Collision Repair 9#4 by Media Matters

SPECIAL FEATURE! The HST and Collision Repair: Now What? Serving the Business of the Industry.

Training Station

Jurassic Repair

Getting on the right track.

Preventing customer extinction.

The Price is Wrong

the

touch of class

Pricing ourselves out of business.

>> PLUS

AkzoNobel gets a new Canadian manager, productivity up 26 per cent, and much more!

John Scotti Automotive’s reputation for class is worldwide. Find out why.

Volume 9 Number 4 l $4.95 Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40841632 86 John Street, Thornhill ON L3T 1Y2

ts c du de! o Pr Gui

How sharks finish off a Barracuda.

For Chip Foose and Peter Klutt, there’s no room to hesitate when it comes to finishing off Peter’s powerful 1971 Barracuda. They’re going for a look that’s positively … killer. That’s why Chip and Peter chose BASF waterborne basecoat. Shop-proven, quick-drying and as smooth as solvent, BASF waterbornes deliver a durable shine while reducing basecoat VOCs by as much as 90 percent. And it sprays so fast … the ’cuda will never know what hit it. Call 1-800-825-3000 or visit basfrefinish.com today.

contents

24 Volume 9 Issue 4, September 2010

YOUR ONLINE SOURCE Canada’s collision repair information

resource. New articles and top news stories daily. Visit collisionrepairmag.com.

departments 04 Publisher’s Message Step by Step. by Darryl Simmons

22 positively passionate Passion can take you far in this industry. Just ask Manon Duplantie.

06 News Fix Auto expands coast-to-coast, Canadian collision repair productivity up 26 per cent, and more! 16 Who’s Driving? Jurassic Repair. by Jay Perry 17 Point Blank Hot Air. by Sam Piercey 18 Prairie view Ask More. by Tom Bissonnette 50 Recycling The Code. by David Gold 54 The Last Word Lean Forward. by Joe Rayment

40 Training map What’s happening, when it’s happening and where to find it.

features 20 HST and collision repair How will the new tax impact repairs in Ontario and BC?

On The cover

SPECIAL FEATURE! The HST and Collision Repair: Now What?

Training Station

Preventing customer extinction.

The Price is Wrong

Master of Craft

Quebec’s first family of luxury restoration are still technicians at heart.

Jurassic Repair

Getting on the right track.

THE

TOUCH CLASS

Pricing ourselves out of business.

>> PLUS

AkzoNobel gets a new Canadian manager, productivity up 26 per cent, and much more!

John Scotti Automotive’s reputation for class is worldwide. Find out why.

COLLISIONREPAIRMAG

cts du e! ProGuid

Cover photography by: Tzara Maud

TRAINING Centre 35-41 36 Storming the Gates The man that brought I-CAR east. 37 Training for the Future Apprenticeship Culture. 38 Almost Perfect We have the technology...

44-49 44 Evolution in water It’s here, it’s wet, get used to it.

27 20-20 in 2010 Carstar focuses on its vision for the future at its 13th annual conference.

Product Guide 46-49 46

Spray Booths

42 Restoration graduation In five years Garry Thom’s class brought a truck back from the dead.

Air Accelerators

Spray Guns

HAVE YOUR SAY We welcome your comments on anything you see in Collision Repair magazine. Send your feedback to editor@collisionrepairmag.com.

september 2010 collision Repair 03

One painter. One tall order. No Problem. Speed up your operations and increase productivity with DuPont™ Cromax® Pro waterborne basecoat. With 1.5 coat coverage, wet-on-wet application and no flash time between coats, it’s easy to see why leading shops are making the switch to DuPont™ Cromax® Pro. And for even faster results, DuPont™ ColorNet® Color Proofing can give you great color matches before a single drop of paint is mixed. Just a few of the ways that DuPont Refinish can help you reach your operational goals today— while getting ahead of tomorrow’s environmental regulations. To learn more about increasing your productivity visit www.cromaxpro.dupont.com or speak with a DuPont Refinish waterborne conversion specialist at 1.800.668.6945, prompt 5.

Untitled-1 1

3/16/09 8:37:41 AM

Publisher’s page

stepbystep Small steps have had a big impact.

PUBLISHER DARRYL SIMMONS (905) 370-0101 publisher@collisionrepairmag.com

By Darryl Simmons

EDITOR JOE RAYMENT editor@collisionrepairmag.com

ecently I had the opportunity to recommend a collision repair facility. While reversing his car, a good friend of mine had the misfortune of being caught in a battle between an Acura bumper cover and a tree branch, hidden from plain sight (or so my friend said). As you may have guessed, the bumper cover lost. Now this friend is as typical a driver as you can imagine. He was in an accident about a decade ago, but since it went through insurance, he simply followed their instructions. This time it was different. The gaping hole

really happy we were able to convert yet another skeptic. Baby steps: one solid repair at a time and one satisfied consumer to match on the receiving end. Thank you to all who are earning the respect that this industry deserves. On another note of thanks and taking steps forward, I would like to pay a quick tribute to Roland Taube. After about a decade as the national manager for AkzoNobel refinish, he has passed the torch to Dave Smith. Those of you who know Rollie are surely aware of all the hard work he has dedicated

ne solid repair at a time And one satisfied consumer.

in the bumper was clearly his fault and he didn’t want the hassle of filing a claim. But then again, he didn’t want a hassle with the repair either. It was conundrum to be sure. Long story short: he asked me for advice. “It’s simple,” I told him. “Just visit a couple of shops and go to the one you feel most comfortable with.” But he wasn’t convinced that easily. “Oh no,” he said, “I’ve seen the news reports and I don’t want to pay an arm and a leg just to be ripped off with shoddy service.” After a couple of minutes of explaining how the industry is not what he thinks it is, he took a chance and made the next step to a local shop. When he picked up his repaired vehicle, he called me. “Wow, it’s like new and they even cleaned the interior. Best of all, they explained the whole process and gave me an option to repair or replace. And they had it in on time.” He was gushing like a kid with a new toy and there is no doubt in my mind that he will share his story with other skeptics in the future. I felt proud of the industry and, more importantly, I was

behind the scenes. He’s been there almost every step of the way to improve the collision repair industry, having chaired and been on numerous boards including the AIA’s PBE council, I-CAR International and multiple CCIF committees. For those of you who don’t know him personally, you certainly must know his work, and the legacy he leaves. He was instrumental in maintaining I-CAR in Canada and was a champion for Skills Canada. Aside from that, and being really effective and respected by his peers, he was a lot of fun to be around. Well, I’m sure he still is. The industry is certainly a lot better off because of him and hopefully he won’t disappear completely. Rollie is a prime example of what I witnessed with my friend. Taking small but continuous steps and a few chances here and there can lead to big improvements. CRM

04 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

assistant EDITOR Megan Ng megan@mediamatters.ca ART DIRECTOR DANIELA LUBERTO daniela@collisionrepairmag.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS BRAM KOCH, Gaby schachter, LIN HAN, MAX MAGEE, Sasha Erfanian DESIGN ASSISTANTS JI YOON AHN COLUMNISTS ANDREW SHEPHERD, DAVID GOLD, JAY PERRY, SAM PIERCEY, TOM BISSONNETTE VP INDUSTRY RELATIONS GLORIA MANN (647) 998-5677 advertising@collisionrepairmag.com digital strategies joe Plati (647) 669-2625 advertising@collisionrepairmag.com circulation department Pat Cappelli (905) 370-0101 pat@mediamatters.ca SUBSCRIPTION One-year $24.95 / Two-year $35.95

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

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

News Westman Collision, 50 years young, strong, and Thriving

The Westman family team holding a cake celebrating 50 years in business.

Westman Collision in London, Ontario recently celebrated 50 years in business as a family, exactly how it started all those years ago. With the help of NAPA/CMAX, DuPont and 3M, the Westman family hosted a festive lunch for employees past and present. “The generosity of 3M, DuPont and NAPA only shows the character of these three partners,” Dave Westman told the group over lunch. “It’s been wonderful.” After the lunch, the team from CMAX presented the Westmans with a custom spray gun to celebrate the occasion. DuPont’s Dan Thompson was on hand to offer a few

words on working with Westman. In his experience, they’ve always put a unique amount of care into their work and relationships. “That’s what we have to do to thrive in this economy,” he said. DuPont and NAPA also presented the entire Westman team with jackets emblazoned with the collision centre’s logo. “It is indeed an honour and pleasure to be here with the Westman family to celebrate 50 years of business,” said NAPA’s Andy Murphy to the gathered crowd. “And I am looking forward to the next 50 years of business.”

ACG raises $15,300 for Children’s Safety Village More than 230 golfers joined Ivan Tolfa and Atlantic Collision Group (ACG) for their 18th annual Charity Golf Tournament last Friday. Photo, from left: Gary Evans, Ivan Tolfa and Sylvan Naidoo at the end of the day’s festivities with a $15,300 cheque for the Peel Children’s Safety Village.

All together, they raised a grand total of $15,300 in support of the Peel Children’s Safety Village. The Safety Village is an educational facility that aims to reduce the number of children injured in preventable accidents. Participants came to golf from every sector of the industry, including collision repair, rentals and insurance.

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Easy Money EXPRESS SCRATCH REPAIR: MINOR DAMAGE FIXED FAST Thanks to the new Express Scratch Repair (ESR) technology from Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes, dealerships and collision repair shops have a new source of revenue - those small scratches, dents and dings from minor accidents that car owners don’t usually have repaired. With ESR there’s no need for baking. Instead, simple repairs can cure outside the booth and air-dry to a 15-minute cure that can be sanded, polished and then delivered to the customer.

ESR is the repair process that saves time, money and energy. Now that’s easy money! To find out more, call 1-800-798-5872.

Customers like it because it’s affordable; they can get same day repairs, decreased lease turn-in charges and a high quality finish. It’s easy, too. Dealers can provide an ESR assessment at the time of scheduled maintenance as can collision shops when vehicles are already on-site for estimates. That means more new jobs - and less natural gas and heat used.

sherwin-automotive.com/esr

News Enterprise brings together 144 golfers to fight cancer

Above, from left: Steve Tudela, VP and general manager for Enterprise and Peter Goodhand, CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society.

Wyndance Golf Club in Uxbridge, Ontario was the site of the 15 th Annual Enterprise Rent-A-Car charity golf tournament. For the fourth con secutive year, Enterprise chose Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC) as the official charity of the event. WICC, which consists of volunteers from the insurance industry, donates its time and 100 per cent of the funds raised by events such as the Enterprise tournament to

the Canadian Cancer Society for cancer research. Last year’s Enterprise charity golf tournament raised more than $16,000, bringing the total donated to WICC by Enterprise over the past three years to more than $46,000. In addition, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation Canada has donated $20,000 to the Canadian Cancer Society. Steve Tudela, vice president and general manager for Enterprise, welcomed 144 golfers to the event. Also on hand to say a few words on behalf of WICC was Peter Goodhand, CEO of the Canadian Cancer Society.

collision repair productivity up 26 per cent: AutoHouse Productivity in Canadian collision repair facilities rose as much as 26 per cent between 2007 and 2009, according to a study by AutoHouse technologies. AutoHouse recently released the results of their study on their website. In their analysis they focused on touch time over the last few years. The data AutoHouse collected showed a steady increase in average units per day over the last few years: from 1.9 a day in 2007 to 2.4 a day in 2009. They were careful to caution that the metrics they used were just to show the trend. “In future reports, we may dig deeper and get the statistical validation required to make a definitive statement,” said AutoHouse’s Mike Gilliland. Gilliland theorized the increase might be the result of new lean practices facilities and insurers have been adopting over the last few years. He also suggested that some very successful shops may be raising the average. The results of this study have made them eager for further information on different factors that could influence productivity such as geographic area. Visit AutoHouse autohousetechnologies.com for a more detailed analysis on their findings. 08 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

News Kelly McDonald to deliver diverse keynote at NACE opening Marketing expert Kelly McDonald will present the keynote address at the Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) Opening General Session October 11, 2010, followed immediately by the opening of the NACE and CARS show floor. McDonald’s presentation, titled “The Changing Face of Your Business—Inside and Out,” will focus on diversity as a business opportunity and will examine the effects of generational, racial and ethnic changes occurring in the automotive service workplace as it relates to employees and customers. “Providing timely, relevant education that everyone can apply is a critical element of ASRW,” said Harry Hall, DuPont North America sales manager, refinish. “That’s why DuPont is so pleased to sponsor Ms McDonald’s presentation as we feel everyone will walk away with information they can

than with a leading expert educating our attendees on an issue we are all facing today. This presentation, as in years past, will be a must-attend event.” Tickets for the Opening General Session are included in Super Pass registration packages and can also be purchased separately for $35 in the online attendee registration systems for NACE and CARS. ASRW is scheduled for October 10-13 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. For more information visit NACEexpo.com. hydrolux_canadian_ad_3 7/4/10 14:03 Page 1 C

CY CMY

implement immediately upon returning from ASRW.” Kelly McDonald is a recognized expert on multicultural marketing and business trends. As a professional speaker, she shares marketing insights and teaches strategies and tactics for cultivating diverse consumers emotionally, rationally and with cultural relevance. “The Opening General Session is a highlight event during ASRW, and this year is no exception,” said ASA president Ron Pyle. “What better way to begin ASRW 2010

D’alessandro Celebrates his 50th with Philanthropy

Photo, from left: Collision Repair magazine’s Gloria Mann, Heather Green and Lorenzo D’Alessandro, holding his birthday present from Heather.

