FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
FIX NETWORK CHEERS KICK SAUBER ON AT F1 GRAND PRIX
On Sunday, June 15, the Fix Network team cheered on the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber during the Canadian Grand Prix.
“Our franchisees, partners and members of the Fix Network team experienced an extraordinary day at the Canadian Grand Prix, thanks to our partnership with the Stake F1® Team KICK Sauber,” the franchise wrote in a social media post. “Under perfect sunshine, [members of the Fix Network team] enjoyed exclusive paddock access, met the drivers and watched the race from breathtaking VIP seats. Some of our Atlantic franchisees even made the trip to Montreal to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience!”
Kick Sauber is a Swiss Formula One team operating with Ferrari engines. It entered a partnership with the Fix Network in 2024. The auto repair franchise’s logo features prominently on the team’s C45 car, appearing on the inner rear wing and nose.
According to its members, the partnership reflects shared values of performance, precision and forward-thinking innovation, while also giving Fix Network international brand visibility through its association with the global F1 platform.
The Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber had a solid showing. Nico Hülkenberg finished eighth, earning valuable points, while teammate Gabriel Bortoleto crossed the line in fourteenth, one lap down.
CARSTAR CELEBRATES THE DEOKINANDANS
CARSTAR recently highlighted the story of a father-daughter duo making an impact at one of its Greater Toronto Area locations. Ashley and Bisram Deokinandan are both part of the family behind CARSTAR Newmarket, which first opened its doors in 2012. Now in its 13th year of operation, both Deokinandans are working at the shop alongside Bisram’s wife, Romena, and his son, Ryan. The report highlighted how Ashley had come to admire her father’s work ethic, kindness and willingness to make sacrifices for loved ones as a result of her time working beside him.
“We had no idea then how hard he worked all day, often juggling multiple jobs,” she said in the press release. “But no matter how tired he was, he never skipped those moments with us. That time together is one of our fondest memories. He’s a real hero in our hearts.”
She also talked about how her father had begun preparing them for positions of responsibility in business from a very young age. “When my brother Ryan and I were younger, our dad would bring out Monopoly almost every night—it was our greatest joy” said Ashley. “He taught us every strategy —and made sure we knew whoever bought Boardwalk would always win!”
Ashley added that she hopes to see the business continue to thrive in the future. “CARSTAR is part of our family’s legacy,” Ashley said. “We hope to continue sharing in the experience of being franchise owners for generations to come.”
According to Collin Welsh, senior director of CARSTAR, the Deokinandans’ story is a “perfect example of what makes CARSTAR so special.” “The Deokinandans truly embody what it means to be a family business,” he said. “Bisram’s dedication and values have not only built a strong store, but a strong culture rooted in kindness and service. Their story is a perfect example of what makes CARSTAR so special and it’s a privilege to work alongside them.”
While the banner is well-known for providing family businesses with the support needed to compete against MSOs, many other collision repair shops have been passed down through multiple generations in Canada.
A survey by Collision Repair magazine found that 74 percent of Canadian collision repair businesses are family-owned. Of those, 83 percent were started by a parent’s generation and 13 percent by grandparents.
In Regina, Western Autobody was founded in 1944 by Nickolas Hauck. His son joined in 1952, and now the business is run by Hauck’s grandchildren. Parr Auto Body in Saskatoon began in 1952 and remains a family-led shop. Its current team includes several relatives of the founder, along with long-time staff.
Even some larger networks like Distinctive Auto Works and Craftsman Collision also remain under family leadership.
CARSTAR’S TERMINAL AUTOBODY TURNS 45
A British Columbia collision repair facility is celebrating its 45th birthday. Founded on June 12, 1979 as Terminal Autobody by Al Descoteau in Nanaimo, B.C., the facility was later moved to Parksville, where the Descoteau family set up a 465 square metre (5,000 square foot) shop. Al, along with his children, Marc Descoteau and Sari Smith, and his daughter-in-law, Christina Descoteau, continue to provide outstanding service to the community, though the business has now moved into a state-of-the-art, 1,115 square metre (12,000 square foot) facility. Terminal joined the CARSTAR network in 2017. The franchise highlighted the location’s anniversary in a social media post.
