Collision Repair & Refinish Exhibitors Note Increased Attendance, Quality Information at 2014 SEMA Show  

"We were very impressed with the size of the SEMA Show," expresses John Holt, Senior Vice President, Off Airport Operations, The Hertz Corporation (Hertz), "as well as the number of exhibitors and high volume of traffic throughout the four days of the event. From our perspective, the visitors to our booth represented a great cross-section of collision repairers." Hertz, who for the second year in a row partnered with SCRS - this year as a Masters Level Sponsor of the 2014 Repairer Driven Education (RDE) series - leveraged this partnership to help launch its Hertz One platform during the event.

"Having the opportunity to partner with SCRS as a sponsor was ideal for showcasing our new shop reporting platform," Holt notes. "Our sponsorship has allowed our organization to develop a unique working relationship with benefits that go well beyond those of traditional sponsorships. The way that RDE and the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit dovetailed so well with the launch of Hertz One is a perfect example of how our two organizations' shared understanding and focus on current industry trends are perfectly aligned. We could not have been more pleased with what was achieved by working with SCRS throughout the past year."

With the influx of aluminum repair vehicles entering the market shortly, auto manufacturer Ford's presence at SEMA helped inform and educate repairers on the future of collision repair. "For Ford, the 2014 SEMA Show served as a prime venue to communicate information about the High-Strength, Military-Grade Aluminum Alloy 2015 F-150 to the repair industry," says Paul H. Massie, powertrain & collision product marketing manager for Ford's Customer Service Division (FCSD). "Our presence on the show floor put us right in front of repair professionals, and the opportunity to present during SCRS' first Collision Repair Technology Summit was a great experience. It let us speak about our National Body Shop Network and explain what independent and dealer body shops need to do to work on these vehicles. We are hopeful that the information relayed during the Summit will help these repair professionals get ready for the changes coming in the future."

Fellow Summit panelist Brandon Lowder (vice president of auto refinish, Global Finishing Solutions) shares his thoughts on SCRS' inaugural event. "I thought the Summit was very well received," he states, "and in fact, we had countless people approach us at our booth the next day to continue the dialogue that had started from the panel discussions during the event. It was very encouraging to see repairers inquiring about what they had learned, and great that they searched us out on the show floor to speak with us. I hope to see [the SCRS OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit] continue to grow in the coming years."

Lowder noticed an inspiring trend in the visitors to the Global Finishing Solutions' SEMA booth. "From an exhibitor standpoint, SEMA was excellent for us. We had a great location and attendance was very good. In fact, this year in particular, we noticed an increase in the number of people who are intrigued about growing their businesses and learning things; many people came to us with questions, especially about aluminum repair. I can't stress enough to them the importance of doing your due diligence and making sure you've done your homework prior to jumping into anything. Get your education up front; talk to entities like I-CAR and associations like SCRS - whose focus is on training and relationships with their member facilities - to get as much information as possible before making any major decisions."

Domenic Brusco, senior manager, MVP Business Solutions and industry relations for PPG Automotive Refinish, was likewise impressed with the substantial growth of the Collision Repair & Refinish section of the SEMA Show. "The 2014 SEMA Show was again exceptional; it's amazing to witness how it continues to grow each and every year. The show floor is a very dynamic place, and it is truly remarkable how the event showcases the custom and automotive aftermarket. It's an experience you won't get anywhere else in the world."

In addition to showcasing in full force at SEMA, PPG also lends consistent and major support to the RDE series, having backed the program from its start in 2010 as a Doctorate Level Sponsor. (Together with AudaExplore, the paint manufacturer also co-sponsored this year's SCRS Sky Villa After-Party on Thursday, November 6^th.) "PPG looks forward every year to supporting the RDE series, and we are honored to have partnered with SCRS since its inception. We'll continue to support the success of this program because we believe that it's a needed, valuable and unique training opportunity for all who attend." Brusco adds, "The need for increased networking and communication throughout the industry is critical. PPG believes in giving back, and in being a good steward to the industry we serve. Being actively involved in SCRS' events helps grow our relationship with the organization, as we both work to support the collision repair industry's needs."

Interview with Peter MacGillivray, VP, Events and Communications, SEMA

"We are always thrilled to be able to team up with the SEMA Show to provide a rounded experience to the industry," notes SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. "To us, the event provides a great value to all and fosters a lot of positive development in the industry; from supporting exhibiting companies to the automotive repair professionals who walk the halls, the Show offers solutions for the future in the face of the changing landscape of collision repair and does so with an energy that can't be found anywhere else. We are appreciative of all the RDE sponsors and supporting companies in the Collision Repair & Refinish section, and are already hard at work putting together another high-value experience for our industry in 2015."

The 2014 Repairer Driven Education series was sponsored by supportive industry organizations such as PPG Refinish Products; AudaExplore, a Solera Company; BASF; General Motors Company; The Hertz Corporation; Ford Motor Co.; Alliance of Automotive Service Providers; AkzoNobel Coatings; LKQ Corporation; Paint Body & Equipment Specialists (a division of the Auto Care Association); SATA; Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes, Inc. and Spanesi Americas Inc.