36 minute read
TOM’S TALES
THE POWER OF PARR
The limits are endless with great people by your side
BY TOM BISSONNETTE
As many of you know, I am not an auto body technician—I was a mechanic in my previous career. This has been, in some ways, a disadvantage—but in other ways it gives me an edge. I’ve never had preconceived notions on how things ought to be done, so you will seldom hear me say: “We’ve always done it that way!”
It was clear to me that the quality of Parr’s bodywork and paint was substandard. Back in 1986, we were still using lacquer primer and
acrylic enamel paint. Our top bodyman was finishing his work in 80 grit sandpaper. There was no quality control check—except when the customer came to pick up their vehicle and pointed out the shortcomings of the job! Enter the good people at Reineking paint. I have to give Koos Reineking a lot of credit for helping to change not only our shop culture but more importantly to change my character.
Koos was very non-judgmental and patient with me in my early days. For example, I was invited to go to Holland on a Body Shop Study Tour by the Reineking organization in the spring of 1987.
I saw enough of the shops over in Europe to make the decision to come back and totally transform Parr into a world class collision repair facility.
I made the decision to install the SIKKENS paint system into our shop—which involved
a total re-think on how bodywork and paint prep was done. Fernand, much to his surprise, was invited to come to Parr and help train our production employees on the new way.
Our employees were incredulous! When told to finish in at least 120 grit—preferably 150 to 180 grit—bodymen suggested in jest, “why don’t we just paint the vehicle for the painter?”
Our painters, when told to use a two-stage primer that had a pot life of two hours or less and a dry time of four hours or more without heat, rolled their eyes and said, “that would never work in Canada!”
Our top bodyman, the 80-grit guy, promptly gave his resignation. Our head painter, a gruff German fellow pretty much dismissed the two-stage primer and went about his business. As a young manager I wondered if I bit off more than I could chew but I saw
with my own eyes how the European shops were performing high-quality world-class work, so I hung in there.
A few key people helped me through this stage of my career.
Don Swick, now a PPG Manager of National accounts, was the assistant manager of the shop. He has always had my back. Not only that but Don has magical abilities—at least I
think he does—in that everything he touches turns to gold! As long as I’ve known Don it seems that whatever he puts his hand to is a success. He has a winner’s mindset and an inner confidence that he can accomplish whatever he puts his mind to, plus he is just simply a fun guy to be around. Those of you that know him understand what I’m saying. Art Sekuluk, who now farms out near Kenaston, was a local painter that was among the first in the province to use SIKKENS paints at a local boutique body shop called Automobile Technique. Art was very adept at using the two stage products and was a
great coach for the other painters. His easygoing manner and competent paint skills were almost instantly transferred to the entire paint staff.
Dennis Klemecki, now the bodyshop parts guy at Dodge City. Dennis is one of the finest body men I have ever worked with. He was ahead of his time when it came to the new way of doing bodywork and he was a great source of technical advice for me. He encouraged me to press on many times when I felt like quitting and he has always had my back.
Working with these men made me realize that you do not have success by yourself, you need other people who are strong where you are not. I was fortunate to have them in my life.
Parr went from being an average shop to becoming one of the highest quality shops in the city. The Honda dealership located next door to us started referring their collision customers to Parr within a year. The Dodge dealer across the street also started sending their collision work to us even though they had their own body shop—we even repaired the dealer principal’s personal vehicles!
Business was booming. We had a mechanical area with three mechanics, a dedicated frame guy, three paint booths and
four painters, six or more body men, a parts person, two auto detailers, a shop custodian, a couple of receptionists along with Don and I. We had a great team, and we were invincible!
It was at this time that I approached the owners of the business about my being involved in the ownership of the business. That option was offered to me when I first came to Parr, but the business was doing so poorly that I suggested that we wait to see if I could turn the business around before I jumped on board. Now that things were rolling along nicely, they were hesitant to extend that offer to me.
I noticed that Dodge City was building a new bodyshop across the street from Parr, so the next time I saw the dealer principal I asked him if they were looking for a shop manager. He was thrilled that I was interested and offered me a job right away.
