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Michigan Bill Would Prohibit Insurer-Mandated Parts Procurement from Specific Suppliers or Processes On July 1, Michigan State Sen. Joe Hune (R-22), chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee, introduced Senate Bill 430, a bill that amends the insurance code to prohibit insurers from requiring automotive repairers to use a specific vendor or process to procure parts and other materials. If enacted, this legislation would effectively end all such requirements in current directrepair program agreements for Michigan shops. This bill was introduced in response to the Automotive Service Association’s (ASA) advocacy efforts in the Michigan legislature. Ray Fisher, president of ASA-Michigan, said,
“This bill would continue to allow repairers to choose their parts procurement systems and their parts vendors as they currently do with a majority of their customers’ insurance carriers. In turn, this will continue to increase efficiency for the automotive repair process by supporting local parts vendors and ensuring quality parts for consumers.” ASA President Dan Risley echoed Fisher’s remarks. “ASA has communicated our concerns with mandatory parts procurement to the industry,” said Risley. “We believe that direct repair program mandates to utilize specific See Michigan Bill, Page 6
Nevada Shop Owner Films Pilot Show for Reality Series ‘Every accident is a unique story to be told’ by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
The McCarran Auto Body team was hard at work, as usual—back in January 2015—painting, welding and sanding. It was a typical day. The only difference was that the employees were being videotaped for a possible TV reality series. Jerry Wientjes, Jerry Wientjes owner of McCarfrom McCarran ran Auto Body in Auto Body Sparks, NV, said that Bishop Lyons Entertainment made
the commitment to produce the series for nationwide distribution. CEO Andrew Bishop and President David Lyons, the executive producers of the series, are currently in discussions with national cable networks in anticipation of airing episodes in 2016. “The premise of the show is behind every auto accident is a unique story to be told,” said Lyons. “The series follows outrageous and comical stories as seen through the eyes of the customers and employees.” Lyons said that after working with Jerry and his team, they noticed Jerry’s personal connection to his See Reality Series, Page 20
VOL. 33 ISSUE 8 AUGUST 2015
Utah Shop Gives Reasons for Leaving Liberty Mutual DRP, Alleges Retaliation in New Utah Suit A Utah body shop owner describes why he left Liberty Mutual’s direct repair program in 2014 and allegedly immediately faced retaliation in a new version of a Utah lawsuit brought by auto body shops against insurers, according to an article by John Huetter in Repairer Driven News. The new version of Alpine Straightening Systems et al v. State Farm et al filed in late May also makes a variety of other steering allegations, including that an insurer tried to get a policyholder’s Audi sent 500 miles away to a DRP shop by incorrectly insisting damage was structural. The shops in the Alpine complaint do have one thing going for them that some other states’ plaintiff auto body shops don’t: A Utah court has ruled that
a “benefit” can be given indirectly. That could mean that shops who ate the costs of items like denib and finesse to truly return a car to pre-accident condition gave insurers a benefit by allowing them to satisfy their obligation to their customers. The Utah Supreme Court has overturned another decision that removes “improper purpose” as a grounds to sue someone for suing someone for interfering with your business, according to insurer motions to dismiss the new lawsuit. The Supreme Court worried allowing both as grounds would cripple legitimate competition. See the full article at: http://www.repairer drivennews.com/ 2015/06/22/shop-outlines-reasons-forleaving-drp-alleged-retaliation-in-revised -utah-lawsuit/
NACE Moves From Detroit to Anaheim, August 2016
First Major Collision Trade Show in California in Well Over a Decade by Autobody News Staff
During the NACE-CARS expo in Detroit July 21–25, ASA executives confirmed that the next NACE expo will occur next August in Anaheim, CA. The announcement was greeted with relief by many in attendance. Despite a wellorganized expo, very well-attended MSO Symposium (700 attendees), a major connected car technology and telematics forum, and demonstrationrich expo floor complete with active spray booths and occasionally running vehicles, the show failed to attract many more than the approximately 6,200 show attendees of last year’s NACECARS. This despite the show adding
20% more floor space and exhibitors. The 2015 show required 54,500 See NACE Moves West, Page 12
Donny Seyfer (l), CARS Chair, and Dan Risley, ASA President, beside hockey goalie helmet painted by air-brush artist Ray Bishop. The helmet was auctioned to help to raise money for breast cancer fundraising and will be displayed at ASA headquarters
Additional NACE/CARS 2015 Coverage in this Issue...
NACE 2015 Entertains, Informs and Wows (photo montage) p. 28 ● MSO Symposium During NACE Include Claims Management Models, Future of DRPs and Financing Options p. 52 ● Jon Kosmoski from Valspar’s House of Kolor & TV Reality Star KC Mathieu Demo Kandy Painting p. 44 ● Behind-the-scenes Look at MI Factory Where Ford F-150 Is Manufactured p. 39 ● Chip Foose Demonstrates 3M’s New Accuspray Gun p. 29 ● More Coming in September
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2 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Contents
COLUMNS Attanasio - Collision Repair Technicians United Goes Viral on Facebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Attanasio - Estimator During the Day, Rock Drummer at Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Attanasio - Lead with Caution Whenever Contracting ANY Marketing Firm . . . . . . . . . 42 Attanasio - What is Your Marketing Budget… Or Do You Have One?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Luehr - Make Your Month, Every Day!. . . . . . . 36 Sisk - CREF Urges the Collision Repair Industry to Donate to Improve the Industry’s Future. . 34 Yoswick - Surveys show ‘who pays for what’ in terms of ‘not-included’ procedures . . . . . 35 NATIONAL Aluminum Body Tools Required for Vacuum Capture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 AMI Announces 2015-2016 Board of Trustees. . 55 ASA Publishes Updated ‘Not-Included Operations’ Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 AudaExplore VP Balances Work and Family Life. 22 Behind-the-scenes Look at MI Factory Where Ford F-150 Is Manufactured . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
cians from Rio Hondo College. We don’t have an opportunity to have a student graduate with a bachelors degree that has any information on collision repair.” He was told by Professor Steve Tomory that the main reason was due to the program not having any student completers (no certificates or degrees) for nearly 15 years and minimal students were getting jobs with industry training such as ASE and I-CAR. Therefore, Tomory, who will be the faculty advisor, said it was not cost-effective to have a “hobby shop” program. Slavich added that the decision was made due to labor market data and the cost of the program. He recommends students interested in pursuing auto body repair attend the Cerritos or Cypress community college programs, which are both I-CAR certified. “We have plenty of capacity in the area,” said Slavich. He plans to market the bachelor degree program to students currently taking auto body at the two community colleges and will give them credit for their undergraduate work. “I’m hoping that we get students out of the auto body area; typically, students just get enough education to go to work so they don’t finish a degree or certificate,” he said. According to Rio Hondo, graduates will be equipped for jobs with auto manufacturers, car dealers or aftermarket companies that modify vehicles.
Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Assistant Editor: Stacey Phillips Online Editor: Victoria Antonelli Contributing Writers: Tom Franklin, David Brown, John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Sales Assistant: Louise Tedesco Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia
AAPEX Trade Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Alfred Matthews Buick-GMC-Cadillac . .35 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . .54 Automotive ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 AutoNation Chrysler-Dodge-JeepRam-FIAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 AutoNation Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam of North Phoenix . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . .57 Bob Smith BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Bob Smith MINI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Capitol Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Car-Part.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Colortone Automotive Paints . . . . . . . . .28 Del Grande Dealer Group . . . . . . . . .16-17 Dent Magic Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Downtown Motors of LA (Audi, VW, Porsche) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Earnhardt Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 East Bay BMW-MINI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Eco Repair Systems of North America, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Elk Grove Toyota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Enterprise Rent-A-Car . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Equalizer Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . .30 First Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . .45 Galpin Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . .50 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32-33 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . .61
Serving California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the autobody industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2015 Adamantine Media LLC. Autobody News P.O. Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com Email: news@autobodynews.com
Western
Black Diamond Refinishing Launches Wipe on Clear Coat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Caliber Collision donates $35,000 to CREF . . . 55 CARDONE Industries Joins ASA as Corporate Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Chief Adds Free Repair Training Resources to Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Chip Foose Demonstrates 3M’s New Accuspray Gun at NACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 CIF Announces Greg Horn as New Trustee . . . 55 CollisionFix.com Website Educates Public About Industry Issues and Unites Shops. . . 10 CREF and AkzoNobel Announce Winners of Sustainability Challenge Grant. . . . . . . . . . . 62 Enterprise Recognizes Axalta Business Council Members With Best Length of Rental Awards . 58 GM Schedules MyPriceLink Initiative; Aims to Hit Market Before Winter. . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Hyundai Launches Recognized Collision Repair Center Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 I-CAR® Updates its Courses to Keep Shops Informed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Jacksonville Body Shop Owner Admits to Loaning Out Customer’s Truck and Crashing Another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Jon Kosmoski from Valspar’s House of Kolor & TV Reality Star KC Mathieu Demo Kandy Painting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 LKQ Corporation to Acquire The Coast Distribution System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Michigan Bill Would Prohibit Insurer-Mandated Parts Procurement from Specific Suppliers or Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Mike Anderson Reminds Industry That “We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know” . . . . . . . 40 Mitchell Releases Toyota Recommended Repair Procedures within Mitchell Estimating. . . . . 58 Mobile Technology Enhancements from CCC . . 29 MSO Symposium During NACE Include Claims Management Models, Future of DRPs and Financing Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 NACE Moves From Detroit to Anaheim in August 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 NACE 2015 Entertains, Informs and Wows (photo montage) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 New ALLDATA President Discusses OE Repair Info with Associations and Insurers at NACE 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 New Nitrocell Nitrogen Plastic Welder by Urethane Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 New Source of Vehicles for NABC Recycled Rides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 NHTSA Announces All VIN Numbers Under Takata Air Bag Recall in Search System . . . 59 NSF International is Latest to Launch Shop Certification Program, Four Certifications Offered. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 OEConnection Announces Integration with PartsTrader Via API . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Quality Collision in PA Credits Success to Employees & Focus on Good Customer Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Rich Pannazzo Appointed COO by AutoBody-Review.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 School: “No Shortage of Jobs for FTCC’s Repair and Refinishing Technology Grads”. . . . . . . 48 Solera To Invest $5M in Chinese Insurance Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 State Farm® Refines Repair Facility Survey . . . 60 U.S. House Subcommittee Hearing on Connected Cars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Autobody News learned in July that Rio Hondo College, in Whittier, CA will no longer be offering a collision repair curriculum starting January 2016. Earlier this year in January, Rio Hondo was one of 15 community colleges selected to run a pilot program to offer a four-year bachelor’s degree in Automotive Technology. It is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2016. Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation in 2014 making it possible for CA community colleges to set up pilot baccalaureate programs and Rio Hondo will be the only community college that offers a degree in Automotive Technology. Mike Slavich, the Division Dean of Career and Technical Education programs, said they will offer a technical track and a business marketing track. “What’s unique about Rio Hondo is their four-year program is in automotive technology,” said Gene Lopez, I-CAR National Fields Operation Manager. Lopez previously taught at Rio Hondo for Slavich. Although Lopez said he is pleased the automotive technology department will be offering this program for students, he also said it is unfortunate that the collision repair program is being discontinued. As a result, he said, “We don’t have an opportunity to continue to hire techni-
Indexof Advertisers
REGIONAL 13 Catalytic Converters Stolen in 2-Day Period in Walnut Creek, CA, Mostly From Toyota Cars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ABRA to Expand in Pacific Northwest . . . . . . . 58 AkzoNobel’s Tim Ronak to Speak to CAA Glendale-Foothills Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ASA-AZ’s 2015 Automotive Training and Expo Provides 55 Hours of Training for 200 . . . . 26 AZ Attorney General Files Complaint Against Automobile and Paving Repair Sellers . . . . . . 4 CA Woman with ALS Given Home by Vet Hunters and Car by Hye Tech Auto . . . . . . . . 6 CA Man Claims Cop Covered Up Beating by Shop Owner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 CAA San Diego Chapter Holds 20th Annual Golf Tournament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 CARSTAR Expands MSO Network in So. CA With Addition of CARSTAR Allstar . . . . . . . 22 Employee Recognized for 20 Years of Service at CA Shop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Google Reports First Case of Self-Driving Injury Accident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Jury Finds Sacramento, CA Area Drug Trafficker Guilty on All Counts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Michael Atkinson of Western Nevada College Receives Refurbished Vehicle on Independence Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Nevada Shop Owner Films Pilot Show for Reality Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Next Auto Body in CA Co-Sponsors Collector Car 6 Cruise & Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Reward Increased in Santa Rosa, CA Hit-and-Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Rio Hondo College in Whittier No Longer Offering Collision Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Seven Charged in CA & WA With More Than 100 Counts of Auto Insurance Fraud. . . . . . . 9 State Farm Plans to Hire 450 Employees in Phoenix, AZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Student veteran at Western Nevada College to Receive Refurbished Car. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Thomas Coleman Memorial Scholarship Fund Established for CA Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Utah Shop Gives Reasons for Leaving Liberty Mutual DRP, Alleges Retaliation in New Utah Suit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Rio Hondo College No Longer Offering Collision Repair
by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
Kearny Mesa Subaru-Hyundai . . . . . . .21 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers . . .49 Maita Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Mark Kia-Mitsubishi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Martech Service Company . . . . . . . . . .26 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . .59 Mercedes-Benz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . .56 Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . .52 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . .37 Moss Bros. Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge . . . . . .7 Nicolosi Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Orange Coast Chrysler-Dodge-JeepRam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Puente Hills Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Riverside Kia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Riverside Metro VW-Honda-HyundaiNissan-Mazda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 San Bernardino Mitsubishi . . . . . . . . . .40 SATA Spray Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 SEMA Trade Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Shingle Springs Nissan-Subaru . . . . . .34 Sierra Chevrolet-Honda-MazdaSubaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Sonnen BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Subaru of San Bernardino . . . . . . . . . . .40 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . .53 The Bay Area Automotive Group . . . . . .27 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . .58 Urethane Supply Company . . . . . . . . . . .8 Valspar Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . .55 Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . .60
www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 3
Next Auto Body in CA Co-Sponsors Collector Car 6 Cruise & Show
Next Auto Body, located in Simi Valley, CA, and featured on Rods and Wheels on Discovery Channel and Velocity, participated in and co-sponsored the Collector Car 6 Cruise & Show. The event was held on Saturday, July
which will benefit the Alzhei-mer’s Association,” said Christian Udaeta, owner of Next Auto Body. “The indoor/outdoor event also featured worldrenowned customizer John D’Agostino, who was the Grand Marshall.”
11 at the Community Marketplace in Moorpark, CA. It was a collector car appreciation day featuring 800-1,000 vehicles. The event was in recognition of a U.S. Senate Resolution declaring the second weekend in July “National Collector Car Appreciation Day.” “This was our second time participating in this worthy charitable event,
Collector Car 6, presented by the Coachmen Car Club of Ventura County, had live entertainment from the Crown City Bombers, Lil’ Mo’ & the Dynaflos and the Laurie Martz Band. There was also a giant raffle, gourmet food trucks, hundreds of vendors and a pin-up contest with cash prizes. All collector cars were welcome at the event.
AZ Attorney General Files Complaint Against Automobile and Paving Repair Sellers
On June 24, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich filed a consumer fraud lawsuit in Pima County Superior Court against A&D’s Auto Care, Desert Paveing [sic], Richard Stevens, Anthony Stevens and David Stevens aka David Lee. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Arizona consumers, seeks financial restitution and injunctive relief for victims of alleged fraud. Using the names A&D’s Auto Care, A&D Auto, A & D Auto Care, A&D Auto Body and A&D’s Auto Care and Collisions, defendants sold automobile repair, collision and detailing services to consumers in Pima County. The State’s complaintd alleges that defendants violated the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act (ACFA) by accepting money for merchandise and repairs that consumers never received. Defendants are alleged to have approached customers in parking lots and solicited repairs to damaged vehicles. They also used online postings to attract alleged victims. One consumer purchased a carport roof from the defendants but never received the product. Desert Paveing [sic], also owned
Thomas Coleman Memorial Scholarship Fund Established for CA Students
A memorial scholarship was established in the name of Thomas Coleman through the Collision Repair Education Foundation that will benefit southern California area collision school programs and students. Coleman, who passed away this past November at the age of 47, was the co-founder, co-owner, and operator of LC Automotive Group, a six-center collision repair business located in the Inland Empire area of Southern California. LC Automotive will be contributing $5,000 quarterly to this fund and collision industry members are invited to participate. Coleman was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in April 2013 and leading up to his passing was very active in raising funds for research targeting neurodegenerative diseases. Coleman’s support of the University of Michigan’s Program for Neurology Research & Discovery stem cell research initiative included his undergoing an experimental seven-hour operation in September 2013 in which two million stem cells were implanted directly into this spine. While Tom did not personally benefit from this surgery, his will-
ingness to undergo this intrusive operation has contributed to the effort of finding an effective means of treating, and ultimately curing, ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. His entire adult life was spent in the collision industry, starting as a technician helper in Orange County, CA and included other positions like parts and production manager, estimator and center manager. He managed California operations for Caliber Collision in the early 2000s. “Tom was a great person, family man, friend and business partner,” said Bill Lawrence, LC Auto co-founder. “His contributions to LC Auto were significant, but Tom’s more important contribution was his involvement in ALS research, to which he dedicated his time, body and intellect. We are proud to support CREF and Southern California collision school programs on behalf of Tom and the collision repair interindustry, which actively supported Tom and his fight against ALS.” For more information, contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at 847.463.5245 or Brandon.Eckenrode@ed-foundation.org.
4 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
by defendants, offered paving, pavement repair and cleaning services in Pima County. The state’s complaint alleges that the defendants violated the ACFA by accepting money for paving services that they did not complete. The complaint also alleges that Defendant Anthony Stevens violated the ACFA by representing that he was licensed by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) when neither he nor Desert Paveing [sic] had an ROC license. “We receive hundreds of calls every month from consumers who believe that they have been victimized,” said Attorney General Brnovich. “The allegations in this complaint are serious and we want fraudsters to know that the Attorney General’s Office is fighting for consumers left holding the bag.” The defendants’ principal place of business is 2631 North Stone Avenue in Tucson, Arizona.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 5
CA Woman with ALS Given Home by Vet Hunters and Car by Hye Tech Auto Terry Ressler and Cici Brown are getting a fresh start after years of struggling with homelessness. “It’s a home! It’s going to change our life... immensely,” Ressler told Eyewitness News as they walked through their new place for the first time. The couple had been living in a Ford Taurus with a broken air-conditioner for five years before moving
Terry Ressler stands outside of the couple’s old car, which was also their home, while Cici sleeps inside
into the small one-bedroom in Pomona, CA. The already difficult situation was made even worse when Brown was diagnosed with ALS, which led to her dependence on a feed-
Rich Pannazzo Appointed COO by AutoBody-Review .com
AutoBody-Review.com of Chino Hills, CA appointed Rich Pannazzo as their new Chief Operating Officer. Pannazzo will oversee AutoBody-Review.com’s day-to-day operations. Pannazzo said, “I’ve known Curt Nixon for almost a decade, and before landing the position, I worked with him as a consultant, enabling me to learn more about the business and what our goals are. AutoBody-Review.com is playing a major role in the collision industry, for both body shops and consumers, by providing the confidence and peace-of-mind they both need with our verified reviews from actual customers.” As a 10-year veteran of the collision industry, Pannazzo has worked as the Senior Director of Field Operations and Vendor Management for an international collision repair franchise. “Rich Pannazzo is a great addition, and we’re happy to have him on our team,” said Curtis Nixon, President and CEO of Flash of Genius, dba www.AutoBody-Review .com
ing tube and an inability to speak. “It wasn’t easy. I would go into McDonald’s and get water to flush her G-tube that she has in her stomach and then I would give her food and her medicine in the car,” Ressler told Eyewitness News. The non-profit Vet Hunters first found the couple parked at a McDonald’s three months ago. Even though the pair aren’t vets, the small volunteer organization knew they had to help after heading their story. “All of us are on a journey and none of us got to where we are on the mountain by ourselves,” Kevin George, Executive Director of Vet Hunters, told Eyewitness News. “We got there because of friends and parents and coaches and teachers who all reached down and gave us a hand at some point. And that’s all we’re doing. We’re just reaching down and grabbing the hands of other people who are struggling on their journey.” Vet Hunters also surprised the couple with a refurbished vehicle donated by John Yousoufian, a longtime supporter of Vet Hunters and owner of Hye Tech Auto, an auto repair shop in Covina. Yousoufian assured the couple that everything worked in
Reward Increased in Santa Rosa, CA Hit-and-Run
The family of a man injured in April by an unknown hit-and-run motorist increased the reward for information to $15,000, reported Julie Johnson of pressdemocrat.com. Ronnie Remington of Santa Rosa, CA was hit by a white minivan or SUV while crossing Bellevue Avenue near Dutton Avenue, according to Santa Rosa police. Remington was returning to work at G&C Auto Body after going to the deli, according to his uncle and employer, Gene Crozat, who owns the shop. Remington told police the vehicle hit him and then a wheel ran over his right foot and ankle, Sgt. Ryan Corcoran said. The driver, who fled after the collision, reportedly had long brown hair and drove a new white minivan or SUV, Johnson wrote. Police have not identified a suspect. Anyone with information about the case can call the Santa Rosa Police Department’s traffic unit at 707543-3636. Police ask that callers refer to case 15-4328.
