Wednesday - October 31, 2007

• Capitol City Body Works Named 2007 CARQUEST Automotive Finishes Excellence Award Winner - Tommy Paul from Capitol City Body Works in Montgomery, Alabama has been named the 2007 CARQUEST Automotive Finishes Excellence Award Winner. The award was presented October 12 in Charlotte, N.C.  It is an honor to be the CARQUEST Automotive Finishes excellence award winner 
• AutoClaims Direct Releases Fall Industry ScoreCard - The report highlighted several industry trends and provided a sampling of the statistical data which AutoClaims Direct can provide analysis."Our 3rd Quarter Industry ScoreCard really puts a finger on the pulse of collision repair data in the insurance claims arena," said Tara Esquivel, Vice President of AutoClaims Direct.
• Todd Fox's 'direct repair programs' lament not shared - One of Wichita's high-profile collision repair chains closed its doors Saturday, claiming auto insurance companies have forced it out of business. -- But Monday, others in the industry raised questions about the reasons Todd Fox cited in a four-page e-mail announcing the closing of Fox Collision Centers.
• Collision company's closure leaves customers, workers stranded - Customers who took their vehicles to a Fox Collision Center in Oklahoma were encouraged on Tuesday to contact their insurance agent or claims adjuster after the company closed its stores across the region.
• CARSTAR Super’Stang Tour Revs Up for NACE - CARSTAR Franchise Systems Inc., the largest group of collision repair stores in North America, will pit stop its re-creation of a legendary 1967 Shelby Mustang at the International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) from Nov. 1 to Nov. 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The CARSTAR Super’Stang, created by the country’s leading restorer of Shelby Mustangs, Jeff Yergovich, and CARSTAR Quality Collision is the centerpiece of an 18-month fundraising tour to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation®.
• Capacity Crunch - Canada: Building boom out West inflates insurers' claims costs, as insurers find creative ways to round up contractors, collision repair shops during times of need
• No fear - Canada: What does an extreme sports slogan have to do with the transition to waterborne coatings? Both demand planning, training and an open mind.
• AGRSS Standards Committee Meets in Las Vegas - glassBYTEs™: The Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard (AGRSS) Council’s standards committee met today at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
• NASTF: Past, present and future - As the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) readies for its annual meeting during Industry Week, Ron Pyle, the current vice chair of NASTF, shares some of the key accomplishments of the past year, as well as the challenges and opportunities that the future holds.
• PPG Industries Wins Chrysler LLC Award for Adhesives and Sealants - PPG Industries, the world's leading manufacturer of transportation coatings, announced it has won Chrysler's "Best In Competitive Set" Award in the automotive adhesives and sealants category. PPG, the only supplier recognized in the category, received the award at its Adrian, Mich., coatings manufacturing facility.
• Celebrity Customizers And Artists To Appear In PPG Booth At SEMA - Some of the nation’s foremost automotive artists and custom bike builders will make appearances in the PPG booth, which will be located in Hot Rod Alley, # 23091.
• Totally tricked out: Rolling dreams come true at premier custom car show - The 40th annual Specialty Equipment Market Association's trade show in Las Vegas, beginning Tuesday, will once again display some of the wildest looking autos in the world, as more than 2,000 companies show off their cars, trucks and about any accessory imaginable.
• SEMA Show: Midwest dealer wins $20,000 at Breakfast - Kim Jarvis of Midwest Tire & Auto Repair Inc. won $20,000 in the "$20,000 Cash Giveaway" sponsored by Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.
• SEMA show to feed car, boat customizers' dreams - Las Vegas turns into the world's custom capital this week with the annual SEMA exposition, expected to draw aficionados of personalized autos and boats from some 100 countries.
• New York Auto Retailers to Recruit More Women; Automotive Career Forum Announced - The free program, which includes a panel discussion by women who have excelled in the industry and workshops that focus on safety and car care, will take place at the Center for Automotive Education & Training, at 15-30 Petracca Place, Whitestone, Queens, on Saturday, November 3rd from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Embracing the Change - The chief executive of PPG Industries says it's time for business to take the lead on environmental issues
• Auto Parts Makers Boosted By Cost Cuts, Output Rise - Three automotive parts suppliers reported dramatically improved third-quarter results Tuesday as auto production was stronger overall from a year ago and as companies see the benefits from cost-saving actions.
• Sonic Automotive, Inc. Operating Initiatives Continue Their Positive Impact on Results; Earnings up 9.4% - "In a volatile new vehicle sales environment, we continue to demonstrate the validity and flexibility of our business model," said President and Chief Strategic Officer, B. Scott Smith. -- Sonic Automotive, Inc., a Fortune 300 company based in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest automotive retailers in the United States operating 174 franchises and 36 collision repair centers.
• Asbury Automotive Group Reports Third Quarter Financial Results - President and CEO Charles R. Oglesby said, "The soft retail vehicle environment presented a significant challenge for Asbury in the third quarter." -- Asbury currently operates 93 retail auto stores, encompassing 124 franchises for the sale and servicing of 35 different brands of American, European and Asian automobiles.
• Dean Evans Joins Dealer.com as Chief Marketing Officer - Industry Veteran to Further Extend Company’s Market Leadership Position
• Chrysler to dump three slow-sellers - Pacifica, PT Cruiser, Magnum expected to get axed as automaker realigns product lineup.
• Retooling the family hauler: Rapper, hot rod king put pizzazz in Ford Flex to lure crossover market - These aren't your Momma's minivans.
• Mazda Motor Corp. Developes Vibration-Reducing Auto Body Panel - New structure that reduces the need for vibration-damping materials made of rubber.
• Mercedes-Benz to produce Smart in China and sue Shuanghuan - Mercedes-Benz is weighing a plan to produce Smart in China following its launch in the U.S market, Chinese media reported today.
• AAA Warns Motorists New Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems Should Not Replace Monthly Tire Pressure Checks - Waiting until Tire Pressure Warning Light Comes on Can Be Dangerous for Motorists
• New Report Examines the Latest Advancements in ITS and Car Accident Prevention Technologies - This report analyzes a relatively new area in the auto industry – enhancements of car operation with computerized radar and telecommunications devices to avoid or reduce the risk of collisions. The subject is analyzed in connection with a larger goal – to build nation-wide Intelligent Transport System that incorporates many ingredients of an intelligent car.
• Adjusting the Process - Adjusters are dismissing the entrance of third party claims agencies into the Canadian market as a passing fad
• Allstate settles class-action suit in Washington state - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports the tentative settlement of the class-action suit will affect Allstate car insurance policy holders who filed personal-injury protection claims or Medpay coverage and their claims were adjusted using "the ADP or Mitchell Medical bill review system."
• Insurance firms save drivers millions - MS: Firms to reduce rates, but Allstate rates will increase
• Safeco's 3Q Profit Shrinks 24 Percent - Safeco's profit shrank 24 percent in the third quarter as the insurer paid more claims, especially in the car insurance division, the company said Tuesday.

