IBIS Australia 2008 ‘A Great Success’

The International Bodyshop Industry Symposium’s launch onto the Australian industry scene was greeted with great enthusiasm by all attendees and has been declared a success by its Australian organisers, its British initiators and all delegates.

Attendees came from all over the globe, including Britain, Holland, New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia and Singapore, as well as all states of Australia except Tasmania.

The delegates were treated to five star meals and the best in opinion on the state of the collision repair industry from Europe’s IBIS Worldwide, along with a selection of Australian speakers across the discussion topics.

The symposium was backed by some of Australia’s leading companies associated with the body repair industry, including Sikkens Acoat selected, PPG, AAMI, NRMA Insurance, EMM, Estimage by Stelvio, Microcat Market, 3M and Toyota.

Much of the programme was carried over from IBIS Worldwide, with local panellists behind the major speakers to give each topic relevance to the Australian market. The fact that the principal themes from Montreux remain relevant on the other side of the globe speaks volumes for the universality of the collision repair industry and the issues impacting it.

Delegates were treated to IBIS Chairman Chris Mann discussing “Vehicle Manufacturers and the Repair Sector – on a collision course?”

This was followed by a video presentation of Dr Peter Wells from the Cardiff Business School (South Wales, UK) with his Montreux presentation, “What’s happening in the world’s motor industries? Implications for the collision repair market.”

Michiel van Ratingen from Euro NCAP addressed via video the topic of “Technology, Vehicle safety systems and their impact on repairability”, with the assistance of Khaeruddin Sudharmin, CEO of Motordata Research Consortium, Malaysia (in partnership with Thatcham, UK).

Another IBIS 2008 speaker, Glenn Gibson from Crawford & Company (Canada), had a video package on “Staff – Resourcing for an unknown future” supported by Lawrie Martin from the Australian Technical College, who has been addressing this issue with the assistance of the Australian Federal Government, and After Sales Manager at the Toyota Institute, Kerry O’Neill.

“Insurer/repairer relationships – Repairing a dysfunctional market”, was another carryover from Montreux, with Christopher Macgowan of the Motorists’ Forum (UK) as theme speaker and panellists Maureen Joseph, the National Industry Relations Manager for AAMI insurance, and Richard Nathan, Chairman of the Body Repair Division of the Motor Traders Association of NSW and National Chairman of the Australian Motor Body Repairers Association.

As at Montreux the whole package was ably stitched together by moderator David Lingham, who challenged the speakers and the audience.

The event was staged at the Convention & Exhibition Centre, located in the Darling Harbour recreational precinct at the back of the Sydney CBD. It is a high profile environment for tourists and commerce.

The symposium was held immediately prior to the Auto Equip Expo trade fair, also held in Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre.