BETHESDA, Md. – The Paint, Body & Equipment Specialists (PBES), a segment of the Auto Care Association, is hosting a complimentary webinar at 2 p.m. EDT on May 21 on the effects of aluminum on the collision repair process. The webinar will be presented by Erik Spitznagel, CEO, Dent Fix Equipment.
 
“More than ever, automotive manufacturers are using lightweight materials to improve fuel economy, turning to aluminum to create these lighter components. Lighter materials can result in better mileage, smaller engines moving less mass and greater acceleration,” said Spitznagel. “U.S. government initiatives have accelerated the weight loss of production vehicles by mandating the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards of 54.5 miles per gallon (MPG) by 2025. Companies realize it makes economic sense to utilize the lightweight material to achieve better MPG.”
 
Spitznagel will provide a brief review of what is occurring within the industry and describe the benefits and negatives of aluminum usage. He also will outline the repair procedures, shop requirements and education necessary to understand aluminum repair.
 
Attendees will learn:
* How aluminum usage is bringing change to the collision repair process;
* The correlation between OEM production, distribution and the repair procedures that collision shops will have to adhere to in order to bring the vehicle back to OE standards; and
* What jobbers and distributors can do to support and educate their customers.
 
There is no fee to attend, but advance registration is required for the webinar at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3930847885942967809. For more information, contact the Auto Care Association education department at 301-654-6664.
 
For more information about the PBES segment of the Auto Care Association, visit http://www.autocare.org/Who-We-Are/Segments/PBES/paint,-body—equipment-specialists.html