Tuesday - October 30, 2007

• SCRS Issues Statement and Position Statement on Steering - The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) is extremely concerned with the negative impact steering is having upon the entire collision repair industry. The abuse has never been more apparent and blatant.
• SCRS Position on the Use and Ownership of the EMS Extract - The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) is strongly opposed to any entity copying, downloading or utilizing a collision repair facilities’ EMS extract without their knowledge, approval and full disclosure as to which data fields will be used, how the data will be used or sold and to whom the data will be sold.
• Mitchell Releases Latest Edition of Its Industry Trends Report - Features Include Results of Alternative Parts Usage Study and an Analysis of the Impact Imported Chinese Vehicles Could Have on Global Salvage Pricing
• Five Major Consumer Groups Endorse the National 'Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act,' States CARE - "Thanks to America's five major consumer organizations, which have dedicated their work to keeping consumers safer, competition alive and the environment clean, 'The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act' will have an additional boost for passage," stated David Parde, president, The Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE).
• ASA Participates in Maine Right to Repair Demonstrations - ASA-Colorado Chairman Conducts Informational Meetings
• ASA Testifies on Oklahoma Right to Repair Act - ASA President Presents Testimony in Oklahoma City
• National Collision Industry Alliance (NCIA) October 2007 Newsletter - Farmers Insurance Group, Inc. recently announced its support of NHTSA's Federal motor vehicle safety standard that requires automakers to conduct new side-impact crash tests.
• Body shop closurer strands customers - A network of auto body shops with locations in Oklahoma City and Tulsa closed over the weekend, stranding customers and putting scores of employees out of work.
• Group 1 Automotive buys two buildings - Group 1 Automotive has picked up two industrial buildings in Stafford to centralize collision repairs for its local dealerships.
• Auto Glass Week™ in Las Vegas is Here - glassBYTEs™: Though it doesn't officially start until this Wednesday, October 31, Auto Glass Week™ in Las Vegas is upon us. The event, which kicks off with the annual AGRSS Conference on Wednesday, October 31, and also includes the fall Independent Glass Association Conference, the annual National Windshield Repair Association Conference, the Third Annual Auto Glass Technician Olympics, the Second Annual Walt Gorman Memorial Windshield Repair Olympics and the Auto Glass Expo @ NACE, will be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
• Buff Up Auto Resale Value With Paint, Detailing - But Body Shops Warn Consumers: Beauty is More Than Skin Deep, Beware One-Coat Jobs
• BASF Coatings ace gathers valuable experience “down under” - Become a member of the “Best Team” - Credentials earned during automotive refinishing training make career leaps possible
• R-M shows its colors: Refinish Competence Centre in Clermont sparkles in a new coat - Ideal conditions for training courses – The goal is Training for Excellence
• Plastech boosts sales 50% by acquiring ailing suppliers - Plastech Engineered Products Inc., a traditional plastic parts-maker, is increasingly looking like a buyout firm. -- Plastech supplies automakers and other suppliers with interior, exterior and underhood components. Its processes include injection and blow molding, interior and exterior painting and plastic extrusions.
• Identifix Brings Online Vehicle Diagnostic Services to WORLDPAC Customers With Launch of WORLDPAC Assist Powered by Identifix - Identifix, one of the nation's premier sources of online and hotline diagnostic and repair information, announced today that it has forged a partnership with WORLDPAC to bring vehicle diagnostic information services to WORLDPAC customers through the WORLDPAC Assist Powered by Identifix program.
• AIAG, HKPC and Fujian ETC Collaborate on Supplier Program in China - Chinese auto suppliers are gaining the support they need to meet worldwide  standards, while U.S. automakers and suppliers find new fertile ground for partnering and expanding their own global sourcing options.
• Swedish automotive safety systems manufacturer Autoliv Inc acquires remaining shares of Indian JV  - Swedish automotive safety systems manufacturer Autoliv Inc said on Monday (29 October) that it has agreed to acquire the remaining 50.1% of the shares of its Indian joint venture Autoliv IFB Private Limited.
• Car sales feel the effect of the skittish consumer - GM outperforms while Ford heads for another dismal showing
• Seeking Control of Technology, G.M. Will Build Its Own Research Center in China - General Motors announced Monday that it would build an advanced research center in Shanghai to develop hybrid technology and other designs.
• EFG Companies Selects SEcureCard From StoneEagle Group to Streamline Claims Payment Processing - SEcureCard improves service department claims process with immediate payment reconciliation.
• Exotic Car Crash Case Settles - "The expensive sports car was not equipped with Electronic Stability Control, a life saving safety feature which would have prevented Mr. Rudl's death," according to Craig McClellan, who represented the Rudl family.
• Texas SC opinion could affect insurers in litigation with each other - Texas Supreme Court Justices unanimously agree that Liberty Mutual Insurance can't force Mid-Continent Insurance to pay half of a car crash settlement that Liberty Mutual accepted but Mid-Continent resisted.
• KING 5 poll: Referendum 67 a dead heat - With just over a week until the ballots are counted, the controversial insurance measure Referendum 67 is in a dead heat, according the results of a KING 5 poll.
• Auto Insurance Rates Vary By State - According to Insurance.com's Mid-Year Insurance Pricing Report, Louisiana is the most expensive state in which to insure a vehicle, with an average premium of $2,740 in the first half of 2007.

