National Collision Repairer July 2023

CollisionRepairer JULY 2023

www.nationalcollisionrepairer.com.au

THE

NATIONAL

News, views & information for the Collision Industry Professional

ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE INDUSTRY AS THE LEADING MAGAZINE

Celebrating with the 2023 lifetime achievement award inductees Symposium23’s return to Sydney was once again a huge success Meet William Poropat, application engineer with Saint-Gobain

Editorial with Joe McFadries

Arrivederci Passing the baton It seems like only yesterday when Josephine and I began our journey with the National Collision Repairer, although it was way back in August 2017 when we vowed to continue the legacy.

Over the past six years, we have had the privilege of bringing you all the news, views and information on our great industry while being an integral part of the evolutionary process, ensuring that our print and digital platforms evolve simultaneously.

Well, fast forward to today, and it’s with mixed emotions that we announce we are moving on to the next stage of our lives. We are passing on stewardship of the National Collision Repairer to Prime Creative Media.

Prime Creative Media, led by CEO John Murphy, is Australia’s largest independently owned business-to-business publisher, with industry-leading mastheads and multi-channel communications platforms integrating print and digital media with events.

Having worked with John and his team during the transition period, I have every confidence that the business is in good hands. Established in 2003, Prime Creative Media has extensive resources in both print and digital media and the capability to further develop the National Collision Repairer in the coming years.

So, in this, the first issue from Prime Creative Media, there is the full report on Symposium23, our truly international collision industry event from Sydney. We welcomed keynote speakers from the US, Europe and Australia, actively engaged with our panellists from around the country and, of course, facilitated some great networking opportunities for all the delegates.

We also feature the recently launched Australian Collision Industry Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to promote rewarding futures for people and ensure the sustainability of the collision repair industry.

At the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award presentation dinner in Sydney, we announced and congratulated this year’s inductees, Ben Chesterfield, Scott Donnelly and Morry Corvasce, who were inducted in front of their peers, our sponsors, past inductees and special guests at the event.

General Motors Specialty Vehicles recently hosted a select group of certified repairers and media at the Walkinshaw Automotive facility where the Chevrolet Silverado is being made ready for the local market, followed by a visit to the GM Port Melbourne site where we were introduced to the all-new Corvette. What a great day!

In addition, we meet William Poropat, the application engineer from Saint Gobain, who shares his journey and tells us all about Saint Gobain’s great range of abrasives and polishes.

And from the US, Mike Anderson emphasises the importance of mandatory safety inspections, sharing a very personal experience that changed his life when it all went wrong.

In a very special Custom Corner, Owen Webb walks us through the build process of “Forged”, one of the best custom cars he has ever seen. Also, PPG’s John Hristias discusses the intricacies of bumper repair, and we introduce Robert Polito, autobody repair apprentice at Hornsby BMW, as our latest Future Leader of the Industry.

Josephine and I would like to thank all our clients who have supported us over the past six years, our contributors from Europe and the United States, Chris Stone for his unwavering commitment to our vision and, of course, all of you for your loyalty to the National Collision Repairer.

So, we hand over the baton to Prime Creative Media, who will continue to bring you all the latest local, global and product news to keep you up to date with what’s happening in our great industry.

This is Joe and Josephine signing off. Arrivederci.

“Staying Connected”

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Contents LATEST NEWS 4

Local News All the mid-winter industry news, views and information from around the country.

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Tech Tip PPG’s John Hristias shares some key tips to help you increase the efficiency and profitability of the bumper repair process.

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I-CAR Update and Training and Events Red CentreNATS l Motorclassica l The SEMA Show

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Product Showcase Another great selection of products specifically designed for the modern collision repairer.

SPECIAL REPORTS 14

Symposium23 Heralding our successful return to Sydney, delegates from around the country actively engaged with our local and international speakers and guest panellists.

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Lifetime Achievement Awards Ben Chesterfield, Morry Corvasce and Scott Donnelly were inducted at our 2023 presentation dinner in Sydney.

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The Innovators General Manager Daniel Harper introduces U-pol Australia’s young, innovative marketing team.

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Who’s Who? Meet William Poropat, application engineer with Saint-Gobain and a 30year veteran of our industry

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Immersive Event David Crook hosts an immersive General Motors Specialty Vehicles collision industry event in Melbourne.

REGULAR FEATURES 22

Technology Mike Anderson’s thought-provoking presentation from the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ Ideas Collide series at SEMA 2022.

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EDITOR: Joe McFadries 0458 588 333 joe@nationalcollisionrepairer.com.au

DIGITAL EDITOR: Josephine McFadries 0406 421 902 josephine@nationalcollisionrepairer.com.au

SUB EDITOR: Joanna Dolan

ART CONSULTANT: Chris Stone (Stone Dezine) 0407 939 668 chris@stonie.com.au

ADVERTISING SALES ENQUIRIES: Joe McFadries 0458 588 333 joe@nationalcollisionrepairer.com.au

Josephine McFadries 0406 421 902 josephine@nationalcollisionrepairer.com.au

PUBLISHED BY: JMF Solutions Pty Ltd PO Box 1258, Kyneton Victoria 3444 0458 588 333

OEM Snapshot Once again, another great summary of some of the developments from within the world of the automotive manufacturer.

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PUBLISHING PARTNERS

CollisionWeek

Custom Corner Owen Webb brings you a close-up of the build process of “Forged”, one of the best custom cars ever built in Australia.

2023

HAMMER &DOLLY

Future Leader of the Industry We introduce WorldSkills finalist, 23-year-old Robert Polito, a third year autobody repair apprentice at Hornsby BMW.

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NATIONAL

Global News Keep up to date with a selection of industry news and information from around the world.

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DISCLAIMER – The National Collision Repairer is published by JMF Solutions Pty Ltd, PO Box 1258, Kyneton Victoria 3444. This publication is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism and review under the Copyright Act (1968), no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to the publisher. The publisher believes all the information in this publication to be correct at the time of printing, however is not in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accepts no liability in event of any information proving inaccurate. Prices, addresses and phone numbers were, after investigations and to the best of our knowledge and belief, up to date at the time of printing. It is also not feasible for the publisher to ensure that advertisements which appear in the publication comply with the Competition and Consumer Act (2010). The responsibility must therefore be on the individual, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisement for publication. Whilst every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Copyright � JMF Solutions Pty Ltd ACN 117 914 235

2 – CONTENTS

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Local News Australian Collision Industry Alliance The Australian Collision Industry Alliance (ACIA), a not-for-profit organisation that aims to promote rewarding futures for people and ensure the sustainability of the collision repair industry, is up and running.

With a focus on coordinating stakeholders to fund, innovate, develop and drive programs to attract and retain people for the industry, ACIA aims to reposition the collision repair industry as an attractive career choice and an industry of high social and commercial value.

Initially conceived by Stuart Faid and driven by Sam Street, the initiative has gained momentum over the past few months. Late last year, Carl Bizon, Stuart Faid and Rob Bartlett were appointed to the inaugural board. In addition, Steven Brett, Nancy Lane and Kirsten Dodd have all played key roles leading up to the official launch on 1 June.

Initial focus areas include promoting the collision industry to key influencers such as career advisors, allocating funds to collision industry apprentice programs, attending career events, lobbying government and other bodies affecting the collision industry and monitoring and communicating on legislation and available support programs.

In early May, the ACIA participated in its first event, with several founding members hosting an interactive stand at the Trades Fit Exhibition for young women in Melbourne, which was a great success.

The ACIA is now establishing several workgroups to focus on achieving its goals. It is looking for expressions of interest from individuals to volunteer their time in supporting the workgroups covering stakeholder engagement, funding, marketing and communications, public activities and diversity and inclusion.

How the ACIA moves forward will depend on the members and action groups proposing the most effective courses of action. One of the main aims is to raise the profile by educating the public about the modern collision repair industry, effectively rebranding collision repair. As it is essential that this is executed professionally, it will require money to be spent. However, doing nothing is not an option.

Going forward, there are so many ways the ACIA can support the industry, from a website that will showcase the

4 – LOCAL NEWS

initiative and provide an information source to the public to an online repository of everything a repairer needs to know about how to attract and support apprentices. This will also help to engage with local education authorities, provide open day support packs, and so much more. The opportunities will only be limited by available funding and the support of volunteers.

The ACIA is modelled on a UK organisation called AutoRaise, which is dedicated to helping the UK vehicle repair industry attract young people into a range of technical apprenticeships.

In Australia, a broad cross-section of stakeholders already recognises the overwhelming need for people so the industry can sustain itself successfully – it just needs alignment and focus, and that’s where ACIA comes in.

So, where to from here? Now is the time for the rest of the industry to jump on board, which means signing up as a member, a direct participant, an industry partner or an associate member. From there, we need to see people support in direct ways, from idea generation, nominating to participate in committees or on the board, or assisting with

Alliance events and activities.

“The Australian Collision Industry Alliance has been established to promote rewarding career opportunities and to ensure the sustainability of a critical industry,” stated ACIA founding director Rob Bartlett. “If the industry doesn’t act now in increasing its attractiveness and make career pathways easier to navigate, then it will continue to battle labour shortages.”

Members can expect to have input into the future direction of the industry, benefit from the publicity and kudos from being involved, and have access to expos and events, including recruitment activities and, of course, promotional opportunities.

For more information, contact: Rob Bartlett: 0467 717 438 Stuart Faid: 0490 867 810 Sam Street: 0447 401 553 Alternatively, email theacia2023@gmail.com or scan the QR Code on the facing page.

Editor: This is our industry, and ensuring its longevity and sustainability is up to us. There has never been a better time to step up and make a difference.

Local News Axalta Services is now Drivus Axalta, a leading global coatings company, has rebranded its Axalta Services program to “Drivus”, aligning the business services offering to that seen in other regions, including Europe.

Designed to focus on the specific challenges faced by body shops, Drivus enables body shop owners to improve productivity, performance and profitability and build better businesses now and in the future.

The portfolio of innovative services, programs and tailored expert consultancy offered by Drivus includes: l Drivus Consultancy

l Drivus Digital Services l Drivus Management Training l Drivus Network Services

Robin Taylor, National Drivus Manager for Axalta Australia and New Zealand, said: “We have a long history of working with and understanding the specific challenges faced by body shops of all sizes, from small independent to large multi-shop operations. As a complete business partner to the refinish industry, Drivus helps meet the needs of our customers, providing essential business services for body shops looking to drive future innovation.”

By implementing initiatives designed to work faster, smarter and with less waste, efficiency is improved, allowing body shops to diversify new offerings.

It is built on constant, long-term improvement, allowing for future planning. Axalta Drivus is part of an ongoing commitment to providing innovative solutions to the Australian and New Zealand collision repair industry.

For more information about Drivus, visit axalta.au/drivus or contact Axalta Coating Systems on Tel: 1800 292 582, or email E: Info-ANZ@axalta.com

IAG is on track to deliver full-year forecast IAG says the business is “trending towards” its reported insurance margin guidance for this financial year as doubledigit pricing increases in the second half drive expected gross written premium (GWP) growth of around 10%.

CEO Nick Hawkins told a briefing that the company had materially repriced its business to reflect the challenges around inflation as well as reinsurance and natural perils costs. The Australian direct and intermediated divisions are set to deliver stronger reported and underlying margins in the current half, reflecting top-line growth, earned premiums and improving claims trends. He said New Zealand margin improvement has been slower to emerge following

6 – LOCAL NEWS

North Island catastrophes.

In February, IAG cut its reported insurance margin guidance to around 10% following the Auckland floods and first-half inflationary impacts, while it raised fullyear GWP growth expectation to around 10% from mid-to-high single digits.

The company said the North Island floods and Cyclone Gabrielle had a group net cost of $284 million. About 30% of the claims have been closed, including more than 90% of motor and 70% of contents claims.

Looking further ahead, Hawkins said IAG has increased its medium-term return on equity (ROE) target by one percentage point to 13–14%, reflecting top-line growth and improved investment returns on

shareholder funds. The company sees a mediumterm insurance margin of 15%.

Hawkins also told the briefing that IAG has been simplifying its technology and consolidating multiple systems to create more value through digital and has introduced an enterprise-wide claims management system.

IAG has responded appropriately to the external environment, holding operating costs flat and putting through premium increases that anticipate future claims and

reinsurance costs. The group says it’s on track to deliver on its target profit of at least $250 million in the intermediated Australian business next financial year.

Hawkins said there is a strong focus on customer retention, but an ambition to add one million new customers, announced in 2021 as part of a five-year plan and targeted mainly through the geographic expansion of the NRMA brand, will take longer to achieve as margins are prioritised. IAG will release its full-year results on 21 August.

Local News TAFE NSW apprentices paint positive future for smash repair industry Two apprentices are encouraging young people to follow their lead and pursue a rewarding career in smash repairs as they set the standard for the next generation of panel beaters and vehicle painters at a national competition in August.

A national shortage of 30,000 smash repair technicians, along with an increase in the number of cars on the road following COVID lockdowns, means the industry is calling out for more skilled workers.

TAFE NSW Ultimo students Robert Polito and Nickolas Abela have been selected to compete among Australia’s best panel beating and vehicle painting apprentices at the WorldSkills National Championships in Melbourne in August.

They were selected after performing a series of tasks to the highest quality industry standard at the Sydney regional competition held last year.

Robert is studying a Certificate III in Automotive Body Repair Technology while working as an apprentice panel beater at Hornsby BMW. He says he’s honoured to make it to the national competition.

“I want to be a panel beater for the long run, and I’d love to get into restoration and work on old cars. For now, I’m just trying to learn as much as I can so that I know how to do as much as possible in future.”

