Automotive News: Autobody, Auto Body, Collision Repair, Auto Insurance, Automotive Industry

May 14, 2008

Getting involved: How to Help the Collision Repair Industry: Written by Lee Amaradio - When I first began writing articles I was a body shop owner blowing off some steam. I sent it off hoping someone else out there felt the same way. As things turned out I was not alone, I’m now a columnist for Autobody News, and in a position of “Industry advocate.”
Diamond Makes Changes to Bid Procedure to Accommodate Belron Requests - glassBYTEs™: Diamond Glass counsel Michael Richman of Foley & Lardner told the court the company made some changes to the planned bid procedures "to accommodate concerns raised by one potential bidder, which is Belron" during a recent hearing in Diamond's bankruptcy case.
Being ‘Cream of the Crop’ Takes One Extra Degree - Set yourself apart from competitors by focusing on the details.
PPG says conversions to waterborne paint gaining momentum across California and Canada - According to PPG, more than 700 collision shops have made the transition to waterborne basecoat in anticipation of new air quality regulations in California and Canada.
Ohio car customizer takes artwork outside body shop - In a business that's attracting older car buffs and creating new fans with the young, Don Boeke is among the masters. -- The longtime car customizer has reincarnated Porsches, Corvettes, Packards and Bentleys, repairing, painting and often pinstriping them. Today, he is getting increasing pleasure from taking his craft outside the garage.
AAA offers new service with repair shop - AAA of Western and Central New York has opened its first car maintenance and repair shop locally, expanding its array of services while posing a new threat to independent stations in the area.
NBC Turns to Government for Salvaged Car Fix - 'Today' downplays existing private sector solutions to auto safety questions and features left-wing 'consumer group' in call for federal intervention.
Heffernan retires from Keystone Automotive - After almost 30 years in the collision industry, Merv Heffernan is retiring from his position as general manager of Keystone Automotive's operations in Trenton, Ont., and director of industry relations for Keystone in Canada.
API, Starline projects get ECIDA OK - NY: In other action: The agency unanimously approved a lease that Benderson Development Co. signed with Keystone Automotive Industries that will allow the auto aftermarket collision replacement parts manufacturer to expand its local operations from 28,000-square-feet to 50,000-square-feet. Keystone is moving into a multi-tenant building on Broadway in Cheektowaga. (scroll down to bottom of page)
Green Decision: Buy Used Auto Parts - Saying automobiles the world’s most recycled consumer product, a Richmond, Virginia-based car parts supplier is calling for car drivers to use their company when repairs are needed.
AutoZone Inc to Hold Q3 2008 Earnings Conference Call May 20 - AutoZone, Inc. is a specialty retailer and distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories, with most of its sales to do-it-yourself (DIY) customers. As of August 25, 2007, the Company operated 3,933 stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, and 123 in Mexico. -- The company also sells the ALLDATA brand automotive diagnostic and repair software.
Bringing Wealth to Reno, One Paint Chip At A Time - PPG Industries, a world-wide paint supplier, just opened its first new plant in the United States since 1975, but it's one of hundreds across the nation and the world. Now, it's right here in Northern Nevada.
BASF Coatings starts operations at production site for paints in Russia - "Our local production capacity provides us with a good basis for shaping the dynamic development of the Russian automotive market,” explains Juan Ximenez-Camillo, head of BASF Coatings’ Automotive OEM Coatings unit for Europe.
Akzo Profit Rises 51%, Boosted by Chemicals, Coatings - Akzo Nobel NV, the world's largest maker of paints, said first-quarter profit increased 51 percent on rising sales of industrial coatings and chemicals.
Tiny projector steals the show for 3M - MN: 3M managers showcased a new line of power tools, auto paint sprayers, high-capacity power cables and a long-lasting water filter for the home. But it was the mobile projector that drew crowds.
LINE-X(R) Revolutionizes Spray-On Truck Bedliner Market With LINE-X ReNew(TM) - Innovative New Product Restores Old BedLiners into Mint Condition
ArvinMeritor to implement commodity surcharge - ArvinMeritor to implement commodity surcharge next month, citing higher steel and energy costs
Honda May Boost U.S. Car Prices as Steel Costs Rise - Honda Motor Co., Japan's second- largest automaker, may increase prices for its vehicles in North America and other markets to offset higher steel and other raw materials costs.
General Motors COO says U.S. auto industry is in a recession - The U.S. auto industry is in a recession, but General Motors Corp. has prepared for it by cutting costs and rolling out new products, GM's president and chief operating officer said Tuesday.
Strike threatened Thursday at GM plant in Ohio - The UAW local that represents workers at a General Motors Corp. stamping plant near Mansfield, Ohio, have threatened to go on strike at 10 a.m. Thursday, GM spokesman Dan Flores said today.
SUVs fetch less at trade-in as price of gasoline climbs - "A lot of folks are just abstaining from trading," said Tom Kontos of Adesa Analytical Services. It's "getting harder and harder to even sell it."
13 Things Your Car Mechanic Won't Tell You - Real mechanics give you the inside scoop on the tricks of the trade.
Solera cut from Goldman Sachs conviction buy list after six-month stock rally - The broker said shares in the company, which specializes in software applications for processing insurance claims, are up 23.5% since it was put on the list in mid-May versus a decline of 7.6% in the S&P 500 Index.
Allstate Finds Fatal Teen Crashes Hotspots in Eastern Idaho - The 3 months of summer are known as the 100 deadliest days for teens, and as we're quickly approaching the end of the school year Allstate Insurance has released a study pointing out where the worst places for fatal crashes are found.
Lawmaker wants to reverse fee - MO: Insurance companies and database operators such as one that maintains online records for used-car histories said the higher fees could force them out of business, drive up car insurance premiums and make it more difficult to administer vehicle recalls in Missouri.
Laughing Your Way to Cheaper Auto Insurance Rates - It sounds ludicrous at first, but so did Earth Shoes, car phones and kiwi as a garnish.
State Farm Convinces Some Weary Policyholders to Settle Hurricane Katrina Lawsuits - State Farm Insurance has settled with more than a dozen policyholders who were suing the nation’s largest insurer over Hurricane Katrina damage claims. The settlements were reached with plaintiffs who only last month learned that their lawyers had been barred from representing them because of ethics violations.
Nebraska Leads Nation On Report Of Rising Insurance Rates - Ann Frohman, at the Nebraska Department of Insurance, said Nebraska's rates have risen for a different reason. First, a shift in population has seen residents move out of rural areas into the city and when they do, the price they pay for car insurance goes up. Another reason Frohman cited was a lack of competition. -- "We have fewer auto repair facilities in the western part of state and we see a higher auto collision repair cost in Nebraska, and that contributes somewhat to increase," Frohman said.

