collisionrepairmag.com




November 25, 2008

           

In This Issue
Headline News
CARSTAR Goes Copacabana!
CCIF Montreal Report

December 3, 2008
AIA General Meeting
Old Mill Inn,
Etobicoke, ON
aiacanada.com

January 24, 2009
CCIF Toronto
Marriot Airport,
Toronto, ON
ccif.net


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Is This For Real?

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Human Speed Bump
: Tom Owen was hospitalized in October with pelvic injuries after he attempted to break a record by being run over by eight vehicles, putting him in both the Guiness Records book and the hospital.
Did you Know...?
By Danielle Dinally

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Horse Power: The Apollo rockets reached the Moon in less time than it took a stagecoach to cross England in the 1800s.
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Collision repair is sometimes called a recession-proof business. The reasoning is simple. Since people can't drive a broken car, they must have it fixed. This remains true no matter how the economy is doing overall.

We can reason a bit further, and say shops will experience some decrease in business during a economic downturn, as consumers opt not to fix cosmetic damage. However, there's another possibility.

We might see more people deciding to fix things that they had let slide until now. Perhaps their reasoning runs like this, "I have some money now, so I will get my car in tip-top shape while I can. Later I might not be able to afford to fix it or buy a new car."

What has your experience been? Feel free to visit the forum and discuss this with other professionals.

Mike Davey,
Editor

 
Headline News
 
- Snap-On says EPIQ a New Approach to Tool Storage

- Snow Causes Havoc in GTA, Chaos in Nova Scotia

- Sherwin-Williams and Barrett-Jackson Offering Custom Colours
CARSTAR Annual Gala Raises Funds to Find a Cure for Cystic Fibrosis

By Mike Davey
 
In what has become an annual tradition, the staff of CARSTAR Automotive Canada once again gathered to celebrate the year's fund raising efforts on behalf of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF).

Attendees gathered at Carmen's Banquet Hall in Hamilton, Ont. for a gala evening with a "Copacabana" theme. The bulk of the money raised by CARSTAR Automotive Canada comes from the highly successful "FrightLites" campaign. The six-inch, non-toxic glow sticks are sold in every CARSTAR location in Canada, with the money raised going to help in the fight against Cystic Fibrosis. 

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Sam Mercanti presents cheque to CCFF LEFT: Karen Rush, corporate services manager of CARSTAR Automotive Canada; Karen Gliddon president of the Hamilton Chapter for CCFF; and Sam Mercanti, president and CEO of CARSTAR Automotive Canada.

BELOW: The casino tables at the annual event are always a big draw.

CARSTAR GALA 2008
Please visit our photo gallery!
 
CCIF Provides Look at Quebec Market:

A large contingent of Quebecois collision repairers helped grow attendance to  nearly 300 participants at a recent meeting of the CCIF in Montreal.

Key topics discussed included I-CAR's new role in Canada, A Look At Europe by Guy Bessette of FIX Auto, and an overview of Quebec's collision repair market.

Remy Rousseau stated about 65% of Quebec's total collision repair sales volume is generated by only 600 network-affiliated, or banner shops. They represent about 40% of the province's total number of 1500. Network affiliations include Autopro Collision, CarrXpert, CARSTAR, Color Plus, FIX Auto and ProColor Prestige.  He said the challenges faced by Quebec collision repairers were similar to those in other provinces.

Lessons from Europe
Guy Bessette of FIX Auto provided a glimpse of several collision repair markets in Europe, sharing some statistics and commenting on each market's dynamics. Despite dramatic reductions in the number of collision repairers in countries such as the UK, where just 4000 shops serve a population of nearly 60 million, the industry there still struggles to be profitable.

The cost of increasingly sophisticated materials and equipment, insurance company practices and the difficulty in attracting quality young people, are all issues that have to be faced to remain in business. One particular trend that is beginning to take hold in North America is insurer parts and service procurement, a practice already well developed in parts of Europe..

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 That's all for another week. Make sure to visit collisionrepairmagazine.com every day for the latest news.
Sincerely,
 

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Collision Quote
"Core to the success and efficiency of the whole industry is the ability, sadly lacking in many of the world's developed markets, of repairers and insurers to work in harmony." - David Linghan, conference director of the International Bodyshop Industry Symposium (IBIS).