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6 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
the car, including the air conditioning! “From day one, it has been very moving, their story and what they’ve gone through. And I’m just so glad to see the progression and to actually be a part of the change in their lives,” Yousoufian told Eyewitness News.
Cici Brown enters her new home for the first time after living in a car for five years with ALS
Vet Hunters rely on private donations to be able to help veterans. If you would like to help, donations can be made at www.VetHunters.org.
Employee Recognized for 20 Years of Service at CA Shop
Technician Greg Kehoe was recently recognized by his employer Davis Body Shop in Paso Robles, CA for more than 20 years of continuous service, reported Paso Robles Press. Kehoe started at Davis Body Shop as an entry level Detail Technician and worked his way up to Lead Autobody Technician. He has also obtained one of the highest certifications in the industry— I-CAR Certified Autobody Repair Specialist. Owner Brad Davis told Paso Robles Press, “Greg is a truly outstanding member of our Paso Robles team. He shares our company’s passion for delivering the highest levels of workmanship and truly exceptional customer service, and embodies what Davis Body Shop is all about.” “This has definitely been the best job I have ever had. The Davis’s are great!” Kehoe commented after receiving the award. Davis Body Shop has locations in both Paso Robles and Atascadero, and has been serving North County families for more than 50 years. Kehoe works at the Paso Robles shop located at 2485 Theater Drive behind Paso Robles Chevrolet, reported Paso Robles Press.
www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 7
CAA San Diego Chapter Holds 20th Annual Golf Tournament
The CAA San Diego Chapter held its 20th Annual Golf Tournament Saturday, June 6 at Twin Oaks Golf Course in San Marcos, CA. More than 80 players participated in the event. “It was another great day with a group of fun-loving auto body industry people,” said Hop Sanchez (Finishmaster Inc.) and the CAA San Diego Treasurer. “Special thanks to our event sponsors: Axalta, Penske Ford and PPG as well as our hole sponsors: 3M, BASF, Enterprise, FinishMaster and LKQ.” The Winners Were:
Low Gross 1st Place: Team ICAR / D’Angelo’s – Ernie Escobedo, Gene Lopez, Wayne Krause, Mark D’Angelo, Marvin Moore Low Gross 2nd Place: Team LKQ – Chuck Brown, Juan Salas, Nick Rogers, JD Allard
Low Gross 3rd Place: Team PPG – Eddie Rodriguez, Gregg
Aubrey, Kaaryn McKeirnan, Gabe Borboa, Marvin Moore
Net / Peoria 1st Place: Team FinishMaster – Palm Springs – Angel Ponce, Mike Chavez, Herbert Cordova, Helmut Ortega, Marvin Moore
Men’s Closest to the Pin: Nick Rogers (Team LKQ)
Team LKQ – Chuck Brown, Juan Salas, Nick Rogers, JD Allard
Women’s Closest to the Pin: Barbara Davies (Team Autobody News) Men’s Longest Drive: Nick Rogers (Team LKQ)
Team PPG – Eddie Rodriguez, Gregg Aubrey, Kaaryn McKeirnan, Gabe Borboa, Marvin Moore
Women’s Longest Drive: Carol Romero (Team LKQ) Team ICAR / D’Angelo’s – Ernie Escobedo, Gene Lopez, Wayne Krause, Mark D’Angelo, Marvin Moore
8 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Special thanks to the support team from Enterprise: Michelle Burgard, Rebecca Betten, Rachel Sommerhauser, Ashley Soley and Renee Carter
CA Man Claims Cop Covered Up Beating by Shop Owner
Body shop owner Kenneth Roux is being sued by Daniel Mancini of Cloverdale, CA. Mancini is also suing the Cloverdale Police Department, Officer Michael Campbell and alleged “motocycle gang member” Adam Alvarek, reported Katherine Proctor from www.court housenews.com Mancini claims that Roux wrongfully blamed him for a burglary of the body shop on Halloween in 2014 and sent Alvarek to Mancini’s house to bring him to the shop to “talk about the burglary,” Proctor wrote. Roux pulled out a pistol when he arrived at the shop, according to Mancini. Then both men beat, kicked and stomped him and Roux said, “he was going to be be taken wood chipper where he would be chipped and killed for doing the burglary,” according to the complaint. Mancini claimed Officer Campbell covered for Roux and Alvarek. Roux denied all allegations. Proctor wrote that Mancini seeks medical expenses and punitive damages for assault and battery, false imprisonment, conspiracy and negligence.
Jury Finds Sacramento, CA Area Drug Trafficker Guilty on All Counts
After a five-day trial, a federal jury found Isreal “Puck” Washington of Sacramento, CA guilty of all 10 counts in the indictment for trafficking heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced on July 9. According to court documents and evidence, in 2010, Washington distributed large amounts of cocaine base, cocaine, and heroin in the Sacramento area. Washington used various businesses as a front to conceal and disguise his extensive drug trafficking and operated a large “crew” of gang members as his drug distribution organization. During an investigation in 2010 and 2011, one of Washington’s businesses, Wet Ways Auto Body and Paint Shop, was identified as a place where Washington and his associates conducted drug deals. “Under the Smart on Crime initiative, the U.S. Department of Justice has refocused its narcotics prosecution efforts against the most significant and dangerous offenders.” Wagner stated. “Washington is one of those persons. This marks the end of his drug empire.” In 2012, an undercover operative bought heroin and methamphetamine from Washington’s organization. The drug traffickers operating under Wash-
ington included co-defendants Deyonte Spears, Tyrone Weathersby, Anthony Sanchez, and Myron Meadows. On May 21, 2013, the DEA served search warrants at two Sacramento-area stash pads controlled by Washington. Agents seized a stolen firearm and more than three pounds of heroin at stash pads maintained by the group. Charges are pending in a separate indictment against Washington that stems from a 2011 homicide investigation. The indictment alleges that Washington is prohibited from possessing firearms because of four prior felony convictions for drug trafficking and assault with a deadly weapon. A status conference for that case will be set in the near future. Washington is scheduled to be sentenced on October 1, 2015, by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. Washington’s codefendants have previously pleaded guilty. Washington faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison on each of counts two and eight. On the remaining counts, he faces maximum statutory penalties of up to life in prison and statutory mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years. The other defendants also face sentences of at least 10 years in prison on the counts they have pleaded guilty.
Seven Charged in CA & WA With More Than 100 Counts of Auto Insurance Fraud
Detectives from the California Department of Insurance, assisted by Snohomish County Marshall’s Office and federal officers, arrested seven people in California and Washington yesterday for allegedly conspiring to defraud eight insurance companies by submitting fraudulent auto insurance claims totaling more than $175,000. Ismael Chavez, 32, of Vallejo; Juan Carlos Chavez, 36, of Hayward; Jose Luis Ramos-Mercado, 37, of Martinez; Maria Ortiz, 29, of Oakland; Jose Guadalupe Ramos, 50, of Pittsburg, CA and two co-conspirators from Washing-
ton, Joel Palestino, 27, and Carmen Vazquez, 39, both of Everett, WA are all facing more than 100 criminal counts of felony insurance fraud. According to detectives, the suspects were involved in an organized auto insurance fraud ring, submitting more than 70 fraudulent claims to multiple insurance companies for damage to vehicles that occurred prior to the vehicle being insured. The suspects allegedly used multiple aliases on the insurance claims to avoid detection by insurers. The investigation also revealed Mirage AutoCraft, owned by Jose Guadalupe Ramos, inspected the vehicles and was also involved in the conspiracy. Contra Costa District Attorney Inspectors, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and the National Insurance Crime Bureau assisted with the investigation. If convicted on all counts, the suspects face from five to 35 years in state prison. Suspects arrested in Washington are being extradited to California for prosecution. The Contra Costa District Attorney’s office is prosecuting this case.
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8445 E Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85260 www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 9
13 Catalytic Converters Stolen in 2-Day Period in Walnut Creek, CA, Mostly From Toyota Cars A baker’s dozen of catalytic converters were stolen over a two-day period in Walnut Creek, mostly from Toyota models, a police sergeant said on June 30.
A catalytic converter
Sgt. Ryan Hibbs said 13 catalytic converters were reported stolen, typically between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., concentrated in the areas of Citrus and Walnut avenues and Springfield Drive. “The eastern part of the city, basically,” Hibbs said. “They did cover a bit of ground but they did have quite a bit of time to do it.” Most, if not all, of the catalytic converters have been stolen from Toy-
ota SUV’s, with Sequoias hit the hardest, he said. There have been no sightings of the suspects reported to police and Hibbs is encouraging residents who
see anything suspicious to call the department immediately. “There’s sort of a stigma against calling the police because people might not think it’s that big of a deal or it’s just nothing,” Hibbs said. “But, we really rely on people calling in suspicious activity to catch suspects.” Hibbs said Walnut Creek is not unique in experiencing a wave of catalytic converter thefts. In April, Hercules police reported a similar rash of thefts,
CollisionFix.com Website Educates Public About Industry Issues and Unites Shops When Ray Gunder from Lakeland, FL’s Gunder’s Auto Center discontinued his DRP relationships, he said that he wasn’t sure if his shop would sur-
Ray Gunder (left) pictured with bodytech Lance Smith who has worked for Gunder’s Auto Center for approximately 35 years
vive. The DRP programs accounted for approximately 30 percent of his Florida-based business and he knew that he needed to do something. Then he met Jeff Roberts from Eagleville Marketing Group and together they developed a commercial for the local cable networks. Gunder said he received an instantaneous response and his second month of advertising on air was his best month in 45 years. “It has been in-
credible since day one. Every bay in our shop is full,” said Gunder. “Our body and repair shop is completely circled with work. We have more insurance work on premise than at any time when we had DRP relationships.” Gunder’s business is one of 20 collision repair shops listed on a new website, called CollisionFix.com, launched by the Eagleville Marketing Group in June. Roberts, owner of the Florida- and Tennessee-based advertising agency, said the mission of the site is to give a voice to the collision repair industry. Geared toward consumers, www .CollisionFix.com was created to educate the public about issues surrounding the industry, such as the difference between original quality, OEM and low-quality aftermarket parts and the use of junkyard parts. It also addresses consumers’ rights to choose a body shop, regardless where an insurance company suggests they go. Roberts said the site is for shops that want to take a stand against insurance companies “steering” their customers to other shops. See CollisionFix.com, Page 13
10 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
also from Toyota Sequoias, 4Runners and Tacomas, according to Hercules police. “They’re popular because it’s a relatively easy target and they’re not serialized, so there’s no way to track them” Hibbs said. The thieves appear to be using a pipe cutter, which is relatively quiet and won’t attract attention, he said. Thieves might get $50 to $250 for the parts, but Hibbs said it could cost victims anywhere from $4,000 to $5,000 to replace them when auto body labor costs are included. He said there are a few measures consumers can take to secure the catalytic converters in their car. The easiest is parking the car in a locked garage, Hibbs said. If that’s not possible, Hibbs said people could take their car to an auto body shop and buy parts to clamp on to the catalytic converter that makes it harder to remove. Or, Hibbs said auto shops can weld the catalytic converter in place. Anyone who sees suspicious activity should call the department’s dispatch service at (925) 935-6400. We would like to thank Bay City News for permission to reprint this article.
AkzoNobel’s Tim Ronak to Speak to CAA Glendale-Foothills Chap.
Tim Ronak, Senior Services Consultant at AkzoNobel, will address specific factors affecting the collision repair industry at the August 13 CAA Glendale-Foothill meeting in Pasadena, CA. Ronak will address the following: ●Understanding your door rate: Regardless of what it is, do you truly understand how your current door rate affects your bottom line? ●Return on Investment (ROI): Looking to purchase new equipment? Sending a technician to training? What is your true return on these investments? How can you be certain you’re maximizing the value of these investments? ●Department of Insurance Update (DOI): There will also be an update on the latest regarding DOI’s Labor Rate Survey and Anti-steering regulations. The meeting will be held at Brookside Country Club. A social hour will begin at 6 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $45 for members and $100 for non-members. RSVP by August 11 to Cindy Shillito at (714) 944-4028 or email radiatorgirl@socal.rr.com.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 11
Continued from Cover
NACE Moves West
square feet of exhibit space and hosted 6,496 attendees. In 2014 the show had roughly 46,500 square feet for exhibits and 6,253 attendees. Given the 40 percent growth in 2014 over 2013, more was expected. Attendance was a shadow on what was otherwise a remarkable show. ASA President Dan Risley said ASA had hoped for some 8,000 attendees, and Brian Nessen of Stone Fort Group, said that their metrics showed lower than expected repeat attendance from 2014 to 2015, meaning that the show expo had essentially a different audience, albeit less foot traffic on the show floor. There was also acknowledgement of the difficulty in scheduling events co-located with the show, such as the popular MSO symposium, so that they didn’t affect the foot traffic for the exhibits. Said Risley, “It’s modest growth. We expected growth, but we expected a little more. From a forecasting perspective, I would tell you that we missed the mark for what we hoped for... I’m not overly enamored with 20
percent growth and I’m not overly enamored with [just] a couple hundred new people on the show floor.” The reasons for subpar attendance are varied and many, with some attributing the turnout to ‘been there,
Under Secretary for [VA] Benefits, General Allison Hickey said that hiring more veterans could be the solution to a lack of qualified workers in the industry, noting roughly 250,000 technically adept service members are leaving the military each year
done that’ for NACE in Detroit. Others blamed the proximity to Chicago’s Automechanika event in April and reluctance of midwest shops to attend both. Anaheim 2016 will provide an opportunity for the 37,000 plus shops in the show organizer’s database to see a state of the art, OEM-heavy
12 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
tradeshow in the heart of So. California. Risley said that additional international buyers from Pacific Rim countries were more realistic for the West Coast location. Nessen said that not only will next year’s show include new OEM presence, but also that current OEM exhibitors have also verbally committed to return. “The OEs are part of the backbone,” he said. By the time the opening session began on Thursday, July 23, the event had already seen a host of co-located organizations holding meetings including 1 Collision Network, ASE, CCIF, CIC, CIECA, CIIA, CREF, ICAR, MERA, NABC, OERoundtable, SCRS, State Farm Advisory Council, and WIN. The General Session featured introductions of the keynote speakers by ASA President Dan Risley, broken into 3 sessions, which included a keynote given by General Allison Hickey, Under Secretary for Benefits, Veterans Benefits Administration, made a passionate argument for hiring more vets in collision repair. Other remarks were made by Donny Seyfer, ASA Chairman and a Executive of the Year presentation by Scott Shriber of Babcox Media.
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Michigan Bill
vendors to purchase parts and/or thirdparty software applications adversely impacts collision repairers and consumers. “When you allow repairers the freedom to choose the best means to efficiently operate and manage their business and the claim, it benefits all the stakeholders (insurer, repairer and the consumer). This bill will allow collision repairers to identify and select the best vendors to purchase and source parts. More importantly, it will foster healthy competition among parts vendors and third party software providers where the best product and service will prevail. A free and open marketplace always results in better product and service.” S.B. 430 is now before the Committee on Insurance for further consideration. If enacted, this bill will go into effect within 90 days. To review S.B. 430 and related issues, please go to ASA’s legislative website, www. TakingTheHill.com.
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CollisionFix.com
“Not all insurance companies are bad, just the ones that interfere in the consumers’ right to choose, and pro-
mote the use of substandard parts,” said Roberts. “Those that join CollisionFix.com are shops that believe in the consumer first and profit second because profit comes when you take care of the consumer. We feel that when shops strive for perfection and are good members of their community, the profit will come, and of course growth is inevitable.” Roberts said that many shops struggle to stay in business and don’t advertise at all. CollisionFix.com helps unite shops in a certain area, enabling them to combine their advertising dollars and be able to af-
ford to advertise on air. “If you invest a part of your annual sales into marketing your message and do it in a way that’s professional and not hokey looking, you will grow,” said Roberts. “The bottom line is marketing with the correct message, on the right networks, at the right frequency. You do that consistently and there is no level you cannot advance to.” His goal is to spread the word about CollisionFix.com so when an accident does occur, consumers can check online for a shop nearby. Roberts said 90 percent of consumers choose a body shop that is fairly close to them. Gunder has been advertising on air for about a year. After starting out on his own, he teamed up with a couple of other shops that had heard about his success. “We were able to give a lot more exposure for the same amount of money,” he said. Now when customers enter Gunder’s Auto, he finds they mention the commercial and what they learned about the industry. “They know enough that they don’t want to use junk on their car,” said Gunder. “They want a quality repair and the ad educates them very well on that. When See CollisionFix.com, Page 25
OEConnection Announces Integration with PartsTrader for Bi-Directional Quotes and Orders
OEConnection® is the leading parts ecommerce technology provider for OEM distribution networks, serving over 60,000 dealership and repair customers. At the NACE-CARS event OEConnection announced an integration with PartsTrader, a web-based parts purchasing network, that will enable quote requests and orders originating from the PartsTrader application to be processed in the OEC dealer portal through the CollisionLink parts procurement solution. This bi-directional integration will allow dealer users of CollisionLink to process quote requests and orders originating in the PartsTrader platform, as well as other orders received from body shops using CollisionLink Shop or other thirdparty integrators. PartsTrader CEO, Rob Cooper said, “Integration with OEC complements PartsTrader’s mission to become the most comprehensive collision replacement parts sourcing and procurement platform for the industry by providing a seamless experience to users of both solutions. Thousands of collision repairers are now choosing to use PartsTrader as their parts sourcing solution. Without any phone calls or additional effort, repairers can receive
the most complete and accurate information to make the best buying decisions for their businesses.” “OEC has long viewed integrating with collision shop procurement applications a key part of our strategy in delivering incremental value to our dealer network. The order fulfillment API is designed to consolidate disparate ordering systems into one, easy workflow for the dealer, streamlining the order fulfillment process for the parts counter person. By extending our API to PartsTrader, we remove the need for the dealer to have an additional system to manage and support,” commented Bill Lopez, OEC VP, Collision & OEM Programs. “Integration with OEC advances our strategy of being the most open parts procurement platform in the market. It enables our dealer customers who use OEC to quote more efficiently and accurately to repairers using the platform,” commented Dale Sailer, PartsTrader VP, Business Development. The CollisionLink/PartsTrader integration is expected to be available to participating dealers and shops in early 2016. Dealers will have the option to maintain their current systems as is.
www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 13
Student Veteran at Western Nevada College to Receive Refurbished Car by Steve Yingling, Western Nevada College
It took just one overjoyed and appreciative car recipient last Christmas for Western Nevada College to extend its association with the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides project. After the resounding success of WNC’s first Recycled Rides vehicle donation during the Christmas holidays, the college’s Auto Body Technology department is repairing its second vehicle for donation this summer. The public is invited to attend the car presentation at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, at WNC’s E.L. Cord Technology Center on the Carson City Campus. This time, WNC will create a patriotic theme in preparing a refurbished 2006 GMC Envoy for presentation to a student veteran on Independence Day. For the second time, State Farm Insurance has agreed to donate a vehicle to Recycled Rides for WNC to restore. WNC President Chester Burton said that in the college’s new alliance with NABC Executive Director Chuck Sulkala and the Recycled Rides project, many benefits have already been recognized. “The college is involved in the Recycled Rides project because it is a win-win for the college and the community,” Burton said. “The students in the automotive program learn while they are involved in repairing the vehicles. Then, the vehicles are donated to an individual or a family in the community that has demonstrated a need for a car. Many of these vehicles would be destined for the junkyard without the program. Instead of being scrapped, they are repaired to a very
Google Reports First Case of Self-Driving Injury Accident
After reporting to the California Department of Motor Vehicles that its gadget-packed Lexus SUVs had been hit twice in the rear bumper while waiting at stop lights in Mountain View, Calif., Google reported that on July 1 a motorist smashed into its stationary autonomous vehicle at 17 mph, resulting in minor whiplash to passengers in both cars and causing the offending car's front bumper to fall off. The passengers were examined and released to return to work.
high quality and back on the road, where they can make a difference in someone’s life.” Plans are for WNC to award restored vehicles to individuals or families on the Fourth of July and Veterans Day annually. In that way, students, instructors and other community members should have ample time to restore and make the vehicles safe during classes in the fall, spring and summer.
