Collision Repair 11#6

SPECIAL REPORT: CASH IN ON APPRENTICESHIP INCENTIVES Serving the Business of the Industry

VIEW FROM THE TOP

How to think and act like a CEO.

STEEL STRONG

MAACO’S EASTERN VANGUARD

Supreme Collision’s I-CAR welding training.

NACE 2012

Strategy and tactics in New Orleans.

Darrell and Wade MacKay keep an eye on business in Nova Scotia.

PLUS

Welding spotlight, the 10th Annual CSN Conference and much, much more!!!

Volume 11, Number 6 l December 2012 l $4.95

Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40841632 l 86 John Street, Thornhill, ON L3T 1Y2

CONTENTS

On The cover 21 Proactive Partners Wade and Darrell MacKay are looking to the future in Nova Scotia.

Volume 11 Issue 6, December 2012

features 26 CSN Conference Celebrating CSN’s 10th Anniversary.

28 NACE Conference Leadership, management tactics and more highlights from NACE 2012.

33 Apprenticeships: Cash Incentives Hire an apprentice and watch your worth soar.

38 STEEL STRONG Supreme Collision embraces I-CAR welding training.

40 Spotlight: Welding Showcasing the latest and greatest in welding equipment.

28

NEWS

40

T! SPOTLIGH

04 Publisher’s page by Darryl Simmons Show season.

On the Cover:

SPECIAL REPORT: CASH IN ON APPRENTICESHIP INCENTIVES Serving the Business of the Industry

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Darrell and Wade MacKay. Photography by Bruce Jollimore.

How to think and act like a CEO.

Supreme Collision’s I-CAR welding training.

NACE 2012

Strategy and tactics in New Orleans.

Darrell and Wade MacKay keep an eye on business in Nova Scotia.

PLUS Welding spotlight, the 10th Annual CSN Conference and much, much more!!!

December 2012

l

$4.95

16 Prairie View by Tom Bissonnette Big dreams.

18 View from the Top by Dick Cross The first step to acting like a CEO.

STEEL STRONG

MAACO’S EASTERN VANGUARD

l

43 RECYCLING

departments

38

Volume 11, Number 6

06 COLLISION REPAIR

Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40841632

l

YOUR ONLINE SOURCE

Canada’s collision repair information resource.

New articles and top news stories daily.

Visit www.collisionrepairmag.com.

86 John Street, Thornhill, ON L3T 1Y2

COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

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

19 Who’s driving? by Jay Perry Not about you.

48 Recycling by David Gold Capitalizing on friendships to survive.

50 Point Blank by Sam Piercey Fight night.

DECEMBER 2012 collision Repair 03

publisher’s page

certifiedvalue The OEM are becoming more invested in repairs.

By Darryl Simmons

I

’m writing this hot off the heels of attending both NACE in New Orleans and SEMA in Las Vegas. They took place pretty much one right after the other. You might think the shows would tend to blend together in my mind, but nothing could be further from the truth.

The two shows are so different there’s just no chance of that happening.

SEMA draws absolutely huge crowds, in part because the show features everything under the sun relating to modifying and restyling cars. It’s a good thing they don’t let the public in, or it would be even

PUBLISHER DARRYL SIMMONS (905) 370-0101 publisher@collisionrepairmag.com general manager Ryan Potts ryan@mediamatters.ca

Chrysler, Dan Espersen of AutoZone and Chris Risdon of Toyota revealed a lot about the increasing involvement of the OEM in the repair process. Another presentation by Dan Esperen focused on how to use OEM procedures throughout your repair process, providing examples of how using the OEM procedures can improve decisions, efficiency, quality and accuracy.

This is vital information at a time when car makers are becoming more invested in how repairers deal with their vehicles.

The last year has seen an increase in the number of car manufacturers producing

EDITOR MIKE DAVEY editor@collisionrepairmag.com ART DIRECTOR DANIELA LUBERTO daniela@collisionrepairmag.com Interns Cindy Xin, hayden kenez, Jiessie chen, Mark kimmich COLUMNISTS DAVID GOLD, Dick Cross, JAY PERRY, SAM PIERCEY, TOM BISSONNETTE VP INDUSTRY RELATIONS GLORIA MANN (647) 998-5677 advertising@collisionrepairmag.com

car makers are using i-CAR standards and training. more crowded. It’s still very much a professional event, as evidenced by the fact that there are some great seminars. However, the track for collision repair professionals is only one small part of that. The star of the show at SEMA is still the hot car, and there’s certainly no shortage of them on display. The thing is, although custom paint jobs and restyling products are sexy and exciting, they’re still a very small part of the industry.

NACE stands out by being devoted to the collision repair business, and in focusing on the needs of the collision repair professional. There’s no shortage of glitz and glamour, but it’s not the main focus.

The main focus is you.

One thing in particular stood out. The first was an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) panel discussion specifically geared to collision repairers. Not the automotive aftermarket or auto repair in general, but collision repair. The conversation between Randy Boyd of GM, Doug Craig of

brand-based programs. The thinking at the OEM level seems to be that advancing technology demands that the technician know precisely how to do with that particular make of car. They’re not wrong. We may soon see a world where every manufacturer demands you be certified before you work on their cars. I-CAR is working closely with the OEM to make sure repairers have access to training. Even better, many car makers are using I-CAR standards and training as building blocks for their own programs.

No matter how things play out, one thing is certain. Training, in process and practice, is integral to the success of your business. Make sure you and your staff take it and more importantly, track it. CRM

04 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

VP Digital Media JOE PLATI (905) 370-0101 info@mediamatters.ca national accounts manager dan brennan (905) 370-0101 info@mediamatters.ca SUBSCRIPTION One-year $29.95 / Two-year $55.95 Collision Repair™ magazine is published bi-monthly, and is dedicated to serving the business interests of the collision repair industry. It is published by Media Matters Inc. Material in Collision Repair™ magazine may not be reproduced in any form with out written consent from the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements made by its advertisers or independent columnists. All facts, opinions, statements appearing in this publication are those of the writers and editors themselves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions or endorsements by the publisher.

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

Collision Repair magazine is published

by Media Matters Inc., publishers of:

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

magazine

BMW Certified Collision Repair Centres

bmw.ca/ccrc

BMW CERTIFIED COLLISION REPAIR CENTRES.

Accidents happen. And while a BMW Certified Collision Repair Centre can’t undo the accident, it can undo the damage. BMW Certified Collision Repair Centres are equipped with the most sophisticated BMW technology, including frame straightening machinery developed and designed specifically for repairing BMWs, advanced bonding and riveting techniques, and a steadfast commitment to upholding BMW’s strict standards. Whether it’s a minor scratch or a major accident, your BMW is better off in expert hands.

Year after year, the network of BMW Certified Collision Repair Centres continues to grow. Launched in 2004 with a mere 10 repair centres, the network has grown to 26 today. By early 2013, there will be a total of 36 BMW Certified Collision Repair Centres in the country. You can be confident that our highly-trained professionals will restore the safety and performance of every BMW to its original pre-collision factory specifications, and at the best possible price. For more information, visit bmw.ca/ccrc.

THE ONLY APPROVED OPTION, GUARANTEED. ALBERTA Contemporary Coachworks, North Contemporary Coachworks, South Doug’s Place Collision Modern Auto Body

BRITISH COLUMBIA Bavara Auto Haus Inc. B&D Autobody & Glass Ltd. No. 1 Collision (Lougheed) No. 1 Collision (Richmond) No. 1 Collision (Vancouver) Richmond Auto Body of North Vancouver

MANITOBA Don Vito Collision NOVA SCOTIA Chapman Auto Body

ONTARIO AWIN Advanced Autobody Centre Budds’ Collision Services Ltd. Camco Collision Centre European Auto Body Excellence Auto Collision Excellence Auto Collision (Concord) Heartland B&B Mitek Fine Automobile Body & Paint Otto’s Collision Centre South Barrie Collision Centre White Oaks Auto Body

QUÉBEC BMW Canbec Collision Centre BMW MINI Laval Collision Centre SASKATCHEWAN Sherwood Collision

©2012 BMW Canada Inc. “BMW”, the BMW logo, BMW model designations and all other BMW related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and/or trademarks of BMW AG, used under licence.

the front end

People on the move Timothy Morgan to head Spanesi Americas Timothy Morgan has been named Managing Director of the new subsidiary Spanesi Americas.

In this role, Morgan will lead the new subsidiary, headquartered in the Chicago, Ill. area.

With over 36 years in the collision repair industry, Morgan has held positions in sales, technical and training areas, and most recently in Managing Director positions for international equipment suppliers. He is also a former technician, shop manager, collision repair facility owner, and director/educator of a collision repair training program for a technical college. Morgan’s positions have also given him international experience with projects in both Europe and Asia. He is also a frequent contributor to trade magazines on a variety of subjects.

“Working internationally, I noticed Spanesi’s simple technical approach to equipment

and repairs. This, coupled with the passion Orazio Spanesi and his family have for the collision business, has inspired me to head this project. Over the past couple years, I have been looking for that ‘new’ approach to the collision equipment industry while assisting companies that needed leadership and stability. I am now proud to be a part of the Spanesi family. Spanesi has been offering their ‘Touch’ Computerized Measuring in North America for years with success, now it’s time for the rest of the product Timothy line to shine,” said Morgan.

Morgan.

New Car Feel?

Nissan reportedly has people working on new trim material that feels like human skin.

Research has show humans tend to like surfaces that are soft, warm, smooth and moist. In other words, human skin is one of the most pleasurable surfaces for a person to touch. Nissan is trying to emulate that feel. It’s still in the research stages, so it might be some years before we see vehicle interiors with that human skin feel.

Never Forget A man claims he crashed his vehicle while trying avoid a collision with an elephant. Police haven’t found

CARSTAR has appoin t e d Pa t r i c k J o l y as CARSTAR’s new Regional Manager in Québec, working closely alongside CARSTAR’s Regional Director for Québec, Yves Robichaud and CARSTAR’s Quality Specialist for Quebec, Rémi Michaud.

In this role, Joly will act as a main contact for CARSTAR’s current Québec-based Franchise Partners as he brings a diverse range of skills and experience to the position.

“The appointment of Patrick Joly is crucial to our development Patrick o f C A R S TA R i n Joly.

Québec,” said Yves

Robichaud, CARSTAR’s Regional Director – Québec. “Patrick brings a wealth of experience to the Québec region and will be an asset in helping sell CARSTAR’s unique business model to new partners and satisfy the needs of CARSTAR’s existing Franchise and Insurance Partners.

Prior to joining CARSTAR, Joly was the Business Development Manager with NAPA Autopro Collision in Québec. In addition, Joly has spent time in sales and development roles at LKQ Keystone, BL2000, AT PAC Pièces and with the Economic Development Department for the City of Brampton.

Joly is a graduate of Cégép in computerized Financial Management and Business Administration and has earned a Certificate in Economic Development from the University of Waterloo in Ontario.

06 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

any evidence of a local escaped elephant, but they did find that the driver had been previously tagged with six DUIs. He admitted to having smoked marijuana and taking PCP before driving, so his current record now stands at seven.

Signs of the Times A caller to a radio show said she was frustrated with deer crossing signs, asking why they had to be in such high traffic areas. “I mean, I’ve even seen them on the interstate,” she said. “Why are we encouraging deer to cross the interstate? I don’t get it.”

