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September 2008
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September 30, 2008

  • CARSTAR Connecticut Hits the Links for Make-A-Wish - First Annual CARSTAR Charity Golf Tournament raises over $11,000 to grant a wish for an area child
  • Glass Shops Feel the Effects of Southeast Gas Shortage in Wake of Hurricanes - glassBYTEs™: The recent hurricanes have led to a shortage on gas in several Southeastern areas, and glass shops and distributors are some of those feeling its effects.
  • ALLDATA aids I-CAR Education Foundation's Collision Repair Education Campaign - ALLDATA has shown its support of the I-CAR Education Foundation by making a donation to the Collision Repair Education Campaign that will go towards grants and scholarships to be distributed to the schools across North America in the Spring of 2009.
  • ASA Hosts Service Information Workshops in Florida - The Automotive Service Association (ASA) recently hosted four Service Information Workshops in Florida. Workshops were held in Tallahassee, Orlando, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale to educate shop owners and technicians about the availability of service information to automotive repair shops.
  • Certified Auto Technicians: A Turn In The Right Direction - Organizations such as the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) can help take the guesswork out of auto repairs.
  • AXA rolls out Audatex system - UK: AXA Insurance has begun using the Audatex claims management system, which includes vehicle damage estimating.
  • Saved by SaaS: Data backup via software as a service - A data storage crash is the last thing a collision-repair shop needs to worry about. So when John Sweigart realized that the software he was using to manage his business was no longer compatible with the way he was backing up data, he knew it was time for a different option.
  • R-M launches PERFECTFILLER GREY - BASF: It really doesn’t matter how large or small the paint job is, perfect preparation is essential to ensure a perfect finish and PERFECTFILLER from R-M provides every bodyshop with a fast, efficient and VOC compliant solution.
  • PPG automotive OEM coatings unit to close Mississauga facility - PPG Industries' automotive original equipment manufacture (OEM) coatings business expects to close its Clarkson coating manufacturing facility located in Mississauga, Ont., sometime in mid-2009 as part of a North American restructuring. The closure does not affect PPG's Canadian automotive refinish business unit.
  • Union questions closing of Clarkson plant - Disappointed by a lack of information coming from company officials, the union representing workers at the PPG Canada Inc. manufacturing plant in Clarkson said it's reviewing its options in the wake of an announcement the facility will close next year.
  • PPG acquisition to expand Springdale plant - PPG will transfer production from BASF's Decatur, Ala., and Belvidere, N.J., operations to its Springdale, plant, where it will spend about $8 million to install equipment needed for the consolidation.
  • PPG acquires Bonny automotive refinish coatings business in China - Extends distribution and customer base, bolsters leadership position
  • DuPont Marks Growth in Emerging Market of Romania, Central Europe - In the automotive aftermarket, DuPont coatings are marketed under the DuPont Refinish, Standox and Spies Hecker brands. The products are used across Romania in collision repair shops and automobile dealerships.
  • Composite developed for automotive panels - In the ongoing search for new ways to reduce vehicle weight, automotive OEMs and suppliers have been looking for a better alternative to steel, aluminium and thermosets for large, aerodynamic, horizontal body panels.
  • Manheim Named One of Top 50 'Best Employers For Workers Over 50' By AARP - Manheim's reputation as a great place towork has been recognized by one of the nation's most recognized memberorganizations. AARP has ranked Manheim 36th in its 2008 "Best Employers forWorkers Over 50 list," which will be featured in AARP The Magazine'sNovember/December issue.
  • Asbury Automotive gets about $800M in refinancing - The new credit agreements - which come amid tighter lending caused by the nation's credit crisis - replace an existing $550 million syndicated facility that included a $75 million revolver tranche and a $475 million floorplan tranche, the company said.
  • Carmakers wince as bailout fails - Automakers and legislators warned Monday that the auto financing market was in danger of collapsing after a $700 billion Wall Street bailout package failed to pass the U.S. House.
  • CEO pay takes a hit in bailout plan - The draft of the government's controversial $700 billion financial rescue plan released Sunday makes it clear that CEOs of firms seeking the bailout are about to have their pay packages capped.
  • Honda’s flexible auto plants pivot to hot sellers with less downtime - The manufacturing dexterity of Honda’s plants, now the most flexible in North America, is emerging as a key strategic advantage for the company. In an era of volatile gasoline prices, Honda can adjust production to inventory levels faster than its competitors.
  • Bush nominates Kelly to lead highway safety agency - President Bush nominated Kelly on Monday to be the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Kelly has served as acting administrator since mid-August. -- Kelly was a top aide to Nicole Nason, who departed as NHTSA (NIT'sa) administrator last month. The agency is closely watched by the auto industry because it regulates auto safety and issues gas mileage requirements for new vehicles.
  • Kick the tires: Faulty valve stems may leave you flat - Defective valve stems made in China and distributed in the United States could allow tires to deflate at high speeds, safety advocates said. -- The devices in question are the TR413 model, a 1.25-inch valve stem made by Shanghai Baolong Industries Co. Ltd. in China. Installed in replacement tires by a supplier or service attendant, they can develop cracks that lead to loss of air pressure.
  • Automaker harvests paint-shop emissions - Ford has installed a system that collects fumes from its paint shop and converts it into fuel, which is then passed through a molten carbonate fuel cell to generate up to 300 kilowatts of electricity.
  • Automotive X Prize considers ways to include 100-mpg Volt - Officially known as the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize, the $10-million shootout is open to teams who can “design, build and bring to market 100 MPGe [miles per gallon equivalent] vehicles that people want to buy, and that meet market needs for price, size, capability, safety and performance,” according the AXP organizers. Well, that’s the Volt in spades, isn’t it?
  • How to have a (relatively) painless insurance claim - Part 1:  by George Angus, Alaska Transportation Examiner - This article applies specifically to an automobile damage claim.  It does not cover any tips regarding a liability or medical claim

September 29, 2008

  • 10 Ways to Inspire Your Team: by Michelle LaBrosse, PMP®, Founder and Chief Cheetah - AutobodyOnline: Inspire. Just the word itself causes us to pause and think. We may remember our own personal heroes like Martin Luther King or Mother Theresa or a teacher or mentor who brought out the best in us and showed us the power of one person.
  • AkzoNobel's Most Influential Women awards celebrates 10th year - At this year’s NACE Nov. 5-8 in Las Vegas, AkzoNobel commemorates the 10th year of the Most Influential Women in the Collision Repair Industry awards program, which has honored women for leadership, vision and commitment to excellence since 1999. 
  • 30 drive home happy thanks to Car Care Clinic - Eighteen car owners had their vehicle troubles addressed at this year's Car Care Clinic, which went on at Halter's Body Shop Saturday.
  • Group needs help to keep needy on road to jobs, better lives - An auto body shop that puts needy people back in the driver's seat now is in need of a lift itself.
  • Hall Body and Paint Shop in Virginia Beach is the GEICO ARX Winner for August - Hall Body and Paint Shop completed 99 vehicle repairs with an average cycle time of 1.3 days to earn themselves the GEICO ARX award for the month of August. Hall has been servicing the body shop needs for Hampton Roads and north-eastern North Carolina residents for over 35 years.
  • Nashville Auto Diesel College, also has Collision - Students at Nashville Auto-Diesel College have access to the fully equipped auto and diesel shop facilities as well as the collision repair and refinishing facilities. NADC also provides hands on training from ASE Certified instructors and offers the NATEF Master Program and Custom Paints Program.
  • Safelite Hires Grimaldi as General Manager for Tucson Market - John Grimaldi has joined Safelite as general manager for the Tucson, Ariz., market, where he will be responsible for leading a team of 50 employees in five locations.
  • CARSTAR Grants a Wish on Wisconsin Tour - The Super’Stang is touring Wisconsin next week as part of a nationwide effort to raise money for Make-A-Wish Foundation. Starting in Eau Claire on Tuesday, the 1967 prototype Mustang will make appearances at five events, culminating in the Wisconsin vs. Ohio State football game Saturday night, where CARSTAR will grant the wish of a teenage boy and host the $20,000 Target Toss Football Challenge.
  • More Than 60 Free Seminars at the 2008 SEMA Show to Help Sharpen Your Edge - Educational Seminars Now Offered in "Tracks," Making it Easier to Find Sessions of Interest
  • BASF workers told plant is closing - The plant is closing because PPG Industries is buying BASF's North American coil and extrusion coatings business. It is not buying the Decatur plant, but it is buying BASF's inventory, customer list, patents and trade names.
  • Akzo Nobel suspends share buyback, shares hit - The world's biggest paint company, which earlier this year bought Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), also said it would cut 3,500 jobs, which is expected to yield at least 100 million euros in cost savings.
  • New trend in custom car accessories on display around Tri-Cities - Zentx Media Group Inc. specializes in vehicle graphics - or vehicle wraps - one of the newest trends in vehicle customization. Vehicle wraps allow for the appearance of an entire vehicle to be changed, bumper to bumper, with a vinyl adhesive sheet, custom fitted for each vehicle.
  • Why retire when you can restart a plant? - Arthur Bott doesn't have to work. At 74, he has lots of money and a good golf swing. -- Instead, he is back on the job, making headway in an old-line industry decimated by Asian rivals -- plastic injection molding. --  Frustrated by Michigan's seven-year recession and a worsening U.S. economy, he offered his story and urged other business people to start growing their businesses.
  • Hundreds to lose jobs at Tower Automotive - The slumping automobile industry will victimize hundreds of local workers for the second time this year when Tower Automotive LLC shuts its Garfield Township auto parts plant.
  • Toyota Drops Price of Replacement Prius Batteries - As Toyota has long predicted, improvements in battery technology are lowering the costs associated with their production. Battery life and replacement costs were a key criticism of the Toyota Prius, but Toyota announced today that, thanks to the falling price of battery technology, they've dropped the price on replacement Prius batteries by 10%.
  • Suzuki CEO sees no relief from race to survive - With the Big Three U.S. automakers struggling as consumers shun their gas-guzzling vehicles, Suzuki Motor Corp looks in an enviable position with its line-up of tiny, fuel-saving cars.
  • Auto Industry Close to Government Bailout - The house approved the loans intended to help industry retool old plants and develop advanced batteries and hybrid vehicles.
  • Leading the Green Charge - Japan's automakers are zooming ahead in the eco-car race to market.
  • Automakers' Natural Appeal - Imagine you're driving by a lush, green farm. You see it as a source of food. Detroit automakers, however, see raw materials for their cars on the drawing board.
  • Old cars can be made greener - How much do they pollute? Well, a lot, actually.
  • Car repairs not top priority when money is short - A scratch, dent or a ding on your car may be small, but the cost to fix it is often big.  When you factor in the high prices people are already paying at the pump and just about everywhere else, more are saying no to repairs.
  • Fire engulfs Tiger Town Body Shop - LA: The fire has reportedly wiped out more than $150,000 in content and building loss.
  • Cops: Yonkers auto body shop employees nab thief - Two employees of an auto body shop got the best of a 34-year-old Yonkers man who stole a sander and polisher from the their southwest Yonkers auto body shop, police said this morning.
  • 3 arrested in Sparks scam - NV: The Sparks Police Department said it arrested two adults and a juvenile it believes are members of a traveling group that goes from city to city soliciting work it often does not perform.
  • 10 arrested in auto theft sting - Details of the videotaped investigation, which had the Macomb Auto Theft Squad set up a fake chop shop in an undisclosed industrial warehouse in Warren, were released at a news conference at Warren City Hall on Friday.
  • Pickup truck's shaking a legal matter - Greg Cramer says he first decided to videotape the violent shaking that occurred in his Ford F-250 pickup when it hit bumps at interstate speeds, just in case it ended up killing him.
  • Truth-in-autos database will happen - A decision this week in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice means that consumers will be able to find out whether an automobile they want to purchase has been stolen or rebuilt after a wreck.
  • $20 million civil verdict overturned - KY: The ruling is significant because it addresses a thorny legal issue that affects anyone being defended by an insurance company over a car wreck or liability claim: Are the lawyers that insurance companies provide for their customers acting on behalf of the insurance company instead of just the customer?
  • Arnold & Porter Defeats Class Certification in Case Against GEICO - A federal district court judge in Minnesota today denied class certification in a suit alleging racial discrimination against GEICO auto-insurance customers. The Maryland-based insurer is represented by Arnold & Porter.
  • Liddy steps down as company director - Edward Liddy resigned from Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s board of directors after becoming chairman and chief executive of American International Group Inc., the insurance company rescued by the U.S. government last week.
  • Auto Insurers Face Stiff Competition In CT Market - State’s high-risk pool shrinks dramatically
  • Letter to the Editor: Customers feel bullied by insurance companies - LA: As consumers we are being blackmailed and bullied by large insurance companies that take our premiums and provide minimal coverage in return. Allstate Insurance Co. is doing this very thing in this state.