Lorenzo D’Alessandro celebrated his 50th birthday recently at 427 Auto Collision~CSN’s 3rd annual charity BBQ. D’Alessandro, 427’s general manager, was delighted with the turnout to the party. “I want to thank my dad,” he told the crowd. “I want to thank my brother. I want to thank my sister-in-law. I want to thank all of our partners who’ve supported us over the years.” He turned around and motioned to the entire 427 team, who’d gathered behind him, “And I want to thank my family.” Attendees could buy tickets for a raffle at the event. They could also try their luck on Lorenzo’s Putting Green for a chance to win three free tickets. All proceeds from the day went to the Linden Fund.

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september 2010 collision Repair 09

ISION & GLASS LOCATION L L O C S CSN ONTARIO

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News Fix Auto expands from vancouver to moncton

Above: Fix Auto Rexdale. Bottom-right: Justin McPherson and the Fix Auto Moncton team.

Fix Auto announced that they have added three new locations to their network roster: Fix Auto Kelowna, Fix Auto Rexdale and Fix Auto Moncton. Fix Auto Kelowna is now open to the public. It is located at 6-920 Leathead Road in Kelowna, BC and features 8,400 sq. ft. in production space. Providing service to the greater Kelowna area, the location is a modern facility, providing drive-in appraisals, fabric repair and collision repair service to all OEM dealers and light- to medium-duty trucks. Fix Auto Rexdale, located at 25 Vice Regent Blvd in Rexdale, Ontario, has been in operation since 1988 and is part of the well known Woodbine Auto Group dealership. “Fix Auto Rexdale is a great modern facility with an excellent location serving the Rexdale area,” said Todd Noble, Fix’s business development manager for the On-

to the collision repair industry. For the past 10 years, McPherson owned and operated a collision repair facility in the Moncton area. Opening a brand new state-of-the-art facility came with the decision to further grow and expand Macpherson’s business with the greater demand received from his customer base. “We have always prided ourselves in providing superior customer service,” McPherson said. “This is what established us as a reputable shop in the greater Moncton community,” he continued. “We are excited about this new venture and look forward to expanding our business with the Fix Auto network.”

tario and Atlantic Region. “We are very pleased with the addition of this new location to the network.” The last of the three locations, Fix Auto Moncton, is located at 38 Industrial Street in Dieppe, New Brunswick and is the second location in the Atlantic region to join the Fix Auto network. Owned and operated by Justin McPherson, the location is a brand new facility that just opened its doors to customers in early June. However, Justin is no stranger

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12 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

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TO JOIN THE NETWORK CALL 1.877.344.4349 Untitled-1 1

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6/16/09 12:00:10 PM

People Bernard Péloquin becomes GM for Carrossier ProColor

Carrossier ProColor newly appointed GM Bernard Péloquin.

Bernard Péloquin has become the general manager for Carrossier ProColor’s franchise network. Péloquin has had a high-profile career in the collision repair industry. An entrepreneur for more than 20 years, Péloquin served for years as founder and president of Fix Auto Ontario. From 1988 to 2001, he occupied several management positions with AkzoNobel Coatings. He was also a member of the advisory board of I-CAR Canada

from 2003 to 2006 and president of the communications/image committee of the Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF) from 2002 to 2003. He’s even penned a few columns for us at Collision Repair magazine. In his new role, Péloquin will develop and manage operations at the network. He will also manage and maintain relations with the network’s partners in the industry.

David Smith becomes AkzoNobel’s new Canadian manager

David Smith, AkzoNobel’s new Canadian manager.

AkzoNobel Car Refinishes Americas announced that David Smith has been appointed to the role of country manager for the Canadian market. Smith joined the AkzoNobel organization in 1993. He has held various positions in the sales, operations and technical departments in the Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver areas. Most recently, he has held the regional sales manager position for the western Canadian market. “The Canadian market is extremely important to AkzoNobel and David is an excellent fit for leading our efforts,” said Doug Holmberg, director of sales for AkzoNobel Car Refinishes North America. “We have benefited from the leadership of Roland Taube for the last ten years. Roland now moves on to other opportunities within

14 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

the AkzoNobel family,” Holmberg continued. “We feel fortunate that we have an individual like David who has the seasoned experience that enables him to step in and guide our efforts and create even greater successes.” In commenting on his appointment Smith noted, “I am truly honoured to have the privilege to lead a worldclass organization in a world class market. The push to advance the use of waterborne technology has created an array of opportunities within Canada for the collision repair industry. We have the ability to lead the way in making our industry a standard for sustainability and profitability. It will be my responsibility and pleasure to ensure that all businesses in Canada know that AkzoNobel is the best in both.”

people PPG names Jean-Guy Rosa director of refinish, Canada PPG Industries’ automotive refinish business recently announced that it’s appointed Jean-Guy Rosa as director of refinish for Canada. Rosa has been serving in this role on an interim basis since December 2009. Rosa joined PPG in 1992 and has held positions of increasing responsibility within training, value-added services and management. Most recently he served as regional manager for Quebec and the Atlantic Region of Canada. He will report to Steve Zweig, who recently joined the refinish business as sales zone director for zone 3. The new appointment comes as part of a broader restructuring of PPG’s North American sales and marketing organization, with a number of key leadership changes. “PPG refinish is committed to maintaining

locations in 20 markets across the United States. John Parran was appointed director of marketing, refinish for the United States and Canada. In his new role, Parran will oversee strategies and initiatives encompassing product marketing, customer service, communications and pricing. And Mark Juell was named to replace Parran as sales zone director, zone 2. He joined PPG in 1991 as a technical sales instructor and most recently worked as a regional manager.

Jean-Guy Rosa PPG’s recently appointed director of refinish, Canada.

a strong, dynamic management team,” said Greg Benckart, PPG general manager, refinish, United States and Canada. “These new appointments, together with key strategic realignments, will help us maintain our leadership in providing the right products and support for our refinish customers.” Steve Zweig will head sales in PPG’s zone 3, which has been realigned to include PPG’s refinish business in Canada. Zweig was formerly with PPG’s architectural coatings business as zone sales director, midwest and west, with responsibility for more than 130 company store

New appointments at Carstar Canada Carstar Automotive Canada has announced several new appointments in it’s senior ranks. Lisa Mercanti-Ladd will become senior director to the assistant vice president of marketing and client services. Mercanti-Ladd was formerly associate vice president of marketing and client services. MJ Marshall was appointed to assistant vice president of finance. Lillian Haskett will become Carstar’s marketing manager. Michael Macaluso will become quality systems manager. Mike Beier will become procurement manager. He is also maintaining his previous responsibilities of finding new opportunities for Carstar. Matt Bell has become the human resources and training manager. Other recent hires at Carstar include: Brendon Buckler, account manager. Nicole Gaudet, intermediate accountant. And Norm Hay, graphic designer. september 2010 collision Repair 15

who’s driving?

jurassicfix Listen to your customers, or they may simply disappear. By Jay Perry

inosaurs still roam the earth! Thought they were extinct? In our industry they still exist, as our interaction with one estimator proves. One of my staff was working on process evaluation and asked about customer contact during the repairs. Much to her surprise, the estimator asked back “Why would I call the customer?” He then went on to say “We’re fixing the car and I will call them when it is done.” He is the dinosaur to which I refer—or his attitude, at least. It’s an attitude of superiority, arrogance and entitlement that clearly shows he is not customercentric. This kind of attitude will kill a business. The first time I witnessed it was coming across shops that thought DRP customers were theirs and a “slam dunk” in the close. Another place I saw it

clipboard and saying “Let’s take a look at the damage” as they walk out the door. They then proceed to “write an estimate,” which is really a “guestimate” because they are there in a parking lot without a full understanding of what caused the damage, how the customer came to their shop, what the customer thinks is important or what conveniences the customer is looking to have while at the shop. Old-fashioned estimators also successfully demonstrate with body language that the customer is interrupting their busy day. Customers aren’t stupid. They obviously do not know what they are doing if they are out shopping for estimates, but that does not make them stupid—it just makes them naive. They still have a choice as to where they get their

ustomers pick up on attitudes when you treat them as numbers. was in shops that thought because they had fixed a car for an owner previously that they were entitled to fixing any subsequent accidents for that customer. Both viewpoints are dead wrong. You see, the customer has an attitude too: “What have you done for me lately?” We must demonstrate that we are willing to earn their business. Even though a DRP relationship may have driven traffic to a shop’s door, the customer still has trust issues that we need to overcome. How do I know? I look at the statistics. Not all DRP referrals buy from the referred facility. Fully 20 per cent of these people move on to another shop (another 5–10 per cent don’t repair). If these customers that are not in an impulse-buy situation are moving on it can only mean that the facility did not earn their trust. Customers pick up on attitude and subtly realize that they are going to become just another statistic if they buy from the facility, so they move on. They have not been “wowed.” You must show the customer that you are happy they came to you for professional advice. You must show the customer that yours is a place that distinguishes itself from the competition. As they do not know what goes into a quality repair then that distinction must come to them in the form of an experience—a feeling. Too many writers go on auto pilot, picking up a

16 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

car fixed and many move on. When I look at the other important statistics in the form of CSI, I see many complaints about the level of contact during the process. Here’s a novel idea: ask them how they would like to be kept informed while their car is in your shop. Wait for an answer like “give me a call,” or “I want an email with pictures.” If you think it is smart to give update calls every second day and they want one every day, then you fail under their criteria. Perform the contact under their terms; they are the ones who are going to judge your level of service, not you, so start listening to the customer. The irony of the story I related in opening this column is that during further conversation with my staff the estimator said the customer commented on the high quality of the repair but was disappointed that they never received an update during the process. He was giving himself the answer, but still not listening. Only if you listen to, then deliver what the customer wants can you be 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.

point blank with piercey

hotstuff A plastic welder that’s heating up cycle times. By Sam Piercey

very once in a while you’ll find a piece of technology that fits perfectly into your business. It’s a good feeling—as if you can feel your life getting easier just thinking about it. I found that recently in the form of a new welder for repairing bumpers and other types of plastic. It works with nitrogen and is fast on the repair process. It’s not new technology, but it’s improved a lot since the first time I saw it. The system— Urethane Supply Company’s hot air welding system—works as a hot air process. It’s cooled with nitrogen and it welds with steam. So what’s so good about it? Why are we so impressed? There are a few reasons. It’s easy to use with minimal training,

Budds’ Collision’s new hot air welding system— already saving them a fortune on repair kits.

It’s faster for the flat-rate workers and it will certainly keep a lot more work in the house. It is the hottest technology today! It’s not a cheap purchase, but I’m confident it will pay for itself quickly. My techs and I are very much impressed, and

CANADA HAS CHOSEN ITS BODY SHOP Why Should I Convert My Body Shop To A Maaco? Maaco is ranked #1 in its category by Entrepreneur Magazine in its Franchise 500 List Maaco has a Canada-wide 97.4% customer satisfaction rating

t’s the hottest technology today!

which is important for introducing anything new to your operation. If it’s too complicated to use it could be either expensive or frustrating to get it working to its full potential. The machine has a much stronger weld than older models did. You see the difference when welding the plastic—it welds fast and clean and generally saves us time. It made it easy to replace and repair the tabs on the bumpers, and there were no fumes from the smell of plastic because of the nitrogen—it uses a clean air supply and the system keeps contaminants out during the process. We were able to weld a complete patch in a bumper cover and we could not break it apart when we tried. It can weld almost any type of plastic and more. The machine works like an actual welder. You can repair washer bottles, overflow tanks, storage tanks, motorcycle fairing, instrument panels and much more—too many things to mention.

[measured by CSI Complete]

Maaco receives 75% of its business through retail out-of-pocket customer pay Maaco services more than 500,000 customers / year in North America

we are fixing and repairing more parts than I ever imagined we could since we brought it in. We’re saving a fortune on repair kits. Equipment purchases are personal— every repair facility has unique needs, limits and areas of focus. So my endorsement here isn’t for this particular welder. It’s for searching out that perfect piece of equipment for your operation. Take a look at the bleeding edge technology and see if there’s something that could give you an advantage. The timing’s perfect for upgrades, particularly if they offer efficiency gains. And it’s a damn good feeling when you find something that works. CRM For more information on the hot air welder contact Treschak Enterprises at 1-800-552-5856.

