Collision Repair 20#4

BMW GROUP CANADA BELIEVES, CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER! “BMW Group Canada wishes to congratulate Collision Repair Magazine for its 20th anniversary as a publication for the collision industry and, more recently, as an advocate for OE Certified Collision Repair. It’s hard to believe that this magazine is already in its 20th year of circulation. As a certified body technician, I have been reading this magazine from the beginning when it was the only magazine in Canada dedicated to the collision industry. Since my arrival at BMW Group Canada, I’ve viewed the publication through a different lens. It is great to see the publication’s focus on specialized OE repair and the need for generating awareness to a younger generation that the collision business has greatly evolved and is a viable career for those seeking adventure in the automotive business. We’ve also been pleased to have them along for the ride during some of our annual National Certified Collision Network Conferences. As the time has gone by and vehicle designs continue to evolve at a rapid and ever more complex pace, this publication, and its online presence, continues to be relevant as all parties in the industry from independent repairers, insurers, original equipment manufacturers, industry suppliers, among others grapple with this fast-changing industry. As the industry continues to become more specialized, Collision Repair Magazine will continue to be one of the best platforms to ensure everyone connected to the industry receives the latest news.”

— Gary Lin, Certified Collision Repair Program Specialist, BMW Group Canada “While we were unable to hold our traditional, National Certified Collision Network Conference in person once again this year, we wanted to latch on to the celebratory tone of this issue of Collision Repair Magazine to highlight the winners of our prestigious Annual BMW Group Canada CCRC Awards. Attaining and maintaining BMW Group Collision Repair Certification is not a simple process.

In fact, some would argue that our certification process is as dynamic as the collision industry itself. As such repair facilities in our network need to keep pace with BMW Group’s ongoing technological advances and maintain the highest standards of repair quality— even in a global pandemic. To qualify, these facilities must demonstrate that they can restore a BMW or MINI vehicle to the same high factory standards of safety it had before an accident. Collision Repair Centres within the program also need to continue to show that same level of commitment to stay in the program year over year.”

“This program is about repairing highly complex vehicles and requires a sense of precision and exacting quality from the Collision Repair Centres in the program. Additionally, it requires substantial investment by the shops to maintain their certification which are audited annually. These investments typically come in the form of maintaining premium facilities, acquiring the right tools and equipment and the ongoing costs to train their technicians and estimators.”

“With this in mind, we wish to congratulate the following CCRCs for their achievements: •

2020 CCRC of the Year - Doug’s Place Strathcona Collision Repairs, Edmonton, Alberta

• 2020 Paul Bird Award of Excellence, Best Audit Achievement, Western Region - Doug’s Place Strathcona Collision Repairs, Edmonton, Alberta •

2020 CCRC Award Best Audit Results Central Region – European Auto Body, Woodbridge, Ontario

•

2020 CCRC Award Best Audit Results Eastern Region – Auto Bugatti, Dorval, Quebec

•

2020 Sam Piercey Memorial Award - Golden Triangle Collision Cambridge

•

2020 AutoHouse KPI Reporting Award – The Ultimate Performer Award – B&D Autobody & Glass Vancouver, British Columbia

•

2020 Mitchell CSI Reporting Award – The Ultimate CSI Award - Centre De Collision Certifié BMW MINI Laval”

“A big thank you to all of our BMW Group Canada CCRCs for their continuous commitment and investment to our BMW Certified Collision Repair Program. We truly believe they are the best of the best in the nation and continue to maintain the highest standards in the collision repair industry.”

— Michel Matte, Manager Special Project GRD-A & B2B, BMW Group Canada

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

VOLUME 20, ISSUE 4 | AUGUST 2021

GINO MASCARIN

THE GREATS

MASCARIN COLLISION CRM ISSUE 1#2

Gino Mascarin, the second-generation owner of Mascarin Collision, was the second-ever cover star to grace a Collision Repair magazine cover 20 years ago—and since then the collision repair shop has been going strong.

Collision Repair magazine only features the best

T

he most important part of any magazine is the cover. One of the founding facets of Collision Repair magazine was rooted in who we featured on our covers. The individuals that represented one of the six yearly issues of the magazine couldn’t just be sourced from a flip through the classifieds or a phonebook; they needed to tout spectacular backgrounds, with larger-than-life goals and inspiring personalities.

In 2002, from the very first issue of the magazine, it was decided that every cover was to feature a shop—whether it be from the realms of the Rockies out west, settled along the Atlantic coast or somewhere in the glorious in-between.

There’s one thing for certain: even after 20 years, there will never be a shortage of great business leaders to feature on our covers.

In celebration of our 20th anniversary, Collision Repair magazine’s editorial team took on the mammoth effort of contacting every past cover star that’s graced our cover in the last 20 years. With six annual issues—the occasional seventh, in the early years—and a 20-year-span to cover, the team had more than 120 cover stars to speak to.

While we tried to track everyone down, some of our past stars have proven to be rather elusive. We wish every single person that’s been featured in our magazine the absolute best, and send well wishes to their families.

And if any of you are reading this—never hesitate to reach out.

There’s nothing we love more than speaking to the almighty members of Canada’s automotive aftermarket.

LORENZO D’ALESSANDRO CSN 427 AUTO COLLISION, CSN AVENUE, CSN HEARTLAND CRM ISSUE 1#1

Much has changed for Lorenzo D’Alessandro since he graced the inaugural issue of Collision Repair magazine in 2002. Three things remain constant, though: his love for his family, his dedication to the collision repair craft and his forward-thinking drive for success.

32 Do you know Gloria? Of course you know Gloria. Everyone knows Gloria and we’ve got a whole gallery to prove it.

Since the beginning, when Ralph D’Alessandro first broke ground on CSN 427—followed not long after by CSN Avenue—the company has held a progressive vision, looking keenly into the future for any way to maximize their success. In addition to being one of the flag-bearing first franchisees in the CSN Collision Centres network, CSN 427 was the first Canadian shop to join the AkzoNobel Platinum North American Performance Group, a group of high-performing collision centres that meet to discuss continual improvement initiatives and work through shop issues.

The D’Alessandros have carried the same scope into its third generation of ownership, putting ample importance on training and OEM certification efforts.

“If a shop is not investing in training and updating its equipment, it’s going to catch up to them,” Lorenzo warns.

46

Currently, CSN 427 Auto is considered one of the most OE-certified facilities in the country, touting more than 20 OEM certifications a highly skilled, highly trained team.

Just last year the D’Alessandro family added a new facility to their fold, acquiring Mississauga, Ontario’s CSN Heartland.

“We’ve had two locations for a long time and now adding a third in a high-traffic area is a great opportunity for us,” said Lorenzo at the time of the acquisition.

Lorenzo says his proudest feat in the industry has been watching his children, Jessica, who serves as the company’s marketing coordinator, and Nicholas, as well as his nephews Giulian and Gabriel, find their own in the family business.

Throughout these unprecedented times, CSN 427 Auto’s willingness to grow, take risks and learn is a source of inspiration for shops all over the nation.

“We’re continually changing, and not fearing that change,” said Lorenzo.

Surviving multiple recessions, and a global pandemic, Mascarin knows what collision centres need to do to stay in the industry long term and he believes it’s going to come down to making sure to keep up with the constant changes in the industry.

There will never be a shortage of great business leaders to feature on Collision Repair covers.

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SECURIN THE SEALG

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OEM Certification —is it worth it?

Marcel’s celebrates Collision a special anniversary

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WHERE WE’VE BEEN

22

WHERE WE’LL GO

28

NOTES FROM PAST EDITORS

36

WE’VE SEEN IT ALL

“The cream is really going to rise, you’re going to have to be very professional, very educated, very highly skilled in business,” said Mascarin. “I think the strong will survive, and I think you have to be on top of your game to stay in business.”

Mascarin Collision is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and Mascarin is also celebrating the fact that he will be passing on the torch to his son who will take over the family business and follow in his father’s footsteps.

ON L3T 1Y2

JULIO BRUNO CSN COLLISON CENTRES

REMO MERCANTI ONTARIO AUTO COLLISION CARSTAR

CRM ISSUE 1#3

CRM ISSUE 1#4

When Julio Bruno reflects on his lengthy successful career in the auto body industry, two things stand out: growth and family.

Bruno’s journey began with a lone St. Catharines-based shop and now includes four locations throughout the Niagara region. Over these last 20 years, he has experienced that growth alongside his brother Frank, and sons Duane, John, and Ryan, the CEO of CSN.

Remo Mercanti was on featured on the cover back in 2002, carrying the Mercanti family legacy as the original founders of CARSTAR.

“It’s truly a family business,” he says, noting nothing is better than working with loved ones. “There is pride in that.”

The expansion has created synergies within the business that are important to a changing industry. Since his cover appearance, Bruno has seen banners emerge and skills expand.

“The technician of 30 years ago was much different,” he says.

“It’s a much better industry and better trade, with more skills required. There is also better equipment that makes the job easier.

“But by the same token, if you don’t have the knowledge and training, you can get yourself into trouble.”

Since his cover, Remo has sold multiple collision repair locations including the Ontario Auto Collision CARSTAR Rymal location in 2019.

Over the course of his career, Mercanti has put a great deal of importance on making sure the customer was always happy with the end results of their fixed car, and he takes pride in the work his collision repair locations have provided.

“When we saw a customer we wanted to look straight in their face and know that we did the best possible job we could to put their car back to the way it was before or better,” said Mercanti.

Now Mercanti primarily focuses on consulting with some locations in the CARSTAR network and watching his two children succeed in the automotive industry.

COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

46

FEATURES

COVER STAR CORNER

20TH ANNIVERSARY

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

We’ve talked to a lot of amazing people over the past 20 years, so we decided to reach out and get back in touch with the many industry influencers that have graced our cover.

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR

47

An exploration of how far the collision repair industry has come, from the first motorcars of the 19th century to the computerized vehicles of today.

CRM crystal ball to see what’s next in paint technology, telematics and more.

Lessons and insights from past CRM editors!

From scary, to funny to bafflingly bizarre, a time capsule of the greatest tales ever told across the collision industry.

DEPARTMENTS

12 90

Our magazine is supported by all the beautiful people of the collision industry—take a look through our mini photo album and get acquainted with their beautiful faces as well!

128

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE The comings and goings of the collision industry.

REGIONAL NEWS The latest autobody insight from coast to coast.

OUR HISTORY IS YOUR

HISTORY

collisionrepairmag.com

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US IN CELEBRATING THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF CANADA’S COLLISION REPAIR COMMUNITY AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 7

CONTENTS

CONTENTS COLUMNS

10

PUBLISHER’S PAGE

By Darryl Simmons

120

ENGINE KNOX

122

TOM’S TALES

124

LET’S TALK TRAINING

126

WHO’S DRIVING

148

FINAL DETAIL

By Steve Knox

By Tom Bissonnette

By Stefano Liessi

By Jay Perry

By Allison Rogers

40 The Canadian collision industry has lost some great mentors over the last 20 years; join us in remembering a few of them.

142

144

Every tech or manager has their one tool that they can’t live without, so we asked our readers to tell us about what tool they trust the most to get the job done around the shop.

YOUR ONLINE SOURCE

Give it up for all the recyclers out there who make a difference for not just our industry but for the environment at-large.

HAVE YOUR SAY We welcome your comments on anything you see in Collision Repair magazine. Send your feedback to editor@collisionrepairmag.com.

Canada’s collision repair information resource.

New articles and top news stories daily.

For more infor visit collisionrepairmag.com

THANK YOU

FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT 8 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

PUBLISHER’S PAGE

THANK YOU It’s all because of you

T

After working in the corporate business world for a decade or so, I got bored and found myself the owner of a bodyshop—and I mean bodyshop, not by a longshot a collision repair facility.

After a year or so my wife gently coerced me back to the non-afterspray primer workplace, but I never gave up my dream of having a magazine dedicated to collision repair and the professionals who were sorely misrepresented by mainstream media. My goal was to have a magazine that celebrated the trade—ahem, profession. A magazine dedicated to showcasing the talent, intelligence and business acumen of those transitioning the industry from bodyshops to collision repair facilities. Along the way I’ve been honoured to meet and befriend dozens upon dozens of the top business leaders in this industry from across the country and the globe.

One of the most difficult tasks I’ve ever faced as an editor and publisher was picking photos for this issue. First off, we have more than 50,000 photos taken over the past 20 years. Chances are that if you were at an event, you are in our photo albums on Flickr. You start looking at them and get drawn in. Before you know it, hours have gone by and you’ve selected more than a hundred, when there was only room of a few dozen. So, as publisher, I made an executive decision to add more pages so we could add more photos. After all, that is what we as a magazine are known for and have been from the beginning. Since we couldn’t get them all in print, we have provided links to see our galleries online—simply pull out your phone camera and scan the QR codes handily pointed out on our gallery pages, or visit www.flickr. com/photos/40043123@N05/ If we can humbly claim any success, it is because we stood on the shoulders of the industry leaders that made Canada’s collision repair industry the ideal role model across the world. We’ve been honoured to be able to report as Canada took the spotlight on the global stage due to the

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Orest Tkaczuk | orest@mediamatters.ca EDITOR Allison Rogers | allison@mediamatters.ca STAFF WRITERS Max Reid | max@mediamatters.ca Maddy Kylie | maddy@mediamatters.ca Bianca Mazziotti | bianca@mediamatters.ca

BY DARRYL SIMMONS

ime sure flies when you’re having fun.

Just in the blink of an eye, a fifth of a century blasted by. They say print is dead, but what you hold in your hands now just cannot be duplicated with pixels on screens.

PUBLISHER Darryl Simmons publisher@collisionrepairmag.com

vision and dedication of Corporate leaders and trailblazers such as Sam Mercanti, Steve Leal, Eric Danberg, Des D’Silva, Julio Bruno, Tony Canade and Michael Macaluso.

And then there are the global thought leaders and facility owners who pioneered the transformation from bodyshops to collision repair facilities: Lorenzo D’Allessandro, Sharon Wells, Ken Friesen, Tom Bissonette, Kelvin Campbell, Dana Alexander, Peter Woo, Jay Perry, Roland Taube...the list goes on and on.

This is also a time to remember those who are no longer with us, but whose influence remains.

Rick Berg from 3M, John Norris from CIAG, Denis Bellemore from NAPA and none more entrenched than the infamous Sam Piercey who perched Budds’ Collision at the leading edge and kept readers informed and entertained with his column, Point Blank. Speaking of Sam, the best column he ever wrote was a simple headline and three words. How to Work with Insurers: Just say no!

We would not be able to do what we do without the support of manufacturers, suppliers and distributors who trusted us with their marketing budgets to keep you constantly updated as to what’s new and exciting in equipment, supplies and training.

Collision Repair magazine wouldn’t be anywhere close to having the impact it has had, without the driving force, passion and personality of Gloria Mann. I know that and appreciate the fact every single day. So, hats off to you Gloria, looking forward to another couple of decades with your unbridled passion.

Without getting too sentimental, a sincere thank-you. Here’s to all of you who toil and sweat daily in the facilities across the country. Thanks for letting me into your business and sometimes into your lives. I will be forever grateful for giving me the opportunity to live out my dream.

What a ride. We couldn’t have done it without you!

10 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

ART DIRECTOR Yvonne Corvers | yvonne@mediamatters.ca VP OF INDUSTRY RELATIONS & ADVERTISING Gloria Mann 647.998.5677 | gd.mann@rogers.com DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS SOLUTIONS Ellen Smith 416.312.7446 | ellen@mediamatters.ca INDUSTRY RELATIONS ASSISTANT Wanja Mann (647) 998-5677 wanjamann1@gmail.com DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER Cassie Doyle | cassie@mediamatters.ca CONTRIBUTORS Steve Knox, Jay Perry, Stefano Liessi, Tom Bissonnette

SUBSCRIPTION Single edition $7.99 One-year $39.95 ( 6 issues) Collision Repair™ magazine is published bimonthly, and is dedicated to serving the business interests of the collision repair industry. It is published by Media Matters Inc. Material in Collision Repair™ magazine may not be reproduced in any form without 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 and statements appearing in this publication have been compiled and included with the permission, though not necessarily the endorsement, of the editor, or of independent columnist contributors, and are in no way to be construed as those of the publisher, or as endorsements of them.

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NEWS

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE CAM LAVENDER | BASF CANADA | RETIRED Cam Lavender officially retired from the automotive aftermarket in mid-July after serving as the business development manager for the more than 23 years—though Lavender occupied a spectrum of roles at BASF Canada and in collision centres. He has completed Auto Body and Collision Damage Repairer Red Seal 310B. Combined with his experience at BASF, Lavender has worked a total of 36 years in the industry. In his retirement, Lavender plans to assist in his wife’s baking business centered around maple syrup desserts; he and his brother own part of a family homestead, complete with an operational maple sugar bush.

KEITH JONES | BMW GROUP CANADA BMW Group Canada’s Certified Collision Repair Centres (CCRC) division recently announced it hired Keith Jones as the new BMW CCRC Program Regional Developmental Specialist for the Western Region. Jones brings 30-plus-years of management experience with ICBC and the collision industry in British Columbia. More recently, Jones has been involved with his own appraisal businesses DCI Solution Canada and Crash Space Appraisals. In this role, Jones will be supporting the CCRC Program, individual CCRCs, Retailers, Insurance Relations, and the Collision Industry from Manitoba to British Columbia.

EMILIE GAUDET | CANADIAN AUTOMOTIVE GROUP Uni-Select has appointed Emilie Gaudet to the position of President and Chief Operating Officer, Canadian Automotive Group. During her employment at Uni-Select, Gaudet has held various roles. She was Chief Financial Officer at FinishMaster, and recently, became the VP of Corporate Finance. Later, she stepped in as interim Chief Financial Officer – Canadian Automotive Group (CAG). The current executive team says Gaudet she is a dynamic leader who will support the CAG vision and ensure the success and growth of Uni-Select, Canadian Automotive Group, and its partners.

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PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST Steve Leal, President and CEO of Fix Network, charts his incredible 15-year journey from a Fix Auto franchisee to heading the world’s leading aftermarket network The Canadian aftermarket industry hardly gets any mentions in international press, but one man is changing that imaging by taking his Canada-headquartered company to the world. Steve Leal, President and CEO of Fix Network, has reinforced his company’s presence in new territories by entering new markets and adding more franchisees to the Fix Network family – in less than five years.

Under Steve’s leadership, Fix Network is transforming the global collision franchise business by aligning operations around lean, customerdriven processes that deliver greater efficiencies for operators and

insurance partners, and consistently surpass customer expectations. Fix Network’s aftermarket brands such as Fix Auto, ProColor Collision, NOVUS Glass and Speedy Auto Service are gaining more recognition, thanks to the network’s push.

Today, if an increasing number of independent body shops are discovering the benefits of Fix Network’s franchise model, it is because of Steve’s vision to continuously empower his franchisees to operate independently but think internationally.

The franchise model is simple and has already become popular with the aftermarket fraternity the world over

– from Australia to New Zealand, from Europe to the United States, from Mexico to the United Kingdom.

The Fix Network model touches every aspect of the aftermarket industry – from collision repair to glass repair and replacement to mechanical repair and maintenance. Depending where they are based, franchisees can choose to align their business with top Fix Network brands such as Fix Auto, ProColor Collision, Speedy Auto Service, NOVUS Glass, Speedy

NASCAR sponsorship in Montreal Fix Network launched its first six Fix Auto - NOVUS Glass locations in Spain in June this year. The aftermarket leader is determined to increase its market penetration in the country in the coming months.

“Fix Network congratulates Collision Repair Magazine on completing a milestone 20 years. Keep going.”

Glass USA, SRP, Splashes Autospa, NOVUS Plastics Products and TAG Network. Today, Fix Network boasts over 2,000 points of service globally – a remarkable achievement that puts Steve well ahead of his peers.

“These are exciting times for the aftermarket industry, in general, and our network, in particular,” says Steve.

“While we are the largest collision repair services provider in Canada today, our ambition is to become the leader worldwide and create a legacy that we can be truly proud of. I believe we are moving in the right direction to achieve that goal.”

Continuous innovation is a key part of Fix Network’s operations. “We don’t want to be blinkered in any way,” says Steve. “We have a healthy approach towards our work which sees a lot of ideas coming through. These ideas are the foundation of our business operations and have helped us overcome many challenges.”

As part of that approach, last year, despite the challenges brought on by COVID-19, Fix Network was able to add 60 international locations to the family. With the aftermarket industry being considered as an essential service, Steve Leal and his team are keen to ensure that their franchisees are insulated from any economic fallout.

While his rise in the aftermarket industry is nothing short of meteoric, Steve’s success journey has its humble beginnings and has inspired many people to seek a future in the aftermarket business. Starting as a Fix Auto franchisee in Cambridge, Ontario in 2005, Steve was quick to recognize the opportunities that lay in the aftermarket industry and embarked on a journey to eventually become majority shareholder

Fix Auto Veracruz in Mexico

and owner of Fix Network World (Mondofix Inc.) in 2014. At the same time, he brought in the Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec, one of North America’s largest institutional investors, as a minority stakeholder in the business.

Later, he embarked on a series of acquisitions – Speedy Auto Service

Supercentre Auto Fix Iberville-Rosemont, in Montreal, which incorporates Fix Auto, NOVUS Glass and Speedy Auto Service brands under one roof.

and Minute Muffler in 2016, global rights to NOVUS Glass in 2017 and Quebec-based Carrossier ProColor (ProColor Collision) in October 2019. Last year, ProColor Collision expanded to the US market while Fix Auto opened two new locations in Mexico and six in Spain this year – an example of Steve’s determined push for a large global market share.

“We are just getting started,” Steve says. “The auto aftermarket industry

has been evolving continuously and I am keen to take the first-mover advantage in many thriving markets. I am glad that many independent body shops are recognizing the power of the network and want to align themselves with us. We are there to support their growth every step of the journey.”

During the pandemic, Fix Network has invested its time and efforts in ensuring that its franchisees remain ahead of the competition by being trained in the most modern repair technologies and ensuring that their technicians are accredited in industrydefined certification programs such as Canadian Collision Industry Accreditation Program (CCIAP).

Today, Fix Network operates three training centres across Canada that educates its franchise partners and their teams on the best practices in collision repair, glass repair and customer services. The curriculum at these training centres is designed by an experienced team of industry professionals and includes both new technician and refresher sessions.

“Our people make all that difference,” explains Steve. “Throughout my journey, I have been incredibly lucky to have an amazing family of talented people who strongly believe in the franchise model and are taking our business philosophy to body shops across the world.”

20TH ANNIVERSARY

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

WHERE WE’VE BEEN Collision repair’s greatest hits

BY ALLISON ROGERS

Presenting, the Automobile In 1867, Henry Seth Taylor, a watchmaker and jeweler, built the first automobile in Canada. The steam-powered buggy was regarded as a novelty by many and was unveiled at a fair that year.

Unfortunately, the buggy was crashed into a creek later that day, which Taylor attempted to fix, technically making him, the first collision repairer in Canada.

The first recorded automobile in Canada, build by Henry Seth Taylor.

1867 >>

1904 >>

1930s >>

1950s >>

A Different Kind of Crash As the economy crashed with the Great Depression, so did vehicle sales. Fewer people purchased cars, therefore, the need for repairs also dipped. However, with a big boom in the economy a few years later, the collision repair industry really gets rollin’.

1914 Model T.

One Ford All

Independence Now

The next important Henry, Henry Ford— unfortunately American—kicked off the automotive industry in Canada. In the next ten years, there were more than 50,000 cars on the road, making Canada the second-largest vehicle producer in the world, and calling for a whole lot of collision repairers. People quickly turned to careers as auto mechanics and repairers to supply the need.

Come the ’50s, auto mechanics and collision repair were considered two different industries, all thanks to the CEO of General Motors, Alfred P. Sloan.

A new wave of consumerism left Canadians not only caring about the ability of vehicles but the aesthetic.

The desire to have the latest, newest, and least-dented car was in (next to sock hops and do-wops) and the real collision repair industry was born, forever making auto mechanics and auto repair two separate entities.

16 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

20TH ANNIVERSARY

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

Kelly Kostnyk, the third-generation president of Gateway Autobody.

Ted and Anne Kostnyk, the founders of Gateway Autobody.

Sunrise on Sundown One of the longest-standing collision repair shops in Canada today opened in Sundown, Manitoba.

Gateway Autobody Ltd. began when Ted Kostynyk fell in love with restoring his first car, a used 1929 Pontiac and decided there weren’t enough auto body shops in Canada. His wife Anne taught him how to apply paint, and ever since, the company has been owned and operated by the Kostynyk family, now on their third generation of owners.

1953 >>

1976 >> 1975 >>

Maaco Canada opens its first shop.

1977 >>

Craftsman Collision opens its first facility.

1990 >>

Assured Automotive is founded.

1990 >> Buckle Up! On the first of January, the Canadian government passed a law stating all vehicles must be made with a seatbelt, and all passengers must wear one. This was big not just for people riding in the cars, but for Canadians who had to learn to repair them. And while the use of seatbelts spiked, so did gas prices—prompting the dream of rechargeable, non-gas-guzzling cars.

The Boyd Group officially opens its first collision centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

1992 >>

Fix Auto Canada is officially founded.

1994 >>

CARSTAR Canada officially begins franchising in Canada under Sam Mercanti’s leadership.

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 17

20TH ANNIVERSARY

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

What the VOC? EV Go Home They’re here. Nissan produces 200 electric vehicles. Although few were driven in Canada, it did catch some Canadian OEM’s eyes, resulting in a huge boom of electric vehicles much later on. Collision repairers prepare themselves for repairing a whole new type of vehicle, while auto recyclers struggle to determine what to do with that battery.

1998 >>

Alongside growing climate crisis concerns and the number of ‘smog days’ in urban centres, the Canadian government deems it necessary for autobody shops doing repair and repaint for light vehicles to purchase low-VOC products. Environment Canada estimates that more than five kilotonnes of VOCs are emitted each year from coatings and surface cleaners used in auto refinishing operations. The proposed regulations would cut these annual VOC emissions by about 40 percent.

BALLOON COLLECTION 2001 >> 2009 >>

2020 >>

Collision Repair Magazine Media Matters Inc., established in 2001, continues to be the leading provider of news and information to the Canadian collision repair industry.

2001 >>

Carrossier ProColor is founded.

2002 >>

CSN Collision Centres is founded.

2013 >>

Consolidated Collision Services is founded.

2017 >> Simplicity Car Care opens.

18 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

The End of the World as We Know it The coronavirus pandemic takes its hold on the globe, prompting worldwide lockdowns. Canada sees months-long restrictions and a significant decrease in repair volumes.

Many collision repair centres take this time to improve operations to perform renovations, while insurance adjusters adjust to a work-from-home model.

Beneath the Mask Alongside COVID-19 vaccination rollouts, Canadian lockdown restrictions begin to ease. Survey data on road trip plans for the summer of 2021 are released, suggesting more than 60 percent of Canadians plan to take a roadie this summer.

2021 >>

The future appears brighter than ever for Canada’s collision repair community. We’ve weathered the last 150 years of automobiles —let’s do another!

2K Topcoats Increase convenience and productivity with SprayMax prepack colors. No primer is necessary but used in combination with SprayMax 2K Epoxy or 2K Wash Primers, they provide the ultimate corrosion protection. Highest chemical and weather resistance. Work Smart to reduce cycle time of small damage and in-process repairs with SprayMax solutions.

www.spraymax.com

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 19

20TH ANNIVERSARY

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

MAXISYS IA800 INTELLIGENT ADAS

4-STEP

CALIBRATION PRECISION

Regarding the calibration of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) components, there are two essential servicing concepts, follow the prescribed vehicle manufacturer instructions and document everything from pre-calibration setup to post-calibration validation.

