Collision Repair magazine 13#3 by Media Matters

THE NEW NACE: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE SHOW’S NEW STYLE!

F-150 TRAINING How I-CAR and Ford collaborated early.

OE UPDATE

The latest on manufacturer certifications.

SETTLE DOWN

Profit, Passion, Performance

Colorworks adds brick and mortar to mobile offering.

HAITI ARISE!

Canadian collision repairers lend a hand overseas.

John Scetta and the team at Performance Collision & Restyling are reinventing dealership collision repair.

PLUS

Yannick Poirier breaks a PDR record, live demos at ‘What’s New Night,’ the OARA Convention and much, much more!!! Volume 13, Number 3

June 2014

$4.95

Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40841632 l 86 John Street, Thornhill, ON L3T 1Y2

COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

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CONTENTS

On The cover 30 Top Flight team High performance is a team effort at Performance Collision & Restyling.

Volume 13 Issue 3, June 2014

A mobile repairer puts roots in brick and mortar.

features 22 Surveys and Polls Readers weigh in on aluminum bodied pick-ups and new welding equipment. 37 Haiti Rising Canadian repairers are reaching out to help others build technical skills. 40 The new nace What the move to Detroit means for the world’s collision repair event. 45 Report on Training One of I-CAR’s newest instructors, training for the 2015 F-150 and facts and figures.

52 OE Certification update What you need to know to stay operational today ... and in the future. Training for the 2015 F-150 resulted from an unprecedented collaboration.

NEWS 06 COLLISION REPAIR 55 Towing & Recovery 57 RECYCLING

departments The team at Canadian Hail Repair has the tools, the talent and now, the proof.

THE NEW NACE: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE SHOW’S NEW STYLE!

F-150 TRAINING How I-CAR and Ford collaborated early.

On the Cover: John Scetta of Performance Collision & Restyling. Photography by darryl simmons.

OE UPDATE

The latest on manufacturer certifications.

SETTLE DOWN

Profit, Passion, Performance

Colorworks adds brick and mortar to mobile offering.

HAITI ARISE!

Canadian collision repairers lend a hand overseas.

John Scetta and the team at Performance Collision & Restyling are reinventing dealership collision repair.

PLUS

Yannick Poirier breaks a PDR record, live demos at ‘What’s New Night,’ the OARA Convention and much, much more!!!

YOUR ONLINE SOURCE

Canada’s collision repair information resource. New articles and top news stories daily. Visit www.collisionrepairmag.com.

04 Publisher’s page by Darryl Simmons NACE brings the best. 24 Point Blank by Sam Piercey Good parts, bad parts. 26 Prairie view by Tom Bissonnette On the floor some more. 28 Who’s driving? by Jay Perry Morning meeting.

COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

64 Recycling by David Gold Parts procurement.

HAVE YOUR SAY. We welcome your comments on anything you see in

66 Last word by Mike Davey Easy choice.

Volume 13, Number 3

June 2014

$4.95

Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40841632

86 John Street, Thornhill, ON L3T 1Y2

Collision Repair magazine. Send your feedback to editor@collisionrepairmag.com.

june 2014 collision Repair 03

publisher’s page

showtime Come to Detroit and show your national pride. By Darryl Simmons

he biggest event in the collision repair world is coming h o m e . T h e Int e r n at i o n a l Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) may not have been born in Detroit, but the Motor City is the spiritual home of all things auto. Many people across both our industry and the auto industry as a whole seem to agree. There’s a long list of other events and associations choosing to meet during what is now called Industry Week. It’s a good name. There are events, education and networking opportunities for just about everybody who is professionally involved with cars. Why do you have to go NACE? Mark E. Olson and Audie Swedeen of VeriFacts

cup of tea. I still think your problem will be the same one I have every single year: there’s too much to choose from, not too little. The only thing missing is you. We need your help to make sure the show is not only a huge success, but to show our Canadian pride. This is the best opportunity for us to show that we’re proud of our home-grown industry. We are in position to surpass the U.S. numbers due to Detroit’s proximity to our border. Travel costs will be lower, meaning we can bring more people than ever before. To help ignite this, we’re launching the NACE Network Challenge. The collision repair network that sends the most people via our discount link site will be

PUBLISHER DARRYL SIMMONS (905) 370-0101 publisher@collisionrepairmag.com general manager Ryan Potts ryan@mediamatters.ca EDITOR MIKE DAVEY editor@collisionrepairmag.com ART DIRECTOR DANIELA LUBERTO daniela@collisionrepairmag.com Assistant eDITOR ANDREW ARDIZZI andrew@mediamatters.ca VP Industry Relations & Advertising GLORIA MANN (647) 998-5677 advertising@collisionrepairmag.com director of sales & Marketing ellen Smith (416) 312-7446 ellen@mediamatters.ca Marketing Assistant WILL JACQUES, Will Simmons web & digital developer don kuzyk don@mediamatters.ca COLUMNISTS TOM BISSONNETTE, DAVID GOLD, JAY PERRY, SAM PIERCEY

we need your help to Really bring the noise. Automotive could give you 21 reasons. They’re giving a presentation entitled “21 Things You Need to Know to Stay Out of Court.” The idea is to give you simple procedures that you can put into an easy check sheet for techs to follow so they maintain consistent, quality work. The Expo is a great part of NACE and Industry Week, but for me the biggest value is in the educational opportunities. That’s where the true value of NACE lies: providing collision repairers with real, practical tips they can use to improve their businesses right now. I singled out Olson and Swedeen’s presentation simply because it was the first one that caught my eye when I scrolled down the agenda. There are frankly too many great presentations for me to list each and every one and tell you what they’ll bring you. Suffice to say that they all have something to offer. Maybe one particular presentation won’t be your

in the running for a valuable prize. Email me at publisher@collisionrepairmag.com for details. Last year at NACE, we hosted a “mini” Canada Night, where showgoers gathered at our booth to share drinks, snacks and stories during an on-the-floor event. We’re looking to doing the same this year, but we need your help to really bring the noise. Let’s show our counterparts in the U.S. how much we support our industry. You can find the discount sign-up page at exhibitorinvites.com/nace_cars/ mediamatters. NACE is waiting for you on July 30. Your country is counting on you. CRM

04 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

INTERNS palak palak, candace taylor SUBSCRIPTION One-year $29.95 / Two-year $55.95 Collision Repair™ magazine is published bi-monthly, and is dedicated to serving the business interests of the collision repair industry. It is published by Media Matters Inc. Material in Collision Repair™ magazine may not be reproduced in any form with out 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: 86 John Street Thornhill, ON L3T 1Y2

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Collision Repair magazine is published by Media Matters Inc., publishers of:

BODYWORX CELEBRATING CANADA'S COLLISION TECHS

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Trainingmatters.ca

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the front end

People on the move Ellen Smith has joined Media Matters, publisher of Collision Repair, Collision Quebec, trainingmatters.ca, Bodyworx Professional and Canadian Auto Recycler. In her new role as Director of Sales and Marketing with Media Matters, Smith will use her s k i l l s t o p ro m o t e and leverage the brands to develop Ellen Smith. new business opportunities for new and potential clients. She will also take the lead on repositioning trainingmatters.ca. “One of my first goals is to greatly expand on what trainingmatters.ca offers the industry,” she says. “There’s already a wealth of information available. We’re going to expand and build on that, as well as go beyond the current offering in intriguing ways. Trainingmatters.ca is well-positioned to offer the collision repair industry something truly new and exciting.” She has over 25 years experience with leading companies and organizations in the areas of brand and communication management, marketing and communications development, and planning and strategy. “Ellen is a great addition to our team,” says Darryl Simmons, Media Matters’ President. “She has vast strategic experience and knowledge of communications and marketing, including extensive experience in social media. Her experience will be instrumental as we expand our current portfolio and offerings.” She can be reached at 416-536-9285 or via email to ellen@mediamatters.ca. Mike Heska has joined the Fix Auto Ontario team as a Strategic Partner Developer. Heska has over 17 years of experience in the auto collision industry, where most recently he held a Director of Operations support role for a large multiple shop organization, Mike with significant time Heska. spent on support and training of shops on estimating, KPI management, health and safety and lean processes including time management and process development.

For over 10 years, Heska also held a management position at a high volume collision repair facility and was in charge of controlling day to day operations, including estimating, scheduling, parts management and communications with insurance partners. Heska will focus on Advanced Repair Centre Utilization and Consistent Implementation of the Fix Auto System. He is committed to providing ongoing support to Fix Auto’s Strategic Partners and can be reached at mheska@fixauto.com. The Automotive Retailers Association (ARA) is pleased to welcome Keith Jones to the team. As founder of Crash Space Solutions, Jones provided research and consulting services to the ARA in conjunction with the development of industry-led standards of performance and certification model for the B.C. auto Keith glass industry since Jones. retiring from ICBC in July 2013. Jones joins ARA full-time as Director of Industry Relations and will also be serving as the Industry Relations Advisor for the Collision Repair division. Many in the industry will know Jones from his 23 years with ICBC where he was instrumental in the development of ICBC’s collision repair and glass programs as well as their policies, procedures and technical solutions. Leanne Jefferies has been named as Leanne one of this year’s reJefferies. cipients of the Most Influential Women award. Jefferies is Director, Collision Programs for AIA Canada. The award is given annually to women in the industry who exemplify qualities of business and civic leadership, vision and commitment to excellence. Jefferies is the only Canadian on the list this year. The Most Influential Women Gala Dinner and Award Ceremony was held in conjunction with WIN’s 2014 Educational Conference May 5 to 7 in San Diego, Calif.

06 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Collision Repair 101 dfsd sdfsdfsd dfd iteuw

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Did they not do that at your last job?

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It sure was nice of the Doc to pay for this class so we could upgrade our skills!

sfdk etk iteuw No, they were always afraid I would learn new skills and leave!

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I think the Doc would be more concerned if we didn’t learn new skills and stuck around his shop where we can generate lawsuits.

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news

meeting seeks methods to get apprentices to class By Mike Davey

Enough apprentices are signing up to fill between 10 and 12 Level 1 classes in Ontario, according to John Norris of Collision Industry Information Assistance (CIIA), yet there are only four programs operating across the province. This discrepancy was the major focus at a recent meeting organized by CIIA and the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT) to discuss this “apprenticeship disconnect.” The meeting took place at the Ontario College of Trades, located at 655 Bay St. in Toronto, Ont., on April 25, 2014. David Tsubouchi opened the meeting by thanking the organizers and outlining the meeting’s purpose. Tsubouchi is the Registrar and CEO of the Ontario College of Trades, appointed to the position in September 2013. Tsubouchi served as the Progressive Conservative MPP for Markham from 1995 until 2003, held a number of high-level cabinet posts in the Ontario government. During his introductory remarks, Tsubouchi thanked the educators, association representatives, media and OCOT staff in attendance, as well as those who attended the meeting by phone. “You can’t just meet with shareholders who agree with you,” said Tsubouchi. “You have to meet with those who have opposing views. Our role is as a facilitator for these discussions.” Tsubouchi was followed by John Norris of CIIA, who outlined the need for the session. “We should have about 10 to 12 classes of 22 students, each, but we don’t. We’ve got four, and three of those we’re having to struggle to do,” said Norris, referencing the fact that some programs have had to delay their start or go forward with fewer seats filled. “We’re signing up plenty of apprentices. Why do we see so few going to school.” Norris noted that these college programs are a vital link in the chain that produces tomorrow’s technicians. The numbers show that over the last five years, Ontario’s collision repair industry has consistently attracted many apprentices. These apprentices have signed training agreements with repair facilities and begun to learn their trade. However, the numbers also show that between 70 and 80 percent of those new apprentices never arrive for their level of apprenticeship training, or complete their training and write the Certificate of Qualification exam. Norris believes that a solution to this may be applicable outside of Ontario as well, and representatives of automotive sector groups in Nova Scotia and B.C. participated in the meeting by phone. He also outlined the primary goal: increasing the attendance numbers by at least 30 percent this year and by 50 percent in 2015.

08 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

He then introduced a panel discussion, focused on answering questions from the floor regarding the perceived views of members of industry towards retention issues and apprenticeships, and possible challenges to increasing attendance rates. The panel was comprised of members of the industry press, including Mike Davey, Editor of Collision Repair magazine. Questions for the panelists led directly into the general discussion of challenges that contribute to low attendance rates. Mike Papoff is an instructor at Fanshawe College. He discussed some of the challenges that he noticed while completing his own apprenticeship. In addition to economic and family concerns, Papoff noted that the times the courses are held may contribute to lower attendance. “When I was going for my Level 3, the owner found out that both the other apprentice and I would be out of the shop for January and February,” said Papoff. Since this is often a shop’s busiest time of the year, switching to other months may result in increased attendance. Also under discussion were the various grants and incentives available to shops when hiring apprentices, and to apprentices to facilitate their schooling, tool purchases and other expenses. While nothing has been set in stone, several people forwarded the idea that at least some of those grants should be tied to school attendance. In addition to identifying the need to change how incentives and grants are awarded, a need for an apprenticeship “road map” was also identified. The idea behind the road map is that when you become an apprentice, you actually get a package, from either OCOT or from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, that lays out what an apprentice needs to know,” says Norris. “It will give you the dates to go to school, and a number to call if that’s difficult. It will list the grants and incentives that are available and how to get them, and it will also give apprentices a number to call if they feel they’re being abused. Part of the idea would be to provide it to the employer as well.” A strong workforce of trained technicians is a definite benefit to the collision repair industry. Providing value to apprentices makes them more valuable as employees, benefiting both themselves and their employers. Norris noted that it is the Level 1 courses that are in some ways the most important. “Most of the students that complete Level 1 go on to complete Levels 2 and 3,” said Norris. “It might not be immediately, but about 85 percent of students who complete Level 1 will complete the whole program.” For more information on OCOT, please visit collegeoftrades.ca. More information on this initiative will be forthcoming at ciia.com.

WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK. AND HOOD. Genuine Ford Collision Parts are a great choice for your customers, because they’re designed to meet demanding Ford proprietary engineering specifications. That means easy installation, a precise fit and long-lasting reliability. That also means your customers will experience like-new performance and get back on the road sooner. What’s more, Ford sheet metal is protected by a lifetime warranty backed by the Ford Protection Plan.* So, for quality parts and more satisfied customers, choose Genuine Ford parts, available only at your local Ford Store.

* Ford Protection Plan (“FPP”) is only available for purchasers of Ford replacement sheet metal for non-commercial cars and light trucks. FPP provides coverage (part and labour only) beyond the expiry of the standard Parts Warranty. If an FPP-eligible Ford sheet metal fails due to a defect in material that causes rust through, it will be replaced at no charge as long as the original purchaser of the part owns the vehicle on which the part was installed. See your local Ford Store for complete coverage details and limitations. ©2014 Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. All rights reserved.

news

live demos the highlight of ‘What’s New’ Night Live demos of new products were enough of a draw to bring over 100 industry stakeholders to CARSTAR Vision Park in Hamilton, Ont., for Caruk & Associate’s “What’s New Night.” The evening event focused on live demos of new products, including new cleaning and detailing products from Auto-Chem and the new Uni-Vac dent puller from H & S Autoshot. The event, held on Wednesday April 23, 2014, featured numerous opportunities to see live demonstrations directly from manufacturers. Some of the live demonstrations included: • • • • • •

Spray Max small damage repair U-Pol new fillers and aerosols H&S new Uni-Vac dent puller SATA new mini jet and primer guns Norton with Mothers’ new polishing system Fusor’s new direct-to-metal full bodied seam sealer

Danny Grenier of AutoChem conducts a demo for industry members. Demos of new products were the focus of “What’s New” Night.

Caruk & Associates would like to thank CARSTAR Automotive Canada for use of the space, as well as the following manufacturers for helping to make this event possible: • • • • • •

Auto-Chem Camfil Drester Dynabrade H&S Autoshot Lord Fusor

• • • • •

Norton Abrasives SATA Spray Max Tork U-Pol Products Jay Hayward of CSN Collision Centres and Jerry Snyder of JES Sales.

PartsTrader rolls out across U.S. Bob Stracina of St. Gobain Abrasives, Don Teevens of Co-Auto Co-Operative, Phil Zylstra of Norton and Ryan Beattie of St. Gobain.

Spraying away profits? Ultra-efficent NitroHeat will cut your paint costs by up to 35% while boosting throughput as much as 20%. Call today!

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10 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

PartsTrader has completed the U.S. deployment of its parts procurement platform which began in August 2013. As of April 17, 2014 collision repairers and parts suppliers are active on the system in all 48 continental states and the District of Columbia. There are currently over 7,500 repairers and 8,500 suppliers active on the PartsTrader system. Of the active suppliers, over 75 percent are OEM dealers. Since launching its initial pilot 25 months ago, PartsTrader has processed over 750,000 quote requests, with an average response time from suppliers of less than 15 minutes. These requests have generated over one million confirmed parts orders. “We’re excited about transitioning into the next phase of service for our current and future customers,” says Dale Sailer, PartsTrader’s Vice President of Business Development. “One of the things we’ve been pleased to see is the growing number of repairers who have achieved process improvements and are now using our system for all their parts procurement needs, not just those related to a specific insurance company.”

ORDER WITH CONFIDENCE, WITH BMW GROUP’S ONLINE PARTS SALES SUPPORT. Ordering made simple. Parts Sales Support, or PaSS, offers you the opportunity to order Original BMW and MINI Parts quickly, simply and in line with your needs, online. Benefits: • Instant price quotes.* • Instant access to product availability.* • Order parts when you need them, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.* • Access BMW and MINI’s Electronic Parts Catalogue for magnified views of each part. • Service Repair Packages (SRP) search function conveniently bundles all parts required for specific repairs. • Free sign-up. Participation open to select service and repair centres only. Conditions apply. For more information, please consult your BMW or MINI Retailer and visit www.pass.bmw.com.

BMW GROUP * PaSS benefits subject to change without notice. Access limited to select participants. Additional conditions apply. ©2014 BMW Canada Inc. “BMW”, the BMW logo, BMW model designations and all other BMW related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and/or trademarks of BMW AG, used under licence. Available at participating BMW and MINI Retailers.

news

Guelph Paint & Bumper demos new 3M products By Palak Palak

Wayne Kurtz of Guelph Paint & Bumper watches Paul Norris of 3M demonstrate the company’s new File Belt Sander while Steve Gallace steadies the panel.

Demoing 3M’s Paint Preparation System for some of the team at Legget’s Collision~CSN.

Leggett’s Collision~CSN in Orangeville, Ont. recently played host to a demonstration of 3M equipment by Guelph Paint & Bumper. The demo focused on new products that have already been launched in the U.S. but were only released in Canada in March. The new products on display included 3M’s new high tech 6-inch discs that last four times longer than the company’s original purple disc, new sizes of 3M’s PPS cups and a new finer nozzle for the company’s primer kit. In addition, there was a demonstration of 3M’s File Belt Sander

“A new generation in collision repair performance.”

and matching abrasives. According to 3M, the File Belt Sander can cut in tighter areas than bulkier spot weld drills and the replaceable 36 grit belts easily cut high-strength steel that frustrates expensive drill bits. The file belt tool can also be used for other jobs, such as weld dressing and refinement with an 80 belt; or using 3M’s Scotch-Brite Durable Flex Belts for blending, finishing and polishing. For more information on Guelph Paint & Bumper, please visit gbpsupplies.ca.

REST ASSURED

At Assured Automotive, we deliver on our promise to provide each policy holder with a quality collision repair. We fully understand that a positive repair experience with us, leads to a repeat customer for our Insurance and Dealer Partners. We NOW HAVE 45 LOCATIONS throughout Ontario to serve you better. Assured Automotive is a proud supporter of the Michael “Pinball” Clemons Foundation and their efforts to build hope, security, education and opportunity.

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12 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

WE’RE ALL FOR PRODUCTIVITY

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big name and future. We’ll continue to stand for efficiency, clarity, support and growth— from the front of the body shop to the back. Because from today forward, we are Cromax. Learn more at www.cromax.com

Axalta Coating Systems™, the Cromax logo, Cromax® and all marks denoted with ™ or ® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Axalta Coating Systems, LLC and its affiliates, used under license by Axalta Coating Systems Canada Company. © 2014 Axalta Coating Systems Canada Company. All rights reserved.

news

Equipment the focus at rotunda f-150 exhibition By Mike Davey

Ford’s announcement that the 2015 F-150 will feature an aluminum body has generated a lot of buzz in the industry, especially regarding the equipment that will be needed to repair the vehicle after it becomes available. The Rotunda F-150 Collision Exhibition, a special event organized by Ford Canada, showcased the approved equipment for Ford dealers from across Canada. The event took place at the Toronto Airport Hilton. It was organized specifically to highlight the equipRight: Brent Corder and Sean Rothfusz of Ford of Canada, and Paul St-Amour and Adrienne Solda of Rotunda Ford of Canada. Below, from left to right: Mike Pederson of Freedom Ford in Edmonton, Alta., Alan Palechek of Color Compass, and Gloria Mann of Collision Repair magazine; John Duffy of Chief Automotive and Bob Roberts of Rotunda Canada; Brandon Lowden and Jessica Leinon of Global Finishing Solutions.

Interested In sellIng Your shop? Kirmac Collision & Autoglass is actively seeking acquisition opportunities in British Columbia. Interested parties should contact acquisitions@kirmac.com

kirmac.com

14 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

news

ment Ford has approved for body repairs to the 2015 F-150, significantly redesigned to replace the vehicle’s traditional steel body panels and bed with military-grade aluminum. Ford has also increased the amount of high-strength steel in the new F-150’s frame from 23 percent to 77 percent. Properly restoring an aluminum collision-damaged vehicle to pre-accident condition requires new repair methods and equipment. Recognizing this, Ford has added a number of products from Chief, Elektron, Car-O-Liner, Global Finishing Solutions and others to its Rotunda Dealer Equipment program before the 2015 F-150 hits showrooms later this year.

AIA to Parliamentary Budget Office: Canada’s national labour shortage is real The Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada is responding to the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s (PBO) March 25, 2014 report entitled Labour Market Assessment 2014. AIA does not agree that, “there is little evidence to suggest a national labour shortage exists in Canada,” as reported by the PBO. According to AIA, the existing national skills shortage is severely impacting Canada’s automotive aftermarket industry with a growing number of job vacancies and not enough skilled workers to fill them. According to the CARS Council’s 2013 study entitled, “Performance Driven: An update on the Labour Market Opportunities and Challenges for Canada’s Motive Power Repair and Service Sector,” there are just over 11,800 unfilled positions in Canada’s automotive aftermarket, with Canada’s Motive Power Repair and Service Sector (MPRS) accounting for 29 percent of these vacancies. According to the study, 28 percent of employers report having one or more unfilled positions. The amount of work experience held by automotive aftermarket workers is decreasing, with the percentage of workers with 15 or more years experience now significantly smaller than it was in 2005 (CARS Council 2009). At the same time, more MPRS workers are approaching retirement, with 20 percent of employers saying they are prepared to fill vacancies due to retirement over the next five years (CARS Council 2009). “Labour shortages in the automotive service and repair sector will significantly damage the productivity of the automotive aftermarket industry and the Canadian economy as a whole, making it imperative to accrue more skilled technicians into the workforce,” says Marc Brazeau, AIA President and CEO. He further stated that sector employers anticipate that future labor shortages will have the greatest negative impact on their hiring of service technicians, body and collision damage repair technicians and technician specialists. Although the PBO Labour Market Assessment did acknowledge that there appears to be regional and sectoral pockets of labour market tightness, such as in Saskatchewan, AIA Canada does not believe that this position adequately reflects the state of labour in the automotive aftermarket on a national basis.

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For additional information about this new technology please call your preferred Axalta distributor or the Axalta Customer Care Centre at 1-800-668-6945. www.cromax.com AN AXALTA COATING SYSTEMS BRAND The Cromax logo and Cromax® MosaicTM are trademarks or registered trademarks of Axalta Coating Systems LLC or its affiliates, used under license by Axalta Coating Systems Canada Company. © 2014 Axalta Coating Systems Canada Company. All rights reserved.

news

Ontario launches $1 million program to drive research into connected and autonomous vehicles Proponents of both “connected“ and autonomous, self-driving vehicles often tout increased safety for drivers, passengers and pedestrians as one of the main benefits. However, any increases in safety must rely on absolutely flawless technology. Vast amounts of research must be done before these vehicles bring about any noticeable safety

benefits. However, a new research grant may help to bring the autonomously piloted passenger car to Ontario’s cities on a new level. Ontario Centres of Excellence, on behalf of the province’s Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Research and Innovation, has launched the Connected Vehicle/Autonomous Vehicle (CVAV) Research Program, a $1 million

16 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

investment to drive connected and autonomous vehicle technologies to the next level. The program brings businesses and academic institutions together to develop innovations in this rapidly moving area with a focus on projects with high commercialization potential. Projects can receive up to $250,000 over a maximum of two years. All funds allocated in this way must be matched with cash and in-kind contributions. “This partnership with the Government of Ontario will foster innovation and the growth of next-generation technologies in the province,” says Dr. Tom Corr, OCE’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Through strategic investments, the CVAV Research Program will produce dynamic partnerships that take research and development in this area to the next level.” Connected vehicles use wireless technology to connect with other vehicles, transportation infrastructure and mobile devices to give motorists information that results in a safer drive. Autonomous, or self-driving, vehicles rely on sensors and computer analytics to sense their environments and navigate without human input. “This program is going to be a showcase for some of the most innovative research being done in the area of connected and autonomous vehicles anywhere in the world,” says Reza Moridi, Minister of Research and Innovation. “The projects flowing from this program will not only make Ontario a technology leader, it will create and sustain jobs in the automotive sector.” Topics that will receive the highest consideration include products, services and standards to reduce driver distraction; communications management; data management; connected vehicle technology and improving traffic operations and management. “We are proud to help our partners develop new technologies that improve Ontario’s highways and roads and make our province a leader in connected and autonomous vehicles,” says Glen Murray, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure. “These innovations will help people move more safely and easily while creating jobs now and in the future.” The program builds on the 2011 Connected Vehicle Research Program, which awarded seven research grants to Ontario universities to explore connected vehicles.

news

Co-Auto and TADA host Ontario Dealer Day Over 75 exhibitors packed the Paramount Conference & Event Venue in Woodbridge, Ont., for Ontario Dealer Day. The event was co-sponsored by Co-Auto Co-Operative and the Toronto Automobile Dealers Association (TADA). The trade show opened at 9 a.m. and the hall was soon experiencing a steady flow of foot traffic. In addition to networking, live demos and numerous exhibits, the event featured two keynote speakers. Ron Bremner was the first keynote speaker of the day. Past President and CEO of the Calgary Flames, Bremner spoke on entrepreneurship and growing your business. Bremner was followed by Leif Babin, a former U.S. Navy Seal officer and the cofounder of Echelon Front, a company that offers leadership training developed and proven in U.S. Navy Seal teams. Babin spoke on management and team leadership. For more information on Co-Auto Co-Operative, please visit co-auto.com.

Above left: Rob Bremner was one of the event’s keynote speakers. Above right: Robert Kwiatkowski of FBS Distribution.

Steve Goegan and Greg Fenzl of Co-Auto Co-Operative, Nick Liguori of Woodchester Collision and Craig Ross of Co-Auto Co-Operative.

dust free saNdiNg for a HealtHier Work eNviroNmeNt +

Kyle Gamni mans the Standard Auto Wreckers booth. Ontario Dealer Day featured numerous vendors.

Tom Langton, President & CEO and Trevor Dawson, Vice President of Co-Auto Co-Operative.

