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Prevost is pleased to announce their “New Generation PS1” coupler in the HVLP (High Flow) profile. This is a completely new and innovative quick release coupling for compressed air. The new patented one-push, quick release coupler combines safety, performance and ease of use.

After an investigation by the Pawtucket Police Department, Attorney General Peter Kilmartin has announced that his office has charged Dino Coccia, 42, owner and operator of Americar Sales and Collision Center at 626 Main St. in Pawtucket, RI, with 23 counts of obtaining money under false pretense more than $500, 20 counts of unlawful appropriation more than $1,000, six counts of uttering bad checks totaling $19,700, and one count of attempted larceny more than $500.

Auto body MSO Service King is to be acquired by a management-and-employee team led by the Carlyle Group, a major private equity firm.  Service King is the largest independent U.S. chain of auto body repair shops.

Service King Collision Repair Centers is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Service King was established in 1976 and today operates 49 locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin metropolitan areas. will be bought out by a consortium made up of The Carlyle Group and the company’s management.

Financial terms were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in August.

In a press statement released to media in New Zealand, PartsTrader announced that it has entered into a “locked-in five year agreement” with “one of the largest auto insurers in the U.S.”

While the release did not name the insurer that it signed the contract with, the New Zealand based PartsTrader has been working with State Farm in the U.S. to test its online parts bidding system for several months now. In the statement, the company said that it has “just completed a four-state pilot of its online trading platform” in the U.S.

A severe mid-summer hail storm hit central Pennsylvania on July 18 and at least one local shop expects to see dozens of hail-damaged cars over the next few months.

“The weather systems are shifting. We”ve had more severe storms here the past two years than we”ve seen since the late 50s,” said Terry Lockard, the glass man with Bob Baish Glass, Body & Paint, located at 1249 Holly Pike in Carlisle, PA. The shop is owned by Dick Baish and has been in business since 1964.

On the day of the storm, the shop saw one vehicle come in with its rear windshield broken out, and the day after the storm, the shop did 40 estimates. Two days later, in heavy rain, only five vehicles came in for estimates, but Lockard expects a deluge of customers over the next few months as people notice their cars have hail damage.

“Some people may not notice until their next car wash,” he explained. The storm only lasted a minute or two, Lockard said, but this year’s hail event caused bigger and deeper dents. “This storm was worse that the last two seasons. We had bigger hailstones, but the storm hit a smaller area on the east side of the strip.

The passage of an insurance bill at the end of New York’s legislative session in June has sparked both cheers of support and cries of opposition as Gov. Andrew Cuomo considers the proposal’s finalization, according to the Online Auto Insurance News Team.

A10784 changes rules governing policyholders’ participation in supplementary underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage (SUM), requiring now that all policies automatically include it and that policyholders can opt-out if they don’t want the added cost. Before, it was not automatically included.

Police in central Pennsylvania are investigating the shooting death of a used car and scrap dealer as a homicide.

State police in Columbia County said they found the body of shop owner Frank Spencer, 46, inside the front doorway of his home near Millville, PA, on July 3. Spencer’s body was first discovered by a friend who had stopped by the Hemlock Township home around 10:40 a.m.

On July 4, the victim’s truck was discovered in Sunbury, about 25 miles from his home. State police at Bloomsburg had put out an all-points bulletin for a 2003 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson edition truck owned by Spencer.

Automotive Service Association (ASA) members and related collision industry vendors in the Michigan area were recently invited recently by ASA-Michigan, an ASA-affiliated association, to attend a “facts to date” presentation and member discussion centering around the State Farm electronic parts ordering application. The pilot is currently taking place in Grand Rapids, MI.; Charlotte, N.C.; Birmingham, AL.; and Tucson, AZ.

Organized by Ray Fisher, AAM, president of ASA-Michigan, the June 28 meeting was held in Lansing, MI., at the Lansing Community College. ASA-Michigan provided the forum to present the facts to date about the pilot, along with clear statements of concern from both repairers and suppliers in the Michigan area and around the United States.

Edgar Rodriguez, 39, of Erie, PA had a tendency to get in automobile accidents in his 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan. Eventually the frequency and similarity of those accidents caught up with him.

Rodriguez was sentenced on June 19 for his guilty plea to running a 10-person ring that staged phony crashes and earned him and his co-conspirators over $37,000.

Despite temperatures in the high ‘90s, nearly 100 golfers turned out to hit the links for the 8th annual Lou Scoras Memorial Golf Outing, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ)’s yearly event in memory of the former association member.

“What a fabulous turnout,” AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant said. “We were a little concerned about the weather, but everything turned out great. Everyone stayed cool and had a great time. It was an excellent tribute to Lou’s memory. I’m sure he was looking down and smiling.”

Joining the participants at the Colonia Country Club in Colonia, NJ were dozens of industry sponsors whose support was integral to the event’s success.

The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) has joined the groundswell of shops and associations in opposing State Farm’s pilot parts-bidding program.

“We are in total agreement with our fellow industry associations and members such as AASP National, SCRS, AASP/MA, AASP Illinois and the many individuals who showed up at last week’s CIC meeting in San Antonio, who are standing together to voice complete opposition to this latest intrusion into our members’ businesses,” says AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant. “We are calling for all of our colleagues across the country to speak up and voice their displeasure with a program that could potentially devastate the industry.”

Lorraine Pilitz, owner of Autotech Collision at 120 E. Merrick Rd. in Freeport, NY, was accused of submitting fraudulent records for an insurance claim in September of 2010, but a jury recently found her not guilty on all five felony counts.

According to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, Lorraine Pilitz  (formerly Christie-Pilitz) 54, of Merrick and owner of Autotech Collision, (also known as Autotech Collision Rockville Center) was charged in September 2010 with three counts of fourth-degree insurance fraud and falsifying business records. If she had been convicted, Ms. Pilitz could have faced three years in jail. On June 22, a jury found Ms. Pilitz not guilty on all five charges.

According to her attorney Oscar Michelen, the charges stemmed from a 2009 auto accident in which the vehicle Ms. Pilitz was driving in was rear-ended by another motorist.

James Brown, President of the Houston Auto Body Association (HABA), made a special presentation to the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) at their open board meeting held in San Antonio, TX on July 17.  The meeting preceded the Collision Industry Conference.

