I-CAR, SCRS and other industry groups to take Collision Repair and Refinish Stage at SEMA

The Collision Repair and Refinish Stage (#32145), located in the Upper South Hall, will host a full schedule of sessions on Tuesday, Nov. 4, through Friday, Nov. 7, at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. 

Presentations will include multiple sessions from the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) and I-CAR, with a kickoff on Tuesday at 10 a.m. hosted by SCRS board members Kena Dacus, Michael Bradshaw, and Kris Burton, I-CAR’s Scott VanHulle, and SEMA’s Luis Morales. 

Sessions will range from panel discussions to interviews and will include speakers from across the industry, including representatives from multiple OEMs, suppliers, and collision centers. 

Andrew Batenhorst, SCRS Education Committee Chair, said the SEMA stage is a relaxed atmosphere where subjects that are sometimes missed are talked about. 

“We have eight sessions total that SCRS is doing, and the education committee works very hard on trying to find new topics each year that are specific to things that have emerged in the last 12 months,” Batenhorst said. “We’re covering everything from personnel and equipment, auditing and OEM certifications, different stuff that maybe is easily overlooked.” 

The audience will hear this information from shop owners, managers, and other industry experts, he said. 

Batenhorst said the all-female panel, “SCRS/Women in Collision,” is one of interest this year. 

“It’s perspectives from newcomers and veterans, and it’ll be really good because I think there’s some students that are participating all the way up to legends,” Batenhorst said. “You’ll get the whole spread of a perspective from what women have to deal with because this is a male-dominated industry and there’s a lot of benefit to understanding what women’s perspectives are in the field.” 

Other businesses and organizations included in the sessions are: DEG, Solera Qapter, KECO, Akzo Nobel, Volvo, Chief, Midtronics, Stellantis, Autel, Spanesi, SATA, BASF, CCC, Pro Spot, DEKRA, Wrench Way, Gustafson Brothers, BeTag, JDM Collision, ALLDATA, Lucid, Hunter Engineering, Car Rep, Goliath Carts, CMMS Radio, Polyvance, Ford, 3M, Car-O-Liner, Collision Advice, SATA, and Pro-Stat. 

Panels will start at 10 a.m. each day, with the last panels beginning at 4:05 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday and 3:10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. 

For a full list of the panels and discussions, visit here. Those who cannot attend the show can watch the presentations on demand. Links to the videos will be uploaded next to each presentation on the schedule. 

Batenhorst recommended SEMA Show attendees check the schedule, update their calendars, and set reminders on their phones for sessions they want to attend. He said the show can be overwhelming and easy to lose track of events if not scheduled.

Images

SEMA Show Collision Repair and Refinish Stage (Reader submitted)