IMPORTANT CHANGES COMING FOR COLLISION REPAIR ..

WINDSOR AREA SHOPS ACCESS PRICING RATE RESULTS SURVEY ONLINE

Shop marketplace survey for PACRA now available to all shops

December 10, 2006

A third-party marketplace survey authorized by the local collision repair trade association is now available for all Windsor area shops. Twenty collision repair facility owners attended the initial presentation on items found in the study including door labour rates, frame and paint rates, paint cap prices, DRP involvement, the level of customer pay activity and more. Also covered in the marketplace survey and now available for any shop to review were volume levels, discount rates, training information and concerns for the future. The survey found door rates rising in the Windsor Ontario marketplace with the average labour rate for auto body at $56.90 per hour and the average frame rate two dollars higher. Paint re-imbursement rates were higher than in southern Ontario but arbitrary paint caps by insurers restricted sales.

To view the Windsor shop study, please see: http://www.ciia.com/provinces /ontario/pacra.html

Non-association members should call 1 866 309 4272 for more information (see headlines)

IMPORTANT CHANGES COMING FOR COLLISION REPAIR INDUSTRY

Environment Canada is developing regulations to limit the VOC content of refinish coatings and surface cleaners. This will change the products you buy and how you will apply them in the future. The goal is cleaner air. It is expected that few of the products you are familiar with now will be available.  For some shops, changeover will be easy, other shops may decide to upgrade or purchase new equipment. New production equipment, products and pollution prevention help will also be on display this evening. You can also learn about the requirements for a spraybooth permit, waste reduction tips, and how to reduce your costs with good environmental management. Environment Canada is interested in your feedback on the proposed content for the regulations. This is your chance to learn the facts, what it means to your business, and be heard on the possible impact of these changes to improve air quality.

Date and Time: Wednesday November 29, 2006 at 6:30 pm         

Location: Marconi Club Hall, 120 Clarke Road , London Admission (Hot Dinner Included): 

Non-Members $20.00 per person Association members No charge        

This workshop format evening features:

•  Senior staff from Environment Canada, Gatineau , Quebec •  Officials of the Canadian Paint and Coating Association, Saint-Laurent, Quebec •  Paint company staff from all major paint companies have been invited •  Senior insurance industry representatives have been invited to comment this evening. This meeting will be the most important meeting of the year. It impacts you and your business, so don't miss this opportunity.

To register please call 1-866-309-4272 or info@ciia.com

In This Issue:

• Updated News Events
• A Career Day First
• Special Offers
• Business Tips
• Success Story
• ciia.com Updates
  
  
  
  

ADDITIONAL MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS:

As a PACRA Member, you also receive free:

• Autobody Profitability Workbook
• How to Market your Shop to Brokers and Insurers
• Health and Safety Shop Package
  
  

BUSINESS TIPS-PACRA speaks for you. Your local association is the voice to work for you and is stronger if united. United means that member shops show up for meetings when called, participate in industry activities and work together to forge common advantages. Please support your association. If you do not, you have agreed to let others in other industries speak for you when it matters.

SUCCESS STORY
PACRA member surveys show labour door rates average and pricing at $57.90 per hour. Storage rates are variable and paint rates are moving up. The complete Marketplace survey on Windsor area collision repair market is available at:

January 10, 2006Western Secondary School in Amhurstburg had a problem. It's spray booth, over 30 years old and desperately in need of repairs, was shut down by the Greater Essex School Board for environmental and safety reasons in the summer.Now 78 students in the autobody program would no longer be able to be trained. Many more students that relied on the spray painting booth to help them in painting for industrial, technical, art, metal working or other subjects now found they could not have their own projects completed.In stepped the local collision repair trade association, PACRA (Professional Automotive Collision Repairers Association of Essex County) who took the initiative to solve the situation.Within a matter of a few weeks, the group had organized a major meeting at the school, with industry assistance, suppliers, shop owners and school officials to map out a plan of action.Two weeks later, the Director of the Greater Essex County District School Board at a special meeting in Windsor, heard an incredible story from almost 20 attendees:- An almost new spray booth that matched the same size as the old booth was being donated
- A plasma cutter was being donated by a car dealership
- A coatings firm was donating material and some paints
- A spray booth firm was going to help install the new booth
- Some frame rack equipment was being donated
- Vehicles were being given to the auto body program
- A complete electronic estimating system worth $5000 was being supplied free
- Discounted engineering help and industry management assistance was offered
- Options for a possible new apprenticeship model using the school as a base were being consideredThe outpouring of school and industry support seemed to overcome the hurdles previously identified by the school board and a commitment was made to get this new package up-and-running by the next semester, so that Western Secondary School could graduate 78 more automotive painters that the industry desperately needs.With 3 weeks the new booth had been delivered to the school and the work on this new initiative getting started."This is a success story on how industry suppliers, shops and school officials can co-operate and ensure that many students can be trained for good careers with a great future as apprentices," said Roger Beaulieau, President of the Windsor area collision repair association.Special thanks to: Formula One Collision, Gus Revenberg Pontiac Buick, Mitchell International, JES Sales Agencies, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes, Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, Ontario's Youth Apprenticeship Program, Steve Challoner, ciia.com, Trisk Lamps, DevilBiss, Hutchins Manufacturing as well as the principal and staff at Western Secondary School for their hard work, donations and assistance.For more information on the Western Secondary School program, contact Jamie Legault, Autobody Instructor at the school at (519) 726-6138.

(see headlines)

According to a recent study by Lee Romanov of the Insurance Hotline, based on recent insurance company filings with Ontario 's Financial Services Commission, there is a vast difference in insurance company rates.It certainly pays to shop around for quotes for your car insurance.For instance:Profile 1: Male, single, age 19Risk Description:
Licensed 3 years, 1 year with class G licence
Owner and principal operator
Commute - 5 km one way, annual mileage under 12,000 km
2001 Honda Civic DX 2 door Coupe (VICC Code 0258)
New business application to companyIn Windsor, Allstate Insurance will charge him,$12,571 and T-D Insurance
$11,553 and for a one year policy
while Western Assurance is over $10,000At the low end, this Windsor driver can be insured with Motors Insurance for $5171 or Nordic Insurance for $5611 For more information please see: www.insurancehotline.comIn Toronto the rates show:for a 19 year old with a clean record, rates between $5750 and $15,551for a driver with one ticket and one accident, rates from $2,051 to $17,468for 2 drivers with clean records from $1763 to $6992for a 70 year old with clean record, from $970 to $2576