Page 89 - Australian Paint & Panel Nov-Dec 2020

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SAM STREET
It amazing to see Van outgrowing this
workshop in just two years. It’s a sign of good repair outcomes that work
providers are sending so much work. The shop still looks brand new and we’re excited to see what comes next.
JUDGE POWELL
This workshop is a good example of
efficient production flow with well defined work areas and drive through booths
catering for large and small repairs without disruption to output.
dle: like buying their own tow-truck, for instance. Instead of waiting on the trucking company to send a bloke to help them, Fletchers uses the tow- truck to cart its cars between dealer- ships. “We used to call the tow-truck companies and they guys would tow it when it suits them,” he says. “If the car’s ready, then we can just send our tow-truck down to pick it up, instead of waiting for them. It’s more efficient. We want to get the car back to the cus- tomer, you know?”
But, despite the patent success of Fletcher’s business, the inevitable has already occurred: Van needs more space again — just two years after opening the new premises. “When we first moved in, we were going: wow! This is going to be perfect!” Van says. “We’re thought, we’re here for the long term - otherwise I wouldn’t have paint- ed all the beams like I did. But now it’s not big enough...” So, Van is having
the tin sheds pulled down, along with the car detailing space. In its place, he’ll install an automated carwash as well as as significant amount of room undercover. “We’ll probably get 721 square metres,” estimates Tam. “If I could have a little lift, I’d build a mez- zanine and put all the parts upstairs and then have more working floor space.
“We’ve hit fifty cars each week, so I’d like to try and make fifty-five or sixty once we finish the expan- sion,” Tam says.
The extra space will, hopefully, have a flow-on effect, with in in- crease in capacity justified by an in- crease in business. And, the robot carwash isn’t bad news for the two detailers Fletcher’s currently em- ploys, either. “I’ll find other things for my detailers to do,” he says. But, true to form, even though the current build isn’t over,
ABOVE LEFT: A well designed workshop which achieve a high volume.
ABOVE: Australia’s best selling ute is the Toyota HiLux.
FROM LEFT: The Fletchers team; Drive through booths a part of the workshop lay out which ensures a great workflow; Fletchers puts its stamp on the prep bays.
Van is thinking about his next next project. “I’m thinking about buying another site and moving all the heavy cars down the road. And I might have to buy another unit to park these cars, because right now I don’t have enough room to park them.” he says.
JUDGES’ COMMENTS