Bodywork, Headline, Isabelle Havasy
NAVIGATING THE COLLISION INDUSTRY’S CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH CCIF AND AIA CANADA
(Article published in L’Automobile Collision magazine, December 2023)
By Isabelle Havasy
Stuart Klein’s career is deeply rooted in the Canadian collision industry. Now Vice President of Collision Programs for the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada), he began his journey as a collision technician, before transitioning into the insurance sector.
When working at State Farm Insurance as an appraiser, where he assessed damage and facilitated claims settlement, Klein’s path crossed with Steve Leal, now the president of Fix Network who later recruited him to assist with Fix Network’s development of its operations team. As the company grew, so did Klein’s areas of expertise. “When they opened a training facility in Milton, Ontario, they put me in charge of running it. On top of being a certified welding instructor, I’ve been working closely with I-CAR since around 2005. That’s what I was doing before I came to AIA Canada.”
Klein’s Role at CCIF
One of the offerings on the collision side at AIA Canada, is the Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF) which serves as a forum for industry stakeholders to discuss and share industry trends and challenges related to profitability, human resources, and vehicle technology. “My involvement with CCIF is to guide the strategic aims and future planning of the program and to work with the program’s steering committee to ensure its events succeed, as well as overseeing the employee responsible for managing operations,” explains Klein.
Mr. Klein’s primary responsibility within his position at AIA Canada is to make sure that “I-CAR is delivered in a way that suits the trade.” His role consists in guidance with a view to strategic and future planning. “We’ll look at the big picture, to know where we’re going, and what we need to adapt or to change.”
Key Challenges
When asked about the difficulties facing the collision industry, Klein identified several key issues. The rapid advancement of vehicle technology poses a significant challenge, as body shops must invest in training and equipment to keep pace with technological evolution. Shrinking profit margins and the complexity of attracting and retaining qualified technicians and new talent add to the list.
The solutions to these challenges are grassroots efforts within the sector, believes Klein. While government support can streamline apprenticeship programs, it’s primarily the responsibility of industry stakeholders to address these issues at the local level. He sees opportunity in challenges, particularly in the realm of EVs and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), urging industry players to embrace these challenges as opportunities to lead and thrive.
Environmental Sustainability
Recent CCIF conferences have featured initiatives aimed at exciting young people about the trade, enlightening discussions on calibration systems, and a growing focus on “sustainability around carbon footprint and how everyone can contribute to a positive outcome while actually improving the bottom line.” Environmental sustainability could become a significant factor for consumers when choosing a collision centre in the future, concludes Klein, emphasizing that each generation is more environmentally conscious. The industry must adapt to meet these evolving expectations and recognize the opportunities within the challenges it faces.
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