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  JUNE 2007

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Friday - June 29, 2007

  • Senate Defeats Controversial Immigration Bill - Glassbytes: With the defeat of the bill, most say it is unlikely to be revived before this session of Congress ends; therefore, the next time the issue comes up it likely will be debated by a new Congress and president.
  • Massachusetts Committee Holds Hearing on Right To Repair Act, Pro-Consumer/Small Business Voices Testify in Support of Bill - Bill Opponents Show Concern That Individuals Would Have Access To Their Own Security Information, Says CARE
  • Two new I-CAR classes premiering at NACE 2007 - Register Now - Steel Unitized Structures Technologies and Repair (SPS07) focuses on the latest steel repair and replacement considerations. Steel Full-Frame Technologies and Repair (SPS08) will identify trends, issues, and vehicle maker repair recommendations for full-frame steel designs.
  • Retiring Car-O-Liner CEO Larry Carter optimistic about collision industry as Jeff Kern takes over - ABRN: Despite issues that some believe are holding the collision repair industry back, Car-O-Liner North American Operations President and CEO Larry Carter sees a different future for the industry.
  • Boyd Group announces new customer arrangements - The Boyd Group Income Fund today announced that The Boyd Group Inc. ("Boyd Group") has received indications from several new and existing insurance company clients, of their intention to provide Boyd Group with incremental collision, auto glass and network glass sales volumes. -- The Boyd Group Inc. is the largest operator of collision repair centers in Canada and among the largest in North America.
  • Valeo fails to agree takeover with PAI - Talks on a takeover of Valeo have collapsed after the French car parts maker yesterday failed to agree a deal with private equity group PAI.
  • Hangzhou Zhongce Denies Selling Faulty Tires in U.S. - Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co., China's second-largest tire maker, denied selling defective goods after its U.S. distributor asked the government to recall 450,000 allegedly flawed tires.
  • Attorney General’s Office Launches Investigation of New Jersey Importer of Defective Tires - In opening its investigation, Milgram said New Jersey wants to coordinate with the offices of Attorneys General of other states and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that are looking into this matter. NHTSA has ordered a recall of the tires.
  • Deerbrook Auto Leaving California - Deerbrook Auto insurance has announced it is pulling out of the California market. The company, which is owned by Allstate, submitted its application to withdraw from the state on May 31, a spokeswoman said.
  • ND Regulator Fines Farmers Insurance - Insurance Commissioner Jim Poolman has fined the Farmers Insurance Group $750,000 for allegedly setting up incentives for its auto insurance adjusters to underpay some claims and deny others.
  • Poolman Fines Farmers Insurance $750,000 - Bismarck, ND – Insurance Commissioner Jim Poolman today announced that he has levied a $750,000 administrative penalty against the Farmers Insurance Group (Farmers), a major, national insurance company that annually writes around $19 million in property and casualty insurance premium in the state. The penalty comes as a result of findings contained in a market conduct exam that focused on auto claims handling of the Farmers Insurance Exchange.

Thursday - June 28, 2007

Wednesday - June 27, 2007

  • How to choose a reputable auto body shop - Click on the video link above to hear from Bob Isham, owner of New Image Paint and Body Shop in Tempe. Bob has valuable insights into how to choose a reputable body shop and avoid getting ripped off.
  • Auto body repair work could become mobile - Iowa: Mobile auto body shops performing minor repair work from temporary sites soon could be allowed in Des Moines. -- The Des Moines Plan and Zoning Commission is recommending a change in city code that would let temporary "body shop on wheels" businesses set up in the city. The changes were sought by Pompano Beach, Fla.-based ColorAll Technologies, a company that runs such repair shops and plans a franchise here. Currently, city code requires auto body operations to be located entirely within a building.
  • ASA Reviews BASF's latest technologies for independent shops - ABRN: Automotive Service Association (ASA) members recently attended the BASF Refinish Technologies review following BASF’s meeting with General Motors Corp. BASF and GM annually review BASF refinish coating products being used by GM dealers and independent repairers. ASA attended in response to an invitation from Joseph Skurka, BASF manager of OEM and Industry Relations.
  • Working Together for the Good of the Industry - ASA President's Blog:  In an increasingly complex automotive service and collision repair market, the need for industry collaboration and trade association cooperation is essential. Recent and ongoing activities by ASA, AASP and SCRS – on behalf of the collision repair industry – are a shining example collaboration at its best.
  • Maine Right to Repair Legislation Fails to Move Forward in '07 - AutobodyOnline: Maine Legislative Bill 1210, regarding Right to Repair legislation, will not be considered in 2007. Maine's legislative session was scheduled to end June 20, 2007. The session was extended for a day and ended June 21 without further action on Legislative Bill 1210. The next session will begin in early January 2008.
  • Custom 2000 Chevrolet Silverado - Triple Threat - Bagged, Blown, And Body-Dropped -- Using a custom-mix of PPG paints, Steve sprayed the bottom portion Silver and then added Yellow to the top of the truck. Gold leaf was used between the pigments to help separate the two tones.
  • California Students Capture Ford/AAA National Auto Repair Crown - Father - Son Team Wins Competition for the First Time
  • Reaction Abounds to ROLAGS Standard Acceptance by ANSI - With the acceptance of the Repair of Laminated Auto Glass Standard (ROLAGS) by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the industry is abuzz with mixed opinions about the standard and what it could mean for the windshield repair industry.
  • Alldata Pledges Support for MAP - Alldata has joined with the Automotive Maintenance and Repair Association (AMRA) in support of the Motorist Assurance Program (MAP), a consumer outreach initiative that seeks to provide uniform standards for automotive repair.
  • AAA Appoints Doug Bower as Vice President of Travel and Financial Services - AAA, North America’s largest travel organization, announced the appointment of Douglas E. Bower as Vice President, Travel and Financial Services. He will join the AAA National Office senior leadership team on July 9.
  • California State Automobile Association to move headquarters from San Francisco to Walnut Creek - The California State Automobile Association is taking its headquarters -- and its one thousand jobs -- out of San Francisco and heading to the East Bay.
  • PPG CEO calls for action at Air & Waste Management Association conference - PPG Industries’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Charles E. Bunch today called upon industry and government to work together and provide necessary solutions to energy security and climate change issues. He also said a national climate change policy cannot precede a comprehensive solution to the country’s energy problems.
  • South Africa: Barloworld 'Ditching Australian Loser' - Industrial group Barloworld is understood to be on the brink of selling its Australian coatings business to Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries.
  • Foam maker closes plant - Mississauga-based Woodbridge Foam Corporation has announced the closure of its plant on Corunna, Ont., which will mean the loss of 182 jobs. - Its website says it is a leader in automotive urethane technologies and a specialist in just-in-time assembly and sequencing systems, with facilities in North and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia.
  • Funds Seek $2M in Fees From Tower Auto - Three hedge funds that gave up on an effort to finance Tower Automotive Inc.'s exit from bankruptcy have demanded at least $2 million in fees and expenses they say the company promised to pay.
  • GM Deciding How To Handle $1 Billion Charge Related To Delphi - General Motors Corp. on Tuesday said it is not changing the estimate for its financial exposure to former subsidiary Delphi Corp.'s bankruptcy filing, but it is still deciding how to account for $ 1 billion in charges that haven't been taken yet.
  • Ford workers prepare for the end of an era - It's the end of an era in Hampton Roads. -- The final Ford F-150 will roll off the assembly line this week at the Norfolk Ford Plant.
  • The Cars.com American-Made Index - What Are the Top American-Made Cars?
  • LoJack & NICB Kick Off Education Initiative With Survey That Reveals Americans are Vulnerable to Vehicle and Associated Identity Theft - Name July (the Highest Vehicle Theft Month of the Year) as 'National Vehicle Theft Protection Month'
  • Chiropractor, lawyer face fraud charges - An Indianapolis chiropractor will appear in court today for an initial hearing on charges he tried to bill insurance companies for tests and services that never were performed.
  • Survey: Newark tops in auto accidents - NJ: People driving in Newark are more likely to be in a car crash than in any other large city in the country, according to a recent study by Allstate Insurance.
  • UPDATE:Consumers Do Shop For Auto Insurance, Weigh Service -Study - (Dow Jones)- Drivers who decide to shop for a new insurance carrier typically get price quotes from three different insurers before making a decision, but the reason they give for deciding to shop around may help predict whether they switch or stay put. For those who do switch, however, one insurer led the pack in picking off those customers.

