H.Harvey & Co

AWARDS 2005

AAMI/AP&P AUTOBODY REPAIRER OF THE YEAR REGIONAL WINNER (LARGE SHOP)QUEENSLAND

H. Harvey & Co

Two years ago Queensland's H. Harvey & Co won Paint & Panel's best Australian large bodyshop. With tyThe big news is that the company will soon commence building a new prestige-only shop in Cooma. It will cover a massive 4500 square metres and be run by Heydon's son Greg who is currently foreman of the heavy smash division at the Nerang shop. By doing this, the company could attract prestige badges that might not feel comfortable sharing top billing at the current shop with Lexus ? a Harvey long-time factory appointment, later joined by Volvo, and Subaru.
By Australian standards, the Harvey shop is a big one, with 54 employees. They break up into divisions: for heavy smash, fast track, paint shop, plastic repair, mechanical, detailing, air conditioning, power steering and administration. They turn out around 100 cars a week.
One of the features of the shop is its quoting speed. Using a hand held computer tablet and running Quote Plus patched into Smash Link, Harvey's quotes take around fifteen minutes from first sight of the vehicle to printed quote. And that can be done offsite too. The shop is now working closely with AAMI and, with the addition of a portable printer, quotes can be handed to the insurance assessor on the spot. Harvey was not always enthusiastic about AAMI but now, with a new attitude of trust on both sides, the shop is a major repairer for the big insurer. However, 47 per cent of Harvey's work still comes from Suncorp. The company is not interested in online tendering.
H.Harvey still relies on a double Lowbake drive-through oven with computer driven IRT arch to get through its heavy painting load. This is helped by painting in two shifts. There are 11 painters, one group of which works from 8 ? 4.30 and the other from 3 ? 11.30.
A single colour matcher prepares the paint, leaving the paints to concentrate on prepping and painting only. Paint of choice is Sikkens.
Alignment is done on eight Car-o-liners with Car-o-tronic measurement. Car-o-liner has also supplied the welders, including the latest CR500.
The shop is very much a family business. Heydon's wife Marilyn is part of the administration team and his son Matthew is being groomed for future senior management. Heydon's daughter Rebecca has also joined the company in the accounts section - although her training in even management is certain to come in for some use later.

POWELL'S COMMENT
This is outstanding shop that demonstrates Heydon Harvey's passion for the industry. And now that he's arrived he prepared to go even further with a new venture. He's still very much in touch with new technology and relates it to his employees and customers.