Alliance of Automotive Providers of New Jersey

“ATTENTION ALL AUTO BODY SHOP OWNERS”

DEADLINE TO MEET NEW EPA TRAINING

By now, everyone must have heard of the New EPA Subpart HHHHHH Rule. This is the new rule on Paint Stripping and Miscellaneous Surface Coating that required all auto body shops to fill out and file the Initial Notification Form notifying the EPA that you were either already in compliance or would be in compliance by January 10, 2011.

Thanks to some of the paint manufacturers, distributors and jobbers, many of you have already received the training and met the training requirements of this new rule. However, some have not. If you are not aware of this new rule, ask your paint distributor or jobber.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE NOT MET THE TRAINING REQUIREMENT OF THIS NEW RULE, LISTEN UP!

Existing Auto Body Shops must train and certify all personal (Painters) who spray or apply surface coatings by January 10, 2011.

There are two parts to the training requirement. One part is training on compliance of the rule it’s self. The other is hands-on training on the techniques, products and equipment being used.

GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE THAT HAVE NOT MET THE TRAINING REQUIREMENT!

The EPA will be presenting two On-line Training Webinars for Auto Body Shops this week on the New “6H” EPA Air Quality Regulations for Auto Body Shops. This training will meet the training on the rule it’s self. This training does not satisfy the hands-on requirement on the new rule. That training can likely be provided by your paint supplier.

The two online sessions being presented by the EPA this week are listed below:

Reserve your webinar seat by registering at one of these links:

6H Compliance, Tuesday, November 16, 2010 – 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM EST

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/398353843

6H Compliance, Thursday, November 18, 2010 – 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM EST

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/140875186

Again, these sessions are ONLY for the training on the rule it’s self. You will still need the hands-on training.

MORE GOOD NEWS! On Tuesday, November 16, 2010 Finishmasters will be holding a EPA Subpart HHHHHH Certification Clinic to cover both the training on the new rule and the hands-on training and will present a training certificate to all that attend.

The Finishmaster Training/Certification Clinic will be held at the Bergen County Vo-Teck in Teterboro, NJ on Tuesday, November 16, 2011 at 5:30 PM to 8:00PM. The space will be limited and there will be a $20.00 Fee for attendees. For full details or to register contact Matt Mitchell at 973-879-8879 or Tom Rankin at 646-269-5542.

www.njgreenautorepair.org

The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) is proud to announce that we have joined NJGARP as a new organizational partner. The program, launched in April 2009, encourages the State’s automotive repair facilities – including dealerships, independent shops and, now, auto body shops– to implement environmentally-friendly business practices and become certified as “green” businesses.

“AASP/NJ is very proud to join with the other organizations in NJGARP as a partner in promoting environmentally-sound business practices within the body repair industry. To learn more about NJGARP, click on the link above.

Attendees and Exhibitors Come Together at
AASP/NJ’s NORTHEAST^TM 2010

3-24-10 - Representatives of the auto repair industry came out in force to be a part of AASP/NJ’s NORTHEAST™ 2010 Automotive Services Show at the Meadowlands Exposition Center. The 33rd annual event featured thousands of attendees and exhibitors representing all facets of the industry and a plethora of educational opportunities, as well as continuing participation from the New Jersey Gasoline/C-Store/Automotive Association (NJGCA), all of which combined helped to make this year’s event one of the most successful to date. “We were happy to be a part of NORTHEAST™ once again this year,” explains Giovanna Helton, chief operating officer of longtime NORTHEAST™ supporter Accudraft/SAIMA North America. “We enjoy participating in the event in part thanks to the centralized location of NORTHEAST™ at the Meadowlands Exposition Center. It affords us the opportunity to touch base with those clients who are local to us, while also meeting a number of new and potential clients as well. This year’s event was another success for us as an exhibitor; we were able to generate some sales as well as some viable contacts. We had a great time at NORTHEAST™ 2010, and look forward to supporting the event in the future.”

Also a veteran NORTHEAST™ proponent, Upper Saddle River, NJ-based Metropolitan Car-O-Liner has been a participating NORTHEAST™ exhibitor since its inception. “NORTHEAST™ has always been a good event for us,” explains Dave Demarest, Jr., Vice-President of Administration & Marketing for Metropolitan Car-O-Liner and Welding Solutions, Inc., “and this year was another good showing. As an exhibitor, the success you have at an event like NORTHEAST™ will only be as good as the effort you make towards it. For many years, Metropolitan Car-O-Liner has always put a lot into NORTHEAST™, and I am proud to say that we consistently get a good deal out of it, as well.”

