April 26, 2006

April 25, 2006

April 24, 2006

April 21, 2006

• VOC Issues: An Update - AutoInc: If you're a body shop owner or anyone affected by VOC regulations, don't fear their coming. Just educate yourself. The regulations will be phased in slowly, over time, so don't panic.
• PPG Reports Record First Quarter Sales, Earnings Per Share - PPG Industries reported today first quarter net income of $184 million, or $1.11 a share, including aftertax charges of $23 million, or 14 cents a share, for business restructuring; and $6 million, or 3 cents a share, to reflect the net increase in the current value of the company's obligation under its asbestos settlement agreement reported in May 2002. Sales were $2.6 billion.
• PPG Chairman Issues Optimistic Outlook for Company - PPG Industries has a "great future" as the company's performance in 2005 demonstrated, said Charles E. Bunch, chairman and chief executive officer, at the company's annual meeting of shareholders.
• The Sherwin-Williams Company Reports First Quarter 2006 Earnings Results - The Sherwin-Williams Company announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2006. Consolidated net sales increased $230.0 million, or 14.9%, to $1.8 billion in the quarter as a result of continuing strong domestic and international paint sales. Consolidated net income increased 36.5% to $113.7 million in the quarter from $83.3 million in the first quarter of 2005 and improved as a percent to net sales to 6.4% from 5.4% last year due primarily to improved operations.
• Akzo Nobel 1Q Profit Falls 13 Percent - Dutch chemicals maker Akzo Nobel NV said Thursday first quarter earnings fell 13 percent to euro249 million (US$308 million), due to an unfavorable comparison with the same quarter a year ago when it booked a large extraordinary gain.
• More and More, It's Offshore - A look at the state of offshore outsourcing in its earlier days; project management tips remain solid. -- Jim Beattie is chief technology officer at CCC Information Services, a Chicago company that sells packaged software to 350 insurance companies to connect them with field agents and 15,000 body shops.
• Speaker backs bill to license 'windshield technicians' - The Louisiana House of Representatives has voted to support a measure that would make workmen who install and repair automotive windshields earn a state license by passing a test and paying a fee of up to 75 dollars.
• Auto Repair Industry in the US - About 130,000 companies in the US are involved primarily in auto repair, with combined annual revenue of $65 billion.
• Jury gives fired worker $1.75 million - Steve Murray sued Cars Collision Center of Colorado, which has shops in Pueblo, Colorado Springs and the Denver area, in 2004.
• Automotive Coatings, Adhesives & Sealants Demand to Exceed $7 Billion in 2010 - Growth in OEM demand will be supported by US motor vehicle production, which will rebound from declines posted during the 2000-2005 period. However, these gains will be mostly linked to passenger cars, which consume less coatings, adhesives and sealants on a per vehicle basis than larger vehicles. Aftermarket demand will benefit from gains in the number of vehicles in use, which will rise 1.5 percent annually through 2010.
• Run-Flat Tires Go Mainstream - For more than a decade, car companies have put run-flat tires on some of their most exclusive models. But now, more auto makers are offering them on a wider range of vehicles, including sports and luxury vehicles, family minivans, and subcompact cars like the MINI Cooper.
• Christian Brothers Automotive plans Southaven location - Houston-based Christian Brothers Automotive Corp. continues to expand their automotive service and repair company in the Memphis area with the recent opening of a Collierville location and plans to open in Southaven.
• Feds Probe Toyota Pickup, SUV Suspension Failures - Toyota pickup trucks and SUVs are the focus of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recall query because of reports that the front suspension ball joints may come apart. Toyota trucks that are included in the investigation are the 2002-2004 Tundra, and Sequoia, 2001-2004 Tacoma and 2001-2002 4Runner.
• CMTC and SEMA Team Up to Bring ISO 9001 to Automotive Suppliers - Series of Webinars to Explore the "Who, What, When and How" of This ISO Quality Standard - Essential to Auto Suppliers
• Ford Reports $1.2 Billion Loss in 1Q - Ford Motor Co. said Friday it lost $1.2 billion in the first quarter as revenues fell and the company started a massive and costly North American restructuring effort.
• Insurers Expected to Pay $1.38B for Q1 Cat Losses - PCS estimates that the seven catastrophes produced nearly 390,000 claims in 19 states. Personal lines claims accounted for 53 percent of the total, 12 percent for commercial lines claims and 35 percent for auto claims. The large number of vehicle claims stemmed from hail and tornado damage.
• 18,500 consumers helped so far in 2006, $9.3 million in insurance claims recovered - In the first quarter of 2006, Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine’s Consumer Services and Managed Care Divisions helped more than 18,500 Georgia consumers settle disputes with their insurance companies, returning $9,312,721 in insurance claims to these consumers -- money they might not have received without his help.
• Insured suing agent and company for not increasing coverage - Vicky Walton is suing her auto insurance company and agent after finding out the hard way she didn't have the incrased policy limit coverage she thought she did.

