Say goodbye to the familiar oval DuPont label! Recently acquired by The Carlyle Group, DuPont Performance Coatings will be renamed Axalta Coating Systems. The new website, AxaltaCoatingSystems.com, is currently under construction, but will most likely be completed as the DuPont brand finalizes its name change in the second quarter of 2013.
“We’re working with an outside firm on this process,” says Mike Bennett, head of marketing for Axalta’s North America business. “We’re going back to square one to understand that now that we’re no longer part of corporate DuPont, we have an opportunity to identify and focus on our core business. It’s an opportunity to start fresh with a new name and identity.”
It is important to note that all existing products, training centers and online services will continue on as before after the rebranding. “Very little else will change in terms of how material gets to our customers. It will be the same people, the same products, and the same route to market,” says Bennett.
Wondering what will happen to the large DuPont logo on the top of NASCAR superstar Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 car? NASCAR’s official website reports that the logo will be exchanged with the new name. “We may have a new name on the No. 24 Chevrolet SS in 2013, but it’s the same core group that I’ve enjoyed working with for more than 20 years,” Gordon said in a statement.
Photo courtesy of www.thetelegram.com
American Auto Body is dedicated to helping you stay safe and up-to-date on auto and transportation news. For more information about our services, call 763-424-2522 or visit us online.
According to VehicleServicePros.com “Chevy is entering the diesel car markets this summer with the cleanest diesel passenger car General Motors has ever produced.” Clean diesels generate at least 90 percent less Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) and particulate emissions when compared to previous – generation diesels.
The 2014 Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel delivers “ combinations of segment-leading features and efficiency.” GM testing so far has demonstrated “estimated best-in-segment range and 42mpg on the highway”.
“Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel fills an important role in Chevrolet’s diverse four-cylinder lineup, and is primed to win over diesel devotees and compact car buyers with its performance, torque and fuel economy,” said Perry.
With the combination of German engineering and the driving preferences of North American Consumers the 2014 Cruze is likely to do well in the diesel market.
American Auto Body is dedicated to helping you stay safe and up-to-date on auto and transportation news. For more information about our services, call 763-424-2522 or visit us online.
“Toyota announced that it will recall more than 900,000 vehicles in Canada, Japan Mexico and the United State because of an air bag problem” according to VehicleServicePros.com. 
Toyota will replace parts used in some “hatchbacks, named Volts in Japan and Corolla and Corolla Matrix overseas, produced between 2001 and 2004”. The company said that the control unit of the vehicles airbags could be damaged by minor electrical noise, and could open wrong in the worst case scenario.
Two crashes maybe linked to the recall, no deaths have been reported.
American Auto Body is dedicated to helping you stay safe and up-to-date on auto and transportation news. For more information about our services, call 763-424-2522 or visit us online.
According to Body 
Shop Business, “DuPont Performance Coatings has been purchased by The Carlyel Group and will be renamed Axalta Coating Systems”.
“We are excited to invest in Axalta Coating Systems and believe its strong market position and global footprint will enable the company to capitalize on opportunities in rapidly emerging markets such as China and Brazil,” said Martin Sumner, principal of The Carlyle Group.
Both companies are excited for the future and building on the foundation of more than 90 years in the coatings industry.
American Auto Body is dedicated to helping you stay safe and up-to-date on auto and transportation news. For more information about our services, call 763-424-2522 or visit us online.
According to VehicleServicePros.com, General Motors is recalling more than 68,000 new SUV’s, pickups and vans that could roll away after being parked.
The article goes on report that the company is recalling “2013 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Express, Silverado HD, Silverado LD, Suburban and Tahoe; and GMC Savana, Sierra HD, Sierra LD, Yukon and Yukon XL because they may not meet a federal requirement on transmission shift interlocks.” Luckily, the majority of the vehicles affected are believed not to be sold yet, and are sitting in dealer lots or in transit to dealers.
No crashes or injuries have been reported. All the vehicles being recalled were built between November and December 2012.
American Auto Body is dedicated to helping you stay safe and up-to-date on auto and transportation news. For more information about our services, call 763-424-2522 or visit us online.