I went back to the owners of Parr and told them that unless I could be part of the ownership of Parr that I had an opportunity to go work for the Dodge dealership—knowing full well they would never let me go.
I was wrong. They wished me good luck, showed me the door and immediately hired one of the top managers at SGI to run their business for them.
There I was, in the dead of winter, at Dodge City’s old bodyshop on the edge of working with eight pessimistic employees and the owner’s son—a spoiled brat.
I had poured my heart and soul into Parr and now I was relegated to a dealership body shop that basically required me to start all over again. I remember meeting with Koos and his brother Ton Reineking at a local hotel to explain my current situation and ask for help in finding me another job anywhere else in the collision industry. Essentially, they told me to suck it up.
If I didn’t like the situation, I was in then I should take control and make the business the way I thought it should be. They didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear, they told me what I needed to hear.
I went back to work the next day determined to get the body shop business at Dodge City on track.
TOM BISSONNETTE
is the director of the Saskatchewan Association of Automotive Repairers (SAAR). He can be reached at dir@s-a-a-r.com.
COLLISIONS AND COVID-19
The up-and-down drama of 2020’s claims counts
BY ALLISON ROGERS
As the roller coaster of 2020 unfolded before us, predictions of the number of collisions on Canadian roadways were a question long-lingering in the autobody repair community’s minds.
According to Canada’s road stats for 2020, collision frequency was nearly halved at some points in the year, compared the year prior. According to Mitchell International’s data, Canada saw a 50.09 percent reduction in accident frequency in April 2020 compared to April 2019.
Like all good coasters, the first descent was followed by a climb; by May 2020, collisions were down 20 percent compared to the same time in 2019.
The summer months brought more steady rates as restrictions were eased nationwide—but when the November chill gripped Canada, collision frequency numbers took a 30 percent hit year-over-year.
The autumn drama was short-lived; by the end of the year, things began to bounce back. In December 2020, accident frequency was only down 26.46 percent, compared to December 2019. The claims recovery, while quicker than many anticipated, came as Canadians turned to their personal vehicles for travel, many of them wary of public transportation methods and in need of a cure for pandemic-induced cabin fever.
The Ontario Provincial Police’s (OPP) records for the province mirror that of Mitchell. According to OPP data, however, the lower-than-normal number of collisions in 2020 resulted in a higher number of fatalities. Collisions in Ontario dropped 26 percent in 2020, compared to 2019, though fatality rates were up 22 percent.
“We don’t have the traffic volume in 2020 that we typically would for a variety of different reasons, and yet we still have roughly the same
Collisions in Ontario dropped 26 percent in 2020, compared to 2019, though fatality rates were up 22 percent.
number of fatalities and that in and of itself is disturbing,” said Derek Rogers, the media relations co-ordinator for the OPP’s west region. “You would think with lower traffic volume and fewer collisions that there would be fewer deaths but that hasn’t been the case.”
A number of the deaths were preventable, said police. Among the deaths, 62 were linked to speed, 51 to alcohol/drug use, and 45 to distracted driving. Lack of seatbelt use, contributed to 55 driver and passenger deaths.
In 37 of the last year’s incidents, no other vehicles were involved.
“It is a unique year, but certainly we’re loathe to point in the direction of the pandemic simply because our stats vary from month to month and we can get very large spikes and dips,” Rogers said. “What we can say is that there have been far too many people who have lost their lives on our highways.”
A large number of Ontario collision deaths were deemed preventable and attribute to careless and dangerous driving behaviours. Sixty-two deaths were linked to speeding, 51 to alcohol/drug use and 45 to driver inattention. Failure to wear a seat belt contributed to 55 driver/passenger deaths.
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THE BEAT OF THE BODYSHOP
Repairers share their go-to music genres
BY MAX REID
The bodyshop can be a noisy place; someone could be welding in one area, a heavy-duty fan could be blowing in another, reception is bustling with customers and phones are ringing all day long—maybe there’s a shouting match with an insurer, or two.