“This year’s NORTHEAST™ provided us at BMW of North America with an opportunity to present our products and build both BMW and MINI brand awareness for our Original Replacement Parts,” notes BMW Parts Promotions Manager Richard Maniscalco. “[The] personnel staffing our booth were able to interface with current customers and present the advantage of Original BMW and MINI Parts to interested prospects. NORTHEAST™ 2010 was an optimal forum to meet and greet our current customers while also branching out to market to new ones.”

“We work year-round to ensure that our flagship event improves every year,” says AASP/NJ President Jeff McDowell, “and to look at what NORTHEAST™ has grown into over the years is nothing short of amazing. This year’s show was by far one of our best yet; even despite some terrific weather (that typically hurts trade shows) this past weekend, the industry showed up to be a part of NORTHEAST™. The sheer numbers speak for themselves.”

“This year’s East Coast Resolution Forum & Leadership Meeting welcomed representatives from industry associations nationwide,” continues McDowell, “and this year’s record number of seminars gave industry members the chance to get the scoop on everything from the upcoming EPA paint regulations to healthcare for employees. All signs are pointing to a long, successful future for NORTHEAST™, and I’d like to thank everyone whose participation helped make this another tremendous event.” For more information on the NORTHEAST™ Automotive Services Show, or for post-show coverage (coming soon), please visit www.aaspnjnortheast.com.

For Immediate Release
AASP National and SCRS Release Position Statements on Aftermarket Structural Replacement Parts
AASP Calls for Certification and Recall Process for Aftermarket Structural Replacement Parts
The Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) does not presently make available a certification process for aftermarket structural parts. The recent announcement by Diamond Standard of its intent to offer a comprehensive and independent certification process for structural parts is viewed as a timely and necessary offering. Our confidence in these parts, some of which may be well-engineered and structurally equivalent, will only be restored if and when a formal certification process is made available, and each of these parts is run through that process. In the absence of certification, the only responsible action is to fully remove their availability for use in collision repairs, including verified removal from each and every distributor’s shelves, in addition to the estimating databases.

The Auto Body Parts Association (ABPA) recently took the position that, “in the event that sufficient testing is not available, the ABPA has recommended discontinuation of the production and sale of these part types as well as immediate notification to the estimating systems to eliminate these parts from their parts databases.” The Taiwan Auto Body Parts Association (TABPA) also advised its members to stop selling and manufacturing non-certified structural parts. These actions are to be commended, but highlight the fact that under the present system, we must now wait to see if the related industry segments – the parts manufacturers, parts distributors, repairers and the insurers specifying these parts – voluntarily act responsibly in the interest of consumer safety.

When structural testing and certification of this class of parts is available and parts testing begins, we will have empirical evidence as to which parts are structurally equivalent and which are not. At that time, the various segments within our industry will again be “tested” in terms of their commitment to remove known defective parts from consumers’ vehicles. As is presently the case with Toyota, full responsibility for a known safety-related defect requires that the problem be addressed not just going forward, but retroactively, as well. A formal recall process for defective collision parts will be both complicated and costly, especially in light of the fact that apparently many of these parts are not stamped by the manufacturer with proper identification, including production lot, as had been identified as critically necessary a decade ago.

The collision repair industry has been fully consumed by cost containment market forces over the past several years. While this may be a necessary evil, we must all ensure that these pressures do not come at the expense of the end-product goal – a proper repair that returns the vehicle to pre-accident condition, not just in terms of appearance, but much more importantly, in terms of safety.

