March 2017 Western Edition by Autobody News

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Chubb Sets Insurance Precedent: Will Pay for Preand Post-Repair Scans on “Modern” Vehicles

“Chubb has decided that we are going to allow for pre and post scans on Body shops across the country watched all “modern” autos (1990 and Newer). with interest as the world’s Your first line on the estimate largest publically-traded propshould read pre-scan at 1.0 erty and casualty insurer anhour of body rate and the last nounced it would pay for preline on the estimate should read post-scan at 1.0 hours of and post-repair scans on vehibody rate. If you find that the cles 1990 and newer. cost of doing the scan is going In a move that many reto be higher, then provide the pairers found a welcome surMatthew actual scan report and the inprise, including the owner of McDonnell, voice and we will reimburse Big Sky Collision Center, owner of Big Sky Matthew McDonnell, Chubb accordingly on the SUPPLECollision Center sent the following email to MENT. body shops in December: See Chubb, Page 13 by Stacey Phillips

FinishMaster Acquires D’Angelos Automotive Paint and its 14 Locations

FOCUS Investment Banking, an advisory and intermediary firm in the automotive services sector, has announced that D’Angelos Automotive and Industrial Coatings and its 14 locations have been acquired by FinishMaster, Inc, a subsidiary of Uni-Select, Inc. FinishMaster is the largest national independent distributor of automotive paints, coatings and related accessories in the United States. D’Angelos was represented by FO-

CUS Automotive Group in its sixth multi-location paint distributor transaction in the last 18 months. David Roberts, Managing Director at FOCUS commented, “Bob and Art D’Angelo built one of the largest paint distributors in the US over the last 45 years by successfully adapting to changes in the distribution inSee Finishmaster, Page 14

VOL. 35 ISSUE 3 MARCH 2017

DA and Insurance Commissioner Announce Bust of Insurance Fraud Ring in San Diego County The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones recently announced a major auto insurance fraud ring takedown which was operating in San Diego County. Nine defendants have been charged with 34 felony crimes including filing fraudulent auto insurance claims. Six defendants were arrested on January 31, and police are searching for one more. Two people received notices that they have been charged and must appear in court. “When cheaters scam insurance companies, law abiding citizens end up footing the bill,” District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said. “Our insurance fraud team did an excellent job collaborating with the California Department of Insurance and Highway Patrol to dismantle this crime ring.” Operation Persistent was a two-

year investigation that uncovered a web of fraudsters who victimized insurance companies over several years. The ring used various schemes to file 34 false insurance claims for auto property damage. The schemes included staged collisions, nonexistent collisions, using already damaged vehicles, and phony vehicle thefts. The crimes were discovered thanks to the diligent efforts of the San Diego Automobile Insurance Fraud Task Force. The joint task force is dedicated to investigating all forms of auto insurance fraud and is supervised by the California Department of Insurance. It is made up of law enforcement officers from the Department of Insurance, the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, and California Highway Patrol. The National Insurance Crime Bureau also provides support to the task force.

by John Yoswick

sewn a resistor into the wiring harness to cheat the airbag light from coming on.” Chuck Olsen of AirPro Diagnostics, another remote scanning service provider, said preand post-scanning removes liability issues for collision repairers and insurers. “I know the condition of the vehicle Chuck Olsen when it came in, and I know the condition of the vehicle when it went out, so [as the shop] it’s not going to be my fault,” Olsen said. CIC attendee Gary Wano, an Oklahoma shop owner, posed a realworld analogy for a question often discussed in the industry: Does an insurer owe for a scan if the scan reveals noth-

See Insurance Fraud Ring, Page 18

CIC Panel Discusses Scanning, Need For Following OEM Repair Procedures The value of pre-scanning collisiondamaged vehicles was reiterated a number of times by panelists at the recent Collision Industry Conference (CIC) held this January in Palm Springs, CA. Jake Rodenroth of Collision Diagnostic Services (maker of the asTech remote scanning system), who said his company did just over 6,000 vehicles scans in December, cited an example of a vehicle problem found in a prescan that the shop—and potentially the vehicle owner—would otherwise not have known about. The scan showed one fault code, related to lost communication with the airbag control module, triggering the shop to check the instrument cluster. “What we found was pretty alarming,” Rodenroth said. “We found this had been a [used] car, and someone had

See CIC Panel, Page 36

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2 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Contents

COLUMNS Antonelli - Attendees Learn Painting Tips from the Pros at Axalta’s Wet on Wet Roundtable in CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Attanasio - Do 3 Things Right With Your Shop Marketing, Stick to Them and Thrive . . . . . . 48 Attanasio - Supporting Orphans is Not Just a Cause, But a Way of Life for the Lefler Collision Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Attanasio - The Spira Saves Lives Because It’s Encased in Foam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Chess - Kool Tools 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Yoswick - Retro News: Industry History Includes Concern About Refinish Materials Calculation, “Underwritten” Estimates. . . . . 50 NATIONAL 2017 Southern Automotive Repair Conference to be Held in Biloxi, MS, April 21–22. . . . . . 62 AAPEX Announces 2017 Dates. . . . . . . . . . . . 70 AASP/NJ Announces 40th Annual NORTHEAST™ 2017 Educational Program March 17–19 . . 62 AMi Launches New Online Courses . . . . . . . . . 75 AMi Launches Online Course: “Management’s Guide to Scanning and New Technology” . . 66 Autologic Diagnostics Joins ASA as

by Stacey Phillips

Apple Hill Auto & Collision, located in Muncy, Pennsylvania

yet finalized. Autobody News asked LKQ about the recent purchase and was told that “At this time, we have no comment regarding this transaction.” LKQ Corporation provides alternative and specialty parts to repair and accessorize automobiles and other ve-

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Online Editor and Copywriter: Deana Cacus Contributing Writers: Tom Franklin, David Brown, John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Sales Assistant: Jessica Day Content/Social Media Specialist: Cass Heckel

Aircat Pneumatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . .74 Automotive ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 AutoNation Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam-Fiat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . . .5 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . .77 Bob Smith BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Bob Smith MINI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Capitol Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) . . . . . . . . . . .39 ChemSpec USA, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . .14 Chief Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram of Seattle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78 Colortone Automotive Paints . . . . . .24 Dave Smith Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Del Grande Dealer Group . . . . . .16-17 Denny Menholt Chevrolet . . . . . . . .38 Diamond Standard Parts, LLC . . . . .25 DJS Fabrications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Dominion Sure Seal, Ltd. . . . . . . . . .61 Downtown Motors of LA (Audi, VW, Porsche) . . . . . . . . . . .63 Eco Repair Systems of North America, LLC . . . . . . . . . . .47 ECS Automotive Concepts . . . . . . .34 Engine Parts Warehouse . . . . . . . . .10 Enterprise Rent-A-Car . . . . . . . . . . .20 Equalizer Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . .27 First Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Ford of Kirkland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . .65 Galpin Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Glenn E. Thomas Dodge-ChryslerJeep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . .73 Herkules Equipment Corporation . . .6 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40-41 Hyundai Motor America . . . . . . . . . .15 Hyundai of Kirkland . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Hyundai of Seattle . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

See LKQ Buys PA Shop, Page 30

Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Michelle Lucas

Western

Corporate Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 BASF Teams up With Driven to Cure . . . . . . . . 76 CARSTAR North America Announces Expanded Leadership Team for 2017 . . . . . 74 CCC Donates $4M+ in Software Subscriptions to CREF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 ChemSpec USA Launches New Website . . . . . 72 Chief® Offers Chassis Liner® Frame Rack in Custom Packages for Heavy-Duty Repairs. . 72 CIC Panel Discusses Scanning, Need For Following OEM Repair Procedures . . . . . . . . 1 CIF Raises Big Again at 7th Annual Gala Fundraiser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Collision Repairers in FL Voice Their Concerns to Commissioner of Dept. of Agriculture Adam Putnam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 CREF Announces Application for Ultimate Collision Education Makeover Grants . . . . . 70 CREF Spring Career Fair Has Sprung . . . . . . . 72 Driven Brands Charitable Foundation Raises more than $650,000 in 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Ford Vehicle Owners Can Easily Upgrade 2010–2016 Vehicles with Connectivity Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 I-CAR’s Josh McFarlin Named to ATMC Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Jeanette Lorenzo of NAME, Inc and Bob Leone of ADVICS Lead CAWA’s Manufacturer Advisory Council in 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 LKQ Corporation Purchases Pennsylvania Body Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Martin Senour Introduces Rustproof M/D™ . . 76 Members-Only Registration Opens: “Be Extraordinary” WIN 2017 Educational Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 National Industry Goodwill Tour Kicks Off SkillsUSA Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 New Global Warranty Program for Architectural Powder Coatings . . . . . . . . . . 32 Next Step Program Offers Young Professionals Scholarships. . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 OEM Diagnostic Scanning Positions Quick Reference Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Phillips - Collision Manager Explains How Processes From Bodyshop Revolution Helped with Better Cycle Time and Ensured a Better Product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Phillips - NADA Kicks Off 100th Anniversary at National Convention and Expo in “The Big Easy” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 PPG Announces Key Advances in Color Tools . . 68 SCRS Releases Video of Collision Repair Summit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 SEMA Scholarship Applications Due March 1 . . 74 Snap-on Adds MODIS Edge to Diagnostic Calculator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 U.S. Department of Transportation Designates 10 Automated Vehicle Proving Grounds to Encourage Testing of New Technologies . . . 67 UBM Teams up With AMI, NATEF, TST to Deliver NACE Automechanika Scholarships . . . . . . . 32 UpdatePromise Unveils New Electronic Signatures Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

A Muncy, PA, body shop has confirmed that it was purchased by LKQ Corporation, one of North America’s largest aftermarket parts suppliers. Autobody News reached out to Dustin Newman, the body shop manager at Apple Hill Auto & Collision, regarding the deal. “I think the owner felt he took the business as far as he could himself and wanted to see about getting corporate to be able to further continue growing and getting bigger,” said Newman. He said the business was sold in February and the logistics are not

Indexof Advertisers

REGIONAL ASA Northwest Honors 2016 Outstanding Member of the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Attanasio - Kathy Mello of Fremont’s TGIF Body Shop Wins at Every Level . . . . . . . . . 28 Attanasio - Regal Collision, a Vallejo Body Shop, Gives Away its 11th Car . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Biz Boost: Savy Auto Service and Body Shop in Richmond, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Central Oregon Body Shops See Surge in Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Chubb Sets Insurance Precedent: Will Pay for Pre- and Post-Repair Scans on “Modern” Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 DA and Insurance Commissioner Bust Insurance Fraud Ring in San Diego . . . . . . . . 1 FinishMaster Acquires D’Angelos Automotive Paint and its 14 Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 IACA Cultivates Relationship with Local Legislators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 NATA Member Shops Can Partner With Oregon State Police to Help Motorists . . . . . 10 Oakland, CA Auto Body Shop Catches Fire . . . . . 6 OR State Agencies Offer Free or Low-Cost Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 OR Students Told Their Driver’s License and Record Can Be Their Most Important Tool. . . 6 Phillips - Successful Female Shop Owner in OR Encourages Shops to Keep an Open Mind, Have No Fear and Dive in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Sacramento Shop Expanding in Modesto, CA, & Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Savy Body Shop in Richmond, CA, Shows Savvy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Seven Arrested in Coachella Valley $500,000 Insurance Fraud Probe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

LKQ Corporation Purchases Pennsylvania Body Shop

Serving California and Nevada. 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. ©2017 Adamantine Media LLC.

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Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . .62 Insta Finish Car Care . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Kearny Mesa Subaru-Hyundai . . . . .58 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Killer Tools & Equipment . . . . . . . . .53 Lusid Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Lyle Pearson Auto Group . . . . . . . . .51 Maita Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Malco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Matrix Automotive Finishes . . . . . . .21 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . .68 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . .76 Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers . .60 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . .45 Moss Bros. Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge . .37 Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 Northside Trucks & Equipment . . . .28 O’Reilly Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Penske Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . .70 PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Puente Hills Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Reliable Automotive Equipment . . . .12 Riverside Kia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Riverside Metro VW-Honda-HyundaiNissan-Mazda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Roy Robinson Subaru . . . . . . . . . . .59 SATA Dan-Am Company . . . . . . . . .23 Shingle Springs Subaru . . . . . . . . . .50 Sierra Chevrolet-Honda-Subaru . . .46 Spanesi Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . .71 Tacoma Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram .31 The Bay Area Automotive Group . . .57 Valley Auto Dismantlers Association, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Valspar Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . .66 Wizards Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Yellow Jacket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 3

National Events

Stacey Phillips is a freelance writer and editor for the automotive industry. She has 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications. She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.

NADA Kicks Off 100th Anniversary at National Convention and Expo in “The Big Easy” with Stacey Phillips

by Stacey Phillips

Celebrating its 100th anniversary, the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) kicked off a series of year-long commemorative events at its annual convention and expo in New Orleans, Louisiana January 26 to 29. This is the 12th time since 1973 that the convention has been held in “The Big Easy.” An estimated 23,000 new car dealers, managers, automotive industry professional and exhibitors were expected to attend the four-day event. “It’s not every day that a national trade association reaches its 100-year anniversary, yet NADA is still as strong and relevant as the day it was founded,” said 2016 NADA Chairman Jeff Carlson. “NADA’s 100th mission for 100 years has been to represent local dealerships and our customers in Washington, DC, with a goal of keeping personal transportation affordable for everyone,” added Carlson, president of Glenwood Springs Ford and Glenwood Springs Subaru in Glenwood Springs, Colo., and co-owner of Summit Ford in Silverthorne, CO. “It’s an honor to serve such a respected group.”

Carl Swope, TIME Dealer of the Year

Founded in 1917, NADA formed when a group of local dealers set out to fight a new effort by Congress to levy a luxury tax on new automobiles. Thirty dealers from state and local associations traveled to Washington, DC, and set up base at the Willard Hotel. By convincing Congress that cars were not luxury items as they were classified, but instead were vital to the economy, the group prevented total factory conversion to wartime work and succeeded in reducing a proposed five percent luxury tax to three percent. The incident was the first of many

chapters where local dealerships fought to keep new vehicles affordable for their customers. For the past 15 years, more than 90 percent of all new-car and -truck dealerships in the United States have been NADA members.

Mitch Landrieu, Mayor of New Orleans welcomes attendees to the Big Easy

Prior to the start of the 2017 convention, the NADA Foundation donated $50,000 to the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, which supports organizations that create opportunities to inspire and mentor youth through culinary, nutrition and arts education with a focus on life skills development. “My wife Alden and I are delighted that NADA has chosen the Emeril Lagasse Foundation as a grant recipient in conjunction with their convention. This generous philanthropic gift will help us positively impact the lives of more children,” said Chef Emeril Lagasse, chairman and founder of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. “Thank you for bringing your convention to New Orleans and for supporting the Emeril Lagasse Foundation.” Since its inception in 1975, the NADA Foundation has had a long history of providing financial support to New Orleans and the surrounding communities. “The NADA Foundation through amazing contributions from our dealer network has supported dealership families, military families and children in need from natural disasters and times of emergency, like hurricanes Katrina and Rita and most recently, the flooding in Baton Rouge,” said Annette Sykora, chairman of the NADA Foundation. “Through it all, NADA has been there to help.” “NADA was formed to make sure that entrepreneurs could open local

4 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

dealerships and provide affordable cars and transportation to farmers, factory workers and people from all walks of life,” said 2017 NADA Chairman Mark Scarpelli. Scarpelli, who officially became chairman of NADA during the convention, is the president of Raymond Chevrolet and Raymond Kia in Antioch and co-owner of Ray Chevrolet and Ray Chrysler-JeepDodge-Ram in Fox Lake, IL. During the convention, Scarpelli unveiled a new initiative designed to help local dealerships showcase the benefits they bring to their millions of customers, the 1.1 million dealership employees in the U.S., and communities across the nation. The initiative—MyDealership.org —utilizes videos, social media platforms and public service announcements to communicate the significant benefits of a strong and vibrant franchised dealership network. “There are five hallmarks of any

local dealership in America today: We are local; We are modern; We are diverse; We save people money; And we create great jobs,” Scarpelli told the audience at the convention. Scarpelli’s top priorities for 2017 include advocating on legislative and regulatory issues in Washington, D.C., promoting the consumer benefits of local dealerships, meeting with auto manufacturer executives, and getting the next generation of dealers involved in their trade associations and on Capitol Hill. “We’re advocating for clarity with the new administration and Congress, whether it’s related to auto financing, new tax proposals, vehicle recall policy or fuel economy rules,” Scarpelli said. “We’re concerned about vehicle affordability for consumers, period. We have to make sure we keep our customers top of mind when dealing with all of these issues.” See NADA 100th, Page 18

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Central Oregon Body Shops See Surge in Business by Mike Allen, KTVZ.com

It’s no secret that this winter already has been rough on Central Oregon drivers, and crashes are up. One business—auto body repair shops—has seen an uptick in business as a result.

Credit: ktvz.com

For example, Robberson Ford Collision Center in Bend has a twomonth backlog of work. The unusual amount of snow and cold this winter has brought is mainly to blame. “That much snow that quick, I don’t think any of us were ready for it,” body shop manager Ben Nolan said on January 25. “It’s definitely increased our workload (and) the amount of estimates we’ve been doing. An example — in November, we do about 200 estimates a month. Thus far in January, we’ve done close to 300

estimates.” They’re so busy, they ran out of room to put work orders for vehicles awaiting repairs and the overflow of files are placed on the floor. On the other hand, auto repair shops that work on engines, transmissions and other internal problems said they’re actually seeing business slow down, as fewer people are digging out their cars and hitting the road in this weather. An auto body worker at Robberson Collision Center said he’s been working a lot of overtime lately. “Basically, (you) just kind of work harder,” Dan Rossiter said. “You’ve got to scoop the snow off everything before you bring it in, slipping and sliding around the back lot. You work a little harder, I think.” But he said he does like the extra money from that overtime. Another busy business: Les Schwab Tires, where an official said they’re actually hiring right now. We thank KTVZ.com for reprint permission.

www.autobodynews.com

Oakland, CA Auto Body Shop Catches Fire by Gabby Baquero, West Orange Times & Observer

Firefighters from multiple municipalities surrounded an Oakland warehouse located at 17949 West Colonial Drive Saturday night as they battled the flames that engulfed the 6,000-square-foot building. Orange County Fire Rescue, Winter Garden, Clermont and Lake County all responded because of where it’s located. “It kind of borders on a lot of different jurisdictions, so you know there was a lot of units out there, but that was because of its location,” said Orange County Fire Rescue spokeswoman Ngoc Huynh. “It was only a one-alarm response.” The Creative Auto Boutique in Oakland sold and installed auto ac-

cessories such as car stereos and wheels and offered custom auto paint jobs. Although the original alert call came in at about 7:15 p.m., fire crews on the scene did not declare a knock down – a term used to describe the moment when the main body of a large fire is suppressed – until 9:19 p.m, Huynh added. “The only issue is that no one called it in until a few passers-by happened to see it and by the time we arrived on scene it was already 100 percent involved,” Huynh said. Surrounding business were not exposed to the fire and no injuries were reported, Huynh said. The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

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6 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

OR Students Told Their Driver’s License and Record Can Be Their Most Important Tool

Although he was speaking to automotive repair students, Steve Pepka’s message was equally appropriate for collision repair students: Your driver’s license is your most important tool as a technician. Pepka is a shop foreman at Everett Street Autoworks in Portland, OR who recently spoke to students at Portland Community College. Pepka recently had been having insurability challenges with some technicians in his shop, and he asked the college if students are told they need a clean driving record to work in the industry. The school told him that students are told this at orientation, on the first day of school and again before completion of the program. But Russ Jones, the chairman of the school’s automotive department, said the message could carry more weight if it came from an employer, so he invited Pepka to speak to the class. Pepka acknowledged to the students that he’d been no angel behind the wheel. “I’ve been racing machines since I was 8 years old,” Pepka said. “I know I’m a speed freak. My solution is to drive a slow car.” He said drives a 1996 Toyota; his wife’s Audi A4 is off limits. When he

feels the “need for speed,” he heads to the track. He said students (as well as employers) need to know that what DMV considers an acceptable driving record may not be acceptable to an insurer. Insurers may pull coverage for three minor convictions (i.e., failure to use a turn signal or to carry insurance) or one major conviction (such as speeding, reckless driving, DUI or an accident). Insurers will monitor 18- to 25-year-old drivers most closely - as often as two or four times a year. For shops that have an uninsurable employee, there may be some solutions: – A company can buy a stand-alone policy for the uninsurable employee; this may cost $2,000-$4,000 per year. – The employee can purchase a personal policy, although this can be very expensive. – The employee can enroll in the Oregon DMV Driver Improvement Program (https://tinyurl.com/Driver Improvement). Employers should remind employees to notify the company if they’ve received a citation. It can be easier to get ahead of the problem rather than to be blindsided by a call from your insurer.

www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 7

CIF Raises Big Again at 7th Annual Gala Fundraiser

For the 7th time, the Collision Industry Foundation (CIF) held its annual Gala Fundraiser in Palm Springs, California. Continuing the well-known

tradition, the Foundation again hosted a lively cocktail party, complete with delicious Asian Fare hors d’oeuvres and cocktails at the renowned Lulu California Bistro. According to event organizers, approximately 105 people from the collision industry attended the fundraiser. The gala guests were able to participate in a raffle and silent auction featuring many items. The items were donated by companies and individuals and included high-end electronics, custom art work, Chip Foose signed pictures, pin stripe painted pedal car bodies, a NASCAR package as well as I-CAR and AMI training classes. The gala was successful, and

CIF was able to raise approximately $50,000. The foundation’s major focus has been the Collision Industry Relief Fund, which is used to aid collision repair professionals who have lost their livelihoods from a natural disaster or other catastrophe. Commenting on the success attributed to sponsors and attendees, Casey Steffen, CIF trustee, said that “Our sponsors continue to see the value of the Foundation and have supported us in excess of previous events. They also continue to help spread the word of our efforts and find those in need of assistance.”

