American Honda Launches Two Wholesale Parts Programs

TORRANCE, Calif., July 7, 2009 – American Honda Motor Co, Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of two new wholesale parts programs.

The “Collision Select Program”, available to both Honda and Acura dealers, is designed to help make participating dealers more competitive in the wholesale parts market. Supported by OEConnection’s CollisionLink product, participating dealers will be able to help body shops improve vehicle repair cycle time, reduce shop returns and administrative times, improve parts procurement work flow, and give shops an opportunity to use more Honda and Acura Genuine part.

American Honda’s “Bodyshop Recognition Program” is a collaborative agreement with the five main automotive refinish suppliers in the US including DuPont Performance Coatings, PPG, BASF, Sherwin-Williams, and Akzonobel to create a supporting program for Collision Select. Honda or Acura dealers participating in the Collision Select program are eligible to sponsor body shops of their choice for this program. The sponsored shops must meet certain requirements including their participation in their respective paint company’s performance enhancement program and the adoption and use of the CollisionLink product to electronically transmit parts orders to their sponsoring dealer. The CollisionLink software is available at no-charge to these body shops.

American Honda will recognize qualifying shops with a handsome recognition plaque and the shop’s contact information placed on a corporate American Honda website in a searchable database accessible by Honda and Acura owners.

PPG Automotive Refinish MVP Business Solutions Conference

PPG Automotive Refinish MVP Business Solutions Conference

PPG Industries’ MVP Business Solutions team will host a major conference for collision center owners and managers from across North America, Sept. 13-15 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. The conference will center on the theme of “Accelerating Performance” and focus on helping owners and managers develop and utilize their leadership skills to implement change and maximize their business performance.

“Past MVP conferences have focused on the challenges brought forth by the current business climate and the changes that are needed in order to stay competitive,” said Randy Dewing, senior manager, PPG Business Solutions. “At this conference, we’ve put together an exceptional combination of speakers and seminars to address leadership and execution skills that are so vital to future shop success.”

The conference will consist of management training, keynote speakers, breakout seminars and peer-to-peer discussion groups.

Attendance at the conference is open to owners and managers of collision centers using PPG Automotive Refinish products. For more information and to register for the conference, please visit the Conference website – click here.

Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger to Keynote ASRW Events — NACE and CARS

Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger to Keynote ASRW Events — NACE and CARS

The Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standards Council (AGRSS) in cooperation with ASA, NACE and CARS is excited to announce that Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, III, the heroic pilot who masterfully landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River earlier this year, saving 155 people, will serve as keynote speaker during the Opening General Session, sponsored by DuPont Performance Coatings. His address, scheduled for Thursday, November 5, 2009, will focus on how paramount safety is in a proper installation, proper collision or mechanical repair and proper operation of vehicles, thereby keeping the motoring public safely on the road. The upcoming International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair & Service (CARS) are sponsored by Automotive Service Association (ASA), are co-located at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 4-7 and take place during the second annual Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW). Auto Glass Week is also co-located during ASRW and features exhibits, education and competitions for the auto glass professional.

Keeping an “Eye” on Your Business

Video security and surveillance cameras

The “Eyes” Have It

Everyone agrees that you need to keep an eye on your business to be successful. Today’s closed circuit video surveillance systems take this concept to a new level. The first thing that may come to mind is “those cameras should really help prevent car theft” or “these systems will really upgrade the security of our facility.” While these statements may be true, better security is not the only benefit of having a video surveillance system protecting your business. Expand your thinking to include internal shrinkage, customer relations, lot damage, cash transactions and premises liability (customer slips and falls, etc.). But first, let’s talk about how the equipment works and what new technology is available.

Take a few minutes to download and read this informative paper on loss prevention from Zurich American Insurance Company.

13th Annual GCIA Invitational Golf Tournament

13th Annual GCIA Invitational Golf Tournament

Our annual Golf Tournament date has been set – October 7th, 2009 at the Chapel Hills Golf & Country Club in Douglasville, GA.

