SCRS roundtable to discuss technology impact on industry

April 3, 2014
SCRS will host a Repairer Roundtable at CIC Portland on April 9 that will focus on the impact of automotive technology on the collision repair industry.
The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) is pleased to host the upcoming Repairer Roundtable meeting on Wednesday, April 9th from 8:30 - 11:00am in Portland, Oregon. The event, held at the Red Lion Hotel - Jantzen Beach, is a continuation of the Repairer Roundtable meetings launched in 2012. Held in different locations across the country with rotating hosts, the intent was to create a forum catered specifically to collision repair professionals with conversational agendas that promote healthy dialog surrounding the issues of most importance to their businesses. For the April 9th meeting, the discussion will be kick started by an informative presentation focusing on the growing use of alternative materials and repair designs found in today's modern fleet, and how those design changes are influencing how repair professionals need to approach collision repair. The presentation will be conducted by Dave Gruskos, of RAE Inc., one of the industry's leading subject matter experts on how new technology interfaces with manufacturer approved methods and procedures. Please RSVP to the SCRS office at [email protected] if you wish to attend. Attendance is respectfully reserved for representatives of collision repair facilities, and groups and organizations that directly represent collision repair businesses. "It is our belief that starting this discussion on a strong foundation of information will create some really substantial dialog around the issues our industry is facing in this area," shared SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. "Dave is an excellent resource to expose our members and guests to the current technology boom we are seeing, and to underscore the requirements associated with preparation as these advanced high-production models enter our repair businesses. There is a great deal of commitment and investment involved in the pursuit of capability; and understanding what is, and will be, expected of repairers will help in the development of individualized strategy to serve the market." In a March 11th article in Rhode Island's The Valley Breeze, the misperception portrayed to legislators and consumers that all shops are created equal was unfortunately highlighted in commentary from representatives of the insurance industry. In response to a bill that would create different classification levels of body shops, Frank O'Brien, vice president of state governmental relations with the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America was attributed with the sentiment that, "the legislation would essentially charge more for the Class A shop with all the "fancy" gear even though the Class B shop could do the job just as well for less money. It would be like requiring people to pay $10 more for a sirloin at one butcher shop based on how the shop looks, he said." "Unfortunately, these types of comments impede progress, and emphasize the increased challenges ahead of an industry that has major capital investments in it's future to maintain pace with the vehicles they are repairing," stated Schulenburg. "While others with divergent economic interests seek to dispute the necessary returns on investment in training and equipment, by essentially categorizing 'specialization' as frivolous, it is the belief of the SCRS board of directors that our obligation is to bring as much information to the forefront of the industry as possible to help refute such ludicrous assertions."Other SCRS events: Tuesday, April 8th 3:00 - 5:00pm     SCRS Open Meeting 5:15 - 5:30pm     SCRS Annual Election Wednesday, April 9th 8:30 - 11:00am    Repairer Roundtable 11:15 - 12:45pm  SCRS Industry Awards & Corporate Member Recognition LunchAbout SCRS Through its direct members and 43 affiliate associations, SCRS is comprised of 6,000 collision repair businesses and 58,500 specialized professionals who work with consumers and insurance companies to repair collision-damaged vehicles. Additional information about SCRS including other news releases is available at the SCRS website: www.scrs.com. You can e-mail SCRS at the following address: [email protected].

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