Bodywork industry, Headline, Isabelle Havasy
ADAPTATION AND EXPERTISE: THE PILLARS OF A CONSTANTLY EVOLVING INDUSTRY
(Article published in L’AUTOMOBILE Collision magazine, February 2024)
By Isabelle Havasy
In the dynamic collision repair sector, two men stand out for their track record and expertise. Employed by the Groupement des assureurs automobiles (GAA), Daniel Rodrigue and Denis Janelle draw on their extensive experience in the collision industry to drive forward the issues that are essential to its survival.
Responsible for automotive damage appraisals, Daniel Rodrigue notes that the transformation of the sector, which began in 2015 with the arrival of integrated technologies and new materials, has accelerated over the past five years. He adds that training, fundamental to the industry’s vitality, is currently the main challenge. “The mandate of our division [within GAA] is to qualify appraisers and train them. We work to show them appraising basics and make sure they take relevant automotive technology training.” The program offered by the GAA provides appraisers with the essential knowledge to work with the various software used in the workshop, as well as to master the inspection techniques required to write an estimate.
A mentor to his peers, Denis Janelle plays a pivotal role in supporting insurers, appraisers, repairers and consumers. He also participates in the development of the standards, guidelines and procedures that form part of the appraisal guides.
The Paint Allowance Returns
Missing from the register since 2019, the “paint table” made a comeback earlier this year in the form of a paint allowance. “Setting up the guide for the new paint allowance was spread over the year 2023 and demanded more than 2,000 hours of work,” explains Mr. Janelle, supervisor of this reform. Product accumulation, quantity calculations and paint and varnish application times were analyzed on a sample of 25 vehicles and SUVs divided into eight categories. This meticulous process established precise standards for determining, “the required number of ounces of paint per square inch.” To keep pace with current prices, GAA has committed to updating the data twice a year.
With its paint allowance file solidly anchored, the GAA enters 2024 with new projects: the revision of the allowance for hazardous waste disposal, the finalization of certain elements concerning paint, and various issues related to heavy vehicles.
TEXTBOX: The GAA would like to thank the members of its technical subcommittee on appraisal for their invaluable contribution, in particular the four qualified repair members: Michel Belley, from CarrXpert, Rémi Michaud, from CARSTAR, Mathieu Simard, from Réseau Fix Auto and Tony Cutrone, owner of Carrosserie Euro. Their participation is essential to the advancement and realization of all GAA projects.
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