For Nickolas, selection for the national competition is as much a shock

as an affirmation that he’s pursuing the right career. The 19-year-old works as an apprentice spray painter at Penrith’s The Smash Repair Centre while completing a Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology at TAFE NSW Ultimo.

“Everyone I was up against in the regional competition was older than me, like in their 20s and 30s, so I was shocked when I won. The hardest part about spray painting is definitely colour matching, but at TAFE NSW, we have a similar set-up to my work, so I get to

practice and learn how to use the equipment before I do it on the job.”

“Students in our Automotive Refinishing Technology and Automotive Body Repair Technology courses do a whole unit on safe working practices, and our facilities are helping to set them up for success in the industry,” said TAFE NSW spray painting teacher William Rafferty.

The WorldSkills Australia 2023 National Championships will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 17 to 19 August.

Nickolas Abela

Robert Polito

Record new car sales in May Australia’s automotive industry has achieved its best-ever May sales result with 105,694 new vehicle deliveries.

This result is a 12.0% increase on the same month last year and represents a 2.7% increase on May 2017, the previous best May result. Year-to-date sales of 456,833 is 4.3% higher than the same period last year.

Every state and territory saw an increase, with significant growth in Western Australia (25.1%) and Queensland (17.4%) compared with May 2022. Growth was recorded in all buyer-type market segments – private, business, government and rental.

FCAI chief executive Tony Weber said the result was encouraging following many months where deliveries were hampered by shipping and logistics issues. “This result is a signal that we are starting to see some improvement in supply.

However, not all issues are resolved, and our members continue to work with their customers to improve vehicle delivery times.”

Weber added that while vehicle supply issues might be easing, the industry remained cautious about broader economic conditions and their potential impact on demand. “A large proportion of vehicles delivered this month would have been ordered during 2022. Since then, we have seen a shift in economic conditions, with a focus on rising cost pressures for

8 – LOCAL NEWS

households and businesses. Nevertheless, reports from our members indicate that demand remains firm.”

Sales of BEVs were 7.7% of the market in May and are running at 7.0% year to date. Sales for electrified vehicles (battery electric vehicle, plug-in hybrid and hybrid) made up 15.6% of the market in May. The top five brands were Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai, Kia and Ford, while the top five models were the Toyota Hi-Lux, the Ford Ranger, the Tesla Model Y, the Toyota RAV4 and MG ZS.

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Local News MTA SA/NT achieves training milestone South Australia’s peak automotive body has reached a major milestone on the back of its new integrated training model. At its 2023 Automotive Awards and Graduation Ceremony, the Motor Trade Association SA/NT revealed that, for the first time ever, it now has more than 1,000 apprentices in training.

South Australian Minister for Education, Training and Skills, Blair Boyer, was on deck at the Adelaide Oval alongside MTA CEO Darrell Jacobs to help make the announcement.

“One of the most rewarding parts of my role at the MTA is spending time with apprentices and talking about what’s important to them. We are continually improving and updating our courses to best suit the needs of industry and the apprentices they employ,” said Jacobs. “Apprentices have the benefit of earning whilst they are learning and receive ongoing support to fuel their professional growth, including across a range of

cutting-edge technology.”

Since his appointment as CEO in January 2023, Jacobs and Jodi Ryan, MTA SA/NT’s general manager of apprenticeships, have rolled out a new integrated model of training.

The new initiative combines focused and intensive classroom learning with real-world workshop assessment in a business, connecting apprentices with the latest technology and techniques the industry uses.

It has the added benefit of assisting South Australian businesses while they are dealing with acute labour shortages by giving back

more apprentice time and increasing productivity.

New apprentices also now receive accredited electric vehicle qualifications to prepare for the EV transition the automotive industry faces. “With an increase of more than 120 apprentices in just its first four months, the MTA’s new integrated training model has proved to be a game changer,” added Jacobs.

At the MTA 2023 Automotive Awards and Graduation Ceremony, more than 400 guests celebrated the future of the industry. The awards were assessed against several criteria, including

workshop and training performance, customer service and the apprentice’s role in the community.

Minister Boyer helped present the graduating parchments and reinforced the importance of vocational learning.

“Our young people need to know there is a range of options available to them after school, not just university as a pathway,” he said. “Congratulations to the MTA for having more than 1,000 people in training for the first time in its history, which shows how well it does in training apprentices in South Australia.”

Entries still open for the Australian Tradie Awards Submissions for the inaugural Australian Trades Small Business Champion Awards are closing later this month, so Tradies will need to get their entries in soon if they want a chance to be recognised for all their hard work.

As Australia’s only dedicated awards for Trades, the aim of the awards is to support and celebrate the vital contribution that trade business owners make to the local community, in service and in generating employment for millions of Australians, as well as their commitment to the Australian economy.

From plumbers to pest control and carpenters to collision repairers, there are 44 industry categories in which trade businesses can be nominated, as well as individual awards for Apprentice Champion, Trades Entrepreneur, Trades Champion Leader and the Champion Tradie.

“Tradies are the backbone of

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Australian society and an integral part of the small business sector. A third of Australia’s workforce is in a trade, and the Awards give them the opportunity to be publicly acknowledged for their hard work and service,” said the Awards founder and managing director, Steve Loe. “A trades career can often mean early starts, long days and exhausting manual labour. It’s a very physically taxing career, and those who perform to a high standard deserve to be recognised for their contribution to the community and exceptional customer service.”

Businesses will be assessed on criteria including customer service, quality of products, staff training initiatives, environmental sustainability and contribution to the community by 30 judges representing a variety of trade industries.

Eligible businesses must be based in Australia, suit a listed category, a trade retail or service business with 40 employees or less, or a trade manufacturing business with 100 employees or less.

Entries close on 27 July, with finalists announced on 16 August.

Winners will be announced at a national presentation at Western Sydney Conference Centre, Penrith, on Friday, 22 September 2023.

For more information, head to www.tradesbusinesschampions.com.au

SA’s first dedicated EV training centre launched South Australia’s first dedicated electric vehicle training centre will prepare the automotive industry to sell, service and repair the rapidly growing number of EVs on local roads.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas joined the Motor Trade Association SA/NT to officially launch the facility at the industry organisation’s state-of-the-art Royal Park workshop.

MTA CEO Darrell Jacobs said the organisation would be able to deliver additional electric vehicle training because of the new centre.

“More and more South Australians are choosing to purchase an EV, and this new centre will help facilitate this ongoing and future demand. Students will be undertaking their training on the latest vehicles with the latest tools, technology and safety requirements,” said Jacobs. “The centre will also allow the MTA to upskill existing technicians who are beginning to see EVs in their workshops and businesses for the first time.”

Jacobs added that the first-of-itskind training centre in South Australia would also be used to combat persistent automotive skills shortages.

“The automotive industry has an opportunity to attract a whole new range of young people to work on really exciting vehicles with cutting edge technology and advanced electronics.

As part of the MTA’s blended model of

training, new apprentices now receive accredited EV training.”

The MTA Electric Vehicle Training Centre has a range of the latest vehicles, including the Hyundai Ionic 6, Kia Nero and BYD Atto 3, insulated workshop tools, hoists and safety equipment. The MTA has also partnered with myenergi for five chargers, which will allow the training provider to use its renewable energy, charge EVs outside of peak times and reduce energy bills.

Premier Malinauskas attended the launch alongside representatives from all sides of politics. “Automotive is part of our cultural and economic identity, and it’s important we invest in this.

Decarbonisation is now happening, and it is real. The MTA has always been at the forefront of taking up new technologies and is helping lead the way,” he said.

Jacobs concluded: “We know the transition to EVs will not happen overnight, but we are seeing sales significantly increase as new models and manufacturers continue to enter the Australian market. Make no mistake – automotive is experiencing a revolutionary turning point representing some of the most significant innovations to mobility and transport seen in living memory.”

The MTA currently trains more than 1,000 automotive apprentices through its Registered Training Organisation, the most in its history.

The MTA SA/NT EV Centre launch event.

The National Collision Repairer – 1 1

Local News Electrification of the fleet as Suncorp seeks net zero Suncorp Group has entered a new phase in its journey to net zero, with electric vehicles being added to the corporate fleet.

Transitioning the fleet from traditional petrol-powered vehicles to cleaner, greener hybrids and electric vehicles is a vital component of decarbonising Suncorp’s business operations. Reducing emissions from the fleet sits alongside renewable energy targets and energy efficiency improvements that will see Suncorp achieve net zero across its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.

Suncorp’s Real Estate, Procurement & Operations executive general manager Colin Harris said he is excited to see the electric vehicle rollout underway and proud of the active role Suncorp is playing in tackling climate change.

“We've been intensely focused over the past few years, not only on our fleet but also on driving down our energy consumption and sourcing renewable energy for our offices. In the last three years, we’ve managed to reduce our office space by 20%, and today 76% of all the electricity we use comes from renewable sources,” he said.

“We made the decision to pursue electrification of the fleet back in 2021, despite the unknowns and the supply challenges we could foresee. In Australia, there are still only limited EVs available on the market, so our planning had to start long ago,” continued Harris.

“We’re allocating our first lot of small cars, and we’ve got the charging infrastructure in place in our Sydney and Brisbane offices. The start of the rollout is a milestone we’re proud of, but it’s only one of many more to come.”

Senior mobile lending manager

Craig Kelly is the first driver to be putting Suncorp’s chosen EV, a Hyundai Kona, to the test. “I feel very lucky to be given the opportunity to drive an EV; it’s a smooth and quiet ride, and it’s fantastic to see Suncorp working towards sustainability.”

Over the coming months and years, more electric vehicles will be delivered to a mix of functions throughout the Group, which has committed to reaching 100% renewable energy by 2025 and has already reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 79%.

I-CAR Gold Class for Cathcart Smash Repairs I-CAR Australia is pleased to announce that Cathcart Smash Repairs has been awarded the prestigious I-CAR Gold Class Collision status.

“We entered the Road to Gold Program wishing to be aligned and educated with industry standards and procedures across our whole repair process from estimating to repairing. The training delivery options offered by I-CAR were well suited to our staff with during-business-hour as well as outside-of-business-hour courses. This works well with harmonising the work and home balances for most people,” explained Daniel Frankling, manager of Cathcart Smash Repairs.

“Our staff’s feedback is very positive after completing the training as

1 2 – LOCAL NEWS

they feel more confident in the way they repair the car, resulting in a cleaner and more efficient outcome for the business.”

During their training journey, Cathcart Smash Repairs had the advantage of utilising several Industry Training Alliance Partners for I-CAR points with Axalta’s Spies Hecker in their paint I-CAR GC Cathcart.

shop, along with Glasurit and their 100 Line training. In addition, the OEM training with BMW Australia and Tesla has certainly helped in setting high standards for their repairs and their skills.

“It is wonderful to see the Cathcart Smash Repairs team using a variety of delivery methods and ITA partners to help them

through,” said Gary Wood, Senior Technical Advisor at I-CAR Australia. “They have proven that Bendigo as a regional centre of Victoria isn’t a barrier when it comes to professional development for their team. Cathcart Smash Repairs’ persistence and dedication to training will ensure safety and quality for all their customers.”

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SYMPOSIUM23 A truly international affair

SYMPOSIUM23 GOT UNDERWAY IN THE FIRST WEEK OF WINTER TO A FULL HOUSE AT THE PULLMAN SYDNEY HYDE PARK. OUR LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY LEADERS’ PRESENTATIONS EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS. Sponsors and delegates from around the country converged on the Pullman and actively engaged with our speakers and guest panellists, heralding our return to Sydney and ensuring the event’s success.

Carla Hoorweg Headlining the morning session was keynote speaker ANCAP Safety CEO

Carla Hoorweg, who began by outlining the role of ANCAP. She said ANCAP is an independent, non-regulatory, consumer information organisation that undertakes crash and performance testing of passive and active safety features and technologies, publishes and promotes vehicle safety ratings to assist consumers and encourages vehicle brands to include a higher level

ANCAP's Carla Hoorweg.

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of safety in their vehicles.

With the use of video footage, Carla highlighted ANCAP’s influence on improved vehicle safety over the past 30 years, emphasising the importance of raising the bar as new technology is introduced to vehicles from around the world. She presented statistics that showed the death rate in Australia had more than halved, while in New

Opus IVS' Frank Terlep

Zealand, it has reduced by a factor of more than three.

Another video showing the various crash tests that illustrated the vehicle damage and the impact on occupants under different scenarios brought a reality check into a room where many delegates have been desensitised to the effects of motor vehicle accidents.

Carla provided a glimpse into ANCAP’s future, which includes expanding its assessment program to cover a greater range of vehicle categories, including commercial vans, light and heavy commercial trucks and motorcycles. She pointed out that different approaches will be needed for different vehicle categories, suggesting that light trucks may potentially be covered by existing (commercial van) protocols and heavier vehicles may need a more nuanced approach.

Carla concluded by inviting delegates to access ANCAP’s 2030 Roadmap: Future View on Testing & Assessment, available at www.ancap.com.au/protocols-andpolicies.

Frank Terlep Compliments of Rob Mildenhall and the team at National Windscreens, we introduced the first of our international speakers, Frank Terlep, vice-president of ADAS Solutions for Opus IVS. Frank delivered a high-energy, action-packed presentation, including an overview of the global strength of the Opus Group, the exponential growth of ADAS in global vehicles and the challenges this creates in the automotive repair industry.

Frank sees the explosion of ADAS as a huge opportunity to establish calibration businesses, either as an independent third-party service provider or as a separate business unit within an MSO. Both models are already up and running in the US. He cited figures that suggested the ADAS calibration business opportunity in the US will be a US$1.7 billion business in 2025–2026 and will ultimately increase to a US$3.0 billion opportunity by 2030. In addition, using local information, he projected that the opportunity in Australia will be a $480 million business in 2025–2026 and will

increase to $790 million by 2030. Frank showed he had done his research, and the delegates were clearly impressed.

