Tinting Was Just the Start

By Sean Goldsmith

Black Optix Tint is building a wider automotive services business around tinting, vehicle protection, detailing and customisation.

Black Optix Tint has joined The Franchise Entrepreneur’s Brands directory. What started as a tinting business now sells paint protection, ceramic coatings, detailing and other services to customers already spending heavily on their vehicles.

Black Optix Tint has joined The Franchise Entrepreneur’s Brands directory, and window tinting is only one part of the business.

Founded by Randal Moore, the company has expanded into paint protection film, ceramic coatings, detailing and automotive electronics, while residential and commercial window film can bring in work beyond vehicle owners. The customer arriving to tint a new car can therefore end up buying several services from the same business.

Black Optix started as an independent automotive operation before moving into franchising and joining United Franchise Group in 2025. Earlier this year, the company reported 34 locations open and 60 territories sold. For a relatively young franchise system, it is beginning to build a sizeable footprint around services that have traditionally been provided by independent local shops.

One Customer, Several Jobs

Window tinting gives Black Optix an obvious entry point with customers, particularly people who have recently bought a vehicle. The wider menu gives the owner somewhere to take that relationship.

Paint protection film can protect a new vehicle from chips and scratches. Ceramic coatings are sold to customers who want to protect the finish and make the vehicle easier to maintain. Detailing and electronics create further work, while residential and commercial tinting allow the business to sell outside the automotive market.

Black Optix describes five principal revenue streams within the franchise. That variety gives owners more to sell without having to find a completely different customer for every service. Someone prepared to spend money protecting a new vehicle is a natural prospect for several of them.

There are also opportunities beyond individual motorists. Dealerships, commercial vehicle operators and other automotive businesses can provide repeat work, making local relationships particularly valuable.

What Does It Cost?

According to Black Optix Tint's current 2026 franchise information, the estimated initial investment ranges from $230,227 to $343,390, including a $49,500 franchise fee.

The company's current Item 19 information reports that the highest franchisee net sales figure was $1,062,596. That is the top reported location rather than an average, so it should be read accordingly. What it does show is that a Black Optix franchise has already generated seven-figure annual sales within the system.

Sales are only part of running the business. Owners still have premises, technicians, materials, equipment, marketing and franchise fees to pay. The quality of the work also has a direct effect on the local reputation of the location.

Tinting and protection film are skilled jobs, and customers can usually see when they have been done badly. Training technicians and maintaining standards become particularly important as an owner moves from doing some of the work personally to managing a larger team.

Built by Someone From the Trade

Moore came into franchising from the automotive business itself. He built Black Optix around the practical experience of finding customers, employing technicians and running shops before deciding to expand the model.

The company initially experimented with licensing before moving towards franchising, with existing licensed operators given the opportunity to convert. Black Optix says it sold more than 50 territories within roughly two years of making that transition.

Joining United Franchise Group added a larger franchise organisation behind the business. Black Optix operators now have support covering areas including training, site development, suppliers, marketing, sales and ongoing operations.

For franchisees, however, much of the business remains local. Owners need customers to trust them with expensive vehicles, technicians need to produce good work and reviews matter. A strong reputation in the local automotive community can be difficult to build quickly, but it can also become valuable once established.

Where the Growth Comes From

The automotive aftermarket has changed considerably from the days when tinting meant little more than making windows darker.

Films and coatings are now sold for heat reduction, UV protection, privacy, paint protection and appearance. Consumers are also keeping vehicles for longer, giving owners another reason to spend money maintaining and protecting what they already drive.

Black Optix is building around that spending rather than depending on one product. A customer may first encounter the business because of window tinting, then return or spend more on protection, detailing or electronics.

That gives the franchise a straightforward local proposition. Find people and businesses spending money on their vehicles, do the work well and give them more than one reason to come through the door.

For a business that began with tinting, Black Optix has developed a much wider range of ways for a franchise owner to make a sale. Its growing network and backing from United Franchise Group now give the company an opportunity to take that model into considerably more markets.

What We Can Learn From This

Black Optix shows how a specialist trade can become a broader franchise when several related services can be sold to the same customer. For franchisees, the practical priority is to build a strong local reputation and use the wider service menu to increase the value of those customer relationships. The technical work still has to be good, because poor installation can quickly undo expensive marketing. If Black Optix can maintain those standards as more territories open, its growth could come from far more than window tinting.

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