December 30, 2009 

• GM will recall 2005-07 Corvettes - General Motors Co. said Monday it is recalling 22,000 Chevrolet Corvettes over concerns that the roof may fly off the vehicle.
• Glass America and Church Brothers Collision Repair Team Up to Send Care Packages to Troops in Afghanistan - glassBYTEs™: Glass America and Church Brothers Collision Repair LLC have teamed up with local insurance agents in Indianapolis to send care packages to troops in Afghanistan.
• PPG donates $2,000 each to Pastor’s Pantry, Meals on Wheels - Funding supports everyday operations of organizations
• PPG's drastic steps could pay off in economic recovery - Like many other big industrial companies, one of the steps PPG took to restructure was to shutter plants in the United States and Europe. But it also continued its strategy of focusing on global expansion and growing its coatings and specialty chemicals rather than struggling segments such as auto glass.
• DuPont Trains Customers to Comply with EPA Requirements - DuPont Performance Coatings (DPC) has developed a field-training process that trains customers to comply with new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements.
• MADD Sends Sobering Message For New Year's Eve - Heppner's Auto Body is letting Mothers Against Drunk Driving park the wrecked squad car on its lot for free until Jan. 11. -- A drunken driver slammed into Ramsey County Deputy Joseph Lopez's squad car in Arden Hills on New Year's Day last year. Now it serves as a message for others.
• Winter Weather Woes and How You, Your Car Can Avoid Them - Auto body repairs can be expensive. Even if you get an estimate, hidden damage can increase the price.
• Auto body shops seeing cars damaged in winter weather - JOPLIN, MO. - A lot of cars are taking a beating from the ice and snow and local body shops are just now seeing cars come in with damage.
• Dickinson Snow Damage - ND: R & R Auto Body`s Dickinson parking lot is full, thanks to this weekend`s snow storm.
• SUV donated to domestic abuse survivor - Bumper-to-Bumper Auto Parts, Burl’s Auto Service, Charity Cars and The Wellspring were all participants in getting the vehicle to Johnson.
• Group says ‘Right to Repair Act’ good for consumers? - Independent auto repair shops save Connecticut consumers more than $335 million annually or about $378 per family, according to a study released this week by John Dunham and Associates for the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association and the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality.
• High-Tech Vehicles Pose Trouble for Some Mechanics - Access to repair information is at the heart of a debate over a congressional bill called the Right to Repair Act. Supporters of the proposal say automakers are trying to monopolize the parts and repair industry by only sharing crucial tools and data with their dealership shops.
• URG Says Feds Missed Opportunity To Keep Cash for Clunkers Program Green - The United Recyclers Group (URG) says that the federal government is not doing enough to help promote the green aspects of the auto salvage industry and encourage the use of environmentally-friendly green auto parts. 
• Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com Names Most-Researched New Vehicles for 2009, Brands With Greatest Share of Market Interest This Year - The Honda Civic, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry (in varying orders each year) have been the top three most-researched new-vehicles on kbb.com each year since 2004. -- Chevy Equinox and Camaro, Ford Fusion, Lexus RX 350 Jump into 2009's Top 20 Most-Researched New Cars
• Palm scanner could replace insurance cards - Don't bother searching for your health insurance card. A hospital in Allentown is testing a new way to confirm that you are who you say you are.
• Texting While Driving: No LOL Matter - Text messaging while driving is outlawed in 14 states for all drivers, in 10 additional states for new drivers and in one additional state for bus drivers, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association®. Still, accidents are reported every day that involve driver distraction due to cell phone use. These accidents can result in injuries, car damage and car insurance rate hikes between 10-50 percent.
• Obama order on distracted driving takes effect Wednesday - The Obama administration launched a new Web site today and advertising campaign to prod motorists into avoiding "distracted driving."

December 28, 2009 

• O'Fallon woman wins car and helps save business - A St. Charles county business owner helped turn a few dents into an O'Fallon, Missouri woman's dream car and saved his employee's jobs at the same time -- all with one raffle ticket. -- Business at White Auto Body in O'Fallon had never been since the last few months. Owner Steve White decided to jumpstart business by raffling off his own Porsche Carrera.
• ASA Announces Dates, Location for 2010 Business Meeting - The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced it will hold its next annual business meeting April 21-22 at the Hyatt Regency DFW at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in North Texas.
• PPG Announces It's 2010 Show Truck Schedule - The unique truck, a traveling exhibit of PPG paint displays and products, will make 21 stops across the country from March through October at prominent truck, car and hot rod shows. These include events sponsored by the Good Guys Rod & Custom Association, National Street Rod Association, Antique Truck Historical Society and other truck- and car-focused organizations.
• Addison Auto Receives Denver Pollution Prevention Partners Certification - Addison Auto Repair & Body Shop is one of only three auto shops recently to receive the Denver P2 Partners certification from the Denver Department of Environmental Health.
• Franklin man to open car repair business in Monroe -  The city of Monroe is getting its first automotive repair center. -- Bob Gorman of Franklin says he plans to open Monroe Collision Center at 721 Garver Road by the end of January.
• Business transition Auto Body Express moves to larger facility - To Greg Pyle, the relocation and expansion of Autobody Express was a natural extension of the vehicle repair business' history.
• Business briefs: Vegas have bought Precision Auto Body - Lifelong Lake Placid residents Eduardo and Tracy Vega are the new owners of Precision Auto Body, 734 County Road 621, in Lake Placid.
• On the record with Louie Sharp - This New Year’s Eve, if you find yourself a little too tipsy to drive home, you can rest assured that there is a way to get both you and your vehicle safely home. -- Sharp Auto Body in Island Lake has offered free towing to locals on the holiday night for nearly 10 years and will offer its services again this year.
• Tripp's Auto Shop dedicated to pleasing its clientele - When it comes to dealing with people, Phil Tripp uses the "Golden Rule" in his business — knowing that people appreciate fair treatment and will keep coming back if treated respectfully.
• ASA Member Donates Repaired Vehicle to Local Family - U.S Rep. Erik Paulsen Participates in Presentation
• Union City couple receives refurbished car - Deborah Burrow befriended the Houstons through her involvement with the Contra Costa Blue Star Moms, an organization of mothers whose children are serving or have served in the military. -- After learning that Mike Rose's Auto Body in Pittsburg participates in the AkzoNobel Acoatl National Benevolence Program, in which mechanics volunteer their time to refurbish donated auto parts and local insurance companies provide free auto insurance, Burrow nominated Kelly for a car.
• Christmas comes early for Monroe City woman and family - Lisa Weisenborn gasped with excitement as she discovered that she was the winner of the 2009 National Benevolence Program through J.C. Shoemyer, Inc., in partnership with the Monroe City community and local churches.
• Business donates car to Godfrey family - Andy's Auto Body in Alton works every holiday with Catholic Charities to give assistance to those in need.
• Local girls host successful Rock For Charity event - Owner of Lamborg’s Auto Body and Paint, Manuel Lam opened his business to a good cause on Saturday, Dec. 19, after his daughter Frances and her friends proposed the idea to raise funds for Yucaipa Family Assistance by hosting the first annual Rock For Charity event.
• Women in Motion offers support for entrepreneurs - The challenging economy is taking a toll on businesses, and especially women-owned businesses. -- Jacki Givens, who operates Givens Collision Repair in Frederick with her husband, Jay, said she heard about the group and attended to see what it was about.
• Anderson’s Keaton is first female to enroll in Tri-County-District 5 auto program - Looking back, Olivia Keaton said it was pure luck the day her car broke down and she took it to Don’s Family Auto Care in Anderson for repair.
• Deaf student finds mentor in manager of auto body shop - Tim Arnold gave a confident double "thumbs up" and a broad grin to Jack Perna, who returned the gesture. Though there's not an exact translation in American Sign Language, the two communicated the universal symbol for how they feel about their student-mentor relationship.
• 2009: The year that wasn't a disaster - A clunker of a year, in many ways: The year did not start off well for the 570 new car dealerships that employed 32,000 people in New Jersey. -- While less-expensive repair work was up as 2009 began, according to auto body shops, auto-parts suppliers were getting hit as consumers delayed more costly jobs. (3rd brief down)
• Toyota revs up smaller hybrid - Subcompact concept will debut at Detroit auto show in January
• Geely Settles Commercial Terms for Acquisition Of Volvo Car Corporation - Geely, one of the fastest-growing car manufacturers in China, now expects to sign a definitive stock purchase agreement with Ford in the first quarter of 2010, paving the way for potential completion of the transaction in the second quarter of the year, subject to regulatory approvals. Further discussions will focus on finalization of documentation and financing, as well as government approvals.
• 2010 Taurus Earns Five-Star Crash Ratings, Pioneers Fast-Selling Crash-Avoidance Technologies - The new 2010 Ford Taurus has earned the U.S. government's top five-star ratings for driver and passenger in front and side crash tests
• Crash safety attorney drops lawsuit against Toyota - Dallas attorney Todd Tracy, who filed a lawsuit in September to reopen 17 cases filed by vehicle accident victims against Toyota, is dropping the matter.
• Toyota found to keep tight lid on potential safety problems - A Times investigation shows the world's largest automaker has delayed recalls and attempted to blame human error in cases where owners claimed vehicle defects.
• Upland man arrested for alleged auto insurance fraud - Roberto Alvarez Moran, 62, was arrested at Sierra Auto Body by auto insurance investigators from the San Bernardino District Attorney's Office.
• Allstate claims fraud against medical billing co. - Insurer Allstate Corp. said Wednesday it filed a complaint against a Michigan medical billing company, accusing it of insurance fraud and billing Allstate for unnecessary services.
• Senate bill could hurt insurers at least initially - Health insurers get some big presents in the Senate's health overhaul bill -- about 20 million new customers and no competition from a new government plan.