Frank even outlined the operational requirements, which included space, lighting, background walls, tools, equipment and training. He even provided a detailed estimate of the cost to establish a calibration facility, which is about US$300,000 in the US.

ACIA Director Carl Bizon.

BASF's Uta Holzenkamp.

Capricorn's Jacky Mills.

One of the areas that really grabbed the attention of the audience was his seven moments of truth when it comes to ADAS: 1. Identify and locate ADAS technologies and required ADAS services and calibrations.

2. Educate consumers on ADAS technologies/required ADAS repairs.

3. Create a detailed, accurate repair plan.

4. Proper pricing, scheduling and dispatching of ADAS diagnostics, repairs and calibrations with sublet providers.

5. Properly and accurately document all pre-ADAS services and calibration requirements.

The National Collision Repairer – 1 5

Industry Event Symposium23 – A truly international affair 6. Properly and accurately document ADAS services and calibration actions and results.

7. Properly and accurately perform and document ADAS systems safety verification test drives.

Frank concluded with a pointed reminder to all delegates that there is only one way to perform ADAS services and calibrations – The Right Way!

member, introduced a short video and welcomed fellow board member Rob Bartlett and founding member Sam Street to participate in a short panel discussion on how the Alliance came to be, where it is now and its next steps. We were so impressed that we decided to run a full-page editorial about the Alliance on page 6.

Australian Collision Industry Alliance Following its official launch the previous evening, we were honoured to host a panel discussion on arguably the most exciting initiative to hit the collision repair industry in decades, a newly created not-for-profit entity established to address the talent gap and futureproof the industry.

Carl Bizon, an inaugural board

Uta Holzenkamp Our second international speaker was Uta Holzenkamp, president of BASF’s Coatings division. She provided a highlevel view of the megatrends within the automotive industry, and while she highlighted the challenges, she pointed out that they are, in fact, learning opportunities.

Reflecting her organisation’s commitment to sustainability, Uta cited

the European Green Deal, which is designed to transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy by ensuring no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050, economic growth is decoupled from resource use, and no person and no place will be left behind. She then outlined BASF’s sustainability journey, which has been well ahead of the curve since the 1980s.

Uta also discussed the various ways a collision repair business can implement sustainable processes, such as a shortened application process, a low/short bake process, an oversprayfree application process, thin film technology and low-VOC refinish coatings. Uta reinforced BASF’s commitment to net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 in all areas of its business.

This insightful presentation

The BASF global team was out in force.

Jason Trewin, Frank Terlep, Andrew Minns and Mathew Cooper.

1 6 – INDUSTRY EVENT

Rodger Nardi, Isabella Turrise, Stephanie Wilk and Kathy Zdravevski.

concluded with a glimpse into the future where digitalisation and artificial intelligence will inevitably play a role. And to cycle back to sustainability, Uta highlighted how BASF’s technology research is tying into nature, emulating the flowefficiency of a shark’s skin, quantifying some of the savings. She left us with the clear message that irrespective of the size and scale of your organisation, it is its culture that will be the foundation of your success.

Interactive panel discussion To tie all the presentations together, our final session of the day was a highly interactive panel discussion in which the delegates got passionately involved.

The panellists were AMA Group’s Mat Cooper, Hyundai’s Andrew Minns, AASRA’s Rodger Nardi, Opus IVS’ Frank Terlep, I-CAR’s Jason Trewin, Wales Trucks’ Isabella Turisse, BASF’s Stephanie Wilk and the VACC’s Kathy Zdravevski.

Rob Mildenhall of National Windscreens worked the room with the roaming mike as we discussed wide-ranging topics such as regulatory and structural change within the industry, the latest technology and the impact on the modern collision repairer, and the role and impact of the OEM in the collision space. We also heard from three past

Future Leaders (Isabella and Stephanie on the panel and Cameron Killen from the audience) to hear about their journeys and what they want from the collision repair industry.

The moderator was able to engage with the audience, encouraging input from a selection of industry stakeholders in an effort to tease out some of the more contentious issues, even if some were caught off guard.

While at times there were clearly divergent views, the discussions remained respectful at all times, summed up best by Kathy Zdravevski when she reinforced that irrespective of what you do for a living, we are all in this together – I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Summary If the informal feedback was anything to go by, the delegates were left with a greater understanding of where we are as an industry and, to some extent, what we need to do to make a real difference.

We wrapped up Symposium23 by recognising the support of our platinum and gold sponsors who really got behind the initiative, the speakers, the panellists and, of course, the delegates who all got involved throughout the day.

As we always say, the world is changed by those who turn up, and last weekend was no exception.

Platinum sponsors

5

Minutes with ...

Michael Batten Car-O-Liner Australia When did you join the industry?

I joined the industry in 2006.

What was your first job in the industry?

I started as a panel beater in a restoration shop.

What do you like about the industry?

The variety of opportunities it offers.

Jacky Mills, chief experience officer for Capricorn, a long-time supporter of our event, presented an overview of the member-based organisation that supports businesses in the automotive industry. She highlighted the 25,000+ members and 2,000+ committed preferred suppliers across Australia and New Zealand.

Jacky then briefly summarised the 2022 Capricorn “State of the Nation Report”, a research project designed to gain an in-depth understanding of what’s happening in our industry and what’s important to Capricorn Members. Jacky outlined the methodology, the concerns, challenges and opportunities before finishing on a high with the things we love about the automotive industry – making customers happy, the fun of solving problems and a passion for working with cars.

The MC for the event (yours truly) then presented a summary of Car-O-Liner Australia, led by CEO Julie Thomas, pointing out that Car-O-Liner has also been a long-standing supporter of our event, and adding that Julie and the team always go “above and beyond” to ensure their growing client base receives the highest levels of service and support.

This commitment has earned Car-O-Liner Australia the Car-O-Liner International Sales Award on five occasions since Julie took the helm. Her personal commitment has not been lost on the industry, both here in Australia and on the global stage. In 2014, Julie was awarded a National Collision Repairer Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2021 she was awarded a Car-O-Liner Global Lifetime Achievement Award.

The National Collision Repairer – 1 7

What do you dislike about the industry?

That it doesn’t get the recognition it deserves.

What keeps you awake at night?

My 11-month-old son.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

Its cliché but it’s my family.

If you could change one thing, what would it be??

The current cost of living.

What do you do when you’re not working?

Cook up a storm either in the kitchen or outside at the smoker.

Who in the world would you most like to meet?

Gordon Ramsay.

Industry Awards

CollisionRepairer THE

NATIONAL

LIFETIME s d r a w Achievement A

Background From the outset, the guests were clearly in celebration mode as they took the opportunity to network prior to the presentation dinner, where they mixed, mingled and caught up with old friends ahead of the awards ceremony. With a four-piece band providing the ambience, it was clear we were in for a great evening.

Proceedings opened with an Acknowledgement of Country, where we recognised the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the traditional custodians of Sydney and paid respect to Elders past, present and emerging.

The Lifetime Achievement Award program is modelled on the US collision industry’s Hall of Eagles, founded in the 1980s to recognise individuals who sacrificed time with family and business, to help the industry to be better as a whole

Settling in as the event gets underway.

1 8 – INDUSTRY AWARDS

A FULL HOUSE OF INVITED GUESTS, SPONSORS, COLLISION REPAIRERS, SUPPLIERS, INSURERS AND PREVIOUS INDUCTEES GATHERED AT THE PULLMAN SYDNEY HYDE PARK TO CONGRATULATE THE THREE 2023 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD INDUCTEES.

and to do this without personal gain.

On this occasion, it was a great honour to welcome two Hall of Eagles inductees, National Collision Repairer founder David Newton-Ross and Opus IVS vice president of collision and ADAS services Frank Terlep, who had presented at our Symposium earlier in the day.

These awards are all about honouring the past. Since the inception of the awards, we have recognised and inducted 54 who I have previously referred to as “Captains of Industry”, which we have redefined as: business leaders whose means of amassing a wealth of knowledge has contributed positively to the industry.

This award acknowledges that their perseverance, commitment and contribution have created the great industry we have today. As the industry

elders, they are responsible for supporting and developing the next generation of talent.

We are proud to continue this legacy as we recognise the contributions of the 2023 inductees and add them to the 54 existing inductees who have shaped, built, developed, influenced and, more recently, disrupted the collision repair industry since the second half of the 20th century.

This, of course, is only made possible by the support of our sponsors, whom we acknowledged and expressed our appreciation for their support of the 2023 awards.

Past inductees Recognising all inductees in attendance, we invited them to the podium, and the room recognised their commitment to the industry and thanked them for their

Some of our previous inductees: Rob Mildenhall, Peter Ruggeri, Julie Thomas, Robin Taylor, Lance Weiss, Michelle Morgan, Phil Nixon, David Newton-Ross, Richard Pratt, Michael Killen, Carl Tinsley and Tom Vukelic.

contribution over the years, in many cases in the face of adversity and against staunch opposition.

We also marked the passing of 2009 inductee Max Chanter who continued to share his wisdom, guidance and advice long after he had retired.

Max succumbed to heart problems in January this year, but his spirit was with us throughout the evening.

2023 inductees As always, we called for nominations from across the industry, and this year we received nine very worthy nominations, several of whom were at the event. Each year, our sponsors and current inductees have had the opportunity to vote, bearing in mind the criteria established back in 2007, and fine-tuned last year. This year three nominations really caught the attention of the voters.

Ben Chesterfield Rob Mildenhall, National Windscreens general manager for ADAS and 2021 inductee, announced that the first inductee for 2023 was Ben Chesterfield of Car Craft Group in Queensland.

Rob said that Ben has spent his entire career in the industry and has dedicated his life to making it a better place for all. It’s not only what he has achieved through his years of hard work but also his determination to help the industry, the people and businesses alike. He just never switches off.

Ben is a forward thinker, constantly striving to go through the proper channels to provide the right outcomes for all. He is at every industry meeting, every event and every show while working on other ways to implement changes for the greater good.

He extends his influence to fundraising for various charities and liaising with

government departments where he always looks to bring change for the industry, gain recognition for collision repairers and work on viable environmental practices.

Ben is vice chair of Queensland’s Body Repair Division. He listens to the people on the ground; he listens to their challenges and also advocates for the industry in schools to promote a trade with a severe skills shortage.

In addition to directing Car Craft Queensland, Ben also provides support for Car Craft in other states to create a sustainable and exciting future. He is always on call, always willing to assist in any way he possibly can with his passion, commitment and dedication.

In accepting the award, Ben pointed out that several key industry stakeholders had helped and supported him in his journey. He was unequivocal that his wife Linda and their children had been behind him all the way.

Rob Mildenhall (L) presents the award to Ben Chesterfield.

The National Collision Repairer – 1 9

Industry Awards The 2023 Lifetime Achievement Awards Scott Donnelly Richard Pratt, chair of I-CAR Australia and 2010 inductee, announced that the second inductee for 2023 was Scott Donnelly from AMA Group, also from Queensland.

Richard spoke fondly of Scott’s early years when he began his career with Dupont in various technical roles at both state and national levels, where he worked with the internal team and their customers’ technicians, contributing to the skill level throughout the industry.

In 2002, Scott purchased Shipstone Accident Repair Specialists. He ran the business successfully for 12 years before selling it to AMA Group in 2014, where he has continued to support AMA Group’s growth strategy.

For his entire career, Scott has been committed to the importance of certification for all the businesses he has owned and operated and, of course, the organisation with which he works today. He has been an integral part of rolling out technical information, including the use of correct repair methods at every opportunity.

He encourages body shop owners and technicians to embark on a journey of continuous self-development and a commitment to training and accreditation of both skill and knowledge. Scott has championed the cause for quality and industry standards for many years and continues to advocate for safe and proper repairs.

He has been active within various state

Richard Pratt (L) presents the award to Scott Donnelly.

2 0 – INDUSTRY AWARDS

industry trade associations, including AMBRA, and has been the source of a huge number of contacts within all the industry sectors.

As Scott accepted the award, his daughter Taylor and her fiancé Lochie Hackett joined him on stage. Scott modestly accepted the award and said he was proud to be recognised by his peers in an industry he has worked in throughout his entire working life.

Morry Corvasce Peter Ruggeri, director of M1 Autobody and 2022 inductee, announced that the third inductee for 2023 was Morry Corvasce, formerly LP Bodyworks in Victoria. Peter said that Morry began his career in the 1980s when, in partnership with others, he took over a small family collision repair business. He then went on to run the business successfully for over 30 years.

Over the journey, he was a member of the state affiliation to the MTAA, chairman of its Executive Board, vice chair of AMBRA and was instrumental in the introduction of the Motor Vehicle Insurance and Repair Industry Code of Conduct.

Throughout his career, Morry has worked tirelessly to educate and improve the businesses and practices of his home state’s Body Repair Division members. He has dedicated himself to the collision repair industry his entire career and has always put the interests of others first, sacrificing time on his own business and driven by his desire

to improve business practices for all body shops.

He spent an incredible amount of time driving around his state delivering the message for a better deal for body repairers and even saw the benefits of his efforts flow on to national level. His commitment to the greater good is well known across the industry, and many business owners owe him a debt of gratitude for his crusade for a fairer deal for body repairers.

In accepting the award, Morry said he was thrilled to join so many past inductees who are the stalwarts of the industry. He thanked his wife, Sue, for her unending support and the VACC for the opportunity to represent its body repair members.

