from insurance carriers. “When did fixing a bike, or a lawnmower, or a snow blower become more complicated than fixing a car...,” Cloutier said. “They’ve created a huge mess that’s about to blow up.”
We would like to thank State House News Service for permission to reprint this article.
www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 25
New Nitrocell Nitrogen Plastic Welder by Urethane Supply
Urethane Supply Company revealed its new 6066-CG Nitrocell Nitrogen Plastic Welder at the NACE/CARS Show. Urethane Supply introduced the first commercialized nitrogen plastic welder to the collision repair industry in 2006, and the new 6066-CG Nitrocell is the most advanced generation of nitrogen welder yet. It designed to generate its own nitrogen gas from shop air and requires no onboard air compressor. “Repair shops want to minimize repair times and maximize profits, and we’ve designed the new 6066CG Nitrocell Nitrogen Welder to help them do just that,” Kurt Lammon, president of Urethane Supply Company, said. “The new unit will help collision specialists reduce cycle times and increase their opportunities to do more profitable labor-based repair of plastic components.” The 6066-CG’s intuitive yet precise analog instrumentation features a control regulator combined with an output pressure gauge and a flow gauge to give the operator total control over the amount of gas used in the welding process. A low-pressure safety switch automatically cuts power to the heating element, protecting it from overheating if the flow drops too low.
Police Officer Shoots, Kills Man at TX Body Shop
A man was shot and killed after refusing to stop for San Antonio, TX police, reported Mark D. Wilson, expressnews.com. Police noticed a suspicious looking SUV near John Jay High School, said SAPD Interim Chief Anthony Treviño. As the driver began pulling over at an auto body shop across the street from the school, he got out and ran. The car continued rolling and hit a parked truck. As the suspect jumped over an eight-foot fence to escape, a handgun fell out of his waistband, Treviño said. Wilson reported that the officer caught up with the man, pulled out his weapon and told him to surrender. Treviño said the suspect appeared to reach for the gun, and the officer fired three shots. The suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was hit in the hand and chest. A witness said he saw the unidentified suspect reach for the weapon and adjust something in his waistband, police said. Treviño said two other people were inside the car at the time of the incident, reported Wilson.
26 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
CA’s Rio Hondo College Halts Collision Repair Program
by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
Autobody News learned in July that Rio Hondo College, in Whittier, CA will no longer be offering a collision repair curriculum starting January, 2016. Earlier this year in January, Rio Hondo was one of 15 community colleges selected to run a pilot program to offer a four-year bachelor’s degree in Automotive Technology. It is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2016. Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation in 2014 making it possible for CA community colleges to set up pilot baccalaureate programs and Rio Hondo will be the only community college that offers a degree in Automotive Technology. Mike Slavich, the Division Dean of Career and Technical Education programs, said they will offer a technical track and a business marketing track. “What’s unique about Rio Hondo is their four-year program is in automotive technology,” said Gene Lopez, I-CAR National Fields Operation Manager. Lopez previously taught at Rio Hondo for Slavich. Although Lopez said he is pleased the automotive technology department will be offering this program for students, he also said it is unfortunate that the collision repair program is being discontinued. As a result, he said, “We don’t have an opportunity to continue to hire techni-
cians from Rio Hondo College. We don’t have an opportunity to have a student graduate with a bachelors degree that has any information on collision repair.” He was told by Professor Steve Tomory that the main reason was due to the program not having any student completers (no certificates or degrees) for nearly 15 years and minimal students were getting jobs with industry training such as ASE and I-CAR. Therefore, Tomory, who will be the faculty advisor, said it was not cost-effective to have a “hobby shop” program. Slavich added that the decision was made due to labor market data and the cost of the program. He recommends students interested in pursuing auto body repair attend the Cerritos or Cypress community college programs, which are both I-CAR certified. “We have plenty of capacity in the area,” said Slavich. He plans to market the bachelor degree program to students currently taking auto body at the two community colleges and will give them credit for their undergraduate work. “I’m hoping that we get students out of the auto body area; typically, students just get enough education to go to work so they don’t finish a degree or certificate,” he said. According to Rio Hondo, graduates will be equipped for jobs with auto manufacturers, car dealers or aftermarket companies that modify vehicles.
Insurers To Pay SD $750,000 After Probe Into Companies
South Dakota insurance regulators and two insurance groups have reached a settlement that will result in a $750,000 total penalty against the companies. The state’s Division of Insurance announced on June 3 the settlement with Farmers Insurance Group and Foremost Insurance Group. The Insurance Division says an investigation found “various deficiencies in the companies’ practices that needed to be corrected.” The state didn’t provide the specific violations citing confidentiality reasons. A report detailing the Insurance Division’s findings will be released later in July. State Insurance Director Larry Deiter says the insurers’ “past wrongs have or will be righted, and potential future harm to South Dakota consumers will be prevented.” The two groups that will pay the penalty are members of the Farmers Insurance Group of companies. A spokeswoman for the groups didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment. See next article for more details on the lack of auto hail damage claims errors or exceptions found.
South Dakota Finds No Auto Hail Damage Claims Errors in Insurance Examination
by Jenna Reed, glassBYTES.com
Though the South Dakota Division of Insurance did not find any auto hail damage claims errors or exceptions with Farmers Insurance Group or Foremost Insurance Group in its full examination report, it did find other claims errors. The two companies reached a settlement with the insurance division in late May. The deal included a $750,000 penalty. The insurance division said the goal of the examination was “to determine if claims were handled and paid properly,” including auto hail damage claims. “If the hail is big enough it can damage windshields and sidelites,” says Shawn Nielsen, owner of Fast Auto Glass in Vermillion, SD. “I’ve never had any issues with the local guys at Farmers. They’ve always been timely in taking care of customers and paying. We have a pre-set amount. I already have a signed contract with Farmers that covers mouldings and everything extra. I know even before I take on a job exactly what I’m going to get paid. Farmers is one of my top 10 insurers to deal with. Others want things done too cheap.” At Farmers Insurance Exchange, one of the types of claims reviewed was auto hail damage.
“The examiners requested a listing of all hail damage paid claims,” according to the report. “The company provided a universe of 2,089 claims.” The division found no errors or exceptions. To discover if claims were handled and paid properly, “examiners reviewed claim files, company procedures and the nature and results of internal company audits,” according to the report. “The examiners found instances of untimely claim investigations, inadequate communication in claim denials, incomplete files, lack of required notices and failure to promptly and accurately settle claims,” officials wrote in the report. Five insurance companies within Farmers and Foremost were reviewed. The Farmer Insurance Group companies that came under analysis included Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange and Mid Century Insurance Co. The Foremost Insurance Group companies examined included Foremost Insurance Co. and Foremost Property and Casualty Insurance Co., according to a statement from the state’s insurance division. The insurance division issued an order for examination on August 3,
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2012 and the review covered the period from January 1, 2009 to June 30, 2012. For its part, Farmers does not agree that it has done anything wrong; however the company decided to resolve the issue through settlement, says a Farmers’ spokesperson. “Farmers has reached a settlement agreement with the South Dakota Division of Insurance to resolve a market conduct exam. While we do not agree with many of the division’s findings of alleged violations, we have agreed to this settlement in order to resolve the matter,” says Luis Sahagun of Farmers. By agreeing to the settlement, the insurance groups are not admitting or denying the alleged violations, according to the state’s insurance division.
We would like to thank glass BYTES.com for permission to reprint their article.
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866 Boston Providence Highway Norwood MA www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 27
Service King Has a Good Month With a String of Positive Announcements
Service King Collision Repair Centers wrapped up the month of June with a string of positive announcements. Along with continued expansion across the country, the MSO was named the No. 1 Best Place to Work in the very large business category at both the Dallas and San Antonio ceremonies, held June 18 and June 25. This is the 10th consecutive year that Service King has appeared on the Dallas Business Journal Best Places to Work list and the third straight appearance on the San Antonio Business Journal list. “This is a wonderful recognition for the hard work and family culture that our teammates create on a daily basis,” said Chris Abraham, Service King CEO. “We are extremely proud of the Service King culture and are humbled to represent the collision repair industry as one of the most rewarding career options in Texas. Service King has a rooted history in the San Antonio community, and it’s very special to be recognized in our hometown of Dallas.” Service King also unveiled a new recruiting and development effort with the launch of the Service King Apprentice Development Program on June 29. The program offers a 52-week training course developed to prepare incoming technicians for careers at Service King. The Apprentice Development Program officially debuted Tuesday, June 30, in Houston with plans to expand to several markets across the country. The rollout plan features launches in Texas, California, Illinois, Georgia and more in 2015. “This has long been a vision of ours at Service King,” said Abraham. “We couldn’t be more proud to officially deploy the Apprentice Development Program. Through the leadership and knowledge of our supervisors and location managers, this program will be an invaluable resource for technicians entering the field or looking to rejuvenate their careers. It’s humbling for us as an organization to provide a clear pathway to rewarding careers in the collision repair industry.” Service King officially welcomed Houston’s inaugural class of appren-
Free
tice technicians at an event Monday, June 22. As part of the program, technicians receive daily on-the-job oversight and training, participate in a detailed curriculum, and progress through a series of assessments and benchmarks. Technicians are consistently awarded throughout the program and tutored by an assigned apprentice supervisor. Service King also contributed to a local homeless shelter’s expansion on June 22. The MSO presented a donation in the amount of $30,000 to the Samaritan Inn at the groundbreaking of its Samaritan Inn Village project in McKinney, TX. The Samaritan Inn in Collin County provides shelter and comprehensive programs that promote selfsufficiency and life skills to meet the needs of individuals and families. Construction on the new family-centered facility is scheduled to begin immediately with plans to open within a 12-month period. Service King’s gift will directly fund the community lounge area, which will be named the Service King Family Lounge upon completion. McFadden presented the donation on behalf of Service King to Samaritan Inn Executive Director Lynne Sipiora, who was joined by U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson, city council members and Samaritan Inn staff along with members of the Collin County faith community. “Our program is only made possible when individuals, the faith community and the business community all come together,” said Sipiora. “We salute Service King as a ‘corporation with conscience,’ actively working to make a difference in the world.” The Family Shelter building will serve as a pivotal resource for the Samaritan Inn, which in 2014 was forced to turn away more than 3,600 qualified individuals due to overcrowding. According to the organization, families are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population in Collin County. The initial phase of the project will include two buildings, a pavilion
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and residential building. The residential building will provide the organization the capability of immediately providing housing for 50 qualified families. The 50 units that make up the Samaritan Inn Village will contain one- and two bedroom layouts, private bath areas and a small study. Meanwhile, the pavilion will provide residents with classrooms, libraries, a community dining room, kitchen and intake room. Service King made another charitable effort for the month of July by collecting back-to-school supplies at 18 of their Houston locations. Houston residents are encouraged to drop off basic supplies prior to August 5. “This is an area we feel we can truly make a tangible and lasting impact within our community,” said Justin Regan, Service King Regional Vice President. “As the 2015-16 school year approaches, it’s vital that every student is provided the opportunity to begin that year with the essential supplies. With 18 locations across the Houston metro, our Service King teammates saw an opportunity to really
make a difference. We hope through partnering with the Houston Area Women’s Center for the Back-toSchool Project, Service King is able to help make a lasting impact for students across the city this year.” Supplies and backpacks collected through the Back-to-School Project will be distributed to children on Aug. 14 and 15 at the Houston Area Women’s Center. Last year, nearly 1,100 new backpacks and school supplies were provided in advance of the school year through the efforts and generosity of supporters. Huntington Bank, which annually measures the trend, reported the average cost of sending children to K-12 school rose by 20 percent just last year. That jump marked one of the single largest year-over-year spikes during the eight-year history of what the organization calls its “Backpack Index.” Service King and the Houston Area Women’s Center aim to alleviate that cost for the families and children that struggle across the Houston metro. Complete lists of school supplies can be found at each Houston area Service King location.
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Car-O-Liner and AudaExplore Hold Seminar on Trends in Fixed Operations by Victoria Antonelli, Online Editor
The presentation, held at NACE, began with an industry flashback to 40 plus years ago. Pulling and heat, mild steel, paper estimates, and a non-existent internet were just a few of the hang ups older generations can remember dealing with on a daily basis. Now, more than ever, time drives efficiency on the shop floor. Every new collision repair system is designed with decreasing cycle time as the top priority.
Car-O-Liner/AudaExplore PowerPoint
To ensure that other tasks don’t slip to the wayside while technicians are rushing to clear and refill the bays, Dave Scribner, Car-O-Liner techni-
Car-O-Liner/AudaExplore PowerPoint
cal director, Dan Trahey, manager of technical training at Car-O-Liner, and Gordon Henderson, vice president of collision repair services at AudaExplore, have some suggestions for body show owners: ● Increase insurance count ● Invest in employees ● Invest in training ● Attract, grow & retain the best technicians
Surveys conducted by the Collision Repair Education Foundation and I-CAR every three years “confirmed the need for a continual supply of qual-
ified entry-level technicians, while also showing changes concerning business operations and the collision repair technician workforce.” Tools that can aid in accomplishing the above goals include: ● Increasing the profit margin ● Driving CSI improvement ● Driving industry leading KPI’s ● Creating uniform and positive customer experience ● Expanding related add-on services
According to the business statistics side of the previously mentioned
survey, in the last six years “the industry has experienced a market size reduction of 3,047 shops (7%) to a current count of 40,488 shops.”
