Refinisher Vol66 Issue 1 2024

Showstopping resto-mod HT Monaro GTS

Connect. Automate. Digitise.

The end-to-end digital ecosystem bringing advanced, game-changing technologies to your collision centre

Scan the QR code to see how PPG LINQTM can benefit your business! youtu.be/t4isZfVLwzw

Introducing the 3D digital sprayout

This advanced, 3D digital colour visualisation tool smoothly interfaces with the next-generation PPG DigiMatch™ camera-equipped spectrophotometer to totally transform the user experience of selecting the best colour match formulation from PPG’s extensive library.

Compact, fast, easy-to-use spectrophotometer

PPG’s high tech DigiMatch spectrophotometer features a digital colour camera to significantly boost performance. The camera’s six imaging angles combine with six reflective angles to provide additional texture information to help quickly and precisely retrieve the correct formula match.

LINQ to profitability

The bottom-line boosting potential of PPG LINQ

Generational change

The 2nd generation taking business to the next level

Attention to detail in the blend process

Best practice blending for speed and efficiency

Family first

Despite expanding rapidly in recent years, the Royan Group is staying true to its roots. Via an unparalleled network throughout Australia and New Zealand, it’s offering customers the benefits of large business support that still comes with a family feel.

Swings & roundabouts

A look at collision repairs on both sides of the Tasman

One giant leap for the refinish paint room

Despite launching locally during the COVID pandemic and facing supply chain challenges, PPG’s revolutionary MOONWALK automated dispensing technology has been thoroughly embraced by ANZ repairers.

A trickle of installations quickly became a flood that has now accelerated past 50 locally installed units and orders continue to flow in, says John Hristias, PPG Sales Director Australia. “For many people, the real clincher is when they see MoonWalk in action. One of the best ways to do

that is to arrange a visit from our special MoonVan. After appearing at Summernats and travelling around NSW early in 2024, MoonVan is set for a stint in Queensland, before making its way back down the east coast. With its ability to be driven right into a workshop, it allows the whole paint team to see how fast and user-friendly MoonWalk is. What’s more, it demonstrates how the full

Starlight starbright

As the 2024 Touring Car Racing (TCR) Australia series kicks off, Honda Australia’s star driver, Tony D’Alberto, will be aiming to drive awareness of a different star.

For this season, his Honda FL5 Civic Type R will line up on the grid with a special new livery featuring the Starlight Children’s Foundation logo on the roof.

Through national hospital and community programs, the Starlight Children’s Foundation brings joy to sick kids facing the pain, fear and stress of serious illness. “Starlight is a wonderful Australian charity, providing support to sick children and their families during the most difficult times of their lives” said Honda Australia Director, Carolyn McMahon.

suite of PPG LINQ technologies fit smoothly into paint shop operations and why it represents the paint shop of the future which you can actually have now.”

To arrange a visit from MoonVan, speak to your PPG Territory Manager, your MVP Business Solutions Manager or the PPG Customer Service Hotline on 13 24 24 (Aust). R

“We are excited to work with Starlight and Tony throughout the 2024 season to create more joy for children and awareness for this wonderful organisation.” PPG is proud to continue its long and successful partnership with Tony D’Alberto and wish him all the best for the 2024 racing season. R

Erebus championship double

Congratulation

to Erebus Motorsport which broke through to secure the 2023 ‘Team’s Championship’ and ‘Drivers Championship’. PPG is one of the team’s longest serving partners, with PPG paint having featured on the Erebus Motorsport cars from the very early days. R

DRIVE THROUGH

WITH ANDREW BLAKE

REFINISH MARKETING DIRECTOR ANZ

Look through the articles in this issue and it’s the ongoing strength of family businesses that seems to standout. At the same time, it highlights PPG’s ability to connect with these organisations, large and small. For example, it shows that whether they are located in remote WA, regional Victoria, inner-city Melbourne or their operations are spread right across Australia and New Zealand, there are PPG networks in place to offer each and every one of them a direct line into all the services available to PPG customers.

Along with market leading PPG products that give them the ability to efficiently produce a durable, high-quality finish, it’s about providing them with the tools they need to do better business. That could be training or technical support or the

opportunity to work with the MVP Business Solutions team. It taps directly into PPG’s win / win philosophy where helping customers become more successful makes PPG more successful.

One key area where PPG is helping businesses move to the next level is in the digital space which is being led by PPG LINQ™ technologies. We have seen amazing responses to these next generation tools, including the MOONWALK™ automated dispensing system, the DIGIMATCH™ spectrophotometer and the VisualizID™ 3D colour visualisation software. This has been highlighted by the special MoonVan which is packed with these technologies. As it travels around Australia, providing the opportunity to see these technologies in action, it’s accelerating the uptake because repairers are recognising the paint shop of the future they can have right now!

Team Penske just keeps getting better

After winning at its very first start, the 1966 Rolex 24 at Daytona, Team Penske has kept its foot firmly on the gas. In the 57 years since, it has amassed record-setting numbers, thanks to more than 600 wins, 675 pole positions, 44 national championships, 19 Indianapolis 500 wins and three Daytona 500 victories. However, since the start of the 2018 racing season, that success has leapt to an unprecedented new level. As the 2023 season closed, Team Penske shared the remarkable stats from the past six years.

• 12 Championships across NASCAR, INDYCAR, IMSA and Australian Supercars.

• 148 wins, amounting to 23.7% of Team Penske’s all-time tally of 623

• 3 Indianapolis 500 wins

• 1 Daytona 500 win

• 2 INDYCAR Championships

• 3 NASCAR Championships

In one of the longest-standing partnerships in motor sport, PPG has provided high performance paints for Team Penske cars since way back in 1984 and the relationship continues to flourish. R

LINQ to profitability

It’s ‘advantage you’ with PPGLINQ. Analysis by the MVP Business Solution team shows that these hi-tech solutions are perfect for slashing waste while boosting efficiency and profitability.

For as long as the refinish industry has existed, collision repairers have had to deal with a frustrating reality –human error. It’s something that has simply been accepted over time because there has been no alternative. However, the PPG LINQ suite of technologies has changed all that. Together, the MOONWALK automated dispensing machine, the DIGIMATCH spectrophotometer and VisualizID 3D colour visualisation software breakdown long-standing paint shop issues that have been a drain on productivity and, hence, profitability, says Greg Tunks, MVP Business Solutions Manager ANZ.

Return on investment

From my early analysis of the LINQ technologies in action at local repairers, I am confident collision centres should see at least a 10% to 15% reduction in their paint cost or paint percentage, when they are used in the correct way. For some shops it will be even more! This is on top of the labour saving that comes from increased productivity. When we

looked at collision centres using PPG LINQ, there paint costs have definitely come down at the same time as the efficiency of the paint shop has gone up. Efficiency and gross profit are related. If you can increase efficiency and, therefore, gross profit in the paint shop by even 1% to 2%, it can quickly add up to significant numbers.