Tuesday - June 26, 2007

  • Judge tosses jury’s award in parts case - A state judge has overturned a jury’s decision ordering American Family Mutual Insurance Co. to pay $17 million as part of a class-action lawsuit about aftermarket vehicle parts in Missouri.
  • Small claims court suits advocated as method for garnering full payment from recalcitrant insurance carriers - ABRN: From coast to coast, body shop owners are challenging alleged insurance company underpayments in small claims court. In California, G&C Autobody has been successfully pursuing this strategy for several years – emerging victorious in some 300 cases. In Florida, Gullotta’s Auto Body has its debut small claims court case set for trial on July 9.
  • Michael Condon Forms Auto Physical Damage Consulting Firm - Collision-Insight: Michael Condon, a 33 year industry veteran, has established Condon Consulting LLC, a consulting firm focused on Auto Physical Damage and servicing the collision repair inter-industry.
  • TrendLine: Shop Satisfaction with I-CAR - This article originally appeared in the June 2007 Issue of INSIGHT
  • Solera Holdings, Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2007 Results - Solera Holdings, Inc., a leading global provider of software and services to the automobile insurance claims processing industry, today reported results for the fiscal third quarter 2007.
  • NWRA Turns ROLAGS Into ANSI Standard - glassBYTES.com™: Announces Certification Program
  • Worker Killed at Pilkington Plant - glassBYTES.com™: A woman was killed Friday as she came in contact with a forklift at the Pilkington North America glass plant in Rossford, Ohio.
  • Autoliv Presents Two New Airbags - At the international scientific conference Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV), Autoliv Inc. – the worldwide leader in automotive safety – introduced two new airbags that could save thousands of lives every year and prevent ten times as many severe injuries. The Bumper Airbag for SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) addresses the compatibility problem associated with them and other high-hooded vehicles colliding with passenger cars and other low-profile vehicles. The Front Edge Airbag will save the lives of pedestrians when struck by an SUV.
  • Fatal Crash Prompts Distributor to Press for Chinese Tire Recall - Tires Become Latest Chinese Product to Threaten Consumers
  • Delphi Union Accord Closes Seven Plants, Trims Pay, People Say - Bankrupt auto-parts supplier Delphi Corp. will close seven plants represented by the United Auto Workers, keep four and sell the rest under an agreement reached with the union yesterday, people with knowledge of the talks said.
  • Nissan to Buy Parts From China, India to Cut Costs - ``Frankly, we have no choice,'' Ghosn said yesterday. ``If you don't transfer part of your supply to extremely competitive countries, then there is no way you are going to be competitive in the market.''  -- Buying parts made in countries where wages are 5 percent of those of Japan would help Nissan's profit margins, which lag behind Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. Exports of Indian- made parts may rise almost six-fold to $40 billion by 2015 from about $6.7 billion in 2003 because of demand from automakers including General Motors Corp., according to McKinsey & Co.
  • Honda tops Japanese rivals Toyota, Nissan in production gains - Honda reported a double-digit increase in global automotive production in May, and Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors also posted output gains. But Mazda's worldwide output fell 2.1 percent.
  • Toyota Reportedly Working on a New Hybrid for 2009 - The Japanese Nikkei news service reports that Toyota is working on a second hybrid model, this time with a 2.0-liter or larger engine, that would make its debut as a 2009 model.
  • GM Safety Tour Featuring Wireless Crash-Avoiding Automotive Technology - Cars that talk to each other and warn of potentially dangerous road conditions highlight the GM Continuous Safety Tour that visits Reliant Park on Thursday, June 28, and Friday, June 29.
  • Ford SUV earns TOP SAFETY PICK -  The 2008 Ford Taurus X, a midsize SUV, meets the criteria to win the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's TOP SAFETY PICK award. Winners of this designation afford superior overall crash protection among the vehicles in their class. To qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of good in all three Institute tests — front, side, and rear — and be equipped with electronic stability control.
  • Auto Advocates Make Life Easier for Consumers, Insurers - Vehicle Service Easing Anxieties, Speeding Resolution of Serious Insurance Claims
  • AIG Among Winners in Blackstone Group's Giant IPO - Blackstone Group LP's shares jumped more than 13 percent last Friday on the New York Stock Exchange, after the buyout powerhouse raised $4.1 billion in its initial public offering. -- Those that benefited included the Chinese government and insurance giant American International Group Inc. In May, China announced a $3 billion investment in Blackstone, which is likely worth something closer to $4 billion now.
  • Keeping Agents Honest-Legally and Ethically - Unethical behavior and fraudulent activities may be increasing among independant agents, but insurers are finding ways to prevent these situations.
  • Why do insurers need to know your credit history? - When Edra Smiley moved from California to West Virginia, she called a State Farm agent for a quote on auto insurance. The agent wanted her Social Security number.
  • Insurance Credit Scoring - Using credit history to set rates no longer shocks the public, thanks to model legislation, education and plain old familiarity.
  • How To Deal With Your Auto Insurance Company - Disputes, especially when it comes to settling insurance claims, are not new scenarios.
  • Fewer complain about insurance companies - There were fewer complaints about insurance companies in Wisconsin last year -- but not that many fewer.
  • Outsourcing Can Rescue Document Management - Handing document management off to a third party sometimes cuts costs, assists with regulatory compliance and brings newfound flexibility. -- Like a growing number of insurance companies, ACG decided to outsource much of its document management work to vendors dedicated to the task.
  • Insurance Companies Hit With Hail Damage Claims - MI: The large volume of hail claims on auto policies has many insurance companies bringing in mobile stations to help make estimates.
  • Allstate agrees to mass settlement of Katrina claims - Illinois-based Allstate Insurance has agreed to a mass settlement of claims by a group of Mississippi policyholders who sued the insurer over damage to their homes from Hurricane Katrina.

