DALLAS, Texas — Organizers for the upcoming International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair & Service (CARS) say they are set to deliver comprehensive education and training by industry experts. These industry events, taking place Nevada, Nov. 5-8, are co-located at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Together, NACE and CARS represent the cornerstone of the recently created Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) and are sponsored by the Automotive Service Association (ASA).
“Much emphasis has been placed on speaker selection and session content in the development of the 2008 program,” said Ellen Pipkin, Hanley Wood Exhibitions’ show manager of NACE and CARS. “Providing topics that address the daily challenges faced by collision and mechanical professionals is the primary objective. There really is no better place to get this education than NACE and CARS. It is our hope to equip conference participants with the skills and techniques that will help them to advance their businesses to the next level.”
NACE will offer more than 55 sessions with topics and speakers delivering cutting-edge education in six specific tracks: Auto Glass, Estimating, Jobber, Management, Vehicle Repair and Women’s Professional Development. Topics include: Lean Practices, OE Color Variation, Conflict Management, “Green” Consumer Patterns, New Technologies and more.
CARS will offer more than 35 sessions with expert speakers presenting in two distinct tracks: Management and Technical. Topics include: Time Management, Low Amp Probe, DSO Diagnostics, Toyota Hybrid Transaxles, Defects & Recalls and more.
I-CAR will debut its ‘World Premier’ Hybrid Electric and Alternative Fuel Vehicles (ALT02) class at NACE, along with Steel Unitized Structures Technologies and Repair (SPS07) and Steel Full-Frame Technologies and Repair (SPS08) – each scheduled three times during the course of the conference. Additional free on-floor I-CAR clinics will be available in the I-CAR Technology Showcase during show hours.
A variety of on-floor education options are available as part of the NACE and CARS Expo Extras. The NACE show floor features on-going exhibitor presentations and live demos, as well as the Auto Glass Expo featuring auto glass companies, live demos and exciting Auto Glass Technician and Windshield Repair Olympics – technicians compete from across the US, showcasing their skills and techniques. The CARS show floor features daily exhibitor presentations and exhibitor theaters featuring comprehensive training by Identifix (Thursday), clientONE (Friday) and Bosch (Saturday). All Expo Extras are free to all NACE and CARS registrants.
Additional education and motivational value is offered during both General Sessions. Thursday morning’s Opening General Session featuring Archie Manning (sponsored by DuPont) and Friday morning’s General Session featuring Cam Marston’s presentation on Multi-Generational Relations in the work place (sponsored by Akzo Nobel).
Online registration and housing reservations can be booked at www.NACEexpo.com and www.CARSevent.com. Hanley Wood Housing will assist attendees and exhibitors with all hotel, airline and car rentals — one-stop shopping for all travel needs. Recently reduced rates are available at some of the properties included in the NACE and CARS hotel block — the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, Excalibur Hotel & Casino, New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Luxor Hotel & Casino, Monte Carlo Resort & Casino, and the all new Hooters Hotel Casino.
