Joe Greco | joe@grecopublishing.com www.grecopublishing.com First
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UPCOMING EVENTS
9:30 - 10:30am Mechanical Zoom Meetup
Third Thursday Each Month, 9:30 - 10:30am Collision Zoom Meetup
By Paul Yager, AASP-MN Associate Division Director
heads-up displays, today’s vehicles are intricate machines with advanced technology integrated into every aspect, making them marvels of engineering. These advances have dramatically changed the skill sets required to build vehicles – and to put them back together. As a result, there is unprecedented demand for people with the right skills to join the dynamic collision repair industry.
The Collision Engineering Program was launched to help fill the more than 110,000 collision technician job openings expected through 2027. Founded by the Enterprise Mobility Foundation and Ranken Technical College in St. Louis, the program is designed in collaboration with the automotive industry and educational institutions to facilitate lifelong learning for the future leaders of collision repair. Through a defined twoyear apprenticeship model, students receive real-world experience by working alongside industry experts while also earning their associate degree. This unique model provides students the opportunity to earn an income while completing their training.
The Collision Engineering Program’s unique twoyear apprenticeship model not only increases the
Employment and Labor Law Changes from 2024 Session
Lawmakers spent time during the 2024 legislative session making tweaks to a couple of major new pieces of legislation that were passed during the 2023 session. This article will look at some of the adjustments and changes to the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law as well as changes to the new Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) law.
First, it’s important to differentiate between these two somewhat similar but different new programs. PFML requires all Minnesota employers to provide most employees paid family and medical leave for up to 12 weeks with partial wage replacement for a qualifying event. The program is funded by a payroll tax split between employers and employees, but this program does not begin until January 1, 2026.
The ESST program, however, is already in force having started on January 1, 2024. It requires Minnesota employers to provide paid sick and safe time to employees that can be used for certain reasons, including when an employee is sick, to care for a sick family member or to seek assistance if an employee or their family member has experienced domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking. Unlike PFLM, ESST is accrued over time. An employee earns one hour for every 30 hours worked with a yearly cap of 48 hours.
Because the ESST program is already in effect, we will start with the changes to that program before moving on to address changes to PFML.
ESST Changes and Requirements
Penalty Changes
One early change lawmakers sought to address was to clarify the penalty for employers who do not provide ESST as required. If an employer fails to provide ESST, they are liable for an amount equal to all ESST that should or could have been used, plus an equal amount of liquidated damages.
Another penalty related change relates to employer recordkeeping responsibilities. If an employer fails to retain records that show the ESST an employee should have received, the employer is liable to the employee for 48 hours of ESST for each year ESST was not provided, as well as an equal amount in liquidated damages.
For both these penalty changes, the employer will owe double what should have been paid to the employee after accounting for liquidated damages.
Expanded Eligible Uses of ESST
Another area of change this year is an addition to the list of reasons employees may use ESST. In addition to the previously covered uses, employees may now use ESST to attend a wider array of activities related to the death of a family member. Specifically, employees may use ESST to plan or attend a funeral or memorial service of a family member. They may also use ESST to address legal or financial issues related to the death of a family member.
As a reminder, the definition of a family member for the purposes of the ESST program is extremely broad and includes:
by Sam Richie & Shannon K. Mitchell, AASP-MN Lobbyists
1. Their child, including foster child, adult child, legal ward, child for whom the employee is legal guardian or child to whom the employee stands or stood in loco parentis (in place of a parent);
2. Their spouse or registered domestic partner;
3. Their sibling, stepsibling or foster sibling;
4. Their biological, adoptive or foster parent, stepparent or a person who stood in loco parentis (in place of a parent) when the employee was a minor child;
5. Their grandchild, foster grandchild or step-grandchild;
6. Their grandparent or step-grandparent;
7. A child of a sibling of the employee;
8. A sibling of the parents of the employee;
9. A child-in-law or sibling-in-law;
10. Any of the family members listed in 1 through 9 above of an employee’s spouse or registered domestic partner;
11. Any other individual related by blood or whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship; and
12. Up to one individual annually designated by the employee.
Changes to Minnesota Paid Family Leave Program
The legislature also amended the Minnesota Paid Family Leave law, which was originally passed in 2023 but does not go into effect until January 1, 2026. The law requires employers to provide most employees paid family and medical leave for up to 12 weeks with partial wage replacement for any individual qualifying event. The program is funded via a payroll tax that can be split between employers and employees. An employee is eligible for 12 weeks of family leave, 12 weeks of medical leave or a combination of the two not to exceed 20 weeks.
Payroll Tax Increase
One major change to the law during the 2024 session that received much attention is an increase of the payroll tax utilized to fund the program. Under the law passed in 2023, this payroll tax was set at 0.7 percent. But as more was learned about the costs of administering the program that tax has been increased to 0.88 percent - roughly a 25 percent increase.
Minimum Increment of One Calendar Day
Another change enacted in 2024 clarifies the minimum amount of time an employee can take under the program. The new requirement for PFML is for at least one calendar day.
