MIG Brazing Âť Load Leveling Âť Frame Machines/Benches February 2014//Vol. 33 No.2
www.bodyshopbusiness.com
Family Ties
The trials and tribulations of working in a family business.
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Inside
February February 2014
Vol. 33 No. 2
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ON THE COVER Family Ties Working with family can be both a blessing and a curse. We explore the pros and cons of working in a family business.
FEATURES
40 Sanding Fundamentals PROFIT IN THE PAINT SHOP
Sanding is a very deliberate and fundamental task of the refinish process and needs to be treated as such.
52 MIG Brazing: A Learning Process TECHNICAL
With no melting and less heat, MIG brazing is becoming more prevalent in welding thinner exotic metals.
60 What a Load MSO FOCUS
Load leveling can have its pros and cons when it comes to trying to boost the efficiency of your multi-shop operation.
SHOP TALK Editor’s Notes
8 10 Detours 14 Clark’s Corner 22 Web Presence Management
Finally...the 411 on crash information for customers. What the heck is that?
Do the math before accepting the lowest price. Time to check your NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number).
DEPARTMENTS BODYSHOP BUSINESS (ISSN 0730-7241) (February 2014, Volume 33, Number 2): Published monthly by Babcox Media, Inc., 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333 U.S.A. Phone (330) 670-1234, FAX (330) 670-0874. Copyright 2014 Babcox Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Periodical postage paid at Akron, OH 44333 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BODYSHOP BUSINESS, P.O. Box 13260, Akron, OH 44334-3912. Member, BPA Worldwide
Guess the Car ....................................................................................4 e-Buzz ..............................................................................................6 Industry Update ..............................................................................12 Buying Tips......................................................................................26 NASCAR Performance ......................................................................70 Product Showcase............................................................................76 By the Numbers ..............................................................................80
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Guess
the Car
SOLVED! See the March issue for winner of Guess the Car #130.
Reader Contest! Win $50! What vehicle MODEL does this picture represent? Fax your guess to (330) 670-0874. Include name, title, shop name, city, state and phone number. Or submit your guess with our online contest form by visiting bodyshopbusiness.com/guessthecar. The winner will be randomly selected from correct entries and awarded $50. Entries must be received by Feb. 28, 2014. *Only one winner will be selected. Chances of winning are dependent upon the number of correct entries received. Employees of Babcox, industry manufacturers and BSB advertisers are not eligible to enter.
#130
Cap-rice = (Chevrolet) Caprice
!
WINNER #129
Minnie Fabre, office manager/estimator, Twisted Kustoms, White Castle, La.
#131
Spark = (Chevrolet) Spark
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February 2014 | BodyShop Business
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They Said It On
e-Buzz
The latest online content from BodyShop Business
January 15 — The NABC is about to gift a refurbished car to a needy family in Palm Springs, Calif.
Like • Comment • Share
: BodyShop Business Readers Group Can’t believe 2013 is already drawing to a close! What are your business resolutions for the New Year?
@BSBMagazine: OE Roundtable Committee announces at CIC the launch of http://crashrepairinfo.com, a new consumer education website
I resolve to make even more insurers’ and adjusters’ jobs stressful by getting educational resources to more consumers as to their contractual and statutory rights so that they may be made whole instead of receiving settlements designed to tip the scales favorably towards insurers’ respective shareholders while at the
same time increasing my own net worth in the service of those clients and customers.
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South Carolina Repairer Asks Mississippi Attorney to Include His Shop in Suit Against State Farm Comment by Truman Fancher III: Again, it blows my mind that shops aren’t collecting these ‘funds’ from the one person that owes them....THE CUSTOMER! What is it with our industry that we think WE owe for the repairs? What is it with our industry that we don’t think enough about our own businesses that we can’t look a customer in the eye and say, ‘This is what you owe.’ Doctors do it...dentists do it.....the checkout clerk at Wal-Mart does it...we do it at my shop. Why don’t you? Stop relying on someone else to fix this industry and fix it yourself! It’s the only way to get long-term solutions. You’ll find that State Farm will compensate who they actually owe much more often...their insureds. Please read it as I say it once again...insurers do NOT owe shops. Insurers cannot AUTHORIZE a single thing being done to the vehicle. Learn it, do it, live it. It will change this industry one shop at a time. Don’t be afraid to educate yourself on the legalities of running your business. It’s the single most important thing you’ll learn. If you’re running an honest business, you should have zero problems asking the customer for your money. Educate yourself so you can educate your customer as to what’s really going on. You’ll find they’re much more eager to help themselves when they realize what’s being done to them by their insurer. Steer them to good carriers. How Do I Get an Insurer to Pay for Storage and Tow?
Mike Orton Owner Missouri Collision Consulting
Find 1,000’s of BodyShop Business articles online at www.bodyshopbusiness.com 6
bodyshopbusiness.com
Comment by Phillip Baxter: In Tennessee, if it’s a first-party vehicle (insured), the insurer is required by law to pick up the vehicle and pay the charges against it. If it’s a third-party claim (claimant), the above doesn’t apply. I have had three vehicles which were thirdparty claims left at my shop within the last six months. After filing artisan liens on all three, we were able to recover our charges by selling them to a salvage yard.
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Editor’s
Notes
Publisher
S. Scott Shriber, ext. 229 sshriber@babcox.com Editor
Crash Repair 411 t the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) last month, a brief announcement was made that the OE Roundtable launched a site called crashrepairinfo.com. It was so brief, in fact, that some attendees may have missed it if they were outside the room grabbing more coffee or answering a phone call. Brief, but significant.
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Crashrepairinfo.com is yet another tool you can steer your customers to so that they can become educated on the sophistication of modern-day vehicles, the technology and skill it takes to repair those vehicles, and what to look for in a body shop that can handle such repairs. It also explains their rights, how insurance works, the difference between OE, aftermarket and salvage parts, and definitions of various collision industry terminology. I think we all believe that consumers are becoming more educated on the ins and outs of the brand-new vehicles they buy, but
it’s every body shop’s responsibility to pound this information home to each and every customer that crosses their threshold. I think it was Sy Syms of the Men’s Warehouse who said, “An educated consumer is our best customer.” That could very well apply to our industry, too, right? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve explained to a friend who just bought a car or got in an accident the complexities of their vehicle and the importance of taking it to a qualified shop. At the end of my spiel, they invariably say the same thing: “Wow! I never knew that! I had no idea!” The creation of crashrepairinfo.com is also encouraging from the standpoint that it shows that OEs are starting to recognize the importance of making sure their vehicles are repaired safely and correctly after they roll out of the dealership. I feel that they will do more and more of this, and while they will also help promote this information, body shops must also recognize the critical role they play in spreading the word.
Jason Stahl, Editor Email comments to jstahl@babcox.com
Jason Stahl, ext. 226 jstahl@babcox.com Managing Editor
Gina Kuzmick, ext. 244 gkuzmick@babcox.com Contributing Editors
Mitch Becker, Mark Clark, Mark Claypool, Erica Eversman, Tom Ferry, Curt Harler, John D. Lyman Sr., Hank Nunn, Carl Wilson Graphic Designer
Lisa DiPaolo, ext. 281 ldipaolo@babcox.com Advertising Services
Kelly McAleese, ext. 284 kmcaleese@babcox.com Director of Circulation
Pat Robinson, ext. 276 probinson@babcox.com Director of eMedia & Audience Development
Brad Mitchell, ext. 277 bmitchell@babcox.com Subscription Services
Ellen Mays, ext. 275 emays@babcox.com Tel: (330) 670-1234 Fax: (330) 670-0874 Website: bodyshopbusiness.com Corporate
Bill Babcox, President Gregory Cira, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Stankard, Vice President Beth Scheetz, Controller A limited number of complimentary subscriptions are available to those who qualify. Call (330) 670-1234, ext. 288, or fax us at (330) 6705335. Paid subscriptions are available for nonqualified subscribers at: U.S.: $69 for one year. Canada/Mexico: $89 for one year. Canadian rates include GST. Ohio residents add current county sales tax. Other foreign rates/via air mail: $129 for one year. Payable in advance in U.S. funds. Mail payment to BodyShop Business, P.O. Box 75692, Cleveland, OH 44101-4755. VISA, MasterCard or American Express accepted.
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Detours
By S. Scott Shriber, Publisher
What the Heck Is That?
his month takes me to sunny California. As they say, things are a bit different out here. The “Saturday Night Live” skit with Steve Martin keeps running through my mind. You know, the one with Bill Murray where they keep saying, “What the hell is that?” Well, I think I’ve found the answer.
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Dave March runs Fountain Valley Bodyworks in Fountain Valley, Calif. The shop has 13 technicians and two painters, and each painter has two helpers. The techs have the luxury of three bays each to work in, plus their own lifts. This allows the shop to move 500 cars a month. Parking space is a problem, so Dave built his own parking structure on top of the shop. They have five DRPs and use PPG waterborne products. Dave has been in the auto body repair business since the 1970s and has been on both sides of consolidation, but he always seems to end up back in the business. His son, Michael, runs an additional express location, and Mrs. March has kept an eye on the financials since Dave began his collision career. This is where things separate from the normal collision repair shop. You see, Dave was always fascinated by the ‘60s Amphicar. He had actually done some restorations on them and knew they could be improved. The original versions tended to leak and only went about six miles per hour. Hence, the WaterCar was born.
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Dave has been working on this project for almost 20 years. I first saw one on YouTube about four years ago, and the current version is absolutely unbelievable. It sort of looks like a Jeep, but that’s where all similarities end. It has a custommade chassis and a proprietary hull/body design that allows it to be driven directly from land into water and speed off. Yes, I said speed off! You can water-ski, tube or just zip around at more than 40 miles per hour. These incredible vehicles are in production, and more information can be found at Watercar. com. If you’re interested, kits are available for purchase, and you can add your own power. Dave believes it’s a potential profit center for shops, and he welcomes the opportunity to discuss it with you. Dave, your shop is a tribute to your passion for the collision industry, and the Watercar is a great example of innovation at work. Thanks for letting us see them both. Happy sailing! And now you know what the heck that is. BSB
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Industry
Update Mississippi Collision Repairers File Complaint Against State Farm ttorney John Eaves Jr. officially filed a complaint on Jan. 7, 2014, against various insurance companies on behalf of 21 Mississippi collision repair facilities for a litany of alleged offenses. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi,
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Northern Division-Jackson. Defendants named included: State Farm; Progressive; Allstate; Nationwide; GEICO; United Services Automobile Association; USAA; Safeco; Shelter Mutual Insurance Co.; Direct General Insurance Company of Mississippi; Mississippi Farm Bureau; and Shelter General Insurance Co.