= No dust

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June 2014 collision Repair 17

news

ayce launches 5th year of pre-apprenticeships The AYCE Pre-apprenticeship Training for Auto Body Collision and Damage Repair program kicked off its 5th anniversary with an event at Toronto’s Metro Hall. The event began with a short introductory video recapping highlights from the program’s first five years, followed with a short introduction delivered by Nimo Abdulkadir, Director of AYCE Employment Services. Flavio Battilana, Chief Operating Officer for CSN, followed with the first industry presentation of the day. Battilana discussed CSN’s history as an organization, and the company’s long relationship with the AYCE program. He also touched on what would be a common theme for the day: the value of persistence. “It’s not an easy trade,” says Battilana. “But it’s a rewarding trade. There are a lot of opportunities for young people who are willing to work hard.” Battilana introduced the next speaker, Jason Burnett, 2008 Silver Medalist at the Beijing Olympics for Trampoline. Burnett provided insight into the life and early career of an Olympic medalist, again reinforcing the theme of persistence. His story

Some of the guests and presenters at the launch of the 5th anniversary AYCE program. From left: Carlo Juco, Lorne Jackson, Mohammed Burawa, Wayne James, Usman Burawa, Nimo Abdulkadir, John Norris, Marc Tremblay, Trevor Smith and Jason Burnett.

of the Beijing Olympics is a story of how various challenges almost led to him getting knocked out of competition before the finals, but how perseverance eventually led to the podium and a Silver medal win for Canada. Next up were brothers Mohammed and Usman Burawa. Both discussed how participating in AYCE’s program has put them on the path to a long-term career. Wayne James of Maaco Canada followed, highlighting Maaco’s support of the AYCE program over the last five years. Two AYCE graduates, Lorne Jackson and Carlo Juco, followed James, with each discussing how the program has helped to change

their lives and provide them with a career path. Marc Tremblay introduced the final speaker of the day, John Norris of Collision Industry Information Assistance (CIIA), who discussed how the program helps to retain students. Tremblay capped off the event by thanking the numerous collision repair facilities and organizations who have helped to make the program a success. “If the industry hadn’t believed in AYCE, we wouldn’t have lasted five years,” says Tremblay. The event concluded with the cutting of a custom cake, donated by Annie and Dot Keeps it Sweet Desserts. Please visit AYCE.on.ca for more info.

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news

CSN celebrates 5th Annual Date Night CSN Collision Centres recently celebrated its 5th Annual Date Night with a private screening of “The Other Woman” at Square One in Mississauga, Ont. Vince Martino of Martino Brothers Auto Body~CSN, Joe Frangione of Capital Collision~CSN, Vicki Cole of Gore Mutual, Jack Martino of Martino Brothers Auto Body~CSN and Lorenzo D’Alessandro of 427 Auto Collision~CSN and Avenue Collision ~CSN.

Thank you

The evening kicked off with drinks and appetizers at Jack Astor’s Bar and Grill, before attendees headed next door to a private screeing at Cineplex Cinemas. Over 150 people attended the evening event, including insurance adjusters, CSN members and other industry representatives. For more information on CSN Collision Centres, please visit csninc.ca.

Flavio Battilana of CSN Collision Centres, Callie Matthews of Gore Mutual and Nick DiLuca of CARS Auto Collision~CSN.

AYCE Employment Services: A Division of Tropicana Community Services

Mina and Bud Bajric of Fineline Collision~CSN.

would like to thank Collision Repair magazine, Canadian Auto Reyclers magazine, Bodyworx Professional and the auto body collision and damage repair industry for all of their support in helping us achieve five successful years of introducing new hands to the industry. Thank you and we look forward to a bright future ahead.

www.ayce.on.ca

20 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Larry French and Jenny Trokic of CSN welcome guests to an exclusive showing of “The Other Woman.”

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facts & figures

by the numbers

Do you use point-of-sale displays?

15.4%

23.1%

61.5%

Readers weigh in on point-of-sale displays, the new Ford pick-ups and welding equipment. By Mike Davey

oint-of-sale displays are very common in retail environments. We’ve all seen them at t he che ckout, typica l ly filled with small, impulse buy items. This doesn’t seem applicable to the collision repair industry, though. Or does it?

We recently surveyed our readers to inquire about their use of point-of-sale displays. The majority (over 60 percent) don’t use them. About 15 percent do, but only to collect for charity. However, this leaves approximately 23 percent of survey respondents who do have pointof-sale displays.

No, we do not use point-of-sale displays. Yes, we have a number of small items for sale at the counter. Yes, but only to collect money for charity.

For those of you who aren’t using them, it’s something you might consider. We’re not suggesting you start selling chap stick

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facts & figures

Is your facility ready for the first wave of aluminum bodied pick-ups?

Are you considering the purchase of new welding equipment this year?

7.7%

13.6%

7.7%

23.1%

36.4%

18.2%

19.2%

0.1352

23.1% 31.8%

We will have the equipment, and training is ongoing or arranged. No, we'll either subcontract or turn down the work. Yes. We have the tools, we have the talent. Yes, we will be ready by the time the trucks hit the market.

and gum. There are a number of small items available that already fit into your wheelhouse. For example, there are a number of

19.2%

Yes. We're looking at new spot welders. Yes. We're looking at new MIG or TIG welders. Yes. We're looking at plastic welding. No, we have all the equipment we need. Yes. We're looking at various options. No, but we might be in the market next year.

small scratch repair kits available. These are intended for do-it-yourselfers, and could make an excellent upsell after the repair.

We also asked our readers to tell us if their shop was ready to repair the first wave of aluminum bodied pick-ups. The majority of them indicated that they were, or would be in the near future. However, a strong minority (over 30 percent) indicated that they instead planned to either turn the work away or subcontract it. We suspect these repairers may change their minds at a later date. While aluminum is still not common, stringent fuel economy standards almost certainly mean we will see more of it in the near future. Turning to welding equipment, no clean and overwhelming winner emerges. However, we can develop a good generalized picture. It’s worth noting that fewer than 20 percent of respondents indicated that they were definitely not in the market, with a further 23 percent saying they weren’t this year, but might be in the market for a new welding rig in 2015. Respondents looking at new spot welders are tied with those who said they might purchase a new welder next year, with those who are looking at various options coming in at 19 percent. CRM

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June 2014 collision Repair 23

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LOOKING FOR ALUMINUM SOLUTIONS?

pricematch We need price matching from the OEs. By Sam Piercey

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ftermarket parts. Where is this going? It isn’t quite a monopoly, but it is coming down to only one major player in North America. I’m worried that this is going to lead into a major program change price wise, and no alterations, changes or negotiating on price. It is what it is, and if you have noticed in the last few years the prices on these aftermarket parts has changed dramatically. The fit and finish has improved ver y little, some parts are not available CAPA Certified and we struggle to make them fit. We have unhappy customers and unhappy tech-

Even if you have to pay a few extra dollars (and I really mean a few. It’s not much), then you’re the winner. There’s no struggle, the tech puts on OE parts, the customer gets OE parts, and the car goes out the door. I think we have to fight for this. The OEs probably want to sell us parts at competitive prices, so we need to get the other two-thirds on board with pricematching schemes. Also I need to mention the recycled parts that we are trying to locate are becoming few and far between. Supply and demand has become very little supply and great demand.

It makes for bad customer relations all around. nicians. Come backs, such as bumpers peeling because of factory primer that does not take well to our primers and paint, are always frustrating. I have had six comebacks due to this problem in the last six months. Not only that, it’s a problem getting credits and returns. The situation has got to be embarrassing to our insurance partners, just like it is for us. It makes for bad customer relations all around. It’s costing hundreds of dollars to all parties involved. The supplier only pays for two days rental for the come back and it takes several days to get replacement parts. The supplier wins any way you look at it. As the owner or manager of a collision repair facility, you can make a change simply by asking your OE suppliers to try and price match their parts to the equivalent aftermarket parts. Guess what? You will find that about one-third of the OEs are price matching or what we call ”beat the competition.”

24 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

The insurance partners have to understand that even big companies, ones that have become gigantic conglomerates, are having major problems sourcing certain parts in good condition. The market is running short. There is simply very little in the way of good recycled parts available because of great demand. Most total losses are hit hard and often few parts are salvageable. I’m sure the guys and the gals in the recycling industry are doing their best, but they can’t buy salvage that doesn’t exist. You, as a shop owner or manager, can help make a change. Talk to your OE parts supplier, and ask them to take the message back up the line that they have to price match. We can make it happen to help move the industry forward. CRM Sam Piercey is the co-owner of Budds' Collision Services in Oakville, Ont. He is a long-time Coyote member and sits on many boards and committees. Sam can be reached at sam@buddscollision.com.

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prairie view

Stillonthefloor Three months as parts manager brings insight into delays. By Tom Bissonnette

n my last article I discussed how I’ve been working as the parts manager at our shop. It’s a long story as to why, but more important, what have I learned these past three months? Well, for starters, the administrative burden involved in running a busy collision shop is well on its way to being just plain stupid. You pretty much have to be a Philadelphia lawyer when processing insurance claims. As our provincial insurer is ramping up its new program of measuring collision shop performance in key areas like cycle time, aftermarket parts usage, customer satisfaction and so on I have found that a good 20 percent of my day involves keeping detailed notes on each and every job – more so if something is going sideways! As the parts person I see just about everything that can go wrong: • Wrong parts • Late parts • Damaged parts • Backordered parts

• Sublet challenges • Invoicing challenges Every time something happens to delay a job I have to make sure that everyone from my front office staff right through to the customer, rental car company and insurance provider know what is happening and why. Not an easy thing to do when you are juggling 27 vehicles like I did one week. Guess who takes the flak if someone is not informed? The good news is that I can’t be fired and when I have my parts person back I will make sure she has lots of support. The one thing that has really burned my backside is aftermarket parts. I thought that since we tackled this issue all those years ago at CCIF all of our fit and finish problems were done with. How bad is it? Well my records show that 80 percent of remanufactured bumpers get rejected by our shop—my

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prairie view

supplier says it is only 41 percent (like that is a good thing?) and our CAPA Certified sheet metal — that fits just like factory — is running at 20 percent deficient! Headlamps are also running at a 20 percent failure rate. When we get an estimate asking for a remanufactured bumper, aftermarket fender, hood and headlamp I know we are screwed. There is a 100

parts be used at all. They take longer to fit—if they can even be fitted—which must increase cycle time and rental car charges which in turn effects customer satisfaction. It should make clients review why they are dealing with an insurance company that allows this silliness to continue. Do we have to educate our customers and explain to them the concept of “Diminished Value”

Guess who takes the flak if someone is not informed? The good news is that I can’t be fired. percent chance that we will not be able to get a satisfactory fit and finish on that job. We only have one supplier of aftermarket parts in our city, so I am almost being held ransom by these guys. They claim they are doing all they can to make it better but let’s be honest – they just want to sell as many parts as they can, and they hope the shops are too busy or too far away to complain and they end up making their parts work. Honestly I cannot understand how they and the insurance companies let these kind of substandard

and how substandard parts are reducing the value of their vehicles? Can you fine people weigh in on this and let me know what you think? You can reach me at the email address below. CRM

Tom Bissonnette is the owner/operator of Parr Auto Body, a collision repair facility located in Saskatoon, Sask. He can be reached at tom@parrautobody.com.

june 2014 collision Repair 27

who’s driving?

morningMeeting Bite the bullet and do it. You’ll be glad you did.

By Jay Perry

e’re still in the midst of our discussion of what must be done to achieve a smooth running store. There are three things I believe to be very important. Two are things to do. The third is about attitude. The most important thing you can do with your production crew are morning meetings where you discuss in detail the vehicles you have at the shop. The important aspect of successful meetings is that they are to be driven by the reality of production. This is key to their success. Most of the time I see these meetings being driven by pie-in-the-sky thinking, without consideration for the production

time. Another three weeks to get them into the habit of talking honestly with each other. What I like to call the Walk Around is another key to-do item in the life of the Production Manager. This is the time that you address your individual team members. The focus is upon the vehicles, but you should capitalize on the opportunity to get to know your team better as individuals as well. The theme of the walk around is “Proactively Looking for Potential Challenges.” We are attempting to eliminate or greatly reduce the impact of problems arising that would interfere with us achieving our stated goals for delivery time, quality of repair and fair compensation to the business.

success comes into the shop through team building and communications. reality in the shop. This defeats the intention of having truthful communications to our customers and referring partners. You need to learn if there are problems the production team is dealing with. Those problems becomes the focus of the meeting. Another aspect is to deal with best case scenarios. That is where you ask, if all things go right, when can you count on the vehicle moving to the next stage? Traditionally, the industry does a terrible job at proactive problem solving and that spills over into how we run the shop internally. This applies to the detail shop and the alignment shop being bombarded at the end of the day. It cannot be overstated that focus must be brought into these meetings. This means two things must be met as conditions. First, you discuss one vehicle at a time. Second, you must have a clear picture of the next step in the production/ administration action items including Who, What, Where, When and sometimes How the action will be executed. It takes practice for these meetings to become effective, so don’t give up. It often takes three weeks just to make sure everyone shows up on 28 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

It is an opportune time to view challenges and create documentation (take your camera with you) that could help explain to our own staff the various needs of the production workers and back us in the case of supplemental for costs recovery. This shouldn’t take more than three minutes per technician. They are held as early in the day as you can, usually before 10 a.m. This brings us to the position of Production Manager. This person is responsible for the clearing and facilitation of information. This clearing and facilitation is between the reality of production and the expectations of the CSRs on your office team. Take the attitude of being a facilitator rather than a supervisor. Look at the job as continually moving information from station to station. Success comes into the shop through team-building and truth in communications. This is how you stay the one who’s driving. CRM Jay Perry is the founder and owner of Automotive Business Consultants (ABC), a performance coaching company specializing in the automotive service industry. He can be reached via e-mail at jayperry@a-b-c-inc.com.

profiles of success

John Scetta moved from rental car management to an apprenticeship in body repair to collision repair management.

