Bodyworx 3#2, December 2014

SPECIAL EDITION OF

ALUMINUM VS. STEEL: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!

BODYWORX THE VOICE OF COLLISION REPAIR TECHS & PAINTERS

PROFESSIONAL TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL Building the hot-rod school bus at MMC Bus Division.

FULL

Circle

360 FABRICATIONS AND THE FRANCOUERS TURN OUT AWARDWINNING CUSTOMS IN ABBOTSFORD, BC.

DOCTORING DINGS

Adding PDR to your skill set can pay off.

PLUS Robby Robbs went from shop floor to boardroom, competitions attract new blood, and much, much more!!!

December 2014

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Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40841632

l 86 John Street, Thornhill, ON L3T 1Y2

Knight

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©2014 PPG Industries, Inc. All rights reserved. www.ppgrefinish.com The PPG Logo and Envirobase are registered trademarks, and Bringing innovation to the surface is a trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

CONTENTS

12

profile 12 Customized Success Award-winning 360 Fabrications set the bar in the world of custom cars. regulars 4 Publisher’s Page

by Darryl Simmons Power, passion.

6 News Kyle Tucker takes SEMA’s first-ever Battle of the Builders competition, and cool tools for techs.

43

8 Hot Wheels

by Michael Carcone Custom choices.

50 Final Detail

by Mike Davey Your business.

35

Viva Las Vegas!

The City of Sin sets the stage for the 2014 SEMA Show.

features 17 Crystal Clear

31 Heavy Metal

How to apply the next generation of clear coatings — by hand.

The differences between aluminum and steel can greatly impact both the repair process and the result.

22 Tech Tips Technical Data Sheets are your best defense against unexpected product failures.

26 Making the Grade This hot rod kid-carrier injects some cool into your old ride to school.

28 Paintless? Painless.

Why paintless dent repair techniques belong in every techncian’s skills arsenal.

38 From the Ground Up

Bridging the Gap 18-year-old painter Catherine Mathewson has what it takes to succeed.

Robby Robbs’ journey from ground floor shop apprentice to successful consulting firm CEO.

46 Tomorrow’s Techs Skills competitions bring in the next generation.

49 Skill-focused It’s the core of SAIT’s Auto Body program.

SPECIAL EDITION OF

on the cover: Rick and Daryl Francouer of 360 Fabrications in Abbotsford, BC. Photo courtesy of 360 Fabrications.

ALUMINUM VS. STEEL: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!

BODYWORX THE VOICE OF COLLISION REPAIR TECHS & PAINTERS

PROFESSIONAL TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL Building the hot-rod school bus at MMC Bus Division.

FULL

Circle

360 FABRICATIONS AND THE FRANCOUERS TURN OUT AWARDWINNING CUSTOMS IN ABBOTSFORD, BC.

DOCTORING DINGS

Adding PDR to your skill set can pay off.

PLUS Robby Robbs went from shop floor to boardroom, competitions attract new blood, and much, much more!!!

december 2014  bodyworx professional

3

publisher’s page

power, passion

BODYWORX THE VOICE OF COLLISION REPAIR TECHS & PAINTERS

PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHER Darryl Simmons 647.409.7070 publisher@collisionrepairmag.com

Techs, painters, preppers, and detailers keep the engine running.

EDITOR Mike Davey editor@collisionrepairmag.com ART DIRECTOR Daniela Luberto daniela@collisionrepairmag.com Assistant eDITOR Melissa Hayes melissa@mediamatters.ca

By Darryl Simmons

A

business is like an ecosystem. You need all of the parts to function for it to work properly. The whole thing can come crashing down if there’s even one piece missing.

That doesn’t mean all the pieces are the same. When it comes to collision repair, it’s the techs and painters, preppers and detailers, who really keep the engine running. Take them out, and you don’t really have a facility. It’s just a building where they used to fix cars.

Techs and painters are important, and the industry is acknowledging this. We’ve

VP Industry Relations & Advertising Gloria Mann 647.998.5677 advertising@collisionrepairmag.com

them to help bolster an aging workforce. We need them for new ideas and new ways of looking at old problems.

We need them ... well, for everything.

There are opportunities to be had in the collision repair field. There was a time when a university degree was essentially a ticket to a good job and a little house in the suburbs. Times have changed.

There’s nothing wrong with attending university, but the days of getting a random degree to get ahead are long over. Education isn’t only about dollars and cents, but it usually isn’t about the pure love of learning, either. It’s about

there are opportunities to be had in the collision repair field.

Director of Sales & Marketing Ellen Smith 416.312.7446 ellen@mediamatters.ca Marketing Assistant Will Jacques will@mediamatters.ca COLUMNISTS Michael Carcone, Shawn Collins, Les Gombas, Stephen Hartley, Justin Jimmo, Bill Rice, Nina Wedge

SUBSCRIPTION One-year $19.95 / Two-year $34.95

Bodyworx Professional™ is published bi-monthly, and is dedicated to serving the business interests of the collision repair industry. It is published by Media Matters Inc. Material in Bodyworx Professional™ may not be reproduced in any form with out written consent from the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements made by its advertisers or independent columnists. All facts, opinions, statements appearing in this publication are those of the writers and editors themselves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions or endorsements by the publisher.

PRINTED IN CANADA ISSN 1707-6072 CANADA POST CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL SALES PRODUCT AGREEMENT No. 40841632 RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED Send change of address notices and undeliverable copies to: 86 John Street Thornhill, ON L3T 1Y2

seen great support for Bodyworx Professional since we launched earlier this year.

That support isn’t for us, but for you.

There are careers being made in this industry, and we’re here to help you make the most out of yours. We want to hear from you. Let us know what you think, and let us know what you want to see covered. This is your magazine.

It’s also a great way to say to your friends and family, “This is what I do,” and some of those folks may show more than polite interest. Some of them may get the right kind of fire in their eyes when they hear what you do. They may even want to be a part of it. Please make sure to pass this magazine along.

The collision repair industry needs people, especially new people. We need

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bodyworxmag.com  bodyworx professional

opening doors. Some of those doors lead to the skilled trades, and they’re some of the best doors a student could walk through.

There’s more to life than money, and a career in collision repair is a meaningful career. You will spend your life problem-solving and facing challenges, all in the name of helping your customers and ensuring their safety and that of their loved ones. It’s hard to think of something more meaningful than that.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

CMCA AUDITED

Bodyworx Professional is published by Media Matters Inc., publishers of:

BODYWORX THE VOICE OF COLLISION REPAIR TECHS & PAINTERS

PROFESSIONAL

Trainingmatters.ca T H E T RA I N I N G P O RTA L F O R C O L L I S I O N R E PA I R

magazine

Works faster

Lasts longer

Finishes better 3M™ Cubitron™ II Clean Sanding Disc Introducing the 3M™ Cubitron™ II Clean Sanding Disc, a revolutionary advancement in automotive abrasive technology for body technicians featuring triangular shaped ceramic grain that: • Cuts 30% faster than premium abrasives • Lasts up to twice as long • Delivers a finer, more uniform finish

Visit our NEW Website at www.3Mcollision.ca

“LIKE” us on FACEBOOK www.FACEBOOK.COM/3MCollisionCanada 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division 3M Canada

London, ON N6A 4T1 Call 1-800-3M-HELPS (364-3577) www.3MCollision.ca

3M and Cubitron are trademarks of 3M. Used under license in Canada. © 2014, 3M. All rights reserved.

1406-01179 E BA-14-19135

>>>

news

Kyle Tucker winner of SEMA’s first annual ‘Battle of the Builders‘ competition Kyle Tucker, with his ’69 Chevy Camaro, was the first-ever SEMA Battle of the Builders winner.

StudLever Combo

SeamBuster

NEW! SoftStrike

Aluminum Conversion Kit

HandyBar

Panel Shaper Kit

ANOTHER GREAT TOOL BY… See your

6

local tool distributor or visit www.steckmfg.com

bodyworxmag.com  bodyworx professional

Kyle Tucker was named the winner of SEMA’s first Battle of the Builders competition during the trade show’s inaugural after party, SEMA Ignited.

Beating out over 125 vehicle customizers from across the country, and coming in directly ahead of Mike & Jim Ring and Jeff Kinsey, Tucker’s win was announced November 7.

Industry magazine editors, such as Super Street’s Sam Du, David Freiburger from Hot Rod, and Fred Williams of Petersen’s 4Wheel & Off Road, were tasked with the selection of the top 10 finalists.

Through the process, these finalists—also including Bobby Alloway, Gordon Aram, Dale Dondel, Rick Dore, Troy Ladd, Larry McCrae, and Steve Strope—then joined the judges in determining the winner of the competition.

Tucker, along with other competitors, will be profiled as part of a Velocity Network special set to air March 8. The onehour show will focus on innovations in vehicle customization and raise awareness of the aftermarket industry.

SEMA Ignited was open to the public, and showcased new automotive accessories featured on the vehicles displayed during the 2014 SEMA Show. Organizers estimate that more than 10,000 attended the event.

For more information on SEMA, please visit SEMAShow.com.

Innovative Body Shop Tools & Equipment

The top 10 builders’ cars were lined up beside the main stage.

news

New Guard Kits from Snap-on provide colour and extra protection Create a two-colour tool box and protect your tool storage unit at the same time with the new Snap-on Colored Guard Kits. These protective accessories are coated in authentic Snap-on powder-coat paints and are perfect for the drawers, corners and bottoms of Snap-on Roll Cabs (KRA2422), Top Chests (KRA2410) and Work Centers (KRA2454).

“The new Snap-on Colored Guard Kits are a terrific way to make your toolbox standout even more, while at the same time giving it some added protection,” says Jay Serpe, Product Manager for Snap-on. “Made from laser cut steel, these guards provide an extra layer of defense from dings and scratches and will help keep your tool storage unit looking like new.”

Available in five powder-coat paint colours: royal blue, candy apple red, orange, extreme green, and hot pink, the company says the new Snap-on Colored Guard Kits offer superior scratch protection. The bottom guard is made from stainless steel for corrosion protection.

Complete sets of guards, as well as individual components, are available.

Customers can find out more about the new Snapon Colored Guard Kits by contacting their participatThe new Colored Guard Kits are ing Snap-on franchisee or available in a variety of colours. representative, or by visiting snapon.com/toolstorage.

<<<

SK X-Frame to launch in early 2015 SK’s new SK X-Frame ratcheting wrench promises to deliver power and precision in hard to reach spaces.

Showgoers at SEMA were treated to a sneak peek of SK’s new SK X-Frame ratcheting wrench. The SK X-Frame provides more power and precision in tight spaces than anything else on the market, according to Joe Saganowich, General Manager of SK Professional Tools. SK will launch its xframe wrench in early 2015.

“Professionals told us they needed more power and precision in very tight, hard-toget-at spaces,” says Saganowich. “We’ve listened to their feedback and re-invented the ratcheting mechanism itself by using six dual opposing pawls (instead of one) on a re-engineered, 72 tooth wheel. This allows for more strength and precision in any of the 216 positions our wrench offers.”

In fact, the new ratcheting mechanism is so strong that SK re-engineered the geometry of the handle to allow the technician to deliver maximum torque. The SK X-Frame will be available next spring in a full range of hard-working sizes.

For more information, visit skhandtool.com.

Steck launches Axle Popper II The Axle Popper II is the Steck Manufacturing Company has released the Axle Popper II (P/N 71415). It’s deair-tool version of Steck’s signed to allow you to break loose half shafts from the transaxle on front wheel drive original Axle Popper. cars using your air hammer.

