About I-CAR - Current Events/News: E-newsletter: 2008 E-newsletter Archives: October 6, 2008

The world premier of the new I-CAR Live training program Hybrid Electric and Alternative Fuel Vehicles (ALT02) will take place at NACE 2008. This program is a follow-up to the popular Electric and Electric Hybrid Vehicle (ALT01) class and features new applications of hybrid technology and alternative fuel vehicles. I-CAR will also conduct Steel Unitized Structures Technologies and Repair (SPS07) which discusses advanced metallurgy, how it relates to collision dynamics and the impact of these new materials on the collision repair industry and Steel Full-Frame Technologies and Repair (SPS08) which offers understanding of full-frame vehicle engineering design techniques, new construction methods and materials, as well as vehicle-specific repair information.

Wednesday, November 5 - 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

World Premier - Hybrid Electric and Alternative Fuel Vehicles (ALT02)
Steel Unitized Structures Technologies and Repair (SPS07)
Steel Full-Frame Technologies and Repair (SPS08)

Wednesday, November 5 - 1 - 5 p.m.

Hybrid Electric and Alternative Fuel Vehicles (ALT02)
Steel Unitized Structures Technologies and Repair (SPS07)
Steel Full-Frame Technologies and Repair (SPS08)

Saturday, November 8, 2008 - 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Hybrid Electric and Alternative Fuel Vehicles (ALT02)
Steel Unitized Structures Technologies and Repair (SPS07)
Steel Full-Frame Technologies and Repair (SPS08)

These training programs are available at the reduced rate of $75 per class and are sure to sell out quickly.

Participants may pre-register for these I-CAR training programs as part of their NACE registration by visiting the NACE web site at www.naceexpo.com or by calling 866.860.1962.

I-CAR, ASE, I-CAR EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AND NATEF TO HOLD DRAWING FOR CAR-O-LINER WELDER AT NACE 2008

For the fifth year in a row, I-CAR, ASE, I-CAR Education Foundation, and NATEF will co-sponsor a drawing at NACE; this year’s contest winner will be awarded a Car-O-Liner CR 55 Aluminum Stud Welder and Dent Repair Tools. To be eligible to win the welder, entrants must be I-CAR trained as well as ASE-certified, or attend an ASE-certified NATEF career and technical school and college which also utilizes the I-CAR Live curriculum.

To participate in this promotion, eligible attendees can visit one of the participating organization’s booths and fill out a registration form. The winner will then be randomly selected at the conclusion of Saturday’s NACE exposition day and notified via phone.

NACE attendees can find these industry partners at:

ASE & NATEF – NACE booth # N8623
I-CAR & I-CAR Education Foundation – NACE booth # N2719
Car-O-Liner Company- NACE booth # N3567

For more information regarding NACE visit www.naceexpo.com or call 888.529.1641.

NEW I-CAR ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAM MEETS EPA TRAINING REQUIREMENT

Collision repair facilities can fulfill EPA requirements by taking the Hazardous Airborne Pollutant Reduction (HAP01) I-CAR online training program. EPA standards require that all existing collision repair facilities receive training on hazardous air pollutant reduction. Facilities have up to three years to meet the new rule and the EPA requires that training be completed every five years. New facilities must meet the requirements within 180 days of opening.

Jason Bartanen, Technical Director for I-CAR said, “This is a perfect example of an effort between the paint companies, I-CAR, other training organizations, and the EPA to collaborate on providing training as the industry does its part to reduce the hazardous effects of pollutants on the environment.”

In addition to staying in compliance with the new rule, those who complete this program will learn how to use less refinishing material; reduce the amount of waste during the refinishing and clean-up processes; increase the life of spray booth filters with less overspray; do their part to be a “good steward” of the environment; and increase credibility with environmentally-conscious customers.

The Hazardous Airborne Pollutant Reduction (HAP01) I-CAR online training program takes only 60 minutes to complete and once completed a certificate can be printed and used as proof of completion of the training. Online training is also a tool to help earn and keep the Gold Class Professionals and Platinum Individual designations.

Go to www.i-car.com/online to learn more and complete Hazardous Airborne Pollutant Reduction (HAP01).

ABRA AUTO BODY & GLASS EARNS I-CAR GOLD CLASS PROFESSIONALS STATUS NATIONWIDE

All 91 ABRA Auto Body & Glass locations have earned the I-CAR Gold Class Professionals designation. ABRA Auto Body & Glass is the largest multi-location operator to earn the Gold Class Professionals status. Its network spans across 11 states in Utah, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, and North Carolina.

This aggressive plan was accomplished with lots of hours, dedication, and organization from both ABRA and I-CAR staff members. Over 1,180 ABRA team members were required to take I-CAR training to accomplish the initiative.

“ABRA Auto Body & Glass understands the importance of earning the Gold Class Professionals designation and its positive impact on their business as a whole,” said Jeff Peevy, I-CAR Director, North American Field Operations. “Achieving the Gold Class Professionals designation communicates to vehicle owners and the rest of the industry an increased level of professionalism and investment in their staff.”

