Remsa

What Remsa does

Remsa (legal name Rem SA) is a Costa Rica-based B2B distributor of automotive body repair and refinishing equipment, paints, putties, consumables, and spare parts, founded in 1972 and operating as part of Grupo Tres Erres, a domestic conglomerate with 50 years of automotive repair experience. The company serves authorized automotive dealerships and independent collision repair workshops across 11 countries in Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama), the Caribbean (Dominican Republic and others), and parts of South and North America (Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico). All products are homologated by major vehicle manufacturers as authorized body repair materials and equipment.

The product portfolio is organized into Equipment (paint booths, frame-straightening equipment from Car-O-Liner/Blackhawk/JOSAM, metal and plastic welding, alignment and balancing via Hofmann, vehicle lifts, Ceccato compressors, pneumatic and manual tools from Sioux/Hutchins/Snap-On/Williams) and Finishes (Akzo Nobel Sikkens and Wanda paints, Evercoat and U-POL putties, 3M abrasives and Perfect-It polishing systems, Grip Gard and Gerson specialty coatings). Services include Express spare parts importation, technical support, workshop design consulting, scheduled maintenance, and technician training. Remsa holds multi-decade authorized-distributor relationships with Akzo Nobel, Snap-On/Hofmann, 3M, and Evercoat.

The business model is hardware and consumables distribution combined with attached professional services. Revenue is generated through quote-based B2B pricing to body shops, dealerships, and regional distributors; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales (technical support and service department consultations, workshop design, training), regional distributor partnerships across Central America and the Caribbean, and demand-generation through events, trade shows (Expo Off Road Costa Rica), and product demonstration encounters (Encuentro con Pintores Wanda). The company is privately held with no external institutional investors or venture funding disclosed.

Name

Remsa

Legal name

Rem SA

Website

https://remsacr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Remsa (Rem SA) is a Costa Rica-based B2B distributor of automotive body repair equipment, paints, and refinishing supplies, serving authorized dealerships and independent collision repair workshops across 11 countries in Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of South America as part of Grupo Tres Erres.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Aftermarket Distribution

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310), Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (3363)

SIC

Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590)

akta.pro primary industry

Paint, refinishing & body shop supplies distribution (coatings, abrasives, tools, consumables) (CRAOANAF)

Keywords

• Automotive refinishing supplies
• Collision repair equipment
• Automotive paint distribution
• Body shop tools
• Vehicle refinishing products

Headquarters

HQ city

San José

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Equipment and Tools Distribution: Remsa distributes automotive body repair equipment including repainting booths, straightening/frame repair equipment, welding machines, alignment and balancing equipment, elevators/lifts, compressors, pneumatic tools, and manual tools to body shops and dealerships.
2. Finishing Products Distribution: Distribution of automotive paints, putties/fillers, and finishing supplies from major global manufacturers to body shops and dealers.
3. Spare Parts Import: Express ordering service for spare parts for all vehicle brands imported from anywhere in the world.
4. Technical Support and Consulting Services: Professional post-sale technical support, workshop design consultation, scheduled maintenance, training services, and a service workshop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Remsa imports and distributes automotive workshop supplies, spare parts, and refinishing tools for collision repair, sourced from world-leading manufacturers. The portfolio spans equipment (repainting booths, frame straightening systems, welding machines, alignment/balancing equipment, vehicle lifts, compressors, pneumatic and manual tools) and finishing consumables (paints, putties, abrasives, filtration). The company supplements distribution with technical support, workshop design consulting, scheduled maintenance, and technician training for body shops and dealerships across Central America and the Caribbean.

