SPECIAL EDITION OF
SMOOTH OPERATOR: PAINLESS PUTTY PROCEDURES
BODYWORX THE VOICE OF COLLISION REPAIR TECHS & PAINTERS
PROFESSIONAL RISQUE
RETRO
REPAIR
REPAIRS A new literary trend has romance novelists hot for the bodyshop!
Why one Ontario facility is taking a look back at the futuristic cars of the 1980s!
TAKING ON TOMORROW Shanyce Neal takes on the industry’s biggest challenge: recruiting the next generation of repairers +Plus Ontario’s Catherine Matthewson and Manitoba’s Keegan WatkinsMcIntyre strike gold at the Skills Canada Championships in Halifax; Remembering the many achievements of the late industry advocate John Norris; and much, MUCH MORE!
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CONTENTS
COVER STORY
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When Shanyce Neal was put in an autobody class in high school, she didn’t know what would come out of it. Now Shanyce is a full-time technician performing her own jobs at CSN Martino Brothers!
22 FINDING THE LIGHT The iconic Woodstock Bus is lost and and is unlikely to be found again. Until a team of collision repairers replicate and restored a similar bus just in time for Woodstock’s 50th anniversary.
26 ON THE COVER: GOING FOR GOLD Skills Canada car painting champ Catherine Matthewson (centre) shares her success story!
Shanyce Neal at CSN Martino Brothers in Toronto! Photos by: Orest Tkaczuk
SUMMER 2019 | BODYWORX PROFESSIONAL
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CONTENTS
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MAKING MANITOBA PROUD From a hobby to a career path, Skills Canada autobody champion Keegan Watkins-McIntyre shares his story of passion, dedication and success!
32 BACK TO THE FUTURE Meet the man behind the only repair shop in Canada that specializes in restoring retro-futuristic Deloreans.
REGULARS 06 PUBLISHER’S PAGE by Darryl Simmons
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18 EDUCATOR INSIGHT by Ben Hart
19 PAINTING TIPS by Josh Dobson
20 STANDING STRONG by Stefano Liessi
42 FINAL DETAIL by Lindsey Cooke
PRODUCTS TO WATCH The latest and greatest auto-glass repair gadgets that can help your business stand out!
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PUBLISHER’S PAGE
UNDENTED DESTINY A career unlike any other BY DARRYL SIMMONS
PUBLISHER Darryl Simmons 647.409.7070 publisher@collisionrepairmag.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Gideon Scanlon 905.370.0101 gideon@mediamatters.ca ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lindsey Cooke lindsey@mediamatters.ca
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hen I was a child, I dreamed of having a career that would let me have it all — good pay, hours I could live with and a little excitement, too! The only problem was that, while I knew what I wanted to get out of my career, I had no idea what I wanted it to be. If you are approaching the end of your schooling, you may feel the same way about your future. And if that is the case, then I encourage you to take a look through this magazine. In this issue of Bodyworx Professional, we celebrate the fascinating career paths in collision repair — many of which offer the excitement, compensation and flexibility I yearned for as a young person. These pages are jam-packed with stories
painting at this year’s Skills Canada Championship in Halifax, you will learn about the value of hard work and dedication as well as about how a young person can lay the foundation of a lifelong career before even graduating from high school. That is a sentiment echoed in our interview with Keegan Watkins-McIntyre, Canada’s secondary-school auto repair champion. Although he is just finishing high school, Keegan has already made a name for himself in the world of collision repair, and he has made it his ambition to qualify for a Skills Canada WorldSkills team one day — which would mean winning another gold during a qualifying year. Take it from me: if you are at all uncertain about what you want to do with your life, this
STAFF WRITERS Elizabeth Sargeant elizabeth@mediamatters.ca GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jill Thacker jill@mediamatters.ca VP OF INDUSTRY RELATIONS & ADVERTISING Gloria Mann 647.998.5677 advertising@collisionrepairmag.com DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS SOLUTIONS Ellen Smith 416.312.7446 ellen@mediamatters.ca PUBLISHER’S ASSISTANT Laura Jensen 647.998.5677 laura@mediamatters.ca CONTRIBUTORS Josh Dobson, Ben Hart, Stefano Liessi
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Bodyworx Professional™ is published quartely, and is
TAKE IT FROM ME — IF YOU ARE AT ALL UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE, THIS ISSUE WILL GIVE YOU A CLEAR IDEA OF WHAT TO EXPECT IN A CAREER IN THE AUTO REPAIR INDUSTRY.
that share the abundance of opportunities on offer in the collision repair industry, yet only a small fraction exist in the great variety of career options you’ll find. Heck, as collision repair gets more high-tech, even more career paths are opening up. This issue of our magazine also highlights some of the many young people who demonstrate the enthusiasm needed to make the most of a career as a collision professional, from interviews with two of Skills Canada’s auto sector champions to a profile of a young repairer already working to convey the excitement of the auto sector to the children who will make up the cohort who will enter the business of repairers in the 2030s. In our conversation with Catherine Matthewson, who took home a gold medal in auto
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issue will give you a clear idea of what to expect in a career in the repair industry. Had I known about the boundless possibilities it offered when I was finishing school, I am sure I would have entered the industry far earlier in my career — and who knows where it would have taken me by now. Of course, many of our readers are already industry veterans, so if you are, feel free to share this issue with the young people in your life whom you feel could benefit from what you already know is a thrill ride of a career.
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dedicated to serving the professionals of the collision repair industry. It is published by Media Matters Inc. Material in Bodyworx Professional™ may not be reproduced in any form without written consent from the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements made by its advertisers or independent columnists. All facts, opinions, statements appearing in this publication are those of the writers and editors themselves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions or endorsements by the publisher. PRINTED IN CANADA ISSN 1707-6072 CANADA POST CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL SALES PRODUCT AGREEMENT No. 40841632 RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED Send change of address notices and undeliverable copies to: 317 Reid St., Peterborugh ON K9J 3R2
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ON THE COVER Left to right: Jack Martino, Shanyce Neal, Marissa, Aleena and Rielle Rumzi, Dan Treshak, Janice Martino and Shawaz Rumzi.
SHANYCE NEAL’S UNSTOPPABLE SUCCESS BY LINDSEY COOKE
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eing one of the only women in the shop doesn’t scare away Shanyce Neal from her trade. “You get doubted a lot, but it feels good to prove people wrong,” she says. At just 20 years of age, Shanyce dreams of opening her own shop one day. At the age of 16, she was put in an auto mechanic class. Not realizing how good she would actually be at it, she signed up for another class — autobody. Since then, Shanyce has spent been working to build a career in autobody. Picking up the skills quickly, she entered a co-op and was placed in a local shop, prepping vehicles, performing “remove & installs” (R&Is) and learning from the team. Soon, Shanyce landed herself a parttime position working at the shop after school. When graduation came, she was promoted to a full-time position as an automotive painter. “I really enjoy painting and having a car come in smashed beyond repair,” she says, “then watching it leave … it’s like, ‘Wow, we fixed that.’” 8
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20-year-old Shanyce Neal began painting and repairing vehicles when she was 16 years old.
ON THE COVER
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A few months ago, Neal showed three young girls the ropes of what it’s like to be a car painter.
“AS A WOMAN WORKING IN THE TRADES YOU GET DOUBTED A LOT, BUT IT FEELS GOOD TO PROVE PEOPLE WRONG” — SHANYCE NEAL
But by the time Shanyce graduated, she wanted to do more than painting. She wanted to step up her game and do everything. That’s when she decided to move on to another shop, and was hired as a full-time R&I technician at CSN Martino Brothers in Toronto. Fast-forward six months and her career is moving forward at a breakneck pace. She is already working on vehicles by herself.
After six months of working at CSN Martino Brothers, Shanyce (left) began working on vehicles by herself.
According to Jack Martino, co-owner of CSN Martino Brothers, Shanyce’s success has been well deserved. “She started off with me as a R&I technician; she worked in a team environment with other technicians who were licensed to give her guidance,” says Jack. “She quickly moved out of that — probably quicker than any other technician that I’ve ever had — and now she works independently on her own jobs.” Jack says Shanyce has definitely proved herself: “She is a force.” Five-year-old Rielle Rumzi would agree that Shanyce is both a force and an inspiration. Rielle has her own dreams of becoming an
automotive painter when she grows up — and for one day her dream came true. A few months ago, Rielle’s father brought her, along with her eight-year-old twin sisters, to CSN Martino’s collision repair shop and Shanyce was tasked with showing the girls how to paint some fenders. “When I grow up, I want to be an automotive painter,” says Rielle, with a big smile on her face. Shanyce, as a woman in the industry, gave Rielle some words of advice: “You have to want to hold your ground. You can’t let anyone tell you you can’t do it — or else is just going to bring you down. You have to fight back.” SUMMER 2019 | BODYWORX PROFESSIONAL
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IN THE HEADLIGHTS
INDUSTRY FATAL FIRE ENDS IN FINE A Thompson, Man. auto repair facility owner will pay a $20,000 fine related to safety violations following the death of one of his workers. In 2015, an employee at Clarence Automatic Transmission used a hand-held grinder to cut into a 55-gallon steel drum that contained explosive fumes, resulting in fatal
immolation. In May, the owner of Clarence Automatic Transmission, Clarence Jackson, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the safety, health, and welfare of a worker, resulting in a hefty fine and a reminder from the Manitoba Government to train all staff members on safety protocols in the workplace.