Western Nevada College will award a student veteran with a Recycled Ride at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, at WNC’s E.L. Cord Technology Center on the Carson City Campus
“For the future, I see WNC working with Recycled Rides to obtain the donated vehicles and complete three to four vehicles a year in conjunction with the program,” said Burton, who dedicated 20 years of his professional career to the U.S. Navy, including working as a Naval Supply Officer at the Naval Air Station Fallon. “New opportunities are presenting themselves with Recycled Rides to obtain vehicles that will be donated to the program specifically for donation to veterans. This, along with education, is another avenue the college can follow as we assist veterans in making the transition from military to civilian life.” A college committee selected the recipient, complementing what has already been done for veterans over the past several years. “It goes to show you that WNC has worked tirelessly to support vets in the community, solidifying its role as the most vet-friendly school in Nevada,” said veteran Timothy Galluzi,
State Farm Plans to Hire 450 Employees in Phoenix, AZ
State Farm Insurance plans to add an additional 450 new employees to its Phoenix locations over the next three months, according to a released statement. The insurance company, which is opening new regional headquarters on Tempe Town Lake next year, is looking for claims professionals, sales professionals and IT department employees. Recruiters were at LocalWork’s job fair on July 13 to answer questions from prospective employees.
14 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
a former president of the college Student Veterans Club who now serves as a pre-admissions adviser for WNC’s Veterans Resource Center. “It feels good that on a patriotic holiday we can reward fellow vets in such a way.” Increasing community involvement in the Recycled Rides projects has become one of WNC’s objectives, providing multiple people and businesses with the opportunity to participate in a philanthropic project. Last December, the college refurbished a 2009 Cobalt for a Carson City single mother of three. In the previous project, WNC auto body instructors Dennis Marshall and Mark Leonard performed most of the work restoring the Cobalt, but they also received assistance from students Donny McKay, Alex Garic, James Dempsey, Bob Andreasen, Austin Lambert and Michael Atkinson. “I think it’s a great idea and it’s heartwarming to help someone out with transportation, especially a veteran, because I’m a veteran myself,” said Marshall, who served as a mechanic in the seventh infantry of the
U.S. Army. WNC’s David Steiger and Sulkala collaborated to create classes through Continuing Education specifically to work on the Recycled Rides project. Recycled Rides is carefully watching this new program that it has titled the “WNC model” for future use in other educational institutions. Recycled Rides has restored more than 1,000 vehicles nationally in the NABC program’s eight years of existence. The program commonly accepts vehicles three to eight years old with less than 100,000 miles from rental car companies, insurance companies and auto auctions. Through the generous efforts of collision repair shops or college programs, parts vendors, paint suppliers and others, the donated vehicles are refurbished. The nonprofit program seeks out people lacking reliable transportation so they can meet the demands of their work schedules, shuttling their children to school, going grocery shopping and making medical visits. We would like to thank Nevada Appeal for permission to reprint this article.
www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 15
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Michael Atkinson of Western Nevada College Receives Refurbished Vehicle on Independence Day by Western Nevada College Public Relations Department
For the second time in seven months, Western Nevada College has worked with National Auto Body Council Executive Director Chuck Sulkala, State Farm Insurance Company, and the Recycled Rides project to donate a refurbished automobile to a deserving community member. Last December, WNC faculty and students refurbished a 2009 Cobalt for a Carson City single mother of three. For both of WNC’s Recycled Rides projects, State Farm Insurance donated the vehicles. On Saturday, July 4, at the Carson City campus, WNC presented a 2006 GMC Envoy car to Michael Atkinson, a veteran who is enrolled at the college. A campus selection committee decided that Atkinson overwhelmingly met the criteria for the donation. “We were looking at not only someone who has served our country but is also serving their community when they got back,” said Timothy Galluzi, a pre-admissions adviser for WNC’s Veterans Resource Center who served eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Atkinson was selected, in part, because of his contributions to both of WNC’s Recycled Rides project. “It feels good on a patriotic holiday that we can reward fellow vets in such a way, especially such a deserving individual,” Galluzi said. “Michael’s the type of individual who wouldn’t ask for anything in return.” Zach Adams met Atkinson when they were freshmen in the Reserve Of-
ficers’ Training Corps program at Carson High School. They both joined the U.S. Navy in 2008, and Atkinson eventually became part of the U.S. Marine Corps, where he helped assist the injured on front lines in Afghanistan. “He doesn’t ask for much, but when you need him, he’s there,” Adams said.
Recycled Rides donation assists student veteran
Since returning to civilian life, Atkinson has excelled in the classroom at WNC, being named to the Dean’s List for fall 2014 and spring 2015 and becoming a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Recycled Rides has restored more than 1,000 vehicles nationally in the NABC program’s eight years of existence. The program commonly accepts vehicles 3 to 8 years old with less than 100,000 miles from rental car companies, insurance companies and auto auctions. Through the generous efforts of collision repair shops, college programs, parts vendors, paint suppliers and others, the donated vehicles are restored to a useable condition. The nonprofit program seeks out people
Five Days to Victory Event to Fast-Track ALI Certification
Participants in the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) Lift Inspector Certification Program can fast-track their certification by attending the “Five Days to Victory” training, testing and practical inspection event sponsored by ALI member manufacturers at the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas Nov. 1-5. Five Days to Victory helps candidate inspectors who have passed the precourse exam complete certification requirements. Candidates will attend an orientation workshop, take part in a study session prior to sitting for the course exam and perform all 12 vehicle lift inspections required to complete the practical portion of the
program. “Five Days to Victory condenses what can be a yearlong certification process into just one week,” says R.W. “Bob” O’Gorman, ALI President. “Its accelerated timeline provides a huge opportunity for program participants, since they can satisfy their certification requirements in one place and quickly join the ranks of ALI Certified Inspectors working in the field. The demand for professional lift inspections is growing, and Five Days to Victory helps us efficiently fill the need for inspectors.” To learn more about Fve Days to Victory and ALI, visit www.autolift.org or call (607) 756-7775.
18 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
lacking reliable transportation so they can meet the demands of their work schedules, shuttling their children to school, going grocery shopping and making medical visits. “Recycled Rides is another way that State Farm can contribute to families and organizations across the country in a way that truly helps improve the quality of their life,” said State Farm Agent Clay Murray. “It’s great to know that that our donation of the vehicle will make a difference in a community’s efforts to help families recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams.” WNC President Chester Burton said the college plans to increase the number of donations it makes in the future. “For the future, I see WNC working with Recycled Rides to obtain the donated vehicles and complete three to four vehicles a year in conjunction with the program,” said Burton, who dedicated 20 years of his professional career to the U.S. Navy, including working as a Naval Supply
Officer at the Fallon Naval Air Station. Sponsors of Saturday’s donation included All American Auto Body & Service, Atkins Classic Floors, Capitol City Gun Club, Concours Body Shop, Dunkin’ Donuts, Jimmy John’s, Martin Auto Color, Paul Schat’s Bakery, Prestige Car Wash & Detail Center, State Farm Insurance, Tri Valley Glass & Screen, WNC’s Student Veterans Club and WNC’s Veterans Resource Center. Special thanks in helping put the project together goes to Zach Adams; Bob Andreasen; Michael Atkinson; Mike Bennett; Joe Brillhart; Kevin Burns; Andrew Cheechov; James Dempsey; Angelo DePerez; Natalie Frey; Timothy Galluzi; Alex Garic; David Giles; Paul Gould; Drew and Nicole Hansen; Austin Lambert; Lilly Leon-Vicks; Mark Leonard; Dennis Marshall; Donald McKay; Joe Mora; Steve and Stefan Murray; Randy Naylor; Hillary, Tina and Jameson Nelson; Joseph, Hannah and Harlan Ouellette David Steiger; Tom Stryker; Chuck and Linda Sulkala; Zach Washabaugh; Linda Whitehill; Rusty Wolbers, and the WNC Marketing Team.
www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 19
clients is what makes him so successful. “His ability to draw stories out of his customers and give them the reassurance that he will make it better is a strong driving force that not only makes for a great show, but also a tremendous business,” he said. Wientjes said the premise is three cars, three stories and a lot of cama-
He began toying around with the idea of creating a show that was both informative and entertaining. Years earlier he had discussions with his wife’s uncle Bill about reality TV. Bill was a seasoned Hollywood writer for many hit shows in the ‘70s and ‘80s. “He would say that inspiration for a plot often comes from real life situations,” said Wientjes. “Sometimes the chemistry is just right and it works.” He recalls Bill telling him, “You can’t make this up!”
raderie. He is a reality TV show fan himself. He said that he noticed that the process of repairing a car is rarely shown, and never in any detail. “I thought it would be so helpful to educate the public about what goes on in the repair process,” said Wientjes. “Until now all representations of the repair process showed an unsightly car being rolled into the shop and re-appearing minutes later completely repaired.”
Realizing that a body shop is not the ideal backdrop for filming, Wientjes and his crew spent countless hours sprucing up the place. This included removing clutter, painting walls and floors. Although McCarran Auto Body had been producing and airing commercials for more than two decades, Wientjes quickly discovered it would not be easy to find a film crew with the experience and equipment re-
Continued from Cover
Reality Series
“The series follows the outrageous and comical stories seen through the eyes of the customers and employees” —Executive Producer David Lyons
20 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
quired that had any interest in filming and attorney Curtis Coulter. “Coulfor days at a body shop. The first few ter has an uncanny way of communicalls were less than encouraging. In cating his vast knowledge of the law,” fact a producer suggested that he just he said. “Knowing that I could not get a “Go-Pro” and do his own film- myself say things of a legal nature, I ing. asked Curtis if he would mind being Finally he got a break. After con- in my show.” Coulter agreed and has tacting Sam Breen, and John and become a regular fixture, imparting Brian of CID Media (a local produc- valuable, relevant information on each tion group), they agreed to come to the segment. shop and film for a few hours to see A final addition to the show were what would transpire. After the first his dogs; Nicholas, a seven-year-old day, they were optimistic and agreed Coton DuTulear, who dutifully greats to return for more filming. visitors at the shop each day, and As the days turned into weeks a Kachi, his two-year-old Akita. show began to emerge. Wientjes said it was certainly not an easy process. “We would meet before filming and come up with a concept for that day,” he said. “Inevitably something unexpected would happen, and we would just go with it. By the time the first show was complete we had developed a very comfortable relationship with the film crew, so they Terry McNary doing structural pulls at McCarren Auto Body. were able to film us just being “The magic they created in editus.” ing was unbelievable,” said Wientjes Wientjes said that during the who is very pleased with the result. course of filming their first show he With the first show complete; they had a meeting with his longtime friend
were ready to air it. Three 30-minute episodes have aired on local stations 2 and 21 every Saturday and Sunday. They are currently available to watch online on you tube. (First episode: https://www .youtube.com/watch?v=5MRsXmtu Dv8) After the first two shows were filmed, Bishop-Lyons Entertainment became interested in producing a pilot. They sent their “A Team” from Los Angeles to McCarran Auto Body in January. A crew of 10 worked tirelessly, putting in 12-hour days. “This was truly a production,” said Wientjes. “The professionalism and work ethic of the crew was truly outstanding.” They shot about 60 hours of footage to create a 26-minute pilot show for a potential reality series. “My crew and I agreed it was such a positive experience for us to work with them, said Wientjes. After they were finished, his office assistant Cheryl discovered that the crew had many, many accolades. “The crew had been so down to earth and easy to work with, we had no idea of the magnitude of their previous success. Probably better that we didn’t know, we
were already a little nervous.” Wientjes grew up in Minnesota. His father purchased a car for him during high school—a 1968 Camaro. “It needed a paint job but I couldn’t
Vinge for custom striping and lettering. “I would always be hanging around and watching Lloyd, and received my first custom painting book from Jon.”
Jerry Wientjes, Owner of McCarren Auto Body in Sparks, Nevada, mixing paint at his shop while a TV camera man looks on.
afford it so I said that I’d have to get a job at a body shop.” It was at A&G Auto Body in Rosemount, MN. While he worked there, he was taught to pinstripe and letter from Lloyd Vinge and learned custom painting from Jon Kosmoski (House of Kolor) who brought his cars to
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became available in 1995, he decided to obtain it. By 2003, the 10,000 square foot strip mall location became a parking challenge due to no fenced parking. That same year a former cab company facility became available. It sat vacant for several years and Wientjes said it was in pretty rough shape. However, the location was ideal and it had a 1.5 acre fenced yard, thus eliminating the task of moving cars out every morning to start work and securing them back inside the shop at the end of the day. After a few months of extensive remodeling, they relocated. “Life has been so much easier with this configuration. We went from two roll up doors to 16,” he said. “I’m hands on. I’m a painter, I’m a body man, I do everything,” said Wientjes. He said this helps him get everything accomplished in the shop in case someone is sick or he needs to help out. Since filming the episodes, Wientjes said business has increased and customers now need to schedule appointments in advance. When he first began filming he said he didn’t feel comfortable in front of a camera, said Wientjes. “Now I just do my job. I just forget about it and go to work,” said Wientjes. PARTS DEPT. HOURS:
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 21
AudaExplore VP Balances Work and Family Life by Jessica Rob, Business Services Development Specialist, AkzoNobel Coatings
With 21 years of experience in the collision repair industry, Tanya Elkins has developed a wealth of knowledge she is eager to share with individuals in the industry. As VP, Valuation & Identification Solutions for AudaExplore, a Solera company, Elkins considers her greatest professional accomplishment the times she has been able to contribute to the growth and development of her colleagues. “By removing obstacles and providing opportunities that would challenge them, I’ve seen exceptional growth not only in the management team that I work with every day, but with the next generation of leadership who will one day be leading the organization,” Elkins explained. “Sustainability of this business as a trusted valuation provider is paramount to what we do here and I’m very pleased to see where it is today.” Based in Portland, Oregon, Elkins has seen many changes since she started in this industry, but she said none have impacted her as much as data and workflow automation. “When I started working for ADP in the early ‘90s, I didn’t even have a computer!” Elkins recounted. Now, she and her colleagues work to automate manual processes to create greater efficiencies and help carriers deliver a better claims ex-
perience to customers. Evidence of this is seen in her company’s valuation system, Autosource, which delivers more than 80% of valuations instantly and 95% in the same day. Elkins began her path in the industry at National Auto Data Service. When the company was acquired by ADP’s Claims Solutions Group, managers provided her with a flexible schedule. This allowed her to finish college while working and start a family with her husband Derrick. Elkins said “men and women both need flexibility at work if they value spending time with family, friends and participating in civic life” and credits her family and manager for helping her balance work and life successfully. She has been a member of WIN since 2014, which was also the year she attended her first WIN Educational Conference with several colleagues. For Elkins, being a member of WIN has provided her with a venue to not only support other successful women in the collision repair industry, but to learn from them as well. She volunteers for multiple committees within WIN, which has given her exposure to the knowledge and experience that exists within the WIN network. Elkins said, “What I most appreciate about WIN is the sincere commitment of women to promote excellence in our industry, not just for and by women, but really across the board.”
Assured Performance Announces Non-Profit Board
Assured Performance Network is made up of three organizations: A non-profit consumer advocacy organization, a legal Cooperative (Co-Op), and a management company. Combined, they operate as a third-party administrator for consumer awareness, body shop Certification for several of the largest automakers including Ford, Nissan, FCA, GM, Hyundai and others, and various vendor rebate programs. Assured Performance Collision Care, Inc., a 501c-6 nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, has announced their 2015 - 2017 Board of Directors. The board is made up of organizations participating in the effort to identify and promote collision repair providers that are able to meet the manufacturer’s specifications for tools, equipment, training and facility modifications required to properly and safely repair vehicles. The board includes the following individuals: ● Dave Arne, Ford Motor Company ● Mark Zoba, Nissan North America ● Mark Engelsdorfer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) ● Mark Mandl, Ford Motor Company ● Erica Schaefer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) ● Tiffany Stroupe, Hyundai Motor
America ● Steve Rust, Nissan North America ● Lien Nguyen, Hyundai Motor America ● Scott Biggs, Assured Performance (Chairman) ● Ron Doerr, Assured Performance (Vice Chair) ● Michael Quinn, Assured Performance (Secretary) Directors will help guide Assured Performance to set objective Certification requirements, drive consumer awareness programs, and ensure consistent communications and coordination within the group to identify, Certify, and promote body shops across North America. “We are proud that our Board is made up of these outstanding professionals representing their global organizations,” stated Scott Biggs, Chairman and CEO. “These professionals will provide steady guidance and wise direction as we move forward. Their participation comes at a perfect time, as we are experiencing rapid growth and launching numerous initiatives including ongoing and expanded advanced repair capabilities and Certification, consumer awareness campaigns, body shop and wholesale business development, and new co-op incentives.”
22 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
CARSTAR Expands MSO Network in So. CA with Addition of CARSTAR Allstar in Corona
CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts is expanding in Southern California with the addition of CARSTAR Allstar Collision, Inc. in Corona, CA. The shop has served Corona and the surrounding communities for more than 20 years. CARSTAR Allstar Collision, Inc. is owned by Dean Seif, and is located at 522 Railroad St.
CARSTAR Allstar, owned by Dean Seif, is housed in a modern 17,000-square-foot facility
“Everyone here at CARSTAR Allstar Collision, Inc. is extremely excited about our decision to join the CARSTAR network,” said Seif. “We are proud to be one of the most reputable and well-known collision centers in our region. As we look forward to the future, to growth and expansion in the coming years, and to the ever-changing technology in our industry,
it’s becoming more and more clear that we will need a strong nationwide partnership in our industry to achieve our objectives. The partnership with CARSTAR will ensure our continued growth and improve upon our exceptional services. The decision was not a difficult one!” Seif has more than 25 years of hands-on experience in production management, quality control engineering, production cycle time management, customer care, Six Sigma and process improvement. He has a degree in engineering and an MBA in technology management. He is a certified trainer in statistical process control (SPC) and process cycle time analysis as well as a certified trainer by Juran Institute in Quality Improvement Techniques. Seif is also an ISO 9000 Standards Lead Assessor. As a professor and a consultant, Seif has taught these and other engineering principles at California State University at Los Angeles, DeVry University in Pomona, Riverside Community College, and numerous companies. The business utilizes CCC and Mitchell estimating software, Car-OLiner unibody, frame, and alignment equipment, and a ZHONGA headed downdraft paint booth. They also carry I-CAR Gold and I-CAR Welding certifications.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 23
GM Schedules MyPriceLink Initiative; Aims to Hit Market Before Winter according to Mayer. “Last November at SEMA we anGM hosted a panel discussion on its mar- nounced our MyPriceLink initiative, and ket focused collision parts initiative, we had an overwhelming amount of MyPriceLink, at the 2015 NACE show feedback from the insurance industry on Friday, July 24. ASA’s Dan Risley and the collision estimating systems that moderated the panel, which featured felt there were better ways to integrate,” GM’s Kris Mayer, Gary Gumushian Mayer continued. “So we listened, and of AudaExplore, Bill Lopez of OECon- we’ve been working in the background to integrate with all three of the collision estimating system to bring this initiative to the market.” Mayer said that GM began piloting MyPriceLink on Wednesday, July 23 in Denver. Five of the top 10 insurance carriers are aiding in the 90 day testing process. If all goes as expected and the stakeholders are confident, the initiaitve will MyPriceLink Panel (l to r): ASA’s Dan Risley, GM’s be available to the public before Kris Mayer, Gary Gumushian of AudaExplore, Bill the winter. When asked how Lopez of OEConnection, Jim Kinsherf of CCC Information the initiative will affect the inServices, Jesse Herrera of Mitchell International, and dustry workflow, Maher reGM’s John Eck sponded. “Let’s start with the body shops. nection, Jim Kinsherf of CCC Information Services, Jesse Herrera of Mitchell They’re the folks that are trying to repair the vehicle. They shouldn’t have to International, and GM’s John Eck. These key industry players dis- spend a lot of time administratively to cussed topics and questions from the try and get a price. Their core role market regarding the upcoming launch, should be bringing vehicle backs to which could be as early as October 2015, pre-accident condition before moving by Victoria Antonelli
24 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
onto the next one.” While MyPriceLink will decrease administrative tasks for body shop technicians, dealers may have the opposite experience. “Dealers will be taking on a little bit more of the workflow change than the shop,” explained Lopez. “Because there is no static price anymore, the dealer will have to go into the OEC portal and do a quote lookup.” Another question Risley directed at the panel concerned the handling of parts price changes. “We expect parts price changes to happen every so often, certainly that won’t go away,” said Lopez. “From a shop perspective, it’s the same; the shop will write the estimate, it will hit the dynamic pricing engine, and when it comes time to make the order from the dealer, the dealer will be able to do a quote lookup. Then they will see what the latest price is, and if there is a price change, they’ll decide whether or not they’ll honor the price on the estimate, or let the body shop know.” “The idea of real time quoting is growing in importance and value in our industry, and I think it’s a trend that will continue,” said Kinsherf. More questions on the MyPrice Link initiative? Visit http://marketing .oeconnection.com/mpl
Chief Adds Free Repair Training Resources to Website
Chief Automotive Technologies has added best practices guides, how-to videos and other educational materials to its website, chiefautomotive.com, to help collision repair professionals keep up with the evolving industry. “In the rapidly changing collision repair field, you have to continually educate yourself to stay ahead of the curve,” said Bob Holland, director of collision sales in North and South America for Chief parent company Vehicle Service Group (VSG). “Discovering new techniques or learning how to get the most out of your equipment can help make your shop more efficient. The educational materials we’ve added to chiefautomotive.com are available at any time for free, making it easier than ever to stay on top of the latest industry advancements.” Much of the new content focuses on aluminum repair. Other educational material was created to provide customers with a broader understanding of current vehicle design and the tools and techniques needed. More information is available on the “Collisionology” blog at: blog .chiefautomotive.com, and videos are available on: vimeo.com/groups/Chief.
