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April 30, 2008
- Bids
for Diamond Glass Due June 3 -
glassBYTEs™:
Counsel for Diamond Glass has filed a
document in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware noting
that the bid procedures order erroneously listed the deadline for bids as
June 6, but bids are actually due on June 3, 2008, at noon.
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2008 PPG Course Offerings - More Than 11,000 Students Trained in 2007
- More than 11,000 students participated in PPG Automotive Refinish
training courses in 2007. The classes, ranging in subjects from technical
training to business management and more, were held at PPG training
centers throughout North America and in affiliate locations in over 100
key markets.
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New sponsors support upcoming I-CAR meeting and its new customer-focused
role in the inter-industry - In addition to companies that have
supported I-CAR over the years, several new sponsors are backing the 2008
I-CAR International Annual Meeting and the new opportunities available at
this meeting.
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I-CAR addresses CIC with its new focus within the inter-industry -
Chairman of the I-CAR Board of Directors and interim CEO, John Edelen
addressed the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) on Wednesday, April
16, at the Crowne Plaza in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he spoke
about I-CAR’s recommitment to its core values, its recent
reorganization, and how it is moving forward with a new customer-focused
operating model.
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Arizona Street Rod Association to display vehicles at first ever Cruisin'
Night event - The 2008 I-CAR International Annual Meeting in
Scottsdale will bring a flare of exotic, hand-formed customized vehicles,
and owners for a unique show that will serve as the finale to the
three-day meeting. The public has been invited to join I-CAR,
professionals in the collision repair inter-industry,
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Branding in the high velocity economy - Last week, I gave the opening
keynote for a leading global auto collision repair group, Fix Auto, which
has locations throughout the US, Canada, the UK and France.
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Travelers and MAACO Partner to Provide Enhanced Consumer Finance Options
for Automotive Repair in Canada - Travelers Acceptance Corporation, an
independent, national consumer finance company, and MAACO Systems Canada
Inc., Canada's most popular chain of auto paint and auto body repair
system specialists, announced their strategic partnership to provide
Canadian motorists with enhanced consumer finance payment options.
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FIX AUTO Launches New Revolutionary Patented Internet Marketing
Initiatives - FIX AUTO has launched a revolutionary collision repair
website for consumers.
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AIA ADVOCATE - A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - The Latest in Auto Repair
Anti-Steering Legislation
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Colorado Governor Issues Executive Order Targeting Greenhouse Gas
Emissions - ASA: Vehicle Emissions Regulations to Be Proposed
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CARB Announces Vehicle Retirement Program Workshop - ASA: Public
Workshop to Consider Development of Enhanced Fleet Modernization
Regulation
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Ford sees weak April auto sales - U.S. auto sales appear to have
fallen further in April after a weak first quarter, and could dip below 15
million units on an annualized basis, Ford Motor Co's chief sales analyst
said in an interview on Tuesday.
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Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com Names 2008 Subaru Impreza a Top 10 Coolest New
Car Under $18,000 - The leading provider of new-and used-vehicle
information announced their picks of vehicles. The list features kbb.com
editors' picks of vehicles that are fun, fuel efficient, practical and
with more amenities than ever before.
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Car owners skimping on maintenance, repairs - Facing high gasoline and
food prices, many motorists are holding off on expensive jobs. They may
pay the price later.
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Maryland Car Dealership Fire Causes $3M in Damage - Deputy State Fire
Marshal Joseph Zurolo says the fire started around 5:45 a.m. Saturday
inside the parts room of the 80-by-115-foot building. It took about an
hour to bring the blaze under control. The cause remains under
investigation.
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Wreck Towing Cons Growing Bolder Than Ever - Some Accident-Chasing Tow
Companies Charging Excessive And Fraudulent Fees
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To Catch A Car Thief - MO: The rising price of a few precious metals
has some body shop owners on high alert.
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Staged Car Accidents Growing Problem In N. Texas - Statistics reported
to the National Insurance Crime Bureau show since 2001 there have been
nearly 350 staged car accident schemes in North Texas alone.
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Driver Gets Ticket For Accident, Admits Fault, Insurer Won't Pay -
This story is about a man involved in a crash and the other driver
admitted fault. Police issued a ticket, but when it came time for
insurance to pay for the damage, that was another story.
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Iowa Session Ends Mixed for Insurers, Says AIA - The 82nd Session of
the Iowa General Assembly adjourned sine die on Saturday, April 26 at
approximately 2:30 a.m.
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Bipartisan Plan to Save Drivers Money on Auto Insurance Unveiled -
Legislation would offer choices, reduce cost and lower number of people
driving with no coverage
April 29, 2008
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Exit Strategies (Pt 2) - AutobodyOnline: Steps to take now – whether
you hope to leave your business in three years or 30 by John Yoswick
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Scam Artist Cons Auto Body Shop Owners - PA: Police say the owners of
two auto body repair shops were scammed by a company from Wilkes-Barre.
The owners of those shops were ordering booths to paint cars. Neither got
what they bargained for. And they fear more victims may be out there.
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I-CAR adds Ultraviolet Curing Technologies to its Online Training Library
- I-CAR and RadTech, the Association for UV and EB technology, have teamed
up to develop the I-CAR Online Training program Ultraviolet Curing
Technologies (UVC01).
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I-CAR Education Foundation Announces date for 2008 Golf Tournament
presented by Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. - The Seventh Annual I-CAR
Education Foundation Golf Tournament, sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales,
U.S.A., Inc., will take place on Thursday, July 24, 2008 in Scottsdale, AZ
at the Tournament Players Club.
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Colorado shop focuses on customers - Operating under the philosophy,
"The better way to go," ASE-certified Perkins Paint and Collision, part of
Perkins Motor City Dodge in Colorado Springs, Colo., has been satisfying
customers at its collision repair shop for more than five decades (since
1957).
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Gas prices affecting more than wallets - Troy, NY: An area auto body
shop owner said his business has slowed to the point he may be driven out
of business.
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The Other America: Not Walking Away - Just about a year ago, the
Castelluccis’ seemed to have it all. Both husband and wife were
college-educated, owned their own home, and ran a successful family
business. But, a tough local economy hit their family-owned auto-body
business hard and the customers simply stopped coming through the door.
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Auction to Bid for Diamond Glass Slated for June 5 -
glassBYTEs™:
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware approved
Diamond Glass' bid procedures for sale of the company's assets and set an
auction date of June 5.
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New NAGS Calculator to Take Effect May 12 - glassBYTEs™:
National Auto Glass Specifications International has begun
distributing its Spring 2008 Benchmark Calculator, which is set to take
effect on May 12.
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Information provider expanding - As one of those Sioux Falls
businesses that operates largely under the radar, CCC Information Services
quietly is expanding its downtown offices. -- CCC, which promotes itself
as a leading supplier of software and communications systems to the
automobile claims and collision repair industries, recently marked its
10th anniversary in Sioux Falls and has 197 employees. It's added 25 jobs
during the past year and plans to bring on eight more in the next few
months, said Jim Kenny, CCC's vice president of operations.
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BumperDoc Awards Second Automotive Reconditioning Center Franchise In
Boise, Idaho - The nation's first auto reconditioning center franchise
is announcing the sale of the company's second franchise to be opened in
the summer of 2008 in Boise, Idaho. BumperDoc Auto Reconditioning Centers
specialize in plastic bumper repair, rapid auto body repair and paintless
dent removal.
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NIC student earns first place at state competition - North Idaho
College Collision Repair Technology Student Ray Hinshaw, from Priest
River, earned first place at the annual Idaho Skills USA state competition
in Boise April 12-13.
