ASRW Continues Rotation; 2012 Location Announced

In a continuing effort to respond to consistent participant feedback, Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) is pleased to announce its 2012 event – featuring the milestone 30th annual NACE event – will take place Oct. 11-13 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA. The 2012 event will again follow a Thursday-Saturday day pattern, with education beginning Wednesday, Oct. 10.

"Almost a year ago, we put the attendees and exhibitors in charge of key decisions about the future of ASRW, including where and when the event takes place," said Ron Pyle, ASA president. "After multiple surveys among both attendees and exhibitors, the results were clear: our audience wants this event in New Orleans, and we’re pleased to make it happen."

Based on attendance trends leading up to the 2011 event, the move to New Orleans is expected to draw a significant population of new attendees, as a new region of the United States has access to this international event.

Representatives from New Orleans will be onsite in Orlando to formally open housing, assist attendees with reserving hotel rooms and answer questions about the city.

NACE was last held in New Orleans in 1995; CARS in the late 1980s.

About the Events
ASRW includes the International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair & Service (CARS), which makes it the industry’s leading event for dedicated professionals to conduct business, network and engage in industry issues. The Tradeshow News Network (TSNN) recognized ASRW as a 2010 Top 250 U.S. trade show. ASRW 2011 is scheduled for Oct. 5-8 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. Attendee registration is now open and features a $25 Expo Pass and $355 all-access Super Pass. Online housing registration is also open, and provides a variety of hotel options within the vicinity of the Orange County Convention Center.

NACE – the world’s collision repair event – represents the only B2B event of its kind specifically designed for collision repair industry professionals from around the globe. NACE features a comprehensive educational Conference and Exposition with hundreds of diverse exhibiting companies displaying the latest equipment, products, services and technology available to today’s collision repair industry.

CARS – the premier event for automotive service professionals – features a high-quality education lineup led by industry leaders, along with an exhibitor showcase of automotive service and repair related equipment, products and services.

For additional information, contact Hanley Wood Exhibitions at P.O. Box 612128, Dallas, Texas 75261-2128, call (888) 529-1641 or (972) 536-6444, or visit www.ASRWevents.com.

When Your Shop Is Worth Much More Than You Thought

Although every sale of a shop in which I am involved has its own unique set of circumstances, which makes my job both very interesting and very challenging, Cowden Automotive stands out as particularly memorable because I was able to demonstrate to the long-time owner, Paul Cowden, that his business was worth about three times what he had initially thought.

Case Study: Owner of San Francisco-based Import Service Shop Delighted to Discover Just How Valuable His Business is to Qualified Buyers
I sometimes share case studies of the clients I have been able to assist in my role as an aftermarket business broker and provider of intermediary and advisory services. I do that when I think the story will provide a reader in similar circumstances with new insights or helpful information.
In the case of Cowden Automotive, Inc., I acted in a consulting capacity assisting the owner and his broker in valuing the business, creating a marketing plan, finding a qualified buyer, and arranging financing for the sale.
Although every sale of a shop in which I am involved has its own unique set of circumstances, which makes my job both very interesting and very challenging, Cowden Automotive stands out as particularly memorable because I was able to demonstrate to the long-time owner, Paul Cowden, that his business was worth about three times what he had initially thought.
Needless to say, delivering that kind of good news to a shop owner is a rewarding experience. Discovering that the sale of his business would result in his retirement nest-egg being substantially larger than he had ever thought was a fitting tribute to someone who had spent his entire working career as a busy automotive service shop owner.

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