In recent years, the automotive industry has undergone significant transformation, prompting Fix Network Canada’s leadership team to launch a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening its business verticals—Collision, Glass, Calibration, and Mechanical Services. The vision is clear: to create a more seamless, customer-centric repair model that eliminates inefficiencies, reduces cycle times, and enhances service quality. For many franchise partners, this meant embracing new business practices. However, for Johnny Soleas, owner of Fix Auto Fort McMurray, the “Shop of the Future” concept was something he had already started building long before the initiative was formally introduced, and something he continues to refine and expand as the industry evolves.
The vision is clear: to create a more seamless, customer-centric repair model that eliminates inefficiencies, reduces cycle times, and enhances service quality. For many franchise partners, this meant embracing new business practices.
BREAKING DOWN SILOS: THE EVOLUTION OF A ONE-STOP REPAIR FACILITY
Johnny’s journey toward a fully integrated repair model began in 2016 when he opened JHG Automotive, a mechanical shop named after him and his two brothers, Harry and George. The shop runs adjacent to his collision repair centre, which has been operating under the Fix Auto banner ever since he joined Fix Network’s family of premium automotive repair brands five years ago. Recognizing the need for an integrated approach, Johnny explains, “I was already repairing vehicles equipped with ADAS, and calibration was becoming necessary. I started subletting calibrations but delays and quality control issues made it clear that I needed to bring this service in-house.”
With a team of trained mechanics, many with dealership backgrounds, Johnny made the leap to invest in cutting-edge equipment. His latest acquisition? The Hunter Ultimate ADAS system—a state-of-the-art calibration machine that positions his shop ahead of even the local dealerships. “Now, we can even print proof of calibration, ensuring accuracy and compliance with industry standards,” he says. “It gives us control over cycle times and quality, something we never had when subletting.”
EXPANDING INTO RETAIL WITH NOVUS GLASS
Having successfully integrated calibration, Johnny turned his attention on the next challenge: windshield repair and replacement. “Glass repair was another major sublet that held up cycle times,” he says. “We’d have vehicles ready for paint, but we were stuck waiting for glass technicians. That delay impacted everything.”
His solution? Co-branding with NOVUS Glass. By bringing glass repair in-house, Johnny aimed not only to improve efficiency but also to tap into the growing retail market. “Now, customers coming in for a windshield repair might later need mechanical or collision work. We’re the first shop that comes to mind for everything,” he says.
Furthermore, integrating glass repair services is a critical step in ensuring vehicle safety. Modern vehicles rely on ADAS features such as lane departure warnings, emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control, all of which require precise calibration after a windshield replacement. “If a windshield isn’t installed properly, and the ADAS sensors aren’t calibrated correctly, those safety features won’t function as they should. That puts drivers at risk,” Johnny explains.
As they prepare to officially launch with NOVUS Glass, Johnny is excited about the comprehensive training his team will undergo. This training will ensure they are fully equipped to provide high-quality windshield repairs, seamlessly complementing his existing collision and mechanical services while prioritizing customer safety and vehicle integrity.
Executing a strategy like this would be challenging without the expertise, vendor relationships, and operational synergies within Fix Network. “From operational and training support to marketing initiatives, Fix Network has been instrumental in helping my business,” Johnny says.
“Johnny Soleas is a prime example of an entrepreneurial leader who operates a successful collision centre and independent mechanical facility,” says Zakari Krieger, Vice President of Prime CarCare brands at Fix Network. “By integrating calibration and retail glass services into his facilities, Johnny is positioning his business as a local leader in calibration expertise while tapping into the growing retail glass market. This kind of strategic expansion is exactly what we envisioned when we introduced the ‘Shop of the Future’ concept.”
A UNIQUE JOURNEY: FROM BARS TO BODY SHOPS
Johnny’s career path has been anything but conventional. Born in Scarborough, Ontario, his family moved to Cyprus when he was a child, where he grew up working in his father’s auto body shop. After a stint in the military, Johnny returned to Canada where he pursued a different path—running a bar. “I had Gene Simmons from KISS in my bar when the band played in Fort McMurray,” Johnny recalls. “We hit it off, and I ended up selling several bass guitars for him. He advertised my business on the radio and I even had the chance to borrow his motorhome from Family Jewels for a couple of days,” he laughs. “That was the peak of my bar career—It couldn’t get much better than that.”
Soon after, an opportunity arose to buy an auto body shop in town. Although the deal didn’t materialize, Johnny, with his family on board, found his way back to the industry. “At first, I was hesitant,” he admits. “I was already managing multiple businesses, but after my family looked into it and saw the potential, we decided to go for it—and we haven’t looked back.”
THE FUTURE OF FIX AUTO FORT MCMURRAY
With calibration, glass, and mechanical services all under one roof, Johnny’s vision of a true one-stop-shop has become a reality. “We’re not just a collision centre anymore,” he says. “We’re an automotive repair facility—handling everything from diagnostics and mechanical work to ADAS calibration and windshield replacement.”
Supported by Fix Network Canada and its investments in training centres and strategic partnerships, Johnny sees the “Shop of the Future” as not just a concept but the new standard. “By eliminating sublets, controlling quality, and diversifying our services, we’re setting a new benchmark for efficiency and customer experience in collision repair. This is where the industry is headed, and we’re already there.” For other shop owners considering a similar model, Johnny’s advice is simple: “Be willing to invest, be honest with your customers, and always look for ways to evolve. That’s how you stay ahead.”
“We’re an automotive repair facility—handling everything from diagnostics and mechanical work to ADAS calibration and windshield replacement.”