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DuPont Performance Coatings voices support for Canadian low-VOC
legislation - DuPont Performance Coatings (DPC) supports the Canadian
government's proposed regulations to lower the volatile organic compound
(VOC) content in automotive refinish and architectural and industrial
maintenance coatings, the company said in a statement released April 26.
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PPG Names Pegg Vice President, Packaging Coatings - PPG Industries
announced the appointment of Douglas S. Pegg to the position of vice
president, packaging coatings, effective May 1.
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GM to lay off 3,550 at 4 pickup truck and SUV factories - The
dwindling U.S. auto market and an accelerating shift from trucks to cars
has brought grim layoff news to four General Motors Corp. factories.
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Ghosn on Nissan-Renault, U.S. Auto Sales - In a candid interview, the
CEO discusses smaller, greener cars and the U.S. market: "The U.S. auto
market is not going to be great again"
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Volvo recalls 65,000 cars over side-impact air bags - Ford Motor Co.
on Monday said it will recall 65,000 Volvo V70 and XC70 cars to adjust the
software that triggers the release of side-impact air bags.
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Gadgets, Gizmos and write offs - UK: Increasingly, we would rather
throw things out than get them fixed. As cars are built with more and more
gadgets, they are in danger of becoming too costly to repair, meaning
significantly more write offs.
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Insurers Boost California Economy By $27.3 Billion - California has a
$1.6 trillion economy that ranks it as a global financial power, thanks in
part to a multi-billion dollar boost from the insurance industry,
according to a new report by the Insurance Information Institute of
California.
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The Hartford Announces First Quarter Net Income Of $145 Million, Or $0.46
Per Diluted Share - Property and Casualty ongoing operations records a
combined ratio of 87.8 percent; Life assets under management grow 10
percent, including assets from the retirement plans acquisitions
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The Hanover Insurance Group Reports Strong First Quarter Results -
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. today reported net income for the first
quarter of 2008 of $58.5 million, or $1.12 per share, compared to $63.6
million, or $1.22 per share, in the first quarter of the prior year.
April 28, 2008
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Group dents auto body ‘myths’ - Ohio: When Rick Finney, a longtime
auto body repairman, discovered his customers were not being given any
options as to accident repairs, he formed the Choice Autobody Repair Assn.
The group’s purpose is to educate consumers so they – not the insurance
company – make decisions regarding their auto repair.
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Emerging And Future Industry Trends Covered During I-CAR Meeting Technical
Presentations – Can Your Business Afford Not To Attend? - The 2008
I-CAR International Annual Meeting will be an opportunity for the industry
to not only provide feedback to I-CAR, but also receive first-hand
information from a number of vehicle manufacturers and other organizations
covering emerging technologies and trends within the industry.
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New GEICO Auto Repair Xpress Shop Now Open in Sandy, Utah - GEICO has
recently introduced its Auto Repair Xpress (ARX) program to Sandy through
Larry Miller Subaru at 10970 South State Street, to help serve local
customers with collision repairs.
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Kadel's Auto Body promotes Dan Currie - Hillsboro,OR: Don Braden,
president and CEO of Kadel's Auto Body, announces the promotion of Dan
Currie to production manager at the auto body shop on Oak Street in
Hillsboro. Currie recently completed his training at Kadel's Cascade in
Vancouver.
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Annual IGA Conference Approaches -
glassBYTEs™:
The Independent Glass Association's (IGA) annual conference and
Spring Auto Glass Show™ is fast approaching. The conference will run May
1-3 at the Cashman Center in Las Vegas, and the Spring Auto Glass Show
will take place concurrently May 2-3.
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Does your mechanic have the data needed to fix your car? - As more
independent mechanics say manufacturers deny them access to data, states
debate 'right to repair' laws.
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LETTER: Auto bill was not designed for repair shops - After reading
the April 21 story, "Local mechanics fight for auto repair information," I
was concerned that readers will be left with the wrong impression about
the true impact of this legislation. I represent the Alliance of
Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group comprising 10 automobile
manufacturers.
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Inland Empire Auto Repair Review Launches Professional Help Series of
Automotive Articles and Archive Aimed at Helping Consumers -
Automotive Professionals offer their knowledge and experience to benefit
their website visitors on such subjects as fuel economy, tire maintenance,
vehicle safety, and many other automotive related subjects. Website
visitors are invited to suggest subjects for future articles.
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Details of Environment Canada's VOC regulations now available; deadline
moved to 2010 - Canada: The collision repair industry is getting its
first look at the details of low-VOC regulations that will affect almost
all coatings and materials used in the auto refinish sector.
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Prometheus European Compound From Visomax To Be Distributed Exclusively By
SWAF - High-end Polishing System is OEM and Aftermarket Approved by
Ferrari, Aston Martin, BMW, Lotus, Mercedes Benz and Rolls Royce
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2008 Import Color Information Book Released - PPG introduced its
all-new 2008 Import Color Information Book. The book complements the
previously released 2008 Domestic Color Information Book. Together, the
two books provide comprehensive coverage of vehicles being repaired in the
United States today.
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Dupont Recognized by Toyota Motors as Champion of Paint Repair -
DuPont Refinish has been recognized for its customer support provided to
Toyota Motor Vietnam, recently winning the “champion of paint repair”
category in the Toyota Asian Skills Grand Prix held in Bangkok, Thailand.
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High times for heavy metal - Local scrap yards face competition in an
evolving market
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Jasso, overseer of Mexico's auto industry, resigns - Suarez resigned
to accept a job as managing director in Mexico of insurance claims
software company Audatex. He is responsible for Mexico and eight other
Latin American markets.
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Chrysler: Back to the midsize - 100 engineers enlisted to create
future models
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China is challenging, but promises riches to the smartest players - If
imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then to judge by the Beijing
auto show, China's local auto industry is on an unprecedented charm
offensive.
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Most Desirable New Car Features - Technology that is so innovative it
literally grabs the steering wheel and takes over is already available on
some vehicles, but it's not necessarily what consumers want.
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Consumers are not protected with Carfax - Paul Wenske’s article “Risk
of buying a rebuilt wreck won’t go away” (April 16) showed how the
fraudulent sale of rebuilt wrecked and flooded cars continues to be a
major problem.
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State sues Lempster salvage owner - NH: The state has sued a Lempster
business owner, alleging various acts of pollution at a Route 10 salvage
yard.
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Safeco CEO takes brief call at wheel - Spokesman says she pulled over
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Safeco deal must face state, federal scrutiny - Before Boston's
Liberty Mutual can swallow venerable Seattle-based insurer Safeco, the
proposed $6.2 billion deal will have to withstand scrutiny from more than
a half-dozen state and federal regulatory agencies.
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How Will Liberty's Buying Safeco Affect Other Insurers? - Liberty
Mutual Group's proposed purchase of Safeco Corp. creates a larger and
possibly more powerful competitor for other insurers, including Travelers
and The Hartford, but could also spawn sales opportunities for them,
experts said Wednesday.
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California Court Denies Allstate's Request to Avoid $250 Million Rate
Reduction - A San Francisco judge has refused Allstate's request to
block a 15.9 percent automobile insurance rate decrease. According to the
California Department of Insurance, the rate decrease should take effect
immediately, and will result in approximately $250 million in savings for
Allstate customers, or about $124 per year.
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New CFA Study Wrongly Endorses More Restrictions on Auto Insurers -
Drivers Benefit from Competition, Not Stifling Regulation, Says I.I.I.
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Insurers Boost State Economy by $27.3 Billion - California has a $1.6
trillion economy that ranks it as a global financial power, thanks in part
to a multi-billion dollar boost from the insurance industry, according to
a new report.
