Our Background

Mario Chiovitti

Mario Chiovitti is a Managing Partner at Hammer Group Holdings, LLC. His journey in the salvage industry began in 1988 with the co-founding of Alpine Motor Cars, a pioneering firm in the Northeast's salvage vehicle market. Alpine Motor Cars, known for dealing in repairable salvage vehicles, particularly luxury and exotic models, quickly rose to prominence. Its strategic location in the Bronx, NY, near New Jersey ports, established it as a prime spot for vehicle exporters. With an impressive inventory of over 1,000 vehicles at all times, Alpine sold over 25,000 vehicles globally from 1988 to 2001. Mario sold Alpine Motors in 2001 and later founded A-line Motors in 2003.

Observing the consolidation trend in the salvage auction industry by major companies like Copart Inc. and Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA), Mario recognized the challenge for independent salvage auction owners to compete against these entities with their global reach, substantial funding, and efficient processes. Shifting his focus from retail to wholesale, he began sourcing vehicles directly from the origin rather than through auctions. By forging partnerships with other high-volume franchise dealers, fleet/leasing companies, rental companies and insurance companies, Mario successfully acquired large batches of vehicles, particularly those affected by natural disasters. A-line Motors and its affiliates have since become one of the largest vehicle suppliers for Copart Inc. and Insurance Auto Auctions Inc. in the Northeast.

John Velaoras

John Velaoras, a Managing Partner at Hammer Group Holdings, LLC, brings a wealth of expertise in the automotive industry and collision repair, akin to his colleague, Mario. He co-founded Specialty Motor Cars in the Bronx, NY, and served as the owner-operator from 1996 until 2006, when he sold the business. Specialty Motors specialized in medium-to-large volume salvage vehicle dealing, primarily purchasing vehicles from insurance companies. A significant portion of these vehicles were dismantled and their parts sold. In 2006, after divesting Specialty Motors, John ventured into the out-of-home advertising sector by establishing KOS Outdoors. This company, equipped with a fleet of over twenty customized billboard trucks, manages national outdoor marketing campaigns for major clients such as Verizon, Sprint, Metro PCS, AT&T, and other national advertisers. John continues to lead KOS Outdoors as its CEO. Beyond the vast experience of John and Mario in the automotive and advertising sectors, the Partners at Hammer Group Holdings have developed a profound expertise in the Northeastern United States' real estate market. Our firm, Hammer Group, manages an extensive and varied portfolio of both commercial and automotive-focused industrial properties, stretching from Pennsylvania to Connecticut. This portfolio showcases our sharp investment acumen and deep understanding of the regional market dynamics. Encompassing a variety of properties in strategic locations, our real estate investments illustrate our capacity to pinpoint and leverage profitable opportunities in this diverse and evolving market.

The Result

Mario, together with his longtime friend John, observed a similar consolidation trend in the collision repair industry across many states, reminiscent of what they had previously seen in the salvage industry. This insight led to the founding of Hammer Group Holdings, LLC in 2016, recognizing the imminent consolidation within the Northeast regions collision repair sector. In response to the growing trend of Multi-Shop Operators consolidating, John and Mario embarked on a mission to amalgamate the most prestigious body shops in the Northeast into one comprehensive portfolio.