I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, announced it will once again have a large presence at the NACE | CARS Conference and Expo, which is returning to the Cobo Center in Detroit July 21-25. I-CAR will feature daily live presentations and technical demonstrations geared toward providing the latest information to help drive the industry forward.

I-CAR’s Main Stage lineup of presentations, delivered by OEM experts from BMW, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, GM and Toyota, along with I-CAR and other industry leaders, will deliver the most up-to-date information straight from the source. Kicking off the expo Thursday on the I-CAR Main Stage will be an in-depth and fact-filled presentation by I-CAR CEO and President John Van Alstyne, along with Frank Laviola, Enterprise Holdings assistant vice president of collision industry relations, Insurance Replacement division, who will share how data has proven that training improves shop performance, leading to reduced risk, profitable performance and customer loyalty. I-CAR is also providing free lunch to the first 100 audience members. Immediately following will be a press conference that’s open to all attendees and will allow time for media Q&A.

“We’re excited to have an exceptional presence at NACE | CARS again this year, working closely with ASA to deliver an outstanding lineup of OEM and industry leader presentations, along with demonstrations on the latest techniques and materials used daily in performing safe and quality collision repairs,” said John Van Alstyne, I-CAR CEO and president. “Our footprint in Detroit will allow us to continue bringing education and knowledge to our core audiences, as well as share the proof behind the ROI of training, which I am excited to present and kick off at the expo on the I-CAR Main Stage.”

Other Main Stage presentations on Thursday, July 23 include:

• Gerry Bonnani, senior engineer, Paint and Body Repair, Ford Motor Company, highlighting “2015 F-150 Repair Information”
• BMW’s Greg Profeta sharing “Efficient Lightweight Carbon Fiber in Body Design and Repair”
• Joseph DiDonato, Eric Mendoza, Dan Hodges and James Meyer from Toyota will wrap up the first day with “Toyota Presents: Repair Planning the Toyota Way”

The executive lineup continues on Friday with I-CAR’s presentation, “How to Drive Bottom Line Improvements with Production Management,” leading into I-CAR’s launch of a new PDP role for the industry. I-CAR will then moderate an industry panel discussion on Collision Repair Diagnostics. Panel participants include:

• Dustin Harrier, director of quality assurance, Western U.S., Service King Collision Repair Centers
• Chuck Olson, director of diagnostics and technical support, Collision Diagnostic Services (CDS)
• Jake Rodenroth, corporate operations manager at ABRA Auto Body & Glass
• Dennis Williamson, VCS product development manager, Snap-On Diagnostics.

Following the panel, John Hughes, collision repair specialist from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, will share insights on Carbon Fiber Usage and Structural Repair.

The expo has been extended this year through Saturday, July 25th. I-CAR will be keeping the audience engaged with Jason Bartanen, director of industry technical relations, presenting on “Volkswagen Collision Repair” as well as “Vehicle Technology Trends & Collision Repair Considerations.”

NACE attendees can find daily live demonstrations at the I-CAR Demo Zone. I-CAR has coordinated the I-CAR Demo Zone schedule with the I-CAR Main Stage schedule so that when there aren’t presentations on the Main Stage, there are demonstrations going on at the back of the hall at the I-CAR Demo Zone. I-CAR’s Industry Technical Support Manager Steve Marks will instruct on:

• “Aluminum MIG Welding – Tuning Techniques and Machine Settings”
• “Understanding Carbon Fiber Design and Repair Techniques”
• “Riveting and Rivet-Bonding: What You Need To Know”
• “Joining Advanced High-Strength Steels: MIG Welding, MIG Brazing, and Spot-Welding”

The Carbon Fiber and Rivet Bonding demos will be presented twice during the expo to provide additional exposure to these two high-demand topics.

Showgoers can take advantage of continuing education delivered on-site by registering for I-CAR classes as well. I-CAR is offering seven classes held at various times during NACE that will provide relevant education and help prepare technicians for new advancements in design and repair techniques resulting from the “technical tsunami.” All classes are part of the Professional Development Program and count toward renewing Gold Class in specific roles. In recent studies, Gold Class businesses have proven to outperform non-Gold Class shops, and I-CAR representatives will be on hand in the I-CAR booth to share some of these statistics.

Also at the I-CAR booth, attendees will have the opportunity to experience interactive welding demonstrations. When attendees visit booth no. 553, they can test their ability to identify good welds and then watch the destructive test of those welds to see if they were right. Seventy percent of technicians who take the Welding Training and Certification class fail the initial test prior to the course, reinforcing the importance of welding training for every technician who welds.

Booth visitors can also learn about new products, go through the latest website enhancements, and access the Repairability Technical Support (RTS) portal, which offers the latest in OEM technical information needed to properly and safely repair vehicles.

In support of I-CAR, NACE is offering Gold Class shops and Platinum individuals a 50 percent discount to attend the conference and exposition to encourage top-performing shops and individuals to attend the trade show, training and conference sessions.

To see everything that NACE has to offer during Industry Week, click here.  To view a full schedule of I-CAR events or for more information on I-CAR’s full education and knowledge portfolio, click here. To read more on NACE | CARS 2015, click here.