The host tried to explain the real purpose of the signs, but the caller didn’t seem to understand.

illustrations by jiessie chen

CARSTAR appoints Regional Manager for Quebec

the front end

BASF’s Harry Dhanjal, DuPont’s Mario Tremblay join CPCA Board of Directors The Canadian Paint and Coatings Association approved its Board of D i re c t o r s f o r 2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3 a t i t s recent Conference and Annual General Meeting in Vancouver.

“This appointment is an honour. I look forward to the privilege of serving the association and the collision repair Harry industry in general to develop and exDhanjal. ecute our strategic plan,” says Harry Dhanjal, Business Manager, Refinish Division of BASF Canada.

CPCA Board of Directors are: Dale Constantinoff, General Paint (Chair); Tim Vogel, Cloverdale Paint (Treasurer and Chair of Finance & Audit Committee); Darrin Noble, Home Hardware (Nominations Committee Chair); Sharon Kelly, KelCoatings Limited; Ed Thompson, L.V. Lomas Ltd.; Mario Tremblay, DuPont Performance Coatings; Andy Doyle, American Coatings Association; Fred Veghelyi, OPC Polymers Canada; Carl Minchew, Benjamin Moore & Co. Ltd.; Rick J. Duha, The Duha Group; Andre Buisson, Boomerang Paint; Mike Klein, Dominion Color Corporation; Ron Nakamura, PPG Canada Inc.; Harry Dhanjal, BASF Canada Inc.; Claude Brosseau, AkzoNobel.

Preston, Binmahar join Mirka’s sales team Mirka Abrasives Canada is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its sales team.

Stephane Preston has been named Sales Representative for the Montreal and South Shore area. In his new position, Preston will serve as a first point of contact for Mirka’s current and future customers in the area. He can be reached at 514-618-7674.

Mirka has also announced that Keren Binmahar will now serve as Sales & Marketing Assistant. In this role, Binmahar will act as a vital support person for the other members of the Mirka team. For more information, please visit mirka.com.

Stephane Preston.

Keren Binmahar.

John Euloth joins Okanagan College John Euloth has joined the faculty of Okanagan College. Euloth has established himself as an expert in the field of refinishing, having worked 20 years in the industry, with a Red Seal in Automotive Refinishing Paint Technician, and spent more than a decade as a technical representative with BASF Canada. He will be responsible for students enrolled in both foundation and apprenticeship programs.

08 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

John Euloth.

HOW TO CHOOSE

yOur

network ?

Choosing a network is an important decision. Fix Auto has put together this exercise to make it easier.

Rate three networks, and compare the results.

Rate the networks from 1 to 10 on each of the following criteria, then add up the totals.

0 points — hopeless

6 points — good

2 points — weak

8 points — very good

4 points — average

10 points — excellent

Networks > 1

Leadership

2

Network image

3

Customer service

4

Freedom of action

5

Member selection

6

Commitment

7

Training and support

8

Relations with insurers

9

Marketing

1

10 Innovation and technology

total per Network / 100

Any network thAt scores lower thAn 75 points will not live up to your expectAtions.

?

?

2

3

news

West End Autobody celebrates 60 years

By Hayden Kenez

West End Autobody found a recipe for success in 1952 that has remained largely unchanged throughout the decades.

“Putting the customer first,” explains manager Jeff Englebrecht. “Our reputation has been earned over the years.”

This priority is something its customers clearly appreciate, as 250 of them gathered at the Chiliwack, B.C. shop recently for an

open house to mark its 60th anniversary.

The facility was founded by partners Ken Dargatz, Alfred Prachnau and Emil Gaudet, and changed ownership once, when current owner Harry Englebrecht took over operations in 1974.

Over half-a-century in business marks not only a successful venture, but also one that can sustain itself through changes in owner-

ship, according to manager Jeff Englebrecht.

“60 years to me signals not only a one-time success of a business, but the ability to maintain Darlene, Jeff and Harry and change with Englebrecht, respectively the times,” says Office Manager, Manager and President of West Englebrecht.

End Autobody.

West End is a member of the Quality Assured Collision Services family, an umbrella organization comprised of 16 independently owned shops in B.C. For more information on West End Autobody, please visit westendautobodyltd.com.

For more information on Quality Assured Collision Services, please visit qacollision.ca.

Avenue Collision~CSN certified for repairs to Toyota, Lexus and Scion

By Mike Davey Avenue Collision~CSN in Toronto is now officially recognized as a Toyota Certified Collision Centre and as a Lexus Certified Collision Centre. The facility is also certified to perform repairs to Scion vehicles under the TCCC program.

The Toyota Certified Collision Centre and the Lexus Certified Collision Centre programs recognize affiliated collision centres and staff as able to serve customers at the level expected by Toyota and Lexus owners. The program is based on continuous improvement and monitors equipment, process, skills and customer satisfaction.

CSN Collision & Glass released the following statement: “CSN Corporate Office, and all of our 130 CSN Members across the country, would like to offer our congratulations to Avenue Collision~CSN for achieving this impressive designation.

We are extremely proud of the entire team at Avenue Collision~CSN for building the foundation and following the processes necessary to be recognized by Toyota/ Lexus as an elite collision repair facility.”

10 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

news

Maaco Regina receives prestigious ABEX Award

By Mike Davey

in the top 10 locations across the 475-store, North American-wide network. A recent customer survey compiled by CSi Complete says 100 per cent of Maaco Regina’s clients are indeed happy customers. This is the third Charlene Klyne (centre left) accepts the consecutive independent survey and all reService award from Marion Ghiglione of sulted in 100 per cent customer satisfaction.

Handy Special Events (sponsor). Also present are Corporal Marianne Coulibaly and Corporal Maaco Regina has also recently achieved the Dan Toppings of RCMP Depot Division.

I-CAR Gold Class Professional designation.

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Members will help establish a new strategic plan and priorities, as well as identify a new Board of Directors, which is being reduced to 15. More information is available at caf-fca.org.

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Maaco Collision Repair & Auto Painting (Regina) has been awarded the 2012 Achievement for Business Excellence Award for Service.

The ABEX Award for Service goes to a business demonstrating exceptional performance in providing quality customer service.

The ABEX are provincial awards, and businesses of all sizes and categories are eligible.

It is Saskatchewan’s oldest and most prestigious business award.

Maaco Regina is owned by Charlene and Marty Klyne. Charlene says it was an honour to make it onto the finalists list, much less take the award.

“A business colleague of Marty’s contacted us and suggested we submit a nomination,” says Charlene. “So, we thought, ‘Why not?’

Then when we learned we were one of the finalists and saw the other finalists listed, we thought, ‘Uh-oh ... that’s tough competition ... we can only wait and see what the outcome will be.’ We were pretty proud just to be named a finalist.”

The Achievement for Business Excellence Award for Service is awarded after a selection panel examines the dozens of nominations from across the province, paying particular attention to each company’s safety record, sales performance, evidence of quality customer service and evidence of being a prospering and forward-looking company.

Maaco Regina has numerous awards and recognized achievements to its credit. It is renowned as one the top performing Maaco stores in Canada and is consistently ranked

online store: www.dvairtools.com VISIT OUR NEW ONLINE STORE & ORDER DV COMPRESSED AIR PRODUCTS EASILY & QUICKLY: AIR TOOLS, AIR FILTERS, MAINTENANCE KITS, AUTO-DRAINS, MAGNETIC STARTERS & MORE.

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e-mail: sales@dvsystems.ca december 2012 collision Repair 11

news

CARSTAR renews first franchises for next 20 years

From left: Larry Jefferies, Michael Macaluso, Dennis Concordia, Lisa Mercanti-Ladd, Sam Mercanti, Sam Saputo, Rosa Saputo, Joseph Saputo and Paul Saputo.

When CARSTAR President & CEO Sam Mercanti had the vision of creating the CARSTAR network in Canada, he knew he needed the right group of partners. Domenic and Rosanna Lucarelli and Sam and Rosa Saputo were part of this initial group. Today CARSTAR is nationally recognized, with over 160 locations from coast to coast.

R e c e n t l y, D o m e n i c L u c a r e l l i , S a m

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Saputo, Sam Mercanti and Larry Jefferies put pen to paper once again; re-signing commitments for another 20 years.

Originally starting as employees of Mercanti in the 80s, both Lucarelli and Saputo eventually opened their own locations.

Recognizing their talent, work ethic and desire to succeed, Mercanti reached out to both Lucarelli and Saputo, and in June of 1992 signed the first two locations to the CARSTAR Automotive Canada franchise network. Their wives Rosa Saputo and Rosanna Lucarelli were instrumental in the development of their businesses over the years.

The keys are about to be handed over to a new generation as Sam Saputo’s two sons, Paul and Joe will take over operations at CARSTAR Ancaster, while Domenic Lucarelli will eventually be passing on the keys to his son Joseph. For more information, please visit carstar.ca.

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REFINISHING PLANTS FOR THE MODERN BODY SHOP

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12 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

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From left: Joseph Lucarelli, Domenic Lucarelli, Teresa Lucarelli, Rosanna Lucarelli, Larry Jefferies, Michael Macaluso, Domenic Lucarelli, Sam Mercanti and Lisa Mercanti-Ladd.

Fix Auto expands with Fix Auto Edmonton Strathcona Fix Auto is pleased to announce its newest member, Fix Auto Edmonton Strathcona. Formerly operating as Apollo Auto Body, the new store is located at 9946 77 Ave. in Edmonton, Alta.

Proudly serving Edmonton for over 35 years, the collision centre recently renovated at a new location to accommodate their increasing need for space. Owner, Lew Lamontagne, has invested heavily in new technologies and equipment to further increase the shop’s portfolio of achievements.

For more information, please visit fixautoedmontonstrathcona.com or call Lew Lamontagne at 780-424-9736.

news

Quality Assured Collision Services hits the airwaves

By Hayden Kenez For Quality Assured Collision Services, their road trip with Shaw Media has been a hit.

President Mike Srigley says a half-hour program sponsored by the Quality Assured Collision group of independent shops that runs on 17 of Shaw Media’s cable television channels has increased customer interest in their collision repair shops, and gotten competitors wondering how they’ve generated the new business.

The Quality Assured Collision Road Trip, which airs throughout the week on highprofile channels such as CNN, NBC and the Speed Network, sponsor the Road Trip program. Past episodes have whisked viewers into the sky via seaplanes that ferry passengers from Vancouver Island to mainland B.C., horseback riding through the interior in Burnaby and bungee-jumping in old-growth forests in Nanaimo.

In return for sponsorship, Quality Assured Collision Services receives a thirty-second segment that follows the program. In addition to the advertisement segment of the show, Srigley and all other QA shop owners and managers appear in the segments on Shaw channels throughout the week, urging viewers to tune into the program.

Dan Laird is the manager of BC Collisions, Quality Assured Collision Services’ Burnaby East location. He says that the idea for a partnership between the media conglomerate and collision repair chain came from the owner of the Prince George location, who proposed the idea at a meeting.

They then contacted Shaw, which made a proposal for a series of TV segments sponsored by the collision repair group.

The funding for the program came from resources pooled by the 16 shops operating under the Quality Assured Collision Services’ brand, according to Laird. The collective funding is for advertising and promotional campaigns, such as the Quality Assured Collision Road Trip.

Customers are warmly embracing the program, and recognize Srigley and other members when they see them.