December 23, 2009 

• Getting the OEM collision repair information you need doesn't have to cost a fortune by John Yoswick - AutobodyOnline: For the independent repair shop trying to equip itself with automaker collision repair information, expenses can very quickly add up.
• Washington Auto Glass Shop Owner Pleads Guilty to Insurance Fraud Charges Involving Farmers - glassBYTEs™: Robert T. Wooster, the owner of Dr. Bob’s Auto Glass and DRB Enterprises Auto Glass in Olympia, Wash., has pled guilty to first-degree theft for allegedly overbilling Farmers Insurance at least $100,000 over the course of several years, according to an announcement by the state’s insurance commissioner, Mike Kreidler.
• East Coast Auto Glass Shops Battle Blizzard of 2009 - glassBYTEs™: With more than 18 inches of snow on the ground in some locales and continuing freezing temperatures, East Coast glass shops are facing several challenges as they start off this holiday week.
• Repair Shops Busy After Recent Snow - Repair shops are starting to see the storm's damage as drivers and tow trucks bring in cars smashed up by all the slipping and sliding.
• Colorado Business - Auto Image, an auto-body business with three facilities in the Denver area, recently purchased the former Castle Rock Marine site at 1935 Liggett Road to expand its operations in the Castle Rock area.
• Rick’s Collision Installs Paint Finishing System - Rick's Collision recently installed an environmentally friendly paint finishing system, switching to a low-VOC PPG waterborne basecoat from a conventional solvent-based system.
  
  'tis the Season for Giving
• Crossbridge gives away cars for Christmas - Employees at 19th Street Auto Center and Professional Autobody fixed up the cars for the program. -- Dan Ledger, owner of 19th Street Auto Center and Professional Autobody, said his businesses donate all the repairs, parts, labor and some of the cars for the giveaway program.
• New wheels deliver a better life - White Auto Body makes annual car donations to people in need
• Portsmouth Ford helps local food pantry - “We asked each person who came – from our new and used dealerships as well as Portsmouth Auto Body – to bring a non-perishable food item,” said John Sawyer, owner of Portsmouth Ford. “Needless to say, we weren’t quite expecting such a response.”
• Amador County helps others in a variety of ways this holiday season - Deserving children in Amador County will be warmer this winter, thanks to the Coats for Kids drive that was recently completed by Steve Stymeist Auto Body in Jackson.
• Single mother of 2 is 1st Cars for Christmas winner - A single mother of twin 6-year-old boys is the winner of the first of three cars to be given away this month by AAMCO Transmission in Gainesville. -- Other co-sponsors are NAPA Auto Parts, LKQ, Mr. Clean Car Wash, Don Kerns Wrecker Service, and Lester's Paint and Body Shop.
• Spirit of Christmas caring alive in area - Chris Haywood, who with his wife, Shannon, own Gruetzner Collision and Service of Elgin, called LifeWorks, a local nonprofit organization that services the greater Austin area. He wanted to find a deserving person to help and Amy Hembree was one of the Austin American-Statesman's 12 Season of Caring campaign individuals or families.
   
• RepairPal Raises $4 Million Series A Financing - Tugboat Ventures Leads Round With Prominent Individual Investors --  Rick Keister, former CEO of Keystone Automotive Industries (acquired by LKQ Corp.) and former President of Aftermarket at Delco Remy--  David Strohm, Partner at Greylock Partners, board member at EMC and  VMware --  Mark Goines, former Intuit executive and board member at Mint.com --  Michael Torres, CEO of Adelante Capital Management
• Two premium brand names in the world of motor vehicles - A solid partnership has been built up between R-M, the premium paint manufacturer, and PAROTECH, the car designer based in the Champagne region of France. This year, the two brand names have pooled their knowledge in numerous motor vehicle production projects.
• DuPont CEO: Positioning for Growth - The University of Delaware (UD) recently invited DuPont CEO Ellen Kullman to speak to students in the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) program and other guests as part of its Executive Speaker Series, featuring key leaders. Her presentation, “Positioning for Growth in a Changed Economic Landscape,” summarizes Ellen’s thoughts about what DuPont is doing and where the company is going.
• ADP Donates $500k to Feeding America to Help Provide Millions of Pounds of Food to Hungry Americans - Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, announced today that ADP(R), a leading provider of business outsourcing solutions, has donated $500,000 to help fight hunger in America.
• Visteon's Henry S. Martin Jr. Named to Board of Directors of National Minority Supplier Development Council - Henry S. Martin Jr., who leads supplier diversity development efforts for global automotive supplier Visteon Corporation, has been named to the board of directors of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). Martin was elected to a one-year term at the council's recent national conference in New Orleans.
• Transwheel to expand, add jobs - IN: Transwheel, a division of the Chicago-based LKQ Corp., employs more than 200 in Indiana and will begin hiring more workers as soon as operations are phased in at the new facility.
• The 2009 SEMA Convention Proves it—People Still Love Their Cars! - If the SEMA convention is a barometer, then there is no doubt that mans love affair with the automobile is as passionate as ever.
• Crumpled car 'speaks for itself’ - What was a shiny red sports car now sits in a crumpled heap beside an auto body shop on Keller Parkway to serve as a reminder to drive safely this holiday season.
• Salt Brine's Effect on Your Vehicles - A reminder to drivers this winter, you'll want to make sure to take more trips to the car wash. -- Dan Laslie/Laslie's Auto Body - "It's like an iceberg, salt. It's the little part you see, it's what you don't see that's huge. So that little bubble of rust on that fender could be the complete lower end no good of that fender."
• J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Overall Customer Satisfaction With the Home Claims Experience is Notably Lower than Satisfaction With Auto Claims - Satisfaction among homeowners insurance customers who file a property claim is significantly lower than that of auto claimants, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Home Claims Satisfaction Study(SM) released today.
• Esurance Expands Online Offerings Through HSG Partnership - glassBYTEs™: Esurance and HSG have announced a new service that will enable Esurance policyholders to report their auto glass claims online.
• P/C Industry's Net Income Up; Combined Ratio at 100.7 for Q3 - Private U.S. property/casualty insurers’ net income after taxes rose to $16.2 billion through nine-months 2009, partially recovering from the 91.2 percent decline to $4.4 billion through nine-months 2008 from $49.6 billion through nine-months 2007.

