August 2017 Western edition by Autobody News

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VOL. 35 ISSUE 8 AUGUST 2017

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Takata Airbag Recall Expands by 2.7M More Vehicles, Ca2SO4 Desiccant is Now Suspect in Certain Inflators

Hawaii Body Shops and Their Customers Handicapped by Insurance Issues

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are in no way explosive in their own The vehicle was taken to a tow by Stacey Phillips yard in Hilo where a GEICO auto damright. age appraiser told Judith the car was reIn a dramatic expansion of what is alHowever the desiccant’s role in the On the north side of the Big Island of ready the largest automotive recall in Takata airbag inflation mechanism is Hawaii, in a quiet little town named pairable for less than $8,000. “I went history, Takata Corp.—which recently to prevent the propellant, largely amKamuela, Judith was at home watchinto a tirade,” said Judith, who is 76 filed for bankruptcy protection—has monium nitrate, from becoming hying a football game. She noticed her years old. “I felt that there was no way just added 2.7 million vehicles to the drated and therefore unstable. In back door was open and soon realized that the vehicle could be repaired for chemical terms instability can affect total. her 2014 BMW X3 had been stolen the amount they suggested so I called the main office of GEICO and asked Vehicles made by Ford, Nissan the burn rate of the compounds and from her garage. Two weeks later, poand Mazda are using a type of airbag behave unpredicably, leading to mallice located and recovered the vehicle for another adjuster.” function. The vehicle was then towed to inflator including a desiccant, or dryabout 100 miles away on the opposite Environmental moisture, high ing agent, that previously was thought side of the island, in an area called GEICO’s DRP shop and a second appraiser was assigned to re-inspect the to be safe. Commonly encountered temperatures, and age contribute to the Puna. Not only had it been driven apdesiccants are solids that absorb water. process that can disastrously fragment proximately 2,000 miles, but the entire car. Judith said she was informed once They are frequently used in packaged the airbags’ inflator mechavehicle had been vandalized, again that the car was repairable. “The car is worth over $50,000,” foods to retain crispness and the exterior had large See Takata Adds to Recall, Page 18 o m c l e e s w ws g this iss reade she said. “I said, ‘there is no way I’m dents and scratches, e ue N in in rs y ead accepting that.’” the seats and seat r a She called the local BMW dealbelts were cut, the CAA Members Tour UTI Long Beach, tires were flat ership and they suggested contacting Learn to Negotiate Pre & Post Scans and there was Auto Body Hawaii in Kona. Judith had by Victoria Antonelli with students at graffiti throughher car towed to the shop, which is Universal TechSee Hawaii Body Shops, Page 22 out the interior. On Thursday, June 22, members from nical Instituteseveral California Autobody AssociaLong Beach for tions in Southern California gathered the chapters’ Mahalo Nui Loa Mahal CAA Legislative Chairman Responds to monthly Insurers’ AB 1679 Letter meeting. The In our June issue we Analysis evening started published the first of sevBlaming hardworking body shops for off with a campus eral articles about AB 1679: CA “the rising cost of car repairs” is like tour at 5 p.m. Body Shop Owners Call AB 1679 a blaming doctors for the rising cost of “The tour was great,” said Potential Disaster for the Industry, prescription drugs. Why? A pair of CAA Glendale/Foothill Chapwhich gained widespread attention. In headlamps for mid-range cars such as ter President, Hillel Shamam. July, we printed a follow-up story, the Accord, Focus, Camry and Camaro “UTI Long Beach has more CAA Says California Insurers Could models cost from $1,800 to more than collision students now—100 Use Sneaky Political Tactics to Push $2,500, but a Los Angeles area body CAA members from across Southern California were given on any given day—and they shop would only be paid $18 to install AB 1679. See CAA Tours UTI, Page 12 a tour of the UTI Long Beach state-of-the-art facilities In that first article, we noted that one. Insurers using bogus labor rate insurers responded with a letter from surveys (which would continue to be the FAIR Coalition, a group consist- allowed under AB 1679) want to force ing of 25 different organizations in shops to charge even less. That same California (including many sponsored headlamp installation at a new car by the insurance industry) outlining dealership (where pricing is not subwhy they support AB 1679. ject to insurer surveys) would cost Below is a point-by-point analysis $45. and rebuttal to statements made in the The California Department of Inletter, provided by CAA Legislative surance documented that its StandardChairman Monte Etherton, President ized Labor Rate Survey regulations of Fender Mender Collision Repair in will produce an increased cost to inSee Response to AB 1679, Page 10 Encinitas, CA. by Autobody News Staff

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2 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Contents Attanasio - Air Force Veteran Credits WyoTech

for his Success at Son of a Fink Kustoms . . 32

Attanasio - CAA Legislative Chairman

Coatings in North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Bill Pierce is our New Digital Marketing Manager . 6 Certified Collision Group™ Appoints

Martin Evans as VP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Responds to Insurers’ AB 1679 Letter . . . . . 1

Chess - Toby, AKA ‘Sparky’, Gives the

to Negotiate Pre and Post Scans . . . . . . . . . . 1

Chief® Heavy-Duty Rivet Gun Makes

Location in Washington State . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

CIECA Uses Scans in BMS Starting June 19 . . 68

Gerber Collision & Glass Opens Repair

Hawaii Body Shops and Their Customers

Handicapped by Insurance Issues. . . . . . . . . 1

Homeless Folsom Veteran Receives Car

Donation From Local Body Shop. . . . . . . . . . 6

Loads of Fun and Education at ASA

Northwest’s 2017 Summer Retreat. . . . . . . 72

Phillips - GM Uses Her Industry Experience to

Help Employees Manage Work-Life Stresses. 28

Lowdown on MIG Welders . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Easier Work of Truck Cab Repairs. . . . . . . . 68

Dealers See Growth for NIADA Convention

and Expo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

DIY Repair in Florida Results in Fatal Airbag Explosion, “Alpha” Inflators are Most

Dangerous Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

KPMG Report: Autonomous Vehicles Could Reduce the Insurance Sector by 71%

by 2050 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Pleasanton, CA Auto Repair Shop Donates

Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Is Linked

Technaglass Continues Expansion Into Idaho . . 6

MSO Session Spotlight! OnStar - Redefining

Reliable Car to Local Grandmother . . . . . . . . 9

COLUMNS

Antonelli - Techs of Tomorrow: Student Says He’s “Fascinated by Everything” in

Auto Body Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Attanasio - Are You Gearing Up for

Voice Search? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

to Increased Crashes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

the Diagnostic and Claims Processes . . . . . 34

Nicholas Schoolcraft Replaces his Father

at Phoenix Solutions Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Polyvance Demonstrates Nitrogen Plastic

for Carriers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Yoswick - Retro News: Talk of Other Insurers Requiring use of PartsTrader Goes Back

Five Years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 NATIONAL

‘Who Pays for What?’ Finds Improvement

in Payment for Not Included Body Labor

Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

ACA: 'No' to Transition Period for Border

Shop’s Needs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Autobody News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Enjoyed in Seattle, WA, in July Event at

Bill Pierre Ford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Service King Welcomes 34 Technicians to

Bob Smith BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Capitol Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Certified Automotive Parts

Association (CAPA) . . . . . . . . . . .19

ChemSpec USA, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . .24

Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . .50

Kearny Mesa Subaru-Hyundai . . . . .53 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts

Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60-61

Takata Airbag Recall Expands by 2.7M More Vehicles, Ca2SO4 Desiccant is Now

Dave Smith Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Polyvance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Colortone Automotive Paints . . . . . .12 DCH Auto Group Temecula . . . . . . .32

Denny Menholt Chevrolet . . . . . . . .52 Dominion Sure Seal . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Downtown Motors of LA

Tom Seboldt Joins CAWA Board as Secretary . . 8 Considers Self-Driving Vehicle Legislation. . . 4

AMi Accepting Applications for $1,000

When to Replace Mini-Ductor Induction

Auto Care Careers Offers Job Posting

WIN Complies with Members’ Requests

Heating Coils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

for Regional Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Penske Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Porsche Wholesale Parts Dealers . .64 PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Puente Hills Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

Riverside Kia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Riverside Metro VW-Honda-Hyundai-

Nissan-Mazda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

(Audi, VW, Porsche) . . . . . . . . . . .75

Robaina Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . .35

Engine Parts Warehouse . . . . . . . . .10

SATA Dan-Am Company . . . . . . . . .23

Enterprise Rent-A-Car . . . . . . . . . . .28

Awarded the Red Dot Design Award 2017. . 62

Moss Bros. Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge . .29 Paint Spray Booths - PFS, Inc. . . . . . .6

of Seattle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Not Victims, Lawyers Say. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The Mirka AOS-B Cordless Sander Has Been

Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers . .48

MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . . .43

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

ECS Automotive Concepts . . . . . . .30

MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . .68

Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts

Suspect in Certain Inflators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Takata Bankruptcy Benefits Automakers,

Matrix Automotive Finishes . . . . . . .31

Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram

Dent Magic Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Volvo Cars to Go All Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . . .5

Workshop Scheduled for Chicago . . . . . . . . 66

Sherwin-Williams Ecolean™ Level 2

Sales Decline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

BASF Invests $40 Million in Automotive

Ram-Fiat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Del Grande Dealer Group . . . . . .16-17

U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce

Emil Stanley Merit Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

AutoNation Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-

Rapidly Growing Apprenticeship Program . . 68

Adjustment Tax. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Advance Auto Parts Cuts 475 Jobs as

Insta Finish Car Care . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . .56

Saleen Championship Anniversary Mustangs

Estimating, Claims are the New Way

Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . .70

EC520 Clearcoat Coming Soon. . . . . . . . . . 62

Phillips - Smith Brothers Focus on Exceptional

Sisk - Snapsheet President: Photo-Based

Hyundai of Seattle . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Advanced Savings Solutions . . . . . .11

Bob Smith MINI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

PPG ENVIROBASE® High Performance

Rochelle Beckel is Online Editor at

among Three Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

3M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Killer Tools & Equipment . . . . . . . . .45

Phillips - Jobbers Focus on Value-Added

Customer Service While Dividing Time

Autobody News P.O. Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com editor@autobodynews.com

BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . .69

Respiratory Protection: Assessing Your

Services for Collision Repair Facilities . . . . . 56

Serving California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the collision industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2017 Adamantine Media LLC.

Welding at SkillsUSA Competition . . . . . . . . 72

Phillips - How a PA Shop Delivers Excellent

Customer Service & Receives Top Reviews. . 46

value it brings to BASF customers.” 2016 was a strong year for both growth and profitably across the board for Performance Groups. Members meet several times a year to discuss current industry issues, best-practices, profit improvement and insurance relations. “BASF has been an invaluable partner of ours for more than 10 years,” said Jason Bartanen, ICAR Director—Industry Technical Relations. “The BASF Refinish Performance Groups strengthens this commitment and emphasizes the need for continuous business process improvement.”

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Contributing Writers: John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr, Stacey Phillips, Victoria Antonelli Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Sales Assistant: Jessica Day Digital Marketing Manager: Bill Pierce Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia Graphic Designer: Michelle Lucas Online and Web Content Editor: Rochelle Beckel

Index of Advertisers

CAA Members Tour UTI Long Beach, Learn

BASF’s VisionPLUS® Performance Group program is now I-CAR–approved. In 2017, each Performance Group member will receive seven I-CAR Platinum points for meetings they attend, helping them maintain I-CAR Platinum status each year. “Our Performance Group community is growing and getting stronger each year,” said Craig Seelinger, BASF VisionPLUS Program Manager. “We strive to develop the best-performing and most profitable collision shops in the country, and this first-in-the-industry approval from I-CAR demonstrates the

Western

REGIONAL

BASF’s VisionPLUS Performance Groups Approved for I-CAR Platinum Credit Points

Equalizer Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . .40

First Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Ford of Kirkland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . .57

Galpin Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Glenn E. Thomas Dodge-Chrysler-

Jeep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . .67

Roy Robinson Subaru . . . . . . . . . . .14

Shingle Springs Subaru . . . . . . . . . .59

Sierra Chevrolet-Honda-Subaru . . . .46

Sorbothane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Spanesi Americas . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . .63

Tacoma Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram .13

The Bay Area Automotive Group . . .55 Valley Auto Dismantlers

Association, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Haddad Dodge-Kia . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Volkswagen Wholesale Parts

Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts

Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . .54

Hyundai of Kirkland . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Yellow Jacket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Herkules Equipment Corporation . .27

Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38-39

Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71

Wizards Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 3

KPMG Report: Autonomous Vehicles Could Reduce the Insurance Sector by 71% by 2050 Autonomous vehicle technology could shrink the auto insurance sector by 71 percent or $137 billion by 2050, according to new research by KPMG. The white paper report titled The Chaotic Middle: The Autonomous Vehicle and Disruption in Automobile Insurance reads, in part: Since our initial white paper in October 2015, Marketplace of change: automobile insurance in the era of autonomous vehicles, we now believe that the traditional personal automobile insurance marketplace has the potential to be even more severely disrupted by new competition and shifts to other types of insurance coverage. The move to new business models will not be smooth and we anticipate a “chaotic middle” of a decade or more as companies adjust their strategies and operations. “Our new study synthesizes our latest research and thinking and covers four underlying themes: ►Alignment for mass autonomy: Acceleration of the pace of change ►The triad of disruptors for auto insurance ►Perfect storm: Modeling the potential impact ►Chaotic middle: Dual challenge facing insurers

KPMG has extended its actuarial model by 10 years to 2050, finding that the pace of change has accelerated, pushing projections that illustrate greater declines to the insurance sector than KPMG’s previous 2015 study. It also shows an increasing need for new types of insurance products. “Insurance companies will have to

make important strategic and tactical changes sooner than anticipated to navigate through this turbulent transformation of the industry,” said Jerry Albright, principal in KPMG’s Actuarial and Insurance Risk practice. “New business models bring about a decade or so of a ‘chaotic middle’ as insurers adjust their strategies and operations as autonomous vehicle technologies significantly deplete the need for personal auto insurance.” Chris Nyce, principal in KPMG’s Actuarial and Insurance Risk practice, added, “Building the latest observations into our actuarial model affirms the projected long-term decline in the number of auto accidents overall, and the share of accident claims funded by personal auto policies will also contract. Partially offsetting this, average repair costs will continue to increase at a higher rate than overall inflation as new technologies in future cars become more expensive to repair.”

The Triad of Disruption in the Auto Insurance Industry Three major forces are disrupting the current, $247 billion premium, auto insurance marketplace: 1) Autonomous technology is making cars theoretically safer, leading to a potential 90 percent reduction in accident frequency by 2050. 2) Auto manufacturers (OEMs) will assume more of the driving risk and associated liability, and have new opportunities to provide insurance to car buyers, taking market share away from traditional insurers. KPMG estimates that by 2050 there will be a significant increase in products liability

U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Considers Self-Driving Vehicle Legislation

The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing on a draft package of 14 driverless car bills on June 27. The hearing follows closely behind ASA’s Mechanical Operations Committee meeting with senior House Energy and Commerce staff June 14 to discuss several issues related to driverless cars and the potential impact on repair shops. Witnesses included: ● Mitch Bainwol, president and CEO, Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers ● John Bozzella, president and CEO, Global Automakers ● Tim Day, senior vice president,

Chamber Technology Engagement Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce ● The Hon. David L. Strickland, counsel, Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets and Partner, Venable LLP ● Alan Morrison, Lerner Family associate dean for Public Interest and Public Service Law, The George Washington University Law School ● Will Wallace, policy analyst, Consumers Union ASA is reviewing the draft legislation and will make comments to the committee. To read the witness’s testimony or to view a recording of the hearing, please visit: TakingThe Hill.com.

4 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

insurance to 57% of total auto losses in order to cover the autonomous technology in vehicles, and a considerable decrease in personal auto insurance to 22% of total auto losses. 3) The rapid adoption of mobilityon-demand is quickly lessening need for personal auto coverage, with the use of fleets requiring commercial auto insurance. “Insurance companies are varied in their level of preparedness for this disruption and many have taken limited action to face this challenge,” said Joe Schneider, managing director at KPMG Corporate Finance LLC. “As a result, auto insurers may choose to branch out into home-related products, or other commercial coverage, to benefit from diversification.” A New Mix of Auto Insurance Coverage By 2024, the majority of travel within cities and surrounding suburbs is expected to be on-demand rather than

with a personal vehicle, and by 2035 it is expected to be the new normal in transportation. As a result, products liability coverage and other new types of insurance are expected to pay a greater share of claims resulting from roadway accidents. Cyber risk is a good example of a new type of risk associated with the era of driverless cars, and market participants are building new products to cover the potential hacking of autonomous vehicles.

Autonomous Capabilities on a Fast Track The auto insurance industry is further disrupted by the surge of “smart money” generated by a variety of sources including venture capital (VC) firms. “The infusion of capital is boosting the development of autonomous capabilities and related business models, thereby accelerating the pace at which highly automated vehicles will hit the market,” added Schneider.

Takata Bankruptcy Benefits Automakers, Not Victims, Lawyers Say

TK Holdings, the US business of Takata, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to tens of billions of dollars of liabilities from recalls and lawsuits over its air bags, along with 11 Mexican and US subsidiaries. Most of Takata’s obligations are owed to automakers for recalling and replacing millions of its air bags, and the Japanese supplier’s restructuring plan relies heavily on financial support from its customers. Some legal experts say the biggest worry for car companies caught in the fallout is playing out in a Delaware bankruptcy courtroom. People injured by the air bags, were appointed to their own official committee in the Japanese company’s US bankruptcy, giving them a powerful voice in the proceedings. This unusual committee, which includes people whose cars lost value due to the recall, will be pitted against Honda, Toyota, and other automakers. The OEMs have been trying to use the bankruptcy to limit their liability for installing the faulty air bags, said Kevin Dean, a Motley Rice attorney who represents injured drivers on the committee. Because the committee has official status, Takata must provide it with funds which can be used to investigate the automakers’ liability or to challenge financial assump-

tions. Without a committee, plaintiffs’ lawyers would typically have to pay for that themselves. “If I were a plaintiffs’ lawyer, this would be a golden goose for me,” said John Pottow, a professor at the University of Michigan Law School, of the appointment of the special committee. Takata, Honda, Toyota and General Motors declined to comment. Other carmakers did not return requests for comment. Bankruptcies typically only have one official creditors committee. In the Takata case, the committee of injured drivers will sit alongside another made up of suppliers and vendors, who are likely more interested in the future of the business than compensation disputes, according to bankruptcy attorneys who are not involved in the case. Both committees were appointed by the US Trustee’s Office, the arm of the Department of Justice that acts as a bankruptcy watchdog. Seventeen fatalities, including one confirmed last week, and at least 180 injuries have been tied to Takata’s air bags since at least 2009. Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration widened a global recall of the airbags, which regulators expect to ultimately cover 69 million cars and 125 million inflators. Most defective air bags have not been replaced.

www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 5

Homeless Folsom Veteran Receives Car Donation From Local Body Shop

by Telegraph Staff

A hard-working local Army veteran and his family, who had been sleeping in a family car that barely runs, received keys to a brand new 2016 Nissan Sentra on June 14 from Cal-

iber Collision-Folsom and Allstate as part of the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled Rides™ program. Iraq War Army Veteran Derrick Broussard served his country from 20032013. Since returning to civilian life, Broussard has faced multiple financial challenges, yet he is determined and focused on his goals to ensure a better future for his family, which includes two sons, ages 10 and three.

Broussard balances full-time work and a full-time class schedule, commuting on his bicycle one to two hours daily, rain or shine. With support from Volunteers of America, which nominated Broussard for the Recycled Rides program, the family is now in temporary housing as they work towards their goal of independence and stability. The Recycled Rides vehicle serves as a stepping stone to financial recovery by enabling Broussard to pursue better paying job opportunities, complete his education, and provide a better quality of life for his family. The Recycled Rides vehicle was donated by Allstate and repaired by technicians at Caliber Collision-Folsom, who volunteered their services to repair the vehicle as a community service. Recycled Rides™ is a collaborative program by collision industry professionals to repair and donate vehicles to individuals in need. Over the past five years, Caliber Collision and its industry partners have donated nearly 150 vehicles valued at nearly $2 million. We thank folsomtelegraph.com for reprint permission.

Bill Pierce is our New Digital Marketing Manager

Rochelle Beckel is Online Editor at Autobody News

Bill Pierce has taken the position of Digital Marketing mananger at Autobody News. He is a web developer, graphic artist and marketing manager with over 16 years of experience in the industry. He holds a BA from San Diego State University. He enjoys keeping up with the latest trends in social media, online marketing and web development. He is pasBill Pierce sionate about the local music and art scene and has produced over 40 art shows. As a graphic artist, he has designed over 400 concert posters for bands. He has appeared on radio and national television. His artwork has been shown throughout the United States, as well as; Japan, Spain, Iceland, Italy, Belgium, and the UK. He grew up in Vermont and Mississippi and has lived in San Francisco CA, Greenbelt, MD, and Washington, DC. He enjoys swimming, camping, hiking, biking and spending time with his family in North County. Contact Bill at: bpierce@autobodynews.com.