Monday - June 25, 2007

  • Consumer choice is clarified in bill - OR: Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed a bill Friday that requires insurance companies to make it clear that drivers have a right to choose auto-repair shops before offering a recommended shop.

  • Rhode Island Senate Passes Bill Clarifying Consumer Notice - Bill Says Insurers, Auto Repair Shops Must Comply with Decisions of Vehicle Owners

  • Right to repair: a state-by-state update - Right to repair bills have been introduced in several states.
  • Impatience Can Hamper Your Marketing Efforts - AutobodyOnline: Most marketing activities take place in slow motion. Perhaps you're seeking a direct repair relationship with an insurance company, a dealership or national fleet management company.
  • Global Paint Company Chemspec Acquires Montana Products - Collision- Insight: Chemspec, one of the largest paint companies in South Africa, has announced the acquisition of Ohio paint manufacturer Montana Products, Inc. Chemspec, which celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year, has been on an aggressive global expansion drive in recent years. -- Montana’s existing line of automotive refinish products will continue to be offered with new exciting and innovative products to be added.
  • Terry Fortner, AVP Nationwide Insurance Announced as July 19th Collision Repair Executive Webcast Guest - AutobodyOnline: Collision Repair Executive Webcast (CREW) has announced that the guest speaker for the 11 a.m. PST Thursday, July 19th session will be Terry Fortner, Associate Vice President (AVP), Material Damage Technical Claims and Auto Subrogation for Nationwide Insurance. Mr. Fortner will speak on trends within the P & C Insurance Industry, results and insights gained from Nationwide’s recent advisory council meeting with collision repair organizations, and Nationwide’s Blue Ribbon Program current status and future direction.
  • New body shop won't wreck the environment - When Magnussen's Auburn Toyota expanded its auto body repair capability, the emphasis was on green.
  • 'Cool Paint' Among First of Climate-Change Rules - To help California begin the process of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020, the state Air Resources Board on Thursday mandated a technology that anyone who's been through a summer in Sacramento can relate to: "cool paint" for cars. -- By blending in special pigments, car paint of any color can be made to reflect much of the sun's heat energy. That will keep the vehicle's interior cooler and reduce the demand on the air conditioner -- which in turn improves fuel efficiency and cuts carbon dioxide emissions a bit.
  • Wounded Marine Iraq veteran surprised with 'tricked-out truck' - When the Troutville native pulled up at Certified Collision Center in Salem, two Marines from Bravo unit he served in were standing on either side of the garage door. As it rolled up and a shiny, bright yellow pickup drove out, Blanchard at first didn't recognize his old truck.
  • DuPont Signs Agreement with Hyundai Motors in Korea - DuPont has signed a global cooperation agreement with Hyundai Motors, the Korean car manufacturer, and will supply approved Hyundai bodyshops with DuPont Performance Coatings (DPC) refinish products, training and service.
  • I-CAR Tech Centre Hosts WorldSkills Training - The I-CAR Tech Centre, in association with Celette North America, Inc., hosted the United States WorldSkills competition participant in preparation for the upcoming Autobody contest in Shizuoka, Japan.
  • School auto repair instructor needed - The Career Technical Center of Central High School in Phenix City has a career opportunity for an automotive body collision repair instructor for its program.
  • New auto repair shop provides family atmosphere - IN: Doug Sheridan, owner of Sheridan Automotive, a new repair shop in Mooresville, said he aims to provide the kind of friendly atmosphere only a family-owned business like his can provide.
  • Service Repair Solutions, Inc. Announces Acquisition of International Automotive Technicians’ Network, Inc. - Service Repair Solutions, Inc. (“SRS”) announced today the acquisition of the International Automotive Technicians’ Network, Inc. (“iATN”). iATN is the largest online network of automotive repair professionals in the world.
  • U-Pull-&-Pay Acquires Two Auto Parts Operations - U-Pull-&-Pay, a company wholly owned by The David J. Joseph Co., has purchased the assets and business of Action Auto and Aurora Used Auto Parts. Both companies, owned by John Frink, have been in operation since 1983, and are located in Aurora, Colorado.
  • Hydro Enter Aluminium Strip for Automotive Body Panels Market - Hydro will start supplying carmakers with aluminium strip for exterior body applications, expected to be the fastest-growing segment in rolled aluminium products for the automotive industry.
  • Delphi, Union Reach Tentative Wage Pact - Struggling auto parts maker Delphi Corp. reached a tentative wage-cutting agreement Friday with its largest union in what may set the pattern for future pay in the U.S. automotive parts industry.
  • Local retailers find big profit in the aftermarket - Nationwide, spending on automotive accessories was up 7 percent last year to $36.7 billion, according to the Specialty Equipment Market Association.
  • Collins & Aikman Wins OK to Sell 3 Sites - A Detroit bankruptcy judge approved the sale of three manufacturing plants owned by auto-parts maker Collins & Aikman Corp. to auto supplier Flex-N-Gate Corp. for $10.4 million.
  • Another Chinese car flunks German crash test - A mid-range sedan developed for the European market by Chinese carmaker Brilliance scored only one out of a possible five stars in a crash test, German auto association ADAC said on Thursday.
  • How To Avoid Auto Repair Ripoffs - If you've had much experience taking your car in for repairs, you know it can be difficult to find a mechanic you trust.
  • Officer loses his badge for role in insurance bilk - A Roselle Borough police officer was ordered yesterday to serve a year on probation and permanently relinquish his badge for filing a false report in a large-scale automobile insurance fraud scheme run out of a Union County auto body shop.