Other significant points of change according to the Car-O-Liner and AudaExplore presentation include: ● Digital measuring & validation ● Body tolerances decreasing ● Much less pulling, more replacement ● HSS, aluminum, carbon fiber evolution ● Bonding and riveting ● Measuring, universal anchoring and “fixturing” required on more vehicles ● Increasing OEM certification programs ● OEMs driving more repair procedures ● Stand alone 3D measurement ● “Triage” estimates
30 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
● Upper and lower measurements ● “Before” and “after” validation
The reps from Car-O-Liner then discussed how math data provides for a more complete damage analysis, and how insurance “robotics” can lead to a faster repair decision. Henderson then covered latest industry trends: Luxury Specs on High-End Vehicles: ● Computer-driven efficiency ● Collision avoidance tech ● Focus on infotainment ● Increased complexity
Car-O-Liner/AudaExplore PowerPoint
● Semi-autonomous safety
Due to the high percentage of accidents caused by human error (90 percent), the driver assist technology trend is becoming the most prominent. According to Henderson, OEMs are planning on reducing accidents by 80 percent through the implementation of these programs. AudaExplore data shows that by 2020, 80 percent of vehicles will be cognitive automated, bringing manual assistance down to 20 percent. As recently as 2014, these See Seminar on Trends, Page 38
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School: “No Shortage of Jobs for FTCC’s Repair and Refinishing Technology Grads” Students in a new program at Fayetteville Technical Community College are getting job offers even though they’re only halfway through school, according to Steve DeVane, writing in the Fayetteville Observer. The collision repair and refinishing technology program is training students for an industry where jobs are expected to be abundant. One company has said they could hire the school’s first 20,000 graduates, while another said it would take the first 10,000, said FTCC President Larry Keen, who told county commissioners about the program at a meeting in July. Students learn how to make cosmetic repairs on plastics, composites, steel and aluminum and receive training on multiple welding techniques, according to the FTCC website. They are taught refinishing procedures and work with aluminum specialists. Keen said professionalism is a major part of the program. The students use computer tablets with state of the art software being used in the industry now, he said. Program Director Paul Gage wouldn’t say which companies made
the statements about hiring, but he said the school has enough commitments from companies all over the country to provide jobs for the program’s graduates for the next 10 years and beyond. “Companies have discussed hiring large numbers of graduates even to the point of hiring entire graduating classes as teams,” he said. Some of the jobs will be local, but others will be in other parts of the state and country. “Some of our graduates will need to be willing to relocate to take advantage of those opportunities, and every opportunity hinges on successful completion of the program,” Gage said. “If people are willing to commit to the program in its entirety and work hard, we can place them in great jobs.” Some students already are working at internships and apprenticeships. Reed-Lallier Chevrolet in Fayetteville has three paid apprentices, said Neil Gallagher, the company’s fixed operations director. If the students work out, they’ll have a full-time job when they graduate, he said. “We’re training them to work
32 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
here,” he said. “We’re offering them an opportunity to begin their career here.” The students work side-by-side with body technicians at Reed-Lallier, Gallagher said. They get practice on working on cars in addition to what they learn in their classes, he said. “There’s a lot of technology built into vehicles today,” he said. Matthias Rappe, 18, of Fayetteville is one of the apprentices. “The people down here have built on my confidence that I can do good in this industry,” he said. Rappe said he enjoys repairing damaged vehicles. “I’ve always had a love for working on cars,” he said. Another apprentice, Matthew Conley, 29, was a mechanic in the Army before he started the program. “I was looking for something in the auto industry, but a different field,” he said. Conley, who is from Vermont but lives in Spring Lake, said the apprenticeship is a great opportunity. “I’m actually working at what I’m going to school for,” he said. Austin Beasley, 20, of Gray’s
Creek, started working in the auto body industry right out of high school. “There’s not really anything that I don’t like about it,” he said. “I’m glad I am where I am.” Gage said the collision repair industry is projected to have about 180,000 job openings over the next five years. “All those companies are looking for people who are well trained,” he said. FTCC is trying to meet that need. In addition to an associate degree in applied sciences, graduates from the two-year program will have earned 12 professional certifications and have options for 15 to 20 career paths, Gage said. The first graduates will finish in May. The program can admit up to 20 students every eight weeks, Gage said. The students collaborate on projects. “As they move through the program, they learn to work as their own body shop,” Gage said. “We put them in the exact same situations they’re going to go through working at a body shop.”
NSF International is Latest to Launch Shop Certification Program, Four Certifications Offered NSF International, a global organization with 70 years of certification and testing experience, has launched the NSF Automotive Collision Repair Shop Certification Program designed to provide independent, third-party evaluation of collision repair shops. The certification is designed to verify the shop’s ability to conduct high quality repairs. In accordance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) procedures, collision repairers and a variety of industry experts worked with NSF International certification experts to develop the requirements for the program. The program is designed to assist vehicle owners and insurers in identifying collision shops that provide high-quality repairs. NSF International certified collision repair shops will be required to meet state, federal and local collision repair shop regulations and undergo biannual audits to verify continued compliance with the program’s requirements, which include: ► Performing high-quality, consistent repairs ► Using and maintaining proper equipment for the job ► Having qualified and trained personnel ► Using quality parts for repairs
► Responding promptly to complaints and consumer feedback ► Utilizing modern computer estimation systems ► Providing excellent customer service NSF International will offer four types of automotive collision repair shop certification: ● Cosmetic/non-structural repair: Covers repairs, refinishes and/or replacement of bolted on parts to restore a vehicle to its original state and shape. ● Structural repair: Covers non-aluminum repairs that require welding, rivet bonding and/or measuring and pulling in order to restore a vehicle to its original state and shape. ● Aluminum non-structural cosmetic repair: Covers cosmetic/non-structural repairs on a part comprised of aluminum. ● Aluminum structural repair certification: Covers structural repair on a part comprised of aluminum. Collision repair shops that meet all certification requirements can use the NSF International certification mark on their website and promotional materials indicating the appropriate certification type listed above. NSF International certified collision repair shops also will be included in NSF’s online certification listings and undergo ongoing quality systems inspections to maintain certification.
Audi Genuine Parts
NSF International has entered into an agreement with AccuracyDriven4, Inc to provide the Audit Services required for NSF’s Automotive Collision Repair Shop Certification Program. AccuracyDriven4 provides an extensive audit process for collision repairers to identify areas of opportunity or gaps in the process. “The collision industry has struggled for years to adopt a standard for providing safe and accurate repairs to the consumer. It has been a long process and it makes sense for NSF International, a company recognized globally for testing and certification, to be the independent entity that brings collision repair certification to a reality. AccuracyDriven4 is pleased to be the exclusive provider of audit services for the NSF International Automotive Collision Repair Shop Certification Program,” said Douglas Irish, President and CEO AccuracyDriven4. “There are 33,000 to 35,000 collision repair shops in the U.S. today. With NSF International collision repair shop certification, qualifying shops now have a way to differentiate themselves from the competition in terms of providing higher quality, safer repairs and exceptional customer service,” said Dan Stander, Second Generation Operator, Fix Auto Highlands Ranch and one of the
collision repair experts who helped develop the NSF International protocol on which the certification program is based. The NSF program complements NSF’s Automotive Collision Replacement Parts Certification, which certifies that automotive aftermarket parts meet rigid quality, safety and performance standards in terms of form, fit and function, and NSF International’s Automotive Collision Parts Distributor Certification, which certifies distributors who sell aftermarket parts. NSF International certified parts come with a limited lifetime guarantee and are fit tested on vehicles to ensure they fit the first time, reducing time spent on repairs. “Consumers now have access to collision parts and repairs that have been independently certified at the manufacturing, distribution and now the body shop repair level. NSF International’s collision part replacement, distribution and body shop repair certification programs work together to provide customers peace of mind that each link in the collision part and repair supply chain is able to deliver the highest quality parts and service,” said Bob Frayer, Global Managing Director of Automotive Certification Programs at NSF International. Bob Frayer can be contacted at autocert@nsf.org.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 33
Media and Publicity for Shops What is Your Marketing Budget…Or Do You Have One? with Ed Attanasio
I often ask body shops, “What is your budget for marketing and advertising?” and they look at me like I just asked them to explain quantum physics (which I’ve learned is tougher than rocket science). You don’t need to come up with a complex algorithm to devise a budget, but once you see the numbers, you might not like them. The problem is that many body shop owners have had bad experiences with marketing or advertising and now they’re gun shy to say the least. In many cases, they made unwise decisions and now the word “marketing” turns their stomach. “Our Yellow Pages ad didn’t work,” one shop manager said. (Anyone could have told you it’s a dying medium) “We paid $200 for our web site and it doesn’t work.” (You get what you pay for) “I didn’t realize TV advertising was going to cost us so much.” Roger Henson, (Surprise—really?) owner of AdvertisHow does this reing Business Conlate to whether or sultants believes that every company not your shop has a of any size should marketing budget? have a marketing/ Because, in many advertising budget cases, shops that written into its inihave burned themtial business plan even before openselves making bad ing the doors decisions in the past about marketing aren’t really enthused about devising a marketing budget. Dino DiGuilio, the owner of Body Best in Sonoma, CA has been in the collision industry for roughly 25 years, but by learning as much as he can about marketing and advertising and through his involvement in Management Success, he knows more about these topics than most marketing managers at large corporations. DiGuilio has a marketing budget that fluctuates depending on the time of year and based on how many cars he has in his shop, but basically it stays the same, month after month, without interruption. “A marketing budget is like any other budget you have in other aspects of any business—operations, employee compensation, equipment acquisition, supplies, etc.,” he explained. “It’s money that is set aside and earmarked for marketing and that way we don’t have to
look around to find the funds when we want to do something, such as a door-todoor mailing, flyers, ads and the like.” Although several factors go into devising his marketing plan and its budget, DiGullio says that a simple equation can be used to determine any shop’s marketing budget. “The rule is 3 percent to 7 percent of your annual gross,” he said. “We never go below 5 percent no matter how busy we are, because I believe that anything less than that may affect the bottom line. During the slow season (October-January) we normally step it up to 7 percent and during the summer months when we’re jammed here, we will rein it in to 5 percent.” Some of DiGuilio’s marketing efforts are seasonal, but other things are year round. He said these are the staples of the business and never deviates from them. “For instance, customers always get either a t-shirt with our name on it or a grocery bag, whatever they choose. We use a handicapped workshop for the t-shirts, so that effort is definitely a winwin. It’s the perfect combination of philanthropy and promotion, so we never cut back on that. We also do a quarterly newsletter that we print rather than do it online, because we have a lot of older customers who still want something they can hold in their hands. Some of our younger clients like it too, because everything is online now and this is something tangible.” Roger Henson is the owner of Advertising Business Consultants in Silicon Valley. He believes that companies should devise a marketing and advertising budget that is flexible and ever-changing, based on a wide range of market conditions. “This is an ongoing conversation that I have with many of my clients, including automotive companies of all sizes,” Henson explained. “One old advertising veteran told me many years ago that when a business owner finds an advertising medium he is interested in, he finds a way to get it done. Clients who cry poverty will suddenly pony up the cash when they see an opportunity that they believe in. That works for a lot of businesses, but I don’t believe it’s the best way to do it.”
34 AUGUST 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.
Henson said that a marketing budget should be written into any company’s business plan even before they open their doors.
“It should be a line on you overall cost of doing business, just like rent, insurance, equipment, etc. Savvy owners may not have a specific budget, but they know roughly how much they can spend in any given month and that works for them. To sit there and say—
I’m going to spend 4 percent of my gross on advertising and marketing just doesn’t work for some companies, so their budgets are fluid and they can either expand them or rein them in, depending on what’s going on.” There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to budgeting anything and marketing is one of those situations, according to Henson, who has more than 40 years of experience in advertising and promotions. “I tell my clients to pick a number and try to stick with it, but you don’t have to be married to it. Make a plan and don’t freak out if you have to change it on the fly. Five to 7 percent is a good starting point, but life changes, businesses change and the market can alter dramatically, like it did in 2008, so bend and adapt and use your ear-marked funds as you need them. Some months may cost you more, but hopefully you can make adjustments during those other months when business is good.”
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Dino DiGuilio, the owner of Body Best in Sonoma, CA (shown here with his family) has a marketing budget that fluctuates depending on the time of year and based on how many cars he has in his shop, but sticks to a 3% to 7% formula that works for him
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H OND A C ON NEC TI CU T
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 MAR Y LA ND
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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
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866-50-ACURA 215-943-7000 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-4 markh@davisacura.com www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 37
Company Connections
Chasidy Rae Sisk is a freelance technical writer from Wilmington, Delaware, who writes on a variety of fields and subjects, and grew up in a family of NASCAR fans. She can be contacted at crsisk@chasidyraesisk.com.
Superare Marketing Hosts Short-Pay Seminar in Waltham, MA with Chasidy Rae Sisk
On June 24, Tony Lombardozzi and Peter Abdelmaseh, co-founders of Superare Marketing in Belmont, MA, hosted a full day short-pay seminar in Waltham, MA entitled “Collecting Your Short-Pays Successfully.” The room was filled with collision repair professionals and attorneys from three states who were eager to learn a variety of methods to help them collect on short-pay invoices from insurers. Exploring multiple options that shop owners can use to charge and collect fully for each product and service provided to customers, Lombardozzi and Abdelmaseh instructed attendees on how to create their own pricing structures, how to charge for all products sold and work performed, and how to establish a method for collecting on invoices that are not fully paid. These methods included use of the court system, especially in cases of simple breach of contract cases. As long-time independent industry advocates, Lombardozzi and Ab-
Altercation Over Car Repair Leads to Fatal Shooting in SC
The Richland County Coroner’s Office has identified the man who was shot and killed on June 19 during an altercation over car repair work. Gary Watts said 64-year-old Willie Lee Geter, of Columbia, was pronounced dead at a local hospital from complications of a gunshot wound to the upper body. Sheriff Leon Lott said sheriff’s deputies are still investigating the shooting. Lott said Geter was repairing the suspect’s vehicle in the 900 block of Fiske Street near North Main Street. When the suspect came to pick up his vehicle, he was not satisfied with the work Geter had done. Lott said a verbal altercation between the two individuals became physical before the suspect pulled out a handgun and fired several shots at Geter, hitting him in the upper body before fleeing the area. Winesses told investigators that the suspect fled the area in a late model Cadillac sedan. Lott said Geter was well known in the North Main Street community and was always willing to help others in the community no matter the situation, especially with mechanical problems. Anyone having information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (888)-CRIME-SC FREE.
delmaseh offered unique perspectives on the main reasons shop owners have fallen into the poor financial condition currently plaguing the collision repair industry. They identified the main reason for this dilemma as the “Insurer
ing, and their “we don’t pay for that” response to random line items on the invoice. Insurers use these levers as negotiating techniques designed to suppress normal free market pricing, Lombardozzi and Abdelmaseh explained. They advised shops to reject that system and work around it. In reviewing how the ideal process would work, shops learned a practical way to “do it the right way” through the use of documentation and legal principles. Using the proper contracts and documentation creates high quality, believable evidence in a courtroom that Tony Lombardozzi makes a point at the Short-Pay Seminar makes it difficult for insurers to on June 24, 2015 defend their actions. A portion of Lombardozzi and AbControl and Payment System” (ICPS). According to Lombardozzi and delmaseh’s presentation emphasized the impact of fear on the collision repair Abdelmaseh, many insurers have constructed the ICPS by employing price industry. Abdelmaseh explained, “The audience was told that fear is the basis levers, such as so-called labor rate surof the entire insurance industry - after veys, dollars times hours product pricContinued from Page 30
Seminar on Trends
statistics were reversed. So, what can be done to stay ahead of the game, or even just keep up with it? According to the PowerPoint presentation, use predictive analytics to: ● Leverage thousands of data points ● Provide guidance and support ● Increase operational consistency ● Every dollar that flows to the bottom line starts with the estimate
Improve the customer’s experience by: ● Provide automated, electronic updates on the status of repairs on their terms ● Increase kept informed and net promoter scores ● Reduce waste in phone-tag
Lastly, Scribner, Trahey and Henderson encourage shop owners to: ● Embrace change in order to thrive ● Invest in people, training, equipment certifications ● Change how we engage with consumers ● Mindset of operating a growing business ● Leverage software and technology
38 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
all, fear is why people and companies buy policies - and insurers turn that fear against their vendors as well. Fear causes irrational decision-making and distorts pricing as well.” Attendees were highly interactive, discussing legal issues and asking questions, and many expressed satisfaction with the amount of knowledge acquired as well as satisfaction to implement the practices taught at Superare Marketing’s presentation in their own shops. The short-pay seminar concluded with an overview of the consulting services offered by Superare Marketing and a preview of the seminars they are currently developing. Lombardozzi and Abdelmaseh also introduced Ultisure®, their branded marketing program which will be released in the near future. Superare Marketing 617-993-6901 www.superaremarketing.com
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Mike Anderson Reminds Industry That “We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know” by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
Mike Anderson, President of Collision Advice, was the guest speaker during a Future Guild 21 webinar hosted by VerifFacts Automotive in July. In his presentation, “You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know,” Anderson addressed the importance of why every vehicle repaired, no matter how minor the work is, must have the OEM information researched prior to completing the repair plan and fixing the vehicle. In addition, it should be scanned before and after the repair. Anderson said he decided to conduct the presentation after traveling around the country on behalf of Axalta Coating Systems. “It was alarming to me how many people I ran across, both insurers as well as shops, that were really not aware of some of the things it took to put a vehicle back to pre-accident condition,” he said. During the seminar, he said his goal was to create awareness for shops, OEMs, insurers and jobbers. He highlighted specific repair procedures that need to be completed on various vehicles, including Honda, Kia, Hyundai,
Toyota and Mazda
Repair vs Replace Anderson said he has noticed an emphasis on all parties in the industry on the repair versus replace components. “It seems like the two major components repairers want to repair more often are the front and rear bumper covers,” he said. “I definitely take my hats off to companies like Urethane Supply Company. I used to be a skeptic but I’m a believer,” said Anderson. “I do believe a proper repair can be made on a bumper cover and put it back to pre-accident condition with the technology that exists today.” However, he said it’s important to be cautious. “We need to be aware when we can and cannot use any plastic materials where sensors mount,” he said.
