Allstate, Tech-Cor Research Team Up with Ford to Ensure Cost-Effective Repairs for Aluminum-Intensive F-150

After years of research and education, repair shops and insurance adjusters are now handling the innovative truck.

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Apr 07, 2015, 09:54 ET

NORTHBROOK, Ill., April 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2015 Ford F-150 pickup truck made headlines for its switch from traditional steel to high-strength aluminum alloy throughout its body, but skeptics worried about how the new truck would be repaired and what they might do to insurance premiums on the truck.

Allstate logo.

During the past few years, Ford, Allstate Insurance Company and its research group, Tech-Cor Applied Research, teamed up to analyze repairability and prepare adjusters as well as body shop technicians who are responsible for working on the new trucks, which has resulted in the ease of repairability and insurance costs in line with previous models and other full-size pickup trucks.

Ford proactively partnered with Allstate and Tech-Cor to prepare the collision repair industry well in advance of the vehicle's release, ensuring the necessary training, tooling and expertise would be able to repair the new F-150. Now, more than 2,500 Allstate adjusters and claims staff have received vehicle-specific aluminum repair training through Tech-Cor. In addition, Allstate continues its effort to encourage its "Good Hands Repair Network" shops to have technicians complete Ford's recommended training classes.

"The result of all this work ahead of the new truck ever hitting the road is that the insurance premiums on the 2015 Ford F-150 are in line with the prior model year when Ford used steel instead of aluminum," Allstate's Vice President of Vehicle Product Management Dave Border said. "We will continue to look at our loss costs with the new truck and price it accordingly but, so far, the work Ford and Tech-Cor did in advance is paying off for customers."

Many auto manufacturers have had aluminum-intensive vehicle bodies for years, but the repair of these normally higher-end, lower-volume vehicles has generally been confined to specialty repair facilities.

Aluminum also has been used across the industry in certain vehicle body parts for years, such as the hood of the 1997 to 2014 F-150, so many body shops are already equipped to handle cosmetic aluminum repairs.

Ford's 2015 F-150 keeps small and large repairs simple through modular vehicle construction that helps reduce repair times and partnerships with places like Tech-Cor that can provide expertise on how to keep costs reasonable.

"We have designed the new F-150 to be easily repairable in the event of minor or major accidents," said Mike Berardi, director, Ford Service Engineering Operations. "We value Tech-Cor's input on the necessary tools, equipment and repair options, which has helped keep repair costs down on our all-new truck."

Tech-Cor Research has had a longstanding business relationship with Ford and worked closely with the carmaker on numerous projects over the years. Throughout the design process of the new F-150, Ford engaged organizations like Tech-Cor Research and Allstate to evaluate the vehicle's repairability and to ensure that all repairs are completed per Ford's recommendations while keeping costs in check.

"With the F-150 consistently being one of the highest-volume production vehicles in the U.S., Ford wanted to make sure that the collision repair industry would be able to properly repair this truck," says Tech-Cor Research Senior Manager Mark Woirol. "We were happy to help provide input as they developed tooling and repair options, which we know can help customers who may buy the truck in the future, as well."

Tech-Cor Research, established in 1979, works cooperatively with auto manufacturers, insurers and the collision repair industry to develop innovative ways to make vehicles more damage resistant and the methods used to repair them more efficient and cost effective. Recognized around the world as a leader in automotive collision repair research, Tech-Cor is perhaps best known for its pioneering efforts in developing sectioning repairs. Today Tech-Cor's mission is to provide research, technical support and collision repair information on wide variety of automotive damageability and repairability issues to Allstate Insurance Company's claim organization and the collision repair industry. Tech-Cor also operates a 32,000 square foot, state-of-the-art Collision Repair Center. One of the largest and best-equipped body shops in the central United States, Tech-Cor's Collision Repair Center is staffed by experienced, certified technicians. The Collision Repair Center maintains I-CAR's Gold Class Facility Certification, ASE Blue Seal Certification, Chief, Car-O-Liner and Akzo Nobel certifications and meets all Environmental S/P2 conformance requirements.

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 187,000 employees and 62 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16 million households from life's uncertainties through auto, home, life and other insurance offered through its Allstate, Esurance, Encompass and Answer Financial brand names. Allstate is widely known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With Allstate^®." The Allstate brand's network of small businesses offers auto, home, life and retirement products and services to customers in the United States and Canada. In 2014, The Allstate Foundation, Allstate, its employees and agency owners gave $34 million to support local communities. Allstate employees and agency owners donated 200,000 hours of service across the country.