December 21, 2009 

• Uncertainty over dealers boosts business for some collision shops - Brighton-based Campbell Collision is on pace to increase revenue 19 percent this year.
• Winter 2010 NAGS Calculator Published; Shows 0.81 Percent Decrease in Weighted Average of All Parts - The 2010 calculator from National Auto Glass Specifications International (NAGS) has been released, and the latest calculator shows a 0.81 percent decrease in weighted average from the previous calculator, released in September 2009. The newest calculator becomes effective on January 11, 2010.
• ABRA Opens New Salt Lake City Location - ABRA Auto Body & Glass, a Minneapolis-based damaged vehicle repair company, announced today the opening of their fourth repair center in the Salt Lake City area. This facility is located at 4080 West 1820 South in the West Valley area, and brings the total number of ABRA repair centers to ninety-seven in eleven states.
• Regal Collision gives car to Christian Help Center - The Christian Help Center will get a lot of mileage from its new gift -- literally.
• Season for Caring: Elgin car repair shop gives young mom a dream on wheels - Thanks to Gruetzner's Collision Center , Amy Hembree and her 8-month-old daughter, Willow, got a 3,400-pound lift toward self-sufficiency Friday a blue 1999 Chevrolet Malibu that every single member of the Elgin body shop pitched in to refurbish from bumper to bumper.
• Business Owner Named to Serve on Breast Cancer Foundation Board - David Picton, owner of Sacramento-based companies G&R Body & Paint and Earth Guard Pest Management Services, said it was a personal connection that inspired him to become involved with the foundation. -- In addition to his service on the Albie Carson Foundation board, Picton serves as vice president of the California Auto Body Association.
• Top-rated auto body shops around Puget Sound area - WA: Complaints against local body shops prove it pays to check around before you take your car in for body work.
• Furthering Your Education With a Auto Body Repair School - Career in the automotive sector are very competitive, and Auto Body Repair is no exception.
• 1939 GMC Truck - Imagination - Elvin Scalise had his imagination running full blast when he started to build his 1939 GMC Truck. -- Elvin has been customizing his rides since he was 15 years old.
• Solar power car guy is just waiting for customers - Finally there’s a way to get around town without polluting or burning anything. -- The Beautiful Earth Group, a Columbia Street “green” energy company, has set up Brooklyn’s first solar power array for the express purpose of charging electric cars.
• Earl Scheib Inc Financial and Strategic Analysis Review - www.bharatbook.com included a new report on “Earl Scheib Inc Financial and Strategic Analysis Review” into its market report catalogue for reselling.
• KAR Auction Services Announces Partial Exercise of Underwriters' Option to Purchase Additional Shares - KAR Auction Services, Inc. is the holding company for ADESA, Inc., a leading provider of wholesale used vehicle auctions whose operations span North America with 62 used vehicle sites, Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc., a leading salvage auto auction company whose operations span North America with 152 sites, and Automotive Finance Corporation, a leading provider of floorplan financing to independent and franchised used vehicle dealers with 87 sites across North America.
• Local car dealers avoided scrap issue - Auto dealers contacted Friday said that they are not affected by the announcement that the scrap value from cars traded in during the cash for Clunkers program must be passed along to customers who traded them in. -- Oregon Attorney General John Kroger made the announcement Friday while acknowledging that dealers were allowed to keep up to $50 of the price to cover disposal costs.
• Auto dealers look back on 'Clunkers' program with mixed feelings - This autumn, after selling out its inventory, the former Chevrolet-Cadillac dealership lost its GM affiliation and is now an independent firm specializing in used cars, an eclectic mix from Mercedes to Mini Coopers. -- “We had to redesign this business,” Pallone said. “We used to have 24 service bays. Now we’re doing more restoration work. Body shop business has doubled or tripled.”
• GM to end Saab brand after talks with buyer fail - General Motors is killing off another well-known brand — Saab, a quirky line of cars known for angular roof lines and ignition keyholes between the front seats — after talks with a Dutch would-be buyer collapsed.
• Obama auto team irons out plans for the future of Chrysler, GM - Sergio Marchionne was one guy who impressed the Obama auto task force -- but the panel wasn't going to negotiate with the Fiat chief executive over Chrysler's fate without having some leverage. What it had was General Motors, and maybe a spare $18 billion.
• South Bay congresswoman investigated by ethics committee - The Press-Telegram reported the congresswoman personally showed up at a South Bay collision repair mechanic to pay a longstanding debt, after the newspaper had run an article about it.
• The Seven Universal Rules of Sales and Marketing - In today’s economic climate, it’s difficult to find consistency.  Business is changing at a rapid rate in every industry, and insurance is no different.  As everything from the internet to the classic bear and bull markets transform the game of insurance sales, many people are looking for a measured, consistent approach to be taken to the industry that can create results in any market.
• Mahalo Hawaii: GEICO celebrates 60 years of service in the Aloha State - On December 31, 1949 GEICO wrote its very first Hawaii auto policy on an island chain known as the “The Gathering Place.” -- In 2008, GEICO worked with the Auto Body and Painting Association of Hawaii (ABPAH) to create the GEICO Apprenticeship Program to help improve training and increase job opportunity for auto body technicians.

December 18, 2009 

• Half Century of Safety Improvements Revealed in Crash Test - Results were “night and day,” in a 65 kph offset crash demonstration between a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air and a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. -- The test crash, conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)  in September and just released on video, demonstrates the strides made in keeping drivers and passengers safe in the 50 years since U.S. insurers organized the IIHS.
• 15-Day Draft of California Auto Glass Regulations Released; Now Available for Public Comment - glassBYTEs™: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has released the 15-day draft of the auto glass regulations the board voted to adopt in June. The draft, which specifies the type of glass to be used in vehicles sold in the state for model-year 2012 and later, is now open for public comment. Comments are due on January 11, 2010.
• Seventy Percent of Small to Mid-size Auto Body Shops Do Not Charge Enough for Their Services or Labor - A recent survey was conducted by Web-Est showing that auto body shops typically charge lower fees for labor and service than they should.
• National Benevolance Program: Monroe City woman receives car - MO: Getting a new car free of charge is usually something you see on game shows, but one Monroe City woman got just that as an early Christmas surprise Thursday, December 17th. -- Lisa Weisenborn was the recipient of a new-used car from JC Collision Repair in Monroe City.
• Businesses give away cars to deserving families - CA: There was an early holiday celebration for people who desperately needed reliable cars. The car giveaway started several years ago in Pittsburg, thanks to help from Mike's Autobody Shop, insurance companies, local businesses and technicians who restore wrecked cars.
• Local business gives away car - Kim Austin was the recipient of local collision repair shop Riley and Sons’ annual giveaway, a program the business uses to identify a deserving person in the community who could use a refurbished car to get back on his or her feet. The shop purchased the Buick, repaired it — mainly addressing mechanical malfunctions — and readied it to give to Austin and her two grandchildren, Blake and Star.
• Struggling single mom gets Christmas lift - Canada: This is the sixth year that Collision Clinic, a body shop in the capital, has given a vehicle to a family that can't afford one.
• Norgate donates van to worthy cause - Canada: Christmas came a bit early for the Prince George Council of Seniors, thanks to Norgate Auto Body.
• Sherwin-Williams Releases First Quarter 2010 Training Schedule - Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes released its training schedule for the first quarter 2010, many of which are I-CAR approved.
• Head-turning ad - The Earl Scheib Paint & Body business, founded in 1937, was famous for Earl’s early slogan, “I’ll paint any car, any color for $29.95.” The company was bought this year by Kelly Capital, a local business, and Mavis Media recently filmed a new commercial at several county locations. One scene, set in Bankers Hill, shows a young male driver so distracted as gorgeous blonde triplets walk by that he crashes into a police car. The tag line, tailored to today’s world, simply says: “Scheib happens.” (last brief on page)
• UPDATE: Auto-Parts Makers Say 2010 May Not As Bad As Feared - Auto-parts manufacturers are benefiting from an increase in demand for new cars, largely due to government-led scrapping incentives and strength in emerging markets, and their encouraging outlooks suggest a renewed slump in 2010 may not be as bad as feared.
• Chrysler To Invest $179 Mln In Michigan Plant To Build Fiat-designed Engine - Chrysler Group LLC said Thursday that it will invest $179 million to launch production of a fuel-efficient engine developed by Italian automaker Fiat SpA  for the North American market, which will be built at the company's Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance plant in Michigan. The investment will create up to 573 new jobs industry-wide, including up to 155 new jobs at Chrysler.
• Chinese Company Buys Rights to Make Old Saab Models - General Motors on Monday sold to Beijing Automotive Industry Holding the rights to technology from its Saab unit that will help the Chinese company to lift its profile at home.
• Bellingham auto body shop files for bankruptcy - Northwest Collision, 2529 Meridian St., has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. -- According to documents from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court's Western District court in Seattle, the company had about $48,000 in assets and about $500,000 in liabilities, with 50 to 99 creditors at the time of the filing on Monday, Dec. 14.
• Two bills in Congress to restore Glass-Steagall - Financial giants such as Goldman Sachs Group could be broken up under two bills introduced in the U.S. Congress on Wednesday. -- House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters on Tuesday at his weekly news conference that such a move was "certainly under discussion ... As someone who voted to repeal Glass-Steagall, maybe that was a mistake."
• Last week’s cold snap one of Washington’s costliest - According to a local insurance company, last week’s cold snap in Washington was the sixth-worst when it comes to claims related to cold weather paid by the company.
• Lawsuit On Auto Insurance Claim Proceeds Even Though Amount Being Sought Is...Who Knows? - United Automobile Insurance Company, a property and casualty insurer focusing on automobile insurance and premium finance, recently launched the United Auto Courts Report for the purpose of reporting on how South Florida courts are misused in personal injury protection lawsuits.