September 26, 2008

  • Akzo Nobel Forges Exclusive Agreement with NuGen IT - This agreement is a first of its kind and enables collision repair centres that are part of the Sikkens Acoat selected Verified Repair Network (ASVRN) to be uniquely identified to the insurance companies that are making out-of-network repair assignments.
  • House Small Business Committee Rebukes AAIA on 'Right to Repair' - ASA: At a hearing of the House Small Business Committee, members of Congress and the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission strongly questioned the testimony of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association and seemed unconvinced that the so-called "Right to Repair" legislation was necessary.
  • No details on Bill Heard - The Georgia-based parent company of Bill Heard Chevrolet on University Drive, which closed abruptly Wednesday, wasn't making any further comments Thursday. -- A voice-mail message at the dealership stated, "Regrettably, Bill Heard has closed for all new business as of Wednesday, Sept. 24th." The message then provided phone numbers for customers who have vehicles in the body shop or service department.
  • Economy May Not Be Responsible for Bill Heard Shutdown - The closure of two Las Vegas car dealerships may go deeper than just the slowing economy. Bill Heard Enterprises blames the current financial situation, but Eyewitness News found the dealership is also the target of many lawsuits.
  • ASA to Host Service Information Workshop in Colorado - The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced it will host a new Service Information Workshop in Fort Collins, Colo. The free workshop will be held Wednesday, Oct. 22, at the LaQuinta Inn in Fort Collins.
  • Wells Fargo Awards $75,000 Grant to Universal Technical Institute Foundation - - The fund will support 25 scholarships for students who are seeking degrees at Universal Technical Institute, Inc. UTI is a provider of technical education for individuals pursuing careers as professional automotive, collision repair, diesel, marine or motorcycle technicians.
  • Free Download: 1996-2008 GMC Savana/Chevy Express Collision Repair Issues - This manual describes body repair manual incorporates picture, schemes, tables and descriptions on repairing the body of the GMC/Chevy Vans.
  • AutohausAZ.com Honored as a 2008 "Arizona Company to Watch" - AutohausAZ.com (Autohaus Arizona, Inc.), a Phoenix-based independent distributor of OE European and Asian auto parts, was recently named as one of the 50 Arizona Companies to Watch for 2008, sponsored by the Arizona Small Business Association (ASBA) in collaboration with Comerica Bank and the Edward Lowe Foundation.
  • Ford Leads All Automakers With Most 'Top Safety Picks,' Besting Honda in IIHS Crash Tests - Ford Motor Company has earned more "Top Safety Pick" ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) than any other automaker with a total of 16 to date.
  • Volkswagen Receives Top Safety Pick Awards From the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - 2009 Volkswagen Eos, Jetta, Passat, Rabbit Latest Models Recognized As "Top Safety Picks"
  • GM's new Flint engine plant called area catalyst - The new plant, which was announced Thursday, also will build a separate engine for the Chevy Cruze small car and could spur millions in additional investment as automotive scientists, researchers and competitors hurry to open nearby.
  • Subaru Gains Traction as Auto Industry Stalls - As the auto industry sputters through its worst sales year since 1993, Subaru of America is clipping along, and it's doing so without an ad message touting price, performance or gas mileage.
  • Auto industry loans may take up to 18 months - Loans for automakers and parts suppliers from a $25-billion pool expected to pass Congress this week might not reach the industry for six to 18 months, the U.S. Department of Energy said Thursday.
  • Chrysler to lay off 300 salaried employees by end of business Friday - Despite the House’s approval of a $25 billion loan program on Wednesday, Chrysler has announced that it is moving forward with further job cuts. While previous cuts have mainly targeted the automaker’s hourly workforce, the latest round of cuts will impact Chrysler’s salaried employees.
  • Tofaş to shut down plant temporarily -Tofaş, the Turkish manufacturer of cars for Fiat, said it will stop production at its car plant for six days. The company will close its factory between Sept. 24 and Oct. 7, Tofaş said Tuesday, citing a “slowdown” in European demand and export orders.
  • Ford Ka production begins in Poland - The first volume of Ford Ka minicar rolled off the production line on Thursday in Tychy, Poland during an opening ceremony.
  • Carfax Launches Online Auction Tool - Carfax today launched a new online auction tool to help dealers better evaluate auction units prior to purchase
  • Bill Heard closing 13 auto dealerships - Auto dealer Bill Heard Enterprises Inc. will shutter its 13 stores Friday, the Columbus (Georgia) Ledger-Enquirer reports.
  • Nissan recalls some Altimas with alloy wheels - Nissan North America will recall about 3,400 2009-model-year Altima sedans built at its Canton plant for potentially defective alloy wheels. -- A recall campaign posted today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that some 16-inch alloy wheels may have been improperly made. The defect could cause one or more of the five lug nuts to come loose.
  • Recall Alert: 2008-09 Kia Rondo - Kia has issued a recall of 6,680 of its Rondo LX and EX minivans from the 2008 and 2009 model years. The fuel pump for the 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine may be defective and not able to effectively get enough fuel to the engine, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  • Is Your Vehicle Child-Proof? - Top tips for keeping your car and your kids safe
  • Deer Collisions on the Rise - Several state listed
  • Chicago Firm Gears Up for Antitrust Class Action over Automotive Filters - The lawsuit is barely out of the starting gate, but it is revving up to become a huge antitrust class action lawsuit against some of the most recognizable names in the automotive supply industry.
  • Three-Wheeler Vehicles Get Okay on Ohio Streets - Ohio Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Lindsey Bohrer says there's been increased interest in the vehicles because challenging economic times have people looking for ways to save on gas.
  • InsWeb Announces Partnership With Quote Burst - Automatic-Email System Caters to Allstate Agents Participating in InsWeb's AgentInsider Lead Program
  • Christine Bremer Muggli: AIG trampled consumers for years - The complaints of the insurance industry have been never-ending. Insurance company CEOs demanded no regulation, no oversight, and no accountability. Often, they got exactly what they asked for. On the other hand, policyholders got treated with hardball tactics as insurance companies denied and delayed their way out of paying just claims.

September 25, 2008

September 24, 2008

  • Often Overlooked, Mechanics Play Pivotal Role in Light Infantry Battalion - Forward Operating Base Falcon, Iraq: Their garments garnished in grease and soaked in sweat, the wheeled vehicle mechanics of 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment put forth furious effort everyday to ensure pinnacle performance from all of the vehicles in the "Warrior" Battalion, currently deployed to Forward Operating Base Falcon, located in southern Baghdad.
  • Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act to Be Heard in Small Business Hearing - The full Committee on Small Business, Chaired by Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), will hold a hearing on: "Small Business Competition Policy: Are Markets Open For Entrepreneurship?" Among those testifying in favor of The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act, HR 2694, will be two constituents of Right to Repair opponent Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA-Grantville, Newnan), who serves on the Small Business Committee.
  • ABRA Auto Body & Glass earns I-CAR Gold Class Professionals status nationwide - All 91 ABRA Auto Body & Glass locations have earned the I-CAR Gold Class Professionals designation. ABRA Auto Body & Glass is the largest multi-location operator to earn the Gold Class Professionals status. Its network spans across 11 states in Utah, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, and North Carolina. 
  • Gerber donates to I-CAR Education Foundation - Gerber Collision & Glass contributed $5,000 in August to support the I-CAR Education Foundation mission. This contribution to the Education Foundation’s Industry Partners Annual Fund will support many Education Foundation activities that promote and enhance career opportunities in the industry.
  • "Fuel Surcharge Question Has Not Come Up," Says State Farm Spokesperson - glassBYTEs™: When asked how State Farm handles fuel surcharges imposed by glass shops and the like, State Farm spokesperson Jeff McCollum says the issue "has not come up with [the company's] vendors."
  • Switching From PPG Solvent To PPG Water Borne - Canada: Another Collision Repair Shop Goes Green!
  • Central High Educator Awarded Teacher of the Year - WY: We typically here about everyday heroes, but what about the heroes that make the heroes, heroes? -- Tuesday morning, one of those heroes was awarded for his contributions to the community. -- Erik Dinkelman, an auto-body repair teacher at Central High School, was presented the "Teacher of the Year" award.
  • The Rubios open new auto repair shop in Speonk - Southampton, NY: Slightly off the beaten path in Speonk sits the home of Rob Rubio’s latest business venture, Rubio Premiere Motors. The new business, run by Mr. Rubio and his wife of 14 years, Stacy, services all types of vehicles, from Toyotas and Chevrolets to Rolls-Royces and Lamborghinis.
  • All about colour: Interview with Ford’s paint expert Jon Hall - Ever wonder how carmakers come up with the colours available for your next ride? So have we.
  • DuPont training facility reaches 1000-student milestone - Claude Michaud from Garage Michaud et Lejeune, an auto refinishing company based in Québec City, became the 1000th graduate from DuPont's new refinish training facility located in the Montreal suburb of Pointe Claire, Quebec. Officially opened in June 2007, the state-of-the-art facility features 12,000 square feet of production area housing an oversized spray booth and a colour lab, and 6,000 square feet of office and classroom area.
  • DuPont's Holliday to Step Down; Kullman to Become CEO - DuPont Co., the third-biggest U.S. chemical company, said Charles O. Holliday Jr. will step down as chief executive officer and be replaced by Executive Vice President Ellen J. Kullman.
  • Automobile aftermarket yields, but refuses to stop, in face of economic slowdown - Vehicle service and repair markets grow steadily, reports Mintel
  • Advance Auto to close call center - About 90 Roanoke positions will be lost and calls will be outsourced to IBM
  • China Auto Parts Makers Cope With Slowdown in Foreign Orders - Soaring material prices, especially oil prices, along with the appreciating Chinese currency RMB have slowed China`s auto parts exports and that, as many industry observers believe, has become a major factor to push for upgrading of China`s auto parts industry.
  • Delphi gets OK to freeze pensions - Supplier will resume talks with creditors critical of deal with GM to exit bankruptcy.
  • ArvinMeritor raises outlook for 2008 profit - The Troy maker of commercial truck and light vehicle parts raised its guidance, before special items, by 5 cents to 15 cents per share from a range of $1.40 to $1.60 per share to a range of $1.55 to $1.65 per share.
  • Lydall Announces the Consolidation of Its North American Automotive Business - Lydall, Inc. today announced that it will be closing its St. Johnsbury, VT manufacturing facility and consolidating its North American automotive production into its Hamptonville, NC operation. The Company plans to begin the transfer of equipment and production in the fourth quarter of 2008 and to complete the consolidation by the end of 2009.
  • Suit accuses Auto Club of Southern California of replacing batteries needlessly - Tow truck operators were pressured to sell new batteries when just a jump-start was needed, says the suit on behalf of members.
  • Car 'in shop' at scene of crime - Woman's vehicle taken from repair business and used in attempted store break-in -- Sometime late Sunday or early Monday, Augusta's red 1999 Infiniti G20 was stolen from Class One Collision Body Shop, 185 Walker, and driven to the Neighborhood Grocery, 1362 S. Main.
  • Body Shop Fire Destroys More Than A Dozen Cars - Fourteen cars at California Body Repair were gutted Sunday afternoon by the two-alarm blaze that also spread to a smog and muffler shop next door. Fire officials and witnesses say the fire appeared to be sparked during repair work on one of the vehicles.
  • Uneasy Breathing -- Air Pollution in Oakland - CA: Residents of the Hegenberger Corridor in the Elmhurst neighborhood, working with the non-profit Communities for A Better Environment, compiled a list of 216 polluting sources from foundries and auto body shops to idling trucks that blast particles of soot, dust and toxics into the air. -- They'd like to see the heavy concentration of auto body repair shops diminished by relocating them elsewhere.
  • Green insurance exists, but it’s been slow to catch on - Farmers Insurance Group, which says it was the first to introduce insurance for hybrids, offers a 10 percent discount on policies for vehicles that run on compressed natural gas, ethanol, methanol, propane or electricity.
  • Car safety database still MIA - CA: It was designed to be a national database of used cars the federal government says would protect consumers and improve public safety. But, 16 years after Congress approved the database, it still doesn't exist.
  • Deadline set for national damaged car registry - FL: Within six months, used-car shoppers will be able to tap into a national database of cars reported stolen or damaged by crashes, fires and hurricanes — information consumer advocates say will improve safety and curb automobile fraud. -- It's especially important in Florida, home to 16.3 million registered vehicles, the third-largest number in the nation.
  • Tempted But Not Sold On AIG  - New AIG CEO Believes Company Can Come Back