Visual difference

With conventional spectro technology, you take a reading and get a match rating against the colour variant formulations. While this is handy, it takes one important factor out of play – humans are visual creatures. In other words, we see matches and differences better than we can when relate it to a match rate and this is where DigiMatch and VisualizID set an all-new

compare against colour variants and ‘seeing is believing’! With VisualizID, painters have more confidence they are choosing the right colour match. In addition, not having to do a spray-out eliminates the need to mix a small amount of colour material, as well as saving around 20 minutes per spray-out.

The modern paint shop

With their very reasonable monthly subscription, DigiMatch and VisualizID are an absolute no brainer. They save on labour time, save on tinter usage and they give painters confidence. MoonWalk is a larger investment and it’s not for everyone

When it comes to savings, MoonWalk delivers on multiple levels:

• Tinters are installed upside down and air is used to push out the last drop.

• Human error accounts for 24.6% of colour inaccuracies. It only takes a human overdosing a tinter by a gram or even less,

Moonwalk is out of this world

to throw a colour match out of whack. In contrast, MoonWalk is accurate to 0.01 grams and it’s able to repeat precise mixes every time.

• If a painter overdoses a tinter during a mix, it has one of two impacts and neither is good. Do you recalibrate, which creates waste by mixing more product than required, or do you continue on not knowing how much of a mismatch it will cause against the colour formulation. Often, this type of human error is responsible for colour issues and reworks which are both frustrating and wasteful.

Paul Chronis – St Marys Collision Repair Centre, St Marys, Adelaide

Paul is typical of the forward-thinking owners who are embracing the technological leap that PPG LINQ provides. “When I first looked at these PPG technologies, I was convinced

• When manually mixing colour, painters will typically add a safety margin of, say, an extra 200ml to ensure they can finish the job. However, this often results in 200ml or so being left over after the job. Although it’s not a huge amount, the cost of this wasted paint for every job soon adds up. With MoonWalk, you can actually be far more aggressive with mixes. If after the first coat you realise it’s not going to be enough to finish the job, simply get MoonWalk to mix another 50ml or whatever is required.

straightaway that they would be beneficial to my paint shop. The DigiMatch spectro and VisualizID software work really well together to make it easier to choose the best colour match and then MoonWalk mixes it for you which prevents errors from overdosing of a

tinter. There is a cost saving from reducing wastage and it’s absolutely accurate. It’s not only the mixing of small amounts, it also gives my painters a tool to help deal with the difficult colours that are coming out on cars. The paint team absolutely love it!” R

Long distance dedication

Despite being built in the remote north of WA, Lloyd Taylor’s exquisite HT Monaro GTS has set tongues wagging all the way to the show car halls of the Big Smoke.

Holden’s first-generation Monaro is recognised as a timelessly beautiful piece of automotive artwork but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it even better. When Motorex 2023 patrons first glimpsed Lloyd Taylor’s rendition of a HT Monaro GTS, it was crystal clear what it was but there were also subtle differences that were hard to put your finger on. The body lines were more defined and precise, the tight panel gaps would shame many modern cars and the self-formulated colour of the PPG paintwork was so deep it felt like you could swim in it. Few onlookers had any idea that

sthis gorgeous machine had left the factory as a humble yellow base model Monaro and even fewer knew it had travelled almost 5000km to be at Motorex. For Lloyd, the storm of positive attention was just a bonus because this car is all about family.

“I had started an EH Holden project but it was going to be harder to road register so I sold it and looked for a more family friendly alternative. I thought the Monaro was a car that would be well suited to going on family drives with my wife and kids. When a car turned up locally for sale, I jumped at it.”

Lloyd and his wife, Caroline, run Precision Collision in the town of Karratha (population around 19,000 people), about 1500km north of Perth so they have the advantage of having collision repair skills but also the disadvantage that comes from the tyranny of distance.

“Where we are located, we are really disconnected from the usual custom / restoration type resources, such as fabrication shops, readily available parts, etc. As a result, the angle of the build was shaped by things like, where can I source parts from and how much of it can I do myself. For instance, if I had decided on a custom interior, I would have had to tow the car to a capital city to get it done. For me, an off-the-shelf, replica GTS interior was the way to go because I could install it.”

“One of the focuses was on how to make it drive, handle and stop better than it did from factory so we fitted a modern style front suspension and steering setup, along with modern brakes. I also installed the complete driveline I had originally bought for

the EH project, including a period dressed engine bay with a 383ci Chev V8, along with a manualised Powerglide auto and a nine-inch diff with LSD.”

Despite the project’s physical isolation, Lloyd was able to utilise the Internet to reach out for support which became particularly handy with body work. Thanks to a connection to a US specialist who shared his passion for bodywork and surfacing, Lloyd reckons he was able get on the front foot with some of the trends currently happening in the American scene. Endless amounts of patience and perseverance have resulted in immaculate surfacing that really enhances the original Monaro’s graceful body lines. For a superb custom colour to complement the body, Lloyd leant on his PPG partnership.

“I had a vision in my head but developing it was definitely a process that took some time. I started with various sprayouts and then I would paint colours onto old panels which I would hang on the fence. Then I would look at them each time I walked past at different times of the day. It let me know what I liked and didn’t like and I could think

about how I would go about changing it. I took a few lessons from OEM colours so the modern refinish trade helped out a little with processes, colour trends, etc. At different times, I contacted John Hristias (PPG Sales Director Australia), Terry Noble (PPG Business Support Specialist) and Manny Grillo (PPG National Colour Auditor / Consultant) to bounce ideas off them and gather information which helped it all come together. I am definitely happy with the end result. I would also like to thank the PPG WA team – Ash Dewhurst, Ray Bondarenko and Mark Metcalf – for their continued help and support, along with Nick and the team from Platinum Auto Paints for being an awesome distributor.”

Lloyd admits he probably got a little carried away in terms of attention to detail during the five-year build process but it certainly grabbed attention in the show halls.

“I only ever set out to build a car for the family so, to take it to the WA Hot Rod & Street Machine Spectacular in Perth and get invited to Motorex, was more than we could ever have hoped for. It was a five-day, 5000km trip each way and our feet have not touched the ground because we are so busy with our normal collision repair stuff.

I am definitely not ruling out doing another build project but for the moment, myself and the family are going to enjoy this one.” R

Generational change

After

investing decades of blood, sweat and tears into building up their family business, Joe and Lyn Loverso have welcomed the 2nd generation to take it to the next level.

In Melbourne’s inner western suburbs, the RP Panels Accident Repair Centre (RP Panels) name has been associated with top-notch repairs and excellent customer service dating right back to 1975. After buying into the business in 1980, Joe Loverso took full ownership in the mid ’90s when RP Panels was also moved to its current location, approximately 50 metres from the Spotswood railway station. Initially, the small operation fitted into one factory workshop but, as it steadily grew, it expanded into the adjacent workshop and, eventually, into a third workspace.

Today, it’s a sizable operation with 16 shopfloor staff and another three in the office. Although all staff are considered part of the RP Panels’ family, a growing number are actually ‘family’.

Around 20 years ago, Brent became the first of Joe and Lyn’s sons to join the business when he completed a spraypainting apprenticeship. Since then, two more of their five sons have joined. As a panel beater and qualified mechanic, Michael has stepped in to help run the electric vehicle side of the business, while Matthew is Parts Manager and does quoting. Both also help out in the office meeting the

extra demands of the OEM certifications. Joe says he was careful not to be too tough on them in the early days, giving them space to make mistakes as they learnt the ropes and the passion for the business.

