Toronto, Ontario — This year was chock-full of collision repair news and events.
From business and industry news, to technology, to the wackiest believe-it-or-nots, take a look through the year’s top stories month-by-month, January through November.
A Forum to Remember: CCIF in Toronto
Last week’s Canadian Collision Industry Forum event in Toronto came to a close on Friday with a gala dinner celebrating the forum’s 20th anniversary.
Held in the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Airport Hotel, more than 200 industry figures listened as chairman Patrice Marcil introduced seven of the organization’s past chairmans. In turn, Ken Friesen, Glenn Hickey, Tom Bissonette, Tony Canade, Larry Jefferies and Joe Carvalho each shared their favourite memories from past CCIF conferences.
Following the dinner, keynote speaker Shawn Kanungo, a self-described disruption strategist, delivered his view of how new, game-changing technology fundamentally changes industries–from newspapers to the automotive sector.
Hosting both the tradeshow and a series of expert presentations on the state of the collision industry, close to 800 visitors representing facilities, banner groups, distribution firms and OEMs visited the international centre throughout the two-day event.
The presentations kicked-off with an address from Collision Repair contributor and author Jay Perry, who discussed how to be an effective leader in the collision industry–and the importance of mastering leadership skills.
“30 percent of people aren’t quitting the business, they’re quitting their boss,” said Perry.
The following day, industry analyst Brad Mewes held a panel which brought senior industry figures together to discuss the profitability of certification and accreditation programs. Following the panel, it was clear that the consensus opinion was that accreditation and certification programs were not a silver bullet for improving a facility’s bottom line.
Following the panel discussion, Mitchell International’s Ryan Mandell delivered an address that took a close look at the rising number of electric vehicles in operation. Mandell concluded that by 2029, EVs would be no more expensive than internal combustion engine vehicles, making them almost certain to become a common sight–both on the roads and in the bodyshop.
With more than 80 businesses participating in the tradeshow, attendees were treated to demonstrations of the latest collision-related technologies.
The next CCIF event will be held in Halifax from May 23-24.
CARSTAR announces several promotions
With CARSTAR reaching 30 years in business, the network has announced a number of promotions as part of a strategy for driving CARSTAR North America forward.
“These changes will help us achieve our goals of growth in scale, continued improvement in our key performance indicators and driving franchise partner profitability,” says Michael Macaluso, president, CARSTAR. “Our organizational changes are also a step forward in advancing our long-term succession plans, assuring talented and experienced leaders are present in all levels of the organization.”
The promotional announcements include:
The former CARSTAR franchise partner Jeff Labanovich, will now serve as the general manager of CARSTAR in Canada and has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to continuous operational enhancements. Reporting to Dean Fisher, chief operating officer for CARSTAR North America, Labanovich will now be responsible for both CARSTAR’s insurance and operations teams in Canada.
Arlo Johnson, now general manager of CARSTAR in the U.S., has led various successful initiatives that prioritize partner needs and demonstrate CARSTAR’s premier capabilities. Johnson will be responsible for both CARSTAR’s insurance and operations teams in the U.S.
Vince Matozzo, director of sales in Canada, is leading all insurance sales activity in Canada, reporting to Labanovich.
Scott Paul, senior director of sales in the U.S., is leading all insurance sales activity in the U.S., reporting to Johnson.
CARSTAR is also acknowledging the following individuals for their demonstrated achievements in driving the business forward and strategically positioning CARSTAR for success in future opportunities:
Jennifer Benner will now assume the role of senior marketing manager for CARSTAR in Canada.
Melissa Grmusa will now take on the role of marketing manager, taking on a larger lead in CARSTAR’s communications and public relations strategy.
Connor Smith will now assume the role of OE manager for CARSTAR, to continue building OE relationships and store participation in certification opportunities.
Monica Horvath-Cekolj will now take on the role of director of franchise services.
With plans to enhance its already thriving analytics team, CARSTAR is also allocating additional resources to this increasingly vital department in the coming weeks.
Acura’s excessive oil consumption problem
An Acura vehicle owner in Cape Breton thought he was just paying for an oil change but instead paid for a diagnostic problem that involved the engine.
