Buzz

Bonding Solutions, in conjunction with Like90 Automotive Products, Trimaco and Green Garage Challenge will be exhibiting its product lines and services at the 2015 SEMA Show, held Nov. 3-6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Our booth number this year is #11166.

Bonding Solutions provides innovative, high performance products for the collision repair industry in North America, including the Like90 Automotive Product line. The company also distributes the PLIOGRIP Adhesive System by Valvoline–a complete body repair and bonding system specifically engineered for the body shop to provide better workability, reduced repair times and superior structural strength.

Like90 Automotive Products makes a line of advanced, easy-to-use products for body shops. This includes coatings that protect spray booths and cars against overspray, reduce dirt in the spray booth, and prevent corrosion on car repairs, and other unique products that improve quality, reduce cycle times and increase profits.

Trimaco (HQ: Morrisville, NC) is a manufacturer of masking paper and film; shop towels and tack cloths; spray suits, gloves and coveralls and ancillary products specially designed for use in a body shop environment.

The Green Garage Challenge offers a program to collision repairers nationwide through GRC-Pirk Management Company (HQ: Reno, NV) that helps shops to become 100% green while tapping into government rebates that exist for shops that adhere to EnergyStar.gov/buildings efficiency requirements. By showing shops how to use things such as Shared Savings and Utility Company 0% Financing for products and equipment, small independents all the way to large MSOs are experiencing lower energy costs and reducing the risks of climate pollution. Come to our SEMA booth and meet Steven Schllinger, the Administrator of the Grant that funded the Green Garage Challenge and learn how being green can actually make you money.

There has been a huge amount of positive feedback from Bonding Solutions’ products and their new PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery Program has also gained significant traction since being unveiled earlier this year. Come by the Bonding Solutions booth and try out this program that enables body techs to report exact numbers when it comes to their adhesive usage on every repair, so that they can get reimbursed from the insurance companies.

Company Technical Sales Manager Jeff Miller is excited to be a part the largest automotive specialty products trade event in the world. “SEMA draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place and attracts more than 100,000 industry leaders from more than 100 countries and that’s why we need to be there”, Miller said.  “Last year’s SEMA Show drew more than 60,000 domestic and international buyers and that’s why Bonding Solutions is pleased to be a part of this world-class automotive trade show again this year.”

Things are going very well for this exciting company and that’s why Miller is anxious to continue the journey at SEMA. “We’re currently garnering positive reviews and the products are selling briskly, so we would like to continue this momentum,” he said. “SEMA is the ideal setting for new, innovative products and we believe that our new PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery System is one of those. We’ll be on-hand to demonstrate the app and show you how it can save you literally thousands of dollars at your shop every year by using this simple app.”

Come see Bonding Solutions, Like90, Trimaco and the Green Garage Challenge at SEMA (Booth #11166) and to learn more about these companies, visit their respective websites at: www.bonding-solutions.com, www.greengaragechallenge.com, www.like90.net and www.trimaco.com.

We’re really looking forward to seeing you again at SEMA 2015! Come by our booth and get a free gift!

 

For many years, body shops have not been able to accurately devise the amount of adhesives they use when performing plastic repairs. It comes down to guesswork and insurance companies don’t respond positively to approximate numbers or ballpark figures, for obvious reasons.

But now there is a way for shops to stop the speculation and know exactly how much they use when it comes to the different adhesives applied during each repair. By showing to the penny how much is used, then documenting it in detail and producing an itemized invoice, collision repairers can capture more revenue than ever before on aluminum and metal bonding, seam sealing and plastic repairs. Money that was previously left on the table will now end up in the body shop owner’s pockets just by using this simple, easy-to-use program.

It’s called the PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery Program and the creation of Jeff Miller, PLIOGRIP’s technical sales manager. Introduced earlier this year, this program has already received accolades and highly positive reviews from shops for its ease-of-use and the money they’re saved by using it.

One of these shops is Lofrano and Sons, located in northern California’s Bay Area. Although they started using the program just a few months ago, the company can already see a genuine value in the PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery Program and hopes to integrate it more and more into their business over time.

