Jul - Aug 04: News Briefs

IAG UPGRADE
IAG is currently upgrading the software for its Online Repair Management (ORM) system to comply with financial services reform legislation and to improve the repair management process for its users. The enhancements will be carried out in the near future.

IAG says that the upgrade will have no direct impact on users other than providing them with a more efficient ORM system.


INSURANCE FRAUD                                                                                                                                                                     Following a year-long undercover investigation into auto body insurance fraud in California, warrants have been issued for the arrests of 43 people suspected of conspiring to commit insurance fraud. Investigators in California approached auto body shop personnel in Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Yolo Counties, posing as insurance policyholders asking for fraudulent documentation to support fraudulent insurance claims. 39 auto body shops supplied approximately $137,350 in fraudulent repair estimates to the undercover officers.

PRICES TUMBLE                                                                                                                                                                                       In the UK, Vauxhall is the latest carmaker to respond to the emerging threat of insurer-mandated aftermarket parts in the body repair sector. Retail prices for 28 of Vauxhall's most popular bumper parts have been cut by an average of 19 per cent, while the retail price of lighting has been reduced by an average 21 per cent. The move follows Ford's slashing of dealer parts margins in January of this year that had a knock-on effect of reducing bodyshop parts margins by between 10-12 per cent. Subaru has also announced plans to cut prices by up to 56 per cent to boost the use of genuine parts by bodyshops.

STANDOX XIRALLIC                                                                                                                                                                              Standox has completed its range of Xirallic mixing bases with the introduction of two new colours. The launch of Xirallic Satin Blue and Xirallic Satin Green brings the complete Standox range of these specialist mixing bases to six.

BODYLINE MOVE
Bodyline Auto Accessories just recently moved around the corner from 18 to 33 Trade Park Drive, Tullamarine, Victoria.
The company?s new facility allows it to steamline its operation in stocking a huge range of rear spoilers and body kits.
Bodyline has just been appointed sole distributor for the Talon Body Styling body kits. Following the release of a new model or panel, Bodyline usually has the replica available within weeks.

Enquiries, tel: 1800 803 435.

BASF winners
Customers of the BASF NOF Coatings Co., Ltd. (BNC) have taken home three prizes at the sixth annual Auto Colour Awards in Tokyo. The event was organised by the Japan Fashion Colour Association (JAFCA) which is supported by 700 companies.

The Subaru Legacy in 'Champaign Gold Opal' won the 'Sophisticated Colour Price' award. BNC was awarded the 'Auto Colour Designers Prize' twice, for both the Nissan Teana in 'Fountain Blue' and the Nissan Fairlady Z in 'Premium Liquid Silver'.

The Auto Colour Award is a unique event in Japan. Prizes are awarded by a panel of designers and colour experts from outside the automotive industry.

Merc mystery
Rick Jackson, CEO of Australia's biggest insurer, IAG, said recently that he would like to know why there is only one Mercedes official repairer in NSW when other states have up to six.

Best animals
This is not one for the RSPCA, but while the kangaroo is the smash repair industry's friend in Australia, the deer is most appreciated in the US and Canada. Somebody in the industry should carry out a world audit on the most accident causing animals in each country and make sure they do not become endangered ? except by cars running into them. For example England might have foxes and India white cows.

Consultation
Repairer Peter Blaas from Blaas Autocraft in Corrimal, NSW, advisers fellow repairers to use a consultant when formulating a business plan because it forces objectivity when you are deciding what you want to achieve from your business. Also a consultant will keep you up to a schedule that you might let slip if you try to do the plan on your own.

BASF PARTNERSIP
A major partnership project has been launched between BASF Coatings and Volkswagen AG in Mexico. It is currently scheduled to continue for five years. The agreement covers all four coating lines in halls 3 and 30 at the Volkswagen plant in Puebla. Last year, Volkswagen produced a total of 287,000 passenger cars there for the global market the Jetta A4 model (which goes under the name ?Bora? in Europe) and the New Beetle sedan (since 1999) and, since 2003, the New Beetle cabriolet.

TRUCKFEST
Over 700 delegates and 40 exhibitors from all sections of the transport industry attended the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) conference in Adelaide in March of this year.

The ATA play a major role in the transport industry working with transport groups to lobby government departments working towards realistic goals.

The transport industry suffers simular issues most other industries have to face. Toand experienced driver shortage.
Both government parties gave presentations on their transport policies.

PPG was represented and the only paint supplier whhich attended. 

With rising maintenance costs and the need to have a high profile in a competitive industry, using premium product systems such as PPG Delfleet, reduce costs by extending the life of paintwork.

BUSH INSPECTIONS
During May, government inspectors went to southern NSW and the Riverina as part of a campaign targeting motor dealers, mechanics and repairers.

