Capricorn Rising Star crowned

Marama Thompson is the 2022 Capricorn Rising Star

Australasia’s largest automotive cooperative, Capricorn, says it is proud to announce the new winner of its apprentice of the year award, Marama Thompson. The prestigious achievement award recognises talented apprentices who show initiative, thirst for knowledge and commitment to the automotive industry. Marama Thompson, from Auto Super Shoppe Eurotech in Hamilton, New Zealand, has consistently demonstrated these qualities across all aspects of her work. This is the second consecutive year that an automotive apprentice from New Zealand has taken the top honour. “I had always dreamed of becoming an automotive technician, working on cars and owning my own workshop since I was young,” Marama said. “My drive is trying to figure out the whys of vehicle issues and sorting a solution to the problem, then to see it leave the workshop with a customer driving it, as opposed to seeing it arrive on a tow truck. The joy of another car fixed and roadworthy and a real happy customer makes me very proud of what I do. “My greatest accomplishment so far is being on the tools under the hood, working on cars. I have great support from my boss who is always there if ever I need help. I am still learning and I’m enjoying learning something new every day. “One of my biggest accomplishments was being nominated for this award, let alone now having won the Capricorn Rising Stars competition. I guess I’m just living my dream, with great support behind me.” According to the owner of Super Shoppe Eurotech Hamilton, Nik Fowlie, from the moment Marama joined, she became the missing piece of their business puzzle. “She is a superstar! Marama has only been with me for one and a half years and has now become my second in charge. She can fix cars and run the front of house, while also dictating workflow to the rest of the technicians,” Nik said. “She always shows up early and is usually one of the last to leave. Her mechanical aptitude is the best that I have seen in my 16 years of the trade. She will become an amazing technician or service manager one day. “Her customer service is second to none and I can feel confident that she has a handle with the customers and preparing their invoices, despite her short amount of time in the trade. She is always willing to learn and to better herself.” Marama Thompson has won a $5,000 cash prize from Capricorn Rising Stars Apprentice of the Year competition major sponsor Castrol, while Auto Super Shoppe Hamilton has received a 12month Repco Autopedia subscription along with enrolment in the Workshop Whisperer’s Service Advisor Pro online program. The 2022 Capricorn Rising Stars Apprentice of the Year was selected from an impressive 341 apprentices nominated by Capricorn Member businesses located across Australia and New Zealand from the entire spectrum of repair and service disciplines. This competition serves to highlight the importance of apprentices to the Australian and New Zealand automotive aftermarket industries. The competition also seeks to encourage new talent to join the industry, ultimately generating more qualified automotive repairers to ensure the industry’s continued future growth and strength. “Encouraging and acknowledging future leaders is an important part of growing and supporting the automotive industry,” Capricorn CEO Automotive, Brad Gannon, said. “We at Capricorn want to help our Members strengthen their teams and believe that recognition and reward will help businesses attract and retain the best talent.” Capricorn thanks all of its Members who nominated their apprentices along with award sponsors Castrol, Repco and The Workshop Whisperer for taking part in this most valuable of automotive aftermarket industry recognition programs. The Capricorn Rising Stars competition will return in 2023. For more information, visit www.capricorn.coop

VIVA ENERGY HYDROGEN SERVICE STATION ON TRACK

The Geelong project has passed several significant milestones and is on track for delivery in late 2023

Viva Energy recently announced further significant steps towards delivery of its industry-leading hydrogen refuelling station. Viva Energy has placed orders for a 2.5MW electrolyser for the creation of green hydrogen as well as a fast-fuelling hydrogen dispensing system capable of refuelling multiple vehicles at once. This equipment will be the first of its kind in the Australian market and is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2023. The containerised electrolyser is being provided by Nel Hydrogen US, a subsidiary of Nel ASA in Norway, together with its local partner ENGV, and is expected to be the largest in Australia by a considerable margin. Once installed, it will be at least twice the size of any other electrolyser producing green hydrogen in the country. In addition, Viva Energy is partnering with Air Liquide for the provision of a ‘fast fill’ hydrogen refuelling package designed to refuel at least 10 trucks or busses consecutively. This leading-edge system will be the largest in Australia and will be capable of dispensing 300kg of hydrogen in under two hours, providing Viva Energy’s hydrogen customers with a similar refuelling experience to today’s traditional service station. Together, this equipment will provide Viva Energy with the capacity to generate and deliver more than 1,000 kilograms of green hydrogen per day, powering a fleet of at least 15 hydrogen fuel cell heavy vehicles. Viva Energy says these are critical first steps in its vision to establish Australia’s most ambitious hydrogen mobility project, which is expected to be the catalyst for a network of hydrogen refuelling stations reaching from Geelong and Melbourne to Sydney and Brisbane. Viva Energy’s hydrogen mobility project was made possible through $22.8 million funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and $1 million from the Victorian Government’s Renewable Hydrogen Commercialisation Pathways Fund. For more information, visit www.vivaenergy.com.au