April 20, 2006

• Carmakers: Stop flow of phony parts - U.S. automakers, suppliers push Bush to demand China's help in fighting counterfeiters.
• Group 1 Automotive Appoints After Sales Industry Veteran to Lead Parts and Service Operations - Group 1 Automotive, Inc., a Fortune 500 automotive retailer, today announced the appointment of Wade D. Hubbard as vice president, fixed operations, effective May 1. Hubbard has extensive parts and service experience with a variety of automotive brands in both the United States and Europe. In this role, he will oversee Group 1's fast-growing parts and service business across 31 different brands.
• CertifiedFirst welcomes new chairman - Members of the CertifiedFirst™ Network of collision repair centres advisory council elected Ken Friesen, president and CEO of Concours Collision Centres in Calgary, AB, to the position of chairman of the Council this April during the Council's 4th annual meeting held in Vancouver, B.C..
• Glass TEXpo™ 06 Wraps Up - With seminars drawn to a close and booths packed up, many Glass TEXpo '06 attendees left San Antonio with a better understanding of the glass industry and a stronger commitment to their state association. These two messages were important throughout the show, which ran from April 7-8.
• Auto-Repair World Truly is Shady, Reader Says - Sometimes you take the lid off a topic and find that you have opened an unexpected can of worms.
• Auto Repair Scam Targeting Elderly Women - CA: The Roseville Police Department has received several calls over the past month from elderly female drivers who were targeted by mobile scam artists.
• Car checking system unveiled - Trader Media Group, the owner of Auto Trader magazine, is to launch a vehicle checking system to allow dealers and buyers to investigate a car’s history.
• The Future of the Specialty-Equipment Market is Here - SEMA: The Most Important Vehicles from the North American Auto Show
• Take Action To Protect Your Industry - SEMA: Years ago when SEMA was formed, one of its critical missions was to protect the industry’s interests concerning laws and regulations. It’s no different today, except that SEMA now deals with an incredible range of initiatives, arising at both the state and federal levels.
• Toyota plans to sell ethanol cars in US by 2008 - Toyota Motor Corp. plans to sell ethanol-powered vehicles in the United States by 2008, following the lead of domestics General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co., the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing an unnamed company executive.
• Volkswagen Readies Passat R GT Appearance Package - A Volkswagen Passat aerodynamic appearance package will be offered this fall, the company has announced.
• Visteon Appoints VP, Corporate Strategy - Visteon Corporation, a leading supplier of automotive systems and technology, has appointed Asaf Farashuddin as vice president, corporate strategy, effective April 18.
• Visteon to Release First Quarter 2006 Financial Results by Teleconference and Webcast -Visteon Corporation, one of the world's leading suppliers of automotive components and integrated systems, will release its first quarter 2006 financial results at 7 a.m. (EDT) on Tuesday, May 2, via PR Newswire. At 9 a.m. (EDT), a conference call is scheduled to discuss the results in further detail, as well as other related matters.
• Ignores pains of workers, Visteon - The chief executive of auto parts supplier Visteon made more money last year than the company he heads. -- That's shocking, but not surprising. Top corporate executives rarely share the pain of investors who lose money and employees who lose jobs.
• SmarTire Appoints New President and CEO - SmarTire Systems Inc. announced today that Leif E. Pedersen, a senior sales and marketing executive with extensive global experience in electronic systems, has been appointed the new president and CEO of SmarTire, effective immediately.
• A third of plant jobs evaporate in Michigan - Midwest losing clout as one of world's major automaking hubs, study finds.
• Restructuring moves will cost Ford $3.4B - Firm's North American factories are now running at about 72 percent of capacity
• Do You Need a Coach? - More entrepreneurs are turning to business coaches for that extra edge. -- Dina Dwyer-Owens knew she wouldn't have much time to prove herself. It was 1999, and at the age of 36, she had just been handed the reins of the Dwyer Group following the death of her father, who had run the company for nearly two decades. They were large shoes to fill.
• Judge Sues Firm for Denying Katrina Claim - A federal judge who would have presided over some lawsuits that policyholders filed against insurance companies after Hurricane Katrina is instead waging his own personal legal battle against the insurer of his Gulf Coast home.
• No-fault bill moves forward - The Senate's auto-insurance bill moves one more step forward, but without the reform measures insurers are seeking.

