With the forthcoming launch of the 2015 Ford F-150, the collision repair industry has been hungry for information about what the future holds as the best-selling truck in America becomes the first aluminum-bodied vehicle in its class. While production models haven’t hit local dealers yet, curious SEMA Show attendees who want a first glimpse at the vehicle construction can gain hands-on access to the truck body at the Ford Customer Service Division booth no. 16021 in the Westgate Las Vegas Resort.
The booth is located in the same hall as show registration and directly across the hallway from where Collision Industry Conference (CIC) meetings will be held on Thursday. Those who are looking to gain more information about the repairability of the vehicle, necessary tooling and equipment, and training options will be able to catch free educational sessions individually hosted by the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) and I-CAR each day of the show. Both organizations will welcome members of the Ford service engineering team onto the Collision Repair & Refinish Stage in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center as they present the 2015 Ford F-150 Collision Repair Program.
On Tuesday from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., one of the most popular new sessions in this year’s Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series will feature Larry Montanez of P&L Consultants presenting, “Aluminum Repair Procedures, Techniques and Requirements.” Registration will be available on site, but pre-registration will also be available at www.semashow.com/scrs.
On Thursday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Tim Ronak of AkzoNobel will present, “Getting Paid for Investing in Facility, Equipment and Training.” This session will explore the impact the investment in training and equipment has on gross profit percentages, and will identify mechanisms to offset business costs to justify suitable returns on capital expenditures.
On Friday from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., Ken Boylan of Chief Automotive Technologies will also provide another brief overview on aluminum in his presentation, “Aluminum 2014 and Beyond.”
On Wednesday, Nov., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., SCRS will host the first-ever OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit in the upper level of the LVCC North Hall in rooms N231-N241, which will specifically explore how automotive design and technology intersect with repairability, and how developments in this area impact the collision repair process and the professional businesses planning for their future in the ever-changing landscape of this industry. The first presenter on the agenda will be Doug Richman, technical committee chairman of the Aluminum Association’s Transportation Group. Richman will offer a glimpse into the technological advancements being made in the aluminum industry relative to the automotive market, and also give an overview of how their market is developing as a result of increased integration into the modern fleet. He will share reasons behind the automakers’ interest in, and use of, aluminum and what their industry is doing to aid in the development of that relationship.
The Summit agenda will also feature automakers such as Audi, BMW, Ford, GM, Mercedes, Toyota and Tesla. Some will speak to the influence repairability and alternative materials have on their advanced structural designs, while others will give added insight into the growing networks of OEM certification programs. In the afternoon, the agenda will feature certified collision repair centers that boast an array of OEM recognitions and experience in transitioning necessary costs of performing OEM repairs into a sustainable return on an ever-evolving investment. This program is available to anyone interested in attending, and pre-registration is encouraged to ensure a seat. Registration will be available on site, pending availability.
SCRS has created an opportunity to win one of Car-O-Liner’s mobile Aluminum Workstations (MSRP $10,049), which is included in the Ford F-150 Collision Repair Program and comes complete with tools and equipment to repair aluminum damage. The workstation is accompanied by a lifetime guarantee from Car-O-Liner and includes:
• Mobile cart with shelving, tool board and work area
• Aluminum spotter, 220V
• Carbon fiber pull bar dent pulling system with six jaws
• Hand puller
• Four professional-grade aluminum hammers
• Heat gun
• Heat barrier cool gel
• Digital pyrometer
• 4-mm studs
• Threaded pull washers
Repairers who are interested in winning these aluminum repair tools should come to SCRS’ booth no. 10849 in the Collision Repair & Refinish section of the North Hall for details to enter.
More information:
For additional assistance in registering, call (866) 229-3687.
