Richard Nathan has retired as chairman of the Body Repair Division of MTA NSW after more than 40 years involvement. AP&P talked to him about his achievements and the challenges facing the industry. Read this interview in full in the May/June edition of Paint and Panel.
Richard Nathan began his career in an engineering shop back in 1953 when he was just 15 and became involved with the MTA in the early 1960s.
AP&P asked Nathan which of his initiatives at the MTA he is most proud of: "It's hard to say but I strongly believe 'realtime, real money' is essential for the continued survival of the industry, the Code of Conduct is also very important," he said.
"The repairable write-off laws are an example of MTA lobbying which will have a huge impact on the industry. There will be more work for bodyshops, the number of dangerous rebirths on the road will be reduced, and there will be an increase in good recycleable parts.
"I'm trying to take a back seat now because its time for the young ones to take over."
Nathan is hardly kicking back: he is still a councillor (and former chairman) of MTA and AMBRA, chairman of the Prestige Repairs Group, board member of I-CAR, chairman of the Australian Heavy Vehicles Association and board member of AARN.
Planning for the future
"Smash repairers have to decide what they want their business to be," Nathan said. "The advent of fast turnaround Smart repair shops and the repairable write-off laws are two important developments that are changing our industry.
"Decide what you want to be - a Smart tech repairer, light structural or heavy damage? Don't try to be a jack of all trades, one size does not fit all. If you are going to invest heavily in training and equipment to repair heavily smashed vehicles then consider specialising, get your processes and efficiencies right. Or you might think 'do I really want to go there?'
"It has been necessary but counter-productive to be constantly at war with the insurance companies. We can't continue to do things the way they always have been. If we sit on our hands it's going to be very hard to stay in business.
"The reality is that the customer is now as much the insurer as the vehicle owner. And this customer wants from the smash repair industry what all customers want from any business. They want the best price and the best quality, and they want it done quickly. Better, cheaper, faster, you must give customers what they want or someone else will."