CIF’s vision is to bring awareness and emergency relief to Collision Repair Professionals. If you know of someone in need, please direct them to the CIF website at www .collisionindustryfoundation.org.

8 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Jeanette Lorenzo of NAME, Inc and Bob Leone of ADVICS Lead CAWA’s Manufacturer Advisory Council in 2017

At their February 2, 2017 meeting, the CAWA Manufacturers’ Advisory Council (MAC) elected Jeannette Lorenzo of NAME, Inc to Chair and Bob Leone of ADVICS as its vicechair for the year. Both have served and contributed several years to the Association’s MAC. The MAC was formed to be an advisory body and provide a perspective to the Association from the manufacturing segment of the auto care industry. The Association values the advice and counsel of the MAC and supports its operation as an integral part of CAWA. Their next meeting will be in June in San Diego, California, and industry representatives are invited to sit in and participate. For further information, contact programs@cawa.org or call 800-332-2292. CAWA is a regional automotive aftermarket trade association representing auto parts jobbers, warehouse distributors, retailers, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives and program groups. The Association provides education, legislative, regulatory and business support to the industry and its membership.

Sacramento Shop Expanding in Modesto, CA, & Texas

Sacramento, California-based Auto Body Collision Repair Shop has announced that they are expanding their repair center to Modesto, CA. The auto shop offers a number of collision repairs and detailing services, and recently stated that their business has grown substantially and that they are now offering their ser-vices to customers in outlying a-reas. “We are very pleased with how our business has grown,” a spokesperson for the collision repair center said. Auto Body Collision Repair Shop has been in business for more than 40 years, and they are reportedly in the process of expanding to various regions around their base in Sacramento with hopes of eventually reaching most of the nation with their professional services. The company recently added Odessa, Texas to their list of service areas and says that their expansion into Modesto will certainly not be their last.

www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 9

Savy Body Shop in Richmond, CA, Shows Savvy by The Richmond Standard

Savy Ly has operated an auto repair and maintenance shop at 12920 San Pablo Ave. for about 15 years. And the service is certainly savvy: Savy Auto Service and Body Shop contin-

Credit: The Richmond Standard

ues to thrive, having garnered positive Yelp! reviews in the last two years. But a humble Ly doesn’t like to brag about himself, letting his work do the talking. Ly’s shop offers a body shop for collision repair as well as a mechanics shop for maintenance work. He said he loves the Richmond community and wouldn’t want to work anywhere else. When he’s not working, he’ll make trips to Pacific East Mall to shop, and also loves golfing. We thank The Richmond Standard for reprint permission.

Seven Arrested in Coachella Valley $500,000 Insurance Fraud Probe by Banning-Beaumont Patch.com

Seven people were arrested February 7, in connection with an alleged auto insurance fraud scheme involving more than a half-million dollars in alleged fraudulent payouts to seven Coachella Valley body shops. The seven were among 40 people charged by the District Attorney’s Office for their alleged involvement in securing $560,492 in payouts, stemming from up to 40 false insurance claims made for car crashes that were either staged or never happened, according to D.A.’s spokesman John Hall. Body shops involved in the scheme were Tiger Auto Collision Center in Indio, Supreme Auto Collision in Indio, Diamond Auto Body in Indio, All Valley Auto Body in Desert Hot Springs, Ferrari Auto Collision in Indio, 760 Auto Collision in Indio and Superior Auto Body in Indio. The suspects arrested by investigators from the California Department of Insurance and the Urban Auto Insurance Fraud Task Force during “Operation All in the Family” were: Isaac Espinoza Villa, 30, of Indio; Luz Virgin, 42, of Indio;

NATA Member Shops Can Partner With Oregon State Police to Help Motorists

The Oregon State Police (OSP) is looking for members of the Northwest Automotive Trades Association (NATA) that are willing to work with law enforcement on a new parts violation program for motorists.

To improve traffic safety and improve voluntary compliance with traffic laws, the OSP is partnering with shops and parts suppliers to offer discount vouchers to motorists stopped for minor vehicle equipment violations, such as lighting failures. The intent of the voucher is to provide a discount at participating repair shops and parts retailers that will assist the motorist in addressing the equipment violation. One parts retailer, for example, is offering a 20 percent discount on parts purchases of $20 or more. One repair facility is offering a 10 percent

discount on parts and installation. But it is up to each business to determine what discount they choose to offer. To start, OSP Troopers will carry vouchers to provide to drivers. OSP in the future may shift toward a website that will provide information on participating partners and the voucher offer. If this happens, all partners will be notified. NATA members interested in participating should send information to the Oregon State Police, Attn: Motorist Discounts, 3545 Trelstad Ave. S.E., Salem, OR, 97317, OSP GeneralServices@osp.state.or.us. You should provide the name of your company, mailing and email address, phone number, contact person, and details about the discount or other offers for the voucher. To become a NATA member, visit www.aboutnata.org/join-now.

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Samuel Salvador Gomez, 42, of Indio; Moises Saldana Paredes, 27, of Coachella; Mauricio Lopez-Castro, 29, of Coachella; Jose Manuel Luna, 50, of Palm Desert; and Erika Feliz, 36, of Indio.

Another 22 suspects are expected to surrender soon, while 11 remain at large, according to the Department of Insurance. “Insurance fraud schemes like this one steal from our local communities in the form of higher premiums,” Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin said. “The insurance fraud perpetrated by these defendants is alleged to have caused a loss of more than $500,000, a cost that ultimately is passed on to consumers. We have to do everything that can be done to stop these criminals from defrauding the public.”

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According to the District Attorney’s Office, the body shop owners worked with employees and family members posing as insurance consumers, who filed the false claims. The fraud was first brought to light in 2014, when Department of Insurance investigators received information regarding the scheme during a bust of suspects running a similar crime ring. “This was an elaborate conspiracy to rip off insurers to the tune of nearly a half a million dollars,” Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said. “Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime. The cost of fraud is shouldered by consumers who pay higher premiums when insurers pass along their losses. The task force is a critical tool in combating the multibillion-dollar problem of insurance fraud.” Autobody News thanks BanningBeaumontPatch.com for reprint permission.

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IACA Cultivates Relationship with Local Legislators by Chasidy Rae Sisk

For the past year, the Idaho Autobody Craftsmen’s Association (IACA) has focused most of its energy on developing and cultivating relationships with the ID Department of Insurance (DOI) and local legislators. IACA President Matt Thornton stated, “We’ve had several productive meetings with the DOI as we strive to develop an open relationship and educate them on industry issues.” Explaining that these attempts date back over a year, Thornton explains that the association introduced a bill in early 2016 that would make it illegal to disregard the p-pages during a repair, a practice that many insurance companies tend to follow. According to Thornton, “The insurance industry didn’t know we existed as an organization prior to that, but we got their attention and they complained to our legislators, who convinced us to withdraw the bill and allow the DOI to referee meetings with the insurance industry so we could try to find common ground.” Knowing their bill had little chance of success, the association withdrew it and focused its efforts on building credibility with legislators.

In 2016, IACA held seven meetings with the DOI, legislators and the insurance industry. Thornton reported, “We’ve made some progress by getting the DOI to issue memorandums to the insurance companies; these memorandums are less hassle than bills, which are extremely expensive and time-consuming.” “The most notable achievement from these efforts is that we’ve acquired a seat at the table for the collision repair industry during these discussions,” Thornton said proudly. “Now, they know they have to deal with us and even agree that these meetings should have taken place years ago. By gaining credibility, it appears we’ll be able to accomplish some of if our initiatives without legislation. We’ve received positive feedback on this ongoing project, and we are learning to deal with and build a relationship with the DOI and the insurance industry.” On January 24, IACA hosted a meeting with ID legislators to help them understand the industry, and nearly one-third of the state’s legislators were in attendance. “We made a lot of headway helping legislators understand our concerns by inviting them into our shops to demonstrate

the frequency of supplements and what it takes for us to get paid,” Thornton said. “The legislators responded well to this show-and-tell, but it’s a bigger issue than they originally believed. “It’s difficult for people outside the industry to understand the industry’s complexities, but our legislators are starting to comprehend the depths of our concerns. Meanwhile, the insurance industry has been surprised that we’ve been able to come together as a group and introduce legislation which is the association’s main focus.” Although legislation is IACA’s primary initiative, the association still recognizes the importance of providing education to its members, and they schedule two estimating seminars each year to facilitate this training to their rural members who are more apt to attend these local sessions, which require less travel, time and expense. The association typically has 30-50 people at these sessions and is currently evaluating options with the intent of hosting an estimating seminar this spring and another in Fall 2017.

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Continued from Cover

Chubb

Chubb takes this very serious and wants to make sure the vehicle is returned in proper working order.” Shortly after, in January, Chubb sent a follow up email to clarify their announcement: “The email you received on December 9 regarding a policy announcement on pre and post scans was sent prematurely and we wish to clarify it. Chubb has consistently focused on the safety and integrity of covered vehicle repairs, consistent with manufacturer requirements. Our approach to pre- and/or post-repair scanning is no different. Many manufacturers have issued position statements relating to the need for pre- and post-repair scanning. Many have not yet done so. Chubb’s approach is to view each repair as unique, and to consider payment for covered repairs on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with policy terms and the need for a high quality repair.” “This is the insurance company as far as I can see with the most integrity,” said McDonnell. “They looked at it and said, ‘Hey, this needs to be done. We

want our shops to do it and we are requiring our shops to do it.” About two years ago, McDonnell began pre- and post-scanning every single vehicle that came through his Billings, Montana body shops. His father, Matt, started the business in a four-car garage in 1978. Since then, it has grown to include 30 employees at their three locations.

Big Sky Collision Center operates three locations in Montana

In the past, McDonnell said the shops were only scanning some of the vehicles that came in for repair. Over time, he realized it need to be done differently. After working with Mike Anderson for several years and being part of his business council, McDonnell asked Anderson which vehicles should be scanned. “Mike said, ‘Matthew, I think you need to scan them all.’ I thought that was impossible,” said McDonnell. “Who is going to pay?”

He went back to his shop and asked his team to help determine which cars needed to be scanned. Over a one-month period, they tested 50 vehicles and scanned every one without asking to get reimbursed by the insurance companies. After scanning all of the vehicles pre- and post-repair, they found that 49 out of 50 had diagnostic trouble codes that were either created from the accident or from the repair process. “We wouldn’t have known which were related to the accident and which were related to the repair unless we ran a pre and post scan,” said McDonnell. “If I put the vehicle back together and it’s invisible to me to see those little prongs inside the connectors, I can’t tell if they are all touching and connecting,” he said. “How do I know if they are all connected after the repair? The answer is I don’t. You absolutely have to scan the vehicle to find out that information.” After that test, the shop recognized the importance of scanning every vehicle they have coverage for. “What people think needs to be done and what really needs to be done is probably the biggest issue in the country today,” he said.

He continued to monitor the vehicles that came into the shop and kept a list of approximately 200. He found only 14 percent of these had dash lights come on and only half of the dash lights were related to the repair. The other half had maintenance issues such as needing an oil change or in regards to the tire pressure monitoring system. “All of them needed to be scanned,” said McDonnell. “All of them had codes and faults. For those people out there who are only going to scan when there is a dash light, that means you are only getting a seven percent success rate according to my data. That’s super scary.” He said the toughest part is not figuring out whether you need to scan. Instead, the real work begins after you make the decision. At one time, Big Sky had 12 DRPs. He only has one major one day—State Farm. “We had every single insurance company that we dealt with deny it for some reason up front,” he said. “They didn’t believe it needed to be done on every vehicle and didn’t agree with our practices so they didn’t want a partner like me.” See Chubb, Page 14

www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 13

Continued from Cover

Finishmaster

dustry, continuously investing in people, systems and their customers.” President and Co-Owner Bob D’Angelo stated, “We’ve always been at the leading edge of paint distribution. As we looked down the road at our continued growth plans, we recognized that the strength and resources of Finishmaster would enable us to both compete effectively and continue to provide customers with our high standard of service in this challenging environment.” “The decision to sell wasn’t just about meeting the owners’ needs and goals but also taking care of employees and continuing the core values of the company.” observed Managing Director Rick Thomas, who led the transaction for FOCUS.

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Continued from Page 13

Chubb

However, Chubb saw how he was operating his shop and asked him to be a DRP in Montana. “That was a major compliment,” said McDonnell. Over the last two years, he has found that OEMs are surprised to hear that not all vehicles are being scanned, especially since they regularly scan the vehicles that come into the dealerships. McDonnell said that over half of the cars driving on the road today have a position statement that requires pre and post scanning of the vehicle. “That’s 51 percent of the marketshare of the cars driving in the United States right now,” he said. Although many shops have not seen these position statements, McDonnell said the majority know about it by now. “Now

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ASA Northwest Honors 2016 Outstanding Member of the Year by Chasidy Rae Sisk

ASA Northwest hosted its 2017 Winter Retreat on January 19-22 at the Icicle Village in Leavenworth, WA. In addition to offering educational and networking opportunities, the event provided the association with a chance to honor its 2016 Outstanding Member of the Year, Bill Filley of Prairie Road Automotive in Eugene, OR.

According to Jeff Lovell, President and Executive Director of the association, “The Outstanding Member of the Year Award is the highest honor that we, as ASA Northwest members, can bestow on any individual of our association. Any recipient of this award can feel extremely proud, without a doubt, as the recipient of the award has most exemplified the reason and purpose of our association.” Filley’s relationship with ASA

you need to make the business decision about whether or not you are going to follow the rules.” In the meantime, McDonnell continues to spread the word about the importance of scanning all vehicles. “We’ve stuck with it long enough that now over 90 percent of the insurance companies we work with have said, ‘Yes, we will pay you for the pre and post scan. “My message to the industry is that if you are waiting for the insurance companies to tell you that you have to do this, it’s never going to come. That’s something that everyone has to answer internally,” said McDonnell. “If you are going to consider yourself a shop with integrity and doing things right, then you have to ask that question. At least research it enough to know to make the right decision. I challenge every shop owner to say, ‘Let’s do that.’ ”

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began in 1993 when a fire destroyed the business he worked for at the time, providing him with a firsthand view of the association’s willingness to help its members. Members of his local chapter and across the state donated money, tools, toolboxes and even a location for the shop to use while they rebuilt. Touched by the concern and generosity he’d witnessed, Filley felt the need to give back, and Lovell says he “ended up fast-tracking to become president of his local chapter. This was no small task for him because, as I understand it, he was extremely shy at the time, so he joined Toastmasters to help him overcome his shyness… Somewhere in the middle of all this, our friend met Pete Hunt and attended his first ASA Washington retreat where some of our more famous members took him under their wing. He was never the same after that.” Filley’s career progressed to take him on to several state level positions and even some position at the national level. Lovell believes, “He’s been instrument in recent years in helping reenergize member activity in the southern part of the ASA Northwest region – that’s code for OR.”

Additionally, Filley has been very involved with the Tribute to Fallen Soldiers whose mission is to honor America’s fallen heroes. Last summer, he participated in a 14-day, 2500 mile motorcycle ride from Eugene, OR to the Arlington National Cemetary in Washington, DC, escorting the “Fallen Soldiers Memorial Flame.” During the trip, the procession made a number of Fallen Soldier Home Visits to present each family with a Memorial Plaque of Distinguished Service to assure them that their fallen hero will never be forgotten. Lovell was proud to present Bill Filley with the 2016 ASA Northwest Outstanding Member of the Year Award during the 2017 Winter Retreat.

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Continued from Page 4

NADA 100th

Also during the convention, Carl Swope, president of Swope Toyota in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, was named the 2017 TIME Dealer of the Year. It is often considered the most prestigious honor a new-car dealer can receive. Swope was selected from a group of 49 nominees from across the country.

Chief Executive Officer of Ford, Mark Fields, gave a rich, data-filled presentation on the future of OEMs

Those who are nominated perform heroic community service and are strong advocates for improving the world around them. (Autobody News will feature Carl Swope in the April issue of the magazine.) Sidney DeBoer, the executive

chairman of Lithia Motors, Ashland, OR, and Amy Purdy, who overcame a partial leg amputation to become an award-winning adaptive snowboarder, brought the final general session of the NADA Convention to a rousing close. DeBoer, who is also dealer principal of Lithia Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, worked in many positions at the dealership starting as the office manager. His dad’s death in the late 1960s thrust him into the role of running the dealership. “I made 35 sales that first month,” he said, noting his dad had served as the chief salesperson prior to his death. “Those sales made me strong. They gave me the strength I needed to go on.” It was soon after that turbulent time that DeBoer spearheaded the drive to take the dealership public. Today the company—now led by his son Bryan DeBoer—sells 30 brands in 153 stores located across 17 states. “People can do a lot more than they think they can,” he said. His company’s success “came about due to a decision I made one day after a tragedy. You can do anything anyone else can if you put your mind to it.”

18 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Continued from Cover

Insurance Fraud Ring

“Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime,” said Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. “We all pay for these crimes when insurers pass along the losses through higher premiums.” The San Diego ring made false insurance claims totaling approximately $200,000. The defendants bilked 12 insurance companies out of about $125,000. Victim insurance companies include Allstate, Access, GEICO, Infinity, State Farm, Rental Insurance Services, Fred Loya, Nationwide, Alliance, Farmers, Nations, and Travelers. “Insurance fraud can directly impact the lives of law-abiding people and staged collisions have taken the lives of innocent people in our state,” said Jim Abele, Border Division Chief

for the California Highway Patrol. “The California Highway Patrol is dedicated to reducing collisions, vehicle theft, and insurance fraud. The San Diego Automobile Insurance Fraud Task Force partnership provides a needed focus on auto-insurance crimes and enables better sharing of case information among fraud fighters.” Defendants include: Yesenia Perez, 26; Darice Orozco, 37; Oscar Vargas, 31; Jesus Diego, 31; Roberto Ramirez, 27; Abel Ramirez, 31; Maria Linares, 24; Juan Augustin, 30; and Francine Moreno, 25. Maria Linares and Juan Augustin were arraigned February 3 and Jesus Diego and Yesenia Perez were arraigned February 7. Abel Ramirez, Roberto Ramirez, Oscar Vargas and Darice Orozco were arraigned February 1 and pleaded not guilty. Their next court date is February 10.

