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Southwestern News
Local news stories affecting the auto body industry in Arizona, Utah, Arkansas, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana
Norman, Oklahoma, Body Shop Narrowly Escapes Next Door Tornado Devastation
In tornado season in Oklahoma you don’t have to be superstitious to think bad things could happen on any given day, never mind Friday the thirteenth. But for Norman shop owner Philip DeFatta, this Friday, April 13, could have been a day out of the movies. At about 4:00 p.m., a tornado hit the heart of Norman, Oklahoma and cut roughly an eight-mile swath through the town, especially the southwest portion.
Auto Body World to Open Ninth Location
Auto Body World Collision Centers, with locations throughout the metro Phoenix and Casa Grande, Arizona markets, announced plans to open its ninth location in Phoenix, Arizona in June. Auto Body World has been acquired by Texas-based Service King in a deal to be finalized this summer.
Corpus Christi Body Shop Burns, Arson Suspected, No Insurance
A Corpus Christi body shop owner is picking up the pieces after his shop went up in flames in the early morning of May 9. See video.
"And for me, I say, 'why, does it happen?' This, because I'm a good guy, I do favor to anybody and why does this happen to me," says Luis Baiza, owner of Baiza Paint and Body.
Around 2:30 AM in the morning, the Corpus Christi Fire Department was dispatched out to Baiza's paint and body at 601 Brownlee.
Crews arrived to find heavy smoke and flames spewing from the business. The shop restores old cars and the owner, who doesn't have insurance, estimates the damage to be about $75,000.
Fire investigators believe the blaze was the work of an arsonist.
"A friend of mine says he saw someone running from the shop. Pero, we don't know who it is. I want to know who it was," says Baiza.
It took about an hour to get the blaze under control. No one was injured, and firefighters were able to save a dog that lives in the shop.
If you have any information on who may have started this fire, you're asked to call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477).
Caliber in Woodlands TX donates Recycled Rides vehicle to Vet
Caliber Collision Centers’ Woodlands, Texas, location recently donated a refurbished 2004 Volkswagen Jetta to a local military veteran through the National Auto Body Council’s (NABC) 2012 Recycled Rides program.
Michael Ryan Lease received the keys and title to his refurbished vehicle May 2 during a special ceremony to thank and honor him for his service in the military. Caliber said Lease was nominated to receive the Recycled Rides vehicle by ReserveAid, a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to military families.
Dallas-Ft Worth Storms Take out 50,000 Autos and Damage 30,000 Homes
More...
BodyShopBids to Offers to Help Dallas Residents Pay for tornado-damaged vehicles
BodyShopBids, a Web-based bidding mechanism that allows consumers to solicit repair estimates from local body shops, announced that it will help cover repair costs for vehicles that were damaged during recent tornados in the Dallas metro area. BodyShopBids said it will pay for 25 percent of out-of-pocket repair costs on consumer vehicles that were damaged in the storms throughout the month of April.
Chicago-based BodyShopBids provides a Web and mobile platform to connect consumers who need auto body repairs with body shops through an online bidding system. Users are able to upload photos of their damaged vehicles and receive custom quotes from local body shops for free.
“For those Dallas-Fort Worth residents who suffered damage to their vehicle, we're hoping to alleviate at least some of the stress by providing a simple solution to get their cars back into shape and defray some of the costs," said Brad Weisberg, founder and CEO of BodyShopBids.
For more information, visit bodyshopbids.com.
Service King Looks for Funding For National Expansion
Dallas-based Service King plans to embark on an ambitious national expansion led by new president Cathy Bonner intended to double revenue over the next five years. Service King Collision Repair Centers is actively looking for private equity to help fund a national expansion effort.
The chain of collision-repair centers, founded in 1976 by current chairman Eddie Lennox, recently opened seven shops in Houston and the fact that some were profitable after three months prompted Lennox to expand beyond Texas. Jennifer Kirk, vice president of marketing for Service King, said Lennox is spearheading the effort. Lennox announced the growth strategy internally to the company’s 1,500 employees in a video broadcast April 17. “We were able to experiment with a lot of things in Houston that might work for us nationally,” said Lennox, 57, a former body-repair man who started Service King in a three-bay tin building in West Dallas.
2012 I-CAR Industry Event is in San Antonio July 18-20
Join inter-industry professionals as the collision industry gathers fro the 2012 I-CAR Industry Event, July 18 – 20, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio on the River Walk in San Antonio, TX.
As an attendee you can:
- Gain knowledge from industry thought leaders and their views on the latest in collision repair technology, business and professional performance topics.
- Network with the collision industry at the I-CAR Networking Reception & Sponsor Showcase, the Collision Industry Conference meeting (CIC), the Education Foundation Golf Fundraiser, other industry meetings, and more.
- Recognize the accomplishments and dedicated work I-CAR instructors and volunteers in their commitment to bringing excellence to the industry.
- Display your company’s support of technical training to the entire industry by participating as an event sponsor.
Agenda
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
AkzoNobel F.I.T. Lunch Program
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Beyond “Green” – Sustainability & Collision Repair A compelling hour of information where you will be challenged to re-think your perceptions about the concept of sustainability and its practical application within the collision repair industry. Make solid links with the theories of sustainability and the practical needs of a collision repair business to be profitable. Presenter: Mike Shesterkin, Director of Sustainability and New Business Innovations, AkzoNobel Automotive & Aerospace Coatings Americas
General Session
2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
I-CAR is driving excellence with industry thought leaders' views and panel discussions on today's hottest recommended repair procedures, business and professional performance topics.
Networking Reception & Sponsor Showcase
6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Breakfast
7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Technical Presentations
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Lunch
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Volunteer/Instructor Clinic
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Find out the latest in volunteer and committee support directly from I-CAR Field Operations and offer your opinions for future development in an open forum. Discuss future I-CAR course development, increased instructor support, and best practices for effective classroom presentations.
Volunteer/Instructor Recognition Dinner
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Breakfast
7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Regional Breakout Sessions
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Volunteer/Instructor Closing Session
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Business casual attire is required for all events at the meeting.
TIAA Holds March Meeting, Will Hold Collision-Specific Meetings in the Coming Months
The Texas Independent Automotive Association (TIAA) held their March members meeting on March 15 at 6:30 p.m. at Pompei Italian Grill in San Antonio, TX.