April 19, 2006

• United Auto Group reports first quarter income up 5% - Michigan's 12th largest publicly traded company -- today reported net income in the first three months of the year increased by 5% over the same period a year ago. -- UAG, which is led by Chairman Roger Penske and operates 294 retail automotive franchises, representing 40 different brands, and 27 collision repair centers, today reported first quarter net income of $24.1 million, or 51 cents a share, up from $22.9 million, or 49 cents a share, from a year ago.
• C-TEC students offer auto repair services - OH: C-TEC is offering several state-of-the-art automotive programs, focusing on diagnosis and repairs. Students work on donated vehicles for real-world training.
• AGRSS™ Registration Spreading in Canada - The long arm of the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard (AGRSS) is reaching even farther with the registration of two Canadian auto glass replacement shops in Ontario.
• Drive-Through Auto Claims Speed Up The Process - Insurance claims are piling up as fast as the hail came down during last Thursday's storm. -- But some insurance companies have a convenient way to settle auto claims fast.
• Nick Kostakis inducted into AASP/NJ Hall of Fame - The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers New Jersey (AASP/NJ) announced that former president Nick Kostakis is the newest inductee into AASP/NJ's Hall of Fame. The induction ceremonies took place during the NORTHEAST 2006 Trade Show, AASP/NJ's annual flagship event.
• Ante jumps in slow-speed car bumps - A minor jolt can often cause some serious structural or cosmetic damage to a vehicle.
• Several Agencies Investigate Used Auto Parts Shop - OH: Several law enforcement agencies were checking out an auto parts store in the Columbia Tusculum neighborhood Tuesday afternoon.
• Safety standard ignites company's growth - A 2004 federal air bag deployment standard leads to surge in the firm's sensor sales.
• US auto industry faces profound issues-Chicago Fed - U.S. automakers and auto parts suppliers face a string of issues created by the changed competitive landscape, Chicago Federal Reserve President Michael Moskow said on Tuesday.
• Ford urges bankruptcy reform for auto parts sector - U.S. automakers should be granted a special provision under bankruptcy law that protects them from damaging production disruptions if key suppliers fail, a Ford Motor Co. executive said on Tuesday.
• Ford Breaks $5 Billion Barrier in Sourcing With Minority Suppliers in 2005 - * Ford purchased $5.5 billion in goods and services with minority suppliers in 2005.  * In its first full year of operation, Ford's Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) Program purchased $825 million with women-owned suppliers. * M-Tier technology identifies over $13 billion in diverse spend across the Ford supply chain.
• Investor sees gold in suppliers - Ross builds global empire from distressed companies
• Ross sees significant risks to US auto industry - Billionaire financier Wilbur Ross sees a significant risk of North American vehicle sales declining this year, more market share losses for U.S. auto makers and greater consumer demand for smaller cars.
• United Auto Group sees slow car sales in Midwest - United Auto Group Inc. (UAG) Chairman Roger Penske on Tuesday said the dealership group saw a car-sales slowdown in the Midwestern portion of the U.S. in the first quarter, indicating further pain may be in store for Detroit auto makers depending on America's heartland for a sizable chunk of retail business.
• Carbon Monoxide Leak Forces Evacuation - One thousand employees at the State Farm Insurance headquarters in Dupont were evacuated after higher than normal levels of carbon monoxide were detected; no one injured.
• PRC learns about scam - NM: An insurance scam that started in El Paso has spread to Las Cruces, Phyllis Bowman of the Insurance Fraud Bureau told members of the Public Regulation Commission on Thursday.
• Insurer employee in New Jersey ordered to return $3,000 he stole - Division of Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that a former Essex County insurance company employee has been ordered to repay the company more than $3,000 after pleading guilty to stealing insurance premium monies paid by prospective purchasers of automobile insurance.
• Colorado Senator Kills $10 Per Vehicle Fee for Trauma Care - Facing a difficult election year and a "buzz saw" of opposition from a range of powerful groups, a state senator on Monday pulled his plan to charge drivers a $10-per-vehicle fee to shore up the state's trauma care system.
• Former Insurance Company President Makes TDI's Top 10 Fraud List - Each year the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) investigates hundreds of cases of suspected fraud. Its fraud investigators, who are licensed peace officers, investigate fraud alleged to have been committed by persons engaged in the insurance business, as well as claim fraud committed by policyholders, service providers and others.
• Allstate's 1st quarter a breeze - After being hit hard two quarters in a row by hurricane losses, Allstate Corp. beat expectations in the first three months of this year with a 26 percent rise in profit as the company collected more premiums and saw less damage to homes and cars.

