In Court with State Farm
The trial against State Farm for its usage of aftermarket crash parts is underway. Since you can’t be there in the courtroom, we’re doing the next best thing: bringing the courtroom to you.
Repairing the Crash-Parts Market
The situation with replacement crash parts may be a bit of a wreck, but it’s not a total loss. What’s considered a pile of unwanted sheet metal and plastic by many repairers could be turned into a more favorable and profitable alternative to OE parts — if the industry can quit complaining and learn to communicate.
Plastic Fasteners, Clips, and Auto Body Rivets
Items such as fasteners, clips and rivets may be small, but their impact on profits can be huge. Invest in too many, and you’ll end up with stuff you’ll never use. Invest in too few, and you’ll end up not having stuff on hand that you need.
The Science of Paint
Ever wonder about the people formulating today’s paint products — and if they have any clue how their creations affect refinishers? Wonder no more. Some of the industry’s leading paint chemists answer the questions on everyone’s minds.
A Case for Competition: OEMs vs. A/M Parts
A/M crash parts were once the collision industry’s best-kept secret — until insurers discovered them. When the tables turned, so did repairers allegiance to A/M parts. But where would the industry be if only OEMs supplied replacement crash parts?
Going Head to Head: Changing your Thinking
If single-shop operators want to compete with consolidators and multiple-shop entities, they’re going to have to change their Mom-and-Pop mentality.
Streamlining the Industry
Collision repair has been a fragmented and inefficient industry for years — but consolidators are hoping to change all that.
Is Spot Welding Viable?
Used in the manufacture of modern vehicles, spot welding becomes a bit more complicated when applied to collision repair.
Banking in Cyberspace
Though banking by computer may never completely replace “going to the bank”, most of the nation’s 10,000 financial institutions will offer online banking services by the year 2000.
Body Shop Layout and Design
By altering the collision repair process and better using what you’ve already got, a 10,000- to 20,000-square-foot facility can produce what traditionally required 75,000 to 100,000
square feet.