Western November 2015 Issue by Autobody News

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VOL. 33 ISSUE 11 NOVEMBER 2015

Supreme Court Declines to Hear Antitrust Claims of Predatory Pricing in GM Parts Conquest Program

CDI Takes Action Against Insurers for Various Acts: Capping Labor Rates, Lowballing, Trade Practices

It is a common refrain in legal opinions on antitrust law that the laws were designed for “the protection of competition, not competitors.” This distinction was recently upheld in the case of Felder’s Collision Parts, Inc—a Louisiana dealer of aftermarket auto body parts that are compatible with GM vehicles—in its suit against All Star Automotive Group and it’s Advertising Subsidiary—a dealer of GM-manufactured parts. Felder’s filed an antitrust suit against All Star and GM alleging that

The California Department of Insurance (CDI) recently took action against Allstate Insurance, Sterling Casualty and Alliance United Insurance based on allegations listed in three separate statements of charges and accusations concerning illegal labor rate practices that were allegedly unfair and/or deceptive and based on complaints from body shops throughout the state. These actions are based on investigations that revealed violations including “Engaging in unfair methods of competition or unfair acts or practices, and other unlawful acts, including arbitrarily capping and denying labor rates without support; failing to send a written denial of a claim; making an offer that is unreasonably low to settle a claim; failing to prepare estimates for an amount that will allow

by Autobody News Staff

GM’s “Bump the Competition” program was an unlawful predatory pricing scheme. The program lowers the consumer price for GM-manufactured parts below the prices of equivalent aftermarket auto parts manufactured by others. It does so by providing rebates to dealers like All Star that sell GM-manufactured parts at the reduced prices. The rebates ensure that the dealers still make a profit on these sales despite the lower price charged to shops and consumers, however the case hinged on the amount of the rebate and whether it was sufficient to reduce the cost of GM’s See Antitrust Claims, Page 24

Body Shops Await News About MDL After Florida Case Dismissed, Plaintiff Law Firm Comments

See Case Dismissed, Page 26

P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018

After the lead case in the Multi-District Litigation was dismissed by a Florida judge on September 24, body shops across the country are watching closely to see what happens next. Autobody News spoke to John Eaves, the lead attorney for the consolidated lawsuit, A&E et al v. 21st Century, to find out how this will affect the other cases. “Our best guess is that he (Judge Gregory Presnell) will try to do that in the other states as well,” he said. In what Eaves referred to as a “delay of games,” he said from an organizational standpoint Judge Presnell

is probably going to send the remaining cases to the appellate court and let them sort out what the law actually is. However, he said it’s possible that the judge may “cherry pick” and make a different decision in each of the different states involved. Eaves said that he was surprised and disappointed with the news but Eaves Law Firm plans to file an appeal and shops should not lose hope. “There is a lot of activity still going on and our commitment is still solid when it comes to customers getting a quality repair,” said Eaves. “This is not the end of our efforts. We’re interpret-

Change Service Requested

by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

by Ed Attanasio

for repairs to be made in accordance with accepted trade standards for good and workmanlike repairs and failing to pay the difference,” based on the statements filed by CDI Attorneys Ramon Cintron and Kevin Bush. In the action taken against Sterling Casualty Insurance, at least one complaint was received against the company from an unnamed shop in Oxnard, CA. The action against Allstate was based on at least five complaints from body shops, including Collision Concierge in Upland, CA, Autotrends in Oakland, CA, an unnamed shop in Santa Clara, CA and two separate complaints from A&B Collision in Clearlake, CA. The action taken against Alliance United is based on two complaints from one or more unnamed body shops in Oxnard, CA. See CDI Takes Action, Page 18

Shops in SC Wade through Water Damage in Effort to Save Vehicles

handful of body shops in the area, all of which were not directly affected by On October 4, South Carolina experithe hurricane floodwaters, but experienced a “thousand-year flood” as Hurenced the surge in demand for their ricane Joaquin ripped by the capital services. For the past 10 days, these shops have been sifting through the wreckage to find the salvageable vehicles, and identify the ones beyond repair. “Once the vehicle has been completely submerged underwater, it is difficult to repair; but not impossible,” said Dominick Santoro, an estimator at Caliber Collision in ColumA car marked for salvage sinks in floodwaters in Columbia, SC on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015. Credit: @francesncr/instagram bia. Although Caliber Collision remained open amidst city of Columbia, dumping 20–30 Joaquin, Santoro experienced damages inches of rain in a 24-hour period. on the homefront. See SC Flooding, Page 28 Autobody News reached out to a by Victoria Antonelli and Cass Heckel

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2 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Contents

COLUMNS Attanasio - Body Shop Owner in IA Restores Cars Part-Time While Saving Lives Full-Time. . . . 42 Attanasio - Don’t Be Content with Sub-Par Online Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Attanasio - What to Do if You Suspect Substance Abuse in Your Shop . . . . . . . . . . 60 Hey Toby! - Rivets Have Replaced Welding in Many Newer Vehicles — Part 2 . . . . . . . . . 46 Sisk - ASA-CO Hosts Employment Law Seminar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Sisk - ASA-CO Hosts Learning Circle on Branding and Digital Marketing . . . . . . . . . . 48 Sisk - Cars, Careers and Celebrities Expo in Chicago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Yoswick - Lots of Variables to Take Into Account When Welding, But Training Need Doesn’t Vary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Yoswick - SCRS Survey, Airbag Testing Technology, Total Loss Pandemic, NSF International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 NATIONAL ASA Responds to Volkswagen Emissions Investigation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 ASA Collision Division Reports on Two New Publications, Operations Committee on Feather Prime and Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Assured Performance Launches Smart App for Accident & Collision Care . . . . . . . . . . . 62 B2B Automotive’s Michelle Nelson to Present at SEMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 BASF Dual Refinish System Reformulated to Increase Shops’ Production & Profit . . . . . . 64

occurred on June 30. After the last, she’s worried she’ll see some repeat customers. “I suspect we’ll see cars trickling in from that,” said Duffield. “I think a lot of those people may have already been hit by the first storm and had their car repaired once.” Dentbusters had more than 300 calls of reported hail damage after the first major storm in June. Duffield says the repairs can cost anywhere from $2,000 to up to $8,000. “It’s a very labor intensive process, and not all of them can be repaired with paintless dent repair so sometimes you have to go conventional,” Duffield said.

Publisher & Editor: Jeremy Hayhurst General Manager: Barbara Davies Assistant Editor: Stacey Phillips Online Editor: Victoria Antonelli Contributing Writers: Tom Franklin, David Brown, John Yoswick, Janet Chaney, Toby Chess, Ed Attanasio, Chasidy Sisk, David Luehr Advertising Sales: Joe Momber, Sean Hartman, Bill Doyle, Norman Morano (800) 699-8251 Office Manager: Louise Tedesco Sales Assistant: Cass Heckel Art Director: Rodolfo Garcia

Alfred Matthews Buick-GMC-Cadillac .42 Audi Burlingame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Audi Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . .68 Automotive ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 AutoNation Chrysler-Jeep-DodgeRam of North Phoenix . . . . . . . . .24 Axalta Coating Systems . . . . . . . . . .71 BASF Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 BMW Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . .63 Bob Smith BMW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Bob Smith MINI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Capitol Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Car-Part.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) . . . . . . . . . . .47 Chief Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . .15, 25 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Colortone Automotive Paints . . . . . .56 Completes Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 CRS Collision Repair Management System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 D & S Curing Solutions . . . . . . . . . .33 Del Grande Dealer Group . . . . . .16-17 Dent Magic Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Downtown Motors of LA (Audi, VW, Porsche) . . . . . . . . . . .51 Earnhardt Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Eco Repair Systems of North America, LLC . . . . . . . . . . .18 Elk Grove Toyota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 EMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Enterprise Rent-A-Car . . . . . . . . . . .32 Equalizer Industries, Inc . . . . . . . . .40 First Auto Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Ford Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . .53 G & C Auto Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Galpin Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Glenn E. Thomas Dodge-ChryslerJeep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 GM Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . .54 H & S Autoshot Mfg. Co. . . . . . . . . .43 Honda-Acura Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36-37

Serving California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. Autobody News is a monthly publication for the autobody industry. Permission to reproduce in any form the material published in Autobody News must be obtained in writing from the publisher. ©2015 Adamantine Media LLC. Autobody News P.O. Box 1516, Carlsbad, CA 92018 (800) 699-8251 (760) 603-3229 Fax www.autobodynews.com Email: news@autobodynews.com

Western

BASF SEMA Seminars Aim to Help Shops Improve Profitability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Body Shops Await News About MDL After Florida Case Dismissed, Plaintiff Law Firm Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Certified Collision Group™ Expands 1stCERTIFIED™ to 26 Shops, 4 States. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Chief Videos Show How to Hold a Vehicle for Sectioning or Pulling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Dave McClelland to Host Final SEMA Awards Banquet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 DVI BOSS Revolutionizes Aftermarket Automotive Repairs with the New Digital Vehicle Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Galpin Annual Car Show in CA . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 GFS to Demo REVO Accelerated Curing System at SEMA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Growing Trend of Collision Repair Networks Led to Formation of 1Collision Network. . . . 58 I-CAR® Adds New Vehicle Technology & Trends Course, Updates Existing Brazing & Measuring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 I-CAR® Welding Training & Certification™ Program Now Available Through Career & Technical Schools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 If Auto Injury Claims Frequency Is Falling, Why Are Claims Costs Rising? . . . . . . . . . . 61 Ladies of NHRA Racing to Highlight 2015 SEMA Show Breakfast. . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Larry Roesel to Retire as Sr. VP at Autozone . . 32 Mike Anderson Outlines ‘Virtual Steering’ Risks for Shops During Talk at Ontario Body Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Mitchell International Concludes 2015 Roadshow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Pro Spot in CA Sponsors Charity Event for Children’s Hospital in British Columbia, Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Shops in SC Wade through Water Damage in Effort to Save Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 State Farm Surveys Teens About Texting While Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Subaru Sees Record Demand, Plans IN Plant Expansion by 100,000 Vehicles . . . . . . . . . 69 Subaru Selects OEC® Collision Parts Ordering and Fulfillment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Supreme Court Declines to Hear Antitrust Claims of Predatory Pricing in GM Parts Conquest Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Third Survey Now Open, Asking ‘Who Pays For What’ in Terms of Aluminum Repair, Other Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Tony Passwater Named Director of Green Service Standards Committee. . . . . . . . . . . 68 U.S. Chemical and Plastics Receives Presidental Award. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 U.S. House Passes Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 U.S. Justices Consider Baltimore Cop’s Kickback Conspiracy Appeal According to Reuters Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 U.S. Will Need To Adopt European Approach To Achieve MPG Targets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Valspar Automotive Executive Talks Strategy at SEMA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Valspar Automotive Paints a Brighter Future for Artists4Education and CREF . . . . . . . . . 62

Roofing contractors and body shops are racking up the inventory after yet another hailstorm hit Tucson. It was at least the fourth major hail storm to hit a part of the Tucson Metro in the last several months. Tucson resident Rachel Gullet said her roof has seen enough. “Where the hail hit so hard, it’s taken the roof coating right off of it,” said Gullett. With thousands of dollars in hail damage to be fixed, contractors are flocking to Tucson for their piece of the action. Local body shops like Dent Busters have also seen a boom in business. Jennifer Duffield is still seeing about a dozen cars a week that resemble golf balls. Most of those are from the storm that

Indexof Advertisers

REGIONAL “The Body Shop of the Future” Opens in San Diego, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Alioto’s Garage is the Oldest Body Shop in the City by the Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 ASA-AZ Hosts a Series of Informative Events During the Month of September . . . . . . . . . . 4 Autonomous Vehicle Accident Reports Now Online in CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Bob Bryant Represents Urethane Supply Company in UT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 CA Auto Dismantlers Association Hosts Three Day Convention in San Francisco . . . . . . . . . 8 CA’s Regal Collision Certified by Assured Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 CAA Lobbyist Jack Molodanof to Speak at SEMA 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 CARSTAR Expands Into Northern CA with Addition of CARSTAR Espana’s San Jose. . . . . . . . . 11 CDI Takes Action Against Insurers for Various Acts: Capping Labor Rates, Lowballing, Trade Practices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 CREF Hosts Collision Career Fair in Salt Lake City, UT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Equalizer Distributor Pilkington Holds Customer Appreciation Event in San Diego . . . . . . . . . 40 Fourth Major Hailstorm Hits Tucson Shops Hard . 3 JBS Collision Repair in Watsonville, CA, is A Body of Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Whitlock Collision Marks 40 Years of Fixing Mishaps in Provo, UT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Youngest ALS Patient Receives Specially Equipped Van at West Coast Customs . . . . 19

Fourth Major Hailstorm Hits Tucson Shops Hard

Hyundai Motor America . . . . . . . . . .23 Hyundai Wholesale Parts Dealers . .67 Kearny Mesa Subaru-Hyundai . . . . .61 Kia Motors Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Larson Electronics, LLC. . . . . . . . . . .4 Maita Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Malco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Mark Kia-Mitsubishi . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Mazda Wholesale Parts Dealers . . .66 McPeek Dodge of Anaheim . . . . . . .14 Mercedes-Benz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 MINI Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . .62 Mitsubishi Wholesale Parts Dealers . .58 MOPAR Wholesale Parts Dealers . .39 Moss Bros. Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge . . .7 Nicolosi Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Nissan/Infiniti Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Novol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Orange Coast Chrysler-DodgeJeep-Ram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 PPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Prima Welds, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Puente Hills Subaru . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Riverside Kia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Riverside Metro VW-Honda-HyundaiNissan-Mazda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 SATA Spray Equipment . . . . . . . . . .27 Shingle Springs Subaru . . . . . . . . . . .6 Sierra Chevrolet-Honda-MazdaSubaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Subaru Wholesale Parts Dealers . . .59 The Bay Area Automotive Group . . .45 Toyota Wholesale Parts Dealers . . .60 Urethane Supply Company . . . . . . .22 Valspar Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Volkswagen Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Volvo Wholesale Parts Dealers . . . .64 Wedge Clamp Systems, Inc. . . . . . . .8 WyoTech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 3

ASA-AZ Hosts a Series of Informative Events During the Month of September by Chasidy Rae Sisk

With summer drawing to a close and kids returning to school, September marks the return to the hectic nature of everyday life.

Dave Wittmayer, owner of Hansen Enterprises Fleet Repair shown with the cake

The automotive repair industry also experiences this reversion as associations return from summer break and become more active. Luz Rubio, Executive Director of ASA-AZ, noted, “September has been a very busy month for the Arizona ASA and its chapters.” As the month began on September 1, the Tucson Chapter held a Roundtable

discussion with members meeting at El Corral, a favorite local restaurant, to examine the industry’s current challenges and what shops are doing to reach new customers. On September 3, the West Valley Phoenix Chapter met at La Parilla Suiza to discuss loaner v. rental cars. Ten shop owners attended, sharing information on how being able to provide their own loaner cars has benefitted their businesses, compared to paying rental company fees. They also discussed the best options available for providing superior customer service. On September 9, the Tucson Chapter’s monthly dinner meeting attracted 25 attendees who came to hear Paul Bellows present the “Top 10 Tips for Creating Amazing Customer Loyalty.” As the founder and CEO of Be Good at Doing Good, Bellows collaborates with CEOs, entrepreneurs, business owners and non-profit executive directors to aid them in achieving their missions and to help them “be good at doing good” in their communities. ASA-AZ’s Board of Directors held their monthly State Board meeting via conference call on September 10 with representatives from their Yuma, Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott, Verde Valley and Mohave chapters in attendance. During the

“The Body Shop of the Future” Opens in San Diego, CA

Body Shop Express LLC announced on October 1 the opening of their San Diego, CA location at 3777 Gaines Street San Diego, CA 92210. Body Shop Express, “The Body Shop of The Future,” where technology/robots, equipment and a process powered by Bodyshop Revolution has made its debut in North America. “We are very excited to showcase our process and technology to the San Diego and the North American market to provide our customers a fast, safe and guaranteed repair. Our shop is a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly, factory certified, technology and process driven which accomplishes substantial results,” stated Patrick O’Neill, president of Bodyshop Revolution and co-owner of Body Shop Express. “I enjoy the fact that our customers and insurer partners will receive significant time and cost savings without jeopardizing the quality of their car repair simply by using Body Shop Express,” stated Robert Becker, vice president of Bodyshop Revolution and co-owner of Body Shop Express. “We’ve identified the industry problem,” stated O’Neill, “It takes too long to turn around a car repair, it’s expensive and the motorists aren’t wowed

by levels of customer service. We intend to change that, starting today!” “Robert and I, put our money where our mouth is meaning we built Body Shop Express to answer the many questions surrounding change, our technology, and Bodyshop Revolution’s process. The industry says we can’t get the technicians to change and we can with no problems. We say our technology/robots, equipment and process works and it does! It’s amazing to see how much easier it is for our technicians and team to achieve great results by using our process and technology.” O’Neill said, “We invite insurers and shop owners across the North American market to come see for themselves what change really looks like; consistent sustainable metrics that will deliver more than your insurers are asking for, consistently beating your competitors, decreasing utility cost while making more money for your technicians and increasing your NET bottom line profits.” For information visit: www.body shopexpress.com or contact O’Neill: (520) 808-9118 or Patrick.oneill@ bodyshoprevolution.com; or Becker (520) 444-6850 or Robert.becker@ bodyshoprevolution.com.

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meeting, the Board of Directors planned their annual face-to-face meeting for October in Laughlin. They also approved the location for their 2016 Auto Training and Expo which will be held June 10-12, 2016 at the WeKoPa Resort and Conference Center. At the Verde Valley Chapter Dinner Meeting on September 15, Blake Hollman from Federated Insurance provided

Verde Valley Chapter meeting

important HR information, including helpful forms and policies for current and prospective employees. Association members also celebrated the final meeting payoff for the HERF property by Dave Wittmayer and Lora Hansen. On September 16 six Central Phoenix Chapter members gathered for a Roundtable Discussion on business is-

sues and training needed in the industry. The East Valley Phoenix Chapter held their Roundtable on September 23 at Dave and Busters in Tempe where 15 members gathered to discuss this year’s “Game Changers.” Each attendee shared one thing they’ve changed, added, bought, sold or hired in 2015 to increase profitability and efficiency. Rubio states, “Great information was exchanged, in-

cluding the addition of service writers, getting rid of wholesale accounts, attitude changes, adding mobile shop management, new websites and signing up with professional online marketing companies. There was lots of great discussion with each shared idea.” ASA-AZ, www.asaaz.org

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 5

Bob Bryant Represents Urethane Supply Company in UT

Urethane Supply Company announced the appointment of a new independent sales representative in the Pacific Northwest, Bob Bryant of Bryant McNeely LLC. Bryant will represent the company’s interests in Utah, as well as Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and Hawaii. Bob Bryant, Bryant is also Urethane Supply a distributor for Company’s new Urethane Supply independent sales Company’s nitrorepresentative gen plastic weldin Utah ing equipment. In addition to Urethane Supply’s equipment, Bryant distributes a full-range of other body shop equipment including measuring equipment, metal welders, and aluminum repair products. Kurt Lammon, president of Urethane Supply Company, said Bryant’s automotive experience matured at Bridgestone Corporation as a national manager followed by several international marketing positions with plastic ma-nufacturers and a stint with Chief Automotive, all providing a wide knowledge base for automotive plas-

tic applications. “Bryant recently received factory training on Urethane Supply’s I-CAR Industry Training Alliance course and is ready and able to provide that training across his territory,” said Lammon. Warehouse distributors and jobbers in Bryant’s territory are invited to contact him directly at 253-227-2066 for support. In business since 1981, Urethane Supply Company has focused exclusively on plastic repair and refinishing products. The company’s airless and hot-nitrogen welders are industry standards for automotive plastic repair across North America. Contact Kurt Lammon at 800633-3047.