“I run into people that know me and t h e y s a y, ‘ H e y, I s a w y o u o n T. V. ! ’ ” laughs Srigley.

Viewers can expect an optimistic future for the program. According to Laird, Quality Assured Collision Services retains the first right of refusal, meaning that as long as they’re satisfied with the episodes Shaw

produces, they’ll be appearing as part of the show for the foreseeable future.

The road trip for Quality Assured Collision Services and Shaw is going full-speed, and doesn’t appear to be detouring anytime soon.

For more information on Quality Assured, please visit qacollision.ca.

Dan Laird, manager of BC Collisions, appears in one of the TV segments.

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news

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Dana’s Collision Center~CSN hosts AkzoNobel PCE meeting Twice a year, AkzoNobel facilitates meetings of collision repair facilities that manage their business based on AkzoNobel’s Process Centered Environment program. The Canadian group has been together for four years and has held meetings at members’ shops in Vancouver, Kelowna, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Guelph and Burlington.

PCE is AkzoNobel’s program incorporating complimentary elements of lean, TOC and Six Sigma, designed to assist shops to reduce wastes while providing a high level of value.

In October of this year, the group travelled to Fredericton, New Brunswick for a two-and-a-half day meeting hosted by Dana Alexander and Shellie Andrews of Dana’s Collision Center~CSN.

The meeting started with “The Role of the Repair Planner,” facilitated by Bob DuBreuil of AkzoNobel, assisted by James Landry, Repair Planner at Kelowna Performance Collision. The next morning, Michel Guerette from AkzoNobel led a discussion on organization and pay plans. After lunch, the group toured Dana’s Collision Center~CSN, later breaking into groups to perform an audit on the facility’s processes and 5S implantation.

The highlight of the day was a “Lobster fest” hosted at the shop. Picnic tables were set up in the prep area where the group enjoyed fresh lobster, fresh baked bread and salads.

The next day the group met again to discuss challenges the members were having at their shops.

Collision repair professionals travelled from all four Western provinces, Ontario and the Maritime provinces to attend the AkzoNobel PCE event at Dana’s Collision Center~CSN.

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White & Peters celebrates 50th anniversary Founded in 1962 by Jim White and Walt Peters, White & Peters is proud to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2012. The B.C.-based PBE supplier held seven events over the course of the summer to thank valued customers.

Each event featured the White & Peters custom restored Chevy delivery van, new products and equipment, dinner and refreshments, door prizes and much more. White & Peters is a wholly owned business unit of the Color Compass Corporation.

Watch the next issue of Collision Repair magazine for a full recap of White & Peters 50th anniversary celebrations, including photos, prize winners and more!

Toll Free: 866.402.1221

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Mary-Anne Robinson Direct: 416.801.5218 E-mail: marobinson@ servairfilters.com

14 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Straighten out some hoods.

Or frames, or door posts. Wedge Clamp’s EZE Roller is a tower of strength for any shop.

Distributed in Ontario by AutoQuip Canada.

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View From the Top Dick Cross shows how to think and act like a CEO starting in this issue.

See page 18 for his first column.

news

Caruk & Associates named Lord Fusor Rep Agency of the Year

UH OH...

BETTER GET Maaco!

Caruk & Associates has been named the Lord Fusor Rep Agency of the Year. Representatives of Caruk & Associates accepted the award during the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev. The Lord Fusor Rep Agency of the Year is selected based on total sales dollar growth by a territory and total sales percentage increase by a territory.

Caruk & Associates has served Canada’s collision repair industry since 1985. The company is headquartered in British Columbia, but a network of professional reps in all major centres across the country ensure the company’s reach is nationwide.

For more information on Caruk & Associates, please visit justreps.com.

Members of the Caruk & Associates team were on hand to accept the award at SEMA in Las Vegas.

Maaco Mississauga East

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We encourage other independent shop owners to make the switch!

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december 2012 collision Repair 15

prairie view

BigDreams Are they unrealistic in today’s collision repair industry?

By Tom Bissonnette

I

love to hear stories of guys that started their collision careers at their dad’s farm where they painted cars in a chicken coop with a buddy, yet still managed to build their business into a multi-million dollar enterprise.

It is inspiring for me to know that even if you are a small business you can still dream and achieve big. Is this a realistic scenario in today’s collision repair industry?

In 2010, Meyers, Norris & Penny completed a detailed report for Manitoba Public Insurance. This report stated that shops with less than $1 million a year in sales were practically not making any money. For sure, those collision repair facilities did not have enough cash to upgrade their facilities and equipment, but I can guarantee that they did spend the money to train their people, because MPI demands I-CAR Gold Class as a requirement for accreditation. I suspect to see similar findings in the recently

16 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

completed Meyers, Norris & Penny report on the Saskatchewan industry.

It is estimated that more than 50 percent of shops in Canada have sales below the $1 million dollar mark and therefore do not make enough money to be a viable collision repair facility. Does this mean that half of our industry is just hanging onto a job that they created for themselves?

Too many? Too few?

It seems weird that we have an industry with an oversupply of shops, when at the same time there is a shortage of skilled tradespeople, labour rates that are too low, fewer accidents on the horizon and the complexity of repairs is fast getting out of reach of many progressive shops due to a lack of investment in training and equipment! Do you think it is a good idea to address these concerns?

The CCIF Chairman’s Council will meet in Toronto to discuss options that CCIF can and

prairie view

will take to address these pressing concerns of our industry.

Action arm

We are looking at partnering with a national automotive organization that could be the “action arm” of CCIF. In addition, we are planning to bring in some industry experts to the January

I wish I had the wisdom to come up with the ultimate solution to address the concerns of all industry stakeholders but I do not. However, those of you that make your living in this industry have pieces of the puzzle figured out and we need you to come and share them with the industry this coming January in Toronto.

Please join us and become part of the solution

More than 50 percent of shops in Canada have sales below the $1 million dollar mark.

2013 CCIF meeting in Toronto to help us drill down and identify issues that need to be addressed. We will also be using some amazing technology that will allow attendees to give their input on key issues in a completely anonymous way, via electronic voting.

From this meeting, we will develop action plans to come up with solutions to address the most pressing issues that will be identified by the stakeholders in attendance.

to help our industry become a viable business opportunity and a great place for young people to embark on a career. CRM

Tom Bissonnette is the owner/operator of Parr Auto Body, a collision repair facility located in Saskatoon, SK. He can be reached at tom@parrautobody.com.

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december 2012 collision Repair 17

View From the top

Reallife Focusing on what works and what doesn’t.

By Dick Cross

I

t’s that shallow, last breath before taking the field for the championship game. In front of the hometown crowd. A swirling inhalation of anticipations with no small measure of angst … because you’ve decided to expose yourself … No, not that way! … to everyone in the stadium.

Only this stadium is bigger. A lot bigger.

Yes, I do have a best selling book and lots of articles in fancy places about how to run a business.

And I’ve done a lot of it. But this time I’ve decided to show you all of it. Things that have gone great.

As well as those that haven’t.

Each issue I’ll give you some of both. From my own stores and from those belonging to others.

So you’ll never see, “The Seven Keys to blah, blah,

makes a great CEO. Hands-on. For myself, not from others.

Accordingly, some of my viewpoints are full frontal assaults to everything else you’ve ever heard about management and leadership. Which comes mostly from people who’ve never run anything. Which might be why so many people in jobs at the top do them so poorly.

The benefits

But doing that job well, even great, really isn’t all that hard. In fact, it’s fun. And for many, deciding to pursue excellence in that role puts them on a path for a lifetime of fascination and satisfaction with getting better, and better ... and with

I’ll tell you exactly what I’ve found out, the hard way, about how to be a great CEO. blah,” coming from me. If that’s what you want, read something else.

This is about real life. At the top of an organization. What works and doesn’t. And about the consequences in either case. Big organizations and small. Then, it’ll be up to you to decide how much of it to absorb into your own life.

The job at the top

Without a dram of hesitation or modesty, I’ll tell you exactly what I’ve found out, the hard way, about how to be a great CEO. About how to do a great job at the top.

Because from the knot on my noggin to the very soles of my feet … I know that your performance in that role is the greatest determinant of success in your business. And of the impact you’ll have in other peoples’ lives. And that nothing else even comes close. If you want a great business, you need to know this stuff! It’s as simple as that.

But get ready for a wild ride. Because I am obsessed with finding out the TRUTH about what 18 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

stacking up the positive contributions you’ve made to others.

Looking forward to 2013, each new installment will deliver immediately actionable advice on what I know are the two key responsibilities of the Job At The Top, and how to do it very well.

First, how to think like a CEO ... so you can drive your business with cr ystal clarity and heart-felt conviction. And, second, how to handle yourself like a CEO … so you can inspire your organization to give you all they’ve got and to support your intentions with tireless and unswerving zeal.

It ought to be some fun. I’m already looking forward to next time. CRM Dick Cross is an eight-time turnaround CEO, private equity partner, consultant, the originator of The Mid Tier Presidents Course for Executives at Harvard, frequent speaker, chairman and member of numerous boards, and author of the book “Just Run It!” He can be reached at dick@dickcross.com.

who’s driving?

NOTABOUTYOU Successful leaders need to be there for their staff.

By Jay Perry

I

am working with a client on their leadership development. We were doing a realistic simulation of having a weekly meeting between his management team and my team.

The goal, as always, is to find ways to improve the performance of his company.

When debriefing at the conclusion of the meeting we found that the managerial employees actually responded more positively than the owner.

Why such a funny response from the owner? It’s because the owner still doesn’t fully grasp the concept of leadership. While the weekly meetings may seem mundane to him, they are viewed as productive by the employees. Sometimes the leader must participate in proceedings that are of benefit to the

I pointed this out to him after and it reinforced that through his voluntary attendance, he had demonstrated good leadership. He was providing a good example, embracing continuous education and helping set the expectations of his staff by being there with them.

Commonsense: Not so common

So that is how it is not always about you. What is good for the development of your people is what you need to do for them. That could include reviewing things that you treat as second-nature or commonsense. These things probably will not be so obvious to your developing staff.

Many times I have to remind owners and

Why such a funny response?

The owner still doesn’t fully grasp the concept of leadership. others in their organization even though they hold less direct-value to them. Notice I said “directvalue.” This is because the value isn’t necessarily from the content of the meetings but rather from the optics provided by the owner taking an active role in the development of his staff.

Basic stuff

By sitting in a classroom taking a course that was very elementary to another client but leading his people through participation and presence, a different owner had even better results with his staffing. Yes, for him the material was again mundane - stuff that he had covered years ago. Upon completion, however, his staff spoke of the course being beneficial and interesting. They concluded that they had “learned a lot.”

As a matter of fact, one manager said, “I wish it was longer so we could have dove in deeper to some of the components!” That was interesting: despite the owner’s disinterest, his people were lapping up the information with enthusiasm.

managers that have a handle on some very sophisticated business concepts that they at one time had to learn those things. They need to exercise patience with their people as the staff develops and goes through learning curves that they treat as old hat.

I am working with another owner that had to let his manager go through some expensive lessons to fully feel the pain of making a wrong decision. This manager has become better for that lesson and is now weighing decisions much more carefully than before and also looking for value in his people through a different paradigm.

