AWRS Blog

- 10/15/2011-

For those of you who have never been in franchising, or had the experience of being a franchise owner, you may be interested in what some of our most successful franchise owners had to say about their experience and what has made them some of the finest franchisees in the wheel repair industry.

Tom Perez, one of AWRS' first franchise members, was introduced to mobile alloy wheel repair in the early 2000's. As a pioneer, and part visionary of the future of AWRS, Tom has grown his wheel repair franchise to a highly successful business operating in multiple US States. I wanted to learn more about Tom's experiences so I took a few moments to ask him more about AWRS, his company and his entrepreneurial spirit that drives his franchise success.

AWRS: Tom, you've been with us for quite some time. Exactly when, how, and why did you decide to be a franchise owner?

Tom: I started with AWRS sometime in 2003. I had answered an ad placed by Tom Morris offering the purchase of an alloy wheel repair franchise. After speaking with Tom about his wheel repair business opportunity I decided that I wanted to be in control of my own destiny, so I decided to open a franchise.

AWRS: Why did you decide to buy a franchise rather than start your own business?

Tom: Franchises typically have a proven method, a solid marketing and warranty program and a name that is recognized.  All of this creates solid net worth.  Without a franchise anyone can take advantage of your company.  

AWRS: What aspects of AWRS attracted you to this type of franchise opportunity?

Tom: When I started AWRS was not really on its feet.  Tom Morris sold me hook line and sinker.  The idea of providing a viable solid service that was unique to the auto industry is what most interested me.

AWRS: Are you a car lover, or were you in the auto industry before starting your franchise? If so, is it a benefit to you?

Tom: I am not really a car lover and frankly know very little about them. So for me, the benefit doesn't apply; however, there are many franchise owners in our company that are car lovers and the idea of being involved in the auto industry is simply icing on the cake.

AWRS: What qualities and special skills are necessary to be a franchise owner and specifically to repair alloy wheels?

Tom: To be a successful franchise owner I believe you need to be a solid planner, have some sales/people skills and a great work ethic. AWRS does provide an inital two week training as well as continued learning & support so having knowledge of wheel repair isn't initially required. However I do believe you have to be willing to get your hands dirty and be somewhat mechanically inclined.

AWRS: What are some of the challenges you face as a franchise owner?

Tom: There are many challenges in being a franchise owner. Most of all I find that keeping my equipment running efficiently and managing employees is a constant reminder of the challenges of being a franchise owner. But those challenges can be overcome by the benefits of increasing net worth.

Tom Perez is an authorized franchise owner of Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists. He owns several franchise locations through out the midwest including Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Louisianna. Through his efforts he earned "Highest Grossing Mobile Operation" honors in 2010.

 Tom Perez (left) and Tom Morris at the 2011 Franchise Convention

- 8/15/2011-

A New Mobile Franchise Solution for Alloy Wheel Repair

- 6/8/2011-

Wheel Care & Maintenance Guidelines

Treat your freshly reconditioned wheels with care, especially for the first 24 hours.  They will be dry to the touch, but you should not rub them.

Light rain or brief wetness should not damage your wheels; however, a great deal of rain, a strong spray or prolonged immersion can damage the clearcoat.

The clearcoat will be fully cured in about 4 weeks.  After that time, regular maintenance will be necessary in order to maintain the decorative appearance over a long period of time.  In order to maintain your wheels correctly, we offer the same advice, as do the manufacturers of premium wheels.

These recommendations are as follows:

AVOID CERTAIN CAR WASHES

Alignment rails on most car washes were designed before the arrival of the newer style tires.  With high sidewall tires, the rim never gets near the rail.  However, low profile tires allow the rim to ride below the top of the alignment rail, which can easily damage the edge of the wheel.

Hand care is the best treatment for premium wheels.  However, if you must use a car wash, try to find a “touch less” style system and avoid the places with alignment rails.

- 4/25/2011-

Is Owning an Auto Franchise in Your Future?

If you have been considering purchasing an auto franchise, you have probably looked into the wheel repair market.  It is a rapidly burgeoning industry that will be able to provide energy and fun for any one looking to capitalize on its rising growth momentum. 

About The Company
If you have been considering an auto franchise, you need to partner with one that is poised to be the leader in its field. Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists has used our experience and connections in the industry to become the leading provider of mobile wheel repair for wholesale and retail business. 

With over 150 global franchisees, Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists operates 400 mobile units, 7 remanufacturing facilities, 20 wholesale distribution centers and has over 50,000 replacement wheels in our inventory.  We provide service to over 7,500 auto dealerships, all of the major insurance companies and thousands of collision shops.

The Alloy Edge
With an Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists franchise, you are able to generate revenue many different ways.  You can use this Revenue Stream Guide to see a few of the ways you will earn money through each phase of the business.  For example, many franchisees eventually open a remanufacturing facility which opens all kinds of avenues for creating income. 