Rochelle Beckel has joined Autobody News as Online & Web Content Editor. Rochelle has been a California resident her entire life, having spent her early years growing up in North San Diego County and college/postgrad years in the Bay Area. She graduated with a BS in Journalism from San Jose State University, where she was an active Rochelle Beckel member of the student newspaper and student magazine editorial staff. After graduating in 2014, she worked as a technical writer at an investment services firm and an account coordinator at a recruitment advertising agency in the Bay Area before moving back to San Diego in July. She looks forward to applying her passion for reading, writing and editing to her new role at Autobody News. Her other passions include exploring new cities, alternative music, Pringles, “Friends” (both the sitcom and her own), her boyfriend and her family. Contact Rochelle at: rbeckel@autobodynews.com.

Technaglass Continues Expansion Into Idaho

TechnaGlass, a regional leader in the automotive glass repair and replacement industry, has expanded to Idaho. The company now offers full auto glass service in Boise, Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Pocatello, Jackson Hole Wyoming and surrounding areas. Since 2015, TechnaGlass corporate-owned retail locations have grown by 52%. TechnaGlass continues to implement its focused growth strategy and customers are responding positively to convenient glass installation service, free lifetime rock chip repair and a 12-month breakage guarantee. TechnaGlass now provides high quality auto glass repair and replacement services in 12 states and through 44 retail locations. TechnaGlass has serviced over 2 million customers since its inception over 26 years ago, by providing a customer-focused experience and guar-

anteeing the workmanship behind its services. “The trajectory of the growth of TechnaGlass has focused on attractive markets where we can provide our unique service offering to consumers and also provide services to our strategic partners,” said Troy Mason, CEO of TechnaGlass. Now in its 26th year, TechnaGlass has grown from a small family-owned auto glass company to become one of the largest regional, auto glass repair and replacement companies in the United States. TechnaGlass is committed to pleasing its customers and providing a safe and high quality installation experience. TechnaGlass uses OEM materials and adheres to AGRSS (Auto Glass Repair Safety Standard), which is the accepted industry benchmark. For more information visit: www.technaglass.com.

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Saleen Championship Anniversary Mustangs Enjoyed in Seattle, WA, in July Event at Bill Pierre Ford

Saleen Automotive, Inc. revealed their 30-Year Championship Commemorative Edition Saleen Mustangs, both street and race versions, at the largest gathering of Mustangs in the Northwest — the Mustangs Northwest Roundup 2017. Activities began at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, July 12, at the Bill Pierre Ford dealership, a long-standing Saleen dealer, in Seattle, Washington. Event participants include Saleen CEO Steve Saleen and his Team, representatives from General Tire, and Championship racers George Follmer, Rick Titus, Desiré Wilson and Lisa Caceres. “I am proud and excited to be formally debuting our Championship Commemorative Edition Saleen Mustangs at the Bill Pierre Ford dealership, a great Saleen supporter for many, many years,” said Steve Saleen. “Saleen Automotive, Inc., has always been warmly welcomed by the members of Mustangs Northwest at their annual Roundups, so, it was a natural for us to participant in this year’s 2017 Event. It was an outstanding weekend. People came out and met the Championship Team and get an up-close look at our newest Saleen Mustangs.” Additional plans surrounding the Roundup, include a track-drive event on Thurs-

day, July 13, at Pacific Raceway in nearby Kent, WA. Saleen drivers and the new Championship Edition Saleen Mustangs will be on the track for press ride-alongs! A Friday Night Meet and Greet was scheduled at the Red Lion Hotel in Bellevue. “We’re excited to partner with Saleen on this amazing new anniversary edition Mustang and we’re really pumped to have this opportunity to showcase our all-new summer performance G-MAX RS tire to the media,” stated director of marketing for General Tire, Travis Roffler. “There is no better way to experience a tire than to get behind the wheel of a great car and feel its performance.” The Roundup car-show portion of the event continued July 15–16, 2017, at Bellevue College, in Bellevue, WA. The Championship Edition Saleen Mustangs were on display at the show along with driver autograph signings at the Saleen Display. The Wednesday night event was open to the general public and in addition to the unveiling of these brand new Saleen Mustangs, the event included food, goody bags (while they lasted), meet and greets and autograph signings with the members of the elite Saleen race teams mentioned above.

Tom Seboldt Joins CAWA Board as Secretary

At the June leadership meeting, the CAWA board of directors elected Tom Seboldt of O’Reilly Auto Parts to the board of directors as its 2018 secretary. Seboldt started his auto care industry career in 1987 with O’Reilly Auto Parts and has served in many capacities for the company, both in store operations and at headquarters. He currently serves as the vice president of merchandise after serving many years in merchandising and purchasing. Seboldt also serves as chair of the Auto Care Association’s Event Committee. “We are pleased to have someone of Tom’s caliber step up to an officer’s position within the association and we look forward to his many years of service and contributions to CAWA,” said Michael Antonelli, chair of the board of directors.

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ACA: ‘No’ to Transition Period for Border Adjustment Tax

The Auto Care Association (ACA) expressed its disappointment that U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, proposed a five-year transition plan for the Border Adjustment Tax (BAT) that is intended to subdue BAT critics. The BAT, which would impose a new 20 percent tax on imported goods and services, would result in a $20 billion annual tax increase on automotive parts. “There is no tweaking, modification or transition period that will negate the harmful effects of the BAT tax,” said Bill Hanvey, ACA President and CEO. “No matter what [Chairman Brady] proposes, consumers will foot the bill and numerous family-owned businesses in the auto care industry will suffer catastrophic losses.” The ACA is part of Americans for Affordable Products, a national coalition opposing the BAT. The BAT would create higher auto repair costs and is estimated to cost the average American family $1,700 annually in higher prices on everyday consumer items. “This tax hike would burden middle class households who have seen their wages stagnate in recent years, while enabling profitable, multi-national corporations—to operate virtually tax-free,” said Hanvey.

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Pleasanton, CA, Auto Repair Shop Donates Reliable Car to Local Grandmother are to continue the program in years to come, according to owner George Livermore grandmother Donna Osorio. Kreutzberg said she’s excited not to “The whole Tri-Valley has been worry about her car breaking down very good to small business owners,” anymore. he said, adding that it’s important to “pay it back.” Osorio said he and his wife Christina were looking for families to adopt over Christmas and reached out to principals at nearby Livermore schools, figuring that would be the best way to find the names of families in need of support. “I was surprised to find out how many people are in a financial bind,” he California Collision shop owner George Osorio stands with said. Donna Kreutzberg and her granddaughter Lisette, just The principal at Arroyo before awarding Kreutzberg a car through the business’s Seco Elementary led them new Wheels of Prosper program. The car awarded was to Donna Kreutzberg, a rea 2007 black PT Cruiser. Credit: Erika Alvero cent widow taking care of Her mind was eased last week two of her grandchildren, since their when she received the first car dona- mother could not. The Osorios gave tion from California Collision’s new Kreutzberg and her grandchildren— “Wheels of Prosper” program—a among other families they adopted— 2007 PT Cruiser to replace her pre- gift cards and clothes and told her to let vious malfunctioning car. This is the them know if she needed anything else. inaugural donation from the Pleasan“I thought I could make it,” ton auto body repair shop, but plans Kreutzberg said. But medical diffiby Erika Alvero, Pleasanton Weekly

culties had raised an additional strain, both financially and in terms of transportation, as she had had to travel to and from Palo Alto for complications from a heart transplant. When her Honda Accord started having problems, Kreutzberg asked Osorio to run a diagnostic on it, thinking that perhaps he could fix the car and she could pay him back in installments. But diagnostic results found that the vehicle repair costs exceeded the value of the car itself—which led Osorio to nominate her for the Wheels of Prosper program. The black PT Cruiser used to be a company car, and so California Collision removed the company logo and cleaned it before awarding it to Kreutzberg on Wednesday. We thank Pleasanton Weekly for reprint permission.

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Gerber Collision & Glass Opens Repair Location in Washington State

The Boyd Group Inc. (the “Boyd Group” or “Boyd”) announced the June 27, 2017 opening of a collision repair center in Spokane, Washington, the center previously operated as City South Auto Body of Spokane.

“With this location, we now have a repair center on the south side of the city, complementing our other four centers,” said Tim O’Day, President and COO of the Boyd Group. “We are proud to have built a strong presence in the region and look forward to serving new customers and our insurance partners with the same professional and friendly service that is the signature of all Gerber locations.”

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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 9

Continued from Cover

Response to AB 1679

surers of $1.15 million, or pennies per policyholder. Insurers state it’s a “windfall” for shops that will cost insurers and consumers $280-$300 million. This claim is unfounded, and insurers have yet to come up with a reasonable basis for any significant cost increase. Five major insurers have conducted CDI Standardized Labor Rate Surveys this year, yet none have been submitted to CDI as required by law. If the insurer’s “windfall” prediction was true, surely those surveys would prove it.

Analysis & Rebuttal FAIR Coalition: “We are in support of AB 1679, because it provides an alternative, and less costly, approach to the California Department of Insurance’s (CDI) sole method of conducting an auto labor rate survey as set forth in the recently adopted regulations.”

CAA’s response: There is no known reason why random insurer survey methods would be less costly than the CDI’s standardized survey. However, if not done properly, random survey methods would be costlier due to CDI and insurance costs from responding to consumer and shop complaints. The reason CDI offered a “sole method” of conducting labor rate surveys was to alleviate problematic inconsistencies between insurers’ surveys. Previously, each insurer that chose to conduct a survey would manipulate the data in their own way, so each arrived at a different “prevailing rate” for each geographic area. This results in the same shop performing the exact same repair for different prices depending on the insurer and their survey, even though there is no contractual relationship between the insurer and the shop.

FAIR Coalition: “AB 1679 also clarifies the type of information a consumer is entitled to receive during the claims process and eliminates CDI anti-steering regulations that are inconsistent with existing law.”

CAA’s response: Insurers want to repeal all anti-steering laws (which include the consumer’s right to select the repair shop) by legalizing the brow-

beating and half-truths CDI regulations prohibit. The sole purpose of this “information” is to steer the consumer into insurers’ discount repair program (DRP) shops. Insurers also want to delay inspections and approvals of nonDRP repairs in order to teach customers an unsaid lesson: If you don’t choose our DRP shop, the claims process will become much more difficult.

FAIR Coalition: “Insurers survey auto body shops to establish a reasonable market rate for car repair costs.”

CAA’s response: Most insurers (and consumers) simply pay the labor rate the shop charges. Only a few insurers (e.g. supporters of AB 1679) attempt to unilaterally set a price cap for auto body labor by using a labor rate survey. The fact is this: There is no contractual relationship for any pricing between thousands of independent California body shops and the insurers that conduct labor rate surveys. Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) regulations require the body shop contract with the vehicle owner to repair the car by the shop’s estimate, and the insurer owes the vehicle owner for the loss under the terms of the policy.

FAIR Coalition: “It is critical for consumers that insurers can ensure these surveys reflect the actual prevailing market rate.”

CAA’s response: Actual market rates will never be reflected in the bogus labor rate surveys AB 1679 will continue to allow. It is more critical to consumers that insurers pay a fair market labor rate for consumers’ car repairs and ensuring those repairs are completed to OEM standards of quality and safety.

From the FAIR Coalition letter: “When car repair costs go up, consumers’ insurance premiums are likely to increase.”

CAA’s response: Parts, paint and materials costs are increasing at a much faster rate than labor costs, but insurers (and shops) have no control over those items. Insurers need to take note of increased repair costs due to vehicle specifics such as sensors, lamp types, high-tech features, and even color when they quote premiums. Just the paint for the front end of a car can cost $900 if it’s white or $1,600 if it’s red. No matter what the cause, pre-

10 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

mium increases must be approved by CDI.

FAIR Coalition: “It should be noted that existing labor rate and steering laws do not authorize CDI to adopt such regulations.”

CAA’s response: Not true. The California Supreme Court has already recognized the authority of CDI, and the Office of Administrative Law approved the current set of CDI regulations late last year.

In Summary: AB 1679: Protect Consumers from Rising Cost of Car Repairs

FAIR Coalition: Car accidents have increased 6.9 percent in California, making it one of the top 10 states with the biggest increase in accidents (based on fast track data in 2015).

■ CAA: California ranks #1 with more than 14 million cars registered, and second place is Texas with 8.5 million. More cars will equate to more accidents, but what is the point? FAIR Coalition: Over the last 10

years, the hourly labor rate for car repairs in California has increased by 15 percent, making it the 9th-highest rate in the country at $55.48/hour (Mitchell Data).

■ CAA: According to at least one major insurer’s current labor rate survey on file with the CDI, the “prevailing” labor rate in Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside Counties is only $45, even though the majority of shops are charging and being paid $60–$65 by consumers and non-survey insurers. This sort of rate manipulation is what the CDI regulations are trying to prevent, and what AB 1679 is trying to legalize.

■ Using the State of California’s Consumer Price Index Calculator for 2006-2016, the CPI was 21.3%. Auto body labor rates have increased at a rate less than the consumer price index.

FAIR Coalition: Regulations recently promulgated by the CDI will only add to these rising costs by creating one survey method that creates very small geographic regional markets and alSee Response to AB 1679, Page 20

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Continued from Cover

CAA Tours UTI

have a graduation every six weeks.” At 6 p.m. there was a meet and greet style dinner for UTI Long Beach students and CAA members. The two groups had the opportunity to chat about the industry, upcoming projects at the technical school, and a variety of other topics as part of the second annual UTI Tech Showcase. “The UTI Tech Showcase was better this year than last, but we had only half the attendees,” said Shamam. Shamam added that there were several shop owners and more than 40 collision students at the meeting.

An inside look at the UTI Long Beach classrooms

Jake Rodenroth, director of client services at asTech, showed attendees how to negotiate pre and post scans

where; it’s not a fad,” Rodenroth said. “We have to prepare ourselves as best we can.” However, this isn’t a “one size fits all” type of adjustment. Rodenroth said the measurements owners need to take to keep their shops up-to-date rely heavily on a variety of variables, including what state they’re in or whether they’re located in an urban or rural area. “There are going to be some new requirements in Southern California that will change the current standards for emissions tests,” said Rodenroth. “As a result we will continue to see more clean diesel engines and small displacement gas engines built around efficiency, which will include turbo-charging and supercharging as well as start/stop and cylinder deactivation.” Along with EV and Hybrid vehicles, Rodenroth said these exotic propulsion systems can create additional challenges for collision repairers when they require service. For shops in rural areas that may have fallen behind on OEM requirements due to a lack of resources, Rodenroth said now is the time to get caught up before it’s too late.

“It was a tremendous opportunity for our collision program students to meet and have dinner with local collision shop owners who represent their future employers,” Larry Hohl, president of UTI-Long Beach. “And those employers were able to experience the high standard of education, lab training on state-of-the-industry equipment, and professionalism that we use to prepare our students for a highly successful career.” At 6:45pm, guest speaker Jake Rodenroth, director of client services at asTech, took the podium. He covered diagnostic solutions and services for the collision repair industry, specifically how to negotiate and justify pre and post scans. “I’m trying to educate shops on how to staff, react to, Attendees of the June 22 CAA meeting were able to view some of the repair projects the UTI students had been implement OEM repair info, working on and ultimately build their busi“Shops use platforms like CCC ness around diagnostics,” said Rodenroth “Especially now that more and and Outlook every day and feel commore mechanical parts are becoming pletely comfortable navigating the proelectrical, and therefore more difficult grams. Shops must implement OE service information programs into their to work with.” He added that these issues are not daily duties in a similar fashion,” he only diagnostic; they also affect the stressed. “Manufacturer service information sites provide the best resource collision repair side. “This technology isn’t going any- for properly repairing the vehicle. I rec-

12 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

ommended subscribing to them if there’s a particular car you work on frequently; some of them are even free.” Rodenroth added that shops need to ask themselves, “What are the trigger points in my business when we decide we need to go look?” He said the answer is right when that customer walks in the door. Don’t commit to repair a vehicle you don’t quite understand or lack the training and equipment to service. Another topic Rodenroth discussed was the difference between aftermarket pre / post scan equipment and OEM pre / post scan equipment. “At asTech, we tested the two side by side and noticed a pretty big difference, specifically around module counts, build data, functionality and updates,” he explained. “Everyone wants to talk about it, but we actually proved in a lab that OEM scanning equipment is the better choice.” Rodenroth said if asTech could’ve taken the cheaper option, they would have. “At asTech we spent over $600,000 on OEM scan tools and growing to sup-

port our client shops in the field,” he said. “We recently incorporated mobile into our business to support our remote operations. We truly want to FIX what we find.” Rodenroth has 17 years of collision repair and mechanical experience and is Jaguar Landrover structural aluminum certified. He previously worked for ABRA Auto Body & Glass as part of their corporate operations and integration team. “The discussion was well-received and informative,” said Shamam.

“It was great to meet more shop owners as well.” For more information on CAA, visit calautobody.com. For more information on UTI Long Beach, visit www .uti.edu/campus-locations/longbeachca.

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‘Who Pays for What?’ Finds Improvement in Payment for Not Included Body Labor Operations “Who Pays for What?” survey finds improvement in payment for not-included body labor operations; latest survey on frame and mechanical operations is now open. More shops are now being paid “always” or “most of the time” for nearly two dozen not-included body labor operations compared to a year earlier, according to the latest findings from the “Who Pays for What?” quarterly survey series. Mike Anderson of Collision Advice, creator of the surveys, said that’s something he’s pleased about as the latest of the surveys, covering frame and mechanical labor operations, opens now through July 31. “Though many of the increases are slight, and within the margin-oferror for the survey, there are a number of procedures that have seen significant jumps,” Anderson said. “Clean-up of airbag residue is a good example, rising 9 percentage points since 2016.” Other procedures for which more shops are now reporting being paid “always” or “most of the time” include clean-up of old urethane (up more than 6 percentage points compared to 2016), application of weld-thru primer (up more than 8 percentage points), and duplication of OEM seam-sealer (up

6.6 percentage points). The current survey, conducted by CRASH Network and Collision Advice, asks shops about their billing practices – and insurers’ payment practices – regarding about two dozen “not included” frame and mechanical labor operations. Shops can take the survey before the end of July by clicking below: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q3 DDCP3

Newly-released data from the “Who Pays for What?” body labor survey, completed this past April by a record 1,042 shops around the country, contained some other evidence indicating the surveys’ positive impact: Of the 20 “not-included” body labor operations covered in both the 2016 and 2017 surveys, 18 had a higher percentage of shops (compared to a year earlier) now negotiating to be paid for them. “If you don’t bill for it, you will never be paid for it, yet the biggest percentage of shops not billing for these procedures say they never thought of billing for them when they are required as part a repair,” Anderson said. “These surveys were designed to help raise that awareness.”

Each of the four different “Who Pays” surveys explores a different area of shop operations. The current survey focuses on “not-included” mechanical and frame labor operations, asking shops how frequently they are paid for each of the operations by each of the eight largest auto insurers in the country. The current survey also asks about frame and mechanical labor rates, payment practices related to “set-up and measure,” and billing practices for wheel alignments and air conditioning recharging. Survey participants will receive a report with complete survey findings at no charge, broken down by region, insurer and DRP vs. non-DRP. The report also includes analysis and resources to help shops better understand and use the information presented.

Anderson said the 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 shop’s individual responses are held in the strictest confidence; only aggregated data is released. The results of previous surveys are also available online (https://www .crashnetwork.com/collisionadvice). 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. CRASH Network (www .CrashNetwork.com) is a subscription newsletter offering news and information not available from other industry sources.

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Respiratory Protection: Assessing Your Shop’s Needs by Donald J. Garvey, CIH, CSP, Construction Industrial Hygienist, 3M Personal Safety Division

Auto body shop workers risk potential exposure to a wide variety of respiratory hazards. These include paints, fillers and solvents, dusts from sanding, metal fumes from welding and cutting, isocyanates, etc. It is a lot to safeguard against to ensure a shop is productive and safe. Shop owners must identify, understand and protect their workers from these hazards by using engineering controls, such as local exhaust ventilation systems. However, when engineering controls are insufficient, workers must be protected with various forms of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and training. Often, one of the more intimidating types of hazards to safeguard your team against is a chemical hazard requiring respiratory protection. Unlike many other safety hazards, respiratory protection is a health concern. The effects of workers breathing in airborne hazards can lead to serious health complications, many

with signs or symptoms that may not immediately appear after the exposure has taken place. As a result, protecting workers from airborne hazards requires more than simply handing out respirators. This article will ad-

dress the respiratory protection needs common in the auto body industry, with some suggestions on how to create a respiratory protection program. Begin with an Assessment Conducting a respiratory exposure assessment and utilizing the results to design an effective respiratory protection plan for an auto body shop is a science. It can seem like a complicated science when you factor in everything that goes into developing and creating a respira-

tory protection plan: initial review of potential hazards, measurements, evaluation of those measurements, selection of controls, their implementation and assessment of their effectiveness, and other factors.

Despite the perceived complexity, every site should evaluate the respiratory protection needs of their crew. To make this process easier, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) has published a fivepart cyclic process to help guide an exposure assessment (1). The following is only an overview of the exposure assessment process. A safety and health professional such as a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)

should be consulted for a more complete review of the process and assistance in its proper implementation.