30â&#x20AC;&#x192; collision Repairâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; collisionrepairmag.com

profiles of success

Reimagining By Mike Davey

Performance W For John Scetta and the crew at Performance Collision & Restyling, every day is a chance to do something great.

e’ve seen the numbers of dealer owned collision repair facilities shrink in recent years. Every case is different, but the smart money says that dealers rarely close a part of the business that’s acting as a profit centre. However, the tide may be turning. Dealers are looking at collision with fresh eyes, and the drive within the industry towards greater efficiency is making the business a more attractive proposition. Today’s dealers know that profit can only be realized if the management and staff are top-notch. Enter John Scetta, General Manager of Performance Collision & Restyling in St. Catharines, Ont. Performance Collision & Restyling is part of the Performance Auto Group, a group of dealerships representing brands such as Acura, BMW, MINI, Chrysler, Dodge Jeep, RAM, FIAT, Hyundai, EQUUS, Lexus, Toyota, Scion, Mercedes-Benz, Sprinter and smart. The group is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The collision business has been part of the group for the last 42 years. Scetta was an experienced location manager before he ever picked up a hammer. “I was a location manager with Advantage Car Rentals,” says Scetta. “We were always dealing with shops, for obvious reasons. One day I went into an office at a collision centre and found that I liked it and wanted to learn more.” Scetta didn’t want to just learn collision solely from the business side. He wanted to get his hands dirty. He enrolled at Mohawk College and started an apprenticeship.

His experience as a manager on the rental side led directly to his first experience managing a collision repair facility. While apprenticing at a Ford store, the manager of the dealership’s collision facility went on maternity leave. The owner knew Scetta had management experience, and moved him into the manager role on a temporary basis. “I got a taste for collision management,” says Scetta. “After the regular manager came back, another opportunity opened up to sharpen my management skills.” Scetta moved to Budds’ Collision Services, where he worked for 12 years before making the move to the Performance Auto Group. “It was an opportunity both to grow myself and to grow a business,” says Scetta. “By moving here, I have the opportunity to run my own ship, and possibly move into ownership one day.”

Scetta’s previous employer is well-known for its affiliation with high-end brands such as BMW and is part of a multi-dealer organization. Performance Auto Group is a multi-dealer organization, also known for its many high-end brands. Scetta was able to leverage the experience he already gained in the new facility. Collision repair has not been an attractive proposition for dealers in recent years, with many of them closing down their facilities in favour of building relationships with local high-quality repairers. However, some dealers are still willing to invest, if they can be shown a good return on investment. “The rest of the group supports us 100 percent,” says Scetta. “We’ve shown that there’s value to be had in the collision centre if it’s run correctly. We’re taking every possible step to do that, including taking whatever education we can get our hands on. Whether

A lot of design went into building the new shop, down to the design of individual bays that gives techs ready access to equipment without bumping elbows.

June 2014 collision Repair 31

profiles of success

The team at Performance Collision & Restyling. A captain is only as good as his crew.

it’s Swav Pietras, our assistant manager, taking training, myself at the 20 group to learn from others or our technicians upgrading their skills, we’re always learning.” The dedication to training and improved process has paid off in renewed investment from the group. Performance Collision & Restyling recently moved to a new, larger location. “We really needed the room,” says Scetta. “We’ve been aggressively growing the business over the last few years, and our old facility simply couldn’t handle more volume.” The new facility is certainly larger— 18,000 sq. ft. vs. 7,000 sq. ft.—but the differences are not just a matter of size. Design, layout and process are geared for maximum efficiency, and new top-ofthe-line equipment has been installed. “BASF has been extremely helpful in helping us to achieve the best process, and by bringing out new products to keep us moving fast,” says Scetta. “We’re spraying their Onyx HD system. It meets the VOC regulations, but you can put in an additive and it acts like solventborne. Put in a different additive and it acts like waterborne. It’s saved us a lot of time.” The facility is now located at 342 Ontario St. in St. Catharines, Ont., just down the street from its previous location. The expanded collision centre is a sure sign that the group’s management considers Performance Collision & Restyling a valuable part of its offering and a profit centre in its own right. “We took the opportunity to put in equipment that’s really top of the line,” says Scetta. “The most obvious is our new Wolf Taifuno spray booth. They’ve got an excel-

Collision repair has not been an attractive proposition for dealers in recent years, with many of them closing down their facilities in favour of building relationships with local highquality repairers. lent reputation in Europe. We expect it to increase production and efficiency.” The new booth has a number of technologically advanced features, but one of its most striking advantages is relatively simple. When the car enters the booth, it is placed on special rollers riding on tracks. When the car is ready to cure, the rollers activate and slide along the tracks resting in the floor, moving the vehicle to the attached bake oven. When the cure is complete, the rollers activate again, depositing the vehicle outside the booth. The layout of the new facility is likewise designed with efficiency in mind. Brand new prep stations, also from Wolf, line the wall opposite the spray booth. This means as short a trip as possible from prep to paint. Repair bays are well-equipped, including a lift in each and enough space for techs to work without bumping into each other.

32 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

The parts department occupies a very large top floor mezzanine area. Everything is set up for efficient product and continuous flow, with parts carts brought down to the floor by an elevator when they’re needed. In addition, the facility includes a dedicated restyling area, offering a full line of 3M products including tint, paint protection film and 1080 vehicle wrap material. “We offer paint protection film in a variety of sizes, but what is taking the market by storm is full front end wraps with paint protection film,” says Scetta. “We’re fully equipped to handle this trend. With our expel software and 65-inch plotter, there’s nothing we can’t cut or handle.” It’s not just restyling. There seems to be almost nothing the facility can’t handle. Performance Collision & Restyling is the only BMW Canada Certified Collision Repair Centre in the Niagara region, and the facility is also certified under the Toyota, Lexus and Scion programs. “Mercedes-Benz manufacturer approval isn’t too far off. We just have a few things left to accomplish to meet their strict program,” says Scetta. “As soon as Acura completes their program, we’ll work with them to attain that certification as well.” As the name suggests, it’s not just collision at Performance Collision & Restyling. While the restyling business is certainly smaller than the collision side, significant business comes in from the new car sales side at Performance Group. “They’ve been great at showing our customers the value of 3M products like paint protection film and vehicle wraps,” says Scetta. “Shadow Shield, our distributor, has been great about providing training. It’s a different skill set, but our guys picked it up quickly.” Ask John Scetta one way to improve the industry across the board, and he’ll say it’s education regarding repair standards. “Certain vehicles with particular damage need a particular repair,” says Scetta. “It’s really just that simple. You either repair the vehicle properly, or you’re taking lives in your hands. It’s important for all of us involved in the business to understand this, whether you’re involved as a repairer, supplier or insurer.” For more information, please visit performancecollisionandrestyling.ca. CRM

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Alan Anderson of Vale Training Solutions prepares to use a “dent gun” on a panel. Dent guns are designed to make dents of uniform size and depth for testing purposes.

Record Breakers New certification process shows Canadian Hail Repair has the tools and the talent. By Mike Davey

he dent is at the very limits of what can be repaired with paintless dent repair techniques, but Yannick Poirier isn’t worried. Years of practicing PDR have led up to this moment, and he’s confident he can repair the dent in the time allotted. When he’s finished, the former dent is invisible to the naked eye. A sophisticated electronic scanning device confirms that the repair is good, and much more: the deviation of the panel was .995 and Yannick returned it to .955 for zero deviation. It is literally perfect PDR. Poirier was just one of the many technicians from Canadian Hail Repair who recently underwent a certification process offered by Vale Training Solutions. The company developed the process after numerous requests from PDR industry professionals.

cation processes uses a special “dent gun” to create dents of uniform size and depth, in addition to a precision scanner. Alan Anderson and Jon McCreath are respectively the Programs Director and President of Vale Training Solutions, and were on hand to conduct the certification process. Both noted that, in all of the testing and certification they’ve done since the program was developed, no one has ever come closer than Poirier during his test. “This is the closest we’ve ever seen anyone come,” says Anderson. “Bear in mind that these differences are far smaller than the naked eye can detect. You could look at two quality repairs and think they were identical, but the scanner knows better. We’ve had people come very close, but a result like Yannick’s is unprecented.”

The certification is a timed evaluation of actual PDR work on steel and aluminum panels, using a state-of-the-art, digital-optic surface measurement device. According to Vale Training Solutions, this test is totally unique to the industry as a purely objective, hands-on demonstration of skill. Timed rep airs must p ass a very high standard to qualify the technician for certification. Properly repairing various grades of dent can earn a technician one of three designat i ons : j ou r n e y m an , craftsman and master Bing Wong and Sam Piercey Jr. of Canadian Hail Repair. craftsman. The certifi-

34 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

CERTIFICATION

McCreath has certified many PDR techs using the Vale method, and he agrees that the results achieved by Poirier are unmatched. “It’s very impressive, but the technicians we tested all achieved very good results,” says McCreath. “The vast majority of Canadian Hail Repair techs we tested were able to repair the ‘master craftsman’ level dent so it was undetectable by eye or hand. Yannick’s achievement goes a bit beyond that.” In addition to the PDR certification, Vale Training Solutions also conducted Remove & Install (R&I) certifications with Canadian Hail Repair. “The final result was 23 certified PDR technicians and 21 R&I certifications, including having more of our PDR techs also certified in R&I,” says Bing Wong, Managing Director of Canadian Hail Repair. The number of certifications issued makes this the single largest PDR certification event ever held in Canada. It’s an impressive achievement. There are very few barriers to an untrained and unqualified person simply buying some equipment and calling themselves a PDR tech. The certification from Vale Training Solutions helps to distinguish professionals. “We’re very proud of Yannick’s achievement, but we’re very proud of all of our techs,” says Doug Best, VP and General Manager of Canadian Hail Repair. “We had another technician get back to .02 of the standard deviation in 16 minutes, and another who repaired a Master Craftsman dent in just nine minutes. All of these tests were on aluminum panels, which are more challenging than steel.” Canadian Hail Repair held an information session on Wednesday, April 15 at The Auto Dentist in Oakville to brief partners from the insurance and collision industries on the certification process. Lunch was provided by food truck The Dirty South. The company also held its annual technician meeting at C Hotel in Hamilton, Ont. Technicians with Canadian Hail Repair spend the majority of their time on the road, so it was a rare opportunity for staff to reconnect. The objectives for the meeting were to improve service in four areas: appraisal integrity, professionalism, audit trail and client satisfaction. “Our chief focus at this meeting was to improve appraisal integrity,” says Best. “These meetings are effective. Our 2013 tech meeting focused on quality control, particularly with regard to R&I. The re-

sult of that focus was that we didn’t have a single notable warranty claim in 2013 despite performing over 4,000 repairs.” Best says the intent behind the focus on the integrity of the appraisal process is to bring the same level of accountability to hail damage appraisals as currently exists with collision appraisals. Canadian Hail Repair also took the opportunity to introduce three new management staff and acknowledge that the company intends to bring more collision management experience into the ranks. Two of the new managers have over 10 years of collision repair facility appraisal and management experience. “We also discussed emerging trends in performance management and the policy structures of dealership inventory insurance,” says Wong. “We showed our third party audit program where we have independent appraisers review work-in-process and offer opinions on our appraisal quality, with the reports going to the insurer.” Much of the afternoon was taken up with a discussion led by John Mills, who joined Canadian Hail Repair in 2013

Yannick Poirier is one of many Canadian Hail Repair technicians to receive the master craftsman designation. During that test, he brought the panel back to its starting point of .995 deviation.

and manages the company’s national catastrophe centre efforts. The conversation focused on how the company expects to exceed expectations of the vehicle owner and the insurer in large scale repair operations. The company plans to certify its Western Canadian team in June, with an additional session in Quebec City for the company’s French Canadian team. For more information, please visit hailrepair.ca. CRM

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industry steps up

Haiti Rising By Andrew Ardizzi

ometimes it’s hard to keep life in perspective. Too soon, we forget each day following our morning wake ups that we should be grateful for all we have, all we’ll experience throughout the day, and moreover the luxuries we enjoy as one of the world’s wealthier countries. Haiti and her people don’t share those luxuries, and while most of us were winding down our work days or beginning to have dinner Jan. 12, 2010 in the relative comfort of our homes, the lives of Haiti’s 10.4 million people were suddenly thrown into chaos following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that rocked state capital Port-au-Prince. Following the initial quake and the 52 subsequent aftershocks, between 150,000 and 159,000 lives were lost, with the country’s infrastructure left in shambles. Four years later Haiti is transformed. Rising from the rubble is a country on the mend yet surging forward, anchored by the efforts of Haiti Arise and its founder, native Haitian Marc Honorat and his wife Lisa. The program’s focus is to find ways to provide children and youth with education programs that guide them towards self-sufficiency. Haiti Arise’s programs are tailored to students ranging from primary to post secondary levels, with its technical school providing courses on computers, tiling, plumbing, electricity and construction. Its course offerings are likely to expand over the next year to include insuring, welding and collision repair.

Parr Auto Body owner Tom Bissonette takes a stroll around the construction site of what will be Haiti’s collision repair school, pondering the future of the business in the country.

Canadian collision repairers lend a hand to Haiti Arise’s rebuilding efforts.

