Mercedes-Benz Approves PPG Brands for All Repairs
Daimler AG, manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has approved PPG’s Global Refinish System, including its Envirobase High Performance waterborne basecoat, for repair in North America of all Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. In addition, PPG’s Delfleet commercial coatings system has been approved for repair of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles. The approvals were based on the results of a four-day
Washington Shop Warns of Phone Scam
A Vancouver, Wash., body shop is warning others of a possible scam involving relay phone service for the hearing impaired. On Feb. 6, a customer called Alpine Auto Body via the phone service claiming to need a tow to Vancouver from Texas and the cash to pay for it. Shop manager Jim McCoy told KPTV
STRANGE BUT TRUE: Cars with Bloated Bodies are Modern Art
Contemporary Austrian sculptor Erwin Wurm has taken on a weighty topic with a recent sculpture series: our dependence on automobiles and obesity. But the result, “Fat Cars,” seems more silly than serious. Wurm’s candy-colored car creations have bloated, oversized bodies that look more like chewed-up wads of bubble gum than driving machines. The Fat Cars’
CREW Webcast to Spotlight Success in a Challenging Economy
The Collision Repair Executive Webcast (CREW) announced that its upcoming Web presentation will host a panel of leading media experts, including BodyShop Business Editor Jason Stahl, presenting information on “Positioning Your Business to Succeed in a Challenging Economic Environment.” The Feb. 12 presentation will focus on the latest industry statistics, trends, issues and opportunities related
2009 PPG Vibrance Collection Show Truck Spending Eight Months on the Road
PPG’s Vibrance Collection show truck – a 75-foot 2007 Freightliner Coronado tractor-trailer rig, custom-painted in PPG Vibrance Collection colors – will make 21 stops at truck, car and hot rod shows and events in its March-to-November tour. PPG driver Chad Hook will take the truck to its cross-country appearances. The schedule includes stops at established
AkzoNobel Appoints Services Managers for U.S. Markets
AkzoNobel announced the appointment of Barry Rinehart and Scott Wheeler to the positions of services managers for the Eastern and Western U.S. markets, respectively. These appointments solidify the company’s commitment to the industry in the areas of knowledge and process management, AkzoNobel says. “The profitability of our customers through more efficient practices has been one
U.S. Miles Driven Dropped 13 Straight Months Through Nov. ’08
Despite falling gas prices in the final months of 2008, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the United States dropped for the 13th straight month in November 2008 by 12.9 billion, or 5.3 percent, compared to the same month a year earlier, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reported. The FHWA says it’s the largest November decline
One in Six U.S. Drivers Will Be Uninsured By 2010, Study Says
A study issued by the Insurance Research Council (IRC) indicates that the national rate of uninsured motorists will jump to 16.1 percent, or one in six drivers, by 2010 as a result of the recent economic downturn. In 2007, 13.8 percent of motorists were uninsured. The report cites a correlation between the unemployment rate and
Connecticut Anti-Steering Law Now in Effect
A new law that requires disclosure to consumers that they have the right to choose the repair facility to complete repairs to their motor vehicles is now in effect in Connecticut. The law, passed in June 2008 and effective Jan. 1, requires insurance companies to include the following notice on all issued insurance cards: “You
Connecticut’s Anti-Steering Law Now in Effect
A new law that requires disclosing to consumers that they have the right to choose the repair facility to complete repairs to their motor vehicles is now in effect in Connecticut. The law, passed in June 2008, took effect Jan. 1, 2009 and requires insurance companies to include the following notice on all issued insurance
Lawmakers Mull Federal Oversight of Insurers
Federal oversight of the insurance industry appears to be more likely as President Barack Obama and members of Congress roll out plans to address the country’s economic woes in what experts say is the largest regulatory overhaul since the Great Depression. House Financial Services Chair Barney Frank (D-Mass) said this week that his top priority
Lawmakers Mull Federal Oversight of Insurers
Federal oversight of the insurance industry appears to be more likely as President Barack Obama and members of Congress roll out plans to address the country’s economic woes in what experts say is the largest regulatory overhaul since the Great Depression. House Financial Services Chair Barney Frank (D-Mass) said this week that his top priority