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www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 19

Shop Secrets and Strategies

Collision Manager Explains How Processes From Bodyshop Revolution Helped with Better Cycle Time and Ensured a Better Product with Stacey Phillips

Fourteen and a half years ago, Randy Sattler came to work at Rydell GM Auto Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He had no background in the body shop industry and started out in the service department. After working in the service department for two years, he was asked to move to the body shop

had no misconceptions about it. The body shop has always intrigued me. I love cars so I said, “Why not.” Looking back on it now, I have to laugh. When I moved to the body shop, it was the week of 4th of July. I showed up Monday afternoon and I had Tuesday and half of Wednesday to learn how to write an estimate in Mitchell software before the only estimator left that Wednesday afternoon,…… permanently! Wes Rydell, the owner, took me under his wing and educated me. Here I am 12 years later still learning every day.

How has the shop utiQ: lized the Theory of Constraints methodology? (Theory of

A new body shop was constructed a little over 14 years ago

to learn how to write estimates. Six months later, he was promoted to manager of the collision shop. He began working closely with the owner of the dealership to help build a successful body shop using specific processes based on the Theory of Constraints. These included some of the processes implemented in December 2014 from Bodyshop Revolution. Autobody News spoke to Sattler about the importance of setting up processes in a body shop and how it can help with better cycle time, build closer relationships with employees and ensure a better overall product.

Q: W

ith no industry experience prior to joining Rydell, can you tell us about your background and how you became collision manager?

I came to work at Rydell from A: the trucking industry and had zero background in the body shop

world. They had built this new building the year that I started in the service department. After two years, the manager of the body shop decided he was going to move into another Rydell store. They asked me if I would be interested in the job in the body shop, and taking this journey with them to see where we could go. I think they were looking for someone who didn’t have a background in the industry and

Constraints is a methodology for identifying the most important limiting factor i.e. constraint that stands in the way of achieving a goal and then systematically improving that constraint until it is no longer the limiting factor.)

My first training on Theory of A: Constraints was reading an article called “Standing on the Shoulders

of Giants,” written by Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt. Eli was a very good friend of Wes Rydell. In the beginning, when Wes told him that he wanted to take this Toyota production system and build it into a body shop, Eli (from my understanding) pretty much told him that he’s nuts and it would be a huge challenge. When Rydell constructed the new body shop building a little over 14 years ago, it was set up with the theory of constraints in mind. Once a car is introduced into production, it never has to go outside of the building. One of our goals is to always try and work towards consistently working on a particular car. It was easy when there were just a few technicians but now that we have 20, it becomes more of a challenge every day. Every once in a while we have to go back and reread the article and make sure we’re true to what our con-

20 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

straint is in the shop. Early on, we realized in most cases when people in the industry talk about “lean” or “theory of constraints” they are typically talking about the paint booth being the constraint. What we have learned is the painting of the repair is really the most consistent part of the repair. We focused on the metal side of the repair because when we stepped back and looked at why our metal techs would have to stop and restart a repair, until the vehicle moves to the paint side, the majority of the variables always came prior to the paint process. Supplements, missed parts, wrong parts, parts broken during disassembly, hidden damage, panel written to repair when it needs to be replaced and even the wrong tech working on a job. These are all typical variables that always cause techs to start and stop on a repair

long before the vehicle ever moves to the paint department. We found that until we removed all these constraints, there was no way that we could ever get constant work flow. Once we stepped back and tracked all these variables, and realized just how much of an impact it was having on our performance, we knew we had to focus on eliminating them. Our first step was realizing that it all starts with the estimating process. When we started tracking the stops and their causes, we learned that we needed to look at the quality of the estimate and mapped vehicle that we were giving our technicians. We also realized that we were really not taking advantage of our tech’s abilities. To get the best out of them, you have to give them the best chance to win. I think a huge milestone for us was when we realized that if we looked at

www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 21

tech’s stops and starts as a fail the same way that we look at when a customer comes to pick up their vehicle, and we missed something, which we always look at as a fail, the impact is the same. The techs having to stop because of a poor estimate was the same fail as when a customer came to pick up their car and they found something wrong. We are significantly better today than when we started two years ago, and we know we still have many improvements that we need to do to even make us better. Our whole process has been designed around focusing on eliminating as many situations that prevent a car from not being continuously worked on when released for repairs.

What is the benefit of continuworkflow? Q: ous 1: Performance from better A: cycle time and hours per day. When a technician does not have to

constantly start and stop on a repair, he can focus and concentrate on his work. This allows for better repairs and more consistency in their performance. They earn more money, are much happier and their quality of work improves dramatically. 2: Better performing body shops that are in the DRP world understand the importance of performance. It gives them the ability to receive more cars from insurance companies. Our shop, like thousands of other shops, typically processed work the same way because “it’s all we know” and “because that’s how we’ve always did it!” I believe the collision repair industry is changing; there are many new repair processes and opportunities for repair shops to improve their performance. They can have a process in place that allow them to better repair vehicles and know that those repairs are done correctly, become faster and ultimately become a more profitable shop. 3: When we talk about continuous workflow, it means that after the technician gets a vehicle into his stall for repair, our goal is that he is working on that one vehicle from the time that he starts in the morning and until he completes it or punches out for the day. We don’t allow him to work on another vehicle until it moves to paint, then typically, we’ll have that technician look at his next job while the other car is in paint and he might do some pre-staging, pull his parts, etc. Our cycle time for going through

the paint booth is about 52-53 minutes with a gas catalytic robot. The vehicle is not on the paint side very long, so

that we repair that has 4.0 or more repair or refinish hours.

What were some of Q: the changes you implemented at Rydell when

you began using the processes from Bodyshop Revolution?

When Bodyshop RevA: olution came into our world in 2014, it was a huge

culture change. Prior to this, we tried many different stages Randy Sattler said they have found that the painting of and types of blueprinting and the repair is really the most consistent part of the repair mirror matching of parts, etc. but we couldn’t get our processes conthe repairing technician will get his resistent to the point where we didn’t pair back for reassembly typically have what we call “process evaporawithin 60 to 75 minutes. We truly work tion.” We’d implement a new process, at getting four hours a day on every car

22 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

it would work well for a couple of weeks, maybe even a few months, but as time passed, we would see this process evaporation and after a period of time, we seemed to fall back to our comfort level of doing things the old way. What we found was we didn’t have a good set of ground rules or a good solid outline to follow that allowed us to monitor these new processes and be able to follow up correctly when they seemed to fail. In many cases, we had good training and we knew what we wanted to accomplish, but we just seemed to always chase success. Once we found and were trained on Bodyshop Revolution’s Vehicle Damage Assessment (VDA) process,

www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 23

it was a HUGE change on how we assessed vehicle damage. We had to change our thought process on how important estimating the vehicle was, and how it affects the complete repair. We had to understand how important accuracy of the estimate really was and also the importance of how we map our vehicles, and ultimately, the biggest reality was how we needed to looked at the value of our metal and paint technicians. We all know that starts and stops in this industry are a given. With the VDA, our goal is to eliminate as many of these starts and stops as possible. We know we can’t stop them all, but if we can get better at determining the

why of these stops, we can get better with our repair performance. Any time a technician has to stop working on a vehicle, we consider that a fail the same way as if a customer up front comes to pick up a vehicle and notices something that isn’t properly repaired. The culture for us became that we looked at our technicians as customers of the estimating process and that anytime they had to leave their six-foot repair circle—the area around the repair that they are working on—that it is a fail. Once we had the VDA in place, our first true success and example or what we call continuous workflow was a Cobalt repair. This happened on a

Continuous Workflow

Randy Sattler walks us through the process of continuous workflow and how Rydell Collision Center ensures that cars are continually moving through the repair process.

Every repair that gets put on the floor has what we call a repair expectation sheet. We do most of our estimates by appointment and probably 80 percent comes from DRPs. When a customer comes in, the goal at the time of writing an estimate is determining 100 percent of the parts. We’ll remove headlights and taillights and in some cases bumper covers with the customer’s permission and understanding that it might be a half hour or 45 minutes wait depending on how much damage there is. Most of the time the customers are okay with it. We explain that when they come back for their repair, we want to be able to start working on the car and continuously work on their car until we are done. In order for us to do that, we need to do some partial disassembly so we can get all of the parts so we can order them only once. We’re not worried about the labor because labor we can easily supplement. If we don’t capture all the parts, then that’s going to cause the technician to stop and push the car outside and go and work on another car and we consider that a fail. We take photos and do everything the insurance company need us to do. Then we’ll put the pieces back on the car if it is safe to drive and schedule the car to come back one day after we have confirmation the parts will arrive. A week goes by, the parts show up and the customer drops the car off. The same people who wrote that estimate now take the car and the estimate and we map it physically on the car. They unbox the parts and match them up to the part on the car they’re replacing to make sure they have all of the correct parts. When the car is mapped, a VDA team thoroughly goes through different checklists to make sure that we know how that car was before the technician tears it apart. Once everything is correct, the car gets parked out in our parking area until it is released to the floor. When a technician finishes up a job, another car is released to him, and that technician ensures the estimate matches what is mapped on the car before beginning to work on it. Then he or she works on the car until it is ready to go to the paint side where it is masked, rolled in to the booth, painted and dried with a gas catalytic robot. Once the car comes See Continuous Workflow, Page 30

24 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Wednesday; the vehicle was a frontend hit with nine and a half hours of total repair work, metal and paint time. The tech started on it after his morning coffee break, about 9:15 a.m. and we were able to call the customer a lit-

too much time going back and forth and too many hands touched the vehicle; we wanted to simplify this. Many of Bodyshop Revolution processes aligns with the theory of constraints. We would not be where we are at if we would not have had the Bodyshop Revolution process come in. It enhanced what we were trying to do with continuous workflow and made it tenfold easier. We’ve tweaked it to where it makes sense for us but the core values and some very specific ground rules are still The process created by Rydell Collision Center focuses on in place today as they were eliminating as many situations that prevent a car from not two years ago when we first being continuously worked on when repaired started. tle after 4:30 in the afternoon and he How did you get from where was here at 5:30 picking up his vehiyou started until now? cle. That was a huge win for us, and that one repair helped all of us underI have read a lot of books, visstand what we were really trying to acited a lot of shops and became complish—continuous workflow on a involved with a Twenty group through vehicle. our paint company. Fortunately, it had Typically, in some shops they may some very high performing body have a different tech for each of the folshops that I was able to tour and see lowing: taking the car apart, fixing it, their processes. I realized that there prepping it, refinishing it and putting it are other people out there doing the back together. For some shops, this works great; for us, it did not. We spent See ND Shop Manager, Page 30

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Attendees Learn Painting Tips from the Pros at Axalta’s Wet on Wet Roundtable in CA by Victoria Antonelli

On January 30, Autobody News participated in Axalta’s Wet on Wet Roundtable at the company’s training center

“Unlike our competitors, Axalta is a stand alone paint company,” he said. “Since paint is our sole focus, all the money we make and research and development we do gets invested back

ing shops save money and time during the repair process, which is what Axalta strives to achieve for its buyers. For the Wet on Wet Roundtable, half of the attendees used Axalta’s Spies

Axalta Brand Manager, Harry Christman (left), poses inside Axalta’s paint booth during the demonstrations

in Pomona, CA. Attendees had the opportunity to paint a car panel using two different Axalta Coating Systems products. “It’s fairly rare that we have open time at this training center, so when we do, we try to steal it to do fun activities like this,” said Axalta Brand Manager Harry Christman. Christman led the event with some background information on the company followed by an explanation of the paints that would be used during the hands-on demonstration.

into coatings and paints that help the industry.” Christman explained that speed and simplicity are the two main focal points of Axalta products. “If you’re in the collision business, you need to go fast,” he said. “Insurance companies don’t want you taking your time with these cars, so anything we can do with our paint to help auto body shops expedite the repair process, it’s on us to do that.” A simplified paint application process shrinks the error margin, help-

26 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Hecker Permahyd Hi-Tec waterborne paint. Christman explained that the Permahyd Hi-TEC is a 1 ½ coat Wet on Wet Technology product. Approximately ninety-eight percent of Hi-Tec colors require only 1 ½ coats, while the rest require two coats. When using Wet on Wet Technology, the painter does not have to wait for the paint to dry in between the two coats. After spraying the first coat, the painter can immediately spray the half mist coat and then exit the booth to let the basecoat dry. “The way this paint dries is pretty

unique, because when you spray it on, it will initially look lumpy like an orange peel; not the way you’d want you car to look,” he continued. “But that’s because at that point, the film you just sprayed is about 80 percent water, and that water has to evaporate out, and when it does, the film sucks down onto the substrate and dries really flat and smooth.” “For waterborne paints, if it happens to be a very humid day, the water won’t evaporate as fast,” explained Christman. “Air movement is key, so if you can get air moving across the surface of your vehicle with hand-held or booth mounted blowers, then you’ll be able to pick up moisture in order

An attendee polishes off her panel, freshly painted with Axalta’s Spies Hecker Permahyd Hi-Tec waterborne product

create that depth of color that “Whether it’s Axalta or any of our you would get in a normal tri competitors, there’s nothing in a can stage candy process,” he ex- of paint that’s good for you, so whenplained. “You won’t be able ever you’re using automotive paint, to tell the difference between you need to protect yourself,” Christthe candy you’ll spray and man concluded. the candy that takes much Fowler led the hands-on demonlonger and requires much stration inside the paint booth alongmore skill.” side BMI Racing team member Sarah Christman added that local Burgess. Each attendee was shown custom shops lay down the how to hold a paint gun and paint a majority of their color with the panel correctly (based on their paint Axalta’s head trainer at their Pomona location, Mike Candy CFX, and then use a of choice). Attendees then got to bring Fowler, instructs an attendee who is painting a panel regular candy process for spehome their finished product. using Candy CFX cial effects such as highlightThe session concluded with a one for it to dry efficiently.” ing, blends, and fades. hour catered lunch. The other half of the attendees The Pomona location’s head traiAxalta Coating Systems headsprayed Candy CFX, which is a candy ner, Mike Fowler, then went over quarters are located in Wilmington, base coat used for custom paint jobs. safety precautions and explained what DE. For more information, visit www “Candy paints are bright and vi- gear was required and how to put it on. .axaltacs.com. brant; it almost looks like you can put your hand down into the deeply saturated colors,” said Chistman. Normally, candy paint jobs require anywhere from eight to 14 coats applied as a ground coat and separate mid coat, but Axalta’s product only requires two to three coats applied as a single base coat. Both processes then require a final clear coat finish. “The dye that’s in the base coat Barbara Davies (middle), who attended the afternoon session of Axalta’s Wet on Wet Roundtable, migrates up and out into the clear to poses with fellow participants

CCC Donates $4M+ in Software Subscriptions to CREF

CCC Information Services Inc. (“CCC”), through its partnership with the Collision Repair Education Foundation (“CREF”), donated more than $4 million in software subscriptions to qualified secondary and post-secondary schools in 2016. CCC and CREF offer CCC ONE® Estimating software at no cost to technical schools and colleges that have a qualifying collision repair program. Student and teacher recipients of CCC ONE software learn how to write estimates while examining damaged vehicles. The software package includes access to collision repair databases, digital imaging capabilities, and CCC ONE® Touch, a mobile estimating solution designed exclusively for tablets. “Educating the next generation of collision repairers is critically important,” said Mary Jo Prigge, president, Service Operations, CCC. “CCC is proud to work with CREF to provide collision repair schools with the industry’s most advanced software, giving them an opportunity to learn with the tools they will encounter once they start their careers.”

www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 27

Shop Showcase Kathy Mello of Fremont’s TGIF Body Shop Wins at Every Level with Ed Attanasio

By working hard and doing all the right things for the right reasons, Kathy Mello of TGIF Body Shop in Fremont, CA is a shining example of how good things happen to good people. The owner of TGIF Body Shop, Inc. in Fremont, Mello is well-known both locally and nationally as a top industry leader, a passionate mentor, and a person who cares about her employees and her community.

Kathy Mello, with her husband, Richard, runs the show at TGIF Body Shop in Fremont, CA. She is this year's CAA State President and a founding member of WIN, the Women’s Industry Network

Kathy Mello and her husband Richard have owned TGIF since 1980. Right on the edge of Silicon Valley, the City of Fremont has changed dramatically since then, but the Mello family still fixes cars the same way, although the equipment and techniques have evolved considerably within the past 37 years. Today, this burgeoning shop employs 20 people and repairs over 100 vehicles every month. It all began when Richard Mello, Kathy’s husband, was working at Moffett Air Field in Mountain View, CA, on the graveyard shift. He had a hankering to paint cars, so during the day he began working with an independent shop in a car dealership. That owner decided to opt out of the business and Mello was the only one left standing. When the owner of the car dealership found out what had happened, he looked around at all of the cars in the shop and told Richard, “You’re it!” He eventually sold that shop and began TGIF in 1980. While Richard was trying to start a new shop with his “two hands and a toolbox,” which is the way Kathy likes to describe those early years—she was raising their four children. “I was working behind the scenes back then.

I was running parts, collecting payments, and helping with marketing.” But after a while, the shop began to hit its stride and Kathy had to step in when things got busy, she said. “Then, in 1996, we bought a new corner location and our volume increased by at least 20%. Right around that same time, my kids were getting older, so I started doing more in the business.” After setting up the office and systemizing everything from work orders to payroll, Mello began learning everything she possibly could about the collision repair industry. “I learned a lot by doing, but I also took classes whenever I could. At this point, we had 18-20 employees and I was working here full-time.” Full-time went to double time when Richard decided to step away from the business to transport hot tubs, which meant it was now “go time” for Kathy. “I knew I had to take the reins, so I didn’t hesitate,” she said. “My son, Jason Cocco, runs the shop now, but I am still very involved in every aspect of the business.” Part of her participation involves a lot of industry networking and philanthropy, and that’s why she recently received an award at last year’s SEMA for the latter. The National Auto Body Council honored her with the Excellence in Community Service Award for her outstanding charitable efforts and volunteerism, including mentoring atrisk youth and disabled adults. In addition, she is one of the founding members of the Women’s Industry Network (WIN), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to encouraging, developing and cultivating opportunities to attract women to collision repair. Back in 1999 when the group was formed, Mello and several others saw a need for such an organization and jumped in almost immediately to play a role. “We were attendees at a first women’s conference 12 years ago. There were 44 women in attendance and they all started talking to each other and sharing ideas,” she said. “I was one of their first co-chairs and since then, WIN has really taken off, with more than 400 members from every segment of collision repair across the

28 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

entire United States, as well as internationally. There are so many smart and dedicated women in this industry and I am so proud to be a member of WIN, which is still an all-volunteer organization.”

