Awards 2008: Becoming an award winner

THIS YEAR THE AAMI/PAINT & PANEL Autobody Repairer of the Year awards celebrated its l3th incarnation. The much soughtafter awards have become a commentary on the state of three kinds of autobody repairers – New (built or substantially rebuilt in the past 18 months); Small (l5 employees or less) and Large (15 employees or more) – in every mainland state. Since the awards’ inception the industry has developed from a ‘trade’ sector into one that is highly sophisticated.

So marked is the technological shift that elements of it would be barely recognisable to repairers a generation ago.
As a consequence smaller shops risk being at a disadvantage when it comes to purchasing technical equipment required to compete.

Thankfully, the majority of smaller players have been able to finance this sort of technology to keep them in the game.
The criteria used for assessing each shop proved a useful tool as many shops showed skills in additional areas, like training and OH&S, which counted in their favour. Foremost though the judges looked at the presentation of the shop to customers and employees, equipment levels, services offered, servicing of vehicles and quality delivery, shop management, and work flow.

The judges ran the rule over 50 shops in a short time, in every mainland state and the ACT. In this time you get a very good impression of what is good and bad.

Sometimes the margin between success and also-ran was thin.

In the end we made some difficult choices but even though we have not gone into too much detail of our highly commended entries, we could have said so much more because they were good shops, just not the best this year.

OUR JUDGES ALONGSIDE YOURS TRULY - Paint & Panel editor Will Tuck, we had Cecil Wright, a teacher with 30 years’ experience within the Brisbane TAFE system and a man totally in touch with the Queensland market.

For the rest of the nation we gained the expert assistance of Neil Powell from the Sydney TAFE. Both prowled the bodyshops with the editor trying to leave no stone unturned.

NSW
Scientific Motor Body Works
Batkin & Damme Smash Repairs
Pat Cole’s Autobody Pty Ltd
Callaghan Collision Centre
Taminda Smash Repairs
Belmont Smash Repairs
Phillip Lardner Smash Repairs
Bellert and Bennett Smash Repairs
T and J Ryan Panel and Paint
Double J Auto Repairs
Woy Woy Motor Body
Kinghorn Motors
Body Tech Smash Repairs
Cooma Crash Repairs
Andrew Miedecke Smash Repairs
C and U Auto Body Repairs
Tim Ryans Panel and paint
Masis Bodyworks
Baissari Smash repairs
KSR Smash Repairs
Bowens Smash Repairs
Rigoli Smash Repairs
Mortdale Smash Repairs
Body Perfect Smash repairs
Prestige Accident
Specialty Paint Repairs
S and R Auto Action Car Repairs
Canberra Bodyworks
BF Panels
Exclusive Bodyworks
Auto Panel Repairs
Sydney Smash Repairs

WA
Nova Smash Repairs
Peter Wilkinson & Co
Hawchar’s Panel and Paint
Pro Paint Bayswater
Osborne Smash Repairs
Broome Paint and Panel
Platinum Collision Repairs
Regency Auto Body Repairs
Lombardi Brothers
Bowra Panel and Paint
Nedlands Paint and Panel
Leighton Panel and Paint
Down Under Panel and Paint
Rabor Smash Repairs
Kwinana Smash repairs
Regency Autobody Repairs

SA
Norwood Panel Works
Monza Smash Repairs
Smithfield Crash and Mechanical
Repairs
S.T.C Crash Repairs
SA Crash Autobody Repairs
Gilbert Motor Bodies
Steve’s Paint and Panel
CW Robinson Smash Repairs

ACT
Auto Co
Fyshwick Panel and Paint

VIC
Ultra Finish Accident Repair
Centre
Wantirna Body Works
Le Mans Accident Repair Centre
Lawrence Body Works
Cook Street Panels
Ultimate Panel and Paint
Tankards Panel Service
Heidelberg Accident Repairs
Body Talk Accident Repairs
Becketts Accident Repair
Charlie Batisei and Co
Hoopers Crossing Smash Repairs
Complete Body Craft
M.A. Bodyworks
Woods Accident
Star Motor Panel Works
Sheen Panel Service
Westar
Imperial Finish
Ultra Accident Repair
Mill Park Smash
Higgins Panel
Amex
Manheim Fowles
Barnet Motor Body Repairs
Nardi Panels

QLD
Shipstone Accident Repair Specialists
Stephen Goodall Specialist Spray
Painter
Eastside Collision Facility
Bayer Smash Repairs
Morse Panel Works
Hondat Smash Repairs
Gosneys Panel Beating
MJP Smash Repairs
Matts Performance
Brahims Bodywork
Grand Prix
Domroy Prestige
Ellis Auto Smash repairs
Brown and Mayer Body Works
Humphreys Auto Refinishing
Des’s Smash Repairs
A and L Smash Repairs
Ford Panel Works
Diplocks Collision Repair Centre
McCarthy Panel Works
Superior Auto Smash Repairs
Hyland Panel Works.
Mike’s Panel and Paint
Jimboonba Smash Repairs
Hoopers Paint and Panel
Domroy Prestige Autobodys
Sowerby Crash
Toowong Milton Body Repairs
Kits Crash Repairs
Sowerbys Crash Repairs
Airport Smash Repairs
MJP Smash Repairs.
Les Kelly Panel and Paint
Mooranbah Panel Works
Austruck Auto Refinishing
Select Panel and Paint
Barcaldine Smash Repairs
Daniel Hey Smash Repairs