BodyShop Business, December 2013

Hi-Tech Refinishes » New Year’s Web Resolutions » Infrared Heaters

December 2013//Vol. 32 No.12 www.bodyshopbusiness.com

Circle 1 for Reader Service

InsideDecemberDecember 2013 Vol. 32 No. 12

BODYSHOP BUSINESS (ISSN 0730-7241) (December 2013, Volume 32, Number 12): Published monthly by Babcox Media, Inc., 3550Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333 U.S.A.Phone (330) 670-1234, FAX (330) 670-0874.Copyright 2013 Babcox Media, Inc. All RightsReserved. Periodical postage paid at Akron, OH44333 and additional mailing offices. POST-MASTER: Send address changes to BODYSHOPBUSINESS, P.O. Box 13260, Akron, OH 44334-3912.

Member, BPA Worldwide

Guess the Car ....................................................................................4NASCAR Performance ......................................................................10Industry Update ..............................................................................12Tech Focus ......................................................................................24Product Showcase............................................................................72The Shop ........................................................................................76

Confessions of a Lean RookieOne man’s challenges in implementing lean/kaizen in a high-production shop...and what you can learn from his experience.

ON THE COVER

28

38FEATURETECHNICAL

The Heat Is OnInfrared heaters are making a resurgence as shops search for asupplemental and more versatile way to cure coatings.

DEPARTMENTS

68

1420

SHOP TALK

Editor’s NotesBack from SEMA...and I want to pimp my ride.

Publisher’s PerspectiveFarewell, 2013.

Clark’s CornerHow do those who do it well...do it well?

Web Presence ManagementNew Year’s resolutions for you and your website.

Guessthe Car

4 December 2013 | BodyShop BusinessCircle 4 for Reader Service

What vehicle MODEL does this picture represent? Fax your guess

to (330) 670-0874. Include name, title, shop name, city, state and

phone number. Or submit your guess with our online contest form

by visiting bodyshopbusiness.com/guessthecar. The winner will be

randomly selected from

correct entries and

awarded $50. Entries must

be received by Dec. 31,

2013.

*Only one winner will beselected. Chances of winningare dependent upon thenumber of correct entriesreceived. Employees of Babcox,industry manufacturers andBSB advertisers are noteligible to enter.

SOLVED!

#129

#128

Waiting for the rabbit = (Volkswagen) Rabbit

Reader Contest! Win $50!

Delta 88 = (Oldsmobile) Delta 88

WINNER!#127

Cody Stinson, cleanup, Stinson Body

Shop, Grovetown, Ga.

See the January issue for winner of

Guess the Car #128.

“I’m still waiting for him!”

If I would’ve listened to my son, Iwould already have a giant spoiler,nitrous under the hood, “sick”wheels and footwell lights. But as Iexplained to the car crazy 13-year-old kid who has watchedall of the “Fast andFurious” movies severaltimes, I am 42 years old.Such additions to my mod-est Civic would look ridicu-lous and have people myage driving by and givingme contemptuous stares,muttering, “Aw, grow up!”

Still, I’m consideringmoderate, subtle

enhancements.I’m sure theSEMA Show hasthat effect oneverybody. Yougo there and

end up

prowling the aisles andsalivating like a wolf,ogling the delectable carsand thinking of all thepossibilities. As I glidedaround the Global TireExpo and spied the Lam-borghini Aventador, I

thought, OK, this is out of my pricerange, but I can turn my Civic intoa mad whip.

As I’ve said before, I’m not a carguy or a gearhead, but the SEMAShow gets me as close to that as I’llever be.

And then the buzzkill. Someoneactually published an article afterthe show titled, “10 Reasons YouShouldn’t Customize Your Car.”Negatively impacting resale value,

negatively impacting perform-ance, blah blah blah. Way to

bring a guy down!I think I’ll stick to my

modified tail pipe.

Editor’sNotes Publisher

S. Scott Shriber, ext. 229 [email protected]

EditorJason Stahl, ext. 226 [email protected]

Associate EditorGina Kuzmick, ext. 244 [email protected]

Contributing EditorsCharlie Barone, Mitch Becker,Mark Clark, Mark Claypool,Erica Eversman, Tom Ferry,Curt Harler, John D. LymanSr., Hank Nunn, Carl Wilson

Graphic DesignerLisa DiPaolo, ext. [email protected]

Advertising ServicesKelly McAleese, ext. [email protected]

Director of CirculationPat Robinson, ext. [email protected]

Director of eMedia & Audience DevelopmentBrad Mitchell, ext. [email protected]

Subscription ServicesEllen Mays, ext. [email protected]

Tel: (330) 670-1234Fax: (330) 670-0874Website: bodyshopbusiness.com

Corporate

Bill Babcox, PresidentGregory Cira, Vice President,

Chief Financial OfficerJeff Stankard, Vice PresidentBeth Scheetz, Controller

A limited number of complimentary subscrip-tions are available to those who qualify. Call(330) 670-1234, ext. 288, or fax us at (330) 670-5335. Paid subscriptions are available for non-qualified subscribers at: U.S.: $69 for one year.Canada/Mexico: $89 for one year. Canadian ratesinclude GST. Ohio residents add current countysales tax. Other foreign rates/via air mail: $129for one year. Payable in advance in U.S. funds.Mail payment to BodyShop Business, P.O. Box75692, Cleveland, OH 44101-4755. VISA, MasterCard or American Express accepted.

Yeah, I’m thinking rim covers. And a big spoiler. I don’t know aboutyou, but this year’s SEMA Show got me thinking about all the thingsI could do to my 2009 Honda Civic. As if my son hadn’t.

Custom Dreams

Jason Stahl, Editor

Email comments to [email protected]

Farewell, 2013

The year was a challenging one filledwith many changes. Next year will be nodifferent. Rest assured that the one constantwill be our commitment to bring you all thecollision-related information you need on atimely basis and the way you want it.

In 2014, we will have a completely newlook on the electronic side with more inno-vative and creative ways to deliver infor-mation to you. Our website will be all-new,and there will be a new electronic version

of the monthly publication. Also,there will be more video and

smartphone applications.There has never been a moreexciting time to be in the in-formation business, and weare committed to staying outin front for you, our readers.Watch for announcements asall the new offerings become

available.I can tell you what won’t

change: our dedica-tion to being at

every collision-related indus-

try event and reporting the happenings toyou. All the new technologies make thisprocess fast and efficient. You will knowvery quickly what new equipment and pro-cedures are available to improve yourshop’s efficiency and bottom line.

This is an excellent time to think backover the year and evaluate what workedand what didn’t. Plan to do the things thatworked in 2014 and tweak the others. Don’tlet the New Year arrive without some eval-uation and planning.

Now is a great time to give back. We areall very lucky to have a business that is es-sential. It may be changing, but it continuesto be a part of the American economy.That’s more than many can say right now.Pick someone or some group and give a lit-tle back. Maybe it’s not money, but possiblytime or talents. It will make the New Yearmore meaningful. Try doing it as an organi-zation. It will improve your team’s attitude.

Thank you for being a loyal BodyShopBusiness reader. We here at the magazinewish all of you, your employees and theirfamilies happy holidays and a prosperousNew Year. See you in 2014!

Publisher’sPerspective

S. Scott Shriber, Publisher

Email comments to [email protected]

It’s hard to believe 2013 is over. Where does the time go? Every month, I have the privi-lege of writing this column for you here in BodyShop Business, and I appreciate you, ourloyal readers, for reading us.

Track Talk

Shock technology is a very special tool in a NASCARteam’s tuning arsenal.

NASCAR competitors sim-ply can’t risk a substandardshock setup – it literally can bethe difference between a 30thplace finish or tasting cham-pagne in victory lane.

Most every team nowemploys at least one shock spe-cialist who is charged withfinding the right combinationthat will allow the racecar to getas low to the ground as possi-ble without dragging the noseof the Gen-6.

Hendrick Motorsport’screw chief Alan Gustafsonrelies on veteran shock special-ist Chris Golder to make sureJeff Gordon’s No. 24 AxaltaRacing Chevrolet SS has precisehandling and comfort fromMartinsville to Texas and everywhere in between on the circuit.

Golder, 33, grew up in

Alpharetta, Ga., greasing hispassion for restoring carsalongside his dad who ownedan automotive repair shop.

“I have always had aninterest in cars,” said Golder. “Igrew up with three younger sis-ters and no brothers, so carswere kind of a way for me andmy dad to spend time togetherand bond.”

After graduating fromGeorgia Tech in 2004 with adegree in mechanical engineer-ing, Golder began his NASCARcareer at Hendrick Motor-sports. Today, as the shock spe-cialist on the No. 24, he workswith Gustafson to determinethe best setup packages.

“My main responsibility isthe springs and the shocks,”explained Golder. “Springs areused to control the height ofthe racecar. At the bigger, fastertracks both the front and rearattitude is very important, sowe work a lot with springs andspring rubbers, along with theshocks and bump stops.”

Golder spends much ofhis time daily configuringshock-spring combinations foreach racetrack to ensureGordon has the best possiblecontrol over the car.

“I run simulations tocome up with good packages,”explained Golder. “I work upoptions around those packagesto try and practice to get Jeff’sfeedback.”

NASCAR does not allowteams to run data during therace weekend, only during testsessions. So, simulation has tobe spot-on.

“Without data, sometimeswe don’t know exactly what’sgoing on out there on the

track,” said Golder. “We have tobe able to move quickly andmake changes if needed sincewe only get about three hoursof practice on a weekend.”

On race weekends, youcan find Golder working insidethe No. 24 transporter. Hisworkstation houses a shockdyno that moves at differentdisplacements, enabling theteam to measure different driveand track profiles.

“The front shocks on race-cars are what we like to call‘aero inhibitors,’” explainedGolder. “On the front shocks,we have bump stops that wefine tune to affect the attitudeof the race car. There’s a greatcompromise between runninga softer bump stop, which isgoing to feel better to the driv-er, verses a stiff stop that’s goingto keep the car sealed down tothe racetrack and help improvethe aerodynamics.”

That delicate balance hasbecome one of the criticalpoints on a racecar.

No track is smooth assilk – Golder says short tracks

and rougher tracks are thetoughest on shocks. How thecar handles depends on whichshocks are used and how resist-ant they are to motion. To con-trol the movement, teams cantweak the piston, shims and oil inside a shock for each track.

To keep the oil from foam-ing and losing its ability tocompress and rebound, ashock is pressurized with nitro-gen. NASCAR rear shocks canhave no less than 25 pounds ofpressure per square inch (psi)and no more than 75 poundsof pressure psi.

Golder, who maintainsapproximately 130 shocks dur-ing the season, says he doesalmost 200 re-valve jobs peryear and installs between 30 to40 percent of the shocks on theracecar himself.