It can be easy to get lost in the cacophony of shop noise and find yourself out in the parking lot just to let your ears stop ringing.
In fact, an overabundance of noise in the workplace can lead to a slew of health issues that don’t even involve your ears or hearing at all. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) notes the potential for increased muscle tension as well as changes in breathing and blood pressure when exposed to large amounts of industrial noise.
That’s why we here at Collision Repair decided to sing a new tune for this issue and reach out to our readers to hear about how they bring the noise at the workplace.
In a survey sent out to our email subscribers, we asked all about the role of music in the bodyshop and how it helps our collision industry experts, in the repair bay and the office alike, get through their day.
For the sake of establishing the sorts of environments around the bodyshop that music can be found in, we asked respondents to report how often there is music playing in their work area as well as where in the shop their work area is.
It was found that about 60 percent of respondents reported that there is almost always music playing in their work area.
To no one’s surprise, rock/metal seems to be the top genre among Canadian repairers.
RESULTS:
2 3 4
1
Do you listen to music while you work?
1. ALWAYS 63.2% 2. RARELY 21.1% 3. SOMETIMES 10.5% 4. NEVER 5.2%
What genre of music to listen to while you work?
5. ROCK/METAL 42.1% 6. COUNTRY/FOLK 15.8% 7. POP 15.8% 8. CLASSICAL/INSTRUMENTAL 10.6% 9. LOCAL RADIO 5.3% 10. MIX OF GENRES 5.3% 11. N/A 5.1%
What kind of influence does listening to music in the bodyshop have on overall staff morale?
12. VERY POSITIVE INFLUENCE 52.6% 13. SOMEWHAT POSITIVE INFLUENCE 31.6% 14. NEUTRAL/PLAYS NO ROLE 10.5% 15. SOMEWHAT NEGATIVE INFLUENCE 0% 16. VERY NEGATIVE INFLUENCE 5.3% 9
8
7 10 11
6 5
14 16
13 12
As well, 60 percent of respondents said that they work from offices and about 25 percent from the repair bay, with reception area and spray booth staff making up the last 10 and five percent, respectively.
Regardless of where the music is being played from however, 63 percent responded that the music they do get to listen to is played on shared speakers and don’t necessarily get a choice what they listen to.
All said, respondents appear happy with the general choice in music played at work with the response of Rock/Metal representing 42 percent of those surveyed and aligning with the preferences of the 52.6 percent who want to hear rock music while at work.
In a turn of events that is unlikely to shock all the young techs separated by decades from their co-workers, the most common method for listening to music in the shop is still the ol’ reliable FM band radio, with about 58 percent reporting local radio as their go-to, with streaming as the only notable alternative.
In fact, 84.2 percent of those who took part in the survey consider playing music in the workplace to be either a somewhat positive or very positive influence on staff morale, with select outliers drawing attention to the potential distracting influence of bringing additional noise into an industrial environment.
At your next staff meeting, consider bringing up the idea of having a speaker playing in the shop; maybe even make a staff playlist, no doubt they would get excited for it.
And if you’re not comfortable with more noise at work, that’s fine too. But, as one respondent pointed out, music is an essential part of life from infancy and on, and it can never hurt to check-in with the more creative traits of your staff every once in a while.
Talk to them about Luke Combs. Apparently, they all really like him.
Ask your staff about Luke Combs—18.2 percent of respondents are currently tuned to his tracks.
REGIONAL NEWS | COAST TO COAST
Aerial view of Granville Harbor and bridge in False Creek. Burrard Bridge and the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada.
TRY, TRY, TRIAL AGAIN
Consistently in the crosshairs of critical British Columbians, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) is in hot water again over its newly introduced no-fault insurance platform that has B.C. trial lawyers calling the model unconstitutional.
The B.C. Trial Lawyers Association successfully argued in court that ICBC’s platform, wherein claims are settled internally via a tribunal, is unconstitutional in that it denies the right of the individual to an impartial, federally-appointed judge.
“We think that the independence of our superior courts is an important feature of Canadian democracy and Canadians should not be quick to give up their right to access an independent judiciary,” said Kevin Gourlay of the B.C. Trial Lawyers Association.