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CA’s Regal Collision Gets Assured Performance OK

Regal Collision Repair, located in Vallejo, CA has been officially certified by Assured Performance, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization for maintaining the right tools, equipment, training, and facility necessary to repair the participating automaker brand vehicles according to the manufacturer’s specifications. Adding to the their credentials, Regal Collision Repair is officially recognized by Assured Performance, FCA, GM, Nissan, Infiniti, and Hyundai. To become certified and officially recognized by the various automakers, Regal Collision Repair passed the certification process. Less than five percent of body shops across the nation are able to meet the stringent requirements to become officially certified and recognized. “Consumers need the confidence and peace of mind to know their vehicle is repaired by a shop that has what it takes to ensure the vehicle safety. Regal Collision Repair is officially a Collision Care Provider™,” said Scott Biggs, CEO of Assured Performance Collision Care. “They represent the standard by which all other body shops are measured.”

CREF Hosts Collision Fair in Salt Lake City, UT

Continuing their efforts to help connect high school and college collision students and industry employers, the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) hosted a collision career fair in the Salt Lake City, UT area on October 21st at Granger High School (West Valley, UT). Three-hundred local high school and college collision students were scheduled to attend this event and reminded that there is an industry in need of motivated, hard-working entry-level students. The Larry H. Miller Group was the event’s co-host sponsor. Other industry participants for this career fair included ABRA Auto Body & Glass, Gerber Collision & Glass, LKQ Corporation, and Service King. Sponsorship funds raised through this and other career fairs assist CREF’s efforts to ensure collision school programs have the needed tools, equipment, and supplies to graduate qualified and skilled entry-level employees that are ready for industry employment. For info, contact Brandon Eckenrode at Brandon.Eckenrode @ed-foundation.org or 847-4635244.

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CA Auto Dismantlers Association Hosts Three Day Convention in San Francisco by Chasidy Rae Sisk

On September 17-19, the State of California Auto Dismantlers Association (SCADA) hosted their 2015 Annual Convention at the elegant JW Marriott

citing an outstanding location and terrific speakers.” The three-day event commenced with a Welcome Reception, providing attendees an opportunity to socialize with their peers. Featured speakers at the event included Amber Elenbaas and John Wilson. Elenbaas, a thirdgeneration automotive recycler who began working in her family business and helping many other automotive recycling companies grow, is a wellknown speaker and author in the industry. She presented, “Generations X and Y: Impacting Your Business as

Attendees enjoy a variety of seminars at the SCADA three-day convention in San Francisco

San Francisco Union Square. Automotive recycling professionals from across the state gathered to greet old friends and welcome new attendees as they enjoyed training sessions with industry speakers, social events, a tour of a nearby scrap metal recycling facility and a trade show. According to Gary Umphenour, SCADA Convention Chair and coowner of United Truck Dismantlers in Ma-rysville, “Auto recyclers in attendance at this year’s annual convention shared rave reviews about the event,

Automotive recyclers discuss what they’ve learned at the three-day event

Customers and Employees” and “How to Ignite Change and Create a GrowthDriven Culture in Your Recycling Operation.” Because the auto dismantling and

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recycling industry can be stressful and even threatening at times, Wilson presented a two-part session on “Workplace Violence Prevention and Response,” with topics ranging including arguments with co-workers, verbal abuse, confrontations with unhappy customers, and critical incidents that can occur, including theft, robbery and violent attacks. Umphenour explained, “This exciting and entertaining two-part training seminar taught attendees how to recognize, understand and respond to critical events and emergencies.” During the convention, attendees were treated to a special tour of the Sims Metal Recycling facility in Redwood City where they received a firsthand demonstration of vehicle shredding, where hazardous materials are processed and compon-ents are prepped before reaching the scrap metal recyclers, who transform these parts into new metal products. David Street, President of SCADA and co-owner of West Auto Wreckers in Chula Vista, observed, “Both speakers this year were great, and the tour of the Sims plant was one for the books. We were even allowed inside the buildings to see the process for separating metals.” The Roundtable Discussion at every SCADA convention is one of the

event’s most popular sessions yearly because it allows attendees to gather for an informal exchange of ideas about current topics. This year’s discussion on “Ways to Make More Money” was no

Attendees enjoy a variety of seminars at the SCADA three-day convention in San Francisco

exception. Attendees received ideas that they can incorporate into their businesses, including warranties, delivery fees, environmental fees, remanufactured parts and core changes. The trade show featured new products and services that are of special interest to California auto recyclers, offered by vendors nationwide. The tradeshow concluded with an evening of late night snacks and dancing with a deejay presiding for everyone’s entertainment.

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 9

Whitlock Collision Marks 40 Years of Fixing Mishaps in Provo, UT by Karissa Neely, Daily Herald, heraldextra.com

Whitlock Collision Repair in south Provo may be tucked around a corner and a bit out of the way, but when a driver can’t get out of the way or takes a corner wrong, the team at Whitlock has 40 years of experience to make things right again. In 1975, Steve Whitlock was a young twentysomething when he started Steve Whitlock’s Collision Repair Center on 100 East in Provo. Just a few months into the business, he already needed to hire on help. Just three years later, he had expanded so much he had to buy the large lot across the street so he could accommodate the volume of vehicles coming in and out of his shop daily. This year, he and his family are celebrating being in business for 40 years. When Whitlock started, he and his team did everything by hand. To realign a kinked car frame, they used a tape measure and eyesight. To assess how much repairs would cost, they used their auto know-how to estimate which parts they’d need. And the paint they used those many years ago was much more

toxic than today’s options. “Now the alignment is all done by computer. We set the car on the frame rack and the computer measures the body dimensions, and tells you where to adjust it exactly,” Whitlock said. “Before if you were hit on the side, and it crumpled your two side doors, we’d ad-

Travis Whitlock, Stephanie Larsen, Steve Whitlock and Brandon Whitlock pose for a photo on Monday, Sept. 14, 2015 at Whitlock Collision Repair Center in Provo. The Whitlocks are celebrating their 40th year in business. Credit: Spenser Heaps, Daily Herald

just it to as straight as we could, then try to hang the doors. If they didn’t fit, we’d have to take it all apart and fix it again. Now the machine tells you where to fix it, and when you put those doors on, they fit.” Whitlock said the improvements and developments in auto collision care

10 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

has been a huge benefit to the industry. Changing from the dangerous paint chemicals from yesteryear to the waterbased ones they use today has made the business healthier for employees and Whitlock himself, who’s always been known for his painting and detailing. Estimating cost has improved as well, as they can input a car’s serial number into their computers and get a list of every part that car was built with. “Computers have really taken the guesswork out of all of it,” he said. Whitlock is now retired, but the company still continues on under the care of his three children, Travis Whitlock, Brandon Whitlock, and Stephanie Larsen. The transition from his management to theirs 12 years ago was seamless because all three of his kids grew up in the business. All three have memories of hanging around Dad’s shop after school and during the summers learning how to fix cars. “We probably got in the way of the workers a lot, but we learned a lot,” Travis Whitlock said. He even painted his first Volkswagen car fender at age 6. “It was fun growing up here, riding motorcycles around the lot, learn-

ing how to drive a car at an extremely young age,” Brandon Whitlock said, while Steve Whitlock chuckled. “We’d ride our bikes down from the house to the shop every day after school.” From their grade school days to their high school years, Steve Whitlock’s children’s education was hands-on in the shop. From learning to paint and finish the cars, to helping aligning car frames, they learned all of it as they grew. As they moved into their teens, Steve Whitlock bought them a wrecked car. “Dad bought me a ‘66 Fastback Mustang when I was 13, and said, ‘Here’s your car for when you are 16, now get it built,’” Travis Whitlock said. “He did that with all of us.” Travis Whitlock still has that Mustang. Though they both can remember their first cars – Brandon Whitlock’s was a ’71 Ford Bronco, and Larsen’s was a ’85 Mustang Convertible – Brandon and Stephanie no longer have theirs. But they still remember the effort. They all had thoughts of branching out into other careers, but each of the Whitlock children came back to the family business. They were drawn to fun of the industry, and the opportunity

to work together. “I know other families that can’t work together, but it’s worked for us. It’s good for us,” Travis Whitlock said. Travis Whitlock is company’s general manager, Brandon Whitlock does estimating, part ordering, and according to Steve Whitlock, “lots of other things that keep us going,” and Larsen runs the front office. Steve Whitlock said they all just evolved into their roles, and are happy with them. “I’ve always enjoyed it. It’s not every job that a girl gets to go to lunch with her dad every day. It’s fun working with him,” Larsen said. The fun bleeds over into the nonfamily employees as well. Steve Whitlock said they have 12 employees, and most of them have been with them for more than 25 years. One has even been there 38 years, almost since the beginning. “That’s a huge part of our success – we retain our employees – that’s huge for the auto industry. We all work really well together,” Travis Whitlock said. Even with all the changes in the auto industry, the ongoing need for continuing education, the employees and family continue to adapt the business to keep it successful. Travis Whitlock said

there are large corporate collision operators who are rolling in to the state, buying up local shops. Those will be solid competition for Whitlock Collision in coming years, but the family feels that they’ve made a name for themselves. “Being honest, doing quality work and timely repairs, and doing the right thing for customers – that keeps people coming back,” Brandon Whitlock said. Karissa Neely reports on Business & Community events, and can be reached at (801) 344-2537 or kneely@ heraldextra.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DHKarissaNeely We would like to thank Daily Herald for reprint permission.

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CARSTAR Expands Into Northern CA with Addition of CARSTAR Espana’s San Jose CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts is expanding in California with the addition of CARSTAR España’s San Jose. With 10 shops currently operating in Southern California, this latest addition is the first CARSTAR location in Northern California. CARSTAR España’s San Jose is a family-operated Michael Espana, business, owned owner of CARSTAR by Miguel E. EsEspana’s in San paña. The family Jose, CA, recently has been repairing joined the network vehicles at this location for more than two decades. The shop is located at 470 E. Brokaw Rd., San Jose, CA 95112. España made the decision to join CARSTAR based on the recommendation of several current owners. He said that he also liked the fact that he can have the advantages of being a part of a large MSO, while still retaining his individual ownership. “I’m pleased for the opportunity to be part of the CARSTAR family,” said España. “After meeting and learning from some of the CARSTAR store

owners from all over the country, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be part of the big CARSTAR Network. With their focus on expanding, high-quality repairs, superior customer satisfaction and continuing to grow the relations with the insurance partners, all of this is in line with my business culture. Today, we are very excited to be part of something big and that still allows us to be independent, yet with the protection and the advantages of a nationwide company network competing with the large MSOs.” CARSTAR España’s San Jose is in a modern 12,000 square foot facility, equipped with up-to-date estimating, measuring, and repair software and tools. The shop utilizes Mitchell and Audatex estimating software, Car-OLiner racks with Car-o-Tronic measuring system, Spraybake heated downdraft paint booth, Pro Spot welding systems, and more.

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www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 11

JBS Collision Repair in Watsonville, CA, is A Body of Work by Todd Guild, register-pajaronian.com

Before he died in 2000, Joe Rodriguez told his sons he wanted them to take over his auto body shop. And so it was that a 20-year-old Jaime Rodriguez went to the City of Watsonville to transfer the title for Joe’s Auto Body to his own name. But a perplexed clerk told him, to his surprise, that his father had already transferred it. The business was already his. “He must have really wanted me to have it,” said Jaime Rodriguez, who now runs JBS Auto Body out of its new location at 317 East Beach St. His brother Joe Jr. works full-time in the body shop, while several other relatives help occasionally. Rodriguez’s career in the auto body business began when he was still in elementary school, when he would go after school to his father’s shop. After he finished his homework, his father never allowed him to merely sit around. “He said, ‘grab a piece of sandpaper and get to work,’” Rodriguez said. That was his introduction to the auto body business, and as he got older he learned the other aspects of the profession. Soon, he was ready to learn one of the more difficult parts of auto restoration, even if he was reluctant at first.

“I was 17 when I painted my first car,” he said. That started when his father told him to grab a sprayer and get to work, a request he initially balked at. After some cajoling, his first attempt predictably left streaks running down the

Jaime Rodriguez talks about running his business, JBS Collision Repair, Monday at his West Beach shop. Credit: register-pajaronian.com

sides of the vehicle, Rodriguez said. “I said, ‘I don’t want to finish, because I keep messing up,’” he said. His father’s response? “He said, ‘you know what you’re going to do? You’re going to sand it down tomorrow and do it again,’” Rodriguez said. This time, however, it was at his father’s side that he learned the finesse it takes to paint a car by hand. That experience cemented his love

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for the profession, he said. “After that, I wanted to be a painter,” he said. Within a few years, Joe Rodriguez had taught both his sons, Jaime and Joe Rodriguez, Jr., everything there was to know about the business. “He taught me and my brother everything he knew,” he said. After his father’s death Jaime was left bewildered by having to take over managing the business, and he soon realized he had to move it from its original Grove Street location. After two moves to Freedom and Pajaro, and working at two other auto body shops, Rodriguez discovered the West Beach Street site, which offers a shop, a painting area and a space for detailing work. “What I like is getting a vehicle that needs work and giving it back to the customer in perfect condition,” Rodriguez said. “I want to give the best I can to my customers. That means a lot to me.” JBS Auto Body is a full-service business that offers all manner of restoration work and collision repair, custom body work, paint and pin striping and offers a full detailing service. It is located at 317 West Beach St. in Watsonville. For information, or to make an appointment, call 786-6912. Thank you to Register-Pajaronian for permission to reprint this article.

Galpin Annual Car Show in CA

The 4th Annual Galpin Car Show was held on September 20 in Van Nuys, CA. Even though the temperature was 100+, there were over 300 vehicles on display and the show was well attended by the public. Part of the success of this show is that all makes and models of cars were welcome. Along with the diverse vehicle line-up, Galpin Ford hosted a free lunch as well as music, refreshments, activities for kids and a free t-shirt. The MB2 Raceway team was in attendance with an outdoor go-kart track.

Vehicles on display during the Galpin show

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 13

Autonomous Vehicle Accident Reports Now Online in CA

The California Department of Motor Vehicles said that starting in October it will post all autonomous vehicle accident reports on its website. The move comes after Consumer Watchdog recently suggested to the DMV that it make the required reports easily available online. “Our highways are being used as corporate laboratories for robot car makers,” said John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog’s Privacy Project director. “It’s essential that the public have readily available as many details as possible about what happened when something goes wrong.” While welcoming the added transparency and praising DMV’s latest action, Simpson said further steps are necessary. Consumer Watchdog has petitioned the DMV for a rulemaking process that would amend robot car testing regulations to require police to investigate crashes and to require copies of any video or technical data gathered by the robot vehicle related to the crash be provided to the department. “Under the current regulations, the department relies completely on the testing company’s account of what happened. With the public’s safety at stake, it’s imperative that a neutral third-party investigates any accident involving a robot car,” wrote Simpson, in the petition to the DMV. The Consumer Watchdog’s Sept. 24 petition can be found online: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org /resources/ltrdmvpetition092415.pdf Under the testing regulations, manufacturers must provide the DMV with a report of the crash within 10 business days of the incident. The DMV has now posted all nine crash reports it has received since companies were required to file them last September. Eight of the crashes involved Google cars. One involved a Delphi vehicle. Google was involved in eight additional crashes before reporting as required for a total of 16 accidents since it began testing robot cars. The DMV said it will issue a news alert when a new crash report is posted. The official accident reports can be found on the DMV’s website herettps://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal /dmv/detail/vr/autonomous/testing Currently there are 10 companies approved by the DMV to test robot cars on California’s highways. They are: Volkswagen Group of America, Mercedes Benz, Google, Delphi Automotive, Tesla Motors, Bosch, Nissan, Cruise Automation, BMW and Honda. More information is available online: www.consumerwatchdog.org

Pro Spot in CA Sponsors Charity Event for Children’s Hospital in British Columbia, Canada Pro Spot International, manufacturers of welding equipment for the collision repair industry, sponsored the 23rd annual PBE Charity Golf Classic benefiting BC Children’s Hospital. The event was held at Morgan Creek Gold and Country Club in South Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, on Sept. 10. Title sponsors were Color Compass, Chase Auto Body Supplies and White & Peters. Ron Olsson, president of Pro Spot International and based in Carlsbad, CA, explained Pro Spot is dedicated to the health, education and futures of children and young adults around the world. “It is an honor to be able to participate in events which promote research and education that will go to improving

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fundraising has been our pleasure.” The country club saw more that 150 participants. Pro Spot’s next event will the SEMA Show in Las Vegas from Nov. 3 to 6. Pro Spot will be conducting product demonstrations and discussions in SEMA booth #10839 throughout the Expo. BC Children’s Hospital Foundation is a leader in general and specialized pediatric services, and is British Columbia’s foremost teaching a research facility for child health. The hospital has provided care for the most seriParticipants from Pro Spot International’s charity event ously ill or injured children held in British Columbia, Canada since 1982.

the health of children in Canada,” he said. “This hospital is an excellent resource for families facing health crises, and being able to assist the hospital in

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 15

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Continued from Cover

CDI Takes Action

Co-owners Alvaro Valencia and Bill Stone of A&B have been filing labor rate complaints for more than two years and are pleased to see that action has been taken by the CDI. In two cases, Allstate objected with A&B’s labor rate of $95 and stated that they were not willing to pay more than $75. After the CDI intervened, Allstate increased the labor rate to $82, still $13 below the shop’s stated labor rate. Allstate had no documentation to justify the lower rate simply saying that it was “over inflated” and that most shops in the area accept the lower rate as reasonable and competitive, according to the Statement of Charges/Accusation filed by the CDI. Bill Stone at A&B Collision hopes that these actions will change the industry for the better. “David Jones is stepping up and representing us, which is excellent,” Stone said. “It took quite a while for these to be filed, because the CDI needs to investigate and build a case, which I understand. We have filed more than 100 complaints with them, because every time it happens,

we’re going to complain. 96% of all the insurance companies we work with play fair and that’s all we want. We’re in the only business in this country where someone can walk in and say we’re not going to pay your rate and here is what we’re going to pay. The insurance companies have all the clout and the power and we’re just one shop in a small town. It’s always been a David vs. Goliath situation, but now we have someone on our side, finally. It’s a big deal, that’s for sure.” Stone says he is tired of wrestling with insurance companies over what he feels is a very fair labor rate. “We’re not trying to make a killing, we just want to be paid what we deserve,” he said. “They try to cut costs and question our rates for being inflated. They have no survey information to back it up, they just push it on us and what can we do? They will claim things like a ‘basecoat reduction’ and things like that—which I think must be a phrase that was created by the insurance industry.” Another complainant in the action vs. Allstate is Douglas Marshall of Autotrends in Oakland, CA. He has filed approximately 50 complaints in the last three years and is also happy to see these charges.

