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VOL. 4 ISSUE 10 DECEMBER 2013

Collision Repair Classes, Meetings and Exhibitors Attract Shops to Largest SEMA Ever by John Yoswick

The 2013 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show attracted more than 126,000 people—attendees and exhibitor representatives—to Las Vegas in November, filling the massive Las Vegas Convention Center and surrounding spaces with all things automotive. Show organizers say that count was up 7 percent over the previous year and was the highest ever. The collision repair and refinish section of the show boasted just over 200 exhibitors, a small but rapidly growing percentage of the more than 2,300 companies and organizations exhibiting at SEMA this year.

Although attendees could easily spend several days on the show floor to see it all, there were a number of meetings, events and classes specific to those in the collision repair industry.

SCRS Holds Open Meeting The Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ (SCRS’) partnership with SEMA, which began in 2010, has proven beneficial for the show as well as the association. As it has in the past, SCRS held an open meeting on the show floor one evening to highlight both some industry news and some of the association’s recent activities. A year after Toyota used the meeting to introduce its concept of “preMopar President and CEO Pietro Gorlier, right, dictive estimating,” the automaker and Mark Trostle, Chrysler Design, on the announced at this year’s SCRS meetMopar-Modified Ram Sun Chaser concept vehicle at the SEMA Show. (Courtesy Chrysler) ing a partnership with Mitchell Inter-

Florida Appelate Court Ruling Reinstates No-Fault, May Be Temporary, Circuit Judge Overruled ruled that Tallahassee Circuit Judge Terry Lewis was wrong when he sided with physical therapists and other health care providers challenging the 2012 law. The Court of Appeal ruled that a group of chiropractors, acupuncturists and massage therapists lacked standing to bring their case. Lewis suspended the part of the law that requires a finding of emergency medical condition and prohibits payments to acupuncturists, massage therapists and chiropractors. He said the law violates the right of access to the courts found in the Florida ConSee No-Fault Reinstated, Page 22

Change Service Requested

P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018

The 1st District Court of Appeal ruling means that a 2012 law aimed at reducing fraud and lowering no-fault auto insurance claims has been reinstated, at least for now, by an appellate court ruling overturning a lower court decision to grant a temporary injunction against the law. Florida is one of 10 states that uses personal injury protection (PIP) auto insurance, also known as “no fault” insurance. In Florida, drivers get up to $10,000 in medical coverage without having to go to court to establish fault in an auto accident. The 1st District Court of Appeal

Here are some of the highlights.

pecial SSEMA

Coverage coverage Pages: 1, 11, 26, 28, 31, 32 and 37

See Biggest SEMA Ever, Page 4

PartsTrader, Insurer Mandates Draw Industry Ire at Collision Industry Conference Held with SEMA by John Yoswick

Following a panel discussion on parts procurement at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Las Vegas in early November, attendees spent nearly an hour voicing criticism of mandated use of any particular system. Tom McGarry of Axalta Coatings ProfitNet Management System noted that unlike several other systems, PartsTrader interfaces with estimating systems but not management systems. He also said a shop ordering parts might need to use one Tom McGarry electronic system in order to receive an automaker rebate, but the shop’s preferred vendor might use a different system, with State Farm requiring yet another. “It’s not a procurement decision anymore; it’s a marketing decision,” McGarry said. “How do you handle that?” Nebraska shop owner Andy Dingman, who participated on the

CIC panel, agreed that shops could be faced with using multiple systems. “And that’s going to be very efficient,” he added, sarcastically. California shop owner Randy Stabler, also on the panel, agreed. “The challenge here is the insurance community doesn’t understand by and large that when they increase the body shop’s costs, they have to pay for it somewhere,” Stabler said. “Lowering the payout isn’t increasing efficiency. If the insurers could take that Randy Stabler back to their corporations and figure out ways to reduce the body shop’s operating costs, then they can share in it, but reducing the payout doesn’t increase efficiency.” Stabler also said, however, that he’s “kind of perplexed” why the PartsTrader mandate has become “such a lightening rod” for an industry that has been accepting insurer mandates since the early days of computerized estimating. See Industry Ire, Page 16

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

2 DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Contents in the Southeast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Advance Auto Parts Cutting Ten Positions

in Roanoke, VA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Advance Auto Parts Gets New VP Based

in Roanoke, VA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Advance Auto Parts Opens in Gainesville, FL . 18

ASK-GARY Owner Sues Allstate and

Bloomberg for Slander, Florida Regulator

Yoswick - Use of E-Signatures is Customer Convenience, Faster Authorization

Reduces Cycle Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

NATIONAL

3M Wins Top Spot at 2013 SEMA New

Products Showcase Awards . . . . . . . . 37

BLS Says Total Collision Industry Production is Up in June After Declining in

April-May. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Barred Insurer Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

China’s 31st Collision Industry Show to

Stop Work Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Collision Repair Classes, Meetings

FL Employer Arrested For Violating FL Gets Weakened Anti-Texting Bill

Signed by Governor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

FL Insurance Fraud Crackdown Snares Agent. 18

Florida Appelate Court Ruling Reinstates No-Fault, May Be Temporary, Circuit

Judge Overruled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Former TN State Senator Charged with Theft

and Insurance Fraud in Franklin Cty . . . . 6

MAACO Acquires 7 Sprayglo Shops

be Held in February ‘14 . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 and Exhibitors Attract Shops to

Largest SEMA Ever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

FIX Auto Holds Conference Featuring

“Marketing that Matters” . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Friedlinghaus Unveils Son’s 2013 Scion

FR-S Dream Car . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Gene Simmons Brings his ‘Snakebit’ to SEMA, Vehicle is to be Auctioned in

2014 to Benefit a Children’s Hospital . . 32

in Southeast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

GM Customer Care Adds New Loyalty

to Invest in New Locations . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Kelley Blue Book Names 2014 Jeep

NC MSO Haddock Secures $12.5 M

Ram Truck Brand & Chrysler Group Heighten

Support of SE Farmers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Sisk - Automotive Aftermarket Association

Southeast—75 Years of Service. . . . . . . 8

Sisk - Georgia Collision Industry Association

Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Wrangler and Dodge Challenger

Best Resale Value Winners. . . . . . . . . . 10

PartsTrader, Insurer Mandates Draw Industry Ire at Collision Industry

Conference Held with SEMA . . . . . . . . . 1

Looks to the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

SEMA 2013 Entertains, Informs and

Center in AL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

SEMA Supporter Neil Young Talks about his

Swiss Auto Parts Maker to Build Research Two Charged in Rape and Robbery of

Advance Auto Parts in NC . . . . . . . . . . . 7

USAA Will Add Up to 1,215 New Jobs

in Hillsborough Cty, FL . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

VeriFacts Automotive Institutes ‘Dale Delmege Award’ at CIC, Winner is Paul Krauss of

Craftsman Auto Body in VA . . . . . . . . . 31 COLUMNISTS

Franklin - Maintenance Marketing . . . . . . . 24

Yoswick - December Retrospective: NACE

Wows the Crowd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

LincVolt Project: Repowering the

American Dream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

South Carolina’s David Montaro Writes Open Letter to Ed Rust Jr. Complaining about

Wait Time on State Farm Jobs . . . . . . . 34

Speedemissions Acquires 7 Atlanta-area

Emission Testing Stores. . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Transtar’s Custom Coffin Grabs Attention

at SEMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

WD-40 and Chip Foose Keep Truckin’

at 2013 SEMA Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Town Hall, CIC, SCRS, FTC . . . . . . . . . 30

Winner of Chrysler Custom Challenge at

‘Glitz And Glamour’ With Renewed

WSJ Report: Caliber Collision to be

Yoswick - Scaled-down NACE to Replace

Industry Focus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

SEMA Show is Oriana Schooley. . . . . . 31

Sold to Private Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

to fetch more than $500 million in a sale, one of the sources said. At a Sherwin-Williams A-Plus Vison Group event last December, Rex Green who oversees the automotive aftermarket for BB&T Capital characterized the collision industry as a “star perfomer” in the investment world over the last few years, opening the eyes of Wall Street and large equity groups. A couple reasons for that, he said, was an increase in miles driven and new cars sold. He also called the broader automotive aftermarket an “absolute winner” from an investor standpoint over the last 10 years. The sales process was nearing completion and Caliber could announce its new owners soon, they said. It remained unclear who might emerge victorious in the auction—or whether a deal will ultimately materialize—but one of the sources said Blackstone isn’t likely to end up buying the company. There has been a flurry of auto-repair shop deal activity lately, including Advance Auto Parts Inc.’s October agreement to buy General Parts International Inc. for just over $2 billion. The takeover would create one of North America’s largest aftermarket auto-parts providers. Sears Holding Corp. recently said it’s considering selling its Sears Auto Center business.

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: Tom Franklin, Stefan Gesterkamp, John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle (800) 699-8251 Sales Assistant: Louise Tedesco Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia

Southeast

AAAS Supports Be Car Care Aware Events

The owners of Caliber Bodyworks Inc., DBA Caliber Collision Centers, have put the chain of 157 US body shops up for sale, said sources to the Wall St. Journal. Interested buyers include private-equity firms such as Berkshire Partners LLC and Blackstone Group LP. The WSJ story said the sales process was almost over and new owners would be announced soon. Caliber, which is owned by a unit of Canadian buyout firm Onex Corp. and others, has attracted interest from other private-equity firms, including Blackstone Group LP and Berkshire Partners LLC in the past. Its most recent shop acquisition was nine Global Collision locations in Denver, CO. Caliber Collision Centers owns its 150+ body shops in California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Texas and Oklahoma. An active consolidator, Caliber routinely solicits collision repair shop owners in news releases announcing its acquisitions. Caliber recently acquired four Houston-area body shops. In late September, it added 12 locations in the Sacramento, CA market. In June, the company bought three shops around Denver. Onex acquired Caliber in 2008, buying the Lewisville, Texas-based chain from another group of investors for about $170 million. Caliber is likely

Indexof Advertisers

REGIONAL

WSJ Report: Caliber Collision to be Sold to Private Equity

Serving Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and adjacent metro areas, Autobody News is a monthly publication for the auto body industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2013 Adamantine Media LLC.

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AutoNation Chevrolet Coral Gables . 29 BASF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 35 Cavalier Ford-Lincoln Greenbrier . . 11 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA). . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Crashmax Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Crown Automotive Group . . . . . . . . 13 DJS Fabrications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Don Reid Ford. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Equalizer Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 FIAT Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 16 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers FL, GA, AL, MS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Forklift Wrecker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 37 Gray-Daniels Auto Family . . . . . . . . . 5 Gus Machado Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Hendrick BMW/MINI . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19, 20-21 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . 30

I-CAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 KBS Coatings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Kernersville Chrysler-DodgeJeep-Ram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers. 33 Landers Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge . . . . . 4 Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 35 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 25 Nalley BMW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Nashville FIAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Nissan Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . 36 Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . 34 Preval Spray Gun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Roser’s Auto Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Southtowne Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Spanesi Americas Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Stateline Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeFIAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Subaru of Gwinnett . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 28 Tameron Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS 3

Continued from Cover

Biggest SEMA Ever

national to deliver Toyota recommended procedures and bulletins within Mitchell’s new mobile/online estimating system in early 2014. Toyota’s Rick Leos explained that when a user adds a part to an estimate, all of the appropriate Toyota vehicle information will automatically appear, including related Toyota bulletins or Rick Leos procedures, and information on such things as one-time use fasteners. Leos said that by the end of 2014, the information will be available for all 2012 and newer Toyotas. He said he expects other automakers to make similar announcements early next year. “Will we be with other information providers? I have every intention of sharing all the same data with every one of them,” Leos said. “I’m not trying to hold it from anybody, and nobody has exclusive rights to it.” Also during the meeting, Tony Passwater, executive director of the Indiana Auto Body Association, urged shops to sign its online petition (http://tinyurl.com/lk8cuds) calling for an end to insurer mandates “that change our well-established business relationships, place vehicle owners in jeopardy and interfere with the free market system.” More than 460 people have signed the petition, which calls for state and federal authorities to investigate and prosecute “the tortious interference actions of property and casualty insurance companies that have been repeatedly performed over the last 70 years,” calling insurer actions “as aggressive as a modern day mafia.” Passwater said he’d like to see the signature count hit 10,000, and suggested that shop owners also encourage their employees to sign. Also during the meeting, industry trainer Toby Chess used photos and actual parts removed from “repaired veToby Chess hicles” to highlight the more than 20 cars he inspected over the previous two months that had improper or incomplete repair work.

