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Four News Stories from 2014 that Will Impact the Entire Collision Repair Industry in 2015 by John Yoswick
As in most years, 2014 ended with some unfinished business for the collision repair industry. Here’s a look at four of the news stories from this part year that will likely continue to make headlines in the year ahead.
1. “We are requiring that you have the separation of the work area, but that can be (achieved) using curtains and proper filtration; it’s not going to require brick and mortar.” Ford Motor Company’s Paul Massie was a featured speaker at many in-
dustry events in 2014 as they automaker prepared to roll-out its 2015 F-150 pick-up, the first high-volume aluminumintensive vehicle. Ford and Massie worked last year to convince about 750 of its dealerPaul Massie ship body shops – and about 850 independent shops – to invest in the equipment and training to be certified by Ford to work on the vehicle. For shops with virtually See Four News Stories, Page 20
Main Auto Body and CitySquare Brighten the Holidays for Dallas, TX, Children
See Brighten the Holidays, Page 10
P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
One of the many children to benefit from the CitySquare holiday fundraiser poses with Santa Claus, surrounded by donated gifts for Dallas youths in need. Photo credit: CitySquare
CitySquare serves that are unable to provide for their children on Christmas. In exchange for donating an unwrapped toy, Main Auto Body will give a free headlight restoration. Each year, CitySquare collects new, unwrapped toys and then distributes them as Christmas gifts to children in need. “Main Auto Body is very excited to be working hand-in-hand with CitySquare this holiday season,” said CeeCee Evans Main Auto Body’s General Manager. “This collaboration makes perfect sense. Our location has been in the heart of Downtown Dallas for many years and this gives us an opportunity to
Change Service Requested
Main Auto Body has reached an agreement with CitySquare in which the body shop will collect and donate unwrapped toys and gifts to families
VOL. 33 ISSUE 1 JANUARY 2015
Auto Body Associations Look Back on 2014 by Chasidy Rae Sisk
From record snowfalls in the southern U.S. to a missing Malaysian airplane to the fear of an Ebola outbreak, 2014 was a memorable, if somewhat frightening, year around the world. In the American collision repair industry, 2014 was riddled with lawsuits against insurers’ unfair business practices and other battles for the rights of collision repair professionals, but industry associations still managed to provide some positive experiences for their members throughout the year. As the New Year rolls around, Autobody News asked a handful of association leaders about the most memorable things their associations did in 2014. Dan Risley, Executive Director of ASA-National, states that “without a doubt, the most memorable thing in
2014 was NACE|CARS in Detroit. We made significant changes to the show including but not limited to the location, dates and show management company. We had no idea what to expect or how the industry would respond because the show had steadily declined for several years. What made it memorable was the overwhelming support and positive response from the industry. We are humbled, thankful and appreciative for all of those individuals and companies that helped make it a success.” “I think one of the most memorable moments of 2014 for me was at the conclusion of the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit that we launched during the SEMA Show,” recalls Aaron Schulenburg, Executive Director of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS). “This was a See Associations Look Back, Page 18
Freer Auto Body in Illinois Raises Money Year-Round for Community Christmas by Victoria Antonelli, Online Editor
At the age of 18, it was David Freer’s dream to own a body shop, and that dream came true in 1991 when he and his brother, Tim, opened Freer Auto Body in Godfrey, IL. From the start, Freer Auto Body contributed to Community Christmas, which was David’s favorite project. Community Christmas, sponsored by United Way and Telegraph, raises money, toys and clothes for 15 local agencies. These agencies then distribute the goods to more than 6,000 less fortunate families in Riverbend. According to his mother and shop owner Margaret Freer, David would purchase sale items throughout the year and save them for the event. When David passed away in an automobile accident on September 11, 2008, the Freer family decided to go even further with their contributions to Community Christmas by creating Cookies and Cocoa for Community
Christmas the following December. “Freer Auto Body is very community minded,” said Margaret. “Our community has supported us 100 percent in all of our endeavors, so we try
The Godfrey Women’s Club baked all of the cookies for the year’s Cookies and Cocoa Community Christmas event
to give back as often as possible.” The shop’s finances, office management, public relations, and “you name it” are handled by Margaret. Her son, Tim, who co-owns the shop took over as president after David passed away. Margaret’s husband and daughter-inlaw are also employees.
Presorted Standard US Postage PAID San Bernardino, CA Permit #2244
2 JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Contents Texas Motors Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Business Profile: Ray Brandt Automotive
Group in New Orleans, LA . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Car Crafters to Open Second Shop in
Albuquerque, NM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Car Donation to Help Army Veteran in TX . . 4 Elderly Woman Accuses AL Auto Repair
Shop Owner of Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Jim Maddox Recognized in Top 5 for
NAPA ASE Tech of the Year . . . . . . . . . . 8
Can Improve Bottom Line for Shops
and the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Ford Begins Building All-New F-150 Truck . . 36
Four News Stories from 2014 that Will Impact the Entire Collision Repair
Industry in 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Freer Auto Body in Illinois Raises Money
Year-Round for Community Christmas . . 1
From Grandma’s Vacuum to Serious Spray Finishing Technology:
Turbospray HVLP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
LA Parts Store Employee Sues Employer’s
Hey Body Techs! Malco Tools Are Built
Remie’s Body Shop in West, TX, is
Industry Looks to Plant DNA to Solve
Sisk - LaCIA Hosts Fundraiser Luncheon
Judge Grants Permanent Injunction
Neighbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Adapting to Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
in Support of Attorney General Buddy
Caldwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Sketch Released in Fatal Hit-and-Run of
Toddler in New Orleans, LA . . . . . . . . . . 4
COLUMNISTS
Just for You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Scrap Metal Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Against Connecticut Anti-Steering
Auto Glass Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Main Auto Body and CitySquare Brighten
the Holidays for Dallas, TX, Children. . . . 1
Manheim Reports Wholesale Used
Vehicle Price Adjustments in Q3. . . . . . 45
Franklin - Commercial Customers—
Mazda Recall of Takata Airbags to be
Luehr - Successful Change Using
Mike Rose’s Auto Body Never Stops
Yoswick - CIC Says ‘No’ to ASA, Sheila
National Auto Body Council & Enterprise
A Reliable Business Source . . . . . . . . . 16
Modern Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Loftus Predicts, Multi Association
Task Force, Labor Rates. . . . . . . . . . . . 26 NATIONAL
Aluminum Repair Tips & Techniques
in Preparation for Ford F-150 . . . . . . . . 36
Auto Body Associations Look Back on ‘14. . 1
Expanded Nationwide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Giving Cars Away. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Rent-A-Car Partner with Progressive
to Donate 117 Vehicles to Vets. . . . . . . 42
New Alternative Fuel Vehicle Course Premiered by I-CAR, Both 1- and
2-Hr Offerings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Nissan Settles Class-Action Suit Claiming
Faulty Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Chrysler And Fiat Names Dropped
PPG Redesigned Website for
Collision Avoidance Technology Could
Sherwin-Williams “Media Center”
Conviction of Saturn Ion Driver Thrown
The Hybrid Shop Carves a Niche in
Domestic Violence Survivor Receives
Using Industry Statistics to Your
Dropping Gas Prices and Strong Car Sales
Web-Est and Crash-WriteR Announce
From Corporate Titles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Dramatically Change Repair Industry . . 38
Out After 10 Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Gift of Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Could Create Manufacturer Problems . . 44
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Joyous New Year from all of us at Autobody News. We look forward to bringing you our collision news in 2015, including a more frequent e-newsletter, more regional coverage and easier access to content on our websites. Get in touch with us to promote your regional events, association meetings and anything you think the rest of the industry should know. Advertisers can reach us at advertising@autobodynews.com. Articles can be submitted to editor@autobodynews.com. Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Assistant Editor: Stacey Phillips Online Editor: Victoria Antonelli Contributing Writers: Tom Franklin, John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, David Brown, Rich Evans, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Sales Assistant: Louise Tedesco Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia
ADJUSTRITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Website Addition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Hybrid Maintenance and Service . . . . . 34
Advantage with Mike Anderson . . . . . . 15
Closing of Acquisition Agreement. . . . . 45
Absolute Mitsubishi-Hyundai . . . . . 31 Assured Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 35 Bob Howard PDC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Car-Part.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA). . . . . . . . . . . 27 Chevyland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Classic BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Dallas Dodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Don Carlton Auto Group . . . . . . . . . 34 Equalizer Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . . 6 Finnegan Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge . . . . 2 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers TX, OK, LA, NM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Fowler Honda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Freedom Dodge-Chrysler-JeepRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Gillman Acura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . 43 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25 Huffines Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge Lewisville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Huffines Hyundai Plano . . . . . . . . . 20 Hyundai Motor America . . . . . . . . . . 5 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . 40
Serving Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico and adjacent metro areas. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the autobody industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2015 Adamantine Media LLC.
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Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers. 37 LKQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Mac Haik Ford. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Malco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 42 Mercedes-Benz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Mike Calvert Toyota. . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers . 39 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . 29 North Freeway Hyundai . . . . . . . . . 28 PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Ray Huffines Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . 21 Reliable Chevrolet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Replica Plastics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 SATA Spray Equipment . . . . . . . . . 19 Scoggin-Dickey Buick . . . . . . . . . . 30 Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 15 South Pointe Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge. 11 Toyota of Fort Worth . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Toyota of Laredo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . 38 Valspar Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . 44 Young Chevrolet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
www.autobodynews.com | JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 3
Sketch Released in Fatal Hit-and-Run of Toddler in New Orleans, LA
The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has obtained a computer composite sketch of the suspect who struck and killed two-year-old Christian Glover in the 3100 block of North Claiborne Avenue. At 5:15 p.m. on December 4, the toddler ran into the roadway where he was then struck by a pickup truck. The driver of the vehicle stopped, exited the vehicle, observed the child, got back into the vehicle, and fled the scene. The toddler was transported to the hospital where he later died. The driver is described as a black male, dark complexion, 40 to 50 years of age, approximately 5’11” to 6’ tall, approximately 160 to A computer 180 pounds, thin composite sketch build, and havof the suspect ing salt and pepper hair with a goatee. He was wearing a navy blue t-shirt and dark colored pants. The vehicle is described as an older model white two-door Chevro-
Car Crafters to Open Second Shop in Albuquerque, NM
Car Crafters Inc. announced plans to open a second body shop in Albuquerque, NM. This will be the first time in the company’s 32-year history that it will operate in two locations. The new shop is located off Paseo del Norte and I-25, across the street from Lowe’s. Since President and Founder Jim Guthrie started Car Crafters in his parent’s garage in 1982, he has moved Car Crafters to new locations around Albuquerque to accommodate its growth. Each time Guthrie expanded in the past, he moved to or built a larger location. Guthrie recently saw an opportunity to open a second location. Car Crafters has been serving Albuquerque for 32 years. After moving out of his parent’s garage, Guthrie leased a one-car garage. The current location has grown from 50,000 to 70,000 sq. ft over the past seven years. Car Crafters currently employs 82 people and was named one of the Top Workplaces in New Mexico through a survey of company employees conducted by Workplace Dynamics and the Albuquerque Journal. Car Crafters hasn’t released an official date for the grand opening but said it will most likely be during the summer.
let truck. According to witnesses, several vehicles were in the area at the time of the incident. Detectives are urging anyone who may have information to please call Fatality Investigator Edgar Edwards at 658-6208 or Crimestoppers.
The truck was captured on surveillance video
Citizens with information that can help solve this crime are asked to call Crimestoppers at 822-1111 or toll-free 1-877-903-STOP. You could receive a cash reward of up to $2,500 for the information leading to the arrest and indictment of the responsible person(s). You do not have to give your name nor testify to receive the reward. Citizens can also submit an anonymous tip online to Crimestoppers at www.crimestoppersgno.org external link.
LA Parts Store Employee Sues Employer’s Neighbor
An auto parts store employee is suing the owner of the property next door after allegedly being injured in a fall while transporting an order to a customer’s car. Catherine Castine filed suit against Ronal K. Murray in the 24th Judicial District Court on Sept. 17. Castine said she was working at the NAPA Auto Parts store in Gretna, LA on June 19, 2013 when she brought a hand dolly stacked with car batteries and break rotors to a car parked at the property owned by Murray. The plaintiff claims the defendant’s parking lot was in disrepair with broken and scattered concrete and other defects causing her to lose control of the hand truck and fall backwards onto the pavement. Castine said she received severe injuries to her neck, arm, wrist, shoulder and body in the incident. The defendant is accused of failing to: take note of the property’s condition, warn employees and patrons of a dangerous condition, and implement regular parking lot inspections. An unspecified amount in damages is sought for personal injury, pain, suffering, grief, mental anguish, embarrassment, humiliation, medical expenses, lot wages, loss of future earning capacity and loss of enjoyment of life.
4 JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Car Donation to Help Army Veteran in TX
Local U.S. Army veteran Gary Griffin served eight years, two tours of duty in Panama and Iraq, only to come back to Texas and have his life smashed by an uninsured motorist. His luck is changed, however, when he was presented with a practically brand new car from Caliber Collision and Travelers Insurance as part of its nationwide Recycled Rides program. The vehicle unveiling was Thursday, October 30 at the Caliber Collision center in Frisco, TX, 6440 Preston Rd. Caliber Collision’s Recycled Rides program partners with insurance companies to refurbish and donate cars to individuals in need. Travelers, a leading provider of property casualty insurance, donated the vehicle that was refurbished by Caliber’s Frisco center associates who volunteered personal time to repair the vehicles as a way to give back to the communities they serve. Griffin, a single father of an eightyear-old son, was one block from home in Bedford when an uninsured driver ran a stop sign and slammed into him. Griffin suffered severe spinal cord injuries from the accident last December and has been hospitalized and undergoing therapy ever since. The accident totaled his only vehicle and devastated his life, leaving him unable to work, unable to pay bills, rent and close to eviction.
