BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. - Independent shops, mechanical and collision, represented by the Car Care Professionals Network (CCPN) will continue a dialogue with aftermarket manufacturers begun at the recent Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) Vision Conference. The two groups will meet again at a special repair shop/manufacturer forum hosted by the CCPN during the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) Spring Leadership Days, April 9-11, in Bonita Springs, Fla.
Kathleen Schmatz, AAIA president and CEO, said the meeting would provide productive grounds for talks between repairers and manufacturers. “Combine AAIA’s more than 1,000 manufacturers that make up the largest percentage of our total membership, with CCPN’s 20,000 independent vehicle repair businesses members, and you have a powerful synergy that can tackle real issues that will benefit the entire industry. This is precisely why AAIA created a place at the aftermarket table for CCPN,” Schmatz said.
CCPN members have held talks with members of the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA) during past AAIA Leadership Days. CCPN plans to increase its role in training, education and networking at this year’s AAPEX and is considering hosting regional symposiums for independent repairers.
Representing CCPN at the AASA Vision Conference were:
Mitch Schneider, Schneider’s Automotive, Simi Valley, Calif.
Vic Tarasik, Vic’s Precision Automotive, The Woodlands, Texas
Jeff Walter, Zimmerman’s Automotive, Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Mick Cipolla, Courteous Car Care, Largo, Fla.
Issues discussed included: the importance of brand; hard parts quality; performance; availability; country of origin; warranties and returns; and training and education.
Topics to be discussed at AAIA Spring Leadership Days include: shrinking margins; information accessibility; telematics; support for education and training; super warranties; and environmental regulations.
For more information on CCPN, visit www.carcarepros.org.