“The reality is this is going on a lot out there,” Aaron Schulenburg, SCRS executive director, said following Chess’ presentation. “Sometimes it may be being improperly equipped or trained shops, but often times it’s a matter of dollars and sense on the repairs, and the pressures that are put on, and how people are being asked to do repairs. That’s not an excuse, but it’s the reality of one of the causes of these types of repairs.”

Attorney outlines lawsuits John Eaves Jr., the personal injury attorney representing Mississippi shops and parts vendors suing State Farm over its mandated use of PartsTrader, held several meeting in Las Vegas during SEMA to explain the suit. He John Eaves Jr. was also signing up individual shop clients looking to sue insurers for “unjust enrichment” based on procedures performed as part of vehicle repairs for which the shop was not paid. Eaves said he is working with an economist to determine the likely damages in such cases, but he said an initial list of 62 such procedures has been developed, and preliminary analysis indicates a minimum loss of $675 per $3,500 repair. He said the suits could cover claims against an insurer over however long the statute of limitations allows (six years, in some states). Eaves said that while he is not being paid for the PartsTrader case— which he said will likely soon be replicated in other states—the unjust enrichment suits are being done on a contingency basis with a 40 percent fee of any collected funds. The PartsTrader suit, filed in Hinds County Chancery Court, alleges that State Farm’s implementation of PartsTrader tortiously interferes with existing business relationships shops have with their parts vendors. In addition to an injunction halting State Farm’s implementation of PartsTrader, the suit seeks a ruling that State Farm is violating the terms of the 1963 Consent Decree, which placed limits on more than 260 insurer’s activities related to auto insurance and claims. See the October issue of Autobody News for more on the Consent Decree. Advice On Selling Your Shop SCRS offered about 20 training classes

4 DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

during SEMA, focusing on subjects from marketing and using social media, to cycle time reduction and new bonding and riveting techniques for vehicle repair. Among the classes attracting the most attendees was a panel discussion featuring four former shop multi-shop owners offering insights into the lessons they learned selling their businesses. Industry consultant and trainer Mike Anderson, who sold his two Virginia shops in 2010, cautioned against revealing too much information about your business—sources of work, for example—to a potential buyer too early in the process. “I’ve seen MSOs come in to buy a shop from certain individuals who are too free with their information,” Anderson said. “The deal falls through and then those other people open a shop right next door. It’s not a done deal until the money in the bank.” Pat O’Neill, a former owner of seven 9-1-1 Collision Centers who sold to Caliber Collision Centers in 2011, recommends talking to a consultant or others who can help you know what you can do to increase the value of your business.

“And remember that it’s a negotiation until the very last day,” O’Neill said. “Stuff will come up on their side and stuff will come up on your side.” “It redefined ‘coming down to the wire,’ that’s for sure,” agreed Aaron Clark, who sold his five Collision Solutions shops in Indiana to ABRA Auto Body & Glass in 2012. Former CARSTAR executive Dan Bailey, who has been involved both as a buyer and seller of shops over his career, said it’s never too early to start preparing for the sale of your shop. “It’s very emotional,” he said. “When you grow up in this business, there’s something that makes it feel almost shameful to sell your business. ‘What am I going to tell my friends? What am I going to tell my relatives?’ But the reason you’re building a Aaron Clark business is to sell it. It’s very emotional so you need to talk it over with whoever is involved in the business with you, whether a spouse or sibling, and make sure you’re prepared to sell the business before you spend a See Biggest SEMA Ever, Page 7

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www.graydanielsnissannorthparts.com Participating in Collision Link Parts Manager: Steven Hill 800-530-7522 601-899-7462 fax shill@graydaniels.com Hours: Monday - Friday 7 am - 5:30 pm 6080 I-55 North Frontage Rd., Saturday 8 am - 4 pm Jackson, MS 39211

Gray-Daniels Gray-Daniels Chevrolet Chevrolet • Prompt, Accurate and Free Local Delivery • Dedicated Wholesale Staff • Large Inventory Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 5:30 pm Saturday 8 am - 4 pm

Parts Manager: Eddie Williamson 800-729-6160 601-206-5894 local 601-206-5899 fax ewilliamson@graydaniels.com 6060 I-55 North, Jackson, MS 39211

Gray-Daniels Gray-Daniels Lincoln Lincoln • Trained Wholesale Crew • In State Next Day Shipping w/Quick Local Delivery • Great Discounts Hours: Monday - Friday 7 am - 6 pm Saturday 8 am - 12 pm

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Gray-Daniels Toyota • Prompt, Accurate and Free Delivery • Dedicated Wholesale Staff • Large Inventory Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7am - 6 pm Saturday 8 am - 4 pm

Participating in Collision Link Parts Manager: Steve Calhoun 800-530-7955 601-948-0576 601-965-8458 fax scalhoun@graydaniels.com 104 Gray-Daniels Blvd., Brandon, MS 39042

Gray-Daniels Gray-Daniels Scion Scion • No Order Too Big or Too Small • Highly Experienced Parts Personnel • Great Discounts Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7:30 am - 6 pm Saturday 8 am - 4 pm

Participating in Collision Link Parts Manager: Steve Calhoun 800-530-7955 601-948-0576 601-965-8458 fax scalhoun@graydaniels.com 104 Gray-Daniels Blvd., Brandon, MS 39042

WWW.GRAYDANIELS.COM For All Your Collisions Part Needs www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS 5

Ram Truck Brand & Chrysler Group Heighten Support of SE Farmers

The Ram Truck brand and Chrysler Group LLC’s Southeast Business Center (SEBC) continue to highlight the Year of the Farmer on November 9 by promoting farming and agriculture in the football arena. Ram Truck will be the presenting sponsor of the Farmer Appreciation initiative on November 9 with backing from the Department of Agriculture, University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Florida Dairy Farmers. UF will celebrate their agricultural-themed homecoming game as the Florida Gators take on Vanderbilt. All game day activities are aimed at raising awareness of farming and showing support for the agricultural community in Florida. “Ram has been a long-time supporter of the farming community, and our current year-long celebration of the farmer has been a chance for us to give back to this vital community,” said Robert Hegbloom, Director - Ram Truck Brand. “When our SEBC teamed up with prominent agricultural universities and brands in the Southeast, we knew the Ram brand had to be involved.” As part of their sponsorship, Ram created a contest asking children in grades K-6 to design a poster centered

on the theme “Florida Farmers Grow My Community.” Ram also provided a select number of half-priced football tickets to farmers and people involved in the agriculture industry for the Homecoming football game. Ram game day festivities will kick-off with an on-field presentation honoring the Southeast Farmer of the Year. Two farmers who own Ram trucks will be honored during half-time with a video on the game board that tells their stories. And Gator Fan Fest will be agricultural-themed, with a mock milking cow and other educational displays featuring Florida agriculture. In addition, the Ram team will be on site to showcase its Ram branded trailer and multi-vehicle truck display. Football fans will enjoy interactive games, prizes and free giveaways. Ram product specialists will answer truck questions and give truck tours. One lucky truck tour participant will win a tailgate-themed grand prize package including an autographed football signed by Coach Muschamp, Gator merchandise from the team store, two UF logo tailgate chairs, a UF logo blanket and a VIP Gator Experience for two at the 2014 season opener vs Idaho

complete with two game tickets, pregame hospitality and pre-game sideline experience. “The University of Florida Farmer Appreciation event is our second Ramsponsored program of the season, and we are thrilled with this latest opportunity,” said Al Gardner, Director Chrysler Group LLC’s Southeast Business Center. “During last month’s NC State game, we reached more than 56,000 fans with our agricultural messages, so we look forward to reaching out to another large group this weekend to share just how important our local farm families are to our communities.” The Ram brand and the SEBC are committed to supporting American farmers in the Southeastern United States. Spreading the word at football games has proven to be an effective way to drive home the importance of local farming communities. The SEBC will continue their agricultural mission again on November 23 when the Florida Gators take on the Georgia Southern Eagles. Additional information about the Ram Truck brand and the 2013 Year of the Farmer is available at: http://www.ramtrucks.com/KeepPlowing.

NC MSO Haddock Secures $12.5 M to Invest in New Locations Haddock Collision Centers, a North Carolina MSO, announced plans to acquire new auto body repair locations in the Carolinas after securing a $12.5 million investment. Plexus Capital contributed $9 million of the subordinated debt with warrants and potential follow on capital. Plexus, which primarily focuses on middle-market transactions, was the SBA 2013 Small Business Investment Company of the year. “This investment will allow us to double our locations and expand into additional Southern markets,” said Todd McGowan, Haddock Collision CEO. Haddock, founded in 1972, maintains multiple OEM collision repair certifications including Acura, Audi, Honda, Infiniti, Mercedes Benz, Nissan, VW and Volvo. Former TN State Senator Charged with Theft and Insurance Fraud in Franklin Cty

Former state Sen. Eric Stewart of TN has been charged with theft and fraud stemming from a continuing investigation into his insurance business, according to court records and officials. Stewart was charged in a two-count indictment with theft over $500 and committing a fraudulent insurance act. He was released on a $5,000 bond.

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Two Charged in Rape and Robbery of Advance Auto Parts in NC A man accused of raping an employee in the course of robbing an Advance Auto Parts store in Fayetteville was charged Nov. 2 with the robbery of three more businesses and faces similar charges in Lumberton and Harnett County. Cortese Tramond Davis, 23, of the 400 block of Vass Road, is charged with eight counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, five counts of second-degree kidnapping, three counts of conspiracy, two counts of first-degree sex offense and one count each of first-degree rape and and first-degree kidnapping. Davis also is charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Bail was set at $1.3 million. Davis and another man, Smith Paul Merinord, 20, who last lived on Timberland Lane in Dunn, are accused of robbing the auto parts store shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday, Fayetteville police said. Police previously identified Merinord as Paul Merinord Smith. Lumberton police have issued warrants for Davis and Merinord, charging them with robbing the Advance Auto Parts store and its employees at 1978 N. Roberts Ave. about an hour after the robbery of the Fayetteville store, Capt. Terry Parker said. During the robbery, a male worker was held at gunpoint while Davis allegedly raped a female employee, police said.

Continued from Page 4

Biggest SEMA Ever

lot of money working on a sale.â&#x20AC;?

John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988, is also the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (for a free 4-week trial subscription: www.CrashNetwork.com). He can be contacted by email at: jyoswick@SpiritOne.com.

Advertise in our CLASSIFIED SECTION for $50 per column inch! Place an ad in our AUTOBODY MARKETPLACE section of Autobody News.

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www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS 7

Southeast Associations with Chasidy Rae Sisk

Chasidy Rae Sisk is a freelance technical writer from Wilmington, Delaware, who writes on a variety of fields and subjects, and grew up in a family of NASCAR fans. She can be contacted at crsisk@chasidyraesisk.com.