T

he Autel Standard Frame ADAS Calibration System, the MaxiSYS IA800 Intelligent ADAS optical positioning system adaption package combined with the Autel calibration software enable technicians to perform these procedures via the most efficient and affordable calibration solution in the industry. The system’s inherent capabilities provide the technician with an efficient and intuitive ADAS calibration workflow.

The IA800 employs six high-resolution cameras, positioning targets and components, and alignment Pre-Check and Frame positioning software to transform Autel’s Standard Calibration frame into a precise, efficient and complete—from Pre-Check to Reports —calibration system.

It’s a four-step process: Pre-Check, Position, Perform and Provide. Here’s a quick overview of each step.

ADVERTORIAL

MaxiSYS tablet, now placed securing on the frame, is paired with the cameras.

The system recognizes the positioning targets and calculates the current angle, distance, and offset position of the frame to the vehicle. The technician follows the onscreen instructions to move the frame Proper vehicle alignment is essential to or adjust its angle until the current values the calibration of all ADAS components. match the required values. Checkmarks The thrust angle, calculated in reference display for each parameter once the to the vehicle’s rear axle, determines required position values are met, and its direction as it travels down the road. that’s it, the vehicle is ready for calibraFurther, this reference enables the correct tion. Compare that setup with one using centering and position of the frame and mechanical tools such as plumb bobs and its targets/patterns when positing the cal- measuring tape that takes 40 minutes on ibration frame and its patterns/targets to average. the vehicle. Pre-Check uses the IA800’s camera system and targeted wheel clamps attached to all four wheels to determine the vehicle’s current alignment specifications and compare them with the vehicle manufacturer’s allowed tolerances. If within OE-specified tolerances, the technician can proceed to optical positioning of the frame to the vehicle.

The alignment information is added to the Pre-Scan report.

1 PRE-CHECK

3 PERFORM

Perform camera, radar. Lidar, and Night Vision component calibration with any MaxiSYS tablet with ADAS calibration software.

Wheel clamps with camera targets are attached to the rear wheels, and a standing target component is placed in the front or to the side of the vehicle, depending on the vehicle make, model and year. The

TEL: 1.855.288.3587 I WEB: AUTEL.COM EMAIL: USSUPPORT@AUTEL.COM AUTEL.COM FOLLOW US @AUTELTOOLS ©2021 Autel U.S. Inc., All Rights Reserved

WORKFLOW PROCESS

SCAN TO WATCH

TRAINING VIDEOS

“Make sure you document every step” that is the consistent thread mentioned in all ADAS calibration training. Documentation is essential as it encourages insurance companies to expedite payment, insulates the shop from unsupported lawsuits, and assures existing and potential customers that the safety of their vehicles and, therefore, the safety of their families is foremost in the shop owner’s mind.

Autel’s Pre-Scan identifies all systems with faults and lists Pre-Check values.

Post-Scans identify all systems to illustrate that exiting faults were cleared and none introduced during repair. Calibrations are documented in detail with the date/time of these calibrations, statement of the success of the calibration and depending on the vehicle, include OE calibration tolerance range and the live data/actual reading of the device when calibrated.

Autel designed this system to enable technicians to perform every vehicle calibration with confidence and ease. And from pre-check to documentation, every step is completed with precision.

4-STEP

2 POSITION

4 PROVIDE

YOUTUBE

20TH ANNIVERSARY

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

TO 2022 AND BEYOND From paint materials to improved ADAS awareness, there’s a lot in store for the Canadian market

BY ALLISON ROGERS AND MAX REID

W

ith the events of the last 18 months considered, the only direction to look for the future is upward. If there is one sentiment any veteran collision repairer stands by, it’s the fact that the last five years have delivered more disruption and change than the previous 20 years combined.

Imagine the possibilities the next five years, not to mention the next 10, or 20, hold.

22 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

Here are a few of the aspects Canada’s collision repairers are anticipating, according to Collision Repair mag’s sources.

A carbon fibre incorporated taillight.

Mixin’ it Up Recall the shockwaves felt in bodyshops across North America when Ford announced the aluminum F-150, back in 2015? Well, there could be more substrate switches of the eco-conscious variety in the future for the vehicles of tomorrow.

At the end of 2020, the Canadian government announced a $1.2 million pour into Green Nano Technologies for its research into wood-fibre composite use for automotive parts. In a similar, eco-friendly vein, Leamington, Ontariobased Competitive Green Technologies (CGT) has a partnership with Ford and McDonald’s; the green minds at CGT take coffee waste from McDonald’s and use a patented process to transform it into resin for car parts.

With the over-arching goal of minimal collision damage in mind, automakers are also turning their sights to carbon fibre car parts. Touted as a lighter, stronger alternative to steel and even aluminum, luxury automakers, in particular, are keen to incorporate the material in their models to add that certain wow factor. McLaren even incorporated a carbon fibre chassis in its Elva model in 2019. While luxury makes are not the everyday repairer’s frequent find—the Elva literally has no windshield, making it pretty impractical and unattainable for the everyday commuter—such ideas could one day trickle down to average light vehicles.

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 23

20TH ANNIVERSARY

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

20TH ANNIVERSARY

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

The Path to Paint Perfection The paint matching technology of 2021 is far from the thick and weathered colour flipbook that sat poised on your desk through the ’80s. With today’s spectrophotometers in tow, you’ll rarely run into a colour matching nightmare; but that’s only if you know what you’re doing.

The sophisticated spectrometers of today feature a colour camera that captures multiple colour images of the car’s surface.

The images taken will then be used to identify the texture of the colour conjunction using multiple angles to ensure the best match.

AkzoNobel touts its Automatchic Vision (AMV) spectrophotometer combined with its MIXIT colour retrieval software. The company says the tool “takes the guesswork out of colour matching,” measuring colour at multiple different angles, and, when synced with AkzoNobel’s MIXIT software, can provide “the most accurate level of colour match.”

In the same vein, mixing methods are starkly different from the daily practices of two decades ago. Moonwalk is PPG’s automated paint mixing system designed to “transform body shop mixing rooms into cleaner, safer and much more efficient operations,” according to the coatings giant. MoonWalk replaces manual mixing processes with a splash-free, self-contained system that eliminates spills and achieves extreme mixing accuracy, according to PPG’s website. The system’s computer uses an interface that connects to the integrated mixing system and colour management software.

With the bevy of changes automotive coatings and corresponding processes have experienced in the last two decades of collision repair, it’s difficult to imagine further advances. Does it seem like a dream to have car paint with an unlimited pot life? Not for CarRep’s customers: the company’s Wise 2K technology is another revolution to automotive paint, especially for DIY fans. Car-Rep’s Wise 2K technology features both the hardener and the paint in a patented one-compartment can that allows the hardener to only activate once sprayed—not inside the can. This not only makes the paint easy to use, says the company, but it also equals unlimited pot life—so you can use the entire contents of each can with no wasted product.

“We estimate about 50 percent cost savings in labour time and product waste with Car-Rep Wise 2K,” said Auli Parviainen, managing director of Car-Rep and Maston North America.

Parviainen said some hobbyists—and clear fans of the product— are even using Wise 2K to paint complete cars.

“Texas BMW Garage is painting his classic BMW entirely with our system; our 2K primer and clearcoat, and there’s another classic Volvo being painted with our black epoxy as well.”

Axalta’s spectrophotometer is also a popular choice among painters, selling more than 60,000 units globally. Refinishers can take the device’s colour readings from a vehicle’s paintwork using the spectrophotometer, which then wirelessly sends the readings to Axalta’s online global colour database.

Car-Rep’s Wise 2K technology.

Auli Parviainen, managing director of Car-Rep and Maston North America.

24 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

The Big Guns Where paint advances, the tools used to spray it are improved as well—take 3M’s new Performance Spray Gun as a testament.

With a 10-plus-year research and development initiative behind it, the new tool has been turning heads since hitting the market in March.

“Using the Performance Spray Gun, cycle time—both with cleaning and changeover—can really be enhanced to take on more throughput,” 3M Automotive Aftermarket Application Development Specialist Bill Suzuki told Collision Repair. The ability to spray multiple materials in a given booth cycle and change coatings simply by wiping the needle clean is a game-changer for painters.”

The company also touts 78 percent transfer efficiency at HVLP settings with the new tool.

Designed with automotive refinishing topcoats in mind, 3M also offers a variety of atomizing heads for the Performance Spray Gun, ranging from 1.2 mm to 2 mm.

“There’s an attachment for nearly every coating in the bodyshop,” said Suzuki. “Soon we’ll have attachments to spray thicker coatings— that’s a next phase launch but keep an eye out for that.”

Even still, Suzuki says most of the feedback he’s received has been on the spray gun’s impressive lightweight feel, which is said to be up to 50 percent lighter than other industry sprayers.

“We’ve heard a lot of surprise from our customers using the Performance Spray gun for the first time,” he said. “Metal spray guns have been prevalent forever; coming in with a composite gun shakes up the industry a bit. But we are ready to open people’s minds.”

“The ability to spray multiple materials in a given booth cycle and change coatings simply by wiping the needle clean is a game-changer for painters.” — Bill Suzuki, Application development specialist, 3M Automotive Aftermarket

Shake ‘n’ Bake It’s not simply the tools that spray that have seen ample improvements in the last 20 years; spray and paint booths have only gotten hotter in recent years.

Symach’s DryKing is a sparkling example of top-notch, streamlined drying.

Touted as a high-performance automated system, Symach says its DryKing is built with the best materials on the market.

It’s able to recognize different operations performed in the booth and automatically alters the program using the maximum ventilation speed for the painting phases and the average speed for drying.

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 25

20TH ANNIVERSARY

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

20TH ANNIVERSARY

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

Get Your ADAS in Gear Last year, Canadian startup adasThink unveiled a whitepaper wherein the company revealed 88 percent of calibrations were missed by Canadian bodyshops. Out of 100 estimates analyzed, 85 were missing a line item for ADAS calibration.

“There is certainly a gap in skills and knowledge when it comes to ADAS calibrations,” said Nick Dominato, co-founder of adasThink. “Bodyshops are great at fixing cars: replacing panels, fixing bumpers, painting the car— modifications of the physical structure of the vehicle—but they’ve never needed to be experts in electronics.”

Today, more than 80 percent of new vehicles feature advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and, by 2025, it’s predicted that every new model will come equipped with advanced driver assistance systems. Further, the feds and new USMCA agreement suggest that every vehicle manufacturer in North America should have automatic emergency braking systems incorporated.

“How many vehicles return to the collision repair facility following repair because a feature no longer works, all because the shop didn’t know they needed to initialize it. How many vehicles have the safety pinch sensor functioning incorrectly, because the shop was unaware they needed to do something to it?

“This is all technology that’s been around for decades, and we still miss it.”

John Marlowe, co-owner of Level5Drive.

“This is all technology that’s been around for decades, and we still miss it.”

— John Marlowe, co-founder of Level5Drive

Ready to Recycle

Derek Wilshire, regional vice president for Canada, LKQ.

26 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

In the immediate aftermath of provincial pandemic restrictions, collision centres across North America complained of parts shortages.

Contrary to popular belief, your parts are not stuck in the Suez Canal; it’s more a matter of across-the-board shortages.

Though, in the face of new parts shortages, the auto recycling sector is urging repairers to look toward the equally viable recycled original equipment (ROE) market.

Big players in the used parts game are certainly prepared to dominate the post-pandemic market. Companies like LKQ display the best possible reflection of the auto recycling and collision repair industries.

The company never stagnates in the way things are and approach the future with a critical and progressive outlook, while always keeping genuine care for people clearly in focus.

“We’ve probably grown a lot, but people—whether it’s our customers keeping their customers on the road, or it’s our employees, keeping them safe and employed—people have always been at the forefront of our priorities,” said LKQ regional v-p Derek Wilshire.

LKQ wants to be a company you can rely on, in the high times and the low, to provide drivers of all types with an ethical auto recycling experience.

“I think we’ve always held true to our promise—and that is to be there and be that partner, in our community, for our customers and our employees in the industry as well.”

20TH ANNIVERSARY

EDITOR’S NOTE

NOTE’S FROM PAST EDITORS JOE RAYMENT In my time with Media Matters and Collision Repair mag, the best part of my job was trekking around to different shops with Gloria Mann—a true force of nature.

She’s exclamatory. She’d sworn off swearing but still somehow managed to make “sugarplum!” sound profane. She’d take calls as we made our way toward Mississauga or Niagara and I’d realize how many threads she was keeping track of at once. She knew everyone’s birthdays, everyone’s kids’ names, what paint they used and how far along they were in upgrading their systems. She especially knew all the times they’d been in the magazine—in ads or in the stories.

When we’d get to our destination, learning the intricacies behind shops was always fascinating; and I am forever grateful at how patient everyone was explaining the details to me. No two were alike — every business reflected the owner and team differently.

No matter how well-prepared I was though, I’d learn more when I came with Gloria.

Everyone was in a better mood after saying hi to her, and it seemed like everyone had a lot of time to take me through the details after.

MIKE DAVEY

It’s hard to believe it’s already been 20 years since Collision Repair magazine sent out its first issue. We’ve all seen a lot of changes in that time. Personally, when I

started with the magazine, I was single and childless. Today my wife and I have four children, the oldest of which is about to start university.

I learned a tremendous amount from the collision repair industry. Very little of what I learned was about cars or body repair. Instead, I picked up lessons about the value of hard work, thoroughness and why it’s important to always look beyond the surface.

I have a lot of difficulty imagining a scenario where I produce writing so poor that it injures or kills someone. You folks in the collision repair industry must deal with this possibility daily. This has taught me three things: first, it’s essential to check

your own work. The second is that you need someone else to look it over as well. A second set of eyes may spot something you missed.

Third, details that seem unimportant may be literally life-changing for someone.

Even when your work doesn’t involve a lot of safety issues, you still need to take it seriously. For someone, somewhere, that work is the whole world. If you discover that your work has no impact on anyone... then it’s probably time to find a job where you can contribute instead of just filling time.

Let’s just say you can take the boy out of the collision repair industry, but you can’t take the collision repair industry out of the boy.

GIDEON SCANLON “It was an honour to serve as the editor of Collision Repair magazine. When I first took on the role in 2018, I’ll admit I had no idea what I was in for. For one thing, I did not know how dynamic and complex the automotive aftermarket was. Fortunately for me, individuals across the automotive aftermarket made themselves readily available, helping me come to terms with my new beat.

It was the privilege of my career to work with and learn from the collision industry’s many talented repair professionals, visionary industry educators and innovative business leaders. Their support and dedication to the good of the collision sector is the key factor in the success of Collision Repair magazine.”

28 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

CONGRATULATIONS! Congratulations Collision Repair Magazine on your 20th anniversary milestone! The entire CARSTAR family is proud to have Collision Repair Magazine provide a voice for

CARSTAR.ca

our industry, sharing stories that matter. Our industry has made tremendous strides over the last 20 years and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones together!

DROP & GO Here are 4 contact-free options for getting an estimate or repair without having to walk into one of our shops: 1 Scheduled Appointments

2 Contact-Free Curbside Estimates

• Make appointment

• Visit repair center

• Repairs are completed

• Estimator provides estimate while you stay in vehicle

• Vehicle is cleaned and delivered

• Estimate delivered electronically

4 Home Pick-Up & Delivery BOYD’S BOLD FUTURE (if available)

3 Online Estimates

• Submit photos using Development, Nework online form Optimism and Growth in our National • Schedule pick-up of vehicle • Appointment is made

A

• Pick-up and repairs are made

“Our strategy positions both Assured Automotive and Boyd s Canada begins to emerge from the pandemic, one of the • Repairs completed • Vehicle is cleaned and delivered to continue our growth trajectory in Canada,” he says. country’sare largest automobile repair companies is preparing Autobody and vehicle “Our commitment to providing high quality repairs and continuous to service moredelivered customers in an ever-increasing number of markets in Canada and the United States. The Boyd Group has a improvement will allow us to be the first and best choice for our customers and insurance partners today and into the future.” plan to double its business by 2025.

Canade says that means focusing on three specific areas that will “If you look at our financial performance over the last 10 years, Boyd Autobody & Glass and Assured Automotive’s priority is the and safety of our customers keep customers loyal,health retain and diversify a strong workforce and we are truly humbled to be one of Canada’s great success stories,”top foster growth including: said Tony Canade, Boyd’s Canadian Chief Operating Officer.

“While and team members. That’s why we are providing Drop & Go Services that allow you flexible solutions that we have expanded reach by acquiring operations, needs. meet a variety ofour contact-free andoutstanding social distancing 1. Making customer service a top priority with the lowest cycle our growth also comes from word-of-mouth referrals, a by-product times with high CSI/NPS scores and low return rates. Assured of providing every customer a top-quality repair and backing it up We realize that this is a very challenging time for everyonecoupled and we’re here to help.

Automotive and Boyd Autobody & Glass achieves this by developing with best-in-class service.”

Ontario consumers know this company as Assured Automotive; a relationship with each customer by communicating with them all the way through the repair process. Because Assured Automotive Canada’s 4 western provinces know it as Boyd Autobody & Glass and American customers in 30 states know the Boyd Group as and Boyd Autobody & Glass want customers to recommend Gerber Collision & Glass and Glass America which includes Gerber their shops to friends and family, they stand behind the repairs and National Claim Services, Auto Glass Authority, AutoGlassOnly.com service that they provide. Comprehensive quality control processes ensure repairs meet the highest standard and the workmanship is and Auto Glass Service.

These operations achieved over $2 billion in sales in 2020. But while backed with a lifetime guarantee. This means that when Assured some businesses hunkered down during COVID-19, Canade says Automotive and Boyd Autobody & Glass repair a vehicle, the owner the Boyd Group used the time to improve operations and develop has a repair facility and their insurance company standing behind the work. a blueprint for additional growth in Canada.

For more information visit us online: boydautobody.com • assuredauto.ca

Tony Canade

2. Continuing to promote a culture of community and teamwork.

Assured Automotive and Boyd Autobody & Glass believe in growing the careers of team members by offering individuals new growth opportunities and providing thousands of hours of annual training and coaching. By ensuring each team member is properly trained, the company can assure focus on accountability, safety and quality.

The organization is also active in technician development and apprenticeship programs supporting team members as they pursue and attain OE Certifications from the Technician Development Program.

Assured Automotive and Boyd Autobody & Glass recognize that they serve diverse communities. Both welcome and respect the value that each person brings to the community.

To ensure their workforce reflects this reality, both Assured Automotive and Boyd Autobody & Glass have developed strategies to actively seek out under-represented communities and support efforts to acquire the skills to join their teams.

number of Assured Automotive and Boyd Autobody & Glass shops have achieved this mark.

The Boyd Group uses its size and scale to centrally purchase parts and its economies of scale enable Assured and Boyd Autobody to introduce new technologies at a lower cost helping improve repair quality and keeping repair costs lower.

“Assured Automotive and Boyd Autobody & Glass both have rich histories and proven track records of providing safe and quality repairs,” Canade said. “But we also recognize the need to continue to grow and evolve to be successful in the future. We look forward to continuing to leverage our size and scope to benefit customers, insurance partners and the industry. We will also further build a culture that keeps our attention on each transaction with every customer, every partner and every team member.”

3. Demonstrating to customers and insurance partners a commitment to quality and continuous improvement through technician development, OE certifications, scanning technology and calibration services. Only about 10% of all repair facilities in Canada meet the I-CAR Gold Class Certification – a growing

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT US ONLINE: BOYDAUTOBODY.COM ASSUREDAUTO.CA

20TH ANNIVERSARY

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

THE GLORY OF Mann, oh Mann—is she a force!

I

f you’ve accompanied Gloria Mann at any industry event in years past, you’ll know she’s a popular lady.

“During my first in-person industry event in January 2019, Gloria, myself and our web designer Cassie were tasked with visiting each exhibitor booth in the spacious hall, conducting interviews with presenters, guests and anyone else we may encounter along the way,” said Allison Rogers, editor of Collision Repair magazine.

“Everyone needed to say hi to Gloria. Not five steps could be made without hearing a warm ‘my favourite lady!’ paired with a friendly face and arms spread wide.”

“Gloria has been a fixture at auto recycling events across North America for years now, providing valuable coverage and insight into the industry and its participants.

Bestowing the OARA President’s Award on her in 2015 shows what the association thinks of Gloria —she is the best, and now an honourary auto recycler.”

— Steve Fletcher, managing director, Automotive Recyclers of Canada

32 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

Gloria

Since 2004, Gloria has been a driving force of Media Matters, serving as the company’s vice president of industry relations. Though, in her own words, Gloria’s work with the company for Collision Repair, Canadian Auto Recyclers, Bodyworx Professional and the rest of the Media Matters portfolio, is far more than “work.” These magazines are Gloria’s pride and joy. The relationships she’s built along the way are more akin to friendships than that of business associates.

Join Collision Repair magazine in congratulating Gloria Mann on her success with Media Matters—we could not have made it to 20 years without you! Cheers to the future—onward and upward!

20TH ANNIVERSARY

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

“In my time with Media Matters and Collision Repair mag, the best part of my job was trekking around to different shops with Gloria Mann—a true force of nature. She always knew everyone’s birthdays, everyone’s kids’ names, what paint they used and how far along they were in upgrading their systems. She’s exclamatory.” — Joe Rayment, former editor at Media Matters AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 33

20TH ANNIVERSARY

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

LEADING HER WAY Dara Carpenter, an inspiration to women in automotive

“Don’t give up. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not worthy or that you’re not good enough or that you don’t belong.” − Dara Carpenter

T

his year, Dara Carpenter, CEO of Toronto-based E.L.C Towing Dispatch Solutions was nominated for a second time for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards, which celebrates the achievements of female entrepreneurs in Canada.

“It has been an interesting journey navigating a male-dominated and challenging industry. It is truly rewarding to be nominated and recognized for all the hard work and effort that has gone into making ELC Towing Dispatch Solutions a national success,” said Dara.

Dara founded E.L.C Towing Dispatch Solutions in 34 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

2015. The company manages the logistics and dispatch of a tow throughout Canada and the U.S. but also mediates between insurance companies, towing businesses, repair facilities and auto recyclers in the automotive industry.

Currently, Dara is the only person in Ontario small claims court that is qualified as an expert within the insurance industry as representative on towing and storage matters. Dara has testified in multiple small claims court proceedings as an expert witness.

But her journey to becoming one of the leading voices in the field of automotive tow and storage, isn’t as easy as it may look.

Dara began her career in the industry after finishing high school. While attending College part-time, she started working at a friend’s insurance brokerage learning about insurance processes and types of policies available.

Soon after, she got into the auto claims side and began working with automotive recyclers and towing companies.

After being in the insurance industry for more than 20 years both as a license broker and as an expert in towing and storage matters within claims departments, Dara decided to take her wealth of experience and knowledge and start ELC Towing Dispatch Solutions.

ELC is now a cross-nationally recognized company used by businesses all over Canada and the United States.

While building her business Dara has had to overcome several obstacles: people who doubted her, men who didn’t take her seriously, and of course, having to raise a family. Despite it all, however, Dara proved time and time again that she is here to stay and has without a doubt situated herself as an influential figure in the field.

Dara hopes stories like hers to inspire other women to take up space in predominantly male industries.

“Don’t give up. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not worthy or that you’re not good enough or that you don’t belong.”

As for the future, Carpenter remains hopeful that more women will feel comfortable working in the industry.

“I’m already seeing a big change. I see twice as many women working in the industry compared to when I first started.”

OUR STORY OUR PROMISE Our history in automotive refinishing dates back to 1894 when we were among the first to bring a coating to market specific to transportation. Today, we continue to drive the industry with superior products, world class services and innovative technologies that accelerate performance, achieve sustainable growth and push profitability. We are committed to our people. We are committed to our partners.

THAT’S OUR PROMISE TO YOU. visit sherwin-automotive.com

20TH ANNIVERSARY

WHIMSY

WE’VE SEEN IT ALL The good, the bad and the flat-out crazy

A

nyone that’s worked a day in the collision repair industry knows that it can be a wild ride.

From not-so-happy customers, to jaw-dropping wrecks brought through the door for repairs and self-inflicted oopsies, Collision Repair asked its readers for their craziest industry and repair-related stories; check out the best responses below!

“I once f ound a n ut tied t a string o in a qua r ter pane with a n l ote that read, “how lon g did it t ake you to find m e?”

—Anony mous 33 years

as collisio

n centre

tank e l c y ok. otorc o m h a a g o eldin nd up ont ld not w s a a u w back nd and co ed ther f a f l e y s u m id “M ew hi ff the gro hter subs the l b e out laug and h levated o d e e h t t t r a se te and p hair.” n He wa imself. Af w o d nd h free helped him clothes a his rew n c o e s ous e h t r m s t af f y fi n r o hop o s n y n A i d m — r, bo w ne ears 36 y

as

ce s ion colli

o ntre

owner

“I got a 2006 Avalanche towed in with a whole exhaust pipe through the windshield, no wheels on the vehicle at all. Front end had been stripped with parts and there were bullet holes all over the side of the car.

Weirdest thing to get towed in for an insurance job.”

— Sebastian Torres 7 years as collision centre owner 36 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

“While patching a hole in a quarter panel, a live shot gun shell fell out after I tack welded the patch on.”

—William Speed 10 years shop floor, 27 years high school autobody, 3.5 years as road appraiser

“We repaired and painted a fiberglass horse one time, it stood at the entrance of a horse farm and the nextdoor horses got out and attacked it, busted it up bad.

Fixed it up and back on its feet, looking all shiny, like it was sweating.”

— Bill Fonstad

“There have been some big oopsies over the years damaging customer’s cars by accident in the shop.

We’re talking driving one of them right out of the building into another one— that tech had a bad day for sure.

Nobody was hurt, just more work than we bargained for.”

— Anonymous 20 years as collision centre owner

36 years as collision centre owner, technician

ine “Our coke vending mach y, stopped working one da n. so we called the repairma ded to work He and his helper procee find any trouble. for five hours but couldn’t sor, and he came They called theiar supervi , but also found to check out the machine to call for a new nothing. They all decided them to check if it machine—when I asked d cut off the power was plugged in; they ha ter that, it started at the start of the day. Af read your working fine. The lesson: on sense.” instructions and use comm — Anonymous 50 years as collision centre

“I w as o nce atta cke d by cust a ome — An r.” o ny mo u 34 ye ars a s s c ol lisio n c en tre o w

ner

owner, technician

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 37

20TH ANNIVERSARY

WHIMSY

PASSION MEETS PERFECTION

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20TH ANNIVERSARY

OBITUARIES

A CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Sam Piercey doles out helpings at the annual Budds’ Collision Christmas Pig Roast, circa 2010.

The life of the party, all the time.

Sam Piercey GENERAL MANAGER, CO-OWNER OF BUDDS’ COLLISION, INDUSTRY MENTOR

S

am Piercey was introduced to Collision Repair readers through his column, Point Blank with Piercey.

In his columns, Sam didn’t simply write with candor, but with a palpable compassion for those he saw as comrades in the collision industry; his fellow business-owners, his extended family.

When issues would come up concerning the future of the collision industry, Sam never used his platform to broadcast doom and gloom; he was raw and honest, but never cynical.