This exercise of patience and realization that it is not all about him is how the owner/leader shows he is the one who’s driving. CRM Jay Perry is the founder and owner of Automotive Business Consultants (ABC), a performance coaching company specializing in the automotive service industry. He can be reached via e-mail at jayperry@a-b-c-inc.com.

december 2012 collision Repair 19

profiles of success

Team Power Don, Darrell and Wade MacKay foster a culture of teamwork and independence.

By Mike Davey

T

here’s no shortage of multi-generation family businesses in the collision repair industry.

However, the MacKay’s two Maaco locations in Halifax and Dartmouth are a little bit different. december 2012 collision Repair 21

profiles of success

“We’ve evolved from a car painting business to full scale repair and refinishing.

The whole business model has changed.”

– Wade MacKay

Ben Gendron buffs a rear bumper.

Cleve Isenor and Cory Matthews examine a vehicle in Maaco Dartmouth’s main production area.

Maaco Dartmouth is the 2012 Maaco Cup recipient!

From left: Patricia, Taylor, Kaitlyn, Wade, Dylan and Don MacKay and Dave Lapps, President of Maaco, following the award ceremony.

The typical path is that a parent or grandparent starts the business and builds it up over the years. Succeeding generations come along later and build on what has gone before.

The MacKay’s first Maaco in Dartmouth started out as more of a father and son partnership than anything else. Donald MacKay was a regional representative for a large fastener company who spent most of his days on the road, helping his clients to build their businesses. He had noticed that collision repair facilities seemed to have steady work.

His eldest son, Wade, was in the final stages of acquiring a B.B.A. in Marketing and Management from Mount Saint Vin-

cent University in Halifax. The two began discussing the possibility of acquiring a franchise business.

“We looked at a lot of different franchises before we decided collision repair was right for us,” says Wade.

The MacKays flew out to Ontario to visit Maaco Canada’s head office and a number of Maaco facilities, and opened the doors of their first location in 1994.

The way the family business started might be a little out of the ordinary, but how younger son Darrell started working there is a more familiar story.

“I was in high school when I started working weekends, evenings, summers and March breaks,” says Darrell. Although it was

22 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

a combination of, as he puts it “volunteered and voluntold,” it turned out to be a lifechanging experience.

“Honestly, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I figured I would follow what everyone else did: go to university and get a degree,” says Darrell. Like so many others who have joined the industry for the sake of a paycheque, he found that collision repair got into his blood.

By 1999, the MacKays decided it was time to expand with a new location in the province’s biggest market: Halifax. Darrell was tapped to run it, while Wade continued to manage the Dartmouth location.

The new store in Halifax started out as a satellite location to the Maaco in Dart-

profiles of success

mouth. It was only a couple of thousand square feet and featured a modified cross draft spray booth, four body/prep bays and a wash/detail bay. As a small shop, the Halifax location originally stuck to paint jobs, bumper repairs and one to two panel spot repairs, sending all the heavy hits over to Dartmouth.

By 2005, there was enough business at the Halifax location to warrant a shop expansion and the business moved to a new 8,000 sq. ft. facility. The expansion of size went hand in hand with an expansion of services, mirroring many of the changes that have taken place in the Maaco network as a whole.

“We’ve evolved from a car painting business t o f u l l s c a l e re p a i r and refinishing,” says Wa d e . “O u t o f o u r Dartmouth store, we’d do 40 cars a week and about 35 of those were overall paint jobs.

Now the same 40 cars would be mostly spot repair and collision.

The w hole business model has changed.”

Wade notes that his younger brother has really grown into the role of an owner.

“He’s always been good as a manager, but he’s also always been handson,” says Wade. “He’s learned how to delegate and give responsibility to someone else.”

That can be a hard thing to do. Giving someone else responsibility is, in some ways, very much a case of giving up control. It can be a very difficult aspect to come to terms with, but it helps if you have a great team.

“That’s the way I’ve always operated, because I’ve got a great management team and staff. They’re why we’ve been successful,” says Wade. “I want to know every problem that happens, but I want to hear a proposed solution at the same time. That’s something our management team and all of the other staff are great at. They understand that to keep up with the times, we’ve got to embrace positive changes whenever we can.”

Collision repair is a constantly evolving industry. Nova Scotia shops in particular

have had to adapt to changing conditions and regulations.

“There was no mandatory licensing when I got into the business, and there was not as much product or procedural training,” says Darrell. “The technology in the cars today is way ahead of what it was 18 years ago. You really have to know what you’re doing. Without the right training, you won’t even realize how much you don’t know.”

Training is something the MacKays take seriously. The Halifax shop is currently I-CAR Gold Class and plans are

for money spent. Insurance, dealership, fleet and customer out-of-pocket pay and referrals have helped our shops to continue to grow by over 10 per cent a year in sales. The next logical step for us is to persue insurer direct repair programs which will help take our business to the next level.”

High quality will always be a big draw.

This is especially true for fleet and dealership customers, who interact with the shop’s staff much more often than the average consumer. However, the MacKay’s facilities have no shortage of

A rare shot of the entire team from both locations.

Techs at the MacKay’s facilities are a solid blend of highly experienced, mature tradespeople and younger people with a passion for the industry.

in place for the Dartmouth facility to acquire the status soon.

“If you don’t have the tools, whether that’s literal tools or training tools, you can’t accomplish much. You’ve got to invest in the right people,” says Wade. The MacKays aren’t afraid to invest in young people with a passion for the work, but Wade notes that his last few hires have been highly experienced technicians.

“You can never stop looking, both for new people and for new ways to expand the business,” says Wade.

“We have built our business around t hre e ke y pr inciples,” s ays D ar rel l.

“High quality, quick turnaround and by giving our customers the most value

loyal customers from the general public.

“We have a lot of customers who come in and say ‘I had a good experience before, you guys are my shop from now on,’” says Wade.

With a CSI rating that’s consistently in the high 90s, it’s certain that customers are comfortable referring friends and families to the MacKays’ facilities, and that trust was validated recently with the awarding of the 2012 Maaco Cup to the Dartmouth location. Given to just one shop of the roughly 450 Maaco locations in North America, it is the company’s highest honour for consistent excellence in quality, production, customer service and sales. CRM december 2012 collision Repair 23

Confidence.

Trust.

Integrity.

CSN Collision & Glass Celebrates 10 Years in Collision Repair!

Make the right decision – with confidence. And trust a leading group of experienced collision repair professionals to maintain the same high standards you have. CSN Members do what they say they are going to do. Independently owned CSN shops deliver a level of quality that is quite simply unmatched in the industry.

CSN Collision & Glass is proud to be celebrating a decade of dedication to the collision repair industry. CSN is committed to building stronger relationships Network-wide with all industry stakeholders in order to continue to exceed customer expectations.

CSN is dedicated to deliver on this promise today and moving forward.

To learn more about CSN Collision & Glass, visit us at www.csninc.ca

industry events

Insurer relations one highlight at 10th Annual CSN Conference.

By Mike Davey

B

asic customer satisfaction and doing what you’re supposed to do is no longer enough. That was one of the messages at the 10th Annual CSN Conference in Toronto, Ont. It’s an insight that fits well with the theme CSN Collision & Glass chose for their 10th anniversary conference: Evolution. It’s a theme that speaks to the success that the network has enjoyed since its founding in 2002. Starting with just four members, CSN Collision & Glass’ coverage has expanded from coast to coast.

The conference kicked off Thursday night with a welcome reception at the Westin Harbour Castle, the host hotel. Attendees were then bussed to Glenn Gould Studio for the CSN Master Awards. The full list of award winners appears at right.

The conference kicked of f Thursday night with a

welcome reception at the Westin Harbour Castle, the host hotel. Attendees were then bussed to Glenn Gould Studio for the CSN Master Awards. The event at Glenn Gould Studio also included an address by David Chilton, the conference’s keynote speaker.

Chilton is the author of “The Wealthy Barber,” “The Wealthy Barber Returns” and a judge on the popular CBC program “Dragon’s Den.” Chilton provided a blend of humour and common sense, including the almost unbelievable story of how he became the publisher of cookbooks “Looneyspoons,” “Crazy Plates” and “Eat, Shrink & Be Merry.”

The first full day of the conference started with opening remarks by Flavio Battilana, COO of CSN Collision & Glass.

He introduced the first speaker of the day, Richard Flint. Flint is famous as a motivational speaker and business coach. He gave the attendees his own personal take on behaviour management and how to develop self-discipline.

Flint is highly experienced as a speaker and crowd pleaser, which can make him a tough act to follow, but Darren Huggins, National Collision Centre Director of the Van Tuyl Group was up to the job.

Huggins high-energy presentation literally brought the crowd to its feet. Huggins oversees 36 collision centres in the U.S. with total sales of about $175 million. His brand of management and motivation certainly got people talking.

One thing’s for certain: you can’t argue with results. The Van Tuyl Group has experienced five consecutive years of record sales grown under his leadership.

Vasco Rebuli of Toyota Canada informed attendees on the Toyota Collision Centre Certification program. His presentation generated a lot of interest. Going forward, it seems obvious that more and more of the OEM will begin to roll out programs of this type, due to increasing customer expectation and the technical complexities of repairing modern vehicles.

Rebuli discuss how and why the program and audit system were developed. Although some Toyota dealers have collision centres of their own, many do not.

“The majority of our dealers are still using independents, so we saw a need to develop this program. Dealers who don’t have a collision centre can sponsor a local independent shop for the program,” said Rebuli.

Toyota has developed training programs for managers, body techs, painters, estimators and detailers. The training takes the form of online courses for basic theory and classroom instruction for hands-on technical training.

A panel discussion on the evolution of the collision repair industr y followed. Moderated by Larry French of CSN Collision & Glass, the panel was comprised of Dana Alexander, Mike Elliot, Ken

1 4

1 Flavio Battilana, COO of CSN Collision & Glass.

2 Nick DiLuca, Lorenzo D’Alessandro, Julio Bruno and Rob Pavan present a cheque to representatives of the Make-A Wish Foundation on behalf of the network.

2

3

3 Gino Mascarin of Mascarin Collision Centre~CSN, Harry Dhanjal of BASF, David D’Addio of Maple Leaf Collision~CSN and Peter Deguili of BASF.

26 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

4 Paul Nestoriwich of Discount, Gloria Mann of Collision Repair magazine and John Kotsopoulos of iautoconnect.

industry events

Friesen and Wade Bartok. The panel discussed various issues, such as KPIs and t he dif f ic u lt y of f inding hig hquality personnel.

Friesen commented on how KPIs are measured, and how that can change from one insurer to the next, based on what is being measured and how.

“It’s a little frustrating for repairers. I can be on top for one, but closer to the bottom for another. KPIs are absolutely paramount in running any business today,” said Friesen “Insurers were really strong on measuring the customer satisfaction index for a while …but that KPI really needs to be kept to the forefront.”

Friesen also mentioned one item that he views as a key indicator of performance, but one that the insurance companies may have overlooked.

“I don’t see a KPI for supplemental ratios,” said Friesen. “If we could eliminate or bring down supplemental ratios, it would improve things across the whole network.”

Wade Bartok discussed his techniques for attracting new talent. “I got started on this when I realized I’ve got to find younger people,” he said, noting that many of his key personnel are at or near retirement age. “I started slowly moving younger guys in as older guys retired.”

Bartok says there are people out there, but finding them may require taking a step beyond the traditional.

“We took one guy from Tim Hortons,” he said, indicating that the new staffer had worked out well. “There are people out there, but you’ve got to put in the effort at tracking them down.”