“Without them in the business, I would probably be looking to sell rather than invest. They are keen so it’s now up to them to take the business to the next level. Although I am still here fulltime, I have taken a step back. There are still older customers who want to deal with me but, nowadays, people are more likely to ask for Brent.”

To prepare himself for the management role, Brent absorbed quoting and other management processes from his father, as well as completing a Diploma of Automotive Management with the VACC (Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce).

Lately, he has also sat on a committee of repairers that acts as an advisory board to Suncorp Insurance.

Although there was no succession plan in place, the family dynamic has shifted smoothly, according to Brent. “Dad still has a lot of say in what happens but he is allowing us to manage the business.

We all work pretty well together. There is the occasional argument but you just learn to get over it and get back to business.”

While traditional insurance work remains the business’s bread and butter, RP Panels has set itself on a pathway to diversification by going through the process of obtaining certified repairer status with a growing number of vehicle OEMs. Today it’s part of the GM Certified Collision Repair Network, a Suzuki Certified Collison Repairer and a Toyota Insurance authorised repairer. More recently, the RP Panels team noticed that the area’s more affluent customer

Above: Michael, Joe, Lyn, Brent and Matthew Loverso

demographic meant they were seeing more European prestige brands and more Teslas and the latter presented an opportunity, says Brent.

“The rise of electric vehicles (EVs) continues to gather pace in the new car market so the potential volume of EVs coming into collision centres like ours is very likely going to increase. As a result, we have gone through the process of becoming a Tesla approved repairer. There is significant investment in equipment, including a fully sealed booth where aluminium repairs can be done. When we did the numbers, we felt

it was worthwhile so we went for it. Putting in all the time to get staff trained, as well as making the investment in money is a risk but it’s a calculated risk. If you don’t take some risks you end up stagnant and going nowhere.”

One factor that Brent acknowledges made a significant difference in achieving the various OEM

approvals, as well as general productivity, was the ability to work with PPG’s MVP Business Solutions program. According to Mindy Roberts, MVP Business Solutions Manager Vic / Tas, RP Panels has made the most of the opportunities.

“I have worked with RP Panels for about eight years now and they are very receptive to making positive changes. Over the years, we have regularly analysed their financials and supported them with various MVP Business Solutions services, including with the Suzuki approval where we did a ‘5S’ implementation

Generational change

for the whole shop. Now we help them monitor the continuous improvement process.” Brent says the changes have been instrumental in helping the team work more efficiently. “To help us get the Suzuki authorisation, Mindy did some workshop refinements, including setting up workstations, consumables and materials cabinets and putting processes in place so that everything has a spot and once it’s taken it has to be returned. It has really helped with productivity because everyone knows where everything is and they don’t have to waste time looking for it.

PPG has been a close partner of RP Panel right back to the early days, says Joe. “PPG was market leader at the time and we have seen no reason to change. We still see PPG as a technology leader.” Recently, RP Panels started taking advantage of the nextgen DigiMatch™ spectro, combined with VisualizID™ 3D colour visualisation software, says Brent. “With new technology such as this, it comes down to building the trust element. The younger guys have really taken to it, whereas some of the old school guys have taken a little longer. The good thing is that, because this technology lets you compare variants and make the colour

match onscreen, it cuts down a lot of time wasting on spray-out cards and material usage. We have also thought about fitting a MOONWALK® (automated dispensing) machine but we have just made a big investment on equipment for Tesla repairs. A MoonWalk is potentially on the cards in the future and we might show it off to customers by installing it in our quoting / pickup area.”

RP Panels has not been immune from the industry bugbear of finding skilled staff but, after looking overseas, it has had great success recently with a couple of tradespeople from the Philippines

SHOP FACTS

RP Panels

Owners: The Loverso family Staff: 19

PPG Product: Envirobase High Performance

Territory Manager: Gary Newton

joining the team. Rather than constantly being on the backs of the technicians to ensure they are hitting targets, RP Panels takes an alternative approach which has proven very effective, Brent explains.

“Our management philosophy is to make sure everyone feels comfortable and safe in their work environment and it shows in the work ethic of our team. At the same time, it would not be possible to do this without the great team we have and we really appreciate their commitment and hard work. Communication also plays a big part. Every morning, the management team gathers at our special production white board on the front of one of the booths which sets out the production schedule. Then, anyone can look at the board and know where each job fits into the schedule.”

While Joe has no plans to retire any time soon, he is happy to take a more backseat role and watch his sons take the lead.

“Lyn and I built the foundations of a quality shop and now I feel like we can step back at any point and not have to worry about what is happening. Brent, Michael and Matthew are running the show now and they get the opportunity to make the most of it!”

A labour of love... Joe restoring his 1957 Chev

blend process Attention to detail in the

Blending is one of the most common paint shop tasks which makes it super important to ensure you are consistently following the best practice process for speed and efficiency.

The spray booth is often seen as a bottleneck in the collision repair process but it doesn’t need to be that way. Applying some attention to detail as you go through your paint shop processes can have a dramatic effect on productivity while also minimising the time-wasting frustration of reworks. The blend process is a great place to start, says John Hristias, PPG Sales Director Australia.

Take your time to build in speed

In the modern repair process, everyone is feeling the pressure to get the job done as quickly as possible. However, the blend process is one area where it’s well worth taking a little time to ensure that you follow the latest methods, at the correct time. Indeed, the PPG Technical team can prove that spending a little extra, attention-to-detail time in preparing a blend panel will mean the job spends less time in the booth.

Reduce film build

One of the key steps in a successful blend is removing film build. If not, when the fresh clearcoat is applied over the top, it can cause a darkening effect between the existing finish and the blend finish. Some people are worried about

Attention to detail in the

blend process

cutting through on the back edge of the blend panel so, rather than give it a proper sand, they will just try using a grey scourer, instead. However, this doesn’t remove film build, it just deglazes.

Note – If you do happen to cut through, it’s not an issue if you are an ENVIROBASE® High Performance waterborne basecoat user – it makes it super easy to touch up a ‘sand through’. Just put a little piece of tape on the spot to let the painter know and they can blow it in when the job reaches the booth.

Best practice – On the front part of the panel, where you are going to put colour, start by sanding with P400 dry and extend that a little further in order to start flattening the peel.

This will make the step up to P800 much easier because the job is already started. After switching to P800, start by sanding the flat areas without an interface pad and

then finish the panel with P800 and an interface pad. In this way, the P800 abrasive tends to last longer and do its job of flattening the peel and reducing film build.

When it’s done correctly, the prepared blend area will have reduced film build and a nice, fine, even scratch pattern that is ideal for refinishing. This should be the point where you stop but some technicians can’t seem to resist adding an extra step. All too often, we see people complete the recommended process but, for some reason, then pick up a scourer to go back over the panel and randomly hand sand it. This puts linear, straight-line scratches into the surface which become highlighted when the basecoat and clearcoat are applied. If the painter notices it in the booth, they can fix it by re-sanding or putting a wet-bed down. However, this is frustrating because it can easily chew up between 15 minutes and half an hour which then increases the pressure to get the job done on time. If the painter doesn’t notice and

fix it, it becomes a rework which is even worse in terms of wasting time and materials.