“The entire collision repair industry is caught between a rock and a hard place,” said Eaves. “On one hand, they’re trying to maintain the safety and quality of repairs for the customers in a time when the manufacturers are trying to develop more sophisticated, more fuel efficient and safer cars, but yet the in-
surance industry is trying to force them to cut corners on their repairs. So Mississippi repairers have felt like they have been backed into a corner, and now they have to start to reclaim some of these costs and send a message to the insurance industry.” Eaves said the complaint is currently being modified for use in seven other states. Meanwhile, 22 other states are preparing to join the fight. While his law firm is leading the effort, it’s also partnering with “talented” attorneys in each state who have exContinued on pg. 72
Ford Reveals Details of All-Aluminum F-150 at CIC By Jason Stahl ver since Ford Motor Company officially announced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit that the 2015 F150 would be entirely made of highstrength, military-grade aluminum alloy, collision repairers have had many questions about what they need to do to gear up for this vehicle. Some of those questions were answered at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) held Jan. 16-17 in Palm Springs, Calif. “We designed the vehicle so it can be easily repaired and accessible so the customer can go where they want to get it repaired,” said Paul Massie, powertrain and collision product marketing manager for Ford. Massie stated there will be no restrictions on what body shops can repair the vehicle. Although Ford will not require a shop to have a separate clean room partitioned off with cin-
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derblocks, it will recommend the use of curtains to separate aluminum from steel work and specific equipment to handle the repairs. Ford estimates the total investment for a shop
Paul Massie, powertrain and collision product manager for Ford.
starting from ground zero with aluminum repair will be $50,000. “That’s if you have absolutely no aluminum equipment today,” Massie said. “So if you’re already in the aluminum business, you’re probably a long way to having the equipment you need.”
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Also, genuine Ford collision repair parts will be available to all shops. All parts sold will include instructions on proper installation. Ford will begin its education on the 2015 F-150 and aluminum repair at the AASP/NJ Northeast Show March 21-23 at the Meadowlands. A cutaway of the vehicle will be featured so repairers can see all of its structural components. Also, engineers will be present to talk about the vehicle, and I-CAR training developed with Ford will be available. Ford is also offering to do a presentation on the 2015 F-150 at the next CIC April 9-10 in Portland, Ore., although details are not firmed up yet. Information will also be available at NACE and SEMA. “The goal is to make highstrength, military-grade aluminum alloy collision repair mainstream,” said Massie. “We want it to be as mainstream as it already is for steel.
»| Industry Update |«
Body Shops in Georgia, Florida Hit with Check Scam By Jason Stahl everal body shops in Florida and Georgia have recently been hit with a check scam, in one case to the tune of $15,000. The shops suspect an employee at a vendor they all do business with or a check processing service the vendor uses. The person is taking the routing number and checking account number off the shops’ checks, reprinting them on new, fake checks with a different name, address and bank name and spending them at Lowe’s or Home Depot. Because the Lowe’s and Home Depot stores are located by major interstates, the shops speculate that the merchandise is then being taken to a store in another state and returned for cash. Toni Scroggins, owner of St. John’s Auto Body in Palatka, Fla., got taken for $15,000. Even though she eventually got the money back from her bank, it took two months, and she fears what that wait time could do to a smaller shop. “I am quite big and have been here since 1978, so I was able to withstand the loss pretty well,” says Scroggins. “But waiting two months for money like that would kill a small shop.” Scroggins says just such a small shop in her
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area got hit in December and then once again this week. When the fraud happens, in addition to losing the money, a shop has to go through the hassle and expense of reordering checks (in Scroggins’ case, a cost of $600) and reprogramming its credit card machines. “You would think [the bank] would look at those checks to see whether the routing and checking numbers match the bank, but they’re not,” Scroggins says. “My CPA caught mine, because I don’t look at the books every day, but I do now because of this.” Other instances have occurred in Ocala, Fla.,
and Gainesville, Fla. Layla Morris of Pello Body Shop in Brunswick, Ga., says her shop was hit, too, but fortunately the check was caught before it went through because the name and address didn’t match. “This has happened to all of us in Brunswick except for one shop, and we think we have a common denominator, a parts company,” says Morris. “We also started asking our parts vendors about it, and they had heard of other customers having the same problem.” Morris says shops in Kingsland, Ga., and Hinesville, Ga., have also been victimized. She says the FBI is involved, but so
far the fraud has been occurring for six months and doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon. “Our local police departments aren’t doing anything to help us either,” Morris says. “Most of our banks are catching it and not letting the checks clear our accounts, but we still have to close that account and open a new one. “My big question is, who do you not give a check to? Without having that worry of, ‘Okay, start watching the checking account to make sure no one is trying to take our money.’ And then you’re back to, well, we have to close this account and start a new one.”
ASA Encourages State Farm PartsTrader Action at State Level he Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced that, as part of its 2014 legislative initiatives, it will continue to work with independent repairers and their state affiliate associations that have taken an active role in addressing insurer parts procurement mandates on a state level. Although a few states in 2013 saw bills introduced to stop insurer-mandated parts procurement programs, none of these bills advanced to become law in their states, ASA noted. The association anticipates that 2014 will see more legislative activity on parts procurement and other similar insurer mandates. In addition, ASA contacted state attorneys general and insurance regulators in the fall of 2013 asking that they review these programs to determine if they violate their state laws. ASA has had discussions with a number of these states that have submitted
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inquiries for additional supporting information. Important to note, ASA states, is that subsequent to its announcement relative to sending letters to each state, State Farm sent states letters arguing the legitimacy of such mandates. To view an example of these letters, visit www.TakingTheHill.com. “Our goal was to resolve this [State Farm PartsTrader issue] without government oversight, interference or legislation,” said Dan Risley, ASA executive director. “As such, we have persisted in our efforts to work with State Farm to change the current PartsTrader mandate policy. This has included multiple meetings and other discussions that continued throughout 2013. ASA believes that there are potential solutions provided State Farm is willing to work toward an amicable resolution that benefits State Farm, collision repairers and the consumer.”
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Clark’s
Corner
By Mark Clark
Do the Math Before Accepting
the Lowest Price ny prudent business person strives to maximize their net profit and minimize their expenses. Any collision shop’s biggest expense is their employees’ wages, followed by their expenditures for repair parts. I calculate that a typical body shop spends about 35 percent of its total sales on labor and about 30 percent on crash parts, followed by purchases from their jobber at about 7 percent. Jobber purchases include both paint and materials (P&M), shop supplies, and tools and equipment. Next are expenses for any sublet operations and occupancy costs (rent, utilities, phone) at about 4 percent of sales each. Other shop expenses are plentiful, but each represents a smaller portion of the total cost. The shop’s return on its labor expenses is evident every week when the ROs are closed and repaired vehicles delivered. The shop’s profit return on its crash parts sales is clear, too – it’s the difference between total parts billing and cumulative parts purchases at shop cost. But unlike labor and parts, the P&M profit return is a fuzzy calculation.
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A Mighty Strange Plan » Nothing like the straight “dollar sale minus dollar cost” math for parts and labor, but the “sale” and the “cost” are squishy numbers for P&M profits. I’ll be the first to agree that our industry’s customary system of using a region-specific P&M allowance per refinish hour as the basis for our “sale” is a mighty strange plan. But after 44 years in our business, I have no expectation that it will ever change, which leads 14
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smart shops to learn how to write more refinish hours rather than spend their time campaigning to change the system. If your shop is selling approximately 10 percent of the total repair order (no taxes) in P&M, then your flagged refinish hours are sufficiently high to make a nice profit. If your shop’s P&M sales average less than 6 percent of the ROs, you’ll struggle to make money. If the “sale” number is both fuzzy and squishy because of our industry’s unique methodology to charge for P&M, the “cost” number is a moving target for many shops, too. The paint company and PBE jobber trend of offering shops a cash pre-bate to do business with them has become a common, if odd, practice. Those monies have to be included when searching for the shop’s real “cost” for P&M, too. In addition, whatever discounts the shop is able to command from the jobber serve to further reduce shop cost – not to mention the substantial difference in printed user prices for various paint brands and product lines within brands. So, what is the “sale” price and what is the “cost” for P&M at your shop?
Cash Money » Let’s spend a minute talking about the cash money up front. My stand is that it isn’t as much as you might think over the long haul. Imagine that your shop is so desirable a customer (desirable to vendors because you pay your bills promptly and have a growing volume of work) that some paint brand and their local jobber are willing to offer you
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»| Clark’s Corner |« $50,000 to switch brands and suppliers and do business with them. Typically, these contractual agreements are for either five years (60 months) or some cumulative dollar purchase commitment (which may turn out to be many more than five years’ worth.) In my example, the 50K is for a
five-year contract ($10,000 per year/$833 per month). There are 4.3 weeks in a month, so $193 a week or $38 per day. With a national average door rate of $42 to $45, the $38 is about 50 minutes of labor time, per day, for one tech. If your new paint brand and your new jobber cause a production delay because of poor
color matches, system unfamiliarity, redoing paint work, waiting for technical help or even delayed delivery, the 50 minutes is quickly used up. Not to mention the shop gets an IRS Form 1099 on that income and will pay typical corporate income taxes of about 25 percent, making the $38 only $28 per day net or just 37 minutes of labor time.