Friday - June 22, 2007

  • Oregon Governor Slated to Sign "Right to Repair" Bill Today - glassBYTES.com™: Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski is expected to sign Senate Bill 523 into law today, according to Sen. Floyd Prozanski, who originally sponsored the bill. If signed into law, the bill will require insurance companies to inform customers that they have the right to choose an automotive repair facility before recommending a particular motor vehicle repair shop to make repairs to the insured's vehicle.'
  • Panel wants Mehl OK'd to head auto-repair bureau - SACRAMENTO – A Senate committee yesterday recommended confirmation of Sherry Mehl as chief of the state Bureau of Automotive Repair, despite a complaint that her agency is allowing Progressive Insurance to operate an illegal auto-repair business in San Diego.
  • The Case for Recruiting Women - Collision-Insight: What are the business benefits for doing more to attract women to careers as technicians - and how can you draw on this largely untapped pool of talent?
  • Right to Repair Event in Toronto Monday - An information session on the Right to Repair issue and moves to improve access to repair information and tools in the independent service sector is being held in Toronto Monday June 25.
  • Inside AAA's New Auto Glass Program - glassBYTES.com™: With the announcement earlier this week that AAA Mid-Atlantic has added auto glass repair and replacement to the array of services it offers, many in the auto glass industry have questions as to how this program will work.
  • Solera Holdings initiated with "hold" - In a research note published yesterday, the analysts mention that Solera Holdings’ share price has appreciated significantly by more than 18% since its IPO on May 16. If Solera Holdings accelerates its revenue growth into the double-digit range going forward by expanding its presence in the emerging markets, such as China and India, then it might result in a re-rating for the company’s stock, Deutsche Bank Securities adds.
  • Automobile Dealers Continue to 'Hammer' Paint Meter Distributor with Record Orders for The FS488 Paint Gauge Forcing The Third Corporate Relocation in Three Years - FenderSplendor Paint Meter President Allen Willey announced today that FenderSplendor has moved into their new offices and distribution center. "Sales of the FS 488 Paint Meter have been astronomical and we were forced to increase both our office and our warehouse space in Gulf Shores, Alabama."
  • Trade school paves a road to success - Mike Bennett runs his hand over a metal swatch one of his auto body repair students has been trying to ready for painting. His fingers reveal some imperfections in the primer. The young student's work is still a little rough around the edges.
  • Newspaper says carwashes scratch paint - Carwashes may be simple and convenient, but they ruin weather stripping and scratch vehicle paint, according to the Lawrence Journal World News.
  • ISS Recommends Lear Investors Vote Down Icahn Bid - Institutional Shareholder Services is recommending that shareholders of Lear Corp. (LEA) vote against billionaire investor Carl Icahn's proposed takeover of the auto-parts supplier at the annual meeting on June 27.
  • Parts maker Remy plans quick trip to bankruptcy - Company could reorganize this summer, shed $360M in debt
  • Tower Automotive proceeding with sale to Cerberus - Tower Automotive Inc. said on Thursday it would proceed with its planned sale to Cerberus Capital Management [CBS.UL] after the bankrupt U.S. auto parts maker received no competing offers.
  • Staying Paranoid At Toyota - Fearful of "big-company disease," the No. 1 carmaker keeps scrambling to retool itself
  • Toyota puts brakes on U.S. plants - Toyota Motor Corp. is so concerned about labor, gas, and overcapacity that it will stop building factories in the U.S.
  • Auto Workers Meet as Accord With Delphi, GM Nears, People Say - Delphi Corp. and former parent General Motors Corp. are close to an agreement with the United Auto Workers union that would pave the way for the auto-parts supplier to emerge from bankruptcy this year, people with knowledge of the negotiations said.
  • Ford could delay close of Eastside operation - UAW, carmaker negotiating to keep plant open until 2010
  • Ford Suit Moved To Federal Court - Fort Smith attorney Bob Blatt, on behalf of Kyle Spruell, filed suit against Ford claiming injuries suffered by Spruell when a flashlight thrown through the window of a 1999 Ford pickup in which Spruell was a passenger on March 15, 2002, were a result of defective glass.
  • LegalView Portal Continues Cutting-Edge Coverage of Auto Accident Legal Issues - LegalView.com, your resource on the Web for everything legal, is pleased to continue updating coverage of car and truck accidents for its comprehensive auto accident portal.
  • Kentucky Business Owner Under Fraud Investigation - Northern Kentucky residents are being alerted that an Erlanger business owner is under investigation for selling bogus auto insurance policies, according to Kentucky's Insurance Commissioner.
  • Man awarded $1 million for injuries - Loebig, who ironically is a property damage claims agent for State Farm, claimed additional damages and sued to collect under a $1 million personal liability umbrella policy he had purchased from State Farm. -- State Farm refused to pay on the umbrella policy.
  • Auto Insurer Pay Full Policy To Injured Boy - St. Paul The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Thursday in favor of a young boy who sued to make his parents' auto insurance company pay the full limit of their policy after an accident that left him brain damaged.
  • Bill takes aim at insurers: Would ban tying rates to bad credit history - Rep. Terese Berceau, D-Madison, is pushing a bill to prohibit insurance companies in Wisconsin from using consumer credit scores for pricing or issuing auto and homeowners coverage.
  • Scruggs Files Racketeering Charges against State Farm - The suit was filed June 20 in the US District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi under the federal Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization Act or 'RICO.'
  • Insurance.com Helps Navigate Deadliest Days to Drive This 4th of July Holiday - Insurance.com, the largest online auto insurance agency in the United States, encourages all motorists to drive safely during the upcoming 4th of July celebrations.

