FenderBender: August 2023

EXPANSIONMINDED MANAGERS

HOMETOWN HEROES

Celebrating collision repair’s role in the communities they serve

3D-PRINTED PARTS?

TRACKING PAINT AND SUPPLIES

Brian Johnson’s Holland, Michigan, shop takes local business seriously, from the look of the building to the service he provides.

ON THE LOGO BELOW FOR PRODUCT INFORMATION

EDITORIAL

Matt Hudson Content Director

Todd Kortemeier Editor

Hanna Bubser Associate Editor

Kacey Frederick Assistant Editor

Leah Marxhausen Special Projects Editor

Drew Bryant Contributing Writer

Tiffany Menefee Contributing Writer

Greg Lobsiger Contributing Writer

Lindsey Gainer Contributing Writer

Emily Kline Contributing Writer

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Jordan Beshears Steve’s Auto Body

Sheryl Driggers Universal Collision

Greg Lobsiger Loren’s Body Shop

John Magowan Ernie’s Auto Body

Stan Medina Certified Collision Works

SALES

Andrew Johnson Associate Publisher ajohnson@endeavorb2b.com

Mattie Gorman Associate Sales Director

Cortni Jones Director of Business Development

Diane Braden Account Executive (National Accounts) dbraden@endeavorb2b.com

Marianne Dyal Account Executive (National Accounts) mdyal@endeavorb2b.com

Chad Hjellming Account Executive (National Accounts) chjellming@endeavorb2b.com

Bob Marinez Account Executive (National Accounts) rmarinez@endeavorb2b.com

Lisa Mend Account Executive (National Accounts) lmend@endeavorb2b.com

Michael Parra Account Executive (National Accounts) mparra@endeavorb2b.com

Martha Severson Account Executive (National Accounts) mseverson@endeavorb2b.com

Kyle Shaw Account Executive (National Accounts) kshaw@endeavorb2b.com

Sean Thornton Account Executive (National Accounts) sthornton@endeavorb2b.com

Ryan McCanna Administrative Assistant

ART AND PRODUCTION

Mariah Straub Production Manager

Jen George Ad Services Manager

Mitch Bradford Art Director Emme Osmonson Graphic Designer

ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC

CEO Chris Ferrell President June Griffin CFO Mark Zadell

COO Patrick Rains

CRO Reggie Lawrence

Chief Digital Officer Jacquie Niemiec

Chief Administrative and Legal Officer Tracy Kane EVP Endeavor Business Intelligence Paul Mattioli Kylie Hirko EVP Transportation

Chris Messer VP and Group Publisher

HOW TO REACH US

Endeavor Business Media, LLC

571 Snelling Ave N Saint Paul, MN 55104 tel 651.224.6207 fax 651.224.6212

The annual subscription rate is $90 (U.S.A. only) for companies not qualified to receive complimentary copies of FenderBender.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR editor@fenderbender.com

Opinions expressed in FenderBender are not necessarily those of Endeavor Business Media, and Endeavor Business Media does not accept responsibility for advertising content.

ASSOCIATIONS TAKE SIDES ON RIGHT TO REPAIR LETTER

ON JULY 11, associations representing OEMs and repairers officially stated their views on Right to Repair and shared them with members of Congress, according to a press release.

A letter was jointly drafted by the Automotive Service Association, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists, and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation collaborated on a letter to members of Congress with views on right-to-repair collectively agreed upon, based upon a national agreement made in 2014. The Alliance represents automakers.

The letter stated that information provided to authorized dealers should also be accessible to independent shops. This can range from telematics data to technologies and powertrains for all vehicles, including gasoline, diesel, fuel cell, electric battery, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid electric.

Ways to make repair information accessible to others were proposed, such as having it directly accessible through an automaker’s website, shared access points such as www.OEM1Stop.com, or thirdparty information providers.

@fenderbendermag

Shortly following the announcement, the Auto Care Association has come out in opposition to the letter, stating that it fails to address several issues. In its own statement, the Auto Care Association called the letter a “thinly veiled attempt to confuse lawmakers and drivers” and that it introduces nothing new to the Right to Repair movement.

“While the agreement purports to be relevant, all it does is affirm the 2014 Memorandum of Understanding rather than implement a meaningful solution to preserve the entire automotive aftermarket and the competition and consumer choice that it creates,” the response stated.

Another organization, the Auto Care Alliance, backed the Auto Care Association position, saying that information requests from independent repairers aren’t being honored by manufacturers.

”This is history repeating itself once again. Their actions are slowing down much-needed legislation and enforcement the automotive industry has needed for decades,” stated Ron Turner, Director for Mid-Atlantic Auto Care Alliance.

ANALYSIS

INSIDE 3M’S NEW SKILLS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

The company hopes the facility will become a hub for professional repairer and educator training

By MATT HUDSON

TUCKED INTO A BUSINESS PARK, 3M has set up a newly constructed collision repair classroom and training center in St. Paul, Minnesota, near the company’s hometown.

The 3M Skills Development Center opened its doors to the industry for the first time this summer. The opening was years in the making and started before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Adam Spah, application engineering manager at 3M.

Spah was the main project manager for the creation of the Skills Development Center. He says that his colleagues were looking ahead at a pending labor drought and saw an opportunity to build a robust, in-person training experience.

“By 2025, there’s going to be a 100,000-technician shortage in the industry,” he says.

3M already had some virtual training programs as part of its Collision Repair Academy. The Skills Development Center is the in-person addition to the company’s suite of training programs.

A Look Inside

The Center has a lobby and kitchen area in the front and a big, high-ceiling shop in the back. There are custom murals throughout the facility from local artists, including Adam Turman, Rock ‘CYFI’ Martinez, Biafra, and Wundr.

There’s a classroom setting, equipped with plenty of cameras and display equipment. Some training is best done here, but that’s not where 3M expects much of the time to be spent.

“They learn best by being hands-on and being able to repeat those processes,” says Ben Gervais, senior manager at 3M.

Equipped to Grow With plenty of welding equipment is already on site, 3M has plans for a welding certification program in the future.

To that end, the shop area is the main event. The space includes a 35-foot paint booth with viewing area, workshop stations with two dozen drops for electrical and air service, a dozen welding stations, and all the equipment needed to work on an on-site test Camry.

As with the classroom, the shop area is equipped with camera systems to record sessions and allow digital viewers if necessary.

The Training Program

A short mantra drives the training ethos at the Skills Development Center.

“Everything we do is around the science of ‘why,’” Spah says.

That means that trainers are expected to be thorough and explain why repair techniques are done a certain way, so trainees understand why some processes might be different from what they’ve done. OEM recommendations and processes are the backbone of those repair techniques, Spah adds.

Training offerings are split into paint/ refinish and body programs and run for two to three days at the site. They target professional repairers, especially new techs, but there is also a special segment of training aimed at instructors for other vocational institutions.

Considering rapidly changing vehicle technology, a pending lack of technicians, and a need for standardized training, Gervais says that the Skills Development Center is filling a crucial gap.

“We believe the need for qualified repair technicians is significant,” he says.

Most of the programming goes toward I-CAR credentials, Gervais adds. Classes began in the summer of 2023, and Spah says that they will work to market those for the time being, though the company will review programming and tweak if necessary.

In the future, Spah says they hope to expand into more training areas, including welding certification.

Easy on the Eyes 3M contracted with local artists to bring splashes of color to the walls at the Skills Development Center.

QUICK FIX

CHALLENGES BY REGION

By MATT HUDSON

NUMBERS Insurer Influence on the Repair Process Low Labor Rates A Shortage of Qualified Technicians Rising Costs of Doing Business 27% 12% 17% 22%

5% 31% 17% 11%

41% 41% 39% 44%

15% 5% 7% 9%

Top answer nationwide: A Shortage of Qualified Technicians

FIND PROCEDURES FASTER WITH CCC® REPAIR METHODS

Get access to OEM repair procedures faster and easier in the updated CCC ® Repair Methods in CCC ONE®.

Digital, connected interface keeps up with OEM updates

Search results capture all mentions of the phrase entered, not just titles

Access at the vehicle while performing repairs

OEMs are transitioning to faster publication of procedures in CCC Repair Methods to deliver content that matches what appears on the OEM website.

I love the updated Repair Methods in CCC ONE. It’s a great tool for us.

Andrew Hill Shop Manager Sherrill’s Paint & Body Birmingham, AL

Get the right information, right when you need it. Learn more cccis.com/repair-methods.

EVS REQUIRING MORE TIME AND MONEY IN REPAIRS

As electric vehicles become more common, CCC Intelligent Solutions has examined how the collision repair industry will be affected and how it can adapt to the changes.

A survey from French insurer AXA looked at 1,200 EV owners in Belgium and found that they were the cause of 50% more collisions than ICE vehicles. Despite this, only 21% of those surveyed by J.D. Power for its E-Vision Intelligence Report expressed concern about the accessibility of repair centers qualified to work on EVs.

EV damage can result in increased wait times and claims costs. Estimates for EVs have been averaging over 15 more lines on appraisals than their non-EV counterparts due to factors such as parts that are not typically needed for other vehicles. CCC estimates that the cost of parts for EVs is on average 33-50% greater than non-EVs.

Also contributing to higher labor costs are the storing and maintenance

requirements for EVs. More time is typically needed to work on these vehicles as well due to a lack of qualified technicians.

With EVs predicted to compromise between 30% to 50% of new car sales globally by 2030, collision repair facilities are encouraged to establish an EV support network and prepare themselves before this change fully takes place.

STATE FARM ORDERED TO PAY $277K IN COLLISION REPAIR CASE

State Farm was recently ordered to pay over $277,000 to a policyholder after they were found to have knowingly or intentionally engaged in unfair and deceptive acts or practices, according to a press release from the Auto Body Association of Texas.

Joseph Collins had his Toyota Tacoma pickup truck damaged by hail in 2020 and had it taken to Burl’s Collision Center in Henderson, Texas.

After the body shop wrote up a repair plan, State Farm declared the vehicle a total loss, but shop owner Burl Richards was skeptical that the cost to repair the vehicle exceeded its total value and encouraged his client to speak with an auto claims adjuster.

Upon evaluation from his adjuster as well as a third-party appraiser hired by State Farm, it was determined that the vehicle was being undervalued.

State Farm took the truck and agreed to pay total loss charges but made several deductions, which reduced Collins’ settlement by $1,750, which prompted Collins to hire an attorney and have his case heard in court.

Ten of 12 jurors found that State Farm had violated its policy agreement in a ruling that will cost the company a total of $277,048.

PA. SHOP OWNER FOUND GUILTY OF INSURANCE FRAUD

The owner of a collision repair shop in Chalfont, Pennsylvania was found guilty

of committing auto insurance fraud, reports local news source Patch.

John Paul Reis is the owner of Chalfont Collision Center and had pleaded guilty to charges of insurance fraud, deceptive business practices, forgery, and theft by deception, which were made against him following a four-year investigation by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office Insurance Fraud Unit.

The shop had been a direct repair center for several insurance companies, including Erie Insurance, which sparked the investigation. In September of 2018, Erie Insurance submitted a referral to detectives accusing Chalfont Collision Center of deliberately inflicting damage onto vehicles to raise insurance estimates.

The investigation discovered that Reis had been doing just that, by using a compound mixture on the body of several vehicles and sometimes even beating them with a hammer. He would tell insurance companies the vehicle was brought in that state and bill them for the additional damages.

Reis was sentenced this past Monday to 84 years of restrictive probation and four months of house arrest. He will owe $435,246.69 to Erie Insurance, Nationwide Insurance, CSAA Insurance Group, Liberty Mutual Insurance, and NJM Insurance.

SAN ANTONIO SHOPS DISCUSS RECRUITING METHODS

Body shops in San Antonio, Texas, are feeling the pressure in bringing on more skilled technicians as salaries continue to rise, News 4 San Antonio reports.

Wages for technicians in the auto collision industry have increased by 9% in the past five years as the demand for more technicians rises.

Brandon Pompa, who works at JD Collision Express on Culebra Rd near 1604, said he’s motivated to become better as he continues to accomplish his own financial goals and has even invested in new equipment for his own future.

That motivation is critically needed in the industry as vehicles become more advanced. Collision Express’ V.P. of

Operations, Mark Colon, said that “the right equipment, the right training and the right individual” is needed to properly perform repairs these days.

That’s why local collision repair programs such as St. Phillip’s College’s Collision/Refinishing Technician program keep close contact with local shops to better provide their students with the best information to prepare them.

“We work very closely with our collision shops here in San Antonio to make sure we keep up to date with all they are doing technology-wise and also skillset-wise,” said Dean for Academic Success Chris Beardsall.

CLASSIC COLLISION ACQUIRES MAACO FRANCHISE IN MINNESOTA

Classic Collision has announced the acquisition of a Maaco franchise in Fridley, Minnesota, according to a press release.

The Atlanta-based MSO officially acquired Maaco Fridley, a Maaco franchise owned by Andy McClure, who has operated the business for several years.

Classic Collision CEO Toan Nguyen said that the company looks forward to welcoming the new locations and their teams.

“Our mission has been to be the reliable choice in collision repair and provide excellent customer service and I believe that Classic Collision will uphold that mission,” stated McClure.

NABC SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR 2023 AWARDS

According to a press release, the National Auto Body Council (NABC) is asking for nominations for its 2023 awards: the Changing and Saving Lives Award and the President’s Award.

The Changing and Saving Lives Award will recognize an individual that has gone to great lengths to support their community or has provided help through a time of crisis.

Nominees will be elected by the NABC Board of Directors or by the public, with a winner being announced this Fall and awarded with an engraved trophy and a donation to a charity of their choice.

The President’s Award will be given to an NABC member company that has devoted

time and resources to support “the vision of the National Auto Body Council.”

Members of any level are eligible, and nominees will be elected by the NABC Board of Directors. The winner will be announced later this year and recognized on the lifetime traveling trophy. A donation to a philanthropic charity of the company’s choice will be made in its name by the NABC.

Nominations opened on May 28 and will conclude on August 1. Those who have been previously nominated may be nominated again.

DAMAGED VEHICLES DONATED FOR COLLISION REPAIR EDUCATION

The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) has partnered with Audi of America and Volkswagen of America to donate 78 vehicles to collision repair education programs nationwide, according to a press release.

The donated vehicles were determined unfit for sale after they had been damaged during shipping. After being evaluated by employees from Audi and Volkswagen, it was determined that since the vehicles were still functioning and intact, they could still serve a purpose.

After months of planning between Audi and Volkswagen employees, CREF, and schools, the conclusion was reached of donating the vehicles to collision repair programs across the country.

The vehicles vary from large SUVs such as the Audi Q7 to smaller cars like the Audi A3, as well as hybrid and electric vehicles like the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Audi e-tron.

States across the nation received donations, including schools in Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.

Representatives with Audi and Volkswagen also put schools in contact with local dealerships and collision centers to provide added support and guidance for the programs.

Following the vehicles’ time in the classroom, the vehicles will be donated to local first responders to be utilized for further training.

MANNES AUTO BODY

B y TODD KORTEMEIER EXPRESSION STUDIOS PHOTOGRAPHY

LOCATION: HOLLAND, MI

OWNER:

BRIAN JOHNSON

SIZE: 12,000 SQUARE FEET

STAFF: 15

AVERAGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT: 100

ARO: $3,300

ANNUAL REVENUE: $3.9 MILLION

1. THE HALLMARK OF HOLLAND

There is little recorded history for Holland, Michigan, body shops in the way there is for, say, the Holland Harbor Light that since 1870 has helped guide bulk freighters through the Holland Channel. So Mannes Body Shop owner Brian Johnson can’t say it for certain, but to his knowledge, his business is the oldest body shop in the city. It dates back to 1940, and Johnson is the fifth owner to have been its caretaker over the years.

That includes Johnson’s father, who bought the shop in 1998. The shop retains much of its 1940s character, with a retro-styled sign and overhead incandescent lamps for exterior lighting. A lot of that dressing Johnson credits to his wife, who produces creative content for the shop.

Submit Your Shop

Proud of your shop and want to show it off to your peers? Tell us about it at NEWS@FENDERBENDER.COM

“We’ve utilized a lot of the original structure and look, the old block walls, kind of kept the old shape of the building but try and give it a modern touch,” says Johnson. “So when people come in, they don’t necessarily feel like they’re in a body shop. They kind of feel more like they’re in a lobby of a nice hotel or restaurant.”

2. HIGH TECH INSIDE

That “modern touch” has meant keeping the inside of the shop as up to date as possible while the exterior maintains that antique aesthetic. While the original shop covers just 4,000 square feet, a nearby building acquisition added nearly 8,000 square feet to the footprint, ensuring space wouldn’t be a major issue. Technology and tools inside the shop have kept up with the times accordingly.

Johnson says that the shop was one of the first in town to have a resistance welder, and was an early adopter of electronic measuring, now fully up to date with Car-O-Liner Vision products. While the shop space is maxed out at the moment, making it difficult to add services such as ADAS calibrations, the focus is on making sure processes are as efficient as possible.

“Focus on what we can do to maximize space, maximize efficiency, maximize systems, to really gain the advantage in gained time, everything from scheduling to painting to calibrating,” says General Manager Mike Lucas.

3. COMMUNITY BEACON

As the name implies, Holland has a proud Dutch heritage. That heritage is alive and well as Johnson says Holland has a unique culture that the shop strives to serve. “Dutch clean” is an attitude some locals have, expecting to see buildings downtown that are well maintained and cared for.

“It’s one of those places where when people ask where you work, and they find out, they’re like, I drive by your place three times a week, every week, you know,” says Johnson. “So it’s definitely a known area, definitely a known place.”

Breaking the rules?

Are you afraid to break the rules?? A few years back, I saw a video with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was speaking about his Six Steps to Success. Funny how one of his steps was about breaking the rules.

He for sure broke some rules after coming from a poor family in Austria, then immigrating into the U.S. while barely speaking any English. Then with years of hard work, he became a seven-time Mr. Olympia body building champion and then earned over $400 million as a movie actor! After all of that, he entered politics and became the governor of California. Anyway, in Arnold’s six steps, he spoke about how we must be willing to “Break the rules, but not the law, of course.” To piggyback on Arnold’s six steps, here is a quote from Henry Ford: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always got.”

In the body shop industry, it always seems like we have a bunch of unwritten rules. That could be how we interact with insurers or how we pay our employees or whether we should or shouldn’t charge a customer for a short pay. As an example: How about total loss fees? Last I checked, shops don’t total cars; insurance companies do. When we spend four hours on a blueprint and the car totals, it’s extremely expensive to the shops. My shop alone cost per hour is $2,100+. This is why we must charge for all the labor for “remove” in the R&I in software, inside storage, outside storage, admin fees, parts racks storage fees, pre-scans, OEM procedure lookup, crash wrap, hazardous waste, etc.

Another one of Arnold’s steps discusses how we should never listen to the naysayers! So, here is a real-life example: Let’s say most insurers in your market are paying, as an example, $60 per hour, and your current door rate is a whopping $64. You suggest to your employees that you move your door rate out on a limb to, say, $85 per hour for non-specialty vehicles. A few in your shop snicker and say, “Yeah, right, that will never fly!” Well, without giving you our exact rates, we tried it at my shop, and guess what? All the self-pays are paying our door rate and a few smaller insurers are paying it, also. Where else can we get any skilled labor business outside of collision repair to charge us any

less than my example $85 per hour? Nowhere, right? We don’t get if we don’t ask, folks. Last I checked, my name was down as owner of my business and not an insurance company or customer. So, start breaking some of the rules and don’t cave when you hear, “No one else charges for this,” either!!

Here is another example: How about our CPAs? Let’s say you discuss with your CPA about changing some things in your P&L to manage your business better. Your CPA says, “Well, we could make those changes, but it really won’t tell you a lot more.” Bingo, time for a new CPA. We pay the CPAs; they don’t pay us, so break the rules and fire them! Let’s say there is that one appraiser and we will call him Dreadful Don. Maybe he shows up acting like the almighty and thinks you must bow to him. Dreadful Don puts everyone at our shop on edge and of course he always shows up unannounced to try to ruin our day. Time to break the rules and call his supervisor to give this time and life vampire the boot. Just tell his supervisor that Dreadful Don now has a no-trespassing order at your shop, and he needs to find a different appraiser. Oh, what a relief it is when we take control of our business and break this unwritten rule. FYI: I had one of those Dreadful Dons.

As an example, how about your top producing employee who knows what time the team meeting is every morning but likes to show up fashionably late? Well, it’s time to break the unwritten rule and call them out. Just remember, everyone is very expendable, including ourselves. We come to work to work. It’s not playtime! How about the tool truck guy who shows up every Friday and likes to camp out while stopping each technician from working and onto their truck for some enticing tools? It’s time to break the rules and let Mr. Tim the Tool Man know he has 25 minutes every two weeks at an agreed-upon time and day to collect payments and sell any tools. Be in control or be controlled. There is no in between, folks. So, hopefully something I said will stir some thinking. Leaders must do one thing very well, and that is to lead! I will ask again the same question from the beginning: Are you afraid to break the rules?

EMAIL: greg@lorensbodyshop.com

ARCHIVE: fenderbender.com/lobsiger

When you see something that needs fixing, sometimes the rules hold you back

GREG LOBSIGER Greg Lobsiger has owned Loren’s Body Shop in Bluffton, Indiana, for over 23 years. He has been a member of Mike Anderson’s groups for ten years and had extensive lean manufacturing training.

All the Small

Small Things

the pages of FenderBender, you’ll often find discussions on major topics within collision repair, things that mean huge changes for the way shops operate. But it doesn’t always take a big change to make a big impact on a shop’s bottom line. Sometimes the simplest advice can be the most impactful.

“I don’t know that this is good advice or bad advice, just don’t be afraid to try new stuff,” says Cam Mashburn, owner of Mashburn’s Collision Center in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.

And the basis for that advice might not even come from an expert, or not from an expert in collision repair, anyway.

“Kind of what I live by today is Eddie Van Halen,” Mashburn continues, “who said the rules of guitar are meant to be broken. It’s kind of the same thing.”

If there is one thing shop owners have learned over the past several years of pandemics, parts shortages, labor shortages, assorted acts of God, etc., it’s to be adaptable. Big changes aren’t always so easy to make with so much out of your control. So keeping track of the little details can pay off in a big way.

Opening the Door for Customers

Collision repair is a visual business. You can plainly see how sufficiently a car was restored to pre-accident condition. The same goes for running a collision repair business. Take a look around—what’s out of place?

“I love things to be clean and organized,” says Jason Mundy, owner of Mundy’s Collision Center in Lawrenceville, Georgia. “It’s like going into a dirty kitchen and trying to cook something, it just doesn’t work for me. So, I’m really big on having a really clean environment. That way, things are organized and it’s more efficient and you kind of know where everything is, you’re saving footsteps because that tool’s in the same place.”

Being clean and organized has positive effects beyond efficiency and safety, too. It helps employees maintain a sense of pride in their workplace to come to a shop Just like presenting a clean home to guests is part of being a good host, the same goes for the shop you present to customers.

Mundy says his shop lobby is so clean that it might remind customers more of a coffee shop than a body shop. The layout is simple and inviting, which is exactly what customers want when they’ve been in a stressful situation like an accident. And if

they want to see the environment they’ve trusted their vehicle to, it’s right there.