April 25, 2008
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Auto body repair and the economy - When Ira Hartstone got in a wreck
recently, he had a tough decision to make. Fix it, or trade it in and get
a new ride. Even though his car had close to a hundred thousand miles on
it, Ira decided to have it repaired.
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ASA Launches ‘Open for Business’ Campaign on Behalf of Independent
Repairers - Citing concerns about misinformation surrounding the
“Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act,” the Automotive Service
Association (ASA) is firing back with a campaign aimed at ensuring
consumers that independent repair shops are “Open for Business.”
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Diamond Vendor Payment Motions Approved -
glassBYTEs™:
The judge overseeing Diamond Glass' bankruptcy case in the District
of Delaware approved two motions involving payments to its vendors this
week.
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How our weakening dollar stacks up in a global economy - If you want
to see where the automotive industry is heading, it might be useful to
take a look at the textiles industry.
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3M Reports Net Income of $988 Million; Sales Increase 9 Percent to $6.5
Billion - Automotive Aftermarket abrasives for professional auto body
shops continue to outperform in a competitive market.
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Painting Plastics - Spraying composites can be a big challenge unless
you take the right approach
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San Francisco shop takes earth-friendly approach to repairing hybrids
- Luscious Garage, at 450 Clementina Street, is an earth-friendly repair
shop that works almost exclusively on hybrids.
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CollisionMax gives back to Gloucester - NJ: Donates fire detectors to
fire companies across the county
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Angel investment concept goes rural - "The networking and contacts
are invaluable," said Srack, president and chief executive officer of
Matrix Electronic Measuring Inc., which markets a photographic electronic
measuring system for the automotive collision repair industry.
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Motor Age searching the country for the Top Shops - The annual Top
Shops competition is underway, and we’re looking for the best shops in the
United States.
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Ontario gives $1.2 million in funding to struggling auto parts sector
- Economic Trade and Development Minister Sandra Pupatello announced the
investment Thursday in Windsor, Ont. The money will be shared by the
Canadian Tooling and Machining Association and the Automotive Parts
Manufacturers' Association.
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Another Automotive Parts Supplier Chooses Alabama! - Governor Bob
Riley and Auburn mayor, Bill Ham, Jr. announce German-based, Selzer
Automotive is locating in Auburn.
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Toys for big tots - 55 cars on display in annual SAE car show
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AutoUpLinkUSA Develops Search By Ownership History - Expanded
Partnership With Carfax Prioritizes Vehicle Search Results
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Manheim Unveils Alternative Energy Initiative at New Jersey Facility -
Manheim, the world's leading provider of vehicle remarketing services and
a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Ga.,
today unveiled the installation of solar panels at its Manheim New Jersey
facility (formerly National Auto Dealers Exchange).
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April hail brings car dealership sales - TX: Several car dealerships
in the Hudson Oaks and Weatherford area posted "hail sale" signs to lure
customers Tuesday.
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Weight Reduction Vital to Helping Automakers Meet Proposed Fuel Economy
Regulations - The following comment in response to the U.S. DOT's proposed
new fuel economy standards can be attributed to Buddy Stemple, Chair of the
Aluminum Association's Auto and Light Truck Group:
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Ford reports $100-million net income in first quarter - The
Dearborn-based automaker today reported net income of $100 million, or 5
cents a share, for the first three months of the year. -- Ford hasn’t
reported a quarterly profit since the second quarter of 2007, so the news
will likely be welcomed by metro Detroit, which has watched its automotive
sector suffer and shrink in the face of foreign competition.
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Wrecked U.S. cars in demand - As the dollar sags against foreign
currencies, exporters are finding an increasing market overseas for
vehicles that can be fixed and resold at a profit.
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Mad Money On the Line: Copart CEO Willis Johnson - In keeping with his Green
Week theme, Cramer took time on Wednesday’s show to speak to the CEO of
Copart Inc., a company that recycles auto parts by way of Internet
auctions. Sound a little far fetched for a green play? It’s actually not.
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Auctions International Inc. Enters Into Alliance With Cherry Auto Inc. for
Joint Marketing of Dealer Inventory - Adds Over 5,000 Vehicle Listings
and 40 Dealers to AutoBidLive.com
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Stings target salvage yards - MO: Agencies perform ‘compliance
inspections’
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Horace Mann School awarded funding for service learning - Claudia
Chaffee and her students have received a $1,000 award to launch a
service-learning project in celebration of Global Youth Service Day, April
25, 26 and 27. Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is one
of 100 State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Award winners chosen by
Youth Service America and funded by State Farm Companies Foundation.
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Ohio fares well in insurance study - Ohio motorists pay $669 annually
on average for auto coverage, the 39th highest rate in the country.
Nationally, the average is $829.
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Florida auto insurance hikes far outpace nation - Auto insurance rates
in Florida have climbed nearly 50 percent faster than the national
average, according to a new study.
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Study: Calif. drivers saved billions - Good news for drivers: Insured
drivers have saved nearly $62 billion in auto insurance rates over 20
years, thanks to proposition 103.
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California judge won't let Allstate delay cutting auto insurance rates
- On the same day a new study dubbed California the nation's leader in
holding the line on auto insurance rates, a judge in San Francisco denied
Allstate's bid to delay cutting its rates an average of 15.9 percent as
the insurer appeals state action ordering the reduction.
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Mich. Supreme Court limits time to sue insurers - The Michigan Supreme
Court on Wednesday struck down a legal precedent that generally gave
motorists more time to sue their insurance company for unpaid claims under
some circumstances.
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Travelers Earnings Drop 11% in 1Q - Travelers Cos. Inc., one of the
largest property insurers in the United States, said Thursday that
earnings fell 11 percent in the first quarter, as catastrophe losses in
the quarter more than doubled and investment income fell.
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Safeco profits fall for fifth quarter in a row - Safeco, the insurer
that this week agreed to be acquired by Liberty Mutual Group, said profit
fell for a fifth straight quarter as winter storms, tornadoes and the
rising cost of car crashes pushed up claims.
April 24, 2008
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Missouri Sen. Expects Delayed, But Positive, Results from Anti-Steering
Bill Hearing -
glassBYTEs™:
While Sen. Wes Shoemyer, the sponsor of an anti-steering bill in
Missouri, doesn't expect this week's public hearing to necessarily lead to
the passing of the bill, he says a dialogue began with the hearing that he
hopes will have positive results in the future.
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A welcome alliance to address cost control in auto repairs - CA: The
solution being sought is to an issue termed capping, and it is being
pursued by groups that have typically been adversaries – insurance
companies and auto body shop interests.
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ASA Publishes Shop Owner Guidelines for Easier Extended Service Plan
Processing - The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced a
new member benefit for ASA shop owners who accept extended warranty work
from their customers. Outlining common practices of extended service plans
(ESPs), ASA’s guidelines include a number of tips and recommendations to
help streamline the repair process and ensure a positive experience for
the customer as well as the repair facility.
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Aardvark Auto battle continues - Bruce Duque, Tina Duque, Francisco
Duque Jr., Esperanza Duque and Jonathan Wille were sued by the state in
2007, claiming fraudulent business practices. They did business as
Aardvark Auto Sales, State Street Car Co., The Motorhaus, Auto Kings, Uba
Auto Repair, Ura Auto Repair and The Car Boys.
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Kitemark achievement for garage - UK: The Kitemark is a joint
initiative between Thatcham, the home of the crash test dummies, the
British Standards Institute and vehicle repair bodyshops.