Automotive Aftermarket Association Southeast—75 Years of Service The Automotive Aftermarket Association Southeast (AAAS) began in 1938 when a group of parts jobbers in AL collaborated to form an association to represent and support their industry. Over the past 75 years, the association has experienced many changes, but Randal Ward, President of AAAS, notes three instances as having the most impact on the organization’s growth. In the beginning of 1992, AAAS expanded into a multi-state association when they added Georgia to their service area, and shortly afterward, they branched out from being an association only for jobbers to encompassing the entire aftermarket industry, including manufacturers, body shops and so forth. In 2009, AAAS expanded yet again to offer their services in the states of Mississippi and Florida. AAAS’s mission is to be of service to the automotive aftermarket industry in AL, FL, GA and MS. By offering support to the industry, the association hopes to see their members’ businesses survive and profit. Ward notes, “we’re always looking for ways to be of greater value to our members, and we recognize the value of an association because there are things that we can simply do better as a group. Currently, AAAS boasts approximately 650 members who receive solid services from their association. Ward believes, “supporting our members has to take the form of dollars and cents, in addition to legislative successes. Our employee benefits program, which includes medical, dental, vision and life insurance, in addition to our workers comp program, are major benefits we provide our members. We offer some of the best rates available, with a twoperson company enjoying the same rates as much larger businesses.” AAAS also offers a discounted credit card program, as well as discounts on invoices and paper products, plus they provide educational opportunities, such as their annual conference which gives members a chance to attend seminars led by leading experts in their various fields. Ward suggests that the greatest benefit members receive from joining AAAS is the camaraderie and networking opportunities inherent in be-

longing to any industry association; however, Ward, as the association’s president, admits, “I’m very biased because this is my job. I always feel like our members can speak better.” At Ward’s suggestion, I reached out to Mike Morgan, Chairman of AAAS and owner of Frost Transmission in Rainbow City, AL, who has been involved with the association for around 15 years. When Frost Transmission was charged an increase in workers comp premiums after submitting only two claims, Morgan was appalled, but fortunately, a friend told him about AAAS’s workers comp offerings. After investigating the program, Morgan was pleased with his findings, that premiums through AAAS was around one-third of what other plans charged, so he joined the association and switched his workers comp plan over to theirs. A few years later, Frost Transmission also changed their health plan over to AAAS’s insurance. Later, Morgan became involved with the Board of Directors for AAAS and also became a trustee of their health fund. When asked if he would recommend AAAS membership to others in the industry, Morgan’s response was unhesitatingly affirmative; “yes, and I have many times! We have, without a doubt, the most competitive workers comp and health plan programs. We frequently receive dividends (money returned from excess premiums) - we received a large dividend at the beginning of 2013 and expect another substantial return in 2014. Furthermore, our program meets all of the regulations for the Affordable Care Act. We’ve spent a good deal of money to ensure that we are in compliance so that we can do our best for our members and anyone interested. Once anybody looks at us, they will want to be a member!” Ward agrees that two of the biggest benefits that AAAS offers members are their low-cost health insurance plan and workers comp program through their self-insured health plan. As such, President Obama’s Affordable Care Act has presented an extreme challenge as it is costing many Americans their jobs, insurance and money. Because of this, AAAS has

8 DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

seen an influx in new members who are interested in the association’s healthcare and workers comp offerings, and as 2014 approaches, AAAS is in a good position with the programs. In fact, they plan to pay their members’ taxes on Obamacare; according to Ward, “I know we’re not alone; everyone’s in the same boat. With rates doubling due to the Affordable Healthcare Act, our insurance program offers a safe haven for owners and employees that belong to AAAS’s membership.” While the sole objective of AAAS is to be of service to their members and the aftermarket industry as a whole, Ward explains that they plan to continue growing the association and to expand their offerings of business support services. Currently, Ward is the only registered lobbyist for the association, and since their staff is already stretched thin, Ward hopes to increase the number of AAAS employees and lobbyists as

they increase their membership. Over the past six years, AAAS has also become more politically active because, according to Ward, “it’s what the situation calls for.” He goes on to explain that one of the biggest challenges they face in trying to maintain operations is governmental interference, regulations and taxation, on both a state and federal level. Because each of the states that AAAS serves has unique regulations and laws, the association has to provide varying levels of service in each state in order to comply with individual state governments. Regarding these difficulties, Ward notes, “it’s just the logistics of serving four states, but we’ve been very fortunate in establishing political action committees (PACs) in all the states we serve. We want to do a good job of meeting the needs of each individual business person, and though this can be difficult because people in this industry are so independent, our members

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come together for a common goal.” Ward stresses that the most negative impact on dealing with industry concerns is due to governmental interference in private affairs, and he claims that Obamacare’s intrusion into the matter of healthcare is just the latest, and currently the worst, of these invasions. While AAAS is not working on any legislation at the moment, they meet with members annually for “Capitol Days” in Atlanta and Tallahassee in order to fraternize with legislators and share their stories. Ward believes this is a proactive networking opportunity that allows them to gain

advocates for future legislative concerns they may encounter. Ward is also on the board of the Quality Parts Coalition which is related to the PARTS Act currently in legislation. AAAS actively lobbies for Right to Repair, and although AAAS is not directly involved in the issues plaguing the collision repair industry, such as PartsTrader, Ward monitors progress on these issues. “We do not take point on these problems; we’re just a soldier in these battles, not the general. We are happy with the direction they are taking and proud of the progress they’ve made thus far. I am watching these issues

with a lot of interest, and AAAS fully supports our local collision repair industry associations and will try to be helpful if we’re needed.” At the moment, AAAS does not have any imminent projects, but as 2014 rolls around, they will begin focusing on their annual conference where many prominent speakers in the aftermarket industry will be giving presentations. Ward predicts that the Affordable Healthcare Act will continue to be an important topic of discussion at the event as AAAS strives to ensure that their members do not suffer from the program.

and ranked on the Top 10 list for the third year in a row. With record setting sales numbers month-over-month this year, Dodge Challenger also earned a spot on this year’s Top 10 list of vehicles with the best resale value.

“Jeep continues to dominate in its segment and among the top 10 list, increasing its residual value 3.9 percentage points from just last year,” said Eric Ibara, director of residual consulting for Kelley Blue Book. “New to this year’s list is the Dodge Challenger, which heavily contributes to Dodge’s success for the 2014 model year, along with other strong vehicles from the brand.” Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com Best Resale Value Awards are based on projections from the Kelley Blue Book® Official Residual Value Guide and determined by a skilled staff of au-

Ward insists that those not involved with associations should do some research and get involved. “This industry receives threats from every angle, and you need someone protecting your interests, so I encourage support of industry associations... we’re all in this together, so everyone in the automotive industry needs to support one another in order to survive and make a profit.” Automotive Aftermarket Association Southeast 11245 Chantilly Parkway Court Montgomery, AL 36117 334-834-1848 www.aaas.us

Kelley Blue Book Names 2014 Jeep Wrangler and Dodge Challenger Best Resale Value Winners

Kelley Blue Book has named the 2014 Jeep® Wrangler and 2014 Dodge Challenger winners of its 2014 Best Resale Value Awards. For the fourth consecutive year, Jeep Wrangler has been named Best Resale Value in its class

tomotive analysts. These prestigious awards honor vehicles expected to maintain the greatest proportion of their original list price after five years of ownership. “Chrysler Group is honored that Kelley Blue Book has named the 2014 Jeep Wrangler and 2014 Dodge Challenger winners of its Best Resale Value Awards,” said Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales, Chrysler Group LLC. “These prestigious awards serve as great recognition of our commitment to producing quality, reliable, and desirable products, all while maintaining great resale value.”

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Transtar’s Custom Coffin Grabs Attention at SEMA by Ed Attanasio

At the largest and busiest SEMA show ever many companies were undoubtedly asking themselves— how can we stand out among all of the booths, cars and products at this enormous show? While many companies chose to display cars and motorcycles in their booths to highlight their products, Transtar Autobody Technologies of Brighton, MI, went in a completely different direction this year by thinking outside of the box (or in it) depending on your perspective. This leading manufacturer of automotive refinish and specialty coatings partnered with well- known motorcycle painter Seth Boldman of Aggressive Designs and the finished product was an intricately painted casket with a very beautiful female/angel on the lid that used Transtar’s No Mix® Basecoat and Clearcoat and was proudly displayed in the Transtar booth. Known for routinely doing custom work for celebrities such as Criss Angel, Rhianna, Tom Cruise, Pink and Christina Aguilera, Bolden’s casket attracted a crowd throughout the entire SEMA show. With that “wow” factor that no one could resist, hundreds of pictures of this art piece were taken each day and the comments ranged from “That’s how I want to go!” to “I see the light!” according to Stacey Wilcox, the marketing manager at Transtar Autobody Technologies. “The quality of both the artistry, as well as the products used to create it was evident and we were happy to introduce our line of products to so many new faces. Seth is highly creative and his work is amazing. This casket set us apart during SEMA and that’s exactly what we were shooting for.” Bolden was proud of his coffin creation and designed it with his client and friend magician Criss Angel in mind, he explained. “We wanted to do something completely different and really blow their minds. I’ve done 10 motorcycles for Criss and when he sees this coffin, I have a feeling he’s going to want it. The theme in Heaven and Hell and it shows an angel emerging as demons grasp at her feet. We put at least 100 hours into it and it’s been a real attention getter during this entire show.” (The suggested price for Angel: $25,000) Bolden was happy to attract attention to his sponsor’s booth with his coffin, he said. “I’ve been working with Transtar now for almost ten years and they became our full-time sponsor four

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Celebrity Painter Seth Bolden, owner of Aggressive Designs, created this amazing airbrushed coffin for Transtar Autobody Technologies’ SEMA booth this year

years ago.” Bolden said. “Transtar is a great company and we love all of their products, including their basecoats, primers, clears—even their tape. They ask me to test their products through their research and development efforts all the time and we like trying them out. I use Transtar exclusively and it’s been a wonderful relationship.” Aggressive Designs in the City of Industry, CA, employs a staff of five and works out of a 5,000 square foot shop. Known as a leader in the motorcycle custom paint industry, Bolden receives rave reviews for pretty much whatever he paints. Boldman is renowned for doing custom paint jobs on bikes of all types for companies such as Big Bear Choppers and leading Harley Davidson dealers, as well as for television shows and movies. “We’ve been recognized in top motorcycle and car magazines for many of the custom projects we have rolled out of our shop. We’ve built a reputation for providing over the top custom painting and airbrushing work by using the latest techniques and high quality paint products, like Transtar.” Transtar is a leading manufacturer of automotive refinish and specialty coatings. The company has broad distribution across North America, with a significant presence in Latin America and other key markets. For more information about Transtar’s products and services, please visit www.tat-co.com .

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Southeast Associations

Georgia Collision Industry Association Looks to the Future with Chasidy Rae Sisk

Established 16 years ago, the Georgia Collision Industry Association (GCIA) has turned their sights to the future of the industry, both in terms of growing their association and in looking out for the next generation of collision repairers. As GCIA focuses on Howard Batchelor the future, they’ve also taken a stand against several problems facing the collision repair industry, as Executive Director Howard Batchelor explains. The GCIA was founded in 1997 by a group of concerned collision center owners and managers who felt that they need to form an organization to represent the interest of collision repairers in their state. Their mission is “to promote professionalism and consumer awareness of the automotive collision repair industry in Georgia.” GCIA also continues to inform and educate their members on new technologies, legislative issues and environmental concerns. Currently, GCIA has around 60 members, but they are always looking to increase membership and expand the association. Batchelor notes, “being a volunteer association, it’s hard to find people to commit the time

a group of committees within the organization. Though GCIA has not firmly defined these plans, they hope to establish legislative, membership and educational committees, at a minimum. According to Batchelor, “the purpose of these committees is to be actively working on projects that will benefit the industry.” GCIA’s focus on the future has created an additional goal, as well, which is to design a program to recruit young people to the collision repair industry. The increasing age of repairers and the lack of younger repairers entering the field has been a concern plaguing the industry nationwide for several years, and GCIA hopes to aid in rectifying this problem through their efforts. GCIA took a step towards this goal recently when they donated $2000 to Maxwell high School to help them purchase equipment and supplies for their automotive collision repair program. The funds were raised from sponsors at GCIA’s annual golf tournament on October 2, 2013, and board members Gregg Goff and Michelle Coombs presented the check to students and instructors in the program. Emphasizing the importance of supporting youth interested in pursuing a career in the industry, Batchelor notes, “the children in these programs are the future of our industry, so we want to ensure that they are provided with the tools, equipment and training necessary for success.” Although these future-focused goals will benefit GCIA and the collision repair industry in the long run, there are also several more pressing issues which GCIA is monitoring Michelle Coombs from Sports & Imports Collision and with which they are staying shakes hands with Instructor Butch Luther. Greg Goff, GCIA Board Member, is in orange actively involved. When asked needed to grow the association. about the biggest challenges currently Though we continue to struggle with facing the industry, Batchelor notes, participation and membership, we feel “we feel that the insurers are becomthat through our efforts, we are im- ing increasingly involved in the colliproving the industry for all.” sion repair process. Collision repair Their efforts to expand the asso- facilities are the professionals, and ciation has led GCIA to establish sev- they need to be able to fix the car aceral goals for the imminent future: to cording to OEM recommended procecreate several additional GCIA chap- dures without the interference of ters throughout the state and to set up insurance companies.”