“A lot of customers want to see our facility, so when we walk them back in our facility, it’s something that we’re proud of,” says Mundy. “A lot of comments come back to me saying, you know, ‘This is really clean, I did not expect it to look like this when we walked back there.’”

Keeping a shop clean is too simple of a task to let fall by the wayside. The old saying goes that you only get one chance to make a first impression. A customer’s first impression is going to be of a shop’s waiting area, or where they drive in to get an estimate, or even the outside of the building. And the way they think of your business is going to proceed from there.

“When a customer walks in, their first impression of the office, they’re going to get the same first impression when you walk into our shop as you do when you walk into our office,” says Mundy’s General Manager Dustin Davis.

Sometimes the best marketing is simply showing your work. Mashburn says online presence is huge for shops, and it doesn’t need to be any kind of complicated marketing. Mashburn recalls his father Mike, who started the business in 1981, was resistant to putting photos of

repairs online as he believed customers did not want to see their vehicles in such a mangled state. But to Cam, a demonstration of what collision repair is all about is just what customers needed to see most.

“Be transparent,” says Mashburn. “Don’t be afraid to show, OK, this is the worst your car’s going to look. And then here’s another picture, when it’s done, look how perfect.”

Among the simplest things a shop can do is let their good reputation spread the word for them. Customer reviews are a relatively painless thing for customers to complete and all you have to do is ask. It’s easy to offer incentives like entering customers into a drawing for a $100 gift card if they leave a review.

These little things can add up—Mashburn reports that in his area, most shops have less than 20 reviews on Google. Mashburn’s shop, through some of the initiatives described above, was closing in on 100, and nearly all of them were five stars. Given

Mundy’s Collision Center General Manager Dustin Davis says that one advantage the shop has is an owner in Jason Mundy who isn’t needed to be on the shop floor day-to-day. That allows Mundy to take a more big picture view of the business and identify problems from a consumer point of view.

“When he's not involved in the collision side of things for two or three days, he can walk into in the front office as a consumer,” says Davis. “So he's walking in, he's seeing how he's being greeted … looking at things from a consumer’s perspective and doing things the way that you would want things done on your vehicle.”

that, Mashburn has faith customers who do even some basic online research will know what to do.

“Where do you think they’re going to choose? I mean, that’s where I would choose,” says Mashburn. “So. I would focus heavily on the, on the online reviews and things like that, there’s ways you can do that to make sure you’re building that online reputation, because I think that’s important.”

Laying the Path for Employees

It is hard to classify training and education as a “small” thing for shops. It can be a huge investment in both money and time lost from productivity. But in comparison to the return on investment—which is admittedly hard to quantify—it can certainly make the initial outlay look small.

Mundy says that training is something of a win-win. For the shop, it enhances quality and reduces liability. For the technician, it’s a boost to their careers and also helps them feel valued since the shop is willing to invest in them.

“Some of our young guys just want the education behind what they’re doing,” says Mundy. “They want the training. And I would definitely say we’ve been able to pour into these guys. And once they know that you’ve got their back and you’re pouring into them, it just increases their overall production and their love for being here.”

Not all training, of course, is created equal. While the bulk of a technician’s training is going to be hands on and geared toward their specific duties, more shops today are making it a priority to educate the whole person and help them advance their careers in other areas. Mundy’s, for example, has brought in Mike Jones from Discover Leadership to help round out their educational offerings.

“Spending the time and spending the money to take time out and invest in our people and the growth of our people personally, as well as setting a vision for the organization,” has increased efficiency and helped the team set shared goals, says Davis.

Shops of course struggle to find talent and retain the great employees that they have. And much of that is out of a shop’s

Prior Research

Drivers are becoming increasingly picky when choosing where to take their vehicles. These figures come from a survey of drivers who have recently been to a collision repair shop. They show that drivers are doing their research and looking at pricing, depending on the type of repair and capabilities of the shop.

Research

for vehicle repair shops

control—there are only so many techs out there. That is why both shops put so much focus on culture and building a business where employees want to be. And again, it’s a simple formula.

“My dad did this years ago, he kind of instilled that in me you’ve got to treat your people right,” says Mashburn. “You’ve got to give them proper pay, you’ve got to make sure they’re well compensated.”

Mundy’s maintains an open-door policy when it comes to employee communication, that way it’s easier for management to learn of potential issues in the shop. The team holds monthly meetings where employees can raise issues and ask questions. They also empower employees to make decisions themselves based on standard operating procedures rather than have to wait for guidance.

“I think that our culture is really what has set us apart and created that efficiency and that productivity,” says Davis. “Because there’s nobody in our shop that’s a one-man band. If anybody needs a helping hand, there’s always somebody that’s

Tech Tips

Data from the 2023 FenderBender Industry Survey show that passion for the job is the most highly sought trait in a potential technician. See how technician pay and benefits stack up.

How do you pay your technicians?

What is a small thing for a business can be a big thing for a customer. Mundy’s Collison Center GM Dustin Davis says that when applicable, kicking in a little something extra for a customer that comes at a small cost to the shop might be the finishing touch on a great—and memorable—experience.

“What can we do to make the experience that much better for the customer,” asks Davis, “and what can we do to go above and beyond? We don't do this on every single car, but we we'll go and we'll fill up a gas tank, or we'll go and we'll throw a $50 gift card in.”

What benefits do you offer your employees? (select all that apply.)

Disability insurance: 47%

Bonus plan: 54%

Retirement plan/401 (k): 65%

Training reimbursement: 52%

Health insurance: 71%

Life insurance: 43%

Others: 21%

It All Adds Up

Profit margin in a shop can be very fine, but one solution has saved a few dollars at a time and that’s a cumulatively big improvement at Mundy’s Collision Center. Owner Jason Mundy said that utilizing 3M’s Repair Stack hardware and software solution. At Mundy’s the system has helped streamline blueprinting, estimating and inventory management.

“It's really insignificant things in the estimating process and to get on your ticket, but man, you can really make a lot of GP on just adding those,” says Mundy. “Mike Anderson likes to call them forgettables, making sure you're seam filler’s on there, making sure your grinding discs or anything that are actually your consumables, things that you're using on the vehicle. If you're not billing for those things, it's a huge missed opportunity.”

Those things can add up to a couple hundred dollars per ticket, and using Mundy’s example of repairing 100-120 cars per month, that adds up to be a significant addition to each repair order. The other aspect to the stack is inventory management, ensuring that when materials are kept replenished as they go out to be used on repairs.

“It's pinging our jobber or our supplier to go ahead and restock us within a moment,” says Mundy. “Whenever it's got a minimum amount in there. So anytime one is taken out, the following day we're restocking on that. So it's pretty cool.”

going to go there, whether it’s a painter helping a body technician, or a detailer helping a painter, or a body man helping detail a car.”

One thing that is simple to implement but not always easy to do is allowing for the workplace to not always feel like work. At Mundy’s on Fridays, employees can be seen playing soccer in the parking lot or grilling food out back. When those things are happening, employees are building trust, feeling more at home, and that can only make a better workplace going forward.

“We had a meeting probably six or so months ago, and one thing that really resonated with Dustin and I was having the right people not the best,” says Mundy. “And I know that maybe it’s a little thing, maybe it’s not, but just having everyone working together … building that camaraderie and they’re building that culture.”

Small Talk

One small skill that comes in handy in customer service is right there in the name—small talk. Just as you consider the technical abilities of shop technicians, it’s important to consider the customer service skills of any employee who is going to be interacting with customers, says Mundy’s Collision Center Dustin Davis. Their shop’s front end manager Pamela is adept at making each interaction meaningful and memorable with customers.

“You bring your car, right, and you drop it off with us today, and today is Thursday, and your kids have a baseball tournament on Saturday, and in a play at church on Sunday, chances are when you pick that car up, Pam is going to ask you how that baseball tournament went,” says Davis. “And she's going to find out how that play was at church. She's going to ask you questions about it, she's going to see if they got anything else coming up. … There's so many collision centers out there where you're just customers. That's it, you're, you're a car coming through the door. And that's not the culture that we want to develop.”

PREPARING TO REPAIR

Follow these principles and you’ll be ready to tackle any job

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SAID THAT “by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

That’s certainly true of the pre-repair process, isn’t it? When a car comes into your shop, it’s the amount and quality of preparation you undertake that determines how the entire job will go—whether the process will be smooth, efficient, and profitable or disorganized, delayed, and ultimately, unproductive.

Timothy Morgan, chief operating officer and managing director of Spanesi Americas, along with Jeramy Holloway, Spanesi’s director of technical training, explain how to develop a pre-repair process standard that will prepare you to succeed.

As told to LINDSEY GAINER

Remove Variability

A highly effective pre-repair process is simple. Our aim is always to deliver quality products to our customers on time. To do this we create a full prerepair plan, detailing exactly what will take place as the vehicle moves through the repair process. We call this ‘removing the variability’ in the repair. We are completely aware of all parts, labor, and materials needed, as well as any required tooling and equipment. We also know what the repair will cost. When the work is handed off post-repair plan, there is a crystal-clear understanding of what people and what processes are needed to get that vehicle back on the road with a high-quality repair that meets or exceeds OEM requirements.

We also have a predictable workflow—we know how big the job is and how long it will take to complete. From a business standpoint, a predictable workflow reduces the

chance of having too much or too little work in the production system. A production system that is full and moving means we are fixing more cars, getting more cars back on the road, and pleasing more customers.

Create a Process Standard

To achieve a full, accurate repair plan there must be a process standard, or a road map of steps, to get the vehicle to the condition it needs to be in before it moves through the production system. Once we have verified that all the steps have been completed properly, we have met the target condition.

When people work to standards it’s easier to improve the process, because we can easily see where there’s room to do things better. Process standards are something that should be part of every step of the repair, but even more importantly part of developing the pre-repair plan.

The plan to reach the target condition might look something like this:

• Identify the damage.

• Remove parts that need to be removed—100% disassembly.

• Locate, read, and post OEM procedures.

• Make repair vs. replace decisions per OEM/material type/attempt to repair standards.

• Check and verify colors by variant.

• Identify and order all replacement parts (including their ETA).

• Organize the parts cart so new parts can be matched and loaded, and the vehicle can be reassembled with little to no communication from the pre-planning department.

• Identify special tooling or consumables as on-hand, in stock, or ordered.

• Add all parts, labor, and materials to the bill.

• Ensure complete understanding of

the workflow from the pre-planning department.

Involve Your Employees…and Customers

The steps to build the standard that serves as your roadmap to achieve target condition really depend on the facility, workers, and types of cars being repaired. The best way to build standards is to involve the people that are doing the work. This really helps with buy-in and promotes engagement from the team. Nobody knows that work better than the people that are the subject matter experts. The engaged expert will be quick to suggest improvements when something isn’t working.

Compared to 10-20 years ago, customers now want to be more informed, too. A call to the customer to review the repair plan together goes a long way. If we know that the customer can see the progress, it’s extra motivation to get the repair plan right and nail every step along the way.

Aim to Constantly Improve

We all know that pre-repair planning means taking the car apart to find all the damage, organizing the parts cart, researching OEM procedures, etc. But we can’t forget the most important step of all—constant improvement. Constant improvement is what makes for an efficient repair facility.

When we are working to standards, we are always poking holes in our own process and looking for ways to improve. This is why a collision repair facility is often referred to as an experiment. From sunup to sundown, the best shops are constantly running the problem-solving experiment by looking for ways to increase quality, increase speed, and reduce costs.

FINANCE+OPERATIONS

MAKING THE CALL

Calling to negotiate with insurance companies is one of the worst parts of the job. Make sure you’re prepared.

By NOAH BROWN

IF YOU WERE TO ASK most shop owners what their favorite part of the business is, chances are you’d get quite a few varied responses. It’s probably safe to say, however, that making phone calls would not be near the top of that list.

Phone calls are a necessary evil in the business, but they’re not always the most pleasant experiences. Especially if that phone call happens to be with an insurance company.

Most shop owners have had to deal with the runaround of insurance negotiations. Tim Ronak, a senior services consultant for AkzoNobel, says calls with insurance companies are never pleasant but have been seen as a necessary evil for shops to take on.

“Shops over the years have felt that it is their obligation and duty to help negotiate a claim with an insurer because they’re the ones receiving funds,” Ronak says. “Currently, we’ve watched as the advent of technology has forced shops to follow OEM procedures much more closely, giving them very little opportunity to negotiate what does and does not need to be done.”

In the past, the difference between OEM and aftermarket parts may not have mattered as much. Now in an environment when even the smallest of parts, such as a grill emblem, are factored into camera and sensor calibration, that difference has become harder to ignore during repairs.

Despite this, insurance companies are stubborn and can prove difficult to deal with.

“For the most part, the insurance companies don’t want to negotiate, they just want to tell you what they want to pay for,” says Tiffany Menefee, president of Pronto Body Shop in El Paso, Texas, and FenderBender columnist. “So, the burden of proof or the burden of why we need to do something really falls on the shop, which is I think, where most shops get frustrated and find dealing with insurance companies very difficult.”

Conversations with insurance areis never easy, which is why Menefee and Ronak say going into those conversations prepared and expecting resistance is key into making any insurance negotiation call as painless as possible.

Speaking Different Languages

Shops and insurance companies speak different languages. Insurance policies are written by attorneys, and when a customer files a claim, those companies view it as a legal transaction. At the end of the day, their goal as insurers is to spend as

little money as possible.

For shops, their goal is to make sure vehicles are fully repaired and are safe to drive. Following OEM repair procedures and documenting that repair is critical, not only because the reputation of your shop and your techs is on the line, but also legal liability if another accident occurs.

“So when we send stuff over, especially on the shop side, we want to say, ‘OK, we need all of these things,’ and legitimately we didn’t need all those things,” Menefee says. “But then the insurance company gets it and says they don’t want to pay for all those things, and they won’t pay for all of those things if you don’t explain in detail why you needed those parts.”

Even with thorough documentation, an insurance company can still refuse to cover some repairs. In that case, shops are forced to put whatever isn’t covered by insurance on to customers.

“This is where all the friction is starting,” Ronak says. “Many shops have decided to fully document every repair that they do with documentation from the OEM showing what repairs and parts they need. If insurance doesn’t cover all of it, they present a bill to the customer.”

Insurance and Technology

Ronak says insurers usually have only three ways they can satisfy a claim. They can either pay for the claim, replace the item in the claim, or they can repair the item.

“No insurance company ever will … take control and repair the item because they are now incurring 100% of the liability of that repair,” Ronak says.

Most likely, an insurance company is going to choose to pay for the repair, and that’s where friction occurs. Insurance companies and repairers will most likely always be at odds because they’re two sides of a coin: On one side, insurance companies are collecting money from customers, and they do their best to not spend, because they get to keep what they don’t spend. On the other side, you have an incentive for repair organizations—legal liability—to fully deploy all the labor and resources that they need to do a repair.

There is a frustrating hypocrisy that comes with dealing with insurers, Ronak says, who have pushed for advanced safety features to be standard in vehicles to pre-

vent injury. That technology is objectively good, but it’s also expensive.

“And now they’re pleading poverty when it comes to having to restore these systems, when these vehicles are inevitably damaged under a covered loss,” Ronak says. “It’s disingenuous to say, ‘We want all this stuff’ and not think you’d have to fix it.”

And the problems with insurance and technology go beyond refusal to pay for advanced safety features. Insurance companies have begun implementing AI estimates that rely on photos to make value assessments.

Ronak points out that since the AI can’t see beyond external sheet metal and plastic of a car’s body, it’s going to miss some very critical components of a repair.

“We’ve got a delta to the final estimate, in some instances were almost 70% of the net repair cost,” he says. “So we’re writing an estimate that’s a third or less of what the actual repairs is going to be because it’s being done by AI.”

And with that heavy reliance on technology and a fundamental lack of understanding, insurance companies will continue to be less-than-ideal to negotiate with.

“The insurance company, in most instances these days, is not an expert in

the repair of the vehicle,” Ronak says, “so now we always have that friction entering the equation.”

Prepare Yourself

Menefee says the No. 1 problem shops have is not knowing how to play in the insurance arena and defend their work.

“They’re not used to having to negotiate or explain stuff to the insurance company. We have shops that they don’t know what they don’t know, such as how to pull the resources to give the proper documentation and paperwork.”

Before starting any sort of negotiation or repair, Ronak says it’s critical to make sure the customer knows what you’re doing because it’s the customer who has a contract with the insurer, not the shop.

“The shop shouldn’t be negotiating with the insurer without the express knowledge and understanding of the consumer,” he says, “and any conversation that they have with an insurer, frankly, should be done by the customer.”

The best preparation, in all cases, is documentation. Menefee says her shop keeps what is essentially a library of documentation that includes everything from OEM procedures and repair

estimates to an itemized list of every repair that needs to be done and the reasoning for it.

Having a paper trail in the form of emails, too, can play a key role in making sure conversations keep from going sideways, especially if you keep both the customer and their insurance agent involved.

“An email thread is one of the best tools that you can use when talking to the insurance company,” Menefee says. “It’s harder for them to deny, and it causes them more problems when the agent and the customer are involved in conversation.”

At the end of the day, negotiations with insurance will always be tough, but both Menefee and Ronak say documentation is crucial in everything you do. Showing clear examples of what is needed and why can go a long way in making sure insurance companies cover what they say they will.

“The shop, in order to be able to ensure that they’ve got everything set up for that conversation, needs to build a bullet proof documentation of the procedures and the justification as to why they’re required as part of the repair,” Ronak says.

Waterborne made easy.

Cromax® EZ, an easy to mix, easy to match and easy to apply waterborne basecoat system that always delivers.

See how easy waterborne can be. axalta.us/ez

FINANCE+OPERATIONS

FINDING THE BEST MANAGER FOR EXPANSION

By NOAH BROWN

AS YOU DELIVER EXCELLENT SERVICE for your clients and word gets out, you’ll acquire more customers, and your shop will grow. As a shop owner, you’ll also use marketing, sales, and other tactics to grow your shop.

The growth of your shop may mean you’ll need to expand. You may need to hire new employees, add more locations, or build onto your current location. Either way, expanding your shop can be what some call a “good problem.”

Growing a shop, expanding, and opening new locations require the right team to be in place to ensure the process is as smooth as possible. Without the best people managing growth, your expansion could become a nightmare.

If growth is in mind, the right manager is your key asset

“It’s important to understand cars, but I hire managers based on how well they deal with people. I want kind people who understand how to treat our customers and employees well, especially during an expansion,” says John Yazak, owner of Scotsman Auto Body.

“I have a manager who’s been at one of our shops for six years, and we’ve never gotten a bad review because of their great human skills. They do well with people, and it shows in how our customers respond. Car skills are important, but people skills are more important.”

A good team requires a good manager who can lead and direct people most efficiently. There are specific traits managers need to have to oversee a shop expansion or new location—these traits can make or break a shop’s growth.

Here’s how to identify those traits in existing managers, how to find the people necessary for such a role, and what things need to be prioritized in overseeing an expansion.

Hire or Promote Managers with Good Communication Skills

Managers not only need to communicate, but they also need to understand how to do it effectively. Good communication makes employees feel valued, and customers understand.

“Management needs a marketing and customer acquisition strategy to attract new customers to the expanded operations. Staying focused on maintaining existing customer relationships during the expansion is critical. Delegating a team to help you through this process while you are absent from current operations will help. Each expansion is unique; additional requirements may arise depending on your circumstances. It’s important to stay adaptable, seek guidance from industry professionals or consultants, and leverage the expertise of your team to ensure a successful expansion of operations” says David Caulfield, owner of Fix Auto Anaheim North.

A time of expansion means confusion as changes happen—effective communication is required to help navigate the chaos. One of the traits shop owners should look for in a manager who’s right for expansion, and a new location is how well they communicate.

“You have to be able to effectively communicate desired requirements and project goals to all employees and contractors,” says Tony Whatley, owner of 365 Driven, an automotive industry coaching company. “It’s important to be clear on expectations, schedules, and the

strategy to accomplish an expansion with internal and external team members.”

Hire or Promote Managers Who Are in Control of Their Emotions

It’s very easy for situations to turn ugly when emotions are involved; a time of expansion can bring out the emotions. Expanding means things will not go as planned, and you’ll need a manager who understands they can’t let their feelings do the talking. They need a good attitude no matter how frustrating things get.

“I don’t hire people with bad attitudes; I hire people who know how to deal with people. We have a family business; I want the managers I hire to treat everyone the same way and with respect,” says Yazak.

When thinking about the traits of a manager you want to lead, your expansion effects: emotional control, and stability should be high on your list. You don’t want a loose cannon.

“The best managers have stable emotional control. Nothing ever goes perfectly, but with risk planning and mitigation, it can be greatly minimized. Learning to be patient and to not stress over things beyond your control will make this construction phase more rewarding,” says Whatley.

“It’s important to keep the morale up with the entire expansion team so everyone stays on track and performs. A toxic or stressful work environment usually results in a lower quality, rushed, poorly completed expansion.”

Hire or Promote Managers Who Are Organized

Expanding or moving to a location is chaotic at times. You’ll need a manager who communicates well and controls their emotions, as well as an organized manager. You’ll need a leader that can manage everything in an organized way, even through periods of chaos.

When thinking about who should lead an expansion, think about someone who is organized. You don’t need them to be a typeA, OCD-level organization person, but they should understand how to keep things in line and have a history of being organized.

Express the importance of organization when communicating with the manager you’ll choose to handle the expansion. Ensure they communicate how vital the organization is to the rest of your team. Everyone should be on the same page regarding keeping projects, paperwork, schedules, contractors, and everything organized.

“Having founded several repair facilities

over my career, there must be a strategic plan for an expansion to ensure success, regardless of the history and condition of the new location. Leadership needs to create a comprehensive expansion plan that includes market analysis, financial projections, resource allocation, and availability, and determine an achievable timeline to complete the project. I would highly recommend management has a handle on their existing operations before expanding,” says Caulfield.

Hire or Promote Managers Who Have an Entrepreneurial Mindset

The last trait you should consider is having a manager who understands and possesses an entrepreneurial mindset. Even though they’re your employee, they think like an entrepreneur and take ownership of their leadership role. You want a manager with independent thinking and a self-starter.

Managing an expansion requires someone who doesn’t need to be constantly supervised—an entrepreneurial mindset means they don’t need to be told what to do. The entrepreneurial mindset in a manager is an extension of you as a shop owner but in one of your employees.

“Adding a location or building out an existing one, and your current site does not have its house and operations for top performance, you will be inviting grief and regret. Defining and documenting the goals and the purpose of the expansion is critical. It’s easy to lose your way during an expansion dealing with so many obstacles; having the ability to reference your goals and purpose will reignite any energy consumed. Know why you are expanding and believe in it,” says Caulfield.

Let Good Managers Lead

You may already have an A-player on your team that fits the traits you’re looking for, and you can promote them. You may also need to post the role on job boards such as Indeed, Monster, or LinkedIn. You can also ask employees or colleagues in the industry for referrals.

Prioritize finding a manager with the best leadership traits, and always take care of your customers and their vehicles during an expansion.

Once you’ve found a manager with all the traits you’re looking for to lead your expansion, you should let them lead. There’s no point in doing the hard work of finding the right leader and then micro-managing them.

READER'S CHOICE

OEM Parts Dealers

PARTS ORDERED

DIVE INTO THIS YEAR’S RESULTS

The most pressing takeaways from the 2023 READER’S CHOICE SURVEY

72.5% OF PARTS ORDERED BY SHOPS ARE OEM

According to this year’s survey results, the majority of shops order OEM partswhile aftermarket, salvaged/recycled, and remanufactured parts make up 27.5% of all orders, a 1.5% increase from 2022.