With education and training essential to Haiti’s infrastructural resurrection, Tom Bissonnette, owner of Parr Auto Body in Saskatoon, CCIF Collision Programs Director Leanne Jefferies and Brad Banman, chair of the Osler Small Business Loans Cooperative, decided to tour Haiti and experience Haiti Arise’s work first hand and see how Canadian colli-

“When they have the knowledge and the tools they need, they can change things in their lives for the better.” -Leanne Jefferies

sion repairers could help the country get back on its feet. “We had seen a presentation by Marc so we had an understanding of what he’s trying to accomplish, but before we could truly commit to Haiti Arise as an industry project we needed to experience it,” Jefferies says. “I was really impressed with what’s happening there. Through all the chaos, something special and unique was

created and their philosophy is one I agree with, which is to give people the tools to help themselves.” Jefferies’ objective is to bring trained professionals to Haiti to train its people how to properly conduct collision repairs. She says with the collision repair training and technical facilities being put into place, the foundation of Haiti’s collision repair industry is being laid. Guided by volunteer collision repair professionals who will teach Haitian instructors the skills they need to be proficient and self sufficient, so they may teach young Haitian repairers and make the program sustainable. “What they’ve done is very impressive,” she says. “It’s always shocking to see the conditions in another country when you compare them to your own. It’s very moving.” Bissonnette says that despite the country’s hardship, the resolve of its people and their demeanour in the face of adversity has inspired him to get involved with Haiti Arise. “They’re probably more at peace than we are, they just appreciate everything they have,” Bissonnette says. “They’re happy to have the chance to learn, no matter how long it takes them to get to school.” Jefferies shares Bissonnette’s observation, seeing first hand the lengths Haitian students will go for an education. “These students walk miles every day to get to school. There’s no bus, so they either get a ride on a bicycle or they walk,” she says. “For them this is a huge opportunity June 2014 collision Repair 37

industry steps up

to become educated. They have wonderful attitudes and are very keen on learning.” Banman has made multiple trips to Haiti and prior to their trip knew the devastation intimately. This made him an ideal guide for Bissonnette and Jefferies to help them further put Haiti’s challenges in perspective, as well as the challenges of getting native Haitians to trust them. “When we first got there as North Americans, we wanted to hit the ground running and be present and say ‘I have all this knowledge and I want to teach you as much as possible.’ But the thing is, Haitians are a very proud people and they’ve made it for so long without our help, we can’t just come in like bulls and say ‘you have to do everything a certain way,’” he says. “What I found though is that they were very receptive when I worked beside them; I did it my way, and they did it their way, and we worked together and got along. “Then all of a sudden one student noticed that my way might be a little easier and so he himself took the initiative. Effectively, if we go in there with arrogance, they’ll shut us out quickly. But if we go there humbly and work with them, it makes a difference.” Banman says they’re coming to understand what Canadian collision repair professionals have to offer and want to work with them and Haiti Arise to devise a curriculum that is effective, appropriate and will have a lasting impact. Banman stresses above all that the remarkable thing about Haiti’s people is that they possess an inspiring passion and drive for education. “They’re not lazy people, they’re actually extremely smart and only lack knowledge of the basic things to get them by,” he says. “Any time you have education it creates imagination. They might learn something for the rest of their lives in auto body that creates imagination for how things can be accomplished.” That imagination walks fairly closely in hand with the entrepreneurial spirit, something Bissonnette hopes to bring to the table when he assumes his place as a business instructor, leading a class at Haiti’s soon-to-be-finished collision repair facility inside the technical school. “They’re going to have an opportunity to enterprise. At the same time, these young people can take the principles I’ll show them and use that to start their own businesses,” Bissonnette says. “We have the knowledge and the money and helping

Leanne Jefferies with Haiti Arise founder Marc Honorat, Technical Institute Director Dorche Musset and one of the school’s instructors.

them is the right thing to do. They’ve been left in the dust and I think it’s time to help them where we can.” He ultimately feels every little bit helps affect change. He cites the story of the young boy who an older man came across on a beach, with the boy throwing beached starfish back into the sea. Its moral, punctuated by the man’s oblivious question of “why,” illustrates that every little bit of effort matters to each starfish thrown back. He sees parallels with Haiti Arise’s mission in the greater community. “That’s how I look at it. Us acting will help transform a nation, but you have to start somewhere and Haiti Arise is like that little glimmer of hope,” he says. That’s where Bissonnette, Jefferies, Banman, CCIF and hopefully a strong collision repair contingent from Canada comes in. With Haiti Arise still building the collision repair facility, the program needs instructors and equipment to reach its potential. The program is currently looking for volunteers and financial contributions, while course materials are in demand and will be partially delivered by I-CAR Canada in both French and English languages. Shops can donate new or gently used equipment through Haiti Arise online. “We decided to do an inventory when we were down there and we basically determined that they needed everything,” says Jefferies. “So what we’d like to do is create a list of all the needed tools and equipment, and then ship what we get in a container so they can be used in the courses once they launch in early 2015.” Once at Haiti Arise’s website, donors can sponsor a Haitian collision repair stu-

38 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

dent for a monthly contribution of $120, or instructors for $320 a month. Donors may also pledge a general monthly amount to the program, and once all materials are compiled Canadian collision industry volunteers will take a group trip back to Haiti to set up the program equipment, train instructors and deliver the course curriculum. In her heart Jefferies knows what they’re doing is positive. She also knows, that like dominoes, all it takes is one positive action to set an entire line of the blocks into motion. “When you create positive change, it spreads. One family. One community. And as their quality of life and opportunities increase, it passes along from one person to the next,” she says. “Pretty soon, after a period of time you’ve made a positive impact on the whole country.” Despite only being in Haiti a short time, the three Canadians feel their trip helped to put their own lives into perspective, and because of that appreciation for what they have here in Canada, they’re even more apt to chip in and lend a hand, a tool or a piece of helpful knowledge if it means helping the nation and its people rise. “It’s literally changing their ability to take care of themselves. For example, they’re growing crops they’ve never grown before,” says Jefferies. “When they have the knowledge and the tools they need, they can change things in their lives for the better.” Bissonnette and Jefferies will next speak on behalf of Haiti Arise at the next CCIF conference in May. To make a donation please visit HaitiArise.org. CRM

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INDUSTRY EVENTS

NACE takes

Detroit by

storm D

an Risley recalls the 1980s rather vividly where NACE is concerned. Looking back on the annual convention as the President and Executive Director of the Automotive Service Association (ASA), Risley remembers NACE as a hot spot and place to be for the latest in vehicle technology and training. Then it was an information repository for collision professionals to go to when they needed information on how to repair vehicles, enabling them to learn about those emerging technologies in a landscape that’s never static. While NACE has been held in a collection of travel destination spots over t he last severa l years, including Orla ndo, New Orlea ns a nd L as Vegas, the 2014 edition of NACE has shifted its gears and refocused led by the ASA Board of Directors and Risley’s resolve to move the convention’s venue to Detroit and make NACE bigger and better than it has ever been. “We wanted to have a show that was a standalone. We don’t feel like we can compete with AAPEX or SEMA, nor should we. We decided to move the show so it would

no longer put the industry’s other events in conflict with one another,” he says. “By moving it to late July, early August it gives the industry the ability to support both shows. Moving the show to Detroit was an easy decision once we had the chance to speak with various industry groups and longtime supporting exhibitors. “Our mission was to bring industry together, so we reached out to groups such as the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF) and I-CAR.” Industry was overwhelmingly supportive of the move, which in the past had been held in locations on opposite coasts of the United States, making travel to a given destination a bit more of a trek than it needed to be. But what using Detroit as a hub for the industry does is it brings everyone together at a venue that Risley says most within the U.S. can get to by plane in less than four hours, and also happens to be located a stone’s throw from the U.S.Canadian border. This makes it easier for Canadian delegates to attend NACE. “Choosing Detroit was pretty easy in that it’s in the middle of the U.S. and it

40 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

The 2014 edition is set to include more training, demos and exhibitors than ever before. By Andrew Ardizzi

borders on Canada,” he says of NACE’s new home, noting an additional benefit to holding NACE 2014 in the motor city. “There are over 6,000 shops within a three hour drive radius of the Cobo Center in dow ntow n Detroit. W hen you’re in Las Vegas you don’t have that concentration of shops. This was a great chance to draw local interest.” In bringing NACE to Detroit, Risley wants to create a convention experience like no other before it. He says that their collective intention was to, over the course

ASA President and Executive Director Dan Risley hopes to bring NACE back to its roots with the 2014 convention.

INDUSTRY EVENTS

of a five day period, provide an experience attendees couldn’t get anywhere else, an opportunity he feels the city provides. “Our training schedule and course offering has been completely revised from years gone by. Because of where the convention is located now, we’re able to have a host of training classes we wouldn’t have access to in any other city,” he says, noting sometimes that OEs have an issue with getting their engineers and trainers to conventions due to travel expenses. “There are going to be some OE-specific training classes, and with domestic and foreign companies attending there are a lot of ancillary companies supporting our industry around Detroit that are coming in to support the show as well.” Risley says the tremendous amount of exhibitor support, as well as support from industry leaders, has given NACE the platform to expand every aspect of the show. “We’re expecting to double the size of the show floor from last year, and one of the new key components, one that Detroit offers that no other show can offer, is the back of the show floor where we’re going to be having a 30,000 sq. ft. area for live demonstrations,” he says. “You’re going to see welding, cutting, grinding; name it and it’ll be there. It’s free for all our exhibitors to utilize. You’ll be able to see stuff they ordinarily wouldn’t at a show like this.” Risley says this new addition will allow attendees to weld, scan running vehicles and paint provided they have the right equipment. In addition to the new live demonstration area, NACE 2014 will see the rebranding of the former MSO symposium, originally devised three years ago to allow the largest MSOs to meet and discuss various aspects of the business. Although the symposium was initially exclusive to the likes of Boyd, Abra and CARSTAR, the meet has been renamed the Collision Repair Executive Symposium (CRES) and will now include single location shops earning between $5-million and $15-million. “We expanded it this year to include large single shop operators as well as multi-location shops. We want all the leaders in the collision industry to attend and participate,” he says. In addition to the CRES symposium, another presentation will be held concurrently focusing on telematics and the current and future trends that af-

One of the panels from the 2013 NACE MSO Symposium featured Andrew Peet of Innovation Group, CARSTAR’s Micheal Macaluso and Bob Kirstiuk of Advantage Parts Marketing. The 2014 symposium has been rebranded to be more inclusive of industry leaders.

fect and will affect the industry as it ventures for ward. The si x hour pres ent at ion w i l l fe at u re bot h s er v ic e repair professionals and car manufacturer representatives as they discuss the mechanics of how cars are being manufactured, what data is available

“Our mission was to bring industry together, so we reached out to groups such as the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF) and I-CAR.”

regarding them and above all how they can be fixed or serviced. “If you’re talking about the ‘connected vehicle,’ if you’re driving down a road and your car is speaking to the car in front of you and behind you, to the street light and

to a satellite, there are tons of data coming out of your car,” he says. “The question becomes who owns that data, how is it controlled, who has access to it and how do you repair it? It’s pretty important to learn, because otherwise how are you going to repair something like early braking or how to calibrate the technology. Where do you get that information?” Also new to NACE are the breadth of training courses available to all who attend, including a heavy focus on aluminum training with intensive classes demonstrating how to repair aluminum, specifically with concern to structural repairs and writing estimates. “With the F-150 being mainstreamed in 2015, repairers are looking for information on how to repair aluminum and that kind of information is going to be available at the show, and we’re going to have I-CAR training as well with their new aluminum class,” Risley says. Looking back, Risley believes NACE w a s i n d i re ne e d of cha nge a nd he feels they’ve made significant leaps in nearly every capacity they were able to. Knowing the support from exhibitors is already there, he’s really looking forward to how attendees respond to the “new” NACE and hopes this will soon be a truly North American show that bridges the United States’ west and east coasts, and is more inviting to Canadian delegates than ever before. “We really wanted a show by the industry, for the industry. And I believe we’ve done everything possible to communicate that in the way we’ve laid out the show from the ground up,” he says,

June 2014 collision Repair 41

INDUSTRY EVENTS

while bringing the core purpose of it back to the convention’s basics. “Technology is changing so quickly, and it’s difficult at best to stay abreast of every change. Cars are rolling off the assembly lines faster than we can keep up with the technological advances,” he says. “That’s the benefit of bringing everything

NACE 2014 offers under one roof: it allows people to get the knowledge and information they want all in one place.” Training is front and centre for Risley, as many of the training programs new to NACE are tailored to the shop owners and more directly the technicians who handle vehicle repairs on a daily basis. To further encourage shop owners and technicians to attend, Risley says they’re offering 50 percent off discounts to shops or individuals who have I-CAR gold or platinum status, or have ASE Blue Seal or Master Tech status. “We want the right people at the show and we believe that those people who are invested in training will benefit from the available training programs, and I’m sure the industry leaders participating will continue to grow and prosper as our programs develop.” NACE runs from July 30, 2014 through Aug. 2, 2014 out of Detroit’s Cobo Center. For more information on the event please visit NACE online at NACEexpo.com.

can literally spend an entire day there.

five wings full of general, interesting

It has 150 vehicles, 10 airplanes, five

innovations and much like most people’s

locomotives, a lot of neat historical

first thought, Risley had no clue what

stuff.

the museum housed and just assumed

There will be no shortage of training courses, demonstrations and attractions for NACE attendees to experience at the show.

noting his hopes for a greater contingent of Canadian delegates. “Canada is very big, and being that we’re right across the river it allows for greater participation from our Canadian counterparts and it’s definitely something we’d like to see.” The essence of NACE’s rebranding comes two-fold, injecting new fresh ideas

Gems of the City I

f the training programs and live

Despite

its

name,

Henry

Ford’s

the obvious as well.

museum hardly features only Ford cars,

“I was born and raised in Chicago,

in fact Ford himself was interested in

which is not too far a trip from Detroit and I

American history and the museum’s

had no idea what the Henry Ford Museum

walls house a number of historical gems

had,” he says. “We will be hosting the ASA

from the United States’ history.

Awards ceremony and AMI graduation

demonstrations weren’t enough for

“It has the Lincoln that President

you, Risley says the ASA has planned

John F. Kennedy was killed in, the chair

a slew of tours and additional

that President Abraham Lincoln was

In addition to the Henry Ford Museum,

activities for show attendees, among

shot in. It has some really crazy stuff

tours are being arranged of GM’s

them a tour of the Henry Ford museum.

that you just wouldn’t expect when you

heritage museum, Chrysler’s heritage

think of Henry Ford.”

museum—normally

“It’s a place that if you’re coming in

on a Friday at the museum. I really want people to be able to experience it.”

closed

the

and don’t visit you’ll really be missing

The museum also houses the world’s

public—as well as tours of the Chevy

out if you don’t spend a day at the

first toaster and the infamous bus that

Volt plant, Chrysler’s parts stamping

Henry Ford museum,” he says. “You

Rosa Parks rode on. It also features

plant and Ford’s F-150 plant.

