From BodyShop Business

Following a successful NACE | CARS Conference & Expo in July, the Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced that NACE | CARS 2015 will once again be held in the Motor City, July 23-25.

“The response for Detroit was overwhelmingly positive. Many said this was the best event in recent memory,” said Dan Risley, ASA executive director. “Attendees were pleased with the education and training, and numerous exhibitors made significant sales on the show floor. There were many requests for the exhibition to continue through Saturday, and we will incorporate that for 2015.”

Show organizers say that partnering with industry organizations and associations is key to the success of Industry Week, and that format will continue. I-CAR, CIC, CCIF, MERA, the National Auto Body Council (NABC) and the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) have already committed to Detroit next year.

I-CAR will again host the center stage in the exhibit hall to provide education and awareness on advancing vehicle technologies and related repair and industry trends, maintain a booth for membership, provide live technical demonstrations in the demo zone, and offer add-on I-CAR training sessions in classrooms.

“We are very pleased with the results of Industry Week this year,” said John Van Alstyne, I-CAR president and CEO. “Attendance was up significantly on the NACE floor, and the I-CAR Conference was a great success. We are committed to NACE and will continue with a similar footprint in 2015. We also plan to continue holding the I-CAR Conference in conjunction with Industry Week moving forward, shifting to a biennial cadence, so make plans to attend our next conference in 2016.”

CIC will once again host the summer quarterly meeting during Industry Week following a successful meeting this past July in Detroit, and CREF will hold its annual golf fundraising event during the week. MERA will once again host a series of sessions next year, and NABC will present the Recycled Rides program on the exhibit floor.

In addition, after drawing a larger-than-expected Canadian contingency, and with close proximity to the growing Canadian market, CCIF will be back once again with its education program, sessions and a keynote speaker.

Other organizations are currently evaluating co-located meetings and announcements are forthcoming. While some of those dates and times have not been set, Industry Week will take place the week of July 20-25, 2015.

“On behalf of the ASA members, the board of directors and our team, we are pleased to be working with I-CAR, CIC, CRES, CCIF, MERA, NABC and others for the benefit of the automotive repair industry,” said Darrell Amberson, ASA chairman. “With our organizations working together, we can provide the most current education and training in the market. We look forward to seeing everyone in Detroit the week of July 20, 2015.”

For more information, go to: http://www.naceexpo.com.