As I write this, I’m preparing to head out to Philadelphia for the first-ever FenderBender Management Conference.  

I’m not sure how I’ll feel in June when this column appears in print, but right now the adrenaline is flowing, as years of conceptualizing and months of intense development and preparation have led to this point—to making the conference real. 

This event has been an enormous undertaking that involved contributions from not only the FenderBender team, but also dozens of dedicated industry professionals. It is nothing short of inspiring to see a roster of 23 speakers and panelists who volunteered their time to help educate their peers and drive success in the collision repair industry. Guys like columnist Kevin Rains of Center City Collision, Randy Sattler of Rydell Collision Center, Ron Reichen of  Precision Body & Paint—they took time from their busy schedules because they see the importance of industry education and believe in helping others, in giving back to their trade. 

It has been rewarding to work with all involved with this event and I am thankful for everything that has been invested. If you couldn’t join us this year, stay tuned for news of future FenderBender events. We’re already looking to 2016 and hope to offer an even better experience next time.   

Until then, we’ll continue to do what we’ve always done: deliver strategies and inspiration for collision repair success each month in print, and daily at fenderbender.com. 

In this issue, you’ll see much of the content focused on advanced materials, a topic that will only be discussed more in coming years.  In “Inside a 2015 F-150 Structural Repair,” you’ll read about a $17,000 repair on one of the new aluminum-bodied trucks, and all of the challenges that came with it. In “Advanced Materials: Collision Repair’s New Frontier,” you can find out more about what’s coming and how to make sure your shop is prepared.

Jake Weyer
jweyer@fenderbender.com