Monday - October 29, 2007

• Fox Collision closes shops in four states - The president of Fox Collision Centers Inc. said Saturday he was closing his 18 repair shops, including four in Wichita, because of growing pressure from insurance carriers to cut costs. -- Todd Fox said that over the last two years, insurance carriers have "forced collision repair businesses to offer the cheapest and quickest repair possible, many times sacrificing quality, safe repairs.
• Christian Brothers Opens 47th Store in Expanding North Texas Market - Christian Brothers Automotive Corporation (CBAC), one of the nation’s leading full-service automotive service franchise organizations, announced the grand opening of their newest facility in Irving, TX, located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
• 2 women, Marilyn fit car repair nicely - For all of its not-so-subtle allusions to the 1984 movie "Ghostbusters," Tucson-based Dent-Busters Inc. has become synonymous with a different screen icon altogether.
• At 91, 'old school' body man still makes street rods shine - IA: This career auto body repairman apparently took out an extended warranty: He's an award-winning street rod restoration artist and has more than a decade of auto show trophies and awards to show for it.
• Mother Nature Has Business Booming at Body Shops - NC: The rain blanketing our area is proving to be a blessing for some, but a burden for others.
• Oh Deer! Animal Population, Road Danger Up - NE: John Engdahl of AA Collision Repair has been in the auto body business for 30 years and says he’s never seen this many car-deer collision repair jobs come into the shop.
• Ash and soot could ruin your vehicle's finish - That foul air covering most of Southern California could be as damaging to your car as to your lungs.
• With Hurt Vehicles, Proper Alignment Will Uncover Hidden Problems - When a vehicle is involved in an accident, extreme forces are placed upon the design characteristics of the structure, as well as all related and attached system components.
• Creative Marketing - AutobodyOnline: After more than forty years in marketing and sales, I've concluded that most ineffective marketing comes down to a failure to do three things:
• Book by Frank Terlep helps collision repairers find more cash each month - Frank Terlep, a 20 year veteran of the collision industry, releases his first book at this year’s International Autobody Conference and Exposition (NACE) trade show.
• Join PPG Auto Refinish at SEMA 2007 - Stop By Booth #23091 - PPG offers automotive refinish products offering a range of coating technologies, color-matching expertise and training with a showcase on the vibrance collection; an array of custom color pigments and special-effect finishes.
• glassBYTEs/AGRR Going on the Road - glassBYTEs.com™/AGRR magazine® is going on the road for Auto Glass Week in Las Vegas. Please be sure to stop by and visit our booth, #E9126, to say hello, and to meet our webmaster, Bryan Hovey, who will be manning our booth this year.
• AGRR Launches Digital Edition - glassBYTEs™: Subscriptions to AGRR magazine will now be offered in a digital version, in addition to a printed one. Readers may now receive a full copy of each magazine in their inboxes as it goes to press.
• Glass Exports from China on Rise - glassBYTEs™: In the United States, an average of 131,036,348 units of laminated safety glass for vehicular use have been imported from April 2007 through August 2007 of this year, and on average, 13,284,517 of these per month have been from China—for an average of 10.1 percent of the total imports for laminated safety glass for vehicular use, according to data from USA Trade Online.
• Chrysler LLC and Chrysler Financial Join Forces with The Rescue Task Force to Support Southern California Relief and Recovery Efforts - The company's philanthropic arm, The Chrysler Foundation, and Chrysler Financial will each donate $100,000 that will go toward much-needed supplies for suffering communities in the area and relief for the rural fire departments that have been stretched to their limits.
• 6 Departments Respond To Ford Truck Plant Fire - A fire at Louisville's Ford Truck Plant on Chamberlain Lane prompted the response of six fire departments Sunday evening. -- Crews were called to the scene at 5:30 p.m. after Ford workers reported a fire in the paint room.
• Auto body owner arrested - NH: Police yesterday arrested the owner of Dan's City Auto Body on four charges, after he allegedly refused to release a stolen vehicle to police investigators.
• Bill would bar use of credit scores, finance data to set auto rates - MA:  Fearing drivers would pay more for auto insurance, opponents are moving to prevent insurers from using credit scores and other financial information when pricing individual auto policies.
• Insurers lower their rates - AZ: Cite fewer wrecks, safer vehicles for cutting premiums
• Auto insurers love Florida - Insurers want to write as much auto insurance as they can, and they compete fiercely for customers in the Sunshine State.
• NY AG Cuomo on Warpath Over Insurers’ Doctor Ratings - New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo rattled the cages of some more insurers over their controversial programs to rate doctors. -- He claims the ranking programs at issue “may steer patients to the cheapest, but not necessarily the best doctors.”

