Need the quick hits? Check out our recap video of day two to see what was happening on the show floor:
On the SEMA Show's second day, Repairify and Opus IVS introduced five diagnostics and ADAS products at their first major launch since combining, and 3M showed a new line of molded spray nozzles at a media event where its new Automotive Aftermarket Division president also spoke. In the classrooms, Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) Repairer Driven Education sessions covered budgeting, repair planning, and leadership. The Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards also honored people across the industry Tuesday night.
Repairify and Opus IVS launch five products four months after combining
Repairify and Opus IVS introduced five products at the Opus IVS booth, #33063, their first major launch since combining their diagnostics businesses. "It's now been four months and three days since we brought the companies together," said Brian Herron, CEO of Opus IVS. He said the aim is an integrated experience with more access to OEM capabilities and remote services, and information that helps shops write more accurate estimates and get reimbursed for them.
Ryan Simpson, president of Opus IVS, introduced the products:
- DriveSafe NXT: the flagship collision tool, a 13-inch device that combines Opus hardware and software with asTech services and connects to CCC.
- CarDAQ NXT: built around remote services and guided workflows.
- BlueDriver EDGE J2534: for advanced DIYers and side-hustle technicians, with J2534 pass-through and remote technician access.
- ADAS MAP Mobile IQ and ADAS MAP PRO: the two ADAS products asTech announced ahead of the show. Mobile IQ went live in the Apple and Google app stores Monday afternoon, and PRO works with CCC so identified calibrations are added to the estimate and completed. Simpson said ADAS MAP is already in more than 13,000 collision shops.
No pricing or availability was given for the hardware.
Keith Crerar, president of asTech and BlueDriver, said calibrations became asTech's "north star" at the end of 2025. The company now offers five calibration "personas," from shops that do the work fully in-house to those that outsource it entirely. Asked by Autobody News why, he said that after visiting about 30 shops he found them struggling with calibration work as margins tightened. They want to bring it in-house but don't know how. The priority, he said, is making sure a safe car goes back on the road.
Herron said in-house calibration rises with shop size. Large MSOs are identifying calibrations, but "in a lot of cases failing to get those calibrations on the estimate," he said, calling it "problem number one." Smaller shops tend to start with dynamic calibrations in-house, he said, and take on static calibrations such as glass later.
3M shows Precision Finish Nozzles and lays out its priorities under a new division president
At its media event at booth #30129, 3M introduced Precision Finish Nozzles, five injection-molded spray nozzles that the company says lower the air pressure needed to atomize today's thicker coatings. Each is matched to a coating: one for high-build primer; one for non-sand sealer, epoxy, and etch primer; and one each for waterborne base, solvent-borne base, and clear coat.
Jason Garfoot, 3M's global portfolio manager of paint application solutions, said spray tips have been round for more than 100 years, largely because most were machined from cast metal. Molding let 3M test "70-some" shapes. 3M says the biggest gain is in clear coat: roughly 18 to 20 psi with the new clear nozzle, compared with about 28 psi for a typical compliant gun. The company says the nozzles qualify as HVLP, which it says cuts overspray.
Garfoot said HVLP has saved shops about 10% on base coat. He estimated that an MSO with roughly 1,000 shops spends $80 million to $100 million a year on paint, about half of it on base and a quarter on clear. "Overspray is wasted money," he said.
Asked by Autobody News what shops would need to invest in training or workflow, Garfoot said nothing. The nozzles fit 3M guns shops already use. 3M expects them in shops in the first quarter of next year. No pricing was announced.
Chad Carney, about 45 days into his role as president of 3M's Automotive Aftermarket Division, said the company will focus on innovation, process, and efficiency. "Our job is not just to give you the best products; it's to make sure you understand how to use that best for your processes," Carney said. "That's going to help with your throughput, and that's going to help with your profitability." 3M says 80% of the training at its Skills Development Center in St. Paul is hands-on, with a goal of one trained technician per shop who mentors the others. Two RV courses launch in 2027.
At the booth, 3M also showed Ask 3M, a prototype AI answer engine built on its technical documents that is still being tested internally, and a materials dashboard that compares what a shop spent with what it billed, expected to launch within about 30 days.
Repairer Driven Education: budgeting for a 10% net, repair planning, and leadership
A budgeting roadmap for a 10% net
Wednesday's "Repairer Driven Education" sessions at SEMA included a roadmap for collision repair business budgeting in a class taught by Tracy Dombrowski from Collision Advice, and Maria Quintero, an Illinois shop owner who also does some financial consulting work for shops through Collision Advice. The class was centered around a fictional shop looking to raise its overall net profit to north of 10%. Quintero and Dombrowski showed data on the impact to the shop's net profit from an increase in sales, a reduction in expenses, or an improvement in gross profit percentage. Each of these added to the bottom line.
"But no single one of these levers is going to get the shop to a 10% net," Quintero said.
