FenderBender - October 2018

FENDERBENDER.COM / OCTOBER 2018

GUARANTEE TEAM BUY-IN BEFORE EXPANSION PAG E 42

Providing 20 Years of Strategies & Inspiration for Collision Repair Success

“We focus on putting integrity into what we do at the shop.”

MIKE MADDOX, OWNER OF MICAR COLLISION CENTER

HOW TO BECOME THE

VISIONARY LEADER YOUR SHOP NEEDS

How I

Work

INSIDE ONE SHOP’S FOUNDATION OF INTEGRITY AS A CATALYST FOR GROWTH PAG E 92

8 STEPS

PAG E 36

TO SKYHIGH TOUCH TIME PAG E 77

SPECIAL PROMOTION

SEMA SHOW PREVIEW PAG E 10 3

PAG E 49

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 1

Premium finishes that protect the bottom line.

NOW THAT’S HIGH PERFORMANCE With more than 6,500 color chips painted with actual waterborne paint, what you see is what you’ll get when you select a chip from the ENVIROBASE® High Performance Color Deck. It virtually eliminates the need for sprayout cards.

Just one more reason why the Envirobase High Performance refinish system from PPG is the best-selling waterborne technology across North America.

SUPERIOR COLOR ACCURACY HIGH PRODUCTION THROUGHPUT COST-SAVING EFFICIENCIES

envirobase.com ©2018 PPG Industries, Inc. All rights reserved. The PPG Logo and Envirobase are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

ADAS CALIBRATION ADJUSTABLE - ACCURATE - aFFORDABLE CO M P O N E N TS

C A L I B R AT I O N

C OV E R AG E

Calibration For Camera, Radar, Lidar and Night Vision

Ideal For Collision, Alignment, Glass and Specialty Repair

GRAPHIC INSTRUCTIONs

AUTO SCAN DIAGNOSTICS

All System Modules To Pinpoint Needed ADAS Calibration

OE Level Calibration Procedures With Advanced Coverage

PRE-SCAN

& POST-SCAN

COLLISION REPAIR READY SOFTWARE PACKAGE Faster ANDROID 4.4.2 OS / Larger 64G Memory / Powerful Hexa-Core Processor

MAXISYS DIAGNOSTICS INCLUDED BI-DIRECTIONAL

PASS-THRU PROGRAMMING

CODING & ADAPTATIONS

PLUS

MAINTENANCE SERVICE & RESETS

AUTEL TRAINING COURSES AVAILABLE

SYSTEMS • Lane Departure Warning • Around View Monitoring • Rear Collision Warning • Adaptive Cruise Control • Blind Spot Warning • Night Vision Calibration

(855) 288-3587 maxitpms.com

autel.com

Register and update tools for latest coverage © 2018

Autel Intelligent Technology Inc.

TRAINING V IDEOS

@AutelTools Follow Us @AutelTools October 2018 | fenderbender.com 3

THE RIGHT PARTS PRICED RIGHT. ORIGINAL BMW PARTS AND MINI ORIGINAL PARTS.

New price reductions (based on MSRP) on key Original Parts from BMW and MINI make it easy to deliver the high quality and competitive prices your customers demand.1 PART GROUPS PRICE REDUCTION

Engines

Water Pumps BMW/ MINI

Turbochargers/ Superchargers

Alternators

Starters

Auto Transmissions

Transfer Boxes*

Power Steering Units

A/C Compressors

25%

35%/25%

40%

40%

35%

30%

35%

40%

40%

All come with a two-year unlimited mileage limited warranty, and can be sourced and shipped quickly for less downtime and lower overhead.2 To learn more visit your BMW Center or BMWWholesaleConnect.com; your MINI Dealer or MINIWholesaleConnect.com. *Only available for BMW E-Series models (i.e. E2x, E46, E53, E6x, E7x, E8x, and E9x).

1

Price reduction is reected in MSRP and applies to BMW E-Series models (i.e. E2x, E46, E53, E6x, E7x, E8x, and E9x) and early MINI R models (i.e. R50, R51, R52 and R53) only. Price is subject to change.

2

Warranty repairs do not constitute an extension of the original limited warranty period for the vehicle or a part thereof.

Customer must have a copy of the original parts purchase invoice. Š 2018 BMW of North America, LLC. Not to be reproduced wholly or in part without written permission of BMW NA. The BMW and MINI names, model names and logos are registered trademarks.

4 fenderbender.com | October 2018

october

1 0 .18 / V O L U M E 2 0 / N U M B E R 1 0

Marketing Adaptation In the 20 years that Regal Collision Repair has been open, owner Jim Boyle has had to adjust the way he markets his shop.

F E AT U R E

PROFILE

C A SE STU DY

S H O P TA L K

36

42

80

92

Your blueprint to becoming a better leader starts with an understanding of the necessary qualities.

Tom and Ed’s Autobody has grown into a regional MSO with a keen eye for performance and solid expansion.

Mike Maddox has found numerous ways to train his staff and instill his passion for the industry into his entire team.

BY TRAVIS BEAN

BY MELISSA STEINKEN

Jim Boyle’s embrace of community efforts has helped make his shop an important part of the surrounding area and a natural choice for customers.

BECOME A BETTER LEADER

GROW THE RIGHT WAY

GRASSROOTS MARKETING

SPREAD YOUR PASSION

BY KILEY WELLENDORF

AVANT- GARDE PHOTO

BY MELISSA STEINKEN

Printed in the U.S.A. COPYRIGHT ©2018 BY 10 Missions Media LLC. All rights reserved. FenderBender (ISSN 1937-7150) is published monthly by 10 Missions Media, LLC, 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104. FenderBender content may not be photocopied, reproduced or redistributed without the consent of the publisher. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTERS Send address changes to: FenderBender, 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104.

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 5

TAB LE OF CONTENTS

OCTOBER

QUICK FIX

11

21

29

Lessons from Denny Hecker

Inside I-CAR’s overhaul

Properly charge for diagnostics

13

22

31

Bodyshop Booster

Catch up on the 2018 conference

The reality of autonomous vehicles

14

25

Find ways to extend your education

GM launches new repair network

ANALYSIS

SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT

VIEWPOINT

LIGHT HITS

AWARDS INSIGHT

15

DRIVERS SEAT Providing a variety of content

6 fenderbender.com | October 2018

Marketing Magic Campus Body Salon in Tempe, Ariz., has a unique discount for its customers called “Cash for Your Crash.”

26

NUMBERS

HOW IT WORKS

33

THE BIG IDEA Seven steps to effective onboarding

BY KEVIN RAINS

26

SNAP SHOP Campus Body Salon

TONY MARINELL A

PAST THE PAGE

S T R AT E G Y

49

75

Navigate the 2018 SEMA Show

Present your case to insurers

SEMA PREVIEW

IDEA SHOP

77

FINANCE+ OPERATIONS Easy ways to increase touch time

79

85

98

Keys to raise your CSI score

Jeanne Silver

CUSTOMER SERVICE

2OTH ANNIVERSARY SERIES

89

100

Diversify your sources of information

Instill consistent processes

IN THE TRENCHES

OUTSIDE THE LINES

BY JASON BOGGS

BY STEVE MORRIS

PROCESS DRIVEN Opening a call center

BY RYAN CROPPER

THINKSTOCK

75

WIRED FOR

SUCCESS

You’re wired differently and we like that. America likes that.

Visit futuretechsuccess.org and find out how your hands-on talent is the key to an amazing technical career.

When Techs Rock, America Rolls ℠ futuretechsuccess.org

FUTURETECH

SUCCESS

™

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 7

TA B L E O F CO N T E N T S

ONLINE EXTRAS

CLICK ON THE LOGO BELOW FOR PRODUCT INFORMATION COMPLETE

DIAGNOSTIC CODING & ADAPTATIONS+ ADVANCED SERVICE FUNCTIONS+ ALL SYSTEMS DIAGNOSTICS

CCC Information Services

I-CAR

OEConnection

Robaina

Autel

Collision Repair Education Foundation

Identifix

O'Reilly Auto Parts

Santint USA

Auto Job Central

Equalizer

ITW Evercoat

Original One Parts

SATA/Dan-Am Company

Axalta Coating Systems

Equip Automotive

Kia Motors America

Polyvance

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes

AkzoNobel

E REPAIRS FASTER WITH AUTEL SERVICE TOOLS.

S

MAXISYS MS906TS 8

IN

SCREEN

COMPLETE DIAGNOSTICS • • • •

Bi-Directional Control Advanced Service Functions All Systems Diagnostics MaxiSYS Suite Applications

elTools

WIRED FOR

BASF

SUCCESS

Ford

LAUNCH Tech USA

General Motors

Visit futuretechsuccess.org and find out how your hands-on talent is the key to an amazing technical career.

Mercedes-Benz When Techs Rock, America Rolls ℠ futuretechsuccess.org

Car-O-Liner

Global Finishing Solutions

8 fenderbender.com | October 2018

PPG

You’re wired differently and we like that. America likes that.

TECH USA

FenderBender-2-Jan.indd 1

BMW

Golf 2013

Mitsubishi

Pro Collision Training

Spanesi Americas

12/19/16 3:23 PM

TechForce Foundation

FUTURETECH

SUCCESS

Reliable Automitve Equipment

™

EDITORIAL Bryce Evans Editorial Director Anna Zeck Managing Editor Travis Bean Associate Editor Tess Collins Associate Editor Melissa Steinken Staff Writer Kiley Wellendorf Staff Writer Wesley Muilenburg Editorial Intern Kaylee Shields Editorial Intern Jason Boggs Contributing Writer Ryan Cropper Contributing Writer Steve Morris Contributing Writer Kevin Rains Contributing Writer

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Jason Boggs Boggs Auto Collision Rebuilders Elissa Larremore CBS 1 Collision Robert McSherry North Haven Auto Body Bob Pearson Pearson Auto Body Mark Probst Probst Auto Body Randy Sattler Rydell Collision Center

New FenderBender Podcasts.

COLLISION C A S T

3 SERIES WITH NEW EPISODES EVERY MONTH.

ART AND PRODUCTION Zach Pate Art Director Audrey Mundstock Graphic Designer Leah Quinto Graphic Designer Lily Risken Graphic Designer Fue Vang Graphic Designer Lauren Coleman Production Assistant

SALES Chris Messer Publisher 651.846.9462 / cmesser@10missions.com Andrew Johnson National Advertising Sales 651.846.9459 / ajohnson@10missions.com Nathan Smock Sales Manager 651.846.9452 / nsmock@10missions.com Josh Imhof Regional Advertising Sales 651.239.9641 / jimhof@10missions.com Ross Kirgiss Regional Advertising Sales 651.846.9485 / rkirgiss@10missions.com Emily LaPointe Regional Advertising Sales 651.846.9469 / elapointe@10missions.com Melody Todd Regional Advertising Sales 651.846.9468 / mtodd@10missions.com Bernadette Watson Regional Advertising Sales 651.846.9460 / bwatson@10missions.com Jen George Client Service Specialist 651.846.9465 / jgeorge@10missions.com

Adapt.

S E R I E S S P O N S O R E D BY:

Series featuring a rotating special guest each month.

An insider’s look at how technology, trends and advanced vehicle design impact the way shops work today.

New episode this month.

Vision.

S E R I E S S P O N S O R E D BY:

Series featuring shop operator Kevin Rains.

The go-to resource for leadership lessons, philosophies and success stories. New episode this month.

10 MISSIONS MEDIA Jay DeWitt President Mariah Straub Sales Service Supervisor Meghann Moore Sales Service Representative Katie Cornet Event and Special Projects Coordinator Josh Jaskulka Digital Media Strategist HOW TO REACH US 571 Snelling Avenue North, St. Paul, MN 55104 tel 651.224.6207 fax 651.224.6212 web 10missions.com The annual subscription rate is $72 (U.S.A. only) for companies not qualified to receive complimentary copies of FenderBender.

BACK ISSUES Past issue single copies are $8.

Go to fenderbender.com/backissues LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@fenderbender.com ARTICLE REPRINTS For high-quality reprints or e-prints of articles in this issue call 651.846.9473 or email reprints@fenderbender.com.

Opinions expressed in FenderBender are not necessarily those of 10 Missions Media, and 10 Missions Media does not accept responsibility for advertising content.

Disrupt.

S E R I E S S P O N S O R E D BY:

Series featuring a rotating special guest each month.

An introspective look at collision repair’s most pressing topics and the innovators pushing the industry forward. New episode this month.

LISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE

AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

PODCASTS

STITCHER

POCKETOctober CASTS2018 | fenderbender.com FB TO GO 9

A new line of parts. A new source of revenue.

Introducing Mercedes-Benz StarParts.

Delivering more than just quality, accuracy, and fit, StarParts is an authentic parts line designed for vehicles 5 years and older that is: • Built for high functionality and fit • Backed by a one-year warranty* that includes parts and labor • Designed to enhance margins and help grow profits for your shop in the long run To order StarParts, contact your Mercedes-Benz dealership today. *To learn more, visit mbwholesaleparts.com/StarParts.

10 fenderbender.com | October 2018

PAST THE PAGE COMMENTS, CONTENT, DISCUSSIONS AND MORE FROM AROUND THE WEB

ONLINE

Insight from a Controversial Consultant Former business mogul Denny Hecker, recently released from prison after a bankruptcy gone horribly, wants shop operators to learn from his mistakes B Y K E L LY B E AT O N

If Denny Hecker is depressed, he hides it well.

The former auto dealership mogul, who also has a long history of owning body shops, recently wrapped up a 7.5- year prison sentence, after pleading guilty in 2011 to one count of bank fraud and one count of bankruptcy fraud. At the height of the economic recession, in 2008, Hecker owed Chrysler Financial several millions (his overall debts reached $767 million a year later) due to the quick downturn of a business he had purchased, Advantage Rent a Car. And, not long after that, Hecker had countless assets repossessed, leading up to his stint behind bars.

Last summer, though, Hecker created a consulting business, and he insists both his business and personal lives are far less complicated than in the past.

“Nobody likes to have a detour,” Hecker recently told FenderBender, during an exclusive interview at his Minneapolis office.

“But, when I was on detour, I continued to work on my mindsets, and planning, and strategy for how to become more valuable coming out than I was going in” to prison.

You might ask why anyone would want consulting advice from an ex-con.

Hecker, who also participated in a recent FenderBender CollisionCast podcast, would argue that he offers a unique perspective considering all he’s seen in nearly half a century in the auto industry— from the euphoric highs of flying private planes most weekdays to the dizzying, devastating lows of personal bankruptcy.

“I can see [business] problems that you can’t see from within,” Hecker said,

“because I’ve seen them” before.

During his time in prison, Hecker became more humbled, and hungry, than ever. He taught a business class to fellow inmates for 12 cents per hour. And, he closely studied the auto industry, including the collision repair realm.

“I was one of the original franchisees of ABRA, because they started here in Minneapolis,” noted Hecker, who recently wrote a book, Overcoming My Impossible, about the lessons he’s learned during his career. “So, where I see this body shop business going is, really, the consolidators have done a really good job dealing directly with the insurance companies, and taking the hands away from the guy that makes a living pounding fenders.

“The insurance connection is the preferred deal that’s hard to deal with.”

In the past, Hecker noted, collision repair clients could take their vehicle and get multiple estimates before choosing the body shop they preferred.

Now, insurers hold the hammer.

“Today, [as a collision repair customer] you shop and they write you a check, and they fix your car, and you have nothing to say about it. That’s just the way it is.”

Hecker feels it’s as important as ever for body shop operators to truly know their market.

“That’s the biggest fear of being an independent business [operator] today in the automotive repair field. What happens when the manufacturer says, ‘We’ll do it within our own franchises’? So it’s a lot of challenges on the horizon.”

PODCAST

COLLISION C A S T

October CollisionCast Lineup

Each month, FenderBender plans out the schedule for its podcast, CollisionCast, which brings the magazine’s everyday conversations with collision repair professionals to life. Here are a few episodes you can expect this month: How I Did It: Tim Beal Each month, FenderBender learns how a standout shop owner built his or her business.

In August, FenderBender speaks with Tim Beal, owner of Beal’s Auto Body and a prominent member of the collision repair community.

Disrupt: Customer Service Loyalty Secrets The FenderBender Industry Survey found that a shop’s customer satisfaction index score— aka its CSI—is a huge indicator of profitability.

And the more pleased your customer, the more likely they’ll use and promote your services in the future. Here are 7 secrets shops can use to gain customer loyalty.

Adapt: The Expanding Insurer-OEM Relationship As vehicles become more and more connected, trends signal that insurers will only stay afloat by partnering with OEMs. This will, in effect, likely have a big impact on collision repair.

We take a look at the evolving OEM-insurer relationship and what that might spell for shops.

Vision: Developing Leaders in Your Operation FenderBender sat down with Carmen Thiede, chief people officer for ABRA, to explore how the company goes about finding, retaining and developing leaders.

JOIN US ONLINE fenderbender.com fenderbender.com/facebook twitter.com/fenderbendermag fenderbender.com/linkedin instagram.com/fenderbendermag

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 11

12 fenderbender.com | October 2018

SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT

JASON BOGGS & DJ MITCHELL

View Sessions From the 2018 Conference The 2018 FenderBender Management Conference wrapped up in late September, but there’s still an opportunity to view all sessions from the event online at fenderbenderconference.com Some featured speakers include Jason Boggs as the keynote speaker.

Boggs has spent the last 20 years—two as a service rep in 3M’s automotive aftermarket division and the last 18 operating Boggs Auto Collision Rebuilders, his family’s repair business in Woodbury, N.J. Another speaker was DJ Mitchell, regional director for Joe Hudson’s Collision Centers, who spoke on how to gain your team’s respect.

JASON BOGGS

DJ MITCHELL

FENDERBENDER FILE PHOTOS

The 2018 FenderBender Management Conference was held Sept. 17-19 at the Westin Lombard near Chicago. The event featured three days of in-depth workshop, educational sessions and networking opportunities.

JOIN US N E X T Y E A R I N M IN N E A P O L I S - S T. PAU L! FA L L 2 0 1 9

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 13

BODY TECHNICIAN MID-TOWN BODY REPAIR GREENSBORO, N.C.

R

CO

LLI

AI

MICHAEL SOTO—

AWARDS IN

AWARDS NOMINEE:

FINES HE

T

T

AWARDS INSIGHT

P SION RE

FenderBender Awards Insights feature past FenderBender Award nominees. For more information, go to fenderbender.com/awards.

Overcoming Educational Barriers

BY MELISSA STEINKEN

Taking a Leap

Soto moved to the U.S. roughly a year and a half ago. He started at Mid-Town Body Repair with the hopes of being able to move up the ranks as a body technician and one day own his own shop, he says.

In Puerto Rico, Soto learned repair work through a one-year body technician program at Automeca Technical College.

“I’m the kind of person that keeps moving up,” Soto says.

Not only did Soto take a chance by moving to the U.S. himself, he later also brought his brother over to the shop.

Now, his brother works as the head detailer in the collision repair center.

14 fenderbender.com | October 2018

Following a Mentor

Jason Maher, head technician at the shop, says he noticed Soto’s work ethic and decided to mentor him.

“You never have to ask him to help,” Maher says. “He’ll just come over and help.”

Maher says he has noticed Soto go above and beyond in his work. For instance, Soto will work more than the typical 8:30 a.m to 5 p.m. day and come in on the weekends or stay late to get a job done.

Soto is still in the process of learning the skills of blueprinting, thorough teardowns and overall checking the repair job quality but he has been efficient

for every hour that he has worked in his 40-hour workweek, Diane Hanson, shop office manager, says.

Soto says that within a month of his transition to body technician, he started doing simple bumper replacement and now works on refining his skills in door replacement, aligning center pillars and dent pulling.

Learning Over Time

Soto says he was able to improve in his work through the help of his co-workers.

He was able to learn what he did wrong on repairs because Maher would come over and show him the correct way to do it, for example.

Soto also gradually learned more English and became a source for many people in the neighborhood when it comes to translating. Soto will translate for customers who don’t know English and since he began translating, he has been able to bring in an additional customer base for the shop.

Each week, Soto translates an interaction two days out of the week, he says.

Hanson says that Soto is respectful to the customer and is understanding and patient in these transactions.

FUE VANG

Michael Soto’s career began in Puerto Rico and moved across the Atlantic Ocean to the U.S. when he decided to move so he could explore more opportunities in the collision repair industry.

Soto began fixing cars in his hometown in Puerto Rico when he was only 16 years old. Despite not knowing the proper procedures to repair his neighbor’s cars, he kept trying to fix them and learn as he went.

“My parents told me to just try it,” he says.

And, after college, Soto decided to find a job in the U.S. as a technician. He found the shop, Mid-Town Body Repair, through friends of the owner, he says.

Soto came to the shop only being able to speak a little bit of English and gradually not only learned the language through the help of his coworkers, but also learned how to perform more repairs and moved up to the role of body technician. Plus, he’s been able to use his native tongue when Spanish-speaking customers visit the shop.

DRIVER ' S SE AT

A Lot to Cover Continuing the charge in the face of perpetual change

NICK SPAETH

If you’ve made it this far in the magazine (and didn’t skip over seeing my face), you’ve likely

noticed that this month is a bit on the heavy side—as in the magazine is physically heavy.

You’ve already torn open the polybag, pulled out this 140-page edition (depending on your region), and undoubtedly noticed the 32-page “Ultimate Collision Repair Shop” special supplement that came along for the ride.

Altogether, that’s 172 pages for your viewing pleasure. Multiply that by our four regional versions of the magazine, and we produced well over 600 pages for FenderBender this month—the most we have ever put out in a single issue.

And it makes sense, really, considering this time of year and the way the industry is pushing forward.

Many of you are looking at this copy of the magazine just days before you head out to the 2018 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. You’ll see that we have a 24-page preview section for the event, starting on p. 49. If it’s your first time tackling the Las Vegas Convention Center and its miles of exhibit rows for SEMA, hopefully our look-ahead gives you the primer you need.

And for those of you well-acquainted with the event, maybe we can pass along some new insight. There are also maps, listings and other details in there, too.

This time of year can be a bit of a whirlwind, whether attending the show or not, as many industry companies and organization choose these dates to launch new products, partnerships and initiatives. The ever-changing list of topics, tools and equipment that enable collision repair businesses to properly, safely and efficiently repair vehicles is one of the reasons we launched the aforementioned “Ultimate Collision Repair Shop” special advertising section four years ago. And it’s a reason we’ll continue to produce new, engaging and progressive content for you, not only on a monthly basis in print, but also through our multimedia channels.

To run your business as effectively as you can and to meet the increasing demands of the industry in the years ahead, you’ll need to be armed with the latest and most critical information, strategies and solutions you can find. From our print publication to our podcasts, videos and webinars, we’ll do all we can to help. So, keep flipping these pages and let us know what more we can do to give you what you need.

B RYC E E VA N S EDITORIAL DIRECTOR b ev a n s @10 m i s s i o n s .c o m

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 15

Reduce cycle time by an average of 9% in your body shop Controlling cycle time is important when managing a profitable body shop. The datadriven insights from Carbeat™ will help improve communication, process transparency and overall shop floor efficiency that can lead to reduced cycle time by an average of 9%*.

Visit carbeat.com to learn more about how to reduce cycle time and take your business to the next level. *Based on initial data of body shops using Carbeat.

Visit us at booth #25163 and outside rig #61014 16 fenderbender.com | October 2018

Structured and Simple

SHOP FLOOR ORGANIZATION IS SIMPLE WITH THE HELP OF CARBEAT BY AKZONOBEL FROM THE MOMENT A CAR ENTERS A COLLISION REPAIR SHOP, organization is essential to ensuring that a vehicle’s repair is completed in a timely manner. Without a well-organized shop floor, it can be difficult to determine what stage a vehicle is in during the repair process.

In order to stay on top of the workflow, as well as provide those on the floor with an easy, efficient guide, AkzoNobel introduced a new way to manage productivity and organization in a body shop: Carbeat™.

Carbeat, an electronic workflow system, gives those working on the shop floor the ability to visualize all current operations and statuses to stay organized. The cloud-based system comes with a 70inch touch-screen monitor that can be personalized to portray the repair process on the shop floor.

The product was developed with the inspiration to improve the vehicle repair process, as it allows users to easily identify and monitor the different stages of a vehicle in the repair process. When shops mark how far their department is on a job, typical indications can range from placing a hat on a vehicle if it’s finished, or even marking a window with grease pencil marks.

“We asked ourselves this question: If shops are so great at tracking production, then why do all of these other manual objects still exist?” Mike Sillay, Global Services Manager of AkzoNobel Vehicle Refinishes says.

The system was created as an electronic, universal tool that can track the repair process throughout the shop visit. Sillay of AkzoNobel describes how shops can utilize the touch-screen monitor and discover real-time results by using the product.

Be Mindful from the Start In order to set the right precedent for a customer, Carbeat encourages users to be selective and personalize the profile during the repair process. To begin using the board during the workflow process, technicians are to create a repair order on the touch-screen board manually.

“It only takes about a minute to set up a car and the shops that are using this don’t mind spending a minute to save five hours of waste,” Sillay says.

Once a customer is added to the system, the customer’s information can later be found through a search when he or she visits the shop again. In addition, the program allows users other search filters such as the model of a vehicle.

Personalize the Process Shops are organized when departments are able to accurately determine where a car is in the process without any confusion. To make the board easy for your shop, choose a color scheme that will define each stage in the process.

“It’s a visual tool and people need to be able to look at the dashboard and understand what’s going on,” Sillay says. “That’s another reason we deploy this on a large format touch-screen because you can stand 50 feet away from the board and actually see where there’s a bottleneck in the process, or the colors could mean different insurance companies, or whether the vehicle needs certain repair procedures.”

“If one department has a specific way to organize that is different than other departments, it can ultimately create a halt in the process”, Sillay says.

“We started studying the way body shops used manual organization and the drawback is that manual objects don’t collect datanobody else can see the information [besides those on the shop floor],” Sillay says.

Access to Information During the repair process, it’s important to make sure that each department has knowledge of what’s going on in a repair before it’s passed off to them. Carbeat provides the whole shop floor with a visible workflow of how far along the process is, as well as where the car is at in the repair process.

When one department is finished with a repair, he or she can walk to the board, put their finger on the screen and drag the repair over to the next category.

“The importance of the drag and drop is the speed and the simplicity,” Sillay says. “The worker doesn’t have to wash their hands and can put his or her finger on it, and it takes less than a second — that’s the real key to the accuracy of the data.”

Along with electronically moving one repair to the next department, staff members can visit the monitor and view the status of other vehicles in the shop. The monitor provides clarity and answers when used correctly during the repair process.

Discover Repair Results More often than not, it can be impossible to time each department’s contribution to a repair. By utilizing the Carbeat board, all staff members can discover the length of the repair process for each department by the touch of a finger.

“When the repair is moved, it date and time stamps the activity and we mine the reports off of the data that gets collected,” Sillay says. “We can set up filters for virtually anything that has data.”

Understanding the length of a repair can help shops determine which measures need to be made in order to provide efficient service for the customer.

To learn more about Carbeat, visit www.carbeat.com.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Today’s modern customer has high expectations.

CCC helps you exceed them.

Learn more at cccis.com/get-ccc-one

18 fenderbender.com | October 2018

QUICK FIX NEWS

|

IDEAS

|

PEOPLE

|

TRENDS

Ahead of the Trends To stay up to date, Campus Body Salon is always looking into technology as a way to improve service.

ANALYSIS VIEWPOINT LIGHT HITS SNAP SHOP NUMBERS HOW IT WORKS

26

TONY MARINELL A

SN A P SHOP

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 19

You can support local collision schools programs...

‌join us in donating scrap parts to local collision school programs!

The Collision Repair Education Foundation, a national 501c3 charity, is seeking spare parts (fenders, bumper covers, hoods, etc) for donation to local high school and college collision school programs. These parts allow students to practice collision repair and make them more productive and efficient entry-level employees upon graduation. Help us remove the financial barriers that these instructors face with limited program budgets by removing your spare parts from dumpsters and into the hands of your local school(s).

Email brandon.eckenrode@ed-foundation.org if you have spare parts available for donation to a local school.

