Nine Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Centers Converting to Waterborne with PPG
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL), a global provider of vehicle factory-to-dealer integrated logistics solutions, has selected PPG’s Envirobase High Performance basecoat to convert its nine Americas region vehicle processing centers from solventborne to a waterborne paint system. The centers are located throughout North America at WWL operations and are equipped for vehicle services such as upgrades,
Sherwin-Williams and Barrett-Jackson Launch Custom Paint Line
Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes Corp. (SWAFC) and Barrett-Jackson Auction House have created a new line of Planet Color custom automotive paint colors reminiscent of classic muscle cars and colors used by today’s top custom car builders. Made from a series of optically enhanced custom automotive paints containing special combinations of highly reflective additives, Planet Color offers
I-CAR Celebrating 30th Anniversary at July Gathering
I-CAR announced that it will celebrate its 30th anniversary at its industry event, July 28 through Aug. 1, 2009, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. “We had planned initially to coordinate the 30th anniversary celebration with Board and Membership activities in early February, and to hold that meeting at the Omni in D.C.
Penske Truck Leasing Opens New Body Shop in Georgia
Penske Truck Leasing announced the opening of a new collision repair center in the Atlanta suburb Lithia Springs, Ga. The new, 20,000-square-foot facility provides collision services for chassis, body and trailer repairs, vehicle refinishing, and frame and alignment work for commercial trucks and vehicles. The facility serves the needs of Penske’s own truck fleet and
AASP-MO 2009 Excel Conference Moves to Metro Location
The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Missouri (AASP-MO) announced a new location for the 28th Annual EXCEL Trade Show and Training Conference Sept. 18-20, 2009. The show will be held at the St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles, Mo. The event will feature management, technical and I-CAR training, and trade show exhibits featuring
March Taylor Memorial Fund Raffle Extended to January
The March Taylor Memorial Fund raffle to win a ProSpot i4 inverter spot welding system worth $21,000 has been extended until the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) gathering in Scottsdale, Ariz., Jan. 14-16, 2009, when a winner will be drawn. Raffle proceeds will benefit the March Taylor Memorial Fund, which assists collision repair technicians through educational
Mitchell Reports Record Sales for ABS and ABS Enterprise
Mitchell International, Inc., announced record sales of its shop management solutions – ABS and ABS Enterprise. Sales of Mitchell’s business management solutions were up by nearly 20 percent over the previous year despite the struggling economy, the company said. “We realize that this is a challenging time for the collision repair industry,” said Marc Brungger,
Insurance Group Testifies Against Setting Labor Rates at Final Massachusetts Hearing
The special commission studying the logistics, benefits and cost of developing an auto body repair labor rate system in Massachusetts held its second and final public hearing Nov. 13. The American Insurance Association (AIA) testified at the hearing that setting labor rates would be “a major step backwards in the effort to reform the private
Shops Claim Business Is Booming Despite Slow Economy
The economy is lagging, but some body shops are reporting booming business as vehicle owners choose to take care of their existing vehicles rather than shop for new ones. In Molalla, Ore., Price Auto Body owner Terry Price says that although the Ford dealership across the street from his shop has closed down, Price Auto Body
STRANGE BUT TRUE: Twin Potato Chip Trucks Crunch on Carolina Highway
Two Frito Lay delivery trucks traveling in opposite directions recently collided on a highway in Georgetown County, South Carolina, in a fender-bender that couldn’t “eat just one” potato chip…truck. Luckily, nobody was seriously injured in the Oct. 11 accident. The South Carolina Highway Patrol reported that a Frito Lay delivery truck traveling northbound on Highway
Claims Process is Next CREW Webcast Topic
The guest speakers for the upcoming Collision Repair Executive Webcast (CREW) will be J.D. Power and Associates Senior Director of Insurance Practice Jeremy Bowler and Senior Research Manager of Insurance Practice Mark Garrett. Bowler and Garrett will present a summary overview of the results of their annual insurance industry customer satisfaction study, “Improving Customer Satisfaction
California Bureau of Automotive Repair Cracks Down on Unlicensed Shops
Investigators with the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) conducted a sweep of 253 auto repair facilities in Los Angeles County on Nov. 12 and 13 to look for shops that were unlicensed or delinquent and found that 67 shops weren’t compliant with California law. “Unlicensed activity hurts all Californians,” said Department of Consumer Affairs