December 16, 2009 

• Independent Glass Association to Inaugurate "Steer of the Month" - glassBYTEs™: Beginning in January the Independent Glass Association (IGA) will select the worst steering incident from the many incident reports being tabulated in its anti-steering database.
• Two sides duke it out over need for design patent protection on automaker crash parts by John Yoswick - AutobodyOnline: The latest skirmish in the long-standing battle over non-OEM crash parts doesn't involve disputes over quality but rather whether such parts even can be legally manufactured and imported into the United States.
• Congressional Support for Right to Repair Reaches 51 - Reps. Brian Bilbray (R-CA), Donna Christensen (D-VI), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Collin Peterson (DFL-MN) and Laura Richardson (D-CA) are the most recent co-sponsors of the Right to Repair Act, which has gained steady support since its introduction.
• Picture of the Service and Repair Industry: 2009 'How's your Business?' Survey Results - The Automotive Service Association's "How's Your Business?" (HYB?) survey is in its 17th year of exploring the overall success and business practices of ASA member businesses.
• New AASA Special Report: ‘Automotive Aftermarket Channel Partners’ - AASA is releasing a new Special Report today, “AASA Channel Partners Study: The Role of the Sales Force in Aftermarket Parts Distribution,” based on the landmark association study exploring the needs of aftermarket distributors and their relationships with aftermarket manufacturers and independent rep agencies.
• Watch the December glassBYTEs.com™ Newscast: A Look at 2010, The Latest Car Shows and More - The December edition of the glassBYTEs.com™ video newscast, sponsored by AGRR magazine, is now available. In the latest edition, we take a look at the past and the future, some excitement at AGRR magazine, and the on-slate of the 2010 auto show season.
• Providence’s Dean Auto Body pays fine under protest - Dean Auto Body at 700 North Main St. has, under protest, paid a $2,500 fine under orders of the state Department of Business Regulation after it sought to get Allstate Insurance Company to pay for $4,773 worth of vehicle repairs, even though only $2,466 worth of work was done.
• New wheels bring better life - White Auto Body makes annual car donations to people in need
• Auto body repair shop helps out Santa - MO: An auto body shop in Jefferson City is helping out Santa this year. -- Kemna Collision is offering to assemble toys.
• Bay Area Body Shops Sponsor “Collision of the Game” On KNBR 680/1050 - Chilton Auto Body mixes pleasure and preparation as they remind consumers it’s a good thing to know where to find a trusted auto body shop when the need arises.
• Sterling Autobody donates $25,000 to I-CAR Education Foundation - Sterling Autobody Centers donated $25,000 to the I-CAR Education Foundation to assist four Massachusetts schools. -- Through Sterling’s donation, each school will receive $5,000 to purchase needed equipment, tools, and supplies for their automotive collision programs.
• Win a copy of LEAN Auto Body: A new Manual by Chris Ortiz - Lean Auto Body is an implementation manual specifically made for the auto collision repair industry. Author Chris Ortiz, president of Kaizen Assembly describes in great detail how the concepts of lean manufacturing are applied to this industry.
• Carstar Perth Reopens - Hamilton, Ontario--Carstar Automotive Canada Inc is reopening of its Perth location. -- The newly revamped and equipped facility Carstar Perth "is ready to serve the community and its surrounding areas," the company said in a release.
• Auto Body Panels Inc. Selects MAM's Autopart - Auto Body Panels Inc. to install MAM Software's Autopart management application to manage its warehousing and distribution outlets
• Sonic Automotive Inc Financial and Strategic Analysis Review - The company runs its operations through 169 dealership franchises at around 144 dealership locations and 34 collision repair centers in 15 states of the US.
• Chrysler liquidation plan won't repay $4B fed loan - A reorganization plan filed in bankruptcy court in New York today by the former Chrysler LLC, now known as Old Carco LLC, shows the automaker will not repay the $4 billion government loan it received in January.
• Whitacre says GM's priorities are to repay loans, find a new CEO - There are no early candidates to replace ousted CEO Fritz Henderson, but General Motors Co. will consider internal and external prospects, Chairman and interim CEO Ed Whitacre said Tuesday.
• Body Shops Backed Up With Snow-Related Crashes - MN: Sub-zero temperatures on the heels of a couple weeks of snowfall has auto body shops backed up with damaged cars.
• Bad weather is good news for auto body repair shops - Twenty-six damaged cars came in to Smart Motors in Middleton on Tuesday and Wednesday alone. The body shop says it had to rent out an extra parking lot just to keep up with demand.
• Local Auto Body Shops Busy After Icy Weekend - With black ice, spin outs and collisions this weekend, it was the worst of times. -- But for towing companies and auto body shops it may have been the best of times.
• D.C. undercover sting nets $1M in drugs, scores of guns - Investigators took a former auto body shop in the Langdon Park neighborhood in Northeast Washington, installed hidden cameras, hung a sign made from materials purchased at Home Depot and used informants to put word on the street. They called the phony business E.B's Auto Shop, a name chosen by using a police lieutenant's initials, and said E.B.'s was in the market for drugs and black market guns.
• Esurance Celebrates 10 Years of Innovation - Auto Insurance Company Reaches Milestone, Turns a Decade Old
• Ohio Drivers Could Save Big Bucks Based on How They Drive with New, One-of-a-Kind Car Insurance Program from Progressive - Optional Behavior-Based Car Insurance, MyRateSM, Lets Lower-Risk Drivers Pay Less