42 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

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Harvey Gillard is one of the most recent additions to I-CAR’s roster.

or Harvey Gillard, becoming an I-CAR instructor was a natural fit. He’s one of the most recent additions to the organization’s roster of Canadian trainers, having come on board in the last year. “I got into working as an instructor with I-CAR for knowledge,” says Gillard. “I love to learn, and every class I teach, I have to study up so I can pass it on to my students.” Gillard says the transfer of knowledge is actually two-way. “I love learning from my students,” he says. “They always have something to teach me, so in every class I teach, I learn something as well.” In addition to working as an I-CAR instructor, Gillard is employed with State Farm as an estimator. He worked in the collision repair department of a GM dealership for 13 years prior to joining State Farm. To d at e , G i l l a rd h a s d e l i v e re d about 20 courses, including a handson welding class in North Bay, Ont. When we spoke, his next scheduled class was set for June 7 in Windsor, although enough students signing up for courses in certain markets might change that before this issue goes to press. “It’s a hands-on aluminum welding class,” says Gillard. “This is not part of the Ford training that’s being rolled out,

“I love learning from my students … in every class I teach, I learn something as well.” – Harvey Gillard

Harvey Gillard.

but it’s similar. I think it’s a good stepping stone.” Gillard encourages young people to enter the trade whenever he finds the opportunity to do so. He says the benefits of automotive training go far beyond simply acquiring a trade and gaining employment. “I think it’s an amazing trade to get into,” says Gillard. “That’s what I tell young people. It just opens up so many windows of opportunity. If you can work on a car, you can work on other things. Since I’ve been working on cars all my life, I can often translate that into working on stuff around the house or in other situations. You build technical skills and people skills. Our trade can bring you to a lot of places.” Gillard first started learning the trade from his father, a dedicated body man who is still working part-time. “My dad became a body man in his late teens. He’s in his seventies now and he’s still doing it. He works part-time at a Chrysler dealership up north. He says it keeps him young,” says Gillard. Does Gillard see himself following a similar path in “retirement?” “I’ll be like my dad, always working in the automotive trade,” says Gillard. “It might be teaching, or even just fiddling around. Maybe when I’m retired, I’ll restore antiques. One thing I do know is that I love the trade and I’ll always be in automotive.” CRM june 2014 collision Repair 45

report on training

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That’s no pop-can. The 2015 F-150 uses military grade aluminum for its body panels, leading to a need for more training for techs across the country.

Game Changer Ford’s new F-150 may be the start of a revolution in developing repair training.

By Mike Davey

ord’s announcement that the 2015 F-150 will feature an aluminum body has generated a lot of buzz in the industry, especially regarding training. While some technicians are experienced working with aluminum panels, many others have never touched them. Aluminum bodies are certainly not new, but the Ford F-150 takes the widescale use of aluminum to an entirely new level. The F-150 is not a sports car or a high-end luxury vehicle. It’s a workhorse, and an exceedingly common sight on North American roads. These vehi-

cles are not rare exotics that can wait for the specialist. The new F-150 will likely be in more collisions than any other aluminum bodied vehicle on the road, simply due to sheer weight of numbers. Ford has been proactive in dealing with this issue, going back to before the vehicle’s construction was even officially announced. Repair training for the new F-150 will be offered through I-CAR. At first, this training will only be open to dealers, but plans are in place to offer it to the entire industry before too long. I-CAR of fers a lot of brand-sp ecific training. This is different, though.

46 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

I - C A R’s m o d e l an d br an d s p e c i f i c training is typically not available until at least six to 12 months after the cars go on the market. In this case, the training is already available to Ford dealers, and the trucks aren’t even on dealer lots yet. Collision repair training experts at I-CAR worked alongside Ford Motor Company engineers during the 2015 Ford F-150 design and development process, leveraging I-CAR’s expertise to create a training solution for collision repair professionals who will work on the next generation of Ford’s extremely popular truck. The training program was developed not after the vehicle was in the market, nor even during the period following its announcement. It was developed concurrently during the design process of the vehicle. Official statements from I-CAR call this development both “groundbreaking” and a “game-changer.” This doesn’t go far enough. To the best of our knowledge, this marks the first time an OE has ever been proactive in this way. “In terms of OE consideration for the eventual repair process, I would say it’s a first,” says Andrew Shepherd of I-CAR Canada. “Usually, repair solutions aren’t developed until a vehicle is publicly launched. This usually leaves something of a gap in repair readiness. The standard headache in developing training is that you often don’t get the technical specifications, and certainly not repair procedures,

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until as much as a year after the vehicle has entered the marketplace.” The training was developed over a two year period, eventually culminating in ICAR’s new six credit hour 2015 Ford F-150 Structural Repair course (FOR06) that covers all topics on aluminum, and dives deep into vehicle-specific repair information. Combine the new F-150 course with I-CAR Aluminum Welding Training & Certification, and you’ve got a robust training program to properly and efficiently repair the new F-150 vehicle. “For a revolutionary vehicle like the 2015 Ford F-150, mater ia l-sp e cif ic

Andrew Shepherd, Executive Director of I-CAR Canada.

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training that highlights the unique processes associated with aluminum repair is critical for the front-line professionals faced with safely repairing these vehicles,” says Jason Bartanen, I-CAR’s Director of Industry and Technical Relations. “I-CAR’s proven track record of aluminum repair technical expertise and training development solidified Ford’s interest in an early partnership to formulate a vehicle-specific training program for the F-150.” I-CAR will deliver this training to the Ford dealer network and independent repairers across the market prior to vehicle launch, ensuring a new level of industry preparedness. Training began in May of this year and will run until the end of August. The first round of training is exclusive to Ford dealers and related shops, but the training package should roll out to the rest of the industry starting in the fall of 2014. This is far from the first time that I-CAR has worked with an OE to develop training. As you can imagine, it’s quite common. However, the way the training was developed may mark a sea change in OE/repairer collaboration.

Jason Bartanen, I-CAR’s Director of Industry and Technical Relations.

“It’s a very innovative vehicle, and I think that may have prompted Ford to make the decisions they did to provide the repair capacity they know their customers will need,” says Shepherd. “I think this might be the onset of big technical breakthroughs as far as the OE are concerned.” Will other OEs follow Ford’s lead? It’s hard to say for sure, but we can keep our fingers crossed and hope that going forward, more OEs will draw repair professionals in during the design stage, leading to higher quality repairs and greater customer retention. CRM

june 2014 collision Repair 47

report on training

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T H E T RA I N I N G P O RTA L F O R C O L L I S I O N R E PA I R

Facts Figures By Mike Davey

Examining OE specific training delivered by I-CAR.

e’ve heard time and again that the safest and most effective repairs are those done according to manufacturer recommendations. This is not only “best practice,” it’s simply common sense. After all, who better to provide information on repair than the engineers who designed and built the vehicle? The recent collaboration between I-CAR and Ford regarding training for the 2015 F-150 is unusual because repair training was developed during the design phase of the vehicle, rather than after. However, I-CAR has long collaborated with the OEs to provide manufacturerspecific training for their vehicles. In 2013, I-Car delivered over 6,300 units of training across Canada. Of this, fewer than 100 units were on OE specific repair procedures. The training was divided between two courses; Collision Repair

for Honda and Acura Vehicles and Collision Repair for Ford and Lincoln Vehicles. Looking at just the numbers for 2013, training for Honda and Acura vehicles was in much higher demand than the training for Ford and Lincoln. In fact, the percentage for Honda and Acura is almost twice that of Ford and Lincoln. Examining the geographic breakdown of where the training was delivered might provide a clue. Typically, when we look solely at numbers, Ontario emerges in the lead. Ontario has a very large share of the national population, so it’s not surprising that it so often ends up in the top rank. However, that did not happen in this particular case. In fact, I-CAR delivered more units of OE specific training in Manitoba in 2013 than in anywhere else in the country. According to StatsCan, the population of Ontario in 2012 was 13.5 million in 2012. Manitoba during 2012 had a much lower number of people, around

OE Specific Training Delivered by I-CAR Canada, by Manufacturer

1.11 million people. That’s less than 10 percent of Ontario’s population. The discrepancy might be explained simply by the differing natures of the respective markets. Ontario operates under private insurance. In Manitoba, all automotive insurance is handled by Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI). This may explain the difference in units of training delivered in Ontario and Manitoba. The data we have does not break down according to who took the training, but it seems reasonable to suggest in this case that MPI elected to train large numbers of their staff on OE procedures that year. Although the percentage of OE training is small compared to the overall numbers, it has a large impact. We suspect that as we move into the future and manufacturer certifications become more important, we will start to see more students signing up for these courses. CRM

OE Specific Training in 2013, by Province

32% 68%

38% 60%

2% Collision Repair for Ford and Lincoln Vehicles Collision Repair for Honda and Acura Vehicles

48 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Manitoba

Ontario

Nova Scotia

profile

Staying

Colorworks techs can perform tasks like these either in the shop or through their mobile operations. Below: Buffing and light dent repairs are but one service offered by Colorworks.

Mobile in Evolving Times Colorworks has adapted their business to meet their loyal customers’ needs. By Andrew Ardizzi

lacing the customer first is a foregone standard practice, an expectation customers hold and businesses engage both out of desire and necessity. This isn’t earth shattering, but commonly when we think of collision shops putting customers first, it’s often thought that entailed the customer going to the shop of their choice. However, over the last 23 years Colorworks has quietly shattered all notions of what it means to place customers on a pedestal. “In today’s world it’s all about customer convenience and because of that we’re very focused on ensuring our business is as convenient as possible for our

customers, and as a result we have a very high percentage of previous customers,” says Color works President and CEO Kevin Carter, who has been with the company for 18 years. Initially starting in 1991 as a mobile repair service for used car dealers, Colorworks has evolved its business over the last 23 years into a full service express auto body dynamo that’s expanded its mobile operations to a full-fledged retail collision centre. Leveraging their initial customer-driven experience, Carter says their evolving express business model is anchored by their founding principles that have stood strong since the company’s inception.

50 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

“The change has been fantastic. Where we used to service only the used car dealer segment 100 percent, we’ve evolved into the retail and insurance world and it’s nice to embrace that larger market. Retail is our main segment and we are very focused on cycle time and touch time,” says Carter, noting 85 to 90 percent of their business comes from in-shop work. “Customers appreciate the retail convenience that we are able to bring to them, whether that be in the shop or using our mobile operations.” Colorworks’ model comes down to what the customer needs and wants. If that means coming to their doorstep and writing an estimate or doing small scale repairs right in their driveway, then they’ll

profile

Colorworks President Kevin Carter works to ensure every customer gets the services they need as fast and timely as possible.

do it. Additionally offering car valet services and on-the-go dent and blow-in repairs, Carter says their passion for satisfied customers is boundless. “Because of our mobile history we are very focused on the customer, so our cycle and touch times are industry-leading,” he says. “We can repair a small job if not that day, then the next day. “In the body shop world everyone always talks about ‘fast lane, fast lane;’ we’ve effectively been doing that for 23 years and we were built on the fast lane model. We’re very good at it,” he says. “That’s our mantra; we take customer repairs and then turn them around quickly.” Although the mobile component of Colorworks’ business is now but a single component of the larger model, Carter says that principle and the continued business of previous customers propelled them forward into full-collision operations. “We were constantly being asked to do larger repairs and we felt we needed a collision shop to ensure quality results,” says Carter, noting that weather, materials and whether customers’ needs met the repair’s extent dictated mobile repairs. “Customers would call us and discuss what’s wrong with their vehicles with an available tech to get an idea of what the problem entailed. Ideally we like to keep mobile repairs small, about the size of a

“Nothing brings a customer back more than a quality repair, and we make sure our jobs are second to none” sheet of paper or two, with a focus on cosmetic repairs. “Mobile service is great when you’re repairing a bumper scuff, but it’s not great when you’re doing a fender and a door. That needs to be produced in a body shop.” That shift has led to the company’s gradual expansion outside the Greater Vancouver Area where it began, now encompassing the greater Victoria and Calgary areas, and southern Ontario. Colorworks now oper-

ates 10 collision centres throughout their current markets with 22 additional mobile units inside those regions. Despite the marked shift in operational philosophy, Carter recalls one of their past mobile jobs as a good indication of how far they will go for their customers. “A former NHL coach living in Vancouver is a good customer of ours and calls us up frequently. I remember one time he called us, and he drives two very nice foreign cars, and we came up to his driveway and our guy says, ‘these are nice cars and these jobs are getting up there for us in size. I would really like to repair these down at our shop.’ ‘Oh God no,’ he says. ‘Do one at a time. Please repair the Porsche in the morning, I need to take that to dinner tommorow night,’” Carter says. “So we cleaned up his car and spent a few hours fixing some of the smaller cosmetic problems. He didn’t want to get his car lost in the shop’s shuffle, but he was very appreciative of the convenience and the quality job.” Carter says customers appreciate Colorworks’ focus on convenience and that their technicians hustle to complete every job, that they’re polite and professional, and each tech cares about their customers’ cars. “Nothing brings a customer back more than a quality repair, and we make sure our jobs are second to none,” says Carter, adding their techs are well-experienced and have been with the company for a long time, adding a sense of familiarity to the overall Colorworks customer experience. Aiming for excellence, the company is expanding their operations over the next four years inside their current markets. “We’ve been acquiring shops for the last three years, buying fully operational collision repair shops and adapting them to our format. We’re in shop acquisition mode in southern Ontario and Calgary,” he says. Carter adamantly believes customers don’t want to wait a week to 10 days, from keys-to-keys, to get their cars back, adding their customers come back to them because they know what to expect after 23 years: efficient service that they can bank on consistently. “If a customer has a drivable repair, we will repair that car efficiently and it’s going to be a good quality repair that will be back in the customers’ hands in a convenient timeframe,” he says. “We treat customers like royalty whether it’s a $500 repair or a $15,000 repair. Our job is to satisfy our customers. Period.” CRM June 2014 collision Repair 51

OEM INSIGHT

Representatives of some of Canada’s BMW certified collision repair facilities at the BMW Conference in 2013 examine the Car-O-Liner Vision X3, part of the required equipment to participate in the program.