[572 more customers / year per shop on average than a traditional body shop]

Maaco Canada average store volume = $1 Million PLUS Half of Maaco’s Canadian shops achieve average sales of over $1.4 million annually with a 12% average net profit

Canada Has Chosen Maaco,

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Sam Piercey is the co-owner of Budds' Collision Services in Oakville, ON. Sam is a long-time Coyote member and sits on many boards and committees. He can be reached at sam@buddscollision.com.

september 2010 collision Repair 17

prairie view

AskMore You get what you ask for—make sure it’s enough. By Tom Bissonnette

The Results! Highlights from Tom’s findings after collecting estimates from across Canada for a damaged 2004 Suburban. • The average estimate was $975 • The highest was $1710 • The lowest was $464 • The average shop materials cost was $33 • Average of $4.70/hour • Average paint hours were 4.6 • The highest was 6.5 • The lowest was 1.5 • Average cost for paint materials was $147

Continued on next page...

he estimates are still trickling in from my last article—thanks to all who have taken the time to help me out with this project. The first thing that came to mind when I reviewed the estimates was the fact that many shops are simply not charging for all the procedures that they actually perform—or at least I hope they perform them. If not, then it is no wonder people are not fussy about getting their cars fixed after an accident. Insurance companies are required to repair the vehicle to “pre-accident” condition. This would allow time to do a repair that is “invisible” to the customer; they should not be able to tell that their car was in an accident. I know that in my marketplace many of the line items that I will mention in this article were added only after the industry finally put its foot down and demanded to be paid for procedures that are clearly spelled out in our estimating P-Pages. By not allowing the time to do proper repair procedures,

18 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

insurance companies have inadvertently contributed to the poor image of our industry, causing consumers to make comments like “once a vehicle is in an accident it is never the same.” Profitability of collision repair facilities is a big concern for those of us in the trade these days. We would love to see the labour rate approach that of other four-year trades so that we can compete for future employees and make a decent profit. In the meantime, while we don’t have labour rates up where we feel they should be, we should at least be paid fairly for each and every labour operation that we perform. My full findings are available online at collisionrepairmag.com. I’d like to talk about a few of the more dramatic results here though. Not even one shop billed for administrative time. With all the extra reporting, computer programs and electronic data transfer, this is quickly becoming a major cost for collision shops. At my facility we spend in excess of $1000/month for management

prairie view and estimating software. Statistics show the average admin time per RO is now in excess of five hours and most small facility owners work late evenings and weekends to keep on top of this (I received several estimates for the Suburban well after facilities’ closing times). Is it not time for shops to start charging a flat fee for admin work? Independent appraisers already do, why can’t we? Is $100 per RO unreasonable?

15 per cent and re-calculated my original estimate. My new total: $1906! Almost $1000 more than our average estimate! (And you wonder why you have trouble making money?) There is no question in my mind that labour rates need to go up, but at the very least, facility owners and managers need to start billing for all the procedures that your technicians perform to repair your

ot even one facility billed for admin costs.

I took the average labour and material rates from all of the estimates, then I used all the best practices recommended by Audatex, Mitchell, ASA* and the shops that responded to this survey and did what I believe to be a very realistic estimate on this repair. The bottom line was $1676 (see online for the details on my estimate). Next, I took some advice from the folks at Audatex—in their P-Pages they state that roughly 15 per cent of jobs have to be either partially or completely re-done. Some of these re-dos are technician error and some are environmental. With this in mind, I upped the labour and material rates by

customers’ vehicles. You need to know and understand the procedure pages of your estimating system and you need to have the courage to stand up to the insurance companies and appraisers who refuse to pay for proper repair procedures. Your livelihood and the image of our industry depend on it! CRM *See page 23 for the ASA’s recommended refinish procedures.

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

The Results! (continued) • Only 20% of shops charged to “feather, fill and sand” the repaired panel even though both Audatex and Mitchell clearly state that their paint times are for “new undamaged panels.” • Only 33% of shops elected to charge for “mask for overspray” even though both Audatex and Mitchell clearly state that masking of inside jambs and edges are an extra charge item. • Only 18% allowed extra time to cover or “bag” the vehicle to prevent overspray damage. • Amazingly, 16% of shops elected to “spot paint” this repair by putting a rolled edge on the body line and cutting back their paint time. This nullifies the paint manufacturer’s warranty!

For full results and analysis visit collisionrepairmag.com.

Assured Automotive

Cares “

ENOUGH TO BE PROPERLY

TRAINED D&E EQUIPPED NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO, BUT BECAUSE WE WANT TO.

TRAINING IS ESSENTIAL IN TODAY’S INDUSTRY

”

Assured Annual Charity Golf Tournament

Assured Automotive honours all of their Employees, as well as their Vendor, Insurance and Dealer Partners for their commitment to not only the collision repair industry but also the communities that they serve. Assured recently held their Annual Charity Golf Tournament and through the generous support of their sponsors and the various attendees; a total of $15,000 was raised in support of Assured’s charities of choice, namely the MS Society of Canada and the Michael Pinball Clemons Foundation. Assured wishes to thank everyone that made this day possible.

D URE A S S OURED HON

Left to right: Tony Canade, Michael “Pinball” Clemons, Laura Pennings and Des Browne.

september 2010 collision Repair 19

features

The HST : Now What? What will BC’s and Ontario’s harmonized sales tax mean for collision repairers come tax time?

Ontario By Liz Boydell, CGA

he HST is here and if you’ve not prepared, it is past time that you do. The harmonized sales tax (HST) will be no scarier to implement than the Goods and Services Tax (GST)— and most of us made it through that. The HST will replace both the provincial sales tax (PST) or retail sales tax (RST) and the GST. As a business owner, you will benefit because unless you were in manufacturing you couldn’t claim the amounts you paid on PST as input tax credits.

In the new system you will be able to claim the PST portion as well as the GST portion as input tax credits. For example if you were to buy $100 of vehicle parts, you’ll end up saving $8 in the new system as compared with the old way (see the chart to the right). For the most part, we won’t even have to adjust our thinking on what the HST will be applied to. The HST will be charged on most of the same products and services as the GST and PST. So a good rule of thumb would be if you had charged GST and PST

k c i t S Paint

™

Paint Stick Grip Paint W

or just GST on a product or service you’ll have to charge HST on it. If you’re in doubt as to whether or not to charge it you should get advice from Revenue Canada or your accountant. Transition times are always confusing, but they don’t last forever. Most of you have charged your customers GST and PST for the work you do. Now you’ll charge the HST for the work you’ll do. Collision repair work is one of the industries that the customers will not notice a change in the cost of work Old System done since there PST 8% plus GST 5% will be no change in Cost of product: $100.00 the costs they see. GST @ 5%: $5.00 But as an owner, PST @ 8%: $8.00 your bottom line will be better since Total paid: $113.00 you will now be GST refund of ITC = $5.00 able to claim back Net cost to you: $108.00 the PST portion of your supplies as an New System input tax credit. HST 13% Your customers may turn to you Cost of product: $100.00 for advice if they HST @ 13%: $13.00 plan to sell their Total paid: $113.00 vehicles privately. HST refund of ITC = $13.00 This is one of the Net cost to you: $100.00 cases where there has been a change in the amount of tax that must be collected and remitted. Under the old system, there was no GST charged on the private sale of a vehicle. Now the government will require them to collect HST at 13 per cent and remit that to them—something you may want to keep in mind. Liz Boydell, CGA for Halton Organizing and Bookkeeping. She can be reached at 905-630-5348 or haltonorganizingandbookkeeping. com.

20 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

features

British Columbia By Joyce Smith, CGA, CFP

hat effect will the introduction of HST have on the collision repair industry? Will there be great and sweeping changes or will it be a tempest in a teapot? The answer is: it depends on each business’s individual circumstances. For some, there will be considerable changes and adjustments needed. For most, not so much. The most immediate consequence is already past. That is, the final PST return was due on July 23rd and should have been filed by now. Although this is the “final” PST return, you may still have supplemental PST returns in order to account for returns, exchanges and warranty work. But for many businesses, the July 23rd PST return really is the last return that needs to be filed. One major change that will impact virtually every business in the industry is the requirement to pay HST on supplies and materials for resale and building rentals. This will have an immediate cash flow impact because the HST will not be recovered until the HST return is filed. One partial solution may be to switch from annual or quarterly HST filing to monthly filing, which should improve cash flow in the long term. In the short term, businesses may want to consider increasing available shortterm cash from lines of credit, etc. For established businesses, the ability to claim 12 per cent input tax credits on purchases of vehicles, tools and equipment may not have a large impact, as most major purchases have already been made and only replacements and upgrades can be anticipated. For new facilities or major refits, the ability to claim both the provincial and federal components of HST will make purchases more affordable. The introduction of the HST will reduce the compliance burden for small businesses, although it also means the loss of PST commission paid to businesses for preparing the PST return. In particular, the change to HST will reduce the maze of PST exemptions and special rules that businesses had to keep track of, for example, the exemption on PST for body work and paint done for auto retailers.

While HST has its own set of rules for exemptions, at least businesses now only have to keep track of one set of rules. Billing has been simplified, as everyone now pays HST, including ICBC for non-commercial clients. Businesses will still have to charge the HST directly to registrants, as they have been up to now. Notice that I said “small” businesses earlier. The compliance burden for large businesses will greatly increase with HST. This is because “large” businesses, as defined in the HST rules, have to comply with the input tax credit recapture rules. Essentially, the provincial portion (7 per cent) of ITCs for telecommunications services (other than Internet access or toll free numbers); energy

“The compliance burden for large businesses will greatly increase.” except where purchased by farms or used to produce goods for resale; road vehicles weighing less than 3,000kg and parts and some services for them; and food, beverages, and entertainment all cannot be claimed. After five years, 75 per cent cannot be claimed, the percentage reducing by 25 per cent per year for the next three years. By July 1, 2018 the recapture will be phased out. This will require considerably more bookkeeping to keep track of ITCs subject to re c aptu re and report them separately on the HST return. Businesses can’t s i mply d e c i d e to not claim the ITCs. They have

to report them on the HST return, or be potentially subject to penalty and interest. No doubt accounting software will eventually be updated to allow for tracking and reporting of recaptured ITCs, but until then, bookkeepers and accountants will have to track them manually, which takes extra time and effort. There are “simplified” methods available where a certain percentage of energy expenditures is used as a proxy for actually tracking the exact ITC and usage of the energy or other expense, but they are actually not that simple. Large businesses are businesses with taxable supplies (sales) of more than $10,000,000 per year. This might seem irrelevant to most businesses in the auto body repair industry, but there is catch. The $10,000,000 threshold applies to associated groups of businesses. This means that if two or more businesses are associated, they may exceed the threshold. Businesses are associated if they are owned by the same person or group of people, and may be associated if any related person or group of people own shares in the business, including partnerships and joint ventures. Whether or not two businesses are associated for HST purposes is very complicated, and you should seek your accountant’s help to make a proper determination. CRM

Joyce Smith, CGA, CFP for JA Smith and Associates. She can be reached at 250-7513383 or JASmith.com.

september 2010 collision Repair 21

women of the industry

Manon Duplantie turned the right attitude into a career.

positively

passionate By Joe Rayment

Women’s Industry Network is a notfor-profit organization dedicated to encouraging, developing and cultivating opportunities to attract women to collision repair while recognizing excellence, promoting leadership, and fostering a network among the women who are shaping the industry. Collision Repair magazine is pleased to announce that Manon Duplantie and every woman profiled in our Women of the Industry section will receive a membership to WIN.

or Manon Duplantie, ambition, vision and work ethic are all concepts that have been integral to her success. But one word in particular has been pivotal in helping her climb Fix Auto Canada’s corporate ladder: passion. It’s that passion that’s allowed her to move from customer service representative to president of the company in just 12 years. Duplantie’s first contact with Fix Auto came when she answered an ad in the newspaper. “I saw the logo and I said to myself I do not know exactly what they do but I know that company,” Duplantie said. “After an interview with the founder I got the job. “And like that, she became the organization’s seventh employee. At the time, the network had 67 franchises in Quebec. She started as a customer service representative in charge of implementing a customer service system. She also handled sales and promotion. The following year she was appointed marketing manager of the insurance division for Quebec. She became sales manager for the entire province in 2000, then VP of sales and marketing for Fix Auto Canada in 2002. Finally, in January 2010, she became president of Fix Auto Canada. “I became profoundly passionate about the network and the industry,” she said. “The passion of our franchisees and their desire to be the best network has given me a lot of energy. And even today, I am putting in a lot of hours to ensure that their expectations are met.” Since Duplantie joined the network, the organization has grown to include 37 employees and 180 franchises across Canada. As of 2005, the number of cars repaired in the network was up 320 per cent. All of which was no doubt helped by Duplantie’s enthusiasm and mediation skills, which have been widely acknowledged in the industry. In 2005, AkzoNobel recognized Duplantie as one

22 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

of the Most Influential Women in North America’s collision repair industry. Since her latest promotion, Duplantie’s made a smooth transition into her expanded role at Fix Auto. Her days are similar and, as she described it, “filled with many projects, responsibilities and fun.” “The only change is an addition of a few hours per day in order to meet the new requirements on to the agenda,” Duplantie said. “At the moment, most of my energy is focused on a revision of our national strategy for the next three to five years. To stay in front of the parade you always need to challenge your decisions and the direction you’re taking.”