12 DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Naturally, the mention of insurer interference led to PartsTrader, and GCIA has taken a position against PartsTrader because, according to Batchelor, “we believe that insurance companies should be involved in selling policies and settling claims, but they should not be involved in the op-

PartsTrader injunction and short pay lawsuits. GCIA is opposed to the PARTS Act legislation because “the OEMs have spent a considerable amount of money to design, test and certify these parts. We want to make sure that the parts that are installed on the vehicle meet these standards,” Batchelor explains. GCIA has not taken a position on Right to Repair because their members have not yet asked them to do so. Currently, GCIA has not introduced any legislation, but they’ve had discussions with several legislators about the loss of sales tax on P&M caps and manipulation of the database. They hope to hire a Michelle Coombs presents $2000 check to Instructor Sam Melaragno of Maxwell High School. lobbyist soon to work with legisDonation was made on behalf of Gene Hamilton lators on issues affecting the ineration of a collision repair facility.” dustry, and when they hire their In fact, GCIA has invited John lobbyist, they will begin working on Mosley, Steve Plier and John Eaves to their legislative agenda. See GCIA Looks To The Future, Page 15 their January meeting to discuss the

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AAAS Supports Be Car Care Aware Events in the Southeast

image of our industry. AAAS has supported the program for about ten The Automotive Aftermarket Associa- years, since we first heard about it, tion Southeast (AAAS) came out in and we have budgeted funds to supfull support of the “Be Car Care port any of our members who are willAware” program in October, supporting to host an event.” ing several members who chose to “Be Car Care Aware” is a conhost events. According to AAAS Pres- sumer-focused education program ident Randal Ward, “this program is a which teaches the benefits of regular win-win proposition. As an environ- maintenance checks and simple services which can reduce the cost of owning and operating a vehicle. They also emphasize the safety-related significance of ensuring vehicles are equipped with properly functioning lights and windshield wipers. AAAS supported Doug and Lisa Enfinger, AAAS members and owners of Dothan Auto Specialists which is located at 1425 Hartford Highway, Dothan AL, when they hosted a Julio Calderon, Nancy Calderon and George Ehrhardt “Be Car Care Aware” event mentally conscious industry, we pro- on October 5. The Enfingers held the mote vehicle maintenance, plus this event at the neighborhood grocery public service provides a positive store, right around the corner from their by Chasidy Sisk

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business. According to Mrs. Enfinger, event; “AAAS was really supportthey inspected around 40 vehicles, inive. The program is already set up, cluding oil, batteries and windshield but they provided marketing matewipers amongst the many other mainrials and some funds to buy supplies tenance checks performed through the food for attendees.” program. For example, the tire pressure On October 26, Calderon Autoon each vehicle was checked, and the Enfingers added air as needed as part of their demonstration for the vehicles’ owners. She claims, “it went really well. We appeared on two local morning shows, a radio station, several websites and social networks, all of which helped us promote the event.” Enfinger notes that several suppliers for Dothan Auto Specialists Julio Calderon Promotes Be Car Care Aware were also present, including Interstate Battery, Eagle motive Repair, with the support of AAAS, hosted a “Be Car Care Aware” Towing and Advance Auto Parts who sponsored door prizes. Since event at their facility, located at 5801 the event, “we’ve had some cus- 15th Ave S, Orlando FL. Calderon Automers come in to express their ap- tomotive Repair is a full-service prepreciation for learning about ventative maintenance and auto repair center owned by Julio Calderon, a maintaining their cars.” Enfinger praises AAAS for their role in the highly skilled auto repair technician

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for 13 years, and his wife, Nancy; they have operated the shop for the past six years. During the event, Calderon inspected ten vehicles, offering each owner a detailed explanation of their individual inspection. Each inspection consisted of 40 items, including lights, tires, battery, lubricants, belts, hoses and other items under the hood. A local church sponsored a car wash and provided free food to attendees, contributing greatly to the overall success of the event, according to George Ehrhard, AAAS FL Operations Director. Representatives of AAAS, including Ehrhard, were present and supplied various resources, such as marketing and promotional materials, to assist with the event. AAAS also supported a “Be Car Care Aware” event this month at Reed Car Care in Gulfport, FL.

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USAA Will Add Up to 1,215 New Jobs in Hillsborough Cty, FL

Insurance giant USAA will add as many as 1,215 new jobs in Hillsborough County by 2019, one of the area’s biggest jobs announcements in years. The Tampa Tribune reports that to accommodate its expansion, USAA initially will lease 50,000 square feet inside the Lakeview Center office in east Tampa. It will later build a 420,000-square-foot building at the Crosstown Center in Brandon by 2015. Rick Homans, chief executive officer of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp., says the USAA expansion will have a huge economic impact on the area.

Advance Auto Parts Cutting Ten Positions in Roanoke, VA

Ten information technology employees of Advance Auto Parts learned that their positions in are being eliminated. Shelly Whitaker, a spokeswoman for the Roanoke-based public company, said the employees “will remain with the company through close to the end of the year.” They then will receive severance packages and help with job hunting and will have an option to apply for openings at the company. The company said it periodically reviews its approach to IT services to improve the efficiency and quality of service, and that such a review led to eliminating the 10 positions.

Continued from Page 12

GCIA Looks To The Future

GCIA is comprised of a group of collision repair professionals, and as such, their members understand that they can never have too much information about operating their businesses and the industry as a whole. They recognize that this profession requires a high level of expertise and knowledge to perform their daily duties, especially with the recent and continuous advancements in technology, so the association strives to keep their members informed about the collision repair industry in GA and beyond. They realize that in this rapidly changing industry, there are two choices: get involved and turn a blind eye; GCIA members choose to get involved and

try to make a difference in their industry. This desire to impact the future of the industry is also evidenced by the fact that GCIA is an affiliate chapter of the Society for Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS). This affiliation also allows GCIA to offer access to ALLDATA through SCRS as a benefit of membership. Another benefit is the association’s willingness to distribute Power of Attorney and Assignment of Proceeds documentation for their members’ use in their businesses, plus they offer a plethora of training videos and documents on their website. Georgia Collision Industry Association (GCIA) PO Box 1252 Cumming, GA 30028 770-367-9816 www.gcia.org

FL Gets Weakened Anti-Texting Bill Signed by Governor

A weakened texting bill made it to the FL governor’s desk in the 2013 session, getting his signature. The new law doesn’t allow police to pull over people they see texting while driving, opting instead to

have the offense tacked on to other moving violations. The law also doesn’t allow police to search phone records if they suspect texting, unless there was death or serious injury involved.

www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS 15

Continued from Cover

Industry Ire

“That was then. Today it’s parts. Tomorrow it’s paint materials. What happens the day after?” Oklahoma shop owner Gary Wano responded. “If we don’t stop the mandates at some point in time, what are we doing?” Janet Chaney, who serves as the executive director of several state body shop associations, said it clearly comes down to the role parts play in a shop’s profit. “How many times have we been told what to do and we’ve agreed to it and it’s turned on us,” she said, drawing applause. Tony Passwater, executive director of the Indiana Auto Body Association, said he was struck by how often insurer specific mandates are about business processes, like parts ordering, that really have no benefit for customers, rather than on things like equipment, training and certifications that affect the repair quality a customer receives. Scott Biggs of Assured Performance Network said that when the federal government sets fuel-economy standards for new vehicles, it doesn’t tell the automakers how they have to go about meeting those goals. “If an insurer said we can’t sit idly by and let you continue to order parts via phone and fax when that’s such an incredibly inefficient process, they could say instead, ‘You have to use electronic parts order and procurement,” Biggs said. “But they don’t have to name the exact brand because it kills competition.” Similarly, Nick Bossinakis of Overall Parts Solutions, which offers a electronic parts ordering system, said one of the reasons this mandate is frustrating shops is that they may alNick Bossinakis ready be using an electronic parts procurement system that for them works better than PartsTrader. “You have (shops or parts vendors) that are out there listening to digital music on their iPod, and instead are now bringing them an 8track tape,” Bossinakis offered as an analogy. Aaron Schulenburg, executive

director of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), also noted that a mandate to use a particular system can elevate that system above other systems that shops find more efficient to use. “And why is the expectation that we as (shops) are forced to embrace things whether or not we believe they are good for us,” Schulenburg asked. “What I think is a more appropriate expectation is that the insurance industry embrace open platforms and choice. In instances where they’ve done that, it’s been more successful.” John Mosely, owner of one of the Mississippi shops suing State Farm over its PartsTrader mandate, said he has yet to find a single shop owner anywhere in the country who says he or she likes PartsTrader. John Mosley He said the industry “knows how to adapt and we’re not against parts procurement,” but opposes being required to use a particular system. He addressed his comments directly to George Avery of State Farm (also the chairman of CIC), who was sitting in the audience during the panel discussion. “George, I’ve had two conversations with you on the phone, and I appreciate your sincerity,” Mosely said. “You’ve always been, I feel, very honest. But this isn’t working. Is there anything you can do to please take this back to your company and tell them this is just another bad idea out of Illinois, kind of like ObamaCare.” Virginia shop owner Barry Dorn also addressed some of his comments directly to Avery. “George, your folks need to talk to your partners. I’m one of them,” Dorn said. “You need to explain to them why, at the end of the day, one stakeholder is taking away from the other two – how that’s fair, how that’s efficient, how that’s right and frankly, George, how that’s not corporate greed. I don’t blame your company or any insurer from wanting to make more profits. That’s why every one of us came in this room, for more profit. I get that. But if we are partners, we need to sit down and talk, and not just mandate to me how it’s going to be.” Dan Risley, executive director of the Automotive Service Association (ASA), said State Farm has not closed the door to discussions about Part-

16 DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

sTrader, and that he feels they have “gotten the message.” But, he said, the association is also pursuing other avenues, including asking states if State Farm’s PartsTrader mandate is legal, and if so, considering legislation to make it illegal. Risley said, in his opinion, litigation should be only the last option because it shuts down communication. “You don’t see PartsTrader up there,” Risley said, pointing to the panel at CIC. “You don’t see State Farm up there. It’s for that reason: litigation.” Indeed, panel moderator Rick Tuuri said every effort was made to get State Farm and PartsTrader to participate on the panel. “The reality is once there’s litigation, everyone that’s involved has a tendency to move away from public discussion,” Tuuri said. “People stand down and cannot speak without their attorney present.” Consultant and former CIC Chairman Lou DiLisio was among the last to speak during the discussion. He circled back to an earlier comment Tuuri had made about how employees can inadvertently end up wasting company time working on something when the actual goal of the assign-

ment they were given isn’t clear. DiLisio reiterated that a mandate to use a particular system may be less effective than conveying the big picture and working together to find the best way to get there. “Maybe if these companies that have a desire to achieve a goal shared what that goal is, collectively we could come up with a better solution,” DiLisio said, drawing applause at CIC. John Yoswick, a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988, is also the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (for a free 4-week trial subscription, visit www.CrashNetwork.com). He can be contacted by email at: jyoswick@SpiritOne.com.

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www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS 17

ASK-GARY Owner Sues Allstate and Bloomberg for Slander, Florida Regulator Barred Insurer Group Florida chiropractor “Dr. Gary” Kompothecras is suing Bloomberg News, Allstate Insurance and three other defendants on claims of libel, slander and misappropriation of trade secrets. On Nov. 8, Kompothecras, the wealthy owner of 1-800ASK-GARY, a medical and legal referral service for auto crash victims, filed a suit in the Sarasota Circuit Court against Bloomberg News stemming from an article it published in 2011. Citing medical bills provided by patients, the article questioned whether Kompothecras—a longtime donor to the Republican party—and his clinic chain, the Physician’s Group, may have based expensive treatments on the depth of patient’s insurance coverage. The article’s author, David Armstrong, and two former Physician’s Group patients are also named in the lawsuit, which alleges they conspired to slander the chiropractor’s business. According to the Sarasota Herald Tribune , the lawsuit states, “The case arose after extortionists threat-

ened Physicians Group and Dr. Gary Kompothecras that they would destroy their reputations unless they coughed up $3 million.” The suit implicates that Allstate and Bloomberg conspired with the extortionists “to publish an outlandish hit piece maliciously asserting defamatory lies” against the business in order to close it. The referral chain has long been simmering in hot water: in October, Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation barred AGIC Inc., an auto insurance company owned by Kompothecras, from writing new policies, alleging that it did not have enough capital to pay for claims. State Farm sued 1-800-ASKGARY in July, stating Kompothecras was involved in a fraud scheme that allegedly cost the insurer more than $19 million since 2005. The referral service called the lawsuit “frivolous and malicious”, and stated that State Farm owed the Physicans Group payment on more than a thousand claims.