“The easiest tracks onshocks are the superspeedwayswhere you’re not worryingabout mechanical grip,” saidGolder. “The most technicaltracks are the short tracks androugher racetracks like LasVegas and Atlanta.”

Shock therapy: NASCAR competitors can't risk a substandard shocksetup – it can be the difference between a 30th place finish or victory lane.

The Bump Stops Here

Shock specialist Chris Golder is avital member of Jeff Gordon’s on-track success

Follow NASCAR Performance on Twitter and Facebookwww.twitter.com/NASCARauto ■ www.facebook.com/NASCARPerformance

A Look Back at SEMA 2013

Caliber Collision Centers Acquired By OMERS Private Equity

The 2013 SEMA Show is in the bag, and everyone remarkedhow much the Collision Repair & Refinish section hasgrown over the past few years. The Repairer Drive Educa-tion series presented by the Society of Collision Repair Spe-cialists (SCRS) has matched that growth, making SEMA apremiere location for some of the industry’s top training.

Celebrities in the customization world made their token ap-pearances, including Ryan Friedlinghaus, the Ringbrothers,Dave Perewitz and others. Plus, SCRS had its board meet-ing on the show floor for the first time, and a spirited dis-cussion on parts procurement livened up the CollisionIndustry Conference held during the show.

12 December 2013 | BodyShop Business

OMERS (OPE) Private Equity

announced on Nov. 20 that it,

along with existing management,

has acquired Caliber Collision Centers

from private equity firm ONCAP.

Based in Dallas, Texas, Caliber is the

largest independent provider of auto-

motive collision repair services in the

U.S. with a network of 157 collision

centers located in California, Texas,

Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma and Col-

orado. The company has approximately

3,700 employees and repairs more than

285,000 vehicles annually.

“We are thrilled to partner with

Steve Grimshaw, president and CEO of

Caliber, and his management team for

the company’s next phase of growth,”

said Tim Patterson, senior managing

director at OPE. “We believe that

Caliber will continue to distinguish

itself as the market leader in the

highly fragmented collision repair

industry in the years ahead.”

IndustryUpdate

Washington CollisionRepairer ExposesShoddy Repairs to LocalTV Station

Jeff Butler, president of

Haury’s Lake City Colli-

sion in Seattle, Wash.,

prides himself on quality

repairs. That’s a big reason

why he recently informed a

local news station about the

danger certain body shops

are putting consumers in by

performing shoddy repairs.

KING 5 News did a special

investigative report aided by

Butler pointing out the mis-

takes made in a BMW and a

Toyota that he re-repaired.

“On the BMW, the new

frame rail was improperly

sectioned – it was a butt

joint weld with a wirefeed

welder. This is not allowed,”

said Butler. “In the Toyota

front-end frame, the shop

cut a hole in the side of the

frame, beat the buckle out,

filled it in with filler and

painted over it so it sort of

looked okay. While this car

might not fall apart driving

down the road tomorrow, it

could kill the occupant in a

future collision.”

In an interview with the

station, Butler blamed the

hack jobs on cost pressures.

“[Insurers] are tying the

hands of the body shop.

That’s how [the body shops]

get their work through

insurance referrals, but it

puts the insurer as the cus-

tomer and not the person

with the keys. It’s a conflict.”

According to Haury, one

vehicle owner sued State

Farm in small claims court

due to the insurer’s refusal

to pay the full cost of repairs

and won.

John Eaves Jr., thelawyer represent-ing Mississippicollision repairers

who filed an injunction tostop State Farm frommandating the use ofPartsTrader in that state,updated Ohio repairerson his latest legal effortson Nov. 13 in Cleveland.

Eaves, whose law firmhas handled high-profilecases such as the CostaConcordia cruise ship dis-aster and the BP oil spill,stated that his strategy isto replicate the injunctionstate by state, starting inMississippi because, ac-cording to Eaves, theyhave a supportive attor-ney general and insur-ance commissioner. Buthe also admitted it mightnot be suitable for every

state, including Alabama,which he said has been“begging” him to bringthe injunction there buthe has so far resisted be-cause he’s “afraid of theresult.”

So far, Eaves has talkedto more than 150 shops in22 different states, urgingthem to join in the effort totake back their business.

“I learned that youaren’t concerned about[State Farm] sending youbusiness, you’re con-cerned about them takingbusiness from you,” Eavessaid. “You call that steer-ing. I call that tortious in-terference with a businessrelationship, and that’sagainst the law.”

After a conference callthat afternoon, Eaves saidFlorida has decided to

join the fight, and thereare three or four otherstates waiting to follow.

Eaves said his objectiveis simple: “To stop thedamage about to occurwith PartsTrader, and re-verse the damage thathas been done to [colli-sion repairers] over thelast 20 years.”

“I liken PartsTrader to avirus,” said Eaves. “Theway it’s designed, it forcesshops to get on it, then theshops force the vendors toget on it, then the vendorshave to force other shopsto get on it. And that’swhy we felt the injunctionto stop it before it evercontaminated Mississippiwas crucial.”

Eaves explained theinjunction was filed on

»| Industry Update |«

www.bodyshopbusiness.com 13

Mississippi Lawyer Updates Ohio CollisionRepairers on PartsTrader Injunction

Collision repair industry membersfrom the U.S. and abroad packedthe final day of the Collision Indus-

try Conference (CIC) on Thursday, Nov. 7for a panel discussion by the CIC Insurer/Repairer Relations Committee on insurer-mandated parts procurement.

The panel was moderated by Com-mittee Chairman Rick Tuuri of AudaEx-plore, a Solera company, and featuredthe following industry professionals:

� Terry Fortner (LKQ Corp.)� Randy Stabler (Pride Auto Body)� Andy Dingman (Dingman’s Colli-

sion Center/SCRS vice chairman)� Jim Sowle (Sewell Lexus/SCRS

national director)� Michael Quinn (uParts, Inc.)� Darren Huggins (Van Tuyl Group)� Nick Bossinakis (OPSTRAX)

The discussion began with each par-ticipant detailing his experiences andopinions on the procurement of parts.Dingman said that the current issue inquestion is not the viability of electronicparts procurement as a tool in the repairprocess, but rather its forced implemen-tation by outside parties.

“I don’t think a repairer in this roomtoday is going to say that they’reagainst electronic parts procurement,”Dingman said. “What it comes down tois the mandate. We’re always lookingfor solutions as an industry – I know Iam at my shop every day – but in orderto be a good solution, there needs to betangible value attached. When there’sno value, just a mandate, I’m sorry butthat’s not a solution. And it has nothing

Collision Repairers Discuss Insurer-Mandated Parts Programs at CIC

Continued on pg. 46

Continued on pg. 50

When I began selling auto bodysupplies and equipment in 1970, Iwas fresh out of a beer-soakedcollege career and knew little

about how the business worked. Afterjust a few weeks of sales calls, I couldtell who was good at it and who wasn’t. And then I made it a career-long quest to ask the folks doing itwell how they did it.

Running Lead » One ofmy early questions wasabout how body solder orbody lead worked. I was sell-ing 95 percent conventional(made with hard clay) bodyfiller to fill my customers’dents back to contour. But Istill sold some lead in 1-pound sticks (30/70 bar sol-der), along with tubs of bees’wax and some wooden paddles, toa handful of restoration and foreigncar shops. This was so long ago that all mylong-established body shop customers hadsome techs who were 55 years old…as inborn in 1915 and started out in the auto bodyrepair business in the repair-it-all 1930s. Poly-ester body filler didn’t come along in quan-tity until after World War II, so all those guyscould lead pretty quickly in their day. Likeanything, practice makes perfect.

Unfortunately, I never got anywhere nearperfect or barely competent or even function-al no matter how many of those craftsmenshowed me how to run lead. The technicianhad to heat the stick of lead and the acid-treated bright metal surface to the same tem-perature, then spread the molten lead intoshape with a wooden paddle lubricated with

bees’ wax until it started to cool andwouldn’t move anymore. After many tries, Icould melt the solder into a dent on a flatpanel and mush it around, but getting themolten lead to stay stuck on a vertical panel

was way beyond me. The moment Igot the work surface warm

enough to add new lead,the existing lead re-melted

and slid down the panel.No wonder catalyzed body

filler caught on so fast! Plus,you wouldn’t die of lead poi-

soning as you metal filed thehigh spots down…as you

smoked a cigar. Ah, the good old days.

Crying Over Spilt Paint »Another issue on my PBE Q & A

was to figure out how the most pro-ductive (as in fastest with the least

problems) painters differed from run-of-the-mill painters. The best painters I asked

offered enough answers to fill much morethan this column, but there is an art to refin-ishing cars, and I had help from some realartists. Many years later, it came back tohaunt me a couple of times.

On a paint shop call on a busy Thursdayafternoon, one of my former painting instruc-tors was shorthanded and overloaded andasked if I would help him paint a couple. Idid my best to talk him out of it. My record ofruining my customers’ paint work was wellknown to the old guys.

Against my better judgment, I agreed topaint a solid color box side with catalyzedacrylic enamel. Once it was masked andprepped, I mixed the red paint (two quarts offactory package from my store, by the way),


Clark’sCorner By Mark Clark

How Do ThoseWho Do It Well Do It?

strained 33 ounces into the 32-ouncecup, tied the shop towel bandanaaround my no-drip (hah!) suctionfeed spray gun, stepped out of thepaint room and headed for thebooth. Directly in my path was abrand-new white pickup truckready for delivery, except for a slightpassenger door adjustment. Turnsout I didn’t hook the ears on thepaint cup tightly to the lid, and theoverloaded cup dropped off thespray gun like an anvil, hitting thefloor on the front edge and throwingall 33 ounces of very expensive redinto a fast-moving puddle – whichslowly landed all over the side ofthe white pickup. That was an ex-pensive afternoon for me!

Exploding Silverware » When itwas hands-on productive collisionrepair I wanted to learn, I had sev-eral role models who beat the flat-

rate times into the ground everyweek. No wasted effort was the wis-dom I took away. Those guys tooktheir tool box with them to the bath-room. Well, not really. But the fastesttechs I knew took their tool box fromone end of the car to the other tosave steps. They usually had a boxfull of specialty tools, too. Fabricat-ing a special tool to make a specificrepair easier was part of their secret.Do the next one faster. After all, theycould certainly bend metal into anyshape they wanted.

When one of these tool-heavytechs changed jobs with their over-flowing roller cabinets and toolboxes, they usually asked to bor-row my delivery truck with the hy-draulic lift gate we used to deliverair compressors and 55-gallondrums. I was happy to loan thetruck – and occasionally ended upalong for the ride.