18 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

“This is a one step in the right direction and something that has been needed for many years,” Marshall said. “We’ve been filing complaints every week, and now we’re seeing the results. By keeping good records and documenting everything, we’re able to make our case in every situation. Commissioner Jones is doing all of the things he promised he would and that’s why he’s the best we’ve ever had in that office.” Tony Cignarale, CDI Deputy Commissioner of Consumer Services and Market Conduct weighed in about the three enforcement actions. “CDI is not able to comment on any ongoing investigations or complaints. However, in general, the department investigates and attempts to resolve each complaint it receives. Each case has a different set of facts and involves different insurance companies and different types of disputes. Therefore, each case may have different results. CDI has been able to resolve many of the complaints filed with additional payments to consumers and to repair shops. In 2014 the Department received more than 175,000 calls from consumers and helped recover over $54 million in claims and premiums.

“In some cases, where insurer practices caused the dispute, we were successful in getting insurers to make changes to the systems, processes, or labor rate surveys so that future claims are handled reasonably and in a fair and equitable manner, Cignarale explained. “In those cases where CDI alleges that insurer practices are in violation of law, each case must be investigated and evidence must be obtained that would support taking enforcement action. The three cases noted were examples of the result of these types of investigations.” Penalties in each action are the same—an Order to Cease and Desist from engaging in unfair acts in violation of CIC Section 790.03, including civil penalties not to exceed $5,000 for each act or if the act or practice is willful, not to exceed $10,000. For acts in violation of CIC Section 704(b), suspension of each insurer’s certificate of authority for up to one year, or a $55,000 fine in lieu of suspension. Each insurance company in question can either accept the monetary penalties associated with each alleged action or a have their case heard at a hearing held at a date to be determined in the CID’s Office of Administrative Hearing in Los Angeles.

Youngest ALS Patient Receives Specially Equipped Van at West Coast Customs

Dominic “The Dominator” Cumo, 10, the youngest person to be diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), will travel in greater comfort thanks to a refurbished specially equi-pped van donated by Caliber Collision, the Auto Club of Southern California and West Coast

(l to r) Tiffany Hoekstra and Jillian Payne of Loma Linda University Children Foundation, Rick Lewis of AAA, David Goldstein of Caliber Collision, Ryan Friendlinghaus of West Coast Customs and Jes Talamantes Vice Mayor of Burbank gather around the vehicle recipients; a family with a son who has ALS. Credit: Jon Ogden Photography

Customs. Dominic and his family were presented with the keys to the customized 2011 Chevrolet Town & Country this week as part of the National Auto Body Council’s Recycled RidesTM program in which auto body repair facilities, insurance companies, and others in the collision industry partner to repair and donate vehicles to individuals in need. The original van was donated by the Auto Club and restored by Caliber Collision technicians at its Chino Valley center who volunteered their time as a community service. West Coast Customs joined the effort by installing a wheelchair lift, custom wheels, television and other interior upgrades. Dominic’s inspiring story of courage is expected to air on a future episode of the popular West Coast Customs television show on the Fox Sports network airing on FOX Sports 2. The new season begins Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. PST. “Thank you so much. I couldn’t believe it. This is amazing,” said a beaming Dominic as he inspected his new ride. Despite his debilitating and degenerative illness, Dominic has always had a positive and cheerful spirit, eager for new experiences. The Recycled Rides van donation will provide him with more opportunities to enjoy his favorite activ-

ities – traveling, football games, music concerts, and visiting fire fighters – just to name a few.

Dominic enjoys his new ride, a customized 2011 Chevrolet Town & Country refurbished by Caliber Collision, West Coast Customs and Automobile Club of Southern California. Credit: Jon Ogden Photography

The customized van will also provide comfortable transportation for frequent commutes from the family’s home in Apple Valley to Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, which nominated the family for the Recycled Rides vehicle donation.

“We are humbled by Dominic’s spirit and passion,” said David Goldstein, Caliber Collision Senior Vice Pre-sident-Operations. “We hope this gift of transportation will enable Dominic and his family to indulge in life to its fullest. This gifting is just one more way that Caliber Collision restores those in need across the communities we serve to the rhythm of their lives.” “At such a young age, Dominic is a true inspiration to us all,” said Rick Lewis, Claims Unit Manager at the Auto Club. “We are proud to partner with Caliber Collision and West Coast Customs to ease the burden of transportation for Dominic and his family.” West Coast Customs Founder and CEO Ryan Friedlinghaus had this to say about the experience, “We are so glad to be able to be part of this great program! We hope Dominic and his family enjoy all the fun stuff we put in the van for him. May he enjoy every moment of it all!” In the past three years, Caliber Collision has donated more than 75 Recycled Ride vehicles nationwide. Caliber Collision plans on donating more than 30 vehicles in 2015 to individuals in need as a way to give back to the communities that Caliber serves.

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Alioto’s Garage is the Oldest Body Shop in the City by the Bay

When Babe passed away in 1962, the torch was logically passed on to Frank, San Francisco may be the perfect Jr. Frank Alioto eventually moved the place to own a body shop; the city is business to Folsom Street in 1972, still small (seven miles by seven miles), home to their main location. crowded and the traffic laws are A father of two boys, Frank nearly non-existent. I tell people that Alioto Jr. continued the family tradition the only way to get a ticket in SF is by by raising Matt and Chris essentially in actually hitting a police car. the shop. Matt and Chris slowly took control of the business, and as it grew, they decided to expand their Folsom Street store. They first added a parking lot, then in 2007, another building was added to the shop and increased capacity by another 18,000 square feet. In 2011, they purchased another shop on the northern side of San Francisco. “Many customers drove across the From left, General Manager Chris Diaz, VP Matt Alioto city to see, so it was a logical and President Chris Alioto run Alioto’s Garage, the oldest shop in San Francisco and currently fixing over 500 cars expansion in that area,” Matt monthly Alioto said. “We were nervBut, in other ways, San Francisco ous but decided to take a chance and it can also be a tough place to run a body paid off.” In 2013, Alioto’s opened a shop. Parking is scarce in most cases brand new facility on the southern and many shops spend countless hours side of San Francisco. moving cars around due to a lack of Vice-President Matt Alioto, 43, is space. Rent is through the roof, so the father of two boys, and company many employees can’t afford to live in President Chris Alioto, 41, has one SF. Lastly, watch out for all of the son and two daughters. As third-genrules and regulations, because Cali- eration owners, Matt and Chris almost fornia isn’t known for being business- didn’t enter the family business as the friendly, to say the least. two decided to pursue other careers. Despite all of the obstacles that The two brothers decided not to exist in San Francisco, one shop has work in the family business initially. “I outlasted them all, by doing quality went to school for IT and Chris went to work, treating their people right and work for a mutual fund company after going way over the top when it comes college, so we were not going to take to customer service. It’s called Alioto’s over the business, at least at first,” Matt Garage, a business that has been flourishing in the City by the Bay for the past 76 years. It all began in 1939, when Frank “Babe” Alioto Sr., the first American born child of Sicilian immigrants, opened his doors at Alioto’s Garage in Daly City, CA. With business booming, Alioto moved the auto body shop to San Francisco’s Marina District in 1946. The The estimating crew at Alioto’s Garage has more than business grew as the country 100 years of total experience. Sitting in the middle is rebounded from World War II GM Chris Diaz and the shop started working on all of Alioto said. “We worked at the shop the new Packards, Chryslers and Ply- growing up, so we knew basically how mouths that started hitting the roads in it worked, but we wanted to do our own things.” the Bay Area. Then, one day Frank Alioto, Jr. Babe raised his son, Frank, Jr. in the shop and taught him the ins and made a phone call to his sons that outs of collision repair and refinishing. would forever change their lives. “He by Ed Attanasio

20 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

gether because they have different skills and that’s why they make an effective team, according to their mother Carolyn Alioto. “Matt is the technical one and Chris has a great mind for business and relationships,” she explained. “They balance each other out and they both share a passion for this business. My late husband was so proud of these kids, because they took what he did and made it better. He passed shortly before they obtained their Tesla and Porsche certification; I know he’s looking down at them and smiling. Many family businesses flounder during the third generation, but with Matt and Chris, it is growing every year.” By assembling a winning team, Alioto’s is now fixing 500 cars on average. The day-to-day operations are handled by General Manager Chris Diaz, 30, who supervises and motivates approximately 70 employees as the shops balance 10 DRPs. With a track record spanning seven decades, the Alioto family has seen the collision industry change in many ways. “I remember our first DRP with State

told us he wanted to retire, so if we weren’t interested in getting involved, he would close the doors and sell the shop,” Chris Alioto said. “I saw some

President Chris Alioto is proud of his family business of 76 years. Here he is pictured with his wife Patricia, the twins and his son, Santino

real potential there, because my father and my grandfather had built up a solid business, so I decided to join the company and Matt followed shortly thereafter. Dad taught us the business he knew. But he also knew times were changing and over time was supportive of the changes we wanted to make.” The two brothers work well to-

See Alioto’s Garage, Page 22

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Continued from Page 20

Alioto’s Garage

Farm,” said Chris Alioto. “It was new to us. We were happy to have regular work coming in, back then they just let us fix the cars. Now it takes knowledge of OEM procedures, special training and tools to ensure the repairs come out right. Our insurance partners rely on us and trust us to stay up to date; it’s our responsibility.” Matt Alioto is most excited about the technical advancements that have taken place in the industry. “The technology and the computers are probably the most significant things,” he said. “With the Internet, shops are more transparent and the customers are more educated about what we do. Aluminum and all of the new repair techniques on these newer vehicles are also big changes.” Alioto’s was fortunate to see the wave of the future and pushed hard to be at the forefront. By embracing the rush to aluminum, Alioto’s acquired OEM certifications from Tesla, Porsche, Infiniti, and Ford F-150. The Alioto brothers show they are not afraid to invest in equipment and training to get to

the next level. “We want to repair these cars right, so we make sure that we’re using OE procedures and have the proper training for our people,” GM Chris Diaz explained. “We want to be a top-tier shop, so that customers will go out of their way to bring their cars here.” Is there any chance that Alioto’s will one day become a fourth-generation business? “We’ll see, but right now our children are a little young,” Chris Alioto said. “Our children are enjoying just being kids. If any of our children want to enter the business, we’ll be happy, but if they want to pursue anything else, we’ll be 100 percent supportive. We want them to be happy and find something they love to do, whatever it is. My brother and I didn’t think we’d be working in the family business either, but look at us now!”

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22 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

U.S. Justices Consider Baltimore Cop's Kickback Conspiracy Appeal According to Reuters Report The U.S. Supreme Court considered whether federal prosecutors overstepped their authority when they charged a Baltimore police officer with conspiracy to extort for his role in a kickback scheme involving an auto repair shop. Samuel Ocasio was one of several police officers who encouraged people involved in car accidents to get their vehicles fixed at Majestic Auto Repair Shop in Rosedale, a Baltimore suburb. In return, the shop owners, brothers Hernan Moreno and Edwin Mejia, paid the officers between $150 and $300 per referral. After Ocasio was arrested in 2011, he was convicted of four charges, three of extortion and one of conspiracy, and sentenced to 18 months in prison. The two brothers pleaded guilty and testified at Ocasio’s trial. The nine Supreme Court justices appeared divided as they debated whether Ocasio should have been convicted of the conspiracy charge. Ocasio’s lawyers say the legal definition of the crime does not cover payments or exchanges of property among co-conspirators. In Ocasio’s case, he received payments from the shop owners, who were part

of the enterprise, not from members of the public. Justice Elena Kagan appeared to back the prosecutors, saying that “in the normal way that conspiracy law works, there is a conspiracy here.” Other justices seemed to question whether the case against Ocasio was an example of a trend critics have described as “over-criminalization” in which prosecutors stretch the definition of criminal laws to secure more convictions. Justice Stephen Breyer asked whether people could get prosecuted for apparently innocent conduct under the same theory the government used against Ocasio. Breyer said Ocasio was essentially asking the court: “Don’t make a bad situation worse.” The National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys said in court papers backing Ocasio that federal prosecutors interpret the extortion law in such a way that almost anyone accused of extortion could also charged with conspiracy. The federal extortion law, known as the Hobbs Act, “has been transformed into a vague, expansive criminal statute with draconian penalties,” the association said.

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Continued from Cover

Antitrust Claim

parts below ‘average variable cost’ and thereby designed to drive competition out of business. The initial complaint, filed in October 2012, said the program, which requires dealerships to ‘sell OEM parts below dealer cost,’ is a violation of the Sherman Act, the Robinson-Patman Act (which prohibits anticompetitive pricing) as well as the Louisiana unfair trade practices and anti-trust laws. The suit alleged violations of federal and state antitrust and state consumer protection regulations. Felder’s alleged that GM and original-equipment parts distributors such as All Star Automotive Group engaged in illegal “predatory pricing” practices to undercut aftermarket prices and drive aftermarket competitors out of business. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to revive the suit accusing GM of trying to monopolize the collision parts market, rejecting the auto parts retailer’s argument that the Fifth Circuit considered the wrong factors when ruling on predatory pricing allegations. Felders had told the original Mid-

dle District of Louisiana court that its income fell from a peak of about $3 million in 2008 (before the GM program began) to about $2 million because of GM’s program, which, it argued, could drive Felder’s out of business. But Felder’s also acknowledged to the Supreme Court that LKQ subsidiary Keystone has survived despite the GM competitive pressure. GM originally gave the dealerships a rebate for the difference between cost and the reduced price charged the auto body shop and tacked on a 14% markup on the original price. GM’s parts normally cost more to consumers than aftermarket parts, but GM said that if All Star and others sold the parts for 33 percent less than their competitors, it would send them a rebate that amounted to a 14 percent profit. Felder’s filed a petition based on the panel’s holding that a GM rebate for name-brand parts had to be considered when comparing its distributors’ prices to generic competitors’, not just day-of-sale pricing. The Fifth Circuit had already ruled that the rebate kept the transaction from falling below the supplier’s average variable cost and thus wasn’t predatory. “This case presents a purely legal

24 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

issue for predatory pricing claims: whether cost … is measured at the point when the consumer’s participation in the transactions comes to an end, or can incorporate post-sale kickbacks from a conspiring supplier,” the petition states. Felder’s attorneys urged the high court to rule that the appropriate boundary for determining pricing should be when the consumer transaction ends. “If, at that point, the predatory competitor’s costs are below the price paid by the consumer, then that prong of a predatory pricing claim is satisfied,” it said. “The sale below cost destroys competition, the protection of which is the essence of the Sherman Act.” A Louisiana federal judge said in April that Felder’s failed to define the effective area of competition and didn’t actually allege below-cost pricing that met the Fifth Circuit’s standards. The retailer brought the suit before the Fifth Circuit, claiming that it had alleged specific Louisiana parishes and Mississippi counties in which it competes with All Star and that it had laid out GM’s alleged illegal scheme in detail. In unanimously upholding the lower court dismissal, the three-judge Fifth Circuit panel ruled that the rebate should be considered as a ‘reduction in

All Star’s cost of acquiring the parts.’ “The rebate undoubtedly affects that bottom line for All Star by guaranteeing that it makes a profit on any Bump the Competition sale,” Circuit Judge Gregg J. Costa wrote in the opinion. “That undisputed fact resolves the case, as a firm that is selling at a short run profit-maximizing, or loss-minimizing, price is clearly not a predator.” The Automotive Body Parts Association filed an amicus brief in support of Felder’s in May, arguing that the precedential decision will fetter competition nationwide. The association claimed its members will suffer if the ruling is allowed to stand because the decision created an “open ended” and “unclear” rule on how to evaluate predatory pricing claims and allows competitors and suppliers to conspire to eliminate competition without consequence. “It is not merely competitors that are being eliminated by GM’s ‘Bump the Competition’ program. It is competition that is being eliminated,” the association said in its brief. “The economic harm petitioner is suffering is not limited to its specific geographic market. Rather, the harm is occurring nationwide.”

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Continued from Cover

Case Dismissed

ing this as a delay in the process.” The Florida lawsuit, including 20 auto repair shops and 39 insurance companies, was filed February 24, 2014. It was the first action filed in the Multi-District Lawsuit, which grew to include two dozen lawsuits and were consolidated for pretrial purposes. In the case, the Plaintiffs allege that the Defendants, “engaged in an ongoing, concerted and combined intentional course of action and conduct to improperly and illegally control and depress automobile damage repair costs to the detriment of the Plaintiffs and the substantial profit of the Defendants.” The Plaintiffs also assert that the Defendants engaged in price fixing, compulsory use of substandard parts and boycotting shops that refuse to comply. Eaves Law Firm filed a Second Amended Complaint Feb. 11, 2015, alleging price fixing in violation of the Sherman Act, boycott in violation of the Sherman Act, tortious interference with business relations, and quantum meruit.

This is the third time the claims were dismissed; however, this time they were dismissed “with prejuidice,” meaning they cannot be refiled as they were before. “Based upon a review of the pleadings in this and the other 20-odd cases… the Court finds that giving the Plaintiffs another opportunity to state a claim would be an exercise in futility,” Judge Presnell wrote in the most recent court document. Eaves said the silver lining is that they will get more clarification from the appellate judge on the other issues of law. The first step is to file a motion to reconsider, which Eaves said will be done in 10 days. Then the law firm will have 30 days to file a notice that they will appeal, which will most likely take a year. In the meantime, Eaves Law Firm has submitted amended complaints for the first six lawsuits that were filed, including Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Utah. (Autobody News will share details about the amended complaints in a followup article) “We think the judge is mistaken, especially about tortious interference,

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so we are appealing that ruling,” said Eaves. Tortious interference occurs when a person intentionally damages the plaintiff’s contractual or other business relationship. According to court documents, “Tortious interference may be justified where the interfering defendant is not a stranger to the business relationship with which it is interfering… The defendants in this case were not strangers to any business relationships between their insureds and auto repair shops, as the defendants would be paying for the repairs to be performed. In court documents, Judge Presnell wrote that the plaintiffs relied on the same incidents as demonstrating that the defendants were engaging in a boycott. “However, those incidents are not sufficient to state a claim for tortious interference with a business relationship,” he said. Another claim involved quantum meruit. Quantum meruit refers to a reasonable sum of money to be paid for services rendered or work done when the amount due is not stipulated in a legally enforceable contract. Judge Presnell dismissed the claim for quantum meruit, saying “One per-

son should not benefit from the work efforts of another under circumstances where the person doing the work has the reasonable expectation of being paid by the person benefitted, and the person benefitted has a reasonable expectation of paying for the work.” He added that, “With foreknowledge of the amounts the Defendants were willing to pay, the Plaintiffs could not have had a reasonable expectation of receiving more.” Eaves said, “We think that shops have the right to get paid for work and have a reasonable expectation to get paid for work that they do.” The law firm encourages all shops, whether or not they are involved in the lawsuit, to send evidence for the case. “This industry didn’t get in this shape overnight and it won’t get out of it overnight,” said Eaves.