Jobber Service » As a former PBE jobber, I have a bias toward a high service model. An educated, wellrun jobber can save customers much more than an hour of labor a day. How? Start with the easy stuff: a full local inventory, regular sales calls, prompt deliveries and a formal program to manage the shop’s P&M stock. The typical PBE jobber has half its assets on its shelves in its inventory and, out of necessity, does a good job controlling it. The typical shop is good at repairing collision damage and not so much at choosing, stocking, replenishing, counting and reporting inventory. Trusting your jobber to suggest the most profitable products for your situation and then monitoring and reporting your usage monthly is a proven, profitable solution. Even higher service levels include formal training opportunities in all aspects of shop operations. (You don’t know what you don’t know!) Providing knowledgeable advice about equipment replacement or additions, informed jobbers know why one style/brand is better than another for your shop. The best vendors also provide timely help in maintaining and updating the shop’s color tools and mixing computers. At the highest service levels, the best PBE jobbers provide on-site technical help and collision business consulting. Most paint companies have extensive benchmarks and classes about how to get better; the best jobbers bring that help to your door. Sadly, the days of providing these high-service, valueCircle 16 for Reader Service
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»| Clark’s Corner |« added benefits to every customer may end soon. A typical PBE jobber makes about 35 percent gross profit on its sales; a typical body shop makes about 40 percent gross profit on its sales. Demanding or expecting huge discounts from your jobber significantly reduces the jobber’s ability to provide much in the way of service help. The typical jobber nets about 2 to 3 percent of sales, meaning operating costs are about 32 to 33 percent. If they offer your shop a 25 percent discount, they’ll make 10 percent gross against a 32 percent cost – a quick path to business failure! Yet you know shops that claim to be getting 30 percent and higher discounts on paint. How can this be? From the jobber’s standpoint, they blend in the really low margins with the regular gross profits. So instead
Why Does the Collision Industry Still Use Paint Dollars Times Hours to Calculate P&M Cost? f everyone in the collision industry agrees that the prevailing method for paying for paint and materials (fixed dollar amount times refinish hours) is not “fair” to at least one of the two parties involved in this transaction, why does this practice continue? Let’s look at the three most frequently mentioned reasons why the industry has not moved away from this antiquated methodology to a better, more equitable payment system such as invoicing: 1. It’s not easy for shops to document what P&M was actually used for a specific vehicle repair. This is the first reason usually given. That premise may have been valid many years ago, but it’s not true today. Almost all shops today mix their paint and other liquids on a paint system smart-scale. These systems provide a cost and sell report for each mix based on the unique vehicle color. With this information, a shop is already halfway home toward creating an accurate final invoice for its P&M. Gathering accurate information on the materials used, however, takes a little more effort, but this too can be done quickly and easily. There are several P&M estimating systems on the market today that can provide a shop with a list of all the materials (sometimes called “dry goods”) that are predicted to be used for a specific job. If a shop would just print out that list and place it in the “travel jacket” that goes along with the vehicle throughout the repair process, it would take the tech who worked on that vehicle only a minute or so to look over each line item for accuracy and note on that form any necessary adjustments that need to be made. When the repair is finished, all that’s needed then is for someone to make the necessary adjustments (adds, edits and deletes) on the computer program to generate an accurate
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»| Clark’s Corner |« of making 35 percent, they average out to making 30 percent (or some lower number). Still, no one can make 30 percent and spend 33 percent for long, so they cut staff and the value-added things that made their customers more successful. On many large shop deals, the paint companies will rebate some portion (certainly on liquid only, not sundries) back to the jobber. So if the jobber gave your shop a 25 percent discount, the paint company might kick back something on the 70 percent of your purchases that are paint. The deepest discount deals I’ve heard about remove virtually all services from the sales equation; the jobber’s responsibility on a big discount deal is to slow the delivery truck down to 20 mph and shove the stuff off the back once a week! Who will those shops call for technical help, emergency deliveries, custom
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Continued from pg. 18 “final list,” or invoice, of all the P&M that was used on a specific vehicle repair. 2. The feeling that no matter what the shops do, the insurance companies will not change the way they pay for P&M. This assumption is also false. Henry Ford once said, “The man who thinks he can and the man who thinks he can't are both right. Which one are you?” Today, thousands of shops are regularly being paid off of a paint and material invoice, not just on an exception basis, because they’ve taken the high road and have done things for the right reason the right way. 3. People and companies have a built-in adversity to change. This is true, but it doesn’t make it right. Everything is constantly changing, and those people or businesses that do not embrace change will not be around in a few years. Getting paid properly for paint and materials is a three-step process. First, shops need to know their true cost for P&M based on an accurate accounting of what’s being used to repair each and every vehicle that goes through their shop. Second, with accurate information at their disposal, they can more accurately establish the selling price needed on each job to generate the expected gross profits they desire. And, finally, they need to ask for the sale. — Rick Palmer, president and CEO, ComputerLogic
color matches, marketing advice, tool repair, hard-to-find items or general assistance? Beats me. BSB Mark R. Clark is the owner of Professional PBE Systems in Waterloo, Iowa; he is
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a well-known industry speaker and consultant. He is celebrating his 26th year as a contributing editor to BodyShop Business.
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Web Presence
Management
By Mark Claypool
Time for a NAP e’ve all been working hard. Running our businesses can be exhausting, can’t it? Through it all, we could probably use a NAP right about now, but not the kind of NAP you might be thinking of. No…by NAP, I mean your online business Name, Address and Phone number. Your NAP, through hundreds of online business directory listings, is probably a jumbled mixture of inconsistencies and inaccuracies that confuse search engines and hurt your search ranking and online visibility potential. It’s critical to get this right.
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Online Business Directories » What are business directories? They’re consumer information sites like Yahoo Local, Google+, Yelp!, Angie’s List, YellowBook, Citysearch, Superpages, Local.com and hundreds more. Some of these are also where people can leave reviews of your business. And each one has dredged up information about your business in one way or another, and it’s not always correct. In fact, 41 percent of business addresses are incorrect online, and so are 59 percent of business names and 10 percent of phone numbers. That’s a problem for your business online thumbprint. Want to see how your business listings show up on more than 50 of these top directories? Scan 22
February 2014 | BodyShop Business
the code at the bottom of this page with your smartphone to use this free tool. How did your business show up after using this tool? Does your business NAP show up 100 percent accurate and consistent on all of these directories? The average number of errors we see with this tool is around 100 per shop…just in 50-plus directories! That confuses search engines and makes it harder to reach your overall visibility potential online.
How It Works » Search engines do what is called “indexing” websites, reading text to determine what the site is all about. In the case of an auto repair facility, search engines should be able to determine exactly who you are, what you do and where you do it based on the text on the top half of your homepage. Search engines also look at links coming into your site from other websites, including these business directories. These links coming to your site are called “backlinks.” Every time your business NAP shows up on another site, it’s called a “citation.” The more correct citations your business gets, the better your website and directory listings will do with search engine visibility. Consider rays of light – they’re mostly harmless, and they illuminate. But focus a ray of light into a laser beam and it can cut through metal. Much the same can be said about directory listings. They illuminate information about your
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»| Web Presence |« fix…if your site is well-designed to convert visitors into customers. And these directory listings need to work in concert to help make that possible.
NAP Consistency » Getting your
Before (left) and after NAP update of ABC Auto Body’s vital information.
business, though this information may not be 100 percent consistent and accurate. Search engines get a filtered mixture of information, and therefore the credibility of this information suffers, holding you back from reaching your full online visibility potential. But get all these top directories correct and have them link correctly to your website and you focus all of these directo-
ries right to your website like a laser beam, unleashing the ability to stand out online and increasing your ranking potential. And then you get more cars to fix! And that’s what it’s all about, right?
Consistency Defined » The goal is to get everything exactly the same on your website, social media sites and top directories. Let’s say your business is on 1st Street, which can also be listed as 1st St., First St., etc. Each of these is different. Pick one and make all the directories and social media sites the same. Using this same street address example, let’s take it a step further. Let’s say your actual business NAP is ABC Auto Body, 517 1st Street, Anytown, IL 60510. Your phone number is (630) 555-1212. This is how it shows up on your website and social media. But, back in 2010, a Yellow Pages-type company rep sold you a directory listing that included a special phone number that would tell you exactly when someone called you from that page. But this sales rep put your business information in as ABC Autobody, 517 First St., Anytown, IL 60510, (630) 555-5555. See the differences? Search engines sure will. These listings may well be viewed as two separate businesses by Google, Yahoo and Bing, and you therefore lose out on reaching your overall ranking potential and visibility in online searches. Website traffic = cars to
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directory listings 100 percent consistent can be a royal pain. You have a couple choices. You can create an account, individually, with each of these directories and fill in the correct information, but that’s time consuming and not very practical. Or, you can hire a third party to do it for you. My company has the technology to do it through its PowerListings service, and there are others. In 24 to 48 hours, your NAP on more than 50 top directories is updated, plus your hours of operation, business description, tagline and photos are added. For more information, scan the code to the right with your smartphone. BSB BSB Contributing Editor Mark Claypool has more than 30 years of experience in the fields of workforce development, business/education partnerships, apprenticeships and Web presence management. He is the CEO of Optima Automotive (www.optimaautomotive.com), which provides website design, development, SEO services and social media management services. Claypool’s work history includes stints at Metro Paint Supplies, VeriFacts Automotive, the National Auto Body Council (NABC), the I-CAR Education Foundation and SkillsUSA. He is the founder of Mentors At Work and co-founder of the Collision Industry Foundation. He served, on a volunteer basis, as the SkillsUSA World Team Leader for the WorldSkills Championships from 2003 to 2011.
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Buying
Tips Frame Machines/Benches Car-O-Liner What you should be shopping for is a bench – a machine-milled, datum controlling bench with universal fixturing to hold while pulling and hold new parts in place for welding, bonding and riveting. The bench must be capable of multiplepoint anchoring as designated by BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche, Honda, Dodge and others. Consider service after the sale, too. Does the manufacturer have the total solution for your needs now and in the future? Also, do they have training and world representation, as automotive platforms are shared here and abroad?
Chief Automotive Technologies When shopping for a new frame rack, repair professionals must first determine what kinds of vehicles the rack will be used for. For facilities that service trucks, SUVs and other full-frame vehicles, it’s important that the frame rack has sufficient pulling power at each tower, a long deck and enough lifting capacity to raise the vehicle to a comfortable working height. Some systems may use powerful 10-ton rams, but the actual power at the hook may be as little as 4 tons. The Titan 360 frame rack from Chief Automotive Technologies features 10 tons of pulling power at the hook.
Signature and Star-A-Liner Whether you’re looking to purchase your first frame machine, replace an older one or add an additional machine to your shop, the import thing is to look at its worth. 1. Warranty – What type of warranty does the machine come with? What is included in the warranty? 2. Opportunity – What type of machine will fulfill your current shop needs but also allow you to grow and expand? 3. Reliability – Consider a quality machine that will be an investment for your shop and will be there for you when you need it. 4. Time – How long does it take to make a pull? How much manpower is needed to set it up and operate it? 5. Hydraulics – What are the pulling capabilities of the hydraulics? Are they run by air or electricity? Where are they manufactured?
Car Bench It’s time to look at benches that offer laser measuring and universal jigs. Full-frame clamps used with universal jigs provide rigid anchoring to replace blocks and chains for pulling sway, mash, sag, twist or diamond. Laser measuring systems
Spanesi First and foremost, what type of vehicles are you repairing? This can limit the equipment capabilities or even the brand if you’re an OEM-approved facility. Or, if you’re in “truck country,” you may be in need of something totally different than shops in areas where automobiles are more prevalent. With vehicle changes ever constant, so too is the evolution of 26
frame equipment and today’s vehicles, which will require fixturing to facilitate repairs and holding. Now and in the future, pinch weld flanges can no longer support the vehicle and/or pulling forces. Fixturing, whether dedicated (vehicle specific) or universal (one system fits all) are necessary to hold the vehicle and the parts Continued on pg. 28
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update constantly as damage is pulled, and offer smart targets with LED lights showing the updates without looking at the computer. Unibody damage repair can be carried out using the same universal jigs with manufacturers’ data for a zero tolerance repair. Universal jigs can be built up for holding also, eliminating the need for multiple pulling towers.
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»| Buying Tips |« Spanesi continued from pg. 26 being replaced or repaired. Is the equipment “user friendly” for the technician to help in cycle time reduction? With the average repair not always having heavy structural damage, smaller, multiple-use workstations or “multibenches” are becoming more popular
and give the technician a better working cell and increase efficiency by getting the work up off the ground to a good working height. The ability to measure the vehicle should exist as being to make pulls. Last, look for service, support and ongoing training – all supported both nationally and locally.