You remember Rodney Danger-field’s golf bag from “Caddyshack?”This particular body man with anew job had one top box stacked ontwo intermediate Waterloo Indus-tries chests on top of a really tallroller cabinet. (This was long beforeevery vo-tech student had a zillion-dollar roller cabinet the size of an air-craft carrier deck.) I’ll bet there were30 drawers in the whole stacked upthing – many filled to the brim withboth purchased and constructed spe-cialty auto body tools.

He was not leaving his employ-ment under happy circumstances.He and his old boss were both air-ing all their past grievances witheach other at the top of their lungs.The painter’s helper liked the de-parting tech and continued to loadthe giant tool box tower onto theTommy Lift on my truck whilethey argued. He pushed down the

»| Clark’s Corner |«


control arm that raised the gateand promptly looked over at thefreshly raised voices. I watchedhelplessly from the back of theshop, where I had gone to get outof the way, as the gate rose slowly,the truck box dipped down slowlyon the shocks and the tool towercrawled slowly upward while ittipped further and further forward.The noise sounded like a silver-ware factory exploding. Everydrawer opened on the way to theground and blew tools across theentire parking lot. Just like a juniorhigh lunchroom, all the shop em-ployees applauded. That was agood lesson about paying strict at-tention to the task at hand!

This Isn’t the End » This is thefinal column in my 25th year ofwriting for BodyShop Business. Iwas charged with explaining a lit-tle about the industry, offering alittle historical perspective andtelling some stories. It has beenlots of fun.

Our industry stays the same inmany ways; after all, we’re still re-pairing collision-damaged vehicles,but new technology to build the ve-hicles and profitably repair thembombards us daily.

Take the time to listen to anotherpossible solution to your shop’sworkflow. Vendors, paint compa-nies, coworkers and even insurancecompanies can all help your shop dobetter if you’ll just ask. I’m still ask-ing those who do the tasks in this in-dustry well for their advice, andwe’ll talk more about it during my 26th year as Clark’s Corner continues. Thanks for listening! BSB

Mark R. Clark is theowner of ProfessionalPBE Systems in Wa-terloo, Iowa; he is awell-known industryspeaker and consult-ant. He is celebratinghis 25th year as a

contributing editor to BodyShop Business.

»| Clark’s Corner |«



Web PresenceManagement

Resolve to Keep YourOnline Marketing Resolutions!

Last year, I started what I hopedwould be an annual column chal-lenging you to tackle some impor-tant issues related to your shop’s

online Web presence. I described resolu-tions as promises youmake to yourself in hopesof making a positive dif-ference in your life andthe lives of others –promises you make nowas you consider a freshstart. You know…thosepromises you usuallybreak before the secondweek of January!

How about breakingthat cycle? Let’s revisitsome of those resolutions from 2013 andtake a look at new resolutions for 2014.

2013 Resolutions » Did you take me upon any of the following challenges?

Freshen up your website. Last year, Ichallenged you to update your website’scontent a bit to be current and make surethe copyright at the bottom is current. Up-dated content shows search engines yourbusiness is alive and well. Sites more thanfive years old should probably be re-designed and updated.

How is your site ranking? If your site isn’t showing up on page one of a search,using the most common search terms thepublic uses such as “auto body” and “bodyshop” plus “your town and state’s two-let-ter abbreviation,” you need to seriouslythink about having a true search engine op-timization (SEO) specialist work on yoursite to help boost your rankings. Skip pastthe sponsored listings and map pointer list-ings and look for what are known as the

“organic” search results. Are you on pageone? Page one or bust, but...beware! This isan area where lots of developers throwaround the term “optimization” or SEO,but few are really SEO experts. You don’t

know what you don’tknow, so this can be an areawhere you can be taken advantage of.

Build a mobile version ofyour website. Did you? Ahuge percentage of peopleare going online with theirphones, especially Genera-tion Y (those under 30 yearsof age who do everything ontheir phones). These mobileversions are optimized for

smaller screens and should have effectivecalls to action prominently displayed. Less ismore, so don’t make these too complicated.

Measure your online results. Are youmeasuring your online results with GoogleAnalytics and Facebook Insights? Anythingworth doing is worth measuring.

Participate effectively in social media. Isyour business effectively participating inFacebook and Twitter? Have you addedGoogle+ to your social media efforts (seebelow – this is a 2014 resolution)? Whatdoes “participating effectively” mean? Itmeans actively promoting your accounts,getting “likes” and “followers,” postingcontent regularly that elicits participation,commenting and sharing from people.

2014 Resolutions » If you haven’t tack-led the 2013 resolutions yet, add them here,then add the following 2014 resolutions:

I resolve to get more “likes” on Face-book. Our biggest challenge with our socialmedia clients at Optima Automotive is to

By Mark Claypool


motivate them to promote their so-cial media pages to their cus-tomers. All it takes is for someoneto hand the customer a flyer andhave them scan a QR code. Noteveryone will do it, but a percent-age will. You don’t get if you don’task! Consider promoting poststhrough Facebook. It costs a fewbucks, but your outreach to thosewho haven’t “liked” you yet in-creases dramatically. We’ve seenstrong results with our clientswhen we promote posts for them.

I resolve to claim my business’s

Google+ page. You really need toclaim your Google+ page. Googlehas likely created one for you bynow, but if you haven’t already, it’stime to verify your business andlocation through Google. This willallow you to enter your hours ofoperation, upload photos and con-trol the content. And it allows youto start getting Circles of fans.

I resolve to start posting regu-larly on Google+. Once you’veverified your Google+ page, you’llget more mileage if you start post-ing regularly to that page, much

like you do on Facebook. Googlesays you should be posting at leastonce every 72 hours. It needs to bea unique posting, not a copy ofwhat you do on Facebook. And notall automotive stuff, either. As I’vestated before, you and I eat andbreathe automotive, but your cus-tomer base does not. Mix it up a bitwith local events and charitable ef-forts you participate in, etc.

I resolve to get my directory list-ings accurate and consistent. Havingthese consistent increases the poten-tial of your site being ranked.

Follow Through! » Don’t letthese resolutions follow the samepath as most and go unresolved.Don’t you deserve better than that?Make 2014 your year for onlinemarketing action!

On behalf of myself and my teamat Optima Automotive, I would liketo wish you, your families and em-ployees the very best during thisholiday season. May 2014 be blessedand happy, and may your resolu-tions truly move your business tothe next level online! BSB

BSB Contributing Edi-tor Mark Claypool hasmore than 30 years of ex-perience in the fields ofworkforce development,business/education part-nerships, apprentice-

ships and Web presence management. Heis the CEO of Optima Automotive(www.optimaautomotive.com), whichprovides website design, development,search engine optimization (SEO) serv-ices and social media management serv-ices. Claypool’s work history includesstints at Metro Paint Supplies, VeriFactsAutomotive, the National Auto BodyCouncil (NABC), the I-CAR EducationFoundation and SkillsUSA. He is thefounder of Mentors At Work and co-founder of the Collision Industry Foun-dation. He served, on a volunteer basis,as the SkillsUSA World Team Leader forthe WorldSkills Championships from2003 to 2011.

»|Web Presence |«


2014 Resolutions:1. Get more “likes” on Facebook.

2. Claim my business’s Google+ page.

3. Post regularly on Google+.

4. Make sure my directory listings are accurate.

TechnologyFocus


Serie 500 from BESA for body shopsand professional painters is a tinto-metric system specially designed forrepainting cars and uses highly con-centrated color bases mixed usingdifferent binders to achieve productsthat can be used in basecoat or sin-gle-stage systems. It’s highly adapt-able and lets you work with HS orMS products, depending on your re-quirements and demands. It optimizesthe number of coats applied and

therefore increases body shop productivity, and can be used on spotrepairs, panels and for complete car repainting. Specially developed forthe U.S. and Canada are two binders that comply with current VOC 3.5lb./gal. legislation. It has 68 color bases that can be used to create everyvehicle color in the world. There are 35 solid colors, 10 metalized, 20 pearland three Xirallic.

Compliant AlternativeIs your current basecoat system de-livering the quality and throughputyou expect? Even in a regulatedarea, you now have a choice. BASFOnyx HD Low VOC SolventborneBasecoat System offers customers aunique new way to comply withregulation without compromisingproductivity or quality. This sol-ventborne alternative dries quicklyin most shop environments andmeets all current and future regula-tions with no special equipment re-quired. And Onyx HD provides allthe benefits of conventional solvent-bornes using COLOR-MAX, one ofthe fastest, most accurate color toolsin the industry. Why compromisewhen it comes to staying compliant?Onyx HD Low VOC Productive Sys-tem, the cost-effective choice forlowered VOCs, delivers a testedsystem to enhance collision repaircenter performance with its inno-vative technology.

Lower Your Energy CostsThe HP Process refinish sys-tem using Sherwin-WilliamsAutomotive Finishes’ Air-DryTechnology allows you to turnthe heat off and repair carsfaster than ever before. As en-ergy bills continue to rise, itdramatically lowers energy costs and puts the savingsback in your pocket. With primers, basecoats and urethaneHP Process clearcoats, the HP Process produces a finishthat’s workable to sand and polish in 50 minutes or less.This not only impacts your environment by reducingyour carbon footprint, it also impacts your bottom line,helping you to paint more cars. The P27/P30 SpectraPrimeAir-Dry Primer Surfacers are applied wet-on-wet andare sandable in 15 minutes. Since the HPC15/HPC21Clearcoats only need ambient temperature to achieve a15- to 20-minute workable cure, there is no down timeassociated with temperature ramp up or cool down.

Direct-to-MetalMatrix System’s MP-200 DTM Primer Surfacer is apremium direct to metal (DTM) primer surfacer.This product is high build, fast drying and easy tosand. It was formulated toprovide excellent adhesionand corrosion resistance andcan be used directly on almostany substrate. This productcan be used “coast to coast”as it is 2.1 VOC.

RefinishesCreate Every Color in the World

Micro-Gel, Anti-Settle Toner TechnologyPPG’s Envirobase High Performanceand Nexa Autocolor Aquabase Pluswaterborne basecoat toners incor-porate the company’s micro-gel, anti-settle technology – a significantadvancement in ensuring consistentcolor matches. Unlike polyurethane-

based toners,which needmechanicalagitation, theinterior shellof PPG’s trueacrylic latexresin holds thepigment insuspensionand doesn’tallow it to set-tle or separate.When gently

rocked, the “fingers” or tendrils sur-rounding the latex core release, whichlowers the viscosity and allows foreasy pouring. Put into practice, thepainter simply needs to shake thewaterborne toner bottle back andforth, three to four times by hand,and it’s ready to pour. By eliminatingthe need for a mechanical mixingmachine, PPG says painters no longerhave to wait for toners to be agitatedor experience the frustration thatcan come with mismatches as a resultof improper agitation.