Continued from Page 13
CollisionFix.com
they get here then we educate them further.” Bobby Price of Price’s Collision Centers in Nashville, TN, said he has had a similar response. The business owner started Price’s Collision Centers in 2000 in Brentwood, TN. Price currently operates nine shops and number 10 is scheduled to open in the fall of this year. It will be a dedicated aluminum-repair facility located next door to his flagship store in Brentwood. Price employs 155 collision repair professionals and earned just over $20 million in revenue in 2014. The company also operates an apprenticeship program out of their training center in the company’s Mt. Juliet location. Price started working with Roberts when he first opened his business. “We began to advertise Price’s as a repair center that focused on value retention and passenger safety as our number one goals,” said Price. “We built the brand around this philosophy and have set ourselves apart from the competition in
delivering this message via radio, tv and print.” With an advertising budget exceeding $100,000, they are also corporate sponsors for the Tennessee Titans
you deliver.” Roberts said much of Price’s success has grown through the years through the use of their message to consumers. “They have the reputation of
Price’s Collision Center in Brentwood, TN is one of Bobby’s Price’s nine locations
and Nashville Predators teams. “We work with the community and support charities that we feel benefit us locally,” said Price. “Co-branding with such notable partners has brought credibility and an immeasurable awareness to Price’s message.” He said that in respect to the advertising they have done, “It’s important to build your brand while separating your business from the competition. Your message will differentiate you from the rest.” His advice to other shops is to “be creative in your marketing and the message
never taking a short cut to repair your car, or using a low quality aftermarket, and junkyard parts,” he said. Price has also invested in training, earning several high-end manufacture certifications. This has helped them stand apart from others. “Bobby Price has been a mentor to me and deserves a lot of credit to our agency’s success in helping other shops,” said Roberts. “His marketing message of anti-steering, using quality parts, and quality repairs has helped us understand the collision industry in a way no other agency can. Prices Collision
has been a client of ours for over 14 years and that experience for us is immeasurable.” With a background in the automotive industry, Roberts worked as the general manager of a Ford store in Pennsylvania for nine years before coming to Nashville to work at another advertising agency. He opened his own agency, Eagleville Marketing, two years later, in 1998. Although EaglevilleMarketing .com has many clients in other industries, Roberts said he has gravitated to the collision repair industry as more and more shops have asked for assistance. “If you’re just waiting for things to change you will lose the battle,” said Roberts. “By continuing fist quality work for your customers plus marketing and educating the public to these facts you will stand a cut above the others.” Visit www.CollisionFix .com for details.
www.autobodynews.com CHECK IT OUT!
www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 25
ASA-AZ’s 2015 Automotive Training and Expo Provides 55 Hours of Training for 200 by Chasidy Rae Sisk
On the weekend of June 19-21, the Automotive Service Association of Arizona (ASA-AZ) held their 2015 Automotive Training and Expo at the
Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino in Chandler, AZ. Luz Rubio, Executive Director for ASA-AZ, called the event “a huge success with over 200 attendees and over 55 hours of training. Training included collision and mechanical topics, both management and technical in nature—there was something for everyone in the shop. Our 20
(l to r) Luz Rubio, Frank Leutz, Joe Cross, Curtis Rask, Louie Collins, Monte Crooks, Jeff McCloud, and Julee Baxley (at podium)
industry sponsors made this event possible because we are unable to offer this caliber of training in our area without their support.” Compared to past years when the association could only offer 18 hours of training by two speakers, this year’s event featured a variety of speakers and topics. ASA-AZ’s 2015 Automotive Training Expo featured the following industry speakers: Bryan Dodge, Maylan Newton, Mark Warren, Jeremy O’Neal, Peter Meier, Braden Poole, Jerry Baarson, Calvin Higgins, Jack Ramsey and Michael Gray. These experts presented seminars and led discussions on a variety of topics; some of the sessions focused on Selling Diagnostic Services for Maximum Profits, Mastering Sales Objections, Service Writer Roundtable on Real World Situations,
How to Build a Team that Works Without You, Gasoline Direct Injection Diagnosis, Online Marketing Tactics that Work, Planning Your Business Future, Oscilloscopes 101, Mastering Electrical Troubleshooting, Fuel Trim Diagnostics, Diagnosing the Top Variable Valve System Timing Problems, Essentials to Running a Top Revenue and Profitable Shop in Today’s Environment and more. ASA-AZ’s 2015 ATE included ICAR collision training and certification for the first time, and Rubio notes, “It was a huge success, and we will be adding more classes next year. We’d like to extend a big thank you to the new collision vendors this year; without their support, we could not have offered these classes at such a great price.” Bryan Dodge’s Keynote Presentation, “How to Have the Best Year Ever,” was given during lunch on Saturday. Rubio stated, “It was different than what we have had in the past, but he was a great hit with all, including the vendors who attended his afternoon class, ‘Building a Team that Works Without You’.” During Saturday’s lunch, ASAAZ also conducted their annual induction of the State Board of Directors which is represented by the six chapter presidents from around the state. Chairman Julee Baxley recognize Board of Directors members, expressing gratitude for their continued service on the board. Sunday morning featured Roundtable sessions; Maylan Newton facilitated the Owners and Managers Roundtable, while the Service Advisors Roundtable was facilitated by Je-
Bryan Dodge and Frank Leutz
remy O’Neal. Rubio says, “Our Roundtables continue to be a forum to exchange ideas and best practices between ASA members for the purpose of raising the level of integrity, public trust, professionalism and success in the automotive industry.”
26 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Attendees responded favorably to the event, and most of the evaluations showed “excellent” marks. Rubio explained, “There was lots of positive energy throughout the event and interaction with other attendees and the
Networking is also an important aspect of ASA-AZ’s annual ATE, and attendees had the opportunity to network with their peers at Friday’s reception, Saturday’s luncheon and Sunday’s reception. According to Rubio, “This statewide training gives attendees the opportunity to network with other shops around the state, exchange ideas and identify solutions with the guidance of industry trainers. These types of events give us an opportunity to join other shop owners from different backgrounds, different stages of Over 200 collision and mechanical professionals attended business, and different reASA-AZ’s 2015 ATE sources to discuss the chalvendors. The showcase set-up was a lenges we all face and exchange ideas little tight, but it offered the opportuon how to overcome these chalnity to visit all of the vendors. Several lenges.” sponsors showcases their products and The dates and location for ASAservices to attendees. The training and AZ’s 2016 ATE are still being convendors provided resources that shops firmed and should be announced in need to help them maximize the prof- the next few weeks. itability of their businesses. Attending local training saves them time and ASA-AZ money, and this event truly offered 602-544-2600 something for everyone.” www.asaaz.org
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LIMCO ONYX 28 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
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Chip Foose Demonstrates 3M Accuspray Gun at NACE During the NACE show, Chip Foose demonstrated the spraying capabilities of 3M’s Accuspray gun, model HG14. Foose is the star of the reality TV series Overhaulin’ and owner of Foose Designs in Hungtington Beach, CA.
tips, which allows a painter to quickly change colors without replacing the gun. “One of the big reasons that the Accuspray gun exists is obviously cleaning and maintenance,” said Andy Boyd of 3M. ”One of the things we try to look at is helping the painter become more efficient.” The system was designed to im-
Reality star and hot rod shop owner Chip Foose sprayed base and clear with the 3M Accuspray gun
Foose’s demonstration showed how the Accuspray gun has the ability to change colors
by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
He showed how the gun speeds up the painting process while reducing clean up and down time as well as the precision that can be achieved. The Accuspray gun can be used with any application that is designed for coatings requiring the use of a 1.4 mm atomizing head. Foose said one of his favorite things about the gun is the ability to change the
prove productivity and minimize clean up time, which can ultimately help shops improve their bottom line. The Accuspray system was introduced a couple of years ago and was used with primer applications with 1.8 mm. Since then, 3M has added the 1.4 option. Boyd said this system is even faster and easier to use, requiring no maintenance.
Boyd showed attendees some of the company’s other products such as the PPS Paint Preparation System and the Sun Gun II. Designed to be used with almost any spray gun at any angle, the PPS Paint Preparation System enables painters to mix less paint, reduce the amount of solvent used and speed up cleanup. The company said it can also improve operator efficiency by as much as 15 percent. PPS is available in five sizes: Large (28 fluid ounces), Standard (22 fluid ounces), Midi (13.5 fluid ounces), Mini (6 fluid ounces) and the 3 Ounce. Foose demonstrated the PPS Sun Gun II, which matches the color of natural daylight. The most important thing when it comes to matching color is daylight, said Boyd. “Ultimately if you want to get the right perception of how the color is going to adhere, natural daylight is going to give us the best indicator.” The Sun Gun II was designed to verify coverage, highlight damaged areas of the vehicle and identify preand post-paint defects. More information about the Accuspray Gun and 3M’s other products is available on online: http://3mcollision .com/accuspray-hg14-spray-gun16577.html
Mobile Technology Enhancements from CCC
CCC Information Services Inc. (“CCC”) announced enhancements to its suite of consumer solutions, helping repair facilities provide a more streamlined experience to customers throughout the repair process. CCC ONE® UpdatePlus will now offer proactive text messaging that includes pertinent shop and estimate information. CCC ONE® Repair Workflow will now include digital signature capabilities, allowing customers to authorize repair work right at the vehicle using the CCC ONE® Touch application on a mobile device. “Consumers expect hassle free interactions with the companies they do business with,” said Mark Fincher, VP, Market Solutions, CCC Information Services Inc. “We’ve looked at our solutions to see how we could change them in order to create high-impact, lowtouch interactions that don’t require a phone call or sitting in a lobby waiting for paperwork. More information is available online: www.cccis.com or by calling 877-208-6155.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 29
Day Job/Night Job Estimator During the Day, Rock Drummer at Night with Ed Attanasio
One of the great things about the collision industry is that so many people working at body shops have other talents and passions that they pursue when they’re not working as body techs, painters, estimators or front office personnel. I met a paint tech who is also a well-known tattoo artist and a parts guy who is also a professional ballroom dancer. A woman who runs the front office for a shop in northern California sings opera and the owner of a shop in the Southwest is a renowned muralist.
(l to r) Consisting of drummer/estimator Billy “The Kid’ Brady, vocalist/guitarist Gabriel Maciel, lead guitarist Bryan Aguirre and bassist David Ovlite, The Trims are a hot band on the verge of stardom
After meeting so many amazing people with great stories about what they do when they’re not working in the collision industry, I decided to write about them. This is the first in a series and it’s about an estimator who is also a drummer for a band that is on the rise. His name is Billy Brady and he is an estimator at Anderson Behel in Santa Clara, CA. During the day he works with customers to return their cars back into pre-accident condition, but at night he hits the skins for The Trims, a hot band that is waiting for a record label deal that is looking more and more likely every day. The Trims from San Jose, CA already have a storied history in the whirlwind five years since their inception in 2010. They’ve been featured on MTV’s “The Real World,” played at the Converse flagship store in downtown San Francisco, recently played at Red Gorilla Fest in Austin, TX and also at Bottle Rock Napa in May. The band has recorded five CDs and won
several band contests and also was selected to play at a concert during the America’s Cup held in San Francisco in 2013. Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Gabriel Maciel, lead guitarist Bryan Aguirre, bassist David Ovlite and of course Billy “The Kid’ Brady on the drums, the buzz is deafening for this post-punk, disco-laden act. The Trims are getting rave reviews from music critics throughout the Bay Area, including this one written by Steve Palpoli from Metro Magazine. “The first thing that jumps out with the Trims’ highly unique sound is the guitars. Their music embraces the spooky swirl of Siouxsie and the Banshees, the assault of Echo and the Bunnymen, the minor-chord crawling of the Cure and the propulsive progressions of New Order. Not to mention layers of effects that would impress even the Edge himself. The Trims’ sound is backed up by a stark and solid post-punk rhythm section that grounds the often space-bound atmospherics, and topped by vocals that soar one minute and slow down to an intimate, direct tone the next.” Brady is a second-generation musician from a family that also rocked it at night while fixing cars during the day. “My dad had a body shop and I worked there during my vacations from school, so I grew up in the industry,” he said. “My father was a drummer and my mom was also in his band, so music has been in my veins from the start.” Brady grew up in San Jose, attended San Jose High School and is proud of it. He knows the way to San Jose and isn’t afraid to tell the world. “We’re one of the only bands out there who say—hey we’re from San Jose and proud of it. A lot of other bands claim that they’re from San Francisco, because they want to be cool. But, we love living here and being part of this music scene, so we tell critics and club owners that we’re from San Jose.” What are some skills that Billy uses as an estimator at a body shop that also help him in the tough world of rock ‘n roll? “I think we’ve gotten some good gigs by just being nice. Nice goes a long way—in any environment and we’ve al-
30 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
ways taken a friendly approach and I think it has paid off for us in many ways. I know for a fact that in my day job at Anderson Behel being nice is important. Our customers are not usually happy because their cars are David Mello is damaged, so leadBilly’s employer at ing with kindness Anderson Behl in and compassion is Santa Clara, CA. the best way to go. I He knows that think that’s pretty when The Trims make it big, he’ll much a good way have to get a new to live in general, estimator for don’t you think?” his crew Having a budding rock star as an integral part of his crew isn’t always convenient, but David Mello, Billy’s employer has made concessions—until now. “Yes, when he has a gig, we have to cover Billy and do his work,” Mello said.
“But, he’s an excellent employee and a real team player, so we don’t want to lose him. We have some amazing people here and many of them have their own interests, so we let them do their thing and it makes for a better place to work. If they can do their jobs here and still pursue their passions, I will support them in any way I can.” What will Mello do when The Trims sign a major record deal and Brady’s musical career goes full-time? “When he hits big, we’ll probably lose him, but that comes with the territory when you hire musicians,” Mello said with a wry smile. “He does a great job here and we love him and hopefully he’ll let us back stage when he hits the big-time!”
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 31
H OND A C ALI F O RNI A
AutoNation Honda Roseville Ros ev ille
800-262-3201 916-783-5628 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5:30 autonationhondaparts@hotmail.com
Avery Greene Honda Vallejo
800-834-8886 707-551-3202 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 7:30-5 parts@averygreenemotors.com
Barber Honda Bakers field
661-396-4235 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30 bestchoice@barberhonda.com
First Honda Simi Valley
888-523-0698 805-584-6646 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7:30-5 hondaparts@firstautogroup.com
Galpin Honda Miss ion Hills
800-GO GALPIN 818-778-2005 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5 blemen@galpin.com
Honda Cars of Corona Corona
800-557-3652 951-734-9045 Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7-5 terry.love@pscauto.com AC U RA C ALI F O RNI A
Acura of Fremont Fremon t
888-435-0504 510-431-2560 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-5 mike.ohare@acuraoffremont.com
Acura of Pleasanton Pleas ant on
888-985-6342 925-251-7126 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-6 mitch.cash@hendrickauto.com
Acura of Riverside Riv ersid e
888-701-0725 951-688-1500 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-8; Sat 7-5 Ricardo.pena@hendrickauto.com Mark.reed@hendrickauto.com Jason.torres@hendrickauto.com 32 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. CA LIF OR N I A
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Honda of Hollywood
Ocean Honda
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M il pi ta s
Tem pe
800-371-3719 323-466-3205
831-464-1800
877-475-1142 408-324-7460
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Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5 parts@southbayhonda.com
Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7-6 Jdodge@penskeautomotive.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 parts@hondaofhollywood.com
Honda of Oakland
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4:30 mickw@oceanhondasantacruz.com
Robertson Honda N o rt h H o l ly wo o d
University Honda
510-547-8047
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Dept. Hours: M-F 7-8; Sat 7-6
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5
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Honda of Pasadena
San Francisco Honda
Dept. Hours: M-Sat 8-6; Sun 8-5 dfortier@uhdavis.com
Oa k la nd
P as ad e n a
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Davis
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Dept. Hours: M-F 8-6; Sat 8-4
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30 partsws@sfhonda.com
Findlay Honda
Kolbe Honda
Scott Robinson Honda
702-982-4260
R es ed a
800-735-1424 818-609-7441 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 7:30-5 carparts@kolbehonda.com
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408-720-0221 408-736-2608 Dept. Hours: M-Sat 8-5 parts1@hopkinsdirect.com
Metro Honda Mo n t c la ir
800-446-5697 909-625-8960 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 7:30-4 wholesaleparts@metrohonda.com
CA LIF OR N I A
AutoNation Acura of South Bay
To rra nc e
310-371-8320
Selma Honda
888-234-4498 702-568-3531
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7:30-4:30 hondapartsmgr@selmaautomall.com
Sierra Honda Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 parts@sierracars.com
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Chapman Honda Tuc so n
800-461-6744 520-202-5770 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 robertevenson@chapmantucson.com
AR IZ ON A
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Pe o r i a
800-446-5697 909-625-8960
866-347-4507 623-792-2559
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5 iwashitas@autonation.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 wholesaleparts@metrohonda.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7-5 dcavanaugh@vtaig.com
Cerritos Acura
Santa Monica Acura
Acura of Tempe
310-784-8680
Ce r r it o s
855-895-2678 562-207-0554 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 7-6 srandall@browningautogroup.com
Marin Acura C or t e Mad e ra
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-6 Scott.p@santamonicaacura.com NE VAD A
Mike Hale Acura Murray
800-292-4595 801-263-0202 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 7:30-5 pgoold@mikehale.com
Te mpe
866-455-6601 480-344-6703
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866-332-4950 310-449-0064
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6 smiles@kengarff.com
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5 fhhparts@findlayauto.com
Metro Acura
To r ra n c e
Og den
800-821-8797 801-627-6762
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800-322-8540 626-932-5614
Ken Garff Honda Ogden
Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30; Sat 8-5 fsanchez@findlayauto.com
Findlay Honda Henderson
Selma
U TAH
L a s Ve g as
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6:30; Sat 7-5 mluna@scottrobinson.com
800-717-3562 559-891-5111
Tempe Honda
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5 acuraparts@acuraoftempe.com U TAH
Jody Wilkinson Acura
800-77-Acura 415-927-5350
Findlay Acura
Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@marinacura.com
877-770-5873 702-982-4160
H e nd e rs on
Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 jmoore@findlayauto.com
S al t L a ke C it y
800-234-0875 801-323-0492 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5 rick@jodywilkinson.com www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 33
National Associations
Chasidy Rae Sisk is a freelance technical writer from Wilmington, Delaware, who writes on a variety of fields and subjects, and grew up in a family of NASCAR fans. She can be contacted at crsisk@chasidyraesisk.com.
CREF Urges the Collision Repair Industry to Donate to Improve the Industry’s Future with Chasidy Rae Sisk
Across the country, collision repair industry training programs face jeopardy due to a lack of funding, and although it seems like summer just began, classes will be back in session in a blink of an eye. While students enjoy the beach and make memories in the sun, their instructors are already busy plotting how to provide the best possible technical education with limited budgets and resources. The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) invites the industry to partner with their organization to ensure that the next generation of collision repair professionals graduate with the skills necessary to be useful to their future employers. Brandon Eckenrode, Director of Development for CREF, believes, “Together, we can make an impact on the fall semester and beyond!” Since 2009, CREF has collected over $35 million in donations from the collision repair industry for use in local high school and college collision
repair training programs. Eckenrode explained, “The vast majority of this support has come in the form of inkind product donations which have
Tech Uniforms Before and After
greatly assisted collision school instructors across the country with needed help to supplement their limited budgets.”
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One of the largest challenges instructors face is training tomorrow’s professionals with yesterday’s tools. In this ever-evolving industry, outdated tools and equipment pose a problem for many collision repair programs that just cannot keep pace with the changes in technology. Shops can provide relief for these programs by donating used tools and equipment to local programs. Eckenrode points out, “If you have used tools and equipment that you plan to replace in the near future, these items might be greatly valued by a local school instructor who doesn’t have the budget to afford them. Whether it’s equipment, supplies or the most basic items, you would be surprised what might be appreciated by a school if they knew it was available.”
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Because safety is always a concern, the CREF also invites the collision repair industry to sponsor safety kits for local students. The organization turns a $50 donation into a pair of work pants, a shirt, safety glasses, a disposable dust mask and ear plugs to help students learn the importance of professionalism. Companies that sponsor at least 100 safety kits will have their logo printed on the back of the students’ work shirts. Eckenrode urges, “Let us know how you’d like to get involved with your local high school or college collision training program by contacting the CREF at info@ed-foundation.org. We can even provide information on your local programs if you’d like to know which schools are located near you.”
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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.
