The Ding King Training Institute

What The Ding King Training Institute does

The Ding King Training Institute, founded in 1993 by Todd Sudeck, is a family-operated, private vocational training company headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, that specializes in Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) and broader automotive appearance training. The company operates six physical training campuses across California, Colorado, South Carolina, Texas, Missouri, and New York, plus an online PDR training platform introduced in 2020, and serves three primary customer segments: entrepreneurs seeking to start PDR or auto reconditioning businesses, U.S. veterans using Post-9/11 GI Bill and Vocational Rehabilitation benefits, and automotive dealerships/body shops internalizing PDR services. It also provides OEM production-line factory training for major manufacturers including Tesla, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Karma, American Honda, and AutoNation.

The company's core offering is multi-week, hands-on PDR instruction with class sizes limited to 3-5 students per instructor, supported by a portfolio of add-on training modules covering auto detailing, paint correction, ceramic coating (CK1), paint protection film (Nano-Fusion), window tinting, bumper repair, wheel refinishing, windshield repair, headlight renewal, interior repair, odor removal, and clear coat restoration (Clear Coat Rescue). Proprietary technology and brand assets include the Clear Coat Rescue system, Nano-Fusion self-healing PPF, CK1 two-component ceramic coating, the Chip King paint touch-up system, and the King of Car Care (KOCC) mobile application for business management.

Revenue is generated through a mix of one-time training tuition, online course subscriptions, tool and equipment sales (DingKingPdrTools.com), chemical product sales (Clear Coat Rescue, $499 starter package), and ancillary marketing services. Pricing ranges from $500 for online training to a $2,000 Pro Deluxe PDR tool package, with enterprise OEM training priced separately. The company holds a BPPE license (#3013591), Texas Workforce Commission and Veterans Administration approvals, an I-CAR Sustaining Training Partner designation, and an A+ BBB rating maintained for 30 years with zero complaints, and reports having trained over 500 technicians cumulatively across its programs.

Name

The Ding King Training Institute

Legal name

The Ding King Training Institute, Inc.

Website

https://thedingking.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Ding King Training Institute is a family-operated, multi-campus vocational training school founded in 1993 that trains entrepreneurs, veterans, dealerships, and OEM partners in paintless dent repair and automotive appearance services across six U.S. campuses and an online platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Vocational Training Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive Body Repair, Paint & Refinishing (Collision) (EDAOAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) (TLAKAEAD)

Keywords

• Paintless dent repair training
• Automotive appearance training
• Vocational auto repair education
• PDR certification courses
• Auto reconditioning training

Headquarters

HQ city

Costa Mesa, California

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Training Programs: Revenue from paintless dent repair and automotive appearance training programs ranging from 1-week to 12-week courses. Includes certification, hands-on instruction, and business development training.
2. Online PDR Training: Online course delivery with 10 training modules, training manual, skill assessment quizzes, and certification upon completion. Additional revenue from associated tool packages.
3. Tool and Equipment Sales: Sales of PDR tools, accessory kits, LED lighting, and specialized automotive appearance equipment through DingKingPdrTools.com.
4. Clear Coat Rescue Products: Sale of Clear Coat Rescue starter packages and chemical systems for clear coat damage repair.
5. Marketing Services: Business and marketing development services through DingKingMarketing.com for graduates and entrepreneurs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Ding King Training Institute delivers hands-on, instructor-led vocational training in paintless dent repair (PDR) and a full suite of automotive appearance disciplines (detailing, paint correction, ceramic coating, paint protection film, window tinting, bumper, wheel, windshield, headlight, interior, and odor repair). Training is delivered at six U.S. campuses and through an online platform, with bundled tool packages, proprietary chemical systems, a mobile business app, and post-graduation marketing and referral services for entrepreneurs, veterans, dealerships, and OEMs.

Product overview

The Ding King Training Institute is a multi-location automotive appearance training school offering a comprehensive portfolio of training programs. The core offering is Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) Training, supported by add-on modules including Auto Detailing, Paint Correction, CK1 Ceramic Coating, Paint Protection Film (PPF) Training, Window Tinting (standard and ceramic), Bumper Repair, Wheel Repair, Windshield Repair, Paint Chip Repair, Headlight Renewal, Interior Repair, Odor Removal, Clear Coat Rescue, and various PPF specializations (Windshield Guard, Door Cups, IR Sunroof, Marine). Additional offerings include the TOTAL Recon Package (comprehensive bundle), Online PDR Training platform, Spanish-language PDR courses, the King of Car Care (KOCC) mobile application for business management, Business Marketing services, and the National Referral Network for certified graduates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Clear Coat Rescue: Revolutionary clear coat renewal system for permanently repairing clear coat damage including oxidation, surface scratches, UV damage, swirl marks, and clear coat scuffs
• Chip King
• CK1 Ceramic Coatings
• King of Car Care (KOCC)
• Ding King Express