Product overview

Remsa is a Costa Rican company commercializing automotive body repair and painting equipment and supplies, operating as part of Grupo Tres Erres with 50 years of industry experience. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of equipment and finishing products organized in two main categories: Equipment (35 products) includes repainting equipment (CAV, Drester, Hedson Technologies, Millibar, Usi Italia, IRT, Iwata), straightening equipment (Car-O-Liner, Blackhawk, JOSAM), metal welding (MIG, spot welding, dent pulling), plastic welding (Polyvance), alignment and balancing equipment (Hofmann), compressors (Ceccato), pneumatic tools (Sioux, Hutchins), manual tools (Snap-on, Williams), and vehicle lifts. The Acabados (Finishes) category includes paint brands (Sikkens, Wanda, Custom Paints, Grip Gard), body putties (Evercoat, U-POL), and support products (3M abrasives, Filtration, Gerson). Services include spare parts importation, technical support, workshop design consulting, scheduled maintenance, and training. The company serves dealers and independent workshops across Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Repintado (Repainting) Equipment Paint booth and refinishing equipment for automotive repainting operations, sourced from brands including CAV, Drester, Hedson Technologies, Millibar, Usi Italia, IRT, and Iwata. Sold to body shops and dealerships conducting collision repair refinishing work.
• Enderezado (Frame Straightening) Equipment Frame straightening and dent repair equipment for automotive body repair, distributed from Car-O-Liner, Blackhawk, and JOSAM brands. Used by body shops performing structural collision repair.
• Soldadura Metal (Metal Welding) Equipment Metal welding equipment including MIG welding, spot welding, and dent pulling tools for automotive body repair workshops.
• Soldadura Plástico (Plastic Welding) Equipment Plastic welding equipment from the Polyvance brand for automotive plastic component repair in collision repair operations.
• Alineamiento & Balanceo (Alignment & Balancing) Equipment Wheel alignment and balancing equipment including Hofmann-brand aligners, tire changers for automobiles and trucks, and wheel balancers for automotive service operations.
• Elevadores (Vehicle Lifts) Vehicle lifts including 2-post lifts, 4-post lifts, scissor lifts, service lifts, and special elevators from the Hofmann brand for automotive workshops.
• Compresores de Aire (Air Compressors) Air compressors from the Ceccato brand for automotive workshop compressed air needs.
• Herramientas Neumáticas (Pneumatic Tools) Pneumatic tools from Sioux and Hutchins brands for automotive repair operations in body shops.
• Herramienta Manual (Manual Tools) Manual tools from Snap-on and Williams brands for automotive repair operations in workshops.
• Sikkens Automotive Refinish Paints Automotive refinish paints from the AkzoNobel Sikkens brand including Autoclear Aerodry fast-drying clear coat, Autoclear Lights for headlight repair, and Autosurfacer UV aerosol products, sold to body shops and dealerships.
• Wanda Automotive Refinish Paints Automotive refinish paints from AkzoNobel's Wanda brand including Barniz 6100 and Premier 5100, with 85 years of tradition and quality. Distributed to body shops across the region.
• Custom Paints Specialty Finishes Custom automotive paints from Custom Paints Inc and Custom Paints Ltd including Metal Flakes and Chromo effect products for specialty finishes.
• Grip Gard Specialty Coatings Automotive paint products from Grip Gard for specialized finishing applications in body repair.
• Evercoat Body Putties and Fillers Body putties and fillers from Evercoat (ITW Evercoat) for automotive surface preparation prior to refinishing, sold to body shops and dealerships.
• U-POL Body Repair Putties Body repair putties and fillers from the U-POL brand for automotive surface preparation in collision repair workshops.
• 3M Abrasives and Polishing Systems 3M abrasive systems including discs, strips, and the Perfect-It polishing system for automotive refinishing operations.
• Spray Booth Filtration Products Spray booth filters and air filtration products from Filtration Group for paint booth applications in body shops.
• Gerson Refinishing Support Products Automotive refinishing support products from the Gerson brand used in body repair and painting workshops.
• Spare Parts Import Service Express orders service for importing and sourcing new spare parts for all vehicle brands from anywhere in the world, offered to body shops and dealerships needing hard-to-source parts.
• Technical Support and After-Sales Service Professional technical support and after-sales service department covering equipment and products distributed by Remsa, ensuring service meets supplier requirements and customer expectations.
• Workshop Design Consulting Service Workshop design consulting including equipment recommendations, plant layouts, workflow design, and staff profile distribution for new and existing automotive body repair workshops, with 16 years of experience across Central America and the Caribbean.