Exposure Assessment Employers are required by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to evaluate respiratory hazards in the workplace. An independent consultant, workers compensation insurer loss control representative or in-house health and safety professional trained in exposure assessment methods can evaluate workplace hazards. They need to determine:

• What hazards are present (e.g. isocyanates in paints) • Exposure levels • Whether or not those levels are acceptable compared to OSHA or other good practice occupational exposure limits (OEL)

Any time there are changes in the workplace that could result in new or altered exposures, a new assessment needs to be conducted. Changes in the workplace, such as utilizing water-based or See Respiratory Protection, Page 20

www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 15

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Continued from Cover

Takata Adds to Recall

nism. NHTSA has determined the root cause of the inflator casing shattering problem is airbags that use ammonium nitrate-based propellent without a reliable chemical drying agent, i.e., without an effective desiccant. The propellant oxidizes hydrated fuel granules and wafers explosively, causing the inflator’s casing to rupture and fire the shattered fragments with sometimes lethal velocity. Ammonium nitrate is an inexpensive propellant that cycles through five solid states depending on temperature. Generally this occurs in a predicable way and as the vehicle goes from the heat of sunshine to the cold overnight, the temperature swing is large enough for the ammonium nitrate to change from one phase to another. Ammonium nitrate also absorbs moisture from the atmosphere readily, hence the need for a desiccant to keep the compounds dry. The desiccant is there to stabilize this process and, if it fails, may make ammonium nitrate dangerous, engineers say. Takata’s inflators have used a variety of chemical agents to keep the propellant dry in its devices over the years, with some combinations showing a greater propensity to fail than others, federal regulators said. Ford, Mazda and Nissan installed these inflators in vehicles manufactured for the United States market from 2005 through 2012, according to Takata. All are on the driver’s side of the vehicles. The affected vehicles are from the 2005 through 2012 model years. At least 17 people have died and more than 180 injured due to the problem. These inflators have caused the largest automotive recall in U.S. history with 42 million vehicles and up to 69 million inflators being called back for repairs. The latest recall is the first involving the inflators that use calcium sulfate as a drying agent. The inflator can combust in an “over-aggressive” manner, potentially rupturing and causing harm, according to a filing Takata submitted to the highway safety administration. Takata previously believed that a particular drying agent, calcium sulfate (Ca2SO4), stopped the propellant from degrading, but now suspects that desiccant is inadequate and is a poten-

tial hazard. Takata originally used a toxic airbag propellant called sodium azide. But that compound is volatile and could release toxic fumes into the car when the airbags deployed, especially if damaged. Ammonium nitrate, they concluded, would do the job more effectively and at lower cost. In 1981 Mercedes-Benz was the world’s first automobile manufacturer to present the airbag and a propellant driven belt tensioner as restraint systems to the public in a series-production car. American manufacturers followed suit and delivered their first test fleets with compressed-air operated airbags, these restraint systems—which were conceived as an alternative to seat belts—sometimes led to serious injuries and in a few cases even fatalities. Autoliv, a Swedish-American automotive safety products manufacturer, said in 2014 that it avoided using ammonium nitrate because of stability issues. Key Safety Systems, the recent buyer of Takata’s bankrupt assets, said at the time that it used guanidine nitrate and tetrazole— which experts said was more expensive but less risky and more durable than ammonium nitrate. TRW Automotive, a large supplier of safety parts based in Michigan, also used a propellant based on guanidine nitrate. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration now says that tests done by Takata show that—for the first time—this type of calcium sulfate-desiccated inflator “will pose a safety risk if not replaced.” The agency says it has no reports of any inflators with this desiccant actually rupturing. Takata said in documents filed with the safety agency that it tested the inflators returned from Nissan and Ford vehicles which use calcium sulfate as a drying agent. Although none of the inflators actually ruptured, some showed a pattern of deterioration in the ammonium nitrate propellant over time “that is understood to predict a future risk of inflator rupture.” NHTSA said in a statement that not all Takata inflators with a desiccant are being recalled. Takata used different drying agents in its other inflators, the agency said. Nissan said the new recall affects just over 515,000 Versa subcompact hatchback and sedans from the 2007 through 2012 model years. Mazda said its recall covers about 6,000 BSeries trucks from 2007 through 2009.

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Ford, which has the most vehicles involved in the latest recall, is reviewing the information and will file a list of models within the time required by law. The latest recall raises doubts about the safety of other Takata Corp. inflators that use ammonium nitrate and drying agents. The doubts over Takata’s propellant raise questions of whether the recalls should be limited to humid regions. For as far back as 2014 NHTSA said that it would urge automakers to expand recalls of certain drivers’ side airbags that had previously been limited to states and territories with high humidity. The company has now agreed to recall all original equipment inflators without a drying agent in phases by the end of 2018. NHTSA gave Takata until the end of 2019 to prove that inflators with the drying agents are safe, or they must be recalled as well. Takata pleaded guilty to criminal charges in January 2017 and agreed to pay a $1 billion fine related to its faulty airbag inflator systems. After filing for bankruptcy protection in June, it is selling assets to be able to continue manufacturing components. The company has said that it ex-

pects to fund the airbag repairs through the asset sale and that it has secured financing to ensure it can continue operations, including dealing with the defective inflators, while it restructures. NHTSA said Takata has assured the agency that it will keep making inflator parts available. “This recall now raises serious questions about the threat posed by all of Takata’s ammonium-nitrate-based airbags,” Senator Bill Nelson, Democrat of Florida, said in a statement. “If even more are found to be defective, it will take us from the biggest recall ever to something that could become mind-boggling.” The agency is urging people whose inflators have been recalled to get them replaced as soon as possible. To find out if your car or truck is part of the recall, go to nhtsa.gov/recalls or airbagrecall.com and key in the 17digit vehicle identification number.

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lows for auto body shops to report whatever labor rate they choose.

two-part cyanoacrylate paints, could involve new equipment, processes, products or control measures.

Response to AB 1679

■ CAA: The CDI’s voluntary survey method will produce markets that include anywhere from six to more than 80 body shops. Insurers supporting AB 1679 believe that a fair market area can be more than 20,000 square miles (e.g. San Bernardino County).

■ Shops may not report any rate they choose. The CDI survey requires shops to “indicate the hourly rate charged by your facility” and then to “declare that the information provided above is true and correct” with their signature.

Respiratory Protection

Hazard Control Evaluation If the assessment shows that exposure levels of airborne contaminants are outside of the OSHA limits, the respiratory protection program administrator (see next section) should first see if the exposure can be controlled through engineering controls (e.g. elimination, substitution, or local exhaust ventilation) or administrative controls (e.g. use of relief workers, rotation of workers or work breaks). If there is no way

FAIR Coalition: Early estimates demonstrate that Californians could see a $280 to $300 million increase in auto repairs because of inflated labor rates. Note: After only two months of being in place, insurers across the state are already seeing coordinated efforts from certain auto body shops demanding unprecedented hourly rate increases ranging from $5 to $40 dollars.

■ CAA: CDI documented the increase at $1.15 million, or pennies per policyholder. Insurers refuse to supply calculations used to arrive at their projected increase.

■ The CDI Standardized Labor Rate Surveys completed by five major insurers include more than 25,000 labor rate responses from California body shops. If there actually were “unprecedented” labor rate increases, those surveys will certainly contain proof of said increases, so why are they being illegally withheld?

FAIR Coalition: A single set of government regulations should not cause one industry to financially benefit at the cost of consumers.

■ CAA: The government regulations are meant to keep insurers from financially benefitting from “shortpaying” claims by using bogus labor rate surveys. The only increased payments to shops and their customers (and those consumers who choose not to have their car fixed) will be due to the fact those “short-pays” will no longer occur.

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to effectively reduce the exposure to acceptable levels, respiratory protection must be provided.

Respiratory Protection – Getting Started US OSHA in 29 CFR 1910.134 details the requirements for a respiratory program. Employers who will be using respirators at their facility must read and understand these regulations. These regulations require the employer to designate a respirator program administrator. This person will be responsible for overseeing the proper and safe use of respirators at the facility. Respirator manufacturers, workers compensation loss control departments, local safety councils and independent safety consultants may

be able to supply the necessary training for both the program administrator and the actual respirator users. A written program is also required by OSHA and is a core component to an effective and complete respiratory protection program. Per 29 CFR 1910.134, the written program must address worksitespecific procedures for:

• Respirator selection • Medical evaluation of the wearer • Fit testing • Use of respirators in both routine and emergency situations • Maintenance, cleaning, disposal and care of the respirators • Assuring adequate air quality if supplied air respirators are used

• Training of the worker on the respiratory hazards they may encounter and the proper use, care and maintenance of the respirator they will use • Program evaluation to ensure proper functioning

Respiratory Selection After identifying the hazards, the exposure levels from the exposure assessment must be compared to the permissible exposure limit, or PEL, as set by OSHA to determine if respiratory protection is needed. Occupational exposure limits (OEL) are good practice recommendations set by product manufacturers. Other professional societies can also be considered if exposure levels are below the PEL. Any respirator used in a U.S. workplace must be approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). All NIOSH-approved respirators have an assigned protection factor (APF) ranging from 10 to 10,000. The APF is the workplace level of respiratory protection that a respirator or class of respirators is expected to provide to employees when a complete respiratory protection program is implemented. An APF of 10, for example,

means that when selected and used correctly, a particular class of respirators can reduce exposure levels that are up to 10 times the contaminant PEL to a level determined by OSHA to be acceptable. When considering respirator products, the first step is to identify the necessary APF and other protective equipment a worker must wear. If they have to wear safety glasses, a half-face respirator may compete for space on the bridge of the nose. Considering multiple options for not only respiratory protection, but also other personal protective equipment is the best way to help ensure that the worker is comfortable and protected. Because faces come in many shapes and sizes, workers may need to try on a variety of models and/or sizes of PPE in order to find a combination that is acceptable. It is important to consider both comfort and fit. There are multiple resources to help program administrators select the right respirator. Insurance loss control, private consultants and respirator manufacturer’s technical service are three potential sources. 3M also offers free online Select and Service Life Software—enter the contaminants and

their concentrations, and the software will analyze the data and prepare a record of suggested potential 3M respirator options (3). The employer can then look at their particular worksite to determine the best option. If work is intermittent and contaminants have relatively low toxicity, half-face piece respirators may be acceptable. If mobility is required and skin contact is a concern (e.g. isocyanates), a powered air respirator with a shoulder-length hood may be a better choice.

Medical Evaluation and Fit Testing Before wearing a respirator, workers need to be medically evaluated to help ensure they can safely wear the respirator. OSHA requires workers to first complete a questionnaire regarding health conditions that could affect their ability to wear a respirator, as well as the workplace conditions and hazards they face. A licensed healthcare professional then must evaluate the employee’s responses and advise whether the worker is able to wear the class of respirator being considered. If a worker is medically approved, he or she must then undergo fit testing for tight-fitting respirators. This is a critical step to help ensure that the se-

lected respirator is capable of fitting the worker correctly and providing the expected protection. OSHA has not established a time frame for when to repeat the medical evaluation. However, all workers using respirators must be reevaluated when:

• A worker reports signs or symptoms that may affect his or her ability to safely use a respirator • A physician, supervisor or respiratory program administrator requests an evaluation • Information during fit testing or program evaluation indicates a need for reevaluation • Changes in the worker’s health status (e.g. subsequent diagnosis of cardiovascular disease) • Changes in workplace conditions increase the burden on the worker, such as temperatures, level of exertion or equipment needs Fit testing must be conducted annually or whenever a change occurs that may affect the fit (e.g. significant change of weight that affect the face, significant dental work, or change in model of face piece). Refer to 29 CFR 1910.134 See Respiratory Protection, Page 59

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Hawaii Body Shops

owned and operated by Dale and Rissa Matsumoto. “Rissa took me under her wing. She was just a blessing. She was so helpful,” Judith said. After the vehicle went through a thorough mapping and blueprinting process at Auto Body Hawaii, GEICO was again notified. The vehicle was reinspected by a third appraiser, who then determined it to be a total loss. The shop recommended that Judith reach out to Billy Walkowiak, CEO of Collision Safety Consultants. “We recognized that the owner needed someone who would be representing her best interest,” Rissa said. “With these kinds of situations, your average consumer does not know what their rights really are or even know they actually have rights. We see it

happening over and over on a daily basis. People need to read and understand their insurance policy.” Judith hired Walkowiak to help determine the actual cash value of the BMW. “Once it was totaled, they offered a value much below what I believe the value of the vehicle was,” Walkowiak said. “She [Judith] invoked the appraisal clause, which says that each party shall hire a competent and disinterested appraiser.” Excerpt of the Appraisal clause from Judith’s GEICO insurance policy: 6. Appraisal: If we and the insured do not agree on the amount of loss, either may, within

60 days after proof of loss if file, determine an appraisal of the loss. In that event, we and the insured will each select a competent appraiser. The appraisers will select a competent and disinterested umpire. The appraisers will state separately the actual cash value and the amount of the loss. If

Walkowiak said. “I had a copy of the policy and it doesn’t say the umpire has to be licensed and doesn’t say it has to be someone from Hawaii. The policy said a competent umpire.” Eventually, they agreed to use an independent appraiser recommended by GEICO who turned out to be lo-

they fail to agree, they will submit the dispute to the umpire. An award in writing of any two will determine the amount of the loss. We and the insured will each pay his chosen appraiser and will bear equally the other expenses of the appraisal and umpire. We will not waive our rights by any of our acts relating to appraisal.

cated out of state. “Mr. Harwood recommended the umpire that we ultimately agreed to use,” Walkowiak said. “I found it comical that not only was he not a licensed adjuster but he also wasn’t even located in Hawaii, which was the original reason Mr. Harwood rejected my umpire recommendations. I guess this now sets a precedent for our next umpire selection.” After receiving the umpire’s ruling, Walkowiak said he was able to obtain an additional $6,700 for Judith’s vehicle. “It was a long hard battle fought,

“These body shops are getting beat up left and right, and there is nobody there to help them. It is happening all over the islands,” — Billy Walkowiak

“I call him the ‘Terminator’ because he is,” Judith said. “I knew I needed help because the car was a total. They never want to say it’s a total because they have to give the value of the car.” Walkowiak said GEICO’s licensed adjuster, Bill Harwood, the auto damage supervisor for GEICO’s Hawaii Claims Office – Outer Islands, told him he was the GEICO appraiser and wanted to use the evaluation from CCC to determine the value of the vehicle. Since they did not agree on the amount of the loss, the next step was choosing an umpire. Walkowiak provided three names. “He said the umpire has to be a licensed adjuster on the island,”

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but GEICO was forced to finally declare it a total loss and the grieving GEICO paid me $34,000,” Judith said, who describes her feeling as “finally in a joyous frame of mind.” “It took the stress off because I knew there was someone there to help,” she said. “The guy [Billy Walkowiak] is sharp. It was well worth the money.” Janice Hobart, GEICO’s Assistant Vice President of Corporate Communications, told Autobody News that “GEICO was happy to work with our customer to resolve the issues throughout the claim.” After dealing with this situation, Walkowiak said it has actually motivated him to get his adjuster’s license in Hawaii. “These body shops are getting beat up left and right and there is nobody there to help them,” Walkowiak said. “It is happening all over the islands. It has been going on a long time and they have been struggling. It’s getting worse because nobody has challenged them [the insurance companies].” In addition to working on another total loss claim in Hawaii, Collision Safety Consultants is assisting with See Hawaii Body Shops, Page 24

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Hawaii Body Shops

two diminished value claims in the Aloha state. Walkowiak wants other shops to know they are not alone and how important it is to reach out for assistance when a consumer or body shop is struggling with an insurance company. “There is someone out there to help their consumers and help them get paid for proper repairs,” he said. “It pains me to watch how long some of these insurance claim interactions take to reach a conclusion,” said Dale Matsumoto, owner of Auto Body Hawaii. “The time it took from the first estimate to the time the vehicle was determined to be a total loss and Judith accepted the settlement was ridiculous and unacceptable. We are finding that much time and money are wasted due to the inefficiencies of the insurance company. Many of the delays the consumer experienced could have be reduced if the insurance company utilized experienced appraisers and pricing tools that are more reflective of the actual local market prices. Just the fact that this is happening implies that this process is unfairly stacked against a consumer when they have a loss.” Sabrina Dela Rama, manager of the Tony Group Collision Center in Waipahu, located on Oahu, is dealing with similar issues. Recently, Dela Rama went to court regarding a situation with her aunt’s vehicle and Farmers Insurance. “Farmers decided to short pay this claim by trying to pay us their contracted rates and not the market rates, as we are not a direct repair shop for Farmers,” Dela Rama said. Both parties were referred to mediation and according to court documents, Farmers refused to mediate. The case was recalled and the parties were ordered to mediate again. When no resolution was reached, it went to trial and the court found in favor of the plaintiff. Since that case was settled, Dela Rama began working on two more files involving Farmers Insurance. She said they have invoked the appraisal clause on one of the files, which Dela Rama believes is a first on Oahu. “Even after Farmers lost in court, they are using anything they can to not pay a fair and reasonable repair—how is that?” Dela Rama said.

Tim Ronak: Body Shops in Hawaii Facing a Sea of Change

Tim Ronak, Senior Services Consultant with AkzoNobel Automotive and Aerospace Coatings, works with several shops in Hawaii, including many that have agreed to be part of some form of a Direct Repair Program (DRP). Autobody News reached out to Ronak to find out more about the current state of the collision repair industry in Hawaii. “Most of the businesses on the Island(s) are owned by the operators and function much like a family business,” Ronak said. “For years, the assertion has been that the rate paid for repairs has been ‘determined’ by the insurer paying the bill, and occasionally they adjust rates up or down as well as deem whether required procedures are billable or not. The second file involved a claimant’s vehicle and the insurance company paid in full, including body supplies, after a demand letter was sent to their insured. “They [the insurers] continue to cause Tort Interference to avoid paying a reasonable and fair market rate,” said Dela Rama. Tortious interference is defined by the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School as “…a common law tort allowing a claim for damages against a defendant who wrongfully interferes with the plaintiff’s contractual or business relationships.” According to the 2016 Hawaii Revised Statues (HRS) Insurance Code: §431:10-220 “Policy must contain entire contract. (a) No agreement in conflict with, modifying, or extending any contract of insurance shall be valid unless in writing and made a part of the policy.” Dela Rama said that after a loss is accrued and an estimate is prepared, the insurance company usually sends a letter stating if the insured or claimant chooses a shop that is not part of a DRP and the shop charges more than what the Farmers estimate is, they will have See Hawaii Body Shops, Page 27

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“The fragmented small ‘family’ business mentality has handicapped the industry in Hawaii more than it has in most other areas of the country. It has an extreme cost of living, yet has a lower labor rate than many areas in the U.S. that have much lower costs of living. “With all this effort to limit reimbursement for collision repairs, it is interesting that Hawaii, according to NAIC Insurance Information Institute, was the most profitable state for insurers to sell auto insurance for the 10 years ending in 2014. “This is where the challenge comes in… some insurers felt that since they pay a specific rate in some shops (either through a DRP or otherwise) or define certain procedures as not billable (conceded

by DRP shops) that it should apply to all shops. The conflict started when one shop became manufacturer-certified to be able to support the new vehicles produced and sold by their organization. The manufacturer required some expensive equipment and also a commitment to participate in ongoing training for technicians. The manufacturer also required performance of specific repair procedures in a specific way to ensure the safe operation of all safety systems after repairs are completed. Initially, the facility simply tried to avoid conflict by not performing repairs for specific customers whose insurers were unwilling to reimburse for all procedures at the rates the facility charged. The manSee Tim Ronak, Page 27

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Tim Ronak

ufacturer stepped in and indicated that they indeed needed to provide service (including collision repairs) for vehicles they sold. “This created two conflicts: 1. DRP (asserted) Rates were inadequate to provide an adequate return for the required new ongoing investment in training and equipment that would be critical to ensure the capability to repair back to the manufacturer-recommended state ensuring consumer safety. The investments will no longer be one-time expenditures, as the investments will be ongoing as new technology will displace old technology at a more frequent pace than in the past, requiring a

more frequent and sizable investment. “Aside from the anti-competitive legality of an insurer attempting to limit reimbursement to a consumer based on what that insurer can contract with elsewhere, consumers are free to select repair shops they feel will perform repairs to their satisfaction at a reasonable rate. In this case, the facility researched local retail rates and voluntarily left DRP programs that did not reimburse consumers at the competitive retail door rates charged by the facility. An attempt by an insurer to limit or cap rates paid to reimburse consumers to the specific contracted DRP rates when working with facilities outside of that DRP contract is prohibited through the Sherman Act and is a

defined anti-competitive behavior. “2. Specific procedures required by the manufacturer to return the vehicle back to a state ready for the next collision need to be performed. If the procedures are required by the manufacturer and as part of a certified repair, it does not leave the facility any realistic options. The procedures NEED to be performed and completing them for free while paying technicians with no reimbursement is an unrealistic expectation. Not performing the recommended procedures will leave the consumer at additional risk than they were exposed to prior to the repair. “In June 2017, an article reported that Thatcham in the UK had seen repair severity increase 30 percent Continued from Page 24

Hawaii Body Shops

to pay the difference. “The issue is that it is also misleading, as this letter is given out when the initial estimate is done, which is missing a lot of required procedures; therefore, customers think that’s all the insurance will pay,” Dela Rama said. “That letter seems to be breaking HRS 431:10-220 as the insurance company is making changes after a loss accrued; that’s not in the entire contract/policy. They’re changing the policy verbiage to limit rates and coverage after the fact.” Hawaii is a “no-fault-state” meaning that the insurance company will pay for injuries up to a certain amount. “Because ‘no-fault’ applies to injuries, not to vehicles or property, the driver at fault in an accident is responsi-

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in just the last three years and blamed manufacturer safety system technology. The efforts of insurers to manage severity through rate capping and denial of procedures is becoming a huge friction point. In an environment where severity is increasing due to advancing technology, the losers seem to be the repair shops that face a severity metric they have no ability to manage. This conflict is starting to elicit change, but the constant battle and accusations of charging for things that are not needed is something that can take a toll on anyone. The reality is that this market out in the Pacific is facing a sea of change and the technological tsunami of new vehicle safety systems and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) is forcing many out of their comfort zone.” ble for damage to vehicle and property,” according to Hawaii Motor Vehicle Insurance Information. “Even though we’ve been involved in these recent situations with Farmers, we are not anti-insurance,” Dela Rama said. The Tony Group currently has direct repair contracts with insurance companies and also works with nonDRP insurance companies. “I want shops to realize that our duty is to complete repairs for our customers,” Dela Rama said. “We are obligated to them. Sometimes, we as collision repairers forget who the customers are.” “We don’t build these vehicles,” Rissa Matsumoto said. “We, as the repairer, have the responsibility to repair these vehicles back to their safety condition prior to the accident.” Farmers Insurance declined to comment.

www.autobodynews.com

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Shop Strategies with Stacey Phillips

Stacey Phillips is a freelance writer and editor for the automotive industry. She has 20 years of experience writing for a variety of publications, and is co-author of “The Secrets of America’s Greatest Body Shops.” She can be reached at sphillips.autobodynews@gmail.com.