Whether calling for action on better labour rates for techs, calling out crooked tow companies, or calling his shot on how the future will unfold, Sam always wrote with a mission in mind. Never offthe-cuff, never blowing hot air or using his platform for self-centred ranting; Sam was both considerate and deliberate when giving his views.

People connected to Sam and his writing, even when it was tough—maybe especially when it was tough. Sam never minced words in his columns. If your shop was in jeopardy because of this or that training program that was ignored, Sam would let you know “Your shop is in jeopardy because of this training program you ignored,” simple as that.

40 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

He wasn’t condemning anybody; he was just looking out for his peers. He truly wanted everyone at their best and properly informed.

The last thing any shop owner wants is to be blindsided by some drastic industry shift and have no mentor to look to for advice.

Sam was that mentor. He made a mission out of cultivating a generation of progressive-minded repairers to carry on his legacy and that of his family—a generation of tough, hardworking tradespeople with one eye always on the bigger picture.

Sam closed off his September 2012 edition of Point Blank with Piercey with a remark where he addresses the collision industry as family. Nearly ten years later, the weight behind those words has only become greater.

“There’s an old saying about what the tough do when the going gets tough. Brothers and Sisters, it’s time to get going.”

Sam Piercey died on July 24, 2016.

20TH ANNIVERSARY

OBITUARIES

Ralph D’Alessandro

Richard Berg

CSN 427 AUTO COLLISION

3M CANADA

D’Alessandro was nearing 90 years old and had served as president of CSN 427 Auto Collision for 40 years, from the company’s foundation to when he passed on executive management to his three sons in 2011.

Ralph was described as “a born leader who took calculated risks that others wouldn’t even consider. He forged strategic partnerships across the automotive repair industry and actively pursued the latest innovations. He always made time to share insights and lessons with his three sons, grandchildren and dedicated employees many of whom worked with him for over 30 years. His commitment to continual improvement was a thread woven into the family principles nurtured by him and his wife Gina and the values of the family business.

Ralph used to say, “If you eat small bites, you can eat all the time.

You don’t want to choke.”

Some of Ralph’s greatest accolades in the aftermarket include being the first facility in North America to adopt the Sikkens brand of refinish coatings–which the business still uses to this day–and serving as one of first facilities in the CSN Collision Centre fold in 2001.

Ralph D’Alessandro died on July 26, 2021.

A longtime representee for 3M Canada’s Automotive Aftermarket division, Richard ‘Rick’ Berg had a passion for the trade and pursued it through a 23-year-long career with the company.

Following Rick’s sudden death, 3M instated the annual Rick Berg Invitational Golf Tournament as a fundraising effort to support both the operation of the Epilepsy Support Centre in London, Ontario as well as to raise awareness and facilitate important research around epilepsy-related deaths. Over the course of five years, the event raised over $200,000 in Rick’s memory.

In honour of Rick’s excellence in the industry, 3M also named an annual award after him. The Rick Berg Award is bestowed upon 3M sales representatives who exhibit the highest level of performance and sales professionalism in the Automotive Aftermarket Division.

Rick Berg died on April 27, 2010.

Denis Bellemore NAPA/UAP Collision Repair Magazine remembers Denis Bellemore, former vice-president at NAPA Auto Parts.

Denis was widely regarded as a positive force in the Canadian auto industry, acting as a vocal supporter, sponsor and volunteer for many industry events.

Taken from us far too soon, Denis is remembered fondly by his partner, his children and his entire extended family at NAPA/UAP. Denis Bellemore died on September 15, 2009.

John Norris ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TRADES John Norris, executive director of the Collision Industry Information Assistance was known as a defender of the Canadian collision industry.

John is also known for playing a major role in the establishment of the Ontario College of Trades. He founded the CIIA in the 1990s, serving as the organization’s executive director for more than 20 years, while also playing a key role in the Ontario College of Trades.

His efforts on behalf of the organization were celebrated in 2017, when John was awarded as the Ontario College of Trades’ first Prize of Excellence recipient.

Norris is survived by his wife, Annette; children, Theresa, Richard and Jeffrey, and grandchildren Quinn and Owen.

John Norris died on May 28, 2019.

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 41

20TH ANNIVERSARY

OBITUARIES

Dave Smith AKZO NOBEL Collision Repair Magazine remembers Dave Smith, AkzoNobel’s former country manager for Canada and dear friend to the publication.

Dave worked hard and dedicated himself to building the Akzo Nobel brand across Canada, while also acting as long-standing supporter of industry events like CCIF. He joined the company in 1993, working up from various positions in sales and operations before being appointed to the position of country manager for Canada in 2010.

Remembered by his wife, three children and many, many friends, Dave gave 40 years of himself to this industry. This magazine and the Canadian aftermarket is eternally thankful for it.

Dave Smith died on May 28, 2018.

Harold Carlaw CAMPBELLFORD AUTO BODY

Harold Carlaw, who put the family’s name on the map after founding Campbellford Collision in 1951.

Chris O’Neill FIX AUTO ST. JOHN’S Chris O’Neill, owner of Mount Pearl, Newfoundland’s O’Neill Motors and the former Fix Auto St. John’s, now closed.

42 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

There are few names in the Ontario collision repair community that carry the same weight as Carlaw.

If you’ve had a car repaired in eastern Ontario at some point in the last seventy years, there is a distinct possibility that that repair was brought to you by a Carlaw; a true collision repair dynasty, and Harold was its patriarch.

Harold Carlaw came in at the ground floor of collision repair in the early 1950’s, running Campbellford Auto Body, in part, by supplementing the business with the sale of scrap and artefacts from WWII aircraft; a passion of Harold’s that would evolve alongside the growth of his collision repair business.

Harold Carlaw passed away at Campbellford Memorial Hospital on Dec. 6, 2010.

Change is a scary thing when it comes and you aren’t ready; it’s scary even if you are. When an abrupt, fundamental change occurs, some look to cut their losses and get out ahead of the uncertainty. Others look to a trailblazer like Chris O’Neill to light the path to continued success.

When waterborne paint legislation had the collision industry sweating, Chris and his team at Fix Auto St. John’s managed to stay stoic and face the challenge head-on.

Chris helped open Fix Auto St. John’s in late 2010, but has been a fixture in his community for far longer.

He is remembered as the caring, empathetic man who grew up playing street hockey on Cornwall Crescent; the man who taught his friends and family to drive stick.

With the loss of Chris, the collision industry suffered yet another abrupt, fundamental change. But in change there is always the hope that a new light will emerge, and it seems safe to say that Chris’ light influenced many future torchbearers of the collision industry.

Chris O’Neill passed away on February 18, 2021.

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As Collision Repair Magazine celebrates its 20th anniversary, Lacero Solutions would like to congratulate and send their best wishes to the entire CRM family and its readership. Lacero Solutions strives to remain committed to the vision and interests of the entire automotive recycling industry in North America.

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For over 50 years CSN 427 Auto, CSN Heartland and CSN Avenue Collision have partnered directly with OEs, dealerships and insurance companies to produce safe, high quality repairs. When you take your vehicle to one of our facilities you can rest assured it will be serviced by highly skilled technicians, equipped with the latest repair technology and procedures.

427autocollision.com | csnheartlandcollision.com | avenuecollision.com

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

THE GREATS Collision Repair magazine only features the best

T

he most important part of any magazine is the cover. One of the founding facets of Collision Repair magazine was rooted in who we featured on our covers. The individuals that represented one of the six yearly issues of the magazine couldn’t just be sourced from a flip through the classifieds or a phonebook; they needed to tout spectacular backgrounds, with larger-than-life goals and inspiring personalities.

In 2002, from the very first issue of the magazine, it was decided that every cover was to feature a shop—whether it be from the realms of the Rockies out west, settled along the Atlantic coast or somewhere in the glorious in-between.

There’s one thing for certain: even after 20 years, there will never be a shortage of great business leaders to feature on our covers.

In celebration of our 20th anniversary, Collision Repair magazine’s editorial team took on the mammoth effort of contacting every past cover star that’s graced our cover in the last 20 years. With six annual issues—the occasional seventh, in the early years—and a 20-year-span to cover, the team had more than 120 cover stars to speak to.

While we tried to track everyone down, some of our past stars have proven to be rather elusive. We wish every single person that’s been featured in our magazine the absolute best, and send well wishes to their families.

And if any of you are reading this—never hesitate to reach out.

There’s nothing we love more than speaking to the almighty members of Canada’s automotive aftermarket.

LORENZO D’ALESSANDRO CSN 427 AUTO COLLISION, CSN AVENUE, CSN HEARTLAND CRM ISSUE 1#1

Much has changed for Lorenzo D’Alessandro since he graced the inaugural issue of Collision Repair magazine in 2002. Three things remain constant, though: his love for his family, his dedication to the collision repair craft and his forward-thinking drive for success.

Since the beginning, when Ralph D’Alessandro first broke ground on CSN 427—followed not long after by CSN Avenue—the company has held a progressive vision, looking keenly into the future for any way to maximize their success. In addition to being one of the flag-bearing first franchisees in the CSN Collision Centres network, CSN 427 was the first Canadian shop to join the AkzoNobel Platinum North American Performance Group, a group of high-performing collision centres that meet to discuss continual improvement initiatives and work through shop issues.

The D’Alessandros have carried the same scope into its third generation of ownership, putting ample importance on training and OEM certification efforts.

“If a shop is not investing in training and updating its equipment, it’s going to catch up to them,” Lorenzo warns.

46 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

Currently, CSN 427 Auto is considered one of the most OE-certified facilities in the country, touting more than 20 OEM certifications a highly skilled, highly trained team.

Just last year the D’Alessandro family added a new facility to their fold, acquiring Mississauga, Ontario’s CSN Heartland.

“We’ve had two locations for a long time and now adding a third in a high-traffic area is a great opportunity for us,” said Lorenzo at the time of the acquisition.

Lorenzo says his proudest feat in the industry has been watching his children, Jessica, who serves as the company’s marketing coordinator, and Nicholas, as well as his nephews Giulian and Gabriel, find their own in the family business.

Throughout these unprecedented times, CSN 427 Auto’s willingness to grow, take risks and learn is a source of inspiration for shops all over the nation.

“We’re continually changing, and not fearing that change,” said Lorenzo.

GINO MASCARIN MASCARIN COLLISION CRM ISSUE 1#2

Gino Mascarin, the second-generation owner of Mascarin Collision, was the second-ever cover star to grace a Collision Repair magazine cover 20 years ago—and since then the collision repair shop has been going strong.

Surviving multiple recessions, and a global pandemic, Mascarin knows what collision centres need to do to stay in the industry long term and he believes it’s going to come down to making sure to keep up with the constant changes in the industry.

There will never be a shortage of great business leaders to feature on Collision Repair covers.

DO ES AI

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“The cream is really going to rise, you’re going to have to be very professional, very educated, very highly skilled in business,” said Mascarin. “I think the strong will survive, and I think you have to be on top of your game to stay in business.”

Mascarin Collision is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and Mascarin is also celebrating the fact that he will be passing on the torch to his son who will take over the family business and follow in his father’s footsteps.

ill, ON L3T 1Y2

JULIO BRUNO

REMO MERCANTI

CSN COLLISON CENTRES

ONTARIO AUTO COLLISION CARSTAR

CRM ISSUE 1#3

CRM ISSUE 1#4

When Julio Bruno reflects on his lengthy successful career in the auto body industry, two things stand out: growth and family.

Bruno’s journey began with a lone St. Catharines-based shop and now includes four locations throughout the Niagara region. Over these last 20 years, he has experienced that growth alongside his brother Frank, and sons Duane, John, and Ryan, the CEO of CSN.

Remo Mercanti was on featured on the cover back in 2002, carrying the Mercanti family legacy as the original founders of CARSTAR.

“It’s truly a family business,” he says, noting nothing is better than working with loved ones. “There is pride in that.”

The expansion has created synergies within the business that are important to a changing industry. Since his cover appearance, Bruno has seen banners emerge and skills expand.

“The technician of 30 years ago was much different,” he says.

“It’s a much better industry and better trade, with more skills required. There is also better equipment that makes the job easier.

“But by the same token, if you don’t have the knowledge and training, you can get yourself into trouble.”

Since his cover, Remo has sold multiple collision repair locations including the Ontario Auto Collision CARSTAR Rymal location in 2019.

Over the course of his career, Mercanti has put a great deal of importance on making sure the customer was always happy with the end results of their fixed car, and he takes pride in the work his collision repair locations have provided.

“When we saw a customer we wanted to look straight in their face and know that we did the best possible job we could to put their car back to the way it was before or better,” said Mercanti.

Now Mercanti primarily focuses on consulting with some locations in the CARSTAR network and watching his two children succeed in the automotive industry.

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 47

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

DANA ALEXANDER

P.J. HNATIUK

CSN DANA’S

CANADIAN AUTO COLLISION

CRM ISSUE 1#5

CRM ISSUE 1#6

Never to be caught by surprise, always surveying the surroundings for threats— eyes carefully fixed on the task at hand.

It’s okay, it’s not a bear. It’s just our friend Dana Alexander, and he’s got our back.

Around the time P.J. Hnatiuk was making his name in the Brantford, Ontario. collision repair community, banner shops were a bold new idea, but Hnatiuk could see the benefits coming.

Dana has been working in the collision industry for more than 40 years now and there isn’t much he doesn’t see coming.

As one of the founders of the Canadian Collision Industry Forum and proud operator of Dana’s Collision Centre in Fredericton, Dana has been working to organize the industry and prepare his fellow techs and shop owners for new technology and training before it arrives—not when.

“What we see today is just phenomenal—the investments in technology, in the automobile, and they’re growing rapidly.The equipment that we have to purchase is the biggest investment we have to make, besides our infrastructure, in order to stay abreast of all the changes that been in the vehicle over the last 20 years,” Dana said in his follow-up interview with Collision Repair in July.

“Electronics are driving the industry right now for sure, and the different steels and aluminum. Aluminum was a big thing that came into the industry, although we’ve been fixing aluminum for 25 or 30 years because we were fixing Volvos with aluminum tailgates back in the 80s.

Not long after Collision Repair first got in touch with Hnatiuk back in 2002, he signed his shop up to be a part of the newly established Collision Services Network (CSN). Hnatiuk recognized the direction that the industry was heading in and realized that he would need to have the trust of people in high places to move forward.

“I thought it was time to join a network and CSN has a lot of like-minded, family-owned businesses,” said Hnatiuk. “Insurance companies see the strength of doing business with banner programs and their advantages when it comes to marketing and purchasing.”

As true as it was in our publication’s first year as it is today, Hnatiuk said that the recurring struggle now is finding the techs to do the work.

“CCIF gave us a platform to get together and discuss what was going on in the industry. It also gave us a forum where we could talk to suppliers, especially the OEs, aftermarket suppliers, the insurers; everyone is invited to be in the room. I think it solidifies the industry more and more,” said Dana.

“We have to work hard to attract young people to our industry,” said Hnatiuk. “One of the challenges is what we are able to compensate them with. I can see that a substantial rate increase literally has to happen at some point.”

KEN FRIESEN

BILL FINAN/LIAM FINAN

CONCOURS COLLISION

B&B AUTO COLLISION, NOW MTB TRANSIT SOLUTIONS

CRM ISSUE 2#1

CRM ISSUE 2#2

Ken Friesen sold his four auto body shops to Boyd Autobody and Glass in 2017 and has now retired from the automotive industry, but that doesn’t stop him from reminiscing about his long career and all of the successes that came with it.

After speaking to Liam Finan, vice president of operations at MTB Transit Collision — what used to be B&B Auto Collision — it was clear a lot has changed from the name to the business itself.

Friesen says that his proudest moment is one that only him and one other Canadian can share.

“I was inducted into the Hall of Eagles, which is run out of the U.S., and only Glen Hickey from Newfoundland and I are part of this whole thing,” said Friesen, who was inducted into the Hall of Eagles in 1999. The plaque he was given reads: “In recognition of exemplary leadership, dedication and outstanding contribution towards the betterment of the collision industry.”

Friesen was also very involved with the inception of CCIF and was the chairman for the first three years. Now that he is happily retired, Friesen enjoys his free time by playing with his hot rods and classic cars, travelling and renovating houses.

48 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

Over the last 10 years, MTBTransit Collision has completely transitioned the business to focus on bus repair and refurbishment.

“Now we strictly repair busses,” says Finan.

Headquartered in Milton, Ontario, MTB provides refurbishments, repairs, OEM upgrades, modifications and warranties, as well as sells and leases busses.

Having completed work on nearly 3,000 buses, no one in Canada has repaired or refurbished more buses than MTB. Finan says the future of the bus industry specifically is a little different than that of the automotive industry, however, he says some parallels exist — such as the move towards electrification.

For the bus industry alone, he says: “I definitely think the industry is only going to get larger. Public transportation is going to be the way of the future.”

TONY CANADE

BOB PORTER

ASSURED AUTOMOTIVE

FIX AUTO AURORA

CRM ISSUE 2#3

CRM ISSUE 2#4

WhereverTony Canade goes, hard work and success are sure to follow in tow. Canade’s story is nothing short of a spectacular whirlwind. After graduating from postsecondary, Canade held a brief stint at an accounting firm before teaming up with his cousins Nick and Sandy Liguori; the coowners of CCS Woodchester Collision.The Liguoris served as phenomenal mentors at the start of his career, says Canade.

From Woodchester, Canade had the opportunity to join Oaktown Collision as the vice-president of operations in 2002. A mere three years later, the business merged with another local company, Imperial Collision Centres, prompting the launch of Assured Automotive in 2005.

One of the biggest updates since Tony Canade’s 2003 cover is the fact that Winnipeg, Manitoba-based Boyd Group Services acquire Assured Automotive.The transaction closed in 2017 and saw Boyd acquired Assured for $193.6 million. Canade now serves as the COO for Boyd Group’s Canadian operations.

Canade is not one to take all the credit, though: he tells Collision Repair the deal would have never happened if it weren’t for the support of the entire Assured team.

“We’ve been so fortunate to grow our organization but to also watch our staff grow. Watching some of our staff join us in entrylevel positions before moving up to managing stores—even regions or markets—it’s just an incredible sight to see.

“When we sold to Boyd, we were one of the largest corporateowned collision repair organizations in North America—that’s quite a proud moment—but we really wouldn’t have been able to do that without the staff that were on the journey with us.”

If Bob Porter could advise his younger self, the message would be simple – run a straight ship and treat others fairly.That’s precisely how Porter has operated Fix Auto Aurora, a busy collision repair facility he opened in 1999.The camaraderie has kept it fun, with Porter recalling the days when clients tossed their keys down, grabbed a coffee, and left trusting a good job would be done.

That hasn’t changed, though there’s now a Tim Horton’s drive thru window on site.

“I enjoy the client interaction,” says Porter, a Red Seal technician, who also operated two other facilities in the past. “They’re a second family.”

Porter considers Fix Auto the industry’s top consolidator and he has created an excellent work environment, mandating “repair over replace.” He considers himself a coworker, not the boss, to six full-time staff who have each been employed at least 13 years. Porter shows his sincere appreciation with an annual overnight staff Christmas party at Deerhurst, and summer barbeques.

“When I was brought up, I was led by example,” Porter says.

HAPPY 20TH ANNIVERSARY COLLISION REPAIR MAGAZINE! AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 49

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

THANK YOU

COLLISION REPAIR MAGAZINE For being a forum we rely on, through both calm and troubled waters

O

ur industry is far from a simple one. Balancing bottom lines, keeping smiles on our customer’s faces, navigating the constantly changing landscape of repairs—there are countless moving parts. Through it all, however, there’s a partner we at CSN Chapman West Bedford know we can rely on; Collision Repair magazine.

Through legislation changes, the rise of OEM certifications, the influx of vehicle technology and so much more, Collision Repair magazine has been by our side, keeping us informed and up-to-date on the most prevalent industry trends and challenges, acting as our lighthouse in the distance, our canary in the mines and, above all else, a source we can trust.

So, thank you, Collision Repair mag and the team, for keeping your finger on the pulse of our industry. Here’s to another 20 years of success!

Sincerely, Kelvin Campbell, Owner of CSN Chapman Autobody

“Thank you for being our friend, partner, and the voice of Collision Repair.”

We Offer virtual estimates and a completely contact-less repair service.

Pre & post sanitizing of all vehicles.

Bedford: 902 444 6676 | Halifax: 902 453 6676 Follow us on Instagram @chapmanautobody | www.chapmanautobody.com

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

LEANNE JEFFERIES

FORMER SHOP OWNER, VICE PRESIDENT OF ASSURED PERFORMANCE NETWORK/CERTIFIED COLLISION CARE AND SKILLS CANADA COLLISION REPAIR PROGRAM DIRECTOR CRM ISSUE 2#5

Leanne Jefferies, vice president of Assured Performance Network/Certified Collision Care and Skills Canada Collision Repair program director has a long history with Collision Repair magazine. In fact, she was the first woman to ever be featured on our cover back in 2003.

18 years later, she is still making waves in the industry. So much so, Jefferies was recognized as a Most Influential Woman (MIW) in collision repair in 2014 by the Women’s Industry Network.

“This was a great honour, to be recognized by my industry for making a difference,” she said. Jefferies has watched the industry change and evolve over the course of her career.

“The biggest changes over the past ten years are twofold: first, the vehicle technology and the increased technical capability of repairers—which in large part has happened and still is happening—in response to OEM certification.

“The other big change is the number of females entering our industry. This change has been very noticeable at Skills Canada competitions, where ten years ago there were no female technicians competing, to today, where many events have 50 percent female competitors,” she said.

NICK DILUCA

CSN CARS AUTO COLLISION AND CSN CARS EAST AND WEST

BILL WILLIAMS RICHMOND CHRYSLER JEEP COLLISION CRM ISSUE 2#7

Bill Williams has spent 36 years in the collision repair industry. What still drives Richmond Chrysler’s body shop manager is the challenge to do a good job.

“We have a team-based environment,” says Williams. “We also have an excellent customer base and lots of referrals.”

The 5000-square foot space is the lone body shop in Richmond Auto Mall. About half of the work now is on Chrysler vehicles, while other local dealerships also entrust the shop to restore vehicles to their pre-collision state. Williams says a few changes have made a difference over the years.The implementation of teams has improved workflow, and two years ago, they were the first shop in Canada to introduce CarBeat.The company’s involvement with AkzoNobel’s body shop performance group has also provided tremendous support.

“The group is now across Canada so you’re around successful shops, with great ideas,” says Williams. “That reenergizes me.”

Williams is looking ahead. He and some longtime, loyal staff are preparing for retirement in the coming years.

“We’ve been able to retain staff,” says Williams. “The challenge will be to leave it in good hands.”

MIKE MARIO REGINA AUTO BODY

CRM ISSUE 3#1

CRM ISSUE 3#2

Nick DiLuca is the owner of CSN Cars Auto Collision and CSN Cars East and West — and not to mention one of the founders of the CSN Collision banner. DiLuca says over the past 20 years nearly “everything” in the industry has changed in one way or another.

Regina Auto Body has been around for just short of a century. Starting off as a blacksmith’s shop, it soon transformed into a full-fledged auto body repair facility.

Throughout the shop’s long history, giving back to the community has been a key theme.

DiLuca lists the amount of new technology, the difficulty of repairing newer vehicles and the shortages of skilled technicians as some of the largest shifts in the industry.

This was demonstrated in 2019 when the shop celebrated its 95th anniversary by donating a portion of its October earnings to the Canadian Mental Health Association.

“The amount of change has been huge.”

“It started with tossing around the idea of having an open house to show the changes from the horse and buggy all the way to becoming a Tesla Certified Repair Facility,” explained Mike Mario, the co-owner of RAB. “Chad (another co-owner) and I started to look at the costs of putting something like that together and we heard about our neighbours down the street, Canadian Mental Health Association Regina Branch, and how it was in need of some renovations and we thought, ‘why don’t we scrap that idea and donate the money we may have spent on an open house along with our budgeted donations and do a month-long blitz using the $95 to coincide with the 95 years?’”

DiLuca says training will have to be moved to the forefront, in order for shops to survive in this ever-changing industry.

“I think that were going to need higher skilled technicians and we’re going to have to focus on training more than ever,” he said. “There’s going to be less shops, but very skilled shops.”

Despite, the challenges the collision repair industry brings, DiLuca says he is proud to be a part of it.

“It’s a great industry to be in and I’m looking forward to the next 10 years, really — I don’t know about 20 though, I might be too old,” he said with a chuckle.

52 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

By taking $95 from every repair in October, Mario and his team raised more than $10,000 towards replacing worn flooring in the mental health facility.

LARRY JEFFERIES

AL MACPHEE

CARSTAR CANADA

MACPHEE FORD

CRM ISSUE 3#3

CRM ISSUE 3#5

If you don’t know Larry Jefferies, then you have not been in the collision industry long. Co-founder of CARSTAR Canada and a trailblazer in the industry, Larry is well-known by many due to his incredible drive in the collision repair sector.

Al MacPhee, the owner of MacPhee Ford, has been in the industry since 1961, and he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down just yet. Over the course of his career, MacPhee has many accomplishments under his belt including being the past Chairman of the Canadian Auto Dealer Body, the past President of the Nova Scotia Automobile Dealers Association, he has won awards and has been inducted into the Junior Achievement Nova Scotia’s Business Hall of Fame and has been known for his philanthropic work through his not-for-profit charity organization the MacPhee Centre for Creative Learning.

Since he was on the cover of Collision Repair Mag, Larry completed his term as AIA chairman on the board and also served two terms as chairman of CCIF the only person to ever do that, he says. When Larry left CARSTAR in 2015, he started up his own business called Collision Builders, helping longstanding collision owners prepare and achieve an exit strategy.

“Almost 50 years later and the businessmen I worked with are now coming back to me looking for an exit strategy. It has all come full-circle and I would have to say that is one of my proudest moments since being on the cover,” says Larry.

In 2016, Larry was presented with AIA’s Distinguished Service Award, because of his years of strong support for AIA Canada and what he has done to help grow the collision industry.

“I could retire because I am old enough that I shouldn’t be working, but I am not sure I can stop,” he said. There is still a lot to be accomplished.

“I’ve been very involved in the community because I work in the community,” said MacPhee, who believes it’s important to give back to the people who have supported him throughout the years.

With a career as long as MacPhee’s in the automotive industry, he has seen a lot of changes, but he says there has never been a time in history quite like the present.

“Electrification is going to come about, and not immediately but autonomous vehicles are also going to make their way into the marketplace,” said MacPhee. “I’m in the business daily and it’s evolving more rapidly than ever before.”

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 53

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

BILL HATSWELL

DON STRONG AND WALTER GREGO

CRAFTSMAN COLLISION GROUP

ASSURED AUTOMOTIVE ONTARIO EAST

CRM ISSUE 4#1

CRM ISSUE 4#2

When the mountains called, Bill Hatswell answered. As the founder of Craftsman Collision, one of western Canada’s most trusted banners, the Hatswell name is synonymous with autobody in British Columbia and Alberta. Bill’s story begins on the complete other side of the world, however, in Adelaide, Australia.

Don Strong, the once co-owner of Ottawaarea collision centres Assured Automotive Ontario East alongside business partner Walter Grego, retired in 2017. His collision repair career, however, can be summed up in one word—and it also happens to be his last name.

By 1970, Bill had been running a successful bodyshop for a number of years in the south coast city, until everything changed during a trip to the Canadian Rockies.

“A friend of mine invited me skiing,” said Hatswell in his 2005 interview with Collision Repair. “I tried it, fell in love with it, and it became an absolute passion. I told my wife I wanted to move to Canada. She thought I’d lost my marbles.”

