Las Vegas, Nevada — The 2024 MSO Symposium kicked off industry week in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Monday. The pivotal gathering held exclusively for multi-shop owners and operators in the collision repair industry, now in its 13th year, brought together industry leaders to share insights, discuss challenges and explore opportunities in a rapidly evolving market.
Attendees engaged in a full day of presentations, panel discussions, and networking events, all designed to foster collaboration and innovation among the participants. With a focus on leveraging technology and navigating industry trends, the symposium offered valuable takeaways that attendees could implement in their business strategies.
After a networking breakfast sponsored by LKQ Corporation, MSO Symposium Master of Ceremonies David Simmons from Caliber Collision welcomed participants and set the stage for a dynamic agenda. The first keynote speaker, Phil Mackintosh from Nasdaq, delivered an engaging presentation titled “Return to Goldilocks,” where he explored the delicate balance in current market conditions, providing a framework for understanding the economic landscape.
Following Mackintosh, Kyle Krumlauf, director of industry analytics for CCC Intelligent Solutions took to the stage with his presentation, “In Motion: Trend Fluctuations and New Norms in the P&C Insurance Economy.” He emphasized the significant strategic challenges and opportunities, leveraging CCC’s nearly $2 trillion of historical data, highlighting how automotive claims and collision repair sectors can enhance operational efficiency amid evolving market dynamics.
Shortly after, David Roberts, managing director of Focus Advisors, presented an informative market update during “Scale and its Rewards: Industry Landscape and Market Dynamics.” His analysis of key players—from established consolidators to private equity-backed challengers—offered valuable insights into growth rates, regional differences, and the capital landscape in the collision industry.
“We’re navigating significant changes in the collision repair industry that are happening at a record pace–we need great information to make informed decisions as we decide how much capital to invest, how quickly to expand, and what new hires we should make,” said Don Morton, president of Don Mor Collision Centres, London, Ont. “I found the Nasdaq presentation from Phil Mackintosh to be particularly useful to understand the state of the US economy and what 2025 may hold for all of us.”
Following a plated luncheon sponsored by PPG, afternoon sessions featured a panel discussion titled “Calibrations: Facts, Friction, and Future,” moderated by Dan Risley from CCC Intelligent Solutions. Industry leaders discussed the rising percentage of claims requiring calibration, highlighting the challenges of documentation, transparency, and collaboration among stakeholders.
Canada’s own Ryan Taylor from BodyShop Booster followed with an engaging session on “The Power of AI Today, Tomorrow and Next Year.” Taylor showcased practical applications of AI in the collision industry, including live demonstrations of current innovations and a preview of upcoming advancements.
As the day progressed, participants took a break sponsored by Axalta Coating Systems before reconvening for a critical panel on “Data Security, System Stability and the Current State of the Collision Repair Industry.” Moderator Dan Risley of CCC Intelligent Solutions and panellists Craig Edmonds, asTech; Michelle Sullivan of Certified Collision Group; Rich Harrison of CollisionRight; Dan Tessdri of CSAA and Brain Fening of Liberty Mutual discussed the importance of proactive planning for risks such as cyber-attacks and system outages, providing essential strategies for collision repairers.
Eric Jesse, Saba Dowlatshahi, and Peter Roberts from the Boston Consulting Group concluded the day with a session on “Leveraging AI and Technology in the Evolving Auto Collision Market.” They explored how industry leaders are harnessing AI to transform customer dynamics, automate services, and improve predictive analytics, emphasizing practical applications that are reshaping the future of auto collision services.
Joe Saputo, owner of four CARSTAR facilities in southern Ontario found the Symposium beneficial.
”It’s always great to be in a room with national industry leaders, but especially when the topics are less about touch time and cycle time, but rather the holistic values we share that get us there. This is the best place to get off the shop floor and into the ecosystem that is driving your shops.”
Check out our photos below.