CARSTAR CROSSES CANADA
TESLA FACES THE HEAT
CARSTAR just completed their cross-Canada spring training to provide hands-on guidance to members of their network. Hosted by CARSTAR’s team, Edge Performance Group (EPG), the training programs focused on each province's specific needs. CARSTAR also invited vendor partners to provide specific training to all attendees and the provincial meetings attracted hundreds of partners, from Toronto Ont. to Montreal Que. CARSTAR’s next series of meetings will kickstarted this summer, hosted in Chicago.
Tesla is facing some heat after its Autopilot feature has failed again resulting in a fatality. On March 1, a 50-year-old man had turned on the Autopilot feature 10 seconds before the Model 3 sedan crashed into a semi-truck. According to the National Transportation Safety Board the driver’s hands were not detected on the steering wheel for less than eight seconds prior to the crash. The investigation is still on-going and hasn’t found out who is at fault, but critics say that Tesla’s autonomous features could give drivers the idea that they don’t have to pay attention as much to the
EV’S AIN’T EASY Salt Spring Island, B.C. is home to about 10,000 people and the highest density of electric vehicles in Canada. However, the repair shops seem to have no experience dealing with them. Despite EV certifications allowing shops to draw in business from places like Salt Spring, auto repairers from Victoria, believe that diagnostic equipment is too expensive, and many do not know how to manage an electric or hybrid vehicle. “We’ve never dealt with them,” said Richard Murakami, owner of Murkami’s Collision. “The only time I’ve ever dealt with an electric car is to get a dent out of the door.” Despite the several collision repair shops found online claiming to be located in Salt Spring, Murakami says there’s only two operating, and both shops are unfamiliar with the mechanics of an EV.
Salt Spring Island, B.C. is in need of electric vehicle repair techs.
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Clarence Automatic Transmission in Thompson, Man.
road, resulting in a collision. Tesla is also updating its battery software following two fires involving its Model S electric vehicles in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Tesla said in a statement on Wednesday, "As we continue our investigation of the root cause, out of an abundance of caution, we are revising charge and thermal management settings on Model S and Model X vehicles via an over-the-air software update that will begin rolling out today, to help further protect the battery and improve battery longevity." Since 2013, there have been 14 reported instances of Tesla vehicles catching fire.
LIGHT ON LABOUR Brock Bulbuck, the Boyd Group’s CEO, is concerned about the shortage of technicians in the auto repair industry, according to statements made in the fund's first quarter financial statements. The sombre tenor of the quotes is somewhat surprising, given the overall positive numbers reported in the statement. Compared to Q1 of 2018, sales were up by close to a quarter, from about $453 million to just under $558 million. On a per-store basis, growth rates ticked beyond the 5% mark too. The company was also able to boast numerous acquisitions, with 42 new locations being absorbed into Boyd over the quarter, including ones in new state markets—New York and North Carolina. While the firm cited labour supply issues as
The Boyd Group CEO Brock Bulbuck.
concerns, Bulbuck also wrote that Boyd may have a comparative advantage, suggesting the company believes that it will be better off than most competitors.
BOYD GROUP BELLWETHER Despite the Canadian dollar’s low value, the Winnipeg-based Boyd Group is still investing south-of-the-border. In mid-May, the company finalized the purchase of four new auto repair facilities in the U.S., with three of the locations in Nevada and a fourth in Arizona. While a number of market analysts said that the Canadian business looked well-placed to benefit from a weakening Canadian dollar, a
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higher U.S. dollar also makes pursuing new acquisitions in the United States more expensive as well. The last time the two currencies were evenly valued was in 2013.
IN THE HEADLIGHTS
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TECH TRENDS VW SOLUTION TO SICKNESS
TRAFFIC UNJAMMED Finding parking is a hassle in the city, but with autonomous vehicles, people will soon have the ability to ask their car to circle around the block or head home and come back for them. Experts are saying that this could result in a lot more congestion. Not to mention the fact that self-driving cars are also programmed to play by the rules of the road. “AVs will never break any traffic rules. If there is a speed of 50 km/h, [AVs] will go 50 km/h. AVs will wait for an efficient gap to merge into traffic where a human would bend the rules to make progress, autonomous vehicles will be more cautious,” researcher associate at the University of Waterloo Michal Antkiewicz told Global News. "We could see as much as a 30 % increase in total vehicle traffic," executive director of Victoria Transport Policy Todd Litman told Global News. For a Torontian it takes an average 35 minutes to get anywhere. With this
increase, it could add another 15 minutes to someone's commute. Drivers in the U.S. are already experiencing an increase in traffic jams. A possible solution that experts have come to is the put a price on the road’s drivers are using.
Experts are predicting that autonomous vehicles might cause more congestion on busy streets.
WAYMO TRUCKS RETURN
MUSK BASHES LIDAR SYSTEMS Aurora CEO Chris Urmson has bought Lidar sensor manufacturing firm Blackmore. These sensors use laser scanning to detect nearby objects. “Lidar is critical for developing the safest and most reliable self-driving system, one that can navigate our roads more safely than a human driver,” Urmson said in a statement announcing the acquisition of the Montana-based firm. CEO of Tesla Elon Musk begs to differ. Musk said in a statement “In cars it is freaking stupid. It is expensive and unnecessary.” Tesla’s autopilot systems use cameras that see the road and send the data
back to the car’s computers. Musk might be alone in this argument. Reports say that not only Aurora, but Waymo, GM’s Cruise and other tech firms believe that Lidars are essential. Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
MAKING TURNS When it comes to driving in general, left-handed turns can be difficult to make, so you can only imagine the challenge it must be for self-driving vehicles. General Motors recently posted a video showing the progress it has been making with its autonomous vehicle division, Cruise. The company shared a video showing that it made 1,400 unprotected left turns every 24 hours in a complex area within San Francisco. “In an unpredictable driving environment like San Fransisco, no two unprotected left-turns are alike,” Kyle Vogt, Cruise’s president and
Reading a magazine or even looking at your phone in the passenger seat of a moving vehicle can cause feelings of nausea. While one of the benefits of autonomous vehicles will be to allow passengers to get some work done or focus on other things besides the road, Volkswagen is concerned that more people might experience car sickness. The OEM is looking into two specific aspects: What makes a person sick in a car and how to resolve that issue for the future. To find an answer, Volkswagen is putting people in vehicles and making them feel sick. From this experiment, the OEM came up with a couple of possible solutions, such as movable seats and LED light strips showing passengers when a car is braking or accelerating.
chief technology officer, said in a statement. “By safely executing 1,400 regularly, we generate enough data for our engineers to analyze and incorporate learnings into code they develop for other difficult maneuvers.” With this progress, Cruise is planning on launching its commercial ride-hailing service in San Francisco at some point this year.
Autonomous vehicle startup Waymo announced on Twitter that its big-rig trucks will be on the roads again in Arizona. “Our fully self-driving trucks are returning to Arizona to continue testing on Phoenix-area freeways,” the company announced. “Let us know what you think if you see them on the road!” These vehicles have also been tested in Georgia and California.
DIGIT DELIVERS
The days for receiving a package at the door from a human might be numbered. Ford has teamed up with Agility Robots on a new project to support the increasing volume of deliveries. It’s walking robot, Digit, folds out of a self-driving car, walks up to a door, delivers the package at the door and lets the customer know through text, that their package has arrived. The self-driving car plays an important role in this project because it gets Digit from point A to point B. The vehicle also helps Digit in cases where the robot starts to get confused. Ford’s newest robot that folds out of an autonomous car to deliver packages.
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IN THE HEADLIGHTS
TRAINING AND EDUCATION SKILL THRILLS Skills Canada’s (SCC) 14th National Skilled Trades and Technology Week (NSTTW) was aimed at raising awareness among students and educators about the incredible skilled trade and technology career opportunities available across Canada. Following the official launch on November 6, approximately 500 students from local high schools and post-secondary
institutions participated in over 30 Try-A-Trade and technology activities held by industry experts. These activities included autobody repair, mechanical engineering, esthetics, electronics, virtual welding, and many more. Throughout the day, students got a first-handlook at the potential career paths in the tech and trade industry.
The World Skills Canada team was announced during the closing ceremony of the Skills Canada competition in Halifax.
MARKHAM BOYS MAKE NOISE AT TECH COMP Two auto tech students from St. Brother Andre Catholic School represented Canada at the National Automotive Technology Competition in New York City after crushing some serious Toronto competition. Sam Luff and Vince Servinis defeated 17 other high school teams to win the 20th annual Toronto Automotive Technology Competition, qualifying them for the national comp. The boys performed a number of time-technical tasks, including work on a new Volkswagen Beetle that had been rigged with a no-start condition by automotive instructors from Centennial College. It was the
From left to right: teacher Jason Rehel and auto tech students Sam Luff and Vince Servinis from St. Brother Andre Catholic High School.
third straight year that a team from Markham, Ontario has won the award.
ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TRADES SUSPENDS FEES The Ontario College of Trades annual membership fees have been reduced. For apprenticeship class members, journeyperson candidate class members, tradesperson class members it costs zero dollars and $60 for journeyperson class members. The College has placed a temporary pause on membership fee collection in order to make the necessary technical changes to reflect the new fee structure. In April, the College temporarily paused sending out invoices and accepting membership payments. The College began accepting payments at the new rate July 5, 2019.
BMW GROUP CANADA GIVES BACK For the first time BMW Group Canada is offering the BMW Group Canada Body & Paint Pre-Apprenticeship Scholarship Programs in conjunction with Centennial College and five BMW Group Certified Collision Repair Centres (CCRC) in Toronto. The top five students in the automotive collision and refinishing program from Centennial College qualified for the scholarship program. This gives each qualifying student the opportunity to work in one of the five CCRCs for the summer as well as a financial compensation towards their education. The program is jointly funded by BMW Group Canada’s Certified Collision Program and the CCRCs.