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www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 27

Safeco, had a State Farm agent on the premise helping to assess vehicles. “You have to press a little bit more,” said Santoro. “Instead of getting “Half of the road I live on was off work at 6 pm, you have to work till washed away,” he said. “The state is 7 pm. You come in at 8 am instead of saying it may not be restored until 8:30 am; we got to get the vehicles March or April.” done and get them out. These people When we spoke with Santoro on need their cars back and get back to the October 8, the shop was waiting to get rhythm of their lives.” claims processed for the flood damHe said he can’t put a number on aged vehicles. how long it will take for the Palmetto State to make a full recovery, but it’s safe to say things won’t be back to normal for a while. “The State of South Carolina is doing the best they can,” said Santoro. “About 300 roads have been washed out; right now it’s important to get the infrastructure together in the city; without infrastructure, people can’t get to us to get Cars are stranded in the floodwaters in Columbia, S.C. their vehicles fixed.” on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015 Santoro owned a repair shop “We have about seven to eight in New York for 25 years, so he is no vehicles here that we are working on stranger to weather or how unforgiv[post flood], but we also have our own ing Mother Nature can be. work that we had in before the flood“Predicting weather is not an ing started,” he added. exact science, but we were warned that Caliber Collision, which is a DRP there would be flooding of epic profor State Farm, Liberty Mutual, and portions,” he said. “Some took those

Continued from Cover

SC Flooding

28 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

warnings with a grain of salt, others took them to heart. The ones who took them to heart are the ones who are doing okay.” Santoro said there were barricades all over the city.

Credit: @chrys_z/instagram

“Right now it’s like a mouse in a maze,” he said. “You’re trying to get him in one end and out the other.” Santoro said if there is one thing South Carolina residents can take away from this natural disaster, it’s to “listen; heed the warning.” Broad River Paint & Body Shop, also in Columbia, reported no damage. Despite the fact that most of the staff was unable to make it to work, they stayed open during the hurricane,

and were able to repair a few wrecked vehicles. St. Andrews Express Body Shop reported no damage to the shop itself. However, the vehicles that did come in went straight to salvage due to water rising all the way up to the dashboard. Jimmy Rivers at Used Foreign Car and Summit Collision Ctr Inc. reported no damage. Autobody News also reached out for comment to State Farm’s South Carolina media representative, Justin Tomczak, who submitted the following statement: “Body shops and car dealerships can expect State Farm to deliver the highest level of service to our customers as we help South Carolina recover from this event. State Farm has deployed estimating and claim handling resources to deliver the highest level of service to our customers as we help South Carolina recover from this event. State Farm agents, agent’s staff, and local employees are also helping customers as we begin the recovery from this event.” For more information on state road conditions, or other vehicle-related inquiries, please call 1-855-4672368, or visit www.scdot.org.

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 29

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.

SCRS Survey, Airbag Testing Technology, Total Loss Pandemic, NSF International with John Yoswick

20 years ago in the collision repair industry (November 1995) A recent national survey of collision repair shops found that the suppliers of computerized estimating and shop management software still have a huge untapped market. The survey of 801 collision repair shops, conducted by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) found that about 64 percent of shops have an estimating system capable of producing “P-page logic” estimates. Why haven’t four out of 10 shops entered the computer market? A lack of understanding of computers, concerns about cost, and a lack of time for choosing a system and getting trained are the reasons “computer-less” shop owners cite. All these arguments are valid to one degree or another. And it is by no means necessary to computerize to succeed in the industry. But computer systems are increasingly affordable and

easy to use. You don’t have to really understand how they work or learn a lot of terminology. And most importantly, shop owners say, the right computer system is perhaps the single most important tool a shop can use to increase sales, productivity and profit. – As reported in Automotive Journal. Twenty years later no one would probably argue that “it is by no means necessary to computerize to succeed in the industry.”

15 years ago in the collision repair industry (November 2000) A new company plans to be testing and certifying salvage airbag modules for reuse in vehicles by early next year. Peter Byrne, president of Airbag Testing Technology, speaking at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Nashville, TN, said his Ohio-based company verified its testing process this past summer and will begin certifying salvage airbag modules in one

or more Canadian provinces in 2001. He said the company plans to later move into other markets – including the United States. Byrne said the testing process includes checking for proper electrical integrity and resistance; checking the mechanical fasteners and cosmetic appearance of the module; ensuring that no foreign matter (such as glass) has entered the cushion cavity; and checking for surface levels of sodium or calcium that would indicate the module had been immersed in water and is thus unusable. Byrne said it is only immersion in water – not exposure to atmospheric humidity or rain – that impacts a module’s performance. His company’s test, he said, can detect immersion even if it occurred years previously. The company conducted tests on 68 Ford Taurus airbag modules (58 salvage modules, and 10 new modules used for comparison) this past sum-

mer at a research facility in British Columbia, Canada, to verify its testing procedures. All of the modules were successfully deployed following the certification testing. Byrne said the company expects the initial market for its certified modules to be in the three Canadian provinces with government-run insurance monopolies – followed by the non-insurance-paid repair market in the United States. “We recognize that it will take a long time for the insurance-paid section of the marketplace to come around to this,” Byrne said, acknowledging the liability concerns for shops and insurers. – As reported in Autobody News. Byrne was right that use of salvaged airbags has been adopted by some Canadian insurers that largely have control of the vehicle from the time it is totaled to when it is dismantled. But no U.S. insurers are calling for the use of such modules.

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10 years ago in the collision repair industry (December 2005) For Jim Watson, the solution to the rising percentage of vehicles being declared total losses is relatively simple: Non-repairable vehicles shouldn’t be repaired. “Repair the repairable vehicles at a facility that has the training, technology, tools and accountability to do so,” said Watson, an Illinois auto recycler and current president of the Automotive Recyclers Association. “And require those vehicles that could not or should not be repaired to be disposed of with a federal certificate of destruction to be sold for parts or scrap only.” Watson said this would solve what he calls “the total loss pandemic” by addressing two parts of the “total loss” equation. First, it would make more recyclable parts available to shops, thus reducing costs to repair. Second, it would reduce competition for salvage vehicles – because more of those vehicle could not be purchased to be rebuilt – lowering the salvage values that are a key component in determining if a vehicle will be declared a total. Watson’s comments came during the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) in Las Vegas in November, dur-

ing which several CIC committees focused attention on the issue of total losses. One committee, for example, compiled a variety of statistics from estimating system providers and insurers to gauge whether the common perception that the number of total losses is increasing is actually true. In 2005, Illinois CCC reported the Auto Recycler percentage of total Jim Watson was national president losses among estiof the Automotive mates written by inRecyclers surance appraisers Association in 2004 was nearly double the annual percentage of total losses in 1997 through 2000. – As reported in Parts & People. CCC has since reported that the percentage of total losses has hovered between 12.9 percent and 14.2 percent each year since 2005.

5 years ago in the collision repair industry (November 2010) At the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) this month, Bob Frayer of NSF International spoke about his com-

pany’s non-OEM parts certification program launched in February. Like the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) program, NSF certification requires the parts manufacturer to meet quality control requirements, and that parts undergo testing to determine they match OEM in terms of content, fit and function. But unlike CAPA, NSF does not require that its labs conduct the actual testing of the parts; NSF merely audits that the parts manufacturer has had testing done by a qualified facility. “The manufacturers control testing,” Frayer said. “We can do the testing, but we only require the testing be done at an ISO 17025 accredited facility.” NSF-certified parts bear the NSF mark, Frayer said, and certification requires the manufacturer to have a system in place to conduct a part recall if there is a safety concern. Although CAPA accepts and investigates complaints about parts it certifies, under the NSF program the parts manufacturer must have a system in place to accept and respond to complaints. How does a shop know how to file such a complaint? Frayer said a phone number or email address for the man-

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ufacturer must be included on either the part or packaging. NSF’s Frayer and CAPA’s Jack Gillis were asked how the industry should view the fact that there are now multiple standards and certification programs for non-OEM parts. Gillis said he doesn’t see it as a good thing, and could create confusion, just as it would if competing drug stores had different standards for aspirin that consumers had to try to sort through. “Multiple standards often signify a diminution of the concept of standards,” Gillis said. Frayer said he doesn’t see multiple standards as a bad thing. “If we were interested in only one standard, we would probably be buying only OEM parts and say that’s the standard and why don’t we stop there,” Frayer said. “I’d argue that both CAPA and NSF are not the first standard but the second and third in the industry (after OEM). I don’t personally think that’s a bad thing.” – As reported in CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com), November 22, 2010. Both CAPA and NSF continue to certify non-OEM parts, and NSF recently launched a body shop certification program.

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CAA Lobbyist Jack Molodanof to Speak at SEMA 2015 by Ed Attanasio

Body shop owners and managers wear a lot of hats, including those normally worn by psychiatrists, motivational speakers, teachers, mentors, financial planners and a whole wide range of other professional roles. But one thing that body shop people will agree on is that they surely are not lawyers and don’t want to be. With laws that affect the collision industry changing all the time, an experienced, savvy attorney with a background in defending body shop owners and helping them to adhere to the varied laws that impact them every day is instrumental. Jack Molodanof, a California attorney and lobbyist who has distinguished himself in areas of automotive legislative and regulatory law over that past 30 years, will be speaking at this year’s SEMA show as part of the SCRS Repair Driven Education Series on Friday, November 6 from 9:30 a.m. to California attorney 11:30 a.m. in the and lobbyist Jack Las Vegas ConvenMolodanof will tion Center’s Upper speak at SEMA on Friday, November 6 North Hall, room N233. The title of this California-specific seminar is “Protect Your Business from Fines and Disciplinary Actions by the CA Bureau of Automotive Repair.” Molodanof is the go-to lawyer/ lobbyist in California for the automotive repair industry and represents several statewide automotive associations, including the California Autobody Association (CAA) and Automotive Service Councils of California (ASCCA). Molodanof also serves on the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) Advisory Group, which provides input on BAR programs.

Although he is a veteran of the SEMA show, this will be Malodanof’s first presentation. “It’s an honor to be invited and I’m excited to be able to offering this two-hour class,” he said. “It is designed to educate, inform and provide California auto body repair shops with an overview of the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR), and a working knowledge of BAR laws and regulations. It will help you figure out if you are following BAR requirements that apply to your business. It also covers other important auto body laws and requirements that shops need to know.” Molodanof’s seminar is geared for California body shop owners, managers and estimators who work with customers one-on-one, prepare estimates, invoices and obtain authorizations. However, auto body shops in other states may also benefit by best practices and what may becoming to their state soon. It will cover the basic laws/rules and best practices necessary for BAR compliance, so that you won’t be cited or worse fined by the BAR or any other regulating organization. Molodanof said he will clear up a wide range of misconceptions about the BAR and how it operates. “Unfortunately, many of the automotive repair software programs available in the market were designed by computer/software people, not necessarily car guys,” he explained. “Compounding the problem is the fact that these software programs were not specially designed to comply or address the multiple nuances of California's complex BAR laws and regulations.” The takeaways from Molodanof’s seminar will allow body shops to stay on the good side of the law and stay off the BAR’s radar, something no shop ever wants. “After this seminar, body shop professionals should be more informed as to whether their current business

Larry Roesel to Retire as Sr. VP at Autozone

AutoZone, Inc. announced that Larry Roesel, Senior Vice President, Commercial, Customer Satisfaction has made the decision to retire from AutoZone later this fall. Larry joined AutoZone in 2007 and has been a key contributor in designing and building the Commercial business at AutoZone. Under Larry’s leadership, AutoZone’s Commercial business has grown from $700 million to $1.8 billion. “It’s been

a fantastic experience over the past 8 1/2 years,” said Roesel. “AutoZone is truly a unique and incredible organization driven by our strong ‘Customers First’ culture, exceptional leadership and the dedication and passion our 80,000 AutoZoners demonstrate every day. I’m extremely proud of the results we’ve delivered and the progress we’ve made with our Commercial business. I wish the team continued success.”

32 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

practices, documentation and procedures are BAR compliant and have a better sense of the risks they face with regard to disciplinary actions and measures necessary to achieve and maintain effective compliance,” Molodanof said. “Ignorance of the law is never a suitable excuse and information is empowering, so we will be providing answers and solutions that shops will be able to use almost immediately.” Although the seminar will deal specifically with California laws and regulations, Molodanof said that the information imparted can be useful to shops in other states. “California seems to lead the way when it comes to new laws and regulations directly affecting the collision industry. If there is a new law or proposed regulation in California, you can be certain that other states will at least take a look at them at some point. Much of what I will be teaching in this seminar will apply to body shops all over the country, so we’re hoping to see some non-California people in the class on Nov. 6.” Aaron Schulenburg, the executive director of SCRS, sees real value

in Molodanof’s timely presentation, for several reasons. “This is the very first time where we’ve dedicated a full day at SEMA dealing specifically with laws in California that can impact collision repairers throughout the entire state,” Schulenburg said. “The things that Jack will be teaching will help shops to know the laws and how to follow them, thereby saving them money in fines, etc. Proper estimating and invoicing is a big issue in this industry and this seminar will address every aspect of this topic, so that those taking the seminar can avoid problems before they happen.” If you ever have any legal questions about your shop, BAR compliance and/or California automotive repair laws, feel free to contact Jack Molodanof at jack@mgrco.org. During the same time of Molodanof’s seminar takes place there will be another California-focused seminar presented by Cory King of Fine, Boggs & Perkins LLP, entitled “U.S. Wage/Hour Compliance Under the FLSA - Are Your Pay Systems Legal?” (9:30 am to 11:30 am, 11/6 at Upper North Hall, N241).

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 33

Third Survey Now Open, Asking ‘Who Pays For What’ in Terms of Aluminum Repair, Other Items

The third of Collision Advice’s quarterly “Who Pays For What? surveys is taking place throughout October, asking shops about their billing practices (and insurer payment practices) related to aluminum repair, shop materials (like panel bonding adhesive) and shop (or sublet) services and fees.

“Our previous two surveys earlier this year, looking at refinish and structural repair operations, had great participation and are providing the industry with what I think is the most comprehensive data ever on ‘who pays for what,’” Mike Anderson of Collision Advice said. “This latest one looks at a variety of important topics, so while I’m intrigued to see what we learn about aluminum repair rates,

there are also just as many questions in the survey for shops not yet offering aluminum repair.” Every shop that completes the survey (and provide optional contact information) receives the survey findings at no charge. Shops can get the survey (during the month of October) by going to Autobody News to download it. 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 individual shop location (whether a stand-alone business or part of a multi-shop operation) may submit one response to the survey. Each shop’s individual responses are held in the strictest confidence and are not released in any way; only cumulative data is released. More details about the quarterly “Who Pays for What?” surveys, including the findings of the previous two surveys, are available here (www

34 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

.CollisionAdvice.com/survey). A 62-page report on the first survey, for example, details shop billing and insurer payment practices related to 26 refinish-related “not-included” items. The most-recently published report focuses on 20 “not-included” repair procedures related to structural/frame and mechanical operations. The results are broken down by insurance company and region. The reports also each include a set of resources shops can use to help put the data to use in their shop. “The surveys will help shops understand what these operations are, and whether other shops seek and receive compensation for them – or if they truly are ‘the only one,’” Anderson said. Collision Advice (www.Collision Advice.com) is an independent training and consulting firm featuring some of the most respected and experienced experts in the collision repair industry. Mike Anderson and his team offer real-world, cutting edge training and guidance both in the classroom and one-on-one in the shop.

Mitchell International Concludes 2015 Roadshow

Mitchell International recently concluded its five-city roadshow. Over the course of 10 months, members of the Mitchell sales and marketing teams visited collision repair shops across the country stopping in Dallas, Miami, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Seattle to meet with customers utilizing various Mitchell products, including the company’s RepairCenterTM shop management solution. Mitchell’s RepairCenter solution is built with the flexibility to configure and select functionality that can be customized to individual businesses.The RepairCenter platform enables collision repair facilities to manage various aspects of their workflow including the repair, the customer and the business. posed to be.” “Mitchell is proud to be the premier provider of collision repair shop solutions for all of the exemplary shops visited on the Roadshow,” said Paul Rosenstein, VP, Product Management at Mitchell International. “Our customers’ satisfaction is paramount. We’re really looking forward to 2016 where we can meet more of our customers and discuss ways in which we can successfully support and streamline their business.”

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 35

H OND A C AL I FO RN I A

AutoNation Honda Roseville Ros ev ille

800-262-3201 916-783-5628 Dept. Hours: M-F 7:30-6; Sat 8-5:30 autonationhondaparts@hotmail.com

Avery Greene Honda Vallejo

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Barber Honda Bakers field

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First Honda Simi Valley

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Galpin Honda Miss ion Hills

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Honda Cars of Corona Corona

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Acura of Fremont Fremon t

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Acura of Pleasanton Pleas ant on

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National Associations with Chasidy Rae Sisk

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.

Cars, Careers and Celebrities Expo in Chicago Big Success for Education Foundation “Our Cars, Careers and Celebrities Expo took over the Chicagoland Speedway race track hospitality village area with our event, and with the support of our event sponsors, we were able to host 450 high school and college collision students from ten states. This was

jobs through the event. CREF held their Cars, Careers and Celebrities event to help expose collision students to the various members and segments of the industry where they may consider future employment. Collision repair businesses and insurance companies, as well as tool, equipment and paint companies were represented at the event. “While the students might be able to hear about these companies from their instructor at school, the event helped these students see the actual companies that are looking to Vendors set up booths to get to know the students who hire them when they gradumay be their future employees ate,” said Eckenrode. an opportunity for the students to meet In regards to the importance of asand greet the industry and find out sociation-sponsored events, he added, about the various career opportunities “Events like the Cars, Careers & there are within the industry,” said Celebrities Expo event are important to Brandon Eckenrode about the Collision Repair Education Foundation sponsorship of the event. The event was offered at no cost to the students, instructors and school administration in attendance, and students seemed overwhelmed with the VIP treatment they received. “It was great seeing the students walking around the Students pose in the uniforms donated by CREF. event, meeting with industry vendors, help address the issue of an aged workparticipating in mock-interviews and force and if this industry is serious being our guests of honor for the day,” about attracting a new generation of said Eckenrode. talent, they need to support these types of events to showcase the opportunities these students have within the industry. Other technical industries are in the same situation where the average age of their workers is 40+ years old and it is crucial for the collision industry to come together and welcome high school/college collision students.” Future collision repairers got to experiment with new technology and test their skills at exhibitors’ booths Although the race on Friday Vendors and sponsors were also night was rained out, CREF considers impressed with CREF’s efforts which the Cars, Careers and Celebrities event provided a great opportunity for them to be a complete success with the atto initially meet potential future em- tendance of 450 students from ten ployees. CREF plans to follow up states. The organization is talking with with vendors to determine how many the Chicagoland Speedway about the students were connected with actual possibility of hosting this event again

38 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

next year with the goal “to go bigger and better with more vendors, sponsors and students,” Eckenrode said. This fall and upcoming spring, CREF will be taking the Cars, Careers

ning to hold career fairs in Houston, Orlando, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, San Antonio and Nashville/Memphis/Knoxville. Eckenrode encourages industry com-

and Celebrities Expo career fair on the road in an attempt to connect collision students nationwide with industry employees eager to meet these students. At the end of October, they have planned a career fair in Salt Lake City, and 300 students have already RSVP’d. For the spring, CREF is plan-

panies to use this opportunity to meet local collision students. Those interested in participating can contact Eckenrode at: Brandon.Eckenrode@ed -foundation.org.