INFLUENCING FACTORS

As our world returns to its pre-COVID norms, more people are back in office, on vacations, and on the road. No one wants to be slowed down by waiting on their car in the shop. Finding a reliable dealer to source your parts from in a timely manner gets your customers back on the road and eager to come back to you for their next repair. FenderBender Readers Choice: OEM Parts Dealers is here to help you find reputable dealers to source your parts.

Based on input from 250 survey participants sampled from the qualified circulation of FenderBender earlier this year, we compared statistics against those from years past. The findings highlight the role of OEM parts buying in collision repair shops, analyze what factors impact who shops buy from, and identify the top OEM dealers in the country.

FACTORS INFLUENCING WHO COLLISION REPAIRERS CHOOSE TO BUY FROM

Survey participants were asked to rate on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) how much each factor influenced where they ordered their parts. Displayed above is the average rating for each factor.

WHO HANDLES PARTS ORDERING?

When asked, survey participants contended that, although the majority of shops assign this responsibility to parts or production managers, an increasing number of owners are taking on this role as well.

WHERE DO SHOPS SOURCE OEM PARTS?

FenderBender asked repairers how they typically source and order their OEM parts. Following last year’s trend, it is clear that online parts ordering continues to be the preferred method of sourcing parts.

OEM PARTS DEALERS

Recognized By FenderBender Readers

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin

Acura of Boardman

Airport Infiniti

Al Serra Auto Plaza

Al Serra Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Alexandria Chevrolet Cadillac Mazda

Alfa Romeo Fiat of Strongsville

Apple Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram - Shakopee

Apple Valley Ford

Arlington Nissan

Audi Bedford

Audi Cincinnati East

Audi Hoffman Estates

Audi Kirkwood

Audi Mentor

Audi Minneapolis

Audi Porsche St. Paul

Auffenberg Automall

Auffenberg Chevrolet Buick GMC

Auffenberg Chrysler Dodge Jeep and Ram

Auffenberg Ford

Auffenberg Kia

Auffenberg Nissan

AutoNation

Bachman Auto Group

Bass Mazda

Beechmont Ford

Beechmont Toyota

Beechmont Volkswagen

Berger Chevrolet

Bergstrom Automotive Group

Biggers Chevrolet

Biggers Mazda

Biggers Mitsubishi

Bill Brown Ford

Bill Estes Chevrolet

Bill Estes Chevrolet Buick GMC

Bill Estes Ford Inc

Bill Estes Toyota

Bill Jacobs BMW MINI

Bill Jacobs Volkswagen

Blossom Chevrolet

Blue Grass Motorsport

BMW Mercedes-Benz of Okemos

BMW of Bloomfield Hills

BMW of Cincinnati North

BMW of Columbia

BMW of Louisville

BMW of Minnetonka

BMW of Schererville

Boardman Mitsubishi

Boardman Subaru

Bob Hook Chevrolet

Bob Jeannotte Buick GMC Truck

Bob McCosh Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac

Bob Rohrman Automotive Group

Borgman Ford Mazda

Borton Volvo Cars

Brilliance Honda of Crystal Lake

Broadway Automotive

Broadway Chevrolet Volkswagen

Broadway Ford

Burger Chrysler Jeep

Busam Nissan

Byers Chevrolet

Byers Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Byers Ford

Byers Imports

Byers Mazda Subaru North

Byers Toyota

Byers Volvo

Castle Volkswagen of Schaumburg

Chevrolet Exchange

Chevrolet of Clinton

Classic BMW MINI

Classic Chevrolet Mentor

Classic Volkswagen Mentor

Collins Ford Nissan

Columbia Acura Hyundai

Commonwealth Dodge

Countryside Nissan

Courtesy Car City Nissan Mitsubishi

Courtesy Kia Moline

Dahl Automotive of La Crosse

Dave Mungenast Lexus

Dave Mungenast Saint Louis Acura

Dave Wright Auto

Dennis Hyundai East

Dennis Hyundai of Dublin

Dick Scott Dodge

Dorsch Ford Lincoln Kia

Dreyer & Reinbold

Dreyer & Reinbold BMW North

East Madison Toyota

Ed Martin Acura

Ed Martin Buick GMC

Ed Martin Chevrolet Cadillac

Ed Martin Honda

Ed Martin Nissan

Ed Morse Chevrolet Buick GMC

Ed Morse Chevrolet Buick GMC Muscatine

Ed Morse Chevrolet Buick GMC Rolla

Ed Morse Chevrolet Lebanon

Ed Morse Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Ed Morse Ford

Ed Morse Ford Red Bud

Elgin Hyundai

Elgin Toyota

Eriksens Chevrolet Buick

Fairway Ford

Family Mitsubishi

Finnin Kia

Ford of Peoria

Fort Wayne Nissan Infiniti

Fort Wayne Toyota Lexus Kia Acura

Fox Motor Group

Fred Martin Automotive

Frick Ford

Friendly Chevrolet

Fuller Ford

Gandrud Chevrolet Nissan

Gandrud Dodge Chrysler Jeep

Ganley Buick GMC Strongsville

Ganley Chevrolet

Ganley Chrysler Dodge Jeep of Aurora

Ganley Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Bedford

Ganley Honda

Ganley Subaru

Ganley Subaru of Wickliffe

Ganley Volkswagen

Garber Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Garber Hyundai Nissan

Germain Automotive Group

Griffin's Hub Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Gurnee Hyundai

Gurnee Volkswagen

Hallada Auto Group

Halleen Kia

Halleen Kia of Sandusky

Hare Chevrolet

Harold Zeigler BMW Honda Ford Lincoln

Harold Zeigler CDJ Grandville

Harold Zeigler Ford Lowell

Harold Zeigler Ford Plainwell

Hawk Chevrolet Cadillac of Joliet

Hawk Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Hawk Ford of St. Charles

Hawk Ford Parts Warehouse

Hawk Mazda Subaru

Hawk Nissan of St Charles

Hawk Volkswagen of Joliet

Hendrick Chevrolet Shawnee Mission

Hendrick Lexus Kansas City

Hendrick Lexus North

Hendrick Toyota

Holman Motors

Honda East Cincinnati

Honda of Mentor

Honda World of Louisville

Hugh White Chevrolet Buick

Hugh White Honda

Indy Hyundai

Infiniti of Cincinnati

Infiniti of Lexington

Inver Grove Honda

Inver Grove Toyota

Jaguar Land Rover Cincinnati

Jaguar Land Rover Minneapolis

Jaguar Land Rover of Schaumburg

Jake Sweeney Buick GMC

Jake Sweeney Chevrolet

Jake Sweeney Chrysler Jeep

Jake Sweeney Kia Fiat

Jake Sweeney Mitsubishi

Jeff Wyler Automotive

Jim Lupient Infiniti

Juettner Motors

Kahlo Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Kelly BMW

Ken Ganley Buick GMC

Ken Ganley Chevrolet of Aurora

Ken Ganley Ford

Ken Ganley Hyundai Parma

Ken Ganley Kia

Ken Ganley Kia Alliance

Ken Ganley Kia Boardman

Ken Ganley Kia Mentor

Ken Ganley Lincoln

Ken Ganley Nissan

Ken Ganley Nissan Mayfield

Ken Ganley Toyota Akron

Ken Ganley Village Chrysler Dodge

Jeep Ram

Ken Ganley Westside Imports

Kerry Buick GMC

Kerry Chevrolet Hyundai

Kerry Ford

Kerry of Florence

Kerry Toyota

Kimberly Car City

Kings Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Kings Ford

Kings Kia

Kings Mazda

Kings Nissan of Cincinnati

Kings Toyota

Kings Volkswagen

Kline Nissan & Volvo

Kunes Auto Group

LaFontaine Buick GMC

LaFontaine Chevrolet Buick GMC of Saint Clair

LaFontaine Chrysler Dodge Jeep

Ram of Saline

LaFontaine CJD of Fenton

LaFontaine Ford Lincoln of Flushing

LaFontaine Imports of Livonia

LaFontaine Motors

LaFontaine Nissan Buick GMC Cadillac

LaFontaine Subaru

Lake Country Toyota

Landers Chevrolet

Laurel BMW of Westmont

Les Stumpf Ford

Lexus of Ann Arbor

Lexus of Arlington Heights

Lexus of Louisville

Lexus of Madison

Lexus of Maplewood

Lexus of Wayzata

Liberty Auto City

Liberty Ford Aurora

Lithia Chrysler of Grand Forks

Lithia Ford Lincoln of Grand Forks

Lithia Honda Nissan of Ames

Lithia Volkswagen of Des Moines

Livonia Chrysler Jeep

Lou Fusz Buick GMC

Lou Fusz Chrysler Jeep Dodge in O'Fallon

Lou Fusz Ford

Lou Fusz Kia of Evansville

Lou Fusz Mazda

Lou Fusz Motor Company

Lou Fusz Subaru of St. Peters

Lou Fusz Toyota

Louisville Infiniti

Louisville Mitsubishi

Lupient Buick GMC

Lupient Chevrolet

Lupient Kia Milwaukee

Lupient Kia Nissan of Brooklyn Park

Luther Bloomington Acura Subaru

Luther Brookdale Chevrolet

Luther Brookdale Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Luther Brookdale Honda

Luther Brookdale Mazda

Luther Brookdale Toyota

Luther Brookdale Volkswagen

Luther Family Buick GMC

Luther Family Ford

Luther Honda of St. Cloud

Luther Hopkins Honda

Luther Hudson Chevrolet GMC

Luther Hudson Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Luther Hyundai Burnsville

Luther Hyundai of Bloomington

Luther Infiniti of Bloomington

Luther Kia Nissan

Luther Mankato Honda

Luther North Country Ford

Luther Westside Volkswagen

Maple Hill Auto Center

McGrath Acura of Westmont

McGrath Arlington Kia

McGrath Chevrolet of Dubuque

McGrath City Mazda

McGrath Ford Hyundai Kia

McGrath Highway Chevrolet Buick GMC

McGrath Honda of St. Charles

McGrath Imports

McGrath Lexus of Chicago

McGrath Nissan

McGrath Volkswagen of Dubuque

McGrath Volkswagen of Marion

McGrath Volvo Cars Barrington

McLaughlin Motors

Mercedes-Benz of Akron

Mercedes-Benz of Bedford

Mercedes-Benz of Chesterfield

Mercedes-Benz of Hoffman Estates

Mercedes-Benz of Indianapolis

Mercedes-Benz of Louisville

Mercedes-Benz of North Olmsted

Mercedes-Benz of Novi

Mercedes-Benz of St. Louis

Mercedes-Benz Of Wichita

Metro Lexus

Metro Toyota

Mike Castrucci Chevrolet

Mike Castrucci Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Mike Castrucci Ford

Mike Castrucci Ford of Alexandria

Mills Parts Center

Molle Audi Volkswagen of Kansas City

Morrie's 394 Hyundai

Morrie's Brooklyn Park Subaru

Morrie's Buffalo Ford

Morrie's Cadillac Saab

Morrie's Grand Ledge Ford

Morrie's Inver Grove Mazda

Morrie's Minnetonka Ford Lincoln

Morrie's Minnetonka Mazda

Morrie's Onalaska Chevrolet

Morrie's Subaru

Motor Werks of Barrington

Motorcars Volvo Acura

Motorwerks BMW MINI

Mt Orab Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Ford

Muller's Woodfield Acura

Napleton Automotive Group

Neil Huffman Acura

Neil Huffman Chevrolet Buick GMC

Neil Huffman Mazda Subaru Volkswagen

Neil Huffman Nissan of Frankfort

Newbold BMW Toyota Nissan of Canton

Northgate Chrysler Dodge Jeep

Ram of Cincinnati

Northgate Ford Lincoln

O'Brien Kia Hyundai Nissan Mitsubishi

O'Brien Toyota

Orr Nissan Of Wichita

Oxmoor Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Oxmoor Ford Lincoln

Oxmoor Hyundai

Oxmoor Mazda

Oxmoor Toyota

Park Chrysler Jeep

Park Place Motors

Patrick BMW MINI

Patrick Hyundai

Patrick Jaguar Land Rover

Patrick Volvo Cadillac

Peoria Toyota

Performance Lexus RiverCenter

Pfeiffer Lincoln

Pischke Motors

Plaza Motors

Porsche Audi of Grand Rapids

Porsche of Beachwood

Porsche of Minneapolis

Porsche of the Village

Preston BMW

Preston Ford

Preston Hyundai

Preston Mazda

Preston Superstore

Randy Kuehl Honda Cars

Ray Skillman Avon Hyundai

Ray Skillman Chevrolet

Ray Skillman GMC Mitsubishi Kia

Ray Skillman Hoosier Ford

Ray Skillman Northeast Kia

Ray Skillman Northeast Mazda

Ray Skillman Westside Automall

Rhinelander Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC

Rhinelander Toyota

Ricart Automotive

Ricart Buick GMC

Richardson Buick Cadillac GMC Honda

Roseville Midway Ford

Rudy Luther Toyota

Ruxer Ford

Rydell Automotive

Saint Cloud Hyundai

Schaumburg Honda

Schlossmann Honda City

Schlossmann Subaru City

Sears Imported Autos

Serra Automotive Group

Sexton Ford

Shaheen Cadillac of Lansing

Shaheen Chevrolet

Sharpe Cars

Shawnee Mission Kia

Shottenkirk Automotive

Showcase Mitsubishi

Smart Automotive of Davenport

Smart Honda

Smart Motors Toyota

Smart Toyota St. Cloud Subaru

Suburban Automotive Group

Sunnyside Automotive Group

Terre Haute Kia

The Kia Store

Thompson's Honda

Tom Roush Mazda

Tom Roush Mitsubishi

Town & Country Ford

Toyota of Louisville

Trecek Automotive of Portage

Valley Imports

VanDevere Chevrolet Kia

Varsity Ford

Victory Honda of Plymouth

Victory Toyota of Canton

Village Ford

Volkswagen of Inver Grove

Volvo Cars Cincinnati

Volvo Cars of Louisville

Volvo Cars West County

Walser Bloomington Toyota

Walser Chrysler Jeep

Walser Hyundai

Walser Nissan Coon Rapids

Walser Nissan of Burnsville

Walser Nissan Wayzata

White Bear Acura Subaru

White Bear Mitsubishi

Wilde Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Subaru

Wilde East Towne Honda

Wilde Honda

Wilde Toyota

Zeigler BMW MINI of Orland Park

Zeigler Buick GMC of Lincolnwood

Zeigler Chevrolet

Zeigler Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM

Zeigler Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Downers Grove

Zeigler Ford of North Riverside

Zeigler Infiniti of Hoffman Estates

Zeigler Nissan Infiniti of Orland Park

Zeigler Nissan of Gurnee

Zeigler Subaru of Merrillville

Zeller Ford

Zimbrick Automotive

The Midwestern Dealer Perspective

How long have you been in the industry, and what is the biggest change during that time?

Total time in industry is 30 years, total years with Kia Motors is 25 at the end of the year.

I have been in the industry for over 40 years. The biggest change has been going from paper catalogs, which required an ability to interpret the data, to electronic catalogs with VIN-specific information. This change represents increased accuracy and less time for our customers from order to delivery. Manufacturers have also stepped up their game with faster warehouse-to-dealer availability.

I have 38 years of experience in the automotive industry, starting as a technician, then in sales, Service Manager, and finally Parts Manager. In my 32 years as Parts Manager, we have seen many changes, including better computer systems, faster, more reliable delivery, and automatic inventory replenishment. The biggest change for both our dealership and our customers is the highly accessible online ordering systems that make finding and ordering the correct parts more convenient and reliable.

Marty Van Reese - Parts Manager Lupient Kia Nissan of Brooklyn Park

Tim Price – Director of Parts Operations Ken Ganley Westside Imports

Rick Neuner – Parts Manager Bob McCosh Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac

Why

do you believe collision repair customers consider you a leading wholesale parts dealer?

Van Reese: Biggest changes- the cycle time requirements and keeping up with electronic order platforms.

Price: For us, this is partly due to belonging to a large group of dealers with nearly all brands available through our extensive delivery network and partly due to minding the fundamentals. Answering phone and electronic orders as quickly as possible and having the right parts in stock will quickly earn customer loyalty in this business.

Neuner: We are very pleased to receive the FenderBender Reader’s Choice Award for the second year in a row. This meaningful recognition of our team's dedication to "Finding Solutions, not Roadblocks" is indicative of our commitment to serving our customers to the best of our ability.

Van Reese: Reason for being considered a wholesale parts leader is our commitment to the customer, having the inventory investment available for quicker cycle times and multiple vans available for delivery and other resources for out of state delivery. Consistent parts delivery and order response. Always reevaluating current order and receipt of order process, adding further support as necessary.

Price: Our delivery process needs to be consistent to instill and maintain the confidence of our customers. I am always looking at how we are advertising and marketing to grow our customer base. What you do needs to be based on measurable results, not just your best guess as to what customers will respond to.

Neuner: The key to maintaining our level of success is our consistent, committed team that strives to provide the best customer experience possible. We regularly re-evaluate our delivery routes, times, and strategies for best meeting our customers’ needs and assessing our competition to provide the best pricing options available.

What changes do you see in the next five years for the industry?

Van Reese: Longer vehicle life, people keeping them longer and needing more parts, just due to price of the investment in their cars.

Price: It looks like there will be more shops either owned by or aligned with large regional or national companies. These companies will be determining where these local shops purchase their repair parts based on a number of factors, possibly including group pricing agreements and a given dealer group’s geographic reach. Now is the time for us as suppliers to have reliable service, fair pricing, and consistent delivery processes in place to be considered future business partners.

Neuner: The automotive industry has historically been a leader in technological advancements, and the next five years will prove its prowess with innovations in automation, connectivity, and EV tech. The automotive repair industry, currently an approximately $50 billion industry, is expected to grow to over $80 billion by 2027. Repair shops and technicians will need to meet that need with additional "Certified" training and equipment. We are already starting to see OEM’s restricting parts availability and taking other steps to ensure repair shops and technicians are certified in utilizing updated materials and systems to maintain safety standards for both customers and employees.

To achieve your level of success in the wholesale parts business, what aspects of your day-today operations need to stay consistent and what needs to be re-evaluated on a regular basis?

OEM PARTS DEALERS

Recognized By FenderBender Readers

Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia

Acme Nissan

Acura of Peabody

Acura of Westchester

Allen Mello Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Antwerpen Auto Group

Artioli Chrysler Dodge Ram

Audi Albany

Audi Allentown

Audi Chantilly

Audi Eatontown

Audi Hunt Valley

Audi Nyack

Audi of Fairfield

Audi Owings Mills

Audi Peabody

Audi Porsche of Nashua

Audi Silver Spring

Audi Tysons Corner

Auto Express Mazda

Auto Team Delaware

AutoFair Volkswagen of Nashua

AutoNation

Baron Honda

Bayside Auto Group

Bell Mitsubishi

Bennett Automotive Group

Bergey's Auto Dealers

Berlin City of Portland

Bill Dodge BMW Infiniti GMC Buick Cadillac

Bill Kolb Jr. Subaru

Bill Vince's Bridgewater Acura

BMW MINI of Manhattan

BMW MINI of Mount Laurel

BMW MINI of Warwick

BMW MINI Porsche of Towson

BMW of Atlantic City

BMW of Catonsville

BMW of Greenwich

BMW of Ramsey

BMW of Ridgefield

BMW of Rockville

BMW of South Albany

BMW of Stratham

BMW of Tenafly

BMW of the Hudson Valley

BMW of the Main Line

Boardwalk Honda

Bob Bell Auto Group

Bob Johnson Auto Group

Boch Automotive

Boston Volvo Village

Brattleboro Subaru

Bridgewater Volvo

Brogan Cadillac

Carman Chrysler Dodge Jeep

Carman Ford Lincoln

Carter Myers Automotive

Centereach Hyundai

Central Avenue Hyundai

Central Jeep Chrysler Dodge

RAM Mitsubishi of Raynham

Chapman Nissan

Charlie's Motor Mall

Cherry Hill Imports

Cherry Hill Kia Mitsubishi

Cherry Hill Nissan

Cherry Hill Volvo

Chevrolet of Turnersville

Ciocca Dealerships

Circle BMW

Clay Subaru

Clinton Honda

Colonial Subaru Volkswagen

Competition BMW

Competition Infiniti

Competition Subaru of Smithtown

Conicelli Honda Nissan

Conicelli Hyundai

Conicelli Nissan

Conicelli Toyota of Conshohocken

Conicelli Toyota of Springfield

Cooley Mazda Volkswagen

Crabtree Buick GMC, Inc

Crestmont Toyota Volkswagen

Criswell Automotive

Crown Acura of Richmond

Curry Acura

Curry Chevrolet

Danbury Audi Volkswagen Porsche

Daniels BMW

DARCARS Automotive Group

Darling's Auto Group

DCH Auto Group

DePaula Chevrolet

DePaula Ford Mazda

Destination Kia

Destination Nissan

Douglas Infiniti

Douglas Volkswagen

Dover Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram

DownEast Toyota

Dulles Motor Cars

Dutch Miller CDJR Kia Charleston

Dutch Miller Chevrolet Hyundai

Dutch Miller Kia

Eagle Chevrolet

Eastchester Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Elite Acura of Maple Shade

Empire Chevrolet of Huntington

Empire Ford

Fairfield Kia GMC Cadillac Buick

Family Ford of Enfield

Fette Ford Kia Infiniti

Fitzgerald Auto Mall Frederick

Flagship MotorCars

Flemington BMW

Flow Audi Mazda Porsche Volkswagen

Ford of Londonderry

Fred Beans Auto Group

Gateway Toyota

Glen Toyota

Goldstein Buick GMC

Goldstein Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Goldstein Subaru of Albany