The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers is a coalition of associations which serve over 8,000 members of the automotive service industry. In a spirit of mutual cooperation and support, Alliance participants are committed to sharing information, knowledge and other resources for the benefit of the members they serve. Visit the association online at www.autoserviceproviders.com.
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SCRS Alerts Collision Repair Industry to Concerns Over Aftermarket Structural Replacement Parts
In November 2009 and January 2010, SCRS National Director and Education Committee member, Toby Chess, performed presentations outlining comparative studies he had conducted between randomly selected OEM and Aftermarket Structural Replacement parts. The parts reviewed included items such as Front and Rear Bumper Reinforcement Beams, Radiator Core Supports, Bumper Brackets and Bumper Energy Absorbers. In every example tested, there were significant differences in both the construction of, and materials used, in the aftermarket replacement part which can significantly impact the roles that these parts serve in the transfer of energy resulting from a collision. Each of these parts also directly relates to the functionality and response of the vehicle Safety Restraint System (SRS), and could have a resulting affect on how the airbag functions in the event of a loss. The presentation also detailed that in other instances where the manufacturer had paid particular attention to utilizing the same materials as the OEM, and employed credible third-party testing, the parts appeared to perform much better in subsequent crash test video demonstrations.

AASP National and SCRS Release Position Statements on Aftermarket Structural Replacement Parts - - - -

AASP National and SCRS Release Position Statements on Aftermarket Structural Replacement Parts - - - -
AASP National and SCRS Release Position Statements on Aftermarket Structural Replacement Parts - - - -
As a result of these studies, the Auto Body Parts Association (ABPA), who represents more than 150 manufacturers, distributors and suppliers of aftermarket crash parts, has taken what SCRS views as a responsible first step, stating to their members that if sufficient testing is not available they recommend “discontinuation of the production and sale of these part types as well as immediate notification to the estimating systems to eliminate these parts from their database.”

These studies were performed after receipt of concerns from various members’ shops that there has been an increase in utilization of these aftermarket structural replacement parts in the claims settlement practices of certain insurance carriers. SCRS urges the collision repair industry to understand the magnitude of this issue, and to heed warning as well. SCRS recommends that collision repair professionals use exceptional caution when performing repairs to consumers vehicles, and to only use parts that will perform with the same expectation of quality and safety, both upon installation, and for the life of the vehicle. SCRS also recommends that repair facilities understand the liability associated with utilization of inferior parts, and to avoid being unduly influenced to utilize any replacement part that has not undergone credible independent testing to ensure it meets quality and safety based standards.

“This is a serious issue, that has not received enough attention from the industry in the past,” reiterated Chess. “These parts are critically affecting the structural design of a vehicle in its post-repair state. I think the ABPA has shown their leadership through their release, and we need to hold their members, the people and organizations that manufacture and supply these parts, accountable for the quality and safety of their product. The OEMs put a lot of money into research and development to ensure that the end product operates reacts and sustains damage in very specific way. Any replacement part made available to the market should be required to have that same expectation of performance.”

“This issue is concerning on so many levels,” stated SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. “Obviously our members have to understand the liability implications they have when making critical repair decisions such as part selection. The problem with many of these parts is that a visual inspection at the shop level often can’t uncover significant differences, like material or alloy variances. We can’t visually see the difference in weight, or that one part is .25mm thinner than another; especially when the two aren’t side by side for comparison. It should also not be the responsibility of the shop to make a determination on which part is equivalent, or not. If it is not quality, if it is not safe, it shouldn’t even make its way to the market; but they are. We have too many examples, even with current internal ‘quality assurance programs’ in place, that they are being manufactured, sold, and utilized, despite not meeting the most basic of requirements such as material composition.”

“Most importantly, there has to be a way to address the individuals who already have parts that have now been deemed ‘inferior’ on their vehicle. It is not enough to accept that suppliers will deal with the issue on case by case bases if, or when, there is a problem. If the process and infrastructure are not in place, to support the ability to notify consumers when a problem has been identified, then we need to significantly fix that infrastructure before more parts are sold. If there is a parts problem generated from the OEM, there is an elaborate recall process in place. Every consumer is notified and their vehicle is corrected. These critical safety parts should not be treated with any less urgency. This is an issue that requires a proactive solution, rather than reactive; the motoring public deserves more,” Schulenburg added.

SCRS has made the presentations prepared by Chess available on their website at www.scrs.com. We encourage every member of the industry to ensure you are familiarized with this issue. It is important for the repair industry to understand the subject matter, and it is also SCRS’ hope that the insurance industry will exhibit equal concern over the seriousness of an issue that impact both industries, and the customer base we each serve. This will continue to be an area of significant focus for the association in the upcoming year, and will continue to share information on the subject as it develops.

