Texas AG Rules Insurers’ ‘Proprietary Information’ Public Record
The Office of the Attorney General in Texas has ruled that information contained in a survey of insurers by the Department of Insurance (DOI) should be made public record. The survey sheds light on several insurers’ DRP practices and how auto repair reimbursement rates, including labor, services, parts and materials, are determined. The DOI requested
Collision Repair Market Remains Soft, CCC Analyst Says
The recession has etched permanent changes into the auto-physical damage industry, according to CCC Crash Course Update 2010 – a semi-annual publication written by CCC Information Services Inc. Lead Analyst Susanna Gotsch. Contributing to the situation, according to Gotsch, is the fact that consumers remain burdened with significant debt, unemployment remains high and consumer spending
Atlanta Fox Station Takes on Ford, CAPA in Aftermarket Parts Report
The aftermarket vs. OEM parts debate has made headlines again, on the heels of an investigation by Consumer Reports. Fox 5 Atlanta’s investigative reporter Dana Fowle, who bent a radiator support in half back in August during a report on aftermarket collision parts, has continued her investigation into the parts controversy. Fowle aired an investigation
DuPont Performance Coatings Partners with The Body Shop @ for Future Lean Curriculum Development
DuPont Performance Coatings (DPC) is partnering with The Body Shop @, leading industry experts on “lean” collision repair. The agreement between the parties covers the sharing of The Body Shop @’s Star-Link Collision Repair System, a Kaizen-centered lean business model that was developed by BodyShop Business Contributing Editor John Sweigart and Brad Sullivan over the
Kaeser Compressors Offering Course on Air Requirements for Waterborne Paints at NACE
Kaeser Compressors is presenting a short seminar at NACE 2010 on how waterborne paints impact compressed air requirements. Kaeser says its professionals have extensive experience supporting the collision repair industry and have created an informative technical (not sales) presentation to help repairers make practical choices for their shops. Topics include: sources of moisture and
Bill Aimed at Cutting Off Paint Supply to Unlicensed Shops
A bill introduced in the New York Assembly, AB 9490, targets unlicensed body shops by making it illegal for them to purchase professional automotive refinishes. The bill prohibits suppliers from selling automotive refinish material labeled "for professional use only" unless the purchaser is considered a repair provider under state and local laws. The bill’s purpose
Remove Metal with No Open Flame
Induction Innovations, originators of high performance induction heating tools, has received the MOTOR Magazine Top 20 Tools Award 2010 for the Mini-Ductor II. This second generation tech tool is a 1000-watt, hand-held induction power inverter that now includes a more ergonomically slip-resistant hand grip and an ultra bright LED to better illuminate the workload. Faster
Celette and Elektron Donate $20,000 Welder for I-CAR Education Foundation School Makeover
Celette Inc. and Elektron Inc. have come to the aid of Steel Center Area Vocational Technical School, the I-CAR Education Foundation’s 2009 Ultimate Collision Education Makeover school grant winner, by donating an Elektron MI-100 welder with accessories. The donated equipment, valued at $20,000, was requested by Steel Center Area Vocational Technical School through its Ultimate
Compact, Quiet Blaster
SodaBlast Systems’ mobile, cart-mounted blasting system has a quiet, compact and powerful configuration. This portable system comes with a rotary twin screw, single-stage 27.1-hp compressor, nozzle head shut-off valve,120 PSI, complete cooling system, maintenance-free battery and an 18.5-gal. diesel fuel capacity. Applications include: panel, door and fender stripping with soda; engine cleaning with glass beads;
Class Is In Session
chool and conducting our business lives. Fall is the time when we should be checking to make sure we’ve been achieving all of our goals for the year. It’s the time when we should be making any final corrections and keep working our plans for the year. It should also be a time when we