Well-known for being a high-production MSO that stresses quality and customer service, Lofrano and Sons is truly a family business. It all began when Tony Lofrano kept pestering his father Frank about starting an auto body shop in San Francisco, CA and for many years dad resisted, until one day in 1974 when he told his son “Kid, go get your tools and let’s get going!”  Today, the company has four locations and Tony’s brothers James and Fred, in addition to his two sons, Aaron and Josh play major roles in the business.

Josh Lofrano manages one of his family’s shops in San Rafael, CA and was one of the first people to try the PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery Program. He’s acutely aware of the fact that if you can’t prove how much adhesive you’re using on a repair, you’re not likely going to get compensated by the insurance companies. Lofrano’s techs and managers can use the program on their iPads, desktop and laptop computers, as well on their smart phones as an app.

“There are a lot of items used on a collision repair that many body shops won’t even include in their estimates, because from their experience, they know that it’s unlikely that they’ll get paid,” Lofrano said. “When you go to them, you need hard numbers and you need to carefully document all of the usage. A complete, well-supported report backed by an accurate invoice is effective and in most cases, the insurer will pay it without question. If the PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery Program can get us reimbursed, we want to use it in all of our four locations without question!”

It all comes down to documentation and an accurate way to quantify the use of a product that has been traditionally hard to get a bead on, according Miller. “The system will allow users to measure how much adhesive they’re using on every repair by picking a bead size and then accurately measuring the amount used in linear feet, he explained. “With drop-down boxes and intuitive navigation throughout, the PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery Program also contains a calculator and an area where the user can make notes about the repair. At the end of the process, they now have a concise invoice that can be submitted electronically to the insurance company.”

Knowledge is a powerful tool and that’s why Miller thinks that the PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery Program it will soon become a must for body techs nationwide. “This program will enable shops to make a profit on all of the aluminum and metal bonding, seam sealing and plastic repair they perform, which means more money stays in the shop,” he said. “This is a big industry, but good news travels fast and the PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery System is definitely good news for any shop doing plastic repairs.”

Those who ask will usually receive, while shops that don’t will be left hanging to pay for their adhesive usage themselves, Miller said. “Most insurance companies don’t ask questions when it comes to reimbursement about paint and paint-related materials, but when it comes to adhesives, they will sometimes be a little reluctant. But, if they can get accurate numbers that are well-supported, we’re confident that the insurers will be comfortable with our system, which means that the shops will be compensated.”

For shops that are interested in incorporating the PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery Program into their production, Miller explained how to get it. “It’s free to use, but you have to be either a jobber or a shop customer of PLIOGRIP,” he said. “All of our 75 reps nationwide will have the system on their iPads and they can show you how to use it. They’ll set you up with a username and a password and then you can try it out.”

To find out more about PLIOGRIP and the PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery Program, the company will be exhibiting its products and the program at this year’s SEMA Show (Nov. 3-6) in Las Vegas at booth #11166.

If you’re a body shop, you still have time to register for SEMA 2015!

Trade shows are huge right now and that’s why SEMA is more popular than ever. If you’ve ever attended one of these events, you know they’re frenetic, fun, packed full of things to do and your time is usually limited. So, that’s why we’re offering some invaluable tips about how to take full advantage of any trade show, but specifically the upcoming SEMA show, in Las Vegas November 3-6.
When the economy took a hit in 2008, many body shops started dialing down their participation in industry conferences, but now that the economy seems to be a little healthier, this is a smart time to re-engage. The main question for any business owner considering SEMA is this –will the money and staff that I will invest into a show like SEMA really pay off in the long run?

To decide if SEMA is right for you and your business, ask yourself these questions:
■ Is SEMA going to offer you the most cost-effective way of sourcing products, services and information in the collision industry?
■ Is SEMA the best forum for you to keep up- to-date on the collision industry’s newest technologies, state-
of-the-art products, innovations and new developments in your market? Are you going to encounter a highly targeted audience of your fellow industry professionals?
■ If your answer is yes to more than one of these questions, SEMA is probably a slam dunk for you, your manager and even other members of your crew as well.