Note – In this situation, Envirobase HP once again offers a handy upside. Not only is it really good at filling P400 sanding scratches, it also dries to a matt appearance which makes it much easier to see what the blend area looks like.

Clean for speed

Rather than slowing down the job, taking the time to get crucial cleaning steps right will actually speed up your overall process. Blend panel pre-cleaning is a crucial first step because the surface is typically contaminated

Learn to STOP!

with road grime and possibly also polish or an aftermarket coating, such as ceramics, and that creates a problem. Although it might be only a thin layer, the material on the surface can quickly clog the abrasive surface and causes two frustrating issues. Firstly, the clogged abrasive will impact on the sanded surface, leaving blemishes, such as silicone marks, pigtails, wipe marks and a whole host of other nasty imperfections. Ultimately, there is also the risk of adhesion loss. In addition, the clogging stops the abrasive from cutting correctly so the technician throws it away and fits another one which repeats the problem.

Best practice – Before sanding, take a moment to use a water / methylated spirits cleaner, such as PPG’s handy pre-mixed SWX250 Water-Methylated Spirits Cleaner, and a grey scourer to go over the panel to work lose any water-based contaminants.

At the same time, you will be sanding all those difficult to get at areas where contaminants can lurk, such as the recessed edges that moulds fit into, door handles and the back of door edges where there is the risk of sanding through to the basecoat. Next, repeat the step using Prepsol to remove any solvent-based contaminants. Not only does this cleaning process take very little time, it’s also important to understand that it actually begins the keying / sanding process which makes it much faster, using far fewer abrasives and getting a cleaner blend.

Best practice – It’s much smarter to fit a grey MIRKA Mirlon pad to the sander, attach a vacuum unit and use it to go over the panel. At the same time as it vacuums away the dust, it also does a final deglaze of any shiny spots you may have missed. From there, do a final blow off (only minimal dust should remain), wipe the whole prepped area with PPG SWX250 Water-Methylated Spirits Cleaner and mask it up.

Cleaning between guide-coats

Cleaning sanding dust

Even when using the best dust extraction, once the sanding process is finished, there will be some sanding dust remaining. It’s here that we often see technicians do something that makes no sense at all – they use compressed air to blow the dust off the job! Of course, that dust then settles all over the workshop and everything in it.

If there happens to be a primer repair on the blend panel it adds one more cleaning step. During the blocking process on the repair, guide coat is used to help the technician see how the process is progressing but it’s important to clean in between each guide coat step. If the surface isn’t cleaned between guide coat applications, the dust sitting on the surface actually prevents the guide coat powder from penetrating into the sanding scratches which it’s designed to highlight.

– Before each stage of guide coat is applied, use Prepsol to thoroughly clean the dust and any other contaminants from the surface.

For further information about any of these best practice guidelines, don’t hesitate to contact you PPG Territory Manager or PPG Training Manager for R

Family first

Throughout its recent rapid expansion across the region, the Royan Group has never lost sight of the fundamental values that underpin the company.

Rapid expansion

It’s a basic principle that has not been diluted by the remarkable growth spurt which has seen Royans explode from eight branches in 2018, to now encompass 27 branches. The bold strategic move successfully created the region’s largest network of heavy vehicle repairers who share knowledge, experience and capacity to benefit customers and partners, says Graeme Sharpe, Royans National Sales and Marketing Manager.

Unrivalled network

With 21 branches spread across strategic locations in Australia and another six along the length of New Zealand, the new Royans business model offers customers an unprecedented level of coverage. As well as heavy vehicle repair businesses, Royans also bought several signwriting, powder coating and sandblasting businesses to add other sought-after resources to its one-stop-shop capability. Although some smaller Royans branches still dabble in the occasional car repair, the mainstay of customers come from the transport industry, as well as

or, indeed, anywhere else where the job is too big to fit into a traditional car spray booth. While the branches are capable of taking on pretty much any scope of work, the type of jobs they receive varies from location to location. For example, the Wagga Wagga branch, in the open spaces of the NSW Riverina Region, tends to see a lot of bigger jobs, such as trucks and trailers running off the road or rollovers. In contrast, Melbourne’s urban environment means the branches there often handle jobs where a truck has

‘Back on the road means back in business’

Whichever way you look at it, Royans size now makes it an even more attractive partner, says Graeme. “I can walk into any transport company, etc and honestly tell them that we can look after their needs nationally or even across ANZ, if required. Having a branch within easy reach is a great start but we also strive to live up to Royans’ slogan which is ‘Back on the road means back in business.’

It recognises that whenever a customer’s vehicle is off the road, it’s not earning them money so we aim to get the job quoted, assessed and approved ASAP so we can get the repairs done. An added bonus of our expanded network is that, if one branch is particularly busy and another branch isn’t, we can move work to where it can be done sooner. It helps with the turnaround time and there is no cost or inconvenience to the owner.”

When a vehicle suffers a more major incident, a simple call to an 1800 number sets the specialised Royans Accident Response team in Australia into action. “It’s about removing the stress from the fleet manager and giving them peaceof-mind that we are taking care of everything. We have representatives who can attend the accident site, look after the driver, assess the state of the load, organise salvage and recovery, work with emergency services, clean up the accident scene and liaise with the insurance broker and insurance company to get the vehicle back on the road as quickly as possible.”

The Royans way

one branch to get a quote, it will be almost identical to a quote from another branch.”

It's here that Royans has also taken advantage of its long running partnership with PPG, including with the region wide MVP Business Solutions team, says Greg Tunks, MVP Business Solutions Manager ANZ. “As the Royans expansion progressed, the MVP Business Solutions team was asked to come in and conduct ‘Facility Audits’ at every site. Each one generates an ‘Action Plan’ which helps Royans to identify areas of opportunity for improvements which has then led onto the introduction of some 5S methodology initiatives being implemented. We have also supported Royans OH&S team by creating a ‘traffic management plan’ and an ‘evacuation plan’ for each site. When needed, Royans calls on the MVP Business Solutions team for layout and design services whenever there is a facility redesign, extension or new build. Royans is a pleasure to deal with – it might be a big corporation these days but it’s still like a family business.”

First impressions count

Despite dealing with what are generally workhorses of the road, Royans prioritise a premium paint finish and so do customers,

says Graeme. “They are workhorses but, especially with interstate trucking people, the truck is often their pride and joy. It’s the same for the big fleets who want all their vehicles to look the same, with matching livery colours. When an owner picks up their vehicle, the paintwork is the first thing they see so it’s very, very important. We have had a strong relationship with PPG that goes back to the early days. A large percentage of truck OEMs use PPG which makes it easier for us to match colours. PPG is well known for its innovations, particularly with excellent training programs. They come in and work with our paint shop teams to help them get the best out of every product.”