Brown gave a report on the association's recent efforts to address proposed changes to the Consumer Bill of Rights with the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI).

Service King Collision Repair Centers, a Texas-based operator of collision repair facilities in the San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and Dallas-Ft. Worth markets, has agreed to purchase Bordelon Collision serving northern San Antonio and the Hill Country.

This will be Service King’s 9th new collision center within the San Antonio marketplace and 49th throughout Texas.

Regulators announced in May that the Texas Automobile Insurance Plan Association (TAIPA), the state-run coverage program for high-risk motorists, would be increasing overall rates by 24.1 percent.

Caliber Collision Centers announced July 9 that it has acquired the Boerne Mercedes body shop, an 18,000 square foot  facility at 31445 W Interstate 10, Boerne, Texas.

Hailstorms cost U.S. insurers at least $1.7 billion in June, led by damage in Texas where vehicles were pummeled while stuck on the Dallas Central Expressway during an evening rush hour.

The number of claims from the Texas storm has surpassed 100,000 and insured losses will exceed $1 billion, Aon Plc (AON) said in its June Global Catastrophe Recap. A separate hail event in Colorado and Wyoming caused more than $700 million in insured losses, according to the report from the London-based broker.

Continuing its rapid expansion, Caliber Collision Centers announced July 20 the acquisition of three new centers in the Oklahoma City area.

“Caliber Collision is proud to announce our entry into a new, contiguous market with the acquisition of three new locations in Oklahoma,” said Steve Grimshaw, Caliber Collision Centers’ Chief Executive Officer.  “Our clients continue to request that Caliber expand into new markets like Oklahoma to aid them in delivering greater customer service with the operational consistency they require in today’s competitive insurance market.”

Ten years ago, former Cumberland, RI auto body shop owner David F. Miller was wrongly accused of insurance fraud, and after being handcuffed and arrested in front of customers and his children, and losing his license, business and home, all charges against him were later dropped. In an ensuing six-year legal battle to clear his name, Miller finally found justice on May 29 when a Superior Court jury in Providence, RI returned a verdict against two of the country’s largest automobile insurance providers, finding that Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company (Met Life) and AMICA Mutual Insurance had acted with “malice” and “bad faith.” In finding Met Life and AMICA liable for abuse of legal process, the jury awarded Miller $3.27 million, which includes interest, compensatory damages, emotional distress, legal fees and punitive damages.

Miller is now 60 years old and battling a rare form of cancer.

Many body shop owners who have already embraced social media are reluctant to use YouTube to promote their businesses. They feel likes it’s too expensive to produce videos and many claim they don’t have anything to say to their customers. But, once they try it, body shops are reporting positive results via YouTube, with increased traffic to their websites, blogs and other social media sites. They’re tracking new customers from their YouTube videos and discovering the value in these short, informational clips—ranging in subjects from “How to Spray Waterborne” to “Online Estimates” and all the way to things such as humorous TV commercials and interviews with customers, painters, body men and even front desk people.

Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee vetoed a bill that would have allowed auto body shops to sue insurers, citing the bill would have sent car insurance rates soaring in Rhode Island.

The legislation called for setting standards for declaring a vehicle a total loss if the cost to repair the vehicle is less than 75 percent of the value of the vehicle; require an insurer to negotiate payment for auto body repairs in good faith; and allow private rights of action by auto body shops against insurance companies.

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida announced recently that 11 defendants were charged due to their roles in a staged accident ring. So far, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged 26 defendants in less than 12 months for their involvement.

The Florida Supreme Court on July 5 sided with an appellate court and struck down a 2008 law that barred public insurance adjusters from soliciting business right after a disaster.

The law was enacted to prevent public adjusters, hired by policyholders to represent them during the claims process, from contacting people when they’re in shock and haven’t had a chance to resolve a claim with their insurer.

A new law went into effect July 1 to assist Florida’s fight against suspicious claims and insurance fraud problems with the personal injury protection (PIP) law.

One of the biggest supporters of this law was Florida’s CFO, Jeff Atwater, who is concerned with the many relationships between pain clinics and attorneys when it comes to insurance benefits.

The new law brings some major changes to Personal Injury Protection.

A 2008 Florida law establishing a 48-hour moratorium on public adjusters was ruled unconstitutional July 5 by the Florida Supreme Court on grounds that it restricted commercial speech.

The Florida Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional a state law banning public insurance adjusters from soliciting policyholders during the first 48 hours after a damaging event.

Alan and Kathleen Van Nimwegen, owners of Seminole Paint and Auto Body Shop in Sanford, FL, went missing when their private plane crashed in severe weather during a flight from the Bahamas the morning of July 16. They were the only people on board.

The U.S. Coast Guard has now called off the search to locate the Nimwegens after their Beechcraft Bonanza BE 36 crashed shortly after take off about 9:20 AM on a return trip from Bahamas to Daytona Beach. The Coast Guard responded quickly, deploying a helicopter that found a massive debris field, oil slick and empty life raft around five miles off Great Harbour Cay. USCG Petty Officer Jon-Paul Rios said that searchers concentrated on the area off Great Harbour Cay, near the Berry Islands, after a Coast Guard C130 airplane spotted a debris field. The Coast Guard cutter Dolphin also responded to the scene.

Last month in Autobody News, we ran a story about two schools in Arizona and California that are prepping for the future in the industry. That article focused on two schools, The East Valley Institute of Technology in Mesa, AZ, and the Universal Technical Institute in Sacramento, CA.

This month, we highlight other educational programs in the West — Arizona, Nevada and California — that are providing outstanding preparation for careers in the collision repair industry.

Hundreds of automotive students gathered in Kansas City, MO for a showdown for gold. Armed with their tool boxes and spray guns, they represented the top collision repair and automotive refinishing students from around the country.

SkillsUSA returned to Kansas City on June 23-27, 2012 for its 48th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference, a showcase of career and technical education students. Quality career and technical education was the centerpiece of the conference. More than 15,000 students, teachers, education leaders, and representatives from more than 1,100 national corporations, trade associations, businesses and labor unions participated in the event with 94 hands-on skill and leadership competitions. SkillsUSA organizes this event, and it is considered the single greatest day of industry volunteerism in America every year at an estimated cost of more than $35 million. Each SkillsUSA Championships contestant is a state-level gold medalist.