Parts donated to schools through the Collision Repair Education Foundation are tax-deductible.

brandon.eckenrode@ed-foundation.org 20 fenderbender.com | October 2018

|

888.722.3787

|

CollisionEducationFoundation.org

QUICK FIX

ANALYSIS

Simplified Certification Renewal

THE 2019 REFRESH I-CAR seeks to fix collision repairers’ biggest complaints about the company

BY TRAVIS BEAN

Don’t just call it a change, a pivot, a tran-

sition—this is a “complete refresh,” says I-CAR leadership.

This year at NACE Automechanika in Atlanta, I-CAR announced it would overhaul its programming in the first quarter of 2019, referencing a variety of enhancements designed to better serve the rapidly evolving needs of the collision repair industry. And those enhancements, John Van Alstyne says, stem from five years of feedback I-CAR received from its industry segment advisory council (ISAC), which is comprised of 83 shops broken up regionally across the U.S. that meet several times each year to discuss potential improvements at I-CAR. “So we get lots of feedback,” says Van Alstyne, I-CAR CEO and president. “We take copious notes, look for common themes, and then prioritize.”

In addition to receiving feedback from OEMs and insurance companies, I-CAR put together a plan for addressing the top concerns raised by all participating parties. Van Alstyne spoke with FenderBender to break down I-CAR’s plan for 2019.

THINKSTOCK

Less Redundancy Between Classes

When that curriculum for I-CAR’s Professional Development Program was developed several years ago, there were classes for refinish techs, structural techs, non-structural techs. But as I-CAR has discovered from ISAC feedback, not only did that core training need to be updated, but much of that training would end up being repeated across various different courses, as well.

“We never knew which courses people had taken when they came to the course,” Van Alstyne says. “People would have redundancies.”

Thus, I-CAR nixed the redundancies that repeated throughout its different courses, resulting in shortened classes that are more

modularly constructed. Now, courses will be more focused and require prerequisites so you “can’t take this class until you’ve taken this one.”

“At the end of day, the curriculum redevelopment is ‘purpose built,’” Van Alstyne says. “Courses are meant to convey skills in the most efficient manner possible.”

Van Alstyne says I-CAR also ran through curriculum workshops with technicians and asked what skills they needed that courses didn't fully cover.

Separating Web and HandsOn Training

I-CAR may have announced a major overhaul for 2019, but the organization has been working on a number of similar changes over the past two years. In late 2017, I-CAR announced it would completely rebuild its courses (which included having classes available in Spanish) and establish more web-based classes.

Those aspirations are part of the 2019 overhaul, but collision repairers can expect a course schedule that segments out skills between online-based and hands-on classes. Beforehand, some skills would overlap between live and web settings. Now, training regimens will be available exclusively in either one or the other.

To give a preview, Van Alstyne says roughly 75 percent of estimator classes would be available online, with some of the damage assessment classes required in a live setting; roughly 50 percent of refinish and non-structural classes will be online only; and 30 percent of structural courses will be web based.

“That’s part of our purpose-built strategy,” Van Alstyne says. “We don’t want you to do a live class if it’s available to do online.”

I-CAR will also launch Spanish versions of all core courses online (and offline as well).

Initially rolled out in 2016, I-CAR began to trial its new shop assessment program to make it ready for 2019, when the company plans to make it easier for shops to keep their technicians and estimators certified.

If you run a Gold Class shop, Van Alsytne says I-CAR will send an assessor to a shop for an annual renewal process and go through various knowledge areas required for employees. The idea is to require live or web training when someone wants to obtain a new certification, as opposed to when someone wants to retain a certification.

“It’s more like a conversation than a test,” Van Alstyne says, as the assessor will determine if the technician possesses the knowledge to receive an automatic credit. “We’re getting away from defaulting to training when knowledge exists.”

With this new shop assessment system, I-CAR hopes to “advise on knowledge and skills gaps that exist within the shop.”

Even if you have 10 technicians, all of them will get individual sessions in order to retain their certification. Whether they're ProLevel 1, 2 or 3, whether it’s a welding or an estimating certification, techs and estimators will need to prove they understand the skills expected of their level of expertise in order for their certifications to be renewed. If a certification last three years, then that employee will only be assessed every three years.

Easier Access to Training

Last, but certainly not least, one of shop owners’ biggest concerns was eased access to training. Whether that meant navigating the various classes available or paying for multiple certifications, I-CAR knew it needed a more streamlined system.

Van Alstyne says I-CAR has made significant changes to its IT infrastructure that supports the new curriculum being developed for 2019. This system will provide ways to track student training records, which he says will be especially useful for MSOs monitoring training for many employees.

I-CAR will also offer an unlimited training subscription for Gold Class shops that Alstyne says will ease the customer interface. This subscription is designed “to protect shops from turnover, and encourage building bench strength by better training for all technicians.”

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 21

QUICK FIX

VIEWPOINT

IIHS: SAFETY AND AUTONOMY

What level of autonomy can a repairer expect to see and how safe is the technology?

BY TRAVIS BEAN AND MELISSA STEINKEN

Do advanced driver-assistance systems handle driving tasks as humans would?

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released studies, including one released at the beginning of August, detailing how some driver-assist features in cars may not protect passengers without attention from drivers.

And while those systems help to reduce the likelihood of crashes, body shops will still see repairs, which is why they need to be aware of what the technology can do.

FenderBender sat down with David Aylor, director for active safety testing for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Aylor shared insight into what a collision repairer could expect from different levels of autonomous vehicles and safety features on the road today.

My job here is to research and evaluate different active safety technologies that are currently on cars or are going to be on vehicles in the future. We do testing on autonomous emergency brake systems to evaluate their effectiveness. We look at how well headlights illuminate the road at night.

We started doing testing on rear-braking systems, as well, to limit the damage in parking lots, driveways. And, more recently, we’re starting to look at more advanced features that help drivers not only maintain a distance behind the vehicle in front of them (those systems we call adaptive cruise control), but also lane-centering systems that try to help drivers maintain their lane position.

Can you give us a brief review of the various levels of autonomous cars and what features come with each of those levels?

Most people refer to five levels of autonomy—all the way from a Level 0, meaning the driver is doing everything, all the way up to Level 5, in which the driver is doing nothing, the car is driving and there are no restrictions on where it is driving. There are various levels in between.

Right now, the most advanced systems we can see are considered Level 2 systems. Those are systems that help a driver maintain a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of them, and also maintain lane position, but the driver needs to remain 22 fenderbender.com | October 2018

engaged, whether that means their hands are on the steering wheel or at least viewing what is happening in front of them. We do have what we call driver-assist systems right now and they are not fully autonomous because the driver needs to remain engaged in the driving task.

How close are we to perfecting Level 2 vehicles and which OEMs are the furthest along in that?

Right now, we do have systems on the road that are considered Level 2. Many manufacturers have those and I think the key thing to keep in mind is that because they are Level 2, the driver needs to remain engaged.

Tesla, Mercedes, BMW 5 series, Volvo S-90 are some vehicles that we have looked at recently that have Level 2 and they do some things well, but they are not full autonomous systems. And drivers really need to remain engaged when they are driving those vehicles.

How many autonomous vehicles are on the road? Could a collision repair shop expect to see one in their facility?

I don’t know exactly how many there are but they are becoming more prevalent.

And in fact, even the Level 2 systems have technology. Often there is a camera behind the system, there is a radar mounted behind the front cover and there may even be radar mounted in the rearquarter panel area to ascertain if there are vehicles behind them.

Director for active safety testing Insurance Institute for Hightway Safety

This technology has been around for several years and it is just now that manufacturers are sort of using all those sensors to do more with the vehicle. It’s the same sensors we had for front-crash prevention or blind spot. So, even if a system is not fully Level 2, it is likely a body shop is going to see these systems on other vehicles. They just won’t have the full capability of a Level 2 system.

Recently, IIHS had an article that said Level 2 cars can’t handle every driving task like a human could; why is that?

I think there are limitations to the system.

A good example is as you crest a hill, you don’t necessarily see the lane lines over the other side. We, as drivers, know the lane is going to maintain the same curve or go straight, but the camera on the vehicle may not know that and struggle with that situation.

We saw some cars in which the system just deactivated because it didn’t see the lane lines. We saw other cars that sort of started to try to find the lane lines. You know, if you’re an active driver you can handle that, but if you are not engaged in the driving task, that can be very surprising.

We also saw situations where stopped vehicles could create a problem for the cars. Your adaptive cruise system is helping you maintain an appropriate distance and speed, you expect it to do the same thing for a stopped lead vehicle and if it doesn’t, that is going to be very surprising for a driver.

Again, we’re not there yet.

COURTESY OF DAVID AYLOR

Can you tell us about your role at IIHS and how you interact with autonomous vehicle technology?

David Aylor

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QUICK FIX

LIGHT HITS

STATE FARM ALLEGES BRAKES FAILED DURING CRASH DUE TO REPAIR NEGLIGENCE An insurance company alleges a customer’s vehicle’s brakes failed because of the negligence of an auto manufacturer.

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. filed complaint in Doddridge Circuit Court against Cobb Autosales Inc., doing business as C and C Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Toyota, and FCA US LLC alleging breach of implied warranty of merchantability, negligence and other counts.

According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on June 24, 2016, its customer, Ashley Furbee, was driving a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee when its brakes failed and caused her to strike another vehicle. Pursuant to its policy of insurance with the Furbees, the plaintiff incurred

damages in the amount of $8,093.38.

The suit states that in May 2014, the Jeep was subject to a recall to address the failure of vacuum brake boosters and Ashley and Luke Furbee took the vehicle to Cobb for repairs in July 2015. The suit states the damage to the vehicle was caused by the failure and/or malfunction of the vacuum power brake booster, reported West Virginia Record.

GM LAUNCHES NEW COLLISION REPAIR NETWORK General Motors’ Customer Care and Aftersales division launched the GM Collision Repair Network at NACE Automechanika.

The network is designed to help drive customer safety, customer satisfaction and strong results for dealers and independent

collision repair facilities.

After a collision, GM’s Collision Repair Network, combined with OnStar, helps educate and empower GM vehicle owners by helping them locate repair facilities where qualified technicians follow proper repair procedures using original equipment replacement parts.

For dealerships and independent collision repair facilities, the new Collision Repair Network will build on GM’s current training and tools-focused programs, while adding standards for pre- and postrepair scanning, repair procedures and calibration. Repair facilities in the network should experience a more streamlined collision repair process, including reduced time spent on diagnosing and pulling repair procedures.

YOUR 24/7 COLLISION COMMUNITY FOLLOW US: fenderbender.com/facebook

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• SEE PHOTOS & VIDEOS • GET THE LATEST COLLISION CONTENT • TELL US WHAT YOU REALLY THINK

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 25

QUICK FIX

SNAP SHOP

CAMPUS BODY SALON

1

BY MELISSA STEINKEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY TONY MARINELLA LOCATION:

Tempe, Ariz.

OWNER:

Leo Petruzella SIZE:

16,000 square feet STAFF:

9

6

AVERAGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

35–40

ANNUAL REVENUE:

$1.2 million–$1.4 million

4

26 fenderbender.com | October 2018

Submit Your Shop

Proud of your shop and want to show it off to your peers? Tell us about it at

submissions@10missions.com.

1. MARKETING STRATEGY Leo Petruzella, owner of Campus Body Salon, realized the discounts his shop gave to insurance companies did not benefit the customers. So, he removed his shop from most DRPs and created a unique discount for his shop called “Cash for Your Crash.” The shop competes with other shops in the area by offering both claimants and insurers a 10 percent discount up to $1,000. Clients can utilize the discount toward their deductible, to upgrade OE parts, for non-related repairs while the vehicle is in the shop, or as cash in their pocket. To promote the deal, the shop added information about the deal on the front of the business.

2

2. ADAPTING AND UPDATING Currently, the shop uses SnapOn pre- and post-repair scanning equipment. But, Petruzella says the shop is researching other options. To keep up with all the changes in advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS), he’s looking into the pros and cons of systems from Mitchell and ALLDATA. “There are instances right now where we sublet to dealerships,” he says. “We’re hoping with a new system we can save time by not subletting work.”

3

3. CUSTOMER FIRST

5

Customer satisfaction is key for the shop’s business. The shop’s CSI across the board is 99.5 percent. In order to gain a high CSI, Petruzella and his team encourage surveys and reviews. In the shop, the team

hangs up signs detailing how a customer can leave a review on the shop’s website, Google or Yelp page.

“Then we’ll just ask them to leave a review in order to gain independent reviews,” he says.

The shop also gains feedback from third-party surveys, like Carwise and AutoBody-Review.

4. SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS Unlike other shops Petruzella has worked in, he says he prefers for the shop floor to be separated into body and refinish work.

“I didn’t care for the open concept because of the potential for contamination,” he says.

The shop’s refinishing department is an area where the refinish technician can go to prep and prime the vehicle without worrying about the added dust and grime from the body work.

5. UNUSUAL NAME “We’ll get calls with people asking us how much a weave costs or how much a back massage is,” Petruzella says.

Petruzella hired a local web development company to design a new logo for the business. Petruzella made sure the company included a car icon.

6. CURB APPEAL The shop is located right by two intersecting freeways and in the middle of the Phoenix metropolitan business hub.

The ideal location brings it a lot of customer attention.

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 27

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QUICK FIX

NUMBERS

PROPERLY CHARGING FOR DIAGNOSTICS

How charging more for scanning procedures leads to improved profitability As Mike Anderson noted in a past FenderBender column, there is not a cut-and-dry answer for how much labor time should be recorded for scanning a vehicle. At the end of the day, Anderson wrote, technicians aren’t just hooking up a scanner—they must hook up battery support, run a health check, scan OEM repair information, perform functionality tests. In other words, he claims you shouldn’t sell your techs short when charging for diagnostics.

Interestingly enough, CCC Information Services’ 2018 Crash Course report provided data and insight into how OEM requirements for vehicle diagnostics might impact insurance claims. Overall, CCC found an average labor time of 0.2 hours to 6 hours to complete calibration procedures, at an average hourly rate of $45.

Based on information from the FenderBender Industry Survey, here’s a brief breakdown of how charging more for diagnostic scans improves profitability without hurting closing ratios.

How much does your shop charge for diagnostic scans?

Less than one full labor hour One full labor hour More than one full labor hour

20% 50% 30%

O N E F U L L L A B O R H O U R O R L ES S MORE THAN ONE FULL L ABOR HOUR

ANNUAL REVENUE ABOVE $1 MILLION

64%

76%

ESTIMATE CLOSING RATIO ABOVE 80%

52%

56%

AVERAGE REPAIR ORDER ABOVE $3,000

47%

50%

GROSS PROFIT MARGIN ABOVE 40%

59%

72%

GROSS PROFIT MARGIN ON LABOR ABOVE 50%

58%

66%

NET PROFIT MARGIN ABOVE 10%

40%

63%

THE TECHNICIAN SHORTAGE W IL L N OT D E FE AT U S

autojobcentral.com

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 29

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QUICK FIX

Submissions

Interested in knowing the impact of a particular collision repair product in the shop? Send your suggestions to

HOW IT WORKS

howitworks@fenderbender.com.

S H O P R E V I E W S O F C O L L I S I O N R E PA I R P R O D U C T S

BODYSHOP BOOSTER A collision repair shop manager reviews a customerfriendly, online damage assessment program

BY KILEY WELLENDORF

THE DETAILS WEBSITE:

Bodyshopbooster.com COST:

Around $200 per month USES:

Online program that connects customers to shops for estimates via photo message TRAINING:

Online and onsite training

HOW IT WORKS: The Reviewer: JOHN FISCUS MANAGER SNOW HILL AUTO BODY SNOW HILL, MD.

John Fiscus has been in the automotive industry for over 30 years. Fiscus’ career has included every position from technician to body shop manager, and then to regional manager of an MSO operation. Today, he’s managed Snow Hill Auto Body for a little more than four years.

COURTESY SNOW HILL AUTO BODY

THE SHOP: Snow Hill Auto Body was born roughly five years ago in Snow Hill, Md. The 13,000-square-foot shop houses a towing business that works well with the shop’s rural location, manager John Fiscus says.

Prior to Bodyshop Booster, Fiscus frequently spent nights on the road driving to assess damage from a customer’s vehicle.

Bodyshop Booster is an online program that gives customers the ability to take multi-angled photos of car damage and send them to the nearest body shop for an estimate. The largest obstacle of getting into a body shop is setting aside time for two visits: the initial estimate and the repair.

According to Bodyshop Booster, “62 percent of existing customers have damage on their vehicles,” but they have not gotten an estimate. Bodyshop Booster allows customers to receive an estimate without entering the shop.

When taking a photo of the vehicle damage, Bodyshop Booster advises the customer on which angles the image will work best to guarantee an accurate estimate. Once customers take photos, body shops connected to the program are contacted via email and receive the customer’s contact, vehicle information and photos of the damage.

After Fiscus receives the email, he puts the photos into his estimating system and begins to work through the vehicle’s repair estimate. Lastly, Fiscus calls the customer to explain the estimate and schedule a time for the repair.

THE REVIEW: Fiscus doesn’t remember where he heard of Bodyshop Booster, but his shop was interested. Fiscus previously worked after hours to track down vehicles for repair estimates.

“I did a lot of driving,” Fiscus says.

“People would call, email, or ask me for help, so I spent a lot of time on the road.”

Once the program was introduced, staff received training on how it worked through online videos.

Bodyshop Booster is on the shop’s website today and branded as “Ribbit the Quick Estimate App,” which coincides with the shop’s frog mascot. Customers are informed about the program when they call to make an estimate appointment.

“We always make it clear that it’s a photo estimate, so it’s a rough idea of what it’s going to cost,” Fiscus says.

In addition, the program is marketed on both radio and TV commercials throughout the community. It’s been a success, Fiscus says.

“They really like it; the response I get back when I email the estimate is always, ‘This is so easy; thank you for the quick response,’” Fiscus says. “To me, it’s a valuable tool.

“It’s all about convenience for the customer and that’s our main thing.”

THE ROI: Having the ability to connect with customers through an online program has brought in more business for the rurally located shop, Fiscus says.

“We’ve seen an increase [in the business],” Fiscus says. “Once the estimate is sent, it has a follow-up area where you follow up with the customer, and it gives a report on the percentage you sell.”

According to Fiscus, 93 percent of customers who submit photo estimates for the shop have become returning customers. In addition, the shop receives around an average of five photo estimate jobs per week, Fiscus says.

“I would say we are up from when we started using the program three years ago,” Fiscus says. “I can tell you that it’s a valuable tool.”

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 31

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COLUMNS

THE BIG IDEA KEVIN RAINS

Culture Gets Created One Hire at a Time The seven key elements to effective onboarding

MICHAEL HOEWELER, THINKSTOCK

Have you ever seen one of those pic-

tures of a dog leading a whole flock of ducks? What’s going on there?

The scientific word for that is “imprinting.” Imprinting was discovered by a man named Konrad Lorenz in the 1930s when he studied the behavior of geese. He found that geese actually imprinted on whatever they first saw after they were born. This imprinting led the newborns to attach great significance to the person, animal and even red balls in later experiments. Once they imprinted, they would follow the “mother” around with a blind obedience.

And of course this idea has worked its way into pop culture through movies like Fly Away Home and short stories like The Ugly Duckling.

Imprinting is a useful analogy for what happens when we hire someone. Social scientists call this a “liminal time.” A liminal time is an important time of transition when we open ourselves to new possibilities. Transitions become the seasons of our lives when we are most open to change.

We also tend to mark these times with rituals like birthday parties, graduations and weddings.

So what does imprinting, liminal time and rituals have to do with onboarding new team members?

Getting hired is a very important transition and it deserves to be marked with a ritual that is both meaningful and memorable. And if we as leaders do this right, our new team members will imprint on our shop’s culture in a way that is helpful to them and provides the

most opportunity for us to retain them long term as team members.

Here are seven key elements for onboarding new talent that I have found helpful.

1. Set the stage with great experience. The owner or a key leader should take the new hire out for lunch. But please, not fast food or pizza. Take them out to a decent restaurant where they will have a full sensory experience of good sights, smells, and taste.

2. Tell stories. Stories have a

KEVIN RAINS Kevin Rains is the owner of Rains CARSTAR Group with locations in Cincinnati, Ohio, West Chester, Ohio and Lexington, KY. He is also an industry consultant and founder of Body Shop 2.0.

E M A I L : kev i n r a i n s @ g m a i l .c o m A R C H I V E : f e n d e r b e n d e r.c o m /r a i n s

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 33

KEVIN RAINS

THE BIG IDEA

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34 © fenderbender.com October 2018

unique power to convey things in ways that static bullet points simply do not. A key story to tell is the “founding myth” of your shop. How did it get started?

What were the challenges that were overcome to get to where it is today?

3. Share your “Why?” Team members want more than a paycheck.

They want meaning. How does their work connect to a higher purpose beyond just straightening metal and replacing panels?

What do cars represent to the consumer? How is their daily work connected to improving people’s lives?

4. Emphasize the opportunity. Is your shop a place where people can learn and grow? Are there opportunities for advancement?

What training will you offer them either on the job or via classes?

5. Be vulnerable. I’ve written about this in an earlier column this year but how can this new hire help you? What are you working on in the wider organization that they might contribute to?

6. Tangible takeaway. Perhaps this is something as simple as a picture with the owner that gets posted to social media and later texted to them. Maybe the picture is printed and framed for them.

Or what about a tool that is engraved with their date of hire.

7. Get them connected to others on your team. Have their manager walk them around the department they will work in and introduce them by name to several of their coworkers. Encourage them to get to know each other over lunch or after hours.

The vast majority of these seven elements can be accomplished over a lunch. How important is it to take one or two hours to create a memorable experience for a team member that might be with you for years to come? The answer depends on how important retaining talent is for you. From where I sit, it is one of the biggest challenges we face as an industry and a real competitive advantage shop by shop. With stakes like that, a couple hours seems like time well invested.

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LEADERSHIP Your blueprint for becoming a more effective leader BY

TRAVIS

BEAN

36 fenderbender.com | October 2018

BOOT

CAM P

What kind of leader are you?

That’s the question Patrick Leddin asks his audiences during his three-hour presentations as part of FranklinCovey’s “On Leadership” world tour, where he discusses what holds leaders back from being great. And from city to city, nation to nation, it doesn’t matter how big the company is or how much experience one has—Leddin always hears the same response: “‘Oh my gosh, you are so right,’” recounts Leddin, a professor of managerial studies at Vanderbilt University. “‘We’re not even tackling half of the equation that’s causing a sizable portion of the problem.’”

As your company grows, it can be easy to lose touch with your employees, “especially as the workforce experiences a generational shift,” Leddin says. When

discussing leadership, it’s not about giving the same broad, general advice—it’s about developing managers through four different stages of their leadership growth.

It starts with your role as an individual contributor, where you have to learn how to lead yourself, to collaborate with others, to go from dependent to independent to interdependent.

Then you become a first-level leader, a supervisory position where your worth is no longer measured by completing tasks and instead by developing people.

A huge hurdle is stage three: the senior-level leader, who moves beyond managing a core team to leading other leaders. You must put systems in place that inspire trust across multiple parties and give your vision life.

And, ultimately, there’s the executive leader, who creates a top-down system that empowers senior leaders to execute the grand company vision at multiple levels.

Four vastly different expectations, four monumental undertakings—four different stages professionals in the collision repair industry have mastered. And several of them spoke with FenderBender to help you find the right answer to that question: What kind of leader are you?

Becoming a great leader may seem like an arduous process, but, really, if you’re methodical and take one step at a time, you can work your way through those four stages in a healthy manner. Going through those four stages, here’s how leadership experts say you can become a leader that carries confidence, that inspires trust, that a changing workforce looks to for guidance.

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 37

FE ATURE

LEADERSHIP BOOT CAMP

What Sets Great Leaders Apart?

Patrick Leddin, a professor for the managerial studies program at Vanderbilt and a senior consultant for FranklinCovey, bases his seminars and classes around four main tenets of what makes for a great leader. And those four key areas are based on studies conducted by FranklinCovey, which constantly updates its teachings as technology updates and the workforce experiences a generational shift.

1. The Results They Achieve Great leaders are action oriented and get results— predictably and consistently. They achieve results this month, next month, next quarter, and next year.

2. The Actions They Take Great leaders establish a pattern of effective habits.

Simply put, they are proactive and dedicate their time, energy and attention to the highest return activities.

3. How They Think Great leaders frame challenges and opportunities differently. They look at people—their capabilities and talents—more broadly than others. They see potential and opportunity where others see problems.

4. Who They Are Great leaders have a foundation of character that sets them apart. This foundation creates trust and confidence that permeates throughout their teams and across the organization.

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STAGE 1:

INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTOR Achieve Interdepence

If Marie Peevy has noticed anything from her time in shops, it’s that young people take cues from their management.

If you come in late? They’ll never be on time.

If you don’t stress the importance of training? They’ll never grow.

And if you don’t set up that ladder?

They’ll never climb.

“Versus a manager with a positive outlook,” Peevy says. “Then there’s a different route. They see they can learn and benefit from that.”

As the owner of Automotive Training Coordinators, Peevy pushes shops to recognize training and certifications as crucial elements of advancing the collision repair industry. Her company works with shops to track and budget employees’ training throughout the year, during which she spends a lot of time conversing with shop owners—oh, and plenty of time speaking with employees.

That’s because, often, a lack of enthusiasm for training links back to employeemanager disconnect during Stage 1. Leaders should convey how training not only improves their own skills, but improves everyone around them, as well. When people see that they’re part of a system that allows them to climb the ladder and become advocates for change, you’ll spark not just independence, but also a key asset of a leader: interdependence (you rely on everyone, and they rely on you).

And how can you achieve that interdependence? Like Peevy says: Employees take cues from leaders. So, as an individual contributor, connect with your employees by putting yourself on their level. Don’t just commit yourself to training, Peevy says, but set a grand example and care about what you want your employees to care about; show that you need them as much as they need you.

STAGE 2:

FIRST-LEVEL LEADER Find Your Rhythm

How many conversations do you have at work each day? And with how many different people? And how many of those people are you trying to lead?

Got that number? OK, now take one minute of one conversation—a single minute where you’re trying to communicate an idea, to express your vision, to motivate your employee to care more.

In that single minute, even during the most nonchalant of conversations, Patti Wood says you give off 10,000 nonverbal cues.

And every single one of them matters for a first-level leader.

“As a leader, you’re constantly giving off cues,” she says, “and employees are reading those cues and using them to decide how much to trust you.”

Wood, who will speak about the art of nonverbal communication in leadership at the 2018 SEMA Show, says your external image reflects your own internal view of

yourself. The way you walk, the tone of your voice, the look in your eye tells everyone how much power you have, what kind of day you're having, if you believe in what you’re saying. And, based on those cues, employees will model the behavior and perform at varying levels.

It may sound daunting, but Wood says that finding your rhythm as a leader simply means asking yourself a few simple questions: Who walks in the door each day? As you get out of your car and head through those front doors every morning, think about every cue you give off: Am I coming into this space as a leader? Am I showing employees they matter to me? What does my outfit convey to everyone? My hair?

My smile? My tone? My walk? From head to toe, think about every aspect of your being and what nonverbal cues you’re giving off. Do those match the image you wish to convey?

How accessible are you? While you may feel the need to shut your door at points throughout the workday and recharge, that behavior can convey inaccessibility. While it’s perfectly acceptable to take time for yourself, find ways to recharge that doesn’t close people off. Just one little change in how much free time you spend with employees changes how honest they are with you.

What behavior do you inspire?

When you speak with employees, study how they respond to you. If they sound miserable in the morning, they could be mimicking your own enthusiasm. If they respond in short, curt sentences, perhaps you’re not being open enough. Shift your nonverbal cues and look for a change in their responses.

Create a Fearless Environment

If you’re a new leader in Stage 2 and have reservations about your ability to develop new leaders, don’t worry—you’re not alone.

In fact, the room couldn’t be more crowded, Marcy Tieger says.

“There’s pressure on leaders to have the answers and always be right,” says the managing director of Symphony Advisors. “But it’s important for leaders to say, ‘I don’t know.’”

