Australia's best bodyshop repairers have been unveiled at a glittering function to present the 2008 AAMI/Paint & Panel Autobody Repairer of the Year Awards in Melbourne on Friday.
Dozens of the nation’s best smash repairers descended on the Riva Restaurant, St Kilda Marina, to salute the 14 regional winners of the best Large, Small and New bodyshops in each mainland state.
Then, the moment the whole industry has been waiting for – the unveiling of the three national winners – one in each category - chosen from the 14 regional award winners.
The first Award announced, for the nation’s best Large Shop, was South Australia's Smithfield Crash and Mechanical Repairs, accepted by CEO Larry Napoli.
The best Small Shop Award was won by Pat Cole's Autobody Pty Ltd, from Sydney's Five Dock.
The accolade for best New Shop in the land for 2008 went to the stunning Wantirna Body Works in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, accepted by GM Martin Riseley.
Napoli was delighted with his win for Smithfield Crash and Mechanical Repairs.
"It is a great honour for us to win this Award.
“It is nice to be recognised for the things you do around the workshop. Insurance companies expect us to do the work well and we do that but we do not get the feedback like we get from the Awards," he said.
"It's great that Paint & Panel set-up these awards and do it on a national basis.
“It is very humbling to be nominated and a tribute to the workshop and the workforce at Smithfield. There aren't many award programs around these days so we are very happy to be nominated and a winner."
Pat Cole, who was overseas during the Awards presentation, said he was initially reticent about the Awards process but became more impressed as the program reached its climax, when contacted by Paint & Panel with the good news.
He said he became really excited about the Awards when he received substantial feedback from his shop’s preferred automaker – Mercedes.
"Mercedes Benz were rapt in the awards process and wanted to send Simon Cairnduff, their field business manager, Paint and Panel Development, along to the Awards but he is overseas," Cole said.
"The guys in the shop are very impressed and we have received strong industry feedback, including a lot of interest from insurance companies who have telephoned to congratulate us."
Riseley was also full of praise of the Awards process and Wantirna Body Works’ fantastic achievement.
"It is good to receive industry recognition and know that the time and effort in building and creating this shop means we are going down the right track.
“We want to continue to build this business and make it even better for the future so we can, perhaps, win more awards.
“We have always considered ourselves to be leaders in our business even in the peaks and troughs, but the major thing for us is that the workshop tradespeople are proud to be associated with the awards."
Risely said that what was even more rewarding was that the pride in the achievement was passed on to their other bodyshops in the group
"The other shops are almost as pleased as we are," he said.
The several dozen nominees were whittled down to the 14 regional winners following an extensive judging process where Paint & Panel editor Will Tuck and co-judges Neil Powell and Cecil Wright left no stone unturned assessing excellence across a range of criteria that included equipment, front-of-shop appearance, customer service, training, set-up and management.
The standards required were stringent, but the national winners met and exceeded them and were worthy Award winners in an industry dotted with excellent bodyshops.
The regional finalists hailed from all over the nation - Perth, the Gold Coast, the suburbs of Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane as well as the Riverina of NSW.
The decisions on who to anoint as national winners were close, yet unanimous, the judges said.
The 2008 AAMI/Paint & Panel Autobody Repairer of the Year Awards:
National winners
Best Large Shop: Smithfield Crash and Mechanical Repairs, South Australia.
Best Small Shop: Pat Cole's Autobody Pty Ltd, New South Wales
Best New Shop: Wantirna Body Works, Victoria.
Regional winners
West Australia
Best Large: Peter Wilkinson and Co
Best Small: Nova Smash Repairs
South Australia
Best Large: Smithfield Crash and Mechanical Repairs
Best Small: Monza Crash Repairs
Best New: Norwood Panel Works
Victoria
Best Large: Le Mans Accident Repair Centre
Best Small: Ultra Finish Accident Repair Centre
Best New: Wantirna Body Works
New South Wales
Best Large: Callaghan Collision Centre
Best Small: Pat Coles Autobody Pty Ltd
Best New: Batkin and Damme Smash Repairs
Queensland
Best Large: Shipstone Accident repair Specialists
Best Small: Stephen Goodall, Specialist Spray Painter
Best New: Eastside Collision Facility.
Click here for our special Awards photo gallery, capturing all the action from Friday's presentation ceremony.