Detroit, Michigan — July 30, 2015 — The industry returned to Detroit this summer for NACE 2015. With celebrities, industry giants, technical experts, live demos, and a wide array of leading industry associations converging in the Motor City, it was a busy week of business, training and deals.
With more than 6,600 automotive industry professionals visiting the Expo and 8,000-plus throughout Detroit attending NACE | CARS and related Industry Week events, the turnout was up slightly from last year and headed in the right direction for the future.
Partnering with numerous associations, events, and groups such as CIC, I-CAR, CREF, MERA, CCIF, OEM Collision Roundtable, NABC, CIECA, 1Collision Network, U.S. Department of Commerce Automotive Team Meeting, and State Farm Corporate Meeting to build the 2015 Industry Week continues to be a recipe for success. It clearly showed there is still significant support and benefits for an industry-specific event.
“The ASA board and management made even more bold changes and launched new ideas for NACE | CARS 2015. We knew we were still taking some risks but we also knew changes had to be made to the event for the benefit of the automotive repair industry, our members, and the association. Although we will continue to make improvements, we are pleased with the results so far and we appreciate the support of everyone involved,” says Donny Seyfer, ASA chairman.
The 2015 NACE | CARS Conference & Expo kicked off in full force on July 23, offering a diverse collection of features, including a larger show floor with over 54,500 net sq. ft., a return of the MSO Symposium (MSO) and The Technology & Telematics Forum (TTF), the launch of the Service Repair Leadership Forum (SRLF), as well as OE and manufacturer-specific classes and a strong focus on new materials and technology repair.
“All in all I am very happy with the investment of time and money to come to Detroit for the show. I feel like I took a lot away from the management trainings, and my guys were very pleased and excited with the Young Technicians Symposium,” says Reggie Stewart of Reggie’s Motorworks in Noblesville, Indiana.
The numerous live demonstrations on the show floor included aluminum welding, spraying in two prep booths, rivet bonding and more. Chip Foose, KC Mathieu, and Jon Kosmoski performed live paint/spray demos for attendees. John and Brittany Force were also on hand signing autographs. I-CAR hosted a large centre stage with presentations throughout the three-day expo.
Real decision-makers and shop owners came from throughout the U.S. and more than 30 additional countries to find the latest tools and technology for their shops. Many exhibitors reported making numerous sales throughout the show:
“Celette was very pleased to be able to take part in this year’s NACE | CARS event in Detroit. Being able to support the industry by sponsoring the MSO Symposium and having presence in the expo continues to support and strengthen Celette’s newest & continuing OEM partnerships,” says Jennie Lenk, Marketing Coordinator and Rental Bank Manager for Celette. “We’re very grateful for the hard work that ASA and the Stonefort Group have put into keeping this show active for the Collision Repair Industry. We are looking forward to more great opportunities in Anaheim next year!”
In a major press conference, General Motors said that it’s MyPriceLink automated real-time parts pricing program began a pilot launch in the Denver area on Wednesday, and a rollout across the US could come as soon as October. Kris Mayer, GM General Director of the Wholesale Dealer Channel, made the announcement during a panel discussion on the second day of the 2015 NACE | CARS Expo & Conference.
For more information, please visit naceexpo.com.