When that ego is abandoned, two things happen: It creates a more human connection between leaders and their team, and it fosters an environment where people are fearless, as well. As someone who has consulted shop operators for years, Tieger will tell you that in hierarchical relationships, that’s not just important for the growth of a business—it’s essential.

It may seem inconsequential, but Tieger says the feeling of simply saying “I don’t know” can be liberating and create a system of accountability. When others see that you’re humble and willing to ask for input, it engenders humanist exchanges and creates an environment where people admit to mistakes and ask for help. Thus, when you hold yourself culpable, others will follow suit.

“Subordinates often have a problem doing that and won’t ask for help. Then they cover up mistakes,” she says. “If they model your behavior, they’ll reach out to each other and you and ask for help.”

Often, leaders feel the need to react quickly and “pop off” rather than sleep on a situation at work. Tieger suggests slowing down the way you react. If you have a discussion in front of multiple employees that should have been a one-onone conversation, apologize to everyone and commit to changing that behavior. If a technician has an idea about a change in the repair process, actually sleep on it and come back with a response. By doing that, you’ll not only empower others, but show you’re a humble, thoughtful firstlevel leader, too.

STAGE 3:

SENIOR-LEVEL LEADER Foster Meaningful Connections

After one of her presentations, Jessica Pettitt was approached by a nonprofit founder and pressed about what was wrong. The inquisitive leader-in-training had a vision, had done everything to build her company, but simply couldn’t get her volunteer board to follow through with anything.

Which led Pettitt to wonder: How are you asking them?

“If it’s not working, change the way you’re asking them,” Pettitt responded to the woman. “They’re clearly demonstrating that how you’re asking them to do something isn’t working. You’re trying to get other people to change, but not taking responsibility for your actions.”

So, Pettitt decided to explore that topic more—to the point where she wrote a book on it. And now, the author of Good Enough Now, will speak on diversity in the workplace at the 2018 SEMA Show. Her entire mantra revolves around making better connections with employees and engaging in more meaningful conversation.

That is tough to achieve with a small team—even tougher during Stage 3 where multiple first-level leaders look for guidance. To help, here’s a flowchart Pettitt uses as a guide to more meaning conversations: Better Connections Intentional Coversations Listening to Others as They Are Wise Forming a Message Intended Meaning of That Message (Re)claiming Responsibility for the Impact of the Message

The Body Language of Listening If you want more information on improving your body language, nonverbal communication expert Patti Wood shared with FenderBender her thoughts on how to perfect the “body language of listening.” Check it out at fenderbender.com/BodyLanguage.

Making Meaning From This Conversation Impact on Connection October 2018 | fenderbender.com 39

FE ATURE

LEADERSHIP BOOT CAMP

Conversations that Matter Learning to address uncomfortable topics and getting in tune with your leadership style is not a one-day turnaround—it’s a workshop. Luckily, Pettitt provides her conference attendees a packet to guide them through the process. Download your own copy at fenderbender.com/ConversationsThatMatter.

Inspire Confidence

As she sat down in the classroom seven years ago—the only African-American woman in the room, surrounded by collision repair professionals from all over the world that had years of experience over her—Adrian Wright didn’t feel one bit intimidated.

She felt confident.

“I learned how to manage a team of men, how to assign work, how to communicate with vendors, how to speak with customers,” says the owner of Wright One Paint and Body Shop in Augusta, Ga. “I brought my corporate background into collision and it works.”

Senior-level leaders not only know how to lead, but also how to stimulate leadership qualities in their employees. Thus, transitioning from managing in a corporate atmosphere to her father’s shop, Wright sought to bring along systemized processes that not only provided for continuous improvement, but also inspired employees to follow the confidence she displayed as a leader.

Sometimes that’s a long road. In 2011, Wright rehired an employee that, just three years earlier, was too immature and self-consumed to carry out his roles as an estimator.

But after taking him back, coaching him on multitasking, outlining the shop’s selling procedures, and pushing him to take more pride in his work, he became one of Wright’s top managers as the $3.3 million, 12-employee shop expanded to a second location.

Whether it requires multiple 40 fenderbender.com | October 2018

years of workshopping or a simple one-on-one conversation, Wright has outlined specific processes that don’t just give instructions, but allow for freedom, for employees finding their own rhythm, as well. For example, each CSR and estimator at her shop receives a call script that is rewritten as they make and answer phone calls.

In fact, Wright will sit with them while they converse with customers and provide on-the-spot notes.

“They say it’s intimidating in the beginning,” Wright says. “You can be nervous, but you have to get it to where it’s natural, no matter who’s around.

And that trains them to be confident.”

STAGE 4:

EXECUTIVE LEADER Listen on Every Level

When you work for a nearly 500-location, $2 billion collision repair giant, who do you turn to as a technician, as an estimator, as a leader when you need to voice a concern?

Just “Ask Ann.” Executive vice president Tim Adelmann says that’s actually the name of a segment during ABRA Auto Body &

Glass’s “town hall meetings.” As executives provide monthly updates on the state of the company, employees are allowed to ask CEO Ann Fandozzi any questions or voice their opinions about any issue.

“If you ask somebody what’s important to them, that helps with employee retention,” Adelmann says. “If it’s important to our people, we’ll do it.”

While being an executive leader removes you from employees, it’s important to stay in tune with what’s retaining confidence in your leadership. By effect of those town hall meetings, Adelmann says ABRA has made simple tweaks, such as paying employees every week as opposed to every two weeks, and huge changes, such as boring 100 percent of an increase in healthcare premiums.

In addition, ABRA hosts annual performance reviews. Going through a regimented process, ABRA executive leadership hosts quarterly conversations with leaders in various markets of its national operation.

“At the shop level, we ensure quality,” Adelmann says. “What barriers are you having? How do you drive quality in your everyday work? Our senior leadership teams [in various markets] make a presentation on opportunities, what they’re working on.

It’s been a breakthrough for opening communications with people.

“Ensuring that leadership is sound on every level is important for retention. If you’re employer of choice and have best and brightest, then you have the best repairs and everyone trusts you.”

Inside ABRA’s Executive Leadership ABRA is so committed to developing leaders that it has dedicated a title to it: chief people officer. On CollisionCast, ABRA’s CPO, Carmen Thiede, discussed how ABRA structures its leadership training program. Listen at fenderbender.com/AbraLeadership.

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 41

Building an Empire

Tom Tylka, who has five locations, says that a successful business requires both long-term planning and quick decisions.

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BY MELISSA STEINKEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN CASTERLINE

FIND OUT HOW TO GROW A SHOP FROM ONE LOCATION INTO FIVE WHILE KEEPING A FAMILYORIENTED CULTURE

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 43

PROFILE

BUILD A WINNING CULTURE

TRANSPARENCY, COMPASSION AND PREDICTABILITY. Andy Tylka says no matter how big the business he and his father run gets, they never want to lose sight of those three principles.

Tom Tylka came to the collision industry after working for an engineering firm that was on the verge of bankruptcy. He first stepped into leadership as the plant foreman and worked double shifts to learn more about leading others, he says. When he came to the collision repair industry, Tylka immediately joined a 20 Group to learn more about managing a business with multiple locations.

Due to Tylka’s follow-through on his plans, he was able to form a relationship with the bank and show that he had a prevalent business in the community. His wife, who works on the shop’s books and accounts, often went in and the tellers knew her by name, he says.

“Every time I went to open up a new shop, I’d call the same person at the People’s Bank of Munster, Indiana,” Tylka says.

He opened his shop, Tom & Ed’s Auto Body, in 1983 and, since then, has learned that running a successful business requires both spur-of-the-moment decisions and long-term planning.

Within eight years, Tylka expanded his shop from one location into three locations.

The catalyst for even faster growth took place when Tylka’s son, Andy, joined the business. Andy came to the shop with a college education in business from the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and helped expand the shop by two more locations.

While Tom & Ed’s Auto Body grew quickly, one key to the success was maintaining a uniformed company culture.

And, the growth has not been due to luck, Tylka says.

The Tylkas focused on building a shop culture in this time through offering employee incentives, following strict procedures and taking opportunities to bring in more work for staff.

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TOM & ED’S AUTO BODY OWNER:

TOM TYLKA LOCATIONS:

5 LOCATIONS IN INDIANA AVERAGE SQUARE FEET OF A LOCATION:

10,000 SQUARE FEET STAFF:

OVER 50 EMPLOYEES (TOTAL) AVERAGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT PER LOCATION:

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ANNUAL REVENUE:

$9 MILLION (COMBINED)

Motivate Employees

While the shop transitioned and grew, Tylka needed to provide incentives for staff to stay on board. So, he offers employee benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans and even an added bonus for long-time staff. If an employee has been at the shop for 10 years, the employee is able to pick anywhere in the U.S. they want to go for a weekend vacation, paid for by the company.

Not only does Tylka motivate the

staff through benefits, he encourages a team culture that shows honesty and revolves around downright good relationships, as well.

If a customer walked into the shop unhappy with a repair, Tylka had his staff apologize and accept the mistake—no skirting around the issue.

This strategy has kept customer referrals flowing and repeat customers walking in the door.

In fact, Tylka still recognizes cus-

A Positive Environment

One key to success for Tom & Ed’s Auto Body has been the company culture Tom Tylka has created with his staff.

tomers when they walk in the door.

Tylka says it was essential during expansion to not just treat the staff as a number, but to also value them as a person.

“I had never heard an individual say anything negative about treating the staff like family,” Andy says.

Focus on Routine Training

To stay profitable and still outfit each new location with roughly $500,000 in new equipment and tools, Tylka turned the Merrillville location into a training center for new employees. The planning for each new location started a year in advance and the shop made sure to not buy an old body shop location that produced less than $2 million in annual revenue.

The numbers at the shop were sometimes skewed due to overstaffing but Tylka says this process ultimately assisted the staff to run operations uniformly across each store.

In order to grow successfully from one shop to multiple locations, another necessary step is to conduct frequent meetings, Tylka says. These meetings happen monthly and quarterly, he says.

Typically, the location managers and upper management attend the meetings but if a new shop worker needs to learn a process, they will also attend the meetings. An experienced worker at the company will attend the meeting with the new hire and then plan and execute a training period for the hire.

At each meeting, Tylka goes over the numbers with the team and discusses improvements. One important topic that is constantly emphasized and taught is how to achieve a high closing ratio.

“No job is done without following a back procedure and SOPs,” Tylka says.

At the management level, Andy says he was able to drive more growth by keeping records of each expansion.

Each record of contractor information, contracts, building design and checklists was stored through the cloud in Microsoft OneDrive, he says. The record keeping included photos to reference at every stage.

“Of course you want to document your success, but you also want to document education,” Andy says.

Andy says through the process of rebuilding and expanding, he has learned that it is critical for him to October 2018 | fenderbender.com 45

PROFILE

BUILD A WINNING CULTURE

Keeping Staff Happy

To build his shop’s culture, Tom Tylka (left) incentivizes his employees and finds ways to bring new work in.

Making Connections Tom and Debbie Tylka have formed a personal relationship with a local bank, which has helped with expansion.

have documentation such as pictures to fall back on if there are any questions.

The expansion was a chance for each location manager and staff to treat their locations like they own it, he says.

Take Opportunities For More Work

No opportunity is lost to Tylka. Ten years ago, he created his own towing company in order to work with the insurance companies and really 46 fenderbender.com | October 2018

make Tom & Ed’s Auto Body a “onestop shop,” he says. Roughly 7–10 percent of the shop’s business comes from towing in new customers, offering them an estimate for the repair immediately and finding a way to repair their vehicle. If one location is full, the shop will transport the work to another.

By forming relationships with other business owners and taking part in financial 20 Groups, Tylka was able to master the learning curve.

Yet, the shop still prioritizes local vendors to do business with and not just the vendors with the highest discounts, Andy says.

Tylka first joined AkzoNobel’s business groups in the 1980s. Today, the shop still attends AkzoNobel 20 Group meetings after jumping between a few paint companies and creating even more connections.

Not only do community relationships benefit the shop’s reputation, Tylka was also able to keep getting work during periods where the shop expanded and was stretched tight, he says.

Today, roughly 40 percent of the shop’s referral work comes from dealerships.

The shop has partnered with six dealers in the area.

And, partnerships have helped Tylka tackle the obstacle of finding new locations with more visibility to customers.

In order to find available properties, Tylka kept making regular phone calls to his paint distributor at least twice per week, in the event that the paint company had heard of a possible available location.

Superior Coatings.

Outstanding Performance.

That’s what we do.

Visit us at SEMA 2018 to learn how Axalta can help you exceed your customers’ expectations. Stop by our booth to see sketch battles, demonstrations and a fine art reveal by “Impossibly Real” artist Peter Maier.

Your Passion. Our Coatings. axalta.us/sema2018 Booth #22391

Copyright © 2018 Axalta Coating Systems, LLC and all affiliates. All rights reserved.

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 47

48 fenderbender.com | October 2018

FENDERBENDER 'S

PREVIEW A GUIDE TO THE COLLISION REPAIR INDUSTRY'S BIGGEST EVENT

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WHAT'S INSIDE

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Surviving SEMA

FE ATURED BOOTH

SEMA SHOWCASE

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Map

From Oct. 30 through Nov. 2, Las Vegas will welcome members of the collision repair industry for the 2018 SEMA Show, the largest gathering of small businesses in the U.S. and one of the leading automotive trade events in the world.

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With more than 160,000 attendees and well over 2,000 exhibitors, the event offers a rare opportunity to connect with fellow business owners, as well as check out new products and offerings.

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While the event is extremely beneficial, it can also be overwhelming—especially for first-timers. Because of this, FenderBender put together a guide for navigating the show and making the most out of your SEMA experience.

From tips from industry insiders to can’t-miss events, this is FenderBender’s exclusive guide to the 2018 SEMA Show.

Mike Anderson’s SEMA Tips

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Networking 101 Events Schedule

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Training and Educational Sessions

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Equipment Purchasing Strategies

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New Products Showcase

Entering the largest gathering of small businesses in the U.S. is not for the faint of heart.

That’s why doing research ahead of the show and planning out your time is essential.

Inside, you’ll find a list of key companies to visit, as well as where they’re located and what you can expect to find when you visit the booths.

Before you head to Las Vegas, take time to read up on each of the featured booths and plan on which ones you’d like to visit. When you get on the floor and see the scope of the show, you’ll be happy you did.

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Resource Guide

SHOW PREVIEW

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SURVIVING SEMA WITH DECADES OF SEMA SHOWS UNDER HIS BELT, PETER MACGILLIVRAY HAS LEARNED THE BEST WAY TO NAVIGATE THE EVENT Peter MacGillivray, the current VP of events and communication at SEMA, has attended the show in one capacity or another since 1987.

For close to 20 years, he’s worked to put the show together and has seen its evolution to the global event that it’s become.

In his current position, MacGillivray oversees the sales of the show and works with the operations department leading up to the show.

“My job is to create a marketplace,” MacGillivray says. “Throughout the year, we work on creating that buyer experience.”

MacGillivray has picked up a plethora of insider tips along the way for surviving SEMA.

PETER MACGILLIVRAY: VP OF EVENTS AND COMMUNICATION AT SEMA

AS TOLD TO TESS COLLINS

BE SURE TO REGISTER AHEAD OF TIME AND BOOK YOUR HOTEL THROUGH THE OFFICIAL SHOW WEBSITE.

THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF RESOURCES ONLINE AND THAT WE SEND OUT IN ADVANCE.

We have the lowest prices with the best cancellation rates. It may seem like some other options are cheaper, but they add on hidden fees.

If you wait until the show to register, you’ll have to wait in line. We try to keep it to a half hour or less, but a half hour is still a half hour and when you’re at the show, that’s precious time. If you register by October 12, your badges will be mailed to you, so you won’t have to waste time picking them up.

The first time you see the exhibitor list should not be when you show up. Look at the online floor plan and be sure to download the mobile app. The mobile app will send updates or any urgent notices, such as cancellations.

The mobile app allows you to make an itinerary within it to keep you as efficient as possible. I would advise coming up with an itinerary that includes educational settings, networking events and specific booths you want to check out—both companies that you currently work with and new ones.

WE KNOW THAT THE HAPPIEST EXHIBITORS AND THE ATTENDEES ARE THE ONES THAT PREPARE IN ADVANCE.

Before you leave, look at the floor plan and make a list of the companies that you want to see. Try and set up appointments in advance.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t leave yourself time to wander, but you want to make sure you get the most out of your time and hit the ground running.

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SHOW PREVIEW

CARVE OUT A LITTLE EXTRA TIME IN THE MORNING.

While we try and make security as efficient as possible, it will slow you down getting in.

I wouldn’t suggest taking any oversized backpacks or duffel bags, as those will need to be checked and slow you down getting into the show. Familiarize yourself

with the tram (the monorail system that runs through Las Vegas), the shuttle buses that run back and forth and the Lyft and Uber pick-up and drop-off zones. Because of the construction, there will not be a lot of parking available so I suggest taking public transportation. Find out what your hotel offers as transportation ahead of time. If you book a hotel that doesn’t have transportation—I believe 48 of them do— you may have a hard time getting to the show.

IF YOU’RE TRAVELING WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE FROM YOUR COMPANY, SPLIT UP.

You can meet back up for lunch or after the show to compare notes. The show is so widespread that no one person can cover it in four days.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE NEW PRODUCTS SHOWCASE.

It features all of the new products in one

RESOURCES For more help navigating SEMA, check out these helpful resources: SEMA website (register here): semashow.com Book a hotel through SEMA: semashow.com/ travel-and-lodging Ground transportation information: semashow.com/ ground-transportation SEMA strategy guide: semashow.com/semashow-strategy-guide Frequently asked questions: semashow.com/ faqs

WI-FI CONSIDERATIONS Wi-Fi is free in the common areas, including the lobbies and meeting rooms.

Learn at SEMA While you're at the show, check out the multitude of different educational sessions available.

Upgrades are available for $14.99 per day, but that is confined to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

area. It’s a great way to see really diverse products in a short amount of time. The show is too big for you to see everything— The New Products Showcase is a great snapshot of everything.

COURTESY OF PETER MACGILLIVRAY; SEMADIGITAL

THE EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS ALSO TOP MY LIST OF THINGS TO DO AT THE SHOW.

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists has done a great job collaborating with SEMA and developing great programs.

Those sessions are great touchpoints to network. Most of the education sessions take place before or after show hours or during lunch.

DON’T TREAT THIS LIKE A FISHING TRIP.

What I mean is, don’t fall into a comfortable place where you only see the people you know. Take it seriously and go with two or three goals. You’ll miss the value of it if you treat it like you’re just going for a car show.

SHOW PREVIEW

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SHOW PREVIEW

WESTGATE

FIRST-TIME & FEATURED EXHIBITORS

NORTH HALL

RESTYLING & CAR CARE ACCESSORIES MOBILE ELECTRONICS & TECHNOLOGY COLLISION REPAIR & REFINISH TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

CENTRAL HALL

RACING & PERFORMANCE HOT ROD ALLEY RESTORATIONMARKETPLACE FIRST-TIME & FEATURED EXHIBITORS

SOUTH HALL UPPER

TRUCKS,SUVs & OFF-ROAD POWERSPORTS & UTILITY VEHICLES BUSINESS SERVICES FIRST-TIME & FEATURED EXHIBITORS SOUTH HALL LOWER

GLOBAL TIRE EXPO WHEELS & ACCESSORIES

PERFORMANCE PAVILION

FIRST-TIME & FEATURED EXHIBITORS

SHOW PREVIEW

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FE ATURED BOOTH

SEMA SHOWCASE

For more information on improving your shop efficiency, please visit carbeat.com

Visit SEMA booth #25163 for a demonstration!

363AN Carbeat_Advert 2x2inch_US.indd 1

22/08/2018 13:07

AKZONOBEL CENTR AL HALL RACING AND PERFORMANCE SECTION BOOTH 25163, RIG 61014

APOLLO SPRAYERS INTERNATIONAL INC. NORTH HALL, BOOTH 10884

AkzoNobel has a passion for paint. We’re experts in the proud craft of making paints and coatings, setting the standard in color and protection since 1792. Our worldclass portfolio of brands in North America include–Sikkens, Lesonal, Wanda, Modern Classikk, Sikkens Autocoat BT, U-TECH and Sign Finishes. Headquartered in the Netherlands, we operate in over 80 countries and employ around 35,000 talented people who are passionate about delivering the high-performance products and services our customers expect.

Spray Your Way To BIG SAVINGS & Increased Thru-put With Apollo’s Advanced Line Of TrueHVLP™ Maxi-Miser® Spray Systems & Spray Guns.

For decades, AkzoNobel has been providing customers with the right colors, helping to enable perfect repairs. AkzoNobel has been developing the industry’s leading digital color techniques and technologies, and continuously reinventing for the future. Building on the advanced digital tools Automatchic™ and MIXIT™, AkzoNobel offers a color tool portfolio that harnesses the power of digital color technology, to help shops achieve measurable improvements to their businesses, delivering greater accuracy, greater efficiency and ultimately, greater profitability.

Featured products in 2018 include the TWIN-TURBO HVLP Maxi-Miser® 3000 and portable 2000 painting systems plus “The AtomiZer®” A7600 HVLP Turbo & Compressed Air spray gun. These products, like the rest of the Apollo line, are proudly Made in the USA and designed with professional body shops in mind. Apollo’s long history of innovative product design is why these products produce 80-90% transfer efficiency and deliver over 40% paint savings due a significant reduction in overspray.

Users are amazed at how easy the system is to use and obtain beautiful finish results with solvent or waterborne Basecoats, Metallics and Clears. Apollo’s patented technology and advanced designs in the 3000 / 2000 and A7600 provide outstanding performance in any altitude, temperature and high humidity conditions.

For shops needing help with controlling workflow, AkzoNobel offers Carbeat™, which is exclusively available to AkzoNobel customers. It follows the principles of the AkzoNobel proprietary Process Centered Environment, a program initiated to help increase body shop efficiency and growth.

Carbeat is a digital process control solution that helps improve communication and production efficiency. Carbeat users benefit through process transparency, robust analytics, empowerment and engagement, flexibility and simplicity for business operations.

AkzoNobel is excited to showcase its products, services and digital color tools at SEMA, booth #25163 and at a rig outside of central hall. SEMA attendees will have the opportunity to demonstrate Carbeat, MIXIT and Automatchic as well as see some incredible vehicles in the booth! In addition, Dave Kindig will be signing autographs, so be sure to stop by! For more information about AkzoNobel, please visit akzonobel.com

56 fenderbender.com SHOW PREVIEW | September 2018

Apollo Sprayers International, Inc., a USA based leader in manufacturing HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) spray systems will be showcasing their state-of-the-art automotive, marine and aviation spray painting systems at the SEMA Show, October 30th - November 2nd in the Las Vegas Convention Center, North Hall, Booth 10884.

About Apollo Sprayers For over 50 years Apollo Sprayers International, Inc. has been the leading innovator and manufacturer of TrueHVLP™ spray guns and turbine spray painting systems.

Apollo’s line of premium products benefit the industrial and professional automotive market while continuously winning awards for efficiency, ecologically sound technology and performance. For more information visit our website at maxi-miser.com

AUTEL SEMA SOUTH HALL, BOOTH 43263 A APE X , BOOTH 1467 Autel provides Collision Repair Ready scan tools at the price you need. The Autel MD808P and MX808 are our most affordable, advanced service tools.

Both feature AutoSCAN for all modules in all systems. The MX808 can also AutoVIN vehicles 2006+ and create printable diagnostic reports. These tools are a great value, equipped with the most in-demand service functions.

The Autel MS906TS is Autel's first bidirectional scanner capable of generating diagnostic reports for insurance carrier submission. Our advanced, collision repair-ready software includes a single Pre-SCAN/Post-SCAN button, initiating an AutoSCAN test on all modules. This information is then made into a detailed, shop-branded Pre-SCAN report, used to help expedite insurer-approved repair estimates and create an efficient repair plan. After repairs are complete, a second AutoSCAN then creates a Post-SCAN report, ensuring no DTCs are present and the vehicle is safe to return to the driver. This scan feature also includes ADAS identification to pinpoint modules requiring calibration. The new Autel MaxiSYS ADAS Calibration Tool Package provides accurate calibration procedures for camera, radar and night vision based driver assist systems. The power adjustable calibration frame and interchangeable targets are ideal for collision repair, wheel alignment, glass replacement and specialty repair shops.

The MS906TS and new MS908ADAS tablets offer OE-level coverage, bidirectional diagnostics, and service functions technicians depend on for everyday repairs. Visit Autel at SEMA for more info and AAPEX, to demo the new tools with our sales teams! autel.com MaxiTPMS.com

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF SEMA INDUSTRY SUPERSTAR MIKE ANDERSON SHARES HIS TIPS FOR NAVIGATING SEMA

BY TESS COLLINS

Mike Anderson, industry superstar and owner and founder of Collision Advice, has gone to SEMA for years, and, throughout that time, has learned a thing or two. Anderson shares what he does during the show (both on and off the showroom floor) and his tips for making the most of the experience.

WHAT IS THE ONE THING THAT SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER BEEN TO SEMA SHOULD DO BEFORE THE SHOW?

Download the app and plot out all of their must-see vendors and classes. If you don’t do this, you will get side tracked by all of the eye candy and you will leave with regrets not having met with the vendors you wished to see or attended the training you wanted to see.

COURTESY OF MIKE ANDERSON; SEMA

WHAT PIECES OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A FIRST-TIME ATTENDEE?

Gosh, I think it would be the same as what I said before: Truly go there with a plan in mind of what you want to see and who you want to see. Also, while Vegas offers so many options for after-hours entertainment—and you always want to have fun—make sure that you don’t allow the fun to distract you from the reason why you are attending SEMA, which is to see vendors and attend the awesome training opportunities.

Also, wear comfortable walking shoes.

Make a list of the vendors you want to go back and see. Take photos of their booth or space number or set up an Outlook reminder so you don’t miss classes. Another thing is arrive early and attend the Collision Industry Conference prior to SEMA. Last but not least, remember cab lines are long, so just be patient or try and hook up with someone to share a cab ride. Get out of your comfort zone and meet someone new.

And P.S.: Stop by my class and say hello!

IF SOMEONE HAS A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME AT THE SHOW, WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE THINGS THEY SHOULD BE SURE TO DO?

Find one or two classes to take, visit with the OEMs at their booths and, lastly, just download the app and pick five specific vendors you want to meet with or learn about and go directly to their booths to ensure you don’t get sidetracked.

WHAT TOPS YOUR LIST THIS YEAR FOR THINGS TO CHECK OUT?

I always want to do a few things while I am at SEMA: 1. Visit with old friends I have not seen in a while.

2. Make some new friends.

3. Attend training classes myself. While I am honored to be able to share my passion and insight with so many people, sometimes I also need to learn and I use SEMA as my chance and opportunity to listen to other great speakers and keep myself current and up to date as well. So, I attend as much training as I can.

4. Visit vendors that I’m interested in. I make a list of vendors that sound interesting to me and then I make myself go and see those vendors first. If there’s any time left over, I walk the aisles to see what might be the latest and greatest.

5. Lastly, I always want to make sure if the OEMs are present, I go to their booths or space and see what is new with the OEMs in regard to repair procedures, new vehicle technology, etc.

OUTSIDE OF THE ACTUAL SHOW, WHAT'S ONE FUN THING YOU WOULD RECOMMEND DOING WHILE IN VEGAS?

Well, gosh, there’s so much to do: gambling (I am not much of a gambler, although I will play some penny slots), attending the shows, good restaurants.

I think my favorite thing is a good meal somewhere and then to catch something musical. I love a great concert or a musical production like “Jersey Boys.” I also know George Wallace is at the Westgate this year. I have seen him twice and he is awesome. So, make time to see George.

SHOW PREVIEW

57

FE ATURED BOOTH

SEMA SHOWCASE

AXALTA

BASF

CAR-O-LINER

CENTR AL HALL, BOOTH 22391

CENTR AL HALL, BOOTH 20353

NORTH HALL, BOOTH 10839

Your Passion. Our Coatings.

