Your Source for Up-To-Date News and Research on the Collision Repair Industry
click here to subscribe to the FREE INSIGHT Editor's Desk News Alert Email
SUBSCRIBERS-ONLY
Today's News
Industry Stocks
INSIGHT This Month
INSIGHT Archives
Survey Center
Letter to the Editor
Business Tools
Subscription Information
CSI Reporting
Financial Analysis
IRS Audit Guide
Management/
Technical Info
Market Watch Rates
INSIGHT Inside this month's issue...
Feedback
Letter to the Editor
This article originally appeared in the January 2010 Issue of INSIGHT
©2010 Collision Repair Industry INSIGHT All Rights Reserved
ASA Reminds Repair Shops that Automotive Paint Regulation Compliance Deadline Was January 11
NABC Broadcasts Meeting through Online Collision Hub
DuPont Performance Services Relaunches Performance Alliance to Help Shops Market Their Services
Carfax Partners with Pep Boys to Expand Service History Database
Mitchell Appoints AJ Long Executive Vice President and CFO
Copart to Acquire Five Additional Facilities in the UK
Penske’s Smart USA Subsidiary Names Jill Lajdziak President
CarMax Launches Car Giveaway on Twitter
I-CAR Education Foundation Announces 2010 Scholarship Opportunities
CCAR Introduces GreenLink Shop Program
INDUSTRY UPDATE
By January 11, 2010, body shops were required to file an Initial Notification with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and/or their state, in compliance with the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), Paint Stripping, and Miscellaneous Surface Coating Operations Rule, which became effective in January 2008.
To view the Initiation Notification form, visit the U.S. EPA Collision Repair Campaign’s Web site at www.epa.gov/collisionrepair. There you will find where to send your completed form, an updated list of the states that have taken delegation of the rule, and a list of regional contacts under the “Regional Campaign Projects” link on the left menu. These contacts are available to answer questions about the rule.
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has partnered with the EPA to promote the Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating Operations Rule, and hosted EPA representatives at the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) in Las Vegas in November 2009. These representatives held informational sessions and handed out compliance information pamphlets and DVDs on rule requirements and management practices.
The Automotive Service Association is the largest not-for-profit trade association of its kind dedicated to and governed by independent automotive service and repair professionals.
o
A new era opened for the Collision Repair Industry on Wednesday, January 13, 2010, at 7:30 AM Pacific Time. The National Auto Body Council (NABC) broadcast its Palm Springs meeting live on the Web using the collision repair networking site, Collision Hub(R).
This technological breakthrough allowed NABC to open a meeting to the industry without being limited by geographic constraints. Anyone with broadband Internet access was able to view the proceedings through a window streaming live video by logging into the Collision Hub Web site, www.collisionhub.com.
Collision Hub founder and CEO Kristen Felder, along with Dave Henderson of Autowatch, both NABC members, first brought the idea to NABC before NACE 2009.
“Many within our industry want to participate in key events, but logistical or budgetary issues prevent them from doing so,” Felder said. “Through harnessing the power of the Internet and social networking technologies we can help dismantle those barriers. It’s an opportunity to unite the industry further.”
NABC believes that Collision Hub will display and reinforce the association’s commitment to being open to the entire industry.
"We’ve always been about transparency," stated NABC Executive Director Chuck Sulkala. “Collision Hub helps us make good on our goal by extending our industry reach. More folks will gain exposure to what we do. It goes both ways, as well. we’ll get direct feedback in live time from more people than ever. It’s a great chance to refine our focus on the needs of the industry."
One NABC board member who planned to attend the January meeting from the convenience of his desktop was John Arnold of the Iowa Collision Repair Association.
“As a new board member I really want to participate as much as I can, but there was no way I could make the long trip to southern California,” Arnold explained. “Thanks to Collision Hub, I’ll ‘be there’ despite the distance-causing time constraints.”
Collision Hub membership was not required to stream the broadcast for viewing purposes, but access to an online chat room that allows active participation, including the live posting of questions, did. Submissions hopefully could be addressed by NABC at the time of the broadcast, time permitting.
