Sowing the Seeds for Success: A 2025 Texas Auto Body Trade Show Preview

by Chasidy Rae Sisk

The 2025 Texas Auto Body Trade Show is just a month away, and ABAT has been busy sowing the seeds for another successful, rewarding event!

On September 12-13, collision repair professionals from Texas and beyond will gather at the Marriott Dallas Allen Hotel and Convention Center in Allen to learn, network and enjoy some Texas-sized fun! 

“Be ready to enjoy the same high-quality education, exhibitions and overall good time that’s come to be synonymous with the Texas Auto Body Trade Show – all under ONE roof,” ABAT Executive Director Jill Tuggle expresses her excitement about the show’s new venue. “All of this year’s offerings will be accommodated by our host hotel and convention center, so you can avoid the Texas heat by taking advantage of the on-site amenities…but if you feel like venturing out, there’s plenty to do nearby, including an entire shopping center just across the street. 

“We’ve got something for everyone,” Tuggle promises. “Training sessions from the industry’s leading experts, exhibitors showcasing their latest and greatest tools and equipment, our Fifth Annual BIG SHOTS Competition and plenty of networking opportunities that will allow you to connect with industry peers. And we’ve always got a few surprises up our sleeves each year to keep things fresh and exciting. It’s the most fun you’ll have all year in collision repair!”

Classes start early both days, featuring crowd favorites like Mike Anderson of Collision Advice as well as some fresh faces. (Flip to page 18 for the full training agenda, or learn more about each session at grecopublishing.com/txa0725coverstory.) But plenty worth seeing will take place on the trade show floor, open 1-8pm on Friday and 10am-6pm on Saturday.

Think you’re the best at what you do? Join the competition and show off your paint, body, glue pull or estimating skills at the Fifth Annual BIG SHOTS Competition for a chance to win $1,000 cash and other great prizes! “We’ll have both live and virtual contests taking place on the show floor as estimators, painters and technicians compete for big prizes and – more importantly – bragging rights,” Tuggle teases. “Whether you’re in paint, body, paintless dent repair (PDR) or estimating, there’s a contest waiting for you, and you absolutely must plan to compete in our BIG SHOTS Competition!” (Stay tuned for more details about BIG SHOTS in next month’s edition.)

The best of the best will walk away with the title of ABAT Painter of the Year, Estimator of the Year, Body Tech of the Year or PDR Tech of the Year, and winners will be featured on the cover of an upcoming edition of Texas Automotive.

But everyone will have a chance to see themselves on the cover of Texas Automotive at this year’s show with the introduction of a giant magazine photo box on the show floor where you can snag a picture to envision yourself as a cover model.

With the right tools and equipment, you just might build your business to make it on a future cover, so be sure to visit the dozens of vendors exhibiting their tools, equipment, software and services – and keep an eye out for some special surprises. This year’s exhibitors are already looking forward to the show.

“I’m excited for the new venue and really looking forward to all the fun we’ll have at this year’s show,” says Laura Gay (Consolidation Coach), whose booth will feature an opportunity to win a gift card to Chic-fil-A or Starbucks. “Pick a color on our Wheel of Fortune, spin, and if you land on the color you picked, you win a prize!”

Bill Park (Crunchit Financial Services) is excited for the opportunity to “interact with body shop owners and let them know how we can help them.” With 30 years of experience owning shops and having exited different businesses four times, Park can offer unique insights by “listening to their stories, understanding their pain points, sharing best practices and letting them know they have a trusted ally who understands what they can do. I’ll consider the show a success if I can impart a tip or two that someone can do something positive with!”

Killer Tools is also “looking forward to interacting with Texas collision repairers and educating them on our newest products,” according to Tim Gerhards (Killer Tools), who promises that attendees can enjoy “some ‘Killer Deals’ on scratch and dent tools that we cannot sell through our normal distribution channels.”

