We’ve had an interesting time judging for the awards in Melbourne and Perth and are in Adelaide today.
Our overall impression is that shops have really cleaned their act up – levels of cleanliness just get higher each year. Organisation has improved, lean processes are in evidence, great signage inside and outside the workshop with plenty of shadow boards, plus OH&S is going in the right direction.
We’ve seen some great new shops, some massive shops and some well established shops that have totally reinvented themselves.
Judge Sam Street has hobbled about with bad back and head cold which led to a less than ideal start for the judging in Perth with the editor applying Denkorub to the toothbrush and only realising once the taste buds rebelled.
A full report on the winning shops in the next issue of Paint & Panel magazine. In the meantime here are the shops we visited in Victoria. Thanks to the owners and managers for taking the time to show us around.
Direct One, Accident Repair Centre Thomastown.
Mill Park and South Morang Smash Repair, South Morang
Corporate Autobody Accident Repair Centre, Thomastown
Super Tek Collision Repairs, Thornbury
AAA Accident Repair Centre, Burwood
Bucket Panels, Moorabbin
Europanels, Geelong
Smash Masters, Dandenong
Geelong Collision Centre, Belmont
Weststar Prestige, Sunshine
Western General Bodyworks, Sunshine
Spot on Panels, Maribyrnong
Cranbourne Body Works, Cranbourne
RPM Somerton (time ran out, previously visited will be judged via Skype)