April 18, 2006

• The Right I-CAR Training Delivery For Your Needs - I-CAR: As collision repair technology advances, I-CAR is committed to meeting the collision industry’s changing needs by conducting extensive research and, using this research, developing and delivering the latest information to the industry.
• Advantage Online: Collision Repairs On The 2005–06 Scion tC - I-CAR: This article highlights the information available on the Scion tC.
• CAPA Certified Replacement Headlamps Have Been Approved By AIG Auto Insurance - The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) announced that AIG Personal Lines Division has approved the use of CAPA certified headlamps for the repair of AIG Auto Insurance policy holder’s vehicles. This is in addition to the company’s use of CAPA certified metal and plastic car parts.
• Y.C.C. Joins CAPA Lighting Program - The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) announces that Y.C.C. Parts Manufacturing Co., Ltd., headquartered in Chung Hua Hsien, Taiwan, has joined the CAPA Lighting program.
• Auto classes find a new home - The Paris Gibson Automotive Technology Center will open in an old shop at Paris, and it's hard to find anyone who isn't excited about the project. -- Nationally jobs in the trades are booming, and automotive shops here are desperate for trained help. -- Employment in the autotech field is projected to jump 20 percent in Montana from 2002 to 2012, according to the district. Nationally that increase is expected to be 12 percent.
• New York body shop association supporting bills aimed at clarifying windshield marketplace - Three bills designed to bring transparency to the automotive glass industry in New York are seeing bipartisan support among legislators in both chambers. Empire State body shop owners are being urged to contact their respective senators and assembly members to help crystallize passage of the package, which is now in committee.
• Racing to the finish Body shop owner's friends, employees surprise him with car of his dreams - The way his friends figure it, Rick Stratton got what was coming to him.
• Allstate Pricing Changes - A glassBYTES™ reader has reported that Allstate is issuing work orders with the cost of glass parts differing from the Offer and Acceptance (O&A) prices outlined in February 2005.
• NAGS® approved to license GLAXIS® for GlassMate Software - National Auto Glass Specifications (NAGS®), a division of Mitchell International, has been certified to license GLAXIS technology in their latest version of the GlassMate point-of-sale software.
• ‘Baseballs’ fall from the sky - WI: Large hail hammers Waukesha County
• Kia Sedona Earns Top Safety Marks From IIHS - Of all eight minivan model tested by the IIHS, only the Sedona earns good ratings across the board
• Crash tests fault GM minivans - Rear seats break free on impact
• Autoworks International Designs New Software Module ''ValuMaxx'' for Automobile Insurance Industry - ValuMaxx, is designed to maximize the revenue received by insurers from vehicles deemed to be automobile salvage and from automobiles under repair implemented by insurers. The software module may assist in managing costs not only in individual insurers portfolio of salvage vehicles in a cost effective manner, but also in integrating all participating insurance companies and stakeholders in various phases of repair programs.
• AADCO announces completed transaction - AADCO Automotive Inc. (the "Company") announces that on April 10, 2006 it completed a shares for services transaction in which the TSX Venture Exchange has approved the issuance of up to 480,000 shares to Mr. Charles Hodgkinson, President and CEO and a Director, and Mr. Don Fraser, VP Operations in lieu of a $12,000 cash reduction in each of their respective annual salaries. -- AADCO supplies recycled OEM and aftermarket automotive parts to collision repair businesses, mechanical shops, other recyclers, and consumers throughout the Greater Toronto Area.
• Auto Industry Upping Use Of Aluminum To Meet Fuel Standards - Aluminum has become the second most heavily used component in automobiles and light trucks, with use of the metal quadrupling in the last three decades as manufacturers increasingly rely on it to make vehicles lighter and thus more fuel efficient, industry officials report.
• GM, Ford can calm investors' nerves - Earnings reports aren't just numbers
• Japanese ready to go on global shopping spree - Japanese companies are expected to set their sights again on takeover targets in Britain, Europe and the United States. This time, investment bankers say, there will be an additional focus on Asia.
• Judge rules Allstate's policy exclusions "valid and enforceable" - Provisions in Allstate Insurance Co.'s policies that exclude damage from Hurricane Katrina's flood waters are "valid and enforceable," a federal judge in Mississippi has ruled _ a setback for Gulf Coast policyholders whose claims were denied by the insurer.