Small Employer Definition Changes
Employers with 30 or fewer employees who also have an average wage rate equal to or less than 150 percent of the state’s average wage for the last year are eligible to apply for assistance grants. There is now a premium rate for these small employers of .77 percent instead of the .88 percent that is otherwise mandated. If these small employers meet the eligibility requirements, 25 percent of the rate must be paid by the employer with the remaining amount paid by the
29th Annual AASP-MN Golf Outing Highlights
128 golfers and 19 sponsoring companies enjoyed a beautiful day while golfing and socializing at the 29th Annual AASP-MN Golf Outing at Majestic Oaks Golf Club in Ham Lake, Tuesday, June 11.
As always, the competition was tough, but the teamwork of the following golfers earned them the first place trophy with a score of 61 (11 under par). They were:
• Brian Evans (Deano’s Collision & Automotive Specialists)
• Scott Denman (Deano’s Collision & Automotive Specialists)
• Jerald Gay (PPG Automotive Finishes)
The second place team came in at 8 under par. They were:
• Jon Melander (Boulay Financial Advisors)
• Chris Claussen (Boulay Financial Advisors)
• Kevin Pleasant (MN Bank & Trust)
• Johan Gomez-Sang (MN Bank & Trust)
Congratulations to Robert Latuff (Latuff Brothers Auto Body; St. Paul) who won AASP-MN’s split the pot raffle, taking home $915. Proceeds from the raffle support AASPMN’s Education Fund, which provides scholarships to first and second year auto service and collision repair students attending Minnesota’s automotive technical programs.
CBIZ also conducted a fundraiser to support Minnesota Careers in Auto Service & Repair (MNCARS), an initiative created to ensure a future workforce for Minnesota’s automotive service industry by raising awareness and recruiting people into technical college automotive education programs and industry careers. Thanks to those that contributed; over $700 was raised.
AASP-MN THANKS OUR 2024 SPONSORS!
Premium Sponsor LKQ Minnesota
Platinum Sponsor Lube-Tech
Revv ADAS
Gold Sponsors 3M
AASP National Auto Value /Benco Equipment
BASF
CBIZ
NCS/Single Source
Silver Sponsors
Axalta Coating Systems
Colonial Life
Enterprise Mobility
O’Reilly Auto Parts
PPG Automotive Finishes
Sherwin-Williams
Suburban GM Parts
United Fire Group Vestis
Bronze Sponsors aaa Auto Parts
C.H.E.S.S.
Dentsmart PDR
Precision Diagnostics
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
continued from pg. 5
employee via wage deductions as needed to fund the full amount.
There are a handful of other employment law related provisions that passed during the 2024 session that I’d like to briefly touch on.
Increased Penalties for Employee Misclassification
Minnesota Careers in Auto Repair & Service (MNCARS) is a non-profit organization established in 2016 by AASP-MN. Its sole purpose is to promote careers in the automotive industry, recruit young people into the state’s college-level automotive service and collision repair programs and, ultimately, into industry workplaces.
Get out and get active in your local community promoting industry careers! Check out the MotorMouth toolbox at carcareers.org/motor-mouth
Lawmakers increased the penalties for misclassification of employees as independent contractors and broadened the scope of who could be liable for said misclassification. Any individual who is an owner, partner, principal, member, officer or agent who knowingly or repeatedly engages in employee misclassification may be subject to a fine. The penalty for this misclassification has been increased to $10,000 for each individual an employer failed to correctly classify. These changes are aimed mainly at the construction industry but apply more broadly and should be understood by AASP-MN members.
Salary Ranges Required in Job Postings
Starting in 2025, employers with 30 or more employees must disclose the starting salary range, and a general description of all benefits and other compensation in job postings. Any employer with 30 or more employees that does not offer a salary range for a position is instead required to list a fixed pay rate.
First place team (From L-R): Brandon Wistrom, Scott Denman, Jerald Gay & Brian Evans
• All Makes and Models
• 24-48 hour Turnaround • Proven Color Match Database • On-site Cosmetic Repairs
• Large Inventory of O.E. Replacements
The domestic nameplate Do-It-For-Me (DIFM) market has flopped. Lang Marketing projects that the domestic nameplates’ 2024 DIFM product volume will sink below their 2007 sales at user-price. Two factors are the cause: fewer domestic nameplates in age categories with high aftermarket product use and the above-average DIFM volume of foreign nameplates.
The languishing DIFM performance of domestic nameplates underscores the dramatic gains of foreign nameplates in the DIFM market. It reflects the significance of vehicle nameplates in generating DIFM product sales and how the nation’s changing nameplate mix shapes many aspects of the light vehicle aftermarket.
Lower Domestic Nameplate VIO Share
Domestic nameplate cars and light trucks represented about 65 percent of vehicles in operation (VIO) in 2007. Over the next 17 years, the declining domestic nameplates’ share of new vehicle sales and disproportionate scrappage will push their VIO share down to about 48 percent by mid-year 2024.
Aging Domestic Nameplate Population
For many years, domestic nameplates have been significantly older on average than foreign nameplates. In 2016, domestic cars and light trucks were approximately 2.5 years older than foreign nameplates.
