NORTHEAST® Returns September 10-12 with Live Training and Networking

Returns September 10-12 with Live Training and Networking

The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) is enthusiastically preparing for the 2021 NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show, which will be held LIVE and IN PERSON September 10-12 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ.

After more than a year of lockdowns, social distancing and the “Zoom Gloom” of virtual meetings and events, the collision repair and mechanical service communities are clamoring to get back to the way this industry is meant to be experienced: In person.

NORTHEAST’s return to a live format has inspired excitement from new and returning exhibitors that have already signed on to support the show and showcase their products and services to thousands of attendees. Not surprisingly, NORTHEAST Gold Sponsor Ford was one of the first to pledge its support.

“Ford first attended the show during the launch of the new 2015 F-150,” shares Gerry Bonanni, Ford’s senior engineer for paint and body repair. “We really like the interaction with all of the body shop personnel attending, especially visiting with those who actually perform the work in our great industry. After months of quarantine, we look forward to the opportunity to meet and engage in person with our friends in the industry who will be attending the show.”

One again, the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) will provide training seminars and other events throughout the weekend via its popular Collision Professional Repairer Education Program (Collision P.R.E.P.), which will feature some of the industry’s best-known speakers and instructors.

“WMABA is proud to return to NORTHEAST with a live Collision P.R.E.P. series for the third time,” WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler comments. “Although we’ve all been able to conduct business and offer training via virtual events since last year, nothing compares to doing these things in a one-on-one format. Repairers are hungry to get out of their four walls, and these events will give them the chance to experience the familiar while also getting a handle on new trends, ideas and practices that will help them build a more productive and profitable future. Collision P.R.E.P. will be one of only a few live educational opportunities even offered to the industry in 2021. With much of the normal options being virtual, there are only a couple of groups even meeting in person before the year ends. WMABA and AASP/NJ are making every stride they can to bring the education and show forward.”

Oregon-based shop owner and educator Ron Reichen (Precision Body & Paint) is set to travel to New Jersey for the NORTHEAST debut of his course, “Structural Identification for Profitability – Knowing and Understanding Structural Damage.” In light of the demands facing today’s industry, it’s no surprise that he intends to use part of his discussion to emphasize the importance of OEMrecommended/required repair procedures.

“It couldn’t be more important than it is now […] You can’t assume [the procedures will be the same] because you did that repair a month ago on the same vehicle. You have to pull out that OEM repair procedure again and again, because the manufacturers change them very frequently.”

Reichen is excited to finally present in front of actual people as opposed to attempting to get his points across over a computer screen.

“In an in-person class as opposed to a Zoom meeting, it just seems like the participants and attendees are more comfortable asking questions as they come to their mind. That’ll spur a thought in another attendee, and we really get into a good discussion.”

The 2021 Collision P.R.E.P. will also feature the return of veteran NORTHEAST presenter John Shoemaker of NORTHEAST Platinum Sponsor BASF, who will preside over the September 11 course “Productive Refinishing Processes.” His presentation will explore how to utilize proven best practices to maximize paint shop productivity by reducing common shortfalls, minimize paint flaws, improve paint hours per booth cycle and increase overall throughput.

While there are plenty of things that require industry members’ attention in the here and now, Collision P.R.E.P. will shine a light on what collision repair will look like down the road. During his can’t-miss presentation, Frank Terlep of Auto Techcelerators, LLC will take showgoers on a journey to the year 2035, which he predicts will have a drastically different collision repair landscape than the one we see today.

“By presenting what I think the industry will look like in 14 years, I hope to educate the industry on new technologies and trends they will ultimately need to learn about, understand and implement into their businesses,” he says. “A couple of technologies that will change industry practices dramatically in 14 years are telematics and Artificial Intelligence [AI]. Telematics will change everything from first notice of loss [FNOL] to how recalls are handled. AI, which is already making its way into the industry, will change the way estimates are written, the way hail damage is estimated, the way total losses are managed and much more. AI will affect all aspects of the industry!”

Additionally, Collision P.R.E.P. is set to include a special panel discussion devoted to demystifying the Right to Appraisal, otherwise known as the Appraisal Clause.

Comprised of both repairers and experts, the candid gathering promises to explore real-world situations with real results – both wins and lessons learned – by those who are deeply involved in this sometimes-taboo topic.

Considering that it only takes a few hours to reach Secaucus, NJ from Massachusetts, NORTHEAST historically attracts strong