Friday - October 26, 2007

• Mitchell Releases ABS(TM) Enterprise 7.2 and Announces ABS(TM) 8.1 Debut at NACE 2007 - New releases offer enhanced features and improved functionality to meet the needs of the collision repair market 
• Mitchell Evacuated Due to Fire for One Day, Now Re-Opened - Mitchell International, parent company of NAGS, was evacuated earlier this week from its suburban San Diego location due to the raging wild fires in the area, according to James Patterson, director of glass product management
• SCRS Alarmed and Concerned with Survey Results - SCRS-sponsored survey provides insight into insurer-repairer relationships.
• Minneapolis Operators Reach Internet Agreement - The principals of Twin Cities-based LaMettry’s Collision, Lehman’s Garage, and ABRA Auto Body & Glass announced today their resolution of a dispute regarding Internet advertising.
• Shops under-utilizing online OEM repair information; NASTF meeting set for Oct. 31 in Las Vegas - Repairers are failing to take advantage of important information readily being made available over the Internet by vehicle manufacturers, leading to unnecessary aggravation for technicians and wasted time and money for shop owners.
• Keep Them in the Industry: Mentor, Train, Communicate - Keeping lines of communication open, making safety a priority and mentoring young people are all key to them staying in the industry.
• Body Shop Business Spikes from Rain - DC: Body shops have been raking in the business after the area got some much needed rain Wednesday and Thursday. The downpour took a lot of motorists by surprise with unfortunate results.
• Survival Guide for Auto Glass Week in Las Vegas - glassBYTEs™: Are you going to Auto Glass Week in Las Vegas next week? If so, here is your very own survival guide for tackling the mammoth event.
• Q & A with Rich Harrison, COO, Belron US - glassBYTEs™: Rich Harrison, who recently was named chief operating officer of Belron US, took a few minutes to answer glassBYTEs.com™/AGRR magazine's questions about his new position.
• CSK’s Monster Truck, Scarlet Bandit, Sports New Paint Job in Support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month - The Scarlet Bandit, a 10,000 pound, 1,600 horsepower monster truck sponsored by CSK Auto stores, Checker, Schuck’s, Kragen, and Murray’s, debuted earlier this month at the West Coast Monster Truck Nationals in Red Bluff, California sporting a huge pink “Crush Out Breast Cancer” ribbon.
• Auto workshop strives to bring out women’s inner gear-head - Women will get a chance to peek under the hood and underneath the body of a car at a special car care clinic being held in Lombard.
• DuPont Engineering Polymers Announces Nanotechnology Alliance that Combines the Best of Polymers with the Best of Metals - DuPont Engineering Polymers today announced an alliance with Canadian-based Morph Technologies Inc., Integran Technologies Inc. and US-based PowerMetal Technologies to develop and commercialize a nanocrystalline metal/polymer hybrid technology used to manufacture extremely lightweight components with the strength and stiffness of metal combined with the design flexibility and lightweight benefits of high-performance thermoplastics.
• High Speed for hot places - First High Speed products in BASF’s Ultramid plastics line
• BASF Coatings acquaints employees with research and communications project - Top star Smudo live at BASF Coatings, where the entire staff got to meet the successful R-M BioConcept car project firsthand
• Insurance Auto Auctions to Enter Las Vegas Market - Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc., a leader in automotive total loss and specialty salvage services in the United States, today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to purchase the assets of B&E Auto Auction (“B&E”) in Henderson, Nevada and will begin servicing the entire Southern Nevada region, including Las Vegas which is currently one of the fastest growing communities in the United States.
• Automatic Data Processing Has A Plan To Cash In Beyond Just Payroll Services - Gary Butler leads Automatic Data Processing, one of the most recognizable brands among workers. ADP processes paychecks for more than 35 million employees worldwide, including one in six in the U.S. -- Today ADP sells many services that help companies with personnel and benefits administration. It also sells systems to manage auto dealerships. The company spun off its insurance claims and brokerage services over the past year.
• Solera Holdings, Inc. Schedules First Quarter Fiscal 2008 Earnings Announcement and Conference Call - Solera Holdings, Inc. , a leading global provider of software and services for the automobile insurance claims processing industry, announced that it will release its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2008 after the NYSE market close on November 7, 2007. A conference call will be hosted by Tony Aquila, Solera's founder, chairman and CEO, and Jack Pearlstein, the Company's CFO, at 4:30 p.m. EST that day.
• AAMA conference brings auto firms together - Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama will have about a dozen buyers ready to meet with suppliers today as the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association wraps up a two-day meeting at the Embassy Suites.
• Alcoa Supplies Components to Nissan for GT-R, its New Flagship High Performance Sports Sedan - The just-introduced GT-R features aluminum inner-door and rear-seat structures made from Alcoa’s proprietary vacuum die casting process (AVDC) at the company’s plant in Soest, Germany. Both components also feature new, proprietary alloys developed by Alcoa.
• Delphi approved to sell interior unit - Judge allows $106M sale to Inteva Products, unless a Dec. 6 auction bid is higher. -- Also Thursday, Drain approved a settlement under which French auto-parts maker Valeo SA will pay Delphi $4 million to resolve a lawsuit alleging that it sold defective parts.
• Ford Adrenalin SUV to debut at SEMA - Ford Motor Co. plans to unveil at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas next week the Sport Trac Adrenalin, an eye-popping street version of its Explorer SUV.
• General Motors Relief Efforts To Fires In Southern California - General Motors and the GM Foundation are putting in place several efforts to help those persons impacted by the devastating fires that have raged across Southern California.
• Ford Motor Company Aids California Fire Recovery Effort with Trucks, Funds, Volunteers and Payment Relief -  Ford Motor Company immediately is donating 20 specially equipped vehicles -- 11 Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty trucks and nine Ford Expedition sport utility vehicles - to fire and rescue departments in some of the areas most devastated by the fires.
• American Red Cross Recognizes Toyota USA for Lead Contribution to the California Wildfires - Toyota announced today that it will be donating $2 million to the American Red Cross to support relief efforts for the California wildfires.
• Honda Supports Southern California Wildfire Relief Efforts - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. announced today a pledge of $250,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to assist the Red Cross in providing shelter, relief and recovery support to those affected by the Southern California wildfires.
• Nissan's Ghosn: U.S. auto sales in 2008 will be flat at best - Nissan Motor Co. CEO Carlos Ghosn, whose pessimistic forecast for the U.S. vehicle market proved to be among the most accurate this year, is predicting an even more difficult year in 2008.
• New deal, new layoffs for GM - 2 weeks after UAW members ratify GM contract, 2,000 lose their jobs
• AutoZone Asks Customers to Give Thanks - AutoZone is once again partnering with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for the hospital's Thanks & Giving Campaign. AutoZone is kicking off their participation Thursday October 25th when Scott Wimmer, one of the driver's of the #21 AutoZone Chevrolet, tours the hospital.
• Thieves newest target in Fenton: catalytic converters - MI: Thieves have found a cache of platinum to fence for cold cash. The precious alloy isn't in the form of a high-end engagement ring. It's found inside catalytic converters on cars, trucks and sport-utility vehicles.
• 2007 Third Quarter Auto Insurance Pricing Report from Leading Auto Insurance Agency, Insurance.com - Insurance.com, the largest online auto insurance agency in the United States, reports that car insurance rates are continuing to decrease depending on geographical location.
• AAA to reduce rates by $100 Million - The insurance arm of the California State Automobile Association has been given approval by the state to lower personal auto insurance rates by 6.5 percent.
• Mass. Caps Hikes in Auto Insurance at 10%; Smaller Insurers Eye 2.5% Cut - The first moves toward competitive rating for auto insurance in Massachusetts indicate that rates for drivers insured by insurers with small market share could drop an average 2.5 percent, while rates for drivers in the state's high risk pool could go up 9.3 percent on average.

