Buying Tips: Air Compressors
Atlas Copco For collision repair facilities, it’s imperative to choose an air compressor that delivers 100 percent oil-free compressed air. The presence of oil in compressed air prevents the adhesion of the paint to the car surface and causes beading, which negatively affects the quality of the finish. Only ISO 8573-1-certified class zero oil-free compressors provide
Handy Social Media Guide
By now, we should be well past the things I heard as recently as two years ago: “Social media is just a fad,” “No one will follow a body shop on Facebook,” and “I don’t care what you had for dinner, and I’m sure you don’t care where my wife and I went for the
A Dealership Body Shop Manager’s Woes
I often have former dealership body shop managers in my educational programs. Recently, I had three current dealer shop mangers in my audience for two days. I have an opinion (no way!) on why less than 40 percent of new car dealers have a body shop. Part of my explanation includes a couple of illustrative
It’s SEMA Time Again!
Another SEMA Show is upon us. It’s hard to believe it’s that time of year already. With a very successful NACE behind us, it’s time to travel to Las Vegas for a week packed with everything automotive. The combination of SEMA and AAPEX makes for a jam-packed automotive gathering, and I’m sure this year will
Can We Sustain?
The latest issue of Rolling Stone hit my mailbox the other day. I don’t know how I got roped into a subscription; one minute, I’m searching their archive for an article written in the 1970s by Hunter S. Thompson. The next thing I know, I’ve bought a three-month trial subscription, which renews for 12 months
Tackling Substance Abuse
Addressing substance abuse among your employees first starts with having a policy stated in your employee handbook.
Hitting for the Cycle
Asking the question, “Why are the cars waiting all the time?” prompted a decade of process improvement at Craftsman Auto Body in Leesburg, Va. About 10 years ago, the shop hired its first lean consultant. Paul Krauss, president and CEO of the third-generation family business, said the company was “plugging away fixing cars well, and
Rivet Bonding Comes Full Blast
By now, most of you have heard the news that Ford has mainstreamed rivet bonding with the introduction of the 2015 F-150. This has forced many shops to look into some new equipment, such as self piercing rivet guns (or SPR guns). The cost of this gun has many shop owners shaking their heads and
Aluminum in the Paint Shop
There has been lots of buzz over the F-150 and aluminum, but hardly any talk about what the paint shop needs to know. Although the refinish process will be similar, there are things to consider.