So, Bill traded in his surfboard for a pair of skis and set about opening his first shop in his new home of Vancouver, British Columbia.

“That building was the epitome of the state of the industry in 1977,” said Bill. “Filthy, totally unattractive, unfriendly and almost hostile. That was the industry in those days.”

Both a great chorus for a punk song and a motivating starting point for a business owner, Bill got to work cleaning up the image and performance of his shop and giving himself the ability to rapidly expand to three shops by 1981.

Strong held a spectrum of roles over the course of his career: licensed tradesperson and licensed painter, in addition to various management positions and his role as co-owner and operator at the Ottawa shops for a cumulative 12 years.

What gives Strong the most pride is knowing that he’s helped the next generation of greats launch their careers in the automotive aftermarket.

“I had such great opportunities with so many young people over the years. I brought them into the trade to apprentice them and watched them blossom into full-fledged technicians and painters, and showcase their skills in bodyshops all across the Ottawa area and beyond.That is undoubtedly my proudest moment.”

Fast-forward to today and Craftsman is the largest independent collision network in western Canada, boasting more than 40 locations west of Manitoba and a staff of more than 600.

Nowadays, Strong spends his well-earned retirement relaxing, travelling and spending time with his eight grandchildren.

DALE KEIZER

TERRY BRADIMORE

CSN KEIZER’S

CK COLLISION

CRM ISSUE 4#3

CRM ISSUE 4#4

Dale Keizer, the owner of CSN Keizer’s, has been busy since the last time the shop was featured in Collision Repair, as he now has four facilities including two collision centers and two mechanical centers. Keizer learned how to fix cars from his father growing up, who owned an auto body shop that was right next door to their house, and now Keizer is proud to say that his sons are now in the business, along with other family members.

WhenTerry Bradimore of CK Collision was featured on the Collision Repair cover in 2005, he was in full-blown consolidation.

His hard work clearly paid off—currently CK Collision operates three shops in the Greater Toronto Area and in Orillia, Ontario.

“All of my family’s involved, my father looks after our property division and he also runs our auto sales, I’m the director that runs all of the stores, my oldest son runs our mechanical centers, my youngest son runs our Halifax collision center and my mother is in our accounting division,” says Keizer, who believes that the key to their success is a healthy work environment, one they have been cultivating for years after admittedly realizing something needed to change.

“We broke the company up so people are working in teams, we all work together, and we have a very good culture,” he says. “So, we are very proud of being able to take it from that flat-rate world where we had terrible culture and really poor attitudes in our store, and now we’ve become a very strong, positive company.”

54 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

Over the years Bradimore has achievements to be proud of; but he is especially fond of his memories of opening the Bowmanville facility. With the help of his former business partner Gary Webster, they brought the location to life and were able to present it to the industry in a different way than any regular “grand opening.”

“We brought in a creative director to help us make the opening memorable,” he shares. “We had paint cans hanging from the ceiling with velvet cloth hanging down as if paint was pouring out of them. We called up some guys who had different cars that you wouldn’t normally see on the roads and had those throughout the shop. It was a really proud moment for both of us because we did it from scratch.”

Sadly, Bradimore’s former business partner, Gary Webster, died in March 2021. Terry sends his condolences to Gary’s wife, Sheena, and the rest of his family.

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20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

MARTIN MONTEITH

GEORGE BRICK, LES HESHKA

CSN ZENETEC COLLISION

EASTSIDE GROUP

CRM ISSUE 4#6

CRM ISSUE 5#1

From day one, Martin Monteith, owner of CSN Zenetec Collision has had a passion for cars. Right out of high school at the age of 16 in Northern Ireland, Monteith entered a four-year apprenticeship at a bodyshop just a few miles from his family’s farm.

Eastside Group now employs more than 200 employees and is composed of five different businesses: Eastside Industrial Coatings & Composites, Eastside Heavy Truck Collision, Eastside Collision Repairs Moray Autobody and Zone Refinish.

Fast-forward to 1989 when Monteith made the move to Canada and began working in a dealership bodyshop. After three years, Monteith made the jump to independence and opened what is now CSN Zenetec Collision.

George Brick, the owner, also retired eight years ago. However, Les Heshka, is still the general manager and George’s son’s Chad and Matt are now involved in the business too.

One of his proudest moments, says Monteith, is when his company celebrated the grand opening of its second Barrie, Ontario, location.The 3,065 sq. m. facility features state-of-theart equipment equipped to achieve OEM-compliant repairs, plus a high-tech “green” car wash that utilize low-energy and using reclaimed water.

“It was a project that took about three years to complete with getting the contractors and getting the city officials and approvals,” Monteith explains.

Over the years Monteith has taken a step back from full-blown auto body work and now does mainly administration while his son William has taken on the role of general manager.

Currently, CSN Zenetec Collision touts 15 OEM certifications— and has plans to add more.

When asked: what is your proudest moment since the business was last featured on the cover? Heshka replied: “I don’t know if there was a moment, but it was sort of an evolution as the shop grew and how we ended up with really good dedicated employees on both the Office and Technician side along with the Eastside Brand earning a high level reputation for Quality of Repairs & a Friendly Atmosphere.”

With a great team behind him, Les says Eastside Collision is ready to take on whatever the future of the industry may hold.

“In the future I see shops having to invest heavily & specialize in certain Brands & not being able to tackle numerous OEM’S as they do now,” says Les.

MARTY AND CHRIS REDDICK

TAYLOR SUN

SUPREME COLLISION CENTRE

CONTEMPORARY COACHWORKS

CRM ISSUE 5#2

CRM ISSUE 5#3

Since its inception in 1963, Supreme Collision has always been ahead of its time. Founded by Bernie Reddick—who started the very first auto body franchise in Canada—Supreme Collision has expanded four times over since its start in Aurora, Ontario, and still touts family ties, run under the leadership of Marty and Chris Reddick.

Supreme Collision’s most recent expansion occurred in 2019, when the company acquired a former banjo factory and transformed it into a state-of-the-art collision centre.The 10,000 sq. ft. workshop’s layout is designed in a step-by-step “U” shape developed by brothers Marty and Chris Reddick. Not only does the staging ground allow for the efficient completion of work, but it also allows for the facility to reduce its carbon emissions.

“We’ve got all of the vehicles on a rail system, meaning they can go through every step of the repair process without driving. It is a huge carbon saving,” said Chris. “We have other equipment to reduce toxic chemical emissions that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.”

The Reddick brothers pride their business on utilizing the most advanced technology and innovative equipment to follow OEM procedures and provide outstanding repairs for all makes and models.

“It is important for us to emphasize training,” Marty told Collision Repair at the 2019 shop opening. “That is why we make sure the whole team gets Platinum-level certifications.”

56 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

From day one, Contemporary Coachworks has been committed to providing honest and accurate repairs. And that commitment has paid off.Today, the company employs more than 60 individuals operating from two separate 15,000 square-foot facilities.

Taylor Sun, owner of Contemporary Coachworks says a great deal of the business’s success can be boiled down to obtaining certifications.

“Our business has been built on a foundation of excellence and ethical business practices.

We strive to provide the highest-quality repair for our customers.

Our state-of-the-art facility and certified technicians give us the ability to achieve this Certified status.”

“Our vision is to continuously improve the standards of excellence within the auto body industry.”

SAM SCARPELLI

BERNHARD RUBBERT

EXCLUSIVE COLLISION

FALSE CREEK COLLISION

CRM ISSUE 5#5

CRM ISSUE 5#6

Sam Scarpelli is a man that knows the business of collision repair. When his facility made the move from mechanical repair to bodywork in the mid-90s, Scarpelli never looked back. As a veteran of the mechanical side of repair, Scarpelli was able to weigh the pros and cons in making this transition and made note of a certain unique quality that the collision industry possesses.

Since last being on the cover, Bernhard Rubbert moved his Vancouver-based collision repair shop, False Creek Collision, to Burnaby in 2010 and later sold it in 2018.

Looking back on his career, he is extremely proud to be able to create real change in Canada.

“As a mechanic, your long-time customers want to deal with you specifically no one else,” Scarpelli said in his November 2006 interview with Collision Repair.

“Customers who come to you for collision repair want to know that you have a good shop and that the technicians and painters well-trained and up-to-date, but they don’t expect a particular tech to always be the one to work on their car. I found it to be more practical to be in collision repair as I got older.”

Scarpelli spoke toward the value of a life as a collision repair tradesperson, in terms that sound all too familiar.

“You really have to promote collision repair as being both a long-term trade and one that is well paid,” he said.

“It’s not being presented right. To be a licensed tech of any kind you need a lot of knowledge and that is something that is not often appreciated.”

“In the beginning of 2006, I found out that nobody in the Western Canada area knew about water-based paints for the automotive refinish industry,” said Rubbert. “So, when I took over the business in Vancouver, that was my first step. I was the first body shop in Western Canada with water-based paints.”

Not only was he able to bring this new technology over, but it upgraded the automotive industry to become more environmentally conscious.

“We had a big problem at that time with the volatile organic compounds (VOC), which stays in the atmosphere and destroys our air. We needed to do something, and the waterborne technology was a big jump forward.”

Now Rubbert is happily retired and lives with his wife in Germany.

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MORE AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 57

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

SHARON WELLS

HAK MUJCIN

CSN THE COLLISION CLINIC

HAK’S AUTOBODY

CRM ISSUE 6#2

CRM ISSUE 6#5

In the words of Sharon Wells, the rock behind CSN Collision Clinic, you must be like spandex to succeed in the collision repair business.

“You have to know when to expand and when to contract,” Wells tells Collision Repair. “You can’t be complacent, not even for a second.”

With vehicle complexity on the rampant rise, Wells and her team keep their fingers on the pulse of the industry, eagerly anticipating the next pivotal step to take the business to the next level. Between two locations—the second of which opened in 2018—CSN Collision Clinic touts 40 employees, a host of OEM certifications and an ever-flowing stream of training opportunities for its staff.

“If you’re not focused on new technologies and understanding the specialized processes required on today’s vehicles, you’re taking a big risk.You could easily be left behind,” cautions Wells.

While other businesses may compare themselves to their neighbours, or even counterparts across the country, Wells says she has one set standard for the business.

“I judge by excellence.There’s no sense in comparing yourself to others; worry about your own operations and everything else will follow.

“The integrity, passion and soul of the company owner Glenn Hickey is instilled in all employees, who service customers with those values every day.”

“

Since 1978, Haks Autobody has been serving theYellowknife community in the North WestTerritories. Since his Collision Repair cover appearance, Hak has passed the reigns over to his son, Senad Mujcin, but still helps around the shop.

Senad speaks highly of his father’s past and strives to keep the successful family-business alive and well. Senad had learned at an early age how well his dad was respected by the community as well as the shop’s reputation for having the most advanced equipment available in the territories.

“The way we are here is you have to wear a lot of hats,” explained Senad.

Based on the shop’s isolated location, the facility has taken on several operations in-house.

“We have an auto-calibration system that we’ve been running for a couple of years now in our shop. We are also very advanced equipment-wise.That’s what really drives us apart from other shops, we do everything in-house with only five employees, and we make sure it’s done accurately,” explained Senad.

Thank you Collision Repair Magazine for being there for us over the last 20 years!

“Our industry is very close knitted, like a family. How great is it when you read about an accomplishment achieved by a friend/colleague. I remember when Martino Brothers was featured several years ago, the out reach was amazing. So many calls and emails of goodwill from across the country.

”

Many long lasting relationships were created because of content published and showcased in Collision Magazine.

I recall seeing Frank Seravalle from Thorald Auto Parts and Recycling featured with his “Donʼt Text And Drive” message. How cool was that. I called him after I saw that to let him know what a great thing he was doing.

Weʼve been doing business ever since.

I remember reading about a solution for paint inventory/ management featuring Treschak Enterprises that solved our issue, and resulted in greater profits on our materials.

We quickly reached out to Don & Jamie Treschack. Again another relationship built from Collision Repair Magazine.”

— Jack Martino, Martino Bros Collision

csncollision.com | www.facebook.com/MartinoBrothers | treschakenterprises.com | thoroldauto.com 58 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

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20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

STEVE INGOGLIA

STEVE LEAL

CSN AUTOMACS COLLISION

FIX AUTO NETWORK WORLD

CRM ISSUE 6#6

CRM ISSUE 7#1

A member of the automotive aftermarket for 50 years, Steve Ingoglia says not much has changed since he appeared on Collision Repair magazine’s cover in 2007.

He still serves as president of CSN AutoMACS Collision in Oakville, Ontario, where his wife, Mary, serves as CEO and, in Steve’s words, “the backbone of the company.” His son, Adrian, serves as owner and operator of the company.

Steve Leal’s story is a legend among Canada’s collision repairers. In 2005, Leal began as a franchisee and owner of Fix Auto Cambridge.Today, in 2021, he serves as the president of Fix Auto World, which offers more than 2,000 points of automotive service around the world.

Having been in the industry for as long as Steve has, he has been able to see the many changes that have occurred over the course of decades, but he says that the core of the industry is still the same.

“Overall, I think it’s basically the same business it was 20 years ago, just in a different way,” he said. “But cars are still cars, they still need to be fixed and fixed properly.”

Now, Ingoglia is looking forward to his retirement after a long and successful career.

The bulk of Leal’s rise to greatness occurred in an eight-year span. In 2008, three years after joining the Fix Auto fold as a franchisee, Leal obtained Area Developer rights to Ontario, followed by Atlantic Canada in 2010 and Alberta in 2011, before becoming Chief Operating Officer for Fix Auto Canada later that year.

Few have a better read on the state of the industry than Leal, who has his finger on the pulse of the global aftermarket daily.

“The industry is going to keep consolidating,” says Leal. “You’re going to have the consolidators, the publicly traded markets that will continue aiming for acquisitions of the regular independent.

There are certainly shops that fail to survive; they need to be part of something bigger.”

The keys to the future lay in finding the proper pillars in support systems, he says.

“You have to have the right structure to continue to forge ahead.

We’re going to see more sophisticated franchise systems in the future and, as an independent, you’re going to want a partner like that to ensure you thrive.

“The days of a standalone independent are dwindling, unless it’s a high specialized clientele or type of repair. An independent will need to be part of something to survive.”

SAM MERCANTI

TOM BISSONNETTE

CARSTAR CANADA

PARR AUTOBODY, SAAR

CRM ISSUE 7#2

CRM ISSUE 7#4

It’s been roughly two decades since the iconic Sam Mercanti graced the cover of Collision Repair Magazine, and since then he’s never stopped following his dreams.

As many know, Mercanti acquired the rights to run CARSTAR Canada in 1994, and he started with his first location in Hamilton, Ontario. Mercanti had a goal of having 200 locations across Canada, and by the time he sold CARSTAR Canada he surpassed that with 250 locations across the country. Mercanti equates his success to his team and his love for the industry.

Tom Bissonnette, the visionary behind Saskatoon’s Parr Auto Body has taken a step back from life in the thick of the trade—but retirement isn’t quite what he imagined it’d be.

“I love the collision industry, I love the people and I just had a God given knack for business,” said Mercanti. “I know the business from the ground up because I fixed cars, and I painted cars so I knew how to give estimates and I knew how to make money.”

In 2017, following a year of retirement— spent largely on the Palm Springs golf circuit—Bissonnette applied for a suddenly open role at the Saskatchewan Association of Automotive Repairers (SAAR).

“I was floored when Bill Ziebart resigned as executive director. I applied for the job because I found myself bored in retirement, and I was appointed.”

He says the best part of the job is sharing his experience with the shop owners—never without an entertaining tale about one of his past adventures, of course.

“I’ve made every mistake you possibly could, so I know what not to do and a handful of people I work with will take my advice and listen.

Another proud moment for Mercanti was in 2010 when he was awarded one of the top 50 best managed companies in Canada.

“It’s really fun to watch them develop and grow. Even in times where we’re not sure where the business is going, I sit back and remind them, ‘hey, I have lived though 20 percent interest rates.This is nothing, relax.’ It’s all about a certain amount of grey hair, right?”

“I started on the shop floor as a bodyman and going from that to 250 locations and being recognized as having one of the best managed companies in Canada was a highlight,” said Mercanti. “It was like a dream come true.”

As for the day-to-day at Parr Autobody, operations continue to run smoothly, thanks to the five-strong team that has bought into the nearly 70-year-old business: Chelsea Stebner, Brayden Neufeld, David Sather, Shane Desrosiers and the recently retired Don Pogoda.

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20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

DAL SIAN CELLTEX COLLISION

ROB PAVAN CSN GOLDEN TRIANGLE COLLISION

CRM ISSUE 7#6

CRM ISSUE 8#1

Dal Sian of Celltex Collision in Surrey, B.C. was always destined to be in the collision industry. His grandfather ran a shop in Nairobi, Kenya in the 1950s, while his father and uncle operated a shop in the U.K. In 1979, Sian’s his father came to Canada, opened Celltex in 1988—and it’s been operating strongly ever since.

From an early age Rob Pavan of Golden Triangle Collision knew he was destined to be a part of the family business. When his father, Frank, opened shop in 1970 Pavan would spend his time after school and over summer breaks helping around the shop.

In his many years in the industry, Sian admits that one of his proudest moments was when the shop was featured on the cover of Collision Repair in 2009.

More than 50 years later, not only does Pavan own and operate the original CSN Golden Triangle location, he’s taken on four other locations and was one of the founding members of CSN Collision Centres.

“It’s a proud moment when you have customers come in and they see the print on the wall,” he says. “They really take interest in that and they get to know about us a little bit.”

“I’ve known I would end up in the family business in grade seven,” says Pavan. “My dad gave me a toolbox, and I knew.”

“We’re used to having around 10 cars a week, but now work isn’t coming in and we’re down to three cars a week and sometimes even no cars in a week,” Sian says.

Over the years Pavan has learned a lot about leadership in tough times, having experienced not one, but two recessional periods and of course now with the global pandemic affecting day-to-day business. He says going through these tough times is a true test to see what’s working and what isn’t saying that anybody can manage during the good times, but if you can manage through a crisis or a recession, you’re doing something right.

Though 2020 has been tough, Sian is optimistic that the industry will pick back up and has hopes that by the end of 2021 business will get back to normal.

“When times are tough with people around you, you should let off the gas a little bit. But as soon as times are good—you push on that gas pedal.”

DERRICK RYAN

BILL WILLIAMS

GARLAND’S AUTO BODY

BRIDGE CITY COLLISION AND FIX AUTO LETHBRIDGE

CRM ISSUE 8#2

CRM ISSUE 8#3

After many successful years in the business, Derrick Ryan, former owner of Garland Auto Body sold his St. Johns, Newfoundlandbased shop to the Collision Clinic.

Bill Williams was featured on the Collision Repair magazine cover in 2010 alongside Bridge City Collision, and, in 2011, the veteran business operator switched gears and joined the Fix Auto fold.

Sian says the biggest challenge he has faced is the current Covid-19 pandemic as it has affected everybody due to the lack of work coming in.

“I always said that the only way I’d ever sell my business was if the right buyer came along — one that matched my passion for taking good care of my hardworking employees and ensuring that vehicle repairs for my friends, neighbours, and loyal customers would be performed with the high level of quality, safety, and customer service that I’ve spent my entire career striving to achieve,” said Derrick Ryan, former owner of Garland Auto Body.

“Collision Clinic will now be serving those loyal customers of the east end at the high level of quality, safety and professionalism that has ensured their continued success for the past 40 years in the west end of St John’s — now from their two locations.”

Throughout his career Ryan has always preached the benefits of staying lean. He says if shops want to survive in this everchanging industry, they must streamline their processes and eliminate waste.

“My suggestion to shops out there is to get lean and mean as fast as you can,” says Ryan.

62 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

Fix Auto Lethbridge has built a solid reputation in accident repair, consistently keeping pace with an ever-changing industry.

“If you look at the industry, it’s obvious that DRPs are leaning more toward networks. We [joined Fix Auto] to help secure our future.”

Williams has since taken a step back from the collision repair trade entirely since kicking off his retirement in June 2020—but he has some blunt words of wisdom for current shopowners in Canada.

“If you’re not part of a network and you’re not going lean, you’re not going anywhere.”

STAN VAN BASTEN PRETECH COLLISION

JOY SKINNER CSN INDUSTRIAL PARK COLLISION ORILLIA

CRM ISSUE 8#4

CRM ISSUE 8#5

Stan Van Basten of PreTech Collision is a bodyman of the old school, no doubt about it.

At least some of Joy’s success can be attributed to two key characteristics of her personality. Loyalty to her staff is returned in kind, and her integrity translates to quality repairs.That was AkzoNobel’s former Canadian market manager, RolandTaube, describing the success of Joy Skinner’s inspirational story of coming up in the collision industry.

“By the time I was 16, I was already into repairing cars and learning a lot on my own, so I took off from there to this bodyshop in Agassiz and decided to go after it (a career in collision repair),” Stan said in Collision Repair’s follow-up interview with him in May. And go after it he did; with a passion for wanting to know how machines tick, Stan set off on a multi-province collision repair Odyssey, picking up training and experience all along his way.

Years later, now fully immersed in daily life as a collision shop owner, Stan can’t speak highly enough about the work being done by organizations, like I-CAR, that keep techs educated.

“I really push my employees to take their training because it makes them better educated about the repair process, which in turn means you’re turning out a better repair,” Stan said.

“I’m very grateful to I-CAR Canada for what they are doing.”

Like other bodymen of Stan’s era, he tries his best to hide his softer side. He tries—but we got to him.

“On Monday morning, when I got to my office, there was a magazine with me on the front of it sitting on my desk and I didn’t expect it at all. I was just blown away by the whole thing.

“The magazine was put on a plaque by DuPont Canada and mounted at the front in the reception area; you wouldn’t believe the people that walk up and read it when they come in.”

Joy got her start by branching off from her husband’s pre-existing car dealership and setting up her very own collision centre.

In no time at all, Joy was a known industry name, serving on the I-CAR Canada board of directors for 11 years, where she represented the collision industry speaking across Canada and the United States. As well, Joy is an original member of the Women’s Industry Network (WIN). But she never lost sight of the mentors that got her to where she was, so Joy has always made a special point to support educators and training programs that are helping keep the industry alive.

“We work hard to develop good relationships with local high schools and co-op programs. After a new employee has been here for a year, we can see if they have the vision and passion for collision repair that we are looking for. If they do, they can start in on the apprenticeship program, which we pay for,” Joy told Collision Repair in the January 2010 coverage of her shop, CSN Industrial Park Collision, in Orillia, Ontario.

Always looking to the future, Joy remarked in her follow-up interview for the 20th Anniversary that “We are constantly putting people on the moon in our industry—we’re constantly moving toward a higher goal.”

Congratulations!

To Darryl and Team at Collision Repair Magazine on your 20th Anniversary Issue!

- From your friends at CSN Dana’s

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 63

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

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HAPPY HAPPY 20TH 20TH ANNIVERSARY ANNIVERSARY COLLISION COLLISION REPAIR REPAIR MAGAZINE! MAGAZINE! MAKING MAKING THE THE INDUSTRY INDUSTRY BETTER, BETTER, ONE ONE ISSUE ISSUE ATAT A TIME! A TIME! CALL CALL US AT US 866-LKQ-CORP AT 866-LKQ-CORP FORFOR YOUR YOUR AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMOTIVE NEEDS NEEDS ©2021©2021 LKQ CORPORATION. LKQ CORPORATION. VISIT VISIT US ON USTHE ONWEB THE AT WEB LKQCORP.CA/EN/ AT LKQCORP.CA/EN/

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

KINGSLEY LLOYD

BOB PREST

DON VALLEY NORTH LEXUS TOYOTA

CATARACT COLLISION CENTRE

CRM ISSUE 8#6

CRM ISSUE 9#3

Having run multiple collision shops deep in the heart of the country’s densest population centre, along one of the most travelled highway systems in the world; Kingsley Lloyd had seen it all. As operations manager of Don Valley North LexusToyota, and with industry experience dating back to 1964, Lloyd had his shop’s processes down to a science.

It has been eleven years since Bob Prest and his Cataract Collision Centre were featured on the cover of Collision Repair Magazine, and operations at the facility have continued on smoothly for the business, he said.

“We do about 30 estimates each day and push out about 60 cars each week regularly,” Lloyd said in his January 2010 interview with Collision Repair.

“My goal is to not lose one customer.”

To meet this goal, Don Valley North LexusToyota offers several perks to keep customers coming back, including free touch-ups and mirror installations. After a point, Lloyd had proven himself enough to be offered by the company v-p to run a second shop Don Valley area; Don Valley North Hyundai.

“He asked me how I would feel about managing two places.

I said, ‘Well I’ve never done two before.’ After being in the industry so long you must know how to multi-task and come in with an open mind,” said Lloyd.

“Before it was built, I mapped out where I wanted things to build and played around with little cars to see how things would fit. We may not be the biggest shop in Canada, but we can be a small shop with the biggest output,” Lloyd told the magazine in 2010.

We’re still doing the same thing. We’re still an insurance-based shop, so it’s steady,” he said.

The past decade hasn’t been without a few changes, though, admits Prest. He told the magazine Cataract Collision is no longer under a banner, a move he says makes a “big difference” in the modern collision repair landscape.

The business has also been hard at work attaining OEM certifications, of which they tout nine.

Prest says the success of the 47-years-running operation can be accredited to two things: the business’s long history and reputation in the Niagara Falls area and its loyal customer base.

In fact, Cataract Collision boasts a tasteful five-stars across the board on its Google and Facebook review pages.

As for the future, Prest puts it quite simply. “ Adaptation moving forward will be the key to success.”

JOHN SCOTTI

BILL JOHNSON

JOHN SCOTTI AUTOMOTIVE

BANNISTER AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

CRM ISSUE 9#4

CRM ISSUE 9#5

John Scotti, owner of multiple John Scotti Automotive locations in Montreal, started his career at just 15-years-old. In fact, he was the youngest technician to get his first-class card from the Comité Paritaire de l’Automobile de Montréal.

Repairs may be more complex nowadays, says Bill Johnson, who touts a more than 35-year career in the collision repair industry, but they’re also a heck of a lot more fun.

Scotti’s hard work led him to starting his own company, with the help of his father in 1977 called John Scotti Automotive.

Scotti always had the goal of providing the best range of luxury and old vehicles in Montreal.

He quickly expanded his dealership network and the car brands they offer, which include but are not limited to Lotus, Volvo, Alfa Romeo and Suburu. Scotti believes that what has kept him in the automotive industry this long is his ability to adapt to the constant changes the industry has had over the years, and his focus on excellent customer service.

Over the course of his career, Scotti makes sure to give back to the communities that have helped him become what he is today by raising money for associations like the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

66 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

“There are a lot more skills needed to complete repairs today, compared to when I first started,” says Johnson. “You have to really pay attention if you want to succeed at it. It’s a lot more complicated—and a lot more fun.”

While Johnson was featured on the Collision Repair cover in 2011 alongside the story and operations of Edmonton’s Empire Collision, he has since moved to British Columbia to work for Bannister Automotive Group, where he oversees the operations of six collision centres.

Johnson has been working in the industry since he was 17 years old—but what he enjoys most nowadays is passing his knowledge down to youngsters breaking ground in the industry.

“With more than 35 years of experience, I find my biggest joy now is training, and teaching and showing the next generation of people how to be managers, estimators, and how it all works, so the collision industry can continue on with good people,” he said.