The day ended with cocktails and dinner at the 360 Restaurant, the revolving eatery atop Toronto’s famous CN Tower. It was a chance for CSN members and guests to network in a setting of opulence with an undeniably great view.

The third and final day of the conference started with the Keynote Workshop, delivered by Richard Flint. The guiding principle behind “A Day at the Zoo” was that there are no difficult people, only different personalities for leaders to lead. By detailing the personalities of 18 different animals to the people we have to deal with every day, Flint gave tips on how we can get beyond personalities and work on issues.

The final day of the conference also included the CSN Collision & Glass Members Meeting. The CSN Collision & Glass 11th annual conference will take place next September in Calgary, Alta. For more information, please visit csninc.ca. CRM

2012 CSN Awards Sales Growth Under 8,000 sq. ft.: City Centre Collision, North Bay, Ont. Between 8,001 and 12,000 sq. ft.: Regency Collision Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont. Over 12,000 sq. ft.: Emeryville Collision, Tecumseh, Ont. CSI Award Under 8,000 sq. ft.: High Street Auto Body, Strathroy, Ont. Between 8,001 and 12,000 sq. ft.: Outlaw Collision, Dunmore, Alb. Under 12,000 sq. ft.: Walkerton Collision, Walkerton, Ont. CSN Experience Award Under 8,000 sq. ft.: Hutten Collision, Fergus, Ont. Between 8,001 and 12,000 sq. ft.: Howden Collision, Toronto, Ont. Under 12,000 sq. ft.: Walkerton Collision, Walkerton, Ont. Shop of the Year Award Walkerton Collision, Walkerton, Ont.

6 5

5 Martin Monteith of Zenetec Collision~CSN and Fiona and Ken Friesen of Concours Collision Centres~CSN.

7

6 Sharon Wells of The Collision Clinic~CSN, Kelvin Campbell of Chapman Auto Body~CSN and Manuel Der Haroutiounian of Bayview Steeles Auto Collision~CSN.

7 A panel discussion moderated

by Larry French. On the panel, from left: Mike Elliott, Ken Friesen, Wade Bartok and Dana Alexander.

8

8 Jay Hayward, Director of Operations for CSN Collision & Glass.

december 2012 collision Repair 27

INDUSTRY EVENTS

l a c i t c a r P e c i v Ad z

By Hayden Kene

leadership, s g in r b 2 1 0 2 NACE ics and t c a t t n e m e g a man leans. r O w e N o t e r mo

C

ollision repair professionals from across North America came together recently at NACE in New Orleans, La., to network, see the latest and greatest in equipment and products and, perhaps most important, how to “Just Run It!” That’s the title of a book by Dick Cross, former CEO of CARSTAR U.S. and a noted turnaround expert. Cross was the keynote speaker for the event.

Cross addressed the audience and talked on how to improve the operational and financial performance of businesses. Cross’ book, “Just Run It!” is an instructional book on turning underperforming businesses into efficient and thriving enterprises. He is also the founder of The Cross Partnership III, a

of CSN and Jay Hayward BASF. of lin Va ck Ri

Boston-based “hands-on” consulting and turn around firm. Cross spoke on how to increase success through universal and always-pertinent aspects of business, such as leadership and team morale. The presentation was sponsored by DuPont Performance Coatings.

Leadership and Management Tactics

NACE began October 10 with a series of seminars and lectures regarding sales tactics and innovation of paint and materials, including The Art of the Deal – Acquiring and Developing New Locations; Marketing to Generations X and Y; and Paint and Materials: The Paradigm Shift.

The afternoon sessions saw a focus on leadership, delegation and customer

management tactics, aimed at retaining and appeasing your staff and customers.

Seminars included Leadership Best Practices – How to Inspire, Delegate and Coach Your Team to Success, by Mike Anderson; Calming and Retaining Angry Customers, by Margie Seyfer and Guilt

by Association – Defining Your Image, by Tony Nethery. Kurt Lammon of Urethane Supply Company instructed viewers on how to properly weld plastic with nitrogen, while Dan Espersen of ALLDATA taught the best practical applications of OEM Information.

I-CAR spokesmen Bob Zelano and Jeff Poole ran afternoon seminars on Corrosion Protection and Hazardous Materials, Personal Safety and Refinish Safety, respectively.

Autobody Dan Sommerhauser of Jim Shirtliff of ns, utio Sol ent ipm Equ lision and Kurt Canco CARSTAR Col Supply Company. ne tha Ure of n mo Lam

Martin Monteith of Zen etec Collision~CSN and Dar ryl Simmons, publisher of Collision Repair magazine.

28 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Rick Tuuri of Audatex.

INDUSTRY EVENTS

David O. Smith of AkzoNobel and Paul Reichert of Across Canada.

Sam Mercanti, President and CEO of CARSTAR Automotive Canada.

Patrick Turc ot Diane Chain te and e of Progi.

The first day of NACE was capped off with the Assembly, a confidential, closeddoor forum for collision repairers.

Profit Building

NACE continued Thursday, offering tutorials, demonstrations and information pertaining to every aspect of the collision repair industry. The exposition portion of the event also opened Thursday, offering the latest products, services and technologies from industry leaders.

The Profit Building Pavilion portion of the exposition showcased vendors with customer-driven products, such as Autoshop Solutions, Demandforce, Mudlick Mail Co. and Net Driven Media.

Thursday morning saw several seminars headed by I-CAR. Bob Zelano ran a

seminar on automotive foams and Tony Nethery instructed participants on proper measuring methods.

Educational highlights included I-CAR representative Shawn Collins’s workshop on Blueprinting Process and Damage Discovery, Bob Zelano of I-CAR’s Steel Unitized Structures Technologies and Repair class and Bryan Dodge of Dodge Development’s presentation on the delicate balance of work and life, and how to achieve harmony among the two.

The day wound down with the ASRW Welcome Party, held at the iconic Mardi Gras World venue. Attendees were given a guided tour through the warehouse where Mardi Gras floats are manufactured, ending up at the Grand Oaks Mansion next door – a replica antebellum mansion.

NACE events on Friday ended with a bang.

The ASRW Industry Awards ceremony on Friday evening completed the second day of NACE. The ceremony was held at the National World War II museum.

The NACE conference continued on Friday with several I-CAR seminars, human resource tutorials and team development clinics. The ASRW Collision Forum also took place Friday morning.

MSO Symposium

The full-day MSO Symposium hosted by Matthew Ohrnstein of Symphony Advisors enjoyed a sold-out crowd and much audience participation. The symposium spanned the duration of the NACE Friday schedule and was comprised of five panels that aimed to help multi-store business owners, many of

Gene Scambray of Copart and Gloria Mann of Collision Repair magazine.

Glenn Baker of Baker’s Auto Body in Clarenville, Newfoundland.

Dan Espersen, Susan Clayton and Colleen Harrison of ALLDATA.

Terry Bradimore and Terrence Bradimore of CK Collision. december 2012 collision Repair 29

INDUSTRY EVENTS

Chris and Marty Reddick of Supreme Collision Centres.

Debbie Teeter of Garmat, Roger Turmel of AutoQuip and Heather Harriman of Garmat.

Stephan Brisard and Craig Peterson of Mitchell flank Gloria Mann of Collision Repair magazine. Pete North and Steve Hansen of Mitchell add some colour in the background.

Mark Guay and Pablo Nieto of First Choice Auto Repair Systems.

Vic Pasnyk and Rich Zamperin of Allstate.

tional,

Interna Mike Jerry of Mitchell k of Norm and Caroline Bry .

Aro Motors CARSTAR

Yves Robichaud of CARSTAR Automotive Canada.

Cap

Mary Moberg and Kirk Monger of Hollander.

Marc Bourne of Wedge Clamp and Danny Yablonski of DJ’s Yablonski Auto Body in Wadena, Sask.

whom take over failing operations in order to rejuvenate them, improve aspects of their businesses including culture, branding, customer relations, leadership and finance. The symposium offered great insight into the technical aspects of multi-store operations.

Shawn Collins held his second seminar on Blueprinting Process and Damage Discovery, while Bob Zelano taught the second Structural Straightening Steel seminar, both hosted by I-CAR. Marty Reddick of Supreme Collision Centre was particularly impressed with Collins’ blueprinting seminar, marking it as a great introduction for beginners.

“If we were to hire someone who wasn’t familiar with blueprinting, we could send them to the course so when they came back they would know what to do,” says Reddick.

Norm Angrove and Thane Higgs of PPG Canada.

The seminars were add-on educational seminars available on both Thursday and Friday. OEMs including General Motors, Toyota and Nissan all sponsored booths during the show, offering promotional giveaways and showcasing new products.

Highlights from the on-floor demo area include exhibits from Innova Electronics on benefits of their CarScan tools and CAS of New England revealing The Truth About Programming in Today’s Vehicles.

Some workshops on Friday afternoon focused on financial aspects. Mike Anderson of CollisonAdvice.com spoke on measuring performance in Financial Best Practices. Dan Stander of Fix Auto Highland Ranch moderated The Keys to Successful Estimating! panel, in which data

Daryll O’Keefe and Bob Liebel of Sherwin-Williams.

Don Morton of Don-Mor CARSTAR, Rick Valin of BASF and Dave Sutherland of Don-Mor CARS TAR. .

providers addressed audience questions.

Denise Caspersen of ASA and Melissa Miller of CARSTAR encouraged women to be courageous leaders in their seminar, one of several in the Women’s Professional Development track of NACE. A Twenty 2.0 peer benchmarking event ran on Friday afternoon, hosted by keynote speaker Dick Cross. Cross, a business turn-around expert, addressed NACE previously on Thursday and spoke on how to improve efficiency and rejuvenate businesses. The Twenty 2.0 peer benchmarking event is new to NACE this year.

NACE concluded Saturday at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, La. For more information on NACE, please visit naceexpo.com. CRM

Matthew Ohrnstein of Symphony Advisors.

Jerry Snyder of Collision Equipment Group.

John Moreau, Harry Dhanjal and Mary Ann Short of BASF.

Roger Schroder of Car -Part.com (centre) details the systems for attendees.

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Apprenticeship

Ca$h

Incentives You’re leaving money on the table by not hiring apprentices.

By Mark Kimmich

T

he technician shortage has reached critical levels, and yet many body repair graduates still find it difficult to get into an apprenticeship.

In 2004, in response to an anticipated shortage of skilled labour, the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF) commissioned a study to determine what barriers existed to the hiring of apprentices in Canada. That study indicated that employers in the skilled trades saw cost as a serious impediment to apprenticeship training. The idea that cost might prevent hiring is one that is anecdotally true as well. Talk to many collision repair centre owners about apprenticeship, and you’ll find that among owners who don’t hire apprentices, they would often rather hire a journeyperson trained elsewhere because they see hiring and training an apprentice as cost prohibitive.

In response to this perception, the CAF decided to more deeply explore the issue of the cost of apprenticeship. The goals of the further study were twofold. First, the study leaders wanted to investigate what the actual costs of apprenticeship were through a cost-benefit analysis. Secondly, they wanted to determine what the perceived barriers to hiring apprentices were

Eric Brown, prepper and apprentice.

A number of incentives are available for shops that hire apprentices.

for employers. In June of 2009, the results of the second phase of this study were published. As far as collision repairers should be concerned, the results were startling in their clarity.

