John Van Alstyne, CEO and president of I-CAR, delivered a presentation at the International Bodyshop Industry Symposium (IBIS) Global Summit in Barcelona, Spain on May 25th. Van Alstyne addressed the critical need for the collision repair industry as a whole to step up its commitment to developing and maintaining the knowledge and skills that are critically required to repair the vehicles of today and tomorrow.
“The collision repair industry is at a crossroads,” said Van Alstyne. “New vehicle designs and technologies are being introduced at a rapid pace. This, combined with knowledge and skills gaps among technicians, which is now scaling globally in pace with the auto industry, impacts the ability of the collision repair industry around the world to perform complete, safe and quality repairs.”
Van Alstyne’s presentation, “Knowledge and Skills: The Requisite Foundation for Repair Excellence,” provided the IBIS audience a comprehensive overview of the challenges associated with the “technical tsunami”; perspectives on trends and issues that affect the collision repair industry globally; a snapshot of what I-CAR is doing in the global markets it serves to address this challenge; and the documented ROI training generates for repairers, insurance carriers and OEMs. The discussion was designed to inspire others around the world to think through similar local solutions. I-CAR delivers its services and training throughout the U.S., and licenses its programs for distribution in global markets, currently throughout Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The presentation contributed and added insights to the actions the industry is taking internationally, and how the industry can continue to work together to address transformational changes globally.
IBIS advocates the need for the global collision repair industry to raise its safety, skills and standards in all sectors and markets. It supports positive change around the world and provides a framework to focus on these three pillars, which are at the core of the IBIS principles.
