Over the Counter October 2005

Ride Control Supplier Launches Awareness Campaign

Ride control supplier KYB America LLC has launched a new service centre initiative designed to improve awareness for the brand and for ride control maintenance.

Called “Ride Control Solutions from KYB,” the program was formally announced at an industry trade press luncheon in Chicago, Ill.

“This groundbreaking initiative is intended to create long-term partnering relationships between KYB, our distributors, and their service centre customers,” said Mike Howarth, senior vice-president of KYB America. “It offers focused solutions to the specific problems associated with replacing worn ride control products. After all, 86% of vehicles arriving at the junk yard still have their original shocks and struts, which really illustrates the need for an initiative to capture the millions of lost sales and lost opportunities,” said Howarth. “Worn as opposed to failed shocks and struts are renowned as being difficult for technicians to identify, therefore making it extremely difficult for service writers to justify the sale to the motorist.”

“The template KYB created to address undersold ride control components is being offered to the aftermarket as a solution to the $60 billion [worth] of unsold automotive services [in the U.S.]. We named this industry initiative ‘Get to the Tech,’” said Mac McGovern, KYB’s director of training. “‘Get to the Tech’ is designed to motivate and help our industry create solutions to solve the problem of unperformed services and improve the aftermarket.”

PPG Supports Student Baja 1000 Team

PPG Canada Inc. is fostering the growth of tomorrow’s automotive professionals through the CertifiedFirst Network’s sponsorship of Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Simcoe, Ont. in the annual Baja 1000 off-road race.

Students will gain valuable real-world experience by building their own vehicle, which will be funded by PPG in support of the CertifiedFirst Network. Students participating in the race will also gain experience by being part of the pit and film crews and by performing tasks from vehicle prep and logistics to film and media editing. It is the second year the company has supported the student effort.

“PPG Canada Inc., in conjunction with participants in the CertifiedFirst Network, is honoured to sponsor Team Trinity and be a part of such an exciting educational event,” said Keith Burns, manager, insurance relations and CertifiedFirst Network for PPG Canada. “We hope our involvement will help provide students the hands-on experience in a dynamic learning environment needed to enhance their employment skills and career opportunities in the future.”

The Baja 1000 is an off-road race held in Mexico each November. The race, which begins in Ensenada, Mexico, will take place over four days and end in the small town of La Paz, Mexico, 1,000 miles later.

After the race, a travelling pit crew will continue to promote skilled trades to high school students and professional trade shows throughout Canada.

Collision TV Partnership

PPG Canada, Inc. has formed a partnership with the Canadian Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) Council to deliver automotive collision centre training across Canada.

Through the CARS interactive distance- learning network, better known as Collision TV, collision centres in Canada will have access to courses covering areas such as surface preparation, corrosion protection, refinishing plastic parts, basecoat/ clearcoat application, and colour adjustment techniques.

For additional information on the CARS-PPG Canada partnership, contact the Canadian Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) Council at 1-888-224-3834 or the PPG Refinish Training Department at 1-800-970-2283.

A/C Event to Battle Counterfeit Parts

Despite the fact that only one case of counterfeit products was discovered at the last Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide, the organization is once again taking steps to guard against further incidents.

The Express Train! MACS Convention and Trade Show will take place January 25-28, 2006 at the Caribe Royale Hotel and Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.