December 14, 2009 

• Mitchell International Selected by Elephant Auto Insurance™ - Innovative insurance upstart features WorkCenter™ Total Loss valuation solution for U.S. launch
• I-CAR Round Table offers industry a voice in the future of collision repair training - As it continues to gather information from the collision repair inter-industry around the needs of training, I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Collision Repair, hosted a “Round Table” discussion that attracted over 70 industry professionals from across the United States.
• I-CAR recognizes leaders in their roles to bring new training to the collision repair inter-industry - Paul Blaski, Training Director with Sterling Autobody Centers served as chairman of the Collision Repair Facility ISAC and Mike DeVoss, Estimatic Section Manager with State Farm Insurance served as chairman of the Insurance ISAC.
• Winter Weather Brings Big Business to Auto Repair Shops - St. Joseph, MO: Bad weather, plus bad roads is leaving auto repair shops full of business. -- Owner of Collision Repair Specialists, Dale Eaton and his team are swamped with cars damaged from this week's winter weather. From tire damage to fender benders, you name it, drivers hit it.
• Going Green: Artie's Auto Body shifts to safer paint - Green paint has a whole new meaning at Artie's Auto Body. The 49 Potuccos Ring Road repair shop now uses environmentally safe paint — a "waterborne basecoat" produced by Standox, a German company that makes refinishing paints for automobiles.
• Collision experts grow in new Hammond location - IL: Collision Damage Experts opened its fourth location, and first in Indiana, at 7212 Indianapolis Blvd. last month. The Hammond site has 15 employees, including four office staff and 11 technicians, said Daniel Winn, director of operations.
• Auto Painting and Dent Repair using Green Practices in Los Angeles - Auto body repair shops who convert to PPG Envirobase paint products are happy with quality, durability and cost while preserving our planet.
• Auto shops donate pair of cars to the needy - Locally based Golden State Collision Centers Inc., which operates five auto body shops in the Sacramento region, will present two rehabilitated vehicles to needy families Monday in Sacramento.
• 'Elves' piece Christmas together - Blair Oaks students volunteered time to help Greg Kemna of Kemna Collision Repair, LLC, put toys together.
• Children needed by Santa's Helpers - CA: Santa's Helpers at Chris' Collision Repair in Grass Valley are looking for families in need. -- Children can write letters to Santa at P.O. Box 906, Grass Valley, CA 95945. The helpers will screen the letters and respond with gifts. (2nd brief on page)
• Local business gives back in tough times - The shop owner remains humble as the holiday season gets into full swing, but is looking forward to being able to make a difference in his community.
• Ronan woman wins big at home, not Vegas - Rick Dennis, a board member of the Boys and Girls Club of Ronan, had found the Mustang in Helena earlier this year, according to reporter Sasha Goldstein's story, and brought it back to Ronan with the idea of using fixing it up and using it for a fundraiser. -- Dennis, who runs Two Creek Classic Restoration, lined up local businesses to help with the restoration.
• Ex-councilman Hager suffers stroke - IN: Besides being a commissioner from 2000 to 2008, he owned and operated Ace Auto Body for 30 years in Michigan City.
• Sherwin-Williams plant receives OSHA recognition - The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has designated Sherwin-Williams Company in Coffeyville, Kan., as a Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) merit site for meeting or exceeding workplace safety and health standards.
• PPG hits the iPhone with ColorMobile - PPG has introduced ColorMobile, a new tool providing fast and easy Internet access to all color formulas for domestic and import vehicle colors.
• Taking charge of DuPont in trying times - First female CEO Ellen Kullman has streamlined company
• Volkswagen November sales up 19% - Volkswagen AG's group sales were up 19 percent on the year in November, powered by a strong increase at its core brand, the company said Friday.
• Toyota to start selling plug-in hybrids in 2011 - Toyota showed its new plug-in hybrid Monday, available for leasing this month in Japan, the U.S. and Europe, and promised the green vehicle for sale to regular consumers by 2011 at an "affordable" price.
• Toyota Whistleblower Complaint Alleges Rollover Scandal - There aren’t too many manufacturers possessing as good as a reputation as the Toyota Motor Corporation. The automaker has the top luxury brand in the world, Lexus, and its Toyota brand is known throughout the world.
• Recall Alert: 2010 Land Rover Range Rover - Jaguar Land Rover has issued a recall for about 4,000 2010 Range Rover vehicles due to a problem with passenger airbag deployment.
• Auto shop alleged front for drug business - Four people were arrested yesterday at Finish Line Auto Painting and Body Works in Mount Airy in connection with an undercover drug investigation that has lasted for several months.
• Agents bust a chop shop and insurance fraud ring - Salt Lake City, UT: Authorities put the brakes on a massive chop shop and insurance fraud ring spanning the Valley.
• State-Owned Vehicle Accidents Cost West Virginia $17 Million - West Virginia has paid out $17.7 million to resolve more than 5,000 accident claims involving state vehicles during the past five budget years.
• State Farm corporate employees give $1.45M to United Way - That number doesn’t include donations from employees of State Farm’s Illinois Operations Center, said State Farm spokesman Bob Lapinski. A decision on a State Farm corporate gift will be made later, he said