April 17, 2006

• This Little Piggy Went to Market - Autobody Online: Everybody wants honesty in the collision repair transaction. Insurers have little trust for most body shops and collision repairers just know that the insurers are cheating their customers.
• San Diegan's auto-claims deal put at $975 million - A veteran of the auto claims business in San Diego has teamed with a private equity firm, GTCR Golder Rauner, to buy a division of Automatic Data Processing for $975 million in cash. -- Tony Aquila, former president of Mitchell International in San Diego, led the drive to purchase ADP's auto claims software division.
• California lawmaker pulls crash-repair bill - Legislation touted as a way to lower vehicle crash-repair costs has been shelved indefinitely by Assemblyman Leland Yee.
• Veteran repair specialist opens new Apex Collision Center - When you first walk into Apex Collision Center, you might think you´re walking into an upscale real estate office. Once you see owner Darin Halbleib, most Plainview residents will notice the same friendly smile that has been greeting them for years.
• John Nickerson Passes Away at Age 60 - Popular retired downtown businessman, John Nickerson of Plympton, passed away on April 10, the result of an apparent heart attack. The 60-year-old Nickerson ran Nickerson Auto Body in the Center for years before retiring and selling the business several years ago. "Nick" was a member of the Board of Governor's of the Hilltop AA and a familiar face in Kingston.
• Insurance agents busy - Indianapolis: With so much damage from Friday's storms, insurance companies and auto body shops will be busy for months.
• Hailstorms Damage Thousands Of Vehicles - There were thousands of reports of damage from Thursday night's hailstorms around southern Wisconsin.
• Storm-damaged cars fill up shops - TN: Like a coroner presiding over the local morgue, Marty Denson, the body shop manager at Miracle Ford in Gallatin, has watched as a steady stream of bruised and battered cars have filled the dealer's parking lot over the week.
• Local auto body repair specialist says hail dents are seasonal problem - According to Lanny Branch, owner of Lehman's Body Shop, California, hail damage may be unpleasant, but it is pretty much an annual occurrence in the area.
• Ralph's Auto Body & Paint makes cars shine - Since buying the shop that has now been in operation more than 20 years, bilingual Espinoza added the paint service, changing the name to Ralph's Auto Body & Paint. This shop also specializes in fiberglass and has had a new framing machine and a mixing machine for the paint added to the shop.
• Man gets jail time for selling stolen Mitchell software - ABRN: Authorities in Las Vegas, Nev., have sentenced a man to nine months in jail for possessing and selling stolen Mitchell 1 software, thanks to the help of Mitchell 1 sales representative John Fowkes.
• Online Housing Opens for NACE - ABRN: The International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) announced that the online housing system is live and open at www.NACEexpo.com. 
• A skillful automobile upholsterer after more than 40 years -  California, MO ; Jim Holder, McGirk, has honed his skills in automobile upholstery work for more than four decades in three states.
• Students pave way to success - SkillsUSA is a national, non-profit partnership of teachers and school administrators. It prepares students for careers in trades and technical occupations that range from culinary studies to precision machining.
• Don't get hoodwinked by auto mechanics - Here are some things mechanics may say when they're planning to take you for a ride.
• Car repair business rescue saves jobs - UK: There was a ray of hope for Bridlington's struggling economy yesterday when it was announced that three-quarters of the jobs at a troubled car valeting and repair service firm had been saved.
• Power Window Evolves - Cars will get pull switches for safety
• Adhesive Masking Film protects plasticized automotive parts - Designed for interior automotive surfaces, 55 series film provides protection for plastic surfaces containing plasticizers or where plasticizer migration is an issue. Product consists of polyolefin film coated with aqueous-based, acrylic adhesive and is supplied on 2 or 3 mil, clear or tinted polyethylene films in widths from 1-80 in. and roll lengths up to 15,000 ft.
• Crash Tests Show Benefit of Side Air Bags - Test Results Released by the Insurance Industry Show the Benefits of Optional Side Air Bags
• Mt. Lebanon woman works to lift troops' spirits - When care packages arrive in Iraq, even a day of searing heat can seem like Christmas, some soldiers say. - In less than two years, about 10,000 of those care packages have come from Operation Troop Appreciation, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit founded by Kristen Holloway, a sales manager at PPG Industries Inc.
• Chrysler acquires Toledo paint shop as outsourcing deal sours - DCX looking for new partner as contractor for critical operation for new Jeep Wrangler fails.
• GM infecting local auto suppliers - IN: Domino effect continues to haunt region with exception of Allen plant
• Ford recalling 134,365 SUVs - Ford Motor Co is recalling 134,365 Escape and Mercury Mariner sports utility vehicles to adjust the padding on the driver's side to prevent injuries during a collision, according to U.S. safety regulators.
• Ford eyes U.S. for low-cost plant - Automaker says cost, not geography will decide where new factory will be located
• Ford closings could benefit Michigan - Decision to idle sites in Virginia, Minnesota could send production to Dearborn Truck plant.
• Free devices scooped - 4,000 immobilizers spoken for
• Blame Ford's Woes on Detroit, Not Japan Inc. - Twenty years after Detroit blamed Japan for its hardships, officials in Tokyo worry it may be happening again.
• Luxury cars get green light to boost gas efficiency - In a bid to make alternatives to big SUVs more attractive, car makers are bringing fuel-saving technology into luxury cars.
• Sedona, Impreza rate safest in crash tests - Group of GM minivans was downgraded in study
• ‘Smart' keys backfiring on car owners - A growing auto-theft protection technology isn't just keeping criminals out of cars, it's keeping the owners out too.
• Toyota to discontinue production of the Celica - Toyota Motor Corp. has decided to discontinue its production of Celica cars, which were popular with young people in the 1970s and 80s, company sources said.
• SEC sues 3 former execs of MetLife unit for fraud - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday accused three former officers of the New England Financial unit of MetLife Inc. of civil fraud for scheming to hide more than $100 million of expenses, and said two agreed to settle.
• Time to deregulate N.J. auto insurance - The climate has improved since changes were enacted in 2003. The next step: Let the market do the driving.
• Massachusetts auto insurance rates could see changes - Critics of the state's auto insurance system say a statewide mandate for insurance has inadvertently pushed up the cost of premiums.
• Settlement reached in 2006 Auto Insurance Rate Case, decreases rates 2.9 percent - NC: Estimated $350 Million Potentially Saved Over Earlier Requested Rates
  

