Kustom Panel & Paint

AWARDS 2007 AAMI

AAMI/AP&P AUTOBODY REPAIRER OF THE YEAR REGIONAL WINNER (NEW SHOP)WA.
Kustom Panel & Paint
If you waned to open a new panel shop in Perth this is the right time to do it. With enough work to virtually keep any shop busy, a fledgling repairer can perfect a business without having to battle job starvation that might occur in other Australian states.
After working for several other repairers as a painter, 26 year Joseph Suvalto saw his chance in June of last year when an older shop closed down and he was able to buy much of its equipment. He found two new adjoining factory buildings totalling 1000 square meters in the Perth suburb of Landsdale (a popular smash repair precinct) and put up his signage. He has so far been able to attract a staff of nine and that has brought work from several insurers, including Western QBE and RAC for which Kustom is now a preferred repairer.
Kustom Panel & Paint is another example of a young husband and wife team striving to build a business together. 24 year old Kym Suvalto recently left her full time job and moved in to take over the shop's reception and administration.
New shops like Kustom that take on PPG as a paint supplier can also get a lot of help with quoting and management programs. Joseph was awaiting the arrival of the now prized PPG spectro to cut down time and increase accuracy on colour matching.
Considering its newness, the shop is well equipped. It has two Car-O-Liner benches and some new floor racks, Pro Spot welding, and a Europea full downdraft booth. This equipment is handled by young, uniformed technicians.
Unusual for a new shop in busy times, Kustom always has a restoration on the go, largely as an expression of Joseph's enthusiasm for cars. Also unusual for a small, new shop, Kustom fusses over its customers, happily As one might expect, this shop is still in its formative stage. There is some organising of parts and workflow to be done, but the direction is right and so is the enthusiastic attitude of the Suvaltos. If application to the task is any guide, this shop is destined to be very successful. There is still plenty of room to expand within the current space ? if and when technicians become available.

Powell's comment
There is plenty of room for improvement and development in this shop but the vision for the future is right.