Thursday - June 21, 2007

  • Thatcham's Chief Executive to Present at Upcoming I-CAR International Annual Meeting - I-CAR announces that Peter Roberts, Chief Executive of the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre ('Thatcham') will address I-CAR International Annual Meeting attendees at the upcoming 2007 event being held July 26-28 in Orlando, Florida.
  • 21 Manheim Total Resource Auctions Locations Contribute to the I-CAR Education Foundation $100 Per Collision Repair Facility per Year Campaign - Craig Roberts, Director of Insurance Sales for Manheim Total Resource Auctions, states, “On behalf of Bill Tiedemann and the Total Resource Auctions team, we are pleased to support the I-CAR Education Foundation and do our part to invest in the future of the collision industry.”
  • SEM training gets thumbs up from I-CAR, ASE - ABRN: SEM Products, Inc. has joined the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) Training Alliance. As a prerequisite to becoming a member of the Training Alliance, SEM also received its ASE certification as a training provider through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence Continuing Automotive Service Education (CASE) program in March 2007.
  • ASA expands Mitchell 1 member benefit - The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced an expanded member benefit to provide members an increased cost-savings opportunity from Mitchell 1’s electronic, printed and business performance service offerings.
  • Mitchell 1 Becomes an Exclusive Supplier to American Car Care Centers - American Car Care Centers (ACCC) has voted to endorse exclusively Mitchell 1’s shop management and repair information to its 1,100 dealer members.
  • Lake Tech Center to honor grads - FL: PPG Industries, one of the world's biggest producers of automotive and industrial paint coatings, glass and fiberglass, will be the recipient of the Business and Industry Partnership Award in recognition of its support of the center's automotive collision and repair program.
  • U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo Supports 'Right to Repair Act' - CA: "We want to thank Rep. Eshoo for supporting this very important piece of pro-consumer and pro-small-business legislation. Right to Repair ensures that car owners can continue to enjoy the convenience and affordability of having their vehicle serviced at the repair shop of their choice, whether it's their neighborhood repair shop or a franchised dealership," said Kathleen Schmatz, president and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association.
  • Maaco converts to waterborne paints “today, rather than tomorrow” - Maaco Systems Canada Inc. has announced that all its auto repair and refinish shops in Canada will convert to low-VOC paint systems in the next few months, well in advance the deadline outlined in Environment Canada’s proposed regulations regarding VOC emissions limits. Maaco has calculated that the switch to more environmentally-friendly paint systems will reduce the group’s air pollution emissions by 64%.
  • SWAFC Partners with the Grand Prix of Cleveland - For the third year in a row, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes Corp. (SWAFC) is partnering with the Grand Prix of Cleveland as the official paint and automotive finishes sponsor supplying Planet Color™ finishes to all the race teams.
  • Auto body shop burglaries are related - San Mateo, CA: A string of recent auto body shop burglaries by men in Halloween masks may be related, San Bruno police Sgt. Tim Mahon.
  • Start making NACE travel plans now - The International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) announces that the online housing system is live and open at www.NACEexpo.com. Travel Planners, the official travel service for NACE, will assist attendees and exhibitors with all hotel, airline and car rentals.
  • Annual Conference Pre-Registration Now Open - glassBYTEs.com™: Pre-registration for the National Windshield Repair Association (NWRA) annual conference and for the second annual Windshield Repair Olympics (WRO) opened Friday, June 15. NWRA members who missed the event last year have another chance to join the NWRA and others in what has fast become one of the most important industry events—Auto Glass Week™ in Las Vegas.
  • AAA Mid-Atlantic Enters Auto Glass Business - glassBYTEs.com™: AAA Mid-Atlantic announces entry into the highly competitive auto glass business with the launch of AAA Auto Glass, which will dispatch from an existing location in New Castle, DE. The glass repair service is available to all motorists - members and non-members alike. AAA members receive a discount.
  • American Firm Fights Back Against Chinese Product Counterfeiter - Cracking down on intellectual property theft is extremely difficult, sometimes even when a counterfeiter has been identified.  This has been the case for an American exporter, whose glues, epoxies and automotive products are sold in more than 180 countries. 
  • System lets car 'tell' which parts need a service - A car that can "tell" garage staff which parts need servicing has been unveiled by Cambridge University engineers.
  • Visteon sees new Missouri plant employing 200 - U.S. auto parts maker Visteon Corp. has begun building a plant southwest of St. Louis to support new interiors business with automakers including Chrysler Group, it said on Wednesday.
  • Private Equity's Footprint in the Auto Industry Is Likely to Grow, Says New AlixPartners Study - Private-equity firms know a good deal when they see it and, right now, some of the best deals going are in the auto industry. That's according to a new study released today by AlixPartners LLP, the global business-consulting firm, at a special briefing held in conjunction with a meeting of the Original Equipment Manufacturers Assoc. (OESA).
  • Consumers Look Online For Auto Purchase - In the final decision making process of buying an automobile, over half of consumers (53%) use the Internet as their main source for finding information about a vehicle they will purchase according to a DoubleClick Performics survey.
  • Consumers Reveal Perceptions of New Vehicle Brands With Best Driving Performance - Kelley Blue Book's 'Brand Watch' Study Finds Toyota, BMW Lead New-Vehicle Shoppers' Opinions on Driving Performance
  • Toyota Announces Prices for All-New 2008 Highlander - The 2008 Highlander is significantly larger, roomier and more powerful than the vehicle it replaces. Yet its fuel efficiency will be virtually unchanged. It is noticeably quieter, smarter, with significantly improved versatility and ride comfort. The 2008 Highlander will have one of the most comprehensive lists of standard safety features in it the mid-size SUV class where safety is at the top of purchase considerations.
  • Ford sees new quality gains - Study of long-term durability shows marked improvement
  • Sonic Automotive, Inc. Announces Acquisition of Luxury Dealership - Sonic Automotive, Inc., a leader in automotive retailing, announced the acquisition of Calabasas Motorcars in Calabasas, CA from Mr. David Peterson, a long-time Mercedes Benz dealer.
  • Driving small doesn’t mean you’re less safe - Along with the size of small cars, crash protection has been growing
  • NHTSA Expands Probe of Supercharged GM Cars -  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has expanded its probe into engine compartment fires in some General Motors cars with supercharged engines. The so-called "engineering analysis" is sometimes a precursor to a recall.
  • The Hartford's Juan C. Andrade to Speak at the 2007 ACE America's Claims Event - Company's property and casualty claims leader to give presentation on customer service and catastrophes, June 27 at 8:00 a.m.

Wednesday - June 20, 2007

  • Honda issues position statement on Honda unibody repair - ABRN: American Honda Motor Co, Inc. has made the following recommendations for repair of Honda and Acura unibody vehicles.
  • Rupp’s focuses on providing good service - Ryan Rupp, who owns Rupp’s Unique Auto Body in Elbow Lake with his wife, Jennifer, knows that anybody in business these days needs to offer that special touch that’s appreciated by customers.
  • Jones Loflin to Be CARS 2007 Keynote Speaker - The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced that Jones Loflin, president of Helping Others Prepare for Excellence, will be the keynote speaker for the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS). Known as "The Speaker With Two Last Names," Loflin will use his dynamic communication skills and enthusiasm to deliver an exciting, enlightening program.
  • OEConnection's LinkIQ Expands Product Support to Import Dealers and Factory Authorized Distributors - Originally introduced in 2005 to domestic dealerships and automaker corporate personnel, LinkIQ uses OEConnection's D2DLink(R) nightly-collected original equipment parts inventory to help auto professionals analyze and improve their parts business.
  • Software systems convergence leads to better management - For example, Mitchell, Audatex and Summit Software Solutions have all announced partnerships with online parts ordering systems, aiming to integrate that process with the estimating process.
  • Akzo says no certainty it will bid again for ICI - Dutch chemical group Akzo Nobel NV repeated on Wednesday it could not say for certain if it would make a higher bid for Imperial Chemical Industries Plc after its offer was rejected.
  • Wagner vs. Pilkington to Go to Trial - glassBYTEs.com™: A suit filed against Pilkington North America, General Motors Corp. and Rhodes Chevrolet has been revived by the Supreme Court of Arkansas at the appeal of the plaintiff.
  • Industry-Targeting Scams Abound - This time last year the industry news outlets and message boards were awash with stories of glass shops falling victim to, or at least being contacted by, people running a fairly complicated scam.
  • Career Corner: This week's snapshot - Automotive-body and –related repairers
  • Procell Brothers celebrating 30 years of great starts - Orange TX: Procell Brothers Performance Center, located at 105 Green Ave., began in 1977 as a machine shop and has now grown into the current day fullservice automotive machine shop with state of the art machinery. -- They have a remodeled shop, thanks to Hurricane Rita's wrath a couple of years ago, but were able to begin business as usual a year after the destruction due to their loyal customers who patiently waited for them to be back up and running.
  • Internet distributor benefits from closures of traditional parts retailers - The internet aftermarket retailer Car Parts Direct says that around half of all car parts suppliers in the UK have closed in the last 10 years, and that accordingly, more motorists nowadays order parts online, especially for major purchases where good savings can be made and availability of spare parts is better since sellers supply to a world market rather than a local community.
  • Strikes hit 2 doomed auto-parts factories - Canada: Members of the United Steelworkers union struck the Collins & Aikman plants, part of the Michigan-based company's plastics division, in Port Hope and Mississauga.
  • Good News for the Auto Industry - Canada: Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty announced the Ontario government will set up a fund of up to $650 million for the development of Ontario-built green cars and parts.
  • Stores rent pricey tires and rims to drivers who can't afford to buy - Can't afford to lay out $2,500 for four wheels worth of shine? No credit? No problem. You can rent them, and eventually own them, sometimes for double the cash purchase price.
  • Many obstacles hinder closing shops - For years, Detroit's automakers have struggled to reshape their dealership network to match their retail stores with their market share. -- Experts say Detroit's automakers need to shed thousands of dealerships -- with estimates ranging from 20% to 70% -- to get the stores on par with their Japanese rivals.
  • Regulators OK Cerberus-Chrysler deal - Federal antitrust regulators have cleared Cerberus Capital Management's $7.4 billion purchase of Chrysler. Peter Duda, a Cerberus spokesman, said Tuesday that the Federal Trade Commission made its decision before the end of a standard 30-day review.
  • Ghosn: Nissan board members will forego bonus pay - Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn told shareholders Wednesday that the Japanese automaker's board members will forego their bonus pay to take responsibility for poor performance.
  • Chrysler puts '06 vehicles in used lots - Automaker allows dealers to add deep discounts in effort to unload cars and trucks.
  • Essex County, New Jersey Lawyer and 20 Other Defendants Charged in Staged Accident Auto Insurance Conspiracy - TRENTON - New Jersey First Assistant Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced today that an Essex County lawyer, his law firm, and 20 other individuals have been charged as part of an ongoing insurance fraud investigation targeting the illegal use of runners and staged automobile accidents.

