Prestone capitalizes on OEM relationships and drives coolant technology to aftermarket Orion, Mich.—As Champion Laboratories and FRAM have merged together under the umbrella of FRAM Filtration with factory and engineering consolidations, FRAM Filtration manufactures 30 different brands of oil filters backed by two of the industry’s top chief filtration engineers, said Jay Buckley, Technical Training Director for UCI-FRAM AutoBrands, which includes FRAM Filtration, Autolite and Prestone. Now, FRAM’s professional installer program, FRAM Pro Series, has added filters specifically designed for technicians. “The whole program is a great way to capture former DIYERs for...

Norwalk, Calif.—Unlike so many school-to-work automotive technology programs, which in recent years have faded through lack of support, Cerritos Community College’s are thriving, partly due to teamwork with local industry, surrounding high schools and nearby colleges.  “At the present time, every class is full and has a waiting list,” said Kevin Taylor, automotive department chair at Cerritos College. “We’re in an expansion trend.” With corporate sponsored programs, service management, alternative fuels, high-performance engines, and general automotive and collision repair, the program instructs well over 1,000 students. Cars have been part of...

SeaTac, Wash.—The upcoming 2015 Automotive Training Expo (ATE) will feature more than 60 management and technical training classes for automotive service and repair professionals, as well as I-CAR classes for the collision trade. The March 20-22 event, hailed as the largest automotive training event on the West Coast, will be at the Doubletree Hotel near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. A major segment of ATE is its Friday and Saturday evening trade show, which this year will feature more than 60 exhibitors displaying automotive parts, tools and equipment, business services, and specialty products. All registered attendees of ATE have access to the trade show, which features food...

Concord, Calif.—The industry, and BMW in particular, has not looked back since the introduction of bonding and riveting on the 2003 E-60, said Kevin Miller, Weatherford and Concord BMW Collision Center Director of Operations. More and more car companies are introducing advanced technology and materials in their vehicles that require specialized tools and procedures to repair. “I see where independents will have to have a brand specialty and focus on it,” he said. “Shops may want to fix them all but they must realize they can’t.” Concord BMW Collision Center’s Lead Collision Technician George Curran said, “You can’t just slap on some 3M...

Grapevine, Texas and Staunton, Va.— A strategic planning session for the recently formed Automotive Parts Services Group (The Group) was held Feb. 9-11, in Costa Rica. The Group was formed through the merger of the Pronto and Federated program groups with a goal to maximize effectiveness through a combination of efforts and resources. Focused on continued collaboration, the productive session was a joint review of operations and programs. Members from Federated leadership and Pronto staff and board of directors were in attendance. Steve Yanofsky, chairman of Pronto from The Parts Authority, opened the meeting and said, “We are excited about the opportunity to explore many areas...

Glenwood Springs, Colo.—When partners John Stock and Steve “Tank” Burns sought to increase sales at Action Collision Specialists in Carbondale, they turned to several Western Slope dealership principals for advice. And what they learned led them to open a second facility, in Glenwood Springs, with a focus on structural aluminum repair. Instead of relying on DRPs, the partners said their business plan is to earn automaker certifications, market themselves as a niche aluminum specialist, and work with sponsoring dealerships to feed cars into the shop. “Many shops focus so much on DRPs bringing in business that they lose sight of making a profit,” said Burns, who...

Godfrey, Ill.—The aluminum 2015 F-150s are just now hitting the road, and as soon as one of them hits a deer, an errant shopping cart, or a ditch, Woodman Collision Center is prepared. More than looking for a specific return on investment, Jess Woodman, who owns the shop with his wife, Ginger, said he relies on experience to show him aluminum-intensive construction is here to stay and will become more prevalent. It’s a trend, Woodman said, just as he predicts customers will seek collision repair shops certified or recognized by the manufacturer of their vehicle. About 18 months ago, Woodman Collision Center became part of the Assured Performance Network and is certified or...

Lebanon, Ohio—Mitch Williams, president and CEO of the Restoration Parts Unlimited companies, said growth in the hot rod and restoration market is unprecedented. With the two markets closer than ever and the value of the cars ever increasing, the popularity, especially among baby boomers, is huge. “The market has never been stronger and continues to grow. I see a bright future for the hot rod and restoration market for the next 30 years,” he said. Demographics have a lot to do with it as does the accessibility of vehicles. “Baby boomers have the largest concentration of wealth in the country. They have the time, the money, and the motivation. Classic cars are on...