A Dallas–based veteran support organization, Once In A Lifetime, stepped in to help with temporary financial support and nominated Griffin as a recipient for Caliber Collision’s Recycled Rides program. “We wish Mr. Griffin continued success with his recovery from his painful accident, and hope this Recycled Rides gift will help restore the quality of life for both him and his son,” said Steve Grimshaw, Caliber Collision Chief Executive Officer. “Our purpose at Caliber is to restore our customers to the rhythm of their lives and we hope this Recycled Ride vehicle will do the same for Gary.” “The Recycled Rides program provides us with a unique way to say thank you to Gary for his service to our country,” said Ken Pond, Vice President of Claim at Travelers. “Travelers has a proud history of supporting our local communities and we’re pleased to work with Caliber Collision on this project which enables us to give back to a U.S. military veteran.” This Caliber Collision Recycled Ride gifting represents the 15th gifting of refurbished vehicles across the western U.S. in 2014. Caliber Collision plans on gifting more than 20 vehicles over 2014 to military and first responders as a way to give back to the communities that Caliber serves.
www.autobodynews.com | JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 5
Business Profile: Ray Brandt Automotive Group in New Orleans, LA by Kat Stromquist, bestofneworleans.com
Car shoppers in the greater New Orleans area inevitably cross paths with the Ray Brandt Automotive Group. With 12 franchises and locations in Metairie, on the West Bank and in Mississippi, the group has established itself as one of the area’s largest and most comprehensive providers of car sales and services in the New Orleans area. Vice President Joey Hogh attributes the company’s success to its longterm relationships with customers. “[CEO Ray Brandt] wants to keep customers for life,” he says. “With our strong parts and services departments, we provide maintenance and help [clients] when it’s time to purchase their next vehicle.” Brandt is an accountant and attorney who moved gradually into the business world. The Ray Brandt Automotive Group began in 1983 with a Datsun dealership in Metairie, which eventually became Ray Brandt Nissan. Over time, Brandt built or acquired dealerships for a range of brands, including Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Infiniti, Porsche, Dodge and Chrysler. At its dealerships and service centers, the company employs technicians who
each specialize in one make of vehicle. This ensures technicians are familiar with issues in all makes and models. Over a 30-year career, Hogh has seen the business side of car dealerships from every possible angle. He began in the New Orleans area washing cars, progressing from there through the sales department. As finance and insurance manager, he handled the fiduciary aspects of sales for customers. Though Hurricane Katrina took him on a brief detour to Lexington, KY, he returned home to continue his career in the local automotive business. These days, Hogh helps manage two franchises and serves as vice president for the Ray Brandt Group. Its broad focus has earned the Ray Brandt Group accolades from various professional organizations. The company has won the Infiniti Award of Excellence on eight occasions and received the President’s’ Award from Toyota. “Every award [we receive] is for the total package; both sales and service,” Hogh says. “We deliver solid value for all of our stores.” December is traditionally a big month in car sales, as dealerships look to move inventory to make way for next year’s models and finish the fiscal year with a strong
6 JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
showing. customers can benefit from price reductions. In the upcoming months, the company will open a dedicated Volkswagen showroom, moving from the space it currently shares with other brands. New “crossover” vehicles, including the Porsche Macan and the Infiniti Q50, will appear on Ray Brandt lots. These cars provide the storage space and comfort of an SUV in a compact size, and can have special features like automatic brake sensors. Hogh anticipates another year of serving the community, providing maintenance to existing clients and gaining new ones. “[As a company], we like to touch on a bit of all our bases,” he says. A link to the original story can be found on www.autobodynews.com
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Asbury Automotive Group Acquires Texas Motors Ford
Asbury Automotive Group, Inc. one of the largest automotive retail and service companies in the U.S., announced that it has acquired Texas Motors Ford. The Ford dealership generates approximately $140 million in revenues annually. The new dealership will be rebranded David McDavid Ford Fort Worth and brings the number of Asbury stores in Texas to 7. The newly acquired store is located at 300 West Loop 820 South in Fort Worth. For years, the Ford store has excelled in providing quality sales and service to customers in the Fort Worth area with a huge inventory of new, pre-owned and fleet/commercial vehicles. “We are excited to announce our first acquisition in Fort Worth and are pleased to expand our suite of Ford stores. We are looking forward to carrying on the superior quality of service and sales the customers of Texas Motors Ford have come to expect. We welcome our new employees to the Asbury family and are excited about our opportunities in Fort Worth,” said David Hult, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Asbury Automotive Group. Earlier this month, Asbury completed the acquisition of a Ford store in Sandy Springs, GA.
www.autobodynews.com | JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 7
Jim Maddox Recognized in Top 5 for NAPA ASE Tech of the Year by Chasidy Rae Sisk
For the third time in four years, Jim Maddox, owner of Jim’s Automotive and Executive Director of ASA-NM, has been nationally recognized by
Jim Maddox posing with his 2013 NAPA /ASE Technician of the Year Award. Photo Credit: Chasidy Rae Sisk
NAPA as one of their Top Five Nominees in this year’s annual NAPA ASE Technician of the Year Award competition. Maddox states, “it gives
me very ‘humble feelings’ to be considered amongst one of the best repair shops and technicians in the country! I feel that the people I surround myself with are an important part of what I am. Thank you for your support!” Every year, each NAPA Distribution Center elects one candidate to submit to NAPA Headquarters to be considered for their annual ASE Technician of the Year Award. NAPA’s stringent requirements include a specified amount of ASE certifications for the shop owner and his/her employees, participation in NAPA AutoCare and other NAPA programs, and community service obligations. Ronnie DuBose, District Manager of NAPA Albuquerque, states, “I am happy to say that Jim Maddox of Jim’s Automotive was the NAPA Albuquerque selection that was submitted to NAPA Headquarters. Jim has an impressive resume that qualified him well enough for the selection that he also qualified in the Top Five nominations in the entire country! While Jim was not the final selection by the committee this year, we are very proud of the fact that he was in consideration up to the final selection for this prestigious award.”
Elderly Woman Accuses AL Auto Repair Shop Owner of Fraud
Billy Hood, owner of Billy’s Liberty 2000 in Decatur, is accused of taking more than $10,000 from a 75-year-old woman for unwarranted car repairs He now faces charges of exploitation of an elderly person, according to Margo Gray of www.waff.com. Gray reported that the woman took her classic 1952 Plymouth to Hood’s shop, because she wanted it to be in “show car” condition. During the course of a month, Hood kept the car at Billy’s Liberty 2000, claiming to find all sorts issues that needed immediate corrections, according to Sgt. John Harris of the Decatur police. These “issues” amounted to thousands of dollars. When the elderly woman got her Plymouth back, she said it looked and worked the same as it had when she brought it
in 30 days prior. After closer inspection of the receipts, she told police she found Hood actually charged her twice for the same repairs, according to Gray. Gray also reported that the woman took the car to another mechanic who inspected it and stated that this was the “worst case of fraud” he had seen in his 35 year career as a mechanic. The work that Hood did on the car only amounted to $400, according to inspectors. Several disgruntled customers spoke with Sgt. Harris and stated that Hood had defrauded them as well. Former employees also supported the customers’ claims, and said that he would intimidate people who wanted to file police reports. Gray reported that Hood is out of jail on a $10,000 dollar bond.
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Hey Body Techs! Malco Tools Are Built Just for You by Ed Attanasio
One consequence of the evolution of the collision industry is that better tools exist now than ever before, thereby dramatically improving the working lives of body technicians everywhere.
The S6R Redline, 6-inch model, Hand Seamer by Malco Products is designed to save time, prevent hand fatigue and last for many years
Malco Products, Inc. in Annandale, MN, won first place at the 2014 SEMA Show’s New Product Showcase in the Collision Repair and Refinish Products category for its Quarter Panel Hemming Air TurboXTool. Founded in 1950, Malco was a market pioneer with its innovative HVAC hand tools initially, but today the company serves several industries, including collision repair.
Designing tools that are easy to use and cause minimal impact on the human body has been instrumental in Malco’s success. When the company designs any tool, it first looks at how it will be used; how long it will last and how it can save labor and wear and tear on the person that will use it every day. If a tool does the job, but it injures the hands, elbows or shoulders of the user, what’s the advantage? As a body shop owner, you obviously want your techs to be healthy and injury-free, because losing an employee to injury can drastically impact your cycle times and compromise your production. One of the most unique aspects of all Malco’s hand tools are the fact that they’re designed to comfortably fit hands of all sizes, from small to very large or gloved hands. The human hand’s natural power stroke range falls within a gripping range of 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches (63 to 89 mm). The challenge for accommodating this entire range is to provide handle openings and natural ergonomic contours that complement hand strength and resist strain and fatigue of repetitive motions without sacrificing the labor-saving, productivity
features of the working end of the tool, such as length of cut or throat depth. This balancing act has been achieved with all of Malco’s Redline Handled family of Hand Seamers (hand brake) and the company’s 11 models of “Andy” lightweight-with-the-strengthof-steel Aluminum Handled Snips.
This model MV12“Andy” Aluminum Handled Snip is designed with the busy body tech in mind and is specially designed to cut plastics including auto bumpers
Development Engineer Thomas Batho has worked on Malco’s design team for the past 15 years, which means he has played an integral role in the creation of more than 50 tools for Malco. “Every tool we make is designed with things like ergonomics, safety and the life cycle of the tool at the forefront,”
Batho explained. “We pride ourselves on making products that the customers want because they fill a need and then we stand behind them 100%. That’s something we take very seriously here at Malco.” At least 1,000 hours goes into the development of each tool manufactured by Malco. The company’s Redline Handled seamers were no exception, according to Batho. “With every tool, we do the field research first—to see if there’s a need and where the markets are headed. With our collision tools, we go to body shops to gather data. We personally visit shops in our area and do webinars with others country-wide. The ideas come in and the results are documented. Then we enter the concept stage followed by the initial design stage and prototyping. When we have a functional product we take it into the field and get reactions from techs, before we finalize it. Once we’ve completed that, we release it to manufacturing, do final testing and finally offer it to the public.” More information about the tool designs and the entire Malco Products line can be accessed at www.malcotools.com.
www.autobodynews.com | JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 9
Remie’s Body Shop in West, TX, is Adapting to Change by Bob Beal, Fort Stockton Pioneer
Remies Body Shop has been putting west Texas cars and pickups back in shape for 55 years. Things automotive were different when Remijio Ramos started the business in 1959. “My dad used lead and lacquer,” recalled Ramiro Ramos, Remijio’s son and now owner of the company. “We used to be in the body repair business; now we’re into parts replacement,” Ramiro said, referring to body components, many of which now contain electronics. Leaning back in his desk chair, Ramos tallied 135 years of combined experience for his six-man repair staff. “One of my painters is 80; you can’t replace that,” he said, continuing, “Body paints have gone from lacquer to enamel to polyurethane to now water-based; and our paint booth has filters on the in and the out” for quality and emissions control. He said that next year Ford’s F150 pickups will be all aluminum bodies. Just one more change he and his guys get to roll with. In 1979, two years after Ramiro started in his father’s company, I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, formed. It is a col-
laboration of collision repair industries, including body shops, insurers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), researchers and trainers, and equipment suppliers. Ramos and his employees maintain current certifications through I-CAR educational programs, both online and at seminars. Remie’s is a bit off the beaten track at 6th and Park streets, east of Sanderson Hwy. and north of Rooney Park. “To me, at this point, location means nothing,” Ramos said. He’s booking for January, eight weeks out, and says people do wait because he stands behind his work and is honest with them. “I show them the calendar and let them pick a date,“ he said. It doesn’t matter how much business, word of mouth or otherwise, he has, though. “People coming here don’t care about the 50 cars on the lot; they care about one – theirs.” Ramos said he regularly sees customers from as far away as Presidio. When Ramiro came into the business in 1977, his mom was a partner. His dad eased into retirement in the early 1980s. Company founder, Remijio Ramos, passed away six years ago. Ramiro’s youngest son, Ramsey, partnered into the business four years ago. “I told my son, ‘There’s no help avail-
New Alternative Fuel Vehicle Course Premiered by I-CAR, Both 1- and 2-Hr Offerings
I-CAR® has launched an all-new instructor-led course, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Damage Analysis and Safety (ALT03). This live, instructor-led, 3credit hour course improves a collision repair professional’s understanding of how to safely approach alternative fuel vehicles of all types after a collision and how to understand the risks and risk-avoidance of working around such vehicles. Online options for Alternative Fuel Vehicle Damage Analysis and Safety (ALT03) are also available, broken into two courses for learning effectiveness: Alternative Fuel Vehicle Damage Analysis (ALT04e), a 1-hour offering and Alternative Fuel Vehicle Safety (ALT05e), a 2-hour offering. Josh McFarlin, I-CAR Director of Curriculum & Product Development explained, “Each vehicle will require specific knowledge about the different risk avoidance elements engineered into these vehicles from a propulsion system perspective. This makes building knowledge on the different alternative fuel vehicle types extremely important,” McFarlin continued, “This course serves as a solution to building a knowledge base on hybrid, electric and advanced fossil fuel powertrain
systems such as propane, CNG and Diesel.” Each course dives deep into important information on safely repairing these vehicles after a collision and the common parts found on electric vehicles. They meet training requirements in ProLevel® 1 for Estimators, Auto Physical Damage Appraisers and Electrical/Mechanical Technicians in I-CAR’s Professional Development Program™ (PDP). The new courses have replaced Electric and Electric Hybrid Vehicles (ALT01/e) and Hybrid Electric and Alternative Fuel Vehicles (ALT02/e). Either the Live course or both online courses must be completed in order to receive credit. I-CAR is also debuting the new “Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Disable Search” on the I-CAR Repairability Technical Support (RTS) Portal. Through the Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Disable Search, professionals can more easily identify where parts of the hybrid or electric system are located, how to disable the system before beginning a repair, welding best practices and refinish precautions. All of this information can quickly be found by make, model and/or year. Visit: www.i-car.com/rts.
10 JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
able; if you stay with it, you’ll have a solid niche,’” Ramiro said. “My priority is keeping a family atmosphere,” Ramiro said. By this he was referring to things like being flexible when employees have family commitments and when things come up that they need to do. He says this is in keeping with the small-town personality of his company. Remie’s Body Shop has two office assistants who, according to Ramos, are in “constant negotiation with insurance companies.” He likened it to a medical office with all the overhead that comes with insurance-related paperwork. Ramiro and his wife of 35 years, Elsa, raised three children in Fort Stockton. Elsa was in banking “since before we married,” he said. Their other son, Remijio, is also in banking and the sports reporter for Fort Stockton Pioneer. Rachelle, their daughter, has another year and a half of medical residency and plans to return to Fort Stockton to practice medicine. “She’s lived in and enjoyed a few cities, but there’s no place like home,” said Ramos. Ramos recently completed and “had to step back from” six years as the small business representative on the Fort Stockton Economic Development Corporation board of directors.
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Brighten the Holidays
help support our surrounding communities and the Dallas area as a hold.” The objectives of the toy drive are to help children in need experience the joy of Christmas, to nurture the devel-
(l to r) Albert Perez, technician; Ray Mundo Esqueda Jr, technician; Gerardo Valadez, owner and technician; and CeeCee Evans, manager; pose below the Main Auto Body shop sign
opment of children, to unite members of local communities in a common cause and to contribute to the future betterment of communities. The toy drive will run December 12 through December 23 at 4pm. They toys will be given out on December 24, by CitySquare to deserving kids and their families.
www.autobodynews.com | JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 11
Allstate Gives $100,000 to Collision Repair Education
Allstate Insurance Company announced on Dec. 3 a contribution of $100,000 to the Collision Repair Education Foundation. The donation will help support high school and technical college school programs, instructors and students nationwide. The money will be allocated to the foundation’s Collision Repair Education Campaign fund that provides annual student scholarships, school grants, and the annual Ultimate Collision Education Makeover school grant, which is $50,000. “Education is a vital step in preparing the next generation of great technicians needed to repair vehicles that are becoming more complex by the day,” says Allstate’s Claims Vice President Pam Overton. “Contributing to the Collision Repair Education Foundation is an investment in the future and something we take great pride in at Allstate.” Collision Repair Education Foundation Executive Director Clark Plucinski said, “Allstate’s continued support has allowed the Collision Repair Education Foundation to help collision school programs graduate students who are productive, efficient, and capable staff members day one on the job within the collision industry.