A Check-In with Michael Macaluso WHAT THE DRIVEN BRANDS GROUP PRES. AND EVP THINKS OF THE FUTURE When it comes to the North American collision scene, Michael Macaluso is the go-to guy. The group president and executive vice president of Driven Brands Collision and Glass says the industry has seen more signs of change in the last 10 years than the past 100 combined.

One of the main changes Macaluso says he’s witnessed in his 14-year career has been the shift toward insurance-based procurement.

“When I started in the industry, the procurement side of things wasn’t that prevalent in auto claims,” Macaluso told Collision Repair during a June checkin. “And certainly in the past 10 years, that’s accelerating the industry’s opinions one way or another.”

have to embrace it; you have to accept the fact of that reality.”

Contrary to popular belief, however, the current procurement landscape isn’t as grim as some pessimists like to presume.

“There’s certainly a way to use technology— the technology-driven claims process—to grasp the opportunities in these changes.

The pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated a lot of technological advancements in our business that can assist us in a great way.

Moving forward, we need to embrace change, not hide from it and stay stuck in our old ways.

“Ultimately, collision centres, insurance partners, franchises, the customer—we’re all aligned on the same idea. We want a safe, proper repair and we want it done as quickly as possible, with the best experience.”

For Macaluso, though, such a change was more than predictable.

And for the immediate future, Macaluso has but one strong statement he suggests members of the trade hold close.

“It’s the natural progression and maturity of any industry. You look, look across any supply chain, it’s natural to happen. We

“Dream big, work hard, stay humble. Focus on the opportunities we have at hand, as an industry, and we can all try to win together.”

Congratulations!

Thank you for twenty great years from all of us at

www.ConsolidatedDealers.com

www.CCSDealers.com AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 67

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

NATHAN BALZER

RAJ KAVIA

VICKAR AUTOBODY

KAVIA AUTO BODY

CRM ISSUE 10#3

CRM ISSUE 10#5

When Nathan Balzer, general manager of Vickar Autobody & Glass was last on the cover he was referred to as a ‘young blood’ because, at 34-years-old he was considerably younger than most people occupying similar positions in the industry.

Raj Kavia, the owner of Saskatoon’s Kavia Auto Body, credits his father in teaching him how to be a lean operator. His father, who had previously owned a collision centre in Kenya, opened his first Canadian shop in 1984 and, as Kavia recalls, things were pretty tight.

Now 10 years later, he’s no longer known for his spry young age, but rather his help in making Vickar Autobody & Glass one of Manitoba’s largest volume Chevrolet, Ford, Mitsubishi and Nissan collision repair facilities.

“We had to lean out everything at the time and it turned out to be a good thing.

It helped turn me into a lean operator.

Since his 2011 Collision Repair cover, Kavia himself has taken a slight step back from the collision repair business—though he still serves as chairman. Regardless, his mind is always at ease knowing Kavia Auto Body’s day-to-day success is in the morethan-capable hands of general manager Kim Kos and the team.

When Balzer thinks about the future of the industry he immediately reflects on how much the industry has changed throughout the course of his career, alone.

“When I close my eyes and think about my first day on the job 18 years ago in a small shop and what that looked like then, versus what it’s like now. The differences are crazy, it’s night and day,” he says.

In February 2021, Kos was honoured as the only Canadian to make the Women’s Industry Network’s annual list of Influential Women in Collision Repair.

“I am grateful to be recognized for doing something that I love,” Kos told Collision Repair at the time of the honour.

“The one thing I’m 100 percent sure of is the industry is going to continue to change. I just know if you are going to be successful in this industry you have to be adaptable to change and you better be open to the fact that you are going to have to do things differently.”

“I am also thankful for the people that supported me on my journey: my family, Raj Kavia as my biggest mentor, my business partners, and the Kavia Auto Body Team; and a special thank you to John Santos for the nomination.”

IAN AND KEN MCINTOSH

BRUCE HEMSTREET

KIRMAC COLLISION AND AUTOBODY

CARSTAR

CRM ISSUE 10#6

CRM ISSUE 11#1

Ian McIntosh founded Kirmac Collision and Autobody in 1973, and has run the business with his brother, Ken for decades.

Now McIntosh is happy to say that he and his brother have been bought out by none other than their children.

Since gracing the Collision Repair mag cover in 2012, where Bruce Hemstreet celebrated the opening of the first CARSTAR west of Winnipeg in Red Deer, Alberta, the dedicated owner says he’s spent much of his time keeping up with the rollercoaster ride working in the automotive industry has given him.

“The recent completion of the sale to our families next generation, I can’t imagine anything I could be prouder of than having them want to buy it,” said McIntosh. His son, daughter and nephew will be taking over the business.

All three of them have worked their way up the company ladder to now being able to call it theirs.

“To be able to have family that are not only in the business, but they are very good at what they are doing, there’s just nothing I can think of in terms of the business side that I could have wanted more,” he said.

Currently, McIntosh is in the process of writing a book for his family to tell the story of how their automotive business came to be so that future generations can see how it all started.

68 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

Despite the challenges, Hemstreet now owns three CARSTARs in Alberta, and he looks back on the 40 years he has been in the industry with his head held high, happy with what he has accomplished.

“The plan that we created back in 2004, we are still on track with that today,” said Hemstreet. “It was not a huge multistore network, but it was a multi-store network that was a great business to own and a great place to work at, and I think that still exists. We’ve stayed true to the course and have looked after a lot of employees over that stretch, and we’re quite proud of that.”

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20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

FRANK GOBBATO

FRANCOIS BONNEVILLE

FORMULA FIRST COLLISION

BONNEVILLE SPEED BUFFING

CRM ISSUE 11#2

CRM ISSUE 11#3

Formula First Collision has been paving its own unique path since its inception.

With a licensed bistro in the front, tiled floor and chandeliers in the back, it is safe to say Formula First Collision is unlike most collision repair shops. Not only does the facility look much different than most shops but Formula First Collision has also stood out with its numerous luxury OEM certifications.

Francois Bonneville opened his business, Bonneville Speed Buffing in 1988.Today, Bonneville offers training programs where people from other shops can spend four days sharpening their skills and learning with the most advanced equipment.

Frank Gobbato, owner of Formula First Collision and son of original owner Franco Gobbto, says Formula First prides themselves on fixing vehicles the way they were designed to be fixed.

“I believe the OEM repair procedures are the ones we really need to focus on. We need to get rid of the old way of doing things where if you have five different technicians, you will have five different repairs. Now we should have the same repair all over the world.”

As for the future, Gobbato predicts technicians will have to become increasingly educated to properly repair vehicles. He also says following OEM procedures will and should become mandatory.

“With all the technology we have now, there should be a blueprint of every repair that you can’t deviate from,” he says. “It’s just like a doctor, if a doctor follows all the procedures on protocol for that operation and its checked over by another doctor you really can’t get into any trouble.”

Over the years, Bonneville says he has trained more than 5,000 people in the industry, and he believes that the best way to keep a good employee is to give them all the tools they need to succeed.

“Of course, you give your staff some good money and they’ll be happy, but it’s far more than that. Everyone deserves to feel valued at work, and give people the tools they need to succeed, even if it seems basic. If you leave them alone with no air conditioning, no lighting, no tools—significantly less work will be done.

It’s not only about brining home the cash in the future, and I think the owner will always realize that.”

Bonneville says that having built something from the ground up is his biggest accomplishment in life.

“When I started in 1988, I didn’t know I could make a living doing this,” said Bonneville. “I built every single little detail one by one just like a bird does when it’s building a nest.Nobody told me how to do it, so I am really proud that I did it all by myself.”

DANNY, JOE AND GAETANO FRANGIONE

MANUEL DER HAROUTIOUNIAN

CSN BEMAC GROUP

CSN BAYVIEW-STEELES AUTO COLLISION

CRM ISSUE 11#5

CRM ISSUE 12#1

Nine years ago, brothers and owners of multiple collision repair locations in Ottawa - Danny and Joe Frangione appeared on the cover with their father Gaetano. Since then, the brothers have been focusing on expanding their four CSN Bemac Collision centres—plus Carrosserie ProColor Demers—and keeping up to date with certifications.

Manuel Der Haroutiounian is a natural business-builder if there ever was one.

Spanning the course of several decades and a few continents, Manuel’s story has always had the recurring theme of constant improvement no matter where he ends up.

In Collision Repair’s January 2013 coverage of Manuel and his shop, he remarked that even when he was a young boy in his father’s muffler shop in Lebanon, he was always observing and trying to learn from others.

“There’s been a lot of different moving parts,” said Danny Frangione. “We have taken on some new dealership affiliations, we’ve gotten certifications - we’reTesla certified, we’ve opened up a new collision center. We now have four full capacity collision centres’ plus two satellite locations.”

Being the second generation in the industry, Joe and Danny have seen a lot of collision repair facilities come and go, and they say the key to staying in the game is to stay ahead.

“I think you have to embrace the change.You’ve got to be ahead of the curve, if you want to survive,” said Joe Frangione. “As long as you stay with the technology, and the reinvestment in the technology and equipment you’re going to be fine. You don’t want to be the last guy in.”

Amongst their peers, Bemac Collision Group also received the 2019 CSN Consumer Choice Award for their excellent customer service.

70 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

This passion, not simply for learning the trade, but putting it into practice and excelling is what has set Manuel apart in the industry, and has allowed CSN Bayview-Steeles Auto Collision to be the success that is.

In 1974, not long after taking over for his father at the muffler shop, Manuel made the call to seek success elsewhere, with the Lebanese Civil War looming around the corner. 1976; Manuel has made it to Canada and searches for his calling, dabbling with welding and construction early on. By the time 1979 rolls around, Manuel has linked up with his bodyman brother Ken to open a collision centre together. Though Manuel and Ken went their separate ways in 1992 when Ken decided to open a shop in California, Manuel has made his shop an ongoing project, always looking to expand his operations, both in space and attitude.

“As an industry, we have achieved a higher level of cleanliness.

We improved our reception area and made our facilities more receptive to female customers, but there are still many areas we need to improve,” Manuel said back in 2013.

SHERRY BAIRD AND JON BELL

CLAUDE TAYLOR

ADVANCED COLLISION

CARSTAR RAWDON

CRM ISSUE 12#2

CRM ISSUE 12#3

Sherry Baird and Jon Bell of Advance Collision know that working at an independent shop can be a tough sell to a potential tech looking for stability. They want to know they will have a steady paycheque and management that will have their back for the long haul. Any employee of Baird or Bell knows they’re covered on all fronts.

When a shop employs five people, it’s hard to not feel like a family.This is what it’s like working for Claude Taylor, at CARSTAR Rawdon, in Rawdon Quebec.

Claude has been co owner of the tight knit shop since 2011. When he looks back over the last ten years he remembers past employees fondly and is happy to employ the people he does now.

The co-ownership of Sherry and Jon, supplemented by the excellent work done by co-managers Ramona White and Chris Bradley insists on a commitment to equality and mutual respect in all aspects of running a bodyshop.

White and Bradley strive to make their shop a place that the staff wants to be, going even so far as to encourage their employees to use the space after-hours.

“A lot of people lock the shop down and go home at the end of the day,” Ramona said in her 2013 interview with Collision Repair. “People genuinely want to spend time at our shop. We encourage them to hang out here, work on their cars—and they do.”

When confronted with the idea of joining up with a banner company, the team at Advance Collision doubled-down and put all of their effort into solidifying their own brand and covering every avenue of business that could come their way.

“We had to really sharpen our pencils and work smarter,” said Chris. “We trained our staff to repair windshields, air conditioning and other tasks that we used to sublet out. We’ve definitely expanded our capabilities.”

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“Employees have to be happy with their job and enjoy working here without too much pressure,” he says. “I want them to be happy when they come into work.”

A good work environment is reflected to customers, and that’s what Claude is most proud of - the customer service he and his team offer.

“It’s nice to have a customer come in and say he’s satisfied with the work that has been done. The ultimate goal is that the customer is satisfied,” he says.

Claude says that as the industry progresses it’s becoming harder and harder to find new workers. With new vehicles coming in for repairs, needing to be calibrated or with damage to their electrical systems technicians need far more training and certificates than they did 20 years ago. His current team is fully capable, many of them qualified to do both body work and paint, but he worries for the future as he is seeing less and less young technicians enter the workforce.

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20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

RICK HATSWELL

PETER WOO

CRAFTSMAN COLLISION

EXCELLENCE AUTO COLLISION

CRM ISSUE 12#5

CRM ISSUE 12#6

Rick Hatswell is a man with big shoes to fill. His father Bill was somewhat of a figure of folklore in the Canadian collision repair world; the bold Australian whose independent shop network took western Canada by storm.

Peter Woo, owner of Excellence Auto Collision has been in the collision repair industry since 1986. Since he was a kid, he has always had a passion for painting.

But what was once a hobby eventually led him into a career as an automotive painter, then into his current role as the owner of Excellence Auto Collision.

For about 15 years now, Rick has been carrying the torch first lit by his father as the current CEO of Craftsman Collision, and has seen the company develop and expand in ways which Bill could have never known back in the late 70s.

Under Rick’s leadership, Craftsman has expanded massively, becoming one of the largest collision banners in Canada, despite only working in half the country. Rick even saw the company take the bold step in opening the first Canadian-owned collision centre in China in 2012.

Rick has collision repair in his blood, like many of the best of our industry leaders.

“When I was 13 years old, I started repairing a little MGB,” Rick said in his October 2013 interview with Collision Repair.

“I worked on it until I was about 16.”

Even with his father as the head of the company, Rick put in the work to ensure that he could fend for himself at every stage of his career, including earning his Red Seal.

“I think it makes a huge difference in how I see the business,” Rick said. “One of the biggest advantages I have is that I worked in the business from the ground up, learning as I went.”

Woo was on the cover in 2013, when Excellence was one of the only Canadian auto shops that was authorized to perform structural and autobody repairs on Tesla vehicles.

Now eight years later, Excellence is still a leader in the Canadian market, as the only auto shop in Canada certified to repair Lucid Motors vehicles, a new electric vehicle brand that has yet to hit the market.

“Being trusted by the manufacturer to fix cars the way they want us to fix them is pretty well the nicest compliment I’ve had.”

Woo says one of the biggest shifts he expects to see in the future is a modification to technicians’ skill sets. As cars become more technologically advanced, he says technicians will have to develop several new skills.

“As we move towards self-driving cars the ability to understand and calibrate and repair ADAS systems is going to be a big part of the skillsets required to fix the cars of the future.”

Josef Stebler retired from the industry in 2014.

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Auto Recyclers Applaud 20 years!

The Automotive Recyclers of Canada is proud to be part of the Collision Repair Magazine legacy, a Canadian magazine with global reach.

Congratulations Collision Repair Magazine for 20 years of bringing insightful, reliable and trusted content to the professional claims industry.

the voice oF proFeSSional auto recyclerS Steve Fletcher, Managing Director e: steve@autorecyclers.ca t: 519-858-8761

www.autorecyclers.ca

KELVIN CAMPBELL

JOE VISCONTI

CSN CHAPMAN AUTO BODY

AUTO BUGATTI

CRM ISSUE 13#1

CRM ISSUE 13#2

Kelvin Campbell rarely stands still. The dedicated owner of CSN Chapman Autobody in Bedford, Nova Scotia, always has his eyes keenly focused on the future, pondering new ways he can position his business to thrive. In 2015, just one year after his Collision Repair mag cover, Campbell began hosting international apprentices, offering them an opportunity to train and learn under Canadian repairers.

“We’re part of an immigration pilot project for Atlantic Canada,” beamed Campbell.

“We’ve brought people from all over Europe to learn the Canadian way of collision repair: the United Kingdom, Poland, Greece, Romania. Right now, we have three guys from Germany that we’re working to get to Canada so they can work at Chapman.”

Campbell’s demonstrated his clear skill when it comes to selling the Canadian collision repair spirit and teaching top-notch tactics.

“I’ve retained three out of the seven techs we’ve had through the program.”

As for current challenges facing the Canadian aftermarket, Campbell says he’s prepared for profitability shrinkage in the years following the pandemic.

“That introduces a big problem when some shopowners look back at investing into their business. We invest a good amount of our net back into the business annually, whether that be in equipment, expansion, or so forth—but profitability shrinkage could impede a lot of people from being able to keep with the growing technologies and skills required to repair the vehicles of today.”

Campbell also says the company you choose to keep will be a major key in the future collision repair market.

“The most important thing any shop can do right now is align itself with quality partners,” he said.

“For instance, a quality paint company you can stand by, a top-

JOHN SCETTA

In 1990, Joe Visconti opened Auto Bugatti, a collision repair centre located in Dorval, Quebec, which specialized in repairing high end vehicles.

In 1994 Visconti, expanded the shop with special contracts from brands including Porsche, Audi, BMW and Ferrari.

Then, in 1997 the company opened an exotic car dealership located on Côte-de-Liesse in Dorval.

This year, however, AutoCanada acquired the business.

“Our goal is to complement our dealership network by aligning our collision consolidation strategy with the OEMs. It has been proven that certified collision repair not only improves brand loyalty but also increases both parts and vehicle sales,” said a spokesperson from AutoCanada.

Auto Bugatti is currently certified to make repairs on a number of luxury car brands, including BMW, MINI, LandRover, Jaguar, Tesla, Aston Martin and McLaren.

KIM ROBERTS

PERFORMANCE COLLISION

FIX AUTO BARRIE NORTH

CRM ISSUE 13#3

CRM ISSUE 13#4

John Scetta is a man who puts in the work, no doubt about it. General manager of Performance Collision and Restyling in St. Catharines, Ontario, John Scetta has been on an upward trajectory since he first entered the industry cleaning cars at his father’s used car lot.

When Kim Roberts and her father Doug were on the Collision Repair magazine cover in 2014, they emphasized the importance of their family-oriented shop, and being part of a national banner network.These sentiments haven’t changed much since then, but they have evolved and grown to better fit the ever-changing industry.

“The way that Fix Auto supports us has changed over the years as well,” Kim says.

“They’ve grown so much and they’re learning from the shops everyday about what we need, and how to connect with us and with the insurance companies.”

Kim rejoined the family business nearly 13 years ago after taking some time to explore who she was and what roles she fit into after graduating college. At first, she was just doing marketing when she started back at the business, and since then she has taken on more of an administrative role, but still has a hand in the company’s marketing because that’s where her heart is.

In regard to the future of the industry Kim tells us that one of the biggest challenges is going to be finding adequate technicians.

With the surging of technology in not just vehicles, but the equipment used to work on these vehicles, the new generation of technicians are going to need to know past, present and future technology. Kim continues on to say that the biggest lesson she’s learned from the industry is to always keep learning and stay connected.

“The biggest lesson that I’ve learned is to just keep pushing through, keep learning, keep communicating and to stay involved in the industry,” she says. “Because the minute that you step back you lose that connection, and this industry is very social and very much connected.”

When he made the decision to pivot from managing auto rentals to the collision repair game, he wasn’t content with simply learning the management style of a different side of the industry—he wanted to get his hands dirty and figure out the trade for himself. John enrolled at Mohawk College as an apprentice, but before long, opportunity came knocking once more.

“An opportunity came along to start at Budds Collision in Oakville in the front office. So I took that leap from the floor back into the office and that helped get me to where I am now at Performance Collision,” John said.

John carried on at Budds for the next 12 years before setting out on his own in the collision industry.

“It was an opportunity to grow myself and to grow a business,” John said about his decision to open Performance Collision, in Collision Repair’s feature with John in May 2014. “By moving here, I have an opportunity to run my own ship, and possibly move into ownership one day.”

Finally with a space to call his own, John is free to pursue any avenue for training that he desires and has worked hard to equip his shop with top-of-the-line equipment from the most trusted brands in collision repair.

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 75

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

PAT QUINNEY

CHRIS AND MARGOT BIRECKI

QUICKFALLS COLLISION

CARROSSIER PROCOLOR MONTREAL OUEST

CRM ISSUE 13#5

CRM ISSUE 13#6

To make an accurate comparison to how Pat Quinney became one of the biggest names in the Saskatchewan collision industry, one would have to imagine parents Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen driving their child, a young Steph Curry, to youth basketball practice—that’s the high degree of mentorship an already talented young tech had at his disposal—and it’s barely an exaggeration. Pat got his start in 1992 when he was taken under the wing of Lloyd Giles of Midtown Auto Body in Elrose, Saskatchewan. Here is Pat in his October 2014 interview with Collision Repair, speaking on the advantage of learning from a mentor like Giles: “He served a couple of presidencies with SAAR, so early on I saw the importance of being involved, and how it helped him keep ahead of the curve.”

Several years go by and Pat is in search of work, eventually ending up at another Saskatchewan collision shop that should be familiar to Collision Repair readers. Pat spent a year working at Parr Auto Body withTom Bissonnette, steeping himself further in the wisdom of another of the province’s most influential shop owners. By the time March 2011 rolled around, Pat had been running Quickfalls Collision Centre for five years and was starting to reap the rewards of his years of listening and learning; Pat was named president of SAAR and served in the position until 2017.

“I feel like we’ve done a lot for the industry in this province because we have a strong association,” Quinney said back in 2014. “If you have concerns, you need to get involved with your association and voice them. It’s hard to change anything as individuals, but in a group you’re stronger.

Chris and Margot Birecki of Carrossier ProColor Montreal Ouest are a rare example of entrepreneurs who built their shop from the ground up. When you look at the Birecki’s three-story collision complex in west Montreal, you’d never guess that the couple built all that success out of a humble car wash in LaSalle.The two took every opportunity that came their way right from the get-go, partnering with local dealerships for detailing work, and eventually offering paint touch-ups and minor dent repairs to help supplement the business.

DAVE/LINDA PROCUNIER

MIKE RANDEV AND RAGHBIR GILL

Before they knew it, Chris and Margot had brought on a painter and a body technician and were starting to outgrow their little car wash.The couple decided it was time for a move and found their way into the facility that they occupy today.

In Collision Repair’s feature with Chris and Margot in November 2014, Chris said that “Building a business is just like building a wall. Put one brick down after another.” And that’s how it went for the Birecki’s as their business quickly spread from the second floor to occupy the entire three-story facility.

Versatility is another one of the core values of the Birecki family as Chris and Margot train their staff in multiple disciplines in order to never have to lay someone off; and it’s worked for them so far as they have managed to keep on the same 15 staff members for the whole run of the shop.

“Don’t just be a boss. Be a human,” said Chris. “Your staff have a lot of things going on in their lives, and you have to learn how to help them be successful in life. Do that, and they’ll be successful at work too.”

HEARTLAND B&B

FIX AUTO CALGARY NORTH EAST

CRM ISSUE 14#1

CRM ISSUE 14#2

After many successful years in the business, Dave, and Linda Procunier owners of CSN Heartland, formerly known as CSN Heartland B&B decided to sell their business to the D’Alessandro family.

The couple built an extremely successful business that proudly served Mississauga, Ontario, community for several years.

Under their ownership they obtained several OEM certifications, including those from BMW and MINI. Dave has always been passionate about OE certifications. At a Global Automakers of Canada committee meeting in 2015 he spoke about why becoming certified is so important.

“There are so many things you need to know now to repair cars.

If you are correctly trained and can access OEs procedures, you know you are bringing that car back to pre-accident condition,” said Procunier.

Now it’s time for the D’Alessandro family to uphold the Procunier’s legacy.

“We’ve had two locations for a long time and now adding a third in a high-traffic area is a great opportunity for us,” said CSN 427 and CSN Avenue President, Lorenzo D’Alessandro.

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Mike Randev and Raghbir Gill were business partners from the beginning.

“We both started at the same place, and we both started as apprentices around the same time,” said Randev.

Today, the duo is still together and they co-own Fix Auto Calgary North. Over the years the shop has grown from humble 2000 square foot facility into a state-ofthe-art 9000 square foot facility.

Randev says he attributes a great deal of their success to the community.

“We have the community behind us,” said Randev. “We help improve the community we and our customers live in.”

Randev says the biggest challenge new shops will have to face in the future is proving themselves to insurers. He’s experienced this firsthand.

“The biggest challenge we had was with insurance companies, simply because it’s tough to attract their attention when you’re small,” he says. “We had to prove to them we had the efficiency, but it was our customers that really convinced them.”

Congratulations to Collision Repair Magazine, 20 years at the heart of the industry.

i-car.ca

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

SHANE CAMPBELL

CHRIS AND MATTHEW STATHONIKOS

CSN-CITY CENTRE

CARSTAR MSO/ CMD CARSTAR GROUP

CRM ISSUE 14#4

CRM ISSUE 14#5

There are many paths that can lead to a career in the collision repair industry; many of which can provide the most unique skillsets to those who find themselves travelling along such a path. Shane Campbell is one such traveller, finding himself thrust into the workforce prematurely and approaching his craft from a highly creative angle.

After more than 16 years with the CARSTAR family, the owners of the CMD CARSTAR Group Chris Stathonikos, his son Matthew Stathonikos and Dave Stretz decided to retire last year, selling their business to fellow CARSTAR owner, Shane Daerden.

“I had to leave high school because of a family situation,” Shane said in his August 2015 interview with Collision Repair. “I decided to pursue a trade, and this was the one that interested me the most.”

During his time in high school, Shane thrived in his art classes and would later use this passion for quality and knack for design foresight to give him a leg up as a collision repairer.

“I was always good at art. I just liked drawing lines, putting things where I thought they would be best suited.”

As the early years of his career went on, Shane was starting to earn a reputation for his paintwork and the owner of CSN-City Centre offered him a job as a painter.

“There was a big learning curve from used car dealer to the fancy spray booth, but I got the hang of it,” said Shane.

Shane spent his following years working and saving enough money to buy a 40 percent stake in the shop, and eventually, the entire thing when his partner sold off the remaining 60 percent to Shane in 2010.

From the moment Chris Stathonikos started working at a body shop back in Greece at age 15, he knew he wanted to own a facility.

After immigrating to Canada in 1974, Chris was able to purchase a building and own his collision repair centre. However, one thing he did not expect was his son Matthew to take to the business as he did. Both with a passion for collision repair, the father-and-son Stathonikos pair decided to join CARSTAR in 1999. Then in 2004 Stretz joined the duo and together became the CMD Group. Over the past 16 years they became one of the largest multi-store owners in the CARSTAR network, with seven facilities in the greater Calgary area. However, in October of 2020 they decided it was time to sell the business.

“Although we built an amazing business, I am excited to retire, not think about cars every day and enjoy my summers in Greece,” says Chris. “After all this time though, it is the people that I will miss the most. I hope to stay in touch with all of the friends I have made over the years.”

“We took our business as far as we could and Shane has a vision to make it even bigger and better, which is encouraging to see,” says Dave.

The younger Stathonikos, however, has not yet contemplated retirement.

For Shane it’s clear, “It’s not just about the money. It’s always about building something bigger.”

“I still think CARSTAR is the best brand as well as an industry leader and I look forward to seeing everything that we have built continue to flourish. However, for now, I am most excited to just take a break and enjoy the time off with my family, before I decide my next move,” said Matthew.

JACK AND VINCE MARTINO

FRANK SOTTILE

CSN MARTINO BROTHERS

CARSTAR BRAMPTON

CRM ISSUE 14#6

CRM ISSUE 15#1

“Our ever-evolving lean journey is like breathing air. It’s not just how we do things. It’s who we are.”

This is the maxim that the Martino Brothers run their business by. The other maxim is don’t tell people that they’re cousins, but that’s beside the point. Jack and Vince Martino have been steeped in the automotive world for their entire lives, coming up in the gas-station-turned-bodyshop that their fathers, the brothers Jack and Vince Sr., had been running since 1955.