Goodwin Chevrolet Buick Oxford

Goodwin Chevrolet Mazda

Goodwin's Volvo

Grand Prize Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac

Granite Subaru

Grappone Automotive Group

Hall Acura of Newport News

Hall Acura of Virginia Beach

Hall Chevrolet

Hall Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Hall Ford Lincoln

Hall Honda Virginia Beach

Hall Hyundai Chesapeake

Hall Hyundai Newport News

Hall Mazda

Hall Nissan

Hall Nissan Chesapeake

Hall Toyota Virginia Beach

Healey Brothers

Healey Brothers Hyundai

Healey Chevrolet

Healey Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Healey Ford

Healey Kia

Hendrick Honda Woodbridge

Herb Gordon Subaru

Heritage Chevrolet Buick

Heritage Chrysler Dodge Jeep

RAM Owings Mills

Heritage Ford Toyota

Heritage Honda Bel Air

Heritage Honda Parkville

Heritage Hyundai of Towson

Heritage Mazda of Bel Air

Heritage Mazda of Towson

Heritage Mazda Subaru Volkswagen

Heritage Subaru Volkswagen

Heritage Toyota Catonsville

Heritage Toyota Owings Mills

Hertrich Family of Dealerships

Hillside Honda

Hillside Toyota

Holman Cadillac

Holman Ford Lincoln Turnersville

Holman Infiniti

Holman Toyota

Honda North

Honda of Danbury

Honda of Ithaca

Honda of Keene

Honda of Tenafly

Honda of Turnersville

Hudson Nissan

Hudson Toyota

Hudson Valley Volkswagen

Hudson Valley Volvo

Hyundai of Turnersville

Infiniti of Flemington

Infiniti of Manhasset

Infiniti of Norwood

Infiniti of Suitland

Infiniti of Warwick

Infiniti of West Chester

Interstate Mitsubishi

Ira Auto Group

Jack Daniels Audi

Jack Daniels Motors

Jack Daniels Porsche Paramus

Jack Madden Ford

Jaguar Land Rover Annapolis

Jaguar Land Rover Hunt Valley

Jaguar Land Rover Monmouth

Jaguar Land Rover New Rochelle

Jaguar Land Rover of Manhattan

Jaguar Land Rover of Norwood

Jaguar Land Rover White Plains

Jaguar Parsippany

Jeff D'Ambrosio Auto Group

Jerry's Mitsubishi

John Stuckey Ford Subaru

Karp Automotive

Keeler Motor Car Company

Ken Ganley Kia Clarksburg

Ken Ganley Toyota

Key Acura of Atlantic City

Kia of Bowie

Kings Infiniti

Kings Nissan of Brooklyn

Koeppel Ford

Koeppel Hyundai

Koeppel Mazda

Koons Automotive Group

Kundert Volvo Cars of Hasbrouck

Land Rover Jaguar Albany

Land Rover Jaguar Darien

Land Rover Jaguar of Scarborough

Land Rover Mount Kisco

Land Rover of Bedford

Land Rover Parsippany

Land Rover Wilmington

Legend Porsche Audi Volkswagen

Lexus at New Country Latham

Lexus of Bridgewater

Lexus of Cherry Hill

Lexus of Queens

Lexus of Smithtown

Lexus of Warwick

Lia Automotive Group

Liberty Hyundai

Liberty Kia

Liberty Subaru

Lovering Volvo of Meredith

Luther Ford Ebensburg

MacIntyre Chevrolet

MacMulkin Chevrolet Cadillac

Maguire Chevrolet

Maguire Chevrolet Cadillac

Maguire Chevrolet of Baldwinsville

Maguire Chevrolet of Trumansburg

Maguire Chrysler of Watkins Glen

Maguire Dodge Ram of Syracuse

Maguire Ford

Maguire Hyundai Subaru

Maguire Imports

Maguire Nissan of Syracuse

Mastria Kia

Mastria Mazda

Mastria Mazda GMC Buick

Mastria Nissan

Mastria Volkswagen

Maxon Mazda Hyundai Buick GMC

Mazda of Abington

Mazda of Lodi

McGovern Buick GMC

McGovern Chevrolet of Greenfield

McGovern Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

McGovern Ford

McGovern Ford of Framingham

McGovern Hyundai

McGovern Hyundai Rt 2

McGovern Kia of Norwood

McGovern Subaru

McGovern Subaru of Acton

McGovern Volvo Cars Albany

Mercedes-Benz Honda of Doylestown

Mercedes-Benz of Annapolis

Mercedes-Benz of Caldwell

Mercedes-Benz of Chantilly

Mercedes-Benz of Cherry Hill

Mercedes-Benz of Flemington

Mercedes-Benz of Manchester

Mercedes-Benz of Owings Mills

Mercedes-Benz of Paramus

Mercedes-Benz of Rochester

Mercedes-Benz of Silver Spring

Mercedes-Benz of Smithtown

Mercedes-Benz of West Chester

Mercedes-Benz of Westwood

Mercedes-Benz of White Plains

Mercedes-Benz of Wilmington

Metro Ford Sales Inc

MINI of Bedford

MINI of Ramsey

MINI of Towson

Morong Falmouth

MotorWorld Automotive Group

Mount Ephraim Chrysler Dodge

Mount Kisco Chevrolet

Nashua Mitsubishi Hyundai Kia

Nissan Kia of Middletown

Nissan of Keene

Nissan of Turnersville

Northeast Acura

Northstar Kia

Northtown Hyundai Subaru

Northtown Lexus

Northtown Mazda Kia

Northway Motor Car

Noyes Volkswagen

Nucar Connection

Nye Chevrolet

Nye Motors

Nye Volkswagen

Open Road Cadillac of Morristown

Open Road Chevrolet of Union

Ourisman Automotive Group

Packer Norris Parts

Paragon Acura

Paragon Honda

Park Avenue Acura

Park Avenue BMW

Passport BMW

Passport Infiniti

Passport Nissan

Passport Toyota

Patrick Motors

Pellegrino Chevrolet

Pepe Cadillac

Peter's of Nashua

Pohanka Chevrolet

Pohanka Chrysler Dodge Jeep

Ram of Salisbury

Pohanka Lexus of Chantilly

Pohanka Mercedes-Benz of Salisbury

Pohanka Motors of Salisbury

Pohanka Nissan Hyundai of Fredericksburg

Pohanka Nissan of Stafford

Porsche Annapolis

Porsche Hunt Valley

Porsche Monmouth

Porsche of Larchmont

Porsche of South Shore

Porsche Silver Spring

Poughkeepsie Nissan

Prestige Jaguar Land Rover

Prestige Lexus

Price Toyota

Princeton BMW

Quirk Auto Park of Bangor

Quirk Chevrolet GMC of Rockland

Quirk Chevrolet of Bangor

Quirk Chevrolet of Portland

Quirk Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fiat of Bangor

Quirk Ford Chrysler Dodge Jeep of Belfast

Quirk Hyundai Mitsubishi of Bangor

Quirk Subaru of Bangor

Ramsey Cars

Ray Catena BMW of Westchester

Ray Catena Lexus of Freehold

Ray Catena Lexus of Larchmont

Ray Catena Mercedes-Benz

Ray Catena Motor Cars

Richmond BMW & Crown MINI

Richmond BMW Midlothian

Rick Hendrick Buick Chevrolet

GMC of Richmond

Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Cadillac

Riley Mazda

Riley Volvo Cars Stamford

Rivera Toyota of Mt. Kisco

Rockland Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Rockland Nissan

Rockville Centre GMC

Rossi Chevrolet Buick GMC

Rossi Honda

Scranton Chevrolet of Norwich

Security Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram

Sheehy Auto Group

Smith Volkswagen

Smithtown Toyota

South Shore BMW

Star Nissan of Bayside

Star Subaru

Star Toyota of Bayside

Stevens Ford Lincoln

Subaru of Cherry Hill

Sun Chevrolet

Sunnyside Acura

Sussex Honda

Tasca Automotive Group

Thompson BMW

Thompson Lexus

Thompson Toyota

Three County Volkswagen

Tony Mangino Mitsubishi

Town Motor Car

Toyota of Hackensack

Toyota of Nashua

Toyota of Turnersville

Toyota Subaru of Morristown

Toyota Volvo of Keene

Tulley Automotive Group

Union Park Auto Group

Volkswagen of Nanuet

Volvo Cars of Erie

Volvo Cars Silver Spring

Volvo Cars White Plains

Waldorf Chevrolet Cadillac

Waldorf Dodge RAM

Waldorf Ford

Waldorf Honda

Waldorf Subaru Volkswagen

Wayne Mazda Hyundai

West Herr Automotive Group

Westchester Toyota

White Plains Volkswagen

Wide World of Cars

Winner Ford

World Subaru

The Northeastern Dealer Perspective

How long have you been in the industry, and what is the biggest change during that time?

Ken Vicari – Parts Manager Circle BMW

I was exposed to the automotive industry back in 1978 when my father opened an auto parts store in Lakewood, New Jersey. I was only 12 years old at the time, obviously still in grade school. I jumped at every chance I could get to be with my dad and to help him in the store, sometimes after school and any weekend I could get my mom to take me there. I learned a lot! By the time I was 17, I could hang with the big boys. I was a bonified Parts Guy! The auto parts store closed in 1984, and with the experience I gained, I was able to secure a position in a Honda Dealership. Four years later, I was running that store and haven’t looked back since. I think it is safe to say the biggest change between what I have seen in the early days to now is technology, for better or worse. And honestly, it's a little of both. It is definitely technology.

Vito Deliso - Parts Operations Director BRAM AUTO GROUP Lexus of Queens

I started as a stock person straight out of high school 45 years ago. As I grew into my role in the parts department, I did every job given to me to exceed my manager’s expectations. After three years, I was given the opportunity to run the department. We were still in the Datsun days. Technology has made a tremendous improvement to our industry. Looking back at the changes, we have gone from paper to micro-fiche to VIN-specific electronic parts applications. From ticking off parts sold on an inventory pad & sending it to our DMS every Friday afternoon to instant real-time inventory updates.

Roberto Caicedo – Parts Director Ourisman Automotive Group

I’ve been in the industry for 28 years. The biggest changes I’ve noticed are online platform ordering and insurance companies dictating pricing.

Why

do you believe collision repair customers consider you a leading wholesale parts dealer?

Vicari: Well, I would like to say it’s because we are honest, we care about our customers, we give great service, and consistency with everything I named.

Deliso: I believe our collision shops and independent repair shops recognize that our staff truly have their best interests in mind. Our commitment is not only to them but to their customers, which is why they can stay in business. Communication with shops is another key factor in our success. Keeping them informed eliminates guessing and needless phone calls on their part, thus eliminating unwanted extra stress. Wholesale Parts Advisors, Stock Personnel, Shipping/Receiving, Cashiers & Drivers all play a significant role in making our BRAM Lexus of Queens Wholesale Department successful. Every team member of my staff plays a role in the day-today operation that starts at 4:30am and lights out at 6:00pm. Each one pushes, supports, and helps one another to achieve total customer satisfaction. Everyone knows their responsibility and gives 100%+.

Caicedo: Ourisman's Automotive culture is centered on the customer's experience which has resulted in long-lasting partnerships with our valued customers.

Vicari: Like I said earlier, if you expect a high level of success, you must be consistent. You set your client’s expectations with your excellent performance. Once that is done, you cannot go back. It’s expected. Things like processing order requests, returning phone calls, answering e-mails, delivering parts if that’s what’s needed with the request, must be done consistently, on time, as promised, etc. With this, sometimes adjustments must be made as the business develops. Some shops grow, some slow down, some fall off the map, and new shops open. We need to adjust every day to suit the needs of our clients. The business is fluid, and so is the competition, and the competition is everywhere, looking to eat your slice of the business.

Deliso: Overseeing the BRAM Lexus of Queens Wholesale Depot can sometimes be challenging and stressful. With an approval nod from ownership, we are constantly reviewing and adjusting our inventory levels due to backorder situations that are improving, but still exist, to meet our customers’ needs. I meet once a week with my two key people to hear what’s going on and listen to any suggestions or input that they may have. Reading and sharing some ideas from the book Relentless has also been a motivating factor in keeping everyone focused on becoming unstoppable.

Caicedo: Response time on online ordering platforms and accuracy, communication, and delivery are key to being successful.

What changes do you see in the next five years for the industry?

Vicari: Hard to say what five years will bring, but I can say technology will advance rapidly, and this will force everyone in the industry to change. We need to stay focused and roll with the changes. I hope it will be an exciting ride.

Deliso: The next five years will bring increasing online sales and perhaps direct shipment of parts to retail customers straight from the PDCs. Finding the right personnel to staff the parts department. Technicians will also need to be more tech-savvy to deal with the ever-changing technology that the manufacturers are adding. Balancing a parts inventory between the vehicles we currently service and the incoming parts for EVs such as additional room for EV batteries, charging stations, and forklifts.

Caicedo: Due to diminishing margins on wholesale parts, you will see less dealer groups in the wholesale market.

To achieve your level of success in the wholesale parts business, what aspects of your day-today operations need to stay consistent and what needs to be re-evaluated on a regular basis?

OEM PARTS DEALERS

Recognized By FenderBender Readers

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas

Acura of Memphis

Acura Of Pembroke Pines

Apple Tree Acura Honda

Archer Kia

Arlington Toyota

Atlanta Toyota

Audi Atlanta

Audi Birmingham

Audi Fort Worth

Audi Grapevine

Audi Marietta

Audi North Atlanta

Audi North Miami

Audi North Orlando

Audi of Coral Springs

Audi Pensacola

Audi Plano

Audi Subaru El Paso

Audi Tulsa

Autobahn Motorcars

AutoNation

Aventura Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Beaman Automotive Group

Benchmark Automotive

Benson Ford

Benson Nissan Easley

Bill Knight Automotive Group

Bleecker Auto Group

BMW MINI of Arlington

BMW MINI of Austin

BMW MINI of Dallas

BMW MINI of El Paso

BMW MINI of Nashville

BMW MINI of the Woodlands

BMW of Birmingham

BMW of Chattanooga

BMW of Greensboro

BMW of Houston North

BMW of Macon

BMW of Mobile

BMW of Montgomery

BMW of Ocala

BMW of Tulsa

BMW of West Houston

Bob Howard Buick GMC

Bob Howard Honda Acura

Bob Howard Parts Distribution Center

Bob Howard Toyota

Bob King Auto Mall

Bob King Buick GMC

Bob King Hyundai

Bob King Kia

Bob King Mazda

Bob Mayberry Hyundai

Bob Moore Automotive Group

Bob Tomes Ford Lincoln

Bob Utter Ford Lincoln Kia

Bomnin Volvo Cars Dadeland

Braman BMW

Braman BMW West Palm Beach

Braman Motorcars of Jupiter

Brandon Tomes Subaru

Brandon Tomes Volkswagen of McKinney

Breeden Dodge

Britain Chevrolet

Cadillac of South Charlotte

Capital Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Capital Toyota

Carlock Honda of Birmingham

Carriage Kia Woodstock

Cavender Auto Group

Cedar Park Nissan

Central Florida Toyota

Century Automotive

Century BMW MINI

Century Volvo Cars

Champion Porsche

Chantz Scott Kia

Chevrolet of Fayetteville

Chris Crain Hyundai

Classic Buick GMC Cadillac

Classic Chevrolet at Sugarland

Clear Lake Infiniti

Clearwater Toyota

Cobb County Toyota

Coggin Auto Group

Courtesy Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Courtesy Nissan

Courtesy Toyota of Brandon

Crain Hyundai of Fort Smith

Crain Kia of Fort Smith

Cross Creek Subaru

Crossroads Automotive Group

Crown Acura Audi

Crown Honda of Greensboro

Crown Hyundai

Crown Nissan of Greenville

David McDavid Acura of Plano

David McDavid Honda of Frisco

David McDavid Honda of Irving

David Stanley Chevrolet

David Stanley Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Day's Chevrolet

Dewey Barber Chevrolet

Don Carlton Honda

Dutch Miller Kia of Charlotte

Dutch Miller Nissan

Economy Honda Superstore

Ed Morse Bayview Cadillac

Ed Morse Cadillac Brandon

Ed Morse Cadillac Delray Beach

Ed Morse Cadillac Tampa

Ed Morse Honda

Ed Morse Mitsubishi

Ed Morse Sawgrass Auto Mall

Ed Voyles Acura

Ed Voyles Auto Group

Ed Voyles Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Ed Voyles Kia of Chamblee

Edwards Chevrolet

Eskridge Chevrolet

Eskridge Lexus

Estero Bay Chevrolet

Fairway Ford Lincoln Subaru

Ferguson Superstore

Five Star Subaru

Flow Automotive Group

Ford of Harvey

Ford of Kendall

Foreign Cars Italia

Fort Mill Ford

Fort Worth Mitsubishi

Fowler Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Fowler Toyota of Norman

Fowler Toyota of Tulsa

Fowler Volkswagen

Fred Anderson Auto Group

Fred Haas Toyota Country

Fred Haas Toyota World

Fredy Kia

Freeland Chevrolet Superstore

Freeland Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Freeman Hyundai Mazda

Friendly Chevrolet of Dallas

Friendship Chrysler Jeep Dodge Bristol

Friendship Ford Volvo Hyundai

Friendship Hyundai of Johnson City

Gene Messer Chevrolet

Gene Messer Ford Lincoln

Gene Messer Hyundai

Gene Messer Kia

Gene Messer Toyota

Gene Messer Volkswagen

Germain BMW of Naples

Germain Honda of Naples

Germain Lexus of Naples

Germain Lincoln of Naples

Germain Toyota of Naples

Gillman Chevrolet Buick GMC Harlingen

Gillman Chevrolet Buick GMC San Benito

Gillman Honda Houston

Gillman Mitsubishi

Gillman Nissan of Fort Bend

Gillman Subaru Southwest

Global Imports

Goodson Acura

Gossett Kia

Gossett Kia of Mount Moriah

Gossett Mitsubishi

Gossett Motor Cars

Gossett Volkswagen of Germantown

Grapevine Honda

Grayson BMW MINI

Green Ford Lincoln

Greensboro Acura

Grubbs Acura Infiniti Volvo Cars Grapevine

Grubbs Infiniti of San Antonio

Gunn Acura

Gunn Chevrolet

Gunn Honda

Gunn Nissan

Gunn Nissan of Denton

Gunther Mazda Kia

Gunther Volkswagen

Gunther Volkswagen Coconut Creek

Gunther Volkswagen Volvo Cars

Daytona Beach

Gus Machado Ford Hialeah

Hacienda Ford

Hall Hyundai Ford Elizabeth City

Harper Volkswagen

Harry Robinson Sallisaw Ford

Hayes Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac

Hayes Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Helfman Dodge Chrysler Jeep Fiat

Helfman River Oaks Chrysler Jeep

Dodge Ram

Hendrick Cars

Hennessy Cadillac

Hennessy Jaguar Land Rover Buckhead

Hennessy Lexus of Atlanta

Hennessy Lexus of Gwinnett

Hennessy Mazda Buick GMC

Hennessy Porsche North Atlanta

Hilton Head BMW

Holman Honda of Fort Lauderdale

Honda Kingsport

Honda World of Conway

Huffines Chevrolet Lewisville

Huffines Chrysler Jeep Dodge Lewisville

Huffines Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Plano

Huffines Kia Hyundai McKinney

Huffines Kia McKinney

Huffines Kia Subaru of Corinth

Infiniti of Birmingham

Infiniti of Chattanooga

Infiniti of Memphis

Infiniti of Tampa

Jackie Cooper Imports

Jackson Automotive

Jaguar Land Rover Birmingham

Jaguar Land Rover Bluff City

Jaguar Land Rover Hilton Head

Jaguar Land Rover of Tulsa

Jaguar Land Rover Oklahoma City

Jaguar Land Rover Porsche Volvo of Greenville

Jaguar Land Rover San Antonio

Jaguar Land Rover West Houston

Jay Hodge Chevrolet

Jay Hodge Dodge Chrysler Jeep

Ram of Paris

Jay Hodge Ford of Morrilton

Jim Burke Automotive

Jim Ellis Buick GMC Mall of Georgia

Jim Ellis Chevrolet

Jim Ellis Hyundai

Jim Ellis Kia of Kennesaw

Jim Ellis Mazda of Marietta

Jim Ellis Porsche

Jim Ellis Toyota of McDonough

Jim Ellis Volkswagen of Kennesaw

Jim Keras Chevrolet Buick

Jim Keras Subaru Nissan

Jim Norton Chevrolet

Jim Norton Toyota of Oklahoma City

Jim Norton Toyota of Tulsa

Jim Norton T-town Chevrolet

Joe Myers Ford

Joe Myers Imports

Joe Myers Toyota

Johnson City Acura Mazda

Johnson City Nissan

Karl Malone Chevrolet Toyota of El Dorado

Karl Malone Ford Lincoln

Karl Malone Toyota of Ruston

Keffer Hyundai

Keffer Kia

Keffer Mazda

Keffer Volkswagen

Ken Ganley Kia New Port Richey

Kendall Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram

Kendall Hyundai

Kernersville Chrysler Dodge Jeep Fiat

King Acura

Landers Automotive Group

Leesburg Volkswagen

Lehman Auto World

Lehman Buick GMC

Leith Auto Group

Lexus of Birmingham

Lexus of Chattanooga

Lexus of Memphis

Lexus of North Miami

Lexus of Tulsa

Limbaugh Toyota

Lithia Motors

Long Lewis Ford Lincoln

Long Lewis Ford of Hoover

Long Lewis Ford of Muscle Shoals

Long Lewis Mitsubishi Volkswagen

Lowe Toyota

Lute Riley Honda

Mac Haik Automotive Group

Marc Miller Buick GMC

McGrath Volvo Cars of Ft Myers

McLarty Auto Group

Mercedes-Benz of Augusta

Mercedes-Benz of Birmingham

Mercedes-Benz of Boerne

Mercedes-Benz of Clear Lake

Mercedes-Benz of Collierville

Mercedes-Benz of Cutler Bay

Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce

Mercedes-Benz of Georgetown

Mercedes-Benz of Greensboro

Mercedes-Benz of Houston

Mercedes-Benz of Jackson

Mercedes-Benz of McKinney

Mercedes-Benz of Nashville

Mercedes-Benz of Oklahoma City

Mercedes-Benz of Orlando

Mercedes-Benz of Shreveport

Mercedes-Benz of South Charlotte

Mercedes-Benz of The Woodlands

Mercedes-Benz Porsche of Fayetteville

Miami Lakes Automall

Mike Smith Automotive Group

Modern Hyundai of Concord

Modern Infiniti of Winston-Salem

Modern Nissan Hickory

Modern Nissan of Concord

Modern Nissan Winston Salem

Momentum Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Sealy

Momentum Volkswagen of Upper Kirby

Mossy Nissan

Mountain View Ford Lincoln

Mountain View Nissan

Mountain View Nissan of Cleveland

Mountain View Nissan of Dalton

Nalley Automotive Group

Napleton Automotive Group

Nissan of Chattanooga East

Nissan of Mobile

Norcross Mazda Memphis

North Central Ford

Northside Chevrolet San Antonio

Northside Ford San Antonio

Northwest Hyundai Oklahoma City Volkswagen

Orlando INFINITI

Orr Auto Group

Palm Beach Toyota

Paramount Automotive Group

Park Place Dealerships

Parkway Hyundai Subaru Volvo

Porsche Birmingham

Porsche El Paso

Porsche of Orlando

Porsche Oklahoma City

Powers-Swain Chevrolet

Prestige Subaru

Principle Toyota of Memphis

Queen City Mitsubishi

Ralph Hayes Toyota

RBM of Atlanta

Reed-Lallier Chevrolet

Rivertown Automall

Roadshow BMW MINI

Robbins Chevrolet

Robbins Nissan

Robbins Toyota

Rockwall Dodge

Rockwall Ford

Round Rock Hyundai Honda Toyota

Round Rock Nissan

Russell Chevrolet

Sarasota Toyota

Serra Auto Group

Seth Wadley Chevrolet Buick GMC of Perry

Seth Wadley PDC

Sewell BMW of Plano

Sewell Buick GMC Cadillac of Midland

Sewell Cadillac of Dallas

Sewell Cadillac of Houston

Sewell Chevrolet

Sewell Ford Lincoln

Sewell MINI of Plano

Sewell Subaru

Shamaley Buick GMC

Shamaley Ford

Shottenkirk Automotive

Smicklas Chevrolet

SONS Ford Lincoln Auburn

South Motors BMW MINI

South Motors Honda Volkswagen

South Motors INFINITI of Palmetto Bay

South Pointe Chevrolet

South Pointe Chrysler Jeep Dodge

South Pointe Honda

Southwest Infiniti

Spartanburg Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Sport Mazda North

Sport Mazda South

Sport Mitsubishi Subaru

Stateline Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM

Sterling McCall Auto Group

Steve Landers Chrysler Dodge Jeep

Ram Little Rock

Steve White Audi Volkswagen

Subaru of Kennesaw

Subaru of Pembroke Pines

Sutherlin Nissan Cherokee County

Sutton Acura

Tasca Buick GMC Clearwater

Tasca Buick GMC Palm Harbor

Tasca Cadillac Melbourne

Team Gillman Acura

Terry Labonte Chevrolet

Texan Hyundai

Texas Nissan of Grapevine

Texas Toyota of Grapevine

Thompson GM Parts Center

Town & Country Ford Bessemer

Town and Country Toyota

Town North Nissan

Toyota Hyundai of Pharr

Toyota Lexus of Kingsport

Toyota of Fayetteville

Toyota of Fort Worth

Toyota of Irving

Troncalli Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Subaru

Tulsa Hyundai

Twin City Hyundai

Twin City Nissan

United BMW Alpharetta

United Ford

Volkswagen of Alamo Heights

Volkswagen of Beaumont

Volkswagen of Fort Myers

Volkswagen of Warner Robins

Volvo Cars Greensboro

Volvo Cars of Marietta

Wade Ford

Wallace Imports of Bristol

Wallace Imports of Johnson City

Wallace Kia Stuart

Wallace Nissan Mitsubishi

Walsh Honda

Warren Henry Auto

Wolfchase Chrysler Dodge

Wolfchase Honda

Wolfchase Nissan

Wolfchase Toyota

Woody Anderson Ford

World Ford Pensacola

World Toyota

The Southern Dealer Perspective

How long have you been in the industry, and what is the biggest change during that time?

