» About Us - Collision Repair Association

 

The Collision Repair Association’s membership includes qualified panelbeaters and auto refinish painters and all other car collision repair tradesman and allied businesses.

Membership currently stands at 600 (including approximately 100 Associated members), and is continually increasing. Customers can identify association members and be assured of a high standard of workmanship, by the CRA quality assured logo which appears on this page and which will be found displayed on members’ premises.

Founded in 1913, formerly known as the NZ Motor Body Builders’ Assn, the Association changed its name in 1998 to better reflect progress in the trade. The Association aims to provide quality and safety assurance to customers by assuring its member’s work meets its own high standards.  The NZ Collision Repair Association is ISO 9001 certified.

 

 

» The National Executive

From left: Jason Miller (Gisborne Panelbeaters) - Hawkes Bay, Neil Pritchard (CRA General Manager), Steven de Graaf (Harrow Motor Body Works Ltd) - Otago/Southland, Warren Paton (Wagstaff European 2001) - Auckland, Darren Larsen (Larsen’s Panel & Paint Ltd) - Wellington, Richard Gilmore (Kevin Gray Panelbeaters and Car Painters) - Northland, Gary Geeves (CRA Chairman), Wayne Houghton (Perfect Auto Body Limited) - Canterbury/Westland,  Lou Pilkington (Taupo Smash Repairs) - Central North Island, Ben Thomas (Ben Thomas Panelbeating Ltd) - Manawatu/Wanganui/Taranaki.  Absent:  Alan Le Noel (Hauraki Panel & Paint) - Auckland.

The affairs of the Association are managed by a body known as the National Executive. The National Executive consists of a chairperson and a person appointed from each branch of the Association.

There are branches at each of the following places:

• Northland
• Auckland
• Central North Island
• Hawkes Bay
• Manawatu / Taranaki / Wanganui
• Wellington
• Canterbury / Westland
• Otago / Southland
  

» Why Choose a CRA Member?

The Association aims to provide quality and safety assurance to customers by assuring its member’s are qualified and their work meets its own high standards.

It does this first by screening prospective members to make sure panelbeaters have the correct equipment to realign a vehicle to manufacturers specification. These specifications have little or no tolerance and are essential for the cars safety features to function properly again if involved in another collision.

Auto refinishers need to also reinstate the manufacturers original finish to the vehicle and this requires heated paint booths and the correct dust and paint extraction systems. The inspection also takes into account workplace standards, and how clean and tidy the workshop is.

The Association also has a quality assurance disputes procedure. Customers who are unhappy with work done by an association member can apply to have their complaint adjudicated by a committee on how the dispute can best be resolved. Membership, and the prestige which goes with it, will be revoked from businesses who refuse to abide by a dispute recommendation or whose standards fall.

 

A dispute is any question relating to quality of workmanship of repairs carried out by a member of the Collision Repair Association, or any other matter which the Association deems to be a dispute, which is unable to be resolved by an agreement between the repairer and the owner of the vehicle on which the work has been carried out.

Our disputes procedure does not include matters:

• where the complaint is solely in respect of money - i.e., value for money
• in respect of repairs undertaken on a vehicle for a previous owner
• where the complaint involves restoration.

 

Any complaint or dispute must be made within twelve (12) months of completion of the work in question.  All members must abide by their individual company warranty.  The Disputes Mediation Procedure will be restricted to disputes affecting members of the Association.  Download a

Disputes Mediation Application Form (86.26 KB)

› Mission Statement

To provide our members with the best possible support, to liase with inter-industry business for the continued growth and professionalism of our industry.

To promote consumer awareness, maintain quality assurance standards and industry credibility.

Download the CRA Code of Ethics (4.37 KB) 

 

› Training

Also the Association is involved with ongoing training. It organises training courses for both members and non-members through its training arm known as I-CAR. I-CAR is an interactive training organisation based in USA and undertakes research into the correct repair methods required for today’s modern vehicle. It is also working with the Motor Industry Training Organisation to standardise and streamline apprentice training, especially the ‘off-site’ or theory training.

Click here for information about the I-CAR Training programme.

› Quality Assured Repair Facilities

The New Zealand Collision Repair Association has introduced a Quality Assurance system that has been specifically designed for the motor vehicle collision repair industry.

Repair facilities upon attaining the standard are Certified as a "Quality Assured" organisation meaning that all of their practises are of the highest standard and they have systems in place to constantly evaluate their performance in meeting and exceeding customer expectations.

These organisations are independently audited against the QA standard annually. If any facility fails that audit and does not rectify the situation within a satisfactory time frame it will be removed from the programme and have all signage withdrawn.

On average it takes eighteen months to achieve accreditation, provided that you are a well organised business when you start, so Certification is no mean achievement.

So what are the advantages to the consumer of using a “Quality Assured" facility?

By documenting procedures, mistakes and complaints and constantly analysing this data, the chance of getting it right first time, every time is greatly increased. In fact, a reduction in the quality failure rate - during some stage of the repair - from ten percent to one or two percent is the norm for a "Quality Assured" facility.

This constant evaluation results in greatly improved productivity which reflects in less time off the road for the customer as well as piece of mind regarding safety standards and asset value protection.

Companies that are ‘Quality Assured’:

• Allan Kellett Panel & Paint
• Auckland Panel & Paint - City
• Auckland Panel & Paint - Onehunga
• Bumper Replacements (NZ) Ltd - Auckland
• Bumper Replacements (NZ) Ltd - Rotorua
• Bumper Replacements (NZ) Ltd - Christchurch
• Cameron Panelbeaters 2005 Ltd
• Eurotech Auto Repair Centre 
• Hesson & Bowry Collision Centre
• Highway Panel & Paint
• Laycock's Collision Repair & Tyre Services