GM Uses Her Industry Experience to Help Employees Manage Work-Life Stresses On a typical day at Pacific Elite Collision Centers, Cortney Arthur might run through the shop’s production list, help write estimates, order parts or even detail cars. As the general manager of the company’s Downey East location in California, Arthur also spends time taking care of the insurance side of the business, keeping up with KPIs and ensuring the facility is compliant. “I’m a busy girl,” said Arthur, who was hired as a writer for Pacific Elite’s corporate facility a year and a half ago and then promoted to general manager just nine months later. “Numerous people told me that I wasn’t going to want the added pressure and it’s less stressful to be a writer. Since I took on the role as GM, there has only been one day when I thought, ‘What did I do?’ One day—not bad odds.”

Cortney Arthur, the General Manager of Pacific Elite’s Downey East location, with Bill Soto, Production Manager

The family-owned and operated company is a 16-shop MSO with locations throughout Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino Counties. The company is owned by Tim Mullahey and Mike Salyards. Autobody News reached out to the busy mom of two to find out how Arthur juggles work and home life while managing a successful body shop.

How did your background in the Q: industry prepare you to work as a GM at Pacific Elite? I started in collision repair in A: the early 2000s working for my family’s body shop in Lancaster—

The staff at Pacific Elite’s Downey East location

California Collision Center. After a few years, I decided I wanted to learn more. I wanted to be exposed to more cars and more repair processes and realized that the best way for me to do that was to work on the insurance side and become a field appraiser. I went to work for a large insurance carrier for five years and it was awesome. I had the time of my life! You write eight claims a day and visit so many shops and see different shop order processes. You travel from MSOs to mom-and-pop shops and are able to experience how shops are being run everywhere. I had a lot of exposure and met great people. I saw a lot of things I wouldn’t want to do and a lot of great things that I would want to do if I ever ran my own shop. After five years with the company, I wasn’t being challenged enough. I missed the rush of collision repair. I went back and worked for a large MSO for four years. Meanwhile, I became the single mom of a 4-yearold and 6-year-old. During that time, I became really burned out. I was working 11- and 12hour days. It felt like it had turned into a numbers game and you were only as good as your last month and your sales. Eventually, I quit and took three months off. Then about a year and a half ago, I received a call from a friend from Pacific Elite who recommended I meet with the managers there. They were so excited and enthusiastic, and they reminded me of home. I was a little leery at first, but I got onboard and they brought me into their corporate store, which is great exposure because you get to meet so many wonderful people. I remember on my third day of training I was in Covina and the COO, Bob Benjamin, drove to meet me as a

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new hire. I thought, ‘That’s rare, that’s really rare.’ I knew right then this was going to be different. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, which is bad because you should never think something is going to happen, but I just kept wondering ‘When is it going to turn into how everything else has been?’ A year and a half later, it still hasn’t.

What do you enjoy most about Q: working as a GM in this industry?

My favorite part is getting to be A: part of everybody’s lives. I try to have a conversation with every em-

ployee at least once a day to make sure they have everything they need. I want to find out if there is anything going on in their lives that I need to be aware of. I have a great rapport with all my staff.

I also make it a priority to understand what they want out of their life and help them reach their goals. I’ve helped fast-track a couple of people already who felt stagnant in their positions and were not happy at the time that I came on board. Since then, we’ve moved them into better positions and they are learning more and growing, and you can see them evolving as people. They’re happier now and sometimes a spouse will come in and say, ‘They’ve changed so much.’ I enjoy getting to see that. is it like to be a woman in Q: aWhat typically male environment? The officer manager and customer service representatives A: (CSRs) are female and there are

women who are part of the corporate team. However, I am the only female manager in the organization. It’s really See Female GM, Page 30

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Female GM

great. There are always going to be people who think that because I’m a girl and they are guys, they know more than me. There are a lot of customers who have changed their mindset and realized we can learn from everybody. However, there are still customers who say they want a man to help them. I think that’s always going to be something women have to challenge. It’s especially prevalent in collision repair. Girls aren’t supposed to know about cars and anything like plumbing or building a house in our society’s vision. What’s great is that girls are becoming more aware and involved. Typically, those who do get involved in this industry are really great at it because we’re excellent multi-taskers and pay attention to details.

What advice would you offer young women who are thinking of joining the industry?

It’s not easy. You have to have tough skin for sure and ask A: about anything you don’t understand.

Don’t be afraid because there’s no stupid question. If someone makes you feel stupid for asking that question, it’s on them, not you. It’s a learning process and you’re going to have days where you want to rip your hair out. But then you’re going to have days where you will be so happy with what you are doing. It’s a roller coaster. Every day you might put out 10-15 fires. Parts don’t come in or something happens. It’s an adrenaline rush and you’re either going to fall in love with that or it’s not going to be for you. Whatever you do, I don’t think you should ever give up because of somebody else’s opinion. I think if it’s something you want to do, then go for it. My company asked me to speak at UTI to encourage young women to get involved in the industry and show

parents that this profession is not just for boys. It’s an honor and really cool to think you can inspire others to join the industry and they can have a great fulfilling life in it.

How have you handled some Q: of the challenges of work-life balance? The first few years were chaotic. I remember times when I was A: working at the MSO and my son had

the stomach flu but I couldn’t miss work, so we made a little bed on the ground next to me. I had a couple of great managers who were understanding of that. I was lucky. There are plenty of people who would say ‘Your kid can’t come.’ It was really hard. I had a lot of babysitters and a nanny for a while, but I was determined. I knew what I wanted and that there would be a sacrifice, and unfortunately that was time with my kids. Now my boys are 11 and 13 and more independent. I’ve always been one of those people who are really good at organization. One of my managers told me that I’m detail-oriented to a fault. If I know that something big is coming up, I come in early or stay late the day before and try to work around it so I can get to my kids’ practice or game or do whatever I have to do. It’s a double-edge sword because I see a lot of moms who are helicopter moms and I see how these kids are not able to do a whole lot for themselves when the time comes. I can come home at 5:30 p.m. and the laundry will be folded, chores and homework will be finished and one of them will have started making dinner. They are very resilient and independent little boys and I hope that they are going to be great members of society someday—I think they will be.

What sets Pacific Elite apart Q: from other repair facilities? Originally, Pacific Collision A: and The Elite Group were two

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30 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

separate companies that had been in business independently for about 20 years. Then The Elite Group acquired Pacific Collision in November 2013 and the company became Pacific Elite. It now has about 385 employees. As big as we are, we are still very family-oriented. Nobody is treated differently. We usually see the owners and our executive team a few times a week. They make their rounds and talk to everybody. They are also incredible about staying up with the latest equipment. I’ve never seen an organization like this. If they think it will get the customer a great result that we’re all happy with and uses less waste and energy, then they are definitely going investigate it. We are a lean process organization. We have spaces and signs and stalls for everything. You walk through my shop and most people’s mouths hit the ground because they cannot believe it’s a body shop.

How has using a lean process Q: benefited the business? Using the lean process is very organized and improves everyA: thing. There’s less clutter and things

are where they are supposed to be every tim,e so there’s less downtime. It also improves cycle time and overall quality. A saying from one of our owners is: ‘A messy stall or a messy shop isn’t honest.’ It’s true because you can hide a lot behind a mess. That’s why when it’s clean and up front, you know what you have and where it is going.

What is your hope for Pacific Q: Elite? I hope they continue to grow A: and maintain the environment they have right now. It’s really unique,

especially with this whole MSO concept the collision industry is in right now. To find your own little place at work where you feel at home and safe is very special. They’re great people and I’m very thankful for where I am. I think that is why we don’t have high employee turnover. There may be other MSOs to work for, but few offer the quality of work life that we have here. It’s really awesome. I would love to grow within the company. I always joke with my COO and tell him, “When you retire, I want your job!”

www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 31

Air Force Veteran Credits WyoTech for his Success at Son of a Fink Kustoms by Ed Attanasio

Bryan “BJ” Barger was an Air Force jet engine mechanic for a decade and was deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Korea. Today, he is the owner of Son of a Fink Kustoms in Mountain Home, ID. As a 2010 WyoTech graduate, Barger, 36, gives much credit to the school that helped him find a viable and profitable career in car restoration and customization. ABN sat down recently with Barger to discuss his journey and his opinions about the industry overall. How did WyoTech set Q: you up for success in the collision repair industry, and how

rod—and finished at the top of my class every time. While I was there I would stick around after school every day and pick up as much as I possibly could. I’d even stick around for the next class and help the instructor just

Do you hire veterans/WyoTech at your shop? Q: grads Yes. We have a lot of retirees A: here and I like to bring them in to do body work. I work with a lot of

Veteran Bryan “BJ” Barger is the owner of Son of a Fink Kustoms in Mountain Home, ID, a 2010 graduate of WyoTech.

has it led to owning a shop?

getting all that training made me a jack-of-all-trades. It made me want more. Being a veteran, you come out of the military and you want to push yourself to be the best. Being at WyoTech, one of the best schools in the country, also pushes you to be the best.

to gather more information and soak up as much as I could while I was there.

I owe everything to WyoTech— A: that’s where I got my inspiraHow did that lead to you ownQ: tion. The instructors are top-notch. I’ve ing your shop? never been in a place that offered as Being at WyoTech made me much instruction as you wanted. I A: want to own my own shop betook a ton of classes—automotive, cause learning all that information and high performance, collision, street

disabled veteran organizations around here trying to relocate vets. I hire them as apprentices and teach them a trade. I open up my shop to everybody because there are too many people who close their doors. My deal is if you come in and work for me for two hours, I’ll go work on your car for an hour for free. That way they’re learning. I like that they’re trying to better themselves. It’s all around great for everybody. Right now, I only have one partner in my business, and we have one apprentice. We like doing the apprenticeship program because we like

to teach them.

What are the three main things Q: you learned while attending WyoTech?

The most important things I A: learned at WyoTech are that I can do it, to pay attention to detail, and that it’s best to learn as much as you possibly can when you can. The in-

structors at WyoTech put so much into me; they let me know that I can do it. They taught me to pay attention to detail and about the business. They pushed me, and inspired me to start my own shop. I owe everything to that place.

As a body shop owner/restoraQ: tion company, what are your top concerns?

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My top concerns are keeping A: the doors open, keeping customers flowing and making sure that

good relationships are kept with other body shops. I want to keep everyone, including the insurance companies, happy. We work hard to make sure our reputation stays as good as possible.

How has the restoration inQ: dustry in your state changed most significantly

if your relationships with your insurers have changed, how and why?

I agree that our relationships A: with insurers have changed, but for us they have gotten better. They

want to save money by using aftermarket parts – I suggest using aftermarket products with a warranty. The insurance guy in town sends cus-

within the last 10-20 years?

The big trend we are A: seeing is that customers don’t want their car back the

same color it came in with. Also many are moving towards graphics and customization. This trend is getting stronger in Barger and his crew are working hard on their 2017 our state (Idaho). We can cus- SEMA build by completely restoring this 1966 Ford Bronco for TKO Clamping Systems tomize a car with aftermarket tomers to my body shop all the time. I parts and make it better than when it was often hear “I should get in an accident new for less than a traditional body shop so I can get my car fixed” and I conusing OEM parts. sider that a compliment. A body shop owner told me one time that the tug-of-war between How has all of the new techbody shops and insurance companies nology impacted your producwill never cease, although it will change tivity? Customer service? Marketing? and evolve over time. Do you agree and Online?

Technology is great. Facebook A: is key to driving customers and Instagram allows you to post pic-

tures and hook a younger generation that is looking for graphics. We are surrounded with social media, which is why I created a social media team to drive more attention.

ers and customers. I prefer aftermarket, because I can make them fit better. We can cut and trim the parts and do a little customization to make it fit better than it did originally. Believe it or not, it’s really affordable. If more body shops were to offer custom work, they would see a lot more productivity and more people coming in.

In Idaho, do you still encounter Q: midnight body shops that are Imagine this industry in 20 operating under the radar? How do years, and share your vision. Q: these shady businesses affect your botTwenty years from now it will tom line? A: still be pretty much the same. We encounter midnight body You’ll still have to fix dents and dings A: shops a lot. They don’t affect and chips here and there. We also do a our bottom line—they weed themlot of custom work, and people will al-

selves out. The part that frustrates me the most is redoing the poor work they did on someone’s vehicle.

Are you constantly asked by Q: your insurance partners to incorporate more aftermarket and recy-

cled/remanufactured parts into your repairs? Are some of these parts OK to use, or would you want to use OE parts on every repair if you could?

We are the ones recommending A: aftermarket parts to the insur-

ways want to customize their vehicles. There will always be aftermarket parts and accessories and custom paint. And even if cars are all automated, people will still want hot rods and street rods.

What are you currently workQ: ing on? One of the restorations we’re doing right now is completely A: restoring a 1966 Ford Bronco for TKO

Clamping Systems called “Norma See Air Force Veteran, Page 41

www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 33

DIY Repair in Florida Results in Fatal Airbag Explosion, “Alpha” Inflators are Most Dangerous Type A Florida man was killed by an exploding Takata air bag inflator while doing a DIY repair in June last year. Ramon V. Kuffo, 81, of Hialeah, Florida, was working inside a 2001 Honda Accord using a hammer when the air bag inflator ruptured, on June 18, 2016. A medical examiner ruled his death accidental due to head trauma, according to a Hialeah police report. According police, Kuffo was in the back yard of his home near Miami, working on a silver 2001 Honda Accord, when a neighbor heard a loud bang. The neighbor went outside and found Kuffo sitting in the passenger seat of the car unconscious and bleeding from his face. Kuffo was taken to a trauma center, where he died the next day. Both air bags had inflated. Honda released a statement on July 10, 2017, which read, in part: “Honda has notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the rupture of a Takata driver’s airbag inflator in a 2001 Honda Accord on June 18, 2016 at a private residence in Hialeah, Florida. The rupture occurred while an individual, who was not the vehicle owner, was attempting to perform unknown repairs inside the vehicle using a hammer while the ignition switch was in the “on” position. This triggered activation of the airbag inflator, which ruptured during deployment of the airbag. The individual died the next day from injuries sustained when the airbag deployed.

“It is difficult to determine whether the cause of death in this incident was the inflator rupture, or an interaction of the hammer with the deploying airbag. While the absolute cause of death may never be fully determined, Honda now considers this to be the 11th confirmed fatality in its vehicles related to Takata airbag inflator ruptures in the U.S.

“Honda has shared all of the available vehicle history information collected to date with NHTSA and will continue to cooperate with NHTSA throughout the process of the investigation. “Since 2009, the vehicle in the Hialeah, Florida event has been included in multiple recalls as well as a safety campaign related to its original defective Takata “Alpha” driver’s airbag inflator. Twelve mailed recall notices were sent over the course of nearly seven years to registered owners of this vehicle prior to the June 2016 incident. Our records indicate that the recall repair was never completed on this vehicle. “Honda continues to encourage all owners of vehicles containing re-

MSO Session Spotlight! OnStar - Redefining the Diagnostic and Claims Processes

MSO Session Spotlight! OnStar – Redefining the Diagnostic and Claims Processes As ADAS technology continues to revolutionize vehicles, the automotive industry is being presented with opportunities to improve the vehicle owners’ experience. At this year’s 6th annual MSO Symposium, Justin Klug, Emerging Business Group, GM OnStar, will join us to discuss Redefining the Diagnostic and Claims Processes with his perspective from OnStar. OnStar has been a leader in the advancement of first notice of loss and the industry is preparing for the next level of that natural evolution. Collision repairers, insurers, parts suppliers and others will benefit from the data that will be made available. It will

allow all of the stakeholders access to more advanced, accurate and timely information. This free flow of data will be a disrupter of current processes and the industry needs to brace itself for change. Companies such as GM are investing millions of dollars in developing technology that will not only improve customer safety but also customer convenience. Some vehicle owners are receiving information about their car today. How soon before they begin receiving software updates, resetting of Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC’s) and diagnostic information without having to bring their vehicle to a repair shop? Technology is going to make this a reality soon, which will once again change business models and processes.

34 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

called Takata airbag inflators, especially the “Alpha” inflators found in certain 2001–2003 models, to immediately check for open recalls and, if replacement is required, make an appointment at an authorized dealer for a free repair. The 2001 Accord has one of the most dangerous types of Takata driver’s side air bag inflators. Laboratory tests show they have as high as a 50 percent chance of blowing apart in a crash. The victim, who police said was not the car’s owner, was working on the interior of the car with a hammer and had taken apart the car’s center console, but it wasn’t clear what he was trying to fix. It’s also not clear why the air bag deployed, but police photos show the metal driver’s side inflator ruptured and shot out fragments, Honda said. The car’s ignition switch was on, so the air bag would have been ready in case of a crash, according to Honda. Martin noted that there is a deceleration sensor that activates the air bags mounted on the wall between the engine and passenger compartment. Honda urged owners who have received recall notices to get repairs

made as soon as possible, especially those with the Alpha inflators. Those models are the 2001 and 2002 Accord and Civic, the 2002 CR-V and Odyssey, the 2002 and 2003 Acura 3.2 TL, the 2003 Acura 3.2 CL and the 2003 Pilot. Honda says it has sufficient supplies of replacement inflators available to fix all of its recalled vehicles. “It’s essential to safety that highrisk inflators are replaced immediately,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement. Honda says its service procedures recommend disconnecting the battery when working on the air bag system. Owners can go online and subscribe to Honda service manuals and find out proper procedures for many repairs. It costs about $10 per day, Martin said. Multiple owners of the car were mailed 12 recall notices over seven years. “Our records indicate that the recall repair was never completed on this vehicle,” Honda said in a statement. See related story this issue.

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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 35

Shop Strategies with Stacey Phillips

Smith Brothers Focus on Exceptional Customer Service While Dividing Time among Three Locations At Smith Bros Collision Center and Truck Accessories, brothers Chad and Adam Smith work hard to ensure every repair is a positive experience for their customers. “We believe our customers come first and great service is something they deserve,” said Chad, co-owner of the Mississippi-based business. “Through

The McComb location was acquired by Smith Bros Collison Repair and Truck Accessories in 2004

continuing education and process improvement, we empower our team with knowledge to serve our customers and exceed their expectations.” In 2000, the brothers acquired a dealership shop in Brookhaven, MS, that was shutting down. Adam was 21 years old at the time and had a few years of experience in the body shop industry, while Chad was 28 and had a background in finance and accounting. The Smith brothers rented the building from the owner of the dealership, kept the same team of employees in place and named the shop Smith Bros Collision Center and Truck Accessories. Four years later, they acquired a second location in McComb. A third location was added in September 2015 in Hattiesburg. Autobody News talked to Chad about the family-run business and how the brothers operate three locations while focusing on excellent customer service and staying active in the industry.

As a family-owned business, Q: how have you and your brother divided responsibilities?

When we first started and grew A: from one to two shops, it made sense that one of us primarily stayed

at one of the locations. At the time, we had to manage the individual shops,

which prevented us from expanding the business. When we opened the third location, we realized that we couldn’t be in three places at the same time. We promoted someone from within the organization and hired general managers who could handle day-to-day operations. It also enabled us to focus on growing the business. We are now able to manage operations from any of the three locations. Neither of us just put our feet up and work from home. Adam or I are always at one of the shops, although we’re not necessarily on the same schedule. Sometimes we’re both at the same place, depending on what is going on at a certain time.