September 23, 2008

September 22, 2008

September 19, 2008

  • I-CAR, ASE, I-CAR Education Foundation, and NATEF to hold drawing for CAR-O-LINER welder at NACE 2008 - For the fifth year in a row, I-CAR, ASE, I-CAR Education Foundation, and NATEF will co-sponsor a drawing at NACE; this year’s contest winner will be awarded a Car-O-Liner CR 55 Aluminum Stud Welder and Dent Repair Tools. To be eligible to win the welder, entrants must be I CAR trained as well as ASE-certified, or attend an ASE-certified NATEF career and technical school and college which also utilizes the I CAR Live curriculum.
  • I-CAR(R) Education Foundation and CCC Information Services Inc. Announce Third Offering of Student Repair Technician Scholarships - CCC Information Services Inc. today announces its third year of offering the CCC Michael Salvatore Memorial Student Repair Technician Scholarship Program. Administered by the I-CAR Education Foundation, the scholarships were initiated to address the collision repair industry's need for qualified technicians.
  • Safelite Increases Invoice Charges - glassBYTEs™: Safelite Solutions, the third-party administrator arm of Safelite Auto Glass and a division of Belron US, has increased its fees for invoicing, effective September 22, 2008. The announcement was made to network shops via e-mail this week.
  • PRIDE Nomination Deadline Extended - The National Auto Body Council (NABC) PRIDE Committee is extending the date through which it will accept nominations for the 14th Annual PRIDE Awards to Oct. 10.
  • jetBlue Offers SEMA Show Attendees Discounted Airfare - Good news for those traveling by plane to the 2008 SEMA Show—jetBlue is offering Show attendees discounted round-trip airfare from any city in the U.S. to Las Vegas. The 5 percent discount is valid for outbound flights between October 29–November 7 and return flights November 2–9, and applies to flights reserved between now and November 4.
  • Auto Body Colorado - Prestige Imports Features State-of-the-Art Auto Body Center in Colorado - Colorado auto body services featured in state of the art collision and restoration center at Prestige Imports in Denver. All makes and models. Rocky Mountain region’s only certified Audi auto body repair.
  • Fix Auto Ontario signs a new shop in Sarnia - A bodyshop in Sarnia, Ont. has joined Fix Auto Ontario, strengthening the network's market presence in the southwestern Ontario market.
  • Bill aids mechanics - NAMAO, Alta. - Windsor-West MP Brian Masse was in Alberta Monday to promote a private member's bill that would give Canadian mechanics the "right to repair" vehicles.
  • Blue Ribbon plans move to King GMC building - The city of Loveland is working on an incentive package to help Blue Ribbon Auto Body move to and rehabilitate the former King GMC building at 401 S. Lincoln Ave. -- Depending on its performance in its first four years at the new site, Blue Ribbon could get as much as $45,000 in fee waivers and cash incentives.
  • Judge rules against body shop in Antrim Twp. zoning battle - Franklin County President Judge John R. Walker has denied a request by Jeff T. Todd of Todd Auto Body, Antrim Township, that sought to prevent Antrim Township from penalizing him for alleged zoning violations.
  • Poor market conditions claim another local victim - CA: Sept. 4 was a day unlike any other Ginger Presley has seen in her 25 years in the auto sales business.
  • Copart Adds Fourth Facility in Kentucky - Copart, Inc. today announced the opening of a new 10-acre facility in Louisville, Kentucky. This latest addition to Copart’s growing footprint marks the company’s fourth facility in Kentucky, the 132nd facility in North America, and the 144th facility world-wide.
  • Lightning Gloves Thunders into Las Vegas for Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week 2008 - Lightning Gloves is receiving international acclaim as the leader in hand protection in the automotive industry. Advanced technology brings features that are required for automotive work. Innovative formulations makes Lightning gloves puncture, chemically, and tear resistant, perfect for any type of automotive industry arena. 
  • SABIC Launches SABIC® STAMAX Light Weight Composites Worldwide for the Global Automotive Industry - SABIC® STAMAX resins, which are used extensively by European automakers to replace steel in such key components as front-end modules and door modules, offer light weight solutions for improved fuel efficiency and emissions reduction, together with system cost savings through design optimization and more efficient production cycles.
  • SVI International Unveils New Products and Customer Website - SVI International, a Chicago Company That Manufactures and Sells Auto Lift Parts, Announces a New Website and a New Selection of Parts to Repair Auto Lifts
  • BASF opens new Shanghai training center for automotive spray painters - Booming automotive market creates demand for spray painters and body shop staff
  • Sector Snap: Chemical shares trade mostly lower - Shares of chemical companies were mostly lower Thursday as concern grew about consumer pricing and hurricane recovery efforts.
  • U.S. auto parts supplier Federal-Mogul to cut 4,000 jobs - Auto parts maker Federal-Mogul says it's cutting its workforce by 4,000 jobs, or eight per cent, due to a tough automotive market.
  • First Look: 2010 Ford Mustang Interior - In all of the revealing of details of the 2010 Ford Mustang in the past weeks, we are learning more about the car bit by bit. One of the chief complaints about the current Mustang is the cheaply executed interior. In the 2005-2009 Mustang, nearly every surface is a tappy hard plastic, surfaces from one part to another are not consistent, and many of them don’t fit together well.
  • Automotive Industry Veteran to Teach at ISU - An automotive industry veteran and motorsports enthusiast has joined the faculty of Indiana State University. Charlie Henry, currently president of Challenger Consulting in Farmington Hills, Michigan, will teach "A Survey of Motorsports" and "The Automotive Industry: the First 100 Years." While in college, Henry worked for Ford Motor Co. He says his greatest success was with DaimlerChryster's Mopar Parts Division, where he worked in the performance parts and motorports divisions.
  • Banks backing Big 3 on loans - Some of the most powerful banks on Wall Street are quietly lobbying key politicians to support a proposed $25 billion federal loan program for Detroit's struggling automakers.
  • Toyota Companies Pledge $1,000,000 to Hurricane Ike Relief - The donations are being made to two organizations: * The American Red Cross will receive $500,000 from four Toyota -- * The Friedkin Family, who owns Gulf States Toyota, a privately owned
  • Mercedes-Benz to sell hybrid in North America - Stuttgart, Germany - Mercedes-Benz will launch its first passenger car with a hybrid drive, the S400 BlueHYBRID, in the summer of 2009. The model will use a modified V6 gasoline engine with compact hybrid module with a lithium-ion battery specially developed for automotive use.
  • Car manufacturer invents faster inflating airbag - Car manufacturers in Japan have invented a new airbag which reduces the impact of car crashes. -- The airbag, from Honda, inflates twice as fast as normal airbags, in stages, to reduce the force of an impact.
  • Auto union leader William Pickering dies at 50 - NY: Pickering, president of United Auto Workers Local 259 in Hicksville, died Tuesday at Glen Cove Hospital. He was 50. -- Pickering, who worked as a technician for several automobile dealerships, joined Local 259 in 1977. He was a shop steward and served as a strike captain during a six-week strike in the 1980s, the union said.
  • Owner Of Body Shop Kidnapped - PHOENIX -- Three people kidnapped a 34-year-old man at gunpoint in front of an auto store near 16th Street and Broadway Thursday morning, Phoenix police said.
  • 50 catalytic converters stolen from business - PA: Police say 50 catalytic converters were stolen from an Upper Mifflin Township salvage yard. -- The theft occurred Sept. 10 between midnight and 7:30 a.m. at Johnny's Auto Salvage, 350 Brandy Run Rd., according to police.
  • Multi-million dollar judgement - Lawton_A Comanche County jury handed down a multi-million dollar judgement against Farmers Insurance company Wednesday as part of a class-action lawsuit.  They ordered $50 million  in actual damages, and $30 million in punitive damages, plus interest, which could push the total judgement to $200 million. -- Their contention was that Farmers had wrongfully withheld millions of dollars in claims that should have been paid to policyholders
  • Some AIG units in California could fetch high bids - Top-earning units that could be up for grabs in the state include 21st Century Insurance Co. of Woodland Hills, the state's seventh-largest automobile insurer, and International Lease Finance Corp. of Century City, which owns more than 950 commercial airliners.
  • With Fed’s $85 Billion Loan, A.I.G. Starts to Calculate a Measured Sell-Off - A day after the Fed’s stunning takeover of American International Group, its new managers began contemplating a breakup of the insurer’s far-flung empire and selling it off in coming months.

September 18, 2008

  • Collision Industry Relief Still on Alert; Requests Industry's Help in Wake of Recent Disasters - AutobodyOnline: To those in the collision repair industry that may find themselves, their families and their facilities threatened by natural disasters like Hurricane Ike, Collision Industry Relief remains alert, ready to help.
  • Recovery Efforts Begin Following Hurricane Ike - glassBYTEs™: Hurricane Ike swept through Texas on September 13, leaving a trail of damage behind it. -- While many in the area still are without phone service, Bob Ceuric, owner of Glass Masters Co. in Houston, says the recovery effort at his shop has begun—though it is a slow process.
  • Hendler Kicks Off Connecticut Collision Repair Association - “The Changing Industry – Your Role In It” was the subject at hand at the monthly CCRS (Connecticut Collision Repair Specialists) association meeting. Jeff Hendler –owner of JD Hendler Associates addressed approximately 40 members about their role in an everchanging collision repair environment.
  • PPG-painted Alfa Romeo takes ‘best of show’ at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance -  A 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta sporting a lustrous PPG Industries finish took three awards – “Best of Show,” “Best of Class” and “Most Elegant” – at the 58th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Monterey, Calif., last month.
  • AGRSS Validation Webinar Approaches - glassBYTEs™: This Friday, September 19, the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard (AGRSS) Council Inc. will conduct a webinar at noon E.D.T. to provide an update on its third-party validation program, scheduled to be released in 2009.
  • Financial Performance of Warehouse Distributors Reported: AAIA Releases "2008 AWDA Financial Analysis Report" - The AWDA Financial Analysis Report is organized into sections including an executive summary, detailed results, analysis of variance and trend analysis. Benchmarking data covered in the report include income statement data, balance sheet ratios and selected information for inventory, payroll, warehouse and store statistics for 2008 operations.
  • Auto Body Repair and the Economy - Let's face it, fuel prices are high, food costs are high, your neighbor is loosing their home. Times are not the best. What could be worse? Maybe an auto accident?
  • Auto body shop goes green, wins award - IL: A Lewiston body shop is going green and on Tuesday, received a special award for helping out the environment.
  • Pompano Honda Says it Loud and Clear; PBS Collision Center is the Top Choice for Body Shop Repairs - PBS Collision Center in Pompano Beach, Florida has been chosen by Pompano Honda to serve as their primary body shop repair facility. PBS Collision Center is the largest independent collision repair facility in Broward County and regularly provides service to consumers, dealerships without in-house repair facilities and insurance companies as a part of the direct repair program (DRP).
  • Manheim Names Standfield Vice President - In this role, Standfield will lead cross-operational initiatives to develop the Frontline Services' business strategy, which includes Dent Wizard, Manheim Auto Body Repair and Reconditioning Services.
  • Rust Never Sleeps - How to make sure your classic car emerges unscathed from another winter
  • Auto Dealers Who Merged Are Now Squabbling - TN: Nelson Long filed suit against John Trotter in Chancery Court on allegations involving Trotter-Long Pontiac and Trotter-Long Collision.
  • Colour sense  - UK: Performance cars wear white better than others
  • U.S. Congress Approves Identity Theft Bill - ASA: The U.S. House of Representatives has passed U.S. Senate Bill 2168 for the Identity Theft and Restitution Act of 2007 via voice vote. The bill would protect businesses and individuals against cyber crimes and stiffen penalties against online criminals and identity thieves.
  • Auto Industry Loan Likely To Hitch Ride on Year-End Funding Bill - Funding for low-interest government loans for automakers will likely be attached to a year-end stopgap spending measure, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev., said Wednesday.
  • Tenn. plans Germany trip to lure auto suppliers - Gov. Phil Bredesen plans to lead a trade mission to Germany next month to seek further investment surrounding the new Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga.
  • Toyota exec urges metal stampers to speed it up, embrace change - By several measures, U.S. stampers and die-makers are less efficient than their top global competition, a Toyota engineering official said Tuesday.
  • Toyota Factory in Kyushu Hit by Bomb Explosion  - A Toyota Motor Corp. factory in Kitakyushu City, Japan was hit by a bomb explosion yesterday morning that caused little damage, police said in a statement.
  • Used-Vehicle Pricing in Volatile Wholesale Market - In today’s volatile wholesale market, dealers need more information and tools for assessing used-vehicle values to sustain and drive profitability. Increasing gas prices are driving many customers away from new-car purchases and structurally changing the vehicle pricing mix. The result is a more complex trade-in environment. 
  • GM Says Batteries for Volt Might Not Be U.S. Produced - In Capital to Lobby For Loans, Wagoner Says 2010 Is Goal to Get Car to Market
  • American Honda unveils green report card - American Honda Motor Co. Inc., the car maker's Torrance-based U.S. headquarters, has released its fourth annual report on the company's environmental performance in North America. -- The report covers the environmental performance of the company's automobile, powersports, and power equipment products, its 14 major manufacturing plants in North America and the corporate activities of 15 Honda group companies in the region.
  • Car safety systems step up - Protecting drivers and passengers from injury has been a high priority for car makers for the last 40 years or more.
  • Here’s how NHTSA tests vehicle safety - For many car buyers, especially those with families, safety is a major concern when shopping for a vehicle. The main two organizations that perform automotive safety testing are the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 
  • Greensboro Police Warn of Auto Repair Scam - NC: Police say they've recently received two reports about a man who scams female drivers by pretending to make repairs to their cars, then asking for compensation.
  • Catalytic Converters Stolen from Cars at Repair Shop - WI: Mechanics at Rick's Auto Repair have more to repair on the vehicles than the owners expected. Over the weekend, someone stripped the catalytic converters from eight cars in the lot.
  • Car Part Thieves Strike Dealerships - VA: Police are looking for suspects after more than $100,000-worth of car parts are stolen from two Chesterfield County dealerships.
  • Silex flood damage is 'devastating' - MO: Tim Thornhill, owner of T & A Autobody and Towing on Main Street, was able to move most of his shop’s valuables to safety, but lost some equipment and paperwork.
  • U.S. Looks to Former Allstate CEO Liddy to Run AIG - The U.S. government is betting former Allstate chief Edward M. Liddy is the safest pair of hands to oversee the dismantling of American International Group Inc. and prevent further unraveling of the world's stressed financial system.
  • AIG Crisis Restarts Debate Over State vs. Federal Insurance Regulation - The crisis surrounding giant insurer American International Group has reignited the debate within insurance circles over whether state or federal regulation is preferable.
  • Insurers that stand to gain from AIG's pain - The Travelers Companies Inc. and ACE Ltd. are among the names that could benefit most from AIG’s credit woes as they are its biggest competitors in the large industrial risk, excess and surplus, and directors and officers liability markets. XL Capital Ltd. is also in the group of competitors that should be able to gain market share across many of AIG’s product lines, but others could also feel some pain, Goldman Sachs analyst Thomas Cholnoky told clients.
  • Innovative Claims Payment System Earns Progressive a Spot on the InformationWeek 500 - An automated system that makes it faster and easier for repair shops to receive payments from Progressive earned the car insurance company a spot on the InformationWeek 500 for the ninth year in a row. The InformationWeek 500, published by InformationWeek magazine, is a list of the nation's top 500 largest and most innovative users of information technology.
  • Allstate Named One of Nation's Top Innovative Users of Technology - InformationWeek 500 annual ranking recognizes Allstate's Next Generation Claim Systems and Consumer 2.0 technologies