According to ABRN Wire Reports, the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) along with the organization’s supporters are offering secondary and post-secondary collision students attending career or technical colleges over $300,000 in scholarships and tool grants.
Some of the scholarship and grant opportunities include:
· 3M “Hire Our Heroes” scholarship and Tool Grants for Returning Veterans and their Families
· AASP-MA Tool Grant
· ABRA Auto Body & Glass Tool Grant
· Alcoa Grant
· Collision Repair Education Foundation Scholarship
· GEICO Scholarship and Tool Grant
· The Lon Baudoux Legacy Scholarship
· PPG Scholarship
· Sherwin Williams Tool Grant
For those of you who are students at a technical or career college studying collision, or if you know a student studying collision, refer them to the CREF website for instructions on how to apply for these amazing financial opportunities. View scholarship and grant information here. Application deadlines are said to be February 15th, 2013.
American Auto Body is dedicated to helping you stay safe and up-to-date on auto and transportation news. For more information about our services, call 763-424-2522 or visit us online.
Mark your Calendars! The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced its upcoming projects for 2013 in Hennepin County.
Highway 169 and 93rd Ave North in Brooklyn Park – With plans to begin reconstruction of Hwy 169 and 93rd Ave N (aka County Highway 30) this spring, MNDOT says that this project will significantly improve safety at the intersection and help to facilitate traffic. To read the full details of this construction project, visit MNDOT’s website.
Highway 81 – The project, which began in October of 2012 and is scheduled to be completed in 2014, will realign the frontage road, Lakeland Avenue to intersect 63rd Avenue at Hampshire Avenue.
To view a full list of Minnesota road projects, click here.
American Auto Body is dedicated to helping you stay safe and up-to-date on auto and transportation news. For more information on our services, call 763-424-2522 or visit us online.
According to the article, “Subaru recalls nearly 634,000 cars and SUVs” from VehicleServicePros.com, Subaru’s mass recall is because the lights below the doors can overheat and cause fires. More specifically, “moisture can get into puddle lights beneath the doors and cause a short circuit that can melt plastic and cause fires.” The recall is expected to begin in February 2013 and Subaru says it will notify customers.
Cars and SUVs that are to be recalled are:
· Outback cars, models 2010-2011
· Legacy cars, models 2010-2011
· Tribeca SUVs, models 2006-2012
· Forester SUVs, models 2009-2012
What to do if you own one of these vehicles: Visit your local Subaru dealer to have your vehicle inspected. Subaru will install an additional fuse at no cost to the owners.
American Auto Body is dedicated to helping you stay safe and up-to-date on auto and transportation news. For more information about our services, call 763-424-2522 or visit us online.
There’s an old saying that Minnesota has two seasons: Winter and Construction. Keeping this in mind, we here at American Auto Body continue to deal with a major road and bridge construction project in our neighborhood at the intersection of Highways 81 and 169.
Highway 169 is affected in both directions from 77th Avenue to 93rd Avenue North in Brooklyn Park. The intersections of 85th Avenue North, Highway 81 and 169 are also affected by this major project. It has been impressive to watch all of the heavy machinery work on a daily basis to make this all come together.
When it’s all done in the summer of 2011, it will be great and really help move traffic along, but in the meantime, we want to make sure our customers can find their way to our front door! Please keep in mind that there will be many bypasses, detours and lane closures as work progresses, so many traditional wayfinding methods such as Google maps and GPS devices will not be updated on each change.
One major change is how the nearby Fleet Farm has changed the current traffic flow on Lakeland Avenue. Customers must now travel further east to the Fleet Farm gas station to make a turn. Rest assured, we are open for business – as always – at 8208 Lakeland Avenue in Brooklyn Park. Feel free to give us a call on your way over at 763-424-2522.
Thanks again for your continued loyalty and business. We really appreciate it!
Very sincerely,
Matthew Feehan, President
American Auto Body is a company dedicated to helping minimize our customers inconvenience and frustration with respect to being in an automobile accident.
We provide Free loaner cars, Free pick-up and delivery (anywhere in the metro), written lifetime warranty, guaranteed color match, and we can handle your insurance claim for you!
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