Manufacturer-backed body repair shops have lead the way for the national spoils in the 2009 AAMI/Australasian Paint & Panel Autobody Repairer of the Year Awards.
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Westside BMW Bodyshop in Brisbane took out the national small shop award while Mercedes Benz Autobody in Melbourne was judged to be the nation's best new shop. The best large shop went to another Brisbane business, specialising in Mercedes Benz, HHarvey Prestige.
The winners were announced today (Friday) at a presentation lunch at the Clovelly Surf Club, attended by many of the industry's leading autobody repair shop operators and suppliers.
AP&P editor Tim Byrne commended the winners for their quality of service and investment in technology as they kept pace with the ever-changing face of the autobody repair industry.
"These national-winning shops have all embraced the latest in technology to ensure they can repair the prestige range of vehicles they specialise in," Byrne said.
"All the regional winners are to be commended for presenting successful shops that are not afraid to take the necessary risks to maintain the quality of their repair work."
The awards are now in their 14th year and recognise bodyshop repairer excellence for the best small (under 15 employees), large (15 employees or over) and new (built or substantially re-built over the past 18 months) shops.
The scoring criteria was established several years ago and has been gradually modified with every awards since.
To help with the exhaustive judging process Paint & Panel had the excellent technical support of two judges.
Neil Powell, a technical expert from the Institute of Technology, Sydney, judged in NSW, SA, WA and Victoria.
Cecil Wright, a teacher with more than 30 years' experience with the Brisbane TAFE, judged in Queensland.
Former Paint & Panel Editor Will Tuck rounded out the judging team.
A comprehensive wrap-up of the regional winners was published in the September/October issue of Paint & Panel, along with write-ups for those businesses which were highly commended in their presentation to the judging panel.
Inside the impressive HHarvey Prestige Brisbane workshop which took out best large shop national award.
Mercedes Benz Autobody from Melbourne was the national winner of the best new shop.
The prep bays at Westside BMW Brisbane workshop which took out the natioanl small shop award.
The 2009 regional winners are:
Western Australia
BEST LARGE
Gino's Panel And Paint
BEST SMALL
West Perth Panel And Paint
BEST NEW
Joondalup Smash Repairs
South Australia
BEST LARGE
Hower Crash Repairs
BEST SMALL
Alpine Crash Repairs
BEST NEW
Adelaide Motor Body Repairs
Victoria
BEST LARGE
Mill Park And South Morang Smash Repairs
BEST SMALL
Tankard's Panel Service
BEST NEW
Mercedes Benz Autobody
NSW
BEST LARGE
Scientific Motor Body Works
BEST SMALL
Exclusive Body Werks
BEST NEW
Canberra Bodyworks
Queensland
BEST LARGE
HHarvey Prestige
BEST SMALL
Westside BMW Bodyshop
BEST NEW
Bignell Panel repairs
VIEW PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT HERE