September 17, 2008

  • Allstate clips clipping from its estimates - Allstate has become the second major insurance company in a month to say that it will no longer include full-body sectioning in its estimates.
  • Census Report Shows Median Salary of $33,300 for Auto Glass Techs - glassBYTEs™: A recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau shows a median salary of $33,300 for automotive glass installers and repairers. The report, which was released in August 2008 and is titled the "Income, Earnings, and Poverty Data from the 2007 American Community Survey," shows a margin of error of +/-$4,512.
  • New I-CAR Online Training program meets EPA training requirement - Collision repair facilities can fulfill EPA requirements by taking the Hazardous Airborne Pollutant Reduction (HAP01) I-CAR online training program. EPA standards require that all existing collision repair facilities receive training on hazardous air pollutant reduction. Facilities have up to three years to meet the new rule and the EPA requires that training be completed every five years. New facilities must meet the requirements within 180 days of opening.
  • Love of cars, helping children drives owner of auto repair shop - FL: Aldo Ibarra has a passion for cars and a love for the Datsun Z series. -- Four months ago the Buckingham resident opened All About Cars at 5649 Second St. W. in the industrial park off Leonard Boulevard. He rolled out the independent business after running a similar shop for eight years with a partner in south Fort Myers.
  • NASCAR Angels to Film Reality TV Show in Kansas City With Overland Park CARSTAR & Local Family - Katy Fuller of Kansas City, a teenager who suffers from Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a form of autism, inspired "NASCAR Angels" to cruise into Kansas City to film an episode for their reality TV show to help a deserving family in need of a transportation fix.
  • DARNELL: Special Vegas Paint Scheme by Promo Winner TruckSeries.com Report  - Erik Darnell’s No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford F-150 will look quite a bit different when it takes to the track for this weekend’s Craftsman Truck Series race in Las Vegas. Darnell’s trademark black and yellow paint scheme will be replaced with one designed by the winner of Northern Tool’s “Paint My Ride” promotion. This will be only the second time during Northern Tool’s two years in the series that the No. 99 will sport a different paint scheme.
  • Kongsberg Automotive ASA wins EUR6m order for seat massage systems from luxury and sports cars manufacturer - Norwegian automotive system solutions provider Kongsberg Automotive ASA  said on Tuesday (16 September) that its Interior business has secured a EUR6m contract for seat massage systems.  The contract, awarded by a leading luxury and sports cars manufacturer, covers systems based on Kongsberg Automotive's patented Body Fit technology.
  • Hella Reports Sales of $5.7 Billion With Increased Profits - Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., a tier-one supplier of automotive lighting and electronic components, reported a seven percent increase in sales to $5.7 billion during the company’s 2007-08 fiscal year.
  • Rubber hits the road at Henniges - Canada: Henniges Automotive is shedding more than 200 jobs before the end of November and remaining unionized employees will face a three-week shutdown at Christmas time. -- "It’s just disgusting how bad it is getting – we’re turning into a Third World country before our eyes," Joe Buote, president of United Steelworkers of America Local 455, said yesterday.
  • BASF will buy Ciba for $5.35 billion - Ciba employs 13,000 people worldwide, including about 220 workers at a plant in Newport, which makes pigments for paint used in the automotive and housing markets. -- The company began operating in Newport in 1984, when it bought the plant from DuPont Co.
  • 2008 SEMA Auto Show Preview: Mercedes To Debut Four GLK Showcars - Mercedes offers a preview of its plan for the 2008 SEMA Auto Show today, releasing renderings of four customized GLK-Class showcars designed by four different aftermarket tuners, including RennTech and Brabus.
  • GM's future still full of promise - Bob Lutz, a boisterous 76 years old and the glibbest of Detroit's corporate high priests, was extemporizing recently on 100 years of General Motors Corp. history and, in his blunt-spoken way, hit the nail smack on the head.
  • GM Gambles All on Chevy Volt - General Motors has unveiled the car it is depending on to save it from a growing crisis in the automotive industry.  At its 100th anniversary celebration this morning, GM took the covers off of the production Chevy Volt for the first time.
  • smart USA Announces the Opening of Three New smart Retail Centers - smart centers are Now Open in Las Vegas, Nevada, Cincinnati, Ohio and Birmingham, Alabama -- By the end of 2008, smart USA is expected to have a total of 74 smart centers in 35 states.
  • MercedesBenz To Introduce First Hybrid - The AIADA newsletter reported that in June 2009 the Mercedes-Benz will launch in Europe a 30-mpg hybrid version of its luxury S-Class sedan. Engineers say it will get 29.8 miles per gallon.
  • Co-Operation With Detroit International Auto Salon Highlighted at the Wuhan International Auto Show Ceremonies - Amidst 2008 model cars from Mercedes, Maybach, GM and other American, European, Japanese, and domestic Chinese automotive OEMs, the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Wuhan International Auto Show highlighted the executive participation by the Detroit International Auto Salon (DIAS) representing opportunities within Wayne County, Michigan, USA.
  • MyRide.com Announces Top 10 Smart Deals for September - Model Year-End Clearance and Employee Pricing Add Up to Big Savings
  • Catalytic converters stolen from 11 vehicles in Stuart - FL: Thieves stole catalytic converters from 11 different vehicles parked at a Stuart auto repair business during the weekend, according to a report released by the Martin County Sheriff's Office.
  • Crimora body shop gutted by fire - VA: The fire that swept through an auto body shop here about noon Tuesday destroyed the shop and its inventory. American Way Auto Collision Repair Center wasn’t insured, said its owner, William Burrow.
  • Repair shop fire caused about $100,000 damage - WA: A fire inside an auto repair shop on the 5500 block of Guide Meridian on Sunday, Sept. 14, was started accidently, said Bill Hewett, fire inspector for the Whatcom County Fire Marshal's Office. -- A person who was working on a car inside the shop created a spark when connecting a battery to a fuel pump. The spark ignited gasoline fumes, which started the fire around noon, Hewett said.
  • Antioch suit seeks to stop body shop - Mystic Cove residents object
  • Contentious State Farm case settled - Almost two years after Thomas and Pamela McIntosh sued State Farm, charging that the company altered a damage report to intentionally underpay their Katrina claim, the lawsuit has been settled confidentially.
  • Volume of claims rivals 1913 flood, insurers say - State Farm had received 17,100 homeowners' claims statewide by 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, and another 1,000 auto claims. Ohio's largest home and auto insurer brought in employees from other states to take phone calls and inspect damage.
  • Auto Insurers Fail to Catch Most New Shoppers: J.D. Power - The study finds that 36 percent of auto insurance customers have actively shopped for a new insurer in the past year but these shoppers ignored key insurance brands when they shopped.
  • AIG Employees on Edge as Once-Safe Company in Turmoil - Disbelief and anxiety were written on the faces of staff at American International Group Inc. as they grappled with the idea that their company, which was once the largest insurer in the world and one of the safest places to work, was struggling for its survival.
  • AIG's Troubles May Benefit Rivals - American International Group's financial misery could mean more customers and recruitment opportunities for competitors such as Travelers and The Hartford, but their stock prices fell, too, in Monday's market bloodbath.
  • New service to better protect used car buyers - ICBC has launched a free online service to allow customers to look up a vehicle’s status, helping them to make informed buying decisions when purchasing used vehicles. All vehicles in North America are assigned a status to describe the general state of the vehicle and whether it qualifies to be on the road.