Lang Marketing estimates that domestic nameplates will average nearly 2.8 years older than foreign nameplates during 2024.
DIFM repair volume is highest among vehicles 10 years and newer. Foreign nameplates have dominated this vehicle age group since 2014.
Diminishing Domestic Nameplates’ DIFM Share
At the turn of the new millennium, domestic nameplates represented over two-thirds of U.S. DIFM product sales at user-price. However, due to their steady decline in VIO share and increased vehicle age, domestic nameplates plunged to approximately half of 2016 DIFM product car and light truck sale
This has continued, and Lang Marketing estimates that domestic nameplates will represent less than 38 percent of the 2024 DIFM product volume at user-price.
Domestic Nameplate Cars Versus Light Trucks
The domestic nameplate VIO and age mix differ dramatically between cars and light trucks. Light trucks account for about 75 percent of domestic nameplates in operation and have a significantly lower average age than domestic nameplate cars.
Domestic Cars Suffer Entire DIFM Decline
Passenger cars have shouldered all the domestic nameplate DIFM aftermarket product decline between 2016 and 2024.
Over these eight years, the domestic car aftermarket product DIFM volume will have plunged by more than $3 billion, suffering a 1.0 percent average annual drop at userprice.
At the same time, the entire light vehicle DIFM market will soar by approximately $20 billion at user-price.
Aftermarket Implications
Domestic nameplates’ lower 2024 aftermarket DIFM product volume compared to 2007 has had several significant consequences for the DIFM aftermarket.
Where DIFM Repair is Performed
First, nameplates influence where DIFM products are installed. The decline of domestic nameplate product volume has shifted the strength of product sales by type of DIFM outlet.
In particular, dealers have benefited from domestic nameplates’ falling DIFM volume and have expanded their share of the light vehicle DIFM market at the expense of independent (non-dealer) DIFM outlets.
Distribution Channel Volume
Second, the volume of products flowing through different distribution channels is significantly impacted by vehicle nameplate DIFM share.
The declining significance of domestic nameplates in DIFM product volume and share has benefited three distribution channels: OE, Integrated and Import. In contrast, the traditional channel has suffered due to this shifting DIFM volume by vehicle nameplate.
Brand Share Strength
Third, the DIFM strength of product brands is significantly influenced by the DIFM product volume of vehicle nameplates. OE, OE-Supplier, and foreign brands have benefited from the increasing DIFM share of foreign nameplates. In contrast, domestic brands, and private labels have suffered.
Future Trends
Lang Marketing expects that domestic nameplates will continue to decline in DIFM share. This will be a significant factor in shaping the product volume, repair outlet strength, brand mix, distribution channel strength and the structure of the car and light truck aftermarket for years to come.
Six Major Takeaways
• Lang Marketing expects that domestic nameplates will continue to decline in DIFM share. This will be a significant factor in shaping the product volume, repair outlet strength, brand mix, distribution channel strength and the structure of the car and light truck aftermarket for years to come.
• Domestic nameplates have a much higher average age than foreign nameplates. DIFM repair volume is highest among newer vehicles, particularly those 10 years and younger. Accordingly, domestic nameplates have captured a diminishing share of the fast-growing DIFM market.
• Domestic nameplates plunged from about two-thirds of DIFM product sales in the U.S. at the turn of the new millennium to approximately half by 2016. Lang Marketing estimates that domestic nameplates will generate less than 38 percent of 2024 DIFM product volume at userprice.
• The VIO’s nameplate mix significantly impacts where aftermarket DIFM repairs are performed. As domestic nameplates declined in DIFM share and foreign nameplates increased, the strength of DIFM outlets changed significantly. Dealers have reduced the DIFM share of independent (non-dealer) DIFM outlets, largely due to the declining strength of domestic nameplates in the DIFM market.
• The declining DIFM strength of domestic nameplates is significantly influencing the share of volume flowing ‘ through each of the five major channels of distribution, with the OE, Integrated, and Import channels benefiting the most.
• Domestic nameplate car and light truck aftermarket 2024 DIFM product volume will fail to top 2007 sales at user-price. The falling DIFM product share and volume of domestic nameplates have caused significant changes in the strength of different types of brands in the DIFM aftermarket and will continue to do so in the coming years.
AASP Leaders Tour 3M Training Facility in Minnesota
AASP National Board members recently toured the 3M training facility in St. Paul, MN. AASP National President Dan Sjolseth (Superior Service Centers; St. Paul), Will Latuff (Latuff Brothers Auto Body; St. Paul) and fellow Board members learned about the equipment, extensive training and the importance of the proper use of the product while being led through the state-of-the-art 15,000 square foot facility.