Mello won an Excellence in Community Service Award at SEMA last year from the National Auto Body Council for her outstanding charitable efforts and volunteerism, including mentoring at-risk youth and disabled adults PORTLAND, OR

by Ed Attanasio

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

By the time this article appears here in Autobody News, Mello will be sworn in as the new State President for the California Autobody Association (CAA) as they celebrate their 50th anniversary. After serving on the organization’s board in different capacities, Kathy is poised and prepared to take on the position. “Most of the board members, who have served tirelessly for many years, are eager to add new blood to the organization. One of the first things I want to do is encourage the younger generation to step forward,” she said. “The right people are out there, so we have to figure out a way to connect with them. One of my goals is to make membership and involvement easier, so that more shops will join. When I go to a chapter meeting, whether it’s in San Jose or the East Bay, it takes 4-5 hours out of my day, with traffic, etc., so we are going to look at the possibility of See Kathy Mello, Page 61

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Continued from Page 24

ND Shop Manager

same things we’re doing now. They’re not necessarily exactly the same but ultimately they’re doing things to make themselves a better shop and that helped provide the fuel for me to want to be like them. A lot had to do with the management staff. It goes back to the owners

making the commitment. When things didn’t go the way we expected, we talked about it and tried to figure out why it didn’t work. One of our greatest assets is that our owner is always committed to trying to be the best. He taught me that you are going to fail and when you fail, fail hard and fail early so you can move on and start making progress. That failure is an opportunity to learn.

out of the booth, our goal is that same repairing technician is reContinuous Workflow assembling the vehicle within 60 minutes. In the interim, he preps for his next job that includes pulling his parts cart, reviewing the estimate, etc. Also, if the waiting tech has time during the interim of waiting for his vehicle to come back for paint, he may check the monitor screen that shows all of the vehicles released to the floor for repair. If there are vehicles in reassembly that are behind in the repair, he may go assist the tech working on that car. Our computer management system tracks every vehicle released to the floor. We use colors for each job to show the status of the repairs. Once a vehicle is released for repair, we track the amount of time that a tech is repairing that vehicle and compare that to our projected shop out date. The colors are black, red, yellow and green. If a repair is red on the screen, it means that there is a strong possibility that based on how long that vehicle has been released to the floor that we possibly are not going to make our completion time based on where that vehicle is in the repair process. If the repair turns black, we have missed our opportunity to meet our completion date based on where that vehicle is in the repair process. Yellow is showing that we are getting close to a possible missed completion date and green indicates that all is ok with the repair based on time used compared to the out date. This visual concept allows our people to know the status of every vehicle released to the floor and as those vehicles move through the repair process, the techs cans see if are we on time or not. If there is time to assist in a repair that has turned black, they go help! Continued from Page 24

Continued from Page 3

LKQ Buys PA Shop

hicles. The company has operations in North America, Europe and Taiwan and offers customers a broad range of replacement systems, components, equipment and parts to repair and accessorize automobiles, trucks, and recreational and performance vehicles. Newman said the new name of the shop will be Apple Hill Auto & Collision division of A&A. A&A is an auto parts store owned by LKQ. Apple Hill has a history of working with LKQ in the past, using the company’s collision parts as well as con-

sumables such as sandpaper and plastics. The small family-owned company was established in 1997 by Aaron Salvatori. The original garage was located outside of Muncy, Pennsylvania, on the top of a hill where the owner’s grandfather sold apples from his farm. He named his business Apple Hill 4x4 and specialized in mechanical repair and spray-on bedliners. In 2010, the company opened a collision repair facility in Muncy and Newman became the body shop manager. As the shop grew and needed more space, the decision was made to move to a new building near the meSee LKQ Buys PA Shop, Page 62

30 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

We have far surpassed our goals that we initially talked about 12 years ago. Now our goals have changed because we have achieved these things and learned that as good as we are today we can become even better. Now the hard work really begins with fine tuning the process.

How have your employees dealt Q: with the changes over the years and what advice do you have for other

shops in terms of building better employee relations?

The most important part of the A: puzzle is the employees here. It’s fun and impressive to talk about

how we’ve grown over the years but the reality is what we’re doing here is a byproduct of a commitment from not only management but also from the employees. There are about five of us who have been together about 12 years. The employees are the people who deserve the credit because they didn’t give up. Change for people is very very hard and I am forever indebted to the people who were there during these changes. One of the most valuable lessons that we have learned through all this is

when we decide to either change a process or implement a new one, we will include any staff that will be touched by the change. We will sit down and talk about what it is we want to change or try, explain the why… and then listen to what their thought process might be. They deserve the opportunity to express their concerns and know how the change or new process might affect them and possibly their paycheck. Another important thing to remember is any process change or shop repair experimentation can never come at the cost of the employees. We’ve always tried to take care of our employees and I think that is why they’ve stayed here, and are still as committed today to get better as they were when we started this journey. All of us are in it together and we are all committed! Randy Sattler is featured in the book The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops, written by Dave Luehr with Stacey Phillips, scheduled to be released in early 2017. For more information, visit www.bodyshopsecrets .com or email dluehr@bodyshopsecrets .com/sphillips@bodyshopsecrets.com.

www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 31

UBM Teams up With AMI, NATEF, TST to Deliver NACE Automechanika Scholarships In an effort to bring affordable training to more automotive professionals in need, the UBM Community Engagement Program has joined with Automotive Management Institute (AMi), National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) and Technicians Service Training (TST) to provide scholarships for NACE Automechanika Chicago covering travel expenses, training costs and access to trade show product discovery. NACE Automechanika, the largest U.S. trade show dedicated to high-end technical and managementrelated training for automotive service and collision repair shops, will be held July 26-29 at McCormick Place West in Chicago. Scholarships will cover travel and hotel expenses for recipients as well as any costs associated with training courses during NACE Automechanika Chicago. Recipients also will receive cash vouchers redeemable with exhibitors at the NACE Automechanika Chicago expo to purchase tools, equipment and other services required to enhance their skillsets. “We are pleased to work with three wonderful organizations in AMi, NATEF and TST as we all work to further the access to quality, in-demand

training for automotive professionals across the industry,” said Jim Savas, GM and VP of the UBM Automotive Group. “We are fortunate to have the UBM Community Engagement Program support us in making it possible for more repairers and owners to participate in NACE Automechanika Chicago and continue to learn and improve their skills.” To apply, visit http://www.nace automechanika.com/scholarships. Criteria for each scholarship is listed and a single sign-on form is available for applicants. Winners will be notified in late May. Scholarships from AMi are available for those who work in the automotive service or collision repair industry and served in the U.S. military, while NATEF scholarships are available for automotive educators and students over age 18. TST scholarships are available for technicians and shop owners meeting a variety of criteria. “I’m pleased to team up with the UBM Community Engagement Program to assist the number of quality technicians and owners in the country who desire training and who could use a little help in obtaining it,” said G. Jerry Truglia, president of TST. “We have worked closely with UBM and

32 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

its automotive group in promoting our annual Big Event. I’m pleased again to team up with groups that understand the importance of quality training, like what they receive at the Big Event and at NACE Automechanika Chicago.” “We too look forward to providing the opportunity for educators and students to continue learning outside of their school classrooms,” said Trish Serratore, president of NATEF/AYES. “In order for our educators to teach future technicians, they need to stay up-to-date on trends and techniques. What a better way to do so than by training with professionals from around the country at NACE Automechanika Chicago.” “With the quality training offered at NACE Automechanika Chicago, this provides us a tremendous way to give back to those who have served for all of us,” said Jeff Peevy, AMi president. “Opening the door for more training to be accessible to more technicians, collision repair specialists and more is an important step in guaranteeing the industry is ready and able to properly diagnose, repair and maintain the ever-changing vehicle fleet.”

Scholarship applications are available now at http://www.naceautomechanika .com/scholarships.

New Global Warranty Program for Architectural Powder Coatings

Axalta Coating Systems has introduced a Global Warranty program for its premium line of Alesta® architectural powder coatings. Alesta powder coatings are designed to meet the rigorous architectural specifications set forth by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), Qualicoat and GSB standards. These are available in a wide selection of colors and gloss levels, and contain virtually no VOCs and no targeted HAPs. The Global Warranty provides a unique and consistent program to specifiers and façade fabricators through Axalta’s approved applicators. The fluoropolymer-based Alesta AR500 UD series powder coatings based on fluorocarbon technology will come with a warranty of up to 30 years, offering superior mechanical properties compared to traditional liquid technologies. Alesta AR400 SD super durable polyester-based powder coatings will come with a warranty up to 25 years. Alesta AR300 AP standard durable polyester-based powder coatings will come with a warranty up to 15 years. For more information, visit www .axalta.com.

www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 33

Shop Showcase Regal Collision, a Vallejo Body Shop, Gives Away its 11th Car with Ed Attanasio

Just like Nigel Tufnel said in the film This is Spinal Tap, “This one goes to 11!” Sure, it’s a fairly obscure movie reference, but it is fitting in this instance, because when it comes to giving cars away, this Bay Area body shop turns up the volume every year right after Christmas for its annual car presentation. On December 29, Regal Collision in Vallejo, CA, presented a completely refurbished 1997 Buick LeSabre to a deserving family from the Vallejo area.

ing woman who just wants to provide for her children and now she can do so much more with this LeSabre. Our beloved San Francisco Giants did not end the year well, but we at Regal Collision ended ours in a big way with our 11th car presentation.” For 10 of the 11 vehicles that Regal Collision has given away over the last 12 years, one local company has stepped up to make sure that each one is mechanically sound before any recipient receives it. Milt’s Service Garage, a neighbor of Regal Collision, is happy to be involved in the program, according to the shop’s Co-owner Adrian Radu. “This particular car was in good condition and we put around 20 hours into it,” Radu said. “Helping the community is a huge thing for us here and this is a part of that. The Boyles are great people and we often refer each other for work. It’s always tremenJael Hernandez and her two children were surprised and dously satisfying every year thrilled when they found out that they were the owners of when they present the vehicle a pristine 1997 Buick LeSabre to the recipients and I never This marks the shop’s 11th car presget tired of it. We have discussed doing entation as part of the national Akzo a car giveaway ourselves in the near fuNobel Benevolence Program, a comture, because we have seen how much munity relations program that generit brings people together for an incredates goodwill at the local level while ible cause. We’re all in business to improving and promoting the image make money, but we can’t forget why of the collision repair industry as a we’re here, and I believe helping peowhole. ple is a part of that.” Jael Hernandez, a single mother Regal Collision’s VP Shellie Boyle with two children, was shocked and has played an integral role in every surprised when she saw her vehicle giveaway since it began and the part she for the first time during the car un- values the most is the way the commuveiling at Regal Collision. Jim Boyle, nity rallies around the program every the owner of Regal Collision, is proud year. “Philanthropy is contagious and and pleased to be giving a completely the companies in Vallejo that work with refurbished car to someone in the us are amazing,” she said. “The people community that needed a vehicle to at Napa Parts in town told us whatever provide much-needed mobility and we need we could have it and that is just freedom for Hernandez and her kids. one example. When Jael’s son jumped “The whole community has into that car seat with a big smile and stepped up to help us in this endeavor,” said, ‘Mommy, can we go for a ride?’ it Boyle said. “We love to be in a posiwas one of those moments that you tion to help a family like this that is so can’t really describe.” deserving. By having this vehicle, Jael Each year the collision repair inwill now be able to get to to and from dustry as a whole comes across cars that her job in safety. Previously, she had are “written off” by either the owner or to walk at night in a sketchy neighborthe insurance company. Often these are hood to return home from work, but older vehicles that just need some menow she has a car. She is a hard-work- chanical and body work to get them

34 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

road ready and perfectly safe to drive. The Acoat Selected Benevolence Program achieves its mission by pre-

For the 11th time, Regal Collision in Vallejo, CA presented a completely refurbished vehicle for a deserving family through its participation in the national Selected Benevolence Program

senting refurbished cars to deserving individuals or organizations during the holiday season. Shops participating in the program in conjunction with local charitable organizations to identify an individual or group that is in need of a vehicle is a

big part of the process. This year, an organization called Fighting Back Partnerships helped Regal to find Hernandez for the giveaway. In addition, body shops in the program can also work with a local insurance provider to secure coverage for the car for a pre-determined time. This year, it was donated by Enterprise in Vallejo, CA. Sponsors for the vehicle giveaway included: Akzo Nobel-Sikkens, Milt’s Service Garage, Napa Auto Parts, Vallejo Tint Shop, Aldred Insurance, Sullivan Chevrolet, Automotive Aftermarket Services, Enterprise, Industrial Finishes, and Dent Solutions. The sponsors donated either services, products or cash to the cause. In addition to the vehicle, Hernandez also received $750 in gift cards donated by sponsors and local businesses.

www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 35

to be paid for the process by insurers, requires a disciplined process. “You start with getting the customer’s authorization to obtain the ing wrong? Wano said a few weeks ago, data, taking photographs of the scan his son came home from school after tool on the car so you can prove to the hurting his knee playing basketball. As insurer or anyone else that you really the knee continued to swell, Wano took scanned the car,” he said. “Sometimes his son to an urgent care clinic, where, we even photograph the different he said, they checked his son’s tempercodes that come up on the scanner.” ature, heart rate and blood pressure, One challenge, he said, is that then decided an MRI was needed to descan times can vary widely from one termine if his son had damaged his vehicle model to another. meniscus. The MRI showed no dam“And if you find fault codes, it age. leads to all sorts of questions,” he said. “The point I’m making is there “Sometimes the scan will point you in were all these diagnostic tests to de- the direction and give you some insight termine what happened,” Wano said. [into what needs to be done]. Other “And I can tell you from the [papertimes you have dig into it further.” work] I’ve received, the tests were all Others on the panel concurred charged out. Even though there was that there’s a need for training related no tear in the meniscus, the insurer to scanning. Mark Allen of Audi of would pay for that MRI because it was America said his company hasn’t yet a concern.” joined the nearly two dozen other auPanelist Chris Evans of State tomakers putting out position stateFarm called the analogy a good one. ments on scanning despite the need to “There was ‘technology’ in the ensure systems have been calibrated area of the damage, right,” Evans said and reset. of Wano’s son’s knee. “So it made “To pull codes sounds great, but sense to do everything that the doctors there’s a danger here,” Allen said. “If did.” someone goes in and does a pre-scan, Evans said he recently took his pulls the codes and clears the history, own vehicle in for collision repair, and we don’t know what happened to that a scan was involved in part car. We lose all the back-hisbecause one of the car’s adaptory on that car. You’re not tive headlights had to be rejust affecting the collision placed. world. You’re affecting any “Our developing posiof the campaigns we do to tion at my company as we try update those computer systo get our arms around this tems for the function of that is: Do what makes sense,” entire vehicle system.” John Eck Evans said. “In that situation, That segued the discussion the body shop did what made sense. into another related topic: the need for There’s technology there. There was shops to consistently use automaker an accident. It made sense in that sce- repair procedures. nario to do what they did.” “If you don’t use the [OEM] inforPanelist Darrell Amberson, vice mation together with the information president of operations for Minnesota- and results you get from the scan, based LaMettry’s Collision, said his there’s really not much sense in doing a company now scans virtually every scan anyway,” Olsen said. “The process car coming into their eight shops. isn’t just about scanning the car. It’s in“Right now we’re scanning over terpreting the results that you get from 1,000 cars a month,” he said. that scan, and then using the service inHe said that to do that well, and formation and procedures.” Continued from Cover

CIC panel

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Panelist John Eck of General Motors noted that a survey of shops his company did last year found results similar to other surveys in terms of shops’ regular review of OEM repair procedures. “It’s less than 20 percent pulling repair procedures [for all repairs],” Eck said. “It’s unacceptable. There are no two accidents that are alike. We change repair procedures often. I understand the cost and the process and the payment issues [related to looking up OEM procedures]. But we’re talking about a safe repair. We have to work with the information providers to find better ways to make it easier, to provide the information to shops in a faster, more intuitive way.” State Farm’s Evans agreed there’s a need for more OEM scanning and repair information within the estimating systems. “I believe in the very near future, they are going to become a critical element in this whole process,” Evans said. GM’s Eck was asked if he has concerns about the industry being ready to repair the autonomous vehicles that are being developed. Eck said his concerns are more immediate. He said he recently learned of a relative

who had been in a vehicle accident, and he immediately began texting that person to find out who was doing the repairs, and suggesting questions to ask the shop. “We’re on the inside so we know what we really want [for them] out of that repair, and what may not happen,” Eck said. “I’m concerned about the vehicles being sold today, that the industry as a whole isn’t prepared to fix even today’s non-autonomous vehicles.” He said that obviously there are shops that have the training, equipment and information to repair vehicles properly, but “by and large, the masses” may be five or 10 years behind. Eck acknowledged his company needs to do more to educate insurers as well, pointing to Mercedes-Benz as a company doing that well. They’ve done a fabulous job with insurer training, so that insurers understand the type of vehicles their policyholders are owning,” Eck said. “We need to take those best practices and see how General Motors can improve information communication to insurance companies.” CIC’s next meeting will be held April 19–20 in Pittsburgh, PA.

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www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 37

Collision Repairers in FL Voice Their Concerns to Commissioner of Dept. of Agriculture Adam Putnam by Stacey Phillips

A group of industry stakeholders in Florida recently sat down with Commissioner Adam Putnam of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. During the hourlong meeting in January, repairers, suppliers, industry experts and consumers shared concerning issues regarding the collision repair industry. “We were able to express some serious concerns relative to consumer safety and economic well-being,” said Barrett Smith, owner of Auto Damage Experts (ADE). The 20 attendees included Smith; Ray Gunder of Gunder’s Auto Center; David Stewart of Stewart Auto Repair; Charlie Rodriquez of Color Recon; Chance Smith of Crash Depot; and Attorney Brent Geohagan. Smith said two consumers also attended the meeting to share their experiences in regards to insurance denials and underpayments of recommended repair procedures and quality replacement parts. One of Smith’s consumer clients, Mrs. Orr, talked about the difficult

Commissioner Adam Putnam of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

time she had getting her car repaired and the re-repair that was necessary. “It was a battle every day for this consumer to get her car repaired properly,” said Smith. “She had made numerous complaints to the Department of Agriculture and the Florida Department of Insurance of which neither were much help to her.” A customer of Gunder’s Auto Center also attended the meeting and shared her story about the poor repair

performed at an insurer’s Direct Repair Program (DRP) shop. One of the concerns the industry group addressed with Putnam was in regards to a revised automotive policy in Florida by one of the major national insurance carriers. The wording was somewhat changed and ultimately approved by the state of Florida. Smith said the issue was that the policy now states that the cost of repair or replacement that is owed is determined by that insurance company wherein it states in part “as determined by us.” During the meeting, Smith said they informed Commisisioner Putnam that this was not keeping with past policy wording as approved in Florida and places far too much authority over the insurer while leaving the consumer in a very vulnerable position. “We’re hopeful Florida state representatives will look into this further,” he said. “We also spoke about aftermarket parts usage and how they weren’t truly like kind and quality and not crash tested,” said Smith.

David Stewart of Stewart’s Auto, along with his daughter Jenna, brought with them a box of thousands of pages of documented unpaid procedures his shop had provided the services but weren’t compensated. Smith said that the group shared with Commisioner Putnam that repairers are subsidizing some customers’ repairs virtually out of their pockets where there is no legal obligation to do so. “Unfortunately, there are a lot of good quality, honest and ethical body repair providers who are doing that— providing the best service they can to their neighbors and retaining their good reputation for workmanship and quality and service in their communities and the insurance companies are taking full advantage of that,” said Smith. In most cases, he said consumers are unaware of what’s taking place. “The insurance companies literally save billions and the body shops are losing billions,” said Smith. “When the insurers refuse to provide payment for a procedure, some [repairers] are not providing it and the See FL Concerns, Page 66

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www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 41

Product Innovation The Spira Saves Lives Because It’s Encased in Foam with Ed Attanasio

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

has a range of 200 miles (gas) and 140 miles (EV) with top speeds of 50 mph and 80 mpg with the gas version and a top speed of approximately 75 mph

Ballard sees a definite need for a vehicle like the Spira now and in the future. “In 1920, only two billion people roamed this planet, and now, seven billion people want vehicles,” Ballard said. “The pollution and material production will sicken us. Vehicles are already the #1 killer of people in the prime of their lives (ages 540). The Spira weighs less because it contains fewer parts, which means it uses less energy to build it and operate it. The Spira can travel 300,000 miles on the energy that is used to build a regular car!” The Spira uses an innovative honeycomb core board Lon Ballard of San Diego, CA invented the Spira4u, a that was first mass produced in three-wheel motorcycle for two people with a plastic 2011 in Germany and then and fiberglass chassis encased in foam later in China in 2014. The embedded glass fibers in the honeycomb with its electric cousin. Both are amazingly lightweight at 440 lbs. (gas) and bend in a crash to absorb energy, Ballard said. “Carbon fibers would be much 550 lbs. (EV).

