CDE Collision Centers
CDE Collision Centers is a family-owned collision repair company founded in 1982 that operates 16 auto body repair facilities across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, serving individual vehicle owners and insurance company referrals with I-CAR and OEM-certified repairs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What CDE Collision Centers does
CDE Collision Centers is a family-owned collision repair company founded in 1982 by Chuck Freiberg on Western Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. The company operates 16 auto body repair facilities across the Chicagoland metro area and Northwest Indiana, providing collision repair, auto body painting, mechanical repairs, paintless dent repair, automotive glass replacement, towing, and concierge services such as free pickup and delivery, on-site Enterprise Rent-A-Car loaner access, and insurance claims handling. All work is backed by a lifetime limited warranty for as long as the customer owns the vehicle.
The company's core technology stack comprises collision repair equipment (frame and structural), waterborne paint systems in downdraft booths with HVLP guns, diagnostic tools, and estimating and management software. Operational differentiators include a Parts Mirror Matching Process that coordinates ordering and matching to avoid repair delays, an I-CAR Gold certified technician workforce with annual recertification, a My Repair Update system that communicates repair status to vehicle owners and insurers, and online estimate submission tooling plus a Carwise platform integration for scheduling. CDE holds 12+ OEM certifications (Tesla, Rivian, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, FCA, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, INFINITI, Honda/Acura, VW) plus I-CAR Gold Class and ASE, with annual OEM inspections through Assured Performance for ongoing certification maintenance.
CDE's business model is direct-to-consumer collision repair on a pay-per-job basis, with prices quoted per repair after free initial estimates. The two customer segments are individual vehicle owners requiring post-accident repair and insurance companies who refer customers via CDE's status as a direct repair facility. The company has grown from a single shop to 16 locations through a combination of organic openings (Buffalo Grove 2017, Mokena and Bolingbrook 2023, Des Plaines 2015) and strategic acquisitions (South County Auto in Lansing, Addison in 2012, Autowerkes Collision Center in Valparaiso in March 2016, Visser's Collision in 2023). The company self-describes as one of the largest fully independent collision repair operators in the Midwest and remains privately held by the Freiberg family with no disclosed institutional or private equity ownership.
CDE Collision Centers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CDE Collision Centers
- Legal name
- CDE Collision Centers
- Website
- https://cdecollisioncenters.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- CDE Collision Centers is a family-owned collision repair company founded in 1982 that operates 16 auto body repair facilities across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, serving individual vehicle owners and insurance company referrals with I-CAR and OEM-certified repairs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CDE Collision Centers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Auto Body Repair Services
- NAICS
- Automotive Body, Paint, Interior, and Glass Repair (81112), Automotive Body, Paint, and Interior Repair and Maintenance (811121)
- SIC
- Services-Automotive Repair, Services & Parking (7500)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auto Body Collision Repair (Cars & Light Trucks) (TLAKAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Commercial Vehicle Collision Repair (Trucks, Buses, Vans) (TLAKAEAB)
Keywords
Where CDE Collision Centers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices16 records
Markets served
CDE Collision Centers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Collision Repair Services: One-time repair services billed per job. Revenue is generated from collision repair work performed on customer vehicles, with payments from either individual customers directly or through insurance claim processing. Services include body work, painting, mechanical repairs, paintless dent repair, and auto glass replacement.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free estimate and evaluation |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
CDE Collision Centers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CDE Collision Centers provides full-service collision and auto body repair through 16 physical facilities across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. Services include collision repair, auto body painting, mechanical repairs, paintless dent repair, and automotive glass replacement, supported by free estimates, insurance claims assistance, free pickup and delivery, on-site rental car service through Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and a lifetime limited warranty on completed work.
Product overview
CDE Collision Centers operates a network of 16 auto body repair facilities across Illinois and Indiana, offering comprehensive collision repair services as a family-owned business since 1982. The core offering consists of collision repair, auto body paint services, and mechanical repairs, supported by add-on services including paintless dent repair, automotive glass replacement, online estimates, rental car assistance via Enterprise Rent-A-Car integration, free pickup and delivery, the My Repair Update System for repair status notifications, lifetime limited warranty, and insurance claims assistance. The company holds multiple manufacturer certifications for certified repair programs including Tesla, Rivian, Mercedes Benz, VW, Ford, and various OEM collision networks.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Collision Repair Services Complete collision repair services for vehicles damaged in accidents, including structural, body, and refinish work performed by I-CAR Gold Class certified technicians to manufacturer specifications. Available to individual vehicle owners across all 16 CDE locations in Illinois and Indiana.
- Auto Body Paint Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Parts ordering within 24-48 hours through vendor relationships
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CDE Collision Centers
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CDE Collision Centers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
CDE Collision Centers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Enterprise Rent-A-CarcoreEnterprise Rent-A-Car operates an on-site service at CDE Collision Centers locations. Enterprise representatives and vehicles are available on-site so customers can drop off their vehicle for repairs and leave in a rental immediately. Picking up repaired vehicles is equally convenient.
- All Insurance CompaniescoreCDE Collision Centers works with all insurance providers and assists customers with insurance claims paperwork. The company serves as a direct repair facility for insurance customers.
