SCRS Announces First Ever OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit at 2014 SEMA Show

Prosser, Washington, August 6, 2014 - The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) launched their first iteration of the Repairer Driven Education series at the SEMA Show in 2010, and with annual adjustments to the format and content it has become one of the most comprehensive programs of collision repair education being offered to the industry. This year, one of the most noticeable new developments to the SCRS program is the launch of the very first issue-specific, collision repair industry forum that will be featured on Wednesday, November 5th, and titled as the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit.

"There is really no topic more captivating of everyone's attention right now than the rapidly changing landscape of automobile technology, and how it is driving adaptation in the collision repair marketplace," shared SCRS Chairman Ron Reichen. "It is a topic that has broad-reaching impact on everyone in the industry and it was important to both SCRS and SEMA to develop a forum that would address the significant interest from all who are making the investment to join the industry in Las Vegas this fall."

"We are really excited about how this program has come together, and the unique nature of the participants, "added SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. "We have speakers coming in from all over the world, and participation from a wide variety of well-respected automakers such as Ford, GM, Toyota, Tesla, BMW, Audi and Mercedes - but we will be hearing from representatives that we often don't have a chance to interface with."

The panelists represent companies with rich histories of producing sophisticated structural designs and technological advancements, and will be bringing technical insight into the design, architecture and development of their vehicles, and how advancements in those areas intersect with the repair process. The discussion will fittingly be moderated by Jason Bartanen, Director of Industry Technical Relations for I-CAR, and one of the lead representatives from the training organization involved in their work as an "OEM linking pin."

The program will also include separate panel discussions with representatives from certified repair facilities, equipment suppliers, certifiers/auditors and special presentations from the aluminum and steel industries.

"SCRS really crafted a completely unique networking and learning forum with this event, and we are convinced it will put repairers in an interactive environment with subject matter experts that simply can't be found in any other event," added Peter MacGillivray, Vice President, Events and Communications for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). "As a show organizer, we are keenly focused on how to enrich the attendee experience, and this partnership with SCRS continues to deliver toward that objective."

"Every participant in this industry can benefit from better insight into how vehicles and materials are evolving, what that means in the repair process and what will be expected of those who are performing these repairs," added Schulenburg. "The future of our collision repair industry is highly skilled professionals, working on highly sophisticated automobiles that require the industry to embrace the necessary investments in training and equipment; but also relies on informed business owners who understand how to define for themselves what a sustainable and successful business model to support that investment looks like."

The OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit is made possible through support from PPG Refinish Products, Ford Motor Company, BASF, Toyota Motor Sales and The Hertz Corporation.

For more information about SCRS' Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series, and to register for the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit and other RDE sessions, please visit www.semashow.com/scrs. 

About SEMA and the SEMA Show: The SEMA Show is a trade show produced by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), a nonprofit trade association founded in 1963. Since the first SEMA Show debuted in 1967, the annual event has served as the leading venue bringing together manufacturers and buyers within the automotive specialty equipment industry. Products featured at the SEMA Show include those that enhance the styling, functionality, comfort, convenience and safety of cars and trucks. Additional details available at www.semashow.com or www.sema.org, (909) 396-0289.

About SCRS' RDE Series: REPAIRER DRIVEN EDUCATION (RDE) series will feature 4 days of seminar offerings, many of which are uniquely designed and being offered only at the 2014 SEMA Show. Each of the courses has been individually selected or crafted by SCRS because the content specifically focuses on information that is relevant to the diverse array of marketplace perspectives within the collision repair industry. Register at www.semashow.com/scrs.

About SCRS: Through its direct members and 43 affiliate associations, SCRS is comprised of 6,000 collision repair businesses and 58,500 specialized professionals who work with consumers and insurance companies to repair collision-damaged vehicles. Additional information about SCRS including other news releases is available at the SCRS website: www.scrs.com. You can e-mail SCRS at the following address: info@scrs.com.