[NATIONAL] NEWS
by Alana Quartuccio Bonillo
Returns: New Englanders Head to New Jersey for Education and Experience
It’s been a long time coming, and the wait is FINALLY over. The NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show makes its return March 18-20 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center (MEC) in Secaucus, NJ. Presented by AASP/MA’s sister association AASP/ New Jersey, the largest regional automotive show on this side of the country once again promises to deliver the experience, education and equipment that automotive professionals from Massachusetts – and beyond – expect every March. Coming out of the pandemic, this year’s show promises even more than before with new highlights and activities expected to truly make it a can’t-miss opportunity for every collision and automotive repairer! “It’s no secret that our entire industry has had a rough yearplus,” states Alicia Figurelli, vice president of NORTHEAST event managers Thomas Greco Publishing, publishers of New England Automotive Report. “At NORTHEAST 2022, we look forward to not only ushering in a bit of ‘the old days’ of face-to-face business interaction and valuable training attendees have come to expect from our event, but we’re also working on some exciting new things you’ve never seen before at NORTHEAST. Whether it’s exclusive training you can’t get anywhere else, the opportunity to meet an industry icon, win some awesome prizes, lend your voice to some exciting industry initiatives - or hopefully all of the above! - there will be something for everyone at NORTHEAST 2022. We can’t wait!” As in past years, attendees can expect to see over 150 vendors with the latest equipment, technology and tools returning to the MEC for this year’s show along with a healthy offering of educational courses addressing some of the most pressing trends and issues affecting the collision repair world. AASP/MA’s Executive Director Evangelos “Lucky” Papageorg has been making the drive down to NORTHEAST as many times as possible over the past decade. He cites networking and education among the top reasons he attends. “The Leadership Conference always provides a great opportunity to network with professionals in other states, and we’re always able to have a good exchange of ideas.”
On the educational front, Papageorg takes advantage of the various courses available to keep himself up to speed on the latest technology advances. “When ADAS first blew up for example, I needed to get wellversed on the subject, so I often plan to attend courses that deal with emerging technology in order to stay abreast of what is going on with the industry,” he relays. Molly Brodeur (Al Brodeur’s Auto Body; Marlborough) considers NORTHEAST the “SEMA of the East Coast.” Brodeur, who has frequently attended the show over the years, particularly appreciates the great benefit of the show being wholly collision focused. “The latest and greatest equipment, technology and information providers are there. The training, seminars and networking, for me, are the motivators for making the trip to NJ. We’ve all missed each other over the last two years, so having an opportunity to meet up in person with industry peers is really the icing on the cake. The weekend is always packed with the top industry experts, OEMs and so much more. AASP/NJ and Thomas Greco Publishing do an amazing job of pulling together a spectacular show each year, and it’s definitely worth the trip.” Papageorg agrees it is a well-worth-it trip for repairers. “It’s not a huge time commitment as its location makes it possible to attend the show in one day,” recommends Papageorg. “You can leave early in the morning, attend the show and leave after dinner...or you can stay the weekend. It’s not flying to Vegas which is a large time commitment and an expense. You can attend NORTHEAST and gain all it has to offer on just one tank of gas and a few tolls.” “Our goal has always been to provide all stakeholders – from the exhibitors and sponsors to of course the attendees – with a well-rounded experience at NORTHEAST,” adds Figurelli. “For 2022, we remain committed to offering all attendees a tremendous weekend both on and off the show floor.” Pre-registration is now open. To pre-register and to keep up with the latest information and announcements about NORTHEAST 2022, visit aaspnjnortheast.com.
PROTECTING CONSUMERS AND THE COLLISION INDUSTRY
MASSACHUSETTS
14 February 2022
New England Automotive Report