Domestic Violence Survivor Receives Gift of Transportation The holiday giving season began early when a domestic violence survivor received keys to a four-door sedan intended to improve her life. A 2007 Chrysler 300 was donated to Megan Chamberlain, a single mother from Wichita, Kansas as part of the National Auto Body Council's Recycled Rides program. Recycled Rides is a community service program where body shops repair and donate recycled vehicles to families in need. CARSTAR Collision Specialists repaired and refurbished the car and State Farm Insurance donated the salvage vehicle to the program. Catholic Charities selected Chamberlain from their Harbor House program for the car donation. “I feel like this is still all a dream,” Chamberlain said. “I am so grateful to be chosen for this gift and am truly speechless.” “When CARSTAR Collision Specialists approached us about the Recycled Rides project, we were very excited,” said Joyce Mahoney, Harbor House Program Director. “Providing reliable transportation to a hard-working woman so she can better her life fits our mission of building strong families.” Chamberlain’s current vehicle has extremely high mileage and con-
stant mechanical problems. Chamberlain, currently earning her teaching degree, needs a reliable transportation for school, work and daily errands. “We are so excited for this opportunity for Megan,” Mahoney said. “She really needs a dependable form of transportation. Megan has incredible internal drive to make life happen for herself and her young child.“ Steven Fielding, General Manager for CARSTAR Collision Specialists, stated that body shops frequently see cars that are written-off or totaled by either the owner or the insurance company and sent to salvage yards. “Many times all these vehicles need is some body work, mechanical repairs or TLC to get them road ready and safe to drive,“ Fielding said. “We are grateful that State Farm Insurance generously donated a salvage car for our shop to repair.” The Chrysler had been in a minor collision and was in a local salvage yard. The staff at CARSTAR Collision Specialists West volunteered their time to repair this car. Fielding said this is the second time that CARSTAR has partnered with Catholic Charities on a Recycled Rides project. “Repairing this car has been a labor of love. Our staff worked
hard to make the donation a reality,“ Fielding said. “Recycled Rides provides a great opportunity for State Farm to be a good neighbor and meet a need in our community,” said Kevin Gamble, State Farm Community Specialist. “We are pleased to be able to make this exciting donation possible.” Fielding said many other businesses donated parts and services to make the vehicle giveaway possible. Businesses that donated parts and services were: LKQ Corporation, Keyston Automotive Industries, Cintas, The Windshield Shop, Scholfield Honda, Parks Motors, Auto Zone and Arrow Wrecker. The Chrysler was decorated with a huge red bow and given away Thursday Nov 20 during a luncheon held at the CARSTAR location at 606 N. Webb Road.
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Southwest Associations
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.
LaCIA Hosts Fundraiser Luncheon in Support of Attorney General Buddy Caldwell with Chasidy Rae Sisk
On Saturday, November 22 from 11AM until 2PM, the Louisiana Collision Industry Association (LaCIA) hosted a fundraiser luncheon in support of LA Attorney General Buddy Caldwell. The event was held at The Hall, located at 517 East Gloria Switch Road in Lafayette. Alysia Hanks, Executive Director of LaCIA, states, “even with bad weather looming on the horizon, all who attended the event were in good spirits. It was a great afternoon of socializing with Mr. Caldwell.” Caldwell used the opportunity as a forum to update attendees on several matters that his office is pursuing on behalf of LaCIA and its members. Since his last update on his lawsuit against State Farm, the insurance company’s defense team has had the lawsuit transferred to Federal Court and tied into the Multi District Lawsuit (MDL). Now, Caldwell is waiting on the MDL judge to decide whether he will send it back to the State. Ac-
cording to Hanks, Caldwell “is confident it will come back to us, which is what we want to happen, based on the fact that he filed on behalf of the consumers in the State and claims State Farm is in direct violation of our State’s unfair trade practice acts [which Caldwell] believes differs slightly from the MDL and should be handled by the State.” Though State Farm’s violation of unfair trade practices is a civil matter, Caldwell’s office now has evidence of theft which is a criminal offense. The LA Attorney General’s office is still collecting testimonial evidence (via affidavits) as well as physical evidence (documented by vehicles or estimates). Also, as part of their efforts to prove the existence of steering, the Attorney General’s office is soliciting evidence of steering from shop owners in LA. Anyone interested in providing such evidence concerning the lawsuit against State Farm or steering can file
online at www.ag.state.la.us/Insurance Complaints .aspx or via email to Stacie Lambert de Blieux, deblieuxs@ag.state .la.us. Caldwell also “mentioned that no one has ever held the adjusters accountable for their actions which is something he will now enforce,” Hanks says. “He reminded us that, in the state of LA, it is okay to record a conversation as long as one of the parties knows they are being recorded. He will call them before a juror if need be and will not let them get away with the lies anymore.” Additionally, Caldwell told attendees that he has contacted Warren Buffet of Geico and informed him that he won’t go after Geico if the insurer decides to act right on their own immediately. Assistant Attorney General Randy Ishee added that Larry Linton of Geico has offered to allow shops to reach out to him if they have a problem with the insurer with the guarantee that he will enforce his promise that they
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will do the right thing. Lastly, Caldwell expressed the belief that “it’s not about taking credit but about doing the right thing,” Hanks recounts. “I believe we are trying to do the right thing, and to have someone like Buddy, who has a 99% conviction rating in court, in our corner speaks volumes about what is going on in this industry. ‘If you mess up, you clean up!’ were the words he left us with. I think we can all agree that there is a great deal of clean up that needs to happen!” LaCIA is also excited that Matt Parker of Parker Auto Body in West Monroe has officially announced his intention to run for LA Insurance Commissioner in 2015. Hanks looks forward to “the opportunity to have an insurance commissioner in office who is from our industry and will work to get things back on track.” LaCIA www.la-cia.com
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Using Industry Statistics to Your Advantage with Mike Anderson by Victoria Antonelli, Online Editor
Statistics are a great way for any business, organization, or industry to figure out what areas need growth and improvement, and why. Mike Anderson of CollisionAdvice presented statistics helpful to every corner of the collision repair industry during his SCRS seminar at SEMA 2014. The following industry statistics, both regional and national, were taken from Anderson’s PowerPoint. The original sources are credited in each section.
Studies by The Romans Group found: ● There are 13.3 million insured auto accidents annually
● Customers pay $3.2B (10.2% of total shop $) ● Insurers paid $28.2B ● Total repair revenue is $31.4B ● Up 2.2% from $30.7B in 2013
“A lot more people coming to your shops are paying out of their pocket,” said Anderson. “There are people in the industry looking to capitalize on that.”
Trends - Higher deductibles and more customer-pay work means shops are: ■ Offering no-interest financing ■ Offering 90 days same-as-cash ■ Suggesting gap insurance (www.4ubenefits.com)
Mike Anderson of CollisionAdvice.com informs the packed seminar of industry statistics across the country
■ Using tools to show how claim may impact rates ■ Offering good-better-best options
“According to a focus group study by 3M Automotive, the biggest complaint customers had was a lack of options,” said Anderson. “People want to feel like they have a part in the decision making. For example, a guy comes in with his 16-year-old who just crashed her car and needs the headlight fixed. Say, ‘we can fix it for $100, and it will still be safe and effective, but won’t look as good. The best option would cost $200.’” Collision Shop Population Stats: (US Census Bureau, U.S. BLS, and Crash Network) ● Preliminary government data indicates 2014 will be third year in a row with growth in number of shops ● Still down from 5.7% peak in 2005, but up 3.1% from 2011 ● The 34,430 total does not include more than 6,300 dealership body shops, nor small shops without payroll
“Since 2011, we’ve been seeing an increase in shops and the number of people working in the collision repair industry,” said Anderson. “The biggest area of increase is the office – we now have more people working in administration than ever before.” ‘Backyard’ Competition Stats: (U.S. BLS, CollisionWeek) ■ In 2011, 83,721 individuals reported wide variation in annual wages ■ Top painters average $70,420 compared to $25,700 for lowest 10% ■ Top body techs average $66,870 compared to $22,970 for lowest 10% ■ Top estimators average $83,990 compared to $32,390 for lowest 10%
Leasing Continues to Grow (Edmunds.com) ● Upside for shops: Leased vehicles tend to get repaired ● Potential downside for shops: Rising numbers of off-lease return vehicles in the coming years can drive down used car prices, which can drive up total losses Labor Rates vs. Overall Inflation (Crash Network) ■ When looked at nationally, labor rates have not kept up with inflation. ■ Overall U.S. inflation 2006-2013 was 15.6%. See Industry Statistics, Page 28
www.autobodynews.com | JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 15
On Creative Marketing
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
Commercial Customers—A Reliable Business Source with Thomas Franklin
Although there are still many more independent shops than franchise and multiple operator shops, many of the best DRPs and dealership deals often go to the well-funded group shops. This trend may increase, as vehicle manufacturers require expensive equipment, tooling and certification to work on their vehicles. To carve out a successful niche for an independent shop, in the past I’ve suggested a variety of options. One that I think gets too little attention is the commercial vehicle market. In the past I’ve assisted three different shops that at least partly specialized in commercial vehicles. One focused on government and police vehicles. Another put in an oversize frame machine and an expanded spray booth to accommodate slightly larger delivery trucks, and a third shop, a GM dealership shop, focused on companies with Chevrolet and GM business vehicles. All three enjoyed above average profits on their commercial business. When I inquired about the pros and cons of this business, I learned that many small businesses prefer not to place minor damage claims with their insurance companies. They’d rather self-pay the repairs. Also since small dents and dings were a regular occurrence with some companies, the shop would provide a monthly billing statement and enjoy a steady stream of income. The shop owner who provided much of its commercial business to the local police department, quickly learned that he would get more of that
business if he also provided minor engine maintenance, lubrication and brakes and times. One single dedicated bay sufficed for that business, which also turned out to be quite profitable. This added service also got him into other commercial accounts. Plunging into the world of commercial accounts requires a very different method of marketing from normal insured and dealership vehicle promotions. Marketing to this world is more similar to that of many other services. Since most areas have a multitude of small and medium business with anywhere from a couple of vehicles to an entire fleet (one pest control company had over 200 vehicles), building a database of prospects can be a first step. For example, lists of appliance repair companies, air conditioning and heating companies, plumbers, electricians, and handyman and painting service companies can be purchased from a list company or built from on-line listings. The following four steps might be one way to develop opportunities to meet with prospective commercial account principals. It assumes you have a competent phone solicitation person who can modify the script to fit the conversation as he or she goes along. 1. Exploratory phone call: Could I please speak to your (delivery) vehicle maintenance manager. (If not in) Can I leave a message? What is his/her name, please? May I also send a note? What is the exact spelling of his/her name? Do I have the correct address? (If none, get mailing address. (If provided by outside
source, ask for company that provides delivery vehicles) 2. To vehicle manager: Hello. I noticed that your company has company-owned vehicles. Do you do your own maintenance? (If so) Do you also repair damage to vehicle if they get in an accident or pick up minor dents or dings? (Usually they say NO) We would like to do some minor repair on one of your vehicles to show you the quality and speed of our work. (If large vehicles, indicate if we have an oversize frame machine and expanded spray booth to accommodate oversize vehicles). (If not doing their own maintenance) I assume, then, that you’re using an outside company to do your maintenance? (Usually YES) How many vehicles do you have? Would you consider an alternate outside service, if just for emergencies, when you need very fast service – or just to try an al-
ternate source? (IF not at this time) May I send you some information about our company? 3. Follow up the call by sending a letter and some literature. After a while, when you’re sure your letter has arrived, call again to see if he or she got it. Check again for an opportunity to perform some minor service to demonstrate what our shop can do – or to meet with the appropriate person. 4. Continue to send an update every month. Call again in a couple of months. Continue until they begin to respond positively and are willing to come in for at least a minor repair. Eventually this will work with many of them. Soliciting commercial business is very different from the usual collision repair marketing. Speed of repair is of the greatest importance. The company wants to get a disabled vehicle back on the road as soon as possible. If you can prove your shop can be the fastest, you’re likely to get the business.
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Nissan Settles Class-Action Suit Claiming Faulty Brakes
Nissan North America has agreed to reimburse customers between $20 and $800 each to resolve a lawsuit alleging that defects in certain vehicles caused brakes to fail suddenly, according to court papers. The settlement agreement, filed on Dec. 5, would affect current or former owners of approximately 350,000 vehicles nationwide. They include 2004-08 Nissan Armadas, Infiniti QX56s or certain Nissan Titans, according to the court papers filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. If approved by U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton, the settle-
ment would resolve a 2011 lawsuit that claimed a problem with an electrical component would cause the brakes to fail without warning. Plaintiffs had sought reimbursement for monetary losses, including expenses incurred for replacement or repairs. It does not include claims for physical injuries.Under the agreement, Nissan would reimburse class members between $20 and $800, depending on a vehicle’s mileage. The court awarded $3.45M in legal fees and expenses for the plaintiffs’ lawyers. A Nissan spokesman declined to comment.