"We're improving bit by bit, but what we really see that has the biggest impact on that net profit is when we do a combination of all three together," Dombrowski said.
Setting up the path to get there requires budgeting, the two said, walking attendees through a series of pre-built spreadsheets they provided to expedite that process.
"As we come into year-end, whether you've had a really good year or, like a lot of people, you've had a really tough year, it doesn't mean that 2027 has to be that same way," Quintero said. "I think that 2027 can be different than what 2026 looked like, but it's going to take intention. It's going to take you guys to really go back, pull the [past financial] information, and take a little bit of time over the holidays to say, 'What do I want my 2027 to look like?'"
Building bulletproof repair planning
Andrew Batenhorst, the bodyshop manager at Pacific Collision Center, and Danny Gredinberg, the website administrator of the Database Enhancement Gateway, led an interactive workshop, "Stop Guessing, Start Earning: Building Bulletproof Repair Plans." Batenhorst and Gredinberg have found that many shops' repair plans rely on estimating software defaults, which can often lead to missed operations, incomplete documentation, and lost revenue. Their session focused on identifying, documenting, and capturing the critical operations needed to perform safe, proper, and profitable repairs.
Rather than a traditional lecture, attendees worked together to identify commonly overlooked operations and build a comprehensive repair plan. Batenhorst said they addressed some less commonly discussed non-included repair operations, including structural, mechanical, body, bolt-on, cosmetic repairs, and refinishing.
The goal was for participants to capture the ones they liked and then collaborate with the other repairers in the room to learn what other people may already be billing for that they're not. Batenhorst and Gredinberg then offered suggestions on how attendees can get paid for those things. "It's one thing to ask for it; it's another to get paid for it," Batenhorst emphasized.
Leadership strategies
LeadersWay coaches Tony Adams and Melissa Wolfe teamed up to deliver two sessions focused on leadership.
In the first, "Own It: The Difference Between Responsibility and Accountability," Adams and Wolfe outlined the core elements of a practical leadership framework to build a culture where people take ownership of results, rather than assigned tasks. By setting clearer expectations, reinforcing follow-through without micromanaging, and addressing problems in ways that strengthen trust, the coaches said leaders can improve performance, strengthen morale, and help their teams move forward with greater clarity. "Good leaders don't need to be right; they need to be consistent," said Wolfe.
The coaches discussed a leader's role in setting responsibilities and accountabilities and understanding the difference between the two.
"People use those words interchangeably, but they have very different meanings," noted Adams.
They also provided participants with a tool to take back to their businesses called Success Plans, that can be used to get a clear picture of what winning looks like, performance expectations, and personal growth strategies.
Adams and Wolfe then led a session titled "Speak Their Language: Communication That Actually Works in a Body Shop," highlighting the practical application of the DiSC communication model.
The goal was to help attendees understand how different people are wired, what information they need to hear, and how they prefer to be approached. "Now that we've set clear accountability, let's talk about how we communicate with each other and how we shut down communication when we don't adapt communication styles," said Adams.
Rather than focusing on theory, the coaches offered real-world scenarios in the collision industry to help leaders and their teams communicate more effectively without changing who they are.
Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards honor 13 industry leaders
Collision repair professionals came together on the evening of November 3 for the Collision Industry Red Carpet Awards to recognize individuals who move the industry forward through leadership, service, and other contributions. This year, the awards ceremony was held at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, following the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) meeting and reception. The annual event was sponsored by BodyShop Business, CIC, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR), and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS).
Awards were given out by BodyShop Business, CIC, the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF), FenderBender and ABRN, I-CAR, the National Auto Body Council (NABC), and SCRS.
Emcee Andy Tylka, owner of TAG Auto Group, said it was truly an honor to host the event. "I've attended the Red Carpet Awards for years, but being on the other side of the stage while emceeing the event gave me a whole new appreciation for the people and organizations that make this evening possible," said Tylka. "It was incredible seeing so many different parts of our industry come together for one purpose: recognizing and celebrating the people who make collision repair better every day."
Awards were given out to the following:
- BodyShop Business Executive of the Year Awards:
- Single shop: Bob Knodel, Silver Creek Auto Body
- Multi Shop: Eric McKenzie, Park Place Dealerships
- Collision Industry Conference (CIC) Volunteer of the Year: Danny Gredinberg, DEG
- Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF)
- Fueling the Future Award: Greta Houlahan, Car Part Pro
- Clark Plucinski Legacy Award: Chris Evans, retired from State Farm
- FenderBender and ABRN Best Repair Planner/Estimator Award: Mike Mead, Dacus Auto Body
- FenderBender Award: Daniel Burkholder, BodyShop Marketing
- I-CAR
- Jeff Silver Memorial Award: Justin Lewis, Accurate Auto Body
- Russ Verona Memorial Award: Tyler Rook, Victor Auto Body Works
- NABC Changing and Saving Lives Award: Shyllo Michaelis, Texas Collision Centers
- SCRS:
- Humanitarian Award: "Collisionista" Petra Schroeder
- Collision Industry Individual Service Award: John Helterbrand
- 2026 March Taylor Kina'Ole Award: Jason Bartanen
"I am truly grateful for our entire Estimating and Repair Planning Committee, this wouldn't be possible without every single one of our volunteers," said Danny Gredinberg, who received the CIC Volunteer of the Year award. "I share this award with the whole team, and a huge thank you to my co-chair, Erin Killcoyne-Solis, for always championing our work."