“Please join us in celebrating Al Descoteau and the entire team at CARSTAR Terminal Autobody on this remarkable milestone of service, innovation and leadership. Here’s to many more years of success!”
FROM THE HEART: MOKHTARI BROTHERS DONATE TO WINDSOR HOSPITAL
As part of its ongoing commitment to community impact, Simplicity Car Care is announcing a $10,000 donation to the Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation. The donation was generously made by two Simplicity Car Care Windsor franchisees, brothers Sia and Arash Mokhtari.
The funds will be allocated by the hospital toward areas of greatest need, which may include essential equipment purchases, facility renovations or enhancements to patient care programs.
“At Simplicity Car Care, we believe that real success is measured not only by business growth but by the positive impact we make in the communities we serve,” said Paul Prochilo, chief executive officer of Simplicity Car Care.
“Supporting Windsor Regional Hospital allows us to give back to a community that has welcomed and supported us, and we’re proud to play a small part in helping deliver high-quality healthcare to families across the region.”
Simplicity Car Care’s Windsor locations have long been supporters of the local Windsor community. This donation reflects their shared dedication to helping improve the lives of residents and strengthening vital public services like healthcare.
“Healthcare is the backbone of a thriving community. We’re proud to stand behind our local hospital and the incredible team that works tirelessly to care for our friends, neighbours and loved ones,” said Sia Mokhtari.
“For us, giving back isn’t just a responsibility—it’s a privilege,” Arash Mokhtari added. “We’re humbled to support our hospital and the dedicated professionals who deliver hope and healing every single day.”
Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation expressed its appreciation for the unrestricted nature of the gift, which provides flexibility to meet urgent and evolving needs within the hospital.
The contribution is part of Simplicity Car Care’s broader commitment to community investment, corporate responsibility and supporting the pillars that keep Canadian communities strong.
The Mokhtari brothers are the co-owners of Simplicity Car Care Windsor, Windsor East and Windsor LaSalle. Sia serves as the general manager of Simplicity Car Care Windsor and Windsor East locations while Arash manages the Windsor LaSalle location.
Earlier this year, the Mokhtari brothers were featured in the cover story for Collision Repair.
CAMAUTO HOSTS 2025 PDR/GPR COMPETITION
Ukraine’s Miroslav Hubenko claimed top honours at Camauto’s 2025 PDR & GPR International Competition, held in Montreal from July 11 to 13.
The event brought together 10 technicians from around the world for a weekend of live repairs, tool demonstrations and friendly rivalry. Sponsored by Anson PDR, competitors were selected through public voting. Over two days, each was tasked with repairing a dent under the gaze of judges and a crowd of fellow technicians and toolmakers.
The competition kicked off with demonstrations from Camauto Pro Tools, giving attendees a look at new equipment and repair techniques. Competitors were introduced and assigned their repair panels by random draw.
While techniques varied, their goals did not—to make clean, complete repairs under strict time constraints. Repairs continued through Sunday.
Judging was handled by four industry veterans: Arilson Guedes (Brazil), Charles Aoun (Canada), Ken Clark (U.S.A.) and Craig Dyer (U.S.A.). Scores were sealed until the evening Gala Dinner, where results were announced.
Second place was awarded to Menfis Hurachi of Brazil. All 10 competitors received certificates of participation and gift packages from Camauto.
Also competing were:
• Gene Fetty (U.S.A.)
• Martin Sadler (U.K.)
• Oleksandr Doronin (Canada)
• Pak Narlin (Canada)
• Pablo Rocha (Mexico)
• Vladimir Polacek (Czech Republic)
• Wei Wu (China)
• Zeeshan Anjam (Germany)
INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION: SIMPLICITY TO LAUNCH CLARITY CAR CARE IN U.S.
Simplicity Car Care is announcing its expansion into the United States with the launch of its U.S. brand, Clarity Car Care.