Celette When purchasing any new frame equipment for your facility, there are a few things to consider: Versatility – A frame machine that can handle any small repair to major, structural uni-body repair, as well as full-frame vehicles such as a pickup truck. Know Your Facilities – A bench with a built-in lift can make accessing under the vehicle more comfortable and save space. Likewise, verify if your new equipment manufacturer offers multiple pulling options and fast anchoring that’s adjustable in length, width and height. Material Developments & Repairs – Automakers from around the world are developing today’s vehicles with materials that don’t lend themselves to the simple pulling methods used in years past. A dedicated fixture system will hold a vehicle at specific control points that are dimensionally correct and accurate, while physically showing the amount of movement any damaged point needs in order to be corrected before a section can be replaced.
Wedge Clamp Systems Look for a system with quick setup and multiple pulling options (5-, 10-, 15-ton) that can handle sub-compacts to full-size pickups. Also, look for a piece of equipment with a small footprint. With shop space at a premium, and most repairs being light hits, quick turnaround of more vehicles is critical. BSB Circle 28 for Reader Service
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BodyShop Business will be handing out
That’s right, prestigious awards this year:
Single-Shop Executive of the Year Multi-Shop Executive of the Year If you don’t submit your nomination form by April 1, you'll be
late. Scan this code with your smartphone to nominate now. These awards are given to true collision repair "visionaries," people who have experienced great success by being forward thinking, overcoming challenges and persevering. Winners will be selected based on experience, special achievements and involvement within the collision repair industry and the local community.
COVER STORY
Familyy Sometimes working with your family can be a challenge, but it can also be a blessing as these collision repair clans have discovered. By Gina Kuzmick hether it’s a mom-and-pop restaurant, a family-owned farm or a husband and wife duo operating a local karate studio, there’s something undeniably different about a familyoperated business. The same can be said for body shops. In an environment where the clientele often experience an overwhelming amount of stress, a feeling of comfort just might be the trick to gaining
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COVER STORY » Family Ties The Caruso family of Central Collision: (L to R) Michael, Marissa, Mike, Nancy and Matt.
and retaining customers. Sometimes, the best way to make patrons feel at home is to bring the home into the business, but this decision shouldn’t be taken too lightly. Read on to discover the ups and downs of working in a family business – and decide if it’s right for you.
Ties
Sense of Family » DeLee Powell, president of Baker’s Collision Repair Specialists in Mansfield, Ohio, works alongside her twin sons Chris and Charlie. A family-owned and operated business since 1953, Baker’s has a longstanding history in its rural, smalltown location. The guys both have been working at the shop since the late ’90s/early 2000s, and now hold esteemed positions in the company. Chris serves as an estimator and sales manager, while Charlie oversees the shop’s production. “Sometimes, they refer to me as ‘The Dictator,’” jokes Powell, who says that the shop’s atmosphere is a bit more laid back than others. “I
grew up in this business ever since my dad started it. Our home was right next to the business. And right now, two days a week after school, my grandson comes into our customer lobby while he’s waiting for his dad to get done with work. Customers feel that whole sense of family…and that’s how we try to treat not only our customers, but also the other employees.” For the Powells, a combination of clear-cut expectations and effective communication is the winning ticket to a successful family business. Segregating the roles between a parent and a boss can help save a lot of headaches, while setting clear goals for family members (as well as other staff) encourages personal growth. “You really need to make sure that when you’re bringing someone in for the first time that the staff knows you expect your children to pull their weight,” says Powell. While mom and sons work in close proximity at Baker’s, other families have a different experience in their shops. Dingman’s Collision Center, an Omaha, Neb.-based multi-shop operator, is one of these. As the shop is currently in the process of adding a fourth location, the family of five is so busy that they hardly see each other. “Between all the locations, it’s not like we’re all sitting in the same office,” says Andy Dingman, general manager. “With everybody’s schedules and running around, I see them more outside of work than I do inside of work.” For the Dingmans, the biggest benefit of working together as a family is the value of trust. The business is a huge part of the family’s identity,
Three generations of business at Baker’s Collision Repair Specialists: DeLee Powell (center) with (clockwise from top left) sons Charlie and Chris and parents Mervin and Esther.
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COVER STORY » Family Ties but they try to keep things as objective as possible while on the job. “We have to operate as a business, and we all have responsibilities and jobs to do,” Dingman says. “So we have to continually hold each other’s feet to the fire, and ultimately we have to be the example of what our employee should look like. We have
to hold ourselves accountable to the same level we would like our employees to be.”
A Family Colony » For Central Collision, a business with six locations in the greater Chicago area, it seems that husband and wife Mike and Nancy Caruso have rubbed off
on their staff. In addition to bringing their children on board (daughter Marissa works as the company’s public relations manager, while sons Matt and Michael work as facility managers), the company employs several other families at its Oak Forest location, ranging from a father and daughter duo to a stepfather and stepson. “I think it says a lot about the employees that they would want to bring their family here,” says Marissa Caruso. “They think it’s a good environment and they want to share that with their family. They trust that their family is going to be taken care of, and it’s a good place to be.” The family atmosphere has helped shape Central Collision’s customer culture as well. “I think it creates a higher level of customer service,” says Caruso. “When you’re working with your family, it kind of makes you want to work harder. I want to work hard to make my family proud, make myself proud and make everyone who works here proud.” Unfortunately, other family-owned shops aren’t as successful. Powell has had the opportunity to explore other businesses through her Sherwin-Williams A-Plus Network membership, which has been a learning experience for her and her sons. “We’ve been able to see some successful families, and some family businesses that are tragic,” she says. “The fact that we’ve been able to see what is successful and what hasn’t worked has really allowed us to focus on the important things.”
Strictly Business » Although a family atmosphere can put customers at ease, it’s important to maintain a business-like mentality. While some may believe that relatives would be more apt to slack off on the job, Powell says she’s actually harder on her sons than other employees. “We were very upfront with them,” she says. “We told them, ‘You have to understand because we can’t Circle 32 for Reader Service
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COVER STORY » Family Ties show any privileges to you or give you a softer job or easier way to go. We expect you to really pull your weight.’” Caruso echoes these sentiments. A recent college graduate with a degree in public relations, she created her position from the ground-up upon completing her education. While some may think that would allow for flexibility, Caruso says it’s actually the opposite. “My parents have always instilled in us that we have to learn our place and that we don’t get special privileges. We have to work 10 times as hard as everyone else to make sure we earn everyone’s respect.” To prove herself to her family, coworkers and customers, Caruso aims to communicate as effectively as possible. “I want to make sure that everyone knows what I’m doing at all times
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Proud parents Diana and Boyd Dingman are all smiles with their three children: (L to R) Andy (general manager), Travis (parts manager) and Darcie (marketing/HR).
and why I’m doing it and how it helps,” she says. “I think there is a stigma that people who work for their parents or their family didn’t work hard for it. It makes you work that much harder to prove that you earned your spot just like everyone else did.”
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Powell says that fellow employees were initially a bit leery of her sons coming into the shop environment, but over time they took notice of their work ethic. She also tries to encourage as much growth and development with her sons as she can.
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COVER STORY » Family Ties It’s “Buyer Beware” When Hiring Family Members onsultant Daren Fristoe of The Fristoe Group thinks that having a business influenced by family is a good thing due to the old saying that “blood is thicker than water.” “You have an employee who is loyal to something
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beyond a paycheck,” he says. But he also sees a negative side. “I like to use the theory, ‘Don’t hire someone you can’t fire,’” he says. “It’s very hard to fire your kid because you’ll tolerate a lot more. As the boss, you may
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tolerate a less-than-stellar attitude, attendance or productivity because it’s my kid or my spouse, so I think you just skewed the business model. So when you start adding other people, the problems start because I’m treating Tommy different than Darren.” One of the benefits to working with family, he says, is being able to use “direct talk.” Even though it can be abrasive if done improperly, Fristoe believes that it’s another pro to working with family from a human resources standpoint. “The theory is that I can say anything I want to you as an employee because you’re also family, so you eliminate the areas of, ‘You’re discriminating against me,’ or, ‘You just said something completely hostile to me.’” Another pro to making work a family reunion, Fristoe says, is that everyone knows your style, language and way of doing things. “There’s no honeymoon period,” he says. “You already know me and my expectations if you’re my son, daughter or spouse. But I think that’s also a con. You’re in the business, so maybe there’s an expectation that you’ll be easier on me because you’re my mom or dad. I do know your styles, and I also know sometimes when you bark, there’s no bite. Because of that, there could be a different level of accountability and/or respect for the boss. One challenge not to be overlooked when it comes to involving family in a business is the succession plan: who’s going to take over when Pops retires? “The pro is, I want to pass this business on to my son or daughter, and they have been here, they know the business and know how to do it, and they know how I did it and the mistakes I made,” says Fristoe. “The negative side is if they aren’t worthy or you don’t want to pass the business to them, then what do you do? Looking for a third party to buy the company out from under the kids gets messy.” Perhaps Fristoe sums it up best when says: “It’s kind of ‘buyer beware’ if you’re going to open a business and fill it with family members.”
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COVER STORY » Family Ties “I really like to make decisions by guided discovery as much as I can where I get everyone involved and we can get a consensus, so I try to manage that way. I try not to manage by fear or mandate. I really want to understand why they think their way might be better.”
in getting involved with the family business, Dingman emphasizes that it’s important to be not only educated, but also passionate. “Experience all of what the business is, from bringing cars in, to washing them, to sweeping floors. Really get a feel for what the business is about and Quality Time » It may how each position and be a bit difficult to sep- The staff at Baker’s sport pink shirts for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. job affects the other.” While entering the arate work from play, which is why it’s important to dele“Sometimes I envy the people who family business isn’t something to gate quality time. Powell strives to can be the stay-at-home grandmas go into blindly, Powell says that the spend time with her grandkids at and watch the kids. You just have to pros significantly outweigh the cons. least once a week, while the Carusos balance that; you have to have real “It’s a challenge, but it’s a much enjoy catching up on each other’s quality time,” says Powell. bigger blessing that you get to work personal lives at home. For relatives who are interested with your family,” she says. BSB
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PROFIT IN THE PAINT SHOP
Profit in the Paint Shop Series:
Sanding Fundamentals Sanding is not a haphazard application of various pieces of grit-impregnated parchment, but a very deliberate and fundamental task of the refinish process. Part 2 of a six-part series on how to maximize profit in the paint shop.
By Carl Wilson n the surface, sanding appears to be an elementary task, so much so that we put sandpaper in the hands of greenhorns and let them go at it. We veterans of the paint wars ourselves are often too busy and valuable to be bothered by such a menial task. Sanding? Come on! We should be engaged in the act of making money. We’re painters, after all, and therefore we ought to be painting. However, as with most anything you can think of, from the universe to the paint job, there is a beginning.
O
A Proper Repair » No, we’re not
few such as raw plastic components (which I will not venture into in this article), sanding is fundamental.
