A Texas-Sized Win! ABAT’s 2025 Texas Auto Body Trade Show Recap

by Alana Quartuccio

There is only one auto body trade show in the state of Texas hosted by the one-and-only auto body association in Texas. And as the ninth iteration of the annual event proved, nobody does it like ABAT!

The 2025 Texas Auto Body Trade Show, held September 12 and 13, just hit it out of the park! It was truly a win-win for all! And the new location at the Marriott Dallas Allen Hotel & Convention Center provided the perfect backdrop for the excellent educational opportunities, resources and innovations on the show floor and the unforgettable celebrations leaving all who attended with great memories for years to come!

Speaking of winning, four attendees walked away with mega bragging rights and $1,000 in their pocket after being crowned winners of the Fifth Annual BIG SHOTS Competition. The annual competition allows attendees to test their skills outside the body shop in the categories of painting, welding, estimating and paintless dent repair. First place winners (featured on the front cover) took home $1,000 in cash and an assortment of other prizes courtesy of BIG SHOTS Sponsors.

A “winning” theme was felt in every part of the show as ABAT went all out to commemorate this year’s big Mandatory Right to Appraisal legislative win. (See grecopublishing.com/txa0725abatfeature). During the Hollywood-themed After Party – complete with champagne toast – ABAT President Burl Richards told all, “Our association has so much to be proud of. We made some major legislative milestones this year. We got over a big hurdle that could never have been done without all those who support us.” 

This year’s Ladies Mixer was a big hit once again! Dozens of ladies in collision gathered for cocktails, yummy bites and the opportunity to make a bedazzling bracelet! 

Support was shown on the show floor all weekend with attendees marching up and down the aisles to peruse the many innovations and resources returning exhibitors and sponsors had on display. 

Randy Boggs of Diamond Sponsor BASF won’t pass up the opportunity to come to the Texas Auto Body Trade Show as it’s a great way to “support customers and promote new business. This show is geared towards those in the body shop industry, so that provides us the opportunity to gain more business.” Boggs also favored the new location’s layout which allowed “better movement” for attendees between educational seminars and the trade show floor. 

“As returning Diamond Sponsors, we’re proud to showcase how our mobile diagnostics and calibration services help body shops across Texas keep vehicles safe and customers on the road,” reports Courtney Johnson of All Clear Diagnostics and Calibrations. “Partnering with ABAT allows us to build stronger connections with shops throughout the state, ensuring they have access to the advanced support they need, wherever they are. At All Clear, we deeply value our relationships with auto body associations like ABAT, whose resources and dedication not only strengthen our business, but also provide invaluable support to body shops and the collision repair industry as a whole.”

According to Robby Read of 1 Source ADAS (Happy Hour Sponsor), the calibration and software company returns year after year because “we enjoy the camaraderie with the people, and we like to support ABAT.”

Justin Petty of Petty Details had a blast as a first time exhibitor. He was no stranger to the show as a past attendee, but after being encouraged to exhibit, he decided it’d be a great idea to participate. “Everyone here is in our demographic, and it’s been a great opportunity to meet people. It’s been good to put the face with the name of so many I speak with regularly. It’s been a lot of fun!” 

Kayla Hughs of Car-O-Liner Southwest (Happy Hour Sponsor) pointed out the positive feeling ABAT’s show brings, especially at a time when the industry is feeling the effects of a slowdown. “We look forward to this show, supporting ABAT and seeing old and new customers. It’s good to see everyone coming together for the sake of the industry.” 

“This was our seventh year with the show,” relayed Eco-Tech Systems’ Chris Curran, who has been coming back consistently year after year. “It’s been a good show with the same turnout we’ve seen the past few years.” 

On behalf of Diamond Sponsor English Color and Supply, Alfred Avila stated, “We’re invested in giving back to the collision community because we know it’s harder and harder to get new techs into the industry. We like to support ABAT in everything they do. We always like to donate, give back and help educate everyone in the industry, and that is what brings us back each year.” 

Returning exhibitor and BIG SHOTS Sponsor KECO Body Repair Products once again had their presence on the show floor. For Emma White, MSO/OEM relationship manager, it was her first time attending and presenting at the show. She felt it was a good show, and she enjoyed presenting and watching the BIG SHOTS Competition which KECO played a role in as a sponsor and providing materials for the pull dent portion.

“Paint Works believes in giving back to the industry, and this show helps us do that,” shared Kevin Byrd regarding Paint Works’ (BIG SHOTS Sponsor) reason for continuing to support the show each year. 

ABAT thanks the following sponsors for their generous support of the 2025 Texas Auto Body Trade Show: Diamond Sponsors: All Clear Diagnostics and Calibrations, BASF, English Color and Supply, LLC; Gold Sponsor: NCS/Single Source; Silver Sponsors: asTech Driven by Repairify, Cook’s Fine Auto Body and Collision, Intrepid; Kickoff Party Sponsors: BASF, Certified Collision Group; Happy Hour Sponsors: 1Source ADAS, Car-O-Liner, Enterprise, GO Rentals, REVV Tech; Education Sponsors: ProductionBoard.net, Vale Training, English Collision Equipment; BIG SHOTS Sponsors: AkzoNobel, Car-O-Liner, CCC, Enterprise, Evercoat, KECO Body Repair Products, Norton Saint-Gobain, Paint Works, Sherwin-Williams, Spanesi; Champagne Toast Sponsor: SMART Vehicle Solutions; Celebrity Sponsor: Lift King; Ladies Mixer Sponsor: Tasco Auto Color.

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

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