Ian Grohs – Parts Manager Stateline Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM

I have been in the industry for just under 13 years. The two biggest changes I have seen are the increasing complexity of new vehicles and the consolidation of the collision industry. Though my time in the industry is shorter than many others, the change in vehicle complexity that I have seen has been enormous. For example, CAN bus electrical systems, the proliferation of vehicle sensors, changes in material and construction, and the ubiquity of turbocharging on modern vehicles are just a few of the changes the industry has had to adapt to. As far as consolidation goes, MSOs are increasingly dominating the market. I have seen many of the mom-and-pop shops we have worked with for years sell out and retire. The mom-and-pop shops of the Carolinas have been our primary customer base for decades, so this shift is most definitely forcing somewhat of a strategic change for us.

Paul Corbet - Parts Director Infiniti of Memphis

I have been in the industry for over 40 years. For 33 of those years, I have been the Parts Manager at Infiniti of Memphis. The biggest change that I see is the change in technology. When I started, there were no cell phones and no internet. Now, everything is available online.

Ken Bartlett - Parts Manager Harper Volkswagen

I've been in the industry for over 40 years. The biggest change by far is going from microfiche parts look up to computer-based catalogue, and going from a manual stock ordering to all online systems.

Why do you believe collision repair customers consider you a leading wholesale parts dealer?

Grohs: It all comes down to service. The parts bought from us are the same as those purchased elsewhere. We differentiate ourselves by providing excellent service to the shops that partner with us. This means answering the phone and responding to orders quickly, getting the right part the first time, being incredibly consistent with our deliveries, issuing credits within 24 hours, going the extra mile to source back-ordered parts, and putting in place processes to ensure that we have the right mix of inventory. This means that we are easy to work with and that shops can fix cars faster.

Corbet: I believe customers use us because of our staffs’ combined experience in the parts department. We have an inventory of $800K plus. We will go the extra mile to find the hard-to-get parts and we will follow up with an ETA.

Bartlett: We have an awesome parts team. We try to answer the phone as quickly as possible and treat our customers how we would want to be treated.

To achieve your level of success in the wholesale parts business, what aspects of your day-today operations need to stay consistent and what needs to be re-evaluated on a regular basis?

Grohs: Consistency is key in all aspects of our business. We have the staff and processes in place to provide a very consistent experience from start to finish. The only re-evaluation that must be done concerns the resources needed to consistently keep the experience we offer. This could mean adjusting staffing levels, tweaking processes, adding tools or vehicles, etc., all to give our customers a reliable, consistent experience with us.

Corbet: The aspects that need to stay consistent daily are scanning parts correctly and putting up stock. Check for any discrepancies with the inventory, parts inventory control is vital to a good parts operation. The factory programs are always changing. We evaluate them regularly to see how they will aid us in helping the wholesale customer better.

Bartlett: We are continually tracking inventory, little by little. That needs to stay consistent to stay on track. We are always adapting to our customers' needs and wants.

What changes do you see in the next five years for the industry?

Grohs: I have a few predictions for the next five years:

• Manufacturer programs will make it harder for dealers not already in the wholesale business to enter. If I am correct, this will mean that the dealers who are currently big wholesale players will primarily be concerned with competing with each other rather than with new entrants into our markets.

• The push towards electrification will continue, but many of the current startups we're seeing will disappear from the marketplace. I think that it is likely that smaller EV startups will either be absorbed by larger manufacturers or go out of business. I think that the majority of new EV business will go to established brands as they strengthen their EV offerings.

• The proliferation of driver assistance and safety technology on new vehicles will result in fewer vehicle accidents, shrinking the collision industry.

• The absorption of both independent repair facilities and independent dealerships into larger groups will continue.

Corbet: The parts industry is going to change with EVs coming into the market. I believe it will shift from selling mechanical parts to selling more electrical controls and collision parts.

Bartlett: In the next five years, I think we will see a lot more electric vehicles on the road, which will be an all-new challenge in the future. I believe online ordering will continue to track upward as well.

OEM PARTS DEALERS

Recognized By FenderBender Readers

Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

Acura North Scottsdale

Acura of Bellevue

Acura of Peoria

Acura of the Desert

Alan Webb Chevrolet

Alan Webb Mitsubishi Nissan

Arrowhead BMW

Audi Bellevue

Audi Chandler

Audi Escondido

Audi North OC

Audi North Scottsdale

Audi of Stevens Creek

Audi Peoria

Autobahn Motors

AutoNation Acura Honda Spokane Valley

AutoNation Acura South Bay

AutoNation Buick GMC

AutoNation Buick GMC of West Sahara

AutoNation Buick GMC Park Meadows

AutoNation CDJR Valencia

AutoNation Chevrolet Arrowhead

AutoNation Chevrolet North

AutoNation Chevrolet Superstition Springs

AutoNation Chevrolet Valencia

AutoNation Chrysler Dodge Jeep

Ram Bellevue

AutoNation Chrysler Dodge Jeep

RAM North Phoenix

AutoNation Chrysler Jeep West

AutoNation Ford Scottsdale

AutoNation Ford Tustin

AutoNation Honda

AutoNation Honda 104th

AutoNation Honda East Las Vegas

AutoNation Honda Fremont

AutoNation Honda Tucson

AutoNation Honda Valencia

AutoNation Hyundai Tempe

AutoNation Infiniti Tustin

AutoNation Nissan MINI of Las Vegas

AutoNation Nissan Tempe

AutoNation Parts Center Denver

AutoNation Parts Center Phoenix

AutoNation Parts Center Spokane Valley

AutoNation Subaru Arapahoe

AutoNation Subaru Mazda Honda Roseville

AutoNation Subaru Scottsdale

AutoNation Subaru West

AutoNation Toyota Arapahoe

AutoNation Toyota Buena Park

AutoNation Toyota Cerritos

AutoNation Toyota Hayward

AutoNation Toyota Honda Acura

Spokane Valley

AutoNation Toyota Las Vegas

Autonation Toyota of Irvine

AutoNation Toyota Tempe

AutoNation Volkswagen Las Vegas

AutoNation Volvo of Bellevue

AutoNation Volvo San Jose

AutoNation Wholesale Parts Roseville

Beaverton Infiniti

Bell Ford

Bell Lexus

Bell Motor Company

Bellevue Nissan

Berge Mazda Volkswagen

Berge's Riverview Toyota

Beverly Hills BMW

BMW MINI North Scottsdale

BMW MINI of Escondido

BMW MINI of Las Vegas

BMW MINI of Monrovia

BMW MINI of Portland

BMW MINI of San Diego

BMW Northwest

BMW of Bellevue

BMW of Denver Downtown

BMW of Ontario

BMW of Spokane

Buena Park Honda

Cadillac of Las Vegas

Camelback Ford Lincoln

Camelback Kia Hyundai

Camelback Mazda Subaru Volkswagen

Camelback Toyota

Camp Chevrolet Cadillac

Car Pros Kia Glendale

Car Pros Kia Moreno Valley

Car Pros Kia Renton

Car Pros Kia Tacoma

Car Pros Renton Hyundai

City Motor Company

Clark Hyundai

Concord Honda

Concord Toyota

Courtesy Chevrolet

Courtesy Ford

Crevier BMW MINI

Crown Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram

Crown Lexus

Crystal Chrysler Center

Dave Smith Motors

DCH Acura Honda of Temecula

DCH Audi of Oxnard

DCH Honda of Oxnard

DCH Kia Temecula

DCH Lexus of Santa Barbara

DCH Subaru of Riverside

DCH Torrance Toyota

DCH Toyota of Oxnard

Desert European Motorcars

Dishman Dodge Ram Chrysler Jeep

Findlay Buick GMC Prescott

Findlay Chevrolet

Findlay Downtown Toyota Lexus Spokane

Findlay Honda Cadillac Saab

Findlay Hyundai Kia Subaru

Findlay Kia

Findlay Mazda

Findlay Motor Company

Findlay North Volkswagen

Findlay Subaru

Findlay Toyota

Findlay Toyota Flagstaff

Findlay Toyota Prescott

Findlay Volkswagen Flagstaff

Findlay Volkswagen Henderson

Findlay Volkswagen St. George

Findlay Volvo Cars Las Vegas

Folsom Lake Toyota

Ford Hyundai of Kirkland

Fremont Mazda

Galpin Wholesale Parts

George Gee Cadillac Kia

George Gee Kia Buick GMC

Glenwood Springs Volkswagen Audi

Grand Junction Subaru

Grand Junction Volkswagen

Great Falls Subaru

Hayward Mitsubishi

Honda of Great Falls

Honda of Serramonte

Honda of the Desert

House of Imports

I-10 Toyota

Infiniti of Bellevue

Infiniti of Scottsdale

Infiniti of Tacoma

Jaguar Land Rover Albuquerque

Jaguar Land Rover Arrowhead

Jaguar Land Rover Portland

Jessup Auto Plaza

Jim Fisher Volvo

Karl Malone Chevrolet Park City

Karl Malone Ford

Karl Malone Ford Park City

Karl Malone Toyota

Kearny Mesa Acura

Kearny Mesa Toyota

Ken Garff American Fork Ford

Ken Garff Automotive

Ken Garff Chevrolet

Ken Garff Ford Lincoln of Greeley

Ken Garff Ford of Cheyenne

Ken Garff Ford of Fort Collins

Ken Garff Honda Volkswagen

Ken Garff Hyundai

Ken Garff Hyundai Southtowne

Ken Garff Kia

Ken Garff Kia Avondale

Ken Garff Nissan

Ken Garff Nissan of Orem

Ken Garff Nissan of Salt Lake

Ken Garff Saint George Ford Lincoln

Ken Garff West Valley CJDR

Kendall Auto

Kendall Auto Mall

Kendall Chevrolet GMC Buick of Eugene

Kendall Ford

Kendall Ford of Anchorage

Kendall Ford of Bend

Kendall Ford of Bozeman

Kendall Ford of Kenai

Kendall Ford of Marysville

Kendall Ford of Meridian

Kendall Ford of Wasilla

Kendall Lexus of Eugene

Kendall of Fairbanks

Kendall Subaru of Marysville

Kendall Toyota

Kendall Toyota Lexus of Alaska

Kendall Toyota of Bend

Kendall Toyota of Fairbanks

Kendall Volkswagen of Bend

Kuni BMW

Landmark Ford

Larry H. Miller American

Toyota Albuquerque

Larry H. Miller Bountiful Chrysler Jeep

Larry H. Miller Casa Chevrolet

Larry H. Miller Casa Chrysler Jeep

Larry H. Miller Chevrolet Murray

Larry H. Miller Chevrolet Provo

Larry H. Miller Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Larry H. Miller Chrysler Dodge Jeep

Ram 104th

Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge

Ram Surprise

Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep

Dodge Riverdale

Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Sandy

Larry H. Miller CJDR Ford Lincoln of Provo

Larry H. Miller Colorado Jeep

Larry H. Miller Dodge Peoria

Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Cherry Creek

Larry H. Miller Downtown Honda Spokane

Larry H. Miller Downtown Toyota

Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln Draper

Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln of Sandy

Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa

Larry H. Miller Honda Boise

Larry H. Miller Honda of Hillsboro

Larry H. Miller Hyundai

Larry H. Miller Lexus

Larry H. Miller Lexus of Lindon

Larry H. Miller Liberty Toyota Colorado Springs

Larry H. Miller Nissan

Larry H. Miller Nissan 104th

Larry H. Miller Nissan Arapahoe

Larry H. Miller Nissan Highlands Ranch

Larry H. Miller Nissan Mesa

Larry H. Miller Southwest Hyundai

Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise

Larry H. Miller Super Ford

Larry H. Miller Toyota

Larry H. Miller Toyota Corona

Larry H. Miller Toyota Murray

Larry H. Miller Toyota of Colorado Springs

Larry H. Miller Toyota of Lemon Grove

Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Avondale

Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Lakewood

Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Tucson

Lee Johnson Motors

Lexus of Albuquerque

Lexus of Chandler

Lexus of Portland

Lexus of Riverside

Lexus of Seattle

Lithia Cadillac of Portland

Lithia Chevrolet Cadillac of Bend

Lithia Chevrolet of Helena

Lithia Chevrolet of Redding

Lithia Chevrolet of South Anchorage

Lithia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Anchorage

Lithia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Helena

Lithia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat of Spokane

Lithia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Bend

Lithia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Twin Falls

Lithia Chrysler Dodge of Eugene

Lithia Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Billings

Lithia Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Great Falls

Lithia Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Missoula

Lithia Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Santa Fe

Lithia Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Tri-Cities

Lithia Chrysler Jeep Dodge Superstore

Lithia Chrysler Jeep of Reno

Lithia Chrysler Klamath Falls

Lithia Chrysler of Pocatello

Lithia Ford Idaho Falls

Lithia Ford of Boise

Lithia Ford of Klamath Falls

Lithia Ford of Missoula

Lithia Grants Pass Auto Center

Lithia Honda Medford

Lithia Hyundai of Anchorage

Lithia Hyundai of Fresno

Lithia Kia of Anchorage

Lithia Mazda Ford Volvo of Fresno

Lithia Nissan of Bend

Lithia Nissan of Clovis

Lithia Nissan of Eugene

Lithia Nissan of Medford

Lithia Reno Hyundai

Lithia Roseburg Auto Center

Lithia Subaru of Fresno

Lithia Subaru of Oregon City

Lithia Toyota of Billings

Lithia Toyota of Medford

Lithia Toyota of Missoula

Lithia Toyota of Redding

Lithia Toyota of Springfield

Lithia Volkswagen Honda BMW of Salem

Lithia Volkswagen of Reno

Long Beach BMW MINI

Maita Chevrolet

Maita Subaru Mazda

Mazda of Escondido

Mercedes-Benz of Anaheim

Mercedes-Benz of Bellevue

Mercedes-Benz of Beverly Hills

Mercedes-Benz of Calabasas

Mercedes-Benz of Chandler

Mercedes-Benz of Denver

Mercedes-Benz of Draper

Mercedes-Benz of Fairfield

Mercedes-Benz of Laguna Niguel

Mercedes-Benz of North Scottsdale

Mercedes-Benz of Portland

Mercedes-Benz of Reno

Mercedes-Benz of San Diego

Mercedes-Benz of Scottsdale

Mercedes-Benz of South Bay

Mercedes-Benz of Walnut Creek

Mercedes-Benz of Wilsonville

Mike Maroone Chevrolet South

Mike Maroone Chevrolet Volkswagen North

Mike Maroone Honda

Mike Shaw Subaru

Miller Toyota of Anaheim

Missoula Nissan Hyundai

Pacific BMW

Palm Springs Ford

Palm Springs Hyundai

Palm Springs Infiniti

Palm Springs Kia

Palm Springs Mazda

Palm Springs Nissan

Palm Springs Subaru

Peter Pan BMW

Pinnacle Nissan

Porsche North Scottsdale

Porsche of Bellevue

Porsche of Stevens Creek

Porsche Palm Springs

Rodland Toyota

Rydell Automotive Group

Sandberg Volvo Cars

Sandia BMW MINI

Sandia Toyota

Santa Fe BMW

Seattle MINI

Showcase Honda

Silver Star Cadillac of Thousand Oaks

Silver Star Mercedes-Benz

Spokane Hyundai

Stevens Creek BMW

Stevinson Hyundai of Longmont

Stevinson Lexus

Stevinson Lexus of Frederick

Stevinson Toyota East

Stevinson Toyota West

Subaru Orange Coast

Sunset Porsche Audi

Taylor's Auto Max

Tonkin Gladstone Hyundai

Tonkin GM Subaru

Tonkin Hillsboro Chevrolet

Tonkin Parts Center

Toyota of Hollywood

Toyota of Surprise

Volkswagen North Scottsdale

Volkswagen of Palm Springs

Volkswagen South Coast

Volvo Cars Arrowhead

Volvo Cars Palm Springs

W.I. Simonson

Wendle Motors

The Western Dealer Perspective

How long have you been in the industry, and what is the biggest change during that time?

Levi Barrett – Parts Manager Findlay Volvo Cars Las Vegas

I have been in the automotive business for over 30 years. I started my first dealership job in May of 1993 at a Volvo dealership in Littleton, Colorado. In 2001, I relocated to Las Vegas and continued my career at Findlay Volvo Cars Las Vegas. I started as a Parts Driver and moved my way up over the years to the Parts Manager. The biggest change in the automotive industry, in my opinion, is that vehicles have advanced in technology and options, causing issues in the parts world. The method of looking up parts has become a lot easier with technology than when we first started looking up parts in microfiche. At that time, we had to remember what the correct part was from sliding around in the pictures.

James Barlow – Parts Manager BMW Northwest

I have been with BMW for 34 years, and the greatest change I have seen has been the introduction of hybrids and electric i cars.

Morgan Osterday – Parts Manager Bellevue Nissan

I started as a Lot Porter for service at Foothills Ford, aka Cascade Ford, back in the 80’s, which was ironically just across the street from where I am now; I eventually moved into parts as a Driver and moved up the ranks and became a Manager in 1998, now I'm in my 18th year here at Bellevue Nissan. Technology has been the biggest change for sure.

Why

do you believe collision repair customers consider you a leading wholesale parts dealer?

Barrett: Our wholesale customers consider us a leading dealer because we take the time and effort to look at their estimates and make sure we are getting them the correct part the first time. If a part is on back order, which is a regular occurrence these days, we do everything we can to get them the part as soon as possible or we supply an alternative to fix the car. I have been working at the same dealer for 22 years, so I have built relationships with a lot of the people in the collision repair shops. You get to learn their personalities and what it takes to take care of them as your customers. You always want to make every customer a number one priority. To ensure success, me and my team work together well and make our customers’ job easy to get their parts and to take care of their needs.

Barlow: We strive to get the right parts in a prompt fashion and deliver with our fleet of trucks. This allows us to cover a greater area and deliver personalized service to our valued customers.

Osterday: I believe our customers come back to us because we have a highly knowledgeable and trustworthy team that communicates well and is honest with our policies. I still take care of some of the same customers from my old Nissan store in downtown Seattle from the 90’s.

To achieve your level of success in the wholesale parts business, what aspects of your day-today operations need to stay consistent and what needs to be re-evaluated on a regular basis?

Barrett: To stay consistent, I have put together a knowledgeable team so that whomever they talk to, they get the same consistent help and service from us. My team works together and knows what issues we are having with parts so that we can pass this information on to the customers. We have daily meetings to discuss any issues. It’s all about customer service and taking care of the customer.

Barlow: We are always trying to procure parts promptly. This includes contacting other dealers to obtain them if the parts are on backorder. This is done daily to help turns for the body shop. A car sitting in the shop waiting on parts does not help the turn rate and prevents us from getting another sale on another car, so this is at the top of our list to get the parts in and get the car out. Our delivery manager reviews all orders and plots a delivery plan daily so we can optimize travel time and get the parts to the shop in a timely fashion.

Osterday: Again, things like checking on backorders and keeping the customers in the loop. Communication is the key to Bellevue Nissan being successful.

What changes do you see in the next five years for the industry?

Barrett: Change is something that most don’t like, but the automotive industry has been constantly changing for the 30 years I have been in it. Car technology will continue changing, and things will get more advanced. This is why you need great parts people to be able to look up the correct parts and take care of the customers. It means a lot to me and my team that we have been nominated as a leading wholesale parts dealership, as we take pride in our work and care for our wholesale customers’ needs.

Barlow: I feel the industry is moving closer to CCRC shops for each manufacturer. Cars are now made with polycarbonate structures, including carbon fiber, aluminum, and high-tech electronic battery cells that only the dealer has the authorization to fix and/or buy parts. Gone are the days of hammer and dolly, replaced with laptops, glue, and wiring schematics. Training for this repair is extensive, and not enough attention in trade schools has been offered, leaving the manufacturers scrambling to find employees who are willing to take on the trade and pay for manufacturer training.

Osterday: We're already seeing the change to almost exclusive electronic ordering from all the shops.

CASE STUDY

A LITTLE OFF-BEAT

This shop isn’t afraid to get creative to grab customers’ attention

By LINDSEY GAINER

AS CINDERELLA STORIES GO, the tale of how Clancy’s Auto Body in Ft. Lauderdale, FL went viral practically overnight is a true classic.

Hooman Rafiee—the owner of Clancy’s Auto Body—decided to hire a social media manager to strengthen his online presence. That social media manager, Joel Velazquez, had never managed a company’s social media before in an official capacity, but was eager to learn and had great ideas.

Rafiee gave Velazquez creative freedom to start experimenting, and the result was something neither of them could have predicted…the very first video Velazquez posted on the company’s TikTok account went viral, in a big way.

“One day, we just kind of went for it,” says Velazquez. “Hooman gave me the parameters he wanted to stay in (keeping the videos wholesome, clean, and fun), and we just tried the cat…and things kind of got out of hand.”

“The cat” Velazquez is referring to is a popular internet meme he used to create a nine-second video that now has over 25 million views, 4 million “likes” and 15,000+ comments. The cat bobs back and forth to a catchy jingle behind the collision shop, overlaid with the text, “Guys I lied on my resume and got a job doing the social media of this body shop, please blow this up so I don’t get fired.”

Velazquez never actually lied on his resume—he was simply piggybacking on the

popular TikTok trend where people make the claim to poke fun at themselves.

“I would be lying to you, though, if I said I expected that to happen,” laughed Velazquez, “and I’d also be lying if I said that I could replicate it every time. We were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time, in the social media sense.”

Every online metric for the shop shot up—website views, Instagram and Facebook views, and TikTok views (of course). People were Googling Clancy’s “left and right,” said Rafiee. The Sun Sentinel ran a front-page feature on the shop, and reporters started calling from around the country to write stories about “that cat video.” He even saw the shop mentioned on ESPN.

While all the attention has been great, they say, both men realize the need to capitalize on the moment in a strategic way for it to truly benefit the business long-term. The “big picture” plan has always been to make a positive impact on the collision industry—“the cat” just accelerated the timeline.

