Association is Gearing Up to Participate in Major Trade Shows…

The NAPDRT is preparing to attend and display at several trade shows in the coming months.  Our first stop is NACE Automechanika. We are sending several board members to this event in Atlanta, which will run from August 8 – 10. The purpose of attending this show is to meet with leaders of other associations in the collision industry.

We will discuss how we can work together to bring benefits to members of both associations. There are many areas where we have common ground with likeminded associations in the collision industry. We both face many of the same insurance difficulties. We also are dealing with the same issues when it comes to pre- and post-scans on vehicles. We can learn from each group’s experiences and successes.

We are also making plans to attend and display at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, October 30 – November 2. This will mark NAPDRT’s return to displaying at a trade show on the West Coast.

We used to display at NACE when it was in Las Vegas. We found it provided a good platform for promoting membership to shop owners we normally would not get a chance to meet.

At the SEMA Show, we hope to reestablish a connection on this side of the country with the many PDR techs who may attend this show but not the Mobile Tech Expo in Florida.  We look forward to expanding our association to this side of the country by exhibiting more next year. We feel this will help us unify more PDR technicians and promote our technicians to a larger base of clients. Many of these shops may have no idea what NAPDRT is all about, and, hopefully, we can introduce them to this along with the quality our members provide.

Speaking of quality, the recent push for certifications in our industry has bolstered our membership. We can only hope this will lead to unity in our industry and a return to discussions that will prove positive for PDR as a whole.  Too often we, as an industry, tear ourselves apart by some “heroes” developing a following and using this for selfish gain. We are all in this industry to make a living, but it seems many have the idea to make it rich off the backs of their fellow technicians. True, over time these are pointed out and their intentions are clearly seen, but we all need to be cautious of those who pound their chest a little too much and save ourselves and prevent damage to the industry.

In other trade show news, we are making plans, of course, to attend the 2019 Mobile Tech Expo in Orlando, January 10 – 12. We will be displaying and hosting an education track focusing on PDR. We are sure you will find many useful ideas by attending this Show with us.

The International Dent Olympics, held annually at the Mobile Tech Expo, is sponsored by NAPDRT, with support from industry suppliers. Judging takes place on the Show floor, followed by an awards presentation.

On another note, an update on our Board Vice President Tim Childers. Tim has undergone several rounds of treatments and is resting at home.  Valiantly, Tim has not missed a board meeting. He is the epitome of the strong independent PDR tech. The treatments seem to be working, and we hope and pray that the further tests confirm this. We encourage everyone to keep Tim in their thoughts and wish him well.