Axle Popper II is the air tool version of Steck’s original Axle Popper Wedge (71411). Like the original, the Axle Popper II is tapered on both ends of the wedge along with a 6-inch shaft to fit into your air hammer. The base of the Axle Popper II has been increased by 3/8-inch to give it additional strength while decreasing potential deflection with the increased power of your air hammer.

Half Shafts are sometimes difficult to break loose with a pry bar. Steck says the new tool is safer than using a pry bar, as the Axle Popper II wedge forked end applies even pressure to both sides of the shaft for sure release of the shaft. The company’s original Axle Popper Shim (71412), which is sold separately, can also be used with the Axle Popper II to fill the gap between the half shaft and the transaxle on some vehicles.

For more information, please visit steckmfg.com.

december 2014  bodyworx professional

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hot wheels

custom choices Transforming the look of a vehicle with accessories has never been easier.

By Michael carcone

O

nce again I had the opportunity to attend one of the best automotive events ever—SEMA. This year’s show was no disappointment. Every year that I have attended, I come home with newfound knowledge I never thought possible.

Who sits up at night thinking of some of these products? It amazes me that year after year, the show seems to get bigger and busier and more packed with new products and innovations. It’s simply overwhelming for a car enthusiast.

With thousands of exhibiters and hundreds of thousands of different products, it isn’t hard to come across something you like—and often it’s something you didn’t even know you liked until you saw it. SEMA is an eye-opener for anyone attending the show for the first time, or even for the 10th time.

Today’s generation of car buyers have so many options when it comes to taking their stock vehicle to the next level.

This was incredibly evident as I walked for what felt like days on end on the SEMA floor. I was amazed and overcome with the selection as I made my way through the show.

From the wheel and tire expo to the sight and sound hall, to the body and collision sections and every room and hall in-between, accessories were front and centre once again.

Accessorizing has become not just more acceptable, but it has become much more affordable. And the choices have grown substantially, creating even more of a demand.

Do you like the stock wheels on your vehicle? Do you want to add horsepow-

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bodyworxmag.com  bodyworx professional

er or handling? How about the ride or height, or better yet, the colour? The list could go on and on.

out there promoting the idea that they can change the colour of your car by the end of day simply by wrapping it?!

I was amazed by the number of companies and outfits exhibiting at SEMA and promoting this same process— wrapping a vehicle in its entirety simply to change the colour. Apparently wrapping is not just for advertising anymore. Who knew!

To tod ay’s vehicl e ow ne r , t h e options available appear to be limitless, depending of course on budget and imagination.

You don’t like the colour of your car? Change it with a wrap. Your truck doesn’t sit quite right to your liking?

Lower it or raise it with the many kits available today. Not enough chrome, or too much chrome? This can all be

accessorizing has become . . . much more affordable.

The 2015 Ford Mustang is built for speed and show.

However, my point is that no matter what you drive, whether it is a small compact car or a larger pickup truck, the options available to today’s consumer are seemingly endless. A stock vehicle could have its look completely altered, its ride completely changed and its performance enhanced substantially.

You may recall me telling you that you can change the very look of any vehicle by changing the style and size of your wheels and tires. This is so true, but it really does not have to end there.

Are you tired of the colour of your car?

Did you know that there are companies

The 2015 Silverado 2500HD with add-on grills, fog lamps and light bars.

changed with add-on kits. The possibilities are endless.

No matter what your style or your preference, a stock vehicle can be transformed just by simply adding accessories.

Whatever your imagination, there is a company out there with the accessories that that can make it happen.

Michael Carcone is the co-owner of Carcone’s Auto Recycling and Wheel Refinishing, located in Aurora, Ont. He can be reached via his company’s website at carcone.com.

Assured Automotive

Cares

enough to be properly

TRAINED & EQUIPPED NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO, BUT BECAUSE WE WANT TO

Assured Honoured Assured Automotive honours Marc Julien for his commitment to the collision repair industry. Marc Julien is responsible for all facets of Technical Training and for Employee Development at Assured. Marc is a Certified I-CAR Instructor and has been heavily involved with I-CAR Canada for over 12 years. In his role at Assured, Marc is an integral part of Assured’s Operations Team and is responsible for managing our Damage Analysis Process Improvement and I-CAR Training Initiatives. Continuous Improvement is at the core of Assured’s Corporate Culture. At Assured we believe that our staff is the key to our success; to this end we would like to thank Marc for his contribution and dedication to Assured Automotive.

assuredauto.ca

“ t r a i n iinngt oi sd aeys’ ss ei nn dt iuaslt r y

“A new generation in collision repair performance.”

”

REST ASSURED

At Assured Automotive, we deliver on our promise to provide each policy holder with a quality collision repair. We fully understand that a positive repair experience with us, leads to a repeat customer for our Insurance and Dealer Partners.

We NOW HAVE 45 LOCATIONS throughout Ontario to serve you better.

Assured Automotive is a proud supporter of the Michael “Pinball” Clemons Foundation and their efforts to build hope, security, education and opportunity.

www.assuredauto.ca

Outperform with Assured!

O F

T H E

BEST BEST FIX AUTO ABBOTSFORD, BC Nick Hossman Joined Fix Auto in 2011 Nick loves creating things!

His hobbies include restoring & hot rodding classic cars.

What do you like best about working for the Fix Auto network? “ Being part of a team, everyone looking out for each other and working together towards common goals.”

FIX AUTO OKOTOKS, AB Sam Willicome Joined Fix Auto in 2013 Sam’s hobbies include playing hockey, airbrushing, drawing, painting and of course, cars!

What do you like best about working for the Fix Auto network? “ Taking pride in the job that I do and producing a quality finished product.”

FIX AUTO NORTH BAY, ON

FIX AUTO OTTAWA INNES, ON

Jadie Colinassi

Luc Jubinville

Joined Fix Auto in 2008

Joined Fix Auto in 2011

Jadie enjoys customizing and restoring/ flipping cars, trucks and off road vehicles.

Jadie maintains a Platinum ICAR status.

Luc likes to travel and spend time with his family.

What do you like best about working for the Fix Auto network? “ Nationwide recognition, higher shop standards and technology, big team/ family.”

What do you like best about working for the Fix Auto network? “ I love the way that the franchisees work together in our market (Ottawa) they bring a lot of opportunity to the work place.”

FIX AUTO CANADA WENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY PROFILING THE TECHNICIANS THAT ARE MAKING THE MAGIC HAPPEN. READ MORE ABOUT THEM AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT WORKING FOR THE FIX AUTO NETWORK.

TH E BO DY S H O P N E T WO R K • FI X AUTO.CO M

FIX AUTO MONCTON, NB Adam Phinney Joined Fix Auto in 2013 Adam enjoys spending time on the farm.

What do you like best about working for the Fix Auto network? “ The network’s strong work ethic and high degree of quality.”

FIX AUTO DÉCARIE, QC Luis Fernando Fuentes Flores Joined Fix Auto in 2007 Luis enjoys Soccer and Basketball.

FIX AUTO NORFOLK COUNTY, ON

FIX AUTO PIERREFONDS, QC

Jorden Giles

Gary Brulé

Joined Fix Auto in 2009

Joined Fix Auto in 2001

Jorden graduated from the business program at Fanshawe college in 2010.

A 59 Cadillac Deville is by far his favourite ride!

Gary is an animal lover and enjoys volunteering at the animal rescue network.

He himself has 3 cats and 1 dog!

What do you like best about working for the Fix Auto network? “ Fix Auto inspires the shop and everyone in it to continually improve. Working in our large clean building with state of the art equipment & tools is a good place to be.”

What do you like best about working for the Fix Auto network? “ The family environment. ”

What do you like best about working for the Fix Auto network? “ There is something new to learn everyday.”

For more information on becoming part of the Fix Auto team please contact: Peter Polito, Western Canada Daryll O’Keefe, Ontario Michel Bourgeois, Quebec Paul Randals, Atlantic Canada FIXAUTO.COM

>>>

CUSTOMIZERS

Full Circle The Francouers started in collision, got into customization, and then brought repair back into the fold.

By Mike Davey

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bodyworxmag.com  bodyworx professional

CUSTOMIZERS

<<<

Rick and Daryl Francouer, owners and operators of 360 Fabrication and CARSTAR 360.

S

ome people are content with the everyday, the usual, and the mundane. Others feel the need to make changes and value the unique. Rick and Daryl Francouer are in the second category.

The brothers are the owners and operators of 360 Fabrications in Abbotsford, BC. While it’s hard to calculate, volumes seem to indicate that 360 Fabrications is currently the largest custom shop in Canada. Upwards of 70 projects are on the go at any given time.

Like many in the customization and restyling business, Rick and Daryl got their start in the collision repair business.

“Dad worked at a body shop in Port Alberni, on Vancouver Island,” says Rick Francouer. “I started working there when I was 13. I used to have to run two miles to work after school.”

Rick and Daryl decided that customization suited them better, though, so they worked together for a local custom shop in the early 2000s.

“Daryl and I had this huge creative side and there was one particular customer that was begging and pleading for us to go out on our own,” says Rick.

In 2006, they opened 360 Fabrication in a 3,000 sq. ft. facility approximately two

blocks from their current location. Although starting any new business is stressful, it wasn’t long before signs of success started to appear, in the form of customers.

“We were in the middle of building a crazy truck when we opened. People wanted to come in and take a look,” says Rick. “Soon friends of friends started just dropping their cars off.”

For the next few years, business grew, their name recognition improved and things were going well. The brothers had expanded already by opening up an upholstery division and an audio division.

In a few short years, their business was booming, employing upwards of 40 staff, all on deck to customize the vehicles brought to the business by hockey players, rock stars, and corporate high-rollers.

Rick says that their success in custom cars was always in large part to their knowledge of collision repair.

“We apply all of the rules of the collision repair business to building custom cars,” says Rick. “We build better cars, and we build them faster.”

Collision repair may be in their blood, but Daryl Francouer knows they’ve got custom blood in their veins as well.

“I built and designed a custom race boat when I was 15,” says Daryl. “Kind of a strange thing to do, but growing up on a lake, I just wanted the fastest and best boat around.”

He eventually got it up to 200 hp, so there’s a pretty good chance he hit the “fastest” mark. Daryl sold the boat to get funds so he could attend the University of Northern British Columbia for aircraft engineering. Oddly enough, he may have hit the “best” mark as well.

“That was 25 years ago, but the boat still exists,” says Daryl. “Rick spotted it recently.

It’s nice to see it didn’t fall apart.”

Daryl spends his days as the Production Manager for 360 Fabrications, and his nights working on a personal customization project. Hearing that a professional customizer is working on a personal project conjures up many different mental images. Perhaps it’s a pedal-to-the-metal sports car with custom

december 2014  bodyworx professional

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>>>

CUSTOMIZERS

Getting everything just right is a team effort at 360 Fabrication.

body work and paint, or a reborn classic with a chopped roof and sumptuous interior fittings. That’s what Daryl does at his day job, though. For his personal project, he’s aiming a little higher.

Okay, a lot higher: his personal project is a 1942 Grumman Widgeon, a flying boat of the same type that was featured on the TV show Fantasy Island.

“It was last flown in 1959, so there’s a lot of work to do,” says Daryl, who is himself a qualified pilot. “The exterior is mostly a res-

toration job, but the interior is where I’m putting in most of the work. I’m modifying it to be closer to today’s jet standards.”

This is partly a matter of creature comfort, but also includes modern instrumentation and controls. As Daryl says, “It makes flying long distances a lot more comfortable and safer.”