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Associations Look Back
first year event that we spent the entire year working to develop content for. I love that our trade association produces events that can make our members feel inspired and empowered, and it is one of the very specific reasons that SCRS and SEMA partnered on our work together over 5 years ago. We saw opportunity for an industry that had everything to gain from good ideas being delivered in an environment that fostered creativity and business development. I never fail to be in awe of that ‘electricity’ that fills the halls and classrooms of the Show, and this particular day of focused discussion was memorable because it brought people together to focus on an issue that is important to all.” Schulenburg continues, “this session generated some remarkable responses from the attendees, as we took a good hard look at the defining responsibilities of collision repair businesses, automakers and equipment manufacturers as the room focused on a common issue relative to repairability of new technology found in the structural design of the modern vehicle. The topics from this new forum have spawned a whole new level of engagement from an industry hungry for more information. It has shone a light on areas that SCRS can help to encourage and promote relevant and much-needed industry discussion, and where we can provide insight into areas of curiosity. The work from this session has already fueled potential programs and offerings that we will launch during the year and that will inspire programs next year. What makes it memorable isn’t the event; it is watching the ideas flow in the postevent conversations and to see what was just a spark of imagination in our planning session turn into such a valuable resource that inspires so many others. For those that joined us this year, I hope it was equally as memorable for you. For those who couldn’t, I really hope you can next year!” In 2014, the National Auto Body Council (NABC) assisted in facilitating the donation of over 300 vehicles that were restored by members of the collision repair industry and donated to families and military heroes in need of reliable transportation. “In speaking for the NABC, I’m proud to say that our organization, made up of dedicated mem-
bers of our inter-industry, changed the lives of the recipients of those vehicles, forever, through the NABC’s Recycled Rides initiative,” states NABC President, Nick Notte. “ This activity was in direct support of the NABC’s vision, which states that ‘Automotive Collision Repairers are Admired Professionals.’ It absolutely supports the NABC’s mission to ‘Develop, implement and promote community-based initiatives which exemplify the professionalism and integrity of the Collision Repair Industry’.” Tony Ferraiolo, President of the Auto Body Association of Connecticut (ABAC), believes that the best thing the association did in 2014 was to “bring education style meetings to our membership, specifically by presenting topics with speakers to address industry concerns and ever-changing evolution. We strive to entice members to get away from their normal way of conducting business and experience new and different approaches to keep up with training, technology, and equipment.” For the Georgia Collision Industry Association (GCIA), “our most memorable achievement was raising money for a local technical school to help them educate the next generation of technicians,” according to GCIA Executive Director Howard Batchelor. “The average age of technicians is over 45 years, and we need a well-educated work force to work on the technically advanced vehicles of today.” John Petrarca, President of the Auto Body Association of Rhode Island (ABARI), says “in 2014, ABARI witnessed the positive effects of its hard fought legislation regarding the valuation of total losses that was passed in 2013. As the regulatory process concluded in 2014, consumers quickly began to see the benefits of the legislation, as insurers must now use the 75% repair cost/value threshold for every vehicle, or obtain the owner’s written consent to total the vehicle, thereby preventing insurers from unfairly declaring a consumer’s repairable vehicle a total loss, because it would cost less. The law also requires insurers to value total loss vehicles based upon either NADA or Kelley Blue Book when settling total loss claims. ABARI fought hard at every step to prevent insurers from diluting the meaning and intent of the law at the regulatory level. We succeeded, and the law’s implementation has taken the guesswork and hassle out of the process and prevents insurers
18 JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
from using cost cutting programs to unfairly settle claims. The total loss legislation was an enormous win for consumers, and ABARI is very proud to be part of this victory, especially in Rhode Island where most residents are still struggling to crawl out of a very difficult economy.” For the Long Island Auto Body Repairmen’s Association (LIABRA), 2014 was filled with opportunities for growth and supporting their membership. Executive Director Ed Kizenberger recalls, “we had several memorable items worth mentioning in 2014. First is our merger with the Auto Body Craftsmen’s Guild of NYC. This merger will allow us to support and represent all of downstate New York. Our membership now spans from the East end of Long Island to the western end of Staten Island. Also, our parts procurement bill, which was one of the first of its kind in the USA, came quite close to being voted into law. We hope to see it come to its full potential in 2015. Lastly, our educational seminars were well attended and received good reviews from our membership.” “At ASA-Illinois, our best accomplishment was hiring Donna Kelly as our new Executive Director,” said
Dave Walter, President and Chairman of ASA-IL’s Board. “That, along with Deb Bullwinkel staying on as Co-Executive Director, was the catalyst for our 15% growth on the Mechanical side. They were also instrumental in what many would say is our most significant accomplishment, opening ASA-Illinois to Collision members after almost 20 years. They did a great job this year, and we’re looking forward to more growth in 2015.” ASA-CO Board members got the chance to meet ASA-National’s Executive Director in 2014, and according to the affiliate chapter’s Executive Director Kari Foster, “meeting with Dan has been the highlight of ASA Colorado’s year. The work we do for the Collision members on the national level and in Washington is why many local members are a part of the Automotive Service Association of Colorado—and we are so proud to be a part of the national community.” For many associations, no memories from 2014 can usurp memories of some of the events they hosted. Luz Rubio, Executive Director of ASA-AZ, cites the Phoenix Chapter’s Board retreat in August as being extremely See Associations Look Back, Page 28
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Continued from Cover
Four News Stories
no aluminum repair capabilities, that investment likely topped $50,000. Will that investment begin to pay off in 2015 for those shops and the 1,400 more independent shops Ford hopes to get certified this year? Just as Ford is rolling the dice to some degree in making such a significant change to its best-selling vehicle, shops too should probably be thinking long-term
about the investment needed to ramp up for aluminum repairs. One study predicts that even by the end of 2015, there may be only nine aluminum F150s a month needing repairs in most major markets. But other automakers are expected in 2015 to announce new aluminum vehicles coming. So while shops equipped to do aluminum work may see only a trickle of such work this year, they’re getting ready for what is likely more to come.
2. “(Shops are left in) the untenable position of either performing incomplete or substandard repairs and thus breaching their obligations to automotive owners to return vehicles to pre-accident condition, or performing labor and expending materials without proper compensation.” That’s the description used in almost 20 lawsuits filed by shops in 17 states in 2014, accusing insurance companies of conspiring to manipulate labor rates and other shop charges to reduce
Also Heard Around the Industry in 2014
“If they want to return a part, you need to tell them, ‘You bought this through PartsTrader; you need to return it through the system,’ so you get credit for the return. If they don’t want to return it through the system, then I hate to say it, but they are probably up to no good.” – PartsTrader’s Ken Weiss telling non-OEM parts distributors at a conference why the system will help vendors “avoid some of the games and will help bring down (parts) returns.” “We have most of the U.S. large cities or popu-
lation areas covered. We’re not targeting to be in all 50 states. We’ve got the vast majority of Americans covered for what we need to do from an insurance perspective.” – CARSTAR CEO David Byers on the company’s plans to work for growth in key markets (it now has about 440 franchises in 32 states) rather than specific states.
“We’re giving you guys a lot of instructions. Yet I could walk into three-quarters of shops in the country and they’re not doing it right.”
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costs. The suits allege that State Farm is at the heart of an effort by the insurers to suppress labor rates, to coerce shops into accepting less than actual or market costs for materials, to refuse to pay for a list of required procedures, and to punish non-compliant shops through steering. The suits allege these actions constitute tortuous interference, unjust enrichment and violation of Sherman Act price-fixing and boycotting prohibitions. They seek un-
– Rick Leos of Toyota, expressing frustration with what he sees as the industry’s failure to use the OEM collision repair procedures that do exist. “The shop didn’t sell a rental coverage policy, and they didn’t profit from the sale of that policy.” – Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists, on why it’s unfair for an insurer to expect a shop to pay the cost of a rental vehicle if cycle time for a job exceeds an unrealistic formula adopted by the insurer.
specified damages for lost revenue and damages suffered by the shops, and treble damages and attorneys’ fees for the Sherman Act violations. They also seek an injunction prohibiting the insurers from “directing, advising or otherwise suggesting that any person or firm do business or refuse to do business” with any of the named shops; from using boycott, coercion or flat rate manuals to establish or control repair shop pricing; and from requiring the shops to participate in any parts procurement program. As 2014 came to an end, most of the lawsuits were being consolidated into one U.S. District Kris Mayer Court in Florida, a court whose first decision on them in 2015 could be whether to dismiss them or allow them to continue. If they are not dismissed, the judicial process could easily extend not only through 2015 but on into 2016.
3. “There’s probably some disruption and some unintended consequences in this process.”
Within 24 hours of surprising almost everybody by announcing in November that General Motors was discontinuing the publication of traditional list prices for crash parts, GM’s Kris Mayer had clearly heard a lot about those disruptions and unintended consequences. In less than a week, GM backed off a December 1 launch of the change, pushing it back into sometime in early 2015. As described by GM, the new system means that parts prices will no longer be available within the estimating systems. Instead, shops will need to upload all estimates requiring prices for GM parts to MyPriceLink, which will then return the estimate back with current, competitive prices. Mayer said the prices returned by the system will be dynamic, based on “the market or a particular price and its competition.” Mayer said GM does not intend to “change margin structure for the people who are involved.” What happens in 2015 may depend a little on what the real reason was for GM delaying the launch. Publicly, GM said that “workflow pressures on outside parties have brought to light enhanced solutions and the in-
creased desire for integration opportunities,” necessitating the delay. In a memo to its dealers, GM said it had “uncovered a system issue that could negatively impact the performance of MyPriceLink across a number of industry work streams.” Some sources have said a major technology partner working with GM on the system pulled out based on push-back it received from shops and insurers. Jason Bartanen In any case, whatever GM decides about launch of the system, it definitely will be among the major news stories in 2015.
4. “We really want to put this information into technician’s hands.” I-CAR’s Jason Bartanen said the goal of I-CAR’s “Repairability Technical
Support Portal,” launched back in August, is to get OEM repair procedures and vehicle information as close to technicians as the nearest computer, tablet or smartphone screen. The portal (http://rts.i-car.com) is a hybrid of both a guide to what procedures each automaker makes available (on their own websites) and increasingly a source for the actual procedures themselves. In late 2014, for example, the portal posted 51 collision repair instruction sheets from Ford for the new F-150. I-CAR promises to offer similar access to even more OEM information in 2015. The portal also enables a technician to submit an inquiry about OEM information he or she can’t locate, and the responses to those inquiries will be posted to the portal as well. That may make it an increasingly valuable resource in 2015 – and beyond.
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Lean Operations
David Luehr is the owner of Elite Body Shop Solutions, LLC, a collision business consulting firm based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is a 30 year veteran of the collision repair industry. David is an expert in Body Shop Operations and specializes in Lean, and Theory of Constraints methods. Email him at dluehr@msn.com
Successful Change Using Modern Leadership with David Luehr
I have presented and written several articles recently where I have expressed my views on the new age of leadership. I have been openly critical about the outdated, Industrial Age leadership methods being used by leaders in many collision repair businesses. The reason I am so passionate about this subject is because it is at the very core of our continued success as a collision industry. The business leaders that first embrace modern leadership concepts will dominate the industry! Shop leaders continue to struggle implementing new systems for producing repair jobs faster and better. Lean systems are beginning to get a bad name. Technicians think that each new attempt at process change is just another “flavor of the month” and rarely if ever do they embrace the change initiatives. Why? I will give you my scaled down version of “why” containing two eye opening thoughts.
■ Why are you in business? ■ Why should the staff care?
Why are you in business? This seemingly simple question completely stumps a vast majority of my clients. Why do you do what you do? Is the reason you get out of bed every day just to keep the bills paid or is there a grander more noble purpose to why you are managing or owning a collision repair business? The sad fact is that many of my clients forgot why they started their business to begin with. The harsh realities of daily business has changed the original why from what was once a why of great joy and passion to what is now mere survival. Have we forgotten how to dream? I have nothing against consolidators, but in many cases, MSO consolidation feeds on the lost dreams of independent owners. Can you see the connection? I can see it, because I have lived it, and seen it firsthand. What does this have to do with influence and getting people to do what you want? How does this affect your attempts at lasting change? It has everything to do with it! Values and vision are at the very foundation of every great organization. If you
don’t know the “WHY” how are you going to have a guiding vision in the first place? First you must deeply think about your why. Think about the dreams you had when you first opened your body shop or when you first became the manager of a shop. Find that passionate person inside of you and bring him back! What does your business model look and feel like in your dreams? In your dreams, is your shop the one everyone wants to come to work at? Are DRPs lining up at your door because your reputation is so amazing? Are your customers raving fans because you and your employees treat them with a level of excellence rarely seen in the industry? Are you and your staff enjoying your time at work? Thoughts like those I have mentioned are a distant dream for many, but it is also a pleasant reality for business owners that are willing to continue fighting when slapped in the face by reality, doubt, and fear! Once you have figured out and written down your why, it is time to shout it out to the world! It becomes the fabric of your business, the culture, and then you can begin to share the vision of the why with your employees. Only after you understand this can the next step be addressed.
Why Should the Staff Care? Industrial aged thinking views employee satisfaction and motivation primarily as a product of the almighty dollar. In Daniel Pink’s book, DRIVE, he states “The best use of money as a motivator is to pay people enough to take the issue of money off the table.” Daniel then goes on to say, “But once we’ve cleared the table, carrots and sticks can achieve precisely the opposite of their intended aims.” So to paraphrase Pink’s thoughts, paying people what they are worth is critical to fulfill their basic needs of living, but beyond that, throwing money at problems in an attempt to solve them usually doesn’t work. I believe that many of us still use this technique mainly because we don’t understand modern leadership skills. In my recent article “The Wrong Bonus Plan Can be Worse than None
22 JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
at All” (see Auto Body News August 2014) I go into depth on why this is so. “There will never be an incentive program that can make up for the lack of proper management and leadership!”
3 fundamental leadership steps I believe there are 3 fundamental leadership steps to getting your people to follow you and your change initiatives. Obviously there is a lot more to leadership and influence skills than what I am giving you today, but if you can get these 3 right, you are well on your way!
1. Learn how to communicate with people In order to get people to openly communicate with you, you need to learn how to talk to people correctly. Modern leadership involves creating a safe environment for people to speak freely with each other and leaders. Time
wisely spent just listening to your staff with your ego removed is huge to the development of a healthy change culture. Every shop has employees that mouth off and complain a lot, it is your job to find out what lies beneath the griping. Communication skills are paramount to all other leadership skills in my opinion and simply by being a better listener and making it safe for people to open up to you will make a huge difference over time.
2. Tie intrinsic values to key behaviors If you want to get your staff on board with your change initiatives, you must learn to tie your employees intrinsic values to key behaviors that will make your vision come to life! In other words, you have to know your people, what they value and think is important. Intrinsic value is another word for “what are you passionate about?” See Successful Change, Page 32
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Historical Snapshot
—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.