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Sustainable construction a growing trend in non-residential projects -
WI: Many area businesses currently are pursuing green policies. Examples
include: Superior Auto Body in Eau Claire claims to be the first car
repair facility in the state to use waterborne technology through PPG
Industries in the refinish process of auto body repairs. The
environmentally friendly process is the first step in a three-year
greening process new owners Dave and Cindy Savage have adopted.
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All New Paint Booth at Gino's Auto Body -
Susanville, CA: It's a state-of-the-art CMC
Concord Bake Booth.
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BASF launches new R-M waterborne product in Canada - BASF Canada has
launched a new member of its popular R-M brand. Onyx HD is a high
performance waterborne automotive refinish coating that is compliant with
upcoming Canadian environmental regulations.
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BASF Enters a Challenging 2008 with a Record First Quarter - The BASF
Group has continued on its successful path in the first three months of
2008. Having posted a further record quarter, it is confident with regard
to the coming months.
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For the Second Time Ever, Two Females Compete in Statewide Auto Repair
Championship in Houston, TX - Texas Student Techs Team Up in Houston
to Be Best in State
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St. Clair Tech Center Seniors Are Michigan's Best Young Auto Techs -
Alex Super of St. Clair and Bob McClain of Ruby, seniors at St. Clair Tech
Center, took first place in the Michigan state final of the 15th annual
Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition, held today at the Macomb
Community College Expo Center in Warren.
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Recycling Cars is Big Business - By the end of this year the
Automotive Recyclers Association predicts that 11.4 million cars will be
recycled.
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Former CFO of Keystone Automotive Operations Inc named Wolverine World
Wide chief financial officer - Wolverine World Wide Inc. named Don
Grimes senior vice president and chief financial officer, the branded
clothing wholesaler said Tuesday.
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Pep Boys appoints new CEO and CFO - In a surprise shake-up of its
leadership ranks today, Pep Boys - Manny, Moe & Jack named a new chief
executive officer, its fourth in less than two years.
-
TIA Accepting Hall of Fame Nominations - The Hall of Fame is open to
individuals in the tire industry, including manufacturers, inventors,
publishers, equipment suppliers, tire association executives, tire
dealers, tire and rubber recyclers, and retreaders.
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AAIA Urges Congress to Say “Yes” to H.R. 5638 - Legislation Would
Amend Patent Law for Vehicle Restoration
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GM gets on the hybrid highway - General Motors is far from being a
market player with hybrid vehicles, but it may be in a position to deliver
down the road, according to some industry analysts.
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Toyota topples General Motors as global auto sales leader - There's a
new No. 1 in the auto industry. Toyota took the global automotive sales
lead from General Motors in the first quarter of 2008.
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Toyota shuffles top management - Toyota Motor Corp announced on
Thursday a reshuffling of its top management, including the assignment of
founding family scion Akio Toyoda to take on overseas on top of domestic
operations as executive vice president.
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Bradshaw Automotive owner is a finalist for Dealer of the Year award -
The American International Automobile Dealers Association announces that
William Bradshaw, owner of the Bradshaw Automotive Group in Greer, is
among five finalists for AIADA’s 2008 Dealer of the Year Award, presented
by Newsweek.
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Quarterly NADA AuctionNet(R) Summary: Used-Vehicle Prices Decline, Volume
Increases in First Quarter '08 - The average prices of used vehicles
sold at auctions declined in the first quarter of 2008 from the fourth
quarter of last year, reflecting a tightening economy and shift in demand
by dealers and consumers, according to AuctionNet(R) data released by NADA
Used Car Guide -- the industry standard in used-vehicle valuation and
information.
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California Tops in Car Theft - Some older cars like the 1989 and 1990
Toyota Camry are stolen to use the parts in fraudulent automotive repairs,
Scafidi said. Cut rate body shops often look for car parts that they can
sell on the black market to people who want to have their cars fixed for
less money than a legitimate body shop would charge.
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Toyota’s New Tundra Faces Quality Concerns - TundraHeadquarters.com, a
Toyota Tundra enthusiast Web site, announced today that a growing number
of its readers have noted rust on the chrome parts of their new and
late-model Toyota Tundra trucks. This issue, combined with Toyota’s recent
issues with rust forming on the Tacoma pickup, raises concerns that
Toyota’s quality is declining.
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Man Killed When Car Falls On Him - Omaha, NE.: A man was killed
after a car fell on top of him at a local auto body shop on Tuesday,
police said.
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Auto claims clinics hit town - Mineral Wells, TX: Several insurance
agencies are hosting car clinics to process the thousands of claims that
they've received since Thursday's hail storm. -- “They were calling within
five minutes of the hail hitting,” said Phil Luker, of State Farm
Insurance.
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AARP Efforts for Safer Roads Hits a Bump in Illinois - Legislation
Making it Easier to Take Nation's Most Successful Driver Safety Program
Greeted with Opposition from Insurance Industry
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Crawford Completes Claims Management System Integration with Xactware(R)
- Integration improves speed and efficiency of claims handling
-
Allstate 1st-qtr profit drops 77 pct - Allstate Corp , the largest
publicly traded car and home insurer in the United States, said Wednesday
first-quarter net income dropped 77 percent, hurt by larger-than-expected
catastrophe losses.
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Erie Insurance looks to more change - Erie Insurance Group, which
ranks as the nation's 20th largest property and casualty insurer, saw the
number of policies in effect during 2007 rise by 6 percent and the policy
retention rate top 90 percent. On the financial side, net income rose 4.4
percent to $212.9 million.
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Liberty Mutual Pays Up for Safeco - The 51% premium may inspire awe,
but Liberty Mutual may have a plan to improve Safeco's auto insurance
business
April 23, 2008
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New York: Car Repair Shops Can Rebate Deductibles - Allowing car
collision repair facilities to pay all or part of a deductible to an
insured does not constitute a rebate prohibited under New York law,
lawyers for the state's insurance department have said.
-
Higher Level of Satisfaction With Independent Repair Shops Than
Dealerships - According to the May 2008 issue of Consumer Reports,
more Americans (71 percent) are very satisfied with independent repair
shops for vehicle service than new car dealers (53 percent). To ensure
that car owners can continue to choose who will repair their vehicles,
Congress introduced the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (H.R.
2694).
-
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation Donates $2,500 To I-CAR Education
Foundation - The Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation has contributed
$2,500 to the I-CAR Education Foundation and its new mission to support
philanthropic and collision repair education activities that promote and
enhance career opportunities in the industry.
-
Female racer up to speed - Lakeisha Moore honed her skills in the body
shop and on the drag strip with help from her father and Jack Starkey,
owner of Jack’s Body Shop. Starkey recently gave Moore’s Mustang a paint
job. -- “I learned a lot from him,” Moore said. “I grew up with him, and
he is an excellent driver. He just recently painted my car and it is
beautiful.”
-
New paint - Chatham,Ontario,Canada: Tilbury Carstar Collision is in
the process of switching to "waterborn'' paints, which is becoming
mandatory in the industry. Mary Larente is office administrator.
-
Automotive shop owner approaches 40th anniversary - CA: Gary Liberti,
owner of Liberti's Automotive in southern Milpitas, has enjoyed working as
a mechanic of foreign and domestic cars for almost 37 years.
-
Diamond Needs 21st-Century Business Model, Anonymous Source Says -
glassBYTEs™:
An anonymous source, who wished to remain unnamed for fear of
reprisal, told glassBYTEs.com™/AGRR magazine that he thinks Diamond Glass'
business model is what caused the company to reach the point of filing for
Chapter 11.
-
Nordstrom's to open self-service parts center - SD: Nordstrom's
Automotive, a longtime Garretson auto parts recycling firm, announced it
is opening a self-service auto parts center called Ewe Pullet.