After some years in the 70s and 80s learning the ropes and working around at different shops in Toronto, Jack and Vince returned to the fold their fathers’ shop with a wealth of knowledge and experience under their belts. Now the apprenticeships and training opportunities in the collision repair industry are helping out the Martino’s again, as they say that maintaining good relationships with educators and taking part in apprenticeship programs has become their secret weapon.

In Collision Repair’s December 2015 coverage of CSN Martino Brothers, Jack said that “We have been able to capitalize on young staff coming from auto training centres, high school coop programs, college programs and even walk-in candidates with interest in our trade.”

He continued, “We are extremely proud of our mentoring program within our facilities. Almost all of our current staff— the ones doing incredible things every day—worked under our senior staff at some point. Our unique team structure allows for opportunity and advancement.

78 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

For as long as Frank Sottile, owner of CARSTAR Brampton can remember he has always been drawn to the collision repair industry. As soon as he was able to, he began working for his father, an auto mechanic who founded a combination shop with his cousin, who was a body technician.

Over his many years in the industry Sottile has occupied various roles, including working as; a detailer, tow truck operator, estimator, auto painter and technician, shop manager, and owner.

“There’s no role I haven’t held in the bodyshop.”

Sottile’s proudest moments since gracing the Collision Repair cover in 2016 include CARSTAR Brampton’s philanthropic endeavours, specifically the facility’s work with Cystic Fibrosis.

When reflecting on his career he says the biggest change he’s seen in the industry is the impact of COVID-19.

Up until the pandemic, the industry was relatively simple, he said. A car comes in and you fix it. However, with less people hitting the road due to COVID-19, his shop which normally brings in a high volume of vehicles has struggled.

“We’ve always been a busy shop, but this pandemic has absolutely killed me.”

Even still, the ever-optimistic Sottile is confident that business will be back to normal as soon as the pandemic subsides.

VITO ATTIVISSIMO

LOC NGO

FIX AUTO CARTERVILLE | FIX AUTO LAVAL OUEST

COSMOS COLLISION

CRM ISSUE 15#2

CRM ISSUE 15#3

After catching up with Vito Attivissimo, owner of Fix Auto Carterville and Fix Auto Laval Ouest and his daughter Nicoletta two things stand out: the slowdowns spurred by the pandemic and the uncertain future of the industry.

Loc Ngo, the owner and operator of Cosmos Collision in Calgary, Alberta, is no stranger to hard work. He immigrated to Canada when he was 20 years old with next to nothing and worked his way up to owning his very own luxury auto repair shop.

Since Vito was last featured on the cover, he says there hasn’t been any significant changes in their businesses—other than the pandemic, of course.

After years of learning the ins-and-outs of the collision repair industry, Ngo says one of the best moments in his career was when he was able to say that his shop repairs one of the best luxury brand vehicles in the world.

“We’ve just been working regularly, but it’s been COVID in the last year and half that has really slowed us down, apart from that not much has changed,” said Nicoletta.

Though not much has changed, they said the lack of labour here in Canada definitely has. The two explained that they’ve had to get their new employees in the Philippines due to the shortages. However, helping people from different parts of the world obtain jobs is a point of pride for the businessowners.

“The proudest moment in my career was when I became an Audi certified shop,” he said.

Both Vito and Nicoletta say they are concerned about the future industry.

“Another proud moment was when a customer posted on my company’s Facebook page that he had been to other body shops over the course of 20 years, but none were as good as Cosmos Collision.”

“With all the new technology that they are implementing and the idea of a ‘collision-free future,’ there’s not much space left for us,” said Nicoletta.

Ngo prides himself on his excellent customer service and his outstanding reputation with every one of his clients.

“Of course, like always we hope for the best and will work as hard as we can.”

Now, Ngo concentrates on giving back by talking to local high schools about the industry and certain apprenticeship programs that are available for students, as well as offering to sponsor students’ skills testing.

DAVE MILLER

JOHNNY KLOECKES

The two remain optimistic, however.

FIX AUTO ABBOTSFORD, CHILLIWACK, VERNON, SALMON ARM, CALGARY, LETHBRIDGE

CARSTAR MSO, EDMONTON

CRM ISSUE 15#4

CRM ISSUE 15#5

Body techs say all the time, “Every day is new and exciting; you never know what’ll roll into the shop.” Well, no disrespect to all the other shop owners out there, but Dave Miller’s life is the epitome of exciting.

He’s one of the best water-skiers in the world—an apples to oranges comparison, no doubt, but it warrants discussion, nonetheless.

When Johnny Kloeckes—known to most in the industry as Johnny K—started out in the industry in the 90’s he was a one-man shop. Now, in 2021, he employs 60 people across six locations in Edmonton.

From the collision repair side of things, Dave’s story is actually a fairly familiar one.

Dave grew up around his grandfather’s bodyshop and had already cut his teeth in the trade by the age of sixteen.

Before long, Dave realized he had a reputation and people were beginning to rely on him for body repairs. However, Dave was also building another reputation in parallel with his collision repair career, as a professional water-skier on a global circuit.

Dave spends the five or six months a year that he isn’t in the shop on the road winning world championships and breaking world records—he even collaborated with his equipment company, GOODE, to develop a new ski.

When Dave comes home after a trip around the world winning competitions, he gets to come back to the multiple Fix Auto shops that he operates in the western half of the country.

More importantly, he comes back to a staff that he trusts wholeheartedly to run the business for up to half a year at a time.

“My proudest moment in the industry would be joining CARSTAR,” says Kloeckes.

“It changed me from being a mechanic, to a businessman.”

Reflecting on the changes he’s already seen happen, since the days he used to fix cars in the parking lot of his apartment building, Johnny isn’t sure what the future of the industry holds.

“20 years ago, you could fix a car with tape measure and a pulling tower. Today, you absolutely cannot do that,” he says.

Kloeckes notes that the intelligent car market is growing, and that requires new training and requirements for technicians.

“I don’t know what will happen, I don’t think anyone does.”

Johnny says. “The sky’s really the limit.”

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 79

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

BRENT GERRITS

IANN LADD AND PETER CHAVEZ

BRENT GERRITS COLLISION & REFINISHING

CARSTAR LC GROUP

CRM ISSUE 15#6

CRM ISSUE 16#1

Brent Gerrits, owner of Brent Gerrits Collision & Refinishing, has always made it a priority to advocate for the “little guys” especially in rural Nova Scotia, where it seems a new collision repair franchisee pops up daily.

To make sure that the independent, smaller businesses are heard Gerrits has taken it upon himself to sit on various councils and boards throughout the years. From sitting on the Automotive Sector Council of Nova Scotia for nearly 20 years, to being on the program advisory committee for Nova Scotia Community College over the years, and even representing the province when the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum was last held in Nova Scotia. Gerrits also uses his voice in the industry to make sure that young apprentices are getting the education and skills training they need to be successful in any shop setting. Saying that he “takes great satisfaction” in seeing the young apprentice’s progress.

“My desire has always been to make sure that the small shops have an input into all the policies and regulations that may come down the road.”

When asked about what kinds of changes the industry will see in the future Gerrits spoke candidly saying that he believes the industry could potentially “hit a wall” in terms of staffing.

“There are not many people that are currently entering the trades,” he says. “I’m in my late 50s and there’s still a fair number of people in my age group still working. My fear for the future is that the skillsets of the older technicians isn’t being sufficiently passed on to the younger generation.”

When it comes down to it, Gerrits says that the biggest lesson he’s learned is to be adaptable in your environment and, whether you want to or not, to be open minded as well.

“I love the younger crew here because they teach me a lot, and I think that’s one of the biggest things is to be open-minded,” he states. “Younger generations are so much more capable of making good use of the newer technology, especially in terms of information.”

Ian Ladd of CARSTAR LC Group is no doubt an expert on building businesses from the ground up, while maintaining a foundation of interpersonal trust intact the whole way through.

“I’ve been in the automotive business since I was 15 years old,” says Ladd.

“I started doing oil changes at Canadian Tire and I was fortunate enough to have stumbled upon the collision business back in the early 90s. From there, I found a love for the industry. Primarily for me, I love dealing with people. I love growing businesses.”

Since Collision Repair last caught up with Ladd, he and his business partner Peter Chavez have successfully finalized their efforts in helping one of their franchisees set off on his own in the industry.

“In the case of our two Brantford locations, our managing partner, Javier Torres, was running that store. His wife was involved and at some point, his son was also involved, so it became a family business for them.They approached us about buying the actual business for themselves, so that they could have their nest egg for the future.

“That is a very proud moment for myself and for Peter; we were able to help Javier and his family get into business.Then to watch them grow and succeed to the point where they were able to do it on their own.”

NICK AND SANDY LIGUORI

LUCAS, PAUL AND KEVIN GEORGE

CCS WOODCHESTER

LEAMINGTON COLLISION

CRM ISSUE 16#3

CRM ISSUE 16#4

The story of Sandy and Nick Liguori is one that runs parallel to the history of their hometown of Erin Mills, Ontario.

Leamington Collision is a shop like no other. Located on the sunny northern shore of Lake Erie, 45 minutes outside of Windsor - the small town of Leamington is a unique place to run a collision repair shop.

As the brothers lived through the 70s and 80s and saw their little suburb of Erin Mills get swallowed up and absorbed into the city of Mississauga, the Liguoris saw the community around them start to grow and move at an even faster pace.

From when the doors Woodchester Collision first opened in 1977 to today, the population of the Erin Mills area has exploded from 70,000 to well over half a million residents—that’s quite a few more cars to fix.

In the immediate future, the Liguoris are keenly focused on attracting young talent to the trade. With the gap in his own shop widening generations over the course of his career, Sandy says shop owners and managers need to shoulder the responsibility of finding the next generation of great collision repairers.

“When I was young, it was easy to talk to your peers and get them excited about this trade. Now, it seems youth culture holds their passion in mobile devices.”

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The shop was founded by Paul George in the 1960s after he emigrated from Lebanon.

However, his two sons Kevin and Lucas now run the shop.

“Some places have problems passing on the business to the next generation. Not us. Dad said, ‘you’re in or you’re out,’ and that was it.”

Since the shop was last featured on the cover, they renovated their bodyshop and they were nominated for a Customer First award by the Leamington Chamber of Commerce.

As for the future, finding new talent has always been a concern.

“It’s going to be tough to find good body techs,” said Kevin.

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20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

DOMENIC lERACI, DOMENIC PROCHILO AND PAUL PROCHILO, SIMPLICITY CAR CARE

DON MORTON

CRM ISSUE 16#5

CRM ISSUE 16#6

At the helm of one of Canada’s fastestgrowing banners, the leaders of Simplicity Car Care know firsthand how fast things can change in this industry.

Don-Mor CARSTAR Collision and Automotive was founded by Don Morton in 1980.The original shop was located on Egerton Street in London, Ontario, but, the shop moved to its current location in 1996 at 1056 Brydges Street in London, Ontario.

Morton expanded the current location in 2006 to include a mechanical shop. And for the past 15 years, Don-Mor CARSTAR Collision has been a full-service collision repair and mechanical facility as well as aluminum vehicle repair shop.

“We’ve seen a number of different shifts in the collision repair industry, starting from rapid consolidation, especially in Canada,” Domenic Ieraci, Simplicity Car Care president and co-founder. “We’ve seen vehicles become increasingly more complex with the enhancements in technology and different components that operate at a much more sophisticated level than years prior. Not to mention the changes on the horizon.”

Domenic says he has come to learn an important lesson along the way that has helped him, and Simplicity navigate the always-uncertain waters of the collision repair industry.

“Never be complacent and always be agile: have a mindset that is open to change, because things are changing very quickly. The ones that will survive and thrive are going to be the ones who can adapt to change.”

MICHEL AND VALERIE VERRONEAU

DON-MOR CARSTAR

Since Don-Mor CARSTAR was last on the cover of the magazine, the shop has racked up several more OEM Certifications from Certified Collision Care.

This year the shop earned certifications for Fiat Chrysler, Ford, Genesis, Honda and Acura ProFirst, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, and Toyota vehicles.

“We are thrilled to have achieved this new certification and official industry recognition.This certification further underscores the high standards of safety we maintain for our customers,” said Morton.

“We’ve worked hard to stay ahead of the curve in the collision repair industry,” said Morton. “We take pride in our highly trained technicians who use the latest tools and equipment to deliver a top-quality repair and the best customer service.”

STEVE KNOX

FIX AUTO SHERBROOKE EAST

CARSTAR FREDERICTON AND CARSTAR FREDERICTON NORTH

CRM ISSUE 17#1

CRM ISSUE 17#3

Since Valérie Véronneau, owner of Fix Auto’s Coaticook and Sherbrook East shop locations in Quebec was last featured on the cover, the shop has surmounted some impressive milestones.

Steve Knox says his proudest moment in the industry was the day he opened his second facility as general manager of CARSTAR Fredericton North.

Like her father, Michel Verroneau, who was one of the first ten repairers to operate under the fix brand, Valérie is making waves in the banner.

The only way to mark the July 2019 grand opening was with extraordinary grandeur.

Knox had face painting, balloon animals and a clown on site, plus all of the impressive Symach tech on the bodyshop floor.

In 2018, Véronneau became the first Fix Auto franchise partner to have Fix Auto, NOVUS Glass and Speedy Auto Service under the same roof.

“The facility is about 930 sq. m. (10,000 sq. ft.). It has six repair stalls, an area for the paint prep that holds four cars simultaneously, and they all move sideways through the shop. We have sideloading booth that’s a phenomenal system. We’ve been really happy with it all.”

“It feels good,” she says, “but it is also kind of scary because it is so new.”

With his roster of talent, tools and a positive attitude behind him, Knox is prepped to tackle the future of the trade, including arming his staff with the training and tactics they need to do what’s best for the business.

Adding Speedy to the mix changes things up, she says. “It changes the way we can interact with customers and will attract more frequent clients.”

She also added the brand to her Fix Auto Coaticook and Sherbrooke East locations, becoming the first franchise partner to offer all three of the aftermarket services.

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“We had about two years worth of planning underway, in all,” said Knox.

“I heard it said once that qualification should supersede any certification, and that holds truth. You need to make sure your staff know what they are doing and how to do it right, you need the right equipment and to ensure you’re using the proper OEM procedures. And, of course, that you’re charging for what you do. Document your steps and make certain you can back up every penny you ask for.

“And, of course, run a good, quality business, and it will look after itself.”

PETER SZIKLAI

MIKE KILMURY

TSAWWASSEN COLLISION

FORT ROUGE AUTO CENTER

CRM ISSUE 17#4

CRM ISSUE 17#5

There are certain benefits that come along with being an independent collision repair shop that people don’t necessarily tell you about.There’s one benefit that particularly appeals to Peter Sziklai of Tsawwassen Collision: the freedom to speak his mind.

“Some may call it an independent streak,” Peter said in his August 2018 interview with Collision Repair, “but I think I might just be stubborn. “I think the team would agree.”

Mike Kilmury, the shop manager at Fort Rouge Auto Center says, out of all the jobs he’s had in the industry, he’s proudest of his current role and achievements.

It’s safe to say that Peter has earned the right to voice his opinion on how the industry should grow, especially considering his past life was in the industry of growing.

“I happen to know quite a lot about the genetics of forest trees, seedling production and nursery development and management, so if, 35 years ago, you wanted a greenhouse design that could produce 3-5 million seedlings a year, then I was the guy,” Peter remarked jokingly. But Peter truly does have the best intentions and wants to see dialogues open up more around repairs so that the industry can be more on the same page as procedures become more and more complex and specialized.

“There are so many factors involved in moving ahead, but they have much less to do with fixing a car properly than you would think. It’s still a matter of relationships and those relationships do not hinge on the car being fixed properly,” Peter said in our follow-up interview with him last December.

“There is a huge block between the manufacturer’s wishes and the repairers wishes, and that block is the dealership.”

Peter said he hopes to see better co-operation between OEMs, dealers and repairers in the future.

In a previous role in the aftermarket, Kilmury was asked where he saw himself in the industry. He half-jokingly told his manager at the time, “sitting in your chair.”

“It’s all worked out,” said Kilmury. “I’ve put my mind to things and earned my role as manager.”

A hands-on manager, at that; Kilmury also handles shop foreman duties on the day-to-day, he says.

The bodyshop has been busy gathering OEM certifications since Kilmury’s appearance on the cover in 2018, and he maintains that certifications will only become more important as vehicle complexity increases.

“With how quickly vehicles are changing, I think training is going to be something to really focus on even more than we are now going forward,” he said.

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AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 83

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

JASON TANGUAY

MARY MONARDO

STAR MOTORS

COLLISION REPAIR EXPERTS

CRM ISSUE 17#6

CRM ISSUE 18#1

Jason Tanguay is not your average auto shop manager. For someone who has had his hands on cars since the age of four, the Star Motors manager says that what sets him apart is he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.

Mary Monardo has been owner of her 3,000 sq. m. bodyshop in Vaughan, Ontario, Collision Repair Experts since 1992, and since being on the cover in 2019 she says that she is proud at how far she has come, especially being a woman in the industry and having to deal with her employees testing her.

“I still get on the floor, I still get my hands dirty and I still ruin all my new suits,” says Tanguay, who has held a variety of bodyshop roles in his career.

“I’ve done the painting, the prepping, the buffing, detailing, writing estimates, production management—you name it.

And here I am now, managing a shop.”

Checking in with Tanguay since he was on the cover in 2018, he says he is proud of everything he has accomplished in the industry and is looking forward to finishing out his career right where he is.

“It’s going to be the last job I have,” he says. “I’ll stick this one out until retirement.”

“It’s very difficult because all of your employees are men. As a woman in the industry you deal with a lot of disrespect, but then I fire them and kick them out, and then the next guy has respect.

I’ve got the hang of it now,” said Monardo, who has spent years learning the ins-and-outs of how to fix a vehicle after a collision.

“I know how to repair a car, pen and paper doesn’t make a body shop - knowledge does,” said Monardo. This hands-on body shop owner has big plans in the future and is thinking about moving to the United States to open another body shop.

MICHELLE DUPUIS

WADE BARTOK

HAROLD’S AUTO BODY

CSN ELITE BODYSHOP

CRM ISSUE 18#2

CRM ISSUE 18#4

“Things have changed a lot, but the basics of auto body repair and the business remain the same. We help people out of a bad situation—we repair their vehicle properly, and care for our clients,” Harold Fjellstrom, who founded Harold’s Auto Body in Edmonton in 1973, told Collision Repair mag in 2019.

Since starring on the Collision Repair mag cover, Wade Bartok took the pandemic as an opportunity to look within his business and take any steps he could to further improve CSN Elite Bodyshop.

After a just over decade-and-a-half of retirement, he knows the business is in the safe hands of two of his children, Cameron Fjellstrom and Michelle Dupuis.

Both share his belief that success requires more than just hard work—but a commitment to going the extra mile for both employees and clients.

In 1973, when Dupuis was just 11 years old, her father took an enormous risk founding Harold’s Auto Body, a 3,000 sq. ft. building in Edmonton, Alberta. The business began to grow and a new facility was needed to accommodate that growth.

Land was purchased and a 10,000 sq. ft. facility was built. After studying accounting and finance at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Dupuis began planning a career at an accounting firm in downtown Edmonton—but life had other plans for her. Michelle began working at the shop in 1981 helping more and more and taking on added responsibilities under the guidance of her father. Her knowledge of the industry grew along with her confidence to work in an industry that had few women.

The years that followed have proven that Harold’s faith in his daughter’s leadership were right. Dupuis stays strong in front of the pandemic with a firm stance. She keeps true to the customer-based focus that is at the heart of the autobody industry.

“The industry is going up, but I believe that the repairers are going to need the assistance and the support of insurance companies in a more positive fashion,” said Dupuis.

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First order of business was to make a management team.

“I’ve created a team capable of making quick and fundamental, yet also teambased changes,” Bartok told Collision Repair.

His hard work has certainly paid off, and Bartok feels renewed with a new love for his business and a bold future ahead of them.

“I’m inspired to go back to work again because I’ve got such a great group that is taking the company places I never thought we could go.”

On top of management changes, Bartok brought new services to CSN Elite such as an ADAS recalibration machine and a Chief Goliath frame rack.

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20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

CORY NERO

PINO GAGLIARDI / MICHAEL MENNA

ASSURED SUDBURY

CARSTAR DOWNSVIEW

CRM ISSUE 18#5

CRM ISSUE 18#6

As time goes on, Cory Nero says he strongly believes more people will begin to realize the value of the collision repair industry from a business and administrative perspective, but also as a well-paid trade.

Pino Gagliardi is about as natural a businessperson as they come. He takes chances and blazes new trails with no fear and stellar success. And with his long-time business partner Michael Menna by his side, Pino makes up just one half of an unstoppable collision repair duo. Pino made his name in the Canadian automotive industry after becoming CEO of Impact Transportation Logistics in 1995, a refrigerated transportation logistics company.

A chance run-in with CARSTAR’s Canadian founder Sam Mercanti would see the course of Pino’s career take a different tack as he started to learn the in’s and out’s of collision repair.

“Sam knew this business inside and out—better than anyone in Canada. Not only that, but he knew the value CARSTAR could bring to the industry and I just couldn’t pass the opportunity up,” Pino said in his December 2019 interview with Collision Repair.

By the time 2012 rolled around, Pino felt like the time had come to make his move in the collision repair industry, buying up CARSTAR locations Woodbridge, Bolton and what would be his crowning jewel; CARSTAR Downsview.

“I decided to double-down on the entire CARSTAR Downsview store—from the front office to new equipment, new employees, and—the biggest thing—a new culture,” said Pino.

Though Pino recognizes he wouldn’t be where he is today without his right-hand-man Michael—the man with autobody knowledge that guides Pino’s ship, so to speak.

“He impressed me within 60 seconds of our meeting—with his demeanour, his industry knowledge and his vision. Of course I hired him.”

KATE AND ANDREW TAPLEY

RANDY LOWE

Cory Nero, the former manager of Assured Sudbury, has left the industry since being featured on the Collision Repair cover in the Fall of 2019, but the longtime aftermarket industry member still possesses the same love for automobiles that he always has.

Nero’s parents, Antonio and Gianna—the owners of Sudbury’s Regent Auto Body, now part of the Assured fold—fostered their son’s love for the trade from a young age. Once he was old enough, he began working at the business, soaking up all the knowledge he could, from the areas of vehicle construction, sales, repair and beyond.

Antonio says he raised his son with a different mindset than his own father. Before emigrating to Canada at age 15 and opening Regent a decade later, Antonio had live and worked in Italy; though his father barred him from schooling once they arrived in Canada. When it came time to guide his own children, he encouraged his son to work at Regent in conjunction with his post-secondary studies at Laurentian University.

His father’s support clearly paid off, as Nero served as the market manager for all four Assured shops in Northern Ontario before leaving the trade this past March.

FIX AUTO STRATFORD

CSN OPENROAD RICHMOND AUTO BODY

CRM ISSUE 19#1

CRM ISSUE 19#2

Pivoting has been the name of the game for Kate and Andrew Tapley at Fix Auto Stratford since they starred on our cover in January 2020—just before the pandemic reached Canada.

Randy Lowe has worked in nearly every position imaginable, from an estimator, to a car prepper, to a systems manager, all the way to his current role as owner and president of CSN OpenRoad Richmond Auto Body.

Kate and Andrew have a long history in the automotive aftermarket, beginning with their father, the late Al Tapley. Al started his career with Perth Motors in Stratford, before opening and operating Stonetown Tires and Collision in St. Marys. In 2000, he acquired Nick and Dan’s Collision from the Festoso family, and eventually grew the business to a second location.

Following his death in 2015, Kate and Andrew decided to continue the family legacy and took over the business. In 2016, they followed their late father’s vision and consolidated the two businesses into Fix Auto Stratford.

Moving most of their business and communications online has been seems to have been a challenging but rewarding experience.

“A very smart man once said to me; ‘Kate, good, hard working people prevail,’ and that’s just something that stuck with me,” said Kate.

“I’m so proud of our team for navigating through these unknown times,” she told Collision Repair. “It’s only up from here.”

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When reflecting on his career in the autobody industry Lowe is most proud of his family’s involvement and his role Randy Lowe, left, and his father, Bob Lowe. in training young technicians.

“My kids are involved and they’re doing a great job,” he said.

“Not very many families can work together like we do!”

Since Lowe was featured on the cover in early 2020, CSN OpenRoad Richmond Auto Body’s has gone on to boast an impressive apprenticeship program.

“I am very proud of our apprenticeship program; it’s suspended right now because of COVID but we helped a lot of good young technicians. Our focus is teaching them the right way right off the bat. We have a lot of employees who started their apprenticeship here and are now journeymen with us and that’s something I’m very proud of.”

HARVEY GOLHAR

SIMPLICITY CALGARY NORTHEAST, SIMPLICITY CALGARY SOUTHEAST, SIMPLICITY CALGARY NORTHWEST CRM ISSUE 19#4

Last year when we spoke to Harvey Golhar, the owner of Simplicity Car Care Southeast and Northeast, he had his sights set on opening another location.

BOB HEROUX LAZER AUTO BODY CRM ISSUE 19#5

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Less than a year later, he achieved his goal READY TO CONQUER by opening a third location, Simplicity Car Care Northwest. Harvey is now the only member within the Western Canada region of the Simplicity Car Care network with three franchise shops.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges within the industry, Harvey has persevered and pushed through these difficulties in order to keeps his businesses afloat.

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“We have been battling through, it has its ups and downs and by keeping all my employees on we’re able to manage as a team,” he said.

Harvey applauds the support from corporate Simplicity and with their credible knowledge and expertise. He says working alongside these talented individuals in the industry has been insightful. The future of the industry is ever evolving, and in Harvey’s words, from here, the industry is only going “up”.

MUHAMMAD SIDHU

You don’t see bodyshops like Lazer Autobody around much anymore these days. An old-school, independent, family-run shop out in the prairies that puts pride into every repair.

“Lazer” Bob Heroux and his family have been a staple in the Saskatoon collision repair community for decades now and have proven that old-school customer care, combined with modern management resources are the key to success for a shop making a go on their own.

“I got 4,000 sq.-ft. bay on a main drag in the north end of Saskatoon. We got a paint booth, and equipment, and I had myself, my one bodyman and my wife. We were a three-person show that started this company back in October of ’87,” said Bob. “We started to evolve over the years. There were some pretty rough roads at first: I grew a little too fast and my overhead was killing me. I finally moved to a less busy area where my rent and overhead were way less for a larger building. That’s where things really started to show that we were doing well, making money, making profit,” said Bob. Fast-forward several decades and Bob and Jen’s son Braden has entered the fold at Lazer Autobody, and is proud to carry on the legacy his parents have left in the community. “We have given two large donations to two organizations here in the city,” said Braden.

“It feels incredible to be able to give back with a substantial donation to the community. It speaks volumes about my parents.

We’ve worked really hard and we are happy to do that for Saskatoon.”

RON AND MANDY ALBERTS

ASSURED AUTOMOTIVE MISSISSAUGA NORTH

CARSTAR ST. STEPHEN

CRM ISSUE 19#6

CRM ISSUE 20#1

Since gracing the Collision Repair mag cover in December 2020, Muhammad Sidhu and his team have been busy constantly improving their operations and business model.

It’d be difficult to find a better small-town collision shop than CARSTAR St. Stephen, and by extension, better owners than Ron and Mandy Alberts. The collision repair power couple represent a convergence of so many of the best values that our industry has to offer.