Ultra Productive UV Primer-Surfacer SystemAxalta Coating Systems’ UV Primer-Surfacer System is an advanced UV technology that curesCromax UV primer in seconds. For spot or large panel repairs, this system helps you paint anddeliver faster. The ready-to-spray primer is available in a quart-size container for use with atraditional spray gun, which provides convenience and sprayability for large repair areas. Forspot repairs, the same primer is also available in an aerosol can. The ready-to-spray formula –with no pot life or mixing – means less shop waste. What sets this system apart is the handheldUV light (two sizes) that allows quick curing on a greater size repair area compared totraditional UV drying equipment. This also eliminates the challenges of drying hard-to-reachareas such as door jambs. The result is a primer that dries in seconds for immediate sanding.

»|Technology Focus |«


Low-VOC SealerTranstar Autobody Technologies’ SignatureSeries 2.1 Low VOC Sealer is a direct-to-metal sealer that has both leveling andgloss hold-out properties. The sealer iscompatible with most basecoat/clearcoatand single-stage systems. Offering adhesion

to a wide variety of substrates, the sealer can adhere to bare metal,aluminum, SMS, fiberglass, old paint finishes and all Transtar primers.Available in gray, the sealer can be made tintable using basecoat toners.

Durable Basecoat in Adverse ConditionsChemSpec USA’s Metacryl FC 3.5 VOC 2K PolyurethaneBasecoat is a conventional solids basecoat for use withthe Metacryl universal hardener system and zero VOCreducer for a mix of 4:1:2. Quick dry and recoat timescombined with the activated base means higher dura-bility and adhesion in adverse conditions.

VOC-Compliant Primer SurfacerMRS-80 DTAM is a high-build primer surfacer that’s isocyanate-freeand VOC compliant. It has corrosion-resistant properties, eliminatingthe need for pre-treatment primer overbare metal, aluminum, galvanized steeland other metal substrates. MRS-80 levelsto a smooth surface and sands easily with-out loading sandpaper.

Easy-to-Use and Simple-to-Blend WaterbornePro-Spray H2O Waterborne Basecoat is part of afully compliant, stand-alone, compact basecoatcolor system designed for vehicle refinishing.H2O’s European formulation and technology de-livers solid, metallic, pearl and Xirallic basecoatcolors that are easy to use and simple to blendwhile providing excellent color match and metallicorientation. Pro-Spray H2O Basecoats have higherpigment concentrations for true color and excellent coverage. And nospecial mix bank equipment is needed; simply shake and pour.

Over the next fewmonths, I will docu-ment my day-to-day strug-gles attempting to implement

kaizen at a high-volume traditional shop.I’m sure we’ll share some laughs, tears,“uh huh” moments…and some “WTF” mo-ments, too! I truly hope that all of this pain I’mabout to endure for my own personal satisfactionof being able to say I conquered kaizen helps othersalong the way. I hope to detail what worked and didn’twork and also help shop owners figure out if they trulywant to go down this road. Do you truly want to be akaizen/lean facility, or will you just be happy callingyourself that because it sounds good?

Background » I don’t have an incredible backstory tothrow out there for you guys filled with a bunch ofwho’s who in the industry. I grew up around my grand-father and father’s body shop, until my grandfatherpassed away when I was 17. After he died, my fatherdidn’t want anything to do with the business anymoreand moved on. Who knew that I would learn muchmore than how to sweep the shop floors and scuff panels

COVER STORY


before paint? Even way back then, Idiscovered that quality and the cus-tomer come first. My father wouldn’tlet a vehicle out of the booth with adirt nib in it, that simple. Kaizen/leanorganizations take on the same beliefsof the small shops: the only way tomake it is to please the customer andgive them what they want. And whatthey want is quality, speed and price.

Crime Doesn’t Pay »Next, I went off to

college, studyingcriminal law/ crim-

inal justice, got to thefinish line and decided it

wasn’t for me. You see, I want-ed more. I didn’t want to beyour run-of-the-mill police

officer (no disrespect to anypolice officers who put their

lives on the line for us daily).I wanted more of a challenge;

I wanted to be a homicide de-tective, where every day would be

different and I wouldn’t get bored.But it took too many years on theforce to get to that point. I could neversee myself in a career where I did theexact same thing every day.

My Kind of Lean » Over the nexteight years, I worked in all differentaspects of the automotive industry,which increased my knowledge evenmore. I spent time being a mechanicaltech, parts consultant, parts manager,manager of a truck accessory companyand then full circle back to the collisionindustry as an assistant manager atthe local dealership. We all know thetypical horror stories that go alongwith traditional dealership body shopsand their traditional thinking managers.

I was able to catapult myself to shopmanager in less than a year. I wasputting together some of the first build-ing blocks of a kaizen/lean facilitybut didn’t even know it and had nevereven heard those terms before. I builta strong team of people who, eventhough they were flat rate, had eachother’s back. I got rid of the bodytechs who took naps in the cars or left

at 10 a.m. because they were out ofwork. I didn’t know it yet, but I wascreating a winning culture.

I displayed a lot of “stuff” on theshop floor: daily/monthly goals,how we measured up to those goals,tech efficiency, where the vehicleswere in the shop, a schedule rack,etc. I was creating visual manage-ment. I had the people, the cultureand some visuals that kept everyoneinformed. We had the customer asour main focus alongside speed andquality. But I didn’t have the otheringredients that I didn’t even knowexisted yet.

Slap in the Face » For the last fiveyears, I had the pleasure of being men-tored by a kaizen guru. Although wehad our rifts from time to time, hetruly gave me a plethora of knowledgethat I can’t thank him enough for.Going from a traditional shop withsome clever ideas of myown to being intro-duced to theToyota Produc-tion System,kaizen and 5Smade a lot ofsense, but be-cause we were al-ready living in akaizen organiza-tion every day, itdidn’t slap you inthe face and makeyou see that thiswas “the way” todo the work and theother ways were just stupid and notsustainable for the long haul.

I got that slap in the face about threemonths ago. I took some much neededtime off with my three young childrenand searched for something big that Icould conquer. I’m not by any meansan expert on kaizen or lean, but I dohave an insatiable drive to be the bestin whatever I do, an appetite for gainingknowledge and five years of learningunder a very good teacher. So, Ithought, why not see what I can dowith all of that?

David vs. Goliath » I accepted a po-sition at a high-volume shop with theintention of implementing lean andrunning production at the same time.Sounds easy enough, sign me up!Enter the “slap in the face.”

The first day, I did the gemba walk.Just me, a notebook and a pen. Nobodyknew who I was; they all thought Iwas a paint rep. I just walked around,talked to the techs and observed theinsanity going on. I had no less than10 million things in my mind that wecould do right then to make thingsbetter. It was an awakening; I nowtruly understood the need for change.

When I interviewed with the owner,he said he had knowledge of lean andthat they had been heading down thatpath until they got sidetracked. WhatI walked into was some parts carts,outlined bays and 5S’ed material carts.There were no visuals anywhere, not

COVER STORY » Confessions of a Lean Rookie


even a glimpse of flow, and no team-work in an hourly shop. However,what he did have was an incrediblybusy shop. I was aligning myself withanother industry pioneer. He was oneof the few success stories who builthis business from the ground up, byhimself by satisfying the customer.Customers were literally knockingdown the door.

When introduced to the team onday two, I quickly noticed that theclosest thing you could relate theculture of this shop to was a deadlyspreading cancer. When they weren’t

making snide comments be-hind my back about “chasing me outlike the others” and taking bets onhow long I would last, they werethrowing each other under the busevery chance they got. I knew I hadtwo ways to approach the situation: Icould come in guns blazing and laydown the law, or slowly implement

very small thingsthat would createimmediate im-provement andgain their respect. Ichose a hybrid ap-proach because theculture was so badthat there had tobe a couple “publicexecutions” as de-scribed in “TheArt of War.” Theteam had beenthrough their

share of managers before and had tounderstand they were entering newterritory. They were no longer goingto be managed; they were going to be led.

First Two Weeks » The first twoweeks went well. It seemed that theculture was changing and team mem-

bers who I originally thought weretoo far gone were starting to comearound. The main issues were on-timedelivery, quality and vehicles stayingon the lot too long before going intothe repair plan. From day one, I waspuzzled how anything got in or outon time. There were no visuals to goby except for two key racks, one forvehicles ready for the repair plan andone for vehicles outside waiting to beworked on.

Heijunka Board » The first thing Iimplemented was a heijunka boardwhere everybody could see whereevery vehicle was in the system, whenthe target date was and if there wereany sublet operations that needed tobe done. Prior to the board, everythingwas run from a daily printout titled“Due Out Today” generated from pro-duction software. The daily printoutgave you some information, such as



“We don’t even have the parts for thiscar yet,” or, at 5 p.m., “I didn’t knowthat needed a wheel repair and analignment.”

Repair Plan Visual » The next stepwas to set up a visual for repair planpriority and a production start rack.These tools were a constant visual onwhat to do next in the correct logicalorder. There were no longer techswalking around the shop for 30 minuteslooking for a manager to find out whatthey were supposed to do next; it wasvisually there in front of their eyes,fail-proof.

Fixing Quality » The next step wasto try to fix quality. Knowing thatthis shop badly needed a standardprocess to follow, I also understoodthe time it would take me to run pro-duction and attempt to write a goodprocess for each step of the operation.

Despite ownership claiming theywanted to take the company in thisdirection, it still came down to thedaily bottom line.

I decided the next logical step wouldbe to put quality standards and checksin place. I knew from my previous ex-periences that if the team doesn’t haveinput or see the need for change, theywon’t buy in.

Due to the large number of techs, Idecided to break them down into theareas that they typically worked inand let them create their own qualitystandards. The quality standards werebased on customer needs and brokeninto two parts: what a certain areaneeded from the upstream operations,and what that area needed to provideto the downstream operations. All thestandards were created and agreedupon by the team and posted in eacharea of the operation. Now, we simplyneeded to execute.

Lack of Communication » Whilemeeting with the team to create thequality standards, it became obviousthat communication between sales (es-timators) and the production floor wasseriously lacking. This led to settingfalse expectations with the customerand missing out on what the customeractually wanted.

The estimators would write quick,inaccurate parking lot estimates, sched-ule the customer and pre-order theparts. The customer would be given atarget date based on the parking lotestimate; this step alone just blew allchances of making the customer happy.

