DALLAS, TX — The 25th annual International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) has announced that the 2007 Conference Program will deliver a comprehensive compilation of sessions, speakers and topics – addressing the needs of today’s collision repair professional. NACE 2007 will be held Oct. 31-Nov. 3, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. The educational conference will run from Oct. 31-Nov. 3 (Wednesday-Saturday) and the exposition will take place Nov. 1-3 (Thursday-Saturday).
There will be 57 total conference sessions with tracks in auto glass, estimating, jobber, management, vehicle repair, women’s professional development (a new track for 2007) and general — including those identified as recommended sessions benefiting dealer and insurance professionals. Sessions will be offered Wednesday (Oct. 31) through Saturday (Nov. 3) in 90-minute timeslots. Out of the 57 sessions, 39 are brand new to the NACE line-up and 36 are accredited by the Automotive Management Institute.
Search online at www.NACEexpo.com for a complete listing of sessions, descriptions and speakers – search by keyword, title, track, date or speaker. Some of the conference sessions include: Estimating Today’s New Technologies; Feather, Prime and Block; Measuring Collision Center Performance; Internet Marketing – Keys to Success on the Web; The Steels of Today & Tomorrow; Advanced Alignment Diagnostics; What Do Shops Really Expect from their Paint & Materials Supplier?; Limiting Your Liability in Auto Glass Installations; Finishing in the Money with Waterborne Paints; and It’s a 3-Way Street: Understanding Your Rights & Obligations. Included in the Conference Sessions are topics being offered by Akzo Nobel, BASF and DuPont Performance Coatings.
Additionally, I-CAR will present expanded technical training with six sessions on Wednesday (Oct. 31) and three sessions on Saturday (Nov. 3). Of these nine sessions, three are brand new and are premiering at NACE 2007. PCI will again offer an updated version of their annual session, Insurance and Auto Repair: Issues 2008, for the independent insurer and repairer on Wednesday (Oct. 31).
There are also six free Early Bird Roundtables (three each on Friday and Saturday mornings) – encouraging discussion on such compelling issues as Industry Trends – Today & Beyond; Women in the Industry; Third Party Audits; and Parts Procurement. Plus — a free Auto Glass session (Friday afternoon) – How to Educate Auto Glass Technicians. The free conference offerings continue out on the show floor with the I-CAR Technology Showcase clinics, live exhibitor and auto glass demos.
To complement the conference program, NACE offers a variety of key events including Wednesday evening’s Welcome Reception – Mix/Mingle/Network! (sponsored by CCC Information Services Inc.), Thursday’s Opening General Session – featuring Chris Gardner as keynote speaker (sponsored by DuPont Performance Coatings), and Friday morning’s Panel Talk – De-Mystifying “Lean” (sponsored by Akzo Nobel).
Save up to $30 on registrations submitted prior to Aug. 23 – depending upon the package selected. Attendees can choose from Member*/Non-Member Full-Congress Packages ($285/$325), as well as Expo-Only Registration ($10 online). Register and book housing online at www.NACEexpo.com.
To exhibit at NACE 2007, call toll-free (888) 529-1641 or (972) 536-6444.
