Location

Canadian Body Shop Uses Symach In New Location

Symach has announced that CARSTAR Fredericton in New Brunswick, Canada has opened a new location utilising Symach’s complete body shop solution.

“When you make a deal with Symach, you’re not just buying body shop equipment,” said Steve Knox, General Manager of CARSTAR Fredericton. “You are buying an entirely different business model.”

“Symach equipment is designed to drastically reduce the cost of repairs and increase efficiency,” said Osvaldo Bergaglio, CEO of Symach. “We helped CARSTAR Fredericton set up a new body shop using the FixLine repair process, which will help the business increase throughput and reduce labour cost per repair.”

CARSTAR Fredericton operates two locations and is owned by Roy Kennedy. Since installing the Symach equipment at the new location in July, Knox said they’ve already experienced more efficiency at the repair facility.

“One of the biggest benefits is time,” said Knox. “A conventional shop might schedule two-and-a-half to three days to complete a 10- to 11-hour job. With Symach equipment, that same vehicle can now be repaired by lunchtime the day it’s dropped off.

“It’s not through harder work or more labour-intensive ways of doing things, but through the smart use of their equipment. It’s incredible.”

Knox said that cars built today are not the same as the ones built 20 or 30 years ago. Because they are so much more sophisticated, he said it’s important to set up a repair facility that can meet those needs, and Symach equipment has helped them do that.

The CARSTAR Fredericton team said that they are impressed with Symach’s SprayTron paint booth as it helps pull everything through the paint booth instead of having everything pushed toward the booth.

“The SprayTron is one of the industry’s newest generations of spray booths on the market,” said Bergaglio. “It is high-performing, automated and it is built with the best burner, the best fans and the best material available. It can work as a conventional spray booth using hot air from the burner or with radiant waves using a robot and will typically produce 8-10 paint cycles per day.”

“When you deal with Symach, they build a shop that is so visually beautiful that you want every customer to come in through the back door, rather than the front,” said Knox. “It’s gorgeous; it looks like a showroom of their equipment but at the same time, it’s our actually functioning shop!”

Every stall has its own hoist that is flush with the floor. When it is raised, the car is at chest-level, so technicians no longer have to kneel during a repair.

“Many of the older guys in this industry have problems with their knees and backs,” said Knox. “The Symach equipment allows technicians to work at a comfortable level so this is no longer an issue.”

Over the last month, the team has been in training mode and becoming more comfortable with the equipment and the business flow.

“I can see now why those shops we talked to have that outlook,” said Knox. “It’s true. Everything Symach’s marketing says it can do, it can.”

MSO Symposium Dates And Location Announced

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has released the dates and location for the eighth instalment of the MSO Symposium – it will take place on Monday 4 November at The Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel, marking the event’s first return to Las Vegas since 2013.

“The MSO Symposium continues to bring together the multi-shop owners and operators, dealers, franchisees, and networks from North America,” said ASA Immediate Past Chairman, Roy Schnepper. “This exclusive event has evolved into the largest conference in the world where only repairers, insurers and OEMs gather.”

Last year’s event featured representation from over 4000 collision repairer facilities, with total revenue exceeding US$7 billion annually.

The programme has continued to evolve since its inception. Several years ago, the advisory board unanimously voted to expand the list of companies and individuals that could attend. According to organisers, the inclusion of insurers and OEMs has proven to be “visionary”, a point being attributed to the “leaders” represented on the advisory board. Organisers added that the networking and collaboration amongst the three industry groups further enhances the value of the overall programme.

“The advisory board plays a critical role in the success of the MSO Symposium,” said Chairman, Bob Wills. “They provide direction and guidance as to the speakers and content most relevant to their respective businesses. We sincerely appreciate their time and commitment.”

Attendance at the MSO Symposium is limited to insurers, OEMs, multi-shop operators and single location repair facilities with revenue exceeding US$3 million in annual sales. For more information, visit msosymposium.com.