April 13, 2006  

• Allstate Files Notice of Appeal - ASA: Allstate has filed a Notice of Appeal with reference to the recent decision in Allstate Insurance Company, et al. v. Greg Abbott, et al. issued by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. -- The court had held that specific provisions preventing insurer-owned shops from doing business in the State of Texas were constitutional. The Automotive Service Association supported the legislation, H.B. 1131, in the Texas legislature.
• AAIA's Schmatz Says Right to Repair Fight Will Continue - Kathleen Schmatz, president and CEO of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), issued a letter to AAIA members this week to announce that the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (H.R. 2048) is nearing a milestone 100 congressional co-sponsors.
• Euro-Specialty Smooths Out the Wrinkles - VA: It is inevitable that most of us will at some point be involved in an auto accident.  Hopefully a minor fender-bender.  What happens after the wreck though; insurance companies, estimates, repairs.  It can be, and often is confusing.  Jon Griesenbeck is owner of Euro-Specialty.  It's an auto body repair shop in Roanoke and he has some very good advice.
• Heavy weather means heavy load for body shops, insurance adjusters - Friday night's dangerous weather that swept through Northeast Mississippi brought more than a few twisters, heavy rain and hail.
• WATC receives 3M award - Wichita Area Technical College has been honored as a 3M Top Shop for its technical training emphasizing auto body collision work.
• Earl Scheib, Inc. Agrees to Settle California Wage-And-Hour Class Action Lawsuit - Earl Scheib, Inc. announced today that it has reached an agreement to settle a previously disclosed putative class action lawsuit related to, among other things, how the Company's California subsidiary classified certain employees under California overtime law over an approximately seven year period.
• Insurance Auto Auctions Continues Expansion - Announces Intent to Purchase Indiana Auto Storage Pool
• Universal Technical Institute, Inc. Announces Preliminary Fiscal 2006 Second Quarter Results and Reduces Estimates for Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2006 - While the company is focused on stabilizing key operating trends such as persistence, and show rates, external and internal factors continue to negatively impact the company's ability to recruit, show and retain students according to plan.
• BASF Coatings issues ‘Show Us Your Metal’ challenge at ‘Electrocoat 2006’ conference - Company showcases its comprehensive portfolio of CathoGuard® electrocoat products
• BASF Coatings and Ford develop attention-grabber - "Electric Orange" electrifies manufacturers and customers
• Side-Impact Airbag Market Ready to Explode, GM Says - Sensor technology advancements continue to drive market penetration of active safety systems such as stability control, but passive systems will see the most significant near-term growth, says General Motors Corp.
• Lutz: GM in driver's seat by 2011 - Wall Street is all wrong, vice chairman says; Chapter 11 bankruptcy is 'out of the question.'
• GM adds to stash of Delphi car parts - General Motors Corp. confirmed Tuesday it is stockpiling some auto parts supplied by Delphi Corp., but it added that the parts in no way could ensure long-term production in the event of a strike.
• Suppliers see improvement for full year - Lear, American Axle issue reports
• Home Depot tries selling auto parts - Home Depot Inc., the world's largest home-improvement retailer, is testing sales of automotive supplies in 10 stores in the Jacksonville, Fla., area, according to an analyst.
• California Woman Arrested for Auto Insurance Fraud - California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi announced the arrest of Charleen Smith, 37, for automobile insurance fraud after an investigation by the California Department of Insurance (CDI).
• Insurance.com Sells 300,000 Auto Insurance Policies Since Inception - Ohio-based insurance agency Insurance.com announced an important milestone in the history of their company.

April 12, 2006  

• PCI Says Vote No To Arizona Vehicle Repair Legislation - The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) is asking the Arizona Senate to vote no on House Bill 2063, a bill that would make it more difficult for insurers to provide consumers important information about automobile and glass repair facilities.
• Identifix Scores a Direct Hit with 5,000 Automotive Repair Shops - Identifix, one of the nation's premier sources of online and hotline diagnostic and repair information, today announced that the number of automotive repair shops using the award winning Direct-Hit(TM) online system to quickly and effectively diagnose and repair vehicles has surpassed 5,000 nationwide.
• Make A Wish Car - Most teenagers wish they could have a newly decked out car. One local 18-year old got his wish.--Marty has leukemia which is a life-threatening disease, so the regional Make A Wish Foundation wanted to make his dream come true.
• Camp Mak-A-Dream seeks male volunteers - Camp Mak-A-Dream (CMD), a camp for children with cancer that combines the fun of summer camp with expert health care at no cost to participants, needs qualified male volunteers for the programs CMD provides.
• Collision Revision, Inc. is Excited to Announce the Release of Their First Television Commercial - The commercial, dubbed around the “Collision Revision Decision” will air on Channel 5, NBC for the next six months - sixteen times per day. This type of advertising campaign is a first for the Collision Repair Industry, via mainstream marketing.
• Lanxess alloy set for large car parts in Germany - A leading German car maker is about to start volume production of a large area body part made from Lanxess’s Triax polyamide/ABS alloy, according to Ludger Meinherding, automotive key account manager in the company’s Styrenics Resins unit.
• Japan urges China to improve practices on auto parts, chemicals - Japan urged China in an annual government report released Tuesday to improve its trade practices that Tokyo believes are unfair, such as slapping a tariff on auto parts as high as that imposed on complete automobiles, and expanding its list of hazardous chemicals on short notice to effectively block exports of items containing them.
• Eastman automotive coatings connect visually - New materials section demonstrates automotive coatings additive solutions for superior aesthetics and performance for designers through the Eastman Innovation Lab.
• GM Looking for Buyers for Delphi Units - General Motors Corp.'s top purchasing executive said Tuesday the automaker is trying to help auto parts supplier Delphi Corp. dispose of noncore businesses by finding buyers for them and contracting with new suppliers for certain parts.
• Ford Recalling Nearly 20,000 Mustang Cobra Vehicles - Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday that it was recalling nearly 20,000 Mustang Cobra sports cars after receiving complaints that the back of the accelerator pedal could become caught in the floor carpeting and lead to a crash.
• Mercedes Benz R Class Recall - Mazda MX-5, Buick Lucerne Also Recalled
• Toyota recalls 57,000 Lexus due to faulty seat belt - Toyota Motor Corp. said on Wednesday it is recalling 11,000 Lexus cars in Japan and 46,000 overseas to fix a faulty seat belt part.
• ADESA Management to Present at Robert W. Baird & Co. 2006 Growth Stock Conference - ADESA, Inc. announced today that it will be participating at the Growth Stock Conference hosted by Robert W. Baird & Co., on May 9, 2006 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago, IL. David Gartzke, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Cam Hitchcock, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will be presenting on behalf of ADESA.
• Kryger Glass Announces Price Increase - Kryger Glass, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is the most recent in a line of auto glass manufacturers and distributors to announce a 3 percent price increase due to "rising expenses."
• Xtreme machines at SEMA International Auto Salon Philadelphia - It may have been cold outside last weekend, but inside the Fort Washington Expo Center it was hot!
• G.M. Sells Last Isuzu Stake for $300 Million - It is the third time since October that G.M. has sold off a stake in a Japanese auto company, rapidly dissolving equity partnerships built up over more than three decades, to raise cash that it needs for restructuring at home. G.M. has already earned $2.7 billion from the sale of shares of Suzuki Motor and Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru.
• GM cuts more white-collar workers - Fewer than 100 go in this round
• Ford extends buyouts at more plants - Packages to be offered even at factories that will remain open; Wixom workers will get deals Thursday.
• Visteon CEO says no problems meeting bank covenants expected - The chief executive of automotive-parts supplier Visteon Corp. (VC) said Monday he doesn't expect problems meeting financial covenants as the company looks to refinance debt coming due next year.
• Wireless Tracking in Auto Supply-Chain Logistics - Ford's Oakville Assembly Complex (OAC) is installing one of the region's largest wireless communications zones to electronically manage the flow of parts for the production of the 2007 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossover utility vehicles.
• DaimlerChrysler CEO's Base Salary Revealed - Settling a long-pondered debate, at least in Germany, DaimlerChrysler Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche made no secret Wednesday of how much he's paid to run the world's fifth-largest automaker. -- He will receive a base salary of euro1.5 million (US$1.82 million). -- He also stands to receive as much as 150 percent of his base salary in bonuses if the company meets its goals.
• Assessing losses 'can be emotional' - TN: By nearly noon yesterday, State Farm has fielded 4,227 auto and homeowners' insurance claims related to this past weekend's natural disaster.
• Judge Lets Miss. AG See State Farm Papers - Circuit Judge Steve Simpson pressed Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood to explain how it became public that the grand jury was investigating allegations that State Farm allegedly is manipulating engineering reports to deny policyholders' claims. Hood denied that he was a source of that information. -- "It's difficult to keep a matter like this quiet," Hood said. "There's been absolutely no proof that we've leaked any information that's improper."
• State Farm(R) President Trosino to Retire at End of Year - State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. announced today that Vincent J. Trosino Sr., its president, vice chairman and chief operating officer, will retire at the end of 2006, ending a 44-year career with the company.