“There was a perception that there was a huge cost to hiring,” explains Emily Arrowsmith, Project Manager at CAF, “And yes, there are costs. But administrative and paperwork costs, for example, are quite low, is the reality. The benefits outweigh the costs.”

The study revealed that contrary to apprenticeship training costing employers money, it actually provided tangible returns for those willing to invest in it. In terms of monetary benefits to hiring apprentices, the average return was nearly

50 per cent across the 16 different trades studied. For every dollar spent on hiring and training an apprentice, the average employer across all trades and across all regions received $1.47. The return for Motor Vehicle Body Repairers was even higher at $1.72 for every dollar spent.

Beyond the monetary benefits, employers who hired apprentices saw substantial non-monetary benefit to hiring apprentices as well.

In order to make the cost-benefit analysis for the study, researchers took into account wages, opportunity costs ( w h ich includes wast age and j ou rneyperson time to correct mistakes among other factors) and disbursements as the costs to hiring apprentices. To december 2012 collision Repair 33

Apprenticeship

In terms of monetary benefits to hiring apprentices, the average return was nearly 50 per cent. determine the benefits, employers were asked to submit their “charge-out” rates for apprentices. In addition, employers who did hire apprentices were asked to complete one survey, while employers who didn’t were asked to complete another. E ach sur vey asked questions relating to the reasoning and benefit of the employers’ hiring practices attempt to determine why employers were or were not hiring apprentices. If they were, they were asked what the results of hiring apprentices were. If they did not have an apprenticeship program in place, they were asked what barriers existed to their hiring of apprentices.

Don Strong is Vice President of Operations; Assured Ontario East, and based in Ottawa. He says he isn’t surprised by the results. A renowned industry proponent of apprenticeship, Strong has been recog-

Mike Richards works on autobody at a facility in Ottawa. Apprentices with a passion for the business tend to develop skills quickly.

nized for building jobs and growth by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. He has also had an apprenticeship program in place since the mid 1980s.

“We feel that apprentices are making mone y for us wit hin 90 days,” s ays

J.S. Grenier, autobody apprentice, examines some damage.

Strong. The study indicates that there are more than a few employers who realize a net benefit after relatively short periods of time with their apprentices.

While Strong’s estimate of when apprentices become profit earners for him is exceptionally fast, 30 per cent of those employers who hire apprentices saw apprentices earning more for them than training costs after two years of apprenticeship, and another 33 per cent saw a net benefit by the end of the first year or earlier.

When Strong calculates how his apprentices earn money for him, he doesn’t just look at their ’charge-out’ rate, he also looks at the government subsidies that he receives for hiring them. “I get $11,000 per year, per apprentice, for four years,” says Strong. “You do the math.” Strong typically has four or five apprentices working for him. Right now he has 12, so the math yields some substantial numbers.

And that is just one government incentive that Strong takes advantage of.

According to him, the first 16 weeks of an apprentice’s time are subsidized through a provincial program. While government incentives typically come in the form of tax credits and provincial incentives vary from province to province, federal incentives are available to every Canadian employer and the benefit in taking advantage of whatever is available is undeniable.

Strong feels that provincial incentives in Ontario have been very helpful in implementing his apprenticeship program over the years. “In my opinion, Ontario has really stepped up to the plate in the last six to eight years,” says Strong

Over the next few pages we’ve gathered information from both federal and provincial sources relating to incentives available when hiring apprentices.

Apprentices themselves are in many cases eligible to receive financial incentives upon being hired - those incentives will be detailed in a future article Information provided here is not intended to be exhaustive. In some cases, provincial incentives are enhanced to include apprentices of certain backgrounds or disabilities. Please seek this information out with your provincial government.

This guide is intended to be beneficial to those employers training apprentices in the Red Seal trades relating to repair and refinish of motor vehicles Finally, for details on how to claim specific credits, please visit the individual government’s website.

34 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Federal Grants There is one key federal tax credit that applies to employers. The Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit is a non-refundable tax credit equal to 10% of the eligible salaries and wages payable to eligible apprentices in respect of employment after May 1, 2006. The maximum credit is $2,000 per year for each eligible apprentice.

Apprenticeship

when asked about provincial subsidies.

“If you walk through the average body shop today, the majority of the techs are in their mid 50s, so it’s clear that something needed to be done.”

The study identified benefits beyond money to the hiring of apprentices rather than what Strong calls “re-treads”; those journeypersons who move from shop to shop without typically staying in one place for very long. Ironically, the qualitative benefit that most employers of apprentices can agree that they see is the benefit to the journeypersons who supervise the incoming apprentices – over

80 per cent of the employers surveyed said that that’d seen such a benefit to their journeypersons.

“Initially our journeypersons like the idea but they don’t think that it will work,” says Strong. “Young people change, they come through and there are different cultures. The older people aren’t used to dealing with the newer generation.”

“Once they’ve adjusted though, most see the benefit to having apprentices working with and under them. There are benefits.”

Over 60 per cent of employers cons i d e r e d a j o u r n e y p e r s o n t h at w a s “homegrown” to be more productive

Apprentice Brandon Robinson started in the detail department.

It’s a good way for a young person to learn attention to detail and thoroughness.

Provincial Grants Maritime Provinces Newfoundland offers a wage subsidy that provides funding to employers to help offset salary costs of hiring apprentices. To be eligible, employers must be in the private sector and in ‘good standing’.

The wage subsidy offers up to $14 per hour to help offset the cost of hiring apprentices.

The other maritime prov-

inces do not offer incentives directly to employers for apprenticeship training.

Quebec The government of Quebec provides employers with a credit for on-the-job training.

This is eligible to all taxpayers who engage a trainee or apprentice in eligible training.

The eligibility conditions vary depending on the training

Apprentice A.J. Quarrington peers into a wheel well.

than an externally hired journeyperson.

Employers also estimated these internally trained journeypeople to be 29 per cent more productive than those hired externally. But the most significant qualitative benefit to employing a journeyperson who they trained was that they simply fit into their company culture better.

“The person is just a better fit in with the organization,” says Emily Arrowsmith. “And there were other benefits.

They are better at avoiding spill shortages, they have better health and safety performance, they have better relationships with customers and they made fewer mistakes in addition to having better overall productivity.”

Each employer still needs to decide if developing an apprenticeship program at their business is right for them, but many employers across the country and of various sizes have found that there are real and tangible benefits to the hiring of apprentices both financially and otherwise.

For more information on the CAF study, visit caf-fca.org. CRM

that is being provided.

The tax credit (for unincorporated taxpayers) is 15 per cent of the eligible expenses and the weekly maximum for such expenses is $600 or $750 depending on the type of training. The maximum number of hours of training supervision varies from 10 to 20 hours per week for a trainee or a group of trainees.

The tax credit is increased to

20 per cent and the maximums to $750 and $1,050 in respect of expenditures incurred to hire certain immigrant or handicapped trainees.

In addition, the number of supervisory hours is doubled.

Ontario Employers in Ontario have a couple of incentives available to them.

The largest such incen-

december 2012 collision Repair 35

Apprenticeship tive is the Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit (ATTC).

This credit is on salaries and wages paid to eligible apprentices. According to a government spokesperson, “Enhancements to the ATTC in 2009 made it the most generous tax credit in Canada encouraging employers to hire apprentices.”

The spokesperson describes the credit as follows: For eligible expenditures incurred after March 26, 2009, the eligible percentage is increased (35 per cent to 45 per cent) and the maximum credit for each apprentice is $10,000 per year to a maximum of $40,000 over the first 48-month period of the qualifying apprenticeship.

In addition to the ATTC, employers are eligible to receive a $1,000 bonus for each apprentice who is certified while under their employment.

Manitoba There are three significant tax credits available to

employers in Manitoba.

Employers who hire earlylevel apprentices are able to claim ten per cent of wages paid to apprentices who are levels one and two, to a maximum of $2,000 per year per apprentice. The advanced-level incentive is similar for levels three, four and five but allows only five per cent of wages paid to maximum of $2,500 per year per apprentice.

The third incentive provides five per cent of wages per 12 months of permanent, full-time employment paid to journeypersons who recently graduated from an apprenticeship program.

This credit is available to a maximum of $2,500.

Benefits of Employing a “Homegrown” Journeyperson

Better fit with the organization 8.3

Avoids risk of skill shortages 8.1

Potential for career advancement in company 8.0

Better health and safety performance 8.0

Greater overall productivity 7.9

Better relations with customers 7.8

Fewer mistakes 7.7 0

2

4

6

No benefit Source: Apprenticeship Survey (A11, n=589-602)

Saskatchewan While there is a robust slate of tax credits available to apprentices in Saskatchewan, there are no provincial incentives in place for employers.

Alberta There are no provincial

tax-benefits relating to apprenticeship for employers located in Alberta.

British Columbia British Columbia’s completion training tax credit applies when apprentices complete level three or

8

Significant benefit

higher of their training. For the completion of level three, employers can receive 15 per cent of eligible wages to a maximum of $2,500.

For completion of level four or higher, employers can receive 15 per cent of wages to a maximum of $3,000.

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welding

Left: When it comes to welding, the classroom will only take you so far. Sooner or later, you’ve got to get in and weld.

Bottom left: I-CAR welding training at Supreme.

From left: Mike Caicedo, William Manjarrez, Sindhu Mahendrarasa, George Rauch, Tony Sukhu, Jamie Smith, Abdul Zaman and Chris Reddick.

Bottom left, inset photo: David Friars of Supreme Collision Centres.

Supreme Collision embraces I-CAR Welding certification.

S

upreme Collision Centre, with four collision facilities in the Toronto area, is a multi-store operator dedicated to process excellence, training and leadership. Although its 50-year anniversary approaches, Supreme embraces technology and modernization in every aspect of the business.

The most recent example was at Supreme’s new training centre in Bolton, Ontario, where they hosted the first I-CAR welding certification class since AIA Canada took over the program in 2010. Seven technicians and two senior staff from the firm spent an entire day going through MIG Welding theory and practice, followed by a rigorous test. This resulted in Supreme

38 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

becoming the only collision network in Ontario to have all of their technicians I-CAR Welding certified.

“Welding is a critical component for a majority of repairs conducted in our facilities and it is imperative that our technicians have the proper training and skill set necessary to complete each repair properly,” said Marty Reddick, President of Supreme Collision. “When it comes to safety and quality, expense is never an issue for us.”

I-CAR Canada organized the class and brought in instructors from Manitoba, where all technicians performing structural repairs are required to be I-CAR Welding certified. “Dean Saffie and Dave Brooker, who are doing the training, may be among the worlds best at this,” said Andrew Shepherd, I-CAR Canada Director. “They are qualified to give the training, to administer the exam, and to conduct the destructive testing used to pass or fail the candidate.

They are also great at making the technicians feel relaxed and confident.”

Chris Reddick, Vice President of Operations for Supreme was pleased with the level of commitment and enthusiasm shown by the technicians. Rajendr Sukhu, an apprentice structural technician at the Bolton facility, was really impressed.

“This was great. I stayed on Friday evening to practice, and then learned an incredible amount on Saturday,” said Sukhu. “Welding quality is important – you need to perform under pressure. I was really pleased to pass.”

David Friars, Production Manager for Supreme and part of Supreme’s “process team” was instrumental in organizing the welding course and is currently involved with the Lean process change at Supreme’s Aurora location.