Thursday - October 25, 2007

• ACAR release: Focus on Code of Ethics - Nearly 40 members of the auto collision repair industry met today at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., for the ACAR (Accountability for Collision Auto Repair) event.
• Educating the next generation: Lessons from collision, independent repairers - Here are some tips you can use to help recruit new talent into your distribution business.
• Walking the Talk on Training and Education - ASA's President's Blog: The Automotive Management Institute’s (AMI) mission is to serve the entire automotive industry. The organization is poised to move to the next level of service, and it needs your support to get there.
• Summit Software to Release KPINet at NACE - Summit Software will launch KPINet(TM), a new data mining, analysis, and reporting system for collision repair businesses at this year’s NACE trade show. According to Summit, this new powerful and portable solution allows single shops, regional or national consolidators, and/or or collision repair networks of any size to select, consolidate, create, view, export, print, manage, and share literally millions of data combinations with a simple “drag and drop” interface.
• DCR Systems, Shults to operate repair facility - DCR Systems of Mentor, Ohio, signed an agreement to design and operate a state-of-the-art, on-site collision repair facility for Shults Auto Group, an 18-franchise dealer group headquartered in Jamestown, N.Y.
• Enterprise Leasing and Andy's Auto Body to battle on softball field for pantry - Employee donations will go to pay off building loan; nonperishable commodities will help to stock pantry shelves
• DuPont Performance Coatings converts 100th Canadian customer to waterborne basecoat - DuPont Performance Coatings (DPC), with its three unique and distinct brands of waterborne basecoat, DuPont™ Cromax® Pro, Spies Hecker® Permahyd® and Standox® Standohyd®, has converted one hundred Canadian collision repair shops to waterborne basecoat.
• Goudsmit Joins Equalizer Industries; International Division Created - glassBYTEs™: Henri Goudsmit, who recently retired from AEGIS Tools International in Madison, Wis., has joined Round Rock, Texas-based Equalizer Industries as international sales director.
• AIG Instates Price Change - glassBYTEs™: American International Group Insurance (AIG) has issued a change to its pricing program, effective November 1, according to a letter issued by LYNX Services, which manages its glass claims program.
• Mitchell Says Canadian Glitch Will Not Be Repaired - Mitchell International has announced that the well-used FirstEstimate product will be discontinued.
• LKQ Corporation Announces 2007 Third Quarter Financial Results With Record Revenue and Continued Margin Expansion - "We exceeded our previously issued earnings estimates for the third quarter. We reported record revenue along with the continued expansion of our operating income margin to 10.5% compared to 9.0% in the third quarter of 2006," said Joseph M. Holsten, President and Chief Executive Officer.
• LORD Corporation Announces Expansion of Hückelhoven, Germany Plant - LORD Corporation has announced the expansion of its Hückelhoven, Germany plant as part of its long-term commitment to supply high-quality and state-of-the-art rubber-to-substrate primer, adhesives and coating technology products to European customers.
• CCID Consulting Analyzes the Main Characteristics of the International Auto Parts Enterprises Investing in China - CCID Consulting, China's leading research, consulting and IT outsourcing service provider, and the first Chinese consulting firm listed in Hong Kong, recently released its article on the main characteristics of the international auto parts enterprises that are investing in China.
• It's cars gone wild at SEMA - Most minivans may not call the Las Vegas Strip home, but Chrysler designers have created a family hauler worthy of the license plate DBL-DWN.
• Rebuilt Project X '57 Chevy Unveiling at SEMA - One of the most famous magazine project cars of all time, PHR's Project X, is set to debut its newest incarnation October 30th at SEMA after a complete rebuild with the help of GM Performance Parts.
• Worthan elected to SEMA board - The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) is pleased to announce that Jeep Worthan of Auto Meter Products, Inc. in Sycamore was elected to the SEMA Board of Directors.
• Added buyouts are likely at Ford - Ford Motor Co. is expected to announce in the next few weeks that 31,000 to 32,000 hourly workers have left the company under a buyout program launched late last year, according to a person familiar with the matter.
• Toyota to cover defect - In mass mailing going out soon, company offers to pay for minivan doors with bad welds -- Toyota Motor Co. said Tuesday it would cover the costs of repairing doors on up to 600,000 Sienna minivans, after learning from consumers that a part can fail, causing doors to shut unexpectedly.
• Car vs. deer crashes: We're No. 3 in nation - Wisconsin is third in the nation when it comes to crashes between deer and vehicles, State Farm Insurance said today.
• Hearing set on request for new Joyce lawyer - PA: A federal judge will hear arguments Nov. 29 on the government's request that state Superior Court Judge Michael T. Joyce get a new lawyer in Joyce's criminal-fraud case. -- Joyce, indicted in August, is accused of defrauding Erie Insurance Group and State Farm Insurance out of a total of $440,000.
• State prosecutors fight to keep audio tapes as evidence - The Michigan Attorney General's Office seeks to have evidence permitted in a case against several Oakland County residents accused of engaging in millions of dollars in insurance fraud. -- Southfield 46th District Judge Susan M. Moiseev ruled this month that audio tapes secretly made by an informant violate state eavesdropping laws and cannot be used as evidence in the case involving 10 auto repair shops and several people now facing racketeering and insurance fraud charges.
• Insurance Claims to Reach $500M in Early Estimate - It’s far too early to assess the total monetary damages caused by the San Diego wildfires, say several insurance executives, but the industry’s trade association, the Insurance Information Network, released a report Oct. 23 that put the early estimate at $500 million — at least.
• Insurers and Self-Insured Organizations Receive Awards at CSC Connect 2007 - 17 Organizations Recognized for Leadership and Innovation, Contributions to Overall User Community
• Insurance commissioner approves $100M cut for Northern California AAA customers - Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner said Wednesday he has approved a 6.5 percent rate reduction for personal auto insurance customers of AAA of Northern California, officially known as the California State Automobile Association Inter-Insurance Bureau.
• The Hartford Wins International Customer Management Institute’s Global Call Center of the Year Award - The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., one of the nation’s leading diversified financial services companies, announced today that its AARP call centers have won the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) Membership's Global Call Center of the Year Award in the large company category competition.

