Ziebart Franchise

Ziebart, a Ziebart International Corp franchise, has been franchising since 1963 - 4 years after the concept was founded in 1959 , currently with 400 total locations in the automotive sector, headquartered in MI. According to the 2024 FDD, the total initial investment ranges from $254K to $600K - a 136% spread between the low and high end that reflects how site size, market, and buildout scope change the capital requirement. This figure includes the franchise fee of $35K, equipment, leasehold improvements, and initial working capital through the ramp-up period.

Ongoing royalties run 8.0% of gross sales. Notably, Ziebart does not disclose financial performance (Item 19) in its FDD. That is common (Item 19 is optional under the FTC Franchise Rule) but it puts the burden on prospective buyers to survey existing franchisees (Item 20 contact list), model unit economics from public comparables, and demand validated profit-and-loss data before signing.

Network size has held steady year-over-year, which typically means new openings and closures are roughly offsetting, a stability pattern that can mask underlying churn. Before committing capital, triangulate this summary against the full FDD, a franchise attorney's review, and direct conversations with five or more current and former franchisees from Item 20.