Don’t count the number of hours you put in it. Instead, try to have fun every minute you work. Duplantie’s meteoric rise may seem a daunting model for someone who’s just starting a career. To those people, she offers some simple but poignant advice: find a career you can embrace without feeling like you’re sacrificing. Living up to her advice, Duplantie regularly makes time in her schedule to play hockey with her two sons and two step-sons. “The most important criteria is to select a job you like and that suits your abilities,” she said. “Then become passionate about it and do not count the number of hours you put in it. Instead, try to have fun every minute you work in a day.” CRM



profiles of success

the

touch of class Photos and text by Tzara Maud

John Scotti Carrosserie Auto Snapshot 4330 Jarry East Montreal, Quebec, H1R 1X3 (514) 725-2639 Staff Techs: 6 Preppers: 3 Estimators: 1

Parts: 1 Painters: 3 Admin: 1

Systems Booths: Paint: Frame: Measurement: Estimating:

D e V i l b i s s (2) DuPont, Spies Hecker Visu Aligner 3D Camro & Shart ADP, Mitchell, Audatex

If it’s rare, vintage or exotic, chances are John Scotti has fixed it.

n the Quebec collision repair world, John Scotti Automotive is a prestigious, almost legendary network of car dealers and related services. They sell Lotus, Lamborghini, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo. Their magnificent showroom has an exclusive collection of meteorites as exotic as the cars they sell. Beyond the high-end network Scotti, also owns Subaru, Suzuki and Mitsubishi dealerships in the Greater Montreal area, as well as a car rental program, and John Scotti Carrosserie Auto. They have provided service clients for over 25 years. Proud bearer of a previously unseen level of quality and prestige, the John Scotti family of companies owes its success to a spotless reputation, as well as a uniquely experienced team of nearly 300 employees. John Scotti himself is a technician and engineer at heart. He is fanatically passionate about cars. By the time he was 16, he was specializing in muscle cars,

24 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Corvettes and exotic cars. He once mounted an Italian Pantera with a Ford engine. “My brother always had a gift for mechanics,” said Orlando Scotti, general operations manager for John Scotti Automotive. John opened his first garage in North Montreal when he was 18 with financial assistance from his father. A few years later, he announced the opening of John Scotti Carrosserie Auto. “We quickly developed a specialty in luxury cars,” Orlando said. “Even then, customers were very demanding, looking for flawless auto body work and perfect paint finishing.” The Scotti family includes the brothers Paolo, Felice, Ciro, Orlando and John. Together, they share in key positions within the company, which has almost 10 different sites in Montreal, Brossard and Repentigny. The five brothers are involved in all levels of the company. Over time, they have developed a management approach that is very open to

profiles of success Left: Orlando and John Scotti with of some of the classic cars they’ve encountered in their long, prestigious careers. Right: Serge Goulet runs his facility with a commitment doing things right the first time around. Lower-right: John Scotti Automotive’s showroom, home to both exotic cars and a collection of meteorites.

“To succeed, we must demand the best of ourselves and our employees.” -Orlando Scotti

their employees, some of whom have worked in the company since day one. “I can visit all the dealers under my supervision and I know the full names of all the staff,” said Orlando, who has also trained as an engineer. Orlando has worked with John for nearly 15 years now. “We have more volume in luxury vehicles than standard auto body repairer,” Orlando said. About 60 per cent of their sales are in upscale and classic car restoration, while 40 per cent is in the middle and lower range. “Over time, the development of business from insurers came about naturally because at Scotti the same technicians work on both luxury cars and damaged vehicles that come in through referrals.” Today, insurers see the Scotti organization as a shining example of a repair partner. Managers and technicians at John Scotti Automotive have long understood that insurers and customers are very demanding.

And with good reason: they are paying and they deserve quality. “The technicians and painters at John Scotti are entitled to training courses on a regular basis,” Orlando said. “We empower our employees and constantly reinforce the need to ensure quality work. They have the opportunity to work on the most prestigious cars in the world and they take their jobs very seriously.” In recent years, the auto body side of the organization has become affiliated with AutoPro, which allows for access to new markets, insurance companies, as well as improved product quality, particularly in automotive painting. Along those lines, they’ve recently converted to waterborne. “We only buy the best products—cutting corners is not an option,” Orlando said. “That’s why we have converted to DuPont’s Spies Hecker waterborne paint.” “I have known the Scotti family for many years,” said Frank DiGrazia, aftermarket technical representative for DuPont Canada. “This is a facility that always works well and does everything possible to make the repair seamless.” Serge Goulet is the Scottis’ collision repair manager. He is extremely hands-on and closely supervises his technicians’ work. “Our work is like a chain,” Goulet said. “Before moving the vehicle to the next step, each technician must ensure that their work was done by the book. That goes for everyone from the estimator and prepper, through the repairer and painter right up until detailing. Each technician is trained to review the work of the previous step before embarking on his or her part,” Goulet continued. “To err is human, and therefore redundancy is necessary in the process of quality control.” According to Orlando, even if his family organization rolls at full speed, the collision repair industry is falling behind. “Overall, the repair sector is rather difficult to make profit from because collision repairers have more and more responsibility and hourly rates still need to go up,” Orlando said. “To make a profit, the repair must be very good. In the future, I think there will be more big facilities, with even more resources and skills. Most small shops will eventually disappear,” he continued. “This year, customers have been more

demanding of both us and insurers than ever before….Insurance companies want satisfied customers so they want to join with well established partners. In Scotti, we strive to serve customers as well as insurers. But we do not differentiate between the insurer and the client customer. For us, quality standards are the same regardless of the client. That’s the key to our reputation. And we don’t just say it, we do it.” In the Scotti organization, management teams are demanding in terms of performance and quality. “We have no choice in the repair,” Orlando said. The margin for error is small and they’re determined to do the job right the first time, without exception. “To do that, I make sure that I do what I say,” Orlando explained. “I work all the time. I can hardly take vacations we are so committed to the success of the company. To succeed, we must demand the best of ourselves and our employees. This mantra comes from the customers themselves, and rightly so.” CRM september 2010 collision Repair 25

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Carstar Corporate’s Lillian Haskett and Karen Rush.

20-20 Vision in 2010

features

At Carstar’s 13 th annual I n d u s try c o n f e r e n c e

Mitchell International’s Mike Jerry and AkzoNobel’s Roland Taube.

t pays to have good vision. If you can journey through his own lens as well as the see what’s coming, you can plan for it, company’s vision and focus for the future. maneuver around it, or capitalize on After Mercanti’s rousing it when it arrives. presentation the whole This was the message at group headed to the lake Carstar’s 13 th Annual Infor Carstar’s “Sweet 15” dustry Conference, held Beach Party Bash to celein beautiful Muskoka at brate 15 years in Canada. the Deerhurst Resort. The evening included lots Carstar, which now consists of networking, fun, sun of more than 140 facilities and, of course, sand. But in 10 Canadian provinces, it wasn’t all about fun in played host to more than 300 Muskoka—there was delegates at the conference. plenty of business for d CEO Sam an t en Among them were leaders in conference attendees. sid pre ar Carst .* ng the conference the automotive and insurance Mercanti addressi “I love the fellowship industries as well as Canadian and the opportunity Carstar franchisees. to exchange ideas,” said Ray Crawford of “Our conference provides a great op- Carstar St John’s. “The knowledge acquired portunity for our franchise partners to with regards to the future of the industry is reflect and renew their business strate- unmeasurable and a great asset when rungies,” said Sam Mercanti, president and ning the business.” CEO of Carstar Automotive Canada. Day two opened with an address from “Our focus this year was to demonstrate Tom Connellan titled “Winning with Custhe need to change and adapt to meet the tomers.” Connellan, best-selling author of ever-changing needs and expectations of The Magic Kingdom, described his premise Carstar customers.” about brands and customers. “A brand does Mercanti opened the jammed-packed not and cannot exist separately from your agenda with a keynote presentation re- customer’s experience,” Connellan says. counting Carstar’s long and interesting “Your customer’s experience is your brand!”

The remainder of the conference was similarly uplifting and absolutely stuffed full of information. Speakers included Carstar’s own Lisa Mercanti-Ladd, Dominion of Canada president and CEO George Cooke and CEO of DCR Systems Michael Giarrizzo Jr—to name but a few. The conference also included breakout sessions with insurance partners, Carstar’s tiered Performance Plan model and plastic repair. It’s not unusual to head up to cottage country for some family bonding, but when Carstar does it they really go all out. They’ve proven again this year their commitment to keeping their family close. “This is what I like about Carstar,” said Gianna Nero of Regent Carstar in Sudbury, Ontario. “It gives us a chance to see things and meet people we wouldn’t otherwise meet. And it makes us feel l i k e w e ’ r e From left: Brad and Gaye Carsta can with Carst England of a p a r t o f VP Larryr Lu ar executive Jefferies. something.” Setember 2010 collision Repair 27

I V S I 0 O 2 N 0 2

28â&#x20AC;&#x192; collision Repairâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; collisionrepairmag.com

CARSTAR In dustry Conference 0 2 0 1

september 2010 collision Repair 29

features

Right: Carstar Hamilton, Rymal and Gage’s Sam and Remo Mercanti.

dinner? a good country fed ttage without ll What’s the co re their guests were all we su Carstar made . e conference throughout th From left: The Dominion’s Ken Boult on—who entertained guests dressed as Red Green— with Carstar Sydney’s Jim Smith .

Audatex’s Jo hn Kotsopoulo s having a lau with Enterpris gh e Rent-A-Car ’s Nicky Wenze l.

Carstar Bolton, Brampton and Downsview’s Frank Sottile showing off his son for the camera.

dressing

d ad Mercanti-Lad Carstar’s Lisa legates.* de ce en er nf co

) with

d right na Nero (left an Tony and Gian ors Trence. kt Vi l’s be AkzoNo

The 2010 Carstar “White Knight” Awards • Tony Koebel, Carstar Waterloo, Waterloo, ON • Brad England, Carstar Lucan (England’s), Lucan, ON

DuPont Performance Coatings Canada’s Mario Tremblay (right) with Carstar Pickering’s Cam Akleh.

$1–$2 million:

Over $2.0 million dollars:

Over $2 million:

Multi-store sales category under $8 million:

• Carstar Saskatoon Eastside, Saskatoon, SK • Carstar Hamilton Rymal, Hamilton, ON

• Carstar Okotoks, Okotoks, AB

• Carstar London East & Carstar London Wonderland Rd., London, ON

Multi-store category over $8 million:

The Presidents Club Award The Customer Experience Award

Under $1.0 Million in sales:

Under $1 Million:

$1–$2 million in sales:

• Carstar Wallaceburg, Wallaceburg, ON

Winners of Ca rstar’s Preside nts store category over $8 million Club award in the multiwith their fam posing for a gr ilies. Winners oup shot in th receive a fourday stay in Be e Presidents Club awards rmuda at a fiv e-star hotel.

30 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

• Carstar Elmsdale, Elmsdale, NS • Carstar Fredericton, Fredericton, NB

• Carstar 401, Carstar Brantford, Carstar Cambridge, Carstar Georgetown, Carstar Orangeville, Carstar St. Catharines, ON

For a complete list of all the award winners and photos, please visit collisionrepairmag.com.

*Additional photos provided by Norm Hay and Steve Pynn.

d CEO of e, president an George Cook l Insurance. ra ne Ge da na Dominion of Ca

Thriving Innovating Process and Adding Value For Customers These collisions repairers are surviving and thriving through tough economic times.

he economy has left no industry unscathed in recent years, and collision repair is no exception. It’s perfectly possible to excel in today’s market though, as some Canadian facilities have demonstrated. Now more than ever, it’s important to focus on the fundamentals: creating an efficient production flow, adding value for customers and keeping margins high. Here’s a look at three facilities in diverse markets who have managed to do just that.

Dana’s Collision Center~CSN—long beloved in its Fredericton, New Brunswick home.