December 10, 2009 

• Allstate Faces $5,000 Fine for Charges Related to Steering in Rhode Island Body Shop Case; Decision Defines What Constitutes "Interfering" with Consumer Choice - glassBYTEs™: Allstate Insurance Co. has been fined $5,000 for "interfering with [a] consumer's free choice of repair facility" in a case involving a Rhode Island body shop, according to a decision released by the state's Department of Business Regulation's Insurance Division. The company is charged with "failure to affirmatively inform a claimant of his right to select the auto body shop of his choice;" and interfering with the claimant's choice of shop.
• Gerber Collision Acquires Four Collision Repair Centers in Arizona and Opens New Location in Georgia - The Boyd Group Inc. (the “Boyd Group”)  announced the acquisition of Big Sky Autobody in Arizona and the opening of a new start-up in Georgia . Big Sky Autobody is a regional operator of four collision repair centers in Arizona with three centers located in Tucson and one in Avondale.
• Caliber Acquires Xpress Collision Centers in Houston - Caliber Collision Centers, an Irvine, Calif.-based operator of collision repair facilities in California and Texas, has acquired Xpress Collision Centers in Houston, Texas.
• Glass Manufacturers Motion for Court to Compel Plaintiffs to Produce Sales Data in Antitrust Suit - glassBYTEs™: Several glass manufacturers who are the defendants in an on-going antitrust suit filed by several glass shops across the United States filed a motion yesterday seeking that the court compel some of the glass shops involved to provide their own sales data for the period of time in question.
• Wheels of Hope: SUV Giveaway - The campaign is called "Wheels of Hope." Nine auto repair shops in Fresno have come together to give away a 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The vehicle comes equipped with four wheel drive, new tires and breaks and much more.
• Benevolence Program to Donate 37 Cars - AkzoNobel Acoat selected collision centres will be giving the gift of transportation to 37 families and community members this holiday season.
• Hendricks County toy drive seeks help - Avon, IN: With donations coming in behind schedule, a Hendricks County organization is having an emergency toy drive Saturday. -- Project Angel hopes to give 200 families toys to make Christmas merrier. -- The organization is partnering with Shafer's Collision Repair for the toy and fundraising drive.
• Pace Collision Opens in Former Frederick Shop - Boardman, OH: Area car dealer Jim Pace has opened Pace Collision here and hired former employees of Frederick Chrysler Jeep Dodge’s collision repair division.
• Canada: Auto body work with a friendly flavour - When you need to have work done on your car, motorcycle, boat or just about anything else, the workers at Valley Auto Body want to be there for you. The new business opening up is based out of Windermere with their paint shop in Athalmer.
• Universal Technical Institute Receives Unofficial Three-Year Cohort Default Rates Provided by the Department of Education - Universal Technical Institute, Inc., the leading provider of automotive technician training, reported that it received the Department of Education's (ED) unofficial three-year cohort default rates (CDRs) for the federal fiscal years ending Sept. 30, 2007, 2006 and 2005.
• Advertise Your Aftermarket Parts on Search Engines - Advertising on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo doesn’t need to be limited to the selling of new and used cars. There are potential customers out there searching for parts, accessories, service centers, and other auto related keywords. Let’s take a look at how search engine marketing can help you sell your aftermarket parts.
• Governor Martin O'Malley Outlines Economic Agenda to Strengthen Small Business, Create Jobs - Governor, Greater Baltimore Committee focus on job creation and access to credit for small business owners at Maryland's first Small Business Summit -- “Small and family-owned businesses are the heart and soul of our State and the key to how we’re going to turn the corner from recession to recovery to prosperity,” said Governor O’Malley.
• President Plans to Accelerate Job Growth Through Small Businesses - ASA: Legislation Will Be Offered in 2010
• KAR Faces Bumpy Road to Its IPO - Concerns on Auction Company's Financial Performance, Customer Base May Damp Investor Interest -- This year, KAR has been profitable for the first time since the Adesa and Insurance Auto combination, earning $18 million on continuing operations in the first nine months, compared with a $167 million loss during the year-ago period.
• Joint Statement of Support from the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and the Automotive Trade Association Executives (ATAE) for Compromise Dealer Rights Amendment - The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and the Automotive Trade Association Executives (ATAE) support the compromise agreed to this evening by House and Senate leaders in conference committee negotiations on an auto dealer rights' amendment, sponsored by Steve LaTourette, R-Ohio, which will provide a fair process to address dealer concerns about the recent closures of General Motors and Chrysler dealerships.
• November Sees Stabilization in New Vehicle Sales as 2009 Winds Down - Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles Continue to See Stronger Pricing as Demand Rises Among Consumers and Supply Shrinks
• Can muscle cars save the U.S. auto industry? Retro Dodge Challengers, Chevy Camaros and Ford Mustangs - A Consumer Reports survey of 380,000 readers of its magazine and web site found that the Dodge Challenger is the car best loved by its owners. 
• Chrysler may build future Sebrings in U.S. - Chrysler LLC will keep the Sterling Heights assembly plant open through 2011 and will likely produce future versions of the Chrysler Sebring sedan in the United States, CEO Sergio Marchionne told Michigan lawmakers Tuesday.
• GM, Chrysler, Toyota: How They Doin'? - Did the bankruptcies and safety worries scare away the customers? It's too early to say for sure, but we can see some signs.
• Gold rush: Nasty weather a boon for some - Janesville, WI: They call it white gold. -- Auto body shop owners make money from snow this time of year.
• Deer crash can run into big bucks - Fredericksburg, VA: Deer-vehicle crashes add up to a lot of repair work at local auto body shops
• Bad Weather Causes More Car Repairs - ODESSA - Accidents left and right over the last few days; thanks to slippery and slick conditions, now one Odessa body shop has been covered up trying to put the trucks and cars back together again.
• L.A. Firefighters Tackle Body Shop Blaze - On December 9th, LAFD responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at Jefferson Boulevard and Rimpau Boulevard in Mid-City Los Angeles.
• Analysis shows over 40 percent of sudden-acceleration complaints involve Toyotas - Toyota and Lexus models for 2008 had a much greater incidence of sudden, unintended acceleration than other brands, according to Consumer Reports’ analysis of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety complaints database. In our review of 2008 model-year data, Ford also stood out with a significant number of related complaints.
• Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety Names New Board of Directors Co-Chairs: Bill Martin, Senior Vice President of Farmers Insurance, and Joan Claybrook, President Emeritus of Public Citizen - Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates) today announced that Bill Martin, a Senior Vice President of Farmers Insurance, and Joan Claybrook, President Emeritus of Public Citizen, were elected co-chairs of its Board of Directors. The election took place at their board meeting in Washington, D.C. on December 3, 2009.
• Progressive November Profit Falls As Premium Prices Are Soft - Auto insurance premiums rose for Progressive Corp. (PGR) in November from the previous year, but the number of policies rose even more, as the weakened economy makes it difficult for auto insurers to raise prices.
• One Thing Is Certain for Insurance Industry in Near Term: Uncertainty - Insurance Journal: The insurance industry may not see a return to relative stability and certainty for a few years as it reacts to the effects of regulatory reform, increased government intervention and potential tax law changes in the aftermath of the financial crisis, according to a new report.
• Farmers Insurance to lay off 200 by end of year - The cuts will come from Farmers' recently acquired 21st Century Insurance division, where 343 have already lost their jobs since August.
• Many unaware credit scores affect vehicle insurance rates - Many insurers use a person's credit score to determine insurance rates and accessibility. But that message isn't getting across to Iowa consumers, a survey by St. Ambrose University in Davenport shows.
• Oregon fines Farmers Insurance $10,000 - The state Department of Consumer and Business Services fined Farmers Insurance Company of Oregon $10,000 for improperly using consumers’ insurance scores in calculating renewal rates on thousands of auto and homeowner policies.