When the customer dropped offtheir vehicles for repair, there wouldbe no interaction between the personwho had knowledge of the damageand the customer. The keys were givento the people at the front desk andthen handed off to the detailer. Therewas no communication between sales



and the production team on what thecustomer was asking for, what wasrelated or unrelated, any concerns thecustomer may have had, or anythingspecial the customer was asking for.The only thing they had to go by wasthat poor quality parking lot estimate.This led to four major wastes: excessmovement, waiting, overprocessingand defects.

Once the vehicle went into repairplanning, the tech would have to callthe estimator (who was downstairs),wait for them to finally come upstairsto the vehicle and then hopefully de-termine what was accident-related.The tech would then disassemble thevehicle, put the parts on the cart, movethe vehicle outside and call the esti-mator back up to write the supplement,take the photos and order the parts.How accurate would you expect thisprocess to be?

Knowing the repair plan was themost important step of the entireprocess, I had to put some things inplace fast. The first was to create a ve-hicle check-in sheet for the estimatorto fill out with the customer at vehicledropoff that would capture allrelated/unrelated damage and specialconcerns/expectations. The secondwas to get an estimator on the shopfloor in repair planning.

Despite much begging and pleadingto stop all parking lot estimates andinstead schedule the vehicle for repairsso we could identify 100 percent of

the damage up front, I couldn’t getthe owner to buy in. Luckily, I had anemployee in the parts department whohad his appraiser’s license and waslooking for a bigger role in the company.I placed him in between the two repairplan techs with a computer, a camera,insurance guidelines and a little bit oftraining. Once again, all I needed nowwas execution.

Making Mistakes » Implementinglean is the easy part; dedication to theexecution without wavering is whatseparates the real from the fake.

As I said in the beginning of this ar-ticle, I am by no means an expert. DoI think I’m going about this in theright order? Probably not. But that’sthe point of this article: I want you tosee some of the mistakes I made. Iwent from being mentored in a con-trolled environment to jumping inwith the wolves and finding out thebest way to implement lean on the fly.

My next article will focus on pastand current implementation, whatworked/didn’t work, and why andwhere we’re headed next. BSB

Tim Komoroski is a lean facilitator/opera-tions leader for a collision center in Pitts-burgh, Pa. He has spent 18 years in theautomotive repair industry and gainedknowledge of The Toyota Production Systemwhile working for The Body Shop @. Youcan email him at [email protected].




By Jason Stahl

With the emphasis onspeed and cycle time to-day, collision repairershave turned to curing

technology as one answer to helpthem be as efficient as possible ingetting work in and out the door.

An IR Renaissance » Word is therehas been a recent surge in popularityin infrared (IR) heaters after a periodof dormancy due to a glut of productin the market.

“There was a time when we weremostly just selling consumables andparts – because the market was so

TECHNICAL

The

Is On38 December 2013 | BodyShop Business

Infrared heaters are making a comeback as shops search for asupplemental and more versatile way to cure coatings.

saturated in shortwave IR,” says EdWeihs, vice president of sales andmarketing for AMH Canada Ltd.“Everyone had a short-wave infraredlamp. But people now seem to bestepping up in quality.”

According to Weihs, the surge hastaken place over the last 18 months,and shops’ main interest has beentwo things: overhead track systemsand sidewall-mounted track systemsthat are off the floor, and installingthese systems in prep stations.

“Most of the hits are two-panelhits where you’re not painting thewhole car, so to turn on a wholebooth and bake for one or two panelsbecomes a bottleneck in the shop,”Weihs explains. “So if you roll thecar out to a prep area and cure itwith shortwave IR, you free up abooth, which helps in throughputand productivity.”

Weihs says that multi-shop oper-

ations have been particularly com-mitted to the “off the floor” conceptfor the obvious reason of creatingbetter flow in the shop.

“It makes it easier to move vehicles through the shop and allowsyou to create a better shop design,”he says. “You don’t want to impedemovement.”

The move to quality, Weihs says,has been driven by a variety offactors that are common to manyindustries when you’re putting lowquality versus high quality equip-ment side by side.

“Maybe with the low quality itemsthey’re not getting the same per-formance, coverage area, uniformityof cure and quality of cure they’relooking for. They might find they’rereplacing the less expensive lampstoo often. If you look at the waystands are made, they’re not verysubstantial. It doesn’t matter so much

in the little ones like the 1,200-watt,but if you’re getting into a 4,000- or8,000-watt shortwave lamp, it hasto be substantial.”

There are the traditional uses of IR(curing filler and waterborne coatings,which repairers are using a combi-nation of IR and heated air to do),but Weihs has also seen people usingit for everything from heating materialso it can be formed (motor coach andtour bus aluminum skins) to softeningclay for modeling vehicles.

Drying Waterborne » Based onhis own sales figures, Mike Bertrandof Hedson Technologies N.A. con-firms a large upsurge in demandfor IR heaters.

“Waterborne does work with IR,so people are finding that out, espe-cially if they’re working with thattype of material in a humid envi-ronment,” he says. “Plus, all the old

TECHNICAL » The Heat Is On


arguments for IR are still valid – it’sa very cost effective way to go, it of-fers line-of-sight curing for a fast,effective cure for two panels ondown, and it can reduce cycle times.”

Bertrand says consolidation alsohas helped in that more and moreorganizations are running more pro-fessional businesses and looking forbest practices to improve efficiency.

Bertrand admits the product itself

hasn’t changed much ex-cept for the control side,where, by adding sensorsand new reflector materi-als and shapes, Hedsonhas been able to make theIR curing process simple.

“It’s now a one-buttonoperation with a fast, con-sistent result every singletime. All of these thingsare driving markets formore and more of these

machines,” he says.Not only has there been greater

interest for lower ticket items at the$5,000 price point, Bertrand says,but also the higher end paint curingarch that can cost between $60,000and $70,000, although he says “nodeals have been closed yet.”

“It gets installed in the sprayboothand is fully computerized where thepainter can highlight the panels they

want to cure on the screen. The archwill come out and light up thosedifferent panels and then travel backto the parking area.”

Bertrand can’t emphasize enoughthe effect waterborne coatings hashad on the demand for IR units andthat, in his opinion, air movementalone is not the solution.

“We sell a ton of IR in Europe be-cause they’re way ahead of us onwaterborne, and for awhile there itwas thought what you needed to drywater was just air. Venturis and what-not help enhance drying, but IR iseffective on water as well. IR can beused as a standalone, but most of thetime if a car is in the prep area orbooth, they’ll just leave the air goingto enhance the overall process.”

Heat Plus Air » Joe Petro with In-fratech describes the drying processfrom a more technical angle. He ex-



The mobility of some IR heatersallows shops to free up booths by

curing in prep stations.

plains that with waterborne, the water is sitting on the surface andneeds to be absorbed by the air andcarried away. Air flow works because,if you’re pushing fresh air over it,the air you’re blowing is unsaturatedand thus can absorb more and carryit away. But the story is different onhigh humidity days.

“Even air flow has a hard timedriving water out on those days be-cause the air is saturated and can’thold any more water, so how doyou trick it and make the air capableof picking up more water and car-rying it away?” says Petro. “You ei-ther circulate a lot of air if you’reonly at 97 to 98 percent humidity, oryou use heat to force more solventor water into the air. That’s what IRis really effective at.”

Plus, Petro says IR lets you heatonly specific spots and you don’thave to heat the whole booth. And

you can roll the mobile ones aroundin the shop, using them in otherwork areas and prep bays.

Petro agrees with Bertrand that therehave been no whiz-bang technologicaladvancements in IR over the last 15 to20 years, other than in controls.

“I like to think [Infratech] is inno-vative in regulating heat based ontemperature versus distance,” he says.“We recognize distance isn’t alwaysa luxury body shops have. Sometimesyou only have 18 to 24 inches to po-sition a heater. We offer controls withour digital temperature sensor whereyou type in ‘150 degrees’ and it scansthe surface and regulates the heatoutput no matter what distance youare from the panel.”

Interest at the SEMA Show bol-stered Petro’s belief that IR is makinga comeback, but he was discouragedto hear people bring up an old mis-conception.

“When IR first came out, peopleloved it because we didn’t depositdust in the finish, whereas venturisand air nozzles did,” Petro says.“But at SEMA, I had five peopleask how much dust I was going toput in the finish, which was sur-prising because people stoppedasking that question years ago andnow they’re starting to ask it again.But that’s an airflow issue – andwhy people use spraybooths andgood filtration to keep them clean.”

Petro is encouraged to see thatrepairers are once again seeingthe value in IR and interested in seeing how it can help theirproductivity.

“People are going back to tech-nology they understand and arecomfortable with and are buyingan extra one to two IR lamps, evensmall entry-level ones, to helpmove in that direction.” BSB



the basis of two things: the entireindustry is opposed to PartsTrad-er, which he demonstrated to thejudge by assembling shops, deal-erships and vendors, and that themandatory parts procurementprogram represented tortious in-

terference between the businessrelationship body shops have withtheir vendors.

“But there’s also somethingthat’s probably more important:this is an attempt to force you tobreach your fiduciary duty to thecustomer,” said Eaves.

Another goal of the legal action,Eaves explained, is to “reverse thedamage” and get shops paid forprocedures they performed butwere not compensated for – a listof 62 items including feather, primeand block, denib and finesse, andmasking door jambs. For eachstate, he’s recalculating such workfor the period of the statute of limi-tations in that state – three years inMississippi, for example. Initial es-timates in that state are $675 pereach $3,500 repair.

“You do the work, and the insur-er gets the profit. That soundedlike something I learned in lawschool,” said Eaves. “We went backto Old English common law that isuniversal throughout the U.S. ex-cept for Louisiana and appliedthat. It’s a concept called unjust en-richment or quantum meruit, andit’s simple: Did you do the work?Yes. Did the insurer get the profitfrom it? Yes. Did they do anythingfor it? No. Then that money be-longs to you. And that allows usnot to have to prove there is a con-tract between you and the insurer.”

Yet another part of the suit in-volves the “market research” insur-ers have been using, Eaves claims,to artificially suppress labor ratesin certain areas.

“I don’t know about your mar-ket research, but in Mississippi,State Farm likes to call shops andsay, ‘Hey, your labor rate is toohigh! You need to go back to thesurvey and cut it down.’ We callthat a ‘push poll’ in politics, whichmeans it isn’t an accurate survey,”Eaves said. “So you take that $675per vehicle and double it andyou’ve got some real money onyour hands.”

Another way to defeat Parts-Trader, said Eaves, is through the1963 Consent Decree, which waswritten and signed in 1963 to elimi-nate insurance company manipula-tions of the collision repairmarketplace.

“The problem is you can have a



Mississippi continued from pg. 13

law, but if the police don’t enforceit, it’s of no value,” said Eaves.“That’s basically what has hap-pened with the Consent Decree.So when this bill starts rolling outin January in the U.S. Congress,when the fire gets hot enough, I’mhopeful and prayerful that this ad-

ministration will see the value inenforcing that agreement.”

