I-CAR Instructor Stresses Importance of Welding Tests at CIC
I-CAR Program Instructor Toby Chess demonstratively emphasized the importance of having all technicians complete an I-CAR welding qualification test during a recent Collision Industry Conference meeting at NACE in Las Vegas. Chess passed around samples of welds that most people said looked fine, but that he was easily able to break apart with his bare
Letter to Ohio DOI Addresses Unregistered Shops
Consumer advocate/attorney Erica Eversman has sent a letter to the Ohio Department of Insurance (DOI) regarding insurance companies’ use of unregistered collision repair facilities in their DRP networks and also the DOI’s failure to address the issue despite her and others’ actions. “For the last several years, the Ohio Board of Motor Vehicle Collision Repair
QPC Says Growing Number of OEM Crash Part Design Patents Could Threaten Industry
The Quality Parts Coalition (QPC) says that repairers it talked to at the recent International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) expressed their concern that a car company “monopoly” in the collision repair parts market could harm the future vitality of the industry, especially in light of recent economic turmoil. “Consumers are doing all they can
Insurance Group Admits Control of Labor Rates
The Massachusetts Auto Body Association (MABA) was recently "astonished" to find out that the Massachusetts Automobile Insurers Bureau (AIB) stated in a report that if House Bill 5056 were passed, they would no longer be able to effectively "control the labor rate and other aspects of the repair process." "As a spokesman, I’m speechless," said MABA
Glidden Auto Body Named 2008 CARQUEST Excellence Award Winner
John Coughlin from Glidden Auto Body in Bangor, Maine has been named the 2008 CARQUEST Automotive Finishes Excellence Award Winner. The award was presented October 10 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The CARQUEST Automotive Finishes Excellence Award is the highest honor a professional business owner can receive from CARQUEST. It seeks to recognize the top collision
Repairers Win NABC Pride Award for Saving Driver’s Life
Five repairers who helped save a driver trapped in his vehicle after a wreck last June were recently honored by the National Auto Body Council (NABC) at a special ceremony held at the International Autobody Congress & Exposition in Las Vegas. Richard Gabianelli, John Kurze, Ricardo Perez, Gene Scheithe and Mark Pellino each received the NABC’s Pride award, which recognizes people who
Insurer Influence Still Repairers’ Primary Concern, SCRS Study Concludes
The results are in from the Society of Collision Repair Specialists’ (SCRS) second annual survey, and repairers have spoken loud and clear that they’re still concerned about insurer influence. The survey, conducted by CSi Complete customer satisfaction indexing, echoes the concerns revealed by last year’s survey. Some issues, such as "insurer dictating the repair," "lack of insurance field staff training," and "database
2008 VeriFacts ACE Award Winners Honored at NACE
The winners of VeriFacts Automotive’s outstanding quality awards, known as the ACE Awards (Achievement in Collision Repair Excellence), were recently honored at the 2008 Collision Industry Achievement Awards Luncheon, held in conjunction with the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE). The VeriFacts ACE Awards were established to recognize outstanding performance from individual technicians and collision
CCAR Adds Hybrid Electric Vehicle Safety Course
The Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR) has added the “Hybrid Electric Vehicle Safety” module to its S/P2 e-learning program. The new module is designed to promote awareness of regulations and safety procedures for repairing hybrid electric vehicles. The module covers Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations relating to hybrid vehicle safety, personal protection equipment
Caliber Collision Centers Partners with Private Equity Firm
Caliber Collision Centers has announced that its senior management team, in partnership with ONCAP, has invested in the company. ONCAP is a leading mid-market private equity firm based in Toronto that was established in 1999 by Onex Corporation, one of North America’s oldest and most successful private equity firms. “This partnership represents a new chapter
Keystone Announces Winners of 2009 Calendar Competition
Keystone Automotive Industries has announced the winners of its 2009 Calendar Competition. Over 300 entries were submitted over the past four months. A vast array of photos ranging from rods and sports cars to trucks and classic vehicles were received, with the top 13 winning spots in the 2009 Keystone calendar. “While it was difficult
CollisionMax Opens 11th Center in Pennsylvania
CollisionMax AutoBody & Glass Centers has opened a new location in Warminster, Pennsylvania. It is the 11th shop for the family-owned business. The shop is located on two acres, has 50 parking spaces and will be an official authorized GlassMax mobile vehicle glass repair center. The shop itself is 13,000 square feet and has 20