OEM Information He encouraged listeners to take advantage of the options available in regards to researching OEM repair procedures. These include Alldata, Audatex TechFocus, CCC One Repair Method, Mitchell’s TechAdvisor,
and OEM websites such as OEMonestop.com. Many of the OEMs charge hourly, daily and monthly rates to access the information. GM, Ford and Chrysler are available free of charge. “If you are writing an estimate and using a damage analysis software such as Mitchell, CCC, AudaExplore or Alldata, it is beneficial to have the OEM methods software you utilize integrate with your estimating system,” said Anderson. “In my opinion, with every single vehicle that you write you need to make sure you are looking up what the OEM says in regards to the repairs and inspections required after a collision because we don’t know what we don’t know.” During the presentation, Rick Leos from Toyota commented that Toyota launched the Total recommended repair procedures within Mitchell, which provides all of the data. He recommended encouraging more OEMs to join in and participate as well.
Dash Lights Anderson also addressed what he referred to as his biggest passion. He said many shops and insurers think
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that if there isn’t a warning light on the dash, everything is OK. “If there are no warning lights on the dash, that does not mean that there are no problems with the vehicle,” said Anderson.
Dash lights will not always tell you what’s wrong with the vehicle: ● Dash lights are not diagnostics ● Only alert drivers to current emissions, safety systems or maintenance intervals ● May not illuminate until the vehicle is driven a specified distance ● Some self-tests need to fail multiple times before a warning lamp or driver message is displayed ● Some systems and options will be disabled due to a stored code ● Some vehicle system retain failure records to help you determine if a condition is accident related Examples of problems that DO NOT illuminate a warning light: ● Auto/Express Windows ● Adaptive Cruise Control ● Window Indexing ● Mirror Functions ● Satellite Radio Reception ● Passive Entry
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Scan Tools Anderson stressed the importance of using scan tools to ensure vehicles are fixed properly. “We need to figure out what’s wrong with the vehicle before we ever take it apart,” he said. “We recommend any vehicle that is in a collision no matter how minor should be scanned before and after repairs.” When a vehicle is in an accident, even if it does not have an airbag deploy, even if the vehicle is unoccupied, Anderson said they must get a zeropoint calibration or a similar calibration that requires the use of a scan tool. He said it would be beneficial if the industry adopted four types of scans: an inspection scan, a diagnostic scan, a completion scan and a follow up scan.
Inspection Scan: increases estimate accuracy and helps identify any electronic equipment and avoid unnecessary repairs. It also helps insurers save
money because it helps diagnose things that aren’t accident related and can even prove fraud in some cases from the consumer’s standpoint.
Diagnostic Scan: can save time and increases productivity by keeping diagnostic and repair functions in-house. It can also reduce cycle times and confirm component operation with an output test.
Completion Scan: saves time and increases productivity by keeping programming and calibration functions in-house. It can reduce liabilities and may improve Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores.
Follow-up Scan: used for accuracy and part of the quality control process. Many symptoms and diagnostic trouble codes can re-occur and are conditional depending on road tests and functional use of affected systems.
Trends in Vehicle Technology He shared information provided by his friend Jake Rodenroth of ABRA and Chuck Olsen from Collision Diagnostic Services. In 1981, vehicles had one controller, nine sensors and
only a few actuators. The 2008 Ford F-150 had 20 controllers, 50 sensors, 40 actuators and three networks. Anderson briefly discussed technologies that are either already on the road or in the development stage including active safety system technologies; radar technology such as adaptive cruise control; pedestrian detection; and driver state assessment systems that monitors eye closures, head position and distraction levels with a combination of alerts. If uncertain about any repair procedure, Anderson said it’s important to do the research. One option he mentioned that might be helpful is the new I-CAR feature on their website called Ask I-CAR. “If you’re not sure, and can’t find what you are looking for, we have the moral obligation to contact I-CAR, VeriFacts or the OEM directly. Don’t make a decision without contacting someone qualified.” He also encouraged participants to research videos on YouTube and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s website: www.iihs.org For more information, contact Mike Anderson at mike@collision advice.com or Farzam Afshar at: farzam.afshar@verifactsauto.com.
ASA Publishes Updated ‘NotIncluded Operations’ Charts
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) released the latest update to its “Not-Included Operations” charts. The publication is available free to the industry and designed to ensure collision repairers consider all of the possible operations when they write an estimate. The title, “Reference Chart of Not-Included Operations When Installing New Replacement Parts,” is available on the ASA website and serves as a quick summary of general, not-included operations, and should be used in addition to procedure pages supplied by individual information providers. “ASA is committed to providing the industry with the tools and resources they need to seek reimbursement for the steps necessary to properly repair a vehicle,” said Dan Risley, ASA president. “The ASA Not-Included Charts are an easy to use guide that helps the estimator accurately document all the necessary labor operations for the three major estimating systems.” The publication is available in a PDF format for ASA member-shops and the industry at www.asashop.org under Free Industry Tools and Resources.
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Lean Operations
Make Your Month, Every Day! with David Luehr
Do you run your shop or does it run you? I spend many hours in collision repair businesses and unfortunately what I see is usually the latter. The collision repair businesses that are really getting it done these days take a systematic approach to success. Today’s article focuses on how successful shops own their days, their months, and financial future through the use of a simple daily system. Why is it that so many collision repairers wait until the last few days of the month to take notice of whether or not they are on track to reach their monthly sales goal? Usually they are way behind where they want to be, and out comes the bull whip! Guess who suffers now? That’s right, everybody! The employees have to work extra hours under pressure, and the customers often have to deal with the quality issues that ensue. Much of this nonsense can be alleviated by adopting a different mindset that focuses on what I like to call “WIN.” What’s Important Now? WIN gets the team to focus on making the right plays every day whether it’s July 1st or July 25th. The overarching idea is to design your future and purposefully go out and get it! A simple method I like to use involves 1. Knowing what you want 2. Making a game plan 3. Measuring the progress and making adjustments every day. When you follow these three steps you WIN!
Step One - Knowing what you want Set up an achievable budget or sales forecast for your company that will positively push your people but is still realistic. This step is crucial and sets the stage for you retaining control of your company. The way I like to do this is based on taking the daily sales capacity average and multiplying it by the number of working days in the month. I then do this for all the remaining months of the year. Monthly goal = Daily Sales Capacity (What my shop is capable of producing each day) X number of working days in the month. Ex. $5,000 X 21 days = $105,000 Monthly Sales
Step Two - Making a game plan
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
So based on our sample month, you are projecting $105,000 as your goal which means that EVERY DAY your crew needs to produce $5,000. I repeat, EVERY DAY, including the first day of the month, and the second day of the month and so on. Far too many shops close ROs and book sales for cars that are not delivered or in some cases aren’t even completed in order to “make the month.” This is a mistake and contributes to the problem of starting out the next month in the hole. Prior to the beginning of each month, you must think about how your month will play out just like you are making a game plan for a football game. You should ask yourself questions such as, “is anyone going to be on vacation this month?” When things like employee vacations are a factor, make plans in advance on how you will stay on track. You can’t possibly know how everything will play out in the future, but you can at least make a plan and do your best to stick to it.
Step Three - Measure the progress and make adjustments Each day it is very important to know your numbers and share them with your team. You must know every day what your sales are compared to where they should be in order to hit the monthly goal. With our sample month, if it is the third day of the month and the actual sales are $10,000 and the goal for day three is $15,000 (3 days X $5,000) you now know you are tracking $5,000 below target. If the reason you are below your target is production related, you now will need to make adjustments to get caught up. The way I would approach this situation is by addressing the staff during the morning production meeting and asking the guys to put in a couple extra hours to get us back on track. If the problem is related to sales coming to the door, then you will obviously need to address the problem by figuring out how to get some more work coming in quickly. Either way, it is a lot easier to make small adjustments early in the month, than waiting until there are only a few days left to make your miraculous recovery!
42 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Conclusion The important take-away here is that you have got to know your numbers every day in order to make the course corrections that will keep you on target towards success. If you are using a computer management system, keep-
ing track is very simple. You can run a vehicles delivered report every morning (be sure to not include sales tax.) If you would like free assistance creating a routine to keep you on track, please contact me. david.luehr@elite bodyshopsolution.com
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Chip Foose Demonstrates 3M’s New Accuspray Gun at NACE During the NACE show, Chip Foose demonstrated the spraying capabilities of 3M’s Accuspray gun, model HG14. Foose is the star of the reality TV series Overhaulin’ and owner of Foose Designs in Hungtington Beach, CA.
tips, which allows a painter to quickly change colors without replacing the gun. “One of the big reasons that the Accuspray gun exists is obviously cleaning and maintenance,” said Andy Boyd of 3M. ”One of the things we try to look at is helping the painter become more efficient.” The system was designed to im-
Reality star and hot rod shop owner Chip Foose sprayed base and clear with the 3M Accuspray gun
Foose’s demonstration showed how the Accuspray gun has the ability to change colors
by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
He showed how the gun speeds up the painting process while reducing clean up and down time as well as the precision that can be achieved. The Accuspray gun can be used with any application that is designed for coatings requiring the use of a 1.4 mm atomizing head. Foose said one of his favorite things about the gun is the ability to change the
prove productivity and minimize clean up time, which can ultimately help shops improve their bottom line. The Accuspray system was introduced a couple of years ago and was used with primer applications with 1.8 mm. Since then, 3M has added the 1.4 option. Boyd said this system is even faster and easier to use, requiring no maintenance.
Boyd showed attendees some of the company’s other products such as the PPS Paint Preparation System and the Sun Gun II. Designed to be used with almost any spray gun at any angle, the PPS Paint Preparation System enables painters to mix less paint, reduce the amount of solvent used and speed up cleanup. The company said it can also improve operator efficiency by as much as 15 percent. PPS is available in five sizes: Large (28 fluid ounces), Standard (22 fluid ounces), Midi (13.5 fluid ounces), Mini (6 fluid ounces) and the 3 Ounce. Foose demonstrated the PPS Sun Gun II, which matches the color of natural daylight. The most important thing when it comes to matching color is daylight, said Boyd. “Ultimately if you want to get the right perception of how the color is going to adhere, natural daylight is going to give us the best indicator.” The Sun Gun II was designed to verify coverage, highlight damaged areas of the vehicle and identify preand post-paint defects. More information about the Accuspray Gun and 3M’s other products is available on online: http://3mcollision .com/accuspray-hg14-spray-gun16577.html
ABRA Auto Body Expands in WI, Now 310 Nationwide
A June 29 acquisition of Reflections Auto Body’s north Milwaukee repair center location by ABRA adds up to 287 repair centers in 22 states, 19 of which are in Wisconsin. The count will jump to 310 repair centers in 23 states once ABRA closes on the Kadel’s MSO it announced June 26. ABRA’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Duane Rouse said the company isn’t slowing down and evaluates each acquisition with certain goals in mind. “Expanding our presence in Wisconsin is another opportunity to increase our market share in Milwaukee and across the state. It’s what we look for in each of our acquisitions. The loyalty our insurance partners and customers have shown through the years in the market is unmatched. It is this support from the communities we service that allows us to thrive and grow across the country.” ABRA’s Executive Vice President of Operations, Scott Krohn said, “Our accomplishments and our ability to expand throughout the country is a direct result of our commitment to operational excellence... Maintaining high performance ratings is what will allow us to continue to grow into the future.”