Front Row: Lucas Underwood, Tricia Sauls & Judell Anderson. Back Row: Barry Burkholder, Tom Elder, Bob Gottfred, Ken Miller, Will Latuff, Dan Sjolseth, Lucky Papageorg & Avi Olitzky
Passenger & Commercial Repairs No Longer a Big Worry Thanks to the Big-Bench Frame Machine
Collision repair facilities seeking big solutions to every size job that comes their way need look no further than the Big Bench universal frame machine and bench system. This hybrid drive-on / drive over system is specially designed to accommodate all passenger vehicles as well as select commercial vehicles. Its new pulling tower provides smooth and accurate 180º movement, with optional removable side ramps to cater to vans and extra-long sedans, while double safety device and twin lifting arm features ensure that you can trust the accuracy of every lift and adjustment. The basic package includes a 10-ton pulling unit, mountable on any of the four sides of the bench, as well as a pad set, arms for clamp set, high clamps set, electrohydraulic unit and wheel stands set. Additional towers can be added if needed to assist technicians in repair. This universal bench system is the comprehensive solution for most auto body shops.
Whether you’re dealing with a minor fender bender or a major collision, the Big-BENCH is versatile, precise and able to make meticulous adjustments to ensure vehicles are restored to the highest standard. Additional accessories including pulling tower extensions, clamps, anchoring
The Big-BENCH universal frame machine and bench system is designed to handle any size job with accuracy and versatility.
systems, adaptors & convertible ramps are available. Contact Reliable Automotive Equipment today to learn more about the Big-BENCH universal frame system and our wide variety of products, training and support at raeservice.com.
For over 30 years, Reliable Automotive Equipment has been the premier OEM Collision Repair equipment supplier.
INVERTASPOT GT
Unlock precision welding with our InvertaSpot GT. Engineered to perfection, it ensures flawless spot welds with press-and-go technology. Ideal for professionals and DIY enthusiasts.
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REASONS YOU NEED THIS WELDER:
Automatic & Manual Modes
VAS VERSION AVAILABLE
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Easily Interchange Between Electrodes/Arms
OEM Approvals
OEM APPROVALS
Decades of Cars & Camaraderie: A Conversation with Mike Hiemenz
There likely aren’t many automotive shops in Minnesota that have not had some type of interaction with Mike Hiemenz. The owner of Straight & Square Distributing has spent a tremendous part of his career traveling around to meet with customers old and new. He’s spent decades working with shops to make sure they had all the right solutions to help repair cars correctly. Recently, he announced his intention to step into retirement, handing the reins of the business to his wife, Kim and his stepson, Randy Peterson. AASP-MN News chatted with him about his career and his plans for the future.
AASP-MN News: You’ve been in this industry for 45 years. What first got you interested in automotive repair?
Mike Hiemenz: As a teenager, I had to get a car running in order to have a car. I liked working on small engines and cars. When I got out of the Navy, I started converting vans for paraplegics, and that’s when I got into body work, cutting into a vehicle and re-welding in some different structures, raised roofs and raised doors. From there, it took me to the body shop. I worked in a frame and body shop near Black Hills and Sturgis for a couple years. Back then, there weren’t too many shops that had frame racks. You would take your vehicle to a frame shop that had frame racks. In the mid-80s, I was out of work for a while because I hurt my back pretty badly. I decided to go to business college to study business management, thinking I would manage a body
shop. After I completed business college, I started selling repairables – wrecked vehicles for people to repair. At that time, I came across an ad for a company - which would turn out to be Chief Automotive - looking for someone to sell frame racks, something I had experience with. All throughout the ’90s, it became a big thing; everybody was getting frame racks and keeping the work in-house. In the late 90s, we started introducing electronic measuring to the industry. That was kind of a trip because so many shops laughed at me when I walked in and talked about it. They didn’t think there would ever be computers in the back of a dirty body shop. But we laughed at it and pushed ahead with the vision of where we saw things going. You have to look at where things are going all the time, as this industry is continually changing.
AASP: Tell us about your business. How did you get it all started?
MH: In 2006, Chief Automotive decided to move away from direct sales and go with a distributorship. We had a great sales force team, too. In fact, I think we had the best one this country has ever seen. I really miss getting together with all of them. I applied for the distributorship and started Straight & Square Distributing in 2006. One of the first things I began to see was a change in repairs. We started the business trying to find a model with the frame racks and measuring systems, and then we hooked up with Pro Spot out of California. I really wanted a U.S.-made welder. Hooking up with them covered the next 18 years. It started with just a spot welder and maybe a dent repair with that, and now it’s just such a big line of equipment that has taken over our business. We still offer frame racks, tools and clamps. What you don’t see is shops working on straightening on frame racks like we did in the ’90s. The design and structures of the vehicles have all changed so much due to the types of metals they use; it’s become more about taking out the bad and replacing it with new, rather than repairing it.
AASP: What are some of the biggest changes to the automotive industry you’ve witnessed over the years?
MH: If you look at any of the panels on vehicles from back in the late ’70s or ’80s compared to now, you see that the metals have become a lot lighter. They are not
Mike Hiemenz plans to do a lot more fishing in his retirement
as repairable. They get wrecked; you put on a new one. That’s really what the car manufacturers are after. And back in the ’90s, the body shops really had some hard times. They weren’t thriving businesses like they are now. Some thrived, but many faced hard times with the economy during those years. When Ford came out with the aluminum F-150, something just kind of happened. Vehicle prices got so high that more people kept their vehicles and chose to repair them. Shops got busier, and there were new opportunities with aluminum.