The Fundamentals » Let us consider the fundamentals of sanding. I believe it’s prudent to point out that while techniques are many, the fundamentals are few. A proper grasp of the fundamentals will lend itself to the development and application of techniques. This helps explain why there seems to be as many ways to “skin a cat” as there are painters. Yet few, I believe, could articulate the fundamentals. Why? Well, back to the opening para-
A proper grasp of the fundamentals of sanding will lend itself to the development of techniques.
going to examine the big bang theory or intelligent design, but we will be taking an in-depth look at what it takes to perform a proper paint job. In my area of expertise in collision repair, when we say “proper repair,” it’s the culmination of an incredible quantity of tasks and knowledge that ultimately results in what we refer to as “pre-accident condition.” The lion’s share of those tasks are prepping, much of which is sanding. So, back to sanding. It isn’t a haphazard application of various pieces of grit-impregnated parchment paper we drag across a surface in order to scratch it up. Nope. Not haphazard at all, but very deliberate and fundamental to the refinish process. Crucial in most every case, save for a very 40
graph, it’s so elementary, you just… you know…sand. OK, fair enough. To understand the fundamentals, we need to know the task we’re performing and what we’re asking the sandpaper to do. For example, sandpaper for the rapid removal of material, such as that which a body tech would do as he grinds through the paint film down to bare metal, will generally not be found in the paint shop. Unless we’re dry stripping material to the substrate, which is a topic for another day, we don’t even touch anything in the 40- to 80grit range of any sandpaper product.
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PROFIT IN THE PAINT SHOP » Part 2 Don’t be the guy who runs his DA so fast that he burns through the sandpaper and shortens the tool’s life.
you want to spot-check the effectiveness of your cleaning technique from time to time, then apply this test to a white or silver vehicle blend panel that’s factory paint. Clean the panel(s) as you would normally. When you’re satisfied it’s clean, prior to sanding, spray the panel with a little lacquer thinner and observe the results. Miniscule streaks of road tar and contaminants will reveal themselves if the panel isn’t clean. Let’s be certain we have a clean surface prior to sanding it.
I know the panel has been cleaned properly before we start, yes? Relax, I won’t belabor that point again, but
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I will offer a simple test you can perform to ascertain the panel’s cleanliness. This isn’t for every job, but if
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Three Functions » In a nutshell, we basically have three functions of sandpaper: cutting, smoothing and simply abrading a surface for adhesion purposes – also known in the ver-
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PROFIT IN THE PAINT SHOP » Part 2
The tools of the trade: (from left) an assortment of sanding blocks and DAs; razor, vixen file and sanding block; and a spot sanding pen.
nacular as rough sanding, finish sanding and scuffing. Techniques such as hand sanding, machine sanding, dry sanding and wet sanding, or equipment choices in the way of rigid pads, interface pads, vacuum pads or even homemade blocks and pads as well as sandpaper options of open coat, closed coat, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, linen mesh screens, sanding sponges and scuff pads, etc., all have application considerations specific to technique. Yet they must all conform to the basic fundamentals in order to be productively profitable. For an extreme example, you wouldn’t block sand primer surfacer with 800- or 1,000- grit paper because you wouldn’t be able to cut and level the primer...you would only succeed in making it “wavy smooth.” In the paint shop, our cutting or block sanding of primer surfacer is generally done in the 180 to 240 range – on a rigid block using a crosshatch sanding pattern for the most rapid removal of material. You shouldn’t apply too much pressure because you want the grit of the sandpaper or mesh to do the work, not your muscles. Too much pressure and you sand a distortion into the panel rather than level it. Furthermore, you must leave enough material for the ensuing grits of paper to do their job. This is where powdered guidecoat really shines as you can use it between each grit change to ensure you’re removing the scratches you’re after step by step until you’ve reached your final grit and sand scratch pattern.
No Change » Whether you’re sanding for primer application, sanding primer, final sanding prior to sealing and Circle 44 for Reader Service
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PROFIT IN THE PAINT SHOP » Part 2 painting, preparing a panel for a blend or even nib sanding prior to buff and polish, the fundamentals don’t change. For example, if you’re nib sanding a speck of dirt prior to buffing and you fail to cut it flat, you’ll see the ghost by way of a tiny “pitcher’s mound” where the dirt was. You must level it, then smooth and polish it. Of course,
there are situations where cutting and leveling aren’t needed where you simply need to abrade the surface for adhesion purposes, or scuff sand. Or, smooth out the scratches left by a body tech surrounding the repair (featheredging). The products you choose to use largely determine the techniques you’ll
employ. I don’t want to get into the weeds with every technique known to man because, frankly, I don’t know every technique and we don’t need to know every technique. We need to know what’s pertinent to the products we’re using and the task at hand. You may experience a need to change technique due to a decision to change products made, above our pay grade, by the office and suppliers. No problem; we’re professionals and we can adapt and overcome any obstacle we face, including a change of technique brought about by a change in material or supplies – because we understand the fundamentals.
ANSI-CAMI-FEPA » I’m aware that, at times, I babble on about the challenges of yesteryear – the proverbial “uphill walk to and from school.” I hear you. Notwithstanding, one example in particular decades ago comes to mind. Ever hear of ANSI, CAMI or FEPA? They are, respectively, the American National Standards Institute, Coated Abrasives Manufacturers Institute and the Federation of European Producers of Abrasives. You may say, “Who cares?” Well, we had to care because ANSI established a numbering system to indicate grit size: 80, 120, 220, etc. That was all well and good until FEPA abrasives became widely available in our country. The FEPA rating system and the ANSI rating system did not correspond to one another. Furthermore, they were confusing. For instance, grit designations of about 180 and below (120, 80, 36, etc.) were similar enough to cross over from ANSI to FEPA. But north of 220, the grit designations parted ways. For example, 320 ANSI is more like 500 FEPA, and 500 ANSI is more like 1,000 FEPA. See the problem? The numbering systems are not interchangeable. If you had European paper, you needed to know, and that was easy enough if you knew that FEPA abrasives were indicated by the letter “P.” “P paper,” we called it. Simple enough. 46
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PROFIT IN THE PAINT SHOP » Part 2 But, of course, it didn’t stay simple. One of the major American abrasives manufacturers also started making a P-designated abrasive. However, American P paper and European P paper were not interchangeable, but the American P paper and the old ANSI stuff were. Phew! These days, it appears that FEPA P paper has gone the way of nitrocellulose lacquer. It’s around, but it’s not mainstream, at least not in the markets where I’ve worked. P paper today seems to mirror ANSI paper – 220 is 220, 400 is 400, 800 is 800 and so on. You can pretty much order the grit size you know and want and that’s what you get.
The Heat Is On » One thing that was consistent between the grading systems is how heat shortens the life of the paper. When machine sanding, too many RPMs of the tool generates
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heat between the substrate and the sandpaper and the sandpaper dies early. You’ve seen that guy running his DA so fast that you know he’s not only burning through the sandpaper, he’s also shortening the life of the tool. The other extreme is too slow an RPM, which results in poor sandpaper performance and increased labor inputs. The sweet spot is a balance that results in good production and paper life. Experiment! There’s no need to run the tool wide open. Back to the fundamentals: cut, smooth and polish. I can illustrate the techniques I utilize, but please understand that these are not the only techniques that work. My techniques are based on the materials and supplies I use. Your approach may be different, and that’s perfectly fine. I’m not attempting to convince you that my way is best, or convert
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you over to it. I have no idea what your specific situation is. Take from it what you will – your choice. But apply the fundamentals. Starting with a panel that has been body worked and primed (and yes, there are priming fundamentals that ensure success), I apply dry guidecoat to the area I’m going to sand. I put 220 paper on the longest block I have that is proper for the job at hand. Every time, I use the longest block practical, using a crosshatch sanding pattern until the panel has been cut level. Reapply the dry guidecoat and block again with 400 – I’m cutting out the 220 scratches here. Reapply the guide coat and sand with 400 on a DA with an interface pad, stopping short of total guidecoat removal. Then switch to 600 on the interface pad to finish removing the scratches and guidecoat. The entire process is dry. A mesh screen produces fantastic re-
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PAINT SHOP » Part 2 sults with a dry sanding technique, and you have the option of using a vacuum system for dust control. Don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t use the DA in this process for fear of destroying the body work. You cannot destroy the body work with 600 grit on an interface pad any more than you could straighten out body work with 600 grit on an interface pad. That is the wrong grit and the wrong pad to cut with. Still, keep your tool flat and pay attention to edges and body lines.
Nib and Polish » Another example of the fundamentals can be found in the labor operation “nib and polish.” We’re not talking flat sanding a panel prior to buffing, just “chicken pecking” the dirt. I do use water for this operation but no bucket, just a spray bottle. With either a 1,000 or 1,200 sanding stone, or even a piece of wet sanding paper wrapped around a short length of paint paddle, cut the dirt out, keeping it small. Some guys like to use a razor blade with the corners taped or a 1-inch section of a vixen file to do the cutting. The important thing is to cut it flat, then, with a 3-inch DA and 1,500- to 2,000-grit paper, smooth the cut marks out. I then use a 3,000-grit sponge pad on the baby DA and sand out the 2,000-grit scratches. Finish it off with a spot buff and polish, easy and fast. All my DA paper is hook and loop, aka Velcro, so switching paper doesn’t mean wasting paper. The fundamentals don’t change – techniques do. When you separate the techniques that are as seemingly vast as the stars in the solar system from the fundamentals, it’s easy to see that sanding is indeed elementary. BSB Carl Wilson has been painting for nearly 30 years, with formal training from the GM Training Center, ASE, I-CAR and multiple product and color courses. He currently works as a technical rep for Hi-Line Distributors in Oahu, Hawaii. He can be reached at carl@ refinishexpert.com. Circle 50 for Reader Service
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TECHNICAL
MIG Brazing:
A Learning Process Learning MIG brazing isn’t difficult, just different. And because there is less heat and no melting, it’s becoming a necessary skill to weld the new metals of today’s vehicles. By Mitch Becker
I have a quiz for you: 1. What is MAG welding? 2. What is MIG welding? 3. What is MIG brazing? 4. What’s the difference? 5. What’s in your welding tank? 6. Why does it matter?
that defeated the weight issue needed for fuel economy. This balance of weight versus strength has been in place a long time. Manufacturers developed the new UHSS or advanced high strength steels to meet these challenges. Now, the use of these steels is increasing every day. This has proven to be a game changer in the repair industry – one we need to take notice of very soon, or be out of the game.