An auto franchise is a great purchase for car lovers who want to be independent.  It keeps you in the industry that you want to be a part of but puts you in complete control.  You will be working with Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari and Porsche dealerships as well as their customers.  In addition to them, you will be dealing with major collision and tire stores in your area. 

The real benefit that Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists can offer that many other wheel repair franchises can not is the same day turnaround.  This immediately elevates us above competitors in the eyes of customers who can not wait around for their car to be repaired.  This just makes it even easier for you to succeed in your business when you have a natural edge over your competitors in the form of a superior product. 

Getting Started
Any previous management experience you may have will transfer over to this new and profitable endeavor as you build out your operation.  As you establish yourself as the leading mobile wheel repair unit in your territory, you will be able to expand into multi-unit operations.  This will help you cover more ground and expand your business

If you are a first time business owner, you do not have to be concerned with your lack of experience.  We have a proven business development plan that will help you get the auto franchise off the ground and growing.  You will also have access to our technology and mentoring programs in order to aid your business. 
If you have any other questions about starting your own auto franchise contact Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists today.

- 4/18/2011-

A Brief History of our Patented Wheel Straightener

Don & Sue Neubauer invested in the mobile wheel repair business with AWRS in 2001.  Since that time, they have learned the complexities of the business and, as can be expected with new endeavor, experienced certain challenges along the way.  They found that there was a tremendous demand for straightening and truing of bent automotive wheels, but no available way to do such repairs effectively in a mobile environment.  Don subsequently solved the problem by inventing a device and a method to perform on-site wheel straightening. 

OTHER WHEEL STRAIGHTENING MACHINES
Each day, thousands of wheels are straightened in this country and there are several other machines on the market that are very effective.  However, they are all power-operated stationary shop-based machines, designed for speed and high volume.  The machine developed by Don Neubauer – the NewBee™ – requires no electric or air power, is totally portable and is designed for maximum results.  In addition, the machine enables an operator to create exclusive straightening setups and employ methods that have never been used before.

US PATENT
After building several prototype machines, Don applied for a patent and in February of 2008, was granted US Patent # 7,334,449.  To view the information page, which briefly explains why the patent was issued, click here.

CURRENT STATUS
Right now there are over 200 NewBee machines in use all over the US as well as some in the UK, Australia, Ireland, and even Saudi Arabia.   Wherever they are in use, they have been a huge success.  At the present time, there are no competitors and, as additional research is conducted, technological improvements are anticipated that will enhance both the effectiveness and capabilities of the machine.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Whenever an aluminum wheel is scrapped, it must be recycled.  The relatively low cost of production fails to reveal the high price paid in environmental damage.  The effects of mining, refining, forest destruction, water contamination and aluminum waste all have a negative impact on the ecology.  Aluminum smelting is also the world’s most energy intensive industrial processes.  In order to convert bauxite to aluminum, producers use more electricity than other industry.  Furthermore, the toxic smelting process also impacts human health.  Countless articles have been written about how the production of aluminum takes a toll on worker health. It is estimated that 80% of the wheels now scrapped because of bends could be saved from the smelting process through safe and effective wheel straightening. If thousands of wheels could be straightened annually, it would have a positive impact on the environment and, in the process, save millions in wheel replacement costs.

- 3/15/2011-

What if you drove too close to that curb or you accidentally ran through a deep pot hole and your alloy wheels are now scratched, bent, or even cracked.  Do you need to spend several hundred dollars on a new wheel?  The answer is “no.”  Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists, Inc (AWRS) is the largest and most successful mobile alloy wheel repair company in the world.  With over 400 mobile units in North America and international franchises in UK, Germany, France, Sweden, Spain, China, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Qatar, Jordan, & Kuwait AWRS is available to provide complete wheel repair of the alloy wheels on your luxury automobile.

Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists, Inc is the only international company that offers its repair service in a state-of-the-art, all-weather, patent-pending Mobile Reconditioning Facility (MRF.)  With our “workshop on wheels”, AWRS-certified technicians provide cosmetic and bent wheel repair on any OEM or aftermarket wheels that are painted, machined, polished, or have hyper-silver, accent colors, or bends.  We also custom color wheels to match your car’s color and we have chrome or alternative chrome coatings available to our customer base.  All repairs are warranted for life.

In addition to alloy wheel repair and alloy wheel straightening, AWRS offers structural repair and complete remanufacturing on severely cracked wheels.  This is necessary when a tire will not hold air and welding is required, or when a machined-finished wheel face must be re-machined.   Using our remanufacturing technology, the wheels undergo the same processes performed when the wheel is first manufactured including powder coating.  All wheels are checked for fractures using dye penetrates to ensure the finished wheel is completely safe.

Limited Lifetime Warranty is available on all work.  AWRS technicians must meet the company’s rigorous training standards of quality repair for certification.

