Shops on the move

Awards 2004

These are bodyshops that are about to blossom. They didn't win an award this year, but watch out for them in the future.
As the APP Auto Repairer of the Year Award judges visited the shops which had received the most nominations and had reached the regional finals, they found a number in the process of updating and upgrading. Based on those shops' plans, they could well be winners in the future. We salute them here for what they are - and what they intend to become.

Hower Crash Repairs, Lonsdale, South Australia
Brett Hower is a young repairer who bought a block of land in February 2003 and built his shop as an extension to an existing building. There is further building to complete this year. That will give him a separate panel shop and achieve better work flow.

Even without the extension, the shop is busy.

Hower's specialty is bidding for IAG jobs on the internet where it has a high success rate. Small hits and quick turnaround suit the current range of equipment.

Hower himself is quick thinking an energetic. He believes in focusing on the available money rather than gripe about the system. He's the repairer that insurance companies love.

:Callaghans smash Repairs, Taren Point, NSW
At 32, Callaghans owner, Greg Hensen, has crammed more into his career as a smash repairer than most people twice his age. He had to get special permission at age 14 to study panel beating at TAFE. At 18 he started his own shop and he married at 20. He arrives at work at 4.15 am and spends two hours planning the day's activities.

Hensen has longer term plans for his buildings. Callaghans reception, offices and training rooms are new. They make a spectacular front to the shop. The Prep and painting areas lead in from there, and at the back is an older, original building that houses alignment and panel beating. The plan is to buy the building behind and have a shop with two street frontages. That would make it one of the biggest, and best managed repair facilities in Sydney.

The Kloster Group, Newcastle, NSW
Manager Dennis Standen says that his bodyshop turns out 100 cars a week with a staff of about 22. Admittedly, around 40 of those jobs are spot repairs, but the shop is nonetheless highly productive.

The Kloster Group is the dominant new and used car dealer in Newcastle, with a history going back more than 70 years. Because the inner city location of the bodyshop will soon be redeveloped for car sales, the bodyshop has been left untouched. So while it is highly productive, and boasts an impressive range of equipment and consumables, it is far from photogenic.
Next year, when the shop moves to a new location we can expect Kloster's bodyshop to be very impressive.

:Tankards Panel Service, Ringwood, Victoria
Owned by former TAFE teacher Ray Pitts and entrepreneur Will Hood, Tankards is in the process of adding to its work area by leasing a second building in Charter Street. This will give the shop a separate panel beating department and bring into focus the array of systems and equipment that will make it an even better performer.

Already Tankards uses the top brands: Glasurit paint, Car-o-liner alignment, Festo dust extraction and Lobake booths. It also runs BMS to track efficiency.

Stud Park Panels, Rowville, Victoria
Currently working from two separate buildings in an industrial estate, Stud Park will soon move into one large, purpose-built shop.

Director Kimon Papageorge says that a more efficient layout should see an increase on the current output of 25 cars a week. PPG paints has helped in the planning of the new shop which will be equipped with Auto Robot alignment, in-house plastic welding, dry sanding with Festo dust extraction, Lowbake ovens and prep bays, and IRT infra-red drying.
Stud Park is a CGU gold preferred smash repairer.

B&A Motor and Body Work Repairs
Already a significant force in the Melbourne smash repair scene, B&A will really stand out when it finishes its extensive building program on its own site in Dandenong Road, North Clayton. Already it employs 33 people.

The panel shop is part of a multi faceted business established by the two Mazzeo brothers 30 years ago. There is also a service station, tow trucks and mechanical service ? all of which compliment each other. Many second generation family members work in the business, including accountant Tony and estimator Dominic Mazzeo.

Navarone Accident and Vehicle Repair, Clayton South, Victoria

Steven Malotsis began renovating his shop 18 months ago after coming to the conclusion that Australia would follow Europe into fewer motor accidents and therefore fewer repairers. He believes that only those that look the best and perform the best will survive.

Navarone's recently completed reception, offices and staff amenities have certainly started the process impressively. Part of the workshop is also finished but needs the completion of building to house waiting alignment equipment. Even so, the shop keeps 16 people busy working with top suppliers such as Spies Hecker and Lowbake.

The shop's work comes 60 percent from insurers, 30 per cent from fleet and 10 per cent private.

Ryans Smash Repairs, Toowoomba, Queensland
Recently opened the heart of downtown Toowoomba, Ryans is conveniently positioned to attract local business. It presents externally as one of the best looking small shops ? and has a flexible layout to handle the most efficient work flow. However, still to be built inside the shop are separate prep bays and a second oven before it will approach its full potential. It is already performing well with one Seetal oven, Car-o-liner, View-o-tronic and Stayer extraction for dry sanding. It currently completes around 30 repairs a week.