“For the upcoming Texas Auto Body Trade Show, Tractable will have a booth with three of our employees there – including our very own ‘industry influencer’ and long-time auto insurance expert, Jimmy Spears,” reveals Mitchell Anderson (Tractable). “We’re looking forward to connecting with shops within Texas to understand if or how they are changing their process to account for the new Right to Appraisal bill and to understand different behaviors we’re seeing with consumers in the southern US region. We’ll also offer free demos of our technology, where you can run any vehicle through our AI to get an instant damage analysis and repair quote, and we’ll even be giving shops the ability to sign up for our tool at the booth with an extended free trial for coming to those who visit us in person!”

Bob Stevenson (Celette) also looks forward “to connecting with Texas shop owners and technicians and networking with industry experts and fellow vendors,” and he notes that their display will include “the New Lucid Gravity EV on our New Carbon Fiber 3D Printed Jigs.”

With all that’s happening on the floor and in the classrooms, one might think that’s it, but that’s not how ABAT does things! The best part of the Texas Auto Body Trade Show is the chance for collision repair professionals to network with one another, and ABAT has scheduled these opportunities in spades. During the daily happy hours on the trade show floor, enjoy a cold beer and complimentary appetizers at select booths while chatting with old friends or making some new ones. 

Take a break from perusing the exhibitors’ offerings to head out to the parking lot and check out the English Color & Supply Car Show, a crowd favorite year after year. “English Color has sponsored an AMAZING car show each year,” Tuggle stresses. “Whether you prefer a rat rod, custom build, muscle car or just a nicely restored classic, you will find it all. You might even want to enter your own ride for a chance to win great prizes.”

Before the show floor closes on Friday, be sure to pop by ABAT’s booth to score a free ticket to the After Party, where the real fun begins. It shouldn’t be too difficult to convince Tuggle to extend an invite to this exclusive by-invitation-only celebration which provides a great opportunity to network with industry peers over appetizers and drinks – and this crowd favorite will enjoy a bit of a facelift in 2025 as the association celebrates its HUGE legislative win in securing mandatory appraisal rights in all Texas insurance policies!

According to Tuggle, this year’s After Party will be a “Texas-meets-Hollywood bash” boasting a more upscale feel as ABAT invites attendees to grab a commemorative flute from the champagne-skirt-wearing partyologist as the association raises a glass to the legislative victory. And this year, attendees don’t need to worry about their photo booth pictures being used against them as ABAT’s taking a break from the traditional silliness and classing up the photography by offering an opportunity to snag a shot that may be worthy to use as a headshot. 

“Dress to impress, or simply come as you are,” Tuggle extends the invitation. “Although this year’s After Party is a bit of a gala, we don’t want to deter anyone from joining in the fun!”

And that includes the ladies of collision who will have the chance to spend a little time with other women in the field at ABAT’s Fourth Annual Ladies’ exclusive event, taking place in a secret location. Ladies: be sure to grab your invitation at the registration desk, so you don’t miss out on the delicious drinks, snacks and a fun activity while chatting with industry peers. “ABAT loves to give credit where credit is due, and often there’s a woman involved in the business who doesn’t get enough accolades for all she does with grace and strength,” Tuggle shares. “The women in this business are a special breed. We are unique because we chose to be in this business of collision repair. I think there is a lot of power and synergy in what we bring to this industry, and as a female-run association, we want to bring the females in our business together to get to know each other.”

Whether you’re planning to attend the 2025 Texas Auto Body Trade Show for the education, exhibitions, competition, networking or just a break from the ordinary, this show delivers it all, providing plenty of ways to grow your business and yourself. 

“We have so much planned to benefit you and your business at the 2025 Texas Auto Body Trade Show,” Tuggle insists. “We pack all the most exciting parts of being in the automotive industry into two days filled with tools, equipment, a Car Show, celebrity appearances and some of the country’s top speakers providing education that you can’t get anywhere else…You CANNOT afford to miss this Show!”

Stay tuned for additional updates on the 2025 Texas Auto Body Trade Show in next month’s Texas Automotive. To learn more about the show and to register, visit abat.us/trade-show. 

Want more? Check out the August 2025 issue of Texas Automotive!

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