Family First
At 7:30 a.m., technicians at 765 Collision Repair are already hard at work — repairing dents, painting vehicles and moving through a packed schedule. But even amid the fast pace, owner Trampus Burke and his son, production manager Detlef Burke, say success starts not with the cars, but with the people fixing them.
Now celebrating their second anniversary, the two say that philosophy has shaped everything about how they run the shop.
“[Our employees] know they’re not just a number. We know what’s going on with them. We know about their families,” Trampus says. “It’s really tight-knit, and our world revolves around them.”
Trampus, who got his start in collision repair in 1996, always aspired to own his own shop, so when the opportunity arose, he asked his son, Detlef, if he wanted to join him. Detlef said yes.
By then, Detlef, a 2021 Tri-Central High School graduate, had spent several years around the industry. During his junior year of high school, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted school schedules, and his father, who was working for a corporate body shop at the time, invited him to work as a porter.
“I just liked the culture,” Detlef says. “I like how it’s just, if you work hard, you can make money doing it.”
After working together for around two years, Trampus and Detlef opened their doors at 1101 S. Apperson Way in June 2024, offering collision repair, paint and glass work, and paintless dent repair, with three employees. The team has since grown by 10 more employees.
What sets the shop apart, according to the Burkes, is the value they place on their technicians.
“A lot of shops treat it as the techs make money for the managers, but we treat it as it’s our job to make the techs money,” Detlef says. “I think that makes the culture a lot better. It makes people feel more respected, too.”
Senior auto body technician Shane Butler, who has worked with Trampus for more than a decade, followed him to the new business.
“They just take care of you,” Butler says. “It’s not just going to a job.”
That employee-first approach also extends to work-life balance. The shop operates on a four-day workweek, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., giving the entire team a three-day weekend.
“You’re not going to be here and live here; you’re going to have family time,” Trampus says. “It’s our job to make sure they’re efficient during the 40 hours they’re here.”
The extra day off also allows the Burkes, who describe themselves as best friends, to golf, attend concerts and travel together.
Another core part of their business model is investing in the next generation. Most of their staff is younger than 23. The Burkes train employees on-site and provide starter tools — which they get to keep if they stay for two years — as they learn the trade.
“It’s cool to bring kids in who have a love for cars and then teach them how to work on them,” Trampus says. “We’re helping teach the younger generation that you don’t have to be in debt, you don’t have to go to college, and you can make really good money by working with your hands and be proud of it.”
While customer demand grew faster than anticipated, hitting two-year goals within the first six months, the Burkes say they took a measured approach to hiring. They wanted to ensure there would be enough work for new hires, not only immediately but also long term.
Looking ahead, the Burkes are considering expansion, either by adding on to their current building or opening a second location. But when asked what he’s most proud of after the shop’s first two years, Trampus didn’t talk about the business. He pointed to his son.
765 Collision Repair is located at 1101 S. Apperson Way, Kokomo, IN 46902. Call 765-459-8008 or visit 765collision.com for more information.
