Two days of presentations, industry updates, networking opportunities, and special guests bring the industry together.
Photos and text by Burhan Osman
Cover photo: ARA’s President and CEO Adrian Scovell with students and their automotive technology teacher, Manpreet Grewal, from Frank Hurt Secondary School (Surrrey).
On June 10-11, the Automotive Retailers Association (ARA) held its inaugural Collision and Glass Trade Show at the Sheraton Guildford Hotel in Surrey, British Columbia. With all the adversity and setbacks that the industry has faced over the last few years of the pandemic, it was important for the ARA to provide a forum for members of the glass and collision sectors to meet, connect, learn about the latest in tools and products, and stay up-to-date on the latest information.
On the opening day of the event a variety of speakers from industry shared their insights and knowledge with attendees. Keynote speaker Jeff Wildman of BASF kicked-off the event and touched on topics such as how DRPs (direct repair programs) are pushing back (and how to navigate that), as well as emerging trends in OEM programs that industry should be aware of. We were fortunate to hear from a number of esteemed organizations including AutoHouse Technologies, Simplicity Car Care, eDirectGlass, ASTech, Craftsman Collision, WorkSafeBC, and many more.
The evening continued with a cocktail hour for attendees to network and catch up, followed by dinner. The Pedal Car Challenge presentation concluded the night, as guests and attendees were given the opportunity to see and be inspired by the hard work and skill demonstrated by students across British Columbia. Students from Surrey’s Frank Hurt Secondary School, along with their instructor, were available to present their pedal car, and they spoke about the impact that taking part in this challenge has had on their career goals.
Overall, the Pedal Car Challenge provided students with the opportunity to engage and interact with the automotive industry, learn new skills, and identify tangible career paths in the industry. The pedal cars will be available for auction at the ARA’s 70th Anniversary Celebration and AGM this fall. The ARA would like to thank BASF, Color Compass, and Craftsman Collision for their support and sponsorship of this amazing project.
On day two of the event, guests attended the auto glass and collision repair division AGMs, followed by a discussion with ARA President and CEO Adrian Scovell. The event closed with two keynote addresses: one by Bob Beranek, a well-known figure in the auto glass industry, and one by Jeff Wildman, the North American manager of OEM and industry relations for BASF Automotive Refinish Coatings.
The trade show’s theme and message was Industry is evolving, evolve with it. The ARA is committed to providing its members, vendors, and guests with engaging and informative events that help industry do just that. We would like to thank our keynote speakers for taking the time to add incredible value to this event, as well as all of our sponsors, vendors, and attendees. We hope to see you all in Whistler for our 70th Anniversary Celebration event! (Click here for more information and to register.)