In the days following the broadcast, NABC will review and evaluate the experience and decide how it wants to go forward.
“The help and guidance of Kristen and Dave has been terrific,” noted NABC President George Avery. “Not all groups are in the unique position of NABC, which is completely open and accessible, but the Collision Hub service set is versatile enough that savvy organizations will find a way to leverage it. NABC is delighted to take part in this exciting new initiative.”
Interested parties can go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHT-m1thqhc to view a short instructional video on how to attend a meeting using Collision Hub.
Collision Hub provides a central network for professionals in the collision repair and related industries. The site encourages participation of all parties and believes that all industry voices are important, and should be provided a vehicle to express themselves and to interact. The site offers a comprehensive industry calendar of events, blogs, videos, forums, photographs, and over 30 specialty groups. Collision Hub is available on Facebook and can be followed on Twitter.
NABC is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the image of the Collision Repair Industry.
Leading the effort to provide customers with a complete suite of value-added business services, DuPont Performance Services (DPS) is re-launching its popular Performance Alliance offering to collision repair center customers.
Performance Alliance is one of five DPS business services now available to the collision repair industry, and is how DuPont Performance Coatings markets its network of repairers to car owners, insurers, fleets, and vehicle manufacturers.
Through Performance Alliance, repair center operators have access to a comprehensive suite of marketing tools they can use to promote their shops on line, in print and on TV and radio.
At the core of the DPS Performance Alliance offering is the very popular and widely promoted PA24.com website, an on line resource that makes it easy for consumers to find a Performance Alliance member shop in their local area. PA24.com feeds qualified consumer leads to member repair centers through a unique “request an estimate” feature.
The PA24.com site garners visibility at NASCAR races, frequently appearing on Jeff Gordon’s #24 car, and appears at or near the top of many popular Internet search engines.
Steve Trapp, DPS Collision Services Development manager said, “Promoting the site on race day gives member shops a great deal of national exposure they wouldn’t otherwise receive. As an example, during the CARFAX 400 last August and the two days immediately following the race, PA24.com experienced 12,000 additional visitors to the site.”
As a DPS Performance Alliance member, shops also have access to a 30 second TV and a 45 second radio spot that is customizable with personalized voiceovers and tags. The spots feature four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon as the Performance Alliance spokesperson.
“The DuPont Performance Services strategy seeks to drive work to our member repair centers,” said Troy Weaver, Collision Services manager. “With consumers becoming increasingly savvy and more referral focused than ever before, having a brand development strategy that takes advantage of this consumer behavior is key to profitable growth. We feel leveraging the respected DuPont brand with high quality repairers is a powerful way to drive work TO our customers’ repair centers, and strengthen Performance Alliance member shop brand loyalty.”
Carfax has partnered with The Pep Boys – Manny, Moe, and Jack, the national automotive aftermarket service and retail chain, to better inform used car buyers and sellers about a vehicle’s maintenance history. Detailed records for service and repairs performed at any Pep Boys location now are included on Carfax Vehicle History Reports.
“We are pleased to partner with Carfax to provide this important information,” said Pep Boys’ Senior Vice President of Corporate Development Joe Cirelli. “Our service work order data helps create a virtual glove box of a vehicle’s routine maintenance and repair service history, vital information to assist used car sellers in marketing their cars.”
Carfax is adding millions of service records from all Pep Boys locations to its database. Carfax Reports display the name, location and contact information of each Pep Boys store that performed the service. Potential owners see routine maintenance details, such as oil changes and tune-ups, along with more extensive information like brake repair or tire replacement when available.
“Proper maintenance is key to any used car sale as well as retaining vehicle value,” said Gerry Bayer, vice president of Carfax. “Working with Pep Boys, we’ve greatly expanded the service information in the Carfax database. Combined with other important information available in Carfax Reports, such as mileage readings, ownership history and branded titles, used car shoppers can buy with even greater confidence.”