HONDA'S EDUCATIONAL INVESTMENT Honda Canada has provided Georgian College with $1.8 million in funding, to be distributed over the course of five years. The funding will take the form of equipment donations, research and development projects, as well as scholarships. A significant amount, close to $200,000, will also be earmarked for student recruitment. As college education is largely government funded in Canada, Honda Canada's donation may be interpreted as a signal that Honda is eager to push the educational infrastructure of Canada's rust belt into a new direction. 12
Honda Canada provided Georgian College in Barrie, Ont. a total of $1.8 million in funding for equipment, research development and scholarships.
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IN THE HEADLIGHTS
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BELIEVE IT OR NOT HUNGRY PEOPLE IN TRAFFIC
FIND THE FERRARI
Mexico City has some of the most congested roads, so Burger King decided to take advantage of that. Using the Burger King app, real-time traffic data, Waze and digital billboard, drivers sitting in traffic had the ability to order delivery from Burger King to its exact location. The real-time data determined the areas that would get the most congested. Drivers could
then order from the Burger King app through voice command to avoid texting and driving. The delivery people used Google Maps to track down the customers and deliver the whoppers to the gridlocked cars. With the success from this experiment, Burger King said it would like to expand the service to other busy cities such as, Los Angeles, Shanghai and Sao Paulo.
COP STOP
MOBILE HOME MAYHEM
A self-driving shuttle was dropping off passengers for the first time at Providence, Rhode Island’s Olneyville Square until it was pulled over by police. It had only been 12 hours since the self-driving shuttle referred to as Little Roady, was launched when it was pulled over. The police admitted that they were curious as to what it was because they had never seen anything like it before. “It looked like an oversized golf-cart,” the officer said.
In late May, Los Angeles Police ended up in a wild chase with a gang fleeing from the law in a stolen RV. The ringleader, an intoxicated woman, drove the unwieldy vehicle through the San Fernando Valley, while her co-conspirators—two lap dogs—expressed their contempt for the police with barks. After colliding with a number of stationary vehicles, the mobile home was finally stopped by a law-abiding palm tree. After attempting to flee on foot, the woman and one of her dogs were captured by police. The
A MAN AND HIS MERCEDES A 25-year-old Pickering man was arrested after going on a smashing spree in East York with his black Mercedes sedan this past May. The man managed to ram his vehicle into several stores, dealerships, as well as a community centre and it wasn’t until 11:30 p.m., when police officers were made aware of the anarchy after receiving a call from the Ismaili Community Centre that a vehicle left a car-shaped hole in their front doors. The driver managed to continue his personal demolition derby as he ran into a Home Depot, Home Sense, Staples, Marshalls and even a Mazda and Mercedes dealership, leaving a trail of destruction for the police to follow. The suspect was eventually located and arrested in Scarborough, where he is now facing a long list of charges including dangerous driving and mischief to property.
German police have found the rare 1980 Ferrari sports car that was reported as missing. The red Ferrari is believed to be worth more than U.S. $2.2 million. When the seller of the rare vehicle took a potential buyer out for a test-spin, the buyer wanted a chance to get behind the wheel. As they were switching places, the potential buyer quickly got into the driver’s seat, not even giving the salesman a chance to get back into the car. The man hit the gas and took off into the sunset. A few days later police found the vehicle hidden in a garage in the Grevenbroich area. The thief is yet to be found.
other remains at large. The driver’s charges include driving under the influence, felony evading and felony hit-and-run.
POSEIDON’S WRATH A 45-year-old man was in the middle of towing his boat out of the water in Port Moody, B.C. when the unthinkable happened. While trying to fix the boat’s propeller, which had become stuck on the ground, his hybrid SUV started to roll backward toward the water. Panicking, the man jumped out of the boat and the vehicle almost ran him over as it rolled back into the ocean. As emergency crews pulled the SUV from the water, it burst into flames. SUMMER 2019 BODYWORX PROFESSIONAL
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MARKET REPORT
MANUFACTURING MAYHEM CANADA’S AUTO THAW BEGINS Fiat Chrysler’s French Connection In late May, England-based Fiat Chrysler proposed a merger deal to Renault, a France-based OEM. Under the terms of the deal, the combined OEM would be worth almost $50 billion, making it the third-largest automaker in the world (after Volkswagen and Toyota). The combined company would also produce almost nine million vehicles per year, as well as be able to share research and technology data. With significant startup costs associated
with running research and development laboratories, this united front could significantly curb the cost of research into electric and autonomous vehicles. Investors were intrigued by the proposal, sending Renault’s share price upward by 15%. That company’s board stated that the deal will be considered with interest.
Labour Gains While recent headlines may suggest Canada’s auto manufacturing industry is on the brink of extinction, a new study from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants found that Canada is actually experiencing a surge in auto manufacturing jobs. Since 2010, the number of Canadians employed in the auto manufacturing sector has grown
by more than 15%, rising to 823 million jobs this year from about 700 million jobs at the beginning of the decade. However, while employment numbers may be on the rise, Canadians are no longer producing as many vehicles as they did in 2010 — about 25% fewer these days.
Ford’s Favour Spanesi Americas, an Illinois-based collision repair equipment and technology company, has earned global certification from Ford, which means Spanesi has joined the list of tools and equipment providers for Ford’s repairs program. “After our combined development and testing efforts at the Ford Paint and Body Technology Center, I am pleased to announce our continuing approval of Spanesi products, including collision repair benches,
electronic measuring systems, welding equipment, self-piercing rivet guns and all other Spanesi body repair support products,” stated Gerry Bonanni, the paint and body senior technical engineer in the Ford Customer Service Division.
Sealing the Steel Deal Earlier this May, the Washington Post reported that a deal had been reached between the U.S. and two trading partners, Canada and Mexico, that would lift U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum. According to the report, the tariffs — which were unilaterally imposed by Trump last year — will be waived in exchange for Canada and Mexico imposing new restrictions on Chinese steels. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reportedly assented to the arrangement during a phone meeting with the president. While the details of the restrictions on Chinese steel are unclear, Canada, a net exporter of steel, does not receive significant quantities of Chinese metals.
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U.S. President Donald Trump.
MARKET REPORT
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Anguished Agony at Axalta Axalta One year after recording record high prices, Axalta stocks have seen four percentage points wiped off their value this week. With the stock trading at $24.48, the stock is just about two-thirds of its record high of $32.48, recorded on May 25, 2018. While the last week has been particularly rough for the coatings company’s shareholders, the stock had also decreased by a similar amount over the eleven weeks before. Last Autumn, Axalta went through an awkward set of leadership transitions. In September, then-CEO Charles Shaver departed. In October, Axalta’s CEO Terrence Hahn left the company after just a month in the job. The company was also found to have behaved in a way “inconsistent” with its policies. Former CFO Robert Bryant has served in the top job since Hahn’s departure. Left: Terrance Hahn, Axalta’s former CEO. Right: Robert Bryant, formerly Axalta’s CFO, who has been serving as CEO of the company since Hahn’s departure.
Magna Cum Laude The first quarter of 2019 was tougher than expected for Canadian autoparts giant Magna International, which fell 10¢ short of reaching external stock-to-performance estimates. According to the company’s Q1 report, per-share profits reached $1.63, down from $1.84 in Q4 2018. Overall, this slack performance translated into
a 2% drop in revenue year-over-year, to 10.6 billion this year from $10.8 billion in Q1 2018. While investors may be disappointed in the autoparts giant’s soft performance, the company did achieve a perfect C-score of 0.00000 — a metric that seeks to determine the likelihood of a company’s books being cooked.
Tally-ho The U.S. will no longer place a 25% tariff on steel and 10% tariff on aluminum imports from Canada. Canada and the U.S. announced the tariff withdrawal in May after Trudeau agreed to work towards implementing new measures to prevent imported Chinese steel from being sold in the U.S. as Canadian-made. Implemented under the President’s own authority last year, the tariffs were unanimously condemned by MPs during a vote Justin Trudeau, prime minister of Canada.
Bad News for BASF BASF CEO Martin Brudermueller announced the car refinishing giant is likely to experience annual growth of almost 1% despite earlier predictions suggesting the company could experience growth of as much as 10%. The announcement, which came during Brudermueller’s first year as CEO, did not seem to spook investors. In the past 12 months, the value of the company’s stock has risen by 20%, rising far more quickly than the percentage increase on BASF’s bottom line. Despite the announcement, the share price rose, albeit slightly. While there can be some lag between corporate announcements and stock price adjustments, investors may believe the stock was underpriced last year rather than being overpriced today.
Autonomous Advertising While Tesla may trust its drivers’ lives to a decisionmaking algorithm, the company does not trust its marketing to them, according to a recent report. The report, issued by U.S.-based Brand Total, the underlying research analyzed all paid and organic social media campaigns in the U.S. regarding major automotive brands, including Toyota, BMW, Ford, Audi, Honda, Nissan, Tesla, Lexus, Cadillac and Porsche over the course of 30 days. Tesla, unlike any of the other profiled brands, invested no money in social media advertisements. Social media companies use self-learning algorithms to predict which viewers are most susceptible to a particular ad, unlike for traditional ads.
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MARKET REPORT
Meeting the Volks When senior Volkswagen AG executives and board members met with shareholders, they expected to receive an icy reception, as Institutional Shareholder Services—an independent corporate government oversight advisory firm—gave Volkswagen the lowest possible rating for its corporate government. In fact, many shareholders already demand the German OEM clean up its act after its Porsche subsidiary signed a deal to pay more than $500 million dollars for its role in the 2015 emissions test scandal. However, the latest bill is just a drop in the bucket as far as costs
resulting from the scandal go. In total, Volkswagen has paid $37 billion as a result of the scandal, which has resulted in the arrest of several senior corporate figures, most notably Mark Winterkorn, the company’s former chairman. Mark Winterkorn, Volkswagen’s former chairman.