When the dust cleared, four students claimed the gold medals, taking home the country’s top honors in their competitions, along with scholarships, prize money and new tools.

Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for any person to install or reinstall for compensation or distribute or sell any previously deployed air bag that is part of an inflatable restraint system if the person knows that the air bag has been previously deployed.

A Whittier man held two family members hostage near Montclair, CA after fleeing from police for alleged metal theft.

Felipe Vega, 43, was arrested by Ontario police officers after taking the hostages and barricading himself for more than two hours in their residence on Kadota Avenue.

The hostages were able to safely escape during the ordeal, Ontario police Sgt. David McBride said.

Longtime Autobody News columnist Rich Evans is taking his brand international, having set out in July with a team of nine other automotive experts to Elmsdale, Nova Scotia for the filming of an upcoming episode of “World Wide Car Building with Rich Evans,” a car building show with a cultural twist.

“World Wide Car Building with Rich Evans (WWCB)” is a documentary-style TV series in which Evans collaborates with car builders around the world, engaging the audience in a cultural exchange of creativity, technique, and the universal love for the automobile. In this episode, Rich and crew teamed up with Curtis MacLean of Curtis Customs Designs for a ten-day build in late July. Together, the team built a customized 2004 Hummer H2. Evans also made a public appearance on the Curtis Customs Classic Car Show on July 28 and 29.

Two bills seeking to regulate auto insurance coverage in California saw recent action from lawmakers, including one that would exempt public safety officers from liability in work-related crashes and transfer that liability to the public agency employing the officer.

AB 1551 would apply to firefighters, police officers and other public peace officers using their personal vehicle for work-related functions and duties, barring insurance companies from raising premiums on those policyholders because of crashes while using their cars for those purposes.

The Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) has announced that the results of its 2012 labor rate survey.

The survey was conducted to determine a more equitable labor rate since, according to WMABA Executive Director Jordan Hendler, some areas around DC haven’t seen a rate increase in five-plus years.

“So many of our members tell us that they’re very rarely, if ever, surveyed by any insurer,” says Hendler. “When they attempt to tell the carrier their new rates, they’re often stonewalled or referred to another manager. In many cases, the shop is told that their rates aren’t competitive, and [the insurer] will have to inform all of their customers not to go to that shop or risk paying the difference. This type of threat seems to be the unnecessary approach that most insurers take with any labor rate request or needed repair procedure.”

CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts, one of North America’s largest multi-shop operator (MSO) networks, has announced the addition of CARSTAR Autopark Appearance Center of Escondido, CA, to its network of collision centers. Although new to CARSTAR’s national lineup, Autopark Appearance Center has served the “Hidden City” of Escondido for more than 30 years, and shop owner Scott Hillery has worked in the automotive industry since 1974. Bringing CARSTAR Autopark Appearance Center on board gives the company a strong foundation of collision centers in the Southern California area.

CARSTAR says the new store will benefit from the CARSTAR Management Systems, which provide resources to improve key business metrics such as cycle time, participation in CARSTAR’s 19 corporately managed DRP programs, and improved purchasing power from 45 corporately managed purchasing programs.

“We are excited to welcome Scott Hillery and CARSTAR Autopark Appearance Center to the CARSTAR network,” said David Byers, CEO of CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts. “We are thrilled to expand our presence in California with this new top-notch collision repair center.”

President Bill Drew of Drew Ford in La Mesa, CA, announced that the Drew Collision-Fix Auto and Glass has been awarded the coveted VQ Medallion for collision repair quality. The Medallion signifies recognition that the facility has achieved and sustained the highest possible quality in collision repair, as determined and documented by the independent repair inspection firm VeriFacts Automotive. There are only 54 collision repair businesses in the U.S. who have reached Medallion level. Drew Ford’s collision center is the first auto dealer of any brand to have its collision repair operation so recognized.

The monthly VQ inspections are unannounced and exceptionally rigorous. They exhaustively examine and record over 300 different aspects of the repair process, including equipment, repair materials, technical information, quality procedures and hands-on observed skills of the technicians. The Medallion rating must be continually re-earned with every inspection.

Bill Drew is the third generation to guide the Drew Ford dealership, which has operated in La Mesa for 85 years, starting as a garage that serviced and repaired model T’s, including body and fender repairs. The business became a Ford dealer in 1934.

Travelers Insurance Regulators in California announced that the state is receiving more funds from an enforcement investigation they brought against Travelers Insurance for several violations that included denying discounts to eligible drivers.

Travelers agreed with regulators last month to settle the case for a total of more than $10 million in refunds and fines stemming from violations in the first seven months of 2006. Commissioner Dave Jones announced on July 3 that he deposited $1.5 million from the case into the state’s general fund.

ABC Channel 7 recently announced its 2012 Bay Area A-List. Voting took place in February and March and was conducted by ABC7 and CityVoter. With 72,000 votes collected, 113 body shops were nominated out of more than 2,500 auto body shops. The top 5 are:

Coming in at #1 is Spectrum Auto Body in San Francisco.

In second place is Fremont’s Maaco Auto Body and Paint. For the second year in a row, the shop has been honored by local residents as one the top five collision centers in the community. Last year, the shop placed first. The auto body shop serves Fremont, Newark, Union City and surrounding areas.

In third place is Cars Dawydiak in San Francisco, an authorized, dealer-approved body repair facility for Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Land Rover and Panoz automobiles as well as a Jaguar authorized aluminum collision repair center for structural and non-structural repairs.

In fourth place is Mike Rose’s Auto Body located in Walnut Creek, and the fifth place winner is Uptown Body Shop in Oakland.

Precision Collision Auto Body, a multiple shop operator (MSO) headquartered in Bellevue, WA, announced it acquired two new collision centers in Tacoma, WA and Kennewick, WA.

The acquisition brings the Precision Collision Auto Body network to 20 locations in Washington.

“With increased growth over the past few years, Precision Collision is one of the fastest growing auto body companies in the U.S. maintaining excellent customer service,” said Mark Lovell, marketing director.

The Superior Court of the State of California has ruled that James and Patricia Scott are entitled to diminished value from Mercury Insurance Company, notwithstanding that their vehicle had been repaired. Judgment was entered, and no appeal was filed within 60 days as permitted by California law. Thus, the judgment was made final.