Industry Insight
Surveys Show ‘Who Pays For What’ in Terms of ‘Not-Included’ Procedures with John Yoswick
Fully one-third of collision repair shops nationwide said they have never asked to be paid for “masking the engine compartment” when this “not-included” procedure has been necessary as part of a repair, yet another onethird of shops who do seek to be paid for it say they receive that payment “always” or “most of the time.” That finding is just one of hundreds revealed in a survey conducted recently by Collision Advice, which is also launching a new survey this month. “This confirms something I see as I work with shops around the country,” said Mike Anderson of Collision Advice. “On this one procedure alone, for every shop not including this necessary procedure on their estimate, another shop is getting paid for it most if not all of the time.” More than 980 shops around the country responded to the survey, which asked them to report how often
they are paid for 26 refinish-related procedures by the eight largest auto insurers. “With that level of response, I believe is the largest survey ever examining this subject,” Anderson said. He said it is clear from the results of this survey that whether or not a repair facility is reimbursed for a particular procedure depends, to some degree, simply on whether or not the shop negotiates for that operation. Though the survey found that reimbursement frequencies do vary by insurance company, DRP status and region of the country, it is clear that none of the procedures are universally rejected by insurers. Anderson said the quarterly surveys help raise awareness of not-included items and operations that shops may be doing but not itemizing on estimates. “The surveys will help shops understand what these operations are,
and whether other shops seek and receive compensation for them – or if they truly are ‘the only one,’” Anderson said. The 62-page report of the first survey findings is now available by clicking on the “Who Pays For What?” logo on the Collision Advice website (www.CollisionAdvice.com). Shops can also use that link during the month of July to take the latest of the surveys, which covers structural/frame and mechanical-related operations. Anderson said each survey, which will take about 15-30 minutes, should be completed by the shop owner, manager or estimator who is most familiar with the shop’s billing practices and the payment practices of the largest national insurers. Each individual shop location (whether a stand-alone business or part of a multi-shop operation) may submit one response to the survey.
Those who complete the survey (and provide optional contact information) receive the survey findings at no charge. Each shop’s individual responses are held in the strictest confidence and are not released in any way; only cumulative data is released.
For more information about the surveys and findings, or to take the current survey, click on the “Who Pays For What?” logo on the Collision Advice website (www.CollisionAdvice .com).
Collision Advice (www.CollisionAdvice .com) is an independent training and consulting firm featuring some of the most respected and experienced experts in the collision repair industry. Mike Anderson and his team offer real-world, cutting edge training and guidance both in the classroom and one-on-one in the shop.
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Lean Operations
Make Your Month, Every Day! with David Luehr
Do you run your shop or does it run you? I spend many hours in collision repair businesses and unfortunately what I see is usually the latter. The collision repair businesses that are really getting it done these days take a systematic approach to success. Today’s article focuses on how successful shops own their days, their months, and financial future through the use of a simple daily system. Why is it that so many collision repairers wait until the last few days of the month to take notice of whether or not they are on track to reach their monthly sales goal? Usually they are way behind where they want to be, and out comes the bull whip! Guess who suffers now? That’s right, everybody! The employees have to work extra hours under pressure, and the customers often have to deal with the quality issues that ensue. Much of this nonsense can be alleviated by adopting a different mindset that focuses on what I like to call “WIN.” What’s Important Now? WIN gets the team to focus on making the right plays every day whether it’s July 1st or July 25th. The overarching idea is to design your future and purposefully go out and get it! A simple method I like to use involves 1. Knowing what you want 2. Making a game plan 3. Measuring the progress and making adjustments every day. When you follow these three steps you WIN!
Step One - Knowing what you want Set up an achievable budget or sales forecast for your company that will positively push your people but is still realistic. This step is crucial and sets the stage for you retaining control of your company. The way I like to do this is based on taking the daily sales capacity average and multiplying it by the number of working days in the month. I then do this for all the remaining months of the year. Monthly goal = Daily Sales Capacity (What my shop is capable of producing each day) X number of working days in the month. Ex. $5,000 X 21 days = $105,000 Monthly Sales
Step Two - Making a game plan
David Luehr is the owner of Elite Body Shop Solutions, LLC, a collision business consulting firm based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is a 30 year veteran of the collision repair industry. David is an expert in Body Shop Operations and specializes in Lean, and Theory of Constraints methods. Email him at dluehr@msn.com
So based on our sample month, you are projecting $105,000 as your goal which means that EVERY DAY your crew needs to produce $5,000. I repeat, EVERY DAY, including the first day of the month, and the second day of the month and so on. Far too many shops close ROs and book sales for cars that are not delivered or in some cases aren’t even completed in order to “make the month.” This is a mistake and contributes to the problem of starting out the next month in the hole. Prior to the beginning of each month, you must think about how your month will play out just like you are making a game plan for a football game. You should ask yourself questions such as, “is anyone going to be on vacation this month?” When things like employee vacations are a factor, make plans in advance on how you will stay on track. You can’t possibly know how everything will play out in the future, but you can at least make a plan and do your best to stick to it.
Step Three - Measure the progress and make adjustments Each day it is very important to know your numbers and share them with your team. You must know every day what your sales are compared to where they should be in order to hit the monthly goal. With our sample month, if it is the third day of the month and the actual sales are $10,000 and the goal for day three is $15,000 (3 days X $5,000) you now know you are tracking $5,000 below target. If the reason you are below your target is production related, you now will need to make adjustments to get caught up. The way I would approach this situation is by addressing the staff during the morning production meeting and asking the guys to put in a couple extra hours to get us back on track. If the problem is related to sales coming to the door, then you will obviously need to address the problem by figuring out how to get some more work coming in quickly. Either way, it is a lot easier to make small adjustments early in the month, than waiting until there are only a few days left to make your miraculous recovery!
36 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Conclusion The important take-away here is that you have got to know your numbers every day in order to make the course corrections that will keep you on target towards success. If you are using a computer management system, keep-
ing track is very simple. You can run a vehicles delivered report every morning (be sure to not include sales tax.) If you would like free assistance creating a routine to keep you on track, please contact me. david.luehr@elite bodyshopsolution.com Original BMW Parts
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 37
Social Media for Shops Collision Repair Technicians United Goes Viral on Facebook with Ed Attanasio
It all started as a forum where painters, techs, estimators and anyone else working in the collision industry could vent, get advice, network and share ideas with each other on a national stage. Roughly six months ago, Marc Gabbard, owner of GSR Custom Collision Repair in Yakima, WA, was looking for a way to communicate with other technicians out there in the World Wide Web, so he decided to set up a Facebook page and named it Collision Repair Technicians United. He never imagined that it would go viral and become one of the mostused forms of social media in the collision industry, attracting big names and shop personnel from Hawaii to Alaska and everywhere in between. Gabbard’s shop fixes 4-5 cars weekly with a three-man crew. He started the business in 1998, doing a lot of street rods and custom restoration, but now he’s 100 percent collision repair all the time. “When I first began we were doing strictly hot rods and I pretty much had to do all of the work myself,” Gabbard said. “By 2008, we were officially in our current facility and that’s when things began to roll. At the beginning, I would jump in there and do most of the body work and painting. But now I’m becoming more of a full-time owner and getting away from the day-to-day production. I’m focusing on things like marketing and community outreach, so that we can grow and stay healthy.” To retain control on all of his repairs, Gabbard doesn’t have any DRPs and isn’t pursuing any in the near future either. He explained, “I don’t need them, because we’ve established a strong reputation for being fair and honest with every customer through the door. We earn all of our business by continually stressing customer service and quality.” Gabbard, 37, was already comfortable using social media to sell his business, network and communicate with friends and colleagues, so creating a page where technicians and other people in the collision industry can convene was a logical evolution, he said. “Facebook is a very fast way for us to connect to so many people eas-
Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
Many techs proudly show their By browsing through Gabbard’s Collision Repair Technicians United before and after pictures and in some Facebook page, you can see how collicases, other members will scold some sion professionals from different worlds technicians for cutting corners or percan use the site. I found topics such as: forming unsafe repairs. Other memWhat is the secret of fixing a bers of the page ask about equipment door handle on a 2013 Fusion? and products and do comparisons onHow does your shop deal with line, such as: What’s better—SATA warranty issues? Does anyone guns or Iwata guns? Is waterborne know anyone who has failed paint really better for the environment? an I-CAR test? How can I get Does PPG or Pro-Spray provide better paid by the insurance comcolor matches? Where can I get a good pany on this repair? Does anycar dolly? one fix Enterprise rental cars, “We’re educating ourselves with because they came by the shop valuable information from the people Marc Gabbard owns GSR Custom Collision Repair in Yakima, just now? Is it better to get all who are actually doing the repairs,” WA and is the creator of Collision Repair Technicians United, of the DRPs you can? AfterGabbard said. “By breaking down the a Facebook page that is quickly going popularity among market parts vs. OE parts? Is geographic limitations and sharing with professionals from every aspect of the collision industry aluminum really the next hot people all over the country, we can beGabbard said he was surprised thing? Other repair chat threads dealing come effective at things like getting the when the page caught momentum earwith issues about things such as headright parts, finding OE repair procelier this year. liners, bumpers, headlights, blending dures and just doing a better job overall. “We got a few inquires here and panels, grit in the paint, sanding vs. We’re helping each other, but really the there and then the word got out and it over-sanding and other related themes consumers are getting the benefits of a started exploding. As of today, we appear every day on the forum. page like this.” have roughly 3,300 members and it hasn’t slowed down at all. With 150200 new members asking to be a part • Dedicated Wholesale of this online forum every week, we Staff with Over 100 should be near 4,000 soon.” Gabbard is the gatekeeper and Years Experience moderator for this invitation-only page and in most cases people act appropri• Large Inventory ately while on the site. But when they don’t, he’s not afraid to boot them without hesitation. • Daily Local Deliveries “We’ve had a few people who tried to push their political agendas on the page, so they had to go. Some came on here and tried to antagonize other members for whatever reason and so they had to go as well. In most cases, Direct people are fine and I’ve only had a few 916-405-4700 issues, so the track record is pretty darn good.” Fax Gabbard is always happily sur916-405-8045 prised when he sees names he recognizes applying for membership on his Hours: page. Mon-Fri 7-7 • Sat 7-5 “We’ve got some major names from collision on this page and we’re happy to have them here. Presidents of collision organizations chatting with rookie techs is a cool thing to see. If you work in the collision industry, you’re welcome to join. We have a good mixture of people here and we screen folks, 9640 W. Stockton Blvd. • Elk Grove, CA 95757 but we do not discriminate.” ily. I can talk to a painter in Missouri one minute and a body tech in upstate New York the next. By sharing ideas, repair techniques and useful information, we can all be better at our jobs.”
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Behind-The-Scenes Look at MI Factory Where Ford F-150 Is Manufactured tion deck offers a panoramic view of the entire mile and a half site, which also includes a paint house and living laboratory. Inside the half-a-million square foot assembly plant, 2,000 workers build the Ford F-150 during two 10hour shifts. The factory was originally constructed in 1917 for $12 million and has been modernized over the years. Referred to by Ford as “the best selling vehicle in America,” the Ford F-150 is the only vehicle built at the Rouge plant. An elevated walkway above the assembly line allows viewers to watch the steps involved in constructing the trucks. It takes six hours to build an F150 and employees on the assembly line are allotted about 54 seconds to put on the new parts. Each truck is special ordered and pre-paid before even being built. There are over 500,000 different possibilities that can be ordered, including 14 colors, different engines, tires, suspensions and consoles. “There is a backlog because so many orders are coming in,” said one of the tour guides. “While they can build 600 of these in a 10-hour shift, there are 700 being ordered at the time they are
by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
Every 42 seconds a new 2015 Ford F150 truck is being ordered somewhere across the country. The Ford Rouge Factory, where the all-aluminum vehicle is built, is trying to keep up with this demand by producing 1,200 trucks a day.
The Ford Rouge Factory near Dearborn, MI
Autobody News toured the factory near Dearborn, Michigan while attending the NACE show in July. During the tour, participants learned the history of Ford Motor Company, got a close-up look at vintage Ford vehicles made there over the years and viewed the assembly line where the Ford F150 is constructed. A rooftop observa-
building the 600. It’s a good problem to have. There’s a lot of job security here.” Every single one is inspected and goes for a test run on the test track. After being been cleared, 60 percent are shipped by road and 40 percent by rail.
Ford participates in several environmental initiatives including using solar panels at the factory
It all started when Henry Ford began tinkering in a small shed behind number 58 Bagley Avenue in Michigan. Ford was the chief engineer at the local power plant and was determined to make a reliable car that everybody could afford. In 1903, he founded Ford Motor Company in a small factory. Five years later he introduced the Model T. Known as the “Tin Lizzy,” the au-
tomobile could handle the rough roads of the day and didn’t break down unlike other companies back then. It took a crew around 12 hours to assemble each one. Ford realized that he needed to find a way to manufacture more while maintaining quality. In Cincinnati, meat packers worked standing in line, each of them in charge of a specific job. Other factories, like textile plants, used simple conveyor systems. Studying these businesses, Ford experimented with the idea of using an assembly line at his own factory. “Instead of moving the man to the work, he brought the work to the man,” according to a video shown at the plant. “With his moving assembly line, Henry revolutionized the manufacturing process.” By 1915, the model T could be assembled in 93 minutes at Ford’s Highland Park plant. His workforce grew from 450 to 14,000. Today, Ford Motor Company manufacturers or distributes automobiles across six continents with about 187,000 employees and 62 plants worldwide. The company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. More information about the Ford tour is available online: http://www .thehenryford.org/rouge/index.aspx
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Mike Anderson Reminds Industry That “We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know” by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
Mike Anderson, President of Collision Advice, was the guest speaker during a Future Guild 21 webinar hosted by VerifFacts Automotive in July. In his presentation, “You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know,” Anderson addressed the importance of why every vehicle repaired, no matter how minor the work is, must have the OEM information researched prior to completing the repair plan and fixing the vehicle. In addition, it should be scanned before and after the repair. Anderson said he decided to conduct the presentation after traveling around the country on behalf of Axalta Coating Systems. “It was alarming to me how many people I ran across, both insurers as well as shops, that were really not aware of some of the things it took to put a vehicle back to pre-accident condition,” he said. During the seminar, he said his goal was to create awareness for shops, OEMs, insurers and jobbers. He highlighted specific repair procedures that need to be completed on various vehicles, including Honda, Kia, Hyundai, Toyota and Mazda
Repair vs Replace Anderson said he has noticed an emphasis on all parties in the industry on the repair versus replace components. “It seems like the two major components repairers want to repair more often are the front and rear bumper covers,” he said. “I definitely take my hats off to companies like Urethane Supply Company. I used to be a skeptic but I’m a believer,” said Anderson. “I do believe a proper repair can be made on a bumper cover and put it back to pre-accident condition with the technology that exists today.” However, he said it’s important to be cautious. “We need to be aware when we can and cannot use any plastic materials where sensors mount,” he said.
OEM Information He encouraged listeners to take advantage of the options available in regards to researching OEM repair procedures. These include Alldata, Audatex TechFocus, CCC One Repair Method, Mitchell’s TechAdvisor, and OEM websites such as OEMonestop.com. Many of the OEMs charge hourly, daily and monthly rates to access the information. GM, Ford and
Chrysler are available free of charge. “If you are writing an estimate and using a damage analysis software such as Mitchell, CCC, AudaExplore or Alldata, it is beneficial to have the OEM methods software you utilize integrate with your estimating system,” said Anderson. “In my opinion, with every single vehicle that you write you need to make sure you are looking up what the OEM says in regards to the repairs and inspections required after a collision because we don’t know what we don’t know.” During the presentation, Rick Leos from Toyota commented that Toyota launched the Total recommended repair procedures within Mitchell, which provides all of the data. He recommended encouraging more OEMs to join in and participate as well.
Dash Lights Anderson also addressed what he referred to as his biggest passion. He said many shops and insurers think that if there isn’t a warning light on the dash, everything is OK. “If there are no warning lights on the dash, that does not mean that there are no problems with the vehicle,” said Anderson.
Dash lights will not always tell you what’s wrong with the vehicle: ● Dash lights are not diagnostics ● Only alert drivers to current emissions, safety systems or maintenance intervals ● May not illuminate until the vehicle is driven a specified distance ● Some self-tests need to fail multiple times before a warning lamp or driver message is displayed ● Some systems and options will be disabled due to a stored code ● Some vehicle system retain failure records to help you determine if a condition is accident related
Examples of problems that DO NOT illuminate a warning light: ● Auto/Express Windows ● Adaptive Cruise Control ● Window Indexing ● Mirror Functions ● Satellite Radio Reception ● Passive Entry ● Hands Free Calling ● Parking Assist ● Object Detection ● Auto A/C Blower Functions ● Passenger Presence
Scan Tools Anderson stressed the importance of
40 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
using scan tools to ensure vehicles are fixed properly. “We need to figure out what’s wrong with the vehicle before we ever take it apart,” he said. “We recommend any vehicle that is in a collision no matter how minor should be scanned before and after repairs.” When a vehicle is in an accident, even if it does not have an airbag deploy, even if the vehicle is unoccupied, Anderson said they must get a zeropoint calibration or a similar calibration that requires the use of a scan tool. He said it would be beneficial if the industry adopted four types of scans: an inspection scan, a diagnostic scan, a completion scan and a follow up scan.
Inspection Scan: increases estimate accuracy and helps identify any electronic equipment and avoid unnecessary repairs. It also helps insurers save money because it helps diagnose things that aren’t accident related and can even prove fraud in some cases from the consumer’s standpoint.
Diagnostic Scan: can save time and increases productivity by keeping diagnostic and repair functions in-house. It
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can also reduce cycle times and confirm component operation with an output test.
Completion Scan: saves time and increases productivity by keeping programming and calibration functions in-house. It can reduce liabilities and may improve Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores.
Follow-up Scan: used for accuracy and part of the quality control process. Many symptoms and diagnostic trouble codes can re-occur and are conditional depending on road tests and functional use of affected systems.
Trends in Vehicle Technology He shared information provided by his friend Jake Rodenroth of ABRA and Chuck Olsen from Collision Diagnostic Services. In 1981, vehicles had one controller, nine sensors and only a few actuators. The 2008 Ford F-150 had 20 controllers, 50 sensors, 40 actuators and three networks. Anderson briefly discussed technologies that are either already on the See We Don’t Know, Page 43
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Media and Publicity for Shops Lead with Caution Whenever Contracting ANY Marketing Firm with Ed Attanasio
Many body shops will use a piece of equipment, paint or other products in their shops on a trial basis before they decide to purchase them. They will use a computer management program to see if it truly works and if their staff is comfortable before integrating it into their day-to-day operations. But, why do some of these same body shops sign up and spend significant amounts of money with marketing companies before checking their references or even doing their basic due diligence? Body shops know what they know and what they’re good at — and that’s fixing cars, but what do they really know about marketing? Through training and classes, some shop owners and managers are savvy about press relations, direct mail marketing, online marketing, branding, collateral and even things like graphic design and blog creation. But in the end there is too much to know and most of this stuff is out of the average body shop owner’s area of expertise. Unfortunately, some marketing companies realized long ago that body shops don’t know much about marketing and for that reason unscrupulous people will take advantage of collision repairers and overcharge them for services and products, all the while under performing. We’ve seen it in one form or another more than a few times all over the country. For a long time, shops were getting phone calls from companies that said they could get their name at the #1 position on Google within just a few weeks. Body shop owners in competitive markets jumped on these offers. Without checking out the companies first, they simply took their word. In the end, some shops lost as much as $5,000-$8,000, especially the ones with multiple locations. Organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) takes time and effort, and by just doing a minimum amount of research, the victimized shops would
have known that these fly-by-night virtual companies were giving shops an offer that was too good to be true. At first, the deal appeared to be solid. The shop owner looked at his web site and indeed saw that his shop was now #1 on Google. Obviously, they didn’t know what Black Hat SEO was or about the repercussions involved. Black Hat SEO is a practice that increases a page’s ranking in search engines through means that violate the company’s (Google in this case) terms of service. Implementing Black Hat SEO tactics and strategies can get your site banned from search engines, excluding you from the number one traffic referral source on the Internet, which is exactly what happened to these poor body shops. After paying the marketing company, they found out that Google was shutting their web site down without explanation (and good luck trying to get someone from Google on the phone). In this article, I’ve decided not to mention any company names, because hopefully if they read this, they will see the light and gravitate away from the dark side. All of the body shop owners and managers that I interviewed for this piece also did not want to talk on the record, primarily because they’re currently in court with some of these so-called marketing companies. Also, please note that most of the automotive marketing companies out there are 100 percent honest and do great work, but from what I’ve been hearing recently, a few bad apples have negatively impacted the others. It all comes down to what every company wants and expects from any vendor—authenticity, complete transparency and the absence of “hidden fees” and “blatant up-selling.” Here are some tips for not getting ripped off by an unscrupulous marketing or advertising company: ■ Check ALL their references.