In recognition of Royans larger regional footprint, the highly experienced Chris Rovere has been appointed as PPG Key Account Manager. “My role is to ensure each of the Royans branches gets all the services and technical support they need. That is not just the best products but also best practice processes. In addition, Royans has invested in SATA guns, air-hoods and filters, as well as MIRKA electric tools, Sanding Stations and Galaxy abrasives. For Royans, it’s not just about price – it’s about what a product or tool can do for their business.”

Corporate ladder

Supersizing Royans has also meant a supersized, 715-person workforce and the need for more dedicated in-house resources, Graeme explains. “You have to change your whole way of thinking when it becomes such a big company. For example, we now have a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), as well as a Group Procurement Manager, a Safety & People Manager and a National Sales Manager. We are also aware that the company’s biggest challenge going forward, is to ensure we have enough skilled

staff. As a result, we recently employed someone whose sole role is to retain and attract staff. Many people say ‘attract and retain’ but we prefer to retain first and then look to attract new people who fit the Royans culture. We feel that if you retain staff, you usually attract new ones. I have been with Royans for 33 years and there are quite a few long-term employees right across the business. Royans is also recruiting apprentices to play a part in generating the skilled workforce of the future – it’s not easy but we are determined to continue searching for good young people to fill the ranks. The bonus

Human

LINQ

As remarkable new PPG LINQ™ technologies continue to rollout, it’s comforting to know that, should a glitch occur, your local helpline is there to quickly get you back in action.

It’s no surprise that collision repairers are geared up to efficiently repair accident damaged vehicles. As part of that, modern repairers are looking to make use of advanced technological solutions that allow them to work smarter, with greater productivity and a better end result.

For example, the extraordinary suite of PPG LINQ technologies has introduced never-before-seen capabilities which have altered the paint shop environment forever. We all know technology is fantastic while it’s working smoothly but what if a potential glitch occurs or you are unsure and need some guidance? This is when you call on expert support from the PPG LINQ Helpdesk.

Rapid response

Rather than having to navigate via a ‘help bot’, the PPG LINQ Helpdesk put you in touch with a real person who is based locally and understands the ANZ market – something that is particularly reassuring when a technology issue affects production.

Therefore, the job of the PPG LINQ Helpdesk team is to use their knowledge and experience to diagnose the issue and get it sorted out ASAP, according to team member, Paul Fogerty.

“There is no such thing as a typical day, here. When a customer calls, we could be faced with a software or hardware glitch, an update to the latest software version or it could just be that the user is a little unsure on how to proceed and needs some advice. I have been in this role since 2017 so you get used to asking the questions that will quickly help get to the core of the issue. When you think about it, PPG’s digital technologies already played a substantial part in paint shop operations even before the next generation PPG LINQ technologies arrived over the past few years. It’s fair to say that it’s quite a bit of complexity when you take into account all the different digital components, from the spectro, to colour management software (PaintManager XI and LINQ Color), as well as connections to scales, the Internet and now the MOONWALK™ automated dispensing system. As PPG LINQ has rolled out, we have found that these are very robust technologies but people can also relate to the fact that occasional hiccups do happen. This is where we swing into action with our own knowledge and technologies.”

Remote fix

Callers to the PPG LINQ Helpdesk could come from any far-flung corner of Australia or New Zealand so the helpdesk team utilises technology that effectively takes

them onsite with individual customers. Rather than having to wait for a technical person to visit onsite – which is particularly difficult in remote locations – the PPG team are able to tackle issues immediately, Paul explains.

“When we are contacted with an issue, we ask the user to enter a web address which creates a link to our PPG system. As long as they have a decent Internet connection, it allows us to connect remotely from a computer at PPG Clayton into their computer wherever it is around ANZ. We can then move remotely around the user’s computer which is great for getting straight to the crux of an issue, sorting it out and getting them back on the job. Generally, it’s a pretty straightforward fix for us but on the rare occasion when someone is required onsite to perform a certain task or replace a piece of hardware, we can call on our widespread network of territory managers to get it sorted out in a timely manner.”

Get connected

As the use of digital technologies increases, so does the need for collision centres to have decent Internet and WiFi connectivity. These days, no one would put up with substandard Internet or WiFi at home and it should be the same at work.

For some collision centres this will require an upgrade in hardware but nowadays it’s relatively inexpensive and freely available. Not only will it help the digital components ‘talk’ to each other, it will also allow them to talk to the outside world. For example, it makes remote connections with the PPG LINQ Helpdesk team possible and it means that regular updates to PaintManager XI happen seamlessly so you always have access to the latest colour formulations. It’s also important with the upcoming step up to PPG LINQ Color which is ‘cloud based’ and accessed via a website.

Global network

As well as being highly skilled and experienced, the local PPG LINQ Helpdesk team is also part of a global network of PPG technical experts who look after the PPG LINQ digital ecosystem. This gives the local team access to a constant stream of information and updates, as well as an avenue to escalate more elusive issues to a global network, if needed.

In addition, the experiences of the local team get fed back into the global PPG LINQ system to help create even more robust, easy to use digital tools in the future. R

With the support of partners, including PPG, NTI has once again led the way with the resto and raffle of a ’54 Chevy pick-up raising valuable funds to drive MND research.

Every day, two people are diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease (MND) in Australia. After diagnosis, life expectancy is typically between one to five years. There is currently no effective treatment and no cure.

For the past six years, National Transport Insurance (NTI) has used an innovative fundraising campaign to help support research into MND. Each year, NTI and a group of partners work together to breathe new life into a tired old truck and raffle it, with the proceeds going to the MND & Me Foundation. The ongoing support via NTI’s official research grant has been crucial, according to MND & ME CEO, Jan Milne. “The funds raised go directly to MND researchers here in Queensland. The consistent funding stream means researchers can continue to focus more on their work and less on securing funding.” Dr John Lee, from the University of Queensland’s School of Biomedical Sciences, says the fundraiser is vital to continue their research. “The goal of our research is to find a drug that can dampen the immune cell responses to slow down the motor neurone degeneration that we are seeing in MND patients. Without the support from NTI and all of the other organisations, this kind of research would not even be possible.”

For the NTI team, the cause is very close to home, says NTI CEO Tony Clark. “Our commitment to raising funds for MND research comes after our former CEO, Wayne Patterson, lost his battle with the disease in 2018. We established the official NTI MND Research Grant to help fund research into treatment and ultimately find a cure.” To date, NTI has raised more than A$2 million for MND research.

Hot Lava Orange hits the spot

Headline act for the 2023 project was a vehicle that is rare in Australia, where it was never sold new. The 1954 Chevrolet pick-up truck was originally purchased by an Australian working in the US and shipped home. After learning about the plans to restore and raffle it, they happily on-sold it to NTI as the basis for the project. Although a later model 1969

A pick-up for MND research

Chev C20 chassis had already been slotted underneath and there was minimal rust, it was still a massive job to get the full resto-mod project completed in 12 months, says NTI Special Project Lead, Don Geer.

“Matt Stone Racing (MSR) took the project concept and ran with it. They were responsible for the complete build and this was on top of them building two Gen3 Camaros from scratch for the 2023 Supercars season. These projects always throw up lots of challenges. GM Aust and NZ kindly supplied a Chevrolet Performance LT1 6.2 litre V8 ‘crate engine’, as well as an automatic transmission and one of the biggest challenges was getting the drivetrain mounted in exactly the right spot. It also needed to be converted to righthand drive and that meant finding a solution for a major steering issue. In addition, because this is an old truck, simply getting the different body panels and components nice and straight took an awful lot of work.”