December 8, 2009 

• Three New DOTs Awarded to Auto Glass Manufacturers in the Last Month; One Italian, Two Chinese - None of these previously held a DOT No. -- The glassBYTEs.com™/AGRR magazine DOT Search Number Tool has been updated with these numbers.
• Collision Center Hires Former Chrysler Employees - When Chrysler pulled its franchise from some dealerships nationwide, Frederick Dodge was one of the local lots to close, leaving dozens of workers without jobs. -- Jim Pace Pontiac has opened a new collision center in Boardman, and he's staffing it with auto and body technicians from the old Frederick Dodge dealership.
• AkzoNobel To Award Most Influential Women In Collision Repair - AkzoNobel Car Refinishes Americas has announced the date and location for the by-invitation-only event that will recognize The Most Influential Women in the Collision Repair Industry for 2009/’10 (MIW).  The program will be held on April 14, 2010 at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia.
• SCRS Continues Delivery of Educational Seminar Offerings Across the U.S. - The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has announced dates for the first two SCRS seminars being offered by the association in 2010.
• PPG Announces Collision Repair Facility Management Training Schedule - PPG’s MVP Business Solutions has announced its Green Belt Training schedule for the first half of 2010.
• AutocheX Celebrates 20th Anniversary by Honoring Top-Performing Shops at Annual Premier Achiever Awards - AutocheX™, Mitchell International's® customer experience management group, honored collision repair facilities from throughout the U.S. and Canada for their exceptional achievements in customer service and satisfaction at a special 20th anniversary celebration of the annual Premier Achiever Awards ceremony.
• Reacting to stand-alone expos: 'Shock and surprise' but few objections - ASRW and AAIW officials are eager to avoid any indications that a feud is erupting between the two parties.
• What's Your Tiebreaker? - Creating a Clear Reason to Choose You Instead of Your Competition -- An auto paint manufacturer offers its body shop customers help with programs on inventory control, accounts receivable and other business basics.
• Auto body food drive for Abby - A company that provides parts for the body shop business is working with its clients to help the needy in Abbotsford this Christmas. -- Pro Body Parts is organizing a food drive from Dec. 7 to 11 and a number of local body shops will serve as collection points for non-perishable food items for the Abbotsford Community Services Food Bank.
• Cocoa and cookies warm hearts: Auto body shop gathers donations for Community Christmas - Margaret Freer, one of the owners of Freer Auto Body in Godfrey, adores catchy sayings and also has a special affinity for Christmas.
• 5th annual toy drive under way - Indianapolis: The Tony Stewart Foundation has partnered with Church Brothers Collision Repair and the private Orchard School on Indianapolis' Northside for the fifth annual Tony's Toy Drive, which runs through Dec. 18, said Allison Frane of BPS Marketing.
• Golden State Collision Centers, Inc. To Provide Restored Vehicles to In-Need Families in Third Annual “Giving Back to the Community Benevolence Event, 2009” - “Each year, we come across cars that are written off by either the owner or the insurance company. Often these older vehicles are simply in need of mechanical or body work to get them road-ready and safe to drive. Golden State believes that these cars are going to waste when there are people who really need them, and that is the basis of this annual program,” said Dave Finkelstein, owner of Golden State Collision Centers, Inc
• Recycled Ride program gives Tucsonan free car - Christmas came early this year for Dawn Tya and her family, in the form of a free car. Tya, a working mother with four daughters, got a 2003 Ford Taurus through the national “Recycled Rides” program, which repairs and donates vehicles to families and organizations in need throughout the United States.
• Body Shop Business Spikes Due To Icy Roads - EL PASO, Texas -- The icy road conditions caused plenty of damage to people's vehicles. On Friday, a lot of them ended up in the body shop.
• Full service collision and body shop opening - Gerber Collision and Glass, which has had its eyes on the Rome market for sometime will be opening this week at 2230 Redmond Circle in West Rome.
• Truth in a company name: Master Auto Body & Repair - The word "master" in Master Auto Body & Repair is exactly right. Mike Jones, owner of Master Auto Body & Repair on Industrial Place in Middletown, is a master at his craft, and it's all because he simply loves what he does
• Central Auto Body: 'The public respects what we do' - For a quarter century, Central Auto Body repair shop has been the place where residents have gone for all their service needs, said owner Steve Strezo, who took over operations a decade ago from longtime owner Gene Feely.
• Shop owner grows business from experience - Before Greg Ciuba opened Greg Ciuba’s Paint and Body in 1988, he had worked at a number of shops — and learned the art from each.
• AutoClaims Direct CEO Ernie Bray and Property Director Heather Hamilton Release New Training Book for Field Inspectors - AutoClaims Direct CEO Ernie Bray and Co-Author, Heather Hamilton the firm's Property Director have released their new book titled "A Field Day In Claims." The book serves as a great starting point for those looking to gain a solid grasp of the basics required to properly inspect, photograph and document damages to autos and homes for insurance claims.
• Web-Est Provides Tips for Auto Body Shops on How to Use Email for Marketing - Using email marketing for an auto body shop to gain potential customers is free, easy and efficient. Web-Est provides some ways to help shops utilize email to bring in more business.
• CCC Information Services Inc. - Strategic Analysis Review - new report released - CCC Information Services Inc. (CCC) is one of the leading providers of advanced software, communications systems, and Internet and wireless enabled technology to the automotive claims and collision repair industries. Its client base includes more than 350 insurance companies and thousands of repair facilities providers. CCC provides its computer software and services to insurance agencies, independent appraisers, and collision repair.
• Real estate transactions: Industrial - TX: TNRG Development is constructing a build-to-suit project on 30 acres in northeast Houston for LKQ Corp., a provider of aftermarket collision replacement products. The 98,850-square-foot building at 19423 Aldine-Westfield Road is scheduled for completion in this month. LKQ is headquartered in Chicago and serves 43 of the top 75 U.S. automobile markets.
• Yard operators ask for extra time - The government's $3 billion Cash for Clunkers program is still playing on - at auto salvage yards like Carthage Auto Parts. -- Owner Dave Norton has 200 disabled clunker trade-ins sitting on his North Bend Road lot, mainly big SUVs and older pickups. He's hoping to strip off "at least" a couple hundred dollars in usable parts from each to recover the $200-$300 he paid for each car.
• Stafford neighbors seeking relief from auto salvage yard - Tucked into a residential neighborhood off Norman Road in North Stafford, the Pick-A-Part auto salvage yard has gotten busier, louder and harder for adjacent property owners to ignore.
• Auto Sales Still Sputtering - As U.S. auto sales sputter back after plunging to a three-decade low earlier this year, local car dealers say that they are surviving with increased car repairs and used-car sales.
• U.S. investigates claims on Toyota engine stalls - The U.S. government is investigating complaints of engine stall in 2006 Toyota Motor Corp Corolla and Matrix vehicles, the latest in a string of quality issues to affect the Japanese automaker.
• Police: Body Shop Doubled As Chop Shop - NE: Police said a body shop in Lincoln was doubling as a chop shop. -- Officers said they found pieces of two stolen Ford pickup trucks inside the Kustom Shop on West O Street.
• Alleged burglar beaten by shop owner - When David Dee Smith, owner of Smith’s Auto Body at 310 Cherokee in Sallisaw went to his business at 9 p.m. Nov. 25, he noticed a window broken on his door he didn’t expect to see a man inside.
• S.D. car-deer collisions evidence of robust herd - 8,056 crashes last year rank state sixth in U.S.

December 4, 2009 

• NACE Moves to October, Away from Industry Week - GCIA: NACE organizers are working to reschedule all future dates of the annual collision industry trade show and a firm October date has already been set for the 2010 event. The intentional move away from Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week is being done so that NACE no longer coincides with the SEMA and AAPEX trade shows.
• Automotive Industry Shows Off Latest Vehicles, Concepts at L.A. Auto Show This Week; Glass Usage Continues to Grow and Evolve - glassBYTEs™:  The Los Angeles Auto Show officially opens tomorrow at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and, despite a tough year for the automotive industry, the annual auto event promises several new launches of innovative vehicles-many of which will feature expansive amounts of glass, as in recent years.
• ASA pulls NACE, CARS shows out of AAIW - ABRN: Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) 2010 will take place Oct. 11-13 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas as a stand-alone event, no longer during Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (AAIW), which includes the SEMA and AAPEX shows.
• Auto Body Association of Connecticut Affiliates with SCRS  - Autobody News: The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) is pleased to announce the Auto Body Association of Connecticut (ABAC) as its newest affiliate association, bringing the total number of SCRS affiliates to thirty-seven.
• Leahy Files Antitrust Repeal Amendment to Senate Healthcare Reform Act - ASA: First Step in McCarran-Ferguson Repeal
• House Financial Services Committee Passes Federal Insurance Office Act - ASA: The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services has passed H.R. 2609, the "Federal Insurance Office Act," by a unanimous voice vote. H.R. 2609, introduced by Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski, D-Pa., chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises, will establish an Office of Insurance Information in the Department of the Treasury.
• Congress Hopeful Faces Uphill Climb - She’s got a few thousand dollars and support from two car repair groups. Can Peggy Rogers jumpstart a campaign that would roll over a popular incumbent? -- Rogers, who’s 54, owns a body shop and a towing service in Milford with her husband, Bob. She made the announcement at the Stonebridge Restaurant in Milford, her hometown.
• El Monte, Pasadena auto body shops refurbish vehicles given to needy families - Christmas came early last week for many families in need. -- As part of Recycled Rides, a program of the nonprofit National Auto Body Council and community members, 68 families nationwide received donated and refurbished vehicles on Monday, Nov. 23.
• Roger Penske Donates $25,000 Scholarship for a Female Seeking a NASCAR® Career - Universal Technical Institute (UTI) Foundation today announced Roger Penske has donated $25,000 toward the Brienne Davis Memorial Scholarship for one qualified female to attend UTI’s NASCAR Technical Institute, in Mooresville, N.C. The Penske award is part of the Brienne Davis Memorial Scholarship Fund for women pursuing careers in the automotive industry. Davis, a UTI graduate and NASCAR Sprint Cup official, died tragically in 2008.
• Keystone Automotive Expands in Corporate Woods Court - Collision Replacement Parts Company Inks 4-Year Deal
• Milliken sells automotive body cloth division - Milliken & Company, Spartanburg, S.C., sold its Automotive Body Cloth division to a Milliken management group supported by an investment capital firm with automotive expertise.
• Solera Holdings, Inc. To Enter the Greek Market, Will Repurchase Market Rights from Licensee - Solera will conduct business in the 5.4 million insured vehicle market through an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary named Informex Hellas. -- Informex Hellas will introduce a new, web-based suite of products and services that are designed to allow insurers, assessors and collision repair shops to manage more effectively and accurately claims processing work flow.
• Visteon to Lay Off Indianapolis Workers - Visteon Corp. has announced plans to permanently lay off 187 union workers at a facility in Indianapolis.
• Copart 1Q profit falls 5.3 percent as sales fall - Junk-car auction service Copart Inc. said its first-quarter profit fell 5.3 percent, although the results met analyst expectations.
• So what's monkeying around at body shop? - Muddy prints were left on a trash bin by a mystery animal that has been wandering the property at JD's Paint and Body Shop.
• Crunch of snow: Winter sends cars sliding - Winter finally made its presence known in Minot Tuesday as blowing snow and icy conditions contributed to a hectic day for motorists and a busy day for police. -- Jim Rostad, president of Minot's Finest Collision Center, said they only saw around six cars in their estimating bay Tuesday, but that was pretty normal for the first day of snow.
• GEICO to Hire 150 for Macon Office in First Quarter 2010 - Since GEICO's Macon operations center opened in 1974, the office has grown to employ more than 4,340 associates - and it has no plans of stopping. GEICO is actively recruiting and plans to hire more than 150 new associates in its Macon office in the first quarter of 2010.

December 2, 2009 

• LKQ says potential jobs are coming to Topeka - As of right now the LKQ company of South Topeka will stay in Kansas, this comes after the County Commissioners reclassified a property near their current location, in the 6000 block of Topeka Boulevard, to be zoned for light industrial usage.
• In an Unprecedented Move, Mitchell Provides Customer Vehicle Statusing and OEM Information to the Industry Free of Charge - In an Unprecedented Move, Mitchell Provides Customer Vehicle Statusing and OEM Information to the Industry Free of Charge
• Several Auto Glass Manufacturers and Suppliers Listed as Unsecured Creditors in Recent Bankruptcy Filing; Pilkington North America Tops List - glassBYTEs™: A large distributor of flat glass and aluminum products, Arch Aluminum & Glass Co., filed for bankruptcy just last week, and though the company does not deal directly with auto glass, the filing could possibly have trickling affects, as several of its largest creditors also supply auto glass.
• Former Diamond Regional Operations Manager Sues Belron US for Approximately $100,000 in Severance Payments - glassBYTEs™: Former Diamond Triumph Auto Glass regional operations manager Michael Wasnetsky has filed a suit against Belron US for severance payments to which he alleges the company agreed.
• AkzoNobel Car Refinishes in deal with GM Europe - General Motors Europe (GME) and AkzoNobel Car Refinis hes have announced an agreement under which AkzoNobel will participate in GME’s Body and Paint Program.
• Cocoa and cookies for Community Christmas - Local auto body shop contributing to charity for second year -- Freer Auto Body and Accessories Inc., at 4512 N. Alby in Godfrey, is hosting its second annual Cocoa and Cookies for Community Christmas from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
• Local auto shop says it plans to expand its inaugural food drive - The owners of Midwest Custom Autosports in Liberty Twp. want to help feed people this holiday season. -- But they also want to help people after the holiday season, which is why the 9-month-old mechanic and autobody shop is planning to make its inaugural holiday food drive continue throughout the year.
• Recycled SUVs a blessing for local families - Baker's Collision Repair Specialists donated two vehicles this week to local families through the national Recycled Rides program.
• Springfield City Council OKs electronic sign for Rick's Auto Body - Paul E. Caron, a consultant for the company, said Rick’s has been in business for 36 years, and has 42 employees, and will use the modern sign to promote the automobile services it offers. The sign will replace an existing sign.
• Car Owners Say Routine Oil Changes Reduce Costly Repairs; Mechanics Agree - Washington drivers know the key step in preventing costly auto repairs, but they may be overlooking other crucial maintenance to prevent long-term engine damage, according to a PEMCO Insurance poll released today.
• Automotive Technicians Make Purchase Decisions Based on Brand, According to Survey by Frost & Sullivan - Not surprisingly, among the three product categories covered (batteries, motor oil, and tires), automotive technicians continue to be the primary purchase decision makers/influencers in garages/repair shops, which is likely due to their regular exposure to the products.
• Need for Mechanics Drives Students To Community College Facility - Despite the slump in the auto industry, demand for certified auto mechanics is forecast to continue, and a newly built San Diego mechanics school is fully enrolled with a waiting list of students.
• Universal Technical Institute Reports Fiscal 2009 Fourth Quarter Results - Student Starts and Average Students Increased 15%
• BASF visits with auto officials at Kettering - Automotive officials head to Kettering University to check out the latest award-winning "green" product from BASF.
• Florida Man Wins Chevrolet Volt Paint Color Contest - Consumers choose 'Viridian Joule' as winning color name
• DuPont Announces World's Most Popular Car Colors - Silver Gleams in First-Ever DuPont Global Color Rankings for 2009
• Levin Statement to Financial Services Committee on Small Business Lending - Manufacturing is capital intensive, and the surest way to push a manufacturing business under is to deny them the capital necessary to buy materials and maintain equipment. Indeed, in testimony before the Subcommittee today, Dave Andrea of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association points out that an automotive suppliers banking relationship may be a better predictor of its survival than the fundamentals of its business.
• Cars, Crossovers Drive Ford's November Share Gain - November car sales up 14 percent versus a year ago and crossovers up 26 percent; Ford, Lincoln and Mercury total U.S. sales were 118,536, essentially equal to year-ago sales
• Subaru of America Announces 24-Percent Increase in November Sales - Subaru of America, Inc. today announced an increase in November sales of 24 percent with 16,988 units sold. November 2009 represents the best November monthly total in Subaru of America's history and the fifth record month out of the last six.
• GM to Study Saab Interest, Decide Future This Month - Parts of Saab may be sold to Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co., two people familiar with the talks said this week. Spyker Cars NV, Merbanco Inc. and Renco Group Inc. have also made approaches about the Swedish carmaker, people familiar with the talks have said.
• North American Steel Industry Continues Aggressive Efforts to Help Reduce Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Consumption - AISI's Steel Market Development Institute collaborates with WorldAutoSteel and EDAG on steel-intensive battery-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle designs to be released in 2011
• Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com(R) Releases 2010 Residual Value Analysis - Kelley Blue Book's residual values are a reflection of current vehicle data, market conditions for each vehicle, competition in each segment, expectations of the future economy and the combined experience of Kelley Blue Book's team of statisticians, economists and pricing analysts.
• Kelley Blue Book Announces Winners of 2010 Best Resale Value Awards - Kbb.com Offers Money-Saving Advice for Finding New Vehicles with Minimal Depreciation Ahead
• Analyst: Ford Could Face New Explorer Rollover Lawsuits - The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the Ford Motor Company's appeal of an $82 million verdict in a Ford Explorer rollover case.
• NHTSA Proposes Standard be Developed to Reduce Passenger Ejections Through Sidelites - glassBYTEs™: The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) has submitted a proposal of rulemaking to develop a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 226 to reduce the partial and complete ejection of vehicle occupants through sidelites in crashes in rollover crashes.
• Ford Helping Virginia Tech, Wake Forest Develop 'Pregnant' Crash Test Computer Model for Virtual Testing - Ford Motor Company is working with Virginia Tech and Wake Forest University researchers in the development of a computer-aided model that could be used to measure how crash forces affect pregnant women.
• Farmers Insurance Clients' Info Hacked - Insurance Company Considers If Former Agent Shared Private Information
• Surveillance Video Captures Secret Service Raid - The investigation started when someone obtained unauthorized computer access to the personal information of an estimated 1,000 customers of Farmers Insurance in Nashville. -- Given that the information is so sensitive, Farmers became concerned and contacted the Secret Service, which investigates cyber crime along with protecting the president and other heads of state.
• City Deals With Thousands Of Uninsured Drivers' Crashes - OMAHA, Neb. --Smallheiser said 20 to 25 percent of the cases his office handles involve uninsured drivers. City prosecutors handle about 8,000 cases involving uninsured drivers each year.
• Report: SC Auto Insurance Premiums Still Below National Average - The average auto insurance expenditure in South Carolina is still below the national average according to a recent study released by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.