Tuesday - June 19, 2007

  • The Carl Sandburg College Auto Body Program Auto Body Students Restoring Truck for Fallen Soldier - IL: Army Sergeant First Class Jason Bishop of the 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky., was killed in action in Iraq on Jan. 1, 2006. He was 31 years old.
  • Autobody shops test insurer's mettle - Thornton Scott said he's seen a change in the past four years.
  • ASA issues letter to CARSTAR - The Automotive Service Association (ASA) recently issued a letter to CARSTAR Franchise Systems CEO Dick Cross in response to the letter to the industry issued by Cross and CARSTAR President and COO Dan Bailey in April. The letter, which was signed by ASA Director, Collision Operations Committee Darrell Amberson, is as follows:>>>>
  • Keystone Automotive Concludes 2007 Customer Satisfaction Survey - Keystone Automotive Industries has released the results of the Fiscal Year 2007 Customer Satisfaction Survey, which revelas that Keystone’s combined satisfaction score was 96.3 percent, a slight increase from 2005’s score of 95.28 percent.
  • Keaton's expands to include Auto Glass and Graphics One - In 1975 Rick Keaton began his auto body shop business, carrying on a tradition his grandfather had started.
  • Registration for Auto Glass Week Opens Online - glassBYTEs.com™: Auto Glass Week, which is held in conjunction with the NACE Expo, includes the Third Annual Auto Glass Technician Olympics, the Second Annual Windshield Repair Olympics, the Independent Glass Association's (IGA's) Fall Conference, the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standards (AGRSS) Conference and the National Windshield Repair Association's (NWRA's) annual conference.
  • Center trains mechanics for job market - Employers may not be adding staff, but they would readily hire a good automotive technician if one came along, said Gary Wilfong, automotive service instructor at the Frederick Career & Technology Center.
  • Expect long body-shop lineups, rep warns - Canada: Clean air regulations to push some autobody shops over the edge, insurance board hears -- The switch to water-based paint, which is supposed to take effect in early 2009, will cost bodyshops at least $20,000 for new equipment such as compressers and warm air systems to speed drying. Their employees will have to receive additional training as well.
  • Top Antitrust Lawyer Leaves MoFo - After three years as co-chair of Morrison & Foerster's antitrust group, Jesse Markham Jr. is leaving the firm to join Holme Roberts & Owen. -- This spring, Markham said, he persuaded Eastern District of California Judge Morrison England Jr. in Sacramento to dismiss a class action brought against client USAA Insurance Co. by auto body repair shops.
  • California lawmakers get insight into aftermarket - Representatives from California's automotive aftermarket recently met with "Golden State" legislators as part of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Sacramento Legislative Rally.
  • Massachusetts set to test auto laws - Microchips lock out indie mechanics
  • AG targets Springs auto repair shop - Previous owners of American Engine Installation’s shop in Colorado Springs were sued today by Colorado Attorney General John Suthers. -- The lawsuit alleges that the owners, Charles and Timothy Gemelli, consistently charged more than the estimates they provided to customers. The attorney general’s office received more than 60 complaints during the past four years. The Gemellis had a shop here from March 2004 to September 2006 and still have a shop in Commerce City.
  • PPG Canada announces appointments in automotive refinish group - PPG Canada has announced three new appointments within its Automotive Refinish group, including Denis Cloutier, insurance services manager, Eastern Canada, Jennifer Rosiak-Wong, Canadian advertising manager, and Bruce Young, district manager, collision programs.
  • BASF: Ten years as a system supplier at the Rastatt site - This year BASF Coatings and its customer DaimlerChrysler are celebrating a special anniversary at the Rastatt site. BASF Coatings is marking exactly 10 years as the carmaker’s system suppler.
  • BASF: The preferred color for your car - A question of individuality - Cars in a wide range of white nuances will be a prominent feature of the roadscape in the future. This was one of the predictions made as part of BASF Coatings' color trend forecast. But what color is dominating German roads at the moment? The German Motor Transport Authority’s 2006 statistics on new registrations of passenger cars by make and color reveal that Germany’s drivers are becoming increasingly bolder when it comes to color.
  • DuPont Performance Coatings Opens New Training Facility in Canada - The facility serves customers located in eastern Ontario, Quebec, the Atlantic Provinces and northeastern United States, and supports a range of industrial segments including collision repair, aviation, industrial coatings, commercial fleet, and original equipment manufacturers heavy-duty truck and bus.
  • Going Where the Growth Is: DuPont Refinish Training Center Opens in India - The center will cater to customers and bodyshop outlets of leading car makers based in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Goa.  The goal is to improve color matching skills and day-to-day troubleshooting, including the proper surface preparation and spray techniques.
  • Merger talk puts gloss on paint group - The logic behind a merger of Akzo Nobel , the Dutch conglomerate, and ICI has been described many times as "compelling". The prospect of a deal has driven up ICI's share price almost 25 per cent in the past six months. -- "The combined group would be a giant in the coatings market," said Katherine Coulter, an analyst at Cazenove. -- A combined paints division would create a global leader with a market share of 14 per cent, three times that of its nearest rival, PPG Industries of the US.
  • Auto Club Group names AAA Michigan president - Dearborn-based Auto Club Group has named Steve Wagner, its president of field operations, as the successor to the late AAA Michigan president Linda Woolwine.
  • Ford behind on material cost target - Ford Motor Co. has fallen behind its material cost-cutting target through May by 5 percent, according to an internal report, but the auto maker expects to bring such costs in line with its forecast in coming months as it negotiates price contracts with various suppliers.
  • Vrrrooom! What does it take to build a car? - Ever wonder how a car is made? Today we visit a manufacturing plant to learn the first steps. Part 1 of two.
  • Unhealthy and Unsafe Flood Cars Still for Sale in California as Republican State Senators and "Moderate" Dems Cave to Auto Dealers and Insurance Industry - Auto insurers and dealers have cleverly devised ways to profit from the frauds involving killer flood cars.
  • State Farm slates rate cut, citing tort-system savings - State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., the largest auto insurer in Colorado, on Monday announced it is lowering overall insurance rates by 7.2 percent. The change becomes effective July 16.
  • GMAC seeks to make top 5 in auto insurance - A re-energized GMAC Insurance, backed by private equity funding, aims to be one of the top five U.S. auto insurers in the next five to eight years, chief executive Gary Kusumi said on Monday.

