May / June 2005

The Minnesota Recycler                    Page 19

ARM News

Meeting Held

On Thursday March 10th, a meeting was held in Fridley, Minnesota to begin developing a Service Level Agreement (SLA) between recyclers participating in the Hotlines ? APU Sales Solutions Parts Network and Minnesota ABRA Auto Body stores. APU, formally known as Planet Salvage, has spent four years researching, developing and testing PartsNetwork, which is an "online, real-time software solution that enables buyers and sellers to operate in private exchanges on the internet via APU Solutions web site."

Currently the system has been in use for a few months in Minnesota, which auto recyclers who are members of Hotlines, Inc. parts locating system and metro ABRA stores participating. This is a test market for the system. The only other area of the country currently doing a similar test is in the New England area. This is a very important test for both the insurance industry, the auto body industry, and for automotive parts recyclers. This could be the future of recycled collision parts sales. PartsNetwork allows repair facilities to create private networks using their existing aftermarket and recycling suppliers. Insurance carriers can also track and audit all claims. As we know, the insurance companies drive the collision repair industry. One of the largest insurance carriers in Minnesota has put its weight behind this system and is committed to its implementation. The day may soon come when all direct repair shops will be using this system. That will mean that if you want to sell to body shops, you will need to be part of this or some similar system. Recyclers who are participating are selling parts to ABRA stores through this system. Eventually, all body shops will utilize PartsNetwork.

The group met to begin the process of hammering out a "service level agreement" or SLA, a document that spells out what each party expects from each other. Also, suggestions from each party concerning enhancements to the system were solicited.

Besides representatives from Hotlines, APU and ABRA, Minnesota auto recyclers attending this four hour meeting were: Dykes Auto Salvage, Viking Auto Salvage, Pilquist Auto Parts, Shipman Auto Parts, John's Auto Parts, Pam's Auto Parts, and AAA Auto Salvage.