ABC Companies held its 9th Annual Collision Workshop in March at its Winter Garden, Fla., facility. This annual workshop draws a large number of industry experts from across the United States. Attendees included insurance claim adjusters and executives from national insurance companies such as Lancer, National Interstate and Nationwide along with other independent insurance and appraisal companies. Associates in the National Truck and Heavy Equipment Claims Council, of which ABC is a member, were also in attendance. Comprised primarily of insurance claims adjusters who specialize in heavy equipment damage claims, the NTHECC is a long-time supporter of this ABC event. Operations managers and collision specialists from all five ABC Companies’ facilities facilitate the workshops.

Jon Savitz, regional vice president/general manager of ABC’s Southeastern region remarked, “The large turnout of insurance and motorcoach heavyweights speaks volumes to the importance our industry and ABC places on safety advancements, repair techniques and loss control. I congratulate Gus D’Andrea and our national collision repair team for keeping the workshop up-to-date and meaningful year after year.”

Topics at this year’s workshop focused on the new product updates and safety features in the design and engineering of these new products. Included in this year’s workshops were demonstrations of the frame pulling equipment located in the Florida facility, along with presentations on repair techniques and loss control and prevention. Guest speakers are chosen each year to highlight topics that are relative to current industry issues. Representatives from Daecher Consulting Group and Saucon Technologies were this year’s guest speakers and presented topics on fire reconstruction and vehicle monitoring and tracking systems.

Greg Dotseth, operations manager, for ABC’s Midwest region, remarked, “ABC is committed to making this workshop as beneficial and informative as possible. We try and focus on topics and workshop sessions that can provide key information to help in the estimating process. We are very proud of this workshop and pleased we can host it as a service to these professionals.”

Joe Labrozzi, a senior physical damage specialist with National Interstate has attended all nine of the workshops. “I always end the day having gained some new insights and information – not only from the workshop and sessions, but from the excellent networking opportunity the workshop provides.”