The platform began its initial rollout in April of 2019 and has been subject to criticism for much of the time since.
A statement from the province’s attorney general, David Eby, promised that the government would be looking into changes for B.C.’s auto insurance platform, allowing “lower-value disputes” to be settled before the province’s Civil Resolution Tribunal and that none of the changes would affect future rebates to come from ICBC.
EV EDUCATION
In an effort to continue to turn the tide of automotive development toward the EV (electric vehicles) sector, the government of British Columbia has announced nearly half a million dollars in funding heading toward the launch of three EV-focused skills training programs in the province.
The B.C. government will be splitting up $440,000 among Okanagan College’s Kelowna campus, College of New Caledonia’s Prince George campus and Camosun College’s Interurban campus in Victoria.
This round of funding aims to build upon a 2019 pilot project launched out of the British Columbia Institute of Technology which eventually led to the full implementation of the pilot program.
“We know from speaking with our students and with industry that there is huge interest and a real need for EV training. This funding ensures we can tool up to deliver state-of-theart training that will help our students be in demand and get jobs,” said Andrew Ross, automotive service technician instructor, Okanagan College, in the announcement press release. “It’s a win-win-win.”
Ken Rowell, an instructor at the College of New Caledonia, elaborated on what the program will offer.
“The course is designed for automotive service technicians with a Red Seal certificate. It goes beyond the basic safety training and gets into diagnostics, repair and service.”
Rowell also spoke to the increasing demand for training in these forms of emerging technology.
“In BC, with high gasoline prices, and abundant hydro power, electric cars are a quickly growing part of our fleet. This program will help our existing auto technicians gain the skills needed to provide EV and plug-in hybrid owners with convenient and affordable maintenance and repair.”
The B.C. government will be splitting up $440,000 for new EV training courses among Okanagan College’s Kelowna campus, College of New Caledonia’s Prince George campus and Camosun College’s Interurban campus in Victoria.
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Icefields Parkway. Athabasca Glacia. Jasper, Alberta, Canada.
WILD WEST
Albertans, check your keys; a new report from HelloSafe.ca shows that the province is swinging well above its weight when it comes to rates of vehicle theft, and the thieves’ targets aren’t exactly what one might expect.
The report, published on February 2, outlines rates of vehicle theft across Canada and showed that despite coming second to Ontario in terms of overall theft, the rate per 10,000 showed that Alberta represents a far higher proportion of vehicle thefts than many other provinces, despite its relatively small population in comparison to Ontario. Of 87,007 vehicles stolen in 2019, Alberta accounted for 23,535 of them, closely following Ontario who reported 23,992. However, in Alberta, thefts occurred at a rate of 54.84 stolen vehicles per 10,000 people, versus Ontario’s 17.07. It is important to note that Ontario’s population is roughly ten million people greater than Alberta.
Province-by-province, the results were nearly split, with the coastal and prairie provinces seeing most thefts target pickup trucks like the Ford F350 and F150, as well as the GMC Sierra and Dodge Ram.
On the other hand, central provinces like Ontario and Quebec experienced a majority of thefts on crossover SUVs like the CR-V and the RX350.
Of 87,007 vehicles stolen in 2019, Alberta accounted for 23,535 of them, closely following Ontario who reported 23,992.
SPRUCED UP
CARSTAR Spruce Grove is a brand new 9,500 square foot facility.
CARSTAR, North America’s largest premier network of independently owned and operated collision repair facilities is proud to announce the opening of CARSTAR Spruce Grove located at 368 Saskatchewan Avenue, Spruce Grove, Alberta.
Owner of CARSTAR Spruce Grove, Alex Babrack, opened his first facility in 2016 alongside his brother Ramsey and friend Jacob. The team was always passionate about vehicles and eager to become entrepreneurs so they could become the choice collision repair facility for Spruce Grove.
“My experience is in business management, Ramsey is a talented painter, Jacob is a skilled repairer and we have all known each other for over 15 years,” says Alex Babrack, owner, CARSTAR Spruce Grove. “This business has given us so much and we are excited to expand our operations and provide a higher standard of collision repair excellence with the resources CARSTAR provides to help benefit our incredible Spruce Grove community.”
