APRA MEGA Clinic Offers Solutions, Opportunities and Networking

April 1, 2010


CHANTILLY, VIRGINIA – The Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA) will be holding its first “MEGA Clinic” on June 3-5, 2010 at the Doubletree Hotel in Springfield, Missouri. The program will contain seminars for four APRA Divisions: HD Transmission, Volume Transmission Remanufacturing Group, HD Brake and Electrical. Along with cutting edge seminars, the group will be touring four SRC facilities during the Clinic: SRC Logistics; SRC Automotive; SRC Electrical and SRC Heavy Duty.

The Clinic will get underway with Steve Baker from the Great Game of Business who will talk about their business model which calls for the financial literacy of employees and what that can mean for your business. Next, Patrick Carpenter from SRC Logistics will discuss how to sell reman in a tough market, particularly against used, new and OE product. Tim Roth with SRC Electrical, will issue a challenge to the industry that we can double our business in five years by growing the size of the remanufacturing pie. Continuing on this theme, Bruce Plaxton, owner of BGP Marketing, will address the remanufacturing marketplace of the future. Next on the agenda will be a cleaning presentation on solvents vs. hot water. After a group lunch, everyone will tour SRC Logistics and the light duty engine plant, and then return to the hotel for a reception.

Friday morning, the group will meet for breakfast with Jack Stack, Chairman of Springfield Remanufacturing Corp. After breakfast, John Mundweiler with the Summit Safety Group will present an informative session that will include common safety issues found in the remanufacturing industry as well as specific areas that OSHA is targeting that could affect your facility. He will also take a look at cost effective ways of working toward safety compliance as well as some of the environmental issues that may arise in your facility.

Joe Stillson of Precision Rebuilders will be moderating an informative session on “What Should We Be Doing With Our Warranty Policies That We Aren’t Doing Now.”

While many of the topics are of general interest to all in the remanufacturing industry, there will also be seminars specific to the different APRA Divisions involved in the MEGA Clinic:

HD Transmission and VTRG
• “Production Efficiencies” - Since all the margins are tight, how do we become more efficient. - Speaker TBA

HD Brake Division
• “Heavy Duty Compressor Market” Chuck Lundberg, WABCO
• “New HD Products Roundtable” - Carl Van Allen, Accupart International

Electrical Division
• “Marketing & Advertising Your Shop”- Aaron Tobin, Reman Forums
• “Tactics to Price Your Product and Still Retain Customers and Profit” - Shawn Bray, Romaine Electric
• “Solenoid Remanufacturing on a Small Scale” - Dan Smith, Boston Auto Electric
• “Testing and Rework of Salvaged Material in the Remanufacturing Process” - Richard Vensel, Vensel Enterprises
• “Slip Ring Replacement; Proper use of Scopes & Meters in Your Shop” - Mohammad Samii, Sammy's Auto Electric
• “Emerging Markets: Traction Motors, their applications, and the parts you will need to remanufacture them”-Bob Hopko, Iskra AE
• “General Q & A and Closing Comments” – Chairman Dan Smith

Following the presentations on Friday, the group will tour SRC Electrical the SRC HD Engine Plant. After the tours, the group will return to the hotel. That evening Bobby Mace, publisher of Transmission Digest, an MD Publication that also publishes Undercar Digest, will be hosting a BBQ at his home.

The APRA MEGA Clinic promises to be an event not to miss. With more seminars yet to be scheduled, you will want to be sure to mark your calendar for this MEGA event. Visit www.apra.org for more information.