The answers may surprise you. If you know the answers, quiz your technicians. As a technician and instructor, this past year has been a learning experience as I’ve discovered that some things are taken for granted. I’ve always tried to do things correctly, and I found out that some things really should not be taken for granted. My son gave me a phrase that has really been true so many times: “Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know.” Keeping up on change is hard. The automotive industry is changing so fast. Just because it looks good doesn’t mean it’s right. Vehicle manufacturers are trying to find best ways to meet the new federal CAFE standards, which require a vehicle to be more fuel efficient. Normally, reducing weight would be a key factor for this to be achieved. Then comes the directive with the new crash standards and crash tests, which requires the structures to be stronger. In the past, this was achieved with inserts and reinforcements or stabilizers, but 52
Then and Now » Years ago – before all the CAFE standards were an issue – oxyacetylene welding and brazing were more common. With thicker, lower strength steels, it was a workable process. When car manufacturers went to the uni-body style with thin-
ner, higher strength steels, we needed a strong process to repair vehicles that did not warp steels or damage weld zones. Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) or wirefeed welders came into the industry and met these needs. They were faster and easier. Training was minimal at first, so I learned, like many reading this article, by watching another tech in a shop I worked at. Through much trial and error, I learned. I didn’t receive any formal training until later in life. I thought, who needs this? I’ve been doing this for years. Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know. I learned a lot in that training and have taken some things for granted. I learned about heat affect zones (HAZ) and metal warping. I learned
Some welders on the market are all-in-one where you can automatically switch from aluminum to silicon bronze to steel welding.
February 2014 | BodyShop Business
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TECHNICAL » MIG Brazing about heat penetration and how it affects the strength of the weld. How wire speed and current are intertwined, and what a shielding gas does and doesn’t do. These are all considerations every technician must know in a shop, not just one person. GMAW is what we are most familiar with today in shops. We then
break that category of welding down into two more sub categories: Metal Inert Gas (MIG) and Metal Active Gas (MAG) welding. MAG welding is what we are most familiar with today. We all say our shops have “MIG” welders, but a large majority of shops use a shielding gas that’s 75 percent argon and 25 percent carbon dioxide
or CO2, which is actually MAG welding, the CO2 being the active gas. This combination would give increased heat penetration and less spatter of weld. This terminology quirk was not been a major concern until we started working with even stronger steels and much thinner gauges. Now, the HAZ and reaction of metals to active gas must be addressed. The strength or properties of metal in weld joints and corrosion protection is affected by the type of gas used, and the difference can be a critical part of the equation.
The Mighty MIG » MIG welding is wire feed welding that most commonly uses 100 percent argon gas as the shielding gas. This shielding gas helps control heat and keeps from “corrupting” the weld joint. On new steels being used in the auto manufacturing process, knowing the correct welding process is necessary to create a strong weld and limit damage surrounding metal. The smaller HAZ also helps to control corrosion on steels. MIG welding has been mostly used on non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, or for MIG brazing.
It’s Getting Hot » Heat is an element of repair that works for and against a repair shop. We need heat to fusion weld, but the heat buildup destroys surrounding steel strength and creates corrosion issues. Many structural steels are galvanized to protect them from rusting, and zinc is used as a coating to protect the steel. At 3,000 degrees, zinc is destroyed from the joint. Squeeze Type Resistance Spot Welding (STRSW) has rapidly become necessary for body shops to meet steel welding requirements and vehicle manufacturers to reduce the heat damage from wire feed welding. The great side effect is that STRSW is easier and faster to improve a shop’s cycle time. A resistance spot welder can justify its expense in a relatively short time. What happens when you get to an area a STRSW can’t reach? Presently, Circle 54 for Reader Service
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TECHNICAL » MIG Brazing we normally just whip out the wirefeed welder and MAG weld a couple of plug welds. This is changing in some vehicle designs. MIG brazing may be required where STRSW cannot reach or is not feasible. Like STRSW welding advantages, MIG brazing has similar qualities of a smaller HAZ. Although it’s not new to the repair industry,
MIG brazing is relatively unknown and, for lack of a better term, ignored. We find it in small areas on quarter panels and roofs on some Toyota vehicles, and we also see it as laser brazing in new Cadillac vehicles. You can also call it copper silicon bronze welding – not a new technique, but one that’s rapidly gaining a lot of attention.
Welders With Pre-Set Programs Provide for Easier MIG Welding of Thin Gauge Metal s automobile manufacturers are using an everincreasing amount of heat-sensitive steels, the use of silicon bronze wire and the process of MIG brazing is increasing. It’s important to realize that the use of MIG brazing is meant to diminish and control
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the heat input to the base metal. Although the MIG brazing process is nothing new, it has been used in the restaurant industry for many years; needless to say, though, the application of MIG brazing to body panels is a bit more critical due to the thin gauge metals used in car manufacturing.
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Meeting the Challenge » How does MIG brazing meet the challenges? First is the heat required. MIG brazing is done at about 1,940 degrees, depending on material. Steel melts at a much higher temperature, and so does the galvanizing. At the lower temperature, the galvanizing has minimal if any damage on the steel. That’s the
As all technicians know, welding on very thin body panels requires some skill. Since the smallest silicon-bronze wire diameter is typically .030, it has the tendency to weld hotter than the popular .023 steel wire. This can create a situation where the weld is too hot for the thin gauge metal, and can also burn away the galva-
nized protective coating on the steel panel. Because of this, there are welders on the market that have pre-set welding programs that make it easier to weld thin gauge metal using the MIG brazing process. These welding programs have welding curves that facilitate the welder setup and minimize the overheating of the weld area. – Bill Berman, president, Cebotech Inc.
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TECHNICAL » MIG Brazing corrosion part. Second is the bond. MIG welding with steel requires the melting of the base metal and combining the wire. MIG brazing does not melt base metals for a fusion weld. This is a non-fusion weld. The amount of copper silicon adhering to the surface and flowing in between panels gives the strength needed. Because
there is less heat and no melting, the damage to the base metals is minimal and coatings for corrosion protection are preserved.
MIG and Aluminum » Learning MIG brazing is not difficult, just different. It actually has a lot in common with aluminum welding.
First, we know it’s a MIG process, so a tank of argon gas is required to be set up on the welder. Next, equipment is an issue. Some vehicle manufacturers are requiring the use of a pulse spray arc welder, which can alternate currents. This current change helps control the heat being used. If you’re welding on aluminum or brazing, this is a critical feature for thin metals. Continuous current welders will create too much heat and cause issues. The welders are available as spool guns or direct drive. Although the same machine may be used, the spools and/or liners need to be separate for aluminum and copper silicon wire to prevent contamination. New smart MIG welders with synergy welding options that can handle all of a shop’s needs for GMAW are available. When practicing, root gap is critical to a good weld. MIG brazing uses a capillary action to bond metals. On a butt joint, a bead will form on the front and flow through the gap to form on the backside. Another way is on a lap joint, where a bead will form on top, but on a lap weld the capillary action will flow in between metals. This all gives a much larger surface area contact or footprint, and this surface adhesion is what makes for a strong and somewhat flexible joint. The technique is the same as aluminum welding. An experienced welder can learn in a very short time. Be careful, though, as beads will look different and not flow out as much… because they’re not supposed to. As with any true MIG welding, there will be a difference in weld appearance as we make the HAZ much smaller and narrower. The new Hondas and the new Ford F-150 will change or should change your mind about learning more. It’s not coming – it’s here. I-CAR has vast amounts of classes and info on vehicle requirements and procedures. BSB Mitch Becker is a technical instructor for ABRA Auto Body & Glass. Contact him at (763) 585-6411 or mbecker@ abraauto.com.
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MSO FOCUS Vehicles are flatbedded from LaMettry’s Auto Body Bloomington, Minn., location as part of its regular load leveling efforts.
What a
Load Load leveling can have its pros and cons when it comes to trying to boost the efficiency of your multi-shop operation.
By Curt Harler
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ash flow is king in any business. But car flow and cycle time are the powers behind the throne – and the keys to success – in the collision repair business. Multi-shop operations need to distribute vehicles evenly throughout their networks to assure that one shop doesn’t get overloaded while another sits idle. That assures that all work flows smoothly, job quality remains solid and not rushed, and customer expectations get met.
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“We load level every day,” says Darrell Amberson, vice president of operations at LaMettry’s Auto Body, an eight-store operation in St. Paul and Minneapolis. “We do load leveling so frequently that it’s second nature to us. It’s a nice tool whenever you add a shop, even if you just go from one to two. But don’t get carried away. You don’t have to do it every day. Use it, but minimize it.” In the case of Dominic DelGiorno, vice president/operations manager for Keenan Auto Body, Clifton Heights, Pa., he takes a look at WIP (work in progress) every morning to see how many of their dozen shops are working at or near capacity. Any load leveling happens first thing in the morning – before the shop has a chance to blueprint a new job. All the shops can see what’s being moved, and nobody invests time in starting a job they won’t finish. “Load leveling keeps a job out of the hands of the competition and keeps your technicians busy,” says Steve Theobald, co-owner/district manager of CARSTAR Cincinnati. With his brother and sister, they have nine shops in an 80-mile radius. “When a store is overloaded, managers have orders to sell the job and push the car out.” Craig Camacho, marketing director for Keenan, says load leveling allowed them to handle a vicious hail storm that came through the area of one of their shops two years ago. There was no way they were going to walk away from that business. “That hail storm represented $300,000 in revenue,” he says. Adds Camacho, “You will never hear from us that we can’t look at a car for three or four days.” With load leveling, they even out the flow and never have a backlog. Since they cover a wide region – there are 84 miles between two of their more distant shops – they often see variation in workload.
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MSO FOCUS » What a Load Pros and Cons of Load Leveling Pros
Cons
● Serves all customers ● Keeps good techs busy ● Spreads work ● Meets customer deadlines
At Keenan Auto Body, all locations can see what vehicles are being moved, and no one invests time in starting a job they won’t finish.
Making It Work » LaMettry’s Auto Body offers, in some circumstances, one-day service. That puts a lot of pressure on the system. The individual shop’s general manager makes the decision to move a vehicle. “It’s their call,” Amberson says. The first step is to notify the call center. Once the call center is aware of how busy a shop is, they’ll try to send cars to less-busy shops. Keenan operates much the same way. They recently acquired two shops in the Chester County area, which have only three or four DRPs (their typical shop handles eight or nine). “So, it’s a target for us to get work there,” Camacho says. “But wherever it’s slow, we try to move the vehicles there so we can better meet customer expectations.”
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But not all customers like the idea that their car will be moved. “Fixing a car is not like sending out your drycleaning where it’s picked up at one place and cleaned at another,” Theobald says. “People have the mindset that they do not want their vehicle moved.” Shop management can be uncomfortable with moving vehicles around, too. For the most part, managers are good at seeing that a situation is becoming crowded and will refer a vehicle on to another shop. But not always. Some are reluctant to send a vehicle down the road to a sister shop. “Other managers see that and then they’re not willing to share,” Camacho says. If DelGiorno sees that happening, he steps in and assures the whole
February 2014 | BodyShop MSO Focus
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● Takes time to move cars ● Insurer objections ● Liability ● Inter-shop rivalries ● Recordkeeping
company is working efficiently. Theobald says it comes down to compensating everyone properly, from the estimators to the managers. Keep in mind that one shop sold the job but another has the parts, paint, materials and other items on its ledger. On load-leveled jobs, Theobald says, “Our estimators, who are incentivized, get a little kicker, too, for selling the job.” CARSTAR Cincinnati works to assure that managers are working together. Since all jobs eventually show up on the yearly P&L statements, they work out the difference between the customer paying for the job at the selling shop and the store doing the repairs and footing the bill for time and materials. Everyone emphasized the need for harmony between and among shops. As a business adds locations, load leveling becomes vital.