Kelowna Performance Collision Kelowna, British Columbia Kelowna Performance Collision, a 10,000 sq. ft. facility located in the heart of Kelowna, BC, has been operating out of their current location for the past seven years. For the last four of those years, they’ve gone through a dramatic lean transformation with the help of AkzoNobel’s Process Centred Environment (PCE) program. PCE is AkzoNobel’s system to allow collision repair owners and managers to see, hear and feel the concepts and tools that can help them turn their facilities into efficient, streamlined operations. Increasing and improving production has been on owner Peter Facinek’s mind for many years. “If you can create an environment to increase touch time—everyone wins,” he said. Which is easier said than done. Facinek has achieved remarkable results since he set the facility on its PCE journey, but he hasn’t done it alone—it wouldn’t have been possible if he tried to do it alone. “As an owner, you can’t be the driving force; you need help from you staff.” Early on in the process he sent a few of his key team members out of province to observe a PCE operation in practice. Ever since then, the changes 32 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Much of Dana’s staff have been with the company for years.

they’ve made to process have emerged much more organically from the team. “We spent $600 on plane fare,” Facinek said. “It was the best $600 I ever spent.” Adapting the use of a repair planner to make sure all the parts are on site before anyone starts fixing anything ensures that they can complete the job the first time, rather than stopping and starting throughout the process. “You’d be amazed how fast you can fix a car when you have 100 per cent of the parts. Waiting for parts is the biggest killer,” Facinek said. “Over the last four years, we’ve basically changed the whole model. It’s completely changed how cars get fixed.” Facinek acknowledges that Kelowna still has a lot of work ahead of it. “It’s a journey, not a destination... it’s continuous improvement.” That said, they’ve made considerable progress in their journey. In the years before their process improvements—like a lot of facilities—work at Kelowna was all about putting out fires. Today, things run smoother— they work according to a definite plan and continually monitor progress. “We’ve had some vets working here and that’s what they noticed first—less fires to put out,” Facinek said. “I didn’t get it either the first time I walked through [a lean operation]—you have to live and breathe it before you can understand it.” Dana’s Collision Center~CSN Fredericton, New Brunswick

Kelowna Performance Collision—in the heart of BC’s wine country.

Dana’s Collision Center~CSN, a family-owned and operated business, has been servicing the collision repair industry for over 31 years. In that time, they’ve long held a reputation for being ground breakers. They made news in 2007 when they converted to AkzoNobel’s Sikkens Autowave, making them one of the first facilities in Canada to go waterborne.

as the fittest

Dana Alexander, owner of Dana’s Collision Center~CSN in Fredericton, New Brunswick, is leading collision repair into new, environmentally friendly territory.

Peter Facinek, owner of Kelowna, British Columbia’s Kelowna Performance Collision, has completely revolutionized his facility’s production process over the last four years,

The move to waterborne was just one part of the Dana’s efforts to run an operation that makes sense both for business and the environment. “We are continuing on our journey to gain more efficiency,” owner Dana Alexander explained. For their continued green initiatives, they received an environmental award from Fredericton’s Mayor Brad Woodside in January 2008. In their most recent initiative, Dana’s started giving a tree to each of their customers to plant. “Not only does this help reduce our carbon footprint, but theirs as well,” Alexander said. With more than 20 employees (including the husband, wife and daughter ownership team) and a state-of-the-art facility, Dana’s Collision Centre ensures all of their work is done to the highest of standards. Holding customer service and quality as two of their most important priorities, Dana’s has their entire community backing them. Their efforts in customer service and quality assurance has landed them the Reader’s Choice award from the Daily Gleaner for the past nine years running. “We utilize the best technology and products available to give our customers the best value for their dollar,” Alexander explained. In his time in the business, Alexander has seen many changes in how they do business, especially over the past 10 years. “How we deal with insurance companies and the repair process has changed drastically over the years,” he said. “The technology in cars has changed so much that we also have to change the way we do business.” Focusing on faster turn-around times and better productivity is an important goal at Dana’s. Like a lot of what they do, it’s a process of continuing improvement. “We continue to invest back into the business with better equipment, technology and training such as AkzoNobel’s PCE program to help our employees, which in turn helps our customers.”

Kelowna’s repair planner is integral to their production pace.

Owner Gord Hodson in front of Don Butt Auto Body’s unassuming exterior.

Hodson showing off his new Dynamic Mixing System.

Gord Hodson, owner of Don Butt Auto Body~CSN in Oshawa, Ontario, thrived during the recession due to their strong relationships with customers and the referrals that leads to.

Don Butt Auto Body~CSN Oshawa, Ontario Don Butt Auto Body Inc~CSN has been a trusted collision centre in Oshawa since the company first opened its doors in 1979. The once family–owned and operated business is now in sole ownership of Gord Hodson, who took over in 1996. Though you wouldn’t be able to tell by the facility’s unassuming exterior—which fits right in the mixed residential neighbourhood—the shop covers 8,500 sq. ft. and has 25 repair bays and 17 employees. It’s also home to constant innovation. “We changed to water-based paint three years ago, which put us way ahead of the curve on that one,” Hodson said. “And because of the system’s attributes, it helped us become more efficient in the process.” In addition to bringing in waterborne, Hodson and his team have also worked extensively with CSN and AkzoNobel to streamline production, bring in new technology and improve the customer experience. “We are continuing to focus on the AkzoNobel [PCE] program to work toward one common goal and to help take the guess work out of the entire process.” In addition to their traditional collision repair operations, Don Butt Auto Body~CSN also has a separate division that deals with specialty vehicles and painting. “Anything that needs colour on it, we will take on,” Hodson said. “This draws our customers confidence to know that if we can do that, we can also do their vehicles.” It’s that unique relationship with their customers that’s helped Don Butt Auto Body~CSN continue to thrive in the last few years. Though a lot of their volume comes from insurance work, their close relationship with individual clients has ensured the business’s continued strength. “We saw the recession happening around us,” Hodson explained. “But it didn’t get to us because of our referral business.”

For more information on AkzoNobel and PCE visit AkzoNobel.com/cr. september 2010 collision Repair 33

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TRAINING

features

contenTS Storming the Gates A profile on CRANS executive director Lindsay Gates.................36

Apprenticeship Culture

The value of planning to train..........37

Training for Perfection AIA’s Andrew Shepherd on designing a training system that works.........38

Collision Repair Training Map Training dates: September–November.............40-41

From left: Centennial College student and apprentice Alan Chen learning the ropes from journeyman John Struthers at Don Valley North Toyota collision repair centre.

Training Frame of Mind

or the past six months or so, we’ve been asking industry leaders what areas of training need more focus. Two topics came up consistently: structural repair and welding. “It’s the base of the car and, therefore, the most important,” one industry veteran told us. “You can’t fix or put anything on a car if the foundation is bad to begin with.” It’s statements like that that show why the collision repair industry can’t live without continued training and education. Industry forces are beginning to embed standardization into the system, but the onus is on employers to encourage and offer training. It’s also on employees to have the motivation to train for self improvement. In the next three to five years, our industry will see an influx of advanced technologies.

Similar to how waterborne and recycled parts were once foreign concepts, processes like the use of adhesives rather than welding may be the norm in the next 10 years. According to the 2009 CARS Technology Advancement Report, there will be so much new information to acquire in the near future, people will have to specialize their focuses in learning. Based on the current workforce’s skills and knowledge, over one half of the new technologies are expected to require intermediate training, while about two thirds are anticipated to have a medium– to high–level knowledge gap from where we are now. The next generation will enter this industry with strong technical vernacular, but will need the hands-on expertise of veterans to guide them. For the skilled

By Megan Ng

veterans, the information passed on must come from the same frame of mind and intentions. Again, we have to consider the foundation and how it starts with the people. CARS’s 2009 Labour Market Update states only 34 per cent of employers have an HR plan that includes recruitment, retention and training. Those with a plan were more likely to report revenue growth and expected growth for the upcoming year. The consensus is clear: training is necessary to excel. Get in the mind set of building solid training and there is no telling which direction or how far you can travel in this industry. A vehicle can’t travel far without a strong structure and frame to carry its weight—neither can you. CRM september 2010 collision Repair 35

TRAINING

features

Storming I the Gates CRANS executive director Lindsay Gates is leading Atlantic Canada to the next frontier in training. By Bram Koch

Lindsay Gates, executive director of CRANS.

For Spraybake OEM parts service and technical support,

Call 1-866-325-2886 36 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

n today’s industry, you have to be ready to storm the trenches, train for the future and have the determination to push the industry’s battle lines forward. In this regard Lindsay Gates is a seasoned veteran. For years, he’s been leading troops in Nova Scotia to the proper training ground with the support of the Collision Repair Association of Nova Scotia (CRANS) executive team. “He was with the regional exec committee that brought I-CAR to Atlantic Canada,” said Laurie Hutt, secretary treasurer of CRANS. “He’s a champion in this industry and is on just about every committee in the world.” Gates has had an eventful career as a technician, a facility manager, estimator, and finally as an appraiser and physical damage coordinator for the Co-Operators. In that time, he developed his appreciation for training. “I’ve taken every opportunity to continue training in my career,” Gates said. After he retired in 1995, he remained active in the industry. In 2005, CRANS’s asked him to take over as executive director, a position he’s held ever since. While there, he’s had a huge impact on Nova Scotia’s collision repair training position. “It’s a part of CRANS’s goals is to improve the industry through education,” Gates said. To date, his greatest contribution came in 2009 when he successfully oversaw the introduction of compulsory certification for technicians in Nova Scotia. It was about four years in the making and required the cooperation of the Ministry of Labour and Workforce Development. Today the entire Nova Scotia sector operates according to a single standard. Since it’s come into effect, it’s had a huge impact on the province. “In the last two years, I’ve witnessed about 30 per cent of licensed technicians become 100 per cent licensed in my own shop,” Laurie Hutt said. Standardization in Nova Scotia was an important issue for Gates. From his perspective, it instills a sense of pride in workers, encourages personal training and helps earn the driving public’s trust—all of which are important for moving the industry forward. The goal was to complete the transition within two years and has been successful thus far. Gates has become somewhat of an I-CAR representative in Nova Scotia. He was instrumental in bringing courses to Atlantic Canada over 25 years ago and has also been an instructor for the organization. His dedicated work has been rewarded with numerous awards including an entry into the I-CAR Wall of Fame and a 25-year service award. One of his earliest undertakings on the training front was saving an auto body program at Nova Scotia Community College’s Kingstec Campus with the help of CRANS president Brian Slaunwhite. Thanks to Gates’s and Slaunwhite’s intervention, the program had many successful years at the college. It was a small victory, but important to the larger battle. With so much accomplished since his “retirement,” Gates remains a driving force in the industry and has no plans to stop. He continues to storm into uncharted territory, opening new opportunities for collision repair and sharing his message with today’s industry. “My philosophy is: continue to train or you go nowhere.” CRM

TRAINING

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Apprenticeship Culture

“

heir future is our future,” Tony Nero, owner of Regent Carstar Collision in Sudbury said. The time, energy and training his shop invests in introducing grade 11 and 12 students to the collision repair industry is all about the future. “Without the opportunity, they have no way of knowing if they have the aptitude or desire to make a long–term commitment to the industry,” Nero said. Leanne Blackborow, director of the CCIF Skills Program, believes Nero’s approach is a good way to engage potential employees. Nero’s employer recognition award from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities is also good testament to how effective his approach has been. “[It] ensures we are attracting the right people for the industry,” Blackborrow said. “Bright, energetic people who have an interest in technology, and are passionate about cars.” Having recently travelled to London, England for the 2010 IBIS, Blackborrow witnessed first hand “the enormous efforts collision repair industries put into attracting the next generation and training for proper industry standards of excellence.”

A recent CARS council labour update shows that forward–thinking facility owners in the Canadian industry are thinking along the same lines as what Blackborrow witnessed in London. The study showed 34 per cent of aftermarket employers actively planned their recruitment, training and retention strategies

the culture of his shop, he formed technicians who perfectly suited his work environment. “The end result in the repair process might be the same if you compare between shops,” he said. “Still, you’ll find each repair facility is unique in some way; the process that gets you to the final result is slightly different for each one.” It takes time, commitment and money to train tomorrow’s industry professionals. The top 3 areas of training: “Cars are becoming increasingly complex, Employers Employees requiring technicians to have more college 1. Paint 1. Paint and university level knowledge,” Nero said. “If you don’t have the knowledge or understand the processes, you can’t fix cars.” 2. Frame & metal 2. Frame & metal Don Strong, general manager and vice construction construction president of Concordia Carstar Collision, also believes in the power of team building. 3. Light weight & 3. Hybrid electric new materials vehicles “We implemented a culture of apprenticeships with a mentoring team. There is real to make more money and found it easier to value in terms of productivity and profitkeep good employees if they offered training ability. We see it with apprenticeship grants as a recruitment incentive. and subsidy programs such as Job Connect.” “The kids that started with me 15, 16, 17 For Nero, “It’s the teamwork between the years ago are my best technicians,” Nero said. apprentice, the government and the emHe has no doubts about the value of employee ployer that makes it possible to be on the top training. By taking the time to train them in of our game.” CRM

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september 2010 collision Repair 37

TRAINING

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almostperfect Planning for better Canadian training systems.

