SHOW TIME!
Thousands of attendees and more than 600 vendors helped to make the first combined NACE Automechanika a show to remember.
Conferences Converge
NACE and Automechanika conferences join forces for inaugural combined event.
By Alex Dugas
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Saad Ouaddahou and Koos Reineking of AkzoNobel, Art Ewing of Pro Spot, Colson Cole of AkzoNobel and Peter Sziklai of Tsawwassen Collision with Gloria Mann of Collision Repair magazine.
rofessional repairers came from across North America and the world for NACE Automechanika 2017. This year’s event, held in Chicago, marks the first time NACE and Automechanika have joined forces. As the official Canadian Media Partner for NACE Automechanika 2017, Collision Repair magazine was in the heart of the action. Our booth helped to serve as a rallying point for Canadians throughout the show’s run. The first day featured the Advanced Technology & Diagnostic Repair (ATDR) Forum and the Business Outlook Conference. Sean Carey of SCG Management Consultants and Dave Hobbs led off with presentations on connected cars and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
Peter Chavez of CARSTAR LC Group.
The bulk of the ATDR Forum consisted of panel discussions aimed at addressing new technologies. A particularly insightful discussion sought to answer the question: “Will ADAS force Salvage and Aftermarket Parts into extinction?” The panel was moderated by Mark Olson, President and Founder of Vehicle Collision Experts. The panelists consisted of Terry Fortner of LKQ, Jake Rodenroth of Collision Diagnostics, Vincent Claudio of Gerber Collision and Glass and Jason Macco of General Motors. “What needs to be kept in sight here is that we don’t have all of the answers,” said Olson. “New technology is rushing past manufacturers as well as repairers like a runaway freight train, and everyone is simply trying to jump on board.”
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Mike Anderson, presenting at Scan-A-Palooza.