Stud Park Panels.
AWARDS 2005AAMI/AP&P AUTOBODY REPAIRER OF THE YEAR REGIONAL WINNER (SMALL SHOP) VIC & TAS
Stud Park Panels
In last year's awards program, Kim Papageorge's Stud Park Panels was operating from two small factory units in Laser Drive, Rowville, a south eastern suburb of Melbourne. Clearly, it had outgrown the space and was busy preparing a new building a few doors down. This year, the building was completed and the shop was showing the benefit of being able plan from the ground up.
Damaged cars now come in through one doorway and progress through the repair process on the U shaped track until they reach customer handover hand-over after passing through the other doorway. The cars do not double back as they begin with dismantling, panel repair and alignment, prep, painting, re-assembly and wash. The plan has enabled Stud Park to maximise its output, but still leave space to increase staffing. The shop currently employs 11 people, three of whom work in the well appointed administration and reception area of the building.
The shop is managed by Brendan Cheshire whose trade background is in panel beating. He believes that rebuilding the shop has placed the company on a much better footing with insurers. "They want to deal with repairers that are progressing and well equipped," he says.
The shop reflects this thinking. It runs two Autorobot benches and floor racks, but favours the Autorobot micro-bed ? a small and simple way of sill clamping at one end of the car while the other sits on two stands. Using the Autobobot dozer, all but the heaviest pulls can be achieved very quickly.
The shop uses dry sanding, with a Festo dust extraction system. There are three side draft prep bays along one wall of the 'exit' building and a fourth with full downdraft ventilation for panel spraying. The spray booth and prep bays are by Lowbake. Paint of choice is PPG's premium Delron. Future plans for the shop include in-house plastic welding and electronic measuring.
Quoting is done with VQS and the shop runs BMS for overall work planning.
POWELL'S COMMENT
There is an open minded approach to change at Stud Park, whether it be with insurers or equipment. I was impressed with the workflow of the shop and the standard of repairs. A lot of thought has gone in here and it is paying off.