Peter Macillvray, VP of Communications and Events for SEMA, offered some helpful tips about how to squeeze the most out of your SEMA experience. “We’re extremely vested in making sure that all of our attendees and exhibitors will leave here with a year’s worth of new business ideas. We’re committed to doing everything we can to bring value to your time here at SEMA. We want you to make more money by using what you’ve learned at SEMA, so that’s we’ve created a whole range of things to make it happen.”
Everyone’s goal at any trade show is different, so the first thing you need to do is define what success means for you at SEMA. Before you jump in, make a list and plan your show. “We call it ‘shaping’ the show and it’s so valuable,” Macillvray said. “Too many people jump on a plane and don’t register until they get here and then start wandering through the aisles without any real plan. Time is so precious and by aimlessly walking around you’re losing opportunities.

Being prepared at any trade show or industry event is imperative, so map it out and don’t leave anything to chance.”

To get more out of your SEMA, take a few classes and learn things you can take back to your business. “We have top companies that have partnered with us on these classes,” Macillvray said. “We’ve got some of the world’s top experts on things like marketing, technology and management. Everything taught at SEMA is created with two words in mind—useful and relevant.”
If you’re looking for cutting-edge products and equipment that can help your shop and make your life a little easier, SEMA is the place to be. “This show is always about unveiling new technology and we’re proud to lead the way,” Macillvray said. “Our New Product Showcase is always a huge attraction and a great place to get an overview of what’s new. Many products that have won awards at past SEMA shows are now used by body shops all over the world and the first time anyone saw them was here at SEMA.”

SEMA has two ways to help you as you navigate through the show—by calling on their popular Pocket Guide, available almost anywhere at SEMA, as well as by using their 2014 SEMA app, available for free at any Apple Store or online, sponsored by Showcase.

“We have been fine-tuning our app over the years by listening to our customers and we believe it’s state-of-the-art,” Macillvray said. “It contains some planning tools that can really help you to get more out of the show while also allowing you to stay in the loop about the show year-round. Lots of people walk around with the app open on their iPads and iPhones and refer to it during the entire show. We want to offer every tool we have available to us to help you, and that’s why we’re heavily involved in social media. You can like us on Facebook, connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. We have the largest social media following of any automotive show in the world.”

Bonding Solutions recently announced that that they will be exhibiting their products at the 2015 SEMA Show, held Nov. 3-6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Company Technical Sales Manager Jeff Miller is excited to be a part the largest automotive specialty products trade event in the world.

Bonding Solutions provides innovative, high performance products for the collision repair industry in North America, including the Like90 Automotive Product line, consisting of easy-to-use products for body shops, particle control, spray masking and inhibiting corrosion that help to increase cycle times in the auto repair industry. The company also distributes the PLIOGRIP Adhesive System by Valvoline–a complete body repair and bonding system specifically engineered for the body shop to provide better workability, reduced repair times and superior structural strength.

There has been a huge amount of positive feedback from Bonding Solutions’ products and their new PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery Program has also gained significant traction since being unveiled in June 2015. Available as an app, this program enables body techs to report exact numbers when it comes to their adhesive usage on every repair, so that they can get reimbursed from the insurance companies.

“SEMA draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place and attracts more than 100,000 industry leaders from more than 100 countries and that’s why we need to be there”, Miller said.  “Last year’s SEMA Show drew more than 60,000 domestic and international buyers and that’s why Bonding Solutions is pleased to be a part of this world-class automotive trade show again this year.”

Things are going very well for this exciting company and that’s why Miller is anxious to continue the journey at SEMA. “We’re currently garnering positive reviews and the products are selling briskly, so we would like to continue this momentum,” he said. “SEMA is the ideal setting for new, innovative products and we believe that our new PLIOGRIP Material Cost Recovery System is one of those. We’ll be on-hand to demonstrate the app and show you how it can save you literally thousands of dollars at your shop every year by using this simple app.”

Come see Bonding Solutions at SEMA (Booth #11166) and to learn more about this company, visit their website at: www.bonding-solutions.com and we’ll see you at SEMA 2015!