Industrial Gas Problem A new study from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., proves that the auto sector releases less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than the pharmaceutical industry does. According to Lotfi Belkhir, associate professor and chair of eco-entrepreneurship at McMaster, the effects that the pharmaceutical industry has on the environment has been overlooked for too long despite the nasty impact on the environment. The study reveals that, the pharmaceutical industry releases 48.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, producing 55% more carbon emissions than the automotive production industry does.
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Studies have proven that pharmaceutical companies emit more pollution into the air than the auto sector does.
NEWS IN NETWORKING
NETWORKING AND BEYOND Taking advantage of the power of social media BY JOSH DOBSON
I
love social media, but most importantly, I love what it is doing for the collision repair industry. Believe it or not, social media is becoming an incredible tool for technicians. The internet has allowed us to connect with people all over the world. In other words, we are able to expand our network, which allows us to gain access to information we might not have had before.
So, how do we all come together and change the way we market our industry? This is the challenge, for sure. We have so many different opinions on what our expectations are as employer’s and employees that this creates such a huge grey area. Implementing a shop policy regarding social media is the best way. This may seem a little gimmicky, but it’s necessary if we allow those
WE NEED TO EMBRACE THIS PHENOMENON AS TECHNICIANS, MANAGERS AND EVEN OWNERS. INSTEAD OF FIGHTING IT, TRY USING IT. THE BENEFITS ARE EXPONENTIAL.
We can reach out and ask questions to see how other technicians tackle a certain job or if we are struggling with a problem, we can receive feedback quickly. We need to embrace this phenomenon as technicians, managers and even owners. Instead of fighting it, try using it. The benefits are exponential. Now, this doesn’t come without guidelines, of course. Shop owners and techs need to come together with a game plan and set expectations so both sides can enjoy the success. What we shouldn’t do is ignore this tool. Whatever your social media platform preference may be, they’re all beneficial. Technicians can learn and grow to become better and owners can gain free marketing for their business — and we all know that word of mouth is the best and most powerful way of advertising.
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techs the means to show the world their work. With this strategy, we can shed some much needed light on our sometimes dimly lit trade. In today’s technology-driven world, we can agree that an online presence is necessary to succeed. With that in mind, if we want to sell our trade to the next generation, then we need to speak their language. Social media is becoming the main source of information for clients, employees and employers.
Josh Dobson, Refinish Technican @ Fix Auto Stratford. You can reach Josh at jdobson@rogers.com or on instagram @jdob78.
SUMMER 2019 BODYWORX PROFESSIONAL
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STANDING STRONG
THE STIGMA WITHIN Challenging the way people view the trades BY STEFANO LIESSI
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he autobody trade is starving for new young entrants. The numbers of potential candidates remain low in high schools and colleges. As a secondary-school teacher, I find there is one constant that always comes to light: it is the stigma within. Stigma being “a mark of disgrace or infamy; a stain or reproach, as on one’s reputation.” Let me clarify something for the masses as I rant about the topic I am often faced with. Trades, in general, have a bad reputation among many people. As a teacher, I have come to learn that not only do parents express their lack of support (and lack of knowledge), but the ignorance lies within many educational facilities as well. I don’t think I have gone a whole month without some faculty member expressing their lack of support. Be it ignorance or just systemic conditioning. “Hey, Joey is not good in math and is disruptive in class, so we are going to place him in a shop so he can occupy his mind using his hands” or “Johnny has failed some courses and needs some credits to graduate, can we put him into a shop class to get the credits needed to graduate?” The thought process here is it’s easier to get credits in a shop/trade than it is for a core subject. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
high school is extremely overrated — and saturated. 1.2 million university graduates with a degree in Canada acquired during the 1990s, all vying for 600,000 jobs requiring those credentials. That’s a 50% underemployment rate. Sorry, I digress. However, that is a back story that applies to my principal subject here. Many feel that our industry is at the bottom of the barrel; that one can do better. I am always hearing remarks about wages, lack of advancement, environment, conditions, etc. Fact is all of these concerns are easily addressable if you choose to do so. What I find is usually the “old guy” in the corner — the guy with two houses, three divorces, five kids (three of whom are unemployed university graduates), a camper, a car, a truck and an old car he has tucked in away the two-car garage — who is prejudiced against the trades. This is the individual who perpetuates the stigma with, “don’t do it, kid. Find something else.” So, before you dismiss the “trades” or autobody and car painting, think of the delayed gratification, the pride in your work, the ability you possess to apply your knowledge in ways others cannot — as well as the respect that you have earned. Before you discourage young people from having careers in the trades, think of what various trades
BEFORE YOU DISCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM HAVING CAREERS IN THE TRADES, THINK OF WHAT VARIOUS TRADES HAVE TRULY DONE FOR YOU. THINK ABOUT WHAT THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN FRONT OF YOU WANT TO DO, NOT WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO. EVERY WAKING MOMENT OF YOUR DAY IS GREATLY AFFECTED BY TRADES; WITHOUT THEM, WE WOULD HAVE NO QUALITY OF LIFE WORTH MENTIONING. THE STIGMA NEEDS TO BE CHANGED IF WE WANT TO SEE A POSITIVE, PROSPEROUS WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL.
Too many times students fall behind in other areas, only to “blow off” their autobody class or carpentry class or baking class to “get caught up” in math, English or science. Sadly, what many educators fail to see is that trades require students who can read, do math and apply a scientific premise to a problem. As one of my students was training for the ProvincialSkills car painting competition, she told me that another teacher said to her: “Oh, you’ll do OK; you’re just painting something.” This coming from the same individual who has no idea how to put gas in a vehicle, let alone paint one. The point here is many of my students and other trades students can do math, English and science and apply them to a trade. The desire to have students graduate and move on to university after 20
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have truly done for you. Think about what the young people in front of you want to do, not what you want them to do. Every waking moment of your day is greatly affected by trades; without them, we would have no quality of life worth mentioning. The stigma needs to be changed if we want to see a positive, prosperous working environment for all.
Stefano Liessi is a Red Seal Tech with 35 years of experience in the automotive collision industry. He is currently a high school teacher of autobody repair at St. Joseph high school in Edmonton. Instagram@stjoesautobody
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RESTORATION REPORT
HOW THE ICONIC WOODSTOCK BUS CAME BACK TO LIFE
The original Woodstock Bus.
BY LINDSEY COOKE
F
or three days in 1969, hundreds of thousands of young people made their way to a farm in upstate New York to attend the Woodstock Music Festival. Among the many iconic images from the three-day event is of a painted Volkswagen Microbus — known to history as the Woodstock Bus (a.k.a. the Light Bus). The designs on the bus, painted by artist Bob Hieronimus, were religious iconography from faiths around the world that seemed to capture the spirit of the age: a desire for peace and intercultural harmony. In fact, the image of the bus became so famous that it quickly began to be used as a visual shorthand for the counterculture movements of the 1960s. 22
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The original bus is lost to history; however, one Canadian television producer and a team of auto repairers made it their mission to create a perfect replica. John Wesley Chisholm and autobody mechanics at Skinner Classics in California brought a replica of the Woodstock Bus to life and will be bringing it to TV screens all across the world. In August, Chisholm and his crew will be driving the bus across the U.S. to their final destination in Watkins Glen, N.Y., for the 50th anniversary of Woodstock. The 2019 concert will feature both artists performing before a Woodstock-style crowd for the first time and other musicians who had taken to the stage during the original festival.
Chisholm is based in Nova Scotia, where he works mostly on factual entertainment shows that are broadcast on the Discovery and National Geographic channels. “My specialty is finding things that are lost,” he says. One of his projects for the latter channel was to film a show about the hidden symbols found in the architecture in Washington, D.C., where he met Hieronimus. Chisholm describes the artist, who also is an art historian now, as a real-life “Da Vinci Code guy.” He may be best known as one of the best muralists in the U.S. because of his 2,700-square-foot mural done in 1968-69, referred to as Apocalypse at Johns Hopkins University. Hieronimus mentioned that he painted the
RESTORATION REPORT
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Bob Hieronimus paints religious symbols on his iconic bus that appeared at Woodstock in 1969. Now a modern art scholar, he received a PhD in 1981 for his doctoral thesis: An Historic Analysis of the Reverse of the American Great Seal and Its Relationship to the Ideology of Humanistic Psychology.