Needless to say, he’s also installing more modern engines to provide more horsepower.

On the shop floor, Daryl’s job comes down to making sure the customer gets

A 1969 Camaro dubbed “The Bully.”

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bodyworxmag.com  bodyworx professional

what they want. A lot of the time this involves helping the customer figure out exactly what it is they do want.

“Everyone wants quality. People work hard for their money, and you have to respect that,” says Daryl. “But you can overrestore or under-restore a car. Plus a new customer may think they know exactly what they want, and they can describe it to you.

Then you point out that it will cost about $100,000 and they find they don’t quite want that any more.”

It’s funny, but it’s also a fact: what the customer wants is very strongly affected by what they can afford. Part of Daryl’s job is walking them through every step of the process, showing them what it will cost, and modifying the job until it’s on point for both effect and price.

Daryl has some recommendations for anyone who is interested in professional customization. First, spend some time as a body tech.

“I know people aren’t modifying their cars quite as much as they used to, but learning how to change quarter panels is a good start,” he says. “The basics are very important, and those are skills you can take with you.”

However, he notes that there are skills that most collision technicians don’t have

CUSTOMIZERS

<<<

Customization may involve engine mods as well as body and paint.

the opportunity to pick up at their day job.

“Very few shops have a metal shop, so today’s techs don’t often bend metal or fabricate,” he says. “If you want to customize, you’ve got to be fairly well rounded in your ability to bend metal and weld it up. You’ve got to have an artistic streak and a design in mind. If you’ve got a flair for design, start by practicing on your own cars.”

A few years back, the Francouers returned to the collision world with the purchase of a CARSTAR franchise. CARSTAR 360 operates out of the same building as 360 Fabrication, and the two businesses occasionally share staff.”

“The two shops definitely work hand in hand,” says Rick. “The neat thing is that we’ve made ourselves hard to compete against we are so diversified.”

CARSTAR 360 is often given the job of repairing badly damaged custom or rare cars.

They have the ability to build parts that they can’t order, and they have obvious experience dealing with custom cars generally.

In both collision and customization, quality of work is incredibly important. The main differences are that customization can be much more expensive, and there’s no insurance company paying for it. Every single dollar that goes into the job comes out of the customer’s pocket.

“Customers expect quality on their new cars. They expect it on their ’69 Camaros 10 times over,” says Daryl. “Working on older cars isn’t to be taken lightly.”

For both body techs and painters, Daryl recommends patience and practice, practice, practice.

“You may spend 200 hours painting a custom vehicle,” he says “You need patience and a passion for quality. You also need passion for the work itself. If you’ve got that, and you have the basic skills, it’s just a matter of practice.”

“We apply all of the rules of the collision repair business to building custom cars. We build better cars, and we build them faster.”

– Rick Francouer

The ‘69 Camaro is a popular vehicle with those who want some muscle under the custom look.

december 2014  bodyworx professional

15

We Live Coatings Innovative refinish systems recognized and trusted by body shop customers around the world.

Under the lens of Axalta, colours come to life.

Š 2014, Axalta Coating Systems Canada Company. All rights reserved.

Visit us at www.axaltacoatingsystems.com

How-To Hand-applied clear coating rivals the finish of the traditional spray on method.

<<<

Hands-on

Approach

Manual clear coating is a viable option for paint restoration, cosmetic detailing.

By Bill Rice

I The scratched up truck bed is restored with the help of hand-applied clear coating.

n my three decades as a clear coatings formulator, I never thought it possible to develop a clear coating that could be applied by hand and rival the results of the best spray on. I considered an application as easy as wax, but with a coating that flows out to a finish comparable to ones you have sprayed on for years to be the stuff of fantasies. Well, let me tell you, I was wrong.

In the last several years, hand-applied clear coatings that lay down and flow out to the same fine finish achieved with quality HVLP spray guns have become a reality. These clear coatings that restore faded paint or burned out clear coats to the original colour, often resulting in a better-than-new shine, have been formulated and are used by many detail operations. Individuals lacking spray experience, investment in baking booths and other expenses, are now taking some of

this business. But, as the “As Seen on TV” pitchmen are prone to saying: wait, there’s more.

Vendors are also claiming that this product also corrects paint swirls, light scratches, and scuffmarks. They even promise to bring life back to splotchy, faded surfaces where paint has whitened due to burned out clear coats.

Protect The application itself adds a slick new layer of clear coat protection to the paint—providing a shield against sun damage, acids and alkalis, bird droppings, insect splatters, salt spray on the coasts, tree sap, industrial pollution and other airborne contamination. Its high, dirt-repellant shine also makes it faster and easier to clean.

So how do you go about using that same new paint technology?

Starting with prep work, and how much is involved, there is a distinct controver-

december 2014  bodyworx professional

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>>>

How-To Vehicle preparation for handapplied clear coating involves first cleaning the vehicle before moving on to scuffing paste.

Below: Pictured are the recommended tools required for coating application.

Application and prep work for the average car takes under 45 minutes.

In the last several years, hand-applied clear coatings that lay down and flow out to the same fine finish achieved with quality HVLP spray guns have become a reality.

- Bill Rice

sy. Almost all coatings vendors will admit—usually only after cross-examination style questioning—that traditional cut and polish buffing is still required to take out scratches, scuffs, and paint swirls before the coating is applied.

Let’s put that aside, and cover the prep work that all vendors agree must be done prior to coating a vehicle. This involves first cleaning the vehicle with a thorough pressure washing before using a scuffing paste to provide a clean surface, free of wax and silicone, that the coating can bond to. Usually, a microfibre cloth or sponge applicator can be used with water and light hand pressure, rubbing in a circular motion. Remember, if you have to rub up and down or back and forth to clean a difficult area, always finish with a circular cleaning motion. Finish the preparation by rinsing with water and using a tack rag as the final step. The overall time to complete an average car—a Toyota Camry for example—is under 45 minutes.

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Keep in mind that the application process will vary depending on supplier instructions, but the one essential point that all vendors agree upon is you must have a wet enough coating on the surface, almost to the point of an obvious run, to allow enough coating for proper flow out. Don’t try to work it in as this is unnecessary and overworking can ruin the flow out. The objective is to have sufficient coating over the entire area to be coated so that it almost runs in order for it to dry uniformly to a fine finish. Otherwise the finished application will have streaks where there wasn’t enough coating to flow out. This is a learning process, usually taking one or two attempts, but may take four or five before you become proficient. Practice on a scrap surface to build technique and confidence in application before taking on a quarter panel, door, trunk, hood, or especially an entire vehicle. Hand application of the clear coating can take approximately 30 to 45 min-

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utes. Touch dry time varies by vendor, but usually clocks in at less than 30 minutes.

Complete dry time can take all day, but can be greatly reduced by use of heat lamps.

I know what you’re thinking: what happens if you have to paint over this miracle coating? Fortunately, a wide range of vendors offer a coating that adheres to most automotive coatings readily. Painting over it—if or when it becomes necessary—is not a problem. However, be aware that there are multiple vendors in the hand-applied category. Some of them may know everything there is to know about the chemistry of the product they sell, but some may not.

My advice is to make sure you deal with an established manufacturer, and not a reselling agent in manufacturer’s clothes.

Let’s get to the bottom line—what is the cost of implementing this new technology?

This is the sort of thing your boss is going to want to know. Truthfully, there are as many different answers to this inquiry as

How-To

<<<

Hand Applied Clears: Step-by-Step 1. Prep Work

Clean the surface thoroughly, then use a scuffing paste to make sure the surface is completely free of wax and silicone.

Rub with a sponge or microfibre cloth in a circular motion.

Rinse with water and wipe with a tack rag.

The applicator first cleaned and lightly wet sanded the vehicle’s surface before applying clear coating by hand. The end result: Whited out paint is restored to the original gloss and colour and all scratch marks have disappeared.

there are vendors. In other words, it can range from a few thousand dollars to over $50,000. In my experience, most will not allow the purchase of small quantities, like a quart or gallon, to test before buying, or to use sparingly as needed.

A franchise, distributorship or licensee package must be bought; however, we all know of at least one vendor who’s a little more flexible in this area. The cost per gallon for all hand-applied clear coatings is higher— in the ballpark of $550 to $650 per gallon— than the best spray-on clear coatings. But, as hand application is more efficient, the cost per vehicle is relatively inexpensive, ringing in at $25 to $30 for a typical sedan.

Because product usage of four to six ounces per vehicle is so efficient and hand application removes the atomization necessary for spray application, the environmental profile of using a hand-applied solvent borne coating is almost as environmentally friendly as spraying a waterborne clear.

2. Apply the Clear

With all of the benefits of this new method of paint restoration and cosmetic flaw correction considered, it might be well worth the time and effort to seriously explore this opportunity in order to serve your customers better and more profitably. But, as with any other decision, you should investigate the supplier before investing to separate the hype and hyperbole from the facts and reality.

Bill Rice has formulated clear coatings and trained applicators for Vivilon Technology Group since 1979.

He can be reached at (800) VIVILON (800848-4566), his website Vivilon Restores Faded Paint, Metal, Vinyl or Fiberglass or by emailing viviloncoatings@ yahoo.com.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for actually applying the clear.

They vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but they all agree that you must use enough coating on the surface. In the case of hand-applied clears, this is almost to the point of an obvious run.

3. Know When to Stop

Don’t work it in!

You need sufficient coating to provide flow out over the entire area so it dries uniformly. It will usually be dry to the touch in less than 30 minutes. Complete dry time can take all day, but you can cut that down with heat lamps.

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Women in the Workforce At CSN – 427 Auto Collision, it’s business as usual.

Women have been working in collision repair for as long as there has been

“The best part of working here is that it never really feels like you’re at

a collision repair industry. Today they are increasingly stepping out from

work, which goes hand in hand with loving what you do,” says DiGianfelice.

behind the receptionist’s desk and coming out of the accountant’s office to

“The facility has a great family vibe, and the coworkers and staff are truly

work on the shop floor. They’ve got the tools, they’ve got the talent, and

amazing people to be surrounded by every day.”

progressive employers like CSN - 427 Auto Collision in Etobicoke are only too happy to give them the opportunity to show what they can do.

Heather Tonner is employed with the facility as a prepper for the Paint and Prep

That’s a sentiment that Amanda Ciccone would likely agree with. Ciccone is employed at the facility as a detailer, a position that has turned a love of good looking cars into a passion.

Department. She changed her first tire at age 11 and hasn’t looked back since.

“My favourite part about 427 is that it’s a family owned company, and you

“I think my favourite part about working here are my co-workers.

can feel it working for them,” says Ciccone. “Family is the most important

There are a lot of great people who work at 427,” says Tonner. “Having a lot of girls in different departments throughout the shop is awesome. It’s a very positive environment with lots of opportunities to grow.”

Nevida Ramlochan is also employed as a prepper with CSN - 427 Auto

thing in my life and they understand that.”

Audrey Batson is an apprentice technician working in CSN - 427 Auto Collision’s Quick Repair Department. She doesn’t hesitate when asked if she would encourage other women to enter the field.

Collision, hired through the Autobody Youth Collision Employment (AYCE)

“It’s an experience worth having,” says Batson. “There is always going to

program. Like Tonner, she also credits the positive work environment with

be someone out there that’s always going to think negatively about women

helping her find success.

working in this trade, but keeping a positive attitude is the best we can do.

“Working in the edging section of Paint and Prep has taught me so much,” says Ramlochan. “Within two months I have mastered many tasks and I am able to work alongside great people.”