Wednesday - October 24, 2007

• Forum informs legislators of industry issues - The Western Massachusetts Chapter of the Massachusetts Auto Body Association sponsored a forum recently for legislators to learn about an industry under siege by aggressive insurer tactics and a lack of regulatory oversight.
• AASP-MN's 13th Annual Lights On For Safety Helps Hundreds of Motorists - On Saturday, October 6th, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Minnesota (AASP-MN) held its 13th annual Lights On For Safety event.
• Michigan HB 4778 Referred to House Insurance Committee - glassBYTEs™: The Michigan Commerce Committee met this morning at 9 a.m. and referred a bill that could affect the auto glass industry to the insurance committee, who will soon schedule a public hearing.
• Michigan HB 4778 - Insurance; no-fault; insurer interests in certain motor vehicle repair facilities; prohibit. Amends 1956 PA 218 (MCL 500.100 - 500.8302) by adding ch. 21A. Last Action: 10/23/2007 - recommendation concurred in
• CIECA Announces Formation of Salvage Committee - Renewed interest by member companies, American Salvage Pool Association (ASPA), and the industry in general has initiated this action. -- The newly organized Salvage Committee will begin work on new messages for Disposition and Salvage Procurement for the industry.
• Chef Menteur body shop tackles flooding by itself - The owner of an eastern New Orleans body shop whose three-acre business flooded Monday -- apparently because of broken culvert -- got tired of waiting for city or state agencies to fix the problem and rented pumps to remove the water himself, he said Tuesday. -- "I got tired of waiting on them pointing fingers at each other" as to who was responsible for the broken culvert and its repair, said Richie Stevens, owner of Stevens Body Shop, 9500 Chef Menteur Highway.
• A High School Under the Hood  - NY: Besides training in repairing cars and other aspects of the industry, Automotive offers a regular high school education.
• Mitchell 1 to Offer eCRM Program, Powered by MyCarPage.com - Mitchell 1 announces it has partnered with MyCarPage.com to expand its popular Customer Retention Marketing (CRM) program to include eCRM; the e-mail based service designed for small-to-medium sized automotive repair shops and for shops that want to try the CRM program at a lower monthly price.
• Akzo Nobel 3Q earnings fall 10 percent - Akzo Nobel, the Dutch paint and chemicals maker, said Tuesday that profits fell 10 percent in the third quarter due to restructuring costs. Sales and operating profits improved, the company said.
• Saving some Ford factories on table - If UAW compromises, plants could remain open.
• UAW Leaders Hit the Shop Floor To Lobby Workers on Chrysler Deal - The clash over a controversial new labor contract at Chrysler has moved to the factory floor in suburban Michigan, where union officials fanned out this week trying to persuade their members to vote yes.
• Ruling unlocks Porsche VW bid - EU strikes down law that shields companies from foreign takeovers.
• Texas AG: Houston auto-parts company defrauded customers - A Houston-based auto-parts company agreed to pay more than $700,000 in restitution and costs for what state law enforcement authorities say was a scheme to defraud customers, Attorney General Greg Abbott announced Tuesday.
• Boomerang Tracking Recovers its 6,000th Stolen Vehicle - Milestone Recovery Brings Total Value of Recovered Assets to $300 Million
• Market softens; insurers remain unruffled - IA: Competition has led to rate cuts, testing companies' strength, but analysts don't expect a panic.
• Allstate Cancels 100,000 More Homeowners' Policies In Florida - More than 100,000 Allstate policy holders in Florida are getting notices in the mail that their property insurance policies are being cancelled.
• Mass. Insurance Chief Urges Agents to Seize Opportunity in Auto Deregulation - Some Massachusetts insurance agents are anxious about the state's move to a deregulated auto insurance system but Insurance Commissioner Nonnie Burnes thinks they will fare just fine.
• CSAA to reduce rates 6.5% - CA: Reduction linked to drop in claims, industry pricing pressure, auto insurer says.