September 16, 2008

  • When Left to the Buyer: by Dennis Liphardt - Strange title huh? Not a complete sentence. Not even a complete thought. Yet if we add the words "THE PRICE WILL ALWAYS BE CHEAP" it makes perfect sense. That my friends is what we will be talking about this morning, pricing and who should control it. -  Contact Dennis Liphardt at denlip@mac.com to subscribe to LIP SERVICE LLC - Communication & Consulting - A Florida Limited Liability Company
  • Nevada Collision Industry Association October Meetings - The next meeting of the NCIA will be the MOST IMPORTANT MEETING you will attend in the next two years. We will unveil our legislative agenda for the 2009 session of the State Legislature. You do not want to miss this meeting.
  • GEICO opens Auto Repair Xpress in Sacramento - GEICO has opened its newest Auto Repair Xpress (ARX) facility in the Sacramento area at Shanahan's Auto Body, 6211 Power Inn Rd. to help serve local customers with collision repairs.
  • This Week's Featured AASPI News Story - Pam Pierson along with her husband Mark Pierson (AASPI Secretary), owners of Princeton Auto Body, through persistent action was able to get State Farm to state in writing their change in policy on "clipping." Are hats go off to the Piersons for this work on behalf of the entire Illinois collision industry. Their work eliminates at least one insurer's (it has been reported that Allstate will follow suit) practice of writing for clips and thus further protect the consumer from improperly repaired cars. (story on left side of page)
  • Look For The CAPA Seal - If The Part Doesn't Have A CAPA Seal, Then It's Not CAPA Certified - For the protection of the public, collision repairer shops, and insurance companies, the Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) requires that each and every certified part be identified by a tamper-proof seal.
  • Volvo Adds PPG to Preferred Suppliers List - PPG Automotive Refinish has been named one of the Volvo Car Corporation’s preferred suppliers for its worldwide network of dealerships and independent collision centers.
  • Who's Belletech? - glassBYTEs™: The company, which is based in Bellefontaine, Ohio, has been around for 19 years and is a joint venture among AGC Flat Glass North America Inc. (40 percent ownership), Pittsburgh Glass Works (formerly PPG Auto Glass) (40 percent ownership), and AGC-Takahashi Co. Ltd. (20 percent ownership).
  • City puts a dent in auto-body shop's plan - Dan Wheeler and his father, John, have talked for a long time about putting an LED sign atop their Kammerer Auto Body and Paint shop at Waterman and Washington downtown.
  • Brake Check on road to Las Vegas - Brake Check is in negotiations to purchase seven stores from an existing automotive service chain in Las Vegas, said David Peveto, 39, co-president and chief executive officer. Peveto declined to identify the company he is talking to; however, he said the proposal presumes acquisition of the properties by Nov. 1.
  • Universal Technical Institute Selects SuccessFactors’ Mid-Market Solution for Its 2,100 Employees - Goal Communication and Performance Management Tools Help National Technical Training Company Motivate Its Workforce
  • Solaroad’s future products cover your car, home and road - Another product in the works is the StarCar.  This car will have body panels that contain tiny lithium-ion cells that will be wired together to provide more energy for the car.  These body panels will be made out of carbonfiber and will actually be layered. 
  • Key Challenges and Issues Facing the World Gaskets & Seals Market - Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report related to the Industrial equipment industry is available in its catalogue.
  • Ripplewood eyes assets, sees consolidation - Ripplewood Holdings would consider acquiring auto parts suppliers with a global reach or ones that are based overseas, Thomas Stallkamp, a partner at the private equity firm, said on Monday.
  • Big Three CEOs to lobby Congress on auto loans - The CEOs of General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC will be on Capitol Hill Wednesday, urging members of Congress to support $25 billion in government-issued low-interest loans for the auto industry.
  • GM Says China Auto Sales Will Grow Up to 15% Annually - General Motors Corp., the biggest overseas carmaker in China, forecast its sales in the country will grow up to 15 percent a year as economic growth spurs demand for new cars.
  • UK firm to help Indian car makers with design - Stadco Automotive India, a subsidiary of the UK-based auto component manufacturer Stadco, will help Indian vehicle manufacturers in designing their products, a top company official said here Monday. -- Stadco UK designs, develops and supplies automotive body structures to vehicle manufacturers such as Ford, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Austin, General Motors and Toyota.
  • Some Relief for Used Luxury Car Values? - Some luxury cars have been getting hurt by the drop in used-car values, but that could start to improve, according to ADESA Inc. auction data.
  • Mercedes-Benz USA Employees Take Action Against Hunger - Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) employees are filling three new SUV models with nonperishable food items for those in need. The food drive, which benefits Action Against Hunger, a community service program administered locally by North Jersey Media Group, is underway today at the company's Fall Fest employee picnic held at the Platzl Brauhaus in Pomona, New York.
  • Kent couple plead guilty to selling trade secrets to China - A Kent County couple likely is headed to federal prison after they pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to steal trade secrets from auto parts supplier Metaldyne Corp. and sell the knowledge to Chinese competitors.
  • Customers Using IVANS to Help Reduce Number of Uninsured Motorists and Insurance Fraud - New Online Verification Web Service Supports State Mandates for Real-Time Vehicle Coverage Verification
  • Daily List Of Companies Reporting Fannie/Freddie Exposure - Company: Erie Indemnity Co. Fannie/Freddie exposure: n/a -- Date of disclosure: Sept. 10 --  Notes: Erie said its Fannie and Freddie holdings declined by about $9.5 million. Erie Insurance estimates about $68 million in other-than-temporary impairments, and Erie Family Life Insurance Co. estimates $5 million in other-than-temporary impairments. The company said Fannie and Freddie's dividend suspensions will cost $6.2 million annually in lost investment income.
  • Allstate Insurance closing results in 173 jobs lost - FL: The late August closing of an Allstate Insurance Co. claims center in St. Petersburg resulted in 173 lost jobs, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice published by the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation.
  • AIG planning big spinoff - Nation's largest insurer will unveil restructuring effort on Monday as company races to raise cash and avoid credit downgrades.
  • For Independent Agents, Carriers' Claims Service is Top Performance Measure - Independent insurance agents want their property/casualty insurance carriers to provide quality claims service above all else, according to an exclusive survey of agents' attitudes about the insurers their agencies use.
  • Progressive Offers 'Pay-As-You Drive' Auto Insurance in Maryland - The behavior-based insurance program, called MyRate, gives drivers a customized rate based on how, how much, and when their car is driven. -- It is now available to Maryland drivers who purchase polices directly from Progressive online or by phone. It will be available through independent insurance agents beginning Sept. 26.

September 15, 2008

September 12, 2008

September 11, 2008 - We will always remember.

  • Industry action sought to push passage of national insurance regulatory program - Collision repairers are being asked to contact their elected federal officials to encourage passage of House Resolution 5840, which would establish an Office of Insurance Information within the Treasury Department to address differences in insurance regulatory standards among the various states.
  • ASA Announces Dates, Location for 2009 Annual Convention - Agenda to Include ASA's Celebration of Excellence, AMI Graduation
  • ASA Mechanical Division Operations Committee Meets with Delphi, Tours Facility - The agenda included an initial meeting with Chip Johnson, eastern regional manager for Service, Education, Training, Tools & Equipment, Delphi Product & Service Solutions, followed by meetings with Ben Johnson, director, Global Product Development; Steve Majkowski, global chief engineer, Service & Education; Dave Ehle, chief engineer, Vehicle Electronics; Bill Wrubel, manager, Aftermarket Service & Support; and Doug Vidler, senior manager, North American Service & Training Operations.
  • Audatex Reference Manual Adds New CIC "Best Practices" - Audatex North America, Inc., a Solera company and the leading global claims solutions provider serving the automotive industry, announced today it has updated its Database Reference Manual for 2008-2009. The manual now includes the "Best Practices Guidelines" of the Collision Industry Conference (CIC). The CIC brings together leaders from the auto collision industry, insurance providers, paint suppliers and other major automotive vendors.
  • Sterling Autobody Centers joins NABC - Sterling Autobody Centers, a national chain of consumer-oriented collision repair facilities, has become the National Auto Body Council’s (NABC) newest corporate member.
  • Creditor Sues Levine for Allegedly Delaying Diamond's Chapter 11 Filing - glassBYTEs™: Plainfield Special Situations Master Fund Ltd., a creditor of Diamond Glass, has filed a complaint against Ken Levine, former chief executive officer of Diamond Glass and the company's largest shareholder, for allegedly delaying the company's bankruptcy filing in an effort to preserve $10 million he invested in the company.
  • Ben's Auto Body is honoree of Commerce and Industry Dinner - MO: Because of their positive presence in the Mexico area for more than twenty-five years, Ben’s Auto Body has been selected as the honoree for the 24th Annual Commerce and Industry Dinner. Sponsored by the Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce and the city of Mexico to recognize a local business or industry for outstanding contributions to the economic growth of Mexico and for dedicated community service, the dinner will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at the Knights of Columbus Hall.
  • Mount Vernon council approves plat for Hwy. 30 business - IA: Council members voted 4-1 to approve the final plat of what’s known as LRD 2nd Addition, a parcel recently rezoned from business park to general commercial south of Hwy. 30 where Bob Mickey Collision Center owner Jim Thompson is planning to build a new facility.
  • 1000th Student Graduates DuPont's Pointe Claire Facility - AJAX, ON: Claude Michaud from Garage Michaud et Lejeune, an auto refinishing company based in Québec City, became the 1000th graduate from DuPont’s new refinish training facility located in the Montreal suburb of Pointe Claire.
  • Twenty years of grease - Big Bear Auto Repair celebrates its 20th year in Big Bear Valley—and owner Dave Wheeler has seen just about everything in those 20 years.
  • Marco collision repair shop among first in area to opt for water-based, solvent-free paint - Nobody would deny that “going green” has great lip-service and bandwagon potential, but in the case of Ernie Bordon the proof is in the pudding. --  More accurately, it’s in the paint.
  • Paint Maker Ups Sales Of Green Products - "Sustainability is a precondition for economic success nowadays. Companies that are able to contribute to economic growth at a lower input of raw materials and energy are the winners of the future," said Akzo Nobel's Director of Sustainability Andre Veneman. --  The company is also offering car paint that cures in six minutes under ultraviolet light instead of an hour.
  • DuPont presents waterborne best practices session at NACE - As part of its participation in the annual collision trade show NACE, DuPont Performance Coatings will present an education session on best practices for waterborne conversions. Attendees will learn best practices from a body shop owner/manager who has been through the conversion process and industry experts that have been intimately involved in body shop conversions throughout the U.S.
  • Largest Automotive Retailer in United States Names DuPont as “Supplier of the Year” - DuPont has received the “2007 Supplier of the Year” award from AutoNation, the largest automotive retailer in the United States. DuPont, which received the same honor from AutoNation in 2003, is the only supplier ever to be recognized twice by AutoNation.
  • Honda supplier plans plant - IN: Belletech becomes the third supplier to announce plans to make parts for the 2,000-employee Honda Greensburg assembly line, set to open by late November. -- Interior parts maker TS Tech is putting a 300-employee plant in New Castle, and metal parts maker Tomasco plans to hire 140 workers for its 300-employee Winchester operation.
  • Aftermarket auto parts firms eye huge market - New laws in China will enable thousands of automotive aftermarket companies to sell products there legally, according to the Diamond Bar-based Specialty Equipment Market Association.
  • Chrysler says parties interested in buying Viper - Chrysler LLC has drawn interest from international and North American parties for the possible sale of its high-performance Dodge Viper sports car line, Vice Chairman and President Jim Press told reporters on Wednesday.
  • And now for something completely different... More 2010 Ford Mustang Teaser Photos Hit The Web - We're still a few months away from the 2008 Los Angeles auto show, but Ford continues to reveal bits and pieces of its revamped 2010 Mustang before an L.A. show debut.
  • Manufacturers Call On Congress To Approve Loans To Auto Cos - The National Association of Manufacturers Wednesday urged the U.S. Congress to approve a federal loan program that would provide up to $50 billion to the bruised automotive industry.
  • Chrysler ties loans to tech race - Chrysler LLC President Jim Press defended a controversial plan to provide low-cost, federal loans to automakers, saying U.S. manufacturers needed the money to help them pursue technological advances and ensure that the United States did not end up exchanging its dependence on foreign oil for a reliance on imported batteries.
  • Auto Workers protest Chrysler van plant closure - About 600 union Auto Workers rallied Wednesday afternoon outside Chrysler LLC’s minivan plant with the hope of stopping the indefinite idling of operations scheduled for Oct. 31.
  • China to have 95% of all vehicles recyclable by 2017 - Recently the promotional conference for China's automotive parts remanufacturing industry was held in Dongfeng Motor Corp's Xiangfan base, said xinhuanet.com today. This event marked the official launch of the nation's green program of auto-parts recycling and remanufacturing.
  • Ford: Trim 4,200 more workers - Dearborn automaker hopes latest round of buyouts will reduce surplus of hourly employees.
  • ADESA sells property to raise capital - First Industrial Realty Trust bought an $82 million real estate portfolio from ADESA Inc., including the auction company’s 80-acre vehicle auction facility in Bradenton.
  • New crash tests raise safety questions - New roof crash tests released by three auto safety and consumer groups are raising questions about the safety of many of the vehicles we drive. These groups are urging the feds to adopt tougher standards and testing. (video also available)
  • MEMS controllers prevent car wrecks - High aspect ratio microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) could harness the physics of inertial mass to enhance the sensitivity, signal-to-noise ratio and mechanical dampening of accelerometers for automobile airbags.
  • Auto-Shop Workers See, Smell Acid - COLUMBUS, Ohio – Columbus Fire hazmat crews were called out to a West Side auto shop after employees saw and smelled something odd in a vehicle, NBC 4 reported. -- A black SUV was towed into Rieser Auto Body, Inc. at 20 N. Sylvan Ave Wednesday afternoon.
  • Use Your Cell Phone To Record Consumer Disputes - Greensboro, NC: Ever had a dispute with a company whose services you weren't happy? -- He took his Chrysler Sedan to Maaco and asked them to paint it exactly like his Lincoln SUV. But, something went wrong.
  • Lawsuit accuses Advance Auto Parts of racial discrimination - PA: Advance Auto Parts discriminated against a black employee from Bethlehem by disciplining him after he complained about racial discrimination and when a supervisor made insensitive remarks to him, according to a lawsuit filed today by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
  • New database has info on auto deaths, injuries - The government unveiled a new public database Wednesday that will enable consumers to look up the number of alleged deaths, injuries and cases of property damage involving passenger vehicles.
  • Florida fines insurer, orders rebates - Florida insurance regulators have fined State Farm $1 million and ordered the company to pay back customers an estimated $120 million in discounts due for making their homes stronger against hurricanes.
  • State Auto Adds Real Time Rating for Agents in Ohio, Kentucky - State Auto is partnering with SilverPlume to offer their Web-based comparative rating tool, PL Rating, to agents in Ohio and Kentucky. PL Rating generates accurate auto and homeowners quotes from multiple carriers through single-entry transactions.