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MSO FOCUS » What a Load “There are growing pains. You will have shops that are constantly busy and ones that lag,” Camacho says.
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Customer Reaction » “We won’t [move a customer’s car] without the customer’s approval,” Amberson says. However, he finds that most customers are more concerned about getting the job expedited than where the actual work is done. Theobald will start making phone calls to customers as soon as he realizes a shop is overloaded. “When we ask if we can move their vehicle to another facility, we emphasize that they’re getting the same certified technicians, the same warranty and the same ownership,” he says. “We guarantee their car is not being sent to a hole-in-the-wall shop and that we will stand behind our work. We always get the customer’s blessing.” On the other hand, Keenan will not even mention load leveling to a customer. In some cases, however, their records might show that the customer works near a different shop. Then, moving the vehicle is presented to the customer as a convenience to them since they can pick their vehicle up right after work. Keenan brought on load leveling when they had four shops. For a while, they kept one shop as a heavy wreck shop, which allowed them to keep production going at other shops. “We do it on the back end and it’s seamless,” Camacho says. “If you bring a car to Clifton Heights and they’re close to capacity and we want to send it to another shop 40 miles away, the customer rarely is told.” The vehicle is simply flat-bedded to the slower spot. The rule of thumb is that cars are always brought back to the shop where they were dropped off. “We want to make it as seamless as possible,” says Camacho. “As long as it is done properly, what does it matter to the customer where the job is done?” One deal-breaker with load leveling – both for the customer and insurer – is a job that requires a shop with OE certification. For LaMettry’s, only one
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MSO FOCUS » What a Load shop is qualified to do major Audi and Porsche work. “Anything of significance, we’ll send there,” Amberson says. However, they cannot and will not move a Porsche to another non-certified location.
Says Amberson, “I’m not aware of any insurer that’s opposed to load leveling as long as it’s within the confines of the DRP relationship.” The only resistance Amber“Load leveling keeps a job out son has ever seen is when the of the hands of the insurance company has a probcompetition and keeps your lem moving a file from one Insurer Reaction » “Not place to another. technicians busy.” every insurance company will “They see it as an option to help — Steve Theobald, co-owner, allow you to load level,” Camacho expedite cars,” he continues. CARSTAR Cincinnati says. “But 90 percent of insurance A shop would get pushback if they companies have no problem with tried to send a car to another shop load leveling and look at it as a that is a non-DRP operation. benefit to their customers.” “A lot of insurance companies won’t If there is some minor resistance, let us move cars,” he says. Tow to Tow » While everyone agrees Keenan always lets the insurance comReinspectors and other insurance that load leveling is a nice scenario, pany know that a vehicle will be re- people have goals to meet, and most Amberson warns that a shop can end paired at another shop. are happy with any process that helps up moving a lot of cars. That gets exIn Cincinnati, Theobald finds that improve cycle time. No matter what pensive both in terms of time and more than a few insurance companies the current buzzword is, “cycle time” money. The best case is where a cusobject to having a client’s vehicle is always the flavor of the week, Ca- tomer can drop off the vehicle at a moved to another shop. macho finds. slower shop.
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MSO FOCUS » What a Load Theobald flat-beds all cars that they move. They used to have two trucks but now have only one. “We only tow within our own business – we don’t do any outside work,” he says. “But we keep that one truck pretty busy.” Keenan moves every vehicle on a flat bed and doesn’t put a distance limit on moving a car. Nor do they have a price cap on the job value. “It’s all about getting the vehicle to a shop that needs work and keeping the customer happy,” Camacho says. With the number of all-wheel drive and low-clearance vehicles on the market today, a two-wheel lift is just not practical. In some cases, it’s easier to farm out towing. “We do not tow cars (ourselves),” Amberson says. Rather, they have a
wholesale rate with companies that do the job for them.
Bumps in the Road » “The hand-off of information is the biggest potential pitfall you’ll encounter,” Amberson says. Often, a customer will bring in a car for repairs and mention to the originating shop that there’s a spot on the trunk he wants brush touched. The car moves to another location, and the message isn’t passed along or missed when the tech focuses on the larger repair. And then, of course, the first thing the customer will notice is not the nice finish on the quarter panel but the missed spot job on the trunk. Amberson recounts the case of an 8-year-old Nissan, already dinged up when it came into the shop. Although the repair was fine, the customer com-
plained about some fine scratches and little chips. “We agreed to doll it up for free with a professional detail,” he says. The second shop did not get the message that this was an especially picky customer, and the result was that a less-than-perfect buff job left some dry polish in the fine scratches – making the customer even more upset. If the job had been left with the originating shop, that probably would not have happened. Another downside to load leveling is that it takes time. “You would think it takes an hour to move a car to another shop, but it shoots half a day,” Amberson says. First, the shop obtains permissions. Then, they have to do the paperwork and send it with the car. Then, the car is moved. At the receiving end, there’s more paperwork before the vehicle actually sees the first steps to repair. Tick-tock, tick-tock.
Other Approaches » In some cases,
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load leveling can be a bit of a danger signal. While extending hours might work in the short term to increase shop time, “Over the longer term, if you have a shop that has a hard time keeping up, you need to ramp up staff,” Amberson says. However, he adds, load leveling is great for improving cycle time. “The clock on cycle time starts when the vehicle is dropped off,” Amberson says. Sometimes the nitpicking starts, too. Theobald says it’s important to be sure there are no issues with gluing versus clipping or shimming a bumper. “When the repairing store sends a vehicle to the delivering store, sometimes they pick the job to death. Don’t give them a reason to nitpick.” While he admits there always will be issues, he says that they need to be minimized. “Most of all, ensure there are no issues from the customer.” BSB Curt Harler is a Cleveland-based freelancer specializing in the auto, technology and environmental areas. He can be reached at curt@curtharler.com.
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Track Talk NASCAR Adopts Knockout Qualifying for 2014 Season So long, single-car qualifying. In 2014, NASCAR is ramping up the pre-race excitement level with a new knockout Coors Light Pole Award qualifying format for its three national series – a move designed to make qualifying more compelling and more like actual on-track competition. "We believe the timing is right for a new qualifying format across our three national series," said Robin Pemberton,
v i c e president for competition and racing development. “This style of group qualifying has all the makings of being highly competitive and more engaging to our fans in the stands and those watching on television and online.” The new qualifying format will not apply to the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points race of the season – the February 23 Daytona 500 – which features single-car runs and two qualifying races to set the lineup for The Great
American Race. Heat races to determine the lineup for the July 23 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Mudsummer Classic race at Eldora Speedway will still be used as well. At racetracks Overhauling the Coors Light Pole Award qualifyless than 1.25 ing format, NASCAR says, underlines the sport's miles, the Coors ongoing commitment to innovation. Light Pole Award new qualifying procedure will road based on a random draw be as follows: and may exit pit road at any The first qualifying ses- time while the green flag is sion will be 30 minutes displayed. Each driver may long and include all cars complete as few or as many entered in the race. The laps as he or she chooses dur12 cars that post the ing the allotted time period fastest single lap time in for each segment. Pit road this session will advance speeds will be enforced durto the second and final ing each session. round. The remaining Drivers will be allotted just a cars will be sorted based single set of tires during qualifyon their times posted in ing, which means fans will see a the first round of qualify- lot of different strategies. ing in descending order. “For the drivers and teams, There will be a 10- we believe this new qualifyminute break between ing will fuel even greater the two qualifying competition leading into the rounds. events,” said Pemberton. The second and final “Additionally, it provides our qualifying round will last tracks, broadcasters and other 10 minutes, with the key partners with a greater fastest single lap time opportunity to develop more posted by each car setting entertaining content for our the top 12 spots on the race weekends." grid. NASCAR previewed the At racetracks longer concept of group qualifying than 1.25 miles, there will with its national series teams be three Coors Light Pole late last fall and expects the new Award qualifying rounds. format will be a well-received Before the start of improvement by its fans, comqualifying, cars or trucks petitors, tracks, sponsors, and will be lined up on pit media partners.
Follow NASCAR Performance on Twitter and Facebook www.twitter.com/NASCARauto ■ www.facebook.com/NASCARPerformance
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»| Industry Update |« Mississippi continued from pg. 12 perience in asbestos, tobacco and natural disaster litigation. “We’re looking to go to all 50 states,” Eaves said. “What we need is a few committed shops in each of the 50 states that are willing to take the industry back and join us.” The complaint states that “over the course of several years, the defendants have engaged in an ongoing, concerted and intentional course of action and conduct with State Farm acting as the spearhead to improperly and illegally control and depress automobile damage repair costs.”
It also states that the defendants “have engaged in an ongoing pattern and practice of coercion and implied threats to the pecuniary health of the individual plaintiff businesses in order to force compliance with unreasonable and onerous concessions.” The complaint then goes on to detail other specific offenses, including: suppression of labor rates; suppression of repair and material costs; steering; and tortious interference. It also mentions the 1963 Consent Decree that has been on the books for 50 years
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and is well-known within the insurance industry, and that “the actions described in the present cause fall squarely within those prohibited by the Decree.” It also accuses the defendants of violating the Sherman Act through price fixing. Used/recycled parts are also mentioned in discussing the insurers going against the repairers’ expert opinions and therefore “compromising the safety of both the driver and passengers as well as other members of the traveling public.” Another count in the complaint references
“quantum meruit,” a concept that states that a party is not allowed to enrich itself at the expense of another. “Plaintiffs have performed valuable services and expended material resources with the reasonable expectation of payment/compensation for those services and materials. This is their business,” the complaint reads. “Performing said services and expending material resources benefitted Defendants and Defendants’ insured/ claimants for whom Defendants are required to provide payment for repairs.”
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. . . l r i g e l litt a m o r F
n w o r g l To a ful repair n o i s i l l o c . l a n o i s profes
“My dad read BodyShop Business to me when I was a little girl and he was just starting out with his own collision repair shop. The knowledge I gained from the magazine as well as my experience working in his shop has made me who I am today.” — Darcie Dingman, daughter of Boyd Dingman and human resources/marketing manager of Dingman’s Collision Center, Omaha, Neb.
»| Industry Update |«
Consolidation Caliber Collision Opens New Locations in California and Texas Caliber Collision Centers continues its expansion with the announcement that it has acquired WIN Collision Center in Carson, Calif., and B&G Collision in Temple, Texas. The two openings bring
the total number of locations across the western U.S. to 161. “Today’s opening of two new Caliber locations in California and Texas reinforces our commitment to adding cen-
Service King Collision Repair Centers Acquires Collision Authority
ters in every Caliber market to ensure customer choice and deliver industry-leading metrics,” said Steve Grimshaw, CEO of Caliber Collision Centers. “These two new Caliber Collision centers now bring our total number of locations in California to 77 and 59 in Texas.”