-
Warren Tech to auto parts training - CO: Warren Tech, a career and
technical high school for Jeffco Public Schools, has opened a CARQUEST
parts jobber store this fall as part of its auto parts specialist tract in
the Automotive Technology program.
-
Gas prices can't keep car fans away - PA: Gary Eucker, 58, attends
every one of Carlisle's big car shows, and he isn't letting gas prices
keep him away this week. -- Attendance now hits about 120,000 a year. The
82-acre fairgrounds and many surrounding properties overflow with cars,
trucks, parts and memorabilia.
-
Automotive Consumer Attitude Study Needs Participants, Win Free $25 Visa
Check Card - Hedges & Company, in partnership with Aftermarket
Business magazine has launched the 12th Annual Consumer Attitude Study to
gather information from thousands of consumers who have purchased auto
parts and accessories in the past year.
-
BASF Corporation earns Ford World Excellence Award - BASF Corporation
today announced that it received a Ford World Excellence Recognition of
Achievement Award in the area of Corporate Responsibility.
-
Renewable High Performance Polymers, Lightweighting and Design for
Reliability Highlight DuPont Automotive Presentations at SPE Automotive
Conference - New, renewable bio-based materials; materials and design
ideas to take the weight out of load-bearing components; and materials to
help ensure moving parts are designed for maximum performance and
reliability are three themes to be delivered by DuPont Automotive
technical experts at the Automotive Engineering Plastics Conference (EPCON).
-
PPG Wins 2008 Automotive News PACE Award - PPG Industries , the
world's leading manufacturer of transportation coatings, was named a 2008
Automotive News PACE Award winner for Green Logic paint detackifier. This
marks the sixth time PPG has received the award, which recognizes
automotive suppliers for superior innovation, technological advancement
and business performance.
-
Akzo says feels economic chill, shares drop - Rival U.S. paint makers
like PPG Industries and Sherwin-Williams have been hit by the sagging U.S.
housing market and weakening global economy.
-
Market spotlight: Overseas demand to help auto suppliers 1Q - With
U.S. auto sales and production still on the skids, stronger overseas
demand for auto parts and benefits from a weak U.S. dollar could add some
fuel to what might otherwise be lackluster first-quarter results for U.S.
auto suppliers.
-
Magnesium, Aluminum Will Play Big Role in Auto Weight Reduction -
Automotive engineers love the new plastics but favor lighter, thinner
metals when the rubber meets the road
-
Nippon Steel Seeks 38% Increase in Prices on Costs, Nikkei Says - The
company will ask customers such as automakers for an increase of 30,000 yen
($290) a ton, the Japanese newspaper said, citing Shoji Muneoka, president of
the Tokyo-based steelmaker. Nippon Steel spokesman Hiroshi Nakashima declined to
confirm the increase.
-
Ogihara America sells local auto supply plant - NC: Cosma, a unit of
Ontario-based Magna International Inc., said it has signed an agreement to
acquire Ogihara's 460,000-square-foot stamping and sub-assembly plant in
north Birmingham to expand its footprint in North America.
-
Axle: UAW rejected proposals - Supplier says plans paid more than
rivals; GM to restart Hamtramck plant with new parts source.
-
Ford's recovery gaining traction - Against the odds, Mulally pushes cultural
change on all fronts to move carmaker to profitability
-
Correction: Area Toyota plant is not closing - A main headline and
secondary headline for an April 18 story on the North Long Beach Toyota
plant was incorrect. The North Long Beach plant, which contains a Hino
assembly line employing more than 50 people and a Toyota parts-making
operation employing more than 600 people, is not closing.
-
Sneaky Ways To Get Better Gas Mileage - Motorists looking to save as
much as 32 cents on a gallon of gas needn't drive across state lines in
search of cheaper prices at the pump.
-
Co-operative Insurance's eco-car show launches new Ford - UK:
Co-operative Insurance has announced that Ford will debut its new
environmentally-friendly car at its Sexy Green Car Show.
-
No. 1 in auto theft: Modesto, Calif. - Insurance crime group reports
that western states still lead the nation in car theft.
-
Celebration Fizzles As Court Says It Erred In Allstate Order - FL:
State Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty was one happy man Monday - for
a few minutes, at least - after getting word that an appeals court sided
with him in barring Allstate companies from conducting new business in
Florida.
-
Judge dismisses fraud claim against State Farm - A federal judge on
Monday dismissed fraud claims against State Farm and vendor E.A. Renfroe
in a key Hurricane Katrina lawsuit that accused State Farm Fire & Casualty
Co. of altering an engineering report to minimize the loss.
April 22, 2008
-
Mitchell Announces 2008 "Full Speed Ahead!" Auto Collision Road Show -
This Year's Road Show Visits More Cities and Includes More Educational
Seminars to Help Collision Repair Technicians and Shop Owners Increase
Business Performance
-
Missouri Senate Committee to Review Anti-Steering Bill at Public Hearing -
glassBYTEs™:
The Missouri Senate's Small Business, Insurance & Industrial
Relations Committee will hold a hearing today at 1 p.m. Central Standard
Time to review a bill that would require insurers to inform vehicle owners
immediately on first contact that they have the right to choose the repair
facility of their choice to repair their vehicles.
-
Missouri Collision Industry Day at the Capitol Results in Hearing for
SB775 - Missouri Associations AASP of Missouri, ASA MOKAN and SCRS
MOKAN hosted a Day at the Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri for the
collision industry. This was the first time that the collision repair
industry had descended on the capitol to express their concerns on issues
that impact the consumer and the independent business community.
-
Unlocking repair information access - ABRN: NASTF discusses Secure
Data Release Model with locksmiths, OEMs
-
Bill would force manufacturers to release auto repair information -
MA: Local auto mechanics are hoping the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to
Repair Act, which would grant them access to certain manufacturer
information they are not currently allowed to obtain, passes. The bill is
currently in committee in the state legislature and is expected to be
acted on by late May.
-
Mechanic fights for fix - Automakers hoard info
-
Spreading the word about right to repair - Canada: More than 130
technicians, shop owners, jobbers and affiliates from the Owen Sound area
gathered on April 9 to learn how right to repair affects their businesses
and their industry. The information session was organized by the Grey
Bruce Independent Automotive Repair Association (GBIARA).
-
Collision Repair Registrations Surge At Canada's Largest Autobody School
- A skills shortage of new collision repair technicians in Canada? Not at
Canada's largest autobody and collision damage repair technician training
school at Toronto's Centennial College.
-
Keeping the Home Furnaces Burning -
glassBYTEs™:
One of the items that took place over the past week but was little
noted was the completed purchase by Zeledyne of the Carlite glass holdings
from Ford. Mr. Robert Price, the principal investor of Zeledyne, promised
to keep the two U.S. manufacturing plants open and productive. Taking him
at his word, I would like to thank him and to offer any and all support to
him. —Neil Duffy
-
CAP says technology and rapid depreciation increase motor insurance
write-offs - UK: Their growing technological sophistication, coupled
with increasingly rapid depreciation, means cars involved in relatively
minor collisions are more likely to be written off than ever before, said
used car values specialist CAP and motor repair experts at the recent RISC
conference focusing on increasing accident repair costs.
-
DuPont Reports First Quarter Earnings Growth of Over 20 Percent -
Coatings & Color Technologies: Sales increased 6 percent to $1.6 billion
as weakness in North American motor vehicle and construction markets was
more than offset by higher USD selling price outside North America.
-
BASF Coatings trainees acquire expertise with European friends -
Trainees in the area of process technology and automotive painting from
companies in Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands and Norway met in Elgoibar,
gathering theoretical and practical experience in their areas of work that
will play a major role in their future careers.
