Steve Leal, president of Fix Auto World and owner of the Fix Auto trademark globally, has announced the network’s plans to regain the rights to the Fix Auto trademark in the U.S., which has been licensed to a third party since 1997, and to directly enter the U.S. market before the end of 2017.

Leal said, “By regaining the rights to our trademark, we are asserting our commitment to the U.S. market. We look forward to growing the Fix Auto brand in the U.S by directly pursuing aggressive new strategies that leverage our global track record of elevating the brand and developing insurance channels.”

Fix Auto is currently experiencing a period of rapid growth and has more than doubled the number of countries in which it operates over the past three years. “We see the potential for growth in the U.S. automotive aftermarket space and we look forward to building on the momentum we’ve gained around the world,” added Leal.

A former Fix Auto franchisee himself, Leal has created an entrepreneurial culture that is fueling Fix Auto’s accelerated global development. He explained, “The role of a master franchisor is to create value for its members; by aligning our global operations under one strong franchising model, we are better equipped to provide our members with the tools and support they need to evolve with the industry.”

The recent acquisition of aftermarket services companies Novus Glass and Speedy Auto Glass USA represents a combined total of more than 230 automotive glass locations in the United States. These numbers add to Fix Auto’s growing global network of more than 450 collision repair centers in eight countries outside the U.S.

Fix Auto’s approach to growing a market consists of either partnering with an experienced local master franchisor or entering the market as the master franchisor, as is the case with Fix Auto Canada, Fix Auto Australia and Fix Auto Germany. The company said regaining the rights to the Fix Auto trademark will be a major opportunity to directly pursue new growth strategies in the United States, while creating synergies with Fix Auto’s newly acquired companies.

“We are in the business of developing trusted consumer brands in the automotive services sector,” said Carl Brabander, vice president of marketing for Fix Auto World. “This is an incredible opportunity to add value to both the collision and glass sides of the business, and ultimately provide a more complete service offering to our industry partners and end customers. We look forward to having a direct impact on the success of Fix Auto, NOVUS Glass and Speedy Auto Glass in the U.S.”