The Automotive Service Association of Colorado (ASA-CO) spring expo is scheduled for April 5 at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.  The event, which runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., features more than two dozen table-top exhibitors and a host of technical training classes, said Donny Seyfer, ASA-CO's board chairman.  The cost for each shop to attend, regardless of how many employees attend, is $50.  To register, contact Sarah Anderson, ASA-CO's executive director, at 303-202-5231 or e-mail her at sarah@asacolorado.org.

Denver Machine Shop Inc. and Keller Brothers Auto Repair of Littleton were winners if the 2008 Colorado Ethics in Business Alliance (CEBA) Business Ethics Award.  They were recognized at a luncheon March 20 at the Denver Marriott City Center.

Keller Brothers Auto Repair also earned a spot in Auto Inc.'s Top 10 Automotive Repair Web Sites for 2008.  The publication, produced by the Automotive Service Association, cited that Web site as being well organized with several links.  To check out the site, visit www.kellerbros.com.  One of the links is www.mondaymorningmechanic.com, a source for motorists to learn more about vehicle maintenance and repair.

Rush Medium Duty Truck Center, a commercial Isuzu and Ford truck dealer in Commerce City, recently installed a new Tecor Series 5000 side-draft heated paint booth that can accommodate large tractor-trailers, said Parts Manager Justin Bennett.  Painter Mike Flores sprays DuPont's Imron Elite paint in the new booth, which he said gets jobs done faster because of quicker curing times.

The Greensheet reported that The Harloff Co., a cart and cabinet manufacturer in Colorado Springs, has hired J.A. Echols & Associates of Duluth, Ga., as its new sales agency for the southeastern and south-central U.S. markets.  Their focus is on dealerships, the aftermarket, and industrial customers.

FinishMaster Automotive & Industrial Paint recently held several training classes for collision repair facilities in the Denver area, said Chris Johns of FinishMaster.  The courses included a class in January at the Downtown Aquarium in Denver that featured waterborne paint technology; Smart Process Management in February; and a 3M I-CAR Taping and Masking class at the Westminster store in March.  Smart Cycle Time II, presented by Mike Anderson, is scheduled for April 29 at ASA-CO's office in Westminster.  For more information on this and other courses, e-mail Johns at johnsc@finishmaster.com.

Hanksville Hot Rods, a specialized tube-bending and fabrication shop in Littleton, recently celebrated its two-year anniversary, said Co-owners Jennifer and Hank Padilla.  The shop is unique in that it has an in-house mandrel bender that it uses to manufacture and install custom-fitted exhaust and roll cages, Jennifer Padilla said.

State Farm Insurance recently donated a 2006 Toyota Prius to Northeastern Junior College's (NJC) Automotive Technology department. "This is an invaluable teaching tool for us," said Kent Wright, the program's director. "This is our first hybrid donation, and the students will really benefit by having an opportunity to get under the hood and trunk of this car."

NEW MEXICO

New Mexico has joined the ranks of 12 other states with a clean car program.  The program was approved by the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board, even after hearing testimony against it from several segments of the automotive repair industry, including Jerry Burns, owner of Automotive Impressions in Rio Rancho and ASA national board member; and ASA New Mexico leader Jim Maddox, owner of Jim's Automotive in Albuquerque.  Opponents cited the potential negative impact on independent repairers, ASA officials said, claiming that super-warranties inadvertently remove vehicles from independent repair facilities, driving motorists back to dealerships for warranty repair work.