ColorBond Announces Winner of the CLeo Award

ColorBond has announced Steven Sampaga as the winner of the 2019 ColorBond CLeo Award for the transformation of his Nissan 350Z interior. The car will be displayed in the ColorBond booth (#24481 in the Central Hall) at the 2019 SEMA Show, where Sampaga will be recognized in a special ceremony at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6.

The ColorBond CLeo Award recognizes individuals who have shown excellence utilizing ColorBond car interior paint to restore or restyle the interior of any type of vehicle, including trucks, muscle cars and classics.  In recognition of his achievement, Sampaga will receive the CLeo Crystal trophy and $500. His vehicle will also be featured in the SEMA Cruise, a 100-car parade following the close of the SEMA Show on Friday, November 8.

The CLeo Award was established in 2014 in honor of industry veteran Leo Kagan, who was responsible for moving the SEMA Show from Anaheim, California, to its current location at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Kagan is 102 and continues to work for ColorBond Automotive Paint.

Past CLeo Award winners are Ken Bolen, Jay Van Houten, Carlos Medrano and Eddie Black.

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Steven Sampaga, the 2019 ColorBond CLeo Award winner transformed the interior of his Nissan 350Z using ColorBond’s car interior paint. The car will be on display in the ColorBond booth at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

SEM Products, Mothers Announce New Distribution Partnership

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Two well-known automotive repair and refinishing solutions suppliers—SEM Products and Mothers® Polishes, Waxes and Cleaners—have announced an exclusive distribution partnership. According to the announcement, SEM Products is the exclusive distribution partner of Mothers Professional products in the U.S. and Canada. Under the terms of the agreement, SEM will oversee distribution to its network of collision and PBE customers.

“We have an unrelenting focus on innovating the very best labor-saving products and processes for our collision center customers,” noted Andy Lewis, SEM’s director of marketing. “In some cases, this means aligning with industry leaders, such as Mothers, to provide comprehensive solutions.”

According to Mothers CEO Dennis Holloway, “We knew partnering with a company like SEM Products would increase our reach into the professional space and help us broaden our reach in the United States and Canada. This partnership will have a great impact on Mothers’ ability to serve the professional market.”

Maaco Collision Repair and Auto Painting recently announced brand-new limited-time incentives for entrepreneurs looking to become a Maaco franchise owner or current franchisees seeking to open additional centers. Investors, entrepreneurs and existing franchisees who sign a franchise agreement by December 31, 2019, are eligible to receive significant financial assistance during their first year of ownership.

“This program, along with our robust training, high brand recognition and a 47-year proven playbook will allow people considering a new career or an investment opportunity in the automotive painting and repair industry to make the move now rather than later,” said John Moreau, VP of Maaco’s Franchise Development for Driven Brands.

Earlier this year, Maaco introduced another incentive, a military veteran’s support program for qualified veterans who want to become independent business owners by joining the Maaco team. Maaco encourages veteran entrepreneur ownership by offering a newly qualified veteran franchisee a 75-percent discount on the initial franchise fee, plus a substantial reduction on the royalty fees during the first two years of operation.  

“We are proud to offer some great programs to bring veterans right out of the military and put them into the ownership positions and help them get started running their own businesses,” said Bob Benjamin, Maaco president and a 30-year Army veteran.

T-Rex Products Acquires US Rack

T-Rex Truck Products, DBA T-Rex Grilles, has acquired US Rack, a manufacturer of truck racks previously located in Madera, California. In late 2018, following the acquisition, T-Rex relocated the operation to its 55,000 sq. ft. SoCal headquarters in Corona. According to T-Rex, for the last 10 months, the company has continued to service US Racks’ current accounts while implementing improvements in quality, production process and customer service.

Now, said T-Rex, “We are proud to introduce US Rack products for distribution and retail markets. These racks are designed to ship by standard ground shipping methods and are easy to install with no cutting or drilling required.”

T-Rex has been a leading manufacturer of U.S-made custom aftermarket grilles and accessories for more than two decades. US Rack has been manufacturing heavy-duty commercial racks as well as truck and van racks for more than 25 years.

US Rack’s Stake Pocket Rack mounts or removes in less than 10 minutes. Adjustable width fits any full-size truck with stake pockets. Works with tonneaus, carriers, ladders, canoes, kayaks and other cargo up to 500 lbs.

Tint World Expands Canadian Presence

Tint World Automotive Styling Centers has announced the opening of a second Canadian location in Mississauga, Ontario, under the ownership of local entrepreneurs Graham and Angie Kingma.  This is the first of two store locations awarded to the Kingmas, which will serve the Mississauga, Oakville, Milton, Brampton, Etobicoke, Toronto and Vaughn areas.

Tint World of Mississauga will provide a full range of automotive styling and safety services, including window tint, paint protection film, mobile electronics, advanced-driver assistance systems and car stereo upgrades, as well as residential and commercial window film.

“Tint World’s branding, marketing power and operational excellence (are) what drew me to the company,” said Graham Kingma.  “We want to provide a medium to help our customers get what they need and want in auto styling and to help them love their car again.”

Owner Graham Kingma behind the counter at his new styling center, Tint World of Mississauga.