BEDFORD, Texas – The Automotive Service Association (ASA) provided some significant collision industry updates at a press conference Nov. 2 at the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE). ASA leaders also discussed current initiatives. Presenters included Ron Pyle, ASA’s president and chief staff executive; Robert L. “Bob” Redding Jr., ASA’s legislative representative; Denise Caspersen, Collision Division manager; and Collision Division Operations Committee members Ron Nagy, Nagy’s Collision Center, Wooster, Ohio; Mike Schoonover, Schoonover Bodyworks Inc., St. Paul, Minn.; and Dan Stander, Jerry Stander’s Collision Works, Littleton, Colo. Redding began the press conference by providing an overview of the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed refinishing regulation, which ASA views as a positive step for its membership – independent repair professionals. “The proposed regulation is right for us,” said Redding, explaining that it contains three key elements: equipment requirements, training requirements and a strong enforcement piece. “We spent a lot of time with our Collision Division Operations Committee and the ASA Government Affairs Committee (GAC) regarding this regulation,” Redding added. ASA has had its focus on this issue for some time. The association hosted EPA’s Kim Teal two years ago at NACE, taking her and an associate on a tour of ASA collision repair member-facilities to allow them to see firsthand the importance of appropriate regulation of the industry. The proposed auto refinishing regulation would include national emission standards for area sources engaged in paint stripping and various surface coating operations. Specifically included in the regulation are stricter requirements regarding toxic standards for smaller emitting sources in three industry sectors: paint stripping operations that use methylene chloride (MeCl)-containing paint stripping formulation, surface coating that involves paints containing metal HAP compounds, and auto body refinishing. Nagy, an ASA board member and chairman of the Government Affairs Committee, shared an overview of the shop registration system in his state of Ohio and said he was pleased with the EPA’s proposed refinishing regulation. He described it as a good fit in conjunction with what is currently in place in his state. Nagy also explained the primary reason he supported the proposed regulation. “We’re not trying to put anyone out of business. This is strictly to raise the bar for collision repairers and the consumer,” said Nagy. Caspersen outlined two primary goals for the Collision Division Operations Committee during 2007: the creation of collision repair tools for ASA members, and increased involvement in various industry initiatives. ASA’s Collision Division has stayed active this year with its work with the National Alliance of Paintless Dent Repair Technicians (NAPDRT), the CIC Database Task Force, and the Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG) project, among others. Stander, chairman of ASA’s refinish subcommittee, provided an update on ASA’s collection of refinish communication tools. “The three original fliers – Blend vs. New, LKQ vs. New, and Repaired vs. New – were each designed to be a simple tool to show the process of how things work. A collision repair facility may use these documents to better communicate with their partners, insurance adjusters, and even their own staff,” he said. “We just want to explain what we really have to do.” ASA recently published a worksheet to accompany the Repaired vs. New panel information tool. Using the new tool, ASA member-shops can now enter their own times on the worksheet to help educate their insurance partners on the issue of basecoat reduction and zone refinish. ASA says these information pieces have been well received by ASA members as well as nonmembers, with hundreds of downloads occurring since the launch of the initial communication tools last year. Schoonover, chairman of ASA’s insurance subcommittee, also explained some of the issues being addressed by ASA. “In our industry, a lot of issues unfortunately are insurer/repairer-related. And we’re working toward losing the adversarial relationships that can occur,” said Schoonover. One tool created by the Collision Division Operations Committee for members of the association is ASA’s new Supplement Request Form. “We found that some shops are having a problem collecting for supplements during the repair process. This can affect cycle time and customer satisfaction,” said Schoonover. “Proper use of this supplement form puts the responsibility back to the insurer.” Schoonover also mentioned the committee’s examination of rating systems, explaining there’s a huge gap between those not qualified to do top-notch repairs vs. those who do. He stressed that this initiative was not a licensing issue at this time, simply a look into rating systems. Pyle closed out the press conference and discussed ASA’s plans to co-locate the association’s two trade shows – NACE and CARS (Congress of Automotive Repair and Service) – in 2008. He explained that the two events are not merging, as each will maintain their identities under the umbrella, “Automotive Service and Repair Week” (ASRW), which will be held at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas Nov. 5-8, 2008. Pyle also addressed the EPA’s proposed auto refinishing regulation and the importance of ASA’s advocacy role in the industry. During the comment period for the proposed refinishing regulation, ASA made available its TakingTheHill.com Web site to allow repairers to send letters in support of the proposal. The feedback received by the EPA “demonstrates the strength of our organization,” said Pyle. The site is open to everyone, which is obviously a good thing, he added. Pyle also commended Darrell Ambersen, AAM, director of ASA’s Collision Division Operations Committee, for his diplomatic leadership skills.
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