News Briefs

By Levy Joffrion

AMI Courses, Sponsorships Grow

AMI Oks CARQUEST Courses
Two CARQUEST Technical Institute management courses have been approved for credit by the Automotive Management Institute (AMI): “VisionQuest Workshop” (24 credits) and “Work Smarter to Reduce Stress and Increase Profits” (14 credits).

“VisionQuest” is a two-day intensive workshop for independent repair facilities. “Work Smarter to Reduce Stress and Increase Profits” is an eight-hour workshop.

SCRS Sponsors AMI Programs
The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) has agreed to sponsor and promote programs approved by the Automotive Management Institute (AMI). "We feel that AMI offers the kind of quality management courses that SCRS members can utilize to improve their businesses," said SCRS Membership Chairman Gary Wano.

Plastic Repair Guide Created

DaimlerChrysler AG partnered with Sherwin-Williams Automotive Refinishing Corp. and other paint and plastic manufacturers to create the DaimlerChrysler Plastic Repair Guide.

The guide was deemed necessary because automobile manufacturers' increased use of plastics in new vehicles has given collision repair facilities a whole set of problems. Many different types of plastics are used in various applications, and each type of plastic demands a different repair technique.

Last year, Sherwin-Williams worked with DaimlerChrysler on a similar project: a paint condition deck that identifies a variety of possible paint defects and details how to repair them.

For a Glimpse of the Future...

Developing another source of fuel is the next essential step in the evolution of motor vehicles.

For a short glance into what vehicle makers perceive as the future of the industry, we recommend going to the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) Web site (www.i-car.com) and clicking on (in succession) Press/News, E-newsletter, 2002 E-newsletters, and on “Advantage Online: Fuel for the Future,” in the June 3, 2002 edition of the E-newsletter.

To read more about hybrids, check out Craig Van Batenburg's mechanical feature in the March 2002 issue of AutoInc., and Roger Larsen's collision feature in the April 2002 issue. Both can be found at www.autoinc.org, or by clicking on the AutoInc. button at www.asashop.org.

SAE Publications Available

The 2002 edition of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Publications and Standards Database is now available from SAE International on both the World Wide Web and CD-ROM. Also available is the 2002 SAE Handbook, in either CD-ROM or print format.

Revised annually, the SAE Handbook includes full-test of the most current J-Reports, Recommended Practices, and Information Reports. The database contains 77,000 abstracts covering 95 years of SAE technical papers, ground vehicle and aerospace standards, books, proceedings, magazine articles and research reports. The Web version is updated monthly and the CD-ROM version is updated annually. For more information, visit www.sae.org.

Ford Using I-CAR Courses

Ford Motor Co., through its Collision Repair Masters Program, now incorporates I-CAR Enhanced Delivery courses into its collision repair technician recognition program.

The Masters Program is designed to recognize and reward Ford collision repair technicians for their training accomplishments and experiences. Ford's program comprises a series of I-CAR courses, as well as paint-manufacturer specific and Ford Motor Co. courses.

The program is also structured into four specialty areas: collision repair, alignment and mechanical, refinishing, and structural repair.

Aftermarket Sales Grew in 2001

The size of the U.S. motor vehicle aftermarket grew by 3.5 percent in 2001 to $255.2 billion, with the automotive segment recording the largest growth, a 4.8 percent jump to $178.8 billion, according to the 2002-2003 Aftermarket Factbook just published by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). Vehicle service repair, accounting for two-thirds of total automotive aftermarket sales, rose 6.3 percent to $123 billion.

Rate This Article:

ASA Main Page || AutoInc. Main Page || AutoInc.'s 12th Annual Shop Management Software Guide || Congress Takes a Look at Insurance Regulation || An Automotive Technican's Journey Through the ESI Jungle || Words of Wisdom: A Collection of Business Management Ideas || ASA Announces New President || Guest Editorial || Tech to Tech || Tech Tips || News Briefs || Taking the Hill || Around ASA || Net Worth || Stat Corner || Shop Profile || Members' Advantage || Chairman's Message