In summary There was no doubt that the evening was a great success as it was a great opportunity for so many in the industry to get together, relax and enjoy each other’s company. Once again, we thank all the guests who attended the awards function and the sponsors of this very special event for 2023.

Josephine and I congratulate Ben, Scott and Morry on being recognised by their peers for a lifetime of achievement and contribution to the industry and being inducted onto the Honour Roll in 2023, which you will find on our website: www.nationalcollisionrepairer.com.au/ lifetime-awards/

Peter Ruggeri (L) presents the award to Morry Corvasce.

CollisionRepairer THE

NATIONAL

LIFETIME s d r wa Achievement A

We congratulate Ben Chesterfield, Scott Donnelly and Morry Corvasce on being recognised by their peers for a lifetime of achievement and contribution to the industry.

Ben Chesterfield.

Scott Donnelly.

Morry Corvasce.

We thank and acknowledge the following companies for their ongoing support of these awards.

OEM Snapshot An EV battery cell joint venture

Made in Germany – for the first time ever

Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solutions have signed an MOU to produce EV batteries in the US and further accelerate the Group’s electrification efforts in North America. Each will hold a 50% stake in the joint venture, involving an investment of over USD 4.3 billion.

“Hyundai Motor Group is focusing on its electrification efforts to secure a leadership position in the global auto industry. We will create a strong foundation to lead the global EV transition through establishing a new EV battery cell plant with LG Energy Solution, a leading global battery producer and long-time partner,” said Jaehoon Chang, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company.

The annual production capacity of the new joint venture is at 30 GWh, able to support the production of 300,000 units of EVs annually. The facility will be in Bryan County, Savannah, Georgia, adjacent to Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, which is currently under construction. Construction of the EV battery cell plant will begin in the second half of 2023, with plans to start production at the end of 2025 at the earliest.

Hyundai Mobis will assemble battery packs using cells from the plant, then supply them to the Group’s US manufacturing facilities for the production of Hyundai, Kia and Genesis EV models. The new facility will help create a stable supply of batteries in the region and allow the Group to respond rapidly to the soaring EV demand in the US market.

With this joint venture, LGES now has seven battery plants currently operating or being constructed in the US, where they are concentrating most of their resources to expand the production capacity. By ramping up local production, LGES aims to provide innovative products in scale and with speed, thereby expediting the clean energy transition in the US.

For the first time ever, a MINI model will be produced entirely in Germany. The locally emission-free MINI Countryman is an excellent fit for the BMW Group's sustainable production site in Leipzig, one of the most modern and sustainable automotive factories in the world. As the company’s pilot project for establishing a “green plant”, a long-term, sustainable energy generation and consumption strategy comes into play here.

The expansion of electromobility is integral to BMW Group’s sustainability strategy. Today, one in five MINI models is already electrified, a testament to MINI fans’ enthusiasm for locally emission-free driving fun. The next major milestone and stimulus for the plant is the production of the new MINI Countryman, which will roll off the production line in Leipzig at the end of this year.

The high-voltage batteries for the all-electric MINI Countryman will come from the plant’s own production facilities as the BMW Group expands its capacities for ecomponent production at the Leipzig site by eight production lines by 2024 and investing more than €800 million.

Sustainability is in the genes of the Leipzig plant. Four 190-metre-high wind turbines can generate part of the energy required for automotive production on the Leipzig plant site. In 2021, 21.9 GWh of electricity was generated from wind power.

This corresponds to the annual electricity consumption of over 5,000 3-person households.

As the brand's largest model, the all-electric MINI Countryman leads the new MINI family into an era of locally emission-free electromobility. The transformation to an allelectric brand by 2030 begins with this model generation. The MINI Countryman will offer additional space and even greater comfort in the future thanks to space-saving components such as the particularly flat high-voltage battery, which is also produced at the BMW Group Plant Leipzig.

il scorpione turns to electrons Introducing the Abarth 500e, the first full-electric model in the company’s history.

Combining performance, electric power, style and an exciting new sound, the Abarth 500e turns advanced technology into adrenaline and sustainability into performance.

The Abarth 500e is the most responsive and exciting in urban driving and the fastest and most enjoyable in suburban driving. The electric architecture performs better than petrol thanks to improved weight distribution, better torque and a wider wheelbase. It is one second faster in the urban pickup, which means 50% faster

2 2 – OEM SNAPSHOT

acceleration from 20 to 40 km/h than its petrol-powered counterpart.

Equipped with a 42-kWh battery coupled with a powerful e-motor, the 500e combines the performance of the Scorpion with the innovation of electric mobility. With a battery range of up to 252 km and supporting fast charging of up to 85kw in direct current, the Abarth 500e ensures plenty of driving excitement.

The Abarth 500e will launch in Australia with the exclusive limited edition Scorpionissima. Only 1,949 units will be produced worldwide, with the number of units reflecting the year the Abarth brand was founded. The Australian market will have 219 units available, and every

buyer will receive a digital Scorpionissima certificate of authenticity.

Scorpionissima customers can rest assured that they will stand out from the crowd. It is available exclusively in Acid Green or Poison Blue with unique “Abarth” decals applied to the side profile of each vehicle. These units will be the first to arrive in the country and are expected later this year.

Following Scorpionissima, the Abarth 500e will be available in a Turismo, offering great performance, unique style and the original Abarth sound. Customers can choose from five thrilling colours: Antidote White, Venom Black, Adrenaline Red, and the brand-new Acid Green and Poison Blue.

Expanding the BlueOval Charge Network An agreement has been reached between Ford Motor Company and Tesla Motors that will provide Ford electric vehicle customers access to more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across the US and Canada, doubling the number of fast chargers available to Ford EV customers.

“Widespread access to fast charging is absolutely vital to our growth as an EV brand, and this breakthrough agreement comes as we are ramping up production of our popular Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning and preparing to launch a series of next-generation EVs starting in 2025,” said Jim Farley, Ford’s president and CEO. Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla’s senior director of charging infrastructure, added: “We’ve spent the last 10 years building an industry-leading charging network that enables freedom to travel and provides charging confidence for our Tesla owners. We’re excited to deliver on our mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy by

welcoming Ford owners and other electric vehicles who adopt NACS to our thousands of Superchargers across North America.”

A Tesla-developed adapter will provide Ford F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit vehicles fitted with the Combined Charging System (CCS) port access to Tesla’s V3 Superchargers. Ford will equip future EVs with the NACS charge port, removing the need for an adapter for direct access to Tesla Superchargers, starting in 2025.

The BlueOval Charge Network is already North America’s largest public charging network, with over 84,000 chargers, including access to over 10,000 public DC fast chargers. Adding more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers creates the single largest integrated fast-charge network across the US and Canada, designed to significantly reduce charge anxiety for Ford customers, with automatic routing to the nearest charger and seamless billing via FordPass.

Additionally, Ford dealers are adding roughly 1,800 public-facing fast chargers and locations to the BlueOval Charge Network by early 2024.

New energy strategy boosts sales surge

Demand for EVs continues to grow

Under the trend of accelerating transformation of new energy in the global automobile industry, GWM, a global intelligent technology company, has rapidly integrated into the trend of intelligent NEVs. As a result, GWM’s sales volume for NEVs continues to grow steadily.

GWM has launched different new energy product lines in the global market, such as Haval H6 PHEV and HEV, Jolion HEV, GWM Tank 300 HEV and Tank 500 HEV, and WEY Coffee 01 PHEV. Those models have attracted consumers with their outstanding performance and intelligence-based experience.

The rich variety of products in GWM’s product matrix, combined with the advantages of NEVs, has driven GWM’s sales volume in overseas markets. GWM international sales are up 182%.

In the Australian market, Haval H6 HEV and Jolion HEV have brought local consumers a new mobility experience with the intelligent technologies of NEVs as sales have soared.

In response to consumers’ demand for green and intelligent mobility life in different regions, GWM keeps expanding its new energy product lines. During Auto Shanghai 2023, GWM displayed over 15 NEVs as their debut to the public. Also, at the GWM 2023 Global Conference, it introduced its global expansion, Forest Ecosystem, and future new energy strategic planning.

In the new energy field, GWM has continuously increased investment in new technology R&D to drive product upgrading. Last year, GWM invested CNY 12.18 and, by 2025, will invest a total of CNY 100 billion in R&D for new energy and intelligent technologies. To date, GWM has established new energy solutions covering pure electric, hydrogen energy and hybrid.

Going forward, GWM will steadily advance its new energy transformation strategy and consolidate Forest Ecosystem.

GWM will introduce more intelligent new energy models globally to provide a “Greener, Higher, Safer” experience with advanced technology.

Results from a recent survey commissioned by the BMW Group to coincide with World Environment Day on 5 June found that 48% of Australians are open to having a battery electric vehicle (BEV) in their garage when they are next in the market.

The survey, conducted with more than 1,000 adult Australians, also showed that while 50% of Australians believe they would still own a conventionally powered vehicle in 2025, just 8% responded to say they would own one in 2040.

The BMW Group conducted the nationwide survey with participants aged 18 to 75 with a valid driver’s licence.

The data was gathered amid announcements by the Federal Government of policy framework to support the future uptake of EVs, including the plan to introduce a fuel efficiency standard.

The primary objective of the survey, conducted by insights agency Hall & Partners, was to gain valuable insights into public sentiment towards EVs and their perception of the existing charging infrastructure.

Respondents were asked to share their opinions on various aspects of EV adoption, including concerns, motivations, and preferences regarding charging options.

Range anxiety emerged as a prominent concern, with participants emphasising the importance of an extensive charging network and accessible charging stations to alleviate this concern.

The findings come just as sales of fully electric vehicles in Australia see further significant increases this year. In the first quarter of 2023, total market registrations were up 158% compared with the same period last year, with the market share of BEVs accounting for 7.4% of the total new vehicle market, up from 2.9% in the same period last year.

The BMW Group also posted notable growth in sales of BEVs in the first quarter of the year, with registrations of BMW and MINI BEVs up 112% and 213%, respectively.

The National Collision Repairer – 2 3

Shaping the future of the collision industry AMA Group is the biggest collision repair network across Australia and New Zealand, supported by Australia’s leading distributor of vehicle collision parts.

We employ more than 3200 people—including spraypainters, panel beaters, detailers, estimators, electricians, parts finders, customer service officers, managers, and more. We work together to get hundreds of thousands of drivers each year back on the road as quickly and safely as possible.

Our people are the foundation of everything we do.

Our success is underpinned by our team of highly skilled and committed technicians, and customer service and support staff who are driven to deliver for our customers.

Working together, we get more than 300,000 people and businesses back on the road every year.

Learn more about AMA Group at amagroupltd.com

140+ Locations across Aus and NZ

3200+ Team members

Industry leading safety program

ENDURING MOBILITY

Special Report with U-Pol Australia

The Innovators U-pol Australia has always prided itself on being a pioneer with marketleading products and solutions for refinish professionals. Over the past few years, U-pol has aimed to complement this by providing cutting-edge marketing targeted at end users to communicate the benefits of their market-leading products and services.

Not satisfied with the status quo, U-pol Australia has invested heavily in its team to upskill the business and its brand profile. This investment has resulted in U-pol Australia developing one of the most advanced and successful marketing teams in the Australian refinish market.

Daniel Harper, general sales and marketing manager for U-pol Australia, said: “We saw the ways in which our customers absorb information has changed over the past few years, with a radical pivot towards digital platforms in both B2C and B2B. As a business, this has become a focal point, and we have

built an amazing team around the strategy covering in-house videography, social media expertise, digital development and UX content.

So, I’d like to introduce the marketing team.”

Jarod Croft – Digital Marketing Assistant One of the newest members of the U-pol marketing team, Jarod came on board at the beginning of 2023.

Previously employed as a digital

Andrea Boland – Marketing Assistant Andrea has worked at U-pol Australia as a customer service representative since 2009. Over the years, she has seen the business, the team and the U-pol product range grow and develop. She started her own family in 2013 and returned on a part-time basis, focusing on growing the social media presence of the business.

U-pol Australia’s social media profile has grown significantly under Andrea’s care, and with it, U-pol’s marketing strategy pivoted towards

Kane Whittaker.

Jarod Croft.

Andrea Boland

2 6 – SPECIAL REPORT

Kane Whittaker – Videographer and Marketing Coordinator Kane says he has been fortunate to contribute his videographer and marketing coordinator skills for U-pol Australia and New Zealand for over two years. During his time with the company, he has had the opportunity to collaborate closely with the marketing department, creating engaging content across various platforms, including product training, social media and complete car restorations.

marketer in the automotive industry, he has taken on a similar role with Upol. He is responsible for creating and executing digital marketing strategies and overseeing website development. Jarod graduated from Western Sydney University with a degree in psychology and brings a unique approach, focusing on enduser behaviour and decision-making.

In addition, he is an avid car enthusiast and off-roader.

further expansion. Andrea assists the team by managing U-pol’s social media communities and platforms, influencer partnerships and collaborations while also developing and organising content.

Johanna McClymont – UX Content Designer Johanna is the most recent addition to the U-pol marketing team, joining as a contract content specialist and copy producer in early 2023. With over 13 years in digital copy creation and user experience content design, Johanna has created content for a range of industries, including energy, entertainment, finance and state infrastructure. Johanna’s favourite part of her role is writing blogs and articles, collaborating with the wider U-Pol Australia team and hearing about their experiences and customers using the products on their projects. As U-pol Australia is a recognised innovator across product, sales and marketing, history has shown this business will continue to innovate to provide value across the refinish industry.

In summary Harper concluded by saying: “It’s the people and teamwork who drive the success of this strategy with the

Johanna McClymont

support of the entire U-pol Australia team. I have every confidence that we will produce great things in this new financial year and beyond.”

