010109PR

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
February 17, 2009

Contact: Geoff Crane
Phone Direct: 1-901-398-5759
E-Mail geoff@diamondstandardparts.com

Tennessee DOCI (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance) Commissioner's Office requests Diamond Standard Brand Parts present their safety concerns on substandard performing safety parts to the Industry as they consider including safety parts and quality performance in State Regulations covering crash parts

Nashville, TN - February 6, 2009 - The Commissioner's Office of the State of Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance requested the Diamond Standard Brand Alternative Safety Part Division of Reflexxion Automotive and Production Bumper Stampings make a presentation February 6, 2009 to the Industry of the safety issues regarding use of substandard performing safety parts which do not meet the federal standards of crashworthiness or the standard of performance of the original part. Currently, Tennessee regulations covering crash parts include a definition of crash parts, manufacturer identification of the part and disclosure. The Deputy Commissioner considers the current regulations as outdated and needing to move closer to the NAIC model law with quality and performance requirements. Under consideration is the need for and INCLUSION of safety parts in the definition of crash parts.

“We welcome this opportunity to assist and serve the Industry and State of Tennessee to create updated regulations to include Safety Parts and quality performance requirements of these parts to assure the part being installed will indeed restore the vehicle's collision management system to its predamaged condition and to the standard which came on the vehicle initially….the OEM part being that standard”, said Geoff Crane, Business Development Manager, Diamond Standard Brand Division.

“If it is a common goal within the Collision Repair Industry that at the end of the day all vehicle occupants are safe why would anyone install or be allowed to install safety parts that fail to provide the federal and OEM standards of crashworthiness in a collision management system” Crane said. No where is the need for equivalency or like kind quality of performance and function greater than in safety parts.

“As OEM moved to high strength steel, ultra high strength steel, even advanced strength steel use in parts such as bumper reinforcements, some Offshore Aftermarket manufacturers have elected to substitute low cost carbon steel” Crane said. The same holds true with substituting low cost polystyrene foam for OEM high density EPP polypropylene for energy absorbers. “These parts have been tested and comparative crashworthiness videos were presented to the Industry audience. “Clearly, these parts do not meet the Federal standards of crashworthiness performance, do not meet the performance of the OEM part or Diamond Standard Alternative Safety parts, and would be violation of use in any state with regulations calling for OEM equivalency or like kind quality and performance to the part they replace and a broken trust of true restoration of a collision management system in any state” according to Crane.

These substandard parts have been sold, distributed and installed throughout the United States for the past 8 years which is concerning, contributing to greater damageability in subsequent accidents, total losses and potential occupant injury. “The need for a broad review of all regulations is needed with safety parts and their quality performance included in crash parts State Regulations” Crane said.

A video of the Industry meeting and presentation can be found on the official web site of the State of TN Insurance Division http://tn.gov/commerce/insurance and at www.diamondstandardparts.com under TN DOCI Meeting.

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