It’s a fact that some people aren’t suited to desk jobs, or maybe it’s more accurate to say that the jobs aren’t suited to them.

Women are just as capable as men.”

Agnes Kasza also works in the Quick Repair Department, and says one of the best parts of working at CSN - 427 Auto Collision is that the facility encourages staff to upgrade their skills.

“I have been working in the industry for over nine years, and prior to

“I was always interested in the trades and using my hands to tinker with

working here, upgrading my skills and possessing my license did not affect

various projects,” says Olivia DiGianfelice, a prepper-apprentice at CSN - 427

my position or salary,” says Kasza. “I was always mentioned as a ‘body wom-

Auto Collision. “I had a passion and interest in cars and couldn’t picture my

an’ not a ‘body technician.’ Anytime I wanted to upgrade my skills, I would

future at a desk job. I took a beginner auto body course at Centennial Col-

ask for permission and sponsorship for new courses from my former employ-

lege and instantly fell in love with all aspects of the trade.”

ers, but the answer was always ‘Why? Is it necessary to become a bodyman?’

Love of the trade itself attracts many people to the industry, but it takes a good work environment to keep them there.

Working for CSN - 427 Auto Collision, I’m being trained to work on frame repairs and aluminum chassis. The owners and management believe it’s very

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important to have everyone trained and their skills upgraded. The facility has highly experienced foremen and supportive coworkers that guide us and want women to succeed in our trade.”

There’s a lesson here for potential employers. Kasza is passionate about her work and takes it seriously.

Former employers did not treat her seriously, and now she’s brought her ever-growing skill set to CSN 427 Auto Collision. It’s a strong message: treat staff well and with an even hand, and they’ll stick by you.

Treat them like they don’t matter much, and they’ll seek an employer who values them accurately.

“My step-father has always been my first teacher and best supporter. He taught me to stay strong and gave me the confidence to believe in my ability. I am valued by my employer because of the work ethic my step-father has taught me – ‘to do it right the first time’,” says Kasza. “I love what I do.”

Hillary Noack is also employed at CSN - 427 Auto Collision, but she’s recently had to cut back on her hours to fulfill commitments to another employer. Although she’s splitting her time, the management at CSN - 427 Auto Collision aren’t upset. In fact, they’re proud.

Wouldn’t you be proud if you were the employer of Centennial College’s first female auto body instructor?

“I’ve been teaching the night school program for the last three years,” says Noack.

“This semester I started teaching classes for the regular program.”

Teaching is part and parcel of the working environment at CSN - 427 Auto Collision. Those with more experience pass it on to newer recruits, and the benefits

427autocollision.com

show up throughout the shop.

“I really love all of my coworkers. We’ve got a really good family environment,” says Noack. “We also hire a lot of apprentices, so we’re always looking to help them out.”

Good colleagues help a lot, but it takes more than that to create a positive work environment. CSN - 427 Auto Collision has that covered as well.

“We’re kind of spoiled,” laughs Noack. “Getting to work in such an awesome facility where everything is so modern helps makes it easy for us to pass on what we’ve learned.”



416.259.6344

395 Evans Ave. Etobicoke ON M8Z 1K8

>>>

tech talk

F

Reference Point Technical data sheets can limit product failures, saving you time and money.

By Justin Jimmo Technical Representative – Refinish Sales for Co-Auto Co-Operative

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or repair shops, product failures are an unwelcome strain on time and money, driving most technicians to keep a well-maintained product blacklist. The unfortunate, and often unrealized reality is that in the majority of these cases, the failure lies squarely in human error, and has nothing to do with the product itself. The only surefire way to give a product a fair chance is by closely following its technical data sheet (TDS). If you know where to track down, and properly use a TDS, you can effectively stop any avoidable problems right in their tracks.

Take clear coat, for example. In most cases, all the information the technician really needs to work with is the mixing ratio and possibly whether it’s a production clear or not—in other words, fast-drying.

These details are easy enough to remember if your rep passes them along, but then you risk walking away without the whole picture. You might not know product properties like bake temperature, tip size and pot life.

In many paint booths, the bake cycle has been set to one temperature and is rarely adjusted. Clear coats, however, range widely in both recommended temperature and bake cycle time. The same idea can be applied to tip size. Many technicians are practiced in spraying with a 1.2 or 1.3 tip and make the mistake of assuming they can do so with any clear coat. If the TDS recommends a 1.5 tip and you end up using a 1.2 in its place, the odds are you will not have a pleasant experience with that product. Unless you consult your TDS in its entirety, you run significantly higher risks of failures such as solvent pop, dieback, adhesion problems, and so on. Of course, this practice isn’t exclusive to clear coat—proper documentation should be available for all primers, basecoats, axillary products, bonding adhesives, and body fillers.

Neglecting to follow a TDS led to one of my first product failures early on in my career, involving a flexible finishing putty bubbling from bumper repairs after a bake cycle. The first thought was to simply stop baking the bumpers, despite my being relatively confident nobody would design a product that worked in that way. After I

tech talk

Justin Jimmo demonstrates the correct application of primer surfacer.

Paint chips are engulfed in a clear resin for proper viewing under a microscope to check for paint film defects or to examine mil thickness.

finally read the product TDS, there it was, in big, bold letters: DO NOT APPLY OVER URETHANE-BASED ADHESIVES. From that point on, the product was only ever applied over an epoxy-based adhesive, but a whole a lot of trouble could have been saved just by referencing the TDS before, and not after the fact.

Another gaffe occurred while using a faster drying polyuroxy additive in an epoxy primer. One quick glance at the TDS provided me with the mixing ratio and the series of hardeners to use, but I overlooked one important fact—a warning against the use a fast hardener with the additive, and the instruction to use a normal speed hardener. It may sound backwards, but you can guess which one I picked, and by

While its purpose is to make a tech’s job easier, a TDS is a commonly overlooked source of valuable information.

Following the product TDS sheet, Justin Jimmo applies basecoat to a Chrysler 200.

the time I got to spraying, the product had turned to gel inside my paint gun. The additive reacted with the accelerator in the fast hardener and again left me with the messy consequence of not following the TDS correctly.

While its purpose is to make a tech’s job easier, a TDS is a commonly overlooked source of valuable information. Most of the time, the sheets are not provided upon ordering, so it’s important to know where to find them. Most manufacturer websites have them readily available, and a quick product search can often retrieve everything you need to know in under a minute. Those less than tech savvy are better off simply asking their jobber to provide a TDS. Tracking down product information is

<<<

Technical data sheets are easily available for all products, eliminating any guesswork and preventing product failures in your shop.

A halved paint gun serves as an educational prop in training to demonstrate how it functions.

an incredibly simple and effective way to empower yourself and the quality of your work, increase production and reduce the chance of adding to a list of embarrassing repair faux pas.

Justin Jimmo is a Technical Representative – Refinish Sales for CoAuto Co-Operative. He is also the founder of refinishnetwork.com, an online community for automotive painters. His videos can be seen online at youtube.com/ user/jimmo4life.

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TechTalk: Building Your Career in the Collision Industry Bill Davidge is CARSTAR’s National Technical Manager. With over 30 years of industry experience, Bill is CARSTAR’s lead technical trainer and also works as a trusted technical and operations consultant to CARSTAR’s insurance partners and CARSTAR’s 200+ franchise partners and staff.

I have a lot of passion for the collision repair industry. This year marks my 30th year of working in the industry and looking back I can honestly say that I am glad I chose to work in such a varied and challenging field.

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work as a technician, painter, estimator and owner. I have also worked as an independent appraiser, an I-CAR instructor and currently as National Technical Manager at CARSTAR Automotive Canada. This is a role that allows me to continue to use my knowledge from all of those roles to help others in their collision careers.

Like many of you, I started out young with a love of cars and had a lot to learn. As I reflect on my career, I recognize a number of things that helped me succeed and grow, and equipped me for opportunities down the road.

Perhaps you are wondering what you can do to develop and further your career.

If that sounds like you, here are some of the things that I have learned.

Surround yourself with great people.

I have benefitted greatly from the feedback and guidance of managers, co-workers, trainers and many others in the industry. Their insight and feedback played an indispensable role in helping me improve at my job and allow me to understand what I needed to do to “get ahead.” As you look to grow in your career, surround yourself with people whose skills you admire and listen to the feedback they give you – including constructive criticism. Having your work or work ethic criticized may sting, but it is important to know what you need to do to get better.

Embrace challenges and work hard to overcome them.

Early on I developed a positive, problem-solving mindset and learned to look at roadblocks as challenges to overcome. These challenges included everything from “why can’t I get this electrical problem repaired?” to “what can I do to become an appraiser?” I encourage you to look at problems as not only “pains in the butt,” but as opportunities to increase your knowledge and expertise. Learn to love a good challenge.

Be willing to learn and to put in the time to acquire new skills.

Are you an apprentice who wants to learn to paint? Then take some time to prep and paint vehicles on your own time. Interested in potentially becoming an appraiser? Take time to learn the estimating system at night when the shop appraiser is not using it. Taking initiative like this will help you learn new skills and demonstrate to your manager that you are interested in taking on more and different responsibilities. Also seek out and take industry training; whether it is through I-CAR, suppliers or franchise or banner training. I coordinate and teach many of the technical courses that CARSTAR offers to its franchise partners and staff and I cannot stress how valuable it is to attend training sessions, try out new skills, make mistakes and get immediate, hands-on coaching from experts.

Look and act like a professional.

This may sound totally unrelated but I can say from my experience and from witnessing other people’s careers that it is very important to present yourself professionally. Your uniform, how you groom yourself, keeping a positive attitude and being personable are so important in making a good impression on your owner, manager, peers, customers, suppliers and other professionals that you will meet. Down the line, one of those people may be in a position to help you further your career. You never know who is watching or what role they could play in your development; so look and act professional at all times. I even went so far as to take a public speaking course – which I believe helped me with my in-shop communications and equipped me for my current role as a technical trainer.

There was a time earlier in my career when I felt I was in a rut. I was frustrated and discouraged that I was not progressing in the industry as fast or as well as I thought I should. I remember looking in the mirror one day and realizing who was in my way… me! It was tough to face the reality, but I was my own worst enemy in building my career until I started to apply some of the above concepts.

Whether you want to pursue a lifelong career in one area, like painting, or are interested in learning and mastering multiple roles—both inside a collision store and perhaps outside such as with an insurance company or supplier, I encourage you to implement some of what I have learned and take advantage of all the opportunities that are out there in our great industry.

Got a technical question? Looking for technical career advice or coaching? Reach out to Bill at techtalk@carstar.ca

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Every year, CARSTAR offers their franchise partners and staff hundreds of hours of training and professional development. These courses—both technical and non-technical—are delivered across the country and equip more than 2000 of our staff with the latest best practices in the collision repair industry.

Are you interested in working for CARSTAR? Send your resumé or simply reach out to us at hr@carstar.ca.

Canada’s leader in the Collision Repair Industry

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KUSTOM KULTURE

This deceptive school bus packs more than you’d think under the hood and in the interior.

l o o C Too l o o T Sch for Hot rod school bus packs more than meets the eye.

By Mike Davey

26

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ake a quick glance, and it’s a school bus. Take another look (and you will) and it’s obviously more than a little bit different from the standard vehicle. Within seconds, you’ll likely ask yourself, “did someone really build a hot-rod school bus?”

Yes, they definitely did. The hot-rod bus is the creation of MMC Bus Division in Stoney Creek, Ontario. The facility primarily repairs and refinishes buses for schools and transport companies. The hot-rod version of the commonplace kid carrier was the brainchild of Wally Coutu, the location’s General Manager.