Advance Auto Parts Gets New VP Based in Roanoke, VA

Advance Auto Parts, Inc. announces its promotion of J.T. Thompson to Vice President, Applications Development. Thompson will be based in Roanoke. He will report to Donna Justiss, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Justiss

Advance Auto Parts Opens in Gainesville, FL

Advance Auto Parts opened its first store in Gainesville at 7457 Hillwood Drive. Company officials said they chose the location because it’s convenient to where their customers live and shop as well as the garages where they take their vehicles for repair. The new store offers a wide range of parts and recognized national brands as well as several free services. Team members will provide free installation for your new windshield wipers and also offer a complimentary check of the vehicle’s electrical system and old battery, as well as provide free installation of a new battery with purchase on most vehicles. The store offers fast parts delivery to local commercial customers such as professional mechanics and garages. During regular store hours, customers may drop off used motor oil and batteries for recycling—ensuring that these materials don’t end up in landfills where they could harm the environment.

says, JT brings 18 years of diverse IT experience to the role and has, “a proven track record of delivering results, and his teams have been involved in several significant IT projects that have helped enable our Company’s growth.”

Swiss Auto Parts Maker to Build Research Center in AL

A company that produces auto parts and other industrial materials announced a plan to build a plant in northern Alabama and create 140 new jobs in its first five years of operation. Muri, Switzerland-based REHAU Inc. is planning to open a research and development facility in Cullman, Gov. Robert Bentley said. The company produces more than 40,000 types of products that are used in automotive and other industrial fields. The company, which was founded in Germany, is spending about $2.5 million on the planned 20,000-squarefoot facility, state officials said. The plant will employ 45 engineers and will serve as the company’s main training and conferencing center for REHAU’s North American divisions. REHAU Inc. recently completed a $119 million expansion in the area, Bentley said. The company employs more than 700 people in Alabama and has been operating in Cullman County since 1995.

18 DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

FL Insurance Fraud Crackdown Snares Agent

Florida is aggressively pursuing insurance cheats, trying to cut down on fraud in the industry by arresting more than 1,500 people so far this fiscal year. Just a start, according to Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater. “I am proud of the significant progress we are making to get fraudsters out of the pockets of hardworking Floridians, yet the fight against fraud remains an ongoing battle,” Atwater said. Hundreds of consumers have been arrested on fraud-related charges for actions related to anything from car insurance claims to homeowners insurance issues. A total of 1,571 were arrested through June 30, up from only 871 five years ago. People in the business—insurance agents—have been arrested for fraud. Wellington's Leon Mobley was arrested on charges that he submitted false inspection forms to obtain discounted homeowner's premiums for two clients, according to Atwater's office. State investigators found the fraudulent paperwork after a customer complained that Mobley had submitted a false wind mitigation form to her insurance company without her knowledge or approval.

FL Employer Arrested For Violating Stop Work Order

CFO Jeff Atwater today announced the arrest of Joel Trujillo on charges of violating a stop work order and a third-degree felony workers’ compensation fraud for allegedly failing to provide adequate coverage to employees of his Naples-based construction company, K.C. Tile and Marble. The fraud was discovered when two employees of Trujillo were struck by lightning, killing one, and neither the surviving employee nor the family of the deceased received the appropriate workers’ compensation benefits.

MAACO Acquires 7 Sprayglo Shops in Southeast

MAACO announced its acquisition of Sprayglo Auto Refinishing and Body Repair’s seven shops located in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Sprayglo, a 27-year-old company, is based in Hahira, GA. MAACO franchisee Mulford Waldrop will purchase five of the existing Sprayglo shops—two in Georgia (Atlanta and Leesburg); one in Florida (Fort Walton Beach); one in Alabama (Saraland); and one in Mississippi (Gulfport).

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www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS 21

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.

Scaled-down NACE to Replace ‘Glitz And Glamour’ With Renewed Industry Focus with John Yoswick

Perhaps one of the most symbolic indications of the many transitions the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) continues to go though was the event’s 2013 keynote address speaker, Mike Anderson. Without the 30,000 attendees the show enjoyed throughout the 1990s, organizers couldn’t bring in the big-name political and celebrity speakers of the past, which have included George H.

W. Bush, Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell. But Anderson, a former shop owner and now one of the most popular industry trainers, speakers and consultants in the country, instead offered the more than 500 attendees at the NACE opening session in Las Vegas a more personal, industry-focused message that received a standing ovation. “We had the celebrities who repre-

sent our industry,” Dan Risley, executive director of the Automotive Service Association (which sponsors NACE) earlier this year, said of Anderson and the speaker at the show’s siDan Risley multaneous opening session for the mechanical industry.

NACE Organizers Promise Big Changes for 2014

From the opening session of NACE 2013 through the closing press conference, speakers and organizers voiced a “Wait ’til next year” message. Indeed, the show will undergo some dramatic changes next year, as the Automotive Service Association (ASA) works to regain some of the lus-

ter NACE has lost over the past decade. NACE next year will shift to summer in Detroit, Michigan, home (at least symbolically) to the United States’ Big Three automakers. The OEMs will play a pivotal part in the “rebirth of NACE,” ASA’s Dan Risley promised at NACE this year, with

Continued from Cover

No-Fault Reinstated

stitution. But the appeals court contended that those seeking to block enforcement of the law had not shown they were actually being harmed by it. “Without showing of an actual denial of access to courts... the provider plaintiffs lack standing to assert this claim,” states the unsigned opinion. The ruling, however, does not end the ongoing lawsuit challenging the new law. Florida legislators passed the state’s original no-fault insurance law—better known as Personal Injury Protection —in the early 1970s to ensure that anyone hurt in an automobile wreck could obtain medical treatment without delay, while waiting for a case to be resolved. The law provides that a driver’s insurance company pay up to $10,000 to cover medical bills and lost wages after an accident, no matter who’s at fault. All Florida drivers are required to carry PIP insurance. Over the years, however, authorities have voiced concern that Florida

more of the car companies exhibiting at the event and hosting factory tours. Also helping draw attendees, Risley said, will be the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) and I-CAR annual conference, being held the two days prior to NACE in the same location.

has become a leading state for staged accidents, especially in the Tampa and Miami-Dade metropolitan areas, by those intent on filing bogus PIP claims. Last year, Gov. Rick Scott made an overhaul bill (HB 119) a cornerstone of his legislative agenda, saying it would help prevent millions of dollars in PIP fraud. Acupuncture practitioners, massage therapists and chiropractors—angry at being cut out of PIP payments—eventually filed suit. The changes also limited coverage for medical treatment to $2,500 if an injured person could not show an emergency medical condition. A trade organization that represents insurers praised the decision by the appeals court. Insurers have contended the changes in the law will save drivers money, although some legislators have complained that promised savings have not materialized. “Today’s ruling is a great victory for consumers and allows insurers to carry out these badly needed reforms,” said Michael Carlson, executive director of the Personal Insurance Federation of Florida.

22 DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

“That’s what this show is supposed to be about. It’s a show for the industry, about the industry. Mike is among the ‘rockstars’ of our industry. That’s who attendees want to hear from. That was well-received.” The more casual, less glitzy opening session was emblematic of a show that attracted fewer than the 2012 announced attendance of 16,000. Risley and event organizers refreshingly

“We think that’s a win for the industry,” Risley said. “One of the things ASA did a couple years ago was a split from some things. It caused a divide in the industry. It hurt us. It hurt the show. We recognize that. So we’re going in the opposite direction and doing everything we can to promote industry unity.

We think it’s best for the industry and for the show as well.” Though Detroit’s population and financial stability have suffered over the past several decades—the city filed bankruptcy earlier this year—NACE organizers said the downtown convention center has been refurbished and a headquarters

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made no effort to try portray NACE as something it wasn’t, saying it met their modest expectations given it was being held just three weeks before SEMA, also in Las Vegas. With 170 exhibiting companies, the trade show was down more than 25 percent from the previous year, and was the smallest since 1985. Rather, organizers sought to take advantage of some of the opportunities the smaller scale of the event allowed. The annual ‘welcome party,’ for example, took place on the tradeshow floor as the first day concluded, and a “mainstage” in the exhibition hall offered a dozen free seminars over the two days, also helping to keep attenhotel with attractive room rates is just a block away. More so than in Las Vegas and New Orleans (the site of NACE in 2012), there is a large population of shops within an easy drive of Detroit, show organizers pointed out, and the event has never been held in that part of the country.

dees in the tradeshow itself. And perhaps more than any other year, NACE speakers and organizers placed a lot of emphasis on setting the stage for the even more significant overhauling of the event next year (see sidebar). Anderson’s kick-off speech included many anecdotes and lessons from his travels around the industry since he sold his two shops in 2010; this year he will spend more Mike Anderson than 340 days on the road, offering training sessions or

ASA has hired a new company to manage the show, replacing Hanley Wood after nearly two decades. It is also abandoning the ASRW “Automotive Service and Repair Week” moniker that never truly caught on. “It needed to go,” Risley said. “Stated differently, NACE and CARS (the mechanical in-

consulting in 48 of the 50 U.S. states. He said that’s helped him realize he was wrong in the past to judge shops largely on whether they participate in insurer direct repair programs (DRPs). “I’ve learned instead to judge people by the quality of the work they do,” Anderson said. “If you’re a DRP and you do quality work, I say God bless you. If you’re a non-DRP and do quality work, I say God bless you. I realized I was too judgmental. I realized at the end of the day we all have a vested interest in judging people based only on whether they do a proper repair.” He said too often issues other than quality repairs get too much focus in

dustry show held with NACE) have brand equity. We want to utilize that. NACE and CARS mean something to people.” Risley hinted at ancillary events, like the automaker factory tours, that might be open to attendees during NACE 2014, potentially including Yankees vs. Tigers baseball games, the

the industry. He asked how many shop in the room had repaired a late-model Toyota, Honda or Hyundai recently, and hundreds of hands went up. But when he asked how many had performed a zero-point calibration on those vehicles – as the automaker repair procedures call for – only a few hands went up. “If we don’t do this, I don’t care if you’re a DRP or non-DRP, we failed the consumer who trusted us,” Anderson said. He said a study following the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster found that a culture at NASA of “relaxing safety standards to meet fi-

Henry Ford museum, the General Motors Heritage Center, BASF’s headquarters, and tunnel access to the casinos and other attractions of Windsor, Ontario. “We want to make the show a different experience,” Risley said. “When you go to SEMA, that’s a different experience. There’s lots of glitz and

See Scale-down NACE, Page 27

glamour. It’s fun. It’s a great show. I like to go to it personally. But I want our show to be different from an attendee perspective. When we go to Detroit, we’re going to give you that. We’re going to give you something in Detroit that you will not be able to get anywhere else in this country.”

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On Creative Marketing

Maintenance Marketing with Thomas Franklin

I knew this one shop owner who was obsessed with the new. He wanted to be out in front of other shops in every way possible: superior equipment, better trained personnel, and of course, innovative marketing. He was always trying new things with his marketing but this got him into some serious trouble. While he was concentrating on the new, another shop grabbed one of his DRPs, and another one replaced his position as authorized repair shop for a major dealership. With his intense focus on the new, he forgot about what I would call, “maintenance marketing.” No one likes to be taken for granted—especially high volume sources of business for a shop. This shop owner assumed his rapid cycle time, his use of used and aftermarket parts, and his always giving priority to the DRP vehicles would be enough to hold on to that DRP forever. Any recently divorced husband or wife could have told him this was a faulty assumption. One might provide a good home, high quality food and clothes and abundant money to a spouse and yet lose that relationship due to a lack of real attention. This shop owner might have saved that DRP with something as simple as an occasional call and very personal lunch with the DRP decision-maker. The dealership decision-maker would probably have required more elaborate contacts and more frequent communication. Sadly he neglected both of them at a significant cost to his shop. As important as it is to maintain close relations with referral sources

like insurance companies and auto dealerships, perhaps the most important source of business to keep in contact with is prior customers. As times have changed this has become a trickier business. Young customers will generally be in touch with the Internet, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. This provides an obvious way to stay in touch and pass along shop improvements in equipment, technology, personnel training, and elements of specific interest like color matching. Older customers may now be conversant with the Internet and websites but possibly less so with social media. This could make updating these customers a bit more difficult. But he bigger question is, how are the shop marketing people to know which customers fit into the young or older category without specifically asking customer age on the information form? Old customer info forms generally asked for birthdays and anniversaries to send targeted greetings. Newer forms probably also ask for an e-mail address, but how many now ask for Facebook, Twitter and other social media designations? These info forms are often neglected in shops already, but in this new high-tech age such neglect can be a costly marketing and sales omission. Insurance companies are frequently combining and consolidating, sometimes forcing customers to change companies. With steering still going on, either directly or indirectly, a shop has to counteract insurance company efforts to force old

BLS Says Total Collision Industry Production is Up in June After Declining in April-May According to the latest data released from the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the total production picture for the auto body repair industry improved in August, building upon gains since June after experiencing declines in both April and May. The industry’s total production, which is defined as the total average weekly hours by month multiplied by the total number of production and non-supervisory workers employed

each month, closed August, 2013 at 6.66 million man hours, up from 6.59 million man hours in June. Production hours in August 2013 stood at 0.4 percent above August 2012. The growth in production came chiefly from an increase in production and non-supervisory employees, up 600 in August to 173,900. The average weekly hours worked by production and non-supervisory employees declined to 38.3 hours in August from 38.4 hours in July.

