Eco-Friendly Auto Repairs Find Home at Eastern

Eastern Center for Arts and Technology is home base for a new effort that can only be described as SMART. 

The Willow Grove-based technology school is the site for R.W. Mallon Auto Paints & Equipment employees being trained on new Small Area Repair Techniques (SMART) collision repair technologies. 

Robert Mallon, proprietor of Warrington-based R.W. Mallon Auto Paints & Equipment, is also chairman of the Willow Grove-based school's Occupational Advisory Committee for the Collision Repair Technology high school program. Each of Eastern’s 14 programs has a group of volunteers from local business and industry that assists faculty and administration on keeping the curriculum and tools used in each program relevant to the skills needed in today’s workforce.

R.W. Mallon contracted with RPN Collision Technologies to train the R.W. Mallon employees on some new eco-friendly products that they will be distributing. RPN Collision Technologies uses repair technologies from the UK-based company, ECO Repair Systems.

"We were able to utilize the cars in their Collision Repair Technology program to demonstrate the new technologies such as pulling dents, and repairing rubber and plastic bumpers. This new technology will allow us to repair panels that normally would be replaced," Mallon said in a press release. "The new bumper and plastic repairs will allow our students to repair these products versus sending them to a landfill.”

Mike Monaghan RPN Collision Technologies managing director said the products being used are economically and environmentally friendly.

“Our products are developed in the interest of the consumer and based on quality and performance," Monaghan said. "The customer can get his car back faster, which reduces cost to the insurance carrier, and ultimately, the consumer is not subjected to an increase in premiums.”

Students in Eastern's Collision Repair Technology program benefit from a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on experience needed to carry out repairs on motor vehicles. Students benefit from the use of I-CAR (Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair) enhanced curriculum.