Crash Champions

Crash Champions

Crash Champions was started by Matt Ebert in Downers Grove, Illinois. Ebert previously led another collision repair chain, and he launched Crash Champions with a strategy of acquiring and consolidating independent auto body shops. The company has grown rapidly through a mix of acquisitions and organic expansion, positioning itself as a national alternative to large insurance-owned repair networks. The firm's primary activity is acquiring collision repair centers and integrating them into a larger operational platform. Crash Champions targets both single-shop operators and multi-location regional chains. The company's growth has been supported by private equity backers, including Clearlake Capital and, more recently, a minority investment from Goldman Sachs Asset Management in 2021 (per Bloomberg, 2021). The firm's geographic footprint spans numerous U.S. states, with a concentration in the Midwest, Texas, and the Southeast. Crash Champions' scale is significant within the collision repair industry: as of 2022, it reported over 200 locations coast to coast (per the company's press release, 2022). The firm employs thousands of technicians across its network. It has not disclosed total AUM or exact revenue, but its growth trajectory has attracted institutional capital from firms like Clearlake and Goldman Sachs, indicating a mid-to-large private company valuation range. The structural differentiator for Crash Champions is its focus on independent consolidation in a highly fragmented market. While many collision repair chains are owned by insurers or large regional operators, Crash Champions remains independent and seeks to offer a consistent customer experience across its network. This model has allowed it to scale rapidly while maintaining a decentralized operational structure.