Monday - June 18, 2007

  • Senate OKs original equipment auto bill - RI: Insurers, auto body shops would be forced to use original parts
  • Cantafio's interest in cars began almost 20 years ago - Joe and Bobbie Cantafio are the owners of Ryan's Auto Body. The shop was formerly called Joe's Auto Body but was dedicated to the memory of their son Ryan Cantafio. Cantafio, 22, was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq's Babil Province south of Baghdad on Thanksgiving Day, 2004. He was a member of the Madison-based Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines.
  • Keeping it all in the family - IN: Brothers Body & Paint has been through multiple expansions, relocations and even a fire in its 50 years in business. One thing, however, has been constant in an industry where so much has changed.
  • One Line Estimates? - AutobodyOnline: Are detailed estimates just providing more fodder for argument? -- Could that 180-line estimate you just wrote be 179 lines too long? -- During a recent Collision Industry Conference (CIC) held in Atlanta, one participant at the meeting posed this question to insurers: Could you accept an estimate that didn’t include the line-by-line breakdown but instead just the total repair cost?
  • Things to know about auto body shops - Kiplinger's Personal Finance: If the accident is your fault and you have the typical $500 deductible for a collision, kiss your money goodbye. A survey of repair shops in the Washington, D.C., area by Consumers' Checkbook, a consumer-information group, shows that replacing a fender on a 1998 Buick LeSabre can cost as much as $982. A new front bumper on a 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class can go as high as $1,350.
  • Nine auto tech and body students recognized by Syracuse dealers - The Syracuse Auto Dealers Association recently recognized the top auto tech and auto body collision students from BOCES and Central Tech.
  • AAA rates six as top auto-repair centers - Six Tucson-area auto repair shops were among 23 across the state named to AAA Arizona's annual list of 'Top Shops' for their expertise and ethics.
  • Rep. Edolphus Towns Again Answers the Call of Motoring Consumers & Reintroduces 'Right to Repair Act,' HR 2694, States CARE - "New York Congressman Edolphus Towns (D) has again answered the call for help from the nation's motoring consumers and small business by re-introducing the badly needed 'Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act, HR 2694' on June 12, 2007," stated David Parde, president, The Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE).
  • Trial Ordered In Fatal Car Crash Case - The state Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a trial in a lawsuit filed against an automobile glass manufacturer by the mother of a 15-year-old Franklin County girl who died in a car wreck. -- The 5-2 ruling reversed a circuit court order which dismissed the lawsuit filed by Lisa Wagner against Toledo, Ohio-based Pilkington North America.
  • Is FJ Cruiser Windshield Faulty? - glassBYTEs.com™: Many in the industry are disputing the story covered on WJLA/ABC Channel 7's website yesterday regarding the possibility of faulty glass in the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser (NAGS Part No. FW02652). While many note that they have replaced numerous windshields in Toyota FJ Cruisers and that the design is a bit different, most feel the damage has been caused by normal circumstances most likely.
  • Good Cents: Documentary eye cast on Ralph Nader - Admire him or not, Ralph Nader, consumer-advocate-cum-third-party-presidential-candidate, gets his due in "An Unreasonable Man," a fair and balanced documentary just released on DVD.
  • Federal-Mogul to seek court OK - Hearing Monday is on firm's bankruptcy exit plan
  • Va. Drivers Flocking to Hybrid, Alternative Fuel Wheels - With one-quarter of a million hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles on the road, Virginians are in the passing lane when it comes to seeking cheaper transportation fuels.
  • Ten Ten Worst Used Cars and Trucks - Consumer Affairs: Our Readers Pick the Worst Buys of 2007
  • Unhappy with her Kia, Naples woman sues car company - “The reason we bought a new car is so we wouldn’t have to do anything with it,” Shiree Ingram said of the SUV, which had been used for 3,000 miles by the dealership manager before she purchased it as a business vehicle. “We have had months where it’s been in there every week.”
  • Tucson a national leader in stolen cars - Why? Proximity to Mexico, smuggling
  • Erlanger car insurance probed - The owner of an Erlanger insurance company is under investigation by the state for selling bogus car insurance policies. -- The Kentucky Office of Insurance said Michael Fleckinger, owner of Amtrek Two Insurance Company, illegally marketed and sold car insurance to at least 60 people during the past 18 months. Neither he nor the company is licensed to sell the policies in Kentucky, according to the KOI.
  • Staged Accidents Arrests Net 27 in Miami - Florida officials arrested 27 people in an ongoing investigation dubbed "Operation TGIF" because of staged accidents the group perpetrated on Fridays. -- The 'staged accident' ring billed auto insurers more than $300,000 in fraudulent Personal Injury Protection claims, according to the Florida Department of Financial Services.
  • Alabama governor won't sign car insurance bill - Gov. Bob Riley decided Friday to block legislation that would have raised the minimum amount of liability insurance that Alabama motorists must buy because he was concerned it didn't give policyholders time to comply.
  • Farmers Insurance Group Announces the Grand Opening of ServicePoint in Olathe (Kansas City), Kansas June 22, 2007 - A special ceremony dedicating ServicePoint will be headed by Farmers Group Inc. President and Chief Operating Officer Robert Woudstra; President of Farmers Services, Keitha Schofield; Senior Vice President of Farmers Service Operations, David Travers; Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning, Mark Smith; Olathe Mayor Michael Copeland, Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger; Missouri Deputy Director of Insurance, Larry McCord and legislators from Kansas and Missouri.
  • Unitrin Direct Introduces Affordable Auto Insurance to Iowa - Unitrin Direct Insurance Company, an auto insurer that offers a unique blend of customer-friendly service and affordable rates, has begun selling policies in Iowa, which is likely to mean significant savings for drivers statewide.
  • Auto insurance aid expanding - CA: A state program offering low-cost auto insurance to motorists with limited incomes will be expanded from 22 to 32 counties, including a handful of new additions in the capital region. -- Under the program, formally known as the California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program, eligible drivers can obtain liability coverage for less than $400 a year.
  • Judge wants lawyer suing State Farm criminally charged - A federal judge in Alabama wants a prominent lawyer involved in a Hurricane Katrina insurance case charged with criminal contempt. -- U-S District Judge William M. Acker Junior says the attorney was circumventing his order to give up documents secretly copied by two whistleblowers.
  • Legislator wants to change insurance group's meetings practice - A state legislator from Bismarck says he'll seek a change in North Dakota's open meetings law after an attorney general's opinion regarding Insurance Commissioner Jim Poolman's trips to national regulatory meetings.