Imagine a vehicle that is completely encased in protective foam, so that when it collides with a pedestrian, cyclist or other vehicle, it bounces off and minimizes impact. Remember those old bumper cars at carnivals and fairs? Look ahead 10-20 years from now and think about a world where self-driving vehicles simply bounce off of each other, thereby reducing severity, saving lives and changing the collision repair industry as a result. The inventor of this vehicle is Lon Ballard of San Diego, CA, and he calls it the Spira4u. It is a three-wheel motorcycle for two people with a plastic and fiberglass chassis encased in eight inches of foam up front and four inches on both sides. It looks like something out of the old Jetsons cartoon, yet with a certain sense of style. In fact, Ballard’s slogan for the Spira is “Soft, Safe, Sexy.” Available in either two versions— gas-powered and electric—the Spira

more expensive while only a little stronger. Also, carbon fiber’s rigid stiffness makes them brittle. Several molds cracked as we learned how to produce the largest Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) panels around. We call it ‘Styrofoam on steroids.’ Even first graders are smarter than car companies, as they all protect eggs with foam and cardboard in a drop test instead of heavy metal cans like we drive.” Several patents have been awarded on the Spira, and others are pending in several countries. “We hope to license our technology and production techniques to others at a low cost to promote safety safe applications for the Spira by sharing our trade secrets and test results,” he said. “We hope to someday be affiliated with or set up a nonprofit organization to promote safer auto designs.” By breaking the Guinness World record with the EV Spira (555.6 kilometer single trip on a single charge by

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going 775.8 kilometers) it proves that lightweight technology can achieve three things—energy saving, safety and strength. “Car designers have focused on passenger safety while neglecting pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists,” Ballard said. “If the auto companies take responsibility for their cars being the number one killer of people from crashes and pollution, their designs will then change for the better. I say that all of the

Foam is the future, and Ballard isn’t soft-pedaling its importance to our next generation vehicles. “Our patent pending technology can revolutionize the way vehicles are designed and produced,” Ballard said. “The Spira uses reinforcing fibers and plastic to provide a strong protective cage covered with soft foam all over the entire vehicle. It’s 100% recyclable and can be completely replaced for around $400. Foam can be substituted for steel in cars for a more cushioned impact just as foam has replaced leather soles on most shoes and sandals. Foam protection on the outside of autos is needed because over half of vehicle deaths in large cities and developing countries are pedestrians and motorcyclists.” The shape of the Spira is The Spira uses reinforcing fibers and plastic to provide a strong protective cage covered with soft foam all over the also designed for safety in entire vehicle. It’s 100% recyclable and can be completely mind. “The pointed front dereplaced for around $400 creases air resistance and makes distracted drivers out there, including the for a smaller target,” Ballard said. “In a texters, drunks and potheads don’t kill. crash it is best to deflect and roll, as in It is the car designs that do it. The foam judo. The design choices were to fit a Spira is designed to increase safety for safe yet efficient shape around the people the pedestrian, bicyclist, motorcyclist and the mechanics. Styling came secand passengers—people that the car deondary to achieve a sleek efficient signers have all ignored.” shape while using lightweight, flexible,

built some in the Philippines and now we’re building them in China. For all of the lightweight parts and batteries for the Spira, we buy them in China and the quality is outstanding.” Ballard knows that for wider acceptance, he will need to develop a 4wheel Spira and that is why he’s currently working on a prototype. “All of the credits and rebates from CARB aren’t available with a 3-wheel vehicle, but by adding that fourth wheel, people who buy them will be able to save roughly $8,000-$10,000 through state rebates and federal tax credits. Since I can make the car for that, maybe I should just give The Spira has started production in China due to the them away?” wide availability of motorcycle parts, and the company’s Ballard is currently seeking business plan is to also license production worldwide global/ local suppliers, deallard. “In the future, this patent pending ers and manufacturers to share in his foam technology can be utilized in all dream of producing efficient, light and sizes of vehicles to enhance safety and safe vehicles. The Spira has started fuel consumption.” production in China due to the wide Designing and building the Spira availability of motorcycle parts, and has been an international journey, to the company’s business plan is to also say the least. “In 2008, I built my first license production worldwide. Will car one in Thailand, but the government dealerships and consumers start foamthere outlawed it, because it has three ing at the mouth when they see the first wheels,” Ballard said. “So, then we 4-wheeled Spira? Only time will tell.

energy absorbing materials. Thought was also given to what will happen to the components in a crash.” The high mpg and low cost should entice drivers to take a step down from their luxury vehicles to save fuel and help the environment, according to Bal-

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Shop Secrets and Strategies with Stacey Phillips

Successful Female Shop Owner in OR Encourages Shops to Keep an Open Mind, Have No Fear and Dive in Camille Eber began working at her My parents were ahead of their parent’s Oregon body shop, Roth & time in many ways; they were foundMiller Autobody, in 1986. Just three ing members of our state association, years later, her dad decided he was Autobody Craftsman Association, and ready to sell the business and Camille dad helped shape an estimator training became the new owner. Since and certification program then, she has added a minorwithin the association. They ity partner, become affiliated were one of the first shops in with the Fix Auto Network Portland to have the equipand grown the collision rement needed to repair unibody pair facility, which includes vehicles. They also attended a two locations, Fix Auto Portlot of training and the first few land East and Fix Auto Gladyears of NACE. Camille Eber, stone. I worked only a year with owner of Fix Auto Portland East and mom before she passed away, Autobody News spoke to Camille about her experiences Fix Auto Gladstone and after that dad lost his in Oregon over the years as a woman focus and initiative with work. shop owner in a male-dominated field It was a few very difficult years. as well as the challenges of working in My nephew, William Bray, stara family business, and why she decided ted hanging out with me as a youngto become part of a network of shops. ster and would come with me to the shop on Saturdays while I caught up What are some of the challenges on supplements. He would do all kinds you have encountered being part of odd jobs to earn a buck—entering of a family business and how have you labor control cards (for job costing), dealt with them? cleaning in the shop, cutting the grass and weeding. When he graduated high Our business, Roth & Miller Au- school, we had been experiencing tobody, was started in 1946 by growth in volume so I taught him estiChet Roth & C.E. Miller. My folks, mating and how to negotiate with inJim and Doris Eber, purchased it in surers (which he did much better than 1963. I ever have). He’s a very goal-focused When I joined the business with guy and wanted to spread his wings. my folks, I was untainted by the ways We often found ourselves butting of insurer/shop relations. I was optiheads and arguing. He even gave his mistic about being paid for what we notice once to go work for our largest did when we did it, and I believed I competitor and I made a promise to could eliminate the friction of getting make him a partner to keep him from paid, even though my folks told me leaving. Due to many, many things, it how it was. I only needed to educate took me much too long to fulfil that myself and approach it in a different promise. I credit my involvement in a way. This was not always the case, and DuPont (now Axalta) Business Council in many ways not much has changed group facilitated by Mike Anderson, between shops and insurers since that and Mike being my accountability parttime. ner within that group, as the fuel that I also saw an opportunity to im- prompted me to finally execute that prove our accounting (my college promise to make my nephew William a focus had been business and account- minority partner in 2012. ing) and our system was archaic when The relationship with my nephew I got there. Mom was the business has not been easy and this is wellbookkeeper and she had continued the known by many of our colleagues and system the previous bookkeeper had friends. We are polar opposites. He is set up. She was very resistant to mak- an extrovert and I am introvert; he is ing any changes to the system. In goal-focused and I have an overarchhindsight, mom was already very sick ing idea of how I want things to go. He and we just didn’t know that her tired- wants autonomy and I want control. ness and sometimes feeling exhausted The tension in our relationship has frewas an illness. quently gotten in the way—until re-

Q: A:

44 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

cently. We contracted with a husband and wife coaching team and their ideas and methods mesh well with our Discover Leadership training and my individual work with a personal coach. Trying to work together has cost a ton of money over the years, but working with this couple since June of 2016 has parted the “Red Sea” for us. I was on my last straw with our working relationship (which made our family relationship awful, too). If this round of coaching didn’t yield different results than all the other stuff I’d paid for and saw as a panacea at the time, something very different and likely unpleasant would need to happen. I am very happy I gave it one more go—like my heart told me to do—despite the majority of people familiar with the situation encouraging me to cut ties.

What is it like to be a successful Q: woman shop owner in a male-

dominated field?

Growing up, I was always a bit A: of a tomboy with an interest in cars, and playing with my younger brother in the dirt with cars and trucks was the norm. I even recall a time when I was about 15, he would have been 11, and we had a grand time one fall afternoon outside in the dirt building Tonka truck-sized roads and maneuvering our cars and trucks along them. I think my interest in cars was also a way to connect with my dad. I started working full time for my folks in 1986 and a year later my mom, who was my dad’s business partner and the glue of the business, passed away unexpectedly. I was tossed into a role that I had to step up to and fulfil, and do so expeditiously, in terms of education and action. My mom was my dad’s support system and he rather crumbled after she died and although he was physically See Have No Fear, Page 46

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Continued from Page 44

Have No Fear

at work for an additional three years, he was not always mentally at work. Often times he would leave for several hours, which left me holding down the office, answering the phone, preparing estimates and negotiating with insurers at a moment’s notice while also juggling the management of production and employees in the shop. When dad asked me at the beginning of 1989 if I wanted to buy the shop, I recall having no fear and no thoughts about it seeming odd or being an unusual challenge because I was female in a male-dominated industry. It was not until recently that I even brought into my awareness the innate mental differences between men and women. Once in a while, I would ask myself if X is happening because I’m female or if that adjuster treats me the way he does because I’m female. But generally speaking, I have not and do not play a card that has said, “It’s because I’m female.” I have always had male friendships, with some of my most treasured and dearest being male friends. I have

no problem being the only woman at the table, which happens less often today than it did 20+ years ago; it seems normal. Friends and colleagues know me, I believe, for my passion (which if you don’t know me can look like anger or hostility), willingness and ability to say some hard things in front of others. I’m called to and counted upon to

other over there.

What advice can you share with Q: other women (and men) in a similar situation or those who are thinking about becoming part of the industry?

If you are female and you have A: interest in our industry—dive

Roth & Miller Autobody joined the Fix Auto Network of body shops in late 2008

review complex documents or concepts because I am extremely detail oriented and have an innate ability to see how one thing here can impact an-

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my opinion. For me, that was to seek out mentors (male or female), learn from others, keep an open mind and acknowledge “I don’t know what I don’t know.” Also, be willing to be vulnerable and admit when you don’t know (because you can always learn it or find it, etc.). I always thought that I could learn from the experience and vision of others. Learn to trust what your body tells you about situations. I could have learned this much sooner, but as I mentioned, you don’t know what you don’t know. I was an excellent estimator and a mediocre negotiator. Those are different skill sets and as an industry we often latch those together with a padlock and throw away the key. I believe this can be detrimental to our business and our people, but sometimes it’s all we have to work with, or we think it’s all we have available. I have the mentality that I can best my best every day—some days progress is better than others, but I choose to rise and shine versus to lie down and fail. I have a strong sense of duty to give back to the industry, to seek continuous improvement in operations and the resources we use to help us, such as See Have No Fear, Page 61

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Media and Publicity for Shops

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

Do 3 Things Right With Your Shop Marketing, Stick to Them and Thrive with Ed Attanasio

I had a baseball coach in high school who used to say, “Do three things right!” His theory was that the human brain was adept at handling three things simultaneously, but more than that and it would struggle. So for a hitter, he would say, think about these three things: 1) Keep your eye on the ball 2) Don’t move your head and 3) Finish your swing. But if you add in a lot of other things to think about while at the plate—not moving your feet; keeping your knees bent, etc.—it will only confuse you and keep you from doing the first three things right. Or at least that’s what my coach thought. Unfortunately, I couldn’t hit a slider (or a curveball), but his advice stuck with me, and today, I often put his three-point plan into practice in my

these be examples of major corporations that tried to do too much all at once? Maybe or maybe not—but at this point I’m rolling, so I’m going to stick to my theory of doing things threefold for maximum results. The first thing you need to do— whether you’re a one-man shop with one bay or an MSO with 300-plus locations—is determine your path and goals with your marketing efforts. Concentrate on the audience you want to cater to—either the insurance companies or consumers. Once you can make this decision, the subsequent ones should follow more easily. The average shop in the U.S. is more than 80% dependant on DRPs for their revenues, so if you determine that the three things you want to do right might fit into that cate-

business and writing. I strongly believe that many people in this industry are skilled at multitasking, but sometimes they “pile on,” and that’s when the problems begin. A body shop has thousands of moving parts, and a lot of things have to happen in perfect order for a repair to go right. If you’re not dealing with a deluge of paperwork (which is increasing all the time), communicating with customers, DRPs, vendors and, of course, employees—on top of fixing a car without affecting your cycle time—it can be overwhelming to say the least. If you’re most concerned about getting the cars out, marketing isn’t going to be a priority, and I understand that. But by doing it in small increments and concentrating on just three things, you’re more likely to thrive rather than just survive via your marketing. It makes sense to do three things right, as opposed to doing a dozen things ineffectively. Very few companies can do it all, and that’s why they stumble sometimes. Remember HP’s TouchPad, New Coke, the Ford Edsel and McDonald’s Arch Deluxe? Could

gory, there are a wide range of options. To retain its DRPs and interact regularly with the insurance agents that they work with, shops often produce and disseminate e-mail newsletters to keep them in the loop; set up social media platforms that are just for them; hold regular classes and other events for the agents and create special sections of their websites to accommodate and communicate with their DRPs. If you are a shop that is more concerned about catering to the consumer, then there is an entirely different approach with many more options. Social media, e-mail marketing, broadcast advertising, community outreach, online advertising, outdoor advertising, blogging—there are literally hundreds of things you can do. So pick three and work them for a while. After you see some real progress, maybe change the plan a little bit and alter your marketing goals? Things change quickly in the marketing game, so always be open to new marketing methods and approaches. Many successful shops beat the other guys down the street by embracing things such as

“It makes sense to do three things right, as opposed to doing a dozen things ineffectively.”

48 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

out of date blog can actually hurt their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) due to inactivity. Pare down your marketing efforts and concentrate on three things to achieve your goals and create new business. Stick with all three (one year at least) and you will see the benefits gradually and organically. Don’t try to do it all when it comes to marketing, but make the three things your priorities. There are a lot of shops out there that do incredible work and garner top reviews from their customers and insurance partners, but unless they are marketing continually, no one will likely know. You can’t rely on the old “word of mouth” anymore, so focus and specialize with your marketing endeavors and thrive in a highly competitive market. By working on three things and making sure you do them effectively, you will succeed and watch the numbers grow over time.

online advertising and blogging before they become another flavor of the moment. For a shop that hasn’t done any significant marketing in the past, it’s a big and exciting world out there. My first piece of advice is to take baby steps initially and don’t take on too much at first. Pick three things and put some resources behind them and commit to them for the duration. How long should you stick with these three things before evaluating and re-shuffling them or abandoning them altogether? Too many shops have unrealistic expectations about the results of their marketing. They will do a blog, for example, to boost their rankings on Google, but after 1–2 months, they aren’t happy with the results, so they bail. All of the work they’ve done up to that point has disappeared and now the blog sits there dormant and without any new content. They don’t realize that an

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—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.

Historical Snapshot with John Yoswick

Industry History Includes Concern About Refinish Materials Calculation, “Underwritten” Estimates 20 years ago in the collision repair industry (March 1997) The estimating system providers agreed that the formulas they offer for calculating blending time (painting a portion of an adjacent panel for color matching) are not designed to be used when estimating spot painting (blending within a repaired panel). The panelists were also asked whether shop compensation for paint materials would be calculated differently in the future. Sherwin-Williams’ Bruce Cooley said there is nothing logical about the current system, in which materials compensation is based on the number of refinish hours. “If someone was painting a room in your home on an insurance claim, I’m sure the materials required to paint that room would be basically based on the size of that room,” Cooley said. “Boy, I wish we could catch up with that in the automotive trade business.”

– As reported in The Auto Rebuilder. Twenty years later, the majority of the industry continues to use the refinish hours as the multiplier of the refinish materials rate. A 2016 “Who

In 2007, Ohio attorney Erica Eversman argued that insurers could be in breach of the insurance contract if they make a practice of deliberately not including on an estimate all of the repairs necessary to restore the vehicle

Pays for What?” survey (www.crash network.com/collisionadvice) found that only about 19 percent of shops use a materials calculator/invoicing system; more than 60 percent who do, however,

reported they are paid “always” or “most of the time” based on that materials invoice from the top eight largest insurers.

15 years ago in the collision repair industry (March 2002) Principle has influence only when the public is watching. Otherwise, money rules. The insurance lobby knows this and applies it expertly. What other explanation would there be for bills that would limit the use of non-OEM parts on late-model vehicles languishing in one state legislature after another over the last six years? The insurance lobby would have us believe that instead of enhancing consumer choices, the bills ensured a monopoly for the car companies. Hogwash. The insurance lobby seems to have forgotten that the customer is the care owner, not the insurance company, and without these bills becoming laws, owners have no choice about what

goes on their recently-purchased cars. They get what the insurance company dictates. – from a column by industry writer Tom Slear published in Autobody News.

10 years ago in the collision repair industry (March 2007) The causes and concerns about “underwritten” initial estimates were the focus of a recent panel discussion including shops, insurers and attorneys. “It could be a breach of the insurance contract with the insured if an insurance company is making a practice of deliberately not including (on an estimate) all of the repairs necessary to restore the vehicle,” Ohio attorney Erica Eversman of Vehicle Information Services, Inc., said in her opening statement at the discussion, held in Phoenix. “I don’t see any value to the (insurance) company that would be the

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motivation for doing that,” George Avery, national claims consultant with State Farm, responded, pointing out the risk any such an insurer would be taking. The panel discussion was prompted by a report by the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) “Anti-Fraud Committee” last year. In what the committee acknowledged was a non-scientific study, 266 claims submitted by collision repair shops showed an average supplement of nearly $2,400 on initial insurer-prepared estimates that averaged $1,640. The committee subsequently received documentation on more than 700 claims, with the average difference between initial insurer estimate and final repair still remaining above $2,400. The panel discussion in Phoenix was not CIC-organized but was prompted by those who wanted to see more analysis of the subject following the CIC committee’s work. Some of the main points raised by those participating on the panel. • Attorney Eversman said that in addition to breach of contract, insurers could potentially be engaging in consumer fraud if they are training adjusters to not include on initial estimates

“items that would be obvious to an experienced collision repairer as necessary.” She believes the problem stems not from policies set in place by top executives at insurance companies but more at a local level where adjusters and appraisers may be rewarded for keeping severity down. • Bill Graden, a State Farm attorney, agreed that any insurer deliberately underwriting estimates would be risking not only accusations of consumer fraud but also charges of bad faith which can lead to significant punitive damages. These risks provide ample disincentive to underwrite initial estimates, he said. • State Farm’s Avery said insurers are aware of the risk they would be taking if they were to engage in the types of practices Eversman describes. He said that underwriting initial estimates also raises an insurer’s costs because of the resulting supplements. “We try to get everything we can on the estimate because the next time you have to go out (because of supplements) means extra steps, extra time, extra man-power to get those things done,” he said. • Roger Wright, manager of material damage and direct repair programs for AIG, said his company

believes in giving appraisers adequate estimating training because a poorlytrained adjuster is as likely to “overwrite” as “under-write” an estimate. He used an analogy of a light bulb that is broken inside a paper bag, however, to explain that initial estimates may not include damage that can’t be seen; you may be pretty sure the bulb is broken, he said, but if you can’t see it, you don’t know whether it’s a 60-watt bulb or 100-watt bulb so how can you accurately include it on an estimate? • Darrell Amberson, president of Lehman’s Garage, a six-shop collision repair business in Bloomington, Minn., and national director of the Collision Division of the Automotive Service Association (ASA), said that not all insurers act the same, but that he believes some deliberately underwrite initial estimates. He cited an example of an insurer not including refinish labor time on salvage parts because the part might already be the right color. – As reported in Collision Expert. 5 years ago in the collision repair industry (March 2012) Preliminary data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners indicates the Top 10 auto insurers con-

tinued to gain market share as a group in 2011. The Top 10 insurers accounted for close to 70 percent of the market last year, compared to 68.1 percent in 2010 (and up from about 59 percent in 2000). In terms of market share growth, GEICO (No. 3) was the big winner with just over 9 percent market share, up from 8.5 in 2010, continuing to fuel speculation that it could pass Allstate (at 10.3 percent last year) as early as 2013 to become the second-largest auto insurer. Progressive (No. 4) and USAA (No. 6) also gained one-fourth of a point of market share last year. Nationwide (No. 8) and American Family (No. 10) saw the largest decline in market share among the Top 10. As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), March 26, 2012. GEICO indeed passed Allstate in 2013 to become the second-largest auto insurer, having outpaced even fast-growing Progressive (No. 4, still trailing Allstate) over the past decade. USAA most recently passed Farmers (No. 6) and Liberty Mutual (No. 7) to become the fifth-largest auto insurer. Nationwide (No. 8), which was the sixth-largest auto insurer in 2005, has continued to lose marketshare.