- 3/7/2011-

Since that first wooden wheel changed the world, man has been improving upon the concept with many different materials and ideas. History shows us, that the first successful wheels were not actually solid, but were made from boards, fastened together and then the edges were rounded. The theory is that a solid wheel was just not strong enough to support any real weight, for long distances, over difficult ground. Many millennia later, someone dreamed of the incredible spoked wheel, which is essentially the basis for every wheel invented since.

The first innovative idea to improve a wheel came by wrapping an iron band around the wooden wheels used on carts and wagons. And then, the pneumatic tire was invented, and in some form or another, has continued to take us to the roads today. The improvements engineered for tires, as well as for rims has continued through the years, with the inventions and enhancements of nylon, cord, rubber, and other materials tried out for different types of tires. The actual rim or wheel has been experimented with and altered in design and material as the world discovered steel, iron, and aluminum, and variations of these metals, and also different types of plastics. Though for the record, plastics are not yet considered suitable for structure of a rim, but mostly for cosmetic purpose, to cover the rim and improve the appearance.

The most popular choice of wheels today, is the alloy wheel or the aluminum rim if you’d rather. And not only because they are so much prettier than steel rims, though they really are. However, the real reason that alloy is so much more popular, is because it is so much lighter, and structurally stronger. Steel wheels and hubcaps are heavy, and when riding in a car that has them, you feel every bump in the road. Aluminum wheels make for a much smoother ride; actually, it can feel like gliding over the road. That is why most luxury automobiles have them now. Race cars use alloy wheels because they are lighter weight, cause less tire stress, and have much better balance; all of which tends to be beneficial for increased speed. The biggest concern that people have with alloy wheels, is the cost. Steel wheels are definitely less expensive to manufacture, so they are of course more affordable. In the long run however, the price you pay is offset by the fact that you are getting more for your money.

In today’s auto market, alloy wheels are an attractive selling feature in new and pre-owned vehicles. Whether it’s a set of 22” inch chrome aftermarket mags, or 17” OEM wheels apart of a luxury trim package, alloy wheels seem to be more popular than ever before. On the surface, the characteristics of alloy wheels seem largely cosmetic in nature, underlying features including improved handling and suspension, reduction of road mass and fuel consumption, and improved braking do add to vehicle safety and performance standards thereby becoming considerably more common in economy and subcompact vehicles.

The use of alloy wheels began in the mid-90s as a means to dress up high-end European cars. As these expensive wheels became more popular, the concept was duplicated by aftermarket specialty manufacturers offering wheels that were not only stylized, but looked sexy and sleek, too! Demand for their supply increased. Within five years, domestic and Japanese manufacturers had also begun installing alloys on their high-cars. Today, alloy wheels are the manufacturers' wheel of choice. The price of aluminum and its lighter weight, as well as its good looks, provides a very reasonable alternative to outdated steel wheels and hubcaps. Unfortunately, with poor road conditions, debris, and increased traffic and accidents increased the damage or bends to alloys leading to costly wheel replacement. The need for wheel repair was born.

In the US, wheel repair, specifically severely damaged wheels, started as a direct result of the insurance business. The first companies offering repairs did so from machine shops where they utilized welding and tracer lathes. Polished and painted wheels were then re-polished and re-painted to make the job complete. This repair process is referred to as remanufacturing. Today's shops, however, utilize sophisticated CNC lathes and, like the OEMs, they powder coat versus wet paint. Two of the early companies that provided remanufacturing services have grown into multi-million dollar businesses and account for over 100 million USD in annual sales. Their specialty is core exchange programs –purchasing damaged cores from salvage yards and remanufacturing them. Over the years they have accumulated tremendous inventories exchanging wheels held in inventory for damaged cores. Several hundred smaller companies around North America account for an additional 400 million USD in annual gross revenue.

In addition to remanufacturing, a need developed for on-site repairs at car dealerships, tire stores, and collision shops to cosmetically damaged and bent alloy wheels. Early pioneers offered on-the-car repairs, a process including sanding and crude paint matching on damages up to the tire wall. Early repair processes were slow and often neglected damage to the wheel’s interior. Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists , (AWRS) an industry leading worldwide franchise, emerged in the early 2000s as a mobile alternative to shop- based providers and “on-the-car” repair servicers. Initially catering to automobile dealers selling used cars, AWRS discovered a niche offering, providing professional off-the-car repairs, including bead breaking for interior wheel repair, patented wheel straightening, and a factory matched paint system. The mobile wheel repair industry was born as AWRS created technology that delivers shop- based quality cosmetic and bent wheel repair in a mobile environment. Today, AWRS operates in 48 US States including Hawaii and Puerto Rico, as well as internationally in Europe and the Middle East.

Just as the wheel has evolved, so will the concept of wheel repair. Complex designs and materials in alloy wheels are sure to continue, and so is the development of the tools and methods design to repair them. Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists is one of many wheel repair companies out there with each one offering a variety of repair services and tire safety products. To learn more about wheel repair, please visit awrswheelrepair.com.