Tuesday - October 23, 2007

• IGA Scheduled To Testify in Support of New Michigan Legislation - glassBYTEs™: IGA president Dave Zoldowski of Auto One Inc. in Brighton, Mich., is scheduled to testify today before the Michigan House Commerce Committee in support of House Bill 4778. -- The legislation is intended to prohibit insurance companies from having ownership interests in certain motor vehicle repair facilities.
• WMABA'S 'Gaining Control' workshop offers profitable management tips - The Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association’s (WMABA’s) "Gaining Control" weekend workshop, held in Fredericksburg, Va., Oct. 13-14th, featured longtime collision industry associates Jeff Hendler and Chuck Sulkala, former ARMS instructors, along with industry consultant Lou DiLisio as instructors of the event.
• Salary vs. Commission - Each compensation method has its pros and cons. Ultimately, it comes down to choosing the one that will compensate each individual technician according to his or her ability.
• Keystone exclusive sponsor for Free I-CAR Online Training Day - Keystone Automotive Industries, Inc. is once again the exclusive sponsor of Automotive Body Repair News (ABRN) magazine's Free I-CAR Online Training Day scheduled for November 14, 2007.
• Announcing updates to Online Training Program - Keyless Entry (KEY01) - I-CAR: One of the benefits of I-CAR Online Training is having access to all of the latest program updates as soon as they are available.
• Mitchell Celebrates Industry-Wide Adoption of Its New-Technology Dispatching Solution - Automated Dispatch and Resource Allocation System Boosts Claims Productivity and Efficiency for Multiple Top Ten Insurers
• CARS Online Registration Deadline Nears - Online registration closes tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 9 a.m. Eastern. -- Don't miss one of the hottest tickets in Las Vegas during Industry Week: the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS).
• Maaco Collision Repair opens in Blue Island - IL: Maaco Collision Repair & Auto Painting has opened at 2956 Wireton Road in Blue Island. The national chain's newest facility is operated by Robert Eunson. (scroll down page for info)
• Third generation takes over auto body shop - MI: Growing up, Matt Schroeder thought he would go to college and end up being an engineer, building on the math skills that helped him to a 3.6 grade-point average at Howell High School.
• Demolition king goes from fixing cars to smashing them - The 68-year-old Belleville resident got his first job in a collision repair shop and then spent seven years building Corvairs at the General Motors Corp. plant in Willow Run.
• Auto Glass Tech Solves Hit-and-Run Case - glassBYTEs™: Michael Lester, owner of Dependable Auto Glass in Oregon, Wis., wasn't aware that a local hit-and-run had occurred when he replaced the windshield of a minivan owned by Felix Romero-Ocotl on March 14.
• U.S. Auto Parts Network, Inc. Strengthens Board of Directors With Two Key Appointments - U.S. Auto Parts Network, Inc. , a leading online provider of aftermarket auto parts and accessories, today announced that Josh Berman, MySpace Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer and Jeffrey Schwartz, the former Chief Executive Officer of Autobytel have joined the Company's Board of Directors.
• 1-800-Radiator, Nation's Largest Independent Auto Parts Distributor, Acquires Certain Assets at 36 Proliance Locations - 1-800-Radiator, an auto parts distribution franchise and the largest independent auto parts distributor in the nation, announced the purchase of certain assets of 36 Proliance International, Inc. (Amex: PLI) branch locations.
• Smart Energy Solutions to Exhibit at Major Automotive Aftermarket Events of the Year - The more than 100,000 attendees at this year's AAPEX (Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo) and SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show in Las Vegas will see an innovative product designed to keep cars, trucks, boats, RVs, buses, taxicabs, police vehicles and anything else that operates on batteries fully operational.
• Kelley Blue Book(R) Announces Carfax Integration for KARPOWER Online - Co-Branded Window Stickers Allow Dealers to Build Consumer Trust and Sell More Cars
• New Data about New Car Dealerships - The latest information from the National Automobile Dealers Association’s NADA Data 2007 research report shows the average dealership made about $140,000 net profit from used vehicle sales, $375,000 net profit from service and parts, and lost money in the new vehicle sales department.
• Canada: GDX Closure in Magog - GM Consolidating Auto Industry in Ontario
• DuPont Delivers Strong Earnings Growth in Third Quarter 2007  -  "DuPont generated solid operating leverage and 20 percent earnings per share growth in the third quarter," said Charles O. Holliday, Jr., DuPont chairman and chief executive officer.
• Toyota slips behind GM, loses No. 1 rank - Toyota Motor Corp. slipped back into second place behind General Motors Corp. after reporting on Monday slightly lower sales for the July-September quarter than its U.S. rival.
• Toyota Cuts Test Car's Weight to Win Sales as Fuel Prices Rise - Toyota Motor Corp., the world's second-biggest automaker, and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. are using carbon fiber and aluminum in experimental vehicles as they develop lightweight cars with high gasoline mileage to win sales.
• Death probed at Ford factory - State safety and health compliance workers are investigating an accident that killed a man Monday and temporarily shut down Ford Motor Co.'s Wayne Stamping and Assembly Plant.
• Amish van crash: Feds have warned about rollovers for years - Federal safety officials have warned of the dangers of 15-passenger vans for years, yet many — including church groups and sports teams — continue to use them.
• NHTSA rules could inflate airbag sales - New crash test regulations adopted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are expected to be a boon for airbag manufacturers, and will likely double the volume of airbag sales as the regulations are phased in over the next several years.
• Doctor gets prison for health care fraud - A federal judge on Monday sentenced a Detroit doctor to more than 16 years in prison for health care fraud, saying crimes like his are making health insurance unaffordable and threatening the viability of major employers such as the automotive industry.
• California Gov. Signs Bill Into Law - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill that nearly quadruples the annual fees insurers pay to fund the state’s anti-fraud efforts. The infusion by AB 1401 will help the insurance department staff up to its full complement of 325 fraud investigators.

