The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has announced that registration for the Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series at the 2012 SEMA Show is up nearly 300 percent year-to-date over last year.
“The first two years of the RDE program brought a lot of very positive response from the attendees, and we believe that the numbers clearly indicate that our program at the SEMA Show is delivering exactly what the industry is looking for right now,” said SCRS Chairman Aaron Clark. “We’ve worked hard to put together a program that specifically addresses solutions to existing business conditions, and are glad to see the industry responding with early approval.”
SCRS also reports an uptick in the number of multiple-shop operators (MSOs) and international automotive businesses participating in RDE. According to SCRS, the international repairers currently signed up for the 2012 RDE represent more than a dozen different countries. SCRS believes that the growth in both of these types of participants reflects the universal relevance of the issues addressed in the RDE sessions and the benefit the information holds for collision businesses regardless of location, business model or size.
SCRS says the number of exhibitors in the Collision Repair & Refinish section is also up, with "double-digit" growth in the square footage these exhibitors will occupy.
"In addition to the Collision Repair & Refinish section of the show, there are many collision industry companies that have taken advantage of space that’s available in other areas of the show such as in Tools & Equipment (North Hall), Restyling & Car Care Accessories (North Hall), Racing & Performance (Central Hall), Hot Rod Alley (Central Hall) and the First Time & Featured Exhibitors (Upper South Hall) section," said Clark. "The presence that these companies have throughout the show truly demonstrates what an integral partner the collision industry, and the businesses within it, has grown to be in the overall show makeup."
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