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Electrification expert panel for VASA Wire & Gas 2022
Australasia’s automotive aftermarket has questions about what vehicle electrification means for the industry
This year’s VASA Wire & Gas convention has assembled a panel of experts to provide the answers from almost every angle. One thing is certain: for those who rise to the challenge, the hybrid and electric vehicle revolution that was demonstrated to be already in full swing at the recent Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo provides plenty of opportunities, not to mention a bright future for those starting out in the industry.
Among the panel for VASA Wire & Gas are people who embraced electrification early and have already built a track record of success in Australia and overseas, from building charging infrastructure to carrying out electric conversions on existing vehicles to specialising in the maintenance and repair of hybrid and electric vehicles. Confirmed panel participants include JET Charge Chief Executive Officer and Chargefox Director, Tim Washington; REDARC Electronics Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Anthony Kittel; Jaunt Motors Chief Executive Officer, Dave Budge; and US-based workshop owner turned world-renowned hybrid and EV repair expert, Craig Van Batenburg. VASA is Australasia’s trade association for specialists in auto air-conditioning, electrical and thermal management, disciplines that are converging and ideally placed to benefit as electrification becomes increasingly mainstream across everything from passenger cars to heavy vehicles and earthmoving equipment. More Wire & Gas panel participants and expert speakers will be announced ahead of the event, which will take place from July 29-31 at the lavishly refurbished JW Marriott Gold Coast and landmark VASA HQ/SuperTest facility in Ormeau, Queensland. To book tickets, accommodation and for more event information, visit www.vasa.org.au/wg2022
BENDIX PARTNERS WITH OUTBACK CLEANUPS AUSTRALIA
The charity has already removed 61-plus tonnes of rubbish from our environment
Bendix has partnered with Outback Cleanups Australia, a registered not-for-profit charity dedicated to removing rubbish from Australia’s remote coastal areas, bushlands and marine environments. Outback Cleanups Australia founder Boe Langford established the organisation in 2019 and together with his partner Kimberley Baraiolo, the couple travel across the country in their 75 Series Toyota LandCruiser on their journey to clean up Australia and help preserve its unique and stunning landscape for future generations. With over 61 tonnes of rubbish and counting removed since its inception, the Outback Cleanups team show no signs of slowing down. Bendix is now fully committed as an official partner and is proud to be supporting Outback Cleanups Australia on its mission to preserve our country’s beautiful environment, by not only helping them continue their travels, but also by spreading awareness about the important work that they do. “We are happy to be supporting such a great cause with Outback Cleanups Australia, along with a host of other environmental initiatives – it’s an important part of our program and further strengthens our position as a strong environmentally conscious company,” FMP Group (Australia) Pty Ltd (Bendix) General Manager, George Kyriakopoulos, said. “OCA is excited to have an Australian business such as Bendix on board as a partner, there is no doubt that their product is fantastic, especially for us and our setup. We are very excited for this partnership,” Outback Cleanups Australia’s Kimberley Baraiolo said. To learn more about Outback Cleanups Australia, visit www.outbackcleanupsaustralia.com For more information about Bendix, visit www.bendix.com.au
PARTLY APPOINTS RENOWNED CSO
Tony Ausin is joining the company
Partly, the parts technology company providing digital cataloguing infrastructure for ecommerce, has appointed Kiwi Tony Austin as Chief Strategy Officer, off the back of its successful pre-Series A capital raise of NZ$3.7 million last year. As CSO for Partly, Tony’s key focuses include spearheading the business strategy, cultivating rapid growth and global scale, as well as helping to upskill and mentor the Partly team. He will also take on the title of Co-Founder, being one of Partly’s founding investors back in 2020. Joining Partly represents a return to the Automotive industry for Tony, with automotive experience spaning a variety of countries and segments, including Category Manager at Repco, Head of Motors at eBay UK – where he led eBay Motors to be the largest automotive player in the global Vehicle Parts and Accessory space – and head of Amazon Automotive’s European division, responsible for enabling many of the OE vehicle Manufacturer’s e-commerce thinking and capabilities. Tony joins Partly from global ecommerce giant, Amazon, where he worked for more than six years across Europe and Australia, most recently as the latter’s Country Manager of Amazon Global Store and General Manager of Cross Border Businesses. Tony was a key driver in establishing and growing Amazon’s brand presence in the Australian and NZ markets. “It was clear from the beginning that Partly’s approach was truly revolutionary,” Tony said. “I’ve witnessed first-hand how inadequate automotive parts cataloguing is holistically, and how it impacts millions of automotive parts buyers and fitters globally, every second of every day.” This appointment of a CSO role follows Partly’s ongoing record of success, having reached a NZD$50 million pre-Series A valuation after raising NZD$3.7 million in venture capital. Partly is a leading technology company with a mission to organise the world’s parts. It works with manufacturers, distributors and resellers to standardise auto part data and ensure this can be utilised online, especially for ecommerce. Partly provides online tools, infrastructure and APIs enabling businesses to sell more parts with the right data. Founded in Christchurch, New Zealand, Partly is used in over 25 countries by thousands of businesses, from small companies to large enterprises, to add fitment, check interchanges and manage parts online. For more information, visit www.partly.com
The company has claimed the Readers’ Digest Most Trusted accolade for a ninth straight year