May 13, 2008

Connecticut Anti-Steering Bill Passed - glassBYTEs™: A Connecticut bill that would require disclosure to consumers that they have the right to choose the repair facility to complete repairs to their motor vehicles was approved by the state's Senate last week.
Innovation Auto Continues Expansion of Executive Team with Two New Vice Presidents - Ron Tryczynski to oversee Innovation Auto's internal operations while Bob Cornelius will spearhead company's nationwide network of preferred auto body shops
Silly Season - ASA President's Blog: To borrow a phrase from the national political scene, it is officially “silly season” in the automotive aftermarket governmental affairs arena.
Seven Tips to Having a Healthy Computer - AutobodyOnline: Whether we are part of a small business, a multinational, or are just trying to find a recipe online at home, we seem to spend just as much time fixing ‘issues' and ‘conflicts' on our computers as we do working on them. For the home user this is merely an inconvenience, but to a business it can add up to tens of thousands of dollars lost to decreased productivity or repairs.
Carstar holds yearly Make-a-Wish event - On Thursday evening, Robert and his family were the special guests at Kurt's Carstar Collision Center in Maryville, during a yearly fundraiser for the foundation.
Got Grants? - Recent grants have been awarded for: Church Brothers Collision Repair (Marion County): Awarded $63,584 to convert four of their locations to use waterborne basecoat paint. This will replace the current paint that has a higher amount of volatile organic compounds (VOC), reducing VOC emissions into the air.
Hail drives car owners to body shops - "We've probably had 25 to 30 calls between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. this morning [with] a lot of damage,” Turn 2 Collision body shop owner Kevin Schoolcraft explained.
Street Rodder Road Tour Bound for 2008 Holley NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion - The 2008 PPG Street Rodder Road Tour is traveling to Bowling Green, Ky. for the 6th annual Holley National Hot Rod Reunion. More than 50 cars will drive from San Antonio, Texas to Bowling Green as part of the Vintage Air-sponsored tour.
Keystone Automotive Operations, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2008 Results - Keystone Automotive Operations, Inc., a leading distributor and marketer of automotive aftermarket accessories and equipment in North America, today announced financial results for its fiscal first quarter ended March 29, 2008.
OEConnection Messenger: Spring/Summer 2008 - A newsletter for professionals in dealership fixed operations
Schnitzer Steel’s Auto Parts Business Named “Recycler of the Year” by Steel Manufacturers Association - Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. annually recycles approximately 300,000 end-of-life vehicles through its Pick-n-Pull and GreenLeaf Auto Recyclers businesses, which are part of its Auto Parts Business (APB). These businesses, which include 53 self-service and full-service auto parts stores across the United States and Canada, purchase vehicles and offer recycled auto parts to consumers and businesses.
Insurance Auto Auctions Acquires Joe Horisk’s Salvage Pool in Delaware - The acquisition extends IAA’s footprint in the Northeast and provides additional regional coverage to IAA’s vehicle providers in this important market. The facility features a yard capacity of over 2,000 vehicles and will provide buyers with a greater overall product selection and another convenient location from which to purchase vehicles either in person at the live auction, or soon through I-bid LIVEsm.
Aaron Cherrington Moves to VP Corporate and Channel Sales at Identifix - Identifix, one of the nation's premier sources of online and hotline diagnostic and repair information, today announced the appointment of Aaron Cherrington, formerly Director of National Accounts, to Vice President Corporate and Channel Sales.
Toyota Loses Bid to Overturn $4.3 Million Prius Patent Award - The U.S. Supreme Court let stand a $4.3 million award against Toyota Motor Corp. for using another company's patented technology in gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, including the top-selling Prius.
Plant closing rocks CAW - Canadian union's GM talks now include buyout negotiations after notice Windsor factory will close.
Mitchell International Finalizes Acquisition of Fair Isaac Medical Bill Review Business Unit - Workers' Compensation, Auto Casualty and Managed Care Cost Containment Business Unit Significantly Expands Company's Portfolio