Mander Collision & Glass
📍 Brookfield, Wisconsin
As one of the founders of ABRA Auto Body & Glass, Randy McPherson went off on his own to create a family-owned and operated collision repair center near Milwaukee. With four generations of McPhersons involved in the business, Mander Collision was named after Randy’s father, Mander McPherson.
Please introduce your business and tell us your story:
Mander Collision & Glass started in 2000, but growing up, my dad taught me the business. He would buy cars and I would help him fix them up and get them ready for sale, so I literally grew up working on cars. I was the founder and CEO of ABRA in 1984 until I sold it 12 years later. I had some other businesses that my son, Nathan, helped me run, until he came onboard at Mander Collision in 2010. In October 2019, we opened a second location in Brookfield, and it is growing at a rate I could only hope for.
What services do you offer and what kinds of jobs do you usually perform?
In the city of Brookfield, the car has to be drivable for us to perform the repair, so it’s mostly light to medium repairs. Our new setup is specialized for the quick lane service model, which centers around repairs of four panels or less, while larger repairs are completed at our Waukesha location. With this model, we can complete about 12 to 20 express repairs per day.
What GFS equipment did you purchase and how has it benefited your business?
We purchased a dual-bay Ultra XD Closed-Top Open-Front (CTOF) Booth with an Ultra XD Mix Room so we can easily move repairs between work bays. I have been amazed by how everything is best in class. In today’s environment in lean manufacturing and expediency, GFS has been a true partner in helping us accomplish that. I’m a raving fan of GFS equipment.
How did you decide on GFS equipment?
I knew about GFS from just being in the industry, and I have worked with other paint booth manufacturers that have been less than satisfactory. I met Troy Volbrecht, [Sr. Territory Manager at GFS], at a leadership summit, and was very impressed by him. As I’ve gotten to know him and the team there, I can tell you with all sincerity that between the support I’ve received from GFS and the quality of the booth, it’s the best solution out there for people looking to add on to their shop. It was a coincidence connection, but I would have made that connection anyway.
“GFS helped us stay on our timeline, and everything with the sales and installation process was really smooth. I’m already pitching to other shops — there’s only one company to go with, and that’s GFS.”
What is your plan for the future of your business?
We built a foundation that we can expand on, and we are working on adding a third location. We’re looking for Global Finishing Solutions to become our official partner when it comes to purchasing finishing equipment. Family takes care of family.
