In case you missed our catch up with some of the major MSOs in the January/February issue here's our chat with CARe.
CARe Automotive
Sites: 16
Employees: 350>
Type of work: Non-structural, driveable repairs
Established: 2022
Apprentices: 35
Sites in: QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS
CARe has added six sites since our interview last year (and another two since this interview which has been updated above) and shows no signs of slowing down. We talked to relatively new CEO Leigh Bryan to find out what’s in store and what were the major challenges and achievements last year.
“I think they’re probably all intertwined to a degree,” he said. “The greatest achievement is to have been able to maintain great customer focus but at the same time expand the network. That’s quite a tricky balance. So being able to manage both of those activities and execute both of them really well is what we are most proud of.”
Financially the company is very strong: “We are performing well,” says Bryan. “Our founders Jim Vais and Norman Moss have thought carefully and in a very considered way to make sure that the business has been set up for long-term success, and it absolutely is.”
On plans for 2025 Bryan says that like the other MSOs they will put on sites where insurance partners have indicated that they need more capacity.
“The simplistic answer is we’ll go where our insurance customers would like us to go; and that’s certainly part of the answer, however we are also looking to broaden our business model to explore further growth opportunities. Two recent acquisitions are examples of this in Pakenham and Caboolture, where we have targeted local community investment to drive growth via broadening scope to attract new customers in different markets.”
When it comes to the customer base the big two are Suncorp and Auto & General.
“Through the Pakenham and Caboolture acquisitions we’ve maintained relationships with existing insurance customers, fleet, private work, etc. So we’re developing new relationships or strengthening existing relationships that are already in place.”
Up until the latest acquisitions CARe locations were all in metro areas so is this a new direction for the company?
“Yes, as I just touched on, one of our strategies has been to really tap into local community opportunities, particularly if we believe that they’re growth areas. When you look at somewhere like Pakenham in Victoria, it’s a growth corridor in terms of population, business investment and infrastructure.
“If you drive around areas like that you can clearly see that there’s opportunities for both now and into the future. So we’re looking at both metro and at the new growth corridors that’ll potentially provide more opportunities,” he says.
“We are an agile organisation with the ability to pivot when necessary to drive acquisition or further expansion. We have just made announcements on two new locations which are coming on board in first quarter of 2025, including a greenfield site in Moorabbin and an acquisition of an existing business in Derwent Park, Hobart.”
Challenge-wise people and their recruitment is always number one. Jim Vais created an enviable culture at Capital S.M.A.R.T with a very loyal team, many of whom have followed him to CARe years later.
To address the industry-wide challenge, CARe has created a new trainee program, known as LEAP, that reaches out to people who might not have considered working in collision repair before.
“The question we have asked ourselves is; how can we turn what is an industry-wide challenge into a strategic opportunity and that mindset is at the forefront of what we call creating the workforce of the future.
“We believe that we need to think differently about the way in which our workforce is constructed and explore options to bring in people from different demographics, different socio-economic areas – and that’s where we’re looking.
“You don’t necessarily need to be a highly skilled technician to secure a role within CARe Auto today and certainly into the future. You could come through via our LEAP program through a trainee pathway which means we’ll identify and support someone who’s from a completely different background to come and work within say, the paint prep area or the panel assembly area.
“We’ve launched our first LEAP trainee program with really good success. We have five people now who are working within our business that only a few months ago had not ever considered a career in automotive repair. We’re really pleased with how they’ve settled and the contribution they’re making.”