Brampton, Ontario — In this holiday series, Collision Repair magazine reached out to members of the industry to find out what the highlights were for 2024, and what shops can look forward to in the new year.
In this first installment, we reached out to Ryan Hurdman, collision centre manager at Bramgate Collision Centre to learn how he and his team are planning on driving into 2025.
When asked what the highlight of 2024 was for his shop, Hurdman commented that overall, “2024 was a great year for us at Bramgate Collision Centre. We achieved Audi certification, forged new insurance partnerships and grew our business. The highlight was being awarded the Consolidated Collision Services (CCS) 2024 Shop of the Year award at the brand’s conference in Niagara, Ontario. This award was not something that we were expecting, but it highlights the amazing work of everyone on our team.”
Moreover, when asked what challenges the collision repair industry may experience in the new year, Hurdman acknowledged that while “there will always be challenges to face, some within our control and some not, what’s important is to always have a plan.”
“For example,” he continued, “we cannot control the frequency of claims. We will go through stretches where we see auto thefts on the rise and collision claims increase, and then a stretch where claims may slow to a crawl. Now, there is uncertainty in the industry because of the United States’ election and the threat of tariffs on the automotive sector and rising costs. Ultimately, it will be interesting to see how this unfolds and how it will affect collision repair. So, control what you can and always be improving where you can.”
Finally, when asked what Hurdman is most excited for in the new year, he commented that Bramgate Collision Centre is “currently working on achieving new OEM certifications based on the manufacturer vehicles we tend to repair the most of in our market area. We are also looking forward to forging new partnerships with automotive dealers in our area and strengthening our existing partnerships with insurance parties.”
Check out Ryan Hurdman on the cover of Collision Repair magazine here to learn more about his journey within the industry and with Bramgate Collision Centre.