CIC Says ‘No’ to ASA, Sheila Loftus Predicts, Multi Association Task Force, Labor Rates with John Yoswick
20 years ago in the collision repair industry (January 1995) Participants at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in San Diego in January voted to reject the Automotive Service Association’s offer to fund and administer future CIC meetings. While shop owners, suppliers and insurers at the meeting praised ASA’s offer, many also said they felt ASA’s resources could be put to better use. “I would like to commend the leadership of ASA for being willing to look at benevolent programs on the part of the industry,” Mitchell’s Ted Hill said. “But CIC has gotten where it has with its present (funding) method. If we change it, would we be cheating ourselves from some other opportunity that ASA’s funds could go toward to benefit the industry?” ASA’s offer was presented to CIC by Bob Anderson, an Ohio shop owner and director of the ASA’s Collision Division. The proposal stated that ASA would use profits from the National Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) to fund its administration of CIC, eliminating the need for CIC participants to pay a per-meeting fee or annual sponsorship fee. “It would be an open-door policy for anyone who would like to attend,” Anderson said. “Many times, ASA has been criticized by those saying, ‘NACE makes some money; why don’t you do something for the industry?’ That is our intent here today. This is not an attempt by ASA to take control of CIC. We are not asking for any special considerations from this group by making this proposal. Our motives are sincere. It is merely to provide financial assistance to the industry.” CIC participants voiced several concerns with ASA’s proposal, including the possible perception of CIC if administered by ASA. “I honestly would be surprised if at any point in time this group decided to have any other group administrate it,” Jeff Hendler, a past CIC chairman and current administrator of CIC, said. “I don’t think Mitchell would like it if ADP or CCC made this proposal. I don’t think Ford would like it, if General Motors made this proposal. I don’t think ASA would like it if the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Asso-
ciation made the proposal. I think it’s – From an editorial in Hammer & ministration to direct repair shops. the most benevolent gesture I’ve heard Dolly by Sheila Loftus. Progressive in a long, long time. I’d just like to see has not owned body shops, but within 10 years ago in the collision repair the money funneled somewhere else.” two years of Loftus’ column, the insurer industry (January 2005) Anderson said ASA would be began piloting its “Concierge” service The three national collision repair assoopen to consider CIC proposciations have formed a “groundbreakals for use of ASA resources ing” joint taskforce as an off-shoot of and NACE profits. the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) to work on “macro issues related to the – As reported in Autobody way the [estimating] database compaNews. Now in its 31st year, CIC continues to be adminisnies operate.” tered by Hendler’s company. Although the Association of AutoASA’s profits from NACE motive Service Professionals (AASP), have presumably declined sigthe Automotive Service Association nificantly since its offer to CIC (ASA), and the Society of Collision Rein 1995. That year, NACE had pair Specialists (SCRS) pushed for for620 exhibiting companies and Bob Anderson presented the Automotive Service mation of the task force, the three 31,000 attendees; last year, Association’s 1995 offer to fund and administer the groups said it will be open to particiNACE had 6,500 attendees quarterly Collision Industry Conference (CIC) meetings, pants from other segments of the inan offer CIC declined and 180 exhibiting companies. dustry, including insurers. In announcing the proposal, SCRS centers. Allstate bought Sterling Collichairman Lou DiLisio said the tasksion Centers in 2001 and grew the chain 15 years ago in the collision repair until it sold it off last year. Virtually all force will not address concerns about a industry (January 2000) Now that we’ve seen one millennium auto insurers, however, have shifted specific labor time. Rather, the taskcome to a close, I’d like to have a crysforce will look at issues such as how significant portions of their claims adtal ball and be able to foresee what will happen in the next millennium. I’d even settle for being able to see about Welcome to the ALL NEW PARTICIPAITING IN to the next 10 years. Or 50. Or 10. I’m afraid, though, that I, like most non-visionaries, will just have to see how things go. Even so, I’ll venture my own New Year’s list of predictions. Situation: The Baby Boomers are aging. The collision repair industry is already struggling to replace the Boomers in the workplace, and the search for • Daily & Overnight Delivery • Great Prices good help will only get more difficult in • Technical Support • Prompt Service this millennium. I’d like to see our in• Knowledgeable & • Large Inventory of dustry actively embrace works we haven’t pursued in the past: women, miCourteous Parts Team Genuine OEM Parts norities, non-English speakers. Prediction: By 2005, women will represent 10 percent of business owners in the collision repair industry, and the majority of workers in the industry will be first- and second-generation Americans. Situation: One collision repairer I know said he’d be happy to concentrate all his business on one insurer. So in the future, will collision repair shops be appropriated by insurance company Fax: 405.292.1373 405 292 137 claims departments? Mon. - Fri.: 7 am - 9 pm Prediction: In 2008, you’ll see Sat. : 8 am - 4 pm Sat the opening of Progressive Body Shop. And in 2009, you’ll se the closparts@fowlerhonda.com www.fowlerhonda.com ing of Progressive Body Shop.
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large-scale changes are made to the estimating databases and introduced into the industry. The creation of the taskforce comes in the wake of the ADP October (2004) situation in which paint labor times for about 150 vehicles were reduced. Such time reductions, whether made in error or not, are typically found by users only through trial and error, DiLisio said. The new taskforce may work toward a disclosure system for such changes. “The ADP issue caused problems across the industry for insurers, repairers and consumers,” DiLisio said. “To try to stop that from happening again, we’d like to sit down with the information providers and figure out a better way to make sure there’s full disclosure of any changes that come forward.” – As reported in Autobody News. The taskforce was active for about five years, during which time it successfully pushed the estimating system providers to add more information to the systems about such things as what types of metals are used in various parts of particular vehicles. It was less successful in pressing for such changes as automation of operations such as “feather, prime and block.” “We’re disappointed Continued from Page 18
Associations Look Back
memorable since it was the first time the retreat has been held in over a decade. Rubio states, “it was a great experience. All members contributed to the development of the plan for the year and agreed to reconvene in 2015.” For John Williams, Executive Vice President of the Independent Damage Appraisers Association (IADA), his most memorable association-related experience of 2014 was “the success of our 46th Vehicle Repair Conference in Baltimore, MD. Our conference was well attended, and speakers were outstanding; it was a great educational experience!” Similarly, “for the Texas Independent Automotive Association (TIAA), the most memorable event was the 2014 Texas Tire & Automotive EXPO. It was memorable because it was the first joint convention/EXPO of the Texas Tire Dealers and the Texas Automotive Collision/Repair organizations, and it was very successful. This first event set the stage for a great future alliance between the two industries,” says Chuck Space,
in the lack of progress with some of the issues we’ve brought to the table,” DiLisio said in April of 2010.
5 years ago in the collision repair industry (January 2010) The Rhode Island Supreme Court will hear arguments on February 9 in the legal battle over a 2006 state law mandating that every insurer (with more than 1 percent market share) in Rhode Island conduct a labor rate survey. A state agency had said that under the law such surveys can be just one of a number of factors an insurer uses to determine a prevailing rate. But the Auto Body Association of Rhode Island sued the agency, and a lower court ruled in 2008 that the survey results must be “the sole determinant of the prevailing auto body labor rate.” The agency appealed that decision to the state’s Supreme Court. – As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), January 4, 2010. The Rhode Island Supreme Court later that year overturned the lower court’s ruling, saying that while the labor rate surveys must be conducted, they don’t have to be the sole determinant used by insurers in the state to determine a prevailing labor rate in a market.
Executive Director of the TIAA. ASA-Northwest also enjoyed a successful event in 2014 with their annual Automotive Training Expo (ATE) where Executive Director Jeff Lovell recounts, “we had over 900 attendees with 600 going through our training program; the Expo was sold out, and most of the training seminars were filled to capacity. Our first ATE had only 173 attendees going through the training, so it was a very special time for ASA-Northwest to see all of our efforts, which started seven years ago, come to fruition with such a successful ATE.” Overall, 2014 was a very productive year for the collision repair industry, and hopefully, 2015 will be even better, thanks to the efforts of these and many other associations. We look forward to continuing to provide you with all of the association news in 2015 also. Happy holidays! See you in 2015!
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Continued from Page 15
Industry Statistics
■ The national average rates for body/paint, frame and mechanical rose 14% or less during that period. ■ The national average rate for paint materials went up 19.7% from 20062013
Average Labor Hours per Claim: (Mitchell International) ● 2011: Avg. repair labor hours - 8.8, avg. removal of labor hours- 6.54, avg. refinish hours- 9.19 ● 2012: 8.78 hours, 6.85 hours and 9.23 hours ● 2013: 8.74 hours, 6.94 hours, and 9.25 hours ● 2014 (1Q): 8.31 hours, 6.94 hours, 9.13 hours
Uninsured Drivers (Insurance Research Council) ■ All but one state (New Hampshire) requires drivers to have insurance ■ Percentage of uninsured motorists rises or falls with unemployment (so percentage has fallen since 2009) ■ About 29.7 million drivers (12.6%) of drivers nationally lack insurance, down from 14.9% in 2003
Inflation Comparison (Collision Week) ● Over the last 12 months, price of auto insurance and body work increased above the rate of inflation ● And since 2009, body work has risen 13.11%, slightly ahead of the overall inflation rate of 12.65% during that period ● But auto insurance costs have risen considerably higher, up 24.53% since 2009
Anderson says insurance companies need “service, speed, and accuracy” from body shops, in order to be as effective as possible. “Body shops should give extraordinary service, fix the car fast with quality, which is possible with a team system, allowing for more hands on deck and be accurate - know when the car is going to be returned to the customer, and stick with that time.”
The Romans Group studies show: ■ Of the largest 68 MSOs, almost 28% are in the West, and almost 26% are in the Southeast ■ The Northeast has the lowest MSO representation (just 5.6%) See Industry Statistics, Page 32
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Industry Looks to Plant DNA to Solve Scrap Metal Theft Retribution for Scrap Metal Thieves Arrives from Overseas by Victoria Antonelli, Online Editor
The thievery of aluminum, copper, and other scrap metals continues to haunt all corners of the international auto industry, despite a steady decline in prices since its peak in 2008 (nearly $500 a ton). Michael Cavanaugh, owner of J&D Auto Salvage in West Warwick, RI, is all too familiar with scrap metal burglary. “We used to have a list on a pad, and we could pick and choose which cars we were going to get, and which ones we’d send to the town over. Our truck would always come back with three to four cars a day. It never came back empty,” said Cavanaugh. “Now, for the past year, year-and-a-half, we’re lucky if we get three to four cars a week. It’s slim pickins’ now that everything has been scrapped.” Cavanaugh blames unlicensed scrap metal yards for his decline in business. He said that he and his wife have contacted the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation about the issue.
“I have emails going back to 2009,” said Cavanaugh. “The position that deals with these types of issues was left unfilled for 10 months, so the department said they would keep my complaints in a folder until they hired someone, but even when they did, I never heard back.”
Photo courtesy of Mitchell Miller, Director of Communications at Applied DNA Sciences in Stony Brook, NY
“I understand [Cavanaugh’s] frustration that there are unlicensed people out there. That’s why, give us more tips,” said Maria D’Alessandro —the Deputy Director of Securities, Commercial Licensing, and Racing and Athletics at the Rhode Island DBR— in an article written by wpri.com re-
porter–– Tim White. “We are acting on these tips.” Autobody News contacted the DBR for comment, but never heard back. Cavanaugh has noticed a change outside his auto salvage yard as well. “When you used to drive through a neighborhood, there would be junk cars in everyone’s yard,” he said. “Now there’s not a car to be found—your car breaks down on the side of the highway, after no more than a day somebody comes and grabs it for scrap.” Body shops have also felt the pain of scrap metal theft. Travis Dowling of Great Plains Auto Body in Nebraska said their shop on Emmet Street has been robbed three times. “The burglars sliced through cables, torched the key hole on one side of the building, and then cut the pad locks on the containers where the scrap metal is kept,” said Dowling. “Luckily, they stole the older scraps—aluminum hoods, containers and condensers—and not the newer ones that are worth more.” After the third break-in, Dowling contacted authorities, and the property
now has constant police surveillance after hours and on weekends. “It’s time-consuming and costly to have to replace the locks, chains, and make 12 new keys for the employees,” he added. Also in Nebraska, a man was arrested for stealing wheel rims from Ron’s Body Shop and scrap metal from Precise Fabrication and T.O. Haas Tired Company back in 2012. Rhory M. Ivy became a suspect after police found a receipt from Beatrice Scrap Processing Co. stating that he brought in 2,800 lbs of scrap metal, which is worth about $554, according to reports by the Beatrice Daily Sun. Authorities were then able to trace the scrap metal back to the three locations. At a body shop in Elizabeth, N.J., five male burglars tied up patrons and employees before pursuing catalytic converters and cash in April 2014. No injuries were reported, according to ABC Eyewitness News, New York. Unassuming vehicle owners have also experienced the aftershock of these crimes. Five catalytic converters
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were cut off of vehicles parked in Silver Lake, Los Angeles during a span of one week in June 2014, according to an article by eastsiderla.com. Police stated that on average, there is about one catalytic converter theft per week. A Silver Lake resident reported that his Honda Element sounded like a “jet engine” when he turned it on in the morning after parking in the street. Sure enough, the catalytic converter had been severed off. “Cat-Clamps” have become a popular solution, since most car alarms do not react to this type of intrusion because windows or doors are not being accessed. Another alternative to stopping scrap metal theft has “taken off” in the UK and other parts of Europe, and is making its way to America’s shores. Applied DNA Sciences, a biotech company in Stony Brook, NY, has found a way to synthesize plant DNA into, well, anything, and then track the object from there. “There are so many applications, it’s almost a problem,” said Tony Benson, managing director of ADNAS, who is based in London, England. “You dream it and it’s there, I don’t think we’ve found anything we can’t
apply it to, it’s that flexible.” The product, called SigNature DNA, has a complex characteristic, which allows for the endless possibilities. “The fluorophore within the product or liquid glows bright red under UV light, but cannot be seen at all under normal conditions,” said Benson. “Law enforcement is aware of
An example of the SigNature DNA in visible light vs. UV light. Photo courtesy of Mitchell Miller, Director of Communications at Applied DNA Sciences in Stony Brook, NY
this, so when they scan an item with a UV light and it turns red, they know it is one of our products and from there we can track where it came from and who stole it.” The product was initially developed to combat the rising number of armored car attacks in England. In 2006, there were 1,006 attacks on ar-
mored cars driving to and from banks with cash. The first deterrent—an ink spray that was released when the robber opened a cash box—didn’t stop them, according to Benson. “They would just wash the ink off the cash,” he said. “But once the plant DNA was synthesized into the cash boxes in 2008, attacks dropped by 75 percent—close to 100 criminals have been put away with a combined sentence of 500 years, thanks to DNA technology.” Today, car dealerships, body shops, insurers, vehicle manufactures, boat owners, electrical and railroad companies, and even homeowners in Europe use DNA technology to target scrap metal theft. “A car dealer can use the kit we sell on the interior of their car, like in the leather seats for example, or on the underbody,” added Benson. And the improvement is monumental. “We have seen an 85 percent reduction in crime in areas where we’ve applied the DNA to copper and other scrap metals,” said Benson. Benson feels that getting the word out about this product will help prevent crime from happening in the
first place, which is the ultimate goal. “Criminals understand DNA, they all watch CSI, and they know they’d be in trouble if they got caught with that, so it’s a fantastic deterrence.” Another popular product created by Applied DNA Sciences is SmokeCloak® DNA. “As soon as someone enters a building after hours, the fog triggers, and fills the whole place,” said Benson. “You can’t see your hand in front of you. It’s like you’re at a pop concert.” “I’ve experienced it—and you literally don’t know where you are—it’s like you’re in a plane upside down,” added Mitchell Miller, director of communications at ADNAS. The fog is filled with: you guessed it, DNA molecules that stick to the trespassers’ clothes, hair, and skin, and can fill warehouses that are 200,000 sq. ft. or bigger. “Europeans understand it and get what it does, and it’s starting to get traction in the US,” added Benson. “In fact, it could be bigger in the US—the main thing is, it works—people love it, insurers love it, car dealerships love it.”
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Continued from Page 22
Successful Change
intrinsic values (smooth continuous production) to key behaviors (thorough disassembly.)
