Repair materials, procedures and equipment were one of many focuses of the inaugural SCRS OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit held at the 2014 SEMA Show.
Doug Richman, technical committee chairman of the Aluminum Transportation Group, and David Rigg, project lead with the Auto/Steel Partnership (A/SP) Advanced High-Strength Steel Repairability Project, shared updates on materials and substrates of the present and future. Richman, who is also vice president of engineering and technology for Kaiser Aluminum, displayed statistics and projections from the 2015 Ducker Worldwide Survey of Automakers on the impact of aluminum-intensive vehicle design in the repair process. Rigg provided an overview of advancements in steel as a continued critical substrate in collision repair, and also shed light on the processes and goals of the A/SP AHSS Repairability Project.
Four panel discussions engaged attendees in discussions on the future of the industry. “Automobile Developments: How Automotive Manufacturing is Driving Change in the Repair Industry” and “Equipment Development: How Vehicle Design and Materials Relate to Equipment Longevity and Design” offered a glimpse into the automaker and equipment manufacturer perspective on how repairers can best prepare for the changes ahead in materials, tools and equipment used in the repair process.
“I always enjoy gaining the perspectives of other repairers who do what we do,” said SCRS Chairman Ron Reichen, who participated in the Marketplace Development discussion. “It felt almost like a 20 group on stage, and just serves to continue that mindset of continued communication. [Fellow panelist and SCRS Secretary] Kye Yeung put it perfectly when he noted that the certified repair facilities really do support one another, and work together to benefit promotion and protecting of the vehicle brand with the intention of helping the entire industry grow.”
“It’s evident that there is a passion amongst the manufacturers as well as a lot of repairers out there,” said Mark Allen, specialist, Collision Programs & Workshop Equipment, Audi of America, who sat on the Automobile Developments and OEM Certification Development panels. “These professionals want to perform the repairs the right way. My fear is that the appetite is not currently industry-wide, but events like the Collision Repair Technology Summit serve to get the message out and hopefully change that for the better. Today’s discussions have presented the attendees with a message to carry out to their colleagues on the importance of doing the repair the right way. It’s now time to continue to spread that message.”
“This is the beginning of a very long conversation, and one we intend to be part of from start to finish,” said SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg, addressing the crowd. “This does not end here today; not with the Society, not with any of you sitting here today and certainly not for our industry. As the technology continues to evolve, so too should the discussion. This is the first of many Collision Repair Technology Summits.”
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