24 DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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

customers to go to the new company’s preferred shop. A shop’s best hope for retaining these customers is a steady stream of information about the shop’s superior ability to deal with the rapid changes in vehicles. Promoting the shop’s ability to handle electric and hybrid vehicles, vehicles constructed with lighter weight materials like plastics, aluminum, magnesium, and other special metals can reassure the customer that this continues to be the best shop to come to. This message can easily be gotten out through the website and social media, but those off that track can still require old methods of communication. With the cost of postage stamps continually rising, direct mail can be costly. E-mail is by far the best if a shop can be sure its message doesn’t wind up in a spam file. For the shop’s best old customers, it would be appropriate to make a phone call periodically if only to ask the customer to

check his or her e-mail for the latest update, and of course to ask about the condition of the customer’s vehicles.. In yesterday’s world, a shop could employ a marketing guy or gal to make the rounds and keep in touch with referral sources and customers. Today’s world calls for a marketing person with intimate knowledge of social media and especially effective email management. E-mail tracking can tell whether or not a specific email has been received and opened. Today’s astute on-line marketing professional should note if some of those messages have not made it to the recipient and tag those for a phone call. A lack of adequate attention destroys many kinds of relationships. For most shops, referral sources and prior customers are the gold that keeps things running and maintaining an ongoing marketing effort to keep them happy should be the shop’s top marketing priority.

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WD-40 and Chip Foose Keep Truckin’ at 2013 SEMA Show by Ed Attanasio

It was déjà vu all over again when Chip Foose and WD-40® partnered at the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas one more time to raise money for charity while creating an incredible one-ofa-kind custom built vehicle. This year, the WD-40/Foose collaboration created an astonishing off-road truck that will eventually be raffled off to one lucky winner, with proceeds benefitting three SEMA Cares charities. Named the WD-40®/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150, this truck was the very first vehicle to be built inside the new state-of-the-art SEMA Garage— a facility that allows SEMA member companies to test and prototype parts, try its 3D modeling and printing, and use its full-scale photo studio, among other things. “The SEMA Garage is considered to be the most advanced shop of its type in the world,” WD-40® spokesperson Greg Kershaw explained. “Through a partnership with the Alex Xydias Center for Automotive Arts (AXC), underprivileged teens and young adults were able to work alongside leading SEMA man-

ufacturers to install parts and equipment on this special project vehicle. This was an amazing unique learning experience for these young people and surely something they will never forget.” This is the sixth vehicle WD-40® Company and SEMA Cares have

Chip Foose once again partnered with WD-40® to build this breathtaking one-of-a-kind truck

teamed up to build and the fourth vehicle Chip Foose has designed with them. To date, WD-40®/SEMA Cares vehicles have raised almost $600,000 for SEMA Cares charities. Equipped with high performance aftermarket parts, the WD-40®/Foose truck is a tribute to off-roaders all over the world; passionate truck enthusiasts and aftermarket companies who have called upon WD-40® Company prod-

Friedlinghaus Unveils Son’s 2013 Scion FR-S Dream Car

ucts for six decades. Kershaw said the truck must have involved over 200 people and close to 50 different companies to create the WD-40®/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 truck. “So many companies and individuals stepped up to make this truck happen,” Kershaw said. “To see all of these elite companies coming together for a really worthy cause is pretty amazing. Everyone added their touch and their flavor to the finished product and what we have now is unlike anything else. It truly is one-of-a-kind and the person who wins it will have a piece of art on four wheels.” Instead of being auctioned like previous WD-40®/SEMA Cares vehicles, the enhanced 2013 Ford F-150 Lariat will be raffled off to one lucky winner in early May 2014. With raffle tickets only costing $50 starting on Nov. 1, owning a Foose-inspired truck is now more accessible than ever to all automotive enthusiasts. “Can you imagine winning a oneoff vehicle like this—worth more than $80,000 with all parts and labor—for only $50?” said Chip Foose, president and CEO of Foose Design. “By pur-

chasing raffle tickets, you’re also supporting a great cause.” Proceeds from the raffled vehicle will benefit three SEMA Cares charities—the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is dedicated to fostering the next generation of automotive leaders and innovators; Childhelp®, an organization that provides services to abused and neglected children; and Victory Junction, an organization that provides life-changing camping experiences to special needs and chronically ill children. Theresa Contreras is a painter/rebuilder for L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, CA and once again she played an integral role in the build. She has been building vehicles for SEMA for more than a decade and was pleased to be a part of this build. “When it all comes together like this, it’s a win-win for the sponsor, the charities and all of the companies that contribute,” Contreras said. “It’s more than just the truck—it’s about people helping each other and working together to make this a better world and a better industry.” The custom vehicle was painted

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a 6-speed sequential automatic transmission with paddle shifters; TEIN suspension; 5 piece Five-AD Aero Lip Kit; custom Roadwire and Ultrasuede interior; and Giovanna wheels wrapped in Continental tires. This Scion will send Lil Ryan onto the LA streets in West Coast Customs style. BASF hosted various celebrity autograph sessions and presented the latest in car color technology from its Glasurit, R-M and Carizzma Colors paint lines at its SEMA booth.

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with BASF Onyx HD paint by LGECTS Motorsports and features a Whipple supercharger, Gale Banks Straight-Shot performance system and Magnaflow cat-back exhaust system that give its 6.2L V8 more than 600 horsepower. To make it off-road ready, the truck also features a converted front Raptor suspension with

ing and a WARN winch, the custom Ford F-150 also has a Boatec Raptor fiberglass hood, fenders and bedsides. AMP Research supplied and installed power running boards, bedsteps and a tailgate extender to make it easy to get in and enjoy the plush Katzkin leather interior and top-of-the-line Clarion sound system installed by Audio In-

The WD-40®/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 was built by 200 people and more than 50 companies donated products and time

ICON Vehicle Dynamics 3.0 coilovers and upper uniball billet arms, as well as ICON rear triple bypass shocks with Atlas 3.0+ leaf springs. Outfitted with Baja Forged front and rear bumpers by LGE-CTS Motorsports, a custom bed cage, Bulldog LED light-

novations.To top it off, the custom truck is riding on Falken Wild Peak A/T 37x12.5R17 tires wrapped around 17” x 9” MHT Fuel Maverick wheels in a matte Graphite finish. “We’re celebrating WD-40® Company’s 60th anniversary, and it’s

great to see the next generation of automotive professionals and enthusiasts getting excited about working on a vehicle that’ll bothturn heads and help support a wonderful cause,” said Tim Lesmeister, vice president of marketing for WD-40® Company. “This vehicle—any off-roader’s dream—would not have been possible without the vision of Chip Foose and his team, the hard work of the Alex Xydias Center students, and the time and resources of our generous build partners.” Partners on the WD-40®/SEMA Cares Foose Ford F-150 include: Foose Design, Source Interlink Media, LGE*CTS Motorsports, Whipple Superchargers, Icon Vehicle Dynamics, MHT Wheels, Boatec, Magnaflow, BASF, Katzkin, Audio Innovations, Amp Research, FuelTool, Bulldog LED Lighting, Banks Power, HushMat, Mag-Hytec, Warn Industries, Optima Batteries, Falken Tire, PowerBass, Atlas Spring, Clarion and Metra Electronics. To learn more about the build and how Chip Foose uses WD-40 Multi-Use Product and the new WD-40 Specialist® line of products, visit WD40.com/Foose. To learn more about the raffle, visit WD40.com/TruckRaffle.

Continued from Page 23

Scaled-down NACE

nancial and time constraints” set the stage for that failure. “If we continue to let certain things dictate our industry, we’re going to have a catastrophe like the Space Shuttle Challenger,” Anderson said. In some ways, he said, insurer pressures to improve cycle time have forced the industry to be better business people, whether or not that was the intention. “But if we keep focusing on cycle time and…severity because we’re afraid about the costs being too high, if we start focusing on the wrong things, we’re going to have a catastrophic event just like NASA did,” Anderson said.

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SEMA 2013 Entertains, Informs and Wows the Crowd

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www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS 29

Historical Snapshot

December Retrospective: NACE Town Hall, CIC, SCRS, FTC with John Yoswick

20 years ago in the collision repair industry (December 1993) A NACE “Town Hall” meeting on December 4 brought together a panel of 14 industry experts. They each offered their own views on how the re-engineering of the industry will or should take place. The forces behind the drive for change, they agreed, are consumers, information technology, legislation and perhaps most importantly, the inefficiencies of the current system. “If we can eliminate all the delays in the repair process based on insurance approval, that would streamline the process tremendously,” Dennis Kiyohara of AutocheX said. “You don’t need DRPs to streamline the process. You can get all those things you want – hassle-free service, faster repairs – without doing direct repair. The technology is the driving force. I think we have to get (insurers) to say, ‘Here’s what we want and here’s how we measure.’ Mutually create the performance standards and trust will follow performance.” —From coverage of the 1993 International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE).

15 years ago in the collision repair industry (December 1998) The effort to develop a new method to calculate refinish materials appears to be losing steam. The Collision Industry Conference (CIC) task force that began to look into the issue about a year ago reported in December that it has done as much as it can do. Charlie Baker, chairman of the task force, said the group has essentially agreed that a system based on the square footage of the area to be refinished looks promising, but that it is now up to others to determine if a square-footage system is workable. “The problem is that moving from this point forward is a very expensive proposition,” Baker said at the CIC meeting in Dallas, Texas. “The task force is not going to spend thousands of dollars to generate the computer model that might be necessary. As a task force we’ve come about as far as we can go. Now somebody has to say, ‘Okay, the industry really wants this.’” Baker also said he has found in-

creased resistance to a change among shop owners. “Many shops today feel the existing system is flawed, but it is workable,” he said. “So there’s a pretty good hesitancy within the industry to change from a proven system. Those who have worked with today’s system have figured out how they can be accurately reimbursed, and they tend not to be looking too hard for an alternative method.” At least one shop owner on the task force agreed with Baker’s assessment. “I was one of the proponents of finding a better way to calculate paint materials,” Kansas City shop owner Bill Eveland said. “A year later, I’m not sure that the old system is completely broken. If you put the right number to it, the right rate per refinBill Eveland ish hour, it works.” Eveland said the estimating system providers say their refinish current times are based in part on part size, so the system, though not perfect, is already somewhat based on square footage. —Paint and materials calculation methodology has remained an industry issue, being discussed most recently at a CIC meeting earlier this year.

10 years ago in the collision repair industry (December 2003) Dan Risley, executive director of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), said the association opposes efforts by insurers to require direct repair shops to use a particular estimating or imaging system. He said SCRS surveyed 15 larger insurance companies and found that 46 percent had such a requirement. “SCRS is extremely disappointed in these results, and we’d like to see some significant change in that percentage over the next year,” Risley said, saying the association will be contacting insurers about this issue. “SCRS believes that requiring a repair facility to have a specific estimating system is no longer a technology chal-

30 DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

lenge; it is more of a mind-set change.” —As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), December 7, 2003. SCRS this past September, as part of its effort to oppose State Farm’s mandated use of PartsTrader, issued a new position statement, condemning insurer mandates, “particularly those that specify required vendors, business platforms or internal processes that must be followed.”

5 years ago in the collision repair industry (December 2008) As of press time, one of the bigger news stories of 2008, a proposed merger (announced last April) between Mitchell International and CCC Information Services, had yet to be finalized. The primary hold-up has been approval of the deal by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which last summer issued a second request for information from the parties involved.

