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New Owners Take the Helm at Fix Auto Welland

Autosphere » Collision » New Owners Take the Helm at Fix Auto Welland
Fix Auto Welland—fully equipped to repair and restore all makes and models of vehicles to their near-original condition. Photo Fix Auto

Fix Network, a global leader in advanced collision repair services, has welcomed the new management of Fix Auto Welland, in southern Ontario, as the iconic aftermarket brand celebrates its 30th year in 2022.

Fix Auto Welland joined the Fix Auto banner in 2006 and had been operating as an independent business for 21 years before that. The location was recently acquired by the father-son duo John and Johnny D’Ambrosio, whose family has been associated with the aftermarket business for nearly 50 years. They also own Fix Auto St Catharines, which recently won the Fix Network Performance Award for total excellence in all areas of operation, as well as the Canadian Business Review Board (CBRB) Award for business excellence.

Located on 48 Seventh St., Fix Auto Welland is fully equipped to repair and restore all makes and models of vehicles to their near-original condition. The location is also home to the NOVUS Glass brand, offering advanced glass repair and replacement services in house. The combination of the two powerful aftermarket brands under one roof allows the team better control of the repair process and quicker turnaround time in vehicle delivery to the customers.

New down-draft paint booths and mixing room

After acquiring the Fix Auto Welland business, the family invested in equipping the body shop with two state-of-the-art down-draft paint booths and a new mixing room imported from Italy. The new paint booths, along with a largescale renovation, open the middle of the shop to allow for a larger workspace and more efficient flow has really transitioned the shop positively.

Johnny is keen to ensure his team is at the top of their game in all aspects of body shop operation. “We are an I-CAR Gold shop and are in the middle of obtaining our CCIAP certification which would mirror our St. Catharines location as well as being CCC-certified and having multiple OEM certifications,” he says.

Johnny is a third-generation owner of his family’s aftermarket business, established in 1976 by his grandfather, Pasqualino “Lino” D’Ambrosio, a hardworking technician who immigrated to Canada and set up his shop in the St. Catharines region. As a teenager, Johnny watched his grandfather and father working in their body shop and quickly learned the trade from them.

Johnny became more involved in the business in 2008 and actively scoured opportunities to grow it beyond St. Catharines. “I joined my father in the business immediately when I was 21,” he says. “I’ve always loved being around the shop as far back as I can remember and even during my school career, my dad couldn’t keep me away. Over the years I became more financially invested in the business and the torch was passed to me from my father.”

Joining the Fix Network

After operating their independent business for many years, the D’Ambrosio family joined Fix Network in 2015, rebranding themselves as Fix Auto St. Catharines. “It made more sense for us to align with Fix Network because we were still able to be independently owned and operated while teaming up with a powerful and respected global name,” he says.

Johnny describes Fix Network as a young, dynamic, and fresh organization. “Fix Network is very forward-thinking with regards to structure, operations and even marketing,” said he says. “Performing safe and high-quality repairs in a timely manner is what’s most important in our industry and with regards to that, our small business and Fix Network were on the same page.”

Fix Auto Welland was previously owned by Valerio Frassetto, who had worked for Johnny’s grandfather for approximately 50 years and was one of his first certified collision repair technicians. After starting his own business, Valerio stayed in touch and collaborated closely with the family. “We saw Fix Auto Welland as a great investment opportunity and when Valerio expressed his interest to retire, we let him know we were very serious about purchasing his shop,” Johnny said.

Welcoming Fix Auto Welland into the network, Daryll O’Keefe, Senior Vice President for Fix Network (Canada), says, “The Fix Auto Welland team is exceptionally motivated to take the D’Ambrosio family’s legacy to the next level by building modern repair centres in the heart of their own communities. We are excited to partner with them as they begin the next phase of their aftermarket journey.”

 

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