Autoplan heading East!

Autoplan Group is coming to Eastern Canada! Central Canada’s foremost dealership and shop planning group is now expanding into the Atlantic region. CEO, Gordon Manock has appointed the well-known ALD Group (Segrev Equipment Sales Ltd. and MJS Holdings Ltd.) to represent Autoplan, and promote their unique services in this region.





Autoplan can supply complete planning for new or upgraded facilities which maximize space utilization, efficiency, utility, and, profit. They work with local architects, engineers and planners, or, can provide in-house engineering personnel qualified to produce intricately detailed plans and drawings tailored for automotive application.

In addition to building and facility design they offer plans and training to revise traffic flow, employee utilization, customer reception, and profitability. Autoplan designs buildings and facilities in response to the needs, preferences, and future plans of the owner, thereby ensuring maximum efficiency and adaptability. Although Autoplan does not function as an equipment supplier, they can supply and facilitate installation of certain specialized dealer amenities such as Carbon Monoxide Extraction systems, materials dispensing systems, waste extraction systems, integrated high pressure wash systems, compressed air supply, and lot lighting.

They also may recommend, but not supply, other equipment. Mr. Manock can supply a long list of dealerships, handling all makes, in the Ontario region, and elsewhere, who have utilized Autoplan’s services to their complete satisfaction. Projects range from revision and upgrading of existing dealerships to completely new and innovative facilities which maximize use of valuable prime land. He suggests interested parties call him at 1-905-331-8454, or call ALD at their toll-free number, 1-866-461-1045. Visit AutoPlan online here.

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Congrats Chris Leslie!

Segrev Equipment Sales Ltd. (ALD group), agents for Hennessy Industries Canada Ltd., are pleased to announce the successful graduation of Chris Leslie from the intensive Ammco brake lathe service course held in LaVergne, Tennessee. He passed with flying colours. This completes Chris’s training on Hennessy products.

He is fully qualified to service and train on Coats tire changers, Coats wheel balancers, Ammco wheel alignment machines and Ammco brake lathes. Previously, Chris was involved in the computer and electronics field which is the preferred background for Hennessy technicians. He will function as service manager for Eastern Canada, personally covering Nova Scotia/PEI, and responsible for New Brunswick where actual service is performed by ALD affiliate, Maritime Tool Repair (Louis Gallant).

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Choose a vehicle lift with safety in mind

Rotary offers tips for selecting the right lifts

A vehicle lift is the centerpiece of most service and repair bays. As an integral part of vehicle maintenance and repair tasks, it is used more times every day than just about any other piece of shop equipment. There is a general perception that all lifts are pretty much the same, differentiated only by price. This can be a dangerous mindset.

“Unlike other shop equipment, if a lift fails, a technician can be seriously injured,” says Gary Kennon, chairman of the board of the Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) and president of lift manufacturer Rotary. “It is imperative that shop owners, managers and dealer principals consider a number of factors including safety when deciding which lifts to buy.” With a foremost focus on safety, Rotary offers the following four tips for choosing vehicle lifts.





1. Look for the gold “ALI Certified/Validated by ETL” label. This label indicates that the lift has been tested and certified to meet ANSI/ALI ALCTV-1998 safety standards. Only lifts that have passed testing by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), can display this label. Without ALI certification, buyers have no third-party assurances that a lift meets accepted industry safety standards. Note that certification is for an individual model of lift, not the lift manufacturer. If a manufacturer has one ALI-certified lift, that does not mean that all of its lifts are certified.

2. Physically inspect the lift you’re considering. Look at the quality of construction. Do the welds appear thick and uniform? Are the steel components clean or are they covered with weld splatter? Do the inner arms fit snugly in the outer arms? Check for safety systems, including mechanical safety locks, arm restraints where fine adjustment is possible and a spotting dish (for frame-engaging lifts) to ensure that the vehicle is positioned properly.

3. Consider the manufacturer and its manufacturing/testing processes. How much experience does the company have engineering and building vehicle lifts? What is its reputation? Was the lift built in North America or offshore? If it was built offshore, who designed it? Ask if each lift is individually tested to meet ALI safety standards before it is shipped to the customer. Are factory-trained installers and technicians available, or are you on your own for installation and maintenance? Are the operating instructions that come with the lift clear and easy to understand? Does the manufacturer stand behind its lifts with a strong warranty? How much liability insurance does the manufacturer carry? Is the manufacturer certified to ISO 9001 quality standards?

4. Remember that you get what you pay for. If a lift seems unusually inexpensive, ask why other lifts cost more. Like with any tool or piece of equipment, a cheap lift will generally cost more in the long run because of excessive downtime and repair costs. Ask where replacement parts will come from, how quickly they’ll arrive and who will install them. Ask what is included in the price: accessories, shipping, professional installation? What does the manufacturer do to ensure product quality and consistency? How is the lift packaged for shipping? Once a lift is installed, technicians also have responsibility for their own safety. Careless vehicle spotting and lift operation can lead to dangerous situations even when using ALI-certified lifts. ALI offers a variety of lift safety materials, including the following advice. Visit the organization’s Web site here for more.

For more information about any Rotary Lift products or services, contact your local Rotary distributor, call Rotary at (800) 640-5438 or visit Rotary Lift Online.