Working in a family company Q: can often be challenging. Can you share any advice with those in a similar situation?

It has been a good experience A: for us. Fortunately, we haven’t had any issues working together. I

think one of the main things is having a good understanding that family comes first. It’s so important to always put family above anything businessrelated. Make sure you are on the same page knowing what your end goal is as far as where you want your business to go.

The reception area at the company’s Brookhaven location

Ask the tough questions. Do you want to have a business that relies on insurance relationships and profitability in order to be sustainable and not necessarily focus on the customer? I’m not saying the two are exclusive to one another. Or do you want to have a business that focuses on customer relations and still be profitable? It’s critical to make sure you both have the same idea about the business model

36 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

you want to run and what you want to achieve.

long-term relationships with our customers.

car and truck mechanical repair shop. We also provide a great selection of truck accessories at each of our three locations. In our part of the country, trucks are very prevalent. We might have a customer who has purchased a new or used truck and he/she wants to add certain things to it, such as a bed cover or step bar. By selling truck accessories, we potentially have an up sale. We try to stock items that make someone’s ride “one-of-a-kind.” This includes access to a complete line of coolers and freezers. In addition to making a retail sale, it gives us an opportunity to build

our customers’ vehicles in the proper manner according to manufacturers’ specifications. Over the past few years, we put a lot of effort into obtaining our OEM certifications and are currently certified with most of the major players. I believe only one in 10 shops will exceed or meet the standards for these certifications. We are also working on becoming I-CAR Gold Class and are on track to be Honda ProFirst certified. On average, accidents occur every 10-12 years, and some reports say 1517 years. Although it’s not a normal

How has offering additional What is the importance of havQ: services to collision repair benQ: ing OEM certifications? efited Smith Bros? One of our goals is to be a bestIn addition to collision repair A: in-class collision repair busiA: work, we have a full-service ness. We make every effort to repair

See Smith Brothers, Page 54

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H OND A C AL I FO RN I A

AutoNation Honda Co sta M es a

866-411-4759 714-434-5270 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-7; Sat 8-5 kleines@autonation.com

AutoNation Honda Roseville Ro se vi l l e

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Barber Honda Ba ke rs fie l d

661-396-4235 Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30 bestchoice@barberhonda.com

First Honda Si m i Va l l e y

888-523-0698 805-584-6646 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 7:30-5 hondaparts@firstautogroup.com

Galpin Honda M i ssi o n H i l ls

800-GO GALPIN 818-778-2005 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-2 mteeman@galpin.com

Honda Cars of Corona Co ro n a

800-557-3652 951-734-9045 Dept. Hours: M-Sat 7-5 terry.love@pscauto.com

AC U RA C AL I FO RN I 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

38 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Please contact these dealers for your Honda or Acura Genuine parts needs. C AL IFOR N I A

CAL IFO RNIA

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Honda of Hollywood

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jgardiner@pacifichonda.com

800-585-8648 530-758-8770

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Dept. Hours: M-Sat 8-6; Sun 8-5 dfortier@uhdavis.com

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Nor t h Ho lly wo od

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510-547-8047

800-508-3894 818-301-3511 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5

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Larry H. Miller Honda B o is e

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Honda of Fife

IDAH O

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888-229-2956 253-922-3331 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6 Sat 8-5; Sun 8-4 parts@hondaoffife.com

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N EVAD A

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Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-4 hondaparts@mccurley.net

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Larry Hopkins Honda

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800-717-3562 559-891-5111

408-720-0221 408-736-2608 Dept. Hours: M-Sat 8-5 parts1@hopkinsdirect.com

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Sierra Honda

Metro Honda

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Ocean Honda

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877-475-1142 408-324-7460

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4:30 mickw@oceanhondasantacruz.com

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ORE GON

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Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-4 jmoore@findlayauto.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7-8; Sat 7-5 Ricardo.pena@hendrickauto.com Mark.reed@hendrickauto.com Jason.torres@hendrickauto.com

AutoNation Acura of South Bay To r ra n c e

310-784-8680 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5 iwashitas@autonation.com

Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 bakersfieldacuraservice@yahoo.com

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Marin Acura C o rt e M ad e ra

WASH I NG TO N

IDAH O

800-77-Acura 415-927-5350

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Dept. Hours: M-F 8-5:30; Sat 8-4 parts@marinacura.com

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800-621-1775 208-377-3900 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6 acuraparts@lylepearson.com

253-926-3331 Dept. Hours: M-F 7-6; Sat 8-5 johnny@hinshaws.com

www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 39

Social Media for Shops Are You Gearing Up for Voice Search? with Ed Attanasio

“Siri, what is the meaning of life?” “I find it odd that you would ask this of, me, an inanimate object.”

Siri and I are not getting along right now. I accidentally called her Cortana the other day and she is obviously still fuming. I asked her for movie times just now and she said go ask Cortana. Whether her name is Siri, Cortana or Alexa, she and her sisters are going to be more and more in all of our lives from now on. Say goodbye to the keyboard generation, because typing is a drag and takes way too much time— just ask your kids. If you spend time with anyone in their twenties, you’ll notice that they prefer voice assistants over keyboards. This is a funny reversal of what happened in the early days of personal computing when the keyboard was part of the problem. Voice control is here to stay and there is no doubt that cell phone and tablet manufacturers

are looking for more ways to make voice even more prevalent in every aspect of society. There are three main reasons that are driving voice searches: 1) Voice search is starting to become part of the Generation Z’s mobile behavior as

they spend more of their day accessing apps and making them a bigger part of their lives. 2) Enhanced voice search apps such as Siri and Cortana are supported by AI technology and

40 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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

new proactive voice concierge services and 3) The growing consumer demand for wearable devices with voice control as a main feature. With voice search gaining major momentum, companies (including body shops) should be figuring out ways to optimize voice search and deliver seamless services, all from a mobile platform in all of their online marketing efforts. If you’re doubting the importance of voice search, check out these stats: According to GlobalWebIndex, voice search is increasing at the expense of browser-based search. In a recent study commissioned by Google, 55% of users under the age of 18 use voice search apps more than once daily, in comparison to 41% of adults. This study also revealed that 57% of people 18-25 aren’t worried about

protocol when using their smart phones, compared with only 24% of adults polled. As a result, companies will have to react to how your current and potential customers “voice their search” as the keywords and approach differ from text search in their browsers. The numbers are compelling and companies like Apple and Google are undoubtedly listening. These are numbers compiled by HubSpot, Search Engine Land and Statistica: ■ 19% of people use Siri at least daily.

■ 37% use Siri, 23% use Microsoft’s Cortana AI, and 19% use Amazon’s Alexa AI at least monthly.

■ 20% of search queries on Google’s mobile app and on Android devices are voice searches.

■ 60% of smart phone users who use

voice search have begun using it within the past year, with 41% of survey respondents having only begun to use voice search in the past six months.

casts, driving directions, or branded searches (ordering a pizza from Dominos).” By continually monitoring consumers’ online behavior and tracking their habits on their personal devices, Middendorf is able to find consistencies that will hopefully anticipate the next best thing. “There is a lot of research that goes into choosing a local service provider, including body shops, contractors, plumbers, etc.,” he said. “People like to look at a few different options which includes the companies’ websites and online review profiles. This is difficult to accomplish with voice. The most important things businesses need when it comes to digital marketing are mobile friendly websites (only about 40% of the prospects that we meet with have one) and a strong local SEO strategy (I’d say around 5% of the prospects that we meet with have any kind of strategy). If a business has both of those and still has capacity for more clients they should look at PPC, email marketing, and social media. Once they successfully implement those they can consider content marketing and marketing automation. At that point we might start looking into

■ 43% of mobile voice search users do so because they say it is quicker than going on a website or using an app.

■ 21% of mobile voice search users do so because they say they don’t like typing on their mobile.

While many marketing experts and trying to learn on the fly about the ins and outs of voice search, others feel it’s much ado about nothing at least for now. One of these people is Luke Middendorf, the owner of WSI Connect, a digital marketing firm in Concord, CA, that includes body shops as some of his clients. “To be honest, voice search is actually pretty low on our radar, Middendorf said.”I’m just not convinced that customers are using it to source local services. I know there are a lot of articles out there that point to unprecedented growth, but I believe that most of those are related to the weather fore-

voice search.” Angel Iraola, the owner of Net Business Consulting & Solutions in Santa Rosa, CA is currently trying to figure out a way for his clients to leverage this technology to their advantage, he said. “We think that those companies that will adapt quickly to the different types of voice search will succeed in that arena where others will be left behind, just like with any new type of technology,” Iraola said. “If you ask Siri for a list of the top body shops in any region, you will get 15 results, so how do you get to be #1? These are the things we need to know now, instead of 2-3 months from now where everyone else is on the same path.” Iraola says that voice search is not only here to stay, but will eliminate keyboards altogether on personal devices soon. “Many of these smart houses with sophisticated systems that control climate, electronics, etc. are run on voice and our cars are going that way too, so get ready for voice search and be prepared for when it truly explodes. People have realized that typing is time-consuming and a little clunky when you can just talk and get what you want.”

Continued from Page 33

Air Force Veteran

Jean” to appear at this year’s SEMA show for TKO Clamping Systems. We’re taking this diamond in the rough and turning her into a big star, and then taking her to Vegas! This is our first SEMA build and we are working with a lot of local artists on this project, so we’re really excited. What would you say to other Q: veterans who are considering a career in the collision repair industry?

It’s a good industry to get into. A: I would highly recommend going the custom way, but the colli-

sion industry would be great to get into. There will always be wrecks. You’re always going to have people getting into fender-benders, so you’re always going to have work. You’re always going to be able to put food on the table and it’s honestly not that hard; it’s a fun job to do.

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Historical Snapshot

—John Yoswick is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has a body shop in the family and has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988. He is the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (for a free 4-week trial subscription, visit www.CrashNetwork.com). Contact him by email at jyoswick@SpiritOne.com.

Talk of Other Insurers Requiring use of PartsTrader Goes Back Five Years with John Yoswick

20 years ago in the collision repair industry (August 1997) A ban on the use of non-OEM parts on vehicles covered under warranty, and a call for insurers to share more information about their claims handling guidelines were among the issues debated by shop owners, association leaders and other participants at the National Leadership Conference held in August. The National Leadership Conference brings together leaders in the industry for a day of training as well as discussion of national issues. The conference allows participants to prepare and debate industry position papers or resolutions. At the conference held in Anaheim, CA, three resolutions were approved with little or no opposition among the more than 100 participants:

“Who Pays for What?” survey earlier this year), although more than 60 percent of the shops using such a system say they are paid “always” or “most of the time” based on the materials invoice by the eight largest auto insurers.

15 years ago in the collision repair industry (August 2002) It’s a frustration every independentlyowned autobody or automotive shop owner has faced: The job that gets held up, the part that gets unnecessarily damaged or replaced, the technician time that gets wasted—all because of a lack of service or repair information from the automakers. After years of griping about the lack of easily-accessible OEM vehicle information, there may be some light at the end of the tunnel for independent • One stated that non-OEM shops hoping to get the inforparts should not be used in the mation, training and tools aurepair of a collision-damaged tomakers have long made vehicle that is still under waravailable to their franchised ranty if the use of such parts dealers. A combination of cowould violate the warranty. operation and coercion culminated last fall in an agreement • Another called for a change by more than a dozen of the In 2012, Bill Haas in federal regulations to re- was helping lead the OEMs to make such informaquire airbag systems be re- Automotive Service tion available by January 1 of placed (or otherwise made Association’s effort next year. While a giant step on access to OEM operational) as part of the reforward, there is still work to repair information pair process if a vehicle had be done, according to Bill such systems originally. Haas of the Automotive Service Association. • A third deemed the current system by “There’s really three aspects to which shops are compensated for rethe OEM information issue: availabilfinish materials “archaic,” and called ity, accessibility and affordability,” for the use of refinish materials manuHass said. “At some point, all of these als or guides found to be fair, objective things are going to have to fall in and acceptable across the insurance place. [Last fall’s letter by the OEMs] and repair industries. might address the availability issue, but that doesn’t mean that the infor– As reported in Auto Body Re- mation is accessible and it certainly pair News. There has been only some doesn’t mean it’s affordable.” movement in the industry toward the That’s why ASA and a variety of goals of the three objectives. Federal industry organizations are still battling air bag regulations have not changed. the OEM service and repair informaSome states, including Arkansas, lim- tion issue on a number of fronts. its the use of non-OEM parts on vehicles still under the manufacturer’s – As reported in Autobody News. warranty, though non-OEM parts pro- Though efforts to pass federal “Right ponents are working to loosen such re- to Repair” legislation to ensure access strictions. And 20 years later, less than to OEM repair information failed, a 20 percent of shops are using a mate- similar regulation was passed at the rials invoicing system (according to a state level in Massachusetts, giving the

42 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

aftermarket repair industry legal leverage to ensure automakers have complied with the voluntary agreement. Haas left ASA in 2012 and is trainer and consultant with Educational Seminars Institute.

craftsmanship in regard to the refinish process of a repaired panel.

– As reported in Autobody News. Still 10 years later, more than half of shops (51.9 percent) in a “Who Pays for What?” survey (www.CRASHnetwork .com/collisionadvice) earlier this year 10 years ago in the collision repair reported being paid body labor industry (August 2007) time rather refinish labor time A position statement on the for “feather prime and block.” “feather fill and block proceAlmost half (47.4 percent) of dure presented by the Automore than 750 shops respondmotive Service Association ing said the painter completes (ASA) “Refinish Subcommitthat process in their shop, 23.3 tee” has been approved by the percent said the process was association’s board of direcIn 2012, George split between the painter and tors. Avery of State body tech, and another 10.2 The approved statement Farm said it was too early to know percent said a combo tech makes clear that as an indusif other insurers (who does both body and paint try standard, the process of would adopt use work) does the feather prime “feather fill and block” occurs of PartsTrader and block process. Less than during the refinish process of 1-in-5 shops (19.1 percent) said a body a repair. ASA recognized the necessity technician completes all of the feather of this process to provide the consumer with the highest standard of repair and See Use of PartsTrader, Page 62

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National News

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.

Snapsheet President: Photo-Based Estimating, Claims are the New Way for Carriers with Chasidy Rae Sisk

In early May, Allstate announced it will be dropping its drive-in inspection stations, instead directing customers to the photo estimating system available through its mobile app – citing that customers have embraced the technology, with many opting for the virtual experience. According to Snapsheet President CJ Przybyl, this represents a new normal for the industry which he discussed during an informative webinar on May 31. A small number of insurance companies have implemented mobile self-service technology, specifically the ability to send a branded self-service mobile app to a customer in order to obtain photos of a damaged vehicle. Przybyl calls this “the first step toward virtual claims.” “Very few carriers are doing this themselves, starting with mobile selfservice and getting photos from the customers,” he said during the webinar. “But these photos only capture the first portion of the claim. There’s still a need to negotiate supplements, handle triaging and total losses, deal with complaints and so forth. All sorts of other mechanisms happen outside of mobile self-service to process a claim, and though you could utilize self-service for up to 20-50% of a claim, it would be very taxing and painful on the backend, leading more carriers to realize they need a full virtual claims platform.” Compared to mobile self-service, virtual claims refers to the ability to process 100% of a claim by obtaining photos through multiple channels, tracking the progress in a dedicated software platform, and centralizing all estimating resources. Przybyl explained, “This doesn’t mean you’ll estimate and settle 100% of claims virtually, but we’re moving in that direction. With technology like our virtual claims platform, 100% can start and be triaged perfectly based on photos and information. Full automation of claims requires more technology and a new way of processing claims.” Automated claims integrate a virtual claims platform with data in order to apply machine learning and fully automate the generation of estimates and other tasks. Przybyl noted, “As

we’re implementing this technology at Snapsheet, we’re taking the data that’s been submitted and using it to make intelligent decisions, utilizing the analysis from machine learning and artificial intelligence.” Przybyl stressed that there’s no chance that insurance adjusters will go away within the next ten years, but rather this process can actually supplement their jobs. According to Przybyl, “Around 70% of our claims communications are fully automated. Processing a claim requires more than just utilizing visual learning to generate an estimate. It’s a more comprehensive process and that needs to be considered holistically, which is the value Snapsheet’s virtual claims platform provides.” Serving 45 automotive insurance carriers, Snapsheet offers scalable, cloud-based claims software, operating in a single, unified platform that is completely customizable for each specific insurance carrier’s workflow. The platform allows carriers to track and analyze new metrics and automate metrics traditionally found offline, control costs, enable payments, streamline shop interactions and control the customer experience. “Many carriers will struggle to handle photo estimating on a large scale because their infrastructure is not built for that,” Przybyl explained. “Our scalable software allows for infinite data storage and the ability to easily add modules to solve problems, and we’re always innovating, employing code updates two or three times each day. Because of this commitment to flexibility and constant innovation, we’ve become the largest provider of virtual claims processing.” In 2013, Snapsheet processed 10,000 virtual claims, and the company forecasts that it will handle over 400,000 claims in 2017. When insurance carriers need an estimate, they provide the claim to Snapsheet’s customer support team to capture photos and triage the claim. Once Snapsheet receives photos, their estimators prepare an estimate and then work with the shops, keeping the adjuster and carrier informed, trading data and analytics, and giving the customer a virtual experience.

44 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Przybyl stated, “This isn’t just a piece of mobile technology; it’s about having the customer self-select into the right virtual method and then having all of the real-time tools to be able to engage them, preempt problems with predictive analytics, handle all of the engagements, and basically use technology to have your resources feel like they’re standing over the customer’s shoulder when, in reality, the customer is in the field, doing the work themselves and then internalizing all of the outcomes.” Przybyl believes most of the damage is captured in these photos, providing a good idea of the needed supplements. “We have 98% accuracy on the original estimate based on photos, and a lot of our technology is built around getting the right photos from the customer to make the correct assessment. Teardown will reveal the additional damage, and we still need to handle supplements and negotiate

with the shop which gets their information from normal sources, such as OEM requirements.” All of Snapsheet’s estimators are W-2 employees with proper licenses on file, and Snapsheet’s information is provided to shops on the original estimates. According to Przybyl, “We are using technology to optimize operations, but more of our data has to do with the customer experience. We help insurance carriers with their processors; there are a lot of claims, and frequency and severity are both up. Snapsheet’s platform can help these carriers today.”

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Shop Strategies

How a PA Shop Delivers Excellent Customer Service & Receives Top Reviews with Stacey Phillips

When Jim Pfau talks to his customers at Alan’s Collision Center, he often asks if they are familiar with their vehicle insurance policy. The general manager of the Philadelphia, PA body shop said that since the average person does not have a clear understanding of their policy, he takes the time to explain the issues associated with the repair process, such as labor rates and parts usage. Alan Zeitz founded Alan’s Collision Center in 1973. Just two years later, he decided to move to Florida and sold the business to Dennis Winokur and Bob Neisser. “Our mission is to ensure vehicles are repaired safely and returned to precollision condition,” said Pfau, who has worked in the industry since he was 16 years old. “We deliver the best customer service and workmanship possible and put our customers first…always.” Pfau was hired in 2012 to modernize the business. Since then, the company has invested thousands of

dollars annually in the latest, most advanced equipment and training. Autobody News talked to Pfau about the importance of communicating to customers throughout the repair

Honestly, it is simple. Listen to A: your customers, educate the customers, and keep them in the loop.

Do quality work and sell yourself at the delivery. We show all of our customers the work performed and explain why it is important to review us. By the end of the repair, we usually wind up with a new friend. Google and Facebook are so important. Almost everyone reads reviews during a big decision and I understand the value of that. Alan’s Collision Center is located in Philadelphia, PA We are NOT a DRP (direct process, his views on scanning vehirepair program) shop, and we do becles and the reason he thinks the shop lieve in factory certifications. The inconsistently receives top reviews. dustry is slowly changing, and I believe that over the next five years, certificaYou have 19 five-star reviews tions will be mandatory in order to on Facebook as well as five- keep your doors open. We do invest in star reviews on Customer Lobby. Conour shop annually. The equipment we gratulations! What do you think sets own is up-to-date and well-maintained. Alan’s Collision Center apart from We are also an I-CAR Gold Class shop. others in the industry? Alan’s Collision has a unique

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business model. We are certified for Ford F-150, Mercedes Benz, Hyundai, Honda and Nissan. A large percentage of our work is referred by two local new car dealers. Our employees make all the difference. They are mature and work hourly so the work is top-notch and it shows. We have 15 people employed at Alan’s and most of them have worked here for over 20 years. We have a pair of twins who started right out of high school—Mike Kochis (lead metal tech) and Steve Kochis (lead painter). Mike and Steve have never worked in another body shop. The brothers are now in their 50’s.

How has your background in Q: the industry prepared you to work as general manager at the collision repair facility?