Other upgrades include a modern Chevrolet independent from suspension setup, four-wheel disc brakes and a custom tray. The interior is also a far cry from the austere original, now featuring air-conditioning, power window, a modified instrument cluster, a Pioneer touchscreen

sound system, a custom steering wheel and a custom leather-trimmed bench seat. Given this epic vehicle was no shrinking violet it needed a colour to match. With PPG being the paint partners to both MSR and the project, it provided a perfect solution, says Don.

“The paint for six of our project trucks has been kindly supplied by PPG. We were invited to PPG’s Queensland Training Facility at Morningside to choose the colour. We settled on Hot Lava Orange because it’s close to the colour of the Truck Assist branding we have with our MSR partnership in the Supercars series and it’s just a brilliant colour that suits the vehicle perfectly. The MSR crew handled the entire paint

process and everyone has been absolutely blown away with it.

Matt Stone, from MSR, reckons it was an added bonus that such a fun project was for a good cause. “It’s a great project to be involved in, with a lot of work in a short amount of time but, thankfully, we come from a motor sport background so that’s something we’re used to. Partnering with the NTI crew, who are very passionate about both the cause and the project, meant that it was something exciting to be involved in.”

Note: The build process for the 2024 MND raffle project is already in the pipeline and Don promises it’s going to be the best yet so keep your eyes peeled and be sure to support the raffle. R

As cross-Tasman neighbours, the New Zealand and Australian collision repair industries share many parallels but there are also fascinating differences.

NSW

&Swingsroundabouts

By working closely with collision repairers on both sides of the Tasman Sea, the region-wide MVP Business Solutions team holds a privileged position. As team members support repairers in all aspects of their business and workshop operations, they also get an insight into what makes each market tick. In other words, where there are differences, where there are similarities and where there are potential opportunities, says Greg Tunks, MVP Business Solutions Manager ANZ.

Australia vs New Zealand

On the face of it, both countries drive on the same side of the road, drive similar vehicles and the collision repair industry has access to similar products, equipment and training. And, when you look at comparable collision centres, there is not a great deal of difference in the bottom line. However, both countries go about it in different ways.

the 50% mark. That is an increase of as much as 10% in the last decade or so. In contrast, a typical ‘parts as a percentage of sales’ figure in New Zealand would sit at around 40%.

– Across both the panel and the paint departments, Kiwi repairers tend to be more efficient at generating profits from the labour component. We do the gross labour profit calculations in the same way (the quoted job values, less workshop

Across both the panel and

the paint departments, Kiwi repairers tend to be more efficient at generating profits from labour...almost a 10% variation

team wages, materials and consumables) for both markets and we consistently see almost a 10% variation.

• Parts margin – Aussie repairers tend to claw back the disadvantage on labour with a much better parts margin. When you take into account a mix of insurance and private work, the parts margin for New Zealand repairers hovers around 13 to 14% In contrast, the typical parts margin for an Australian repairer is around 26 to 27%

• Fixed average cost of repair – Over the past decade or so, the Australian market has seen insurance companies look to align themselves with a network of partner collision repairers. As part of this, they have struck deals with some repairers using a ‘fixed average cost of repair’ or ‘predictive cost of repair’ pricing model. There is a convoluted way to calculate the figure but it means a repairer gets paid a set cost for each repair and it averages out to the agreed amount overall.

surprise that finding skilled staff is extremely difficult across both countries and is probably the topic of conversation that comes up most. Many repairers are going through the process of trying to attract young people into an apprenticeship, as well as looking at importing skilled workers. At the same time, switched on repairers on both sides of the Tasman are looking for incentives to attract and retain staff. It’s about asking, ‘what are your point of differences that would attract people to come and work here’.

• Changing collision repairer demographic – Over a decade or more, Australia has seen the rise of more Multi Shop Operations (MSOs). During that time, the number of smaller, independent collision repair businesses has diminished to be replaced by MSOs with five, ten, fifty or even more branches. Because they tend to be well organised, streamlined and efficient, they often receive a high percentage of the available work. While there is some impact from MSOs in New Zealand, it’s on a much smaller scale at the moment.

• Second-hand – New Zealand has a bit of a different national carpark due to the impact of the long running importation of second-hand vehicles from the Japanese market. This means there is a greater variety of ‘unusual’ vehicles and an increase in the usage of second-hand parts in the repair process.

• New facilities – It could be due to the different sizes of the two markets but it seems like there is more investment being made into the Australian market, in terms of building new facilities. If the numbers stack up, the investment can be well worthwhile in terms of attracting the attention of the insurance companies and the public, providing a more productive work environment and in attracting staff.

Region wide support

Whichever side of the Tasman you are on, the MVP Solutions team is there to offer all the support you need. We have compiled an enormous amount of experience and data from collision centre operations in both countries. The key message is to ensure you fully understand the numbers that drive the performance of your business. Using those key performance indicators, you need to continually look for ways to streamline operations and work as efficiently as possible. That is not always easy for individual collision repairers which is why the MVP Business Solutions team makes such a good partner, no matter where you are! R

• Skill shortage – It’s no

Laurie Allan

National Field Demonstrator and Account Manager

You get the impression Laurie Allan is at his happiest when passing on his extensive spray-painting knowledge. Fortunately for him – and his students! – it’s something he has done for a large part of his long career. “To have someone pull the trigger on a spray gun and get a great finish because I have shown them a particular technique or piece of equipment is very satisfying.”

After starting his career with a spraypainting apprenticeship (completed in 18 months because he was super keen) and building his skills at various collision repairers, Laurie spent 12 years at a major paint retailer teaching painters how to get the most

from industrial paints, architectural paints and equipment. In around 2012, Laurie brought his talents to PPG’s Commercial Performance Coatings (then Industrial Coatings), where his role involved some training but it was mostly sales related, including overseeing a five-person team throughout Victoria and Tasmania. After leaving for an 18-month stint with Wagner spray equipment, he returned to PPG in early 2023 for a role he loves.

“This role is purely training and demonstrating. There is a real need for paint training in the industrial sector and that is paramount to what I do for customers. Rather than just hand them a product and let them work it out themselves, I pass on my knowledge to help customers get the best results from our products and the equipment they are using. When you get painters to the point where they can produce a great result every time, it’s satisfying for them, it’s satisfying for the business owner and it’s satisfying for me. That is a win for everybody!”

MORE ABOUT LAURIE

• Favourite hobbies/pastimes? Playing darts

• Favourite food? Steak

• Favourite drink? Beer

• Favourite music / band? Talking Heads

Anything with a V8 that sounds great!

ENGINEERED FOR EXCELLENCE

Thanks to an unrivalled combination of exceptional speed, superb colour accuracy, no-fuss ease of use and effortless blending and mottle control, this is simply the best refinish technology on the market. Backed by a range of primers and clearcoats featuring advanced low-VOC technology, it’s the eco-friendly choice which really delivers on outright speed. With everything a modern, fast-paced collision centre needs to slash cycle-time while boosting productivity and profitability, Envirobase® High Performance is engineered for excellence!