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Equalizer Distributor Pilkington Holds Customer Appreciation Event in San Diego

Pilkington North America manufactures and markets glass and glazing products for the architectural and automotive markets. The company held a customer appreciation event in September. During the event, Pilkington set-up tables for auto glass industry vendors to showcase their current products. Pilkington’s customers in San Diego and sur-

Shauna Davis of Equalizer removed a windshield on a 2014 Chevy Malibu using the company’s latest cut out tool, the Viper

rounding areas had the opportunity to visit each table and interact with vendors. Pilkington brought in a caterer for dinner, and three vendors conducted live demonstrations. Shauna Davis with Equalizer Auto Glass Tools, removed a windshield without damage to the car or glass on a 2014 Chevy Malibu using Equalizer’s latest cut-out tool, the Viper. Lisa Deuster, with Lil-Buddy,

performed a demonstration of their oneman setting device, Lil-Buddy Pro. Aegis’, Mark Daniels, also performed a demonstration on Aegis’ one-man setting device, the SOLO Neo. To conclude the event, Pilkington chose the winning customer tickets for the door prizes that were donated. Door prizes consisted of tools, adhesive, gift cards, and a big screen television. Equalizer was founded by a single auto glass tool invention from Ray Asbery in 1987. “To date, we now have more than 1,000 products that make a technician’s job easier,” said Davis. The company has also coordinated a great inventors program that allows technicians to design tools that Equalizer can bring to market. Davis said that Equalizer is always working on new products, and recently brought to market an updated reusable Cord, RipCord, to be used with the company’s Viper Cut Out Tool. Other products include a Ford backseat release tool, and new square wire that, like the RipCord, is also strong enough to cut the factory setting clips. For more information on Equalizer products, visit www.equalizer.com or contact Shauna Davis: Sales@equalizer .com or 800-334-1334. To contact Pilkington, visit: www.pilkington.com or call 614-801-5900.

40 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

B2B Automotive’s Michelle Nelson to Present at SEMA

B2B Automotive President Michelle Nelson has been selected to present “Don’t Let Consolidators & MSOs Steal Your Insurance Work” at the Society for Collision Repair Specialists’ Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series during SEMA. Nelson’s presentation is scheduled from 12:30-2:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 4. The session will focus on helping independent auto collision repair shops successfully grow their insurance work and customer base. “Many independent shops assume that DRPs are no longer attainable due to the market dominance of consolidators and large local MSOs. That is not the case,” Nelson said. “Understanding what is most valued by your local insurance partners is critical to positioning yourself as a unique business partner to take back control of your DRP business.” Nelson brings to SEMA participants more than 25 years of experience in marketing and a family tradition in the auto body industry. To register, visit www.scrs.com/ rde. For information, contact Michelle Nelson at michelle@btobauto motive.com or 888-222-5128.

Valspar Automotive Executive Talks Strategy at SEMA For those who own or operate a body shop and want to know how to make more money on existing sales, Valspar Automotive’s Charlie Whitaker will be talking during the SEMA show about understanding profit centers. Whitaker will present “Optimizing Your Shop Sales Mix” on Nov. 6 from 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. in Upper North Hall, N237, of the Las Vegas Convention Center. His presentation is one of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) Repairer Driven Education (RDE) programs being offered at the show. Whitaker, the Quality First Technical Advisor for the U.S. market, has worked for shops and manufacturers for more than 20 years and has numerous industry accreditations and certifications. He will explain: ● How to produce a profit and loss statement that allows you to understand and adjust your sales mix; ● How financials correlate to operations and profits; and ● How to build an optimized chart of shop accounts to measure business performance. Register at www.semashow.com. For information about Valspar Automotive, visit www.valsparauto.com.

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 41

Day Job/Night Job

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

Body Shop Owner in IA Restores Cars Part-Time While Saving Lives Full-Time with Ed Attanasio

As a paramedic for Ottumwa Regional Health Center in Ottumwa, IA, Steve West, age 74, could be one of the oldest active emergency medical technicians in Iowa. For the past 34 years, he has been saving lives three days a week and during the rest of the week he restores primarily classic cars at his small body shop. After working at body shops as a teenager, West decided to go back to school and become a certified paramedic to serve the community and make a difference. “My brother died in a car accident many years ago, and I have always wondered if things could have been different if someone with this kind of training had been present,” he said. “We work with people in emergency situations and in many cases they are lives on the line. Being able to make a personal connection to patients quickly is important to build trust and be able to help them.”

West encounters people all the time who are grateful for his role as one of Ottumwa’s four paramedics. “I’ve saved a few lives over the years and I see some of them here in town,

Steve West, 74, is a paramedic for Ottumwa Regional Health Center in Ottumwa, IA who also owns a small body shop where he restores classic cars. He is likely the oldest emergency medical technician in the state of Iowa

which is obviously satisfying,” he said. “There are only 40,000 people here in Ottumwa, so it’s not a big place. One man had no pulse and we brought him back and then later he

thanked me personally. It meant a lot.” West is proud of both of his jobs and what he has achieved in his life. “I’ve been painting cars my entire life pretty much and I worked for numerous shops around here over the years. I’ve painted murals and worked on some amazing vehicles and I still have a passion for it. Being able to balance both jobs, as a body shop guy and a paramedic—it’s a great life and I would not change it for the world.” Today, West runs a small car restoration company called Colorgraphics, located in Blakesburg, IA, 20 miles outside of Ottumwa, where he does just everything except mechanical repair and upholstery. “I can do the entire car or sub out different aspects of the restoration. I really enjoy doing the graphics; using multiple colors and spraying PPG.” Some of West’s restorations and paint jobs have appeared in national magazines and he has had a few cele-

brity clients over the years too, he said. “I’ve done some really classic cars and right now I am working on a 1968 Ford Mustang. A few years ago, I did a few vehicles for local drag racer Tommy Johnson, Sr. and he was great to work with.”

West works three, 12-hour days as a paramedic and then uses the other four days to work at Colorgraphics, in Blakesburg, IA

West’s work schedule as a paramedic allows him to take off four days every week, which gives him ample time to restore cars and make a few repairs, on occasion. “I work 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. three days every week as a para-

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medic and then I use the other four days to work on cars,” West said. “It works out well, because I can get into a job and I don’t have to start and stop.” West’s wife Peggy is also a paramedic, so they work a lot together, he explained. “We work in teams of two and Peggy is usually working with me. It’s nice, because we get along well and enjoy working with each other.” West has seen a few shootings and a few serious car accidents, but he is

West is currently restoring this 1968 Mustang

happy to say that fatal collisions are less frequent than when he started. “More and more people walk away, primarily because of the fact that these newer cars are so much safer than say a decade ago,” he said. “Most of the

accidents we see now are not critical and that’s a major deal. Our job is to help people and save their lives, so fatalities are something we want to avoid for obvious reasons. No one wants anyone to die on your shift, that’s sure.” Eight years ago, West got a scare when he found out that he had cancer. But today he is cancer-free and has no plans to retire. “It was a lucky thing, because the hospital gives us a complete physical every year as one of the requirements of the job and in 2007, they found prostate cancer just in time. Some people have told me that I probably built up some good karma working as a paramedic, and maybe that is true, who knows?” A large number of all the car accident calls that West and Peggy respond to are often deer-related, he said. “Iowa has a lot of deer and that’s why we’re number four in the country when it comes to accidents involving deer. They’re like cattle, but they move faster and they don’t look both ways before they cross the road.” See Saving Lives, Page 54

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Industry Insight

Lots of Variables to Take Into Account When Welding, But Training Need Doesn’t Vary with John Yoswick

When most collision repairers think of Chief Automotive, they likely think first about frame racks and measuring systems. But “Vehicle Services Group” includes not only Chief, Chassis Liner and the Rotary Lift brands, but the Elektron line of welders as well. During a recent training session at Chief’s headquarters in Madison, Ind., Richard Perry, who oversees training for the company, offered some insights into the variables that technicians needs to keep in mind when welding, particularly as the range of materials used in vehicle construction continues to expand. “Anytime you’re welding or bonding, preparation is the biggest part of it,” Perry said. “Making sure the panels are ready, the surfaces are clean. Whether they need to be scuffed. Whether you need to take the oxidation off the aluminum. Whatever needs to be done.” The amperage, voltage and other settings on the welder need to be prop-

erly dialed in as well, he said. “If the voltage is too low, the wire is going to come out further and start hitting the material before it melts,” Perry said. “If the voltage is too high, the wire is going to start to burn off before it gets to the material and that’s when you get a burn-back and the wire stuck to the welding nozzle.” “That’s the one great thing about new welders; we have engineers who will establish these settings as a program in the welder,” Perry said. “They do testing with the actual wire and thickness of materials, then program it. So on these new welders, the program will give you the numbers based on the wiring you’re using and what you’re welding. You just dial that system to that number and you’re ready to start welding.” Bob Holland, Chief’s collision director for the Americas, said the process of creating these latest welders includes interaction with the automakers.

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“Our engineers do the programming, but we have to actually take those programs to the OEMs and have them test them to make sure they have repeatable results that are within the range that they require,” Holland said. Perry said experienced welders may make some adjustments to those programmed settings based on their welding style. “If he’s a real fast welder, he may increase the voltage,” Perry said. “If he’s a slow welder, he can decrease it. If he likes to be up close, he can decrease the arc. If he likes to be further away, he can increase the arc. So there’s a lot of things that can be done specific to each person, but the program gets you right to where you need to be.” A nice thing about the new welders, Perry said, is the machines respond to any adjustments synergistically. “So if you change the amperage, it’s going to adjust your wire speed, etc.,

so that everything works together,” he said. Other variables that welders need take into account are panel fit-up and alignment, Perry said. “Make sure you have good contact, no gaps,” he said. Welding technique, including gun angle and travel speed, is also critical for proper welding. “The angle of the gun determines the amount of wire and shielding gas that comes out,” he said. “If you have it tilted too much, for example, your shielding gas is not protecting the weld area as well. That’s how you get contamination into the weld.” Perry was asked what he sees as the biggest issue for shops related to welding or other joining. He said that too often he sees technicians who think they have 20 years of experience, but really have just one year of experience 20 times. See Chief Welding, Page 49

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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

Rivets Have Replaced Welding in Many Newer Vehicles — Part 2 with Toby Chess

etsinstock.com. The counter sunk rivet is designed to sit flush on the panel. It is necessary to counter sink the hole with either a 100 degree or 120 degree counter sinking tool depending on the rivet speci-

Fig. 11. Cross section of a solid rivet. Courtesy of I-CAR

For part 1 of this article see last issue of Autobody News. Viewing Fig 11, you will see that the rivet is solid. Like the SPRs, solid rivets need to have access to the backside of the panel. Unlike SPRs, a specific size hole is needed. Solid head

Fig. 15. 100 degree counter sink tool

It is extremely important that when installing rivets, that you follow the OEM procedures. If the wrong size rivets are used, it could lead to a huge failure if the vehicle is involved in another collision. To all you shop owners and managers. How many of your techs have a caliper or a micrometer? A side note. I conduct the I-CAR WCS 03 welding test and with the new test standards, the tech has to determine the size of the metal coupons to properly set their welders. Nearly 100 percent of the techs have no idea why it is necessary to know the metal thickness or even how to measure it. I bought this inexpensive gauge from Miller (See Fig. 17) and give it out to the techs that are taking the test. It is amazing to watch the techs after you show them the proper procedures. It may sound corny, but there is a sparkle in their eyes that they have this new and valuable knowledge. Mike Hubbard is a Tesla, Aston

Santa Ana, CA. His first operation when installing a new panel that will be bonded and riveted, is to identify and mark the position of each rivet. See Fig 18. Still on the subject of installation, here is another tool that is necessary when riveting on aluminum. When you punch or drill a hole in aluminum, there is a sharp raised edge

Fig. 19. Deburring Tool

Fig. 12. Counter-sunk head Fig. 20. Deburring a hole in aluminum

Fig. 16. SPR & Blind Rivet Diagram. Courtesy of Reliable Automotive Equipment

Fig. 13. Round Head

Fig. 14. Flat Head

shape for solid rivets comes in many forms. See Fi 12,13 & 14. Diagrams taken from www.riv-

fied by the OEM. See Fig 15. Rivets must be matched to the job. (L) The length of the ‘Body’ is determined by the stack total thickness plus 2mm. Therefore if the stack is 4.5mm then add 2mm so the rivet length will be 6.5mm. Sizes range from 3.5mm – 8mm in length. The 2mm is for the correct depth in the stack and it ensures the correct profile (“mushroom”) for the joint (D) Two main sizes of the ‘Head’ 3mm and 5mm in diameter but there are other sizes. In repair Jaguar do use a slightly bigger head. 3mm is used on the Mini quarter panel for example whilst 5mm is used in Audi on certain parts of their repair sections. (Taken from Dave Grusko’s presentation.)

46 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Fig. 17. Miller Metal Thickness Gauge

Martin, Jaguar aluminum certified tech from European Motor Car Works in

that needs to removed prior to installing a solid or blind rivet. See Fig 21 for a cross section on a hole in aluminum. If the lip or the burr is not removed, the head of the rivet will not

Fig. 21

Fig. 18. Size and location for SPRs to be installed

make full contact with the panels that are to be joined. The rivet could become loose and overtime the adhesive could See Rivets Part 2, Page 50

www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 47

Western Associations

ASA-CO Hosts Learning Circle on Branding and Digital Marketing with Chasidy Rae Sisk

On September 21, ASA-CO hosted a Learning Circle on “Planning Your Branding and Digital Marketing Strategy.” The event was presented by Taylor Pickering, a fifth generation in the automotive industry for familyowned Pickering’s Auto Service where she has worked as the Marketing Director and Fleet Manager for the past year. She explained, “I have worked to develop a marketing strategy and plan to propel our family-owned and operated auto repair shop from where we were when I arrived to where we envision our company being. My efforts, along with the efforts and support of Pickering’s team, have paid off substantially as far as sales and revenue are concerned year-to-date.” Pickering contacted ASA-CO Executive Director Kari Foster about hosting a marketing session with a third-party company, but she suggested that she present the material as a future

shop owner sharing her perspective with her peers. Pickering’s intentions “for this presentation was to help educate and provide some perspective to these fellow shop owners about marketing from a marketer’s point of view. I felt this

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was important because, in my experience with similar educational events, automotive marketing classes are often fairly shallow when it comes to resources, strategies and planning. The wonderful thing about associationsponsored events is that they give those that want to further their education, in particular areas, the opportunity to

learn and ask questions in an environment that they otherwise would not be exposed to. What sets ASA Colorado apart in particular is that they work to have these events held by auto shop personnel who actually have applicable life experience and have a good understanding of what questions their audience is looking for answers to. This is pertinent to the industry at large in the interest of collectively boosting our knowledge base to keep up with the exponential growth and change of technology.” Pickering’s presentation offered a substantial amount of information on various topics, including branding, websites, online presence, direct mail marketing, email marketing, customer database integrity, data tracking, collections and reporting, ROI analysis, marketing strategy, marketing planning and spending budget and allocation. Attendees were very receptive to the information shared, asking ques-

tions and taking notes throughout the presentation. According to Pickering, “My goal was to help auto shops to understand the key points of marketing first and then how to successfully apply them to their business model as I have done for Pickering’s. I urged them to set goals of where they want to be and strategically plan out how they intend to accomplish those goals with objectives, tactics and training. Before I got to Pickering’s there was little data analysis or marketing structure, so we just threw money at marketing to see what stuck. Now we have a budget, a strategy and a plan of how we intend to minimize our cost, increase sales and capitalize on revenue to reach our goals. Most every auto shop has a business plan, but now what they really need to plan in my opinion is how they will strategically market their business to keep that plan alive. The purpose of the event was to inform the audience

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on how Pickering’s Auto Service has made successful improvements to their marketing and how they can apply the same principles to their own businesses.” Since implementing these principles at Pickering’s Auto Service, the shop has seen a 15 percent increase in revenue, a 23 percent car count increase and an ARO decrease of -8 percent year-to-date. Their marketing expenses only account for 10 percent of their revenue. Prior to her presentation, Pickering “researched my audience to see if the material I was covering was relevant to them. I viewed their websites, their digital and mobile presence, analyzed their local search authority and evaluated their online branding. Because all of the shops had a fairly strong online presence, I was worrisome that my presentation may not be of great use to them. However to my surprise, I am confident that each person left the event with at least a few ideas of what areas of their business and marketing they need pay more attention to or improve upon, and information on how to do so. Overall, the event truly exceeded my expectations and I look forward to facilitating many

more to come if invited. This event exceed my expectation in both attendance and valuable insights to the world of marketing and how to apply it to an auto shop’s business plan. As a presenter, I also took away important information from our discussion and identified key areas of improvement in our own business.” Pickering believes that association-sponsored events provide an opportunity to facilitate the growth of one’s own shop as well as that of one’s peers. “This is pertinent to the industry at large in the interest of keeping up with the rapid growth of technology and the role it plays in our industry. The event went very smoothly, covering an extensive amount of information in a short amount of time. The presentation was on ‘Planning Your Branding and Digital Marketing Strategy.’ It covered how to successfully plan and implement your marketing strategy in accordance with your business goals for the overall success of your marketing efforts and ultimately your business.”

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Continued from Page 44

Chief Welding

“What he did that first year that he learned, he’s been doing that same thing over and over and over,” Perry said. “In the last 5 to 7 years, there’s been so much change in vehicles. But the average technician is 48 and has been doing it for quite some time and it’s harder to get somebody like that to make the needed changes.” (The Collision Repair Education Foundation pegs the average age of technicians in the industry at 39, though that does not negate Perry’s point.) Perry said shops and technicians need to look to the automakers for vehicle-specific repair information. “The OEMs were on the sideline for a long time; the real expert repairing the vehicle was the technician,” he said. “They knew more about it than anyone else. That’s flip-flopped. The one that knows the most about the vehicle repair today is the OEM.” Perry said the automaker information seems to be getting to shop management and insurers. “But then the technician who is actually repairing the vehicle not get The source formay timely any ofinformation that information,” he said. “So that every

body shop needs!

he’s going to repair it the same way he’s been doing it.” Getting shops and technicians to understand the need for the ongoing training offered by I-CAR and companies like Chief can be a challenge, Perry said. He recalls visiting a Ford dealership body shop in Texas in 2010, right after Ford introduced the 2009 F-150 which had seven different types of steel in the cab. A technician had one such pick-up on jack stands with the outer rocker cut off, trying to repair the bent inner reinforcement. “He had a slide hammer and was just wailing on this thing, trying to straighten it,” Perry said. “He’s sweating and saying, ‘What is this made out of?’ I said, ‘You don’t know?’ He said, ‘No. They changed something.’ ‘Yeah, they did,’ I told him.” Perry said he explained the steel the reinforcement was made of, and the technician realized the vehicle should be up on a rack. “I said, ‘Yeah, and you’re going to have to replace the whole piece. You Promote your business with can’t just straighten it,’” Perry said he an exclusive“He article featuring told the technician. had no idea. products orthing services. They’d your been doing the same over and over. Understanding that they do need training is a big thing.”

