Retiring but active Nathan

Richard Nathan retired as chairman of the Body Repair Division of MTA NSW in March after more than 40 years’ involvement. Sam Street visited him at his Sydney workshop, Nathan's Smash Repairs, to talk about his achievements and the challenges facing the industry.

Richard Nathan began his career in an engineering shop back in 1953 when he was just 15, and a year later he was in a panel beating apprenticeship in the Blue Mountains. He first became involved with the MTA in the early 1960s. “It was dog eat dog in those days, everyone competed with each other,” Nathan said. “It was around that time that the industry began to unite and lobby for better terms from insurers. Initially I got involved because I didn’t want someone else deciding how I was going conduct my business. If the industry was going to change then I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to help other businesses thrive but I also wanted to help my own.”

Since that time, Nathan has either instigated or been involved in every action and policy from the MTA. “I have had opportunities to travel extensively, attending world conferences and looking at best practice and innovation in many countries,” he said. “That has been very helpful for us and the members who, to stay ahead, have sourced the very latest products and processes.’’

AP&P asked Nathan which of his initiatives at the MTA he was most proud of. “It’s hard to say, but I strongly believe ‘real time, real money’ is essential for the continued survival of the industry,” he said. “The Code of Conduct is also very important. 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.

“Sometimes I hear bodyshops say ‘what has the MTA ever done for me?’ I could fill a journal with all the positive changes that have been brought about.”

Nathan said he was now taking a backseat as it was time for new blood to take over. “The industry needs to look at where it’s at. I need to step back from some of the day to day running of so many things.”

Nathan is hardly kicking back – having built up his latest successful smash shop which repairs and paints trucks, helicopters and cars, he is also still a councillor (and former chairman) of MTA, AM BRA, chairman of the Prestige Repairs Group, board member of I-CAR, chairman of the Australian Heavy Vehicles Association and board member of AARN.

Nathan is passionate in his belief that the way the industry operates has to change. “One of the ways forward is to embrace realistic times and realistic money – it’s the only way to recoup the constantly rising cost of consumables, equipment, training and wages. We must be able to pass costs on in a sustainable manner.

“We are fortunate in Australia to have a ‘times’ committee made up of repairers and insurers that you can submit field reports to. Insurers consult and work with bodyshops about how long various jobs take to complete. The committee is constantly working to rectify any inaccurate times.”

 

The future

Smash repairers, Nathan said, have to decide what they want their business to be. “The advent of fast turnaround Smart repair shops and the repairable write-off laws are two important developments that are changing our industry,” he said.

“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?’

“Who knows what’s around the corner – paint has gone up by around 230 per cent in the last 10 years – if you are on funny time funny money you simply can not recoup this sort of increase. What will be the situation in another five to 10 years without being able to pass on costs, still stuck on $23-31 per hour?

“A more efficient insurance process is required where cars are thoroughly inspected and assessed once, the parts are ordered and the job is completed. The average repair times are way too long. We need to turn that job around faster and get the customer back in their car sooner and the claim.

“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 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.”