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Shop Showcase

Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.

Supporting Orphans is Not Just a Cause, But a Way of Life for Lefler Collision Family with Ed Attanasio

The collision repair industry gives back in a big way, and certain body shops are well-known for their philanthropy and kindness. They give cars away and sponsor things like food drives, car washes and other fundraisers for local charities and more. Many of these shops have been doing these types of things for so many years that it’s practically in their DNA, just like fixing cars.

were like, and we were terrified by what we saw,” Lefler said. “So we decided to sponsor three orphans, but when we started getting letters from them and learning their stories, we knew we had to do more.” One day, Jimmy’s wife Stephanie came into his office and announced that God was calling them to go to Myanmar. “So I looked at my cell phone and there were no messages from Him there,” he said. “I jokingly asked my wife, ‘Are you sure?’” When most husbands get a “honey do list,” it says things like clean up the garage or wash the car, but this particular request was going to involve a 30 hour+ travel period, including one 16-hour flight to reach their destination, and Jimmy wasn’t enamored with the idea initially. Jimmy Lefler with Yin Yin Khin and Sophia during his “First off, I had to look at a recent and 11th trip to Myanmar map to find Myanmar,” Lefler While most shops reach out to help said. “I am not a really adventurous their respective communities, there is person in general. I hate camping and one third-generation MSO that is I can’t stand living out of suitcases, so changing the world with its generosity I figured I would go the first time and and commitment to making a change. that would be it.” But after seeing the orphans and Jimmy Lefler, the owner of Lefler Collision and Glass, with three locations in victims of human trafficking firsthand Indiana and one in Kentucky, embarked in Myanmar, Lefler realized that this eight years ago on an amazing journey was going to be a little more than just to help people in Myanmar (formerly a two-week vacation. “Like Michael Burma). Anderson from Collision Advice alLefler, his family and some of his ways says, ‘We didn’t know what we crew work closely with an organization didn’t know,’” Lefler said. “These called Uncharted International that has people were so wonderful and so 12 orphanages with more than 600 orgrateful [that] it just melted my heart. phans in Myanmar; a home for elderly widows; a human trafficking recovery center; and The Loom House, which provides jobs for the children that grow up in the orphanages and for women who, without a job, would end up in horrible situations to provide for themselves and their families. Josh Lefler manages the company’s Evansville Maxwell For his 11th time, Lefler location. He has been to Myanmar five times to volunteer traveled to Myanmar right at The Loom House after Christmas last year for two weeks. They were embarrassed to receive our It has become his annual pilgrimage, help, but we were right in there doing but how did it all begin? manual labor with them and I think “At my church in 2008, they show- they respected that. What they give ed us what the conditions in Myanmar back to us in immeasurable. They

52 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

have become our family.” During his first trip, Lefler was helping people with things he knew nothing about, but it did not dissuade him for a second, he explained. “They wanted to raise pigs and chickens, but they didn’t know about the business

side. Planning, rotating, feeding, selling—I had to teach them all of that and I knew nothing about pigs or chickens! So I did my research, and then when we returned, I was more prepared. One of the villagers wanted to raise fish, so I researched the process and advised him to dig a pond. When I returned the 6 months later, I was amazed at the two ponds he had dug by hand. They were 20 ft. long, 30 ft. wide and three feet deep and I was shocked that he did it all by himself. So now he’s raising fish.” Lefler focuses much of his attention on The Loom House, which enables orphans who age out of the orphanage to have careers in which they can (l to r) Jimmy Lefler, Assistant Production Manager flourish and have pride. It has Max Carnahan and (front) Megan Williams, Director of also provided employment to Marketing at Lefler Collision and Glass, who utilize their women who otherwise would marketing skills to help Jimmy with the branding and progression of the Loom House goods

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www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 53

Continued from Page 52

Not Just a Cause

have ended up in very unfavorable situations. “Unfortunately, without The Loom House opportunity, their chance of becoming victims to false promises from human trafficking scavengers are high,” Lefler explained. “They promise them work abroad and sell them into tragic and inescapable slavery, and it happens every day. So The Loom House takes them out of that life and gives them a chance to support themselves.” The young ladies that work at The Loom House sew, knit and make blankets, jewelry, silk scarves, makeup bags and dresses for sale worldwide. Of every dollar that comes in, 90 cents goes to the employees of The Loom House. When Lefler began to collaborate with and coordinate the processes within the The Loom House in 2009, the operation made around $8,000, but last year it brought in almost $100,000 thanks to the purchases of many in the collision community. Now, the Leflers bring an entire group along with them to Myanmar.

“My twin 17-year-old girls made their fourth trip in December,” he said. It has changed their whole perspective on life. “My Axalta Jobber, Bill Payne, started going with me in 2010, and now he sponsors his own orphanage and has taught them how to fix and maintain all

my wife works with medical teams and teaches educational programs in the areas of health, hygiene and family planning.” In addition to supporting and enabling these orphanages and setting up The Loom House for ongoing produc-

The Loom House in 2016, including all of the girls with (l to r) Max, Megan, and Jimmy

of their transportation vehicles including their van and motorbikes, allowing them to have consistent transportation. I have taken three marketing staff members to assist in branding and marketing The Loom House products. My son, who manages our Maxwell shop in Evansville, has been three times, and

tion, the Leflers welcomed a young woman from Myanmar into their home in Indiana a while back. “Elizabeth Thang is the daughter of Rebecca and Peter Thang, the founders and leaders over the Love Children Home Christian orphanage network,” Lefler said. “Elizabeth has

lived with my family for almost two years and is studying to get her bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Indiana,” he said. “She is working on an International Business degree and looking forward to returning to Yangon, Myanmar to make a difference in the newly open democratic country. She is a 4.0 student on the Dean’s List and is deeply involved with the work at Uncharted local headquarters, the summer program for international students department for the school and she is a foreign exchange student ambassador for incoming freshmen from around the world.” Lefler is already planning for his 12th trip to Myanmar at the end of 2017. “I am planning a trip for up to 12 people later this year,” he said. “My goal is to coordinate a team of people in the collision and related industries with an interest in making a difference in the lives of people looking for a ‘hand up’ not a ‘hand out.’ People think that one person can’t make a difference, but all they need to do is make one trip with me; I can show them that through love, knowledge and a little sweat, one person can change the futures of many. It’s a cumulative effect.”

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Hey Toby! Kool Tools 2016

with Toby Chess

Four years ago, Kye Yeung, owner of European Motor Car Works, and I walked the floors of SEMA again looking for new products that most of us never get a chance to see. When we made a presentation at the Collision Industry Conference, the presentation became an instant hit among the audience. So for the fourth year in a row, we walked the floor at SEMA looking for things that were unique and would make life in the body a little easier. It should be noted that we are not endorsing these products and there other manufactures that make similar items and you should take some time to search them out. Moreover, we purchased all but one of the items and we checked them out before we presented at the SCRS open board meeting and the Collision Industry Conference. I might add that there will be a video presentation and it can be accessed at SCRS.com. Let’s look at an out first item:

Portable Nibbler

A Portable Nibbler by Malco. This part fits on any battery operated electric drill. It will cut sheet metal up to and including 18 gauge steel. Let say that you want to check to see if an intrusion beam inside a damaged door needs replacing. Punch a hole and cut out a section for inspection. Available from Amazon.

The next item is a hand seamer.

Toby Chess is an I-CAR program instructor, Training specialist, and former salvage yard operator. Toby is universally known in the collision industry for his work with first responders and advocacy for body shops and consumers. He can be reached at tcspeedster@gmail.com

Moving on, the next item is a leatherlead shot dolly bag from S & H Industries (800-253-9726).

Hand Seamer

The tool is ideal for forming a tab on a broken bumper. You can use adhesives or plastic weld the broken tab, followed by the hand seamer to “squish” down the tab to the proper thickness. This will save a lot to sanding time on the repaired tab. Available from Amazon.

The next item I found was a steel cutoff wheel from Alpha Professional Tools (800-648-7229).

Steel Cut-off Wheel

Alpha® Ultracut ABM Series is designed for use on most popular pneumatic cut-off tools which are widely used in automotive body shops. Unlike regular abrasive cut-off wheels, the Alpha® Ultracut doesn’t change diameter during the cutting operation. It will maintain maximum cutting depth throughout its life. The Ultracut was made with the highest quality diamond grits allowing you to cut multiple layers of different materials while assuring a fast, clean cutting experience. The company states that the blade will outlast an abrasive cutoff wheel ten to one. Both Kye and I have used it and it does last a lot longer than a conventional cutoff wheel. Comes in 3 and 4 inch diameters.

56 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Shot Loaded Dolly Bag

The shot loaded dolly bag is one of the best tools for replacing a door skin. Steel dollies are too rigid and will cause some damage, even in skilled hands. If you don’t want to end up repairing hem flange damage, don’t damage the flange edge. Use a shot loaded dolly bag – a leather bag filled with lead shot. This dolly is heavy, but conforms to the shape of the outer door skin, whatever that shape. It absorbs the energy and does not rebound on the door skin. If your tech is placing bondo on the outside of the edge of the new door skin, switch to this dooly and the need for bondo will be eliminated. This dolly is also an excellent tool for repairing aluminum.

A laser weld is a narrow high intense heat source that is used in welding steel and aluminum The main advantages to be gained through the use of laser welding include low distortion, single sided access, high torsional stiffness of components, and cost savings through elimination of other manufacturing operations. Most of the applications to date have focused on welding of steels but there is a growth in confidence in laser welding of aluminum alloys. In the past these welds were ground off using a cutoff wheel or a grinding disc, which could lead to damage of the underneath metal layer. Laser weld cutter have a depth of cut, guide rods, and multiple width cutters, that allow the tech to remove only the laser weld and not the underneath metal. I recently used one on a roof of a Ford Aluminum Body F150 and the tool really made the removal operation clean and quick. I found another item that should be part of your aluminum tool box from Camel Grinding Wheel Inc or CGW.

Another item that helps eliminate repair/removal damage is a laser weld cutter. From Reliable Automotive Equipment (800-328-7855)

Flap Disc for Aluminum

Laser Weld Cutter

What is a laser weld?”

Traditionally, to remove excess aluminum weld material, you would use either a high aluma burr or 50 grit grinding discs. These two products will cause collateral damage to adjacent surfaces if you get off the weld. It is recommended that you remove excess weld, but stop grinding so that the weld is slightly above the surface of the surrounding aluminum. New switch over to 80 grid DA sandpaper at low speeds to finish the operation. The CGW for aluminum is completely different. The CGW 4.5” x 7/8” T29 A3 Flap Disc for Aluminum keeps work material cool and prevents loading See Kool Tools 2016, Page 58

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Parts Dept. 510-372-2800 Hours: M-F 7:30-6 / Sat 9-4 24644 Mission Blvd., Hayward, CA 94544 www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 57

Continued from Page 56

Kool Tools 2016

making it the ideal option for softer material jobs. This flapper disc is constructed on heat treated polyester backing and features Blue-Fired premium aluminum oxide grains with a calcium stearate coating. This unique combination of A3 Material with calcium stearate coating can become liquefied under the heat of friction, lowering the materials temperature and preventing loading. In addition the T29 flap disc for aluminum oxide is constructed with the flaps at an 8 degree angle providing greater surface contact and aggressive use.

The picture is a practice weld from the I-CAR Aluminum Certification test. It took less than 30 seconds to remove the weld. Notice that the adjacent metal is smooth and not gouged up if a 50 grit grinder was used. I used a scotch brite flat disc next and I will explain about the tool in the next paragraph. Available online from a number of outlets.

Moving on to the next tool, a scotch brite flap disc from Sait.

V Fine-Blue-Aluminum

Stainless Steel, High tensile steel, NonFerrous Metals—Available On-line. I switch to the V fine flap disc and finished dressing the weld. It took less than a minute and the results were fantastic. Let’s shift gears now and look at welding.

Medium-Gray-Steel

SAIT Sand-Light Flap Discs, Durable Material, Suitable for Surface Preparation/Cleaning/Finishing applications. Longer Lasting Layered Flaps create a cushioned design which provides a better finish. Use for Ferrous Metals,

KEARNY MESA

PARTS DEPT. HOURS:

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ness. The machine would make adjustments for voltage and wire speed. At SEMA 2016, ProSpot International demoed their multi voltage MIG WelderPR-205 MV.

MON-FRI 7-6 / SAT 8-5

e. It ju st ma ke s se ns

Up until recently, Miller Electric had a multi volt welder. The Millermatic 211 could be plugged into 220 single phase or 110 volts. The machine would read the input volts and make the necessary adjustments. On the auto set mode, you set the wire diameter and metal thick-

Multi Voltage Mig Welder

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Like the Millermatic 211, the machine comes with a pigtail that allows you to go from 220 volt plug to 110 volt plug. It also has stick weld option. You set the thickness in MM and you are off to the races. Remember; always do test welds prior to welding on a vehicle. Another nice feature about this machine it has an Adjustable Slope & Burn Back Time: The Slope adjusts the response of the motor at start-up ensuring a clean start to the weld. Burn Back Time maintains power to the torch after the motor stops ensuring a clean end to the weld. I have used this welder and it is a really nice piece of equipment. Now you have two choices for a multi volt machine, Miller or ProSpot.

The next small tool is a magnetic flasher light holder from Killer Tools (800-369-4262).

This holder has a magnetic base with a scratch protection surface on the bottom along with a “goose neck”. I use these when I conduct the I-CAR MIG Certification test. Having light on the weld prior to striking an arch, give the tech better control when he/she is welding especially in an overhead position. It should be noted that the

The Nebo 250 is two lights in one. A flash light and a work light.

An additional feature is the base of the light has a magnet.

Magnetic Flasher Light Holder

stand does not come with a flash light.

Available from Amazon.Com. Here is another lighting solution from Car-OLiner.

Here is another option for close up lighting from Nebo.

Lighted Plastic Curtain

Flash Light and Work Light

Car-O-Liner has made a lighted plastic curtain. Adds addition LED light to the side of a vehicle for better

repair visibility. It is also has a rheostat so that you can vary the intensity of the light. Curtains are great way to controlling cross contamination (steel and aluminum particles) as well as dust from sand. A better way of controlling bondo dust is with a vacuum system, but you need to understand the health hazards of bondo dust. The application of filler material can expose you to some hazardous materials if you do not take appropriate precautions. Most body fillers contain a solvent called styrene. As the filler dries, styrene is released to the air and you can breathe it. It has a characteristic sweet smell at low concentrations and a sharp disagreeable odor at high concentrations. Exposure to styrene can cause respiratory irritation. It may also damage your liver and possibly cause cancer at very high levels of exposures not usually found in autobody shops. Styrene can also be absorbed directly through the skin if you come in direct contact with the uncured filler. In some people, direct contact with the filler may cause skin rashes and repeated exposure may increase your sensitivity. See Kool Tools 2016, Page 60

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and cleanly with water. Available from Kent Automotive.

Continued from Page 59

Kool Tools 2016

Sanding paint and filler material creates a lot of fine dust that is easily inhaled and can irritate your breathing tubes and eyes. The dust may contain hazardous substances as well, such as lead, chromium, and the abrasives from sanding disks. This dust can be harmful if inhaled or ingested. I am not suggesting that anyone eats the dust on purpose, but it can easily stick to your hands and face, and if not thoroughly washed off, will contaminate your food, drinks and cigarettes. At even very low levels of exposure, the toxic metals in this dust can cause serious health effects and body workers performing these tasks without precautions have exceeded the exposure limits for these hazardous materials.

The Kool Tool from SEMA 2016 is a Sanding work Station from Tool Shaver (714-974-2531)

This sprayer is from FBS Distributors (613-224-0685). The spray nozzle adjusts from a fan to stream is chemically resistant to all chemical used in the body shop environment.

High-Performance Scuffing Agent

Eurovac Vac. Hand Sanders. 800-265-3878

the bondo dust and having everything at your fingertips, will improve your repair cycle time.

Here are a couple of additional new and different sanders from R&H Products (360-687-978).

True Flex Sanders

Sanding Work Station

This sanding station has it all. The cart comes with the tool box, twosided aluminum extruded wall and product holders. You add a vacuum unit, sand paper, chemical and sanders. The sanders are on the other side of the cart. They (for demonstration purpose) include air operated vacuum DA sanders from Dynbrade and vacuum sanders from Eurovac. You will reduce

Dynabrade 6” DA Vac. Sander. 800-828-7333

6004 Series True Flex Sanders: Automatically conforms to curves. Easy 1 handed operation Designed for exceptional final finish on body filler & primers Available with Plexiglass base or MORE durable Spring Stainless Steel Part# 6004 Plexiglass base Part# 6004S Spring Stainless base True Flex Foam Blocks: Rugged dense foam sanding block with “Tough” Dual texture surface for easy removal of sandpaper & added durability. Easily flexes to follow even the most demanding curves. Flexes for concave & convex curves. Different textures on each side for fast & finish sanding. Again, available from R&H Products.

Kye is using this next product in his shop. I might add Kye tests out a product thoroughly before he will use it or endorse it. Presta Scuff Stuff is a prep that gives superior adhesion to

60 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

the paint. It’s a high-performance scuffing agent that enhances paint adhesion by ensuring cleanliness and consistent surface profiling. As an industry trusted product for cleaning and abrading plastic bumpers as well as preparing blend and hardto-reach areas, Scuff Stuff offers superior workability and rinses off easily

Super Sprayer

The last item is an 8MM drill bit extender from Dent Fix Corp. (800-5231751).

8mm Drill Bit Extender

When access is limited or obstructed either by a structural member or other component, we have a solution. DF-1600K The Extender is a spot weld drill bit extension that adds 6_ inches of length, letting you get to those deep and hard to reach spot welds. The plastic sleeve protects any nearby structures from damage & cables from getting tangled. You can stabilize the drill point by holding here. The drill bit is held in the holder with a set screw, which allows for a replacement bit.

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Continued from Page 46

Have No Fear

software. I enjoy serving and have done so through voluntary committee work such as I-CAR focus committees, software advisory boards, local college advisory board, Fix Auto Market Leaders board and subcommittees, being active in local and national associations and holding board positions there, proofreading and offering expertise input to an industry journalist and an industry consultant. I say all of this because I recommend to any one in any industry: be involved in shaping your future. Regardless of your industry role, there is a place for you to serve— just do it, or start it! Sometimes, time adjustments and stepping back will be necessary as we have to keep our own ship afloat to help others.