Products and services

• Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) Training Core hands-on training program teaching paintless dent removal without paint or bondo, covering techniques for big dents, creases, door dings, and hail damage repair. Designed for entrepreneurs, veterans, and dealership technicians.
• Auto Detailing Training
• Paint Correction Training 1-day training in removing paint imperfections including swirl marks, scratches, water spots, and oxidation to restore vehicle finish to like-new condition; limited to 4 students and includes Certificate of Completion and Business Development.
• CK1 Ceramic Coating System Training Training in applying the CK1 two-component nano-ceramic coating system with base coat/top coat technology offering permanent paint protection with hardness above 9H. For existing detail businesses and entrepreneurs adding high-margin coating services.
• Paint Protection Film (PPF) Training 5-day training in installing Nano-Fusion PPF film for vehicle paint protection against scratches, rock chips, and UV damage; includes PPF Accessory Kit, Certificate of Completion, and Business Development training in class sizes of 3-5 students.
• Window Tinting Training 2-day training in automotive window film installation covering side glass, rear windows, and professional tinting techniques; Window Tint Kit included.
• Ceramic Window Tint Training Advanced ceramic window tint training providing superior heat and UV protection without signal interference, for technicians expanding tinting service offerings.
• Scuffed Bumper Repair Training Training in repairing scuffed, scraped, and damaged bumpers to restore original appearance, for detailers and dealership reconditioning teams.
• Alloy Wheel Repair Training Training in repairing curb rash, gouges, and scrapes on alloy wheels and rims, for detailers and dealership reconditioning teams.
• Windshield Repair Training Training in repairing stone chips, cracks, and star breaks in windshields to avoid costly replacements, for detailers and dealership service teams.
• Paint Chip Repair (Chip King) Training Training in repairing paint chips, key scratches, and clear coat scrapes using the proprietary Chip King paint touch-up system, for detailers and dealership reconditioning teams.
• Headlight Renewal Training 4-hour training in restoring yellowed, foggy, and oxidized headlights to crystal clarity; Headlight Renewal System included.
• Interior Repair Training 3-day training in repairing rips, tears, and burns in vinyl, leather, velour, and plastics, including carpet dyeing and seat restoration; includes the Interior Repair System with custom carrying case and 45 common interior trim colors.
• Odor Removal Training Training in removing and eliminating unwanted odors from vehicles using professional techniques and products, for detailers and dealership reconditioning teams.
• Advanced PDR Training Advanced-level paintless dent repair training for experienced technicians seeking to enhance their skills beyond the core PDR course.
• Hail Repair Training Specialized training in repairing hail damage using PDR techniques, with concentration in hail-prone regions such as Texas and the New York / Long Island area.
• Master Glue Pull Course Advanced glue pulling techniques training for dent repair without traditional PDR tools, using multiple glue extractor types and the company's proprietary Glue Pull Repair (GPR) methodology.
• Online PDR Training Blended learning online PDR training with 10 training modules, a PDR Training Manual, skill assessment quizzes, daily Zoom meetings with instructors, and certification upon completion; $500 one-time. Free to veterans enrolled in hands-on programs.
• PDR Training in Spanish Spanish-language PDR training with bilingual instructors offering 23+ years of master-level experience, serving Hispanic and Latin American students and U.S. Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs.
• TOTAL Recon Package Comprehensive auto appearance repair training bundle combining multiple repair disciplines (PDR, detailing, coatings, films, interior, and more) for complete vehicle reconditioning.
• Clear Coat Rescue System Revolutionary waterborne clear coat renewal system that permanently repairs oxidation, fading, surface scratches, UV damage, swirl marks, and clear coat scuffs; sold as a starter package including Clear Coat Rescue, SLO MO Activator, Trim Rescue, ClearCoat Detox, PrepPerfect, applicators, and bottles, with a 100% Money-Back Guarantee.
• King of Car Care (KOCC) Mobile Application Mobile application for automotive reconditioning and PDR businesses providing customer management, scheduling, vehicle tracking, estimate creation, invoice generation, photo documentation, and payment processing.
• Ding King Marketing Services Professional branding and marketing services for automotive reconditioning businesses, including logos, business cards, letterhead, brochures, and branded documents, delivered through DingKingMarketing.com.
• National Referral Network (MobileTechsDirect.com / Ding King Express) National directory of certified Ding King graduates connecting retail customers searching for PDR services with certified technicians in their local service areas, accessed via MobileTechsDirect.com and Ding King Express.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates operate successful PDR businesses earning $100+ per hour
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• American Honda Motor Co., Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive Training Provider for American Honda Motor Co., providing specialized PDR training programs for Honda dealerships across the USA.
• Auto NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPDR Training Provider for Auto Nation, the largest automotive retailer in the US, providing training for their dealership network.
• TeslaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOEM Production Line Factory Training for Tesla, providing training at Tesla manufacturing facilities.
• BMWflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOEM Production Line Factory Training for BMW, providing training at BMW facilities.
• Mercedes-BenzflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOEM Production Line Factory Training for Mercedes-Benz, providing training at Mercedes facilities.
• VolvoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOEM Production Line Factory Training for Volvo, providing training at Volvo facilities.
• KarmaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOEM Production Line Factory Training for Karma Automotive, providing training at Karma facilities.
• I-CARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerI-CAR Sustained Training Partner, providing automotive training that meets I-CAR standards and certification requirements.
• Bureau for Private Post Secondary and Vocational Education (BPPE)coreOthersState licensing authority - License #3013591. Approved to operate a Paintless Dent Repair Training School in California.
• California State Approving Agency for Veterans EducationcoreOthersApproved to accept Post 9-11 GI Bill and Vocational Rehabilitation benefits for veteran training programs.
• Texas Workforce CommissioncoreOthersState licensing authority for operating training school in Texas.
• Veterans AdministrationcoreOthersApproved VA training provider for veterans education benefits.
• NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrade association member for 30 years connecting with automotive dealers.
• SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrade association member for 30 years in automotive specialty equipment.
• MobileTechsDirect.comcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Referral Network connecting certified Ding King graduates with retail customers searching for PDR services on Google. Operated by The Ding King founder.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Dent Wizard International: Largest US provider of Paintless Dent Repair services with national franchise/technician network. Comparable as the dominant player in PDR services, though Dent Wizard is a service company rather than a training school; they both operate in the PDR labor market.
• WyoTech: Specialized trade school focused on automotive, diesel, collision, and marine technician training. Operates in a closely adjacent vocational training category and shares Ding King's collision/appearance training overlap, though at a broader automotive curriculum.
• Lincoln Tech: Multi-discipline career training school offering automotive technology programs alongside other skilled trades. Comparable as a vocational training provider with automotive curriculum, though Ding King's PDR specialization and small private structure contrast with Lincoln's broader multi-trade footprint.
• Universal Technical Institute: One of the largest US providers of automotive technician training across multiple OEMs and disciplines. Broadly comparable as a vocational training school for the automotive industry, though UTI focuses on general mechanical/diagnostic technician training rather than PDR and auto-appearance specialization.