Now, EVs, ADAS systems and new technologies offer other opportunities for body shops. So when you look at all these things, it’s not surprising to see that a lot of shops are thriving. And that has opened the door for MSOs, which you would have never seen in the ’90s. There’d be some of that around the country, but not up here in Minnesota. It’s been quite an event the last couple of years. We didn’t even have to train technicians as much way back when, and now you’d better be training techs all the time. There is just no end to training. That’s one of the concerning things we see – a lack of training with some of the new techs coming in.
AASP: Can you share some highlights from your time in the industry?
MH: I just love getting together with everyone at the different conventions and meetings with people all across the country and working with the customers. Training and working with the guys. That’s my high point. A lot of guys see me and say ‘Hi Mike,’ and I may not know who they are or what their names are, but I remember them being in training. I don’t see much of that anymore, as many shops are drawing the line with the training, so a lot of technicians have to take it on their own to stay up-to-
by Alana Quartuccio
date. That was my highlight: to get out every day and talk with people. Back in the day, we did a lot of cold calls. For me, it was fun to just go out and shake someone’s hand, and ask, ‘How are things? If I can help you in any way, let me know.’ We don’t do that much anymore, as we’re well-known enough that they just call us. That’s probably one of the things I miss most is being with the people, working with the customers face-to-face.
AASP: How did you get involved with AASP-Minnesota?
MH: Back in 1989, right around the time I got started with Chief Automotive, we’d take part in the regional trade show AASPMN was part of at the time. We’d cover the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin. That’s how we got involved with AASP-MN as they were involved with setting up that show. I remember (AASPMN Office Manager) Jodi Pillsbury from way back then. Over time, things changed, and a lot of shops stopped showing up at these shows to look at equipment. Training would continue, but the need to look at equipment wasn’t the reason shops went to shows anymore. When we started with Straight & Square in 2006, we put an ad in AASP-MN News right away, as it’s our local trade magazine and we knew that it went to so many members, and we’ve continued to put ads in there since. When other publications approached us about being digital, we declined taking
part, as we only wanted to stay with AASP-MN News. We see the magazine on tables in break rooms and entryways of shops’ waiting areas. We see a lot more exposure with that, and that’s why we continue to run two different ads in this magazine and have for many years.
AASP: When did you decide to retire and why?
MH: A couple of years ago, my mom passed away. We spent a lot of time taking care of my dad over the next year, so I started slowing down a little bit, and my stepson Randy began taking on more jobs. My father passed the day after Christmas last year. I had already decided the previous summer to talk to a finance guy and started going over everything because my full retirement age is 66 and 10 months, and although I just turned 65, I decided that I’ve had enough. I’ve spent a lot of years working, being in hotel rooms during the week, and I’m just getting tired. I’ve spent about 36 years offering equipment, and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s really a bittersweet thing, but there’s just something inside telling me it’s time to let this go and let the younger generation take over. It’s time for some new light and to start enjoying doing some other things. How many more years can you do things before you can’t? I had to open up the spot for some of the younger guys.
Mike Hiemenz conducting a training session at Arrowhead Auto Body
AASP: What are the next steps for your business?
MH: My wife Kim is a couple years younger and isn’t ready to retire yet, so she and my stepson Randy Peterson, who has been with Straight & Square for 16 years, will continue on. Our service and support won’t change and customers should not notice a difference at all. We have a new service technician named Mark Hilde. Randy has been introducing him to customers, and he’s doing really well and likes what he is doing. That’s half of it. You’ve really got to give a sh#t. If one doesn’t give a sh#t, we don’t need you. That’s always been our thing. The customers are what is important to us. And having good vendors to work with. If I’ve got a vendor who stands behind us, I can stand behind them. If not, then we don’t need that vendor anymore. That’s always been our philosophy.
AASP: What do you plan to do in your retirement years?
MH: My wife and I bought a little cabin on a lake to enjoy summers. It’s close to home, only an hour away, but it needs a lot of work. So I’ve already been out there this spring doing some of the work. I’ll spend most of the summer, or whatever time I feel like,
renovating that. I also plan on doing a little more fishing than I’ve been able to do in the past.
AASP: Anything else you’d like to share with your former colleagues and friends?
MH: I would like to thank everyone. There are some customers that I’ve worked with their fathers and even a couple of shops where I worked with their grandpas. I’ve watched some shops evolve through all of those generations and have met all their technicians, shop owners and managers. They’re all good people. A lot of the businesses were family-owned. I don’t know if it has anything to do with it, but they always seem to be tighter knit. It was enjoyable to walk in and they’d say, ‘Hey Mike, how are you doing?’ and I’d be like ‘Hey, customer! How are you doing?’ I was always welcome to just stop in and say hi and see if they needed anything. That was always the highlight of my day. If I didn’t get to do that for a while and I had to just sit – as I got closer to retirement, I spent more time in the office – I wasn’t as happy. Maybe that’s what drove me to retirement. It’s more fun being with the people.