By Andrew Shepherd

s part of AIA—an operation that plays an integral role in driving the future of the country’s collision repair training—I have learned a few things about what components make a Canadian training system work. There is a lot of pressure from the public for the end result to be a perfect training system, but is this possible? Of course not. There are, however, some ways to move toward perfection, particularly in program policy and delivery, which should be tailored to our national interests. We’ve been helped in this effort through the input of the training community—our instructors and long-time program supporters. There remains a lot to do in terms of laying the new foundation from which collision repairers will

Vto the job requirements of each respective employee. For us, this includes refinish technicians, steel and aluminum structural technicians, electromechanical technicians, estimators, etc. Clear goals, structured progress. Courses must be vertically integrated, offering trainees skills development. The should move from basic, introductory concepts to specific, advanced techniques. Courses must be available at each level, building on the level before and avoiding duplication. A recognition or certification program. A program that provides employees recognition for their work is good for morale and also ties together courses and levels of difficulty, giving trainees long-term learning objectives. It also

resh course content is essential the industry is changing constantly. build their skills and training. To get to perfection (or at least close to it), we must first eliminate any delays in productivity. AIA Canada is in the process of building new administrative systems, ensuring all training records have been transferred, and arranging and delivering training. We are assessing what aspects of I-CAR are working and which are not. It is a tedious process, but necessary and something all organizations should do periodically. While we try to set an action plan for the Canadian program, employers, industry leaders and stakeholders are also making their own action plans specific to their businesses and particular regions. As we all move toward the “perfect” training system ideal to our businesses, there is no doubt that all approaches incorporate a set of common elements that make any training system successful. They should include the following: Up-to-date and accurate information. Fresh course content is essential. Technicians (as well as insurers) are operating in a time of very rapid changes to material technologies and repair techniques. They must have access to the latest repair information. Unique and tailored content for everyone. Content for each specialty must be available, tailored

38 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

helps demonstrate to employers they are on the path to excellence. Information delivered upon request. With so many new and complex technologies developing, the industry needs readily available instruction in the time frames required by busy facilities and at locations that are accessible to users. Canadian in context. All training systems, whether national or local, must be focused on Canadian needs and environments, and be offered in the language of choice for the user. As I mentioned above, for us at the national level a necessary complement to these principles is the underpinning of a modern administrative system— in this day and age that means online access with automated registration and payment. The training programs in Canada are undergoing some substantial changes, and our personal successes will be measured by how far we go toward achieving these core principles. CRM Andrew Shepherd is the AIA collision training director overseeing the delivery of I-CAR and partner training to the collision sector in Canada. You can reach him at andrew.shepherd@aiacanada.com. For more information on I-CAR training in Canada visit AIAcollisiontraining.ca.

THE FOCUS IS ON YOU Maintaining your competitive edge takes focus. You must focus on continuing your skill-set development, mastering the latest repair techniques, improving customer service procedures and staying in-tune with the industry. This year’s NACE shares your focus and is all about YoU. NACE is your resource for everything collision repair related. Still the only globally-recognized event specifically designed for the collision repair professional, NACE delivers high-quality education, unmatched networking opportunities and a comprehensive Exposition of top industry manufacturers and suppliers.

NACE 2010... Focused On Being Your #1 resource For Getting Answers And Solutions ✔ ALL NEW! ASRW Forum and Reception – addressing the most important industry issues and best practices ✔ Essential educational sessions led by experts in their field ✔ Power-packed schedule – four full days of value and take-away techniques ✔ Unmatched networking with industry leaders and fellow colleagues ✔ Additional educational offerings by I-CAR, PCI and ASE ✔ Free on-floor education, product demos and OEM Pavilion with brand reps on-hand for expert consultation ✔ World-class Exposition – leading companies representing the latest collision repair equipment, products, services and technology ✔ Co-located with CARS featuring more exhibits and sessions geared for mechanical service and repair

Visit www.nACEexpo.com for all the details and program information.

Exposition: October 11-13, 2010 ConfErEnCE: October 10-13, 2010 Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas, Nevada USA

888.529.1641 www.NACEexpo.com

NACE is held during Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) and co-located with CARS.

REGISTER ONLINE TODAY! Go to www.nACEexpo.com to register by the August 17th “Early Bird Deadline” to get the best deal – the best value – and to book your housing early!

TRAINING

Training Map

Training Western region september 2 BASF Edmonton, AB RFN 777 R-M Cycle Time Reduction Repair System 2–3 PPG Calgary, AB Colour Adjustment Designed for Aquabase Plus 8 BASF Burnaby, BC RFN102 R-M Colour Adjustments Techniques 13-14 DuPont Coquitlam, BC Cromax Pro Waterborne Basecoat Application 21 DuPont Coquitlam, BC Colour Matching 1-Electronic Colour Tools

21–22 PPG Edmonton, AB Aquabase Plus Certification 23–24 PPG Edmonton, AB Colour Adjustment Designed for Aquabase Plus 29-30 DuPont Regina, SK Cromax Pro Waterborne Basecoat Application

October 4-6 DuPont Coquitlam, BC Commercial Finishes LowVOC Product Training 12–13 PPG Calgary, AB Colour Adjustment for Envirobase High Performance

14 DuPont Coquitlam, BC Spies Hecker Low-VOC Surface Preparation 14–15 PPG Calgary, AB Colour Adjustment for Envirobase High Performance 18-19 DuPont Coquitlam, BC Cromax Pro Waterborne Basecoat Application 18–21 PPG Calgary, AB MVP Greenbelt 19–20 PPG Winnipeg, MB MVP Production & Cycle Time Management

20 DuPont Coquitlam, BC Colour Matching 2-Colour Matching Techniques

november 2–3 PPG Edmonton, AB PPG Certification Envirobase 4–5 PPG Edmonton, AB Colour Adjustment Designed for Envirobase High Performance

17 DuPont Coquitlam, BC Spies Hecker Colour Matching 1- Colour Tools 22-23 DuPont Coquitlam, BC Cromax Pro Waterborne Basecoat Application 24 DuPont Coquitlam, BC Colour Matching 2-Colour Matching Techniques

8-9 DuPont Coquitlam, BC Standox Standohyd Waterborne Basecoat Application 10 DuPont Coquitlam, BC Standox Colour Matching 2-Colour Matching Techniques

central region september 31–1 PPG Montreal, QC PPG Certification Envirobase (French) 1 DuPont Ajax, ON Cromax Pro Micro Repair Pro Process

1-2 BASF St. Laurent, QC RFN108F R-M ONYX Workshop (French)

13 AIA Richmond Hill, ON Recycled Parts for Collision Repair

14-16 BASF Toronto, ON RFN201 22/55/90 Certification Program

20 AIA Toronto, ON Structural Straightening Aluminum

7-8 DuPont Ajax, ON Spies Hecker Permahyd Waterborne Basecoat Application

13-14 DuPont Ajax, ON Cromax Pro Waterborne Basecoat Application

15 DuPont Pointe Claire, QC Low-VOC Surface Preparation (French)

20 AIA Windsor, ON Vehicle Technology and Trends 2010

13-14 DuPont Pointe Claire, QC Standox Standohyd Waterborne Basecoat Application (French)

17 BASF St. Laurent, QC VPU031 Launching Lean

20-21 DuPont Pointe Claire, QC Cromax Pro Waterborne Basecoat Application (French)

7-8 DuPont Pointe Claire, QC Cromax Pro Waterborne Basecoat Application (French)

40 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

TRAINING

Map central region

14 AIA Cambridge, ON Advanced Material Damage Analysis

19–20 PPG Montreal, QC Aquabase Plus Certification (French)

21-22 PPG Toronto, ON Nexa Certification-Aquabase Plus

14 DuPont Ajax, ON Spies Hecker Low-VOC Surface Preparation

25 AIA Windsor, ON Fault Code Retrieval, Diagnosis and Testing Electronic Systems

22-23 BASF St. Laurent, QC RFN333F R-M Cycle Time Reduction Repair System (French)

14 DuPont Pointe Claire, QC Standox Low-VOC Surface Preparation (French)

29–30 PPG Montreal, QC Colour Adjustment (French)

october 4-5 DuPont Pointe Claire, QC Cromax Pro Waterborne Basecoat Application (French) 5-6 Chief Automotive Mississauga, ON Advanced Frames Analysis 5-6 DuPont Ajax, ON Cromax Pro Waterborne Basecoat Application 5-6 PPG Toronto, ON PPG Colour-Envirobase HP 7-8 Chief Automotive Mississauga, ON Advanced Steering and Suspension Analysis

September - November

2 010

continued

21–22 PPG Montreal, QC MVP Business in the 21st Century (French)

15-16 PPG Toronto, ON PPG Colour-Envirobase HP 18 AIA Windsor, ON Fault Code Retrieval, Diagnosis and Testing Electronic Systems 18 AIA Toronto, ON Waterborne Products, Systems and Applications 18-19 DuPont Ajax, ON Commercial Finishes LowVOC Product Training 18-19 DuPont Pointe Claire, QC Cromax Pro Waterborne Basecoat Application (French) 19-20 PPG Toronto, ON MVP Art of Communication

Training Map

26-27 DuPont Ajax, ON Cromax Pro Waterborne Basecoat Application 26-27 PPG Toronto, ON PPG Certification Envirobase HP 26–27 PPG Montreal, QC MVP Leading Change (French)

november 1 DuPont Ajax, ON Low-VOC Surface Preparation 2-3 DuPont Ajax, ON Cromax Pro Waterborne Basecoat Application 2-3 PPG Toronto, ON Nexa Certification-Aquabase Plus

For information on how to get your organization’s training dates in our next Training Map, please contact: Megan Ng

Training Directory, editor training@collisionrepairmag.com 905-370-0101

2–3 PPG Montreal, QC PPG Certification Envirobase (French) 8 DuPont Ajax, ON Spies Hecker Low-VOC Surface Preparation 8-10 DuPont Pointe Claire, QC Commercial Finishes LowVOC Product Training (French) 8–11 PPG Montreal, QC MVP Greenbelt (French) 11 DuPont Pointe Claire, QC Low-VOC Surface Preparation (French) 15-16 DuPont Ajax, ON Spies Hecker Colour Matching Waterborne Paint: Tools and Techniques 16-17 PPG Ottawa, ON MVP Art of Execution

16-17 PPG Toronto, ON PPG Colour-Envirobase HP 22 AIA North Kingsville, ON Frontal Impact Analysis 22 DuPont Ajax, ON Standox Low-VOC Surface Preparation 23-24 DuPont Ajax, ON Standox Standohyd Waterborne Basecoat Application 23–24 PPG Montreal, QC Colour Adjustment (French) 23-24 PPG Toronto, ON Delfleet Training (Certification) 24-25 DuPont Pointe Claire, QC Colour Matching Waterborne Paints: Tools and Techniques (French) 30-1 PPG Montreal, QC PPG Certification Envirobase (French)

12-13 DuPont Ajax, ON Standox Standohyd Waterborne Basecoat Application 12-13 DuPont Pointe Claire, QC Colour Matching Waterborne Paint: Tools and Techniques (French) 13-14 PPG Toronto, ON Eye for Colour-Aquabase Plus 13-14 PPG Montreal, QC PPG Certification Envirobase (French)

september 2010 collision Repair 41

features

R e sto r atio n to

Graduation By Joe Rayment

Garry Thoms found the perfect wreck for teaching his auto body students. Five years later, his wreck is ready for the road and his pupils are ready for the real world. By Joe Rayment

t’s not hard to find the Robert L Borden Business and Technical Institute’s collision repair shop. Just follow the noise. Open its door and you’ll find a clanging beehive of high school students busy building their collision repair skills. Nearly everything in the swarm of activity is in a perfect state of “in progress,” with one notable exception: a beautifully restored 1977 Ford F150 Ranger tucked away in the far corner. In its own way, the truck has graduated. Five years prior, Garry Thoms, Borden’s auto body instructor, paid $400 for the classic, which he had dragged in by a tow truck: a perfect wreck. “It came in in pieces,” said Clairmont Prince, one of Thoms’s students. “There was nothing on it. A tow truck brought it and everybody just pushed it inside. And we started working on it from scratch.” It was a daunting project to the grade nine and 10 students who first worked on the truck. “Their advice to me

42 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

features

when it arrived here was just call a tow truck,” Thoms said. “What was amazing was those kids with that advice were the ones who followed the truck all the way through it’s process.”