-
Alter Trading Acquires Mississippi Salvage Yard - Alter Trading has
acquired Jake’s Auto Parts, a salvage yard based in Mississippi. The
facility will now be known as Alter Metal Recycling. Alter’s acquisition
enables Alter’s continued growth in the southern United States. -- Alter
will continue to accept all types of ferrous and non-ferrous materials
including old cars and catalytic converters.
-
American Axle strike hits 2 more General Motors factories - As the
strike at American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. lingers into its
eighth week, workers on the picket line and even the president of the
United Auto Workers say the longer they're out, the better the settlement
they will expect.
-
FordPerformance.com brings Blue Oval enthusiasts together - Ford
enthusiasts have a new home on the 'Net today, as Ford has launched its
new FordPerformance.com website that focuses on Ford clubs and performance
aftermarket parts and accessories.
-
Seeing Double - China's Automotive Copycats
-
What's driving Toyota Canada's success? - CIO reveals all -- For Hao
Tien, CIO of Toyota Canada Inc. the two Japanese phrases Genchi Genbutsu
(go and see) and Kaizen (continuous improvement) capture it all.
-
VinSolutions.com and Visible Customer Form Strategic Alliance -
Dealers are the clear winners when VinSolutions.com's seamlessly meshed
CRM, ILM and Inventory systems carry VisibleCustomer's turnkey customer
loyalty and retention services into dealerships across the nation.
-
Carl Junction man gets 8 years for wire fraud - A Carl Junction man
was sentenced Thursday to eight years in federal prison for a wire fraud
and money laundering scheme in which he used bad checks and false
documents to buy 21 used cars at an auto auction. -- King pleaded guilty
in January 2007 to defrauding Adesa Auto Auction in Tulsa, Okla., by
bidding $215,170 for 21 vehicles at an auction in 2005, according to a
news release from U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.
-
Police Trying to Unravel Chop Shop Organization - NV: A chop shop
operation raided by Metro Police may reach farther than Las Vegas.
Detectives now are unraveling how the massive illegal operation worked.
Police found not only parts of cars, but construction equipment inside the
warehouse.
-
Seven Arrested in Calif. for Automobile Arson, Fraud Scams - Insurance
Commissioner Steve Poizner announced the arrests of seven individuals for
their alleged involvement in automobile arson and insurance fraud. The
arrests are the result of two automobile "give-up" investigations.
-
Senator pushing bill that gets tough on insurers - Some Florida
lawmakers cast property-insurance companies as the villain. Others portray
them as the hope.
-
Committee nixes auto insurance bill - CO: The House Business Affairs
and Labor Committee on Monday killed an auto insurance bill intended to
help reimburse hospitals, doctors and ambulance companies that deal with
car accident victims.
-
GEICO honors 6 associate teams with Corporate Quality Awards - GEICO
honored six teams of associates from around the country with the company’s
highest honor, the Corporate Quality Award, during special ceremonies
today in Washington, D.C.
-
Financial Service Subcommittee Considers Insurance Reform Proposals -
ASA: The U.S. House Financial Service Subcommittee held Part III of its
hearing on insurance regulation recently. -- The purpose of the hearing
was to consider a variety of state and federal proposals on insurance
reform.
-
Rep. Kanjorski: Feds Must Learn About Insurance Before Regulating It -
A key Congressman involved in insurance regulation issues says that
Washington does not have the knowledge of the insurance industry it needs
to regulate the business and he has proposed a new federal insurance
information office to remedy the situation.
-
AXA Insurance appoints Audatex UK as its vehicle management technology
partner - The partnership between AXA and Audatex takes effect 1st
October 2008 and will see the phased implementation of a full range of
claims management solutions to AXA’s Vehicle Claims Management teams and
Approved Repairer Network.
April 21, 2008
-
Exit Strategies (Pt 1) by John Yoswick - AutobodyOnline: Steps to take
now – whether you hope to leave your business in three years or 30
-
ACH Files Objection in Diamond Case; Motions for "Setoff Rights" to be
Honored -
glassBYTEs™:
Automotive Component Holdings LLC (ACH) has filed an objection in
the bankruptcy case of Diamond Glass.
-
On the Move: Automotive - Collision Plus Auto Body Repair, which has
locations in Belleville, Swansea, O'Fallon and Glen Carbon, ranked No. 1
in the country on customer satisfaction survey compiled by the
International Network of Collision Repair Shops.
-
CARSTAR Pledges $25,000 to AMI - CARSTAR joined the Automotive
Management Institute’s (AMI’s) resource development and industry
partnership, EXCEL, with a Charter Guarantor commitment of $25,000. The
commitment to AMI will be combined with other leadership contributions to
continue AMI’s mission of providing and promoting practical business
management education tailored to the automotive service and collision
repair industry.
-
Wayne's Body Shop expands in 40th year - Wayne's Body Shop and
Collision Center, a key business fixture along Warfield Boulevard, is
celebrating its 40th anniversary with a major physical expansion. --
Through the years, Abrams has also become a Clarksville business and
community leader.
-
Cool paint job - Reflective paint and glaze can reduce the need for
A/C in your car
-
Voke Students Transform Car for Cops - Medford Vocational Technical
students in the Automotive Collision repair department have been hard at
work transforming an old corvette confiscated by the Medford Police and
used for their DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) unit into a
traditional black and white cruiser.
-
Local movement aims to allow small auto repair shops to stay competitive
- The clerk at the parts counter was a friend, so he whispered a warning
to Stan Morin. “You’ll be back.” -- He was right. Mr. Morin quickly
learned that, even though he already had paid hundreds of dollars to get
repair information and parts for a Volkswagen with a bad speedometer, he
still had to shell out $150 to learn how to reprogram the vehicle’s
computer to get the car running again.
-
MechanicAdvisor.com Announces the Release of a New and Improved Website
- Revamp of Website with new design and additions allow consumers to find
auto info with ease.
-
BumperDoc Announces Opening Of New Auto Reconditioning Center In
Escondido, California - BumperDoc is glad to announce the opening of
the first franchise location in Escondido, California on May 17th, 2008.
BumperDoc Auto Reconditioning Centers specialize in plastic bumper repair,
paintless dent removal and rapid auto body repair.
-
VW/Audi Tech Center to Open at Manheim PA - After four or five years
of planning and development, Manheim Pennsylvania is now ready to open its
new state-of-the-art technical operations center for Volkswagen
Credit/Audi Financial Services. Officials claim this new facility will be
the largest for the brands in North America.
-
Speedy Corp acquires 91 Minute Muffler outlets - An automotive repair
franchise that operates in most Saskatchewan cities will soon have a new
corporate owner after a 91-store, Canada-wide acquisition by Speedy Corp.
-
Daytona Beach-area reality show to recall glory of muscle cars -
Street rods return in high definition at Fender Mender
-
Attendees Focus On Team-Building, Personnel Management At SEMA National
Education Conference - At the recently concluded SEMA National Education
Conference, member attendees were treated to leadership and management
insights as well as employee evaluation, retention and supervision
techniques.
-
SEMA-Model Custom Vehicle Legislation Approved By Tennessee Legislature;
Moves to Governor For Signature - The Tennessee State Legislature has
approved a version of SEMA-model legislation to create a vehicle
registration and titling classification for custom vehicles. The bill
defines a custom-built car as a vehicle that is built for private use and
is not constructed by a licensed manufacturer or remanufacturer.
-
PPG still looking to sell auto glass business - PPG Industries has
fielded inquiries from potential buyers for its automotive glass business
but has yet to enter negotiations to sell the operations, which include
PPG's historic glass plant in Creighton, PPG's chairman said Thursday.
