As the collision repair industry heads into 2026, networks are positioning for growth with new leadership hires, franchise expansion, and a slate of industry events on the calendar.
Here's a roundup of announcements from the past week.
ProColor Collision promotes Aldridge to director of sales
ProColor Collision has promoted Robert Aldridge to Director of Sales, effective immediately. In his new role, Aldridge will lead national account management and growth initiatives, expanding the franchise network's relationships with insurance carriers and strategic partners.
Aldridge previously served as Field Sales and Performance Manager, where he focused on performance management and compliance at the regional level. Before joining ProColor Collision in 2023, he spent eight years with GEICO in leadership roles including Auto Damage Manager and Auto Damage Supervisor.
"Robert's deep understanding of insurer expectations and operational performance makes him the ideal leader to advance our sales strategy," said Lou Berman, Vice President of Sales and Operations for Fix Network USA and ProColor Collision.
OpenRoad Collision adds Klein as VP of strategic accounts
OpenRoad Collision has hired Kevin Klein as Vice President of Strategic Accounts and Marketing. Klein brings more than two decades of automotive and collision repair industry experience to the multi-shop operator.
Klein started his career with Farmers Insurance in Houston, holding positions across Auto Property Damage, National Catastrophe, and National Multi-Shop Operations. He spent the past nine years in leadership roles with Service King and Crash Champions in North Texas, overseeing centralized review, business development, and large-scale operational support.
In his new position, Klein will oversee strategic partnerships, national accounts, and marketing initiatives as OpenRoad Collision continues to expand its footprint across multiple states.
ProColor Collision opens first South Carolina location
ProColor Collision Myrtle Beach has opened as the franchise network's first location in South Carolina. The shop at 7794 Highway 544 in Myrtle Beach is owned and operated by Evan Anderson and John Masetti, who each bring 12 years of collision repair industry experience.
Both owners began their careers on the insurance side of the industry before transitioning to shop operations. Anderson previously served as a Field Performance Manager for ProColor Collision's corporate team.
"ProColor Collision offers the resources and support we need to focus on what matters most — our customers," Anderson said. The facility features a heavy-duty lift and an Accudraft Alto paint booth capable of handling vehicles up to 12 feet in height.
Registration opens for 2026 Auto Care Connect
The Auto Care Association has opened registration for its 2026 Auto Care Connect conference, scheduled for May 11-14 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.
The three-day program brings together nearly 1,000 registrants from across the automotive aftermarket supply chain for learning sessions, networking, a trade show, and association advisory discussions. According to the association, 100 percent of 2025 survey respondents said they would recommend the event to colleagues.
Early-bird registration with discounted rates is available through Feb. 28, 2026. More information is available at autocare.org/connect.
Detroit Auto Show to feature Route 66 centennial exhibition
The 2026 Detroit Auto Show will host a Route 66 Centennial Exhibition celebrating the 100th anniversary of the iconic American highway. The exhibition runs January 14-25 at Huntington Place in Detroit, with public show days beginning January 17.
The exhibition will showcase nine classic and modern vehicles that will travel the full length of Route 66 as part of "The Drive Home VII: Route 66 – A Century of Adventure." The cross-country convoy departs Santa Monica, California on January 3, 2026, and arrives in Chicago on January 12 before continuing to Detroit.
"We're excited for show attendees to have a chance to experience a treasured part of Americana right on the show floor," said Sam Klemet, Executive Director of the Detroit Auto Show.
Sherwin-Williams announces 2026 calendar winners
Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes has released its 2026 Classics and Customs Calendar featuring 12 vehicles finished exclusively in Sherwin-Williams paint products. The annual contest celebrates the work of collision repair, custom, and restoration shops across the United States and Canada.
This year's cover features a custom 1972 Chevrolet C10 built by Bryce Green of Big Kid Custom Rides in Saratoga Springs, Utah, finished in custom gray and bright white Sunfire PRO.
"Every year we receive more and more entries into our annual calendar contest, and it becomes all the more difficult to pick just 12 to best represent what our custom builders and painters can first perceive, and then achieve, with Sherwin-Williams," said Tony D'Acquisto, Global Vice President of Marketing for Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes.
The full list of 2026 calendar winners:
- - January: 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS | Alpha Team B Street Collision Center | Olathe, Kansas
- - February: 1969 Chevrolet Camaro | Big Kid Custom Rides | Orem, Utah
- - March: 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air | Marvin Meyer | Severance, Colorado
- - April: 1970 Ford Bronco | Davis Body Shop | Halifax, North Carolina
- - May: 1972 Chevrolet C10 | Big Kid Custom Rides | Saratoga Springs, Utah
- - June: 1989 Toyota Landcruiser | Greg Restorations | Rutland, Massachusetts
- - July: 1971 Chevrolet C10 | Lucky13 Paint Shop | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- - August: 2001 Ford Mustang Cobra | Midway Collision | Bridgeport, Alabama
- - September: 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air | Big Kid Custom Rides | Orem, Utah
- - October: 1961 Volkswagen Beetle | David Unser, Restoration Specialist | Louisville, Kentucky
- - November: 1947 Ford COE Truck | Silver Creek Auto Body Collision & Detailing | Silverton, Oregon
- - December: 1960 Chevrolet Impala | Jerry Keene | Abingdon, Virginia
Fix Auto franchisee raises $17,000 for charity through artwork
Fix Auto Avondale owner Troy Buck continued his charitable efforts by creating and donating an original painting for Alice Cooper's Christmas Pudding concert in December. The annual event raised more than $1 million this year to support Solid Rock Teen Centers.
This year's painting was personally signed by Alice Cooper. Combined with last year's donation, Buck's paintings have raised more than $17,000 for the organization.
"Giving back is something I take seriously, whether it's through community programs, youth initiatives, or causes that touch families in real and lasting ways," Buck said. At Driven Brands' annual conference last year, Buck also donated a painting of NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon that raised more than $8,000 for cystic fibrosis research.