The move marks a significant step in the company’s continued vision to make car care simple and affordable for every vehicle owner in the world.
“The launch of Clarity Car Care in the U.S. marks an exciting new chapter in our growth journey,” says Paul Prochilo, Simplicity Car Care’s chief executive officer.
“This expansion reflects our commitment to delivering a consistent, high-quality customer experience while empowering independent collision repairers with a proven system. We’re proud to bring our unique value proposition to a broader market and continue transforming the car care industry across North America. We believe there’s a real opportunity to support collision repairers with a modern platform that drives performance at scale.” Simplicity Car Care’s expansion is the result of a thoughtful, long-term strategy grounded in value creation and modernizing the collision repair industry.
As the industry continues to evolve, Clarity Car Care will bring forward a scalable model that supports both independent collision repairers and large-scale partners with the resources they need to thrive.
The US expansion will be led by the company’s president, Domenic Ieraci, who will oversee the strategy and growth plan with the support of its US-based team, as Clarity Car Care expands in key regions.
“This expansion is an extension of the foundation we’ve build alongsideour franchisees, employees and customers,” says Ieraci. “A stronger, more diversified platform allows us to greatly improve our value proposition on both sides of the border.” Founded in 2017, Simplicity Car Care is one of North America’s fastest growing colliion repair networks.
DESIGNED TO PROTECT: TOYOTA CHARTS DEVELOPMENT OF ADAS SYSTEMS
Toyota has released the latest in a threepart retrospective detailing how its advanced safety features—now standard in most of its vehicles—were developed and rolled out between 2010 and 2015.
The most recent article, released on June 24, details how Toyota engineers overcame the challenge of balancing advanced safety functionality with affordability. It outlines how systems like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert and adaptive cruise control were developed to meet regulatory standards while remaining feasible for largescale production.
“In the future, we’re hoping to be able to cover more speeds and extend protection to increasingly difficult crash scenarios,” said Derek Caveney, senior executive engineer at Toyota Motors North America.
This release follows one from earlier in June, which outlines Toyota’s shift from passive to active safety. The first release traced early innovations to hybrid vehicles like the Prius, where engineers trialed emerging technologies before broader deployment.
For shop owners and technicians, the wide adoption of active safety systems like TSS means re-calibration and repair considerations are increasingly a part of routine collision work—particularly as sensor-equipped vehicles become more common across all market segments.
SHINING BRIGHT: AXALTA WINS 2025 DIAMOND SUPPLIER AWARD
Axalta Coating Systems has been awarded the 2025 Diamond Supplier Award from International Motors, LLC., an Illinoisbased commercial vehicle manufacturer and developer of Fleetrite aftermarket parts. Axalta employees Hadi Awada, president of mobility coatings; Dan Naugle, vice-president of mobility Americas; Phil Henriques, business director and Paul Davenport, heavy duty truck sales director, accepted the award on behalf of the company.
In an announcement post on social media, Axalta stated that “this prestigious honour celebrates our commitment to innovation, quality, sustainability and collaboration.”
International announced the award recipients on July 14, stating in the press release that the award “recognizes suppliers who have consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence and collaboration across key areas such as technology, quality, delivery, cost, sustainability and people.”
Suppliers were evaluated on their ability to deliver advanced technological solutions, reliable delivery performance and commitment to zero-defect quality. According to International, winners demonstrated strong cost leadership through innovative efficiency improvements in alignment with International’s strategic focus on sustainability. Six suppliers won the award in addition to Axalta: HG Transportaciones SA de CV, Renaissance Manufacturing Group, Superior Trim, Toyota Credit Canada Inc., VCST International and W.W. Grainger, Inc.
“This year, we are proud to recognize those suppliers who have not only met, but exceeded expectations through exceptional performance, innovation and dedication,” said Peter Friberg, International’s chief procurement officer, in the press release. “I’d like to personally thank each International 2025 Diamond Supplier Award winners for their continued partnership in providing solutions that move our customers forward.”