psychics. So, we talked to some psychics.” Everyone has their own theory about happened to the bus, but Chisholm realized his team wasn’t going to find it; that it probably broke down at the side of a John Wesley Chisholm leans on an unpainted 1960s Volkswagen road somewhere and was Microbus that he and autobody mechanics at Skinner Classics in California are turning into a replica of the original Woodstock Bus. just pushed into the woods. “[I believe] that was the end of the bus,” he says. bus for his friend’s band, The Light. At first, Chisholm’s team thought they had Armed with that information and with the found a matching bus, which they sent to 50th anniversary of Woodstock approaching, East Coast Volkswagen Restorations in St. Chisholm decided to make a TV documentary Augustine, Fla., for repair. about repairing the original bus. Then he ran Then Robert Skinner, owner of Vacaville Auto into a slight problem: no one knew where Body Center (famously known as Skinner Clasthe bus was. sics) in Vacaville, Calif., got involved. Skinner Hieronimus couldn’t remember what hap- had been tagged in an online post that stated pened to it. After Woodstock, which he didn’t Chisholm’s team had the wrong bus model, so attend, the bus showed up at the commune Skinner decided to reach out to them. where he continues to live today. Skinner Classics has been working on Chisholm however, was still convinced restoring split buses for more than 30 years. that the documentary could go forward. He Skinner himself has owned about 400 busexplained to the broadcasters that although es, so it’s safe to say that he knows them he didn’t have the bus and wouldn’t have the inside and out. He was able to identify the money to restore it anyway, he could film a proper model of the original bus from old photographs; it wasn’t long before Chisholm’s documentary about looking for the bus. “I spent about six months travelling to Volk- team found a matching 55-year-old Microbus swagen graveyards and Volkswagen swaps and in San Jose, Calif. shows,” Chisholm explains, “and to the last Skinner went to look at this bus and prokind of old-fashioned repair shops where guys nounced it perfect, Chisholm explains. tune carburetors. [My team and I] travelled “I had money to make the documentary, to the top of New Jersey to the bottom of but not to restore a bus,” he continues. “So, Arkansas looking for the bus. We had some I said we’ll do a Kickstarter.” information, hired detectives and because That strategy turned out to be a huge the hippies were involved, they wanted to get success. The goal was to raise $90,000 to
restore the bus; within 30 days, they received C$77,000 from people who love Volkswagen. Then, on the last day of the Kickstarter campaign, Volkswagen’s U.S. division donated the balance to reach the fundraising goal. “[The funding] was a whole lot of $100 here and $100 there. And then in the end, Volkswagen came in and finished it off,” Chisholm says. With the money the project received, the Skinner Classics crew were able to begin restoring the 55-year-old version of the Woodstock Bus. Chisholm says the door panels and trim on the bus they found were really rusted out, all four corners were smashed in and one of the long side panels had a big dent in it. Skinner Classics performed all the oldfashioned bodywork on the bus, pulling out the dents in the metal, making sure there was no filler anywhere and flattened out the panels of the bus, the last process of which is one of the hardest things to do in autobody work. “[The model we found] was actually a pretty decent bus, but you know: for a bus that is that old, it needed some love and attention,” says Skinner. “With Dr. Bob [Hieronimus] wanting it rust-free, we pretty much had to attack any area that had rust and remove it completely, and replace it with the best sheet metal.” Once that aspect of the repair was finished, the bus was put on a car lift and the mechanical work began. The engine and transmission were replaced, the front suspension rebuilt and the electrical systems reconstructed. Skinner’s team had three weeks to finish the repairs — a very tight schedule, says Skinner: “Something like this could take a lot longer [to do]. We were working on it for SUMMER 2019 | BODYWORX PROFESSIONAL
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RESTORATION REPORT
The staff at East Coast VW Restorations in St. Augustine, Fla.
almost two-and-half weeks just in metal work alone and then, of course, it had to go into the paint department and be equipped for a prep to be painted, then it went to get refinished.” After that, Chisholm says, the bus was sent to Hieronimus’ commune in Baltimore. A century-old barn was set up as a paint shop for him and a couple of apprentices. To replicate the original mural, they consulted images of the Woodstock Bus and drew a grid on the new bus using one-shot paint. After the mural was
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finished, the bus was sent to East Coast VW Restorations for final reassembly and restoration. Then, at last, the road trip could begin. The itinerary includes travels through southern California for Volkswagen Week, then driving across the country to Watkins Glen. So, keep your eyes peeled for the one-hour documentary about the recreated Woodstock Bus, which will be aired this summer on Discovery Canada and Curiosity Stream in the U.S.
Hippies perched on the Woodstock Bus during the music fest in 1969.
WHO RUN THE WORLD?
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INDUSTRY
WOMEN
WINNING
Trista Anger.
Cheryl Boswell.
Q & A WITH WIN’S NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Attendees of the WIN conference pose on beach after a group mile walk earlier this May.
T
he Women’s Industry Network (WIN) welcomed two new board members this May during their annual conference in Florida. Trista Anger, regional manager for BASF, and Cheryl Boswell, CFO of DCR Systems, are proud to represent their companies and other women in their industry after joining the WIN board. Recently, Collision Repair spoke with these two women about the importance of the WIN and encouraging young girls to enter the industry. Collision Repair: Congratulations to both of you for being selected to join the WIN board. Could you describe your involvement with WIN and what the network means to you? Cheryl Boswell: I’ve been with WIN since the beginning over 10 years ago. Really, the mission behind WIN is to help develop and support women in the industry — to drive industry and sustain-
ability by developing women through education and connection. We want to be the network that drives the future of collision repair. Trista Anger: My involvement with WIN is fairly new. I went to my first conference two years ago, and being a woman in the collision repair industry for the past 15 years and being a minority in that industry … there was nothing like WIN in Canada. It is such a unique organization and there’s a real need for it. I want to see what we can do to expand [WIN’s] borders. CR: Both of you were able to attend the most recent conference in Florida. What was that like? CB: I will say a huge portion of the conference is all about networking and making those connections and those bonds and relationships. But [our mandate] is not only about developing the industry, it’s about giving back. We’re always about helping
women enter the industry, and this year we gave out the annual scholarships to our biggest scholarship class. We had nine scholarship winners; they were with us for the whole conference, and many of them left with actual job opportunities. CR: What advice would you give these women — and any young woman interested in entering the industry? TA: We often hear the phrase “fake it ’til you make it” — and being a woman in this industry, the biggest thing I’ve learned is “face it ’til you make it.” Don’t be afraid to have confidence in your skill set; understand what you’re bringing. And don’t give up on that. Both Boswell and Anger continue to lead in the trade industry and on the board. For more information on WIN, visit thewomensindustrynetwork.site-ym.com. SUMMER 2019 BODYWORX PROFESSIONAL
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SKILLS PROFILE
(Left to right) Skills Canada Post-Secondary car painting winners, Carrie Long, Catherine Matthewson and Nicole Sheetka.
GOING GOING FOR FOR GOLD GOLD SKILLS CANADA CAR PAINTING CHAMPION CATHERINE MATTHEWSON HOPES TO HELP THE NEXT GENERATION OF REPAIRERS BY LINDSEY COOKE
“A
pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity. An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” —Winston Churchill. Coming-of-age stories are universally popular across cultures because they are a universal experience for anyone lucky enough to make it to adulthood. In crossing the threshold from childhood innocence to adult responsibility, we must come to terms with ourselves, identifying our own strengths—and our weaknesses. For most of us, that journey begins in high school, as we start to put serious consideration into how we want to support ourselves in life. Torontonian Catherine Matthewson was 15 when she began her journey across the threshold—although she had no idea of it at the time. 26
On the first day of her Grade 10 autobody class, Danforth Technical Institute student had no idea of the immense impact it would have on her life. She soon realized that something about autobody repair clicked with her. Her teacher, Bill Speed, also took note of Catherine’s budding talents, and encouraged her to not let them go to waste. He eventually convinced her that she had what it would take to enter the Skills Canada Ontario auto painting competition in 2013. She took home a bronze. “I was really good at it and a lot of people noticed that too, so I stuck with it,” Catherine says. The next year, she returned to completion, but that year, Catherine claimed the silver. Catherine wasn’t just good—she was a natural who was passionate about being
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the best auto painter she could be. After graduating, Catherine knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life. “Once I got out of high school I went straight into the trade,” she said. Fast forward five years, to 2019, and Catherine had just completed her level two in autobody at Centennial College. As a competitor at Skills Canada’s national competition in Halifax, she was as determined as ever to add a gold medal to her collection. To that end, she spent months honing her skills, spending long hours practicing on panels, using the same product of paint that was used during the competition. With the best young auto painters in the country—two women and four men from across the country—all seeking to claim the prize, Catherine knew the competition would be tight.
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(Left to right) After industry leader Dave Smith passed away suddenly last year, AkzoNobel dedicated an award in his name to help the next generation of repairers get ahead in their career.
(Left to right) Centennial College students, Catherine Matthewson, Gurdeep Dhaliwal, Jake Seaward, Thomas Phan and Marc Capada.
Catherine Matthewson and former gold medalist Nicole Hamilton.
As her plane touched down in overcast Halifax, however, Catherine realized how close at hand the competition was—and could not help but wonder if she could have prepared any more effectively. She did not let these doubts fester in her mind. Win or lose, Catherine was resolved to do her province proud. It was over almost as quickly as it had begun. Adrenaline surged through the competitors as they were given a challenge that involved colour matching, paint tinting and preparation. By the time it was over, Catherine was so exhausted that she had no idea how well her work stood up to the other competitor’s. Fortunately for Catherine, that responsibility fell on the judges. When she heard the results, she could hardly believe it. After more than half-a-decade of hard work, Catherine was named Canada’s champion post-secondary auto painter for 2019. A gold medal hung from her neck. A week later, Catherine received another piece of news. She would be the first recipient of the Dave Smith Award, named for the long-time AkzoNobel employee who died last year. Known for his passion for the industry, the award celebrates talented young repairers, giving a head-start in their career. Along with
“EVERYONE ALWAYS LOOKS DOWN ON THE TRADE AND I WANT TO HELP CHANGE THAT STIGMA. IT’S DEFINITELY A GREAT CAREER CHOICE AND THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN BEING A DOCTOR, A LAWYER OR AN ENGINEER.” — CATHERINE MATTHEWSON
the title, Matthewson was also given $2,500. “I am very grateful. I am thankful that AkzoNobel is investing money and time into younger generations involved in the trade. It is going to make an impact on my life—and will encourage me to keep pushing and striving my way through the industry,” Catherine said. While proud of her victory, Catherine credits the win to the guidance of her professors at Centennial College—and of course her high school teacher Bill. “They have literally molded my career for me so I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them,” she said. The 23-year-old national champion intends to one day provide the same support that her professors gave her to the young people of the future. In the meantime, she hopes her success will help encourage more women to enter the industry. “I want more people to be given the opportunity I had in high school, and to show women—and people in general—that anyone can go into the trades if they work hard enough.” Catherine said. “Everyone always looks down on the trade and I want to help change that stigma. It’s definitely a great career choice and there’s more to life than being a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer.” SUMMER 2019 BODYWORX PROFESSIONAL
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SKILLS PROFILE
MAKING MANITOBA PROUD KEEGAN WATKINS-MCINTYRE STRIKES GOLD AT SKILLSCANADA COLLISION REPAIR CHAMPIONSHIP BY ELIZABETH SARGEANT
Keegan Watkins-McIntyre works away during the SkillsCanada competition in Halifax in May.