When you’re passionate about what you do, not just any paint will do. Because your business depends on the quality of your work, Axalta Coating Systems is dedicated to providing you with the right coatings, and the color matching and service support you need to get the results you want. That’s why Axalta makes the transition to waterborne easy.

Four and Four A Chip Foose original 1957 Chevy convertible, a Goolsby Customs 1974 Plymouth Duster, a Roadster Shop 1970 Chevy Camaro, and a Kilkeary 1956 Pontiac convertible are set to unveil at SEMA 2018 in BASF booth #20353.

Car-O-Liner is the leading global provider of high-quality, technologically-advanced collision repair equipment to the automotive aftermarket. For more than 40 years, we have supplied the industry with innovative solutions, technical development, training, and customer support. We are dedicated to creating substantial value that enables our customers to improve their operations.

The Axalta waterborne offering is designed to meet a variety of shop needs. Whether you are looking for a waterborne basecoat that complies with low VOC regulations, but uses the same coat-flash application process you currently use—or want to move to a waterborne basecoat that covers in 1.5 coats for improved cycle time—Axalta has you covered.

When you partner with Axalta, your shop will benefit from over 150 years of experience developing, manufacturing, and applying the most advanced coatings in the industry. Partnering with Axalta also means having access to our state of the art training that has been developed to boost the skill set of your team, eliminating waste and reducing shop costs.

Visit Axalta at SEMA 2018 to learn about the benefits of partnering with Axalta.

While you’re there, check-out pinstriping demonstrations, lively sketch battles, airbrushing and the exclusive unveiling of Peter Maier’s latest piece, “Nevermore”, created entirely with paints from Axalta Coating Systems. axalta.us/SEMA2018

World-class builds finished with best-inclass products, combined with the four components of our market-leading Vision+ Solutions will highlight the Power of BASF. The Vision+ Suite of customizable solutions supports growth, productivity, and profitability in collision centers by providing the right solutions at the right time to deliver optimal performance.

Vision+ Expert Analysis provides unique industry insights from the market data level down to individual shop analytics, and platforms to discuss the data like BASF’s one-of-a-kind Performance Groups. We also provide our customers unparalleled access to OEM data, repair procedures, and exclusive trainings through our market-leading, global OEM approvals and relationships.

Vision+ Operational Solutions engages every area of the collision center from advertising through our digital marketing services to the entire back-end of the shop with Advanced Process Solutions down to improving paint room efficiency with Refinish Solutions.

Vision+ Color Innovation offers the best color resources on the market like SmartTRAK, which keeps the mixing room up-to-date on the latest color formulas and Color Ideation, an opportunity for professional and amateur car builders to work with BASF color experts to create a custom color for their build.

Vision+ Educational Expertise constantly innovates the highest quality, most relevant training for BASF customers online, in the lab, and in the classroom. Certification courses allow refinish technicians to stay updated on the latest products and equipment, while reducing time out of the shop. Specialty OEM courses are available too, increasing BASF technicians’ unique skills, making them indispensable in the future of refinish. basfrefinish.com

58 fenderbender.com SHOW PREVIEW | September 2018

Car-O-Liner leads the industry in OEM approvals and is proud to have close partnerships with Original Equipment Manufacturers worldwide, making us unique in the industry.

Car-O-Liner is proud to be affiliated with and support many industry organizations, including I-CAR, NABC, SCRS, CIC, CREF, and WIN. We also support Skills USA and Skills Canada.

Since the release of Car-O-Liner’s very first alignment bench and mechanical measuring system in 1973, we continue to pursue excellence in collision repair equipment.

Today our offering covers complete collision repair systems, including measuring and diagnostic systems, vehicle data, alignment bench systems, anchoring and holding systems, welding and induction heating systems and workshop organization/ inventory control systems.

All of our systems and solutions are well known for their high quality, advanced technology and ergonomic design. By integrating our solutions with each other you will not only get a flexible, universal collision repair system but will also be able to support the entire vehicle repair process, thereby reducing cycle times and increasing performance and profits.If you are looking for complete product solutions, a strong distribution network, a company that is committed to training, and products that are OEM certified, contact Car-O-Liner today at CAR-O-LINER.com to Learn More and Request a Demo.

AMP UP YOUR NETWORKING A GUIDE TO MAKING THE MOST OF SEMA’S AFTER-HOUR EVENTS

BY TESS COLLINS

Walking into a room where you don’t know anyone can be intimidating. The thought of approaching a group of people mid-conversation can bring anxiety to even the most confident of people. So, if you’re nervous, take comfort in the fact that you are not alone with that anxiety.

However, don’t let that fear cripple you. Your SEMA experience will not be complete without attending the many networking events that are available to you. Not only will you have fun and meet new people who share similar interests, you’ll also create a support system of colleagues that can help you solve future or current problems you may be facing within your shop. Susan RoAne, keynote speaker and author of How to Work a Room and Secrets of Savvy Networking, shares a few tips for making a good impression at SEMA, or any other networking events you may have coming up.

UNSPLASH

Do your research.

Before heading out to SEMA, RoAne suggests reading all the information that’s available to you and planning out your schedule ahead of time.

Find out what events you have access to and what you’re really interested in attending. Certain events are not open to the general public or require you to pay for admission, which is something that you’ll need to keep in mind.

Say “yes” and show up.

Don’t give yourself an excuse not to show up.

“Don’t say, ‘I’m too tired,’” RoAne says.

“This is a mega opportunity. It’s really easy if you’re an introvert to prevent yourself from meeting people.”

You’re more alike than you know.

One way to make entering a room alone less intimidating is to remember that you all share something in common—you’re all in the collision repair industry, RoAne says.

“You know a lot about what other people want to know,” RoAne says. “Being around colleagues is so important because that’s where we learn from other people that have done things that have and haven’t worked.”

Find a way in.

RoAne suggests looking for the most animated group when you walk into a room and standing in their peripheral. When someone looks at you, step in and continue on with their conversation.

Remember: You’re an invited guest; do not change the conversation.

If nobody has looked at you within five minutes, move on to another group.

Another way that works is to simply walk up and say, “Do you mind if I join you?” during a lull in the conversation.

Don’t disparage small talk.

Although many people despise small talk, it’s those little things that we learn about each other that help us build relationships, says RoAne. RoAne suggests reading the newspaper and brushing up on current events before going.

Know what’s going on with sports; SEMA is typically during the baseball playoffs, so get to know the teams that are in it. Find a couple of movies that are coming out that you can talk about.

Pay attention to the little details.

The way you treat people and the way you present yourself can have a major impact.

Something that can make a huge difference in how people perceive you is how you treat the people who are accompanying others, such as a date or a spouse, RoAne says.

“If you make a spouse feel unimportant, you cut off your nose to spite your face,” RoAne says.

Another thing to remember is to pack the right clothes. You should dress business casual, says RoAne. Leave the shorts and t-shirt at home.

Follow-up is key.

If you meet a lot of people at the event and don’t follow up, none of it will matter because you won’t have a relationship, says RoAne. “When you get a business card, take a moment and write a mnemonic device to help you remember who the person is. Oh yeah, that’s the person whose son went to the same school that my daughter sent to,” RoAne says.

Another way? Take a selfie.

“Once you’re done speaking with someone say, ‘Hey, let’s take a picture together,’” RoAne says. “Once you’ve taken the picture, you can text them the picture saying it was nice to meet them.”

RoAne says to get in touch 3–5 days. If you’ve written a mnemonic device, you should have an easy time remembering exactly with whom you spoke.

SHOW PREVIEW

59

NETWORKING EVENTS Make the most of where you are and attend as many networking opportunities as possible while at SEMA. Before heading to the show, check out the event schedule and carve out some time for the ones you think will be most beneficial. Unless otherwise noted, registration and possibly a fee are required. Visit semashow.com/sema-show-special-events-0 for a full list of events and to register.

WEDNESDAY

10/31

4-5 PM

Brew Talks

LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER, SEMA CENTRAL

Enjoy entertaining conversations with personalities from the automotive, music, and business world, over a drink. Cash bar.

* = No tickets required

THURSDAY MONDAY 11:30 AM-1 PM WESTGATE RESORT & CASINO

10/29 6-10 PM

SEMA Launch Pad The Next Great Business: Entrepreneurs Pitch Their Ideas

WESTGATE, GARDEN PATIO & PARADISE EVENT CENTER

A business competition where entrepreneurs, inventors and innovators under 40 market a new product or service. During the event, 10 finalists will compete in front of judges to show why their product is the best.

2-3 PM LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER, ACES RESTAURANT

3:30-5 PM LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER, N264

5-6 PM LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER, N234

Wheel & Tire Council General Membership Meeting

9 PM-12 AM

Join the Wheel & Tire Council (WTC) to learn about the benefits and resources available to WTIC members over drinks.

WESTGATE LAS VEGAS RESORT & CASINO, SK Y VILLA SUITE

Gear-Up Girl Networking Event, Powered by SEMA Businesswoman’s Network

11/1

SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet Held annually, this is the industry’s single largest gala. It is attended by nearly 3,000 professionals, supporters and celebrities within the industry. This year’s event will feature a networking cocktail hour, dinner and entertainment. The program will include the announcement of the SEMA Person of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, WD of the Year, Rep Agency of the Year, Gen-III Innovator of the Year and tributes to this year’s SEMA Hall of Fame inductees: Donnie Eatherly, Ed Pink and Cris Thomson.

SCRS’ Repairer Driven Education Sky Villa After Party This after-hours event will allow you to network with some of the collision industry’s most influential leaders and educators.

Register here: bit.ly/SCRSskyparty

Gear-up Girl is designed to connect female students with female professionals.

FRIDAY

YEN-General Membership Meeting & Mixer

4 PM

SEMA Cruise *

LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER, SILVER DRIVE/RED ROAD

After the show ends, the annual SEMA cruise begins. The parade of cars is a great way to cap off the event.

3-10 PM

SEMA Ignited

LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER, PLATINUM LOT

The event will give consumers access to customized vehicles from the 2018 SEMA Show as well as the opportunity to collect and share images of hundreds of customized vehicles. The event will include food trucks, music, entertainment, drifting, automotive celebrities, builders and more.

The Young Executive Network (YEN) will host fellow YENsters and also serves as an opportunity for non-members to mingle with the network and learn about the benefits of joining.

TUESDAY

10/30

11/2

7:30-9 AM

New Products Breakfast

WESTGATE LAS VEGAS CASINO & HOTEL, PARADISE EVENT CENTER

The winners of SEMA’s annual New Products Awards competition will be announced.

4-5 PM

Brew Talks

8-9 AM

Cars & Coffee *

LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER, N258

Enjoy entertaining conversations with personalities from the automotive, music, and business world over a drink. Cash bar.

WESTGATE LAS VEGAS CASINO & HOTEL, SOUTH PATIO

Each morning of the show, attendees can kick off their day by checking out some vehicles and mingling with colleagues. No tickets required.

60

SHOW PREVIEW

TUESDAY-FRIDAY

10/30-11/2

Reliable Automotive Equipment “The Right Way” Approved!

Your Aluminum Dent Repair Specialists

• Superior customer service for over 30 years • New technology support • The RIGHT resources to repair vehicles to OEM specifications InvertaSpot GT

Fully automatic spot welder

FlexiTherm

Multi-Heating Pad System

Time Saving, OEM Programs (pre installed) and easy to use.

X-Press 800 Rivet Gun

Approved for:

- Cadillac CT6 - Mercedes-Benz - Tesla - Porsche

Each with their own respective set of dyes and attachments.

800-328-7855 raeservice.com

EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS MONDAY

TUESDAY

10/29 8-9 AM

8AM

KEYNOTE: Tools & Insight to Build a Better Business Upper North Hall, N258

8 AM-12 PM

Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot Welding Upper North Hall, Room N238 Automotive Foams Upper North Hall, Room N240

9AM

10AM

10/30

10-11 AM

10-11:30 AM

Controlling Your Healthcare Cost Over the Next 2 Years Upper North Hall, N253

Effectively Dealing with Online and Other Discounting: A Panel Discussion Upper North Hall, N252

10-11AM 10:15-11:15 AM Keep on Track with the IRS Upper North Hall, N254

11AM

Addressing Forbidden Topics to Get Back to Work Upper North Hall, N253 Get More from the Investment You Have in Your Business Upper North Hall, N252

The Art and Science of Estimator Interactions Las Vegas Convention Center, Upper North Hall, Room N238 (Cost: $125) Plastic and Composite Repair Upper North Hall, Room N240

11:15 AM -12:15 PM

12PM

Using Online Persuasion—Convert Visitors to Customer Upper North Hall, N256

9:30-11:30 AM Auto Body Growth Hacks Upper North Hall, Room N233 Preparing for Negotiations Upper North Hall, Room N237 Understanding Shop Liability in this New Era of Diagnostics, Calibrations and Programming Upper North Hall, Room N 241

12:30-2:30 PM

1PM

1-2:30 PM

1-2 PM

1-3 PM

1-2PM

New Technologies, New Opportunities: Vehicle Technology Roundtable Upper North Hall, N258

Owning an Automotive Franchise Upper North Hall, N256

SEMA Show Student Program: Career Day Westgate, Paradise Event Center

Which is Worth More: Your Expertise or Your Time?

Upper North Hall, N253

2PM

Trends & Tech Tools for Finding and Motivating Millennials Upper North Hall, N253

3PM

4PM

5PM

2025 The Millennial TakeoverHow to find, train and pay qualified people Upper North Hall, Room N233 Corrosion Protection: Is your shop ready for the post-repair inspection era?

Upper North Hall, Room N237 Gauges of Your Business: Maximize Profits in Your Collision Shop Upper North Hall, Room N 241

Don’t Overpay Your Taxes Upper North Hall, N256 Success Signals: Body Language in Business Workshop Upper North Hall, N254

Building Your Business to Meet the Direction of the OEM Upper North Hall, Room N237 Facing Increased Complexity and LabilityHow to Protect Your Collision Repair Business Upper North Hall, Room N241

2:30-3:30 PM

3-5 PM

Visually Managed Collision Repair Upper North Hall, Room N233

3-4 PM

3-5 PM

How Artificial Intelligence is Changing the Game for the Automotive Service Business Upper North Hall, N252

The Imperative Accessing and Retaining OEM Repair Information on Every Structurally Repaired Vehicle Upper North Hall, Room N233

4-5 PM KEYNOTE: Make Your Business Run Like Clockwork Upper North Hall, N258

4 Steps to Set Proper and Profitable Labor Rates for Your Individual Shop Upper North Hall, Room N237 Current and Future OEM Styling Trends and the Impact on Refinish Upper North Hall Room N241

2:15-3:15 PM Winning the Innovation Game Upper North Hall, N256 Enthusiast Forums-Step Up Your Social Strategy Upper North Hall, N254 3:30-4:30 PM Artificial Intel: Leveraging Customer Data to Win Upper North Hall, N252

During the SEMA Show, there are numerous offerings that attendees should be sure to take advantage of. Here is a look at some of the classes that are available. Be sure to check out the full list on SEMA’s website.

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

10/31

11/01

8 AM-12 PM

8 AM-12 PM

Corrosion Protection Upper North Hall, Room N238

Adhesive Bonding Upper North Hall, Room N238

Hazardous Materials, Personal and Refinish Safety Upper North Hall, Room N240

FRIDAY

The Art and Science of Estimator Interactions Upper North Hall, Room N240 (Cost $125) 9:30-11:30 AM

Understanding the Cycle Time Process Upper North Hall, Room N238 (Cost: $125)

The Importance of ADAS system resets when performing wheel alignments during the collision repair process, Upper North Hall, Room N233

Measuring Upper North Hall, Room N240

Why You Should Embrace Post Repair Inspections Upper North Hall, Room N237 Leading the OEM Transition Upper North Hall, Room N241 11:15 AM -12:15 PM Build Your Tribe. Cut the Noise. Grow Your Business Upper North Hall, N254

11/02 8 AM-12 PM

9-10:30 AM OEM1: The Rules— and Challenges—of Structural Repair on Modern Vehicle Architecture Upper North Hall, Room N241

11 AM - 12:30 PM OEM2: The Evolution of OEM Network and Expectations Upper North Hall, Room N241

8AM

Understanding the Cycle Time Process Upper North Hall, Room N238 (Cost $125) Steel Unitized Structures Technologies and Repair Upper North Hall, Room N240

9AM

10 AM-12 PM The IDEAS Collide Showcase—Visionary Disruption and Solution in the Collision Repair Industry Upper North Hall, Room N241

11:15 AM -12:15 PM

10AM

11AM

Navigating the Technology Landscape Upper North Hall N254 Intro to Online Marketing Upper North Hall, N256

12PM

12:30-2:30 PM

1-2 PM Defending Against the Data Breach Upper North Hall, N252 Metal Fabrications in Automotive Interiors Upper North Hall, N253 2-3 PM

OEM Repair Procedure Best Practices Upper North Hall, Room N233 You Schedule How? Upper North Hall, Room N237 Damage Assessment Documentation: Key Steps for Maximum Reimbursement Upper North Hall, Room N241

1-5 PM

1-2 PM

Squeeze-Type Resistance Spot Welding Upper North Hall, Room N238

Custom Radar/Laser Detector Installation—A Highly Profitable Category Upper North Hall, N253 Data-Driven Decision Making Upper North Hall, N252

Navigating the World of Import Tariffs Upper North Hall, N256 3-5 PM

3:30-4:30 PM Social Media Branding and Security Upper North Hall, N252

More Than Just a Handshake: The Professional Administrative Documents You Really Need to Operate a Successful Shop Upper North Hall, Room N233 Developing an Effective Digital Marketing Strategy in Collision Repair Upper North Hall, Room N237 Know Your Score Upper North Hall, Room N241

3-5PM

3:30-4:30 PM HR Hacks: Demystify HR for your automotive business Upper North Hall, N252

OEM3: The Future of Telematics, Technology and Transportation and the Collision Industry Upper North Hall, Room 241

FREE TO ATTEND SEMA SESSIONS

1PM

PART OF SCRS RDE SCRS regular session tickets are $75 each on or before Oct. 12, $85 after.

OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit sessions are $75 each on or before Oct. 12, $85 after.

Full Series Pass is $375 before Oct. 12 and $400 after. The Full Series Pass includes one regular session in each available time slot plus the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit Sessions and a ticket to the after-party on Thursday night.

To register for SCRS, call 866-229-3687.

2PM

3PM

I-CAR TRAINING Individuals that take an I-CAR course and successfully complete the post-test, will earn credits toward their I-CAR Gold Class Professionals designation or I-CAR Platinum individual designation requirements.

Unless otherwise noted, all classes are $114 and worth 3 training credit hours.

4PM

OEM COLLISION REPAIR TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT To register for any of these classes, as well as access to the most up-to-date list of educational offerings, visit semashow.com/education.

5PM

FE ATURED BOOTH

SEMA SHOWCASE

CELETTE INC.

DJS FABRICATIONS

EQUIP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.

NORTH HALL, BOOTH 11261

NORTH HALL, BOOTH 10777

WESTGATE, BOOTH 16707

Celette, the First …

DJS Fabrications was founded by Doug Symiczek, a body tech for 25 years. He developed our Universal Dolly system to fill a need to move disabled vehicles in and out of the shops as easily and safely as possible. From there, we expanded to create products that can truly help the auto body technician and shop keep things organized and the work flowing smoothly. Come by booth 10777 located in the North Hall to see our products and see how we at DJS Fabrications can help you and your company work safer and smarter. From Dollies to racks and carts.

We have the tools you need to help your shop run more efficient. Stop by and see how we can help you.

Join Equip Automotive System Inc., at SEMA 2018 as we reveal the latest in collision repair technologies. Explore our awardwinning products and the unveiling of the new Telwin’s Wave OS system and Shark A7. Sign up for our free welder giveaway, watch live demonstrations, and test your welding skills. Get the latest industry news on C.A.F.E. standards and the organizational challenges it will have on the collision repair industry. Learn about Equips on-site programs facility planning, consulting, and O.E.T. training courses/audits.

• Internationally renowned manufacturer of equipment for vehicle control, diagnosis and collision repair.

• Using state of the art technology for quality repairs, highlighting accuracy and reliability. Certified for vehicles, all classes of trucks, trailers, buses, and trains.

• Approved by car manufacturers for the overall efficient, accurate and thorough vehicle repair process.

Easy to use equipment for all levels of technicians.

• R & D team develops and maintains strong relationships with vehicle manufacturers in order to create the perfect equipment for collision repair.

• Worldwide training centers with its very own University of Celette • Celette is a worldwide company with subsidiaries in the United States, Germany, China, India, Italy, Thailand, Japan, and France.

Celette, The First One… Come visit our SEMA booth# 11261 especially to see our new product U.S. debut of the Eagle: 3D laser measurement gun! celette.com

At DJS Fabrications we believe that working smarter is the only way to work.

The goal of every product we produce is to reduce cycle time, increase efficiency and eliminate wasted movement.

DJSfabrications.com

• Wave O.S. interface makes using the Technomig 243 Wave is suitable both for trained and untrained technicians. The color graphic panel enables fast browsing of the programs and easy to read data and welding parameters.

The ability to choose from two settings, EASY and EXPERT, makes the machine flexible and adaptable to a wide range of work environments.

Easy Mode: A quick setup allows user to automatically set parameters by identifying the metals thickness.

Expert Mode: Manual adjustments allow user set welding parameter as needed.

• O.E.T. offers a variety of hands on training courses related to collision center operations including blue printing, panel removal, welding applications and many more. Technicians and management get industry insight on the latest repair techniques and how to approach current industry challenges. O.E.T. audits are available before and once a training course is completed, either to diagnose key issues or to insure new methods are practiced. equipmyshop.com

64 fenderbender.com SHOW PREVIEW | September 2018

TIPS FOR PURCHASING EQUIPMENT PREPARE AHEAD OF THE SHOW TO ENSURE YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR PURCHASE

BY TESS COLLINS

SEMA DIGITAL

With thousands of exhibitor booths to check out, SEMA is the ideal place to get a look at new equipment—and possibly even make some purchases. However, with so many booths to see, the thought of purchasing a piece of equipment can be overwhelming. Rather than making a rash decision or leaving the show with a piece of equipment that you’re not satisfied with, do the necessary research ahead of time and know what to ask during the show to make sure you come away with the perfect purchase.

Rocky Champion, owner of CARSTAR Barrett Collision in Abilene, Texas, is no stranger to purchasing equipment at SEMA. A few years ago, Champion spent roughly $400,000 when he purchased two paint booths, a frame machine and a laser lock dimensional measuring system (among other pieces of equipment). Tim Schmidt, capital equipment & AP sales at Sherwin Williams, has attended over 30 SEMA shows and knows the insider tricks because it’s his role in the company to advise on equipment purchases. Champion and Schmidt share their tips with FenderBender for purchasing equipment at SEMA. Do your research.

Before you get on the floor, it’s essential to do research—both on the pieces of equipment and the companies that you’re interested in.

“If you’re planning on purchasing a spray booth, see who the manufacturers are,” Schmidt says. “Get on SEMA’s website and see the exhibitor list and map out a plan.”

If you’re unsure of what company to go with, Schmidt suggests asking around. Talk to people that have a background with the equipment, such as a local distributor or an existing supplier, like your paint supplier.

Champion took this piece of advice one step further and brought his paint supplier to SEMA with him.

Find value in what you’re buying.

“You need to have a budget going in,” Schmidt says. “Spray booths can be anywhere from $10,000–$100,000. That’s a wide range. You need to figure out what you need the piece of equipment to do and budget accordingly.”

Having a budget doesn’t mean finding the cheapest price, Schmidt warns. Make sure the equipment matches multiple OE

requirements, if you need it to do that, and make sure it will last you for years to come.

“What happens after you buy it? You’ll have this piece of equipment for a long time, you want to make sure you’re being taken care of after the purchase,” Schmidt says.

Schmidt advises finding out what the companies field support is like and whether or not they provide in shop training.

Come prepared.

Champion suggests preparing a list of questions ahead of time.

“Write down questions that you have, because when you’re talking to these guys and you’re negotiating, you get caught up and forget,” Champion says. “Get their cell phone numbers in case you have a follow-up question.”

Schmidt also suggests calling the companies that you want to meet with and scheduling a meeting, if possible. That way, they can make sure there’s someone there at that time that’s available to talk to you.

Don’t be afraid to ask.

“Asking is free,” says Champion when asked about negotiating the best deal.

When Champion bought his paint booth, he had a prep station back at his shop with curtains that were 20 years old.

“They weren’t clear anymore,” Champion says.

So, after talking with the paint booth distributor, Champion mentioned the curtains and asked if he could get a new set.

“They threw the curtains in,” Champion says. “If I hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have gotten them.”

Schmidt agrees and says that nothing is off the table.

“Ask what you can do to get the best pricing,” Schmidt says. “Maybe it’s a cash deal, going through the company’s financing, or maybe they’ll let you know that they’re running a special in a month.”

SHOW PREVIEW

65

“

AT REGAL COLLISION REPAIR, INC. WE ARE PROUD TO BE PART OF THE EQUIP TEAM! THE SERVICE AND TRAINING AFTER THE SALE IS THE BEST I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. THE EQUIPMENT MEETS TODAY’S AS WELL AS FUTURE NEEDS FOR CERTIFIED COLLISION REPAIR SHOPS. IF YOU CARE ABOUT QUALITY, DOCUMENTED REPAIRS, CALL BRIAN GUTIERREZ TO EQUIP YOUR SHOP.

”

— JIM BOYLE, REGAL COLLISION REPAIR, INC. VALLEJO, CA

TECHNOMIG 223 TREO SYNERGIC

AWARD WINNING SMART BENCH

Realizing maximum operational effectiveness without sacrificing repair quality, customer service, or cycle times is the key to greater profitability and a growing business.

Equip Automotive Systems has the expertise to do more than help a shop owner keep its “operational head” above water; we have a track record for achieving greater success, profitability and customer satisfaction.

TECHNOMIG 243 WAVE PLUSE

E Q U I P M Y S H O P. C O M

|

866.362.4400

IS 14000 SMART AUTO SPOT WELDER

FE ATURED BOOTH

SEMA SHOWCASE

ITW EVERCOAT

MITCHELL INTERNATIONAL

PARTSTRADER

NORTH HALL, BOOTH 10627

WESTGATE, BOOTH 16607

WESTGATE, BOOTH 15010

Evercoat is launching an exciting new body filler and putty at SEMA. Introducing Rage OPTEX™ premium body filler and putty with color change technology. OPTEX helps take the guesswork out of the application process.

OPTEX body filler changes color from pink to light green, letting the body shop technician know the repair is properly catalyzed and ready to sand. Properly catalyzed body filler means a better repair with less rework, saving body shops time and money.

Come visit Mitchell’s booth for one-onone discussions, interactive demos, and product trainings on a variety of Mitchell solutions, including Mitchell Cloud Estimating, the industry’s first estimating solution to operate fully in the cloud.

And while demoing Cloud Estimating, you’ll be able to experience how Mitchell’s Integrated Repair Procedures can cut down cycle time and streamline the repair procedures look-up process.

Also available to demo in the booth will be Mitchell Diagnostics, the first comprehensive diagnostic system for the collision industry. Attendees will be able to learn more about the latest update to Mitchell Diagnostics, which includes the MCS-415 targeting and calibration system.

PartsTrader helps repairers improve their margins by creating a competitive marketplace for collision repair parts.

PartsTrader's approach is simple:

Rage OPTEX™ premium body filler and putty: • Changes colors as it dries, indicating when the repair is ready to sand • Spreads easy and virtually eliminates micro-pinholes • Excellent adhesion to steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum, SMC, Fiberglass, and silicon bronze welds • Can be applied directly to sanded OEM clearcoat • Standard 2% mixing ratio using Evercoat cream hardener • Meets 500 hour corrosion resistance (ASTM B117) • Contains patented ECORESIN™ technology for industry-leading sanding properties evercoat.com

Additionally, be one of the first in the industry to get a first-hand look at the fully launched GM Collision Repair Network. This new program strives to improve consumers’ vehicle repair experience by providing them with a list of GM approved repair facilities. In choosing a repair facility that is part of the Collision Repair Network, GM vehicle owners can be confident the repair facility has the right equipment and training to efficiently help deliver proper, safe, quality repairs through the integration of repair procedures, diagnostic data, and repair quality control checks. Repair facilities will be able to apply for this program at the Mitchell booth during SEMA.

