August 20, 2008

• Chrysler chooses AQUABASE Plus paint by PPG for national training center - Chrysler Corp. announced it has installed a system using Aquabase Plus waterborne paint by PPG Industries’ (NYSE: PPG) automotive refinish business in its Auburn Hills, Mich., National Technical Training Center.
• PCI Expresses Disappointment with RI Court Ruling on Auto Body Labor Rate Survey - The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) expressed its disappointment with a ruling by a Rhode Island Superior Court judge that would require every insurance carrier authorized to sell motor vehicle liability insurance in the state to conduct a labor rate survey and use this information as the sole determinant of the prevailing auto body labor rate.
• Raffle and silent auction to benefit March Taylor Memorial Fund - ABRN: Collision industry members attending this year’s Collision Industry Conference (CIC) meeting at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas will have the opportunity to honor industry legend March Taylor and contribute to the cause of improving collision repair by purchasing raffle tickets for a silent auction and raffle.
• What's New: In Brief - Canadian Underwriter: Carstar Automotive Canada has created two new regional director positions aimed to help the company develop three distinct regions of operation within Canada.
• Mechanics should have right to repair: NDP - An NDP MP from Ontario was in Namao today to introduce a private member's bill that would give Canadian mechanics the "right to repair" vehicles.
• Levesque Plans to File Counterclaims Against Belron US, Attorney Reports - glassBYTEs™: Former Belron US employee Michelle Levesque plans to file several counterclaims against the company in the suit filed against her on Friday, according to her attorney, Michael Boudett of Foley Hoag LLP. In the suit, Belron US alleges that Levesque and an associate, Edward Lee, solicited Belron US employees to leave the company and join a new venture.
• AGTO Registration Closing in 3 Weeks - glassBYTEs™: Time is running out to register for the Fourth Annual Auto Glass Technician Olympics (AGTO). The deadline is barely three weeks away-September 8, 2008.
• More Than 60 Vehicles Promised for NABC’s Recycled Rides - BodyShop Business: The National Auto Body Council (NABC) 2008 Recycled Rides project is closing in on its target of making 100 simultaneous vehicle donations the week of Thanksgiving. Participating collision repair facilities have already committed to repair over 60 vehicles.
• Marlborough Nissan owner willing to consider body shop move - Marlborough Nissan owner Jeffrey Batta told city councilors last night he will consider moving his paint and auto body shop to a new location if he is eventually allowed to expand his business, a move that would resolve a lingering sore spot between Batta and residents near the existing dealership.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters recognizes winning karaoke sponsor - Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Central Arkansas is proud to recognize A&J Collision Repair for sponsoring this year's winner of Karaoke for a Cause.
• A different kind of auto shop - A new type of automotive experience has arrived in South Beloit. -- Integrity Auto Care, 14468 Industrial Parkway, right off Prairie Hill Road, offers all types of service in a cafe-style setting. When service technicians are performing oil changes or doing transmission, brake or tire work, customers can sip coffee or tea, watch the big-screen plasma TV and check their e-mail.
• Big Brother Will Be Double-Checking Your Company's Credit Card Receipts - SEMA: Credit and debit card issuers will soon be required to report to the IRS the annual dollar figure collected by their business merchants. The provision was included as part of a new housing law to provide assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure.
• Innovation shares crash on profit warning - The integration of the Nobilas business, which provides car repair, accident and claim management systems, was going to plan but the company had decided to retain staff and property in the UK, which had contributed to the profit reduction, it said.
• Mercedes-Benz Autobody: First-Class Care for Stars with the Bends - Mercedes-Benz today announced the opening of a new factory-authorised paint and panel repair workshop.
• PPG's Wuhu automotive coatings plant starts production - Aug. 20, 2008 (China Knowledge) - U.S.-based PPG Industrial Inc, one of the world's leading manufacturers of transportation coatings, announced that its new automotive coatings plant in Wuhu city, Anhui Province of China has officially started production.
• AkzoNobel opens new protective coatings site in China - AkzoNobel has expanded its presence in China with the opening of a new site for the manufacture and sales of protective coatings in Suzhou
• Superior Industries to cut US workforce by 29 pct - Aluminum wheel maker Superior Industries International Inc said it will be reducing 29 percent of its U.S. workforce and close a plant in Kansas, as part of a plan to cut costs.
• GM ups used car warranty, cites quality gains - General Motors Corp on Tuesday said it was extending a warranty offer on certified used cars and trucks, citing gains in quality and a drop in warranty-funded repairs.
• Toyota mulls price hikes as steel costs soar - Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday that it was considering raising its prices in response to soaring steel costs, following a report that it will announce hikes in Japan for next month.
• Automotive 2020: All vehicles to run on hybrid power in 12 years - All new vehicles will have some type of hybrid power system within 12 years, according to the IBM Automotive 2020 Study of automotive executives around the globe.
• Ford workers catch glimpse of future cars - Ford hopes to boost worker confidence by letting them drive its future cars and trucks
• 10 On Your Side helps customers retrieve cars - PORTSMOUTH, VA: Thanks to 10 On Your Side some frustrated customers now have their cars back.  Last week we told you about a landlord-tenant dispute at Portsmouth auto repair shop.  The landlord says he's owed thousands of dollars in rent and is kicking his tenant out.  Customers called 10 on Your Side when they couldn't get their un-repaired cars from the business' owner.
• Trotwood Police Investigating Body Shop Explosion - OH: Trotwood police say they want to question two men who were injured during an explosion at a business earlier this month.
• Gas prices drop, but pain at the pump doesn't stop - MD: Some downcounty motorists buy gas where it's cheaper: the upcounty --  "It probably is zone pricing," said Mahlon G. Anderson, AAA MidAtlantic's director of government and public relations. "We never know what goes into zone pricing and you wouldn't know, either. It's the black box of the industry."
• Historic low numbers reported in traffic deaths last year -  The number of people who died from traffic deaths last year in the United States reached historically low levels, U.S. Transportation secretary Mary Peters said earlier this week.
• Jowers-Sklar receives State Auto award - GA: Jowers-Sklar Insurance of Rome has been named to the State Auto Insurance Companies’ Inner Circle, the highest award presented by the regional insurer.