Australian and New Zealand motorists have once again put their confidence in Bridgestone, confirmed by another victory in the tyre category of the coveted Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brands survey. Bridgestone claimed the title of Australia’s Most Trusted Tyre Brand for the ninth straight year – maintaining its unblemished record since the tyre category was introduced in 2014. The title of New Zealand’s Most Trusted Tyre Brand went to Bridgestone for the sixth year in a row, with the Firestone brand also retaining ‘Highly Commended’ status. Since the tyre category was introduced in NZ in 2015, Bridgestone and Firestone are the only brands to have won the accolade, with Firestone winning the first two years and Bridgestone every year since. While the brand’s reputation has been built on its acclaimed products and service, Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand Managing Director, Heath Barclay, believes that the company’s ambition for innovation and its community support are also driving factors behind the years of maintaining trust across both markets. “We’re honoured to be named both Australia’s and New Zealand’s Most Trusted Tyre Brand again in 2022. Bridgestone places great importance on not just providing safe and reliable tyres, but also playing a role in creating value for our customers and society through innovation and community support,” Heath said. “We’re proud of our achievements and the trust we’ve built, and we’re excited for our future as we continue to innovate and provide even more reasons for motorists to continue to put their trust in Bridgestone.” Bridgestone continues to invest in the future of sustainable mobility not only through its own product development, but through its continued support of a range of community led initiatives such as the RYDA road safety education program in both countries, the global Bridgestone World Solar Challenge partnership, support of the EVolocity schools program in New Zealand, and ongoing partnerships with the Leukaemia Foundation in Australia and Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand. “The results of the leading consumer brands survey has once again revealed the vital role trust has in helping customers decide which brand to purchase,” Reader’s Digest Magazine Editor-inChief, Louise Waterson, said. “Bridgestone enjoys an enviable position – their customers know Bridgestone tyres are value-for-money, reliable and above all, safe. Congratulations!” Bridgestone also won Reader’s Digest’s Quality Service Awards for tyre retailers last year in both countries. For more from Bridgestone, visit www.bridgestone.com.au
COOLDRIVE AND FAMILY BUSINESS AUSTRALIA COME TOGETHER
In conjunction with Family Business Australia, CoolDrive Auto Parts recently hosted a “Meet the Owners” event at its Head Office in Box Hill
In attendance were fellow Victorian Family Business Australia members, who experienced the inner workings of CoolDrive Auto Parts, which included a guided tour of the Head Office and the adjacent Blanchard Racing Team workshop, which had the CoolDrive Racing Supercar on full display. The networking event also included a Q&A session with CoolDrive Auto Parts Chief Executive Officer John Blanchard and Chief Operating Officer Tim Blanchard, who discussed the history and future of the business, and the importance of family involvement. From humble beginnings to now being recognised as Australasia’s preferred automotive parts distributor, CoolDrive continues to stay true to its family roots, with the tradition of generations of the Blanchard family continuing to drive the business. And at its core is the company’s ties to motorsport. “Motorsport is in the DNA of the Blanchard family for decades, and has subsequently been a perfect complement for the development and growth of CoolDrive Auto Parts since 1977,” John Blanchard said. “It engages our staff, suppliers and customers, and bringing the Blanchard Racing Team to life has been the natural next step in that evolution. “For CoolDrive as a whole, there are a lot of great parallels between the competition of motorsport and the operation of a growing family business. “From a culture perspective, we have recently implemented some core values relating to working together, caring for each other and our business partners, embracing change, acting fairly, and aiming to inspire. “We are proud to have developed from very humble beginnings to be a major player in the market, and we are looking forward to continuing the journey.” The event hosted at CoolDrive was part of Family Business Australia’s ‘Meet the Owners’ series which gives members exclusive access into the workings of the diverse family business sector in Australia. For further information on CoolDrive Auto Parts, visit www.cooldrive.com.au
FEDERAL BATTERIES GETS BEHIND POWER CHAIR TEAM
A number of donations are powering the Western Sydney Wanderers Football Club Power Chair Team
Federal Batteries has thrown significant support behind the players of the Western Sydney Wanderers Football Club Power Chair Team, giving them the power to keep playing. Powerchair football is a modified version of football (soccer) for electric wheelchair users and is played in over 30 countries. Foot guards fitted to the modified chairs are used to knock the ball to teammates and the goal. Twenty batteries, enough to power ten chairs for the team, have been donated by Federal Batteries. “It was more than a donation; it was to facilitate the happiness and value that this game brings to the players, their carers and support teams,” Federal Batteries Regional Manager, John Collyer, Regional Manager, said. Federal Batteries also supplied four fast chargers to keep the team playing during tournaments. “This is more than sport for the participants, this is their social life and opportunity to compete and participate in a team environment. It was great to see everyone getting out there, men, women and children competing and enjoying the game,” John said. The batteries were supplied just in time to help the club prepare for and compete in the weeklong Australian Power Chair Football National Championships held at Sydney Olympic Park in late April. John said he hoped the donation was the beginning of a continuing partnership with the club. “We wanted to make a substantial difference. Federal Batteries’ focus is about providing the best power solutions for work, life and play – so this is a great fit for us,” John said. WSW FC Power Chair midfielder, Ben Keyte, said the yellow-tops Optima batteries were supplied to the whole squad. “Thanks to Federal for supplying these batteries, which is a massive financial cost, plus several fast chargers. As it is essential between the matches, we charge our chairs and be back to 100 percent power before kick-off,” Ben said. “It (the batteries donation) takes the financial burden off the players and families. Normally it takes a set of batteries in these sports chairs, costing roughly $700 to $800, so it can be quite expensive. “All these extra expenses of having a child or person with a disability that they’re supporting, so to have Federal Batteries come in and take that financial load off us and help us and the club is amazing, and we really appreciate it.” Federal Batteries has been servicing automotive, commercial, and industrial customers across the nation for over 30 years. It provides energy and storage solutions for a wide range of applications including automotive, marine, caravan and RV, truck and heavy transport, electric vehicles, and personal mobility devices. Federal Batteries is part of BAPCOR Limited, which says it is Australasia’s leading provider of automotive aftermarket parts, accessories, automotive equipment, and services. For more from Federal Batteries, visit www.federalbatteries.com.au