3M Center St. Paul
SHOP HERE FIRST!
AASP-MN Associate Member Directory
aaa Auto Parts Rosemount
aaa Auto Parts East Bethel
AASP-MN BankCard Stevens Point, WI
A-Condition Wheel Service Prior Lake
ADAS Find Grand Rapids, MI
Advanced Vehicle Solutions Maplewood
Advantage Auto Glass Savage
AkzoNobel Andover
Alerus Bank Minnetonka
Arcon Solutions, Inc. St. Paul
Assessment Associates International Minnetonka
Auto Nation White Bear Lake
Auto Value Parts Stores / APH St. Cloud
Auto Value Parts Stores / McClard & Associates Hopkins
Automotive Recyclers of MN Fridley
Automotive Training Institute Linthicum, MD
Axalta Coating Systems Andover
BASF Corporation Southfield, MI
Benco Equipment St. Cloud
Blue Rock Refinishing Solutions Roseville
Boulay Financial Advisors, LLC Eden Prairie
Buerkle Honda White Bear Lake
C.H.E.S.S. West St. Paul
Capital One Business Cards St. Paul
CARS Cooperative Perkins, OK
CBIZ Insurance Services Minneapolis
Cintas Minneapolis
Colonial Life Princeton
CSN Collision Network Milwaukee, WI
Dent Impressions Rogers
Dentsmart PDR Isanti
EagleMMS Torrington, CT
Enterprise Mobility Eagan
Factory Motor Parts Eagan
Finishing Touch Car Care Oakdale
Heartman Insurance Faribault
Accelerated Vehicle Technology Bloomington
LKQ Minnesota Fridley
Lube-Tech St. Paul
Maguire Agency Roseville
Mark’s Towing, Inc. Eagan
Mitchell International San Diego, CA
Mitchell1 Poteet, TX
MN ADAS Solutions Waite Park
Morrie’s Automotive Group Brooklyn Park
Motor Parts & Equipment Winona
NAPA Auto Parts St. Cloud
NAPA Cambridge Cambridge
NAPA Distribution Center St. Louis Park
NCS/Single Source Baldwin, WI
NCS/Single Source Maplewood
NCS/Single Source Roseville
O’Reilly Auto Parts Brooklyn Park
P.P.G. Automotive Finishes Stillwater
Precision Diagnostics Madison, WI
Proven Force Clutch and U Joint / Midwest Trans Maple Grove
Radco Bismark/Mandan Mandan, ND
Radco Blaine
Radco Burnsville
Radco Cedar Rapids/Hiawatha Hiawatha, IA
Radco Duluth
Radco Fargo, ND
Radco Oakdale
Radco Plymouth
Radco Sioux City, IA
Radco Sioux Falls East Sioux Falls, SD
Radco Sioux Falls West Sioux Falls, SD
Radco St. Cloud
Radco/Accessory Pro Warehouse Baxter
Revv ADAS Brooklyn, NY
SATA Spray Equipment Spring Valley
Sherwin Williams Automotive Finishes Bloomington
Shop Monkey Morgan Hill, CA
Straight & Square Distributing St. Joseph
Suburban Chevrolet Eden Prairie
Sunbelt Business Advisors Minneapolis
The Flasher Scope & Scan Diagnostics
Prior Lake
United Fire Group Eau Claire, WI
Valley Imports Fargo, ND
Vestis Minneapolis
Wakeman Equipment Sales Jackson, WI
Wirthco Engineering, Inc. Minneapolis
ESTIMATING TIPS
Visit degweb.org to submit a Database Inquiry and contribute to database accuracy!
HELPING TO IMPROVE COLLISION REPAIR ESTIMATE INFO THROUGH REPAIRER FEEDBACK If you’re performing automotive repairs of ANY kind, you need to utilize the DEG! Check out some recent Database Inquiries - and their resolutions - below!
Solera Qapter (Audatex): Supplement Reconciliation –Solera Qapter users can view a “Supplement Reconciliation” report by selecting the “Reports” tab and using the drop-down menu on the pop-up to see available documents under “Supplement Reconciliation.”
CCC: Bolted-on Parts – Labor footnotes for various components may indicate “time is after all necessary bolt on parts are removed.” Labor procedures for a
component may state specific parts are INCLUDED. “Bolted on parts” include components attached with mechanical fasteners including bolts, nuts, screws, clips and rivets.
“Footnotes found in a chapter contain vehicle-specific information. The content of footnotes is in addition to, and takes precedence over, information in the Guide to Estimating pages for the operation indicated.”
At LKQ, the “R” in P.A.R.T. stands for Recycled OEM parts LKQ first began 25 years ago through the acquisition of several auto salvage yards, and through the years, LKQ has grown to become the largest recycler of vehicles in the industry. LKQ now operates more than 125 auto recycling yards across North America. Through its stateof-the-art processes, LKQ recycles or re-sells more than 90% of the materials from end-of-life vehicles that would otherwise end up in landfills.
Which of these are in your shop: brake cleaner, gasoline, windshield washer fluid, motor oil, parts washer solvent?