A capacity crowd of more than 400 heard State Farm Claims Consultant George Avery and PartsTrader CEO Rob Cooper give an overview of the very controversial parts procurement system at the CIC in San Antonio.

Avery, who is also the incoming Chairman of the CIC starting in January, has endured some harsh criticism since the details of the PartsTrader program were first announced. Avery and Cooper outlined the program for the few unaware of it, and explained State Farm  foresees shops ordering all their parts (recycled, aftermarket and OEM) from a single provider, PartsTrader.

Avery attempted some comic relief by joking that he had a button made up saying, “I Love My Job, I Love My Job, I Love My Job,” but questions and comments from approximately 20 members of  the audience made it clear that while electronic parts ordering was understood and largely positive, there was significant apprehension about insurance companies intervening and/or controlling the process.

Perhaps the most interesting question at the latest Collision Industry Conference (CIC) came at the end of a 2-hour discussion regarding PartsTrader, the electronic parts ordering system State Farm is requiring its Select Service shops in four markets to use (see related cover story).

Denise Caspersen, the collision division manager for the Automotive Service Association (ASA), asked State Farm’s George Avery the same question the association first posed to the insurer formally five weeks earlier in a press release, namely, what benefit, financially or operationally, does required use of PartsTrader offer shops?

“If State Farm is not able to clearly demonstrate the benefits of this pilot application to the repair community, then this application should not move forward,” ASA’s June 12 press release stated.

While Avery skillfully addressed most of the questions and comments about PartsTrader during the CIC meeting in San Antonio, Texas, he acknowledged State Farm did not yet have an answer for Caspersen as the insurer is still evaluating feedback recently obtained from the 158 shops in the pilot program.

Matrix System Automotive Finishes has released MSV-25 Low VOC Quick Cure Clearcoat to be used with the MPB-LV Premium Low VOC Basecoat system.

This fast cure, highly productive clearcoat was designed for use on 1-2 panel jobs when quick delivery is of great importance. MSV-25 is ideal for collision centers looking to reduce cycle times while at the same time offering a superior finish.

According to Matrix System Application Manager, Brian Lynch, “MSV-25 provides many benefits such as high production which results in the painter spending less effort and time on a job and fast cure and easy application in any temperature which results in consistent performance and a beautiful finish.”

Matrix System’s MSV-25 is the perfect low VOC solution for shops and collision centers who want higher productivity, quick application, and a superior end result.

The Collision Industry Conference (CIC) announced that George Avery, auto claims consultant in property and casualty for State Farm, will take over as the organization's chairman beginning in January.

Avery will replace Michael Quinn, who has served as chairman since January 2011. Avery will serve a two-year term. He said being chairman of the organization has ben a goal of his since his first CIC meeting 22 years ago.

“I just remember looking (at the chairman position) and seeing how impressive it was and honorable it was that they were in that position to be a recognized leader in the industry,” Avery said.

He said he plans to make sure the CIC committees are well represented, on task, and progressing. If a State Farm issue comes up, as it has recently with the company’s online parts bidding program, Avery said he would turn control to a past chairman, so he could represent the insurer.

“I’m anxious and happy and excited to do the job,” Avery said.

Rare Parts Inc. is now manufacturing Diamond Series tie rod assemblies for the 1975 Maserati Khamsin, part number RP29180.  This assembly is now greaseable and is made from larger forgings for increased strength. Rare Parts manufactures steering and suspension parts for any make/model/year vehicle. All parts are made in the USA. If we don’t have it, we will build it. For more information, call us at 800.621.2005 or visit our website at www.rareparts.com.

ABRA Auto Body and Glass has announced the opening of a new shop location at Asheville Ford in West Central North Carolina, approximately 50 miles from the Tennessee border. The location brings the company’s total franchise repair centers to 43.

“We are absolutely thrilled with the progression of our national growth plan,” said Duane Rouse, president and CEO of ABRA Auto Body and Glass. “The excellent reputation of Asheville Ford in the community along with ABRA’s cutting-edge technology creates a partnership and business model second to none.”

“We are delighted to expand our presence in the North Carolina market,” says Mark Wahlin, vice president of franchise development for ABRA. “Our long-term growth plans are taking shape and we’re looking forward to serving the Asheville community and becoming the best auto body and glass company in America.”

Mike Causey, a former Autobody News columnist, advocate and lobbyist for auto body associations in the Southeast has earned the Republican nomination for North Carolina Insurance Commissioner.

Causey ran for the office previously and once served as the Director of Government Affairs for the Independent Auto Body Association (IABA). He was a registered lobbyist in North Carolina for the IABA, the North Carolina Autobody and Glass Association, and the Automotive Service Association of North Carolina.

He defeated Richard Morgan in a July 17 runoff election for the nomination, earning 57 percent of the vote.

Causey ran as the Republican nominee against former Democratic Insurance Commissioner Jim Long in 2000. He was defeated when Long captured 57 percent of the vote.

In a newspaper interview with the Beaufort Observer in January of this year, Causey said, "One of the main reasons I'm running is that I want to help people who are having problems with insurance companies."

Causey has a website to support his campaign: www.gocausey.com

Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi said the roof came off the Lyle Auto Body Shop around 3:15 a.m. Thursday. The Minnesota Department of Transportation helped clean up the debris.

more HERE

Herkules Equipment Corporation introduces Sparkle Clean, an aerosol spray cleaner that can quickly spot-clean all painting equipment, specifically paint guns. Brought back by customer requests, Sparkle Clean was originally created by Herkules back in 2002, and now due to the industry concerns on VOC levels, Sparkle Clean has been reformulated so that it has a low VOC content to support a safe work environment. 

Effective with either solvent or waterborne paints, Sparkle Clean provides a method to quickly clean stubborn paint off of paint guns immediately, with the more comprehensive and thorough gun cleaning to be performed in a paint gun washer for the next project or at the end of the day. An attached straw allows Sparkle Clean to be sprayed into small paint gun crevices easily.

Cleaning and properly maintaining a paint gun ensures quality paint jobs and long equipment life. Sparkle Clean will assist in proper paint gun maintenance while reducing solvent and cleaning solution usage and costs.

