VACC IPAs at International Collision Congress

13 JULY

Some of the automotive industry's most respected speakers – including VACC Industry Policy Advisors, Kathy Zdravevski and John Khoury – will appear at the first BodyShop News International Collision Congress (BICC) in Sydney this month.

Supported by IBIS Worldwide, BICC will take place at Sydney’s Four Seasons Hotel on 25 and 26 July. Dr Hannah Tonkin will deliver the keynote speech, while Dave Luehr (USA) and Robert Snook (UK) headline the event, with other highly successful Australian speakers and industry experts.

Supported by some of the global industry’s biggest suppliers, BICC will commence with a black-tie welcome dinner hosted by Australian driving champion Cameron McConville. In addition to being master of ceremonies, McConville will share his experience driving for some of the country’s most famous racing teams, including Dick Johnson Racing, Holden Racing Team and Garry Rogers Motorsport. He will also share the secret to developing a winning mindset, excelling under pressure, and overcoming adversity, all of which can be applied to business management.

The dinner will be followed by a full day of insightful presentations. 

The first session, ‘Leading the Way to a Better 2024 – Supporting your success’, will be moderated by Kathy Zdravevski, VACC Industry Policy Advisor and Motor Vehicle Insurance and Repair Industry Code of Conduct Administration Committee representative for the Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA).

Zdravevski will be joined on stage by a panel of experts from industry associations including the MTA NSW, MTA SA/NT, the Australian Automotive Service and Repair Authority (AASRA) and MTAA.

John Khoury will speak about the important Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Information Sharing Scheme: what’s included in the legislation, the opportunities for industry, and where to next. He will also highlight the importance of following OEM repair procedures and reference Seebachan versus John Eagle Collision, a US 2017 case whereby a collision repairer was found liable for $31.5 million for injuries caused to the occupants of a Honda Fit (Jazz) due to not following correct OEM repair procedures.    

Another session, ‘New Vehicle Technology – The learning gap and the price of getting it wrong’, will take an objective look at new vehicle technologies as the industry heads towards 2024, before moving on to the outlook for 2026 and 2028.

Dave Luehr, founder and owner of Elite Bodyshop Solutions in the USA, will present ‘Thriving in Chaos – Why do some succeed wildly while others struggle?’ A collision industry expert, author, and business coach, Luehr believes that for some businesses, now is the greatest time in history to be in the collision repair business. During the session, Luehr and his panellists will share the attitudes, cultures, and practices of those who have fostered a change-driven organisation and risen to the top.

A fourth presentation, ‘Alternative Supply Chain Models – The new normal becoming just normal’, will be led by supply chain expert Chris Daglis, Managing Director of Auto PARTnered Solutions. Daglis and his panellists will debate the impact of reactive and unpredictable supply chain models, why the industry continues to use them, and alternative supply chain models providing early adopters significant operational and financial benefits, not just pre-perceived cost savings.

BICC is supported by the International Bodyshop Industry Symposium (IBIS) and sponsored by ACM Parts, Celette, Sherwin-Williams, and VACC.

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