The Matco Franchise Owners Association is here to help and answer your questions!
Read below as to why we have a Matco Tools Franchise Association and read the list of FAQs that may answer some of your questions.
Our Mission:
The Matco Tools Franchise Association (MTFA) is dedicated to empowering, protecting, and supporting franchise owners by fostering a stronger, more transparent, and mutually beneficial relationship with Matco Tools. Our goal is to enhance the financial stability, business success, and overall well-being of franchisees while ensuring fair and ethical business practices from Matco Tools.
Our Goals:
- Advocacy & Representation – To serve as the collective voice of franchisees, ensuring their concerns, rights, and interests are represented in negotiations, policies, and legal matters with Matco Tools.
- Fair Business Practices – To hold Matco Tools accountable for transparent, ethical, and fair franchise agreements, eliminating predatory policies that harm distributors.
- Dispute Resolution & Mediation – To work proactively with Matco Tools to resolve conflicts before they escalate, ensuring franchisees receive fair treatment.
- Financial Protection & Stability – To advocate for reasonable pricing, fair inventory practices, and financial transparency that improve franchisee profitability and reduce unnecessary debt burdens.
- Education & Training – To provide business training, financial literacy programs, and operational best practices to help franchisees succeed.
- Legal & Regulatory Support – To monitor franchise laws and regulatory changes, keeping franchisees informed and providing legal resources for those facing disputes.
- Community & Networking – To create a supportive network where franchisees can share experiences, resources, and business strategies for mutual success.
- Long-Term Growth & Sustainability – To increase franchisee survivability by ensuring that Matco Tools provides effective business tools, technology, and market support to franchise owners.
- Transparency & Accountability – To demand greater transparency from Matco Tools, ensuring all policies, fees, and changes are disclosed honestly and fairly.
- Stronger Franchisee-Franchisor Relationship – To build a cooperative relationship with Matco Tools that benefits both the company and its franchisees, ensuring mutual success instead of corporate exploitation.
Our Goals:
- Advocacy & Representation – To serve as the collective voice of franchisees, ensuring their concerns, rights, and interests are represented in negotiations, policies, and legal matters with Matco Tools.
- Fair Business Practices – To hold Matco Tools accountable for transparent, ethical, and fair franchise agreements, eliminating predatory policies that harm distributors.
- Dispute Resolution & Mediation – To work proactively with Matco Tools to resolve conflicts before they escalate, ensuring franchisees receive fair treatment.
- Financial Protection & Stability – To advocate for reasonable pricing, fair inventory practices, and financial transparency that improve franchisee profitability and reduce unnecessary debt burdens.
- Education & Training – To provide business training, financial literacy programs, and operational best practices to help franchisees succeed.
- Legal & Regulatory Support – To monitor franchise laws and regulatory changes, keeping franchisees informed and providing legal resources for those facing disputes.
- Community & Networking – To create a supportive network where franchisees can share experiences, resources, and business strategies for mutual success.
- Long-Term Growth & Sustainability – To increase franchisee survivability by ensuring that Matco Tools provides effective business tools, technology, and market support to franchise owners.
- Transparency & Accountability – To demand greater transparency from Matco Tools, ensuring all policies, fees, and changes are disclosed honestly and fairly.
- Stronger Franchisee-Franchisor Relationship – To build a cooperative relationship with Matco Tools that benefits both the company and its franchisees, ensuring mutual success instead of corporate exploitation.
FAQs
Find answers to your questions about the Matco Tools Franchise Association.
In April 2024, distributors in Southern California began discussing the formation of an association to address the widespread issues caused by Matco Tools’ MDBS computer system. This system had been causing operational and financial harm to franchisees, prompting the need for collective action.
Following the initial meeting, two founding members—William Davis and Sam Barrios—took the lead in organizing the effort. However, after their involvement became known, Matco Tools retaliated against them, leading to a temporary halt in the association’s development. During this period, Matco forced Sam Barrios into separation, preventing a proposed merger between his franchise and that of William Davis.
Despite these challenges, William Davis continued as a Matco distributor and pursued efforts to push Matco to resolve the MDBS system failures. Through his investigation, additional systemic issues within Matco Tools’ franchise operations surfaced, affecting both individual franchisees and the network as a whole.
Recognizing the urgent need for a formal organization, William Davis reinitiated the association in February 2025, this time with a broader mission:
- To protect franchise owners from unfair practices
- To address systemic issues, including MDBS failures
- To hold Matco accountable and advocate for franchisee rights
The Matco Tools Franchisee Association (MTFA) was officially launched as a platform for distributors to unite, protect their businesses, and ensure that systemic problems are resolved rather than ignored.
Yes, William Davis filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of California against Matco Tools. The lawsuit was initiated to force Matco to fix systemic issues in its MDBS software, which has caused financial and operational harm to distributors. However, as the case developed, the scope expanded beyond MDBS.
During his investigation, William Davis uncovered substantial evidence suggesting potential criminal and illegal activities by Matco Tools. This included:
- Issues beyond MDBS, such as unfair business practices and financial misconduct.
- Matco’s interference with franchisee operations, including blocking the proposed merger between William Davis and Sam Barrios.
- Additional evidence of possible fraud, contract violations, and legal non-compliance within Matco’s franchise system.
The lawsuit aims to bring accountability to Matco Tools and ensure that franchisees are protected from further harm.
📄 Read the full complaint here: [SHOULD BE ONLINE BY APRIL 10, 2025]
You have the right to be informed about the lawsuit and to seek legal counsel regarding your options.
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Additional Resources
Legal Documents
Access important legal documents related to the Matco Tools class action lawsuit.
Latest Articles
Stay informed with the latest articles and updates on the lawsuit.
External Resources
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