The Problem

“What people expect with social media— not just with social media, but a lot of things in life if we’re being honest—is overnight success,” says Velazquez. “Although that may have been true for Clancy’s, for 99% of people, it’s not going to happen overnight. It’s going to be a long process you invest time and effort in.”

According to Velazquez, one of the biggest mistakes collision shops make these days when it comes to their marketing is using social media channels to “sell” customers and push services.

“A lot of people think they have to use social media to sell, but I disagree with that approach—I think that’s a dated way to look at it,” he says. “People don’t want to be sold anymore, they want to be entertained and educated. They want value. And it usually happens in that order—first you entertain people, then you have the opportunity to educate them.”

Building this kind of long-term relationship with potential customers is like planting a seed—you may not see the payoff immediately, but in time your business will reap the benefits. A social media following ensures that your business stays top of mind, so when people find themselves in

need of a body shop they’re more likely to choose you for the work.

“At the end of the day, you have to damage your vehicle one way or another to come here,” says Rafiee. “We’re working to create awareness and trust, so that when you get in an accident, the first shop that pops in your head is Clancy’s.”

The Solution

Running an honest, transparent business is the way to build the kind of trust and rapport that leads to a strong reputation…but posting regularly on social media provides an easy way to show people what you’re all about.

“When you’re open to letting people in— just being more personable with them— you can show them your true colors,” says Velazquez. “When you open that door, you show them firsthand that you have a good work environment and culture, and that you’re a good body shop with great standards and nothing to hide.”

That’s exactly what Clancy’s has been able to do for their now millions of followers…but it only works if it’s built on a foundation of integrity.

“Speak the truth, don’t just try to entertain people by throwing some lies out there,” adds Rafiee. “Be true to your company and be honest. That’s important. There’s so many lies being spread around these days and so much nonsense. People want to see a shop that is not fake and not following the old norms. Don’t be afraid to show people who you truly are.”

“It might come off that I’m some genius in marketing to have made this viral video, like I pulled a rabbit out of a hat, but that’s not true,” says Velazquez. “I did post that cat meme and it did get a lot of views and I did post some great videos after that…behind all that, though, is the foundation of sincerity and integrity that Clancy’s puts out into the world.”

Each of the different social media sites—TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube—have their own benefit and value, in Velazquez’s opinion, but he believes TikTok has the most effective algorithm at the moment…so he thinks that’s a great place for shop owners to initiate their social media efforts. “If you start posting on TikTok about your business, you will find your people very fast,” he says.

Once you’re well established on TikTok, follow that up with Instagram and Facebook, then YouTube if you want to educate and post long-form content.

The Aftermath

“When Hooman hired me to do his social media, he 100% did not expect this crazy uptick and for him to become a viral sensation,” reflects Velazquez. “But now that we are, we want to provide value rather than just entertain people because entertaining people is so fleeting. But educating people could have a lasting effect on the industry.”

To do this, Velazquez says the plan is to create informative posts about insurance and auto body collision on all their social channels moving forward.

“We’ll keep throwing in a couple of cats every now and then and entertain people that way with a couple of funny jokes…but the end game for this is to educate people on how to deal with insurance and how to deal with accidents, because we understand those moments can be very stressful and traumatic in people’s lives.”

Both Rafiee and Velazquez share the desire to bring truth and value to people’s lives through their work in a real way.

“We don’t want to create a space where we’re contributing to the discourse in society, but we want to contribute to the betterment and justice for all,” says Rafiee. “I don’t ever want to see people taken advantage of. Lots of people rely on getting their information online, and I want them to get the truth, not lies.”

The Takeaway

Given the nature of the collision business, social media—even a viral video—won’t necessarily bring more customers through the doors immediately…but it certainly helps build brand recognition and sets the stage for future success.

In addition to building trust, social media activity also signals Google that you’re a business they should rank. Having a strong social media presence with high-quality content and a modest amount of followers helps boost your ranking, Velazquez says, which in turn means more potential customers can find you through a Google search.

The lesson? Be proud of your shop and your work culture, share it with the world, and the work will come to you.

ADAPT

THINKING IN 3D

How 3D printing could be used to empower the repair industry

By KACEY FREDERICK

AS THE REPAIR INDUSTRY FACES supply chain constraints and lengthy waiting times for parts, many are looking for solutions to help overcome these obstacles, such as IBIS Global’s 3D Printing in Auto Repair Task Force.

The task force is dedicated to researching the application of 3D printing in the repair space and how it can be used in the production and repair of parts–not only by OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) but in aftermarket segments as well.

Task force lead Harold Sears sat down with FenderBender to talk about what he and his team have unearthed about this innovative technology and the ways it can be used to empower the repair industry.

The Beginning: Rapid Prototyping Sears has worked with 3D printing for nearly 30 years, starting during his time at Ford Motor Company while helping them oversee the expansion of 3D printing technology in the company.

Sears was a CAD (computer-aided-design) application programmer in the early 90s when his technology-inclined boss volunteered to take over the operations of a rapid prototyping machine installed in their building. The machine created 3Dprinted parts for prototypes by adding material one layer at a time and was put there by the company’s product development group, who had no intention of running it after they finished experimenting with the machine.

The CAD models used as input for the processes of the machine were hard to come by at the time. With Sears’ intimate knowledge of CAD databases, his boss implemented his help to create solid models as input to the system, marking the beginning of Sears’ involvement with 3D printing technology.

“My boss said, ‘Gosh, you know, you’re helping so much with this group, do you want to become part of that group?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I think so. I think it’s gonna be interesting for the future,’” Sears recalls. “Little did I know that 30 years ago, the decision that I made was going to impact the rest of my life.”

The Evolution into Additive Manufacturing

Between then and now, Sears has seen great developments in 3D printing technology. While it has initially been used for development application and prototyping under the name “rapid prototyping,” it has evolved into what is called additive manufacturing, which has utilized the capabili-

ties of 3D printing to assist in optimizing design, reducing the weight of the parts, and reducing total part count.

Though companies such as Whirlpool and John Deere have implemented 3D printing in the repair of their products, the automotive industry has not been as willing to adopt the new tech. Much of this is a result of 3D printing materials not always being compatible with vehicles, with many of the processes for 3D printing utilizing UV-sensitive materials.

While UV-sensitive materials pose a risk for vehicles, there are still opportunities for parts that are located in places blocked from the sun, such as under a vehicle’s hood. Part of what Sears’ task force is doing is working with manufacturers to find out what parts of a vehicle could be 3D printed, and with what materials.

“Another goal of our task force in working with the automotive OEMs is [that] they’re working hard at certifying these materials [and] they’re working hard at pushing the material suppliers to get these materials that they can certify and use in their applications,” Sears explains.

The Aftermarket Benefits of 3D Parts

As many OEMs become more interested in the use of 3D printing in production and work to make it happen, many opportunities are presented for those in the aftermarket industry as well to save time and money in obtaining and repairing parts.

Instead of tossing a part that has mi-

nor damage, with 3D printing shops could have the option to recreate small pieces of a part to help make it whole again. Not only will this save money and resources, but it also has a positive environmental effect.

“You may have a part that’s perfectly good, and just a little piece is broken off of it that’s not even visible to the customer, and it’s totally repairable,” Sears says. “Why take that off and throw it in the garbage and have it end up in the landfill if you can 3D print that little piece and mend it back together and have the part be safe and functional for the customer?”

3D printing could also help with what Sears calls “captive inventories.” Often, shops are forced to order a minimum number of parts, even if it’s far more than what they need. This not only requires more money being spent but dedicated inventory space for all these extra parts.

If repair shops were able to 3D print a part on demand, it would eliminate the need for large inventories of parts sitting idle, which can lead to higher parts costs.

Though the technology is still a long way from reaching that point, Sears and his task force are helping both OEMs and providers of 3D printing materials to move towards this change.

“Things are starting to line up in that direction, where it may be possible in the future,” Sears says. “On-demand digital parts anywhere in the world, you know, with reduced turnaround times, and then, you know, less environmental impact from the technologies.”

How I Track Paint and Supplies

Examining some recently adopted practices

More and more programs are becoming available to help shops track and capture the actual cost of supplies during a repair. I have tried a handful of the programs, and while each of them has features I like and find useful, I haven’t found one I am fully committed to yet. Recently we signed up for 3M’s Repair Stack and EagleMMS. The 3M Repair Stack is meant to help track and reorder inventory along with a feature built-in meant to help track supplies used on specific repair orders. While EagleMMS is specifically designed to capture paint and body supplies on each repair order by generating invoices but doesn’t track actual use. The programs are similar in the fact that they are meant to capture more money from the insurance industry on items that we have traditionally been letting slide through the cracks.

Eagle MMS has a reasonable price point, which I greatly appreciate. Its focus is to generate invoices for paint and body supplies based on the paint line you use, the paint code you are spraying, the vehicle size, and what repair work you are completing on the vehicle. To generate an invoice you put all the vehicle information in the system, along with the paint code. A vehicle diagram is displayed and you mark what areas of the vehicle are being painted. Then you go through a list of operations and select which operations are being performed. Each operation is assigned to a pre-defined kit that includes items like sandpaper, body filler, buffing pads, etc. Anything that you would use for that operation is set up in these kits. The system then generates an invoice for all the supplies you should need for the operations you told it you are performing.

What I like about the invoice it generates is it shows your vehicle information, paint code, a diagram of the vehicle and then for all the supplies you use it shows the logo for the supply brand. The program does have some features that you can customize to your shop. During setup they take into account what paint line you are spraying and the cost and input what percentage you would like to mark everything up to. It lets you add products if you need to but for the most part, all the kits already account for most repair procedures you will be performing.

Best Practice: I found for our shop the best practice is to not add our company’s logo onto the invoice with our shop information. We opted to put our jobbers logo and information where our information would generally be and we removed the EagleMMS details and logo. This way the very professional-looking invoice looks like it is an invoice that was given to us by our jobber and not necessarily one we generated. We just found that it generates fewer questions from the insurance companies when we present it this way.

When we do present the invoice to the insurance companies, we let them know that we are requesting the difference in paint and supplies and generally do this by adding a line item for the difference and adding this wording to the line item as a note: “Additional Paint & Supplies are requested. Estimating software like CCC, Mitchel, & Audatex base Paint & Supplies off an estimated average of what is needed to paint the repaired areas of a vehicle, since cost of the specific toners for the paint code and actual invoices for supplies are not available. We are providing detailed invoices for Paint & Supplies so the repair cost can be calculated off of the actual cost of product and not an estimated cost for the industry.”

3M’s RepairStack has similarities to EagleMMS, but we find they complement each other. 3M RepairStack is an inventory system that tracks your supplies but also lets your techs assign ROs to the supplies they are removing from inventory. RepairStack is a bit more costly for us at $213.20 per month and we had to sign a two-year contract. When you sign the contract you do receive a supply closet and you can negotiate to receive other benefits to make signing a two-year contract worthwhile, so negotiate.

Recommendation: We didn’t want to have to input and make a scan bar for all of our clips, screws, retainers, and small items, so what we did was sort of create a hot sheet. We grouped together small retainers and clips and made a bar code for them and inputted the average cost. I ended up making 10 categories of items that were similar in cost and use. I taped the bar codes with pictures of what is included in each group to the front of our RepairStack cabinet because it is right next to our clips drawers. That way when a tech pulls clips or retainers from there they can just scan the correct barcode for what group it’s in and how many they pulled out and the cost goes directly into our CCC repair order for that vehicle.

Ultimately I look at the two programs this way. Was I billing for everything we were using before RepairStack and EagleMMS? The answer is I was attempting to and I was pretty successful but I am sure we missed things. By spending an extra $300 per month to utilize both programs I know we are more accurate in getting everything we used onto the repair orders and recovering costs that maybe I haven’t thought about in the past or didn’t know how to bill for. We’ve been using both programs for three months now, and I my average RO cost has increased by almost $400. So each month I recover the investment I’ve made for that month in just one repair order, which I don’t think is too shabby.

Opportunities in Valleys

Even in tough times, take a measured approach and keep your goals in mind

In any business, there are always peaks and valleys. Many enjoy the peaks yet panic and experience increased anxiety in the valleys. Slow times are inevitable regardless of how well we balance our operations intake. Staying motivated and focused on the future can be extremely difficult when business slows down. However, plenty of opportunities exist to use this time wisely and prepare for when business picks up again. Here are some ideas on how you can make the most out of slow times within your shop:

Don’t rush to send everyone home.

This may be the first thought when business slows down, but don’t immediately rush to cut costs. During slow times staff should still be on board and ready to help you with whatever tasks need to be completed, from research to training and development. Suppose we jump to send a team member home prematurely. In that case, we inevitability lose the opportunity to demonstrate and teach others within the shop that tend to get thrown into the daily cycle from workload demands when operating at full throttle.

Focus on building relationships.

Take advantage of slower periods by networking and connecting with other industry professionals and potential customers or clients. If you represent any particular brand as a certified professional for your market, you must get out to make these connections. We tend to blame the dealers for not utilizing the commitments promised to us by those collecting the annual checks. If the right relationships were established at the dealerships, we could all positively impact these certified programs rather than just providing our continued criticism. Don’t be afraid to reach out and introduce yourself - you never know what kind of door this could open! The more connections you make, your business will be better positioned when things start picking up again.

Get ahead on planning for the future.

Spend time anticipating when slow times might occur in your market, and make sure you have a plan for handling them. The term “slow” is subjective, depending on the size of your overall operation. However, regardless of the severity of how much these times impact your bottom line, the truth is we all experience it to some degree. Therefore, we must be as proactive as possible. The entire team should share in the understanding of “if this”-”then that.” We bleed cash when we are often reactive and make impulse decisions by throwing money at our advertising campaigns, accept work outside our known targeted customer base, & ultimately “keep busy”

rather than intentionally steering the ship through rough waters. A proactive mindset will help you avoid potential problems and keep your facility running smoothly, even during tough times.

Start cross-training your team members. This can help ensure everyone is familiar with different roles in the company, giving you more flexibility when times get busy again. It’s also a great way to engage and motivate your staff during slower periods, as they’ll be able to learn new skills while still being productive. As growth-oriented owners, we must invest in our training programs. Many of us claim that we “train” our people; ask yourself. Are you truly investing in them or providing them with average industry content & credential? Use this downtime to train yourself & your staff on new skills that could help you advance when things pick up again. It’s cheaper to teach in the valleys because engagement will be higher due to team members having fewer distractions. Trust me, this investment will pay off in the long run, as you’ll have a better-prepared team ready to take on any challenges with increased demand.

Look for specific opportunities to reduce transitional waste.

The second most expensive thing in our shops, right behind the training, is excessive transitional waste. Time spent by any team member to transition to the next RO, locate the photos needed to send up, find a jump box, ask where the parts are, etc. It is killing your profits. As leaders, we are responsible for laying out and maintaining the breeding grounds for efficiency. Here’s a challenge - dedicate an entire day to solely observing your team in action. Write down every opportunity to improve, precisely your transitional waste times. Work not to interrupt your production or communicate to your team what you’re doing to keep everyone honest. I can assure you the results will astonish you.

These are just a few ideas on using slow times in business to your advantage. By investing in training and networking opportunities, planning for potential downturns, and cross-training team members, you can be sure your shop will stay strong even during difficult times. Use this downtime wisely and make it work to impact your operations positively. The valleys don’t always have to be seen as something negative; they can also provide an opportunity to grow and prepare for success. Take the time now to use your valleys as a productive opportunity and reap the rewards later.

DREW BRYANT has been the owner of DB Orlando Collision since August of 2011. A 20 Group leader, in-demand conference speaker and award-winning shop owner, Bryant takes a non-traditional approach to process implementation, lean process development, & overall operational experience while remaining dedicated to his staff’s personal and professional development.

EMAIL: drew@orlandocollision.com

ARCHIVE: fenderbender.com/bryant

Titan model above is shown with

observation glass in the booth walls.

SATAjet X 5500 + SATA RPS

The Dream Team for perfect finishes

The revolutionary SATAjet X 5500

REVOLUTIONARY: The X-nozzles are taking atomization to a whole new level

NOTICEABLY QUIETER: Whispering nozzle™ due to optimized air flow geometry

INDIVIDUAL: Matches any application requirement, climatic conditions and application method

PRECISE: Optimized material distribution

LOW MAINTENANCE: No air distribution insert required

CONSISTENT: Constant fan size across the entire nozzle spectrum

EFFICIENT: The optimized atomization concept enables to realize considerable material savings

www.sata.com/x5500io

The Original SATA RPS

CLEAN: The cup can be easily, cleanly and safely separated from the spray gun

SAFE: Firm connection between lid and cup (thread)

REFILLABLE: The cups can be easily refilled

BENDABLE: The SATA RPS cup can be safely tilted* by up to 45° forward, right and left

www.sata.com/rps

Phone: 800-533-8016

www.satausa.com

E-mail: satajet@satausa.com

SATAjet X 5500 video

* applies to all SATA RPS standard cups, however not to cup lids with minijet connection.

Painter’s Playbook 2023

Itis important for us at Dan-Am Company and SATA to have a resource like the Painter’s Playbook to share many vital ideas and processes that help painters and shops find solutions to daily obstacles. This year we took the time with FenderBender to discuss many of those obstacles and discuss them here.

Chris Springer has a great article helping painters and shops to work towards efficiency even while they face challenges like paint company product changes, maybe even brand changes, and what equipment can help them make those changes more easily. That includes where to find training or tech help when needed.

Dennis Barrazza, with a background as a painter, paint distributor and working as a paint company technician explains how throughout his career the vented cups, namely SATA RPS helped him with everything from color issues, film build issues and helped to cut product waste. This is a great article from a painter’s perspective that can save you thousands of dollars.

Health and safety are a huge concern for all of us. Jim Kvatek, regional manager for Dan-Am Company talks in detail about breathing safety, the definitions of what clean air is, and how to achieve it. He discusses the rules and guidelines for breathing air, the various types of respirators, and helps you to understand the differences in respirators and why some may not be best for you to use in your shop.

All of us know the about the shortages of new techs and painters. Dan-Am and SATA work with many various companies and foundations who help to provide the needed training. We are very proud to work with the Collision Repair Education Foundation

(CREF) which is an outstanding foundation that helps people get trained via donations, scholarships, grants and of course training. You can read more about this foundation in this issue.

We are proud at Dan-Am Company to be a part of Skills USA at the national level. But SATA in Germany is also active in helping with this and works hard in the World Skills International contests. I am proud to have been at the Skills USA national contest as a technical committee member for 27 years and the past few as Co-Chair with Jessica Neri. Jim Kvatek has been on the Automotive Refinish committee for the past five years, and PA state for 15 years. In this issue, FenderBender spoke with Jessica Neri and Jamie Redd about the importance of Skills USA, and how the schools and shops need to support this to be sure we get more well-trained workers to the collision repair world.

Continued efforts from Dan-Am and SATA have helped us work with many great schools. Many of you remember the last edition of Painter’s Playbook which featured two great young talents in this industry, Natalie Haynes, painter from Missouri Valley, IA and Amy Bogner a painter from Buffalo, NY. Amy has moved on to teach at a vocational school near her, and FenderBender checked in on her to see how that happened, and what is needed to help train more youth and new technicians to join this industry. But we are also glad that so many new technicians are women. It is also why we are glad that WIN (Women’s Industry Network) is featured in this issue. Contact them to see how you can join and help.

We are grateful to be a part of the Painter’s Playbook again this year. We think it will help all of you in some way.

TONY LARIMER Director of Sales & Marketing, Dan-Am Co.

The Exclusive Independent Distributor of SATA in the USA & Puerto Rico

Table of Contents

How

Tips & Tricks

How a vented cup can reduce mistakes and increase efficiency. Debunking common misconceptions about static and understanding OSHA standards in the refinishing industry.

SATA sets Bill Knight Collision up for Success

After years of frustration working with subpar equipment, Bill Knight Collision made the switch to SATA and they aren’t going back.

Where Is She Now?

How Amy Bogner went from fulltime painter to full-time teacher in just one year.

Forging A Solid Foundation For The Trades

How SkillsUSA and the automotive industry actively empower trade school students.

More Than A Painter

The future for passionate refinish technicians.

to Solve the Paint Product Puzzle Chris Springer provides expert advice on how product selection can set you up for success.

Why Join WIN?

WIN offers education, mentoring and leadership development opportunities to build critical skills for success in the collision repair market.

• Local/Regional Networking Events

• Annual Conference

• Educational Webinars

• Mentoring Opportunities

womensindustrynetwork.com

• Scholarship Program

• School Outreach Program

• Most Influential Women (MIW) Award

How to Solve the Paint Product Puzzle

By Emily Kline

Chris Springer, national accounts and industry relations manager at Dan-Am Company, discusses pain points in the paint department, must-have tools, limiting material waste, and characteristics that set the collision repair industry’s top performing painters apart from the rest.

Painters use paint and paint equipment daily to execute basic tasks within their job. As a result, there is a widespread need for paint products and there are a multitude of different brands that sell these products. Because of the high volume of paint products different brands offer it is easy to get lost in the sea of choices and not know which brand to choose, or how to work with a new product efficiently and effectively. Painter's Playbook sat down with Chris Springer, national accounts, and industry relations manager at Dan-Am Company, to discuss how painters can better educate themselves on paint products and make smarter equipment choices.

Painter's Playbook: How does Dan-Am help painters with brand transitions?

Springer: We have recommendations and processes for every premium paint company in the world, regardless of the shop the painter goes to. That's where we have the advantage. We're so close to these paint companies and we work with them to create essential guidelines. If the shop a painter is at migrates from brand A to brand B, we can help them adapt. That's why the more prepared Dan-Am is, and our more practical work makes brand transitions easier for the painter. If they get a

new product, they can reach out to the paint company or one of our reps and say, “I'm spraying this,” and Dan-Am can recommend which model gun they should use, what fluid tip size, what amount of air pressure, etc. We have all that available to them so that we can make those transitions easier.

Painter's Playbook: What are some common mistakes you see painters make when selecting equipment?

Springer: The biggest mistake I see painters make is becoming too focused on looking at the job in front of them. They focus on getting this car out of the booth so that they can get the next one in and paint it. Because they are so focused on getting through their RO’s, often, there are problems with the equipment or environment that they place on the back burner. It could be the hoses, the couplers, or the fittings. It could be the regulator in the booth, or it could be proper filtration. And the problem with all these problems is painters don’t focus on the equipment that needs to be fixed.

For example, their booth may have no regulator on the wall. So, instead of fixing the problem, they figure, “I'll buy cheater regulators and put them on the bottom of the gun and choke it down.” But, if they cheat, they

Chris Springer provides expert advice on how product selection can set you up for success.

will have to spend additional time trying to get the color to look right or to get the clear to lay smooth. This is ridiculous because if painters were to regulate it, the gun would start performing right, and the color would start turning out the way they want it. If something goes wrong or doesn't turn out the way they expected it, painters point their finger at the path of least resistance and blame it on that. That's truly the biggest mistake I see many painters make. They're so focused on getting the job out of the shop that they don't take the time to invest in the initial problem, or they're worried that management will say, “No, we don't want to invest in additional equipment.” But despite these mistakes, painters stay resilient and push forward despite their environment not always being set up for success.

Painter's Playbook: How can painters ensure they don't become complacent and experience equipment malfunctions?