Once you get to know your people at a deeper level, you can have conversations with them about why such and such change initiative is important not only to the company, but also to them. To illustrate this, imagine speaking to your body tech about the importance of thorough disassembly and why it is critical to the success of blueprinting. This body tech is often negatively vocal about the quality of the estimates that are being produced at your shop, and commonly complains about all the delays it causes for him. This problem does create a financial impact for him, but what really ticks him off is that every time he gets started on a vehicle, he runs into a supplement or parts issue, and has to stop again. Too many leaders would write him off as a chronic complainer and not act further on the matter. He values smooth continuous production and it is your job as a modern day leader to connect the dots for him as to specifically why the thorough disassembly will help eliminate his pain. You have then connected his
3. Share the vision If you closely follow steps one and two and act with integrity while doing so, you will have built a foundation of trust and respect. This foundation may take months or maybe years to create, but it is this foundation that allows you to successfully share your why with your team. Your why, when connected to the intrinsic values of your people becomes a powerful culture. The vision of your why becomes the vision that your entire organization “lives.” You must paint this vision every day, so don’t be afraid to yell it from the roof tops, talk about your vision in your morning meetings, live it! Just don’t make the mistake of acting contrary to your vision. If your vision is to produce the highest quality collision repair work in your city, you better not turn a blind eye to even one poor quality repair job. Every time you turn a blind eye on your why or your vision, you quickly lose respect, and your integrity suffers. Having created a culture where everyone understands the vision,
Continued from Page 28
■ Some insurers are allowing more shops to write and upload an initial estimate even if not part of the insurer’s formal DRP program ■ During recession, drop in claims may have allowed insurers to process higher percentage of claims through staff appraisers rather than through DRP shops ■ Some of the “regional MSOs” with higher DRP counts may have expanded across state lines, shifting them into “national MSOs” and thus leading to reduction in the average DRP count for regional MSOs
Industry Statistics
■ Of the largest 68, more than half (39) do business in only one state
The 68 MSOs with annual sales over $20 million: (The Romans Group) ● Processed 15.5% of the $31.4 billion in collision revenue (up from 14.7% the prior year) ● When combined with four largest franchise branded consolidators, they processed 19% of all collision revenue ● Had sales of about $4.9 billion in 2013 (up $400 million from 2012 ● Have annual average sales of $3.5 million per location ● The top 10 MSOs include four dealerowned and six independent MSOs
CCC information services answers the question, “Why aren’t MSOs adding DRPs as much as they did 2000-2009?” ■ As larger insurers gain market share, more claims are going through fewer DRPs ■ One major insurer replaced traditional DRP by placing adjusters in shops, reducing many shops’ DRP counts by one
“I think DRPs have made body shops lazy,” said Anderson. “What happens is once they’re certified by the DRPs, they stop worrying about servicing the customer, building that rapport, and marking their business, and then when things don’t work right and the DRP wants possession, the body shop gets all mad. At the end of the day, we need to take responsibility.” If you’re not happy with the way your shop is performing, Anderson says, “take responsibility – it’s not ‘we’ it’s ‘I;’ what can I do differently as a shop owner to impact my community and the industry?”
32 JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
change initiatives such as those used in lean methods become much easier to pull off. If for example you want to implement a new Blueprint program, you gather your people, you explain why Blueprinting is important to the company’s vision. You connect the behaviors necessary for successful Blueprinting (such as thorough disassembly) to their intrinsic values (smooth continuous production, or whatever) and then you ask for their input on the best way to implement Blueprinting at your shop. (Buy-in)
Nissan Settles Class-Action Suit Claiming Faulty Brakes
Nissan North America has agreed to reimburse customers between $20 and $800 each to resolve a lawsuit alleging that defects in certain vehicles caused brakes to fail suddenly, according to court papers. The settlement agreement, filed on Dec. 5, would affect current or former owners of approximately 350,000 vehicles nationwide. They include 2004-08 Nissan Armadas, Infiniti QX56s or certain Nissan Titans, according to the court papers filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. If approved by U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton, the settlement would resolve a 2011 lawsuit that claimed a problem with an electrical component would cause the brakes to fail without warning.
Summary Clearly there is much more to becoming an Influence Master than what is written in this article, but as I have stated, if you can just master the techniques I have described in this article you will seriously be miles ahead of the vast majority of shops in this country. Go get ‘em!
Mazda Recall of Takata Airbags to be Expanded Nationwide
Mazda Motor Corp. will soon expand a recall of vehicles in the U.S. involving potentially defective airbags from Takata Corp., the automaker said Dec. 9. Mazda will make existing regional recalls nationwide, said spokeswoman Keiko Yano. Mazda has not yet determined the number of vehicles involved nor when it will launch the recall, she said.
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The Hybrid Shop Carves a Niche in Hybrid Maintenance and Service by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
With nearly 75 different hybrid vehicles currently on the road and more than 100 models expected to be in production by 2016, Matt Curry of The Hybrid Shop said education, training and technology are crucial for the expanding hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) industry. “There’s a pent up demand for hybrid and electric vehicles,” said Curry, the company’s Chief Visionary Officer. “In order to keep up with the future you need to be in the business.” Prior to launching The Hybrid Shop in 2013, Curry and his wife Judy owned Curry’s Auto Service in Northern Virginia since 1997. Over the years they expanded their auto repair business to include 10 shops. During this time Curry purchased eight Toyota Priuses to use as customer shuttles and learn more about hybrids. After talking to Dr. Mark Quarto, a PhD electrical engineer at GM for 28 years who specializes in alternative fuel and hybrid technology, Curry soon realized that HEVs were very different from traditional automotive design.
The Currys sold their retail stores to Monro Muffler Brake in 2013 and opened The Hybrid Shop, which is headquartered in Gainesville, Virginia. Just one year later they have 39 franchises across the U.S. and are looking at further expansion nationwide and around the world. They recently attended the SEMA show in Las Vegas to continue to educate the industry about their business.
In addition to selling full franchises, the Hybrid Shop offers fractional franchises to those who own existing automotive repair and tire facilities and want to add a hybrid component. New owners and their technicians go through a four and a half day training session in Wisconsin. “We teach them how to diagnose, maintain and repair everything on a hybrid vehicle,” said Curry. The fran-
The Hybrid Shop team at their booth during SEMA: Jennifer Martin, Marketing Director; Dave Crawford, CEO; Matt Curry, Chief Visionary Officer; and Bob Curry, President
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chise includes diagnostic tools, training, branding, marketing and sales support. “It is a comprehensive system that teaches them everything about hybrid vehicles.” Once a shop is operational, The Hybrid Shop profiles them on their website, which Curry said generates more than 300 leads a month to their dealer network. “We actively drive traffic into their stores,” said Curry. “We drive car count revenues and profits.” He said that while running his prior business they always prided themselves on their marketing and branding ability. “That’s what allowed us to grow from one store to 10 in 15 years.” Another main component of The Hybrid Shop is the battery conditioning that is offered to customers. Working closely with Chief Technical Officer Dr. Quarto, the AR&D team developed an exclusive technology only found at The Hybrid Shop that can restore a hybrid’s battery to over 95 percent of its original performance. Since hybrid batteries have a 100 percent failure rate, Curry said the only option available has been to replace the battery at an average cost of
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$4,000. “We can condition the battery for about a third of the price of battery replacement so it saves the customers thousands of dollars, it makes the repair shops thousands of dollars, and it’s better for the environment.” Curry said by conditioning the battery every four to five years or every 80,000 miles, it will keep the vehicle running at maximum efficiency, keep the gas mileage up and the performance of the vehicle working properly. “We are revolutionizing the Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) industry by making repair and maintenance as cost-effective and eco-friendly as we possibly can,” said Curry. The Hybrid Shop received a 2014 Stevie People’s Choice Award for Favorite New Products and the 2014 Stevie American Business Award. On Nov. 19, the company announced that a Northern Virginia investment firm that manages approximately $4 billion in assets, has invested in The Hybrid Shop. Funds managed by the firm now own 38% of the company. “We are proud to announce this investment in The Hybrid Shop by a leading, multi-billion dollar firm,” said CEO Dave Crawford. “The fact that a
multi-billion dollar investment firm would want to invest in an early stage company serves as affirmation of our brand, business model and future potential as well as recognition of our success to-date in our ongoing efforts to achieve a position of innovation and fast-growth in the rapidly-evolving hybrid and electric space.” Dave Carney, owner of Hillside Auto Repair, purchased a fractional franchise in March as an addition to their shop. “I think it has provided the most amazing opportunities that I’ve seen in the 30 years that I have been in the industry,” he said. The Torrance, California-based company had limited industry training and didn’t feel they had enough knowledge about this growing industry. After sending five employees to The Hybrid Shop’s training, Carney said he could dispatch a hybrid to any one of them and they had the skill sets to be able to diagnose and work on it. “I’ve never seen such an energized, motivated employee in my entire life in 30 years of business as these employees came back from this hybrid training,” he said. “It was extensive. It was a lot of hands on and they came back and had a lot of confidence.”
Carney has found that business comes in spurts and the hybrids that need conditioning are the earlier ones on the road. He predicts that as the number of hybrids increases, they will be working on at least one per week, if not three or four. “What the Hybrid Shop did for us is it gave us the confidence to venture into this area of the unknown,” he said. “My expectation is that a year from now, once we get a little experience under our belt, we will be the knowledge base of everything hybrid in our community in Southern California.” Rich Hoffman, owner of Hoffman Tire Pros in Fayetteville, Georgia, purchased a franchise in June. With no prior knowledge of hybrids, Hoffman said that he saw great potential for hybrids in the future. “I like to stay on top of technology and I like to be ahead of the curve,” said Hoffman, who has owned his business for 38 years. “I did some research and felt like the hybrid was here to stay and the Hybrid Shop has the advantage that nobody else has.” Hoffman estimates that he currently does 35 percent tire work and 65 percent service at his eight-bay facility, which he can also use to work on hy-
brids. He recently built a 10 foot by 20 foot “clean” room for the hybrid equipment and to service and condition the batteries. “Any service facility can do the job,” said Hoffman. “You just need to have, I feel, a separate place to work on it.” In addition to the training offered by The Hybrid Shop, Hoffman has learned a lot from staying in touch with other dealers in the network. The dealers recently met for a roundtable discussion during SEMA where they established a dealer advisory council. After hearing many wives’ tales about working on hybrids, Hoffman said, “The hybrid is not as difficult as it sounds as long as you have the training and knowledge and respect what you are working with.” “It’s an opportunity to differentiate yourself from the competition, Crawford. He said that with the mandated CAFÉ standards from the federal government, all new vehicle fleets must average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. “The traditional internal combustion engine as we know it today will not be able to meet this objective, which opens the door for hybrid technology. Fastforward 10 years from now and the hybrid business is going to be huge.”
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Aluminum Repair Tips & Techniques in Preparation for Ford F-150 by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
With Ford’s new F-150 soon to be on the road, collision repair shops across the country are preparing for its release. During an SCRS seminar at SEMA, Larry Montanez of P&L Consultants discussed some of the new procedures and techniques shops will need to learn in order to repair this aluminum-bodied truck. Based in New York, P&L Consultants offers training programs for the collision and insurance industries. “Our mission is to make sure that everybody in the collision repair industry can work together towards making sure the vehicle is prepared properly,” said the company’s coowner Montanez. “There’s truly only one standard, which is what the manufacturer puts out.” He advised shops to learn about the new requirements that will be necessary to repair aluminum and to refer to the manuals provided by the dealer. During the seminar Montanez discussed the training options available for those in the industry, including vocational technical schools, third-party vendors, OEM training and the highest level of training in the au-
tomotive field – OEM welding certification. In a room filled with collision repair shop owners and technicians, he gave an overview of the types of steel and aluminum currently being used to manufacture vehicles. As a Larry Montanez of certified collision P&L Consultants damage analyst and ISO certified aluminum welder, Montanez said, “It’s a different repair process with aluminum than it is with steel. Aluminum is not as forgiving.” Aluminum melts at a much lower temperature than steel, 1,200 degree F versus 2,732 F, which he said changes the repair procedures with a vehicle. He stressed the importance of keeping the aluminum heated at the proper range. “Not staying within the repair heating range will cause the properties of the aluminum alloys to be lost and can anneal the component,” said Montanez. “Annealing is the process of heating the aluminum to the point that it is permanently softened and cannot be returned to its original state.”
Ford Begins Building All-New F-150 Truck
Ford began building their all-new F150 truck as the first one rolled off the line on Nov. 11 at the historic Ford Rouge Center in Dearborn, Michigan. Interest in the new Ford F-150 has steadily grown since the truck was revealed in January at the 2014 North American International Auto Show. More than 225,000 truck enthusiasts submitted their contact information for updates about the
be proud of and our customers can depend on,” said Bill Ford, Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Company. He said both the historic Ford Rouge Center and the all-new Ford F150 are hallmarks of innovation. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, Rouge has represented Henry Ford’s vision for lean, flexible and sustainable manufacturing. The 2015 F150 – the first mass-produced truck in its class featuring a high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body and bed. “The all-new F-150 is a showcase of innovation and class-leading capability for truck customers,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s President and CEO. “It underscores the The new Ford F-150 goes on sale in December in product excellence and innothe United States vation we are delivering in vehicle, and more than 250,000 cus- every part of our business as we actomers have built and priced their celerate our pace of progress toward own unique version of the all-new F- profitable growth.” F-150 is part of the Ford F-Se150 online – a record through 13 generations. The new model will be ries truck lineup. Now in its 66th year, the F-Series has been the best-selling in showrooms in December. “The all-new F-150 continues truck in America for 37 consecutive to advance my great-grandfather’s years and the best-selling vehicle in vision of building vehicles we can America for 32 consecutive years. 36 JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
After teaching more than 40 classes over the past year, Montanez has found that most of the dents on a vehicle can be removed at a temperature of 200 to 300 degrees using MAP gas. He said that temperature-heating indicators, such as heat monitoring strips or a digital non-contact thermometer, should be used for measurement. Aluminum doesn’t change color like steel; instead it will just disappear, he said. “You can’t heat shrink a panel like you can with steel.” Due to aluminum softening at elevated temperatures, Montanez explained it allows the deformed areas to be straightened more easily. “Aluminum can be as strong as steel in a much thinner area.” He highlighted some of the other advantages of aluminum, such as its durability, strength, corrosion resistance, weight, recyclability and availability. Unlike steel, aluminum can be heated multiple times provided that the temperature remains within the heating range. He noted that quenching the panel with water or compressed air should be avoided and the panel should be allowed to cool naturally. Otherwise, there is a risk of crystallizing the
panel, which can lead to cracking. Regarding the heating equipment used on aluminum, Montanez said there are several options available, including a MAP torch, an oxyacetylene torch, an induction heater and a heat gun. He recommended the MAP torch due to its ease of use but advised against using propane gas. “Propane gas can only be used on a panel that is painted,” said Montanez. “The problem with propane gas is it will apply moisture to bare aluminum and can cause corrosion.” When working with aluminum, he recommended allocating a certain area or room to avoid cross contamination with steel. Ideally, shops should have a designated set of hand and power tools as well as separate equipment such as sandpaper and saw blades. In addition, shops will need vacuum extractors and a fan in the room that is explosion-proof. More information about P&L’s aluminum repair workshop can be found by contacting Larry Montanez at P&L Consulting: 917-860-3588 or info@pnlestimology.com
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Collision Avoidance Technology Could Dramatically Change Repair Industry by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
Recent research on collision avoidance technology found that an estimated 30 percent of collision repairs could be avoided when this type of equipment is fully adopted by car manufacturers, according to Carlisle & Company. This will not only affect drivers and save lives, but it will also influence the future of the auto repair industry. The Massachusetts-based company studied collision avoidance technology based on data from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), The Highway Loss Data Institute (HDLI) as well as their own company research. Carlisle & Company provides aftersales strategic guidance and tactical solutions for the major motor vehicle brands. “Collision avoidance technology is any application that helps drivers and their cars avoid obstacles and other factors that may cause a collision,” said David Carlisle, Chairman of the Board at Carlisle & Company. The company’s 2014 research specifically focused on the following four types of technologies that are the most common in new vehicles: forward collision, side view assistance, lane departure and adaptive headlights.