“The reason we did this was to give back to the community and our partners,” says Coutu. “A lot of companies will hold family barbecues, and they’ll ask us if we

KUSTOM KULTURE

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A panel at the rear swings up to reveal the full sound system and DJ station.

From a distance, it might look like an ordinary school bus.

Get a little closer and the illusion disappears completely, as custom bodywork, chrome wheels, and other details jump out.

Another custom touch on the interior: a replacement for the stock gear shift knob.

Those pipes really help the hot rod look, but they’re by no means decorative. They conceal water cannons with a range of over 25 feet.

want to be a sponsor. We thought this would be a good way to give the kids at these events something to do, while giving back to our partners.”

The bus is undeniably kid-friendly. A panel on the top rear of the bus flips up to reveal a DJ station, while the pipes on the front hood are hooked up to a 40-gallon tank and can shoot water up to 25 feet in the air. Inside, the seats have been removed and replaced with candy machines.

Photos might fool you into thinking that the bus is still the standard yellow colour, but up close you can tell it’s anything but.

It’s actually a three-stage golden pearl, originally intended to match one of the colour options on the Ford Focus. The paint job is a striking reminder that it’s a hot rod. Small touches serve as a reminder of the vehicle’s origins. Sharp eyes will notice that the

You’ll likely ask yourself, “did someone really build a hot-rod school bus?“ Yes, they definitely did. bus retains its official number on the door, and “bluebird” insignia have been repainted at the forward upper corners.

Currently, a new hood with larger pipes is being designed and built, and there are still plans on the drawing board to install a wheelchair ramp for the rear door.

“There’s head clearance from ceiling to floor, so that’s not a problem,” says Coutu.

“We wanted to include a wheelchair ramp so nobody would feel excluded.”

Part of the plan was for kids and parents to be able to come through the bus and buy some candy from the machines.

All proceeds would go to charity. Unfortunately, the costs to insure the bus for this sort of activity have turned out to be prohibitively high.

Coutu has insured the vehicle as a personal hot rod. This means he can drive it, but he can’t let people walk through the bus, even when it’s parked.

“It’s a shame,” says Coutu. “We’ve put two years into building this, and it’s cost over $100,000. We certainly aren’t looking to make money from it, but right now we can’t even use it properly.”

For more information on MMC Bus Division, please visit mmcbusdivision.com.

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TECH tips

Picking up PDR skills can benefit the entire production process, from detail to paint.

Opposite page, Right (top to bottom): What began as a simple dent worsened with improper PDR; the dent is corrected thanks to the skilled hands of an experienced PDR tech.

Photos courtesy of National Alliance of Paintless Dent Repair Technicians (NAPDRT);

Alan Anderson of Vale Training Solutions demonstrates the creation of dents of uniform size and depth for testing purposes.

Learn PDR Step up your game with paintless dent repair techniques.

BY Steven Hartley

S

pending the last decade as an autobody and collision technician—and working as a paintless dent journeyman for two of those years—has taught me a few things. In my experience, paintless dent repair (PDR) techniques are sorely underutilized in the training and repair processes in most body shops.

When I flip through textbooks used for apprenticeships, I can find but one paragraph that makes mention of the technique, like it’s some sort of secret black magic. To help shed some light for those kept in the dark, I’ve outlined seven benefits PDR can provide apprentices and industry professionals.

Minimized repairs Pushing for paint, as you may have guessed, involves pushing a dent on a panel ahead of

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painting. The real value in practicing this technique is its overall effect on the entire production process, from detail to paint. By repairing the dent to near completion before primer works to finish the job, correcting any remaining imperfections, pushing for paint effectively minimizes the size of repairs. It was during my first few weeks of training that I picked this skill up. While you can expect to have some subpar repairs initially, the beauty of learning in a shop is that you have everything you need on hand to correct any mistakes.

Increased production While an increase in production is sure to follow the mastering of PDR techniques, when I first started out, it had the opposite effect. As a beginner, you should expect much of the same, as you’ll be on a learning curve that will inevitably cause a dip in

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your production. However, if you keep at it, it won’t be long until you develop a trained eye and in some cases, it will only take you a few seconds to push a dent out. Eventually you’ll get so good at it that you won’t ever walk into prep with your head hung low because you missed a dent the first time around and have to backtrack and fix it.

You’ll also find you need less filler in your repairs, which mean less sanding, which means you can start your next job much sooner. Don’t give up and production efficiencies will follow.

Blending minimization Depending on a dent’s location, it is preferred that the technician keeps repairs to a minimum. This helps reduce the need for a paint department to blend dents into adjacent panels. In a conversation I had with

TECH tips

before

Nothing guarantees repeat business like showing that you have your customers’ best interests at heart, and suggesting a PDR does just that.

an insurance adjuster, he spoke of a potential situation where a shop could be paid to blend, and if the repair was kept to a single panel using PDR, the shop could then use the funds saved from the job and apply it to the next PDR repair order. This technique has the potential to create a win-win situation with the shop saving product and time, while insurance companies don’t have to worry about any additional blending or paintmatching issues that may arise.

Quality control Traditional dent repairs require the use of a stud welder, in which the pins welded to the sheet metal burn the E coat onto the backside of a panel. When a PDR process like glue-pulling is used to pull out a dent, the damage to the back side of the metal is not a concern. As for pushing dents with rods, if

After

a soft tip is used, damage will be minimal.

The ability to correct the sheet metal more accurately also enables straighter filler work and smaller repair areas, which results in a better finished product.

Customer satisfaction Forget the fact that PDR techniques save customers time and money. The real, longlasting benefit is the impression and overall satisfaction they experience knowing their collision shop is doing so by choosing PDR over a more costly, traditional method of repair. Nothing guarantees repeat business like showing that you have your customers’ best interests at heart, and suggesting a PDR does just that. As a bonus, if the PDR is done in-house and it does not pan out for whatever reason, the up-sell to a paint repair is relatively easy considering the car is already in

<<<

the shop with the customer already committed to financially investing in a repair.

Job security Every tech has a niche, something that makes them unique in their shop that makes them an asset. Some specialize in mechanical repairs or have their A/C ticket, some do heavy hits or are good at big filler repairs.

There are techs skilled in the ways of tearing down and damage analysis, or rebuilding and quality control. All of these abilities or characteristics benefit the team as a whole, but to owners and management these are true assets to their shop’s overall success. So what do you do that makes you an asset? What makes you irreplaceable? What leverage do you have when it comes to review time? If you’re looking to stand out, my advice for you is to pick up and master PDR techniques.

Peer respect When you’re still in the learning phase, and coworkers and peers are scrutinizing your subpar PDR work, it’s imperative to keep your ego in check. Remind yourself that they’re trained to analyze automotive physical damage. It’s what they do, and like I mentioned earlier, it’s like a kind of black magic. They didn’t hear very much about it in school, and some have probably never even met a PDR tech before. Eventually as your PDR skills improve along with your traditional repair knowhow, those same critical naysayers will be the first ones to acknowledge your triumphs, and management will begin to appreciate the benefits of your new skill set. You will be depended on for certain repairs and called on when there’s a need. They’ll wonder how they ever managed without you.

Bottom line Learning PDR has multiple benefits and is an invaluable asset for any collision technician wanting to expand on their current skills and abilities.

Steve Hartley is a Certified Auto Body and Collision technician of over 10 years experience, now specializing in Paintless Dent Repairs as owner/operator of Collision Magicians, founded in 2012. He can be reached at Steve@ collisionmagicians.com.

You can find his work on Instagram with his handle collisionmagician.

december 2014  bodyworx professional

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Your

Aluminum Solution

Simple & Easy to Use! SP-5 SMART MIG

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materials

<<<

Aluminum dent pulling systems must allow the technician to keep pulling pressure applied while the damaged area is heated and massaged back into shape. Photo courtesy of I-CAR.

Differences between materials impact the repair process and the results.

By Shawn Collins, Les Gombas, & Nina Wedge of 3M Canada

H

ave you heard about the 2015 Aluminum F-150? Of course you have. Aluminum is the topic du jour and the hype is only escalating.

When new technologies or big changes come along in the collision repair industry, hysteria and shady sales pitches are sure to follow.

Aluminum has been used for vehicle construction for decades but this resurgence will have some significant impacts. The most significant will be the new equipment cost.

From hand tools to welders and riveters, many big ticket tools will be required to repair the F-150 or any other aluminum vehicle. There will be some lower cost alternatives in some cases. Ford will not require

a permanent aluminum clean room but will recommend at the least a curtained off area.

Please follow Ford’s recommendations.

Some special tools and equipment will be necessary but most products and materials that are used for steel can be used for aluminum. There may be differences such as abrasive grade adjustments but 3M’s position, with very few exceptions, is that all materials currently used for steel can be used for aluminum as long as they are used in accordance with directions for use.

It is also important that tools and materials used for steel are kept separate to avoid contamination.

The same seam sealers, body fillers, undercoats and abrasives can be used on both substrates. Just knowing that drastic material changes will not be necessary should

alleviate a great deal of anxiety. The difference lies not in the products and materials, but in the repair process itself.

The physical properties of aluminum are different than that of steel. Steel has a memory when bent or deformed and has a tendency to go back to its original shape during the repair process. With steel, heat can aid in the reforming process but may not be recommended on many of today’s high strength steels.

Conversely, aluminum has a tendency to remain in its current shape or remain deformed when damaged. The grain structure of aluminum differs from that of steel because it is much less inclined to realign during the repair process, and unlike steel, aluminum should always be heated during straightening.

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materials

This can make repairs difficult and require different equipment and more finesse and patience. If the aluminum is accidentally stretched while repairing, the panel is no longer repairable. Aluminum dent pulling systems should allow you to keep pulling pressure applied while the damaged area is heated and massaged back into shape. The equipment is very different and more expensive but the materials are still the same in most cases.

Most premium body fillers and glazes contain high-quality adhesion promoters and are approved for use on aluminum when directions and Standard Operating Procedures are observed.

These premium fillers can be used on bare aluminum or over epoxy primer as some OEs require.

When sanding, follow the grade recommendations of the OE, which will generally recommend a finer grade when working on aluminum vs. steel and never coarser than grade 80.

Special aluminum compatible abrasives are not necessary, but never use the same sheet of sandpaper on aluminum if it was previously used on steel. The abrasives are the same but it is a good idea to segregate them in separate cabinets according to metal substrate.

Some technicians may think that because aluminum doesn’t rust, corrosion protection is less important or even unnecessary.

Sealing repaired joints tightly during repairs is very important to prevent oxidation and corrosion from occurring.

Applying protective coatings like anti-chip coatings and undercoating is also necessary to protect the aluminum body. Stone chips can start the corrosion process on aluminum by allowing oxidation to creep under the paint film and cause blisters known as filiform corrosion. After heating or using dent pulling equip-

to

Need Know 32

ment on aluminum, a cavity wax must be used to re-seal the surface of the aluminum on the back side. The back sides of any welded joints also need to be coated with a cavity wax. The corrosion protection process is very similar to that of steel, and the products that can be used are the same. No specially formulated seam sealers, rust-proofing or anti-chip coat-

Most products and materials that are used for steel repair can also be used for aluminum repair. ings are required. The same products can be used if the directions for use are followed.

Some materials are equally effective when it comes to aluminum panel bonding and steel panel bonding, although the process is slightly different for each. For example, 3M Panel Bonding Adhesive is compatible and OE approved for both aluminum and steel. 3M Panel Bonding Adhesive has been used to bond aluminum panels for nearly 20 years and is specifically recommended by Ford for the repairs to the 2015 Aluminum F-150. In the case of 3M, panel bonding adhesives undergo extensive testing to be specified by an OE, so there is no question about its ability to bond aluminum parts successfully.

