FOR PFAFF AUTOWORKS, COLLISION REPAIR IS ALL ABOUT HONESTY, INTEGRITY, AND PRIORITIZING CUSTOMER NEEDS
In terms of Pfaff ’s mission, general manager Jeff rey Pabst says it has always been about putting customers fi rst. From using only OE parts, materials and procedures, to steering clear from industry pressures, the automotive collision repair facility has set high standards and consistently strives to improve in every aspect of their business. “For me, it was always about doing the right thing,” he says. “We do what we say we are doing and have always been transparent in this matter whether it is with the customer or insurance partner. In the end, it’s about trust and creating value in what we do. We always want to deliver the same message and end product of quality and value.”
When it comes to core values, Pfaff ’s other general manager, David Friars, says they are all about safe and correct repairs that are customer focused. “We’re early adopters and leaders in implementing new ideas and always try to be first with new products and processes,” says Friars.
Pabst, who has an extensive automotive history, started his career as a tool and die apprentice. With his father having co-founded Canadian auto parts manufacturer, Magna International, he began exploring his passion for the industry and racing at a young age.
Aft er making a deal with his parents, Pabst sought out to fi nish high school so that in return, they would send him to Spenard-David racing school at Shannonville Motorsports Park as a graduation present. Completing his end of the bargain, he attended the racing school where he won and got invited back to a runoff —which he won as well. He later completed a business course at Seneca College, during which he began working at Pfaff part-time and eventually raced under the Pfaff banner for almost 30 years on a semi-professional level.
Today, he runs a grassroots endurance, races in a Porsche 944 and has built his own vintage car, an Audi Quattro. Th e competition gene runs in both Pabst and his wife Dora’s families with both having a history with horses. His mother-in-law, Christilot Boylen, is even an equestrian and seven-time Olympian in the dressage world and is still coaching young riders and competing at the age of 78.
With glass having become a growing area of Pfaff’s business, the facility currently has two express techs trained to do glass and handle all windshield, quarter windows and new everpopular panoramic roofs. The shop has also added mechanical repairs to their in-house capabilities and has grown to two full-time OE trained techs on staff to handle all their mechanical needs, including calibrations.
Pfaff is also known for its OEM certifications, which Pabst says aims to support their customer base. Sustainability is also a major focus in today’s industry, which is why Pfaff has implemented initiatives to reduce waste, energy consumption, and emissions in its repair processes, and taken steps to minimize its environmental footprint.
“Sustainability is unfortunately an area where our industry doesn’t do enough. It has certainly been top of mind for us for a number of years,” said Pabst, adding that he completed a series of courses at McMaster University with other staff members to be better equipped.
“I feel we have had some easy wins with things like LED lighting, recycling of waste materials, metals and cardboards, but we have a very long road ahead still,” he says. “It’s a daily struggle to improve on this because you see waste every day in almost everything we do. We just try to eliminate whatever waste we can wherever we can, but we have a long way to go.”