“I think it is important for the staff to know that the organization they work for is always willing to invest in their training and future,” said Friars.

“This welding course is another example of our commitment to advanced training as an organization and will help us to achieve our mandate that all people within our organization become I-Car Platinum certified,” said Chris Reddick. CRM

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AUTOMOTIVE

FINISHES

products

AMH CANADA

Welding Today’s systems offer power and sensitivity.

Welding has been around since ancient times, but it’s certainly come a long way. There’s no going back to the days of the blacksmith when you could weld with nothing but heat, anvil and hammer. Not that we’d want to. Today’s systems aren’t just advanced, they’re smart. They often know what material you’re working with and what to do about it. On these pages we’ve gathered together some of the latest and greatest systems on the market today. As always, please research any purchases thoroughly. All information comes from the manufacturer, and inclusion in this section does not constitute an endorsement from Collision Repair magazine or its staff.

computspot 900fusion

AMH Canada calls the ComputSpot 900Fusion the ideal answer for how to weld today’s high strength dual phase and boron steels. The system offers up to 630 daN (1,386lbf) of tip pressure and 14,000 amps of welding current. The CompuSpot 900Fusion eliminates guess work with automatic recognition of both sheet thickness and material type, such as HSS, UHSS, Boron, etc. The setting of weld power, weld time and tip pressure is also automatic. The CompuSpot 900 Fusion measures the thickness of the metal and its electrical resistance to determine its properties and surface coating. Based upon the measurements, the unit automatically adjusts the settings or suggests a factory specified weld program.

Other features include a USB port for data transfer and program updates, weld history storage and liquid cooling all the way to the electrode tips. The unit also features a 7-inch touch screen control panel with high resolution colour display. EMF shielded cables are standard on this unit. A complete single side welding and dent pulling package is included.

A number of accessories are available, including various offset arms, straight arms and the new liquid cooled G Clamp.

> www.amh.ca

Car-O-Liner

Celette

Car-O-Liner says the CTR12000 is designed to simplify vehicle collision repair, as the high power, medium frequency inverter operation of the unit is ideal for today’s newer materials, including high, ultra-high and laminated steels. Features include automatic recognition of total material thickness via Pulse-Sonar-System, automatic recognition of material type via Virtual Generator, an advanced quality control system that monitors and adjusts the welder to guarantee the total energy input and automatically established required settings to ensure the proper weld nugget.

The CTR12000 provides welding current up to 12,000 Amps.

The entire unit is liquid-cooled, from the power module to the caps. The CTR12000 also features a USB port for convenient upgrading, and Car-O-Liner can provide welding data documentation through the use of its optional WinSpot QSSoftware.

Car-O-Liner’s Complete Set Spotter/ Dent Fixer is available as an option for the CTR12000 and includes a multifunction spot welding gun for dent repairs, pulling, push-spotting and shrinking. The set comes with a pulling hammer, workpiece cable with connector, ground cable, accessories box and delivery plate.

The Synergic Mig from Celette uses a three-phase power source from 230 to 400V. In addition to Mig welds, the unit also includes a spot welding function. Celette recommends it for welding and brazing of galvanized sheet metal, high strength steels and aluminum.

The machine is equipped with two aluminum rollers to ease the progress of the wire and it can be used with flux cored wire.

The Synergic Mig features seven adjustment positions. It weighs 53.5 kilograms and measure 515 cm by 820 cm by 660 cm.

Celette says the synergic program is easily updated, thanks to a processor installed in the control circuit. Two different types of torch may be fitted, the Standard and the Push-Pull 2003.

The Synergic Mig features two by six adjustment positions.

It weighs 167 lbs., and measure 21-inches by 36-inches by 31-inches.

The control circuit is fully programmable, and the unit performs impedance calculation according to the different type of materials being worked on, for a maximized and optimal welding process.

> www.car-o-liner.com

> www.celette.com

CTR12000

40 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Synergic mig

products

Pro Spot

Victor Technologies

The i5 from Pro Spot is a significant upgrade to the company’s i4 unit. The i5 gathers much of its precision from an intelligent operating system that automatically adjusts its settings to pertain to the thickness of metal being welded. The welds remain very consistent from 2 to 5 layers, as well as when using boron steel. The i5 also features a double-acting spot welding gun, an exclusive feature that allows for welding over contours with the click of a button. Another feature offered on the i5 is the spot gun that boasts a high squeeze-pressure of more than 1,000 lbs.

Standard on the i5 are three extension arms: the 508mm u-arm, the wheel house arm and the c-arm. Single-sided welding adaptor is included, and offers attachments for carbon shrinking, stitch, washer, nail, bolt and nut and moulding clip rivet welding, as well as a spot hammer and pro pull for dent pulling.

The i5 offers USB input and a high-resolution touch screen to navigate the 4,000 OEM repair screens. It weighs in at 314 pounds.

Victor Technologies says the new Thermal Arc 3-in-1 welding system is game-changing. The system provides MIG, Stick and TIG capabilities from one integrated machine. The Thermal Arc 3-in-1’s portability allows for easy switches between the three different settings, eliminating the time spent switching between machines.

There are three models available under the 3-in-1 name. The Fabricator 181i is the smallest, but by no means weak. From 230 Volts input it manages to exert from 10 to 180 amps of output power. The Fabricator 252i offers high output, high duty cycles for light industrial welding applications. The newest addition to the 3-in-1 team is the Fabricator 211i. The 211i is the most versatile of the trio and can accomodate industrial size 33 and 44 lb 12-inch spools. The Fabricator 211i’s maximum output is 210 Amps for 115 and 208/230 VAC input power in virtually any welding equipment.

The Fabricator series also features digital metres showing voltage, amperage and preview and hold capability, overload protection and intelligent fan control that cools components and reduces airborne contaminants pulled through the power source.

i5

Thermal arc fabricator

> www.prospot.com

“A new generation in collision repair performance.”

> www.victortechnologies.com

REST ASSURED

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

We NOW HAVE OVER 35 LOCATIONS throughout the GTA & Surrounding Area.

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

www.assuredauto.ca

Outperform with Assured! december 2012 collision Repair 41

Spot Welding

Battery Operated Spot Welder Most sold Spot Welder in North America

Smart spot welder, featuring Auto Weld.

Measures resistance and thickness, and then welds automatically.

No 3-Phase power needed

SP-5 SMART MIG 3 MIGs in one.

Aluminum-Silicon Bronze- Steel switches between weld program and proper gas automatically.

Pulse technology on-board.

Aluminium welding station

Aluminum Welding PR-112 Plasma Cutter

HSW-200 Staple Welder

Plastic Repair Nitrogen Plastic Welding System.

Welds most plastics. Digital control.

NP-3 Plastic Welder

For Plastic Repair. Hot staple gun for structural stitching.

Pro Spot Canadian Distributors Maritime Provinces

Alberta

British Columbia

Atlantic Air Cleaning Specialists

Western Paint & Supply

Lordco

P.O. BOX 4407 Rothesay, New Brunswich, CANADA E2E 5X8 (506) 849-1044

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www.prospot.com

Ontario and Quebec please contact Pro Spot.

2625A Temple Heights Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056 Phone: +1 760-407-1414 Fax: 760-407-1421 E-Mail: info@prospot.com

Made in the USA

Contents Recycling News ..........43-47 Cash for Clunkers returns, regional meetings and much more.

Recycling Column...........48 Greatest asset, by David Gold

The future is today at the ARPAC 2012 Convention

By Mike Davey

Those who want to succeed must keep an eye on the future. For members of Quebec’s recycling association ARPAC, the future is today.

That was the central theme of the association’s annual meeting, held at the Delta Sherbrooke in Sherbrooke, Que. The conference started with the traditional round of golf at the Sherbrooke Golf Club and was followed by a casual dinner.

The real meat of the annual meeting began with the next day’s activities, starting with the annual general meeting, reserved for ARPAC members only. This was followed by a presentation by Patrice Vachon of Fasken Martineau on business transfers.

ARPAC members again met after lunch for an interactive question session. Michel Gou then gave a presentation on the proper handling of airbags, followed by Jean-Guy Trottier, who spoke on AUTO Prevention, a little-known resource dedicated to helping prevent accidents in the automotive services industry. The first full day of the meeting ended with cocktails and dinner at the host hotel, followed by the Alter Ego show and dance.

The Saturday session began with an address by Jacques Demers, senator and former coach of the Quebec Nordiques, Montreal Canadiens and other NHL teams. Demers’ keynote address was followed by a whirlwind opportunity to visit the trade show. After lunch, attendees were treated to a discussion on the differences in perception and reality when it comes to due diligence, presented by Maryline Rosan, lawyer and workplace health and safety counsellor.

The last speaker of the day was wheelchair racer Chantal Peticlerc.

Peticlerc lost the use of her legs at the age of 13. Her high school gym teacher, Gaston Jacques, encouraged her to try swimming to deContinued on page 44.

Guest speaker Chantal Peticlerc displays one of her 14 gold medals.

Peticlerc lost the use of her legs at the age of 13.

Simon Matte, Executive Director of ARPAC.

new board elected at araac meeting The most recent meeting of the Automotive Recyclers Association of Atlantic Canada celebrated both successful conclusions and new beginnings. The meeting took place in Truro, Nova Scotia.

Harvey Livingstone of Island Auto Supply and Sheldon Blenkhorn, Blenkhorn Auto Recyclers are stepping down after 40 years of service to the Automotive Recyclers Association of Atlantic Canada. Both men have served at various times throughout the organization’s history, back to the days when it was known as the Maritime Auto Wreckers Association.

The meeting also provided the ARAAC membership with a chance to elect a new board. The new board is comprised of: • • • • • • • •

President: Brian Green, Green’s Auto Recyclers Vice President: Dalbert Livingstone, Island Auto Supply Secretary: Larry Drouin, One Stop Auto Treasurer: Dana Poehl, Poehl’s Auto Recyclers Director: Glen Vatcher, Vatcher’s Used Auto Parts Director: Andrew MacDonald, Maritime Auto Salvage Director: Ron Bastarache, Bastarache Auto Salvage Past President: Derek Covey, Covey’s Auto Recyclers

Continued on page 45.

december 2012 collision Repair 43

ARPAC 2012 Convention ... continued from page 43.

velop herself physcially. She took part in her first wheelchair race at 18, coming in dead last. She perservered, however, eventually competing in the Paralympic Games on numerous occasions. To date, she has won 14

Gold medals at the Paralympics, with a total medal count of 21.

Two auctions were held to support the ARPAC Foundation, an automobile auction and a silent auction. The Saturday session

You might be surprised at the reaction you get when you offer customers

concluded with the ARPAC banquet, and entertainment by comedian Patrick Groulx.

The final day of the meeting included a tour of Certi-Auto. For more information on ARPAC, please visit arpac.org.

ARC to manage GM’s Cash for Clunkers GM Canada has once again selected the Automotive Recyclers of Canada to manage the vehicles generated by the company’s Cash for Clunkers dealer incentive program.

The latest iteration of the program began on October 2, 2012 and runs through January 2, 2013. Under GM Canada’s Cash for Clunkers program, Canadians can turn in their older vehicles for a new GM vehicle and receive a cash incentive. Retired vehicles will be processed by ARC members accredited to the Canadian Auto Recyclers Environmental Code. This network of 350 certified recyclers is the largest in the nation.