Bob Martel is the owner of a 2012 Acura TL that he paid $41,000 for. He received a warranty extension notice from Acura stating that some of their 2009-2014 models with 3.7-litre V6 engines could experience excessive oil consumption.
Acura sent out these notices because of a possible manufacturer defect — in response they wanted to perform a test on these models of their vehicles to see if they were using too much oil.
But the note didn’t say that Martel would have to pay for the oil change associated with the test.
This isn’t anything new for Acura. Car expert Doug Bethune revealed that Acura has been producing vehicles with high oil consumption for years. According to CBC News, he points to an investigation by an American law firm into this issue with an eye to a possible class-action lawsuit.
The notice also read that Acura is extending the warranty on affected vehicles for six months starting Nov. 15, 2018 with no mileage limit. After that, the warranty period will change to eight years from the original date of the vehicle purchase or 200,000 kilometres, whichever comes first.
Acura stated that if there’s a problem they will repair the affected engine components. According to executive director of the Automobile Protection Association, George Iny, this could cost anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000 dollars.
Iny said customers who don’t want to pay for the oil change could arrange for the diagnosis when a scheduled oil change is required that way they don’t have to pay for the repair in the end.
Martel said he was told by an Acura representative that because of customer loyalty, he could apply for a refund of the oil change fee. Martel said he’s not agreeable to that and wants the fee waived, but also said he has little choice but to get the diagnosis.
Ford to provide automatic shop referrals to drivers
A future where OEMs, not insurance companies, dictate which bodyshops should—and should not—make repairs has come one step closer. In the very near future, Ford will begin referring drivers to trusted collision facilities, the OEM announced during a Verifacts Guild 21 call last week.
In a special presentation, Ford’s global collision marketing manager Rob Johnston explained that all future Ford vehicles will be equipped with a modem which will alert Ford to collisions remotely.
“Drivers will begin receiving referrals very, very shortly,” Johnson told listeners, who can already be directed to nearby certified collision facilities through its FordPass app.
The revolutionary strategy comes as the result of Ford’s desire to better connect with customers. Last year, the OEM commissioned a market research study to determine whether customers valued a collision facility referral more from a manufacturer, insurance company or friend, or if they made the choice based on the distance to a repair facility instead. Ford determined that 52 percent of people would be most influenced by manufacturers.
Johnston went on to explain that when drivers are involved in accidents it’s important that they don’t experience any damages to the vehicle from the repairs. This is one of the biggest reasons why a customer will purchase a vehicle from another OEM months later. In a survey conducted by the OEM, 27 percent of customers got rid of their vehicles within a year and a half because of the damages done during the repairs and 21 percent of the respondents got rid of their vehicles because they didn’t like the quality of the repairs.
Johnston said the survey results were enough for Ford to realize they need to be more involved in the collision experience and this would be a great idea to do that.
Remembering John Norris
John Norris, executive director of the Collision Industry Information Assistance, has died.
Known as a passionate champion of the Canadian collision industry, and of the people who worked within it, Norris is also known for playing a major role in the establishment of the Ontario College of Trades.
“John was a defender of the collision industry. He devoted himself to its well-being and truly cared for the people involved in it,” said Collision Repair publisher Darryl Simmons. “His passing will leave a great void within our community.”
Norris founded the CIIA in the 1990s, serving as the organization’s executive director for more than 20 years, until his death.
The non-profit organization provided member shops with access to tools designed to improve a facility’s profitability, safety and training information. Under Norris’ tenure, the organization also provided industry-related consultancy services to regional governments in Canada, Mexico, the U.S. and Jamaica.
Working with the Ontario Government, Norris also played a key role in the Ontario College of Trades. His efforts on behalf of the organization were celebrated in 2017, when Norris was awarded as the Ontario College of Trades’ first Prize of Excellence recipient.
“The CIIA’s goal is to have the most competent, skilled and competent workforce possible,” Norris said during the ceremony. “It is nice to be recognized by the Ontario College of Trades.”
Toronto, Ontario — June 26, 2019 – Martin Monteith and his son William celebrated the grand opening of their second Barrie, ON location in a big way last Friday by hosting a free, two-day car wash.
