BMW Melbourne

Shop Profile

The new BMW Melbourne bodyshop in Lorimer Street, Melbourne is a state-of-the-art facility as these BASF-Wattyl is supplying the shop with its Glasurit Direct Gloss topcoat 22 line and Basecoat 55 line. The shop will also use Glasurit's BMW-approved HS 923-109 Clear as the only clearcoat in the shop. The shop was developed and operated by BMW's service development manager John van der Laan and bodyshop operations manager Peter Heard.
It is understood that BMW will open another new bodyshop, along similar lines to Melbourne, in Brisbane at a later date. Brisbane BMW recently bought a 50 per cent share of 1998 AAMI/AP&P Autobody Repairer of the Year, Weatherall Prestige Autobody, owned by David Weatherall and has converted the existing facility into the Brisbane BMW bodyshop. Van der Laan said Brisbane BMW's strategy is to grow the business and then relocate the bodyshop to a new purpose-built site at a later date as growth demands.
The Jacob Group in Wodonga is building a new bodyshop facility to replace its current shop -- Jacob Panel & Paint -- and incorporating its BMW bodyshop under its BMW dealership, Wodonga Prestige, as part of this.

Who: BMW Melbourne
What: 2000 sq m shop
100 cars repaired/week
20 staff
Where: Port Melbourne
When: Opened in December 2000
Suppliers: Car-O-Liner
Glasurit
Lowbake

1. Presentation is everything -- the new BMW Bodyshop in Melbourne.
2. Mortarless tiling, imported especially from Germany, features throughout the spacious shop.
3. Lowbake helped design the shop and fitted it with state-of-the-art ovens and mix room.
4. 'Espresso service' in the reception area.
5. BASF-Wattyl Coatings managing director Andreas Riehemann (left) with John van der Laan at the new facility.