Which of these can catch fire?
Which are classified as flammable liquids, with flash points under 200 degrees fahrenheit?
The answer to the first question: all, if you’re a mechanical shop. If you don’t do any mechanical work, you probably don’t have a parts washer or brake cleaner. But everyone has gasoline, washer fluid and motor oil.
The answer to the second: all of them can ignite. It takes the most energy to burn motor oil – that’s the least flammable of the bunch, followed by parts washer solvent.
The answer to the third: Most readers will readily answer brake cleaner and gasoline. The one that people often don’t guess is windshield washer fluid. But in northern climates like Minnesota, it contains enough methanol to make it very flammable.
We classify flammable liquids based on their flash point, the temperature at which they give off enough vapors to ignite. If you bring gasoline down to a temperature below -45°F (that’s 45 degrees below 0°F), it won’t ignite. (Maybe you’ve heard of someone plunging a lit match into gasoline, to show that it won’t burn. It doesn’t – because it’s the vapors that burn, not the liquid. You need the oxygen in the air, mixed with the vapors, for ignition to occur.) According to OSHA, if it has a flash point below 73°F, it’s a Category 1 or 2 flammable liquid. Below 140°F, it’s a category 3 flammable. The Fire Code classification is slightly different: if the flash point is below 73°F, it’s a hazard class I-A or I-B flammable liquid. If below 100°F, it’s I-C, and below 140°, hazard class II.
Gasoline and brake cleaner are OSHA hazard category 2 flammable liquids and Fire Code I-B. Partswasher has a flash point just above 140°F. Motor oil’s is usually over 400°F. Ready to use all season washer fluid: usually between 80°F and 110°F. If it’s concentrated, meant to be diluted for use, the flash point will be 54°F, making it a hazard Category 2 or I-B flammable liquid.
Why does the classification make a difference? The more flammable the liquid is, the more fire precautions you need to take.
Stay Grounded
by Janet L. Keyes, CIH
You need to limit how much you have on hand. OSHA and the Fire Code limit you to 120 gallons of 1B or 1C flammables per fire control area – that’s an area separated by firerated construction from the rest of the building. If the area is sprinklered, the Minnesota Fire Code lets you double the amount. If you use flammable cabinets for storage, the Fire Code allows double the amount. Most collision repair shops have mixing rooms, designed as inside storage rooms for flammable liquids. If that room is sprinklered, with exhaust ventilation designed to capture vapors from a spill, a sill to contain any spill and fire-rated construction, you can legally exceed those limits. But if you have multiple drums or totes of washer fluid and brake cleaner sitting out on your shop floor, you’re probably over the limit.
Use the right containers. The original manufacturers’ containers are supposed to meet certain specifications. Don’t transfer flammable liquids to your empty plastic jugs. Containers for gasoline need to be selfclosing, have flame arrestors and be vented – and you need to be able to ground or bond them.
Ground and bond your containers. When you pour a flammable liquid, the action of pouring creates static electricity. Combine static electricity with flammable vapors and you have the ingredients for a fire. Know the warnings about not filling gas cans in the back of your pickup truck? That’s prohibited because of static electricity. Whether you’re emptying a car’s gas tank prior to repairs or dispensing brake cleaner or thinner, you need to control that static.
Grounding is done by connecting a grounding wire to a building ground. That can be a grounding rod sunk into the ground, metal water pipes or metal building components that are grounded. Bonding is connecting a metal wire between the original container and receiving container. Bonding equalizes the static charge between the two containers. Grounding gives the static charge somewhere safe to go.
Plastic containers cannot be grounded, but a dangerous static charge can still build up when you pour from or into them. Metal containers are a better choice.
A lot of suppliers provide washer fluid in plastic drums or totes (IBCs). That doesn’t release you from the need to bond and ground, but it does make doing so a lot harder. You can put the drum on a steel plate that’s grounded. For dispensing, you can use a stainlesssteel pump that extends to the bottom of the container.
For effective bonding and grounding, you need to ensure that you have a solid connection between the container and the grounding or bonding wire. If the drum is painted, make sure you scrape off the paint or use a clip that can penetrate through the paint.
We have seen an increase in citations from OSHA for flammable material storage and lack of grounding and/or bonding.
We learn from others’ tragedies. Even a small container of a flammable liquid can start a fire. A repair shop in California learned this the hard way, when one of their mechanics poured gasoline from a bucket into a newly installed fuel tank. Gasoline spilled onto an incandescent work light. The resulting fire killed the mechanic. Treat flammable liquids with care.
For more information, contact Carol Keyes via email at carkey@chesssafety.com or (651) 481-9787.
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
The parts washer lid is blocked from closing. Parts washers have fusible links which melt and close the lid if there’s a fire, starving it of oxygen. But anything left in the basin keeps the lid from closing. It also isn’t labeled to show what type of solvent is used and its hazards.
One of the many benefits of AASP-MN membership includes a CARS CONNECTION PLUS Membership. CARS COOPERATIVE currently has over 55 value-added programs you can benefit from in the form of cash rewards, discounts or CARS pricing.