“At ABRA Auto Body & Glass, it is important to promote training and safe repairs for the sake of both our customers and our employees,” explained Rollie Benjamin, ABRA’s President and CEO. “Achieving the I-CAR Gold Class Professionals designation at all of our repair centers was not just a one-time event to us. We are committed to maintaining this designation year after year.”

More information about ABRA Auto Body & Glass can be found at www.abraauto.com. Details on the Gold Class Professionals program are located at www.i-car.com/goldclass.

GOLD CLASS PROFESSIONALS DESIGNATED BUSINESSES EARN 15 YEARS

An elite group of only 81 businesses has qualified for the Gold Class Professionals designation for at least 15 consecutive years! I-CAR would like to congratulate and thank the following businesses for their exceptional commitment to collision repair training.

Businesses that have earned 15 consecutive years of the Gold Class Professionals status are listed below in the order that they joined the program.

Gold Class 15 + ( 25K ) in Adobe Acrobat Format

I-CAR RECOGNIZES NEW AND LONG-TERM GOLD CLASS BUSINESSES

The following businesses have maintained their Gold Class Professionals designation for at least ten consecutive years as of September 1, 2008. They are listed alphabetically by the zone's state or province. I-CAR would also like to recognize businesses that have maintained the Gold Class Professionals designation for 5 consecutive years. They are also listed alphabetically by the zone’s state or province.

The Gold Class Professionals program continues to grow and welcome new businesses that have maintained the Gold Class Professionals designation fewer than 5 consecutive years. I-CAR would like to commend these businesses on their commitment to collision repair training.

I-CAR is grateful for the dedication shown by all of its Gold Class Professionals designated businesses, and looks forward to the time when every person in the collision industry, current and future, has the necessary technical knowledge and skills relevant to their position to achieve complete and safe repairs.

		Gold Class 10 + ( 35K ) in Adobe Acrobat Format
		Gold Class 5 + ( 48K ) in Adobe Acrobat Format
		Gold Class 5 - ( 115K ) in Adobe Acrobat Format

GERBER COLLISION & GLASS CONTRIBUTES $5,000 TO THE I-CAR EDUCATION FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT THE COLLISION INDUSTRY

SGerber Collision & Glass contributed $5,000 in August to support the I-CAR Education Foundation mission. This contribution to the Education Foundation’s Industry Partners Annual Fund will support many Education Foundation activities that promote and enhance career opportunities in the industry.

“With their generous donation to the Education Foundation, Gerber Collision & Glass has showed their commitment to helping schools that offer collision repair training,” said Chris Evans, Chairman of the I-CAR Education Foundation Board of Trustees. “The Education Foundation will be able to use this donation to continue awarding scholarships, school curriculum grants, and instructor training grants. As school budgets are getting tighter and tighter, schools are in desperate need of those grants and scholarships to continue to produce the best entry-level employee as possible. It is comforting to know that the Education Foundation is able to rely on companies like Gerber Collision & Glass for support."

“Given the increasing complexity of vehicles and the on-going need to educate our staff, we are proud to provide this financial support to the I-CAR Education Foundation to assure that young technicians receive the pre-employment training we expect as employers. As with I-CAR training for our staff, the pre-employment training students receive from schools that benefit from the Education Foundation provides significant support to Gerber Collision & Glass and to our industry,” said Tim O’Day, President & COO of Gerber.

About Gerber Collision & Glass

Gerber Collision & Glass is a wholly owned operating division of The Boyd Group (US), Inc. Gerber has been dedicated to a philosophy of providing quality repairs and services to insurance companies and their customers since 1937. Currently operating 47 collision repair and auto glass centers in seven states, Gerber has over 800 employees. For more information on Gerber, please visit our web site at www.gerbercollision.com.

ABRA AUTO BODY & GLASS CONTRIBUTES $2,500 TO THE I-CAR EDUCATION FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT THE COLLISION INDUSTRY

ABRA Auto Body & Glass contributed $2,500 in July to support the I-CAR Education Foundation mission. This contribution to the Education Foundation’s Industry Partners Annual Fund will support many Education Foundation activities that promote and enhance career opportunities in the industry.

“We are very grateful to ABRA Auto Body & Glass for their support of the I-CAR Education Foundation,” said Chris Evans, Chairman of the I-CAR Education Foundation Board of Trustees. “The industry needs to support the education system as that will become the source producing future members of the collision industry. ABRA Auto Body & Glass realizes the importance of this education system and has set an example with their donation. We hope that other organizations will follow in their footsteps and support collision repair education as well.”

“The future of our industry relies on a having properly trained pool of employees to choose from”, stated Rollie Benjamin, President and CEO of ABRA. “It’s to our benefit, and the benefit of other collision repairers, to support the I-CAR Education Foundation’s training effort.”

ABRA Auto Body & Glass is a national damaged vehicle repair company specializing in collision repair, paintless dent removal, and auto glass repair and replacement. Started with one repair center in 1984, they have grown to ninety-two facilities in eleven states. Their plans for accelerated national growth over the next several years include acquiring existing facilities and building new locations. For more information, visit www.abraauto.com.

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