“It’s a great project for the entire school as far as transportation sector is concerned,” Thoms said. Clairmont Prince started at Borden right about the time the truck came in. When we visited at the

The f150 has to go. We need another wreck in here. Sir Robert L Borden Business and Technical Institute is a trades-oriented high school in Scarborough, Ontario. In their first year, students get to try out six different trades to get a taste of their different options. Classes range from woodworking to baking to, of course, collision repair. In their second year students narrow their focus to two or three areas depending on what they’ve liked and where they’ve shown aptitude. As students progress, they’ll decide on an area of focus and go out in the field as part of Borden’s mandatory co-op program. In the classroom, by grade 11 students will have decided on a specialty. They take a double credit in their chosen field, which is when Thoms can start getting into the more difficult aspects of collision repair. “You’re only kidding yourself if you think you’re going to turn out a mechanic or an auto body technician out of high school,” Thoms said. “But you’re giving a student a chance for a real taste of what the trade is like and then they can make a more accurate decision on if this is for them.” For Thoms’s students working on the F150, year one consisted mostly of clearing off rust and cleaning. In the truck’s road life, it became pretty good at hiding pounds and pounds of dirt in every available crevasse, which had to be chiselled and blasted off. “By the time they’re done that, their skill level is at a point where they can start putting in patch panels and doing a bit of welding on the truck,” Thoms said. “And once that’s done, they’re in grade 11–12. Then they’re ready for painting and so is the truck.” The engine on the truck did run when Thoms brought it in, though just barely. There was no oil pressure and it clanged and knocked as it idled: another perfect wreck. All of which gave the school’s mechanical department a chance to hone their skills fixing, rebuilding and tweaking the Ford’s mechanical mess.

end of the school year he was in his senior year and had moved up to helping teach Thoms’s younger students. He saw a lot of the truck’s transformation as he made his way through secondary school. “This truck was a mess,” Prince said. “I didn’t even want to work on it. But you know, I had to put Opposite page: Robert L Borden Business and Technical Institute’s restored Ford F150. Above: the Ford’s engine, rebuilt by the school’s mechanical shop. Left: instructor Garry Thoms and pupil Clairmont Prince standing next to the project they’ve watched for years.

in my time and just get it finished. ... And then you end up liking it.” He liked it enough, in fact, to turn his skills into a career; when I talked to him last, Prince was hoping to start an apprenticeship at Heritage Ford in Scarborough this fall. Similarly, the Ford F150 was looking at a future outside of academia. Now that all the work was done, it was looking for a driver. Thoms had listed it at $5,600 (a deal, according to the appraiser they had look at it). For Thoms’s purposes, it’s a good truck, but it doesn’t fit his purposes any longer. It’s not a learner’s project any more—it’s road ready. “Now it needs to go,” he said. “We need another wreck in here.” School’s out for the F150, at least until it breaks down again. In the mean time, Borden is searching for its next wreck. CRM SEPTEMBER 2010 collision Repair 43

New products are creating a splash in collision repair! Who knows what the ripple effect will be like...

w a t e r w o r x . n e t

The Evolution in Water By Patrice Marcil

Four years ago in 2006, a message came out. It said that the collision repair industry will have to switch to lowVOC products, especially to waterborne finishes. At the time the challenge ahead seemed enormous and, for some, unreachable. For others this became an opportunity. It also triggered some interesting—sometimes amusing—discussions and predictions about the deployment and viability of this “adventure.” But one

Contents

thing is clear now that we are

The Evolution in Water

almost through and the major-

(continued.)..........................45

ity of cars are now refinished with waterborne and low-VOC finishes: it works! Continued on page 41 44 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Products Spray Booths..................46 Air Accelerators........47-48 Spray Guns......................49

feature

A DuPont Refinish technician ensuring that his safety equipment is in place.

Pretty well, actually. Winter, humidity, cold and rain are no obstacles. The technology is almost 20 years old and now more than 50 per cent of the OEM cars manufactured in North America are painted with waterborne paint. This number reaches 70 per cent in Europe. Where do we stand? June 18 is history; the valve is now closed, meaning no more high-VOC solvent-borne products are allowed to cross the Canadian border. December 18, 2010 is the ultimate date to purchase from stores so we should get a little fresh air under the Christmas tree. Overall, between 80 and 90 per cent of the 2007 products will have been replaced by environmentally friendly ones. (I’d like to think our behaviour will have changed as well.) So what is the secret? There are no secrets, but there are some certainties:

1. Training Training was identified right at the beginning as one of the key components to a successful conversion. A smooth transition in the shop was and still is proportionally related to the ability of its staff to replace the solvent-borne VHS with the waterborne DVD. We need to put our old

habits in the attic. This being said, there are some young painters now who’ve never used anything but waterborne and low-VOC products.

How to stay informed Visit our website at waterworx.net.

2. Equipment Properly identif ying equipment needs and planning purchases is financially important to you and effective spatially for your staff. If your equipment is now collecting dust and just creating extra maintenance, it is useless and wasteful.

3. Business opportunity Recognizing business opportunities related to these changes by being proactive has been a key element too. Taking the lead has helped businesses and industry leaders stay prosperous.

LS400 basecoat

4. Embrace change Change generates business opportunities. When we oppose it, we stand still and these opportunities pass us by.

5. Good management

LS400 clearcoat

Well-managed businesses that use proper management tools, standard operating procedures and vision will thrive. Almost four years have gone by and we’ve accomplished a lot. Conversion to lowVOC and waterborne finishes is now a reality to which we can now associate historical data and statistics. The passage to the green side is engaged; we’re closer to completion now. The industry will soon be ready for the challenges ahead —and yes, we can expect there will be more. Challenges drive evolution. CRM Patrice Marcil is the training and customer care manager, refinish, for DuPont Canada. He has also sat on the advisory board for I-CAR Canada and has been a technical advisor for World Skills.

A STAR IS BORN DESIGN MEETS PERFORMANCE

What’s next? Back to normal? No such thing in the collision repair industry. 40 years ago: Unibodies and basecoat clearcoat finishes appeared. 30 years ago: In-board computers and restraint systems showed up. 20 years ago: High-strength steel and panel bonding were buzz words. 10 years ago: It was aluminum and hydro-formed structural components. Now in 2010: Environmentally friendly waterborne and low-VOC finishes. So what will it be in 10 years?

ANEST IWATA USA, Inc. www.anestiwata.com distributed by: ASET (Automotive Spraying Equipment Technologies) 800-628-5449

september 2010 collision Repair 45

products: spray booths

Who said it’s not easy being green? With these products it’s easier than ever.

Product guide Spray Enclosure Technologies Group

Junair 4-Series

The Junair 4 Series by Spray-Tech incorporates a full range of features including: T-5 high output lighting; high quality “fit and finish” for the cabins; the latest in controller technology; energy savings at all levels and the QADs air movement system as standard. According to Spray-Tech, the Junair 4-Series booths also offer facilities substantial reductions in energy costs.

> junair.co.uk

Global Finishing Solutions

Garmat

ECO Professional

The ECO Professional Downdraft is a classic downdraft paint booth design with today’s technology. Full downdraft airflow during the spray and cure cycles, energy-efficient components, and multiple configurations and options enable the Professional to suit virtually any paint booth operation and any facility design, small or large. According to GFS, ECO Professional’s engineered energy saving features keeps operating costs to a minimum. By utilizing Variable Frequency Drives on the intake and exhaust motors, the ECO Professional eliminates power consumption spikes when the heat system starts up, and operates at peak efficiencies keeping the booth balanced with optimum airflow. In addition, when the LOGIC control panel automatically switches to the energy-saving economy mode when the operator in the booth has stopped spraying, GFS claims they can cut power usage by up to 60 per cent and fuel usage by up to 75 per cent.

> globalfinishing. com 46 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

intelleair Intelle-air is a customizable, mobile limited finishing workstation that provides a ventilated atmosphere, which Garmat says translates to better air quality, better finishes, a healthier work environment and lower costs. The Intelle-air can be placed where you need it most, eliminating the need to rearrange cars or parts. You can use it for the smaller tasks, such as prepping*, sanding or spot repairs, and leave your booth reserved for the larger jobs. It saves costs and energy by using existing shop air, either heated or cooled. According to Garmat, Intelle-air comes equipped with a 6-stage filtration system that captures 99.5 per cent of particulates from the air. Also included is an optional VOC interlock sensor, which provides assurance that you are providing a safe and healthy environment for your technicians.

> garmat.com *NFPA regulations require a canopy/drapery enclosure and a dedicated fire suppression system for prep stations used for painting purposes.

products: air accelerators

Flatline Spraybooth Specialists

Aqua Cure 400

One Aqua Cure 400 set includes a control panel with four corner mounted pod tower systems. Each corner pod has eight adjustable nozzles, which direct air at the vehicle. By having the flexibility to use one, two, three, or all four pod towers you can save on energy. Flatline claims the system provides over 400 feet per minute of air velocity. Each tower features a white power coat finish, air filter systems and brushed aluminium nozzles.

“Our Focus is Spray Booth Filters!”

> flatlinessi.com

Unicure

WaterWin Complete

UniCure has combined its WaterWin Flash-Curing and Clean-Dry-Hot air accelerators to present the WaterWin Complete Air System. WaterWin Complete rapidly flashes each coat with simple independent controls. According to the company, utilizing a four-stage filtering system it reduces relative humidity to less than two per cent. WaterWin Complete can also be split up into the WaterWin FC and the WaterWin CDH models for separate usage.

> spraybooth.com

• • • •

Pit Filters Ceiling Filters Door Filters Intake Filters

We stock filters for 100s of makes and models of spray booths! Call For your FilTer quoTe!

www.servairfilters.com Call Toll Free: (866)

402-1221

Hedson North America

Hydromate 3

Hedson Technology has introduced a new low-cost alternative to the mobile air drying systems available. The handheld Hydromate 3 has adjustable air movers to suit many applications. According to the company, the system’s air mover heads produce on average 25 per cent more output. Thanks to its distinct design, the Venturi heads can be rotated 90 degrees allowing optimal positioning.

Keith Hayward “The Filter Guy” Cell: 416-801-5218

36 Armstrong Ave., Georgetown, ON L7G 4R9

> hedsonna.com september 2010 collision Repair 47

products: air accelerators

Global Finishing Solutions

AdvanceCure GFS’s AdvanceCure Accelerated Airflow System is designed to provide faster curing of waterborne and solvent-based coatings. The recently upgraded AdvanceCure system has improved airflow velocity and more powerful motors that accelerates the airflow in the paint booth, which according to GFS draws vapours out of the coating much faster, curing all types of coatings in less time. Now available in multiple designs to fit all types of spray booths, you can mix-and-match any combination of towers to retrofit almost any booth.

SPECIAL FEATURE! A look inside PPG’s Green Belt Training!

CARSTAR’s Star For Lisa Mercanti-Ladd “good enough” is never enough.

Out With the Old

How a new spraybooth transformed one shop’s productivity in about a month.

A PERFECT GAME

> globalfinishing.com

London Calling

Hear what they had to say at IBIS 2010.

Is the Price Right? Tim Bissonnette

Two years, zero customer complaints. See how.

Win an iPod Nano! See page 22 for details.

Standard Tools and Equipment Co.

>> PLUS CSN breaks its fund raising record, Fix Auto heads east, Assured partners with WomenCertified, and much more.

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Canada’s Choice: Trusted. Timely. Relevant.

The industry never stops. Visit these sites every day for the latest news. www.collisionrepairmag.com www.canadianautorecycler.ca www.waterworx.net www.bodyworx.com www.collisionrepairmag.com/ training/directory

AD-500 Aqua-Dri

The AD-500 Aqua-Dri system is an easyto-use system that allows the painter to coat the object, roll the system into the booth, locate the system at three different positions, power the unit and begin. According to Standard Tools and Equipment, the system allows the coating to flash-off and cure in 70 per cent less time than simply letting the waterborne paint dry in a spray booth. Standard claims the Aqua-Dri system filters the incoming air at 98 per cent-plus efficiency to capture dust and dirt and prevent contaminating the new finish coat.

> paint-booths.com and toolsusa.com

Junair

QADs

QADs are customized to fit different applications and budgets. They are an auxiliary air movement system that draws air from the spray booth plenum. QAD Automatic

magazine

and QAD On Bake models also have doors that operate automatically on the blower towers, which are closed during the spray cycle to protect the blower nozzles from overspray. These patented technologies prevent dirt or overspray from being blown on the waterborne basecoat during the flash off cycle or the clear on the bake cycle.