CARSTAR Spruce Grove is a brand new 9,500 square foot facility. With a staff of I-CAR certified technicians, a welcoming customer area and state-of-the-art equipment to provide high-quality repairs to all makes and models, the team at CARSTAR Spruce Grove is excited about its new operations.
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Open road through vast prairie and farmland, Saskatchewan, Canada.
COMING SOON FROM SGI
Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) delivered an update on its collision industry services during the March Saskatchewan Association of Automotive Repairers (SAAR) meeting, detailing its incoming paint material rate changes as well as current endeavours alongside software management companies and OEMs.
The first SGI announcement to take effect will come April 1 as water-borne paint material will increase from $55.25 to $57.94 per hour of refinish time. Imron paint material will also increase from $67.57 to $70.86 per hour of refinish time, said the insurer.
SGI also announced that is in discussions with Mitchell International to pay directly for shop estimating application subscription costs. SGI plans targets to have the new services agreement in place for May 1, 2021.
The insurer is also targeting a May 1, 2021 deadline for its new OEM procedure subscription allowance to coincide with the estimating subscription payment changes. Much like the previous Safe and Quality Repair program (SQARP) OEM procedure incentive that came to an end last December, SGI plans to compensate shops for active OEM procedure subscriptions retroactively to January 2021.
Finally, the prairie province’s public insurer announced a Collision Shop Contract project launched in response to survey responses earlier this year.
SGI has announced paint rate increases, effective April 1.
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The Bloukruin Manitoba farm road near Fouriesburg, Manitoba, Canada.
THE MPI FADEAWAY
Like feet at your mom’s house, the repair rate terms presented to Manitoba Public Insurance by provincial repairer associations are officially off the table after negotiations broke down.
MPI has given a 90-day notice announcing the termination of the current industry agreement with the automotive trades on repair rates.
Talks between the Automotive Trades Association of Manitoba, the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association (MMDA) and MPI were underway to renegotiate the terms of compensation for light vehicle repair work, which was to be set in place on April 15.
“We started these rate negotiations roughly last fall,” said Brian Smiley, media relations coordinator for MPI.
“We’ve now reached a point where we know that there is no moving forward. The proposal they submitted to us, in our opinion, would result, if we accepted it, a double-digit rate increase for our customers.”
The public insurer referred to the other side’s terms as “unprecedented” and claimed that they are taking positive steps through the proposal of a compensation package with increases to labour, material rates and adjustments to several estimating standards.
During the 90-day notice period, customers with outstanding claims or repairs in progress can still have their vehicles repaired at any accredited facility.
In response to reports from CTV, executive director of the MMDA Geoff Sine pointed out that collision repairers in Manitoba are the second least paid in the country and that they simply seek fair compensation.
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Niagara Falls Aerial View from helicopter, Canadian Falls, Ontario, Canada
ACCIDENT INSIGHTS
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have released collision and fatality data for 2020, showing a decline in total collisions for the province but an increase in fatalities.
Last year saw 26 percent fewer collisions than 2019, though the fatality rate was 22 percent higher.
A large number of deaths were deemed preventable and attributed to careless and dangerous driving behaviours. Sixty-two deaths were linked to speeding, 51 to alcohol/ drug use and 45 to driver inattention. Failure to wear a seat belt contributed to 55 driver/ passenger deaths.
In 2020, Ontario saw: 285 fatal road collisions, compared to 304 in 2019; 305 fatalities, compared to 335 in 2019 and 55,581 collisions, compared to 75,128 in 2019.
The Ontario government is hoping to clear the path for entry into the skilled trades industry as Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development Monte McNaughton announced a $47 million investment into apprenticeship programs, according to a press release.
The new Achievement Incentive Program and the expanded Apprenticeship Capital Grant aim to get apprentices out the door and on the job by helping them complete their training and achieve certification.
According to the press release, these programs are designed to support those who train apprentices, such as businesses, colleges and other training organizations.