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GM Schedules MyPriceLink Initiative; Aims to Hit Market Before Winter according to Mayer. “Last November at SEMA we anGM hosted a panel discussion on its mar- nounced our MyPriceLink initiative, and ket focused collision parts initiative, we had an overwhelming amount of MyPriceLink, at the 2015 NACE show feedback from the insurance industry on Friday, July 24. ASA’s Dan Risley and the collision estimating systems that moderated the panel, which featured felt there were better ways to integrate,” GM’s Kris Mayer, Gary Gumushian Mayer continued. “So we listened, and of AudaExplore, Bill Lopez of OECon- we’ve been working in the background to integrate with all three of the collision estimating system to bring this initiative to the market.” Mayer said that GM began piloting MyPriceLink on Wednesday, July 23 in Denver. Five of the top 10 insurance carriers are aiding in the 90 day testing process. If all goes as expected and the stakeholders are confident, the initiaitve will MyPriceLink Panel (l to r): ASA’s Dan Risley, GM’s be available to the public before Kris Mayer, Gary Gumushian of AudaExplore, Bill the winter. When asked how Lopez of OEConnection, Jim Kinsherf of CCC Information the initiative will affect the inServices, Jesse Herrera of Mitchell International, and dustry workflow, Maher reGM’s John Eck sponded. “Let’s start with the body shops. nection, Jim Kinsherf of CCC Information Services, Jesse Herrera of Mitchell They’re the folks that are trying to repair the vehicle. They shouldn’t have to International, and GM’s John Eck. These key industry players dis- spend a lot of time administratively to cussed topics and questions from the try and get a price. Their core role market regarding the upcoming launch, should be bringing vehicle backs to which could be as early as October 2015, pre-accident condition before moving by Victoria Antonelli
onto the next one.” While MyPriceLink will decrease administrative tasks for body shop technicians, dealers may have the opposite experience. “Dealers will be taking on a little bit more of the workflow change than the shop,” explained Lopez. “Because there is no static price anymore, the dealer will have to go into the OEC portal and do a quote lookup.” Another question Risley directed at the panel concerned the handling of parts price changes. “We expect parts price changes to happen every so often, certainly that won’t go away,” said Lopez. “From a shop perspective, it’s the same; the shop will write the estimate, it will hit the dynamic pricing engine, and when it comes time to make the order from the dealer, the dealer will be able to do a quote lookup. Then they will see what the latest price is, and if there is a price change, they’ll decide whether or not they’ll honor the price on the estimate, or let the body shop know.” “The idea of real time quoting is growing in importance and value in our industry, and I think it’s a trend that will continue,” said Kinsherf. More questions on the MyPrice Link initiative? Visit http://marketing .oeconnection.com/mpl
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Leisurely Thief Strolls Shop on Sunday, Steals Bobcat
In in recent theft on Kansas City’s south side, it took nearly an hour for the thief to decide what he could steal from a shop. The thief, who was caught on camera, wandered around Sallas Auto Repair until he settled on a Bobcat, driving it out at about 4 mph. The owner had surveillance video of a heavyset bearded white man in a white tank top and dark shorts strolling through the back lot of his business Sunday, June 28. “I’ve got him on the premises from 9:02 to 9:51,” Sallas said. The thief broke into the business and worked for 20 minutes to pry open the lock and steering column on a truck, but couldn’t get it to start. Sallas said the man wandered around the business for close to 50 minutes. “It didn’t even seem like the cameras fazed him,” said Sallas. The man eventually set his eye on piece of heavy machinery valued at about $13,000. “He just turned it around right here and took off and drove it around the building and busted through the gate on the other side,” Sallas said. The chain link fence was no match for the Bobcat. Sallas said he found out about the theft because his employees are able to watch surveillance video on their cellphones.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 45
Social Media for Shops Collision Repair Technicians United Goes Viral on Facebook with Ed Attanasio
It all started as a forum where painters, techs, estimators and anyone else working in the collision industry could vent, get advice, network and share ideas with each other on a national stage. Roughly six months ago, Marc Gabbard, owner of GSR Custom Collision Repair in Yakima, WA, was looking for a way to communicate with other technicians out there in the World Wide Web, so he decided to set up a Facebook page and named it Collision Repair Technicians United. He never imagined that it would go viral and become one of the mostused forms of social media in the collision industry, attracting big names and shop personnel from Hawaii to Alaska and everywhere in between. Gabbard’s shop fixes 4-5 cars weekly with a three-man crew. He started the business in 1998, doing a lot of street rods and custom restoration, but now he’s 100 percent collision repair all the time. “When I first began we were doing strictly hot rods and I pretty much had to do all of the work myself,” Gabbard said. “By 2008, we were officially in our current facility and that’s when things began to roll. At the beginning, I would jump in there and do most of the body work and painting. But now I’m becoming more of a full-time owner and getting away from the day-to-day production. I’m focusing on things like marketing and community outreach, so that we can grow and stay healthy.” To retain control on all of his repairs, Gabbard doesn’t have any DRPs and isn’t pursuing any in the near future either. He explained, “I don’t need them, because we’ve established a strong reputation for being fair and honest with every customer through the door. We earn all of our business by continually stressing customer service and quality.” Gabbard, 37, was already comfortable using social media to sell his business, network and communicate with friends and colleagues, so creating a page where technicians and other people in the collision industry can convene was a logical evolution, he said. “Facebook is a very fast way for us to connect to so many people eas-
Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
Many techs proudly show their By browsing through Gabbard’s Collision Repair Technicians United before and after pictures and in some Facebook page, you can see how collicases, other members will scold some sion professionals from different worlds technicians for cutting corners or percan use the site. I found topics such as: forming unsafe repairs. Other memWhat is the secret of fixing a bers of the page ask about equipment door handle on a 2013 Fusion? and products and do comparisons onHow does your shop deal with line, such as: What’s better—SATA warranty issues? Does anyone guns or Iwata guns? Is waterborne know anyone who has failed paint really better for the environment? an I-CAR test? How can I get Does PPG or Pro-Spray provide better paid by the insurance comcolor matches? Where can I get a good pany on this repair? Does anycar dolly? one fix Enterprise rental cars, “We’re educating ourselves with because they came by the shop valuable information from the people Marc Gabbard owns GSR Custom Collision Repair in Yakima, just now? Is it better to get all who are actually doing the repairs,” WA and is the creator of Collision Repair Technicians United, of the DRPs you can? AfterGabbard said. “By breaking down the a Facebook page that is quickly going popularity among market parts vs. OE parts? Is geographic limitations and sharing with professionals from every aspect of the collision industry aluminum really the next hot people all over the country, we can beGabbard said he was surprised thing? Other repair chat threads dealing come effective at things like getting the when the page caught momentum earwith issues about things such as headright parts, finding OE repair procelier this year. liners, bumpers, headlights, blending dures and just doing a better job overall. “We got a few inquires here and panels, grit in the paint, sanding vs. We’re helping each other, but really the there and then the word got out and it over-sanding and other related themes consumers are getting the benefits of a started exploding. As of today, we appear every day on the forum. page like this.” have roughly 3,300 members and it hasn’t slowed down at all. With 150FORD 200 new members asking to be a part FORD Parts of this online forum every week, we Use Genuine FORD Parts for should be near 4,000 soon.” your Power Stroke Diesel Gabbard is the gatekeeper and moderator for this invitation-only page and in most cases people act appropriately while on the site. But when they don’t, he’s not afraid to boot them without hesitation. “We’ve had a few people who tried to push their political agendas on the page, so they had to go. Some came These dealers are Genuine Ford Parts wholesale specialists. on here and tried to antagonize other members for whatever reason and so MARYLAND N E W JE RS E Y they had to go as well. In most cases, Bob Bell Ford Ditschman/Flemington people are fine and I’ve only had a few issues, so the track record is pretty darn Ford-Lincoln-Mercury GL E N B U RN I E good.” 410-689-3038 F L E MI N GTON Gabbard is always happily sur410-766-1275 Fax 877-NJ-PARTS prised when he sees names he recogHours: M-F 7-6; Sat 9-3 908-782-1795 Fax nizes applying for membership on his wlaney@bobbell.com page. “We’ve got some major names from collision on this page and we’re happy to have them here. Presidents of collision organizations chatting with rookie techs is a cool thing to see. If you work in the collision industry, you’re Make us your one-stop shop today! welcome to join. We have a good mixture of people here and we screen folks, but we do not discriminate.” ily. I can talk to a painter in Missouri one minute and a body tech in upstate New York the next. By sharing ideas, repair techniques and useful information, we can all be better at our jobs.”
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Media and Publicity for Shops Lead with Caution Whenever Contracting ANY Marketing Firm with Ed Attanasio
Many body shops will use a piece of equipment, paint or other products in their shops on a trial basis before they decide to purchase them. They will use a computer management program to see if it truly works and if their staff is comfortable before integrating it into their day-to-day operations. But, why do some of these same body shops sign up and spend significant amounts of money with marketing companies before checking their references or even doing their basic due diligence? Body shops know what they know and what they’re good at — and that’s fixing cars, but what do they really know about marketing? Through training and classes, some shop owners and managers are savvy about press relations, direct mail marketing, online marketing, branding, collateral and even things like graphic design and blog creation. But in the end there is too much to know and most of this stuff is out of the average body shop owner’s area of expertise. Unfortunately, some marketing companies realized long ago that body shops don’t know much about marketing and for that reason unscrupulous people will take advantage of collision repairers and overcharge them for services and products, all the while under performing. We’ve seen it in one form or another more than a few times all over the country. For a long time, shops were getting phone calls from companies that said they could get their name at the #1 position on Google within just a few weeks. Body shop owners in competitive markets jumped on these offers. Without checking out the companies first, they simply took their word. In the end, some shops lost as much as $5,000-$8,000, especially the ones with multiple locations. Organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) takes time and effort, and by just doing a minimum amount of research, the victimized shops would
have known that these fly-by-night virtual companies were giving shops an offer that was too good to be true. At first, the deal appeared to be solid. The shop owner looked at his web site and indeed saw that his shop was now #1 on Google. Obviously, they didn’t know what Black Hat SEO was or about the repercussions involved. Black Hat SEO is a practice that increases a page’s ranking in search engines through means that violate the company’s (Google in this case) terms of service. Implementing Black Hat SEO tactics and strategies can get your site banned from search engines, excluding you from the number one traffic referral source on the Internet, which is exactly what happened to these poor body shops. After paying the marketing company, they found out that Google was shutting their web site down without explanation (and good luck trying to get someone from Google on the phone). In this article, I’ve decided not to mention any company names, because hopefully if they read this, they will see the light and gravitate away from the dark side. All of the body shop owners and managers that I interviewed for this piece also did not want to talk on the record, primarily because they’re currently in court with some of these so-called marketing companies. Also, please note that most of the automotive marketing companies out there are 100 percent honest and do great work, but from what I’ve been hearing recently, a few bad apples have negatively impacted the others. It all comes down to what every company wants and expects from any vendor—authenticity, complete transparency and the absence of “hidden fees” and “blatant up-selling.” Here are some tips for not getting ripped off by an unscrupulous marketing or advertising company: ■ Check ALL their references.
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Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
The references that most companies provide are normally the ones they’ve cleared, so do some research and dig a little deeper. Call the local Chamber of Commerce and ask around. Also check out Yelp and Google them for possible consumer complaints. There’s also a great site called Rip-Off Report that can help you as you sort through the shady operators in the hopes of finding a good company. Another great way to sort out the fraudsters is to check the Secretary of State’s website to make certain that they are registered and even legal to do business in your state. Just like with body shops, any consumer should only work with a licensed marketing company for obvious reasons. ■ Let them prove themselves. One distributor of collision repair products told one marketing company that he wanted to work with them, but for at least the first project, full payment would come but only after the job was completed. You should let all your ven-
dors prove themselves first and especially with marketing companies. Once they get your money, they hold the reins, so don’t give it up until they’ve shown what they can do. One shop in northern California contracted with a marketing company and then suddenly the bills started coming in with ridiculous charges, including “invoicing charges.” That’s right—the company was charging them for sending them their bill! Then, when they tried to cancel the company’s services, they hit the shop with a bill close to $10,000 for “cancellation fees.” Now the shop’s owners have to travel to the Midwest to defend themselves in a small claims court, all because they didn’t carefully check out the company first. ■ Read all contracts carefully. One body shop owner foolishly signed multiple contracts with one marketing company thinking they were all copies, which turned out to be a major mistake, because each one was different. If any
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company shows you more than one contract—beware. ■ Stay local. One body shop hired a company to do a new logo, unaware of the fact that they were located in India. They never got the logo after transferring the money through PayPal. When the deal fell apart, there was no one in this country to sue. Retain control by working with companies that are close enough geographically that if something goes sideways, you can go there and deal with it. And if a company does not have a physical location (listing only a PO Box, for example) that too is a red flag. ■ If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. If a marketing company claims that they will bring you a certain number of cars by using their services, be wary…very wary. One poor body shop manager was told by a shady company that they can double his business by signing up with them for a year. One year later, his business was down 30% due to the fact that three MSOs moved into his territory, despite all of their marketing efforts. If any marketing firm guarantees anything--stay away, because not even the most talented marketing minds in the world can assure you things like more
cars or more revenue. ■ Tell the world. If you’ve had a bad experience with any company, let your community know by Yelping them or at least telling your friends, associates and colleagues. Unscrupulous marketing companies use the old “turn and burn” technique, because they know there are a ton of businesses out there that they can scam. Don’t make it easy for them by keeping it your little secret because once they’ve wronged you, they’re likely just out there looking to do it to the next guy. Like I mentioned earlier, most marketing companies and ad agencies are honest, accountable and do amazing work, but there will always be that handful that are focused more on a quick buck than on quality. So beware and follow your instincts— but also do your research and check them out carefully before signing on the line that is dotted.
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Metromile announced on June 24 its Virginia launch as part of its East Coast expansion. Metromile uses technology and a data-driven approach to deliver lower premiums by the mile. Virginia joins California, Illinois, Washington and Oregon as states where Metromile offers per-mile insurance. Metromile is the first and only agent offering pay-per-mile insurance in the nation, specifically benefiting those who drive less than 10,000 miles per year, saving customers on average $500 annually. To use per-mile insurance, Metromile drivers plug the Metromile Pulse device into the onboard diagnostic (OBD-II) port of the car, which then obtains data and wirelessly transmits to secure servers. Metromile also offers all Virginia drivers Metromile Tag. Metromile Tag helps drivers become more informed about their vehicle and driving behavior with innovative features including commute optimization, find parked location, customizable trip logs, mileage tracking for expense reporting, driving trends and street cleaning notifications. Metromile Tag is available for free with iOS and Android devices. For information, visit: www.metromile.com.
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North Dakota ranks as the worst state in the nation for teen driver fatalities. This is according to a Wallet Hub study. The study analyzed the teen driving environment in all 50 states ranging from the number of fatalities to the average cost of car repairs to the presence of impaired driving laws. WalletHub says motor-vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death among people between the ages of 16 and 19. An average of 250 teens are killed in vehicle accidents each month in the United States. New York ranked number one overall as the best state for teen driving. The North Dakota Department of Transportation says there were seven teenage driver fatalities and a total of 13 teenage motor vehicle fatalities in 2014. Don Moseman, Training Director for the North Dakota Safety Council says the population growth, increased truck traffic, and low seatbelt usage have the greatest impact on the number of teen driver fatalities. He says the upper Midwest states are the highest in teen traffic accidents and have been for many years. The safety council has implemented an Alive at 25 Program, a classroom course teaching the attitude of driving. This course targets those ages 14-24.
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Industry Insight
—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.
Surveys Show ‘Who Pays For What’ in Terms of ‘Not-Included’ Procedures with John Yoswick
Fully one-third of collision repair shops nationwide said they have never asked to be paid for “masking the engine compartment” when this “not-included” procedure has been necessary as part of a repair, yet another onethird of shops who do seek to be paid for it say they receive that payment “always” or “most of the time.” That finding is just one of hundreds revealed in a survey conducted recently by Collision Advice, which is also launching a new survey this month. “This confirms something I see as I work with shops around the country,” said Mike Anderson of Collision Advice. “On this one procedure alone, for every shop not including this necessary procedure on their estimate, another shop is getting paid for it most if not all of the time.” More than 980 shops around the country responded to the survey, which asked them to report how often
they are paid for 26 refinish-related procedures by the eight largest auto insurers. “With that level of response, I believe is the largest survey ever examining this subject,” Anderson said. He said it is clear from the results of this survey that whether or not a repair facility is reimbursed for a particular procedure depends, to some degree, simply on whether or not the shop negotiates for that operation. Though the survey found that reimbursement frequencies do vary by insurance company, DRP status and region of the country, it is clear that none of the procedures are universally rejected by insurers. Anderson said the quarterly surveys help raise awareness of not-included items and operations that shops may be doing but not itemizing on estimates. “The surveys will help shops understand what these operations are,
National Associations
and whether other shops seek and receive compensation for them – or if they truly are ‘the only one,’” Anderson said. The 62-page report of the first survey findings is now available by clicking on the “Who Pays For What?” logo on the Collision Advice website (www.CollisionAdvice.com). Shops can also use that link during the month of July to take the latest of the surveys, which covers structural/frame and mechanical-related operations. Anderson said each survey, which will take about 15-30 minutes, should be completed by the shop owner, manager or estimator who is most familiar with the shop’s billing practices and the payment practices of the largest national insurers. Each individual shop location (whether a stand-alone business or part of a multi-shop operation) may submit one response to the survey.
Those who complete the survey (and provide optional contact information) receive the survey findings at no charge. Each shop’s individual responses are held in the strictest confidence and are not released in any way; only cumulative data is released.
For more information about the surveys and findings, or to take the current survey, click on the “Who Pays For What?” logo on the Collision Advice website (www.CollisionAdvice .com).
Collision Advice (www.CollisionAdvice .com) is an independent training and consulting firm featuring some of the most respected and experienced experts in the collision repair industry. Mike Anderson and his team offer real-world, cutting edge training and guidance both in the classroom and one-on-one in the shop.