The Highway Loss Data Institute estimated that by 2020 approximately 20 percent of all registered vehicles will be built with forward collision warning systems. Carlisle & Company conducted their own research and found that approximately 40 percent of automobiles will be deployed with similar technology by 2022. When the technology is fully adopted, Carlisle said forward collision systems will result in 3,335,000 avoidable repairs (20%); side view assistance will result in 1,006,000 avoidable repairs (6%); lane departure systems will account for 336,000 avoidable repairs (2%); and adaptive headlights will equate to 362,00 avoidable repairs (2%). If these estimates hold true, Carlisle predicts a major impact to the auto repair industry. “At this point, 15 percent of all collision repair jobs will be avoided,” he said. This will not only affect OEMs, whose collision parts make up 35 to 40 percent of their parts revenue, but the independent repair shops as well. “While collision avoidance ultimately is a good thing as it will save lives, it will certainly force aftermarket facilities and repair shops to adapt to a new market in order to stay afloat,” said
Carlisle. “Just because you have collision avoidance sensors on your car, does not mean you’ll rid your life of an auto collision for good,” said Carlisle. “One of the major challenges is testing this technology on the open road,” he said. “Many of these systems can be challenged on a test track and come back with great results, but nothing is like the real road. The only way to make collision avoidance systems as safe as possible is to test them in as many real-world situations as possible.”
Collision Avoidance on the Road Used in automobiles since the early 1990s, some of the earliest equipment included backup cameras. Now collision avoidance features are rapidly making their way into new vehicles in all price ranges. Some of these include the Mobileye technology that detects other vehicles and objects using only a camera and software and is used by BMW AG, General Motors and Tesla Motors; Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist System and Mercedes’ Collision Prevention Assist Plus. Honda said it is focusing its efforts in regards to collision avoidance technology in three main areas: passive safety technology which mitigates injuries; active technology that may
help prevent accidents from happening; and connected and automated vehicles that could attempt to drastically reduce crashes and fatalities. “Honda is studying real world situations to develop vehicles with advanced collision protection and advanced safety and driver assistive technologies,” said Angie Nucci, Senior Environment and Safety Specialist for Honda Public Relations. Nucci said some of their technology includes the Acura Watch system available on the 2015 TLX and the Honda Sensing system on the 2015 Honda CRV Touring model. “Honda Sensing is an integrated camera and radar system to help detect vehicles and pedestrians in front of you,” she explained. This driver assist technology includes a Collision Mitigation Braking System, a Lane Keeping Assist System, Adaptive Cruise Control and Honda LaneWatch. Toyota Motor Corporation said it plans to launch new safety technologies in 2015 to help prevent or mitigate collisions across a wide range of vehicle speeds. They will be offered in two “Toyota Safety Sense” packages and rolled out across most passenger models in Japan, North America and Europe by the end of 2017. See Collision Avoidance, Page 45
Conviction of Saturn Ion Driver Thrown Out After 10 Years
As of Nov. 21, the GM compensation fund had approved 35 death claims, each of which carries a minimum payout of $1 million, and 44 injury claims. A Texas judge has overturned a 7-year-old negligent homicide conviction against a woman whose boyfriend died when her Saturn Ion—now known to have had a defective ignition switch— crashed, her lawyer said. Candice Anderson was cleared 10 years and nine days after the crash that killed 25-year-old Gene Mikale Erickson, who was in the passenger seat when the Ion drove off a rural county road and crashed into a tree. Anderson, who police determined to be intoxicated by illegal drugs, pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and was sentenced to five years of probation. After General Motors recalled 2.6 million Ions, Chevrolet Cobalts and other small cars for the ignition-switch problem in February and March, the prosecutors who charged Anderson and the state trooper who investigated the crash conceded that the new evidence means she likely was not to blame. Van Zandt County District Judge Teresa Drum, who originally sen-
tenced Anderson, agreed to throw out the conviction. “She lives in a small town, and her community thought she murdered someone that was held in high regard,” Anderson’s lawyer, Bob Hilliard, told Automotive News. “She was called a murderer to her face.” In addition to spending a decade thinking that she had killed her boyfriend, Anderson, who was 21 at the time of the crash, abandoned her ambitions of becoming a nurse because the felony conviction hindered her ability to apply for school and jobs, Hilliard said. “It’s overwhelming; it’s a range of emotions,” Anderson told The New York Times after the ruling. “I’m elated.”
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Mike Rose’s Auto Body Never Stops Giving Cars Away by Ed Attanasio
Mike Rose’s Auto Body presented a staff sergeant from Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, CA and his family with a Hyundai Sonata as part of a
driving his six-year-old son Brandon Pearson to the medical specialists he needs at Stanford and eight-year-old daughter Jenna Pearson to and from school. In addition, the Rose family gave the Pearson family one year of
Mike Rose’s Auto Body gave a completely refurbished Hyundai Sonata to Staff Sgt. Kyle Pearson a as part of their Benevolence presentation on Veterans Day. That’s Owner Mike Rose second from left
Benevolence presentation on Veterans Day, November 11 at the company’s Fairfield location. Thanks to this refurbished vehicle, it will be much easier for Staff Sgt. Kyle Pearson to get to and from his duty at Travis AFB, as well as
insurance coverage and a trunk full of gifts for the children. The Mike Rose’s Auto Body Benevolence program is a “community give back program” whose mission is to present cars to deserving individuals or organizations during the
Parts You Need. People You Trust. Genuine Mitsubishi Replacement Crash Parts are close at hand through the following quality dealerships. Exceptional customer service, wide selection of in-stock parts and the experience necessary to ensure your repairs proceed smoothly.
Chrysler And Fiat Names Dropped From Corporate Titles
holiday season. Everything is donated, including the cars, parts, paint, mechanical inspections, tires and one full year of insurance. The body and paint technicians at Mike Rose’s Auto Body donate their time and skills to turn these cars into “new” used vehicles. The collision repair company, with 13 locations in the East Bay, has been participating in the Benevolence Program for the last 13 years and with this year’s 42nd Anniversary, it has donated 46 cars to the community. Mike Rose’s Auto Body will be presenting six fully re-furbished vehicles to those in need this year, with a second presentation to take place at their Antioch location in January. This year, Mike Rose’s Auto Body partnered with the Vintage Valley Blue Star Moms of Solano County, Travis AFB and GEICO Insurance during Veteran’s Day. Owner Mike Rose still gets a thrill when he sees a car going to a deserving family, he said. “It has been so rewarding over the last 13 years presenting the cars to deserving families and single parents who are working to improve their skills and become independent. We feel very honored to be able to do this and we will continue to do this as long as I am still around.”
Absolute Mitsubishi
Chrysler is Chrysler no more, according to a report in Automotive News. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the Netherlands-based parent company of what was Chrysler Group LLC, said that it has changed the name of its U.S. affiliate from Chrysler Group to FCA US LLC. The change is effective immediately. The parent company also said Italy’s Fiat Group Automobiles SpA has changed its name to FCA Italy SpA. The letter-only new name removes the name of Walter P. Chrysler from the company he founded in 1925 for the first time in its history. In a statement, the automaker said the name change “does not affect the company’s headquarters location in Auburn Hills, Michigan, its holdings, management team, board or brands.” The statement also noted that FCA US LLC “remains proud of its joint heritage” and that the company “continues to build upon the solid foundations first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925 as well as a rich Fiat heritage that dates from 1899.”
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First Fully Robotic Paint Curing Equipment Can Improve Bottom Line for Shops and the Environment by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
Two industry veterans, with over 100 years of experience between them, recently brought an innovative paint curing technology to North America that offers collision repair owners potential energy and cost savings, as well as increased productivity in their shops. As the owners of D&S Curing Solutions, Doug Verdier and Sam Midgley are the official North American suppliers of the Ionitec Gas-Fired Infrared Technology. It is the only fully robotic piece of equipment that can be retrofitted into any paint booth and used with all types of paint, including High Solids or water-based paint materials.
The car is shown in the paint booth with the robot curing device
“The machine focuses energy just on the specific areas on the automobile that are about to be cured,” said Verdier, who installed the equipment in his Oregon-based shop, Active Auto Body, on October 2, 2014. “It definitely benefits shops by saving on their gas bill and by getting work out faster, putting more cars through the paint shop everyday. The system is very easy to use and my painter took to it within days.” Located in the center of Portland, Verdier said his shop has the capability to bring in more work but there is only so much room to expand. Working on high-end vehicles, Verdier said “We can only hurry them so fast before we start jeopardizing the quality of the repair.” He found that by adding the paint curing equipment to his existing paint booth, it doesn’t take up any more space in the shop and has helped with efficiency. “This equipment allows the body shop to move things through the paint shop much faster and they’re cured completely once they leave the booth so your body shop manager or your technicians can put them back together without messing up the paint. The paint is fully cured and it’s like working on a car that has come off the assembly line or from the dealership.” Typically, he said a shop with one
booth might paint four or five cars a day. “With this piece of equipment, you can easily step that up to eight to 14 cars a day,” said Verdier. “With the Ionitec curing process the only thing that is dried or heated are the panels that have been painted,” said Midgley. “With our system there is no need to heat the entire booth and total cross linking occurs within seconds at a temperature on the panel of around 250 degrees F. When the car comes out of the spray booth it is fully cured and ready for final assembly or minor polish and delivery to the customer. Midgley said unlike other machines, you do not have to mask the plastic parts with a protective coating to keep them from melting and it only takes one passage to cure the job. “You press a series of buttons on the machine and the curing process starts automatically,” he explained. Curing is when there is a full cross linking of the paint molecules. This process, called “exothermic reaction,” ties the paint molecules together and creates cross linking. “This allows a quick turnaround time for customers with the same result you would get from the car factory when the car was first painted,” said Midgley. In addition, he said the process saves a massive amount of energy – up to about 95 percent by not having to heat the entire spray booth – and also improves the gloss. The paint curing system received a green energy award in Europe at Automechanika in September 2014.
Bringing First Robotic System to U.S. The business partners have been friends since 1957 when Midgley immigrated to the United States from Australia and met Verdier at school in Concord, CA, located east of San Francisco. Verdier’s father owned an auto body repair shop in Rodeo, CA where Verdier and Midgley eventually worked. In 1976, Verdier moved to Oregon and opened a Porsche body repair shop in Portland. Midgley joined Verdier and helped as a painter in the shop. Two years later Verdier opened Active Auto Body. Meanwhile, Midgley had moved back to Australia to work for Ford Motor Company in design engineering and then joined General Motors manufacturing for 25 years, working throughout Australia, North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific as a paint specialist. He was hired back at Ford Motor Company Asia-Pacific to look after six assembly
40 JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
plants as a paint engineer. He also has a long association with lean manufacturing at both companies. When Midgley decided to retire, a friend of his with a large body repair shop in Melbourne asked his opinion about a new technology, gas-fired in-
Doug Verdier (l) and Sam Midgley (r in the paint booth with the 1st Ionitec Gas-Fired Infrared Technology in the U.S.A.
frared curing systems, manufactured by Italian-based company Symach. After learning about the technology, Midgley was offered a job as a training manager for the company in 2011. Following extensive training at the Symach facility in Bologna, Italy, he came back to Australia to teach body shops how to use the technology and shared the information with Verdier. One
year later the two traveled to Italy and came across Ionitec’s robotic system. After visiting nearly a dozen shops throughout Switzerland, Italy and Germany, Verdier said he was so impressed with the system he purchased a machine for his own collision repair shop. “The success of this technology in Australia and Europe has really taken off in the last five or six years,” said Midgley, who predicts the U.S. will follow their lead. “The insurance companies are really pushing hard on the body repair shops to get their costs down,” said Midgley. “With this system you can get your costs down and improve your output at the same time.” Once a shop purchases the technology, a full measurement of the paint booth is taken and then the equipment is manufactured in Italy. After installation, Midgley and Verdier will take the shop through a full training process that normally lasts one or two weeks. “I think this would be a benefit to any shop that is conscientious about trying to save on fossil fuels as well as any shop that has a progressive attitude to improve work flow and generate more revenue for their shop,” said Verdier.
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National Auto Body Council & Enterprise Rent-A-Car Partner with Progressive to Donate 117 Vehicles to Vets
Insurance Auto Auctions The 117 recipients were seand Copart. NABC mem- lected by local VFW chapters and ber repair facilities do- other veteran organizations with supnated time and resources port from VRC Investigations, a vetto repair the vehicles and eran-owned business. Vehicle titling Enterprise Rent-A-Car and registration processing was fadonated six months of in- cilitated by 1-800 Charity Cars surance for each of the which also donates its services for all 117 recipients. A number Recycled Rides events throughout of other NABC members the year. – paint, parts suppliers Since the inception of Recycled and service providers – Rides in 2007, NABC members have also contributed to the donated over 1,000 vehicles to deIn the largest, single-day car giveaway Color Guard and Pledge of Allegiance in Bridgeton, MO. nationwide project to serving individuals and nonprofit orever, members of the National Auto Photos courtesy of Progressive Insurance Body Council partnered with the Pro- families across the country with prac- thank and honor military gressive Group of Insurance Compa- tically brand-new vehicles on Veterans veterans. “Our congratulations nies, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Day, November 11. Spearheaded by Progressive In- to Progressive for its leaderothers in the collision industry to present 117 military veterans and their surance, the second annual Keys to ship role in rallying our inProgress is part of the Na- dustry to help our veterans,” tional Auto Body Council’s said Nick Notte, President Recycled Rides program, a of the National Auto Body collision industry-wide col- Council. “These gifts of laboration to repair and do- transportation will make a nate vehicles. The number of significant impact in the vehicles in this year’s Keys lives of these service men to Progress is nearly double and women who have sacrithe number from Progres- ficed much for our country. Former Army Spc Jerold C. of Glen Burnie, MD.Photos sive’s program last year. This grand-scale generosity courtesy of Progressive Insurance Most of the vehicles from so many of our memfor this year’s Keys to bers truly exemplifies the professional- ganizations. NABC estimates close to Progress were provided ism and integrity of our collision $4 million worth of vehicles will be Recipient Jeffrey Z. and his family at the Buffalo, NY donaby Progressive, as well as industry.” donated in 2014. tion event. Photos courtesy of Progressive Insurance
PPG Redesigned Website for ADJUSTRITE
PPG Industries launched a redesigned website for the ADJUSTRITE® Commercial Estimating System at www.adjustrite.com. The site features a refreshed look, user-friendly navigation and new information about the AdjustRite and AdjustRite Plus collision repair estimating systems. The website focuses on the two applications and details and compares their individual features and benefits. They are specifically designed for the commercial truck market and have been updated to coincide with the launch of the website. “The new website makes AdjustRite easier than ever to use,” said John Lewis, Manager of Programs and Services for PPG’s commercial coatings group. “The database has been expanded, a variety of estimate solutions are available, and visitors can even sign up for a free trial to see which program best fits their requirements. We’re confident that our current customers will appreciate the site and system enhancements, and I think those just learning about AdjustRite will also be pleased.” While the AdjustRite system is updated regularly, enhancements introduced on the website include: ● online alternative parts solution with list prices for a variety of truck makes, models and parts;
● generic light-duty pickup truck database; and ● combined pricing solution that first checks for facility pricing, then checks for available global average pricing. The AdjustRite system is an estimating platform that uses truck model information, based on a database compiled from truck parts and repairs. It is suitable for insurance companies and claims adjusters, and also offers a claims management component. PPG said it is the first and only full-service application that takes into consideration the complete commercial truck claim process and the automated features of the systems reduce the time required to write an error-free professional repair estimate, eliminating the chance of miscalculation while improving overall cycle time and productivity. The AdjustRite estimating platform works on all Web-enabled computers, including mobile devices that meet system requirements. Estimates can be managed from the office, shop or in the field. The system is also EMScapable, enabling it to communicate with other shop management systems. It was developed by PPG’s commercial coatings group. For information, contact 800-647-6050 or visit www.ppgcommercialcoatings.com
42 JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
What are the Best Parts of Driving? Mazda Parts.