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eegan Watkins-McIntyre, a student at Crocus Plains Secondary School in Brandon, Man., and an autobody repair whiz, struck gold at the SkillsCanada competition this year in Halifax, winning first place in his section of the competition and representing the province of Manitoba well. Keegan grew up around stock cars at home and as a youngster he knew that he was interested in autobody repair. However, he didn’t realize that he wanted to pursue the activity as more than just a 28
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hobby until he entered high school. “When I was in Grade 9, Crocus had an open house to showcase what all the different trades were, and I tried auto tech, auto body and welding — and I really enjoyed all of them,” Keegan says. “After I graduate from Grade 12, I would like to get a job in the [auto repair] industry. I don’t really have any set goals yet, but I have thought about opening or owning a bodyshop in the future.” Keegan took his passion to practice
when he competed in the SkillsManitoba competition earlier this year. After an impressive win, placing first in autobody repair, his talent led him to SkillsCanada Halifax, where he competed against other students from across the country for the gold. But he couldn’t have done it with pure luck alone. Keegan trained for weeks in advance to prepare himself for the big competition. “After I won SkillsManitoba, I knew that I had to practise for SkillsCanada. I did as much practise as I could, and I would
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Keegan Watkins-McIntyre represents Manitoba as he wins gold for autobody repair at the 2019 SkillsCanada competition.
stay late with my teacher and come in after hours,” says Keegan. “[My teachers] spoke with some people to get me prepared for the competition and, obviously, it helped as I got the gold medal.” Keegan also accredits much of his big win to the resources given to him to help practise. “My teachers, Carl DeCosse and Greg Oliver, have taught me everything about autobody. They have been my teachers for the past four years, and they have helped me get to
where I am today,” says Keegan. “They helped me get the proper tools and practice pieces for SkillsCanada,” he adds. “They also took me to the local auto wrecker, Westman Salvage, and donated a car so I could practise my quarter panel for SkillsCanada.” When Keegan isn’t tirelessly practicing for his next competition, he works on project cars at home as a hobby. “I enjoy working on cars” Keegan says, “and I have a lot of projects on the go that I have
been working on. I took one to school and finished it before I went off to SkillsCanada.” Regarding future competition plans, Keegan hopes to represent Canada at the biennial WorldSkills competition one day. “This year is not a qualifying year for WorldSkills, but next year is,” Keegan says. “So, if I do get to compete in SkillsManitoba and then win, and move on to SkillsCanada again, I would really enjoy representing Canada at WorldSkills in the future.”
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CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
REPAIRERS REVVING ENGINES BOOKS THAT GET READERS HOT FOR THE BODYSHOP BY GIDEON SCANLON
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itillating titles like Jennifer Foor’s Repair Me, Victoria Dahl’s Start Me Up and Ainslie Paton’s Grease Monkey Jive are flying off the shelves as readers young and old embrace a literary trend. Yes, like cowpokes, depraved millionaires and fighter pilots before them, collision repairers have become the latest sexy professionals found within the pages of salacious romance novels. While some repairers may welcome this development, others have
expressed concern that the objectification of repair professionals may be dehumanizing — it is, after all, difficult to perform paintless dent repairs while being pictured, well, paintless. At Bodyworx Professional, however, it is our purview to report on trends of importance to the industry — and we leave judgments to the reader. To that end, our team felt it appropriate to include some information on some of the bestselling bodice-rippers set in bodyshops.
REPAIR ME by jennifer foor Sky’s whole world is turned upside down when she catches her longtime boyfriend cheating and dumps him. Depressed over the breakup, she decides to drive to the beach to spend time with her friends and drown her sorrows in hot guys and fruity drinks. The only problem with her plan is her piece-of-junk car. It breaks down halfway into her trip, in the middle of nowhere (naturally) in a place where cellphone towers don’t even exist. Ford’s life has changed drastically in the past year, and he spends his days working in his family’s rundown auto repair shop. When his father tells him to go rescue a stranded traveller, he soon finds himself with a hot opportunity to forget about what ruined his life, even if it’s only for one night. When chemistry causes sparks to fly, Sky and Ford agree to a one-night stand; to let go of what each of them are running from and enjoy each other with no strings attached. But as their heated night progresses, they both know that one night is never going to be enough. What happens when one night turns into two? And two turns into three? Can two people who know nothing about each other really fall in love? What readers say: “I cannot even express how much I loved this book. Hmmm... Ford. What can I say? I even said to my husband, “I want Ford.” He asked what was wrong with my truck (a Chevy). lol. If he only knew what I was really talking about.” — Alissa Evanson, Goodreads reviewer What we say: Mr. Ford’s detailers will resent him for what he did to the upholstery. Nothing says “contrived” like “a place where cellphone towers don’t even exist.”
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CULTURAL CONNECTIONS
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GREASE MONKEY JIVE by ainslie paton When ballroom-dancing teacher Alex Gibson dances with Dan Maddox, she’s reminded of the time she stuck a knife in the toaster, gave herself an electric shock and saw stars. He’s precisely the type of man Alex’s mother warned her about – a player, just like the father who abandoned Alex and her mother. Dan Maddox comes from a long line of men who hid under the hood of a beat-up old car when the “successful relationship” gene was being handed out, but he was first in the queue for an extra jolt of chick pulling power. The chicks in Dan’s life are universally gorgeous, random and disposable, and answer to the name Baby until one drunken night, when he picks up the wrong girl, hurts a good friend and realizes that unless he does something to change, he’ll end up like his violent, unstable father. It’s Pimp My Ride meets Dancing With the Stars as Alex and Dan come together to compete in a ballroom-dancing competition that changes the way they both feel about relationships and love. What readers say: “A really nice read featuring a mechanic and student/ballroom dancer. Very good characterization for both hero and heroine, and the secondary characters.” — Shelly, Goodreads reviewer What we say: Anyone who has put a fork in a toaster is dangerously unsuitable to be a repair pro … after all, EVs are arriving!
START ME UP
MOON CALLED
UNDER THE HOOD
by victoria dahl
by patricia briggs
by sally clements
Mercedes Thompson, a.k.a. Mercy, is a talented repairer living in Washington state. She also happens to be a walker — a magical being with the power to shift into a coyote at will. Mercy’s next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And Mercy is fixing a bus for a vampire. What readers say: “What do you get when you have a heroine who can change into a coyote in a matter of seconds, add in two sexy male werewolves, and a kidnapping plot that will turn heads? You get Moon Called, which stars Mercy Thompson, your not-so-average heroine! — Ronyell, Goodreads reviewer What we say: No joke: there are 11 other novels in this series. Howwwwwoooo?!
Establishing an allfemale auto repair business is keeping Alice and her friends busy. She doesn’t have time for a man. But with one kiss, she and Mark advance into water so deep she’s in danger of drowning. So, why hasn’t he called? What readers say: “The garage is the coolest aspect of this story. Three women start a garage for women clientele. With a garage such as this, ladies can take their cars in without fear of being patronized, having male mechanics roll their eyes in frustration or being ripped off. Under the Hood even offers car repair classes for ladies.” — Tara Chevrestt, Goodreads reviewer What we say: Under the hood. All-female bodyshop. Pun clearly intended. Well played, Ms. Clements.
Lori had always planned to get out of tiny Tumble Creek, Colo., but when her late dad left his beloved autobody shop to her, she’d stayed. Now, according to her crazy best friend, Molly, what Lori needs is some excitement — in the form of hot, no strings attached sex … and lots of it. What readers say: “The sex is pretty scorching hot … if you’re not a fan of mildly explicit sex, then this is a book to avoid. It’s definitely more graphic than the typical contemporary romance.” — JenJen79, Goodreads reviewer What we say: Another successful auto repair facility run into the ground by the entitled second generation…
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BACK TO THE FUTURE
Justin Sookraj proudly owns an auto shop for a very niche market: Owners of the car from Back to the Future.
BACK TO THE FUTURE STEP INTO WELLS AUTO AND TRAVEL BACK IN TIME BY ELIZABETH SARGEANT
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tepping into Wells Auto’s shop in Milton, Ont., is like stepping into a time machine. Past the modern auto repair technology and tools is a shop of rare vehicles from 1981. DeLoreans. If you don’t recognize the name, the vehicle may be more recognizable as a co-star in the 1985 classic film, Back To The Future. But Wells Auto owner Justin Sookraj says that’s not the only reason people are drawn to the DeLorean. “It’s a stainless steel, gull-wing car,” he says. “It’s surrounded by myth — lure; it’s a love it or hate it product.” The DeLorean has followed Sookraj throughout his life. After he experienced love at first sight when he saw a DeLorean at the age of nine, 32
Sookraj attempted to restore one in his teens. As an adult, he eventually left his corporate job and opened a restoration shop that caters to DeLorean owners and enthusiasts. But there were a lot of triumphs and tragedies in between. “When I realized the DeLorean was a real car, that sort of set the path for making sure I had one of my own at some point,” says Sookraj. “I told my wife that before I turned 30, I wanted to have a DeLorean again. After a few failed attempts to get another, I happened to stumble upon one that could be for sale. “The owner said he would commit to the sale if he found the right person. So, long story short, I got the car.”
