The inaugural Capricorn Futures Collide Collision Repair Conference held in Melbourne on Saturday August 10 proved to be a major success.
Held at the Novotel On Collins Conference Centre, located in Melbourne’s Central Business District, this unique collision repairer focussed event was also the first ever Capricorn organised event to include both Capricorn Members and non-Members from both Australia and New Zealand.
A total of 200 delegates heard and interacted with highly qualified speakers from the USA and Europe, along with local industry identities, ensuring the broad sharing of important industry information, advice, technical workshop product updates and service awareness.
The event’s keynote speaker was Mike Anderson, a leading American collision repair industry business owner and consultant who is widely regarded as a global champion of the industry. Anderson gave a highly detailed insight to the meticulous standards that are required by collision repairers both in the present and heading into the future. Anderson’s stern delivery of the facts relating to the level of attention to detail required by modern automotive panel repairers was combined with interesting stories of his own personal experiences with several doses of humour thrown in. This ensured a seriously informative and entertaining commencement to the conference.
The conference also included a detailed panel discussion that included representation by three collision repair business owners and operators, the insurance industry and the state’s major automotive industry body. Two OEM’s were represented at the conference (GM Holden and Hyundai), enabling delegates to direct questions to senior industry sector specific representatives for direct and well-informed responses.
Hyundai’s presentation included the fact that the global automotive manufacturer is now a Capricorn Brand Partner, providing more access to products and information for members through the Hyundai network of dealers within Capricorn’s formidable supplier base.
With the ever increasing numbers of European makes and models on Australia’s roads, it was also very apt that the conference also benefitted from the contributions of Ralph Meichtry, Managing Director of Betag Innovation, the Swiss based world leading collision repair training services provider.
Given that the major emphasis of this collision repair conference was to deal with the issues facing the industry right now, the event’s presenters also included two Australian collision repair business owners, I-CAR board member Andrea McCarthy from McCarthy’s Body Works and VACC Body Repair Division Executive Committee Member Carly Ruggieri from Europanels, with both resonating well among the delegates. One of the few regional area based collision repairers to be Green Belt 6 Sigma PPG Qualified, I-Car Gold Class, Holden and Subaru Certified (Killen Smash Repairs) was also represented by managing director Mike Killen.
GM Holden Collision Product Manager, Damian Cahill, also chose this inaugural industry event to personally present McCarthy’s Body Works with their GM Holden Certified Panel Repairer Plaque, forming a surprise conclusion to McCarthy’s presentation. As Andrea and her husband Craig are proud Capricorn Members, this was a memorable moment that showcased yet another Capricorn member receiving an OEM badge.
The conference sponsors who made this highly successful inaugural event possible were also given the opportunity to display and discuss their products and services informally during the morning, lunch and afternoon breaks.
Capricorn Futures Collide Collision Repair Conference major sponsors, Hella Gutmann Solutions, Hyundai Genuine Parts and Lowbake also made concise, sharp and informative presentations during the event. The conference MC and panel discussion was moderated by the highly experienced David Newton-Ross.
An informal and highly enjoyable cocktail event concluded the official conference proceedings, providing the conference delegates, sponsors and presenters with the opportunity to socialise and network with like-minded industry identities.
According to Capricorn National Panel Manager Rob Mildenhall, the success of this inaugural Collision Repair Conference is a direct reflection of the industry’s dedication and commitment to constant improvement and development.
“The success of our inaugural Capricorn Futures Collide Collision Repair Conference paves the way for Australasia’s largest automotive parts co-operative to take the lead in ensuring a stronger technical, training and product support presence for collision repairers based in Australia and New Zealand,” Mildenhall said.
“More than 1,800 panel and paint workshops have joined the Capricorn cooperative, which represents approximately 50% of the entire collision repair industry in Australia and New Zealand. This means Capricorn is well placed to represent the interest of repairers and can be relied on to facilitate more collision repair industry specific events in the future which will be open to both Capricorn Members and non-members.
“I’d like to thank all of our presenters and sponsors who believed in the potential of this collision repair specific event and worked closely with us to ensure its success,” he said.
To find out more about the benefits of joining Capricorn, visit www.capricorn.coop.