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From Grandma’s Vacuum to Serious Spray Finishing Technology: Turbospray HVLP by Bill Boxer
If you saw an ad in your trade magazine that said “SPRAY WITH LESS MESS AND OVERSPRAY,” How would you react and respond? 1. No way! Just another advertising “come-on.” 2. I saw it years ago and it had limitations. 3. Interesting! 4. Tell me more. 5. Show me. Almost 35 years ago I saw a fullpage advertisement in a Piano Technicians Journal that headlined “SPRAY WITH LESS MESS AND OVERSPRAY.” My responses were numbers 3, 4 and 5: Interesting, Tell me more and Show me. At the time I was rebuilding and refinishing pianos and had a significant need for a better way to spray-finish the pianos we were producing. I purchased the system, used it extensively and became passionate about the technology as it produced all the results promised from an excellent finish to dramatically reduced overspray along with many other benefits.
The Story If we turn the clock back 50+ years it was discovered that exhaust air produced by a vacuum cleaner had the ability to atomize fluid. Taking it to the
next level, it became apparent that the fluid did not cloud the environment in which it was being used and also that the fluid being projected seemed to last much longer. For many years no one took this concept seriously since environmental concerns were not yet upon us. The coatings and finishes we used were fairly inexpensive and industry was less concerned with the lost product and related costs.
The Real Beginning Jump to the early 1980s when tur-
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bospray technology found its way to the USA from its European roots; enter environmental concerns and you have the true beginnings of what today is known as HVLP. Through the 1980s turbospray technology started to take root, having early exposure through many market segments. At this point it is important to separate HVLP turbospray technology from HVLP spray guns that work with a standard air compressor. HVLP Turbospray Technology is the original product that achieved notoriety and where the HVLP name was established. HVLP spray guns that were developed to use with a standard air compressor were an offshoot of the original technology. HVLP turbospray systems do not use compressed air. Air is generated from a high power impeller/blowertype motor that travels through the supplied air hose to a spray gun that is designed to effectively convert the high volume of air produced by the blower motor to efficient low pressure atomizing air to achieve the benefits that HVLP turbospray technology offers. Those benefits are a continuous delivery of clean, warm, dry air, dramatically less overspray that interprets to a documented 38%–40% savings on coatings use and the ability to be either an easily portable system or set up for a fixed-base use. Sound too good to be true? Well, it is true, and every day is being discovered by more and more finishers in the auto finishing and refinishing business: mobile or fixed-base. Now, what more do you need to know to understand HVLP turbospray technology and if it’s so good why isn’t it being used universally instead of compressed air?
Early Hvlp Turbospray Systems OK, let’s backtrack again. Early HVLP turbospray systems offered technology that was limited to low to medium viscosity products. Most turbospray systems only provided one fixed atomizing pressure. Nozzle, needle and air cap technology was limited as well. A few HVLP manufacturers prematurely approached the automotive market back in the 1990s with technology that wasn’t yet ready for the market. While a few finishers experienced positive results if they were spraying very low viscosity single stage paints or very thinned automo-
tive lacquers, most found the application slow and short of expectations. Today’s modern automotive coatings as well as the new waterborne products require far more pressure than these early systems offered.
Hvlp Turbospray Systems Today Jump back to today and now you have available the superb benefits of HVLP turbospray technology with equipment designed to provide higher atomizing pressure to give you the desired results with base coats, metallics, clear coats, fleet coats, solvent or waterborne with sophisticated HVLP turbospray gun design and specialized nozzles, needles and air caps along with variable pressure control and additional professional features.
So, what’s in it for the finisher? A cleaner work environment, less booth maintenance, the ability to add work stations and most of all the added money in your pocket from using less paints and I don’t need to tell you the cost of those products. Maybe I forgot to mention the great benefit of the clean, warm dry air not only for applying solvent finishes but the absolute need for clean dry air when applying waterborne finishes. Yes, no expensive driers needed. Dare I say that you owe it to yourself to look at HVLP Turbospray? Thirty-five years ago it worked for me. The TURBOPRO HVLP Series for automotive finishing is manufactured by Apollo Sprayers International, Inc. in Vista, California and made in the USA. For more information, contact 760-727-8300 or visit www.TurboProHVLP.com. For additional information contact: Bill Boxer, bill@hvlp.com 760 201-4157
www.autobodynews.com | JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 43
Dropping Gas Prices and Strong Car Sales Could Create Manufacturer Problems by Jason Plautz, Nationaljournal.com
Plummeting gas prices have pushed car buyers away from smaller, greener cars and back into their traditional comfort zone: big SUVs and lightduty trucks. Amid robust sales last month, automakers saw consumers flock toward larger cars, while shunning traditional small cars. And although the strong sales are good news for carmakers right now, that could create problems later as the manufacturers work to meet tightening federal fuel economy standards. “It is a fact that sales of our most energy-efficient vehicles mirror gas prices,” said Gloria Bergquist, spokeswoman for the Auto Alliance, the lobbying arm for American carmakers. “When gas is more costly, sales of high-mileage vehicles rises too, and vice versa. While low energy prices offer good news for our customers, it makes the steep climb to [fuel economy] compliance even more challenging.” Thanks in part to dealers’ promotions and a rebounding economy, auto sales were strong in November, with Subaru and Chrysler both reporting 20 percent increases over the previous
month. General Motors, Honda, Toyota, and Volkswagen all saw gains as well, as the industry is on track to finish with annual sales higher than in 2013.
Photo credit: Scott Barbour/Getty Images
Those sales were largely driven by rebounding light-duty trucks and SUVs—the GMC truck brand was up 22.7 percent, the Jeep Cherokee rose 67 percent, and the Honda CR-V saw sales rise 38 percent. Toyota took a hit on its cars but stayed afloat thanks to increased sales of its 4Runner SUV (up 53.4 percent) and the Highlander crossover SUV (up 16.7 percent). The Washington Post has even anecdotally reported higher demand for the gas-guzzling Hummer on
used-car lots, years after General Motors killed off the massive car. Those sales increase as low gas prices make bulkier, heavier vehicles cheaper to drive: per-gallon prices dropped 23 cents in November and now sit at $2.76 a gallon, a four-year low, according to AAA. And that’s bad news for smaller cars. Toyota’s car sales overall were down 2.7 percent, the Ford Fusion fell 11 percent, the Nissan Altima fell 7 percent, and the Chevy Malibu lost 16.7 percent of sales. Even one of the flagship electric vehicles, Chevy’s plug-in hybrid Volt, saw sales drop to 1,336 units, a 30 percent dip from last month and a 16 percent decline compared to 2013 (some of that drop could be driven by consumers waiting for a new model to be released next year). The all-electric Nissan Leaf defied the odds and continued its strong performance—November sales of 2,687 were up 34 percent, and the model is on pace for its best year yet. “Consumers respond very quickly to the changes in the price of gas,” said
Judge Grants Permanent Injunction Against Connecticut Anti-Steering Auto Glass Law
Jenna Reed, writing in Glassbytes, has reported that the lawsuit filed by Safelite Group and Safelite Solutions against Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen and Thomas Leonardi, state insurance commissioner, over the state’s anti-steering law has reached a resolution. A Connecticut U.S. District Court judge has granted the parties’ joint motion for entry of final judgment, permanent injunction and stipulation of voluntary dismissal. “Plaintiffs and defendants have determined that their interests, and the interests of judicial economy would be served by the entry of a final judgment and permanent injunction with respect to section 38a354a(c)(2), joint waiver of all claims for attorneys’ fees or other costs or damages and voluntary dismissal of plaintiffs’ remaining claims …” attorneys write in their motion. “[N]o party shall assert, in this action or in any other or further action, any claim for monetary relief arising from the operation of 38a354a(c)(2), including but not limited to any claim for attorney’s fees, costs, expert fees or damages,” ac-
cording to the court document. An order granting the motion for judgment was signed by the judge. “Defendants, in their official capacities, their successors and all other persons in active or concert or participation with them are permanently enjoined from enforcing or attempting to enforce Section 38-354a(c)(2) of the Connecticut General Statutes,” the judge writes. “The parties have waived any right to appeal from this order,” she adds. The Second Circuit Court had ordered a preliminary injunction on First Amendment grounds that temporary halted enforcement of PA 1367—An Act Concerning Automotive Glass Work in September 2014. A permanent injunction has now gone into effect with the latest ruling by the U.S. District Court.
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Michael Sivak of the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute. “Specifically, when the price of gas goes down, so does their interest in fuel-efficient vehicles. This is especially the case if the change in the price of gas is rapid, as was the case this fall.” Those market forces could present some problems as automakers strive to meet tougher Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards. The Obama administration set a fleetwide 54.5 mile per gallon limit by model year 2025, and automakers must meet a 35.4 mpg target in model year 2016. Although the standards allow a footprint approach that will keep automakers in line if they make their light trucks cleaner, to hit the fleetwide average automakers are counting on sales of their smaller, greener, more fuel-efficient models. Autobody News thanks the author and nationaljournal.com for permission to reprint this story.
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Manheim Reports Wholesale Used Vehicle Price Adjustments in Q3
Wholesale used vehicle values declined by just over 2 percent in the third quarter, as the market showed signs of returning to more normal levels after historically high prices earlier in the year. The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index, a measure of wholesale prices adjusted for mix, mileage and season, ended the third quarter at 121.4, a decline of 1.1 percent compared to a year ago, Manheim reported as it released the Index. After posting increases over the winter and early spring, used vehicle prices fell for five straight months through September. A boom in new car sales during the quarter resulted in more trade-ins and lease turn-ins in the quarter, which led to an increase in inventories and put downward pressure on prices. The price declines, however, took place as the market showed positive signs. Loan delinquencies and repossessions remained low. Certified pre-owned sales increased 20 percent in September, and showed a 10 percent rise year-to-date, as consumers evidenced strong demand for quality, late-model used vehicles. Lease penetration rates went up, a sign of satisfied customers. Dealers also closed out the quarter with higher retail unit sales in September, moving more vehicles as prices fell. “The decline in prices so far appears to be part of a healthy overall mar-
ket,” said Manheim Chief Economist Tom Webb. “Valuation adjustments enabled dealers not only to retail the large number of customer trade-ins and lease returns but also actively purchase from the growing supply of late-model vehicles available at auction. Dealers were able to turn their inventory more quickly because of the lower wholesale prices.” Third-quarter wholesale pricing for vehicle segments included: Compact Cars continued to be the weakest segment with prices ending the quarter down 3.4 percent compared to a year ago. Midsize Cars matched the overall market and experienced a 1.1 percent decline in values compared to a year ago. Luxury Cars fell 3 percent compared to a year ago. The multi-year decline in luxury cars appeared to be slowing in September. Pick-ups and Vans remained the strongest segment with prices up 6.5 percent for pick-ups and 1.5 percent for vans. Owners in this segment tend to hold onto their vehicles for longer than the average, keeping supplies tighter even as the overall market increases. SUV and CUV prices were down 1.5 percent to end the quarter compared to a year ago. Normally one of the stronger segments, SUV and CUV prices fell inline with the overall market.
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These include several of the company’s existing technologies such as the Pre-Collision System that helps prevent and mitigate collisions; Lane Departure Alert that helps prevent vehicles from departing from their lanes; and Automatic High Beam, helping to ensure optimal forward visibility during nighttime driving. In addition, there is an option for a millimeter-wave radar and camera that can detect pedestrians and Radar Cruise Control. “Toyota’s vision is of a world without traffic fatalities, and these advanced connected and automated vehicle technologies hold the potential to revolutionize automotive safety,” said Seigo Kuzumaki, Chief Safety Technology Officer Secretary for Toyota Motor Corporation. “We are committed to bringing advanced active safety systems to market as quickly as possible and will make them accessible to a broad range of drivers.” For more information about Carlisle & Company, visit: www.carlisle-co.com.
Sherwin-Williams “Media Center” Website Addition
Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes announced a new addition to its website—a Media Center. The Media Center can be accessed through the Fleet Refinish and Commercial Manufacturing portals of the website and will showcase the following features:
● Weekly Coating Maintenance Blog − Each week a blog will be posted detailing a topic related to the coatings industry. These posts will then be shared through the Sherwin-Williams Transportation Finishes social media accounts. ● Video Gallery − Provides easy access to all videos that are within the Sherwin-Williams Transportation Finishes YouTube Playlist. ● Product Flyers − All product information flyers related to the Genesis® and AIC™ product lines can be downloaded here. ● Case Studies − These profile articles highlight customer stories and in-depth research created by Sherwin-Williams. For direct access, visit: www.sherwin-automotive.com.
Web-Est and Crash-WriteR Announce Closing of Acquisition Agreement
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Web-Est, LLC and Crash-WriteR, Inc. jointly announced that the two companies closed an asset acquisition agreement. This agreement creates a “First-in-the-Space” national leader for the small- to mid-size independent collision repair shop market. The transaction will not, however, impact either company’s customer base nor their respective product offerings as they exist today. The combining of operational teams and resources is expected to create expanded, programmatic features that will translate into additional value for their customers. The combined companies will be operated under the newly created brand “Web-Est Global.” Once the transition is completed, Web-Est Global will continue to offer its core program, Web-Est Online Estimating platform, as well as “Crash-WriteR by Web-Est” as an offline/cloud product. By combining development teams, Web-Est and Crash-WriteR programmers will develop a new online estimating platform. This new platform will incorporate all of the most powerful features offered in both products and provide a more
powerful, mobile product designed specifically for the small to midsized, independent shops. Eric Seidel, Web-Est President and CEO commented, “We believe the new operation creates the single largest customer footprint serving the small to mid-size body shop market in North America for collision estimating products. We intend to leverage the economies of scale to build value for our customers and the small shop market as a whole.” Seidel continued, “The leadership at Crash-WriteR has demonstrated their commitment to their customers and product. This shows in their high level of customer loyalty; we are very excited to join forces.” “The Crash-writeR brand has a long-standing reputation for focusing on needs of the small independent shop; we see the same focus with the Web-Est brand,” stated Art Rezac, President and CEO of Crash-Writer. “Combining these two organizations will benefit both customer bases and serve as a launching pad for more value to this segment of the market,” Rezac continued. For more information, contact (888) 932-3780.
www.autobodynews.com | JANUARY 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 45
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