September 10, 2008

September 9, 2008

  • Ford Focus Outperforms Competition in Repair Cost Affordability - Ford Motor Company's hot-selling and fuel-efficient Ford Focus is significantly less expensive to repair than 19 other small cars, including the Toyota Prius, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reported last week.
  • glassBYTEs.com™/AGRR Magazine Launches Free DOT Look-Up Service - glassBYTEs.com™/AGRR magazine has launched a search engine for DOT numbers for automotive glass manufacturers. Located at www.glassbytes.com/dot/index.php, the site allows users to search by DOT number for manufacturer, or vice versa.
  • Mitchell 1 Management System User Forum Receives 20,000 Postings - Mitchell 1 announces the user forum for its OnDemand5 Manager/ManagerPlus online community has received 20,000 postings from registered users. The Mitchell 1 ManagementForum allows participants to gather and exchange ideas, ask shop management questions and increase the effective usage of Manager/ManagerPlus in their shop environment.
  • Mitchell International Partners with WURTH USA to Provide Enhanced Parts Databases to Collision Repair Facilities - Mitchell International, Inc., a leading provider of information, workflow, and performance management solutions to the property and casualty claims and collision repair industries, and WURTH USA, today announced a data partnership that has created one of the industry’s most comprehensive parts and labor databases.
  • Passing On Auto Body Repair Can Be Dangerous - SAN DIEGO -- At a time when people are looking to save a little money, some may be putting their lives at risk by passing on needed car repairs. -- Sean Darcy is in the auto body repair business. He says hidden damage to a car may pose a threat to unsuspecting drivers.
  • ABRA Auto Body & Glass Adds Colorado Springs Repair Center - ABRA Auto Body & Glass, a Minneapolis-based damaged vehicle repair company, announced today the opening of their second repair center in Colorado Springs. This newly constructed facility, located at 5750 East Woodmen Road, brings the total number of ABRA repair centers to ninety-three in eleven states.
  • What is the new trend in “Auto Repairs Phoenix” ”Car Paint Repair Phoenix” and “Body Shop Phoenix”? - Technology Distinguishes Collision on Wheels in Phoenix, Arizona, from other Auto Body, Dent Repair and Scratch Repair Businesses
  • Paris man repairs, restores antique cars - KY: Today's cars are so complicated that changing spark plugs almost requires six engineers, two MIT computer-science professors and maybe fourNAS CAR pit crewmen.
  • Hybrid-electric cars subject of night school class - With hybrid-electric vehicles becoming commonplace on Canadian roads, more and more auto technicians and drivers are curious about what goes on under the hood of these gas-saving cars and trucks. -- To that end, Centennial College, in collaboration with the Canadian Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) Council, is offering a new training course on hybrid vehicle technology - the first of its kind in Canada.
  • 3M to Acquire Meguiar's Inc. - 3M announced today it has entered into an agreement to acquire Meguiar's Inc., the 100-year-old family business that manufactures the leading Meguiar's brand of car care products for cleaning and protecting automotive surfaces. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
  • Pep Boys Q2 profit rises - Pep Boys-Manny, Moe & Jack, a provider of vehicle repair and service, posted higher second-quarter profit and said lower interest expenses, gain from asset sale and better margins were offset by lower sales.
  • BASF Coatings site in Russia certified - Only international paint manufacturer with its own production facility in Russia meets automotive industry’s high standards and expectations
  • Chrysler invests $1.8B into expansion and greening of Jefferson plant - Chrysler LLC will invest $1.8 billion to upgrade and expand its Jefferson North Assembly Plant on East Jefferson at Conner. The company plans to increase production at the facility beginning in 2010.
  • Auto giants face tough road to $50 billion in aid - Distressed U.S. auto giants have accelerated their drive for $50 billion in low interest government-backed loans, with time running out to consider legislation and other priorities stacking up.
  • Still no contract at Mitsubishi plant in Illinois - NORMAL, Ill. - Employees at the Mitsubishi Motors plant in Normal were due at work after they rejected the automaker's latest labor contract.
  • $4,000 towing bills are gone for now - Towing companies that preyed on motorists at accident scenes in Chicago, sometimes charging more than $4,000 per tow, appear to have changed their ways since a new state law went into effect July 1.
  • National Auto Defect Law Firm Bisnar Chase Joins Lawsuit Against Toyota in Fatal Tundra Rollover Case - The national automobile defect law firm Bisnar Chase is representing Simon Flores Gonzalez and his five children in their lawsuit against Toyota Motor Company for the wrongful death of Lucia Mercado Gonzalez, deceased wife of Simon and mother of the children. The Gonzales' are suing Toyota Motor Company, the manufacturer of the Toyota Tundra. An employee of Best Infrared Services, Terence Chavez, is also named in the suit. The case was filed in the Superior Court of California, San Bernardino County, Case #CIVRS806144.
  • Bear River Mutual Selects Guidewire Claims System - Claims handling system helps regional insurer streamline claims operations and enhance customer service. -- Additionally, ClaimCenter will enable Bear River to gain operational efficiencies through automation and elimination of clerical redundancy; reduce loss and loss adjustment expense leakage; eliminate the need to log-in to multiple systems to undertake claim handling activities; readily dispatch auto body shops/car rental agencies from within ClaimCenter; and improve performance management and analytical capabilities.

September 8, 2008

  • Connecticut Collision Repair Association Donates School Supplies - The Connecticut Collision Repair Specialists (CCRS) has recently donated hundreds of school supplies to local Staples Office Supply Stores during the month of August. -- Connecticut Collision Repair association is an affiliate association of SCRS – Society of Collision Repair Specialists.
  • I-CAR Looks at Changes: by John Yoswick - AutobodyOnline: After a tumultuous year of staff and organizational changes, I-CAR set aside plenty of time at its annual meeting this summer to get feedback from its customers, volunteers and instructors. -- John Yoswick, a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has been writing about the automotive industry since 1988, is also the editor of the weekly CRASH Network (www.CrashNetwork.com). He can be contacted by email at jyoswick@SpiritOne.com.
  • NAGS Fall Calculator to Take Effect on Monday; Shows 2.13 Percent Weighted Average Increase for Top 100 Most Popular Parts - glassBYTEs™: The National Auto Glass Specifications (NAGS) Fall 2008 Calculator has been distributed and is scheduled to take effect this Monday, September 8.
  • Sharpe NACE Event with Justin Barnes of JB Grafix - Here's your chance to hear Justin Barnes of JB Grafix discuss his illustrative career and painting techniques used on the Razor custom bike!
  • I-CAR Education Foundation now accepting applications for the 2008 instructor of the year award - The I-CAR Education Foundation is now accepting applications for the Education Foundation's Instructor of the Year award. The winner of the award will receive an expense-paid trip to NACE 2008 where the instructor will be recognized for their achievement.
  • Finding a good auto body shop - In evaluating 216 auto body shops in the Bay Area and Santa Cruz County, and collecting more than 5,000 ratings from surveyed consumers, Checkbook magazine and Consumers Checkbook found many shops that were rated "superior" for the overall quality of their work by at least 95 percent of their surveyed customers. Consumer satisfaction is substantially higher with body shops than with shops that perform mechanical repairs.
  • Collision Revision Hires New CFO - Dora Holdings, a Joliet based management company, has hired Mr. Larry Stuenkel as Chief Financial Officer.
  • Md. father and son restore calendar-worthy Camaro - According to Darryl Ramsburg, a PPG Platinum distributor and owner of McHenry Paints in Frederick, Md., 6,000 people submitted photographs for the calendar.
  • Xtreme Precision offers auto experience in all models - Mooresville, IN : If you own a vehicle model that isn’t in the mainstream, or you have a classic car or truck, it’s often hard to find mechanics and body specialists to do your repairs and remodels. And even if you drive an average, commonly-purchased vehicle brand, it can be tricky to find someone you trust.
  • BCC Collision Students Visit Extreme Motor Sports Inc. - The Butler Collision Repair students took a field trip to Extreme Motor Sports Inc. in El Dorado, KS to see first hand what the collision industry consists of. This allows the students to see how the industry operates, what to expect when they enter the “world of work” and makes connections between students and potential employers.
  • Auto dealer says he's willing to move body shop - MARLBOROUGH, MA: A local car dealership owner is willing to move his paint and body shop to a new location on Rte. 20 if the city allows it, his attorney said yesterday. -- Marlborough Nissan owner Jeffrey Batta will withdraw his request for a new car overlay district and submit a modified one during tonight's City Council meeting, said attorney Arthur Bergeron.
  • Mathews Ford to expand service center - OH: Licking Countians may be driving less because of gas prices, but they seem to be getting into just as many wrecks. -- At least that’s what they’re seeing at the Mathews Ford collision center, which is expanding the facility built in 2001.
  • GRC-Pirk Promotes Sue Pallesen to Vice President of Operations - Pallesen Promoted to Overall Responsibilities for Customer Service and Marketing
  • Las Vegas Gears Up for the SEMA Show - The city of Las Vegas has teamed up with SEMA to create various programs and incentives to ensure that exhibitors and buyers at the upcoming SEMA Show, held November 4-7, 2008, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, in Las Vegas, Nevada, attain maximum profitability from the event and the entire Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week.
  • Paint plant expands in Pontiac - AkzoNobel, which manufacturers and distributes coatings for car refinishes in more than 60 countries, has been expanding its operations in Pontiac. -- The plant primarily supplies car refinishes to body shops, such as Collex, and to large commercial customers as well. It also serves as the primary manufacturing facility for AkzoNobel Car Refinishes Americas.
  • Sherwin-Williams paint plant primed for expansion - Company will double the size of its Rockford distribution center to 66,000 feet.
  • Minority-owned suppliers suffer - As hundreds of employees who work at four plants owned and operated by Lapeer Metal Stamping await their closure, the financial difficulties facing Lapeer illustrate that even the most successful minority-owned automotive suppliers are struggling in today's difficult automotive industry.
  • Car parts plant on the road - UK: Japanese automotive venture Takao yesterday unveiled a £15.5m production facility in Ebbw Vale. -- Takao Wales Division, which supplies vehicle body parts to Honda and Toyota, has already created more than 120 jobs as a result of the investment at the press/stamping facility.
  • Introducing cars to U.S. can be tough move - It seems like an easy solution: Americans are looking for more fuel-efficient vehicles, so Ford Motor Co. is bringing over some of the small, gas-sipping cars it's been selling to Europeans for years.
  • Detroit's Blackmail Attempt Is Beyond Shameless - Wall Stree Journal: It was only a matter of time, unfortunately. And now that Michigan is an election-year swing state and Detroit's auto makers are posting sales declines topping 20% each month, the time has arrived. The issue of a government bailout for General Motors, Ford and Chrysler is moving to center stage.
  • Auto industry accounts for large part job losses - Auto industry loses 39,000 jobs in August as overall unemployment rises
  • NADA Used Car Guide Adds 'Rough' and 'Average' Trade-In Values - Enhanced Information Helps Businesses Assess Used-Vehicle Pricing in Volatile Wholesale Market
  • How safe are your tires? - Father pushes for reform after his son died in a rollover crash.
  • Small Car Bumpers Fail to Prevent Expensive Damage - Prius, Elantra, Rabbit cost most to repair
  • Chinese Valve Stem Warning Could Affect Everyone Who's Had Tires Replaced Since 2006 - Consumer Reports warns of a potential problem with as many as 30 million rubber replacement valve stems manufactured in China for NC-based Dill Air Control Products and sold after mid-2006. While a federal recall hasn't yet been issued, NHTSA has opened an investigation after a Florida man died following a blowout and flip allegedly caused by one of the defective valve stems. Yes, it was a Ford Explorer. So, how do you know if you have one of the millions of potentially deadly valve stems on your car?
  • Florida Proposes to Adopt California Vehicle Emissions Standards Super Warranty Excluded - ASA: Florida's Environmental Regulation Commission held another briefing Aug. 28, 2008, to discuss Florida's proposal of adopting California's motor vehicle emissions standards, including the fleet-wide average greenhouse gas (GHG) standards.
  • East Valley regional roundup - MESA, AZ: A Gilbert man is suspected of embezzling $12,000 from two Mesa auto-body businesses where he worked for three weeks. Raul Urias admitted taking money, but far less, police said
  • Opinions remain divided over insurance act - WA: It was hailed by plaintiff lawyers as a way to right wrongs and jeered by insurance companies and their lawyers as something that encourages long-shot lawsuits -- and ultimately will increase insurance rates for everyone.