Herkules Equipment Corporation, established in 1984, is a leading manufacturer for the Automotive Paint & Body Repair industry, having designed, manufactured, and patented the first Paint Gun Washer. We have been manufacturing quality vehicle lifts and scissor lift tables for close to 30 years, providing many different industries ergonomic solutions for countless applications. Herkules also supplies Air Jacks, Handling Equipment, and Crushing Equipment.

For more product information, please contact Herkules at 800-444-4351, or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit our website at www.herkules.us/Sparkle-Clean.php.

The Collision Industry Conference (CIC) announced that George Avery, auto claims consultant in property and casualty for State Farm, will take over as the organization's chairman beginning in January.

Avery will replace Michael Quinn, who has served as chairman since January 2011. Avery will serve a two-year term. He said being chairman of the organization has been a goal of his since his first CIC meeting 22 years ago.

“I just remember looking (at the chairman position) and seeing how impressive it was and honorable it was that they were in that position to be a recognized leader in the industry,” Avery said.

He said he plans to make sure the CIC committees are well represented, on task, and progressing. If a State Farm issue comes up—as it has recently with the company’s online parts bidding program—Avery said he would turn control to a past chairman, so he could represent the insurer.

“I’m anxious and happy and excited to do the job,” Avery said.

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) is pleased to announce its newest associate members – Blue Light Integrated Services, Indiana Autobody Association (IABA), Motor Trade Association of South Australia and Specialty Footwear International LLC – all of which joined the association during the second quarter of 2012. The decision to become an associate member displays a strong commitment to ASA and its efforts to serve the automotive service and repair industry, including its many dedicated independent repair professionals.

ASA is also pleased to announce that the following associate members have renewed their commitment to ASA and its members during the second quarter:

Alldata
Auto Lab Franchise Management
BASF Corp.
Cintas Corp.
Cornerstone Auto Parts
CustomerLink Systems
Devilbiss Automotive Refinishing
Diamond Standard Parts LLC
Interstate Marketing Corp./UniCure
Mitchell Inc.
See Progress Inc.
Valspar Refinish
Zendex Tool Corp.

The associate category of ASA membership is designed for companies or groups that supply goods, services or equipment to the industry, especially to ASA’s regular category of membership – businesses that perform automotive repair services.

Of the associate members listed above, Alldata, Cintas Corp., CustomerLink Systems, Diamond Standard Parts LLC, Interstate Marketing Corp./UniCure, Mitchell Inc. and See Progress Inc. are also sponsored benefit providers offering special discounted pricing to ASA members.

wisn.com in Milwaukee is reporting that firefighters are battling a five-alarm at 631 E. Center St., the site of Joe's East Coast Car Shop in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood on July 17.

The Milwaukee Fire Department got the call at 9:17 a.m., and it was still burning at 12:30 p.m. A spokesman said he expected to be at the scene until about 2 p.m.

The business at that address, between Pierce and Booth streets, is a family-owned mechanical shop.

There are also apartments and an art studio above the auto repair shop. Parts of the building have collapsed, the fire department said.

A fire department spokesman said firefighters faced hazardous conditions because of fuel, hydraulics and oil found in the auto repair shop.  There were 125 firefighters at the scene.

The Milwaukee Fire Department told 12 News it was asking for assistance from other communities to help cover Milwaukee fire houses and five other departments helped at the scene.

An employee at a nearby business told 12 News it looked like a big fire, but he didn't think other places are being evacuated. 

Ambulances were seen at the scene, but the fire department said there were no injuries to residents or workers.

Two Milwaukee firefighters were taken to an area hospital for heat exhaustion.

GARMAT USA has announced the return of the immensely popular Garmat Sharp Shooter contest for shop owners and paint techs. This contest, which began in 2011, was designed to recognize quality paint techs and shop owners that use Garmat equipment.

"At tradeshows and site visits, paint techs are always telling me how they prefer Garmat paint spray booths, so this is their chance to tell us why," says Johan Huwaert, Garmat USA's general manager. He also noted, "This contest allows us to open channels of communication with the techs so they can give us feedback on what they would like to see in a paint booth."

The Garmat Sharp Shooter Contest will run through September 18, 2012. Paint techs and their managers will have the opportunity to tell their Garmat story, in either video testimonial or written statements. Judging is based on the shop owner and paint tech's dedication to providing quality paint jobs, superior customer service, attention to safety and overall equipment knowledge. Bonus questions include an inquiry on how Garmat can improve their Garmat experience with product improvements.

The first 100 entrants will receive a custom Garmat Sharp Shooter Cap. First place prizes of two leather jackets, (one for the contestant and one for the owner) will be awarded to five finalists, and the Grand Prize of a trip for two to Las Vegas will go to the contest winner. Contest rules and regulations can be found at www.garmat.com.

Stories from the 2011 Grand Prize Winner - Art Smith of JM Lexus in Margate Florida, and all of the 2011 finalists can be found www.facebook/GarmatUSA.com.

Founded in 1988, Garmat USA is a manufacturer of technologically advanced paint spray booths and equipment. Garmat USA's corporate offices manufacturing facilities are located at 1401 W. Stanford Ave., Englewood, Co., USA. www.garmat.com – 303.781.6802

Chief Automotive Technologies has added Arizona-based GarageFly, LLC to its official list of national accounts for structural repair and computerized measuring equipment. Under the agreement, Chief will offer GarageFly-affiliated collision repair shops throughout Arizona a full range of products and services to meet all their pulling, measuring and data needs.

“As the industry evolves and quality workmanship becomes more of an issue, our relationship with Chief Automotive Technologies ensures that our more than 110 affiliated collision shops have access to state-of-the-art equipment at competitive prices, as well as training from Chief University,” says John Rang, president of GarageFly. “We are committed to encouraging and assisting our affiliates to become properly equipped and trained to repair the vehicles of today and the future. Our partnership with Chief enhances GarageFly’s ability to meet our goal. We have aligned ourselves with a like-minded industry leader.”

“We are pleased to have been selected as one of GarageFly’s equipment partners,” says Robert Holland, Chief national sales manager. “Chief is committed to providing GarageFly’s affiliated collision shops with the equipment, specifications, training and support that will enable them to continue to improve their cycle times, increase efficiency and document their repairs.”

