Thatcham crash repair methods enter North America

Thatcham, world experts in the provision of crash repair data have announced a partnership with Mitchell Inc., a leading provider of information, workflow and performance management solutions to the Property & Casualty claims and Collision Repair industries. This groundbreaking partnership marks the first time Thatcham’s fully researched, proprietary repair methods will be offered in the North American crash repair market.

Thatchamnet, Thatcham’s global methods portal will be available to repairers and engineers via the Mitchell Information Center. The partnership will empower repairers and assessors with industry’s most comprehensive set of repair standards for increased accuracy, efficiency and safety.

Today’s modern vehicles are increasingly unique and very much individual in their design. Each model year vehicle manufacturers add sophisticated technology to improve structural strength. While these advancements result in improved vehicle safety, cars have consequently become much more difficult to return to pre-accident condition, posing unique repair challenges. Thatcham’s online solution, Thatchamnet, works in concert and complements Mitchell Information Center’s OEM repair data, to provide technicians with the critical crash repair information they need to keep up with the industry’s increasing demands.

Thatcham's collision experts’ methodology includes stripping down the latest vehicles in their insurer funded UK-based technical research centre to completely understand vehicle construction and devise pragmatic repair techniques that replicate the strength and integrity of the original construction. Thatcham’s research team works very closely with both vehicle manufacturers to “design in” reparability and the repair industry to enable bodyshops to repair high-tech vehicles with complete confidence.

"Mitchell’s partnership with Thatcham brings our customers unprecedented coverage of collision repair content, especially for complex, difficult to repair European and Asian market models. At the touch of a finger, our customers will be able to go online to the Mitchell Information Center and instantly identify the critical information they need to be able to safely and efficiently restore vehicles to pre-accident condition.” said Marc Brungger, Executive Vice President of Auto Physical Damage for Mitchell International. “With this new partnership, we will be the first to introduce the North American market to repair procedures that are both independently researched and OEM backed, and we are very pleased to have Thatcham’s world-class research experts on our team,” added Brungger.

Peter Roberts, Thatcham Chief Executive, says, "Repairers have frequently asked us to bring our crash methodologies to the North America. However, it was important for us to partner with an established marketplace leader that is well respected throughout the industry, with a solid track record for bringing innovative solutions to the marketplace. Having worked closely with the Mitchell International for over a year, the Thatcham Team is confident that we have found the best solution provider to bring Thatchamnet to the North American market.”