> junair.co.uk 48 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

products: spray guns

Anest Iwata

Supernova LS400

When Anest Iwata talked about a new spray gun, they wanted to focus on innovation and giving customers something new, so they enlisted the help of the world-renowned design firm Pininfarina, who are famous for their state of the art automobile design. After the gun design was complete, they incorporated their atomizing technology and the Supernova was born. This gun combines their atomization control with production speed and ergonomics. There are two HVLP versions of the Supernova: the LS400 for clear coats and the LS400 for basecoats. Both guns are available with either a 1.3mm or a 1.4mm nozzle size depending on what paint brand you are spraying. The basecoat version is distinguished by the gold colour air-cap.

DeVilbiss Automotive Refinishing

CVi Gravity Feed

The CVi line of spray guns features two gravity feed models designed to accommodate either waterborne or solventbased basecoats as well as a suction and a pressure feed model. Every model in the line includes an HVLP cap for compliant areas and the Trans-Tech High Efficiency cap for non-compliant areas. Other differences between the two models include the level of PSI inlet, fluid flow and air cap pattern.

> anestiwata.com

> autorefinishdevilbiss.com

Pro-Tek

SATA

Pro-Tek 4000 Series

SATA Jet 3000 B

According to Pro-Tek, their 4000 series of spray guns are equipped to have high transfer efficiency control and superior atomization. Both the 4000G Gravity Feed and 4000GH Gravity Feed HVLP spray guns come in a number of models that vary based on nozzle orifice, PSI and CFM. The company says all its Gravity Feed cups can function with only a thimble full of paint. Pro-Tek provides replacement needles, nozzles and air caps for its 4000 series.

Perfecting ergonomics and providing superb finish results was SATA’s main focus in designing the SATAjet 3000 B. The SATAjet 3000 B has a wider, softer fan to enhance finish quality. According to SATA, material distribution is improved and transfer efficiency exceeds 65 per cent required by VOC legislation. The handle was ergonomically designed to fit the painter’s hand like a glove. New trigger design with less trigger pull means the painter can use one, two or three fingers to reduce fatigue. The control adjustments and gun body have a high-gloss chrome finish for corrosion protection. Moreover, the material passages have a special coating to enhance internal corrosion protection making the SATAjet 3000 B suitable for waterborne or solvent-base material. SATAjet 3000 B comes as HVLP or RP, suitable for all waterborne and solvent based materials. Available in Standard, Digital (in handle) or digital as an accessory with the SATAadam2. The QCC (Quick Cup Connection) function developed by SATA also easily adapts to the SATARPS mixing cup system.

> pro-tek.ca

Dent Fix

HVLP Swivel Gun

Dent Fix’s patented spray gun has a unique swivel built in behind the nozzle and gravity cup connection. This swivel action allows the handle to be moved either to the right or left, getting it up and out of the way. The spray pattern and gravity cup remain in set position. This patented action moves regulator, connectors and air hose off to the side, especially useful when painting lower areas of the vehicle. By having the handle flipped to the side, painting drip rails, engine and trunk compartments becomes more ergonomic. You increase the action of your wrist, giving you a more fluid movement.

> semproducts.com

> sata.com september 2010 collision Repair 49

recycling

Thecode Auto recyclers take the high road. By David Gold

n February of 2009, Retire Your Ride (a government-funded, pro-environmental program) was started with the intention of removing highly polluting cars from the road. Within Ontario, the program allows the driving public to come into federally approved locations to scrap their 1995 or older vehicles to receive a cash reward equal to $300, along with other incentives. So in administering this program, what exactly did participating auto recyclers agree to? With the creation of this program, a National Code of Practice was put in place. The code itself outlines requirements that must be upheld by all participants of the program, and ultimately sets a standard that shows how we differentiate ourselves from non– ARC (Automotive Recyclers of Canada) members and scrap yards. When establishing what areas must be referred to and covered in the code, it must be noted that auto recyclers themselves played a key role in the development of the National Code of Practice

50 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

for Environment Canada. With the ARC taking an active role, they were able to make suggestions and proposals as to what they felt were the most important areas for the government to focus in on. There are guidelines now in place in regards to the administration aspect of the program as well as the procedural obligations. This is to clarify the correct way to process all vehicles that come into the recycling facility. Fundamental steps in the process—such as the extraction of Freon and the removal of mercury switches and batteries from the vehicles—are key in the overall success of accomplishing the main goal: the green initiative. Now that Retire Your Ride has been running for some time, as auto recyclers we have been able to learn and expand on many of our own practices. This ensures the regulations and standards are being both met and exceeded. It has become clear that more efficient procedures have been put in place as a result of this new initiative. Our front–line staff all took part in online

recycling and classroom training ranging from the administration of the program to the emergency spill remediation plans. These were completed as required and as a result employees were better educated and response times improved for important environmental elements of the program. Intangibles such as workplace safety was one area in which we were able to make improvements because actions were being taken to ensure the requirements of the code were being fulfilled.

behind the processing of the vehicles brought in by the program, and it is nice to finally be recognized as a significant contributor to the work being done toward accomplishing the cause. The journey in running this program thus far has been a positive experience. We’ve all taken significant steps to achieving the greatest feasible impact on making the auto recycling industry as green as possible. Implementing the code of practice in our

he code sets a standard that differentiates us.

With being as environmentally friendly as possible as one of the main priorities, the program allows its auto recyclers to take the initiative a step further. In addition to reducing the amount of toxic emissions released into the air, auto recyclers further the green initiative by reusing non-emission-forming parts off the vehicles as opposed to merely scrapping them. Precautionary measures such as the elimination of all potential sources of pollution from the vehicles are taken to ensure that we mitigate potential hazards to the environment. Professional auto recyclers are the driving force

respective businesses is not only making a positive impact on the daily procedures and standards, but on the overall green initiative at hand. Thank you to all those involved in the creation and implementation of this program. We look forward to other successful green initiatives in the future. CRM David Gold is the co-owner of Standard Auto Wreckers, an auto recycling facility with locations in Toronto, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York. He can be reached by telephone at 416-286-8686 or via e-mail at david@standardautowreckers.com.

september 2010 collision Repair 51

RECYCLING NEWS

CSPA adopts Zero Mercury Policy By Janet Taylor, Summerhill Impact

The Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA) have taken a new policy stance on reducing mercury in scrap metal. “CSPA supports the principle of utilizing mercury-free scrap steel to the greatest extent practicable, from automotive and non-automotive sources,” they said in their recently released Environmental Performance Report. To ensure that this purchasing policy is executed, each of the CSPA member companies will now require that all steel mill scrap that is supplied to them is mercury free, affirming the association’s commitment to environmental performance. This policy also supports automotive re-

collect automotive mercury switches from end-of-life-vehicles. Now in its third year of operation, the program currently has 1,000 participants. We’ve seen strong collection results this year across the board. Such successes attest to the progress the program has made since the implementation of national funding. Even with this significant progress, Switch Out is opening its arms to many welcome new support initiatives as targets for switch collection. It is imperative that the program’s agenda is advanced as quickly as possible in order to recover hundreds of thousands of au-

sure that this is the case, there will effectively be a levelling of the proverbial playing field. In other words, businesses that have not voluntarily pulled mercury switches will need to rise to a higher level of environmental achievement in terms of automotive de-polluting if they haven’t yet done so. Failing to do so could impact their ability to do business. This is an excellent example of how markets can drive environmental change for the better. Driving the market toward sustainability is in fact part of Summerhill Impact’s goals, so this initiative is a particularly good fit between the funders and managers of Switch Out. Switch Out hopes that the CSPA’s new

cyclers and dismantlers from across Canada who have been voluntarily recovering mercury switches from end-of-life-vehicles over the last decade. T h e f u l l p e r f o r m a n c e re p o r t , w h i c h highlights many of the CSPA’s recent environmental successes and initiatives, is available at canadiansteel.ca. The CSPA is one of the major funders of Switch Out, a nation-wide endeavour to

tomotive mercury switches while the most vehicles, model year 2003 or older, are being retired from Canadian roads. Essentially, Switch Out is facing a race against time and support initiatives like the CSPA’s will help win that race. Since CSPA member companies will now require suppliers to have programs in place to identify, remove, track and properly dispose of sources of mercury, and may audit to en-

policy will drive new program registration. Potential registrants should be aware that the Switch Out program remains completely free of cost to participants. Moreover, participation is easy. Not to mention the fact that it’s also fun! The 2010 Switch Out contest is in fullswing and auto recyclers from across the country are voicing their inspiring opinions about pulling mercury switches.

Save the Date The upcoming auto recycling events you need to see. september 19-21

september 19-21

arc meeting Québec City, Quebec Steve Fletcher 519-858-8761 autorecyclers.ca

International Roundtable on Auto Recycling Québec City, Quebec Steve Fletcher 519-858-8761 irt-autorecycling.org

October 20-23

November 10

ara convention Austin, Texas, USA Michael Wilson 571-208-0428 a-r-a.org

aarda MEETING Canmore, Alberta Ian Hope 780-478-5820 aarda.com November 1-5 NACE (ASRW) Mandalay Bay Convention Center Las Vegas, Nevada, USA naceexpo.org

52 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

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last word

LeanForward Like most things, caution is best in moderation. By Joe Rayment

had a conversation recently with someone who spends a lot of time in the field in central Canada speaking with different collision repairers. And he said something that blew my mind: there are as many has 600 facilities in Ontario alone who don’t use computers. Computers! Forget the fancy customer management systems or even bookkeeping, these places can’t send email. Now, there’s nothing I love more than heading out of town for a weekend and shutting off my phone. But doing the same during the week, when there’s business to do, would put me and almost anyone I can

So here’s my point: we should investigate and plan for those technologies quickly— quicker than the guy across the street. Being ahead of the curve gives you an automatic competitive advantage. If you’ve picked a winning technology and it lets you do things quicker, faster, better than otherwise similar facilities, you’re in a pretty good place. That advantage will likely fade as people catch on and catch up to what you’re doing, but you’ll have a nice honeymoon period before they do. If you’re keeping up with the latest, greatest practices instead of setting them, you’ll still be ahead of 80–90 per cent of the market, so you’re still in a good position as a business.

nvestigate new technologies quicker than the other guys.

think of at a serious disadvantage. I don’t suspect many of you reading this still shun computers entirely, but I still find it interesting to think about. There was a variety of reasons he found for the people not wanting a computer for their businesses. They were worried about incorporating them into their workflow— which is a valid concern. If you have a fancy-schmancy computer system that you don’t understand, it could end up being a waste of resources or time, or both. Another reason was that the facilities liked the computers, but didn’t think their benefits won’t justify the investment. Which again is a good point when dealing with any technology—we should thoroughly investigate and plan for any new systems we’re thinking of implementing.

If you fall behind the pack... well, you know where I’m going with this. After I thought it through I had more sympathy for the repair facilities without computers than when I started—they’re cautious. I can respect that. Not every industry trend is going to turn out well for businesses (putting cars on conveyor belts comes to mind). Like a lot of things, I think the best solution is somewhere in the middle of the two extremes: be skeptical and decide which ideas you think are losers. But be careful to pick some winners too—then act. CRM Joe Rayment is the editor of Collision Repair magazine. He can be reached at 905-3700101 or via e-mail at editor@ collisionrepairmag.com.

>>> And the winner of the iPod Nano is... Paul Gaudet of City Collision Services! Runners up, who’ll each take home a Tims Card: • Arun Mehta from Terry Ortynsky Collision • Ajay Sharma from AAA Auto Collision Inc. • And Paul Prochilo from Prochilo Brothers Auto Collision Winners were selected at random from everyone who submitted an estimate to Tom Bissonnette as part of his effort to get a better national perspective on costs in collision repair. Thank you to everyone who participated! See page 18 for Tom’s findings.

54 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

SPEED

Perfect Fit For Light Hits! ®

Today, more than 80% of accidents occur at such low speeds that they do not cause any structural damage to the vehicles involved. Body shops benefit considerably by focusing their resources on repairing this kind of cosmetic damage quickly and cost-effectively. • Save time and effort — avoid moving the car back and forth between different workstations for steps such as disassembly, alignment, welding, sanding and filling. • SPEED is so low that you can drive/roll the car over the lifting platform — no ramps or additional equipment necessary. • SPEED can be raised and lowered to the most comfortable working position for every operation. Accessibility is perfect around the entire vehicle. • The SPEED Lifting Platform is available with a snap-in drawaligner (pulling tower) for use in one end (SPEED) or in both ends (SPEED Plus).

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Autowave® – the natural choice for efficiency

Our focus – your success Want to become a greener bodyshop, but concerned about the impact on business? Now there’s the Sikkens Eco-efficient system from AkzoNobel. This state-of-the-art range of waterborne and low VOC products enhances productivity and is environmentally responsible. What’s more, we offer a wealth of expert advice and support to smooth your transition to greater eco-efficiency. And that’s good for your business and for the environment. Sikkens – people best at enabling bodyshop profitability