“This is a critical investment as our apprentices will be the ones who will help provide essential services and build our future hospitals, highways and homes,” said McNaughton.
The Achievement Incentive Program has the potential to offer an autobody shop a $1,000 payment once their apprentice reaches a new in-class training level or receives the highest level of trade certification.
Last year, Ontario saw 26 percent fewer collisions than 2019, though the fatality rate was 22 percent higher.
PERKS FOR PROGRESS
The Achievement Incentive Program has the potential to offer an autobody shop a $1,000 payment once their apprentice reaches a new in-class training level or receives the highest level of trade certification.
NEW TOY FOR CSN
The machines are among us—more specifically among the staff of CSN St. Clair in Sarnia, Ontario, as the shop becomes the first in Canada to have a GreenTech E5 Dryer robot installed in its spray booth.
With more than 40 years in the automotive refinishing industry, FlatLine is a proven name when it comes to innovation. The company’s new line of GreenTech dryers are powered by methane gas, making them able to emit a low-intensity uniform heat without producing flame.
The big green machine from FlatLine Technology has led to a sales increase of 37 percent for the team at CSN St. Clair, as well as a decrease in touch time by 18 percent.
CSN St. Clair has been running in the Sarnia area since 1960 and this latest addition from FlatLine is sure to help the shop continue to perform quality work in their community.
For more information on FlatLine’s spray tech offerings, visit flatlinessi.com.
CSN St. Clair is the first shop in Canada equipped with a GreenTech E5 Dryer robot installed in its spray booth.
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Collision Repair magazine continues to be the established authoritative voice of the Canadian collision repair industry. Our mission is to reinforce the standards and excellence of the collision repair industry by bringing forward key challenges, opportunities, trends, the latest and breaking news and innovations.
Volume 20, Number 1 l February 2021
ON YOUR MARK
The EV arms race is on— are you ready?
DEFEND YOUR ACCESS TO VEHICLE DATA: MORE INSIDE
AT THE HELM CCIF unveils the 2021 Steering Committee
PLUS: Expectations for 2021 / Removing estimation guesswork / Curing internet fatigue Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40841632 l 86 John Street, Thornhill, ON L3T 1Y2 www.collisionrepairmag.com SHOULDERING ST. STEPHEN ENDLESSLY COMPASSIONATE COLLISION EXPERTS RON AND MANDY ALBERTS
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OCEAN’S ELGIN
A rash of truck hijackings in Elgin County in southern Ontario has seen local OPP recover more than $1.6 million in stolen merchandise as part of an investigation that also turned up a trailer full of General Motors auto parts.
As part of a series of truck heists in the greater London area, which includes Elgin County and the towns of Aylmer and St. Thomas, county OPP discovered a total of six stolen truck trailers in the area containing a variety of high-value stolen merchandise, including about $800,000 worth of structural steel for bridge floor beams, GM parts and shipping racks.
Elgin County OPP Const. Troy Carlson warns that this sort of crime is “a common occurrence” for the area, but declined to provide specific regional figures.
“More often than not, they’re probably aware of what’s in the trailer, whether it be electronics or other products that, obviously, can be easily sold and not easily identifiable,” he said.
So far, only one person has been charged in connection with trailer thefts in the area; a St. Thomas man, 41, with nine counts of theft valued at more than $5,000. He’s also charged with arson after Aylmer police responded to a semi-tractor fire on February 1.
Overlooking Old Quebec City and the Saint Lawrence River, Quebec, Canada.
BIENVENUE, CSN MARTIN
CSN Collision Centres has officially made their first moves into the Quebec collision repair market, as the nationwide collision banner welcomes CSN Martin of Quebec City into the fold.
CSN’s sales manager for Quebec, Charles Boivin, who was instrumental in bringing CSN Martin under the banner, says he is excited to kick off the company’s campaign in the province with the introduction of such an influential shop in the area.
“I am thrilled that CSN Martin is the first shop to join the network from Quebec; the people there are true professionals, they do very high-quality work, and it’s a family business. They fit in perfectly with CSN.” Boivin said.