O Certification

Update

What you need to know about today’s certification programs. By Jim Curry

52 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

riginal Equipment Manufacturer certification programs for collision repair are not new, although they have until recently been seen as the domain of luxury brands. The intention was to use collision centres that would meet or exceed minimum standards set by the OEM, shops that believed in the highest quality workmanship, and showed a willingness to invest in the latest tools and equipment along with extensive training to ensure a high quality, professional and safe repair. Recently there has been a major shift in our industry which is making OEM certifications more important and part of our industry you shouldn’t ignore. It wasn’t long ago, if you were involved in an accident—and your car wasn’t made of exotic metals or carbon fibre—you picked a shop that you knew would fix your car properly and get you back on the road. Not so much anymore, with exotic materials used on newer vehicles designed to make your car safer, lighter and meet government mandated MPG requirements. Newer vehicles ranging from economy, light truck and luxury vehicles commonly use aluminum, titanium, ultra high strength steel and carbon fibre. This makes repairing them back to factory standards much harder. One mainstream manufac-

OEM INSIGHT

turer recently increased the use of high strength steel from 66 percent to 80 percent and nearly a third of that is ultra-high strength steel. Yes, even wheels are made from these materials in an effort to achieve the best possible fuel economy without sacrificing safety and appearance. Today there are more OEMs looking for quality collision centres or dealer owned facilities expected to invest heavily and meet minimum standards set by each certification program. OEM certifications are designed to extend their customers ownership experience, ensure OEM replacement parts are used and develop collision centers that respect these standards and seek to preserve them even after their vehicle is involved in an accident. We now know that the OEM certification process is rapidly growing, it’s here for good and you could benefit greatly from it, but you must to do your homework as the cost can be staggering and incredibly time consuming. Certification programs range from a basic audit using dealer sponsored OEM parts to high end manufacturers demanding excellence in quality, professionalism and cycle time. These manufacturers design, engineer and build to the highest standards and they seek shops that reflect these standards. With specialized tools and equipment, dedicated clean rooms to eliminate metal contamination, minimum lighting requirements, extensive training which no doubt will include travel for multiple employees, OEM certification can easily run into six figures. Let’s talk about aluminum, are you prepared? The new Ford F-150 will require shops in Canada to invest anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000 (or more!) to become certified, regardless if you are an independent facility, a banner or dealership. Ford U.S. realized the staggering costs involved in preparing for aluminum certification and have subsidized the cost of equipment required, offering a 20 percent rebate to qualifying Ford Dealerships. From what I understand, Ford Canada will be doing much the same for Canadian dealership owned facilities. Much like other OEM Certification programs potential facilities will have to meet minimum requirements such as: • A dedicated clean room, a curtained area or separate building. • A dedicated aluminum welder. • Special rivet guns.

• A dent removal tool dedicated for aluminum only. • Dedicated aluminum tools. • Aluminum dust vac system that runs sanders and extracts the dust through water where it settles. These tools are required as you cannot mix aluminum and steel dust, you can’t even have aluminum repair next to metal as they are two dissimilar metals that can cause a reaction through galvanic corrosion resulting in an unacceptable repair.

You can’t ignore the fact that certification is becoming more important and will become an integral part of your business, its time to do your research, start asking the right question and focus on the right certification for you. CRM Jim Curry is the Regional Business Consultant, Western Canada, for Axalta Coating Systems. He can be reached at Jim.e.curry@axaltacs.com.

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Edmonton tower starts move over law safety petition By Andrew Ardizzi

An Alberta tower has started a petition to improve roadside safety for tow truck operators across the province. “I want to get the word out to everyone to slow down and move over, because we all want to get home safely to our families,” says Cliff Bullis, the architect of the petition and a tow truck operator with Jays Towing Services in Edmonton. “It’s hard to say why some don’t follow the province’s move over law, maybe they don’t know it exists.” Move over laws require motorists to slow down when approaching emergency vehicles and veer towards the opposite side to afford operators the space to safely work. Despite the province employing the move over law, there have been three roadside collisions in 2014 where towers have been hit, in addition to a number of other close calls. While the law is in place, Bullis feels there’s been a lack of communication and

education about “move over” practices and how drivers need to react when approaching emergency vehicle operators. “I think towers need to have the respect of drivers so that they’re not getting hit,” Bullis says. “I think there needs to be more enforcement and awareness.” While Bullis feels it’s important to respect the move over law, part of the issue is that drivers don’t seem to approach towers with the same caution as they would other emergency responders. The amber lights present on the tops of trucks differ from the red and blue lighting combinations on police cars, failing to elicit the same responses from motorists as they approach towers. Bullis feels simply adding a second coloured light to complement the existing amber lights will help distinguish towers. “If we can get a different colour of light, that distinguishes us from other emergency

vehicles,” he says. “For example, if we were able to use blue, then instantly towers become more visible if the lights are alternating between amber and blue.” Jeff Thomas, owner of Jays Towing Services, agrees the petition is needed to raise tower safety awareness. “What I would like to see is for people to see distinct colours, recognize towers and take their foot off the gas,” says Thomas. Both feel it’s crucial to promote road safety and to be mindful of towers who are only out trying to support their families. Bullis hopes to amass 1,000 to 1,500 signatures by Sept. 30 and present the petition to the provincial legislature in the fall. He hopes that isn’t the end though. “I would really like to see this change happen nationally,” says Bullis. For information on the petition, please email Cliff Bullis at c.bullis@live.com.

Ontario introduces towing, storage legislation Ontario is taking steps to improve consumer protection and reduce auto insurance rates to regulate towing and vehicle storage “We are strengthening consumer protection for drivers involved in traffic collisions or in need of roadside assistance. Drivers should have the confidence that the tow truck operator helping them is reputable,” Liberal Minister of Consumer Services Tracy MacCharles stated in a release. The province intends to introduce legislation to help Ontario’s drivers make informed decisions when getting their vehicle towed or having it held in a storage facility. The proposed legislation would require tow operators and storage providers to gain permission from consumers before charging for towing or storage, to publicly

post pricing and tower contact information, to accept credit card payments and provide an itemized invoice noting total cost. “This proposed legislation is good news for consumers in Ontario. If passed, it will deliver real results for people,” Coteau said in a statement. “As the MPP for Don Valley East I know motorists will appreciate this initiative to enhance consumer protection.” Ontario is also proposing to include tow trucks in the province’s Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration system to improve road safety. These changes would help lower costs in Ontario’s auto insurance system. “Shop owners and managers have complaine d loudly of outrage ous bills and behavior by some tow operators,” CIIA Executive Director John Norris says. “This action

Ontario Liberal MPPs Michael Coteau and Tracy MacCharles announce new towing legislation.

by the province is a major step in controlling those in the towing industry who abuse consumers and collision. repair shops.” The future of the legislation however is in doubt with the recent calling of a provincial general election. Voters are set to go to the polls June 12.

For advertising inquiries, please contact Gloria Mann at 647-998-5677 or advertising@collisionrepairmag.com. june 2014 collision Repair 55

Contents Recycling News.....................57- 63 The OARA Convention, parts data and much, much more. Recycler’s View...........................64 by David Gold

Data the hot topic at OARA 2014 By Mike Davey

ARA urges oe to provide recyclers with parts data By Andrew Ardizzi

The OARA Convention regularly attracts attendees from outside the province. From left: Steven Cox of Allwest Auto Parts, Ian Hope of AARDA and Derek Covey of Maritime Auto Parts.

It was one of the most anticipated recycling events of the year, and the 2014 iteration of the Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association Convention & Trade Show fulfilled its promise as one of the most exciting yet. The event kicked off on March 28 at the Toronto Airport Marriott with a recap of the year’s highlights, presented by Steve Fletcher, Executive Director of OARA. Other presenters for the first half of the morning included Ersilia Serafini of Summerhill with “Moving Heaven and Earth: A 15 Year perspective on Canadian auto recycling,” “Changes coming to OTS and the management of scrap tires in Ontario,” presented by Andrew Horsman, Executive Director of Ontario Tire Stewardship and a look at Power-DB, software produced by SolexD that displays essential dashboards, work tools and controls designed just for recyclers, presented by Philippe Clermont, CEO of SolexD. After a short break for coffee, sessions resumed with a presentation by Robert and Chad Counts of Counts Business Consulting, Continued on page 58.

discussing how those who are able to leverage technology most effectively at all levels of their organization will be able to produce more quickly, efficiently and accurately. The Counts dove deep into analytics and data, pointing out that knowing the data is an essential piece of the puzzle for any recyclers who want to not just protect their business, but grow it. “I learned a long time ago, it’s not how much you sell, it’s how much you keep,” said Robert. The data theme continued with the next presenter, Dwight Howard of Hollander and APU Solutions. Howard discussed “Value in Data Integrity,” noting that “Data is not just facts and statistics. It’s how you bring it together for analysis.” Howard pointed out that it is imperative for today’s auto recyclers to inventory every part possible, as the potential client base has grown considerably. “We have many more demand channels than ever before,” said Howard. “The consumer world brings more and different part needs.”

At the recent 14th International Automotive Recyclers Congress in Brussels, Belgium, Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) CEO Michael E. Wilson urged the automotive manufacturing community to provide professional automotive recyclers with access to crucial original equipment manufacturers (OEM) parts data. In his March 20 presentation to the Congress, Wilson called on the automotive manufacturers in attendance “to become better economic, environmental and safety partners by releasing OEM build sheet data to the professional automotive industry’s inventory management entities, just as they do for insurance companies and the collision repair industry.” Regrettably, he noted that “auto manufacturers have placed major restrictions on the dissemination of this data so that it cannot be integrated into professional automotive recyclers’ inventory management systems. Wilson described the domino effect that this lack of data has on consumers. “Without this important data about the parts that OEMs originally manufactured, professional automotive recyclers are not able to seamlessly integrate their OEM parts inventory into estimating and collision repair platforms and consumers will have fewer choices Continued on page 59.

june 2014 collision Repair 57

OARA Convention ... continued from page 57.

Michael Angeli of Hollander was next to take the podium, discussing how to develop an image strategy. Angeli started by discussing how, in the digital age, photos are essentially free, and how providing photos of parts for sale can provide a definite return. “You must have a documentation process,” said Angeli. “But it’s really important to make sure it’s tailored to your yard. Every yard is different.” Steve Fletcher introduced Janet Taylor of Summerhill to discuss three collaborative programs between auto recyclers and Summerhill. Taylor outlined Switch Out, a project that endeavours to remove mercury switches from end-of-life vehicles; Grants in Gear, which seeks to extend the environmental benefits achieved through the ARC membership’s dedication to environmental best practices by connecting funding from ARC with Canadian NGO and entrepreneurial groups that have a shared vision for the environment; and Tundra Take-Back, designed to bring auto recycling practices to Canada’s northern communities. Rob Rainwater took the podium for his first presentation, titled “A visual world: the effect of the internet on our industry.”Rainwater draws a dramatic example of just how much the internet has changed

58 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

the industry by pointing out that Car-Part.com receives approximately half a million parts requests per day, every day. “How many of those came to you?” asks Rainwater, noting that not only must recyclers now provide visuals, but part descriptions must be compelling. The Convention then broke for lunch on the Trade Show floor. The 2014 OARA Convention continued that evening with a reception in the Trade Show, and a Charity Casino with live auction to benefit the OARA Employee Scholarship Program. Saturday’s session kicked off with a breakfast with The Sunshine Foundation of Canada. Steve Fletcher presented the fundraising totals for the OARA Employee Scholarship program. This year’s Silent Auction raised $4,250, with the Casino Night taking in an additional $10,400. Veolia Environmental Services donated $7,432. The OARA Cat Drive raised $10,450 this year. During the drive, OARA members donate catalytic converters to OARA, and John Bruner from Coreline Auto Parts grades and sells them on the association’s behalf, with the money going to the OARA Employee Scholarship program. In addition, Cool Catz agreed to donate one dollar for every cat purchased by the company during the cat drive, leading to a total donation of $5,000. In total, funds raised this year for the OARA Employee Scholarship program totaled $37,532. Fletcher then announced the OARA President’s Award. Every year, the President’s Award is given to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to automotive recycling. We are extremely proud to announce that this year’s winner is Gloria Mann, VP of Industry Relations & Sales for Media Matters, publishers of Canadian Auto Recyclers and Collision Repair magazines. For more on this, please see page 60. Attendees were also treated to a short presentation on the power of the Sunshine Foundation’s DreamLifts, given by Jennifer Elder. Elder’s daughter, Aneesa, was one of the recipients of the latest DreamLift to Disneyland. Aneesa was diagnosed with MPS1, an extremely rare genetic condition, shortly before her first birthday. In addition to the presentation from Elder, Aneesa herself gave a short speech during which she thanked OARA and the Sunshine Foundation for allowing her to take the trip. Presentations for the morning included “The 14 golden rules! How do we get salesmen to stop being order takers,” by Rob Rainwater; “Changes to the licensing of auto recyclers in Ontario,” by Chris Goode, Senior Adviser, Modernization of Approvals brand for the Ministry of Environment, and “How to hire, train and set goals for all departments in your recycling business,” by Rob Rainwater. The overwhelming message of Goode’s presentations was that the Ministry of Environment will work with automotive recyclers and other stakeholders to ensure solid standards. The OARA Annual General Meeting and Elections took place after lunch, concurrent with employee training offered by Hollander, Car-Part and Rob Rainwater. For more information on OARA, please visit oara.com. CRM

ARA urges ... continued from page 57.

when making important decisions about the repair of their vehicles.” A statement from the ARA says the current focus on automotive recalls highlights Wilson’s emphasis on the necessity of vehicle manufacturers making parts information available to the industry. Several media outlets are reporting this week that General Motors may have committed “a cardinal sin” with regards to the Chevrolet Cobalt and Saturn Ion when it re-engineered the vehicles’ faulty ignition switch, but did not create a new part number. This unusual deviation from the industry’s standard practices hampered identifying the safety issue for several years. Wilson says this example highlights why detailed part information must be made available to professional automotive recyclers. “The industry must be provided with safety information that can be automatically

synchronized with recycled parts inventory so that important recall and service bulletin information is seamlessly integrated into the inventory management systems utilized by the automotive recycling industry.” Important data including original equipment guides (OEG) lists and regular production option (RPO) codes, which detail the particular equipment packages and option combinations for a particular vehicle, is critical to the professional automotive recycling community. “Without access to this information it is difficult to map specific part numbers to the build sheet of a vehicle and because of these restrictions by the OEMs, consumers are often deprived of the ability to purchase cost-effective OEM recycled parts,” said Wilson. “Given the supply of recycled parts, restricting access to data is just bad economic and environmental policy,” Wilson stated. He

asked attendees of the Congress to consider that from the day a vehicle is driven off a new car dealership’s lot for the very first time—that vehicle is a “used” vehicle; likewise every part on the vehicle is then “used.” Whether an accident happens in the first 25 miles or 25,000 to 50,000 miles later, the undamaged OEM parts and components on those vehicles have significant economic and environmental value. Consumers have a right to the economic and environmental benefits of these OEM parts and the barriers and obstacles to their reutilization must be eliminated. Wilson concluded his remarks by challenging his global audience to join in the effort to obtain parts data from manufacturers and to encourage the OEMs to partner with professional automotive recyclers who promote the reuse of the parts that the OEMs initially brought to the marketplace.