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Continued from Page 46

Rivets Part 2

also loose some of strength due to vibration and movement. If the vehicle is again in another collision, this area could become a weak point in the distribution of the collision energy. Finally on solid rivets, the same tools for installing SPRs can be used for solid rivets, but you will need to change the madrels. The same holds true for removal. Moving on to the blind rivets. The correct blind rivet is paramount in a proper and safe repair. Take a look at the next set of pictures to see what I mean. You will notice that there is no much difference on the front side.

Fig. 22. Showing the front side of the panels using a Hemlock Blind Rivet and Garden variety pop rivet (these came from Home Depot)

Now look at Figs 23 &24 which are the back side of the panels. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be a rocket scientist to see the difference. These pic-

for installation and it is not necessary to have access to the backside. A repair shop called one my contacts who furnish riveting tools. The shop was complaining that his rivet gun did not work on the back panel of the bedside of the F150. It seems that the A-arm on the gun would not reach all of the attachment points for installing the SPRs. You will notice that the front panel is install with 3 different blind rivets and not with SPR. As I previously stated, you can not repair these new vehicles without the OEM recommend procedures, specific training and correct

Fig. 28. Problems that occur with the wrong rivet used http://electricalequipment.tpub.com

against the backside of the panel. This rivet has high shear and tensile properties and fills the hole. This rivet is excellent for holes that are slightly larger than the recommended hole. See Fig 26. These are used where there is no access to the inner panel, so the rivet gun must work from one side only. A hole has to be drilled the size of the rivet head, eg for a 6.5 mm rivet, a 6.7 mm hole must be drilled. The length of the headform must be long enough, 2mm longer than the overall thickness of the stack and be long enough to clamp the panels together. The shape of the headform will be decided by the job required. A countersunk headform will fit into a countersunk hole. The breaking point of the Fig. 25. Furnished by I-CAR as part of their FOR 06 Class mandrel must be correct. e.g. tools and proper use of those tools. This is a disaster in the making and you better be ready. Enough on my soap box. Lets look at the Monobolt. A monobolt is a specific type of blind rivet. The mandrel is pulled into the cylinder and expands the cylinder

used. (Recommended RIBE). This is dictated by the car manufacturer. (Taken from Dave Gruskoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presentation.) Again, you need to look at the OEM repair data to determine the proper blind rivet. In Fig 28, you can see the problems that occur when the wrong blind rivet is used. The other type of blind rivet that is being used in the collision repair process is the hemlock rivet. Fig 29. This rivet also need a hole for installation and does not need access the backside of the panel. The mandrel is pulled over the rivet body and the entire rivet is compressed against the rear

Fig. 29. Cross section of a Hemlock Rivet. Courtsey of I-CAR

panel. See Fig 30 for the sequence. There is a large footprint on the back panel and this rivet has superior tensile and shear strength. Moreover,

Fig. 23. Back side of the panel with Hemlock Rivet Fig. 30. Diagram on how a monobolt works. Coutesy of www.ejot-avdel

Fig. 26. Monobolt cross section. Courtesy of I-CAR Fig. 24. Back side of the panel with pop rivets installed

tures are self-explanatory. We will look at the Monobolt and Hemlock blind rivets. It should be noted that a proper hole as specified by the OEM in needed

Fig. 26a. Diagram on how a monobolt works. Coutesy of www.ejot-avdel

50 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

Fig. 27. Terms used for blind rivets. Courtsey of Dave Gruskos

On the repair of a MB Sill section, rivets with 1.9 ton breaking point must be

this rivet is highly recommended for thinner pieces of sheet metal. The third part of this article will discuss the various types of rivet guns, advantages of FFR rivets, adhesive preparation and a few of the vehicle repair procedures for replacing parts with adhesives and rivets. Did you think this article was a riveting experience?

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Media and Publicity for Shops Don’t Be Content with Sub-Par Online Content with Ed Attanasio

Most body shop marketing types know that well-written content is an important part of any successful marketing campaign. It’s like anything else, just doing it isn’t enough and content creation and management isn’t a “check box” type of thing. For many years, body shops, from small independents all the way to massive MSOs, were reluctant to jump into the Internet game, hesitating to design top-notch sites, creating apps and committing to blogs for the long-term. Now, shop owners and managers who previously didn’t know SEO from the CIA are 100 percent in it to win in the online game, because they’ve seen the results and benefits of having a strong Web presence. Here are a few sage suggestions from someone who has made a living out of helping body shops and other companies and trumping their competition online. By figuring out how to create content that is getting the results they want and with numbers that are climbing all the time, WSI Connect in Concord, CA uses targeted content strategies that just plain work. WSI Connect President Luke Middendorf’s mantra when it comes to online content is: Stay in the game and never rest on your laurels once you experience a modicum of success. “Curating and distributing content is part of a longterm strategy,” MidWSI Connect’s dendorf said. “You President Luke should not ex-pect Middendorf uses his content creation one good blog post strategies to help to instantly lead to a body shops and new sale. Developother businesses ing good content online helps you build a relationship with your customers and prospects, as well as strengthening your alliances with your insurance companies and vendors. Over time you foster this relationship by continually producing quality content that is relevant to your line of business. Good content will encourage more people to follow your brand and then when it’s time for them to make a purchase, your business will immediately come to mind.”

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

One mistake many small compaget quickly discouraged and stop profor example, they will reward you nies make is that they don’t create conducing content. Once you have dewith better rankings.” tent that connects them to their veloped a strategy for curating and Rick Rehm is the IT Director customers, according to Middendorf. distributing content, stick with it. and Compliance Manager at Mike’s “Your marketing content should focus Map out your editorial calendar for Auto Body, with 13 locations in northon your customers and solvern California. He has been working ing any problems or issues with Middendorf for the past year or they may have that relate to so and the results have been phenomyour business. The best thing enal, he explained. you can do to get started is to “The most intriguing part to fix your unique selling propoLuke’s approach to our revamped sition (USP). Why should cuswebsite was his approach to create a tomers buy your products and single website for our end consumers services? What can your comand 13 locations websites built in the pany provide them? Make single website for location SEO,” your content more about probRehm said. “This way, we could crelem-solving than about self- This chart illustrates the importance of having a blog ate content that specifically addressed promotion.” the customers at each of our locations. featuring new, fresh content all the time Content should vary deWe have been able to drive traffic to pending on where you’re posting it, six months and then continually re- those specific locations from search Middendorf said. “Your blog’s content view it to ensure accuracy, timeliness engines. We have seen a 300% inshould be informative and less sales- and relevance. If Google sees that crease in traffic in a huge part to oriented. People who read blogs don’t you’re adding and changing content Luke’s efforts, due to the right content want to be sold, but you can be a little all the time and updating it regularly and in addition to the power of our more direct with the content for your as well as posting it on social media, blog.” site. It’s all about the customer’s expectations and how to deliver that to Parts Center Hours them.” Mon - Fri: 7:30am - 5:30pm Frequency is important when it 1100 N. Scottsdale Rd. comes to web sites, blogs and e-mail Scottsdale, AZ 85257 FAX 480-947-3009 480-425-5335 newsletters. “If you put out a blog post once a month, you are not going to draw much of a following,” Middendorf explained. “Another mistake in content marketing is not being consistent and planning ahead. Your company should be producing content regularly. • Genuine Kia OEM Parts • Efficient Service on All Orders To ensure that you do this, you need to • Fast & Free Delivery • Parts Specialists On Call develop a strategy for marketing your content and then put it into motion. What topics will you write about? Who will write the blogs? How often will you blog? All of these questions should be answered as you are preparing your strategy. There is a definite shift now toGenuine Mitsubishi Parts are close at hand. Exceptional customer service, wide selection of in-stock parts and the experience wards inbound marketing. This innecessary to ensure your repairs proceed smoothly and efficiently. volves drawing customers to you instead of your company having to go and get them. Good content is the cornerstone of an inbound marketing campaign.” Most marketers and businesses give up on content marketing too quickly. “If you set up a plan and stick to it, you will see significant results, Parts Center Hours Mark Mitsubishi but it may take time,” Middendorf Mon - Fri: 7:30am - 5:30pm 6910 E. McDowell Rd said. “When they don’t understand Scottsdale, AZ 85257 480-663-7553 FAX 480-663-7503 the reality of the process, it is easy to

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National Associations

ASA-CO Hosts Employment Law Seminar with Chasidy Rae Sisk

On August 20, ASA-CO hosted an gruder’s presentation was on risk Employment Law Seminar at Kenz management tips. First, all service dewith Chasidy Raepartments Sisk should establish a written & Leslie, located in Wheat Ridge, CO. Attorney Michelle Magruder, policy outlining the circumstances Esquire, Director at the Law Firm of under which a test drive is required Fairfield and Woods, P.C. spoke at following completion of the repair, the event. According to Kari Foster, and this policy should also dictate a Executive Director of ASA-CO, test drive route to be used by all serv“Michelle Magruder is a fantastic ice technicians. The exact mileage on speaker. This is with the second time she the odometer when the vehicle is Ed Attanasio has volunteered her time to speak to dropped off and picked up should be our community, and she is a wonderrecorded on the Repair Order as eviful resource on all things related to dence that an appropriate test drive employment law. was conducted before the vehicle was She got rave re- returned to the customer. On the Reviews from atten- pair Order, all service technicians with dees.”Ed Attanasioshould provide details, specifically inDuring the semdicating any evidence that the vehicle inar, Magruder spo- had not previously received proper ke on topics related maintenance. to flat rates and Attorney Michelle Magruder, Director medical marijuana at the Law Firm issues.Ed SheAttanasio also diswith of Fairfield and cussed tips on interWoods, P.C. viewing and hiring. Magruder has 26 years of experience as an attorney with a large percentage of clients being automotive repair businesses. She explained, “I emphasize preventative law,with keeping clients outFranklin of Thomas court by doing things right as soon as an issue develops. You need to be proactive from the beginning of the situation, and maintaining proper docMagruder’s tips continue to inumentation helps my clients avoid clude the importance of implementing lawsuits.” a solid quality control program which withfocuses Ed Attanasio One of the major of Ma- would ideally include an inspection by

Service advisors should document all customer authorizations and obtain required signatures before repairs are performed. The Repair Order should include Colorado statutory language allowing the repair facility to charge a storage fee if the customer fails to make timely payment, and the Repair Order should also clearly state that if the company has to take legal action against the company for payment, the customer will be required to pay all associated ASA-CO members listen to a seminar on employment law court costs and attorney fees if should include a second technician the company prevails. Foster states, “Events like this are checking all lug nuts to ensure they’ve important to update and remind membeen tightened to required specificabers that small documentation and tions. Rather than tolerating poor workmanship, shops should issue a written process changes can make all the difwarning to any technician with a come- ference in the eyes of the law. It is a great opportunity for member shops back, and termination should be considered for any tech with three or more to clarify and correct those processes in their shops.” warnings in a six-month period.

What does the future hold for West? “I may cut back my paramedic schedule when I turn 75, but really I have with Chasidy Rae Siskno plans to retire completely,” he Doing restorations when he isn’t said. “I love helping people and I saving lives at a paramedic is a nice know I can work on cars as long as I situation for West. While most people want, so why change anything. Many are already retired or considering it, people don’t like their jobs, but I have West is happy to be right where he is. two and I like them both… a lot!” “I like the fact that I don’t have to deal with the insurance companies, in most with Thomas Franklin cases. Every once in a while I will get FOLLOW US a collision repair in here, and that’s ON fine, but my main focus is restoring : cars for people. With collision repairs, the insurance companies want it now, but with restorations, the customers @autobodynews aren’t usually breathing my with Eddown Attanasio neck to get it done.”

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Ladies of NHRA Racing to Highlight 2015 SEMA Show Breakfast

The 2015 NHRA Breakfast at SEMA will celebrate the success of women in drag racing. Featured drivers will include Erica Enders, Courtney Force, Alexis DeJoria, Leah Pritchett and legendary Shirley Muldowney. The popular annual event has showcased many of NHRA’s legendary drivers, team owners and other characters within the sport. NHRA will bring together some of its most successful women in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and they will discuss Shirley Muldowney their memories and legacies. Enders is the defending Pro Stock world champion, having won her title in over Jason Line at the season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals. The win made her only the third female driver to win an NHRA professional championship. She has 19 career victories, including this year’s Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis, which puts her second on the all-time wins list by women behind only Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Angelle Sampey.

Force, the youngest daughter of 16-time Funny Car world champ John Force, is creating her own legacy in Funny Car. She has seven career victories, making her the winningest female Funny Car driver ever. Force is also the only female Funny Car driver to record four wins in a season. Her biggest win came in 2013 when she won the season-opening Circle K NHRA Winternationals. Force was also the 2012 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award winner. DeJoria has also made a name for herself in the Funny Car ranks. The daughter of Paul Mitchell Hair Care Products and Patron Tequila owner John Paul DeJoria, DeJoria is a threetime winner in the Mello Yello Series. She made history in 2014, becoming the second female in Funny Car to win the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. DeJoria also became the Alexis DeJoria first Funny Car female to run a sub-three-second pass, achieving the feat at the season-opening event in Pomona in 2014.

Pritchett is a name to watch in the future in Top Fuel. She has started to make consistent runs on her parttime team. She reached her first career final this year in Atlanta and was narrowly Leah Pritchett defeated. A former Nos-talgia Funny Car world champion and a junior dragster racer, Pritchett is on track to become a major player in NHRA Drag Racing. Muldowney is a name that will forever be etched in the history of motorsports. Racing in a time when a woman in drag racing was nonexistent, Muldowney rewrote the rule book of successful women in racing. She scored Erica Enders three world championships and 18 career victories, cementing her legacy alongside the greats of “Big Daddy” Don Garlits, Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and Kenny Bernstein. The NHRA Breakfast at the

SEMA Show will be held Wednesday, November 4, from 7:30 – 9:00 a.m. at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino (formerly the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino [LVH]) Paradise Events Center South. The NHRA Breakfast is open to all registered SEMA Show attendees. A continental breakfast will be served. The panel will be moderated by Courtney Force longtime NHRA announcer Bob Frey. Following breakfast, all panel guests will be at the NHRA Booth signing autographs and handing out limited-edition autograph cards from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. DeJoria’s Patron XO Cafe Incendio Toyota Camry Funny Car will also be on display at the booth. This event is open to all registered SEMA Show attendees at no cost; however, tickets are required. To order your event ticket or register for the show, visit the SEMA Show website and click “Add Event Tickets.”

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Dave McClelland to Host Final SEMA Awards Banquet

Dave McClelland, the renowned announcer who began emceeing the SEMA Awards Banquet in 1976 when the SEMA Show was in Anaheim, California, is stepping down from the podium and will host his final SEMA Awards Banquet, Thursday, November 5. Known by many as the golden voice that presided over the NHRA races for decades, McClelland entertained thousands for 40 continuous years as he in-

Dave McClelland will host his final SEMA Awards Banquet, Thursday, November 5, 2015, in Las Vegas

troduced leaders, legends and icons during the SEMA Awards Banquet. “It’s very difficult to make this decision [to stop announcing the SEMA Awards Banquet] because I have the utmost respect for SEMA,” said McClelland, who compares his 40-year stint with SEMA to that of Vin Scully with the Dodgers. “Announcing the SEMA Banquet has become a very personal

thing. I take great pride in doing the best job that I can do.” While McClelland stopped announcing for the NHRA in 2003, he continued to emcee the SEMA Awards Banquet and never missed a single year. As host, he introduced and stood alongside the industry’s most celebrated leaders, including SEMA Hall of Fame members, SEMA Persons of the Year and entertainers, such as Jay Leno, Sinbad, the Beach Boys and Willie Nelson. “Every once in a while, we get to be a part of the magic that happens when exactly the right person is performing in a particular role. So it has been for all of us in the SEMA community who have enjoyed Dave’s special talent, blended with his deep familiarity and involvement with the people in our industry,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and CEO. “Dave has always imparted a level of care and excellence befitting the many folks he has helped SEMA honor over the years. He is deserving of our deep appreciation.” Tickets to the SEMA Awards Banquet are available online. More than 3,000 are expected to attend the event, An autograph signing will take place, Tuesday–Wednesday, November 3–4, from 10:30–11:30 a.m., and 1–2:00 p.m., in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

GFS to Demo REVO Accelerated Curing System at SEMA Global Finishing Solutions (GFS) will feature REVO accelerated curing systems for the North American collision repair industry during SEMA. “GFS is excited to be featuring the REVO products at SEMA. We carefully researched accelerated cur-

increase in paint shop throughput and high-quality results. All REVO systems integrate into existing paint shop footprints and are backed by GFS’s extensive distributor network and warranty. With consolidation in the repair industry, Lowder said body shops need to improve repair efficiency without sacrificing quality. He added that the REVO systems can improve paint shop throughput up to 80%, work within a paint shop’s current footprint and produce high-quality results. GFS will show the Speed, Spot and Handheld models from the comprehensive REVO product line Global Finishing Solutions’s REVO equipment line at Booth 11123. Additionally, GFS has teamed up ing technology before deciding to bring the REVO brand to North Amer- with Axalta Coating Systems to inteica,” said Brandon Lowder, GFS VP grate the REVO Speed model into of auto refinish. “We believe that the Axalta’s live paint demonstrations. REVO technology is the safest, fastest Axalta will be demonstrating the latway to cure filler and coatings in order est in innovative coatings technology to improve both paint shop efficiency and rapid production with the REVO Speed in the Axalta “Engineered for and quality.” REVO systems use electric in- Speed” paint booth, a GFS Ultra XR frared technology, which generates semi-downdraft booth located just short wave energy that quickly cures outside of the central hall front enthe repair from the inside out. The ac- trance. Registration for Axalta classes celerated complete cure allows for an can be found at Booth 61009

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Growing Trend of Collision Repair Networks Led to Formation of 1Collision Network by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

Over the last five years, the collision repair industry has experienced an increase in consolidations, shop closings, lower claims frequency and higher total losses. As a result, there is a growing trend for businesses to affiliate with a group of shops, according to Jim Keller, president of 1Collision Network. “The consolidators, MSOs, franchises and networks continue to increase their market share because they are better able to adapt to the changing landscape,” said Keller. “Technology in the repair process, necessity for increasing capital investment in facility and equipment, and rising budget demands for training and certifications, marketing and insurer relations all require a more sophisticated business approach. Many other economic and marketing factors are driving the consolidators, franchises and network segments to be growing at the fastest rate.” Launched by Keller approximately four years ago, 1Collision Network is an organization of independent and dealer-owned and operated collision repair businesses. With more than 20 locations in four states, including Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, Keller said plans include expansion

RJones Collision1 in Des Moines, IA

into other U.S. markets. ABRA Auto Body & Glass, Caliber Collision, CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts, FIX AUTO, Gerber Collision & Glass, Maaco and Service King are the primary multi-state consolidators and franchises. Daniel Clark, director of service operations for Link Auto & RV Group in Wisconsin, joined the 1Collision team in 2012. “We saw that a partnership with 1Collision would bring many benefits to our customers and our business,” he said. “The 1Collision staff is like a third arm for our managers. It’s like having another whole team of employees at your fin-

gertips. Their assistance with marketing, processes and leadership has been invaluable.” Clark said it has also helped his business “get out of our box” by networking with other shops and share in their successes and trials. “Networking with other like-minded shops helps expand our vision for our business. The 1Collision Network helps keep us aware of upcoming changes and trends

in the industry so we can stay at the top of our game and be steps ahead of the local competition.” Christy Jones, owner of R Jones in Des Moines, Iowa, also joined the network in 2012. “The 1Collision Network provides an opportunity for R Jones to become a part of a regional group of shops, providing us with solutions for the many business challenges shops face in today’s competitive marketplace.” She said R Jones has benefited from the numerous management solutions that have allowed the shop to run more efficiently. Her advice to shops considering joining the network is to come with the mentality of what they can bring to the network. “In the consolidation market that we have today, it’s more important now for independent shops to work with each other, not against each other,” said Jones. “The 1Collision Network provides that opportunity to do just that.” Riverview Body Shop in Aurora, IL is the newest addition to 1Collision Network’s growing list of shops. “I selected the 1Collision Network as they provide body shop owners the resources that are needed to compete in today’s highly competitive marketplace,” said Joel Adams, Riverview’s owner. Keller has been a multiple location body shop owner for over 30 years. His son Jim operates 1Collision County Line in Menomonee Falls, WI and

58 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

1Collision Schererville in IN, while Keller focuses on guiding the network corporate staff of eight to provide support to 1Collision Network locations. “Our mantra is, ‘We help successful shops be more successful.’” When a new shop is considering joining the network, Keller said the corporate team looks for those that continually want to improve their business. “Some shops are comfortable with the status quo,” he said. “We typically look for shops that are interested in growing and building their businesses, building strong insurer relationships, and improving their performance. With a background in marketing, Keller has found that name recognition is often an important priority for shop owners. “We came up with a system of allowing them to brand with us so that they would not lose their identity in the marketplace,” he said. All of the logos for 1Collision shops incorporate the number “1” and the “swoosh” sign as identification and then the shop’s existing logo is added in the middle.