Please contact us at (405) 547-4077 or email: membersupport@cars.coop to connect and take advantage of the benefits of your AASP-MN Membership.
If you have not completed a benefit form, please do so to get your benefits started by visiting: bit.ly/ CARSCooperativememberbenefitsform.
PROPERTY/LIABILITY AND WORKERS’ COMP INSURANCE
CBIZ
Contact: Brad Schmid
763-549-2247 / bschmid@cbiz.com
CBIZ AIA and United Fire Group (UFG) have created a program for members that includes a special premium discount, exclusive coverage and potential safety group dividend. CBIZ AIA can present quotes from multiple carriers and, as an added bonus, offer members an exclusive 10% discount on their property/liability insurance premiums.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
CBIZ
Diego Campos
763-228-0259 / diegocampos@cbiz.com
AASP and CBIZ are partnering to help make the process of purchasing employee benefits a lot less stressful for members. The CBIZ platform provides increased transparency and more options for savings, the ability to predict rate increases early, and guidance from CBIZ benefits experts. New Health Insurance Options Now Available!
EMPLOYEE VOLUNTARY BENEFITS
Colonial Life
Contact: Deb Ferrao
612-600-4135 / deb.ferrao@coloniallifesales.com or Tracy Bailey 612-801-0139 / tracy.coloniallife@gmail.com
Dedicated representatives can help members transform their benefit package with competitive rates, value added services at no cost and complimentary legal document preparation service. Colonial Life has the tools and flexibility to create a plan to fit everyone’s needs.
UNIFORM & LINEN SUPPLIES
Vestis (formerly Aramark)
Contact: Ryan Vick 612-269-2303 / vick-ryan2@aramark.com
Discounted pricing to members on rental of uniforms, entrance mats, shop rags, etc. Purchases are also discounted. Members receive annual rebate equal to 10% of their business with Vestis each year.
Competitive rates for AASP-MN members. Terminals and printers sold at cost. Monthly rental of equipment is also available.
LEGAL CONSULTATION
Fryberger, Buchanan, Smith & Frederick 800-496-6789
Members receive free, over-the-phone legal assessment and consultation (some restrictions apply) with an attorney who specializes in the area of law that is the subject of the call.
WEBSITE AND INTERNET MARKETING SOLUTIONS
Autoshop Solutions
Contact: Tony Mercury 919-267-1731 / tony@autoshopsolutions.com
Autoshop Solutions has developed the most cutting-edge marketing platform for AASP members. Really Powerful Marketing (RPM) is an all-in-one program that bundles your website, pay-per-click, search engine optimization, social media, and much more! With five levels of RPM to match your budget, goals, and competition, it’s built to drive your shop forward!
Members receive discounts on a variety of products and services they use every day! From discounts on paint and rental cars to office supplies and phone services. Over 50 programs available!
Mitchell 1 offers AASP members a $10 per month discount on any eligible Mitchell 1 subscription.
Mitchell International
Contact: Mitchell International Representative 800-238-9111
AASP members receive $350 off Mitchell's MD-500 all-in-one solution for scanning, calibration, estimating, and blueprinting.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION HOTLINE IDENTIFIX
800-745-9649
Members enjoy a 20% annual savings on Direct-Hit and Direct-Help subscriptions, the industry's most reliable source for experience-based repair information.
CHECK GUARANTEE SERVICES
Certegy Check Services
877-520-2987
Discount rate of .75% to AASP-MN members. Use existing credit card terminal. Fast claim payments.
Contact: Carol Keyes 651-481-9787 / carkey@chess-safety.com
AASP-MN members receive a 20% discount on Safety Data Sheet Management (SDSLinks), Right to Know(RTK)/Hazard Communication program customized for your facility and monthly safety reminders, and other safety, OSHA or environmental assistance.
AUTO EMPLOYEE ASSESSMENT
Assessment Associates International Contact: Nate Page 952-854-6551 / nate@aai-assessment.com
Designed to help facilitate and enhance hiring decisions. AASP-MN members receive 50% off retail price, starting as low as $15 per assessment.
Members receive 20% discount off standard payroll, time and attendance, and HRIS products and services.
LIVE-ONLINE & ON-DEMAND TECHNICAL TRAINING
Automotive Seminars
Contact: Tim Houghtaling 920-866-9813 / tim@automotiveseminars.com
Discounted pricing to AASP-MN members on all live-online events, as well as on-demand training videos. Automotive Seminars specializes in diagnostic training that provides automotive technicians with knowledge, testing techniques and data interpretation skills needed to diagnose today’s vehicles. The live-online events and on-demand training videos focus on automotive electronics and engine management systems and are written and created by some of the industry’s leading diagnostic technicians.
BUSINESS COACHING
180BIZ
540-833-2014 / info@180biz.com
Members receive a 25% discount on Rick White's Pocket Business Genius subscription, offering independent auto shop owners fast access to actionable business advice from a leading industry expert.
Over 2,500 vehicle-specified units in stock Up to 3-Year/100,000 Mile Warranty Manual Transmissions
