| PUBLISHERS PAGE |
GlobalView - If you’ve got it, the future looks bright. If you don’t...
If you follow soccer, then you probably spent some time glued to the TV recently for the Euro Cup, and you know that is was co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland. For part of the time it was going on, I was in Switzerland myself, although in the city of Montreux rather Zurich. I was, of course, attending the 2008 International Bodyshop Industry Symposium (IBIS).
At first glance, the Euro Cup and IBIS might seem to be worlds apart. But on further examination they actually have some striking simila
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| POINT BLANK |
GasPains - Rising fuel prices are lowering profits.
I guess that it’s something we are all experiencing right now. The price of gasoline is soaring higher and higher, and with it most other fuels. That means it’s costing more for shop operators to run our businesses as prices rise to, and then surpass, record highs.
Most of us (a majority I think) need to buy natural gas for running booths, prep stations and heating our shops. We also need fuel (probably gasoline, but it could be natural gas again or propane) for transportation and shipping. H
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| Health & Safety |
BigStick - Letting unsafe work practices slide can mean criminal charges.
In May of 1992 a massive explosion in the Westray coal mine, in Pictou County, NS, resulted in the deaths of 26 miners. Subsequent investigations found that unsafe working conditions had been pointed out to management prior to the explosion, but they had been largely ignored.
The inability of The Crown to obtain convictions of criminal negligence against senior mine managers, led to the passage of an amendment to Canada’s criminal code. This amendment, known as Bill C45, established a clear du
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| WHO'S DRIVING? |
Commitment - Who do we owe it to?
Commitment is defined as dedicating or pledging oneself to a certain way. This way could be a course of action, a cause, a philosophy or belief, an organization (and their beliefs) and more. Every day we demonstrate our level of commitment. In business, you are being scrutinized as to what you are committed to by being observed and listened to by your employees, partners, associates, peers and most importantly, your customers. ...
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| VIEW FROM THE WEST |
BusinessOwners - Why we keep doing what we do.
This month’s article draws heavily from something I was emailed some years back. The reason I want to share this with you is because I am seeing many of my fellow shop owners contemplating the selling of their businesses. It is no secret that in the next two to five years there will be many “baby boomers” wanting to sell their businesses, so if you fancy yourself as an entrepreneur, read the following article and take notes.
I came a bit late to the entrepreneurial game, as I did not buy my
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| THE LAST WORD |
LastStraw - Believe me, it’s a back break
Ilove skills competitions. It’s not just the fact that I get to do a bit of “sports” reporting, it’s also because I get enthusiastic about enthusiasm. If you’re under the impression that no young people want to enter the industry, then talking to a few competitors at the local, provincial, or national skills competitions would quickly change your mind. Anyone who puts as much work into practicing as Craig Mannell did leading up to his win in Calgary has a true passion for collision rep ...
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| WOMAN OF THE INDUSTRY |
Bar None - Jan Batovanja and Cascade Collision aim to be the best.
Out of the nearly infinite number of paths one could take to shop ownership, there are two that seem to predominate. By far the most common is for a technician to learn the business working for someone else, and then either buy that collision repair facility or start a new one.
The other path, that of someone entering management through the business side, is not the rarity it once was, but it is still less common than the first. This is the path taken by Jan Batovanja, co-owner of Cascade Collis
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| RECYCLING |
HotTopics - Commodity prices and the need to work together.
There doesn’t seem to be much point in trying to predict the future market place for scrap steel prices. Six months ago steel hit a record price. Since then it’s climbed 60 to 70 per cent higher! The economic state in which we operate today has forced me to reflect on the “big picture” and the overall effect this will have on our industries.
Steel demand and corresponding prices are at record levels, and the same is true for oil and fuels, creating a scenario the likes of which we have n
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