Millions of used car buyers and sellers each year rely on Carfax, the most trusted provider of vehicle history information. Using the unique 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN) found on vehicle dashboards and title documents, Carfax instantly generates a detailed Vehicle History Report on any used car or light truck. Carfax Vehicle History Reports(TM) provide valuable information that helps used car buyers and sellers make better decisions.
Mitchell International, Inc., a provider of information, workflow, and performance management solutions to the Property & Casualty Claims and Collision Repair Indus-tries, has announced the appointment of Arthur J. ("AJ") Long as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. In this role, Long will lead Mitchell's finance team and work with its executive leadership team to achieve the company's operational, financial, and strategic goals.
"I am excited to welcome AJ to Mitchell and look forward to working closely with him to achieve our goal of providing even greater value to all of our customers," said Alex Sun, Mitchell's President and Chief Executive Officer. "AJ is a world-class talent, and I am confident that his diverse financial and operational experience and insight will be a driving force in our quest to continuously innovate and make our customers' transition to a technology-driven future successful."
AJ Long has held a number of significant leadership roles at major technology firms. His experience leading high-tech firms to the optimum level of performance includes executive positions at Pricewaterhouse-Coopers, Nextel, and Sprint.
Most recently AJ served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at FLO TV(TM), a mobile broadcasting services subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc. Prior to that AJ was Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Clockwork Home Services, which delivers services to consumers and businesses via a North American network of service centers.
"Given our aggressive growth objectives for Mitchell, now is the ideal time to augment our talented group with a seasoned chief financial officer to work with Alex, the board of directors, and the rest of the Mitchell leadership team in shaping the future of the company," said William J. Coughlin, a partner with Los Angeles-based private equity firm Aurora Capital Group, which manages over $2 billion in capital, including Mitchell International as part of its portfolio. "Adding AJ to the leadership team reflects our ongoing commitment to helping Mitchell deliver industry leading products and services to its impressive roster of customers."
Mitchell International's comprehensive solution portfolio streamlines the entire auto physical damage, bodily injury, and workers' compensation claims processes. Mitchell enables millions of electronic transactions between more than 30,000 business partners each month.
Copart UK Limited has agreed to acquire D Hales Limited, a Bristol-based vehicle salvage disposal company with five auction and auto parts facilities located in Bristol (Avonmouth), Bedford, Colchester, Gainsborough, and Luton, in the UK.
Prior to this acquisition Copart owned 13 auction and auto parts facilities in the UK and 147 facilities world-wide. The acquisition is expected to be complete on Jan. 22, 2010.
Copart UK provides vehicle suppliers, primarily insurance companies, with a full range of remarketing services to expose their product to buyers in more than 94 countries. Copart UK manages vehicle remarketing for businesses in the automotive and insurance sectors, handling everything from motorcycles and cars to trucks and RVs. Once a vehicle has been deemed a total loss, Copart UK collects it, transfers it to one of their facilities, and takes digital images of it for its online auction.
“The purchase of D Hales Limited demonstrates Copart’s continuing investment within the UK,” said Copart UK Managing Director Nigel Paget. “It enables us to expand our UK presence by building on our international footprint and adding much needed capacity in response to current and expected business growth in the UK. This acquisition also adds to Copart’s efficiencies, reducing transportation costs and further reducing our carbon footprint. I look forward to welcoming our new colleagues to the Copart team on Jan. 22.”
Copart, Inc., headquartered in Fairfield, California, was founded in 1982 and includes 147 facilities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Copart’s North American facilities store vehicles to be sold in online vehicle auctions using its proprietary VB2 technology.
Copart’s North American locations provide insurance companies as well as other sellers a full range of remarketing services for both salvage and clean-title vehicles. Salvage vehicles are either damaged vehicles deemed a total loss for insurance or business.
Recently www.copart.com was also enhanced to make it easier for non-licensed buyers to search for and view vehicles available at its facilities in the United States and Canada.
o
Penske Automotive Group's subsidiary, Smart USA Distributor LLC, has named Jill Lajdziak as its president.
Lajdziak has more than 30 years of experience in the auto industry, the company said.
