Young Automotive has 33 dealerships and four collision centers that span Utah and Idaho. The automotive group, owned by the Young family, was founded in 1924 and is celebrating 100 years.
“We’re at 1,800 employees now and we’re projected to be at 90 rooftops by 2030,” said Chris Hudson, area collision director, who has overseen the four collision centers for the past year and a half. “We have 25 projects currently underway now.”
Young Collision Center
Layton, UT
801-444-3144
youngcollisioncenter.com
Company At A Glance...
Type: Collision Repair
Facility Employees: 43
In Business Since: 1924
Number of Locations: Four
Combined Production Space: 66,000 square feet
Hudson said he feels the company’s culture is what’s contributing to its “explosive growth.”
“We have a culture card that everybody is required to carry from the executive team down,” he explained. “Every meeting — whether it is a routine accounting meeting, production meeting, sales meeting, marketing meeting, it doesn’t matter — we do a card check to make sure everybody’s got their values card on them.”
Hudson said the meeting begins with reading their mission statement, followed by a team member giving an example of the mission statement.
“Then we read the core values that the company was founded on and continues to practice, followed by examples of those core values either in our departments, divisions, teams or something that we’ve seen,” he explained. “The core values include work together, rise together, engage and support, trust and loyalty, value and gratitude.”
According to Chris Hudson, area collision director, Young Automotive began using Car-O-Liner® products six years ago because, “across the board, Car-O-Liner® fits just about every single OEM requirement.”
Hudson said everyone does their part to ensure they are adhering to those core values every day.
“Ford Motor Company recently invited our vice president to come speak about our company culture,” he added. “So, we were proud of that.”
According to Hudson, another way Young Automotive sets itself apart from other collision centers is adding collision repair to vehicle service contracts.
“In our dealer group, if you buy an extended warranty or have any kind of service contract with us, we add on a collision aspect, free of charge. We will waive up to $1,000 of the deductible if you bring your vehicle back to us,” he explained. “There isn’t anybody else in the industry that I know of offering that; and that’s the real price for the customers, it’s not inflated.”
As far as Direct Repair Programs (DRPs), Hudson said the Young Automotive collision centers are looking at growing “specific partnerships.”
“We don’t want to be a DRP for everybody and we don’t want to be anti-DRP,” he explained. “We want to work with DRPs that make sense in our local communities, such as USAA, since we’re right next to Hill Air Force Base.”
Hudson said Young Automotive has multiple vehicle manufacturer partnerships and puts strong emphasis on following OEM procedures for every repair.
“That’s why we chose Car-O-Liner® ,” he said. “Across the board, Car-O-Liner® fits just about every single OEM requirement out there for being a certified repair facility.”
Since Young Automotive collision centers have multiple certifications, the versatility of Car-O-Liner® products makes it easy to navigate between each certification.
Hudson said Young Automotive exclusively uses products from the Michigan-based company.
“Our frame equipment, such as the BENCHRACK™, as well as the CTR® 9 Resistance Spot Welder and CR™200 Aluminum Workstation, all come from Car-O-Liner® ,” he said. “When it comes to measuring systems, we’ve found the CAR-O-TRONIC® Vision2 to be accurate, reliable and dependable.”
According to Hudson, Young Automotive started incorporating Car-O-Liner® products around six years ago when the collision repair center began gaining OEM certifications.
“We absolutely love the design and functionality of the EVO™ Anchoring and Holding system 1, 2 and 3 and how it correlates with the OEM specific repair procedures,” he said.
Hudson explained that since Young Automotive collision centers have multiple certifications, the versatility of Car-O-Liner® products makes it easy to navigate between each certification.
“Car-O-Liner® has great products, plus having the same procedures and standards across the board keeps all the auto body technicians on the same page,” he said. “So, if I move a technician from one body shop to another, especially with the expansion underway, they’ll already be familiar with the equipment and how it fits into our model.”
Hudson added that as the company grows, it will continue to use Car-O-Liner® products.
On top of the success Young Automotive has had with the products, he said the relationship with the Car-O-Liner® reps is fantastic.
Hudson concluded by sharing how Young Automotive contributes to its community.
“We have our own 501(c) (3) called Young Caring for Our Young, where we feed kids in need,” he explained. “We are proud to share that we’ve put over $7 million back into the community, dollar for dollar; every single dollar of the donation goes 100% to the cause, and Young takes care of all administrative costs for running the foundation.”
Car-O-Liner® North America
800-521-9696
info@car-o-liner.com
car-o-liner.com
LinkedIn: @car-o-liner
To read more auto body shop profiles from the October 2024 Shop and Product Showcase, click here.
