By Jeff Sanford
Winnipeg, Manitoba — November 23, 2015 — The province of Manitoba is taking a proactive approach to training on new materials. Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) has just announced a major initiative that will ensure techs know how to repair the new and advanced materials coming into use in the industry.
MPI has announced it will build a new facility dedicated to training collision techs how to repair advanced body materials such as aluminum, carbon fibre and high strength steel.
The new state-of-the-art facility will be located within MPI’s existing Physical Damage Centre in Winnipeg. The new school will enable qualified technicians to share and teach the newest auto body repair techniques and technologies. As more vehicles incorporate these new lightweight materials, the creation of this new school ensures that the province’s collision repair sector can handle repairs on next-generation cars.
It is impressive that Gord Mackintosh, the provincial minister responsible for MPI, seemed to be aware of the big trends in the collision repair space. On hand to announce the forthcoming Centre of Excellence, he indicated an understanding of the trends in the industry.
“With an eye to the future, we all recognize that the auto manufacturing industry is going through significant change. The auto body repair industry must keep pace for the sake of its customers,” said Mackintosh. “This is an entirely a new tool set, so now we’re able to keep up and actually get ahead of the new materials that are being used for the vehicles that are on the roads of Manitoba.”
That depth of understanding looks good on the minister and on the province. Clearly, MPI recognizes the importance of this sector to the overall economy. “The new research and training centre provides an excellent opportunity for Manitobans to pursue highly skilled careers and ensures there is the capacity to do cutting edge auto body work in Manitoba, helping to keep Manitoba’s auto insurance rates amongst the lowest in Canada,” said the minister.
The new facility will be rolled out “over the next few months.” The target date for completion is 2017. The centre will also be tasked with creating “body apprenticeship opportunities and fostering partnerships with Apprenticeship Manitoba, Red River College and Manitoba high schools.”
MPI officials noted the duty of the organization to ensure that the auto body technicians in Manitoba remain highly skilled and able to repair the latest materials. The press release announcing the opening of the facility noted the use of lightweight materials in the 2013 Dodge Dart, 2015 Ford F150 and various BMW models.
“It’s expected that by 2018, half of the Manitoba fleet will represent vehicles with at least some complex materials. The auto body repair industry is going to experience significant changes in terms of its repair techniques, the need for special tools and body shops,” said Dan Guimond, CEO and President of MPI. “Manitoba Public Insurance recognizes that the auto manufacturing industry is creating significant change for the auto body repair industry and costs of repairs are increasing, which is why we are taking steps to save Manitobans money over the long-term.”
This is smart thinking. The latest car sales numbers for Canada indicate European imports continue to gain favour with Canadians, while domestic brands, which are less likely to use advanced materials, are relatively flat in terms of sales. The new 2016 BMW Series 7 will feature a new carbon-core in the A and B pillars. So the decision by MPI to update its training seems to be the proper response to current industrial and retail trends.
The centre will also collaborate with the Automotive Trades Association, the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association and the Manitoba Commercial Vehicle Repair Association to offer improved training for workers in the collision repair space. That the entrance of advanced body materials is getting the attention of provincial governments bodes well for the health of the auto body repair sector in the province.
“We recognize the importance of auto body repairers staying abreast of new vehicle design, construction, technology and repair techniques and partnership with MPI is an innovative learning approach to meet the high demand for skilled employees throughout the industry,” said Paul Vogt, President and CEO, Red River College. “In addition to the academic outcomes, joint research studies between Red River College and Manitoba Public Insurance with composites and advanced trades techniques will ensure the completion of safe and reliable vehicle repairs by auto body repairers in Manitoba.”
The collision repair sector is not always top of mind for politicians and policy makers. That the trends shaping the industry are taken seriously in Manitoba is refreshing.
“This new Centre of Excellence will ensure Manitoba Public Insurance and the Manitoba collision repair industry can keep up with the rate of change for vehicle technology and continue providing the highest levels of customer service to Manitobans,” said Guimond. “The facility will enable highly-skilled professionals to perform research and training on new vehicle design, repairability and technology, while also delivering training for the collision repair industry in Manitoba, and perhaps beyond.”
By getting ahead of the trend Manitoba should do well. The proactive response on the part of MPI to the emergence of new materials is a positive for the province.