Aluminum has been used for vehicle construction for decades but this resurgence will have some significant impact, the most significant of which will be the new equipment cost. From hand tools to welders and riveters, there will be many big ticket tools that will be required to repair the F-150 or any other aluminum vehicle.

With aluminum and other different substrates soon to arrive, you’re going to have to handle the car with hygiene in mind. Even with a curtained work area it’s likely steel particles will make their way to the aluminum. Clean the panels immediately before applying any coatings or fillers.

The use of self-generated vacuum tools can keep particles to a minimum while keeping the equipment spend down. Evaluate needs and determine what can be done with existing equipment.

It remains to be seen how the adjustment to mainstream aluminum repairs will go for collision repair shops. Many shops have made similar adjustments in the past and are well prepared to make this change without much difficulty. The advent of waterborne paints had an impact on the paint shop whereas the aluminum change will impact the metal shop and leave the paint shop, for the most part, unscathed. There may be small adjustments in the paint shop but nothing major.

The other good news is that the allied materials needed for aluminum will also change very little, though some marketing campaigns may say otherwise. You will not have to deal with wholesale changes or many additional part numbers for materials, which frees you up to spend your time sorting out equipment needs and making sure you’ve received adequate training.

Tackling aluminum repairs?

Here are key things you need to know: • You will need some special tools, but many standard tools and products will work.

• Separate your tools and work areas to avoid contamination.

• The science of the substrate drives the process.

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• • • •

Always follow Standard Operating Procedures!

Corrosion protection is critical.

Use this opportunity to review your habits.

Now is the time to train yourself for tomorrow’s repairs.

• Always follow OE recommendations.

S R E E R A C G IN T PROMO

R I A P E R N IN COLLISIO

Invest in your future,

BECOME A 2015 CCIF SKILLS PROGRAM SPONSOR WWW.CCIFSKILLSPROGRAM.COM For more information Contact Leanne Jefferies, CCIF Skills Program Director, leannej@skillscanada.com or 905-628-2041

profile

The 18-year-old’s talents have earned her recognition at every competition she’s participated in.

g n i h s i n i F ) (Re

l o o sch

18-year-old Catherine Mathewson is helping to close the industry’s gender gap.

By Melissa Hayes

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W

hen three young women took to the 2014 Skills Canada national skills competition (SCNC) podium to accept medals in the car painting category, that coveted bronze, silver and gold-coloured recognition wasn’t only symbolic of hard work, dedication and demonstrated talent, but also of the changing face of the industry itself.

While long considered a traditionally male-dominated field, more and more up and coming members of the fairer sex are rolling up their sleeves to make their mark in the world of collision repair, and in the process, turning outdated stereotypes on their head. Forget finishing school—where girls learned the social graces expected of a lady in fashionable society—this next generation has no qualms with swapping out the pearls and gearing up to earn a spot working in the trades.

It’s a shift 18-year-old Catherine Mathewson is proud to be a part of. The Scarborough native was one of the aforementioned SCNC finalists, taking home silver at the secondary level, behind Vicky Bouchard with gold, and Kassandra Plante-Bilodeau with bronze at the post-secondary level.

A seasoned contender, Mathewson competed multiple times regionally, provincially and nationally throughout most of her high school career. Her proven eye for colour and keen attention to detail has made the competitor’s name known among judges while catching the attention of Leanne Jefferies, Director of CCIF skills program and AIA Canada collision programs.

“She was the Ontario car painting champion two years in a row, and just from watching her in action, she’s phenomenal,” Jefferies says. “She’s got a great level of talent and passion, and has performed exceptionally well.

“She knows exactly what she wants to do and she’s willing to do all the work required to make sure she has the right skills. It’s females like Catherine who employers should be seeking out at skills competitions.”

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profile

Danforth Collegiate Technical Institute auto collision repair instructor, and chair of Skills Canada, Bill Speed, left, has been one of Catherine’s biggest supporters.

It’s no surprise that this has been the case going back to Mathewson’s first year competing at the provincial level, when she was approached by a BASF tech rep on the lookout for a colourist, drawn to her knack for colour-matching. It’s this positive feedback that has helped push her forward each year.

“When I started, I had no expectations.

I thought, as long as I push myself to go as far as I can go, I’m happy; and surprisingly enough I won provincials the first year,” she says. “I was really amazed with

“She knows exactly what she wants to do and she’s willing to do all the work required to make sure she has the right skills. It’s females like Catherine who employers should be seeking out at skills competitions.”

Catherine Mathewson took home silver in the car painting category at the 2014 Skills Canada national skills competition.

Mathewson is currently employed with Excellence Auto Body in Toronto.

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cesses are a product of her own hard work and commitment.

“I have a certain sense of pride as far as teaching her, but as a facilitator I can only demonstrate, I can point out where to do things better; at the end of the day it’s still on the student,” he says. “As far as I’m concerned, I just facilitate an opportunity for them and whether they take it and run with it, that’s up to them. She’s got the drive, that’s the main thing.”

With co-ops at Prochilo Brothers and Scarborough Toyota under her belt—each

- Leanne Jefferies

myself at nationals, I didn’t expect it to happen. The second year, I knew I wanted to go for gold.

“I was a little sad about coming second, but it’s not like I didn’t enjoy it, and I can’t wait to compete next year at the post secondary level.”

Mathewson adds that her accomplishments are owed in part to the guidance and encouragement of one of her biggest cheerleaders, her Danforth Collegiate Technical Institute auto collision repair instructor, and chair of Skills Canada, Bill Speed—whom she has come to consider “a second dad.”

Studying auto body under Speed from grade 10 through her final year, the instructor played a definitive role in her development, but is careful to give credit to where credit is due, stressing any suc-

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workplace enthusiastic to have a woman aboard—Mathewson’s talents have landed the aspiring colourist an apprenticeship at Vaughn’s Excellence Auto Collision. Currently the envy of her friends, working with BMWs and other luxury vehicles, Mathewson has been busy picking up new skills and refining learned ones since September.

Shop owner Peter Woo says he’s impressed with their latest addition, praising her work ethic and honed skill set as she keeps busy on the polish and refinish side, while also taking time to shadow the resident female airbrush artist.

“You see these two work together, it will blow you away,” says Woo. “It’s just an amazing level of talent. I can’t say enough about it.”

profile

While her own journey may speak to a growing female presence in the trade, Mathewson says the lengthy process has only just begun, and will need much more industry engagement and outreach to young girls, inviting them to step up and realize their dreams—a sentiment wholly shared by Jefferies.

“I think there’s a lot more interest from women to enter the collision repair field, and it’s certainly something that as an industry, we need to be working on because there’s a great deal of talent avail-

able out there,” Jefferies says. “One of the challenges is changing our image, and attracting those young women in the first place.”

And once those perceived barriers are broken, she adds that there still remains a responsibility to provide female employees with a positive, welcoming work environment.

In this regard, the road for Mathewson hasn’t always been a smooth one, but she’s learned the best way to combat any negativity thrown her way is to sim-

<<<

ply let the work do the talking.

“Sometimes it’s tough to be the only woman in a big group of men, but I tell other girls, if you want to do it, do it. Don’t let anyone stop you or push you down.

Shut them up by doing an amazing job,” she says.

“I’m just a proud supporter of women working in the trades in general, and if we can keep attacking the old boys’ club, then why not? Just because you’re a different gender doesn’t mean you can’t do the same thing.”

Usually the only girl in the crowd, Catherine Mathewson is working to fight gender stereotypes.

She Knows Collision Repair: The Women’s Industry Network The Women’s Industry Network (WIN) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to encouraging, developing and cultivating opportunities to attract women to collision repair while recognizing excellence, promoting leadership, and fostering a network among the women who are shaping the industry.

WIN will hold its 2015 Educational Conference in Baltimore, Maryland from May 4 to 6, 2015.

Overlooking Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the Baltimore Waterfront Marriott has been selected as the location of this year’s event. In addition to the professional development programming, the Educational Conference will once again feature the Most Influential Women awards as part of the celebratory gala dinner as well as the Annual Scholarship Walk fundraiser.

“The 2015 WIN Educational Conference marks the 10th year

of successful collaborations among WIN volunteers, members and sponsors. Our goal is always to provide the WIN membership and the collision industry a highly professional educational experience centered on professional networking, advancing business acumen and growing collision connections,” says Denise Caspersen of National Autobody Parts Warehouse, who also serves as WIN’s Chair. “It’s exciting to see the plans underway by WIN member volunteers to deliver quality conference content, honor the Most Influential Women in the industry, and connect WIN members.”

thewomensindustrynetwork.ning.com

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CAREER PROFILE

No Limits Robby Robbs consults for Fortune 500 clients, but his start was on the shop floor.

By Mike Davey

T

here’s really no way to be certain where you’ll end up when you start on a journey. The destination you had in mind when you started may shift along the way.

That might be the case for Robby Robbs, CEO of NuCon, a consulting firm servicing companies in the automotive, insurance, and related industries. The firm’s typical client is a Fortune 500 company, often with a global reach. The boardrooms of top corporations may seem like they’re a long way off from the production floor of a collision repair facility, but Robbs found a direct path.

“It started in high school when I took automotive classes. I had an interest in cars from a young age, but I hadn’t quite decided if that was the career I wanted,” says Robbs.

In 1974, Robbs was working at a service

38

station pumping gas. While it wasn’t much of a career, it was a job, and it helped that he was already interested in cars. He asked management if they could sponsor him as an apprentice, thinking he might become a mechanic, but they couldn’t.

Instead, Robbs turned to the collision side of auto repair. He had an uncle who was in the collision business, with a location in his hometown of Ottawa. His uncle was willing to sponsor him as an apprentice technician and painter, and soon he was on his way.

“It was an interesting lesson,” says Robbs. “Sometimes we’re not really sure what we want to do in life, and we kind of land on things. It doesn’t always work out, but generally, if we work at it ends up being a perfect fit.”

Robbs was soon enrolled as an apprentice technician at Algonquin College in Ottawa. He

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served out his apprenticeship, completed his hours, and within a few years had the qualifications to become a journeyman technician.

While he worked for his uncle at first, Robbs also spent time at other facilities over the next seven years. Movement was pretty rampant in the industry at the time, so there was nothing unusual in this. However, his uncle came into Robbs’ life again when he pointed out that there were opportunities not just for those who were technically competent, but also for those with management potential.

“I started to learn how to write estimates, started learning how to do bookkeeping and scheduling, and how to monitor other people’s work to make sure production stayed on track,” says Robbs.

He continued working for his uncle for another few years, and then took an opportuni-

CAREER PROFILE

<<<

Robby Robbs delivers a presentation at an industry conference.

Skills he developed as a working technician have continued to serve him as a consultant to international corporations.

ty with Turpin Pontiac Buick. He stayed on as assistant manager for the next 10 years.

“After that 10 years, I realized that I was rather limited in terms of how much further I could go,” says Robbs. “Frankly, I felt that I was capable of more. I just wasn’t sure how much more.”

Around this time, fate stepped into the picture, in the form of a phone call from insurance firm The Co-Operators. Robbs wasn’t sure at the time if he wanted to become a permanent part of the insurance industry, but the opportunity was one that suited his skills and presented a challenge.

“This was back around the time when the industry was first looking into direct repair programs,” says Robbs, referring to what is now a common part of the industry. “I was responsible for the implementation of The Co-Operators direct repair and cost analysis programs.”