Discover more suppliers.

Find suppliers who want to compete for your business.

Order correct the first time.

Increased accuracy in parts orders drives down return rates.

Better margins on parts.

Competitive quotes mean margin improvements without affecting list price.

By adding competitive tension to your local marketplace, you'll find suppliers who want to win your business, providing you with better margins. And, you'll see return rates go down, keeping more money in your pockets.

To learn more about how PartsTrader adds competitive tension to your local marketplace, visit the PartsTrader booth #15010 at SEMA, call PartsTrader Customer Care/Sales Support at (855) 932-7278 or visit partstrader.us.com.

Mitchell will also be running a giveaway during SEMA, so make sure to stop by the booth for your chance to win.

We look forward to seeing you! mitchell.com

SHOW PREVIEW

67

1

THE NEW PRODUCTS SHOWCASE

2

3

THE INS AND OUTS TO NAVIGATING ONE OF SEMA’S MOST POPULAR ATTRACTIONS

4

BY TESS COLLINS

SEMA’s annual New Products Showcase is one of the highlights of the show and a must-see for all attendees.

With 3,000 new and featured products in one place, this is the perfect spot to do all of your shopping during the show. To the right, you'll find everything you need to know about the process.

5

Located in the Sky Bridge, attendees of the show can pick up a free scanner at one of the booths located around the showcase.

Once you have your scanner, walk around and scan all of the products in which you’re interested.

As soon as you’ve finished walking around, return your scanner to the “Scanner Return” desk.

There, you will get a printout of all the products that you’ve scanned, which will include information on how to locate and contact the exhibitors who manufacture the products in which you’re interested.

Afterward, you can locate the exhibiting companies on the show floor.

If you’re interested, the award winners will be announced at the New Products Award Breakfast on Tuesday, October 30.

The New Products Showcase is a great way to discover new products. It’s even been a source of inspiration for past FenderBender articles. For a look at past award winners and runners-up, check out a few of these past How it Works articles.

ALLDATA COLLISION ADVANTAGE

fenderbender.com/collisionadvantage

68

SHOW PREVIEW

MIG BUDDY

fenderbender.com/MiGbuddy

ASTECH2

fenderbender.com/astech2

UNI-DOLLY SYSTEM

fenderbender.com/unidollysystem

www.collisionrepairtools.com

EXCLUSIVE editions

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October 2018 | fenderbender.com SHOW PREVIEW 69

FE ATURED BOOTH

SEMA SHOWCASE

REFINISH SOLUTIONS GROUP

RELIABLE AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT

ROBAINA DIRECT LLC

PERFORMANCE PAVILION & BRONZE LOT, BOOTH 51343

NORTH HALL, BOOTH 10729

WESTGATE, BOOTH 16006

Reliable Automotive Equipment, a company that has demonstrated superior customer service for over 30-years while tailoring its equipment solutions to the everchanging automotive market since it was founded in 1987, will be showcasing at SEMA.

Robaina Direct, the company that first launched the BMW small and medium collision repair damage tools and equipment solutions, also offers a wide range of tools, equipment and training. Our focus is on educating our clients, listening to their needs and helping them select the best tools given their status as either a certified repair center, DRP facility or an independent body shop. We offer everything from 3D electronic measuring systems for estimating and blueprinting, hand tools and tools boxes, paintless dent repair tools, glass removal / chip repair, steel and aluminum dent repair system, MIG / MAG / Brazing and spot welders, plastic nitrogen welders, structural rivet and bonding, frame machines, aluminum and carbon fiber structural tools. As well as aluminum clean rooms, dust collection/dustless sanding solutions, spray booths, prep stations, drying and curing solutions, color sanding / buff tools and more. We essentially supply turn-key solutions for a number of independent, certified and MSO facilities. In respect to start to finish new facilities, in partnership with Robaina Consulting Group, we offer assistance in permit processing, document preparation, facility layout and design function. Our biggest addition that we’ve accomplished in adding is a dedicated training center all based out of Orange County in Southern California with our partner Robaina Industries, Inc. We offer training for technicians, managers, estimators, insurance agents and OEM program trainers. For more information on what we offer, visit us online at CollisionRepairTools.com / Robaina.Direct or email us at sales@robainadirect.com

Refinish Solutions Group - RSG - is an initiative driven by Saint‑Gobain to deliver cutting edge process solutions and best training programs that allow shops and technicians to stay up-to-date with the latest repair and refinishing technologies and advancements.

RSG is an umbrella brand that provides collision shops with access to best-inclass products in a one‑stop‑shop. RSG has everything a shop needs to offer top quality repair and refinishing services while reducing time and costs. The offerings include products for sanding, grinding, finishing, bonding, panting, cleaning and polishing on metal, plastic, body filler, paint, clear coats, as well as materials management programs, training and certifications.

RSG strives to offer a comprehensive portfolio of products and services that cover ALL refinishing needs.

RSG: Norton, Carborundum, Solar Gard, IPG American, DeVilbiss, Fusor, and Mothers refinishsolutionsgroup.com

In partnership with OEMs and equipment manufacturers, Reliable Automotive Equipment has both influenced and provided instructor-led training in OE repair procedures and their related tools and equipment.

As a pioneer in the industry, Reliable Automotive Equipment is always on the cutting edge of the latest trends and finds solutions to collision repair shop needs.

At SEMA, Reliable Automotive Equipment will display many OE approved systems and products, including the XPress 800 riveting system and the newest certified welder, the W&S Puls MIG/MAG welder IP7-2 ACT. There will be a number of demonstrations at the booth. To see even more of its equipment in action, check out I-CAR’s booth, where it will be demonstrating certain Reliable Automotive Equipment products.

Reliable Automotive Equipment is your go-to for outstanding product performance and unsurpassed product quality. Come check out what Reliable Automotive Equipment has to offer at booth 10729. raeservice.com

70

SHOW PREVIEW

FE ATURED BOOTH

SEMA SHOWCASE

RESOURCE GUIDE AK ZONOBEL

Central Hall, Racing and Performance Section, Booth 25163 and Rig 61014 akzonobel.com

APOLLO SPRAYERS INTERNATIONAL, INC. North Hall, Booth 10884 maxi-miser.com

AUTEL

SEMA South Hall, Booth 43263 AAPEX, Booth 1467 autel.com MaxiTPMS.com

A X ALTA

Central Hall, Booth 22391 axalta.us/SEMA2018

BASF

Central Hall, Booth 20353 basfrefinish.com

CAR - O - LINER

North Hall, Booth 10839 car-o-liner.com

CELE T TE INC.

North Hall, Booth 11261 celette.com

DJS FABRICATIONS

North Hall, Booth 10777 DJSfabrications.com

EQUALIZER

North Hall, Booth 10373 Equalizer.com

EQUIP AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC. Westgate, Booth 16707 equipmyshop.com

GLOBAL FINISHING SOLUTIONS North Hall, Booth 11119 globalfinishing.com

IT W EVERCOAT

North Hall, Booth 10627 evercoat.com

MITCHELL INTERNATIONAL Westgate, Booth 16607 mitchell.com

PARTSTR ADER

Westgate, Booth 15010 partstrader.us.com

POLY VANCE

North Hall, Booth 10679 Polyvance.com

PPG AUTOMOTIVE REFINISH Central Hall, Booth 24601 ppgrefinish.com

REFINISH SOLUTIONS GROUP

Performance Pavilion, Booth 51343 refinishsolutionsgroup.com

RELIABLE AUTOMOTIVE EQUIPMENT North Hall, Booth 10729 raeservice.com

ROBAINA DIRECT LLC Westgate, Booth 16006 RobainaDirect.com

SATA/DAN-AM COMPANY

SPANESI

NORTH HALL, BOOTH 10609

NORTH HALL, BOOTH 10647

At SEMA 2018, the German manufacturer SATA, producer of highperformance spray guns, breathing protection equipment, filter regulator units, cup systems and accessories, will display its new product launches under the motto: Welcome to the Sweet Sixties.

Spanesi offers a complete 360 Concept solution for collision repair facilities around the world.

What can visitors attending the SATA booth expect? New products designed for professional car painting, which are being presented in specially created gas pump displays including the national premiere of the new SATAjet X 5500 with its individual spectrum of unique I- and O-nozzle sets.

SATA is also presenting its new Special Surface Edition spray gun "SATAjet 5000 Sixties,” which will be available from your SATA distributor only for a limited time.

The experience at the SATA booth will begin with the reception desk mimicking a repair shop and a photo shoot area where our visitors can take a souvenir framed photo back home with them.

While in our booth, experience the Virtual Painter, which helps with some of the most important tips for painting, such as correct spraying distance, measuring movements and correct gun angles.

And, as always, get your picture taken with our celebrities and watch our artists bring their canvas to life. Your journey ends with a visit to our old fashion diner.

There is a lot to experience and enjoy in our booth.

The SATA Application Technicians are happy to show tips and tricks to all interested visitors regarding the assembly and maintenance of SATA products.

SATA /DAN - AM COMPANY

We hope you have a great time in the SATA Show Booth!

SHERWIN -WILLIAMS AUTOMOTIVE FINISHES

satausa.com

North Hall, Booth 10609 satausa.com

With North American offices located in Naperville, Ill., Spanesi Americas provides our North American and global distributor partners the comprehensive collision repair equipment offerings for customers looking to acquire the absolute best collision repair equipment available to meet today’s and tomorrow’s OEM repair standards.

Spanesi’s product line is full-featured, with the industry leading, Touch electronic measuring system, the flexibility of the Multibench, the power of the 106 Series of straightening benches, the efficiency of the Universal Jig System, the robust offering of dedicated aluminum tools, the mighty dust, fume and vacuum systems, and the completely customizable offerings of Spanesi spray booths, preparation areas and mix rooms.

Spanesi also offers facility design services for new and existing collision repair facilities. Training on all of Spanesi’s products is available throughout the USA and Canada in our distributor training centers and at the Spanesi Americas Headquarters located in Naperville, Ill. No other collision equipment provider offerings the depth of products, training and services. spanesi.com

North Hall, Booth 11339 Sherwin-Automotive.com

SPANESI

North Hall, Booth 10647 spanesi.com SHOW PREVIEW

71

Don’t be the last to join the ever-growing group of shops ordering OE parts through OEC CollisionLink®.

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Enroll for free at CollisionLinkShop.com or call 888.776.5792 ext. 2

STRATEGY LEARN

|

GROW

|

WORK SMARTER

Give Back, Get Back Partnering with other businesses has been a huge contributor in the growth of Jim Boyle’s shop, Regal Collision Repair.

IDEA SHOP FINANCE+OPERATIONS CASE STUDY CUSTOMER SERVICE

80

AVANT-GARDE PHOTO

CASE S T UDY

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 73

PRE-SCAN

MS906TS

& POST-SCAN

COLLISION-REPAIR READY SCAN

/

PRINT

/

REPAIR

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SCAN MORE VEHICLES - GET MORE PROFIT OUT OF EVERY ESTIMATE

Fast & Easy Reports

PRE-SCAN

Step 1: AutoSCAN the Vehicle • AutoVIN instantly identify all vehicle information • AutoSCAN all available modules in all systems • Single screen list all DTCs and code details

Step 2: Print Pre-SCAN Report • Take vehicle pictures and attach to SCAN report • Single button generates dated report file to submit • Report is customized with shop and vehicle info • Expedite insurer approved repair estimate • Avoid additional insurance authorizations

Step 3: Repair Vehicle

TEST ALL MODULES IN ALL VEHICLE SYSTEMS

CREATE EFFICIENT REPAIR PLAN FROM THE START

POST-SCAN

Step 4: AutoSCAN Repaired Vehicle • Ensure no new faults were created during repair • Confirm no DTCs are present at completion • Ensure vehicle is repaired and safe for customer

Step 5: Print Post-SCAN Report • Prove all DTCs on Pre-SCAN report are fixed • Dated SCAN report to confirm project complete

TEST ALL MODULES IN ALL VEHICLE SYSTEMS

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maxitpms.com 74 fenderbender.com | October 2018

autel.com

Register and update tools for latest coverage © 2018

Autel Intelligent Technology Inc.

Follow Us @AutelTools

1YR UPDATES 1YR WARANTY

STR ATEGY

IDEA SHOP

How to Present Your Case to Insurers Learn how your shop can properly present its repair to an insurer

There are three big stakeholders in the repair—the manufacturer, the repair shop and the insurance company, says Clint Marlow, director of claims innovation and customer experience at Allstate. But the question for him is: How can a repair facility go about strengthening the argument of their repair to the insurance carrier?

Documentation, Marlow says.

While most shops routinely follow OEM repair procedures these days, he says that simply following those requirements doesn’t guarantee payment. The insurer may not accept those procedures unless there is proof of its necessity.

Marlow says that if a repairer follows three simple steps, he or she can save a lot of time and, potentially, a lot of money in the long run.

This information is assuming a shop does not already have agreements and terms with insurers, he says. For DRP shops, the insurance carrier and the shop often have already reached terms about what cases the shop can charge for a repair and what cases they cannot charge.

For example, one MSO shop has been able to reach an agreement that the shop will not be reimbursed for diagnostic scans if the trouble code from the scan does not relate back to the loss. These agreements often form through MSOs versus independent shops because of the volume of repair the shop has been producing.

While repairers can choose to seek additional reimbursements for the repair at a later time when the shop and insurance company do not agree on the payment, the procedures for legal action vary in each state, he says. Additionally, the time it takes to gain more money after the repair is a long and burdensome process.

Marlow shares steps that shop owners can follow to make sure they have the proper documentation when meeting with the insurance agent.

AS TOLD TO MELISSA STEINKEN

THINKSTOCK

1. Have proof the repair was done.

For the example of pre- and post-repair scanning, make sure there is documentation of the state of the vehicle at the initial scan and the state of the vehicle at the end.

This proof can be assembled in a “demand package.” The package would include any OEM repair procedures recommended to the shop and list out the advanced driver-assistance systems with which the vehicle comes equipped.

You have to justify your argument of the repair because some of these technologies are newer to the industry and it does take them a bit longer to become widely accepted.

2. Prove the documentation is related to the loss.

The important thing to keep in mind is how the repair that is performed is related to the loss. We, as an insurance company, owe for damages related to the accident. Specifically, include the scans related to damage from the accident.

After the documentation is presented to the insurer, there might be a quality assurance process in place at some carriers. This would mean that re-inspection personnel are focused on the fact that the insurer pays the right dollar amount for the repair.

A reasonable cost factor is typically

based on the region’s labor rate per hour.

For example, the pre- and post-repair diagnostic scanning would typically be paid in a range of $100–$300. Insurers determine the reasonable pay based on other factors, as well, including how much the equipment cost and how long the equipment used in the repair is able to work.

3. Take the time to show why you did the repair.

Lastly, take time to not only show that the repair was done, but also why the repair was done.

This might just be a process of printing the documentation of the diagnostic scans and why the repairs were needed. Then, it might be an additional five minutes of work to describe the specific ADAS features on the vehicle. In total, this documentation process could take about 10 minutes.

Simply showing the advanced technology on the vehicle could make the difference between an insurer not arguing about paying for the repair. Again, this is based on the repair amount being reasonable and not, say, exceeding $1,000 for a scan.

Some insurers will look at the vehicle and determine that if it’s a 12-yearold vehicle and only has advanced features like autonomous braking, then the pre-repair scan and the post-repair scan is not essential for the repair. But, the shop might be stuck in the middle of a conflict and having the manufacturer say the shop needs to conduct scans for every vehicle.

These types of documents and information from the repair can help solve arguments between shops and the insurer 95 percent of the time.

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 75

STR ATEGY

FINANCE+OPERATIONS

8 Overlooked Ways to Increase Touch Time

Use these tips to gain more hours on each vehicle and improve the repair process on lighter jobs

BY MELISSA STEINKEN

There is a golden rule of thumb driving

Shawn Gates’ business and it begins at the start of the repair.

For Gates, general manager for North Canton Collision in North Canton, Ohio, the golden rule follows that if a technician knows he or she is going to lose efficiency on the bigger jobs, it’s imperative to make up the time on the smaller repairs.

Following that rule, Gates and his team currently produce 4.7 hours of touch time per job, he says.

Across the country, most shops average a touch time of 2.1–2.3 labor hours, but to be relevant to an insurance company, the shop should have an average of at least 3 hours, says Leroy Rush, manager of business development for Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes. Rush spends each week traveling to shops and consulting on the shop process to improve not only touch time, but also reduce cycle time. He has over 20 years of experience managing MSOs and collision centers, such as Sterling Auto Body Centers, ABRA Auto Body and Glass, and Manheim ABR. Rush says the industry’s biggest problem is a lack of process and implementing the right kind of process. Not only does touch time affect other shop KPIs, touch time is also the only metric the shop can use to truly demonstrate how productive it is.

Through a fast-track system, North Canton Collision is able to produce $3.5 million in sales and work on an average of 150 cars per month, all done by a staff of 20.

Gates and Rush share the top overlooked steps of the repair that a shop can focus on to gain more hours on each car.

76 fenderbender.com | October 2018

How to Calculate Touch Time

According to Tony Nethery, a client solutions advisor with CCC Information Services, touch time is defined by the hours a technician or estimator spends on the vehicle. To improve touch time, the shop has to continuously work on the vehicle.

For example, if a car enters the shop on a Monday and is delivered on a Friday, and the technician spent a total of 20 hours on the job, the shop would average the hours worked on the car per day, Rush says. Take the total hours and divide by five days to get an average touch time of 4 labor hours per day.

1) Reduce downtime at the beginning of the repair.

In the beginning of the process, the shop needs to focus on cutting downtime in areas of disassembly, blueprinting and researching the part, Nethery says.

First, define what level of blueprinting the shop will implement, he says. For example, is it going to be all vehicles, or all insurance vehicles? Will the boss hire separate technicians and estimators for this process?

Complete disassembly prevents holdups in the repair, ultimately getting the car out faster.

2) Focus on damage analysis.

The shop should focus on the damage analysis in the repair, Rush says. Three elements are key to this process, he says.

When a technician performs the process of analyzing damage on the vehicle and making a blueprint of what will be done to the vehicle, the technician should keep in

mind that this data is important and needs to be accessed promptly. Rush says to stop using pen and paper and make the access quicker through smartphones.

3) Spend time researching the proper procedure.

In addition to understanding OEM repair procedures, the shop can research the parts needed for the repair through CCC, Mitchell and ALLDATA. If the information is not at these sites, the shop can look at OEM1Stop, which includes position statements from the manufacturers, Nethery says.

Repair research is critical in this age because of the increasing complexity of vehicles, he says. Nethery recommends using a database in which the repair procedure is already embedded in the estimating software to save time.

Gates says it always helps when the shop knows how OEMs want the vehi-

best when it is specialized,” Rush says.

6) Dedicate a technician to lighter repairs.

Specializing the process into a successful fast-track process stems from dedicating a technician, possibly a junior technician, to the lighter severities. Now, the technician does not need to stop another repair to finish a one-day job.

Rush says that if a facility produces 10 units per day and it is two to three days for each repair, the process will speed up and not stop and start when a technician is pulled from one of those heavier jobs to another smaller repair.

Technicians would no longer be moving from vehicle to vehicle at different stages of the repair, he says.

7) Keep the right technology on hand.

cles fixed from the start. At the beginning of the year, North Canton Collision became Honda and Acura certified.

Then, the shop went and became Nissan, Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram, Hyundai and Kia certified.

THINKSTOCK

4) Mirror-match parts.

There needs to be “parts correctness” within the damage analysis as well, Rush says. This means the technician should mirror-match parts and not wait to open the parts at the last minute.

A risk of waiting to open parts at the last minute is opening a box of damaged or incorrect parts, he says. Then the repair is on hold and the technician loses those hours until the correct part is delivered.

Mirror-matching parts helps prevent delays, Nethery says.

5) Make smaller jobs into “fasttrack” jobs.

Label the smaller, fender jobs as “fasttrack jobs,” Gates says. By taking a smaller job and trying to get the car out in one day, this can help offset the cycle time. For example, Gates’ team could reduce a 15-hour job to 8 hours.

Similar to Gates’ process for fasttrack jobs, Rush says it is critical for a shop to have an express repair process.

The express repair process is a process that captures opportunities to reduce cycle time and increase touch time on Category 1 and Category 2 vehicles, which include light, medium and medium-heavy repairs, Rush says.

These repairs include single-panel repairs or smaller metal repairs.

In order to gain more hours on smaller repair vehicles, the shop can make these vehicles visible at all times but color coding them or placing a type of marker on them they should never be “hands-off,” Rush says.

“The express repair is performed

Often, shop owners opt out of some technology that can help speed the repair process and make it possible for technicians to work on more cars all because of the cost, Rush says.

Rush recommends a shop have air dry primers and clear coat technologies on hand within the paint department to speed dry paint on the smaller jobs.

Refinish technologies can allow a technician to complete one- to threepanel repairs in 50 minutes or less, Rush says. The 15-minute air dry primers do not even require a bake cycle, saving more time.

8) Pre-detail all qualified vehicles.

Rush says to pre-detail all qualified vehicles. If it is determined that a smaller job needs a new bumper, then the vehicle should be sent immediately to detail while waiting for the bumper to be repaired.

This process of pre-detailing a vehicle can be applied to any vehicle with a light repair. Rush says that, often, the staff wait until the end of the day to send the car to the detailing department and then the staff in that department are piled with work. Pre-detailing the vehicle while a small place is prepared to be replaced can help move the car out faster, he says.

“Often these take place at the end of the day and then that department is overwhelmed at the end of the day,” he says.

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 77

COLUMNS

PROCESS DRIVEN R YA N C R O P P E R

Phone It In

The benefits of creating a call center

an owner who has gone through expansion are the lessons learned along the way. You build that first shop up, it’s rocking and rolling, and you think, “Maybe I should add another location.” I look back now and see how, well, naive I was, but I also appreciate everything I learned along the way. I think it made this last expansion all the sweeter because I appreciate just how well it went. It felt like I had finally cracked the code, finally figured out the right timing and how to do all of this smoothly. When we added this location, we were at capacity at all of our other locations. And not just what I thought was capacity; I could prove it.

We were really, truly maxed out. That’s both workwise, DRP-wise, staff wise.

We were over capacity, actually, and breaking every record. The timing was right with our DRP relationships and, once I showed how it would actually benefit everyone, with our staff, too.

But what it most benefited, of course, is our customers.

So, what next? We actually took this expansion to think long term and consider the ways the industry is evolving and how our business should, too. It’s exciting and I think the best thing you can do as a shop owner is not to ignore the changes, or complain about them, but instead to be proactive and consider how you can take advantage of these changes and profit.

Part of that is our next step: a call center. My idea started as what you imagine a normal company with a call center and people at desks talking on the phone. But traveling around and seeing those types of operations, I realized it doesn’t have to be very elaborate. It’s a very controlled environment 78 fenderbender.com | October 2018

in which calls, especially new calls, can go. I even found out that our existing phone system can be routed every which way, so we don’t have to run two phones or new phone numbers. The beauty of it is a call center allows the CSRs to focus on the customers at the front desk. They’re not answering the phone asking if you can work on the car when a customer is coming in.

What it boils down to is that we’re talking about just a front office into which customers never walk. We’re going to do some photo estimates through it, filter all phone calls through it. We’ll be able to tell if someone is on the phone, someone is on vacation. The ball will get dropped much less. Really, “Let me call you back” will never, ever happen again. It’s an additional layer of security. The way we plan to staff it is likely one estimator and a couple CSRs to start out with that will field all of our calls.

There’s also a bigger picture of being an MSO, which is, where’s the best location for that car to go? Which shop is overbooked and which one is underbooked? The other big picture part of the call center, we want all shops booked out one week. That’s our rule of rule of thumb. The reason why is that we run into where one shop is booked out much longer. Customers don’t care where the car is fixed, once they’ve chosen you. Sure, some of them may want to drop it off at the most convenient spot, but a lot of times, if we tell them that it will take two weeks at that location but only two days at another location slightly farther away, it’s a no brainer.

I have a 15-year-old son and there’s no way he’s driving around for three estimates when he’s 18 years old. Photo

RYA N C R O P P E R is the owner of Able Body Shop, with three locations in Anchorage, Alaska, and Total Truck Accessory Center.

E M A I L : r c r o p p e r @ ab l e b o d y s h o p .c o m

estimates and all of that will happen so rapidly now. Insurance companies are already doing it, so we can whine and complain about it, but it’s the future.

They don’t want to come in. That’s really where the call center will help immensely, too. We can identify jobs we don’t work on without having an estimator tied up. We can tell if it’s a total loss without it coming in. We can triage our work a little better. That’s the first building block.

Our goal is to have the customer (or the tow truck) bring it to the right location, of course, but we do move cars and that depends on certifications and equipment. One shop has a crazy strong frame rack. If it’s a great big truck, that's the one that one’s going to.

We’re very fortunate that our shops are less than five miles apart. If I hit three street lights on the way, I’m kind of fired up. So, for the most part, if I push the customer to a location for the right reason, they’ll go that extra mile—literally—90 percent of the time.

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October 2018 | fenderbender.com 79

STR ATEGY

CASE STUDY

Effective Marketing When Jim Boyle opened his shop, he had to utilize the resources at his disposal to gain wordof-mouth. In his case, he utilized his community.

80 fenderbender.com | October 2018

SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION Use community organizations and businesses as a way to subtly promote your business brand to new customers

BY MELISSA STEINKEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY AVANT- GARDE PHOTO

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 81

STR ATEGY

CASE STUDY

W

hen Jim Boyle opened his shop, Regal Collision Repair in Vallejo, Calif., some 20 years ago, marketing wasn’t exactly at the forefront of his mind as an owner.

There were bills to pay, customers to service, cars to repair—all with little money to waste. However, as business grew and Boyle was less focused on the day to day, he began to turn his attention toward marketing.

But the question remained: How could he run an effective marketing campaign with a small budget?

Despite the challenge, Boyle had a distinct advantage in his back pocket: He was from the area. And more than that, his entire family was from the area. In fact, he was third in a long line of body men. His grandfather operated a body shop in Vallejo in the 1940s and both of his uncles also worked at the family shop. Boyle himself had worked at numerous shops in the area since the 1980s and even helped open Regal Collision Repair, long before he purchased the shop.

That’s when it occurred to Boyle: Could he leverage his long-standing ties in the community in a way that not only brought in customers, but also spread his shop’s name and reputation in a direct, aggressive way?

REGAL COLLISION REPAIR LOCATION:

VALLEJO, CALIF. OWNER:

JIM BOYLE SIZE:

9,000 SQUARE FEET STAFF:

17 (6 BODY TECHNICIANS, 7 IN THE FRONT OFFICE, 1 PARTS PERSON, 2 PAINT SHOP WORKERS AND 1 DETAILER) AVERAGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

100

ANNUAL REVENUE:

$3 MILLION

The Backstory

Helping the community has been a goal of Boyle’s since he was a kid in Boy Scouts of America, he says. But, Boyle’s foray into the collision repair world was a slow progression, he says. He joined the field and did not know anything about the business.

That all changed when he became part of an apprenticeship program in 1980.

Since then, Boyle has leaped into involvement in the community and learned lessons along the way.

Boyle also serves on the UTI technical board, the Contra Costa College Advisory Committee and testified at the state Senate to protect consumer’s rights to choose a shop of their choice.

The Problem

Boyle bought his shop with intentions to help others, he says. Yet, for the first two years of doing business in the area, he did not realize he could help the community and also market his business.

82 fenderbender.com | October 2018

The moment that Boyle and his wife started in the business, they did not have much money, Boyle says. So, they sought out to help others in the community in similar positions and share their success as it came.

Despite their mission, Boyle realized the business was losing out on a way to market their shop. The partnerships in the community opened a way for the shop to spread its name.

The Solution

From participating in the annual fundraiser hosted by the Humane Society of North Bay, to joining donation programs through his paint group, AkzoNobel, Boyle continues to hit his annual revenue goal of $3 million each year and get more customers through the door.