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Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
The references that most companies provide are normally the ones they’ve cleared, so do some research and dig a little deeper. Call the local Chamber of Commerce and ask around. Also check out Yelp and Google them for possible consumer complaints. There’s also a great site called Rip-Off Report that can help you as you sort through the shady operators in the hopes of finding a good company. Another great way to sort out the fraudsters is to check the Secretary of State’s website to make certain that they are registered and even legal to do business in your state. Just like with body shops, any consumer should only work with a licensed marketing company for obvious reasons. ■ Let them prove themselves. One distributor of collision repair products told one marketing company that he wanted to work with them, but for at least the first project, full payment would come but only after the job was completed. You should let all your ven-
dors prove themselves first and especially with marketing companies. Once they get your money, they hold the reins, so don’t give it up until they’ve shown what they can do. One shop in northern California contracted with a marketing company and then suddenly the bills started coming in with ridiculous charges, including “invoicing charges.” That’s right—the company was charging them for sending them their bill! Then, when they tried to cancel the company’s services, they hit the shop with a bill close to $10,000 for “cancellation fees.” Now the shop’s owners have to travel to the Midwest to defend themselves in a small claims court, all because they didn’t carefully check out the company first. ■ Read all contracts carefully. One body shop owner foolishly signed multiple contracts with one marketing company thinking they were all copies, which turned out to be a major mistake, because each one was different. If any
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company shows you more than one contract—beware. ■ Stay local. One body shop hired a company to do a new logo, unaware of the fact that they were located in India. They never got the logo after transferring the money through PayPal. When the deal fell apart, there was no one in this country to sue. Retain control by working with companies that are close enough geographically that if something goes sideways, you can go there and deal with it. And if a company does not have a physical location (listing only a PO Box, for example) that too is a red flag. ■ If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. If a marketing company claims that they will bring you a certain number of cars by using their services, be wary…very wary. One poor body shop manager was told by a shady company that they can double his business by signing up with them for a year. One year later, his business was down 30% due to the fact that three MSOs moved into his territory, despite all of their marketing efforts. If any marketing firm guarantees anything--stay away, because not even the most talented marketing minds in the world can assure you things like more
cars or more revenue. ■ Tell the world. If you’ve had a bad experience with any company, let your community know by Yelping them or at least telling your friends, associates and colleagues. Unscrupulous marketing companies use the old “turn and burn” technique, because they know there are a ton of businesses out there that they can scam. Don’t make it easy for them by keeping it your little secret because once they’ve wronged you, they’re likely just out there looking to do it to the next guy. Like I mentioned earlier, most marketing companies and ad agencies are honest, accountable and do amazing work, but there will always be that handful that are focused more on a quick buck than on quality. So beware and follow your instincts— but also do your research and check them out carefully before signing on the line that is dotted.
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New Nitrocell Nitrogen Plastic Welder by Urethane Supply
Urethane Supply Company revealed its new 6066-CG Nitrocell Nitrogen Plastic Welder at the NACE/CARS Show. Urethane Supply introduced the first commercialized nitrogen plastic welder to the collision repair industry in 2006, and the new 6066-CG Nitrocell is the most advanced generation of nitrogen welder yet. It designed to generate its own nitrogen gas from shop air and requires no onboard air compressor. “Repair shops want to minimize repair times and maximize profits, and we’ve designed the new 6066-CG Nitrocell Nitrogen Welder to help them do just that,” Kurt Lammon, president of Urethane Supply Company, said. “The new unit will help collision specialists reduce cycle times and increase their opportunities to do more profitable labor-based repair of plastic components.” The 6066-CG’s intuitive yet precise analog instrumentation features a control regulator combined with an output pressure gauge and a flow gauge to give the operator total control over the amount of gas used in the welding process. A low-pressure safety switch automatically cuts power to the heating element, protecting it from overheating if the flow drops too low.
Continued from Page 40
We Don’t Know
road or in the development stage including active safety system technologies; radar technology such as adaptive cruise control; pedestrian detection; and driver state assessment systems that monitors eye closures, head position and distraction levels with a combination of alerts. If uncertain about any repair procedure, Anderson said it’s important to do the research. One option he mentioned that might be helpful is the new I-CAR feature on their website called Ask I-CAR. “If you’re not sure, and can’t find what you are looking for, we have the moral obligation to contact I-CAR, VeriFacts or the OEM directly. Don’t make a decision without contacting someone qualified.” He also encouraged participants to research videos on YouTube and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s website: www.iihs.org For more information, contact Mike Anderson at mike@collision advice.com or Farzam Afshar at: farzam.afshar@verifactsauto.com.
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Jon Kosmoski from Valspar’s House of Kolor & TV Reality Star KC Mathieu Demonstrate Kandy Painting during NACE duced in the fall of 1982 and in 1997, House of Kolor became part of the Valspar Automotive Coatings DiviAt the Valspar booth during NACE, world-renowned painter, Jon Kossion. In addition to House of Kolor, moski of House of Kolor (HOK), and reality show Fast N’ Loud star KC Valspar’s brands include DeBeer ReMathieu, demonstrated the advanced finish, Valspar Refinish and newly actechnique of Urethane Kandy applicaquired brands, Prospray Automotive tion. Finishes, Matrix Automotive Finishes Kosmoski sprayed a black basecoat and U.S. Chemical & Plastics (USC). with Kandy Brandywine and Oriental In May of this year, Valspar anBlue topcoats, utilizing the House of nounced it had acquired the performKolor Shimrin2 system. Afterwards, KC ance coatings businesses from Quest Mathieu, owner of KC’s Paint Shop in Specialty Chemicals. These include Texas, added the House of Kolor USC01 automotive refinish brands Matrix, clear coat. Prospray and USC, and industrial “It takes some training,” said Koscoatings brands Patriot Paint, Raabe moski. “An average painter can’t pick and Precision Color brands. up a gun and be a kandy painter.” During NACE, Autobody News spoke with Laura Yerkey, Director of Marketing – Americas, for Valspar Automotive, about the company’s recent announcements. “The thing that really differentiates whether or not a refinish coatings company is going to be successful is the technology behind it—the color, the products and the tools, and the ability to deWorld renown painter Jon Kosmoski (left) and KC Mathieu, velop the technologies that reality show star on Fast N’ Loud shops are going to need movHe said House of Kolors’ Kandies ing forward,” she explained. and clears are developed with a more DeBeer is Valspar Automotive’s advanced formulation. Whereas an avpremiere brand. “The color technolerage company uses 1 ½ percent UV ogy driving the DeBeer basecoat sysabsorbers, HOK’s products far exceed tem is world class,” said Yerkey. that amount, providing a longer-last“Already, OEM manufacturer’s Ford, ing, more beautiful finish for custom GM and Chrysler have approved the creations. Also, the newly revamped DeBeer 900+ Series. This line delivKandies and basecoats, with advanced ers optimal solutions to any large shop technology, are compliant in all areas or MSO with proven success.” and meet the most stringent VOC reProspray is the company’s other quirements. European refinish brand, made in the Kosmoski said kandy painting beUnited Kingdom. Basecoat technolocame popular in the early 1950s when gies are made in both solvent and wacustom car builder and painter Joe terborne. “The Prospray line is a Bailon debuted a candy-apple-red- beautifully simple and task-driven syspainted car. The name was coined after tem,” said Yerkey. “The all-liquid inthe transparent color of a candy apple. termix system can be mixed in various Bailon, who is now 92 years old, is solids levels, depending on need, and often referred to as “Candy Apple Joe” provides excellent match and coverand Kosmoski said he can still be seen age, especially with import vehicles. working in his shop. The clears and primers are streamlined Kosmoski founded House of and backed by universal activators and Kolor in 1956 and used to paint a car thinners.” The color system uses a a day while he owned his own shop. chromatic tool for color matching. He closed it in 1981 when his custom Matrix is the company’s Ameripaint took off and went into manufac- can paint brand, delivering productivturing. His Kosmic system was intro- ity, color and value. Matrix is more by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
44 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
learning curve.” She said body shops aren’t sacrificing quality or ease when they use Matrix’s low VOC system. “It’s going to perform for them.” All Valspar paint brands are backed by warranties and deliver in-field technical service and support. U.S. Chemical & Plastics, established in 1950, was the original body filler manufacturer in the United States. With the introduction of the aluminum Ford F-150, Yerkey said the company has recently conducted extensive testing on the new product lineup in reJon Kosmoski said, “You learn by your mistakes. Don’t gards to the specific aluminum blame yourself. That’s the number one thing I tell painters. alloy that Ford is using. “We If something goes wrong, call your jobber store, call a ran extensive testing at the tech rep for the company and find out what went wrong.” technical and research facility “With Matrix low VOC basecoat, on AG47 and Icing Lite, alongside bestcompliance is a really seamless and an selling competitive products, to test adeasy transition for the body shops,” hesion and overall strength,” said said Yerkey. “You’re going to get the Yerkey. “We ran blind lap sheer tests to same amount of coverage and color gauge ultimate stress (PSI) adhesion rematch is going to be the same as with sults and found performance was up to a national rule product. There is no See Kandy Painting, Page 46 recently best-known for developing a true low VOC basecoat system, MPBLV. Every component on the Matrix MPB-LV system, from toner to binder, is low VOC compliant.
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Quality Collision in PA Credits Success to Employees & Focus on Good Customer Service by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
Steve Kaminstein, owner of Quality Collision Inc. in Pennsylvania, started his business out of a small garage in Noxen Township, PA in 1989. The business owner said he never could
He said one strategy he has found to be successful is to put the trust into his 50 employees to get the job done. “My philosophy has been hiring people smarter than me, when it comes to the day–to-day operations; credit goes to our managers, technicians, painters,
cars and ran with only one employee. While managing the shop he began painting scooters and jazzies for Pride Mobility, a manufacturer of Jazzy Powers Chairs, Pride Mobility Scooters, Go-Go Travel Mobility, Pride Life Chairs and Pride Lift & Ramps.
efforts to establish relationships with the insurance agents and DRPs, while ensuring he maintained good customer service. “I believe this contributed to our growth,” he said. Although he said it can be challenging to work with several different DRPs, overall it has been
Steve Kaminstein, Owner of Quality Collision, openend an industrial coatings division and a commercial truck and RV repair center in 2007
After starting construction in September 2014, Kaminstein recently finishing construction of a new facility for the company’s Muncy location
The company’s Dallas Township facility in PA
Quality Collision’s Kingston location opened in 2001
have imagined that since then, he has established three successful auto body repair centers, an industrial coatings division and a commercial truck and RV repair center. “I never dreamed I would have this growth” said Kaminstein. “I contribute my success to the men, women and co-op students who work with the company. I believe you need to treat people the way you want to be treated.”
administration, and maintenance personnel to get the job done.” Looking back, Kaminstein said he recalls always being interested in the auto repair industry. His first job was at a Chrysler Dealership starting in the wash bay department when he was 15 years old. At 25 years of age, Kaminstein started that small town garage and within two years opened a garage in Dallas, PA that could house up to eight
Continued from Page 44
Quest Automotive’s marketing director and then was promoted to corporate, Quest Specialty Chemicals, to head up the marketing strategy and communications for the three divisions, as well as assist with mergers and acquisitions. Now as marketing director in the Americas for Valspar, she said she plans to build out the optimal marketing organization that will focus on needs-driven solutions for every segment in the collision repair industry as well as specialty industries where the products are a good fit. Yerkey said, “As a company with all of our brands now, and the technology and talent we have from both teams, we [Valspar Automotive] are really poised to become that preferred provider in the industry.”
Kandy Painting
48 percent better than the competition.” Growing up in the automotive refinish industry, Yerkey said her grandfather, Pete Peterson, founded Ohiobased Montana Products in 1976. Peterson taught his granddaughter about the various disciplines of the business and the importance of the ”voice of the customer.” Montana Products was later sold to ChemSpec. Yerkey was hired at U.S. Chemical & Plastics and Prospray in 2003. In 2013, the brands were acquired by Quest Specialty Chemicals, consisting of three divisions: automotive, industrial and construction. Yerkey became
After finding that to be successful, in 1996 he built a 10,000 square foot facility in Dallas Township. Half of the building housed the industrial division for the scooters and jazzies and he ran his body shop from the other half. The facility experienced substantial growth and in 1999 Kaminstein moved the industrial division to a separate location and converted the Dallas Township facility to a larger body shop. In the meantime, he focused his
a very positive experience. In 2001, he was presented with a business opportunity in Kingston, about 10 miles away from his Dallas facility. The opportunity from a local Chevrolet Dealership came about to lease a building accommodating an auto body repair facility. His second collision shop opened in June 2001. He said it was a learning experience opening and operating multiple shops. With referrals from the dealer-
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ships and the DRPs he had already established in Dallas, he found that business was good. Two years later in 2003, Kaminstein opened another shop in Muncy, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. After negotiating a similar agreement to the Chevrolet Dealership, Kaminstein leased the Twin Hills Dealership owned by Steve Kaiser. “The obstacles of running a business approximately 50 miles away from our home office in Dallas Township was challenging at times,” said Kaminstein. A significant change occurred in 2007. A major hail storm struck in Lycoming County, which brought a multitude of customers coming through the door. “Our reputation was increasing,” said Kamintein. “Since 2007, we’ve been experience at least 12 percent growth. Sometimes it takes a mixture of ingredients to get a great match!” Within this time period—early 2006—Kaminstein moved his industrial coatings to a larger facility in Courtdale, Pennsylvania approximately 15 miles from home office. Encouraged by fellow workers, Kaminstein was inspired to venture again into a new area. By end of 2007, Kaminstein opened a commercial truck and RV repair center
within this 20,000 square foot facility. The facility now houses the industrial coatings division and commercial truck RV repair Division. Kaminstein had also purchased a small shop in Weissport, Carbon County, Pennsylvania in 2005. He said the shop started off doing well in the beginning but unfortunately 80 percent of the work came from one insurance company and they discontinued their DRP program in 2010. His advice to other shops is to make sure to do the thorough research. “If they are purchasing a second I would suggest that they do their research as far as where the business is coming from and how they ran their business,” said Kaminstein. Their main competitor in that area has been there for years and Kaminstein said he found it was challenging to stay profitable. “It just got to the point where it was a better business decision to just close the shop than to try and keep putting our time and energy into it.” He said it was a hard business decision to close the shop in 2013 but they realized they could allocate their time and energy into running their other shops. “It ended up being the right decision, ab-
solutely” said Kaminstein. It was during this time he decided to build a new facility for his Muncy location. Kaminstein invested in land nearby and started construction in September 2014. The project took approximately 10 months to complete. The new facility, which is approximately 15,000 square feet, houses offices for insurance adjusters to write their drive-in estimates and also includes designated estimating bays for their staff. Over the years, Kaminstein said he has tried to incorporate new ideas to continually make his business more successful. Once a month there is a managers meeting held. By incorporating standard operating procedures across the company, Kaminstein said they are able to load-level work from shop to shop as well as share employees. The company also focuses its effort on environmental initiatives such as energy efficient lighting, a recycling program, solar panels and using waterborne basecoat. He has found that PPG’s MVP program and the resources available from Colours Inc. has been very beneficial to his business. One of the pro-
grams they have found to be helpful is the TEAM approach learned after attending a MVP class sponsored by PPG and the guidance from Colours’s business development staff. Jeff Magagna, General Manager for Quality Collision, a main influence on the TEAM concept, said, “We are trying to get our processes leaned out, get more production out the door and increase our cycle time.” As with any changes Magagna said it can become very difficult. However, the original system of writing estimates to parts procedures and disassembly has been improved since they implemented this concept. By employing this process, he found touch time increased from 2.6 to 3.3. “The shops that can increase their cycle time by implementing the TEAM concept have a smoother process, which creates a constant flow so that repairs can be completed quicker with the same quality. This results in more work from the public and the insurance companies,” said Kaminstein. “I credit my success to my faith and I am very thankful, again, to all the men, women and co-op students who continue to strive for Quality,” he added.
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School: “No Shortage of Jobs for FTCC’s Repair and Refinishing Technology Grads” Students in a new program at Fayetteville Technical Community College are getting job offers even though they’re only halfway through school, according to Steve DeVane, writing in the Fayetteville Observer. The collision repair and refinishing technology program is training students for an industry where jobs are expected to be abundant. One company has said they could hire the school’s first 20,000 graduates, while another said it would take the first 10,000, said FTCC President Larry Keen, who told county commissioners about the program at a meeting in July. Students learn how to make cosmetic repairs on plastics, composites, steel and aluminum and receive training on multiple welding techniques, according to the FTCC website. They are taught refinishing procedures and work with aluminum specialists. Keen said professionalism is a major part of the program. The students use computer tablets with state of the art software being used in the industry now, he said. Program Director Paul Gage wouldn’t say which companies made
the statements about hiring, but he said the school has enough commitments from companies all over the country to provide jobs for the program’s graduates for the next 10 years and beyond. “Companies have discussed hiring large numbers of graduates even to the point of hiring entire graduating classes as teams,” he said. Some of the jobs will be local, but others will be in other parts of the state and country. “Some of our graduates will need to be willing to relocate to take advantage of those opportunities, and every opportunity hinges on successful completion of the program,” Gage said. “If people are willing to commit to the program in its entirety and work hard, we can place them in great jobs.” Some students already are working at internships and apprenticeships. Reed-Lallier Chevrolet in Fayetteville has three paid apprentices, said Neil Gallagher, the company’s fixed operations director. If the students work out, they’ll have a full-time job when they graduate, he said. “We’re training them to work
The Florida State Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case of a local auto body shop owner accused of loaning out one of his customers’ vehicles and crashing a second. Criminal charges could be filed. Action News reported June 23 on Oliver Pickett after a customer said Pickett loaned out his truck instead of doing requested repair work. The vehicle is now missing. Another man said June 24th that his Dodge Ram was not only loaned out, but that Pickett crashed it. The owner of the Dodge Ram came back June 25 to make sure work was getting done on his truck. Pickett admitted that he took it out for a ride and crashed it, damaging the front bumper. The owner of the Dodge Ram wouldn’t give his name, but he said he dropped off his truck three weeks ago to have work done. Action News was there the night of June 24th when Pickett brought it back damaged, with the work unfinished. There was more of the same on June 25.
“Are you happy with the agreement you guys reached?” Action News asked the truck owner. “I’ll be happy when I can pick my truck up and it’s fixed like he promised he would fix it,” the owner of the Dodge Ram said. William CarOliver Pickett, roll said Pickett owner of Pickett scammed him too. Brothers Body Shop Carroll said in Jacksonville going through the experience is “pure hell.” He said Pickett gave him a receipt for molding work on his car, slightly less than $945 for the parts and labor. Carroll said he wrote a $533 check for parts so Pickett could start the repairs. “I just want the damn money, that’s all I want,” Carroll said. More than a month later, Carroll says the work hasn’t been finished. He
Jacksonville Body Shop Owner Admits to Loaning Out Customer’s Truck and Crashing Another
See Missing Loaner, Page 51
48 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
here,” he said. “We’re offering them an opportunity to begin their career here.” The students work side-by-side with body technicians at Reed-Lallier, Gallagher said. They get practice on working on cars in addition to what they learn in their classes, he said. “There’s a lot of technology built into vehicles today,” he said. Matthias Rappe, 18, of Fayetteville is one of the apprentices. “The people down here have built on my confidence that I can do good in this industry,” he said. Rappe said he enjoys repairing damaged vehicles. “I’ve always had a love for working on cars,” he said. Another apprentice, Matthew Conley, 29, was a mechanic in the Army before he started the program. “I was looking for something in the auto industry, but a different field,” he said. Conley, who is from Vermont but lives in Spring Lake, said the apprenticeship is a great opportunity. “I’m actually working at what I’m going to school for,” he said. Austin Beasley, 20, of Gray’s
Creek, started working in the auto body industry right out of high school. “There’s not really anything that I don’t like about it,” he said. “I’m glad I am where I am.” Gage said the collision repair industry is projected to have about 180,000 job openings over the next five years. “All those companies are looking for people who are well trained,” he said. FTCC is trying to meet that need. In addition to an associate degree in applied sciences, graduates from the two-year program will have earned 12 professional certifications and have options for 15 to 20 career paths, Gage said. The first graduates will finish in May. The program can admit up to 20 students every eight weeks, Gage said. The students collaborate on projects. “As they move through the program, they learn to work as their own body shop,” Gage said. “We put them in the exact same situations they’re going to go through working at a body shop.”
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 49
Aluminum Body Tools Required for Vacuum Capture by Del Williams, Technical Writer
With the aluminum body here to stay, one critical factor that collision repair shops must get right is the tools and attachments used to capture potentially explosive airborne dust. This dust, created mainly during grinding and sanding, can also affect paint quality due to cross-contamination with steel. When it comes to aluminum dust, no vacuum can adequately capture it at its source without specialized shrouds, sanders, and hoses. Special vacuums called immersion separators are needed to capture and wet potentially explosive, aluminum dust. The best of these direct the air stream and aluminum dust through a series of air filtration baffles that burst the air bubbles to thoroughly wet the dust before the air exits the vacuum. But even these require tool attachments to sufficiently capture the dust at its source and direct it. To help collision repair shops optimize their safety and performance working with aluminum bodies, here is a tool selection guide for critical shrouds, sanders, and hoses.