About SCRS: Through its direct members and 37 affiliate associations, SCRS is comprised of 6,000 collision repair businesses and 58,500 specialized professionals who work with consumers and insurance companies to repair collision-damaged vehicles. Additional information about SCRS including other news releases is available at the SCRS Web site: www.scrs.com. You can e-mail SCRS at the following address: info@scrs.com.

For Immediate Release

For more information:

Darrell Amberson: darrell.amberson@lehmansgarage.com

Lou DiLisio: lou@autoindconsult.com

Rick Starbard: rstarbard@comcast.net

CCC Goes Back On Its Commitment to the Industry

The Database Task Force (DTF), comprised of representatives from AASP, ASA and SCRS, recently completed a multi-year effort involving discussions, data gathering and arguments, in an effort to convince CCC that their estimating system bumper refinish prompt was in direct conflict with paint manufacturer approved refinish procedures. As a result of these discussions, CCC removed the “Bumper Refinish Prompt” in their March 2008 software release. Unfortunately, CCC now feels compelled to once again go against ALL paint manufacturers information and has reintroduced the “Bumper Refinish Prompt” in their Pathways 4.5 release.

The Database Task Force was shocked and disheartened to learn of this most recent reversal. Interestingly, after literally years of discussions and the Task Force providing documentation, coordinating meetings with all the paint manufacturers, as well as providing accolades publicly for CCC “doing the right thing”, they elected to “forget” to discuss the change in direction with the Database Task Force prior to implementing the change. Furthermore, documentation that the Task Force has received subsequently shows that at least one major insurer was fully apprised of the proposed changes at least 60 days in advance of the release. In fact, this major insurer drafted instructions (including screen shots), and distributed them, on how they want their “Repair Partners” to set the default in their systems (regardless of how repairers perform the actual repairs).

During a CIC meeting at NACE 2007, the following statement was publicly read by Bruce Yungkans representing CCC, to the audience. “Based on some documented and very compelling and convincing new information to us, we’ve been able to determine unequivocally that…refinishing non-metallic bumpers require use of a material that is not recommended on the rest of the vehicle.”

Following that, Mr. Yungkans also stated that CCC would, “as soon as practical,” change its estimating system to ensure “the refinish overlap between bumpers and other parts refinished on the vehicle will not be applied” and that “clearcoat refinish labor and material that is applied to the bumper will not be included in the calculation of any pre-defined clearcoat caps.”

In an attempt to resolve this extremely sensitive issue, members of the Database Task Force contacted Jim Powers of CCC and then had additional discussions with Jim Powers, Jim Dickens and others from CCC. Jim Powers stated that CCC had information from one or more paint manufacturers that led them to believe that utilizing the same materials on flexible parts as well as on metal parts was fully acceptable. Interestingly, when the Database Task Force contacted each of the major paint companies, none of them were able to confirm that statement. CCC committed to promptly furnish that data to the Task Force for review, but after 5 days notified the Task Force they “were having a difficult time obtaining the requested documentation”. In addition, CCC stated that in discussions with their repair center customers, they were “told” that it was okay to use the same products on all surfaces. Once again, we find it amazing that an information provider goes against a paint manufacturer’s recommendation and changes their system to allow a process because they were “told” it was acceptable. During a conference call with CCC, representatives of the Database Task Force applied the analogy that any estimating software that produces a calculation where 5 + 4 = 6 is by all measures inaccurate and indefensible. Pathways software that enables the lowering of estimate values, based on outside influence or non-scientific conversations with a few repairers choosing to deviate from recommended procedures, is similarly indefensible.

Many in the collision industry have contended for years that the estimating platforms have been influenced by market forces in a manner that sacrifices accuracy. The DTF was created to address this very issue, and continues to exist today both to enable a constructive working relationship with the IPs, but also to act as a watchdog to address issues such as this one. As such, the Database Task Force is fully committed to taking strong and immediate action to have this prompt removed.

The documentation that was furnished by CCC to the Database Task Force on 12/16 consisted of excerpts from trade publications, paint manufacturer marketing materials, and emails to and from paint manufacturer representatives dated just days earlier. These documents in no way provide a justification for a reintroduction of the bumper prompt, and we contend that the information provided pales in comparison to the ironclad and “unequivocal” documentation that the Database Task Force had to furnish to CCC to remove the prompt. In fact, the majority of the documentation references the ability to utilize the same refinish products; however, it did not specifically address the need for additives or additional processes in order to properly use the products on flexible substrates.

