Franchise News

LINE-X, the leading manufacturer of high-performance protective coatings and industry-leading automotive and lifestyle accessories, was named the #1 Miscellaneous Auto Products and Services category for a record 11th consecutive year as part of Entrepreneur Magazine's 41st annual Franchise 500® rankings. LINE-X's consistent growth, exceptional customer support, brand strength and low franchise fees also helped secure a ranking of #327 on the magazine's prestigious Franchise 500 list. The Franchise 500 program uses a proprietary formula and more than 150 individual data points to rank the top 500 franchises out of more than 1,100 applicants across all industries which include restaurants, gyms, hotels, cleaning services and more.

This is LINE-X's 17^th appearance on Entrepreneur Magazine's annual Franchise 500 list, which is now in its 41st year of ranking franchises nationally. The rankings were the first of its kind when introduced and the key factors that go into the evaluation include costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

As the largest automotive aftermarket retail franchise in North America, LINE-X has experienced tremendous growth and increased sales over the past 26 years and this year was no different. In 2019, LINE-X welcomed 32 new franchises, and even more are on pace to open in 2020, further expanding LINE-X's presence across North America. LINE-X continues to be one of the most sought-after automotive aftermarket franchises in the world.

ONLY THE BEST FOR LINE-X FRANCHISE OWNERS

• Global Brand Recognition – For more than 26 years, LINE-X has been the most trusted bedliner in the world; scientifically-engineered coatings, high-quality accessories and world-class service have built an extremely loyal customer base that continues to grow.
• Large Selection of Quality Truck Accessories – Trucks are now being customized to represent individual personalities, so today's truck owners want high quality truck-accessories, like those offered by the Truck Gear by LINE-X brand which has become a staple for many LINE-X franchises. Franchises also have access to a wide variety of leading truck accessory brands.
• Lifestyle Accessories – Launched in 2018, Truck Gear by LINE-X launched new and exciting lifestyle products with more on the way; rotomolded Expedition Coolers, Jump Starter & Power Bank, Ratcheting Tie Downs are all available at franchise locations and on Truck Gear's e-commerce website, www.buytruckgearonline.com, allowing customers to order products and have them shipped to a local LINE-X location at no charge.
• Enhanced Training resources and Quality Assurance Programs offered by LINE-X help franchise owners quickly establish their businesses and provide the highest quality customer service possible.
• Marketing Support - Comprehensive integrated national and regional marketing programs provide increased brand awareness, new business opportunities and lead-generation support for our entire network of franchise owners.
• Veteran Friendly – LINE-X remains committed to veteran franchise owners by offering discounted franchise fees which has helped substantially increase the number of veteran-owned franchises.
• With a 24-hour technical support line, on-site equipment installations and on-going technical support for all franchise owners, franchises are still LINE-X's highest priority.

Another key indicator of the strength of LINE-X franchises is the rate that current franchise owners open second, third or fourth locations. Twenty-five percent of franchise owners have expanded their businesses by opening additional LINE-X locations.

"We are once again honored to be recognized as the top automotive services company by Entrepreneur magazine. LINE-X already has a reputation for some of the strongest bedliners in the business, and for the last 17 years, we have had the privilege of being honored as one of the best franchise networks in the nation," said Dennis Weese, president of LINE-X. "Our franchises work very hard to provide the best service possible to their customers, and that has been reflected in our success as a company. We know our customers have a choice, and they continue to choose LINE-X because of the incredible service they receive from our stellar nationwide network of franchise owners."

"The 500 companies on this list all have something in common: They understand what consumers want now," says Entrepreneur editor in chief Jason Feifer. "They may be an upstart in a brand-new category, or they may be a brand like Dunkin' that's ranked highly on our list for decades. But either way, making our list means they're forward-thinking, nimble, and closely in touch with their customers' needs—because in an ever-changing business environment, that's what a franchise must do to thrive."