Shrouds Because grinding, cutting, drilling, and routing can launch a large amount of dust in the air, shrouds have long been used to contain the dust as close to the source as possible. But traditional grinding shrouds have some significant limitations in terms of dust capture, operator visibility and precision. Many of these issues have been worked out in the aerospace industry, which has decades of experience with aluminum and composite, and the technology is now transferring to auto collision repair. “Grinding shrouds are typically very restrictive and cumbersome,” says Mike Donnelly, a composite specialist in Britain with decades of experience. “With typical grinders, the shroud is usually opaque or metallic and much larger than the grinding disc rotating inside it, so you can’t see the edge of the rotating disc inside it. This vastly reduces the composite repairman’s view of what he or she is grinding.” According to Donnelly, a new Clayton grinder shroud design, when used with an appropriate vacuum, has not only enabled the capture of respirable composite dust at its source, but also significantly improved opera-
tors’ hand control and view of what they are grinding. Clayton Associates (www.jclayton.com), a manufacturer of source capture tools and vacuum sanding equipment that has dealt with aluminum and composite for over a decade in aerospace, is bringing that expertise to auto body collision repair. “Before Clayton Clear Revolution grinding shrouds were introduced in Europe, it was virtually impossible to use a die grinder with high precision for composite repair without making a lot of dust,” says Donnelly. According to Donnelly, because the Clayton dustless grinding shroud system has been designed to be unrestrictive to the user, it is not bolted to the die grinder body or transmission like traditional units. Instead, it is a standalone shroud with a pair of internal precision sealed bearings, which an incorporated mandrel rotates on, and the mandrel shaft locks into the grinder collet. In use, a vacuum dust collection hose attaches to the shroud body. This allows the grinder operator to use the hose as an effective hand-steady, enabling two-handed grinder operation when very fine precision is required. “Because of the shroud’s unique design, when mounted on the grinder it can rotate 360 degrees on two internal precision bearings so the vacuum hose never gets in the way,” explains Donnelly. “The shroud is made of clear, tough, durable Lexan (the same material as NASCAR windshields, aerospace cockpits, and space helmets), which allows you to see through it. Since the shroud head’s outer diameter is no larger than the abrasive disc rotating beneath it, you can always see exactly what you’re grinding.” “The versatility of the Clayton grinding shroud enables proficient operators to do complex jobs they’d be reluctant to try with a traditional grinder or sander,” adds Donnelly. Gary Gardella Jr., a County Line Auto Body co-owner and production manager in Howell, N.J., uses Clayton Clear Revolution grinding shrouds for both dedicated aluminum and traditional bodywork. “Now we’re catching all the dust even when we grind down to bare metal or ecoat,” says Gardella, who credits the shroud’s design for a 99% dust capture rate at the source. Historically, dust control shrouds were attached to the tool body and designed to fit a single make or model
50 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
tool, which raised the cost of ownership since a new shroud was required for each new tool. In contrast, a universal shroud design can dramatically reduce the total cost of ownership, since the shroud can be moved from one tool to another, whether grinder, sander, or router, straight or right angle, Dotco or Dynabrade. “Since Clayton’s universal shroud design allows it to be compatible with any grinder or tool with a 1/4” collet, we don’t need to replace our existing tools or buy proprietary shrouds,” says Gardella. “This significantly lowers our cost of ownership, and makes the shrouds easy to use wherever they’re needed.”
Sanders Sanders must also be considered, since they can generate tremendous dust in repair processes from paint removal to surface prep, which can be particularly problematic for aluminum bodies. A major challenge with traditional sanders, in fact, is that most are not vacuum capable. Instead, they typically rely on ineffective skirts or dust bags that do not
adequately contain the dust. “With standard sanders in the past, we used a kit with a dust bag that made an absolute mess,” says Gardella. “The dust capture rate was horrible, particularly on long boards.” Gardella found what he was looking for when he turned to Clayton sanders, which are specifically designed to be vacuum capable with a 98% dust capture rate. As such, the dust shroud has been engineered to allow a clear, straight path for the dust to flow, and the sanders backup pads incorporate a large number of holes for more airflow and dust capture. “Our dust capture rate on sanders now approaches 100%, which has enhanced the safety and quality of our aluminum and steel body work,” says Gardella. Another issue to consider is that traditional sanders often only come in round shapes, which can limit their function in collision shops and quickly tire technicians if they are not ergonomic. Choosing sanders that offer a range of shapes suited the job, on the other hand, can improve work efficiency. For
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instance, 3”x4” orbital sanders can improve sanding in tight areas and corners where traditional round sanders can’t reach. 3-2/3”x7” orbital sanders, in turn, can facilitate paint removal with a longer pad that quickly covers more area, yet are narrow enough to fit tight spots that round sanders cannot. “The variety of sander shapes and types Clayton offers, a choice of over 20, helps us to work more efficiently, as does ergonomic wrist support,” says Gardella. The ergonomic wrist support included on all Clayton sanders, for instance, facilitates twohanded sanding, which can improve operator precision and reduce fatigue on long sanding jobs.
Hoses For dust collection to safely work as intended, choosing the right air and vacuum hose is also critical. Typical hose, for instance, can build up and discharge static electricity, which could ignite or explode aluminum dust. Traditional vacuum sanding also requires technicians to carry separate air and vacuum hoses, which can be cumbersome. The ribbed edges of typical hose can also catch on table edges or auto body panels, pulling
back on the hose and disturbing precise bodywork. And typical black or gray hose can pose a heightened trip hazard in dimly lit auto body shops. Some manufacturers have addressed these challenges with innovative hose designs. According to Gardella, for instance, a number of Clayton hose design features have enhanced safety and productivity for County Line Auto Body technicians. For example, to prevent potential aluminum dust ignition or explosion, conductive carbon black hoses and cuffs eliminate static buildup and prevent technicians from getting shocked. Bundling air and vacuum hoses allows technicians to carry one hose instead of separate air and vacuum hoses. A durable sheathing with no exposed fasteners enables hose to slide over edges and rough surfaces without snagging and catching, extending hose life. For more info, call 732-3632100; 800-248-8650 toll free; Fax 732-364-6084; email sales@JClayton .com; visit www.jclayton.com.
www.autobodynews.com
ASA Publishes Updated ‘NotIncluded Operations’ Charts
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) released the latest update to its “Not-Included Operations” charts. The publication is available free to the industry and designed to ensure collision repairers consider all of the possible operations when they write an estimate. The title, “Reference Chart of Not-Included Operations When Installing New Replacement Parts,” is available on the ASA website and serves as a quick summary of general, not-included operations, and should be used in addition to procedure pages supplied by individual information providers. “ASA is committed to providing the industry with the tools and resources they need to seek reimbursement for the steps necessary to properly repair a vehicle,” said Dan Risley, ASA president. “The ASA Not-Included Charts are an easy to use guide that helps the estimator accurately document all the necessary labor operations for the three major estimating systems.” The publication is available in a PDF format for ASA member-shops and the industry at www.asashop.org under Free Industry Tools and Resources.
Continued from Page 48
Missing Loaner
filed a complaint with the state. “There’s no problem,” Pickett told Action News. “He’s going to get his money back.” “But you do owe him money?” Action News asked. “Yeah, $533,” Pickett said. Carroll said he has not yet gone to the police, but he plans to do so. The Dodge Ram owner said he’s known Pickett for 10 years and isn’t ready to press charges. In addition to the Dodge Ram, there are two other trucks at the auto body shop. Pickett said he’ll have all the work done by the morning of June 26. See related story adjacent to this one.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 51
MSO Symposium During NACE Included Claims Management Models, Future of DRPs and Financing Options by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor
The MSO symposium held on Thursday, July 23 during the NACE show in Detroit brought together small, medium and large MSOs to learn about the state of the industry, upcoming trends and what to expect in the coming months and years ahead. Master of Ceremonies Mike LeVasseur, Market Vice President-Philadelphia of Keenan Auto Body, an ABRA Company, facilitated six individual seminars covering a wide range of topics: Claims Management Models; Insurer Panel on DRPs; Shortage of Qualified Employees, Developing Talent and Retention; The ABCs of Financing; and NPS & CSI. Vincent Romans, Founding Principal and Managing Partner of The Romans Group, kicked off the symposium by providing up-to-date information about the industry. “We continue to see the convergence of numerous and dynamic market influences impacting the collision repair industry today including things like a surge in technology, multimarket consolidation, corporate globalization and private equity’s impact funded by its available cash and inexpensive financing,” said Romans. “This, coupled with the high octane velocity of speed associated with change all around us, is driving the need for almost constant transformation, the kind that makes it difficult for all of us to deal with on a daily basis.” He said there is a debate going on within the collision repair industry on how fast this consolidation is taking place. “I suggest to you that it depends on which constituent group, which market segment you are in and the perspective that comes along with that.”
Claims Management Models This panel provided a global overview of what is occurring in the United States and abroad in terms of claims management models. Regarding new vehicles, such as the Ford F-150, Clint Marlow from Allstate Insurance Company talked about the importance of balancing customer choice with the ability to educate consumers. Although Marlowe said they will not direct consumers where to go to repair their vehicles, “We are going to have a discussion with them around the uniqueness of their vehicles, some special repair techniques that may apply
and some questions we feel strongly they need to ask their repair facility,” he said.
Master of Ceremonies Mike LeVasseur, Market Vice President-Philadelphia of Keenan Auto Body, an ABRA Company, facilitated six individual seminars covering a wide range of topics during the MSO Symposium
When it comes to the data required to repair the vehicles, Mark Mandl, from Ford’s Customer Service Division, said it’s important to work with insurers in terms of repairability. “Getting their feedback in repair does make a direct impact in terms of a vehicle coming out of the factory.” Ron Doerr from Assured Performance Network, stressed the importance of looking at data from the shop user’s perspective as well to ensure vehicles are fixed properly. “From the shop perspective, what I hear more and more is ‘it’s not just the information it’s the documentation that is valuable to us.’” Looking into the future, Marlowe said five years out he foresees leveraging data even more to understand customers’ needs. This includes looking at social media to learn their preferred communication path. “It’s a cultural change for us,” he said. Doerr said with more information available, “I think we’re going to see more transparency throughout the whole process. It can be seen so it will be seen.”
Insurer Panel on DRPs LeVasseur moderated an interactive discussion on the future of Direct Repair Programs. Attendees heard from several insurance companies and two MSOs first-hand some of the things that are working in the environment today and the challenges perceived. Insurers, which included Allstate, American Family Mutual, Progressive and State Farm, discussed what they are doing to ensure customers’ vehicles are being repaired at shops equipped and trained to perform the repair. “One of the challenges is getting the right mix of shops,” said Danny Henderson of American Family Mutual
52 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Insurance Company. Henderson pointed out that everyone wants high volume; however, it’s important to have a mix of high volume that’s controllable. “You don’t want it too low, you don’t want it to be high; otherwise, it can have an impact on customer service.” He said another challenge they are aware of, in particular with DRP shops, is how to have the correct balance of insurer oversight and shop self-management. “That’s a challenge we continue to face and are working hard to figure out.”
Shortage of Qualified Employees, Developing Talent and Retention During this discussion, panelists talked about some of the ways they are finding, developing and retaining new talent, which can be a challenge for shop owners facing an aging workforce. One of the things panelists said they do is to demonstrate how the job is often unlike the reality shows they see on t.v. This includes showing them that they are going to get dirty and be on the ground and many shop owners find that some of their new hires don’t like it and leave.
It usually takes a couple of weeks to discover if a new employee has the right attitude, show up on time and are the right fit for the job. This gives shop owners the opportunity to find out before sinking in a lot of time and training. Participants recommended getting employees, especially students, engaged in the business as well as addressing how they are compensated. “We hear from school instructors that other technical trades are facing the same dilemma of having an aging workforce. They are paying significantly more in their fields at the entry level,” said Brandon Eckenrode from the Collision Repair Education Foundation. “If we want to keep them in this industry, I think this is something that needs to be reviewed in terms of making sure it is competitive with the other trades; otherwise, we’re going to lose those students.”
The ABCs of Financing Four experts in finance and MSO development helped the MSOs in attendance understand the financing See MSO Symposium, Page 56
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 53
Media and Publicity for Shops What is Your Marketing Budget…Or Do You Have One? with Ed Attanasio
I often ask body shops, “What is your budget for marketing and advertising?” and they look at me like I just asked them to explain quantum physics (which I’ve learned is tougher than rocket science). You don’t need to come up with a complex algorithm to devise a budget, but once you see the numbers, you might not like them. The problem is that many body shop owners have had bad experiences with marketing or advertising and now they’re gun shy to say the least. In many cases, they made unwise decisions and now the word “marketing” turns their stomach. “Our Yellow Pages ad didn’t work,” one shop manager said. (Anyone could have told you it’s a dying medium) “We paid $200 for our web site and it doesn’t work.” (You get what you pay for) “I didn’t realize TV advertising was going to cost us so much.” Roger Henson, (Surprise—really?) owner of AdvertisHow does this reing Business Conlate to whether or sultants believes that every company not your shop has a of any size should marketing budget? have a marketing/ Because, in many advertising budget cases, shops that written into its inihave burned themtial business plan even before openselves making bad ing the doors decisions in the past about marketing aren’t really enthused about devising a marketing budget. Dino DiGuilio, the owner of Body Best in Sonoma, CA has been in the collision industry for roughly 25 years, but by learning as much as he can about marketing and advertising and through his involvement in Management Success, he knows more about these topics than most marketing managers at large corporations. DiGuilio has a marketing budget that fluctuates depending on the time of year and based on how many cars he has in his shop, but basically it stays the same, month after month, without interruption. “A marketing budget is like any other budget you have in other aspects of any business—operations, employee compensation, equipment acquisition, supplies, etc.,” he explained. “It’s money that is set aside and earmarked for marketing and that way we don’t have to
look around to find the funds when we want to do something, such as a door-todoor mailing, flyers, ads and the like.” Although several factors go into devising his marketing plan and its budget, DiGullio says that a simple equation can be used to determine any shop’s marketing budget. “The rule is 3 percent to 7 percent of your annual gross,” he said. “We never go below 5 percent no matter how busy we are, because I believe that anything less than that may affect the bottom line. During the slow season (October-January) we normally step it up to 7 percent and during the summer months when we’re jammed here, we will rein it in to 5 percent.” Some of DiGuilio’s marketing efforts are seasonal, but other things are year round. He said these are the staples of the business and never deviates from them. “For instance, customers always get either a t-shirt with our name on it or a grocery bag, whatever they choose. We use a handicapped workshop for the t-shirts, so that effort is definitely a winwin. It’s the perfect combination of philanthropy and promotion, so we never cut back on that. We also do a quarterly newsletter that we print rather than do it online, because we have a lot of older customers who still want something they can hold in their hands. Some of our younger clients like it too, because everything is online now and this is something tangible.” Roger Henson is the owner of Advertising Business Consultants in Silicon Valley. He believes that companies should devise a marketing and advertising budget that is flexible and ever-changing, based on a wide range of market conditions. “This is an ongoing conversation that I have with many of my clients, including automotive companies of all sizes,” Henson explained. “One old advertising veteran told me many years ago that when a business owner finds an advertising medium he is interested in, he finds a way to get it done. Clients who cry poverty will suddenly pony up the cash when they see an opportunity that they believe in. That works for a lot of businesses, but I don’t believe it’s the best way to do it.”
54 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
Ed Attanasio is an automotive journalist based in San Francisco, California. He can be reached at era39@aol.com.
Henson said that a marketing budget should be written into any company’s business plan even before they open their doors.
Dino DiGuilio, the owner of Body Best in Sonoma, CA (shown here with his family) has a marketing budget that fluctuates depending on the time of year and based on how many cars he has in his shop, but sticks to a 3% to 7% formula that works for him
“It should be a line on you overall cost of doing business, just like rent, insurance, equipment, etc. Savvy owners may not have a specific budget, but they know roughly how much they can spend in any given month and that works for them. To sit there and say—
I’m going to spend 4 percent of my gross on advertising and marketing just doesn’t work for some companies, so their budgets are fluid and they can either expand them or rein them in, depending on what’s going on.” There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to budgeting anything and marketing is one of those situations, according to Henson, who has more than 40 years of experience in advertising and promotions. “I tell my clients to pick a number and try to stick with it, but you don’t have to be married to it. Make a plan and don’t freak out if you have to change it on the fly. Five to 7 percent is a good starting point, but life changes, businesses change and the market can alter dramatically, like it did in 2008, so bend and adapt and use your ear-marked funds as you need them. Some months may cost you more, but hopefully you can make adjustments during those other months when business is good.” Audi Genuine Parts
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CIF Announces Greg Horn as New Trustee
The Collision Industry Foundation (CIF) recently elected Greg Horn with Mitchell International to the Board of Trustees to carry on the Foundation’s initiatives. Horn has regularly presented at major insurer, vehicle manufacturer and collision Greg Horn, repair conferences. recently named a At Mitchell, Horn CIF Trustee, has provides guidance more than 20 years to Mitchell’s Prodof automobile uct Management and insurance and Business Anaexperience lytics teams, playing a role in shaping Mitchell’s solution portfolio. Horn serves as primary author and editor in chief of Mitchell’s Industry Trends Report. “It’s a great honor to have Greg join the CIF as a Trustee,” said Chairman William Shaw. “With his experience and industry relationships, he will be a key contributor in advancing the mission of the CIF.” To donate or learn about CIF’s current projects, visit: www.collisionindustryfoundation .org
Caliber Collision donates $35,000 to CREF
Caliber Collision donated $35,000 to the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF). This donation will support several specific initiatives for collision school programs in the Atlanta, GA, and Houston and Dallas, Texas markets. Caliber is also donating $5,000 to the Education Foundation’s Collision Repair Education Campaign fund which allows the organization to offer grants and scholarships to career and technical schools and colleges. “Caliber’s support of the CREF is one of the many ways that we’re investing in our collision repair future today,” said Mark Sanders, Caliber Collision President and COO. CREF Executive Director Clark Plucinski noted, “I would like to thank Caliber Collision for their continued support of CREF. As we work towards providing support to local collision school programs and their graduating collision students having the proper, entry-level skill sets, Caliber’s donation allows us to help provide the needed tools and equipment for the programs to be successful.” For information, contact Director of Development Brandon Eckenrode at 847-463-5245 or Brandon.Eckenrode @ed-foundation.org.
