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This article originally appeared in the September 2002 Issue of INSIGHT

TrendLine:

Business Expansion

	2002	1999	1998	1997
How is consolidation affecting your business?
Increase in business	7%	16%	22%	33%
No change	70%	68%	62%	50%
Decrease in business	23%	16%	16%	17%
Do you see consolidation affecting balance of negotiating power more favorably toward:
Insurance companies	57%	47%	46%	37%
Collision repair facilities	13%	21%	28%	29%
No change	30%	32%	26%	34%
Planning a major capital investment or expansion within next 12 months:	26%	51%	53%	50%
If YES, what type of expansion?
Existing building expansion	35%	57%	32%	35%
Competitive acquisition	5%	10%	9%	10%
New location	30%	27%	23%	17%
New equipment	60%	53%	36%	38%
Expansion will be financed by:
Funds from business profits	58%	51%	33%	36%
Additional owner investment	26%	18%	16%	14%
Bank debt financing	53%	55%	47%	45%
Respondents competing against a regional or multi-regional chain of facilities:	42%	44%
If YES, which chain?
Sterling	34%	11%
CARSTAR	34%	43%
Caliber	25%	10%
M2	19%	13%
ABRA	13%	19%
Boyd	13%	8%

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