Bees are crucial to the planet’s ecosystem. Now, a custom trailer, by MaxiTRANS, is providing a mobile base to train apiarists and support our tiny buzzing allies.

A buzz

in the air

You don’t often associate large freight trailers with the humble bee but Heath Menhennet, MaxiTRANS Sales Manager Southwest Region, reckons there is an obvious connection.

“When you think about it, bees have been running one of the oldest transport companies in the world by collecting pollen and nectar from plants – completing the pollination process at

transporting it back to the hive in order to create honey, bees wax,

Bees are actually responsible for pollinating a large percentage of the world’s food crops. Without them, humanity would be in serious trouble. As a result, James Farmer, Manager Horticulture Agriculture, at Melbourne Polytechnic, was looking for ways to fill the vocational education void in order to train future apiarists (beekeepers). At the time, the closest beekeeping course was being run in NSW. As James and his team brainstormed ideas, the concept of a mobile classroom emerged. With the ability to move to wherever it’s needed, this roving educational platform could offer unprecedented accessibility and hands-on training opportunities for students scattered across Victoria. However, was this outside the square theory even possible? To find out, James contacted Heath Menhennet at MaxiTRANS, Australia’s largest manufacturer of trailering solutions.

With 22 years of experience behind him, Heath was able to confirm that the radical concept was indeed possible and that the MaxiTRANS team would be happy to help create this pioneering vocational education tool. Heath suggested a product from the Maxi-CUBE brand – a leading supplier of

refrigerated and dry freight trailers – and then brought MaxiTRANS engineers into play to ensure it met all of the customer’s requirements while ticking all the boxes in terms of road safety and transportation guidelines. The back-andforth design process was lengthy but also invigorating, Heath explains.

“We all know how important bees are so it was great to be part of this design project. The engineers designed a dry freight model that was tailored to the classroom specification and then we started to get into the finer details of the features that would make it functional and user-friendly. Because it would be travelling to various bush locations were it might be quite hot, a temperature-controlled van was ideal. We found options that we utilise for our standard customer range actually fitted really well with Melbourne Polytechnic’s needs, such as a side-access door, the belly lockers so they could store ladders, etc, and a fibreglass, slip-free, zircon floor which met the requirement in terms of being able to hose the interior out and keep it sterile. The great thing about MaxiTRANS is that we can provide a lot of 3D imagery of the design before it’s actually manufactured. It really helps customers visualise what the end product is going to like and I think that is something James really appreciated.”

As the sole paint supplier to the vast MaxiTRANS production facility in Ballarat,

Victoria, a full suite of PPG products features on every trailer that roles down the production line. This includes F4949 CT Productive Chassis Primer Binder which has all the attributes of an epoxy primer – nice smooth finish, excellent adhesion and anti-corrosion properties – along with the curing speed of a urethane type primer. In addition, MaxiTRANS take advantage of PPG’s DELFLEET® Evolution paint system which was specifically developed for Commercial Transport applications.

The next phase involved customising the innovative trailer for its specific educational role which was done in collaboration with a local fit-out company. Nine roof mounted solar panels power batteries built into the trailer, generating enough electricity to run the equivalent of two households. A water storage unit is fitted beneath the batteries

to provide the hot water essential for honey extraction and other tasks. The highly functional interior space includes workbenches for hands-on training and sinks for preparation, says James Farmer. “There are two extractors in there, a warming cabinet, equipment to do repairs to boxes or to create new boxes. They learn to rob hives, take the wax off them and run

them through the extractors. There can be up to 20 students and they don’t all need to be in the trailer at the same time. They learn the whole process as they go through.”

After it’s completion in April 2023, Melbourne Polytechnic’s mobile beekeeping classroom literally hit the road with its first course in August 2023 and the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. Despite the innovative nature of the project, it played nicely to MaxiTRANS’ capabilities, says Heath Menhennet.

“This project threw up no real challenges – for us, it was the same process we go through with other customers every day to make sure they get exactly what they want. I am proud to have been involved and I will always be proud to see this special trailer on the road.”

R

Grid

locked

Via real race car build projects, the University of Canterbury Motorsport team helps students develop the skills and experience to forge a winning career in motorsport.

The Formula SAE competition may seem simple enough but it’s deceptive. Its strict set of rules gives teams of university students a framework on which to design, construct and then compete in their own open-wheel racing car, against teams from around the region and across the world. Just like tightly controlled professional motor sport categories, extracting a winning performance takes innovation, dedication, attention to detail and team work.

And make no mistake, these are serious racing machines. For example, the University of Canterbury Motorsport (UCM) team’s 2023 UCM23 car weighs under 170kg without the driver and can accelerate from 0 to 100kph in a sizzling 3.5 seconds. When it arrives in Melbourne for the Formula SAEAustralasia competition – at Calder Park

in Christchurch, New Zealand. Get it right and it’s the perfect opportunity to not only win the competition but also lay the foundations for a future career, according to Team Principal, Clark Fountain.

“These are simple but super complex cars and from the first design input, right through to putting it on track the team has just one year which is a tight timeline. Formula SAE has a 139-page rulebook to follow and different teams come up with a broad range of different solutions to meet the same criteria. UCM is a student led club within the University of Canterbury and the majority of members who build the car are engineering students who include it in their fourth and final year of studies. Each year the team tends to start from scratch with just a few key concepts

back in 2016 so we have quite a lot of experience. Last year our car was four-wheel drive, with full aero downforce. However, we didn’t have enough time during the year to bring the car up to its full potential and some electrical trouble ended up costing us the 2022 competition. This year, we have gone with a simpler two-wheel drive, light weight approach which has trimmed 120kg out of the car. Overall, UCM23 is not quite as quick but we have reached the full potential of the car.”

As much as possible, UCM attempts to mimic a motor sport environment you might see in anything from World Rally or Formula 1, to MotoGP, IndyCar, Supercars or any other high level category. It’s a place that encourages outside-the-square thinking to breed innovation solutions. It also introduces the concept of trade-offs, where increasing one performance parameter might negatively influence another. Team members use detailed analysis and modelling to plug

in

in various parameters to determine where the most gains can be made, even before parts are fabricated. Although it’s purely led by students, connections to external sponsor organisations helps expand the team’s capabilities. For example, Rodin Cars helped out with titanium 3D printing and nylon printing of components, such as suspension pick-ups, motor cooling jackets, etc. To match the motor sport pedigree of the car, UCM also features standout on track presence, thanks to long term PPG support, explains Clark. “Every aspect of the car we aim to have the highest quality, including our amazing paint job where PPG makes it happen. There are very few teams in Australasia who actually paint the car which takes it from a student-built car to a professional car that everyone loves.”

Avon City Ford, in Christchurch, kindly offered the use of their facilities and paint team, says PPG Territory Manager, Stefan Durham. “Carbon fibre is really not that pleasant to paint – there is a lot of fine holes from the manufacturing process that need to be filled. After sanding with P240, we applied two coats of epoxy urethane primer and then sanded with P240 again.

