Rhodes, Greece — Day two of the International Bodyshop Industry Symposium’s (IBIS) 2024 Global Summit drew leaders from around the globe to its “Transforming Tomorrow Together” event, and to celebrate the success of industry members such as Canada’s own Michael Macaluso, Group President and EVP-Paint, Collision and Glass Business, Driven Brands who received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his career accomplishments.
The day saw a variety of sessions focused on what industry transformations have been seen around the globe, as well as what transformations the industry can continue to prepare for.
Here, several key trends were highlighted, including the expanding car parc—or the total number of vehicles in use—and the increasing average age of vehicles on the road. These factors underscored a growing demand for aftermarket services.
Almundena Benedito of the GiPA Group also delivered a notable presentation on the impact of electric vehicles (EVs) on accident rates. Here, she revealed that accidents in the EV sector are rising when compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles due to two unexpected factors: the near-silent operation of EVs and their rapid acceleration capabilities. These characteristics contributed to a higher rate of collisions, as both pedestrians and drivers struggle to anticipate the movement of EVs.
Day two of the symposium also addressed the shifting dynamics within the global repair industry. There was a clear trend towards polarization between large and small repair shops. Notably, Mid-sized shops were reportedly increasingly exiting the market due to the high costs associated with training and equipment upgrades.
Frederick Karlsen, CEO of Intakt Bilskade in Norway, specifically pointed out that while smaller shops in remote locations might continue to operate, there would be a growing necessity to transport vehicles to larger hubs for certified repairs.
In the afternoon, a session titled “It’s a Question of Talent—How Are We Really Doing?” addressed the technician and labour shortage that remains the global repair industry’s biggest quality and capacity issue.
To discuss the initiatives and programs in place that are helping with talent attraction, there was a presentation by John Wood of Career Grandmaster, followed by a panel discussion featuring Trenton Dambrowitz from Halo ARC Ltd., Michael Massey FIMI from 3M, Dave Reece of School of Thought (Automotive) and Roar Solberg from BASF.
During the presentation, Wood noted that “hiring and retention matter because a bad recruitment typically costs you three times that employee’s salary, as well as impacting team morale, management times and business loss. The four key pillars of effective recruitment are telling your story in an authentic way, being consistent, staying proactive and showing mutual benefit.”
The day also saw a session focused on the rapid advances in 3D printing of automotive parts and the progress the 3D in Auto Task Force has made since its launch at IBIS USA last year.
Task force lead, Harold Sears, spoke about the group’s progress and announced the launch of a new 3D printing business, “Auto Additive.” According to Sears, this new venture is designed to supply OEM-compatible 3D-printed parts that can be used by collision repair shops.
The day concluded on a high note with the presentation of two prestigious awards to industry members. Canada’s own Michael Macaluso, Group President and EVP-Paint, Collision and Glass Business, Driven Brands, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his career accomplishments.
Jason Scharton, Senior Manager: Global Expertise Delivery at 3M also won the Outstanding Achievement Award.
Check out photos from Collision Repair magazine’s full coverage of IBIS Day two and catch up on the photos from day one, below. Tune in tomorrow for more coverage of the event as the exclusive Canadian media partner of IBIS.