Daniel Harper

Who’s Who

William Poropat Saint-Gobain WE INTRODUCE WILLIAM POROPAT, APPLICATION ENGINEER WITH SAINTGOBAIN, WHO SHARES BOTH HIS REMARKABLE JOURNEY AND HIS KNOWLEDGE OF ABRASIVE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH HE HAS AMASSED OVER ALMOST 30 YEARS WITH SAINT-GOBAIN. The early years Poropat began by telling us that he was born and raised in the west and southwest of Sydney and got a taste for science while still in high school, although he was not so keen on continuing full-time study.

“I started my working life in a variety of industry sectors, including cable manufacturing, sealants and adhesives and industrial coatings.

During those early years, I decided that to progress my career, I needed to do further study, so I went to TAFE and got a Certificate in Chemistry and followed that up with a Bachelor of Applied Chemistry from the University of Technology Sydney.”

We turned the discussion to his early days at Saint-Gobain. Poropat told us that back in the mid-1990s, SaintGobain was using solvent-based resin technology but was looking to make the switch to waterborne for all the obvious reasons. His knowledge of waterborne resin technology, combined with his hands-on experience as an industrial chemist, set him apart from other candidates, and he was subsequently appointed to a position as an industrial chemist in the coated abrasives plant.

“My first task was to change a major product line from solvent-based resin technology to water-based technology, which was a great challenge and gave our team great satisfaction when we completed the project.”

Poropat was promoted to technical manager in 2000. When the plant closed in 2014, he became involved in an IT project before receiving “an offer that he couldn’t refuse”. He was appointed to the position of application engineer for coated abrasives.

A new chapter “To better prepare myself for this challenging role, I went back to TAFE and completed a Certificate III in

2 8 – WHO’S WHO

Automotive Refinishing to understand how abrasives are used in the real world. I was sure I was the oldest person in the class by at least 30 years.”

Although the job title is “application engineer”, Poropat is, of course, an industrial chemist. The role, however, includes various responsibilities such as new product assessment in the context of the local market, technical training for the sales and technical representatives, and supporting the product manager

with the development of technical and commercial strategies for their product line and brands.

“I am also responsible for competitive benchmarking of both new and existing Saint-Gobain and, more specifically, Norton products and provide direct support to the sales teams at key accounts, ensuring we provide the highest levels of customer support. I am also the key conduit to our extensive R&D network around the world.”

William Poropat.

Automotive refinish products We turned to the Saint-Gobain range of products, and Poropat pointed to NoFil, Tufbak, Blaze, Norzon and the most recent addition to the stable, Farecla.

“No-Fil is our extensive range of abrasive discs and sheets for dry sanding, characterised by a sacrificial coating over the abrasive material. The advantage of the sacrificial layer is that it acts as a lubricant that reduces clogging, minimises dust generation and extends the life of the abrasive, which is typically an aluminium oxide or a silicon carbide material.”

Tufbak is Saint-Gobain’s wetsanding sheets, discs and belts. The

wet-sanding process is still used in some of the older shops and by what Poropat describes as the “weekend warriors” who don’t have access to the latest equipment. The range comes in various sizes for metal shaping and blending, although the technology has, in the main, been superseded.

“Norzon is our zirconia-alumina abrasive technology, which is a very hard grain, allowing technicians to grind harder materials at cooler temperatures.

More recently, the introduction of ceramic material in the Blaze range allows material to be cut both cooler and faster.”

The recent introduction of the Farecla premium automotive polish range has given Saint-Gobain another arrow in its quiver. Not only does it perform better, but technicians can cover twice as much area of the panel with the same amount of polish. It really is the benchmark of automotive polishes.

Looking ahead I asked Poropat how Saint-Gobain keeps ahead of the pack, and he spoke

passionately about its loyal customer base and dedicated distributors. “Our entire network is constantly challenging us to deliver the next big thing as they educate themselves in what they see out in the marketplace. They are looking at developments in paints and coatings and the implications for the evolution of our abrasive product.

Simultaneously, our R&D centres in Europe, USA and China are all developing products that match the evolving requirements. It really is a huge team effort.”

In that vein, we turned our attention to what clients can expect from Saint-Gobain in the short to medium term. “Recently, in the Pacific, the business has taken on a channel-focused approach to customers. So, in my role, I will provide technical support for the new channel, which may include training, testing and field assistance.”

As the custodian of the technology in Australia, I asked Poropat to sum it all up. “Norton as a product and a premium brand has been around since the 1880s and Saint-Gobain for over 350 years, so you can see that we have been, and will continue to be, committed to the industry for the long term. SaintGobain values our customers and will continue to support their needs with premium quality products that assist their businesses to function optimally with good value for money abrasives.”

William Poropat in his lab in 2009.

The National Collision Repairer – 2 9

Tech Tip with John Hristias

Rethinking bumper repairs Bumper repairs were already extremely common, but they have grown even more common in recent years, driven by the increasing cost of new replacements and the fact that new parts are often difficult to source. The sheer volume of bumper repairs can often put pressure on the paint shop, and that makes it crucial to rethink processes to increase efficiency and profitability while reducing rework.

Issues Being close to the road, bumpers (especially the front) get hammered by everything the environment can throw at them, from stones and other road debris to splattered insects and general grime. This raises two important issues: where in the repair process does it get cleaned, and is it seen as a repair or a refurbishment?

Tips and recommendations

it and done any necessary repairs) panel beaters typically just pass a dirty bumper onto the paint shop. The problem is that the bumper enters the paint shop with all the accumulated road debris – bugs, tar, general dirt, grime, etc. All too often, that is a recipe for a rework.

I believe bumper cleaning should be part of the panel repair process responsibilities. Once removed, the bumper should be taken to the wash bay where it can be thoroughly degreased and pressure washed inside and out. This simple step saves the paint shop about 40 minutes per bumper and ensures all the dirt and debris ends up in the wash bay rather than on the paint shop floor.

UV or wet-on-wet Bumper repairs shouldn’t be one-sizefits-all, particularly when priming. UV technology, such as PPG’s UV8080 UV Cured Primer Surfacer, can provide

a major productivity boost thanks to a super-fast cure time, or the repair might be better suited to an efficient wet-on-wet primer in high build mode, such as PPG’s EnviroLOCK Primer (part of the Low-VOC range) or the popular PrimaGUARD 2K Primer – both offer the full spectrum of WOW efficiency benefits.

ADAS The past decade has seen an explosion in advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) sensors. Many are located behind bumper facias, so it’s important to check and be aware of the pitfalls. No filler or plastic repairs should be done around ADAS sensor locations because they can block outgoing and returning signals. For the same reason, you should avoid excessive film builds. After extensive research, the local PPG technical team recommends no more than 40 microns for basecoat silver colours in both water and solvent borne.

Scope of work Before a bumper repair goes into production, there needs to be an agreement between the repairer, the insurer and the owner on exactly what is being done. If the damage is relatively minor, you are probably being paid just to repair that area. If so, it doesn’t make sense for your team to spend the time and effort to fix years of gravel rash to refurbish the whole bumper. That process can take around three hours, and the shop will not be paid for it! This is why it’s critical that the painters understand whether it is being treated as a straight repair or a refurbishment.

Cleaning Dirt and grime are the natural enemy of a good paint finish, which makes you wonder why (after they have removed

This article supplied courtesy of John Hristias, PPG Australia and New Zealand Sales Director Refinish and former Business Support Manager Asia-Pacific, who has almost 30 years in the industry.

3 0 – TECH TIP

Global News Hyundai appoints US industry stalwart to lead new safety lab Hyundai has appointed a new director to manage its new Safety Test and Investigation Laboratory (STIL), which it says will augment its existing safety methodology.

Benjamin Michajlyszyn, who previously worked as Rivian’s director of performance integration and digital development, will lead Hyundai’s lab by overseeing safety-related tests and vehicle field investigations.

“Ben’s extensive experience in the global automotive industry, including safety performance development and management of diverse organisations, will be a benefit to the safety operation of Hyundai, Genesis and our entire North American enterprise,” said Brian Latouf, Hyundai’s global chief safety officer.

Earlier in his career, Michajlyszyn spent 20 years with General Motors, where he most recently led the development of safety and crash worthiness performance for the

company’s full- and mid-sized trucks, vans and SUVs. Hyundai’s $51.6 million STIL will feature a field crash investigation lab, high voltage battery lab, forensics lab, 500-metre track and a vehicle dynamics area pad. Potentially, the facility could generate new information related to the safe and proper repair of Hyundai and Kia vehicles.

Hyundai had agreed to build the lab to comply with a 2020 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) consent order after the NHTSA determined that Hyundai and Kia had moved too slowly in recalling more than 1.6 million vehicles equipped with engines that were prone to seizing.

The consent order required Hyundai to “build and develop a fully functioning United States-based outdoor test laboratory and vehicle tear down facilities”. The test laboratory will focus on safety field issues, vehicle inspections and defect investigations. The order also

required Hyundai to invest in “advanced data analytics capabilities” to improve its ability to detect and study safetyrelated problems with its vehicles.

The laboratory, located about 40 miles west of Detroit, is expected to be operational in the [northern] autumn of 2023 and will employ 160 people.

This article courtesy of John Huetter of Repairer Driven Education. Check out the website at: www.repairerdrivennews.com/

BASF Española inaugurates its new technology centre The BASF Española Technology Competence Centre at the Marchamalo (Guadalajara) facility was officially opened on 14 June 2023.

The regional minister for Sustainable Development of Castilla, La Mancha, José Luis Escudero, and the mayor of Marchamalo, Rafael Esteban Santamaría, attended the official opening ceremony, along with other institutional representatives. BASF was represented by Uta Holzenkamp, president of the global Coatings division of the BASF Group, Carles Navarro Vigo, general manager of BASF Española, and Lars Kuellenberg, site manager of BASF Española S.L. in Marchamalo.

This technology centre is dedicated to researching and replicating the painting process of any vehicle manufacturer, taking into account the various individual factors in each production line, such as temperature, humidity and coating

3 2 – GLOBAL NEWS

technology, that have a definitive influence on the paint application process at the end customer. The facilities are digitally connected (Industry 4.0) with internal process management and control systems and share digital networking with other BASF Group sites worldwide.

This Technology Competence Centre provides services to more than 100 automotive factories in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, including manufacturers of automotive plastic parts.

The construction of these facilities is seen as a catalyst for the production transfer project of solvent-borne basecoats to the Marchamalo centre, supported by the decision of the BASF Group to officially designate the Marchamalo headquarters as a European strategic centre for this technology.

BASF has invested around €14 million in this facility. The equipment installed in the technology

centre includes state-of-theart installations that place the centre at the world technological summit for automobile coating application processes.

Innovation and commitment to the customer have been the basis for the construction of this centre.

With a clear focus on sustainability and environmental protection, the equipment has the highest energy efficiency with optimum emission reduction.

With an area of 310,000 m2 and approximately 550 employees, the centre has three modern production

plants, two of which are paint plants, and one is for the production of intermediate resins. The facilities also include a refinish paint training centre for customer workshops, as well as control and development laboratories for all its main segments of high-tech products for the automotive industry.

The Marchamalo production centre is a strategic site for the Coatings division in Spain, which has been a BASF production site since 1982, although the origins of the former company date back to 1867.

AkzoNobel to supply water-based coatings to Porsche China AkzoNobel announced it has received approval to supply its waterbased refinish products to Porsche China, one of the vehicle manufacturer’s biggest markets.

The company will supply its full water-based Sikkens range, including basecoats, primer and clearcoats, to provide Porsche China with a complete water-based solution for its refinishing needs.

“We’re delighted to partner with one of the world’s most prestigious vehicle manufacturers to offer our class-leading products and colour

expertise,” said Patrick Bourguignon, AkzoNobel’s Automotive and Specialty Coatings business director. He added that the vehicle brand sold more than 93,000 cars in China last year, and the agreement will play an important role in helping Porsche China to meet the country’s strict VOC regulations.

“It’s in everyone’s interests to adopt a more sustainable approach, so we work closely with – and for – our customers in order to meet our shared environmental ambitions,” continued Bourguignon. “Because when we talk about high performance, it not only embraces our products, technical

service and support, it also applies to everything we’re striving to achieve.”

This article courtesy of Russell Thrall III, publisher CollisionWeek. Check out the website at: www.collisionweek.com

Massachusetts attorney general to enforce R2R law Judge denied a vehicle manufacturer association’s motion to block enforcement while the Federal lawsuit continues.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Douglas Woodlock denied a motion by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation seeking a temporary restraining order to block enforcement of the 2020 Massachusetts Right to Repair law update approved by voters.

On 25 May, the Alliance filed a motion in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) prohibiting enforcement of the 2020 voter-approved expansion of the Commonwealth’s existing right to repair laws to include telematics systems.

A lawsuit by the Alliance seeking to have the court overturn the data access ballot question has been pending since

shortly after the ballot initiative passed in November 2020. The suit raised issues with the law, including cybersecurity concerns, insufficient time to comply with the new data access requirements and the contention that the ballot initiative is pre-empted by federal law. A decision in the suit by Judge Woodlock has been repeatedly delayed.

In a statement applauding the ruling on the TRO, Auto Care Association president and CEO Bill Hanvey said: “Today, the judge in Massachusetts denied the Alliance’s request for an injunction holding that the Data Access

Law remains in effect. The next step will be for the attorney general to issue the telematics system notice required by the Data Access Law on 1 June.”

Hanvey continued: “Unfortunately, the court refused to provide an estimate of when he may issue a final decision in the case but indicated that a decision is not imminent. We are encouraged that the judge denied the Alliance’s request for an injunction and that the attorney general’s office will move forward by issuing the notice specified in the law on 1 June. Without choice and independence guaranteed by the Data Access Law, there will be harmful effects on the motoring public, including being forced to pay more for repairs. We continue to encourage the court to make a final decision.”