Fix Auto Expands West Coast Footprint Fix Auto USA expanded its network’s franchise on the West Coast with the addition of Fix Auto Lacey and Fix Auto El Cajon. “It was clear that if I wanted to continue to compete as an owner-operator, I needed to join an organization that could support my efforts and long-term goals,” said Tracey Swanson, owner of Fix Auto Lacey in Olympia, Wash. “Fix Auto delivers and also allows me to align with other great
operators dedicated to their businesses.” “While our 2014 strategy includes expansion to new markets, growing our existing market remains a key focus because it allows us to be meaningful in the markets we serve,” said Paul Gange, Fix Auto president and COO. “By strategically adding locations, we’re able to provide efficiency to the insurance carriers, convenience to vehicle owners and brand recognition in the marketplace.”
Service King Collision Repair Centers announced that it has acquired Collision Authority’s six collision repair centers in the Las Vegas-Henderson area. Service King will now operate 18 repair shops in the western U.S. “With our current presence in Arizona, we are excited about the opportunity to expand into Nevada and be able to serve our customers and the insurance community in the western United States,” said Service King CEO Chris Abraham. “We welcome the Collision Authority team and are thrilled that they will be joining the growing Service King family.”
ADVERTISER INDEX COMPANY NAME
AFC Air Filtration Co. Aframe Spray Booths Airomax/U.S.Body Products American Family Insurance Anest Iwata USA Atlas Copco Compressors LLC. Automotive Mgmt Institute Axalta Coating Systems BASF Corporation Bernardo Ecenarro Blackburn’s Hubcap & Wheels, Inc. Blair Car-O-Liner Co. Cebotech Inc. Certified Auto Parts Association ChemSpec USA Chief Automotive CJ, Inc. ComputerLogic, Inc. CrashwriterR DEKRA
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PG. #
54 63 20 35 11 65 72 5 21 34 42 4 27 56 7 33 30 38 18 44 68
COMPANY NAME
PG. #
Dent Fix Equipment 9 Dent Fix Equipment Insert DV Systems 58 Dynabrade Inc. 18 Eurovac 62 Evercoat 3 FBS Distribution Co Inc. 23 Herkules Equipment Corp. 36 I-CAR 53 Induction Innovations 64 Innovative Tools & Technologies, Inc. 19 Island Clean Air 46 Kaeser Compressor 15 Martech Services Co. 50 Matrix System Automotive Finishes LLC 51 Maxzone Auto Parts Corp. 39 Motor Guard Corp. 68 Nissan North America 45 Northeast Show 69 O’Reilly Auto Parts 67 PPG Industries Cover 2-1
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COMPANY NAME
PPG Industries Pro Spot International Pro-Spray Finishes RBL Products Reflex Truck Liners Rubber-Seal Products S&H Industries S.A.I.M.A. Of N. America Scorpion Truck Bed Linings Sherwin-Williams Co. Southern Polyurethanes Suburban Mfg. Toyota TYC/Genera Corp. Urethane Supply Co. U.S. Chemical & Plastics Valspar/Debeer Walmec North America Wedge Clamp Systems, Inc. Wizards Products/RJ Star Inc. Zendex Tool Corp.
PG. #
Insert Cover 3 47 17 64 16 48 43 50 37 61 56 Cover 4 59, 71 55 41 57 72 26 49 22
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Product
Showcase Portable and Versatile Tool Carrier Unlike a traditional tool bag that has a shoulder strap, the C6T Backpack & Trolley can be worn as a backpack but then can be quickly transformed into a trolley. Designed for the professional tool user who wants to stay mobile, the C6T features a spring-loaded telescopic handle that ejects with the push of a button, backpack straps, interior removable tool panels, a large interior Velcro pocket, strong casters, two outside pockets and a rubberized bottom. In addition, the C6T is very durable with its heavy-duty construction and industrial strength zippers. Beta Tools www.betatools.com Circle 150 for Reader Service
Repair Aluminum Vehicles With its repair and storage capabilities, the DF-900X allows shops to start performing profitable aluminum repairs on vehicles like the Audi A8, the Tesla Model S and the all-new aluminum body Ford F-150. Backed by a five-year warranty, the DF-900X set includes all the necessary tools to complete an aluminum repair. Dent Fix Equipment www.dentfix.com Circle 151 for Reader Service
Versatile Pulling Frame The Vector Pulling Frame allows its users up to five pulls at once anywhere they’re needed. Providing easy access to the bottom of a car, the “MVP” is big enough to fit trucks and can produce both high and low pulls. Each pull has 11.2-ton capability, and all the pulls are also individually controlled. In addition, the MVP fits into any bay and doesn’t have any bulky pull towers to push around or get in the way. BlackJack www.blackjackframe.com Circle 152 for Reader Service
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February 2014 | BodyShop Business
Mobile Inspection Light Made in the USA, the Champ Mobile Inspection Light provides maximum lighting for detailed inspection for paint flaws and body damage. With its mobility, the light allows repairs to be made with more accuracy. Three sections on the light can also be individually positioned for optimum lighting. The light is 80 inches tall and 52 inches wide. Auto Body Toolmart www.autobodytoolmart.com Circle 153 for Reader Service
Quality Air Breathing System When placed near the point of use, the Quality Air Breathing System will work with the existing compressed air supply. The four-stage filtration filters the air, and the on-board carbon monoxide monitor continuously oversees the air quality for compliance with OSHA standards. Compliant with the OSHA requirement for Grade “D” Breathable Air, the system is designed for multiple users and ease of use to properly protect workers. The systems are even capable of supporting two or more people at the same time. Accessories can increase or decrease the temperature of the air supply for user comfort. Martech Services Company www.breathingsystems.com Circle 154 for Reader Service
»| Product Showcase |« Reduce Vapors and Contaminants The .01 Micron SuperStar Filter provides clean, dry, compressed air that results in the removal of any vapors and contaminants down to 0.1 micron. Utilizing a four-stage filtration system with a .01-micron rating, the filter contains flow ranges of 50 SCFM, 75 SCFM or 100 SCFM and can handle pressure ratings of up to 250 psi. The filter also includes a differential pressure gauge, which provides a visual indication of required maintenance, and mounting brackets. The filter works best when it’s installed at or near the point of use. Walmec North America www.walmecna.com Circle 155 for Reader Service
Reduce Energy Usage
Extended Nose Clamps The CL Series Extended Nose Clamps allow auto body techs to get a grip on a spot that’s hard to reach or in a confined area. The 3-ton, selftightening clamps feature a crosshatch teeth design with greater depth for additional gripping power and a swiveling pull ring to minimize chain twist. Both clamps are spring loaded for easy operation and have a gripping surface that’s 1-1/4 inches wide by 27/32 inches deep with a minimum throat clearance of 9/32 inches. Both are also 8 inches long and weigh 2-3/8 lbs. The only option for the clamps is the CL0199SH Slide Hammer Pull Adapter, which has ¾-14 threads to accommodate most professional quality slide hammers. Porter-Ferguson www.lowellcorp.com Circle 156 for Reader Service
Wireless Spraybooth Control The new touchscreen control panel from Garmat comes with smartphone, laptop and tablet capabilities, allowing the user to run and monitor the booth wirelessly. It’s loaded with paint booth functions from the most basic to more in-depth maintenance and service features. In addition, switches are included in the design to offer an alternative mode of operation.
The GA VSD+ range of oil-injected rotary screw compressors has been extended through 50 horsepower. This reduces energy consumption by up to 50 percent and increases free air delivery by up to 13 percent, compared to a traditional load/unload compressor of the same type. VSD+ technology can now be offered for 75 percent of the oil-injected screw compressor applications worldwide. It features a completely enclosed motor and drivetrain that share a single drive shaft and are vertically aligned, reducing the total footprint by up to 55 percent compared to other compressors. The motor and drivetrain have a NEMA 4 rating for protection against dust, debris and water, and the single closed oil-circuit provides a reliable and compact compressor that’s also extremely quiet. Atlas Copco www.atlascopco.com Circle 158 for Reader Service
Garmat USA www.garmat.com Circle 157 for Reader Service
www.bodyshopbusiness.com 77
Classifieds • Original Equipment Wheels In Stock • Limited Lifetime Guarantee • 1000s of Wheels In Stock • Affordable Prices
We ship from eight different locations: Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami
Alloy Wheel Remanufacturing Order your Wheels at:
www.newwheel.com
BodyShop Business Classified • Help wanted • Business for sale • Equipment for sale • Software... and so much more!
Call Tom Staab today at
330-670-1234 ext. 224
or 800-486-0931
www.bodyshopbusiness.com
MarkiNgpeNdepot.coM Collision Shops, Towing, Auction Sites, Dealers, Recyclers, OEMs Body Shop Inventory & Web Software by Rossknecht Software www.rossknecht.com
A Windows® inventory system for Body Shops that also salvage vehicles or have new/used parts to sell – vehicle and parts inventory, invoicing, reports, instant sales totals, bar-code labels, digital pictures, electronic catalog of body parts. NEW: Put your inventory on your Website included. No monthly fees. $895 complete. Free Demo CD. bpsales@rossknecht.com phone 303-884-5315
Recon Master School of Dents Paintless Dent Repair Training SEMA Show Discount Please call for information
502-883-1611 schoolofdents.com 78
February 2014 | BodyShop Business
Tow Pro $2.50 Autowriter $3.50 Posca $3.50 Bopagla $2.00 Unipaint $3.86 MPD-15 $1.30 Volume Discounts! Call 888-906-9370 or online at
markingpendepot.com
»| Classifieds |«
Quality Solutions for the Collision Industry
1.800.529.2640 W W W . K AY C O S P R AY B O O T H S . C O M
www.bodyshopbusiness.com
BodyShop Business Classified Help wanted • Business for sale • Equipment for sale • Software... and so much more! Call Tom Staab today at
330-670-1234 ext. 224 www.bodyshopbusiness.com 79
Average Percentage Of Gross Sales Attributed To Parts And Labor
By the
Numbers
60 55%
Vital collision industry stats
50
What Buying Dollars Are Spent On 41%
9%
Percentage Of Total Sales
Tools
8%
Mechanical Parts
9%
Crash Parts
37%
15%
40
30
20 Source: 2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile
Capital Equipment
10
Refinish Materials
% Attributed To Labor
% Attributed To Parts
0
22%
Paint Source: 2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile
This does not necessarily add to 100%.
How Employees Are Compensated Hourly Wage Flat Rate (% Of Billed Hours)
Source: 2013 BodyShop Business Industry Profile
54% 42%
Salary
28%
Hourly Wage And Commission Salary Plus Commision Percentage of Shop Labor Rate
13% 12% 9%
Other
6%
0
10
20
30 Percentage Of Shops
40
50
The total adds to more than 100%. There may be different methods for each employee, or one person might receive a blend of compensation methods. There is obviously a wide range of pay options and combinations throughout the industry.
80
February 2014 | BodyShop Business
60
Circle 81 for Reader Service
Circle 82 for Reader Service