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NY-based MSO Collision Experts Drops State Farm’s Select Service Due to Parts Procurement Requirement Collision Experts, a New York-based MSO with two locations, said it will no longer be included in State Farm’s Select Service Program because the collision repair shop wants to have the right to decide where to purchase its parts. State Farm’s customers can still choose to have their vehicles repaired at Collision Experts’ shops in Schenectady or Clifton Park, but the national office may no longer refer customers to Collision Experts. Collision Experts CEO and owner Maryann Bowman said it was more important for Collision Experts
to have the freedom to buy parts from trusted vendors that the company has built relationships with over the years rather than be included in State Farm’s Select Service Program, which requires collision repair shops to purchase parts from PartsTrader. Richard Bowman said “Many of my parts vendors signed up with PartsTrader so we couldn’t use them.” “Sometimes you have to part ways in a partnership,” said Maryann Bowman. “In this case, I believe that the national changes don’t work for my business model. We do not want
Despite vehement opposition from a handful of residents, the Napa Planning Commission approved a city zoning change that will allow MSO Mike’s Auto Body to expand its operations to two adjoining parcels on Vallejo Street, according to the Napa Valley Register. The properties, 819 and 827 Vallejo St., were previously zoned for residential housing. Much to the chagrin of others who tried to purchase the land in the past, the city had previously said it was not available for business purposes. “I tried to buy the properties in 2007 for overflow parking for my business,” said Napa resident Geor-
gene Liehau. “But my realtor was told by the city’s planning department that the property would never be rezoned. So I want to understand why I was told ‘no,’ and now this company is told ‘yes’.” According to Napa associate planner Michael Allen, the city typically tells people they cannot rezone residential land for commercial uses. “In fact, we told this applicant no at first, too,” said Allen. “However, Mike’s Auto Body did their homework. They showed us why it would be a good move and brought forward a project that made sense.” Mike Rose, who owns Mike’s
See Collision Experts, Page 16
Mike’s Auto Body Wins Zoning For Expansion
See Mike’s Auto Body, Page 9
VOL. 32 ISSUE 4 APRIL 2014
Utah Offers Grants to Body Shops to Convert to Waterborne, Not Many Applicants So Far by Ed Attanasio
As the collision industry in Utah undergoes the transition to waterborne paint and everything that comes along with it, many are embracing the new products, techniques and equipment while others are not as enthusiastic. The state deadline for Waterborne Paint Trainer Jeff Brasier (right) from Supewaterborne is looming (July 1, rior Paint Supply demonstrates waterborne application 2014) and as was the case in techniques for Corey Kaggie, a painter at ACS Precision other states with similar man- Finish in Salt Lake City dates, some shops are waiting until the so it’s more of a hand up than a handout, according to the state’s Division of Air last moment. But some valuable news involving grants might just speed up the Quality and the Utah Clean Air Partnerconversion process for body shops that ship (UCAIR), a statewide alliance that were previously lagging. Any body shop was created to make it easier for indithat wants the state grant money will viduals, businesses and communities to See Utah Offering Grants, Page 31 have to match the grant dollar for dollar,
Maryland Parts Bill Gets Unfavorable Vote in Cmte
In a vote in the MD House Economic Matters committee on March 14, Maryland House Bill 574 (HB574), sponsored by Delegate John A. Olszewski, Jr., received an unfavorable report out of the committee. Introduced in January, HB574 and its companion, Senate Bill 487, sponsored by Senator John C. Astle, sought to prohibit insurance company personnel from specifying a specific vendor for parts or materials or part procurement process, and would have required OEM crash parts for a period of three years after the date of manufacture of a vehicle. In a 16 to 7 vote on March 14, the MD House Economic Matters committee voted for an unfavorable report on HB574. In Maryland, committees report to the legislature on the bills that are assigned to them as favorable, with or without amendment, unfavorable, or without recommendation. Having been voted out of committee, the bill now returns to the floor of its
chamber of origin accompanied by a report of committee action for consideration. No action has yet been taken on SB487. The bills provided common ground for insurers and non-OEM parts suppliers in opposition. Several insurance and aftermarket parts groups testified in opposition to the bill. Repair facility operators that support the legislation believe it protects consumers and preserves a repair facilities ability to manage its operations. The Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association, WMABA, supports the proposed legislation believing it necessary to protect the rights of repair facilities to operate their business independently and protect consumers. The Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) publicly denounced the legislation prohibiting insurers from requiring the use of alternative collision parts on vehicles less than See Maryland Parts Bill, Page 22
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