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DeLoreans are rare. There were only 9,200 built before production was halted, and 200 or so exist across Canada. Tracking down owners who need restoration is difficult, but Sookraj has managed. “One of the main reasons we were at the Toronto International Auto Show this year was to find all these rumoured DeLoreans that we kept hearing about,” says Sookraj. “I had help and hired someone to take down every story we heard so everyday we had five realistic things we could pursue and, at the end of that, we made a spreadsheet. We divided and conquered and out of that we found two or three owners we didn’t know about.” While there’s a lot of excitement surrounding
BACK TO THE FUTURE
One of the 200 DeLoreans in Canada sits in Wells Auto waiting for repairs.
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the DeLorean, there’s also some controversy. “Everyone has an opinion about this car. People think that it’s heavy, it’s slow, it’s underpowered, and they’re death machines,’ said Sookraj. “It’s remarkable how much misinformation there is on this car. “Meanwhile, it only weighs 2,700 pounds, has the same power-to-weight ratio of an Acura Integra and the build quality — especially in some of the later cars — is actually quite good.” While Sookraj’s auto shop restores DeLoreans, his positive attitude surrounding these rare gems is restoring people’s faith and interest in this classic car. For more information on Wells Auto, visit wellsauto.ca.
Wells Auto employee works on a DeLorean. There are only 200 of the cars in Canada.
Wells Auto specializes in DeLoreans, the classic car from the 1985 film, Back to the Future. Above: ongoing repairs in Justin Sookraj’s shop.
A DeLorean undergoing repairs in a bay at Wells Auto, located in Milton, Ont.
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HOW TO:
A LITTLE ELBOW GREASE AND THE RIGHT GRIT WILL GET IT DONE BY JUSTIN JIMMO
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uns are not just the scourge of pantyhose wearers and tropical vacationers. For repairers, runs can be just as disastrous, and just as frequent. Sure, an inept repairer will have to deal with them more frequently than a talented one will, but runs happen to everyone. A particularly obvious run or sag is especially aggravating, and letting one go unnoticed is an easy way to lose a customer. Sure, trying to refinish the affected panel is easy enough, but that can consume both time and money, and the result isn’t always reliable. There are other options, including techniques for dealing with severe runs in a way that helps keep the surrounding area intact. If you’ve ever tried these techniques, you know they are easy to get wrong.
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HOW TO:
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As you can see in pictures 1 and 2, runs aren’t always easy to spot. You can get a better idea of just where the run is once the putty is applied (picture 3). Just mix up your favourite brand of polyester putty and apply it, following the manufacturer’s instructions. By blocking down the putty, you should bring everything down to a single level. Your block won’t teeter, and you can’t really angle it either, which reduces the chance of breaking through around the run. Next, add a bit of tape around
the putty, and now it's time to sand (picture 4). Begin with a coarser paper and sand carefully. You must use a block for control. Gradually go increase the fineness of the grit. You will start to see how the run is gradually being removed with the putty (picture 5). Once almost all the putty is removed, you should be sanding with a paper of around 1,000-grit paper (picture 6). You can usually remove the tape at this point (picture 7). Switch to 1,500 grit once you
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have removed all the putty and give the sanded spot a good blocking. You should end up with something that looks like picture 8 once you've completed that step. Next, grab your favourite polishing system and shine up your repair, just like any other polishing job. If everything went well, you should have absolutely no ghosting of the run and it should be completely gone (picture 9).
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PRODUCTS
PANE RELIEF RAPTOR F22 DELUXE KIT EQUALIZER
The Raptor F22 Deluxe Kit from Equalizer aims to provide a powerful cord-based glassremoval system usable on all types of auto glass. The technique that enables the cord-and-wire auto-glass removal device to operate on different sizes of glass is simple to learn, although Equalizer also provides online video tutorials for technicians looking for clarification. The device integrates Equalizer’s AirForce Constant Vacuum Cups, thus allowing quick placement and a constant vacuum to keep the glass firmly in place. The technology means the suction cups do not require pumping by hand. Instead, the cups are powered by an electric motor that runs off a long-life battery. The battery can be charged rapidly with a special charger. equalizer.com
BTB BATTERY POWERED E-TOOL BTB AUTO GLASS AND AUTO BODY
The BTB battery-powered E-Tool is a specialized reciprocal-stroke power tool designed to remove safely all automotive glass and components installed with urethane adhesive. The BTB system is also designed to prevent damage to glass or the vehicle. The BTB system incorporates a unique internal and external cutout method, reaching adhesive below dashboards, and when you are making external cuts, powered cold knife blades replace the manual method. The designers’ aim was to reduce the risk of operator injury by avoiding the need for human force to be exerted. The tool can also safely remove body side mouldings and other components bonded with flexible adhesives, such as urethane or double-sided tape. The tool complies with HSE and CE standards with very low levels of noise and vibration. btbtools.com
BLACKHAWK EQUALIZER
The BlackHawk has a heavy-duty, 20-amp brushless motor designed to remove even the most difficult glass quickly. The tool’s compact and lightweight design allows for manoeuvring in tight areas, and the tool’s mounted bright LED light provides visibility in dark work areas. equalizer.com
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PRODUCTS
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PRO-WRK WINDSHIELD REPAIR KIT PRO SPOT
Pro Spot Pro’s PRO-WRK Windshield Repair Kit is a new, easy-to-use, four-in-one automated glass chip-repair system. The well-designed, precision-machined tool is made of aluminum alloy, making this tool lightweight but very durable. The tool sets up quickly over a chip and each repair step is just a quick turn of the tool — simple, fast and complete. The kit also comes with a mirror aid in applying suction to the bottom of the glass, resin, pit fill, polish, a syringe, crack resin, razor blades, a vacuum puller and a resin fill tube. prospot.com
GLASSMATE 7.0
MITCHELL INTERNATIONAL Mitchell International’s subscription-based GlassMate 7.0 aims to be the ultimate glass-repair management tool for collision repair facilities. The software is designed to simplify the glass repair procedure by letting users prepare quotes, create work orders and deliver invoices to vendors. The software also provides instant access to the industry standard NAGS parts numbers and pricing. Compared with earlier versions of GlassMate 7.0 offers a refined look that is meant to make it easier to use than its predecessors. It also features enhancements to the parts ordering capabilities of the software, allowing users to look up prices and availability of parts from all major suppliers in real time. In addition, users can import price files from local suppliers into GlassMate. Users also will receive automatic notifications of shop assignments requiring attention. mitchell.com
USF FAST CURE PRIMERLESS C URETHANE AUTO GLASS ADHESIVE SEALANT DOMINION SURE SEAL
Dominion Sure Seal’s CUSF Fast Cure Primerless Urethane Auto Glass Adhesive Sealant is designed to live up to its impressively long name. The fast-curing, primerless, auto-glass adhesive sealant gives repairers the ability to make lasting glass-metal bonds. According to Dominion Sure Seal, the product can also be used as a high-strength, single-component adhesive for reapplying mouldings and ground effects. dominionsureseal.com
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STRANGE STRATEGIES
TRUTH IN MADVERTISING THREE UNUSUAL APPROACHES TO MARKETING COLLISION REPAIR FACILITIES BY ELIZABETH SARGEANT
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n the collision repair industry, bold marketing strategies can pay off big time. From hosting community events to promoting customer loyalty initiatives and sending out seasonal newsletters, those in charge of marketing never seem to run out of fresh ideas—though some of these ideas may raise a few eyebrows. In this issue of Bodyworx Professional, we
1. Letting Sleeping Dogs Lie Rick’s Automotive is located in Muscatine, Iowa — home to the National Pearl Button Museum, a world-renowned butterfly garden and one deceptively death-like dog. Hudson, a two-year-old Husky, is a heavy sleeper. He likes nothing better than taking naps outside of his master’s autobody shop, which is located alongside a very busy road. Hudson’s stiff sleeping position has an unusual side effect — drivers often slow down as they attempt to determine whether the stiff-limbed pooch on the roadside really has shuffled off this mortal coil. Often, they guess incorrectly — stopping and running inside the shop to alert Dustin Trimble, the shop’s owner, that Hudson may have been struck by a vehicle. Trimble is quick to reassure these passing do-gooders that Hudson is perfectly fine, if a bit unusual, and always takes the opportunity to tell them all about his business.
2. Going Green If you want to experience the outdoors while getting your car repaired, look no further than Green Tech Automotive. This repair shop, located in Santa Rosa, Calif., is painted lime green, thus catching the eyes of any passerby — or, really, anyone within 500 metres. As well, a massive and ancient-looking tree grows just outside the shop. This big and bright auto shop is dedicated to restoring vehicles in the most environmentally ethical way possible and continues the celebration of Earth’s natural colours indoors. The lobby is filled with plants, fish tanks and Earth-themed decorations. The eye-catching exterior is a bold marketing
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technique in its own right, but Green Tech Automotive’s overall dedication to sustainability is what keeps customers coming back. Did I mention the shop provides snacks? 3. Social Media Turns “Shifty” Shop to Celebrity Status When Victory Auto Service, a male-dominated repair shop, enlisted the help of social media-savvy Stephanie Gutierrez, their world flipped upside down. Shop owner Jeff Matt. feeling isolated and struggling with his shop’s reputation of being unreliable, asked Gutierrez, a longtime customer, to help him connect to the community. Boy, did she deliver. In just a few weeks, Gutierrez launched a Youtube channel and established a Facebook community and a Twitter account. She posted wacky quizzes, behind-the-scenes shots and some very flattering pics of the employees. The business since has grown to incorporate three locations, the social media sites attracts thousands of views and the business has an online following that’s more than 60% female. Customers love to take pictures with employees spotted on the street. Thanks to Gutierrez, Victory Auto Service now has celebrity status.