For more information about GarageFly, visit www.garagefly.com. For more information about Chief Automotive Technologies, visit http://www.chiefautomotive.com or call (800) 445-9262. Chief is also active on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/ChiefAutomotive; Twitter, http://twitter.com/ChiefAutomotive; and YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/ChiefAutomotive

The National Auto Body Council (NABC) has announced that nominations are now being accepted for its 2013 board of directors. Seven positions are opening.

With the board election being held in New Orleans during NACE at the NABC Annual Meeting on Oct. 10, 2012, anyone interested in seeking a board position or in nominating someone for a board position must notify NABC in writing on or before Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. This is in keeping with NABC bylaws stating that nominations must be received 60 days before the election.

To be eligible for inclusion on the ballot, a candidate must be a member or the designated representative of a member. A candidate may nominate him/herself, or three members may nominate a candidate, in which case the nomination cannot be declined by the nominee.

All written nominations must be sent to the NABC one of three ways:

• By e-mail (preferred method) to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or to Executive Director Chuck Sulkala at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• Through the U.S. Postal Service to:

National Auto Body Council
Attn: Mary Annen
7044 S. 13th St.
Oak Creek, WI 53154

• By fax to the attention of Mary Annen at (414) 768-8001

Current board members whose terms are scheduled to end this year include Domenic Brusco, Bruce Cooley, Bill Garoutte, Dwight Howard, Michael Quinn, Nick Notte and Rick Tuuri. These board members may seek to be reelected, but they must go through the same process as any other candidate.

Once the deadline for nomination has passed, a ballot will be formulated that includes the names of all candidates listed in alphabetical order. That ballot then will be sent to all members at least 30 days in advance of the annual meeting. The specific location of the election will be included on the ballot.

On Tuesday, July 17, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) will hold an open board meeting from 10:00am - 12:00pm, in San Antonio, Texas. The meeting, preceding the Collision Industry Conference event starting at 1:00pm the same day, will be held in the Rio Grand West room of the Hyatt Regency San Antonio on the river walk.
The two hour meeting will include updates from SCRS staff and committees, outlining current and future work initiatives the association has undertaken on behalf of its membership.

The meeting will include a detailed presentation from the SCRS Education Committee, led by committee member Toby Chess, detailing critical information every repair facility should know about the new technologies found in squeeze type resistant spot welders (STRSW). The presentation will include the impact your welder will have on the type of work you can accept into your repair facility, the change in capabilities of the new equipment, and electrical and building updates that you may have to consider when looking at new equipment. In addition there will be an overview from committee member and SCRS Past Chairman, Gary Wano, illustrating the breakthrough benefits of new handheld 3-D digital automotive collision repair measuring devices, and the tangible benefits this technology can bring to repair facility blueprinting processes.

In addition to SCRS committee reports, the Society will welcome James Brown of our TX based affiliate, the Houston Auto Body Association (HABA) to give a report on local activity, including recent effort to address the proposed changes to the Consumer Bill of Rights with the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI).

This meeting is open to any member of the industry who wishes to attend, and there is no registration fee.

ABRA Auto Body & Glass, a leading national vehicle repair company, announced the opening of its 42nd franchise repair center and the first in the state of Indiana.

The new ABRA repair center is located on the site of McGonigal Buick GMC Cadillac at 1220 East Blvd. in Kokomo, Indiana about an hour north of Indianapolis.

The move is part of the company’s overall plan to accelerate growth in the months and years ahead and increases the total number of ABRA repair centers to 124 in 13 states.

Nissan Motor Co. will add 1,000 jobs at its Canton, MS plant, where it will build the all-new 2013 Nissan Sentra compact.

The addition of Sentra production in the fourth quarter, along with the planned November shift of the Frontier pickup truck and Xterra SUV to Canton from Nissan's operations in Smyrna, TN will increase the Mississippi plant's workforce to 4,500 by creating 1,000 jobs.

"The Canton team has proved it can compete and win on a global scale, and it is due to this that we are adding three vehicles to our production roster in Mississippi," said Bill Krueger, vice chairman at Nissan Americas.

The expansion will increase Nissan's investment to date in the 3.5-million-square-foot plant opened in 2003 to more than $2 billion.

The automaker will also produce the new Sentra at its Mexican plant in Aguascalientes. It builds the current model there now.

The Canton plant currently builds the Armada full-size SUV, Titan full-size pickup and NV commercial vans. With the addition of Frontier and Xterra production, it will serve as a hub for trucks and other body-on-frame vehicles.

A new law went into effect on July 1 to assist Florida's fight against suspicious claims and insurance fraud problems with the personal injury protection (PIP) law.

One of the biggest supporters of this law was Florida’s CFO, Jeff Atwater, who has appeared to be concerned with the many relationships between pain clinics and attorneys when it comes to insurance benefits.

The new law brings some major changes to Personal Injury Protection.

A Bridgeport, CT chiropractor became the sixth health care provider to admit his involvement in a multi-million dollar insurance fraud in which medical treatment for auto accident victims was exaggerated to obtain bigger lawsuit settlements.

George U. DeCarvalho, 56, owner of DeCarvalho Spine and Rehab, 3715 Main St., pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health-care fraud during proceedings before U.S. District Stefan R. Underhill. DeCarvalho, who is represented by Andrew Bowman, was released on a promise to appear in court for his Sept. 21 sentencing. He faces anywhere from six to 16 months in prison at that time.

The chiropractor is the fourth of that profession to plead guilty in a case the FBI dubbed Operation Running Man. FBI Special Agent Daniel Curtin is heading the probe.

William Lieberth Sr., 56, owner of Allegheny Auto Body in West Deer, PA, has been at the same location on East Ohio Street since 1976. However, he is being told he must move his shop by Aug. 6.

Mr. Lieberth is trying to save his shop.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has told Mr. Lieberth that the ongoing Route 28 expansion requires use of his building and its adjacent parking lot. The state has acquired the land through eminent domain and Mr. Lieberth is required to vacate the property by Aug. 6.

"But I have no intention of leaving," Mr. Lieberth. He says he wants to leave the shop to his son, Bill Lieberth, 34.

A Toronto, Ontario couple and their three grown children were arrested for running what police say was a family-run chop shop and car-theft ring. The arrests are the culmination of a six-month investigation by police in York Region. Police have recovered around $500,000 worth of stolen parts at Collision World near Martin Grove Road and Highway 401.

The five family members have been charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000, tampering with a Vehicle Identification Number, trafficking in stolen property and breach of recognizance. 

