CollisionCast

Caliber Collision doesn’t just combat the tech shortage with their Technician Apprenticeship Program (TAP); they’re also changing the lives of active-duty service members by giving them a smooth transition not only to the collision repair industry but also to civilian life. Andrew Vaccaro, director of apprenticeships at Caliber Collision, discusses Caliber’s work in their Changing Lanes initiative.

Focus Advisors is a mergers and acquisitions firm specializing in the collision repair market and helping MSO owners achieve maximum value through a strategic exit. President Chris Lane and Senior Associate Madeleine Roberts Rich join the CollisionCast to discuss how collision repair business owners can help prepare for a sale.

An Abra location in Minnesota participated in a program that gives hands-on collision repair experience to public school teachers so they can apply what they learn to their own teaching. Danyell Wendland, an Abra operations manager, discusses how the program went and what the goal was.

Donald Trump has long been an EV critic. How might his newly close ties to Elon Musk influence his position on EV policies and regulation? And how might proposed tariffs affect the auto parts supply chain? For insight, we talk with Abey Abraham, managing principal at consulting firm Ducker Carlisle, where he leads the company's automotive and materials practice.

There are many ways to pay for the things you need in your shop, including financing. Paul Knowlton, an automotive service and collision repair equipment sales executive from Huntington National Bank, sat down with FenderBender to discuss why someone should consider financing, even if they have the cash on hand.

As insurers tighten their purse strings and adopt more stringent policies, shop owners must navigate this evolving landscape with adaptability and resilience. As Tiffany Menefee, president of Pronto Body Shop in El Paso, Texas, notes in her December column, by focusing on strong customer relationships, meticulous documentation, and strategic business practices, repair shops can weather the storm and continue to thrive. She joins the CollisionCast to talk more about this and how shops can partner with what some may see as an unlikely ally, the personal injury industry, who also face some of the same challenges but have more influence to help change the industry.

Weeks after the recent Longshoreman strikes, we had a conversation with Ryan Mandell, director of claims performance for Mitchell International, Inc. He discusses how these events are impacting the collision repair industry and how to prepare for more logistical complications that may arise.

According to Drew Bryant, owner of DB Orlando Collision and monthly FenderBender columnist, one of the most persistent and damaging myths in the world of auto repairs is that insurance companies are on the consumer's side. In his October column, he talks about the illusion of trust and how collision shop owners and consumers must work together to demand fair treatment and high-quality repairs. In today's episode, Drew talks about empowering our customers and enhancing the quality of our industry.  Check out Drew's column here and Check out MORE CollisionCast episodes online here!

Like many professionals, you probably thought about gathering the knowledge you gained during your time in the collision industry and passing it on to the next generation. If you want to know more about that transition, listen to Brian Pierce, the head of the collision repair program at Rosedale Technical College in Pittsburgh. He has valuable insights into being and becoming an instructor.

Tom Wolf, director of strategic accounts and OEM aftersales at PPG Automotive Refinish, joins the CollisionCast to discuss why it's important to research refinishing considerations that may affect ADAS. It's a step that should be undertaken during repair planning, and PPG is one of the sponsors of the inaugural FenderBender and ABRN Best Repair Planner/Estimator Award. Check out MORE CollisionCast episodes online here!