Robbs was not a full-time employee at that time, but an independent contractor.

He soon joined the firm full-time as Regional Auto Physical Damage Manager, and within a year was promoted to the national level, overseeing the company’s programs and processes across Canada.

He was with The Co-Operators for approximately the next 10 years. Up until this point, one step in his career had followed the next in a relatively logical and straightforward manner. The next step for Robbs, though, was anything but straightforward.

“I left the company in 1998 and acquired a fledgling company called Vital Innovations,” says Robbs.

It was a move that surprised many of his colleagues. Many of them thought he had gone crazy, and looking back it’s easy to understand why. Robbs walked away from a

multi-billion dollar corporation, the largest insurance company in Canada at the time, and one where his personal area of responsibility was around the $900 million mark.

Vital Innovations, on the other hand, was only doing around $300,000 a year when it was purchased by Robbs.

“I sold that company five years later,” says Robbs. “We had turned it around so that we were doing about $36 million a year, and I say we because it took a lot of dedicated staff that believed in my vision.”

It was a decision that paid off in the end, but why did Robbs make it in the first place? Leaving behind job security for an uncertain venture isn’t easy.

“It started when I realized that there was no such thing as job security except for what you build for yourself,” says Robbs.

“A new CEO at The Co-Operators issued a

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CAREER PROFILE

Everyone starts somewhere. Robby Robbs in the 1970s outside Pruner Ford in Ottawa.

Transferable Skills Robbs says there are skills you develop as a technician that can apply to other areas of life. First among these is problem solving.

“Problem solving is underrated, and you’ve got to be a good problem solver to fix vehicles,” he says. “But to carry it to other environments, you’ve got to have elements of strategic thinking, and you’ve got to be open-minded.”

He also says that you mustn’t neglect interpersonal skills. You may be able to problem solve, but that won’t get you far if you can’t articulate those solutions.

“The next thing would be to develop a business sense,” says Robbs. “If someone is academically inclined, any business program will help them out. If you’re not academically inclined, take a look at the environment you’re in and look at the next best opportunity. You might get into appraisal, estimating, or management, and then develop those skills.”

Robbs has shied away from lateral moves, saying there’s no value in just moving around.

“If I was going to make a move, it would be a step up,” says Robbs. “There had to be more money, greater opportunity, or more responsibility. Avoid moving just for the sake of moving.”

Practical skills aside, Robbs says advancing yourself is more a matter of attitude.

“Be portable and willing to travel,” he says. “Don’t limit yourself to one industry. Look at all of the industries associated with your starting industry. This could be insurance, the OE, or the supply side. Be willing to expand your horizons and don’t put limitations on yourself.”

40

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mandate that we had to reduce the size of our organization by 25 percent, and I was part of the process for deciding the fate of a large percentage of our staff. I asked myself what those folks would say if I asked them about job security.”

As Robbs notes, job security isn’t something an organization gives you.

“When you accept a position, you’re also accepting a certain lifestyle,” says Robbs.

“The market determines what you’re worth.

It says if you’re an astronaut, then you’re worth this, if you’re a doctor, you’re worth that. Frankly I never liked the idea of anyone telling me what I was worth.”

It was this realization that put Robbs on the road to entrepreneurship. The decision to purchase Vital Innovations wasn’t made in haste or without due consideration.

“They had done some very interesting things, and I saw an opportunity to commercialize a lot of their technical products,” says Robbs. “I thought it wasn’t a particularly risky venture, the way I was planning to move forward, so I involved all the right partners and relaunched the company.”

During his time as CEO, Robbs also launched a subsidiary company called InsuroCity. Essentially it was a claims-management platform that allowed insurers to automate and streamline claims adjudication and service provider management via the internet.

The world has changed so much that it might be difficult to recognize just what a leap forward this was. InsuroCity coordinated the flow of information and decisions between claims adjustors, service providers, and product providers in real-time, offering

CAREER PROFILE

them new opportunities to control the costs of claims management processes, and to enhance customer service levels. Everyone could work with the same information at the same time.

Robbs tried retiring at age 45, but it didn’t work out.

“I received a phone call from AkzoNobel, asking if I would be willing to launch a company for them,” he says. The company eventually became known as Nobilas, a service organization for insurers seeking a way to outsource their claims practices. Robbs stayed with Nobilas until AkzoNobel decided to divest all of its non-core related activity and sold the business to a group in the UK. “I thought I could try retirement again, but I was only 49, and realized I still wasn’t ready,” says Robbs. “I had received some phone calls to do some consulting, but I had no intentions of becoming an industry consultant.”

Robbs says the number of calls made him reconsider his position.

“I got to thinking about it, and realized it would allow me to think strategically, continue to be in charge of my own value, and only take the work that I found invigorating,” he says.

He founded NuCon Services, consulting to automotive, insurance, and related industries. The firm has helped many clients find greater success, profitability, and efficiency over the years, but Robbs plans to wind down operations in May 2015.

Don’t limit yourself to one industry.

Be willing to expand your horizons and don’t put limitations on yourself.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that retirement is not an end, rather a state of mind that suggests one can do what they want, when they want and for the reasons they want. In many ways this defines the last 15 years of my career so I’m fortunate in that

<<<

regard, particularly when I consider that during those early years, I really had no sense of what I wanted to do in life. While I plan to end my consulting practice, I intend to remain involved with governance where I can continue to play a role in the strategic side of business,” he says.

No one would begrudge him a chance to relax. It’s been a long and productive career, and he says he owes it all to where he started.

“There are people who see this trade as a dead end industry, but I believe it’s anything but,” he says. “I used the industry as a vehicle to get to different places and learn different things along the way and it’s been a remarkable ride.”

The industry has changed significantly since Robbs started his apprenticeship in 1974, but there are still opportunities for entrepreneurs willing to work hard.

“I am truly impressed with some of the younger talent we see in the industry today, like Steve Leal at Fix Auto, Michael Macaluso at CARSTAR, Tony Canade at Assured Automotive, and many others,” he says. “There are a lot of brilliant minds in this industry today, and they’re going to create a whole slew of new opportunities.”

Robbs on I-CAR Robby Robbs is well known in the industry for his tireless efforts on behalf of I-CAR, the non-profit industry training organization. He first became involved with I-CAR on the executive level in 1997, and as a student well before that.

“I was never an academic,” says Robbs. “I never graduated high school, but I recognized early on that I liked to learn when it was ‘hands-on.’”

The introduction of unibody vehicles brought home the lesson that it’s not just a good idea to train, but rather it is something that absolutely must be done.

“The unibody vehicles weren’t put together like a conventional vehicle, and we needed different techniques,” says Robbs. “I-CAR was the saving grace. For me, it became an issue for consumers. As an industry, we had a

responsibility to know proper repair methodolgy, and not from hands-on training on the floor. Formal training was the key to making absolutely sure that technicians had the right knowledge and skills before they started a repair. That realization was what really got me involved. It’s good for the industry and it’s good for insurers, but most importantly it’s the right thing to do for the public.”

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INDUSTRY event

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l o Custom Co When it comes to customization, SEMA takes the crown.

I

t may be a nuts and bolts business, but there’s plenty of flash and glamour in the auto world. The SEMA Show in Las Vegas is where the glamour takes centre stage.

It’s not unreasonable to say that the SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the entire world. It’s hard to imagine one that’s bigger. Drawing together some of the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the SEMA Show attracts more than

Vortech Superchargers shows off this mild custom classic truck at the 2014 SEMA Show.

100,000 industry leaders from more than 100 countries.

The show itself continues to grow year after year. Two new events this year help to reinforce SEMA’s position as the preeminent show for professional customizers and tuners. First, the Battle of the Builders brought together well over 100 professionals to show off their skills (and cars!). For more on this, see page 6 of this issue.

Second, this year saw the launch of SEMA Ignited. SEMA is a professional show, meaning members of the public are not admitted under any circumstance. However, a lot of the displays at SEMA are exactly the sort of things that amateur car junkies love: custom builds, wild paint jobs, and new highend tools. The solution is SEMA Ignited. It’s the official SEMA Show after party, and everyone’s invited.

SEMA Ignited featured some of the world’s most unique and celebrated customized vehicles at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. After four days behind closed doors in the Las Vegas Convention Center, visible only to industry professionals, hundreds of cars and trucks from the SEMA Show rolled out of the building in the SEMA Cruise and, for the first time ever, assembled at SEMA Ignited—an extravaganza that included food, music, celebrities, iconic builders, and displays.

The event gave the public, media, SEMA Show exhibitors, attendees and guests a rare opportunity to collect and share images of hundreds of customized vehicles featuring the newest and most innovative products from the 2014 SEMA Show.

For those of who couldn’t attend the show, we’ve got a special photo gallery of some of the most eye-catching customs at SEMA this year.

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INDUSTRY event

The Enthusiast Network (TEN) showcases their Dodge Charger.

make and pinstriping Custom paint iss. m to rd ha ” the “Lifestyle

Minivans aren’t cool ... unless they’re this Toyota Sienna by Chip Foose and West Coast Customs.

’61 s off his restyled Chip Foose show veiled at un , on ati cre er Ford Starlin sday, November 4. the BASF booth Tue a Metallic Grey es tur fea The Starliner Glasurit 90-Line. paint from BASF’s

ster was í23 Track T Road This eye-catching nder of Magnuson fou , on us gn Ma built by Jerry Indy cars. d past builder of Superchargers an

te the

na continues to domi Candy Apple paint 14 SEMA Show.

20 the at or flo show

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West Coast Cu stoms built TRON the Llumar bo Audi R8 in oth at the 20 14 SEMA Show .

INDUSTRY event

<<<

Rivision, built by Canadia n JF Launier, drew a lot of attention at SEMA. Rivision appeared on the cover of a recent issue of Bodyworx Professiona l.

s BTR Genesi ng. veiled a ’14 Raci Hyundai un Blood Type by d ize om Coupe cust

2015 King Cobra Mustang

by Ford Racing on display at the 2014 SEMA Show.

to its name with House of Kolor lives up zling red. daz in er dst roa this classic

SEMA continu es as shown in th the trend of wild customs is ‘72 Chevy No maro.

Awards

SEMA isn’t just glitz. New products often make their first appearance at the show, and there’s an official award program for those that really stand out. The categories are diverse, including exteriors, interiors, and much more. Below are the winning entries from just two of the many categories.

Collision Repair & Refinish Product

Tools & Equipment Product

Winner: Malco Products Inc., Quarter Panel Hemming Air TurboXTool Runner Up: 6 Hands, 6-Hands Universal Body Panel Holder Runner Up: Luma III Inc., Aurora

Winner: Tire Profiles-TreadSpec, Groove Glove, Mobile Tire Laser Diagnostics Runner Up: Celette, Naja Evolution 3D Measuring System Runner Up: Luma III Inc., Aurora

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INDUSTRY SKILLS

Tomorrow’s

The competitions help to unify the industry in attracting fresh blood.

Techs

Skills Canada competitions are working to attract the next generation.

By Leanne Jefferies

S

ince the CCIF Skills Program was established in 2008, the collision repair industry has been attracting the attention of students, parents and educators at Skills Canada competitions held across the country. The competitions offer industry a unique environment to showcase exciting career opportunities, a chance to interact with students, and the opportunity to bridge industry and education.

The events also support students and apprentices who have already selected collision repair as a career path, allowing them to display their talent and reach for provincial, national, or international recognition. Student competitors have the chance to meet professionals from different sectors of the industry and explore possible career paths.