Chasidy Rae Sisk is a freelance technical writer from Wilmington, Delaware, who writes on a variety of fields and subjects, and grew up in a family of NASCAR fans. She can be contacted at crsisk@chasidyraesisk.com.
CREF Urges the Collision Repair Industry to Donate to Improve the Industry’s Future with Chasidy Rae Sisk
Across the country, collision repair industry training programs face jeopardy due to a lack of funding, and although it seems like summer just began, classes will be back in session in a blink of an eye. While students enjoy the beach and make memories in the sun, their instructors are already busy plotting how to provide the best possible technical education with limited budgets and resources. The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) invites the industry to partner with their organization to ensure that the next generation of collision repair professionals graduate with the skills necessary to be useful to their future employers. Brandon Eckenrode, Director of Development for CREF, believes, “Together, we can make an impact on the fall semester and beyond!” Since 2009, CREF has collected over $35 million in donations from the
collision repair industry for use in local high school and college collision repair training programs. Eckenrode explained, “The vast majority of this sup-
Tech Uniforms Before and After
port has come in the form of in-kind product donations which have greatly assisted collision school instructors
50 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
across the country with needed help to supplement their limited budgets.” One of the largest challenges instructors face is training tomorrow’s professionals with yesterday’s tools. In this ever-evolving industry, outdated tools and equipment pose a problem for many collision repair programs that just cannot keep pace with the changes in technology. Shops can provide relief for these programs by donating used tools and equipment to local programs. Eckenrode points out, “If you have used tools and equipment that you plan to replace in the near future, these items might be greatly valued by a local school instructor who doesn’t have the budget
to afford them. Whether it’s equipment, supplies or the most basic items, you would be surprised what might be appreciated by a school if they knew it was available.” Because safety is always a concern, the CREF also invites the collision repair industry to sponsor safety kits for local students. The organization turns a $50 donation into a pair of work pants, a shirt, safety glasses, a disposable dust mask and ear plugs to help students learn the importance of professionalism. Companies that sponsor at least 100 safety kits will have their logo printed on the back of the students’ work shirts. Eckenrode urges, “Let us know how you’d like to get involved with your local high school or college collision training program by contacting the CREF at info@ed-foundation.org. We can even provide information on your local programs if you’d like to know which schools are located near you.”
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Audi Shrewsbury 780 Boston Turnpike Shrewsbury, MA 01545
866.438.3997 Parts Dept. Hours: Mon-Fri...7-5:30 Sat...8-2 Sun...Closed www.audishrewsbury.com www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 51
Aluminum Body Tools Required for Vacuum Capture by Del Williams, Technical Writer
With the aluminum body here to stay, one critical factor that collision repair shops must get right is the tools and attachments used to capture potentially explosive airborne dust. This dust, created mainly during grinding and sanding, can also affect paint quality due to cross-contamination with steel. When it comes to aluminum dust, no vacuum can adequately capture it at its source without specialized shrouds, sanders, and hoses. Special vacuums called immersion separators are needed to capture and wet potentially explosive, aluminum dust. The best of these direct the air stream and aluminum dust through a series of air filtration baffles that burst the air bubbles to thoroughly wet the dust before the air exits the vacuum. But even these require tool attachments to sufficiently capture the dust at its source and direct it. To help collision repair shops optimize their safety and performance working with aluminum bodies, here is a tool selection guide for critical shrouds, sanders, and hoses.
Shrouds Because grinding, cutting, drilling, and routing can launch a large amount of dust in the air, shrouds have long been used to contain the dust as close to the source as possible. But traditional grinding shrouds have some significant limitations in terms of dust capture, operator visibility and precision. Many of these issues have been worked out in the aerospace industry, which has decades of experience with aluminum and composite, and the technology is now transferring to auto collision repair. “Grinding shrouds are typically very restrictive and cumbersome,” says Mike Donnelly, a composite specialist in Britain with decades of experience. “With typical grinders, the shroud is usually opaque or metallic and much larger than the grinding disc rotating inside it, so you can’t see the edge of the rotating disc inside it. This vastly reduces the composite repairman’s view of what he or she is grinding.” According to Donnelly, a new Clayton grinder shroud design, when used with an appropriate vacuum, has not only enabled the capture of respirable composite dust at its source, but also significantly improved opera-
tors’ hand control and view of what they are grinding. Clayton Associates (www.jclayton.com), a manufacturer of source capture tools and vacuum sanding equipment that has dealt with aluminum and composite for over a decade in aerospace, is bringing that expertise to auto body collision repair. “Before Clayton Clear Revolution grinding shrouds were introduced in Europe, it was virtually impossible to use a die grinder with high precision for composite repair without making a lot of dust,” says Donnelly. According to Donnelly, because the Clayton dustless grinding shroud system has been designed to be unrestrictive to the user, it is not bolted to the die grinder body or transmission like traditional units. Instead, it is a standalone shroud with a pair of internal precision sealed bearings, which an incorporated mandrel rotates on, and the mandrel shaft locks into the grinder collet. In use, a vacuum dust collection hose attaches to the shroud body. This allows the grinder operator to use the hose as an effective hand-steady, enabling two-handed grinder operation when very fine precision is required. “Because of the shroud’s unique design, when mounted on the grinder it can rotate 360 degrees on two internal precision bearings so the vacuum hose never gets in the way,” explains Donnelly. “The shroud is made of clear, tough, durable Lexan (the same material as NASCAR windshields, aerospace cockpits, and space helmets), which allows you to see through it. Since the shroud head’s outer diameter is no larger than the abrasive disc rotating beneath it, you can always see exactly what you’re grinding.” “The versatility of the Clayton grinding shroud enables proficient operators to do complex jobs they’d be reluctant to try with a traditional grinder or sander,” adds Donnelly. Gary Gardella Jr., a County Line Auto Body co-owner and production manager in Howell, N.J., uses Clayton Clear Revolution grinding shrouds for both dedicated aluminum and traditional bodywork. “Now we’re catching all the dust even when we grind down to bare metal or ecoat,” says Gardella, who credits the shroud’s design for a 99% dust capture rate at the source. Historically, dust control shrouds were attached to the tool body and designed to fit a single make or model
52 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
tool, which raised the cost of ownership since a new shroud was required for each new tool. In contrast, a universal shroud design can dramatically reduce the total cost of ownership, since the shroud can be moved from one tool to another, whether grinder, sander, or router, straight or right angle, Dotco or Dynabrade. “Since Clayton’s universal shroud design allows it to be compatible with any grinder or tool with a 1/4” collet, we don’t need to replace our existing tools or buy proprietary shrouds,” says Gardella. “This significantly lowers our cost of ownership, and makes the shrouds easy to use wherever they’re needed.”
Sanders Sanders must also be considered, since they can generate tremendous dust in repair processes from paint removal to surface prep, which can be particularly problematic for aluminum bodies. A major challenge with traditional sanders, in fact, is that most are not vacuum capable. Instead, they typically rely on ineffective skirts or dust bags that do not
adequately contain the dust. “With standard sanders in the past, we used a kit with a dust bag that made an absolute mess,” says Gardella. “The dust capture rate was horrible, particularly on long boards.” Gardella found what he was looking for when he turned to Clayton sanders, which are specifically designed to be vacuum capable with a 98% dust capture rate. As such, the dust shroud has been engineered to allow a clear, straight path for the dust to flow, and the sanders backup pads incorporate a large number of holes for more airflow and dust capture. “Our dust capture rate on sanders now approaches 100%, which has enhanced the safety and quality of our aluminum and steel body work,” says Gardella. Another issue to consider is that traditional sanders often only come in round shapes, which can limit their function in collision shops and quickly tire technicians if they are not ergonomic. Choosing sanders that offer a range of shapes suited the job, on the other hand, can improve work efficiency. For
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instance, 3”x4” orbital sanders can improve sanding in tight areas and corners where traditional round sanders can’t reach. 3-2/3”x7” orbital sanders, in turn, can facilitate paint removal with a longer pad that quickly covers more area, yet are narrow enough to fit tight spots that round sanders cannot. “The variety of sander shapes and types Clayton offers, a choice of over 20, helps us to work more efficiently, as does ergonomic wrist support,” says Gardella. The ergonomic wrist support included on all Clayton sanders, for instance, facilitates twohanded sanding, which can improve operator precision and reduce fatigue on long sanding jobs.
Hoses For dust collection to safely work as intended, choosing the right air and vacuum hose is also critical. Typical hose, for instance, can build up and discharge static electricity, which could ignite or explode aluminum dust. Traditional vacuum sanding also requires technicians to carry separate air and vacuum hoses, which can be cumbersome. The ribbed edges of typical hose can also catch on table edges or auto body panels, pulling
back on the hose and disturbing precise bodywork. And typical black or gray hose can pose a heightened trip hazard in dimly lit auto body shops. Some manufacturers have addressed these challenges with innovative hose designs. According to Gardella, for instance, a number of Clayton hose design features have enhanced safety and productivity for County Line Auto Body technicians. For example, to prevent potential aluminum dust ignition or explosion, conductive carbon black hoses and cuffs eliminate static buildup and prevent technicians from getting shocked. Bundling air and vacuum hoses allows technicians to carry one hose instead of separate air and vacuum hoses. A durable sheathing with no exposed fasteners enables hose to slide over edges and rough surfaces without snagging and catching, extending hose life. For more info, call 732-3632100; 800-248-8650 toll free; Fax 732-364-6084; email sales@JClayton .com; visit www.jclayton.com.
AudaExplore VP Balances Work and Family Life by Jessica Rob, Business Services Development Specialist, AkzoNobel Coatings
With 21 years of experience in the collision repair industry, Tanya Elkins has developed a wealth of knowledge she is eager to share with individuals in the industry. As VP, Valuation & Identification Solutions for AudaExplore, a Solera company, Elkins considers her greatest professional accomplishment the times she has been able to contribute to the growth and development of her colleagues. “By removing obstacles and providing opportunities that would challenge them, I’ve seen exceptional growth not only in the management team that I work with every day, but with the next generation of leadership who will one day be leading the organization,” Elkins explained. “Sustainability of this business as a trusted valuation provider is paramount to what we do here and I’m very pleased to see where it is today.” Based in Portland, Oregon, Elkins has seen many changes since she started in this industry, but she said none have impacted her as much as data and workflow automation. “When I started working for ADP in the early ‘90s, I didn’t even have a computer!” Elkins recounted. Now, she and her colleagues work to automate manual processes to create greater efficiencies and help carriers deliver a better claims ex-
perience to customers. Evidence of this is seen in her company’s valuation system, Autosource, which delivers more than 80% of valuations instantly and 95% in the same day. Elkins began her path in the industry at National Auto Data Service. When the company was acquired by ADP’s Claims Solutions Group, managers provided her with a flexible schedule. This allowed her to finish college while working and start a family with her husband Derrick. Elkins said “men and women both need flexibility at work if they value spending time with family, friends and participating in civic life” and credits her family and manager for helping her balance work and life successfully. She has been a member of WIN since 2014, which was also the year she attended her first WIN Educational Conference with several colleagues. For Elkins, being a member of WIN has provided her with a venue to not only support other successful women in the collision repair industry, but to learn from them as well. She volunteers for multiple committees within WIN, which has given her exposure to the knowledge and experience that exists within the WIN network. Elkins said, “What I most appreciate about WIN is the sincere commitment of women to promote excellence in our industry, not just for and by women, but really across the board.”
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mbuksch@cadillacofmahwah.com www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 53
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54 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 55
Day Job/Night Job Estimator During the Day, Rock Drummer at Night with Ed Attanasio
So many people working at body shops have other talents and passions that they pursue when they’re not working as body techs, painters, estimators or front office personnel. I met a paint tech who is also a well-known tattoo artist and a parts guy who is also a professional ballroom dancer. A woman who runs the front office for a shop in northern California sings opera and the owner of a shop in the Southwest is a renowned muralist.
(l to r) Consisting of drummer/estimator Billy “The Kid’ Brady, vocalist/guitarist Gabriel Maciel, lead guitarist Bryan Aguirre and bassist David Ovlite, The Trims are a hot band on the verge of stardom
After meeting so many amazing people with great stories about what they do when they’re not working in the collision industry, I decided to write about them. This is the first in a series and it’s about an estimator who is also a drummer for a band that is on the rise. His name is Billy Brady and he is an estimator at Anderson Behel in Santa
Clara, CA. During the day he works with customers to return their cars back into pre-accident condition, but at night he hits the skins for The Trims, a hot band that is waiting for a record label deal that is looking more and more likely every day. The Trims from San Jose, CA already have a storied history. They’ve been featured on MTV’s “The Real World,” played at the Converse flagship store in downtown San Francisco, recently played at Red Gorilla Fest in Austin, TX and also at Bottle Rock Napa in May. The band has recorded five CDs and won several band contests and also was selected to play at a concert during the America’s Cup held in San Francisco in 2013. Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Gabriel Maciel, lead guitarist Bryan Aguirre, bassist David Ovlite and of course Billy “The Kid’ Brady on the drums, the buzz is deafening for this post-punk, disco-laden act. The Trims are getting rave reviews from music critics throughout the Bay Area, including this one written by Steve Palpoli from Metro Magazine. “The first thing that jumps out with the Trims’ highly unique sound is the guitars. Their music embraces the spooky swirl of Siouxsie and the Banshees, the assault of Echo and the Bunnymen, the minor-chord crawling of the Cure and the propulsive progressions of New Order. Not to mention layers of effects that would impress even the Edge himself. The Trims’ sound is backed up by a
stark and solid post-punk rhythm section that grounds the often space-bound atmospherics, and topped by vocals that soar one minute and slow down to an intimate, direct tone the next.” Brady is a second-generation musician from a family that also rocked it at night while fixing cars during the day. “My dad had a body shop and I worked there during my vacations from school, so I grew up in the industry,” he said. “My father was a drummer and my mom was also in his band, so music has been in my veins from the start.” Brady grew up in San Jose, attended San Jose High School and is proud of it. He knows the way to San Jose and isn’t afraid to tell the David Mello is world. Billy’s employer at “We’re one of Anderson Behl in the only bands out Santa Clara, CA. there who say— He knows that hey we’re from San when The Trims make it big, he’ll Jose and proud of have to get a new it. A lot of other estimator for bands claim that his crew they’re from San Francisco, because they want to be cool. But, we love living here and being part of this music scene, so we tell critics and club owners that we’re from San Jose.” What are some skills that Billy uses as an estimator at a body shop that also help him in the tough world of rock ‘n roll? “I think we’ve gotten
“The issue isn’t time,” said city attorney Joseph Murphy. “It’s Mr. Sahagian’s finances.”
Murphy said the government has been patient, but that Sahagian simply cannot come up with money he needs to adequately upgrade the building and cover thousands in unpaid taxes. The auto shop’s roof and electrical systems had failed inspections dating back to 2013, according to court documents. Sahagian, a Bronze Star medal recipient and fixture in the community for more than half a century, told the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel that the roof had been damaged during a storm and he had trouble securing his insurance claim to fix the roof. “I believe he would like to fix the property,” the city attorney said. “He just doesn’t have the funds, hasn’t had
84-year-old South Milwaukee, WI Shop Owner Loses Fight to Prevent Demolition by Tom Murray, TODAY’S TMJ4
Pete Sahagian said he built a business and building with his own two hands. “It’s my life,” he told TODAY’S TMJ4 reporter Tom Murray. Sahagian said Sahagian Auto Body has been at College and Packard in South Milwaukee since the 1960s. The owner, now 84 years old, could literally see it all come crumbling down. “I lost my business and my property,” he said. The City of South Milwaukee said roof repairs do not meet building codes and - in a rare move - the city began demolishing the building on July 21. It will take two days to clear.
Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
Pete Sahagian, former owner of Sahaigan Auto Body, stands next to his shop a month before it was demolished by the City of South Milwaukee. Photo Credit: TODAY’S TMJ4
56 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
some good gigs by just being nice. Nice goes a long way—in any environment and we’ve always taken a friendly approach and I think it has paid off for us in many ways. I know for a fact that in my day job at Anderson Behel being nice is important. Our customers are not usually happy because their cars are damaged, so leading with kindness and compassion is the best way to go. I think that’s pretty much a good way to live in general, don’t you think?” Having a budding rock star as an integral part of his crew isn’t always convenient, but David Mello, Billy’s employer has made concessions—until now. “Yes, when he has a gig, we have to cover Billy and do his work,” Mello said. “But, he’s an excellent employee and a real team player, so we don’t want to lose him. We have some amazing people here and many of them have their own interests, so we let them do their thing and it makes for a better place to work. If they can do their jobs here and still pursue their passions, I will support them in any way I can.” What will Mello do when The Trims sign a major record deal and Brady’s musical career goes full-time? “When he hits big, we’ll probably lose him, but that comes with the territory when you hire musicians,” Mello said with a wry smile. “He does a great job here and we love him and hopefully he’ll let us back stage when he hits the big-time!” the funds and, after two years, it’s become apparent he’s not going to have the funds to do it.” Sahagian admitted he has had financial trouble, but hoped the auto body would survive for another generation. The shop owner did attempt to repair the roof himself for significantly less than building inspector Steve Petery estimated, but both Petery and an independent engineer said that the decking used was not suitable for the roof. On June 15, Judge David Borowski ruled that Sahagian had to vacate the building by July 15, reported the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. We would like to thank TODAY’S TMJ4 for permission to reprint this article.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 57
MSO Symposium During NACE Included Claims Management Models, Future of DRPs and Financing Options by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
The MSO symposium held on Thursday, July 23 during the NACE show in Detroit brought together small, medium and large MSOs to learn about the state of the industry, upcoming trends and what to expect in the coming months and years ahead. Master of Ceremonies Mike LeVasseur, Market Vice President-Philadelphia of Keenan Auto Body, an ABRA Company, facilitated six individual seminars covering a wide range of topics: Claims Management Models; Insurer Panel on DRPs; Shortage of Qualified Employees, Developing Talent and Retention; The ABCs of Financing; and NPS & CSI. Vincent Romans, Founding Principal and Managing Partner of The Romans Group, kicked off the symposium by providing up-to-date information about the industry. “We continue to see the convergence of numerous and dynamic market influences impacting the collision repair industry today including things like a surge in technology, multimarket consolidation, corporate globalization and private equity’s impact funded by its available cash and inexpensive financing,” said Romans. “This, coupled with the high octane velocity of speed associated with change all around us, is driving the need for almost constant transformation, the kind that makes it difficult for all of us to deal with on a daily basis.” He said there is a debate going on within the collision repair industry on how fast this consolidation is taking place. “I suggest to you that it depends on which constituent group, which market segment you are in and the perspective that comes along with that.”
Claims Management Models This panel provided a global overview of what is occurring in the United States and abroad in terms of claims management models. Regarding new vehicles, such as the Ford F-150, Clint Marlow from Allstate Insurance Company talked about the importance of balancing customer choice with the ability to educate consumers. Although Marlowe said they will not direct consumers where to go to repair their vehicles, “We are going to have a discussion with them around the uniqueness of their vehicles, some special repair techniques that may apply
and some questions we feel strongly they need to ask their repair facility,” he said.
Master of Ceremonies Mike LeVasseur, Market Vice President-Philadelphia of Keenan Auto Body, an ABRA Company, facilitated six individual seminars covering a wide range of topics during the MSO Symposium
When it comes to the data required to repair the vehicles, Mark Mandl, from Ford’s Customer Service Division, said it’s important to work with insurers in terms of repairability. “Getting their feedback in repair does make a direct impact in terms of a vehicle coming out of the factory.” Ron Doerr from Assured Performance Network, stressed the importance of looking at data from the shop user’s perspective as well to ensure vehicles are fixed properly. “From the shop perspective, what I hear more and more is ‘it’s not just the information it’s the documentation that is valuable to us.’” Looking into the future, Marlowe said five years out he foresees leveraging data even more to understand customers’ needs. This includes looking at social media to learn their preferred communication path. “It’s a cultural change for us,” he said. Doerr said with more information available, “I think we’re going to see more transparency throughout the whole process. It can be seen so it will be seen.”
Insurer Panel on DRPs LeVasseur moderated an interactive discussion on the future of Direct Repair Programs. Attendees heard from several insurance companies and two MSOs first-hand some of the things that are working in the environment today and the challenges perceived. Insurers, which included Allstate, American Family Mutual, Progressive and State Farm, discussed what they are doing to ensure customers’ vehicles are being repaired at shops equipped and trained to perform the repair.
58 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
“One of the challenges is getting the right mix of shops,” said Danny Henderson of American Family Mutual Insurance Company. Henderson pointed out that everyone wants high volume; however, it’s important to have a mix of high volume that’s controllable. “You don’t want it too low, you don’t want it to be high; otherwise, it can have an impact on customer service.” He said another challenge they are aware of, in particular with DRP shops, is how to have the correct balance of insurer oversight and shop self-management. “That’s a challenge we continue to face and are working hard to figure out.”
Shortage of Qualified Employees, Developing Talent and Retention During this discussion, panelists talked about some of the ways they are finding, developing and retaining new talent, which can be a challenge for shop owners facing an aging workforce. One of the things panelists said they do is to demonstrate how the job is often unlike the reality shows they see on t.v. This includes showing them that they are going to get dirty and be
on the ground and many shop owners find that some of their new hires don’t like it and leave. It usually takes a couple of weeks to discover if a new employee has the right attitude, show up on time and are the right fit for the job. This gives shop owners the opportunity to find out before sinking in a lot of time and training. Participants recommended getting employees, especially students, engaged in the business as well as addressing how they are compensated. “We hear from school instructors that other technical trades are facing the same dilemma of having an aging workforce. They are paying significantly more in their fields at the entry level,” said Brandon Eckenrode from the Collision Repair Education Foundation. “If we want to keep them in this industry, I think this is something that needs to be reviewed in terms of making sure it is competitive with the other trades; otherwise, we’re going to lose those students.”
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velopment helped the MSOs in attendance understand the financing alternatives available. They shared the steps involved from growing their businesses to achieving liquidity. Guest speakers included an advisor who helps entrepreneurs, a lender who helps finance them, a consolidator who acquires them and the investment banker who manages the sale. Romans said MSOs have three basic choices. “They can grow and thrive, they can sell or grow to sell, or they can keep milking the cow,” he said. The discussion centered on the first two. David Roberts, Managing Director and leader of the Automotive Services Group for FOCUS investment Banking, reminded attendees about the high-risk nature of the business. He said the risks and rewards are not always balanced; therefore, it is important to get things balanced so shop owners aren’t taking too much risk for the reward they expect to gain. “They need strategies, plans, people, systems, knowledge, processes, capital and time,” said Roberts, who was also the co-founder of Caliber Collision in 1995. “Whatever direction you are going to go, whether you are going
to grow and thrive or going to sell, those are the things you need.” Courty Gates, President of Vesper International, discussed financing for smaller shops. He said it’s important to remember four things while going through the process of raising money. “Be persistent, be realistic, be determined and tell a story.” The other two panelists included Steven Beckett, Partner of Peninsula Capital Partners and Ken Hanley, Senior Vice President of Business Development for Caliber Collision Centers.
NPS & CSI As MSOs continue to grow their business, maintaining high NPS & CSI scores often can become challenging, especially with multiple locations. In this session, panelists talked about what they are doing to improve and maintain their scores. In addition, they shared information about how turnover impacts the results and what they are doing to combat it.
Autobody News will provide more details of the MSO symposium in the September issue of our publication, as well as additional coverage of NACECARS events.
Assured Performance Announces Non-Profit Board Assured Performance Network is made up of three organizations: A nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, a legal Cooperative (Co-Op), and a management company. Combined, they operate as a third-party administrator for consumer awareness, body shop Certification for several of the largest automakers including Ford, Nissan, FCA, GM, Hyundai and others, and various vendor rebate programs. Assured Performance Collision Care, Inc., a 501c-6 non-profit consumer advocacy organization, has announced their 2015 - 2017 Board of Directors. The board is made up of organizations participating in the effort to identify and promote collision repair providers that are able to meet the manufacturer’s specifications for tools, equipment, training and facility modifications required to properly and safely repair vehicles. The board includes the following individuals: ● Dave Arne, Ford Motor Company ● Mark Zoba, Nissan North America ● Mark Engelsdorfer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) ● Mark Mandl, Ford Motor Company ● Erica Schaefer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) ● Tiffany Stroupe, Hyundai Motor
America ● Steve Rust, Nissan North America ● Lien Nguyen, Hyundai Motor America ● Scott Biggs, Assured Performance (Chairman) ● Ron Doerr, Assured Performance (Vice Chair) ● Michael Quinn, Assured Performance (Secretary) Directors will help guide Assured Performance to set objective Certification requirements, drive consumer awareness programs, and ensure consistent communications and coordination within the group to identify, Certify, and promote body shops across North America. “We are proud that our Board is made up of these outstanding professionals representing their global organizations,” stated Scott Biggs, Chairman and CEO. “These professionals will provide steady guidance and wise direction as we move forward. Their participation comes at a perfect time, as we are experiencing rapid growth and launching numerous initiatives including ongoing and expanded advanced repair capabilities and Certification, consumer awareness campaigns, body shop and wholesale business development, and new co-op incentives.”
See these Hyundai dealers below for all your collision parts needs! MARYLAND
MASSACHUSETTS
NEW YORK
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Route 2 Hyundai
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Vision Hyundai
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Herb Chambers Hyundai AU BU RN 1 07 A nd o ve r St
800-767-1898 508-832-6026 Fax Mon-Fri 7am - 6pm Sat 8am - 3pm pobrien@herbchambers.com www.herbchambershyundai.com www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 59
Jon Kosmoski from Valspar’s House of Kolor & TV Reality Star KC Mathieu Demonstrate Kandy Painting during NACE duced in the fall of 1982 and in 1997, House of Kolor became part of the Valspar Automotive Coatings DiviAt the Valspar booth during NACE, world-renowned painter, Jon Kossion. In addition to House of Kolor, moski of House of Kolor (HOK), and reality show Fast N’ Loud star KC Valspar’s brands include DeBeer ReMathieu, demonstrated the advanced finish, Valspar Refinish and newly actechnique of Urethane Kandy applicaquired brands, Prospray Automotive tion. Finishes, Matrix Automotive Finishes Kosmoski sprayed a black basecoat and U.S. Chemical & Plastics (USC). with Kandy Brandywine and Oriental In May of this year, Valspar anBlue topcoats, utilizing the House of nounced it had acquired the performKolor Shimrin2 system. Afterwards, KC ance coatings businesses from Quest Mathieu, owner of KC’s Paint Shop in Specialty Chemicals. These include Texas, added the House of Kolor USC01 automotive refinish brands Matrix, clear coat. Prospray and USC, and industrial “It takes some training,” said Koscoatings brands Patriot Paint, Raabe moski. “An average painter can’t pick and Precision Color brands. up a gun and be a kandy painter.” During NACE, Autobody News spoke with Laura Yerkey, Director of Marketing – Americas, for Valspar Automotive, about the company’s recent announcements. “The thing that really differentiates whether or not a refinish coatings company is going to be successful is the technology behind it—the color, the products and the tools, and the ability to deWorld renown painter Jon Kosmoski (left) and KC Mathieu, velop the technologies that reality TV show star on Fast N’ Loud shops are going to need movHe said House of Kolors’ Kandies ing forward,” she explained. and clears are developed with a more DeBeer is Valspar Automotive’s advanced formulation. Whereas an avpremiere brand. “The color technolerage company uses 1 ½ percent UV ogy driving the DeBeer basecoat sysabsorbers, HOK’s products far exceed tem is world class,” said Yerkey. that amount, providing a longer-last“Already, OEM manufacturer’s Ford, ing, more beautiful finish for custom GM and Chrysler have approved the creations. Also, the newly revamped DeBeer 900+ Series. This line delivKandies and basecoats, with advanced ers optimal solutions to any large shop technology, are compliant in all areas or MSO with proven success.” and meet the most stringent VOC reProspray is the company’s other quirements. European refinish brand, made in the Kosmoski said kandy painting beUnited Kingdom. Basecoat technolocame popular in the early 1950s when gies are made in both solvent and wacustom car builder and painter Joe terborne. “The Prospray line is a Bailon debuted a candy-apple-red- beautifully simple and task-driven syspainted car. The name was coined after tem,” said Yerkey. “The all-liquid inthe transparent color of a candy apple. termix system can be mixed in various Bailon, who is now 92 years old, is solids levels, depending on need, and often referred to as “Candy Apple Joe” provides excellent match and coverand Kosmoski said he can still be seen age, especially with import vehicles. working in his shop. The clears and primers are streamlined Kosmoski founded House of and backed by universal activators and Kolor in 1956 and used to paint a car thinners.” The color system uses a a day while he owned his own shop. chromatic tool for color matching. He closed it in 1981 when his custom Matrix is the company’s Ameripaint took off and went into manufac- can paint brand, delivering productivturing. His Kosmic system was intro- ity, color and value. Matrix is more by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
60 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
recently best-known for developing a true low VOC basecoat system, MPBLV. Every component on the Matrix MPB-LV system, from toner to binder, is low VOC compliant.
side best-selling competitive products, to test adhesion and overall strength,” said Yerkey. “We ran blind lap sheer tests to gauge ultimate stress (PSI) adhesion results and found performance was up to 48 percent better than the competition.” Growing up in the automotive refinish industry, Yerkey said her grandfather, Pete Peterson, founded Ohio- based Montana Products in 1976. Peterson taught his granddaughter about the various disciplines of the business and the importance of the ”voice of the cusJon Kosmoski said, “You learn by your mistakes. Don’t tomer.” Montana Products blame yourself. That’s the number one thing I tell painters. was later sold to ChemSpec. If something goes wrong, call your jobber store, call a Yerkey was hired at U.S. tech rep for the company and find out what went wrong.” Chemical & Plastics and “With Matrix low VOC basecoat, Prospray in 2003. In 2013, the brands compliance is a really seamless and an were acquired by Quest Specialty easy transition for the body shops,” Chemicals, consisting of three divisaid Yerkey. “You’re going to get the sions: automotive, industrial and consame amount of coverage and color struction. Yerkey became Quest match is going to be the same as with Automotive’s marketing director and a national rule product. There is no then was promoted to corporate, learning curve.” She said body shops Quest Specialty Chemicals, to head up aren’t sacrificing quality or ease when the marketing strategy and communithey use Matrix’s low VOC system. cations for the three divisions, as well “It’s going to perform for them.” as assist with mergers and acquisiAll Valspar paint brands are tions. Now as marketing director backed by warranties and deliver in- in the Americas for Valspar, she said field technical service and support. she plans to build out the optimal marU.S. Chemical & Plastics, estabketing organization that will focus on lished in 1950, was the original body needs-driven solutions for every segfiller manufacturer in the United States. ment in the collision repair industry as With the introduction of the aluwell as specialty industries where the minum Ford F-150, Yerkey said the products are a good fit. company has recently conducted extenYerkey said, “As a company with sive testing on the new product lineup all of our brands now, and the techin regards to the specific aluminum nology and talent we have from both alloy that Ford is using. “We ran extenteams, we [Valspar Automotive] are sive testing at the technical and research really poised to become that preferred facility on AG47 and Icing Lite, alongprovider in the industry.”
