Shop Profile: Sarina has all the bases covered
You name it, Todd Sarina has thought of it ‘ and probably has put it into practice in his company, Sarina Prestige Smash Repairs.
‘I look at everything,’ he says, ‘and if it’s any good I give it a go’ ‘ which may explain the diversity of his shop and its 50 staff.
Sarina is really several shops in one. It aims to provide a total service for all body and mechanical work, including wheel alignments, plastic repairs, and paintless dent removal. The only sublets are glass and upholstery ‘ and even for that there’s a captive trimmer across the road. Sarina is also one shop making full use of a Miracle Tool System which, Todd Sarina says, ‘saves us a bundle’. And if all that isn’t enough, the company also runs four tow trucks.
This kind of shop lends itself to fleet work ‘ in which Sarina is now deeply involved. The principle is that fleet drivers, especially those working for the government, want to be free from worrying about their vehicles. Not only does Sarina look after them in every respect, but prepares them for sale when they have completed their tour of duty.
Sarina’s service extends to the unusual: police prison vans and taxis. Prison vans are quite complex, since they house a small jail within the body. When they are involved in accidents, panels are very difficult to get at. Sarina has built a reputation for being able to repair them ‘ and also for designing a slide-out system for the built-in jail.
Sarina not only gets taxis back on the road quickly, but has a fully equipped loan taxi which can keep a driver working while his cab is being repaired.
The shop itself comprises a perimeter of buildings around a central driveway, with work flowing between buildings. The company has two new fixed infrared drive-through Monarch ovens and an older conventional oven, also drive through. Two painters and one apprentice continually have guns in their hands; they don’t do any prep work or post-paint finishing. This is carried out by four labourers.
At 34, Todd Sarina is the epitome of the high energy, hands-on boss. He carries a running sheet with him all day as he moves from one section of the shop to another, solving problems and encouraging technicians. The geography is familiar. He started with the shop in 1991 as a panel beater - he still loves the feel of a hammer in his hand - and progressively bought it out until the final transaction in 1999. Since then he has built it into one of the most productive in Sydney, with an output of between 50 and 60 cars a week.
Clearly, his people skills are one of his major assets. Like his attitude to new technology, he believes in giving people a go ‘ even those who might find it difficult to get a job elsewhere because of age or disability. Once, he used to cover all the customer contact and quoting himself, but of the shop’s growth he has delegated both these jobs to specialists. He prefers to push the work along from the inside rather than being out front with customers or assessors.
The company is also loyal to its suppliers. For instance, it uses Concept paints exclusively. Todd Sarina says, the brand has cut his paint bill in half with no compromise in quality,
He also believes in building a strong trade association. ‘The MTA is not specialised enough for panel shops and the AARA is heading in the wrong direction’, he says. We need an association that works out clearly what we want and can negotiate with insurance. companies.
ABOUT THE SHOP
Who?Todd Sarina
What? 50 employees (incl. eight panel beaters, two painters, four labourers, eight apprentices.) Brick factory unit style buildings flanking central driveway. Auto Quote.Monarch ovens. Two Car-O-liners. Miracle tool system. Four tow trucks. Concept paints.
Where?Mt Druitt, western Sydney.
When? In current form since 1999
