Grand opening of Meadowvale location highlights a customer-first approach aimed at reshaping perceptions of the collision repair industry.

Fix Auto Meadowvale has officially opened its doors in Mississauga, unveiling a new collision repair facility designed around transparency, customer engagement and employee comfort.

The grand opening welcomed insurance partners, OEM dealers, vendors and industry stakeholders to tour the 18,500-square-foot facility, which occupies a former Kia dealership near the Highway 401 and 407 corridor.

According to Claudio Chiodo, President of Doublesee Enterprises Inc., which owns multiple Fix Auto and Novus Glass locations in Southern Ontario, the new facility represents more than an expansion of capacity. It reflects a rethinking of how collision repair facilities interact with customers.

“It’s all about the customer experience,” Chiodo says.

The Meadowvale facility is built around what Chiodo describes as an “open kitchen” concept, similar to what customers might see in a restaurant. Rather than separating customers from the repair process, the facility allows them to walk directly into the production environment, meet technicians, observe repairs and participate in the vehicle inspection process.

“The more they see, the more they trust,” he says. “In this industry, trust is key.”

The concept evolved from customer feedback received at the group’s Burlington location, where a large viewing window into the shop generated positive responses from customers who appreciated seeing repair work firsthand.

The Meadowvale facility takes that idea further by integrating customers directly into the repair journey, particularly during advanced inspections. Chiodo believes the approach helps eliminate surprises by allowing customers, insurers and repair professionals to review vehicle damage together at the beginning of the process.

“It’s all about the customer experience,”

– Claudio Chiodo, President, Doublesee Enterprises Inc.

Focus on employees

The new facility also reflects changing expectations among collision repair employees.

Chiodo says the shop was designed to provide a cleaner, climate-controlled environment that challenges traditional perceptions of body shops and helps attract the next generation of technicians.

“Our job as employers is to evolve with them, not try to get them to fit into our mould,” he says. “We need to change the mould to fit them.”

The new facility is expected to employ approximately 20 staff members, with staffing levels determined by customer demand and the company’s desire to maximize earning opportunities for employees.

Located near the region’s busiest transportation corridors, the new shop complements the group’s existing Fix Auto Streetsville location. Chiodo says the Meadowvale market offers access to a different customer base and addresses capacity constraints at the older Streetsville facility.

On-site car rental

The grand opening also marks the group’s first location featuring an on-site Hertz rental operation. The arrangement allows rental staff to manage replacement vehicle needs directly from the facility, streamlining the repair experience for customers.

Looking ahead, Chiodo says the company intends to continue expanding its network where market opportunities exist, while leveraging its growing portfolio of collision repair, glass and calibration services.

For now, however, the focus remains on demonstrating a different vision of collision repair: one centred on visibility, trust and the customer experience.