We then applied three coats of LVC-219

EnviroPrime which did a great job of filling the fine holes. From there, it was the usual process for Mazda 46V Soul Red Crystal, finishing off with LVC136 Performance Clearcoat. It looks very cool in the sun!”

According to Clark, there are basically two types of people who bring their passion to UCM. “There are those who enjoy the motor sport side and those who like the engineering side. The UCM workload is so much higher than any other final year project but it sets students up well for a career in the motor sport industry. Formula SAE is seen as a stepping stone into a motor sport career. In fact, quite a few Formula 1 engineers have cut their teeth in Formula SAE.”

Harvest what you sow

Offering award winning equipment, designed and manufactured for Aussie farmers, FarmTech Machinery is cultivating an enviable reputation as a trusted local brand.

Agricultural field days are a celebration of all things farming, set on a grand scale. These annual rural events are a magnet for farmers looking to check out the latest equipment and techniques, as well as industry suppliers aiming to show off the advantages of their goods and services. The Henty Machinery Field Days, located in Henty, in southwestern NSW, is regarded as southern Australia’s single biggest agricultural event and, at the recent 2023 running, things could not have gone much better for local manufacturer, FarmTech Machinery, according to Director, Brad Modra.

“Throughout the event, farmers would visit our stand and go ‘wow, that is exactly what we need’. Then an independent judging panel chose our newly released Ausmix XL26 Fibrex 26-cube feed mixer for the Greater Hume Council Award. It was awesome and a real credit to all of our team.”

The prestigious award is all about recognising the best new Australian designed and manufactured agricultural machine. It’s a very impressive achievement that reflects on the vast amount of experience behind this small family business, located in the northeast Victoria border town of Wodonga. Back on 1975, while in New Guinea, it was Brad’s father,

Geoff Modra, who first began importing and manufacturing agricultural machinery. Later, he sold the business and moved his growing family back to Australia where it starting from a clean slate under the FarmTech Machinery brand.

Driven by the Australian farmer

After initially settling in Queensland, the family business moved to Wodonga to be closer to its key customers in the dairy and beef cattle industries. While FarmTech is still a machinery importer, it was a natural move to begin manufacturing once again, says Brad.

“We wear two hats – we are a manufacturer and an importer and, together, we currently handle 25 brands. It means we are able to offer a really good range of equipment – everything from crop sowing to feeding out for cattle. Our typical customer is a ‘family corporate’, such as a medium sized dairy that is still family based but is very much run like a business. These are progressive farmers who are investing in new gear in order to increase efficiency and productivity. The manufacturing side really came about whenever we found opportunities to design and build machinery locally and be competitive. Sometimes overseas equipment is not quite suited to our farmers. For example, we would ring an

overseas supplier and ask them to change something. However, they were not really motivated to do it for our small volumes. We started by manufacturing small trailers, slashers and cultivation equipment and that has grown to include larger, more complex machinery, including feed mixers, such as the award winning Ausmix range of feed mixers. Originally, we imported feed mixers from Canada but, over there, they operate on concrete the whole time whereas in Australia customers are running them offroad more often. To suit the local market,

we have developed a more rugged unit with wider tyres to cope with offroad usage. We have also designed in features more suited to feed systems Aussie farmers use, such as the conveyor system and the fact that locally we feed a lot more whole bales. It’s because we are driven by feedback from Australian farmers.

For example, yesterday I spent the day with a customer who flew over from WA. He is looking at buying a big dump trailer for silage and we were literally finalising the specification he wants and then we will build it for him. Wherever possible, we will modify the design to suit their needs and that’s what is making us the brand we are.

Partners in success

FarmTech currently comprises a 45-person team. Company founder, Geoff, is still heavily involved but he’s slowly handing over the reins to his sons, Derek and Brad, and daughter, Anthea. The manufacturing division employs 24 people who handle

Harvest what you sow

everything from design and fabrication to assembly and painting. Towards the end of 2022, FarmTech began a partnership with PPG which has seen it add another level of quality to its manufacturing process, while also slashing paint production time and cost, says Brad.

“George Syder (PPG Commercial Performance Coatings team) dropped in one day and introduced us to a whole range of PPG products and processes that have dramatically improved the finish on our machinery, as well as the drying time. The final paint finish reflects on the whole brand – it’s a way to communicate to the public that this is a great quality product. George has made it very easy to work with PPG.”

According to George Syder, the key to the strong partnership with FarmTech was to listen closely to their needs and then utilise the full range of PPG resources to come up with a total paint solution. “At the time, FarmTech was using enamel technology which was slow to dry, gave poor coverage and didn’t give them the results they wanted. They manufacture a quality piece of kit so we introduced them to a quality 2-pack paint technology – 625 Polythane from the Commercial Performance Coatings range. The FarmTech paint team is very enthusiastic and we were able to work with them to show them how to setup and apply the product using SATA spray guns and a double diaphragm pump. Not only are they getting great results, feedback is that paint consumption has reduced by almost half and the process is taking half the time.”

Brad describes the transformation of the paint finish as a big, big deal! “People now comment on how good our machinery looks. George has also helped our paint team to develop their skills and they now get a lot of satisfaction from producing a great finish. George and PPG have become partners in our success.”

Continuous improvement strategy

Although the Albury-Wodonga region tends to be blessed with a reasonable number of tradespeople, Brad acknowledges that finding skilled staff is still a bugbear. As a result, the company employs apprentices when it can and tries to source young people that it can train in the FarmTech way. Standardised shopfloor processes

to follow helps to build efficiency and the management team keep track of data to help make continuous refinements and improvements. Team communications also get a boost each morning thanks to a five-to-tenminute safety and workflow meeting.

Brand on the rise

Electronic and IT systems are playing an increasing role in Australian agriculture and FarmTech is focused on leading the charge as it builds brand recognition, says Brad. “One simple example which is common now is having GPS guidance built-in. It enables precision agriculture that allows equipment to run precisely over paddocks. Lots of cool technologies are coming through. For instance, using sensors to target weeds in a paddock rather than blanket spraying or being able to apply exactly the right quantity of fertiliser where it’s needed. It’s all about reducing waste in time, fuel, fertiliser, chemicals, etc. I love the challenge of designing and manufacturing machinery locally and the satisfaction of seeing farmers get a lot of value out of FarmTech gear. By being progressive and understanding and adapting to the future trends and challenges of the industry, I see us becoming a household name that Australian farmers can trust!” R

Mirka® Galaxy

Self-sharpening grain technology

Where regular abrasives wear and fade during the sanding process, Galaxy has been engineered with unique, self-sharpening ceramic grains so they continue to cut long after others have given up. This new MIRKA developed technology means that every time the edge of an abrasive grain is broken off, the grains underneath simply form new cutting edges and the sanding process goes on. As well as a faster cut from edge-to-edge and excellent edge wear resistance, Galaxy abrasives continue to retain that sharp feel for longer which significantly extends the lifespan. As an added bonus, the scratch pattern of finer Galaxy grits is especially quick and easy to polish out.

Mirka® Galaxy – Non-sticking • Self-sharpening • Long-lasting.