Most disturbing though, is the apparent fact that the paint manufacturers were first formally contacted on this issue just this month, while the decision to reintroduce the refinish prompt was made as early as September of this year. One can’t help but conclude that CCC made the decision first, and then later, only after being challenged, unsuccessfully attempted to generate and furnish documentation supporting the decision.
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ATTENTION ALL AASP/NJ COLLISION MEMBERS:

No More Unjustified Paint and Material Caps
and No More Unjustified Formulas of a Dollar Figure Per Paint Hour That Results In Repair Estimates That Do Not Reflect The Actual Cost Of Paint And/Or Materials!

On October 25, 2007 the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance issued Bulletin No. 07-20 that mandates that insurers in New Jersey provide allowances that are sufficient to restore damaged vehicles to their pre-accident condition and encourages insurers to use paint and materials cost calculator manuals and programs available in the industry to determine allowances to achieve compliance with the provisions of the bulletin.

AASP National and SCRS Release Position Statements on Aftermarket Structural Replacement Parts - - - -

Printable Registration Online Registration

AASP/NJ – Hertz
New Revenue Generating Benefit

The AASP/NJ proudly announces a new partnership with The Hertz Corporation to bring members a new revenue-generating benefit.

AASP/NJ Members can receive a monthly rebate check for each customer referred to Hertz and the greater the number of referrals, the bigger the check.

Hertz is also seeking members with an interest in opening a local Hertz Office at the shop to better fulfill customer needs.

Don’t wait!
Contact Hertz today at 908-688-6097 or click on the link below to find the closest Hertz location to you and to get set up on the AASP/NJ-Hertz Rental Referral Program that says thank you by making a deposit in your bank account every month.

For Information on Travelers Estimating Concerns
Click on Headline News

NJ RIGHT TO REPAIR CALL TO ACTION!

AASP/NJ has partnered with CARE (Coalition for Auto Repair Equality) to allow NJ technicians and consumers the ability to quickly send letters to state legislators to voice their support of the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act.

Please click on the following link to send your legislator a letter requesting that they vote YES to the NJ Right to Repair Act.

`www.careauto.org`

`Don’t Wait – Action is desperately needed NOW!`

Check the AASP/NJ Calendar of Events for Meetings and Events
More Meetings to be Posted Soon

Check Members-Only Section for Assistance with Renewing your Auto Body License

Printable Registration Online Registration

AASP/NJ – Hertz New Revenue Generating Benefit

The AASP/NJ proudly announces a new partnership with The Hertz Corporation to bring members a new revenue-generating benefit.

AASP/NJ Members can receive a monthly rebate check for each customer referred to Hertz and the greater the number of referrals, the bigger the check.

Hertz is also seeking members with an interest in opening a local Hertz Office at the shop to better fulfill customer needs.

Don’t wait! Contact Hertz today at 908-688-6097 or click on the link below to find the closest Hertz location to you and to get set up on the AASP/NJ-Hertz Rental Referral Program that says thank you by making a deposit in your bank account every month.

For Information on Travelers Estimating Concerns Click on Headline News

NJ RIGHT TO REPAIR CALL TO ACTION!

AASP/NJ has partnered with CARE (Coalition for Auto Repair Equality) to allow NJ technicians and consumers the ability to quickly send letters to state legislators to voice their support of the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act.

Please click on the following link to send your legislator a letter requesting that they vote YES to the NJ Right to Repair Act.

www.careauto.org

Don’t Wait – Action is desperately needed NOW!

Check the AASP/NJ Calendar of Events for Meetings and Events More Meetings to be Posted Soon

Check Members-Only Section for Assistance with Renewing your Auto Body License

AASP/NJ – Hertz
New Revenue Generating Benefit

Don’t wait!
Contact Hertz today at 908-688-6097 or click on the link below to find the closest Hertz location to you and to get set up on the AASP/NJ-Hertz Rental Referral Program that says thank you by making a deposit in your bank account every month.

For Information on Travelers Estimating Concerns
Click on Headline News

`www.careauto.org`

`Don’t Wait – Action is desperately needed NOW!`

Check the AASP/NJ Calendar of Events for Meetings and Events
More Meetings to be Posted Soon