Smart USA was previously managed by Dave Schembri, who will move into Penske Automotive Group's retail operations. Penske sells cars and parts as well as providing repair, maintenance and collision services.
CarMax, Inc., the nation’s largest retailer of used cars, has launched a contest on the social networking site Twitter, to award one lucky winner $25,000 towards the purchase of a used vehicle from CarMax’s nationwide inventory. Contestants can visit http://www.carmax.com/tweet to find the specific phrase to tweet, which will automatically enter them in the contest.
The “Tweet Yourself to a New Ride” contest will run for eight weeks and, in addition to the grand prize, will award gas cards valued at $250 each to eight separate randomly selected entries. A full list of rules and regulations, as well as frequently asked questions can be found on the contest page, www.carmax.com/tweet.
“Giving away a late-model, fully-reconditioned CarMax vehicle is an excellent way to draw attention to both our great cars and our efforts on Twitter,” said Joe Kunkel, senior vice president of marketing and strategy. “This Twitter contest is a fun way to promote our brand and to share our story with car shoppers who haven’t previously heard about us.”
Twitter is a free, social networking website that enables its users to send and read 140 character messages known as tweets. CarMax uses Twitter to share information about CarMax, car buying tips and auto industry news.
CarMax, a Fortune 500 company, and one of the Fortune 2009 “100 Best Companies to Work For,” is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. CarMax currently operate 100 used car superstores in 46 markets.
The I-CAR Education Foundation has announced four scholarship opportunities this spring. These opportunities are open to collision students attending career and technical schools and colleges that are either NATEF-certified to the ASE standards or a member of the I-CAR Industry Training Alliance.
The scholarship opportunities available this spring include:
- I-CAR Education Foundation Student Scholarship
- AkzoNobel’s The Most Influential Women of the Collision Repair Industry Scholarship
- CCC Michael Salvatore Memorial Student Repair Technician Scholarship
- The Lon Baudoux Legacy Scholarship.
“Through the I-CAR Education Foundation’s new role and mission of exclusively providing support to schools, instructors, and students; these available scholarships are a centerpiece of the Foundation’s ability to lend financial assistance to the future of the collision industry,” said Scott Kruger, I-CAR Education Foundation Executive Director. “Easing the financial barriers for students will allow them to focus more on their education and work towards having the skills and experience necessary to immediately become productive, efficient, and committed workers in collision repair facilities.”
The scholarship application is available online to download at the I-CAR Education Foundation’s web site at www.ed-foundation.org.The applicant criteria for each scholarship are included within the application. All entries must be received by the I-CAR Education Foundation by February 24, 2010 to be eligible.
Winners will be chosen in April 2010 and notified by mail and phone.
The I-CAR Education Foundation, founded in 1991, is a not-for-profit organization. Its IRS 501(c)(3) status allows it to accept grants and donations from government agencies, individuals, and businesses.
The Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR), as an extension of its CCAR-GreenLink Environmental Compliance Assistance Center and S/P2 (Safety and Pollution Prevention) E-learning Program, has announced the introduction of its new “GreenLink Shop” recognition program for auto repair facilities.
The GreenLink Shop status is designed to promote consumer confidence in local automotive repair facilities’ environmental and safety awareness and stewardship.
“The GreenLink Shop program was created, in part, in response to requests from repair facilities for automotive industry recognition of their collective commitment to workplace safety and environmental best practices,” said Daren Fristoe, CCAR President and Chief Operating Officer. “That need, combined with a growing focus on ‘green’ businesses by consumers, forms the foundation of the program and allows participating businesses to distinguish themselves from the competition for repair work, staffing and community outreach.”
Businesses receiving the GreenLink Shop recognition must maintain high standards of excellence in environmental, health and safety (EHS) operations. To qualify, participating repair facilities will be required to meet certain criteria in the categories of Business Operations, Employee Training, Safety Compliance, and Environmental Management. The CCAR initiative will recognize both auto mechanical service facilities and collision repair shops, with separate criteria established for each type of business.
