Charlotte-based Driven Brands buys network of collision repair shops

Charlotte-based Driven Brands, parent company of Meineke Car Care Centers, said it is buying Carstar Auto Body Repair Experts, a Kansas-based network of independently owned collision repair shops.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

With the deal, Driven Brands will create a new division called Paint & Collision that will help the company “streamline services and share expertise to improve the customer experience and profitability for franchisees,” Driven said in a statement Thursday. The new division will be led by current Maaco Franchising President Jose Costa.

Carstar will retain its current management team, led by Chief Executive Officer David Byers.

“We are committed to expanding our footprint through the acquisitions of complementary brands that can help elevate our presence in the communities we serve,” Jonathan Fitzpatrick, president and CEO of Driven Brands, said in a statement. Carstar is Driven Brands’ 11th acquisition since 2013.

Driven Brands, a portfolio company of Roark Capital, is the parent company of a family of automotive companies that also includes Maaco and Econo Lube & Tune.

This story was originally published October 22, 2015 at 9:37 AM with the headline "Charlotte-based Driven Brands buys network of collision repair shops."