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800-699-8251
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Shrewsbury Volkswagen Shrewsbury
800-662-3140 Fax: 732-576-1894 M-F 8am-5pm
aammiano@shrewsburyvw.com www.shrewsburyvw.com
NEW YORK Koeppel Volkswagen Woodside
718-728-8111 Fax: 718-278-0319
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MARYLAND King Volkswagen Gaithersburg
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Fax: 240-499-2488 M-F 8am-5:30pm Sat 8am-5pm rockvilleparts@ourismanautomotive.com www.rockvillevolkswagen.com
Ourisman VW of Laurel Laurel
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dprunner@vwking.com www.vwking.com
301-498-6050 Fax: 301-498-0157 M-F 7:30am-7pm Sat 7am-4pm
ron.malitz@ourismanautomotive.com
Volkswagen of North Attleboro North Attleboro
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NEW JERSEY Atlantic Volkswagen Egg Harbor Township
Thompson Volkswagen Warrington
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vcornwall@atlanticautogroup.com www.atlanticautogroup.com Cherry Hill Volkswagen Cherry Hill
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 61
NACE 2015 Entertains, Informs and Wows the Crowd
THESE DEALERS are GENUINE WHOLESALE PARTS SPECIALISTS.
PENNSYLVANIA
Thompson Toyota DOYLESTOWN
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62 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Body Shop Owner Admits to Loaning Out Customer’s Truck and Crashing Another The Florida State Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case of a local auto body shop owner accused of loaning out one of his customers’ vehicles and crashing a second. Criminal charges could be filed. Action News reported June 23 on Oliver Pickett after a customer said Pickett loaned out his truck instead of doing requested repair work. The vehicle is now missing. Another man said June 24th that his Dodge Ram was not only loaned out, but that Pickett crashed it. The owner of the Dodge Ram came back June 25 to make sure work was getting done on his truck. Pickett
admitted that he took it out for a ride and crashed it, damaging the front bumper. The owner of the Dodge Ram wouldn’t give his name, but he said he dropped off his truck three weeks ago to have work done. Action News was there the night of June 24th when Oliver Pickett, Pickett brought it owner of Pickett Brothers Body Shop back damaged, with in Jacksonville the work unfinished. There was more of the same on June 25. “Are you happy with the agreement you guys reached?” Action News
asked the truck owner. “I’ll be happy when I can pick my truck up and it’s fixed like he promised he would fix it,” the owner of the Dodge Ram said. William Carroll said Pickett scammed him too. Carroll said going through the experience is “pure hell.” He said Pickett gave him a receipt for molding work on his car, slightly less than $945 for the parts and labor. Carroll said he wrote a $533 check for parts so Pickett could start the repairs. “I just want the damn money, that’s all I want,” Carroll said. More than a month later, Carroll
on Abercorn Street and Eisenhower Drive. “We are looking forward to our growth and contributions to the economy in Savannah,” said Peacock. “We are very familiar with the market and are excited to be in this community.” In a related transaction, Coastal States Automotive Group sold the assets and franchises of Hilton Head Nissan and Hilton Head Infiniti to Vaden Automotive Group. Vaden will lease those two
facilities at the New River Auto Mall, and operate the two dealerships, but will move both franchises to another location on Highway 278 within 18-24 months. At that time, Coastal States Automotive Group will construct a new Audi facility at the current location of Infiniti, and evaluate alternative uses for the current Nissan facility. Savannah Volkswagen will employ 30 people. Coastal States Automotive Group
says the work hasn’t been finished. He filed a complaint with the state. “There’s no problem,” Pickett told Action News. “He’s going to get his money back.” “But you do owe him money?” Action News asked. “Yeah, $533,” Pickett said. Carroll said he has not yet gone to the police, but he plans to do so. The Dodge Ram owner said he’s known Pickett for 10 years and isn’t ready to press charges. In addition to the Dodge Ram, there are two other trucks at the auto body shop. Pickett said he’ll have all the work done by the morning of June 26.
Coastal States Automotive Group Purchases Volkswagen Dealership in Savannah, GA
Coastal States Automotive Group President and CEO Warner Peacock announced the company purchased the Volkswagen franchise in Savannah, GA on July 7. The new Savannah Volkswagen is located on Abercorn and Eisenhower Drive, at the site of the former Vaden Volkswagen and Signature Used Cars. Coastal States Automotive Group also purchased the land and facilities located
employs almost 600 people in FL, GA and SC. Coastal States Automotive Group, LLC (formerly New River Auto Mall, LLC) owns Hilton Head Hyundai, Audi Hilton Head, Hilton Head Volkswagen, Porsche of Hilton Head, Subaru of Hilton Head, Jaguar Land Rover Hilton Head, Hilton Head Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge/Ram, all in the Hilton Head, SC, area; Savannah Volkswagen; and Jaguar Land Rover Columbia in Columbia, SC.
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Maryland
Porsche Silver Spring Silver Spring
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PENNSYLVANIA Porsche of Bucks County Warrington
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N. VIRGINIA Porsche of Arlington Arlington
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Porsche: There Is No Substitute
www.princeton.porschedealer.com www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 63
NHTSA Announces All VIN Numbers Under Takata Air Bag Recall in Search System The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that all vehicle identification numbers affected by the massive Takata air bag recall are loaded into the agency’s search system. The recall involves 11 auto manufacturers and roughly 34 million vehicles. “An informed consumer is one of our strongest allies in ensuring recalled vehicles are repaired, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “NHTSA’s VIN search tool at safercar.gov makes it easy for consumers to check if their vehicle is affected by the recall, and to take action in getting the air bags replaced.” In May, Takata announced a national recall of certain types of driver and passenger side air bag inflators. These inflators were made with a propellant that can degrade over time and has led to ruptures that have been blamed for seven deaths and more than 100 injuries worldwide. The recall is one of the largest and most complex product recalls in history. “As this recall progresses, NHTSA will organize and prioritize the replacement of the defec-
tive air bag inflators to ensure that defective inflators are replaced with safe ones as quickly as possible,” said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind. The agency has established a new website, SaferCar.gov/Recalls Spotlight, to provide regular updates on the status of this and other recalls of high interest. Below are additional tools and tips from the nation’s auto safety agency:
● Register Your Cars, Tires and Car Seats: Receive NHTSA email notifications when the manufacturer files the recall with the federal government. There is no way to locate or notify individual owners of car seats or tires if the product is not registered with the manufacturer or NHTSA. ● Receive recall alerts on Apple devices, Android devices, or Email.
● Check NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) 5-Star Ratings System when considering purchasing a new or used vehicle.
CREF and AkzoNobel Announce Winners of Sustainability Challenge Grant
The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) in collaboration with AkzoNobel Vehicle Refinishes North America recognized schools for their efforts to advance sustainability within their respective automotive and collision repair programs. As a result of combined student teams and faculty derived submittals, each school will receive funds from the Sustainability Education Challenge Grant to implement their proposals and report on the success of their project. Schools from around the country submitted applications. Applications were evaluated by the CREF Selection Committee on the ability to expand awareness of sustainability, advance continuous improvement, and create a positive impact within the local community where the schools are located.
The recipients include: ● Applied Technology Center (Rock Hill, SC) ● Central Nine Career Center (Greenwood, IN) ● Freedom High School (Freedom, WI) ● Norwalk High School (Norwalk, CA) ● Olathe Advanced Technical Center (Olathe, KS) ● Springfield Clark Career Center
(Springfield, OH) ● Thomas Edison CTE High School (Jamaica, NY) ● Walla Walla Community College (Walla Walla, WA)
The program, initiated by AkzoNobel in an effort to support one of the core principles of the global corporation, was introduced in 2014. The goal was to create awareness and educate students, with intentions of seeking careers within the collision repair industry, on the growing global imperative of sustainability and its ability to make a positive impact in all facets of life today and more importantly for the future. “We are proud to be aligned with AkzoNobel for a second year on the topic of sustainability.” said Clark Plucinski, CREF Executive Director. “This topic, while growing nationally and internationally, is not necessarily one that is routinely thought about in our industry by students and instructors. However, the grant application process encourages both to thinking outside the box and moving the school forward. The ultimate goal is to create awareness within an emerging workforce and the business where they will be employed.”
64 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Hyundai Launches Recognized Collision Repair Center Program
On July 14, Hyundai Motor America launched its all-new Hyundai Recognized Collision Repair Center program. This program ensures both independent and Hyundai dealership-owned collision repair centers have the training, tools, equipment, and facilities needed to properly repair Hyundai vehicles after they have been involved in a collision. “Hyundai owners benefit from this program through the assurance that centers will ensure the fit, finish, durability, safety and value of the vehicles being repaired,” said Frank Ferrara, Executive VP, customer satisfaction, Hyundai Motor America. “Having a network of recognized shops is critical to make sure our cars are repaired properly.” Hyundai has teamed up with Assured Performance Network (APN) on this program. APN is a non-profit consumer advocacy organization that will guarantee both Hyundai dealershipowned and independent collision repair centers meet the program’s specified capability requirements, and pass an annual onsite audit and inspection. APN will also manage enrollment, online support systems, proof of compliance documentation and marketing. For details on Hyundai Assurance, visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com.
Solera To Invest $5M in Chinese Insurance Market
Solera Holdings Inc. will invest $5 million to advance the rapidly growing Chinese automobile insurance market with the creation of the country’s first Solera Technology Center (STC) research facility. The STC was created as a joint venture in 2011 between Solera and leading global insurer MAPFRE to help modernize the insurance ecosystems of growing and emerging countries throughout the world with data-based science, predictive software and technology-focused education and training for the P&C industry. The STC has already provided comprehensive technical training for nearly 2,000 Chinese professionals who work within the vehicle insurance, repair and appraisal industries. In October of this year, it will officially open a Beijing research facility designed to collect and analyze critical automotive data that advances vehicle safety, improves insurance claims efficiency and balances underwriting economics. The facility will enable the collection of technical car and repair data, the creation of traffic accident reconstruction reports, the development of car ratings for the insurance industry, training for insurers and repairers and certification for repair shops.
I-CAR® Updates its Courses to Keep Shops Informed I-CAR will be updating its courses on aluminum welding, Toyota vehicle repair and custom painting techniques. As part of the I-CAR Professional Development Program™ (PDP), the updated training courses are designed to keep collision repair shops and staff on the cutting edge of a rapidly changing industry. I-CAR’s hands-on, in-shop Welding Training & Certification™: Aluminum GMA (MIG) Welding (WCA03) takes into consideration the many differences between steel and aluminum welding. Updates to the course support the most current aluminum repairs, providing knowledge to prepare for the growing number of aluminum-body vehicles on the road. Featuring an in-shop welding capability and readiness assessment and one-onone personalized coaching, I-CAR’s comprehensive welding training contributes to overall shop productivity and weld quality on aluminum vehicles. Collision Repair for Toyota, Lexus, and Scion Vehicles (TOY01) offers updated OEM-specific repair procedures and recommendations for Toyota-specific vehicles, as well as enhanced graphics and videos to better equip technicians in making OEMapproved repair decisions for these
vehicles. Introduction to Custom Painting (ISP01e) and Custom Painting (ISP02e) provide technicians with fundamental as well as more advanced custom painting skills, offering an avenue for facility owners to add a new source of revenue for the business and additional value to consumers. Both online courses include refreshed graphics and updated technical content to help guide Refinish Technicians through this specialized service. “The courses that I-CAR has updated this quarter have all been done so with relevance as the key driver,” explained Josh McFarlin, I-CAR Director of Curriculum & Product Development. “We have worked to ensure that we’re providing the most up-to-date information to the industry, enhanced with improved graphics and videos. We believe these updates will maximize student knowledge retention to help collision industry professionals perform complete, safe, and quality repairs for the ultimate benefit of the consumer. I-CAR is pleased to add these updates to our already strong catalog offering.” Course updates are available on www.i-car.com/newcourses.
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CONNECTICUT Kia of Milford Milford
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8am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-12pm Sat Alan@kiaofcoatesville.com www.kiaofwestchester.com www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 65
Enterprise Recognizes Axalta Business Council Members With Best Length of Rental Awards
Enterprise Rent-A-Car recognized two collision repair centers with its 2014 Best Length of Rental (LOR) Awards. Presented during a joint meeting at Enterprise’s global headquarters in St. Louis, MO, both recipients are members of Axalta Business Councils, which promote an environment where collision repair professionals can share best practices and further develop their business management skills.
The recipients were determined based on Enterprise’s Automated Rental Management System (ARMS®) data, which tracks how long a replacement vehicle is rented to collision (l to r) Mike Anderson, Kris and Becky Goodrich, Frank center customers and is con- LaViola, Cary Bikowski sidered a proxy for vehicle repair time. cantly helps collision repair centers Daren Pierse and John Bock from Ax- maintain growth for the long-term,” said alta Business Council member Arizona Frank LaViola, Assistant VP of colliCollision Specialists LLC re- sion industry relations at Enterprise ceived the first award, earn- Rent-A-Car and an advising member of ing the lowest LOR among Axalta Business Councils. “Arizona multi-shop operators. The Collision Specialists and Goodrich Auto second award went to Kris Works have demonstrated an outstandand Becky Goodrich of ing commitment to expediting the vehiGoodrich Auto Works for the cle repair process, which has helped lowest LOR among Axalta them build strong relationships with Business Council single- customers and insurance partners alike.” To learn more about Enterprise shop operators. “When you can get a Rent-A-Car, visit http://www.enterprise customer into their repaired .com. To learn more about the ARMS vehicle faster, this helps Automotive Suite, visit www.armsauto (l to r) Mike Anderson, Daren Pierse, John Bock, Frank gain their trust and signifi- suite.com LaViola, Cary Bikowsky
ABRA to Expand in Pacific Northwest
ABRA Auto Body & Glass announced in June an agreement to acquire 23 Kadel’s Auto Body locations in Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Details of the agreement were not disclosed. Kadel’s Auto Body, an investment managed by KCB Private Equity of Pasadena, CA, is a regional provider in the Pacific Northwest. ABRA’s President and CEO, Duane Rouse, said the company is thrilled to acquire such a well-respected multishop operator. “Kadel’s Auto Body has been servicing insurance partners and community members for over 60 years. Their commitment to superior customer service and a quality repair echoes ABRA’s way of doing business.” “We’re pleased to align ourselves with such an established, well-respected national collision repair company like ABRA that shares the same culture of ethics, integrity, and teamwork,” said Don Braden, President and CEO of Kadel’s Auto Body. For franchise opportunities in major markets, contact Scott Gerling, sgerling@abraauto.com or 763-585-6210. For small and midsize markets, contact Mark Wahlin, mwahlin@abraauto.com or 763585-6315.