This article courtesy of Russell Thrall III, publisher CollisionWeek. Check out the website at: www.collisionweek.com

Women’s World Car of the Year announces the Woman of Worth Award The judges in Women’s World Car of the Year have voted for the Woman of Worth Award from the 15 nominations. The clear winner was Dr Astrid Linder, the designer and instigator of the world’s first female crash-test dummy.

Linder is a professor of traffic safety at the Swedish National Road and Transport Institute, VTI, an adjunct professor of injury prevention at Chalmers University, Gothenburg, Sweden, and an adjunct associate professor at Monash University Accident Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia.

She received her PhD in traffic safety from Chalmers, where she also has a MSc in engineering physics. Linder

co-ordinated the EU-funded project ADSEAT, where the world’s first virtual dummy model of an average female for rear impact, EvaRID, was developed.

Previously, crash-test dummies were based on the “average” male, which was just one example of a bias in car design that, as a consequence, put female lives at risk.

She was awarded the EU Champions of Transport Research Competition and the US Government Award for Safety Engineering Excellence among many other awards she has received for her work.

Marta Garcia, executive president of Women’s World Car of the Year, says she is delighted that Astrid Linder has won the WOW Award. “She stood

out in the voting, and it’s an honour to have her win this award, the only award in the world voted entirely by women motoring journalists.”

Honorary president and coordinator of the WOW Award, Sandy Myhre, said it was apparent from when the first votes started coming in that Dr Linder would win; it was that plain.

Dr. Astrid Linder.

The National Collision Repairer – 3 3

Global News PPG outlines growth framework at investor event PPG announced the company’s growth framework to deliver purposeful, profitable growth. The company shared details of its organic growth framework, expectations for organic sales and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) growth. In addition, PPG communicated the validation of its decarbonisation targets by the ScienceBased Targets initiative (SBTi).

PPG president and chief executive officer Tim Knavish presented these updates during a recent investor briefing at the New York Stock Exchange.

“PPG is poised to leverage our diverse business portfolio to deliver industry-leading growth,” said Knavish.

“Going forward, we will intentionally invest in focused growth opportunities that enhance our customers’ productivity and sustainability, elevate our customer relationships and expand PPG’s technology leadership positions in the coatings industry. We will continue our heritage of cost management, consistent cash generation and focus on returning cash to shareholders, including through increased annual dividends.”

l focusing investment towards leading

positions within advantaged areas l partnering with customers to provide industry-leading innovation l modernising, simplifying and digitising operations l delivering consistent high-cash conversion and continuing PPG’s legacy of disciplined capital allocation.

The company also communicated the following financial expectations: l establishing annual 2% to 4% organic sales growth l annual adjusted EPS growth of 8% to 12% through 2026 l free cash flow of approximately $1 billion per year.

Knavish added, “Solutions that generate productivity and sustainability benefits for our valued customers are a

key piece of our growth strategy.

We’ve made strong progress against our 2025 sustainability goals and now are pleased to introduce ambitious 2030 environmental, social and governance (ESG) targets, including a sales target for sustainably advantaged products and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets validated by the SBTi.” PPG’s 2030 ESG targets include: l 50% of sales from sustainably advantaged products l 50% reduction in scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions relative to 2019 l 30% reduction in scope 3 GHG emissions relative to 2019.

This article courtesy of Russell Thrall III, publisher CollisionWeek. Check out the website at: www.collisionweek.com

The PPG framework for purposeful, profitable growth encompasses four key elements:

Chery – PPG alliance spawns Colour Creation Lab A special collaboration has seen the opening of a Colour Creation Lab in Wuhu, China, that showcases the strong partnership between Chery Automobile Co. Ltd and PPG while adding a range of dedicated capabilities.

The facility will give PPG Colour Stylists and Chery designers everything they need to create new colours tailored to specific vehicle designs, from initial colour recommendations through to final materials for application in Chery’s manufacturing plants.

As a result, the Colour Creation Lab will feature innovative solutions for colour digitisation, analysis and evaluation of interior and exterior automotive parts. The

3 4 – GLOBAL NEWS

process will include extensive sampling and formulation testing to ensure a new colour will have a uniform appearance, provide proper adhesion and extend durability when it moves to mass production and application in automotive plants.

“As the leading singlesource coatings supplier for automotive manufacturing, PPG is excited to partner with Chery, a company that prioritises technological innovation and sustainable production,” said Thomas Li, PPG’s Asia Pacific Automotive Coatings vice president. “We will leverage our global colour leadership to predict future trends while advancing paint technology for the next generation of Chery vehicles.”

PPG began supplying

Chery with coatings for its paint lines in 2003 before opening an automotive coatings plant in Wuhu in 2008 to further support Chery and other manufacturers in China. When Chery opened its Qingdao plant in 2022, it featured PPG’s innovative B1:B2

Compact Paint System, which streamlines the painting process by removing the need for a separate primer layer. The system requires less energy to apply, allowing the Qingdao plant to increase efficiency. Earlier this year, Chery introduced the B1:B2 system to its Wuhu plant.

$30 million PPG battery pack application centre opens in China As the transition towards battery electric vehicles (BEV) continues, PPG has moved to bolster its support for the expanding Chinese BEV market by creating a specialised battery pack application centre (BPAC) in Tianjin, China.

The $30 million facility features a full range of capabilities designed to test the application of PPG coatings technologies, materials and systems for electric vehicle (EV) battery packs. According to Vincent Robin, PPG’s Global Automotive Coatings vice president, the objective is to provide customers with the tools they need to accelerate the development of new EV technologies.

“The new application centre is an important milestone in our effort to support our customers in China

in the EV battery market. The new facility will be an important way for customers to validate our customisable coatings solutions that help them reduce application cost, increase battery life, range and charging speed, and contribute to occupant safety.”

The BPAC will include application testing for PPG technologies, including powder coatings, fire protection coatings, dielectric

coatings, adhesives and sealants, surface pretreatment, and e-coat technologies. Its modular design will allow independent projects to be carried out concurrently in each application area. This flexibility will enable the development of material and process solutions across the range of current and potential customers, explained Thomas Li, PPG’s Asia Pacific

Automotive Coatings vice president.

“The application centre showcases PPG’s work in R&D and application technologies for EV batteries while playing a significant role in developing our local talent in Tianjin. It highlights the focus on our work to develop sustainable, cutting-edge technologies in China and provide our customers with value-added solutions.”

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Technology

OEM procedures Repairers have a “moral and ethical” obligation MIKE ANDERSON, NO STRANGER TO OUR SHORES, DELIVERED A THOUGHT-PROVOKING PRESENTATION AT THE SOCIETY OF COLLISION REPAIR SPECIALISTS (SCRS) IDEAS COLLIDE SERIES AT SEMA 2022.

From the outset, Anderson got personal when imploring the audience to make safety inspections a non-negotiable item. He shared a story about how a safety oversight changed his father’s life and another about how a medical error ended it.

Anderson detailed how his father, Albert, served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and suffered permanent injuries when he jumped from a helicopter while wearing a defective parachute. The fall broke his back and both legs, forcing him to spend two years recovering in a hospital.

“My dad got out of the military as a disabled vet. My dad could never run and play ball with me as a kid. My dad could never swim. My dad could never snow ski,” said Anderson.

His dad endured long-term leg issues due to the accident, and last May was hospitalised because of his leg injuries. Anderson said another mistake, this time at the hands of a medical team that failed to follow protocol, cost his father his life.

“When they did the process, they

didn’t sew him back up properly,” Anderson said. “He ended up bleeding internally, and they didn’t discover it until after he had a massive heart attack three days later.”

Anderson then pivoted the conversation to collision repair and used his father’s tragic circumstances to underscore the importance of following proper OEM procedures when working on vehicles.

He explained how every OEM has a document that details what inspections are required following an accident. This includes inspecting seatbelts, removing and inspecting the steering column, and much more. He added that even if repairers find no issues in the majority of their inspections, it’s the times when they do encounter issues that matter.

Improperly repaired vehicles have had life-altering effects in several cases. He referenced the John Eagle Collision Center case, in which a replacement roof was panelbonded to a 2010 Honda Fit rather than using the welds dictated by the Honda OEM repair procedures.

Mike Anderson doing what he loves to do at SEMA 2022.

3 6 – TECHNOLOGY

The 2010 Honda Fit, occupied by Matthew and Marcia Seebachan, was later involved in a collision on a 75 mph stretch of road when a 2010 Toyota Tundra in the other lane hydroplaned into their vehicle, leading to the Fit striking the right front quarter of the Tundra. As a result of the improperly bonded hood, the couple became trapped in the Fit as it burned.

Marcia said the collision tore the tendons between her spine and skull – and had the crash occurred two years prior, she would have been paralysed, given the state of medical science. Both she and her husband had damage to their carotid arteries, and Marcia’s pelvis was shattered.

During the lawsuit, Marcia Seebachan said: “This wasn’t just a series of unfortunate events. This was something intentionally chosen to have been done to the vehicle that impacted everything that happened to us. It’s one thing to be dealing with the most traumatic thing in your life, but to find out there were choices made that increased the likelihood that this happened to you is just re-traumatising.

There was a whole different grieving process that had to happen.”

Anderson also cited a recentlysettled lawsuit that blamed an improperly installed steering rack for causing a collision that injured a 27-yearold man. The driver claimed he had brought his vehicle to an auto repair facility to have the steering rack installed about three months before he “lost all steering suddenly and unexpectedly” while driving, causing the collision.

Anderson did not specify what make of vehicle the driver was operating, but some automakers have specific repair instructions on replacing a steering box – an operation that insurance companies have contested in the past, not always in agreement with OEM directives.

As an example, BMW demands a

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with this function o body-side screwing/attachment points for wheel guide/control components o front axle support o drop arm o track rods o steering box fixtures o steering column.

When it comes to failing to follow proper procedures, Anderson knows all too well the disastrous consequences it can have.

“My dad had his life impacted twice because somebody didn’t do their job the right way,” Anderson said. “I challenge us as an industry that we have a moral and ethical obligation to ensure that we’re packing their parachute safely every single time and that is performing the proper repairs the right way.”

This article courtesy of Russell Thrall III, publisher CollisionWeek. Check out the website at: www.collisionweek.com

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R O steering box replacement for any one of numerous conditions, including during an unacceptable torque increase and jamming when the steering box is turned from lock to lock without hydraulic/electrical assistance. It also demands a steering box replacement when: l There is visible or noticeable damage to the steering box.BMW guides repairers to examine, in particular, the control unit with all plug connections for damage and hairline cracks. l There is fire damage. l The steering wheel is lopsided, there are significant deviations in camber/track values and noises where damage/deformation is indicated. l There is damage, permanent deformation or fractures to: o wheel rims in the event of a negative result from the wheel alignment check o spring struts, steering stubs, wheel carrier o wishbones o struts or trailing links or anti-roll bar

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Matthew and Marcia Seebachan.

Mike Anderson is the former owner of US-based Wagonwork Collision Centers and the current owner of CollisionAdvice, a leading industry research, reference and consulting business.

As a collision repair shop owner, Mike’s shops held OEM certifications that included Audi, VW, Porsche, Nissan GTR and many others. He is also an Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) and has served on numerous industry advisory committees.

He is widely recognised by the automotive industry and received an award from the Governor of the State of Virginia for his contribution to the Virginia State Education System.

The National Collision Repairer – 3 7

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Local Event with Glen Keddie

General Motors Specialty Vehicles’

Immersive Collision Forum GENERAL MOTORS SPECIALTY VEHICLES (GMSV) RECENTLY HOSTED A SELECT GROUP OF CERTIFIED REPAIRERS AND MEDIA AT THE WALKINSHAW AUTOMOTIVE FACILITY, WHERE THE SILVERADO IS BEING MADE READY FOR THE LOCAL MARKET. WE THEN VISITED THEIR OWN PORT MELBOURNE SITE, WHICH SHOWCASES THE ALL-NEW CORVETTE. The Walkinshaw remanufacturing facility Andrew Purcell, technical liaison manager, provided some background to the operation prior to going on the tour, highlighting that the process is, by any definition, the remanufacturing of a US dealer-ready left-hand drive Chevrolet Silverado.

Purcell told us that over 600 individual parts are replaced in creating the right-hand drive vehicle, all of which have been tested and approved by General Motors’ rigorous process, ensuring they are ADR-compliant and fit for purpose in the Australian and New Zealand markets. Reflecting GM’s commitment to sustainability, none of these parts are reused and the materials are all recycled.

With 300 staff covering two shifts, Walkinshaw turns out 20 remanufactured vehicles per day, each of which is inside their facility for less than three days, indicating the efficiency of the process.

The remanufacturing process The facility is designed for remanufacturing both the Silverado

1500 light-duty truck and the Silverado 2500 heavy-duty, a full-size pick-up truck in every sense of the word. Both these vehicles were on the remanufacturing line during the visit, highlighting the flexibility of the process and the skill of the personnel.

On arrival, each left-hand drive Silverado goes through the “demarriage” process where the cab is separated from the chassis, and then each is set off on its manufacturing line.

The cab is stripped down to remove all the parts that will be replaced, and various engineering activities are undertaken on the chassis.

Simultaneously, various subassembly lines prepare the replacement components, such as the dash, seats, door trims, and wiring harnesses for the cab, while on the chassis, items such as the steering rack and firewall are remanufactured.

At the end of each line, the cab and chassis are “re-marriaged”, the wheels and lights are realigned, and the various systems are recalibrated to reflect the right-hand drive configuration.