CSN Martin first opened in Quebec City in 1952 by André Martin. With the help of his two sons, André-Philippe and François, the shop quickly became an institution in the community.
Having once made the transition from mechanical to body repairs, CSN Martin’s adaptability is proven and the family is always looking toward the future for what will help them succeed.
CSN Martin was activated as an official CSN collision centre on February 1, 2021.
CSN Collision Centres has officially made their first moves into the Quebec collision repair market, as the nationwide collision banner welcomes CSN Martin of Quebec City into the fold.
BATTERY BOOST
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Marc Bédard, CEO and founder of Québecbased Lion Electric, have announced the construction of a new battery manufacturing facility. “With today’s announcement, we are continuing to take steps to support our Canadian businesses, invest in innovation, and protect the environment,” said Prime Minister Trudeau. “It is because of companies like Lion Electric that we are accelerating our transition to a resilient and competitive clean growth economy.”
The construction will start in the next few months at a location that will be determined in the near future and the factory is planned to begin production in late 2023. The factory will be producing battery packs and modules made from lithium-ion cells.
The project will cost approximately $185 million CAD by Lion Electric, which will benefit from $100 million CAD support from the federal and provincial governments. Lion Electric plans to power approximately 14,000 medium and heavy-duty vehicles annually. The factory plans to produce one battery module every 11 seconds and a full
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Marc Bédard, CEO and founder of Québec-based Lion Electric, have announced the construction of a new battery manufacturing facility. battery pack every five minutes.
The innovation center will focus on research and development on improving the capacity, performance and range of the batteries as well as other products.
CLOSED CIRCUIT
Like the person who puts the tongs back on the plate at the buffet, Hyundai Canada is striving to make the EV industry better than when they arrived by partnering with Quebec-based Lithion Recycling to handle the automaker’s battery recycling program. This move by Hyundai attempts to complete a more sustainable production cycle for the company’s batteries by allowing for the recovery of up to 95 percent of the battery’s components in the recycling process.
According to Lithion, after the batteries are recycled, they are reintegrated into the battery development process, thus providing a nearly fully-closed production loop.
“This service agreement will validate an economic and innovative technology that considerably reduces the carbon footprint compared to incumbent technologies and mining.” said president and CEO of Lithion Recycling, Benoît Couture.
“This type of partnership paves the way to the collaborative business model of the future, enabling battery safe disposal and close loop recovery of critical minerals and metals used in lithium-ion battery, which are needed to decarbonize transportation.”
NOUS VOUS AVONS COUVERT!
Au magazine Collision Quebec, nous sommes fiers d’être Canadiens et nous nous engageons à vous fournir les nouvelles et les renseignements les plus à jour concernant la communauté de la réparation de carrosserie d’un océan à l’autre.
scanne moi
Blue Rock fishing village in Nova Scotia, Canada, near Lunenburg
RENEWABLE REBATES
Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin has announced $9.5 million in rebates to help people purchase electric vehicles.
According to a news release, the $9.5 million will be used for the rebate program for new and used electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and e-bikes.
Rebates will be $3,000 per new vehicle and $2,000 for used vehicles, with $500 for e-bikes. This will be in addition to the $5,000 federal rebate available for new electric vehicles.
“Bold action on climate change is a priority. We know it’s possible to have a cleaner economy that creates jobs, supports a healthy environment and benefits all Nova Scotians,” said Premier Iain Rankin in a news release.
Currently, there are nearly 500 electric vehicles registered in Nova Scotia, and more than 100 charging stations across the province.
CHARGING CHANGE
Steven Myers, minister of environment, energy and climate action has announced what he calls “the most aggressive vehicle incentive program in all of Canada.”
The program will offer $5,000 to buyers of new fully-electric vehicles and $5,000 to used fully-electric vehicle buyers.
“We feel that it’s equally difficult for people jumping into the used market as people that are buying into the new market,” said Myers. “It’s an equitable incentive and both categories have an equal shot at incentive money.”
The province will also offer $2,500 for new and used plug-in hybrid vehicles.