I spent all of my youth in my A: father’s garage doing restora-

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tion work. When I was 18 years old, I landed my first job at Faulkner Cadillac as an engine rebuilder. I was then hired at Acura of Huntingdon Valley as a lead technician and

“fix” another business, so I went to work for a local MSO. Quickly, our store became number one in service and received numerous awards. Once I had everything dialed in, it was time to move on to my next project. I worked for a local Chevy dealer that had a dying collision center. It took me five years, but when I left, it was well in the black. Five years ago, I was asked to take over the store at Alan’s Collision Center and modernize it. This has by far been my biggest challenge yet, and the most fun. I have an awesome Jim Pfau, general manager of Alan’s Collision Center group of friends on Facebook. transmission specialist. Soon after, I We exchange ideas and war stories was promoted to service manager. every day. During my first year as a young How do you communicate the manager, I won a trip to Aruba, all exrepair process to customers and penses paid for being number one out what is the importance of doing so? of 25 for customer satisfaction. Later on, I was promoted again to During the first point of conservice director. I was in charge of four tact, we review the scope of the award-winning service departments. damage and how we will repair it. We Our body shop manager had a heart also inform customers about the way attack and I was asked to take over coltheir insurance policy dictates what an lision. This was a huge adjustment, as I insurance company will pay. The had never dealt with an insurer before. biggest eye-opener for consumers is I felt it was time to move on and

Q: A:

always aftermarket or salvage parts usage. They are always under the impression that if they demand OEM parts, the insurance companies will simply say OK. We explain the entire process and how we interact on their behalf to get the claim paid correctly. We continually update consumers throughout the repair process. We make them aware of any issues that require their attention regarding the insurance claim. We also show them industry publications and arm them with information to refute an insurance script. I have always believed that an informed customer is a good customer. Our repair process is not anything elaborate. We blueprint the repair after a complete tear down, order parts through CollisionLink and research ALLDATA for a correct repair. A work order stays with the vehicle and is quality checked at each hand-off point. We match parts for correctness and then monitor the cycle time in the office. We also use our paint scale in the front office to determine the true costs of repair. Every file has the quality control sheet, ALLDATA research and electronic notes among our staff. When our customers see everything in place, it gives them a sense of confidence.

In your opinion, what is the imQ: portance of scanning vehicles and what steps have you taken to explain this to consumers, employees and the industry in general?

This is a big topic! It is not only A: important, but also a legal obligation. Can you imagine if a repair shop

did not scan and calibrate the collision avoidance system and the owner was in an accident as a result? Personally, I do not pre-scan every repair. Pre-scanning, in my opinion, is to catch any system failures early in the repair process. If a vehicle is in for minor body repair, I do not see the need to pre-scan. However, those vehicles will always get postscanned and calibrated. This is extremely important to review with the owner of the vehicle prior to the repair. We arm them with the position statement from the vehicle manufacturer and explain why it is important. We also explain to the owner why aftermarket scan equipment cannot properly see all of the data. We use an outside vendor that has OEM software, with the exception of Mercedes-Benz. I have been heavily engaged with one insurance company that is flat-out See PA Shop Delivers, Page 65

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Hey Toby!

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

Toby AKA ‘Sparky’ Gives the Lowdown on MIG Welders with Toby Chess

Recently, State Farm sent out a letter separated. I carry extra nozzles and to all program shops stating that they contact tips for Lincoln welders, but had to complete I-CAR’s WCS 03 not the defuser. Furthermore, the (MIG steel welding certification test) ground prong on the plug was missand SPS 05 (structural steel weld cering, which is an OSHA violation tification test) by the end of this year, ($1,500). See Fig 2. and WS 03 (MIG aluminum welding certification test) by March I with David2018. McClune have been a program instructor for more than 13 years and conducted more than 5,200 student tests. During that time, I have traveled nearly 400,000 miles to test students. In the past, I brought in my own equipment to perform the testing, but starting this year, I-CAR has mandated that we use Figure 2 the shop’s equipment when testing. An assessment fee is included with the Needing another welder, the lead fee for the first with technician ($875 for technician retrieved the other welder John Yoswick Gold class and $1,095 for Non-Gold in the shop (a Lincoln 175). I replaced class). You can go to www.i-car.com the nozzle on this welder, but noticed to view the assessment criteria docu- that the gauges for the gas flow and ment. volume were not working (another Now, if you state that the shop is OSHA violation). See Fig 3. ready for the test and an instructor arrives and finds that the shop has not complied, the test can be cancelled and another assessment fee ($400) could be required. If your spray booth or frame mawith Richard Steffen chine stops working, it gets the same attention if you demand immediate repairs. However, if your welder stops working, it is put in the corner and forgotten. Let’s take a look at some of the problems with the welders that will affect the assessment. Figure 3 I was recently in Northern California to conduct some MIG welding I removed the gauge from the tests. The first shop had a Lincoln 125 first Lincoln and used it on the second welder to use for the test. I checked unit. Now I was ready to conduct the the nozzle and with it wasJohn meltedYoswick over, test. I opened the chart on the welder which restricts the flow of Argon/Co2 and set the wire speed and amperage according to the chart, but the weld gas. See Fig 1. was weak. I had the techs bump up both wire speed and amperage by

which pipe will have more volume? You don’t have to be a rocket engineer to know that the large pipe will deliver more volume. The same holds true for the wire size—the larger the diameter of the wire, the more amps that are available. Another problem that I have encountered on my travels is the extension cords that are hooked up to the 120-volt machines. Most of the exten-

California Autobody Association

Year in Quotes

Figure 5

about 30 percent above the recommended settings. We were able to finish the test. I removed the cover on the plug and noticed that the wires were number 12, but should have been number 6. Fig 4 and 5. You will notice that the number 10 wire is smaller in diameter than number 6, and number 12 is even smaller. MIG welders work on amps. Look at the next picture (Fig 6)—

Figure 6

See MIG Welders, Page 50

Parts You Need. Collision Repair Association of CA. People You Trust.

Transition Planning

Shop Showcase with Karyn Hendricks Figure 1

After getting the nozzle free, I noticed that the defuser and contact tip were fused together and could not be

Figure 4

Shop Showcase

48 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

with David M. Brown

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Continued from Page 48

MIG Welders

sion cords that I come across are 14 or 16 gauge cords because of the price. What is really needed is a 12 gauge extension cord. Most 120-volt welds need a minimum of 15 amps and use a smaller diameter wire, otherwise the welders are starved for power (creates a weaker weld). See chart Fig 6a.

Figure 6a

I have been using 50-foot # 12 extension cords in my truck, and in nearly every test that I have conducted, they work perfectly. Check the printing on the extension cord to see what is being used. See Fig.7.

gun liner. Pushing wire over that long of a distance is hard on the machine, and with a bad liner, makes welding more difficult. I had a new liner on the truck and changed it. I also set the proper tension on drive rolls and confirmed it was working properly. While walking around the shop, I spotted a Millermatic 140. See Fig 9. This welder was a first generation machine for which you set the wire size and metal thickness, so the machine can set the amperage and wire speed accordingly. I asked the tech why they were not using this welder, and was told that it was not working. I checked the wire feed at the gun and noticed it was skipping. I looked up the nearest weld supply store and purchased a new

Figure 9

gun liner. When I got back to the shop, I serviced the machine rollers (they need to be cleaned with a Scotch Brite on a regular basis). See Fig 10.

tion test if I did not have the parts and knowledge to go with it? The test would have been postponed and the

Figure 11

shop would probably have to pay another assessment fee. Please check your equipment and if you need to purchase another MIG welder, I would like you to look at a couple of options. First and foremost, I need to state that I am not an employee of Miller or Pro Spot, and I do not receive monetary compensation from either company. My recommendations come from actual use, period. The two welders that I want to look at are of multi-voltage usage. In laymenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s terms, you can plug them into either 120 V or 220 V. The welders are a 211 from Miller Electric (Fig

Figure 7

Figure 11b

Again, the uniqueness of these two welders is that you can plug them See MIG Welders, Page 52

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Figure 10

This model (Fig 8) is more than 10 years old, but is still a great welder. The problem with the techâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s welder was the length of the gun cable. The cable was 15 feet long and had a bad

Figure 11a

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I moved south about 70 miles to the next shop. I checked the welder that I was going to use and the technician told me that it was not working properly. The welder was a Millermatic 135. See Fig 8.

Figure 8

11a) and ProSpot PR 205-MV (Fig 11b).

I replaced the gun liner, defuser, contact tip and nozzle and the machine was set to test. I performed a plug weld, but it looked like sh**. I was scratching my head trying to figure out the problem. I remembered once that I had gotten some bad gas and went to exchange the bottle of Argon/Co2, but instead of finding the Argon/Co2 mix, someone had installed a bottle of 100 percent Argon (for Aluminum). See Fig 11. I replaced the gas and the machine worked flawlessly. What would have happened to the MIG certifica-

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Let’s take a closer look at these welders.

Continued from Page 50

MIG Welders

into 220 single phase volts or 120 volts with no adjustment to the machine. Recently, I was conducting an MIG test in Southern California. The collision center brought two Lincoln 125-120 volt welders to the test. I checked them over and started the practice session, but one of the welders did not work properly enough to perform the test, and I had four students (I-CAR wants two techs/ welders). What to do? I pulled one of my welders (Pro Spot PR205-MV) out of my trailer to complete the test. Again, I-CAR wants us to use the shops’ welders, but in this case, we had already started and I could not return right away to start over the test. The area that we were testing only had a 120-volt outlet. I had the tech take out the short “pig tail” for the 120-volt plug, attach it to the power cable and then plug it into the 120-volt plug. See Figs 12 & 13. That’s it—ready to weld. It was that easy. The Millermatic 211 is slightly different. There are two adapters fur-

Figure 12

Figure 14

Figure 13

nished with the welder—one for 220 volts and one for 120 volts. They screw into the end of the power cable of the machine. See Figs 14 & 15.

The Millermatic 211 The first generation 211 (See Figs 16a & 16b) did not have auto set for .024 wire, but the next generation does. You load the machine with .024, .030 and .035 wire depending on the application and set the wire size with the right knob. The next setting is the metal thickness. Set the left knob to metal thickness (outside blue ring on left knob). The middle knob has five wire/gas combinations. The chart on the side panel is well done and covers both 120 volts and 220 volts.

Figure 16a

Figure 15

A nice advantage to this machine is its ability to weld aluminum. It is a straight MIG (not pulsed), has two different spool guns available and is set

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Figure 16b

for series 4 wire (4043 and either .030 or .035 diameter wire). See Fig17. This is the Spoolmate 150, which is a more heavy duty spool gun than the other spool gun (Spoolmatic 100) and is recommended for this machine.

on the Steel/Argon-CO2 setting. Let’s turn our attention to the Pro Spot 205 MV. The PR-205MV gives the technician complete control in manual mode or does the adjustments in synergic/automatic mode. Simply select the wire diameter, gas type and material thickness and the PR-205MV automatically sets the de-

Figure 19a

Figure 18b

This welder also has the ability to weld series 4 and 5 aluminum, but you would need to purchase an aluminum gun (has a nylon/Teflon liner to prevent galvanic corrosion and the wire will move with less friction). ProSpot has another great product—a consumable kit for their MIG Welders. See Figs 19a & 19b. You won’t believe how many times I go into a collision repair facility and discover there are no consumables for their MIG welders. Having a consumable kit will save a ton of time and money when a part becomes in-

Figure 17

The spec sheets state that aluminum up to ¼ inch in thickness can be welded with this machine. A final note on specifications is that it can weld up to 3/8 inch in thickness steel

sired welding parameters to give the user the perfect weld. The welder has a welding chart attached to the inner panel, which allows the tech to choose his own parameters in the manual mode. See Figs 18a & 18b.

Figure 18a

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operative during the repair process. The kit consists of nozzles for Steel (same one for MIG Brazing) and aluminum, defusers and contact tips (.024, .030, .and .035 for steel and .030, .040 and .045 for aluminum). The chart also has stock numbers for See MIG Welders, Page 58

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Continued from Page 36

Smith Brothers

occurrence for most customers to get into an accident, the industry tends to see repeat customers. It’s important to build a relationship with them so they are educated on the repair process and feel comfortable doing business with your shop. Part of this is having OEM certifications to provide another level of comfort to customers. Being OEM certified gives you another feather in your cap with your customers showing them that you’ve taken the initiative to make sure your employees are trained through the proper channels. It’s also something else you can market and something your competitors might not have.

How has your involvement in an Q: industry association been helpful to your business?

We’ve been members of the Mississippi Collision Repair A: Association (MSCRA) for the past

15 years and I’m the Secretary-Treasurer on the Board of Directors. Many times, fellow shop owners feel that being a member of an association might look unfavorable to their insurance partners, but it’s definitely doesn’t. The purpose of a trade association is not to bind together for the greater good and be adversarial to your insurance partners and collude, because that’s illegal. The purpose of an association is to educate. It helps shop owners learn about new products coming out as well as new processes and ideas that you can implement to improve your business. That might mean profitability, production or employee retention. I think the biggest thing to gain from being part of an association is giving yourself the opportunity to learn something you can take back and apply to your business. In addition, the networking is tremendous. For various reasons, many collision repair facilities have looked at the shop across the street, across town or even in the next town as competitors. Although we are competitors, there’s another side of that relationship that we’ve always neglected—networking. An association will allow or should allow you to network with the same people who are fighting the same battles that you are fighting, so you can try and learn from one another.

Can you tell us about the recent Q: consumer guide released by the Mississippi attorney general and how

will it be helpful to all parties who were involved?

I was one of the members of A: the Mississippi Auto Repair Task Force that provided feedback for

the Consumer Guide to Insurance and Auto Body Repair. I feel that it will help the industry simply because it’s a

members who share the same beliefs that we do. We try to always put customers at the forefront in whatever decisions we make and make sure that when the time comes to deliver the vehicle, they are satisfied. It’s important to not be shy of that relationship or standoffish. Instead, build a relationship with your customers that you can be proud of and serve them in a way they want to be served.

With more than 1,200 followQ: ers on Facebook, how have you been using social media?

We are mainly using it for conA: sumer awareness and education in our business. We let customers

In September 2015, the company added a third location in Hattiesburg

document produced by a third-party outside of our industry—the attorney general’s office—which is focused on consumer awareness and consumer protection. The attorney general was trying to gather all the information by building this taskforce composed of body shops in the state, as well as insurance representation, OEMs and even aftermarket representation. It was a good collaboration of all entities involved in the repair process and the end result is a document that I believe is unbiased. The document provides information for consumers so they really understand what questions to ask about their insurance policies, as well as their rights when choosing a repair facility and the differences between parts usage. If you look at the document, it even says what consumers should do when they pick up their vehicles to hold the repair facility accountable so they are assured of receiving a proper and safe repair. It was a great effort among all involved and I don’t think it was sided toward any one party. I think it was a well-weighted out document that ultimately did what it was supposed to do, and that is to educate the consumer on their rights.

Smith Bros has received very Q: favorable online reviews from customers. What sets your company

know about our retail side and the different accessories we sell as well as our service center. Facebook is so user friendly— you can post pictures and articles from your phone. Shops can take beforeand-after pictures and post them to their page. You just need to ask your customer first to make sure it’s OK that you are using pictures of the vehicle. We also found that if you follow certain industry-related pages, you can share articles on your own business

Facebook page. There are no limitations on social media. There is always more that you can do and we’re not using it as well as I think we should. We have a relationship with a third-party company that manages our website and sets up our Facebook posts to go out three times a week, 30 days in advance. They probably determine 80 percent of our Facebook posts, but we still retain the right to do individual posts as we see fit. Originally, I was trying to be so intentional and methodical with Facebook and really think it through. I finally realized that it’s better to just be free form. If there is something that is related to your business and you think it is of value, post it on Facebook! Customers are going to look at it. Even if they don’t click on it, if they are looking through their feed they are going to see your post and your company name and that’s all you really want. You want to give them information that is of value to them and you still want that front-of-mind awareness that they constantly see. Then, in the event they might have an accident, your business name comes to mind.

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Industry Training

Jobbers Focus on Value-Added Services for Collision Repair Facilities with Stacey Phillips

More than 20 years ago, auto body safety items make up most of the reshops routinely ordered individual maining 35 percent of purchases.” paint colors from a paint distributor to Over the last several years, paint repair vehicles. “You’d it by Phillips the companies have been providing addiwith order Stacey job,” explained industry veteran Joe tional services, often becoming a oneMattos. “That’s where the origin of the stop-shop for collision repair facilities. word ‘jobber’ came from.” “This has become especially prevalent Over time and as the process evolved, jobbers placed paint mixing systems in shops where techs could mix their own colors. Today, “jobbers,” with Stacey Phillips often referred to as PBE (paint, body and equipment) distributors, are taking on new roles in the collision repair industry. “One of the key benefits of using a jobber is to have a partner to lean on over the last five years as the competiwho is up-to-date on industry trends tion has increased significantly,” said with Stacey Phillips and provides value-added services to Mattos. “A good jobber provides valuhelp shops thrive in the competitive able services to its customers and can market,” said Kevin Bohte, sales have a profound influence on a shop’s manager at Mike & Jerry’s Paint and profitability.” Supply. “With consolidation at an allAccording to information from time high, it’s important for collision The Romans Group, compiled in a reshops to really think about choosing port by Focus Investment Banking aua jobber who will be Victoria able to grow tomotive group in May 2017, jobbers with Antonelli with them in an ever-changing indus- are providing more value-added servtry.” The Louisiana company is a ices to shops including the use of techmember of Refinish Distributors Al- nology and software, order process liance (RDA), a national organization automation and performance metrics. of PBE distributors. There are many important considMattos, manager of management erations when choosing a jobber to enanalytics for ComCept (a provider of sure it is the best fit for the body shop. distribution management software), Not only is it helpful to ask for referwith Victoria Antonelli said the PBE industry is separated into rals from other shops and interview generalists, such as O’Reilly’s and the jobber, but Mattos also suggested NAPA, that also sell hard parts; spechecking with the paint manufacturer cialists, such as FinishMaster, National for recommendations. Coatings & Supplies (NCS)/Single Paul Derdich, western regional Source (which merged in 2016); and vice president of NCS/Single Source, other distributors that sell only autosaid most shops choose jobbers based motive paint and body shop supplies. on relationships. “If I were a body shop He said most jobbers specialize in owner, I would see what the company one or two of the five major automohad to offer as far as business consulttive refinish paint manufacturers that ing and monitoring my purchases.” dominate the U.S. market: Axalta CoatOnce a paint distributor is detering Systems, AkzoNobel, BASF, PPG mined, a shop can usually expect a Industries and Sherwin-Williams. long-term partnership with a jobber. “Since approximately 65 percent “The distributor’s sales personnel then of a collision shop’s paint and mate- become a valuable resource for the rial purchases are paint liquids, job- collision shop, providing everything bers focus on selling and supporting from equipment and accessory purspecific paint lines and can usually chase guidance to training for the shop gain the shop’s remaining business if technicians,” said Paul Fiore, senior the shop purchases paint,” said Mat- director of government affairs for the tos, who sold his PBE business—Pro Auto Care Association. Finishes PLUS—to NCS in 2013. “While their most basic function is “Abrasives, adhesives, masking and to provide the actual vehicle paint used

in a collision repair to the shop, that simple transaction has become much more sophisticated, reflecting the evolution of vehicle construction and paint technology,” said Fiore, who was a former shop owner and liaison to the Paint, Body and Equipment Specialists community of the Auto Care Association. “The vast majority of body shops utilize distributors to enhance their ability to run an efficient, profitable business.” “I would encourage all collision shops to seek out distributors in the marketplace who will serve them,” said Robert McKenzie, executive director of RDA. “Seek people out who are going to be more apt to have personal, direct service in the marketplace for you.”

Shop Secrets and Strategies Shop Services

National Events

Western Associations

Value-Added Services Provided by Paint Distributors:

Inventory Management and Delivery Mattos said many jobbers will analyze

a shop’s inventory and create a stocking strategy to minimize the shop’s investment in product. For example, Derdich said NCS/ Single Source offers a system that allows shops to track their inventory using bar codes. “Not only can we track paint purchases, but we can assess how many pieces of sandpaper a body man uses,” he said. “We can also do an analysis of estimates so if a shop feels like they are not profitable we can find out what’s missing.” In terms of delivery, Mattos said, “Jobbers can also make special deliveries in emergency situations so that shop production does not suffer.” Training/Education Training shop personnel is an important role of many paint distributors. This might include paint systems such as waterborne systems, color matching and troubleshooting. Whether See Jobbers, Page 58

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Continued from Page 56

Jobbers

classes are held at the shop or locally offsite, jobbers often hold classes for shops to ensure techs are knowledgeable about the products they use and can best utilize them for repairs.

Providing Information/Metrics Jobbers can be the top source of information for the shops they work with. They commonly collect basic data from their customers and combine it with sales data to provide materials cost analyses to shops. “This can help a shop determine areas of improvement,” explained Mattos. Additional information, such as paint and material (P&M) profitability, refinish hours per RO benchmarks, re-repair information and actual P&M sales/hour calculations are also commonly shared. “Monitoring of costs and how it relates to a facility’s business is something else we do as a supplier,” said Derdich. “That’s a huge value for a customer.”

Business Consulting Increasingly, more jobbers are taking on the role of small business consult-

ant for some of their shops; however, in the majority of cases Derdich said smaller distributors will often rely more on a paint company to help them with small business consulting. Many shops are finding multiple benefits having a team of knowledgeable professionals who truly understand the business and can advise them on business decisions.