Why did you decide to become part of the Fix Auto Network and what are some recommendations for Independent shops in this industry that are looking to grow? joined the Fix Auto Network A: ofWebody shops in late 2008, after

a five-year stint with CARSTAR. We had a chance crossing of paths with another of the Fix Auto Network shop owners, and franchised as a charter franchisee in December 2011. Although we are affiliated with Fix Auto, we still operate as an independent shop. Being part of the Fix Auto Network has provided us with business connections we struggled maintaining as a single shop owner, provides networking opportunities with performance-based forward-thinking shop owners I have found to be some of the best-of-the-best operators in the US and beyond, and allows for broad and rich joint marketing and advertising campaigns. For me, aligning with Fix Auto has provided opportunities that I would not have had without their brand and the other owners in the network. This industry has phenomenal human beings that make for phenomenal operators and operations. I feel honored to be in the room with many of the best-of-thebest men and women. If I’m struggling with something, there is always someone a phone call away that will take time to listen and give me their opinion or advice—this can be priceless. My advice is to align yourself with

people that challenge you professionally and personally, give back to your industry and community and treat your teammates with respect. Never ever give up on your passions, your education, your business and your industry, and learn to understand yourself— what motivates you, deflates you, lifts you up and feed you what you need to get up and forge ahead every day. One of the best things I’ve ever done is investing in the development of ME, and especially working with a personal coach the past four plus years that challenges everything about me. I highly recommend it! Camille Eber is featured in the upcoming book The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops, written by Dave Luehr with Stacey Phillips. It is scheduled to be released in early 2017.

For more information, visit www .bodyshopsecrets.com or email dluehr @bodyshopsecrets.com / sphillips@ bodyshopsecrets.com.

www.autobodynews.com CHECK IT OUT!

Continued from Page 28

Kathy Mello

doing the meetings online or at least videotape them so that members can watch them later. One of our main purposes is to get important information to our members, so we need to find a way to do that more effectively as well.” Mello’s charitable causes are numerous and varied, but her main focus is on tech students in this industry, community outreach and working with troubled youth. “From day one, we’ve been striving to help people who need it,” she said. “Young adults ages 18-28 often get lost in our society today, but by encouraging them and providing them with opportunities, they can excel, and I’ve seen it time and time again.” With her eyes on a better future for the collision repair industry in California and nationally, Kathy Mello isn’t going to slow down or cut back on all of the things she does. “I am blessed to be in a situation like this and in an industry I love. So I will be here as long as I can, to help who I can and to provide solid employment for my amazing crew.”

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2017 Southern Automotive Repair Conference to be Held in Biloxi, MS, April 21–22 The 2017 Southern Automotive Repair Conference (SARC) will be held Friday, April 21st and Saturday, April 22nd at IP Casino, Resort & Spa in Biloxi, MS. According to event organizers, SARC’s purpose is to provide an annual industry forum for collision repair professionals in the Southeast region, where attendees can visit exhibits, receive important updates and information, stay abreast of new vehicle technologies, promote consumer safety, and succeed in the marketplace. Themes of the event include OEM Perspective, Status of Independent Shops, Training in a Hi-Tech Age, and Innovative Resources. Conference hosts are the state auto body associations of Alabama (ALARISE), Georgia (GCIA), Louisiana (LACIA), Mississippi (MSCRA), and Tennessee (TCRA). These associations will have tables at the Conference to provide information and help exhibitors and attendees get the most from the Conference. Attendee Check-In and Registration begins at 11:00 am Friday morning. Friday morning pre-sessions with

Assured Performance and Symach will begin prior to registration at 8:00 am. The Conference and Exhibits open at 12:30 pm on Friday and close at 9:00 pm. Friday includes afternoon classes followed by a Reception in the exhibit area from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Saturday begins at 8:00 am with exhibits, demos, class offerings, conference presentations, and prize giveaways. A continental breakfast will be served and lunch will be provided. General Admission is $40 online and $50 at the door. This fee includes entry to the event, classes, and sessions as well as food and beverages, including drink tickets for the reception. A large number of exhibitors will participate, including national paint companies, major vehicle OEMs, PBE distributors, equipment and tool companies, industry service providers, and product innovators. There will be vehicles on the floor with demonstration areas available to sponsors and exhibitors. New exhibitors are being added daily. Check for updates on the SARC website.

Continued from Page 30

development and over 220 acquisitions of aftermarket, recycled, refurbished, and remanufactured product suppliers and manufacturers; self service retail businesses; and specialty vehicle aftermarket equipment and accessories suppliers. One of LKQ’s significant acquisitions was Keystone Automotive Industries, Inc. in 2007. The company said that at the time of acquisition, Keystone was the leading domestic distributor of aftermarket products, including collision replacement products, paint products, refurbished steel bumpers, bumper covers and alloy wheels. In 2014, the company then acquired Keystone Specialty. LKQ said this expanded its product offerings and increased its addressable market to include specialty vehicle aftermarket equipment and accessories. Two years later, it acquired Pittsburgh Glass Works (PGW), a global distributor and manufacturer of automotive glass products, further growing the company’s product offerings. Autobody News will continue to follow this story and report on further developments.

LKQ Buys PA Shop

chanical shop. In addition to collision repair, the body shop also focuses on spray-on bedliners and recently became a LineX franchise. “My hope for the future is that we keep expanding and getting bigger,” said Newman. “When you first find out that you are being sold, you have that nervousness about whether or not you’re going to be able to still have your job or what’s going on,” said Newman. “Now that everyone has had a chance to talk, it seems like it’s going to be very very good for us. It’s going to be good for keeping the business growing, the employees are all happy with what’s going on and I think it’s going to be a good change for us.” In 1998, LKQ was initially formed through the combination of a number of wholesale recycled products businesses located in Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. The company has subsequently expanded through internal

62 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

AASP/NJ Announces 40th Annual NORTHEAST™ 2017 Educational Program March 17–19 by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On February 1, AASP/NJ announced the agenda for its 40th Annual NORTHEAST 2017 Automotive Services Show to be held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ on March 17–19. NORTHEAST 2017 will begin with the 2017 East Coast Resolution Forum and Leadership Meeting on Friday afternoon, co-hosted by AASP/NJ and SCRS. This annual session provides an opportunity for industry leaders to conduct and discuss their shared concerns. Another highlight of the event will be AASP/NJ’s “Path to Certification,” a four-part exclusive panel discussion running Friday night and Saturday afternoon. The first session is “The Shop Owner’s Perspective,” moderated by former SCRS Chairman Gary Wano. On Saturday morning, Assured Performance’s Aaron Clark will moderate “The OEM Perspective (Non-Luxury Brands” with “Tooling and Equipment Consideration” being moderated by Kristen Felder of Collision Hub, and

Clark will return to moderate the fourth segment, “The OEM Perspective (Luxury Brands).” Friday night’s offerings also include “Ford High Voltage Vehicle Components and Operation,” presented by Ford Motorcraft Technical Trainer Mike Brabble; “Supercharge Your Profits” by Jim Saeli of Management Success; and “Who Pays for What? Survey Results” with Mike Anderson of Collision Advice. Friday night will conclude with AASP/NJ’s yearly Exhibitor Appreciation Party. During the weekend, Accudraft will also be hosting National Sales Meetings for their distributors on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Sessions on Saturday commence at 8AM with a “Honda Technology/Emerging Industry Trends,” presented by American Honda’s Chris Tobie and Susanna Gotsch of CCC Information Services. Beginning at 8:30AM, Jerry McNee and John Niechwiadowicz will share their estimating expertise during “Open Your Eyes… And You WILL Become a Game Changer!” which they will repeat later on Saturday afternoon.

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Gene Bilobram has been an automobile physical damage appraiser more than 25 years. His insights are useful tools in the often challenging process of reimbursement on new and non-included procedures. His company, Lacey Appraisal Service Inc. is a physical damage appraisal, consultancy and manufacturers’ rep firm serving the collision repair and insurance industries. He can be reached at 609-384-8093 or laceyappraisal@aol.com to discuss the latest in postcollision diagnostics and receive an updated PDF version of the CHART. As Manufacturer’s Representative for Collision Diagnostic Services, Gene will explain the many benefits of the award winning and patented asTech™ remote vehicle diagnostic solution for today’s collision repair professional.

64 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 65

National Industry Goodwill Tour Kicks Off SkillsUSA Week To kick off SkillsUSA Week, celebrated during the second week of February each year, executive director Tim Lawrence and director of business partnerships and development Christa Floresca visited five of SkillsUSA’s finest partners to thank them for their support. Their tour began at the headquarters of IAA in Chicago. President and CEO John Kett, along with executives Don Hermanek and Rita Figi, welcomed the SkillsUSA team. They explained their business model and talent needs for their national operations. IAA employs over 2,000 people nationwide and exceeds $2 billion in annual revenue. IAA supports a number of SkillsUSA programs, and some new initiatives will be rolled out in the near future. SkillsUSA presented IAA with a recognition plaque. Sam Bottum, chief marketing officer and vice president for Snap on Incorporated, then joined the SkillsUSA team in downtown Chicago to visit Campbell & Company, where they met with communications strategists Christina Black and Andy Bromwell. They are working with SkillsUSA on a national messaging strategy that is focused on fundraising as well as better

ways to describe our mission and programs. This work is being funded by a grant from Snap-on, and Sam serves on the SkillsUSA board of directors. Their next visit was with Greg Palessour, vice president of marketing for Klein Tools in Lincolnshire, IL. Klein provides tool prizes for stu-

dents and teachers. They discussed a strategy to bring Klein to a higher level of support and ways to create a talent pipeline. The SkillsUSA team then flew to Los Angeles for a meeting with Toyota Motor Sales, a loyal partner for 29 years. They were welcomed by Rick Lester and met with SkillsUSA Foundation member Dave Zellers, national technical training manager Greg Bryan and general manager Rose Bauss. They were introduced to

AMi Launches Online Course: “Management’s Guide to Scanning and New Technology”

The Automotive Management Institute (AMi) has announced the launch of its latest online course, Management’s Guide to Scanning and New Technology.

According to the Institute, the 108 minute online course covers essential information needed by collision repair managers to make decisions about scanning and other new technologies. Each module offers a management perspective on:

● What it means to scan

● Types of scans

● Types of scan tools

● OEM positions

● OEM vs. Aftermarket

The modules also identify resources and include printable content and ma-

terials. AMi Vice Chairman and President of Operations for LaMettry’s Collision, Darrell Amberson, stated, “This course provides a wealth of information for those needing to make decisions for their repair businesses. It organizes the information in a way that makes it understandable.” The course is the result of industry collaboration from industry experts and shop owners from across the country. Available only in the AMi online format, it can be paused and revisited at the user’s convenience. This course will provide two credit hours toward all AMi professional designations, including Accredited Automotive Office Manager (AAOM), Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM), Accredited Master Automotive Manager (AMAM) and upcoming Accredited Collision-Repair Estimator (ACE) and Accredited Master Collision-Repair Estimator (AMCE). To learn more about this course and management perspectives on future hot topics, sign up at www.ami signup.org or visit the AMI website at www.AMionline.org.

66 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Continued from Page 38

Toyota Foundation manager Michael Medalla and presented an overview of SkillsUSA’s mission and core programs. They discussed how Toyota and SkillsUSA might work together on skills gap issues and STEM education. A follow-up meeting will be scheduled to further discuss the partnership with the Toyota Foundation and Toyota Motor Sales. The team presented a SkillsUSA Champion award to Toyota for its longstanding support. The final stop of the first Goodwill Tour of 2017 was at the offices of mikeroweWORKS in Santa Monica, CA. The team met with president Mary Sullivan and Jade Estrada, director of operations and business affairs. The mikeroweWORKS Foundation has pledged up to $100,000 in scholarships for 2017, the seventh year of the partnership. Mike and his team pledged to assist SkillsUSA with www.autobodynews.com public relations as they address the critical need to educate parents, counCHECK IT OUT! selors and communities about the opportunities in the skilled and technical workforce. SkillsUSA presented an appreciation plaque with a photo of the 2016-17 national officer team to show the student connection that is created by our work together.

FL Concerns

consumer may be placed in harm’s way and be totally unaware.” Smith said the commissioner listened intently and reviewed the provided materials. “He promised to look into his department’s performance in oversight as well as recent changes in auto policy provisions that may not be in the best interest of Florida policyholders,” said Smith. “Mr. Putnam’s time and attention was greatly appreciated and all are hopeful that something positive will result from this and future meetings.”

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U.S. Department of Transportation Designates 10 Automated Vehicle Proving Grounds to Encourage Testing of New Technologies U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced on January 26 that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has designated 10 proving ground pilot sites to encourage testing and information sharing around automated vehicle technologies. These proving ground designations will foster innovations that can safely transform personal and commercial mobility, expand capacity, and open new doors to disadvantaged people and communities. These designations are a logical next step in the Department’s effort to advance the safe deployment of automated technology. “The designated proving grounds will collectively form a Community of Practice around safe testing and deployment,” said Secretary Foxx. “This group will openly share best practices for the safe conduct of testing and operations as they are developed, enabling the participants and the general public to learn at a faster rate and accelerating the pace of safe deployment.” The proving grounds will also provide critical insights into optimal big data usage through automated

vehicle testing and will serve as a foundation for building a community of practice a-round automated vehicle research. Designees were selected from a competitive group of over 60 applicants. Applicants included academic institutions, state Departments of Transportation, cities, and private entities and partnerships. Proving grounds designees all have different facilities that can be used to gauge safety, manage various roadways and conditions, and handle various types of vehicles. The Proving Ground designees are: ● City of Pittsburgh and the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute ● AV Proving Grounds Partnership U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center

● Center for Mobility (ACM) at Willow Run ● Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) & GoMentum Station

● San Diego Association of Gov-

I-CAR’s Josh McFarlin Named to ATMC Board of Directors

Recently, ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) announced the new slate of board members for the Automotive Training Managers Council (ATMC). Josh McFarlin, I-CAR’s Director, Curriculum and Product Development, has been named to the Automotive Training Managers Council’s Board of Directors. McFarlin will be serving his first three-year term and bringing his automotive and technical training experience to the ATMC board. ATMC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of training and professional development within the transportation service industry. McFarlin has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive industry and is in his fourth year as I-CAR’s Director, Curriculum and Product Development, where he leads the product development team in the creation of all training materials and works with the rest of the I-CAR leadership team to develop and refine growth strategies for the organization. Prior to joining I-CAR, McFarlin was Curriculum Manager at Raytheon Technical Services Company for eight years, and has served as a Service Engineer for both Audi AG and Ford Motor Company, and as Heavy Line Technician and Team Leader at Greenway Ford in Orlando, Florida. Visit www.I-CAR.com.

ernments

● City Area Development Group University of Wisconsin-Madison

● Central Florida Automated Vehicle Partners ● Carolina Turnpike Authority

DOT initiated a Federal Register Notice soliciting proposals for a pilot program to designate automated vehicle proving grounds in November 2016. The solicitation included broad criteria for selections including a demonstration of capable safety planning, willingness and ability to share and disseminate information, and an ability to show that all applicable laws, regulations, and policies are adhered to at all times. The solicitation also requested information on the types of facilities and research capability that are available to applicants to test automated vehicle technologies. More details about the designations can be found at: www.transportation .gov/AV.

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PPG Announces Key Advances in Color Tools PPG has announced that it has developed several key advances in its array of color software and hardware tools. The news was delivered by Denise Lu, PPG global marketing director. While specifics are still under wraps, Lu indicated that dramatic enhancements to the company’s PAINTMANAGER® color management software, RAPIDMATCH™ X-5 spectrophotometer and TOUCHMIX® color retrieval system are clear expressions of PPG’s commitment to maintaining its leadership position in automotive refinish color technology. “We have been working on critical initiatives that will elevate our color tools to a whole new level, all to the benefit of our customers,” said Lu. “Those individuals who attended the SEMA show and saw our video about color tools have an idea of what’s coming. Our color management, identification and retrieval products are already highly efficient and accurate; they’re in daily use in collision centers around the country. Now we’re giving these products advanced features and capabilities to make automotive refinishing even easier, more productive and more quality-focused.” The advanced tools will be part of a new Color Solutions product line

branded XI. “XI means excellent, innovative, exciting, intuitive and exceptional, all key attributes for this line of tools,” Lu added. “We firmly believe that our customers will quickly see and embrace the value of XI products, and we are proud of bringing 25 years of consistent, reliable color matching technology to the refinish industry.”

The first of the three initiatives, the TouchMix XI computer, was released this month in the U.S. and Canada. Exclusive to PPG, this robust Windows OS computer provides a secure and compact solution for the most demanding environments. Second is the PaintManager XI program software. It will be rolled out across the U.S. and Canada this spring and introduced to additional markets soon thereafter. This next-generation software features numerous process improvements and a more intuitive workflow to help managers oversee the productivity and profitability of their paint mixing operations more ef-

UpdatePromise Unveils New Electronic Signatures Feature

UpdatePromise, a communication and information technology provider to insurers and repairers in auto-service related operations, recently re-

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fectively. The new software also provides greater opportunities for collaboration. Rounding out the trio of new tools is the RapidMatch XI spectrophotometer. This third-generation spectrophotometer was designed exclusively for PPG to significantly advance collision repair. The innovative spectrophotometer combines eleven color angles and five texture angles for a total of sixteen geometries powered with six blue-enhanced LEDs, making it the most advanced technology in the industry today. Technicians will be able to benefit from the five texture digital color images that provide real-time paint surface viewing. In addition, the intuitive touchscreen user interface captures vital job details with Wi-Fi connectivity directly to the PaintManager XI software. PPG’s extensive reflectance data and color image database will help provide the added confidence required in match rating and texture information. Details about the new color products will be released in a few weeks. For more information, call 800647-6050 or visit www.ppgrefinish .com.

SCRS Releases Video of Collision Repair Summit

During the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit at the 2016 SEMA Show, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) led several sessions with a focus on emerging trends in vehicle technology. On February 2, SCRS launched a second video that captured discussion about scan tools and options, in a segment on Restoring Vehicle Functionality through Electronic Technology and Diagnostics. While the first segment featured representatives from leading automakers who discussed the positions they have released and the responsibilities expected of the collision repair providers, part 2 features tool and solutions providers discussing the options available to the industry. The conversations cover different mechanisms available to the collision repair community, and unique challenges and advantages associated with the process of documenting the restoration of the technological elements in the vehicle. After watching these videos, individuals interested in training on the topic can find more information in I-CAR’s recently released Introduction to Diagnostics and Scan Tools (VT210E01). To view the video, visit www.scrs.com.

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www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 69

AAPEX Announces 2017 Dates

CREF Announces Application for Ultimate Collision Education Makeover Grants The Collision Repair Education Foundation has announced that the application for their Ultimate Collision Education Makeover school grant is now available for high school and post-secondary collision school programs. The Makeover grant program is in its ninth year. Instructors are advised to begin the application early and industry professionals are encouraged to get involved with the Makeover grant by working with their local school’s collision instructors to help them apply. The winning schools will be announced during the SEMA show in Las Vegas, NV in October. Awards of up to $50,000 will be given. The Ultimate Collision Education Makeover school grant application is available online and is due by Thursday, June 1, 2017. Industry members are encouraged to work with their local collision school programs to ensure they apply by the deadline. “School collision programs are facing tremendous budgetary pressure,” said Melissa Marscin, Director of Grant Programs for the Foundation. “It is difficult for many to maintain their program at current capabilities, no less increase their abilities and improve the training they deliver to the industry’s fu-

ture workforce. The Makeover grant program is designed to help collision schools get the much needed tools, equipment and supplies they couldn’t get otherwise and increase their capabilities. Last year, every school that applied received some level of support through both grants and in-kind donations.” The Makeover grant program incorporates the “Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark” that the Foundation launched last year. Under the new program developed by the Foundation, schools are classified into three tiers: ● Tier 1: Advanced, ● Tier 2: Proficient, or ● Tier 3: Developing

The designation will be determined by the Foundation based upon information provided by schools about the capabilities of their program detailed in the Collision Repair Education Makeover grant application. The criteria for each level includes the number of hours of instruction, curriculum in place, along with what tools, equipment, and supplies a school uses to prepare their students for employment in the collision industry. If there is something that a school

needs to advance to the next level, the Education Foundation’s grant application will allow a school to request that particular item. The goal is to help every school acquire the resources to eventually achieve a Tier 1: Advanced school designation. Schools at Tier 1 status can request support for items that further advance their program. The organization’s Board of Trustees Selection Committee will select the winners of the awards and determine what items off the wish lists each school will receive. Since 2009, schools have been able to apply for the Ultimate Collision Education Makeover Grant to get much needed tools, equipment, and supplies for their school. Over $4 million in cash and in-kind donations have been given out to schools as a result of the grant, and over 25,000 collision students have been impacted by the program. Industry members interested in getting involved with the Foundation and joining its efforts to support the future of the collision industry should contact Foundation Director of Development, Brandon Eckenrode at 847463-5244 or Brandon.Eckenrode@ed -foundation.org.