“There’s an incentive for anyone that wants a cleaner way to transport themselves around the province. It’s the most generous program in all of Canada and the most equitable program in Canada,” he said.
Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action Steven Myers says P.E.I.’s incentive program is “the most generous program in Canada.”
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
sata.ca
CHECK OUT THESE HOT PRODUCTS FOR 2021
In search of your next go-to tool? Check out the 2021 edition Collision Repair Buyer’s Guide and scout the industry’s hottest new products! buyersguide.collisionrepairmag.com
AN ALL IN ONE SOLUTION
The SATA Sanitization Kart combines a spray gun, breathing & filtration equipment, hoses, RPS cups and a compressor. It can be configured with a variety of packages, including a 250 psi/2.5 hp compressor that can power two spray guns and a 160 psi/5.0 hp compressor that can handle a SATA air vision 5000 breathing protection system and a single spray gun. The entire package is mounted on a highly maneuverable tri-wheeled dolly allowing easy transportation.
READY TO USE SPRAY THAT CLEANS, DISINFECTS AND DEODORIZES IN ONE STEP
MADE IN CANADA
CONTACT OUR SALES TEAM
BC: (604) 209-2898 AB,MB, SK : (780) 237-0001 Eastern Canada: 1-800-668-5634
DISINFECTANT DISINFECTANT
Cleans • Disinfects & Deodorizes in One Step Cleans • Disinfects & Deodorizes in One Step Désinfectant • Nettoyant Désinfectant • Nettoyant READY TO USE SPRAY READY TO USE SPRAY
ALCOHOL FREE & BLEACH FREE ALCOHOL FREE & BLEACH FREE
Disinfects car interior in Disinfects car interior in less than 15 seconds less than 15 seconds
DIN# 02500418
THE SPANESI TOUCH ELECTRONIC MEASURING SYSTEM
spanesi-americas.com
The Touch electronic measuring system from Spanesi® performs repair diagnostics on any lift, bench, or surface. The Touch ensures that vehicles are returned to OEM specifications, all while generating a complete set of pre-repair and post-repair documentation. The Touch is outfitted with all the probes and extensions to reach the most difficult measuring points with ease. Utilizing the intuitive WinTouch software, the Touch provides measurements for vehicle frame and structural items, wheel alignment checks, user-added points (with accompanying photos), mechanical and suspension parts, and comparative measurements.
CENTRAL DUST EXTRACTION SYSTEM
eurovac.com
If you are looking at multiple portable dustless sanding units, it is wiser to invest in one industrial central system. With the central unit installed in a remote location, noise is significantly reduced and floor space is maximized to create greater productivity. Each system is versatile in its function, capturing sanding dust at the source and is also used for vehicle detailing and general shop cleanups. Eurovac also provides custom engineered layouts so that drops are located exactly where they are needed for maximum efficiency. So while Eurovac offers top of the line portables, it may be worthwhile to check out the benefits of a central system for your facility.
A HARDWORKING AND COMPLETE REFINISH SYSTEM
sherwin-williams.com
Everything you need to deliver on finish: basecoat technologies to fit the repair plus single-stage options, industry-recognized primers/sealers and surfacers for adhesion, corrosion resistance, and sanding and filling properties, a mix bank rich in color (30+ toners) and effect (20 pearls), and tough clears.
Clearcoat formulas range from a high-gloss show quality formulas to a matte option for specialty work and projects.
INNOVATIVE TOOLS – SPRAY GUN CABINETS
innovativetools.com spsales.com
INNOVATIVE TOOLS
Coming in May 2021 from Innovative Tools & Technologies will be locking spray gun cabinets. The door is designed to flip up and stay out of your way, and the digital cabinet lock will keep your expensive spray guns safe and secure. Inside the cabinet is able to hold up to six guns, and the deluxe model of the cabinet has an additional mounting bar underneath for holding three more spray guns with cups. Boasting heavy duty construction, a powder coat finish, and lifetime warranty, this cabinet embodies everything technicians have come to associate with Innovative Tools. Represented in Canada by Speciality Product Sales.