- TeslaflagshipCDE Collision Centers is a Tesla Approved Collision Center with access to specialized training and cutting-edge equipment for Tesla vehicle repairs using genuine Tesla components.
- RivianflagshipCDE Collision Centers is a Rivian Certified Collision Center using genuine Rivian parts and specialized training to restore Rivian vehicles to original condition.
- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)coreCDE is part of the FCA Certified Collision Care Program for Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, Fiat, Mopar and SRT vehicles with exclusive access to repair methods and manufacturer-recommended equipment.
- Ford Motor CompanycoreFord Certified National Body Shop Repair Network member with capability to repair aluminum-bodied Ford F-150 trucks and all Ford vehicles.
- Nissan North AmericacoreNissan Certified Collision Repair Network member with yearly certification visits through Assured Performance and access to Nissan's repair protocols.
- Hyundai Motor AmericacoreHyundai Recognized Collision Repair Center with training, equipment, and repair protocols recommended by Hyundai.
- Kia MotorscoreKia Recognized Collision Repair Facility inspected yearly by Assured Performance, designated in top 5% of collision centers nationwide.
- INFINITIcoreINFINITI Certified Collision Repair Network member ranked in top 10% of body shops with access to INFINITI repair methods.
- Honda Motor Co.coreHonda and Acura Certified Auto Body with specialized training and access to latest equipment for Honda and Acura vehicles.
- VolkswagencoreVW Certified Collision Repair Facility Program member trained and equipped to repair any VW model to VW manufacturer standards.
- Mercedes-BenzcoreMercedes Benz Certified Collision Center inspected annually using approved repair equipment and genuine Mercedes Benz parts.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CDE Collision Centers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CARSTAR Auto Body Repair: Largest franchise network of independent collision repair shops in North America (CARSTAR/Driven Brands); comparable consumer-facing body/paint/insurance-DRP delivery model to CDE.
- Maaco: Franchise-based auto body paint and collision repair network with 500+ U.S. shops; comparable direct-to-consumer collision/paint service offering, though operating on a franchise model rather than CDE's company-owned structure.
Broad incumbents
- Crash Champions: PE-backed national collision repair chain with 700+ locations; directly comparable services, OEM-certification strategy, and insurance DRP focus as CDE, and an active acquirer of independent operators — the most likely strategic acquirer for a Midwest independent platform like CDE.
- Caliber Collision: Largest U.S. collision repair MSO with 1,800+ centers nationwide; directly comparable operator in the same product category (auto body/collision repair), serving the same insurance-DRP and consumer customer base as CDE but at much greater scale.
- Service King Collision: National collision repair chain with comparable I-CAR Gold, OEM-certified, and insurance-DRP model as CDE; together with Caliber and Crash Champions forms the consolidating MSO peer set CDE competes against.
- Gerber Collision & Glass: Long-standing North American collision and glass repair chain owned by Boyd Group; comparable full-service collision offering including glass replacement — exactly the mix CDE delivers — operating at national scale.
Others
- Carwise: Customer-acquisition and photo-estimate platform integrated into CDE's site for online scheduling and leads; a comparable enabling technology vendor used across the collision-repair industry for digital intake.
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Strategic on-site rental-car partner at every CDE location; comparable ecosystem adjacency as a rental provider tightly coupled to the collision-repair customer journey (rental during repair).
- Assured Performance (Certified Collision Care): Independent certification body that audits and certifies collision repair networks (Ford, Nissan, INFINITI, Kia, Hyundai) and runs the DRP pathways CDE relies on — an enabling ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
Regional players
- Joe's Auto Body & Glass: Independent, multi-shop Chicago-area collision and glass operator; comparable local-market independent competitive set that CDE would compete with or consolidate against within the Chicagoland footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CDE Collision Centers social profiles
Digital presenceCDE Collision Centers compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance13 records
CDE Collision Centers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CDE Collision Centers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
CDE Collision Centers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CDE Collision Centers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CDE Collision Centers
What does CDE Collision Centers do?
CDE Collision Centers provides full-service collision and auto body repair through 16 physical facilities across Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. Services include collision repair, auto body painting, mechanical repairs, paintless dent repair, and automotive glass replacement, supported by free estimates, insurance claims assistance, free pickup and delivery, on-site rental car service through Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and a lifetime limited warranty on completed work.
Is CDE Collision Centers a public or private company?
CDE Collision Centers is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was CDE Collision Centers founded?
CDE Collision Centers was founded in 1982. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is CDE Collision Centers based?
CDE Collision Centers is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does CDE Collision Centers make money?
One revenue line is on record: collision Repair Services.
Who are CDE Collision Centers's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CARSTAR Auto Body Repair and Maaco. Broad incumbents are Crash Champions, Caliber Collision, Service King Collision and Gerber Collision & Glass. Others are Carwise, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Assured Performance (Certified Collision Care). Joe's Auto Body & Glass is listed as a regional player.
Does CDE Collision Centers have an API?
No public API is recorded for CDE Collision Centers.
What industry is CDE Collision Centers in?
CDE Collision Centers's product category is Auto Body Repair Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAKAEAA, Auto Body Collision Repair (Cars & Light Trucks), with a secondary code of TLAKAEAB, Commercial Vehicle Collision Repair (Trucks, Buses, Vans). Its NAICS code is 81112 and its SIC code is 7500.