ASE acquires WrenchWay to strengthen industry workforce pipeline

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) announced its acquisition of WrenchWay, a platform promoting careers in the automotive, diesel, and collision industries.

Acquisition details

This agreement means WrenchWay's co-founders and employees will join the ASE team. Their goal is to help ASE fulfill its mission of supporting the transportation industry by strengthening connections between schools, employers, and industry partners, while also expanding support for current and future service professionals.

The acquisition "reflects ASE’s continued commitment to embracing technology and a customer-first mentality."

> Modernizing ASE has always meant more than updating our tests. It means rethinking how we serve technicians, shops, educators and the next generation entering the industry. WrenchWay has built something remarkable and together we can deliver on that vision at a scale neither of us could achieve alone.

Industry impact

Earlier this year, ASE and WrenchWay launched ASE Connects. This initiative aims to build a stronger technician pipeline by connecting schools and industry, expanding access to workforce data, and supporting automotive, diesel, and collision career pathways. As the organizations integrate, ASE Connects will remain a major focus, with WrenchWay’s technology and expertise supporting additional areas across ASE’s growing portfolio.

> Growing up in the industry, ASE has always been a brand I admire and respect. The opportunity to now be part of ASE’s future is both humbling and exciting. It is a true honor to help build on that legacy while creating new ways to support service professionals.

> There are not many brands in this industry that every technician and every shop instantly recognize. ASE is one of them. We have enormous respect for what’s been built here and equally high expectations for what comes next.

ASE and WrenchWay stated they would release more details in the coming weeks regarding integration timelines and the implications for current users.

Training challenges

A recent survey, the 2026 ASE Training Managers Council (ATMC) Training Benchmarks survey, found that 53% of auto technicians believe the main reason for a lack of training access is the unavailability of relevant topics.

Other reasons cited for limited access to training include:

• Quality training not available (38%)
• Can’t take time off work (29%)
• Training costs too much (22%)
• Would have to travel too far (17%)

When asked, collision technicians identified their training needs in specific areas:

• ADAS (44%)
• Paint and refinish (44%)
• Hybrid/EV systems (44%)
• Collision structural repair (44%)