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New tire changer

Hennessy Industries Canada are proud to announce the introduction of the model APX90 tire changer. Considered by many in the industry to be the ultimate product of its kind, this automated tire changer handles wheel diameters ranging from 9” up to an incredible 32” and rim widths to 16”. At 1500lb, it delivers the three most important tire changing criteria in spades, Capacity, Productivity, and Protection.

An integrated wheel lift places today’s heavy tire/wheel assemblies on the turntable, thereby greatly reducing damage to expensive rims or injury to technicians. Powered horizontal rollers allow easy bead and rim lubrication, loosen top tire beads, and greatly assist in mounting runflat, and super low profile tires. At the same time they eliminate the need to use tire tools on the lower bead. The immense available torque, along with the patented RoboArm® and RoboRoller® allow handling of Michelin Pax and similar tires, with ease. Visit Ammco/Coats here to obtain much more information or phone, toll-free, 1-866-461-1045. Represented in Eastern Canada by ALD group (Segrev Sales Div)

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CARSTAR expands in Nova Scotia

CARSTAR Automotive Canada is pleased to welcome MacKay’s CARSTAR Collision to its network of collision repair centres. The new location, which opened in August, joins a network of over 110 CARSTAR locations in 10 provinces across the country, dedicated to providing the highest quality service and customer care in the collision industry.

Franchise owner Tim MacKay, who has been operating a successful collision repair business in the Sackville N.S. area for more than nine years, purchased and completely renovated a 5,000 square foot facility to house the new location. “I chose CARSTAR because I wanted to be part of a recognizable, trusted brand,” said MacKay. “This partnership is a great opportunity for me to continue to grow my business, and in particular, to improve my relations with insurance partners. I’m very pleased to be able to offer my customers the many benefits that CARSTAR provides, including their Lifetime Nationwide Warranty.”





MacKay’s CARSTAR Collision joins 13 other CARSTAR locations serving Atlantic Canada, including seven in Nova Scotia, three in New Brunswick, two in Prince Edward Island and one in Newfoundland. “We are very excited to welcome Tim to the CARSTAR network,” said Dave Meery, Atlantic Region Market Development Manager, CARSTAR Automotive Canada. “We seek out franchisees who share in our vision for providing the highest standards for customer service and care, and who are active and contributing members of the communities in which they operate. It’s clear to us that Tim shares these values and we look forward to working with him to bring consumers in Sackville the quality and consistency CARSTAR is known for.”

CARSTAR customers benefit from a number of advantages including comprehensive claims insurance, collision financing, rental car assistance, AIR MILES® Reward Miles, 1-800-CARSTAR - a 24-hour accident assistance and towing service and a Lifetime Nationwide Warranty. CARSTAR is proud to partner with the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CCFF) on campaigns such as the sale of FrightLites®, non-toxic glow sticks which make children more visible during Halloween, and the CARSTAR “Soaps It Up” for Cystic Fibrosis National Car Wash Day which raises money for the CCFF and other local fundraising groups. Through these campaigns and other fundraising initiatives CARSTAR has raised over $1 million for cystic fibrosis research and treatment since 1999.

About CARSTAR Automotive Canada  
With over 300 locations across North America, CARSTAR is the leader in the automotive collision repair industry. Founded in Hamilton, Ontario, CARSTAR Automotive Canada has grown from eight to over 110 locations in 10 provinces across the country, in just 10 years. CARSTAR repairs approximately 1 in 20 vehicles in Canada – 6,000 vehicles per month – with high rates of customer satisfaction.

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Canadian autobody industry embraces delicate surgery

The Canadian collision repair industry is undergoing a renaissance, in part to help promote the trade as a rewarding and viable career destination for people with a passion for automobiles and technology.

“It’s delicate surgery now,” says Zach Brull, market development manager with CARSTAR Automotive Canada, a major franchise operator of autobody shops. “Newer technology has allowed the job to become cleaner and safer,” Brull says. “We’ve adopted a more business-like model with contracts, good lighting and clean workplaces.” If the renovated autobody labs at Toronto’s Centennial College are any indication, the industry has made a wholesale leap into the 21st century.

The labs recently benefited from a $1-million upgrade thanks to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, and the generosity of such industry leaders of PPG Canada, Car-O-Liner, Lincoln Electric, Snap-On and 3M Canada. Centennial’s autobody students can now make use of their own welding lab, a Saima downdraft spray booth, a PPG Canada paint mix system, a Car-O-Liner frame machine, spot welder and computerized measuring system.





The first-class installation attempts to replicate the contemporary collision-repair centres the industry is investing in today, according to Lee Smith, director of Refinish Canada. Students of Dr. G.W. Williams Secondary School in Aurora took home a Lexus ES300 donated by Toyota Canada - the winning prize for the school that brought the most participants.

The school will use the sedan as an instruction tool in its own shop, along with software from Mitchell International. Industry support for schools has grown in recent years as employers come to terms with a looming skilled-trades shortage. “The autobody workforce is getting older; they’re retiring in greater numbers,” Brull says. “A lot of people don’t see it as a viable career option, but it is. A skilled car painter can make $100,000 a year with bonuses.”

Brull says the popularity of such television series as American Chopper has piqued the interest of young people for the autobody field, but he notes the allure of computer jobs still prevails. “Guidance counsellors don’t say it’s top of mind for them, but it is a skilled trade. I prefer to think of autobody people as modern artisans,” Brull says.