April 11, 2006  

• NAMIC Pleased California Auto Repair Bill Modified For Study - In the wake of stiff industry opposition, a California proposal that would have have impeded consumer access to affordable auto repairs has been sufficiently mitigated for now, said a spokesperson for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC).
• ACDelco's Wise Internet Parts (WIP) System Expanded - ACDelco‘s powerful e-business tools to help make shop owners’ and technicians’ jobs easier have just been expanded. ACDelco‘s WISE Internet Parts (WIP) electronic parts catalog and ordering program now offers additional language options. And, WIP is now available to Independent Service Centers (ISCs) in the Collision segment of the business.
• Former aide, body shop owner challenge Preston for House seat - Edward C. Gainey has been trying to oust his former boss, state Rep. Joe Preston, for years. This year the two are locked in one of the region's most competitive Democratic primary races, along with body shop owner and former drug dealer William D. Anderson.
• Auto parts deal jump-starts I-20 West corridor - GA: In a deal done last month, Keystone Automotive Operations Inc. inked a 10-year lease for 350,000 square feet in Hartman III, a 525,000-square-foot crossdock-loading distribution building in Hartman Business Center. Hartman Business Center is a 150-acre industrial park just south of I-20 on Riverside Parkway in the Cobb County community of Austell.
• Pacifica in Takeover Talks; No Agreement Reached - Pacifica Group Ltd., which makes auto parts for General Motors Corp., said it is in talks with an unnamed party over a potential takeover offer. Its shares surged.
• NH Auto Scrap Yards Recognized - New Hampshire Governor. John Lynch, the Executive Council, and Environmental Services officials recognized 13 auto recycling yards for becoming New Hampshire’s first certified “Green Yards,” a distinction reserved for auto salvage yards that use exemplary environmental work practices.
• Newest Price Increase Announced: IGC - Import Glass Corp. (IGC) of City of Industry, Calif., has joined the ranks of auto glass distributors implementing a price increase in the wake of several large manufacturers announcing the same.
• Meridian Automotive plans to sell interiors business for $50M - Barry Ridings of Lazard Freres & Co. said a letter of intent is in hand from a buyer for the division, which is being shed as Meridian Auto attempts to reorganize in bankruptcy.
• Show some pride, pamper your ride - A car or truck that looks good is more pleasurable to drive and sells faster than one with such flaws as faded paint.
• NHTSA Presents 14 Awards for Safety Accomplishments - During a luncheon at the 24th Annual Lifesavers conference, NHTSA Acting Administrator Jacqueline Glassman presented Public Service Awards to representatives of Alaska, Mississippi and South Carolina for their efforts to pass primary safety belt laws and 11 individuals and organizations for their work to reduce deaths and injuries on America’s roadways.
• AutoZone to Attend Upcoming Retail Field Trip - AutoZone, Inc., announced it will be attending the Morgan Stanley Retail Field Trip in Miami, Florida on Wednesday, April 19, 2006.
• Some Toyota, Lexus and Ford Vehicles Certified for the New Energy Tax Credit - Consumers seeking the credit may want to buy early since the full credit is only available for a limited time
• Volkswagen offers SAIC support to build own-brand cars - Volkswagen AG Monday said it understands the wish of its Chinese joint-venture partner Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. to produce own-brand cars and offered support.
• GM's quality quandary - Some General Motors vehicles outrank Toyota's, but a few troubled models reinforce a bad reputation GM fights to change
• Chrysler blasts Big Oil - Auto executive turns up heat in growing feud
• Saturn: It craves to be cool again - Today in New York, the brand will unveil the first examples of what it is calling the new face of Saturn