Friday - June 15, 2007

  • MABA Announces Licensing Board Adopts Paint and Material Regulation Language That Allows Use of Manuals - The Massachusetts Auto Body Association (MABA) announced today that their statewide campaign to get the Auto Damage Appraisers Licensing Board (ADALB) to change a state regulation that governs paint and material payments has succeeded.
  • Body Shops Suing Progressive - Auto body shops in Connecticut are suing the insurer Progressive, alleging that it illegally steers customers to certain repairers and pays "unreasonably low" labor rates to fix vehicles after an accident. -- The lawsuit by the Auto Body Association of Connecticut and three body shops continues a battle they've been waging for years, in court and in the General Assembly, against practices they say interfere with consumer choice and repairers' ability to make a living. -- The suit is similar to one the auto body association filed several years ago in Connecticut against The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. That lawsuit has been certified as a class action, but The Hartford is appealing the certification to the Connecticut Supreme Court.
  • Oregon Auto Insurance Bill Goes to Governor - glassBYTEs.com™: The Oregon State Legislature voted to pass SB 523, titled Relating to motor vehicle liability insurance, on to Gov. Ted Kulongoski on June 5. If approved by the governor, SB 523 will become law. -- The bill addresses, in detailed language, the necessity of insurers to notify insureds of their right to choose a repair facility, while also stating that an insurer may not limit the cost of repairs to return a vehicle to pre-loss condition.
  • Legislators Urged to Reject Bills that Protect Body Shops and Drive Up Repair and Insurance Costs - PROVIDENCE, R.I. – PCI: Unsatisfied with having gained passage of 12 auto body related bills that protect profits, limit consumer choice, and drive up auto repair and auto insurance rates, Rhode Island's auto body shops are pushing the General Assembly to adopt a legislative package that further benefits the repair industry in the waning days of the 2007 legislative session.
  • ASA, NADA Urge Congress to Oppose Right to Repair Legislation - Joint Letter Responds to Potential Federal Legislation
  • Member of Congress Encourages Colleagues to Say No to Right to Repair Legislation - U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., sent a letter to House colleagues yesterday regarding potential Right to Repair legislation in the 110th Congress. The purpose of the letter was to present data about the service information issue and thus, demonstrate why legislation forcing the disclosure of proprietary data would be unnecessary.
  • BASF's Onyx HD waterborne paint marketed for customers of R-M Diamont - The BASF training center here has been bustling recently with standing-room-only crowds of industry professionals who are coming to the facility to learn about BASF’s R-M® Onyx HD paint line. R-M Onyx HD was developed to replace the solventborne R-M Diamont line, currently used in many California shops.
  • Society of Automotive Engineers awards BASF - BASF Catalysts scientists receive Society of Automotive Engineers award for innovation in reducing the environmental impact of cars.
  • KPIs and low-VOC conversions on agenda for CCIF St. John’s - Topics that impact shop profitability will dominate the agenda at the next meeting of the Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF), in St. John's, Newfoundland. The meeting on June 23 at the Fairmont Newfoundland will include presentations from two veteran shop managers on how to select and track key performance indicators (KPI) to better manage your business and how to create a proper repair plan. As well, there will be a panel discussion of the right to repair issue and how it affects the collision repair market.
  • Just Car buys car accident repair business from Trinity Motors for 113,000 stg - LONDON: Just Car Clinics Group PLC said it has acquired the business and assets of a car accident repair business from Trinity Motors of Hinckley Ltd for 113,000 stg cash. -- The business, which will be operated from a 28,000 square foot leasehold facility in Hinckley, Leicestershire, had an estimated turnover 2.5 mln stg in the last completed financial year, the collision repair chain said.
  • AAA announces most-respected auto repair shops - Two Tucson-area auto repair shops in three locations made AAA’s annual list of Top Shops. This year AAA Arizona recognized 23 auto repair businesses across the state.
  • Mechanic often good source in weighing older car's fate - Driving an older car has its rewards. Monthly car payments are a thing of the past, while insurance rates, annual taxes and license fees are likely to be lower.
  • Belron US and Diamond Triumph Discuss Announcement of Settlement; Industry Reacts - glassBYTEs.com™: Despite rumors that Diamond Triumph has committed to buy a certain amount of glass from Belron US over the next five years as part of the settlement announced yesterday, neither Mark Smolik, senior vice president, general counsel and secretary for Belron US, nor Bill Cogswell, president of Diamond Triumph would confirm or deny this report, which appeared yesterday on the Columbus Business First website.
  • glassBYTEs.com™ Update on PPG Auto Glass - Knowledgeable sources familiar with ongoing negotiations have been told that PPG will have an announcement about the possible sale of PPG Auto Glass in the next few months, "possibly by the end of the summer," one source said.
  • Belvidere auto parts maker sold for $10.4M - Tough times for Detroit automakers mean that 130 workers at a shop supplying the Chrysler plant will be working for a new owner, pending court approval. -- Collins & Aikman Corp., an auto parts manufacturer based in Southfield, Mich., is selling off its assets, including the Belvidere factory, in a bankruptcy case that will ultimately dissolve the 164-year-old company.
  • Top Shop Deadline Coming: Entries Due July 15 - The deadline is fast approaching for North American tire dealers to enter the 2007 Tire Review Top Shop Award presented by Hennessy Industries. -- July 15 is the final date entries will be accepted for the program, which seeks to seeks to honor the “best of the best” independent tire dealers in the U.S. and Canada.
  • Copart Announces Completion of Universal Salvage plc Acquisition - Copart, Inc.today announced that the acquisition of Universal Salvage plc, a leading service provider to the motor and automotive industries in the United Kingdom, was completed as of June 14, 2007. -- Copart operates 124 facilities in the United States and Canada and, with the acquisition of Universal, 6 facilities in the United Kingdom. It also provides services in other locations through its national network of independent salvage vehicle processors.
  • Auto Recycling Group Introduces New Standards - The Automotive Recyclers Association has added new, stricter guidelines to its Certification Programs known as the Certified Automotive Recycler and Gold Seal programs.
  • Silver Still Shines - Canada: Growth in Auto Colours Seen in Vibrant Hues
  • Nippon Steel, Toyota Agree to Steel Hike - Nippon Steel Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. have agreed to price rises of more than 10 percent for specialty steel used to make auto parts, the Nikkei business daily reported on Wednesday.
  • Aluminum Suppliers hope automakers will boost use in future models - Aluminum use in the average automobile could jump from 327 lbs nowadays to as much as 807 over the next decade as traditional mild steel is replaced in several applications by other materials.
  • Novelis Wins Sheet Contract for Buick Enclave Aluminum Hood - "We are proud to have been selected as the aluminum supplier on this trend-setting vehicle," said Buddy Stemple, Vice President and General Manager of Specialty Products for Novelis North America. "This is one more example of how aluminum sheet can add beauty and value to today's vehicles."
  • Ford: 27,000 U.S. hourly workers have departed - The figures include workers at Ford plants as well as plants the company took back from Visteon Corp., its former parts operation that was spun off as a separate company.
  • Ford Shelby GT Drops Its Top For 2008 Model Year - The magic duo of Ford Mustang and Carroll Shelby bring open-air excitement to the road for the 2008 model year as the Ford Shelby GT returns with a new convertible body style and a new standard color combination. Like all Shelby Mustang models, production will be limited to assure exclusivity for collectors. The 2008 Shelby GT will be available in coupe and convertible from select Ford dealers beginning in August 2007. -- For 2008, the highly-coveted Shelby GT is available in a new paint combination of Vista Blue with Silver stripes and the choice of two body styles, coupe or convertible.