Art Amolsch, senior editor of the independent FTC: Watch newsletter, said such second requests are fairly infrequent and likely an indication that the agency has some concerns about the merger. A number of shop owners and others in the industry have said off-therecord that they’ve been interviewed or have submitted written comment to the FTC. Some expressed concern, for example, about possible declines in the responsiveness to industry requests— such as those through the Database Enhancement Gateway—that could result if the industry has just two major estimating systems (the other being Audatex). As of this point, it appears the next headline about the merger— whatever it may be—is likely to be in 2009. —As reported in Autobody News. In March of 2009, CCC and Mitchell mutually called off the merger plan after the FTC won a preliminary in-

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junction to halt it. “We brought this case because of the impressive body of evidence developed by staff demonstrating that the combination of these two competitors would substantially lessen competition, ultimately leading to higher prices and less innovation for consumers,” David Wales of the FTC said. CCC and Mitchell opted not to commit resources to a protracted FTC fight. “We have reached the point in the regulatory process in which our customers, employees and shareholders are best served by continuing as independent companies,” Alex Sun, president and CEO of Mitchell, said.

China’s 31st Collision Industry Show to be Held in February ‘14

The China Automotive Maintenance and Repair Trade Association (CAMRA) will be holding its 31st annual collision industry trade show in Feb. 2014 and is inviting international collision professionals to attend. Running from Feb. 26 to Mar. 1, 2014, the Auto Maintenance and Repair (AMR) trade show consists of nearly 1,200 exhibitors and 58,000 visitors annually, with vendors and consumers having the opportunity to interact with national product manufacturers, car dealers, repair shops and repairers.

Winner of Chrysler Custom Challenge at SEMA Show is Oriana Schooley The Chrysler brand awarded the winner of its Chrysler Custom Challenge at the SEMA Show yesterday, Nov. 6. During a live streaming of the event on the auto show floor, three judges, Chrysler Brand President and CEO

Chrysler Custom Challenge Winner

Saad Chehab, Chrysler Brand Service, Parts and Customer Care President and CEO Pietro Gorlier and West Coast Customs Owner and CEO Ryan Friedlinghaus, named Oriana Schooley as the winner. The Chrysler Custom Challenge charged fans to submit an image of their customized Chrysler brand vehicle along with a brief description of what customizations they have given to their vehicle to make it unique. Their vehicles are also being featured on the SEMA showroom floor within

the West Coast Customs display. Video can be viewed at: youtu.be/V_9LUM87iXM. “The Chrysler Custom Challenge provided Chrysler car enthusiasts a chance to creatively express their skills and passion for customization,” said Chehab. “And SEMA’s show floor provided us with the perfect stage to announce the winners and have their vehicles recognized and displayed at the show and online.” The three finalists and their vehicles were invited to Las Vegas for a paid-trip of seven days, six nights, where they will be given full access to the show, work alongside the West Coast Customs team and enjoy an intimate dinner with Chrysler executives and West Coast Customs. As part of the grand prize, Oriana Schooley will receive a trip to the North American International Auto Show, a luxury travel package for herself and a guest and more than $15,000 in other cash/prizes. Ryan Friedlinghaus is also set to feature the winner and finalists in an upcoming episode of the “West Coast Customs” television series (FOX) that

will be filmed on-site at SEMA. More information about the finalists and photos of their cars can be found by looking up Chrysler Custom Challenge in Facebook. The Chrysler brand’s activation site at SEMA included a special partnership with West Coast Customs, which spotlights both as ambassadors of customization. Being provided to attendees as part of this unique partnership are on-site customization

classes at the SEMA show, such as exterior paint and vinyl wrapping, interiors, sound, technology and lighting classes—just one more way of helping enthusiasts sharpen their skills about the latest methods and accessories available.

VeriFacts Automotive Institutes ‘Dale Delmege Award’ at CIC, Winner is Paul Krauss of Craftsman Auto Body in VA

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VeriFacts Automotive announced the winner of its inaugural Dale Delmege Award, a segment of its Achievement in Collision Repair Excellence (ACE) Awards, on Nov. 6 at CIC in Las Vegas. Dale Delmege spoke briefly and pre-

continues to grow and maintains their level of performance speaks directly to the leadership shown by the entire operation.” The Dale Delmege Award recognizes the significant and lasting contributions of Dale Delmege throughout each segment of the collision repair industry, and will recognize a collision repair center consistently producing and delivering verified repair quality. “I know of few people as committed to, and influential in, their pursuit of the long term betterment of our industry than Dale Delmege,” said Farzam Afshar, CEO of VeriFacts. Dale Delmege presents his eponymous award to “I am pleased to be able to Paul Krauss (r) CEO/President of Craftsman Auto recognize the scale of Dale’s conBody of Chantilly, based in Sterling, VA tributions over the years by namsented the award to Paul Krauss, ing our ACE Award for the exceptional owner of Craftsman Auto Body of collision repair center the Dale Delmege Chantilly, based in Sterling, VA. Crafts- Award.” Dale Delmege has been Collision man is a a third generation, familyowned collision repairer with multiple Industry Conference Chairman 1999– 2000, and a Lifetime Member (since locations across Virginia. In presenting the award, Delmege 2001) of the Society of Collision Repair said, “I have known Paul Krauss for Specialists (SCRS). He is a Hall of Eamany years and have always known the gles member and a National Auto Body commitment to excellence he has in- Council Founding Member and Direcstilled in his people,” said Delmege. tor, as well as a CIECA Founding Mem“The fact that Craftsman Auto Body ber, Director, and Chairman. www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS 31

SEMA Supporter Neil Young Talks about his LincVolt Project: Repowering the American Dream

Neil Young has launched a second career as an alternative fuel activist. Now he’s put his fame to work addressing media with a Green Performance Keynote at SEMA which featured his unique and still evolving LincVolt, a 1959 Lincoln Continental convertible powered by the UQM PowerPhase motor and controller system. The 59 Mark IV is an E85-burning plug-in hybrid. The technology under the giant hood is similar in concept to that in the Chevrolet Volt, an extended-range electric vehicle, but with a few significant differences. A self-confessed lover of big cars, Young explained that his proto-

type was designed to show that you can still be enviromentally conscious and reduce CO2 emissions while you enjoy classic car comforts. Speaking without notes, which he disdains, Young described his LincVolt as the fastest comparable car in its weight class, although he declined to say how fast or how much it cost. The LincVolt made its debut at SEMA in 2010 and, as Young has said since, it’s designed “to inspire a generation by creating a clean automobile propulsion technology that serves the needs of the 21st century and delivers performance that is a reflec-

Gene Simmons Brings his ‘Snakebit’ to SEMA, Vehicle is to be Auctioned in 2014 to Benefit a Children’s Hospital

tion of the driver’s spirit.” The Lincvolt has an E85-capable Ford Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine that works with an onboard UQM 145-KW generator to charge the 21.4-kWh battery pack. From a Level 2 wall socket, the pack charges in about six hours, but the cellulosic ethanol in the tank can apparently charge the battery in approximately 60 minutes when the Lincvolt is idling. With a full battery, the car has a range of 50 miles and, thanks to a fuel economy rating of around 23.5 miles per gallon, the Lincvolt can go the distance: 400 miles without stopping. “LincVolt focuses on ultra-low carbon emissions as value, not mpg,”

says Young. Young took the car on a crosscountry trip in August, traveling

from San Francisco to Washington, DC, with a stop at the tar sands in Ft. McMurray, Alberta, to raise awareness about the car, the technology and the dangers faced if alternative fuels aren’t adopted more widely. Although he’s proud of his Canadian heritage, Young ignited a firestorm of controversy after his trip to the tar sands. It was perhaps to be expected when he was quoted as having said, “Fort McMurray looks like Hiroshima. Fort McMurray is a wasteland.” He talks about his work on the project in last year’s New York Times’ best-selling book, Waging Heavy Peace.

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You may not recognize Gene Simmons without his KISS make-up but his truck was a star of the Ford Blue Oval’s SEMA stand. Somehow he and his team managed to combine a 1956 F-100 with styling cues and the heart of a Shelby Mustang with a silver-onsilver custom paint job. The Snakebit uses the same grille as the Shelby ‘Stang at the front but has the tray of the F-100 at the back. The Snakebit 1956 Ford F-100 is a massive 5.4-liter V8 that pumps out an immense 550 horsepower. The supercharged V8 is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. The wheelbase has been stretched 12.7 centimetres, while the box has been widened and dressed with a billet

machined floor to mimic wood. It is topped with a custom tonneau cover. The headlights and sequential taillights are custom-built, while 18-inch front and the 20-inch rear wheels are also inspired by Shelby Mustangs. It rides on Shelby-inspired 18-inch front alloys and 20-inch rear rims. The project truck is called Snakebit and it is the brainchild of Tom Foster of Industrial Machine & Manufacturing, a car builder based in Saskatchewan. The truck will be auctioned by Barrett-Jackson, and the proceeds will go to fund a children’s hospital in Saskatoon, Canada, the hometown of Simmons’ wife Shannon Tweed. That’s her on the left.

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Industry Insight with John Yoswick

Use of E-Signatures is Customer Convenience, Faster Authorization Reduces Cycle Time After a non-drivable car gets towed into bought a piece of real estate or paid your shop, how long do you generally taxes electronically knows that putting have to wait to get a signed authorizaink to paper is no longer always necestion from the customer to tear-down or sary for a signature to be considered with Ed Attanasio valid and legal. begin work on their vehicle? “We’ve used it successfully over Would that customer be more apt to sign the form more quickly if they 600,000 times over the last six years in didn’t have to come to your shop in 48 states and two Canadian provinces,” Vince Brigidi, president of the CEI order to do so? Group, a fleet accident management And could getting customer signatures more quickly in some allow company, told attendees at the Colliwith Edcases Attanasio you to start and finish work more on sion Industry Electronic Commerce their vehicle more quickly, potentially Association (CIECA) Implementation improving your cycle time and cash Conference in San Diego this fall. “The flow while reducing rental car costs? process of obtaining customer’s auThose are the kind of questions Pat thorizations is antiquated. The elecBeavers, chief optronic signature is legal and effective. And there are significant efficiencies to erations officer of be gained and rental days to be saved the 11-shop Colliby doing this.” sionMax chain in the Philadelphia area, hoped to adTesting with a repairer CEI manages claims for fleet, governdress through the ment and insurer accounts, using a use of e-signatures. Pat Beavers network of more than 3,600 collision Anyone who has

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South Carolina’s David Montaro Writes Open Letter to Ed Rust Jr. Complaining about Wait Time on State Farm Jobs

A South Carolina collision repairer has written an open letter to State Farm CEO Ed Rust, Jr., complaining about the wait time and lack of response from State Farm personnel on State Farm claims. David Montanaro of Coastal Collision Works in Charleston, SC, believes State Farm is intentionally making his customers’ claims an “administrative nightmare” because he is not on Select Service. The letter reads as follows: As of today’s date, we’ve been waiting 12 days on additional damage supplement approval for your policyholder/our customer. After sending numerous emails and leaving several voicemail messages for your supplements person, we still have no response. Every time my supplement coordinator inquires about how to correct the ‘no response’ problem (with not only State Farm claimants but with State Farm insured customers as well), he’s directed back to your supplements person. But the number of days it takes her to finally respond to a supplement request only increases. When we find additional damage, we typically stop repairs, document and send the pictures and/or video via email to State Farm for approval. But State Farm

says they have to actually see the damage in person before they can approve it. The most ridiculous thing about this is that even though a State Farm adjuster is in our shop every other day looking at a vehicle right next to the vehicle we need a supplement approval on, they refuse to look at it without your supplement person’s approval, which is nearly impossible to get in reasonable time. What kind of customer service is that? We’re a small business and it’s astonishing how many administrative hours we spend just trying to take care of our State Farm customers. And do you realize how this hurts your State Farm policyholders who want us to repair their vehicles? They’re becoming very educated on the way State Farm really feels about their policyholders. It also seems to me that this procedure is expensive and a complete waste of a State Farm adjuster’s time when they have to come back multiple times, instead of approving a supplement while he’s already here looking at another claim. By the way, we have all of the supporting dated emails and fax confirmations to show that State Farm is, in fact, receiving our requests. See Writing Ed Rust Jr., Page 36

34 DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

repair shops. Brigidi said CollisionMax is part of that network, and CEI worked with Beavers to set up a system to enable CollisionMax to obtain authorizations and other required customer signatures electronically. “Sometimes in the past we’ve sent someone to a customer’s house to Vincent Brigidi get a paper documents signed, or used FedEx,” Beavers said. “We have a shop full of technology for everything else we do to repair the car and speed the process, but when it comes to having a piece of paper signed, the best we can do is FedEx or fax it?” Here’s how the system CollisionMax created with CEI’s assistance works. Say a vehicle is towed into a CollisionMax shop. The shop can email the customer a link to the electronic authorization form it needs the

customer to sign. It could be CollisionMax’s own form, or the custom one the insurer involved needs to have signed. The customer can read or even print the form from their computer, phone or tablet, then “sign” their name simply by typing it into the space provided. The signed form then is electronically returned to CollisionMax. Over a 3-month period and more than 300 non-drivable claims, CollisionMax compared the traditional method of obtaining customer signatures to the e-signature method. The results convinced Beavers that e-signatures are the way to go. Using the traditional method, 62 percent of the needed signature were obtained the same day, and 18 percent were obtained the next day. The balance took 3 days or more (in the longest case, 9 days) and the overall average was 1.94 days. By using e-signatures, however, CollisionMax obtained 97 percent of

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the signatures the same day and the other 3 percent the next day. “Pat and I feel even that 3 percent is going to come down,” Brigidi said. “Some of it may have been user-error on our side.” The longest amount of time it took to obtain the authorization was just 26 hours, and the overall average length of time: Just over one hour. “From the insurance company perspective or whoever is on the hook for paying that bill, that means dollars,” Brigidi said. “These are all nondrivable claims, all claims in which the vehicle is sitting there, the insurance company is paying for a rental, and the driver is without their vehicle, In the CollisionMax world alone, there’s probably $200,000 or more in rental savings for non-drivable vehicles.”