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june 2014 collision Repair 59

Gloria Mann honoured with OARA President’s Award Gloria Mann, Media Matters’ VP of Industry Relations has been named the 2014 Ontario Auto Recyclers Association (OARA) recipient of the President’s Award. “This is wonderful,” Mann told OARA delegates upon receiving the award at the organization’s 2014 convention and trade show. “You know what you all mean to me, there’s no hiding it.” The OARA President’s Award is given to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to automotive recycling. Mann is a primary driving force behind Canadian Auto Recyclers magazine. Mann works tirelessly to promote the auto recycling industry and the work its members do every day, and OARA President Wally Dingman feels there couldn’t be anyone more perfect for the distinction. “She has gone above and beyond expectations, and I think she’s done a fantastic job,”

Dingman says. “She’s a kind soul, and to have someone with her ambition to promote auto recyclers is a rare occurrence for someone not in the industry. Gloria is one of a kind.” Energy summarizes Mann in his eyes. She’s someone who loves and breathes auto recycling, understands it and brings unending fresh air to a room. “What strikes me when I think of her is her energy. She truly is a positive person and she brings a climate of excitement to the room,” says Dingman. OARA Executive Director Steve Fletcher notes how she stands as a firm torchbearer for the auto recycling business. “Gloria does so much for us, and she loves and understands what we’re trying to do and wants us to be recognized for what we’re doing,” Fletcher says. “Gloria really takes it to a personal level, puts in a ton of effort and

Gloria Mann accepts the OARA President’s Award from Steve Fletcher, Executive Director of OARA (left) and Wally Dingman, President.

goes above and beyond on our behalf.” Fletcher remembers how the crowd gave her a standing ovation when she received the President’s Award. “We recognize who she is and what she’s done, and we definitely surprised her,” Fletcher says, recalling her immediate reaction. “She’s truly deserving of this.”

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FOR COLLISION Quality Replacement Parts (QRP) is our computerized inventory system. It allows real time requests with quick responses! The system is easy to use. Request a part and all members receive the request and respond in under 15 minutes with competitive quotes based on quality and availability. But that’s not all! QRP also gives you the power to obtain several different parts from different yards, all with a single mouse click! FOR INSURERS Our total salvage management solution provides insurers with a convenient way to generate competitive returns while ensuring their total loss vehicles are handled promptly and properly. FOR MECHANICAL REPAIRERS QRP offers you the same great functionality enjoyed by collision repairers. Request parts one at a time, and within minutes receive competitive quotes from our entire network. You can still put together an entire repair order with a single click! Don’t forget to get a quote on extended warranties!

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No 9 Auto Wreckers (905) 857-6200 Tottenham, ON Port Perry Auto Wreckers (905) 986-4281 Blackstock, ON Rock City Auto Supplies (705) 566-9670 Sudbury, ON Standard Auto Wreckers (416) 286-8686 Scarborough, ON T&T Auto Supply (807) 475-4227 Thunder Bay, ON Thorold Auto Parts & Recyclers (905) 227-4118 Thorold, ON Valley Automotive (613) 735-0163 Pembroke, ON Woodbeck Auto Parts (613) 395-3336 Stirling, ON

For more information please contact Trisha Sembay at: (416) 231-8580 or trish@car-ms.ca

Serving the Automotive Industry for Over 45 Years SAS goes ‘extreme’ with new excavator attachment Professional Sales Staff Trained to Serve the Auto Insurance & Repair Industry • Fully Computerized Inventory System • National Parts Locating System • Late Model Domestic / Foreign Cars & Trucks • Pick & Pull Your Own Parts • 60 Day Warranty • Extended Warranties Available • CAR-MS QRP Member FLOATING SHADOW VERSION • We Buy Scrap Cars

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62 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

SAS has released an “extreme” automotive processing attachment for scrap excavators. The company says its SAS Extreme auto processor attachment aims to maximize revenues and can be tailored for many of the excavators presently on the market. SAS says the Extreme sports aggressive

jaws similar to its SAS Scorpion engine puller that’s used for wheel loaders, but incorporates a flat needle nose-type surface to capture maximum copper. A complete turn-key unit is ready for immediate delivery. For more information, please visit the company’s website at SASforks.com.

The Extreme attachment from SAS is specifically designed for the rigours of automotive processing.

Builtrite’s Auto Dismantling System struts its stuff in new video Builtrite Handlers has released a new video that shows the company’s Auto Dismantling System in action in an automotive recycling yard. The particular unit shown in the new video was mounted to a Case CX 210 Excavator. However, the company notes that they have mounted this system to a number of popular excavators in the 20 to 22 metric ton class sizes. The company has mounted it to excavators in that class manufactured by Cat, Doosan, Hitachi, Hyundai, JCB, John Deere, Kobelco, Komatsu, Sany and Volvo. According to the company, the standard hold down arms do not require

dozer blade linkage to operate, and the mounting bracket and the cylinders are designed per the excavator undercarriage dimensions. For those customers with excavators that do have the blade option, Builtrite Handlers can supply just the arm assembly at a reduced price. It is designed to pin onto the blade linkage. A statement from the company notes that the video is unedited, in terms of time required to dismantle the automobiles. For more information, please visit builtritehandlers.com/auto-dismantling-system.htm.

400 Auto Wreckers’ Huehn helps lift kids’ dreams By Andrew Ardizzi

400 Auto Wreckers’ owner Tom Huehn brought his past relationship with Scholastic Canada to encourage literacy with the children preparing for the Sunshine Foundation’s 2014 trip to Disney World. “The reactions from parents to Scholastic’s generosity is remarkable. They’re supporting these kids, and the parents appreciate their effort,” says Huehn. “It’s a nice gift for both the kids who are going and who aren’t. Every child gets a book.” Huehn took part in the recent DreamLift information session, a meeting held to brief parents on the itinerary and also to familiarize the children going on the trip with the volunteers.

The DreamLift trip treats children with chronic diseases and physical disabilities to a one day trip to Disney World in Orlando, Fla., and was run this year by the Sunshine Foundation with the support of RBC, SC Johnson and a local McDonalds, with the help of volunteers like Huehn who donated their time at varying stages of the trip’s organization. Huehn has worked alongside OARA in the previous two years to organize the trip’s information sessions, and it’s that experience working to support the Sunshine Foundation that has made an undeniable difference in his life. “My exposure to the Sunshine Foundation has had an important impact on my life,” he says. “And it’s something I’ve decided to do on a

400 Auto Wreckers’ Tom Huehn and Sunshine Foundation’s Kristen Laskow and Samantha Glover helped pass out activity books to children at the DreamLift information session.

continuing basis because I feel it’s important.” For more information, please visit sunshine.ca.

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procuredparts Canada’s environment is not like the U.S. By David Gold

ertainly one of the most contentious topics that has ever arisen in the collision repair industry are insurerdriven parts procurement programs. Like collision repairers, we in the auto recycling industry have been consumed with conference calls and training sessions on how to use these systems to streamline sales to our customers in the auto repair industry. In the past few months numerous people have asked me what I think about all of these programs and members of our auto recycling community have even sought help from industry experts to gain some guidance on what our position on these programs should be going forward. With many collision repairers feeling a “loss of control” and having what seems to be a universal dissatisfaction with parts procurement programs, auto recyclers find themselves confused about whether they should participate or not in these programs. Naturally, no auto recycler would ever

64 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

want to deprive a collision repairer of the profits they need to earn on their parts purchases and any “bidding war” that could embrace the lowest priced part over a more appropriately priced quality part is a slippery slope for us as well. Auto recyclers in Canada, by and large, have taken the position that while we are not really sure what this means to our business we are willing to partake in these programs and check things out for ourselves in these early stages. There is no question that auto recyclers have mixed views about this topic as we do have compassion for the extreme scrutiny that our collision repair customers are under and we are not looking to add more unnecessary paperwork to our customer’s plate. At the onset I can tell you that while some auto recyclers are selling parts daily on these programs, the majority of the auto recyclers are not. While the significant roll-out continues in an effort to see increased participation there are a few hurdles that auto recyclers must overcome to fully embrace this

recycling i

new way of doing business. For starters the data integrity and the extraction of the parts inventory from the auto recycler’s computer inventory management systems is something that is very valuable and we need to make sure that this is done safely and securely. In addition to this, auto recyclers don’t want to mess around with time consuming and cumbersome part quoting platforms on both the sale and returns side of the parts process. My position is that parts procurement programs are like a tool that can help our existing customers and potential new customers find our inventory for possible inclusion in the repair process. I personally have observed new collision repairers in my area purchasing recycled parts who would have not otherwise have bought them. These programs affect anyone who sells parts and it does impact our relationships with our collision repair shops whether we are a part of these programs or not. Increasingly we are told that if we are not signed up on these programs we will be losing out as shops won’t be able to purchase our parts when they are working on a specific insurance companies repair. Also, we have to deal with the notion that if we are not a part of these programs our competition will participate in them and thereby get the sales that we pass on. In the collision repair industry, will the MSOs actually turn

down programs like this for the long-term when their business model depends so heavily on putting volume through their shops? And what about the consolidators in the auto recycling industry? Surely they will partake in any programs with insurance companies. Since parts procurement programs are here to stay in one form or another it is incumbent upon every business person to make sure that they make decisions on a daily basis that are profitable. Auto recyclers will sell parts when it is profitable to do so and when it isn’t profitable we have to pass on the sale. Knowing when to hold’ em and when to fold’ em is crucial and this is more important than any notion that recyclers must stand in solidarity on whether or not to embrace these types of programs. As in life, sometimes things go too far and they don’t make sense from a business perspective and when that happens it’s time to move on. Is this one of those times? Perhaps not yet, but we will certainly be watching this closely to make sure that we do what is best for our businesses. CRM David Gold is the co-owner of Standard Auto Wreckers, an auto recycler with locations in Toronto, Ottawa and Niagara Falls, New York. He can be reached by phone at 416-286-8686 or via e-mail at david@standardautowreckers.com.

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www.millersauto.com June 2014 collision Repair 65

last word

Showup! Take what NACE offers ... or others will. By Mike Davey

t’s been said that a lot of success in life is down to simply showing up. I’ve always taken that to mean that those who do show up are the only ones with any possible chance of success. You have literally no chance of succeeding if you don’t try. That’s just one of the reasons you should attend NACE this year. The show runs July 30 to August 2, and it’s packed with incredible educational opportunities. Are you ready for weld bonding and rivet bonding to become mainstream? According to Jason Scharton and Caroline Morel of 3M, it’s coming whether you’re ready or not. We’ve heard a lot about the increased use of advanced materials used

attending NACE has already fallen! We know that Canada’s collision repair industry has some of the most dedicated and forward-thinking people in the entire world. The move to Detroit provides us with an unprecedented opportunity to show the rest of the world. You may already know that Collision Repair magazine ran the Canada Night event last year at our booth. It drew great attendance and attention, but we want to go bigger. Much bigger! We’re running Canada Night on the show floor again this year, but this year we really want a big, big crowd. To do that, we need your help. We’re launching the NACE Network Chal-

the choice is yours and it should be an easy choice to make. in manufacturing, but Scharton and Morel’s presentation promises to fill us in on the growing use of adhesives and sealers in welded and riveted joints, and how your shop can become comfortable with these techniques. The choice is yours and it should be an easy choice to make. You can take the opportunities that are available or not. Rest assured that at least some of your competitors will take the first option. NACE has moved to a new home in Detroit this year, meaning it’s easier than ever for more Canadians to make the trip. Southern Ontario has the country’s highest population density and is therefore one of the areas of the country with the most collision repair facilities. If you’re like me and you live in Southern Ontario, simply driving to NACE is now an option. Folks in the Toronto area can get there in just under four hours! Compare that to flying to Las Vegas or New Orleans and you’ll see that one of the barriers to

lenge, where the collision repair network that registers the most people for NACE through our site will receive a prize. You can email our publisher, Darr yl Simmons, for details at publisher@collisionrepairmag.com. Registering through us by heading over to exhibitorinvites.com/nace_cars/ mediamatters. You’ll also get discounts on tickets. NACE is closer to us than ever before. You have the chance to donate to your charity of choice. You have an opportunity to show pride in your industry and your country, and you save money. You win, your staff win, your industry wins and your country wins. It’s an easy choice to make. CRM

66 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Mike Davey is the editor of Collision Repair magazine. He can be reached at 905-3700101 or via email at editor@ collisionrepairmag.com.

CANADIAN DISTRIBUTORS Auto Traction, Inc. 301 Route 132 St.Vallier, Quebec G0R 4J0 Phone: 418-884-3273 Fax: 418-884-3831 gillesdaigle@autotraction.ca www.autotraction.ca Matthews Collision Equipment Ltd. 105 Walden Square S.E. Calgary, Alberta T2X 0R9 Phone: 403-560-6925 Fax: 403-282-3412 matthewsequipment@shaw.ca R.S. Finishing Systems, Inc. 145 Industrial Parkway South, Unit #2 Aurora, Ontario L4G 3V5 Phone: 905-881-9768 Fax: 905-727-7555 info@rsfinishing.com www.rsfinishing.com Car-O-Liner NW 3207 Cedarside Court Bellingham, WA 98226 (Covering the British Columbia Territory) Phone: 1-800-590-3878 john@colnw.com www.colnw.com

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