He also thanked CIC for providing the platform to push boundaries, collaborate, and drive positive change across the industry.
Amber Ritter, CREF's director of marketing/project management, said that Greta Houlahan, the recipient of the CREF Fueling the Future Award, has served on the Scholarship Committee for several years as a dedicated volunteer.
"She faithfully volunteers her time to review scholarship and school award applications," shared Ritter. "This is a vital function to key elements of CREF programming and to realizing its mission."
From the floor
Pro Spot debuts a handheld laser welder. The PLZ-1, which Pro Spot introduced at SEMA, cleans the metal with its laser both before and after the weld. Pro Spot says it produces consistent welds on many materials and thicknesses.
Car-O-Liner demos benches and a resistance spot welder. At the Snap-on Total Shop Solutions booth, #32017, Car-O-Liner is running live demonstrations of the Speed 3T bench, the BenchRack Versa, and the CTR9 resistance spot welder, with its team talking structural repair, fixturing, and joining modern materials.
Protech brings remote experts and a lease calculator. At booth #33173, Protech is showing Autel Remote Expert, its support for Opus ADAS Map as a preferred calibration provider, and a scan tool lease revenue calculator for shops weighing how much work to keep in-house.
I-CAR's stage turns to calibration and leadership. Wednesday's talks on the Collision Repair Stage took on calibrating and aligning sensors, welding procedures, and leadership, and I-CAR also ran its ADAS + Repair Planning Challenge. Missed presentations are available on demand.
Apollo Sprayers paints live with its HVLP turbine systems. Apollo is running live demos of its HVLP turbine systems with painters Gooch and Tom showing work done with Apollo products, and on Friday it will award one attendee a full Precision-6 HVLP turbine setup from those who register at its booth, #34159.
Rotary, Direct Lift, Chief Collision, and Forward Lift share space inside and out. The four brands are showing lifts plus wheel service, A/C, and collision equipment at booth #36027, with more lifts outside in the Silver Lot at booth #80026.
Aeromotive makes the case for wire harness repair. Aeromotive Services kicked off a "Sustainability Wednesdays" series during SEMA on repairing and remanufacturing wire harnesses and hard-to-source components instead of replacing them.
Mirka runs live demos from body repair to final finish. Mirka is demonstrating its tools and abrasives at booth #32187, with SEMA Show promotions through its distributors.
Coming up Thursday
OEM Summit (sessions in Room S233)
- 12:30 p.m., Session I: "The National Safety Objective: Safer Vehicles, Safer Roads." NHTSA Deputy Administrator Lee White speaks first, then sits down with SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg.
- 12:45 p.m.: an informal discussion at the ADAS Showcase booth, #31200, separate from the ticketed panels.
- 2 p.m., Session II: "Engineering the Safety Benefit: From Requirement to Real-World Performance," with GM's Michael Carpenter and Jameson Collins and Rivian's BJ Kim, moderated by Jake Rodenroth.
- 3:30 p.m., Session III: "Preserving the Driver Assistance System: Sensors, Calibration and Repairability," with Danny Gredinberg of the Database Enhancement Gateway, Steven Vance and Chad Zagorski of GM, Brian Perkins of Ford, and Ryan Davenport of Rivian.
ADAS sessions
- Noon: "Defensible ADAS Calibration: Documentation, Measurements, and Risk Mitigation," presented by Pam Oakes of Driven Evidence, FutureTech Studio, booth #24401.
- 1 p.m.: "ADAS Unlocked: Ensuring ADAS Performance on Modified Vehicles," with CNBC's Michael Wayland, IIHS, AEV, Autel, and others, Room N257.
All day
- I-CAR courses: diagnostics, scan tools, and ADAS calibration requirements in Room S224; blueprinting, glue pull repair, and welding in Room S225, with welding demos near I-CAR booth #33139.
- ADAS Showcase: OEM-led demos at booth #31200, South Hall Upper.
- Collision Repair Stage: I-CAR leaders and experts at booth #32145, South Hall Upper.
- SEMA Industry Honors: Thursday only, at the BleauLive Theater.
Evening
- 9 p.m.: SCRS Sky Villa Afterparty at the Westgate Sky Villa, included in the SCRS Full Series Pass.