Mitchell Releases Toyota Recommended Repair Procedures within Mitchell Estimating
Mitchell International released on June 18 Toyota’s Recommended Repair Procedures within their desktop solution, Mitchell Estimating, also known as UltraMate. The Toyota Recommended Repair Procedures offer two key benefits. First, estimators can reduce the time required to write a collision estimate by offering the ability to access a preconfigured list of all the parts and labor associated with a repair, allowing them to keep the information that applies and omit what does not. Second, users can access all Service and Collision Repair Information Bulletins associated with the repair directly from Toyota’s Technical Information System (TIS) during the estimating process, eliminating the need to reference multiple sources thereby speeding the process of restoring a Toyota vehicle to pre-accident condition. “We are committed to bringing innovations to the market that create efficiency in the overall repair process for both repairers and insurers,” said Sunil Nayak, Senior Director of Product Management. “With Toyota Recommended Repair Procedures, users of Mitchell Esti-
mating can instantly access all the Toyota repair procedures, parts and labor, and technical information, enabling them to quickly write an estimate and repair the vehicle using up-to-date information directly from the manufacturer. This eliminates the need to search out information and helps ensure that the shop has everything they need to repair a Toyota vehicle.” “The partnership with Mitchell reinforces our goal to ensure consumer confidence,” said Rick Leos, Collision Program Developer, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “Mitchell’s expertise in estimating, coupled with Toyota’s quality repair procedures, makes data easily accessible, which benefits customers, repair experts and insurance companies alike.” Mitchell Estimating combines industry-leading databases with software technology for appraisers writing estimates on passenger vehicles, as well as light, medium and heavy trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles and boats. To learn more about Toyota Recommended Repair Procedures, visit www.mitchell.com/toyota
66 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
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CIF Announces Greg Horn as New Trustee
The Collision Industry Foundation (CIF) recently elected Greg Horn with Mitchell International to the Board of Trustees to carry on the Foundation’s initiatives. Horn has regularly presented at major insurer, vehicle manufacturer and collision Greg Horn, repair conferences. recently named a At Mitchell, Horn CIF Trustee, has provides guidance more than 20 years to Mitchell’s Prodof automobile uct Management and insurance and Business Anaexperience lytics teams, playing a role in shaping Mitchell’s solution portfolio. Horn serves as primary author and editor in chief of Mitchell’s Industry Trends Report. “It’s a great honor to have Greg join the CIF as a Trustee,” said Chairman William Shaw. “With his experience and industry relationships, he will be a key contributor in advancing the mission of the CIF.” To donate or learn about CIF’s current projects, visit: www.collisionindustryfoundation .org
Caliber Collision donates $35,000 to CREF
Caliber Collision donated $35,000 to the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF). This donation will support several specific initiatives for collision school programs in the Atlanta, GA, and Houston and Dallas, Texas markets. Caliber is also donating $5,000 to the Education Foundation’s Collision Repair Education Campaign fund which allows the organization to offer grants and scholarships to career and technical schools and colleges. “Caliber’s support of the CREF is one of the many ways that we’re investing in our collision repair future today,” said Mark Sanders, Caliber Collision President and COO. CREF Executive Director Clark Plucinski noted, “I would like to thank Caliber Collision for their continued support of CREF. As we work towards providing support to local collision school programs and their graduating collision students having the proper, entry-level skill sets, Caliber’s donation allows us to help provide the needed tools and equipment for the programs to be successful.” For information, contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at 847-463-5245 or Brandon.Eckenrode @ed-foundation.org.
AMI Announces 2015-2016 Board of Trustees
The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) announced the members of its 2015-2016 Board of Trustees. Sheri Hamilton, AAM, ASA-Midwest, Kansas City, MO, was elected as chair; Darrell Amberson, AAM, LaMettry’s Collision Inc., Minneapolis, MN, elected as vice chair; Bob Keith, AAM, CARSTAR, Leawood, KS, re-elected as treasurer; and Gary Keyes, AAM, E&M Motors Inc., Stuart, FL, elected as secretary. Other board members include Tony Passwater, AAM, AEII, Indianapolis, IN; Terry Wynter, AAM, Terry Wynter Auto Service Center, Fort Myers, FL, and Dan Risley, president, Automotive Service Association, North Richland Hills, Texas. “I look forward to working with this group of trustees, who represent such a diverse range of industry experience and backgrounds. This will be important as we work to ensure Automotive Management Institute’s future success,” stated AMI President Jeff Peevy. For more information about the institute, its curriculum, or EXCEL, contact AMI at (817) 514-2900 ext. 129, or visit the AMI website at www .AMIonline.org
Black Diamond Refinishing Launches Wipe on Clear Coat
Black Diamond Refinishing, a company specializing in paint repair alternatives, announced a new product in its line, a Wipe on Clear Coat. It was created to produce a fast drying, easily applied clear coat to repair surface damage of a vehicle quickly and with durability. “Back Diamond Clear offers exceptional coverage to repair heavy surface damage,” said Michael Nelms, the company’s founder. “Its unique formula allows for a smooth, streak-free and glossy finish that produces excellent results.” Depending on the damage, he said results may vary. Developed in 2008, Nelms said he used the product as a service to automotive dealerships and received such positive feedback from his customers, he was compelled to market it. Wipe On Clear repairs scratches and bug damage, improves water spots and peeling and restores panels. It removes bumper scuffs and heavy scratches, and restores dull hoods, bumpers and spoilers. “Black Diamond Wipe on Clear is one of our most successful products and delivers an exceptional result,” said Nelms. For information, visit www.jandbsales.com, email burtonjandbsales@comcast.net or phone/fax (888) 270-1033.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 67
New Source of Vehicles for NABC Recycled Rides
Thanks to SCA Appraisal Company, a nationwide provider of appraisal services, the National Auto Body Council will have a new source of vehicle donations for its Recycled RidesTM program. According to SCA President Tim Davis, as SCA acquires vehicles throughout the year, it will launch an effort to identify and donate those that may be a good fit for the National
Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides program. An added bonus is that most of these will be newer, already roadworthy cars that are practically ready to be gifted to deserving individuals or nonprofit organizations in need. “Recycled Rides is a tremendous program that our collision industry
State Farm® Refines Repair Facility Survey
State Farm Insurance announced market refinements to its repair facility survey. The surveys allow eligible auto body repair facilities to help identify prevailing competitive prices (PCP) and paint and materials pricing levels. Information provided by repairers through the survey process is used to help identify appropriate pricing for State Farm staff-prepared estimates. The State Farm Auto Repair Facility Survey has been in place for several years with periodic updates taking place when business needs arise. State Farm spokesman Justin Tomczak said, “We are refining market boundaries used to determine prevailing competitive prices to serve our customers and to better align with government defined market areas.” Updates may result in PCP adjustments in some areas in addition to the periodic changes in PCP relating to updated repairer pricing and capacity information. State Farm said repairers can voluntarily update their repair capacity and pricing information at any time on their b2b website. The insurance company added that it will continue to remind repairers of the survey process.
has rallied to support because of the significant impact it makes in the lives of so many individuals nationwide,” said Davis. SCA’s first vehicle donation, a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, will be presented later this summer in partnership with Fix Auto in Pasadena, CA to Lee Ann Smith, a Gold Star, single mother who lost her son in the service. “Fix Auto’s participation in Recycled Rides provides an opportunity for our locations to give back to the communities they serve in a meaningful way,” said Fix Auto USA President and COO Paul Gange. “We encourage our owner-operators to participate in events and opportunities such as Recycled Rides to do just that.” According to Chuck Sulkala, Executive Director of the NABC, with the success and growth of the Recycled Rides program over the past several years, the NABC is fielding more requests from individuals and charities, as well as repairers and parts vendors eager and willing to donate their services and materials if more vehicles are available. “We are grateful to the many insurance, rental car and salvage companies whose vehicle donations have been and continue to be the backbone of our Recycled Rides program since its inception,” said Sulkala.
LKQ Corporation to Acquire The Coast Distribution System
LKQ Corporation and The Coast Distribution System, Inc. signed a definitive agreement for LKQ to acquire Coast for $5.50 per share in cash. Coast is a leading distributor of replacement parts, supplies and accessories for recreational vehicles (RVs) primarily to retail parts and supplies stores, service and repair establishments, and new and used RV dealers in North America. The acquisition is currently expected to close in the third quarter of 2015. Coast’s board of directors has unanimously recommended that Coast stockholders accept the offer and tender their shares. Total cash consideration payable for Coast’s outstanding shares is approximately $29 million. As of June 30, Coast had $19.5 million outstanding under its long-term revolving bank line of credit. “The combination of Coast with our specialty segment and RV business presents tremendous distribution and logistics synergies with our existing network, and expands our RV business with the addition of unique product offerings and brands,” stated Robert L. Wagman, President and Chief Executive Officer of LKQ Corporation.
68 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
U.S. House Subcommittee Hearing on Connected Cars
On June 24, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade under the Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing entitled, “Vehicle to Vehicle Communications and Connected Roadways of the Future.” Members addressed issues associated with emerging telematics, vehicle-to-vehicle communication (V2V), and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication (V2I). The witness panel featured leaders in vehicle technology development including Nathaniel Beuse, associate administrator of Vehicle Safety Research for the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), and Dr. Peter Sweatman, Director of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. Witness testimony focused on the lifesaving potential of V2V technologies, national and international standards, future congressional rulemaking, and the timeline for implementation. Beuse will make a presentation at the Automotive Service Association’s NACE|CARS Show in Detroit on July 23. Panelist Harry Lightsey, Executive Director, Global Connected Customer Experience for General Motors LLC, said, “NHTSA has estimated that V2V could by itself impact more than 80 percent of the over four million an-
nual unimpaired light vehicle crashes, saving lives and reducing $871 billion in costs to our nation’s economy each year.” Subcommittee members expressed optimism about the benefits of V2V technologies, but remained wary of potential threats from hacking, connectivity lapses, and modified driver behavior. Rep. Frank Pallone, ranking member, D-NJ, stated his concerns in his opening statement; “While the progress and potential of this technology are clear, we in Congress must continue to ensure proper oversight as NHTSA moves aggressively toward its goal of finalizing its V2V rulemaking by the end of this year. While pushing for V2V-enabled cars, NHTSA must also ensure drivers have the most beneficial crash avoidance and crashworthiness technologies in all cars, not just those supported by V2V communications.” At the conclusion of the hearing, members expressed their intent to follow this issue closely, with special attention to NHTSA’s rulemaking process. NHTSA is currently working to deliver a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on V2V communications by 2016. For information about ASA, visit www.ASAshop.org, or ASA’s legislative website at www.TakingTheHill .com
Car-O-Liner Supports Industry Through Sponsorships
Car-O-Liner® is backing the industry’s future leaders with participation at two major industry training events. First, CarO-Liner sponsored the Collision Repair Technology (CRT) competition at the 51st annual SkillsUSA® National Leadership and Skills Conference held June 22-26 in Louisville, KY. On August 11-16 Car-OLiner will be a global sponsor of the autobody repair skill at the 43rd WorldSkills Competition in São Paulo, Brazil. More than 6,000 students––all state contest winners ––competed hands-on in 100 different trade, technical and leadership fields during the SkillsUSA Championships. Car-O-Liner has supported the event for more than five years, providing frame alignment and measuring equipment for use at the competition. Car-O-Liner is also participating in the WorldSkills Competition, held in South America for the first time in history at Anhembi Parque, São Paulo, Brazil. The WorldSkills Competition occurs every two years and is the biggest vocational education and skills event in the world. Throughout its 65 year history, the competition brings together the best young people from around the world in their chosen profession as more than 1,000 competitors from over 50 countries and regions compete for medals in 46 professional skills. This is the fourth WorldSkills
Competition for which Car-O-Liner has been the global sponsor of the autobody repair skill. Participating in the autobody repair contest are 20 global competitors and the official vehicle body selected to be repaired is the Volkswagen Up. Car-OLiner will occupy approximately 20,000 square feet of space with 23 complete work bays containing repair equipment from Volkswagen/Audi/Skoda package VAS6528. Each work bay will contain a Quick 42 alignment bench, a Car-OTronic Vision2 X3 measuring system, EVO1, 2 & 3-1 anchoring and holding systems, a CTR12000 resistance spot welder, a CM273 Twin MIG/MAG welder as well as other diverse equipment needed to repair the body to the point where it can be painted. “The main purpose of this global sponsorship is for Car-O-Liner to emphasize the importance of vocational education for the younger generation in their quest for excellence within their chosen field of autobody repair,” said Jonas Gunnarsson, VP & BU Manager Automotive for Car-O-Liner Group AB. For information on Skills USA Competition: www.skillsusa.org. To learn about WorldSkills Competition: www .worldskillssaopaulo2015.com. Information is also available online www.car-oliner.com.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 69
I-CAR Launches “Production Management” Role to Increase Shop Efficiencies I-CAR®, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, announced at the NACE | CARS Expo and Conference the launch of its new Production Management curriculum that provides end-to-end instruction designed to drive bottom-line improvements in productivity and profitability throughout the collision-repair process. Available beginning in August, Production Management will be part of ICAR’s Professional Development Program™ (PDP), filling a curriculum placeholder that was planned when the PDP was launched in 2010. The new role and curriculum, which goes beyond technical training, was developed using direct industry input, collaborating with production managers, shop owners and experts from the collision repair industry. It provides insight into critical issues
and multiple areas of the shop floor, while enhancing critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, enabling participants to quickly address complex problems shop personnel face in collision-repair production. “The broad-based process focus designed into this new Production Management Role allows shops to empower all of their resources, fine-tune their KPI’s and realize maximum ROI on shop-wide training investment,” said John Van Alstyne, CEO and President of I-CAR. “Effectively managing production is one of the key success factors seen in collision shops that are thriving in the midst of the ‘Technical Tsunami™’, rather than just surviving it. And ‘Learning Culture’ insights, a focus within the new role, will help shops further multiply the benefits of production best practices. In short, or-
ganizations with true Learning Cultures can achieve better and continuously improving levels of performance that can become a real competitive advantage.” Courses include: ● Learning Culture Overview ● Before the Repair Starts ● Matching the Repair to the Team ● Workflow Essentials ● Synchronizing Workflow through Team Communication ● Problem Solving for Workflow Changes ● Quality Is Your Business ● Optimizing Processes, Equipment and Compliance ● Developing the Team and the Business ● Refining the Team and the Businesses More information is available on www.icar.com.
Google Reports First Case of Self-Driving Injury Accident
After reporting to the California Department of Motor Vehicles that its gadget-packed Lexus SUVs had been hit twice in the rear bumper while waiting at stop lights in Mountain View, CA, Google reported that on July 1 a motorist smashed into its stationary autonomous vehicle at 17 mph, resulting in minor whiplash to passengers in both cars and causing the offending car’s front bumper to fall off. The passengers were examined and released to return to work.
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