By Mike Davey
Hamilton, Ontario — December 29, 2016 — The collision repair industry has had more than its fair share of highs and lows in 2016. We’ve looked back over the hundreds of stories we’ve covered in the last year to pick out just a few of the top newsmakers from 2016.
The five stories outlined below drew in the most readers over the last year and between them they cover a lot of territory. There are stories of new technology and repair processes, but also of very human triumphs and tragedies throughout the year.
#1 In Memoriam: Sam Piercey
It was with great regret that we reported the passing of Sam Piercey, one of the collision repair industry’s titans. Piercey was the co-owner of Budds’ Collision in Oakville, Ontario and a regular columnist for Collision Repair magazine. There are many things we’ll miss about him, but his no-holds barred approach just might top the list. Piercey passed away on July 24, 2016, as a result of complications arising due to leukemia.
He may not be with us any more, but Piercey will definitely not be forgotten. The Sam Piercey Foundation was officially announced in December of 2016. The goal of the organization is to help apprentices. The Foundation held its first fundraising drive at the annual Budds’ Collision Services Pig Roast and Christmas party.
#2 Stepping up: Calgary repairer helps little girl get back on her feet
It’s no surprise that this was one of our most read stories in 2016. In November, we covered how Rachid’s Auto Sales had restored and customized a Fiat 500 for auction. The funds raised helped cover the costs of operations for Julia Khaled, a young girl who is wheelchair bound as a result of severe cerebral palsy.
Julia and her mother came to Canada as refugees from Lebanon. Rachid El Madawi is the owner of Rachid’s Auto Sales. He became aware of Julia’s situation when he befriended and exchanged numbers with a dentist on a visit to Lebanon. Soon he and his staff, along with other local donors, had stepped up to help a little girl walk for the first time in her life.
#3 CCIF Cars & Technology Showcase
We started off 2016 with extensive preview coverage of the CCIF Cars & Technology Showcase. The Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF) holds three meetings a year across Canada, but the first meeting of 2016 was something out of the ordinary. Held in January in Vaughan, Ontario, the meeting may very well have been the single largest collision repair event held in Canada that year. CCIF usually consists of speakers and presentations, and the Vaughan meeting certainly brought these to the fore, but it was also unique in showcasing the latest technology from the OEMs and the tools and techniques needed to repair cutting-edge vehicles.
The importance of scanning and calibration in the modern era was certainly in the air before this meeting, but for many people this meeting was the first time the issue had come to the fore. Mike Anderson, consultant with Collision Advice, was one of the presenters. He has long held the view that repairers must complete scans both before and after the repair is complete, but this was the first time his views had received a wide airing in Canada. It has remained one of the hot topics throughout 2016 and it seems likely the automotive claims economy will still be coming to grips with the issue throughout 2017.
Check out the links before for some of our coverage of the CCIF Cars & Technology Showcase.
CCIF repairer panel discussion digs into materials, KPIs and the new breed of technician
CCIF reports progress on standardized First Notice of Loss
CCIF Preview: Mike Kukavica of Porsche on the new era of repair for high-end vehicles
CCIF Preview: Mike Anderson says ‘Virtual Steering’ is coming soon
CCIF Preview: IBC’s Pete Karageorgos on towing, storage and new regulations
#4 CSN-CARS Collision boosts productivity with Fixline from Symach
Technology that promises a productivity boost is always of interest to the repair community. This was confirmed in February 2016 when we ran a story on CSN-CARS Collision’s installation of the Fixline process from Symach. The facility, located in Burlington, Ontario, was the first to install the system in Canada.
In short, the Fixline process automates many of the standard processes in the collision facility through the extensive use of robotics technology. This frees up human technicians to accomplish more in a given time frame than they would otherwise.
According to Symach, the majority of modern repairs involve only one to three panels. However, most facilities employ just one repair process. While this is suitable for extensive repairs, it isn’t necessary for smaller jobs. The Fixline system uses three different repair and layout processes, based on the number of panels to be repaired. The system optimizes repair times and reduces labour costs. The facility gets more work done in a shorter time frame, and the technicians do as well. That’s a bonus for everyone.
#5 The Autonomous Reports
Collision Repair magazine started covering the self-driving vehicle space in 2015, but the news really started to flow fast and furious in 2016. The sheer amount of news from numerous players in autonomous vehicles (AVs) led us to launch The Autonomous Report in 2016. It’s a weekly recap of some of the most interesting news on AVs, with the goal of keeping you up-to-date on this radical and disruptive new technology.
You can see the most recent report here.
Thanks for your support throughout 2016. Have a good New Year, and we’ll see you in 2017!