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salute the shops that think outside the box by adopting some truly bizarre tactics to get customers in their doors. From tugging on the heartstrings of animal lovers or environmental enthusiasts to putting their company’s reputation in the hands of a customer, these three collision repair shops go the extra mile in their marketing strategy.
IN MEMORIAM
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REMEMBERING JOHN NORRIS INDUSTRY ICON AND CIIA FOUNDER DIES BY LINDSEY COOKE
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ohn Norris, executive director of the Collision Industry Information Assistance (CIIA), died suddenly on May 28. Norris, known as a passionate champion of the both Canadian collision repair industry and the people who worked within it, Norris is also known for playing a major role in establishing the Ontario College of Trades. “John was a defender of the collision [repair] industry. He devoted himself to its well-being and truly cared for the people involved in it,” says Collision Repair publisher Darryl Simmons. “His passing will leave a great void in our community.”
Norris founded the CIIA in the 1990s, serving as the organization's executive director for more than 20 years until his death. The non-profit organization provides member shops with access to tools designed to improve a facility's profitability, safety and training information. Under Norris’ tenure, the organization also provided industry-related consultancy services to regional governments in Canada, Mexico, the U.S. and Jamaica. His efforts on behalf of the Ontario College of Trades were celebrated in 2017, when Norris was awarded the college’s first Prize of Excellence.
“The CIIA’s goal is to have the most competent, skilled and competent workforce possible,” Norris said during that awards ceremony. “It is nice to be recognized by the Ontario College of Trades.” Norris is survived by his wife, Annette, his children Theresa, Richard and Jeffrey, and grandchildren Quinn and Owen. The family held an open reception on Thursday, June 6, in Hamilton, Ont. A private family funeral and cremation followed after. Memorial contributions to Diabetes Canada and Hamilton Conservation Foundation would be appreciated by the family.
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Danni Van Bendegem, showing she understands safety is as important as repair procedure.
Gurdeep Dhaliwal, from Assured’s Scarborough West facility, placed 5th in the Ontario Skills competition.
TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENT Supporting and Rewarding our Technicians
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any businesses today strive to have a diverse workforce. At Assured we are lucky to not only to have one that is diverse, but very talented—impacting not only their home location, but in some cases being recognized across Canada. Here are a few examples of how Assured has capitalized on supporting our diverse workforce. Joe Petrocco has worked in about 31 facilities during his career—give or take. However, he has been with Assured since 2004—and we are lucky to have him. Originally, he was interested in becoming a plumber, but when he started to date (many moons ago) he wasn’t only interested in spending time with his girlfriend, but what her father did—working in collision repair. Needless to say, his interest gained him a wife and a career, and he actually worked alongside his father-in-law for quite some time. I was floored when Joe shared with me how many places he worked at, given his level of talent, expertise and pride he takes in his work, I asked why he has chosen to stay with Assured for so long. Joe explained to me that because Assured has developed great relationships within the insurance realm, he has always had a steady flow of work here, which allows him to provide for his family—none of the other facilities he worked for previously could do that for him. It will be 15 years in November since he
has been with Assured, and for 2018 he captured the Employee, (Technician) of the Year Award—and it was well deserved. Joe is proud of this achievement, though a little shy about talking about it. He is passionate about is getting young people aware of our trade, and supporting those who are interested. Assured shares this passion with Joe. Gurdeep Dhaliwal has gone from being a student at Centennial College, (in their auto body technician program—310B), to choosing
Assured Automotive as a place to start his apprenticeship, being selected to compete in this year’s Ontario Skills Competition, (placing 5th) then going on to represent Ontario in the Canadian National Competition in Halifax—not bad for someone who just turned 20! His journey in our industry started with a co-op placement. His experience started of great, as his placement hired him, but shortly
after they didn’t want to support his growth, and just wanted him to dismantle vehicles. Gurdeep had a vision of making his skills more robust and this wasn’t going to happen where he was employed. He enrolled in the auto body program at Centennial College, and was on track to gain the knowledge and skills he was looking for. One day there was a career fair on campus, and Assured had a booth there. Gurdeep got talking to our talent acquisition manager Jeremy Koop, and it was that conversation which got him interested in Assured. A few calls later, Gurdeep was now working at Assured, paired with a qualified mentor—Mike Singh. Gurdeep credits Mike for his patience and willingness to teach him how to “do things right.” Without Mike and collaboration from the rest of the team, Gurdeep believes he couldn’t have made the strides he has at his young age. There is one other person which has helped him on this path—Cody Yates. Though, they don’t work together, it is sometimes the influence of and support of others which make us successful. Danni Van Bendegem is a member of what is now becoming a growing minority in our work environment, female collison repair technicians. While Gurdeep’s love of cars was shared
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Gurdeep Dhaliwal stands beside the production board. As he often says, “Having a plan for the day, helps you get through the day!”
Seasoned repair veteran Joe Petrocco stands beside his award on Assured’s Wall of Excellence.
with his family members, Danni’s passion for automobiles was not something she shared with her own family, many members of whom are in the health care sector. For Danni, breaking from family tradition was tough, however, as she describes it, being able to see results of something you did with your own hands at the end of the work day is more rewarding than anything else. Challenges didn’t stop for Danni, when she got into the workforce, employers didn’t want to give her a chance to work on “heavy hits” or complicated repairs. What was most difficult to endure is that all of the facilities she previously worked for didn’t support her intention to go back to school to complete her apprenticeship—essentially cutting off her ability to learn and become a fully qualified collision repair technician. Her quest to find a company or someone to support her ambitions to learn, lead her to the doors of Assured. The primary reason why she decided to join our team was because we promised to support her dream. Danni’s message to other women interested in building a careeer in the auto repair industry is straightforward. “If you have a passion for this, follow it—but it will be hard at first, but don’t let anyone discourage you,” Danni says. “At first you may not find someone to support you—keep searching as you will find that window of opportunity as I did.” A deeply rooted passion runs through the veins of Joe, Gurdeep and Danni. If you have the same passion for the collision industry, and you would like to talk to someone on how your aspirations can be better supported, feel free to reach out to our talent acquisition manager, Jeremy Koop, (jeremy.koop@assuredauto.ca). We are always open to having a conversation. After all, our people drive us. Danni Van Bendegem living her dream— having a production floor as an office.
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FINAL DETAIL
STANDING TALL A bright future awaits those who dare to dream BY LINDSEY COOKE
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f there is one thing that I’ve learned over the year I have spent writing for Bodyworx Professional, it is that if you’re passionate about something, no one can take it away from you. Plenty of up-and-coming repairers in training have been told not to pursue a career in the trades. “Go to university; become a bank manager, an accountant or a paralegal,” many parents will advise their children.
that nobody seems to have noticed (which I am officially dubbing Cooke’s Collision Repair Paradox): the more complex the technology in vehicles becomes, the more human oversight is required to repair the vehicle. Why? First: for any technology to be able to fix another technology, the former must be more advanced than the latter. Second: to stay competitive, car manufacturers must produce
spoken with that want to see changes in the industry — and I believe she will be one of the women to make that happen. But Matthewson isn’t alone. More and more women are proving people wrong everyday and are changing the stigma surrounding the trades. These women provide an example to young girls who are still pondering what they want to be when they grow up.
THE MORE COMPLEX THE TECHNOLOGY IN VEHICLES BECOMES, THE LESS WE CAN USE AUTONOMOUS TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE THE REPAIRS WITHOUT HUMAN OVERSIGHT.
Of course, this attitude doesn’t really reflect the opportunities offered by so many industries — collision repair among them. But winning over parents by showing them a list of pros vs. cons isn’t always easy. What does win them over? Passion. Dedication. Talent. In the many conversations I have had with young repairers, I’ve come to realize that even the most determined parent will get behind the career ambitions of child who is passionate about their chosen profession — and this industry is full of passionate and determined young people. I know some parents will be concerned that the automotive repair industry is changing, and what work will be performed by machines and what will be performed by flesh-and-blood repairers in the coming decades isn’t yet clear. But humans will always be needed in this industry. I am not just towing the party line here. There is a phenomenon in the collision repair world
vehicles equipped with cutting-edge technology. So, what does this mean for long-term job prospects in the world of collision repair? Cutting-edge vehicle repairs will require humans to figure out exactly how to repair vehicles — and more and more of those repair professionals will be women. Traditionally, the voices steering women away from rewarding collision repair jobs have been even louder than those facing their male peers. Despite this, the number of women in the ranks of painters and technicians has grown exponentially over the past two decades. From what I’ve seen, that is because the industry is inspiring women to give it their all. Catherine Matthewson’s passion for car painting resulted in a series of medals, and led to her winning the gold for auto painting at this year’s Skills Canada competition. Matthewson is one of the many women I have
Take 20-year-old Shanyce Neal, for example. She has been working in a shop since high school and hasn’t looked back since. Neal has also provided inspiration to young girls who are thinking about what their dream career will be, and at just five years old, Rielle Rumzi is convinced she will become a car painter when she grows up. These are the kind of people that will change the nature of the auto repair industry. Not only will the ratio of women entering the trades rise, but the number of people entering our industry in particular may also increase. Lindsey Cooke is a staff writer at Media Matters, and the guest editor of this issue of Bodyworx Professional. After a year with the company, the Toronto-based journalist is leaving to the next step in her career as a journalist.
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