The final stage is a quality inspection

The Silverado 1500 range.

3 8 – LOCAL EVENT

involving a checklist of over 200 items.

As noted above, the entire process takes less than three days – what an impressive operation and, of course, an even more impressive end product.

Both the Silverado LTZ and ZR2 models are powered by a 6.2 litre EcoTec3 V8 engine that generates 313kW power and 624Nm torque, matched with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The enhanced two-speed transfer case with push button controls, “crawl mode”, and traction software with fourbutton control for 2WD HI 4WD auto, 4WD HI, 4WD LO and ZR2 off-road mode.

It also has driver-selectable fulllocking front and rear differentials, a fully boxed frame (hydroformed front section with high-strength steel), a solid axle rear suspension, and four-wheel antilock disc brakes with a brake pad wear indicator.

The Silverado sets a new benchmark.

The GMSV product immersion session The entourage moved on to the GMSV Port Melbourne facility, where the

The re-engineering line.

marketing team introduced us to the Chevrolet Silverado and the Corvette Stingray ranges.

Robert Omond, general sales manager, and Gervee Sarmiento, product marketing manager, reminded us that there is a 63-strong GM Certified Collision Repairer Network nationwide.

This network supports not only the Chevrolet and Corvette brands but also the one million Holdens that are still on our roads, reinforcing GM’s commitment to our industry.

They reinforced that GM’s position on the supply of structural parts for the fully imported right-hand drive Corvette is that they will be restricted to the certified repairer network, a position that was well received around the room.

Omond then took us on the “Corvette journey”, pointing out the immense amount of work that goes on behind the scenes in the lead-up to the launch of a new vehicle.

It all begins three months out from launch with an analysis of the several thousand service parts, which leads to the decision to hold 850 parts in local

warehouses and throughout the dealer network. This process also encompasses specialty tools and the various scan tools and equipment necessary to deal with the on-board technology.

With eight weeks to launch, a pilot vehicle is put through the rigours of the diagnostic and calibration process to validate that the car is ready for local conditions, in addition to localising all the customer manuals and documentation. A dealer launch one month out ensures the entire network is ready to support the new vehicle.

The 6.2 litre LT2 V8 engine generates 369kW of power and 637Nm of torque and is matched to an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. It also sports speed-sensitive magnetic power steering with variable ratio, several driving modes and a whole suite of active and passive safety features.

The Z51 performance package takes the Corvette to a whole new level, with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S performance tyres and magnetic selective ride control performance

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

Working on the chassis.

suspension with performance traction management.

With so many more features, there is no doubt that the Corvette will find its niche in the rarefied atmosphere of the supercar market segment.

In summary Prior to closing the event, David Crook, GM’s collision product manager, announced the addition of Eblen Collision Repairs to the GM-certified collision repairer network and made the presentation to Dario Tonon and his son, Adrian.

There is no doubt that the Silverado and the Corvette are both really special vehicles with very different target markets. However, if you are so inclined, feel free to look into either – you won’t be disappointed.

GMSV is to be congratulated on a great event, with special thanks to David Crook, GM’s collision product manager. We at the National Collision Repairer were thrilled to be part of the event.

The Corvette's awesome cockpit.

David Crook (centre) with Adrian and Dario Tonon.

The National Collision Repairer – 3 9

Future Leaders Proudly sponsored by IAG

Robert Polito Hornsby BMW THIS MONTH WE INTRODUCE 23-YEAR-OLD ROBERT POLITO, THIRD YEAR AUTOBODY REPAIR APPRENTICE AT HORNSBY BMW BODYSHOP AND WORLDSKILLS 2023 FINALIST. Robert was born and raised in Concord in Sydney’s inner-west and went to school at Concord High. It was during his formative years that Robert developed his passion for cars, getting involved in karting, motorkhanas and track days with his dad, Vince, at the Fiat Car Club.

“When I left school, I ‘floated’ for a bit but was ultimately drawn to automotive. A friend of my dad, Mark Donnelly, owned Awdon Motor Body Repairs, so I went to work at Awdon and got exposure to restos and just loved it. That’s when I started my apprenticeship at Ultimo TAFE.” Robert told us that while his current TAFE teacher is Chris Cummings, he was also taught by a former Future Leader of the industry, Trudy Camilleri, who is now also a WorldSkills judge.

“Ultimo TAFE is an excellent facility, and the teachers are really up to date with the latest technology and repair processes. They even teach us additional skills that are outside the course requirements, such as TIG welding. They really are committed to passing on their own skills and knowledge.”

When Mark retired from Awdon’s at the end of 2022, one of Robert’s friends at Hornsby BMW said they were looking for good people and suggested he reach out for an interview, after which he was offered a role. “I am so thrilled to work on one of the world’s most prestigious brands every day. The team here is just excellent, and we all work together to help each other so we deliver the best repair for Hornsby BMW customers.”

Ash Youkhana, manager at Hornsby BMW Bodyshop, added: “Robert is such a smart, respectful and passionate young man who is mature beyond his years. Although relatively new to our prestige collision repair facility, his attention to detail is reflective of his background in restorations. I have no doubt he will go a long way in our industry.”

When I asked Robert who has had the most influence on his career, albeit still in its infancy, he told me it was his dad in the early years and then Mark Donnelly. “With my experience with both restos and collision repairs, I can honestly say I enjoy both types of work. The fabrication work is more of an art form, whereas working on cars with all the latest technology is a great learning experience.”

When I asked Robert to look five years down the track and tell me where he expects to be, he said: “I still have a lot to learn, so I am focused on becoming the best technician that I can be. In five years, I think I’ll still be a novice, but will endeavour to deliver high quality repairs.”

Robert’s more immediate challenge is the WorldSkills National Championships in Melbourne next month, where he will represent Sydney Central in the Auto Body Repair category. “The regionals were really tight, with only four points between the Top 3, and I was so thrilled to come out on top.”

To wind up the discussion, Robert told me about his own cars. “My daily drive is a Fiat Punto, which is a small hatch, although I’ve just finished restoring my 1982 Fiat 132 Super Brava. I did all the work myself from panel to paint.”

Editor: Hornsby BMW and Ultimo TAFE are to be congratulated for developing such an excellent young talent.

With his own personal drive and commitment to succeed, Robert is indeed a worthy Future Leader of the Industry.

Robert Polito.

IAG’s ongoing support and sponsorship of these awards is greatly appreciated, as is the support from I-CAR Australia, who donates two training courses valued at over $500 to each Future Leader of the Industry.

4 0 – FUTURE LEADERS

Industry Training and Events proudly brought to you by I-CAR Australia

Fuelling I-CAR’s

Vision and Mission I-CAR wouldn’t exist without the dedicated, committed staff of professionals working tirelessly to advance the organisation’s vision and mission. Meet Mike Mertes, the “Old School Gamer” who is “fuelling I-CAR’s vision and mission” by redefining the future of technician training with innovative programs that incorporate all things extended reality.

When it comes to advanced vehicle collision repair training, Mike Mertes is bringing his A-Game to the table. A tech guru and self-proclaimed gamer, Mertes is a lifelong learner, and his passion for upping I-CAR’s training game through heavy doses of technology and gaming culture learning is clear to see – especially if you’re wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset.

“Our society is at a fascinating intersection of gaming culture, technology and education,” Mertes explained. “Those who can leverage and align with this moment can recognise some real benefits related not just to training, but to talent attraction and retention.” In his role as I-CAR’s learning innovation and technology manager, Mertes is responsible for the development of engaging learning experiences under the umbrella of extended reality (XR) – this includes augmented reality (AR), VR, interactive video and 360-degree videos.

Advancing the game The head-spinning tech advancements within the automotive industry, coupled with a growing shortage of technicians, have significantly elevated the need for advanced, accessible and engaging training.

Enter gaming technology. Think surgical residents participating in an intricate heart procedure from behind the window or pilots in training navigating harrowing conditions. Mertes

himself earned his forklift licence working through the lens of a VR headset.

Levelling up Drawing on his 20 years of experience in the IT and video game entertainment fields, Mertes has taken a close look at gaming culture’s impact on the future of tomorrow’s collision repair technicians to help inform and shape the delivery of I-CAR’s next-level training programs.

He notes that the positive effects developed through gaming range from quick decision-making and measured risk-taking to flexibility, stepping out of a comfort zone and taking pride in “unlocking” levels of achievement.

Likewise, he examined how this impact translates to best practices for training approaches and future training and learning needs. Mertes asserts that training needs to be “tested, true and positive” and has identified these “new world” training considerations: l must be relevant and involve decisions l must be entertaining and engaging l must be challenging but doable; failure empowers to try again, not quit l allow for practising new knowledge/skills and comparing performance to others.

Contact: I-CAR Australia Office and Postal Address: Unit 1, 100 Park Road, Slacks Creek Qld 4127

4 2 – INDUSTRY TRAINING AND EVENTS

Removing barriers “I do, therefore I learn” is a saying Mertes is fond of sharing, which underscores that hands-on experiences really help to cement learning by encouraging better information retention and overall understanding.

Need to learn how to safely conduct an EV repair without the threat of high voltage? Can’t physically make it to a training facility halfway across the county? Missing that particular tool in your tool kit? No problem. That’s where innovative tools like VR and AR come in, Mertes explained.

“These new tools help to eliminate barriers, providing hands-on and interactive experiences, regardless of previous knowledge, location, or availability of traditional tools and equipment,” said Mertes.

Participants can view a repair and even suggest what repair path to take; whether successful or not, it provides a valuable lesson. Techs can select tools and walk through an actual repair themselves with an instructor “live” on their screen. Or how about pulling up a service procedure on a portion of the lens/screen for quick reference while completing a repair? And that’s just scratching the surface.

Old school is new school Mertes’ office inside I-CAR’s Chicago Technical Center (CTC) is a colourful representation of his life’s work and interests, old and new. An original 1995 Nintendo Virtual Boy headset and mini Donkey Kong games share space with an array of the latest AR/VR headsets. Also displayed are issues of Old School Gamer, the magazine for which he serves as associate editor in his spare time.

And right next door is his “real” office – the CTC’s Learning Innovation and Design Studio, or his “game room” for R&D, complete with a 10 ft. by 6 ft.

Telephone: 07 3219 9088 email: admin@i-car.com.au

interactive screen at the ready to explore the new frontiers of XR for the future of training.

“It’s another tool in the toolbox to inspire future generations of technicians to continue learning,” he said. “We have to speak their language, and the gaming culture provides a perfect backdrop. I couldn’t be more excited about where the future of training is headed, with ICAR leading the way.”

“Mike’s unique expertise in both gaming and IT, coupled with his energy and creativity, help elevate our training solutions, providing fresh approaches to training engagement, which ties into our vision, ‘That every person in the collision repair industry has the information, knowledge and skills required to perform complete, safe and quality repairs for the ultimate benefit of the consumer,’” said Bud Center, I-CAR’s director of technical products and curriculum. “He is relentless in his quest to unlock that next level of learning innovation.”

Gamer talk Here are some terms and definitions to help you get into the game: XR is an umbrella term for all realand-virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions generated by computer technology and wearables.

This includes AR, VR and mixed reality.

AR is the integration of digital information with a user’s environment in real time. Unlike VR, which creates a totally artificial environment, AR users experience a real-world environment with an overlay of generated perceptual information.

VR is the use of computer technology to create a simulated environment that enables users to interact and explore in a way that approximates reality.

360-degree videos, also known as surround or immersive videos, are recordings where a view in every direction is recorded at the same time.

Played on a normal flat display, the viewer has control of the viewing direction like a panorama. It can also be played on a display or projectors that are arranged in a sphere. VR headsets like the Meta Quest 2 can also be utilised to play 360-degree videos, putting viewers right in the centre of the action.

Reproduced from I-CAR’s Collision Reporter Issue 21

Calendar of events KNOWING WHAT’S COMING UP AND WHEN IT’S ON

Red CentreNATS 1–3 September 2023 – Alice Springs Motorclassica 6–8 October 2023 – Melbourne The SEMA Show 31 October to 3 November 2023 – Las Vegas

Training contacts 3M Australia George Di Scala Tel: 0400 382 649

PPG Australia Pty Ltd www.ppgrefinish.com.au/training VIC/TAS:(03) 8586 0000 NSW/ACT: (02) 9854 6600 QLD/NT: (07) 3823 8000 SA: 0412 832 919 WA: 0437 902 125

AkzoNobel Paul Horvath Tel: (03) 9644 1711 Axalta Coating Systems Product training Axalta services Tel: 1800 292 582

Protec Tel: 1800 076 466

BASF Australia Ltd James Green Tel: 0402 110 378

Saint Gobain Customer Service Tel: 1300 007 650 Michelle Morgan Tel: 0425 516 894

Dents R Us Training Academy Laury Chibnall Tel: 0438 383 555

SAPE Automotive Training Academy Tel: (02) 9772 9000

iBodyshop E: seminars@ibodyshop.com Tel: 1300 361 541

sia Abrasives Tel: 1300 742 123

I-CAR Australia Brisbane Office Admin Tel: (07) 3219 9088

Thatcham-Escribe www.thatchamescribe.com.au Tel: 1300 769 348

Stork Tactica (Fusor and Farecla) Tel: (03) 9560 6060

U-POL Tel: 0400 366 483

Mipa Australia Pty Ltd Tel: 1800 647 228

Sherwin Williams Tel: (02) 4368 4054 The National Collision Repairer – 4 3

Custom Corner with Owen Webb

FORGED An awesome XY Falcon

OWEN TAKES US THROUGH THE BUILD PROCESS OF ONE OF THE BEST CARS EVER BUILT IN AUSTRALIA. A DECADE IN THE MAKING, FORGED IS MORE A CREATION THAN A BUILD, AND IT WAS A GREAT THRILL TO SEE IT UNVEILED. MotorEx 21 saw the unveiling of the 10year build of Dan Morton’s XY Falcon “Forged”. We originally showed this car in Bare Metal at MotorEx in Sydney back in 2010. It was ahead of its time then and is still current with all the trends today.