This year, training opportunities were incorporated into a selection of the competitions. Competitors received advanced training they wouldn’t normally have access to, ensuring they left the event armed with new skills and knowledge. Several repairers also sent their apprentices to compete, providing a great way to support new talent, build passion for the industry and loyalty to the employer investing in them. Many of the technical committee members organizing the events are past competitors themselves, and can attest that the experience changed their lives and careers for the better.

Our industry held 10 competitions in 11 provinces in 2014, helping to move collision

46

Expanding each year, Skills Canada competitions are a great vehicle for promoting and celebrating all the industry has to offer.

repair into the spotlight. During this year’s Skills Canada national competition, our industry enjoyed the largest square footage of any of the 45 skilled trades. Over 50 volunteers—including educators, collision repairers, suppliers, insurers, and OE manufacturers—helped set up, organize and judge the event. Industry has joined together to deliver quality events featuring the advanced technology and exciting career opportunities in collision repair like never before. Since the program was created, over 600,000 student spectators have attended the events.

Two new event locations were also introduced this year. In BC, car painting was hosted at Craftsman Collision in Abbotsford. In New Brunswick, the auto body and car painting competitions were held at CARSTAR Fredericton. In Ontario, the competition was expanded to two days to include training from Axalta, 3M, Duroair and Caruk & Associates. Students learned new skills on the latest and greatest equipment from some of industry’s top experts.

There are two new car painting competitions planned for 2015, set in BC and Alberta with thanks to Color Compass Corporation and the donation of a DuroPure paint booth. Thousands of students in these provinces will likely see car painting in person for the first time. This brings our 100 percent on-site events count to four.

In the New Year, I-CAR is set to offer free training to students in the auto body competition in Ontario, and to trainers at the na-

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tional competition in Saskatchewan. As we add new events, national partners such as 3M, SATA, LKQ, Uni-Ram, AkzoNobel, Axalta, BASF, PPG, Sherwin-Williams and others, continue to provide the materials needed to deliver great events.

The CCIF Skills Program is only successful because we are working together as an industry. We are supporting students training for a collision repair career and effectively reinforcing that their choice was the right one. We are also reaching students who have never considered collision repair as an option, demonstrating that we have professional, high-tech, careers to offer.

Leanne Jefferies is the Director of the CCIF Skills Program and AIA Canada Collision Programs.

She is based in Ontario, and can be reached at 905-628-3401, or at ljefferies@bell. net. To learn more about the CCIF Skills Program, please visit ccifskillsprogram.com.

PRIDE. PASSION. SKILL. SPECIAL EDITION FOR REPORT T E C H GO TIP S :GOLD: G U INATIONAL D E T O SKILLS T I N TCOMPETITION ING OF

You work hard, every day, getting customers back on the road and keeping the engine of the business running. You’re the last line of defense between the customer and their next accident.

It all comes down to you.

BODYWORX THE VOICE OF COLLISION REPAIR TECHS & PAINTERS

PROFESSIONAL CLASSICS REBORN Details are the key at the Guild of Automotive Restorers.

ON FIRE! The basics of painting flame effects.

This is your industry. This is your magazine.

Bodyworx Professional celebrates techs, painters, and other members of the production staff. Every issue is packed with news, how-tos, and tips on working smarter, faster, and better, with a special insight into the world of customization and restyling.

New VISION

CANADIAN JF LAUNIER’S “RIVISION” TAKES TOP CUSTOM AWARD.

PLUS

Be the best you can be. Subscribe to Bodyworx Professional today.

Tips on tinting, Steck’s new tool covers, and much, much more!!!

August 2014

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FREE Coupon!

Sign up for your subscription now and receive a coupon for your choice of Mirka’s 5” or 6” Net Abrasive Discs, valued up to $100.00*. Go to www.collisionrepairmag.com and click on the Bodyworx ad to sign up. *First 100 subscriptions qualify for free product. Only one email address per subscriber allowed. Only one email address per shop will receive free sample. Product may not be exactly as shown.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Go to www.collisionrepairmag.com and click on the Bodyworx ad to sign up.

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BODYWORX THE VOICE OF COLLISION REPAIR TECHS & PAINTERS

PROFESSIONAL

PATHWAY TO THE FUTURE Trainingmatters.ca is the destination for accessing career training and opportunity within collision repair and associated industries. Targeted to career seekers and those already working, Trainingmatters.ca provides tools, resources, processes, connections and a comprehensive directory of courses across Canada.

Become a member today and help build your future.

For more information contact Ellen Smith, Director of Sales & Marketing, at ellen@mediamatters.ca or 416.536.9285.

Trainingmatters.ca T H E T RA I N I N G P O RTA L F O R C O L L I S I O N R E PA I R

POWERED BY

school spotlight

SAIT Polytechnic SAIT’s Auto Body Technician program delivers a skillfocused approach to learning.

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AIT is a member of Polytechnics Canada, a national alliance of research-intensive, publicly-funded colleges and institutes of technology dedicated to highquality job creation.

The Main Campus is located at 1301-16 Avenue NW, in Calgary, Alberta. The Auto Body Technician program is taught at the N.R. Buck Crump Building on the Mayland Heights Campus at 1940 Centre Avenue NE.

Program Overview Students are trained to repair/replace damaged motor vehicle structures and components, prepare for refinishing, and apply interior and exterior finishes. They may specialize in prepping, refinishing, sheet metal and plastics repair, or frame straightening. Journeyman certification is available as a prepper, refinisher, or repairer. Combination of the three results in full Auto Body Technician certification. Red Seal certification is available as a refinisher or an auto body technician.

Entrance Requirements Apprentice educational requirements are monitored by Alberta and Industry Training. A minimum of a pass mark in English 10-2, Math 10-3 and Science 10; or all five Canadian General Educational Development (GED) tests; or passing the apprenticeship entrance exam, is required. Apprentices in the program qualify for the apprenticeship incentive grants and the apprenticeship completion grant.

Graduation Outlook Auto body technicians are employed by auto body repair shops, vehicle dealerships, custom shops and companies with vehicle fleets.

Wage rates vary, but generally range from $19 to $35 an hour plus benefits, depending on the region. Experienced techs may advance to supervisory positions, start their own businesses or become damage appraisers for insurance companies.

Program Length Auto body journeypersons choose from four areas of specialization: • Auto Body Prepper – 2 years • Auto Body Refinisher – 2 years • Auto Body Repairer – 3 years • Auto Body Technician (certified in all 3 areas) – 4 years

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Students can specialize in prepping, refinishing, sheet metal and plastics repair, or frame straightening.

Getting Started: Your First 120 Hours SECTION ONE: INDUSTRY OVERVIEW AND REGULATIONS (18 HOURS) A. Advisory Network (3 Hours) Outcome: Explain the Auto Body Technician apprenticeship program.

B. Interprovincial Standards (3 Hours) Outcome: Participate in the Red Seal/ Interprovincial standards program.

C. Safety in the Workplace (6 Hours) Outcome: Demonstrate safety as a prepper in the auto body shop.

D. Regulations That Affect the Trade (6 Hours) Outcome: Follow work practices that adhere to the regulations of the auto body workplace.

SECTION TWO: COMPONENT REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (30 HOURS) A. Hand and Power Tools (Prepper) (6 Hours) Outcome: Use hand and power tools common to a prepper.

B. Batteries (3 Hours) Outcome: Perform battery charging and boosting.

C. Trim Removal and Installation (9 Hours) Outcome: Replace interior and exterior trim.

D. Component Assembly – Removal and Installation (12 Hours) Outcome: Replace components following manufacturer’s recommendations.

SECTION THREE: SUBSTRATE PREPARATION (72 HOURS) A. Substrate Identification (12 Hours) Outcome: Identify types of paint finishes.

B. Application of Fillers (12 Hours) Outcome: Use fillers to repair minor imperfections no more than 1/8” (3 mm) deep.

C. Surface Preparation and Stripping (18 Hours) Outcome: Reduce mil thickness, smooth and level a substrate.

D. Masking (12 Hours) Outcome: Mask for undercoat and topcoat application.

december 2014  bodyworx professional

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final detail

your business Entrepreneurship will take you a long way.

By Mike Davey

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ou are in business for yourself. You may not own the physical plant where you put in your hours, and you may not have registered as a business with the government. Nevertheless, you’re in business for yourself.

Technicians frequently work on a flat rate or piece work system. If this is you, always remember that you’re essentially running a business within a business. You’re not in competition with

man and other required resources, and is responsible for its success or failure.

This is you, and it’s also anyone who works for a living, whether they realize it or not. First, last, and always, you’re in business for yourself.

I’ve floated this idea before, and the most common objection I hear—almost entirely from business owners, rather than their staff—is that it’s contrary to the concept of loyalty to an employer. I don’t agree. You can be a loyal em-

First, last, and always, you’re in business for yourself. the collision facility itself, nor are you necessarily in direct competition with your fellow techs.

You might not work under a system like this at your current position.

Perhaps you’re paid hourly, and your paycheque is not dependent on how much work you can accomplish in any given week. There are still benefits to be realized from thinking of yourself as an independent business person, rather than thinking of yourself strictly as an employee. When you make this your mindset, you are engaging in entrepreneurship.

In a nutshell, entrepreneurship is the process of starting a business or other organization. The entrepreneur develops a business model, acquires the hu-

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bodyworxmag.com  bodyworx professional

ployee, fulfill all your duties, and help to move the business as a whole forward, while still remembering that you’re in business for yourself.

Think about it this way. Chances are that you’re with your employer because you have goals that either match up or at least don’t conflict. Your employer wants to repair vehicles. You want to repair vehicles. There’s no conflict there.

In fact, there’s an absolute alignment of goals. Without this basic alignment, there’s no reason for you to go work, and no reason for your employer to hire you in the first place.

That’s not to say that your personal goals may not come into direct conflict with your employer’s goals at some point. Perhaps you decide to leave one

day and open your own facility. This is likely not something your employer actively wants, and it may conflict with their current goals. At that point, your goals no longer align and it’s time to draw the partnership to a close.

Any employer/employee relationship can and probably should be viewed as a partnership. Both parties are bringing resources to the table, and both parties should receive a benefit when the business (or businesses) succeed.

Thinking of yourself as an entrepreneur doesn’t always mean that you change your work behaviour. It certainly shouldn’t be used as an excuse to treat your employer or colleagues like they don’t matter. It’s actually the reverse!

Maintaining good contacts are much more important to an independent businesperson than they are to an employee. Growing your network of professional contacts and staying on good terms with them should be one of your top priorities.

This applies very strongly if your eventual goal is to own your own collision repair facility at some point. The colleagues of today may be your employees one day, and they would prefer to work for someone they know and respect, They might also end up as your prospective employers one day. Good working relationships can pay off big, just like bad ones can hold you back.

Mike Davey is the editor of Bodyworx Professional. He can be reached at 905-3700101 or via email at editor@ collisionrepairmag.com.

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To shave seconds off your time in the shop, rely on Valspar Color Information Maps and the Valspar Spectrophotometer for quick, easy color accuracy. You’ll be off the clock and out the door in no time. www.valsparauto.com

PEERLESS FINISH THAT STANDS UP TO THE MOST DISCERNING EYE When it comes to his award-winning vehicle restorations, only the best will do for Chip Foose. So when selecting the perfect finish, Chip makes the only clear choice: world-class Glasurit速 finishes. Take a deeper look into how you can put the rich color and deep brilliant gloss of Glasurit to work in your shop.

Visit www.basfrefinish.com/glasurit.

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