Numbers: Current State of the Collision Repair Industry

April 1, 2022

According the FenderBender's 2021 Industry Report, fewer young individuals are making collision repair the career choice, especially when it comes to ownership.

What is the current state of ownership in the collision repair industry, and how did it get to where it is today? The 2021 FenderBender Industry Survey answered those questions, finding an overwhelming majority of shop owners are over the age of 50. Even more astounding is how long many of these shop owners have been in the business, as nearly half of all respondents said they’ve been involved in the industry, in some capacity, for more than 40 years. 

How old are shop owners?

Under 40 - 6%

40-49 - 15%

50-59 - 34%

60-69 - 33%

70 or older - 12%

How many years have shop owners worked in the collision repair industry?

Less than 9 years - 3%

10-19 years - 8%

20-29 years - 16%

30-39 years - 26%

40 or more years - 47%

At what age did they become a shop owner?

Under 20 - 8%

20-29 - 42%

30-39 - 30%

40-49 - 16%

Older than 50 - 4%

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