Monday - October 22, 2007

• NACE Chairman Has Unique Career Experience - AutobodyOnline: Darrell Amberson is looking forward to the October 31 start of the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE), an event for which he serves as chairman.
• Illusions Custom Paint and Body: Where family cars and funny cars go from junk to gems - TN: Founded in 1999 and opened for business in 2000 and owned by brothers Allen and Mark Adkins, Illusions houses a custom paint shop and a body shop. Clients include Jay Johnson Toyota and anyone whose car needs a new paint job or body work to NHRA drag racer Mike Ashley.
• Passion for fixing cars turns dealer, repair shop owner into customer, industry favorite - Last month, Franklin Automotive, located on Acton Road, was recognized by MotorAge magazine as one of the nation's top body shops.
• Don't just dress up like a hero this Halloween - be one - The Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Carstar Collision Repair Centres are calling for superheroes to help make this Halloween safer, while championing the fight against cystic fibrosis.
• I-CAR "Blue Friday" at NACE 2007 - I-CAR announces "Blue Friday" at NACE 2007 to identify, recognize, and thank I-CAR volunteer committee members, program instructors, and other industry supporters of I-CAR in the United States and Canada.
• I-CAR Advantage Online: Steel Identification Using Hardness Testing - Steel identification is an essential step when determining the repairability of parts used on today’s vehicles. The type of steel can alter or limit the ability to straighten, remove, and replace parts.
• I-CAR adds Collision Warning Systems (CWS01) to its Online Training Library - A collision warning system is a vehicle-based system designed to predict a collision.
• AutoNetTV Offers ASA Members Free DVD Player with New Subscription - The next 100 ASA members who sign up for AutoNetTV are eligible to receive a free DVD player. AutoNetTV is an automotive television network that may be viewed in the waiting areas of service and repair centers nationwide, and the information is provided each month in DVD format.
• Manufacturers, Independent Repairers Update Senator Dorgan on 5th Anniversary of Service Information Agreement - ASA: The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM) and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) today met with Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) to update him on the status of an agreement brokered by him five years ago.
• Manufacturers, Independent Repairers Applaud Rep. Westmoreland for His Support of the Service Information Agreement - ASA: The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM) and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) today thanked Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) and updated him on the status of a landmark, voluntary service information agreement brokered in 2002.
• Manufacturers, Independent Repairers Mark 5th Anniversary of Service Information Agreement -  ASA: The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM) and the Automotive Service Association (ASA) today marked the fifth anniversary of the very successful voluntary agreement to provide the same service, repair and training information to independent repairers as is made available to franchised auto dealers.
• Employee Files Suit Against Diamond Triumph; Escalated to Federal Court - glassBYTEs™: A suit filed against Diamond Triumph by an employee has been moved to the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Florida, Broward Division, from the Circuit Court of Broward County.
• Sector Preview: Auto Suppliers - While auto suppliers continue to struggle with the slumping U.S. automobile industry, an increase in North American production may result in better-than-expected results for several of them, an analyst said.
• Dropout was giant in auto parts field - A founder, an innovator, an inventor, a marketing genius, a trendsetter: That is only a partial description of John E. Goerlich, a third-grade dropout.
• Vegas' SEMA Show Attendance Projected At 20% Over Last Year - The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show is at the Las Vegas Convention Center from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2. The show, which started in the early 1960s with 100 exhibitors under the bleachers in Anaheim, is now a yearly behemoth with over 2,000 auto parts and equipment companies reflecting a projected $40 billion industry in 2007, growing at 7% per year for the decade.
• Chrysler UAW Contract Rejected by Bigger Union Locals - Chrysler LLC's contract with the United Auto Workers has been rejected by most large union locals representing auto-assembly plants during the first four days of voting and supported by smaller groups, dimming prospects for the accord's approval.
• Auto industry pressing for changes - The auto industry and its allies in Congress are lobbying congressional leaders and the Bush administration to back fuel efficiency increases that would maintain separate standards for passenger cars and trucks.
• One Vision for the Future of Chrysler - How to save the automaker and the environment? Hold the paint, spice up interiors, and make roadsters to fit the boomer bulge
• Family sedan is back in style - Car makers stress new design touches to attract buyers to midsize cars
• Teacher's eco-friendly truck a real veggie guzzler - Ford F350 converted to run on vegetable oil
• BMW Recalls 29,250 Sedans, SUVs to Fix Engine Stalls - Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is recalling 29,250 5 Series and 6 Series sedans and X5 sport- utility vehicles to fix a static electricity problem that can cause their V-8 engines to stall.
• Non-deploying airbags have become a fatal mystery - A decade ago, deaths blamed on overly aggressive airbags triggered congressional action, which brought about the so-called "smart bags" of today. About 300 people have died from improper airbag deployments since 1990. -- But The Star found those deaths are dwarfed by another body count just as disturbing. At least 1,400 drivers and front-seat passengers died from 2001 through 2006 in front-impact crashes involving vehicles whose airbags -- smart or otherwise -- never deployed.
• Taking airbag cases to court can be tricky - The public doesn’t know a lot about fatal failures involving airbags largely because only a handful of the many complaints about nondeployments ever wind up in court.
• "Early Warning" Data Kept Out of Public's Reach - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released today a final rule thwarting public access to early warning information about motor vehicle safety hazards.
• Canadian Auto Insurers Win Court Rulings on Civil Damage Claims - Canadian auto insurers don't have to pay civil damages in cases when the use of an insured vehicle isn't specifically linked to an injury, the country's highest court ruled.
• Premier Insurance in Mass. Changing Brand to Travelers - As Massachusetts gears up for a switch to a more competitive personal auto insurance market, one of its domestic auto insurers, Premier Insurance Co., will adopt the well-known brand of its parent, Travelers Insurance.
• Lawmakers Fight Patrick On Auto Insurance Plan - Lawmakers representing drivers who live in Massachusetts' larger cities are challenging Governor Patrick's auto insurance plan.
• Insurance customers concerned about WA referendum letters - Some Washington customers of State Farm insurance say a letter from the company about Referendum 67 seemed more like a threat than voter information.
• Arlington man jumps into ad war over insurance referendum - Rob Dietz, a former insurance salesman, says Referendum 67 can help policyholders.