This year, Kniesel’s Collision will mark its 50th year in business. Established in 1968 through the vision of hopeful immigrants, Kniesel’s Collision has grown from a two-car establishment in the heart of Citrus Heights to a six-location enterprise spanning three Northern California counties.
From then to now
The Kniesel family were German refugees displaced to Yugoslavia during the Second World War. In the 1950’s, they immigrated to Citrus Heights via Ellis Island, with the help of a sponsorship program of the Lutheran Church. It was here in the United States that Richard Kniesel’s passion for car repair and his desire to help people came to fruition; he opened his first repair shop in the early 1960’s, a modest two-car garage with an office located inside the shop itself.
Through the support of the community and industry partners, the business continued to expand, and Richard established the first incarnation of Kniesel’s Collision in 1968. His wife, Lilo, and each of their five children joined him at the shop daily. Together, they worked to ensure that each customer enjoyed the personal, attentive service for which Kniesel’s has become known. The commitment to an extraordinary customer experience has helped to build a long-standing reputation of excellence around the Kniesel name.
As Kniesel’s Collision continues to grow, the company remains strongly rooted in the family’s founding core values: integrity, trust, quality, and servant leadership. The Kniesels are extremely proud of their business culture and are committed to upholding the company’s high standards for service excellence. This commitment has enabled the family business to stay relevant and current in an industry required to keep pace with automotive technology. The company has achieved this by investing in state-of-the-art equipment and top-level training for their team members, all while maintaining its personal touch.
Remarking on this milestone, Rob Champe, CEO, commented, “We are truly guided by the foundational core values of the Kniesels, coupled with the desire to ‘wow’ each customer who walks through our doors. This culture has consistently challenged us to excel in an extremely demanding industry. We want to sincerely thank our insurance partners, vendors, loyal customers and dedicated employees for the trust they have placed in Kniesel’s Collision; a trust that has allowed us to thrive over the past 50 years.”
Kniesel’s Collision has been given the opportunity to expand their operations, which now includes locations in Rocklin (2003), Natomas (2008), Shingle Springs (2012), Downtown Sacramento (2012), and, most recently, Sacramento – X Street (2015).
We are proud to celebrate our 50-year milestone with our employees, customers, and partners—and look forward to the next 50 years!About Kniesel’s Collision Centers
Kniesel’s is a family name that has long stood for their core values of integrity, impeccable quality and total customer care. The vision originated with the company’s founder, Richard Kniesel, and the opening of their first collision center in 1968. The tradition continues today with brothers Robert and Tom Kniesel at the helm, delivering unsurpassed customer care coupled with uncompromising integrity. Loyal customers and dedicated employees have facilitated the growth of Kniesel’s into a group of six collision centers located in Citrus Heights, Rocklin, Natomas, Shingle Springs, and two shops in Downtown Sacramento, CA. For more information about Kniesel’s Collision, please visit http://www.kniesels.com.
