Sterling Autobody Centers announced it has completed its network-wide conversion to waterborne paint. The transition began in June and took less than three months to complete. All 62 Sterling locations are presently using the waterborne system. Sterling President Nick Notte said “I am pleased with the speed of the transition. I commend Sterling leadership for […]
NSF Certifies First Aftermarket Parts Through New Program
NSF International has completed the certification of the first group of parts through its new Automotive Aftermarket Parts Certification Program. NSF’s Parts Certification Program was launched in order to offer independent, third-party testing and certification of only those aftermarket structural parts that replicate the safety and damage criteria design of the original vehicle part. Diamond […]
Aftermarket Parts Certification Program Launched by NSF International
ANSI accredited certifier expects tested bumper parts to be available in 6-8 weeks. NSF International today announced the launch of a new Automotive Parts Certification Program to address concerns regarding consumer safety and compromised automobile crashworthiness from the use of untested aftermarket structural parts. NSF says the one-of-a-kind program verifies both the quality and performance […]
Diamond Standard Announces Safety Parts Certification Program
In response to the alerts raised by recent presentations at NACE in November 2009, and the Collision Industry Conference in January 2010, Diamond Standard announced that it has accelerated the time frame for its planned launch of a full certification program for safety parts. The company is itself a US based manufacturer of high strength […]
New EPA Rule for Body Shops: Guilty Until Proven Innocent
Every shop in the country has less than two months to comply with the initial notification requirement of the EPA’s new surface coating rule, but there is free help available if you know who to call. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working to implement a new rule to reduce pollutants emitted by the collision […]
Connecticut AG Calls for Federal Review of Auto Insurer Practices
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal held a press conference on Tuesday during which he called on U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. to investigate and stop insurance company practices that may deny consumers the right to choose their own automobile repair shop. Holding petitions from auto repairer associations from across the country, Blumenthal said […]
Testing is the Real Measure of Aftermarket Part Equivalency
Aftermarket parts manufacturer Diamond Standard is one company that takes issue with the idea that aftermarket parts cannot equal OEM. The company says there absolutely are some aftermarket parts that are the equivalent of OEM, and they have the testing to back it up. According to Geoff Crane, Business Development Manager, Diamond Standard, the company […]
SCRS Asks U.S. Attorney General to Investigate Antitrust Violations
The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) announced that it is joining the efforts of a number of collision repair organizations across the country in its request to the Department of Justice, and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, to investigate violations of federal antitrust laws by automobile insurance companies. “Stemming from the circulation of a […]
CT Association Petitions US Attorney General to Stop Antitrust Violations
The Auto Body Association of Connecticut is launching a national petition to the United States Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. requesting that his office investigate violations of federal antitrust laws by insurance companies serving the private passenger automobile industry. According to William Romaniello, III, Connecticut shop owner and legislative director for the Auto Body […]
LKQ Makes Deal to Sell Copies of Patented Ford Crash Parts
A settlement agreement was reached Wednesday between Ford Motor Company and LKQ Corporation in the litigation filed by Ford to protect its design patents on collision parts. The settlement provides that LKQ will not challenge the validity and enforceability of Ford’s design patents during the term of the agreement. In exchange, LKQ will become the […]