Outside of North America, LINE-X also leads the protective coating industry with a global network of distributors and dealers in more than 75 different countries. As part of the LINE-X family, business owners receive a complete business offering with access to revolutionary and proprietary protective coating formulas, a wide-range of world-class, nearly-indestructible protective coatings for automotive, manufacturing and industrial purposes, as well as Truck Gear by LINE-X — an expanding lineup of first-rate aftermarket truck accessories designed to help franchises offer even more to their customers by creating a one-stop shop for all truck customization needs.

Franchise opportunities are available. For more information, please visit LINE-X online at www.OWNALINEX.com.

 LLC 
LINE-X LLC (www.LINE-X.com) is a global leader in high performance polyurea protective coatings offering scientifically formulated polymers that permanently bond to a wide range of surfaces for unmatched durability. With the launch of the brand's Truck Gear by LINE-X accessory line, LINE-X's near-'unbreakable' coatings are complemented with premium, stylish truck offerings to make for a true one-stop truck customization solution at franchise locations across the United States and the globe. With prominent applications in the automotive, military, commercial, light industrial, heavy industrial, agricultural, marine and personal customization worlds, LINE-X brings legendary protection to any business or manufacturer serious about protecting and prolonging the life of its products. Headquartered in Huntsville, Ala., LINE-X supports more than 660 customers in 75 countries, manages eight warehouses across six continents, and employs an award-winning chemistry team with state-of-the-art product innovation lab. Follow LINE-X on Twitter @LINEXProtects, become a fan on Facebook of LINE-X Protective Coatings, follow LINE-X on Instagram @LINEXNorthAmerica, and check out what LINE-X is doing on YouTube at: www.youtube.com/LINEXProtects. #Unbreakable #Style. #LINEXIT.

Understanding The Ranking
Welcome to Entrepreneur's 41st annual Franchise 500® ranking. For more than four decades, we've been studying the franchise industry and honing our proprietary formula in order to bring you the world's first, best, and most comprehensive franchise ranking. And with each year, the ranking becomes increasingly competitive, as more and more companies see the value of expansion through franchising and throw their hats into the ring. Our list shows just how varied the franchise world has become, offering prospective franchisees a myriad of choices, from more traditional options, like restaurants, maintenance services, and gyms to the latest trends, like ax throwing, cryotherapy, and CBD.

So just how do we go about evaluating and ranking such a diverse pool of opportunities? Here's a look behind the scenes.

THE FIVE PILLARS OF THE FRANCHISE 500®
Some key factors that go into our evaluation:
COSTS & FEES
Franchise fee
Total investment
Royalty fees
SUPPORT
Training times
Marketing support
Operational support
Franchisor infrastructure
Financing availability
Litigation
SIZE & GROWTH
Open & operating units
Growth rate
Closures
BRAND STRENGTH
Social media
System size
Years in business
Years franchising
FINANCIAL STRENGTH & STABILITY
Franchisor's audited financial statements
Note: Pillars and factors are not listed in order of importance.

The ranking process begins with gathering the data. Starting in July 2019, we asked franchisors to fill out our online form and submit a copy of their current franchise disclosure document (FDD) or Canadian disclosure document. We had a record-breaking year, with 1,105 companies supplying all the required information. Submissions were vetted by our editorial team before being entered for data analysis.

To be eligible to rank, a franchisor must be seeking new franchisees in the U.S. or Canada and must have had a minimum of 10 units open and operating as of July 31, 2019, with at least one franchise located in North America. Each eligible franchisor was scored based on more than 150 data points, and those with the highest cumulative scores became the Franchise 500.

Note: The Franchise 500 is not intended to endorse, advertise, or recommend any particular franchise. It is solely a tool to compare franchise operations. You should always conduct your own careful research before investing in a franchise. Read the FDD and related materials, get help from a franchise attorney and an accountant to review legal and financial documents, talk to as many existing and former franchisees as possible, and visit their outlets. Protect yourself by doing your homework to find the opportunity that's best for you.