Personal Service It’s not uncommon for distributors to visit collision repair facilities on a regular basis, usually weekly, and provide relevant industry information. “In our business, we like to get to know our customers on a personal level and also take the extra step to learn as much about their business so we can better service them,” said Bohte. “We believe our relationship should extend beyond our products to value-added and other services designed to help a collision center operate to its fullest potential.” “Jobbers are rethinking their business model to deal with industry dynamics,” said Mattos. “However, the basic functions of a jobber continue to be an important link to the collision repair industry.”

Continued from Page 53

MIG Welders

the various gun liners, guide tubes, and rollers. There is another multi-volt MIG welder on the market that I saw recently. It is a Lincoln MIG 180 Dual Welder. See Fig 20. I have no experience with this machine, but you may want to check it out. I will tell you that my Miller and Pro Spot welders are lugged around in my trailer and, like I stated in the beginning, have logged more than 400,000 miles. In my 13 years of being on the road and conducting the I-CAR MIG weld testing, the only problem has been a fan that stopped

working on one of my Millermatic 135s (the only other problem I had was when I plugged my Miller 350 P

Figure 20

into 440 volts and blew it up, but that was an ‘instructor error’). All I can say is that my Miller and Pro Spot welders have never let me down. If you have any questions on welding or equipment, send me an email at tcspeedster@gmail.com.

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Respiratory Protection

for more details. (2)

Respirator Training OSHA mandates that employers ensure that workers are trained annually. This provides a forum for users to become reacquainted with the importance of respiratory protection and to give everyone a refresher course in properly using and caring for their equipment. At minimum, training should cover:

• Why employees need to use respirators • What a respirator can and cannot do to protect them • How to properly inspect, put on, take off and use a respirator • How to perform a “user seal check” • How to use the respirator effectively in emergency situations, including what to do if it does not work properly • How to recognize medical signs and symptoms that may limit or prevent workers from using a respirator • How improper fit, use or maintenance can reduce the effectiveness of the respirator

• Maintenance and storage procedures • The requirements for federal/state OSHA respiratory protection standards

Several potential sources for worker training are noted in the above paragraphs (3).

Respiratory Maintenance Respirators should be inspected before each use and during cleaning. Users must follow the manufacturer’s user instructions for specific inspection and maintenance procedures. Emergency respirators should be inspected at least monthly and before and after every use. Consider:

• Respiratory function • Pliability of elastomeric parts • The condition of various parts, including the face piece, head straps, valves, connecting tube, cartridges, canisters or filters.

Program Evaluation All elements of a respiratory protection program should be evaluated regularly. The respiratory protection administrator should examine all records to make sure tests, training and inspections are up to date. They

should also observe and talk to users of respiratory protection equipment to ensure respirators are meeting their needs and that workers understand and follow procedures for using and maintaining them. It is important to make a record of evaluations and findings, note any deficiencies, and document all necessary corrective measures. All of these observations and records help when updating a written respiratory protection program. Managing an effective respiratory protection program not only keeps companies compliant with relevant regulations, but a well-run program also is also the best way to help ensure that your workers are protected from respiratory hazards.

Types of Respirators: Elastomeric Respirators

• Half or full face piece elastomeric respirators—with the proper filters or cartridges, they can filter certain particles and/or gases and vapors. Filtering Face Piece Respirators • Filtering face piece respirators— cover the nose and mouth and are used to help protect against certain particulate hazards.

Powered Air Purifying Respirators and Supplied Air Respirators

• Powered or supplied air respirators do the work of pushing air to the respirator head top or face piece; they can either be powered-air, using a battery-powered blower to pull air through a filter, or supplied-air, bringing clean air through a hose from a source outside of the contaminated work area. • Tight-fitting respirators must be fittested when use is required, and users must perform seal checks every time a tight-fitting negative pressure respirator – a filtering face piece or half face piece respirator - is worn. • Loose-fitting respirators typically have a hood or helmet

References (1) A Strategy for Assessing and Managing Occupational Exposures 4th ed. (2015) American Industrial Hygiene Association (www.aiha.org) (2) 29 CFR 1910.134 – Respiratory Protection (www.osha.gov) (3) www.3M.com/PPESafety

Autobody News thanks 3M Personal Safety Division for permission.

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60 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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Irvine (855) 847-3592

(949) 777-2342 Fax www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 61

Continued from Page 42

Use of PartsTrader

prime and block process.

5 years ago in the collision repair industry (August 2012) In New Zealand where a version of PartsTrader was first developed in 2003 for the largest insurer in that country, nearly all insurers have since adopted use of the system. Does State Farm foresee PartsTrader being available for use by other U.S. insurers and shops outside of the Select Service program? “Too early to tell,” State Farm’s George Avery said, “but State Farm worked with PartsTrader with the intent to have a tool flexible enough for anyone to use.” Avery has said that part of the reason State Farm mandated use of the system by Select Service shops in the

www.autobodynews.com Don’t Miss the Weekly Industry NEWS Your Shop Needs.

four pilot markets is because a “critical mass” of both shops and vendors was needed in each market to make a test viable. But does State Farm foresee eventually making use of PartsTrader an option (just as it does not mandate which estimating system a shop uses) given that the insurer already has other means to measure a shop’s performance and given that State Farm believes the system will prove beneficial for shops (and thus would not need to be required in order to gain acceptance)? “Again, too early, but our vision would be to have all Select Service repair facilities use the tool,” Avery said. – As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), August 13, 2012. Though rumors – often passed along by PartsTrader personnel – of other insurers adopting use of PartsTrader have circulated for several years, no other insurer has mandated use of PartsTrader.

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The Mirka® AOS-B Cordless Sander Has Been Awarded the Red Dot Design Award 2017 Mirka introduces the smallest battery driven spot repair sander on the market. Because of the high quality de-

sign, the Mirka AOS-B 130NV has been awarded the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017. The AOS-B 130NV is a 1-1/4” 3mm orbital sander, while the AROS-B 150NV is a 1-1/4” 5mm random orbital sander. These tools feature rechargeable Lithium-ion battery technology, which allows the battery to recharge in just 40 minutes or less and can last for up to 16 hours of use. The AOS / AROS tools excel in sanding tight areas and corners while providing comfort for longer periods of sanding without fatigue, and delivers outstanding control over the sanding process. The AOS / AROS provides consistent performance and

speeds can be adjusted from 4,0008,000 rpm. The quick-lock system makes changing the backing pad fast and easy. Mirka has an extensive line of abrasives for the AOS / AROS tools for woodworking, industrial and automotive applications. The internationally organized competition “Red Dot Design Award” appraises the best products of the year. In order to appraise the diversity in the field of design in a professional manner, the Red Dot Award breaks down into the three disciplines: Product Design, Communication Design and Design Concept. With its origins

dating back until 1955, the award is organized by Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen and is one of the best-respected design competitions in the world.

62 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Certified Collision Group™ Appoints Martin Evans as VP Certified Collision Group™ (CCG) announced the appointment of Mr. Martin Evans to Vice President of Business Development on July 18. A seasoned business development executive, Evans provides more than 25 years of direct automotive refinish distribution and key account development and management including large MSOs across the U.S. and Canada. “Our team and board’s broad industry relationships allows us to continue to attract the industry’s most dedicated, talented and proven professionals; those who are truly committed to helping the industry by addressing today’s significant challenges and opportunities alike”, stated Bruce Bares, CCG President and CEO. CCG now operates in 22 states and is quickly expanding beyond 135 locations. It provides non-intrusive competitive solutions to well-established collision repair businesses with Proven Performance relative to repair capabilities, customer satisfaction and client KPI’s. For more information visit: www .certifiedcg.com

Auto Care Careers Offers Job Posting Packages

Unlimited and bulk job posting packages are now available on the Auto Care Careers Industry Job Board. “We are very pleased to announce that custom bulk and unlimited posting packages are now available,” said Courtney Hammer, director, job and career development, Auto Care Association. Each posting made on the Auto Care Careers Industry Job Board is automatically shared on multiple jobs boards via a broad industry network, including Auto Care Association, Automotive Service Association (ASA), etc. “With the addition of custom bulk and unlimited packages, we are making it easier for companies of all sizes to share more exciting career opportunities and connect with thousands of qualified candidates interested in a career in the dynamic auto care industry,” continued Hammer. Hiring managers will find the new job posting rates by visiting http://jobs.autocarecareers.org/rate.

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Coming Soon: PPG ENVIROBASE® High Performance EC520 Clearcoat

PPG will soon launch its EC520 EnV® High Production Clearcoat, a new innovative clearcoat designed specifically for use over ENVIROBASE®

High Performance basecoat. Formulated for application in all markets, the new clearcoat will provide the performance required by high-production collision centers. EC520 features an advanced resin technology that is highly compatible with waterborne basecoats.

The new clearcoat has been engineered to ensure easy use, generate superior productivity and yield consistent high-level results. “EC520 will soon be available to PPG customers who are looking for exceptional quality and efficiency in a clearcoat that is compatible with waterborne basecoat,” said PPG’s Tim Jones, manager, water collision segment, automotive refinish. “We’ll release product details in the very near future, but suffice it to say the new clearcoat—a perfect match with Envirobase High Performance basecoat—is one more component in our commitment to give our customers the most versatile and effective automotive refinish products possible.” For more information about EC520 and other PPG automotive refinish products, call (800) 6476050 or visit www.ppgrefinish.com.

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Puente Hills Subaru City of Industry (626) 322-2555 (626) 322-2600 Fax Mon.-Fri. 7-6; Sat. 8-3 parts@puentehillssubaru.com tony@puentehillssubaru.com

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Subaru of Santa Cruz Santa Cruz (888) 844-7131 (831) 420-1402 (831) 420-1923 Fax Mon.-Fri. 7:30-6; Sat. 8-5 parts@santacruzsubaru.com www.santacruzsubaru.com

www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 63

Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Is Linked to Increased Crashes by Staff, HLDI News

Legalizing recreational marijuana use in Colorado, Oregon and Washington has resulted in collision claim frequencies that are about 3 percent higher overall than would have been expected without legalization, a new Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) analysis shows. This is HLDI’s first report on how marijuana legalization since 2014 has affected crashes reported to insurers. More drivers admit to using marijuana, and it is showing up more frequently among people involved in crashes. Though there is evidence from simulator and on-road studies that marijuana can degrade some aspects of driving performance, researchers haven’t been able to definitively connect marijuana use with more frequent real-world crashes. Some studies have found that using the drug could more than double crash risk, while others, including a large-scale federal case-control study, have failed to find a link between marijuana use and crashes. Studies on the effects of legalizing marijuana for medical use also have been inconclusive. Colorado and Washington were

the first states to legalize recreational marijuana for adults age 21 and older with voter approval in November 2012. Retail sales began in January 2014 in Colorado and in July 2014 in

additional controls to examine the collision claims experience of Colorado, Oregon and Washington before and after law changes. Control states included Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah

A new Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) analysis shows states with recreational marijuana use have collision claim frequencies that are about 3 percent higher overall

Washington. Oregon voters approved legalized recreational marijuana in November 2014, and sales started in October 2015. HLDI conducted a combined analysis using neighboring states as

and Wyoming, plus Colorado, Oregon and Washington prior to legalization of recreational use. During the study period, Nevada and Montana permitted medical use of marijuana, Wyoming and Utah allowed only limited use for

medical purposes, and Idaho didn’t permit any use. Oregon and Washington authorized medical marijuana use in 1998, and Colorado authorized it in 2000. HLDI also looked at loss results for each state individually compared with loss results for adjacent states without legalized recreational marijuana use prior to November 2016. Data spanned collision claims filed between January 2012 and October 2016 for 1981 to 2017 model vehicles. Analysts controlled for differences in the rated driver population, insured vehicle fleet, the mix of urban versus rural exposure, unemployment, weather and seasonality. Collision claims are the most frequent kind of claims insurers receive. Collision coverage insures against physical damage to a driver’s vehicle in a crash with an object or other vehicle, generally when the driver is at fault. Collision claim frequency is the number of collision claims divided by the number of insured vehicle years (one vehicle insured for one year or two vehicles insured for six months each).

Techs of Tomorrow: Student Says He’s “Fascinated by Everything” in Auto Body Program by Victoria Antonelli

Justin Maldonado started taking courses at Texas State Technical College in Harlingen, TX 10 months ago. Before his “love and passion for vehicles” led him to pursue a career in collision repair, he spent his winter holiday and summer breaks painting gym floors across the state. “This is a job that I had been doing since I was 12, so I’ve never had a normal Christmas or summer break,” Maldonado explained. “Every year I would be gone for months at a time just to be able to buy my own school clothes and help my dad, who had five other kids to provide for.” Through this job, Maldonado was able to paint some of the most renowned gyms in Texas, including the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Texas A & M, Dallas Mavericks, and University of Texas floors. “Now that I have a wife and son, it’s so hard to leave them and not miss them while I’m on the road,” he said. “This is why I came back to school; I just want a job that allows me to come home and see them at the end of the day and is good pay, along with many other benefits.” Maldonado’s father, who also

attended Texas State Technical College, supported his decision to pursue trade school. Other members of his family were not as on board. “Most of my relatives wanted me to become a doctor or lawyer, but I just

cheap products off Amazon and started painting YETI cups for gas and food money,” he explained. “I would paint the cups, put on the logo of the customer’s choice, and clear coat them as a way to help my wife pay the bills while I am still in school and am not working yet.” Maldonado said he’s enjoyed every part of his courses so much, it’s almost impossible for him to pick a favorite project. “I have been put on projects painting rims, and others where I’ve painted cars; each of them presented a new obstacle to overcome, making them all exciting to be a part of,” he explained. Texas State Technical College Student Justin Maldonado “Currently, I am working on an F-150 with rust and couldn’t see myself working in a doc- a ton of body work that I am taking tor’s office for the rest of my life,” he care of, and after, we will paint the said. whole truck then bed line the fender Despite having no recent experi- flares, rocker panels and tool box as ence in the field, Maldonado said he’s well.” catching on fast to the concept of body Maldonado will graduate in Dework, prepping, and painting. He’s al- cember 2017. He plans on securing a ready been able to use his newfound job before then. skills to make money on the side. “Early on in the first semester I For more information on Texas State bought a cheap paint gun and some Technical College, visit www.tstc.edu.

64 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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Estimated effects of recreational marijuana sales in 3 states Change in claim frequency for vehicles up to 33 years old, 2012-16 “The combined-state analysis shows that the first three states to legalize recreational marijuana have experienced more crashes,” says Matt Moore, senior vice president of HLDI. “The individual state analyses suggest that the size of the effect varies by state.” Colorado saw the biggest estimated increase in claim frequency compared with its control states. After retail marijuana sales began in Colorado, the increase in collision claim frequency was 14 percent higher than in nearby Nebraska, Utah and Wyoming. Washington’s estimated increase in claim frequency was 6 percent higher than in Montana and Idaho, and Oregon’s estimated increase in claim frequency was 4 percent higher than in Idaho, Montana and Nevada. “The combined effect for the three states was smaller but still significant at 3 percent,” Moore says. “The combined analysis uses a bigger control group and is a good representation of the effect of marijuana legalization overall. The single-state analyses show

how the effect differs by state.” Each of the individual state analyses also showed that the estimated effect of legalizing recreational use of marijuana varies depending on the comparison state examined. For example, results for Colorado vary from a 3 percent increase in claim frequency when compared with Wyoming to a 21 percent increase when compared with Utah. HLDI’s new analysis of realworld crashes provides one look at the emerging picture of what marijuana’s legalization will mean for highway safety as more states decriminalize its use. In the coming years, more research from HLDI and others will help sharpen the focus. As HLDI continues to examine insurance claims in states that allow recreational use of marijuana, IIHS has begun a largescale case-control study in Oregon to assess how legalized marijuana use

may be changing the risk of crashes with injuries. Preliminary results are expected in 2020. In addition to Colorado, Oregon and Washington, five other states and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana for all uses, and 21 states have comprehensive medical marijuana programs as of June. An additional 17 states permit limited access for medical use. Marijuana is still an illegal controlled substance under federal law. “Worry that legalized marijuana is increasing crash rates isn’t misplaced,” says David Zuby, executive vice president and chief research officer of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “HLDI’s findings on the early experience of Colorado, Oregon and Washington should give other states eyeing legalization pause.” We thank HLDI News for reprint permission.

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Continued from Page 47

PA Shop Delivers

refusing payment to the vehicle owner. This insurance company is one of, if not the largest, in our country. I have spoken to the managers there and they hold the position, “…that if there is no light on the dash, the vehicle does not need a scan or calibration.” This is oldschool thinking and despite the numerous articles and position statements I have provided, they will not change their point of view. As a result, I have made several complaints to the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance, contacted our Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who happens to be one of our customers, and wrote to every local news outlet. I will not give up until I get this resolved for the consumer. As far as the industry goes, I am very disappointed. I am disappointed by how many shops do not follow OEM procedures. The OEMs have set the standard for which we are to repair the vehicle properly—not the insurer. The industry is in turmoil, but it will get better as we weed out the poor repair shops that do not care about safety.

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WIN Complies with Members’ Requests for Regional Events by Chasidy Rae Sisk

In response to members’ requests, the Women’s Industry Network (WIN®) hosted its first three regional events in Southern California, Chicago, IL, and Atlanta, GA, on June 13 and 14. Ac-

Marcy Tieger spoke at WIN’s Southern CA Regional Event on June 13

cording to WIN Board of Directors member Denise Kingstrom who coordinated the events, “We had over 50 attendees in total participate in our June regional events with over 50% being non-members who were interested in continuing to participate locally. We were very happy to see the excitement and participation with these events and expect them to grow as we continue in these three markets and expand to new areas.” On June 13, the Southern California Regional Event, sponsored by BASF and Brad Mewes from Supplement, featured an industry presenta-

tion from Marcy Tieger, Managing Director of Symphony Advisors. ICAR sponsored WIN’s Chicago event which included a presentation by Elise Quadrozzi, Director of Business Development for I-CAR. Rick Fifer, North America Business Service Manager for Akzo Nobel, provided the industry update at WIN’s Atlanta event on June 14 which was sponsored by ABRA. With a strong network of over 400 members representing all segments of the collision repair industry, WIN offers many opportunities to get involved with ongoing initiatives as well as future regional events which serve to

Volvo Cars, owned by China-based Geely Automotive, has announced that every Volvo it launches from 2019 will have an electric motor, marking the historic end of cars that only have an internal combustion engine (ICE) and placing electrification at the core of its future business. The announcement represents one of the most significant moves by any car maker to embrace electrification and highlights how over a century after the invention of the internal combustion engine electrification is paving the way for a new chapter in automotive history. “This is about the customer,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive. “People increasingly demand electrified cars and we want to respond to our customers’ current and future needs. You can now pick and choose whichever electrified Volvo you wish.” Volvo Cars will introduce a portfolio of electrified cars across its model range, embracing fully electric cars, plug in hybrid cars and mild hybrid cars. It will launch five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2021, three of which will be Volvo models and two of which will be high performance electrified cars from Polestar, Volvo Cars’ performance car arm. Full details of these models will be announced at a later date.

sources and mentors. The events were also an opportunity to reach women who are unable to attend WIN’s annual

WIN’s Chicago Event on June 13 was sponsored by I-CAR whose Elise Quadrozzi provided an industry update

conference. WIN events offer not only networking opportunities but also leadership and development opportunities,” Kingstrom stated. Responses to WIN’s Regional Events were very favorable, and Kingstrom shared, “The events were very well received and were the first time we hosted official Regional Events for both members and non-members. All of the surThe Atlanta Regional Event was held on June 14 and vey results showed extremely included a presentation by Rick Fifer positive feedback and requests “further drive and expand WIN’s mis- to continue with the events on a regular sion, provide more frequent opportuni- basis.” ties for both networking and education For more information, visit www as well as create a local network of re- .womensindustrynetwork.com.

Sherwin-Williams Ecolean™ Level 2 Workshop Scheduled for Chicago

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes announced it will hold its next 2017 EcoLean™ Level 2 workshop on August 29-30, 2017 at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center. While there, the group will have the privilege of touring CARSTAR All Line Auto Body, one of the leading CARSTAR franchises in North America. This collision facility has completely implemented lean production principles and subsequently seen its production and profitability levels dramatically increase. The EcoLean Level 2 workshop is an extensive, two-day course that further implements the SherwinWilliams message by educating shop owners on the connection between environmentally sound business decisions and the reduction of process and environmental waste. It is exclusively designed to educate attendees about maximizing profitability by improving productivity throughout their facilities. “The best way to start to move the numbers is by scheduling efficiently, implementing damage analysis, blueprinting, and a predictable parts process. This is all discussed in our EcoLean Level 2 workshop that provides collision shop owners and managers with

Volvo Cars to Go All Electric

the tools to immediately help align their Purpose, their People, and their Process on the production floor,” says Lee V. Rush, Sherwin-Williams Manager of Business Consulting Services. He notes that EcoLean courses have been built by some of the best consultants in the industry, and will provide collision repair professionals the opportunity to relax in the company of their own peers while learning from one another over the two day period. The EcoLean Level 2 workshop curriculum includes: • Repair Planning for Rapid Throughput • Damage Analysis/Blueprinting • Parts Correctness All class materials, lunch on both days and a group dinner are included in the workshop fee. Breakfast vouchers are included with hotel room reservation. Hotel and transportation costs are the responsibility of each attendee. To register for the EcoLean Level 2 workshop online, visit our website: www.sherwin-automotive.com/ ecolean2. For more information on the Sherwin Williams EcoLean program, visit: www.sherwin-automotive.com/ ecolean or call (216) 332-8524.

