Awards 2008 - Highly Commended repairers
Many shops we inspected deserved to win awards, it’s just they didn’t quite make the top drawer and if the competition hadn’t been so fierce they might have won. Most of all, however, they deserved to be mentioned as worthy contributors to the standards the industry strives to achieve. For them the future is bright and perhaps there will be higher recognition next year.
PLATINUM COLLISION REPAIR CENTRE, WA
ENTHUSIASM AND PLAIN technical knowledge has built Platinum Collision Repair Centre, Wangara, into a truly leading smash repair shop with amazing throughput and quality standards.
The Wangara shop is one of two owned by Rob Blundell, the second being at Osborne Park. The Wangara facility is managed by Peter Case, an iconic manager whose first love, motor bikes, brought him the British Motor Cycle Racing Championship in l982 on a 350 Yamaha. Today Peter manages, after a long background in the industry starting with his own shop in Dulwich, UK, and experience in fixing cars on the Valencia/ Alicante border in Spain with his brother-in-law.
Three years ago, he worked in Australia with Phil Snapes Accident Repair Centre as foreman in the panel shop and, when Blundell decided to set up his own shops, he made Case his manager in Wangara. The business had a full set-up office structure, a QuotePlus quoting package, two full-time assessors, an accountant, bookkeeper, parts manager and a total of four painters, four panel beaters and associated apprentices. Case took over the shop that now repairs 40-50 cars a week and he sets his targets high.
“We always aim at 120 per cent or higher and the result is mostly well above 100 per cent every week.” With a generous incentive scheme in place he has a happy workforce, in many respects truly international, with British, New Zealand and Australian workers. A Glasurit shop, Platinum has two Lowbake spray booths, one Merlin and a full coterie of benches, measuring systems and welders. This is a clean and well run shop that deserves to be up there for consideration for a top award.
BODY PERFECT COLLISION REPAIR CENTRE, NSW
STARTING WITH A little shed in Revesby, the Renno brothers have ascended to the top of their chosen trade in Sydney. Allan, Warren and Robbie Renno now run a modern and slick bodyshop in Cottam Street Bankstown.
What stands out with the Rennos is their emphasis on safety in the workplace. Paint & Panel witnessed signs on every wall urging its tradespeople to watch out for all those little safety hazards that can end up being a big hassle for a bodyshop business. In fact they are passionate about safety. Safety and first aid cannot escape you anywhere in the shop.
“Gloves and safety masks must be worn at all times”, “Inform management of all major spillages immediately”, and “Safety footwear must be worn on this site at all times”. All of this signage is backed-up by regular Workcare inspections. This bodyshop is determined to ensure a safe working place and has engaged several health and safety companies to assist them make their shop comply with the OH&S regulations. Robbie Renno is the company’s first aid officer and he is instrumental in checking and keeping everyone honest on the monthly safety and workplace checklist.
There are many other attributes to Body Perfect, but it’s the OH&S care that stands out here.
MATT’S PERFORMANCE PAINT SHOP, QLD
WE DECIDED THAT the awards weren’t going to be a case of all the neatest or efficient shops making it into highly commended section.
Cecil Wright, the Queensland judge, and the Paint & Panel editor visited this shop looking for a small shop winner. What we did find here was a shop that inspired something in us that said, “these guys are so enthusiastic and aiming for bigger things, we should encourage 31-year-old Mathew Neate and his family team to make the jump from this to something better.” Apart from that, the shop has done an immaculate job of renovating vintage and specialist cars including the immaculate repair of a 69 Ford Mustang Mk1 that had suffered rear quarter damage. They are also in the middle of renovating a magical Ford Cortina GT, similar to the one driven by the legendary Jim Clark of Formula One fame (see souvenirs of Paint and Panel Awards). The other item that made us sit up and pay attention was the techniques brought to the business by Matt’s father, Graham, and father-in-law, Alf Harrison, both skilled tradesmen
operating under the banner of “never see a car returned because of a faulty repair”. They are living up to the expectation and in two-and-ahalf years’ time when their lease runs out, they will move to a new bodyshop of their own and that’s when we will look at them again and expect great things.
OSBORNE PARK SMASH REPAIRS, WA
JOE OSBORNE FOUNDED this company in l979 in Osborne Park while his son, Michael, spent his school holidays in the shop. “I still have memories of being here from a very young age. You could say that this business is in my blood.” As one of the first shops we visited in West Australia, we were impressed by the standard of the shop and especially 28-year-old Michael’s enthusiasm for the business. The Osbornes started on their Osborne Park bodyshop in l979 and by
l994 Joe bought the next door block and doubled the shop size.
Today Osbornes is a growing business that has made the best out of the shortage of painters and panel beaters in the West. With hundreds of tradespeople heading for the mining areas up north, Osborne’s has been forced to innovate.
To help recruit for the business Michael and his father went to the Philippines and Manila where they interviewed and employed three panel beaters and one painter. Working with the government on employment visas they relocated them and found them housing nearby. Their families will join them soon and to ensure that they can get around the business has supplied them with a vehicle as well.
Osbornes has managed a tricky problem with good management skills and together with an efficient and clean shop, they are a worthy highly commended winners.
WOODS ACCIDENT REPAIR CENTRE, VIC
IT TAKES A GREAT deal of guts and enthusiasm to run a bodyshop in Brunswick, Melbourne, especially if you are a woman. But Christy Akers of Woods has achieved just that and is making a success of the role. As Woods’ first woman branch manager, Christy has battled the macho elements of smash repairs and has risen to the level of smash shop management.
This may raise a smirk in some circles in a male-dominated business like smash repairs but Akers is up-beat about her role. Her shop will not win an award because Woods at Brunswick does not often repair very serious structural damage. But Akers manages all sorts of repair tasks with a team that is building a reputation for quality repairs. Akers
operates with a team of two panel beaters, one apprentice and one painter and she emphasises that she gets tremendous support from the shop’s employees.
Eugene McKeough, GM of Woods Accident Repair Centres said the job had been a tough one for Akers in that she didn’t have a technical background. But he is delighted that she has become the first woman to become a branch manager at the company. “There are a lot of talented women out there and we hope she is the first of many to get senior positions in the company.” McKeough said the company could only benefit from her success and hoped that others would follow in
her footsteps.
Paint & Panel observed Akers in action and can only support the principle of women in management roles in the smash repair industry. For this reason and quality repairs work by her co-workers, Woods Brunswick deserves to be highly commended.
BECKETTS ACCIDENT REPAIRS, VIC
BECKETTS HAS BEEN in East Keilor since early 2007 and marketing is a focus. Blue pages advertising and letter box drops are all part of the marketing plan. It’s basic stuff but it works in East Keilor and the local suburbs where Becketts strives to gain new customers. Sharon Corso, wife of Tony Corso and office manager at Becketts, is responsible for
the marketing of the business and she has combined her daily exercise with the likes of letterbox drops, not just in their own neighbourhood but adjoining suburbs as well.
Becketts is owned by Corso and Mick Barbaro, a team that took over an old repair shop and renovated it two years ago. The business has taken off and was a strong contender for Victorian small shop award this year.
In their marketing efforts they are proud of their connection to the North Melbourne football club and sporting groups that deliver them recommendations for work as well as personal work for some of the club’s stars.
Becketts is a clean and efficient shop that has all the right equipment and marketing skills to make the business a success. They are attempting to secure a RACV Associate Repairer certification but would probably need a bigger shop to do this. Meanwhile they are busy crossing the Ts and dotting the Is on all those safety procedures that so many small businesses ignore. Their attention to detail ensured recognition as a commended business for a clean and well run workshop.