In sum, Eaves said, “This is big-ger than just a legal effort; this is acampaign. I sum it up three ways:you have the legal, political andmedia, which are the tools of war.You have the air support and ar-

tillery, but you have to have theground troops. We have a politicalstrategy. Many states are alreadyfiling bills in their state legislaturesto stop PartsTrader. Five weeksago, I was at a Washington meetingwith members of the House andSenate, and we have a bipartisancommitment from Republicans andDemocrats in both the House andSenate to reproduce the bill thathas been introduced in New York,so we’ll be rolling that out in Janu-ary – the anti-PartsTrader rollout in Washington.”

Part of the battle, Eaves said, isto adequately inform consumersabout the fight, because so far theydon’t know about it.

“But they will,” Eaves promised.“NBC and CNN have both been toour office and are going to be do-ing a documentary on this, notfrom repairers’ perspectives unfor-tunately but how this is going toinjure the general public. My con-cern at the end of the day is wehave a duty to the general public,and that’s what the media will talkabout, and senators and congress-men as well.

“I just want you to know thatwhat you do is important, youhave more power than you realize,and this is a fight that we can andwill win. Your business survivesbecause people trust you, andthat’s why I’m assured a victory inthis case.”



Find 1,000’s of BodyShop Business

articles online atbodyshopbusiness.com

to do with change. I love change,as long as it’s for the better.”

Sowle, who made headlines inJuly 2013 when Sewell Lexus wasdropped from State Farm’s SelectService program after declining toparticipate in PartsTrader, ex-plained that parts procurement in

his shop is designed to help thecustomer first and foremost.

“We have a quick onlineprocess that’s set up to help us ex-pedite the repair process, butmore importantly to help the cus-tomer, regardless of who their in-surance provider is,” he said. “Itworks independently of any spe-

cific carrier. We declined [Parts-Trader] because it doesn’t alignwith our customer service mis-sion. Ninety days in, it’s very ear-ly to tell what the long-termimpact will be on our business,but initially we’re pleased withour decision.”

Van Tuyl’s Huggins added thatthe value in parts procurement ofany kind, like any other aspect ofbusiness, relies on the freedom to choose.

“Whether you fall into the repairsector, supplier, parts, whatever, itshould be up to you to make thedecision of what business toolsyou’re going to use. You’ve got tobe able to choose what works foryou,” said Huggins.

As talks of the advantages andperils of parts procurement sys-tems came to a head, Society ofCollision Repair Specialists (SCRS)Executive Director and Insurer/Repairer Relations Committeemember Aaron Schulenburgtouched upon the importance ofkeeping the focus on meeting theexpectations of those in the audi-ence and the committee’s intent todiscuss insurer mandates as ap-plied to these systems.

“I think we’ve focused a lot onwhy parts procurement platformsmay or may not be good, and Ithink the discussion may havegotten distracted by us as an in-dustry focusing on where thingswork or don’t work,” said Schu-lenburg. “The reality here is thatthe market share is not being de-termined by who brings the bestvalue proposition and who pro-vides services that are needed bythe consumer. I hear shops uphere progressively looking to ex-plore new solutions, and profes-sionals who have gone down thatroad and found something toserve their needs and their cus-tomers’ needs. What happens if,after years of perhaps workingwith an e-parts procurement pro-gram and developing a system



CIC continued from pg. 13

that works great, that shop isasked to use something entirelydifferent if they want to continueto do work in certain areas?That’s the real issue here.”

Attendees lined up for an openmic session following the paneldiscussion, and some raised theirvoices and directed their ques-

tions to CIC Chairman George Av-ery of State Farm regarding theinsurer’s requirement that SelectService shops use PartsTrader.

Bill Burn of America’s AutoBody in Schaumburg, Ill., directlyaddressed Avery, asking him tofind out why State Farm is askingshops to skew their numbers

when it comes to PartsTrader’s effectiveness.

“The Chicago market has lostefficiency, which has clearlycaused delays. So this is myquestion: why would State Farmask the Chicago shops to changethe upload of the repair, the dis-assembly time, to after all thewasted time trying to get parts,get them all in line and then wecan start to take your ticket.What that’s doing is skewing thenumbers and making PartsTraderlook like it’s working – and it’snot working. The delays are twoto three days, and trying to getparts can take two to three hours.And these incorrect numbers arebeing communicated to skew thenumbers and are effectively caus-ing delays for consumers to gettheir cars. So why is State Farmasking the shops to skew theirnumbers?”

Industry instructor Toby Chessechoed repairers’ previous com-ments on the importance ofchoosing the best solutions thatwork for them.

“I’ve been to many body shops,and their continued growth andquality depends on performance.If the gentleman next to you inthe shop does not perform, youget rid of him. You have thatchoice.” Chess then strode to thefront of the LVH ballroom andheld up a part presented at theprevious day’s CIC as an exampleof an inferior repair. “When wekeep getting our profits takenaway from us, this is what we’regoing to get. This is what’s goingto happen as you lose out on prof-its. We need choice!”

SCRS National Director C.J. Ver-maak (Dan’s Body & Paint) poseda question to the panelists current-ly utilizing parts procurement so-lutions: “Have any of your vendorsbeen forced to use the mandatedprocurement programs themselvesin order to continue to provide youwith the parts you buy?”



While Pride AutoBody’s Stabler repliedthat he has not, VanTuyl’s Darren Hugginsprovided a differentperspective. “I’m luckyin that regard because Ido business with my-self. I work with bigmetro markets, so it’snot a tough deal be-cause I just do businesswith myself.”

Schulenburg asked,“Darren, if your whole-sale departments decidednot to participate butyour body shops wantedto, would you continue todo business with your-self?” Huggins answeredthat his wholesale depart-ments are not all partici-

pating on that level, “butselling directly to me, it’snot an issue.”

“I get this feeling as anowner and as a repairerthat the impression of usis, if these so-called partssolutions weren’t man-dated but put in place tobe selected freely, thatwe as business peoplewouldn’t be savvyenough to pick them outon our own,” said PastSCRS Chairman BarryDorn. “I disagree withthat perception. Lookhow intelligent and inno-vative we’ve been in theface of years of down-ward pressure. We takeoffense to that, becauseat the end of the day, all

we want to do is operateour businesses in themost effective way possi-ble. When we have thirdparties that come in con-sistently and constantlyand try to explain to ushow much better we cando, without us even go-ing to them first, that’sunacceptable.”

Addressing moderatorTuuri and State Farm’sAvery directly, Dorn of-fered his opinion on thereal solution to the partsprogram dilemma.

“Rick, you say we needto discuss solutions.George, the solution isthat your folks need totalk to your partners.And I’m one of them. You

need to talk to them andexplain to them why onestakeholder is takingaway from the other two,how that’s fair, howthat’s efficient, how that’sright, and frankly, howthat’s not corporategreed. I don’t blame you,your company or any in-surer for wanting tomake profits. But if weare in fact partners, weneed to sit down andtalk. If we want to fix thatproblem, let’s talk aboutthe issue and stop danc-ing around it.”

The discussion on insurer-mandated partsprograms will continue atthe CIC in Palm Springs,Calif., Jan. 15-17.



ASouth Carolinacollision repairerhas written a let-

ter to State Farm CEOEd Rust Jr., complainingabout the wait time andlack of response fromState Farm personnel onState Farm claims.

David Montanaro ofCoastal Collision Worksin Charleston, S.C., be-lieves State Farm is in-tentionally making hiscustomers’ claims an“administrative night-mare” because he is noton Select Service.

The letter reads as follows:

As of today’s date, we’vebeen waiting 12 days onadditional damage supple-ment approval for yourpolicyholder/ our customer.After sending numerousemails and leaving severalvoicemail messages foryour supplements person,we still have no response.Every time my supplementcoordinator inquires abouthow to correct the ‘no re-sponse’ problem (with notonly State Farm claimantsbut with State Farm in-

sured customers as well),he’s directed back to yoursupplements person. Butthe number of days it takesher to finally respond to asupplement request onlyincreases. When we findadditional damage, we typ-ically stop repairs, docu-ment and send the picturesand/or video via email toState Farm for approval.But State Farm says theyhave to actually see thedamage in person beforethey can approve it. Themost ridiculous thingabout this is that even

though a State Farm ad-juster is in our shop everyother day looking at a vehi-cle right next to the vehiclewe need a supplement ap-proval on, they refuse tolook at it without yoursupplement person’s ap-proval, which is nearly im-possible to get inreasonable time. What kindof customer service is that?

We’re a small businessand it’s astonishing howmany administrativehours we spend just tryingto take care of our StateFarm customers. And do



South Carolina Collision Repairer Writes State Farm CEO on Claims Delays

you realize how this hurtsyour State Farm policy-holders who want us to repair their vehicles?They’re becoming very ed-ucated on the way StateFarm really feels abouttheir policyholders. It alsoseems to me that this pro-cedure is expensive and acomplete waste of a StateFarm adjuster’s time whenthey have to come backmultiple times, instead ofapproving a supplementwhile he’s already herelooking at another claim.By the way, we have all ofthe supporting datedemails and fax confirma-tions to show that StateFarm is, in fact, receivingour requests.

Coastal Collision Works

has a commitment to han-dle every damage claimthat comes through ourdoors with integrity andspeed. Our customers havecome to expect the highestquality in repairs, paintand customer service fromus. We actually explain tothem all of the proceduresduring the length of timetheir vehicle is in ourshop. Therefore, whenState Farm makes youwait indefinitely for a sup-plement approval, our cus-tomers are informed of thedetails. What the cus-tomers deserve and shouldexpect from State Farm isa quick and professionalresponse on their claimsbecause that’s what theythink they’re paying for

when they choose you toprotect their vehicles. As amatter of fact, according tothe State Farm website un-der ‘State Farm’s Commit-ment to Our Policy-holders,’ it states, ‘StateFarm promises to be con-sistent, act promptly, ex-plain decisions that aremade with claims and toensure their policyholdersobtain all benefits avail-able provided by the insur-ance policy.’ Perhaps this

commitment should betaught and instilled ineach of your State Farmrepresentatives becausethey’re obviously not hon-oring State Farm’s com-mitment to your policyholders.

Montanaro wrote Ruston April 23, 2013, aswell to explain what hecalled “serious issues”concerning State Farm’streatment of his cus-tomers’ claims.



Become part of the BodyShop Business Readers group and participate in lively conversations with industry professionals on hot topics in

the collision repair industry! Visit: http://linkd.in/18aL71K

Join us on

I-CAR has launched itsnew live-only coursesin steel parts repair

and replacement.“The old general sec-

tioning guidelines nolonger apply with currentmodels,” said Josh Mc-Farlin, I-CAR director ofcurriculum and productdevelopment.

