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Vol. 37 / Issue 11 / November 2019
5th Annual Texas Trade Show Breaks Records, ABAT Announces Merger With HABA
Speakers Discuss Need to Know and Follow OEM Calibration Steps for ADAS
by Chasidy Rae Sisk
by John Yoswick
The Auto Body Association of Texas (ABAT) hosted its 5th Annual Texas Auto Body Trade Show at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on During the 5th Annual Texas Auto Body Trade Show, ABAT’s main goal was to ensure that every attendee learned Sept. 20 and 21. Attracting something they didn’t know before, and based on the hundreds of collision repair feedback they’ve received, their goal was accomplished. industry professionals from Credit: Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. Texas and around the country, the show broke every previous seminars, and learn about exhibitors’ year’s attendance record, with atten- latest products and services. ABAT dees excited to network with peers, also used the opportunity to publicly See ABAT Announces Merger, Page 24 engage in invaluable educational
George Lesniak, Autel’s director of sales and training, said one of the biggest challenges for shops working to follow OEM collision repair procedures – in particular, the steps necessary for calibration of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) – is the variation among automakers. “There’s a complete lack of consistency across the different OEMs when it comes to their service information: where that information is located, where you find the procedures and specifications,” Lesniak said during the recent Collision Industry Electronic Commerce Association (CIECA) “Connex” conference. But some of the challenges shops encounter in following OEM proce-
Walker High School in Walker, LA, Opens Body Shop for Instruction
Walker High School students interested in a career in automotive repair and maintenance can get hands-on experience and earn certification. The new job opportunity is thanks to a new 1,200square-foot paint and body shop that’s been constructed on the campus in Walker, The shop will give students hands-on training in automotive LA. painting and repairs, which will qualify them to earn certification in the industry. Pictured from left to right: Gerry Lane The new facility houses Enterprises President Eric Lane Walker; School Board two bays, one for holding Member Bo Graham; Career Technical Education Coordinator the painting booth and the Staci Polozola; Walker High School Principal Jason St. Pierre; other for bodywork lesand Walker High School CTE Teacher Chris Ledoux.
by Staff, WAFB 9 News
Credit: Livingston Parish Schools
dures, he said, has little to do with that inconsistency in how the information is organized. “The one thing that I’ve found to be very consistent is technicians’ ability to skip steps,” Lesniak said. “The key skill set required to do calibrations is the ability to read, interpret and follow complex instructions and make detailed measurements. Knowing how to use a metric tape measure is absolutely foreign to most technicians. We’ve found that 50 percent of calibration failures come down to missing or skipping steps in those preliminary instructions.” Those steps, he said, include having the required space with the right environmental conditions, such as proper lighting, and ensuring that nothing is interfering with the field See Speakers Discuss, Page 13
Collision Repair Shops Learn How to Attract, Retain Military Veterans by John Yoswick
Collision repair businesses of all sizes have a potential talent pool of new employees, including those conclud-
See Walker High School, Page 26
Roxann Griffith of the Department of Labor said military veterans can be a good source of new employees for collision repair businesses of all sizes.
ing their service in the U.S. military, according to a speaker at this past summer’s Collision Industry Conference in Indianapolis.
Roxann Griffith, with the U.S. Department of Labor’s employment and training services, said Texasbased Service King, which operates more than 340 shops in 24 states, has hired hundreds of veterans over four years. Griffith encourages body shops to hire those who have served our country in any capacity by sharing tips and resources with collision repair businesses on how to hire and retain those who have exited the military. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “Hiring Our Heroes” program, for example, offers free hiring fairs on military bases and at other locations around the country, she said. Those looking to hire veterans should check out the advice and resources included in the free 22-page See Military Veterans, Page 44
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