One of the men arrested has a previous conviction for running a chop shop in the '90s. He is also alleged to be behind a large marijuana grow-op found on the collision repair facility's property two years ago.

In Sacramento, CA, KCRA Channel 3 viewers recently voted for their top five auto body shops for the 2012 A-List. More than 273,000 votes were collectd to determine the winners. Coming in first was Bertolucci's Body Shop. Bertolucci's Body and Fender Shop, located at 1717 Stockton Blvd., first opened its doors for business in 1948. Sixty years later, they are Sacramento's premier collision repair facility and one of the largest in the area, with a capacity to repair over 100 vehicles concurrently.

Runner-up is Kniesel's Collision Centers, a family-owned auto body business with three locations in the greater Sacramento area. Since 1968, the Kniesel family has been committed to quality repairs and great customer service.

Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced that a statewide joint task force in the fight against California's underground economy has netted contractors allegedly operating illegally, resulting in 104 enforcement actions.

"Operation Underground took aim at the "off the books" activity of unscrupulous contractors allegedly operating illegally or without proper coverage for their workers," said Commissioner Jones. "In doing so, they not only failed to protect their employees, but they create unfair competition in California."

The National Auto Body Council (NABC) is retiring its long-standing Pride Award, and has instead created two new awards to recognize collision repair professionals.

The Award of Distinction, which replaces the Pride Award, will be given for bravery, philanthropy, charity and selfless acts of kindness. It transcends the rigors of daily business to uncover those helping the world around them without a thought of recognition for themselves. The Award of Distinction is broader in scope and aims to recognize any individual, business organization, or group employed in a collision industry-related segment such as a collision repair facility, vehicle manufacturer, supplier/vendor, educator, insurer, independent appraiser or trade association.

Automotive Service Association (ASA) members and related collision industry vendors in the Michigan area were invited recently by ASA-Michigan, an ASA-affiliated association, to attend a “facts to date” presentation and member discussion centering around the State Farm electronic parts ordering application. The pilot is currently taking place in Grand Rapids, Mich.; Charlotte, N.C.; Birmingham, Ala.; and Tucson, Ariz.

Organized by Ray Fisher, AAM, president of ASA-Michigan, the June 28 meeting was held in Lansing, Mich., at the Lansing Community College. ASA-Michigan provided the forum to present the facts to date about the pilot, along with clear statements of concern from both repairers and suppliers in the Michigan area and around the United States.

Dave Brunori, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Matrix, has been elected to the Collision Repair Education Foundation I-CAR Board of Trustees. The mission of the Collision Repair Education Foundation is to secure and distribute charitable donations to support endeavors that promote, qualify, and properly train employees entering the collision industry.

Black & White Auto and Paint, a leading Colorado Springs' auto body shop, announced its participation in the City of Colorado Springs' Adopt-A-Waterway Program. The program focuses on keeping the city's waterways clean by encouraging local businesses and organizations to formally sponsor a stream or river to protect and improve riparian habitat and water quality.

When asked why his shop employees, who normally stick to paintless dent repair and other various car services, decided to sign up for the program, owner Rick Lujan commented, "We heard that with all the recent fires in Colorado that the quality of our drinking water was going to be low due to all the erosion settling into the streams and rivers. We kind of decided as a group that the least we can do for the community is to help the waterways out as much as we can by cleaning one up a few times a year."

The Santa Cruz Sentinel has reported that the owner of an auto body shop who prosecutors say bilked clients is due back in court on July 31 to set a preliminary hearing date.

Martin Calvario Moya, 48, was charged last month with several charges including forging documents, making false insurance claims and failure to have required workers' compensation insurance coverage for his employees.

Moya is the owner of Moya Auto Body Shop in Watsonville. The District Attorney's Office filed the charges after an undercover investigation that began earlier this year, conducted by representatives from the California Bureau of Auto Repair, the Santa Cruz County Auto Theft Unit and the DA's Investigations Bureau. The investigation was prompted by complaints from customers.

Moya is also charged with violating the terms of his probation. In April, he pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count of check forgery and was placed on three years of probation. He was also ordered to serve 90 days in County Jail. That charge stemmed from a case involving his wife, Elena Moya, who pleaded no contest to felony grand theft by embezzlement. Prosecutors said that while working at the nonprofit organization Community Bridges, she embezzled thousands of dollars by taking checks from the organization and either cashing them herself or giving the checks to others to cash, including her husband.

Moya has pleaded not guilty to the current charges and is being represented by Salinas-based defense attorney Brian Worthington. He's currently being held in County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes A-Plus™ Network has announced an expanded affiliation with Cadillac Media Solutions to offer a full suite of customized preferred marketing services to its collision repair facility members – all at special membership discount prices.

Cadillac Media Solutions, a full-service marketing services supplier, has been serving the collision repair business for 25 years and is a subsidiary of Cadillac Looseleaf Products, Inc.

The firm has now been named to provide customized website, social media broadcast and digital printing services to members as needed.

Beginning July 1, drivers in Michigan will start paying a little more to support the state entity funding the no-fault coverage system there.

The Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) oversees the fund that reimburses insurers for claims exceeding $500,000. Claims in the state can run relatively higher than most states because of no-fault laws there that allow policyholders lifetime medical coverage for crash-related expenses, a one-of-a-kind system used by no other state in the U.S.

The MCCA fee is charged per-vehicle to insurers, but policyholders generally pay for that in the form of higher premiums.

The MCCA fee will increase $30, from $145 to $175. It was $143 in 2010, $125 in 2009, and $104 in 2008

Sullivan PDR Estimator™ has launched what it calls a “game changer” for the PDR process, making it possible for anyone to accurately and easily estimate the cost of using paintless dent repair (PDR) for dents of any size. Up until now, the only way to estimate for door dings and large dents has been to call a PDR technician for an in-person appraisal. This has been an inconvenience for body shops and dealerships, and also has resulted in estimate delays for waiting customers---wasting time for everyone involved. The recent launch of the Sullivan PDR Estimator™ web application has changed that, allowing anyone to get quick, accurate estimates on the spot.

Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) has saved the automotive industry billions of dollars compared to conventional repair costs over the last several decades. Until now, however, PDR use hasn’t reached its full potential because it has simply been too difficult for body shops and car dealers to get accurate estimates in a timely fashion. The Sullivan PDR Estimator web-app is the solution, giving shops the ability to give a customer two bids for a job---one for conventional repair, and one for PDR. Giving the customer a choice has proven to be very effective at capturing the business of self-pay customers on their first visit. Shops that have aggressively gone after self-payers have been able to build their self-pay business to as much as 20-30% of their overall revenue.

Owner Jim Sullivan explains his vision of “PDR for every car!” by pointing out that nearly every vehicle that arrives for service at a body shop, a dealership, or any other type of automotive service center, has various dents and dings that could be fixed by PDR. These customers could be captured by using this easy-to-use estimating software to write accurate PDR repair estimates, and then having in-house PDR technicians do the repairs, or teaming up with a local PDR company in order to get the repairs done. “Taking two minutes to estimate dents during an oil change or when a vehicle is brought in for other collision repairs could earn the shop some considerable add-on revenues,” Sullivan explains.

For additional information about Sullivan PDR Estimator, please visit the website at: http://www.sullivanpdrestimator.com

Steve Guinn, owner of the two Hodges Collision Centers, has announced that the company broke ground on their third location in Tomball, TX, off of Hwy 249. Hodges Collision Center has two other South Montgomery County area locations at 130 Lane Lane and 1002 Rayford Road.

The new Hodges Collision Center, located at 18711 Hwy 249 north of Grant Road, will be the 3rd area location for the collision repair company. The 10,000 square foot location will house an Enterprise Rent-A-Car location as well as insurance adjuster offices. It is scheduled to open in early 2013.

Haddick's Auto Body & Towing, in conjunction with the cities of Industry and La Puente, will hold its 2nd Annual Charity Hot Rod & Car Show at its primary facility on Saturday, July 14.

Sponsored by local businesses and larger corporations, the family-friendly event will feature food, games and a live band. Proceeds go to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Industry Station's Youth Activities League (YAL) program that supports and helps at-risk youth in the area with free after-school sports and activities. Last year's event raised $12,500 for YAL.

Volkswagen Group's decision to take full control of Porsche Automobil Holding SE's automaking business is seen as positive by analysts and ends a long struggle for control between the two automakers.

VW said it has agreed to buy the remaining 50.1 percent of Porsche SE's automotive business that it doesn't already own for 4.46 billion euros ($5.6 billion), ending a seven-year takeover saga that divided two of Germany's most powerful families.

The agreement means Volkswagen can now fully fold the Porsche automaking business into its stable of brands, which includes  Audi and Bentley.

It leaves Porsche SE, which is controlled by the Piech-Porsche family still owning 50.7 percent of VW's common stock.

"To have the Porsche clan as owners and the anchor shareholder is good for Volkswagen and for Germany," said Christoph Stuermer, an IHS Automotive analyst in Frankfurt. "This has changed the cultural heart of the company. Volkswagen has become substantially stronger and long-term oriented."

The Women’s Industry Network has launched a new website focusing on one of the organization’s foundational goals: enabling networking among women in the collision industry. The redesign of WomensIndustryNetwork.com is a result of feedback from WIN members as well as cross-industry input. The new site offers significant enhancements to WIN’s efforts to deliver support, education and networking opportunities to its members as well as the industry at large.

The new social media based website presents a user-friendly opportunity to get to know the organization, its mission and activities through traditional as well as multimedia content.  Visitors will be able to learn more about the organization through news, videos, and photos, along with having the ability to apply for membership and scholarships directly from the site. WIN members will also be able to network through a “members-only” section of the site, enabling quick and easy mutual support among colleagues across the country.

“As an organization, we see this new website as an opportunity to spread the word about WIN and offer our members an easy way to reach out to other women in the collision industry,” said Ruth Weniger (Airbag Solutions), Chair of the Web Site Task Force. “One of the best ways to empower women to achieve success is to give them a solid platform and sense of community. That is WIN’s mission and we are thrilled to be able to offer this new opportunity to learn and stay connected.”

The efforts of WIN’s all-volunteer Website Task Force were critical to the development and launch of this new venture. The group includes Mia Bonthron (Enterprise Rent-A-Car), Melissa Miller (CARSTAR), Jennifer Justice Haley (former Body Shop manager) and Victoria Jankowski (State Farm). Working closely with Kristen Felder and Liz Blackman of Collision Hub, the organization’s web development partner, WIN developed this flexible site to meet the needs of the fast growing organization. WIN gratefully acknowledges Collision Hub for the generous donation of development services to make this exciting launch possible. 

To learn more about WIN, visit WomensIndustryNetwork.com or contact the organization at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Beacon Journal has reported that Car Tech Collision, closed since flames burned through the building it shares with another company, has relocated to 727 E. Turkeyfoot Lake Road in Green and will hold a grand reopening party for its customers from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the new location.

The business, along with All American Box & Supply, was damaged in a $2 million fire in its former location at 2984 Chenoweth Drive on Feb. 14.

The fire started in a truck inside All-American Box & Supply, Green fire officials said.

Jason Rettberg, owner of Car Tech Collision, said it has been hectic since the fire as he and employees cleaned up the old space and as he arranged for the relocation to the new space for the four-year-old business.

All American Box has relocated to 708 Killian Road in Coventry Township.

Rettberg said the morning of the fire, he and other workers were able to get five customer cars out of the shop in time so that they were not damaged by smoke and water and falling debris from the blaze. No one was hurt in the fire.

Enterprise Rent-a-Car will also be located in the building with Car Tech, Rettberg said.

Car Tech employs seven people, including Rettberg. The shop phone number remains 330-644-6400.

The Northwest Louisiana Collision Repair Association will not have a meeting for the month of July. The association's next meeting is set for Aug. 7 at noon. Location is to be determined. Special guest will be Denise Caspersen, Collision Division Manager of Automotive Service Association (ASA). ASA is researching a State Farm pilot program currently being tested for electronic bidding of parts. Collision industry professionals and parts vendors will want to attend this meeting.

AkzoNobel Automotive & Aerospace Coatings Americas (A&AC) announced its plans to host the second annual Sustainable Leadership Symposium on July 20 at the Hyatt Regency in San Antonio, Texas.

The symposium launched in 2011, and collision repair industry professionals discussed their role in advancing and leading sustainable business practices, according to a news release.