AAPEX 2017 will take place Tuesday, Oct. 31 through Thursday, Nov. 2 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas.

Online registration will be available in May 2017. Buyers who would like to be notified when registration opens can sign up on the AAPEX website, www.aapexshow .com/reginq. For hotel reservations, buyers and exhibitors are encouraged to use OnPeak, the event’s official hotel partner, for the lowest rates at conveniently located hotels in Las Vegas. Reservations can be made now on the AAPEX website. AAPEX 2017 is expected to feature more than 2,200 exhibitors and 45,000 targeted buyers. Approximately 160,000 automotive aftermarket professionals from more than 140 countries are projected to be in Las Vegas during AAPEX.

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Snap-on Adds MODIS Edge to Diagnostic Calculator

Snap-on has added its MODIS™ Edge combination full-function scan tool and scope/graphing meter to its diagnostic calculator feature available on the Snap-on website at http:// diagnostics.snapon.com. This online tool helps automotive repair technicians and shop owners determine how much profit they could be making by using a Snap-on diagnostic

The MODIS™ Edge from Snap-on

platform. The diagnostic calculator is available for use in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. “With the addition of MODIS Edge to our diagnostic calculator, technicians and shop owners can easily see the value of investing in our latest integrated diagnostic system,” said Mark Schaefer, director of marketing, Snap-on Diagnostics.

“The diagnostic calculator will give users a thorough breakdown on how profitable MODIS Edge could be for their shop, based on how it would be used. Fast and easy-to-use, the diagnostic calculator is another great resource to help our customers grow their business.” To find the user’s potential return on investment, the diagnostic calculator asks a few simple questions such as how many times a week does the shop connect to a vehicle, how many service/health checks does the shop perform each week and what the shop charges for these services. The user then indicates which diagnostic tool they either own or are looking to purchase. Lastly, the user enters their name and e-mail address to receive a customized message about their potential profit breakdown, based on the answers given. In addition to MODIS Edge, the diagnostic calculator also includes VERUS® Edge, SOLUS™ Edge and ETHOS® PRO. To learn more about Snap-on diagnostic solutions, talk to a Snapon Franchisee or other sales representative or visit www.diagnostics .snapon.com.

70 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 71

ChemSpec USA Launches New Website ChemSpec USA, LLC. has announced the launch of its new website. The company is encouraging its customers and guests to visit www.chemspecpaint.com. The site includes information about the company and its products and offers a user-friendly experience that is now faster and easier to navigate.

ChemSpec manufactures a wide array of collision repair products for the Automotive, Fleet, OEM and Industrial Markets. According to the company, as a manufacturer, it’s important to make the information about your company and its products easily accessible for customers and website visitors, providing a much more customer-centric experience. “We wanted to provide a better way for both our customers and website visitors to get to know our company and its associates and to familiarize themselves with all the products that we have to offer,” said

Tammy Anderson, Marketing Communication Manager for ChemSpec USA. “The new website allows us to provide accurate information in a more, timely manner.” A few website features include: ● Mobile Responsiveness

uled career fairs. To ensure the best student participation possible at these events, the Education Foundation will be partnering with ASE/NATEF, who will be inviting their collision and automotive school contacts as well. Through this partnership, attendance is anticipated to double in some markets in 2017 due to the inclusion of automotive/mechanical students. Spring 2017 Initial Collision Ca-

● ChemSpec USA news and events including tradeshow, product features and announcements

● Employment portal accessing worldwide job opportunities within ChemSpec USA, LLC., and parent company Axalta Coating Systems, LLC ● Product Selector which allows customers and visitors to easily filter and locate products even if they are not familiar with the company’s branded products For more information, visit www .chemspecpaint.com.

reer Fair: ● Des Moines, IA – February 3rd ● San Diego, CA – March 9th ● Houston, TX – March 22nd ● Dallas, TX – March 23rd ● Phoenix, AZ – April 15th ● Pittsburgh, PA – April 19th ● St. Louis, MO - April 21st ● Chicago, IL –May 2nd ● Madison, WI – May 3rd ● Denver, CO – May 8th ● Seattle, WA – Tentatively scheduled for week of May 8th ● Nashville, TN – May 17th Locations and dates for the Fall 2017 career fairs will be announced later this year. Companies interested in participating in these events should contact Education Foundation Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at (847) 463-5244.

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CREF Spring Career Fair Has Sprung

The Collision Repair Education Foundation kicked off their spring career fair schedule on February 3rd in Des Moines, IA. The event will soon be followed by at least 11 additional sched-

Chief® Offers Chassis Liner® Frame Rack in Custom Packages for Heavy-Duty Repairs

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72 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

The Chief Chassis Liner Heavy-Duty Trucker™

including trucks, trailers, buses and recreational vehicles. The pulling system is built on a multiuse platform so it can be customized to meet any heavyduty shop’s needs for less than the cost of a rail system. “The Heavy-Duty Trucker is built to repair everything from a half-ton pickup to a triple-rail cement truck, and everything in between,” said TJ Schultz, Chief northern division sales manager. “For shops that focus on any variety of repairs, including trailer roll-over work, axle corrections, trailer re-crowning, passenger buses, or other specialties, we can provide an enhanced, affordable pulling

package to meet the need.” Available in 32-foot, 40-foot or custom bed lengths, the versatile Heavy-Duty Trucker frame rack can do it all with a fast and easy-to-use system. It features a drive-on deck that provides excellent access to the vehicle being repaired. Removable drive on ramps and nonskid treadways allow for easy loading of the vehicle to be repaired. The bed is also plumbed for air in multiple locations to speed prep time. The modular design of the Heavy-Duty Trucker allows for precise holding, pulling and pushing anywhere around the bed, providing technicians with a wide variety of options to bring larger vehicle frames back into alignment. It is available with four, six or eight seven-foottall cab towers, providing 360-degrees of pulling with 25-tons of pulling power, and two pulls per tower. Lasercut tie-downs are located in the inner and outer portion of the treadways, and there are center hold pockets for additional tie-downs and anchoring. A jacking beam allows for pushing up on frames. For more information, visit www.chiefautomotive.com/ChiefHD/Heavy-Duty-Racks/Heavy-DutyTrucker.

Driven Brands Charitable Foundation Raises more than $650,000 in 2016

The Driven Brands Charitable Foundation (DBCF) raised more than $650,000 in 2016 and its fundraising efforts have now surpassed more than $1.5 million since it was established in 2012. The Foundation, working in conjunction with over 2,500 Driven Brand franchisees, vendor partners, customers and employees, looks to not only change the lives of children and families in need but to support local community initiatives in the neighborhoods its businesses serve across the U.S. and Canada. “We continue to benefit from our vendor partners, franchisees and employees’ support, awareness and commitment,” said Noah Pollack, Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Driven Brands. “As we grow all of our brands, and expand into new markets and new segments, the Foundation remains a constant focus and source of cohesion and pride.” DBCF supports several organizations like the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals including the Levine Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital in New Orleans, Boston Children’s Hospital, Cystic Fibrosis Canada and other local char-

ities like Snug Hugs for Kids. In addition, DBCF believes in honoring our veterans and giving back to the brave men and women who fight for our freedoms through programs like NABC Recycles Rides, Wounded Warrior Project and Hope for Warriors. Driven Brands family of automotive aftermarket brands including Take 5 Oil Change®, Maaco®, Meineke Car Care Centers®, Merlin 200,000 Mile Shops®, Econo Lube N’ Tune®, Pro Oil®, CARSTAR®, Drive N Style® and 1-800-Radiator & A/C®, raised the funds at National Conventions and during several events throughout the year including golf tournaments, collection drives, charitable walks, silent auctions and most importantly, in-store promotions. The Foundation also receives a tremendous amount of support from its vendor partners and customers, including the Round It Forward program that rounds up customer purchases to the nearest dollar and in-shop collection boxes. For more information, visit http://www.drivenbrandscharitable foundation.org.

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www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 73

CARSTAR North America Announces Expanded Leadership Team for 2017

SEMA Scholarship Applications Due March 1

CARSTAR and guide the continued delivery of the collision industry’s highest-quality repairs and customer satisfaction for its consumers in the U.S. and Canada. Dean Fisher will assume the role of Chief Growth Officer for CARSTAR North America, working to help CARSTAR hit its target of 100 new stores for 2017. Leveraging his wealth of industry knowledge and experience, Fisher will be focused on building the CARSTAR franchise footprint in new markets across the U.S., as well as advancing significant development initiatives. He, along with Sam Freeman, Vice President of Development, will work

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship offers dozens of awards ranging from $2,000 to $3,000, with a $5,000 award going to the top student. Scholarship applications for the 2017 SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund are due March 1. The SEMA Memorial Scholarship program offers financial assistance of up to $5,000 to help foster the next generation of automotive aftermarket industry leaders and innovators. Students can apply for the scholarship at www.sema.org/scholarships. Scholarships are available in a variety of categories, such as accounting, sales and marketing, and engineering. Dozens of awards ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 will be given out, with a $5,000 award going to the top student. The program also includes a loan forgiveness aspect that offers financial awards to employees of SEMA-member companies who have completed and are paying off a loan for a program of study at an accredited university, college or vocational/technical program within the United States. For more information about the program, please contact Juliet Marshall, SEMA manager of education projects, at 909-978-6655 or julietm@ sema.org.

CARSTAR North America has announced the expansion of its corporate support team in the wake of its growth and North American integration in 2016. According to the company, the organizational changes will support the operations, development, training and marketing for

as a united team to meet the company’s growth goals. Melissa Miller has been promoted to Vice President of Operations for CARSTAR North America and will oversee all of CARSTAR’s operations in both the U.S. and Canada. Miller’s promotion will ensure the brand leverages its best practices, volume and quality at all of its more than 500 locations. Also promoted are John Burns, National Director of Operations in the U.S., and Ryan Anderson, National Director of Operations, in Canada. Their focus will be to implement the North American CARSTAR Operational strategy through the leadership of their Area Managers of Operations. Anderson will maintain vision and guidance of the Learning & Development actively building resources for the U.S. and Canada. Burns will maintain his focus with the Multi-Store Operators and Accelerated EDGE Performance Team Deployments. Both will focus on delivering the performance and profitability goals of franchise and insurance partnerships. Hannah Ross has been pro-

Next Step Program Offers Young Pros Scholarships

The Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG) and the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA) will offer young industry professionals the opportunity to experience up-close how the Auto Care

Association and various aspects of the industry work through participation in the Next Step Program. The Next Step Program offers future leaders in the auto care industry the opportunity to become involved in the industry and trade association by receiving scholarships to attend the Auto Care Association’s Spring Leadership Days, held May 35, 2017 at the Grand Hyatt Regency in San Antonio, Texas. “As young people become more connected and involved in the industry, they are more likely to build longlasting careers in auto care,” says Bill

Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care Association. “Future involvement and leadership are the ultimate goals of the Next Step Program.” At the Auto Care Association Spring Leadership Days, Next Steppers will have the chance to participate in committee meetings and networking events with veteran industry leaders. Ten Next Steppers will receive a scholarship of up to $1,100 to offset most expenses for travel and accommodations to, from and during the event. Most meals are also included. Interested applicants must be a member of YANG and employed by a member company of the Auto Care Association. The official application is available on the Auto Care Association website, www.autocare.org/What -We-Do/Professional-Development /YANG/the-next-step-program/ or by contacting Courtney Hammer at: courtney.hammer@autocare.org. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2017.

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moted to Director of Marketing for CARSTAR North America, overseeing all marketing efforts for the CARSTAR brand. Ross will lead the amazing growth for the brand and its franchisees for both Canada and the U.S. With this move, Jennifer Benner has been promoted to Marketing Manager and will directly report to Ross as a part of the CARSTAR North America marketing team. Benner’s focus will be on the daily management of both national and regional marketing initiatives for CARSTAR Canadian franchise partners and continuing the success of its Shine Month outreach program. Bethany Pugh has been promoted to Driven Brands Communications Supervisor, focusing on the internal communications efforts for CARSTAR North America and the Driven Brands Corporate office. For more information, visit www.car star.com.

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AMi Launches New Online Courses

The Automotive Management Institute (AMi), the industry’s leading nonprofit provider and collaborator of administration and management education for automotive collision and mechanical service repair professionals, announced the addition of several

new online courses for the collision repair segment. These newly released courses provide credit toward the organization’s Collsion Repair Segment certificates and professional designations. They include the following: ● Customer Service Certificate

● Accredited Automotive Office Manager (AAOM) professional designation

● Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) professional designation

● Accredited Master Automotive Manager (AMAM) professional designation

● Soon to be released Accredited Collison-Repair Estimator (ACE) and Accredited Master Collision-Repair Estimator (AMCE) professional designations.

The new online courses include: ● Frank Terlep’s How to Market, Sell and Service Today’s “Connected Customer” ● Daren Fristoe’s Effective Interviewing Techniques

● Daren’s Fristoe’s Managing Conflict ● Steve Beck’s Time Management

These courses are part of a growing list of over 100 online courses hosted by the Automotive Management Institute’s “MyAMi” Learning Management System. The catalog of online courses include course content from other well-known industry professionals such as Mike Cassata, Mark Claypool and Frank LaViola. In addition to online courses, AMi recognizes over 250 live instructor-led courses being taught across North America for AMi credits.

Autologic Diagnostics Joins ASA as Corporate Member The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced one of its latest corporate members: Autologic Diagnostics. Corporate membership provides an opportunity for companies to expand their relationships with ASA and its leaders in the collision repair and automotive service segments of the industry. Autologic Diagnostics, based in the United Kingdom and the United States, is a worldwide provider of the first and only fully integrated, cloud-connected aftermarket automotive diagnostic system, Autologic Assist, which helps technicians and automotive service facilities quickly identify faults in vehicles and repair cars faster. “The members of ASA are precisely the audience that stands to benefit the most from learning more about the many advances of our Assist solution and how it could change the way they do business and improve productivity and efficiency, while also increasing both profitability and annual revenue,” said Kevin Finn, di-

rector of strategic partnerships. “While partnering with ASA allows Autologic to share its expertise with the industry, it also affords the company the ability to learn significantly more about the changing dynamics of the automotive repair marketplace and allows us to stay on top of the cutting edge of change and advancement occurring industrywide. This is very valuable to our growing global enterprise,” Finn commented. Tony Molla, ASA vice president, welcomed the partnership with Autologic and said, “We are pleased to add Autologic to our growing list of corporate members and look forward to working with them to help our members stay abreast of the latest technology, as it relates to improving productivity, accuracy and diagnostic capabilities within their individual repair and collision shop enterprises.” To learn more about ASA’s corporate membership program, visit www.ASAshop.org or contact Dan Risley, ASA president and executive director, at danr@asashop.org.

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www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 75

Ford Vehicle Owners Can Easily Upgrade 2010–2016 Vehicles with Connectivity Features According to Ford, millions of current customers stand to benefit from Ford SmartLink, a technology that enables connectivity features normally only available on new modem-equipped vehicles. Using a simple device that plugs into the OBD II port below the steering wheel, Ford SmartLink will give customers who own 2010 – 2016 model year Ford and Lincoln vehicles that are not equipped with a modem access to: ● Smartphone-based remote start, lock and unlock ● 4G Wi-Fi hotspot capable of accepting up to eight devices ● Vehicle health and security alerts ● Vehicle location assistance “Ford SmartLink will surprise and delight owners of recent modelyear vehicles by adding some of today’s most popular connectivity features,” said Stephen Odell, executive vice president, Global Marketing, Sales and Service. “Offering it through our dealerships is another way to keep us connected with our

customers and earn their loyalty.” SmartLink can be obtained at Ford and Lincoln dealerships beginning this summer. With more than two years of research and development invested, the Ford SmartLink team of engineers, in collaboration with Delphi Automotive and Verizon Telematics, have ensured the technology will work seamlessly with Ford and Lincoln vehicles. “From security to performance, we’ve conducted extensive testing and made a number of improvements to ensure Ford SmartLink enhances the customer experience for our owners,” said Raj Nair, executive vice president, Global Product Development, and chief technical officer. “We are thrilled to offer this level of convenience and connectivity to our existing customers, extending the value of their vehicles and giving them just one more reason to love their Ford and Lincoln vehicles,” Nair said.

Martin Senour Introduces Rustproof M/D™

For auto body shop owners looking to boost their corrosion repair efficiency, RustProof M/D™ from the Martin Senour Company offers a powerful—yet easy to use—solution for combating rust.

“RustProof M/D’s UV resistant formula is designed for unrivaled durability and ongoing protection in most environments,” said Kyle Hauenstein, product manager, Martin Senour. Upon application, RustProof M/D seals the surface of the substrate, stopping existing rust from spreading and new rust from forming. Its advanced technology en-

ables users to apply it directly over rusted surfaces with minimal preparation. With a full cure time of only 24 hours, shop managers can rely on RustProof M/D to help shrink the waiting line – and boost the bottom line. “RustProof M/D is positioned to become an essential tool in any shop,” said Hauenstein. “Between the ease of application and quick curing time, it’s a real cost saver.” Specially formulated for direct to metal adhesion and maximum rust prevention, RustProof M/D is appropriate for a number of rust-prone surfaces auto body shops encounter regularly, including: ● Chassis ● Wheels ● Frames ● Truck beds ● Doors ● Floors ● Suspension RustProof M/D is available exclusively at NAPA AUTO PARTS stores in gloss black, light gray, white, and dark gray. For more information, visit http:// www.martinsenour-autopaint.com /product-systems/rust proof-md.

BASF Teams up With Driven to Cure

At its automotive refinish team meeting earlier this month, BASF presented Andrew Lee, president & CEO of Driven to Cure (DTC), and his father Bruce Lee, chairman, treasurer & secretary of DTC, with a check for $10,000. Immediately following, BASF announced its new DTC Promotion, “Paint with a Purpose.”

BASF presents a $10,000 check to Andrew Lee (second from right) for Driven to Cure. With Andrew are (left to right) his father, Bruce Lee; BASF Refinish Vice President, Marvin Gillfillan and BASF Refinish Marketing Head, Dan Bihlmeyer

Andrew Lee was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer, HLRCC, in 2015 at the age of 19. With the help of his father, Lee is living his dream as the owner of a 2015 Nissan GT-R, which they rebuilt and painted orange, the color representing kidney cancer. The color is a unique mix of

BASF Glasurit basecoats, now named Glasurit DTC Orange. Through the “Paint with a Purpose” promotion, the Glasurit DTC Orange is now available to order through BASF. All proceeds of the paint sales will be donated to DTC. After painting cars with the unique mix, builders are asked to send photos to refinish_comm@basf.com to be posted on BASF social media. “Driven to Cure’s mission is to raise awareness about rare kidney cancers like HLRCC. With our new amazing Glasurit orange color on the Driven to Cure Nissan GT-R, which is the color for kidney cancer, we are doing just that,” said Lee. “When starting Driven to Cure, I never thought we would have a relationship like this with such a great company. We are so proud of the BASF team for supporting Driven to Cure and for joining forces with many in the car community who already support us. We are all Driven to Cure!” Since building the GT-R, Lee has been traveling to car shows spreading the word of kidney cancer and raising money. Thus far, more than $200,000 has been raised. For more information, visit www .basfrefinish.com.

76 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 77

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www.autobodynews.com | MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 79

80 MARCH 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com