About Us

Who We Are

As a family owned business, we pride ourselves on personal service and building relationships. We have many customers who have come to us with concerns and frustrations after dealing with some of our competitors. Some of these concerns regarded pricing of products, while others addressed the lack of a personal touch.

Throughout the years it has been our goal to keep supply costs at a minimum and in doing so we have pioneered some name brand products that are being used daily at facilities throughout the area. We are always on the lookout for product lines that are easy to use, have a lower cost and perform as well or better then the more expensive products in the market place.

In addition to seeking out cost effective quality products, our employees are a big part of our success by helping us keep in touch with our customers’ needs and wants. Some of our employees have been with us nearly 20 years and have forged great relationships while developing a wealth of knowledge along the way. We have been told that it is a pleasant attribute to have the same people answering the phone or seeing the same faces behind the counter day in and day out.

We pride ourselves on being a family owned business with the ability to do business with a handshake and promise. With the addition of John P. Swanson, we look for this tradition to continue for many more years to come. Our goal is simple: provide excellent customer service, cost cutting products and have caring, knowledgeable employees.

 

Our History

Founder John G. Swanson, who at the time owned a small auto body repair shop in Paterson, NJ, took to the road in a Ford E150 with a few supplies and began driving shop to shop. He felt motivated to bring lower prices to his fellow body shop owners. He himself experienced all too well the rising cost of supplies, which was one of the reasons he was struggling to stay in business.

He quickly came to find out that other body shop owners felt the same way. He thought he may be on to something and that perhaps this would make a better life for him and his family than the body shop would. Thus in 1984 MGM Auto Body Supplies was born. His connection to the body shop owner was a natural one, and so from the van came a step van to a small rental space to what is today a 5000 sq. ft. facility.

The road to success has been long and at times difficult. Never quite having mastered the body shop business, John set a goal of trying to get a better handle on his distribution business. Along the way he struggled to learn about keeping the correct product mix in addition to learning the ins and outs of running a business. After almost 30 years his hard work, dedication, and perseverance is paying off as the company continues to grow.

His most valuable asset is his employees, some of whom have been part of the team for almost 20 years. MGM’s success has been a long time in the making, but one core belief has remained a constant: to bring quality products with excellent customer service to our customers who are also our friends.