Springer: Make sure you have the proper equipment. Putting a regulator on the wall inside the booth might be something as minimal as a $200 investment. Everything could be ideal; the painter could have a great compressor and piping to the booth. But if there's no regulator, that one little aspect negates everything. So, it's different for every painter or every shop situation. Often, your solution to equipment malfunctions could be one or two very minor, very minimal investments that can change the outcome of the jobs that the painters are doing.

Painter's Playbook: How would you recommend people balance the cost of the equipment with the quality and impact it has on their work?

Springer: It took me a long time to learn this lesson. It's applicable outside of the paint industry too. As we age, we realize, “Buy once, cry once.” I could go out and buy what we'll call a lower-cost piece of equipment. But how long is that going to last me? Is that the right tool for the job, or am I trying to make do with it? What is the advantage of buying something that's half the cost of the

premium? If I purchase something lower in price, I might buy it twice — or three times — because it doesn't last as long as the premium product. If you buy quality, you get quality: It lasts longer and makes the job easier. This lesson is crucial for painters because the only way a painter is getting paid is if the liquid is coming out the front of the spray gun. Why not invest in the tools and equipment that make your paycheck?

Painter's Playbook: What advice would you give to painters just starting to educate themselves about equipment selection and safety?

Springer: Knowledge truly is power. One of those things you learn with age and maturity is: Don't just live inside your bubble. We live in the information age; anyone can grab their phone, go to a forum, and read information about what they're spraying. They can get advice from people anywhere, but I caution against getting knowledge from social media because there's an overwhelming amount of negativity and bias that can be found on these platforms. That’s not to say it’s all bad, but I try to focus on the positive facts over negative feelings.

But through training programs offered by paint companies, and programs we provide at Dan-Am, painters can get positively educated about equipment. Dan-Am even does demos and training in the shop where painters can learn from Dan-Am employees as well as our independent marketing experts about what's new. They can also educate themselves by reading Painter's Playbook and ABRN (Auto Body Shop Repair Network). I constantly beat the drum that everybody should learn something every day. At a bare minimum, you should learn something new every week because the information is there. It's easy to go to work and keep doing what you've been doing. To keep running into the same problems over and over. But you can only expect different results if you change it up and put in more effort. If you want to become more of a technician and someone considered technically astute or knowledgeable in this business, constantly look for new information and self-improvement.

Why the Only Choice for a Mixing Cup is a Vented Cup

How a vented cup can reduce mistakes and increase efficiency

By Dennis Barraza

Our industry has evolved in every aspect over the last 20 years. Paint technology has changed, the way we look for technicians and hire employees due to shortages has made us get creative, and even the mixing cups we use in the paint shop have changed. However, while disposable mixing cups were an advancement that helped us save cost on solvent and disposal of the waste solvent we generate, it almost took a step backward in technology because they left one major component out: the vent.

Do you recall the aluminum cups that used to come with every paint gun? It’s likely been some time since one has been rolling around the mixing room. These days, spray gun manufacturers don't even include one with a new gun, as 99.5% of the time, it would sit in a cabinet and collect dust. That cup always came with a plastic lid. That lid had a pinhole built into the top which allowed the gravity-fed spray gun to do just that — run and function on gravity.

Painters who were around during the aluminum cup days can attest: When that little hole would get plugged up with dry or clear paint, the gun didn't function as it should. (If you had a good lid that fit and hadn't been ruined by being left soaking in the gun washer, of course.) It would sputter, choke out, and not provide enough fluid. We always had to get out of the booth and poke the hole to get a nice air passage going again. Many disposable cups today have this issue inherently built in. There is no little hole. There is no vent.

You may be saying I am overthinking this and making a big deal over nothing. However, I assure you, there is an experiment you can do to check out this issue for yourself which I will explain.

During my time in the industry, I have worked for PBE distributors, production collision centers, and paint manufacturers. I have had the opportunity to visit countless shops, discussing technical issues and advising technicians on how to troubleshoot or find solutions around a particular issue. My career has been unique, and I have had the ability to learn from every person I've come across, and to absorb some piece of knowledge, both positive and negative.

One thing I encounter a lot in many shops — regardless of the paint they use in the shop — is that the cups “spit,” or spray little bits of pearl that didn't get shaken enough and put into suspension of the paint, or a little chunk of dried resin will come out onto the job. I experienced this when I was painting full-time, so I can sympathize with their frustration. Something many of these shops have in common, however, is the non-vented disposable cups they use.

Here is what’s happening: Let’s say you have a job in the booth — blend driver door, new driver fender, new hood, blend passenger fender. You seal, then make 20 ounces of paint, and get ready to spray base coat. You're basing the panels and getting your blends kicked out, but you are starting to consume the basecoat you had mixed. You shake your cup to estimate the remaining

volume and figure you've got about 6 ounces left. You're at the edge of the passenger side of your new hood when it happens. Splat. A few chunks of base spit out of the cup right as you were about to finish. Disaster. This may sound like a minor inconvenience, but in the production shop world, this happening repeatedly adds up in time and cost on an already capped and challenging area of the business to make a profit.

With the chunks sitting in your paint job, you've got to fix it. You’ve got to take the time to dry the panel, sand the area, and then reapply the basecoat. You grab your spray gun and get ready to go back in. You have your area tac ragged and it's good to go. You connect your gun to air, go in to blow some color onto that spot, and bam, it chunks again. This RO is beginning to turn into one of “those” ROs. If only there was a solution!

There are a few roads we can take here. First, go back into the mixing room and change the lid on the cup. A new lid means a new strainer since it's built in. Great. No chunks left to spit out. Second solution is to make more paint. More paint means you aren't starving the cup and gun for paint. The third solution, get vented cups in your shop.

There is some physics occurring during our headache of a job working against us. When you mix basecoat and begin to consume it, the first 40-50% of the fluid is flowing freely through the cup, into the spray gun, and out the tip. However, as your liquid begins to run out, the paint is no longer freely flowing. The air exiting the horns on the air cap of your spray gun

is drawing the fluid out. The issue here is, it will also draw out the things the strainer in the lid has trapped and send it right into your job. There is no free flow of fluid without a vent. The principle goes back to the aluminum cup with plastic lid days. With today's cups and disposable liner, we can't just poke a hole in it. You can do this experiment in your shop yourself, and the results will have you scratching your head until it all clicks.

What's the experiment? Grab a non-vented cup from the mixing room

and all of its components. Assemble it as if you were going to mix color, but fill it with water 90% of the way. Put the lid on and secure it as if you were going to attach the cup to your spray gun. Walk it outside, and turn it over.

The first thing that will happen is expected. Water will run out and spill on the ground. What happens next may surprise you. As you get about to the halfway point, the flow of water will stop, and the water will just hang there in the bag, suspended until an outside force acts upon it.

In the booth under normal circumstances, this outside force is the air coming out of the air cap horns drawing the liquid out. This is where the issue lies. You can experiment with a vented cup the same way, and you will get similar but slightly varying results until you pull that vent.

If you set up the same experiment with a vented cup, as soon as you pull the vent you will notice the big difference. You will get a very satisfying, almost laminar 100% free-flow of fluid from start to finish. This means there is no siphoning effect to pull trapped chunks through the strainer. To me, the choice is clear. However, to many business owners who look at the invoices from the distributor, it may not be as easy, and understandably so.

Cost is a big concern, but let's take a step back and look at this through a larger lens. Considering the cost of the paint, if I had the issue in the booth on my RO we discussed earlier, I already took a substantial hit on my margin for this job. This can be amplified if the color happens to be a red, or a tri-stage. Factoring in production time, material cost, painter wage, etc. — not to mention the example solution I gave of replacing the lid on the cup — using two or three lids for one cup already drives the cost of the consumable beyond what I would have spent on the premium to begin with. Did I save any money by going with the value non-vented cup? I didn't.

The cup is such an important piece to the entire puzzle of completing a repair order in a shop and can cause a number of other issues in the spray gun area. A lack of flow can build unwanted texture in sealer or basecoat, causing a poor appearance of gloss in the clear coat as the clear maps the basecoat, requiring polish. It can cause metallic to appear larger and affect color match. This problem is intensified as the weather gets hotter and dryer going into the summer months. All these issues mean one thing: The cost to do that RO goes up, and the already razor-thin margins shrink.

Today’s collision centers have so many moving pieces and so many variables. Eliminating variables so you can crank out reliable, consistent results is one of the keys to success. Vented cups provide that. For these reasons, to me, the only choice in the paint shop is a vented cup.

The Original cup system for mixing, painting and storing. Ideal for shops focusing on perfect finishes and high profitability. It makes a painter’s life much easier, considerably increases productivity and drastically reduces the consumption of cleaning solutions and solvents.

Understanding Static Basics with Pro-Stat

Debunking common misconceptions about static

By Claire Cleland

Over the last few years, anti-static guns have become more of a recognized tool in the paint shop, but there are still many misconceptions regarding their use and benefits, and of static electricity itself.

Many painters believe they have no issues with static electricity, but this is usually because the issues are ones that can be

corrected and worked around. However, the additional time and material is a costly way to deal with static.

Common misconceptions about static

There are a few common misconceptions about static electricity that are important to correct to better understand how to prevent static in your shop.

Static electricity only occurs in cold, dry climates

Static electricity can happen in any climate, regardless of temperature or humidity. While dry conditions can enhance the likelihood of static build-up, it can still occur in other environments.

Static electricity is only found on plastic Static charges do not discriminate based on

Miguel Perez of Extreme Paint Shop in Stuart, FL, says:

“Many people ask me if the Pro-Stat really works. I always say you either haven't realized how much the smallest amount of static affects you, or you are having a big static problem. As the painter, you must do your due diligence to remove dust and debris as much as possible, but the cleaning process alone causes static and can put you in a circular problem you aren't realizing. Without the Pro-Stat, I'm missing half of my cleaning process. Not only is static causing dust or lint that's already on my part or panel to stay on it, [but] it's also attracting any contaminants that could be on me or in the air to what I'm painting.

The Pro-Stat eliminates that problem and cuts down drastically on our de-nib time. It's the fastest way to remove this issue and to keep me painting faster. I use it on everything we paint here at our new Extreme Paint Shop facility. From complete restorations on vehicles like ‘60s Corvettes to aftermarket fender flares on new trucks, this tool has definitely helped us produce incredible results. I use it on everything, not just plastic. Steel and aluminum panels, fiberglass — it doesn't matter.

Static in any amount will bring issues your way, and this tool works so fast, you aren't wasting any time using it on everything you paint. You'll see an improvement in how your metallics lay out and material usage. In today's climate, all shop owners are looking for tools and strategies that improve efficiency, and this is one of them. To bring it back to my first sentence, yes it absolutely works.”

Free trials of Pro-Stat gun available through your local SATA Rep.

materials. Both insulating and conducting materials can accumulate static charges under suitable conditions. The propensity for static build-up depends on factors such as surface area, conductivity, and the presence of other charge carriers (paint and materials).

Static electricity is always visible

While some instances of static electricity result in visible effects, such as sparks or hair standing on end, most static charges are invisible to the naked eye. Many static discharges occur without any noticeable visual indication.

Remember that static electricity is the accumulation of electrical charge on the surface of objects and can exhibit various behaviors depending on the many variables.

Commonly asked questions about static electricity

What causes static in the paint shop?

Pretty much every part of the preparation and application process can cause a static charge to build up on a surface. Wiping, tacking, and blow guns all produce enough disturbance to generate a static charge. Some materials (insulators like plastic) will always generate higher static charge than those conductive materials like steel and aluminum, but all surfaces still generate static.

Can’t I just use an anti-static wipe?

Using an anti-static wipe will reduce static at the start of the process but will not deal with any re-occurrence of static throughout the process. If you don’t control it all the way through the process, you have much less benefit.

Anti-static guns allow static to be removed and controlled throughout the application process, giving the painter a greater degree of control of their environment than without it.

Benefits of static control

Static on a surface acts like a giant magnet pulling in dust, dirt, fibers, and anything airborne! This is the exact opposite of what we are trying to achieve by tacking and blowing. It can be easy to end up going in circles as the tacking and blowing just causes more static

ELECTROMAGNETIC CHARGE

GRILL

and dirt. If the surface is ionized just prior to each material application, the charge will be neutralized, and any surface contaminates will be dislodged by the air pressure at the same time.

A static-free surface is able to readily accept atomized material much more efficiently than a charged surface. Charge on a surface can attract and repel atomized paint particles from areas of a panel creating uneven application. This ultimately makes the painter work harder and use more material, which is sometimes not obvious at the time as painters are so used to dealing with this.

Static charge on a surface can also change the orientation of metallic flake, causing it to

REPELS PAINT FLOW

reflect less light and therefore appear darker. This can be particularly obvious when painting plastic and metal surfaces together — the higher charge in the plastic gives the appearance of a darker color. Bringing all panels to an equal zero charge allows for continuity.

The Pro-Stat Gun by Pro-Stat LLC is fully certified in North America for safe use in Class 1/Division 1 Hazardous Locations (spray booths and mixing rooms, according to NFPA Regulations). It is cordless, easy to use, and is offered on a full-service package that provides a lifetime warranty for all accidental damage, fault, and wear and tear. These are just a few reasons it’s becoming a “no-brainer” for thousands of paint shops across the US.

REFINISHING WITH DYNABRADE

While attending the Air Force One project in 2021, I was introduced to Matt Denney and the Dynabrade products line. I had always known of the quality tools and products that Dynabrade produces. Back at my shop, I was struggling removing heavy oxidation from boats. Time is extremely precious in the detailing industry, and we were spending too many hours trying to produce the quality results I needed GPS
NZ
DMJFOUT
*
IBE
USJFE
BMNPTU
FWFSZ
NBSJOF
HSBEF
QSPEVDU
*
DPVME
ˌOE
BOE
IBE
almost given up. Talking with Matt and knowing the history of Dynabrade products, *
XBT
FYDJUFE
UP
USZ
UIFJS
DPNQPVOET
BOE
QBET
.Z
ˌSTU
PSEFS
XBT
GPS
%ZOB3FE
BOE
%ZOB0SBOHF
DPNQPVOET
BT
XFMM
BT
%ZOBCSBEF
%ZOB$VU™ wool and foam pads. 8JUIJO
UIF
ˌSTU
GFX
NJOVUFT
PG
VTJOH
UIFTF
QSPEVDUT
*
LOFX
*
IBE
GPVOE
B
QFSGFDU
DPNCJOBUJPO
GPS
CPBUT
6TJOH
%ZOB3FE
DPNQPVOE
UIF

%ZOB$VU™ wool pad and a DA polisher helped eliminate two of my sanding steps and left the boat with a nice OPOPYJEJ[FE
ˌOJTI
*
UIFO
CFHBO
UIF
QPMJTI
XIJDI
*
VTFE
%ZOB0SBOHF
DPNQPVOE
%ZOB$VU™
XIJUF
GPBN
QBE
BOE
NZ
%"
QPMJTIFS
5IJT
BMMPXFE
NF
UP
QSPEVDF
B
ˌOJTI
that I am proud to associate my name with. Dynabrade products have allowed me UP
DVU
NZ
MBCPS
UJNF
BMNPTU
JO
IBMG
*
DBO
OPX
QSPEVDF
B
IJHIRVBMJUZ
ˌOJTI
XJUI
B
faster turnaround time for my clients.

– Daniel Gill, D&P Auto Detailing LLC

GRAND PRIZE RAFFLE

Driving Talent Forward

Join the Movement!

To create awareness of talent opportunities within the automotive industry by educating the population as a whole on the ample opportunities, success stories and segments within the industry. Donate to the Movement!

Do you Know the Difference in the Air you Breathe?

Understanding OSHA standards in the refinishing industry

By Jim Kvatek

As a painter, there are a lot of things we must think about every day. Sometimes we even say that we don’t have time to worry about the small things, or that it’s good enough. What we don’t realize is that these mentalities start to creep into our daily activities, keeping us from taking care of ourselves, making the right decisions, and even slowing down our ability to continually learn.

Every person who works in an environment like a refinish or automotive facility has a duty to themselves, their loved ones, and even the people that work around them to know the laws. It’s important to know the truth about what you work around and how to properly protect yourself. A shop and all its employees are at their best when everyone is knowledgeable. Likewise, the knowledge of health and safety and its implementation is on everyone involved.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that workers in autobody shops are potentially exposed to a variety of chemical and physical hazards. Chemical hazards may include volatile organics from paints, fillers, and solvents; diisocyanates, polyisocyanates, and hexavalent chromium from spray painting operations; silica from sandblasting operations; dust from sanding; and metal fumes from welding and cutting. Physical hazards include repetitive stress and other

ergonomic injuries, noise, lifts, cutting tools, and oil and grease on walking surfaces.

Autobody repair and refinishing is addressed in specific OSHA standards for the general industry. This section highlights OSHA standards and documents related to autobody repair and refinishing. OSHA lists the most frequently cited standards for specified 2-to-6-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. For automotive repair and maintenance, use NAICS code 8111 in the NAICS search box. Auto body repair and refinishing rules and regulations fall under the general industry section (29 CFR 1910) and have several subparts to know and understand. OSHA states:

1910.134(a)(1)

“In the control of those occupational diseases caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases,

smokes, sprays, or vapors, the primary objective shall be to prevent atmospheric contamination. This shall be accomplished as far as feasible by accepted engineering control measures (for example, enclosure or confinement of the operation, general and local ventilation, and substitution of less toxic materials). When effective engineering controls are not feasible, or while they are being instituted, appropriate respirators shall be used pursuant to this section.”

1910.134(a)(2)

“A respirator shall be provided to each employee when such equipment is necessary to protect the health of such employee. The employer shall provide the respirators which are applicable and suitable for the purpose intended. The employer shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a respiratory protection program, which shall

include the requirements outlined in paragraph (c) of this section. The program shall cover each employee required by this section to use a respirator.”

So, what does this mean to us? OSHA does not have a minimum standard, as some may believe. OSHA clearly states that it is the shop’s job to make sure that all employees have suitable personal protection. OSHA states in 1910.134(c)(1) in any workplace where respirators are necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators are required by the employer, the employer shall establish a written respiratory protection program with specific procedures. The program shall be updated as necessary to reflect changes in workplace conditions that affect respirator use. The employer shall include in the program the following provisions of this section:

• 910.134(c)(1)(i): Procedures for selecting respirators for use in the workplace

• 1910.134(c)(1)(ii): Medical evaluations of employees required to use respirators

• 1910.134(c)(1)(iii): Fit testing procedures for tight-fitting respirators

• 1910.134(c)(1)(iv): Procedures for proper use of respirators in routine and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations

• 1910.134(c)(1)(v): Procedures and schedules for cleaning, disinfecting, storing, inspecting, repairing, discarding, and otherwise maintaining respirators

• 1910.134(c)(1)(vi): Procedures to ensure adequate air quality, quantity, and flow of breathing air for atmosphere-supplying respirators

• 1910.134(c)(1)(vii): Training of employees in the respiratory hazards to which they are potentially exposed during routine and emergency situations

• 1910.134(c)(1)(viii): Training of employees in the proper use of respirators, including putting on and removing them, any limitations on their use, and their maintenance

• 1910.134(c)(1)(ix): Procedures for regularly evaluating the effectiveness of the program

• 1910.134(c)(2): Where respirator use is not required:

There are three types of respirators that are typically used in a paint booth:

1. A canister or cartridge respirator is a

container with a filter, sorbent, or catalyst — or a combination of these items — which removes specific contaminants from the air passed through the container. There are two specific types in this category:

A. Half or full-face negative pressure respirators that are tight-fitting.

B. Powered air purifying respirators (PAPR) have an air-purifying filter, cartridge, or canister that removes specific air contaminants by passing ambient air through the air-purifying element.

2. Atmosphere supplied air respirators supply the respirator user with breathing air from a source independent of the ambient atmosphere and include supplied-air respirators (SARs) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units (example: SATA vision 2000 or air vision 5000).

This is where you must do research to determine which mask has the correct assigned protection factor (APF) and can be used. This information can come from reading the OSHA sub-section for procedures for selecting respirators, 1910.134(c)(1)(i), and from understanding the materials that you are working with, the ingredients they contain, and the risks associated with the task.

Canister or cartridge respirators, like half or full-face negative pressure respirators that are tight-fitting or PAPRs, have their limitations on what they can effectively filter out. They have a short life span along with a long list of APF standards that need to be set in place to properly use these masks. These standards include a procedure to select the correct mask/filter cartridge (including exposure monitoring); a medical evaluation (negative pressure masks due to restrictive breathing); a fit test procedure (negative pressure masks); a procedure for proper use; a procedure and schedule for maintenance; and training on use.

If a shop uses a supplied air system, they need to know they have the correct air grade for the painter to breathe from. There are only two grades in breathing air standards: D and E, with Type 1-Grade D being the highest standard. Grade A is not breathing air.

(OSHA) Standard 29 CFR 1910.134(i)(1) states: “Compressed breathing air shall meet at least the requirements for Grade D breath-

ing air described in ANSI/Compressed Gas Association Commodity Specification for Air, G-7.1-1989, to include:

• Oxygen content (v/v) of 19.5% - 23.5%;

• Hydrocarbon (condensed) content of 5 milligrams per cubic meter of air or less;

• Carbon monoxide (CO) content of 10 parts per million (ppm) or less;

• Carbon dioxide (CO2) content of 1,000 ppm or less; and

• Lack of noticeable odor”

To know what grade the supplied air is, breathing air should be tested at least once annually by OSHA standards. Testing facilities such as Tri Air Testing and airtesting. com recommend a minimum of every six months. From those tests, the shop will be provided with a document showing the level of air quality tested.

Monitoring the grade of the breathing air is not the only thing a shop needs to do to stay compliant. The shop also needs to have a regular filter change schedule and perform an annual calibration of a CO monitor that is monitoring the air system as per OSHA compliance. A regular CO monitor calibration is suggested because it keeps most CO monitors in top working order with less maintenance.

Along with these steps, there should be a regular change schedule for breathing hoses along with a written procedure for care and maintenance of the hood cleaning and storing.

The use of whip hoses from your (SAR) air supply regulator to the hood is not legally allowed in the U.S.

As you can see, there is no easy answer to safe breathing, but our health is non-negotiable, as is compliance with the laws. Comfort and convenience come second to our health and well-being for us and our loved ones.

Further information on OSHA standards and overall safety:

• osha.gov/autobody

• osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/ standardnumber/1910/1910.134

• osha.gov/isocyanates

• osha.gov/sites/default/files/training-library_major_requirements.pdf

• cdc.gov/niosh/topics/isocyanates/ default.html

• airtesting.com

SATA Sets Bill Knight Collision Up for Success

After years of frustration working with subpar equipment, Bill Knight Collision made the switch to SATA, and they aren’t going back.

By Leah Marxhausen

shop working alongside the painters replacing filters, and helping out with whatever they may need. During his time in the shop, Knight noticed that the lights in the shop were becoming problematic.

“The old lights were so fragile,” said Scott Knight, English Color territory sales manager. “If you dropped one of the lights, you would have to replace the bulbs. Despite the huge batteries on them, they didn't have a very long battery life. We even took some of the batteries to a battery company to have them rebuilt and put better batteries in them, but that still didn't solve the problem.”

the great success they experienced using the SATA trueSun. After years of frustration, Knight figured switching to the SATA trueSun might fix their problems.

Since switching to the SATA trueSun, the painters at Bill Knight Collision are getting three times the life out of the SATA compared to the competitor’s light. Thanks to the light display, accuracy in color matching, battery life, and durability, the shop has been able to save time and increase its productivity.