One of the shops in the network has been in business for 75 years. “The grandfather started the shop, and the family name was really important to perpetuate, as generations have had their cars fixed there,” said Keller. “We recognize that and built our brand off of a need for a shop to keep their market brand in front of the public, yet still be recognized as part of a shop group brand.” Once a collision repair shop joins the network, a comprehensive marketing plan is developed, covering all aspects of promoting their shops to consumers, insurance companies and technicians. Next, 1Collision Network addresses the shop’s online presence. “We believe that a strong online presence is critical,” said Keller. “Take care of your web presence first, and then build your strategies and tactics in your marketing plan once that’s squared away.” In addition to helping shops with their marketing needs, Keller stressed the importance of tracking performance. This includes gauging how well a See 1Collision Network, Page 65

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www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 59

What to Do if You Suspect Substance Abuse in Your Shop by Ed Attanasio

If you’ve owned or managed a shop for more than a decade, you’ve likely encountered one or more employees who had issues with alcohol or drugs. Discovering the problem and then figuring out the right strategy to deal with it can be tricky. Candy Finnigan is one of the interventionists featured on the Emmynominated reality show Intervention (A&E) and the author of When Enough is Enough. In this interview, we discussed the effectiveness and success rate of interventions while she provided her insights into drugs in the workplace.

Of all the interventions you’ve done on the show, have there been any people associated with the collision repair industry?

Yes, we had one individual a few years ago who lived in the San Diego, CA area and his entire family was in the body shop business in some capacity. The father was working at a shop and going down to Tijuana, Mexico to get parts to re-sell, but he was also picking back more than just parts. He was using the money from the parts to feed his addiction and keep it going. What addictions are you norQ: mally finding in the automotive repair industry?

Well, drinking has always been an accepted thing, whether it’s A: getting a six-pack after work when the

shop is closed or everyone going to a bar after hours. It’s been ingrained in this industry and many people don’t see it as a problem. The bigger companies, such as the car dealerships and the larger shop chains do regular drug testing, but with a lot of these smaller, independent shops, these types of things can easily fall through the cracks. Some companies also check their employees’ credit scores, because if someone has a bad credit rating, they sometimes have been involved in something illegal. Booze and pot are everywhere and one body shop owner told me that they’re not as concerned about marijuana, except for the fact that employees smoking weed are more apt to take naps and snack all the time. Opiates have never been a big concern for the

collision industry, because a pill popper wouldn’t even be able to function in a shop. So speed is the real offender and the most common drug we find in the automotive repair industry as a whole. Drugs can be a Candy Finnigan part-time problem is one of the interventionists for a while and at featured on the first maybe they Emmy-nominated work with a couple reality show of beers or on the Intervention (A&E) weekends for most and the author of When Enough people. Users are is Enough attracted to many of these drugs, because they can allow them to stay up late and either party more or work more, depending. But, then it usually escalates and becomes a full-blown addiction.

What should a body shop Q: owner or manager do when he or she notices that drugs are in their shop?

It’s a gradual thing and this is how it usually happens. First, A: people will start showing up late for

work. That seems to be the first sign, especially if someone who used to come in on time, but now they’re chronically coming in late. This is a problem, because that means they will rush through jobs to make up for the lost time and of course they start making mistakes. Two things will likely become apparent here, because they will either start doing bad work or they get so obsessed with a job that they don’t get it done on time. They get hyper focused on the job and will sand or buff one hood for hours and hours, for example. They spend so much effort and time on a job that the shop loses money and rather quickly it can affect the bottom line. It can also impact the shop’s safety, because if you’re under a car and relying on a drugged employee to help you, that’s obviously a very potentially dangerous situation to be in. That’s when the body shop managers and/or owners need to step in, because they should see that this individual is bringing the entire shop down.

Once a shop owner or manager Q: knows that an employee is on drugs, what is the next step?

60 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

The first thing is to sit them A: down and tell them they need to get help. If they refuse the help, then

you have the right to fire them. If they do agree to get the help, you may or not be forced to pay for their rehab (depending on the laws in your state). You may also be covered by your insurance, because more and more insurance companies are back in the rehab business after many years of being out. If the employee in question goes to rehab, you have to hold their position and their pay for 60 days. And it needs to be documented by the rehab people, to make sure they’re actually getting help.

Is there any way that a conQ: sumer can know if a body shop fixing their car has a substance prob-

lem amongst their crew?

If you see the lights on late at A: night at a body shop, there is likely something sketchy going on.

In some areas, consumers have the drug problems as well and you’re having addicts getting cars fixed by addicts. The problem is that the work is not guaranteed and there is really nothing you can do if the work is shoddy.

Q: Do interventions really work? Yes, definitely. I tell people that an intervention is one of the A: most profound acts of love that any-

one can do for someone else. This is what we see and that’s what we know. Whatever the person has done before to get clean hasn’t worked and that’s why we do the interventions. Interventions don’t fail; people fail, but it is very rare. We have a 98 percent success rate with interventions, so yes I would say they do work.

They’re actually called “tweaker shops” and there are more than just a handful of them all over the country. One addict told me that you can get your car fixed in just 12 hours at those types of shops!

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If Auto Injury Claims Frequency Is Falling, Why Are Claims Costs Rising?

Auto insurance bodily injury claims costs are still increasing in the United States, even though better vehicle safety has helped reduce claims frequency, according to the Insurance Research Council (IRC), as reported by InsuranceJournal.com. The insurance organization said improved vehicle safety, graduated licensing laws and other safety factors have not been enough to offset substantial increases in the cost of injury claims. The average cost per paid liability claim has jumped more than 30 percent from 2005 to 2013, the researchers found. The IRC said the results point to a need for further scrutiny of what is driving these costs. “Documenting the specific drivers

of cost in the states where cost growth is greatest will be a priority for the IRC in the years ahead,” Elizabeth Sprinkel, an IRC senior vice president, said in prepared remarks. Bodily injury liability claims frequency fell nationally by 14.5 percent from 2005 to 2013, the IRC determined in “Trends in Auto Injury Claims, 2015 Edition.” That translates to a dip from 0.94 paid claims per 100 insured vehicles to 0.81 paid claims. At the same time, however, the average cost per paid liability claim grew from $11,738 to $15,506, a jump of 32.1 percent. The same thing happened with personal injury protection (no fault) claims, which dropped in frequency from 1.49 to 1.25 paid claims per 100 insured vehicles

over the same period. But, according to IRC, the average cost per claim jumped in this category from $5,802 to $8,017, a 38.2 percent hike. The IRC said that every state except for Florida, Kansas, Kentucky and Maryland saw a decline in bodily injury claim frequency from 2005 through 2013. Also, every state with personal injury protection coverage (PIP), except for South Carolina, had a drop in PIP claim frequency. Meanwhile, every state except for West Virginia experienced a jump in bodily injury claim severity from 2005 to 2013. All U.S. states save for Pennsylvania experienced an increase in PIP claim severity. Some states saw jumps that were worse than others. Michigan, for exam-

ple, had the average payment per personal injury protection claim soar from $25,997 to $44,756 over the studied period, a 72.2 percent jump. New York and Washington saw increases of more than 40 percent, the IRC noted. The IRC suggested that reports of a jump in traffic deaths could signify “a change in the beneficial long-term trend of declining claim frequency,” something that could make costs trends more severe. The IRC is a division of the American Institute For Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (The Institutes) and is supported by property/casualty insurers. The IRC report is based on claim data from national and state-level statistical reporting agencies.

Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice of violation (NOV) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to automaker Volkswagen and its affiliated companies. The NOV came as a result of allegations that Volkswagen had knowingly installed emission-test defeating software in its four-cylinder Volkswagen and Audi diesel cars from model years 2009-

2015. According to the EPA, this resulted in the cars emitting up to 40 times the amount of mono-nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions that the standards allow. In response to inquiries from ASA’s members and the media, Dan Risley, ASA’s president and executive director, released the following statement: “The Automotive Service Association (ASA) works with state and federal air

quality administrators through emissions testing and maintenance programs as well as other state and federal programs. We have offered to provide assistance to Volkswagen. ASA is interested in helping them enhance their efforts as they work through the process of resolving the current situation for the vehicle owner. “It is our desire to assist Volkswagen in notifying independent service repairers

of the information needed to properly repair our mutual customers’ vehicles. ASA will continue to monitor the situation and report any developments that may impact the service repair industry.” For additional information about ASA, including past media releases, go to www.ASAshop.org or visit ASA’s legislative website at www.TakingThe Hill.com.

ASA Responds to Volkswagen Emissions Investigation

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www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 61

Assured Performance Launches Smart App for Accident & Collision Care

Assured Performance Network, the country’s largest Certified Collision Repair Network, announced the official launch of their consumer-facing smart phone App–Accident & Collision Care. The Assured Performance consumer-facing smart App instructs vehicle drivers to properly document the details of an accident including: photos, other driver’s information, a comprehensive accident description and all the critical information needed to create a complete detailed accident report. Consumers may also select a Certified Collision Repair Provider of their choice, set an appointment and send the entire report to the shop or any other interested parties. The free consumer smart phone App is now available on Apple App Store and Android Google Play.

What makes this app unique and a game-changer is its ability to automatically set an appointment with an OEM Certified-Recognized Collision Repair provider in their community much like an insurer Direct Repair Program (DRP) assignment works today. The App identifies Certified shops based upon the VIN or year, make, and model of the vehicle and geo-location, or the consumer can pre-select their preferred Collision Repair Provider. The App even uploads the entire accident report including the critical insurance and vehicle information and confirms the connection between the Certified shop and the vehicle driver. The foundation of the smart Apps and shop locators alike is the network of thousands of Certified-Recognized body shops

located in nearly every community. All of the Certified Collision repair providers have met or exceeded standards for tools, equipment, training and facilities required by the participating Automakers to properly repair their vehicles to manufacturer specifications helping to ensure the fit, finish, durabiity, value and safety. In addition to the Assured Performance consumer App, the participating Automakers already have, or soon will have, smart Apps and online Certified shop locators specific to their vehicle models that leverage the same database of Certified Repair Providers. Combined these are creating an OEM customer referral program supporting the shops that are Certified. This approach further delivers on the Assured Performance claim,

“Certified Once, Recognized by Many.” “Now that our network of Certified shops blanket nearly the entire country, we can actively educate the consumer and provide them with a Certified Repairer choice almost anywhere they might need and want one” stated Assured Performance Chairman and CEO, Scott Biggs. “Our mission is to ensure that all consumers receive an exceptional repair experience delivered by exceptional businesses.” The Accident & Collision Care App is free with no in-store purchases. This smart App can be utilized as an emergency tool in the moment of crisis or downloaded ahead of time (recommended). For additional information, visit http://app.collisioncare.org/.

Mike Anderson of Collision Advice foresees a day when virtual steering is the norm. Anderson spoke at a recent event hosted by Pfaff Autoworks in Vaughan, Ontario, as reported by Canada’s Collision Repair Magazine. During his presentation, Anderson outlined coming trends in the industry. One of the important trends he highlighted was a coming shift in the way the industry operates in terms of the way cars are directed from

the scene of an accident into a shop. “Get ready for the era of ‘virtual steering’, ” said Anderson. The term virtual steering refers to a coming era in which cars can be directed to certified repair centres through services like GM’s OnStar. It seems likely that in the years ahead, services like OnStar, which provide communication links between a call centre and individual vehicles, will ex-

pand and evolve. As these communication links evolve, in-car communication services will ask drivers involved in an accident what collision repair centre they want their vehicle delivered to. Anderson played a video during his presentation that dramatized how the immediate moments after a fender bender will play out in the coming era of connected cars. If a vehicle gets in an accident the driver will be contacted. The

call centre will confirm the driver is okay. If they are, but the car is damaged, the driver will be asked which collision repair shop they want their vehicle directed to. The call centre will text a list of local certified repair shops. The driver chooses one. The call centre makes the initial contact with the insurance company for the driver. This new system will be driven by OEMs. “It’s not far away,” says Anderson.

Mike Anderson Outlines ‘Virtual Steering’ Risks for Shops During Talk at Ontario Body Shop

Valspar Automotive Paints a Brighter Future for Artists4Education and CREF Valspar Automotive is bringing its brand family of performance coatings and products together with the creative talents of top custom artists

to SEMA to raise money through Artists4Education and help fund the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF). Artists including Ryan Evans of Count’s Kustoms and The History Channel’s Counting Cars, Josh Culver of Culver’s Customs, Ron ‘Flea’ Fleenor, John Wargo of The Custom Shop, Nub of NubGrafix, Jon Kosmoski of House of Kolor, KC Mathieu of KC’s Paint Shop, Jason Jewett of Red House Custom Paint and more are offering their time and creative skills by painting and donating items to be auctioned off dur-

ing the SEMA show. The funds received will go directly to benefiting CREF, which gives future technicians the proper education and training for a successful collision repair career. “This is the very heart of what we love about how car and motorcycle culture and art come together—the unleashed creativity, and generosity, is simply mind blowing!” said Laura Yerkey, marketing director, Americas, at Valspar Automotive. By purchasing the auction items, at the SEMA trade show or online, fans of these artists have a chance to own a unique piece of American history. Monetary donations are being accepted on the Artists4Education website, www.artists4education.org. To view many of the items as they are painted live during the SEMA trade show, visit Valspar Automotive booths #10851, #10655, and #23513.

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62 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

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www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 63

BASF Dual Refinish System Reformulated to Increase Shops’ Production & Profit by Stacey Phillips, Assistant Editor

During a typical day, Jared Fero, the head painter at Gillette’s CARSTAR Collision Center, uses R-M Onyx HD from BASF to paint one vehicle completely in a waterborne formulation and the next in solventborne. “It’s the only line available in the marketplace that allows you to mix paint as a waterborne or solventborne finish with a single set of toners,” said Mike Freeman, Market Segment Manager for BASF’s R-M brand in North America.

R-M’s Onyx HD line was first introduced in 2007 and the company launched the solventborne version of Onyx HD in 2013. Freeman said the company has made several improvements to the dual automotive refinish system over the years and recently relaunched it in June. Gillette CARSTAR, based in Waukesha, Wisconsin, began using BASF’s

Onyx HD paint system about a year ago in their newly built facility. “I wanted to use a paint system that met and worked with OEM certifications and had the OEM level of trust built in them,” said Gillette CARSTAR’s Owner Todd Gillette. “That’s the reason why I went with BASF.” Gillette, who has been in business for 20 years, said he has been really pleased with the color match. “The water base lays so flat that your clear coats lay flatter. Minimal polishing if any ever needs to be done.” His head painter, Fero, said he was a little reluctant at first to switch products after using a solvent paint system for the past nine years. “It has been a really great change as far as getting production and quality cars out of the shop,” said Fero. “On an average day, I’ll paint about six cars and that wasn’t achievable with our other paint system.” Fero added that the paint system covers really well. “More coverage equals less paint which equals a happier boss,” he said. The updates for color chips are done automatically and the system is connected to other shops through BASF’s SmartTrak software. Fero said this makes it easier to find a good color match for the car. After receiving feedback from

customers over the last several months, BASF made several improvements to the Onyx HD system to meet the needs of its customers. “We’ve been working on several changes to the product that allow us to have a more superior color match than we’ve had in the past with this product,” said Freeman. For example, with the Onyx HD solvent line, customers said that certain popular tinted silvers and charcoal colors were not matching the way

they expected them to. After doing some investigating, BASF found they could improve the chemistry of the product. “Once we were able to do that, we discovered some other things in the process,” said Freeman. “When we made those changes, it improved the line overall.” In addition to being fully compliant in the United States and Canada for low VOC levels, Freeman said that

Onyx HD dries up to five times faster, and hides in fewer coats than some competitive products. “Productivity is the cornerstone of our brand and it’s very important to us to make sure shops are able to hit those KPIs,” said Freeman. “We are really putting that productivity aspect at the forefront and educating our customers about how they can switch back and forth between the various solutions to meet the needs of their customer mix for the day.” The Onyx HD line also aligns with the company’s existing COLORMAX system, which is a series of paint chips that tie into a software giving painters the formulations needed. Freeman said COLOR- MAX is one of the fastest, most accurate color tools in the industry. “The computer knows what color you’re aiming for and what system you are mixing it in, whether it is waterborne or solvent, and it tells you what percentages you need to use of each of the toners,” said Freeman. BASF will display two vehicles painted with the Onyx HD paint system at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada in November. More information about BASF Onyx HD can be found online at: www.basfrefinish.com/onyx

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Trust your order to the collision parts specialists at these fine Dealers

Continued from Page 58

1Collision Network

shop is managing Key Performance Indicators. The company also assists with performance improvement coaching, recruiting, training and compliance, HR management and business development consulting. Keller said working together as a collision repair group has several advantages. “By taking the strength that we have in numbers, we are able to maximize our value to insurance companies,” said Keller. “There is definitely a trend in the industry for shop groups to be effective in their insurance relationship building due in part to the number of claims they handle per year as a group.” As a single point of contact with the insurance claims offices, 1Collision Network is able to represent all of the shops in discussions with an insurer. “We work with insurance companies to identify where they have needs to be fulfilled, and then we work with them in those areas where they have specific needs from a DRP partner, and provide manage-

ment of ongoing performance improvement of the locations as well,” said Keller. Another benefit he has found is the ability to combine resources to market to consumers. “Consumer marketing is becoming more and more important, especially with how popular the Internet is to find goods and serv-

Tim’s Auto Body 1 in Champaign, Illinois is owned by Tim Tatman

ices in this world today,” said Keller. “Part of what we are able to do is collectively and in a more affordable fashion combine our financial resources to raise brand awareness.” In addition, he has found that a group of shops often have the ability to procure products and value-added services more effectively from strategic partners, as they know working

Shift into Genuine Nissan and Infiniti OEM Parts

with shop groups can bring them more volume, and a single point of contact for all the locations. “Our corporate strategic partners have been instrumental in our development as a network,” Keller said. “It’s easier to create an operating system when you’re in a group than it is for one store, because it requires considerable knowledge, time and resources to put those systems together, that can be quite a challenge for a collision repair business owner. An upfront fee covers the cost of what Keller refers to as “the onboarding” process such as developing the shop’s marketing plan, internet presence, logo design, and integrating their name with the network website and shop locator, promotional and informational pieces and DRP applications. There is also a monthly fee for ongoing services provided by 1Collision’s corporate office. “Our core business is helping successful independent shops and dealerships achieve greater success in all aspects of their collision repair business,” said Keller. For more information, contact info@1collision.net or 414-289-7650.

