The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has announced that the Indianhead Auto Body Association (IABA) has joined its network of affiliate associations.
IABA was founded in 1986 to represent the interests of the collision repair industry in the 22-county Indianhead region of west central and northwestern Wisconsin. Members includes collision repair facilities, suppliers and vendors who wish to promote professionalism and profitability in the auto body repair industry. The shops in this part of the country tend to be smaller independents that grapple with the challenges specific to sole proprietorships. Though the area is known for its great natural beauty and as a paradise for hunting and fishing, it is remote, making it hard for an operator to keep a finger on the pulse of the industry.
After gaining increased exposure to SCRS and its leadership at the last few SEMA Shows, IABA members started to see firsthand how the association could function as a communication link, providing a fresh line of information streaming in from the national and global scene.
"It seems like more gets thrown at our industry each and every day, which makes it more important than ever to keep informed," said IABA President Brian Keeler. "SCRS will help us stay on top of issues that affect our members so we can plan ahead and deal with them, giving our membership the greatest advantage."
The IABA also sees SCRS’s Repairer Driven Education (RDE) as an integral part of its members’ growth potential.
"Shops need to arm themselves with technical and management training if they want to survive," Keeler said. "Being part of SCRS gives us easy access to the right type of instruction and a lineup of great guest speakers. We look forward to affiliating with an organization that does so much to ensure the business and financial health of its membership."
"The Indianhead Auto Body Association represents the best interests of an important but often overshadowed segment of our industry: the smaller independent," said SCRS Chairman Ron Reichen. "We admire their efforts and longevity, and look forward to supporting them. The benefits of affiliation works both ways, and we are also looking forward to feedback from their leadership during our regular affiliate calls and leadership conference so that we can keep our finger on the pulse of the unique challenges they face, so SCRS can better understand them and assist where possible."
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