Oct. 1, 2019—Driven Brands, owner of CARSTAR franchises, announced today in an internal communication obtained by FenderBender that it is acquiring the franchise locations of ABRA Auto Body Repair of America.
"We are committed to the success of our CARSTAR franchise partners and driving your profitability," said Michael Macaluso, president of CARSTAR North America, in the statement. "The acquisition of ABRA’s 55 franchise locations further enhances Driven Brands’ size and scale, benefiting each and every one of you. In a time of consolidation for the collision repair space, this strategic move also solidifies our position as an industry leader for our insurance, OEM, and vendor partners."
ABRA will retain its current branding, and the acquisition excludes the over 300 corporately owned ABRA facilities, including the glass business, that was purchased by Caliber earlier this year.
Macaluso said in a statement that he will oversee both CARSTAR and ABRA as the president of Driven's newly created collision vertical, while Dean Fisher will take on Macaluso's previous role as president of CARSTAR.
Fisher most recently served as chief operating officer of CARSTAR North America and has been a long-time franchise partner and chair of the U.S. advisory board.
Arlo Johnson, general manager, CARSTAR U.S.; Jeff Labanovich, general manager, CARSTAR Canada; and the entire CARSTAR team will remain on with the company.