“The GreenLink Shop program represents the next step in CCAR’s 15-year journey to strengthen the auto repair industry’s awareness and understanding of environmental and safety compliance,” added Lin Peacock, CCAR Chairman and NADA Senior Director, Insurance Plans and Programs. “We look forward to working with all segments of the industry on this valuable service.”
Established in 1994, CCAR is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose 200+ affiliates represent all segments of the automotive industry. CCAR’s mission is to work with the industry around the world, with career/technical schools, governments and other organizations to provide best practice information and training, and to measure improvements related to:
- Pollution Prevention (P2)
- Safety for all who repair or maintain vehicles as a profession, as well as those who work in related businesses
- Reduction of lost workdays due to accidents or job-related health issues
- Decreases in costs and liability exposure
- Reduction in costs of training in these areas.
CCAR operates “CCAR-GreenLink,” the National Environmental Compliance Assistance Center for Automotive Repair, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In addition, CCAR provides the “S/P2” e-learning program in Safety and Pollution Prevention for the auto repair industry, and the “HazmatU” e-learning program in automotive hazardous materials shipping.
The Allstate Corporation and National Journal have announced the results of the fourth Heartland Monitor, the latest release in a groundbreaking series of surveys that has delivered new insights on how Americans are navigating the post-recession economy, their faith in key institutions, and their concerns about the future.
This installment, which serves as a definitive portrait of the country's mood one year after President Obama's inauguration, finds growing dissatisfaction among Americans regarding the state of the country and the impact of economic policies on their lives.
"Americans are taking control of their financial lives in the face of continued economic uncertainty and concern over the country's direction," said Thomas J. Wilson, Allstate chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Almost half of consumers state they have made major cuts in spending, and 32 percent have withdrawn savings or pension funds to make ends meet. They also feel they are going it alone without much help from government or business. As a result, they are very interested in improving their financial expertise. Allstate has a responsibility to meet this need, and we will work to educate and empower middle class Americans to make good financial choices."
The latest survey finds 55 percent of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track – the highest percentage yet in the Heartland Monitor series. In addition, President Obama's job approval rating has dipped to its lowest position in the series, to 47 percent, but 52 percent believe the country is beginning to move in the right direction because of his policies. Opinion on the administration's economic policies is divided, with Americans split over whether they have been ineffective while raising deficits (46 percent) or have prevented an even worse crisis and set the stage for recovery (43 percent).
Collectively, elected officials were regarded as being out of touch with the concerns of everyday Americans: 80 percent said government officials had done a fair or poor job of addressing financial issues and 60 percent said banks, investment companies and major corporations were the main beneficiaries of federal action, as opposed to middle class and low-income individuals (17 percent). Respondents were evenly divided over whether this was an issue of design (48 percent) or poor execution (46 percent).
Respondents maintained a cautious outlook about their own lives, with the country divided relatively closely between those who think their conditions will improve (37 percent), those who think they will worsen (20 percent), and a plurality who don't expect much change (41 percent). Large majorities placed a lot of trust in their family (64 percent) and themselves (74 percent) to help manage financial risk.
While trust in government, banks and corporations remained low, the survey found strong support for actions that major institutions could take to win back people's confidence. Solid majorities said they would have a lot more trust in elected officials if they focused more on making government programs more effective while reducing wasteful spending (64 percent) and were upfront about whom they meet with and who donates to their campaigns (58 percent). Large financial corporations, meanwhile, could win back trust by acknowledging mistakes, paying back bailout money, hiring more American workers and providing access to financial literacy programs.
Atlantic Media Political Director Ronald Brownstein noted, "The latest Allstate-National Journal Heartland Monitor poll underscores the long, long reach of this prolonged recession into all corners of American life.... In all, this incisive survey captures a season of discontent that has settled over America like a biting winter chill."
The poll was conducted on January 3-7, 2010. Results are from a sample of 1,200 American adults.
Feedback
Have a comment about this article? Send Email to Editor, INSIGHT's Editor
©2010 Collision Repair Industry INSIGHT
All Rights Reserved
FEATURED
LINKS:
INSIGHT Supports the NABC!
Do You?