Replacement of SteelUnitized Structures(SPS10) offers considera-tions when recommenda-tions for OEM proceduresfor disassembly at factoryseams are not available. Itprovides students withopportunities to learnfrom actual vehicle mak-er procedures for replac-ing parts at factoryseams, to understandwhy certain parts need tobe completely replacedand to learn the factorsthat impact decision-making when separatingan assembly.

Sectioning of SteelUnitized Structures(SPS11) provides the in-formation techniciansneed to make proper de-cisions for sectioning. Itdefines sectioning and itsdifferences from partialreplacement at factoryseams, shows how to pre-

pare the vehicle for a sec-tioning repair, examinesvarious types of section-ing joints and detailspart-specific sectioningconsiderations. Thecourse uses classroom ac-tivities, props anddemonstrations to illus-trate detailed informationon sectioning preparationand joint types.

The new courses re-place the SPS01 andSPS02 courses to providemore current informationand better align with theKnowledge Areas in I-CAR’s Professional De-velopment Program. Asof the course launch,SPS10 is now a ProLevel2 requirement and SPS11a ProLevel 3 requirementfor steel structural techni-cians. Estimators and ap-praisers can apply SPS10and/or SPS11 courses to-ward their annual train-ing requirements.

Only those steel struc-tural technicians whohave previously complet-ed both SPS01 and SPS02will be exempt from tak-ing the new courses tomeet their ProLevel 2 and3 requirements; SPS01and SPS02 are no longeravailable.



NationalI-CAR Debuts New Steel Replacementand Sectioning Courses

The Georgia Collision IndustryAssociation (GCIA) hosted itsannual golf tournament on

Wednesday, Oct. 2 to benefit a localcollision repair education program.

The event took place at the Tro-phy Club of Atlanta in Alpharetta,Ga., and raised $2,000 for MaxwellHigh School of Technology’s colli-sion program through the help ofthe association’s sponsors. Goldsponsors of the event included:� Axalta Coating Systems� BASF� NAPA� AkzoNobel� PPG� Single Source Inc.

“The average age of techniciansin our industry is approaching 50

years old, so we’ve got to growthe younger people in the indus-try and make sure they’re educat-ed on the new technology that’s inthese vehicles,” said HowardBatchelor, executive director ofGCIA. “We want to show [stu-dents] this is a great industry towork for, and we need to recruitmore people into it.”



Circle 62 for Reader Service Circle 80 for Reader Service

GCIA board member Michelle Coombspresents the check to instructor SamMelaragno.

Georgia Collision Industry Association Raises$2,000 for Local Collision Education Program

SCRS Reports Exhibitors Had Best Showing to Date at SEMA Show

The Society of Collision Repair Spe-cialists (SCRS) is reporting that ex-hibitors are saying they had theirmost successful showings in theCollision Repair & Refinish sectionof the SEMA Show to date.

“In a word, awesome!” saidFrank Terlep, CEO of Summit Soft-ware. “I’m amazed at the level ofgrowth that the Collision Repair &Refinish section of the show has ex-

perienced in a few short years.What’s also very encouraging is thesteady increase in the number ofcollision players coming through.Every year, we meet more and morebuyers and professionals directlyrelated to the business of collisionrepair, and in terms of quality leads,this was our best year yet.”

Part of Terlep’s enthusiasmstems from how SCRS has pro-

moted the industry through theSEMA Show.

“As soon as I heard SCRS wastaking a larger role [at SEMA] withthe Collision Repair & Refinish sec-tion, I immediately said, ‘I’m in,’”he said. “They do an amazing job ofpromoting the industry and the col-lision repair pros that comprise it,between a strong presence at theshow itself and a ton of awesomeeducational opportunities. As I’veexperienced, every year that SCRSpartners with the SEMA Show isbetter and better. If you’re into carsand the business of repairing them,there’s no place like SEMA for you.”

Added Tim Morgan, managingdirector of Spanesi Americas, “Ican’t say enough good things aboutthis year’s show. Everything aboutthe event is so exciting – from thenew products to the nonstop trafficof current and future customers. We

don’t often get to meet all our cus-tomers face to face, so SEMA is aterrific opportunity for us to reachout to these people in person tothank them for their business, an-swer any questions they may haveand tie together their experience asa customer.”

The Spanesi team showed theirsupport at the 2013 SEMA Showfrom various show specials to acelebrity booth appearance by tele-vision star Mark Boone Jr. (Sons ofAnarchy) and educational support,with Morgan presenting “Maximiz-ing Efforts Through Blueprintingand Shop Layout” on Thursday,Nov. 7 as part of SCRS’ RepairerDriven Education (RDE) series.

“I’m completely blown away byhow SCRS has helped bring an al-ready fantastic event to the next level,” Morgan says. “From a train-ing standpoint alone, they’ve raised

the bar immensely. As long as SCRSis a part of SEMA, we will be, too.”

SCRS says first-time exhibitorThe Hertz Corporation was alsopleased with their participation atSEMA. As Off-Airport OperationsRegion General Manager PeteMcGinnis reports, “We had a greatshowing and experienced a lot ofquality booth traffic. SEMA hasproven to be a great opportunityfor Hertz to increase its presencethroughout the industry, andwe’re confident working withSCRS will prove beneficial to our-selves as well as our future colli-sion repair partners.”

NAPA Paint & Supply (NAPA)showcased their largest exhibitspace to date at the 2013 SEMAShow, and NAPA’s Chris Nichols,director of PBE (U.S AutomotiveParts Group), noted a return ontheir investment with increasedbooth traffic and publicity.

“We came to SEMA this year witha completely redesigned, expandedbooth, and we experienced a greatdeal of traffic through our areaevery day of the show,” Nicholssaid. “We’ve participated in SEMAas part of the Collision Repair & Re-finish section every year since SCRShas been involved in its develop-ment, and this was without a doubtour largest presence, not to mentionthe largest show.”

“We’re encouraged and pleasedto be witnessing a steady build inboth size and support of the Colli-sion Repair & Refinish section of theSEMA Show,” said SCRS ExecutiveDirector Aaron Schulenburg.“Every year, we’re proud to wel-come a number of new exhibitors tothe CR&R section, all of which em-body the mission of SCRS to ‘edu-cate, inform and represent thecollision repair professional in allaspects of the industry.’ This year’ssupporting companies are amongthe absolute best in the industry,and we look forward to workingwith them as we begin planningnext year’s event.”




www.bodyshopbusiness.com 65Circle 65 for Reader Service Circle 81 for Reader Service

Four Las Vegas fami-lies facing difficulttimes were selected

to receive newly refur-bished vehicles at the Na-tional Auto Body Council’sannual Recycled Ridesgiveaway at the SEMAShow.

Participants in this year’smulti-car gifting at SEMAinclude Enterprise Rent-A-Car, State Farm Insurance,Allstate Insurance Compa-ny, Esurance and Hertz,who donated vehicles re-furbished by Gerber Colli-sion, Caliber Collision,Sterling Auto Body Centersand Collision Authority.

The families were select-

National Auto Body Council Gifts FourRecycled Rides at SEMA Show

ed by Family Promise ofLas Vegas, which helpshomeless and low-incomefamilies transition fromhomelessness to stabilityand independence.

In addition, FamilyPromise received a 15-passenger van donatedby Enterprise Rent-a-Carand repaired by GerberCollision in a surprisepresentation.

“Family Promise of LasVegas does a wonderfuljob of helping so manyfamilies regain stability,”said Chuck Sulkala, NABCexecutive director. “We rec-ognize that owning a carthey can count on could be

the key to regaining boththeir financial well-beingand their self-respect. Re-cycled Rides is a wonder-ful program that enables so

many of us in the collisionrepair industry to partnerwith our colleagues andmake a positive impact inpeoples’ lives.”

Howard Putterman (left) of Enterprise and Tom Csekme of GerberCollision stand with Terry Lindemann, executive director of FamilyPromise of Las Vegas, in front of the donated 15-passenger van atthe SEMA Show.


66 December 2013 | BodyShop BusinessCircle 66 for Reader Service Circle 82 for Reader Service

Corporate

Garmat USA hasannounced thewinners of its2013 Sharp Shoot-

er Contest. This is the thirdyear for the contest, whichwas designed to recognizequality paint techs andshop owners who use Gar-mat equipment.

Judging was based onthe shop owner and painttech’s dedication to pro-viding quality paint jobs,superior customer serv-ice, attention to safety

and overall equipmentknowledge. Candidateswere also asked how Gar-mat could improve theirGarmat experience withproduct improvements.

The 2013 winner isMiguel Villalobos of VanCollision in Scottsdale,Ariz., who won a trip fortwo to SEMA 2013. Vil-lalobos was accompaniedby his manager, BrianSmith. In his testimonial,Villalobos stated, “I amvery pleased with the re-

sults I obtain by using theGarmat equipment,cleaner paint and fasterdry time, but importantto me is the fact that atthe end of the day, I cango home with healthyand strong lungs to hugmy family.”

Villalobos was recog-

nized at Garmat USA’sBooth 10729 at the SEMAShow on Wednesday,Nov. 6, 2013 at 11:30 a.m.

In addition to thegrand prize, five finalistsreceived SamsungGalaxy Wi-Fi tablets, onefor both the tech andbody shop owner. Vil-

Garmat Announces Winners of 2013Sharp Shooter Contest

(L to R) Van Collision Center Manager Brian Smith, Garmat USAMarketing Director Debbie Teter, winner Miguel Villalobos andGarmat USA General Manager Johan Huwaert.

ProductSpotlight

Martech Services Company has been

manufacturing

Quality Air Breathing

Systems

Since 1991

As the use of waterborne paints becomes more popular and in some areas, required,the need for clean and dry compressed sprayable air is a critical component. Theneed for the proper filtration to remove moisture, oil vapors, gaseous hydrocarbons,dirt, rust, scale, and other potentially dangerous contaminants is the minimum at

best. Then if the dew point and relative humidity can be drastically lowered, you can createa quality of spray air necessary to properly apply today’s waterborne paint products.

The convenience of having a solution to comply with OSHA regulations for proper airsupplied respiratory protection, and delivering Ultra Clean & Ultra Dry Air from a singlesystem, is cost effective and efficient. The Model 50-WB can process up to 50 SCFM ofBreathable Air or 35 SCFM of Ultra Clean & Ultra Dry Air, or any combination within thoseparameters.

The Model 50-WB is designed to work with your existing compressed air source toproperly filter and monitor the compressed air for Grade “D” Breathable Air, plus this systemalso provides Ultra Clean & Ultra Dry Air for use in spraying waterborne or solvent-basedpaints.