66 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Advance Auto Parts Cuts 475 Jobs as Sales Decline

Advance Auto Parts cut nearly 500 jobs as it seeks a turnaround predicated on store upgrades after two consecutive years of sales declines. The Roanoke-VA-based company will transition from four divisions to two, just North and South, CEO Tom Greco said in a June 19 memo. He also announced plans to improve the company’s online presence to better cater to do-it-yourself customers. The company, which has more than 5,000 stores, employed about 74,000 workers as of February, according to a public filing. Advance Auto Parts spokesperson Laurie Stacy said the company had not cut any positions at its stores, where the company has been focusing its investments. “These organizational changes

ensure our structure and resources are properly aligned with our shortand long-term strategic business plan,” she said in an email. “We are

focused on productivity enhancements in areas that do not affect our customers while also significantly improving the customer experience.” A source said that the company is targeting field and corporate leadership to streamline and reduce product costs in this round of layoffs. Advance Auto Parts stock has fallen almost 28% since the start of the year.

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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 67

CIECA’s Project to Incorporate Scans into the BMS Starts June 19

CIECA, the Source of the Collision Industry data communications standards, announced it began work June 19 on a new project to implement the exchange and transmission of scanning diagnostics results within the Business Message Suite (BMS). “Vehicle Scanning has become an integral part of the entire repair process on certain vehicles. Pre-repair and Post-repair scanning has become necessary in certain situations. The information received from the vehicle scan tool should be saved with the other Repair Order documentation for subsequent review, auditing, and other purposes. Repairers and the industry need a method to retain and exchange this data with the entire RO file,” said Darrell Amberson, of LaMettry’s Collision Inc., and author of the CIECA project request. The project is being fast-tracked to meet the needs of the industry. Contact CIECA to participate in the project. Please forward this email to others in your company that might be interested in joining the project. More information about the scanning project, CIECA, how to join, and its standards can be viewed on the CIECA web site: www.cieca.com or email Fred Iantorno, Executive Director, at fred@cieca.com.

Service King Welcomes 34 Technicians to Rapidly Growing Apprenticeship Program Service King Collision Repair Centers® continues to add to its quickly growing Apprentice Development Program as the organization today welcomed 34 technicians at seven elaborate signing day events held across the country. The events sig-

naled the start of a hands-on 52-week paid training program designed to prepare aspiring technicians for a successful career at Service King and in the collision repair field. Service King’s popular apprentice program has now more than doubled in size since its unveiling in 2015 with more than 40 programs underway in 16 states across the country. The latest signing day comes less than a week after the White House and President Trump signed an executive order aimed at expanding apprenticeships and vocational training programs in the U.S. “The entire Service King family is thrilled to welcome our latest sign-

ing class to the Apprentice Development Program,” said Tyra Bremer, Service King Vice President of Talent Development. “This is an exciting step in their careers and we look forward to providing a challenging, hands-on path towards rewarding careers at Service King.” The official signing day events took place in Fort Worth, Texas, Chicago, Denver, Pasadena, Calif., Santa Clara, Calif., Columbus, Ohio and Charlotte, N.C. The Service King Apprentice Development Program officially launched in 2015 featuring a 52-week paid training program for aspiring auto body technicians across the U.S. Today, it continues to grow as demand for experienced, skilled technicians increases across the industry. Service King’s unique program provides personalized instruction and training to technicians by capping individual programs at less than five apprentices per supervisor. Each class is immersed in a detailed, progressive curriculum that fosters a focused learning environment allowing apprentice technicians to master each element of the collision repair process. Furthermore, all learning takes place in the live setting of a Service King Collision

Repair Center. The Apprentice Development Program has been widely heralded across the collision repair industry and featured in the media, including recent stories by Dallas CBS affiliate KTVT. Aspiring technicians interested in joining the Apprentice Development Program are encouraged to visit ServiceKing.com/careers to connect with a representative from the Service King recruiting team. Service King, one of the fastestgrowing providers of high-quality collision repair service, operates 324 repair centers in 24 states across the U.S. For more information on the organization, or to find a local repair center, visit www.ServiceKing.com and follow the company on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Chief® Heavy-Duty Rivet Gun Makes Easier Work of Truck Cab Repairs

Chief’s Heavy-Duty Rivet Gun puts out 10 metric tons of compression force — plenty of power to install new rivets or press out existing rivets in the thick steel and aluminum used to build heavy-duty truck cabs. It also uses 8 metric tons of tension force to hydraulically retract the punching tool from metal sheets easily and simply – with just the push of a button. “The Chief Heavy-Duty Rivet Gun has the advantage of strong twoway operation – it powers out and it powers back,” explains Lee Daugherty, director of collision sales, the Americas, for Chief parent company Vehicle Service Group (VSG). “This means it smoothly punches in selfpiercing rivets, and then easily powers back out of even the thickest sheet metal materials. It delivers the force needed to repair today’s cab structures, as well as future trucks that will likely incorporate even more highstrength metals.” The pneumatically driven Chief Heavy-Duty Rivet Gun includes a dial to provide infinite adjustment of the working pressure. This allows the technician to control the output compressive force as well as the retract

tension force. The rivet gun can be used to press out or install self-piercing rivets and to punch precisely sized holes to accept flow form or blind rivets. Optional attachment kits are available to install blind rivets as well as blind nuts and blind bolts. Because the Heavy-Duty Rivet Gun is larger than standard rivet guns in order to deliver higher power output, Chief offers it with a new optional cabinet equipped with a boom. The boom takes some of the weight of the gun off the technicians’ shoulders to reduce strain and improve mobility. The Chief Heavy-Duty Rivet Gun is part of the full line of heavy-duty collision repair equipment available from Chief, including: Centurion heavy-duty frame rack, Cam Scan HD™ photogrammetric measuring system, Vulcan ADU adhesive debonding unit, Rotary® Lift Mach Series mobile column lifts, Chassis-Liner Heavy-Duty Trucker™ frame rack. To learn more about the Chief Heavy-Duty Rivet Gun, visit chief automotive.com/Shop-Tools/HDRivet-Gun/, contact your local Chief distributor or call (800) 445-9262.

68 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 69

AMi Accepting Applications for $1,000 Emil Stanley Merit Award

The Automotive Management Institute (AMi) is accepting applications for the 2016 Emil Stanley Merit Award. The scholarship is awarded annually to an individual who works in an Automotive Service Association (ASA) Collision Division member-business and who displays a desire to improve their business skills through management education. The 2017 award marks the 27th year in which AMi and ASA have honored Emil Stanley with this commemorative management-oriented scholarship. The award recipient will receive $1,000 toward expenses to attend the 2017 NACE Automechanika in Chicago, July 26-29. The industry event offers an educational lineup of AMi seminars, technical training courses and industry sessions, an exposition and the opportunity to network with other automotive service professionals. To be eligible for the award: applicants must work in the collision repair industry; must demonstrate an interest in self-improvement through management education; must own or work for a business that is an ASA member in good standing; and, if applicant is not business owner, must be recommended by the business owner. AMi Trustees and their employees, and the Emil Stanley Scholarship Se-

lection Committee and employees, are not eligible. To request a scholarship application, call AMi at (817) 514-2929, or email tslaton@amionline.org. Applications must be received by AMi on or before July 1, 2017. The scholarship recipient will be notified by AMi on or before July 8, 2017. ASA established the Emil Stanley Merit Award to honor Mr. Stanley’s lifelong contributions to the automotive service industry. Publisher of Automotive Body Repair News (ABRN) until his death in 1989, he was a strong advocate of NACE and of professionalizing the automotive repair industry. The continuing education offered by the AMi helps automotive collision and service repair professionals improve their business management knowledge. In addition to providing business management classes, AMi offers the Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) professional designation, which is the industry’s first business education accreditation. AMi courses concentrate on seven core areas of business management education: leadership, sales and marketing, operational management, financial management, personnel development and human resource management, risk management, and IT management.

BASF Invests $40 Million in Automotive Coatings in North America

BASF is expanding its automotive coatings production in North America with investments of nearly $40 million over the next two years. The investments add capacity to the company’s production plants in Greenville, Ohio, and Tultitlan, Mexico.

“These investments reflect our continued market growth and underscore BASF’s commitment to developing a sustainable production platform that provides customized coatings solutions,” said Chris Toomey, BASF Senior Vice President, Coatings Solutions North America. Increased waterborne basecoat

capacity in Tultitlan and electrocoat emulsion capacity in Greenville enables BASF to continue to drive innovation through production of state-of-the-art automotive coatings. Waterborne basecoats are low volatile organic compound paint products that give vehicles their color and electrocoat or e-coat is the primer coat applied to vehicles to prevent corrosion. “BASF is a process and product innovator. We’re the global leader in integrated process and we pioneered waterborne basecoat technology as part of our commitment to social responsibility and environmental protection,” said Frank Hezel, Vice President, BASF Coatings Mexico. “Our added capacity positions us well to continue our innovations to serve our automotive coatings customers.” For more information about BASF’s Coatings division visit basfcoatings.com

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When to Replace Mini-Ductor® Induction Heating Coils

While mechanics and body shop owners love their Mini-Ductor® Venom® and Mini-Ductor II, the effectiveness of these portable induction heaters – and safety – are contingent on the state of the coils used with them. Many don’t realize that these coils need to be replaced over time, but how do you know when to do so and where can you go to buy them? Coil Replacement Mini-Ductor coils are manufactured in a variety of lengths and sizes to fit inaccessible areas. Standard coils need to be replaced anytime that the metal underneath the fabric coating becomes exposed otherwise, you can get sparking and the possibility for fire, which defeats the purpose of using induction heating in the first place vs. a torch. Another sign that coils need to be replaced is if the fabric becomes noticeably brown. Each coil will last for several hundred uses or more subject to use. Bearing Buddy coils are much longer (41” to 96”) than standard coils. They need replacing when metal becomes exposed and/or turns brownish like standard coils, but also when they become brittle since they are made of finely twisted copper. Where to Buy Replacement Coils Mini-Ductor coils are available for sale through all of our domestic and

international partners. If you would prefer to buy them directly from Induction Innovations, coils are available in our online store here on this website. However, you should know that we sell them at the same price as our channel partners, though our partners offer additional discounts from sales promotions, product bundling, free shipping, or otherwise so be sure to check with the Induction Innovations partner near you first. About Induction Innovations Induction Innovations, Inc. is a family owned and operated manufacturer of high performance inductionheaters. Our headquarters and all manufacturing is located in Elgin, Illinois, just west of Chicago. Induction Innovations was founded by president Tom Gough in 2000 after the first model of the Inductor® Series was developed, which uses high-frequency magnetic fields to heat ferrous metal objects without an open flame, cutting torch time in half. The Inductor Series now includes the ProMax, Max, Glass Blaster. The Mini-Ductor® is a handheld induction heater that is now available in 110V, 220/230V and 12V (battery powered) versions. Both the Inductor Series and Mini-Ductor are used for repair and maintenance in the automotive, construction, farm equipment, industrial, and marine industries.

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Dealers See Growth for NIADA Convention and Expo 71st Annual Event Breaks Last Year’s Record for Overall Attendance and Again Draws Rave Reviews. For the second year in a row, the NIADA Convention and Expo broke previous records. The final count is in, and it shows the 2017 Convention, held June 12-15 at The Mirage in Las Vegas, edged the 2016 total for most attendees in the 71-year history of the event. Overall attendance was up for the fifth consecutive year, and the number of dealers was also up from last year. And just as in 2016, nearly 20 percent of those attending the 2017 convention did so for the first time. The reviews from attendees and exhibitors were overwhelmingly positive to see what they’re saying). Among attendees who responded to NIADA’s post-convention survey, 98 percent said they were satisfied with the event, 88 percent said the Convention met their objectives, 94 percent said the information presented was very useful, 98 percent said the speakers and panelists were very prepared and more than three-fourths gave the sessions “good” or “excellent” ratings. In addition, 95 percent said they are likely to attend future NIADA events, 96 percent said they are likely to recom-

mend NIADA events to others and 99 percent said they plan to engage with NIADA in the future. “An awesome investment in my business,” wrote Larry Schmidt of Countryside Auto and Cycle in Fond du Lac, Wis. “Four days of industryspecific training along with trade vendors to improve my business – that’s an investment every dealer should be making. I’ll be back next year.” The 170-plus vendors and industry partners that exhibited in the 60,000square foot Expo Hall also felt they got their money’s worth – 84 percent of respondents to the exhibitor survey rated the value of their NIADA Convention experience “excellent” or “good.” Alvlis Tabaks of Elva DMS said his company exhibited at NIADA’s event for the first time and “the experience we got there was beyond our expectations.” “The event structure was perfect and gave the right balance between the sessions and the Expo,” he said. “So we managed to get useful information from industry experts and had enough time to interact with attendees at our booth.” The exhibitors gave the Convention a 90 percent overall satisfaction rating, while 95 percent approved of the level of decision-makers among

the attendees and 90 percent said they are likely to be back to exhibit at the 2018 Convention and Expo – which will be held June 18-21 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Fla., as NIADA’s biggest event leaves Las Vegas for the first time since 2009. Just as it surpassed its record-setting predecessor in attendance, the 2017 Convention topped the 2016 event with more sessions on more topics than any previous NIADA Convention. That included for the first time a dedicated area of focus on certified pre-owned, as well as sessions addressing retail, compliance and an even more extensive Buy Here-Pay Here component. In addition to keynote speaker Captain Richard Phillips – inspiration for the hit movie Captain Phillips – the featured speakers included many of the top names in the used vehicle industry, beginning with NIADA’s own Chuck Bonanno and Shaun Petersen. Others included leadership trainer Dave Anderson, TrueCar CEO Chip Perry, Cox Automotive’s Janet Barnard, attorney Tom Hudson, KAR Auction Services chief economist Tom Kontos, FBI Special Agent Edward Parmalee, AutoZone’s Ray Curry and NABD president Ken Shilson, among many others.

PPG Announces Video of OEM Panel Session

The 2017 PPG MVP Conference featured a panel discussion in which representatives from Audi, Toyota, Mazda and Collision Diagnostic Services (asTech) discussed their positions on OE repair procedures, system diagnostics, and recalibration.

In this video you’ll hear from the experts as they take a deeper dive into the hundreds of onboard systems on today’s vehicles, any of which can be affected by a collision, including the repair process itself. Watch as this distinguished panel fields tough questions from some of the highest performing collision repair shops in the country. This video is now available online at the PPG MVP Business Solutions YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/dP-AN3nRLh8

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www.autobodynews.com | AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS 71

Polyvance Demonstrates Nitrogen Plastic Welding at SkillsUSA Competition

Last week, technical school students from across the United States gathered in Louisville, Kentucky for the SkillsUSA competition. Trades of every sort were represented, from collision repair to cake decorating.

In the collision repair technology segment, Alan Zimmerman of Vanguard-Sentinel Career and Technology Center in Fremont, Ohio won the secondary competition, and Joel Hartstack of Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa won the post-secondary competition. Polyvance congratulates these winners and all of the contestants who made the trek to Louisville to represent their states. In the plastic repair portion of the competition, Kurt Lammon of Polyvance presented a demonstration of a new nitrogen plastic welding component which will become an of-

ficial part of the competition in 2018. So, in 2018, competitors will be required to repair a 3” long cut and a tab using 3M’s two-part repair material and, in addition, will be required to repair a 3” long tear to the edge of the bumper with the Polyvance nitrogen plastic welder. The technical requirements of the new nitrogen plastic welding component are shown at the SkillsUSA YouTube channel, which may be reached by searching “2018 SkillsUSA Nitrogen Plastic Welding Requirements” or going to this link: http: //bit.ly/2tyEIOq To help underfunded technical schools across the country prepare for this new plastic welding requirement, Polyvance is promoting a “tech school trade-in program”. Body shops that donate their old nitrogen plastic welders (of any make) to a tech school will be able to take the tax deduction on the donation, and, when they purchase a new Polyvance plastic welder, Polyvance will provide a $300 rebate to the shop. Contact Polyvance at 800-633-3047 for more information about this tradein program.

Nicholas Schoolcraft Replaces his Father at Phoenix Solutions Group Phoenix Solutions Group announced, today, that Nicholas Schoolcraft will join the Phoenix Solutions Group leadership team, replacing his late father, Steve Schoolcraft. “Steve’s extraordinary vision and leadership have positioned Phoenix Solutions Group as the collision industry’s most innovative and comprehensive marketing consulting company,” said Tina Biancalana, Vice President for Phoenix Solutions Group. “Steve’s ambition was to build an organization that puts our clients’ needs at the center of everything we do. Every Phoenix staff member can attest to this goal as being achieved.” “The Phoenix Solutions Group leadership team has complete con.dence that Nick is the ideal person to further Steve’s vision and legacy,” added Biancalana. “Nick’s background in marketing and customer experience consulting has demonstrated his remarkable talent for developing solutions that deliver results and drive customer and employee engagement. Also, his knowledge of the traditional as well as digital marketing space will be a welcome addition to the Phoenix Solutions team.” Steve Schoolcraft passed away

Loads of Fun and Education at ASA Northwest’s 2017 Summer Retreat by Chasidy Rae Sisk

ASA Northwest members convened at the Clearwater Resort in Suquamish, WA from June 22-25 for the association’s 2017 Summer Retreat.

The Ascettes enjoyed a fun tour of a local lighthouse during ASA Northwest’s General Business Session on June 23

“We were very fortunate to have a great group of members willing to take time away from their businesses to join us at the retreat, including nine first-time attendees,” stated Jeff Lovell, President and Executive Director of ASA Northwest. “Thank you to all the members and sponsors who helped make this retreat such a success!” The Summer Retreat began on Thursday morning with 18 holes of golf at the White Horse Golf Course,

followed by a Board of Directors meeting that afternoon. The day ended with ASA Northwest’s Hospitality Suite. While the General Business Session occurred on Friday morning, the Ascettes, a group of women who support the association by raising funds for ASA Northwest activities and scholarship initiatives, enjoyed a tour of the Point No Point Lighthouse and some time on the beach. Friday afternoon’s agenda was left open to allow attendees to relax at the resort with friends and family, and Friday evening featured the Mechanical/Technical/ Collision Roundtable as well as the Ascettes’ Business Meeting before the nightly Hospitality Suite. On Saturday morning, AMI speaker Bill Haas of Haas Perform-

The BBQ on June 24 provided networking opportunities and a lot of fun for ASA retreat attendees

72 AUGUST 2017 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

ance Consulting presented “Finding and Keeping the Right People—Your Future Depends on Them.”

May 19th but collaborated closely with Nick over the past five years to help position Phoenix Solutions Group as the industry thought leader it is today. Over Nick’s career, he has spent time working with Fortune 100 clients to develop marketing and customer experience strategies that deliver tangible results. In his recent role at Accenture, Nick led many customer experience transformation projects where he identi.ed and evaluated complex customer and employee experience problems and created solutions that delivered business value, while increasing customer and employee engagement. Nick’s relentless focus on delivering value for customers – while incorporating business demands into actionable strategy – has enabled him to propel signi.cant business value through optimized processes and overall operational alignment. Before Accenture, Nick worked for a leading national media company where he helped develop digital and traditional marketing campaigns that transformed the way advertisers interact with their customers. These marketing campaigns not only increased ROI and engagement but delivered on the expected outcomes of the organization.

them apart and put them back together, you need to aim the sensors.” ASA Northwest’s BBQ on Saturday night was held in the hotel courtyard and included a variety of lawn games. The Ascettes held a live auction with Valley Automotive’s Bryan Kelley. The auction was facilitated by the Ascettes’ Jen Smith, Melissa Kelley, Janel Black, Janae Schindler, and Janee Cantu. A reBill Haas presented an informative seminar on the versible Seahawks jacket importance of finding the right employees on June 24 was donated by Kukui’s during ASA Northwest’s 2017 Summer Retreat Mike Giblin, a handmade “This was a very informative pres- quilt was donated by Wanda Jeffries entation, and everyone who attended from Autocraft of Spokane, and a took information away to use immedi- beach chair package was contributed ately in their business or personal life,” by Joel and Doris Baxter from B & B Lovell said. Auto Repair. The Ascettes also donated ASA National Chairman Elect a basket of booze. Ed Cushman was the guest speaker The final Hospitality Suite was during Saturday’s lunch. He spoke held after the BBQ, allowing the Asabout ASA National, the Connected cettes an opportunity to raffle off doCars event held from May 18–20, and nated items before everyone enjoyed other events hosted by the association. s’mores as the event concluded. “At Connected Cars, there were ASA Northwest will hold its next more engineers who did the training,” retreat from January 25-28, 2018 at Lovell noted. “One of the biggest the Icicle Village Resort in Leaventhings is all of the new sensors on the worth, WA. For more information, cars, and learning that when you take visit asanorthwest.com.

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