George Dingman: 1943 - 2012 You know Green Recycled Parts are great for the environment, but you might not realize they’re actually a great way to build customer loyalty and goodwill... and more repeat business.

When you offer them an alternative that will save them about half the price of new OEM

parts without sacrificing performance or quality, you’ll be showing that you really care about what’s important to them when they shop for car repairs.

So next time, offer them the choice of Green Recycled Parts... It might just be the start of a beautiful lifelong relationship.

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Please visit www.autorecyclers.ca to locate Green Recycled Parts for your vehicle or find an ARC member near you.

44 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

George Dingman, owner and operator of Caughill Auto Wreckers, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 31 at the Greater Niagara General Hospital on his 69th birthday. Our sincere condolences go out to Wally Dingman, Chairman of the OARA and ARC Boards, and to the entire Dingman family and staff at Caughill Auto Wreckers.

He will be missed by his loving wife of 46 years, Mary, and his cherished sons Wally (Ingrid) and Brad (Denise). Devoted grandfather of Amanda, Jessica, Adam, Zach, Bridgette and Josh. He will be missed by his sister Gloria (Jim) Baker and brother Cecil (Debbie) Dingman. Also survived by his many nieces, nephews and friends. He was predeceased by his parents George and Francis.

ARAAC meeting ... continued from page 43.

Incoming ARAAC President Brian Green recognized both Directors for their long service and dedication.

“ARAAC is in a great place because of the visionary work of gentlemen like Harvey and Sheldon. We are growing the association again on the shoulders of these founding members,” said Green.

Both men quipped that their wives probably did more than they did to support their involvement, and both are pleased that the younger generation are stepping up and getting involved.

Highlights from the ARAAC meeting included a presentation by Diane Châine of Progi Group and Jacques Lavigne of Intact Insurance on products that are coming to Atlantic Canada: ProgiPix and ProgiParts and discussion focused on the possible return of Retire Your Ride, not as a federally mandated scrappage initiative, but as a program run by and for auto recyclers.

ARAAC would like to thank its meeting sponsors: • • • • •

Harvey Livingstone of Island Auto Supply and Sheldon Blenkhorn, Blenkhorn Auto Recyclers have stepped down from the ARAAC board after 40 years of working with the association.

• Rosco Crushing & Recycling • Andrew MacDonald, Director - Nova Scotia

AIM Atlantic Monidex Distribution International LKQ Cross Canada Car-Part Hollander

The next ARAAC meeting will take place May 24, 2013 in St. John’s, Newfoundland as part of the Canadian Collision Industry Forum weekend.

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Carcone’s now offers steel rims for winter driving Customers at Carcone’s Auto Recycling have quickly warmed to the concept of steel rims, a new product line designed to help increase the longevity of drivers’ wheels through the winter months.

Co-wner Michael Carcone says the reaction from customers to the new steel rims has been positive. These rims will help drivers get through the winter months without the corrosion that all too often eats away at aluminum rims.

“The steel rims are an economical Michael alternative,” says Carcone, whose Carcone shows facility began offering the product one of the new steel rims that line in late September. “Many drivers Carcone’s Auto simply remove their rims in the winter Recycling now months in order to prevent corrosion. offers.

Trading the aesthetics of their vehicle for safety is quickly becoming the new normal amongst drivers today.

The look of a wheel makes the car.”

Carcone says customers have taken to the concept of having a separate set of winter rims, and have been

placing orders since they were first offered at the shop in September.

Carcone is optimistic for the product’s future as winter approaches and more drivers begin to make the necessary adjustments to winter driving. With over 3000 new steel rims in stock, Carcone’s is looking forward to the opportunity to help drivers get through the wintery road conditions. For more information on Carcone’s Auto Recycling, please visit carcone.com.

Impact Auto Auction opens new Toronto-area facility Impact Auto Auctions has announced that its new Impact Toronto facility opened and began accepting assignments on October 9, with auction sales beginning in mid-November. The new facility is located at 535 Wentworth Street in Oshawa, Ont. The new Impact Toronto location features 37 acres of vehicle storage as well as a 12,000 sq. ft. office, auction, and inspection building. The facility will increase Impact’s GTA storage capacity by 60 per cent, housing 5,500 vehicles. For further details, please visit impactauto.ca.

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46 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Alberta’s recyclers are at the top of their game Members of the Alberta Automotive ReColin McKean, cyclers & Dismantlers Association excel CAREC Auditor, at meeting the highest standards. AARDA and Jack Cohen, Owner of Jasper is a member of the Automotive Recyclers Auto Parts of Canada, an umbrella organization that during a CAREC represents recycling professionals at the Audit at national and international levels. The Cohen’s ARC Board adopted the Canadian Auto business.

Recyclers’ Environmental Code as a requirement of membership at its annual meeting in Banff in April 2011. The code is more commonly known as CAREC. It was determined that a minimum score of 75 per cent would be required for membership in the national and provincial associations.

Aside from congratulating the AARDA yards for their determination and hard work to get this result, there is one person in particular who deserves recognition for this accomplishment, and that is the CAREC auditor, Colin McKean. McKean is one of four auditors nationally, and he personally performed all of the yard inspections in Alberta.

CAREC auditors don’t just write down scores and call it a day. When a yard is not performing adequately, the auditor will often provide advice on what the recycler must do to improve. With the advice that McKean had given these yards at the time of their initial visit, they were able to succeed in their score on the second visit. With more than 55 yards to cover, and some more than once, that represented a heavy work and travel commitment by McKean.

AARDA would like to thank McKean for his hard work in helping to ensure the association’s members are on track for a successful and environmentally friendly future. For more information on AARDA, visit aarda.com. For more information on CAREC, visit carec.ca.

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december 2012 collision Repair 47

recycling i

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Auto recyclers are a tight-knit community – we need to capitalize on this notion to survive.

By David Gold

F

or this month’s column I have decided to take a step back and reflect on one of the many reasons why I feel this industry is so great. It’s not the typical reasons that come to mind, such as the return on investment, but rather something so much more rewarding: friendships.

Progressive auto recyclers have recognized that there is more to gain by working together as opposed to simply viewing ourselves as staunch competitors. From our associations to our smaller networking groups, we have learned that the synergies we can create by ‘holding hands’ yields a much better future for our collective businesses. It is clear our close bond helps to increase business. Since any individual location might not have the part that the customer is looking for, it is imperative that we become each others’ best customers.

In many ways, the better an auto recycler member does in their own market, the better opportunity the rest of us have at filling their order with our

parts. For example, one recycler sells a part that is originally bought from another recycler, increasing both of their profits. We are able to do this effectively because we have agreed on basic procedures and standards. Our member auto recyclers know what they can expect from each other and we are constantly communicating to enhance these principles. To further compliment the sentiment that we are better off working together than independently, auto recyclers have established transportation models to move parts efficiently amongst our facilities. More products available for more sales is the result. In recent years I have heard over and over how unique the auto recycling industry is, especially as it relates to the close bond that many of us share. Collision repairers might be surprised to hear that more than actually trading parts with each other, we share critical information and knowledge in a group setting. Essentially we take the “open book” position where many seemingly confidential numbers and metrics are discussed

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48 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

recycling i to ensure that participating recyclers are getting useful information that can help their business stay profitable. Increasingly the auto recycling industry is seeing what used to be strong recyclers either shrinking, being consumed by a consolidator, or, at worst, closing. When recyclers with deep roots in the community simply cease doing business we all lose - this is not good for anyone. While there are many factors that contribute to this growing trend

working more closely is fundamental to our collective success. If we can all sit down at a roundtable and work on some solutions to the more common barriers to trade we could develop solutions. In the daunting and ever-changing business climate in which we operate today, it is comforting to know that when faced with a dilemma, none of us have to reinvent the wheel. There are systems in place at many similar operations that have solutions to help

We have learned that the synergies we can create … yields a much better future for our collective businesses. it is clear that investing and networking with your peers is fundamental to having the opportunity to be profitable. I can honestly say that without the close friendships that I have fostered throughout the years, our company would not be near the same strength that it is today. I have leaned on these friends for help and they have all been gracious enough to share their wealth of knowledge for our company’s benefit. At the same time, I am always happy to assist in any way that I can - which happens all the time. The auto recycling and collision repair industries can build on this notion that

us - we just need to harness each other’s power. I would like to take this moment to thank all of my friends in the industry who have helped me on my journey. Together we will foster an environment where we will continue to improve and be better able to serve your industry. CRM David Gold is the co-owner of Standard Auto Wreckers, an auto recycling facility with locations in Toronto, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York. He can be reached by telephone at 416-286-8686 or via e-mail at david@standardautowreckers.com.

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december 2012 collision Repair 49

point blank with piercey

fightnight Time to drop the gloves.

By Sam Piercey

P

eople ask me what I do for a living. I tell them I’m a professional fighter. Sometime I fight with the customer, sometimes I fight with the person who actually pays the bill at the other end and sometimes I fight with parts people who can’t get it right.

We have to pay our bills in 30 days, but we don’t get paid for 60 days or more, and we sometimes end up fighting for our pay cheques even then.

The thing about fighting is that no matter how good you are, sooner or later someone is going to sucker punch you. Just keeping your guard up all the time is exhausting.

with more files and longer cycle times, just so we could do things the way some of our “partners” insist they want it done, rather than just wanting it done right.

This industry is a great one in a lot of ways, as long as you do what you’re told. But even then it doesn’t always work out well for you.

You might have to go through a ton of crap just to get parts, your cycle time goes up, and the person on the other end of the phone says, “Hey, you’re over on your rental car and we’re not paying for it.” When does it stop?

It stops when we say NO. Enough is enough. Don’t they get it? As an industry, we’re often making very little money, or in some cases, none! Paint materials are

If we Dry up and disappear, what else will?

I still cannot believe that an industry as big as collision repair can be as manipulated as we are. We’re part of a system that dictates how we must do things, but doesn’t let us write estimates the way they should be, to allow us to charge what we need to make sure our businesses are profitable and allow us to pay our people what they’re worth.

Imagine a program that will not total your estimate. I put a blend in, and it says it allows point nine on a quarter panel, and then kicks out the real time that it takes to do it right! Then we upload it, the person at the end looks it over and sends it back because we made a manual entry. It’s fine for them, but it causes us hours of wasted time going back and forth.

It’s stuff like this that sometimes makes me think we should go back to pen and paper. It was easier in some ways and didn’t cost as much. Just send someone who knows what they’re doing to come and take a look at the vehicle, okay the repairs and we can get on with repairing the car.

I don’t know about you guys and gals, but I have had to hire more office staff and deal

through the roof. We’ve had four increases in paint prices in the last two years, and no increase from our insurance partners to compensate.

It’s not just the price of paint that’s crunching us. Cars take longer to repair than they used to and sometimes we need parts that aren’t always available. We need to train the technicians and buy more equipment as the cars change. The automakers are going to keep innovating and we’ve got to keep up. But that costs money. Dipping into your profits isn’t an option. I’m sure you like the business, but are you in it for fun?

Doctors probably like treating patients, but I bet they’ll demand rate increases when their costs go up. Cars and the people who service and repair them are vital parts of the economy. If we dry up and disappear, what else will disappear with us? CRM

50 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com

Sam Piercey is the co-owner of Budds' Collision Services in Oakville, ON. Sam is a long-time Coyote member and sits on many boards and committees. He can be contacted at sam@buddscollision.com.

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