April 10, 2006  

• Rolling memorial carries 'Comfort' - Karla Comfort received a lot of looks and even some salutes from people when she drove from Benton, Ark., to Camp Pendleton, Calif., in her newly-painted, custom Hummer H3 March 2. -- The vehicle is adorned with the likeness of her son, 20-year-old Lance Cpl. John M. Holmason, and nine other Marines with F Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division who where all killed by the same improvised explosive device blast in Fallujah, Iraq, in December. -- The custom job would have cost $25,000. Out of respect for Comfort's loss and the sacrifices the Marines made, AirbrushGuy & Co. did it for free.
• Marketing Involves the Courage to Communicate - Autobody Online: The bottom line in marketing is having the courage to reach out and communicate abundantly.
• 2005 Salary Survey Results - Late last year, AASP-MN conducted a survey of its members to gather information about 2005 employee compensation and benefits in the Minnesota market.  The survey yielded a 25% response rate (40/161) from collision shops and a 29% response rate (58/202) for mechanical. 
• AASP-MN Announces 2006-’07 Board of Directors - Voting for open seats on the AASP-MN Board of Directors concluded on February 28th. 
• Scholarships available - Christopher Bannister, chairman of the Automotive and Collision Repair Departments at New England Institute of Technology in Warwick, R.I., has announced the availability of the "Automotive Technology Outstanding Student Scholarship."
• SLO High auto shop is geared to getting youngsters jobs - The trophies stand out in the auto shop class at San Luis Obispo High School, most notably because they seem to be overflowing from the corners with little room for more.
• These days, an honest mechanic is hard to find - I hung up the phone and sat in stunned silence. I had just found out I’d lost something I truly treasured — the only mechanic I absolutely trusted.
• 'Appetite for colour' eats into silver's long reign - Silver's six-year reign as the top vehicle colour choice worldwide is being challenged by gray, now infused with an array of colours, and a stronger, bolder blue.
• Chinese content rules unfair to U.S. suppliers - Trade court case is preferable to adopting protectionist law
• GM Vehicle Owners are Finding an Easy and Convenient Way to Manage Car Care Through E-mail - Over One Million Sign Up for OnStar's Diagnostic E-mail Service in First Six Months
• GM preps for possible walkout - Avoiding Delphi stoppage is a priority, but automaker is stockpiling parts just in case, Wagoner says in TV interview.
• Pay cut 7.5 percent at auto parts plant - Employees at the Hayes Lemmerz International manufacturing facility in Montague saw a 7.5 percent pay cut as part of a pay reduction for all employees at the company's eight U.S. facilities.
• Michigan fight for Toyota heats up - With jobs on line, the auto industry is at crossroads
• Going its own way - Second-generation Explorer spinoff gains size, V8 power, more safety
• Area suffers when ‘hail freezes over’ - KS: Stones as wide as 2 inches take toll on roofs, siding, cars
• 3-day Portland Swap Meet: bumper-to-bumper car parts - The 42nd annual gearhead extravaganza known as the Portland Swap Meet takes over the Portland Expo Center starting today.
• Auto parts maker adding 240 new jobs - Auto parts maker Integrated Manufacturing and Assembly plans to build a 123,000 square-foot plant in northeast Indiana that will hire 260 employees in the next year.
• Autoliv receives three awards from Toyota - At Toyota's European Supplier Conference in Brussels last week, Autoliv Inc. received three additional awards from the largest Japanese vehicle producer. This follows the Value Improvement Award for 2005 that Autoliv received three weeks ago at Toyota's global headquarters in Nagoya, Japan.
• AHP Legislation Awaits Approval of Senate - ASA: U.S. Sen. Michael B. Enzi, R-Wyo., chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, has released a survey that reveals tremendous bipartisan support for small business health plans. An overwhelming 89 percent of the public surveyed favored the small business health plan concept; 6 percent opposed. Enzi released these results March 30, 2006.
• Insurance firms limit their risk in disasters - The companies that provide Americans with their homeowners' and auto insurance made a record $44.8 billion profit last year even after accounting for the claims of policyholders wiped out by Hurricane Katrina and the other big storms of 2005, according to the companies' filings with state regulators.
• About 1,000 Allstate Workers Take Buyout - About 1,000 Allstate Corp. employees have accepted a voluntary buyout offer, which is hundreds more than the insurance company expected when it announced the offer months ago.
• Progressive Announces Officer Resignation - The Progressive Corporation accepted the resignation of Robert T. Williams, an executive officer of the Company, effective May 17, 2006. Mr. Williams is President of the Company's Drive Group of Insurance Companies.

April 7, 2006  

• Padilla Stepping Down as Ford President - Ford Motor's President and COO Jim Padilla Stepping Do