AMI Announces 2015-2016 Board of Trustees
The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) announced the members of its 2015-2016 Board of Trustees. Sheri Hamilton, AAM, ASA-Midwest, Kansas City, MO, was elected as chair; Darrell Amberson, AAM, LaMettry’s Collision Inc., Minneapolis, MN, elected as vice chair; Bob Keith, AAM, CARSTAR, Leawood, KS, re-elected as treasurer; and Gary Keyes, AAM, E&M Motors Inc., Stuart, FL, elected as secretary. Other board members include Tony Passwater, AAM, AEII, Indianapolis, IN; Terry Wynter, AAM, Terry Wynter Auto Service Center, Fort Myers, FL, and Dan Risley, president, Automotive Service Association, North Richland Hills, Texas. “I look forward to working with this group of trustees, who represent such a diverse range of industry experience and backgrounds. This will be important as we work to ensure Automotive Management Institute’s future success,” stated AMI President Jeff Peevy. For more information about the institute, its curriculum, or EXCEL, contact AMI at (817) 514-2900 ext. 129, or visit the AMI website at www .AMIonline.org
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Black Diamond Refinishing Launches Wipe on Clear Coat
Black Diamond Refinishing, a company specializing in paint repair alternatives, announced a new product in its line, a Wipe on Clear Coat. It was created to produce a fast drying, easily applied clear coat to repair surface damage of a vehicle quickly and with durability. “Back Diamond Clear offers exceptional coverage to repair heavy surface damage,” said Michael Nelms, the company’s founder. “Its unique formula allows for a smooth, streak-free and glossy finish that produces excellent results.” Depending on the damage, he said results may vary. Developed in 2008, Nelms said he used the product as a service to automotive dealerships and received such positive feedback from his customers, he was compelled to market it. Wipe On Clear repairs scratches and bug damage, improves water spots and peeling and restores panels. It removes bumper scuffs and heavy scratches, and restores dull hoods, bumpers and spoilers. “Black Diamond Wipe on Clear is one of our most successful products and delivers an exceptional result,” said Nelms. For information, visit www.jandbsales.com, email burtonjandbsales@comcast.net or phone/fax (888) 270-1033.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 55
NSF International is Latest to Launch Shop Certification Program, Four Certifications Offered NSF International, a global organization with 70 years of certification and testing experience, has launched the NSF Automotive Collision Repair Shop Certification Program designed to provide independent, third-party evaluation of collision repair shops. The certification is designed to verify the shop’s ability to conduct high quality repairs. In accordance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) procedures, collision repairers and a variety of industry experts worked with NSF International certification experts to develop the requirements for the program. The program is designed to assist vehicle owners and insurers in identifying collision shops that provide high-quality repairs. NSF International certified collision repair shops will be required to meet state, federal and local collision repair shop regulations and undergo biannual audits to verify continued compliance with the program’s requirements, which include: ► Performing high-quality, consistent repairs ► Using and maintaining proper equipment for the job ► Having qualified and trained personnel ► Using quality parts for repairs Continued from Page 52
MSO Symposium
alternatives available. They shared the steps involved from growing their businesses to achieving liquidity. Guest speakers included an advisor who helps entrepreneurs, a lender who helps finance them, a consolidator who acquires them and the investment banker who manages the sale. Romans said MSOs have three basic choices. “They can grow and thrive, they can sell or grow to sell, or they can keep milking the cow,” he said. The discussion centered on the first two. David Roberts, Managing Director and leader of the Automotive Services Group for FOCUS investment Banking, reminded attendees about the high-risk nature of the business. He said the risks and rewards are not always balanced; therefore, it is important to get things balanced so shop owners aren’t taking too much risk for the reward they expect to gain. “They need strategies, plans, people, systems, knowledge, processes, capital and time,” said Roberts, who was also the co-founder of Caliber Collision in 1995. “Whatever direction you
► Responding promptly to complaints and consumer feedback ► Utilizing modern computer estimation systems ► Providing excellent customer service NSF International will offer four types of automotive collision repair shop certification: ● Cosmetic/non-structural repair: Covers repairs, refinishes and/or replacement of bolted on parts to restore a vehicle to its original state and shape. ● Structural repair: Covers non-aluminum repairs that require welding, rivet bonding and/or measuring and pulling in order to restore a vehicle to its original state and shape. ● Aluminum non-structural cosmetic repair: Covers cosmetic/non-structural repairs on a part comprised of aluminum. ● Aluminum structural repair certification: Covers structural repair on a part comprised of aluminum. Collision repair shops that meet all certification requirements can use the NSF International certification mark on their website and promotional materials indicating the appropriate certification type listed above. NSF International certified collision repair shops also will be included in NSF’s online certification listings and undergo ongoing quality systems inspections to maintain certification.
are going to go, whether you are going to grow and thrive or going to sell, those are the things you need.” Courty Gates, President of Vesper International, discussed financing for smaller shops. He said it’s important to remember four things while going through the process of raising money. “Be persistent, be realistic, be determined and tell a story.” The other two panelists included Steven Beckett, Partner of Peninsula Capital Partners and Ken Hanley, Senior Vice President of Business Development for Caliber Collision Centers.
NPS & CSI As MSOs continue to grow their business, maintaining high NPS & CSI scores often can become challenging, especially with multiple locations. In this session, panelists talked about what they are doing to improve and maintain their scores. In addition, they shared information about how turnover impacts the results and what they are doing to combat it. Autobody News will provide more details of the MSO symposium in the September issue of our publication, as well as additional coverage of NACECARS events.
56 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
NSF International has entered into an agreement with AccuracyDriven4, Inc to provide the Audit Services required for NSF’s Automotive Collision Repair Shop Certification Program. AccuracyDriven4 provides an extensive audit process for collision repairers to identify areas of opportunity or gaps in the process. “The collision industry has struggled for years to adopt a standard for providing safe and accurate repairs to the consumer. It has been a long process and it makes sense for NSF International, a company recognized globally for testing and certification, to be the independent entity that brings collision repair certification to a reality. AccuracyDriven4 is pleased to be the exclusive provider of audit services for the NSF International Automotive Collision Repair Shop Certification Program,” said Douglas Irish, President and CEO AccuracyDriven4. “There are 33,000 to 35,000 collision repair shops in the U.S. today. With NSF International collision repair shop certification, qualifying shops now have a way to differentiate themselves from the competition in terms of providing higher quality, safer repairs and exceptional customer service,” said Dan Stander, Second Generation Operator, Fix Auto Highlands Ranch and one of the
collision repair experts who helped develop the NSF International protocol on which the certification program is based. The NSF program complements NSF’s Automotive Collision Replacement Parts Certification, which certifies that automotive aftermarket parts meet rigid quality, safety and performance standards in terms of form, fit and function, and NSF International’s Automotive Collision Parts Distributor Certification, which certifies distributors who sell aftermarket parts. NSF International certified parts come with a limited lifetime guarantee and are fit tested on vehicles to ensure they fit the first time, reducing time spent on repairs. “Consumers now have access to collision parts and repairs that have been independently certified at the manufacturing, distribution and now the body shop repair level. NSF International’s collision part replacement, distribution and body shop repair certification programs work together to provide customers peace of mind that each link in the collision part and repair supply chain is able to deliver the highest quality parts and service,” said Bob Frayer, Global Managing Director of Automotive Certification Programs at NSF International. Bob Frayer can be contacted at autocert@nsf.org.
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 57
Enterprise Recognizes Axalta Business Council Members With Best Length of Rental Awards
ABRA to Expand in Pacific Northwest
ABRA Auto Body & Glass announced in June an agreement to acquire 23 Kadel’s Auto Body locations in Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Details of the agreement were not disclosed. Kadel’s Auto Body, an investment managed by KCB Private Equity of Pasadena, CA, is a regional provider in the Pacific Northwest. ABRA’s President and CEO, Duane Rouse, said the company is thrilled to acquire such a well-respected multishop operator. “Kadel’s Auto Body has been servicing insurance partners and community members for over 60 years. Their commitment to superior customer service and a quality repair echoes ABRA’s way of doing business.” “We’re pleased to align ourselves with such an established, well-respected national collision repair company like ABRA that shares the same culture of ethics, integrity, and teamwork,” said Don Braden, President and CEO of Kadel’s Auto Body. For franchise opportunities in major markets, contact Scott Gerling, sgerling@abraauto.com or 763-585-6210. For small and midsize markets, contact Mark Wahlin, mwahlin@abraauto.com or 763585-6315.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car recognized two collision repair centers with its 2014 Best Length of Rental (LOR) Awards. Presented during a joint meeting at Enterprise’s global headquarters in St. Louis, MO, both recipients are members of Axalta Business Councils, which promote an environment where collision repair professionals can share best practices and further develop their business management skills.
The recipients were determined based on Enterprise’s Automated Rental Management System (ARMS®) data, which tracks how long a replacement vehicle is rented to collision (l to r) Mike Anderson, Kris and Becky Goodrich, Frank center customers and is con- LaViola, Cary Bikowski sidered a proxy for vehicle repair time. cantly helps collision repair centers Daren Pierse and John Bock from Ax- maintain growth for the long-term,” said alta Business Council member Arizona Frank LaViola, Assistant VP of colliCollision Specialists LLC re- sion industry relations at Enterprise ceived the first award, earn- Rent-A-Car and an advising member of ing the lowest LOR among Axalta Business Councils. “Arizona multi-shop operators. The Collision Specialists and Goodrich Auto second award went to Kris Works have demonstrated an outstandand Becky Goodrich of ing commitment to expediting the vehiGoodrich Auto Works for the cle repair process, which has helped lowest LOR among Axalta them build strong relationships with Business Council single- customers and insurance partners alike.” To learn more about Enterprise shop operators. “When you can get a Rent-A-Car, visit http://www.enterprise customer into their repaired .com. To learn more about the ARMS vehicle faster, this helps Automotive Suite, visit www.armsauto (l to r) Mike Anderson, Daren Pierse, John Bock, Frank gain their trust and signifi- suite.com LaViola, Cary Bikowsky
Mitchell Releases Toyota Recommended Repair Procedures within Mitchell Estimating
Mitchell International released on June 18 Toyota’s Recommended Repair Procedures within their desktop solution, Mitchell Estimating, also known as UltraMate. The Toyota Recommended Repair Procedures offer two key benefits. First, estimators can reduce the time required to write a collision estimate by offering the ability to access a preconfigured list of all the parts and labor associated with a repair, allowing them to keep the information that applies and omit what does not. Second, users can access all Service and Collision Repair Information Bulletins associated with the repair directly from Toyota’s Technical Information System (TIS) during the estimating process, eliminating the need to reference multiple sources thereby speeding the process of restoring a Toyota vehicle to pre-accident condition. “We are committed to bringing innovations to the market that create efficiency in the overall repair process for both repairers and insurers,” said Sunil Nayak, Senior Director of Product Management. “With Toyota Recommended Repair Procedures, users of Mitchell Esti-
mating can instantly access all the Toyota repair procedures, parts and labor, and technical information, enabling them to quickly write an estimate and repair the vehicle using up-to-date information directly from the manufacturer. This eliminates the need to search out information and helps ensure that the shop has everything they need to repair a Toyota vehicle.” “The partnership with Mitchell reinforces our goal to ensure consumer confidence,” said Rick Leos, Collision Program Developer, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “Mitchell’s expertise in estimating, coupled with Toyota’s quality repair procedures, makes data easily accessible, which benefits customers, repair experts and insurance companies alike.” Mitchell Estimating combines industry-leading databases with software technology for appraisers writing estimates on passenger vehicles, as well as light, medium and heavy trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles and boats. To learn more about Toyota Recommended Repair Procedures, visit www.mitchell.com/toyota
58 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
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NHTSA Announces All VIN Numbers Under Takata Air Bag Recall in Search System The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that all vehicle identification numbers affected by the massive Takata air bag recall are loaded into the agency’s search system. The recall involves 11 auto manufacturers and roughly 34 million vehicles. “An informed consumer is one of our strongest allies in ensuring recalled vehicles are repaired, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “NHTSA’s VIN search tool at safercar.gov makes it easy for consumers to check if their vehicle is affected by the recall, and to take action in getting the air bags replaced.” In May, Takata announced a national recall of certain types of driver and passenger side air bag inflators. These inflators were made with a propellant that can degrade over time and has led to ruptures that have been blamed for seven deaths and more than 100 injuries worldwide. The recall is one of the largest and most complex product recalls in history. “As this recall progresses, NHTSA will organize and prioritize the replacement of the defec-
tive air bag inflators to ensure that defective inflators are replaced with safe ones as quickly as possible,” said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind. The agency has established a new website, SaferCar.gov/Recalls Spotlight, to provide regular updates on the status of this and other recalls of high interest. Below are additional tools and tips from the nation’s auto safety agency:
● Register Your Cars, Tires and Car Seats: Receive NHTSA email notifications when the manufacturer files the recall with the federal government. There is no way to locate or notify individual owners of car seats or tires if the product is not registered with the manufacturer or NHTSA. ● Receive recall alerts on Apple devices, Android devices, or Email.
● Check NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) 5-Star Ratings System when considering purchasing a new or used vehicle.
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Hyundai Launches Recognized Collision Repair Center Program
On July 14, Hyundai Motor America launched its all-new Hyundai Recognized Collision Repair Center program. This program ensures both independent and Hyundai dealership-owned collision repair centers have the training, tools, equipment, and facilities needed to properly repair Hyundai vehicles after they have been involved in a collision. “Hyundai owners benefit from this program through the assurance that centers will ensure the fit, finish, durability, safety and value of the vehicles being repaired,” said Frank Ferrara, Executive VP, customer satisfaction, Hyundai Motor America. “Having a network of recognized shops is critical to make sure our cars are repaired properly.” Hyundai has teamed up with Assured Performance Network (APN) on this program. APN is a non-profit consumer advocacy organization that will guarantee both Hyundai dealershipowned and independent collision repair centers meet the program’s specified capability requirements, and pass an annual onsite audit and inspection. APN will also manage enrollment, online support systems, proof of compliance documentation and marketing. For details on Hyundai Assurance, visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com.
Solera To Invest $5M in Chinese Insurance Market
Solera Holdings Inc. will invest $5 million to advance the rapidly growing Chinese automobile insurance market with the creation of the country’s first Solera Technology Center (STC) research facility. The STC was created as a joint venture in 2011 between Solera and leading global insurer MAPFRE to help modernize the insurance ecosystems of growing and emerging countries throughout the world with data-based science, predictive software and technology-focused education and training for the P&C industry. The STC has already provided comprehensive technical training for nearly 2,000 Chinese professionals who work within the vehicle insurance, repair and appraisal industries. In October of this year, it will officially open a Beijing research facility designed to collect and analyze critical automotive data that advances vehicle safety, improves insurance claims efficiency and balances underwriting economics. The facility will enable the collection of technical car and repair data, the creation of traffic accident reconstruction reports, the development of car ratings for the insurance industry, training for insurers and repairers and certification for repair shops.
I-CAR® Updates its Courses to Keep Shops Informed I-CAR will be updating its courses on aluminum welding, Toyota vehicle repair and custom painting techniques. As part of the I-CAR Professional Development Program™ (PDP), the updated training courses are designed to keep collision repair shops and staff on the cutting edge of a rapidly changing industry. I-CAR’s hands-on, in-shop Welding Training & Certification™: Aluminum GMA (MIG) Welding (WCA03) takes into consideration the many differences between steel and aluminum welding. Updates to the course support the most current aluminum repairs, providing knowledge to prepare for the growing number of aluminum-body vehicles on the road. Featuring an in-shop welding capability and readiness assessment and one-onone personalized coaching, I-CAR’s comprehensive welding training contributes to overall shop productivity and weld quality on aluminum vehicles. Collision Repair for Toyota, Lexus, and Scion Vehicles (TOY01) offers updated OEM-specific repair procedures and recommendations for Toyota-specific vehicles, as well as enhanced graphics and videos to better equip technicians in making OEMapproved repair decisions for these
vehicles. Introduction to Custom Painting (ISP01e) and Custom Painting (ISP02e) provide technicians with fundamental as well as more advanced custom painting skills, offering an avenue for facility owners to add a new source of revenue for the business and additional value to consumers. Both online courses include refreshed graphics and updated technical content to help guide Refinish Technicians through this specialized service. “The courses that I-CAR has updated this quarter have all been done so with relevance as the key driver,” explained Josh McFarlin, I-CAR Director of Curriculum & Product Development. “We have worked to ensure that we’re providing the most up-to-date information to the industry, enhanced with improved graphics and videos. We believe these updates will maximize student knowledge retention to help collision industry professionals perform complete, safe, and quality repairs for the ultimate benefit of the consumer. I-CAR is pleased to add these updates to our already strong catalog offering.” Course updates are available on www.i-car.com/newcourses.
www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 59
New Source of Vehicles for NABC Recycled Rides
Thanks to SCA Appraisal Company, a nationwide provider of appraisal services, the National Auto Body Council will have a new source of vehicle donations for its Recycled RidesTM program. According to SCA President Tim Davis, as SCA acquires vehicles throughout the year, it will launch an effort to identify and donate those that may be a good fit for the National
Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides program. An added bonus is that most of these will be newer, already roadworthy cars that are practically ready to be gifted to deserving individuals or nonprofit organizations in need. “Recycled Rides is a tremendous program that our collision industry
State Farm® Refines Repair Facility Survey
State Farm Insurance announced market refinements to its repair facility survey. The surveys allow eligible auto body repair facilities to help identify prevailing competitive prices (PCP) and paint and materials pricing levels. Information provided by repairers through the survey process is used to help identify appropriate pricing for State Farm staff-prepared estimates. The State Farm Auto Repair Facility Survey has been in place for several years with periodic updates taking place when business needs arise. State Farm spokesman Justin Tomczak said, “We are refining market boundaries used to determine prevailing competitive prices to serve our customers and to better align with government defined market areas.” Updates may result in PCP adjustments in some areas in addition to the periodic changes in PCP relating to updated repairer pricing and capacity information. State Farm said repairers can voluntarily update their repair capacity and pricing information at any time on their b2b website. The insurance company added that it will continue to remind repairers of the survey process.
has rallied to support because of the significant impact it makes in the lives of so many individuals nationwide,” said Davis. SCA’s first vehicle donation, a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, will be presented later this summer in partnership with Fix Auto in Pasadena, CA to Lee Ann Smith, a Gold Star, single mother who lost her son in the service. “Fix Auto’s participation in Recycled Rides provides an opportunity for our locations to give back to the communities they serve in a meaningful way,” said Fix Auto USA President and COO Paul Gange. “We encourage our owner-operators to participate in events and opportunities such as Recycled Rides to do just that.” According to Chuck Sulkala, Executive Director of the NABC, with the success and growth of the Recycled Rides program over the past several years, the NABC is fielding more requests from individuals and charities, as well as repairers and parts vendors eager and willing to donate their services and materials if more vehicles are available. “We are grateful to the many insurance, rental car and salvage companies whose vehicle donations have been and continue to be the backbone of our Recycled Rides program since its inception,” said Sulkala.
LKQ Corporation to Acquire The Coast Distribution System
LKQ Corporation and The Coast Distribution System, Inc. signed a definitive agreement for LKQ to acquire Coast for $5.50 per share in cash. Coast is a leading distributor of replacement parts, supplies and accessories for recreational vehicles (RVs) primarily to retail parts and supplies stores, service and repair establishments, and new and used RV dealers in North America. The acquisition is currently expected to close in the third quarter of 2015. Coast’s board of directors has unanimously recommended that Coast stockholders accept the offer and tender their shares. Total cash consideration payable for Coast’s outstanding shares is approximately $29 million. As of June 30, Coast had $19.5 million outstanding under its long-term revolving bank line of credit. “The combination of Coast with our specialty segment and RV business presents tremendous distribution and logistics synergies with our existing network, and expands our RV business with the addition of unique product offerings and brands,” stated Robert L. Wagman, President and Chief Executive Officer of LKQ Corporation.
60 AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com
U.S. House Subcommittee Hearing on Connected Cars
On June 24, the U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade under the Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing entitled, “Vehicle to Vehicle Communications and Connected Roadways of the Future.” Members addressed issues associated with emerging telematics, vehicle-to-vehicle communication (V2V), and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication (V2I). The witness panel featured leaders in vehicle technology development including Nathaniel Beuse, associate administrator of Vehicle Safety Research for the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), and Dr. Peter Sweatman, Director of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. Witness testimony focused on the lifesaving potential of V2V technologies, national and international standards, future congressional rulemaking, and the timeline for implementation. Beuse will make a presentation at the Automotive Service Association’s NACE|CARS Show in Detroit on July 23. Panelist Harry Lightsey, Executive Director, Global Connected Customer Experience for General Motors LLC, said, “NHTSA has estimated that V2V could by itself impact more than 80 percent of the over four million an-
nual unimpaired light vehicle crashes, saving lives and reducing $871 billion in costs to our nation’s economy each year.” Subcommittee members expressed optimism about the benefits of V2V technologies, but remained wary of potential threats from hacking, connectivity lapses, and modified driver behavior. Rep. Frank Pallone, ranking member, D-NJ, stated his concerns in his opening statement; “While the progress and potential of this technology are clear, we in Congress must continue to ensure proper oversight as NHTSA moves aggressively toward its goal of finalizing its V2V rulemaking by the end of this year. While pushing for V2V-enabled cars, NHTSA must also ensure drivers have the most beneficial crash avoidance and crashworthiness technologies in all cars, not just those supported by V2V communications.” At the conclusion of the hearing, members expressed their intent to follow this issue closely, with special attention to NHTSA’s rulemaking process. NHTSA is currently working to deliver a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on V2V communications by 2016. For information about ASA, visit www.ASAshop.org, or ASA’s legislative website at www.TakingTheHill .com
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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 61
CREF and AkzoNobel Announce Winners of Sustainability Challenge Grant
The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) in collaboration with AkzoNobel Vehicle Refinishes North America recognized schools for their efforts to advance sustainability within their respective automotive and collision repair programs. As a result of combined student teams and faculty derived submittals, each school will receive funds from the Sustainability Education Challenge Grant to implement their proposals and report on the success of their project. Schools from around the country submitted applications. Applications were evaluated by the CREF Selection
Committee on the ability to expand awareness of sustainability, advance continuous improvement, and create a positive impact within the local community where the schools are located.
The recipients include: ● Applied Technology Center (Rock Hill, SC) ● Central Nine Career Center (Greenwood, IN) ● Freedom High School (Freedom, WI) ● Norwalk High School (Norwalk, CA) ● Olathe Advanced Technical Center (Olathe, KS) ● Springfield Clark Career Center
(Springfield, OH) ● Thomas Edison CTE High School (Jamaica, NY) ● Walla Walla Community College (Walla Walla, WA)
The program, initiated by AkzoNobel in an effort to support one of the core principles of the global corporation, was introduced in 2014. The goal was to create awareness and educate students, with intentions of seeking careers within the collision repair industry, on the growing global imperative of sustainability and its ability to make a positive impact in all facets of
life today and more importantly for the future. “We are proud to be aligned with AkzoNobel for a second year on the topic of sustainability.” said Clark Plucinski, CREF Executive Director. “This topic, while growing nationally and internationally, is not necessarily one that is routinely thought about in our industry by students and instructors. However, the grant application process encourages both to thinking outside the box and moving the school forward. The ultimate goal is to create awareness within an emerging workforce and the business where they will be employed.”
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