Here’s how he did it: 1. Ramp up the number of social media posts.

While there was never one huge solution, Boyle says he first started forming community relationships by joining collision associations and verbally spreading the word.

Then, Boyle formed agreements to share other business posts in return for social media posts on his shop.

The shop partners with the Benicia Classic Car Show to share each other’s social media posts on Facebook, Boyle says. More nonprofits have offered to post in exchange for a post but Boyle has only taken up on the offer of goodwill from the humane society and AkzoNobel.

2. Use a paint company’s resources.

Another essential factor to the shop’s

Community Outreach From the Humane Society of North Bay to donation programs, Jim Boyle makes sure to do whatever he can to help the community.

success has been the store’s paint partner, AkzoNobel, Boyle says.

Through the paint company, Boyle and his team got involved in the benevolence program. The program provides refurbished cars to deserving organizations or individuals during the holiday season. Regal Collision Repair has participated in the program for 11 years.

3. Constantly think about networking.

In order to find cars to refurbish and a place for the vehicle to be donated, Boyle needed to form connections in the area. He asked customers or other businesses to recommend someone who deserved to receive the car and then discussed the donation with his team. Taking into account the time to find the car and refurbish it, adding new upholstery, tires and any other repairs, the whole process takes a year.

“It’s expensive and time consuming but once you know you’ve impacted someone’s life, it does bring a tear to the eye,” he says.

Boyle searched in all areas to find people and organizations to donate to, he says.

As an added bonus to help the industry, he picked a San Francisco-based organization that shuttle kids around after school, taking them to different skate parks and teaching them a high level of skateboarding.

Boyle says that the kids from these programs will often later go into the repair business.

4. Look into local educational institutions.

To continue promoting his shop as not only a shop for customers but for potential employees, as well, he joined the Contra Costa College advisory board.

At local car shows throughout the year,

Boyle says he takes the college technical instructor with him and sets up a booth.

The duo comes to the show equipped with virtual reality spray gun simulators and virtual welding simulator.

“It’s a way to promote the body shop and the college at the same time,” he says.

If a parent and a student stop by, they can not only direct questions to Boyle, but to someone who can offer them information on how to enter a college program, as well.

The Aftermath

Boyle and his team are in the process of implementing a new management system and tracking CSI more extensively in the future, a process that Boyle says he realizes is important to do.

“While it’s hard to track, when asked, people usually respond that they’ve heard good things about us for years,” he says.

And, an “astounding” amount of people come into the shop saying they read reviews on Yelp, Boyle says. As a result of the community standing, Boyle says the shop just won an award from the community as the best auto body shop.

The Takeaway

Not only do community partnerships provide a way of gaining more customers through word-of-mouth advertising, Boyle says it also helps with another problem: the technician shortage.

Boyle says he has learned often other businesses are worried about tracking more people into their industry.

“And that is our problem too,” he says.

EXPERT ADVICE

PARTNER MARKETING The concept of “partner marketing” has been around for ages, says Jenna Gross, chief marketing officer for Moving Targets. Symbiotic relationships are what a shop should focus on in order for partnerships to develop.

Gross says it is not just about companies that bring big sales. The partnership needs to provide value in both directions so that the customer benefits, making it a win-win for all.

Partnerships do not need to be a formal, business-to-business function, she says.

Instead, it can be as simple as chatting with the owner of a deli the shop orders lunch from or maybe a technician has a friend at a local grocery store.

Partnering with another business can double the shop’s exposure. This is helpful to customers because they receive a larger pool of referrals from a trusted source.

Find partners that will add value to your customer’s life and vice versa.

Car washes, gas stations, or auto detailers are all great fits, while not being competition for the business.

Have partners donate prizes for a contest or giveaway. For example, partner with a popular local restaurant and give away free dinner. This can be a way to grow the shop’s email list and reach members of the community that may or may not be familiar with the business.

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 83

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STR ATEGY

CUSTOMER SERVICE

6 Mistakes Hurting Your CSI

Avoid these six factors to gain a higher CSI metric and improve a customer’s first impression

BY MELISSA STEINKEN

THINKSTOCK

Despite growing up in the industry, Nick

Schoolcraft is no stranger to poor customer service. In fact, he readily retells one of the worst experiences he ever had as a customer: no “thank you” was delivered, he received little to no communication about the repair, and he wasn’t even aware of what repairs were being done

on his vehicle.

By the end of the repair, Schoolcraft couldn’t even remember the name of the shop.

It goes without saying that the CSI survey he filled out on behalf of the shop was not positive.

It’s fitting, then, that Schoolcraft’s fa-

ther is the late Steve Schoolcraft, founder of Phoenix Solutions Group, a marketing and strategy consultant company for the collision repair industry. Schoolcraft now serves as the president of the company and in the year since he took over, he says he has come to find it is critical for a shop to communicate with the customer and October 2018 | fenderbender.com 85

STR ATEGY

CUSTOMER SERVICE

always ask for feedback.

Schoolcraft says there are varying definitions of CSI and what it means for a shop. While tracking the shop’s CSI score can enlighten an owner with a generic understanding of the customer’s experience, it does not show how the shop went above and beyond in its service or what is driving a shop’s growth and referral business.

That is for you as the shop owner to figure out.

That’s why he believes it’s so important to ask the customer, “How can we focus on a better customer experience?”

“When we measure CSI, we are measuring our peers against each other,” Schoolcraft says. “It doesn’t help us define growth.”

That doesn’t mean that CSI can’t help your shop grow, however. Tim Paap, owner of Paap Auto Body in Coles County, Ill. says that his shop’s 100 percent CSI score is driven by processes within the shop.

Schoolcraft and Paap share the mistakes should avoid to not only achieve a higher CSI, but also overall high customer satisfaction.

Mistake No. 1: Staff do not see eye to eye.

In order to develop a shop culture focused around a purpose of serving the customer, the owner or manager needs to do more than just go out to the shop floor and ask employees how they feel about their jobs, Schoolcraft says. Instead, take time to make sure the staff communicates with each other and has an understanding of how important the delivery is to the customer.

Once a strategy is formed and ready to be incorporated into the business, Schoolcraft says the staff needs to meet daily or weekly to continuously go over reports from customers and the strategy.

Paap says when problems arise within his staff, he has a morning meeting with the team and goes over how each step in the repair can affect the customer’s overall impression.

Mistake No. 2: The customer is contacted too much.

Schoolcraft says there can be such a thing as too much communication be86 fenderbender.com | October 2018

tween the customer and the shop.

“Put yourself in the customer’s mind,” he says. “You want to be informed and you want to be communicated with after the fact but you don’t want to be badgered.”

Communicate with the customer in stages, Schoolcraft says. One example would be to send the customer a handwritten thank-you note three months after the job and then follow up once more a year later. In the letter, write that the shop wants to let the customer know they are here for them and ask the customer to let the shop know if any additional service needs to be done.

Above all, the communication should not include advertisements, Schoolcraft says. Instead the shop should aim to demonstrate they know how the vehicle works, are in tune with the car and are available to fix their “craftsmanship” if needed.

Mistake No. 3: The shop neglects customer feedback.

Customer service is tracked by CSI, but that really only gives the shop about 30 percent of the picture, Schoolcraft says.

He says a business needs to investigate why the customer chose the shop and how they came to the shop, versus merely focusing on how the customer felt about the experience.

While the goal should always be a 100 percent CSI score, the overall emphasis should be on ways to receive a significant volume of meaningful, impactful feedback.

Schoolcraft says he recommends asking a customer to fill out an online or in-person review so the shop staff can circle back around to having a way to contact them after the repair.

Paap says he tracks his shop’s CSI personally so he can determine if the shop needs to improve or not. And, he reaches out to the customer with heavier jobs at least every other day.

Mistake No. 4: The customer is overwhelmed with complex terms.

It is a bad idea for shop staff to overwhelm the customer when they first walk into the shop, Schoolcraft says.

Instead of explaining the repair process, he says staff should speak in plain

language. For example, an employee can work on being empathetic and having a better understanding of their situation. Specifically, for blueprinting and the teardown process, the staff can explain the situation of tearing apart the car like peeling back the layers of an onion in order to gain the end result.

Mistake No.5: The shop does not create a lasting impression.

Approaching interactions with the customer in tactical and personal ways after the repair is important, Schoolcraft says.

Based on a study done by Phoenix Solutions Group, as people get further and further away from the time of the accident and the repair on their vehicle, a person’s memory of the shop decreases dramatically, he says. In fact, six months after the repair, 50 percent of customers forget the shop’s name.

“They might remember the repair and the general area but don’t remember the name,” he says.

A lasting impression can be a positive one if it starts within the repair, Schoolcraft and Paap agree. If there are delays early on or later, inform the customer immediately. Then, stay in touch after the repair albeit briefly.

“Quality means a customer base and that you don’t have vehicles coming back,” Paap says.

Mistake No. 6: Staff blame repair issues on other parties.

Not only is it beneficial for the shop to keep the customer updated on any unexpected delays, the way to approach the update is critical, Schoolcraft says.

He says the staff should focus on the outcome and not the problem.

No matter the reason, the shop needs to not place blame, Schoolcraft says.

“Say, ‘We are working on X for you, going to ensure X and speed up the process,’” Schoolcraft says.

He says that when people are in a stressful situation and dealing with adversity, people are more likely to remember how the resolution came about, instead of the outcome. The car will be late no matter what, so work on being compassionate and empathetic, Schoolcraft says.

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 87

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88 fenderbender.com | October 2018

COLUMNS

IN THE TRENCHES STEVE MORRIS

Diversify Your Point of View Where do you get your best source of information?

NICK SPAETH, THINKSTOCK

In last month’s column, I began delv-

ing into some simple, but critical, behaviors that leaders need to deploy in order to drive employee engagement. The three we’ll talk about this month are: set information free, diversify your sources of information, and admit your mistakes.

Set Information Free. There are many areas where sharing information can be beneficial to your organization.

It is very common for body shop operators to withhold financial information and results from employees, but I think they need to know at least some of this data. If you want to have individuals and teams all pulling for the same goals, you’re going to need to pull back the covers a bit and share information. Imagine how your employees feel not knowing the score. I’m not suggesting you open up your P&Ls to every employee, but you could set up proxies for your financial goals. I think you can set up and post a monthly sales goal and track the team progress to the goal every day. I think you could do the same thing for setting a goal for labor hours to be produced each month. This can engage your estimators and technicians toward a common goal.

I think you can further engage your blueprinters or estimators by setting goals for a profitable sales mix (the ratio between labor sales, parts sales, paint material sales and miscellaneous sales) from the jobs they write. Do you publish your CSI survey results every day? What about your cycle time results? Specific goals and proxies for financial goals can be very powerful. Give it a try!

Diversify your sources of information. Most of what I have learned about leadership comes from a wide variety of sources. In fact, the list of behaviors we are discussing now were first presented to me in a 2009 Harvard Business Review article entitled “A Culture of Candor.” The authors, James O’Toole and Warren Bennis, are highly regarded writers and have published numerous books and articles on the topics of leadership, organizational transparency, candor and

trust. I like to read books but, like you, I don’t have a lot of time for reading. For that reason, I default to book reviews and synopsis from sources such as the Harvard Business Review. If I want to “read” a complete book, I get a copy of it in audiobook form. If you come across great articles or books, practice setting information free and share them with your coworkers. This demonstration of concern for their well-being, growth and development speaks volumes to them. Other diverse sources of information include the publication you are reading now. There are many fine magazines dedicated to the autobody industry, but I’ve always thought that FenderBender is like the Wall Street Journal of auto body journalism. Make sure you subscribe to their online content, podcasts, and special briefings. I also highly recommend that you get involved in a regional or national performance group. These groups are typically sponsored by the major paint companies and there are several independent groups, as well. The 20 Groups I belong to are populated by body shop operators from all over the country. We meet twice per year for two or three days and exchange information relevant to business growth, day-to-day operations improvement, management training, financial benchmarking, and employee training and development to name a few topics. Many of the members of my groups operate on the cutting edge of our industry and have tons of information to

share. Our rule is that if you attend, you must contribute and also be open to new ideas and suggestions. Trust me, there are a lot of contrarians in my groups and, for this, I am grateful.

Admit your mistakes. Growing up, my father used to tell me, “Steve, if you are going to make a mistake, make it a big one.” The basis of this advice may have come from Albert Einstein who said, “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” The point is, we all make mistakes, because not a single one of us is infallible. Most of you are constantly testing and implementing innovative processes and ideas in an attempt to improve current conditions, and not all of your ideas are going to work.

How you handle a mistake is what separates effective leaders from the run-of-themill excuse makers and blame shifters we usually encounter. Admitting your mistakes isn’t a sign of weakness but a sign of maturity and wisdom. Making excuses, denials or outright lying to cover up mistakes will completely damage your credibility, perhaps irrevocably. The benefits of admitting your mistakes are enormous and I think management writer Patrick Lencioni summed this up quite well when he wrote: “When team members trust each other and know that everyone is capable of admitting when they’re wrong, then conflict becomes nothing more than the pursuit of truth or the best possible answer.” The next time you make a mistake, admit it, move on and don’t repeat it.

S T E V E M O R R I S is the director of operations for Pride Collision Centers, a seven-location MSO located in Southern California. He is an Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) and ASE-certified master technician.

E M A I L : s t ev e m @ p r i d e au t o b o d y.c o m A R C H I V E : f e n d e r b e n d e r.c o m /m o r r i s

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 89

Remember when you‌ Painted your first car Fixed your first fender

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SHOP TALK

MIKE MADDOX

”

My philosophy is,

Be

g r e a t, s tay

humble ” MIKE MADDOX

P H O T O G R A P H Y

92 fenderbender.com | October 2018

B Y

J I M

S E T Z E R

Role Model As the shop has grown, so, too, has Mike Maddox’s role as owner.

He spends significant time coaching and working with his 18 employees.

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 93

SHOP TALK

MIKE MADDOX

A Hands-On Boss On a daily basis, Mike Maddox (left) walks his shop floor to check on his staff and offer any assistance that may be needed.

G

rowing up, Mike Maddox spent his childhood building toy airplanes next to his dad, as he built lifesize models.

Exiting his teenage years, Maddox built cars alongside his boss at the auto repair shop. After high school, Maddox joined the Air Force and spent eight years working with airplanes, but the job wasn’t the right fit.

“I spent eight years working with electronics,” Maddox says. “I never really loved that, but I was doing custom painting in my garage and I saw a small body shop for rent one day and I started renting it and never went back,” Maddox says.

As Maddox grew into his love of working with his hands, he realized finding a passion for an industry can often be defined by those you work alongside.

“My first job in high school was for a local service station,” Maddox says. “I started out as a mechanic, but my boss was just a fabulous guy. He loved his customers, he was happy that he was able to serve his customers, and he gave them the most that he could give for the money they paid.

“That was really good training for me.”

Two years after renting a shop, custom painting took a hit following the oil embargo in 1974 and Maddox moved to a dealership. The fit wasn’t what he was looking for, but ultimately led him to the start of his own business, MiCar Collision Center, which started in 1997.

“I have never regretted the transformation from electronics to automotive,” Maddox says.

Since the shop has opened its doors, MiCar Collision Center has grown from 1,000 square feet to nearly 16,000 square feet of space. It has been a center for repairs, but more importantly, it has been a facility that allows Maddox to teach the same work ethic he experienced from his mentors.

“I’ve worked with some people who develop an arrogance, and I don’t know how that happens,” Maddox says. “My philosophy is, ‘Be great, stay humble.’”

MICAR COLLISION CENTER LOCATION:

CHESAPEAKE, VA. SIZE:

16,000 SQUARE FEET OWNER:

MIKE AND CAROLYN MADDOX STAFF:

18

AVERAGE MONTHLY CAR COUNT:

190

ANNUAL REVENUE:

$3.8 MILLION AS TOLD TO KILEY WELLENDORF

By the time I’m in the shop, I generally know what’s going on for the day. It’s not

smart to plan on the fly, so the night before I head out, I know what to expect. I also know what I want my employees to do and I’ll make sure everyone has work. I’ve found that sometimes people aren’t good at planning, and I would rather be efficient and talk them through what their day is going to look like.

94 fenderbender.com | October 2018

This year, our business received the 2018 Small Business of the Year award from Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, and I believe we stand out because of the way we treat our customers. We sometimes get insurance estimates for replacements that I would much rather repair, so I’ll call the customer in the morning and make sure they’re OK with the repair. We realize that customers aren’t buying cars

to put more money into them, and so we work with the customer.

You’ll find me on the shop floor working throughout the day. I’ll walk through and

make sure that everyone is busy, and if I’m sitting down, it’s because I’m helping someone on the floor. I don’t use an office and I want to make sure I’m around for my employees and customers. It’s important to work nearby so they are doing the right repair and are following training correctly, which is so necessary in this industry.

I’m basically an instructor here. When I walk around the shop, I’ll ask if anyone needs help or I’ll work through jobs with employees to determine if it’s the best way to fix the vehicle. In the past, I actually was an I-CAR instructor, but sort of fell out of it once I noticed how some students didn’t care about the material. We have such a shortage in this industry and when I bring new employees onboard, there’s a process to ensuring that they will be a viable fit in the shop.

Training is what we do at this shop.

Throughout the day, we’ll have trainees work with other staff members over the

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lectric vehicles are posing challenges for auto body shops and collision repair centers when it comes to the paint stage of a repair, as many electric cars cannot be baked in a paint booth with temperatures above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The reason for this is the electric battery.

Currently, in a typical shop process, the highvoltage system must be disconnected when working on electric vehicles for the safety of technicians.

This disables the battery’s cooling system, therefore making the vehicle’s high-voltage battery susceptible to overheating and damage, which shortens the life expectancy of the battery.

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Since electric vehicles cannot be cured in a normal paint booth bake cycle, technicians often use an extended low-bake cycle. Although effective, it doubles the bake time, which significantly slows a shop and reduces overall throughput. Shops may also use an express, air-dry or low-bake clear coat, which typically sacrifice gloss and durability for speed. This is especially problematic when working on luxury vehicles.

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The best solution for curing electric vehicles without causing damage or reducing — and instead increasing — throughput is short wave electric infrared (IR) curing technology. Systems using this technology, such as REVO Accelerated Curing Systems from Global Finishing

Solutions (GFS), provide a safe solution for curing electric vehicles.

Short wave electric IR technology penetrates directly to the surface of the substrate — whether metal, plastic or another material — to heat it and cure the coating from the inside out. Whereas a paint booth bake cycle heats the entire booth and the vehicle inside it, REVO Systems concentrate heat to only the panels that need curing. While the temperature on the exterior of the vehicle may reach 200 degrees with REVO, the interior of the vehicle will remain below 100 degrees. This prevents the battery from overheating, protecting the vehicle and technician. REVO Systems are also safe to be used on vehicles without having to remove side curtain airbags or child safety seats.

By rapidly curing fillers and coatings, REVO Systems allow shops to increase throughput by up to 80 percent.

Drying time for both the prep and paint phases of repair can be reduced by hours with electric IR technology, which frees up valuable, skilled technicians to accomplish additional repairs.

IMPROVEMENTS IN QUALITY

In addition to safety and efficiency, short wave electric IR technology offers significant quality advantages over conventional curing methods, gas-fired IR, and especially refinishing methods that use an express-style clear coat. Since short wave IR cures coatings from the inside out, it offers a fast, complete cure with just one pass per coating. While REVO Systems produce mostly short waves to heat the surface, they also produce a small percentage of medium waves, which work to cure the top layers at the same time.

There is no guessing as to whether or not a coating is completely cured when using REVO Systems. This SPONSORED CONTENT

reduces rework, which can slow down your shop and decrease customer satisfaction. Plus, with REVO Systems, you can reassemble and polish cars immediately after they leave the booth, instead of waiting on a lengthy cool-down period that is required after traditional baking.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES RISING IN POPULARITY

There will be a projected 125 million electric vehicles on the road worldwide by 2030 — a drastic rise from 3 million in 2017, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Most car manufacturers are also actively working on expanding their electric vehicle offerings. Mazda and Subaru will release their first hybrid vehicles in 2019, while brands like Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Volkswagen have expressed intent to build electric or hybrid versions of all of their vehicle models within the next 12 years. BMW, Ford, GM, Hyundai-Kia, Infiniti, Nissan and Volvo have also announced plans to expand their electric and hybrid vehicles in coming years. Additionally, a bill prohibiting new sales of gas-powered vehicles in California by 2040 awaits the state legislature.

As the trend toward electric cars and hybrids continues to increase, it is already having a significant impact on the automotive repair industry. To refinish electric vehicles, collision repair and auto body shops may need to adapt their processes and equipment.

Short wave electric IR technology allows shops to safely repair electric vehicles, while offering significant improvements in quality and efficiency. Plus, REVO Systems can be easily implemented into a shop’s current layout and processes.

To learn more about how REVO Systems can improve your paint shop and the final finish on electric vehicles, visit revocuring.com.

October 2018 | fenderbender.com 95

SHOP TALK

MIKE MADDOX

Exponential Growth Mike Maddox has grown his shop from 1,000 square feet to more than 16,000 thanks to a passion for both quality work and people.

course of a few months, and even years, to make sure they’re able to accurately do the job. When trainees are brought in, they start out detailing cars until they’ve worked to complete it correctly. We try to move them along and ensure that their performance is up to speed with our shop.

I’ve found that partnering trainees with staff in the shop helps further the process of understanding how repairs are done in the shop. We’ll have trainees move to pulling and replacing parts, straightening metal, and then we start to work on welding and the structural process of the car.

I have five training in the shop right now and two are in the final stages of training. They’re doing an awesome job and I think it’s because our system works so well at the shop.

I know that it can be frustrating to stay in training mode for a long period of time, but we offer an incentive that gives employees credit when it’s due; I keep trainees on the clock but I start to add in a bonus aspect to their paycheck as they continue to produce more. It’s been a great system in our shop and I have had great luck with keeping employees around at the shop.

We focus on putting integrity into what we do at the shop. Depending on when

we’re all available, we’ll meet usually mid-week to discuss how everything is going in the shop. During our team meetings, we’ll hash out how things went throughout the last week and if there were any issues, we’ll document how we can fix those for next time.

It’s important to me to have a well structured shop because, in my past, I worked for a guy with whom I clashed.

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Pass It On Mike Maddox (right) says he always tries to instill pride, honesty and integrity into his employees—qualities instilled by his father.

Our staff is great here because while perfection is impossible, we try to make our work as close to it as we can. I will take time to thank my staff for being the best employees around; they all have ICAR certifications and they are willing to learn. They are the best around.

It’s our goal to show the customer that we care, so I’ll often give the customer

a ride if they need a way home. We always make sure to thank our customers for their service; without their trust, we wouldn’t be in business.

My father taught me honesty and integrity, and I want our customers to know that they can count on us for the best possible repair. At the end of the day, I make sure our customers are happy with our service.

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October 2018 | fenderbender.com 97

20TH ANNIVERSARY SERIES

JEANNE SILVER

The Anniversary Interview

SPONSORED BY

As FenderBender celebrates 20 years we take a look back at the collision repair industry through the eyes of some of its largest influencers

Jeanne Silver is the co-owner of CARSTAR Mundelein in Mundelein, Ill. She opened the business in 1996, and it is a respected collision repair business in the local community. Silver is very active in her community and the collision repair industry.

Silver also maintains a presence in her community through chambers of commerce, village government and community involvement. Her role as a participating member and past chair of several committees of the Collision Industry Conference has allowed her to engage in open dialogue for the benefit of the industry.

Silver works closely with local high schools through career advisory councils, and is a guest lecturer at high schools and colleges in her community, where she speaks about small business ownership, diversity in the workplace, and careers in the collision repair industry.

AS TOLD TO WESLEY MUILENBURG

How does the industry today compare to what it was like 20 years ago?

The industry was very fragmented with a large number of shops repairing vehicles with the tools they had available.

Neither training nor safety were considered when repairing cars. Direct repair programs were just beginning, so there was less friction between insurers and shops. Today's repairers are becoming more sophisticated and professional. That holds true if a repairer subscribes to better repairs, more professional and comfortable repair facilities, ongoing training and staying on top of changes in technology.

Those changes happen so much faster today that a repairer has to really pay attention to the transitions. We are becoming visual learners where the answer to any question is as simple as asking Google a question. On-demand training and repair procedures are not far away. That in itself will change the 98 fenderbender.com | October 2018

way that training is delivered, and the industry absorbs those changes more rapidly and by means that were not available 20 years ago. Consolidation in the industry has forced a reduction in the number of shops and this trend will continue.

What has been the biggest "gamechanger" over the past 20 years?

Technology turnover. It is the great disrupter and will change the repair process enormously. Predictive estimatics will likely replace estimating altogether, and this will streamline the administrative process.

Crash avoidance systems will lower frequency somewhat and autonomous vehicles will present a new set of repair challenges.

What do shops need to do to be successful over the next 20 years?

Shops need to continue to stay on

top of changes in technology through training and active cooperation between insurers, repairers and vendors that serve the industry. The three will have to come together to produce products and services to assist the repairer in the proper repair of a vehicle.

Shops that do not remain current in developing technologies are going to be unable to repair vehicles properly. This applies to ongoing developments in estimatics, changes in structural materials, and strict adherence to documented repair procedures.

Shops will have to manage themselves in order to stay current with the latest repair methodology, and insurers are going to have to adapt as technology in vehicle design and repairability changes more frequently. Those shops that do not repair vehicles properly will more exposed to liability and bad publicity with social media.

COURTESY JEANNE SILVER

JEANNE SILVER

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COLUMNS

OUTSIDE THE LINES JASON BOGGS

The Key to Effective Processes Stop overlooking the details and make a push for consistency

about the changes our company made in order to significantly reduce the number of vehicles we work on that need another part. I am specifically talking about after we have disassembled the vehicle, ordered all the parts and mirror matched those parts for accuracy. We have enjoyed the success of having 85 percent of our vehicles not needing another part after that point. Studies have shown the industry average to be around 20 percent of vehicles not needing another part. The steps that have already been discussed were: 1) preparing our team for change, 2) keeping score, 3) using language and terminology to shape our culture, and 4) implementing and sustaining processes.

This will be the final installment in discussing the steps we took.

In the past, I discussed how important it is to keep score. Sharing the score with your team is equally important. If you came in late to your favorite sports team’s game, the first thing you’d probably want to know is, “what’s the score of the game?” The answer to that question immediately lets you know how things are going. If we don’t share the score with our team, we are leaving them with the same feeling you would have if you couldn’t watch the game. Your team is playing a game every day and it’s important they know how their efforts are impacting the score.

We’ve also learned to celebrate failure. We don’t learn very much from doing things right. However, when we do things wrong, it’s a great opportunity to learn something. When a quarterback throws an interception in a game, you almost always see him on the sideline watching the replay on a tablet so he can learn from that mistake. A healthy shop environment will let everyone on the team know it’s OK to make a mistake. The next time something goes wrong, celebrate with your team the learning opportunity that came 100 fenderbender.com | October 2018

about from that mistake. Take the time to let them know you are glad something went wrong so that you have the opportunity to discuss the changes required to get things right. Several of the greatest changes our company have made over the years has come from the result of what we learned from a failure.

We also have a review meeting every week to discuss how we are doing as a team in regard to this entire process of ordering all the correct parts the first time. We discuss our current score. We discuss any vehicles that failed during the past week. We look to see if there are any trends. The team also gives feedback on what is working well and what we can do differently to impact our score.

These meetings are very brief. The max that they last is 15 minutes. Sometimes there is little to discuss and they are over in 2–3 minutes. We have worked on this entire system for the last 11 years. There have been a few periods of time where we experienced backsliding. Whenever we started backsliding, it was because we stopped having our meetings consistently. If the review meetings are not consistent, we have found that nothing else in our process will stay consistent.