September 5, 2008

  • Scam artist beats feet when alert office manager gets suspicious - PORTLAND, Ore. - It started with a phone call to Nu-Way Body and Fender Works in northeast Portland. -- Office Manager Sally DeVinney said the person on the phone told her that credit card companies are switching to something called the Smart Card, a card with a computer chip embedded in it, and that her credit card terminal needed to be upgraded to read it.
  • View Fake Oregon Article - Pertaining to article above
  • "How to Take Control of Your Business Free of Third Party Interference" - ASC of Kentucky: Don't miss this Special Event on October 10th & 11th (8am-5pm both days)! -- Holiday Inn Cincinnati Airport Hotel in Erlanger, Kentucky -- Sponsored by Coalition for Collision Repair Excellence and hosted by the Automotive Services Council of Kentucky and USACP
  • ASC Kentuckiana Meeting Sept. 16th - Time: 6:30PM -- Kosair Shrine Temple - 812 S. 2nd St. - Louisville, KY 40203- Sponsored by Bachman Chevrolet, Parts Department, Tom Finley
  • CCC Information Services Inc. Enabling Estimating Guideline Transparency - Working to provide solutions that improve automotive claims and collision repair communication, CCC Information Services Inc. now offers the ability to electronically access custom estimating guidelines established and maintained by insurers.
  • ABRA contributes $2,500 to I-CAR Education Foundation - ABRA Auto Body & Glass recently contributed $2,500 to support the I-CAR Education Foundation’s Industry Partners Annual Fund to support activities that promote and enhance career opportunities in the industry.
  • Diamond Motions for Approval of Solicitation Package; Deadline for Objections of Plan - glassBYTEs™: Diamond Glass, now known as DG Liquidation Corp. in its bankruptcy proceedings, has filed a motion for approval of its solicitation packages and approval of the notice of its confirmation hearing.
  • Next Crew Webcast: Crew is "Going Green" - CREW is pleased to present their "Going Green" edition. Join us for an informative panel of experts who will be talking about environmentally friendly industry products.-- Date: 9/18/2008 -- Time:11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT -- The Collision Repair Executive Web cast (CREW) is a topical, high-level collision industry geared web cast with a special guest speaker. The delivery format includes a web-based visual presentation of the content with a simultaneous audio conference call, so participants can find out the latest happenings in the industry from the conveyance of their home or office every other month.
  • US EPA Standards for Refinishing Operations Tightened in January 2008 - Sourced From: i-Car.com, August, 2008
  • Mane Event Horses Receive Clearcoat Finish - TX: Instead of painting cars and trucks, the climate controlled paint booths at Patterson Body Shop, 2121 Jacksboro Hwy., recently were filled with newly painted horses receiving a clearcoat finish.
  • The trend sleuths - The designers at BASF Coatings have ideal working conditions at the new Color Design Studio Europe. But how exactly do they discover and compile new trends? We took a look behind the scenes.
  • Automotix Announces New Lifetime Warranties on Repair Tools - Automotix, the leader in auto parts, announced this week that they are now carrying a full line of auto repair tools, all with a full lifetime warranty. Their new Performance Repair Tools Store is now online and consumers can easily find any tool they need to get the job done.
  • Business Is Booming For A Local Used Auto Parts Yard - WILLIAMSPORT, MD - In a tough economy, many people are turning to used auto parts when getting their vehicles fixed.
  • $30M-Plus Auction Yard Fueling More CRE Plans - HUTCHINS, TX: With the final details now ironed out, the Allen Group Tuesday will break ground on its first build-to-suit in the 6,000-acre Dallas Logistics Hub in the southern sector. The milestone deal with Adesa Inc. for a 200,000-sf auto auction complex is opening doors for additional commercial space to support the multi-modal industrial hub.
  • Car parts maker to open in Chesterfield County - VA: A German automotive supplier will open a $5 million plant and sales and technical service center in Chesterfield County.
  • JPC Capital Partners, Inc. Announces New Name and Trading Symbol - JPC Capital Partners Inc. announced today that the corporate name has been changed to DIAS Holding, Inc. and the company's new trading symbol became effective on August 22, 2008.  -- DIAS Holding, Inc., through its international auto salon subsidiary, is a creative and innovative platform for linking the global auto parts suppliers with the local automotive industry requirements.
  • Saleen says auction is not a fire sale - As Mark Twain might say — if he’d been in the business of building high-performance automobiles — news of Saleen Inc.’s demise appears to be greatly exaggerated.
  • Detroit's Asking for a Loan to Be Repaid, Not a Bailout - In his column, "A Detroit Bailout Is Unwise" (breakingviews.com, Aug. 30), Richard Beales mischaracterizes a federal loan program that is intended as an incentive for U.S. auto makers and auto-parts suppliers to produce more fuel-efficient vehicles.
  • Chrysler circulating plug-in hybrids to dealers - Chrysler LLC has been demonstrating plug-in hybrid prototypes to some dealers that are further developed than those previously shown by the automaker, the company's president said.
  • GM plant manager in Ohio prepares for shutdown - MORAINE, Ohio (AP) — Steve Brock had been manager of General Motors Corp.'s SUV plant for six months when he was told the company planned to close the factory by 2010.
  • GM Races To Boost Small-Car Output;Plans Extra Shift In Ohio - General Motors Corp. (GM), still struggling to meet demand for its most fuel-efficient vehicles, will soon start running weekend shifts at a compact-car factory in Lordstown, Ohio.
  • Preteen girl helps family escape crashed vehicle - IL: Many disparage the value of video games and their effect on today's youths. --  Karen Norris, of Streator, will say no such thing. Not after her quick-witted 11-year-old daughter, Audrey Plique, sprung to the rescue of their family because a popular video game showed a potential danger of a vehicle rollover. -- She just knew, from playing 'Grand Theft Auto.' She saw on there that when a car rolls over, it can blow up. She knew that could happen to us," Norris said.
  • Auto Repair Scam Targets Elderly Victims - BOULDER, Colo. -- Police have released sketches of four men suspected in a series of auto repair scams that have targeted elderly victims.
  • Click here for closer image of suspects in previous story - Boulder police hope someone will recognize the men in these sketches.
  • Innovative Information Analysis Leads to Stolen Car Recoveries - Through formal information exchange agreements with three private companies, the National Insurance Crime Bureau has proactively increased its efforts to detect and identify stolen vehicles.
  • Vandals slash 59 tires in Lorain storage lot - OH: The vandalism was discovered Wednesday morning at DaVinci Collision and affected 20 company-owned vehicles, a company-owned motorcycle and two cars belonging to customers, the report said.
  • Man charged in Toyota auto parts theft - It's unclear if tough times in the auto industry or just plain greed after an employee for a supplier for San Antonio's Toyota Tundra plant stole some auto parts for some quick cash. -- Police are crediting a local recycler with helping them bust a reported metal theft.
  • Learn how to spot wrecks when shopping for a car - Each year thousands of people unwittingly buy vehicles that have been severely damaged in accidents. It's not too difficult for unscrupulous rebuilders to patch such vehicles up quickly and turn a profit by moving them along to unsuspecting buyers. To protect yourself, consider these tips.
  • Hundreds of automobiles casualties of Wednesday's flooding - LA: A canoe might have been a more fitting mode of transportation Wednesday in Alexandria and Pineville after flooding wreaked havoc on an estimated 1,000 or more vehicles in the area.
  • Plymouth Rock Puts Green Back in "Green" Drivers' Pockets - Auto Insurer Rewards Policyholders with Lower Rate for Driving Less

September 4, 2008

  • IGA Marketing Conference to Answer Question "Is Radio Relevant?" - glassBYTEs™:  Attendees of the 2008 Independent Glass Association (IGA) Marketing Conference will be able to attend a much anticipated seminar on the relevance of radio advertising.
  • State Farm clips clipping from estimates - Will still pay if shop and car owner agree on procedure
  • Vehicle owner wins dispute; insurer must pay bodyshop bill plus interest - A two-year-old disagreement between an Alberta resident and his insurance carrier over a collision repair bill has been settled by a provincially-appointed umpire with most points being decided in favor of the customer. Victor Marciano, executive director of the provincial automotive repair association, says the case has important implications for clarifying the rights and responsibilities of customers and bodyshops.
  • Audatex forecasts an increase in total losses - Analysts at Audatex predict that rising costs of raw materials, a decline in wholesale used vehicle prices, and an older insured vehicle population will result in more vehicle being declared total losses during 2008 and 2009.
  • MVP Business Solutions announces fall schedule for collision center ‘green belt’ training - PPG Industries’ MVP Business Solutions team is offering three opportunities this fall for collision center owners and managers to attend its MVP Green Belt Training program. The four-day course teaches the practical application of Lean Six Sigma tailored for collision repair and focuses on helping shop owners and managers design and implement processes that will result in the simultaneous improvement of quality, speed and cost of operations.
  • ALLDATA Collision Answers Industry-Wide Need for OEM Repair Information - ALLDATA(r) Collision(sm), a revolutionary online collision repair information product, is specifically designed to help collision shops increase productivity, improve customer satisfaction and enhance relationships with insurers and customers.
  • Mechanics Hailed as Heroes - Two mechanics at an auto body shop in Brighton are being called heroes for saving people from a burning home. FOX25's Erin Hawksworth reports. (video)
  • So That Nice Citroens Might Live, Hanzel Auto Body Hacks Up This Rusty DS - We took a look at Hanzel Auto Body Works, located in Oakland's historic Auto Row district for 90 years, last winter and saw that Henry Hanzel's shop is definitely the epicenter for all things Citroën in Northern California.
  • Legacy of custom cars lives on with work by Bob Gray - Several Nevada County shops helped with the '46 Ford, and the top was chopped by Van's Classic Auto Body in Grass Valley. Landmark Auto helped with the wiring and Dale Norvel painted it. Thomas Upholstery and Talbott Upholstery also helped.
  • ABRA Marathon Cup Set for Sept. 8, 2008 - Where: Blaine, Minn -- The ABRA Marathon Cup is a fundraiser supporting the sports and recreation programs of Courage Center. Golfers play 100 holes of golf during the event. Prior to the event each golfer is challenged to raise at least $2,500 in pledges.
  • ADCO Products Inc. Signs on as Emerald Sponsor of AGTO - glassBYTEs™: This year's AGTO will be held in Las Vegas November 7-8, 2008, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The event is co-sponsored by the Independent Glass Association and AGRR magazine. -- The first-place winner in the AGTO will receive an increased first prize of $10,000, a gold medal and trophy as well as bragging rights as the "World's Best Auto Glass Technician." Second place will receive $1,000 as well as a silver medal and third will receive $500 and a bronze medal.
  • SEMA Applauds Breakthrough Chinese Laws - SEMA Manufacturers Now Able to Sell 500 SEMA Product Categories to Growing Chinese Market
  • Coming attractions - Hyundai and aftermarket supplier HKS plan to show off a high-performance version of the Genesis Coupe at the 2008 Specialty Equipment Market Association show from Nov. 4-7 in Las Vegas.
  • Warehouse space in demand as goods stay closer to home - A would-be tenant who had turned down a property a year ago came back and made an offer. -- “At the rate we wanted previously last year, they just walked away,” Shekels, a commercial agent with Pennsylvania Commercial Real Estate Inc., said of LKQ Corp., a recycled auto parts distributor expected to take a sizable lease in the former Eckerd warehouse in the RIDC industrial park in O’Hara Township. “They kept looking around for space and came back and paid our number.”
  • BASF, PPG Plan to Restart Plants After Gustav Passes  - BASF SE, PPG Industries Inc. and other chemical producers prepared to restart coastal Louisiana and Texas factories after Hurricane Gustav spared the industry damage like Katrina and Rita caused three years ago.
  • Johnson Controls To Cut Work Force, Consolidate Plants - The moves come as auto-parts suppliers are battling surging commodity prices, hurt by their reliance on steel and plastic to build their parts, and have experienced a massive drop in demand as auto makers slash production.
  • Small-vehicle production ramps up - Ford Motor Co. plans to convert a body shop that will eventually produce smaller vehicles.
  • New Chrysler executive James Press tries to jump-start the troubled auto company - After 37 years at Toyota Motor Corp., during which time he rose to the top job in North America, James E. Press shocked the car world by jumping to Chrysler last year.
  • Ford Reports August Sales; Ford Focus, Escape Remain Standouts in a Challenging Market - Higher demand for the fuel-efficient Ford Focus and Ford Escape continued in August, as consumers continued moving to smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles.
  • Toyota Reports August Sales - Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported August sales of 211,533 vehicles, a decrease of 9.4 percent from last August, on a daily selling rate basis.
  • Volkswagen Reports August 2008 Sales - Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced August 2008 sales of 22,292 units, a 2.9 percent increase over the August 2007 sales of 21,655 vehicles. On a year-to-date basis, 2008 Volkswagen sales are 1.3 percent ahead of 2007 sales through August.
  • American Honda Reports August Sales - American Honda Motor Co., Inc., posted August total vehicle sales of 146,855, a decline of 7.3 percent compared to record-setting August 2007 results. Year-to-date sales of 1,083,957 represent a 1.2 percent increase on a daily-selling-rate basis* compared to last year.
  • Nissan North America Announces August Sales - Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today reported August 2008 sales of 108,493 units versus 95,527 units a year ago, an increase of 13.6 percent. Sales of Nissan Division vehicles increased 14.2 percent, while sales of Infiniti Division vehicles increased by 8.0 percent.
  • Mazda Reports August 2008 Sales - Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported August 2008 sales of 23,680 vehicles, a slight decrease over last August of 4.4 percent. Year-to-date, Mazda has sold 199,239 vehicles, down 2.0 percent.
  • Subaru Reports Record Breaking Sales for August 2008 - Subaru Forester hits an all-time sales record as does the Legacy Sedan - while the Impreza bests its August sales record
  • Mitsubishi Motors Reports August Sales - Mitsubishi's total August 2008 sales were down 29 percent, compared to August 2007 (13,020 sales), which was the largest August sales month in four years.
  • Kia Motors America Announces August Sales - Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced August sales of 25,065 units. Year-to-date sales are up 1.3 percent with 210,705 units sold. Passenger cars are up 4.9 percent for
    August and 22.2 percent year-to-date.
  • Acura Announces August Sales Results - The MDX luxury SUV was Acura's top-selling model with August sales of 5,180 units. Acura sales for August tallied 15,089 units, down 8.2 percent compared to August 2007*. Acura's year-to-date** vehicle sales totaled 105,831 units, down 13.9 percent compared to 2007.
  • Audi Reports August Sales - Audi of America announced today auto sales for the month of August totaling 6,406, a decrease of 16% from last year's figures.
  • BMW Group Reports August Sales - The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported August sales of 30,931 vehicles, an increase of 1.0 percent over the 30,639 vehicles sold in August 2007. The BMW Group also reported a year-to-date sales volume of 217,821 vehicles, down 2.5 percent, compared to 223,341 vehicles in the same period of 2007.
  • Mercedes-Benz Reports August Sales of 18,507 - Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported August sales of 18,507 new vehicles, an 11.8 percent decrease compared to August 2007. On a year-to-date basis, MBUSA continued to outpace its 2007 performance with sales of 158,519 new vehicles (versus 157,806).
  • Ford Develops OnStar Competitor - The next generation of Ford's SYNC system will take on GM's OnStar directly, according to Engadget. -- Engadget says SYNC 2.0 will offer "E911 support, which automatically places an emergency call as soon as the vehicle detects airbag deployment, and provide "in-depth online vehicle health reports."  SYNC 2.0 will be available on Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars beginning in November.
  • Where To Repair - A neglected vehicle should be serviced before it breaks down in bad weather, advises the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). These tips can help you find an automotive repair facility.
  • DingBusters available to general public - A Bellingham man specializing in paintless dent repairs the last 12 years has added a retail aspect to his business with the launch of DingBusters. -- DingBusters will continue serving auto dealerships and auto body repair shops, but now is available to the general public.
  • Father, son arraigned in theft of vehicle parts - NH: A Nashua father-and-son team who allegedly stole thousands of dollars worth of scrap metal from a local automotive business in July were arraigned in Merrimack District Court yesterday.
  • Thieves Going Under Cars for Loot - Getting what's inside of a car is risky for even the best of thieves, but below and more inconspicuous there are car parts--all within the reach of the right criminals with the right tools. And the specific parts they're after lately are mufflers and catalytic converters worth hundreds of dollars.
  • Philadelphia Man Opts Not to Pay for Towing; Lands in Jail - NJ: A Philadelphia man was arrested here for stealing his own car. -- Police responded to a burglary/theft call at approximately 4:53 p.m. on Aug. 31 at Bob’s Auto Body at 401 W. Rio Grande Ave.
  • Gas prices blamed in some insurance scams - Car owners are increasing staging the abduction of their vehicles in insurance fraud schemes. Gas prices may be to blame, a report states.
  • Allstate, rivals facing 'manageable' claims - Insured losses for Hurricane Gustav could reach as high as $10 billion, which would make it the sixth-most-costly U.S. catastrophe.
  • Unitrin to Acquire Auto Insurer Direct Response Corp. for $220M - Unitrin, Inc. reported today that its subsidiary, Trinity Universal Insurance Co. is buying Direct Response Corp. and its subsidiaries.
  • Allstate Credit Division Joins DealerTrack Aftermarket Network - DealerTrack Aftermarket Services, Inc., a subsidiary of DealerTrack Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of on-demand software and data solutions for the U.S. automotive retail industry, today announced that Allstate Credit Division has joined the DealerTrack Aftermarket Network(tm), an industry-leading solution for real-time aftermarket contract rating, quote generation and digital contracting.

