Building a next generation collision center

A couple years ago we were introduced to Drew Bryant. Drew was needing to expand his collision repair business. Flying in the face of convention, he purchased a commercial office building and set about creating a next generation collision center. It was an ambitious plan to say the least. Perseverance was key. The end result is a “dealership grade” world class facility. Now that the facility has been operating for a number of months, and hindsight is, as they say, “20/20” we asked Drew to share some insight into creating a next generation collision center.

Drew, you are the CEO of DB Collision. How did you get started in the business and what was the impetus to add a second location?

I didn’t come from the traditional collision-repair pipeline, but from a process-driven, multi-unit operational restaurant franchise background. I applied the same principles I had learned in that industry to a 400-sq-ft startup collision space in 2011. My goal was to champion the advocacy I thought most consumers weren’t getting due to insurance company strategies. What began as a one-man operation has evolved, through disciplined process, culture, and OEM alignment, into a recognized national Top Shop. We’ve brought this same DNA to our new location. The team all know, the success of this facility is tied directly to our culture. A building doesn’t create excellence; people do. The right building enables excellence to scale.

Building the second location wasn’t expansion for the sake of expansion. It was out of necessity. Our original facility was bursting at the seams. In addition, the complexity of modern vehicle repairs demanded a facility purpose-built for OEM-certified repairs. The facility needed to accommodate all proper safety procedures, and provide workflow clarity – to eliminate the chaos often seen in other shops. Last but not least, it had to offer future scalability.

This new “West” facility wasn’t just creating a next generation collision center; it was the opportunity to build the collision center I wished existed when I entered this industry. Our investment wasn’t only about size and adding capacity; it was about correctness. Everything from lighting to airflow to concrete hardness was intentional.

Construction underway building a next generation collision center — **DB Collison took over an old medical training facility and embarked on a major transformation of the space**

Completed body shop installation with overhead signage showing what work is completed in each position. — **DB Collison took over an old medical training facility and embarked on a major transformation of the space**

The property you selected wasn’t an existing automotive facility. Why did you choose this site?

The typical strategy, that I’ve noticed over the last 15 years, is to find an existing or former body shop facility and “make it work.” Retrofits seem to me like inheriting someone else’s limitations. Even brand-new collision centers always appear like a bland box in a field to me. I wanted architecture that would complement our brand rather than the “lipstick on the pig” approach. We ended up choosing a two-story former medical training facility and converting it into a next generation collision center.

This specific property gave us:

Unrestricted design control for flow, safety, ADAS, paint, structural, and blueprinting workflows.
A massive footprint that could support a true multi-department operation without congestion.
A location central to our dealer partners and high-value customer base.
The ability to elevate our brand through the overall facility image and client offerings that you see in downtown high-rises. Not a typical bodyshop.

Starting from scratch with this non-traditional structure allowed us to design a next generation collision center the same way OEMs engineer new models; purpose-built, intentional, very specific, not reactionary.

In creating a next generation collision center, what investments are required to meet both todays and tomorrow’s vehicle demands?

Modern vehicles are no longer simple steel shells. They’re aluminum, UHSS, carbon fiber, composites, mixed materials, bonded structures, and sensor-packed ecosystems. A next-gen collision center needs to invest in:

OEM-specific structural equipment for proper repairs across multiple brands.
ADAS-calibration spaces built to spec, not improvised in a corner of the shop.
Environmental controls, ventilation, and dedicated zones for aluminum and bonded repairs.
Advanced drying and curing systems that support modern paint chemistry.
Scalable electrical infrastructure for EV repair, battery isolation, and high-voltage safety.
Digital workflow, documentation, and measurement technology to ensure every repair is “audit-proof” and traceable.
Visual QA process checks for maximum communication.

You can’t fake readiness for modern vehicle architecture. You either adapt and prepare for it, or you fall behind.

What was your biggest challenge in the execution of this project?

Coordinating specialized trades, OEM requirements, engineering constraints, and ghant chart installation timelines simultaneously all while still operating our high-volume, award-winning original facility.

Collision centers aren’t simple buildings. Every station has specific electrical, airflow, pressure, anchoring, safety, and surface requirements. The challenge wasn’t the build itself it was keeping dozens of disciplines aligned so nothing had to be reworked later. The level of mediocracy I found in the commercial construction industry astonished me.

What were your most impactful lessons learned?