This last step could be an entire book of information. We have piles of data from all the parts we’ve missed over the years. There is no contest in

what type of part has been missed the most, and that is a plastic clip. The industry is no different, as study upon study has proven that the No. 1 reason a vehicle doesn’t get delivered on time is a broken or missing clip. It amazes me that the part we all miss the most is the one part that most of us stock in our building. We all have some sort of collection of clips from complex, organized bins to drawers of clips and hardware labeled by manufacturer. Yet even with all those items in stock, as an industry, we aren’t very good at getting the right ones. Most of our review meetings are spent discussing clips. We have to remind ourselves all the time that clips require our most intense focus.

If you are a defensive coordinator developing a game plan to play the New England Patriots, you know they are going to throw the ball to Gronk many times during the game. While you must pay attention to the entire offense you are playing against, you’d be foolish to not pay special attention to their top receiver. It has to be the same way when we are disassembling vehicles: We have to pay special attention to the hardware.

I encourage you to choose one of the steps we have taken and start implementing it into your disassembly process. I can’t imagine our business without them.

JASON BOGGS is the owner of Boggs Auto Collision Rebuilders in Woodbury, N.J. He has attended the Disney Institute and Discover Leadership, and has studied lean manufacturing processes.

E M A I L : j a s o n @b o g g s au t o .c o m A R C H I V E : f e n d e r b e n d e r.c o m / b o g g s

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Brought to you by:

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

YOU NEED TO RUN A MORE EFFICIENT & PROFITABLE COLLISION REPAIR SHOP

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I MAGI NE T HE P ERF EC T DAY I N Y OUR SHOP. From a seamless customer check-in to a proper and efficient repair, the perfect day most likely has no hiccups. Your staff is productive the entire day and the customer leaves happy with the final results of his or her repair.

With the increased demands from customers and new repair procedures coming out every day, that scenario can sometimes seem out of reach.

However, with the right tools in place, the perfect day in your shop is closer than you think.

FenderBender’s special supplement, the Ultimate Collision Repair Shop, highlights the best of the best in the industry. This is the ultimate guide to the tools that you need in your shop to turn your perfect day into a reality.

Read about the companies and tools that are solving everyday problems for collision repair shops and find the solution to the biggest headaches in your shop.

For additional content including photos, videos, and more, go to ultimaterepairshop.com.

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2018 EDITION

T ABL E OF CON T EN T S 6

ELECTRONIC PARTS PROCUREMENT

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DIAGNOSTICS

10

PERSONAL SAFETY

12

DOLLY SYSTEM

14

MEASURING EQUIPMENT

16

FRAME EQUIPMENT

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WELDING EQUIPMENT

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PLASTIC WELDING EQUIPMENT

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MOBILE CLEAN SANDING SYSTEMS

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PAINT COATINGS

26

AIR FILTRATION AND AIRLINES

28

PAINT CUPS

30

SPRAY GUN

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ELECTRONIC PARTS PROCUREMENT

OE PARTS AT A GREAT PRICE

COLLISIONLINK HELPS BODY SHOPS PURCHASE OE PARTS EFFICIENTLY Having access to specific OE parts can be difficult for the shop without the right resource.

Often, the task of locating specific parts can tack on unnecessary time to a repair.

CollisionLink, created by OEC, is the industry’s premier all-make, online parts procurement solution that provides shops with access to vendors selling OEM parts. According to OEC, around 20,000 shops are using CollisionLink today.

“It’s really kind of phenomenal,” says Kimberly Gordainer of Rob’s Auto Body. Working directly with parts ordering and estimates, Gordainer spends the most time with CollisionLink, a program that was brought on to the shop around five years ago, she says.

By using CollisionLink, Gordainer says the shop has been able to provide customers with OE parts—a preference of Rob’s Auto Body.

Much like Gordainer, Bruce Vaughn, operations and parts manager of Alexander Body + Fender works directly with CollisionLink at the shop.

“I think CollisionLink is somewhat unique,” Vaughn says. “It improves cycle time, it improves quality, and getting OEM parts in replacements is always a benefit.”

CollisionLink gives customers the opportunity to correspond with vendors, purchase OEM products, as well as save money and time in the process.

TRANSPARENCY. CollisionLink works directly with a shop’s estimating system, which enables users to attach customer information such as the VIN number, photos of the vehicle, or additional notes in the system, providing clear communication for all parties involved.

“I’ll input insurance estimates in our system, which will put an estimate into our program and you can bring it up through CollisionLink,” Gordainer says.

Once the estimate is brought up through CollisionLink, the program generates an ordering sheet, Vaughn says.

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“It’s just a matter of putting in your RO number and putting in whatever notes you want at the bottom,” Vaughn says.

COMMUNICATION. CollisionLink makes communication easier between the customer and a vendor. Once a customer decides on what dealership he or she wants to purchase a part from, a request is sent, and in return, the dealership will reach out following the request.

For Vaughn, speaking directly with a specific vendor over the phone is important.

“When I do send [the parts requests] through, I use the request that the vendor call me so I can discuss the prices,” Vaughn says.

“I prefer to work with certain people with each vendor so I know I’m getting the same service every time.”

In the past, Gordainer says a majority of her time was spent hunting down parts through price matching, but now she knows the vendor will reach out as soon as her request is sent in.

“If I send it through CollisionLink they call me and I don’t have to hunt them down,” Gordainer says. “It’s just a smoother transition.”

EFFICIENCY. CollisionLink saves time for the shop by eliminating time spent searching for a part.

“The way that it used to be done is you used to call 4-5 different places to see what the best price you can get, where now I can send it to one person and get equal—if not better prices,” Gordainer says. “It saves time.”

In the past, Vaughn says working with an aftermarket part can be time-consuming, as the parts often do not fit correctly.

Since using CollisionLink, Vaughn says his shop’s cycle time has improved since the program allows users to purchase OE parts.

“If I can get an OEM part—that’s going to fit every time,” Vaughn says. “It’s order once and the part is here and good, so we don’t have to worry about it, and that’s always going to improve cycle time.

“It’s just a better part for the customer for the repair.”

OPPORTUNITY. One of the key benefits of CollisionLink is the ability for dealers to see the entire order: not just the parts that the shop originally wanted pricing on, but other parts they may not have considered. The dealer can then offer competitive pricing on those parts too, to the benefit of the shop and the consumer.

Most other solutions don’t offer this key feature.

AFFORDABILITY. CollisionLink partners with 23 OEMS in the US and Canada to offer 29 programs that dealers can take advantage of to price OE parts that compete with the aftermarket. Some of the programs focus on how OEMs can provide reimbursements for the switch from non-OE to OE parts, which helps dealers succeed against potential lost opportunities. CollisionLink also supports shop focused programs that provide rewards to the shops from the OEM for purchasing all OE parts on a repair.

According to OEC, CollisionLink automates the calculations and reimbursement process for dealers. Since vendors are able to get more of a reimbursement through CollisionLink, ordering the parts through the program has been more cost-efficient, Vaughn says.

“We can make a better profit margin because of the fact that they’re able to get more back from the manufacturer,” Vaughn says.

“For example, if I were to just call them, they might be able to sell a $100 part for $70, but if I run it through CollisionLink, they might be able to get more than their normal reimbursement back from the manufacturer,” Vaughn says.

“Now I might be able to buy the part for $60.”

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DIAGNOSTICS

EXPERIENCE THE EASE, FEEL THE POWER THE X-431 FROM LAUNCH TECH IS THE EASIEST TO USE SCAN TOOL IN THE INDUSTRY

“With today’s complex vehicles, it is essential to perform pre- and post-repair scans on each and every vehicle that enters a shop,” Janet Tang, marketing manager at Launch, says.

Performing pre- and post-repair scans is no longer a recommendation or best practice, it’s essential. Most OEMs now require pre- and post-repair scanning on all vehicles and have released position statements on them. If the vehicle is not repaired to the OEM specifications, shops can be held liable.

“Shop owners need to make sure that their staff is performing this process on every single vehicle,” Tang says. “If not, these shops will risk comebacks and losing a customer—or worse.”

Performing repair scans doesn’t need to be a hassle. In fact, there are many tools on the market that make it quick and easy, including the X-431 Torque from Launch Tech’s Pro Line Series.

LAUNCH TECH USA Launch Tech USA provides innovative and costeffective solutions through its product line of automotive diagnostics that allow shops to perform accurate, fast, OEM-level diagnostic solutions.

In order to meet the ever-changing needs of the industry, Launch employs more than 300 R&D engineers that work to deliver innovative solutions for its customer’s needs. Launch has multiple test centers worldwide that ensure the highest level of vehicle coverage available.

X-431 TORQUE The X-431 Torque is a new scan tool offering from Launch Tech’s Pro Line Series.

Technicians and instructors were asked to weigh in on the tool, which has made it one of the most user-friendly scan tools ever developed.

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“The torque is the easiest to use professional scan tool in the industry,” Tang says.

The Torque, which is based on the new Open Android 7.1 with Google Play, features a unique intelligent VIN Acquisition and Decoding feature that allows vehicle access in seconds.

“The VIN can be read in seconds and the year, make and model can be identified without any user interaction,” Tang says.

The Torque is a high-end open 7.1 Android 7.1 based automotive diagnostic tool.

“Being an open Android system, you can run your printer apps, email, internet services or other services, like checking the weather or playing games,” Tang says.

The Torque supports frequently used special functions, such as: • Service light reset • Throttle adaptation • Steering angle reset • Brake PAD reset • Tire pressure reset • Anti-theft matching • ABS bleeding • Battery matching • Gear learning • Injector coding • DPF regeneration

The tool also supports remote diagnosis.

So, hypothetically, a technician could diagnose a vehicle that is thousands of miles away.

“Not only that, but with the Torque, vehicle health reports for pre- and post-repair scans can be printed, which helps you get paid for your work,” Tang says.

SUPPORT If you run into any questions or problems with your diagnostic equipment, Launch Tech USA provides a number of different support options on its website. Along with contact information for people to reach out to for support, the website also has a number of different downloads, a community forum, and contact information for people. All of this information works together to make sure that users are getting the most out of their diagnostic tools.

“At Launch Tech, it’s important that our customers are taken care of,” Tang says. “If our customers have a question, they have a number of different outlets. Whether it’s a technical question that can be answered by our online form or a broader question answered by a fellow shop owner on the forum, we make sure our customers have all of the support that they need.”

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PERSONAL SAFETY

MAKE SAFETY IN THE PAINT BOOTH MORE COMFORTABLE

NEW 3M™ VERSAFLO™ TR-800 PAPR PROVIDES A LONG-LASTING SOLUTION FOR PAINTER PROTECTION Painters know that respiratory protection is necessary, as paint booth exposure to paint mists and vapors may cause irritation or potentially lead to serious health problems. But many might balk at the bulkiness of some powered and supplied air respirators currently on the market and the restrictions that such systems put on their mobility, particularly when they have to take it off and on for trips back and forth to the paint mixing room.

Now, 3M has a new solution— the 3M™ Versaflo™ TR-800 Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR)—3M’s new standard in intrinsically safe respiratory protection. The innovative new PAPR is designed to incorporate ergonomic styling and long battery life combined with leading technology from 3M. The low-profile PAPR design provides more freedom than a fresh-air system because the painter is not tethered to an air hose, allowing the painter to move about the booth easily and leave and return without removing the equipment.

“We want to ensure painters have access to comfortable respiratory protection on the job with a PAPR they want to wear, even when they are working in the booth all day long,” says Chris Sneden of the 3M Personal Safety Division. “By combining a variety of 3M solutions for the paint booth such as: helmets, hoods and headcovers, protective coveralls and eye protection, we can help make their work in the paint booth easier and more efficient while providing them comfort and control.”

As part of the 3M Versaflo family, the TR800 can be combined with Versaflo headtops, belts, and certain other accessories to become part of a NIOSH-approved respirator system.

The TR-800 system features multiple speeds, 10

audible and visual alarms, and the ability to work with a wide variety of cartridges. It is designed on a global platform which gives multinational customers the option to standardize on one product platform with both NIOSH and CE versions available.

The 3M Versaflo TR-800 is designed for improved worker comfort, convenience and control.

Key features include: • Multiple airflow rates that put the painter in control of their comfort with the ability to work at their own speed • Intuitive, colored touchpoints plus visual and audible low-flow indicators • Innovative construction featuring 3M-patent pending material capable of meeting new IEC/UL 60079 material properties requirement while still meeting aging, conditioning and drop test requirements for IS products • Multi-speed blower functions at altitudes up to 16,000 feet to keep the air flowing • Long run time batteries that charge quickly, achieving 90% charge in approximately 3.5 hours, with approximately 750 full charge/discharge cycles and a built-in charge level indicator • Mechanical attachment of the battery to help prevent battery removal during use and spark risk during use per IEC/UL 60079 along with battery protection bumpers to help absorb impact • More options for more tasks, with the ability to choose from particulate filters or gas and vapor combination cartridges for protection in a variety of environments

The 3M Versaflo TR-800 is a PAPR blower with battery UL-certified with an intrinsically safe (IS) rating of Division 1: IS Class I, II, III; Division 1 (includes Division 2) Groups C, D, E, F, G; T4, under the most current standard (UL 60079, 6th Edition, 2013).

For more information visit us at 3M.com/ Versaflo800.

3M ALSO SUGGESTS THESE ADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL PROTECTION IN THE PAINT BOOTH: • Work with your local 3M representative to help you decide on the respirator options that are the best for your employees • Ensure that all employees required to wear tight fitting respirators are fit tested on the product prior to use • According to an article published on the center for disease control’s website, ‘there is evidence that both respiratory and dermal exposures can lead workers to become sensitized to isocyanates,’ which make gloves, protective coveralls and eye protection important pieces of PPE for any painter ** • Ensure the paint booth is properly vented and sealed to help reduce the flow of harmful chemicals into the shop **www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/isocyanates/default.html

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D O L LY S Y S T E M

A DOLLY SYSTEM THAT WON’T QUIT DJS FABRICATIONS’ DOLLY SYSTEMS ARE THE TOP TIER FOR THREE SHOP OWNERS Bringing a wheel-less vehicle into the shop is difficult without the right dolly system. Due to a vehicle’s weight, moving even the exteriorshell of a vehicle without proper tools can scuff shop floors or even damage concrete outside of the shop.

In an effort to avoid property damage for shops, DJS Fabrications offers the Universal Dolly, a product that provides shop owners with a safe, durable and mobile unit. The Universal Dolly is accompanied by the Mobile Dolly station which is the rack that holds the dollies, offering a wheel transportation system that works in every situation.

When a customer purchases the product, not only are they investing in a mobile device that can hold up to 4,000 pounds, but they additionally receive both a rocker and a hub adapter that can attach to undriveable vehicles, as well.

Three collision shop owners discuss their experiences with using DJS Fabrications Dolly Systems and how the mobilizational tool has become an everyday necessity in the shop.

DURABLE Purchasing a dolly system should not be a regular occurrence at your shop. When bringing in a new product to utilize on your shop floors, the new tool should reliable and able to withstand potential damage.

For Scott Hillery, owner of Auto Park Collision in California, buying a product only to have it fail became an occurrence in his shop.

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“That’s really the thing: our industry is selling this stuff all of the time,” Hillery says. “We buy [a dolly system] with high hopes and quite often it ends up in the corner.”

Hillery was referred to DJS when the shop was in the market for a mobile parts cart. After bringing the mobile dolly system into the shop, he was impressed.

“It was just so much better than what was out there,” Hillery says. “The wheels could go over the rough surfaces, they were durable, wellmade, and the service is right there.

“The stuff that I have is being used every day; it’s always going to work and that’s what keeps me loyal.”

Much like Hillery, the strength of the dolly systems stood out to John Speckmann of AutoNation.

Speckmann says other dollies often can’t handle the weight of a structure and are difficult to move to a specific area in the shop.

According to Speckmann, DJS’ Dolly Systems can comfortably fit in areas that are confined with space.

“You can beat on this equipment and it stays solid,” says John Speckmann of Auto Nation.

“They’re well structured, well built, and not like any other company that uses substandard steel.”

UNIVERSAL Being able to utilize a product for more than one purpose can help save on cost, as well as free up space on your shop floor. DJS Fabrications customers have found that the mobile unit can

safely maneuver more than just the frame of a car from one space to another.

David Miller, owner of US Automotive Restoration, was working alongside DJS Fabrications on a television project when his business decided to purchase a dolly system made by the company.

“We were so blown away that we immediately bought more,” Miller says.

According to Miller, the dolly systems have been utilized for more than one purpose in his business.

“The dollies are so good because they have different mounts, so if your car doesn’t have wheels and tires, they’ve got a cradle that you can grab the front rail and mount that,” Miller says.

The success and mobility of the Dolly System has increased the efficiency of not only moving a vehicle, but also effectively moving large parts around the shop, Miller says.

“We decided to take it a step further,” Miller says. “What we used to do is buy dummy wheels and tires, do the metal body paint and at the end we’d put the high-dollar tires on.

“Now we’re building the car, putting it on the suspension and using the wheel stead mounts to just mount the car without wheels and tires, saving the money from the dummy wheels and tires, and rolling the car for the whole process.”

ACCESSIBLE It’s important to invest in a product that is made by a company that supports their customer base. DJS Fabrications’ strong customer assistance has offered customers assistance on the fly and continues to maintain its reliable reputation among those who use their product.

Hillery found DJS when his shop was looking for a parts rack, he says, and to his surprise, the company was local.

“We struck up a relationship and we were new, and he was fairly new and we were just two guys trying to make it work and it clicked,” Hillery says. “They would deliver the product down to us and that’s how it started with them.”

For Speckmann, the company’s commitment to assisting customers has been remarkable.

“In my world, being in the business for 30 years—a lot of it comes down to customer service and commitment [to the customer],” Speckmann says. “I’ve followed them for years.”

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MEASURING EQUIPMENT

PREPARED FROM THE START

MEASURING WITH CAR-O-LINER’S POINTX MEASURING SYSTEM WILL SET SHOPS UP FOR A SUCCESSFUL REPAIR In the auto body world, small mishaps can create large-scale problems if a repair isn’t done correctly the first time. That’s why preparation beforehand and completing a proper blueprint is essential. There are components that can help make a repair successful, such as selecting the right measuring tool for the repair.

According to Michael Hoeneise, Car-O-Liner’s training manager, one of the most popular devices used is the PointX Diagnostic Measuring System, a handheld measuring tool made out of lightweight, carbon fiber. With the ability to check frame measuring points, utilizing Bluetooth communication, as well as the Car-OLiner Vision2 PointX Software for diagnostics and blueprinting, the product is able to provide estimators and technicians with quick and accurate diagnostic measurements.

“It’s become more important to measure and document the current state of the vehicle,” Hoeneise says.

IMPORTANCE OF MEASURING As vehicle dimensions have become less forgiving, it’s more important than ever to validate the proper repair process and exercise precision during the repair, Hoeneise says.

“Accurate measuring and the ability to verify is going to be a benefit in assessing and reassembling the vehicle,” Hoeneise says.

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Utilizing the PointX for premeasuring, along with the Car-O-Tronic Vision2 measuring system and Bench system, your repair process can be accurate, efficient and OEM approved, according to Car-O-Liner. Together, the two systems reveal the highest quality diagnosis for blueprinting and measuring for accurate repair, delivering the results our customers expect, Hoeneise says.

AN ACCESSIBLE OFFERING When Car-O-Liner’s measuring system is brought into a shop, technicians will feel comfortable when using the product, Hoeneise says.

THOROUGH TRAINING When a customer invests in the PointX product, they have the opportunity to utilize training methods that are made available by Car-OLiner. The first form includes the initial training, Hoeneise says, which is provided following the shop’s investment in the product.

“The initial training is some in-shop training when the equipment is delivered so the technician can become familiar with the operation and gain some experience using the product,” Hoeneise says. “What we’ve found is that we like to give the technician a bit of time to familiarize themselves with the function of the machine. If we go to advanced training

right away [then] it’s difficult to retain because the technician doesn’t have the basis for it.”

Once technicians become familiar with the product, Car-O-Liner offers a more advanced two-day course for new users.

CONTINUAL RESOURCES Car-O-Liner’s drive to assist customers and ensure that all questions are answered does not simply halt once training is over. For Hoeneise, helping customers is part of what makes the company stand out among others.

In order to provide customers with helpful tools, Car-O-Liner makes sure that the company’s resources are equipped with the right tools, Hoeneise says.

“I’m actually going to the home office in Sweden to train on some of our products,” Hoeneise says. “They send us over and we meet the people who have designed and made the products so we can really understand what we have.”

Additionally, Car-O-Liner has created a web of resources that extend throughout the country.

“We have a strong network of distributors across the country who are always available and willing to help shops and new product users” Hoeneise says. “We work with experts all over the country.”

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MEASURE FROM BEGINNING

TO END

Contact Us at CAR-O-LINER-US.COM for More Information About Training. www.car-o-liner.com • 1-800-521-9696 U LT I M A T E C O L L I S I O N R E P A I R S H O P

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FRAME EQUIPMENT

THE ESSENTIAL FRAME EQUIPMENT QUESTIONS TO ASK DON’T GET STUCK WITH THE WRONG EQUIPMENT—ASK YOURSELF THESE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS BEFORE INVESTING Frame equipment is a building block of a successful body shop. It’s a great way to improve efficiency in shop processes and can also play a big part in reducing workplace injuries, which increases technician productivity and will keep them happy in the long run. Doug Bortz, director of marketing and advertising at Car-O-Liner, knows that, too often, shop owners make the decision to purchase frame equipment without understanding the end on mind.

Bortz shares the essential questions that shop owners should ask themselves before they make the investment.

HOW MANY OEMS WILL THIS FRAME EQUIPMENT COVER? OEMs have requirements for frame equipment and before making any purchases, shop owners should evaluate the OEMs that they want to cover and make the best purchase decision based on that. These are the questions that Bortz suggests asking: • What are the OEM specifications to meet certification or approval?

• How many OEMs recognize the unit in a similar configuration?

• Will the unit conform to multiple OEM requirements with minimal or no reconfiguration?

Bortz says that often, measuring and frame equipment will go hand in hand when it comes to OEM approval. For example, an OEM that requires a Car-O-Liner measuring will also approve the frame equipment. That’s not always the case, but it’s a good place to start if a shop owner is overwhelmed looking at the different options.

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SHOULD I PURCHASE DEDICATED FIXTURES OR UNIVERSAL ANCHORING? Bortz says that when owners decide on what type of anchoring system to purchase, they should consider if they’re better off with a universal system or a dedicated jig fixtures. Dedicated jig fixtures may sound ideal, but depending on other repairs not requiring such a system, may not be as efficient as a universal fixture system for all work and because of that, could result in purchasing multiple systems. A vehicle-specific system will be approved by a particular OEM, but OEMs have different requirements, which would also mean purchasing multiple systems.

Another consideration is whether your shop needs an anchoring system for a truck, SUV or full frame. If your shop does repair many full frame vehicles, you will need to ensure a solid vise like solution to perform these repairs in a safe and efficient manner.

Finally, purchasing dedicated jig fixtures may require fixture rentals. Bortz advises shop owners to investigate and see whether or not they are available for rental and if so, how quickly they can be made available. If the delay is too long, it can cause bottlenecks.

Car-O-Liner offers a universal EVO system in three main configurations: basic, extended, and holding and fixturing. Each configuration is approved by multiple OEMs and features a universal fit, reducing the upfront investment with maximum capabilities.

DO THE FRAME BENCH AND ANCHORING ACT AS THE MEASURING SYSTEM? At Car-O-Liner, the measuring system provides

the total solution along with the frame bench.

The measuring system guides users through the repair process and performs automatic centering, measuring and documentation. By offering it as part of the total solution when used with the frame bench, the repair process will speed up and quality will increase. If documentation and improving quality of repairs is important to shop owners, they should make sure that a measuring system is offered.

WILL THE EQUIPMENT MEET MY SPACE REQUIREMENTS AND THE NEEDS OF MY STAFF? When purchasing frame equipment, Bortz reminds shop owners to keep in mind the layout of their shop. For example, Car-O-Liner frame equipment will take up a bay, but others will take up a bay and a half. In addition, consider whether or not a bay can be dedicated to a bench or if that space is needed to serve multiple purposes. Car-O-Liner offers a flush mount system that allows the equipment to be lowered down into a pit. That way, the bay can be used for multiple purposes and shop owners can make the most of their shop’s space, Bortz says.

Height variation in a bench is another important factor for shop owners to keep in mind.

Bortz says it’s important to keep your technician’s needs top of mind. You will want a bench that will raise and lower to multiple work heights, reducing stress while increasing efficiencies.

Do your homework, include the input and ideas from your team and make this investment once, and you will reap the financial rewards with happier employees.

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BenchRack EFFICIENCY AT ITS BEST!

™

Visit CAR-O-LINER-US.COM to Learn More & Request a Demo. www.car-o-liner.com • 1-800-521-9696 U LT I M A T E C O L L I S I O N R E P A I R S H O P

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WELDING EQUIPMENT

a shop owner to make a list of their OEM certifications and then find out how many of those match up to the welder that they’re thinking about purchasing,” Coppes says.

CONSIDER: CURRENT OPERATING CAPACITY

WHICH WELDER WORKS FOR YOU? BEFORE INVESTING IN A WELDER, THERE ARE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS EVERY SHOP OWNER SHOULD ASK In 2018 GM announced that it will no longer recognize MIG-plug welding on its vehicle repairs—only resistance-spot welding. For a shop that sees a lot of GM work, this is significant, especially if that shop is considering purchasing a new welder.

“The evolution of engineering and manufacturing go hand in hand with the types of materials that will be used and the way that vehicles will be constructed in the future,” says Jeff Coppes, service and technical support welding systems, at Car-O-Liner. “Shop owners need to ask themselves what the future will look like for their shop and how it will influence the equipment that they buy to ensure the best return on investment.”

A welder is an essential piece of equipment in any body shop and for many, one is not enough. The investment is expensive but essential. Coppes shares his tips for making the best decision when purchasing a welder and the es18

sential questions that a shop owner should be asking before they make the investment.

CONSIDER: OEM CERTIFICATIONS One of the most important pieces of information that a shop owner should gather before purchasing a welder is whether or not it’s OEM approved for the type of work that he or she is looking to do. Shop owners need to look at their certifications and the type of vehicles coming in the door and can then begin narrowing down the options based on that information.

Coppes points out that OEMs vary in their requirements. Some will require a specific piece of equipment and a shop owner with that certification needs to purchase that exact welder, while others will have a set of criteria that the welder has to meet. For example, Honda sets specifications, whereas VW and Audi will state a specific manufacturer and model of the welder.

“When making the decision, I would advise

Coppes says that shop owners should constantly ask themselves, “Do I have enough welders for the number of techs that need to use one throughout the day?”

For example, if a shop has six body techs, one welder will most likely not serve the needs of all of those techs. Shop owners should evaluate how many structural, panel and other types of welds their current welder is doing and how many technicians need to use it throughout the day. Coppes says that if you have a number of similar repairs coming into your shop and only three technicians, you may be able to get by with one welder. However, if more techs need to use that welder, it may be beneficial to invest in another.

A quick way to determine if you need a welder is to observe what’s going on in your shop. Coppes says if there’s a technician constantly waiting around for equipment, the time to invest is now. Although the initial investment may seem steep, another welder can increase shop productivity and yield a quick ROI.

CONSIDER: SUPPORT Coppes says that once you’ve looked at the need in your shop and made sure that the welder you want to purchase meets the OEM requirements that you’re looking for, it’s important to learn more about the company and find out what kind of support they provide after the sale.

“Is the warranty at least 24 months? You’ll want to make sure it’s a two year or longer warranty for a welder because it lives in a harsh environment and it will be used every single day,” Coppes says.

In addition, Coppes suggests getting to know your local distributor and asking about upgrades and other questions you may have down the line.

Car-O-Liner provides a full 24-month warranty and continued service and support in the field. The company has a full service staff to serve and support its customers.