Others

• Caliber Collision: Largest US collision repair chain with extensive technician training programs. Comparable as a downstream employer of Ding King graduates and a potential B2B training customer, though Caliber operates in service delivery rather than training.
• Service King Collision: National collision repair chain that trains technicians internally on PDR and appearance services. Comparable as a potential enterprise B2B training customer for Ding King and as a competing destination for collision/PDR technician careers.
• I-CAR (Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair): Industry-recognized collision repair training and certification standards body with which Ding King is already a Sustaining Training Partner. Comparable as a training/certification provider for the auto appearance and collision repair industry, though I-CAR is a non-profit standards organization rather than a private school.
• Maaco: Largest US auto appearance and paint franchise network with technician training programs. Comparable as a downstream franchise employer of auto appearance technicians and a potential B2B training customer for Ding King's reconditioning curriculum.
• CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts: North American network of independently owned collision repair facilities. Comparable as a downstream training customer and employer of certified PDR/auto appearance technicians that Ding King graduates feed into.

Emerging players

• Mobile Tech RX: Estimating and business management software for PDR and mobile appearance technicians, referenced in Ding King's website. Comparable as an enabling technology provider in the PDR ecosystem with overlapping target customers among Ding King graduates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ToddSudeck
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfyoVkbDuimHJQRPfOBvzkg
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheDingKingPaintlessDentRepairSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-ding-king-training-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/officialdingking

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries7 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 The Ding King Training Institute