U.S. Chemical and Plastics Receives Presidental Award

Toyota says it will deploy autonomous driving systems by 2020 and take a big step by launching technology that allows vehicles to talk to each other, scan blind spots, warn of changing traffic lights and keep a safe distance from other cars. The company is also test driving more advanced autonomous drive technologies in a modified Lexus GS that can merge on highways and even change lanes by itself. The goal is to deploy those autonomous drive technologies by around 2020. A vehicle communication system, called ITS Connect, goes on sale in Japan this year, first in a mid-cycle update of the Toyota Crown luxury sedan. Toyota is introducing the technologies in a push to burnish its safety credentials as automakers seek to differentiate themselves from rivals. The systems are also basic buildingblock technologies that will underpin future autonomous cars. Toyota says they have reached a point of diminishing returns from improvements in passive systems such as stronger body frames and seat belts. Faster gains are expected from technologies that prevent crashes to begin with.

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www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 65

ASA Collision Division Reports on Two New Publications, Operations Committee on Feather Prime and Block

• The ASA Collision Division Operations Committee has been busy. Since its last report, it has compiled, organized and launched two new ASA publications to assist collision shops in writing a complete estimate. The ASA “Documented Collision Repair Operations” and “Reference Chart of NotIncluded Operations when Installing New Replacement Parts” are available for download on the ASA website. These helpful guides are offered by ASA (www. asashop.org) as a service to the industry. We’d also like to offer special thanks to Mike Anderson for doing a lot of the heavy lifting on this project. Committee Continues Efforts on Feather Prime Block Issue • The Collision Division Operations Committee continues its efforts with the information providers on the Feather Prime & Block issue. FP&B has already been incorporated into the Audatex estimating system, and we will continue to encourage all information providers to do the same. We also have reached out to the Database Enhancement Gateway for its help with a project involving unpainted parts to provide a listing of raw plastic parts for inclusion

with other ASA documents available free to the industry to aid in the estimating process. • The Ops Committee met at NACE, which provided the opportunity to invite industry partners for a productive meet-and-greet discussion on a variety of topics. It was a great way to continue our industry dialogue into 2016 and to thank them for their support of the committee’s mission. ASA Chairman Donny Seyfer, AAM, brought them up to speed on the telematics issue, while Robert L. Redding Jr., ASA’s Washington, D.C., representative, outlined the legislative picture for the rest of the year and into 2016. The committee members also discussed and approved a more streamlined approach to the subcommittee structure. • While at NACE, Ops Committee Chairman Scott Benavidez, AAM, presented Dan Stander, AAM, with the 2015 ASA Phoenix Award. “Dan has demonstrated consistent commitment and support for our industry and ASA,” Scott said in his presentation. “He has been a great friend and mentor to me and many others in the industry. He is truly one of our industry heroes!”

I-CAR® Welding Training & Certification™ Program Now Available Through Career & Technical Schools

I-CAR® now offers their industry-recognized Welding Training & Certification™ program as a curriculum option for career & technical schools. I-CAR approved and licensed Educators can deliver the courses in an academic setting. The Welding Training & Certification for Educators is based on the same training curriculum that I-CAR offers to the Collision Repair industry. Students that successfully pass the skills portion of the curriculum will earn I-CAR’s professional welding certificate, and is valid for five years. Taught in conjunction with the PDPEE, approved Educators are authorized to deliver the I-CAR Welding Training & Certification program in their career & technical schools. “The Welding Training & Certification for Educators creates a more robust collision repair training program for schools,” said I-CAR senior director of segment development, Bill Stage. “It enables career & technical schools to fuel the industry with highly-qualified entry-level non-structu-ral technicians. Today, 64 percent of professional technicians have not completed I-CAR’s steel welding training. The Educator program will contribute to getting every

technician that welds properly trained, something the industry desperately needs.” The Auto Collision Repair and Refinishing program at Fox Valley Technical College is the first of its kind to expand the program to include the ICAR Welding Training & Certification program. Launched in the the 2015/ 2016 academic year, the college offers both the steel and aluminum welding options. To date, 75% of the students enrolled in the collision repair program are also enrolled in welding. “Fox Valley is proudly teaching the I-CAR Education Edition curriculum. With the addition of the welding program, students at Fox Valley wishing to pursue a career in collision repair will benefit from a more complete program geared toward development in soughtafter skills, including welding of both structural and non-structural vehicle components.” said Jerry Goodson, collision repair and refinishing instructor. Career & technical schools that wish to become approved to deliver the program for Educators can apply on the I-CAR website or call 888-422-7211. Program information will also be available at SEMA 2015 at the I-CAR booth #10873.

66 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

I-CAR® Adds New Vehicle Technology & Trends Course, Updates Existing Brazing & Measuring Course I-CAR has announced its fourth quarter product launch, which includes new and updated courses designed to help technicians and repair facilities prepare for today’s rapidly evolving collision repair industry. A new version of one of I-CAR’s most popular classes takes an in-depth look at 2016’s emerging vehicle technology and trends, while two updates add important new content to I-CAR’s existing foundational MIG brazing and measuring courses. Vehicle Technology & Trends 2016 (NEW16) shines a spotlight on the new developments that repair facilities can expect to see in 2016 and beyond. The Technical Tsunami™ facing our industry is real and NEW16, which continues the popular “New” series, covers what’s changing on the cars that will soon be arriving in collision repair facilities across the country. The live course includes interviews with OEMs as well as a detailed look at new vehicle features, materials and more. Be aware and be prepared! Course updates include expansions to MIG Brazing Theory (BRZ01e), an online course that helps technicians fully understand the applicability and uses of MIG brazing. MIG brazing has become

a required repair method for a growing number of popular vehicles, and this course prepares technicians to perform complete, safe and quality repairs when MIG brazing is one of the required attachment methods. The course now includes updated repair procedures and new and improved graphics and videos. I-CAR has also updated Measuring (MEA01/v) to include newly refreshed vehicle examples, practice activities, graphics, animations and videos. All of this enhances the learning experience, contributing to better student learning retention and application when back on the job. The course is conveniently available in both a live classroom and virtual classroom format. “I-CAR is committed to helping collision repair technicians and facilities stay on top of industry trends and evolving repair processes,” explained Josh McFarlin, I-CAR Director of Curriculum & Product Development. “We are continually developing and updating our courses to reflect the mix of repair skills and knowledge that is required to produce complete, safe and quality repairs both today and tomorrow.” Visit i-car.com/newcourses.

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www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 67

U.S. House Passes Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act

The U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 565, the Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act, on Sept. 28th, requiring federal agencies to consider using remanufactured parts for vehicle fleet repairs. The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) and its remanufacturing division, the Motor & Equipment Remanufacturers Association (MERA), applauded the vote. “We thank the House of Representatives for passing this important legislation,” said Steve Handschuh, MEMA president and CEO. The legislation requires all federal agencies to consider using remanufactured parts in maintaining the federal vehicle fleet, which numbers more than 588,000 vehicles. A 2013 GAO study found that the federal government spends nearly $1 billion per year on fleet maintenance, but there is no uniform policy among agencies about using remanufactured parts.

Tony Passwater Named Director of Green Service Standards Committee The Green Service Standard “GS2” committee announced that Tony Passwater will take the reins as Director. The GS2 committee was launched last year in Las Vegas to organize an industry standard for shop operators to certify vehicles according to the fueleconomy.gov rating system. GS2 Committee Chairman, Steven Schillinger said that Tony brings over 40 years of automotive service and repair experience as an organizer and leader. As director, Passwater will oversee the criteria for the knowledge areas required to attain GS2 accreditation, which serves as a public registry of individuals with the experience and understanding of how to evaluate a vehicles FuelEconomy.gov efficiency rating and climate score. “It will be an honor to serve as director of the Green Service Standard committee and build upon all the good work that has been done since its launch,” said Passwater. “Most auto shop employees are products of their

DVI BOSS Revolutionizes Aftermarket Automotive Repairs with the New Digital Vehicle Inspection

Utilizing cutting-edge, web-based technology, DVI Boss enables automotive repair shops to complete Digital Vehicle Inspections that provide customers with a complete inspection of their vehicle, including photographs, videos, and technician notes. This Digital Vehicle Inspection application interactively shows the condition of the different components of a vehicle. With DVI Boss, auto repair shops can provide better service to customers and improve profits by not only reducing costs of paper inspections but also technician time. Once a DVI Boss Inspection is completed by the automotive repair shop, a link to the DVI is sent to the vehicle owner via text message or email. By clicking the link, owners can view the inspection notes, photos and video right on their computer, tablet or smartphone. Chris Boshaw, President of CSB Technologies, suggests that both customers and the repair shop will see the

value of this easy-to-use application. He states, “Once drivers can see the actual photos and videos of the needed repairs, they will generally have a higher level of confidence that the recommended repairs are both necessary, and can be performed by the repair shop.” DVI Boss is available as a standalone application and does not require any specialized hardware. An automotive repair shop only needs the ability to access the internet to upload photos and/or videos captured on their tablet, smartphone or camera. DVI Boss can also be integrated with a repair shop’s existing Shop Management Software and is also fully integrated with Shop Boss Pro, the flagship Shop Management Software application from CSB Technologies. DVI Boss is an affordable option to increase customer service and satisfaction as well as improved profitability for the shop. A subscription to DVI Boss is priced at just $98.00 per month to the auto repair shop with no long term contract.

U.S. Will Need To Adopt European Approach To Achieve MPG Targets

Global auto manufacturers have made considerable progress in increasing fuel economy and reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Experts at Emissions Analytics see the U.S. getting closer to 2025 federal fuel economy targets by adopting approaches from Europe. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) target of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025 is actually the equivalent of an EPA sticker fuel economy of about 41 mpg, (nearly 20 percent lower because

of the manner in which they are calculated). U.S. passenger cars and light trucks tested by Emissions Analytics currently achieve 24.9 mpg in realworld driving, which will require a two-thirds increase to get to the target. By contrast, Europe already is achieving 36.8 mpg. Adopting more fuel-efficient European technologies such as direct injection and variable cylinder technology could add a further 3.7 mpg to reach 33.2 mpg.

68 NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS | www.autobodynews.com

experience, and the core of our mission will be to connect technicians, estimators and service writers to the most rewarding state-of-the-art challenges we can find.” As a consultant, Passwater has worked for many leading Industry organizations over the years, as well as many volunteer committee positions. He has actively been involved in the ASA, Automotive Management Institute (AMI), I-CAR, CIC, and SCRS. In 2014, he achieved the Automotive Management Institute’s Accredited Automotive Managers (AAM) designation. He is also ASE Master Certified and serves currently as director of the Indiana Auto Body Association (IABA). “Tony Passwater is a leader, educator and award-winning journalist. He has enjoyed distinguished careers in industry and academia, and will expand GS2's partnerships with ASE, I-CAR and its industry presence nationally,” said Steve Leal, President at Fix Auto

Canada. “I look forward to working with him as we educate and train specialists for multi-platform technologies in today's rapidly changing auto industry,” Steve added. “He will make an impact on student careers and lives, and will reinforce the committee’s commitment to being at the forefront of tomorrow’s automotive standards and practice. The Green Service Standard (G2C) is an eco-friendly technology group for the automotive aftermarket, representing 10 vehicle service and repair industry segments in the United States and Canada, including Motor Vehicle Dealers, Automotive Stores, Gasoline Service Stations, Collision Shops, Exhaust System Service, Tire Shops, Glass Replacement Business, Transmission Repair Shops, Car Washes and Automotive Oil and Lube Shops. For More Information about GS2, contact Tony Passwater at Tony.Passwater @aeii.net.

Subaru Selects OEC® Collision Parts Ordering and Fulfillment OEConnection LLC (OEC), a parts ecommerce technology leader for original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) distribution networks, announced that Subaru of America has selected Colli-

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Subaru Sees Record Demand, Plans IN Plant Expansion by 100,000 Vehicles

Subaru is experiencing record U.S. demand and will expand annual production capacity by 100,000 vehicles at its sole U.S. plant. The company will invest $140 million to do so. The Subaru of Indiana plant in Lafayette, one of the automaker’s three plants worldwide, will gain 1,204 jobs by 2017. The factory currently employs more than 3,800 workers and produces about 300,000 vehicles per year, according to a press release. The announcement comes after Subaru had said it will begin production of a seven-seat SUV at the Lafayette

plant after 2017. The SUV will be exclusively sold in the North American market, Yoshinaga said. Subaru’s Outback and Legacy and the Toyota Camry are currently produced at the plant. Fuji Heavy Industries, which owns Subaru, said previously that it would halt Camry production at the plant, which has been building the sedan since 2007. Toyota has confirmed it will end Camry production will end in fall 2016 and shift output to its Georgetown, KY, plant. The Camry's departure would free up capacity of 100,000 vehicles, on top of the additional 100,000 announced.

The hiring and investments will “enable SIA to build more Subarus to help meet the growing demand,” said Tom Easterday, Subaru of Indiana executive vice president, in a statement. “The substantial increase in production volume at SIA will also result in new jobs and investment by many of our suppliers across Indiana.” This is the second major investment in Subaru’s Indiana plant in recent years. The plant is undergoing a $400 million expansion, designed to allow Subaru to begin production of the Impreza model by the end of 2016.

Certified Collision Group™ Expands 1stCERTIFIED™ to 26 Shops, 4 States

Certified Collision Group™ (CCG) announced its 1stCERTIFIED™ initiative last week, now announces nine (9) additional facilities, to total 26, as CCG expands from California into Idaho, Washington and Oregon. One of the new Affiliates joining CCG is Parks Royal Body Works of Boise, Idaho. Almost 40 years ago, Ted Thornton and a partner took the opportunity to purchase their facility. His son, Matt Thornton grew up in the family business and eventually became its owner in 1999. Their family, employees, and community have depended for

almost 7 decades on Parks Royal and its commitment to craftsmanship, exceptional service and professionalism. Parks Royal’s OE Certifications, CSI scores and cycle time make them a great fit for CCG. “Having 1stCERTIFIED™ brand complement our current values and partners is crucial to us in today’s marketplace,” commented Thornton. “The ability to participate in a larger network—while maintaining our individual identity—is the kind of support we’ve been looking for. My family and our staff are excited to grow into

the future with the Certified Collision Group.” Thomas Adams, CCG’s Managing Director notes, “Parks Royal is a prime example of how CCG will grow its 1stCERTIFIED™ initiative; adding unique value for well branded, owner operated, performance-driven organizations. “Our ability to quickly expand into multiple markets is based on the value of our non-intrusive, high performance solutions to both qualifying collision repair businesses and the auto insurance community.”

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Chief Videos Show How to Hold a Vehicle for Sectioning or Pulling

With more than 50 components, the Chief Automotive Technologies Structural Holding Package offers many ways to secure a collision-damaged vehicle to a frame rack for repair. In order to show users some of the possibilities, Chief has created a video series hosted by Richard Perry, OEM and strategic account sales manager. The videos can be viewed at www .chiefautomotive.com/FixtureHolding/Structural-Holding and on Chief’s video library page. “No matter if you are sectioning or pulling, it is imperative that the vehicle is securely held during the repair,” says Perry. “Supplemental holding points on the frame rack keep the vehicle from moving out of place, and also facilitate the multipoint pulls that may be required to return a vehicle to OEM specifications. Chief’s Structural Holding Package is effective with body-onframe and unibody vehicles, and our new video series shows how to create holding points for each type.” To watch the video series or learn more about the Structural Holding Package, visit www.chiefautomotive .com/Fixture-Holding/StructuralHolding.

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www.autobodynews.com | NOVEMBER 2015 AUTOBODY NEWS 69

BASF SEMA Seminars Aim to Help Shops Improve Profitability BASF is offering seminars at SEMA that will help shop owners better manage their businesses. The seminars are part of the Repairer Driven Education series hosted by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) and include sessions on scheduling, number analysis and an exchange with successful repair shop owners who have seen strong growth. “We want to provide value to the collision repair industry and that starts with education,” said Jeff Wildman, BASF manager, OEM and industry relations. “Through these seminars, BASF is providing insights and encouraging discussion that can help our customers be more successful.” BASF will present the following sessions: ● Scheduling and Work in Progress (Ses-

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sion RDE2) – Tues., Nov. 3, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. – BASF’s Tom Hoerner will discuss Work in Process (WIP) and how to analyze scheduling. The session will dig into the impact that scheduling and workflow have on cycle time and productivity. Attendees will leave with procedural takeaways that will allow them to implement changes to improve shop performance. ● Understanding Numbers and What They Tell You About Your Growth Opportunities (Session RDE9) – Tues., Nov. 3, 3 – 5 p.m. – John Niechwiadowicz from QLC, Inc. in partnership with BASF, will discuss the importance of thoroughly understanding your numbers before investing in equipment, tools, programs or locations. Collision Repair businesses will learn how to achieve better return on investment in their market, leading to better profitability.

● Our Journey to Become a “Successful” Collision Center (session RDE16) – Wed., Nov. 4, 3 – 5 p.m. – BASF’s Craig Seelinger will moderate a discussion with representatives from several successful collision centers that have experienced strong growth over the past several years. The owners/managers of these collision centers will discuss what was involved, the steps they took, and tools and resources they used to ensure their ongoing success to grow their businesses. BASF will also unveil redesigned vehicles, host autograph sessions and present the latest in car color technology, tools and services at its two display booths (#21437 and #16026). For information visit: http://www .semashow.com/event/2014/11/03/scrs -repairer-driven-education-rde-series

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State Farm released the results of a recent survey of young drivers ages 16-19. The focus was to learn more about their attitudes and behaviors when it comes to distracted driving. It revealed that nearly all teens, over 90 percent, say they understand texting while driving is distracting, yet 44 percent say they do it. When asked to choose the three things that would deter them from reading or responding to text messages, concern about crashing was the number one answer (51 percent), followed closely by getting caught by police (50 percent). To read the report, visit http:// www.multivu.com/players/English/ 7292859-state-farm-distracteddriving-teens/

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State Farm Surveys Teens About Texting While Driving

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