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INNOVATIVE

WELDING

SOLUTIONS

Visit CAR-O-LINER-US.COM to Learn More & Request a Demo. www.car-o-liner.com • 1-800-521-9696 U LT I M A T E C O L L I S I O N R E P A I R S H O P

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PLASTIC WELDING EQUIPMENT

NITRO FUZER WELDERS | Features

Construction

6049-C

6080-CG Nitrocell

(Nitrogen generator model)

6085-C 6049-C

6085-C

6080-CG

CREATE A POSITIVE CHANGE

16 gauge USA manufactured steel cabinet

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•

•

Two-tone powder coated finish

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•

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Over-sized steel rivets and screws throughout

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•

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Sturdy cabinet-mounted tool holster

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• PLASTIC WELDING CAN BRING IN MORE OPPORTUNITIES • • • FOR ANY SIZE OF BODY Fully assembled 16-gauge USA manufactured welding cart SHOP • • •

Vibration-dampening, high-grip rubber feet

Bolt-together USA manufactured welding cart (assembly required)

Controls In Mitchell’s

2015 Q4 Industry Trends ReAutomatic holster switch that bumper covers port, air-to-nitrogen Mitchell revealed Digital temperature control for air/nitrogen welder made up 68 percent of the top 10 parts that Digital temperature control for airless welder are involved in collisions. In addition, 78 percent LED power set-point displays were being replaced of supplies repaired.

Precision flow regulators for airinstead and nitrogen Direct-reading precision flowof gauge The accuracy the repair-versus-replace decision is critical, and these trends signal a lack Convenience Features of equipment and knowledge for bumper cover Programmable default start-up settings Easily replaceable heating elements repair training.

To stay ahead, shops should emPanel mounted circuit breaker brace the possibilities of plastic welding.

Fully-plumbed nitrogen regulator and hose For Eddie Stokes, owner of Detroit Auto Air manifold for attachment of air hose Body, he believed shop missed opportuniCompartmentalized welding his rod and tool storage areas Welding rod organizer case (qty)bumpers. When Stokes ties when replacing heard about Polyvance’s Nitro Fuzer nitrogen plastic welder, he wasn’t sure how effective the tool could be in his shop.

The tool is recognized as one of the most advanced and fully featured products on the market, according to Polyvance, but Stokes wasn’t aware of its benefits until he was introduced to the Nitro Fuzer nitrogen plastic welder by insurance companies.

“We only saw videos examples that people had done [of the plastic welder],” Stokes says. “It was never quite on my radar.”

Once it was introduced to him, its capability to repair in house caught his attention, but since he was unable to see the product in person, he hesitated to purchase ahead of time.

Once Stokes received an in-person demonstration, he realized that the shop was missing out on opportunities to repair instead of replace. During the fall of 2017, Stokes decided to invest and introduced the tool to technicians during lunchtime.

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“When we purchased it, we had a couple of lunch opportunities where we got the group together and really pulled out some of the bumpers that could be repaired,” Stokes says.

After technicians saw firsthand how the plastic welder could be used on vehicles, Stokes says his employees are now more eager than ever to work with the plastic welder on finishing a job quickly.

According to Stokes, the tool is used every day.

“They’re finding that we’re able to repair cars faster and we don’t have to deal with fit issues,” Stokes says. “The confidence level and attitude [has changed].”

•

“It took a few attempts to kind of underN/Awith the technicians,” stand what the• buy-in was • • Stokes says. “Once we were able to get certain • • people to believe in it, it took off from there.”

• • productivity • Today, the• tool has increased • and a necessity in the California• is seen as • • based shop.

“The goals• [with the plastic welder] were to • • retain the OEM• parts and •not use as much after• • market,” Stokes says.

• • N/A The tool’s capabilities have led the shop to • • • both external •growth.

• internal and • 1

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INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF PLASTIC REPAIRS ON YOUR FLOOR. Working on plastic repairs in house can drive more business in as the waiting process for a new part is eliminated. Using the plastic welder has saved as much time as a full workday, Stokes says.

“For a bumper replacement only, it would be safe to say you order the bumper, you paint the bumper, you deliver it the next day,” Stokes says.

“With the plastic welder, you’re able to bring the car in during the morning, do the bumper repair and deliver the car the same night, so cycle time has been reduced.”

BUILD CONFIDENCE AMONG EMPLOYEES. Having the ability to work on multiple types of plastic allows employees to become more advanced in the craft. The plastic welder’s versatility allows users to repair polyethylene plastics, like washer bottles, as well as fender liners, according to Polyvance.

PRODUCE STAND-OUT RESULTS. According to Polyvance, using a welding process can speed up the process in a shop. In particular, using the welding process on thermoplastics allows for repair of small tabs and detail areas impossible with other methods.

Using the plastic welder has given the shop record numbers in terms of repairs by technicians, Stokes says.

“We went back through and counted all the bumpers, all the liners, all the other types of plastic and all the files and it was in the triple digits,” Stokes says. “It’s been knocked out of the park every single month.”

EXPERIENCE HANDS-ON TRAINING. Polyvance provides customers with a variety of educational training sessions on how new equipment will work in the shop.

Training for shops is broken into four different sessions, one of which is offered free of charge: courtesy training for new customers, which is free; Introduction to Nitrogen Plastic Welding, PR01, which is $400 per session for up to three technicians; Complete Course on Plastic Bumper Repair, PR-02, which is $500 per person; and Headlight Repair, PR-03, which is $49 per person.

When learning about the product, it was important for employees to understand how to best utilize the product.

“They did a rundown with everybody into them,” Stokes says. “They were really, really helpful in coming out and showing us what we can expand on.”

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MOBILE CLEAN SANDING SYSTEMS

CLEAN SHOP CREATES EFFICIENCY, EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION

REAL-WORLD BENEFITS INCLUDE GENERATING EFFICIENCIES AND PROFITS, MORE SATISFIED SHOP TECHNICIANS—THANKS TO TOTAL AUTOMOTIVE SANDING SYSTEM In the two years since the 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division and Festool launched the Total Automotive Sanding System as part of its clean shop technologies, it has already fundamentally changed the way top automotive collision shops operate their businesses for improved productivity, technician satisfaction and a cleaner facility environment.

The powerful combination of best-in-class 3M™ Cubitron™ II abrasives and Festool-branded premium power tools and dust extraction technologies are making collision shops cleaner, more profitable and better, safer places to work.

Sawgrass Ford in Sunrise, Florida operates a collision repair center to service customers in South Florida, a market with lots of premium vehicles. Bill Condron, Fixed Operations Director at Sawgrass Ford is a huge proponent of the Total Automotive Sanding System.

“The biggest thing for us is the cleanliness of the shop,” says Condron. “We just built a brandnew $7 million shop, and all of our technicians have their own Total Automotive Sanding Systems. The cleanliness of it and the quickness of it has been very helpful for us. We’re working on high-end cars, so we don’t want there to be dirt on the cars. We don’t want the dirt in the shop and we don’t want the dirt on the guys.”

Employee safety is another benefit of the Total Automotive Sanding System.

“When you’ve got one technician who’s sanding on plastic filler on a body panel, we always make sure that they’re wearing a respirator. We’re very safety conscious here,” says Dennis Auld, general manager of Auto Body Repair of America in Hudson, Wisconsin. “But 10 to 15 feet away in the next bay, his co-worker who’s not wearing a respirator but there was still all of 22

that dust in the air. Before, you could see the haze in the sunshine. With the Total Automotive Sanding System, that has been totally eliminated. Our technicians are absolutely thrilled.”

At Benner’s Auto Body in Cranford, New Jersey, which has been in business since 1910, owner Joe O’Neill Jr. relies on the Total Automotive Sanding System to boost the profitability and environmental efficiency of his facility.

O’Neil estimates that among the employees in his shop’s three departments, the Total Automotive Sanding System saves as many as 15 hours per day in time his technicians have to spend cleaning themselves up and cleaning their work area. Time is money, and it adds up quickly.

For their efforts, Benner’s Auto Body was recently awarded an Environmental Stewardship Award from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Environmental responsibility is also a key business initiative for Latuff Brothers Auto Body, a St. Paul, Minnesota collision repair center that’s been in the same family for four generations, since 1933.

“With the Total Automotive Sanding Systems, we are experiencing longer paper life, especially when you’re sanding to bare metal. The 3M™ Cubitron™ II abrasives that we use work phenomenally well and don’t dull as fast as other brands of paper. It means less time spent grabbing another piece of paper out of the supply cabinet and more time hands-on with the vehicles.”

He also values the relationship his shop has and the service it receives from 3M on an ongoing basis.

“3M is a great business partner and they always come in and support the products that they bring to market,” says Latuff. “The experi-

ence was seamless for us. They brought it in, showed the guys the benefits of the system, how to use it. And it comes with a phenomenal service warranty on it.”

Real-world shops, real-world results: Cleaner, more efficient, more environmentally friendly and more profitable shops thanks to 3M, Festool and the Total Automotive Sanding System.

That’s a win all around.

For more information visit 3MCollision.com/ festool.

GET STUCK ON 3M CLEAN SHOP SOLUTIONS The 3M clean shop solutions go far beyond the Total Automotive Sanding System. For the paint booth, 3M™ Dirt Trap Nonwoven Protection Material is a specially engineered nonwoven material that traps dust and dirt while it protects and brightens paint booth walls and floors.

For other shop areas, 3M offers the new 3M™ Self-Stick Liquid Protection Fabric, a removable, efficient and economical way to protect surfaces from paint spills, dirt and liquids, trapping these contaminants in the fabric for easy cleanup. 3M™ Self-Stick Liquid Protection Fabric provides a temporary, conformable surface covering that adheres to most surfaces, but removes easily and leaves no residue after the work is completed. Ideal for repair bays, paint mixing rooms and mechanical repair areas, 3M™ Self-Stick Liquid Protection Fabric replaces paper, cardboard, plastic or other surface coverings which require over-masking and frequently become soggy or slippery and can allow leakage to surrounding areas.

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PA I N T C OAT I NG S

WATERBORNE BASECOAT

THE IDEAL TECHNOLOGY FOR MATCHING TODAY’S COMPLEX COLORS Lexus Infrared 3T5, Honda Andaro Blue Pearl B605P and Ford Ruby Red are just a few examples of the sophisticated colors that automakers are introducing to differentiate their vehicles from the competition. These new colors are highly chromatic with a translucence that portrays an exceptional level of depth, brilliance and clarity.

For collision repair centers to accurately match and repair these new colors with maximum efficiency, it’s helpful to better understand the processes the OEM factories use. Some use standard gray undercoats for all colors; others employ different shades of gray, while others apply colored ground coats. But the end result is effectively the same—the translucent nature of the color pigments combine with the undercoat color and clearcoat to create the dramatic final color.

Using a waterborne refinish system offers the best opportunity for collision refinish technicians to accurately match these vibrant colors—PPG’s system effectively mirrors OEM coatings technology and their factory application processes. It’s an approach where PPG has taken the lead with the ENVIROBASE® High Performance waterborne basecoat system. This advanced refinish system keeps pace with the OEMs by combining 3rd-generation waterborne technology, the latest translucent pigments, and a proven spectral gray undercoat system to match the exotic styling effects of today’s original finishes.

TRANSLUCENT TONERS AND SPECTRAL GRAY UNDERCOATS In order to achieve the highly chromatic and eye-catching colors offered by competing OEM brands, PPG’s waterborne system incorporates the latest vibrant toners made with translucent pigments. However, the key to success is what lies underneath—scientifically aligned spectral gray (SG) undercoats provide the appropriate foundation to allow the basecoat layer to reflect its full chromatic effect.

PPG has formulated five shades of spectral 24

grays, giving users of the Envirobase High Performance system the complete range needed to match today’s emerging vibrant colors. All of PPG’s waterborne color formulas specify the optimal SG shade of undercoat, which can be retrieved from any of PPG’s color formula retrieval tools.

SPECTRAL GRAY

TRANSLUCENT BASECOAT

CLEARCOAT

SPRAY TO COLOR, NOT COVERAGE “Spray to full hiding” has long been the maxim for any paint technician applying color coats over primer to accurately match a vehicle color.

This is no longer standard practice when repairing the newer translucent OEM finishes using the Envirobase High Performance system. Once the recommended spectral gray undercoat is applied, waterborne translucent color coats are sprayed to “perceived hiding,” allowing the sealer to play its role in creating the final match. Typically, this “spray to color” technique requires two to four coats of color, plus a lower-pressure control coat to create smooth metallic orientation.

SMOOTHER, EASIER BLENDING Technicians accustomed to spraying opaque color to full hiding over a feather-edged surfacer will discover a significant advantage in blending when transitioning to the Envirobase High Performance system. Using the traditional “spray to full hiding” with products formulated to be opaque, painters can find it difficult to achieve both a good color match and a satisfactory blend into adjacent panels on newer translucent colors. In comparison, PPG’s waterborne toners, combined with blended SG undercoats, enable the painter to achieve a gradual blend that vanishes into the adjacent OEM finish. This easy-blending technique for spot repairs is often cited by collision centers as a major reason why they converted to the Envirobase High Performance system—and it’s an essential part of the curriculum on the latest techniques for matching the new, more exotic colors taught at PPG training centers.

HANDS-ON COLOR TRAINING Painters using the Envirobase High Performance system can enhance their skills for matching today’s vehicle colors by attending a host of training courses offered at each of PPG’s 16 Business Development Centers.

Color matching is a major focus of PPG’s Painter Certification Training for the Envirobase High Performance system. The two-day course includes both classroom education and handson training, covering all aspects of performing refinish repairs. Technicians are encouraged to take certification training every two years to stay abreast of the latest products, equipment, technologies and application procedures.

Further instruction on matching specialty finishes is provided at PPG’s Tri-Coat and Specialty Finishes training course. Topics covered include creating a tri-coat let-down panel, repairing tri-coat finishes, how to match low-gloss finishes, as well as the proper use of spectral gray undercoats for translucent finishes.

The art of tinting for difficult-to-match colors is the main objective of PPG’s Color Adjustment course. The comprehensive two-day course covers the science of color perception and its practical application in matching and tinting vehicle colors. Tailored to a specific PPG premium refinish system, attendees receive in-depth instruction covering color plotting, use of tint charts, light sources, flop adjustment, blending techniques and more.

For more information, visit envirobase.com or contact your local PPG distributor.

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Advancing the art of refinishing into the future.

NOW THAT’S HIGH PERFORMANCE The ENVIROBASE® High Performance refinish system combines the latest translucent and opaque pigments with an OEM-like spectral gray undercoat system. The result is a finish with a depth of clarity and crispness unrivaled by other paint systems. Another reason why the Envirobase High Performance brand is the leading premium waterborne basecoat system in North America.

SUPERIOR COLOR ACCURACY HIGH PRODUCTION THROUGHPUT COST-SAVING EFFICIENCIES

envirobase.com ©2018 PPG Industries, Inc. All rights reserved. The PPG Logo and Envirobase are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

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A I R F I LT R AT I O N A N D A I R L I N ES

CLEAN AIR AND PEACE OF MIND THE SATA AIR FILTRATION SYSTEM, TOGETHER WITH THE DAN-AM AIR ALUMINUM PIPE SYSTEM, IS EFFICIENT, EASY TO USE AND WILL IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND CLEANLINESS FOR BOTH BREATHING AND SPRAYING AIR Today’s clean air requirements are more critical than ever. Air tools, blow driers, HVLP spray guns, and supplied air respirators may require more air volume and better air quality than needed in the past. Not only does clean air effect equipment performance, but it is also critical for paint coatings performance. Dan-Am Air’s aluminum airlines along with the technology of SATA’s filtration system can solve all of these issues.

The Dan-Am Air system is reusable and easily adaptable to any space, not only ensuring safe, clean air for your team, but also increasing your shop’s efficiency and improving your business’s bottom line.

THE THREE-STAGE FILTRATION SATA filtration is available in two sizes, which can flow up to 129 cfm at 90psi—an exceptional amount of air for a single filtration unit, Gravenhof says, enough to accommodate multiple booths on a single filter.

“If your shop is equipped with multiple booths, you have the option of a single SATA filter to maintain, as opposed to a filtration unit at each booth. Fewer filter cartridges to maintain equals fewer dollars spent,” Gravenhof says.

The SATA three-stage filtration system is simple: The first stage is the water separator, removing the larger moisture droplets and particles down to 5 microns from the air; next is the fine filter which removes particles down to 0.01 micron; and, finally, there is the activated charcoal filter stage removing hydrocarbons, oil vapors and odors to give you perfectly clean air for breathing and spraying.

Following that process along with changing your filters as recommended, and with no CO detected, the filter provides Grade D breathable air.

DAN-AM AIR’S HIGH-QUALITY MATERIALS The system’s airlines are made of powdercoated, aircraft-grade, extruded aluminum.

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Aluminum’s biggest advantage? Easy to install, modular and reusable, lightweight, corrosion resistant, and guaranteed not to leak. DanAm Air fittings are constructed of a reinforced Nylon composite material, with a double Nitrile seal. The manifolds and ball valves are nickel plated solid brass, and all threaded connectors are high grade steel. Dan-Am Air can be easily adapted to your current system with the variety of threaded connection options available.

“With black pipe or galvanized, the air leaves the compressor and is immediately in danger of corrosion and oil issues. Copper is expensive and doesn’t have the easy to install modular design aspect. And PVC, while inexpensive, can become brittle and dangerous over time—-not to mention illegal in many areas. Dan-Am Air and SATA filtration solves every one of those issues,” Gravenhof says. “Dan-Am Air and SATA combined just makes sense.”

MODULAR DESIGN “Compared to a typical airlines system, ours is reusable,” Gravenhof says. “You can put a system up, and take it down and put it back together very easily. It’s modular, and can be easily added on to or changed if need be. We’ve had instances where shops will take their airline system down and take it with them if, for example, they’ve outgrown their current facility.”

Designed with simplicity in mind, DAA allows you to do-it-yourself. Measure, cut, deburr, then simply “Press-to-Connect”. The direct result being lower installation times and costs.

All fittings arrive pre-torqued for immediate assembly and pressurization, as well as being interchangeable, allowing for ease of future addition or expansion.

The “Press-to-Connect” subject tends to be the most misunderstood instruction in the DAA system. We have all been taught since we were young to first loosen a given item, put it together, and then tighten it. That is NOT the

recommended installation procedure for DAA fittings. DO NOT loosen fitting caps before installation. It’s as simple as pushing the fitting onto the pipe until it is fully inserted. The only reason to loosen any given fitting cap would be to remove the fitting from the pipe. If a fitting cap is loosened and removed, simply retorque the fitting cap to factory specs (line up the arrows) and press-to-connect. As each cap is individual to its fittings, the torque range arrows are either solid or hollow, and specific to their fitting and fitting placement. Fitting caps are not interchangeable.

CREATING EFFICIENCY, SAVING MONEY With high air volume demands and efficiency requirements, many of the major paint company training centers across the US utilize the benefits of DanAm Air and SATA Filtration in their facilities.

“The cost of a reusable and versatile system like Dan-Am Air can pay off quickly,” Gravenhof says. “It’s a simple, effective system, with a do-ityourself installation option. It saves time. It saves energy. It ultimately saves money.”

The airlines, and fittings, have what Gravenhof refers to as a “smooth, full-bore” design, where there are no restrictions. The air flows easily and quickly through with no leaks or contaminations.

“Galvanized, plastic, and even copper pipe, tend to leak over time.” he says. “You may only have a few small leaks, but a few small leaks equal one big leak, which in turn causes your compressor to run more often than actually needed. The air will always find the path of least resistance—if it wants to get out, it will get out.

That costs money. Dan-Am Air is guaranteed not leak if installed properly.”

“More than anything, it’s going to be one less thing to focus your time on, allowing you to concentrate on other aspects of your business.”

Gravenhof says.

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Professional aluminum ComPressed air PiPing system Use for new installation, or to expand or modify your current system • • • • • • • • • •

ENERGY EFFICIENT EASY TO INSTALL Modular design Corrosion Resistant Leak-free guarantee Removable and reusable Push-to-connect technology Immediate pressurization Full bore design 1/2” to 6” pipe sizes

For a FREE quote call: 800-533-8016 *SAVINGS

up to 35%

compared to steel or copper installation!

*Savings may vary

Dan-Am Co.® • One Sata Drive • Spring Valley, MN 55975 • www.danamair.com

SAVE MONEY

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PAINT CUPS

MIXING, PAINTING AND STORAGE— ALL IN ONE SATA’S RPS CUPS SPEED UP BODY SHOPS’ PRODUCTIVITY AND IMPROVE COLOR MATCHING When it comes to quality paint finishes, SATA sets the standard for the industry. The refined, retooled and revitalized SATA painting system does just that, starting with the SATA Rapid Preparation System (RPS) multipurpose cups.

The SATA RPS cups have a unique venting system that plays into the efficiency of the overall SATA system. The vents allow for an even flow rate through the cup—so, whether the cup is entirely full, half full, or just has a couple ounces in it, the flow rate will stay the same.

“It guarantees an even color match and film build throughout the paint job,” says SATA DanAm Co. Director of Sales and Marketing Tony Larimer. “What that means for a shop is that, if a painter is mixing material, he might only need two ounces. He can mix just what he needs, get the same results and you don’t have the extra material that will go to waste.

“You mix 100 percent of what you need, and 100 percent will come out of the spray gun.”

Larimer says that SATA was the first company to develop the “Original” multipurpose cup with a “true vented system,” which works similarly to the company’s original gravity-feed cups that have been used in shops since 1925.

Regarding RPS cups, “As known from our proven gravity flow cup principle, in use for several years, at any given point in time we have a constant material flow, our fan pattern stays constant, therefore maintaining constant, perfect color match,” Larimer says.

The cups can be used for mixing, spraying and, when the job is complete, storage. For SATA spray gun users there’s no need to buy additional mixing cups or cans—and the cups require no adapters. They mount directly to SATA spray guns.

Each case of SATA RPS includes the cups, 28

strainers of your choice and lids. No additional accessories are needed. Each time you use a new RPS cup, you have a clean sterile cup that does not deliver accidental contamination from previous jobs into your paint work.

RPS CUP BENEFITS • Bendable: The RPS cups also have the built-in flexibility of the cup lid “neck” which allows painters to tilt the cups forward or side to side to spray at many different angles, on parts, rocker panels, and bumper covers. This flexibility assists in making the RPS a great solution for more difficult paint jobs. Excluding the 0.3 L minijet version.

• Clean: With SATA RPS, removing the cup from the spray gun becomes a clean and safe process. When the paint job is finished, squeeze the RPS cup and close the vent cap to create a vacuum inside.

Now turn the spray gun upside down and pull the trigger to empty the material passage ensuring easy gun cleaning and a tidy workplace.

• Safe: Occasionally during the paint process the material cup may accidentally knock into the vehicle or panel stand. Due to the robust threaded connection between the cup and the lid, any chance of the cup becoming detached is avoided, as is the chance to spill paint.

• Refillable: Refilling paint during the application process is sometimes necessary. The

design of the cup allows the simple and clean topping off and the easy exchange of the material filter, if required.

SATA also has a version of the SATA RPS cups for UV coatings. The cup, lid and vent caps are completely black, not allowing light to cause the product to react in the cup. Painters or body techs who prime or paint using UV coatings can leave this in the cup all day, without having to mix small amounts throughout the day. You can get the UV version SATA RPS cups in the 0.6 liter size, and these can be used in all SATA guns from the SATAminijet 4400 B HVLP or RP, the SATAjet 100 BF HVLP or RP, or any of our topcoat versions that utilize QCC cups, from the SATAjet 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000 and the latest SATAjet 1500 B SoLV. So whichever SATA gun you spray UV products with, the SATA RPS UV cups will work.

“When used together with SATA guns, you can combine all the areas in which you’re saving on materials—the shorter fluid passage inside the SATA guns, no threads for a smooth easier-toclean fluid passage, the better atomization of the spray—the cups allow you to mix and spray the correct amount of material. The entire system will save your shop money and make you more profitable,” Larimer says. “There’s less cleaning, less waste, and less time spent doing things other than spraying. It’s about efficiency, function and profitability.”

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#01

BENDABLE The *SATA RPS cup can be safely tilted by up to 45° forward, right and left for easy access to almost any painting situation.

#03 SAFE

Firm connection between lid and cup (thread). No accidental detaching of cup from lid.

* applies to all SATA RPS standard cups, however not to SATAminijet 3000 and older series.

SATA®RPS™

#02 CLEAN

The cup can be easily, cleanly and safely separated from the spray gun without making a mess!

#04

REFILLABLE The cups can be easily be refilled. The paint strainer can be exchanged for a spare strainer at any time.

For more information, please watch our product video at www.sata.com/rps

The exclusive independent distributor of SATA products in the US and Puerto Rico

Call Today! 800-533-8016 email: satajet@satausa.com

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S P R AY G U N

DESIGNED FOR EFFICIENCY, FUNCTIONALITY AND DURABILITY

WITH SATA EQUIPMENT, SHOPS RECEIVE REPEATABLE RESULTS THAT SAVE YOUR SHOP TIME, MATERIALS AND MONEY Efficiency is created through repeatable processes that lead to predictable outcomes. Deviations are where issues arise.

SATA aims to eliminate the variables that hinder your shop, says Tony Larimer, director of sales and marketing for Dan-Am Company, an independent importer for SATA. No two shops are the same, and painting conditions can vary greatly from region to region, climate to climate—sometimes, even paint booth to paint booth.

But with SATA’s sprayguns, including the SATAjet 5000 B and its latest addition, the SATAjet 1500 B SoLV spray gun, combined with the company’s RPS cup system, SATA has created a painting system as versatile as you are.

quicker flash-off time between coats and a faster curing process.”

Productivity will increase, cycle times will drop, and your shop will save on materials.

“It gives you a more perfect spray result and cuts costs for the shop,” Larimer adds. “Each job becomes more profitable.”

The gun is designed for use with any of today’s paint products. Whether you use National Rule solvent, Low VOC solvent or waterborne the SATAjet 5000 B and all other SATA guns are designed for ultimate durability and function. SATA engineers streamlined the components for both the exterior and interior of the guns, creating a very well balanced handle, and a shorter material passage for the paint to travel. It allows for less paint being lost with each spray process and easier cleaning afterward. The smaller amount of paint mixed, is again a large advantage.

SATAJET 1500 B SOLV

SATAJET 5000 B “For painters that are in various climates and painters with different techniques—with gun distance being farther away or closer up—the SATAjet 5000 B is more versatile in distance and pressures than any guns in the past,” Larimer says.

The ultimate innovation in the SATAjet 5000 B’s design is the fluid tip, aircap and needle that allows for better atomization of the paint: Droplets are finer and closer together than ever before; this means faster coverage with less paint.

“The film builds faster,” Larimer says. “So, it speeds up dry times because it leaves no gaps between the droplets where solvent or water can lay. And it squeezes it out quicker to give you a 30

The newest addition to the SATA family of spray equipment, its name, SoLV, is short for Solvent, Low VOC and low viscosity, making it the ideal choice for specific segments of the collision repair industry. Its designed for full system applications: solvent-based basecoats, either Low VOC or National Rule as well as spraying sealer and clear coat.

The stainless nozzle is durable and is available in 1.3 and 1.4 nozzle sizes. The nozzle system meets the demands for topcoat applications and delivers even material distribution throughout the entire spray pattern. The air pressure ranges from 10-26 psi, The HVLP uses only 12.4 CFM of air volume at 26 psi inlet pressure and the RP version uses only 10.2 CFM air volume at 29 psi. Other benefits included a balanced design, which provides comfort and ergonomics.

The SATAjet 1500 B SoLV is very flexible, and useful when spraying everything from lower solids alkyd enamels, and commercial coatings to high solids acrylic urethanes.

The gun is available in both RP and HVLP, with the RP version approved for both SCAQMD and EPA.

OTHER OFFERINGS SATA’s other spray gun options include SATAminijet 4400 B • HVLP and RP models • allows you to do repairs from small panels to spot repairs • minimal product consumption The SATAjet 100 BF • HVLP and RP models • HVLP is primarily used for primer surfacer materials • The 1.1 RP is an excellent choice for spraying UV primer • Maximum build, minimal overspray and fine droplets • RP version is amazing for sealer application SATAjet 100 B P • designed for application of polyester spray putty/filler • Great for the application of large flake The entire SATA gun range works in harmony with the SATA RPS cups to offer fast working speed and consistent results, that make every repair predictable in product cost and appearance. If you have not yet used the latest in SATA equipment ask your local paint supplier and SATA distributor today for a demonstration.

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