The Craftsman Group

The Craftsman Group 2019-03-08T12:03:48+00:00

Good ideas attract good people. Which is one way of explaining the Craftsman Group’s success in building a stable of businesses, all under the ownership of Bill Hatswell. It all began with one autobody shop in Vancouver in the 1970s and has evolved into a group of market-leading companies in a variety of industries that include real estate development.

The Craftsman Group is very much a family affair with the company’s founder and CEO, Bill Hatswell at the helm. His sons and daughter oversee the individual companies within the Craftsman Group; Rick Hatswell, President of Craftsman Collision, Greg Hatswell, President of Craftsman Ventures and Melanie Allan, Vice-President of Craftsman Collision USA. It truly is a family business headquartered in North Vancouver, BC.

Craftsman Collision

When owner Bill Hatswell founded Craftsman Collision he wasn’t expecting to grow it into a company with 40+ locations in Canada and the US and annual sales of more than $140 million. But that result makes it the largest independent and family owned collision repair operation in Canada.

As a leader in applying innovative thinking and technology to the auto repair industry, Craftsman Collision has developed its own locations designed to cater to Western Canada’s growing luxury auto market. With customer satisfaction numbers in the high 90% range, Craftsman customers also recognize the value that forward thinking can bring.

Wedge Clamp

As a company that actively fosters innovation and out-of-the-box thinking, acquiring one of the world’s most innovative bodyshop repair systems manufacturers – Wedge Clamp – was a natural fit for Craftsman.

With a growing base of customers, Wedge Clamp’s sophisticated suite of portable technological tools have boosted efficiency and profitability in thousands of bodyshops around the world.

Craftsman’s managerial acumen has helped Wedge Clamp grow operations in China and the US, and set the stage for the company to continue to grow its sophisticated system of tools. We’re proud to be a market leader in innovative technology, helping hundreds of bodyshop owners become more efficient, environmentally sensitive and profitable.

Alta View Holdings

As our property management arm, Alta View Holdings manages a growing number of commercial properties for tenants across Western Canada. This growing portfolio of properties attracts a discerning clientele who want to experience the customer service that all Craftsman subsidiaries are known for.