IAG WELCOMES TOYOTA announcement regarding spot welding

Insurance Australia Group (IAG) has congratulated Toyota Australia (Toyota) on its decision that spot welding, is now acceptable for minor welded panel replacements in the Australian smash repair market.

Previously, due to differences in spot welders used for vehicle production and those available to the repair trade, MIG welding was mandated for the replacement of welded minor panels. The availability of the latest spot welding equipment means that repairers can save time and money without compromising quality and safety.

Head of the IAG Research Centre, Robert McDonald, said IAG was proud to have worked closely with Toyota to review the welding practice and policy in the Australian market.

” It’s an enormous benefit to repairers that will enable motorists to get back on the road quickly and safely with a quality repair that replicates the process originally used to build the car”  McDonald said.

“What the testing and research has shown is that spot welding can avoid unnecessary rectifications and potentially poor aesthetics which can be caused by the MIG weld.

“There is no doubt the shift to spot welding for these types of repairs will save costs for repairers and deliver a better outcome for customers. Replicating the manufacturing process with the most up to date equipment produces safe, high quality repairs, and ultimately benefits the industry and motorists.”

McDonald said the decision by Toyota could potentially be replicated across other manufacturers where variations exist from the original welding method used to build the car.

“IAG continues to look for ways to work closely with manufacturers and repairers to develop the right solutions for repairing vehicles in an age of rapidly evolving technology”, he said.

“This is a great example of manufacturers and insurers working together to uphold the integrity of manufacturer repair methods while at the same time collaborating on areas of those repair methods which can be improved.”

 

I-CAR ANNOUNCES FIRST GOLD CLASS REPAIR SHOP IN REGIONAL VICTORIA

Project1_Layout 1I-CAR Australia CEO Mark Czvitkovits has announced that Kings Panels in the regional town of Bendigo, Victoria has been awarded the prestigious I-CAR Gold Class Collision status.

Czvitkovits explained “Justin and the team at Kings Panels have undergone continuous training to finally achieve Gold Class recognition. They are the first business in regional Victoria to receive this award. Their commitment to better understanding the technology advances within modern vehicles places them at the forefront of delivering safe and complete repairs”.

Justin King, owner and manager, said “I am just so excited about achieving I-CAR Gold Class Status”. The team and I have worked exceptionally hard to get to where we are today. Staff remains highly committed to ongoing training and we are thrilled to be providing Bendigo with the highest quality workmanship, whilst keeping up to date with the latest in Industry standards. We are also pleased to be providing our customers with the confidence of having staff trained at the highest level working on their vehicles.

“The commitment by another regional repairer to invest in their staff will provide significant benefits to their customer base and will help ensure the recognition that Kings Panels so richly deserves.” Czvitkovits said.

For more information on the I-CAR Gold Class Collision status please visit:

http://www.i-car.com.au/training/gold-class-collision.html

 

I-CAR ANNOUNCES GOLD CLASS FOR McCARTHY PANEL & PAINT

Mark Czvitkovits
Mark Czvitkovits

I-CAR Australia CEO Mark Czvitkovits has announced that McCarthy Panel and Paint in Perth, Western Australia, has been awarded the first prestigious I-CAR Gold Class Collision Repair status in the state.  Czvitkovits commented that the accreditation of Gold Class Collision Repairer adds to the exceptional standards set by McCarthy Panel and Paint and emphasises the commitment to its staff, customers and the collision repair industry in Perth.

Allan McCarthy said “We are proud of all our staff who have embraced what I-CAR training is about and understand that to be a professional Body Repair/Paint technician you must be up with the latest processes and procedures, they need to be I-CAR trained and accredited. This is something to be proud of and say that they are I-CAR Platinum Individual accredited technicians.”

“We have invested heavily in time and money with I-CAR and believe the investment is imperative to be successful and survive in the continually changing Collision Repair industry. We believe I-CAR training is an imperative tool going forward. We are also very proud to be the first Collision Repair facility in Western Australia to become Gold Class Collision accredited” added McCarthy.

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Together with training provided through the I-CAR Industry Training alliance program, the BASF specific training provided has been recognised by I-CAR Australia.

“The commitment to the training program shown by McCarthy Panel and Paint highlights the importance of continuous ongoing training at all levels, to meet the demands of professional development and ongoing technology advancements to deliver complete, safe and quality repairs to the ultimate benefit of the consumer” explained  Czvitkovits.

For more information on the I-CAR Gold Class Collision status please visit:

http://www.i-car.com.au/training/gold-class-collision.html