Fair Trading Minister, Reba Meagher, said the program involving inspectors from the Office of Fair Trading and the Motor Vehicle Repair Industry Authority.

'Inspectors were making sure licensed motor dealers were complying with their obligations under the Motor Dealers Act with a particular emphasis on ensuring the mandatory disclosure of consumer rights and responsibilities," the minister said.

'A primary focus with mechanics and repairers will be to ensure the businesses and employees are appropriately licensed and qualified and that they are aware of their consumer protection responsibilities,"

McMAHON CONSULTANT                                                                                                                                                                   Subaru national parts manager, Peter McMahon, has left the company to start his own consulting business basedin Sydney. His aim is to assist dealer organisations in improving profit performance with an emphasis on parts supply to trade customers. He sees opportunities in maximising co-operation between repairers, car companies and insurers.
McMahon has been in the car industry since 1969 and has specialised in the parts business since 1980, through with work with Leyland and Subaru. He can be contacted on 0407 222793.

TECH SUPPORT
New technology that could one day eliminate the need for pedals, gear sticks and steering wheels in cars has been backed by the Victorian Government. $60 million is being made available to the Research Centre for Advanced By-wire Technologies (RTABiT)aimed at making carts safer, lighter, more fuel efficient and easier to use.

AFTERMARKET
The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association trade show for 2005 will be held in Sydney at Darling Harbour from April 7 ? 9.The inaugural AAAA trade show was staged in Melbourne in 2003. According to organisers the 2005 show will be able to accommodate 350 companies. 150 have already booked. Products on show will be automotive parts, accessories, tools and equipment. There will be a special section devoted to performance and racing parts.

AutoIT
In a bid to provide automotive dealers across Australia with more efficient back-end processes, automotive industry software solutions provider, AutoIT, has incorporated the Ozefax services into its latest software release. This alliance aims to ease the significant burden of dealership administration.
AutoIT develops, distributes and implements software solutions specifically for motor vehicle dealers and associated businesses. Ozefax provides an integrated online communications services which allows companies to undertake communications at a fraction of the time and cost associated with traditional processes.

ROLLS MET ROYCE
This year is the 100th anniversary of the meeting of one Fredrick Henry Royce and The Honourable Charles Stewart Rolls. The two men met for the first time at the Midland Hotel on May 4th 1904. Henry Royce was a successful electrical engineer who had just branched out into motor cars at his base in Manchester. The Hon. Charles Rolls was a wealthy car dealer and sportsman based in London who lamented the fact that there weren't enough quality British cars.

SHOP DROP
According to a survey carried out by the UK Bodyshop magazine, the decline in primary body shops is happening faster than previously predicted. A forecast suggests that numbers will be down to 4,130 by 2010 if the rate of decline is maintained. That is fewer body shops that Australia, with about 4300, has now.

PAINT RIVAL                                                                                                                                                                                     Suppliers working for Daimler-Chrysler are said to be working on plastic injection-moulding techniques which could ultimately replace paint finishes. Similar techniques have been used for a while to make bumper mouldings, side body cladding and fascia trims, but the method can now be developed to create a film to be used instead of paint on body panels. Plastic thermoforming, as it is called, could have a huge impact on reducing production costs, as well as being simple and potentially more eco-friendly than the traditional paint shop.

CLASS ACT
Akzo Nobel's Car Refinishes Automotive Plastic Coatings (APC) business has tied up a deal with Aston Martin to supply interior coatings for all of its current and new models across the entire range.

The approval follows a special project between APC and Aston Martin involving the Jet 2 concept car, which was on display at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

"Our plastic coatings technology is ideally suited to the composite body shells used by Aston Martin," said Steve Downes, key account manager for APC UK.

COURTESY KILLS
A recent survey carried out in the UK among 400 repair shops found that they offered their customers over 9000 loan cars. Many of these have come from a company called Circle Leasing which reports that its most popular leasing period is 12 months.

Reasons were that the fleet looked fresher, there was less need for end of contract refurbishment and there was minimum servicing or replacement tyre costs.

Nevertheless there was an overall fall of nearly 10 per cent in the number of courtesy cars in use among the repair businesses today 9,144 compared with 10,108 this time a year ? explained by the falling number of repairs seen by the industry in 2003.

BREAKDOWN FIBS
Dc1:A company calling itself 'MTA Road Service' has begun promoting its services in Western Australia without the approval or prior knowledge of the Motor Trades Association of Western Australia (MTA-WA)

The company is offering a roadside service for motorists which is not linked to the MTA-WA. The company has an arrangement with the Motor Trades Association of the ACT, but is now promoting itself as a national provider of breakdown services.

MTA-WA says it is extremely concerned that its name will be linked to the road service by consumers who may believe it is a national service.