Over 200 people joined together to celebrate the achievements of the 2019 Paint & Panel Bodyshop Award winners at melbourne's Arts Centre on 11 October. Cricket legend and commentator Damien Fleming was a top notch MC, keeping the evening running smoothly and regaling the audience with the story of how he achieved a hat trick on his debut playing for Australia.
From an organiser's point of view, the Paint & Panel team took so much satisfaction from seeing the industry gather together creating such a positive and supportive atmosphere. As well as all the award winners, many sponsors and industry suppliers had invited their autobody repair customers for a night of networking and enjoying the fine food and wine on offer.
Talking of sponsors, thank you again to all of our wonderful sponsors who make the award program and night of nights possible. Our Platinum sponsors Compass and Axalta, our Gold sponsor IBodyshop and all of our supporting sponsors: Collision Repair Expo, PPG, Glasurit, Norton Saint-Gobain, ACM Parts, AkzoNobel, City Hino, Car Craft Accident Centres, Motor Trades Association of Australia.
The first set of awards presented were the state awards. Each winner came up to the stage while a video showing their business played with a song appropriate to that business. You can remind yourself of the state winners by clicking here.
Next up were the best practice awards and the winners were:
Axalta Business Excellence Award: Weststar Prestige Paint & Panel
Digital Excellence Award sponsored by AkzoNobel: Sheen Panel Service
Sheen Panel Service
Innovation Award sponsored by Notron Saint Gobain: DingGo
Operational Excellence sponsored by Car Craft Accident Repair Centres: Nathan's Truck & Trailer Smash Repairs
Best Customer Experience sponsored by Collision Repair Expo: Wayne Phipps Smash Repairs
Best MSO presented by Paint & Panel: Extreme Dents
People
Rising Star award sponsored by ACM Parts: Kate Presnell, Gary Presnell Bodyworks
Young achiever sponsored by PPG: Maxine Colligan, AMA Group
Editor's Award Community Hero: Rob Richardson Fairway Panel & Paint
Shops
Best Country Repairer Award sponsored by MTAA: Gary Presnell Bodyworks, TAS
Best Heavy Vehicle Repairer sponsored by City Hino: Nathan's Truck & Trailer Smash Repairs, NSW
National Best Shop Winners
Best new shop: Canberra Bodyworks, ACT
Best boutique shop: Gold Coast Collision Centre, QLD
Best medium shop: Weststar Prestige Paint & Panel, VIC
Best large shop: MP Crash Centre, SA
You can read all about the winners and why they were selected in the next issue of Paint & Panel magazine.