Essential Auto opened a second ADAS calibration facility in Orléans in September, doubling its capacity to service four vehicles simultaneously and providing Ottawa repair shops with an alternative to dealership calibration services.
- The new 5,000 sq. ft. facility at 2030 Lanthier Dr. in Orléans can calibrate up to four vehicles at once, doubling existing capacity
- Services include ADAS calibration, windshield replacement, diagnostics, module programming, four-wheel alignment, and IGLA anti-theft device installation
- Essential Auto grew from a one-person operation in January 2023 to a team of 8 technicians, 2 managers, and owner Mike Frangione
- The facility features laser-levelled flooring, controlled lighting, and OEM software for precision calibration work
- Grand opening event held October 28 with industry sessions from 3-5 p.m. and 5:30-8 p.m.
A second ADAS calibration facility has opened in Ottawa’s east end, adding space for four vehicles at once and capacity expected to double the existing business.
Opened in September, the new Essential Auto Calibration & Glass location occupies 500 sq m (5,000 sq. ft) at 2030 Lanthier Dr. in Orléans.
“We have the capability of doing three, four vehicles at the same time,” owner and manager Mike Frangione told Collision Repair.
Frangione oversees both the new facility and the original location at 1772 Carling Ave.
He opened Essential Auto in January 2023 after completing his studies at the Automotive Business School of Canada. It aims to provide shops with an alternative to dealership calibration services. The business began as a one-person operation and has grown into a team providing calibration and diagnostic services for Ottawa repair facilities.
The existing business handles static and dynamic advanced driver assistance system calibrations, vehicle diagnostics, module programming, windshield replacement and four-wheel alignments. That work includes cameras and radar sensors used by systems such as lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control.
With the second facility operating, the business has eight technicians, two managers and Frangione across its locations.
“There are eight of us, eight technicians in our company,” he said.
The Orléans opening announcement described a laser-levelled floor, controlled lighting and OEM software. Additional appointment slots and shorter transportation times for east-end shops were identified as benefits of the expansion.
Services at the new location include windshield replacement, IGLA anti-theft device installation and dashcam installation.
“Windshield replacements, IGLA anti-theft device installation, and dashcam installation,” Frangione said when asked about services available through the expansion.
IGLA is a concealed electronic immobilizer that communicates with a vehicle’s electronic network. A personal PIN entered through existing vehicle buttons authorizes driving. The system is designed to prevent unauthorized operation even when someone has obtained or cloned a key.
Windshield replacement was already part of Essential Auto’s services, with OEM and aftermarket glass available. Calibration work can be completed alongside glass replacement where required by the vehicle manufacturer.
The Oct. 28 grand opening is open to industry visitors, with sessions from 3–5 p.m. and 5:30–8 p.m.
“We’re doing from three to five, and then we’re doing five-thirty to eight as well,” Frangione said.
Attendees are asked to RSVP through the invitation on Essential Auto’s page so organizers can plan food and refreshments.