“I can go multiple days without charging it,” said Ellis. “When I do put it on the charger, it’s such a short charging time. I mean, it doesn't take but between paint booth cycles, and it's ready to go again.”

It has been over three years since the team at Bill Knight Collision made the switch to the SATA trueSun, and they have been blown away by the performance.

Building a future with SATA

While opening their sixth location in South Tulsa, Bill Knight Collision had the opportunity to start fresh and work with Knight to choose the best products for the shop.

Bill Knight Collision has established six repair facilities across eastern Oklahoma, providing their customers top-quality service and lifetime warranties. For years, Bill Knight Collision had been stuck in a routine of using a competitor’s light, despite its underperformance. To maintain their speed and quality of service, they needed to make a switch.

Identifying the problem

Scott Knight, territory sales manager for English Color, started working with Bill Knight Collision more than a decade ago, back when Bill Knight Collision only had two locations. Knight spends three days a week in the

The painters were beginning to get frustrated with the effort required to maintain the lights. They felt like they were wasting time waiting for batteries to charge or repeatedly running to get new bulbs, which also took them out of the booth.

“We've always had problems with our old lights,” said Jack Ellis, lead painter at Bill Knight Collision. “The batteries were a major issue and the bulbs themselves would regularly go out at least every six months. The batteries were constantly needing to be charged. We had a rotation of batteries, and they take a long time to charge, so we have multiple chargers and multiple batteries. It was a hassle.”

Making the change

That’s when Knight recommended a change. Other shops in the area had told Knight about

“As we open the new location and are outfitting this location with all new equipment, we're trying to make sure we have the best of the best of everything,” said Ellis. “We went ahead and went the SATA route because it's the best out there.”

Noting their success with the trueSun, Bill Knight is working on transitioning all their locations to SATA products. After using a wide variety of SATA products, Ellis is most impressed by their precision manufacturing and durability. Despite being a pricey investment, Ellis can confirm that the SATA’s longevity more than covers the initial cost.

“What makes SATA unique is their precision manufacturing,” said Ellis. “All those pieces are meant to go together seamlessly.”

In order to be the best, you need the best equipment. Working with SATA has set Bill Knight Collision up for success — especially as they continue to grow their locations — by enabling them to continue to provide quality service to their customers.

Update

Where is She Now?

How Amy Bogner went from full-time painter to full-time teacher in just one year

By Leah Marxhausen

Bogner first experienced teaching eight years ago with the Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Boards of Cooperative Educational Service. Although she loved working with students, the administrative work of running a classroom was out of her comfort zone. She decided to return to work in collision repair.

“It was tough for me to get the hang of working in the school because I worked on cars the majority of my working life,” says Bogner. “I wasn’t necessarily familiar with all the computer programs and stuff. I did it for one year, and it was too much. I wasn’t at a good point in my life to start this career. I went back to working in shops but stayed in contact with everybody that worked at the school.

A phone call helps Bogner find purpose

While Bogner never anticipated going back to teaching, she started to feel the need to find a job that would make a greater impact on her community.

“For the past couple of years, I felt like I was meant to do something more,” said Bogner. “I felt like I didn’t have a purpose. I was just going to work and coming home every day. I didn’t want to do this for the rest of my life.”

In October of 2022, Bogner received a call to step in and teach a Career & Technical Education Auto Body Repair class for one day with Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES.

The position was vacant and in need of an instructor with industry knowledge.

Bogner enjoyed teaching the auto body class but was surprised when the school contacted her later that same day regarding a permanent position. Although she was hesitant at first, the school was able to provide the resources she needed to gain confidence in the classroom and support her through the transition. Bogner decided she was up to the challenge and, several months later, wasn’t looking back.

“I don’t think I’ll ever go back to working in a shop full time; it’s too monotonous,” said Bogner. “I love doing it, and I love the artwork of it. I love the pride I can take in something that I’ve made beautiful, but it didn’t challenge me enough.”

Although Bogner is drawn to the creative aspect of painting, she acknowledges that teaching has provided the sense of purpose she had been searching for.

“I love being in a shop and painting vehicles, but it didn’t feel like enough; I felt like I needed more in my life, and teaching has given me that sense of purpose,” said Bogner. “It’s an amazing feeling.”

Making an impact on the industry, Bogner hopes that by teaching the younger generation, she can share her passion for painting and impact the industry’s future.

“I look back at my auto body teachers and think how grateful I am for them and everything they taught me; I would love to be that

person for my students,” said Bogner. “I want to encourage young people to find their passion so they can do something they love for a living — something they can take pride in. Standing back and looking at something you created or fixed is an incredible feeling, and it keeps you motivated.”

Community Support

Amy knows how important it is to have support from her community. Through the efforts made by different local vendors and shops, her program is able to thrive.

This community support comes in many forms, including internship opportunities for incoming seniors. The chance to gain real-life experience in the industry further helps prepare her students for a successful future.

CTE programs through BOCES promote trade industries and help young students get a head start in the industry. Bogner hopes

that trade schools will start receiving more attention in the media and show students there are other career options outside of attending a four-year university.

Recently, Bogner has become a registered advisor for SkillsUSA. She chaperoned a group of 14 students to the three-day state competition held in Syracuse, N.Y. Taking her students outside the classroom and immersing them in the industry was a valuable experience she hopes to repeat.

“It really is an incredible experience for the students,” said Bogner. “They get to demonstrate and learn responsibility. I think the best part for me was seeing how much fun the students had and the memories they could create.”

Sticking to her roots

Although Bogner is focused on education, she is not leaving her painting career behind.

She is no stranger to the shop where she previously worked, Sammy’s Auto; she remains in contact with the owner and is able to continue working casually throughout the year.

“I am going into the shop where I worked previously,” said Bogner. “Bella, the owner, has me come in occasionally to work on projects as needed. She also lets me use the shop to work on my own projects.”

By reintroducing teaching into her career path, Bogner has found the perfect balance she was always looking for.

“I’m able to do what I love and have my creative outlet intermittently while making an impact in the lives of young people and, hopefully, helping the future of the industry,” said Bogner. “I didn’t like feeling forced to paint and do bodywork full-time; it took the fun out of it. I don’t have extensive physical labor while teaching, and I get to paint on my own terms. I have the best of both worlds.”

Forging A Foundation For The Trades

By Emily Kline

Photography Crystal Lawrance, KTL Restorations

A FoundationSolid Trades

How SkillsUSA and the automotive industry actively empower trade school students

the U.S., there is a common misconception that attending a four-year college is the path for success. Many young people are unaware of other options or deterred from pursuing anything outside of a college degree. This is especially harmful to the skills automotive industry because it limits its growth.

Fortunately, organizations like SkillsUSA are working to counteract the negativity surrounding trades and inform young people about career options they can pursue without a college degree. Painter’s Playbook sat down with Jessica Neri, a regional commercial manager of PPG, and Jamie Redd, a technical sales instruction supervisor at PPG, to discuss the nationwide SkillsUSA competitions and their automotive refinishing category. We also discussed the next steps the automotive industry should take to encourage growth and development specifically within their trade.

Learning through competition

SkillsUSA is a nationwide nonprofit education association serving middle, high, and college/ postsecondary students. Its goal is to help students of every age prepare for trade careers by encouraging them and educating them about different technical and skilled service occupations. In addition to providing the resources to learn trade skills, this association also holds local competitions that continue onto the state and national level, enabling students to showcase the skills they have learned.

These competitions offer various categories for students to compete in, helping to develop skills within their chosen trades.

“SkillsUSA’s mission is to empower its members to become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens,” Neri, the current SkillsUSA Co-Chair for the automotive refinish portion of the national competition, said. “There's everything from baking and culinary to CNC machining, welding, masonry, carpentry, robotics, Aviation Maintenance & firefighting. People are coming from everywhere, whether for the automotive refinish event or another of the 107 different competitions; SkillsUSA really does touch every single state.” In 2022, there were nearly 5,200 students competing.”

In the automotive section of SkillsUSA, there are two different competitions offered that students can compete in.

“There's automotive refinish, which I'm a part of with Tony Larimer from Sata and there's also collision repair, which Jason Bartanen from Collision Hub is the chair of,” Neri said. “They’re two separate competitions, but we run them together. Just like in a real body shop, you have your collision side and your paint side.”

The Automotive Refinish segment is basically broken down into 6 different segments: featheredge, prime, and block; color tinting; masking; spot repair; an ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) refinish test; and an

2023 Collision Repair Technicians CRT medalists: High School: In front, from left: Silver - Lucas Lynch (IA), Gold - Shane Webb (OH), Bronze - Cody Strong (IL) College: In back from left: SIlver - Seth Christmas (UT), Bronze - Winfred Vermillion (TX), Gold - Brandon Nelson (SD) (not pictured).

interview portion. The speed and practice of safety techniques are judged throughout the competition as well as the overall appearance of the finished product to determine the placement of competitors.

“The featheredge, prime, and block section consists of: a plastic bumper, with a scratch on it, and the students need to feather edge that scratch out with DA utilizing the proper grits,” Neri said. “Then you need to prime it, we use UV primer at Nationals and the students sand the primer to prepare it for the paint.

In the second segment, color tinting, students demonstrate their skills through wet exercises.

“In color tinting; you're not just talking about color theory; you're physically doing it,” Neri said. Students actually tint color & complete sprayouts at the competition in one of our two state of the art 53” paint trailers.

The next segment the students must perform is masking.

“In the masking segment, you mask a vehicle to prepare it for paint. For example, the door and the front fender need to be painted,” Neri said. So, you must mask the rest of the vehicle to get it ready for paint.”

After the students demonstrate their masking skills, they get ready for the final segment in the competition — spot repair.

“In the Spot Repair segment the students are blending color on a panel to complete a spot repair and then clearing that panel,” Neri said.

Lastly students complete an ASE Refinish Test & complete an interview. After the students compete in the different segments, judges calculate the scores and announce the winners. At the local and state levels, winners will receive a first, second, or third-place medal and the opportunity to move on to the next phase of the competition. At the national level, competition winners receive a medal, cash prize, and often career opportunities. Even those who don’t win get the opportunity to develop and grow their skills through practice and expert instructor coaching.

ART Contestants preparing their spot repair panel for blending of color and clear coat application.

2023 ART (Automotive Refinishing Technology) winners High School: In front from left: Silver - Aleah Sauder (IL), Gold - Lily Williams (AR), Bronze - Madysen Smith (PA). College: In back from left: Silver - Bryce Kunkel (CO), Gold - Elias Domingo (GA), Bronze - Charles Moake (UT).

Labor shortage in the Skilled Trades

SkillsUSA lobbies for the skilled trades because they recognize the importance of educating younger generations. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the United States has a lot of jobs but not enough workers, as of May 16th, 2023, there are 9.5 million jobs available in the U.S. and only 5.6 million unemployed. One of the biggest reasons for the vast number of vacancies is that the baby boomer generation is retiring. This is not good for the trades, because a large chunk of the boomer population works for them, adding weight to the fact that there are fewer young people attending trade schools. This is why SkillsUSA continues to encourage and help people find success in skilled trades.

“There's a stigma when people look at a welder, plumber, or painter, and say, ‘You're not setting yourself up to succeed in life,’”

Neri said. “And they couldn’t be further from the truth.”

As a past bronze medalist of the National SkillsUSA Automotive Refinish competition, Neri credits SkillsUSA for her success in her present career.

“I work at PPG because of SkillsUSA. If I weren't a part of that organization, if I wasn't competing at the national level, I would have never gotten this far in my career at such a young age.”

The automotive industry has a responsibility

While SkillsUSA does a phenomenal job in promoting all skilled trades to young people, the automotive industry also needs to promote their work, starting in their own communities.

“As an industry, we need more people to step up to the plate and become involved at the local level at tech schools,” Neri said. “Many body shop owners, managers, and manufacturing

Contestants are spraying out their tinted color in the color tinting portion of the test.

facilities are complaining, ‘We can't find any good help.’ But what are we all doing to promote the industry & help these interested students? Not much.” If we want to keep what we have, we need to be willing to teach the next generation how to become world-class workers. So step up & volunteer at your local Career Education classroom, sit on the advisory board, or lend your support to SkillsUSA.”

A crucial step that shop owners and managers need to take is to inform students of their options within the automotive industry and ensure that a path in automotive repair can result in a successful career.

“Do school visits or have [students] come to your place of work,” Redd said. "By involving yourself in their lives, you can ensure that students are being advised properly and that they are assured there is lots of potential for earnings and job security in our industry.”

Once you pique their interest, you must offer proper training. One reason young workers leave the automotive industry early on is because they weren’t properly instructed from the start. This can be avoided if current shop owners and technicians get involved in their local tech schools and are actively involved in education from the beginning.

“Try to contact instructors at your local trade schools and get on their advisory committees,” Redd said. “Kids are being taught by instructors, and instructors are being influenced by shops in the area that are potential part-time or work-study jobs. It is important these kids are being taught correctly and that they are encountering the right people.”

Engaging with a trade school’s advisory committee and its students is guarantees that students are taught the best and most current practices. By actively supporting trade schools, current automotive workers will establish a strong foundation for the future of the automotive industry.

“The more we can do to help the industry and open their eyes to our future tech’s pathways and ways to get involved is only going to help the industry move forward,” Redd said. “It's easy to complain about it. It’s easy to expect someone to do it for you. But ultimately, the responsibility lies on us as automotive industry workers.”

Jim Kvatek of Dan-Am Company is the segment leader for Spot Repair Segment of ART. Jim is doing the walk through orientation with the contestants on the day prior to the contest to go over what will be done in each segment.

THE FUTURE FOR PASSIONATE REFINISH TECHNICIANS

BY DANYON KIRCHNER

What happens when we are ready for a new challenge and want to retire our paint guns? The opportunities for passionate, caring, and rock-star painters are incredibly abundant in collision repair. We have a highly unique ability to adapt and overcome due to the nature of our work.

These skills are incredibly rare, and as a painter grows, the ability to handle high-pressure situations and fix issues “on the fly” becomes even more obvious over time. These skills will benefit you as you begin to investigate a career change, particularly outside of the paint booth. When thinking about the future of a painter, remove the blinders because the collision world is abundant in versatility!

Building or updating your resume

Sometimes as a painter, we think that the only career path is painting or eventually becoming a tech rep, but what if there are even more diverse options? Spoiler alert, there are! As we grow and mature, we acquire many skills throughout our careers. Some technicians have an incredible ability to teach, others are obsessed with the technical aspect, and many just love the daily challenge. Others have an uncanny ability to learn new software technology and rapidly adapt to constantly changing surroundings, vehicle technology, and advanced diagnostics. So, how do we move careers when the time comes, and what do those careers look like?

First and foremost, we must understand the importance of a resume. Many of us never had to assemble these because our reputation in the industry — or photo albums of things we have painted — was all we needed to land a job in a shop. When looking at a potential career change, the first thing you must do is build a resume or

update an existing one. Thankfully, there are tons of online resources to help build a robust, professional work history that tells the story of who you are.

It’s important to tailor your resume to fit the mold of your career direction so that you stand out like an absolute all-star! With emerging technology and the need for qualified people in the field, you need to decide what path is best for you and your personal skill set. Some painters have spent so much time in the booth that it becomes difficult to express how many skills they truly possess. If this is you, the best thing you can do is ask! Using your network of friends, family, and industry connections, ask, “What do you think my best traits are?” That question may lead you down a path you never thought of before.

Considering your career options

As you begin the journey of pondering your future, there are many avenues you can choose to take. Here are some great options when it's time to leave the booth on a full-time basis.

Being part of a repair plan team is perfect for techs who want to stay in the shop and have the desire to improve their shop’s processes. Understanding quad coat technology, ADAS influences in the paint shop, refinish rules, being a master at your paint line, and reading and comprehending OEM repair methods for refinish operations all require the skills and knowledge of a seasoned painter. For those that are eager to learn and teach and have great communication and research skills, this position is perfect for many veteran painters. This is an excellent choice for the tech painter who loves the challenge of the shop environment but would like to use a new set of skills. This is a relatively easy transition if you stay at your current shop, and your learning curve will be lesser than other possible career changes. Painters have an incredible knack for fine detail work, and repair planning fits that mold beautifully.

Working for a paint distributor is another very valuable position for the technician who wants to meet new people, travel, and pass on their lifetime of skills to others. Paint distributors always need highly qualified people to help in many positions in

As painters, we never imagined doing anything other than painting cars.

Patrick Smith , works at Faulkner Collision Specialist

their businesses. One of the best parts of getting into distribution is the vast potential for growth. The right jobber can help you with a career path that could outperform your wildest dreams, and the amount you will learn along the way is second to none. These positions are numerous and can include counter sales professional, mixing room technician, outside salesperson, technical support, business development, equipment sales and maintenance, and many more. If you are an expert in application processes, are outgoing, enjoy working with other professionals and understand what makes a shop perform at a high level, this is your ultimate journey!

One of my favorite topics that are near and dear to me is becoming an instructor. Teaching at a trade school is one of the most satisfying jobs a painter can do. Being able to use your years — and potentially decades — of skills to benefit the next generation of paint technicians is an absolute honor. As we all know, the technician shortage is REAL! Getting engaged and being part of the solution is one of the most satisfying things we can do in our chosen field. With the high demand for great, qualified instructors at an absolute high, there is no time like the present to pursue this profession. The education requirements to become an instructor will vary from school to school, so doing your homework in advance is critical. You may need to enroll in schooling at a local or online college or acquire certain accreditations to be eligible for application. Many techs love the idea of having summers off to enjoy the break, and others continue to work in a shop for those months. Teaching a trade is one of the most gratifying positions a painter can have, especially as you see the growth of the next generation. I cannot recommend this enough if helping and coaching others is in your area of expertise.

Another option to consider is working for a manufacturer of products. Painters work with abrasives, adhesives, coatings, and paint booths every single day. We learn the ins and outs of these products and tools from years of real-world use, and that information is absolutely invaluable to a manufacturer. Becoming a technical or sales consultant for a manufacturer

Tech Rep Q&A

When did you first start painting?

Luke Armstrong: I first started working in a friend’s shop at the age of 15 (1997) while also attending the collision repair program at my local vocational school. Within that first year I was doing combo style work and painting most of the jobs I repaired. Ten years later (2007) I started as the lead painter at a larger local collision center.

How long had you painted in shops?

Luke Armstrong: I spent 11 years of my career in the shop as a full-time painter, before choosing to take a Tech Rep position with Zimmermans.

How many shops had you worked at as a painter?

Luke Armstrong: Over those 11 years as a full-time painter I worked in 4 different shops and 7 of those years at an independent collision center.

How long have you been a tech rep?

Luke Armstrong: I am going on my 5th year as a Tech Rep with Zimmermans.

When you first started painting professionally, did you know there were other career options for you?

Luke Armstrong: From my education in the collision repair class I knew of the different roles within the industry like Body Tech, Painter, Estimator,Manager,Ins. Adjuster, ect. Although it wasn’t until meeting Danyon who at the time was my Tech Rep, did I ever consider that as a career option. Within the last 3-4 years as a painter, I set my goals on becoming a Tech Rep for Zimmermans.

Word of advice for painters about their future?

Luke Armstrong: I feel that now is a very exciting time to be a painter with the technology that we have available to the paint dept. Most of the advanced equipment we utilize in paint shops today like Spectrophotometers,PPE,coating specific spray guns, UV and waterborne technology make being a painter a rewarding and viable career. I think that with the changes I have seen over the last 16 years since starting as a painter, things will only continue to become better! You have a bright future if you are anywhere in your career as a painter or considering becoming a painter.

Luke Armstrong, BASF Tech Specialist Zimmerman Auto Body Supply, Ephrita, PA

is a perfect fit for the painter who loves staying on the cutting edge of new, evolving technology. When you think about the manufacturer level as a potential career field, it is important that you narrow down what brands you are passionate about. Most skills can be taught, but passion must already exist, and you should only apply to manufacturers of products you truly believe in. We know as technicians that when someone does not believe in what they are representing, that is a career not worth pursuing for long-term enjoyment and overall quality of life. If you decide to pursue a career at this level, it is imperative that you have a very detailed and polished resume and begin to build relationships at that company. Nothing looks better on a resume than having references

from their current employees! The manufacturing level has immense growth potential, as most are huge, global companies. For most of us, that can seem intimidating, but rest assured, many people in the automotive sector started off just like we did, directly in the field. It is worth mentioning that you should determine what prerequisites exist for the company you are applying to, as you need to meet the criteria on your resume before they schedule an interview. A degree can often be interchangeable with years of work experience, so do not let that be a deterrent! Perform your due diligence before submitting your resume, and make modifications as needed to provide the best overall chance of being chosen for an interview. You are a professional — do not forget that!

With technology at the forefront of the collision repair industry, another career option is getting into a tech company. Scanning businesses and ADAS calibration organizations are very hot in the market and will continue to grow. Whether you look at working directly for the company, or a grassroots position at a local calibration location, the opportunities are immense. There is no question that collision tech will continue to grow rapidly, and the staffing needs for those are already following suit. If a career in thriving technology appeals to you and fits your skillset, this rapidly growing field can provide tremendous career potential.

Never stop learning

Continuing your education is something you can do starting now! After you decide what career path you want to take, do the research, and determine if you need any training before applying to your dream job. Online courses or classes at community colleges are excellent ways to further your education. Things such as sales or leadership training, learning Microsoft products, and becoming an expert in social media will go a long way on that beautifully assembled resume. If you know someone who has a career that interests you, ask them how they got started and what qualities and qualifications you may need to start your journey.

In closing, I cannot stress enough that you are not done in the collision industry! You may need a new opportunity, a new set of challenges, or a whole new adventure. Many painters will finish their careers in the paint booth, and we need them more than ever. Nothing is more valuable as a shop owner than having that 40-year veteran painter who gets the job done right — on time, every time. If that is you, you are to be commended, and the collision repair industry is better off for your hard work and dedication to this amazing field. If it is time for a new challenge, I ask you to stay in the collision field because you are still becoming the absolute best version of yourself — it’s not over.

Retire your body, but please don't retire your mind; the next generation needs you!

Ron Coan, long-time body and paint specialist, made a big change in his life and is now a distributor tech rep. Sitting in on sales and shop process meetings are now a part of his daily routine.

SATA®air vision 5000 System

Supplied air respirator is independent from booth atmosphere – for ultimate safety, comfort and perfection.

Whatever environment you are working in: Whether you want heated or cooled breathing air or simply looking for absolute safety from particle contamination – with the add-on modules complementing the SATA air vision 5000 breathing protection system, you can be sure that your health and comfort are both efficiently catered to.

Phone: 800-533-8016

www.satausa.com

E-mail: satajet@satausa.com

The NIOSH approval number is TC-19C-0533

The Daylight Solution

The selection of the correct color shade for refinishing a vehicle requires a source of light that preferably reproduces the entire color range of visible light (daylight) as accurately as possible. The SATA trueSun LED lamp which was especially designed for this purpose allows a professional color shade evaluation and identification within the paint shop. Any rework caused by an incorrect color identification and the respective rectification cost involved does not leave any room for compromise when selecting the daylight lamp. Even avoiding a single rework covers the purchase cost of this high quality product.

1012129 SATA trueSunTM, includes battery and charger

1010082SATA trueSunTM battery

1006445SATA trueSunTM charger 800-533-8016