We Train Hard to Ensure Your Safety

There is no question that we live in interesting times these days. Increasingly complex, a little intimidatingly-so at times, but certainly never boring. It’s not uncommon for folks to get lost in the nostalgia of simpler times. The advent of the internet, coupled with technological advancements which have defined growth in every industry over the last two decades, have ensured that these times are anything but simple.

We’ve not merely witnessed, but rather participated in the change that tech has brought to the collision and paint industry. Consumer demand for more safety and convenience, matched with manufacturers’ desire to wow the world with the next great innovation has led to an auto body industry nearly unrecognizable from the one we knew 20 years back. Our training and methods are guided these days by an emphasis on precision. In an industry where, once, accuracy was “good enough”, precision has now become the requirement. Shops that have opted not to keep up with the demands that come with this new tech cannot last. That sounds like a harsh statement, but let’s look at it logically. Fifteen years ago, navigation was only available in high-end luxury vehicles. Most passenger cars on the road in 2005 had one airbag. New cars had two. Rear cameras were still in their infancy and blind-spot monitoring was introduced in the Volvo S80 in 2005. Nowadays, most vehicles come standard with at least half a dozen airbags, and more cameras and sensors than ever before. Sure, the industry is lightyears removed from banging away at metal all day like we did in the 50s, 60s and 70s, but the auto body industry of just a decade or two ago is very much a distant memory.

Training Makes the Difference

Why the trip down memory lane? We are proud of how far we have come as a shop in such a competitive marketplace. We are even more excited about where we are going. None of it is possible without our dedication to furthering our skill and craft–a dedication that runs deep in every member of the Conestoga Collision team. Changes in our industry come as fast as the new model lines hit the roads in our communities. New tech requires new training and often new tooling. It’s not just about training up on the new model out of Detroit, Europe or Asia — after all, how different is the 2021 Camry from the 2020? Fair question, but consider this. Tesla sold about 22,000 units of the Model S in 2013. Since then, they’ve added the Model X, Model Y and Model 3, just to name a few. Last year, they sold nearly 300,000 units in the US. It used to be a rarity to see one of these vehicles maybe but once a month on the road. Now, you won’t drive a three mile stretch anywhere on the Main Line without seeing a dozen or more. Our training and tooling up is not limited to changes in models year to year. We spent considerable time and money prepping to become a Tesla Approved Body Shop and continue to do so in order to execute factory-correct repair plans on every job.

Poised for the Next Chapter

What’s next? Sometimes, the only constant is change. In our little corner of the world, we are doing what is necessary to be prepared for whatever tech comes down the road next. We have a team who is eager to meet the challenges that come with innovation, and, what’s more, we have leadership willing to invest in the tools and space necessary to meet the needs of the next generation of vehicles. Whichever tech you choose to drive, we are here to help you when it needs collision repair.