Kicking off on Friday, owner Martin and William opened up the second collision, auto and glass location and let the new car wash facility do it’s thing — clean eager customers’ cars.
“I was here for the two days, we had 2700 people,” William, the general manager, told Collision Repair. “We have a car wash facility on site and we did a little over 1,300 cars each day. People loved it.”
This is the Monteith’s second location in Barrie. The first one opened more than two decades ago and is one of the largest accident repair facilities in Ontario. Prided for their use of latest collision repair technology, they have a wide following of loyal customers.
“We got quite a few new customers from the car wash but the main purpose of the event was to let people know that we’re here and what we’re doing.”
When it comes to future plans, William has nothing on the agenda yet, except settling in to their new location and helping new customers in their 28,000 square-foot facility
For more information on either of Zenetec’s facilities, visit their website at zenetec.com
Click this link for more photos!!! https://flic.kr/s/aHsmExq7dz
Cyber Insecurity: Hackers target Boyd Group with ransomware
The Winnipeg-based Boyd Group Income Fund’s IT systems have been attacked by internet criminals.
On Tuesday, the multi-billion dollar auto repair investment group announced its internal systems had detected a ransomware attack, and that staff had taken steps to contain and mitigate the potential impact of the scheme.
“We are taking this attack very seriously”, said CEO Brock Bulbuck. “The integrity of our data and the security of our systems is paramount.”
According to the Boyd Group, there is no evidence that employee information was compromised, though security experts continue to investigate. Boyd also announced it would take steps to alert anyone found to have been impacted by the hack.
“Unfortunately, no organization can guarantee that it won’t suffer a cyber-attack,” Bulbuck said. “However, the Boyd Group is committed to ensuring that it has the appropriate controls in place to quickly identify and recover from such an attack.”
The company also said that the majority of its customer information is not stored in the systems affected by the hack, but rather on external, cloud-based applications. Some limited personal information about customers may have been included on the company’s servers.
The company has also announced that it will be conducting a comprehensive forensic review of its cybersecurity infrastructure. According to the company, the financial damage of the hack is expected to be minimal.
“While this has been a disruptive event that will have some short-term impact on our sales and earnings, our business model and strategy remains solid and unaffected. Boyd is committed to utilizing all available means to protect its operations and its customers’ information,’’ said Bulbuck. “We will continue to work with cybersecurity specialists to turn back unauthorized activity in this age of highly sophisticated threats to information systems.”
Driven Brands on the Auction Block?
On Tuesday, Bloomberg cited unidentified sources to report that Roark Capital may be considering selling Driven Brands for $2 billion next quarter.
At the time of purchase on April 2015, the Driven Brands franchise portfolio included a combined 1,500 shops distributed among several brands such as Maaco, Aero-Colours, AutoQual, Drive N Style, Econo Lube and Tune and Pro Oil Change.
Roark Capital purchased Driven Brands from Harvest Partners, another private equity firm, in 2015 for an undisclosed sum.
Since its purchase, Driven has expanded organically through several acquisitions, including CARSTAR in October 2015 and CARSTAR Canada in December 2015.
The acquisition of the CARSTAR brand increased Driven’s portfolio to 2,200 locations in the U.S. and Canada and yielded nearly $2 billion in annual store sales.
Parts Disruption: Toyota Canada apologizes to collision community for ongoing delays
In an email to Collision Repair, Toyota Canada apologized to members of the public and the collision community who have been affected by delays in their parts distribution network.
Over the past few weeks, bodyshops around Canada have faced long delays for parts from Toyota Canada.The company also said the parts delivery delays–which some Collision Repair readers report to be up to four weeks–have been caused by a planned systems transformation.
“While we are doing everything we can to minimize any disruptions during these systems changes and return to our normal service levels as quickly as possible, we recognize that these changes may affect some of our customers and dealers,” wrote David Shum, Toyota Canada’s corporate communications team lead.
While the details of the problematic systems transformation remain unclear, Toyota Canada did confirm that it was unrelated to the soon-to-open Eastern Canada Parts Distribution Centre in Clarington, Ontario. The planned move from its current location in Scarborough will not occur until the spring of 2020.
Toyota Canada also told Collision Repair that it welcomed calls from concerned customers.
