• Adam's Smash Repairs Gosford by Mike Cataby
    Adam's Smash Repairs Gosford by Mike Cataby
  • Adam's Smash Repairs Gosford by Mike Cataby
    Adam's Smash Repairs Gosford by Mike Cataby
  • Hadwens Prestige, Brisbane Photo by Daniel Snare
    Hadwens Prestige, Brisbane Photo by Daniel Snare
  • Hadwens Prestige, Brisbane Photo by Daniel Snare
    Hadwens Prestige, Brisbane Photo by Daniel Snare
  • MSR Collision Centre Crestmead photo by Daniel Snare
    MSR Collision Centre Crestmead photo by Daniel Snare
  • MSR Collision Centre Crestmead photo by Daniel Snare
    MSR Collision Centre Crestmead photo by Daniel Snare
  • MSR Collision Centre Crestmead photo by Daniel Snare
    MSR Collision Centre Crestmead photo by Daniel Snare
  • Bodytech Automotive, Castle Hill photo by Mike Cataby
    Bodytech Automotive, Castle Hill photo by Mike Cataby
  • Bodytech Automotive, Castle Hill photo by Mike Cataby
    Bodytech Automotive, Castle Hill photo by Mike Cataby
  • Queenslander compressor - photo by Sam Street
    Queenslander compressor - photo by Sam Street
  • Compass Car by Daniel Snare
    Compass Car by Daniel Snare
  • Compass Car by Daniel Snare
    Compass Car by Daniel Snare
  • Compass Car by Daniel Snare
    Compass Car by Daniel Snare
  • Compass Kia photo Yaffa media
    Compass Kia photo Yaffa media
  • MPSR, Marrickville photo by Mike Cataby
    MPSR, Marrickville photo by Mike Cataby
  • MPSR, Marrickville photo by Mike Cateby
    MPSR, Marrickville photo by Mike Cateby
  • MPSR, Marrickville  photo by Mike Cataby
    MPSR, Marrickville photo by Mike Cataby
  • Bash Autohaus photo by Mike Cataby
    Bash Autohaus photo by Mike Cataby
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Yes, it finally happened after two long years, judge Neil Powell and I got behind the wheel and hit the road in Queensland and New South Wales - and it was glorious. We have never seen shops as overflowing and rammed as this and we've had to make a few more allowances than we usually do for dust and a wee bit of disorder here and there. It doesn't happen very often these days but it does puzzle me that some techs still use dustless sanding units without the extractor attached. If it was my shop and I'd shelled out for the best kit to ensure the place stayed a clean and healthy environment  I'd have steam coming out of my ears.

As usual, the top performers are quietly killing it and their workshops are still calm and ordered however far ahead they are booked. 

I love revisiting businesses we've been to before and seeing how much they have improved. Hadwen's Prestige in Brisbane and Basha Autohaus in Sydney were two such shops. Tyden Hadwen has fully embraced business coaching and PPG's lean system and the workshop was reorganised, revitalised and kept very clean and tidy by a motivated crew. He's one of many repairers who suffered from flooding and was busy implementing flood mitigation measures including putting his compressors on 'stilts' - of course if there's a Queenslander house, why not a Queenslander compressor?

Greg Agoulian from Basha Autohaus has vastly improved the presentation and layout of the business with the addition of a third factory containing the customer facilities and a detailing area. We were very impressed with the quality of work being carried out in both the paint and panel shops. 

Over in Marrickville Johnny Karavasilias at MPSR is going hell for leather. Not lacking in the cahones department, he took on the huge warehouse next to his new facility after the previous owners shut the doors. He now an inner city rent bill that would have most people waking up in a muck sweat at night but he is certainly crunching the numbers. The previous week to our visit the team have repaired over 150 cars in one week - and that's not all bumper bars folks - the Car-O-Liners are never idle. He's aiming for 200 a week one production is in full swing - I expect a less disrupted parts supply chain might help too.

A definite trend in this industry is that size matters. So many people are expanding so that they can either streamline their processes and be more efficient and productive, or to take out prestige work and give their 'badge' customers an exclusive customer experience. 

We hadn't visited Adam's Smash is Gosford, NSW for a few years (sadly this was a Zoom as there weren't any other repairers in the neighbourhood to judge) and had forgotten how enormous it is - and how ahead of it's time it was when it was new. They don't cram it to the rafters though and the word spacious comes to mind everywhere on the workshop floors. Big yes, but then Queensland.... We went to visit the new Fortress shop MSR Collision Centre which is mahoosive at over 7000m2. It was an interesting layout with a triage centre for tow-ins - what Fortress like to call 'complex repairs'.

It was great to see Drive Accident Solutions full to the gunnels - they had a bit of a 'build it and they will come' philosophy which has really worked out for them after an initial nail biting period. 

Bodytech Automotive in Castle Hill, Sydney has taken state of the art workshop to a new level - with actual works of art on the walls - it's gorgeous.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to show us around. The best shop judging in now concluded and judge Powell and I arevery glad that we don't have to decide on the winners by ourselves this year. The judging panel will be gathering soon to decide who will take the crown of best large and best boutique shop in Australia - no State winners this year - I know, it's brutal. 

Thanks to the headline award sponsors Compass who provided us with cars in each state. The BMW X3 was lovely but the aluminium body proved less than ideal for our magnetic door sign. Took us a moment to work that one out. The splendid Kia Sportage with 40km on the clock was more obliging (have to say that car kind of rocked my world, well done Kia).

Don't forget the 2022 Bodyshop Awards night takes place in Melbourne on 11 November and that's when all the winners will be announced. 

 

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