Build slower than you think you need to and or are comfortable with. Rushing the build is expensive and painful later.
Architects and GC teams need collision-specific guidance. They simply don’t know what the industry requires unless you “translate” it for them.
Never compromise on OEM-certification space requirements. Every corner cut in construction becomes a recurring operational problem forever.
Plan your final workflow before you pour concrete. Square footage is expensive; mistakes in flow are permanent.
Inspect what you expect. Our entire Air conditioning system required a complete overhaul immediately after opening our doors. Why, because we trusted our vendors to do what they were contracted to do. I wish I would have had a constant 2^nd opinion from trade professionals.
If you’re thinking it, SAY it. Numerous times early in the build, I found myself listening to several guys working to brainstorm a solution. I wanted to speak up, but it was my belief that my idea could have in no way been overlooked by this team. Yet, time and time again when I opened my mouth and expressed my idea, I was met with, “you, know, that would work”.

If you did it again, what are three things you’d do differently?

Bring in collision-specific design consultants earlier so we weren’t re-educating the GC team mid-stream.
Lock down long-lead equipment earlier to reduce production-impact delays and supply-chain surprises.
Over-plan infrastructure for ADAS and EV, because those needs are multiplying faster than most facilities realize.

What sets a next generation collision center like this apart from most other collision centers in the industry?

This facility isn’t a “shop.” It’s a purpose-engineered efficiency plant for modern vehicle collision repair.

Key differentiators:

A Symach-equipped workflow that removes bottlenecks and brings predictable output.
OEM-certified structural spaces built exactly to spec.
Dedicated, controlled environments for ADAS calibration.
A 33,000-sq-ft layout that mirrors manufacturing-level efficiency and throughput.
A culture of documentation, measurement, and transparency that partners and customers trust.

Most collision centers try to modernize inside an outdated building. This project represents where the industry is headed – consolidation, specialization, OEM alignment, and high-accountability repair ecosystems. In my opinion our image is everything. It sets the tone for the customer and the experience they expect from us the moment they drive onto the property. My father would always tell me, “Son, you’ll never get the act right, unless you get the look right first”

Car positioned in a primer booth in a next generation collision center — Symach’s rail system moves cars through all the last stages including paint without requiring the vehicle to be started and repositioned, improving work flow.

Looking at the front of a new Symach paint booth in a next generation collision center — Symach’s rail system moves cars through all the last stages including paint without requiring the vehicle to be started and repositioned, improving work flow.

How did you come to work with Symach for your facility equipment? Why did you select their system?

When we evaluated equipment for the new facility, Symach stood out because their system isn’t just tools it’s a complete production philosophy.

We chose Symach because:

Their drying and curing technology materially improve cycle time.
Their equipment enables highly predictable throughput, exactly what our dealer partners expect.
Their workflow design aligns with a lean manufacturing mindset.
They support high-volume, high-accuracy, OEM-focused operations like ours.
Compared to other vendors, Symach listened, responded, & executed in a fashion that gave me nothing but confidence they were the right partner.

Symach wasn’t just an equipment purchase; it was a strategic decision to standardize our future around a more controllable, more efficient process model.

Are dealerships competitors, or are they looking for a collision repair partner?

Ten years ago, many dealerships viewed body shops as competitors. That era is over.

Modern dealerships increasingly want trusted, certified, collision partners because:

OEM procedures, ADAS, EV repair, and structural requirements have exploded.
Dealerships aren’t going to invest millions in body-shop infrastructure when they can partner with a company that already has.
Working together, a high-level collision partner and an educated dealer team strengthen their service, sales, parts, warranty, and CSI ecosystem. Once the dealer partner experiences the model all they want is to provide more to it.

We aren’t competing with our dealers; we’re embedded in their fixed-ops strategy. They send us work because we protect their reputation, support their OEM metrics, and handle repairs to the standard their brands require. Ultimately supporting consumer brand loyalty and entire gross profit stabilization.

Wrapping it Up

There’s no single recipe for success in the retail automotive industry. Technology evolves and so do customer expectations. Drew Bryant needed to expand his collision repair business. His strategy to do so was unique but intentional. Drew understands the changing needs of the industry and his customers. He partnered with suppliers who could provide technology to meet or exceed manufacturer’s requirements. All while creating a safe, scalable, space that utilizes every square foot of the facility to the best of its ability. It truly sets the bar for a next generation collision repair center. Combining this new facility with the culture that he has instilled in his people is definitely a recipe worth following.

The DB Collison Project – Building a Next Generation Collision Center