Collex Collision Experts Opens Technical Training Center

May 2, 2013

May 2, 2013—Collex Collision Experts this week announced the grand opening of its 9,000-square-foot Technical Training Center in Sterling Heights, Mich.

Collex said the new training center will be used to provide education and training to every company employee, including managers, estimators, parts specialists, customer service representatives and detailers. The facility will also be used to train high school students and other individuals who wish to enter the industry.

Robert Gagliano, chief operating officer of Collex and former FenderBender advisory board member, said the training center addresses a critical need for trained collision repair professionals in the industry.

“Many technicians in the collision repair industry are getting older, and eventually there will be a mass exodus of highly qualified workers. The industry needs to do a better job of introducing itself and getting new technicians interested in collision repair,” Gagliano said. “We’re looking to have the new training center be a learning center for not only the Collex technician of tomorrow, but also to help the industry as a whole. It can be for young people coming out of high school, or those looking to transition from another field of work entirely.”

Michelle McMahon, technical training manager for Collex, will facilitate the training program at the facility. The training program will include continuing education classes and educational courses offered by certain industry vendors.

“With this new training center, Collex Collision Experts will bring a strong, hands-on mentoring approach. It won’t be Bodyshop 101 right out of a manual. We’ll have many of our professionals—some with 20 or 30 years of experience—working side-by-side with our students to really understand the nuances of the business,” Gagliano said. “We aim to see that our collision repair curriculum is pretty extensive. In addition to our own classes, we’ll be partnering with some of the industry’s finest education sources, such as Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes and 3M.”

Collex is hosting an open house today to kick-off the grand opening of the facility. The open house—which will take place from 3-8 p.m.—includes facility tours, appetizers and refreshments. A Sherwin-Williams NASCAR Sprint Cup car will also be on display.

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