Mark Foppe, owner of Auto Tech Auto Center, says the future of the industry hinges on training and education in ADAS and vehicle information systems.
With New Year comes opportunities
O’Fallon, Mo.—When Mark Foppe purchased AutoTech Auto Center in 2016, the foundation was already laid for him to takeover a successful shop by the previous owners, yet he knew there were new opportunities.
From left: Co-owners Andrew “AJ” Bray and Bob Cornwall and Service Manager Don Moritz strive to make every customer a “Raving Fan.”
Industry vets take on shop ownership
Placentia, Calif.—Location, location, location.
Shaughn Kennedy (right) discusses how collision repairers can help limit their liability as fellow panel members, from left, Burl Richards (left) and Ron Reichen listen. (Photo Courtesy Of I-CAR)
Shops can sometimes feel targeted with a liability bull’s-eye
Las Vegas—The $42 million John Eagle lawsuit judgment last year sent ripples throughout the collision repair industry, as more shop owners and managers recognized the risk of not following OEM repair procedures.
Maria Barrera encouraged her husband, “Ozz” Barrera, to return to the automotive industry after a period of ups and downs in his career. He did return, and with a completely different mindset that led him to starting his first shop in 2002.
Sometimes timing is everything
Wheat Ridge, Colo.–Osvaldo “Ozz” Barrera, owner of West Highlands Auto Repair, will sometimes drive his customers home after they drop their cars off for service.
Over the last year, Wholesale Parts Director Mike Merrifield and his team have brought in a full line of ACDelco inventory, which will be available for delivery beginning in 2019.
Delivering innovation, exceeding expectations
Omaha, Neb.—Wholesale Parts Director Mike Merrifield and his team sat down in 2012 to develop a brand-new wholesale parts delivery business model.
Brent and Jody Kniesel, third-generation owners, say established processes have led to increases in sales and staff.
Standards are secret sauce to success
Citrus Heights, Calif.—The accolades are numerous for Kniesel’s Auto Service Centers: the three-location MSO has won The Best of Citrus Heights nine years in a row, KCRA A-List, Sacramento City Voter A-List, Angie’s List Super Service Award, and h
Service Advisers Lance Smith (left) and Shawn Swarm (right) work with Service Manager Kirk Erickson at AG Automotive.
A new look — and direction — for 2019
Portland, Ore.—Known since 1993 as AG Diesel, the north Portland shop, owned by Cameron Tormanen, is now AG Automotive to reflect its expansion into passenger car, SUV, crossover, and other light-duty vehicle service and repair, said Kirk Erickson
Mark Foppe, owner of Auto Tech Auto Center, says the future of the industry hinges on training and education in ADAS and vehicle information systems.
From left: Co-owners Andrew “AJ” Bray and Bob Cornwall and Service Manager Don Moritz strive to make every customer a “Raving Fan.”
Shaughn Kennedy (right) discusses how collision repairers can help limit their liability as fellow panel members, from left, Burl Richards (left) and Ron Reichen listen. (Photo Courtesy Of I-CAR)
Maria Barrera encouraged her husband, “Ozz” Barrera, to return to the automotive industry after a period of ups and downs in his career. He did return, and with a completely different mindset that led him to starting his first shop in 2002.
Over the last year, Wholesale Parts Director Mike Merrifield and his team have brought in a full line of ACDelco inventory, which will be available for delivery beginning in 2019.
Brent and Jody Kniesel, third-generation owners, say established processes have led to increases in sales and staff.
Service Advisers Lance Smith (left) and Shawn Swarm (right) work with Service Manager Kirk Erickson at AG Automotive.
Service Advisers Lance Smith (left) and Shawn Swarm (right) work with Service Manager Kirk Erickson at AG Automotive.

A new look — and direction — for 2019

Portland, Ore.—Known since 1993 as AG Diesel, the north Portland shop, owned by Cameron Tormanen, is now AG Automotive to reflect its expansion into passenger car, SUV, crossover, and other light-duty vehicle service and repair, said Kirk Erickson, AAM, longtime service manager at AG who handles...
Over the last year, Wholesale Parts Director Mike Merrifield and his team have brought in a full line of ACDelco inventory, which will be available for delivery beginning in 2019.

Delivering innovation, exceeding expectations

Omaha, Neb.—Wholesale Parts Director Mike Merrifield and his team sat down in 2012 to develop a brand-new wholesale parts delivery business model. The fact that this was something new for the Woodhouse family of dealerships was viewed as a positive instead of being seen as a hurdle they would need...

Emerging technology is seismic shift

Las Vegas—More than 170 million new cars with some level of connectivity will be in circulation in the U.S. by 2025. That figure comes from Frost & Sullivan Research & Consulting, which presented data at a seminar at AAPEX, “Trends in Emerging Technologies: Industry Plans and Consumer...
Shaughn Kennedy (right) discusses how collision repairers can help limit their liability as fellow panel members, from left, Burl Richards (left) and Ron Reichen listen. (Photo Courtesy Of I-CAR)

Shops can sometimes feel targeted with a liability bull’s-eye

Las Vegas—The $42 million John Eagle lawsuit judgment last year sent ripples throughout the collision repair industry, as more shop owners and managers recognized the risk of not following OEM repair procedures. A panel discussion at the recent SEMA Show discussed how to reduce a shop’s risk by...
Maria Barrera encouraged her husband, “Ozz” Barrera, to return to the automotive industry after a period of ups and downs in his career. He did return, and with a completely different mindset that led him to starting his first shop in 2002.

Sometimes timing is everything

Wheat Ridge, Colo.–Osvaldo “Ozz” Barrera, owner of West Highlands Auto Repair, will sometimes drive his customers home after they drop their cars off for service. “Most of them don’t know me,” he said. “They ask how long I’ve been with the company and I’ll just say, ‘Since the beginning.’” It’s not...

Changing aftermarket landscape requires adaptation for all segments

Las Vegas—Insights into the future drivers of the aftermarket and opportunities associated with them were outlined recently by Bob Cushing, president and CEO of WORLDPAC and executive VP of Advance Professional, who was the keynote speaker at CAWA’s annual dinner in Las Vegas. “I’ve never been so...
Darrell Amberson of LaMettry’s Collision says his company is often “looking in about a half-dozen sources” to find all the OEM repair information it needs.

OEM repair info can be challenging to find; legislated procedures debated at latest CIC

Las Vegas—Representatives of both insurance companies and collision repair businesses on a panel at the recent Collision Industry Conference (CIC) found at least one point of agreement: researching OEM repair information is a challenge. “The manufacturers get better and better about sharing...
The full-size Chevrolet Impala, the brand’s flagship passenger car, will cease production next June. It was first introduced in 1958 (through 1985), again for the 1994-1996 models years, then as a FWD sedan in 1999 (model years 2000 to 2019).

Auto Notes - January 2019

Changes at GM. In late November, Detroit-based General Motors (GM) made a surprise announcement that it would layoff 15 percent of its salaried workforce, plus shut down five production and assembly plants in Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio. The plant closures are scheduled for after December 2019,...
 
 

Parts & People

Parts & People is published monthly by Automotive Counseling and Publishing Company, Inc., a Colorado corporation, P.O. Box 18731 Denver, CO 80203, 303-765-4664. President-Lance Buchner. Founded by Lance Buchner and Dave Lucia.

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