This system can handle up to two painters at the same time. The Model 50-WB is a 50SCFM system, and is also available in an 80 SCFM system.

For more information, contact your local jobber/dealer or

800-831-1525www.breathingsystems.com

Waterborne-BreathableAir Combo System

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Spray Booths and Al Ortiz, Rely-OnEquipment

� Finalists

Sheboygan Chevrolet CollisionCenter, Wis.Painter: John MichaelsManagers: Jeff Wiegand, RandyRomanoskiDistributor: Wakeman Equipment,Don Wakeman

Park Place Bodywerks, TexasPainter: Juan (Carlos) GonzalezBody shop manager: Eric McKenzieDistributor: Collision EquipmentSpecialists, Tom McNelly and BillyAllen

The Big Lot Body Shop at Reliable Chevrolet, Mo.Painter: Jeff SpicerOwner: Paul DittmeierDistributor: Collision EquipmentSpecialists, Tom McNelly, Billy Allen

Global Imports (BMW/MINI)Painter: Neil SnyderBody shop manager: Will MesserDistributor: Boothworks USA,Greg Lax

Rancho Collision Center, Calif.Painter: Ruben SolorioManager: Shon CraftDistributor: Mike Renwick, CRESpraybooths

� Alumni Club

2012 Sharp Shooter Grand Prize

Winner

Crest Collision of Plano, TexasPainter: Gary GonzalesManager: Kevin KidwellDistributor: Collision EquipmentSpecialists, Tom McNelly

2011 Sharp Shooter Grand Prize

Winner

JM Lexus Certified CollisionCenter of Margate, Mich.Painter: Art SmithManager: Bobby GlaizeDistributor: Filterworks USA




lalobos and top finalist JohnMichaels of Sheboygan ChevroletCollision Center also received aSATA 4000B HVLP Camo PaintGun. All entrants received a Gar-mat Sharp Shooter cap.

The contest winners included:� Grand Prize Winner

Van Collision Center, Ariz.Painter: Miguel VillalobosManager: Brian SmithDistributor: Joe Varley, Arizona

LKQ Corporation has made a$25,000 donation to the Collision Repair Education Foundation.

The $25,000 gift will support thefoundation’s Collision Repair Educa-tion Campaign fund, which allowsfor the providing of annual studentscholarships, school grants and theannual Ultimate Collision EducationMakeover $50,000 school grant.

“LKQ has been a consistent sup-porter of the Collision Repair Edu-cation Foundation on severallevels,” said Collision Repair Educa-tion Foundation Executive DirectorClark Plucinski. “Through LKQ’spart donations to collision schoolprograms, monetary donations andhaving representation on our Boardof Trustees, LKQ has shown astrong commitment to assisting thefuture professionals of the collisionindustry. It is only through this con-tinued support that the Collision

Repair Education Foundation canhelp collision instructors in produc-ing productive, efficient entry-levelstaff for the industry. We thank LKQfor their continued support andhope other industry leaders can fol-low their lead.”



American Honda Launches Two New Editions of Body Repair News

American Honda has announced two new editions of Body RepairNews, a collision industry publication from American Honda cover-ing new Honda and Acura model body repair information.

The first issue covers the 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In and Hybrid. Thesecond issue covers the 2011-’13 and new 2014 Odyssey, featuring a new,increased level of high-strength steel.

Body Repair News, free to independent collision repair shops, is part of aseries of American Honda publications created to support new models,highlighting new and different substrates and technologies. An edition ofBody Repair News will be issued for every future new model. Any minormodel change where significant body design changes are made will alsohave a body repair publication issued.

Body Repair News summarizes new body and vehicle technology thatmay affect collision and other body repairs. However, it is not intended toreplace the detailed information contained in the body repair and servicemanuals. Rather, it simply helps collision repair industry personnel un-derstand why using the factory service information is so important tomake safe and complete repairs.

Moving forward, future editions of Body Repair News will not be an-nounced but simply placed on American Honda’s Service Express web-site. Shops are encouraged to check the Service Express site periodicallyfor updates.

LKQ Corporation Donates $25,000 toCollision Repair Education Foundation

(L to R) LKQ Vice President of IndustryRelations and Market Development TerryFortner, Collision Repair Education FoundationExecutive Director Clark Plucinski, and LKQPresident & CEO Rob Wagman.


Quickly Secure Parts and Control Painting

The Magnetic Paint Clamps offer a quick, durable method forsecuring parts for controlled spray painting. The clamps allow

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paint clamps can hold up to five pounds on a solid magnetic surface.Dent Fix Equipmentwww.dentfix.com


ProductShowcase

Flameless Torch The MINI-DUCTOR II + contains new technological advance-

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Portable Jack SystemThe QuickJack portable jack sys-tem makes vehicle maintenanceon and off the track quick and easy.Even with a 3,500-pound capacity, itremains lightweight and can easily bestored or relocated. It lowers to a 3-inch profile and features an open-center design, rugged safety lock bars, quick-connect hoses, built-inflow divider for equalized lifting and remote pendant control on a 20-foot cord. The system includes an eight-piece set of rubber lift blocks,convenient positioning handles and a mini portable hydraulic powerunit. A 5,000-pound capacity version will be available in 2014. BendPakwww.bendpak.com


ProtectCustomers’SeatsConstructedfrom a heavyvinyl-coatedpolyester fabric,the Seat Protec-tor easily slipsover a customer’sseat preventing thetransfer of any substance on a work-er’s clothing that could potentiallydamage the customer’s seat. Theprotector measures 58 inches inlength and covers most seats fromthe top all the way down to thefloor. Shoot Suit Inc.www.shootsuit.com


Create 40 Percent Less OversprayFeaturing the award-winningergonomically designed Apol-lo 7500 Multi-Functionspray gun, the1050VR offers ad-vanced technolo-gy to effectively han-dle water-borne paintsand coatings.The system providesefficient low-pressure atomizationand maximum paint saving with-out a compressor, dryers or filters.Utilizing less energy, the 1050VRcreates up to 40 percent less over-spray and can finish small repairsfaster.Apollo Sprayers Internationalwww.hvlp.com



Weld VariousMetalsThe MultiMig 522 in-verter welder can beused for weldingand brazing alu-minum alloys, galva-nized sheet metal,

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15-Second TV SpotsPreFab Ads has introduced threenew spots tailored for 15-secondmedia opportu-nities. “CartoonCrash :15” usesfun, vintagecartoons ofcrashing cars toset up the bodyshop’s message.“Demo Derby :15” shows a busyroadway intercut with demolitionderby crashes. “Tug-A-Car :15”shows a car ripped apart by towtrucks. These and 17 others can beviewed on the PreFab Ads website.PreFab Adswww.prefabads.com



Easily Store and Access SuppliesThe Paint Booth Access Turntable allows you to store paint and other additionalitems out of the way until it becomes necessary to use them. By providing the opportunity for a technician to be mixing paint or preparing supplies at the sametime another technician is spraying, the turntable increases productivity and improves organization. Global Finishing Solutionswww.globalfinishing.com


Track Vehicle Service Progress on Mobile DeviceService Portal allows body shops to customize theirown mobile applications with logo, name and colorscheme, plus various features. The main feature ofthe app is “My Garage,” which allows the customerto track their vehicle’s progress while it’s being serv-iced. Other features include reminders of upcomingmaintenance, a GPS locator and customer rewardsprograms. The apps can be listed in both Apple andGoogle markets.InCheck Service LLCwww.incheckservice.com


Easy-to-Use ClearcoatSuitable for all VOC regulatory environments,Sikkens Matte Select reduces shop clearcoat inventory, eliminates the learning curve forspraying a new clearcoat and prevents disruptionof shop standardized procedures due to use ofanother topcoat. Providing uniform gloss controland crystal clarity during application, the addi-tive can handle a variety of matte finish jobs rang-ing from spot repair to a complete re-spray.

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Quickly Restore HeadlightsDiamond Magic uses multi-level microscopicsubmicron diamond compounds to cutdegradation on headlights. When used witha buffing machine and polishing pad at 1,400rpm, it cuts labor time from one hour to 10minutes. This product can also be used onwindshields, rust, bumpers and wheels.Diamond Magicwww.diamondmagic.com


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What do you say when you go to thehospital?Car accident. You’re trying to give them

information to help them do what you need

done, but you’re not going to tell them what

was going on.

Is it harder to escape notice with redlight cameras today?

Yes, that’s why nobody does it that much

anymore. Twenty-five to 30 years ago,

it was every night, anywhere you

went. Could be today, could be

Tuesday, could be next Thurs-

day, didn’t matter. It was just

fun and it was the thing we

did. We all drove fast cars.

Where do you keepyour cars?I have a few at home, a

few in a storage unit I

rent, and two in my sis-

ter’s garage. Those two

are special and that’s

why they’re in her garage

because it’s heated. I actu-

ally carpeted her garage, too.

It’s nice because it keeps the

moisture down and stuff like that.

Are they worth a lot?Last year when I started here at

Fred Martin, I got an offer of

$380,000 on my Roadrunner, so if

you look at what I bought the car for

($12,500), yes, it’s worth something. I

didn’t know when I bought it that the

value would go up so much, I had

just always wanted one. I wanted

one, I got it, I traded up for a better

one and the one I have now is the one

I kept. It’s a really nice car, all stock.

I’ve driven it about a mile in the 20

years I’ve owned it. It never comes

out. I’m afraid someone is going

to hit it or something and then it

would be worthless. BSB

Talk about your collection of Chevelles.I currently have seven, but I’ve had a couple

thousand over the years because I used to buy

and sell them. The most I’ve ever had at one

time was 39.

Why Chevelles?They’re an intermediate car, have good

weight balance and go fast. And I like

to go fast.

What’s the fastest you’vegone on a public road?160 miles per hour. Interstate 71

South. Stuff goes by pretty fast.

Are you still going thatfast today?No, I’m a little smarter today.

Do you ever drag race anybody?Every year.

Is it spur-of-the-moment or pre-arranged?Both. And I do track racing as well. A couple

of friends and I visit the local racetracks.

Why do you do it?The adrenaline rush. And the street scene is

even more of an adrenaline rush because now

you’re watching for people, police and every-

thing else.

Is it the thrill also that you might getcaught?It doesn’t matter where you go, if you’re out

there doing something, you’re going to get

caught. It’s just a matter of how much time is

on your side.

Ever get hurt?I’ve been hurt a few times.

TheShopKen HernecekCollision Center ManagerFred Martin Collision Center � Barberton, Ohio


BodyShop Business, December 2013

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Transcript of BodyShop Business, December 2013