Chapel Hills has extended the same pricing and conditions as last year. Let’s all start inviting our corporate sponsors now so we can make sure we have a great event. Ask your parts vendors, rental car companies, suppliers and other vendors to participate as a sponsor in this year’s event.

It is never to early to start planning. We need volunteers for the Golf Tournament Committee. If you wish to volunteer, contact Howard Batchelor at Howard@GCIA.org or call him at 770-367-9816.

Download the full Golf Tournament Information Packet – click here. Includes all details, fees, map, and sponsorship investment information.

Free Webinar on Switching to Waterborne Coatings

Free Webinar on Switching to Waterborne

From CollisionWeek ©2009

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to host a free online Webinar to educate and familiarize collision repairers on the transition to waterborne.

The July 14 Waterborne Coatings Webinar will include a presentation from an I-CAR instructor on waterborne technology, perspectives from shops that have already made the switch to waterborne, and information on what it takes to make the switch and the pros and cons of waterborne. The free seminar will also provide information on different brands of waterborne coatings from actual customers using the products followed by a period for questions and answers.

The event is sponsored by the USEPA Region 10 Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Center (PPRC) and though there is no coast to participate in the event, pre-registration is required.

The webinar will begin at 9:00 am PDT (12 noon EDT) on Tuesday, July 14, 2009. Register online at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/460467650. Once you register, you will receive an email confirmation within 72 hours with instructions on how to access the webinar.

For more information, contact Chloe Birnel at cbirnel@pprc.org or 206-352-2050.

Long Island Press Exposes “Biggest Scam” in Auto Industry – Steering

Long Island Press Exposes “Biggest Scam” in Auto Industry – Steering
From CollisionWeek ©2009. All rights reserved.

In a new article entitled “Steering You Wrong”, published today in the Long Island Press, reporter Michael M. Martino, Jr. covers the topic of insurance company steering in the collision repair industry calling it “the biggest scam in the auto industry.”

Long Island Auto Body Repairmen’s Association, Inc. (LIABRA) and New York State Auto Collision Technicians Association (NYSACTA) Executive Director Ed Kizenberger is quoted in the article along with several local repairers, including Greg Cocarro, owner of North State Custom in Bedford Hills, New York and Randy Hassell, owner of Hassell Bros. Auto Body in Jamaica, Queens.

“While insurance companies vehemently deny that “steering” is practiced throughout the industry,” Martino writes, “the evidence gathered by a Press investigation suggests otherwise: from clandestine, meticulously orchestrated strategies to blatant disregard for legal language meant to protect consumers, some of the largest and most popular auto insurance companies in the nation are involved.”

The article specifically mentions Progressive, GEICO and Allstate.

Read the full article.

Georgia I-CAR Volunteers Organize Car Show for Education

From CollisionWeek ©2009

Industry professionals and general public were brought together on May 9, 2009 for the First Annual Spring Fling Car, Truck, and Bike Show in Kennesaw, Georgia hosted by the Atlanta I-CAR Volunteer Committee.

The event brought together industry professionals from the local Atlanta area to raise funds for Maxwell High School, a local career and technical school located in Lawrenceville, GA. In total, over $1,800 was raised for the school’s collision repair program and will go towards scholarships for instructors seeking additional training, as well as for students looking to attend future technical schools.

Committee Chairman, Peterson Santos stated that this committee, “will continue to look for ways to give back to the industry. Maxwell High has an excellent technical program and we are proud to help benefit their efforts.”

More than 70 vehicles entered the event’s car show with many models being represented- both new and classic. Organizers said the show was just the first of what should promise to be a very successful annual event.

“When we look for the next generation of collision technicians and employees for the industry, we are looking for young people who have a passion for working on cars and want to turn that passion into a rewarding career,” said Scott Kruger, I-CAR Education Foundation Executive Director. “The Atlanta I-CAR Committee’s Car, Truck and Bike Show was a fantastic event that not only helped their local school, it also celebrated ‘car culture’ and the artistry of people, young and old, working on their vehicles.”