Customers very accepting While customer surely found the process more convenient than making a trip to the shop, Beavers said, his company received little in the way of comments from customers. Brigidi said that tells him the process is accepted if not an expected way of doing business for customers today. In order for e-signatures to be enforce-

able, customers must be given a choice whether to use it, but Beavers said during the study not one customer declined to sign electronically. Brigidi said 47 states have signed onto the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, which makes electronic signatures legally valid. (The three other states—Washington, Illinois and New York—have their own state laws governing the use of e-signatures.) CollisionMax has shops in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, states that have different requirements for shop in terms of authorizations to be obtained, but the system worked well in both states. Brigidi said that of the 600,000 esignatures his company has obtained over six years, not one has been challenged as invalid. But, he said, in addition to tracking the day and time of the authorization, the system tracks the IP address of the device on which the customer signed the authorization, allowing it to be tracked back, if necessary, to the location or device from which it was provided. Beavers said he wants to use e-signatures for all the customer authorizations the shop must obtain, even for drivable vehicles. It reduces paper use, is convenient for the customer, and

would allowthe shop to use the same process for all claims. Customers dropping vehicles off could use a kiosk at the shop to sign electronically, or could be sent a link to the document via the phone they are carrying. “When you think about some of the delays and how long some of those cars sit while we’re waiting to be authorized, to me they are all like checks waiting to be processed,” Beavers said. “The new standard is minutes, not hours or days.” Beavers also said the potential savings and additional audit trail for insurers are obvious. “I have some speculation that some shops are using that authorization part of the process to benefit themselves,” Beavers said. “Maybe they don’t expedite the authorization at times because they have plenty of work. Typically for the insurers, the proverbial clock starts to tick only when we have a signed authorization. So if a shop has delayed that for whatever reasons, the pressures aren’t on so much.” Brigidi said he was surprised to learn an e-signature system hadn’t been integrated into the estimating or shop management systems, but believes that will eventually happen.

YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT THE FIRST REPAIR.

GM Customer Care Adds New Loyalty Program

GM Customer Care & Aftersales, the service and parts division of General Motors, announced Oct. 29 that it has added a new loyalty rewards program for independent body shops purchasing select GM collision parts. Shops enrolled in the program earn points when purchasing GM OE doors, wheels, mirrors and lighting assemblies from GM dealers through the OEConnection CollisionLink online parts-purchasing network. Points are awarded for parts purchased on insurance estimates only for GM vehicles two model years and older. Points are awarded at the rate of one point for each dollar spent. Accumulated points can be used to purchase a wide selection of merchandise, travel, entertainment and new GM vehicles. All CollisionLink users will receive an email request to sign up. To sign up for CollisionLink, visit the OEConnection website.

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www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS 35

FIX Auto Holds Conference Featuring “Marketing that Matters” The 11th Annual Fix Auto USA National Conference hosted nearly 200 collision industry members at the Boulders Resort in Scottsdale, AZ. The event took place Sept. 15–18, 2013, and featured the theme “Marketing that Matters.”

Fix Auto said the main purpose of the conference was to foster professional growth in its attendees, a community that included not only Fix Auto collision repair members, but the insurance representatives and vendors with which they partner during the course of daily business. The keynote speaker, former major league pitching standout Jim Abbott, discussed his ADAPT concept, which illustrated how repairers can change and mold themselves to

meet and overcome any obstacle. In addition, author and consultant Scott Deming illustrated how attendees can capitalize on brand loyalty to drive business to their doors. Other speakers included Michael Bennett, North America marketing director for Axalta Coating Systems; Susanna Gotsch of CCC Information Services Inc.; Fix Auto member Richard Fish; and a panel of industry veterans who discussed the role parts play in collision repair today and in the future. The conference also granted professionals in attendance to display their giving side through the Bike

Build for Charity program. Sponsored by Mitchell International and facili-

Coastal Collision Works has a commitment to handle every damage claim that comes through our doors with integrity and speed. Our customers have come to expect the highest quality in repairs, paint and customer service from us. We actually explain to them all of the procedures during the length of time their vehicle is in our shop. Therefore, when State Farm makes you wait indefinitely for a supplement approval, our customers are informed of the details. What the customers deserve and should expect from State Farm is a quick and professional response on their claims because that’s what they think they’re paying for

when they choose you to protect their vehicles. As a matter of fact, according to the State Farm website under ‘State Farm’s Commitment to Our Policyholders,’ it states, ‘State Farm promises to be consistent, act promptly, explain decisions that are made with claims and to ensure their policyholders obtain all benefits available provided by the insurance policy.’ Perhaps this commitment should be taught and instilled in each of your State Farm representatives because they’re obviously not honoring State Farm’s commitment to your policyholders. Montanaro wrote Rust on April 23, 2013, as well to explain what he called “serious issues” concerning State Farm’s treatment of his customers’ claims.

Speedemissions, Inc, a vehicle emissions testing and safety inspections company operating 36 stores in the Atlanta, Houston, St. Louis and Salt Lake City markets and developer of CARbonga and CARbonga-SRI, the automobile diagnostic iPhone apps, has acquired seven emission testing stores in the greater Atlanta, GA, marketplace. The stores are being acquired

from Auto Emissions Express and JK Express Emissions and are part of Speedemissions’ overall strategic expansion plan to become one of the nation’s leading vehicle emissions testing and repair companies. The transaction, which closed on Oct. 25, brings the number of vehicle emission testing stores that Speedemissions owns and operates across the country to 43.

Continued from Page 34

Writing Ed Rust Jr.

Speedemissions Acquires 7 Atlanta-area Emission Testing Stores

36 DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

tated by Impact 4 Good, a company that specializes in leadership development applied to philanthropic causes,

Fix Auto participants worked in teams to build the bikes by competing in bike-related team activities that were both physically and mentally challenging. A group of children associated with the StarShine Academy in Phoenix, a school specializing in the education of students from at-risk communities, were the designated recipients of the assembled bicycles, which they received in person. Safety helmets were part of the donation as well. “One of Fix Auto’s underlying principles is giving back to the com-

munities we serve,” said Fix Auto President and COO Paul Gange. “The Build a Bike Charity was a nice variation on this philosophy and was a great way to wrap our general sessions. “Throughout the year we focus on our mission of enhancing the opportunities for independent repairers through collective marketing, robust resources and the benefit of shared knowledge and connectedness that is uniquely available through the Fix Auto network. We challenge our team

to raise the bar at our annual conference, and this year’s conference set a new standard. We thank everyone who participated and look forward to the opportunity to enhance our program even further next year.”

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3M Wins Top Spot at 2013 SEMA New Products Showcase Awards by Ed Attanasio

People come to SEMA to see the cars, the girls and the celebrities and to network with their vendors and colleagues, but among the most popular exhibits and presentations include cutting-edge automotive products. An award from SEMA can be a game changer and help to fast track a product’s path to success. It’s the equivalent of the Academy Awards for the

SEMA Chairman of the Board Nate Shelton and SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting present 3M’s Steven Widen with the award for Best New Collision Repair & Refinish Product

movie industry, but only without the red carpet, fancy gowns and paparazzi. During a breakfast on Nov. 4, the winners of the 2013 SEMA New Products Showcase Awards were an-

nounced. This year, more than 2,000 new products were submitted for consideration by SEMA, but only a handful were nominated. 3M™ took home the top honors in SEMA’s Collision Repair and Refinish Product category for their innovative new 3M™ Body Protection System, making it the biggest winner of the show within the collision segment. The night before, Steve Widen, U.S Marketing Supervisor, 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division, received a phone call from SEMA, that was both surprising and exhilarating, he said. “They called to tell us we were a finalist and invited us to the breakfast. It was definitely a very pleasant surprise and a great start to our show. We got off on the right foot and then when we won, it just got better! Tons of work went into the new 3M Body Protection System, so it’s very satisfying for sure.” According to 3M, its newest Body Protection System is reinventing the way repair technicians can match textured finishes found on today’s vehicles for rock protection and sound deadening. The innovative 3M Body Protec-

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tion System helps painters spray low viscosity textured finishes with fine, medium, coarse and splattered patterns. The technology behind the 3M Body Protection System includes the 3M™ Accuspray™ HGP Spray Gun with a pressurized inlet and 3M™ PPS™ Type H/O Mini Pressure 3M won first place in SEMA’s Collision Repair and Refinish Product Cup, the 3M™ category for its innovative new Body Protection System Rocker Protector able to easily replicate textures, but Pouch, and 3M™ Paintable Undercoating Pouch. The 3M Rocker Pro- now they can by leveraging our protector Pouch is available in 3-ounce prietary 3M Accuspray technology and 5.5-ounce sizes, and the 3M with unique product delivery platPaintable Undercoating Pouch is forms. It will revolutionize how textured finishes are applied in the available in 5.5-ounce size. The 3M Body Protection System future. And, as the use of these textured finishes continues to expand solves a major pain point for automotive professionals, and gives them a for sound deadening on thinner subtool for greater productivity, including; strates, the need for the 3M Body • Ability to adjust pressures and spray Protection System will increase expattern, allowing for better match to ponentially.” Criteria that ranked high on the OEM textures. • Ability to cut in half application time judges’ selection for the New Product of textured finishes to rocker panels, Showcase Awards included superiority wheel wells and undercarriages in of innovation, technical achievement, quality and workmanship, consumer many cases. • The pressurized 3M Accuspray spray appeal and marketability. Widen noted gun allows the product to be sprayed that 3M’s Body Protection System has at any angle making it easier to reach excelled in every one of these areas, he lower rocker sections and inside explained. “It’s going to help body shops in wheel wheels. • The painter can easily adjust the a big way, because now we’ve put a spray pattern to reduce overspray and tool in the hands of painters and preppers that will save them time and of masking. • Painters can easily achieve a perfect course, money,” Widen said. “There texture match, which contributes to isn’t an OE texture out there that we improved repair quality and higher can’t replicate with this system. Work that used to take three hours can now CSI scores. • The pouch sizes allow estimators be performed in 10-15 minutes, with and repair technicians to attribute more accuracy and zero guesswork. exact product usage to each job, im- It’s going to increase productivity considerably; the cleanup is very simple proving the job costing on estimates. • The 3M Accuspray system reduces and there’s a minimal learning curve. cleanup time and virtually eliminates We released the Body Protection System on August 1, and we’ve already the need for solvents. Widen believes this product is reached our sales goals for the rest of much-needed and was designed to the year.” Creative Autobody Solutions of fulfill a need that has existed for many years. “There hasn’t been any- Tempe, AZ captured the second p l ace thing new out there in delivery award with its spray - out cards conprocesses for the past two decades, structed of ABS and the third place so the 3M Body Protection System runner up award went to Shelwes Tools is pretty significant,” Widen said. & Body of West Helena, AR , for its “Painters and preppers haven’t been Shelwes Automatic Contour Sander.

www.autobodynews.com | DECEMBER 2013 AUTOBODY NEWS 37

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