• Scheduled Maintenance Service Programmed preventive maintenance services for automotive workshop equipment sold by Remsa, helping workshops maximize uptime and productivity.
• Technician Training Services Training and capacity building services for automotive body shop technicians on products and equipment usage, delivered in coordination with brand representatives such as Evercoat and 3M.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Akzo NobelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor strategic partnership with Akzo Nobel, a leading global paints and coatings company. Akzo Nobel owns brands including Sikkens and Wanda that Remsa distributes. Remsa managers visited Akzo Nobel headquarters in Brazil and met with CEO Thierry Vanlancker and CFO Maarten de Vries.
• 3McoreTechnology or Integration3M is a key technology partner providing automotive refinishing products including abrasive systems, compounds, and the Perfect-It polishing system. 3M representatives conduct regular training for Remsa staff.
• Snap-On Equipment / HofmanncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSnap-On Equipment owns the Hofmann brand which Remsa distributes. Remsa received recognition for 37 years as commercial partners and Brand Ambassadors. Products include wheel balancers, tire changers, and service lifts.
• EvercoatcoreTechnology or IntegrationEvercoat, a manufacturer of body fillers and putties, partners with Remsa for distribution. Evercoat representatives visit from Cincinnati, Ohio headquarters to provide product training.
• Wanda (Akzo Nobel)coreTechnology or IntegrationWanda is an Akzo Nobel brand for automotive paints distributed by Remsa. Remsa celebrated 85 years of partnership with Wanda and organizes promotional campaigns with Wanda products including Barniz 6100 and Premier 5100.
• Sikkens (Akzo Nobel)coreTechnology or IntegrationSikkens is an Akzo Nobel brand for automotive refinishing products distributed by Remsa. Products include Autoclear Aerodry fast-drying clear coat, Autoclear Lights for headlight repair, and Autosurfacer UV aerosol.
• Snap-OncoreTechnology or IntegrationSnap-On is a manufacturer of professional hand tools distributed by Remsa, offering manual tools for automotive workshops.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Snap-On Incorporated: Global manufacturer of professional tools, diagnostics, and workshop equipment (including Hofmann alignment and lift brands); comparable equipment portfolio to Remsa's Snap-On/Hofmann line and serves the same professional workshop end customer.
• Axalta Coating Systems: Global manufacturer of automotive refinish coatings that sells into body shops via distributor networks analogous to Remsa's role; directly comparable in product (paints, clearcoats, primers) and end customer (collision repair shops).
• PPG Refinish: Major global automotive refinish coatings manufacturer serving body shops and dealerships through authorized distributor networks; product overlap with Remsa's Sikkens/Wanda/3M portfolio and same end customer base.
• Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes: Large global refinish paint supplier (including acquired Comex and other regional brands) that distributes to body shops via dealer networks in Latin America, directly competing with Remsa's refinish offering.
• BASF Coatings / Refinish: Global automotive refinish and industrial coatings supplier that distributes through dealer networks serving collision repair shops; comparable in product category and end-customer profile to Remsa's refinish portfolio.
• 3M Automotive Aftermarket: Global manufacturer of automotive aftermarket products (abrasives, polishing systems, masking, adhesion) distributed through dealer networks like Remsa; same end customer and category but far broader global scale.
• NAPA Auto Parts (Genuine Parts Company): Largest North American automotive aftermarket parts distribution network, supplying repair shops and dealers with parts, accessories, and refinishing consumables; broader portfolio and global scale make it a broad incumbent against which Remsa's regional Latin America offering must compete.

Direct peers

• AutoZone: North American automotive aftermarket retailer and distributor that is actively expanding into Mexico and Latin America, selling parts, accessories, and refinishing supplies to professional installers and consumers through company-owned branches - closely comparable to Remsa's downstream B2B distribution motion.
• LKQ Corporation: Global wholesale distributor of aftermarket auto parts and collision repair products with meaningful operations in Mexico and Latin America, serving body shops and dealerships with a similar product breadth (parts, paint, equipment consumables) and direct-sales B2B model.
• Car-O-Liner: Specialty manufacturer and global distributor of collision repair equipment - including frame straightening benches, welding, and measuring systems distributed by Remsa - serving body shops in essentially the same niche with a comparable equipment-only distribution model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/remsarefinish
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rem-s-a-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Remsa