The Atlanta I-CAR Volunteer Committee has representatives from 21st Century Insurance, ABRA Auto Body & Glass, Allstate Insurance, American Family Insurance, Athens Technical College, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Esurance, Gerber Auto Body, Keystone Automotive, Liberty Mutual Insurance, LKQ Parts, MAADA, Nalley Automotive, Nationwide Insurance, Sherwin Williams, State Farm Insurance, and Travelers Insurance.

If you are interested in hosting a fundraiser in your local area to benefit a collision school, please contact the I-CAR Education Foundation at 888.722.3787.

Next Collision Repair Executive Webcast June 18th

The Collision Repair Executive Web cast (CREW) is a topical, high-level collision industry geared web cast with a special guest speaker. The delivery format includes a web-based visual presentation of the content with a simultaneous audio conference call, so participants can find out the latest happenings in the industry from the conveyance of their home or office every other month.

Next Crew Webcast: Rental Car Management…Driving Performance

Collision Repair Executive Webcast (CREW) has announced that the guest speaker will be Dave Smith, Vice President of Strategic Solutions Enterprise. Dave will present how Enterprise through its rental car management approach is assisting collision repair operators and property and casualty insurance companies manage rental car expense and cycle time through its system wide focus on labor rental hours. CREW’s guest speaker Dave Smith will also discuss how Enterprise’s Automated Rental Management System, ARMS, and its various software applications assist in the capture, analysis and reporting of key rental car metrics to better manage the rental car process. The information presented by Dave will be further developed and enhanced through questions posed by Vincent Romans, Mathew Ohrnstein and Eric Bickett reflecting their unique perspectives on important and relevant questions and interests from our listening audience.

Date: 6/18/2009

Time:11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PDT

Go here to register: http://www.crewwebcast.com/

Improving Workshop Efficiency

Improving Workshop Efficiency: Lean production applied to collision repair

Presented by SCRS and GCIA

“Trim The Fat” by Improving Workshop Efficiency

Whether you are the owner of an independent business, the middle manager in a dealership, or the president of a multi -location shop network, this class will show you how to improve your profits and productivity. The fundamentals of this workshop are applicable to every aspect of the collision repair industry. It will truly change your traditional thinking of how to manage the entire collision repair process.

This is a revealing and compelling class on Japan’s achievement in revolutionizing their manufacturing capabilities through a few profound principles, which can be applied to any business around the globe. Once you are armed with these principles and simple tools, you will be able to change the way your organization operates and performs forever. Even if you have attended other shop management classes, this seminar will truly revolutionize the way you do business!

Who should attend?
The class is designed for shop owners, Production Managers and Fixed Operation Managers

What is the course objective?
To provide the participant with the skills, knowledge and tools necessary to improve their collision center’s quality, production output and profitability.

How long is the course?
The course is 7.5 hours of instruction in a hands-on workshop format.

What type of topics will be covered?

• The origins of “lean” production
• Running the shop more efficiently and effectively
• Raising the output quality while lowering operating costs
• Capturing more market share through continuous improvement
• Maximizing production and profit opportunities
• Developing systems and processes for assuring greater customer loyalty

How many employees can I bring?
As many as you would like, but keep in mind the class is limited to only 35 participants, SO REGISTER QUICK BEFORE IT FILLS UP!

When: Tuesday, August 18th – 8 am to 5 pm
Where: Atlanta Airport Marriott – 4711 Best Road – Atlanta, GA – 30337
Cost: GCIA Member – $225.00 … Non-member – $295.00

Registration Form will be available on this site soon.  Until then, contact GCIA Executive Director Howard Batchelor to get your name on the list. Call 770-367-9816 or email to Howard@GCIA.org.