Kniesel’s Collision has deep roots in California’s Central Valley. Founded by Richard Kniesel in 1968 in Sacramento, what began as a modest family-owned body shop now has more than 260 employees and churns out 1,230 vehicles monthly.
Kniesel’s Collision
Sacramento, CA
916-883-2666
kniesels.com
Facebook: @knieselscollision
Instagram: @knieselscollison
LinkedIn: @kniesel's-collision-centers
YouTube: @KnieselsCollision
Company At A Glance...
Type: Collision Repair
Facility Employees: 263
In Business Since: 1968
Number of Locations: 11
Combined Production Space: 294,500 square feet
Determined from the outset to deliver first-class customer service and top-notch workmanship, the company has built its reputation around a set of core values: the Golden Rule, WOW customer service, humility, integrity, family and quality. The philosophy has served the business well for 56 years.
The second-generation company, owned by Kniesel’s sons Robert and Tom, boasts 11 I-CAR Gold Class-certified repair centers whose reach extends into three counties. All technical staff is Gold Class certified as well. Additionally, Kniesel’s holds 17 OEM certifications, which run the gamut from Audi to Toyota.
While shops are equipped to repair almost any make or model, different locations are also OEM-approved to repair specific brands, such as General Motors and Ford or Nissan and Lexus. One exception: the flagship facility in Loomis, known as Specialized, strictly repairs high-end vehicles, namely Audi, Lucid, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Rivian and Tesla.
Left to right are blueprinter Danny Meija, corporate compliance specialist Jeff Locke and body technician Basil Jennette reviewing ALLDATA OE procedures prior to starting repairs.
To ensure shops are well staffed and equipped, Kniesel’s invests in training and equipment. “The company does a good job of putting money into the company for equipment and training,” noted Jeff Locke, corporate compliance specialist. “They send techs all over the country to OEM training. We have I-CAR training all the time. And we don’t skimp on equipment. Whatever we need to repair cars correctly, we buy it.”
The complexity of repairing modern-day vehicles also requires expert knowledge of regulations and OEM repair guidelines.
“As a company, we are committed to ensuring that every vehicle we repair meets OEM specifications and guidelines,” said Locke. “I work with body techs, blueprinters and production managers during the repair process. I inspect cars throughout the repair process, pull repair procedures — what we can and cannot do based on OE guidelines — and anything compliance-related when it comes to laws and regulations.”
Locke also keeps up with OEM certifications, monitors equipment to ensure everything is in working order and provides input when new standard operating procedures (SOPs) are developed. He’s also involved in a professional-development program.
To help address the worker shortage plaguing the industry, Kniesel’s has an apprentice program. The three-year, six-level program pairs full-time apprentices with A-level technicians.
“It’s an awesome program,” he said. “I make sure the techs are trained correctly and have the skills to move on to the next level. We supply them with tools and toolboxes to make it easy as possible for the apprentices to understand that Kniesel’s is here to help develop them because they are the future of the company.”
In keeping with its emphasis on maintaining the highest standards, Kniesel’s relies on trusted resources to complete every job correctly, from start to finish — which is where ALLDATA comes into play, as a provider of OEM-accurate software for the collision repair industry.
Kniesel’s Natomas workforce. The shop is Kniesel’s highest volume facility.
“We use ALLDATA on a daily basis,” said Locke, who noted techs rely on tablets or a mobile blueprinting setup to access the software. He stressed the importance of printing repair plans in color, because specific notes often printed in red — such as for panel bonding or adhesives — are not visible in black and white. He also emphasized entering the vehicle identification number (VIN) to avoid clicking on the wrong model, wheelbase or engine size.
“We use the ALLDATA auto repair software to pull OEM information and repair procedures. We pre-scan every vehicle for trouble codes and document what calibrations are needed. And then every vehicle gets a post-scan at the end of the job,” Locke said.
“ALLDATA’s formatting is very tech-friendly. A lot of people get confused, because they think ALLDATA has its own procedures. They do not. All documents are OEM documents. They just simplify it and break it into categories, such as service and repair, components, locations and diagrams.”
Whether he’s downloading OEM repair documents, using the company’s Tech-Assist hotline or Library Support, from Locke’s perspective, ALLDATA is a proven asset.
“ALLDATA is a valuable resource where you can get the information you need in a timely manner, be able to move forward with your repair plan and repair that vehicle to OEM guidelines and specifications,” he said.
From Locke’s perspective, it’s all about living up to the company’s core values. “Our core values are what we stand behind,” he said. “Nowadays in our industry, it’s hard to find a family-owned and family-oriented business that’s been around for 56 years. I’m proud to work for Kniesel’s because of what they do for their customers to repair vehicles back to the OE specifications, how they treat employees like family and the apprentice program. That’s the wave of the future for long-term success in this industry."
ALLDATA
916-478-3255
Company Contact: James Loveridge
Marketing Manager 916-478-3255
james.loveridge@alldata.com
www.alldata.com
Facebook: @yourALLDATAteam
X: @ALLDATA
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LinkedIn: @alldata_2
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To read more auto body shop profiles from the October 2024 Shop and Product Showcase, click here.