Pat O’Shea and his team from Pat’s Pro Resto’s in Beaudesert have done an amazing job with this build. It truly is a one-off build – everything hand fabricated to the next level of builds in Australia.

The whole team is so humble, and it was so good to see them stand back and take the unveiling in at MotorEx and enjoy the experience. The display was also amazing, with an incredible amount of work and thought put into it, allowing the stance to be seen on one side and all the mechanicals and undercarriage

on the other.

Most businesses only have one build to this level in them as it takes so much out of them physically, mentally, and financially. The photos tell the build story, but I’ll outline some of the features.

It has a fully fabricated, custom chassis with a roll cage integrated into pillars, engine bay and boot. The window apertures have been modified and are tighter than usual, the inner wheel arches are custom fabricated, and it has a fully flat floor undercarriage.

Forged has a totally handfabricated body with only the centre of the roof unmodified, and every panel is handmade and gapped perfectly. It has smooth drip rails, a curved bodyline through both sides, lowered sills and has

Fabrication of the chassis.

4 4 – CUSTOM CORNER

been widened through rear doors and quarter panels. The door hinges have even been fabricated smooth, and the tail lamps, park lamps and entire grille assembly have been billet machined.

The interior is fully fabricated with a sheet metal floor, console, wheel tubs, firewall and an integrated roll cage. The interior finish is superb, with smooth and embossed leather Lamborghini front seats with feature stitching, while the boot has been fully customised, including access panels. There is also a fabricated 3Dprinted dash with custom gauges and billet forged kick plates.

The drive train is dominated by a Kaase Boss Nine, 900 horsepower stack electronic fuel injection intake manifold matched to a TCI 4160e 6X transmission with sequential paddle shift and a Strange truetrac diff with carbon fibre tail shaft. There are modified and smoothed parts throughout, with a gold thin-film Cerakote protective ceramic finish, custom-made headers, fully handmade mufflers and a bespoke exhaust system.

What really catches the eye is the finish. Even every nut, bolt, washer and line is coated with gold Cerakote, and the entire car was sanded using the full range of 800 to 5000 grit. After 600 hours of priming, rubbing, paint application, flow coating, sanding and buffing, including every external and

Refinishing the bodywork.

The billet grille.

internal panel and the undercarriage being painted, cut and buffed, Forged was finished with BASF’s ultra-premium Glasurit basecoat and clearcoat. What an amazing result.

Now, back to MotorEx, where Forged was a huge draw card with the crowd – and with the judges. Although there were a lot of amazing cars, some

of which we featured last month, Forged really cleaned up, winning the bodywork, paint, engineering, engine bay, interior and design categories, plus a second place with its display. It was no surprise then that all this led to Dan Morton and Forged taking out the Grand Master title for 2023.

This is only an overview of this

build; it would take many more pages to run through all the modifications and the quality of the finish on this car. Look at the photos, but if you can get the opportunity to see this car, spend the time to take it all in. Some amazing cars have been built in Australia over the years, but this Falcon sets the new benchmark.

The upholstery is pure class.

The fully customised floor pan housing the exhaust system.

Showcasing the Cerakote ceramic protection in the engine bay.

The Kaase Boss Nine powerplant.

Owen Webb is a leading figure within the auto re-styling and vehicle modification industry and a Lifetime Achievement Award inductee. He is Technical and Training Manager at Concept Paints.

The National Collision Repairer – 4 5

Product Showcase AkzoNobel’s Carbeat delivers for US customers AkzoNobel reports that its automotive refinishing customers in the US are reducing key-to-key cycle times using Carbeat, a data-driven digital project management process simplifying the shopfloor workflow, while tracking critical data using a seamless blend of technology and services.

According to the company, its customers are experiencing a 10 to 15% reduction in vehicle cycle time by applying the Carbeat visual communication and data management processes, which, depending on a shop’s volume of vehicle repairs, may result in reducing the total time required to repair a vehicle by one to three days.

“Carbeat is directly contributing to our upward trajectory in optimising the key-to-key cycle time,” explained Brian Nichols, an owner of Cascade Collision Repair, with seven locations in Utah. “It’s taken the chaos out of automotive repairs, from the technician’s time with a vehicle to real-time parts updates that can be visualised by the shop team.

Initially, I was sceptical of Carbeat’s

capabilities, and I’m so glad AkzoNobel has proven me wrong. All of our shops have embraced the transformation these digital tools provide us on a daily basis.”

Carbeat enables shop owners to track every vehicle movement, providing real-time transparency of the shop’s operations and a powerful and intuitive digital production workflow dashboard that collects all datapoints while a vehicle cycles through the repair shop.

“My primary interest is how a supplier, like AkzoNobel, can create value to my business,” stated Brian

Martin, director of Auto Collision, Lexus of Pembroke Pines and Lexus of North Miami, which collectively generates $1.8 million per month in revenue in providing vehicle repair services.

“Carbeat has helped us refine our lean processes, in reducing wasted movement as vehicles cycle through the shop and saving about three days per vehicle by dialling in on our bottlenecks.

Instead of dropping a can of paint, AkzoNobel provides overall value, and Carbeat is a significant part of that transformational process.”

The latest WorkShop Solutions from Car-O-Liner Car-O-Liner’s latest WorkShop Solutions mean that you can configure the workshop as you wish to enhance productivity and efficiency. WorkShop Solutions provide organised inventory control solutions such as tool boards, wall sections and separators that allow you to configure unique work bay designs to meet your collision repair workshop’s space requirements.

Trolleys can easily be moved to where they are most needed, thus increasing efficiency and cycle times.

With WorkShop Solutions, you can increase your profitability by ensuring that your workshop is well planned and organised. Parts silhouettes on the tool boards ensure that repairs can be completed more quickly and efficiently as tools and equipment are always in their correct places – no need for the technician to waste time finding what is needed to complete the job.

Features and benefits l Parts silhouettes ensure tools are returned to the proper location, leading to effective inventory control. l Ergonomic layout ensures technicians can find tools and complete repairs faster.

4 6 – PRODUCT SHOWCASE

l The attractive and organised

workshop increases customer confidence. l High quality, sturdy construction holds multiple parts, giving a long life with low maintenance costs. l Space saving design maximises the use of wall or wagon space. l The product range is flexible and matches multiple global car manufacturers’ parts designs. l LEAN production practices. l Easy to attach/detach and move the wall panels and shelves from walls

to tool wagons.

The working environment of a collision repair workshop plays a crucial role in the overall customer experience.

It is here that the customers form their perception of your workshop and your brand, just as it is here that each employee’s sense of belonging, pride and personal responsibility is created.

Car-O-Liner – when only the best will do!

For more information, contact www.car-o-liner.com.au or call Car-OLiner Australia on Tel: (02) 4271 6287.

Long-life stripping with Norton Blaze Remove rust, paint, and coatings from various automotive surfaces quickly and effectively with Long Life Norton Blaze Rapid Strip. Its advanced ceramic grain technology delivers exceptional cutting power and longevity, ensuring consistent performance throughout the entire surface preparation process.

One of the standout features of Norton Blaze Rapid Strip is its remarkable time-saving efficiency, enabling collision repair technicians to complete their tasks in record time. The disc’s aggressive cutting action minimises the need for multiple passes, reducing labour costs and boosting productivity.

Rapid Strip discs are designed for surface removal on flat or shaped metal parts, de-rusting, de-scaling weld beads and removing old

paintwork. Their open structure prevents clogging and extends service life significantly, with the nylon fibre composition also preventing marking of the work surface.

Ideally suited to metal, the discs can also be used on cast iron, steel, aluminium, fibreglass and composites.

The non-woven disc enables it to be used on sticky coating, adhesives and soft metals such as aluminium without clogging whilst also preventing snagging or shedding like a cloth or fibre disc may.

The product is available in multiple forms – quickchange discs in 50 and 75mm and depressed centre discs in 100, 115, 125 and 178mm.

For more information, call Saint-Gobain on 1300 007 650, or visit http://www.saintgobain.com.au

GUNIWHEEL now available from the SAPE Group The GUNIWHEEL is the ultimate universal tyre and wheel mounting system. If your body shop is full of vehicles on lifts with the wheels removed, it can seriously impact your productivity and, more importantly, your profitability. It may appear that you have no option to relocate these vehicles until the wheels have been reinstalled and the repairs completed.

Those days are over!

The GUNIWHEEL System is the ultimate alternative to unsafe jacks. Too often, we have all heard the horror stories of failing jacks, injuries to shop workers and damage to customers’ cars. There simply must be a better way! That’s where GUNIWHEEL delivers.

The exclusive patent design allows for easy mounting on most 4- or 5-hole bolt patterns. This is the ideal solution for a body shop or even an enthusiast. Use this system on your car, truck, SUV, car trailer, boat trailer, camper and so much more.

Each GUNIWHEEL is tested in an OEM testing facility to ensure safety and reliability when used as directed. It is the perfect industry-wide tool for: l Collision shops – free up work bays when wheels are missing or out for repair. l Restoration and custom builds – use as rollers to keep vehicles safely mounted to the wheel hub and fully mobile. l Towing and recovery – use on flatbeds for stolen wheels or flat jobs. l Wheel repair – eliminate vehicle damage caused by unstable or poorly positioned jack stands.

l Storage – eliminate flat spots and dry rot for trailers,

campers, and stored vehicles.

The GUNIWHEEL is available in two models: l GUNIWHEEL 45S. For all cars, light SUVs, crossovers, and EVs. Fits most 4- or 5-bolt pattern vehicles with a max centre bore of 77 mm. Holds 1134 kg per wheel. U.S. Patent #D874387. l GUNIWHEEL 56. For trucks and large SUVs. Fits most 5- or 6-bolt pattern vehicles with a max centre hub of 110 mm.

Holds 1134 kg per wheel. U.S. Patent #D874387. l GUNIHUB 45. The universal rotating hub is used when brakes are disengaged or when a car is stuck in the parked gear.

Just install the GUNIHUB to any 4- or 5-lug bolt for full wheel rotation.

For further information, call the SAPE Group on Tel: (02) 9772 9097 or visit: https://www.sapegroup.com.au/ and search for GUNIWHEEL.

The National Collision Repairer – 4 7

Product Showcase Dolphin Premium Body Filler Medium Introduced to the auto refinish industry several years ago, the Dolphin body filler range has become an industry standard, as refinish professionals describe Dolphin Medium as an all-round highly workable, usable, and versatile product that is easy to use. Put simply, it is a productivity tool.

The U-pol Dolphin Premium filler range is a unique blend of resins and fine filler systems developed and perfected by U-pol through years of research and product experience. A little-known fact: U-pol invented automotive body filler 70 years ago and has been perfecting its range ever since.

Dolphin Medium is part of a range of special-purpose fillers, but if you only want to stock one, it is a great allrounder that is suitable for 90% of filling jobs.

While not strictly a deep filler, it can be used for quite deep filling and sands back to an ultra-fine finish.

It’s an easy-to-sand body filler that will not clog up the abrasive. Dolphin fillers dry with a tack-free surface. Feathering properties are excellent, and Dolphin is compatible with most paint systems.

After mixing in the hardener, Dolphin is thick but pliable, providing a balance between spreadability and holding strength. Dolphin has excellent non-sag characteristics, making it perfect for filling vertical surfaces. Fast curing and easy to sand, Dolphin filler reduces cycle times and increases body shop throughput.

It sticks to all substrates with high adhesion to metals, SMC, fibreglass, aluminium, galvanised steel and lightly abraded e-coat. The fast cure technology means you can mix, spread and sand the filler within 20 minutes, and it doesn’t drag off the surface as you apply it.

To achieve superior smoothness for high-end concourse paint projects, it is

perfect for filling tiny imperfections when used in conjunction with Dolphin Glaze. It’s a fine finishing filler used by body shop professionals to achieve an ultra-smooth finish prior to painting. The self-levelling formula is exceptionally easy to apply.

Dolphin Medium Body Filler is one of U-pol’s flagship products underpinning their company slogan – Driving Surface Perfection – and is available from most refinish product distributors.

For more information, call the U-pol national sales office on Tel: (02) 4731 2655.

PPG highlights coatings for EVs As the global vehicle market turns to electrification, PPG is helping to lead the charge with a growing portfolio of paints and coatings technologies designed for battery electric vehicles (BEV).

Recently, the company took the opportunity to showcase its specialist range at “The Battery Show” in Stuttgart, Germany. The comprehensive PPG exhibit included battery fire protection and thermal management solutions, along with dielectric coating systems that improve performance, durability and safety. This was supported by a suite of other PPG coatings innovations supporting the shift to BEVs. A key aim was to highlight PPG’s coatings solutions for designing, constructing and producing lithium-ion battery cells, modules, and packs. These coatings enhance performance, safety and manufacturability, enabling vehicle makers and battery and component

4 8 – PRODUCT SHOWCASE

manufacturers to accelerate the development of energy storage solutions.

“Battery electric vehicles are the new frontier in sustainable mobility,” said Cedric Zipperlin, PPG’s Commercial Excellence, Automotive Coatings, EMEA director. “Along with protecting and beautifying vehicles, PPG delivers

innovative and customer-specific lithium-ion battery pack solutions that touch virtually every area of battery design and construction. These innovative technologies improve driver safety, assist customers in meeting sustainability goals and increase manufacturability.”

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