Auto Body Shops
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 31,700 auto body shops in the US provide structural and interior repair, paint, and customization services for vehicles, such as passenger cars, trucks, vans, and trailer bodies. Major customers are insurers, vehicle owners, and auto dealerships. Some auto body shops are members of insurers’ Direct Repair Programs (DRP) and receive referrals from insurers whose clients have filed damage claims.
Increasing Technological Complexity
The technological complexity of modern vehicles creates operational challenges for body shops.
Collision Claims Stabilize, Severity Rises
While the incidence of collision damage insurance claims has remained steady over the last few years, the severity of claims has risen.
Industry size & Structure
The average auto body shop operates out of a single location, employs less than 9 workers, and generates $1.7 million annually.
- The auto body shop industry consists of about 31,700 firms that employ about 261,000 workers and generate $54.4 billion annually.
- The industry is highly fragmented; the top 50 companies account for 20% of industry revenue.
- The industry includes multiple location operators (MLO)/multiple shop operators (MSO)/chains, franchises, and independent operators. In 2019, independent shops accounted for 54.1% of total body work sales, while chains and franchises accounted for 26.6% (car dealerships accounted for the remainder).
- Large firms include Caliber Collision, Gerber Collision & Glass, and Service King. Large franchises include Fix Auto USA and Driven Brands (CARSTAR, Maaco).
Industry Forecast
Auto Body Shops Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Dec 13, 2024 - Car Technology Driving Up Costs of Repairs
- Car repair costs grew nearly 30% in the past three years due to inflation and new technology in newer vehicles, according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal. Specifically, the complexity of sensors and computers in newer vehicles requires additional costs and labor to fix. The average repair cost for an insurance claim in the second quarter of 2024 was $4,721, about $800 higher than three years ago. The report noted that replacing a side-view mirror on a 2020 car can range from $1,200 to $1,500 due to the addition of sensors for lane-change assistance and a heating component, compared to a $200 to $400 cost for a 2013 car. According to experts in the report, a typical car had about 10 to 30 onboard computer modules a decade ago, compared to 75 or more today. Tech-aided safety features such as blind-spot monitoring and automatic emergency braking have reduced minor and major collisions and raised the cost of repairs with the recalibration of the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) required after some accidents. About 26% of repairs associated with insurance claims have included recalibrating sensors, up 5% in 2024 compared to 20202, per the report.
- In December 2024, the Auto Care Association (ACA) released a report saying that tariffs proposed by president-elect Donald Trump could lead to strain for the auto parts industry and increased prices for US consumers and businesses. Trump has discussed plans to impose a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada and an additional 10% tariff on imports from China. According to the ACA, Mexico and Canada combined accounted for 58% of auto parts imports and 76% of auto parts exports in 2023. Top auto products imported from Mexico to the US include ignition wire sets, seat parts, brake systems and components, gearboxes, catalytic converters, suspension shock absorbers and parts, spark-ignition reciprocating piston engines, and automotive air conditioning parts. Top parts imported from Canada to the US include certain spark-ignition reciprocating piston engines, gearbox parts, suspension system parts, and clutch parts. The ACA report noted that a potential 25% to 100% cost increase for replacement automotive parts would likely further drive up the costs of vehicle maintenance and repair and could result in even more vehicles in operation on American roadways that are past due for service and in need of repair. Per the report, “With the sting of inflation still being felt by many Americans, the Auto Care Association supports the incoming Trump administration’s goal of achieving fair trade and we strongly encourage the incoming Trump administration to pursue trade measures that will help to lower everyday costs for Americans.”
- According to a new report from Mitchell International in Repairer Driven News, electric vehicles are most commonly involved in front-end collisions and are 40% costlier than those involving rear-end impacts. Mitchell International’s Q3 “Plugged-In: EV Collision Insights” showed that internal combustion engines (ICE) tend to have a higher frequency of front-end impact (35.9%) compared to battery electric vehicles (25.8%). BEV’s are more likely to sustain rear-end damage (35.9%) than ICE alternatives (27%). The report states the difference can be attributed to several major factors including newer average model year (likely with comprehensive, front-crash avoidance technologies) and different braking dynamics for BEVs when in single-pedal mode, which may result in more rapid deceleration than expected. The average claim severity in the US was $5,560 for plug-in for BEVs, $5,229 for plug-in hybrids, and $4,741 for ICE vehicles. According to Mitchell’s Ryan Mandell, “There’s a direct correlation between the primary point of impact and claims severity. Even though overall severity remains higher for BEVs than for ICE vehicles, understanding these point-of-impact dynamics can help auto insurers better assess risk, manage claims, and assist policyholders.”
- The US auto body shops industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% between 2024 and 2028, according to a forecast from Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. The expected growth rate is comparable to the overall economy‘s anticipated growth. The report noted that consumer confidence is expected to improve in the forecast period, which bodes well for the various service industries. Factors that continue to limit consumer spending are lower consumer sentiment levels, higher interest levels, and elevated price levels. Price growth, however, is diminishing and likely to stabilize soon near intended rates. The report noted that auto supply challenges during and post pandemic have boosted consumer demand for the auto repair industry. “These constraints force many to maintain and repair vehicles and other equipment that otherwise might have been replaced,” per the report.
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