“We encourage any customers with questions or concerns to contact our customer service centres at 1-888-TOYOTA8 or 1-800-26LEXUS,” Shum wrote.
Fix Network Canada acquires Carrossier ProColor
Fix Network and Uni-Select have entered into an agreement that will see Fix Network acquire Uni-Select’s Carrossier ProColor business. The transaction closed on September 30, 2019.
“The addition of ProColor will see our network grow to over 450 collision repair facilities across the country; making us the largest collision repair services provider in the Canadian market,” said Steve Leal, President and CEO of Fix Network World. ProColor is a valuable and iconic Quebec based brand that Fix Network intends to retain and add to their expanding network. “We see this as a perfect opportunity for growth in the collision repair industry as the ProColor family will complement our existing Fix Auto network,” added Leal.
Following the acquisition of the Speedy Auto Service and Minute Muffler & Brake in 2016 and the global NOVUS Glass brand in 2017, ProColor is the next step in the execution of Leal’s vision to create a global force in the automotive aftermarket industry. “Fix Network is the first to offer all three services under one network; collision, mechanical and glass,” said Leal. “We are excited to welcome ProColor to our team and continue to build a complete aftermarket services solution.”
“We believe the combined operations of Fix Auto and ProColor will ensure a highly complementary service offering to both our valued insurance partners and customers by providing additional capacity to meet collision repair needs across the country,” said Leal. Additionally, existing ProColor members will gain access to Fix Network’s other brands, Speedy Auto Service and NOVUS Glass, which will provide them the opportunity to expand and enhance their businesses.
As part of the transaction, Uni-Select will become a preferred supplier for all of the Fix Network brands in the markets served by Uni-Select. “Since Uni-Select launched ProColor in 2001, the network grew from 28 to 172 collision repair shops and established its clear leadership position in the Québec market. We are pleased with this transaction with Fix Auto, which has a strong global network and a solid reputation in the auto repair industry, especially in the Canadian market. We look forward to continuing a long-term supply partnership with Fix Auto and supporting ProColor’s growth,” said Brent Windom, President and Chief Executive Officer of Uni-Select.
Leal concludes, “We are delighted to welcome the ProColor team to our network and are looking forward to serving customers with exceptional collision repair services through our combined scale and expertise.”
Canadian Camaraderie: AIA Canada’s annual Canada Night 2019
Las Vegas, Nevada — Yesterday, many of the movers and shakers of Canada’s collision sector arrived at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas for the AIA’s annual Canada Night event.
Joining some of the most influential Canadian business owners were a number of representatives from aftermarket sector, including: Mitchell International, Fix Auto, BASF Canada, SATA, Specialty Product Sales, 3M Canada, CSN, Autohouse Technologies, Lift Auto Group, CosmosSync, CARSTAR, NAIT, Western Paint and Equipment, Gilbert Supply Co., Color Compass, Transit Inc., Baan Powertrain, NRS Brakes, SOGHU, NEXERASYS, NUCAP, Uni-Select, Dynamic Tire, DCI Solutions, TerraCan AutoPro, Canadian Tire, WD-40, AkzoNobel, AARO, Grand West Auto, Piston Ring Service, Consolidated Dealers Co-Operative, Symach, Peinture et pieces d’autos DR, Armatures DNS 2000, Vast Auto, Active Group Inc., Wakefield Canada, Craftsman Collision, LKQ Corporation, AutoChoice, PPG, and more.
While the event has traditionally been held at Caesar’s Palace, this year’s guestlist outstripped the occupancy limits of the long-serving venue. The Paris Hotel, however, did not disappoint. Guests were particularly impressed by the ice sculpture–and by the array of lobster and crab surrounding it.
With refreshments in hand, guests circulated the room. Daryll O’Keefe and Kate Tapley of Fix Auto made the rounds as a team, making sure no hands were left unshook, while Craig Sykora of 3M and Wade Bartok of Elite Body Shop lit up the dimly-lit venue with their brimming energy.
When the night came to a close it took quite a bit of effort for AIA officials to convince the Canadians to wrap things up and head for the doors—folks simply wanted to keep networking in what was the AIA’s most successful Canada Night to date.
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