The Automotive Service Association (ASA) reports that the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety held a hearing last week titled “Examining Pathways Towards Compliance of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Ground-Level Ozone.” During the hearing, the Subcommittee addressed S. 2882, Ozone Standards Implementation Act […]
Certified Collision Group Appoints Ernie Laky Vice President of Procurement
The Certified Collision Group (CCG) announced the appointment of Ernie Laky to the position of Vice President of Procurement. Laky provides more than 30 years of experience in creating, negotiating and growing strategic partnership relationships within the automotive repair industry, and will focus on the development of key vendor programs to the direct benefit of […]
July 4th Travel Volume Projected to Be Highest Ever for the Holiday
More than 36 million people projected to take advantage of lower gas prices to take a road trip over the upcoming holiday weekend. AAA projects nearly 43 million Americans will travel this Independence Day weekend. This represents the highest fourth of July travel volume on record and five million more travelers compared to Memorial Day […]
New-Vehicle Retail Sales Projected to Slow Down in June
New-vehicle retail sales in June are expected to reach 1,206,700 units, a 0.5 percent decline from a year ago on a selling-day adjusted basis, according to a monthly sales forecast developed jointly by J.D. Power and LMC Automotive. Retail sales through the first half of 2016 are projected to reach 6.8 million units, down 0.2 […]
Carquest Technical Institute Expands Training Courses
Carquest Technical Institute (CTI), the Commercial training division of Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE:AAP), recently introduced four new technical courses available to technicians and shop owners in CTI’s 250 North American training regions. CTI’s training strengthens the skills needed to both operate a business and properly diagnose and repair today’s complex vehicles, so shops can […]
AIA Canada Releases Report on Women Working in Automotive Aftermarket
The Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada announced the release of its Advancing Women in Automotive Knowledge Exchange Needs Assessment Report. The assessment report, officially released at the 2016 Women’s Leadership Conference on June 16, is based on the results of nation-wide focus groups of women employed in the automotive aftermarket industry and supplemented by […]
Bob Keith Appointed Sr. Director of Compliance and Education at Assured Performance
Assured Performance announced the appointment of Bob Keith as Senior Director of Compliance & Education. Keith will assume responsibility for managing the network of over 300 shop inspector auditors across North America and will also oversee education and business improvement initiatives for the Assured Performance’s network of over 2,800 Certified Repair Providers. Keith has nearly […]
Collision Repair Education Foundation Issues Mid-Year Update
Board Chair Stacy Bartnik details progress on collision repair industry effort to improve pre-employment education and connect students with employers to start their careers. Through industry donations, the Foundation has been able to provide $50 million in support to students and schools since 2009. In an open letter to the collision industry, Stacy Bartnik, ITW […]
UK Collision Repairers, Auto Industry, Insurers React to EU Exit Vote
Auto sales forecast to decline in wake of UK vote to exit the European Union. The collision repair industry in the United Kingdom, along with auto dealers, manufacturers and insurers, have mixed reactions to the result of vote yesterday to exit the European Union. The auto industry and dealers are concerned about the impact on […]
Universal Technical Institute Raises $70 Million in Private Placement
Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE:UTI), the provider of technician training for the auto, diesel, motorcycle, marine and collision repair industry, has entered into an agreement to sell 700,000 shares of Series A 7.5% convertible preferred stock to Coliseum Holdings I, LLC, an affiliate of Coliseum Capital Management for $70 million. Each share of preferred stock […]