Just last year the collision repair centre added an aluminum room, said Sidhu.

“We have two dedicated mechanical bays, because we do in-house mechanics here, and a dedicated aluminum room--which many facilities are not equipped with.”

As calibrations and ADAS calibrations continue to become more and more important for collision repairers to understand, Assured and the Boyd Group recognize the importance of compliance and continuous improvement.

The Boyd Group takes pride in supporting training so our shops can achieve I-CAR Gold Class certification—a top international standard. “ We are very committed, and not just to the technicians, but in the back office, too. Our staff have the tools to complete the repairs at the international standards,” Sidhu explained. “Not only that, with the vehicles becoming more complicated nowadays, and technology advancing every single day, we encourage our staff to use all the available data to identify the issues and take the corrective measures and actions accordingly.”

With Mandy’s background in medical offices and care facilities and the expertise Ron gained visiting collision shops around the world as a consultant for AkzoNobel, the pair has every angle of the collision repair process covered and down to second-nature.They know their community, and the community knows them; the Alberts take the trust of their customers very seriously.

“We really try to be intentional about dealing with far more than bent metal, but with a friend’s experience and figuratively putting our arms around that person and walking through that experience with them,” Ron said in January as part of Collision Repair’s coverage of CARSTAR St. Stephen.

“There’s more to this, from a human standpoint, than just fixing cars.”

For the Alberts, this takes the form of anything from helping their customers get around town when their car is in the shop, to working with high schools to expose their local community to the opportunities in the collision repair trade.

“I look at the industry and some of the people that are out there, even in some of the shops that we know in other cities and what they have to offer and what they can pass on—there’s a legacy there and it’s being missed out on,” said Mandy.

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 87

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

20TH ANNIVERSARY

COVER STAR CORNER

JEFF HAMPSHIRE

RAJ JOHAL

CSS SOUTHGATE COLLISION

CRAFTSMAN COLLISION DELTA

CRM ISSUE 20#2

CRM ISSUE 20#3

Jeff Hampshire’s come-up in the collision industry is like a scene out of a movie.

He’s a young kid who is fascinated with cars. He’s working on his ’68 Cutlass on his dad’s farm. He calls him over to look at the fender he just sanded and primed.

Without a word Jeff’s dad smacks the fender and all of the Bondo falls out.

Jeff now realizes that he has a mission.

“From there I decided I was going to learn how to do this properly,” said Jeff in his interview with Collision Repair back in March.

Raj Johal had just hit a roadblock right before he decided to enter the collision repair business. A passionate do-it-yourselfer, Raj had reached a point where he, in fact, couldn’t do it himself, and sought out the skills he needed.

Jeff spent decades devoting himself to mastering the craft of autobody repair, while also being repeatedly thrust into leadership positions that forced him to either sink or swim. It turns out that Jeff is a pretty good swimmer.

“Through my whole career, I’d gone from being a technician in the back to helping to run the shop and going back and forth doing different things,” Jeff said.

“Sixteen years ago, I entered the dealer group here and I never looked back.”

Jeff was able to combine his hand-on body repair skills with a natural ability to lead a team, culminating in the great success that is Jeff’s collision wing of the Southgate dealer group.

There are few shop owners who exude the same amount of pride and love that Jeff does in his staff. All but one of Jeff’s 12 employees have been working with him for more than 10 years and the reason why comes down to a lot more than just admiration of Jeff’s moustache.

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Years went on and cars remained a hobby for Raj, until he had the chance to work for a parts wholesaler and begin re-engaging with his passion for auto repair. After building some solid relationships and dipping a toe back into the auto world, Raj accepted an offer to assistant manage his first Craftsman Collision centre.

“I was new to the business. I didn’t know a lot about collision repair, but obviously I knew a lot about cars. When you know a lot about cars it becomes a tad easier to write estimates.

That’s where I started,” said Raj in March in his interview with Collision Repair.

Eventually after working out the intricacies involved in working with insurance companies and other such new-owner obstacles, Raj was able to start shifting the culture of his business and run the type of shop he would have wanted to work in.

“I definitely employ a collaborative management style. I like to involve our whole team when it comes to input, ensuring that every team member is important and part of our solutions,” said Raj. The results speak for themselves as Craftsman Collision Delta proudly boasts two painters with more than 30 years with the company, and many more employees with decades of hard work under their belts.

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647-490-6718 paintsource.ca

20TH ANNIVERSARY

20 YEARS IN PICTURES

THE FACES Collision Repair Industry OF THE

The members of Canada’s automotive aftermarket are highly skilled individuals in many areas—but boy, do they know how to party. It’s been a while since we all got together for a good-old-fashioned conference or trade show. Luckily, Collision Repair magazine has got you covered for now. Take a glance through our 20 years of photo archives and see if you can spot some familiar faces!

For more photos visit www.collisionrepairmag.com/20th-anniversary-image-gallery/

90 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

20TH ANNIVERSARY

20 YEARS IN PICTURES

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AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 91

20TH ANNIVERSARY

20 YEARS IN PICTURES

For more photos visit www.collisionrepairmag.com/20th-anniversary-image-gallery/

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Get Off Your ADAS There’s no time to procrastinate proper calibration If you lack a technician skilled in ADAS calibration and repairs, your business is a ticking time bomb.

With 87 percent of new models today incorporating advanced safety technologies and visions of mandatory automatic emergency braking, there is simply no time left to delay training.

Are you ready to repair these technologies? More importantly— are your staff ready? According to I-CAR’s U.S. branch, all your employees—even front office staff—should have ample ADAS awareness. The better question is who doesn’t need to understand the calibration process: when it is required, the differences between dynamic and static calibration,

www.flickr.com/photos/40043123@N05/

Last year, Transport Canada sought feedback on whether automatic emergency braking systems should be incorporated into all new vehicle models. While automatic emergency braking isn’t required on new vehicles in Canada—yet—20 U.S.-based automakers have committed to adding automatic emergency braking as standard equipment on most new light vehicles made between September 2025 and August 2026. As of July 2022, the European Union will require automatic emergency braking as standard equipment for most new heavy vehicles. It will be required in light vehicles as of July 2024. By 2026, these systems must also be able to intervene in an imminent collision with a pedestrian.

The time to train is now.

AirPro Diagnostics’ representatives are always available for ADASrelated assistance and more.

Feel free to reach out by visiting airprodiagnostics.com.

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Congratulations Collision Repair magazine!

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Congratulations to Collision Repair Magazine!

Making the industry better, one issue at a time.

Collision Clinic CSN St. John’s, NL is locally owned and operated. Manufacturer certified and customer preferred for all makes and models, serving you from two locations, Topsail Road and Torbay Road.

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THANK YOU

FOR SHARING IN OUR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION DOE S AI HAV E

A PLA CE IN EST IMATION? ANS WER S INSI DE!

Volume 20, Number

3 l June 2021

SE CU RIN G TH E SE AL

70 YE AR S ST RO NG

OEM Certificati on —is it worth it?

Marcel’s Collis celebrates a specion ial anniversary

SP EA RH EA SU CC ES S DI NG

RAJ JOH AL AND THE CRA FTS MAN COL LISI ON DELT A TEA M FOR GE THE FUT URE OF AUT OBO DY REPA IR

PLUS: Repairify (asTech)’s Pres. on what’s ahead | Prepping Canada Post Canadian

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t No. 40841632

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ON L3T 1Y2

We couldn’t have done it without the continuous support from members of the Collision Repair Industry.

Media Matters Inc., established in 2001, continues to be the leading provider of news and information to the Canadian collision repair industry. Every issue of every publication brings focused, relevant and current information through articles, profiles, trends, breaking news, and solutions. Our editorial content speaks to each segment of the collision repair industry and more.

We strive to bring you the most up-to-date and relevant content as well as solution driven services designed to connect you with your target customer.

Our top-of-the-line print and digital products serve the various industry segments and include Collision Repair magazine, Collision Québec, Canadian Auto Recyclers, Bodyworx Professional, Training Directory, Buyers Guide, and Canadian Towing Professional.

With our print, digital and ancillary services, we are the front-runners in connecting you with your target audience.

For more information visit collisionrepairmag.com

SCAN ME

20TH ANNIVERSARY

ENGINE KNOX

I SEE THE LIGHT Coming out of the tunnel and into greatness

BY STEVE KNOX

I

’ve now seen it, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

As I sat down at my computer and started writing this column, I felt like I was driving a car with no steering wheel. There I was, trying to pen a positive piece with no real positivity to apply— suffering from what’s been called ‘COVID fatigue.’ I was losing interest in things I once enjoyed: my work, my hobbies, everything.

Thank goodness I had my family to go home to. We held each other together through all of this.

“This is primetime.”

Before writing this draft, I had but a jumble of words on a page.

They didn’t really go anywhere, until I returned from vacation just in time for the province of New Brunswick to lift its emergency orders. I told my kids the kids news—they were overjoyed, as was I. If there were ever a cure for COVID fatigue, it is that combination: vacation, and the lifting of an emergency order.

Today, my outlook is starkly different than that of just a month ago. I’m managing two shops, both of which have been running around 60 to 70 percent capacity for more than a year. My staff all want to be busy again—there’s excitement in the air. Offices are asking employees to come back and continue normal work in the office. Commuters will soon rush to their cars, ready to get stuck in rush hour traffic. This is primetime; the only thing that would

120 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

produce a better outcome would be a few good snowstorms. I guess we’ll have to wait for those, though.

Through the events of the pandemic, I have learned what the dead-cost is to run each collision centre. I found the threshold where we either eat or starve. With all the reductions in revenue, I’ve had to cinch the shop’s belts a few notches in terms of spending.

I only wish I could cinch my own in—COVID has been great for stress eating.

However, with the end of New Brunswick’s emergency order, it’s all been good news. It’s time for the depression to end. Our shops are leaner, our wits are sharper, and, on a more personal note, I bought a bike and put my first 14 kilometres on it yesterday. We are ready to continue from where we left off. Maybe even some place better.

Let’s get out there and find what’s making the light at the end of the tunnel!

STEVE KNOX,

general manger of CARSTAR Fredericton and CARSTAR Fredericton North, is an I-CAR Instructor and former member of the CCIF Steering Committee. He can be reached at sknox@carstarfredericton.ca.

CONGRATULATIONS ON COLLISION REPAIR’S

20

TH

FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT

For more information visit us at saskautorepairers.com

20TH ANNIVERSARY

TOM’S TALES

A TOAST TO COLLISION REPAIR MAG Darryl Simmons took a chance—and we reap the rewards

BY TOM BISSONNETTE

I

can remember the first time I heard about Collision Repair magazine (CRM).

I was at a CCIF meeting in Toronto, and I ended up at the meeting after the meeting (in the hotel lounge) sitting at a table with Darryl Simmons and Remy Rousseau. I was immediately drawn to these guys; Darryl was animated and talkative while Remy was a bit more reserved, but very engaging.

They talked about their recent venture with a new collision industry magazine with such enthusiasm that I felt compelled to listen. At that time there was another national publication called Bodyshop Magazine that, in my opinion, had a stranglehold on the magazine market.

What has transpired over the last 20 years should be a lesson to all companies that reach the zenith of their industry, never underestimate an enthusiastic up and comer. Over the past 20 years I think it is safe to say that CRM has become the dominant player nationally in the collision industry publication world due to their commitment to showcase industry professionals as regular columnists. Who better

122 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

TOM’S

TALES

ING BREAGKROUND THE uggles The str

cce and su

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e, I ision trad eal the coll a ‘rev being from lp mldg’ or ition, all parts. Not what a ‘sca . In add n after idea mldg’ was e handwritte had no g and look a ‘belt wer that e a livin scrawl mldg’ or es back then ng to mak ss ers had mat s were just tryi acro rais esti rate g are app the kin rest the wal ost by that inte r family. percent, and some of chicken trade alm dent thei challenge was portions of 20 a dying o body pro rtgage The e literally mbled an acci the aut of a mo been in to records omers were quit ial was rese I got fell into ibility page! car had shop where way my ent climbing ons cust the My pot the my t. resp , l we on of t y earning was hurting a loca acciden r and Wit h the a new bab ship s’ and do and mos n. My s k it to manage t and the ned and I too owner and tting dow , every busines . rn men rmi shu ‘bu pay to a was dete w the a beating e bodyshops ed hanic at s can be, atti tud e was to succeed. I to kno . taking early, stay one—th d this busines friends was a mec My father I came all r it took ssion ept for became inal vocation har red it lly rece whateve s up this job, so lership. worked exc matter how d practica g to and figu My orig ery dea I No standar kends that it is are goin not to mes machin iness and was t realize this was w ked wee ing, you e, we had local farm repair bus and—since I you mus are driv anc late, wor e to realize that st shops; thro own rs mo tinued proof. If people this inst cam in for con , I s had his for several yea . ure just ts and life—I the out rating proced the late have acciden that year. with him to plan my ers was e been ope d m tom hav an ined stor ld cus ded eive is wou not incl a big hail my Autoware they nee trade. Th to rec of fixed and worked w job car One in that and ho my the s. the city hip where re I had n if ion of seventie ally moved to shop whe lers dy ma discuss on bo ple. ent dea te er peo lem the I eventu inu Imp the a or numb k and e Farm a 10-m the wor for a larg the job ls. rage are about enjoyed k with rts sto le detai ed of I quite

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pa hic teboo nsist and ve m to the a Hilroy no y either ining co er the d and the r’s name My tra the job er, but I think n deliv y, I ha stome e into rts the sentiall the cu a swimm employe there had tag pa op. Es ed by ch the or swim. I was ch better if e. the sh job, whi mu follow in plac me the a sink ld have been ding process was in margin offered bought getting t side on. They had recently ge and it wou proper onboar nths I was lef pers s I a mo work. I the as a part been t mortga ut four ying the ly took one

cen astic e was grateful with a 16 per After abo and quite enjo is a fant e e the trad to start I e way. y industry ving skills to leav a groove me new hom d was on the about a 10-minut sed me caused cial ts into that the autobod r problem-sol first chil tag par ugh an What cau nasty job that lth and finan sisted of you think 25 our training con ive and larly it going thro area nity to use future hea 1981 at age to rece My particu that are gh as it can be storage opportu in about my ed s on of how to the parts people shop. thinking I quit that job a company call nce. Tou eholder discussi in the and help them experie the stak cts. deliver n if the job was ok with the prospe ortunate king with when all then ng unf wor ebo p sfyi yma ted not sho to bod Hilroy followed is weirdly sati re. and star ortunity par ts and ing or the I had a margin r Autowa the opp was our Premie r Autoware sold garages, pay I Essentially, on the left side vehicle details. happy. e, I had , are ber this tim man that first, e and ops and Premie invoices During very special bodysh salesperson. At meet job num tomer’s nam get the to ld a s er’s cus wou y, ,I tom sion k with supplie by the territor s arrived te the cus those wor a commis to travel a e decent When part number, wri for me as got job—I and I mad job ople go to look loved the resting people treat salespe check the invoice and ect, ays the inte on of alw resp e I lots day nam rtesy and . To this they with cou so I know money on me e it, that call there and don n I’ve bee MAG.COM

NREPAIR

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62

COLLISI

20TH ANNIVERSARY

TOM’S TALES

“Who better to tell the industry’s story than those who have the smell of paint thinner and body filler on them?”

to tell the industry’s story than those who have the smell of paint thinner and body filler on them?

Over the years I have relied on Darryl to give me his interpretation of what is good and bad with the industry, he is a keen observer and a rational thinker, so I value his input on many industry issues.

My favorite part of each issue is how CRM showcases high performing shops across Canada. I like the way they take care to get professional photographs done and I especially enjoy reading the stories of each shops journey.

Thanks Darryl and gang at CRM for being a terrific support to the collision industry, onward and upward!

TOM BISSONNETTE

is the director of the Saskatchewan Association of Automotive Repairers (SAAR). Tom’s Tales is a series of Collision Repair magazine articles chronicling his journey through the collision industry, since 1982. Besides telling his story, Tom hopes that today’s shopowners and manager can learn from his victories— and his mistakes.

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 123

20TH ANNIVERSARY

LET’S TALK TRAINING

WITH AGE, COMES WISDOM The only guarantee in life is change

BY STEFANO LIESSI

M

Prior to this, in the earlier years everything was done by eye, any years ago, a close friend of mine — who has an acute attention to mechanical detail, and ability to dig out a root or by assembling and disassembling parts to check for gaps in the cause of an issue on almost anything, including a slightly alignment, for fitment. The traditional “plumb line” or “favorite clogged check ball valve in the valve body of a GM 400 turbo string” the reason why no one ever dared to pre-paint a panel before transmission — said something to me one day that rings clear as a assembly, edging parts was a big thing on its own.

During these years that statement from Davis rang in the back bell to me to this day. of my mind, only now I was applying it We were at the age when cars were it, to collision repair. At the factory they do and the Chevy Small Block was gospel — Great things have not have people putting parts on and off I personally am a big supporter. He said for fitment down the line, they rely on to me “Disco, when an engine is rebuilt, happened, and greater technology and precision engineering. I you should be able to install it, connect things are to come. learned that if a bolt does not line up on everything and turn the key to hear it purr.” a Jag, something is out. There are no slots “All this: gas in the carb, playing with the We are truly living in or shims, it either fits, or it does not. distributor, messing around, is not needed the best of times for We used the Car-O-Liner Mark 4 if it’s rebuilt and set up correctly from the mechanical measuring system on these beginning, key in, turn, drive… how do humanity, and without cars, it was amazing. To this day it still can you think they do it at the factory?” doubt it will get better serve a purpose. I deem it as the North My friend, Davis is a great mechanic; American pioneer of fixture ideology. one I will admire eternally, so, this tidbit still, with some bumps I started to realize that if you use this stuck with me. A few years later — late in the road. equipment properly and make an effort ‘90s early 2000’s — I was on the floor at a to understand the technology, you could Jaguar dealer in Toronto. At this time, I was accomplish incredible things and actually granted the job description of structural, make money along the way. Remember, non-structural, prep, refinish, and polish.

I enjoyed working on these vehicles, from start to finish, there is you do not get paid to R&I a fender three times or a door and hood multiple times for fitment, you have to pull teeth to get an extra .5 something to be said about European engineering.

Now I understand many of you cringed on that statement, however, to work an aftermarket panel — which has also come a long way hear me out. If you have ever had the pleasure of aligning a hood in twenty years.

As time moves on so does technology, after a few more years I on an XJS after a front collision, you are privy to how much your accuracy of repair plays into your mental stability of this task. I have got into electronic 3D measuring — imagine watching a live pull been an advocate of 3D measuring for decades now, I use it for the walk into position, no guessing just doing. I was so confident in this technology that I bet a very senior tech that I could clip the front smallest of repairs to the big ones (I loved doing large hits).

124 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

end of a Mazda that was towed in — hard hit — from the towers forward using, at the time, I-CAR sectioning practices and OEM joining locations, and when I was done the structural, we would bolt the drive train back in, then bolt the closure panels on, then drive it off the rack to alignment.

It was after this that FINALLY my coworker started to understand the significance of this technology. I measured everything, regardless, and to this day so should every other tech. The advancements of steel and composites leave many untold stories within the damage, the only way to know if it needs to be measured is to measure it. Period.

Twenty years later and the light is getting brighter for some, but not enough yet — I can only hope.

They may have been simple times back then, but take your welder for example, we now have Pulse, Double Pulse, welders with multiple torches and functions, welders with computer touch pads and programs that you set up to accomplish various tasks for various substrates.

Compared to the standard short circuit Miller or Lincoln with two dials one for wire speed and one for voltage, usually marked off with tape or a marker and guarded by the senior tech who would break your fingers if you changed the settings. Ah yes, good old times, thanks for the memories Franco. If memory recalls all you needed to know is what bacon frying sounds like and you were good to go.

Let us not forget about STRSW and the advancements it has made, coupled with weld bonding and structural adhesives, did I mention Rivet bonding? Only rivets I used many years ago were “POP” rivets to put floors into an old Pinto in my driveway.

As you are aware, a lot has changed in twenty years, technology in the shop, technology in the cars that come through the door to

be repaired, it truly has advanced incredibly fast and will continue to do so with no end in sight.

I have only blown the dust of a tiny amount of nostalgia here.

Our industry has been slow to keep up in many ways, however, in my opinion, we are starting to catch up by providing a much higher standard of quality repair and skill set within the industry.

Great things have happened, and greater things are to come. We are truly living in the best of times for humanity, and without doubt it will get better still, with some bumps in the road.

I cannot begin to imagine what the future reality holds for us. I’ll be in my mid 70s in another twenty years. My guess, the contents of today’s articles will be looked at by others as dated or obsolete.

Thank you, Davis, for a positive contribution to my thought process, and an incredibly happy 20 years Collision Repair Magazine, here is to the opportunity to celebrate a 40-year anniversary edition.

STEFANO LIESSI

A Red Seal technician and founder of Canadian Collision Specialist, Stefano Liessi enhances his experience with 12 years of I-CAR instructing, coupled with high school teaching to bring training that encompasses all learning types. With experience on the corporate side of the industry, as well as in management and ownership, Stefano’s focus is proper repairs and equitably for all people involved in the collision industry.

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AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 125

20TH ANNIVERSARY

LET’S TALK TRAINING

20TH ANNIVERSARY

WHO’D DRIVING WHO’S

Cheers to

20 YEARS We’re an industry determined to develop

BY JAY PERRY

I

’ve written about the resilience and humanity of the industry in past articles. It is heartwarming to see what business leaders have done thought the past year and half—but I also want to pay tribute to what has happened in our businesses over the past 20 years, coinciding with Collision Repair magazine’s 20th anniversary.

First off, thanks to Darryl Simmons and his team for quite a Herculean feat of faithfully producing a true news magazine for the industry. Yes, opinions have been offered throughout those 20 years but never in a dogmatic, partisan style that would alienate members

success. That’s just one example of many that the industry has been challenged with. These shortages have also been satisfied through targeted immigration thus actually giving others from around the world to become Canadian and grow with the industry in this country.

Canada leads the world in the consolidation of the industry. As all industries mature, they have recognizable cycles and stations they pass through. Consolidation is one of the later stages of business maturity and our industry by way of any metric is advanced beyond the balance of the world.

Over the past 20 years we have seen a true, professionalization of the industry.

More and more shops have become forward focused and expanded their viewpoints on what it means to be professional. of the collision community. I have found opinions that have intrigued me even though I might not agree with them, and this presentation of new ideas and different perspectives has broadened our thinking.

That brings me to the point of this article: the broadening of the thinking of the industry. Over the past 20 years we have seen a true, professionalization of the industry. More and more shops have become forward focused and expanded their viewpoints on what it means to be professional.

At every increase in customer expectations, this industry has responded by creating a ‘WOW’ factor for those customers. This industry probably more than any other, creates some of the highest customer-service-indexing numbers in global business today. Yes there are some great companies out there in other industries that produce impressive numbers but when you think of most of them being in the mid-40’s and compare that to some of the rankings I have seen for our members, it is outstanding in the high 80’s & 90’s!!!

We hear a lot about labour shortages especially at this time, but we live in a country where retraining of the workforce has become the normal. Our people don’t whine about needing to take another credit-course but rather look forward to achieving accreditations that prove them to be fully invested in their personal and corporate

126 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

Much has been written about technological advances the industry has responded to with great professionalism demonstrating their commitment to education and the desire to do the right thing.

Collision repairers want to fix vehicles fully, safely and in accordance with guidelines produced by OEMs. This is another positive story that again, the Canadian industry is out in front of.

So, as we peer into the crystal ball for what the next 20 years holds, we are going to see situations that are challenging and require innovative thinking for which this industry is prepared. Prepared, not with all the answers at this time but a desire to find those answers and stay positive so they can be the one who’s driving.

JAY PERRY

is the founder of Ally Business Coaching, a process improvement and leadership development firm, and co-author of the book Success Manifesto with Brian Tracy. Jay is also an education partner with California Coast University in Santa Ana, California.

He can be reached at jayperryally@gmail.com.

PEOPLE | PRODUCTS | VEHICLES | IDEAS NOVEMBER 2–5, 2021 • LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER • LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

SEMASHOW.COM/REGISTER

REGIONAL NEWS | BRITISH COLUMBIA

REGIONAL NEWS | COAST TO COAST

PACIFIC PULSE Compulsory skilled trades certification system in British Columbia will be revived, the provincial government announced in mid-June.

The British Columbia government has launched the mandatory skilled trades certification system, which will allow the province to offer more stable and high-paying jobs to skilled trades workers. The decision made back in 2003 to cancel the skilled trades certification system left workers with no proof that they were able to do the job.

Anne Kang, the minister of advanced education and skills training, says that it’s an important step to give credit to tradespeople for the work they do every day.

“Similar to a post-secondary degree, a certified trades worker has a certification that is recognized by employers just like teachers, lab techs, nurses and other certified workers,” said Kang. “By recognizing the worker’s skill, we will attract more people into careers in the trades in order to help address labour shortages across a variety of trades.”

The certification system will be in phases, and the first phase will start with the 10 jobs that are in the most need of workers. This includes the following trades: autobody and collision technician, automatic technician, heavy-duty equipment technician, gasfitter, steamfitter and pipefitter, sheet metal worker, electrician, powerline electrician, industrial electrician, and refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic.

Premier John Horgan says that this change will help the province bounce back from a difficult year due to the pandemic.

“Tradespeople are building British Columbia and we need to value that work. We need to encourage younger people to enter the trades and we need to return tradespeople to the place where they can have family-supporting jobs because of certification,” he said.

ALL IS FAIR IN ICBC In a press release, the provincial government announced that Michael Skinner, a former lawyer, is now the new fairness officer for the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC).

The fairness officer role is a new position that started on July 12 and will run for a term of three years. The role will allow Skinner to resolve customer complaints and make changes to ICBC’s policy that he sees fit. In the press release it says Skinner will be involved in creating a better experience for the public.

“The appointment emphasizes the independence of this new office. He will focus on ensuring the corporation’s policies, practices and actions are fair and transparent, while further strengthening public trust in ICBC as an organization dedicated to providing affordable auto insurance and caring for people who are injured in a crash.”

A large reason why Skinner was chosen for the role was because of his work experience as a lawyer and later as an investigator for the Office of the Ombudsperson and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.

“These roles shaped his expertise on multi-party dispute resolution, complex investigations and major public reporting with recommendations for systemic improvement.”

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BRITISH COLUMBIA | REGIONAL NEWS

NEW NOVUS LOCATION NOVUS Glass has welcomed a new location in Richmond, British Columbia.

Owner operator Victor Law has been in the automotive business for over 25 years. He got his start operating a gas station that also housed a mechanic shop in Vancouver. In 2005 Law opened a full-scale auto centre in Richmond. The recent decision to join forces with NOVUS Glass comes because of the growing regional demand for quality glass repair services, as well as Law’s personal goal of incorporating all automotive-related services in-house.

“The next logical step was to include automotive glass repair in our service offering. Most often, collisions involve significant damage to windshields and other automotive glass parts. By incorporating it in our services, we have better control over the complete repair of the vehicle and can reduce our response time,” Law said.

With this amalgamation, Victor was able to upgrade the equipment at his facility as well as train his technicians in the latest automotive glass technology.

Along with a state-of-the-art shop, Victor now operates a fully equipped NOVUS Glass mobile unit that is prepared to handle any repair or replacement needs customers may have wherever they are.

CONGRATULATIONS COLLISION REPAIR ON THIS VICTORY!

