Maaco, a leader in the $38 billion automotive paint and collision industry, opened its 2019 Maaco Convention with a positive outlook about the 47-year-old brand’s role in the paint and light collision segment and opportunities for the year ahead.

“The theme of the 2019 Maaco Convention is Breakthrough and that’s what we are ready to do,” said Bob Benjamin, president of Maaco. “We launched our ‘Go Forward Plan” at the 2018 Maaco Convention, and we’ve spent the past year visiting our Maaco store centers, launching our center certification program, improving our operations and driving our franchisees’ financial performance. The strategic foundation is in place, and our capability to win in this segment has never been stronger.”

The 2019 Maaco Convention is a platform to showcase Maaco’s goals and objectives for the year ahead. The convention provides franchise owners the opportunity to attend educational workshops, general sessions and networking events designed to continue their professional learning, share experiences and develop relationships with other owners, all with the goal of continuing to improve Maaco and its franchisees’ business and advance the Maaco brand in 2020 and beyond.

“Attendance at this year’s convention is up 38 percent over last year, with 30 percent more Maaco centers attending,” said Benjamin. “That demonstrates the enthusiasm and engagement of our franchisees. They are excited about the future of the Maaco brand and are ready to Breakthrough in 2020 by adapting new technology, innovation and embracing change.”

The morning started with Benjamin outlining the breakthrough strategies that he and his leadership team have put in place as a continuation of the Maaco “Go Forward Plan,” which is now in full execution mode. The focus of the “Go Forward Plan” is improved performance and higher profitability for all Maaco centers. A key component of the plan is the revitalization of the Maaco shop image and the shop certification program, where Maaco centers meet requirements for Gold, Platinum or Diamond certification.

These key initiatives are driving same center sales increases for the year, and these have doubled in the past month as more Maaco centers achieve certification. Maaco certified shops are growing at a higher rate and some are already seeing significant improvements on performance, according to the company.

For the year ahead, Benjamin pointed to five factors that will accelerate the positive results in 2019:

• Maaco “Go Forward Plan” and the roadmap it provides to success

• Maaco Operations Playbook which provides franchisees the fundamentals for managing their Maaco centers

• Scale of Purchasing fueled by Driven Brands’ industry leading buying power representing more than 4,000   retail locations

• Innovative marketing approach and team focused on marketing to customers where and how they want to be reached 

• National Fleet Program will continue to drive increased car count