Ken Volland, who owns Ken’s Gas and Auto Repair in Ellensburg, WA, is closing the business at the end of September. He has owned the business for 28 years. During the shop’s heyday, Volland had four employees in addition to himself. Earlier this year, he had to lay off a technician who had worked at the shop for 27 years. The wear and tear of being a technician has taken its toll on Volland as he has back and joint pain in addition to having lost 20 percent of the use of his hands.
Among the 30 education sessions scheduled for the Learning Forum at the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), seven have been designed specifically for parts store and repair shop attendees. All AAPEX education sessions are free-of-charge to everyone and will be held Tuesday, Nov. 2 through Thursday, Nov. 4 in Marco Polo Rooms 701-706 on the Venetian/Palazzo Congress Center Level 1 in the Venetian Hotel.
As the centerpiece of the service bay, lifts are critical to the productivity and profitability of any automotive repair shop. A lift that’s properly matched to the job at hand will let technicians work more efficiently, for greater profitability. If the lift is well-made, it will provide enhanced productivity for years to come.
You have thought about it long and hard and decided it may be time to open a second shop. Here are some things to consider: 97% of all new businesses fail within the first five years. There are two primary reasons that these businesses fail: Under Capitalization and Poor Management.
When Bob Archer opened the doors to Bob’s Wheel Alignment in Charlottesville, VA, almost 30 years ago, he had one technician and one front-office secretary. Today, the shop employs 21 people and has grown to more than 17,000 square feet. What’s made Bob’s so successful all these years? “Service, service, service,” he says.
Bosch’s Jim Graninger brings to automotive service more than 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, including over 20 years in the aftermarket arena. Before joining Bosch, he was Vice President and General Manager of Rexnord Industries, LLC, and prior to that, served in several vice president level roles with Snap-on, Inc., including their diagnostics business. Jim’s successful career includes international assignments in Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands as well as international responsibilities for Asia, Australia and Latin America.