Sans titre-1 1

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REGIONAL NEWS | ALBERTA

ACED IT CSN Black Ace is where the national title winner of 2021 Skills Canada postsecondary car painting competition honed his craft. Dorien Lozeau took first place in the Skills Alberta’s provincial competition and followed it up by winning nationals as well. Like some of the most admired champions across any discipline, Dorien is completely unassuming and genuinely humble about his performance.

“After provincials I wasn’t really sure what to expect but when I found out I thought well that’s pretty cool,” Lozeau said. “At nationals, I had no idea how well I did versus the rest of the competition since I couldn’t see their work but when I got the call and found out that I won it hit me and it’s such an awesome feeling.”

CSN Black Ace is known in the community of St. Paul, Alberta for their outstanding collision and auto body repair work, says the banner.

“We’re really proud of Dorien and it doesn’t come as a surprise that he won. We know how good he is,” said CSN Black Ace owner, Corwin Robinson. “He works hard, he has a passion for the industry and for his craft and that’s what makes him so valuable to our team. He’s self-motivated.”

The 2020 Skills Canada competition was postponed due to the pandemic and the event this year was completed virtually while the entrants participated from their own classrooms accompanied by a proctor.

Planning the event to allow for a level playing field amongst the entrants was especially challenging.

CRUSH IT IN CALGARY This year’s Calgary Regional Appraisers Southern Hospitality Invitational Tournament (CRASH IT) golf tournament will take place on August 25, 2021 at the Hamptons Golf & Country Club in Calgary, Alta.

The CRASH IT tournament began in 2002 as a social event for people in the collision repair industry. It has now evolved into a great day of fun on the course for over 100 industry professionals every year.

Proceeds from this year’s tournament will be donated to ALS Society of Alberta.

“This year will be better than ever! Entry will be on a first come first serve basis. Space is limited, we encourage you to get your registration and payment in as soon as possible,” says the tournament’s website.

Congratulations Collision Repair Magazine on your 20th Anniversary!

“Mixing the perfect colour match.”

That’s NAPA know-how.

The best choice, the best quality, the best technique, the best tools, the best colour match: when it comes to paint, our experts’ knowledge is unmatched. napacanada.com

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SASKATCHEWAN | REGIONAL NEWS

TURNING POINT July 1, 2021, officially marked the deadline for Saskatchewan collision shops to meet SGI’s (Saskatchewan Government Insurance) new accreditation requirements, part of the province’s Safe and Quality Auto Repair Program (SQARP).

Citing “industry fuel efficiency targets and advancements in vehicle automation” as driving factors for updating the collision industry’s accreditation requirements, SGI says that SQARP will include changes to minimum tooling, training and equipment requirements, that will come into effect on July 1.

According to a June 11 bulletin from SGI, “collision repair shops that do not apply or meet the new minimum accreditation requirements, or submit an incomplete application, will be removed from the SGI accredited collision program.”

After July 1, non-accredited shops in Saskatchewan will: • be assigned a blended (refinish, frame and mechanical) labour rate of $46.50/hr plus body shop materials of $6.12/hr and a water-borne paint material rate of $57.94/hr of refinish time.

• be removed from SGI’s Mitchell network and will not be able to receive or electronically process estimate assignments (no dispatches) or supplements.

• be removed from the shop locator on SGI’s website and no longer be scheduled for SGI staff road-runs.

• and not have access to ePay for collision/damage repairs but will continue to have ePay access for road-hazard glass, rental and EFT, if applicable (all collision repairs completed by non-accredited shops will be paid using a Completed Repair Notification (CRN) manual payment process).

Several delays and postponements have caused SQARP’s full implementation to be bumped several times; SQARP was initially set to go into action March 1, 2020 but was later postponed. For more information, email SGI at claimsprerepairplanning@sgi.sk.ca.

QUARTER CENTURY CELEBRATIONS Advantage Collision recently celebrated a huge milestone — 25 years in business.

Ben Gareau, owner and general manager of Advantage Collision has owned the shop for 14 years now, however, the business itself has been around for 25 years. “Somebody once said that five years is a test of business. If you can make it past five years you’re probably doing pretty good. And for us to hit 14 years and 25 as a business I think is a big accomplishment.”

When asked why he thinks the business has been around for so long, Gareau said trust is the main ingredient.

“I think at the heart of everything we do all day is in the best interest of the customer. Having that relationship with the customer, where we’ve done all the things that we said we were going to do and they really trust us. I guess at the basis of the foundation of our success is trust,” he says.

“When a customer comes in here, they are already not in the best frame of mind. They’ve just gotten into an accident whether it was their fault or somebody else’s. Then you add that little bit of

Gareau says he is looking forward to many, many more years in business.

the stigma that’s out there about automotive shops. From the start we’re already facing a bit of an uphill climb. So, we try to make it as convenient and as transparent as possible and update the customer, so they are informed throughout the repair. And I think that honesty and transparency build a lot of trust.”

Gareau is proud to say both of his facilities — Advantage Collision located in Saskatoon as well as another one in Prince Albert — are SGI Elite Accredited Auto Body Repair Shops and Certified Collision Care OEM Approved shops.

“We’re pretty proud of the fact we invested the money to be cutting-edge.”

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REGIONAL NEWS | MANITOBA

DONE DEAL Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) has signed a new deal with the Automotive Trades Association of Manitoba (ATA) and the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association (MMDA). All parties have given the thumbs up to a new Light Vehicle Accreditation Agreement (LVAA) model, which is focused on meaningful consultation between the repair industry and the province’s public auto insurer.

The new LVAA model includes a standalone consultation framework to ensure industry associations continue to have the opportunity to raise ideas, discuss emerging trends and share concerns from their members directly with MPI on their behalf. The framework outlines the creation of three standing committees: Technical and Parts Committee, Glass Committee, and Program and Accreditation Committee, said MPI. “Knowing the association’s voice on behalf of shops of all sizes, from all corners of the province, will continue to be heard at the table was a significant component of this new framework for our industry,” said Johnny Vernaus, President, ATA. “I’m pleased to see the establishment of these committees and I look forward to productive discussions that will happen as a result.

“This model helps create stability for the auto repair industry throughout Manitoba. As we hope to soon put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us all, it’s an important time for many businesses to look to the future and this new structure helps our members do that with opportunities for our voices to be heard,” said Geoff Sine, Executive Director, MMDA. The existing LVAA expired on July 26, 2021.

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“Knowing the association’s voice on behalf of shops of all sizes, from all corners of the province, will continue to be heard at the table was a significant component of this new framework for our industry,” said Johnny Vernaus, President, ATA.

ONTARIO | REGIONAL NEWS

FORD’S FAILURE Since 2018, the government of Ontario has not enforced its law requiring skilled tradespeople to maintain the mandatory credentials needed to do their job, CBC News reported on July 18, 2021.

Prior to Premier Doug Ford’s election, the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT) was in charge of ensuring that people working in any of Ontario’s 23 compulsory trades—which includes auto body repair—had the necessary certifications. And every year, college officers visited thousands of places of work to ensure workers were certified.

However, in 2018 Ford’s government passed legislation to “wind down the OCOT,” in order to “reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens,” says a 2018 government release.

Even in this winding down period, the OCOT was still expected to enforce certification rules for skilled trade workers.

Yet, according to CBC News, “there is little evidence” the OCOT has carried out that duty for the past three years. Between 2015 and 2016 the college found more 4,200 working without the compulsory certification for their licensed trade. However, there has been zero notice of contravention posted by the OCOT since June 28, 2018 — the day after the Ford government officially took office. Additionally, there have been no Provincial Offences Act convictions posted on their website since July 30, 2018.

Government officials told CBC that enforcement did in fact cease over the past three years.

“Since we formed government, OCOT inspectors have taken an educational role,” Ryan Whealy, acting press secretary for Monte McNaughton, the minister of labour, training and skills development said in a statement to CBC. The government of Ontario recently announced that a new agency will replace OCOT, on Jan. 1, 2022.

“We heard loud and clear from apprentices, journeypersons and employers alike that OCOT is not working,” said Minister McNaughton in a release.

“Following our expert Panel’s recommendations, we are taking a thoughtful and measured approach by launching Skilled Trades Ontario, a new agency that will put the trades first.”

Under the new agency, titled Skilled Trades Ontario the law requiring certification for compulsory trades will stay in place and McNaughton told CBC it will be enforced.

“As we move forward this summer, we’ll ensure that the compliance and enforcement regulations are worked through,” McNaughton told CBC News in response to its enforcement inquiries. “I can assure everyone out there working in the trades that we’ll ensure that enforcement is present on job sites.”

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REGIONAL NEWS | ONTARIO

ROAD TEST READY For the Ontarians who have been waiting for an in-vehicle driver’s test since April 3, when the province put in-person testing on hold, the wait is finally over.

On Monday, June 14, 2021, Ontario resumed in-vehicle passenger road tests at DriveTest centres across the province.

“As more people get vaccinated and COVID-19 case numbers decline, we are able to safely restart passenger road testing at DriveTest centres. We have developed a comprehensive plan to clear the backlog of road tests created as a result of COVID-19 restrictions,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation.

To address the backlog of road tests resulting from COVID-19 restrictions, road testing capacity will be increased by hiring 167 additional driver examiners while introducing extended hours for in-vehicle passenger road tests (class G1/G2).

Those looking to get their license in Ontario will be happy to know road tests booking has reopened—though there are reports that some locations are booked up until 2024.

Congratulations Collision Repair magazine on your 20th Anniversary!

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ONTARIO | REGIONAL NEWS

ROAD REVIEW The votes are in and the CAA Worst Road in Ontario for 2021 is Victoria Road in Prince Edward County. Making its debut on the Ontario top 10 list, voters cited potholes and crumbling pavement as the main concerns for the Prince Edward County Road.

Taking the second and third place spots are Carling Avenue in Ottawa and Barton Street East in Hamilton, respectively.

In Ontario, 117 municipalities saw roads in their communities nominated. Drivers accounted for most of the votes being cast, with cyclists and pedestrians accounting for about a quarter of the votes.

Voters shared their primary reasons for selecting a road, with 81 percent citing potholes or crumbling pavement, followed by traffic congestion (11 percent) and no or poor walking infrastructure (seven percent).

Ontario’s Top 10 Worst Roads for 2021, verified by the Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA): Victoria Road, Prince Edward County; Carling Avenue, Ottawa; Barton Street East, Hamilton; County Road 49, Prince Edward County; Eglinton Avenue East, Toronto; Hunt Club Road, Ottawa; Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto; Innes Road, Ottawa; Algonquin Boulevard West, Timmins and Queen Street, Kingston.

Two notable changes in this year’s list include Riverdale Drive in Washago coming off the provincial top 10 list and Toronto’s Eglinton Ave East dropping from first to fifth place.

Crumbling roads and potholes were the chief road concern in Prince Edward County, Ontario.

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REGIONAL NEWS | QUEBEC

PANDEMIC PRECAUTION The Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada announced that the 2021 Quebec Grand Forum has been postponed.

The event, initially scheduled for December 8, 2021, has been postponed until March 17, 2022, due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 restrictions.

AIA cites concerns abut maintaining social distancing while attending a gathering of this size and said their best course of action is to postpone until social gatherings are under fewer restrictions.

“While we all hope that the pandemic will be under control by December of this year, given the ongoing uncertainty, we decided it was best to postpone the Grand Forum until 2022,” said Patrick Saint-Pierre, Quebec division president of AIA Canada. “This was not a decision we took lightly. However, we felt that for the health and safety of our members and our industry, prudence was the best course of action.”

The Quebec Grand Forum brings together hundreds of aftermarket professionals from across the province to meet, network, and foster valuable conversations. It is open for any aftermarket stakeholders in Quebec to attend and celebrate another year in the industry, while learning from experts and panelists.

RENTAL RETALIATION A class action lawsuit has been approved by the Quebec Supreme Court against numerous car rental companies for alleged discrimination against drivers under the age of 25.

The suit led by a consumer advocacy group alleges that the car companies charged customers between the ages of 16 to 24 with additional fees because of their age. It also alleges that these customers were charged extra even if they already had their own insurance coverage for the rental vehicle.

The lawsuit involves car rental companies such as Enterprise, Alamo, National, Avis, Discount, Hertz and Budget Auto, according to Option consommateurs, a non-profit consumers rights legal organization.

“Younger drivers were already having to pay more to insure their vehicles because of their age,” said Sylvie De Bellefeuille, lawyer, and budget and legal advisor for Option consommateurs, in a news release, adding that “the fees imposed by lessors penalize them a second time.”

The group is welcoming drivers aged 16 to 24 who have been affected by these kinds of discriminatory practices since Aug. 16, 2016 to register to receive information on the progress of the case.

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REGIONAL NEWS | ATLANTIC

BESPOKE’S BUILDS A Nova Scotia company was founded on a passion for bringing the old back on the road in style. Donald Clarke and Jamie MacGillivray were neighbours in New Glasgow, N.S., before deciding to turn their love of Toyota Land Cruisers into luxury car mechanical shop Bespoke Motor Company. This retromod-centred auto repair shop takes classic Land Cruisers and restores them with modern parts and technology, so they run and act as a new 4X4. MacGillivray says there is nothing that compares to the Land Cruiser on the roads today.

“The Toyota Land Cruiser from the 1970s is the go-to vehicle for all remote and difficult locations where reliability and performance are critical,” said MacGillivray. “The Land Cruiser is the pinnacle of mass production and the best product to come from that methodology.

People realize that you cannot mass-produce quality.” Bespoke Motor Company is a first-rate mechanical shop, with CNC equipment and it’s also a paint shop. Clarke says that their boutique is a rare find as most vehicle brands are just spitting images of what came before, at his company every vehicle is custom made for the buyer and what they want. “Anything anybody wants on this configuration, we’ll build it,” Clarke said. “The underside of these trucks is going to look as good as the top of trucks. Our goal is perfection, and I think we can achieve it with the people we have.” The small-town mechanical shop has two full-time employees and eight part-time keeping the boutique running smoothly. Clarke says that what started out as two neighbours with a dream slowly became their dream job with hard work and perseverance. “What used to be a hobby is now a job, but it’s a job like no other,” he said.

ROAD REVIEW CAA Atlantic has released the results of its 10th annual Worst Roads campaign. Thousands of votes were cast over the three-week campaign this year, and every road in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador was eligible.

Votes came from all types of road users, including cyclists, pedestrians, public transit users and motorists. The 10 Worst Roads in Atlantic Canada for 2021 as voted by the public are: 1.

Terra Nova Road, Terra Nova, Newfoundland, and Labrador 2.

Newfoundland and Labrador 410, Newfoundland, and Labrador (Sheppardville to Fleur de Lys) 3.

Scotch Lake Road, Scotch Lake, New Brunswick 4.

Markland Road, Colinet, Newfoundland and Labrador 5.

Sherwood Road, Mapledale, New Brunswick 6.

Bog Road, Falmouth, Nova Scotia 7.

Mount Hebron Road, Studholm Parish, New Brunswick 8.

Newfoundland and Labrador 414, Newfoundland and Labrador (runs from Baie Verte to La Scie) 9.

Campbell Settlement Road, Southampton Parish, New Brunswick 10. Saint Peters Fourchu Road, Lower Saint Esprit, Nova Scotia

“Norton Saint-Gobain wants to congratulate and celebrate this milestone with Collision Repair Magazine for their 20th Anniversary.”

“Thank you for being an important part of our industry and for keeping us all informed and up-to-date with what matters. We appreciate the value you add to our professional lives. Thank you for the hard work and the dedication you put in to help us keep up with this industry’s fast changing landscape.”

Happy 20th Anniversary and wishing you more success in the upcoming future.

Norton | Saint-Gobain Abrasives Canada www.nortonabrasives.com AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 137

O T S N O I T A L CONGRATU

t t e l l i G n Da

st!

Conte n io t a in b m o inning C

ATA W S e h t f o r e n the win

FREE MAGAZINE NS SUBSCRIPTIO LE B A IL AVA

Selected at random from more than 1,800 entries from collision repair industry members across Canada, Dan will receive a SATAjet 1500 B SoLV spray gun, a box of SATA RPS cups and a SATA paint suit, all courtesy of Collision Repair Mag, Bodyworx Professional and SATA Canada.

Check out the winner reveal at https://youtu.be/AASDAsDbSfw

Thank you to everyone who entered!

Make sure you sign up for the Collision Repair Daily Ezine for future contest announcements! collisionrepairmag.com/ezine-registration

BODYWORX THE VOICE OF COLLISION REPAIR TECHS & PAINTERS

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

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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!

Visit buyersguide.collisionrepairmag.com MATRIX EDGE™ - HARDWORKING PAINT AND PRODUCTS THAT DON’T BREAK THE BANK

THE SPANESI TOUCH ELECTRONIC MEASURING SYSTEM

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spanesi-americas.com

Matrix Edge™ is rich in color capabilities and tools—color retrieval software, a 5-angle spectro, color books and more. The system not only features a condensed toner assortment for stability and consistency, but quality primers, reducers, activators and hardeners, and of course, phenomenal clearcoats. With Matrix Edge, we recreated what we’re known for– a tough system. Visit Valspar online today to have a representative introduce you to the new Matrix Edge™.

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.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

RAZER GOLD SANDPAPERS AND DISCS

MINI-DUCTOR VENOM HP

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Proudly Made in Canada! These durable, long-lasting discs and sandpaper will provide users with virtually no cracking or peeling, resulting in a smoother finish to your work piece. The Razer Gold line of products feature a superior resin over resin adhesion system, and one of the strongest and heaviest velour backings in the industry.

Pack a punch with the Mini-Ductor Venom HP, the highest-powered Mini-Ductor available. The Venom HP releases hardware from corrosion and thread lock compounds without the collateral damage caused by open flames. At 1800 watts of power, you can heat metal fasteners faster than ever before. Manufactured in the USA with genuine OEM parts.

FLEX IT WITH SIA-JJS

RHYNOGRIP HT LINE

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Adapts perfectly to the workpiece. Be it curves, shapes or contours – an even and perfect sanding pattern can be achieved with 7983 siasponge flex.

The extra-soft foam of siasponge flex ensures maximum conformability.

Advantages • Wrinkle Free • Highest Flexibility • Perfect Finish • Longest lifetime • Washable Applications • Keying of wood and plastics • Keying conventional old and new varnishes, primer filler and paints • Fine sanding primer filler in hard-to-reach areas • Producing a matt finish on varnishes • Flatting bodyfiller and primer filler • Intermediate sanding of varnishes 140 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

Indasa HT Line (High Tech) Series comprises a high performance grip sanding disc revolutionizing the abrasives industry with advances found nowhere else, useful in a range of applications from heavy sanding to micro-fine finishing.

Features & Benefits: • Flexible backing adaptable to sanding contoured surfaces • High initial cutting action for fast stock removal • Uniform scratch pattern provides the ultimate surface finish • High strength resin bond for minimal grit shedding • Advanced clog resistance technology for long working lifetime • Excellent dust extraction and surface finish

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

WINDSHIELD REPAIR KIT

14500A WELDING MACHINE

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Pro Spot’s new, easy-to-use automated glass chip repair system is a well designed, precision machined tool made of aluminum alloy. The Windshield Repair Kit is lightweight, very durable and designed to set up quickly over the chip, requiring just a quick turn of the tool - simple, fast and complete.

The 14500A welder is fully automatic with material recognition using the SMART Auto Set feature and is capable of welding all types of steel, including high strength and advanced high strength steels. The inverter ensures excellent penetration into the substrates and also features automatic thickness recognition. Manual adjustments are also available to allow the operator to adjust the welding parameters. Weld validations are recorded for each weld, saved and able to be exported for each job.Now, the welding machine has been updated with a new touch screen feature and a sliding rail boom system. This model is lighter than the previous welding machine, smaller in size and easier to position for difficult welding applications.

FLEXI NO EDGE BLENDING TAPE

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Flexi No Edge Blending Tape masks around any curve, saving considerable time and materials to give a perfect finish when blending clear coat to curved swage lines and panel edges. Masking corners is now quick and easy and previously difficult to mask areas, such as the fuel filler cap, can now be masked in seconds.

Rexall Labs’ 2.8lb/gal (340 G/L) VOC Compliant Reducer line is designed to be compatible with most urethane paints in the market and is available in three dry time speed and in gallon as well as pail sizes! Simply follow mixing usage and recommendations in the VOC compliant products chart for your area.

“I use this product on a daily basis and wouldn’t be without it.”

– Wayne Beardmore (Damage Undone)

Contact your local supplier regarding Rexall’s Compliant Urethane Basecoat Reducer today.

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 141

SHOP TALK

Time-Resistant Tools Repairers share top picks from their toolboxes In line with Collision Repair’s 20th Anniversary, the magazine reached out to readers looking to hear their longstanding go-to tools. Check out their picks below!

TOP PICKS!

Snap-On Body Hammer “The Snap-On body hammer I have left has made me a lot of money, still has the original handle and I use it more today than I did 10 years ago!” – Anonymous

Cell Phone / Computer “It contains my whole business plan, calendar and emails. Everything I need in a day!”

– Sebastian Torres, owner of TORCAM CARSTAR Brantford, Ontario “Oddly enough, my cell phone is my go-to tool.

There are so many programs and management tools now linked to smart phones.” – Anonymous “My phone and computer—no tools for this cat!

LOL!” – Kim Roberts, owner of Fix Auto Barrie North Barrie, Ontario 142 COLLISION REPAIR COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

BETAG Flatliner “Our BETAG Innovation Flatliner is an unreal piece of equipment that makes repairs easy,” – Anonymous

SHOP TALK

ALLDATA Diagnostics “In an age where following OEM procedures is of the utmost important, no tool is handier than the ALLDATA system.” – Anonymous

SK Socket Set

Spoon Dollies

“My 30-plus-year-old SK socket sets are definitely my go-to,” – Kevin Kish, autobody technician at Marton’s Autobody Kipling, Saskatchewan

“When I was repairing, it was the spoon dolly. Now, as an owner, it’s definitely my cell phone camera.”

– Bill Fonstad, owner of CARSTAR Estevan Estevan, Saskatchewan

— A DIFFERENT KIND OF CRASH COURSE. COLLISION REPAIR FOR A COMPLEX WORLD. BCIT is a leader in auto body repair and refinishing trades training. Benefit from flexible hands-on learning formats, instructors with industry experience, and state-of-the-art learning environments. 97% employment rate for BCIT Apprenticeship completers.* Learn more at bcit.ca/autobody. *Source: BC Student Outcomes (2020)

—— BCIT Apprentice receiving hands-on training at No. 1 Collision Group, Richmond Facility.

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RECYCLING NEWS

For more information or to subscribe visit canadianrecycler.ca

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RECYCLING NEWS

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 145

RECYCLING NEWS

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RECYCLING NEWS

AUGUST 2021 COLLISION REPAIR 147

LAST WORD

ADVERTISER INDEX 3M Automotive................................... 13 427 Auto.............................................45 AIA Canada........................................ 77 Air Pro Diagnostics............................93 AkzoNobel......................................... 92 Arslan Automotive ............................ 11 Assured Automotive..................... 30,31 AsTech...............................................53 Audatex|Solera.................................. 73 Autel US........................................ 20,21 Auto Data Labels...................bellyband Automotive Recyclers of Canada...... 74 Axalta............................................... 150 BMW Group.......................................06 British Columbia Institute................ 143 Car-o-liner.......................................... 55 Car-Part.com.....................................95 Carcone’s Auto Recycling............... 135 Cardinal Couriers Ltd........................ 12 CARSTAR........................................... 29 Chapman West Bedford............... 50,51 Collision Clinic................................. 107 Color Compass Corp........................ 71 Consolidated Dealers Co-op............ 67 CSN Dana’s Collision Centre............63 CSN Avenue Collision.......................44 CSN Collision Centres.......................99 Dominion Sure Seal........................... 27 Eagle Towing Equipment................. 129 ELC Dispatch Solutions.....................34 Fix Auto Canada............................14,15 Hail Specialist.................................. 101 Impact Auto Auctions........................85 Lacero Solutions................................43 LKQ...............................................64,65 Martino Brothers Company............... 58 Motivated Reps............................... 141 Norton.............................................. 137 Paint Source......................................89 PDR Canada...................................... 61 Polyvance..........................................83 PPG....................................................09 ProSpot International Inc............59,141 Reliant Finishing.............................. 132 SAAR............................................... 121 Sata Canada.................................... 149 SEMA............................................... 127 SGI Salvage..................................... 104 Sherwin Williams...............................35 Sia Abrasifs...................................... 141 Simplicity Car Care............................69 Spanesi Americas Inc..............3,4,5,141 Spray Max.......................................... 19 Steck.................................................. 72 Symach.............................................. 57 Thorold Auto Parts............................88 Titanium Tools .................................. 49 UAP Inc. United Auto Parts............. 130 Uniparts........................................... 134 Wedge Clamp.................................. 125 Wisespray North America Inc........... 81 Wurth............................................38,39

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TWENTY YEARS OF CHEER We owe it all to you

BY ALLISON ROGERS

C

rafting Collision Repair magazine’s 20th-anniversary edition was no easy feat. Capturing the mammoth industry changes witnessed since this publication’s debut in 2003, while simultaneously showcasing the greatness of the sector—amid a pandemic, no less—was a task only fit for Canada’s strongest: the members of the aftermarket.

In the words of Canadian collision industry icons, there has been more change in the last five years than experienced in the previous 20 combined.

The rise of OEM Certifications and fiery claims of insurer-dictated repairers; never-before-seen material mixes and newfound paint legislation—all of which barely skim the surface.

Even amid these tumultuous changes—with more on the horizon, no doubt—this industry has never waivered more than a millimetre. From day one, Canada’s almighty aftermarket has endured hurdles—and knocking one over has never been an option.

Whether you joined the industry 40-plus years ago or yesterday, you are important. You are an integral part of the almighty machine that is Canada’s collision industry. Too many in this industry fail to realize their importance in this realm; don’t let the minor misgivings of a bad day get you down. The last 18 months have been a roller coaster; but never forget you drive this country, quite literally.

You can be frustrated, but you should also be proud. Stand tall and continue to defend this great industry. The greats of the collision repair craft will continue to reign strong in the years to come, no matter what’s tossed their way.

So, join Collision Repair magazine in celebrating the last 20 years of aftermarket greatness. We couldn’t have made it this long without your support. This is your magazine.

Allison Rogers is the editor of Collision Repair magazine.

She can be reached at allison@mediamatters.ca.

SATA®Loyalty Program coins & more

SATA LoyaltyProgram ®

coins & more

1.

Download App & register

2.

Scan QR Code & collect coins

3.

Convert into rewards

The App is available in the App Store or Google Play Store

COINS

Scan the QR Codes in all our RPS boxes with the SATA Loyalty App, collect coins and convert them into attractive rewards for your bodyshop. Each RPS cup corresponds to one coin!

Further information inside booklet or at: www.sata.com/en-amn/service/coins-and-more

SATA Canada Inc. 125 Buttermill Avenue Vaughan, ON, L4K 3X5 Office: +1-905-660-1101 Toll-free: +1-844-554-SATA (7282) Fax: +1-905-760-1250 E-mail: contact@sata.ca www.sata.ca

A X A LT A C O A T I N G S Y S T E M S

Color, meet your match.

With the ColorNet® system from Axalta, it’s easy to get the right color match. The system includes the industry-leading Acquire™ Quantum EFX and on-screen ColorProofing that eliminates the need to do spray-outs. It’s color match made easy.

Find your perfect match.

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