Caliber Collision Centers Acquires Walnut Valley Collision Centers
10 May 1999
Caliber Collision Centers Acquires Walnut Valley Collision Centers
IRVINE, Calif.--(AutomotiveWire)--May 7, 1999--| -- | Acquisition Brings Total Number of Centers Owned and Operated by Caliber to 22 |
| -- | Company's Annual Revenue Run Rate Now Exceeds $75 Million |
Caliber Collision Centers, an Irvine-based operator of high-quality collision repair facilities in California and Texas, Friday announced that the company has acquired one of the nation's largest and most advanced auto body repair companies, Walnut Valley Collision Centers.
Based in Walnut, Calif., just northeast of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley, Walnut Valley Collision Centers has three collision centers and a substantial towing business. Walnut Valley generates approximately $12 million in annual revenues through both collision repair and its towing service.
The acquisition will increase Caliber's projected annual revenues to $75 million and the total number of Caliber-owned and operated centers to 22 in California and Texas.
Caliber Collision Centers continues to lead change in the collision repair industry through the acquisition of high-volume auto body repair centers and the delivery of innovative collision repair solutions that ensure best-in-class quality while reducing repair cycle times and collision repair costs.
"With the acquisition of Walnut Valley Collision Centers -- inarguably one of the best managed and well respected collision companies in California and the nation -- Caliber continues to assemble high quality, efficiently operated collision repair facilities to meet the needs of our customers and our insurance clients," said Matthew Ohrnstein, chief executive officer of Caliber Collision Centers. "The addition of Walnut Valley's towing business strengthens our customer service offering and cost containment capabilities."
According to Caliber Chief Operating Officer Bill Lawrence, the company is committed to the redesign of the collision repair process. "The incorporation of Walnut Valley's management and operating teams enhances our ability to successfully implement specialized production techniques across all of our centers, enabling us to decrease cycle times and repair costs while increasing customer satisfaction. Don Long, founder and president of Walnut Valley Collision Centers, has been -- and will continue to be -- a leader of innovative change in the collision repair industry."
As Caliber's vice president, Operations Redesign, Long will apply his skills to strengthening production processes and to the development of greenfield sites in Chino Hills and Irvine, and in San Antonio.
Founded in 1985, Walnut Valley Collision Centers is comprised of three state-of-the-art centers, a 27-truck towing service and two kiosk locations that provide estimates and serve as customer pick-up and drop-off points. The three centers, with more than 65,000 square feet of operating area, are utilized by all major insurance companies in Southern California through "direct referral programs," which enable insured auto owners to receive high quality collision repairs through streamlined claims processes. The towing service and kiosk operations significantly extended the market reach of the collision repair business.
"Within recent years, there has been a significant paradigm shift within the collision repair industry," said Long. "Caliber continues to drive positive change through standard operating practices, enhanced repair and production techniques, advanced information and repair technology, and the development of strong management teams. As part of the Caliber organization, Walnut Valley Collision Centers will continue to provide superior service to car owners throughout the San Gabriel Valley."
Named "Body Shop of the Year" in 1996 by the trade magazine Body Shop Business, Walnut Valley Collision Centers employs more than 140 skilled technicians utilizing the industry's most advanced production processes and equipment.
About Caliber Collision Centers
Founded in 1991 and with headquarters in Irvine, Caliber Collision Centers is an operator of high-quality collision repair facilities in California and Texas. Caliber currently owns and operates 22 facilities and plans to continue acquiring, developing and integrating high-volume collision repair centers, while providing innovative collision repair solutions and automobile physical damage claims support.