-
Rohm and Haas to up monomer production - Specialty materials company Rohm
and Haas has increased efforts to supply bulk and drum quantities of acrylate
and methacrylate hydroxyalkyl monomers, which serve a wide variety of needs
including use in automotive finishes.
-
Auto parts manufacturer to invest $2.8 million in Corunna, Mich. plant
- Machine Tool & Gear Inc., which supplies automotive companies with
machined and manufactured parts and assemblies, is making a $2.8 million
investment in its 114,000 sq. ft. facility in the Corrunna, Mich.
Industrial Park.
-
China stalls North American auto move - Long-anticipated entry delayed
several years amid regulatory hurdles; Chery and Geely to focus on booming
domestic and emerging markets
-
Nissan CEO holds to U.S. industry forecast - Nissan Motor Co. chief
executive Carlos Ghosn said on Sunday that he was not revising down his
forecast for 2008 U.S. industry vehicle sales of 15.5 million units. -- "I
don't believe it will be below this," Ghosn told reporters on the
sidelines of the Beijing Auto Show.
-
Jaguar, Land Rover CEO dies - Jaguar and Land Rover's Chief Executive Geoff
Polites, who is credited with steering the storied British luxury brands through
the sale process to India's Tata Motors Ltd., has died. He was 60.
-
Audi Works with ESI Group and HP to Advance Auto Safety Standards with
Auto Industry’s Fastest Supercomputer - Crucial in optimizing car
safety, the new system is based on ESI Group’s PAM-CRASH 2G simulation
software and an HP Cluster Platform 3000BL system, providing 15.36
teraflop/s of computing performance for crash simulation models of Audi.
The supercomputer implementation places the leading premium car
manufacturer at No. 123 on the TOP500 list of the world’s fastest
supercomputers, making it the auto industry’s fastest system.
-
Hybrid owners reach record number in U.S. - Kim Fenske drives a bus
in Colorado by day, but when he's not working, he zooms around the
mountains in a 2007 Toyota Prius.
-
BMW Facing Lawsuit Over X5 Airbags - A lawsuit filed against BMW
claims the company requires vehicle owners to keep quiet when BMW dealers
fix faulty airbags.
-
Older U.S. cars stolen - After a long-running infatuation with
Japanese makes, car thieves in Charleston are going American.
-
ICBC managers got paint jobs at shop, says former worker - ICBC
managers brought their own cars into the corporation's Burnaby auto-body
training centre for paint jobs, says a former worker.
-
Investigation into cause of fire at Oceanside body shop - A fire
Saturday at the Novak Body Shop in Oceanside has been deemed unsuspicious,
but the Nassau County Arson/Bomb squad is continuing an investigation into
the cause.
-
Fight Over Cruisers' Paint Job Not Just a Black-and-White Issue - MD:
What started as a simple request for a new paint job for the Calvert
County Sheriff's Office cruisers has turned into a sharp battle between
the county's legislative body and its top law enforcement official.
-
AG says local lawyers and chiropractors conspired on bogus crashes -
Andover attorney James Hyde and North Andover chiropractor Michael Kaplan
were in Salem Superior Court yesterday because they allegedly had too much
in common — four car accidents that the state attorney general's office
says were phony.
-
Improve driving skills at auto accident prevention course - OK: In an
effort to make the roads, streets and highways in Washington County and
the surrounding area safer for everyone and help members and others save
money on their auto insurance, the Washington County Farm Bureau members
organization is hosting an Auto Accident Prevention Course that is open to
all people of driving age and those preparing to drive soon.
-
Allstate records raise yet more questions - Lawyers and consumer
advocates say consultant's documents from Allstate lift the curtain on
some of the insurance giant's procedures, but they still would like more
details.
April 18, 2008
-
Rep. Lofgren Introduces Bill to Lower Cost of Vehicle Repair Parts -
Washington, D.C. –Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) recently introduced H.R. 5638, a
bill creating an exemption for repair parts in U.S. patent law. This bill
applies only to repair and replacement parts that restore an article’s
original appearance.
-
AGC Restructures, Plans to Focus on Auto Glass and Solar Cell Operations
-
glassBYTEs™:
Asahi Glass Co. Ltd. (AGC) has announced that it will stop operations
on three float glass production lines and two architectural coating lines
from April to December of this year, and will sell the glass fabrication
business.
-
PPG MVP Business Development Training Series receives new accreditations
- PPG Industries’ automotive refinish business announced today that the
MVP Business Development Training Series has been approved for inclusion
in both the I-CAR Industry Training Alliance™ and The Automotive
Management Institute (AMI). The MVP Business Development Series includes
courses encompassing all aspects of managing a profitable collision repair
business, from marketing and estimating to administration and production.
-
I-CAR Addresses CIC With Its New Focus Within The Inter-Industry -
Chairman of the I-CAR Board of Directors and interim CEO, John Edelen
addressed the Collision Industry Conference (CIC) on Wednesday, April 16,
at the Crowne Plaza in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he spoke about I-CAR’s
recommitment to its core values, its recent reorganization, and how it is
moving forward with a new customer-focused operating model.
-
Right to Repair Video - ASA Taking the Hill
-
Helping car customers after collisions - Corlett Auto, which has been
in business in Madison County for 25 years, is part of the Collision
Repairers for Consumer Choice, a new organization created to educate
Alabama consumers in need of collision repair.
-
CCC Hastings Student Receives NABA/J. D. Casey Scholarship - A
Hastings, Nebraska collision repair student was awarded the NABA - J.D.
Casey Scholarship for outstanding student of collision repair technology.
-
Farmers Insurance Circle of Dependability Shops to Use AutocheX for
Customer Satisfaction Indexing - Mitchell International, a leading
provider of performance management solutions to the automotive insurance
claims and collision repair industries, today announced the launch of a
customer satisfaction measurement program with Farmers Insurance Exchange.
AutocheX, Mitchell's voice-of-the-customer performance management unit,
will implement and manage the program.
-
Len’s Automotive in Bellevue Earns AAA Top Shop Award - Each year, AAA
Washington evaluates the quality of repair work, courtesy of employees,
and the shop cleanliness of each AAA Approved Auto Repair facility in
Washington and northern Idaho.
-
PPG first-quarter profit hurt by acquisition costs - U.S. paints and
coatings maker PPG Industries Inc said on Thursday quarterly earnings fell
because of one-time costs related to its SigmaKalon acquisition.
-
PPG chairman notes accelerated transformation, record sales at annual
meeting - PPG Industries’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles
E. Bunch discussed steps the company took in 2007 to become a more focused
coatings and specialty products company at its annual meeting of
shareholders today.
-
Solera Holdings, Inc. Schedules Third Quarter Fiscal 2008 Earnings Announcement and Conference Call - Solera Holdings, Inc., an
integrated group of leading automotive claims solutions companies, today
announced that it will release its financial results for the third quarter
of fiscal 2008 on Thursday, May 8, 2008 after the market closes. A
conference call will be hosted by Tony Aquila, Solera's founder, chairman
and CEO, and Jack Pearlstein, the Company's CFO, at 5:00 p.m. EDT that
afternoon.
-
Auto parts supplier Dana names ex-Toyota executive as CEO - Gary
Convis, who served as chairman of Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Kentucky
before retiring last year, will take over a company that emerged from
bankruptcy protection in January following nearly two years of
restructuring.
-
GM says auto parts won’t be a problem - A General Motors executive
said he does not foresee problems obtaining parts to keep producing the
hot-selling Chevrolet Malibu amid a strike at American Axle &
Manufacturing.