September 3, 2008

September 2, 2008

  • Ford Supports Industry Repair Standard - BRENTWOOD, Essex: Ford's 620-strong network of Authorised Repair Centres have signed up to the new motor industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair, launched today. -- Under the code, consumers have more rights than those required by law. It offers free consumer advice and conciliation service, and low cost, legally binding arbitration.
  • Belron's External Sales Up 7 Percent for First Half of 2008 - glassBYTEs™: For the first half of 2008, Belron sales grew by 7 percent to approximately $1,570 million U.S. dollars (1,068 million Euros), consisting of 6 percent organic growth and 7 percent acquired growth, according to a press release issued this morning by parent company D'Ieteren. The acquired growth was offset by a currency translation impact of 6 percent, mainly due to the strength of the Euro against the U.S. dollar and GB pound, according to the company. The company reported that total repair and replacement jobs grew by 11 percent to 4.6 million.
  • N.Y. Attorney General Takes Aim at C-stores with Discounts for Cash -Jim Bryon, owner of Patterson Auto Body in Putnam County, told the Poughkeepsie Journal he had to start encouraging customers to use cash because he was realizing at least 12 cents in processing fees from credit card companies on every gallon of gas, however his profit margin was 10 cents. He doesn’t charge credit card users more money, he noted, rather he lowers the price for cash paying customers.
  • NABC offers emergency preparedness brochure - In the aftermath of the horrific hurricane season of 2005, the National Auto Body Council (NABC) produced an emergency preparedness brochure written specifically for collision repair facilities and their employees.
  • 'Fin Master' - Former Shelbyville auto body shop owner Bob Metz is featured in the current issue of a national hot rod magazine. -- Metz, who died in June 1999, designed and created custom cars and hot rods and restored vintage and antique autos from the 1950s through the 1970s.
  • Opinion: Horse and Buggy' Antitrust Decrees Seldom Die: Cindy Skrzycki - It's been almost a half-century since U.S. Department of Justice antitrust regulators and True Temper Corp., one of the world's largest makers of golf club shafts, settled a case in which the company agreed not to fix prices and carve up sales' territories. --  Some industries would prefer to see the old decrees live on. A group of independent auto-repair shops called the Coalition for Collision Repair Excellence has been pressing the Justice Department to enforce a 1963 decree that covered 245 insurance companies' relationships with certain repairers, according to Stephen Behrndt, a director of the coalition and a repair shop owner in Downington, Pennsylvania.
  • Automakers' dealers-only policy for repair software hurts small auto shops - Canada's small auto shops are warning that the cost of getting newer vehicles serviced could "skyrocket" because they say some automakers are now restricting access to vital diagnostic software.
  • How Maaco’s Mark Martino built a bridge between the past and the future following the death of his father - Remembering Tony MartinoBy just about any measurement, Tony Martino was a healthy man. In his mid-70s, he was still active in the day-to-day operations of Maaco Enterprises Inc., the company that runs the eponymous auto body paint and repair shop chain he started in 1972. He was a highly successful, self-made businessman whose start-up credits also included co-founder of AAMCO Transmissions Inc. in the late 1950s as well as a Philadelphia-area recording studio and record labels.
  • Travelers appoints manager for aftermarket programs - Canada: Hubert J. Blaquière has joined Travelers Acceptance Corporation as manager for Travelers Automotive Aftermarket Finance. This is a new position, reporting to president and CEO Karl E. Sigerist.
  • Economy wrecking auto repair - Drivers put off unnecessary work on cars
  • Business Briefs: Imperial Custom Autobody and Diesel will host open house Sept. 5 & 6 - WA: The company provides all phases of auto body work, specializing in big rigs, RVs, buses and hot rods. -- There will be hot dogs and hamburgers. The owners are Ed and Sandy Hall; operations manager is Mark Huesman.
  • Zest of life and a passion for cars drives artist to his dreams - Jim Mushette of Rifton has an artistic style that reminds me of Chip Foose. No wonder he wants to work as a car designer after he graduates.
  • 'One of the guys': Riverland student has drive to excel in vehicle-repair program - Leah Hanson of the Medford/Faribault area admits her parents are a bit "old-fashioned" but she just can't help being who she is -- "one of the guys." -- Hanson was the only girl in her high school shop classes, and according to Riverland Community College instructor Larry Peterson, she is one of only three women who has enrolled in the Collision Repair Technology program at the college in the last 10 years.
  • Auto parts: Rebuilt, remanufactured or reused? - You're faced with a major auto repair such as an engine, transmission, or differential replacement. Your service provider asks you, "Do you want rebuilt, remanufactured, or used parts?"
  • Polytec Buys Auto-Parts Maker Peguform From Cerberus - Polytec Holding AG, an Austrian maker of bumpers and other automobile parts, agreed to buy Peguform Group from Cerberus Capital Management L.P. to boost sales of components for Volkswagen AG cars.
  • AAIA Releases New Report on Specialty Accessories and Appearance Products - The $38 billion specialty accessories and appearance products business in the U.S. automotive aftermarket is analyzed in-depth in Report on Specialty Accessories and Appearance Products, a new market research report recently released by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA).
  • Akzo Nobel to expand sales of greener products - Dutch paint and chemical group Akzo Nobel is betting on its environment-friendly products to keep up with increasing global demand and head off raw materials shortages, its chief of sustainability says.
  • Paintless Car Saves Energy - Energy can be saved in surprising places, but let’s meander a bit first
  • Cadence Innovation Files For Chapter 11 Reorganization - Reduced North American automotive production volumes in combination with increasing material costs squeeze financial liquidity Company is working with customers and lender to determine best solution for all stakeholders
  • Business 'booming' for repossession industry as owners default on car-loan payments - The number of automobile-loan defaults is up 15 percent to 20 percent over the same period last year, said Tom Kontos, chief economist with Indiana-based ADESA Inc. The business runs about 60 vehicle auctions throughout North America.
  • Chinese tire makers feeling deflated - According to the China Rubber Industry Association, in the first half of this year, China's tire industry experienced an unexpected slowdown as exports fell due to the slumping global economy and rising costs of raw materials.
  • The Most Influential Women in the Auto Industry - One of Adriane M. Brown's favorite childhood memories is sitting on her dad's lap to pilot the family's Ford Country Squire station wagon down the driveway at their home in Richmond, Va.
  • GM Recalls Buicks, GMCs, Saturns to Fix Wipers - General Motors is recalling 88,809 of the 2008 Buick Enclaves, 2007 to 2008 GMC Acadias and Saturn Outlooks to repair the windshield wipers.
  • Jaguar Recalls 2009 XF for Seatbelt Fix - Jaguar is recalling 7,918 2009 XF sedans because of a problem with the rear seatbelt assembly, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
  • Hyundai Recalls 2008 Elantra - Hyundai is recalling 65,000 of its 2008 Elantra vehicles equipped with the 2.0-liter Beta engine because of a fuel pump problem.
  • The top 10 cars you do NOT want to crash - With gas prices hovering around $4 throughout much of the country, every day the news seems to feature another story about dealer lots filled with unwanted SUVs while small econoboxes are selling for sticker price or more. Yet with so many commuters ditching their heavy haulers for something more petite, there is one issue that seems to get overlooked -- safety.
  • Gustav Great Sales Rep for GPS - Who would have thought that Hurricane Gustav would make a name for himself as a pitch man? But after sitting in hours of bumper-to-bumper traffic evacuating the Gulf coast, drivers are hitting the electronics stores looking for some navigational assistance. -- General Motors says its OnStar service was swamped by thousands of callers, sometimes more than 3,000 per hour.
  • Connecticut Says Use of Fake Auto Insurance Cards Growing - Counterfeit auto insurance cards have been a problem for years, say Connecticut insurance officials, but recently, the department's fraud and investigations' divisions have been seeing seen a lot more of the cards.
  • State Farm(R) Already Helping Policyholders Recovering From Hurricane Gustav - State Farm has 12 mobile office facilities, ranging from a large van to a full-sized tractor trailer (18-wheeler). Five of these are satellite-equipped. All of these vehicles allow claims representatives to set up drive-in auto claims operations wherever there are a number of auto storm claims.
  • People advised to report storm damage to insurance carriers - AZ: If your home or car was damaged by last week's monsoon storm, an insurance expert has some tips for you.
  • Auto insurance industry decries state rate-cut plan - MD: The private auto insurance industry objected yesterday to a rate-lowering proposal from the state's insurer of last resort, arguing that the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund's plan to make coverage more affordable puts the private sector at unacceptable risk.

August 2008 >>>>

 



 
 

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