-
GM faces strike at key crossover plant - Yet another labor dispute disrupted
General Motors production plans on Thursday, but this time it wasn't a few
thousand blue-collar workers at some other company throwing a wrench into the
supply chain.
-
Toyota to close Long Beach truck factory - Hino commercial line, which
employs about 700 and also makes parts for other models, will move to West
Virginia.
-
Carroll Shelby Receives the Automotive Executive of the Year Lifetime
Achievement Award and Tells 200 Industry Leaders that 'The Greatest Time
is Right Now' for American Automotive - The 2008 Automotive Executive
of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to design innovator
and racing legend, Carroll Shelby, at the Detroit Athletic Club (DAC) on
April 16. The Award is sponsored by DNV Certification and the Automotive
Industry Action Group (AIAG).
-
Study: Auto collision, lane departure systems show promise - Collision
warning systems and lane departure alerts are among the most promising new
safety technologies and could potentially prevent thousands of fatal
accidents, according to a new study by an insurer-funded group.
-
Court document alleges how auto fraud scam worked - MA: Chris Ortega
claims he and other "runners" could make $300 for picking up patients from
crashes that never happened and driving them in his van to Haverhill
Family Chiropractic. After getting paid in cash by Dr. Troy Wheelwright,
he said the clinic owner would ask questions about the accident report and
instruct him to make sure the crash participants knew where they were
"injured."
April 17, 2008
-
Rhode Island legislature targets discounts on deductibles - The Rhode
Island legislature is considering a new bill that would give the state the
power to revoke or deny the license of a body shop that offers customers
rebates or discounts to offset their insurance policy deductibles.
-
Bill to give choices on auto repair lacks teeth - CA: Key provisions
stripped from state proposal to let drivers, not insurance companies, pick
shops
-
Collision Repair Association of California Video for SB 1059 - See what
you can do.
-
Lubner Says Belron "Has Interest" in Purchasing Diamond -
glassBYTEs™:
Gary Lubner, chief executive officer of the United Kingdom-based
Belron, the largest auto glass company in the world, said his company is
exploring the possible purchase of Diamond Glass in the United States. "We
do have some interest in looking at it," said Lubner, in an exclusive
interview with glassbytes.com™/AGRR magazine last evening. "We haven't
gotten any more information than anyone else at this point, but we will
see whether or not we can move that forward."
-
ASA Announces Benefit Agreement with NPC to Offer Credit Card Processing
- The agreement includes special pricing for eligible ASA member
businesses. NPC is exclusively focused on small- and medium-sized
merchants with services that include the electronic acceptance of credit,
debit, gift and loyalty cards, and electronic checks.
-
CCIF announces partnership with Skills Canada - At various Canadian
Collision Industry Forum (CCIF) meetings during the last 18 months Skills/Compétences
Canada and concerned industry representatives have discussed the need and
the opportunity for involvement in the skills competitions organized by
Skills/Competences Canada.
-
Insurers Can Use Web to Speed Auto Repairs, Scene Genesis Writes -
Insurers can leverage the power of the Web and online communities by
involving customers as an active part of the repair process and letting
them select their autobody shop online, Chrisa Hickey, director of product
management with Scene Genesis, Inc., writes in the April 14 National
Underwriter.
-
'Green' business plants roots in town - NE: A new auto collision repair
center has opened in Papillion.
-
PPG names Single Source, Inc., Platinum Distributor of the Year - PPG
Industries’ automotive refinish business honored Single Source, Inc., of
Roswell, Ga., with the PPG Platinum Distributor of the Year Award during the
annual PPG Platinum Distributor Conference at the Green Valley Ranch Resort
in Las Vegas
-
BASF Coatings Earns PACE Honorable Mention - BASF Coatings Solutions
today announced that it received an Automotive News PACE (Premier
Automotive Suppliers’ Contribution to Excellence) honorable mention at a
ceremony held April 14 in Detroit. The 14th annual PACE Award is jointly
presented by Automotive News, Microsoft, SAP and Transportation Research
Center Inc.
-
Parts suppliers unite against counterfeiting - A number of
international automotive parts supplier associations have come together to
issue a statement of cooperation on safeguarding against counterfeiting
and intellectual property rights violations (IPR) in the global automotive
industry.
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Doyle bill aims to deter theft, sale of catalytic converters - RI: At
an average cost of $300 each, automobile catalytic converters are becoming
a hot commodity, with the emphasis on the word hot. -- In news story after
news story, from New England to the west coast, indications are that more
and more thieves are targeting the converters, reselling them to chop
shops or other disreputable parts dealers and making a significant amount
of money, if only for the precious metals contained in the converters.
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General Motors is organizing 8 brands into 4 divisions - General
Motors Corp. is organizing its eight brands into four divisions in order
to streamline product development and sales and further differentiate the
brands, the automaker announced Wednesday.
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Honda Plans Exports of U.S.-Built Pilot SUV to Russia - Honda Motor
Co., aiming to boost North American plant production rates, will ship
Pilot sport- utility vehicles built in Alabama to Russia, the first U.S.
model the carmaker will export to that growing market.
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Funding For a Toyota Center Study is Pending - WA: On Tuesday night
Kennewick's City Manager Bob Hammond asked the council to consider using
$250,000 of this year's budget to start the first stages of a future project.
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GM moving OnStar call center to Pontiac - General Motors is moving an
OnStar call center with a staff of 600 to the south side of Pontiac.
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Huge Recall, but Many Cars Unfixed - After six recalls to correct
problems with millions of Ford Motor Company cruise-control switches
blamed for almost 1,500 fires, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration took an unusual step. In February, it issued a consumer
advisory urging owners whose vehicles had not yet been fixed to have the
switches disconnected immediately.
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Honda Recalls 353,000 U.S. Accords to Fix Windshield-Wiper Flaw -
Honda Motor Co., Japan's second- largest automaker, is recalling 353,000
Accord sedans in the U.S. to fix a windshield-wiper flaw that may allow
water to leak into the wiper motor, eventually disabling it.
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Hyundai Recalling Cars - Car maker Hyundai is recalling nearly 400,000
Sonata passenger cars. The company says it needs to fix a problem with the
air bag system. The recall affects 2006 to 2008 Sonatas with an advanced
air bag system.
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Report: Some auto safety gear's value limited - Some pricey new safety
gear that automakers have billed as technological breakthroughs that will
save lives may have only limited protective value, the Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety concludes in a report out Thursday.
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Risk of buying a rebuilt wreck doesn't go away - Lance Scott shelled
out $14,900 plus $1,475 for an extended warranty when he bought a used
Ford Explorer in 1994. -- It took nearly a decade of negotiations and
lawsuits, but last month a Jackson County jury ordered a dealer to pay
Scott $300,000 in punitive damages following testimony that a salesman
knew the Explorer was totaled in a rollover, but hid that fact from Scott.
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ICBC shop problems covered up - Victoria,BC,Canada: Friends and
relatives as well as ICBC employees and managers purchased vehicles from
ICBC's research and training facility, the corporation's chairman said in
a letter to the B.C. government Wednesday.
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AIA Opposes Prior Approval Bill In Colorado - A bill before the
Colorado House of Representatives (HB 1389) would change the insurance
rating system from file-and-use to prior approval for auto insurance,
thereby reducing competition in the auto insurance market and potentially
increasing costs for Colorado consumers, said the American Insurance
Association (AIA).
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Congressional Hearing to Explore Federal Oversight of Insurers - A
congressional panel will hear testimony today on a plan endorsed by
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Allstate Corp. that would simplify
industry regulation and eliminate most oversight by the 50 U.S. states.
April 16, 2008
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